Life gives us many problems.  Some believe Christians are not as afflicted as others, but this is not the case.  The difference between Christians and the world is as night and day. Christians have the avenue of prayer to His throne, to address their deepest worries, concerns and heartaches.   Never think Christians are exempt from troubles.  Far from it.

Troubles come to us when we least expect them, and some lessons are very hard to learn.  Sometimes the problems seem insurmountable, but for the faithful child of God, we are only a prayer away to seek His help and comfort.  When we have passed through these afflictions, we to can then say as the psalmist:    E.L.

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted;  that I might learn Thy statutes.”    Psalm 119:71

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”      Psalm 46:1

“Because it’s only when you’re tested you truly discover who you are.  And it’s only when you’re tested you discover who you can be.  The person you want to be does exist, somewhere on the other side of hard work and faith, and belief and beyond the heartache and fear of what life has.”      ~ Unknown

“Here are some time proven remedies for handling trouble when it comes:

Pray to God.   If we want Him close, pray and draw near to Him; then He will draw near to us.  He has promised.

Let us accept misfortune as a proving period from which we emerge bigger and stronger than ever.

Take our mind off our distresses by giving thanks to God.  Tell of His wondrous works.  It will surprise us to see what God has done.

Hold to the blessed promise that God can hide us in time of trouble and can set our feet on a rock.

Never lose confidence in the eventual winning of integrity and righteousness, which – with God’s help – can preserve us.  Troubles may force a detour and a delay, but they make the destination all the sweeter when we arrive.

Sometimes we reach the point where all human answers fail and all our resources collapse.  Then the only thing left is to turn the misfortune over to God, and say to him, “My times are in Thy hand.  And this is victory.”     ~ Leroy Brownlow

“The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.”     ~ Spurgeon

Eileen Light

Catherine Michaels was her name. She was a lonely, elderly, Christian widow who lived on my newspaper route when I was a boy. It was my practice when I delivered the newspaper to hand-deliver her paper and talk with her for a few moments to break the monotony of her day.

One day when I delivered her paper, she informed me that she was moving to California to live with her daughter. She thanked me for my visits, told me how much they meant to her, and tearfully told me that this would be the last time we would speak to each other in this life.

As I left her home that day, I said “Goodbye,” and when I did, she sternly told me to come back in her house. I didn’t know what I had done or if I had offended her. Then she explained. She said that she was not going to allow “goodbye” to be our final words.  She said that Christians will be together throughout eternity. Then she said, “You can say, ‘See you later,’ but you can’t say ‘goodbye.'”

So, as I left her house that day, I said, “See you later,” and these were the last words I ever spoke to her. I also left her house that day with a permanent impression on my mind of a truth I would never forget.

There are many reasons to be a Christian, but never having to say, “goodbye” must be one of the more compelling ones. What do you think? Give it some thought.

by Steve Higginbotham

What do we make of our experiences?

I suspect if we were to share stories about our experiences, the details might differ, however common traits would emerge. Here’s a few examples of what I have seen.

• As a lady walked toward a spiritist center, a seasoned missionary asked her, “Why are you attending tonight?” She said, “The last time my husband was unemployed I went to the spiritist center. The next day he got a job. I am going, so that tomorrow my husband will have a job.”
• An atheist, viewing that he was living his life on the edge of oblivion, described treasuring each moment. He concluded that living with this heightened intensity provided a superior life to what theism offered.
• Standing on my front doorstep, the truck driver admitted that he did not go to church. However, he quickly followed this up by claiming that he felt his relationship with God was good because life was going well and he was a basically good guy.
• Feeling like she was at the end of her rope, she decided to attend a faith-based meeting that began with worship. Because she found hope and encouragement, she concluded everything about this group aligned with God’s will.

Although these stories differ, they share a common characteristic. In each case, people navigated life by believing their experiences revealed truth. In other words, if something seemed to work, it must be good and true. Perhaps one expression of this impulse is captured in those old lyrics, “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right.”

What do we make of our experiences? If something works, do we regard it as true?

Hmm.  Because of what I read in scripture, I have concluded that our experiences do not provide us with reliable compasses. Consider for instance Jesus’ statement how God expresses his love toward all people. “He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:43).

Should the unrighteous conclude that because the sun rises on them and they enjoy rain that their ways are right? Does experiencing blessings mean that the universe approves?

Scripture puts it even more bluntly in Deuteronomy 13:1-13. God warned Israel against embracing ideas just because they worked. If an idea contravened God’s word calling God’s people to chart another path, it was to be rejected regardless of its success.

In fact, God announced that sometimes he would allow what was false to succeed in order to “know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him” (Deuteronomy 13:3,4).

In general terms, our experiences can often be helpful. Touch a hot stove; it burns. Learn the lesson to not touch it again. However, scripture reveals that our experiences are not the gold standard for truth. If we want a reliable source for navigating life, we need to digest and then live out God’s word.

“Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path” (Psalm 119:106).

Barry Newton

Delving deeper into faith

What is faith? This probably sounds like a silly question – but only if we have given it no thought because we assume we fully understand it. Consider one small sampling of the evidence.

In the second and third centuries before Christ, Jewish scholars translated their Hebrew Bible into Greek. We call their work the Septuagint. Interesting questions might be: When they used the Greek word pistis (faith), what Hebrew words and ideas were they trying to convey? Was their understanding of faith broader, the same or narrower than ours? Take a look.

Here is a list of the Hebrew words whose concepts the Septuagint translators chose to render into Greek by using pistis:

‘emun – trusting, faithfulness: Deuteronomy 32:20; Proverbs 13:17

‘emunah –  faithfulness, trust and truth because it is reliable as something that is firm and steadfast: 1 Samuel 26:23; Psalm 33:4; Proverbs 12:17,22; 2 Kings 12:15; 1 Chronicles 9:31; 2 Chronicles 31:15; 34:12; Jeremiah 5:1; Hosea 2:20; Habakkuk 2:4

‘amanah – faith, support.  Hence, a sure or reliable covenant: Nehemiah 9:38

‘emet – firmness, faithfulness: Proverbs 3:3

‘aman – made sure. Hence, if something is not made sure then it fails: Jeremiah 15:18

When the Septuagint translators encountered Hebrew words conveying trustworthiness and faithfulness, they chose to use the Greek word pistis to convey these ideas. It would appear their core understanding of pistis revolved around the idea of something or someone being reliable, embodying trustworthiness or exemplifying faithfulness through actions.

What is intriguing about their usage of faith is that its core idea was not limited to being an inner conviction or belief. Rather, their notion of faith revolved around being reliable – which could also be seen through action.

How does such an understanding compare with our ideas about faith? Can our view of faith embrace action or is it limited to the realm of inner convictions and beliefs?

Were they wrong to use faith in this way? Does the New Testament usage of faith also encompass faith as action? If our understanding of faith limits it to being a confident belief, are we in agreement with how the New Testament’s uses faith?

If we assume that faith means just believing, we will obtain a message from the New Testament. However, will this entail comprehending the authors’ intending meaning and hence achieve an author-centered understanding? Or will it merely be an echo of our own assumptions, thus confining us to a reader-centered understanding?

It has been said that unexamined assumptions are the most dangerous ones. The reason for this is assumptions wield tremendous power influencing our lives. Unexamined assumptions thus wield that power without us realizing we are being controlled by them.

Barry Newton

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:32 ESV).

God desires to draw us to himself. As a host invites guests to a party (Luke 14:16-24), and as a shepherd leads his sheep (John 10:1-4), God invites us to join him in the kingdom and to follow Jesus through a life of personal growth and Divine glory.

We may be inexorably drawn to that which is beautiful, to that which is unique, to that which is lovely. While Jesus is all of that and more, God desires to draw us to the crucified Jesus. The drawing power Jesus refers to is his death upon the cross (John 12:33).

If we are to come to Jesus, we must be drawn to him. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:45a). But that drawing is not some mysterious power, it is through the teaching of the Father (John 6:45), which is revealed in the gospel (1 Corinthians 2:6-16; Ephesians 3:1-13; Romans 1:16).

As our presence is requested, our presence can be refused. We have the freedom to allow ourselves to be drawn or to demur. An invitation can be declined, an offer can be rejected (see Luke 13:34).

Though God has the power to force us, he will not. God does not drive men to himself. Being driven is a drudgery. No one enjoys being forced to go where they would not, nor being coerced to do that which they would not. Some, it seems, feel driven to God, not by their own free will but by external forces. They are driven to God because of family commitments, habit, peer pressure, a need to belong, or any number of reasons.

One’s whole heart cannot be given to God if they feel forced to be near him. The Jews rebelled under similar circumstances (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). God is not interested in just outward action, he desires the whole heart.

While being driven is a drudgery, being drawn is a delight. Jesus invites us to rest (Matthew 11:28-30). He offers rest from the never-ending pressures of the world, from sin (Psalm 38:4), and from burdens that weigh us down (Hebrews 12:1). In him and through him we have peace (Romans 5:1-2), and through a lifetime of service to him we have joy (John 15:1-11).

Give up being driven to God. All that you will find is bitterness in your heart. Allow his goodness to draw you to him. It is never too late to be drawn to Jesus. The cross is still inviting, the word is still convicting, and Jesus is still captivating.

Lee Parish

CHILDREN ARE A HERITAGE FROM THE LORD

Yes, parenthood changes everything.  But parenthood also changes with each baby.  Here, some of the ways having a second and third child differs from having your first (author unknown):

YOUR CLOTHES

1st baby:  You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby:  Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

THE BABY’S NAME

1st baby:  You pore over baby-name books and practice pronouncing and writing combinations of all your favorites.

2nd baby: Someone has to name his or her kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right?  It might as well be you.

3rd baby:  You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your finger points.

PREPARING FOR THE BIRTH

1st baby:  You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don’t bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn’t do a thing.

3rd baby:  You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

THE LAYETTE

1st baby:  You pre-wash your newborn’s clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby’s little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby:  Boys can wear pink, can’t they?

WORRIES

1st baby:   At the first sign of distress – a whimper, a frown – you Pick up the baby.

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to take your firstborn.

3rd baby:  You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

ACTIVITIES

1st baby:  You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby:  You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

GOING OUT

1st baby:  The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby:  You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

AT HOME

1st baby:  You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn’t squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby:  You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Parenthood is quite a challenge.  But it is a blessing from God (though we sometimes have to keep reminding ourselves!).

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.  Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.” (Psa. 127:3-5)

Some quivers are larger than others, but there is no more awesome responsibility in all the world than the responsibility to instill within our children a love for God and His Word.  May all of you who are parents be blessed and encouraged as you raise your children in the Lord.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

Make no mistake about it

I think I know what I need. That’s my first mistake. Then I work my fingers to the bone going after what I’m sure I need. That’s my second mistake. After that, the mistakes just keep multiplying.

David acted crazy before the Philistine chief Abimelech because he thought that was the solution to his danger (1 Samuel 21:10-15). It was a crazy strategy for what he thought he needed. Supposedly, it got him out of hot water. But did it?

Psalm 34 is a much beloved song of deliverance. The inscription reads, “Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.”

In the old Beacon commentary series, W.T. Purkiser organized this psalm under four headings: Praise (vv. 1-6); provision (vv. 7-10), practice (vv. 11-14), protection (vv. 15-22). His alliterative outline is probably appropriate for a psalm whose structure is an acrostic using the Hebrew alphabet.

Purkiser’s headings give a hint as to why David’s psalm is so read and loved. It covers most all the bases of life’s challenges.

Let’s focus on the second heading, “Provision.” Here we have an echo of Psalm 23 and a foretaste of Matthew 6.

Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psalm 34:9-10 ESV

Three things stand out here. First, who it is that has no lack. David describes them as his saints. God’s holy people. Pagans rush after the things of this world (Matthew 6:32). Even in creation there is suffering for an animal’s needs, but nothing lacks for God’s people.

Second, David uses two verbs to describe what God’s holy people do who have no lack: they fear God and they seek the Lord. They are synonymous terms, each with its own shade of meaning. Fear of God is the essence of man’s relationship with him. It is the daily dependence on the Lord, the constant consciousness of God as sovereign. Seeking the Lord is that active energy that puts God squarely in the center of thought and practice. He is the organizing principle of all we do.

Third, David makes a blanket statement about lacking no good thing that, at first glance, seems hard to reconcile with experience. Who among God’s people has never felt sharply a need in life? If we lack no good thing, why do we feel needy?

Several explanations may cover this.

First, I may not in fact be needy. Feelings often do not reflect reality. What I feel may not be my real situation. I sometimes think that I just have to have something, but after I get it, it doesn’t seem as important as when it was new and shiny behind the glass at the store.

Second, I may be confusing wants with needs. Twenty-first century needs have little to do with the basics. People often talk about first-world problems, due to our materialism, that people in poorer parts of the world can’t begin to imagine. The choices between Apple and Android aren’t earth-shaking.

Third, it may be necessary for me to feel the need in order to ask God to fulfill that need. Some things God gives us without our asking — no doubt about that. But others things he waits for us to ask. He has his wisdom in this. Perhaps he desires to create a greater sense of dependence and trust in our hearts.

The take-away from all this is that (a) God is good and provides for his own — we must be certain of this — and (b) if we are to be his holy people, we must fear him and seek him.

The Bridgeway commentary says, “The strongest and most successful flesh-hunting beasts do not always find enough food to satisfy them, but David never suffers a shortage of supplies. He fears God, and therefore God provides for him.”

This is a lesson for every child of God to learn. The Lord wants to be glorified in us, and he will provide all we need when we fear and seek him. For that I am thankful.

by A. A. Neale

There are several passages in scripture that I have heard close to a million times. Because of their popularity, I end up glossing over some potential greatness. Such was the case with Matthew 11:29. Contained within this verse is perhaps one of the greatest invitations from Jesus Himself. The Lord, while speaking to the disciples, told them to “take His yoke.” Shamefully, it was not until a few years ago that I realized He wasn’t talking about eggs. Breakfast wasn’t served in Matthew – that’s John’s gospel (John 21:12).

Being a city kid didn’t help my understanding of this text either. However, my brief time in Tennessee opened up my eyes to a culture I failed to recognize. A yoke is simply used to join two working animals together; thus creating synergy. One might logically think that this would double the efficiency of the work output. To my surprise, I learned that if two animals are yoked together, you normally get about 2.5x the power and sometimes even 3x. A true phenomenon of agriculture.

A single draft horse can pull about 8,000lbs (amazing in and of itself). If you yoke two draft horses together, you can likely pull about 24,000lbs. This serves as an incredible discovery that led to the institution of yoking animals together to maximize efficiency and lead to greater work .

Jesus invites His followers to “take His yoke.” A yoke is not made for one individual worker, but rather it’s made for two. It’d be quite the sight to see a work horse with a yoke and an absent partner. If anything, the yoke would turn into a burdensome obstacle instead of a tool of power. When we take His yoke, we lock ourselves securely next to the Christ; there’s no better place to be in this life than to be connected with Jesus.

This invitation is for the workers, those on the edge of burn-out, those who are being tossed around by the world, and those who seek company. Jesus promises “rest” for the soul when being yoked with Him. When you keep reading past this verse and on into chapter 12, you’ll see some religious leaders start whining and complaining about the disciples picking heads of wheat to eat on Sabbath. It serves as a perfect illustration for those who remain restless. The pharisees in this context were devoting themselves to finding fault in Jesus and His disciples. However, look how easily and efficiently Jesus defends His followers. They were reaping the benefits of being yoked to Christ almost immediately after His teaching.

Yoke yourself with Christ and find rest. Life is far more efficient when we are locked in close proximity of Jesus. He doesn’t expect you to do this alone, but He invites you to work alongside of Him. What a great opportunity presented before us!

Tyler King

One day, my daughter and I were sitting outside of a bank waiting on my wife, who was inside the bank, when an armored truck pulled up next to us. At the time, my daughter was probably four or five years old, so I thought I’d have a little fun with her.

I explained to my daughter what an armored truck was, and then said, “I think I’m going to go over there and bop one of those men on the head and take some of that money.” My daughter immediately told me that I shouldn’t do that, so I asked her, “Why not?” While this conversation occurred more than 25 years ago, I am still challenged by the profundity of my daughter’s response.  She said, “Daddy, you can’t take that money because that would make God sad.”

I was floored! I expected her to say something like, “Daddy, you can’t do that because you’ll get shot…get arrested…or go to jail,” but she cut through all those pragmatic, lesser reasons and offered the only one that really mattered, “Daddy, you can’t do that because that would make God sad.”

I hope that for as long as I live, I will never forget her response, and I will allow her answer to serve as a guide for all of my decisions. I hope the same for you, too.

by Steve Higginbotham
 

Making Plans

A financial planner observed that most folks spend more time planning their summer vacation than they devote to planning their most important lifetime goals. That is, without doubt, a sad but true fact. How can we hope to succeed in life without planning and goal-setting? If you want to be a successful student, businessman, politician, etc. – it takes planning!

Surely this same point can be made in regards to our spiritual service to God. In fact, it may be even truer in this particular realm. We might even say that some folks appear to spend more time planning what they will do after supper on a given night than they have ever spent charting their plans for serving God. It’s a sad situation, to be sure.

The problem is that we have gotten our priorities out of order. Notice what Jesus said: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withall shall we be clothed?. . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:32,33)

Do you see it? Jesus said that we ought not to worry about the things that we most often do worry about. And, He said that we should give careful consideration to our spiritual work – putting it first in our lives.

Christian, are you making your plans to be faithful to God and to be active in His service? Have you spent any time lately planning about the things that are really most important?

– by Greg Gwin

It took Solomon seven years to build the temple for God. He began it in the fourth year of his reign and completed it in the eleventh year (1 Kings 6:37-38). He also built a palace for himself which took another thirteen years to build (1 Kings 7:1-12).

Once the temple and all the items to be used in the worship of God was completed, Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant to be placed in the inner sanctuary. Israel’s elders, tribal leaders, and all the men of Israel came to witness the transfer of the Ark to the temple.

Solomon then blessed the assembled Israelites and offered a prayer to God. The prayer is rather long as it is recorded in both the Kings and Chronicles, but there are themes which are worth our attention.

“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity…Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.’” (1 Kings 8:23-25 NET)

There was no god like YHVH, the God of Israel! God had promised that the line of David would always have a king on the throne of Israel. But notice that there was a condition placed on this: provided that they were faithful to God and served him. Today there is no throne in the land of Israel. No descendant of David reigns on a physical throne. But there is one of the lineage of David who is reigning: Jesus the Messiah. His throne isn’t a physical one nor is his kingdom physical. He told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” This is the kingdom we are part of as Christians.

“God does not really live on the earth! Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27)

The temple Solomon constructed, from its description, was a building of beauty with the walls covered with gold. It was impressive! But Solomon realized that it could not contain God. In fact, the earth cannot contain him nor any other part of Creation. The God we serve is so much greater than anything on the earth.

Solomon realized that having a temple would not keep the Israelite faithful to their God. He said, “The time will come when your people will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry with them and deliver them over to their enemies” (1 Kings 8:46). He appealed to the people to be faithful but when they sinned to repent and come back to God, asking for forgiveness. The same is true today. We need to realize that we are not sinless and make sure we ask our Father in Heaven to forgive us.

Solomon realized that God was faithful. He said, “Not one of all the faithful promises he made through his servant Moses is left unfulfilled!” (1 Kings 8:56). Sadly, many today are looking for God to still restore a physical kingdom in Israel to fulfil his promises to Moses. Yet time and again in scripture we read that God fulfilled all his promises. Joshua was aware of it (Joshua 23:14) and we see Solomon emphasizing the same thing. God fulfilled all his promises to Israel.

May we learn the lessons that Solomon was trying to get his people to understand. “May he make us submissive, so we can follow all his instructions and obey the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors” (1 Kings 8:58).

Perhaps one of the most iconic sections of scripture is the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6. Through religious history, it has maintained its popularity among almost any theological circle. Some have taken it out of context while others have passed it off as outdated and irrelevant. Regardless of trends, this pericope is certainly an important area to study and meditate on. When giving instruction on prayer, Jesus gave this impeccable template. First He addresses the Father, acknowledges His will, anticipates His providence, and finally asks for spiritual well-being. However, there is one word within that prayer that particularly stands out to me; “daily.”

Notice how our Lord modeled this to be a regular practice; “give us this day, our daily bread.” It is in the middle of this incredible model that one can find the center piece of making this a continual process. We seem to push daily Bible reading all the time, but why keep the divine conversation one sided? One of the healthiest things we could ever do is have a good balance of prayer and study. Pray before you study. Study before you pray.

The Christ’s prayer can be divided into two sections based on the six imperatives found in the text. The first section includes the first three imperatives: holy, come, and done. These three indicate the nature of God in heaven. Notice how verses 9 and 10 are all about God; “Your name,” “your kingdom,” and “your will.” Jesus first shows the importance for one to calibrate themselves with God before proceeding to make personal request.

The next section of the prayer includes the second set of imperatives: give, forgive, and deliver (6:11-13). The prayer shifts and is now focusing on the prayeree. There is a great sense of dependance seen in these short verses. In the first section, Jesus calibrated His thought to the magnificence of God. Logically, it makes sense to then go before this great God to ask for daily fortune, divine forgiveness, and deliverance from evil. Significance can be seen in Jesus Himself realizing God as the only provider for these requests.

We require blessing on a daily basis; it’s what keeps us alive. Without creating our own dependency on God, we are shooting ourselves in the spiritual foot and digging our own graves. However, there is great joy to be found when the Holy God, King of kings, and Sustainer of life gives us an invitation to bring our hearts to His abode.

Tyler King

The big stuff

“But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, . . .” (2 Peter 1:5 NKJV).

I have watched as a crew of workers built a road (or driveway) on private property in Bangladesh. First they dug out the soil to a pre-determined depth, then filled it with pieces of concrete broken into chunks the size of one’s doubled fists and larger. After those are packed and leveled there will be a layer of brick chips several inches thick, and ultimately a cement pavement.

The order of fill is of great importance as the varied materials in the base strengthen and support the smooth surface. If the smaller chips were put in first, on the bottom, they would eventually be pressed into the dirt and the road would become uneven and broken. The larger concrete chunks will stay at the correct level.

Few Biblical scholars attempt to find a logical or necessary order to Peter’s wonderful list of Christian virtues in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Except, that is, that all agree that faith is first, intentionally and essentially. “Without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6). Any positive relationship with the Creator begins with the acknowledgement that “He is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently see him” (Hebrews 11:6).

So Paul presents faith as the primary defense against Satan’s attacks (Ephesians 6:16). It is to be earnestly defended (“contended for”) by the church (Jude 3). Faith in Jesus as the resurrected Son of God, and savior of mankind is essential for salvation (Romans 10:8-13). Every step of Christian growth and service is based on the foundation of obedient trust in God.

Some argue that Biblical teaching on faith presents it always as the possession of the believer – that quality or virtue which allows him to depend on God for all blessings. Though that is certainly a part of Biblical faith, one must also recognize that without an authoritative body of doctrine to which one holds, faith becomes totally subjective and may indeed become different things to different people. Faith is on or in someone or something. Without an object faith is powerless.

Jude wrote to a Christian community to exhort them to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This inspired writer maintains that there is an objective standard received by “all the saints” which would not change. It was delivered “once for all.” He clearly understood “the faith” in terms of that body of doctrine which all must believe, and to which all must hold (Titus 1:9).

A few decades ago, at the height of the Church Growth Movement in the United States, several polls were conducted to determine why people chose to identify with a particular church. Doctrinal teaching was usually a very low priority. People were much more likely to choose a church because of family history, location, attractiveness of facilities, friendliness of the congregation, personality and abilities of the preacher, and other such factors.

In the current climate of ecumenism (unity), doctrine is necessarily devalued. The decision has been made by most denominations to focus on what believers have in common (often very few things) and to overlook and tolerate that on which they disagree (almost everything believed and practiced). The result is that many so-called Christian authorities now agree that members of other major religions will also be saved – even those who reject the Bible as God’s inspired Word and Jesus as his only Son.

What seems to be ignored in this decision is that it requires the abandonment of Biblical faith. If there is no standard of what or whom one believes in, of what use is belief? This is ironic in that most of the time, the one thing all agree they have in common is “faith.” But it is obviously not Biblical faith based on an accepted standard (the Bible). Modern ecumenical faith is just the intellectual admission that there is a higher power. Biblical faith however confesses that Jesus is the divine Lord, and that he was raised from the dead (Romans 10:9; 1 John 4:1-6).

Jesus concluded his Sermon on the Mount with a parable of two builders. The foolish builder built on sand and his house was destroyed by storm. The wise man built on rock, and his house endured. Jesus application was that the wise man represents those who hear his words and do them (Matthew 7:24-27).

Faith is our foundation. Everything spiritual begins with a commitment to truth which leads to obedience. That is the big stuff that has to underlie all else. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Michael Brooks

The voice of God

By Johnny O. Trail — At the close of World War II, there was some concern that Japan would not surrender. Hiroshima and Nagasaki had already been devastated by atomic bombs, and America continued to bomb various regions of Japan as the USA prepared a third nuclear bomb. To further encourage the Japanese to surrender, Americans dropped pamphlets from airplanes.

When the Japanese emperor, Hirohito, came on broadcast radio to announce the surrender, it was the first time that many of his subjects had ever heard his voice. Many of Hirohito’s followers believed he was a “demi-god.”/1 Some who heard him surrender to the Americans were hearing the voice of their “god” for the very first time.

For a moment, one might consider what it means to truly hear the voice of God.

For one thing, people need to be careful that the voice they are hearing is really God’s. In the book of Acts, Herod was giving an oration and the people claimed that he was god based upon his speaking ability. Luke records in Acts 12:20-22,

“And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.”

Evidently Herod went along with their categorization of him. An over-inflated ego seemed to plague many rulers of Jesus’ age and ours too.

Because of his blasphemy, Herod suffered a horrible death.  Acts 12.23 says, “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms,/2 and gave up the ghost.”  Some study of this manner of death reveals that it was a particularly nasty way to die.  Suffice it to say that we want to give God the glory for all things.

Still, there are those who were likened unto a god, but they understood their true domain before Jehovah’s throne.  Paul and Barnabas were called “gods” at Lystra.  Acts 14:11-15 says,

“And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.”

Paul and Barnabas understood that they had no business wearing any title that likened them unto God.

How does one hear the voice of God in our age?  While it is true that God is no longer speaking to us in a miraculous fashion (I Corinthians 13.8ff), He still speaks to humankind in various ways.

First, God speaks to us by what we observe in nature.  Romans 1:20 says, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”  From an intelligent design, one realizes that there must have been some precipitating first cause.  That is, someone had to create all of the things we see in the natural universe.

Furthermore, God speaks to us today through His word.  II Timothy 3.16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”  It is amazing to consider that God would even reveal Himself to humankind.

Those who are interested in the truth hear and obey the voice of Jesus. John 18:37 says, “Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” As a matter of fact, God has spoken to us in these “last days” through His son. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”

One must be careful about the voices that he hears and obeys.  If any would be a follower of Jesus, he must listen to Him and no one else.  John 10:3-5 says,

“To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”

Scripture reveals the true voice of the Chief Shepherd.

Moreover, there are voices that will attempt to deceive humankind.  Satan and his minions are described as “deceitful workers” by Paul.  In II Corinthians 11.13-14 he says, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”  Simply stated, Satan tries to display himself in the bests possible light to accomplish the most in his deceptions.

Later, John describes certain deceivers as “antichrists.”  II John 1.6-7 says,

“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

Many scholars believe that the “deceivers” in this passage were the Gnostics. Regardless of their identity, we need to be careful of people who would seek to deceive us in our attempt to follow Christ.

One must hear the voice of God and obey it for eternal life and righteous living.  While some may profess to be deity, God’s true characteristics and will are revealed in Scripture.  We should always use scripture as the litmus test for any doctrine, teaching, or person who claims to speak on God’s behalf.

/1 Burgess, John (1986).  Emperor Hirohito as Demigod and Living History.  Washington Post.  “Hirohito came to power in 1926, revered by millions of Japanese as a demi-god…. In 1945, he was demoted to mortal being, his property was confiscated and he narrowly escaped prosecution as a war criminal.”

/2 Boles H. Leo (1968).  A Commentary on Acts of the Apostles, 2nd ed., Gospel Advocate Company, Nashville, TN, pg. 197.  “Worm” is from the Greek skolex, and was used of “intestinal worms”; there are several cases recorded in ancient history of such deaths.  Josephus says that Herod Agrippa lingered for five days and says that the rotting of his flesh produced worms; this is in harmony with Luke’s description.  It is recorded that Herod died in August, A.D. 44.  Herod died a most revolting death, and much more shocking than a sudden stroke of death.”

www.forthright.net

“Thou Hast Left Thy First Love”

He has been married to his college sweetheart for fifteen years now. They have two kids, a lovely house in the suburbs, and lots of friends. He’s got a good, secure job.  Everything looks great. But, in recent months he has been depressed and unhappy. His wife, noticing these changes, has been worried about him. Is he having a “mid-life crisis”?  Is there another woman? Finally she summons up the courage to ask him what’s wrong.

He assures her that there is no other woman. He would NEVER do such a thing. What’s the problem? “To be totally honest”, he says, “I just don’t love you anymore.” Her pain is deep, and obvious. But, the husband hastens to add: “Don’t worry. I’m not going to leave you and the kids. I’ll still be here. I know it would be wrong to get a divorce. I’ll fulfill my obligations. We’ll keep going on.”

How do you think the wife will react? Do you imagine that she will be relieved? Will she be happy to know that their marriage will continue, but only as an outward show? Is that enough? Can “fulfilling obligations” take the place of “I love you”?

This imaginary account has too many real life counterparts. We think there are a number of spiritual parallels, too. How many Christians have lost their real love for the Lord? Oh, yes, they continue to go through motions. They worship regularly, and even show up for some of the special things. But, it is done out of obligation, not out of genuine love. Will that suffice? NO! Jesus says, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. . . repent and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place” (Rev. 2:4,5). The Lord desires service based on love. Nothing else will do.

– by Greg Gwin

“Let Me First . . .”

On one occasion Christ heard these words, “I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house” (Luke 9:61). Some say, when confronted with the passionate pleas of the Gospel, “Let me first get my education, a better job, a home, a new automobile, and the other necessary things of life.”

These folks have a place for Christ in their lives – second place!  They seem convinced that material security will somehow prepare them to follow Christ. Such a perception fails to grasp the meaning of Christ’s words: “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).  Many have actually reversed the saying of Christ and are seeking first the wealth of the world thinking the kingdom of God will be added unto them. To gain the entire world and to lose Christ is to lose all (Mark 8:36,37)

There is nothing wrong with having a good education, a better job, a home, a new or better car. The harm is in allowing these things to take precedence over the things of God’s kingdom. What is first in your life? Is it money, pleasure, education, or is it Christ Jesus?

– by Michael W. McLemore

Do you believe that there is a God? Are you convinced that He is the Creator of the entire universe? Have you examined the evidence and become persuaded that He not only has made everything, but also sustains all things that we see and know (Col. 1:16,17)? There is ample proof, and believing in these things requires no ‘blind leap of faith.’ Rather, it is a logical conclusion based upon the evidence. The apostle Paul said: “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever” (Rom. 11:36). Those who will honestly study the matter must surely agree.

Having made this point, Paul proceeds in the next verse to make a plea based upon the truth that God is the Creator and sustainer of the universe: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (12:1) Do you see it? The emphasis here is upon what is “reasonable.” If God made all things, and continues to provide the necessary support to keep all things functioning, then it is simply the “reasonable” thing for us to serve Him. Think about it: we are His; we belong to Him; He made us; He upholds us. It only makes sense for us, therefore, to do what He wants us to do.

In this text, the phrase “present your bodies a living sacrifice” indicates the degree of this “reasonable service.” We are not being called upon to offer ourselves to Him on a part time basis – maybe a few hours per week, or a couple of days each year. Instead, we are to give ourselves completely over to Him.

In our selfish, self-centered age there are many who are totally unfamiliar with the notion of “sacrifice.” They are the center of their own universe. They think constantly of what can be gained for self. They completely ignore the duty that is due to the One who made them and constantly blesses them with the things that maintain their existence. Such conduct is absolutely ‘unreasonable.’

If you believe in God, logic and reason demand that you humbly serve Him. Are you doing so? Think!

– by Greg Gwin

If you like short quizzes, see how well you do with these five questions.

• Who was rebuked by Jesus for caring more about temporal things than eternal things?
• To whom did Jesus offer “living water” that would cause one to never again thirst?
• Which disciple was given a second chance to follow Jesus after denying him?
• Who postponed obedience to Christ by procrastinating for a “more convenient season?”
• Who was the captive who gained his freedom in exchange for Jesus’ death?

If your answers were (Martha, the Samaritan woman, Peter, Felix, and Barabbas), give yourself partial credit. But none of those answers are what I was looking for. However, if you answered each question with your own name, then give yourself full credit!

Okay, so the quiz is a “trick,” but if you go back and re-read all the questions, you’ll see that your name is a perfect answer to every question. The purpose of this little quiz is just to remind you to internalize the Scriptures. The Bible is a great book, but if we don’t make personal application of its truths, it will do us no good. Give it some thought.

by Steve Higginbotham

How many times has it happened? I walk into the bedroom of one of my sons, and it is very messy! Excuse after excuse comes until I finally say, “There is no excuse for this!” In Jeremiah 1, God is telling Jeremiah he has a job for him to do, and Jeremiah begins to make one excuse after another to the Lord. Notice there are five excuses he uses that we still try to use today.

“THE WORK IS TOO HARD” (Jer. 1:6). Jeremiah says, “ALAS! The word is “an interjection of lamentation” Jeremiah is saying, “Oh no! Really? You want me to do THAT?” We sometimes think God’s work is too difficult. However, just because something is hard, does not mean it is not essential! We should take comfort in knowing that God has known us and had plans for us before we were conceived.

“I AM NOT TALENTED ENOUGH!” (Jer. 1:6). Jeremiah says, “Behold, I do not know how to speak” (Jer. 1:6). How could he be a preacher if he could not even speak properly (Ex. 4:10)? We think we are not talented enough. God can use someone humble enough to let himself be used by Him.

“I AM TOO YOUNG” (1:6). Jeremiah says, “I am a youth.” (Jer. 1:6). He was probably late teenage years, or maybe early 20s. Sometimes being a youth and a spokesman is awkward because the older ones will not listen. We often think we are too young, too busy or too old, in our mind at least. Still, just as with Jeremiah, God is with us!

“THIS IS DANGEROUS WORK!” Jeremiah says, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north” (1:13). This was a message of judgment, and Jeremiah would not be beloved for preaching it. We sometimes do not want to do something we think is dangerous. Still, we must stand up for Jesus, and when we do, God is with us!

“I DON’T WANT TO DO IT NOW.” Jeremiah did not say this audibly. However, it almost seems like The Lord is answering this one before Jeremiah has a chance to say it. We sometimes will use that excuse of  “just not right now.” Nevertheless, God expects and demands obedience. Now. Not on our time, on His time!

We can make excuses all day long, but they are not reasons, because they are not honest. Jeremiah made excuses as to why he could not preach. In the end, he became one of the greatest preachers of all time. We can make excuses for what we cannot do. Nonetheless, you do not know what you can be until you let Him use you! It is time we obey and serve – No Excuses!