The rich, as a rule, love their riches. Jesus observed how difficult it is for the rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 19.23. As well, many saints, whose eyes are impressed by wealth, give preference to the more well-off in life.

Therefore, it is necessary that we all, as brothers and sisters who love each other without prejudice or conditions, hear again the word of God, which discounts completely the possessions that a person has, for “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” Luke 12.15.

God does not make his choices randomly. He does not choose the poor of this world because he is prejudiced against the rich. He did not decide, before creating the world, that he would save a certain group or a certain class of people. His choice is based upon the response of faith and love on the part of individuals, when the Good News is proclaimed to them. There is no merit in material poverty, besides helping a person, at times, be more receptive to the word of God.

God’s plan also does not have as a goal to make the poor rich or to change one’s life situation. In fact, one principle of the Christian’s conduct is this: “Nevertheless, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each person, so must he live. I give this sort of direction in all the churches” 1 Corinthians 7.17. Paul said this applies everywhere. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.’” Hebrews 13.5.

There is in the New Testament no promise of material or financial gain to those who follow the Lord Jesus. He does promise the eternal Kingdom, 2 Peter 1.11; eternal life, Jude 21; James 1.12; eternal salvation, Hebrews 5.9; and an eternal inheritance, 1 Peter 1.4.

In his letter, James draws a great contrast between those who see with the eyes of the world and the divine perspective. If we are really God’s children, will we not see things — and people — from his perspective?

“Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! God chose the poor in the world to be rich with faith and to receive the kingdom God promised to those who love him” James 2.5 NCV.

The New Century Version, cited above, translates plainly the writer’s original rhetorical question. In question form, James probably wanted to provoke some thought on the part of his readers and point up the absurdity of showing preference to the rich.

People today have testified that it still happens in our congregations. Elders make decisions that reflect the preferences of the largest givers. The sins of the rich get overlooked. Those with nicer clothes and cars get special treatment. How crazy is that?!

Are there exceptions to Jesus’ rule about the pride of the rich and their difficulty entering his Kingdom? Absolutely! We all probably know some humble rich people of faith. But the rule still holds.

Why then treat them differently? Perhaps our own love for wealth causes us to demonstrate such scandalous conduct and thereby keep ourselves from the eternal Kingdom where true wealth is laid up.

Let us never neglect or forget the little ones who belong to the Lord.

J. Randal Matheny

Let’s take a second look at one of the more familiar accounts from the Old Testament: the flood of Noah, and specifically the ark that the patriarch built.

The ark is often portrayed in storybooks, decorations, and toys as a small tugboat-like vessel. These depictions of the ark make it so tiny that there is barely room for the few animals on it. The giraffes, elephants, tigers, and a few other favorite zoo creatures are hanging out the window or over the sides. This visual description of the ark is nothing at all like what we see in scripture.

In Genesis 6:14-16, the Lord commands Noah to make an ark out of gopher wood. The size of that ark was to be 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits tall. A cubit would have been somewhere around eighteen inches. The picture below shows what that would look like if you used 17.5″ for your cubit measurement. As you can see, the ark dwarfs not only a 747 but also the largest land animals. John C, Whitcomb (The World That Perished) writes that the three decks of the ark would have been the equivalent of 20 basketball courts. Whitcomb and Henry M. Morris (The Genesis Flood) report the ark’s 1,396,000 cubic feet would have been equal to 522 railroad stock cars. Because the different kinds (note: not species!) were all represented, the math shows that there would have been plenty of room on the ark. John Morris and Time LaHaye (The Ark of Ararat) suggest that the animals would have only used about thirty-six percent of available floor space. Regardless, there would have been plenty of space in the ark. That is only true if we think of the massive real ark, not the miscast tiny one!

There are many more misconceptions in the account of Noah and the ark.

1. Miscast: Only two animals of each kind went aboard. Reality: Two of each unclean animal and seven pairs of each clean went aboard the ark (Gen. 7:2-3).
2. Miscast: All the animals were represented on the ark. Reality: Only land-dwelling animals went aboard (Gen. 7:8).
3. Miscast: Many try to explain the flood away as a local flood. Reality: Not only was all the earth covered with water, but the water was 15 cubits (about 22 feet) above the highest hill. This is important because it would keep the ark from dragging and being damaged (Gen. 7:17-20).
4. Miscast: All the animals not in the boat died. Reality: Only the land-dwellers died (Gen. 7:21-23).
5. Miscast: Often, the scene in the storybooks shows a steady rain, the floodwaters slowly rising, and the ark gently floating along. Reality: This was a day of judgment. Can you imagine the calamity as the skies above and the depths below emptied? The storms, thunder, tornadoes, lightning, earthquakes, and volcanoes would have been devastating. The cries from the perishing would have been gut-wrenching. The floating dead would have littered the waterways. Surely the smells of death and stagnant water would have been overwhelming.

Our first impression of the ark may have been miscast by the way the toys, storybooks, and decorations have pictured the ark and the scene around it. God’s word gives us a second impression which teaches us the love of God’s grace to those who are faithful and obedient, and the punishment that comes to those who reject Him. His ark is always big enough for us!

For more about the ark and the flood of Noah, visit ApologeticsPress.org.  Much research for this article began there.

Corey Sawyers

Don’t me and my family require the highest degree of concern and protection? Me first. Then, maybe, I can do something or other for my family. That is, if they’re good to me. After that, if there’s any extra time, money, or good will, we can think about church and neighbors, and throw in a stranger or two for good measure. And for my country? Nah, why bother with patriotism for a nation well on its journey down the tubes?

Isn’t that pretty much the idea these days of priorities and commitments? Gone is any sense of duty beyond me and mine.

So the following words from Lot sound like they come from another planet.

“Please, my friends, don’t be so wicked,” he said. “Look, I have two daughters who have never had sex. Why don’t you let me bring them out to you? Do whatever you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, since I’m responsible for them” (Genesis 19:7-8 GW).

The men of Sodom were at his door intending to commit aggression and sexual assault. Lot was a good man, if rather naive or stupid. He had moved to this godless city for material benefit, but failed to see how living there would harm his family.

And now he has visitors under his roof. We today have little idea of the importance of hospitality in those days. Lot knew he was responsible for their well-being. If anything happened to his guests, he was to blame, so it fell upon him to protect them at all costs — he even offers his daughters to the perverse men as a tactic to protect his visitors.

Some see Lot as being hypocritical here, and they may well be right. In Sodom he has tried the live-and-let-live philosophy until now. He should have known that at some point that approach would come back to bite him.

For all his faults and missteps, however, Lot has this acute sense of duty and he seeks every recourse to fulfill it. In that he is most worthy of imitation.

In our day, mainly the military retains a sense of duty. Our society now nurtures the entitlement philosophy. People want what they think is due them — and it’s always more than what they have. Nobody thinks anymore of what is required of them.

Verses like the following get cut from today’s religion.

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV).

“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10).

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

“For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements” (Acts 15:28).

“Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty” (Acts 6:3).

Each age of time develops its own foibles and wrongs. One of the great points of blindness of ours is that it lacks a sense of duty.

Will the saints of God be blind in this as well?

A. A. Neale

Several years ago my brother and I went golfing. Just being the two of us, we were paired up with two other guys in order to make a party of four. Not too long after we began playing, a lot of bad words and inappropriate topics were discussed between the two guys (particularly by one guy). Eventually, the conversation turned towards our careers. I explained that I was a youth minister. The one with the dirtiest mouth responded, “Oh sorry…I will watch my language.”

I found this whole situation interesting. Up until that point, the man had absolutely no hesitation or care about what he was saying. Why did this man suddenly feel the need to watch his words? This led me to a few observations, not only about this man, but about our society.

1. He knew his language was morally wrong. Otherwise, why would he feel the need to apologize for his language and refrain from it?  This man knew there are certain things God disapproves of. God has placed within us a conscience and morals to help us make the right decisions (1 Samuel 24:5f; Romans 2:14-16; etc). Deep down, most people know what is ethically right and wrong. Sadly, this “moral code” is often suppressed because of our selfish desires.

2. He wanted to put on a “good front.” Now that he knew a minister was around, he felt the need to show that he was better than he actually was. It was as if he saw me as some sort of watchdog or reporting agent to God. No matter what he thought, for whatever reason, he simply want to appear better (Matthew 6:1-7; 15:8-9; etc).

3. He was reminded that God expects different behavior. Just telling him my occupation produced a change in behavior. He know that God is pure and frowns on contrary behavior. He knew, at some level, that God expects better.

While I doubt this created any lasting change, it was at least one more reminder that God holds us to a higher standard. It may seem like God is being purged out of our society, but deep down many people still hold to some level of respect for God and inner morality (Romans 1:18-20). Let’s make sure we stand up for this higher morality. Let’s show ourselves to be a light for God (Matthew 5:14-16). And let’s show people how a true follower of God speaks and acts (Colossians 3:9).

Brett Petrillo

SATAN IS AN UNGODLY ACCUSER – ROUND #2 – 2:1-8:

Having failed in that initial mission, Satan goes for round two. Let’s read the second conversation between Satan and God; 2:1-6.

The conversation is almost identical but notice God’s assessment of Satan’s first effort: “He still holds fast his integrity although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Satan, you failed! That’s God’s message to the adversary. “You failed!” God knew Job better than Satan did.

Satan has a second proposal. “Affect the man’s health,” the adversary says, “and he’ll curse you.” Every man has a price right? At some point, every man and woman will curse God – all Satan has to do is squeeze the vice tighter. That’s his implication. How true is it? That’s a question only you and I can answer.

As earlier, God gives the adversary some freedom but He also limits Satan’s power: “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” God keeps Satan limited so that he cannot tempt us beyond what we are able to bear. That is a promise from the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Satan, then, goes as far as God’s leash will allow him to go, 2:7-8. We do not have the time to point out other references to this physical condition that Satan gave Job. We do not know what it is, but people could not stand to be around Job. They could not look at him. His breath stunk. He was all alone, except for his wife.

SATAN HITS JOB CLOSEST TO HOME – 2:9-10:

In these first two chapters, Satan concludes his attack against Job by influencing Job’s wife who basically sides with the adversary.

Mrs. Job was hurting as much as Job, at least from the perspective of having lost all her children. She simply did not believe that Job was gaining anything by maintaining his innocence! “Accept God’s punishment, die, and get it over with.” Mrs. Job believed that doctrine that if you are suffering, it’s God’s punishment for your sin.

I believe Job also believed that doctrine. But now the facts have hit close to home and Job cannot see that he has sinned so that he deserves this type of punishment. Please observe once again the observation of the author about the character of Job in 2:10: “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

Whatever else we can say about Job or hear from his mouth, in these first two chapters, we have had five statements about Job’s righteousness and two of those statements have come out of the mouth of God!

Job maintains his integrity through the following series of speeches and dialogues between him and his four friends. They accuse Job of receiving what he deserves. Job responds by arguing that he doesn’t deserve what he’s receiving. But, Job never turns his back on God! That is an important point to make.

GOD’S FINAL VERDICT OF JOB – 42:7-9:

God shows up on the scene in chapter 38 and gives four chapters of speeches. Job repents of his thoughts about God (42:6).

But let’s see what God has to say about Job, 42:7-9. God was not pleased with the theology of Job’s friends. Their theology was wrong and wrongly applied in Job’s case. God tells Eliphaz that the friends needed to take their animal sacrifices and go to Job and have Job pray for them. Otherwise, God would treat them as their folly deserves! Observe that God says, “You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

The friends take their sacrifices to Job; he prays for them and notice the last statement of verse 9: “the Lord accepted Job.”

We need to live so that our behavior will reflect our beliefs. That is a life of integrity. If our beliefs are based on proper theology, then God will be pleased with our behavior.

Paul Holland

As a child, my favorite Disney movie was Winnie the Pooh, the adventures of the cuddly bear “stuffed with fluff,” based on the classic books by A.A Milne. One of the stories in the film tells of the time Pooh gets stuck in the entrance to Rabbit’s burrow because he’s had too much to eat. As they try to figure out what to do, a new critter appears – Gopher. Gopher has a habit of whistling out his consonants and seeks to solve digging problems with extreme tools like dynamite.

There is one witty line, though, which Gopher consistently utters. Whenever the chatty mammal leaves the scene his parting words are, “Remember, I’m not in the book.” As a kid, I always took this to mean he’s not in the phonebook (yes those were still around then) and you could only get in touch with him if he gave you a business card. It wasn’t until many years later that I realized the pun. Gopher is NOT one of A.A. Milne’s characters, and therefore, is not in the book. His existence in the story of Winnie the Pooh only happens because someone with creative authority chose to put him there.

The Bible tells the story of God’s interaction with mankind. In its pages we follow, specifically, the narrative of his redemptive work through Jesus to rescue lost humanity from condemning sin. These words were composed within the limited scope of roughly 1,500 years of human history. Like Gopher, you and I are not technically “in the book,” and thus one might think, not a part of the story. However, the story of Christ’s redemptive work did not stop with the completion of Scripture.

The Bible has been preserved to show people in all eras that God’s plan is for this salvation story to continue to the end of time. Jesus prayed in John 17:20-21, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

When we submit to the Lordship of Jesus through our obedient faith, something wonderful happens. We are added to the story! Paul describes it in Colossians 1:13-14, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Walt Disney added Gopher to A.A. Milne’s characters because he had been given the creative license to do so. We can be added to the salvation story of Jesus because God has the authority as the author to do so. What a joy it is to know when you read your Bible, the book may be finished, but the story is not over.

One evening a husband stood at the kitchen counter preparing the salad for supper. All the vegetables laid out, he began slicing and dicing the delectable pieces of his culinary masterpiece. Doesn’t he sound so sweet for helping out around the house?

However, along the way a stray piece of lettuce fell to the floor. Not a major ordeal, right? Yet, instead of taking two seconds to reach down and pick it up, the husband swept it under the edge of the cabinet and said to himself, “My wife will get that later.” So, how sweet does he sound now?

What troubles me about this story is the underlying attitude the husband has towards his wife. It demonstrates a feeling of superiority compared to her, even though it is something as insignificant as picking up a piece of lettuce. To put it another way, he believes himself to be too important to do such a menial task.

When illustrating such a point, we tend to think of extreme cases which no one can argue with. What if the husband had refused to fold laundry by saying, “That’s women’s work?” Or maybe a boss refuses to clean the floors because “I’m the CEO?” We’d understand those better. Yet, you might roll your eyes at the lettuce, thinking this too small an example, but I don’t think so. It demonstrates how the big things start, in small, nearly imperceptible moments. Pile up enough of those small moments and you develop a pattern that leads to bigger expressions of superiority, which become those extremes we often think of.

One of the primary characteristics of Christians in our willingness to serve in ways no one else will. Jesus showed us this in John 13 by washing the disciples’ feet, the menial task they were all too good to do. In Matthew 18:4 he taught us, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” To humble oneself is to consciously recognize I am no better than anyone else, therefore, I am not above doing any job…even the seemingly meaningless ones.

This week let us examine the attitudes we have toward one another. Let’s work to rid ourselves of those small moments of arrogance which can pile up into larger expressions of arrogance. In other words, reach down and pick up the lettuce.

Cory Waddell

    Sin will be punished. It must be punished. The nature of God requires for sin to be punished. We will either experience that punishment ourselves, which will be an eternal torture in hell, or we can allow Jesus to experience that punishment for us on the cross. Jesus stood in our place and offered Himself to be punished in our place.

    The compassion of the Father allowed that substitution to take place. We are going to study a psalm today, a psalm which pictures God as Father: Psalm 128.

THE BLESSING – 128:1, 4:

    The word “blessed” means “being a recipient of divine favor.”

    You and I are blessed in every way in which we are “recipients of divine favor.” In this verse, the psalmist writes that we are recipients of divine favor if – “who” – we “fear” the Lord. This “fear” is the attitude of the heart. It is a deep respect for Jehovah God for Who He is and for what He has done for us. “Fear” refers to the attitude of our heart which changes how we live.

    We are also “recipients of divine favor” if, based on our fear of Jehovah God, we “walk in His ways.” That’s the obedience part. This refers to our behavior. It takes more than loving God to be pleasing to God. It takes more than sincerity to be pleasing to God. It takes obedience. It requires us to walk in His ways.

HAPPINESS – 128:2:

    We eat the fruit of our hands when we enjoy the results of our work. This is an agricultural society so they literally enjoyed eating the fruit and vegetables that they themselves had planted. But in a broader sense, the fruit of our hands refers to the enjoyment we get when we receive the benefits of our labor.

    When we do that, we enjoy some relaxing time away from work, away from the stresses of work or the hustle and bustle of life and we are happy. Time off is refreshing and provides renewal. It is well with us when we get away, whether it is for a day, a weekend, or a whole week.

CHILDREN – 128:3:

    In this verse, the psalmist turns his attention to children in the home. Your wife is fruitful like a vine, probably a grape vine, and bears children. Children are like olive plants around the table. I’ve told you one of my most enjoyable experiences is having the family around the table, playing games or just talking. Whatever we’re doing, laughing is usually a part of it.

    Children are a blessing from God. You are a recipient of divine favor if you have children. One child or five. They are a blessing.

PROSPERITY – 128:5:

    If we as individuals will fear God and walk in His ways, He will bless us as individuals but the blessing will have a broader impact on our larger community. “Zion” is a term for the city of Jerusalem, the capital of the nation of Israel. The Lord would bless from Zion, from the center of His people, probably referring more specifically to the temple that was in Jerusalem.

    There is an ancient proverb that says:

If there is righteousness within the individual, there will be happiness within the home.
If there is happiness within the home, there will be harmony within the nation.
If there is harmony within the nation, there will be peace in the world!

LONGEVITY – 128:6:

    Seeing your grandchildren is a great blessing; seeing your great-grandchildren is an even greater blessing! The patriarch Job was able to see his great-grandchildren, the fourth generation (42:16).

    The compassionate Father desires to show His favor on us. We need to fear Him and walk in His ways.

Paul Holland

We all have some things that we do with great regularity. Certain activities are a part of everyday – things like bathing, dressing, brushing teeth, etc. Each person will have other unique practices that are incorporated into their normal routine. And, while it is possible to “get in a rut”, some of this regularity is important and helpful in making us more efficient individuals. With that idea in mind, we’d like to suggest some things that ought to become a regular part of every Christian’s daily routine. Every day we should.

• Pray. Pray daily for your fellow Christians, especially remembering the sick, the bereaved, those who are spiritually weak, those laboring under heavy burdens, and others who have special needs. Don’t let these prayers be totally “general” in nature. Think of specific individuals and mention them by name in your prayers.

• Give Thanks. In the course of your prayers, do not neglect to thank the Heavenly Father for all the wonderful blessings that He gives us. Again, be specific. Taking the time to “count your blessings” every day will help you to gain a greater appreciation for what God has done for you. Especially spend time contemplating the great spiritual blessings we have in Christ.

• Study. Find some time each day to spend in the study of God’s Word. Get up a few minutes earlier each day, break away in the middle of the day, make time in the evening – but by all means study the Word. This will help you to resist temptation (Matthew 4:1-11) and prepare you to explain your faith to others (1 Peter 3:15).

• Serve. The Christian’s life is to be a life of service (Mark 10:43,44). Instead of waiting for others to do things for you, look for some opportunity every day to do some deed of kindness for another individual. Your life will be happier if you concentrate less on self and more on others.

– by Greg Gwin

In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found; But a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding (Proverbs 10:13, ASV).

By Ron Thomas — The words of this proverb are not hard to understand. Wisdom comes from only one of two sources. The source of wisdom is either from God or not-God. There are no other options.

If wisdom comes a source that is not-God, then whatever value it may have, its value is necessarily limited to the things of this earthly environment. On the other hand, if the wisdom one expounds comes from God, then the wisdom is not only of God but one’s life reflects that wisdom.

What about the word rod, what are we to understand in the Holy Spirit’s use of it? Some look upon the word rod as being the corrective admonishment coming from the mouth of the wise. Possible, but not likely, mostly because of the expression “for the back of him” suggesting a beating (or a different form of punishment) of some sort.

A Talmudic (Jewish) expression on this sentiment goes like this, “according to the Talmudic proverb: that which a wise man gains by a hint, a fool only obtains by a club” (Keil & Delitzsch, p. 158).

Let your wisdom be that which comes from the Lord.

Have you ever heard someone make the statement, “Satan’s been attacking me a lot lately”?

Is this true? Is Satan specifically attacking you? The problem is, many people seem to make this statement at the same time throughout the world. Is Satan literally attacking everyone all over the world at once?

Over time, we have developed several assumptions about Satan and his power that are not biblical.  So, just how powerful is Satan?  To answer this question, let’s take a look at what the book of Job says.

1) Satan is Not Omnipresent (In All Places). In Job 1:7, we see that God asks Satan where he came from. Meaning Satan only came from one specific location.

Too often we have the false impression that Satan is everywhere and can tempt everyone at once. This is simply not true. Nowhere in Scripture do we see Satan tempting many different people in many different locations. In the end, Satan is not God. He can only be at one place at a time, tempting one person at a time. He is not omnipresent.

2) Satan is Not Omniscient (All-Knowing). In the discussion between Satan and God, we see Satan had come to know, through experience, that God had placed a “hedge” around Job (Job 1:8-10). Satan had known this because he had already tried to tempt Job and failed. He came to know, through experience, that God was blessing Job’s life and that his influence was limited.

Once again, people today seem to have the misconception that Satan knows everything about them. Satan is not a mind-reader. Now, Satan has about 10,000 years of experience. He knows what buttons to press and what people typically struggle with, but this does not make him omniscient. The only way he can know what we personally struggle with is through experience and observation. Again, Satan is not God. He can only know what he learns from time, observation, and experience. He is not omniscient.

3) Satan is Not Omnipotent (All-Powerful). During Satan’s discussion with God, it is interesting to see some of Satan’s limitations. First, he had to check in with God (Job 1:6). He did not have the right to go and do whatever he pleased. Second, he was not able to get to Job (1:10).  Even though he tried, God was not allowing him to. Third, God only allowed Satan to control things to a point (1:11-12). God did not allow Satan to influence Job’s health.  What we see in these three points is that Satan’s power is limited.  He does not have power over everything in this world.  Only God has this.

Satan is most definitely a fearsome enemy (1 Peter 5:8), but too often we think he has much more power than he really does. If Satan is truly attacking you, then we can know he is not attacking anyone else at that moment. Let’s not overpower Satan. Yes, Satan is a formidable adversary, but a very beatable one. As we have said over and over, Satan is not God.  Unlike Satan, God IS omnipresent (in all-places), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipotent (all-powerful).

Let’s remember what God has said about battling sin and Satan:

• We can resist and beat Satan (1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7).
• God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).
• “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:1).
• “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

So, how powerful is Satan? His power is nothing compared to God’s. As we go through this life battling Satan and sin, let’s not exaggerate Satan’s power, but remember the tremendous power we have in our corner – God.

Brett Petrillo

Robert Aaron Long serves as a vivid example of how one should NOT deal with his addiction. While politicians and activists may seek to politicize the “massage parlor shooter’s” motives, law enforcement is painting the picture of a mentally disturbed man who seeks to justify the murder of others because of his sex addiction. Long evidently has a problem dealing with his lusts. Hence, these massage parlors’ existence, which he patronized in the past, presented such a temptation that he felt it necessary to kill the proprietors and workers of said establishments.

As rationally thinking people, we readily see the problem with Long’s logic. Why would the perpetrator of the violence not turn his anger inwardly? He is the sinner, regardless of who the temptress may be. Would it not have been more effective to actually pluck out his eyes or remove other body parts causing him to sin? At least, one could twist Jesus’ hyperbole in Mark 9.34ff in such a fashion to justify self-mutilation for the sake of entering the Kingdom of God. If you seek to live righteously, would such extremes not be better than taking the life of eight people?

If anything, this incident demonstrates the sad state in which our modern world finds itself. Long knew enough to realize he had a problem with his fleshly appetites. Had no one taught him to “flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2.22)? Had he pursued righteousness with others calling on God’s name, he would have learned how to “possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4.4 NASB1995). Older Christian brothers could have encouraged Long to exercise self-control (Titus 2.6).

I cannot claim to know the particulars of Long’s home life, but I can inspect the fruit born of contemporary society (cf. Matthew 7.20). These types of crimes result from a nation that has excluded God from the public square. With God’s teachings, one notes that the one accountable for sin is the individual committing it (James 1.13-15). John identifies the three main avenues the world uses to tempt us: “lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2.16 NASB1995).

The correct application of the passage from Mark 9.34ff mentioned previously is that one takes personal responsibility in removing such influences. In the case of sex or pornography addiction, turn off the television and internet. Avoid the parts of town where more seedy businesses operate. Remove your libertine friends who desire to patronize things like strip clubs and “massage parlors.” As Paul indicates of his daily walk, it is self-discipline (1 Corinthians 9.24-27).

And do not try to tackle addiction alone. Again, we observed that Paul told Timothy to flee lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with other Christians. (2 Timothy 2.22) Addiction is difficult to overcome. The addicted can fall off the wagon periodically. Hence, he or she needs others to help lift them back up. We are mindful of the truth that “two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4.9-12). Join this truth with prayer and Bible study, and one can find the necessary strength to overcome. Isaiah reminds us that God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40.29)

Having seen how not to deal with your addiction, like Robert Aaron Long, decide to take responsibility, purge your life of the evil leaven, ask others for help, and turn to God for strength.

Sources Consulted:

Pagones, Stephanie. “Atlanta Shooting Suspect Tells Police Attacks Not Racially Motivated, Was Purportedly Driven by Sex Addiction.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 17 Mar. 2021, www.foxnews.com/us/atlanta-shooting-suspect-police-attacks-not-racially-motivated-sex-addiction.

Mount Augustus in Western Australia’s Golden Outback is supposed to be the world’s largest rock. It covers an area of 18 1/2 square miles and rises 2,815’ above the surrounding plain. The central ridge is nearly 5 miles long.

God is first called a “rock” in Moses’ song he led just before he died and the Israelites crossed into the promised land. The song is found in Deuteronomy 32 and in verse 4, Moses sings: “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.”

Rocks were used in the desert for a few different reasons: large rocks provided shade; they provided a hiding place; they could also be an indication that water was nearby. There were several reasons why, then, biblical writers would refer to God as a “rock” and the book of psalms are full of such references and we see several references in the prophets.

Here in Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses associates several attributes of God with the picture of Him as a rock: perfection, just, faithful, righteous, upright. Moses will refer to God as a “rock” several times in this song: verses 15 (“Rock of his salvation”), 18, 30, and 31. Then, in verses 31 and 37, Moses will say that other peoples also have a “rock” in whom they trust but their rock does not provide the benefits as the Rock of Israel, the God of heaven.

In the year of our country’s birth, a British man named Augustus M. Toplady wrote a song directed at the Rock: “The Rock of Ages.” The initial stanza of this song was published in a magazine, The Gospel Magazine, in October 1775. He wrote the hymn for an article in the same magazine in March 1776. That article dealt with the impossibility of man paying for his own sins.

I’m not sure how he reckoned it, but Toplady estimated that if a man should live to be 80 years old, he would commit 2,522,880,000 sins.

THE CLEFT ROCK – Exodus 33:17-23:

It seems verse one, which sets the stage for the whole message, is based on an event from the life of Moses recorded in Exodus 33.

Toplady uses this event to portray the protection that we receive through the blood of Christ. The only Gospel writer who mentions the blood of Christ in the context of the crucifixion itself is John, which he does in 19:32-34. In the cleft of the Rock of God’s love, we are hidden by the blood of Christ that flowed from His side on the cross.

That blood provides a double cure for sin, a cure for the guilt of sin and a cure of the power of sin. To say that we have no guilt for sin is the definition of the biblical word atonement.

THE EMPTY SACRIFICE – Titus 3:3-7:

I suggest a succinct biblical foundation for the thoughts from verse 2 can be found in Paul’s message to the young preacher Titus in 3:3-7.

There is no good thing that we can do to merit / deserve eternal life. There is no way we can live perfectly, sinlessly, fulfilling every single expectation God has of us – every minute of every day our whole life. We cannot save ourselves.

Toplady reminds us that even if our zeal for God knew no “respite,” no rest or relief, that is, even if we never ended our zeal for God and we were always hot, on fire for evangelism and faithful works, it would not be enough. He goes on: “could my tears [for my sins] forever flow…” If I cried Lake Superior full of tears for my sins, it would not cleanse a single sin, “all for sin could not atone.”

Only Christ and Christ alone can save.

THE FOUNTAIN OF CLEANSING – Zechariah 13:1:

In verse 3, Toplady will eventually portray the forgiving blood of Christ as a fountain. That imagery comes likely from an Old Testament minor prophet named Zechariah. Zechariah is living at a time when Israel was discouraged because of their 70-years in exile and they were back in their homeland but their temple laid in ruins, a constant reminder that it was destroyed and they spent 70 years in exile because of sin.

“Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling.” In 1 Corinthians 2:2, the apostle Paul wrote: “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

Toplady goes on: “Naked, I come to Thee for dress; Helpless, I look to Thee for grace. Vile (extremely unpleasant!), to the fountain I fly. Wash me, Savior, or I die.”

Toplady’s song is a song that finds refuge and hope in the God who is the Rock. That Rock provides defense, shade, hope from the bite of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. We have to come to grips with the fact that we cannot earn our salvation. All we can do is come to Jesus with the humility to do what He tells us to do and then find joy in the salvation He offers.

God hides us from Satan through the blood of His Son. With empty hands, offer Him your heart in faith and obedience. The fountain of His love will cleanse your sins.

Paul Holland

10/12.  Until this time, we encourage you to visit and enjoy the fresh articles from https://www.lordletmegrow.com/freebiblestudy

TikTok: Christian Beware!

In a kind of ‘sting operation’ on the social media site TikTok, The Wall Street Journal created dozens of automated accounts, also called bots. They set up these bots to understand what TikTok shows young users. These bots, registered as users aged 13 to 15, were turned loose to browse TikTok’s videos.

The videos revealed that TikTok can quickly drive minors (and of course adults, too) into ‘rabbit holes ‘of content focused on drugs, violence, or sex. The article concluded that TikTok only needs one important piece of information to figure out what a user wants: the amount of time you linger over a piece of content. Every second you hesitate or re-watch, the app tracks you.

Through that one powerful signal, TikTok can learn your most hidden interests and emotions, and drive users of any age deep into rabbit holes of content—in which feeds are heavily dominated by videos about a specific topic or theme.

Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecc.1:9). Sin goes back to the Garden of Eden. Our modern technologies simply package lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life in new ways (Cf. 1 John 2:16).

It’s not a sin to be on social media. In fact, I think much good could come from it. But Christians must be diligent! Think about it – just one video can lead to self-destructive sinful habits. Just one!

How then should we live? Intentionally. Parents do not let your children on social media before they can set boundaries for themselves. Everyone else, what kind of content is popping up in your feed? Would you be ashamed if others knew? Don’t play around; this stuff can be dangerous. Remember, we must be willing to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

Michael S. Green

The cross was supposed to be the bringer of sadness,

But Christ used it to bring eternal joy (1 Peter 1:8-9).

The cross was supposed to be the displayer of shame,

Yet it only showcased Christ’s glory (John 12:23ff).

The cross was supposed to be the place of dishonor,

But it instead brought Christ the ultimate respect He deserves (Hebrews 12:2).

The cross was supposed to be the deliverer of a dose of humility,

But through it Christ was exalted to the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

The cross was supposed to be for pain and suffering,

But Christ used it to bring Christians an eternity without pain (Revelation 21:4).

The cross was supposed to be a symbol of fear,

Christ turned it into the symbol of the greatest event that has ever occurred (Matthew 27-28).

The cross was supposed to be the revealer of weakness,

But it merely showed that Christ held back His superior power and authority (Matthew 28:18-20).

The cross was supposed to be one of the ultimate punishments,

But through it Christ has given us access to the ultimate reward (Revelation 21).

The cross was supposed to be reserved for the guilty,

Yet the Innocent One died on it so that we who are truly guilty can be forgiven (Romans 6:23).

The cross was supposed to be an instrument of death,

But through it Christ became the instrument of eternal life (Acts 2:38).

Brett Petrillo

A man’s home was being overrun with mice. There were so many mice, the man didn’t think ordinary traps would be enough, so he decided to go with the poison route. He set out a box of poisonous food. That night there was a feeding frenzy. The mice completely overwhelmed the food and cleaned out the box by morning. The homeowner put out a second box and the same event unfolded the next night. After the third night, the man’s house remained quiet and free of mice.

Why did this poisonous food work so well? It wasn’t just that it appealed to the mince, it was that all the mice saw the others joining in. They couldn’t be the only one left out. So a feeding frenzy occurred. In a sense, the poison became popular.  The result of this popularity was death.

Popularity can be dangerous without a moral compass. We follow today’s trends, fads, and worldly mindsets so willingly because that is what is popular. We stand for or against certain viewpoints because that is what has become popular. We decide to “restudy” Biblical issues through a modern cultural lens. It’s hard to go against the grain.

The problem is, these popular can often be interlaced with spiritual poison. They may promote lust, greed, and materialism. They might directly stand in opposition to Scripture. They may even directly encourage and entice sin. Tragically, we can fall into the same popularity trap as the mice. And the result will be worse because we should know better and we aren’t mindless rodents.

As Christ said in Mark 8:36-37, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” The things that are popular in this life could be the very things causing us to forfeit our souls in the next life. It just isn’t worth it. May we always seek to be popular in God’s eyes, not in the eyes of our culture.

Brett Petrillo

We put a “value” on just about everything. Every time we go to a store, we check to see how much the particular item is worth. An item’s value depends on what it is made from, who made it, how rare it is, what it can do, and several other characteristics. Sometimes it is too easy to look at ourselves and think we are not valuable or important. We can convince ourselves that we are broke, unuseful, or that we just get in the way. This is simply not true!

God gives us several reminders in scripture about our value. He tells He gives special interest in sparrows which are sold for a cent, and yet we are exceedingly more valuable than a sparrow, so He naturally shows much more interest in us (Matthew 10:29-31). He tells us that He takes care of all the birds of the air even though they do not work at all, and yet we are incredibly more valuable (Matthew 6:26). He tells us that lilies of the field grow and our clothed beautifully, yet God considers us much more valuable than them and will take care of our needs (Matthew 6:28-30).

Look at some of your characteristics: (1)You were made in the image of God. (2)There is no other creature and one else quite like you. (3)God Himself, the supreme ruler of all, specifically made you. (4)He even gave you special talents and thinking abilities which no other creature on earth can compare to. (5)Beyond all of this, God gave you something so unique and so valuable that it cannot be found in any other animal; He gave you a soul.  He did this because He wants us to be with Him for all eternity. We are so valuable that He even gave up His own Son to ensure we could be with Him (Acts 2:28). He even “bought” us because of the value He saw in us (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 1 Peter 1:17-19; 2 Peter 2:1; Acts 20:28).

No matter what deficiencies we may think we have or ways we may feel insignificant, there is still no adequate way to describe how valuable we really are. God does not want us to dwell on the negative, but to remember He finds us valuable and has a use for us. Let’s look for ways to use our value and not be down on ourselves. Besides, without God, each and every one of us is more worthless than a deck of 37 cards, a cell-phone without a battery, an airplane without wings, or a house without a foundation. God saw value in us, and it is because of Him that we are valuable in the first place. Let’s not be discouraged with ourselves, but let’s use what we have to glorify God. So, how valuable are you? You are more valuable than anything else God has created in this entire universe! So next time you are feeling down, just keep in mind, You Are Valuable!

Brett Petrillo

Being understood

The Christians at Corinth were blessed in having been given many ‘spiritual gifts’. These were miraculous in nature – they did not have them through their own study or ability.

One of these gifts in particular seems to have caused some problems, possibly in those having it thinking they were greater than other Christians. This gift is often translated as “speaking in tongues”; if we were to translate it into modern English it would be “speaking in other languages”. The ‘tongues’ referred to in the New Testament were not ecstatic syllables which meant nothing, but rather languages. Although unknown to those who did not know them, they were known by those who spoke them.

Another of the spiritual gifts was that of ‘prophecy’. For many that word means predicting the future, but this is not what is usually meant in scripture. To prophesy was simply to declare a message from God given directly to the person – in other words, they didn’t study but God just gave them the message that needed proclaimed. This is the background to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

“Pursue love, yet strive for spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. He who speaks in an unrecognizable language speaks to God, not to men. No one understands him; by the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies edifies and encourages and brings good cheer to men. He who speaks in an unrecognizable language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. I want all of you to speak in languages, but rather that you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly might be edified.” (1 Corinthians 14:1-5 McCord)

The goal of all Christians should be to edify, to build each other up spiritually. Those who were able to declare God’s word did this – they encouraged others as Christians.

The problem is someone who speaks a language no one else knows. Although the speaker understood it, no one else does, so no one else is receiving encouragement through what he says. Although speaking other languages is needed in taking the good news of Jesus to people who speak a different language, it doesn’t help build anyone up who can’t understand it. The key is being understood.

“Brothers, if I come to you speaking in unrecognizable languages, how will I help you unless I speak either in a revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching?…If I pray in an unrecognizable language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. So, what is it? I will pray with the spirit, and also I will pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and also I will sing with the understanding. Otherwise, how will an uninstructed person say ‘Amen’ at your thanksgiving, since he does not understand what you have said? Indeed, you may give thanks well enough, but the uninstructed person is not edified.” (1 Corinthians 14:6-17)

If you have been in another country and not able to understand the language, you can relate to what Paul is writing. The goal of Christians being together is to understand what they are praying, singing and speaking. If we can understand, then we are built up and instructed.

Although most do not find foreign languages an issue when we get together with Christians, we would do well to make sure that what we are saying in our own language is understandable. Sometimes speakers may use ‘big’ words that show how well they have been educated – but if people are not familiar with the words they cannot be built up and encouraged.

This can also apply to our worship in song. Older hymns sometimes contain words no longer in common usage. If we provide an explanation for the word,  everyone is able to “sing with the understanding.”

As always, the key is love – Jon Galloway

A man in Alabama may have finally found a way to win a spot in Guinness’ Book Of World Records.  Gary Smith of Loblolly Farms recently constructed a church building that he believes qualifies as the world’s smallest church.  (To be precise, “church” in the Bible refers to people, not to buildings.)

The building Smith constructed is a charming structure that indeed looks like a miniature chapel.  It’s four feet wide, five feet deep, and from the ground to the top of the steeple it measures 19 feet.  Three average-sized people can fit comfortably inside (standing).  The current record holder for smallest church is in Spain and is about seven square feet larger than the Alabama building.

No plans were mentioned in the article about establishing a congregation that will use this tiny building, but some couples have already asked about using it for weddings.  Its location is picturesque, situated on the edge of a stand of loblolly pine trees and near a serene pond.  One must admit, however, that this church building is not very versatile.

God never placed great emphasis on structures throughout the Bible; that has always been the desire of people.  David, for example, lamented the fact that he, the king of Israel, was living in a palace “but the ark of God dwells in a tent” (2 Samuel 7:2).  He was ready to launch into building a massive and glorious temple for God, but God rejected his plan.

God responded to David’s plan: “Did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’” (2 Samuel 7:7).  God would allow David’s son Solomon to build a temple, but not David.

There was nothing wrong per se in building a temple for God, but God’s emphasis was on doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with the Lord (see Micah 6:6-8).  When basic righteousness was missing God preferred they not continue hypocritical religious practices: “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors [of the temple], that you might not kindle fire on My altar in vain!” (Malachi 1:10).  Live righteously, or else don’t bother worshiping.

With the establishment of the new covenant there was no call for impressive church buildings.  For many years there were no buildings that were exclusively for use by churches.  Churches met in the homes of Christians (e.g. Romans 12:3-5 and Colossians 4:15) or in other places, but there is no record of a building dedicated solely to Christian assemblies until the third century.

A church doesn’t have to be large in numbers or in the size of its building to be impressive to Jesus.  Revelation 3:7-13 is a letter to the church at Philadelphia.  Jesus noted “I know that you have but little power” but He went on to add that they had been faithful in every respect.  Out of the seven letters to the churches of Asia found in Revelation 2 and 3, this church with “little power” was one of only two to be commended by Christ without any rebuke.

Churches should seek to bring many into the kingdom of Christ, and that will result in larger churches.  But just because a church has a modest building (or no building!) or few members doesn’t make them less impressive to the Lord.  “Tiny churches” can be just as pleasing to Christ as large ones!

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.

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Copyright, 2021, Timothy D. Hall

A Bible class teacher once asked her students to bring a clear trash bag and a sack of potatoes next week. At that class, she had each student take out a potato and write down some of the following on each potato: 1) A past situation where they were wronged but that still upsets them. 2) A current situation where they have been wronged and are upset about it. 3) A person they may still be upset with or holding a grudge against.

Each student’s bag was unique. Some of the bags were lighter or heavier than others. The teacher then instructed the students to carry this bag around with them everywhere for the next week. It was to be with them at all times and they could only set it down when they had to (sleep, meals, etc).

After the week was up, the students brought their potatoes back to class. As you might imagine, the potatoes now looked ugly and beaten. The potatoes had deteriorated into a nasty sight from being dropped, hit, baked in the sun, and a variety of other damaging influences. Hauling around these nasty potatoes was a burden to each kid in the class. Then the teacher explained the point of this exercise.

When we refuse to forgive, it’s a burden to carry that grudge around. We think about those situations. We think about those people. We let the burden grow and fester. The longer we carry it, the nastier it becomes. How silly it is to hold on to these grudges and to refrain from forgiving people when we could simply let go of these burdens.

Colossians 3:12-14 says, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

God has forgiven us and we should forgive others as well (Matthew 6:14-15). Can you think of someone who needs your forgiveness? Is there a situation you’re still holding on to? Why are we still holding on to these things? Let go of this burden.

Brett Petrillo