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Faithful defiance

One of the characteristics of a faithful Christian life is submission.

As our perfect example, Jesus submitted to the Father (John 6:38; Philippians 2:5-9). As Jesus submitted to the Father, the church must submit to Christ (Ephesians 5:23-24). Christians submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21), by subordinating our own will for the needs and desires of others (Philippians 2:3). We should submit to shepherds (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5), as they watch out for the souls of the sheep. Wives are to submit to their husbands (Colossians 3:18), slaves to their masters (1 Peter 2:18), and all Christians to the government (1 Peter 2:13).

It matters not if we like the decisions that are made. There is no room for prideful disobedience to these commands, for we have completely submitted ourselves to the Father of spirits and to his law (Hebrews 12:9; Romans 8:7).

Yet this submission also demands a type of defiance, a faithful defiance.

We find an example of this in the life of Nehemiah. The former cupbearer to the king turned governor had many enemies. Sanballat was greatly displeased “that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10). He accused Nehemiah of rebelling against the king (Nehemiah 2:19), and jeered at the Jews (Nehemiah 4:1). He tried to lure Nehemiah away in order to harm him (Nehemiah 6:2). When that failed he paid Shemaiah to convince Nehemiah to seek shelter in the temple (Nehemiah 6:10; see Numbers 18:7). Nehemiah’s response is one of faithful defiance, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in” (Nehemiah 6:11).

He would not run from the threats, for he was God’s man. He would not enter the temple, for that was sin. His piercing question reverberates to this day, “Should such a man as I run away?”

Nehemiah would not abandon the LORD or his people, but would stand in faithful defiance of those who would entice him to sin.

We stand in faithful defiance when we heed the words of Paul to Corinth, “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). We stand in faithful defiance when we “stand firm and hold to the traditions that [we] were taught” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

Elders stand in faithful defiance when they “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught,” so that they “may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). There are those who are “empty talkers and deceivers” who must be “silenced” (Titus 1:0, 11). Shepherds are God’s men for the task.

Preachers stand in faithful defiance when they “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Paul’s warning to Timothy that there would be those who will not endure sound teaching (2 Timothy 4:3-4), is fulfilled with each new generation. And the solution to such a problem remains the same, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Christians stand in faithful defiance when we cling to God’s glorious word in the face of “false teachers” who bring in “destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1). We stand in faithful defiance to the pride and selfishness of the world, when we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), and become more like our Lord.

In 1955, William F. Buckley, Jr. stated that his new magazine’s task was to stand “athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those who so urge it.” At the risk of mixing the holy with the profane, I say we stand in faithful defiance when we stand athwart the truth, yelling stop to those who would exchange her for a lie.

Those who submit to God must resist the devil (James 4:7). It may be that we feel we are alone — we are not. It may be that people have little patience for our plea. But the man of God will — with all love and faithfulness — fight the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

Like Nehemiah before us, let us pose this question, “Shall people such as us run away?”

by Lee Parish

Meeting together is a part of who we are as Christians. Church means assembly or meeting. Without the physical assembly of saints, we are not church.

The assembly appears everywhere in the New Testament. One commentator describes some of the elements of the church’s worship in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, in his comments on chapter 4, verses 7-18:

Elements of worship in the Early Church are also revealed. The met in their own homes (15). They sang hymns and gospel songs (3:16). They read the Scriptures (16), offered fervent prayers (12), and ministered to each other within the Christian circle according to their abilities (8, 14) (Nielson 424).

The letter does not mention all the acts of worship of God’s people. (We need the whole of the New Testament for that.) The Colossian Christians had received personal instruction from the apostle on what to do in their meetings. But this window offers us a good view of the warm meetings guided by the commandments of Christ and his holy apostles.

Let us see some of these elements in more detail.

1. Worship in homes was the almost universal practice of early Christians, 4.15. The home provided an ideal place for the family of faith. It was a factor in the fast growth of the church. The coronavirus has pointed up that many saints today are so tied to buildings that they have little concept of the nature of worship. May we all learn this profound truth again.
2. They sang, 3.16-17. Singing is a one-another activity. Preachers have long insisted that all sing. Home viewing via the internet frustrates this and other mutual edification activities in the church. So do instruments of music. We sing together because we live and worship “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” by his authority.
3. They read Scripture, 4.16. Apostolic writings are authoritative, along with the other Scriptures, 2 Peter 3.15-16. Some churches have dispensed with public reading of Scriptures, except for when the preacher does it. (Another evidence of preacher-centered faith.) But see Revelation 1.3. Who aspires to be a Bible reader in worship? Frequent and repeated public readings place Scriptures in the center of our faith and practice, 1 Timothy 4.13.
4. They prayed, fervently, 4.2. They were devoted to it. No rote phrases here. No mumbling or putting only those who couldn’t preach to do the job. A big part of prayer was thanksgiving. The church is a grateful people, who know how richly they are blessed. Prayer always remembered the mission of the Good News, 4.3-4.
5. They served one another, 4.8, 14. Those who failed to serve got called out, 4.17. Service was done in honesty and truth, 3.8-10. Love and forgiveness undergirded their relationships and expressed their love, 3.12-14. Serving was done together, for the Kingdom of God, 4.11. The end of prayer for other saints is their maturity and confidence, 4.12.

As we see in other books of the New Testament, the letter to Colossians indicates that the meetings serve to unite the family of faith, strengthen brothers and sisters in Christ and prepare them to fulfill their mission in the world. This picture informs and encourages us to be the church of the New Testament.

Let us so structure our meetings that they are truly spiritual moments. Let us give them proper value in order to be, in truth, the people who please the Lord.

1. Randal Matheny

NIELSON, John B. 1965 “The epistle to the Colossians” em A.F. Harper, ed., Beacon Bible commentary, vol. 9: 355-430. Kansas City: Beacon Hill.

Paul wrote to the Roman Christians and said, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death?” (Ro. 6:3). Paul was one hundred percent sure that “All” Christians in Rome had been “baptized into Christ.” All means ALL!

Paul wrote to the Galtian Christians and said, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Ga. 3:26,27). Again, Paul was positive that all who had become “sons of God” were “baptized into Christ” through faith. If “All” does not mean “ALL” then what does it mean?

It means that “all” who were a member of the church, who were “sons of God,” who had “clothed” themselves with Christ,” had done so through baptism.  Not “All” who had only believed, or “All” who had said a prayer, or all who had made a confession, but “All” who had been baptized. Would this teach that baptism was not necessary for some? Would an honest heart say that “All” does not mean “All”? Again, this time to the church in Corinth, we read, “For by one Spirit we were All baptized into one body” (1 Co. 12:13). Are you a part of the “All” who have been baptized, or a part of the “none” who have been taught otherwise?

-Dennis Doughty

One of the things writers hate to do is write about themselves. Pointing out the faults of others is fine, just don’t write anything in the first person. This article will violate that maxim.

More than 50 years ago, a very nice girl and I were seriously thinking about marriage. Then, her old boyfriend arrived on our college campus. I made things difficult. Jealousy makes a person see things that aren’t there, and I thought he was stealing my girl. I told her it was going to be either him or me. Turned out it was him.

In John 11, the chief priest of the Jews made a similar statement in reply to something one of his men said. The underling said that if Jesus kept performing miracles like raising the dead from the grave, the people will believe Jesus and abandon Jewish rule the Romans used to maintain order (John 11:48). Then, the Romans would take away Jewish rule.

Caiphas, the High Priest, said something very telling. “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish” (John 11:48b-50). Either Jesus would have to die, or the Pharisees faced ruin. It was either Jesus or them.

Of course, when the Jews demanded Jesus’ death, the Romans obliged. Then, the Lord rose from the dead and changed the world forever. Seventy years later, Jerusalem lay in ruins, and its religion died. Jesus built his church on Pentecost, people obeyed the gospel and became Christians.

One man died for the people so that a whole nation could be saved. That nation is the church Jesus built (Matthew 16:15-16).

Have you obeyed the gospel, and are you a part of that nation? It is a simple choice. We can choose salvation or we can choose self and sin. What will it be?

by John Henson

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.” (Luke 10:13-15)

One of the highlights of our last visit to Israel was walking the streets of Korazim (the Chorazin of our text), which is now a national park in Galilee. As I walked the streets I couldn’t help but think: “this is where Jesus walked – Jesus walked these streets and saw these houses”. Yet we don’t know much about Chorazin from the accounts of Jesus’ life except that he was there, did miracles there, and undoubtedly taught there. But the people of this village rejected him and his message. How sad!

Chorazin sits on the hillside above the north of the Sea of Galilee – you can just see the lake in the distance. As we approached the site we could see ruins of buildings jutting out from the hillside. I thought that would be a nice place to visit, not knowing what I was looking at – and we did spend some time walking these streets and looking in the ruins of the buildings.

When you enter Chorazin you are immediately drawn to the black basalt synagogue, some of it reconstructed, while other parts had been put back in place. We walked the streets and could see where the houses would have been with the original stones of the walls of the buildings. On the outskirts of the village were buildings for storage and other types of work.

Chorazin wasn’t the only town to reject Jesus, even after seeing the miraculous signs that he did. Jesus mentioned Bethsaida as well as Capernaum. Capernaum was where he centered his work in Galilee. People in these places heard Jesus and saw what he did but still rejected him.

Victor Guerin, an explorer, wrote about Chorazin in 1875:

“Its synagogue has more than once heard the word of God out of His mouth and witnessed the miracles He performed. This is why all Christians should cherish the ruins of this building. We know that in the time of Eusebius the town was deserted, the Messiah’s curse had struck it, and as witness in their deliberate disregard of His loving grace, the synagogue lay in ruins.” (from a sign at Korazim)

Is that not a lesson for us today? Many hear God’s word and through that word see what Jesus did when he lived on the earth. Perhaps they claim to follow Jesus. Yet how often does his teaching fail to penetrate lives so as to make the needed changes?

We despair at times when our teaching seems to fall on deaf ears. Sometimes we think it must be us or what we are doing. Yet people even rejected the Messiah himself when he was here and was doing miraculous signs!

Sometimes we might be tempted to change the message, to water it down so that people might more readily accept it. Yet Jesus himself did not do that when they rejected him. He continued to teach the truth of God’s kingdom.

We must do the same.

by Jon Galloway

“He who withholds his rod hates his son,

But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”

(Proverbs 13:24)

I remember well my father “taking me to the woodshed.”  I had done something foolish, and he was going to drive that foolishness right out of me (cf. Prov. 22:15).  I should have known better, since I witnessed the same happening to all of my older siblings.  Nevertheless, I didn’t learn the lesson via observation.  I was going to have to learn it via application.

The book of Proverbs speaks frequently of using “the rod” (cf. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14).  It notes that children “love being simple-minded” (1:22), and their childishness can have serious consequences.  “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them” (1:32).  One “tried and true” method of removing the foolishness is corporal punishment.  The text given above (Proverbs 13:24) provides several valuable lessons.

First, the home is the place for discipline.  God expects the parents to do the training, directing and, when needed, the punishing.  Such must not be left to others (Proverbs 1:8; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1).  The Bible says that God disciplines His children (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-11), and so earthly fathers are following His example.  The home is the place that is able to provide the perfect balance of strictness and compassion, example and instruction (4:3, 4, 11).  In 13:1 the father pleads with the son to accept his discipline.

Second, fathers should not withhold the rod. Corporal punishment is something that has been a part of life since the begetting of children.  In the ancient world it was assumed.  One ancient text, dating around 200 B.C., read “He who loves his son will whip him often, so that he may rejoice at the way he turns out” (Sirach 30:1; also known as Ecclesiasticus – not to be confused with the biblical book of Ecclesiastes).

Third, fathers who withhold the rod “hate” their son.  Herein lies the paradox.  Does spanking a child look like an action of love?  Modern “experts” scream “no!”  Rather, they maintain, that using the rod is an indication of an angry out-of-control parent.  God, however, says otherwise. He says that a failure to discipline is an example of hate.  How can this be?  When one chooses not to take action, when action is required, it is a sign of indifference and apathy.  That apathy is a form of hatred.  Few would argue that fathers literally hate their children.  But a failure to take action is paramount to hatred.

Fourth, fathers who use the rod “love” their son.  True love means making the hard decisions and taking the difficult actions.  It is easy to let unruly behavior slide.  It is easy for parents to justify “looking the other way” as patience and compassion.  Yet true love acts.  True love reaches for the rod.  It is the way the child can be molded into the type of person every parent dreams.  God’s word says:

“Do not hold back discipline from the child,

Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

You shall strike him with the rod

And rescue his soul from Sheol.”

(Proverbs 23:13-14)

Denny Petrillo

The internet is a dangerous place. In the last couple of years I have noticed a steady increase of spiritual-based conversations built on the foundation of something like “I was watching YouTube and heard someone talk about…” or “the podcast I listened to told me…” While there is nothing inherently wrong with listening to some of the other voices, the problem arrives when those voices become louder than the Word of God. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this reality is how easy it can be to wander from the inspired scriptures and let those outside voices become the new authority.

The internet is a dimension where gatekeepers are absent, imagination is rampant, and egos are famished for attention. Spirituality is no longer viewed as sacred and holy, but is being monopolized for self-promotion. Deconstruction, EXvangelicalism, postmodernism, new hermeneutics (or existential hermeneutics), QSpirit (or queer spirituality), New Ways ministry, Mysticism and so on are all examples of voices that are being streamed though millions of screens right now. While some theologies are clearly outlandish, there are those that are deceivingly convincing. Influencers are taking the stage and replicating the Lord by proclaiming their own version of “you have heard it said, but I say unto you” in an effort to promote a new theology.

This isn’t exclusively a 21st century problem though. It’s been a problem for a long time. The Talmud was the Jewish literature that, even though had some good intents, enforced traditions. Jesus condemned those who allowed the Word of God to be washed out because of such resources, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition” (Mark 7:9). One of the most nourishing practices we can involve ourselves in is that of good, authentic, concentrated Bible study. Put down the commentaries for a moment, amputate the phones, close the laptops, and open the Word. When we familiarize ourselves with scripture, the YouTube theologies become easier to identify as false.

I love the account of Josiah in 2 Kings 22. In the historical narrative, the writer established the devastation Israel was gazing upon. Corrupt government, apathetic spirituality, widespread idolatry, and war-torn landscapes were all things Josiah had to deal with (and became king at 8 years old nonetheless). Josiah sends Hilkiah the high priest to go collect funds to start construction on the temple. When Hilkiah goes to the house of the Lord, he comes across the Law and brings it to Josiah. Immediately a sequence of events took place that led Josiah to totally reform the land (2 Kings 23). There’s an interesting principle gleaned from 2 Kings 22 — truth is obvious when God’s Word is present. When voices outside of scripture start reigning, truth becomes subjective and doctrines become plentiful. Passages such as 2 Timothy 3:16 invite us out of the treachery of man’s mind and into the safety of God’s wisdom.

Tyler King

Leslie H. Sabo Jr. was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. He graduated from high school in 1966 and his life was not unusual until 1970.

On May 10, 1970, Sabo was a rifleman in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. On that date, Sabo was in a battle in Cambodia. This Youngstown boy whose life was otherwise unremarkable defended his fellow soldiers at the cost of his own life in the Vietnam War.

It took 42 years for his widow to receive the Medal of Honor from President Barak Obama. Until 2012, many people had never heard of him. Even many who had known him in Youngstown probably didn’t think there was anything special about him. His fellow soldiers knew. Some of them kept prodding the Defense Department to give him the award posthumously.

The people living in Nazareth when Jesus was alive didn’t realize who he was. They had known him as the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon (Mark 6:3). They said, “Is not this the carpenter?” He was just another face in the crowd to them. Not even his miracles caused them to think of him in different terms.

Even some disbelieve him today because they don’t believe he was any different than anyone else who has ever lived. The Jews are not the only ones who have not believed in Jesus, the miracles he performed, and the truths he taught. His hometown folks turned their backs on him.

Have you turned your back on Jesus? If so, take another look. He is the only human in history who genuinely healed the blind, cured the deaf, and raised the dead. Isn’t it time you gave him another chance?

by John Henson

The young, new preacher had just called on the telephone to ask for help on interpreting a passage. After about a 15-minute discussion and as the conversation began to draw to a close, I simply said, brother let’s pray before we hang up. After praying briefly, we said our goodbyes and ended the call. About a year later I was blessed to work alongside this same young preacher at a summer youth camp. At some point our conversation turned toward prayer and he confessed to me that on the occasion when we had prayed together over the phone that at it had made him somewhat uncomfortable. Later he realized that his discomfort had stemmed from fact that he simply wasn’t accustomed to doing so (i.e. praying over the phone), but once he began to think about prayer in the light of scripture it became a major point of comfort for him knowing that even after an ordinary conversation someone would take the time to pray for him and his work.

The very act of approaching God on behalf of others will encourage them beyond measure. We obviously don’t pray to be seen of men (Matt. 6:5-6), but in praying with others we are sending a message that God is our source of strength, and that he is the one who will see us through our trials and tribulations (Ps. 18:1-6). Just as the apostle Paul received strength and encouragement from the Philippian brethren during his imprisonment at Rome (Phil. 1:19), we today can likewise help others who are imprisoned by worries and pain by simply offering a prayer in their presence.

Over the course of my life-long ministry, I’ve never had someone turn me down when I offered to pray with them. Most understand the comfort that prayer provides and are often eager to have you pray for them and are likewise often waiting for you to lead them.  Prayer is a powerful tool in the hands of the Christian, and when we pray together it’s amazing to see what doors the Lord might open (Acts 16:25-27). The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16).

John Moore

“A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,

And a man of evil devices is hated.”

(Proverbs 14:17)

Can we even travel anywhere without encountering “road rage”?  It seems that the smallest infraction (if it even is an infraction) will provoke rage on the part of the “offended.”  Counselors tell us that one of the major character issues they deal with is…anger!  It seems our world is filled with people who cannot keep their emotions in check.

This verse, and several others like it, discusses plainly the hot head.  Notice several observations regarding the “quick-tempered man.”

First, he is acting foolishly.  There is no sugar-coating this one.  There is no attempt to justify the anger.  Simply put, there is no excuse for it.  The angry person is the fool.  The fool is one who does dumb things, who acts irrationally and impulsively (Psalms 37:8; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Job 36:18; James 1:19).

Second, he is causing damage.  When his anger boils over, he is out of control and he will overreact.  A trickle turns into a flood (Proverbs 27:4); something insignificant turns into a major ordeal; one that could lead to the dissolution of a marriage, the destruction of a friendship or even the taking of another’s life.  His overreaction is not an event in a vacuum.  It impacts everyone involved, and never in a good, constructive way.

Third, he is provoking others.  Anger breeds anger.  “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).  Where there was no strife, a reaction in anger creates it (Proverbs 15:18; 30:33). “Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife” (Proverbs 26:21).

Are you a hot head?  It is time to let the power of this verse resonate in your thinking and to begin making positive changes.  Nobody wants to be a fool (Proverbs 17:14, 29; 29:11; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Job 5:2). The Proverbs teach that wisdom is found in the person who self-controlled (16:32).  There is no reason, no excuse for Christians to be angry, quick-tempered people.

He who restrains his words has knowledge,

And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”

(Proverbs 17:27).

Denny Petrillo

Doubt. Wouldn’t you love to be free from doubt? We would love to know so many things with complete and absolute certainty. But, there are very few matters that we know with scientific precision. We know that if you take one item and add another item to it, you have two items. You know that you exist. You know that you are reading this devotional.

But there are so many matters that we cannot know with that type of certainty. When does the soul enter the body? Is democracy the best man can do? Is capitalism the most efficient economic plan possible? There are also our religious beliefs that cannot be proven with the same level of accuracy as math problems.

Yet, the more evidence we have that Christianity is true, the weightier the scale gets in that regard and our doubts get weaker and weaker. The weight of the evidence for Christianity includes its historical foundations, its consistency with itself as well as with Old Testament theology, its reasonableness and its ability to change lives in every culture, in every society, in every age.

Think about Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33. The disciples were three or four miles in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when this storm comes up. Some time between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., a being comes walking on the water and the disciples cry out, fearing it is some type of phantom. Jesus encourages them to be courageous and have faith.

Notice Peter’s trust in Jesus in verses 28-29. What gave Peter the confidence that he could trust Jesus to walk on water? If I have counted correctly, from the time Peter was called to be an apostle, he has witnessed Jesus perform fourteen specific miracles. When Jesus says, “Come,” Peter has ample reason to believe he can trust Jesus.

So, Peter obeys – verse 29. If we genuinely and deeply trust God, we can’t stop ourselves from obeying. Jesus, in fact, had already stilled one storm – 8:27. If the winds and the sea obey Him, why shouldn’t one of His disciples?

But doubt sometimes motivates us to stop trusting and then we stop obeying. We take our eyes off Jesus and we start to sink. Persecution. Slander. A bad economy. But a “water-walking-faith” obeys even if the world is a mess around us.

Finally, once Peter gets back into the boat, he, along with the other disciples, worships (vs 33). God’s blessings, renewed through our relationship with Jesus, results in our awe, our love, and our adoration directed toward Him.

Faith means we trust God, in His faithfulness and immutability (see Psalm 100:5). Faith involves our growth in understanding (2 Peter 1:5; 3:14). Finally, faith involves our obedience (Romans 1:5; 16:26).

If we allow our faith to grow shallow, death will seep in. When you doubt, go to the One Who can walk on water. Learn from Him. He’ll reach out to you and draw you into the safety of His arms.

Paul Holland

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1 ESV).

Everything belongs to God. If everything truly belongs to God then nothing truly belongs to us. While we may be in possession of many things, we are owners of none. Instead we are stewards.

A steward is “a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another.”

Christians are, among others, stewards of time, talents, treasure, and truth.

We are reminded each day that our time here is limited. Presuming more time is foolhardy.

Our Maker reminds us that our lives are but vapor (James 4:4). They appear but for a moment, and just as quickly are gone. Therefore, we must make the best use of the time we have (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Time moves inexorably forward. It is a blessing for those who walk wisely, but a curse for those poor fools who waste it. Jesus taught his disciples the value of working while time was available (John 9:4).

First century Christians were given spiritual gifts. These gifts allowed for growth and stability while the books were written and compiled (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). While these various gifts were given to various men, they were not to be the source of envy or pride. Rather, they were to use those gifts for the glory of God and the benefit of his people (Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-16).

Likewise, Christians today have non-miraculous talents. These talents are varied, and must not be the source of envy or pride. Rather, we must use them for the glory of God and the benefit of his people.

Money is another blessing from God that calls for stewardship. Money can so easily slip through our fingers. As the lost son demonstrated (Luke 15:11-16), we have only to live carelessly to find ourselves in desperation.

We must not serve money. Rather, we must cause it to serve us. Money is a means to demonstrate faithfulness (Luke 16:10-13). God expects his people to give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), and regularly (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

The most important stewardship we possess is the stewardship of truth. God has blessed mankind with his objective truth. Many people have abused and twisted God’s word from the outset (see Galatians 1:6-9).

While God’s word remains true regardless of how we treat it, our souls are too valuable to handle God’s word with anything but the utmost care. The Bible is more than just a good book, it is THE good book. It is the only book that details completely God’s plan for man. It is the only book that describes fully where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. The Bible is the only book that you absolutely cannot live without, and the only one with eternal consequences attached to it.

It is imperative that we place the words of God within us, that we are careful to live out those words in our lives, and that we tell others the story. God does not whisper words of salvation to man. Rather, he has laid that task at man’s feet. He expects his people, to proclaim the good news to everyone (Matthew 28:18-20).

Stewardship requires a certain discipline of the mind. We must be mindful of what has been entrusted to us. We must be purposeful in our use of time, talents, treasure, and truth.

What kind of a steward are you?

Lee Parish

A generation ago Dr. Spock, the famous child care author, popularized the idea that children ought to never receive any physical punishment for misbehavior. He claimed that such “negative discipline” is dangerous, does not work, and should be replaced with positive reinforcement. Many parents followed his advice. The result? — the hippies and flower children of the late 60’s and early 70’s who had learned nothing about self-discipline or restraint. Even Dr. Spock backed away from his failed philosophy.

Sadly, this view still surfaces from time to time. Compare it to what God says about child rearing in the book of Proverbs:

“Foolish is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” (22:15)

“Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell. “ (23:13,14)

“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” (29:15)

Obviously, these instructions cannot be used to justify child abuse. Also, they need to be administered in conjunction with love and positive reinforcement for behavior that is right. Ephesians 6:4 urges us to use a balanced approach that will not “provoke your children to wrath”.

But when we refuse to give physical discipline when it is needed, we are saying that Dr. Spock knows more about raising kids than God does. Think!

– by Greg Gwin

Are you as good as dead? Do you sometimes feel like it? Do you wonder if your days of effective service have passed?

On two occasions scripture describes Abraham with the phrase, “as good as dead” (Romans 4:19; Hebrews 11:12). He was promised a son, but was past the age for producing one.

In Genesis, the reactions of Abraham and Sarah to the specific promise by God are similar. Abraham “fell on his face and laughed” (Genesis 17:17), Sarah also “laughed to herself” (Genesis 18:12). Their advanced age produced incredulous laughter.

While God mildly corrected Abraham and gently rebuked Sarah by asking, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14), the New Testament is  more gracious to both. The Holy Spirit praises Abraham’s faith by saying it did not weaken when he considered his 100 years-old body (Romans 4:19). God says of Sarah, “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised” (Hebrews 11:11). Abraham’s faith strengthened and Sarah’s faith empowered.

It was the faith of Abraham and Sarah that enabled them to produce “descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore” (Hebrews 11:12).

Even more than the sheer number of descendants they produced, it was how they raised them that depended upon faith.

“For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him” (Genesis 18:19).

Though they were both advanced in years, God selected Abraham for the faithful way he would raise his children. Abraham demonstrated that faithfulness by leaving all that he knew to go to a land he had never seen. Now late in life, Abraham was to raise his children to “keep the way of the LORD.”

This man who had waited a century for a son, was commanded by the very God who caused the birth to sacrifice him. He all but completed the act but was stayed by the “angel of the LORD” (Genesis 22:10-12). Abraham had already offered Isaac in his mind for the Hebrews writer says, “He considered that God was able to even raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back” (Hebrews 11:19). What a powerful teaching moment!

Abraham did all this after being declared as good as dead.

Perhaps the days of raising children are behind you, but not the days of faithful living.

What wonderful things are yet to be accomplished by you? What encouragement is yet to be given? What wisdom is yet to be imparted? What faithful example is yet to be seen? What love is yet to be shown? What doctrine is yet to be taught?

The latter years for Abraham were far more impactful than the earlier ones. When it comes to influence, you’re just getting started (see Titus 2:1-5).

Take heart, the church needs you!

by Lee Parish

I once heard about a man who had a problem with mice, so he set out a mousetrap and baited it with cheese. In the morning, he discovered the mousetrap had sprung on a mouse, but that trap did not kill the mouse. What surprised the man was that when he discovered the sprung trap, this mouse was struggling, not to escape, but to reach the cheese! This mouse narrowly escaped death, but instead of pulling itself free, it continued in the pursuit of what almost killed it.

I would like to think that people are a lot smarter than mice, wouldn’t you? Yet, have we ever pursued a path that leads to our destruction?  Then, by God’s providence, we are the beneficiaries of a “wake-up call,” a “near miss,” or a “second chance.” But instead of stopping our pursuit of what will destroy us, we dust ourselves off and continue on our pursuit of destruction.

Friends, if we have been the beneficiaries of God’s kindness, surviving a “near miss,” and being given a “second chance,” let’s prove we’re smarter than a mouse and stop pursuing what will destroy us!

by Steve Higginbotham

Judy, the editor of a trivia publication, was having trouble with her computer. So she called Dave, the computer guy, over to her desk.

Dave clicked a couple buttons and solved the problem.

As he was walking away, Judy called after him, “So, what was wrong?”

He replied, “It was an ID ten T error.”

A puzzled expression ran over Judy’s face.  “An ID ten T error?

What’s that..in case I need  to fix it again??”

He gave her a grin, “Haven’t you heard of an ID ten T error before?”

“No,” replied Judy.

“Write it down,” he said, “and I think you’ll figure it out.”

She wrote: ID10T

I can sympathize with Judy.  I’ve been there often in my spiritual walk.  I look back at some of the stupid mistakes I’ve made, some of the foolish decisions over the years and can explain in no other way — they were ID ten T errors!

I tend to make those errors most when I get distracted, when I take my eyes off of God.  I focus on what I want, when I want it; nothing else matters. Or I get fascinated and caught up in the material things around me, forgetting the more important matters of spiritual importance.  Or I start comparing myself with others, alternating between jealousy (of those who are “better” than I am) and pride (in light of those who are “not as good” as I am).  When my eyes are set in the wrong direction, it doesn’t take long to commit an ID ten T error.

In Colossians 3, Paul writes at length about all sorts of sin that we need to “put to death” (vss. 5-9).  It is significant to me, though, that he begins this chapter talking about where our focus needs to be:

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3:1-2)

Heavenly Father, I humbly seek your forgiveness of those times I have gotten “distracted” and sinned.  I have no excuses, I offer no “explanation”, I merely acknowledge my foolishness.  Please bless my efforts to keep my eyes firmly focused on You and Your will for my life this day.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

We have a tendency to confuse noise for action, loudness for strength. Many people speak with bluster, but they are all bark and no bite.

Not so with God. When he speaks the “earth melts” (Psalm 46:6). God does not try; he does.

So it was when his people were in Egyptian captivity. Jehovah brought them out with a strong hand (Exodus 13:3, 9, 14, 16). God warned Pharaoh and then he acted.

In the great call and response Psalm, the poet praises God for his steadfast love or covenant loyalty.

“To him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:10-12).

It took such a mighty hand to convince the stubborn Pharaoh to release his people. God knew that the deified Egyptian would not go quietly (Exodus 3:19).

This mighty hand redeemed his people from slavery (Deuteronomy 7:8), and delivered them into slavery (Jeremiah 21:5).

In the times of great wickedness, God raised up the terrifying Babylonians. He promised that his people would serve the Chaldeans for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11). There was no use in fighting, for God’s mighty hand was outstretched against his people.

When threatened, the Jews tried to make alliances with neighboring countries, even with that old enemy Egypt. God warned, “Egypt’s help is worthless and empty” (Isaiah 30:7). It was Israel’s iniquity which called down God’s mighty hand, their rebellion invited his outstretched arm. He told them, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you were unwilling” (Isaiah 30:15). Instead they trusted in themselves and the bluster of their allies.

God’s graciousness did not wane, his covenant loyalty waited, and he did not forget his people, “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10). In visiting them he would punish Babylon for all their sins (Jeremiah 25:12), just as he had the Assyrians before them.

Military might, personal prowess, political intrigue mean nothing. Only God’s will and his mighty hand ultimately matter.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).

The might of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome all were but clay in the Potter’s hand. Perhaps a reminder is necessary for us.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6).

Lee Parish

A scanning of Soloman’s Proverbs provides several reasons. . .

1. To show you don’t hate them.  “He who spares the rod hates his son but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” (13:24)
2. To give them hope: “Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.” (19:18)
3. To help them for a lifetime: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (22:6)
4. To chase away foolishness: “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.” (22:15)
5. To save his soul: “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod he will not die.  Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.” (23:13-14)
6. For your own comfort: “Discipline your son and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.” (29:17)

Parents need to read and understand these passages.  So, too, should our children.  We want them to see why for their own good, and for the good of their children as well.

– by Bob Hines

Many people have utilized Matthew 11:28f in a way that expresses the idea of having a celestial state of being. While this can be true in some regards, it bears some false hope for many followers of Jesus. Pains and toils of this life will still present themselves, even when we are devout believers. The peace and comfort that Jesus offers is one that goes far beyond the confines of this physical prison we call a world. Rather, what Jesus is primarily speaking of, is that of a spiritual rest.

Within this life, there are many religious teachings that flood mainstream doctrines. To the demise of a great number, man’s teachings tend to be more popular than the teachings of the Son of Man. In this text, Jesus seeks to encourage His listeners by promoting a spiritual rest; free from the corruption of man’s flawed religious agenda.

Notice the context of Matthew 11:28. After the infamous verse of “come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” the Pharisees began to cause unrest. Chapter 12, verse 1, states “at that time.” While we sometimes think chapter breaks are a cause of a new event, this particular chapter continues on from the same setting as chapter 11 and verse 30.

The event that unfolds in chapter 12 couldn’t have been more ironic in its timeliness. This was the sabbath day in which rest was necessitated. While walking with Jesus, the disciples were hungry so they began eating the heads of grain. Lo and behold, the Pharisees were there (as if they were waiting for something to complain about) and they condemned Jesus and His followers. There’s something to be said about others’ complaints while we ourselves can be found walking with Christ.

Jesus made it clear in Matthew 11, that if we follow Him and if we are yoked in labor with Him, that our soul would find rest. As a Christian, there may come times where the tradition of man condemns you. However, that ought not overrule the teachings of Jesus. If you are still following the precepts of God, man’s opinions carry no weight in a judgment case against you. It really is a blessing to be a follower of Christ, instead of a disciple of man. I’m thankful for Jesus’ words, “take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Tyler King