When looking at the different churches in our community today we stagger at the different beliefs and practices we see. Some teach that there is only One Person in the Godhead, while others say that there are Three. Some teach grace only, others teach faith only, still others teach a combination of grace faith, and obedience. Some teach that the kingdom has come (as the church), while others teach that it is yet to be established.

Why is there such a difference in beliefs when there is only one Holy Bible? The reason is that we let our feelings, thoughts, tradition, and human judgement interfere with a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches. For example, I may feel like baptism isn’t necessary for my salvation, but the Bible says that it is (Mark 16:16). I may think that I know a better way to be saved, but the Bible gives the way God has provided (Jeremiah 10:23). I may hold to a teaching of my grandparents that says there is only One Person in the Godhead, but the Bible says that there are Three (1 John 5:7).

At Sycamore Chapel we use the Bible as our only guide in life. It was given by God and contains all that we need to know to live pleasing to Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:3). We do what we do because God says in His Word for us to do it.

Think about it!

Kevin Williams
Minister, Sycamore Chapel church of Christ

Tevye, the whimsical patriarch in the movie Fiddler on the Roof explains the definition of a tradition perfectly. Speaking of Jewish tradition in Tsarist Russia, he declares: “You may ask, how did his tradition get started?” Then he pauses before answering his own question: “I tell you why: I don’t know.”

Young people (I was young once, too) like to ask the question, “But why do we have to do it this way?” Those of us who are older have to do better than to simply say, “Tradition!”

The Lord had a great deal to say about traditions (Mark 7:6-13). His major concern seems to be the contrast between God’s commands and the commands of men.

Many teach “as doctrines the commandments of men,” he observed, adding that as a consequence, they rendered worship “vain” (7:6,7). He adds, “You leave the commandment of God,” with the result that they “hold on to the tradition of men” (7:8). “You have a fine way of rejecting the command of God,” he declares, “in order to establish your own traditions!” (7:9), Clenching his case he declares, “Thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.” (7:13).

The stronger human traditions persist, the weaker the word of God appears, at least in our own estimation. Some things to note about tradition:

• Traditions are not harmful in and of themselves. They can even make sense when first instituted.
• Some traditions might be useful, even greatly helpful, so long as we do not defend them as if they carry the force of biblical teaching.
• Traditions, like barnacles on a boat, build up over time and usually when we are not aware of the danger.
• It would be unwise to assume that while other fellowships are blinded by tradition that we suffer no such impairment. To assume we have no traditions is precisely to open up the possibility of collecting traditions.
• Traditions should never push aside God’s commands.
• The key is to be able to distinguish between human tradition and God’s word.
• We must guard against confusing tradition (ours) with God’s word.
• The real problem comes when we treat our traditions on the same level as God’s word.

It appears that the dilution of human thinking renders God’s word completely ineffective. Human thinking muddies the waters; Divine thinking clarifies; human thinking deflects our attention, divine thinking corrects our vision. When a practice is biblical, unlike Tevye, we can say with confidence, “That’s no tradition; God’s word teaches that.”

Stan Mitchell

See the significant change this great king, Nebuchadnezzar, has undergone. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s three-fold response to him is now on his lips. Now, he knows what it means to be a forever servant of the forever king. In verse 28, he says God’s servants are those who…

1. “Put their trust in Him”, even in exile,
2. “[Surrender] their bodies, even to the fiery furnace,”
3. And “[violate] the king’s command, even when the world won’t.”

In summary, Nebuchadnezzar is saying Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were God’s servants by

1. Trusting,
2. Sacrificing,
3. And obeying.

But what changed Nebuchadnezzar?

Was it Shadrach’s trust? Meshach’s sacrifice? Abednego’s obedience? No. It was God’s deliverance. God is the main character in this story. Not these three Jews, not Nebuchadnezzar. At this story’s end, Nebuchadnezzar concludes that “there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way”. And this good story is here so that we conclude the same.

Remember that Nebuchadnezzar’s idol wasn’t just an idol; it was an ideology. It represented the idea that Nebuchadnezzar was the forever king, not God. Now, how many times have you bowed down to that? How many times have you worshipped yourself and your desires above all else?

How many times have you

• Retold that lie
• Visited that bottle
• Frequented that website
• Adored that dollar
• Revered that rage
• Glorified that gluttony?

Behold your gods! And have they delivered you? Or have they enslaved you? Have they provided what they promised? Or do you leave them, again and again, emptier than you were before? We all need to realize what Nebuchadnezzar realized: there is only one forever king. There is only one God who delivers. So, look again at verse 29: Nebuchadnezzar says, “there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way”, but what “way” is he talking about?

God just delivered in many ways. He delivered in Babylon, he delivered from fire, he delivered despite the king’s edict, just to name a few. I think we get a hint about what changed Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2, verse 11. There, we get an insight into Babylonian theology. The Babylonians presuppose a bit of doctrine when talking to Nebuchadnezzar about their gods. Specifically, that the god’s “dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.”  God’s deliverance changed Nebuchadnezzar because it was a personal deliverance. He had never seen his gods stand in the flames with their servants.

This is a good story, but it’s more than that. It’s a true story. The gods we create can’t truly deliver. True deliverance comes from the God who created us. Because He is the forever king. The forever king in this story and in reality. The forever king then and now.

So now, if you will be his forever servant, he will walk with you in flames. He will personally deliver you.  Let me explain before we close.

In Matthew chapter 26, Jesus is on trial before the High Priest. And the high priest says, “I place You under oath by the living God, to tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus replies by quoting the book of Daniel: “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

And because he quoted Daniel chapter 7, they killed him. I guess some people don’t like a good story. But let’s look at Daniel 7 to see the story Jesus was trying to tell. It says, “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Honor, and a kingdom, So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.”

We’ve heard that kind of language in Daniel, haven’t we? It reminds me of the stone that crushed all the kingdoms, including Nebuchadnezzars, and became God’s forever kingdom.

So, Jesus is saying, even though I’m a man, I’m the forever king like God. But the Jews killed him because they had the same theology as the Babylonians; they did not believe God’s dwelling place is with mortal flesh. But we believe so. We believe God took on flesh in Jesus. And we believe Jesus delivered us from fire much hotter than Nebuchadnezzar’s. We deserve hell. Because, like Nebuchadnezzar, we worshipped ourselves as the forever king instead of God.

But God still loved us. So, he sent Jesus to bear his wrath on the cross. He sent Jesus to walk with us in our flames. He sent Jesus to personally deliver you. But only if you will be his forever servant. And you should be. Because, after delivering him by raising him from the dead, God made Jesus your forever king, whether you like it or not.  When Nebuchadnezzar saw God’s personal deliverance, what happened?

First, he realized he wasn’t as important as he thought. Second, it changed him. Now that you’ve seen the deliverance Jesus gives, I pray the same will happen to you. After all, it makes for a good story. And I can think of no better ending to your story than this:  Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, be forever servants of the forever king.

Even though you are exiled on this earth, away from the promised land, trust him.

Even though you are persecuted, be it with words or flames, sacrifice for him

Even though the whole world is bowing down to the idea that they are their own forever kings, obey him.

Trust,

Sacrifice,

Obey.

In the end, the forever king will personally deliver you. Those who have worshipped themselves will face flames. With no God. And with no deliverance. But Jesus will raise you as he was raised, never to walk in flames again.  Or in the words of Daniel 12,  “There will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be delivered. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever”.

Jacob July

Take a moment and meditate simply on Jesus. The stories you know about Him. What He is like, what He has said. What He has done.

How frequently have we “set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For we have died and our lives are hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:2-3)?

It is so very important for us, as Christians, to set our minds on Jesus Christ. It is easy to be consumed by the difficulties and concerns of every-day-life. Yet Jesus invites us to continually shift our focus onto Him, the image of the unseen God. If we want to live a life of pure and simple devotion to Jesus Christ, this is what we need to do.

Let me challenge you as we stand at the precipice of a new year not to settle for just looking at eternal life but to pursue a quality Christian life here and now. We’re not talking about a lifestyle of self-absorption that is all too common in our society but a life that walks closely with the Prince of Life, with your whole life dedicated to knowing Jesus and the power of His resurrection (cf. Phil. 3:10).

We most often feel distant from God when we are focusing on the problems we experience in this life and wonder why God hasn’t answered our prayers. We prayed for someone who was sick but they died anyway. We thought God was going to bless us with a specific job but we did not get hired. We thought we would marry, or marry a specific person, but no such luck…

In those situations, we often do what Elijah did in the cave at Horeb. We want God to show up on our terms, answer our questions, and prove Himself in ways that please us. When He does not, we become disappointed, angry, and frustrated. The God of heaven does not stand as a house slave waiting to jump at our every beck and call. Instead, He gives us a series of promises.

Peter writes: “He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

When I understand the promises of God, I learn to trust His gifts and His timing. When I see God as He reveals Himself in the Bible, I see God has been faithful from the beginning of time, not just to me but to all His followers. It is then that I can take my eyes off my immediate concerns and I can set them on things above, where Christ is.

Live your life on the promises of God. The answers will come in time.

Paul Holland

Most readers can hopefully state to themselves, “I haven’t murdered, stolen, committed adultery, etc.” While we know that forgiveness can be had for all of our sins, humans in general typically want to avoid practices that harm others.

We have brief encounters with others constantly. Most of those encounters will not leave much of a lasting impression on anyone involved. Two types of encounters definitely leave a lasting impression, though: good ones and bad ones. Bad ones seem to stick the longest.

So when people encounter us, do we leave a lasting impression? If we do, is it positive? If someone doesn’t walk away thinking, “Man, they were so nice!!!” we have room to grow. As an aside, I’m talking exclusively about normal interactions with others. The Christian and Self-Defense is a study for later.

While we avoid practices that bring physical harm to others, do we invest in being kind? How do we treat staff at restaurants, people who are obviously different from us, people who may be under us in an authoritative chain or over us?

It’s easy to be indifferent. For some, it’s easy to be rude and unlikeable in general. Christians must put energy into being kind to others. Give other people the benefit of the doubt. Don’t assume bad intentions. Even in the face of persecution, Christians are commanded to respond rationally and with meekness and fear (I Peter 3.15,16). If we’re supposed to be that composed in the face of persecution, shouldn’t we be all the more kind in everyday encounters?

“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them” (I John 2.9-11).

Gary Pollard

At the end of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi simply asked, “Will a man rob God?” (3:8). Now that’s not a thought that naturally occurs to most. It would seem impossible to take by force what belongs to an all-powerful, all-knowing Being. Knowing about His supernatural nature, who would dare to try? Especially when you read that those who do so are  “cursed by a curse” by the One we just described (3:9). But Malachi said they robbed God in “tithes and offerings.” When it came to their financial giving, they stole from the Sovereign!

Is it possible to do that today? Wouldn’t we want to steer so far away from such a practice? Consider:

• We rob God when we put our giving to Him anywhere but the top of our priorities. Malachi’s peers gave God the blind, the lame and the sick, which they would not dare offer their governor, for sacrifice (1:8). God calls this “evil.” What about when we put bills, entertainment, and other spending and saving first, then give God what, if any, is left over. Under the first covenant, God commanded His people give Him “the first fruits” (Ex. 23:16,19). But that covenant is inferior to what we have in Christ (Heb. 8:6). This should motivate us to make giving a “first fruit” and not an after thought.
• We rob God when giving is a duty rather than a delight. For Malachi’s brethren, offering to God was described as despised, tiresome, and disdainful (1:13). When it came time to give, apparently they had a grimace rather than a grin on their faces. The God who gave them everything was met by a people who begrudged giving back to Him anything. Later, God will teach us that giving begins in the heart, with ourselves. Paul praises the impoverished Macedonians who exceeded expectations (2 Cor. 8:3) in their giving because they first gave themselves to the Lord, then gave their money to His work (2 Cor. 8:5). Paul could characterize them as cheerful givers (2 Cor. 9:7). This was not because they were prosperous and gave a big contribution from the overflow. Their wealth was their generosity (2 Cor. 8:2). They gave beyond their ability and it made them happy to do so.
• We rob God when do not test Him with our giving. This is an unexpected admonition. God wanted a chance to show them what He does for the one who gives sacrificially and by faith. The principle does not work and is inconsistent with God’s will if we do not test Him by giving sacrificially and generously. God says, “test me now in this” (3:10). Give generously and see “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows” (3:10). In light of how we can see God work like this in our lives, why would we take that opportunity from Him to show His incredible power. He always proves that He cannot be out-given.

We may ask, “How much should I give?” Truly, there is no set percentage stipulated under Christ’s covenant. They gave a tenth of everything they owned under the Old Law (Deut. 14, 26). What we have is better! We do not have to bring sacrifices for our sins year after year. Christ sacrificed Himself once for all (Rom. 6:10; Heb. 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:18)! It’s hard to imagine a Jew, accustomed to giving a tenth, coming up out of the mikvah (baptistery) on Pentecost, forgiven of their sins, and rejoicing, “Now that I’m a Christian, I don’t have to give ten percent any more!”

No, God doesn’t give us estimates or projections. He gives us exhortations and principles. He wants us to give to Him out of our trust in His care and out of our love and appreciation for His gifts to us. When we take inventory of that (and start with Calvary!), we will learn to give the way He wants us to give.

Neal Pollard

According to Luke, Jesus had the habit of seeking solitary places for prayer (Luke 5:16). Throughout this Gospel, Luke highlights the importance of prayer in Jesus’ life. We get the impression that Jesus did not add prayer to his lifestyle, rather, prayer was at the center enabling each step along his journey.

At several important junctures within his retelling of the story, Luke draws our attention to the time Jesus spent in prayer. On two such occasions Jesus went without sleep in order to pray.

The first of these prayer night vigils occurs in Luke 6:12 which serves as part of a  transitional stage in Jesus’ ministry. Up to this point, we have begun to learn what Jesus’ ministry means. Through his teachings and activities in Nazareth and Capernaum, Jesus revealed he has the authority to bring freedom for those oppressed by the devil and to announce good news. Equally clear is that his teachings and behavior have begun to bring him into conflict with the religious authorities.

After introducing us to Jesus’ ministry, Luke records, “he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). This detail that he spent the night in prayer is not just extraneous filler. Similarly, the dual mention of “prayer” draws our attention to its emphatic emphasis. What is significant about this segment of Jesus’ journey?

Having told us Jesus communed with God throughout the night, having focused our attention upon the solitary Christ pouring out his heart to God and beseeching God, Luke’s expression, “when day came” provides a segue to the result. “He called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles” (Luke 6:13). A divine impetus rested behind selecting twelve apostles and these particular persons to be those twelve. The story of Jesus is the story of God at work.

From this point on, Jesus’ ministry would take on an additional role. His actions and teachings would serve the additional function of training twelve “sent ones,” that is, apostles. What their role would be is not yet clear at this point in the Gospel. However, in the larger two volume work of Luke-Acts their significant function becomes clear.

Jesus’ other prayer night vigil not only revealed his relationship with God, but offers us an indirect subtle opportunity to reflect upon our own hearts. On the Mount of Olives Jesus separated himself a short distance from his disciples and knelt down to pray. His heart spilled forth, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” Through prayer, Jesus’ resolution to embrace faithfulness to the divine will became galvanized. The story of Jesus is the story of God at work through him.

What should not escape our attention is that being fully aware of the spiritual reality of the evil one and his desire to destroy (Lk. 4:2; 22:31), Jesus had tried to prepare his disciples for that fateful evening. He had counseled, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Lk. 22:40).

Just as Jesus would pray in the face of testing, so too should his disciples. Unfortunately, because they were exhausted from grief and fell asleep, the disciples did not prepare themselves with prayer. As we learn from the other Gospels, they crumbled under the ensuing pressure.

In seeking to bless our lives, Jesus emphasized the essential nature of prayer (Luke 18:1; 11:9). For Jesus, prayer was not an addition to his lifestyle. Rather, prayer was at the center enabling each step along his journey. We would do well to imitate Christ. We would do well to prayerfully prepare ourselves for each step.

Barry Newton

In Judges 11 we read that Jephthah was a mighty man who was asked by the elders of Gilead to lead the people in a fight against the Ammonites, but who also attracted the company of worthless men (11:3-5). Prior to the battle, Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He prays, “If you will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

HE IS VICTORIOUS AND RETURNS

The victory would be short lived, however, as we read, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it” (11:35)

There has been a lot of debate concerning the end of this account. Did he sacrifice his daughter? Did he go through with this horrible thing?

The account seems to indicate that he did indeed sacrifice his daughter, but if that is the case it wouldn’t have been approved by Him. Jepthah’s character hints to his own spiritual life. Not all of the men and women God raised up to fulfill His will were righteous. If Jepthah went through with the sacrifice it would have been out of ignorance. If he knew the God of Israel, he would have known that God would have never asked him to do such a thing.

The question we should ask when we read this account is not whether or not Jepthah murdered his daughter, but rather, how well do we know God?

Dale Pollard

The first-century church in Philadelphia caught the attention of Jesus in a good way. While speaking to several other congregations, the Lord found it necessary to address Philadelphia’s particular situation and their overall outlook on life. This was one of the few assemblies that Jesus didn’t condemn, but instead, He commended them.

Jesus was rather fond of their “patient endurance” in those strange and difficult times of the Roman persecution (Revelation 3:10). This word “endurance” is found 32 times throughout the New Testament, with the highest density found in John’s Revelation (7x) and the second highest rate (6x) in Paul’s words to the Roman church. Very briefly, here’s what we can learn about enduring times of opposition from the letter of Revelation:

• Endurance is something that can be shared (Revelation 1:9)
• Endurance is something that Jesus notices (Revelation 2:2)
• Endurance is something that can help your faith be more… well… faithful (Revelation 2:3)
• Endurance is something that opens doors of opportunity to minister (Revelation 2:19)
• Endurance is something that will ultimately lead us to victory over this earth (Revelation 3:10)
• Endurance is something that helps our understanding of true life (Revelation 13:10)
• Endurance is something that Jesus expects from His people (Revelation 14:12).

The church in Philadelphia was seemingly great at this practice of perseverance. In verse 10, Jesus notes, “because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” In reflecting on this verse, Warren Wilcox noted, “Keep God’s word and you shall be kept by God’s power.” Endurance is a significant blessing to the faithful Christian who lives in a harsh and cruel world. We abandon our spiritual blessings if we neglect the power and development of perseverance.

Tyler King

When my wife leaves her purse in the car, she locks the car. Most people keep their money in a bank. Those with influence or fame are often guarded closely while in public. If it has value or potential risk, it is locked up or otherwise guarded. We understand this concept.

The New Testament talks about guarded stuff quite a bit. What follows is an abridged list of ways τηρεω (tereo) is translated, in a very informal word study format. Specific definitions come from BDAG (a fantastic lexicon).

1. Prisoner/Person in Custody – It is used of Jesus (Matt. 27.36ff), Paul and Silas (Acts 16.23), Angels Who Sinned (II Peter 2.4), and Peter (Acts 12.5).
2. To Preserve or Hold Someone or Something – It is used of the “good wine that was kept until after the bad wine was consumed” (John 2). It is used to describe our inheritance, which is being held and is waiting for those who die in Christ (I Peter 2.4). It is used to describe the universe and the earth, which is being preserved because its destruction will be caused by God at the end of time (II Peter 3.7; Cf. Romans 8.22-24). For the Christian, this seems to resolve the climate change issue since God is keeping the earth intact until the last day.
3. To Not Give Up Something – Paul uses it urging Christians to persist in being united (Eph. 4.3). He also used it to tell Timothy that he had held onto his faith, even up to his imminent death (II Timothy 4.7). John uses it to describe our spiritual protection from being lost if we’re trying to live faithfully (I John 5.8).

For the sake of brevity, we’ll stop there. How cool is that our eternal home is being held by God, or that our record is kept clean by Jesus if we’re trying to be faithful? The two most important assets a Christian has is their eternal home and spiritual state. The first can never be taken away, and the second can only be lost if we give it up willingly and intentionally. God is good.

Gary Pollard

Michael J. Fox is quoted as saying, “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” Mr. Fox is not alone; this is a common refrain among many.

Family is important. Some disregard, ignore, or abuse their family. Many give themselves over to their work, their hobbies, or their friends at the expense of their children or spouse. Many of the most successful people have chosen business over family.

It is admirable when one honors one’s family. The Bible speaks of our responsibility to our family. Husbands are to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Fathers are to bring up their children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Children are to honor their father and mother (Ephesians 6:1-3). Husbands are to dispense not only discipline and instruction but also provide financially for their family (1 Timothy 5:8).

Blood is and should be thicker than water. But the blood of Jesus is thicker than that of physical family. The bonds of Christ should be stronger than the bonds of birth and marriage.

In the midst of Jesus’ ministry, his family came to visit. When told of his mother and brothers’ desire to speak with him, Jesus responded “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” (Matthew 12:48). Then he stretched his hand out to his disciples and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50).

While we share important characteristics with our physical family, the blood of Jesus redeemed us from sin.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

While we are joined tightly to our physical family, the blood of Jesus justifies us before the Father.

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:9).

Many Jews who wished to follow Jesus were given a choice: family or Jesus. Some who decided to follow Jesus were cut off from the synagogue, the community, and their own family. Jesus advised his hearers of the importance of this decision. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

How we treat our family is important in our walk with God. We must love and cherish our family. But the blood of Jesus brings us into a much more important family.

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

This church of God consists of those who by grace through faith have become children of God (Galatians 3:26, 27; 1 John 3:2). In this way we are all brothers and sisters (1 Timothy 5:1, 2).

While some may neglect their flesh and blood, and still others cling too closely, the Christian needs to see the blood of Jesus as the key binding agent for relationships. Let us strive to become like the one who died for us. Let us follow him above all others.

Family is important, but isn’t everything. Jesus is.

by Lee Parish

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.”

Sometimes the “Power of Serving” is in just extending forgiveness and compassion.

GOD COMMANDED THE WIDOW TO PROVIDE FOR ELIJAH – 17:8-11:

We should understand here in the days of Elijah that Sidon is not on the best of terms with Israel. But, God sends Elijah to this widow in Zarephath to have his needs provided.

Observe that Elijah does not demand the widow to serve him.

As the widow was going, Elijah then calls out to her: “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” It appears from the ensuing dialogue that this was intended to test the widow’s faith.

THE WIDOW’S FAITH IS TESTED – 17:12-16:

The widow emphasizes that she has no bread. All she has is a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in a jar. In fact, she says she is gathering sticks to prepare something to eat which she assumes is going to be her last meal.

Elijah then furthers the test of faith: “Do not fear” (an expression used 58 times in the OT). He says, “do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.”

The promise of blessing, which motivates to faith, is given in verse 14: “For thus says the Lord God of Israel” (an expression used 14 times, in a different expression – “thus says the Lord” – found 419 times).

God promises that the famine is going to be over – the flour will not be exhausted nor will the oil be empty until God sends more rain. Will the widow trust God, serving His messenger first?

She did… Verse 15: “She went and did according to the word of Elijah,” and she and he and her household ate for many days.”

God’s message came true. Will you believe it?

JESUS PROMISES BLESSINGS FOR THOSE WHO SERVE:

Matthew 10:41–42; 19:30; 20:16.

“If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:33). Do you want to be “great?” Be a servant. Jesus took a child and set him in front of these adult men and hugged the boy and said, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

The power of service is the power of living like Christ. It’s the power to reflect the nature of Christ into the lives of others.

Paul Holland

During our first months in Brazil, aeons ago, two of our Portuguese teachers discussed, rather heatedly, whether or not Brazilians were by nature lazy. One believed it zealously, while the other noted how much time Brazilians spent getting to and from work, as well as how long their work week was.

Years later, a Brazilian brother shared his dream of retirement: living on the beach and spending his days in a hammock. That sounds pretty lazy to me. But then it’s retirement, right? I doubt, however, that many people would buy into his dream.

We’ll leave these arguments aside in order to recognize that some ethnic groups do share common characteristics. The apostle Paul recognized some among the Cretans. He wrote,

A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. Such testimony is true” Titus 1.12-13.

Proverbs has much to say about laziness, sometimes even making fun of the habits and excuses of the lazy (how politically incorrect!), so that we’ll see the folly of it. Here’s just one example:

The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!” Proverbs 22.13 NLT.

Of course, laziness is a serious thing. One can even use spiritual justifications for it, such as Jesus coming back at any time. (There are supposedly some lazy preachers out there who only work Sunday morning and night for a few hours, but I’ve not seen one yet.)

Here’s what the workaholic apostle Paul said about that,

We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” 2 Thessalonians 3.7-10 NIV.

That sounds hard-hearted, does it not? But the church (and society) does people a favor who refuse to work by not supporting their aversion to work.

Refusal comes in many forms. One of the most popular is to feign sickness. Plenty of doctors will write you a prescription. There are sick people, for sure. But our modern social systems (speaking internationally) encourage sickness and idleness. It’s just true. Cretans aren’t the only lazy ones to inhabit the earth.

Where to go with this?

1. Don’t be lazy. Look first to your own work habits (or lack of them). Work hard and work smart. Diligence will take you far. Give the example.
2. Don’t encourage laziness. Don’t accept it. Don’t reward it. Teach against it — Scripture has plenty of material on it. Proverbs is a great start.
3. Understand that work is a gift from God. Man was made to work. God works and put that need into the fiber of humans.
4. Put your work in God’s hands so that he may be glorified through it and the Kingdom may reach others.

Jesus condemned a lazy servant, Matthew 25.26. Let not that condemnation fall on you, and help keep others from it as well. After all, laziness is a sin, and like all the others, the Lord can save us from it.

1. Randal Matheny |

It has been observed that Christians in increasing numbers are using the New International Version of the Bible as their primary translation. While the NIV provides a very ‘readable’ copy of the Scriptures, users should be informed about several significant difficulties.

Most notably, the NIV promotes the false doctrines of Calvinism by inaccurately translating several key verses. For instance, Psalm 51: 5 in the NIV reads, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”. Obviously, this teaches the Calvinistic notion of inherited sin which is plainly denied in many other Bible texts. The KJV and ASV read, “in sin did my mother conceive me”. There is quite a difference in being conceived in sin (describing the spiritual condition of the world into which the author was born) and in being personally sinful from the point of conception.

Additionally, the NIV frequently refers to man’s “sinful nature” (see Rom. 8:3ff, Eph. 2:3, Col. 2:11, & many other passages). This teaches another tenet of Calvinism, namely total depravity – the idea that man must sin – it is in his very nature to do so.  Again, this is denied elsewhere in the Scriptures. Other versions simply refer to the “flesh” in these important verses.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO? Considering these and other objections to the NIV, we suggest that Christians should exercise great caution in using this translation as their principle study Bible. Other versions are much more reliable, and several are equal to the NIV in ‘readability’. Choose the NKJV or the NASV if you want a trustworthy translation without the old English of the KJV. It would be best to reserve the NIV as a study aid in providing comparative readings.

– by Greg Gwin

Sexual immorality is a terrible sin. It has always carried a stigma with it.

Jesus dined with a Pharisee named Simon one evening, and a woman with a reputation of immoral conduct entered the Pharisee’s home standing behind Jesus weeping. Why was she crying? This woman needed something only Jesus could give her. We don’t know how she found out about the Lord. She may have listened to one of his sermons or saw him heal someone.

Jesus knew her sins (Luke 7:47), and he knew her need. Simon didn’t care why the woman was there. It is clear he just wanted her to leave. Her presence repulsed him because she had unbound her hair and was washing Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:38).

Think of the contrast. Simon was just as much a sinner as anyone else though he didn’t think so. He looked at this woman with contempt, but he was as plagued by sin as she was. With Simon, there was no love, no need, no forgiveness.

The woman cried with grief for her sins. She expressed her love of Jesus by washing his feet with her tears (something Simon didn’t think to do for his guest, the son of God).

I wonder. Which person, do you think, was closer to salvation? The woman was, wasn’t she? Yet for Simon, forgiveness was the furthest thing from his mind. He wanted that sinner out of his house.

Is it possible that we can, dare I say, identify more with Simon than with the woman? Both of them were lost in sin and needed a savior. They needed Jesus to forgive them. We need Jesus to forgive us of our sins.

Just as Jesus was kind to this woman, he is ready to forgive us. We must, however, obey the gospel and start living for him. If we will, forgiveness and joy can be ours, and one day heaven can be our home.

John Henson

We owned and raised Belgian draft horses for a few years when the boys were smaller. These “gentle giants” are some of the most massive horses in the world. When Garrett and Gordon were little bitty rascals, they could lead, drive, and show them with the greatest ease. Obviously, this was not the case because the boys were stronger than our 2000 pound horses. Day after day of practice and training had been invested in each of our mares. When a new colt was born, almost immediately, the training process went into effect. The boys and I spent every day out in the pasture working with those colts. Otherwise, when they were older (and much stronger), there would have been no way we could have controlled them.

The Lord paints the same picture through the wise man of the Proverbs. The verse under consideration (Prov. 22:6) is often used to shame parents who already feel guilty (we will discuss this later). However, it is a verse that shows what the commitment of a parent must be. As fathers, we too often take a “hands-off” approach to parenting. We bounce in and give some advice, then get busy with our careers and hobbies. Later, we will pop back into the father’s role to levy some punishment. Just as it took training those colts every day, it takes fathers who are committed to fatherhood if we are going to influence our children toward the right way. Notice

1. WHAT WE ARE TO DO: train up a child. The word used here means “to train up, dedicate, make experienced, submissive, etc. (as one does a horse by a rope in its mouth).” With a horse, this process begins shortly after birth and continues daily until it is matured. The same must be true with our children. We must be committed to teaching them, guiding them, disciplining them, and discipling them. We must do so consistently and continuously.

2. WITH WHAT WE ARE TO DO IT: in the way he should go. Get them used to living the Godly life. The old saying is, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.” Well, this verse says it isn’t our job to make them drink. It is our job to make them thirsty! We do so by being committed to setting the right habits and patterns in their life: Bible study, prayer, attending services, honesty, service, humility, and so forth. Get them comfortable living a Godly life!

3. THE RESULT OF WHAT WE DO: even when he is old he will not depart from it. If we get them used to practicing righteousness, when they are old they will practice righteousness. Now, that is not to say that some horses won’t act up or be wild at times – that happens. It happens with our children too. After all, they are “free moral agents” just as much as you are. Nevertheless, all things being equal, when you raise a child in a way that is committed to the process of parenting, a life of righteousness, and a desire to honor the Lord, the vast majority of children will grow up to serve Him.

What if I was committed to parenting my boys as I am to perfecting the crafts of my career? What if I was as committed to teaching righteousness to my boys as I am to my favorite sports team? What if I was as committed to training the three G’s to love and serve Jesus as I am to duck hunting, my golf game, or whatever hobby you enjoy? The book of Proverbs says if we were that committed to fatherhood, our children would be raised to walk after Him. May we be as committed to fatherhood as our Father in Heaven is to us!

Corey Sawyers

The following is a “top ten” list of silliest questions asked on a cruise ship.  They were collected in 1998 by Paul Grayson, cruise director for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

10. Do these steps go up or down?

9. What do you do with the beautiful ice carvings after they melt?

8. Which elevator do I take to get to the front of the ship?

7. Does the crew sleep on the ship?

6. Is this island completely surrounded by water?

5. Does the ship make its own electricity?

4. Is it salt water in the toilets?

3. What elevation are we at?

2. There’s a photographer on board who takes photos and displays them

the next day.  The question asked:  If the pictures aren’t marked,

how will I know which ones are mine?

1. What time is the Midnight Buffet being served?

They say there’s no such thing as a foolish question, but the Bible would disagree.  Now, any question asked in order to learn something is never foolish, but some questions are asked simply for the purpose of starting an argument.  Many of the questions the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus fell into this category (see Matthew 21 for several examples).  Jesus was the master at being able to handle those kinds of questions, throwing them back at the questioner without getting embroiled in their debate.

For us, though, the best response to such a question is usually to ignore it.  The apostle Paul instructed Timothy:

“But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient…” (2 Timothy 2:23-24).

Have a great day and a great weekend!

Alan Smith

As a Daddy, it’s a job that is mine,

I think of it often between the lines.

It is my unique duty, when home bound,

To get my family home, both safe and sound.

So I protect them from dangers and threats,

Keep up with conditions: snow, dry, or wet.

I keep driving on while they sleep and rest,

I study the map for the route that is best.

Across many rivers both wide and deep,

Thought the Ozarks climbing hills that are steep,

Across the open spaces of the plains,

Through the barren fields of harvested grain.

Until we ascend the mountain, what a thrill,

We reach the city set into the hill.

My family didn’t from the proper course roam,

Daddy’s Duty: I led my family home.

As a Daddy, a greater job is mine,

It is declared in many Bible lines.

It is my unique duty, when Heav’n bound,

Get my family Home; spiritually safe and sound.

I protect their souls from dangers and threats,

Ensure Godliness in our home is kept.

I teach the family of Heavenly rest,

We study God’s word, the map that is best.

I lead o’er rivers of worldliness deep,

Over the temptation mountains so steep,

Across paralyzing, complacent plains,

Through fields of worries as numerous as grain.

Until we ascend the Mountain, what a thrill,

When we all reach the City on a Hill.

My family shan’t from the proper Course roam,

Daddy’s Duty: to lead my family Home.

“Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them…. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.” (Col. 3:19, 21)

Corey Sawyers

She lived alone in a remote location, and on a stormy October night Ella Mae Reimers fell outside her garage to the rocky ground of the Texas Hill Country. She had broken her hip and there was no one near to hear her cries of pain. After struggling in vain to reach the ignition of her running automobile, she managed to pull her body along the ground and into the cold, damp garage located several yards on the downhill slope away from her house. With her bruised and bleeding arms she pulled together some empty feed sacks and an old shirt to cover her weakening body.  The lightning from the raging thunderstorm had caused her electrical power to fail and left her isolated in the darkness and solitude of the night.  Her intermittent cries for help went unheard by human ears until morning, when she was finally discovered by a friend.  “How did you make through the night, all by yourself?” her friend asked. Ella Mae said, “I wasn’t alone, my cries were not unheard.  I spent the night in prayer.”  Through pain she found comfort, and in her solitude, she discovered strength.

Our Lord once suffered alone through the night as well. He prayed in agony that the cup of suffering about to befall Him might pass away. With strong crying and tears He petitioned his father, and the angles came and strengthened him (Hebrews. 5:7; Luke 22:43). It was in a dark and isolated place that God provided for His son and prepared him for the awful misery that lay ahead.  Through prayer we likewise can become strong and find the peace needed to sustain us through the most challenging and painful of circumstances (Philippians 4:6-7) that might lie ahead. Truly, the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry (Psalm 34:15), even when we are alone, crying, and no one else can hear. God does. And if we, as His children, where to ever spend the night in prayer, He would most certainly be there as well.

John Moore

Being a follower of God has never been easy. Abraham was afraid for his life because of how beautiful his wife was, and so, he lied about their relationship (Genesis 20). Joseph maintained his integrity and resisted temptation but still wound up in prison and was left there for two years after he should have been released (Genesis 41:1). Job was faithful and righteous, but Satan was allowed to test him to the max, and then, he was accused of evil and unrepentant sin. Israel escaped Egyptian bondage, and after three days found no water (Exodus 15:22-23). The prophets of God were hidden in caves during the time of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 18:4). The people Jesus came to save betrayed Him, and one of His close followers betrayed Him, too. The book of Acts details a number of times Christians were arrested, beaten, threatened and even martyred. The apostle Paul had his own list of times he experienced various dangers (2 Corinthians 11:24ff). Life is not always going to be fair or easy, so when the tough times come, how much are we willing to trust God (Romans 8:18)?

[Editor’s Note: The statement and sentiment of the three Jewish youths facing a fiery furnace ought to be demonstrated in the lives of Christians today. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar… our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up’” (Daniel 3:16-18 NKJV). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

Thomas Baxley