The least of them

“And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me” (Mathew 25:40 NET).

If one looks at this statement literally it is perhaps one of the most powerful statements in the Bible. That is, the way that you treat any human being is the way that you are treating Jesus. If Jesus came up to you and said “I’m hungry”, I am sure that you would give him all of the food that you had. But what about that drug-addicted man, dressed in rags, who is always begging by the side of the road? According to this scripture, there is no difference between the two.

Seeing Jesus everywhere you look will change your outlook on life in a dramatic way. He is your neighbor, the stranger, why, even your enemy. This sits right with our call to love everybody. In the accompanying passages of this parable, Jesus talks about feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting the sick or those in prison, clothing the naked and taking in the stranger. All of these actions are visible, practical, and tangible demonstrations of love.

I am a full-time caregiver for my wife. As such, I cannot work a regular job, as she requires constant attention and care. I had a brother in Christ, who probably lives a mile away, say to me, “I’ll pray for you.” He knows both my situation and my needs but the best he can do is pray for me. He doesn’t visit and doesn’t call, let alone come and watch my wife to relieve me of my stressful duty for a few precious hours.

On the other hand, I’ve had sisters who came and cleaned my apartment. I’ve had brethren who watched my wife when I was in the hospital. I’ve had brethren who have brought me food and have given my wife clothes. I’ve had brethren who have watched my wife so I could go food shopping. I’ve had brethren call to check up on me and encourage me along the way.

Let me tell you that words are cheap. When I look back at my thirty years of Christianity, what stands out to me are those who demonstrated love to me. I can scarcely remember the sermons preached but I can vividly recall when somebody was there for me in a time of need.

As such, I want to help others out whenever and as often as I can. I look at every person as if they are Jesus and I “say how can I help?” Of course, I can never meet the needs of every single person I encounter within my life. Then again, Jesus didn’t heal all the lepers in Israel, or raise every dead corpse, did he?

Do as much good to as many as you can – that is the lesson for the day. “The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed” (Proverbs 19:17).

By John Kaniecki

WHO IS YOUR EXAMPLE?

“For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us; for we behaved not  ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:  not because we have not the right but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us” (2 Thess. 3:7-9).

Webster’s definition of “example”.  “A pattern; a model or copy; an illustration.”  In the New Testament the word comes from: “in writing; an underwriting; to write under, to trace letters for coping. Hence a writing copy, an example.”

      It is easy to move this figure over to the human behavior.  From birth, much of what we learn, we learn from example.  As parents, teachers, leaders, how many times do we say, “let me show you how” or “just do like I do.”  As this helps to mold us physically and socially, may we recognize the effect that example has on us Spiritually.

There are only two kind of examples.  Good or Bad!  We must be careful what we follow.  It is sometimes very easy to be impressed.  We must make sure where the example will lead us.  In  I Cor. 10: Paul tells us of the example of the children of Israel.  There were times when the example was GOOD.  They obeyed God, left Egypt and marched between two walls of water as they crossed the Red Sea.  And over a period of time established the system of worship that God directed.  At other times their example was BAD!  “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written,  ‘the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play’.  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.  Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.  Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our   admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.”  (I Cor. 10:6-11).  Several times in this passage Paul tells us that this is an example for us…An Example of WHAT NOT TO DO!

      Jesus is our perfect example.  He is our example in OBEDIENCE.  “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  who existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8

As we follow the example of Jesus in obedience, we obey God even unto death. (See Rev. 2:10).

Jesus is our example in FORGIVENESS.  “Forbearing one another and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:” (Col. 3:13).  No one has ever been treated worse than they treated Him yet He offered them forgiveness.  “Father forgive them…they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:34).   Christ is our example in LOVE.  “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”  (John 13:34).  How much did Jesus love us?  “…while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Rom. 5:8b).

As we consider and follow our Great Example, may we never forget that we are an example and someone is following us.  What kind of example are we?  Where are we leading?  Who is being influenced by our example?  Your family looks up to you.  Your friends, and  your neighbors   observe how you live and what you do.  You are an example to someone!  Can we say as Paul said… “BE YE IMITATORS OF ME, EVEN AS I ALSO AM OF CHRIST.”

Frank Briscoe

Few situations evoke the questions that suffering produces. The furnace of suffering within the book of Job appears intended to offer us much more than the shallow solace that our suffering could have been worse.

This book raises the stakes. We are invited to explore whether human piety can rise to altruism and whether God’s workings are merely simplistic computations. The conclusions impact how we understand life and live it.

The prologue introduces us to a pinnacle representative of pious humanity.  Job was “a man pure and upright, who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1).  Why does such a person to serve God?

While God’s high view of Job proclaimed, “there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8), Satan sneered cynicism. This Accuser denounced Job’s piety as shallow and self-serving. “Extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!” (Job 2:5).

Later Eliphaz accused Job of hindering meditation and breaking piety (Job 15:4) because Job had suggested that God does not always bless the faithful. By so doing Eliphaz’ seems to reveal the evil one was correct about some of humanity.

What about us? Why do we worship? Is our devotion to God rooted in the belief that God must pour out earthly blessings on faithfulness?

Job’s actions justified God’s faith in him. He refused to curse God. “In all this Job did not sin by what he said” (Job 2:10).

While the spirit world viewed through the furnace of suffering the assaying of Job’s piety, this same crucible caused those on earth to debate God’s nature. Who is God?

Job’s friends essentially claimed God’s justice means the wicked always suffer, while the righteous are blessed. Job denied this was necessarily so. Based upon his own experience, Job did not view God so mathematically neat and predictable. The blameless, he asserted, might suffer fiercely.

Why do people suffer? What does our experience of human misery suggest about God? What answers would we offer to the problem of suffering?

As this book closes, God says to Eliphaz, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7). Are we to conclude from this that God is unjust? Not at all!

Our messy world is governed by a righteous God. While God never desired Job to suffer, he did allow Satan to inflict it (Job 1:12; 2:6). Although the Adversary was certain this would crush Job’s piety, in the end Job’s attitude improved. Confessing he did not understand, Job repented of a self-righteousness at God’s expense (Job 40:8; 42:2-6).

If we allow ourselves to be drawn into the furnace, we seem to be encouraged toward several conclusions. Among these are while God is sovereign, evil sometimes causes the pure to suffer. We cannot fathom God. While we may never understand why, we do know how we should live.

Barry Newton

Pressing on

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).

At one of the seminars I held in South Asia, a preacher told me of the money his congregation was saving for a modest church building. They needed about $1,500 and had accumulated almost half of that over two to three years of effort. He knew it would still take considerable time to complete the task, yet his joy and enthusiasm at their progress so far was palpable.

We live in a culture of immediate gratification. People are overwhelmed with debt because they are unwilling to wait for what they want. Why watch an old-style television when one may charge a big flat screen HD set to his credit card and begin watching immediately? It is only after struggling to pay out of control bills that we learn that waiting may have been better after all.

There are blessings available to those who place their trust in Jesus which may be enjoyed as soon as they become obedient to his word. Freedom from guilt and shame, the fellowship of loving Christians, access to God through prayer – these are but a few of the “Every spiritual blessing[s] [which are] in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). These, and others, are bestowed without delay.

Much of the Christian’s reward, however, is not immediate. Jesus exhorted his followers to “store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). To store up suggests investments or deposits which will produce dividends in the future. Faith, obedience, and righteousness now will be rewarded by eternal salvation in the end (Romans 2:5-10).

Paul spoke of such delayed gratification in Philippians 3:1-16. He gave up much from his former achievements as a Jew and Pharisee in order that he might gain more in Christ. But he insisted that he was not yet finished in his quest and had by no means attained his full reward. He was still diligent in his efforts in order to finally “win the prize.”

There are important rewards to such diligence. First, there is the reward of hope. Life is always enhanced by the expectation of progress. When we see no promise of better things ahead we become discouraged, depressed, and convicted of failure. That is fatal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Only when we live with confidence in the future, based not on ourselves but on God’s promises, can we continue to face difficulties with confidence.

Secondly, continued efforts to achieve take our attention off of past failures. Try, try and try again is not just a platitude. Thomas Edison famously said of his many failed experiments to produce a light bulb, “I now know 10,000 ways it cannot be done.” To him, an effort without positive results was not a failure. There was always something to be learned.

Thirdly, when we join others in similar efforts we benefit from shared strengths and experiences. After Paul first described his search for perfection he then said, “Join with others in following my example and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you” (Philippians 3:17). We are not the only ones who face strong challenges. We are not the only ones with problems. Many others have faced similar difficulties and have succeeded. We are comforted and made stronger by their companionship.

It is humbling to face the reality that we are not perfect. It is encouraging to realize that others also have faults but continue to try to improve. As the little boy was said to have pleaded, “Be patient, God is not finished with me yet.”

Michael Brooks

Quarantine

As I tried to think of what to do this morning I began to think about the word “quarantine,” not that you are or maybe you have self-quarantined yourself, but we are kind of quarantined from each other.

Q

Quiet

1Kings 19:10-14

And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

¹¹ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

¹² And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

¹³ And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

¹⁴ And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

GOD was in the still small voice

Ps 46

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

² Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

³ Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

⁴ There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

⁶ The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

⁷ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

⁸ Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

⁹ He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Be still and know that I am GOD

Be quiet and still so that you can hear

Our voice just adds to the chaos and we cant hear

When we are speaking we are not listening

U

Understand

After we have stopped, when we are quiet and still we need to understand who HE is

HE is GOD and no matter as we said last week, no one or no thing can remove the LORD from HIS throne and HE does not relinquish control and no one can take it from HIM.

Before the 10 Commandments are given in Exodus 20 to Moses in verse 2, GOD says this,

I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

HE brought them out of bondage, out of Egypt, HE will bring us out of this.

In Isaiah 41 in the midst of the coming chaos GOD tells Isaiah this

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Fear is a hard thing not to have but the LORD assures that HE will help and as was recognized last we HE is the creator, HE has things under control, HIS control

A

Apply

We need to apply the principles of GOD

We can see this principles in action with JESUS in HIS walk of life.  We follow HIM we cannot fail.

In Mark 12 JESUS in verse 29 tells us that GOD is one and after verse 30 that HE tells that we are to love the LORD with all our, heart, soul, mind and strength, the greatest commandment

But then HE tells us in verse 31

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

We are to love

JESUS said in John 13:30-31

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

This leads I think into the next letter

R

Rebel

We are to rebel against the world, we are in the world but we are not to be a part of it.

If we choose to go the way of the world we become a part of it, we become the same substance.

JESUS while HE was looking down at Jerusalem, praying to the FATHER, HE said in

John 17:16

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

If we are not of the world, we should Rebel against it.

A

Abhor

Not only are we supposed to Rebel against the world but we are Abhor its practices.

The harsh news of the truth is that the world is evil, some may think this is a harsh statement but as they say the truth hurts.

We are told in Romans 12:9

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Abhor is an ancient word and we are not as familiar with that as say the world hate.  For me that is a strong word, maybe Abhor is better for you but I remember that I was told by my Grandma and probably my mom, when the word hate was used, they would say oh don’t say that you don’t hate, you strongly dislike or something like that.

Some versions say hate what is evil, and this goes back to the Rebelling, cling to what is good because that is opposite the world.

N

Nurture

In the time that we are in and all times we need to Nurture our faith

In 2 Pet 3, Peter tells of how by the LORD’s word all things were made and by HIS word fire would come to punish and that the LORD would come as a thief in the night and he tells of the promises of the LORD and in verse 17-18

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

¹⁸ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Of course growing in knowledge is not the only thing that we need to do to help Nurture our faith, we also need to trust in HIM

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Trusting in HIM and HIM completely will grow our faith, it will Nurture it

T

Tag Others

I know that we are not supposed to touch each other and we are really told to not get close to one another, I am told at work to stay 6 ft from everyone

But this morning I want to say that we need to tag up with others that are like us, others that are Rebelling against the world and are trusting in GOD

We are in a hostile world and we really need help to get us through.

We are part of the body of CHRIST and we cannot neglect our body

Paul told the Corinthians 12:27

²⁷ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

If we are not tagging others we are neglecting the body and it could get sick

This leads I believe into the next letter

I

Inspire

By tagging others, linking up with them and letting them know that we love them we inspire them

Also by being an example we inspire them

In the past I have been told by people when I worship with them, I am so glad you are here.

I’ve told you this story before but it doesn’t hurt to hear it again.  When Jeana and I were in our twenties we were going to church and we would go on Wednesday night even, as you know Wednesday lots of people don’t show up, let alone young folks.  After the service was over the people that were sitting behind us told us that they were so glad that we were there and that we inspired them.

We need to inspire and that by leading by example

Paul in 1 Corinthians 4 tells the people that there are a lot of teachers out there but they are not the right ones so he says in verse 16

Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

He tells them again in chapter 11:1

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Inspire one another by being an example and tagging others

N

Need HIM

Everyone wants to feel needed and we need to recognize that we need HIM

Not only in the bad times but also in the good times.

I believe that there are more people focused on GOD right now than before all of this but we need to focus on HIM always and need HIM always

Not only do we need HIM for all the physical things that we have in our life but we need HIM for our spiritual health.

Without HIM we are spiritually dead, with HIM we are made alive.

JESUS came that we may have life, John 10:10.

In John 1:4, it tells us that in HIM was life, so we get our life of course physically and we get life spiritually from HIM.

Our need for HIM will never go away.  Some people will say that they don’t need HIM and maybe not in this physical life but in the next they will figure out real quick that they need HIM and since they didn’t rely on HIM to begin with it will be too late.

This leads to the next and last letter

E

Evangelize

We need to tell people about JESUS

There are lots of people out there that need to hear that there is a loving FATHER out there that has a special love for them like they have never seen.

So powerful that HE even gave HIS one and only SON, JESUS for them.

Romans 5:6-11

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

There is a GOD, the only GOD that loves people and HE is there for them and ready for them to come to HIM

We are justified, we are saved, we are reconciled and have received atonement.

We must tell others.

But let us remember to:

Be quiet and still

Let us understand who HE is

Let us apply the principles of GOD

Let us rebel against the world

Let us abhor the practices of the world

Let us nurture our faith

Let us tag others that are in the faith

Let us inspire others that are with us

Let us need HIM more everyday

Let us evangelize to others the Great News of the Bible.

Ben Gray

I’m writing this on Monday.  I feel like I’m riding a roller coaster.  And today it feels like there’s a lot more down than up.  Who knows what it will be by the time you read this next weekend?  God knows… but he doesn’t tell.

I was reminded when Janis and I walked this morning that the sun came up, birds were singing, squirrels were scampering around and the flowers are blooming.  None of them knew that the stock market was going to drop almost three thousand points today.  They didn’t care.  And they won’t care tomorrow morning- regardless of what it does.  The odds are pretty good that they will be doing that same thing tomorrow morning.

Times like this are a gut-check.  You get to see what’s important to you.  You get to see who/what you feel is in control of your future.  If we discover that we are over-anxious about finances or health, then this “crisis” may be just what we needed.

God could tell us what will happen tomorrow if he wanted us to know.  Do you know why he doesn’t?  Because he wants you to trust him.

It seems like a good time for us to be reminded of what Jesus told the large crowd on the hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-34):  He told them, “Do not worry… Do not be afraid.”  Then he gave them the reason to not worry or be afraid- “Your Father knows what you need…” and if you trust that he cares and is able to supply what you need, that’s enough!  He ends by telling them not to worry about tomorrow.

Now the question for you and me is this- Do you trust God enough to not worry?

– Ken Stegall

Recently, Paul’s bold claim struck me afresh: “Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father…)” (Galatians 1:1). Within just a few words, Paul quickly dismissed any doubt regarding the authority behind his commission. It rested solely upon Christ and God.

Powerful statement! If true, he has prepared his readers to be confronted with a message bearing genuine apostolic authority, a message worthy of scrutinizing attention.

Enter the skeptic. Did Paul even exist?

A simple line of reasoning appears to not only be instructive, but also to lead us to Jesus himself. The method involves merely seeking the best explanation for the book of Acts.

Whether composed within ten years of when Paul’s missionary activity is described as having occurred, as some believe, or even around 30 years later, as others ascribe, imagine the ruckus that would have arisen when Acts began to circulate if Paul had not made those missionary journeys!

In every congregation where I have been a member, the old timers knew not only the history of their congregation, but also what well-known speakers had passed through. If Paul the apostle had not made those missionary journeys, voices of dissent would have arisen from Rome and Corinth to Philippi, Ephesus, Lystra and both Antiochs! A repeating chorus would have been, “Paul is claimed to have done what here?” Acts would have been rejected.

Similarly, as those same early Christians read Acts’ portrayal of Saul of Tarsus, they would have naturally compared it with what they knew of Paul’s personal history. If it did not ring true, the book of Acts would have been rejected. The best explanation for Acts would seem to be that its story of Paul fit with their own congregational knowledge of, and experiences with, Paul.

If this is true, then what can account for the conversion of the powerful young Saul of Tarsus, who possessed even personal access to the Sanhedrin and whose convictions against Christ ran so deep that he persecuted the church, into the Christ-driven missionary Paul?

In Paul’s own words as recorded in Acts, “I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 22:7,8).

Nothing short of seeing the risen Lord adequately explains why Saul would have abandoned his position and convictions to become the persecuted apostle Paul.

As many have pointed out, the stark transformation of Saul of Tarsus is indicative that Christ has indeed been raised from the grave.

Returning full circle to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we hear Paul prepare us for the message of one who was commission by Christ himself and by God. The best explanation is that not only does Paul’s apostleship not have a human origin, neither does the gospel.

J. Randal Matheny

What did you go to see?

John the Immerser was imprisoned by Herod Antipas about 70 miles from where Jesus was preaching.

John sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the coming one or not. No one is sure why John did this, but it is understandable since he was about to lose his head for telling the king the truth about his marriage to his brother’s wife.

After answering John’s disciples, Jesus turned to the other people and asked them a question. When they went out to the wilderness, what did they go to see (Luke 7:24-26)?

Did they see a reed shaken by the wind? There are those whose faith is shaken with every problem of life (Luke 8:13-14). John was not shaken by his trial. He was just as devoted to the truth in prison as he was out. Some are not. Some allow themselves to forget what they believed and who they’re supposed to obey.

Did they see a man in soft clothing? Not John (Matthew 3:4). John went to prison for telling Herod the truth (Mark 6:17-18). God’s preacher must have as much courage as John.

Did they see a prophet? Yes, Jesus said, and even more. He was God’s messenger! Through John’s preaching many people turned to Jesus when they heard and obeyed the gospel. We should look forward to hearing from those in eternity.

When you go to church, what did you come to see? Did you want to see perfect people? If so, you’re going to be disappointed. Paul said no one is perfect (Romans 3:10). Do you come to see a perfect man presenting the perfect sermon? In that case you should be aware preachers are human beings, too.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see someone who needs forgiveness of sin and the hope of heaven? Hopefully you will.

John Henson

It was a day that began like any other day until I heard my mom crying in the kitchen. She had accidentally burned the meat she was preparing for our dinner. She was able to salvage some, but not nearly enough to feed all of us.

That’s when it happened. It was a defining moment in my life. My dad called me into his bedroom, shut the door, and said, “Steve, I’d like to have a man-to-man talk with you. “A man-to-man talk,” I thought? Wow! I was all ears. My dad said, “Part of being a man is making sacrifices for your family. As you know, your mom burned the meat and there isn’t enough for all of us. So when the meat is passed to you, pass it on and we’ll let your mom and sister have the meat.”

I could hardly wait for dinner, and for my rite of passage into “Manhood.” You see, although I was just a young boy, I wasn’t about to let this invitation to “Manhood” pass me by. And I’ll have to tell you, I don’t believe I have ever felt more like a man than that day, many years ago, when I passed that plate of meat on to my mom and sister without taking any for myself.

As Christians, maybe we could take a lesson from this personal anecdote. Maybe we would be more successful in reaching the lost if we would make the relationship into which we were inviting them much clearer — Sonship. Brotherhood. Family. Sainthood. Priests. These and more are what we become when we become a Christian.

Friends, becoming a Christian is an invitation from God into a relationship that you won’t want to turn down. If you haven’t accepted his invitation, do so! You’ll never regret it.

by Steve Higginbotham

I am Jesus

“…I am Jesus of Nazareth…” (Acts 22:8b).

If it is embarrassing to be wrong, it is more so to be sincerely wrong.

Saul was a man of pure conscience (cf. Acts 23:1). If he believed something to be right, he pursued it to the furthest degree. He was what one popular television psychologist used to call, a “right fighter.” It was Saul’s practice to follow the truth wherever it led him.

But Saul’s encounter with Jesus proved to be his greatest challenge. If Jesus was true, everything about Saul’s life would have to change.

The process of finding truth usually takes time. It is like chipping away small fragments of a mountain with a pickaxe to find precious stones. But chipping away little by little and blasting massive sections of rock are very different things. When Saul encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road, his whole life – his education, his heritage, his accomplishments, his reputation – were simultaneously blasted apart.

McGarvey wrote:

“Up to this moment he had held Jesus to be an imposter cursed of God and man, and his followers blasphemers worthy of death; but now this hated being is suddenly revealed to him in a blaze of divine glory. The evidence of eyes and ears cannot be doubted. There he stands, with the light of heaven and the glory of God around him, and he says, ‘I am Jesus.’ Stephen then was right, and I have shed innocent blood” (New Commentary on Acts, p. 171).

Saul made no sudden decision. He went to the appointed destination and determined to fast and pray. Jesus gave him three days, then intervened with an opportunity for Saul to hear the gospel. Accepting it would mean changing every single thing about his life. Rejecting it would mean a return to the comforts he once enjoyed.

What did he do? Though he “suffered the loss of all things” (Philippians 3:8), he “was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).

What about us?

Rick Kelley

The Need for Some Good News

I am tired of all the negative messages in the news these days. What the world needs now is good news. The good news needed is the news that has endured for generations. This good news will get us through any war or conflict. The good news of the gospel is needed for all men in all nations.

The gospel is never outdated. It never needs to be made culturally relevant. The gospel should never be comprised. God wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Paul indicates the gospel has power. In Rom. 1:16, the writer from Tarsus states that the gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”  The gospel can save. It is therefore good news for all men. Here are some good news headlines that would be great for men to hear:

YOU CAN BE SAVED.

YOUR LIFE CAN BE CHANGED.

YOU CAN START OVER.

GOD CAN AND WILL FORGET YOUR PAST.

THE NEW MAN BEGINS NOW.

Good news is available today. It’s the same good news preached by the apostles. If that news is heeded and obeyed, man can have the same benefits as those in the early church. What the world needs is good news. What the world needs is the gospel!

By Bill Brandstatter

Text:  Hebrews Heb. 3:7-15

Aim:  to emphasize the urgency of salvation

Thesis:  NOW is the only time we have to obey God.

Introduction:  A couple of weeks ago I was rummaging through my file of funeral sermons, searching for a poem that I thought I might have stored there.  Sifting through all those services from the past 23 years reconnected me with former friends and with folks I hadn’t thought about in years – a lot of familiar faces floated up from the depths of my memory.

One in particular resurrected a sad scenario.   I ran across the funeral service of a man named Joe:  nobody you’d know.  He lived back in North Carolina – was a house painter – in his late 50’s.  But it reminded me of the truth of our lesson today:  NOW is the only time we have to obey God!

I remember well that funeral sermon. I recall that I had delivered it on a Monday morning, and that only the Friday before I had been in Joe’s house, visiting with him.  You see, he was not a Christian.  I was acquainted with Joe because he had relatives in our congregation, and had been visiting our worship services for several weeks.  That Friday we had talked about his soul, and about God’s good news of salvation, and Joe had agreed that he should obey the gospel, that he would obey the gospel, just …… not yet.  He wasn’t quite ready, he intended to one day, someday, someday soon, but Joe wanted to wait, he wanted to be sure, he wanted his wife to take that step with him.   Oh, he was glad I came, he was going to get back with me, and Joe intended to become a Christian;  just……not yet.

And there I was, the following Monday, standing in front of his grieving family and a little gathering of friends, preaching Joe’s funeral.  He had died unexpectedly over the weekend – a sudden heart attack, as I recall.  When he passed away the family contacted me, because I was the last and maybe only contact Joe had had with a church.   And while I struggled that Monday morning to offer words of comfort and consolation, inside I was thinking, “If only….if only.”

This morning I want to talk about my favorite subject:  the good news of Jesus!  However, I specifically want to examine one crucial aspect of the gospel –  its EXIGENCY.  (If that’s not a familiar word, don’t worry:  I had to look it up, too.  It means “a situation that requires immediate attention”).

 When I speak of the EXIGENCY of the gospel I simply mean that when we are presented with the Cross:  when we realize that without the atonement of Jesus we are lost – when we know that there are changes we need to make in our life – when we understand what we can do to respond – then we are faced with a CHOICE of immediate consequence.   That is because of the unique nature of the gospel:  it is NOT a “sales pitch,” nor is it a lecture. When we hear the good news of Jesus God Himself, through His Holy Spirit, is speaking to us – and the way we respond at that moment may very well determine our eternal destiny.

FOUR  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1. God wants everyone to be enjoy his fellowship, experience his Spirit, receive his blessings.

 Ezekiel 18:20 – “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?  declares the Sovereign Lord.  Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”

 2 Peter 3:9 “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

3. But God will not save us unless WE indicate we want to be his children.  John 3:16-18

4. Without that response on our part, even the Almighty is powerless to save us. That explains why, in the Bible, we often encounter the startling spectacle of the Creator of the universe, tenderly pleading with his creatures to turn back to Him.  God respects our free will so much he gives us the freedom of choice, even though we may choose the wrong.

Isaiah 65:2 – “All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good”

Luke 13:34 – “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but YOU WERE NOT WILLING”

4. But this offer, like so many offers we receive in life, comes with an expiration date!

2 Peter 3:9-10 – “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is PATIENT with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  BUT the day of the Lord WILL come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare”

That is why the apostles, in their preaching, always urged their hearers to ACT on the message:

*make a public decision to follow his Son:  confess him openly, carry our Cross, be united in his death, burial, and resurrection through the acceptance of baptism.

 *every conversion story in the book of Acts ends, not with some private prayer by an individual to accept Jesus into their heart, but with a prompt & public demonstration of acceptance of the message of the apostles!  People always were called upon to OBEY what they heard!  Paul was told, “What are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).

  3 REASONS WHY WE NEED TO ACCEPT THE GRACE OF GOD

 WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY:

2. The first reason typically offered is that we don’t know when Jesus will return, but when He DOES come, the door will be closed! REVIEW Matthew 25:1-13 “the door was shut”- But: this ISN’T the most important reason for the EXIGENCY of the gospel!
3. A second obvious reason is that we don’t know when OUR life will end!

 Whenever some well-known celebrity unexpectedly dies at a fairly young age, there is always that same startled reaction:  Elvis, or JFK, or Marilyn Monroe, Robin Williams, or Curt Cobain, or Amy Winehouse……they all remind us of the intrusion, the interruption, the impartiality of death.   But I’m not sure why death keeps catching us by surprise – because the fact of the matter is, every town has a cemetery, every newspaper carries the obituaries, the funeral homes never close!

 James 4:13-17 – “And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, ‘Today – at the latest, tomorrow – we’re off to such and such a city for the year.  We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.’  You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.  You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.  Instead, make it a habit to say, ‘If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that’.”  (The Message) But THIS isn’t the most important reason for the EXIGENCY of the gospel!

3. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Because when we fail to respond to God’s call, we are doing more than making a choice – we are shaping and making a HEART!

READ Hebrews 3:7-15   “Today….Today…..Today”

Here is the true EXIGENCY of the gospel:  when God’s Spirit speaks to our soul, when He breaks through the shell of our selfishness and touches our heart, we should act! If we refuse repeatedly to repent – if we delay and drag our feet and make excuses – every time we hear the call of God but reject it – we are making our heart harder, and colder, and less receptive – and the time may come when we are unable to muster up an attitude of repentance!

HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TO US?

1. Certainly, through the voice of the Scriptures as they are read or preached.
2. Through the voice of loved ones who speak to us about our soul.
3. The marvelous creation God has placed around us testifies to his wisdom, power, and care.
4. The conscience He has placed within us reminds us of our responsibility to Him.
5. The blessings He showers upon us ought to make us cognizant of His goodness.
6. The trials and troubles of life may often be His chastening, to bring us to our spiritual senses.

 Any of these may be used by God’s Holy Spirit to speak to our soul:  but will we listen?

 2 Corinthians 6:2 – “Behold NOW is the acceptable time; NOW is the day of salvation”

 We do not experience life in years, or months, or even days:  life comes in the NOW – in this moment – and perhaps no other!

 CONCLUSION:   A CASE STUDY

 TURN TO Acts 24.    Here Paul is in prison, where he is visited by Felix, the Roman governor of Judea.  Felix was married to a Jewish woman, so unlike Pilate, his predecessor, Felix probably had some acquaintance with religion.  In verses 24-25 – “Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess.  He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.  As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was AFRAID and said, “That’s enough for now!  You may leave.  When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

 On Judgment Day – standing before God Almighty, would we want to tell the Lord, “I heard the gospel – knew of your great love – and I ALMOST did something about it.”

In light of the exigency of the gospel, may I ask you a personal question: are YOU ready to meet the Lord? If today were your last day on this earth – and it well could be: would you be headed for heaven?

If not, can you hear God’s Spirit speaking to you now? And if you do, are you ready to say “Yes”?

Dan Williams

Social media popularizes catchy sayings at record speeds. When something appears to work, it takes flight. Yet, phrases must actually contain truth and substance to win debates.

To those who don’t understand sin this saying appears logical. However, it’s spiritually naive upon closer examination.

There was a time when John 3:16 was the most quoted passage. Now Jesus’ admonition not to judge wears that crown. “Judge not that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1, NKJV).

Never mind that people quoting this verse usually have no idea what the Bible actually says about judging. If God condemned all judging, Christianity and our very world would crumble. It’s indispensable to life.

Without it the police, judges, juries, firefighters, military and medical personnel of all kinds would be useless. Furthermore, anyone who extends a hand to the helpless and hurting must pass some level of judgment.

Instead, Jesus meant that we mustn’t judge by a standard by which we don’t want to be judged. We should all aspire to be judged by God’s standards rather than by man’s arbitrary, fleeting and biased opinions.

Jesus came to heal the spiritually sick and he left preaching and teaching as the means of reaching the lost (Luke 5:31-32; Romans 10:14-17). The Word of God leads us to salvation and ultimately to heaven because it tells us all we need to know (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23). Some sins have greater consequences than others but they all separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). God is complete goodness and can’t tolerate any evil (1 John 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Everyone is responsible for their own sins (Ezekiel 18:19-24). Yet, the saying, “Don’t judge me because you sin differently than I do” presumes that a consensus of opinion determines the impact of one’s sins.

Sin is spiritual and God completely owns that realm. We have no say in the matter (Psalm 119:89). He does as he wishes. We’re righteous or unrighteous by his standards alone. Public opinion is useless as a barometer.

One person’s adultery doesn’t excuse another person’s fornication. Each one is guilty before God (Revelation 20:11-15). Through meticulous study we determine God’s will and the boundaries of sin. When we violate his standard, we must repent (Luke 13:3-5).

How we sin may matter to another person but their opinions won’t have any bearing on our eternal home. Instead of rationalizing our sins, we must bow before God in humility and be washed in the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:6-11; Galatians 3:27; Acts 22:16).

Maybe we need fewer memes and more Bible studies.

Richard Mansel

Jesus has a way of remaining consistent even under the most chaotic of circumstances. In the eighth chapter of Luke, we have a small, but mighty, account of the Lord calming a storm on the sea. Previously to the storm, Jesus instructed His disciples to go across to the other side of the lake. They began their trip but shortly after, the followers watched as water poured into the boat with mighty gusts of wind.

The disciples acted on their fear and hurriedly woke the Lord up. Jesus proceeded to get up, rebuke the sea, and enter into a brief dialogue with his company on the boat. Within a few words, the Son of Man had pointed out the main fault in the actions of the sailers. “Where is your faith?”

It is true that the disciples were in danger. Luke affirms the reality of danger in 8:23. However, before that, it is also true that Jesus told His disciples to travel to the other side of the lake. Waves, gusts of wind, and faithless worry were not going debilitate the original plans of Jesus. Unfortunately, the storm of fear was mightier than the calm of faith for these disciples.

There are several truths to be glean from such a brief account of Jesus in His disciples. Here are a few to consider:

1. Jesus Leads to the Shore (Luke 8:22) – The Lord gave the destination, the disciples had a problem with the journey. Faith doesn’t back down at the sight of danger.
2. Danger is a Reality (Luke 8:23) – This account does not try to downplay the reality of danger. However, the disciples definitely downplayed the might of God and the power of faith. Faith can overcome surrounding variables.
3. Jesus is a Constant in Times of Chaos (Luke 8:24) – Notice the disposition of Jesus; He was sleeping in the storm. What felt like the end of the world to the disciples, was merely just brief experience for Jesus.

As I drove through town today, I noticed the roads were empty, grocery store parking lots were occupied with cars, and the news was loud with worry. I also noticed a beautiful blue sky, birds singing, clouds carelessly wafting, and the mountains standing proud. While mankind remained frantic, nature harmonized with peace. It goes to show that there are constants even among chaos. Jesus can be that rock that He describes in Matthew 7:25:

“and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

Tyler King

We all have to deal with people every day, at work, at school, in the marketplace, and online. Everywhere you go, there is human interaction. With shelter-in-place orders going out everywhere, that interaction is changing. Now we are finding ourselves shut in with the same people day after day. I know we love our families, but I also know that being isolated with the same people for extended periods it is not uncommon for us to start losing patience with one another. Letting our frustrations get the better of us, we pop-off rude statements and lash out at things we might not normally be bothered by.

Author John Maxwell offers four suggestions in dealing with people that seem relevant in times like these, when our patience may begin to wear thin in our interactions with family.

1. Total Picture – Do not jump to conclusions before the problem has been laid out before you. That’s a common inclination for most of us. We tend to get angry because we assume too much about a person’s intentions and situation. Before jumping on people in frustration, we need to learn to ask questions, listen, ask more questions, and listen some more. James 1:19 reminds us to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

2. Timing – Knowing when to act is just as important as taking the right action. It can be equally important to know when NOT to act. This means slowing ourselves down and making sure we think about our words before they come out of our mouths. Learn to ask yourself questions like “Am I ready to confront?” and “Is the other person ready to listen?” If the answer to either of these is “no,” then it may be best to save the confrontation for another time.

3. Tone – It is not just a matter of what and when you speak, but how you speak. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Haven’t you found that to be true? People often respond more to our attitudes and actions than to our words. Many petty conflicts occur because people use the wrong tone of voice. The next time someone says something to you in anger, respond with gentleness and kindness. In response, the other person is likely to tone down, if not soften, his attitude.

4. Temperature – Maxwell writes, “As tempers flare, people are prone to dropping bombs when using a slingshot will do.” This is important to realize because the size of a problem changes based on the heat applied to it. Generally speaking, if our reaction is more heated than the action, the problem usually gets worse. If our reaction is less intense than the action, the problem usually decreases. Consider implementing what Maxwell calls the Reprimand Rule: Take thirty seconds to share feelings – and then it’s over. Anytime we let a little thing create a big reaction (longer than 30 seconds), then we’re bombs instead of slingshots.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow once observed, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” In the long run, that is a terrible way to treat people, in quarantine or anywhere else. As Christians, we need to employ more judicious treatment of other people. There is enough frustration and anger in this world that we do not need to add to it. May God empower us to deal with people the way he wants us to and increase our influence over them.

Cory Waddell

Mike Benson

Eastern Airlines Flight 401

On the evening of December 29, 1972, Eastern Airlines flight 401 crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing 101 people. Any time a passenger plane crashes, it grabs our attention because so many lives are affected by the tragedy. But what makes this crash even more tragic is that it was completely avoidable.

While preparing to land in Miami, FL, the co-pilot noticed that a light bulb on the instrument panel wasn’t working, and he tried to replace it. Unsuccessful at his attempts to remove the burnt out bulb, the airplane was placed on auto-pilot and the pilot, himself, left his seat to assist him. However, somehow in the process, the auto-pilot was accidentally disengaged and while the pilot and co-pilot worked at replacing a burnt out light bulb, the plane slowly descended, and crashed.

Think of it.. 101 people died because more attention was given to a burnt out light bulb than flying and landing the airplane. Sad indeed, but every day, mistakes more monumental than this take place. In fact, someone reading this article right now may unwittingly be in a “descent” that will lead to his destruction if he continues to devote his attention to things of lesser importance.

Do you think people will someday meet God unprepared because they gave their attention to lesser things? Jobs, family, entertainment, social status, schooling, pleasure, wealth, etc. all have their place, but not at the expense of a “safe landing.”

Friends, don’t get so caught up with the distractions of this world (Matthew 13:22), that you fail to “land safely.” Give it some thought.

Steve Higginbotham

“You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 25:13-16 NKJV).

Most Americans have little or no experience with balance beam scales. That is the type where there is a beam supporting two baskets or trays, itself supported in the middle so as to be able to go up and down in either direction. One places the item to be weighed on one tray, and a standard known weight on the other, adjusting quantities until the beam balances exactly.

This is one of the most precise methods of weighing readily available, as long as the standard weights are correct. It is obvious, however, that this method also allows for much abuse if one wishes to cheat by using inaccurate weights. One who buys or sells according to this system must trust not only the weight, but its owner / user.

In South Asia this is still the most common method of weighing, whether in one’s home or in the markets. If one goes to buy potatoes he does not purchase a pre-weighed bag of potatoes, but uses the balance beam scales to obtain the number of kilograms or pounds desired. Having done this now regularly for many years I have come to appreciate the wisdom of God as expressed in the Law of Moses and elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Almost 500 years after the Law of Moses was given, wise King Solomon testified, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight” (Proverbs 11:1). Israelite society had strong motives to follow ethical practices in business. Their God abhorred any cheating or dishonesty.

The God of the Old Testament and of Israel is still sovereign, and is not limited to one particular people or time. He is still governing the affairs of men (Romans 13:1ff) and all humans are accountable to him (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Corruption is not limited to one nation, continent, or region of this world. Dishonest people live and practice in every nation. We all may be tempted to cheat, lie, or steal. But the Word of God continues to remind us that such activities are evil, and are abominable to our God.

Weights and measures are not used only in purchasing vegetables or other materials. There are many standards in use, not always of a material nature. And all such standards are capable of being perverted and misused. Morality, faith, patriotism, and love are a few categories where we behave according to fixed, accepted standards. And in each of these categories we find false, dishonest standards being substituted for those which are true.

Situation ethics suggests that a behavior may be moral under some circumstances, but immoral at other times. Such a standard gives each person the right to determine when he must follow a rule, or when it may be ignored.

The Bible says “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). But modern spiritual advisers teach that we believe what we choose and all faith is valid. There is no standard of doctrine and practice to which all are accountable. Such a standard is false and untrue.

A popular commercial asks, “What is in your wallet?” God demands to know, “What kind of standards do you have in your bag?” Let us remember Jesus’ command, “. . . judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

Michael Brooks

China has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  A recent report shows that over 3,200 have died from its effects.  What is more alarming, perhaps, is that in Italy the number of those who have succumbed to COVID-19 is only slightly less, almost 3,000.  Italy’s population is significantly smaller than China’s.

This helps explain the drastic actions being taken as Italy seeks to contain this plague.  People are virtually restricted to their homes.  Yet Italians are showing their resilience by singing from their windows out onto the empty streets below.  Evidence can easily be found on sites like YouTube by simply searching “singing in Italy during lockdown”.

Reports of this phenomenon speak of large numbers joining together in songs from their various apartment windows.  Some of the songs are traditional Italian favorites; others are more contemporary.  One neighborhood saw people on several different balconies singing “The Macarena”, a popular Spanish tune.

Is such spontaneous singing a symptom of COVID-19?  No, it’s a response to times of stress and fear.  It’s a way to push back and to declare that this virus will not determine their moods.  Singing is a positive expression of hope and joy. (It’s also infectious!)

There are times when people don’t feel like singing.  In Psalm 137 we read about the people of Judah who had just arrived in exile in Babylon.  “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” they asked (Psalm 137:4).  Instead, “On the willows there we hung up our lyres” (Psalm 137:2).  They were in no mood to make music.

Yet even before His people were carried away into exile God prophesied that they would have reasons to have hope and joy: “You shall have a song in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of a flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel” (Isaiah 30:29).  If they looked for reasons to rejoice, even in Babylon, they would be able to find them.

That’s the challenge we face in times of stress.  Can we find reasons to sing?  Paul said “Yes!”  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).

The source of our joy will come from “the word of Christ”, i.e. the Gospel.  To know that God is willing to love us, forgive us, save us, lead us – these should make anyone sing!

Maybe we should imitate the Italians by throwing open our windows and singing to the bystanding world about the joy God gives “in whatever situation” (Philippians 4:11).

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright, 2020, Timothy D. Hall

One of the most common problems people have is an inability to see their own faults.

It’s just like the man who always met the preacher at the back of the church on Sunday and said, “You really told ‘em good, preacher!” This went on several Sundays until one day in February when a deep snow fell and the only one in church was that man. The preacher thought, “Well, now’s my chance!” After a lesson designed to point out the man’s faults, the man met the preacher at the back of the church and said, “If they had all been here, you would have really told ‘em good, preacher!”

The Pharisees were great at demanding others obey the law, but not themselves. They expected God to pardon their “minor” faults, but condemned what they saw as grievous sin in others. Jesus told them, “go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13 NKJV). The Pharisees knew what Jesus meant when he told them to “go and learn.” Each of them used that same phrase when correcting their students.

These teachers of the Law of Moses, however, refused to see themselves as having any need to repent because they thought they were not sinners. Near the end of the Lord’s human life, Jesus pronounced a woe on these same men, saying they had “neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” (Matthew 23:23). Jesus said the Pharisees were very good at straining to magnify the small sin of others while they ignored their own (Matthew 23:24).

Like the man who met the preacher at the back of the church, we humans sometimes are not very honest with ourselves. It is easy indeed to look into the mirror of our souls and see what we want to see instead of what is really there.

John Henson