Honor Your Father and Your Mother … which is the first commandment with a promise.
God often gets our attention with a promise. They are all through scripture. God promises many things to His children, but the vast majority of them are conditional promises. In other words, He promises us blessings based on the giant word “IF.” In fact, my mother seemed to understand the process in Deuteronomy 5:16 even though we did not grow up in a church family. “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Yes, mom let us know with great certainty that IF we, as little kids, intended to spend more time on earth, we had better honor her with love and obedience. So long as we did that, life was far sweeter! When we did not, life was usually a painful misery! (Are all moms born knowing how to use a thin switch on the back the legs?) Yet, we loved mom deeply and unconditionally. We knew that joy or sorrow was not dependent on her, but on our behavior. We could trust her beyond question. And we knew she loved us and was a just and loving guide to get us to maturity with a careful understanding of how the world works. Not surprisingly, the more I learn about Jesus, the more I realize just how much my mom was like Him – tender and loving toward obedient children, yet stern with those who would hurt her children. What a great joy it is when we reach the age where we honor our moms with cards and calls and care and love for all she did for us during our formative years. Maybe this year it is time for a special card, a special gift, a few extra roses and a much longer hug or phone call or visit than usual. If your mom has passed on, hug someone else’s mom!
Ray Wallace
We Know The expression “We know” is found 53 times in the Bible. Only five of those are in the Old Testament, which leaves 48 in the New Testament. Of those 48, one New Testament author uses 30 of them. Who would you guess that is? The apostle John is the inspired penman who writes “we know” thirty times—13 of the 30 are in his account of the gospel, and then 17 of the 30 (one-third of every occurrence in the whole Bible) are in the little book of First John. The gospel of John records individuals affirming about Jesus: “We know that You are a teacher come from God…We know that this is indeed the Christ” (3:2; 6:42). The apostle fills his short epistle with: “…we know that we know Him…we know that we are in Him…we know that we shall be like Him… we know that we are of the truth…we know that He abides in us…we know that we abide in Him…we know that He hears us…we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him…we know that the Son of God has come…that we may know Him…” (2:3, 5; 3:2, 19, 24; 4:13; 5:15, 20). Take time to savor what “we know”!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
What do People See in Your Face? Following years of separation after his brother stole his birthright, Esau made his way to meet Jacob in Genesis 32. Jacob “was greatly afraid and distressed,” thinking that Esau may be coming to “attack” him (32:7-8). He made strategic preparations for the saving of his family, and he sent a “present” ahead of him to Esau, hoping to “appease him” (32:20). Note what Jacob said next: “afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me” (32:20). What an interesting thing to say. Jacob would know of Esau’s reaction and even intentions when he saw his “face.” In the next chapter, the two brothers meet, and note what Jacob says to his brother: “I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me” (33:10). Question: When others see us, do they see our face as though they are seeing the face of God? Do our eyes, our mouth, our expression convey that we belong to God? Do others see Him in us, just by looking?
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, FL
“My Lord and My God”
What a glorious time is Resurrection Sunday! What many in the world have designated as “Easter” (a word not found in the original Greek New Testament), has actually been celebrated every first day of every week by Christians since the first century. Last week most churches the world over celebrated traditional “Easter” as it has been named. But think about what that first week entailed. Jesus was resurrected from the dead on what we now call Sunday morning. That was the key event of Christianity. But at first, few knew. John arrives at the empty tomb (John 20:2-10) and tells the others what has happened. He’s alive! But the world has yet to hear the good news. First the disciples, then a few others – the word is spreading like wildfire! The chief priests and the Sanhedrin hear and fear. Jesus keeps popping up in homes, on the road to Emmaus, and to 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6). It can’t be denied. He’s alive, just as he said He would be. But what now? The event is real. His appearances after His resurrection are real. The spreading of the news is real… so far. But only one thing keeps this new ball rolling: people telling people! His virgin birth was real. His miracles were real. His prophesies were real – they came true! But all that realism and the good news about the resurrection is genuinely useless without one continuing new reality: people telling other people. Did it work? Apparently so. In Act 5:28 we find simple but incredible words directly from the mouth of the high priest, “…you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching….” How did it work? From the mouths of the believers to the hearts of new bel
ievers. No radio, no TV, no bull horns, just the truth of the resurrection from heart to heart. The same is true today, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” (Romans 10:17). The story is told that as Jesus ascends into the heavens in Acts 1, the angels ask upon His arrival, “What plan did you leave in place for Christianity to spread? Jesus answers, “For each one to teach one.” The angels query, “But what if they don’t?” Jesus says, “I have no other plan.” Are you being part of Jesus’ plan seen in the great commission in Matthew 29:18-20?The week after “resurrection day” still happens every week of year. As the old song asks, “O, will you not tell it today?”
Ray Wallace
In The Shadow of the Cross Allen Webster
Jesus lived a lifetime in the looming shadow of the cross. He was conceived for Calvary, born to die, begotten for burial and reared for the resurrection. He spent three decades on death row. He was aware of the agony that awaited His body and the anguish that would tear His heart. We are largely left in the dark concerning His early years. At what point He knew who He was, we do not know, but it must have been early. Mary pondered the things concerning His remarkable birth and early days in her heart (Luke 2:19) and, without doubt, shared them with Him (cf. Luke 2:40). By the age twelve He was “about His father’s business” (Luke 12:49). He grew up reading the prophecies about Himself. He saw His sacrifice implied (Genesis 4:3-5), prophesied (Genesis 22:8), typified (Exodus 12:5) and personified (Isaiah 53:7). On earth, He was identified by John (John 1:29) and verified by the apostles (Acts 8:30-35). Presently He is glorified in heaven (Revelation 5:12-13).
What was it like to grow up in the shadow of the cross? He was not isolated or sheltered from events that depicted His own future.
Imagine Jesus as a Boy Seeing His First Crucifixion Gary Stanley has recreated what might have happened in “An Imaginary Conversation Between a Boy and Centurion Soldier” (edited).
The legionnaire leaned against his spear to study the boy standing at the base of the cross. The old soldier had handled hundreds of crucifixions, and this one was no different. Every crucifixion had its victim. Every crucifixion had its Roman sanction. Every crucifixion had its audience. The guard was a seasoned student of the expression on each spectator’s face. Most feigned disgust and clucked useless sympathies, but their eyes betrayed a morbid fascination. As the day wore on, spectators came and went, but their eyes always seemed the same. By the evening meal only the boy remained. He stood quite still, a bundle of wood at his feet. The guard recognized him; he was a tradesman’s son and often travelled the streets making deliveries for his father. Above, the man stretched out on the cross coughed. His beaten face made nonsense of once-delicate features. The dying man looked down into the eyes of the boy and his suffering seemed deeper than expression. Each breath caused muscle spasms through his frame. He swallowed and tried to clear the pounding in his head. the boy swallowed too. This was the first crucifixion he had seen. He took in every detail of the scourged and beaten man. The guard placed a hand on his shoulder. “Pretty gruesome, isn’t it?” he said. “This fellow dreamed of being a king, but he is only another revolutionary, an enemy of the state.” The youngster made no response. “Why so silent, boy? His suffering is almost over. I know, I’ve watched hundreds die. Some say that the last few moments are actually euphoric.” The boy picked up his bundle and walked silently away. It was nearly dark.”
Jesus read His own obituary (Isaiah 53). He knew He would be pierced (Psalms 22:16; Zechariah 12:10) and hanged on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:23). He learned of the thirst involved (Psalms 69:21) and the failing of His strength (Psalms 109:4; Isaiah 53:12). He knew He would be betrayed (Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14) and forsaken by His own (Zechariah 13:7). Christ grew up reading about Abraham sparing Isaac but knew that His Father would not stop the “knife from falling” on Him (Genesis 22). He studied the Passover lamb (Exodus 12) and knew that He was the substance of that shadow (John 1:29). He went to offer His sacrifices and knew that each one was but a figure of His bleeding wounds (cf. Leviticus 1-5; John 3:14-16).
Imagine Jesus as a Boy Seeing His First Scourging What must He have thought when He first saw a soldier draw back a whip! He knew that His back would one day be bared to the same “cat-of-nine-tails.” When He heard the moans of agony and saw the blood pour from the wounds, He was looking into His mirrored future. When He heard the crowd’s mockery, He knew He would feel the sting of insult. He must have dreaded being smitten, spat on (Isaiah 50:6), wounded, bruised, and stripped (Isaiah 53:5).
Imagine Jesus Boy Seeing His First Funeral Later, He ended every funeral He attended (Luke 7:11-15; John 11:43). But, suppose He attended one as a boy. What must have gone through His mind, knowing that He would prematurely die and be laid in a borrowed tomb? He knew that they would be unable to get a big enough rock to keep Him in the grave! He had read that He would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9), but also that His soul would not be left in Hades (Psalms 16:8-10). He knew that He would be resurrected (cf. John 2:19), ascended (Psalms 68:18; 110:1), anointed (Psalms 45:6-7), and enthroned (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Have you obeyed King Jesus? He asks that you believe that He is the Son of God (John 3:16), turn away from your sins in repentance (Luke 13:3), confess His deity (Matthew 10:32), be buried in baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and live faithfully till death (Revelation 2:10); Titus 2:12)? Jesus lived in the shadow of the cross, that we might live in the shadow of heaven!
Who is Your Lord?
I think most Christians could answer this question correctly, “Who is the Lord?” Most would give a credible, biblical answer: Only begotten Son of God, Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us, etc. But the question on the table here is, “Who is your lord? (It might not have a capital “L.”) When you consider how the culture is often driving serious decisions at many churches, we must wonder what happened to 2 Corinthians 5:9, “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” We might also ask whatever happened to Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” Likewise, we could wonder if God’s people have forgotten 1 Corinthians 4:6, “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” (Notice that the ones changing God’s word are described as “arrogant,” not the ones holding fast to it. It may be the ultimate arrogance to think you know better than God!) We know we must not add to nor take from God’s word (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18). But few remember that all the way back to Solomon, God warned us, “My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change, Prov. 24:21. I think I see a standard developing here. Oh, wait, “standard” hmmm, that rings a bell, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” No wonder Paul wrote to the Philippians, “…let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” Since God has given to us, “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3) let us show that we are making Him Lord or our personal lives by simply following the Book and not our own ideas, not adding to nor taking from His plan. “There is way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death,” Proverb 14:12. We must serve Him on His terms, biblical terms, if we are to truly make Jesus Lord in our own hearts. After all, it’s how we love Him – John 14:14, “If you love Me you will keep my commandments.”
Ray Wallace
If The Bible Is God's Word… Neal Pollard
It answers the biggest mysteries of this life that so baffle humanity.
It reveals the plan of the Creator of everything.
We are accountable to it.
It tells us where we are going.
It will give us a guide we can have confidence in as we head to the future.
We cannot refuse to follow it.
We should share it with as many people as we possibly can.
It is not on a par with other books; it is superior to all of them.
He disapproves of religious division.
There is a right way to worship Him.
We can know the truth.
We discover some great, precious and exciting truths and promises.
The New Testament church is eternally important.
We should read and study it faithfully.
Investigate the Bible and explore its origin and the book as it is today. God’s Word is not afraid of investigation. It has been more scrutinized than any other book ever written, and it still stands. It is a foundation we can confidently build our lives upon. It is a guide that can safely lead us now and forever. Have you been in the book of books today?
Two Key Elements for Powerful Prayers
Pray With Proper Motives (Matt. 8:2)
What motivates us to pray? Proper motivation is praying with God’s will in mind, and we can be sure that His will is for us to know Jesus. In Matt. 8:2 the leper asks Jesus to heal Him, but the way in which he asks Jesus is telling. He says, “Lord, you have the power to heal me if you want.” That’s another way of saying, “Lord, if it’s your will, you can heal me.” Consider the following verses: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15.7). “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5.14-15).
2. Pray With Proper Priorities (Mark 2:1-12) A paralytic is lowered through the roof by his friends but Jesus cleanses him of his sin first, then mends his physical problem. What is God’s will? Your spiritual wellbeing. Prioritize your prayer life by placing spiritual health at the top.
Dale Pollard
Get Your Head in the Game
Those are words you might hear a coach say on the sideline of an important game. Actually, they might be some of the milder words you would hear. Of course, the message behind these words is that this is an important game, and you need to focus your attention on the right thing if our team is going to be victorious.
If we might be permitted to use the term with respect to our Lord, our “Coach” has said something similar to us. In Colossians 3:1, 2, the apostle Paul wrote: “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” In other words, get your heads in the game! Coaches of all kinds of sports are concerned that their players remain focused and not become distracted. They don’t like other things competing for the attention of the players. Some coaches impose curfews and other rules to try and keep control of the minds and attention of the team.
In the case of the church, our Lord has told us to focus on what is important and not be distracted. It takes discipline to “keep seeing the things above.” Just like it takes discipline and prac<ce for a ball player to keep in shape and be able to perform on the gridiron or court or diamond, the Chris<an must train himself or herself in order to fight the good fight. The apostle Paul also makes reference to some spor<ng events such as “the games,” “running,” and “boxing” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26). However, Paul was comparing competition with living the faithful Chris<an life by showing the need to focus, to train. Paul says, “Run in such a way that you may win” (1 Corinthians 9:24). That means, “get your head in the game.”
Returning to Colossians 3, Paul notes the reason for seeking the things above. That is where Christ is! He is our Lord, He is our Hope and Salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9). This is where we need our focus to be. He is the Author of our playbook (John 8:31, 32; Romans 10:17). When I played football and our team traveled to play another school,
Our coach assigned our seating on the bus so that we sat with a teammate who played next to us. We were given a playbook with all the plays we would run in that game. In those days, our “playbook” consisted of mimeographed sheets, stapled together. Remember the old “Ditto” machines? We were expected to know that playbook and when the quarterback called those plays, we had to run them without taking time to look at the book. Our heads had to be in the game, or we had no chance of winning.
I wonder how many games we would have won if we had been as familiar with our playbook as we are with the Lord’s. That alone convinces me that I need to do some more study; that I need to get my head in the game, if I intend to “run in such a way as to win.”
Donnie Bates
Who Do Men Say That I Am?
Jesus had just explained to His disciples to beware of the leaven (teaching) of the Pharisees. Although religiously educated, the Pharisees did not accept Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah the Hebrew people had been expecting for 2,000 years, since the days of Abraham. (See Matthew 16:13-16.)
Therein lay the crux of the problem for every generation and every individual – who IS Jesus? The disciples answered as might be expected; some people think Jesus is John the Baptist, some think He is Elijah, and others were thinking He might be Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. All of those answers are predicated on the idea that Jesus is merely an earthly man of God, reincarnated from a past human being… holy, but still human.
In reality, it took the resurrection to fully convince the twelve and others that Jesus is, indeed, the only begotten Son of God, deity, Immanuel, God with us. Colossians 2:9 states it clearly, “…in Him the fulness of deity dwells in bodily form,” Colossians 2:9.
His deity is established fact. But what about you? How does that realty affect you? Who do you say that He is? That was Jesus next question to the twelve. When Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus immediately pronounced Peter as blessed, then stated that this truth was a revelation from God (v. 17).
Peter and the other disciples responded with cowardice on the night Jesus was arrested. But 50 days later, on the day of Pentecost, they had a newfound courage. They stood and preached to all who gathered, that Jesus was, indeed, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. As a result, 3,000 souls were baptized into Christ. Why? They had become convinced of His identity… He is the Messiah!
That realization, and the commitment that followed, changed their lives forever. From their deep belief, commitment and obedience, they filled Jerusalem with the teachings about Jesus (Acts 5:28). By Acts chapter 17, they had turned the world up-side-down with the good news about Jesus and eternal life.
Why? How? They merely knew who Jesus was! Who do you deep down in the secret caverns of your heart, believe Jesus really is?
Ray Wallace
IF (by Amy Carmichael, Part 2) If I take offense easily, if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I feel injured when another lays to my charge things that I know not, forgetting that my sinless Savior trod this path to the end, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I feel bitter toward those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If the praise of others elates me and their blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I crave hungrily to be used to show the way of liberty to a soul in bondage, instead of caring only that it be delivered; if I nurse my disappointment when I fail, instead of asking that to another the word of release may be given, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I do not forget about such a trifle as personal success, so that it never crosses my mind, or if it does, is never given room there; if the cup of flattery tastes sweet to me, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I refuse to allow one who is dear to me to suffer for the sake of Christ, if I do not see such suffering as the greatest honor that can be offered to any follower of the Crucified, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If my interest in the work of others is cool; if I think in terms of my own special work; if the burdens of others are not my burdens too, and their joys mine, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I wonder why something trying is allowed, and press for prayer that it may be removed; if I cannot be trusted with any disappointment, and cannot go on in peace under any mystery, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love. That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.
From the Book IF, by Amy Carmichael
IF (by Amy Carmichael; Part 1) If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting “Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou hast not received?” then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I find myself taking lapses for granted, “Oh, that’s what they always do,” “Oh, of course she talks like that, he acts like that,” then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I do not feel far more for the grieved Savior than for my worried self when troublesome things occur, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I can rebuke without a pang, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If my attitude be one of fear, not faith, about one who has disappointed me; if I say, “Just what I expected” if a fall occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, “You do not understand,” or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other’s highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I am content to heal a hurt slightly, saying “Peace, peace,” where there is no peace; if I forget the poignant word “Let love be without dissimulation” and blunt the edge of truth, speaking not right things but smooth things, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I hold on to choices of any kind, just because they are my choice, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I am soft to myself and slide comfortably into self-pity and self-sympathy; If I do not by the grace of God practice fortitude, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve round myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have “a heart at leisure from itself,” then I know nothing of Calvary love. If, the moment I am conscious of the shadow of self crossing my threshold, I do not shut the door, and keep that door shut, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
From the Book IF, by Amy Carmichael
Butterfly Peace?
It was a perfectly lovely afternoon, my birthday, in fact. My wife had taken me to a surprise location for lunch – a nice restaurant at Centennial Airport south of Denver. The only thing not so perfect was an obnoxious, infernal, 20 – 30 mile per hour wind! It was hard to walk from the parking lot to the terminal! We sat having a great meal, watching the private jets struggle to land in the gale. (The smaller planes weren’t out at all.) Then I noticed something totally amazing – a small, yellow monarch butterfly flitting gently among thrashing golden aspen trees! I grew up flying and understand a small modicum of aviation principles, and it seemed as if the little critter was totally unaffected by physics. He simply flew, almost normally, close the building below our second-floor window. It struck me that this creature, one of God’s lightest, had found his niche in life by navigating the swirling eddies of angry air all around him. Oh, that we as God’s children could find our way so blissfully to fly among the eddies of life that swirl angrily around us in daily life. Crime, confusion, hate, drugs, personal heartaches and political headaches, faults and fears. Where can we ever find peace in such a broken, wicked world? Hmmm, didn’t Paul write, in Philippians 4:7, “…the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”? But how can that happen? First read verses 4-6, essentially rid yourself of anxiety through prayer. Then focus on verses 8, 9. “Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (NASB, 1995). Did you catch it? In verse 7, “…the peace of God will guard us. Then in verse 9, the God of peace will be with us! The storms of life might assail us, but the God of the storm will give us the wisdom, strength, and peace to navigate the gale like that merry little yellow butterfly who had less problem flying the wind than the Lear Jet 35 that weighs 18,000 pounds! No wonder Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27. Let the God of peace be with you today.
Ray Wallace
What Really Makes a Difference?
In today’s world feelings often reign supreme. That is not a healthy, mature approach to life, but it is a modern-day problem. God warned us through Jeremiah’s pen that, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB). Yet the heart is absolutely necessary for God’s plan. When Jeremiah 17:9 is compared to Romans 6:17 we see a more complete picture, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted….”
We should understand that the heart (seat of the emotions) is for dedication and the brain (seat of logic) is for education. When a person tries to decide doctrine (education) with the heart we see the deceitful part of the equation. The heart will most often confuse doctrine with whatever pleases itself. Likewise, if a person attempts heart-filled dedication with only logic, he or she becomes like Spock on Star Trek – logical, but cold. We need both the heart and the head, both properly working as God intended, to become spiritually mature, happy adults.
The things that make a genuine, positive difference in life happen when we process God’s word with the logic He designed into us, then become dedicated “from the heart” to the things He has gave to us in His word, (Romans 6;17).
A prime example of something in God’s word that really makes a difference is Matthew 7:12, the so-called “golden rule.” To do unto others as I would have them do unto me, is usually not an act born of the emotions. In fact, it is commonly the opposite of our natural emotions. The natural, emotional response to being verbally attacked is to attack in return. But God’s word teaches us to treat the verbal attacker with kindness - as we want to be treated (usually the opposite of our emotions). We could add Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” We can consider Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Perhaps the one verse that would make the most difference in daily life on planet earth would be Matthew 7:12, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets,” (NASB). Jesus is about to finish the Sermon on the Mount and gives us this precious truth that would change the world! Literally applied, it would mean no more theft, no more violence, no more verbal attacks, etc.
Give some thought this week to things that would really make a difference in the daily life of you and your network of family and friends. My studied guess is that most of your answers would be found in the Sermon on the Mount – perhaps in chapter 7 verse 12!
Ray Wallace
The Magnet of Heaven According to a quick web search, the world’s most powerful magnet is located in Tallahassee, Florida, at Florida State University’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. This superconducting magnet has a strength of 45 tesla, which, according to the experts, is over 400,000 times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field. For comparison, an MRI machine typically operates at 1-3 tesla. But, as powerful as the pull of this magnetic field is, it has zero effect right now on any metal or electronics that I own, as I am not close to it at all. But, I would imagine, as with any magnet, the closer you get to it, the stronger the pull. That reminds me of how our relationship with God works and how heaven works. When I’m not close to God, then there’s not much of a pull there. But, the closer I get to Him, the greater the draw is to be with Him more now, and the pull of eternity in heaven with Him is almost uncontainable. How close are you to God? How strong is the pull of heaven and your “desire” to go there (Phil. 1:23)?
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
The Convenient Time is Now Do you struggle with procrastination? There are few things that are more tempting than setting a task or decision aside until a more convenient time. The problem is, if I get to decide when that time is, it may never come. There is always something more convenient than what needs to be done. Sometimes we can get away with procrastinating. If you decide the clean laundry sitting in the hamper all day can wait until tomorrow to be folded and put away so you can enjoy one more episode of your favorite show, it certainly won’t be the end of the world, but some things cannot be put off. Felix was the governor of Judea who was set to judge Paul when he was accused of causing riots in Acts 23 and 24. At Paul’s trial, he came face to face with the greatest decision of his life. When Paul gave his defense, he took hold of the moment to not just give his case but to also make the case for Christ to Felix. He preached to him about the resurrection, the fate of the just and unjust (Acts 24:15, 21). When he finished, Felix had learned the gospel message (v. 22). Would he accept it? The Bible tells us that Felix wrestled with Paul’s gospel plea. In verse 25 it says, “…he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come…” But, when it came time for him to make his decision he said, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” Felix procrastinated, and as far as we can tell, he never found that convenient time. Every one of us is faced with the same decision as Felix. In Acts 17:30-31, Paul tells us, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.” No one gets to opt out of this appointment. But, like Felix, so many will reject this call, and others will simply just put it off for another day.
Why would you sit on such an important decision? The Bible tells us that Felix procrastinated because he was afraid. He considered what Paul said about righteousness, self-control and judgment, and froze up. This is the same for so many of us. We look at what the life of a Christian calls us to give up, and we aren’t ready to let them go. But rather than reject God outright, we simply say, “Maybe when I’m older” or “…after I get more life experience.” But, this is the plain truth. No worldly indulgence is worth risking your eternal soul. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). If you have been considering getting your life right with God, don’t procrastinate. The convenient time is now!
Robert Lupo, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
The Main Thing
I love the old saying, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” It keeps us focused in everything from sports to business to religion. In Romans 7 the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to reveal the main challenge and the only answer. The challenge, as chapter seven so carefully elucidates, is temptation and sin. Sometimes we just don’t manage to do the very thing we plan to do. Worse yet, sometimes we do the very thing we don’t want to do. As Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Paul is struggling in his daily life, and God lets us peek in on his fight. Paul’s faith is strong, his determination is deep, but sometimes his self-discipline falls short. In one way, his heart seems to be crying out in despair. A cursory reading might sound like Paul’s lament is so hopeless that all is lost. But what Paul is really showing us is a contrast between what despair would be without Jesus and what reality is with Jesus. Verse after verse points to the difficulty we all have in life on planet earth. Even with the softest heart and sharpest mind, the strongest among us can and will fail at times. But there is hope. Even the most evangelistic of the apostles needed to come to grips with the main thing. In this chapter, Paul reminds us that discipleship to Jesus is not about public image or pleasing one’s peers. Discipleship is not about body health or even mental health. (Those things are often nice side effects of discipleship, but they are not discipleship per se.) The main thing in discipleship is forgiveness and our response to that precious gift. Our response to God’s forgiveness is predicated on two things. First, the recognition of our need: we are sinners with no way at all to remove our own sins alone. Second, the acceptance of the reality that there is one way, and only one way to have our sins forgiven – Jesus the Christ. The seventh chapter of Romans is not despair; it is deliverance. This chapter is not sorrow; it is salvation. The key is don’t stop until you get to Jesus – the last verse of the chapter! What about your life? Have you kept going? Have you found Jesus? Not just peace. Not just satisfaction. Not just fulfillment. Those things are nice but have nothing to do with eternity. Have you found Jesus? Remember, that main thing is to keep main thing the main thing.
Ray Wallace
Beauty from Tragedy An artist went to visit a dear friend. When he arrived, she was weeping. He asked why. She showed him a handkerchief of exquisite beauty that had great sentimental value, which had been ruined by a drop of indelible ink. The artist asked her to let him have the handkerchief, which he returned to her by mail several days later. When she opened the package she could hardly believe her eyes. The artist, using the inkblot as a base, had drawn on the handkerchief a design of great beauty with India ink. Now it was more beautiful and more valuable than ever. Sometimes the tragedies that break our hearts can become the basis for a more beautiful design in our lives. Be patient with the hurts over which you have no control. They may become a source of healing, help, and beauty. (From Thomas L. Butts)
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).
Really Knowing Jesus
Socrates said, “Know thyself.” Science says, “Know the world.” Jesus says, “Know Me.” Paul understood very well - nothing has greater value than knowing Christ. “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8-11, abridged, NASB).
Paul knew two things here, one: that his highest goal is to know Christ and two: that He is the only way to resurrection from the dead (heaven!). But Paul knew yet a third thing: the key to knowing Christ is His word. Jesus died to ratify it and we will be judged by it (John 12:48). When Jesus prayed in the garden the night of His arrest, He asked His Father to, “Sanctify them in truth, Thy word is truth,” (John 17:17). Without the truth of God’s word, we cannot be sanctified.
Paul never had dinner with Jesus. Paul met Jesus only on the road to Damascus - after His ascension back to heaven. Yes, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write scripture, but by that very inspiration he also knew that nothing, not information, not emotions, not fame nor fortune - nothing surpasses the value of knowing Jesus! But without the written word, which Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to author (John 14:26), we simply will never know Jesus! King David wrote 2,000 years ago, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” (Ps. 119:105). Likewise, today, Gods word is vital to knowing Jesus and knowing Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine,” (John 8:31).
And perhaps Jesus’ clearest and most precious comment on the subject, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him,” John 14:23. Love Jesus? Want to really know Jesus? Learn His word and keep it. He’s waiting to come make His abode with you.
Ray Wallace
“It is He who made us”
Reading the Bible slowly and considering each phrase is fun. Do you ever stop to wonder how God chose to word certain things in certain passages? Psalm 100 is a well-known text. The very center of the psalm states, “It is He who made us.” Why doesn’t it state it more simply as, “He made us”? Consider the significance of the text saying, “It is HE who made us.”
The words just before it state, “Know that the Lord, He is God.” “God” (Hebrew, Elohim) is not His name but a reference to the Divine nature of Jehovah, emphasizing His strength, might and the power to create and effect. He is God! The words just after it state, “and not we ourselves” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, and footnotes in other translations). What’s the point in this verse? Jehovah is God! AND WE ARE NOT!
Therefore, let us “Make a joyful shout” to HIM! Let us “Serve” HIM “with gladness”! Let us “Be thankful to HIM”! HE alone is deserving of ALL of this (and more!), for “It is HE who made us,” and WE had nothing to do with it!!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
The Preciousness of Humility
Few Christian traits are as sweet and loving as humility. True humility, not feigned, grows our spirit beyond the world’s focus on competition and allows true friendship to flourish among those who seek to lift up others rather than beat them at some silly social game of supposed superiority.
Humility takes the focus off self and allows us to see the importance of others. Humility is a vital part of close friendship, because without it we get stuck in a pitiful game of oneupmanship that never develops into the closeness for which our hearts yearn.
By its very definition, competition is a challenge to win a struggle or contest. It demands a winner and a loser in every case, from grade school to the Olympics. Competition in sports is a very good thing, likewise in business. Proper competition creates better athletes and better products. We even have national spelling bee contests which create better spellers! From backyard badminton to a pickup game of basketball to scrabble at the kitchen table, good natured gamesmanship can be a great thing. But competition in relationships never is. Most of us can recall petty personal competitions from junior high, “She’s my best friend!” “No, she’s my best friend!” Some of that is to be expected as kids grow into young adults, but growing into adulthood should include leaving behind the petty pride that feels a need to be “better than you.”
God’s goal should become our goal. In Philippians 2:1-3, we see His goal for our relationships: Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves
O, how that would change the world, and develop close friendships and heal broken spirits! God’s plan always leads to more closeness to Him and to one another.
Ray Wallace
Drop A Pebble in The Water
Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone; But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on, Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea. And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be. Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget, But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet, And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown; You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone. Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone; But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on. They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go, And there is no way to stop them, once you’ve started them to flow. Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget; But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet, And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you’ve stirred, And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.
Mike Riley
It’s Not Just for Kids
The little girl tugged gently on her grandpa’s sleeve. He stopped quickly and gladly as he asked, “What is it?” She pointed to a small caterpillar and giggled, “Look how he walks, Grandpa!” The old man leaned down slowly, put both hands on the grass hoping his granddaughter wouldn’t notice his struggle as he finally plopped down beside her. The little inchworm was barely over an inch long, but its steady, measured gate enthralled the little girl. “Grandpa,” she said slowly, “Why does he walk like that?” The old man smiled and said, “Because somebody has to measure the size of the grass.” The answer satisfied her for the moment. There was a long silence that seemed to bridge the gap between 3 generations. Finally, the little girl asked, “Grandpa, why do you seem to have more time than Mom and Dad?” Sensing a bit of sorrow in her question, the old man said, “Well, you see, sweetheart, God made a special time for grandpas and grandmas – it’s called retirement. That way they have a little extra time for caterpillars, turtles, frogs and fun things like that.” Deep down, the old man understood the pressures of jobs and mortgage payments, but he wondered just how much time his own kids spent with television, tennis and dinner parties. “Grandpa, do you know what I love about you?” “No, what?” the old man asked with a deep smile wrinkling his leathery skin. “You always take time to look into my eyes and listen, even if I talk too long.” “It’s called patience,” said the old man. “What does that mean?” asked the little girl, her brow wrinkled more deeply than her age would suggest. “Well,” the old man paused, “I guess it means that when you love others and your interest in people gets stronger than your love of things and events, it just seems natural to sit down on the grass and watch a little girl smile and watch in wonder as a little green caterpillar measures the lawn.” “I like patience,” the little girl pondered as she grasped the concept. “Me too,” her grandpa said as they shared a high five. “Why don’t more people have patience, Grandpa?” Her eyes searched his face. “I think they just haven’t yet learned the beauty and joy of simply relaxing with those you love.” The old man was quite happy with his off the cuff answer. The little girl grasped more than the old man realized. She said, with wisdom beyond her years, “Grandpa, I like being patient when we are together. It’s kinda like sharing a clock that ticks in our hearts at the same time.” The old man knew she really did understand. As he got up slowly, the little girl held his hand. They walked a long way before either of them spoke. The little girl finally broke the gentle silence, “Grandpa, I think patience is part of love.” “Me too,” he said as he picked her up for a piggyback ride the rest of the way home. As the old man walked to his own home that evening, he passed an antique store and saw a faded, cross-stitched piece framed in hand-hewn oak, “Love is Patient – I Corinthians 13.” Just then he remembered a verse from his own distant youth, “Out of the mouths of babes….”
Ray Wallace
The Enduring Word I have always been impressed by things that last and stand the test of time. In our woodworking, we sometimes harvest trees that are well over 100 years old, these trees have been through fertile times and the adversity of drought yet persevered. I also appreciate old tools and equipment that last, because of their craftsmanship, last to be used by generation to generation. But the most impressive of all are the enduring words of the bible. Written over a period 1400-1600 years and completed some 2,000 years ago, it continues to exist despite unnumbered attempts to destroy it. The bible continues to furnish the knowledge of God and the path for the salvation of souls. Even as the bible was being written, promises of its longevity were included in its writing. Here are a few examples: · Plants of the earth will fade, but God’s word stands forever (Is. 40:8) · Words for a thousand generations (Psalm 105:8) · God’s word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89) · The scriptures of old still provide hope (Romans 15:4) · The word remains till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:18) · The word is the source of everlasting life (John 5:24) · The bible is incorruptible (1 Peter 1:23) · The bible will outlast the heavens and earth (Matt. 24:35) · The bible will endure forever (1 Peter 1:25) Jay Launius – Maud church of Christ Maud, Texas
New Year’s Resolutions With the coming of a new year, perhaps you’ve made some resolutions. It’s a good time to resolve to do some things of a spiritual nature. 1) To Be a Christian What better way to start off the new year than by being a New Testament Christian? (Acts 22:16) 2) To Return There are sheep who have wandered away from the flock that need to come home. Now is a good time to do just that. (Luke 15:18) 3) To Attend Every Service It’s a good time to attend every service of the Lord’s church. This is part of putting first things first as Jesus taught, “But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…” (Mt. 6:33). 4) To Read the Bible Daily It’s a good time to start a daily Bible reading schedule. Remember the Bereans, who “…searched the scriptures daily…” (Acts 17:11). 5) To Pray Always How about worrying less and praying more in the new year? Paul declared, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). 6) To Win One to the Lord. Since “…he that wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30), how about making it your resolution to find one and win one to the Lord in 2015? 7) To Be Hospitable. Christians in the first century were found “…breaking bread from house to house…” (Acts 2:46). 8) To be Ready to Go to Heaven. Let’s make it our spiritual resolution to live in such a way as to go to Heaven! (Rev. 2:10)
John Isaac Edwards, adapted
Don’t Give Up!
A lady in the church who invited her neighbor to go to services with her, kept count of the times the neighbor refused. It came to forty-nine. She pleasantly mentioned the count to her friend as she issued her fiftieth invitation at the time of a special meeting. At first the friend declined again, but later called and she said she would go. “If you’re interested enough in me to ask me fifty times to go, I will go with you and see what it is like.” She went and liked what she saw. She returned and was converted—all because someone did not give up too soon. Invite someone to services this week!
(Via Conifer church of Christ Bulletin, Conifer, CO)
The Reason for the Season
Right now, it’s 50 degrees here in the mountains of southwest Colorado, almost no snow on the ground and I can drive the “back way” to the neighbor’s house (usually under 2 to 3 feet of snow this time of year). So, it does not seem very “seasonal” at the moment, but it sure is nice! But it’s still December 22, and all is well with family and friends, the most important thing, regardless of the time of year.
In the same way, the timing of the birth of Jesus is not nearly as important as the most important thing… that He came in human form, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to take away our sins, rose from the grave, just as He predicted, then ascended back to heaven through the clouds, as all watched in awe!
Theologians and many others debate the date, or even the season, of the birth of Jesus. The Bible settles it for us, if we will just look at the details… wait… give me a minute… just a little while longer… I’m almost there – or maybe not. I can’t find it. It’s not in my concordance. It’s not in my computer Bible and it’s not on my phone Bible. Hmmm. There must be some mistake. Oh wait, there it is! It’s found in human tradition! Most of what we think of as being “traditional Christmas stuff” began in the Middle Ages as various religious institutions created and debated things about the holiday. (If you are interested in such, see Wikipedia’s interesting entry – search “Christmas” there.)
For most people seeking God through His book, not human historical traditions, it becomes clear rather quickly that, “It’s not the when, but the what!” God’s word does not tell us when Jesus was born, but we see even angels singing and celebrating the incarnation (Jesus taking on a human body). Isaiah 7:14 is finally fulfilled, a virgin gives birth to a child and they called His name Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”
Peace on earth, good will toward men with whom God is well pleased,” (Luke 2:14).
Where, when and how (or even if) you and your family choose to celebrate the birth of Christ, I’ll leave up to you and yours (Romans 14:1-23). But I pray that all who truly seek Him will focus on the reality of our eternal Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, His life, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and His promise of returning and taking us home with Him forever. As for our journey until then, let us keep in mind the old saying, “No Jesus, no peace; know Jesus, know peace.” Remember, He is the reason for evey season!
Ray Wallace
Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength
It doesn’t take much research, study or preaching to know what Jesus meant in Mark 12:30, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”As the old saying goes, “He said what He meant, and meant what He said.” Being dedicated to this command and living it out in daily life is far more challenging than understanding it.
But it is, unfortunately, sometimes misapplied. We remember that Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments,” and we do endeavor to love Him and to show it by keeping His word. But if we are not carefully wise and deeply discerning, we will, unknowingly, get something backward. If we seek to find God’s teaching (doctrine) with our hearts, we will make grave mistakes. God gave us a mind with which to understand, and a heart with which to love. Both are vitally important.
I like to phrase it this way, “God gave us a mind for education and a heart for dedication.” We absolutely must not forget Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” God is warning us not to use our hearts to attempt to decide doctrine. God, through Paul’s pen, brought things together beautifully in Romans 6:17, 18: But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
Did you catch it? Obedience, a vital part of genuine dedication, comes from the heart (Romans 6:17, 18). But the mind is primarily for understanding, analysis, and grasping truth. When we try to use our hearts to decide truth, we are risk of deep deception (Jeremiah 1:9.) When we try to love with our logic, we become like Spock from Startrek, logical, but lacking love.
God’s plan is both simple and beautiful – mind and heart, logic and love. We need to use the tools God gave us in the way He told us they are to be used. We must understand the form of teaching to which we are committed, and then be dedicated to it from our hearts.
Ray Wallace
“Peace, Perfect Peace”
The old hymn calls for “Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin….” Ever since Cain killed Able, this terrestrial ball has sought for peace. In the 20th century alone, an estimated 231 million people have died in direct war conflict or allowed to die by human decision (starvation, etc.). That is mind-boggling! How can mankind be so atrociously violent to his fellow man?
The answer is amazingly simple, mankind forgets Jehovah God! In every form of sin, man ignores the word of God… that is the very definition of sin. The degree to which man forgets God and His word is the degree to which his degradation descends.
Peace has been so vitally important to mankind that some cultures even greet on another with “Peace” rather than, “Hello.” Case in point would be the Jewish and Christian greeting, “Shalom” in both testaments.
Yet peace can happen even between former enemies. December 7th has been a “day which will live infamy” since President Roosevelt’s speech on December 8, 1941, the day the U.S. entered WWII. My father was with the 112th Cavalry and saw heavy combat in the S. Pacific and came home a hospital ship after nearly being killed by a Japanese bomb in the Battle for New Britian (near Australia). His comments were sobering as he related that he didn’t want to be there fighting the Japanese soldiers any more than they wanted to be there fighting him.
I find it fascinating that Japan and Germany are now two of our closest allies! Even more surprising were my trips to Japan where I was treated like a long lost friend by my new Japanese friends. Even as a stranger on the streets and in the airports, I was treated with warm friendliness, sometimes more so than in US airports. Our daughter and son-in-law spent two years teaching English in Japanese public schools in Mito, Japan, about 60 miles northeast of Tokyo. They constantly spoke of the friendliness of their host country. Our daughter was treated with respect and even apologies when she visited ground zero with Japanese friends with whom she taught. “We are sorry for Pearl Harbor,” one of the said, with her head bowed. Wow!
A major point here is that mortal enemies can become close friends. I’ve seen it happen and perhaps you have too. But there are some necessary requisites for that to happen. Repentance, confession, forgiveness, acceptance, deep forgiveness and true agape love (that form of love that seeks the highest good for another). When God’s word is followed it is astounding how much peace can be found, and equally astounding how much past can be completely forgiven!
I am once again reminded of the bumper sticker, “No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.” It’s not rocket science, in fact is truly simple. It’s just challenging to our pride and prejudice. We must remember that Jesus said if we don’t forgive, we will not be forgiven. But if we do forgive, we can be forgiven. (See (Matthew 6:14, 15.) What an amazing plan God has for us to be with former enemies and to be with Him for all eternity. Peace and reconciliation through forgiveness. Let’s all make a deep commitment to “know Jesus and know peace,” personally, nationally and internationally.
Ray Wallace
Buy the Truth and Sell It Not
My father believed that truth is often hard to find. I agree. Some truths are certainly easy to find, God’s truth for instance. All we need to do is open the pages of His book, wherein we find what Jesus described as, “Thy word is truth,” in John 17:17. Am I out of coffee? To find the truth, look in your cup. Is the maple tree still in the front yard? Look out the window. Thousands of truths are confirmable every day, but many real, genuine, actual truths take far more mental effort. Who was right, Calvin or Arminius? Does the book of James belong in the Bible? Was Jesus really raised from the dead? What must I do to be saved? Then we face many important, but not necessarily religious questions. Who is telling the truth on my TV? For whom should I vote? What candidate was telling the truth when he took his oath of office? Who can I trust with our national defense, state finances, local issues? Should I buy stocks, bonds, gold or silver? Are we alone in the universe, or are other beings from other places real? You get the picture. It is literally a life-long endeavor, cradle to the grave, to seek truth and confirm it. I was once at a congregation I visited years ago, when a member there taught, rather emphatically, in a Bible class, “Man cannot know truth.” I was stunned. I later reminded Him that Jesus, Himself, said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” WOW! According to Jesus, no truth, no freedom. One the other hand we would say, “Know truth, know freedom!” It is not merely an academic question. God taught us through Paul’s pen, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap, Galatians 6:7. One might ask, “But how do I know what life path to choose? I read my Bible, but there are so many other important choices in life, “Should I homeschool my children? What translation of the Bible is worth my time? Since God has given us the ability to choose our leaders, for whom should I vote? What vocation should I choose? Which person should I marry?” These are vitally important questions, and the list goes on ad infinitum. Solomon wrote, “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding,” Proverbs 23:23. Truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding must be attainable or God would not have commanded us to attain it. But where shall we look? All over the internet we find self-styled gurus telling us what they all claim is the genuine truth, yet many are stating diametrically opposed positions! The answer is deep and multi-dimensional, but let’s start in two places. The first is to spend more time actually reading God’s word (not merely reading or hearing what another person saysabout God’s word. The second is to follow God’s wisdom given to Moses when His people were asking the very question, “How shall we know who is telling the truth?” After all, internet is full of wise-sounding gurus! This answer will certainly not cover all searches for truth, but it will help us pare down options. When a person tells us something that does not turn out to be true, that person is not worthy of being followed. That person’s assessment of the world around him or her, is not true, not wise, not instructive, and certainly not understanding (back o Proverbs 23:23). Don’t follow people with a bad track record on important topics! Be gravely careful whom you decide to follow as an earthly advisor, in any endeavor, religious, political, financial, professional and family matters. Indeed, oftentimes, truth is hard to find, but we must find, buy it and sell it not!
Ray Wallace
How Many Thanksgiving Days?
No specific date was ever recorded for the first Thanksgiving, but the year of the fall feast is known to be 1621, most likely somewhere between September and November. About 90 Wampanoag Indians joined the Pilgrims to celebrate and give thanks for their bounty. In Edward Winslow’s account of the three-day celebration, he wrote the following: And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” Winslow and William Bradford both recorded that fowl and deer were on the menu, but made no specific mention of turkey, although in other writings they referred to the abundance of wild turkey.
The Continental Congress of 1777 declared the first National Day of Thanksgiving as December 18th. In 1779, George Washington made a declaration of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November, although it was mere a declaration and not an actual national holiday. In 1846, Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine publisher, began writing US presidents asking them to declare Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Presidents Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce and Buchanan ignore her requests. Abraham Lincoln was the only one to actually listen to her petitions and in 1863 supported legislation which finally created the Thanksgiving as a national holiday.
So… since 1621, there have been 403 years of thanksgiving. If we start from 1777, we count 247 years. If we go the “official” route, we have had 161 nationally recognized Thanksgiving Days, counting this Thursday. Amen!
But let’s go one step further. God tells us through Paul’s pen, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christi Jesus concerning you,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV). Logic demands the recognition that “everything” must include every day. That changes the math! Even if we take the “official” date of 1863, Americans have had 58,765 days to give thanks unto God for all His blessings which are profound and plentiful.
No wonder Paul wrote that we should be, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I consider Thanksgiving to be the most biblical of all national holidays on the US calendar. But let’s rejoice today and this Thursday for the 58,765th day of thanksgiving!
Ray Wallace
Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing
There truly are a myriad of worthy causes in life – save the whales, save the puppies, kittens, horses, endangered species, the environment, the forests, the spotted owl, the snail darter. Remember the snail darter? It was a small 3-inch minnow in the Little River in Tennessee that was the subject of a major lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority as they built the Tellico dam. Add to those, other efforts to upgrade neighborhoods, education, business districts, parks, rivers… the list is virtually endless.
I’m in favor of most efforts to save species, major forests, parks, rivers, etc. As already stated, there are a myriad of genuinely worth causes. But even worthy causes should be carefully considered as to what causes should dominate our time, and how much of it.
Over the years I’ve seen a paradigm shift in the lives of many Christians away from deep spiritual commitment to even deeper commitment to social causes. The concept of the tyranny of the urgent often wins in the battle of definition of the most important. One example would be the very real need to balance work with family. Eight AM on Monday is an important time when work takes priority. But family must always be one of our top priorities. In fact, we work to support and bless our families. But the clock is a constant consideration. Anyone who has let work (or any other activity) take priority over family has his priorities way out of whack!
We all realize that some things are, indeed, urgent, for a time. And we all realize some things are very important, perhaps saving wild horses or loss of habitat. If and when we allow the urgent to take precedence over the vital, we lose our daily balance and often our eternal spirituality.
By all means, take part in important causes (emphasis here on important). But by all means, keep the main thing, the main thing – the main thing is our present relationship with Jesus, His church and our eternity with Him. The tyranny of the urgent must never be confused with the eternity of the soul. The importance of any earthly cause, even important ones, must never supplant the cause to which God has called us.
The last I looked, Matthew 6:33 still says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” And Ecclesiastes 12:13 still says, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Choose wisely.
Ray Wallace
A Soft Answer A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1) In the preceding passage, the wise man gives some great relationship advice. We’ve all found ourselves in confrontations at some point in our lives. While some folks revel in a good fight, most of us would rather avoid those uncomfortable situations all together. The bible is not short on advice and warnings about controlling our anger and resisting the temptation to fly off of the handle when things frustrate us. Uncontrolled anger and confrontation always lead to hurt feelings and alienation in our relationships. However, the mature Christian has developed a sure fire way to handle anger through prayer and self-control. I suppose one of the hardest things we have to do is keep our cool while someone is letting us have it “with both barrels”. But that’s exactly what this proverb is telling us to do. Remember the old cartoons, where the characters avoided getting blown up by a bomb by licking their fingers and pinching off the fuse? You and I can “diffuse” difficult situations by following these simple suggestions (all of which are encouraged in the Scriptures). First, be kind and patient, even if the other person is being unreasonable. Don’t fight back, because nothing can take the momentum out of a fight better than an unwilling sparring partner. And finally, never go to bed angry, even if the other person is unwilling to make up. Be sure that you are at peace with yourself and God, then pray about your relationship with the person with whom you’ve had a disagreement. “Be angry, and do not sin do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26)
Jay Launius, Maud church of Christ Maud, Texas
"If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.”
John 13:15 covers a lot of ground. In fact, it covers all of life. But some people, even some genuine Christians, act like the verse is just not there. Or perhaps their spin is more like, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments, when I like them, or when it’s convenient, or when I think they might be appropriate to the situation I’m facing.”
Actually, we know down deep in our hearts exactly what the verse is saying and what we should do, but we search our logic (or illogic) in an attempt to find an out, an exception an escape that will salve our consciences when we just don’t want to keep His commandments.
Three passages come to mind that we sometimes wish we could ignore: Matthew 5:43-46, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?” (We need no explanation here, just deep, tough, self-discipline.)
Matt 6:14-15, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (We need no explanation here, just deep, tough, self-discipline.)
Romans 12:14, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” We need no explanation here, just deep, tough, self-discipline. (Wait… haven’t I heard that before?)
From personal relationships to politics, God’s people need to remember these and many other passages. If someone sues me and gets my shirt, I should give him my coat also. Why? Because God’s plan is for me to love him enough to bring Him to Jesus, not hate him enough to ignore God’s word.
As one old man said in a church leadership meeting three decades ago, “That’s not the meat of the word, that’s the gristle!” May we lov e Jesus enough to keep His commandments and love others enough to show them the way to Jesus rather than show them my revenge. When Paul was in prison in Rome, the whole Praetorian guard learned about Jesus. When he and Silas were in prison in Philippi, they taught Jesus to the jailer and he was converted to Jesus, (Acts 16:25-34). What would you do? What will you do? Do you love Jesus enough to keep His commandments?
We all know the story of the Tower of Babel. It’s the event that gave us all the diverse languages of the world. That account is not just for our entertainment or education, but there are many spiritual applications that can be pulled from the event. Here are just six from Genesis 11:1-9.
1. What we are building will only be successful if God designed the blueprints. What are we building? Where do we choose to place our time and effort? Making a name for ourselves? Making the most money? Getting the most pleasure out of life? If this is the life we’re building, like the foolish man, that’s a life built on sand.
2. We are free to do as we want, but for every bad decision there are consequences.
3. There is a truth to what God said about our ability to accomplish much as a unified people. There’s also a positive side to this not so positive account. When the church body is unified there is no limit to what we can accomplish. When there’s dissension, we are weaker.
4. Ignorance does not mean a blissful existence. It was ignorant to think that a closer relationship with God involved building a stairway into the sky that in their minds would allow God to have the ability to descend to earth. The opposite is true. God built us a way to go to Him.
5. Be mindful of the presence you keep and the vision you share. It seemed that most if not all mankind at this time was unified under one vision. “To make a name for themselves,” they worked together. They planned, schemed, spent resources and time to build something that would change the world forever— but it wasn’t God’s vision. The presence you keep and the shared vision matters. What are we building?
6. Accounts in the Bible that seem unrealistic or mythical should not weaken our faith but strengthen it when we do our due diligence in digging into His word. God is capable of great things, and that hasn’t changed. We serve a powerful God who has big plans for the world. Are we willing to side with Him?
Dale Pollard
“It is He who made us”
Reading the Bible slowly and considering each phrase is fun. Do you ever stop to wonder how God chose to word certain things in certain passages? Psalm 100 is a well-known text. The very center of the psalm states, “It is He who made us.” Why doesn’t it state it more simply as, “He made us”? Consider the significance of the text saying, “It is HE who made us.”
The words just before it state, “Know that the Lord, He is God.” “God” (Hebrew, Elohim) is not His name but a reference to the Divine nature of Jehovah, emphasizing His strength, might and the power to create and effect. He is God! The words just after it state, “and not we ourselves” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, and footnotes in other translations). What’s the point in this verse? Jehovah is God! AND WE ARE NOT!
Therefore, let us “Make a joyful shout” to HIM! Let us “Serve” HIM “with gladness”! Let us “Be thankful to HIM”! HE alone is deserving of ALL of this (and more!), for “It is HE who made us,” and WE had nothing to do with it!!
David Sproule
The Attitude of Gratitude About a thousand years ago I was in school studying to be a preacher (well, sometimes it seems that way). I’m sure I have forgotten many important, pertinent points, but I remember one specific idea an instructor planted in my cerebrum: The Sin of Ingratitude. It was the title of a sermon he had preached in a former congregation. It stuck me deeply and still does. A simple reading of Luke 17:11-19 gives us a powerful picture of gratitude in action. Jesus heals ten lepers. After they were cleansed of their leprosy, only one of them returned to Him, fell at His feet and thanked Him. Jesus made a deeply important point by asking, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17-18, NASB). Indeed, the former leper’s gratitude was one of the major points of this miraculous healing by Jesus. It raises a pitiful reality that has existed for millennia in our world: true gratitude is a rare commodity. It is a sad state for several reasons, one of which is the fact that living without gratitude causes a person to live a life of blame, frustration and cynicism. “What has anyone ever done for me!” cries the cynic. “I don’t owe anyone anything,” shouts the ingrate. “I don’t have anything to be thankful for!” says the faithless, both to others and in his own heart. That very attitude of ingratitude blinds the ungrateful from recognizing his own blessings. He can’t, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one,” because ingratitude itself has blindfolded his heart and his mind. But Jesus desires our joy, John 15:11, and for that joy to be full and complete. So, He actually commands us to be grateful. When we follow those commands, our cracked hearts begin to heal and become able to hold the joys which God has showered upon us. Listed to His words: “…having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:7, NASB. “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude.” 1 Timothy 4:4, NASB. “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28, 29, NASB.
Satan makes continuing anger feel like power and he makes ingratitude taste like sweet revenge. But both are sins before God, and both steal the joy that God gives His obedient children. “Lord, we thank You for teaching us to live in gratitude and for commanding us to show gratitude so that we may cherish and keep the joys You have for us, even in this life.
Ray Wallace
Missing the Most Important Blessing on Earth The most important blessing of all is eternity in heaven with Jesus. The most important blessing on earth, while we are still here, might be debatable. But certainly, one of, if not the most important blessing in the here and now, is God’s presence with us. Even if all else is hunky dory, without God’s presence we are little more than a log, adrift in the vast universe. There are several things required to keep God’s presence with us, but after we are converted and this “in Christ where salvation is (II Timothy 2:10) and where all spiritual blessings are (Ephesians 1:3), one vital daily requirement comes into crystal clear focus - Philippians 4:4-8: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Emphasis supplied.)
Notice that there is a string of imperative verbs here. Imperative verbs are commands. God is giving us a very specific path to a very specific blessing if and when we follow the path of imperatives. What must we actually do? Follow the God’s commands, rejoice, be gentle in spirit and in action, be anxious for nothing, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Then, additionally, we follow the imperative commands in v. 8 to let our minds dwell on these precious things listed there. If and when we do that, the God of peace will be with you. The peace of God can guard our hearts and our minds, and the presence of God Himself, with us, here and now! God designed our hearts and minds to want and need His blessings. The first man and woman had the first great blessing: the presence of God with them, every day, in the cool of the evening. God showers us with the same blessing today, if and when we follow His plan presented in Philippians 4:4-9.
Ray Wallace
The Most Misunderstood Part? If one were to ask, “What is the most misunderstood concept of the Bible in America today?” I think we would have spirited debate. Would it be the deity of Jesus? The trinity? The book of Revelation? The difference between the Old Testament and New Testament? Prophecy? Creation? The steps to salvation? Heaven and hell? Free will or not? Certainly, these are some major topics of debate between churches and to some degree in the general population.
But I would offer a different answer. During my 46 years of preaching, I have seen the most consistent misunderstanding to be that of God’s grace. It seems simple at first, “unmerited favor” or “undeserved kindness.” Forgiveness without having to earn it; or perhaps the old acrostic, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” But in practical, daily application, many seem to forget God’s grace and tend to believe, “Well, we just have to be good enough to make it!”
Some years ago, a precious, deeply faithful great-grandmother in her 80s said to me, “I just hope I’ve been good enough to make it.” I popped her bubble when I said, “Let me answer your question… you haven’t.” Then I reminded her that we are saved by God’s grace… good works cannot make sin go away.” She breathed a relieving sigh and answered, “Oh, of course. Why can’t we remember that?” I think the problem probably stems from the reality that we can’t be good enough to go to heaven on our own, but we can easily be bad enough to go to hell! Yipes! Isn’t that pretty scary? Absolutely! But it’s also absolutely true!
One commentator told this story: There are three steps in a Christian’s life: 1. Wow, salvation and the Christian life are just too good to be true. 2. Whoa, the commandments are getting pretty hard to keep. 3. Ugh, it’s just impossible to keep all these commandments perfectly! And at that point, we are well-primed to understand and accept God’s grace.
Where are you along that path? Have you realized that you can’t be good enough to go to heaven, but you can be bad enough to go to hell? One sin is all it takes. Have you come to grips with the reality that no amount of good works can make even one sin go away?
The last time I looked, Ephesians 2:8, 9 still says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” It’s a gift that must be accepted for sure, but acceptance does not mean it is earned. To belabor the point, notice carefully that verse 9 says it is a gift. I pray the each of us understands and remembers God’s amazing grace! Ray Wallace
Let’s Stop Playing Politics This article is not political. In fact, it is just the opposite. Politics, particularly in recent decades, is more and more about mental and emotional manipulation than policy and principle. The more money a candidate has, the more advertising he or she can buy, then use to hire well-trained advertising manipulators to play on public opinions and emotions. Madison Avenue, the seat of the American advertising industry, is populated by university trained advertising agents who have spent their careers learning and using psychologically proven manipulative techniques. Quite unfortunately, very few Americans have been taught how to distinguish emotional manipulation from policy. Because of that, our citizens, on average, are quite vulnerable to ads depicting what they simply like rather than actual policy. In other words, Americans, by and large, fall for carefully crafted, emotionally appealing ads without carefully assessing the actual policies and plans of any particular candidate. Likewise, we fall prey to emotional manipulation of identity politics and character attacks. There is a far better approach for thinking people. It’s actually quite simple.
Stop believing political ads from anyone. More than likely the candidate didn’t write the ad and had little or nothing to do with its publication (particularly if the ad is published by a political action committee (PAC).
Stop being swayed by the number of ads you see or hear, on TV, radio or internet. “Well, I’ve
heard a lot that such and such a candidate is thus and such,” not recognizing the fallacy of that reasoning. When you allow your opinions to be formed by ads or the sheer volume of ads, you are falling prey to money. Period.
Use the logic that God gave you. Proverbs 18:17 states, “The first to plead his caseseems right, Until another comes and examines him.” Of course an ad can be persuasive; I’ve never seen one political ad that properly allows the other side to cross-examine the claims presented in the ad!
Logical and practical approach:
1. Write down, literally on paper, what you believe about several major topics. (Abortion, same sex marriage, foreign wars, federal spending, federal and local programs, immigration, border security, etc. 2. Determine which, if any, of those topics are biblical topics addressed in the Bible. 3. Read the actual published platforms of each major political party and candidate (or even minor, local candidates) to see which party is more aligned with scripture and with your deeply held convictions. By using your own logic, not cleverly crafted ads, you can see beyond the professional manipulators and their psychological tricks. By comparing God’s word to the actual written platforms, (not speeches or ads), you will be miles ahead of the average American in proper and logical evaluation of what a party or candidate actually believes and where he or she will take our nation. As “We the People,” we are truly in a decisive, authoritative position to affect our future. Like the kings of old, God holds responsible those who actually have authority. God held King David responsible for Uriah’s death, not Joab who was on the battlefield - 2 Samuel 11.) Choose wisely.
Ray Wallace
“When You Look at Others” It is so easy to “look at others” and to be jealous (even slightly so) when they “have more” than you do, “have it easier” than you do, “get to do more fun things” than you do, etc. In “looking at others,” it becomes very easy to forget what you have or minimize the value of what you have.
In 1897, Johnson Oatman, Jr., in a beloved hymn, wrote, “When you look at others with their lands and gold, think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold. Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in Heaven, nor your home on high.” Scripture tells us that playing the “comparing-ourselves-to-others” game is “not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12). Faithful child of God, do what the song calls for! “Count your many blessings!”
You are a child of God. You have every sin forgiven by the precious blood of Jesus. You have a spiritual family in Christ’s church. You have direct access to the throne of God. You have the promise of eternal life! Don’t “look at others”! Look at your blessings and “See what God hath done!”
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Just As He Said… As Jesus approached the city of Jerusalem in the last week of His life, He sent two of His disciples into a village, “where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat” (Luke 19:30). Two verses later, they “found itjust as He had saidto them” (19:32). A few days later, Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover, telling them that they would meet “a man…carrying a pitcher of water,” who would lead them to a house with a “large, furnished upper room” (Luke 22:8-12). In the very next verse, they “found itjust as He had saidto them” (22:13). A few days later, a group of women came to the tomb of Jesus and found it empty. An angel told them, “He is risen! He is not here…as He saidto you” (Mark 16:4-7).
The disciples continually found things “just as Jesus said” they would be! Friends, so it is with us! We have found, in Christ, “life…more abundantly” than any others (John 10:10) and will one day be with Him “where He is” (John 14:3),just as He said! David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
What Were You Taught?
In Finland, the public schools teach logic before they teach factual classes. When I read that recently it reminded me of something I read many years ago about American public schools, “Today in American schools, children are told what think rather than being taught how to think. Sadly, I’ve seen a lot of evidence that confirms that assessment.
This American approach to education is precisely the opposite of what true education should be, but more importantly, it is the opposite of what God calls us to do. In Isaiah 1:18 we see God’s call to mankind:
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool,” (NASB).
Did you catch it? God, Himself, is calling us to “reason” - the very act of using our logic to understand something (rather than merely being told what to think). The specific subject in this passage is understanding the forgiveness of our own sins, but the call to use our reason (logic) is clear.
Some of the brightest men in history have, indeed, used their reason and logic to recognize God’s word as truth (as Jesus said in John 17:17). Even Anthony Flew, (1923 - 2010) once known as the world’s foremost debating atheist, changed his mind about the existence of God, the one who built the universe and created man. His last book was entitled: There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind.
From creation in Genesis chapters one and two to the details about the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, we must use our logic. From the birth of the church in Acts 2 to details about Paul’s church plantings, we must use our reason to understand what God wants us to know. We, as His people, must read and understand God’s word, and never, ever, apply our human interpretation.
But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 2:20, 21, NASB). So we must not apply our human ideas to scripture, but let scripture guide our understanding of scripture. It comes from God and is not to be spun by man. Yes, God gave us a book we can, indeed, understand. But we have to read it! As Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:4, 5 (NASB):
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit. God gave us a book we can understand. He calls us to read it and not to make up human interpretations, but rather to take Him at his word…. again, John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in truth, Thy word is truth.
Then and only then can we ever hope to “not go beyond what is written,” God’s command through Paul’s pen in 1 Corinthians 4:6. Let us take God at His word, not go beyond His written word, and continue to read and understand as we let His word guide and hearts and our minds into obedience to Him.
Ray Wallace
I Am with You
Various ones throughout the Bible were given the same encouraging, bolstering, motivating message. Abraham was told: “God is with you” (Gen. 21:22). Isaac was told: “the Lord is with you” (Gen. 26:28). Israel was told: “the Lord your God is with you” (Deut. 20:1). Joshua was told: “the Lord your God is with you” (Josh. 1:9). Gideon was told: “The Lord is with you” (Judg. 6:12). King Saul was told: “God is with you” (1 Sam. 10:7). David was told: “the Lord is with you” (2 Sam. 7:3). King Asa was told: “The Lord is with you while you are with Him” (2 Chron. 15:2). Judah was told: “the Lord is with you” (2 Chron. 20:17). Mary was told: “the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28).
Yes, He says to you, “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20)! Encouraging, bolstering, motivating! Don’t ever forget it or doubt it!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Ever Wish Jesus Had Just Kept His Mouth Shut?
Did you ever wish that Jesus had just kept His mouth shut? (“Yipes, Ray! That’s sounds pretty sacrilegious!! You can’t say stuff like that!”) As genuine and faithful believers, that’s right… we should never say anything remotely like that! But many often think similar thoughts, consciously or subconsciously. One way we do that is when we simply ignore what Jesus said, and it’s getting more are more common in today’s harsh social and political climate. Whether recognized or not, continued anger is one of the ways we ignore God’s word. The net result is that by our actions (mental or physical) we are, in essence, wishing that God had not given us direct commands about our anger. Same for revenge. A friend (maybe former friend) or even a family member pushes a political agenda we believe to be evil in God’s eyes, and BOOM - no more relationship there. Recently someone told me that people with whom he had been friends now totally reject him because they did like the political sign he put in his yard. Somewhere between destroying his sign and no longer even speaking to one another, likes the strong implication that someone wished Jesus had just kept his mouth shut about love and hate. The world is clearly recognizing the problem: I recently heard this joke, “If you want to save a lot of money on Christmas presents, just start a political argument over Thanksgiving dinner!” The obvious implication is that family relationships will be broken. I’ve seen such things happen and you probably have too. But in Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus really did say,
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Certainly, part of implication is that we don’t have time to argue, because God’s will is that we show even our enemies that God loves them beyond all human comprehension! IF you really want to say deeply in your heart, “I’m glad Jesus didn’t keep His mouth shut,” you might want to stop reading this now and read the whole context in Matthew 5:21-48. I’ll wait. Did verse 48 scare you a bit? it scares me! “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” It scares me enough to bother me almost daily. Jesus is strongly calling His followers to repent of their approach to their enemies. If you really want your enemy to change, teach and exhibit Jesus’ love, His mercy and His forgiveness. That is not only His command, but also far better than anger and loud, heated discussions. What if they don’t change? Then revert to verses 44 and 45 “… love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. OUCH! That’s quite a challenge! But you do want to be a child of the Father? Right? Read verses 44 and 454 again. Hmmm… are you still sure that you don’t wish Jesus had just kept His mouth shut? Pray for His grace, to you and to others. Pray for your enemies. Politicians are not our main enemy. Sin is… theirs and ours. Hate the sin but love the sinner. You can do it! How do I know? Because God never gave us a command that we cannot accomplish. Go for it! With His help, you got this!
Ray Wallace
Between Now and November 5 Wayne Jones, President of Bear Valley Bible Institute
What happens between now and November 5th is a matter of life and death. It will have an impact on our freedom, our liberty, our worship, our spiritual well-being, our future, and our very standing before God. Trouble may surely follow. Our worst fears may come to pass. Life as we know it may be gone. We may go too far this time and everything that makes us who we are may be lost. This November could be the watershed moment of all watershed moments.
As a result of what happens between now and election day, we could lose what is most precious to us and forfeit the very liberties that allow us to pillow our heads each night with peace. We could forfeit our core beliefs that have sustained our identity since the time that we became a people. We could fundamentally alter who we are because of what we do, what we say, and what we support leading up to November 5th.
Before some of you assume that this is a post that is going to shed light on or give support to certain political parties or platforms, let me clarify.
I do not believe that who sits in the White House (or holds any earthly position of authority) can impact the freedoms and liberties that define who we are (Galatians 5:1; John 8:36). I do not believe that our greatest fears have anything to do with what happens to the temporal, earthly hierarchies of men (Matthew 10:28). I do not believe that elected officials can alter or hinder our true citizenship (1Peter 2:9-10). I know Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18) and that will be just as true after the election as it is today.
It is not who we elect that is really going to impact us; it’s what we say, what we support, what we share, what we assume, and what we trust between now and then that may change it all. Our freedom might be forfeited because we are guilty of bearing false witness. Our liberty in Christ might be in danger because we belittle others when they don’t think, or vote like us. Life as we know it might be altered because our trust is placed in a political official rather than a sovereign God. We may go too far this election season because protecting innocent, unborn lives is put on equal footing with insurance premiums, tax rates, carbon emissions, and a concealed carry license. Our worst fear (separation from God) might occur because we protect a party, an amendment, or an economic system at the expense of showing and living the love of Christ.
“Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17).
DON’T SHOOT PEOPLE!
It’s in the Bible… “Thou shalt not murder!” No particular weapon is delineated, but the point is clear. Don’t stab, club, shoot (with an arrow, in ancient times, bullets today), etc. – just don’t kill innocent people!
Last week the shootings in my old neighborhood (in Aurora, Colorado) were up 960%! And it’s nowhere near downtown. Also last week one particular shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, garnered international attention because one husband and father was killed and 3 others were wounded, one being a candidate for the President of the United States!
In reality, the stakes are the same: human life. The age, gender, or financial status of the victim is far less important than the fact that human life is involved. Murder a rich man or murder a homeless pauper, and you go to the same prison! The pivotal point is the value of human life, not the victim’s station in life.
Yes, murder and mayhem have been with us from the first family on earth – Cain killed his own bother out of jealousy and anger. Deuteronomy 5:17, “You shall not murder,” literally means the taking of innocent life. It does not address the governmental execution of a criminal.
But why do people murder others? Jealousy, money, power, fear, or often a mistaken belief that the victim just needs die to make the world a better place. God’s plan is that people need to repent to make the world a better place.
How deeply tragic it is when sick minds decide they are better at running the world than God can in His providence. That is what murder (or attempted murder) is: a sick mind believing that it can turn the wheels of time and eternity better than God, Himself!
Lies, hate and arrogance are influencing the national narrative in ways that corrupt the thinking and actions of immature people. Such people miss numerous truths of God, but particularly they miss the reality of Proverbs 13:15, “…the way of transgressors is hard.” Anytime we transgress the laws of God, life becomes harder, not better. Pray for our country!
-Ray Wallace
The Healing Power of Ministry
Did you ever notice how you feel better when you make someone else feel better? When we’re down or depressed or stressed, it’s hard to think of others, but the evidence suggests that it’s worth the effort. Time and again, when Jesus was stressed, the multitudes pressed Him. They would not leave Him alone. And time and again Jesus ministered to those multitudes. Some might think this just shows the sacrificial nature of the ministry of Jesus, and I am certainly not going to suggest that Jesus only ministered to people from a selfish motive of self-therapy. Scripture says Jesus felt “compassion” for those who pressed Him so. That compassion served Jesus well and it will serve us well, also.
So many times we fail to recognize that there is a problem with someone until it’s too late. The deed is done! However, even then it’s not too late to rescue a soul. When Cain and his brother offered their sacrifices to God, Abel’s was accepted and Cain’s was not. Cain chose to respond in anger. God responded to him by giving advice that rings through the ages: “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?” (Genesis 4:7). He was angry; angry enough to kill. And yet the solution was not that someone needed to minister to Cain! Did you hear that? Then let me say it again: The solution was not that someone needed to minister to Cain...he needed to minister to someone else. Or, more specifically in this context, Cain needed to “do well!” The different course Cain could have taken to deal with anger was for him to actively “do well,” or reach out to someone else.
When you feel stressed and assailed from every direction, rather than retreating within your own “comfortable” shell and waiting for someone to come and minister to you, try reaching out to someone else. They won’t be hard to find, if you look. And if you remain in your “safe place,” you will find that it is not all that safe. Hear the words of God to a troubled young man and apply them to yourself: “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?” If you feel bad, do something good for someone else. You’ll feel better!
Looking, looking, looking unto Jesus
The inspired penman of the book of Hebrews continually appealed to his struggling brethren to not turn their back on Christ and give up their faith. As he emphasized their personal need for steadfastness, he penned the great chapter of Hebrews 11. We know and love this great chapter, which highlights the faithful obedience of some of those Old Testament heroes. Why does he spend 40 verses on this? The author wanted to remind his readers of the great “cloud of witnesses” that had gone before and to urge his fellow Christians to follow in their faithful footsteps. That would be so meaningful to these Christians of Jewish background. But then he circled back to his main point. He did not simply want his readers looking at their heroes of old, he wanted them “looking unto Jesus” (Heb. 12:1-2)! Friend, are you struggling with your faith? Are you questioning things? Then spend some time—some serious time— “looking unto Jesus.” Investigate Him. Dig into the Bible. See if doing such doesn’t build you up.
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Everything Depends on the Resurrection!
If there is no resurrection, then there is no life after death for anyone. 1 Corinthians 15 If there is no resurrection, then Jesus (and the apostles) are all liars. 1 Corinthians 15 If there is no resurrection, then over 500 people who saw Jesus after His resurrection are all liars. 1 Corinthians 15 If there is no resurrection, then we of all men are most miserable. 1 Corinthians 15 (Yet numerous studies show Christians to be more joyful than society in general.) If there is no resurrection, then who moved the stone over His grave? Not the Jews, they wanted Him dead and buried. Not the Romans, they wanted Him dead and they placed a guard at the gravesite. Not His followers, many died for the cause knowing they had seen a resurrected Messiah. (They didn’t die for a lie!) If there is no resurrection, then the rest of the Bible is a fake. Yet no other book ever written is as deep and wise about how to live and how find joy in this life. If there is no resurrection, then the whole concept of God is false and all the Laws based on biblical principles are a sham – therefore its just fine to kill people and Hitler was a hero for applying Darwinism to the human race. But the resurrection is real, well attested by hundreds of eye-witnesses, His followers and his enemies, Jew and Gentile, Roman, Greek and barbarian. And thousands of people who saw Him die were soon followers, even those who had shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Thousands of Jews, even many of the priests, were obedient to the gospel. Yes, He lives. Today, and every Lord’s Day, we serve a risen Savior who’s in the world today. We know that He is risen, whatever men may say! And He loves you beyond belief – no matter what!
Ray Wallace
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead... 1 Corinthians 15:20
TOOLS IN GOD’S TOOLBOX
Romans 6:13 tells us our body is an instrument, and we choose to use it for righteousness or unrighteousness. The Greek word translated "instrument" there means "tool or weapon." What kind of tool or weapon are you? Are you an instrument God holds in His hand to do His will?
• Are you a battering ram? The ancients would use a log or some other hard object to break down a wall or door. Have we filled our hearts with the Word to the degree that we can, speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), break down barriers keeping the honest-hearted from God?
• Are you a crowbar? Crowbars pry objects apart. There are things we should separate from our thinking and lifestyle. Are we trying to pull away from worldliness (James 4:4)?
• Are you a chisel? This is a tool that does meticulous, detailed work. Its blade carves or cuts hard materials. Do we have the tenacity and trust needed to use God's Word and benefit from His providence to remake our lives into the image of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18)?
• Are you a level? We live in not only a dishonest world but also a corrupt world. So many call good evil and evil good (Isa. 5:20). Can people find in us reliable standard of right and wrong, as we reflect the principles of God's Word? Levels are used to determine whether something is true and as it ought to be.
• Are you a plane? The plane smooths rough surfaces by repetitiously moving back and forth across the surface. All four Gospels (Mat. 3:3; Mk. 1:3; Lk. 3:4; Jn. 1:23) speak of John the immerser's work as making ready the path of the Lord, making His paths straight. We are not forerunners of Jesus; we follow in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21). As we do follow Him, we are going to forge a path safe for others to follow (1 Cor. 11:1).
• Are you a magnet? A magnet is an object that draws and holds another object disposed toward such attraction. Magnets can be used as tools themselves, but they are often made a part of other tools, such as hammers and screwdrivers. By living like Jesus, you will draw people to Him.
Paul also referred to "tools" or "weapons" when talking to the Corinthians. He mentions "armor of righteousness" and "weapons of our warfare" (same word). In both cases, the tools or weapons are spiritual and figurative, yet with them we can help shape and build up those around us. Be a tool in God's toolbox!
Neal Pollard
Mighty to Save
The song, Mighty to Save touches our hearts as it reminds us of our need for His compassions and grace. The lyrics remind us that our God is, indeed, mighty and with His might He can save us from whatever attacks us, and also literally save us from our sins so that we can be with Him for eternity.
Three passages specifically tell us God is, “mighty to save,” - Isaiah 63:1, Psalm 106:8 and Zephaniah 3:17. Through Zephaniah’s pen He tells us (NASB): “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
Notice the details of the text: 1. God is present, in our midst. 2. God is a victorious warrior - He does battle on our behalf and He wins! 3. God will exult (greatly rejoice) over you with joy. 4. His love is gentle and helps to quiet our apprehensions (The ESV translates, “ He will quiet you by his love.”) 5. He will rejoice over us with shouts of joy (or “with loud singing” ESV).
That’s a lot in one short verse. Obviously, He cares for us. This old saying is so true: “God doesn’t just love us all, He love us each!” It is vitally important that each of us understands that God loves us individually as well as unconditionally.
If God loves us but is not mighty, we are in bad trouble. If God is mighty but does not love us, we are likewise in a terribly dangerous place. But, like so many other passages, Zephaniah 3:17 gives us assurance and hope, because God does, indeed both love us and with His might He fights for us.
All too often, we think of God as merely a kind old grandfather, or a scary policeman or even an angry, powerful king whom we should either appease or avoid. Such has never been the case, nor ever will be the case for His faithful children!
He is present with us, a victorious warrior, rejoicing with great joy to have us close to Him. He will quiet us with His love and rejoices over us with shouts of joy. Can you even imagine God being so joyful over you that He is singing and shouting with great joy of His own? That is what Zephaniah 3:17 is teaching us!
Zephaniah was written to God’s children. Such are you, if you are truly in Christ. In your prayers and meditations today, tell God how much you love Him and how joyful you are that He is rejoicing over you.
Ray Wallace
What do People See in Your Face? Following years of separation after his brother stole his birthright, Esau made his way to meet Jacob in Genesis 32. Jacob “was greatly afraid and distressed,” thinking that Esau may be coming to “attack” him (32:7-8). He made strategic preparations for the saving of his family, and he sent a “present” ahead of him to Esau, hoping to “appease him” (32:20). Note what Jacob said next: “afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me” (32:20). What an interesting thing to say. Jacob would know of Esau’s reaction and even intentions when he saw his “face.” In the next chapter, the two brothers meet, and note what Jacob says to his brother: “I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me” (33:10). Question: When others see us, do they see our face as though they are seeing the face of God? Do our eyes, our mouth, our expression convey that we belong to God? Do others see Him in us, just by looking? David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, FL
Tough Old Men!
It was, perhaps, Caleb’s finest hour, yet he was eighty-five years old! His voice was that of a ready warrior, yet it was an 85 year-old voice. He was as ready for war as he was at age forty, yet it is now forty-five years later! Caleb and Joshua were the only two spies of the 12 (sent to spy out the promised land) who were faithful to God and faithful to the task. Caleb and Joshua are the only two names you remember because the others fell into shameful obscurity. The promised land is there for the taking, ripened by God, Himself. Ten spies falling to fear; two spies bonding in bravery. Faith versus fear... one of the prime battles of our brains. Ten spies crawl in cowardice, but Caleb and Joshua beg for bravery. Surely this is Caleb’s finest hour! Actually, no! That hour comes forty-five years later when Caleb rings out his own battle cry, “Give me this mountain!” (Joshua 14:12, KJV). Two old men and a dream. Two strong old men and a vision. Two tough old men, and a promise from God! Determination in the face of danger, bravery in a time of battle... “Give me this mountain!” What might it take for you to grow stronger in grasping what God has offered? Regaining your youthful vigor? A dose of courage? A miracle!!!??? None of the above. It will take a life dedicated to God from now... on! “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life,” (Revelation 2:10 NASB). Be tough. When you can’t do something, don’t... but when you can, don’t use age as an excuse prematurely! The same God that Caleb served is there for you also! God has mountains for you to climb and challenges for you to conquer. So adopt the Caleb call, “Give me this mountain!” If 85-year old Caleb can do it, so can you!
Ray Wallace
Caution! Slippery Surface Have you ever slipped on a wet floor because you weren’t paying close enough attention to your surroundings and the conditions? Did you anticipate that you would slip? No, that’s why you slipped. If you had seen the wet floor, could you have avoided it? Yes, if you were watching. Sometimes the devil gets us to sin because we are not paying close enough attention to our surroundings and the conditions. Paul wrote about being “caught in any trespass” (Gal. 6:1). The Greek word for “caught” indicates that “one is taken unexpectedly,” because he is “off his guard.” There is an element of surprise for the unanticipated. Brethren, the devil will come straight at you sometimes, and then other times he will slip up behind you unexpectedly and catch you by surprise. Maybe it’s letting a word slip, or slipping in a bad habit, or causing you to slip from a good habit, or slipping a person in your life who gradually leads you down the wrong path, etc. You are still responsible for your actions when the devil slips on you, so always be watchful (1 Pet. 5:8-9)!
David Sproule
Expectations
“Everyone is a genius. If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its entire life believing that it is stupid.” The quote, mis-attributed to Albert Einstein, is still brilliant. The author, whoever he or she may be, understood human nature the way God created it. God created us and He endowed us with certain talents and abilities that differ, often greatly. If we misunderstand those talents and abilities, we can make life-altering negative mistakes in our expectations of others. In reference to raising children, James Dobson once noted that perhaps a father wants in his son to be the high school quarterback, but the boy really wants to play violin. The father thinks the boy’s desire is not tough enough, so he rejects his own son’s desire or even the boy himself! Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, (NASB). While it is certainly true that godly parents should raise children to love and follow God, this verse is actually better translated in the International Standard Version, “Train a child in the way appropriate for him, and when he becomes older, he will not turn from it.” The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition 6 is similar, “Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. One of our grandsons is a computer whiz and is doing very well in that profession. His brother is a diesel mechanic and works on big truck rigs and heavy earth moving machinery! It would be hard for two brothers, born less than two years apart, to be more different! Yet both are happy, well-adjusted young men (age 28 and 30). Thankfully, their parents raised them according to their “individual gift or bent.” The choice is God’s, and it falls our lot to both recognize and accept people, everyone, blood kin or not, with the talents God gave them. To do otherwise is to actually reject the work of almighty God, who knows vastly better than we do. I have friends that play instruments in orchestras, and I have friends who raise cattle. Sometimes we all sit together over a nice prime rib dinner and listen to beautiful music, because God created people to fill every niche of His plan. As we go through the days God has allowed for us, let us be diligent to deeply appreciate the strong worker who built our homes, the gentle artists who painted the art on our walls, the skilled hands who cooked our meals, the truck driver and dock worker who delivered our gas grill, the children whose laughter sprinkles our hearts with joy and the spiritual leader who just asked God to bless our meals. We must never judge anyone by our own preconceived ideas, but “judge with a righteous judgment” as Jesus, Himself said in John 8:24. And we simply cannot obey that command until we learn to recognize and appreciate each individual person for who God created them to be. Praise God for all of His creations, from gentle spirits to cattlemen, from computer specialists to diesel mechanics… and for fish and for squirrels who all live their lives as God made them!
Ray Wallace
It’s Not Just for Kids
The little girl tugged gently on her grandpa’s sleeve. He stopped quickly and gladly as he asked, “What is it?” She pointed to a small caterpillar and giggled, “Look how he walks, Grandpa!” The old man leaned down slowly, put both hands on the grass hoping his granddaughter wouldn’t notice his struggle as he finally plopped down beside her. The little inchworm was barely over an inch long, but its steady, measured gate enthralled the little girl. “Grandpa,” she said slowly, “Why does he walk like that?” The old man smiled and said, “Because somebody has to measure the size of the grass.” The answer satisfied her for the moment. There was a long silence that seemed to bridge the gap between 3 generations. Finally, the little girl asked, “Grandpa, why do you seem to have more time than Mom and Dad?” Sensing a bit of sorrow in her question, the old man said, “Well, you see, sweetheart, God made a special time for grandpas and grandmas – it’s called retirement. That way they have a little extra time for caterpillars, turtles, frogs and fun things like that.” Deep down, the old man understood the pressures of jobs and mortgage payments, but he wondered just how much time his own kids spent with television, tennis and dinner parties. “Grandpa, do you know what I love about you?” “No, what?” the old man asked with a deep smile wrinkling his leathery skin. “You always take time to look into my eyes and listen, even if I talk too long.” “It’s called patience,” said the old man. “What does that mean?” asked the little girl, her brow wrinkled more deeply than her age would suggest. “Well,” the old man paused, “I guess it means that when you love others and your interest in people gets stronger than your love of things and events, it just seems natural to sit down on the grass and watch a little girl smile and watch in wonder as a little green caterpillar measures the lawn.” “I like patience,” the little girl pondered as she grasped the concept. “Me too,” her grandpa said as they shared a high five. “Why don’t more people have patience, Grandpa?” Her eyes searched his face. “I think they just haven’t yet learned the beauty and joy of simply relaxing with those you love.” The old man was quite happy with his off the cuff answer. The little girl grasped more than the old man realized. She said, with wisdom beyond her years, “Grandpa, I like being patient when we are together. It’s kinda like sharing a clock that ticks in our hearts at the same time.” The old man knew she really did understand. As he got up slowly, the little girl held his hand. They walked a long way before either of them spoke. The little girl finally broke the gentle silence, “Grandpa, I think patience is part of love.” “Me too,” he said as he picked her up for a piggy back ride the rest of the way home. As the old man walked to his own home that evening, he passed an antique store and saw a faded, cross-stitched piece framed in hand-hewn oak, “Love is Patient – 1 Corinthians 13.” Just then he remembered a verse from his own distant youth, “Out of the mouths of babes….”
Ray Wallace
Walking in Sunlight Winter days up north can be kind of dreary, when you don’t see the sun for days and days. In many parts of the country, some storm clouds can be so dark that it can make the middle of the day feel like it’s nighttime. Where’s the SUN? We face similar affects in our hearts and our own personal lives. Some days can be rather dreary. Some storms that we face can bring a thick darkness over us. We may wonder, where’s the SON? 125 years ago, Henry J. Zelley penned some words that still intrigue and enliven the soul today. “Walking in sunlight all of my journey.” Are you walking in sunlight all of the time? Of course, Zelley was writing about “heavenly sunlight.” Some days can be dreary or hard or dark. But in the midst of all of that, we can be “walking in sunlight”! How? By remembering, “Jesus has said, ‘I’ll never forsake thee,’ which is a “promise divine that never can fail”! At that thought, may our hearts burst forth, “Hallelujah! I am rejoicing, singing His praises, Jesus is mine.” David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Superstitious Christians?
In 1892, a very superstitious man named Adam Heidt had a series of negative things happen to him. His mother-in-law had been killed, his crops failed, and he became ill. Heidt, a German immigrant, believed that another German immigrant named George Markart had put a hex on him by patting him on the back three times. Heidt concluded that Markart was a “hexmaster” who was responsible for all the bad things going on in Heidt’s life.
So Heidt, believing that hexmasters lose their power over running water, walked Markart to Jefferson’s Stone Arch Bridge near Jeffersonville, New York. Heidt’s’ son shot Markart 5 times, then Heidt stabbed Markart repeatedly, then they beat him with his own walking cane and thew his body in the river. (Both Heidt and his son were quickly convicted of the murder. All this evil happened specifically because of nonsensical, irrational beliefs based in superstition.
Still today, in the “crazy but true” department, we find a weird situation that should never exist: superstitious Christians! I suppose it is not totally surprising, since faithful Christians believe in: -a spiritual realm that actually exists (just not in the physical realm) -spirit beings that are here to help God’s people (Hebrews 12:1) -an all-powerful, holy God who created the universe from nothing (Gen. 1; Heb. 11:3; Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16; Col. 2:3:5, Rom. 4:17; et al) -spiritual life after human death.
But the Bible, God’s word, stands in stark contrast to superstitions, and His faithful followers must never allow themselves to have superstitious beliefs. Superstitions are in an entirely different realm than true Christianity. Mirriam Webster’s dictionary defines “superstition” as, “a belief or practice from ignorance, fear of the unknown, truth in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.”
Belief in God is based on evidence. God has never called us to take a “blind leap of faith” as non-believers often claim. Both true science (and many scientists) affirm belief in God as rational, evidence-based faith, (not a blind leap).
The result of having faith in God and practicing biblical principles improves life and helps mature the culture in which that faith is practiced. Love one another, don’t murder, don’t steal, be kind, treat others the way you want to be treated, help the unfortunate and the needy, obey the laws of the land, and many other commands, are clearly understood by all rational people to be necessary to a civil society.
Superstitions, on the other hand are, by Webster’s definition, results of “ignorance… magic… chance, or a false conception of causation” (what does or doesn’t cause events to happen). Adam Heidt was horrifically anti-Christian in his actions. His violence seemed to him to be based in logic, but was, instead, based on evil superstitions (as all superstitions are).
From belief in “luck” (some nebulous power that the universe supposedly has over us) to avoidance of black cats, walking under ladders and breaking mirrors, Satan has convinced even some true Christians that superstition, not God, has the real power in life.
All of us should be biblical and diligent to root out every vestige of superstition as we seek to please our heavenly Father.
Ray Wallace
The Here Before the After
There is an old saying that the older we get, the more we think about the “hereafter” – we walk into a room and ask ourselves, “What am I here after?” While that describes most of us, sooner or later, it also raises an important question, “What am I to do while I am here – before the after?”
I am certain that if you are still here on earth, God is not finished with you yet. And if God is not finished with you yet, then He must have some things for you to do with your time here on earth. As we consider the providence of God, we come to realize that He is gently, lovingly, and often specifically bringing about circumstances in our lives that cause “all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NASB)
Since God’s providence causes all things to work together for good for you and for me, we realize the He pulls some of the proverbial strings of life to make sure we are where He wants us to be, when he wants us to be there. Time, space, and circumstance become the tools of His providence for His purposes, to His glory in our lives.
This concept is seen very clearly in God’s word to the Christians at Corinth. As Paul described the “body” of Christ (Christians) in the church, he reminded them that each part has a function, but he also describes God’s providence in 1 Corinthians 12:18: But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
God’s providence arranged time and circumstance in just such a way that He places us where he needs us, whenHe needs us there. Think about it. God has placed you right where He wants you, just when He wants you there – to be a working part of His body, to His glory, for the blessings of those around you!
Relax and enjoy the precious processes He has working in your life, as you work in His family!
Ray Wallace
In What Does God Delight?
There are certain people that know exactly “what is pleasing” to them. For some it’s fresh flowers. Others like the solitude of holding a fishing pole on a quiet lake. For many it’s a trip through the Starbucks drive-thru. But what is it that is a “delight” to God? Or, as the Hebrew word is defined, what “is pleasing” to God?
Perhaps multiple answers could be given, but focus on Proverbs 15:8 – “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.”
Think about that. God finds “delight” in “the prayer of the upright.” As a child of God, when you pray, God does not find your words, your petitions, your heartache to be a burden or an annoyance. Instead, listening to you, sympathizing with you, and responding to you is “His delight.” Remember that every time you pray, and may you “trust” Him and “delight yourself in the Lord” (Psa. 37:3-4) every time you get to take your cares, requests and thanksgivings to Him!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Punching Holes In The Darknes A young boy had his face pinned to the window and he watched with fascination as an old lamplighter came down the street. One by one, he was lighting the old-fashioned gas street lamps. Excited, the young boy called out to his grandmother, “Nana! Nana! Come quickly. There is a man outside who is punching holes in the darkness!”
Similarly, the responsibility of Christians is to "punch holes into the darkness" of this world. The problem is, we can’t do this by our own light. This can only be done by reflecting God's light. Without the righteousness and morality that God has brought into this life (John 1:1-5, 3:19-31), there is no other way to truly break up the darkness.
Jesus said it clearly, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Christians have a great responsibility here. The world isn’t getting any brighter. Let’s punch holes in the darkness.
Brett Petrillo
They All with One Accord Have you ever been in a worship service and all of a sudden, you’re thinking about a Honda Accord? Perhaps you’ve experienced this brain tease, when a verse is read from the book of Acts about the Christians being gathered together in “one accord.” One accord? What does that mean? The expression “one accord” is used 11 times in the book of Acts. It comes from a compound Greek word that combines the words for “same” and “mind,” to literally mean “the same mind.” The word is used to emphasize the “unanimity” of the early church. They were not all sitting together in one Honda Accord, but they were so unanimous in their devotion to the Lord that maybe they could have figured out a way to fit. Let’s consider the usage of this word in the book of Acts. First, note that the early Christians were not the only ones who acted in unanimity. The enemies of Christ themselves acted “with one accord.” Those who heard Stephen preach “cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord… and stoned him” (Acts 7:57-58). The same occurred when the Jews in Corinth “with one accord rose up against Paul” (18:12), and when the Ephesian mob “rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions” (19:29). In each of these instances, the people were of “the same mind” and “same purpose” and “unanimous” in their actions. When the enemies of Christ ally together in attacks against Christians, guess what Christians need to do? They also need (and will) ally together, with the same mind, to stand against such attacks, defend the gospel and further the cause of Christ together. Take note of some other times in Acts when Luke employed this expression. The early Christians “with one accord” came together “in prayer and supplication” (1:14) and “raised their voice to God” (4:24). How often today do we come together “with one accord” for the purpose of praying to God? The early Christians “with one accord” came together to enjoy fellowship and food with one another (2:46). How often today do we take the initiative to get a group of Christians together “with one accord” just to be with each other and enjoy each other’s company? The early Christians “with one accord” came together in one place to “speak” God’s Word (5:12; cf. 8:6) and to send chosen men out with a message to the churches (15:25). God still wants His church to assemble and behave with “one accord.” So, are you “in” the accord or not? David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Matthew 28:1-10 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” ***********************************
The reason the stone was rolled away on Jesus’ tomb was not so that Jesus could get out, but so that we could get in.
Timothy Keller
Who Is Able to Stand?
God is always looking for those that are standing for what is right or standing in the gap (Ezek. 22:30). God has given us what is needed to be able to stand today and stand forever. Preparation is key to any endeavor, especially when it is connected to our service to God. It would make sense then that God has given us the tools to stand prepared in this life. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil…Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore…” (Eph. 6:10-14). The full armor of God is so that we can stand firm. In this passage, we are told what it is for and then given the imperative to use it. The application of such a passage is readily available. God asks us to stand, expects us to stand and gives us the tools by which we can stand in this life against the influences of Satan. How will I be able to stand in the judgment? God has yet again provided. With the opening of the sixth seal in the book of Revelation, we are given an image of judgment. All the bad things that were commonly associated with end times were mentioned, and then “they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” (Rev. 6:16-17). The last question — “Who is able to stand in the face of the judgment of the Lamb?”—is as much a statement of despair as it is a question. Yet, it is answered in chapter seven. “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’… Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?’…These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:9-17). If we stand now and fight the good fight, we are promised that we will stand forever in eternity with Him.
Josh Blackmer
“Do You Love Me?”
In the movie Fiddler on the Roof, lot of things are happening, in the family, in the town and in the nation. As the interwoven plot progresses, Tevye asks his wife in a gentle and touching song, “Do you love me?” As a wife of twenty-five years with five daughters, the question strikes Golda as a bit ludicrous. Rather than answer directly, she answers in loud shock, “Do I what?” As they sing the dialogue back and forth, they run down a summary of relational realities in their marriage: events, interactions, and the fact that the first time they met was on their wedding day! At the end of the song, as they both ponder their past, Golda finally answers, “Do I love you? I suppose I do.” Tevye answers sweetly, “And I suppose I love you too.”
At various times the apostle Paul mentions things in his past and also looks to the future. It becomes quite obvious that Paul is driven by a deep love for the Master he met on the road to Damascus (Acts chapter 9). It is not that Paul walks down life’s roads shouting “I love You!” at the sky… it’s far deeper than that. He walks the walk of practical Christian love we see woven through the fabric of the letter to the Ephesian Christians.
Paul speaks of the loss of his formerly respected rank in Jewish leadership. It was not a big loss to him, simply because his Love for Jesus guided his life. In 2 Corinthians 11, he recounts the difficulties his love for God brought to him, beatings, shipwrecks, stoning, and even his deep concern for struggling churches. (See 2 Cor. 11:23-29 for the full list). We learn in verse 11 that Paul was using his love for God to build a deep love for his spiritual brothers and sisters!
I did not grow up in a Christian home. My religious training was mostly things like, “Jesus doesn’t want you to hit your little sister,” “God doesn’t want you to lie,” etc. So, I did not know Him and was a bit like Tevye and Golda, never having met Jesus as a child. I “met” him as a young adult. And my love for Him was not an early love, but one that has grown through being part of His bride for 58 years.
If Jesus were to ask, “Do you love me?” What would your answer be? I pray it has been and still is a daily walk with our Bridegroom (Ephesians 5:25-33, Isaiah 62:5). As part of His bride, the church, our love grows deeper with each passing year. Our hearts should listen daily for His question, “Do you love me?”
Ray Wallace
WHAT MADE THEM STRONG?
Read Acts 4:1-13
What made the apostles strong, brave, and confident? Perhaps it was the miracles they saw. But if seeing miracles makes one strong, then the Israelite nation would have been strong after they saw the ten plagues and the Red Sea open for them and close on the Egyptian army.
Perhaps it was being delivered from an angry sea by the simple words of Jesus. But again, being delivered by God in a personal manner on several occasions did not make the Israelites brave and confident. Perhaps it was the apostles’ education or their training in public speaking and polemics that made them strong. But wait, we just read that it wasn’t (Acts 4:13).
Oh! Perhaps it was the fact that they were filled with the Holy Spirit in a miraculous measure. No... if that were the case, then Paul would not have written of his struggles in Romans 7 and Peter would not have been overpowered by peer pressure in Galatians 2.
Hmmm. Wait. Let’s read Acts 4:1-13 again. Speaking to a hostile crowd who had the power of life and death over them, Peter and John speak out bravely that nothing else can save their souls but Jesus (v.12).
Then the Holy Spirit makes a comment about the high priest and his entourage along with the scribes and Pharisees. “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (v. 13).
“...having been with Jesus.” That’s it! The source of their confidence (the same word is translated “boldness” in v.31) is simply that they were with Jesus. We cannot “be with” Jesus literally. But we can “be with” Him spiritually. We can believe the same things the apostles believed (John 17:20; 20:29-31). We can gain the same confidence the apostles gained by our faith which is created by time spent in the word of God (Romans 10:17). And others can observe your confidence and know who is your King!
Read again Acts 4:1-13. Where is your confidence?
Ray Wallace
What Every Man Needs to Hear
The man after God’s own heart was getting ready to die. The words in the first nine verses of 1 Kings 2 were his very last, and they were directed at his son, Solomon. If you were deeply in tune with the heart of God and had one last message to give your son, what would you say? Men, pay attention! David started off by saying, “Be strong and prove yourself a man” (2:2). How does one “prove himself a man”? How does one “show himself a man” (NASB) or “act like a man” (NIV)? I suppose we could let the culture dictate that, which would keep the man relevant to the age in which he lives. I suppose we could all offer our opinions about what it means to be a “man.” OR, we could just let the man after God’s own heart explain it. Keep reading. Here is what a MAN in God’s eyes is and does – “And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written…” (2:3). A MAN walks with God and does what He says! Are you a MAN?
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Flying Blind
Our son is a pilot in general aviation. He flies for business trips and for pleasure. He recently got his IFR rating. For those who aren’t familiar, that means Instrument Flight Rules, in other words he is now rated to fly at night and in other limited visibility situations.
Personally, I think it’s almost terrifying, and I grew up flying! Imagine you are flying along on a beautiful, sunny day and suddenly you find yourself in dense fog, rain, etc. You literally cannot see anything outside the plane but gray or black. It’s as if you closed your eyes or turned off your headlights while driving at night. Countless plane crashes have happened simply because the pilot could not see anything.
Enter the instruments, as in Instrument Flight Rules! His plane is equipped with several instruments that tell him where he is, where the ground is, where the mountains are, where other planes are and where the airport is. Flying blind still seems weird to me, but after he explained to me the details of how it works, I get it! The instruments can “see” into the future, ten feet, ten miles, ten seconds, or ten minutes or even more. And they can get you safely to the airport! The instruments are the lifeline, IF one knows how to use them.
It’s the same way in life. We cannot see ten minutes or even ten seconds into the future. But God can and He can get us safely to life’s airport, whether that be next week or eternity. But I must know how to use His instrument, His written word. I am totally amazed how many Christians will read the paper, read online news, watch TV and attempt to “see” what’s happening, but seldom if ever spend deep, quality time reading God’s word, which is our instrument panel for flying blind - into the future.
In John 6:68, Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Paul knew how it works - in Romans 1:16 he wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Aircraft instruments get us safely to the airport when we can’t see what’s happening. As the aircraft instruments get us to the flight pattern at the airport, God’s word gets us to our final destination when we can’t see the future. Paul wrote, “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” Never make God your co-pilot, He must be your pilot! He is the Captain of our faith (Hebrews 2:10, KJV). Use the instrument of scripture to get safely home.
Ray Wallace
Thought for the Day The Shepherd knows what pastures are best for his sheep, and they must not question nor doubt, but trustingly follow Him. Perhaps He sees that the best pastures for some of us are to be found in the midst of opposition or of earthly trials. If He leads you there, you may be sure they are green for you, and you will grow and be made strong by feeding there. Perhaps He sees that the best waters for you to walk beside will be raging waves of trouble and sorrow. If this should be the case, He will make them still waters for you, and you must go and lie down beside them, and let them have all their blessed influences upon you. Hannah Whitall Smith (Read Psalm 23)
The Opposition
When I was a school kid our football team hated playing Highland Park and Ennis (Dallas area). Highland Park was a wealthy community, and we thought the “rich kids” would be soft and easy to beat. Nope! They were strong, well-coached and we barely won! Ennis was the opposite. They were a lower income farming community (at least in the 1960s) and the kids were large, muscular boys of Czech descent (Ennis even has a national Polka Festival). Yes, we won, but we didn’t sing victory songs on the bus on the way home - we were battered and bruised, and we just flat hurt! All our other games we won handily up to District. But I learned a life-long lesson, “It makes a huge difference who the opposition is! God tells us we get to choose our opposition in life, and we cannot refuse to choose. And guess what… it’s not like Starbucks with 50 choices. Ultimately, there are only two choices that exist, God and Satan. You can make God your enemy or you can make Satan your enemy. Every person, consciously or subconsciously, makes the choice, by actually choosing, or by the behaviors (mental or physical) in which we engage. Some of the choices are obvious before you are five years old, “Steal a cookie or not; lie to mom or not, smack your little brother or share your cookie with him (not the stolen one!). As we mature, the subjects change, but the basics do not. Moral behavior, driving habits, plagiarism on that term paper, calling in sick when the ski slopes have champaign powder… you get the idea. But one choice that makes God your head coach or your opposition often goes unnoticed. That choice is pride (the negative kind in which you decide that you are better or more important than others). Many forget that James, the brother of Jesus, wrote about making God your opposition, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” James 4:11. Peter wrote the same thing in 1 Peter 5:5. All it takes is pride and BOOM, God is your opposition. You will never win the game of life, spiritually or practically, when you get on the wrong team and make God your literal opposition. Notice also that He give grace to the humble and by grace we are saved (Ephesians 2:8). All humans choose one or the other, there are no other choices in this arena! Choose wisely! -Ray Wallace
See also: Prov. 15:33; 16:18; 22:24; 29:3; Eph. 4:1-3; Philippians 2:1-4; James 1:21.
Praying for One Another Made Easy Don’t you like it when things are made easy for you? We love meals that are “made easy” or tax filings that are “made easy” or online purchases that are “made easy.” What about when activities in a Christian’s life are made easy? A present tense (signifying ongoing activity) imperative verb (indicating a command of God) is recorded in James 5:16 – “Pray for one another.” What if that was made easy for you? The church bulletin is “praying for one another” made easy! It lists the names of the elders, deacons, preachers and office staff. Brethren, pray for one another. It lists the names of our missionaries. Brethren, pray for one another. It lists those who are grieving the death of a family member. Brethren, pray for one another. It lists those who are dealing with physical illnesses. Brethren, pray for one another. It lists our shut-ins. Brethren, pray for one another. The church directory is “praying for one another” made easy…on steroids! It lists every member and child in this congregation. Brethren, pray for one another…one page at a time!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Justice, Mercy, and Peace
It’s a tough world right now, locally, nationally, and internationally. With war, crime, political strife, and natural disasters being broadcast 24/7, it’s not always easy to keep our heads on straight. Some I know have opted out of TV news because they have been struggling to keep their inner peace. Keeping our balance while seeing so much bad, evil, negative strife is a bit like walking a tight rope. Deep inside we know evil has always flourished, but in recent years we keep seeing crime increase while punishment decreases. For those with biblically aligned values, the lack of proper justice is deeply disturbing. It has become increasingly difficult, even for mature Christians, to balance justice and mercy, punishment and forgiveness. It’s a bit like a 4-sided see-saw in a high wind, it just won’t keep its balance. For a healthy, mature spirit to rule in our heads and hearts, we must continue to find the biblical balance of justice and mercy. And that calls for a biblical understanding of when and where to apply each of those two things. If we allow anger and frustration to dominate our thoughts, personal revenge will raise its ugly head. But if we over-apply compassion and grace, we will be unhappy with biblical justice; it will seem too harsh to those who are out of balance. I see these challenges: 1. For those with a finely honed sense of justice, giving grace will be a deep challenge. 2. For those with a strong sense of gentleness and grace, allowing justice to take place will seem mean-spirited. 3. For those with protective sheepdog mentality (protecting others at all cost), the temptation will be to react too quickly for fear of not protecting those in your charge. These challenges are genuine, daily, and very practical. And if we are not carefully biblical, these challenges can lead to strife between our brothers and sisters. The “He deserves to hang,” crowd is at odds with the, “He needs to be forgiven,” faction. The “hang them” crowd has a keenly developed sense of justice (consider 1 Corinthians 5:1,2). The “forgive him” crowd has a keenly developed sense of mercy (Luke 17:3). But God’s word calls us to a keenly developed sense of the proper application of justice or mercy depending on the details of each and every individual situation. A “one size fits all” approach to justice or mercy is not a biblical approach. God, Himself, ripped the throne from King Saul (1 Samuel 15) yet forgave King David and let him stay on the throne (see 2 Samuel 11, 12). To be pleasing to Him (2 Corinthians 5:9) we must be well-versed in His word and properly balanced according to each, individual situation. We must deal with the reality of the evening news yet maintain a balance of justice and mercy. We must develop and maintain the fine art of assessing reality while still meditating in the pure and beautiful things of Philippians 4:4-8. Please understand living in the real world, protecting yourself and your family (nuclear or church) and still live in the deep peace that comes from thinking (meditating, pondering) the positive things of this passage. Keep your balance, or you will fall.
Ray Wallace
Nevertheless, at Your Word I Will
When you’ve been doing something your way for so long and have all but perfected it in your own way, for someone to tell you to do it differently may not always sit so well. Imagine being a fisherman and you’ve fished all night and caught nothing, and then a carpenter comes along and tells you how to fish. Would you listen? That’s exactly what happened in Luke 5, but that carpenter was Jesus Christ. He told the disciples, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (5:4). While they had been fishing all night (in the way that they knew as professional fishermen to do) but with no success, look at Peter’s words: “…nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net” (5:5). Do you ever think you might know better? Better than Jesus? Do you have (Have you had) your way of doing something? When the Master Carpenter of Life gives us instructions, may we have the heart that looks at our way of doing it and then says, “Nevertheless, at Your Word I will!”
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Morse Code
In the early 1900s, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator. When he arrived for the interview, he walked into a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. Many applicants were seated, filling out forms, and waiting to be summoned into the inner office. After a few minutes, the young man stood up and walked straight into the inner office. The other applicants stared with complete disbelief. They were all convinced that young man just killed any chance he had of landing the job.
However, just a few minutes later, the boss and the young man walked out. The boss said to the other applicants, "Everyone, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled." The other applicants started grumbling and one spoke up, "Wait just a minute. He was the last to come in, but he got the job. Why?” The boss explained, "The whole time you've been sitting here, the Telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse code: 'If you understand this message, come right in. The job is yours.' No one except this young man heard and understood the message. So, the job is his" (Tim Shin Illustrations).
We live in a world filled with noisy chatter and information overload. There are so many opinions and beliefs swirling around. It can be extremely difficult to know who to listen to. Thankfully, God made it extremely clear during Jesus' transfiguration. While Jesus was on the mountain, God called down from heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5).
Jesus truly is God’s Son and the Savior of this world. Not only is Jesus the best one to listen to, it is eternally essential that we hear Him! With so much background noise, it’s easy for the words of truth to be drowned out. Jesus is only one who has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). It is by His words that we will be judged in the end (John 12:48).
Are you listening?
Brett Petrillo
Thanks to (and more openings available for) 30-minute Members There are lots of things to make you smile as a Christian! There are lots of things that make church assemblies the highlight of a week! Here’s one of those things for me.
We have a large (and growing) number of folks, who I affectionately refer to as our “30-minute members.” They fall into two classes. First, there are the folks who always get to services about 30 minutes early. The doors of our building have to be opened really early, because these folks are going to arrive way early, so that they can visit with each other. Second, there are the folks who always hang around for at least 30 minutes after services. It doesn’t matter how long our services go, the lights are still going to be on for these folks for a long while afterwards, because they love to stand around and visit with each other.
That’s one beauty of Christianity! We love each other and want to be with each other! So, first, thank you to all our 30-minute members! You encourage me every week! Second, we have some openings available for more!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
An Unexpected Source of Strength
Strength is amazing. Strength empowers you to do what you couldn’t do before. Strength keeps the peace, locally and internationally. Strength stops wars. Strength builds houses and empires. Without strength we lack the literal stuff that makes things happen!
But gaining strength is seldom easy, physically, or spiritually. One popular meme today is, “I didn’t go to the gym this morning… that make 12 years in a row!” We smile because we all understand the sentiment. Gaining strength hurts… work, sweat and sore muscles attend workouts, especially at first. Bill Cosby once said of exercise, “Nothing that makes you smell like that can be good for you!”
Yet strength is a major part of being active and happy. Sedentary lifestyles lead to weakness and weakness steals our ability to do the things we actually want to do, walk the dog, hike the woods, paddle the canoe or play our favorite sports. Strength can be a giver of the gift of joyful activities.
But there is an unexpected source of strength that God tells us about. It’s not free but it is easy. When God’s people returned from seventy years of captivity in Babylon, they had learned their lesson. The two big “I”s (immorality and idolatry) that caused their defeat and captivity were a thing of the past. The remnant of Judah was set free and returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, their homes, their lives, and the Temple.
In Nehemiah chapter 8, Ezra opens God’s word to read to the people, 5 Ezra opened the scroll so that all the people might see it, for he was standing higher than any of the people. When he opened it, all the people stood. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, “Amen, amen!” Then they knelt down and bowed before the Lord, their faces to the ground.
They stand, they listen attentively, and they understand the new life to which God is calling them. It’s a wonderful chapter of restoration, physically and spiritually. In verse 8 we find,Ezra read clearly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.” At first the people were saddened as they realized they had fallen so far short of God’s plans for their lives. They wept openly.
But Nehemiah then speaks to lead the people to a far better place, a place of joy and strength, based on their understanding of what God has in store for them! 10 He continued: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our Lord. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord is your strength!” 11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Silence! Today is holy, do not be saddened.” 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy, for they understood the words that had been explained to them.
Did you catch it? Hearing, understanding, feeling remorse for past sins, and a new dedication to God, all work together to lead to a very specific, yet often unexpected, result: Strength which comes from rejoicing in our relationship with God! How’s your strength? How’s your joy?
Ray Wallace
How Many Verses is Satan Waiting for You?
It is very likely that we disconnect Matthew chapter 3 from Matthew chapter 4 in our minds. We usually do that with chapters—when we see a division, our minds draw a line of separation. Additionally, there are certain chapters that we have designated their themes into differing categories. Matthew chapter 3 is about “The Baptism of Jesus.” We probably memorized that some time back. Matthew chapter 4 is about “The Temptations of Jesus.” Again, we have that pegged in our minds, and so the two chapters are about two different major events in the life of Christ. And, perhaps they should be separated. But, I want you to look at something that connects them. Jesus came to John the Immerser to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). When He “came up…from the water,” “the Spirit of God” descended and the “voice” of God spoke “from heaven.” Pay attention to His affirmation, “This IS My beloved SON, in whom I am well pleased” (3:17). GOD spoke! He identified Jesus as possessing the nature of God, for He is God (John 1:1; 5:18; 10:30, 33). Who would dare test or deny the words of God right on the heels of them being spoken? Now, ignore the chapter division. Matthew didn’t put it there. Just keep reading. The very next verse (4:1) informs the reader that Jesus was “tempted by the devil.” How would the devil tempt the Son of God? What would he throw at Him first? Notice the first words recorded from Satan in the wilderness. Only three verses after God the Father said, “This IS My beloved Son,” the tempter came to Jesus and said, “IF You are the Son of God…” (4:3). The devil did not waste any time to attempt to plant a seed of doubt—you can almost here the hissing from his lips, “Ifffffff…” So, here’s a question that may sound strange—how many verses does the devil wait in your life before he tries to plant a seed of doubt in your heart regarding the words of God? When you read the words from God that say, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth” (Eph. 4:29), how many verses is it in your life before the devil tempts you to let a corrupt word out? When you read the words from God that say, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Eph. 4:32), how many verses is it in your life before the devil tempts you to be unkind, hard-hearted and unforgiving? Make that application with every verse of truth and instruction from God. How soon does the devil put you to the test? Friends, don’t give the devil an inch! If he was brash enough to throw it back in Jesus’ face so soon, he will have no problem testing you immediately! RESIST HIM (Jas. 4:7)!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ, Florida
What's Your Favorite Bible Verse?
Hopefully, all of God’s words are precious to us! But different passages of Scripture might mean a little bit more to us depending on what we face at a particular moment. My favorite Bible verse has remained the same for some time now because of the comfort it provides to me - no matter what life throws at me. Here it is: Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16) The picture we are given of Jesus in this passage is that He is at the throne of God, sympathizing with what we are facing - because He lived this life, too! He knows what it’s like! Knowing that Jesus is moved with compassion for whatever I’m facing comforts me and gives me the confidence to approach God with whatever I’m going through - because I know that God knows and understands! So, what’s your favorite verse or verses of Scripture? Is there a passage that has strengthened you during challenging times? (Jamison Steward, West Hobbs St. Church of Christ, Athens, AL)
The Here Before the After
There is an old saying that the older we get, the more we think about the “hereafter” – we walk into a room and ask ourselves, “What am I here after?” While that describes most of us, sooner or later, it also raises an important question, “What am I to do while I am here – before the after?” I am certain that if you are still here on earth, God is not finished with you yet. And if God is not finished with you yet, then He must have some things for you to do with your time here on earth. As we consider the providence of God, we come to realize that He is gently, lovingly, and often specifically bringing about circumstances in our lives that cause “all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NASB) Since God’s providence causes all things to work together for good, for every one of His children, we realize that He pulls some of the proverbial strings of life to make sure we are where He wants us to be, when he wants us to be there. Time, space, and circumstance, become the tools of His providence for His purposes, for His glory and for our blessings. This concept is seen very clearly in God’s working with the Christians at Corinth. As Paul described the “body” of Christ, the church, he reminded them that each part has a function, but he also describes God’s providence in 1 Corinthians 12:18, “But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” God’s providence arranged time and circumstance in just such a way that He places us where he needs us, when He needs us there. Think about it. God has placed you right where He wants you, just when He wants you there – to be a working part of His body, to His glory, for your blessings and those around you! Relax and enjoy the precious processes He has working in your life, as you work in His family, in the here and now, and for the hereafter.
Ray Wallace
In What Does God “Delight”?
There are certain people that you know exactly “what is pleasing” to them. For some it’s fresh flowers. Others like the solitude of holding a fishing pole on a quiet lake. For many it’s a trip through the Starbucks drive-thru. But what is it that is a “delight” to God? Or, as the Hebrew word is defined, what “is pleasing” to God? Perhaps multiple answers could be given, but focus on Proverbs 15:8 – “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.” Think about that. God finds “delight” in “the prayer of the upright.” As a child of God, when you pray, God does not find your words, your petitions, your heartache to be a burden or an annoyance. Instead, listening to you, sympathizing with you and responding to you is “His delight.” Remember that every time you pray, and may you “trust” Him and “delight yourself in the Lord” (Psa. 37:3-4) every time you get to take your cares, requests and thanksgivings to Him!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
Sing! Do you ever think about why we do the things we do in worship? That’s not meant as a challenge, but rather as an observation. For a long time, the act of singing left me somewhat puzzled. I’m not one who particularly enjoys singing outside of worship though I do occasionally find myself belting a song in the car from time to time. Why then is it so important to sing in worship? Aside from it being commanded and expected, consider some of these thoughts.
Singing releases emotion. I don’t care if someone thinks they’re as macho as “Stone Cold Steve Austin,” they still carry emotion. I’m not suggesting a charismatic movement in the church, but how can one be spiritually unresponsive to lyrics like “create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit in me” or “when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say ‘it is well with my soul.’” Each individual has particular songs that really harmonize with the frequency of the heart. In 1970, Paul Eckman identified six core human emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise. Eckman doesn’t mention it, but music is an avenue in which those emotions can be unequivocally expressed.
Singing is timeless. No matter the culture or generation, music can be seen as a common denominator for all people. One of our earliest records of singing dates back to Moses in the Exodus as he expressed His gratitude to God (Ex. 15) and even some poems found in the early chapters of Genesis. Music weaves through the span of time uniting souls together with God as it pronounces its presence. There will never be a point in the future where singing doesn’t exist.
Singing accentuates or diverts from life. Paul and Silas were unjustly sentenced to prison in Acts 16 after commotion with the town yet “they sang and prayed” (Acts 16:25). When the 12 apostles and Jesus are finished with the Last Supper, “they sung a hymn and departed” (Matt. 26:30). James notes, “Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).
Tyler King
Your Effect on the Hearts of Others
When the twelve spies came back from their 40-day reconnaissance mission into the Promised Land, the majority reported that “the people” and “the cities” in the land were “greater” and seemingly indestructible. The report, although based on false information, “discouraged” (literally, “melted”) the “hearts” of the people (Deut. 1:28). What a negative influence!
Compare that with Philemon in the New Testament. Paul wrote that he had heard of this Christian brother’s “love and faith” and “the sharing of [his] faith,” which brought Paul “much joy and comfort” (Phile. 5-7). But Paul’s joy and comfort were actually “because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by” Philemon (Phile. 7). What a positive influence! Think about the influence that you have on others. Could it be that your words, attitudes and actions “melt” people’s hearts and discourage them? Or do you use your words, attitudes and actions to “refresh” people’s hearts and encourage them? The choice is yours! The difference is immeasurable!
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Fear is one of the main challenges of mankind. Ever since we lived in caves and fought bears with sharp sticks and stone tipped spears, there have been real things to fear. The way God designed us, we can pump out adrenaline for the fight or flight syndrome. Fear can literally make us run faster or fight harder. Those are good things. But misusing this adrenaline-fueled gift of God can cause grave difficulties in life, just like misusing any of the other gifts God gave us. In interpersonal relationships today, we very seldom need to flee or fight, but we often misinterpret the situations around us. If you happen to be in a bad part of town after dark, you may well need adrenaline if an unexpected attacker pounces on you! But almost never do we need to fight or flee sitting in our own home with family members. But sometimes our brain goes into fear mode quite unnecessarily. When we fear losing an argument or losing our relationship, adrenaline is almost always the enemy of rational, relational thought. Fear can cause a shot of adrenaline and that, itself can cause a fight, verbal or physical. Remember, the gift of adrenaline was made to help us fight bear! When disagreements strike, and they will, love calls for understanding, patience, and peace if we are to parlay. Verbal challenges should elicit listening and reasoning, not fight or flight. Listen carefully, IF (but IF) we love as Jesus called us to do, then it is far easier to listen to understand rather that fight to win. If winning an argument is more important than understanding someone you are supposed to love, then you have a bigger problem than the argument at hand. Yes, truth matters. Yes, we should “seek peace and pursue it,” (1 Peter 3:11). The command is to be proactive, not passive, in seeking and pursuing peace. In the midst of frustration, that’s not easy, but is certainly possible or God would not have commanded it. Former Army Special Forces operator and current Virginia legislator, Nick Freitas, has a great practical approach for married couples: No matter what the argument, always talk to each other as someone you deeply love. In practical application that means we must never allow the issue to define the relationship. The subject must never define the relationship. The disagreement calls for rational discussion and a desire to understand your spouse more than a desire to win an argument. We simply must seek to understand before we seek to be understood. If we fear losing an argument more that we seek to express love, we will, most often, be more motivated by that fear than by agape love (seeking the best for the other person). The process should be to replace fear or anger with curiosity. Then we can seek to understand rather than win. Then it will be far easier to love, and as we grow and perfect our love, the love itself will cast out the fear that feeds our anger. The last time I looked, 1 John 4:18 still says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
Ray Wallace
Can God’s Expectations for a King Apply to You? God foresaw the time when His people would demand a king, and He set out some parameters for those who would reign over His nation. Consider these two responsibilities. First, the king was to “write for himself a copy of this law in a book” (Deut. 17:18). Do you remember when you used to study for tests in school? Did it help you to get the information locked in your head better if you actually wrote it out with your own hand? What would happen with your Bible knowledge if you took sections of it and wrote it out in your own handwriting? Second, the king was to keep his handwritten copy of the law “with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life” (Deut. 17:19). God knew what He was requiring! What happens to your faith when you have read the Bible every day? It is not merely a rote exercise! Why did God want the king to do this? For the same reason that we should! “That he may learn to fear the Lord…to observe all the words…that he may not turn aside…” (Deut. 17:19-20). David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes, Florida
Who is the god? The Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, was so egotistical he thought that he was all-powerful and could wield his authority to coerce anyone to do anything that he wanted. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego did not bow down to him or his image, the king threatened to throw them “into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” And then he asked this sneering queson, “Who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (Dan. 3:15). You and I know the answer to that question, and Nebuchadnezzar himself learned the answer to that question, when he later praised “the God of” these three Hebrews (Dan. 3:28). Let us consider that question in our lives. Who is the god who can affect the moral decline all around us? Who is the god who can turn our wayward children back to righteousness? Who is the god who can take the mess of my life and straighten it out? Who is the god who will deliver us? We know! “Our God is greater than all gods” (2 Chron. 2:5), for our God “is able” (Eph. 3:20-21)! David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
Mercy
On the morning of October 2, 2006, Charles Carl Roberts barricaded himself inside West Nickel Mines Amish School. After murdering five young girls and wounding six others, Roberts committed suicide.
It was a dark day for the Amish community of West Nickel Mines, but it was also a dark day for Marie Roberts, the wife of the gunman, and her two young children.
On the following Saturday, Marie went to her husband’s funeral. She and her children watched in amazement as Amish families — about half of the seventy-five mourners present — came and stood alongside them in the midst of their blinding grief. Despite the horrific crimes the man had committed against them, the Amish came to mourn Charles Carl Roberts as a husband and daddy.
Bruce Porter, a fire department chaplain who attended the service, was profoundly moved: “It’s the love, the heartfelt forgiveness they have toward the family. I broke down and cried seeing it displayed.” He said Marie Roberts was also touched. “She was absolutely, deeply moved by the love shown.” (USA Today, October 7, 2006).
The world would be a better place if everyone could learn the importance of being merciful. It appears that everyone expects mercy from others but few expect to grant mercy to ones that have offended them.
There was a time when the “Golden Rule” was taught to young children, stressing the importance of “doing unto others as you would have them do to you” but now it seems as if we live by the rule of “doing to others before they can do it to us.”
As Jesus is preaching to the multitude, He has addressed the attitude of those who will be blessed, and among those who are blessed are those who are merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Jeremy Thornton, Church of Christ, Marion Arkansas
Where is Joy?
My wife is blessed with a wonderful sense of adventure. She looks around and wonders which direction is which, so every turn is a wonderful adventure. I told her I’d install a compass in her car, but she said that unless it had “HOME” written on the compass card it would be useless to her.
Then our wonderful friends at the Garmin company invented a GPS with streets on it and you can actually program it for “HOME!” She bought one when she graduated from real estate school and passed her exam. Now she can find our home and everyone else’s home! She knows where it is!
Unfortunately, no one has invented an electronic marvel that tells us where joy is. Maybe that’s why so many people have trouble finding it!
Thankfully God tells us where joy is and how to find it. In John 15:11 Jesus says, “I tell you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.” Wow… not only joy, but full joy can be found. Literally, joy is found in Jesus and His joy can be transferred from Him into us! It’s that simple.
Yes, there are a few details, but they are not complicated. A well-known old song brings the overall plan into brilliant focus, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
To trust, we must have faith, that is believe that He is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). True faith leads to trust and that leads true believers to obey. An amazing thing happens at this point - God, Himself, gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. We find these words in Acts 5:12: “the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
When we trust and obey, we become closer and closer to God. The closer we are to God the more of Jesus’ joy can make us full of joy also! God’s word walks down the incredible road of joy where He brings us to point where we can, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.”
Ray Wallace
Your New Name When you were born, your parents gave you a name. You didn’t pick it. They did. And that has been your identity ever since. When you were born again, God gave you a new name. You didn’t pick it. He did. And, truly, that has become your identity ever since. Seven hundred years before Christ came, the prophet Isaiah foretold of that day when God’s people “shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name” (Isa. 62:2). In Acts 11:26, Luke recorded that “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” The word for “called” was used in the New Testament for a divine calling, indicating that this fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that the Lord would give this new name to His people. The name “Christian” identifies a relationship and a belonging, as a faithful follower of Christ. Let us never be “ashamed” of our new name (1 Pet. 4:16)! Rather, let us “glorify God” in it every day! It is our unique identity with Him, which should give us great joy! David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
You Raised Your What?
What or who comes to your mind when you hear the word “Ebenezer”? In all likelihood, it is the miser created by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol--Ebenezer Scrooge. Now a second question is, how long has it been since you talked about Ebenezer? You may not be aware of this, but this past Sunday you may have sung this very word! It is in the second verse of “O Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” Where we sing, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by Thou help I’ve come.” You told God that you had raised your Ebenezer. What on earth did you raise? What is an Ebenezer?
Before answering that question, let’s take a moment to consider what singing it is all about. If I do not understand the meaning of the words I am singing, I am “singing in an unknown tongue.” Paul said that he would not sing in a language which he did not understand. “I will sing with the spirit and the understanding” (1 Cor. 14:15). Yet, we often do. What is that Ebon Pinion that brooded o’er the vale? What is a vale? We sing about the Rose of Sharon—who or what is Sharon? What do we mean when we sing about “my pillow a stone” in “Nearer, My God, to Thee”? We really need to pay greater attention to the words as we sing. What is my Ebenezer? The word certainly predates Dickens’ Ebenezer, which was published in 1843. It is a Hebrew word which literally means “stone of help” and was a geographical location in Palestine. That place was where the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and killed the two sons of Eli. The magnitude of the loss of this holy vessel is highlighted as we read that when Eli heard of this loss he fell over backwards, broke his neck and died.
Twenty years later, Samuel called all Israel to an assembly at that location in Israel. The Philistine army (who had returned the Ark to the Jews) assembled to attack the Jews. When the Jews repented and turned to God, Samuel took a stone and set it up as a memorial of their repentance and deliverance from their enemy. He called that stone “Ebenezer” and said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us” (1 Sam. 7:12).
The significance of the words “thus far” must not be overlooked. They look backwards to see the past where God helped the Jews, and by implication show the confident assurance that He would help them regardless of what adversity they faced. The Jews saw providence in that stone.
Thus, when we sing about our Ebenezer, we call upon the Fount of Every Blessing and verbalize what Samuel verbalized—my God has helped and will help me! It is an affirmation of praise to our Helper and our faith in Him. Never forget to raise your Ebenezer!
Dan Jenkins, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ
In Everything Give Thanks
Stress is not a new phenomenon. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve got evicted for not keeping their contract! From paradise to pulling weeds must have induced a horrific stress, physical, mental and spiritual.
Daily life, financial worries, even pop culture recognizes it and expresses it in various ways. In the movie Fiddler on the Roof, in one of the key songs Tevya asks his wife Golda, “Do you love me?” It seems like sweet and innocent question, and it is, but Gorda answers out of stress: “Do I love you? With our daughters getting married, And this trouble in the town, You're upset, you're worn out, Go inside, go lie down! Maybe it's indigestion.”
While we smile at this small refrain, it does reflect the various sources of stress that come our way on a regular basis, political, practical, religious upheaval, wars, inflation, traffic, appliance breakdowns, and, as I type this, our electricity keeps going off every few minutes (twelve inches of new snow!). The list of genuine problems seems to be endless.
Therein lies a problem, in the midst of all this stress it is incredibly easy to forget to be thankful, genuinely, deeply thankful to God, who is the source of every blessing we have from food to family to finances and even fun! The last I looked James 1:17 still says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (Isn’t it amazing how the ink never changes on those pages!)
I read that more divorces in the US are caused by financial disagreements than any other cause. Whether that’s true or not, it does reflect that depth of stress some people experience when they don’t trust God and his promises. We should trust and obey God concerning our finances and His provision. Deut. 8:18 reminds us, “…you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth.” When we fail to trust God in every area of life, we open our hearts to mind-numbing stresses every day.
Obedience to God creates joy and Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The old hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.” Trust and obedience are God’s plan for our joy to drive out our stress. When that is functioning according to God’s plan, joy and peace reign in our hearts and that, in itself, promotes the continuous giving of thanks!
No wonder Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. It’s not just one day designed by a former president, but every day, all year long.
-Ray Wallace
Further study: Col. 3:15, 16; 2 Cor. 4:15; Eph. 5:20
David’s Mighty Men
In today’s world, particularly in some western nations, masculinity is being maligned to the point of calling maleness “toxic masculinity.” To be sure there are men who are simply immature and treat others with childish inconsideration and even violence. That is not toxic masculinity, but rather immature behavior backed up by muscle.
True masculinity does indeed include physical strength, but mature masculinity includes the use of power to accomplish good ends, such as protection of the weak and excelling at quality leadership and fellowship. Mature masculinity can lead, follow good leadership, and bless any family or community which is blessed enough to possess such men.
God’s word has a lot to say about mature men (see Proverbs, for instance, wherein Solomon addresses his sons to lead them into mature manhood). God’s word also praises the soldiers who served to protect and defend His people. -In the book of Joshua they are called, “…mighty men of valor.” (Joshua 1:14; 8:3; 10:7) -King David’s soldiers were also called, “…mighty men.” (2 Samuel 10:7; 16:6; 20:7, et al) -Many other verses refer to God’s mature, faithful, strong soldiers as, mighty men of valor,” who fought to promote good, not evil, with the masculine strength given by God for mature men to use for the betterment of mankind.
Every nation in every age has had strong, mature, “mighty men” who use their God-given strength to help their families and communities stay safe. That is good and proper. Unfortunately, weak and ungodly societies are losing respect for God’s plan for godly masculinity. If that cultural weakness continues, the societies affected by that ungodliness will suffer at the hands of evil society members (criminals, etc.) and eventually suffer at the hands of foreign enemies.
Praise God that we have had in America’s history and still today, men who choose to serve our nation as “mighty men of valor” in our military services. In conflicts for the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, in the air, on land and sea, from battlements of Yorktown in Virginia to the trenches of WWI and the theaters of WWII on to modern day conflicts in the far east and middle east, America has risen to the challengers that would steal our land.
This weekend, we honor our soldiers in the same way God’s words honors the soldiers of old, and for the same reason: mighty men of valor have secured and continue to secure our freedoms with their blood, their commitment and their many sacrifices. Today, we thank all who have served our nation in any capacity for their commitment and their courage. May Veterans Day be, always and ever, a time in which we honor our veterans.
-Ray Wallace
“Let Your Fingers Do the Walking” The old Yellow Pages. Some remember them well. Some have no idea what a “Phone Book” even was. The Yellow Pages were a printed telephone directory of businesses in a local area, which was organized by categories and provided their addresses and phone numbers. The slogan, “Let your fingers do the walking,” was created to encourage residents to flip through the directory (provided free of charge) to find (and contact!) businesses in their area. Even though the Yellow Pages is a thing of the past, fellow Christian, we still need to let our fingers do the walking. They can walk through the contacts on your phone to find brothers and sisters in Christ who could use a phone call or a text. They can walk across your keyboard to find Bible study materials to share with those who need the gospel. They can walk through the church directory to find opportunities for daily prayers. What can your fingers do to help you serve the Lord and His people this week? David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do
Sometimes things happen that make us ask all kinds of questions. For many of those questions, there is not an answer (or maybe not a “satisfactory” answer). When we cannot find an answer, it often drives us further into the abyss of doubt, fears, heartache, isolation and despair. Once we are down there, it is hard to get out. The apostle Paul has been where you are. (Actually, he was in far worse places.) There were times when he “despaired even to life” (2 Cor. 1:8). There were times when he was “hard pressed on every side,” “perplexed” and basically “struck down” (2 Cor. 4:8-9). What did he do? Write these down. In context, (1) Paul did not “trust in” himself “but in God” (2 Cor. 1:9). (2) Paul found “help” in the “prayers” of his brethren (1:11). (3) Paul found reasons to give “thanks” (1:11; 4:15). (4) Paul focused on what he could do for others, especially his brethren (1:12, 15-16; 4:15). (5) Paul set his sights on the “eternal weight of glory” (4:17-18; 1:14). (6) Paul preached Jesus (4:5-14). I challenge you to emulate Paul in all six areas and see what happens.
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
The Bible is Not That Hard to Understand There are some folks who want to make the Bible out to be this overly complicated, mystically complex book that is highly difficult to understand. Are there “some things hard to understand” in it (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16)? Yes. Some. And the Bible acknowledges that. But note that it does not say, “Impossible to understand” or “You’ll never understand.”
When Satan asked Eve what God had said, Eve recited exactly what God had said (Gen. 3:1-3). It was not difficult or complex. It did not require higher education or years of study to know or understand. It was only after Satan twisted it (see 2 Peter 3:16 again) that Eve disobeyed it.
Friends, what the Bible says about morality is not hard to understand. What the Bible teaches about salvation is not hard to understand. What the Bible tells us to do in the worship and service of our God is not hard to understand. It’s only when Satan makes us think that we are “God” (Gen. 3:5) and know better that things go awry! Truly, God’s Word “gives understanding to the simple” (Psa. 119:130).
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Florida
The Weakness of Anger
“But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20, NASB)
Anger is as old as Cain and Able. Cain was angry and killed his brother when, in reality, it was Cain’s lack of godliness that caused God to reject his offering. Since early in Genesis, anger has been one of the main banes of human existence. Anger fuels everything from family arguments to international wars.
Virtually everyone knows that anger is a negative, often destructive emotion, yet few ever obtain any degree of control over it. In fact, anger becomes the master of those who don’t struggle to overcome it.
Back to Genesis 4. When God rejected Cain’s offering “from the fruit of the ground” (it was supposed to be an animal sacrifice) “…Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.” God shows up to show the way (Genesis 4, 6, 7), “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.’”
Right then and there, early in the first book of God’s word, He gives us one of life’s most important lessons in two parts, verses 6, 7:
If you do well (self-discipline) your countenance (literally “face” in Hebrew) will be
lifted up. (Think, self-image, happiness, satisfaction, joy, etc.). 2. If you do not do well sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you, but you must master it. (Lack of self-discipline increases the closeness of sin, and a critical battle between right and wrong ensues.)
So why is the sin of anger so ferociously hard to master? Specifically, because Satan can and does disguise anger so deceptively that it literally feels like power! Let’s be frank, we like power. We should like power. Properly used power is self-discipline in action!
Properly wielded, power builds character, strengthens resolve and even protects the innocent. Remember James 3:18? “The seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Did you catch it? God expects His children to able to make something - peace! We literally make it. We create something that was not there before. Improperly wielded, power creates anger and violence.
Self-discipline, in the list of the fruit of the spirit, lives in a precious place with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness faithfulness and gentleness, Galatians 5:22,23. Outbursts of anger live in the bad company of verses 19 - 21. Let’s live in the right place.
-Ray Wallace
“I Wish So-and-So Was Here”
Have you ever read a book and thought, “So-and-so would really like this”? Have you ever gone to an event and thought, “So-and-so should have come—they would have loved this”? Or, maybe you’ve thought, “I wish so-and-so was here—this would have been really enjoyable together”? As Christians, we, no doubt, think something like that often about our friends. In 1969, Kurt F. Kaiser wrote a hymn that has this as the first part of the last verse: “I wish for you, my friends, this happiness that I’ve found.” How often do we think about the “happiness” that we have found in Christ and “wish” it for all of our friends? How often do we “sit in church” and wish we had invited so-and-so to be there with us that day? Do you suppose that we will sit in heaven one day and think, “I wish so-and-so was here with me”? Wishes are great, but what are we doing about them? May our wishes motivate us to act and to speak. “Friend, I wish for you this happiness that I’ve found. Will you come with me?”
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ
To Be Like Jesus
We love to sing, To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, to be like Him. All through life’s journey from earth to Glory All I ask, to be like Him.
But how much do we really mean it? Personally, I believe most Christians really do mean it, but many don’t realize what that entails. In certainly must include forgiving one another. In what we call the “Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus explains just one of the items, “But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.” (Matthew 6:15, NASB). Most Christians remember that one. But another concept of being “like Him” is far less often recognized. In Ezekiel 18 God is quite clear that He, Himself, does not hold a son responsible for the sins of this father, nor the father responsible for the sins of his son. (Read Ezekiel chapter 18.) Therefore, if we are seeking to be more godly in our daily walk with Him, we must strive diligently to judge others as individuals rather than by their ancestry. That is usually far more difficult than we realize. The reality of judging each person as an individual, can be excruciatingly hard! Racism, around the world, is a result of judging others by who their ancestors were: black / white; Muslim / Jew; Japanese / Chinese (yes ,they have centuries-long violent conflicts), Comanche / Ute; etc., for virtually every people group on earth. Consider Naomi who was an Israelite and Ruth who was a Moabite - (Israel and Moab were traditional enemies). But as individuals, they became like mother and daughter, precious friends (see Ruth 1:16). How could that happen? They judged one another as individuals, not by the bloodline of their ancestors. In fact, Ruth was converted to Judaism, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Likewise, King David had a faithful solider in his army named Uriah. He was a Hittite, another nation which was a traditional enemy of Israel. How could that happen? David and Uriah must have judged one another by individual, personal merit and not the bloodline of their ancestors. (Yes, there’s a lot more to that story, but that doesn’t negate this ancestral reality.) Today is no different. The current war between Israel and Hamas is based on millennia long bloodline hatred. (Notice that I say “Hamas” not “Palestinian.”) The savage attack by Hamas that even killed babies is evil to the core. If anyone of any bloodline seeks to be pleasing to God, we must strive to be like Him, not holding the sins of the fathers against their offspring. Through thousands of years of wars on every continent in every century, bloodline hatred has fomented war and violence on totally innocent people - people who had nothing to do with former sins of violence. Again, in Ezekiel 18, God says, “The person who sins will die. A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” The person who sins will die. A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” If and when anyone tries to exact inter-generational punishment or revenge, he becomes very much not like God! We rather easily understand and practice the concept legally - we don’t put a son in prison for a crime his father committed. We don’t execute the grand-children or great-grand-children of men who committed war crimes (on either side). So why do we often find it so hard to stop judging the progeny of evil men? Let’s keep singing “To be like Jesus,” and keep striving to do exactly that. Ray Wallace
The Groom
God loves the ones who killed his Son He wants a wedding day, Where all the ones who killed His Son Repent and seek and pray.
His tears ran hot down holy cheeks, His blood spilled for our sins, But now He lives and here He is, Calling us to Him again.
Now the groom saves us from doom, And we’re His bride for glory, His glory, you see, forever it be, ‘Twas His plan and it’s His story.
To take away sin, He’d do it again, For His love and grace abound, With every drop of precious blood, That dripped on hallowed ground.
‘Twas our own sins that killed Our Jesus on that tree. He’s forgiven His bride and by His side, We’ll spend all eternity.
Ray Wallace
God Always Wants You Back The Lord sent the sheep breeder Amos to warn the northern kingdom of Israel of their impending captivity. Israel had long been in rebellion against their Lord, and the consequences were nigh. Still, in a “lamentation” against them, Jehovah pleads with them to return. It’s not too late, if they will come back. Three times in chapter 5, the Lord pleads through Amos with these parallel calls, “Seek Me and live…Seek the Lord and live…Seek good and not evil, that you may live” (5:4, 6, 14). Note that they were the ones directing their way toward destruction. All they had to do was choose to turn their eyes to the Lord and seek His will. That’s not hard! But it is for folks who refuse to seek! To “seek the Lord” entails to “seek good and not evil” (5:14). The next verse goes on to say, “Hate evil, love good” (5:15). Take the intensity with which you are rebelling against God’s will and throw it into following God’s will. Why? So that you may “live.” Wherever you are right now, make up your mind to always “seek the Lord and live!” -David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ
Like Apples of Gold
The heavens tell of the glory of God;And their expanse declares the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1
Four times every year, God redecorates His world. Spring, summer, fall and winter, God puts His special touches on the trees, the grass, the rivers, the mountains, when every ecosystem declares the work of His hands, as do the heavens themselves.
Many years ago, Jimmy Dean, the famous singer (and sausage maker), sang a deeply moving song which was a message from an American to a typical, mythical Russian named Ivan. Part of the song addresses the reality that Ivan is an atheist. The lyrics reach out to Ivan with a caring challenge, You know, they tell me that, over there, you don't believe in God, But though I've never met you, I can't help but believe that A man who's stood on a crisp fall morning and watched The sun rise over his farmland, or he's planted a small grain of corn And seen it grow out of the fertile soul or better than that, Ivan, Held your own baby in your arms, I know that you know that there's A God up there watching over each and every one of us.
God intended for us to look up at the stars and to look out at the fall foliage and realize, “There’s a God up there watching over each and every one of us.” From the oak’s crimson regalia to the aspen’s golden glow, God is proclaiming His glory to us and His love for us. From His gifts of color vision to the warmth of the sun on a crisp autumn day, His world is declaring His glory… and His “expanse declares the work of His hands.”
Thursday evening, Sandy and I drove Missionary Ridge (north of Durango) to Henderson Lake, a small but exquisite blue gem nestled in a setting of gold aspen trees. And we cannot help but remember not only His world but His word, as we are reminded of Proverbs 25:11, Like apples of gold in settings of silver, is a word spoken at the proper time.
Yes, our words can be the beauty in the heart like the aspens are the beauty in His mountains. As we strive to see the beauty He has laid before us, let us also strive to make our words a beauty in the hearts of others. Lord, thank you for the wonders around us that declare the work of Your hand. And let us live so that our song comes to fruition, “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”
Ray Wallace
Monsters and a Little Boy’s QuestionA little boy asked his father, “Daddy, are there such things as monsters?” With a smile on his face, Daddy answered, “No, Son. There are no such things as monsters.” After a moment of silence, the four year old climbed on his daddy’s lap and asked, “If there are no monsters, why am I so afraid of them?” We chuckle at this scenario. But come to think of it, I wonder how many things we fear that never materialize? If you know the Lord Jesus as Savior, listen to His strong and reassuring voice as He says to you, “Fear not: for I have redeemed you.” What a wonderful thing to hear from our God once again today. For today: It is probably a good thing to remind myself that whatever “monsters” I face, God tells me not to fear.
The Benefits of Hell (Adapted from Firm Foundation, 1992) I. No more preaching. 2. No long, irritating sermons. No Preachers make hell-bound people nervous or making them think he is picking on them. No reproof, rebuke, or exhortation (2 Tim. 4:1-5). 3. No more church workers a. to call and ask for your help. b. bothering people with cards, letters, etc. c. knocking on your door to see why you have been missing church so much lately - you won't have to get out of your seat any more to open the door for them. In hell you will be rid of them forever. d. to bother you about your lifestyle. No one to tell you about "sin" –how you hate that word! Your lifestyle wanted to be with the "in-crowd." WELL now you're there, right in the middle of them. You are with your kind of people, no more of those goody-goodies and no more of those do-gooders who bother you so much. 4. No more sermon invitations to make you feel uncomfortable. No more "Obey the gospel" or "Get your life right with God.” Talk about pressure! Whew! No more being elbowed by your wife and no more of those longing looks from your kids, with that question in their eyes, "Today, Daddy?" You showed them... some of those invitation songs were hard to refuse, but you showed them... you gripped that pew hard and did not budge and inch. No more invitations to salvation down in hell - WON'T THAT BE A RELIEF!?!? Of course, you need to make sure you want all these benefits. When you cross the river of eternity there will be no chance whatsoever to change your mind. (Remember the rich man and Lazarus?) If you have the slightest doubt that maybe you don't want these benefits, maybe you need to make some changes right now!
Never Again • Never again will I say, “I can’t,” for “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). • Never again will I admit lack, for “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). • Never again will I fear, for “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7). • Never again will I harbor doubt and lack of faith, for “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psa. 27:1). • Never again will I allow the supremacy of Satan over my life, for “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). • Never again will I admit defeat, for “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57). • Never again will I lack wisdom, for “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (Jam. 1:5). • Never again will I be worried and frustrated, “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). • Never again will I be in bondage for “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17). Author Unknown
LAUGHTER Brett Petrillo
Since this article is about laughter, it seemed appropriate to start off with a joke:
A group of expectant fathers were in a waiting room, while their wives were in the process of delivering babies. A nurse came in and announced to one man that his wife had just given birth to twins. "That's quite a coincidence" he responded, "I play for the Minnesota Twins!" A few minutes later another nurse came in and announced to another man that he was the father of triplets. "That's amazing," he exclaimed, "I work for the 3M company." At that point, a third man slipped off his chair and laid down on the floor. Somebody asked him if he was feeling ill. "No," he responded, "I just happen to work for the 7-Up company."
We all enjoy a good laugh. Unfortunately, we probably do not laugh as much as we should. An interesting statistic states, "While the average child laughs 150 times a day, say researchers at the University of Michigan, the average adult laughs only 15 times"(Youth Worker Update, Signs of the Times, August, 1993, p. 6). How often do you think you laugh? Do you laugh often, rarely, or maybe somewhere in-between? When we think about it, adults really do laugh a whole lot less than most children.
As Christians, we should be especially happy and full of laughter. Why? Because of scriptures like this, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God loves us so much that He sent Christ so we can have eternal life with Him. This should make us extremely happy, and as a result, we should laugh more. Christians have a lot to be happy about.
Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." God has given us so much joy partly because He knows how healthy it can be. According to some facts, laughter can reduce stress, boost the immune system, help fight infection, and reduce pain. Overall, happiness, joy, and laughter really are a good for us.
As we go on living our lives, let's remember the joy that we have in Christ. If we have lost that joy or have not yet attained it, let's get it. Let's remember the incredible joy and happiness that is found in God and to let that cheerfulness out.
It Became Known David Sproul The city of Joppa was a natural harbor along the Mediterranean coast and was a well-traveled commercial seaport. When the beloved Dorcas became sick and died, the disciples sent for Peter in nearby Lydda. Peter travelled about 10 miles to Joppa and did the unthinkable…the amazing…the thrilling—he raised Dorcas from the dead. Would you believe that nobody really cared and that the news of that miracle never went beyond Dorcas’ home? Of course not! The Bible says that the news of Dorcas being raised from the dead “became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord” (Acts 9:42). How did the news become known? By Facebook posts? The six o’clock news? NO! You know it happened by word of mouth! The disciples could not contain their excitement! Friends, what will it take for “it to become known” to our neighborhoods, our cities, our world that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead? It is up to the mouths of the writer and readers of these words! May we have the excitement they had in Joppa!
The Doctrines of Men
I love getting to decide things: what’s for dinner, what brand of car to drive, where to go on vacation, what TV to buy, what hobbies I like. I, like most people, do not like to be told that I don’t have choices. Imagine going into a restaurant and hearing, “Well, sir, you are over 50 so you must order a veggie plate without butter or salt!” No thanks, I’ll go to Burger King!
But the wonderful joy of making personal decisions is not what God had in mind when it comes to religious beliefs. Yes, God gave us free will to decide what we want to believe. But, as with many other things in life, our choices might not be correct.
“Correct,” you say? Yes, correct. “Well just exactly who gets to decide what is “correct” in this world?” Frankly, God does. You desire a Ford over a Chevy, beef to fish, fried okra over broccoli? Fine, those are personal choices God gives us. But God never, from the Garden of Eden to 2023, gave man the right to decide what genuine, biblical doctrines would be!
Some might ask, “So do you think you know what God wants? Isn’t that arrogant?” To the contrary. We can, indeed, know what God wants because he wrote in down for us! Like a father’s grocery list handed to his son or daughter, our heavenly father gave us a written document we can understand. “…when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,” Ephesians 3:4.
God gave us a book we can understand, and two parts of that understanding are: a. not to go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6) b. not to teach as our doctrines the precepts of men (Matthew 15:7-9). If we go behind what is written, God’s own word defines that as arrogance (read 1 Corinthians 4:6… clear as a bell). If we teach the commandments of men as our doctrines, then we are ignoring Jesus’ clear teaching in Matthew 15:7-9.
Sadly, many in the religious world choose to create their own, man-made catechisms, confessions of faith, etc., when God’s intent was for us to understand and follow His written word rather than the writings of men.
Today, I will choose chicken over tofu - my choice. Tomorrow I must choose to teach God’s word and not the doctrines of men.
Anthony Flew was, was, one of the world’s most famous atheists. He debated believers and asserted that there is no evidence that God exists. Through his writings, lectures and debates in various universities, Flew espoused atheism, saying there was simply not enough evidence to believe in a creator God. However, when Flew was 81 years old, he completely changed his mind.
Flew clearly asserted that he was not senile and that he had not joined any specific religion, but that new, actual evidence in biology, specifically the complexity of the DNA molecule demanded belief in a creator God! In fact, Flew then entitled his newest book, There IS a God. (See Wikipedia’s entry for Anthony Flew; also Bill Nugent’s article on Anthony Flew, Anthony Flew: A Leading Atheist Who Came to Believe in God, June 1, 2018, published on his website: https:// bnugent.org.)
What amazes me is that Flew did not recognize the incredible complexities of each of the human body’s main organs. The eye, for instance, is a totally incredible physical, chemical, and optical wonder that could not have created itself! (Flew’s recognition of the complexity of the DNA molecule caused him to recognize that complexity of that magnitude could not create itself.) Nor could the brain, the ear nor any other organ have created itself.
That said, we should all marvel at the wonder of our eyes. Most mammals don’t see in color, or at least not the full visible color spectrum (although some living creatures do see things not in the humanly visible spectrum). God created, so Flew recognized, the DNA that is the basis of every living cell on earth, from bacteria to humans. The eyes and ears, through which the vast majority of our knowledge enters the brain, are our windows to the world.
But God goes one better: He gives humans the color vision that is not really necessary for survival but is simply an unspeakably precious door that opens vast dimensions of transcendent beauty. At the brink of the Grand Canyon my wife and I were both moved to literal tears at the beauty and grandeur of the size and the spectrum of color that bathed the landscape. Yet compared to the sky, day or night, the Grand Canyon is a mere speck of a speck.
No wonder king David wrote, “The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands,” Psalm 19:1. No wonder God told Paul to write, that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse,” Romans 1:19-20.
As David and Paul recognized the existence of God by seeing what has been made on a cosmic level, so Anthony Flew recognized the existence of a creator God by seeing what has been made on a microscopic level - DNA. Thank you, Lord, for creating us, for knitting us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). And thank You for giving us vision to see the world, and color vision to appreciate more deeply the incredible beauty You have placed all around us.
Ray Wallace
Guard Your Heart!
God has a lot to say about our hearts. Through Jeremiah’s pen God tells us that the heart of man is, “…desperately wicked” in Jeremiah 17:9. In Matthew 18:19-20, Jesus teaches us a viral lesson about the heart: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements. These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.
We like to think of our hearts as all nice and sweet and that evil things only come from outside. While evil can certainly come from outside our hearts, we must take Jesus at his word - our hearts can, indeed conceive evil and give birth to it! In many passages God warns us to keep our hearts set toward seeking God. Before Solomon built the first temple of God in Jerusalem, his father, David, called the people to “… set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God,” 1 Chronicles 22:19.
Conversely, we see the actual source of the failure Solomon’s son, king Rehoboam, “…he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord,” 2 Chronicles 12:14. We simply must remember that God has delivered into the hands of each of us the ability to choose to set our hearts to seek the Lord, or not!
It is not as if our hearts are all bad, or all good - our choice is what makes the difference. In 2 Chronicles 19:3 we find an interesting balance. Jehu said to king Jehoshaphat, “But there is some good in you, for you have removed the Asheroth from the land and you have set your heart to seek God.” Notice that by conscious effort each of us must both remove evil things from our hearts and then set our hearts to seek God! Guarding our hearts has two parts. Part one is our part. Jesus told his followers, “But be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life….” The command is for us to guard our own hearts! Part two is God’s part. When we follow His instructions in Philippians 4:4-8, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. If we do our part, we can always trust God to bless us with His part! The old saying, “Bless your heart” will mean more than ever before!
Ray Wallace
The Deception of Deception!
Yes, the deception of deception. It’s not a mystery, but it is, well, a bit of an oddity, especially given our current cultural situation. It includes everything from good acting which elicits genuine tears of deep emotion to advertising which dupes us into buying their product, be it quality or not, and much more.
The thing we must remember is that actual deception is not easily recognized, or it would not be deception! If you recognize the deception in a con man’s scheme, then it’s not deception. If we see through the false claims of an ad, then we are not deceived. But advertising agents study everything from culture to psychology to find better ways to fool you and motivate you to buy their products over and above other brands of the same thing.
Like many things in modern society, enough money is at stake to tempt many companies into making false claims. Sometimes we settle for a mediocre product because it claims to be the best. Sometimes our very expectations are that few things are as good as “they” claim, so we become accustomed to lack of quality because we have learned the hard way that few things are as wonderful as claimed. There are exceptions. Example: I read recently that a man is suing a fast food chain because his burger did not look anything like the poster in the front window.
Most of the deceptive claims about daily products are not particularly serious. Maybe the new laundry detergent only got 90% of the grass stains out of the kids’ jeans. Maybe the 24 hour deodorant only lasted 18 hours. Sometimes we even love deception, such as magic shows or fun fantasy movies. Other times the deception is serious, costly, or even deadly!
Spiritual deception is on a whole different level. Rather than grass stains left on the knees of blue jeans, spiritual deception can leave the black stains of sin on a precious soul for which Jesus died! Spiritual deception decorates the road to perdition with flowers and smiles or pleasure and greenbacks! Prosperity preachers call people to focus on giving so they can get. The prosperity gospel calls attention to what God can do for “me,” rather than calling sin “sin” and people to repentance. A false gospel of ease, money, earthly prosperity, and pleasure dismisses Peter’s words in 1 Peter 4:12-14,: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. If you happen to live in a blessed place during a blessed time of history, hallelujah! If peace reigns and prosperity accompanies true spirituality, praise God for His precious blessings. But when we sing, “To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, to be like Him…” we must live that reality, both in recognizing attempted deception and walking in the light as He is in the light (I1John 1:7). Always remember John 8:32, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free;” and John 17:17, “… Thy word is truth.” Only then can we worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4:23). Stay strong. Stay wise. Ray Wallace (Further study: Rom. 3:13; 16:18; 1 Cor. 15:33; 1 Cor. 6:9; 2 Cor. 11:3; Gal. 6:7; Col. 2:4; Titus 1:9, 10.)
Critical Balance
Balance is critical. Without it we could never work above ground level. Without it many critical jobs could not be done. I once worked on C130 military aircraft. The first few weeks I crawled on my hands and knees anywhere on top of the plane. I marveled at the agility of long-term workers who just walked casually where I crawled. Within 6 to 8 weeks, I was walking there also. Within 3 months or so it actually felt normal. But that was only because I had a practiced balance! Without it I would fall.
The same in is true in our spiritual life in numerous ways. There’s an old saying in Christianity: The truth, out of balance, always leads to heresy. I agree. Here we examine one specific and vital balance that must be sought by every faithful Christian - it’s the balance between confidence and humility.
We live in a culture that makes a severe and serious mistake: believing that confidence is arrogance. That cannot be for a mature Christian. Why? Because God commands confidence yet He forbids arrogance. Consider Hebrews 10:35, 36: Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
Verse 35 is actually a command (imperative mood), “…do not throw away your confidence,” (NASB). Confidence is good! The 1901 American Standard calls it “boldness.” It has a “great reward.” In verse 36 God, Himself connects confidence to our “endurance.” Confidence bolsters endurance – never forget that!
But arrogance is forbidden. In fact, it is an actual sin (2 Corinthians 12:20; James 4:16). The sin of pride in the heart leads to boasting and arrogance.
What about the “balance?” We must never try to balance confidence and arrogance. We must balance confidence and humility. They are both good things but must be in balance. Confidence builds endurance. Humility helps us remember that whatever abilities or intelligence we have are gifts from God. Since they are gifts from someone else, we must not be arrogant as if we created those gifts ourselves! In Acts 12:21-23 Herod took personal credit for his abilities and did not give God the glory for giving him those abilities.
What happens when you lose your balance? You fall. What happens when you lose the spiritual balance of godly confidence and personal humility? You fall! Use your gifts from God well. And keep your personal humility healthy. That way, you can follow God’s guidance in Ephesians 5:8, “…now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.” Walk keeping your careful balance between confidence and humility. It’s critical! Ray Wallace
The Precepts of Man or God?
Anthropologists have long known that man, throughout history, everywhere and every epoch, have had a concept of right and wrong, not merely “good and bad, “which is often a personal choice of daily outcome, but actual right and wrong. Sociologists carefully debate the source of mankind’s ideas of right and wrong. Is the source merely what humans like? Few arrive at that conclusion because virtually always the mores of a society label numerous things as “wrong” which are, indeed, pleasurable. One may find it pleasurable to kill a pesky neighbor, or have an affair with his wife, but very, very seldom has any society labeled those things as “good.” One popular approach taken today is to attempt to find a gene that explains cultural rights and wrongs. Others try to track history and the development of culture itself in an attempt to spot just when and where homo sapiens decided to introduce “right and wrong” - not merely laws to control behavior, but actual right and wrong on which to base those laws. Historical anthropologists know that some sort of worship of a higher power is part of virtually every culture known, from the very beginning. And his mores have always been closely linked to his beliefs of right and wrong. Careful analysts are left to wonder which came first, the mores or the religious beliefs - they seem so inextricably linked. Although many educated people will reject that notion, knowing that if they choose to believe in God, that belief itself will then require them to adhere to the tenets of that belief system. I find it profound that the Judeo-Christian Bible labels many of man’s darker proclivities as “bad” while at the same time delivering incredible joy to those genuine believers in Jehovah God who follow that book. It certainly seems counter-intuitive, yet it is a fact. I also find it just as profound that those particular scriptures answer all of life’s greatest questions, “Who are we?” “Why are we here?” “Where are we going?” One more profundity: In the very first verse of the Bible, all five of the realities that science can measure are found, time, force, energy, space, and matter. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In the beginning: time (measure with a time piece). God: force (measured with various instruments such as a pressure gauge, a scale for weight, a measure of BTU available in a substance, etc.) Created: energy (the expending of energy to create and organize). Heavens: comprised of space and matter (what we see when we look up, measured with telescopes and calculations, even lasers.) Earth: matter (good old terra firma, just grab a handful!).
Thousands of the world’s great scientists have concluded that the Judeo-Christian Bible is, indeed a true and trustworthy book, genuinely from God. That conclusion inexorably leads to some practical, daily considerations, “If the Bible is from a true and living God, shouldn’t I follow His laws?” “If the Bible is from God, then I can, indeed, see what behaviors lead to success and fulfillment and what behaviors lead to failure and sorrow.” Indeed, that is the case. True believers who follow God and His word find great joy, fulfillment and success in life, whatever circumstances may arise (see Philippians 4:10-12, wherein Paul described great rejoicing, even though he wrote from prison). One last observation: I see great sorrow in our world. I see great suffering among those who have attempted to ignore God’s laws. And I also see great and unnecessary suffering among believers who ignore God’s clear scriptures and decide to teach their own ideas above God’s word. No wonder Jesus said, “But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.” No wonder Jesus said, “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” No wonder Jesus said, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” Scripture uses some form of the word, “joy” or rejoice” over 500 times. But that rejoicing is a special gift from God for those who love Him, keep His commandments, and follow the precepts of God and not man.
Ray Wallace
A Good Day for Praise
This morning I sat with my cup of coffee, reading over the news articles of the day. Sometimes I wonder why I choose to torture myself first thing out of bed, but it’s my ritual, so I keep on. Today’s feed was filled with a lot of the same aggravating or depressing types of articles I’ve been reading for a long time. Unholy agendas being pushed in society, crooks effectively being given free passes for their crimes, souls lost in the depths of the sea, hysteria and irrational anxieties affecting how people live. Eventually I closed the app because I’d had enough.
When I opened my Bible, I landed at Psalm 9 for today’s reading, and this is what I found.
1 I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. 2 I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (ESV)
With these divinely inspired words touching my heart, I’ve decided today is a good day for praise!
Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that your goodness shines through all the darkness in this world. No matter what anyone else does, your love never fails.
Thank you, Lord, that the birds and all of nature are singing your praises this morning, even though it seems more of humanity is shying away from it. Their songs fill my heart with the urge to sing to you as well.
Thank you, Lord, for always preserving those who are faithful to you. We never have to feel alone because your church is still alive and will be until you call us home.
Thank you, Lord, for the promises that in your time you will make all things right. Your justice and grace will be handed out according to your infinite wisdom and righteousness. And with Jesus on our side, we all can stand confidently before you.
So how about it? What is your praise to God today? What are the good deeds he has done and continue to do in your life? Regardless of what your day looks like, take five minutes right now to acknowledge his goodness. Be specific! Because today is a good day for praise.
Cory Waddell
Perception
Perception is a fascinating thing. Some might contend that since we perceive things differently, we cannot know truth. Example: people who are colorblind perceive colors differently from others… so who’s to say which person is seeing the real blue? In truth, there are color standards called PMS colors (I used them myself regularly in a previous job. Google “Standard PMS Colors”.) A confused world tries that deception in a number of ways, particularly moral and political. In fact the political world has a catch phrase, “In politics, perception IS reality.” That’s not true of course, but it is an accurate depiction of how politicians and advertisers consider the general public stupid and malleable. They know that their cleverly worded ads can, indeed, manipulate public opinion by creating perceptions (true or false) about their candidates and opponents. God has given us a far better and more truthful approach. You CAN know truth (John 8:32). Until we know His truths, we cannot be free. Until we know God’s truths, we will, indeed, be controlled by the manipulation of perception by any and all who have something to gain (power and money are the usual motivators). So long as a person desires to live in his or her own world of fluid truth, changing values and manipulable mores, that person will be under the control of others without ever knowing it… in fact, becoming a supporter of whatever their manipulators have programmed them to do (most often today by electronic media). Never, ever allow some slick-talking snake oil salesman (e.g. politician, advertiser or even religious charlatan) be the source of your beliefs! Sadly, even in religion, falsehoods abound. No… every one cannot be right! No… mutually exclusive concepts cannot both be true, not even in social constructs! Paul warned the Christians at Colossae, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:9) Paul then hits the nail on the proverbial head by explaining why, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;” (vv. 9, 10). The battle royal is for authority… authority over you, your thoughts and actions. That is what gives people power over you! Truthfully I want God to have power and authority over me… that is mankind’s only route to heaven. Be malleable to Him! Why? Because every spiritual blessing is in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). God is NOT trying to manipulate you. He is trying to save you from sin and deliver you to heaven. He loves us so much He allowed His only begotten Son to die on a cross to get us to heaven with Him. Beware of those who manipulate your perceptions. Believe the only One who can take you home for eternity! Ray Wallace
FREEDOM!
God created us to love freedom, but we need to define freedom properly. As our nation celebrates Independence Day, our minds focus on the freedom that was won at great cost of blood in the Revolutionary War. That war gained our freedom from oppression by an over-bearing king in England. The goal of freedom was clear and the route to get there was fierce and violent. But freedom was, indeed, won. Our spiritual freedom is no different. God made us to love freedom and the joy it brings, “I tell you these things that my joy may be in you and your joy be made full,” (John 15:11). Those words of Jesus come just a few chapters after He said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” (John 8:32). There is a great parallel here: the blood-bought freedom we celebrate this week in the USA, and the blood-bought freedom Christians celebrate every day, after their redemption by His blood, “…you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ,” (1 Peter 1:18, 19). The blood of the Minute Men and other patriots bought our freedom for our lifetime. The blood of Jesus bought our freedom for all eternity! As we remember the 4th of July, we also remember that our freedom has a responsibility… a call to maintain that freedom, and so we have done, particularly in two world wars. Likewise, our Christians freedom calls for a responsibility. That call is a more individual call for a response of the soul – to keep one’s self unstained by the world, (James 1:27). For a fuller understanding of the freedom God gives, consider the following:
- It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery, Galatians 5:1 - For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another, Galatians 5:13 - Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God, 1 Peter 2:1
You will notice that each of these passages on freedom also calls for a mature, Christian response to that freedom.
Lastly, be very careful… there are evil men, imposters who spew out lies to call people to a false freedom, which is actually slavery to sin. That is obvious today as evil and sensual men falsely define sexual pervasion as freedom. Paul reminds us in Romans 6:15-19, that we are slaves of whom we obey, either God or Satan! In 2 Peter 2:18-19, Peter describes how evil men work: For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. Freedom is never found in immoral enslavement. Freedom can never be enjoyed without the personal response of an individual soul in obedience to God. Then, and only then, can any Christian enjoy the joy Jesus gives (John 15:11) and the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). (Further study: Romans 8:21; 1 Peter 2:16)
Ray Wallace
Open the Gates
There is reason to be encouraged. God really is in control. The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains (Psalm 24:1). I look at my life and it does not seem as though God has had the kind of influence on me that He should have; maybe I should say the kind of influence I should have let Him have. It is discouraging to look at myself in the spiritual mirror of self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5). Then, I read Psalm 24 and I am encouraged.
David asks a question of us: Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? (Psalm 24:3). The answer is in the next verse: He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully (Psalm 24:4). So, as long as I have not done anything wrong, I am acceptable to God. But wait a minute! I have done something wrong – many somethings!! In the words of Isaiah, the prophet, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5).
Speaking of Isaiah, God had a job that Isaiah was going to volunteer to do, but first he has to be made ready. Isaiah recognized that he was a sinner and unworthy to be in the presence of Jehovah, but that problem was rectified by the angel touching a burning coal to his lips and taking away his iniquity (Isaiah 6:6, 7). So, even though he was guilty of dirty hands and an impure heart (to use the figure of Psalm 24) he was able to be purified and made ready for the task at hand.
A similar example is Joshua, the high priest during the time the remnant of Judah was rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. In Zechariah 3:1 Joshua (who seems to represent all the Jews) is standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan is standing by to accuse him. In other words, he is guilty. In verse 3, the prophet says Joshua was dressed in filthy garments. However, before Satan can win the victory, the angel of the Lord spoke: “Remove those filthy garments from him” (Zechariah 3:4). So, like Isaiah, Joshua was cleansed of his guilt and our enemy has nothing to say.
David continued his encouragement: Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle(Psalm 24:7, 8). When we see our lives in a mess, we need help. That help is God. We have to let Him have control of our lives. That means that we have to live according to His will, which He has graciously given us in His Word (the Bible). I am thankful that God is in control. When I sinned, I gave up any hope of salvation. I was ruined. Thanks be to God that He has provided a way for me to be cleansed. He provided that Way because He loves me. He loves you, too.
Donnie Bates
Verses for Father’s Day
Psalm 127:3-5 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.”
Joshua 24:15 “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Proverbs 23:24-25 “The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!”
Luke 15:20 “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Psalm 115:14-15 “May the Lord richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Proverbs 14:26 “Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children.”
Proverbs 17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the old, and the glory of sons is their fathers.
I Have Not Lived in Vain
General Douglas MacArthur was an internationally known general in the US Army and one of the heroes of WWII. He was a tall straight man of wisdom and courage who could be counted on in the worst of battles and trusted in the finest of times.
Controversial at times, he was clear-headed and straightforward. Despite his occasional conflicts with political leaders, he always had his men and his country at heart. Feared by his enemies and revered by his men, MacArthur rose above the pettiness that often afflicts those in power to seek solutions to problems and resolutions to conflicts.
As an individual, MacArthur could be what I might call a balanced enigma. A rough and ready warrior, but a compassionate and wise father. One of his legacies is his quote, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.” Another was his farewell speech to the young Marines graduating from West Point wherein he said: In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory, I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country. Today marks my final roll call with you. But I want you to know that when I cross the river, my last conscious thoughts will be of the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps.
But this revered hero is also remembered for a prayer he wrote about his son. As a deeply loving father, MacArthur asked God to give his son special things indeed: Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory. Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee – and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge. Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenges. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail. Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men. One who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past. And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength. Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”
As we prepare to honor our fathers next Sunday, may God continue to give us fathers who pray for their children.
Ray Wallace
Follow Me! Thom Vaught
There is a spiritual war going on. We are in the midst of this constant struggle between good and evil. In the trenches and the front-lines, we fight this battle on a daily basis. However, we are not alone in this battle. We have a leader who volunteered to show us the way.
There are many acts of bravery documented in Stephen E. Ambrose’s book D-Day. One account that has stuck with me is about Lt. Robert Mason Mathias serving as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Lt. Mathias was riding in a C-47 Dakota over France at 0227 hours on June 6. Nearing the jump zone the plane starting to take flak from German guns. Lt. Mathias stood and took the first jump position at the open door. You may think this is strange. Leaders are supposed to take up the rear where it is safe. However, this is not the case in the Airborne. The leader is the first to jump out the door. As Lt. Mathias was standing in the door a shell burst beside him. Red-hot flak ripped through his reserve chute into his chest, knocking him off his feet. He pulled himself back to his feet as the jump light came on. He could have stayed on the plane and gotten medical care. Instead, he raised his right arm, yelled out “Follow me!” and leapt into the night. Whether Lt. Mathias died on the way down or from the impact of landing is not known. He was the first American officer killed by German fire on D-Day.
In like manner, our spiritual leader was not willing to command us from the safe confines of heaven. Knowing well what it would cost Him, our Lord made the leap from heaven to earth. Jesus entered the front-lines of the battlefield and ordered us to follow him (Matthew 10:38). Lt. Mathias and countless other soldiers sacrificed themselves to free Europe from the oppression of totalitarianism and protect the freedoms we enjoy today. Likewise, Christ, upon the cross, sacrificed Himself to free us from the oppression of sin (Matthew 26:26-28). When you find yourself feeling alone and lost in the battle, remember that Jesus has been there before. He has fought the battle and won the war. What we must do is follow Him.
Be A Light Through Your Story Johnny Miranda
Every time I share my story of how I obeyed the gospel, I can see other people light up with joy. How beautiful it is that God’s power is able to change an ordinary young man like me into someone who has given up many things for the sake of Christ. What is funny is how older folks consider me a young man with a lot of time ahead of me, but I often look back at what could have been if I had obeyed God earlier in my life. To be honest, there is not much that I can do to change that, but I can use my current life experiences moving forward to His advantage. Being able to relate to people through our conversion story is an incredible source of evangelism. Look at the apostle Paul, who considered himself to be the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Although he felt that way, he knew that his unworthiness would be beneficial for others who can see the change in his life through the gospel. If God changed the heart of a man who persecuted His church, what can God do your life? The answer is, He can change your life too if you allow Him to. I challenge you to use experiences that have molded you into the person you are today. My only caution is that you do not lose focus on the power of God’s word that you neglect God in your story. In doing so, it will not guarantee that someone will be interested from the start, but it will surely plant a seed in their heart.
Memorial Day
Monday is Memorial Day. It is a patriotic holiday set aside to remember those who gave their lives in military service. It is observed the last Monday of May each year. The government made it a federal holiday in 1971. No one knows exactly when or where Memorial Day was first observed. According to tradition, it originated during the Civil War when some Southern women chose May 30 to decorate the graves of both from the Union and Confederate Armies (World Book Encyclopedia "Memorial Day").
We need to remember those who have given us the freedom and liberties that we enjoy in this country. You may have seen the following as it made the rounds in cyber space, but it is worth reading again:
It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
Not only are we thankful for those who have given their lives for us, but we are mindful and appreciative of the young men and women who are serving us today through the military. We are especially mindful of those from this congregation.
A Spiritual Memorial Day
Each Sunday faithful followers of Christ gather in the appointed assembly for the purpose of a memorial - remembering the death of Christ (Matthew 26:26-29; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 11:23ff). Without His death we would still be dead in our sins and iniquities. But, because of His death we have freedom, forgiveness, and hope of a future home with Him in heaven. Whereas it has taken the death of thousands to give us the freedoms we enjoy in this country, His blood was so powerful that it took only the death of one to give us spiritual freedom.
May we never let His death or this memorial become mundane. May it always be a fresh and real reminder each Lord's Day of the great sacrifice that was made on our behalf.
Wayne Burger, Bear Valley Bible Institute
Whose Life is it Anyway?
“Whose life is it, anyway?” I’ve heard that question for most of my life, usually used as a challenge to mean, “You can’t tell me what to do!” For the most part, I agree, we cannot tell other adults what to do. We can educate them, help them see the light, show the where various chosen paths will lead, but God gave each of us a free will and nothing takes that away. Sharing wisdom is an excellent part of loving others, but we cannot and should not try to force others to take our advice. That said, our first order of recognition is the actual answer to the question, “Whose life is it anyway?” Truthfully, for the Christian, Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body. - 1 Cor. 6:19, 20 NASB The purchase transaction is even clearer in 1 Peter, If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. God bought us back with something more precious than gold, the blood of Christ! Another thing it tells us is that He loves us more than humans can comprehend! God bought you back, redeemed you, from the claws of the devil simply because He loves you! Back to the question, “Whose life is it, anyway?” It’s His, God’s, because He bought you. Some don’t like it. Many try to ignore it, even after their conversion, but truth is truth. I belong to Him, and you do too. Frankly, I am ecstatically glad that I do. He loves me, He guides me, He leads me to the springs of life’s joys (Psalm 23). Like a deer who pants for the water brook, we need to learn to look to Him for life, for wisdom, for guidance. Our best course of action is to rejoice with a deep smile when we consider, “Whose life is it anyway?” and rejoice at the answer, “I belong to Him.” So many are so horribly deceived into thinking that following Jesus steals our joy. “I can’t be happy without my Sunday morning fishing trips with my buddies!” In actuality, following “in His steps,” (1 Peter 2:21) is life’s best road to joy! These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. - John 15:11 You see, He owns me, and when I follow my owner, He gives me the gift of unspeakable joy that can come from nowhere else. We belong to Him. He has our best interests in mind, He can see the future. He can lead if we will follow. The cross-shaped hole in every heart can be filled by none other than the one who bought us with His blood. Who does your life belong to? Him!
Ray Wallace
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is the Hand that Rules the World
As I was researching a quote for this Mother’s Day article, I learned that the quote for which I searched is actually a full-blown poem! “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world,” is a world-famous quote today. I thought it was ancient, but it is actually part of a poem written the mid 1800s by William Ross Wallace, a Kentucky born attorney and son of a preacher. The poem is far better than the article I planned to write. Happy Mother’s Day! (Deut. 5:16; 2 Timothy 1:5)
Blessings on the hand of women! Angels guard its strength and grace, In the palace, cottage, hovel, Oh, no matter where the place; Would that never storms assailed it, Rainbows ever gently curled; For the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world.
Infancy's the tender fountain, Power may with beauty flow, Mother's first to guide the streamlets, From them souls unresting grow— Grow on for the good or evil, Sunshine streamed or evil hurled; For the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world.
Woman, how divine your mission Here upon our natal sod! Keep, oh, keep the young heart open Always to the breath of God! All true trophies of the ages Are from mother-love impearled; For the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world.
Blessings on the hand of women! Fathers, sons, and daughters cry, And the sacred song is mingled With the worship in the sky— Mingles where no tempest darkens, Rainbows evermore are hurled; For the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world.
An Unrecognized Challenge
I like what I like, unapologetically. Liver and onions, chicken livers and gizzards, brussel sprouts, frog legs and riding motorcycles are all on my “like” menu. Most of us simply like what we like, and much of the time that is totally okay. But sometimes it’s not!
One of life’s major steps to maturity is the ability to tell ourselves, “No,” when the occasion warrants or when the action contemplated is, by God’s definition, simply wrong. In his book, The Road Less Travelled, Dr. M. Scott Peck brilliantly noted the importance of delaying gratification, e.g., “self-control” in Galatians 5:22, 23.
That said, we do err greatly when we live life by our own personal preferences, regardless of spiritual considerations. Not such a big revelation: feeling good feels good! Food on the tongue, a nice back rub or even a spiritual high all simply feel good! But “feeling good” is a poor substitution for “doing good.” Feeling spiritual is a poor substitute for following in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21). Most Christians recognize the Bible quote to follow, “in His steps,” but few remember that within the verse itself are the words, “since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps….”
“In His steps” means pleasing the Father, doing things God’s way, denying self and taking up our cross. “In His steps” means know what God wants and striving to live the life described in the New Testament, not felt in our emotions. Far too many live a sort of bumper sticker theology of doing what feels good, feels right or feels spiritual, rather than actually following scripture in daily decisions. “Attend the church of your choice” was a popular bumper sticker in the 1970s. Really? Do humans actually get to define and choose what they “feel like” God may have said?
Did Jesus die on the cross to ratify personal preferences, or to ratify His last will and Testament? I’m all for individual freedom, but the point at hand here is pleasing God, not self (2 Corinthians 5:9-11).
We can test the veracity of our spiritual choices by examining our own minds: Did I “find a church I like?” Or did I search the scriptures to learn what God says? The last I checked, Acts 17:11 still says, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Do I do that which makes my emotions feel spiritual, or do I make daily, personal and spiritual choices that match the word of God?
If we are not gravely careful, if we are not deeply seeking God’s truths through scripture, then we will most likely fall prey to the unrecognized path of pleasing of self rather than our heavenly Father. If we are not deeply committed to what God is telling us in His own word (which we can understand, Ephesians 3:4), then we will unwittingly please self, thinking we are pleasing Him. If we subconsciously allow our emotions to be our guide, rather than His word, we will invariably choose that which pleases self rather than that which pleases God, even while convincing our minds that we are following Him, because it just feels right!
Let’s be people who follow the steps of the Apostles (1 Corinthians 11:1). Let’s be people of the book (1 Timothy 3:16, 17). Let’s be people of God on His terms, not ours (Proverbs 14:12).
Ray Wallace
CAUGHT BY THE CULTURE
In 1985 a dear preacher friend suggested I read Neil Postman’s then new book Amusing Ourselves to Death. What a deep and important blessing that was. Postman recognized that our culture is racing headlong toward entertainment as a life goal and moving away from education, maturity, and success strategies. As such, on average we in the west are becoming less educated and more addicted to entertainment media - music, movies, social media, internet, etc.
Postman compares Orwell’s book 1984 to Aldous Huxley’s book Brave New World. He correctly points out that Orwell predicted a harsh, surveillance, totalitarian government which burns books and controls every facet of the culture. Conversely, Huxley described a culture in which books are abundant and leisurely amusements the goal of life. The books are not burned, they merely languish on the library shelves, ignored, and even scorned. As Postman’s book describes, the population was merely amusing itself to death. Any intelligent observation clearly shows that Huxley has been far more correct in his predictions than Orwell.
But God, Himself, teaches us there is a third option, and it is obviously neither over-controlling tyranny nor irresponsible, lazy leisure. God’s option is following in the footsteps of Jesus. We must remember He said, “I tell you these things that My joy may be in you and your joy may be made full,” (John 15:11). God calls us to joyful self-discipline. The fruit of the Spirit begins with love and joy, and ends with self-control, (Galatians 5:22,23).
Peter tells us that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, (1 Peter 5:8.) Before a lion can devour, he must catch. And the primary way we get caught is by the culture. “Do not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals,” 1 Corinthians 15:33. Those who think they can keep what Paul would call bad company, are, indeed, being deceived. Like a bird comes to the hunter’s call, today’s culture shrieks the siren song, sin. Make no mistake, sin can be fun. Sin can bring pleasure. But the pleasures of sin kill true success and deliver failure and sorrow.
The culture will call you a dozen different ways, from frat parties to politics; from board rooms to bordellos; from the forced tyrannies of totalitarian governments of communism to the lax applications of capitalism. Anything short of scripture will fail to bring the joy of which Jesus speaks in John 15:11, “that My joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.”
Ray Wallace
Further study: Rom. 6:13; 8:13; I Cor 6:9-11; 9:26, 27
I Stand by the Door By Sam Shoemaker
I stand by the door. I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out. The door is the most important door in the world – It is the door through which men walk when they find God. There is no use my going way inside and staying there, When so many are still outside and they, as much as I, Crave to know where the door is. And all that so many ever find Is only the wall where the door ought to be. They creep along the wall like blind men, With outstretched, groping hands, Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door, Yet they never find it. So I stand by the door.
The most tremendous thing in the world Is for men to find that door – the door to God. The most important thing that any man can do Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands And put it on the latch – the latch that only clicks And opens to the man's own touch.
Men die outside the door, as starving beggars die On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter. Die for want of what is within their grasp. They live on the other side of it – live because they have found it.
Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it, And open it, and walk in, and find Him. So I stand by the door.
Go in great saints; go all the way in – Go way down into the cavernous cellars, And way up into the spacious attics. It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is. Go into the deepest of hidden casements, Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood. Some must inhabit those inner rooms And know the depths and heights of God, And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is. Sometimes I take a deeper look in. Sometimes venture in a little farther, But my place seems closer to the opening. So I stand by the door.
There is another reason why I stand there. Some people get part way in and become afraid Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them; For God is so very great and asks all of us. And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia And want to get out. “Let me out!” they cry. And the people way inside only terrify them more. Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled For the old life, they have seen too much: One taste of God and nothing but God will do any more. Somebody must be watching for the frightened Who seek to sneak out just where they came in, To tell them how much better it is inside. The people too far in do not see how near these are To leaving – preoccupied with the wonder of it all. Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door But would like to run away. So, for them too, I stand by the door.
I admire the people who go way in. But I wish they would not forget how it was Before they got in. Then they would be able to help The people who have not yet even found the door. Or the people who want to run away again from God. You can go in too deeply and stay in too long And forget the people outside the door. As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place, Near enough to God to hear Him and know He is there, But not so far from men as not to hear them, And remember they are there too.
Where? Outside the door – Thousands of them. Millions of them. But – more important for me – One of them, two of them, ten of them. Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch. So I shall stand by the door and wait For those who seek it.
“I had rather be a doorkeeper,” So I stand by the door.
Not One Without the Other
There is a wonderful old song entitled Love and Marriage that says, “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage.” It’s a fun little ditty made famous by Frank Sinatra in 1955. It was later recorded by Dinah Shore (both versions made the hit parade charts). The song proved so popular that it was recorded by Peggy Lee and Bing Crosby. It was such a popular song that it was used in TV commercials for Campbell’s Soup, Cadbury chocolate, Kellogg’s breakfast cereal, Ban deodorant and Duncan Hines chocolate chip cookies! Virtually everyone in America, even kids, knew the song. The younger generation will recognize it as the theme song for the somewhat rude TV sitcom, Married with Children.
Part of the charm was the sweet-hearted melody, but the main theme was the real winner: Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage! Neither one, without the other, can do as well as either alone!
Likewise, in Christianity, what we call “Good Friday” is useless without Resurrection Sunday” and vice versa. Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified for the sins of all mankind. But without the resurrection, Good Friday is just another death sentence and crucifixion of some guy in Roman occupied territory. Likewise, Resurrection Sunday, without the shedding of the blood of our precious Jesus, would just be a weird anomaly in human history.
But the blood of the only begotten Son of God, shed on what is commonly referred to as Good Friday, is the watershed moment of human history. Why? Because the blood of bulls and goats does not take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). But the blood of Jesus, more precious than silver or gold (1 Peter 1:17-19), is our only hope for eternal life with Him.
The blood shed on the cross to redeem us from sin and death literally takes away our sin. The resurrection proves both that Jesus is who He said He is, and also shows us what will happen to us after our own physical death (1 John 3:2; Romans 6:4). As the old hymn says, “In the resurrection morning when the trump of God shall sound, we shall rise! Hallelujah! we shall rise!” Thank you, Jesus!
Ray Wallace
Is My Name Written There? Dan Jenkins, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ
There is no way that the author of a hymn has of knowing just how widely it may be used. In every generation, there are songs which briefly appear and just a few years later they are rarely used. There are other songs which have been around for decades, and there must be a reason for this. There was no way for Daniel S. Warner to know in 1893 that the song he published would be around over a century and be translated and sung in both Russia and Germany and become part of over forty hymnals. It is not sung as much today as it once was, but the message it conveys is timeless. My name is in the Book of Life, Oh, bless the name of Jesus; I rise above all doubt and strife And read my title clear. I know, I know, My name is there; I know, I know, My name is written there.
Jesus describes the new birth by which one becomes part of the family of God. The Spirit of God uses the words of God to convict men of sin, righteousness and of the coming judgment (John 16:8) and brings them to a burial in the waters of baptism (John 3:5). The Lord says that if this does not happen, he will never enter the kingdom of heaven. However, when one is baptized, he is added to the kingdom his name is “…registered in heaven” (Heb. 12:23). There is a divine book that has within it the names of all who have been born again.
At the final judgment that book which contains the names of all the redeemed will be opened. “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). It is these words which lie in the background of the hymn written 130 years ago.
Can you know that your name is there? The Holy Spirit has revealed how one becomes a child of God in His family. Believers who repent (decide to turn their lives over to Jesus) are led by the Spirit to be buried in water, into the death of Jesus, as they call upon God to save them (1 Pet. 3:21).
These words of the Spirit bear witness that if one does obey Jesus his name will be written in that book. The sobering question is whether your spirit can bear witness that you have obeyed the words of the Spirit. There are two witnesses needed to establish truth. The witness has been given from heaven, there is another witness and that is that your spirit (your soul). Can you say that you have obeyed the Lord and I know your name is written there? The Bible does not say “to my spirit,” but says “with my spirit.” The Spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am saved (Rom. 8:16).
Don’t Be Frightened by Fear “Don’t be frightened by fear?” That might sound a bit odd, a bit like circular reasoning. We are generally frightened by things or situations, wild animals, or darkness. Yet God, Himself, teaches us, “...do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” God is reminding us that we can be frightened by fear itself. (See 1 Peter 3:6.)
In his inaugural address in 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt said, So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. He defines the fear of which he speaks as “unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts....” Today, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, we see more and more people unable or unwilling to advance in life or overcome obstacles simply because they are paralyzed with fear. Usually a fear of loss, fear of rejection or fear of failure. Yet paralysis from fear literally creates failure itself!
Phobos (Greek for “fear” from which we get the English “phobia) and delia (Greek word for “timidity”) are both vital if we are to understand that God gives us a spirit of power over any type of fear. One example is found in 2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
It is important to notice that God does not simply give us a lack of fear. He actively gives us power and love and discipline. Also notice that once He gives us power and love and discipline, we must use that gift of discipline and put it to work with the power and love He gives.
To live life with power and love requires the strong and careful application of discipline. He gives us the gifts, but we must put them to practical, daily use through the exercise of discipline. Power and love without discipline will create sad frustrations in the minds of intelligent people because they cannot help but see their failure to do what lies before us. Even if we clearly see the power and deeply experience the love, without discipline we fail to appropriate the gains that could have been accomplished.
The most common problems that roadblock success are our fears, whatever they may be in whatever realm of life, family, relationships, business, or spirituality. We must trust God, move out, get our feet wet (Joshua 3:14-16), and use the power, love and discipline God gives in abundance. Long before Nike coined their famous phrase, God taught us, “Just do it!”
Ray Wallace
The Ability to Reason Correctly
As God begins to warn Judah through the prophet Isaiah and plea for them to remain faithful to Him, He makes this familiar statement, “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18). God makes His “reasoned” case through Isaiah and expects the people to understand and reason correctly back into a right relationship with Him.
While many today suggest that truth is relative and everyone has their own truth, that does not match in any way what the God of truth (Isa. 65:16) reveals to us. Jesus said that there is “the truth” (objective, not subjective) and that man would be able to “know” it (John 8:32). While children have not developed the ability to know the difference between “good and evil” (Deut. 1:39; Jon. 4:11), as individuals mature, and especially as they engage with God’s Word, they will “by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:14).
God expects us to use the brains He has given us to reason, but not just to reason, but to reason correctly, according to His Word (1 Sam.12:7; Acts17:2; 24:25; 26:25; 1 Pet. 3:15).
David Sproule, Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ
The Greatest Separation of All Time
“If I’m lying, I’m dying!” That’s a common phase where I grew up. It is used when a person is about to relate a story which is true but is so far-fetched that that it’s going to a bit hard for others to believe. So here we go…. It was a warm summer Sunday evening worship service where I was the preacher in a small, rural town in southwest Colorado. It was fairly common to have deer on the church property and would often be a distraction as they wandered into view of the congregation. The first time it happened, so many were staring out the side door that I left the pulpit to take a gander myself. But this particular evening I was preaching from Matthew 25, the chapter wherein Jesus tells of judgement day when God would separate the sheep (the saved) and the goats (the lost). About halfway through the lesson a goat, a full grown, literal four-legged brown goat walked up to the main door at the back and stuck his head inside the propped open double doors. I’m pretty sure I paused just a bit too long, then said “There’s a goat at the front door!” Considering the passage under consideration, a mild giggle passed through the church. “No, I mean a real goat… at the front door.” Now a hearty giggle gurgled up from the church family. I should have expected that because I’m known for pulling pranks like that. “Y’all look, it’s a real goat. ZERO people turned around to look, but several rolled their eyes, thinking some version of, “What’s the wacky preacher guy doing now?” Finally, I called on a deacon who was sitting on the middle aisle, “Joe, would you please turn around, look up the aisle and tell everyone what you see?” Joe smiled, figuring he was about to be the object of some joke, but he did look. He turned back with wide eyes and said, “Well, there is a real goat at the front door.” At this point a lot of people turned to look for themselves. Yes, I pretty much lost the attention of the whole crowd! After the giggling stopped the goat dutifully followed the Matthew 25:33 and exited to the left! Yes, really! (An image of that goat is now on our electronic picture frame that cycles through several hundred family photos. It can be seen exiting to the left.) What’s the point? Today, many people have a hard time believing that Jesus is actually going to come back and separate the saved from the unsaved (see Matthew 25:31-33.) Today, Jesus invites us to picture the scene as we read, just as in person then. Christians sort of know, sort of remember, but little time is spent seeing the view in the mind’s eye. Like the people of Ezekiel 12:21-26, many today doubt that Jesus will come back anytime soon. That approach to Jesus’ words has led the last several generations to ignore that passage or deny its reality. We should train ourselves to look for daily reminders of important scriptures that must be remembered if we are to be prepared. Of course, sometimes, even when we aren’t looking for those reminders, God sends little events like a real live goat, when some preacher is speaking on Matthew 25!
Ray Wallace
The Greatest of These is Love
Most Christians are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13, “the love chapter.” And for good reason, without love even great sacrifices are of no profit, clearly stated by Paul within the chapter, “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (13:3, NASB).
What many Christians miss is that “love” in that passage is “agape,” the type of love that seeks the highest good of another person. Our modern western minds use the word “love” mostly to describe a wonderful, emotional high toward a person for whom we have deep and active feelings, often, but not always, romantic.
Fast forward to modern American and we begin to see a problem developing… many Christians today define “love,” just about any kind of love, and think themselves spiritual as they appeal to 1 Corinthians 13. True, biblical spirituality must include true, agape love or it is not, true spirituality. But that reality is little understood, even by many who claim the name of Jesus.
Whether speaking of warm, fuzzy personal feelings or group outpourings of love and wonderful emotions, we must remember God’s use of agape and ask ourselves, “Is what I am experiencing wonderful and personal, or godly, spiritual love. Never forget, even atheists can be magnanimous, giving and caring. Likewise, they can be filled with joy, and seek to bring joy to others. It won’t do them much good on judgment day, but they can, indeed, be very caring.
However, biblical love for God and one another must be based on His love for us. John reminds us of that reality in 1 John 4:19, “We love (agape) because He first loved us.” We must recognize that our love must be a reflection of His love, not merely an outpouring of emotion in song and feeling. Agape mandates obedience (“If you love Me you will keep my commandments,” John 14:15) and also action (as the benevolence outlined in James 2:14-19).
In today’s news we are seeing a revival in various areas of the United States. I do, indeed, hope these emotional outpourings lead to a greater understanding of biblical truth and a deep repentance that leads to true spirituality. Emotions can be good. Paul calls us to a dedication from the heart, in Romans 6:15-18. But notice that the dedication must be to the teaching they had learned, not merely to a wonderful, loving feeling.
Many people today are starved for love and are easily swayed toward any outpouring of emotional love. That can be good, but it can be bad, if and when emotional human love draws people away from the love of God. E.g., a girl might be drawn to the love of a man, but often that emotional human love ignores God’s call not to choose bad company which corrupts good morals, (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Our first and foremost love must be loving God’s truth. Why? Because, if we don’t we will not be saved, no matter how much we love in other ways. Listen to Paul’s warning in 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10, “…that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” “What IS truth?” the world asks? Jesus answers in His prayer to the Father, “Thy word is truth,” John 17:17. God’s truth must guide all of our emotions!
Who do you love? What do you love? People? Emotionalism? Kind-heartedness? Outpouring of emotions? Or do you love God’s truth so as to be saved? And do you love others as Jesus has loved you? (John 13:34, 35).
Ray Wallace
Two Types of Blessings
The faithful Christian widow I sat with had been a devout New Testament Christian almost all her life. I’ve known very few Christians who were as deeply dedicated as she had been. Well into her eighties, she said something that caught me off guard, “I just hope I’ve been good enough for God to let me into heaven.” Being the brash young preacher that I was, I stated flatly, “Well, let me say, ‘You haven’t.’” Her shocked look bore no words. I continued, “No one is getting into heaven but by the grace of God.” She relaxed, then a slow smile replaced her concern, “Why can’t I remember that? I’ve known that all my life!” We shared a soft chuckle.
Many Christians struggle to process God’s truths on the subject of grace. Part of that struggle is that it simply seems too good to be true. Indeed, it does seem too good to be true, but it is. God forgives our sins through the blood of His Son on the cross, not through our work on earth. Paul reminds us that if we try to be saved by our own works, we actually lose His grace (Galatians 5:4).
Another reason some Christians struggle to process their full understanding of “grace” is that there are two types of blessings. One type of blessing is grace, itself, which we cannot earn (Ephesians 2:8-10). It is a gift which must be accepted on God’s terms, not ours. Accepted, not earned, such is the very nature of a gift. Salvation itself depends on it.
The other type of blessings are earthly blessings that come from keeping God’s word. Close marriages are a blessing from God. He rewards husbands and wives who are faithful and loving, treating each other with grace (forgiveness for the dumb things we all do). One clear example is Proverbs 10:3, “The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked.” Physical sustenance is a blessing from God’s earth, sun and water to those who are righteous… not to the wicked. Notice that God, Himself, will see to the needs of the righteous - a physical blessing earned by righteousness - not the spiritual blessing of salvation, which comes through God’s grace, not our works (back to Ephesians 2:8).
Many, many blessings are the result of our success in doing the right thing (by God’s definition, not man’s). That is true for hard work, caring for the sick, helping the poor, etc. We get, physical, emotional, and spiritual blessings from personal righteousness. Healthy, loving, cooperative church families come from the righteousness of the members. Godly children come from godly, faithful, spiritual parenting, and so on for a myriad of blessings.
Let us strive to understand and remember that the grace of forgiveness is one type of blessing from God, a gift never earned. Other blessings are, indeed, earned by faithful righteousness in loving obedience to God.
Ray Wallace
For further study: Psalm 18:20; Psalm 19:11; 2 Chronicles 15:6-8; Matthew 6:1,2
The Oddity of Human Holidays
Human holidays can be a bit weird. Some cultures celebrate “The Day of the Dead” wherein they celebrate dead ancestors by dressing up like a dead person, dancing and celebrating by eating candy shaped like human skulls (yes, really… look it up!). Weird huh?
One of our odder holidays in western cultures is happening this week. It’s quite friendly, even romantic but the origins of Valentines’ Day are not so sweet. There were several Christian martyrs named “Valentine” the most notable was Valentine of Rome who was killed for his faith by the Roman government in 269 A.D. His skull is decorated with flowers and has become an object of worship in the Catholic church. Another person named Valentine was martyred 273 A.D. The Catholic Encyclopedia says there was a third, but there are few details about him.
As is common among humans (or at least some odd ones), some have taken the murder of early Christians, added chubby little baby angels with magic arrows (that make people fall in love when skewered by one) added red hearts (which are not shaped like hearts) and peppered the holiday with exchanges of candy and other gifts. I can’t help but wonder what the martyred Christians would think of the celebration of the death in this modern way! Remember, of course, the holiday has somewhat of a religious flair with the addition of “Saint” added. “Saint Valentine’s Day” is, like most holidays, quite commercialized for the sale of millions of dollars’ worth of cards and candy - even in grade schools where each kid in the class gives “valentines” to each of the others.
I suppose most of this man-made holiday is fairly innocuous, especially since it has become more of a cultural day of kindness and romance rather than memories of martyrs. But the whole thing does bring up a good question, “How do all of these oddities come to be?” Without going into long, detailed histories, suffice it to say, man strays from real history constantly. Whether by intention or by accident and imagination, man strays from reality quite often.
That’s where written record comes in. The written record of martyrs named “Valentine” gives us a permanent history that does not change. Odd but true: ink on a page is more trustworthy than human memories and cultural ideas.
That’s where scripture comes in. In God’s infinite wisdom, he chose ink on a page, first from the pens of the apostles and early scribes, then from the plates of a printing press. There, locked on the unchangeable pages of God’s word, are the messages from His heart to ours. There are truths of God to the ears and minds of men… the very “Testament” which Jesus died to ratify (see Hebrews chapter 9). Therein are the truths that set us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Therein are the words of eternal life (John 6:68, 69).
Man will always have his man-made frivolities, some innocuous, some rather odd! But we will always have Jesus’ words life. God’s truths will not fade away like the grass but will endure forever (Isaiah 40:6-8).
Ray Wallace
The Depths of Deception
Many years ago, a study was done on the effects of television programming on adults. Most college students in the study agreed that a lot of TV viewing had negative effects on most people, but over 80% said it didn’t affect them, personally.
Scientific American Magazine, Science times Magazine, Harvard University and many other respected institutions have published research showing numerous deleterious effects of too much TV time. Yet most people think it affects others, but not them. That’s the way deception works - we usually think others are deceived, but not ourselves!
This article is not really about television, that is just one example. There is only one passage of scripture that says Satan has one tool that affects the whole world: “deception.” “And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…” Rev. 12:9.
We might notice that each one of us is part of “the whole world!” We like to imagine that we are above the fray, too educated and thoughtful to fall for Satan’s deceptions. But in reality, that is nothing but arrogant… not that we are arrogant people in general, but that is an arrogant position. Part of Satan’s deception is to convince us that we are above deception itself!
Dr. Benjamin T. Moore, III wrote a small but compelling book, Let My People Think. In this 132-page book, Dr. Moore plays off Moses’ words to Pharoah, “Let My people go!” Often mankind creates political, social, and financial freedom while still, unknowingly, being chained mentally and spiritually to the world’s system of thinking. It happens to Christians also, even strong ones!
Seemingly small things like allowing anger to continue past the close of day, open up opportunities for Satan to come in and destroy a person personally and destroy his or her relationships. (See Ephesians 4:25-27.) in verse 25, Paul teaches us that the first step is to be “ridding yourselves of falsehood,” (NASB) and the precursor to that is put on a new self… in the “holiness of truth,” (verses 20-24).
Obviously, forming a new self in the holiness of truth is not an easy task. Why? Specifically, because Satan’s deception is so… well… deceptive! Taking specific steps to allow scripture to form and/or refine my understanding of the world, of God and of myself, then taking practical steps to form the mind of Christ is an absolute requirement if we are to overcome the deceptions of Satan. Ephesians 4:17 reminds us that without God, we are doomed to walk in the futility of the mind.
Peter calls us to a high plane in I Peter 1:13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
We must be constantly vigilant to prepare our minds by using God’s word to expose the deceptions of Satan in our culture and in our personal hearts and minds.
Ray Wallace
Searching for Truth
Diogenes of Sinope (404-323 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher who is still somewhat famous to this day. He advocated for truth over nice manners, which is still a difficult balance in friendly circles, “Does my new hairdo look good, sweetheart?” There’s a challenge for any man! But Diogenes is most famous for walking about at night with a lantern, holding close to people’s faces saying he was looking for an honest man. A serious search for honesty must include two things, finding truth, then finding those who will hold fast to the truth. It is such a controversial issue that many professors teach that man cannot know truth. I would submit that man is literally afraid to find and defend truth for fear they will become an outcast in their own circle of friends and family (or be electronically canceled by big tech!). One grave problem is that established media outlets quite often hide or spin truth to suit their own agendas, political or social. Media outlets who do that become, by default, part of cabal seeking to either advance or defend an agreed upon mantra, rather than do the hard and often dangerous work of literally reporting truth and letting the proverbial chips fall where they may. Through either obfuscation or biased mistake, the truth is subdued. I see a strong parallel in the religious world wherein truth (God’s truth, not some human version of it) is not sought from God’s written word, but rather a pre-determined, man-made doctrine is defended, even if it flies in the face of God’s written truth. In John 17:17, Jesus, praying to Father, said of the disciples, “Sanctify them in truth, Thy word is truth.” Let’s be frank, two churches cannot teach directly opposing things and both be right; e.g., one church teaches that Jesus is deity and another that He is not deity. They cannot both be right, no matter how loudly modern (anti-logical) thought claims that they can! I submit that every thinking person alive must, if he wishes to find truth, be brutally logical and practically careful in his or her search for truth. Truth matters, whether in a court of law or the court of public opinion. All too often people are so afraid of public opinion that they capitulate by either agreeing with error or simply remaining quiet for fear of ostracism. When, oh when, will people, in general, seek the maturity that only comes from a restless, energetic, logical search for truth? In Colossians 2, God settles the debate about the deity of Jesus in verse 9, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form….” But notice verse 8, “See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ.” Most people severely underestimate the depth and power of earthly influence, and when they do, the principles of the world become the basis of their thoughts, ideas and assessments of what they choose to call “truth,” (or their denial of it). Let us be gravely careful to grow the courage to see, understand, be dedicated to and then proclaim God’s truth, from His written word, no matter what religions gurus try to tell us! Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding. Prov. 23:23.
Ray Wallace
Don’t Equate Difficulty with Evil
When you were a child, there were times when you faced some difficulty or perhaps discipline and it felt like something bad. You may have even perceived it as evil. I certainly had plenty of those moments. As we grow older, we begin to see reality in a brighter light. I speed, I get a ticket. I stay in the parking space too long and I get a parking ticket. Some cause and effect events are fairly clear and obvious.
Some events in life are not so obvious. Often things in the spiritual realm are not so easily sorted out, particularly if we are not soaking daily life in God’s word. When that happens and life seems to get sideways, we are unsure of what is happening. Job is a perfect example of confusing the struggles of normal life on earth with discipline from God. Job was suffering, indeed, but the sources of his suffering were first, Satan’s bringing actual maladies and second, the verbal attacks from his friends who had misconstrued what was happening (Job 42:7).
We, like Job’s friends, can easily mistake normal life challenges for discipline from God, and vice versa!Americans today are fairly insulated from second and third world problems if we live a proper disciplined life. For instance, very few who work hard with a good attitude will become homeless, etc.), but it’s still easy to mistake God’s loving discipline for evil… Satan loves to deceive us in this earthly realm (Rev. 12:9).
We see a principle at work in Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
People love to appeal to that verse in troubled times, but it was not written to us! The verse was written to people whom God, Himself, had driven from their homes and their nation because of abject sin. God’s own people had allowed violence, immorality and idolatry to flood into their nation and their own lives. Verse 11 is given to speak of their future 70 years later! Notice the previous verse: “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. And verse 12: Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
They are in the midst of God’s discipline, and it isn’t going to end anytime soon! The principle of verse 11 still applies: after God has disciplined a sinner, he can seek God in prayer and God will listen. The principle is just as clear in Hebrews 12:3-11, which ends with this wisdom: All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. When we allow God’s discipline to train us, we then enter the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” stage we love. POINT: be gravely careful that you do not misinterpret the loving discipline of God to be evil. AND be gravely careful not to misinterpret actual evil as if it were an expression of God’s love. How do know the difference? My only answer is to soak life’s sores in the wisdom and healing of God’s word. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Ps. 119:105).
Ray Wallace
Forget Me Not
For the gardeners among us, the Forget Me Not is joyous little half inch flower, usually sky blue, that grows in dense clumps of simple beauty. I’ve always marveled at the name, almost an admonition not to forget the beauty these little gems impart to those who gaze upon them.
The same term is often a love thought that passes between loved ones as they temporarily part ways for some distant journey. “Forget me not” at its root is a term of endearment that is both gentle and a bit of a request based on love’s longing to be in the other’s thoughts and dreams.
Virtually every true Christian is aware of the reality that 1 Corinthians 13 is nicknamed, “The Love Chapter.” Yet virtually every conflict among God’s children is, in one way or another, a lapse in the memory, a sort of forgetting of the precious description of love itself.”Oh, that we might learn to use the term and the application of “forget me not” to request not merely a thought from a person but a memory of the passage!
We all know the call: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…. (English Standard Version).
Countless sermons and classes have been taught from this passage and the personal applications are endless. But in reality, it is so very easy to forget the actual specifics of the call to apply these qualities in our personal relationships!
I have an idea: open your Bible and get a pen. In the margin write “Forget Me Not” as bold as your pen will allow. Then put a star beside it. Then put a circle around it. Then draw a little 5 petaled blossom of the Forget Me Not flower beside it, then color it blue, then put a check mark at the top outside corner of the page, the dog ear the page, then put a bookmark there, then… well, you get the idea - forget it not!
From childhood sweethearts to life-long marriages, from dearly beloved Christian brothers and sisters, from head-to-head and heart-to-heart, agape the highest, least selfish form of love binds heart and lives to one another, and binds our souls to the Son of God. Indeed… Forget Me Not must apply to the passage as well as the person. “Let all that you do be done in love,” 1 Corinthians 16:14. When we live the love, the flowers of our faith will brighten the path of all we meet. Don’t forget!
Ray Wallace
Thought for the Day
The apostle Paul had been arrested, imprisoned and confined without cause for well over two years because he preached “the resurrection of the dead” (Act 23:6; 24:21; 28:20). When he finally stood on trial before King Agrippa, Paul asked the question to the king and the multitude that was gathered, “Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26:8). Think about that question.
If God is truly God, what is there that is “impossible” (Mark 10:27) for Him? What is there that He is not “able to do” (Eph. 3:20)? As the Almighty God “who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:24) and “who made you and formed you from the womb” (Isa. 44:2), why should it be thought incredible that God raises the dead or does any other mighty work? Child of God, do not limit your God! Do not make Him fit your expectations! Do not demote Him or doubt His might! Why should it be incredible to you that He can make a difference in your life? David Sproule Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
DECISIONS
In the blockbuster movie series, Back to the Future, we see many interesting things, but one important lesson even children easily notice is that decisions and actions based on those decisions can completely change long term outcomes in life! Through the application of self-discipline (Galatians 5:23) decisions become actions which change the courses of our lives. Self-discipline is certainly a key ingredient in life’s recipe, but without good, proper decisions, self-discipline could actually be used to pursue an evil goal. So let us focus for a moment on the decision side of life’s equation. Eighty-two times we see some form of “decide” or “decision” in the New America Standard Bible. Obviously, this is a major concept in a Christian’s walk with God. If we also consider forms of the word “choose” we see 233 occurrences of those words in the NASB! Decisions happen in the head, then choosingis usually logical and practical application of our decisions. Example: on a playground, kids decide who they want on their team, then they actively choose those persons. It would be hard to over-estimate the number of decisions and choices every person makes daily. Food choices, purchase choices, reading choices, time and activity choices, word choices, TV choices, movie choices, etc. for virtually every thought we have and action we take. One famous passage shows the importance of our choices: “…choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:15 The choice made “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” had the outcome of great blessings and even national success for the nation. The challenge issued by Joshua can and should be applied today. We must make a decision in our heads, then make the practical choice which results in serving the Lord. Like Back to the Future, we can and do change our futures when we make decisions and then choose courses of action. Be gravely careful that you do not make important life decisions based on comfort or pleasure. Be gravely careful that you do not make important life decisions sub-consciously but consciously, looking to your future, on earth and in eternity. Joy in this life and unspeakable joy in the next are inextricably linked to your decisions and choices today. You CAN and DO change your future with your choices today. Choose well.
Ray Wallace
Seeing the Unseen
Sounds a bit impossible. But God calls us to see the unseen and He never gives us a command which He does not empower us to accomplish. Example: God never commanded me to jump over the Grand Canyon. I wish He would, then He would empower me to be able to do it, and it would be so much fun! And I would hold the long jump record forever!
Back to the topic: seeing the unseen. There are two ways we do that. First through what we often call the “eye of faith.” After all, the very definition of “faith” found in Hebrews 11:1 is, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” Did you catch it, “… not seen.” In verse 8, Abraham left not knowing where he was going, he couldn’t even see the next pit stop in his journey. But he obeyed God and followed the daily instructions of the journey.
We must do the same. Although we cannot see God’s plan for tomorrow, we follow “in His steps” as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:21. The only way we can follow Jesus is to put our feet in His footsteps day by day. “But I can’t see His footsteps!” you say? Ah… that is the point… you follow even though you cannot see. “But that’s nonsense,” you say? It is nonsense only if you cannot see with the eye of faith!
“OK, where do I get this faith? How do I develop it?” I’m glad you asked. God answers through Paul’s pen in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” As you read, you can not only understand (Ephesians 3:4), but you also “see” because reading and understanding give you the ability to see, through the eye of faith, exactly where to walk, “not as unwise but as wise,” (Ephesians 5:15).
In the great hall of faith, Hebrews chapter 11, we are called to see not only the footsteps forward, but the memory backward. It is not our own personal memory, but through faith in God’s word we “see” the great faith giants of the past, how they walked in faith in deeply challenging times. The call, through that walk down memory lane, is to build our faith to the point where we can see, understand, and walk in the same faith that created courage and discipline in those men and women of Hebrews 11.
By faith, we see the past, the great men of old, the birth of Jesus, the strength of the apostles, the faithfulness of the average Christians in spreading the good news, Acts 8:4. As we read, we understand, we see, we share the memories of the first century and we then see the future, the “unseen” of tomorrow, next year and, by the grace of God, our eternity with Him.
Ray Wallace
Be Not Deceived
Deception is one of the most common things we see in human interactions. From personal interaction to national discourse to international intrigue, deception is almost the norm! Deception is rampant for many reasons, including the pursuit of power, money, control, domination, and the fact that it often works! If deception seldom worked, only the naive would attempt it. But deception is, indeed, often successful for the simple reason that deception, by its very nature, seeks to hide the real agenda behind the attempt. To state the obvious, deception deceives. Some attempts are more effective than others but being deceived by every whim of others is not inevitable. God has a lot to say about deception, in both event and warning. God tells us through Paul’s pen, “Do not be deceived…” in serval passages. The entire Bible has nearly 100 passages about deception (depending on which English translation is being used. “Be not deceived” is actually in the imperative mood, meaning it is a command. Knowing that God never commands what we cannot achieve, we should know deeply in our hearts that we can live a godly life that, more often than not, we can avoid being deceived. From the beginning of time, God’s people have had to deal with deception. Eve was deceived by Satan, 1 Timothy 2:14. Laban deceived Jacob, Genesis 31. Wine and strong drink are deceivers, Proverbs 20:1, and on and on. And we must remember the ever-present deception that is common in our culture – simply being with those of bad morals, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals,” 1 Corinthians 15:33. King Saul was corrupted when he listened to the people and feared their voice, “I have sinned, for I have violated the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice,” 1 Samuel 15:24. In today’s world it is a challenge to avoid people of bad morals! But we must, as much as possible. Yes, we must associate with people void of faith (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). But each of us can mitigate the time we spend with “bad company.” It might be embarrassing at times. It might even cause loss of former friendships, especially when a friend is in the process of becoming bad. Many I know have had to sever former relationships when their friend ignored what is right. We must be on guard because our hearts can be deceived from deep within. Deuteronomy 11:16, “Beware that your hearts are not easily deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them.” Once a heart is deceived, it often deceives others: Isaiah 44:20, “…a deceived heart has misled him. Deception does not need an outside source, “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, “Obadiah 1:3.” Likewise, 1 Corinthians 3:18 warns, “Take care that no one deceives himself.” Perhaps the most egregious deception is precisely that, self-deception,” which is usually born of the desire to ignore God’s word in one’s personal life. From outside influences to internal desires, each of us must take great care not to be deceived, consciously or subconsciously and thus begin a trek that leads away from God.
Ray Wallace
Discerning Empty Philosophies
Some passages of scripture are umbrella verses that can cover a lot of ground. For example, in Luke 6:27 Jesus said, “…do good to those who hate you.” That’s an umbrella verse that covers a lot of life. “Do good” might be a thousand different things. Herein the focus will be on an umbrella verse that calls for a lot of wisdom and understanding, Colossians 2:8: See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ.
The challenge is for the faithful follower of Christ to both recognize and avoid the philosophies and empty deceptions of his or her generations. In Ephesians 4:14 Paul refers to the problem as, “the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming….” Similarly, in Ephesians 6:11 he warns that, “We must not be ignorant of the devil’s schemes. His schemes come in a plethora of ways that deceive many people in every generation.
One of Satan’s schemes that often goes unnoticed is the slow creep of what we could call “normalization.” That happens when the culture, as a whole, slowly begins to accept a sin and define it as good. God has warned us about that problem for over 1700 years, Isaiah 5:20: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Like the proverbial frog being slowly boiled without jumping out of the pan, many in society and sadly, even some Christians, begin to slowly but surely accept abject sins that previous generations recognized and rejected. The heinousness of the sin is of little consequence. From “little white lies” to abortion and same sex marriage, slow acceptance of sin is common when Christians pay more attention to culture than to scripture. One of the dangers comes for the slow nature of the societal change. The ungodly change, even at its slow pace, must be recognized and confronted by faithful Christians in every generation.
Today, some philosophies and empty deceptions seem to be more deceptive than ever, but in reality, every generation of God’s people have had to be biblically educated and practically aware to be able to overcome the schemes of the devil. We must, each one of us, make it a personal and individual goal to live life by the gospel, the power of salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). Satan’s schemes can be extremely deceptive. Our spiritual wisdom must be profoundly deep. If we fall short of this goal, we will normalize sin without realizing our failure.
Ray Wallace
GRATITUDE
Author Melody Beattie wrote, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” True, indeed. That’s what gratitude does, but what is gratitude? National Medal of Arts winner, Lionel Hampton, a multi-award-winning jazz musician in the 20th century, defined it in a very practical way, “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart, not the mind.” That’s a lovely thought with which I agree. But that only works if one’s heart is in the right place.
As our nation recently celebrated Thanksgiving Day, we must not let it escape our notice that the deepest giving of thanks must be accompanied by genuine gratitude. Being grateful is actually a prerequisite for thankfulness. Once we are genuinely grateful, we must recognize the source of that for which we are grateful. We must recognize that the vast majority of what we have, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, food, family, friends, fun, shelter and clothing and joy, God is the giver, for He has created the raw materials from which we build those things. Gratitude is the fertile soil of the soul from which true thanksgiving grows.
If we don’t recognize Jehovah God as the great creator, builder, giver of life and source of all blessings, we will most likely live in frustration, feeling under the thumb of mindless circumstance, or we will begin to credit ourselves with whatever we have and become smug, feeling superior to those who have less, and inferior to those who have more.
To the contrary, when we live in genuine gratitude which flows into thanksgiving to God, we begin to know we are loved by Him, and blessed by Him, and the attitude those two create becomes a life lived in a positive place, even if the world is falling apart. No wonder Paul commands us to let our mind dwell on positive things (Philippians 4:4-8).
In this often dark and foreboding world we must, as the famous author Anonymous one wrote, “Put some gratitude in your attitude. There’s always something to be grateful for.” He also gives us the practical process of getting there, “Spend the day appreciating every little thing that comes your way and you’ll end the day feeling deeply grateful for your life!”
Yes, I know the world is coming apart at the seams. But remember Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Ray Wallace
And on that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.” Isaiah 12:4
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His faithfulness is everlasting. 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 136:1
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving And declare all Your wonders. Psalm 26:7
Unshaded Lamp
A completely dark room is hard to navigate. A dimly lit room is only a little better. Have you noticed that the best lighting in a room is when it is hanging from the ceiling, so that the whole room benefits from it? That’s exactly what Jesus said that Christians are to be! We are to be “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14), but where are we? Are we a “light” that is kept down low near the ground, where we are less visible? No! Are we a “light” that is shaded to keep from being too obvious or bright? No! Christians are to be a light that is put “on a lampstand” (5:15). The lampstand would be in a prominent place in the home. It was elevated to provide maximum coverage for “all who are in the house.” Do we want our faith to be prominent in our lives, or do we hold it back? Do we seek to provide maximum coverage for all people, or are we selective about who we want to see our faith? True Christians are unshaded lamps of the gospel of Christ (2 Cor. 4:3-7).
David Sproule Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida We Are a Bit Different As Christians, we are certainly different from the world - we all know that. But we are not very different from Christians in the first century. We are saved by the blood of Jesus, we are despised by some in the world (the darkness hates the light John 3:19-21) and we have peace that surpasses all comprehension of those who don’t have it (Philippians 4:4-13). But in one way we are very different. In the first century, in most of the Mediterranean countries, all people were under the thumb of the Roman Empire. They had been conquered, militarily, and were subjects of the whims of the emperor. They had no say in governmental affairs. In America today, we are greatly blessed by God to live in the nation where all citizens, including Christians, are actually the sovereign. We the people, are the final word, the kings in command, the final arbiter of the entire government. (Yes, I know some want to change that, but so far it is still in effect.) We the people decide who rules, by vote and appointment of those we elected. We the people gained the responsibility of this contract on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. Ever since then, we became different. The principles that apply to government, in the scriptures, now, necessarily, apply to us… we the people, who control our nation. In essence and in law, we the people are now responsible to our nation and to God for the governing laws we create. As God held King David responsible for Uriah’s death (not Joab), God holds responsible those who have the final power and authority. (See 2 Samuel 11-12 for that story). Today, that sovereign authority is squarely in the hands of we the people, as a group. Certainly, we don’t always get what we vote for, but the majority does. The majority may vote in people who go against God’s word (and often do). But that does not negate every Christian’s personal responsibility to do all they can to vote for people who will support what is good and right. This responsibility weighs heavily on me, personally, and we should all take it very seriously. A dear personal friend once taught that ability plus opportunity equals responsibility. When we have an ability and also the opportunity, we have, thereby, responsibility. If I have the ability and the opportunity to save someone from a burning house, the I also have the responsibility. If I have been granted by God and our founding fathers the ability and the opportunity to shape our nation toward good and away from evil, the I also have the responsibility to do what I can to affect that outcome. This Tuesday, Americans, including Christians, will make choices as the sovereigns of our nation. On every ballot will be choices between good and evil. Please, please, as in all other endeavors, make sure your choices are as godly as you know how. The choices of sovereigns make or break nations.
Ray Wallace
Think on These Things Over the years it has been interesting to see how often culture aligns with scripture... not very often. But when it does, it is noteworthy. Obviously, our culture is becoming increasingly evil. Crime, immortality and even idolatry are on the rise. Without God, these cultural crashes inevitably bring frustration and despair in our society. But individually, it is not so inevitable. Back in the 1960s, Bob Luman recorded a song written by Boudleaux Bryant entitled, Let’s Think About Living.” The opening lyrics are quite honest about songs reflecting violent crime and despair, but move quickly into the chorus with, “Let’s think about living, let’s think about loving... let’s forget about the whining and the lying and the shooting and the dying and the fellow with the switchblade knife, let’s think about living, let’s think about life.” God’s plan is for His faithful people to respond to His word and this song parallels that plan. Frustration is natural, normal, and often the right response, but despair is not. Paul covers some very important bases in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 He is very open and honest as he recognizes negative things in life, but he quickly moves to the antidote: 7 But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you. Then, after reminding us of our own coming resurrection and the grace of God in verses 14 and 15, Paul seals the passage with this encouragement: 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. We are, indeed, “perplexed but not despairing” (v. 8) if and when we focus not on things temporal, but on the eternal (v. 18). Maybe Paul was serious when he taught us to rejoice, pray and to let our minds dwell on the positive things in Philippians 4:4-9. Ray Wallace
Listening For God’s Voice
A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, “I hear a cricket.” His friend said, “What? You must be crazy. You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all this noise!” “No, I’m sure of it,” the Native American said, “I heard a cricket.” “That’s crazy,” said the friend. The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes beneath the branches, and sure enough, there was a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. “That’s incredible,” said his friend. “You must have super-human ears!” “No,” said the Native American. “My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you’re listening for.” “But that can’t be,” said the friend. “I could never hear a cricket in all this noise.” “Yes, you can,” came the reply. “Here, let me show you.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed that every person’s head within twenty feet turned and looked to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. “See what I mean?” asked the Native American. “It all depends on what’s important to you, and what you’re listening for.” What’s important to us? What do we listen for? Are there times that we fail to listen to God, because we are focused on other things that are more important to us? Regarding the Jews, Jesus said, “For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.” (Matthew 13:15-16; cf. Isaiah 6:9-10; Acts 28:26-27). Brethren, amid the distractions of the world all around us, may our ears always be open, not only ready to listen for, but to hear and be obedient to God’s voice as He speaks to us through His word (1 Samuel 3:9-10; cf. John 8:47; John 10:4; John 10:27; 1 John 4:6).
Some folks may ask me, some folks may say, “Who is this Jesus you talk about every day?” He is my Savior, He set me free, Now listen while I tell you what He means to me.
This is far more than a kids’ camp song. It is a reminder to all who call on the name of Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. All too often Christians can unintentionally allow our religion to become a set of rules and regulations void of relationship.
The church that Jesus built does, indeed, have rules and regulations. To deny that is to deny Christian love itself. Why? Because Jesus, Himself, said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments,” - John 14:15. Without commandments to keep, we cannot fully love Him as He commanded.
The problem comes if Christians either, A. Deny there are rules and regulations to obey (“Just fell the love!”), or B. Begin to believe that rules and regulations are the only things in Christianity.
I agree with James Dobson’s comment, “Rules without relationship create rebellion.” I’ve spent my 43 years preaching career seeing some people reject the rules because they do not have love for Jesus, nor recognize Jesus’ love for them. Far too may forget the powerful reality found in 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” We can love, simply because He first loved us! Since it is virtually impossible to express love without some sort of sacrifice, it makes sense when we read, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son….” Love gives. Love sacrifices. Love often gives up something.
In our case today, love gives up sin to “keep His commandments.” The more we love, the more we talk about the object of our love. The more we talk about the object of our love, in this case, Jesus, Himself, the more people hear us talking. The more they hear us talking, the more likely they are to ask, “Who is this Jesus you talk about every day?” Then we can answer the question as an expression of our love for Him and for them:
He is my everything, He is my all He is my everything, both great and small He gave His life for me, made everything new, He is my everything, now how about you?
Ray Wallace
Pessimism and Optimism, Personal and National
Optimism vs Pessimism has been debated since the time of the great Greek philosophers. Aristotle was known for his optimism, but he connected it to positive actions, not merely thoughts or moods: He wrote “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Modern counselors have also recognized the link between actions and mental health. It is now widely understood that good, disciplined actions in heart and in hand, are basic parts of good attitudes and good moods. But optimism is a growing challenge when daily life is growing tougher. Inflation has some families deciding between heat and eats. Political arguments are dominating the news tempting us to give up hope. Personal friends are attacking personal friends for perceived social infractions and even families are drawing battle lines and rejecting one another for social or political offenses. There truly are many things in our nation that are currently challenging our pursuit of love, joy, peace and patience. The international scene is not any better, with active wars, pipeline sabotage, sky-rocketing crime rates and supply chain problems, including food. We should never deny the realities of those things. Denial of reality is never God’s plan for your peace. But optimism should never be the result of circumstances you do not control personally. Again the Greeks recognized the pursuit of optimism as a basic reality of life - a reality many have missed today. Democritus wrote, “Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul.” Keep in mind that these were secular philosophers who, somehow, somewhere, stumbled on these timeless truths that things and situations do not control or deliver optimism or pessimism. So, what does? In reality, you do. Optimism vs pessimism is a personal choice - it is now and always has been. All my life I have seen individuals who are in the same place in the same circumstances, yet one is happy and optimistic and the other is unhappy and pessimistic. Optimism is simply not a result of ignorance or denial of bad circumstances. It is a result of an individual’s response to the circumstances! Never forget that. Write it on your bathroom mirror in eyebrow pencil (that works very well, ask me how I know). Frame it in fancy calligraphy on your dining room wall. And write it on the tablet of your heart. And remember that the concept applies to national and international situations as much as personal ones. No matter what is happening outside our minds, we still control our personal, inner responses. I’m not saying a positive response is always easy, but Paul tells us it is possible, as God inspired him to encourage the church at Philippi to combine positive thoughts, with positive actions:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Did you catch it? We must allow our minds to dwell on positive things! Control your thoughts and practice the things Paul has taught! When you actually live in that reality, “the God of peace will be with you.”
Ray Wallace
Seeing the World Through Your Own Headlines
Sometimes I just want it to stop. Talk of Covid, protests, looting, brutality. I lose my way. Become convinced that that this “new normal” is real life.
But then, I meet an 87 year old who talks of living through Polio diptheria, Vietnam, protests and yet is still enchanted with life. He seemed surprised when I said that 2020 must be especially challenging for him. “No,” he said slowly looking me straight in the eyes, “I learned a long time ago to not see the world through the printed headlines. I see the world through the people that surround me. I see the world with the realization that we love big. Therefore, I just choose to write my own headlines. “Husband loves wife today.” “Family drops everything to come to Grandma’s bedside.” He patted my hand. “Old man makes new friend.”
His words collide with my worries, freeing them from the tether I had been holding tight. They float away. I am left with a renewed spirit. My headline now reads, “Woman overwhelmed by the spirit of kindness and the reminder that our capacity to love is never ending.”
(From Facebook 2022)
Nature and Nature’s God
I love the forest. I grew up hunting, hiking and camping. In my mid teen years I would camp with other teens for days, and “live off the land” as we imagined ourselves modern versions of Daniel Boone, eating rabbits, bull frogs, and fish. I find the forest a place of solitude and reflection, rest and rejuvenation. But I’ve never found my soul there! Since the hippie movement of the 1960s, many Americans have looked to nature rather than nature’s God for everything from folly to philosophy. In reality, when humans supplant the true God with physical nature, they are merely rejecting the Creator of nature and allowing their own desires to become their personal god. In Romans 1:22-25, Paul warned true followers of Jesus about this very thing (they worshipped created things rather than the Creator). Likewise, the founding fathers of our country would refer to nature and Nature’s God. I don’t know how many times I have heard some say (Christian or not), “I can be closer to God camping on a mountain top than I can in church.” That comment reveals a deep, but often unrecognized reality within that person’s mind: My religion is one of personal emotions and enjoyment of pleasing self, rather than one of seeking to please the almighty God who created me and gave His Son to die on the cross to redeem me from my own sin. Every true Christian should desire to show his or her love for God in the way God, Himself, has given us in scripture, “If you love Me you will keep my commandments,” - John 14:15. It is quite easy, even for faithful Christians, to supplant God’s will with their own version of His will, without recognizing it. The peace of the woods (which is very real) can be easily mistaken for the “peace that passes understanding,” - Philippians 4:7. John Muir’s famous quote reflects that mistake: “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir Muir was a great naturalist and I enjoy reading his work. But scripture has taught me to recognize the difference between the allure of simple, emotional peace and the deep, true peace the comes from knowing and pleasing Him. Let us all imbibe deeply of this wonderful natural world that our loving Father has created for our enjoyment and sustenance, while remembering who He is and His loving call to be closer to him than anything in this world. Perhaps our mantra would better read, “Into His worship I go, to lose my anxiety and find my soul.”
Ray Wallace
Being Agreeable? I have seen an evil developing and increasing. The evil casts unwarranted doubt on others, destroys friendships and wrecks reputations. The evil is wrong agreement! We love to have an agreeable disposition. It just feels Christian. Being agreeable also avoids argument, buys a peaceable reputation and makes it easier to be around our friends - they know we are agreeable! To be sure, we should not be trouble-makers, in general... most of the time... when we can.. but not at the expense of truth, not at the expense of another’s reputation and not at the expense of our own Christianity. But isn’t it “Christian” to be agreeable? Sure, mostly, when we can, when it is merely social. But in today’s world it has become unfashionable and even considered gauche almost anytime one is disagreeable. Consider this, you are standing around the water cooler at work and someone berates a co-worker. Several agree on what a jerk he or she is and they all look at you waiting for the personal affirmation of your agreement! You’re on the spot, you can feel the hot seat. Agree or be an outcast. Agree or you’re no longer in the in crowd! Agree or you get “cancelled,” if not by Facebook, at least by friends. You must choose: friendship or personal integrity... cool factor or cancellation! You are convinced the subject of the gossip is actually a very nice person. You know that person better than any of the gossipers and you know they are simply wrong and judgmental. Do you agree to be sociable? Do you go along to get along? You know the right thing to do but you also understand the consequences. In the closing chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul gives a sobering command to Jesus’ followers: Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13, 14.) “Act like men, be strong.” To follow Jesus’ command of treating others like you would want to be treated, (Matthew 7:12), you simply must step up to the plate. We can be and must learn to disagree without being disagreeable. Try these: “Truthfully, I’ve never seen that person be unfriendly.” “Maybe he was not feeling well this morning, let’s not be judgmental.” “You know... all of us are out of sorts at times. Let’s be supportive.” “Have you actually confirmed this negative story? I’m not sure it’s true.” “Let’s be more friendly to him/her. Maybe they’re having a tough time at home.” (You can think of more.) Reputations are tough things to earn and they can easily be damaged by a lying tongue, a hateful word or malicious gossip. “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.” Exodus 23:1. (Psalm 35:19 and 1 Timothy 3:1-5 will add understanding to the challenge. Don’t let fear control you Be kind. Let all that you do be done in love.
Ray Wallace
Spirit of Confusion Part 2 Kyle Click To say there is a misunderstanding about the Holy Spirit would be an understatement. The issue in the churches of Christ today stems from a reaction to the extreme views of the Pentecostals and miraculous healing. This has caused brethren to view the Holy Spirit to be detached and uninvolved. In our last article, we discussed the idea of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does, past, present, and future as described in the Bible. Now that we understand who the third person of the godhead is, let’s break down the two most common views of the Holy Spirit’s operation in us today that are found in the Lord’s church. These two views reflect on what does the “gift of the Holy Spirit” mean? This question is based on Acts 2:38, “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The first view is commonly held in Bible Belt congregations and explains that the “gift” is the Holy Spirit which is miraculous in nature and is given by the laying of the apostle's hands. This argument says Acts 1 & 2 are only talking to the apostles and the Christians who were there at Pentecost. Because of this understanding of Scripture, the Holy Spirit does not literally indwell us today but is in the Word only. This argument uses Acts 2:1-4 as evidence that this is speaking only to apostles. The brethren who hold this view make sure that it gives no room for Pentecostalism. If this position is true, then it is saying that Acts 2:38 is only three-quarters applicable: repentance, baptism, and forgiveness, omitting the gift of the Holy Spirit for Christians today. The other common view is the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This view believes that the Holy Spirit indwells Christians today. The “gift of the Holy Spirit” is the Holy Spirit Himself and is a seal or a pledge for the one who obeys the gospel, (2 Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians 1:14). To sum up this idea nicely brother Mike Vestal puts it this way “We become Christians by lovingly obeying the truth in repentance and baptism at which point He forgives us of our sins and gives us the non-miraculous Holy Spirit in a non-supernatural way as an assurance that God will give us the inheritance.” In conclusion, the Holy Spirit is a subject where many brethren have differing views. Whether Biblical or not, it can be a heated topic in the brotherhood. However, the gift of the Holy Spirit is a promise of God and promises have nothing to do with salvation. We don't have to fully understand a promise of God to receive it and not understanding does not make a Christian not right with God. We cannot let this divide the brotherhood and become a fellowship issue. We are all baptized into Christ and members of His one church for which Jesus died. We must not divide over promises God has made because if one is a true New Testament Christian, one will receive the promise whether they understand it or not. “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment” 1 Corinthians 1:10.
Spirit of Confusion? Part 1 Kyle Click In today's religious world there are many different ideas about what the Bible says on things like faith, salvation, and church organization. With so many differing views on such things, people who are searching for God can easily get lost in the weeds of religious dogma. The most confusing of these doctrinal topics in the “Christianity” culture today is the Holy Spirit. It seems nearly every manmade denomination has a different idea of who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in our lives today. In this first article, we will discuss who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in the book of Acts. Part 2 will discuss the various views of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives today that are found in the churches of Christ. Before we jump into Acts let’s introduce the idea of the “measure of the Holy Spirit” found in the gospel of John. In John 3:34 it says, "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.” In other words, Jesus got the full measure of the Holy Spirit. Now let’s let this Biblical term help us understand the different “measures” of the Holy Spirit’s power that are illustrated in Acts and how different people got different measures. First, there is the measure of the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” This was given only to the apostles in Acts 2:1-4 and Cornelius and his household in Acts 10:1-11:18. In Acts 2, the apostles were given the Holy Spirit to give them the power to confirm the word through miracles to the ones they were preaching to (Mark 16:20). The purpose of Cornelius being baptized was to prove to the Jews that Gentiles could be saved (Acts 10:44). The second measure of the Holy Spirit is the “laying on of hands measure.” This was when an apostle laid hands on a person to impart a miraculous gift. This could only be transferred from an apostle to an individual and the individual could not pass that gift on. Once the apostles and the ones who had the laying on of hands measure had died, the source of the miracles died with them. There are five examples of laying on of hands in Scripture, Stephen, Philip, and others in Acts 6:6-8; disciples in Acts 8:18; Acts 19:5, 6; Romans 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:6. The third and final measure is the indwelling of the Spirit. This is the measure the author believes New Testament Christians have today. In Acts 2:47, Peter gives two promises, forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:32 says those who obey God have the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13, 14 as well as 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 mention that the Holy Spirit is a seal and a pledge. A down payment or earnest for what is to come in our reward. How do baptized Christians know they have the indwelling Holy Spirit? In the same way we know we have forgiveness of sin, through faith (Ephesians 3:16-19). In a world of religious confusion, it’s easy to get misled about something like the Holy Spirit, especially when there are so many opinions and ideas floating around. However, if we get back to the Bible and understand the context of these important verses that mention the Holy Spirit, we can have an understanding of this amazing promise that our Almighty God has given us.
Returning to God’s Word
Thomas Campbell has been regarded as “the architect of the Restoration Movement.” He was the one who really got the ball rolling for this movement to begin. Thomas is best known for his work among The Christian Association of Washington. This group was not a church but was a group of church reform advocates. Thomas Campbell wrote a document called The Declaration and Address to identify the purpose of this association. That document became the single most influential document of the entire Restoration Movement. Thomas Campbell said some of the most famous words in describing the basic principle of this group. Here’s what he said: “Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent.” This principle was one of the most earth shattering statements of the Restoration Movement. In fact, it was so shocking that one man responded by saying, “Mr. Campbell, if we adopt that as a basis, then there is an end to infant baptism.” Thomas Campbell’s reply was, “if infant baptism be not found in Scripture, we can have nothing to do with it.” Too many people who wear the name “Christian” today aren’t speaking where the Bible speaks and are speaking loudly where the Bible is completely silent. If we want to be true biblical Christians, we must base everything we do on the Bible. We must take the Bible as our only guide, and speak where it speaks, and be silent where it is silent. Thomas Campbell was one of the most influential preachers of the Restoration Movement because he based everything he did on this principle. We need more people today like Thomas Campbell who will speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.
“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.”
What is Heaven Like?
What a great question. Like planning for an extended vacation, we all want to know what it will be like before we go. What heaven will be like is addressed in scripture so that’s where our answers should be found. For millennia mankind has asked and answered the question with varying degrees of accuracy. It is common for people to wax eloquent with their own imaginations, and we could all do that easily. One might say, “If it’s going to be heaven then they must have golf courses and permanently excellent weather,“ etc. But we, like Paul wrote to the church in Rome, should ask, “What saith the scriptures?” Romans 4:3. So… what is heaven like? The full answer exceeds the space we have here, but let’s address it briefly from a few verses. But recognize that the term, “kingdom of heaven” is also used to describe the Lord’s church, but those in that kingdom are the ones bound for heaven itself (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). First, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven several times in the beatitudes, but He does not, therein, tell what eternal heaven is like. Jesus does describe the “kingdom of heaven” as a hidden treasure that brings so much joy that it is worth all we have, Matt. 13:44. (That would apply to the earthly kingdom, the church, as well as the heavenly kingdom. Likewise, it is like a pearl of great price, etc. (several times in Matt. 13 parables). In Matthew, Jesus refers to heaven with “enter into the joy of your master.” (vv. 21, 23). But still, those are comparisons which do not include descriptions of what God’s eternal heaven is like. For that we first look at Acts 7:56, wherein Stephen, as he is being stoned to death by unbelievers, says, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” So, God the Father and Jesus the Son are reigning there. But what is it like? Some think I Corinthians 2:9 say that man can’t imagine what God has prepared for us! Most likely, in context, Paul is describing the unspeakable wisdom God has prepared for us, but heaven may very well be implicated, generally, as one of the things God has prepared for us. “Preacher… you still have not described heaven for us!” True. Let me say that God has given humans some introductory material, but we are limited to what the human mind can imagine, even with God’s own descriptions! John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many mansions,” KJV. Rev. 7:9, 10 Multitudes from every nation praising God. Rev. 7:17, eternal joy, "God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (OK, now the good stuff…_ Rev. 21:10-21, every kind of precious stone, jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, huge pearls etc. Basically, more beauty than the mind of man can imagine. And Jesus, Himself, the Father and Son are the temple (v. 22). What about streets of gold, Rev. 21:21? imagine taking some gold treasure to heaven with you. God lets you in and He asks, “Why did you bring some pavement with you? Beauty beyond imagination, but the real treasure is simply to be with Him for all eternity!
Ray Wallace
“Racoon” John Smith Kolton Ballance
During the American Restoration Movement, there were a number of prominent preachers that made an impact in restoring the New Testament church. Of those preachers, there were perhaps none as colorful and quirky as a man named “Raccoon” John Smith. He earned the name “Raccoon” when he explained who he was in a sermon by saying that he grew up “among the coons”.
John Smith was best known for his humorous way of converting people's way of thinking. He once drug a Methodist preacher down to the water to be baptized against his will to show him that baptizing babies against their will was an invalid baptism. There are numerous stories like these that make up John Smith’s colorful preaching career.
However, one of the highlights of his preaching career was in the meeting between Alexander Campbell’s restoration movement and Barton Stone’s restoration movement. At this meeting John Smith is attributed as the force that united these two movements into one group under the same plea: unity under the Divine Standard of Scripture. Here are the famous words of “Raccoon” John Smith on that day:
“Let us then, my brethren, be no longer Campbellites or Stoneites, New Lights or Old Lights, or any other kind of lights, but let us all come to the only Book in the world that can give us all the light we need.”
This plea for unity under God’s inspired scriptures was one of the highlights of the American Restoration Movement. This same plea for unity under God’s words is what the religious world needs today. When you look around the religious world there are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics, etc. that are all separated because they all follow different teachings. But Biblical unity cannot be achieved as long as we all follow different beliefs! We must get back to the Bible alone as our only statement of faith. We must do as John Smith said and be no longer separated under different beliefs, but be united under God’s word. What our world needs is more “Raccoon” John Smiths to preach the simple truths of the Bible in pursuit of unity, love, and restoration of the Biblical pattern.
I Stand and Look... Michael Hite
I stand and look at the storm and the wind and waves declare Your majesty. The lightning flashes and the earth trembles; the winds roar along their course and the trees bow down and worship. We, on the earth seek shelter from its relentless hurrying. We stand in awe of the power displayed. Our vision in the storm is obscured by the raging. We strain to see clearly, what is dimmed by our struggles, but even in the midst of the storm You bring calm to Your children. For this we know, the great storm will pass. Unending days of cloudless skies await us. By faith our eyes seek to see it. Yet You see it all. The storm speaks of Your greatness and my heart has heard it.
Who am I, so small in this storm, that You are mindful of me? With your glory before me I cannot help but fall to my knees. I am so small, just one voice among billions, but I know the Creator and He knows me. I am unique in this vastness. I am Your special possession. I am Your child. I am loved.
I stand and look at the sea and the oceans declare your majesty. The storm that was once so great now appears small in comparison. The expanse of the waters and the depths of its canyons express Your power. With a word You spoke it into existence; with a word You carved its fathoms. The grains of sand under my feet are inadequate to number the creatures You placed under its waves. Swarms of fish dart through its currents; giants prowl its depths. Life teems even in the darkness, yet You see it all. The seas speak of Your greatness and my heart has heard them.
Who am I, so small on this shore, that You are mindful of me? With Your glory before me I cannot help but fall to my knees. I am so small, just one voice among billions, but I know the Creator and He knows me. I am unique in this vastness. I am Your special possession. I am Your child. I am loved.
I stand and look to the skies, and the universe declares Your majesty. The expanse of galaxies and the brightness of stardust express Your glory. The oceans shrink to a speck from distances measured only by speed and time. With a word You set light on its journey to my eyes. The stars in the heavens are inadequate to number the miles above me. You set me among this vast Creation. Clouds of gas fly through its emptiness; giants collide in its depths. Places yet unseen exist in its darkness, yet You see it all. The heavens speak of Your greatness and my heart has heard them.
Who am I, so small in this universe, that You are mindful of me? With your glory before me I cannot help but fall to my knees, I am so small, just one voice among billions, but I know the Creator and He knows me. I am unique in this vastness. I am Your special possession. I am Your child. I am loved. (Editor’s Note: Reformatted from original for space)
Who IS this Jesus? Many years ago a wonderful Christian taught our church family a pivotal song: Some folks may ask me, some folks may, Who is the Jesus, you talk about every day? He is my Savior, He set me free, Now listen while I tell you, what He mean to me. Chorus: He is my everything, He is my all. He is my everything, both great and small. He gave his life for me, made everything new. He is my everything, Now how about you? (There are more verses, but you get the idea.) Who IS this Jesus? The true answer to that question is quite commonly corrupted by believers and non-believers alike. Most often, people seeking Jesus remake Him in their own image (consciously or subconsciously). In Asia you will often see Asian looking paintings of Jesus. In South America, the paintings look South American. In the US you might see white European, blond paintings of Jesus. Those are outward, visual representations, almost always wrong. Herein, let’s focus on the real person, Emanuel, God with us. Who IS He, what are the characteristics that define Him? We can say, God in the flesh, Son of God, Savior, etc., and those are correct, but those terms say little about His personality. Some imagine Jesus as an old softie that just loves us as we are and is too kind to call us to change, to repentance. Some imagine Jesus as Judge, frowning and condemning people and gruffly tossing them into Hell. Both extremes bear little resemblance to reality. Jesus is a loving Savior who loves us so much He died for our sins. He is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He was a suffering servant 2000 years ago in the gospels, and He will return as a triumphant conqueror in the book of Revelation (see also 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 and 2 Thessalonians 5:5-10). Picture an older brother who loves his siblings deeply and, when necessary, corrects them, then on occasion protects them from the wolves, four legged and two legged! Picture the Master Shepherd leading the flock lovingly to new green pastures and to fresh, clear water (Psalm 23). Picture that shepherd with a thick wooden staff beating back a lion or bear (2 Samuel 17:34-37). Whenever you contemplate the question, “Who IS this Jesus?” remember the wonderfully diverse and deeply complex roles Jesus fulfills in the lives of every individual on earth, either positive or negative, depending on who WE are! Then ask yourself openly, honestly, “Who is this (insert your name here): . Then you can more stringently examine yourself to see if you are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5) and how well you are imitating Paul as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). Are you walking in His steps (1 Peter 2:21)? Ray Wallace
Philosophy, Tradition, Deception and Elementary Principles of the World
The culture in the first century city of Colossae was deep and broad. It was well developed, but not in a good way. Colossae was in Asia Minor, not far from the cities Laodicea, Philadelphia and Aphrodisias (the latter being known for having one of the temples of and a statue of Aphrodite, the goddess of love who was worshipped by visiting temple prostitutes). Yes, you could find anything you wanted in Colossae, good, bad and everything in between. While most believe that Epaphras actually founded the church at Colossae, Paul’s letter to them is deeply personal as he warns them of the dangers of worldly traditions and philosophies. Listen carefully to Paul’s warnings in Colossians 2:8: See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. The Holy Spirit was directing Paul to address some of the major temptations that could easily draw Christians away from Christ. The same is true today. Christians must certainly avoid the physical temptations so common in the pagan religions of the day, but there were, and are, more subtle influences that can wreak just as much havoc on one’s spiritual life. Notice the four categories Paul mentions: 1. Philosophy 2. Empty deception 3. Tradition of men 4. Elementary principles of the world. These are not as readily recognized as sexual temptations are, but they are just as deadly. Because of the stealthy nature of these things, the careless Christian might accidentally and unknowingly adopt some of the world’s beliefs and attitudes without realizing what is happening. “Philosophy” is a love of wisdom, but very often becomes a love of earthly wisdom rather than godly wisdom. “Empty deception” is just that, deception (that which deceives), thus is not recognized for what it is. “Tradition of men” is not complicated but is very attractive because it both allows us to partake of the forbidden and also brings with it earthly acceptance and approval of those who are not God’s children. And “elementary principles of the world” are simply the base elements of society and culture that appeal to those, whether erudite or elementary, who have no desire for the spiritual maturities to which God has called us in Ephesians 4;14-16. In 1 Peter 5:8 we are warned: Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. In today’s world, as in Colossae, Satan seeks to devour us through philosophy, empty deception, tradition of men and elementary principles of the world. Stay alert, stay strong. Love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength!
Ray Wallace
Fear Not, Stand Still, Be Quiet And Watch Donnie Bates
Sometimes when we're walking down the straight and narrow path, just when it seems things are getting really good in life, suddenly all the wheels come off at once. You immediately think of James 1:2,3 and you say, "Lord, I know I'm supposed to be joyful right now, but I just don't see how this time," or "I know You said You'd provide a way of escape, but I don't see any way out of this." It always seems that these things happen at the worst of times. That's because there are no good times for disaster. A great lesson can be learned by listening to Moses' words to the children of Israel when they were convinced that the Egyptian army was about to kill them all (Exodus 14:13, 14): But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent." When God says, "Fear not!" He usually has something big in mind. Moses knew ahead of time that Og, king of Bashan, would not destroy the Israelites (Numbers 21:33-35). This is how it would be in every battle (Deuteronomy 20:1-3). However, like so much of God's law, this was conditional (Joshua 7:2-5,8-12). The same is true today. We already know Who is going to win (Romans 8:31-37), but it's still conditional (2 Corinthians 13:5). When God says, "Stand still!" we must do things His way. Impatience will get us into trouble every time. Just look at Abraham and Ishmael (Genesis 16). God's priests were to stand patiently and wait on God to stop a flooding Jordan River (Joshua 3:8). Receiving strength from God depends on waiting patiently on Him (Isaiah 40:31). Patience is necessary to receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36). It's also important not to sound your own horn! He says, "Be quiet!" God says not to worry about our enemies or the things that threaten us; He is the Victor (Isaiah 7:1-6). Moses, who was more humble than anyone else (Numbers 12:3) was not interested in glory; only in serving his God (Exodus 32:9-14). Now "Watch!" "Behold the power and majesty of God!!" The goodness of God is visible today (Psalm 27:13); we see answered prayers, the awesome evidence of creation, etc. We are invited to see His works (Psalm 66:5). It has all been plainly visible for quite some time (Romans 1:20). Read 2 Kings 6:8-18. When we enter into life's battles they can quite often be pretty scary (2 Chronicles 20:1-7). Whenever we do battle in this world we must make sure whose side we're on. If we find ourselves against the Lord, we must change sides quickly. If we find ourselves on the Lord's side, read what will happen in 2 Chronicles 20:14-17, 20-24: Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you." ...They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed." When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, "Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped. There will be times when you come out the winner and you have no idea how it happened that way. Just give thanks to God Almighty. Have a wonderful week.
Teaching Faithful Men God’s plan is precious, and it works when we follow it. Usually, we think of His plan in terms of initial conversion or church structure or even personal holiness, but it goes much further. God’s plan for life on earth as well as His church has more facets than a Cartier diamond. One we often forget is from 2 Timothy 2:2: The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Churches who forget this command fail to prepare the next generation for faithful teachers to help Christians stay on track with faithful, biblical service to God and others. Since knowing the truth (God’s truth) is what sets us free and keeps us free (John 8:32), we absolutely must have faithful, educated men who have been taught in such a way that they can teach others also. That is the fulfillment we must seek to obey God’s command in 2 Timothy 2:2. There are various ways Christians can fulfill this command, personally and congregationally. One of those ways we help teach others is parallel to the way Paul was helped financially by the church in Macedonia (2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:15). That way is simple: as we teach at home, we also financially support the teaching of faithful men in faithful biblical schools. This congregation has astounded me in how beautifully and generously you have supported faithful men who are teaching others as well as the others they are teaching. Today, we are blessed with the opportunity hear teaching and preaching from a student (currently a senior) at the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, Kyle Click (son of our members Scott and Kim Click). This congregation has helped make it financially possible for Kyle (and his wife Lyndsay) to learn to teach others also. Next week we will be blessed to hear teaching and preaching from Donnie Bates, instructor and academic dean at the same school. Once a year this congregation has a special contribution to help financially support Donnie and his wife Noma to be able to perform godly service in their roles there. (Remember to bring your special contribution check for Donnie next week!) May we continue to do our part to obey God’s command to teach faithful men who will be able teach others also. And may God continue to bless these two families as they present themselves to Him for service in His kingdom. Ray Wallace
Freedom
What will man risk for freedom? That’s an easy question to answer. Life and limb! Consider all the wars that have been fought to procure or protect freedom, even in our own nation’s history. Our forefathers pledged their, “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” in their quest for freedom. Freedom is one of man’s greatest battles and carries one of our greatest rewards. As Samuel Adams attempted to call men to fight for freedom, he chided the timid with these immortal words: If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen. - Samuel Adams, 1776. The same is true for spiritual freedom. There is a fight to be fought, a war to be won. Paul calls us to “fight the good fight” (I Tim. 6:12; II Tim. 4:7). And he teaches us how to prepare for that battle in Ephesians 6:10-19. Peter warns us not to be surprised with the fiery ordeal comes during that battle, (I Peter 4:12-14). Make no mistake, it is a battle, and the enemy is powerful. But his power pales compared to God’s power working through His faithful soldiers. Patrick Henry recognized the battlegrounds, physically and spiritually. He famously wrote: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” Henry also knew the immutable bond between religious freedom, both political freedom of religion and an individual’s spiritual freedom from sin. A less famous but perhaps even more important quote from Henry is this: “It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.” In other words, when we lose freedom from sin, we lose political freedom. As with Samuel Adams’ physical call to physical arms, we must heed God’s call to spiritual arms. If you fall from fear or fail from weakness, “may you crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your (spiritual) chains rest lightly upon you and (to further paraphrase Adams) God will forget that you were our (spiritual) countrymen.” This Independence Day let us all remember the importance of religious freedom from sin as well as political freedom from king George! That said, let us always remember Patrick Henry’s words, “It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.”
Ray Wallace
Who is Supreme?
There IS a high court, but it’s not the U.S. Supreme Court. It might be ahighcourt, but it is not the high court. Americans have been duped into believing that the U.S Supreme Court is the highest court in existence. It might be the highest human court in the America but God, Himself, reigns supreme over all of mankind, including the United States of America.
That said, we rejoice that abortion (the killing of unborn human babies) no longer is protected by the federal government. The reversal of Roe v. Wade (originally ruled on January 22, 1973) does not make abortion in the US illegal. It merely rules, and properly so, that there is no Constitutional right to abortion found in the U. S. Constitution. The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade this week merely turns the decision back to the individual states, as it has been since the Constitution was ratified June 1, 1788 (effective March 4, 1789).
We stand firmly against abortion at any stage, anytime (unless the mother’s life is truly, medically, physically in eminent danger). Researchers the world over know that an unborn child feels pain after 15 - 20 weeks of gestation. But that is not the point.Whether an unborn child feels pain or not, abortion still stops a beating heart and thus takes the life of an innocent human being. No wonder killing an unborn child was a punishable offense in the Old Testament. Consider this verse: “Now if people struggle with each other and strike a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury, the guilty person shall certainly be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. (Exodus 21:22).
That is for an accidental death, but it shows that God regards the unborn child as having humanity and human value. Abortion is an intentional death and therefore is the intentional taking of a human life.
We, as God’s people seeking to follow His word in our lives and condemn the intentional taking of innocent human life, including abortion. As His children, we applaud the courage, wisdom of the Justices and concur with their Constitutional decision. But there is more work to do at the state level to protect the lives of innocent human babies.
We must remember that God forms our inward parts before we are born (Psalm 139:13-14). God and His laws reign supreme. We must obey God rather than men, (Acts 5:29). Pray hard!
Ray Wallace
Honor, God’s Way
Jack was a bright young man with a challenging life ahead. His mother died when he was only three and his only memories of here were those of her illness shortly before she passed. His father remarried and Jack had two step-brothers. He was very close to his grandmother, but she died when young Jack was away at the war. Jack married and had children but his 20-year marriage ended in divorce and Jack was broken-hearted. Eventually he remarried his sweetheart, but they divorced again. Amazingly, 20 years after the second divorce, Jack married his sweetheart a third time and they remained married until Jack died after the turn of the century. Why do I relate this story? Because after all the challenges life had thrown at Jack and Katherine, they gave their lives to Jesus, Katherine near retirement and Jack at age 79. “A lot of water under bridge,” as Jack would often say, eventually lead to the waters of baptism. This and every Father’s Day I am reminded of this love story which took many turns before arriving at heaven’s door, simply because Jack and Katherine were my parents. They taught me to love Jesus when I was a child, long before either of them really knew Him. In 1975 I baptized Mom into Christ and in 2001 I baptized Dad. They took their conversions seriously, and began to read God’s word in earnest and learn of the great love He has for them. “Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise,” Deuteronomy 5 and Ephesians 6. My mom and dad were far from perfect, but they were caring parents who loved and provided for us preciously. Some of you didn’t have loving parents. Some of you never knew one or perhaps both of your parents, but God provided a path for you to arrive on planet earth. Perhaps your parents were not worthy of honor, some aren’t. Perhaps your early years were more of a challenge than a blessing. But one thing is for sure: our heavenly Father is worth of more honor than humans can even give. On this Father’s Day, another thing is for sure: somewhere, perhaps in the present, perhaps in the past, perhaps in heaven there is an earthly father or a heavenly Father whom we can honor for all the blessings we have in life, practical and spiritual. It is a wise person who gives honor where honor is due (Romans 13:7), and a happy person who takes that command seriously. Let’s honor fathers where that honor is due and remember that honor to our heavenly Father is always due, for He is not only a Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5), but also a Father to us all.
Ray Wallace
Who Rules Your Heart?
“There is nothing wrong with entertainment. As some psychiatrist once put it, we all build castles in the air. The problems come when we try to live in them.” The words above were penned by Neal Postman, a prolific writer who published 20 books, including the now famous, Amusing Ourselves to Death. Postman was a fairly early pioneer in recognizing what electronic media does to the culture and the individual. He saw the negative effects of electronic media on the brains of young and old alike (TV, movies, computers, etc). Jesus warned us that the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart (Matthew 12:34). The “heart” as used in scripture usually refers to the inner man; what psychologists call the “subconscious.” (Yes, I know that is a debated topic, but let’s use that for the purposes of this article.) That “inner man” is shaped and sculpted by that to which we expose ourselves. Many social researchers in numerous countries see this inner self (psyche, subconscious, heart) being malformed by exposure to electronic entertainment media (even small amounts can affect the very young). In one study, college students claimed electronic media has no effect on them, while believing that it does affect almost all others around them. We speak here of entertainment media, NOT serious electronic dialogue. I’m aware of the irony of this article, as I type it on a computer, but the focus here is not on word processing but entertainment media that forms far too much of our beliefs about the world and its inhabitants. Study after study has found that those surrounded by electronic media have their belief systems morphed, primarily unconsciously, by the media they see. That should not be surprising since God, Himself, formed our brains to become like the audio/visual images we see/hear in life. No wonder Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals,” 1 Corinthians 15:33. In our modern scenario the audio/visual “bad company” is the electronic entertainment media. In calling us to re-evaluate how entertainment media affects our inner selves, Postman wrote, “Everything in our background has prepared us to know and resist a prison when the gates begin to close around us . . . But what if there are no cries of anguish to be heard? Who is prepared to take arms against a sea of amusements? To whom do we complain, and when, and in what tone of voice, when serious discourse dissolves into giggles? What is the antidote to a culture’s being drained by laughter?” Is it any wonder that even elected officials in our nation’s capital cannot seem to get a serious grasp on the problems we face and “dissolve into giggles” when asked serious questions? They are, after all, products of this same entertainment driven, amusement formed culture affecting us all. The antidote is: “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 “My word is truth.” John 17:17 What is shaping YOUR heart?
Ray Wallace
Count Your Many Blessings It is often said that it would be difficult to write down all of the ways we have been blessed. Following are a few examples of various ways we are encouraged to be thankful:
Giving thanks for ______ _________ (1 Tim. 2:1)
Giving thanks to ______ ___________ (Heb. 13:15)
Giving thanks to ________ the __________(Col. 3:17)
Giving thanks for the __________ thru ___________ (1 Cor, 15:57)
Giving thanks for our ___________ (1 Tim 4:3-4)
Giving thanks through our ________________ (Col. 4:2)
Giving thanks for our establishment in the __________ (Col. 2:7)
Giving thanks for all _____________ from God (2 Cor. 9:11)
Giving thanks to having been called in ______________ (Col. 3:15)
Giving thanks to ________ ________our __________ (1 Tim. 1:12)
Jay Launius, Maud church of Christ, Maud, TX
God Is Waiting
How long do you wait? You are at a traffic light. It goes from red to green. The person in front of you is clearly distracted, and your lane is the only one not moving. How long do you wait before you take action? You are seated at a restaurant. Ten minutes pass, and no one has taken your drink order. It is busy but not slammed. They should’ve come to the table by now. How long do you wait before you leave or talk to the manager? While in some cultures time is viewed very differently, for us, we are a very fast-paced society. Our expectations of timely results and actions are very high. So, when we are forced to wait, as in the scenes afore mentioned, we are put to the test. How long will we wait? I bring this up to reflect on the patience of God. Peter, in his second letter, brings to our attention that in the latter days there would be mockers saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:4). These that Peter mentioned were mocking God and using it as evidence to His contrary. However, it is still a question we might ask. How long, O Lord? Peter reminds us of some facts to help keep things in perspective. The first is that the world has been destroyed once already. “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Pet. 3:5-7). We know from genealogies in the book of Genesis that the time from creation to the flood was roughly 1,656 years. How much of that was God’s patience tested? The second fact is that God does not reckon time as we do. “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). We must remember that time is a created construct that He is not bound by. It was hundreds of years from the promises given to Abraham until they were brought to fruition. It was thousands of years before the messianic prophecies were fulfilled. We need to remember God is playing the long game. Finally, Peter reminds us that we serve a patient God. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). God is waiting for us. He hasn’t blown the horn yet. Knowing that He will, Peter reminds us how we should live in holiness for a day that will come (3:11).
“GO” For some reason or another Christians have changed the commission of spreading the Good News of Jesus from “go” to “come”. We build nice, fancy church buildings and meeting halls then say to the world, “Come and hear about Jesus!” It’s a noteworthy invitation no doubt but how does it compare to the biblical instruction? • “Go” tell what great things the Lord has done – Mark 5:19 • “Go” and tell these thing to the brethren – Acts 12:17 • “Go”, I sent you out as lambs among wolves – Luke 10:3 • “Go” and bring forth fruit – John 15:16 • “Go” and do as the Good Samaritan – Luke 10:37 • “Go” in to all the world and preach the gospel – Mark 16:15 • “Go” and make disciples and baptize them – Matthew 28:19
It’s easy to see that we are to “go” and take the message to the people rather than expecting them to come to us. - Jay Launius, Maud church of Christ Maud, Texas
Faith Should Provide Peace
By Michael Hite (Bear Valley Bible Institute)
Turn on the news or plug into your favorite flavor of social media and within seconds you will hear about suffering all around us. There are countries tragically at war. We face a looming recession and economic struggles. The political divide and race relations continue to rage. There was another school shooting in Texas. All of these situations certainly can and do bring suffering into our lives. It seems that everyone wants us to be wound up and stressed out. I read one brother in Christ recently post, “prepare for the coming chaos.” Now I’m not going to suggest that there aren’t problems and that times are tough - they are. They may get worse. Only time will tell. But as Christians, we have a great opportunity to show people around us what faith does for us in difficult times. FAITH SHOULD PROVIDE PEACE.
At the end of Peter’s first letter to the early church, he encouraged them to remember who they are and what that provides. “Peace be to all who are in Christ” (1 Peter 5:14). Peace is a sometimes misunderstood quality. Some would define peace as the “lack of conflict.” The idea is that we will have peace when there is no strife or struggling. While that is a common way of looking at the word peace, God never promises a “lack of conflict.” We live in a fallen and sinful world. Man’s push to put himself first and satisfy his own desires often give rise to conflict and suffering. But the word “peace” in Scripture is more often talking about a calmness of heart in the face of conflict rather than a lack of conflict. It expresses “a state of tranquility” even as the struggles swirl around us. Peter addresses persecution and great suffering in his letter and yet he says that we are to “seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11). The question becomes, are we feeding the chaos and panic in people’s lives by echoing the chaos or are we seeking and pursuing peace by showing others the calmness that comes from trusting God to see us through anything that comes? Are we contributing to the “worries of the world,” choking the word of God out of the lives of our brethren by echoing the doom and gloom around us? Or are we showing the tranquility and peace that comes from a saving relationship with the Master of the Universe? If we have “entrusted our souls to a Faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19) there should be a marked calmness and peace that surrounds us.
May we be lights in the world that brings peace (a calmness in the face of conflict) to those around us. May our behavior be so different in difficult times that people will ask us to explain the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). But more than that, may we be those who show the world that “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard OUR hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). Truly, may “peace be to you all who are in Christ.”
The Carpenter
Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then, the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference and finally, it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I 'm looking for a few days' work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor. In fact, it's my younger brother! Last week there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done