“That’s just the preacher, and that’s just his opinion.” With these words the sermon that has just been delivered is dismissed and the lesson ignored.  Everything the preacher has taught is wiped away with the stroke of a very wide brush.  “It’s just his opinion, don’t worry about it.”

Do preachers have opinions?  Of course, they do!  Like everyone else, they have opinions about politics, sports, the weather, and a hundred other subjects.  They also have opinions about the important judgments that must be made in our personal lives and in our congregational work.  In this, they are no different than any other Christian.

Do preachers express their opinions?  Of course, they do!  Like most other people, preachers will tell you what they think about subjects that are of interest to them.  And, spiritual subjects are very important to them.  Thus, they are prone to state their views on issues that relate to serving God.

There is nothing wrong with a preacher, or any other Christian, expressing an opinion.  When they do, you may choose to agree or disagree.  Typically, preachers have based their judgment upon sound principles and years of practical experience.  Their opinions, therefore, should carry some weight to those who are concerned about following the best course in matters of expediency.  But their opinions are just that, opinions, and they do not carry the force of divine law.  You are invited to totally disregard them if it is only their opinion.

But, be careful!  Preachers are also proclaiming God’s commandments, and these MUST be obeyed.  If the preacher has demonstrated by ‘book, chapter, and verse’ that what he is saying is the will of God, you cannot just overlook it by claiming it is only his opinion.  If he has shown the authority of Scripture for what he is teaching, then it is NOT an opinion, it is law – it must be obeyed.  If you fail to do so, you are ignoring God, not the preacher.  As Paul said; “he who rejects this is not rejecting man but God . . .” (1 Thessalonians 4:8).  Think!

– by Greg Gwin

Just can’t contain it

Excitement refuses to be contained. Just try to keep a grandmother with a new grandchild quiet. From exciting experiences to the joy of new acquisitions, we want to share with others whatever thrills our hearts. Moses was no exception.

When Jethro arrived at the Israelite camp, “Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel’s sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the LORD had delivered them” (Exodus 18:8). It is easy to visualize an animated Moses describing how God’s power overcame every obstacle: enslavement, entrapment, hunger and thirst.

Predictably, “Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the LORD had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt” (Exodus 18:9).

What thrills our hearts? What do we find so compelling that we cannot keep quiet about it?

We have something to share that transcends everything else. In Peter’s words,

“You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,  but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. … Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. … you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Once you were not a people,

but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,

but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 1:18-19,21; 2:9-10).

Barry Newton

If you are as old as I am then you might find yourself singing the old Rolling Stones’ song when you read the title. It’s true. You can’t always get what you want. Unfortunately, we are human beings and we want what we want when we want it or we will throw a temper tantrum.

The Bible is replete with examples of people who didn’t get what they wanted when they wanted it, so they went about trying to attain it in the wrong way.  The story of Ahab, Jezebel and Naboth in I Kings 21 is one of the clearest examples of someone who wanted something right away and when they didn’t get it they threw a temper tantrum, and someone else in trying to stop the tantrum did harm to someone else.  In this case, it was a king and a queen and an innocent man who simply wanted to keep his own vineyard.  In the end, all three people wound up dead.

This morning my son was upset because something wasn’t going his way. His little sister, not quite 2, gave him a hug and he settled down.  Now, let me tell you the rest of the story.

Our youngest child was a “surprise.” My wife and I already had 3 children and we were in our forties when we discovered (rather far along) that my wife was pregnant with number 4. When we told our children it was a mix of emotions. We were living in a cramped apartment, resources were scarce, and well…where was this baby going to sleep…and gross…you’re too old to have another baby…and so on.  Looking back it was quite comical.

Eventually everyone came around to the idea of another child. We had no choice…he or she was coming in just a few months.  We decided to have a gender reveal just with our little family. The children decided that Mom should bake a cake with white icing. Inside would be blue for a boy or pink for a girl. My son, the only boy, was quite adamant that blue was the only acceptable color. He couldn’t possibly handle life with another sister.  You already know the gender of baby number 4.  The color was pink. That little boy, just shy of 5 years old had a meltdown that lasted for days and weeks. It was excruciating.

We all had to adjust to the idea of another child. My son had to adjust to the reality of another sister. I’m proud to say that he now loves her beyond words. In fact, they are as close as two siblings can be.  He even tells her that she is the “most awesomest baby sister in the world!” He didn’t get what he wanted…he adjusted and, in so doing, he got something better.

Throwing a fit…starting a riot…stomping out of a room…quitting a job…leaving a spouse…crying foul…blaming someone else…skipping a ceremony…boycotting a movie or a business…it goes on and on. It’s okay to be disappointed. It’s okay to choose to spend your money somewhere else or to plan to vote a different way…or to express your opinion in a productive (not argumentative) way. However, temper tantrums, screaming, pouting, and speaking poorly of another person is just not good. What if instead we gave someone a chance or we even changed the way we treated them? What if we prayed for that someone and extended love to them rather than plotting how to leave them, kick them out, or make them pay for what we perceive as their transgressions?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends his rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  (Matthew 6:43-48)

Timothy Gunnells

Remember the old line about the aliens from space – you know, the ones in a flying saucer with green scales and antennae – where they arrive on our blue planet and ask that great philosophical question:

“Take me to your leader.”

So who would you take him to? The president of our country? A five star general? A captain of industry? Oprah?

In our day and age leaders are those who have their hands on the instruments of power. They bark out orders. They make demands. They enforce their will.

Sometimes they write autobiographies about how they rose to power, how they beat others out of that position by the force of their personalities. Sometimes this attitude seeps into the church, too, and it causes division.

But Paul tells the Philippian church how Jesus came to power. He was “highly exalted,” was given a “name that is above every name,” and we are told that “every knee will bow” to him (Philippians 2:8-10). Even presidents, captains of industry, five-star generals, and Oprah.
And how did he get to this exalted position? By humbling himself. In God’s universe, the way to glory is humility, the path to leadership is service, the way up is down.

Down on our knees. Down in our attitudes. Down to serve. If the death of Jesus does not humble us, nothing will. On Sunday we gather as humble sinners and servants, deeply in need of what he offered that day. There is no place for pride, or demands to have our way. At the foot of the cross, the only place to go is down. Down to our knees in gratitude.

Stan Mitchell

In 1995, the Atlanta Braves had a pitcher, Greg Maddux, who won an unprecedented fourth, consecutive Cy Young award. The Cy Young is given to the outstanding pitcher in each league. He is only the second pitcher to win four of the awards but the only one to have received them consecutively.

Following the presentation of the third Cy Young award, Maddux reflected, “It’s very exciting! You always set goals, but to win a Cy Young, or three of them, was never a goal. Anytime you exceed your expectations, it’s more gratifying.”

Christians need to be the most excited inhabitants of planet earth. We are headed to an eternal heaven with the great Creator of the universe but that same Creator promises unbelievable blessings here and now. If we are or have ever experienced tremendous blessings in this life, heaven is going to overwhelm those expectations in incredible ways.

We need to be reminded of our motivation to praise God and Psalm 111 will do just that.

Read the whole psalm first.

LET’S PRAISE GOD FOR WHO HE IS:

Look at how God is described in this psalm: verses 3, 4, 7, 8, 9.

Here’s how David has described God’s nature in this brief poem: right, gracious, compassionate, true, just, upright, holy, and awesome. That, in and of itself, would make God worthy to be praised / worshiped. But let us praise God…

FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE:

Maybe David was lying on his back looking up at the stars and thinking about the creation of the world when he wrote this psalm. Maybe he was birthing a baby lamb and wondering at the wonder of the birth of animals and humans. Maybe he was looking into the eyes of his beautiful and intelligent wife Abigail and marveling at the wonders of love. Any of those could have been in David’s mind when he reflects on God’s works.

David mentions the “works” of God five times in these verses: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Knowing what we know of God now (Who He is and what He has done for us), how should we respond to Him? Of what should our praise consist?

OUR RESPONSE TO GOD:

1. Praise (vs 1)!
2. Give thanks (vs 1)!
3. Study (vs 2)!
4. Be confident (vs 7)!
5. Fear the Lord (vs 10)!
6. Do His commandments (vs 10)!

If we do these things, we will have a successful life here and eternal life hereafter.

God is worthy to be served with full commitment. Praise Him and give Him your all.

Paul Holland

I was recently questioned about precision obedience and whether it is a valid theology. I would recommend to all who wish to know the answer to this question to study the book of Deuteronomy. Throughout the book are specific instructions as to how we are to respond to the commandments and precepts that come from God.

I spent many hours reading and re-reading the book in several versions.

I purchased a copy of the Tanakh (an English translation of the Jewish scriptures) in order to see how they understood the passages. I found that God expects us to obey Him lovingly (12x), fearfully (15x), completely (31x), carefully (27x in NASB), and accurately. We were to do “just as the Lord commanded” (69x in the Pentateuch) and act “according to the commandment” (43x). We were to go neither to the right or left (5x), to walk in His ways, to not turn from the way. We were neither to add to nor take away from His commandments (Dt. 4:2; 12:32).

Any serious student would immediately see the importance of these repetitious instructions.

What cinched it for me was how many times Jesus used words like “keep” and “observe,” words which reflect careful obedience. I noticed to how Jesus would not act on his own initiative, how He did “just as” the Father commanded (Jn. 14:31). I did not make up the idea of “precision obedience.” I found it in the text, where it was all the time. I find these quotations from the Tanankh quite revealing:

When they have announced to you the verdict in the case, you shall carry out the verdict that is announced to you from that place that the Lord chose, observing scrupulously all their instructions to you. You shall act in accordance with the instructions given you and the ruling handed down to you; you must not deviate from the verdict that they announce to you either to the right or to the left. (Deut. 17:9c-11)

Be careful, then, to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left: follow only the path that the Lord your God has enjoined upon you, so that you may thrive and that it may go well with you, and that you may long endure in the land you are to possess. (5:29,30 JPS)

Handling aright the word of truth, paying close attention, not acting on our own initiative, and keeping the commandments mean we too should have a loving, careful, fearful, complete, and accurate obedience.

Precisely obeying means we use bread and fruit of the vine, not roast lamb on the Lord’s table. It means we sing from our hearts rather than play or entertain ourselves. It means we have a plurality of elders rather than a single pastor, an archbishop, or a pope. It means we immerse penitent believers instead of sprinkling infants.

In short, it means we do not go beyond the Scriptures for our faith or practice, instead we show our love for God by listening and doing what He says in Scripture rather than pursue our own thoughts.

This is not that hard to understand, and it is thoroughly biblical!

Phil Sanders

The first surprise might be that we should evaluate a hymn at all. Yet why should we not? If our hymns are to be sung not only with spirit but with our minds (1 Corinthians 14:15), then we should think about the songs we sing. If our hymns are to allow “the word of Christ [to] dwell in [us] richly as [we] teach and admonish” each other (Colossians 3:16), then we should think about what our hymns teach.

So how ought we to evaluate a song? What questions might we ask of it?

• What category is this song? Can you categorize the song? Is it a prayer set to music, an anthem of praise, one where we “speak to one another,” or encourage one another.
• Are the words God-centered? We could ask whether the words are God-centered, mention Christ or the Holy Spirit. It would be hard to call it a spiritual song if it does not mention one of these three.
• Is it drawn from Scripture? As you read the words of the song, are you reminded of a passage or passages of Scripture by these words? Identify the passage, and if the hymnbook is yours, write it in the margin of the song. If it does not remind you of a Bible passage, that might be a sign it is not spiritual writing.
• Does the music serve the words? Does the music serve the words well? How does the music help the words? Some songs are contemplative, such as Isaac Watts’ When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. Others are victorious, such as Fanny Crosby’s Praise Him! Praise Him! Some songs have both elements, such as Robert Lowey’s Low in the Grave He Lay. In this song, the verses’ solemn words (Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my savior”) are followed by a triumphant chorus (“Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes”). As you recall, the solemn music of the verse fits those words, while the music of the chorus soars higher and higher as the thoughts rise.
• What is the song’s key phrase? Is there a phrase that really stands out in this song? Sometimes there is a line that makes a particular song sublime. I think of the Norwegian hymn Then Sings My Soul when the author notes: “And when I think/ That God his son not sparing/ Sent him to die/ I scarce can take it in” or Brumley’s classic line: “And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”

If we simply asked these questions, we will have done something people rarely do; we will have thought about the songs we sing. Don’t you think the spiritual well-being of our congregation deserves at least that much effort?

Stan Mitchell

I’ve read this Psalm more frequently than any other passage of Scripture. I’ve quoted it more times that I can count. I’ve memorized it in different translations. I’ve translated it from Hebrew and dissected it multiple times. I’ve read it to dying Christians. I’ve read it at the grave of faithful saints.

Two weeks ago, however, it took on a very new and personal meaning to me. After a minor surgery to remove a skin cancer on Tuesday morning I began taking pain medications prescribed by the surgeon. The next day I was calling 911 and taking an ambulance ride to the local Emergency Room. I was afraid I was dying. My body had an adverse reaction to the pain medication and I was in a bad way. My mind turned to the 23rd Psalm and to the Shepherd of which David speaks.

What follows after the passage below is a simple prayer from my heart based on this special Psalm. Thank you for reading. I hope it blesses you.

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23, NASB)

O Lord, to know Your care is to know comfort.

Knowing that You know what’s best for me and that You provide for me all that I need is beyond my understanding.

You truly do restore my soul daily. You lead me where I need to go through Your Word.

When I fear death, when I feel its pangs, I know that You are there beside me to take up my burden and provide peace.

Thank you, O Lord, for always giving me the things I need, even in the midst of great trial and even in times of persecution and distress.

Though life has challenges, I know that You are with me, O God, and that Your plans for me are far beyond my wildest dreams. I desire nothing more than to dwell with You always.

Amen

Timothy Gunnells

Offensive

“But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23,24).

The word Paul uses in Greek for “stumbling block,” is skandalon – a “scandal,” or an “offense.” First century people did not feel warm and fuzzy emotions when they thought about crucifixions; they felt fear and revulsion.
The cross was not a pretty gold pendant around a devotee’s neck, it was a symbol of shame and humiliation, rather like wearing a gold electric chair around one’s neck.
But you knew that already, no doubt. The real question is whether the cross can still offend today?

Can it?

I believe it does. The cross bears mute testimony to some things we would rather not hear.

It tells us we were sinners. It tells us that our sin was so severe that only the death penalty would repay the debt we owed. It tells us we could not clean up this mess ourselves, that Jesus had to do that for us. It tells us we needed this level of help. We didn’t “mess up.” We didn’t make a few mistakes. We were sinners, deeply sunk into a pit, in no condition to help ourselves, and Jesus had to pull us out.

That hits us directly in the ego. It offends our pride.
But we need to move from being offended to being contrite. The mute testimony of the cross – that we were sinners in need of that death – is one that we should hear and take to heart.

So as you partake of the communion this Sunday, move beyond its scandal to its savior.

Stan Mitchell

The nation of Israel had moved a long way from the days of Moses and the Law on Mount Sinai in the desert to King Solomon living and ruling in the “metropolis” of Jerusalem on Mount Zion. Solomon was only the third king to reign over the nation. Neither he nor his subjects would know what would come next. You and I know there would be twenty more kings to reign before Israel would lose their right of self-rule. From that point on, they would be dominated by a series of rulers: Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman. Eventually God’s people would live in the form of nation-states with kings, presidents, and prime ministers (even dictators).

God guides Solomon to share godly wisdom with His people in the form of Ecclesiastes. We have been meditating on this book of wisdom on Fridays for the last two months. Chapter 8 deals with the relationship between wisdom and submission to civil rulers.

“I say, ‘Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.’ Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’” (8:2-4).

We have had a number of riots and murders in the last year or so stemming from alleged racism in the police force and repercussions from that. While I would not suggest that there is no racism among some police officers, it is also true that if you are not breaking the law, in any way, nor getting close to breaking the law, chances are, you will not have any problems with the police. That’s just wise. Solomon says, “Keep the command of the king.” In our parlance, we would say, “Obey the law.”

“He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure” (8:5).
Recently, our family saw the movie Hidden Figures. It is based on the true story of black women who worked as mathematicians and data-entry clerks for NASA in the early 60s. Primarily, the movie revolves around three of those women, one especially, who were key to developing the math formulas necessary to send John Glen into space. The women had to deal with racism in NASA, among their co-workers and supervisors. While the law and institutional policy may have been racist, these women worked within the law to change the law. They also worked hard, proved themselves capable, and won other’s respect. I despise racism but there is a right way and a wrong way to change people’s perceptions. I would highly encourage you to see the movie.

On the other side of the coin, the Bible has a lot to say about justice. Even social justice. Not with the definition used by the modern Left, in the sense of equal outcomes, but with the definition of fair treatment under the law. Listen to Solomon:

“Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil. Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.”

If the wicked are not quickly and justly punished, the wicked believe they can do evil with impunity. It is also the case that if the wicked are justified and given the shadow of the doubt because they are wealthy, influential, white, or whatever, then it will motivate others to do wicked as well, even taking the law into their own hands. Christians need to work for fairness under the law.

Yes, there is injustice in the world (8:14). That’s why we need to trust God to right all the wrongs, one day. Our responsibility is always, as Solomon wrote in verse 13, to “fear God.”

Paul Holland

The word “gift” is used 55 times in the New Testament (NASV), with variations of the word “to give” used 267 times. I’ll focus just on the noun, “gift.” The first time is found in Matthew 2:11: “coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

The second, and only other time Matthew uses the word, is 7:11: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
In Luke’s account, do you remember the event of the poor widow who gave all that she had to live on? In Luke 21, Jesus saw the rich “putting their gifts into the treasury.”

When Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in John 4, the woman marveled that Jesus, being a Jew would ask a drink of a Samaritan woman. Jesus responded, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10).

Peter tells us that once we have repented of our sins and been baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, then we’ll receive the Holy Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:38). Such a gift from God cannot be purchased with money, Peter told Simon the magician in Acts 8:20. Cornelius and his household also received the Holy Spirit as a gift (Acts 10:45) and it was the same gift that the Jews had received on the day of Pentecost (Acts 11:17).

Paul tells us in Romans 3:24 that our justification from sins is a gift by His grace. This is a free gift, Romans 5:15 (as if a gift could not be free). This “free gift,” in other words, is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23).
We have also each received gifts from God (Romans 12:6). There is an extended discussion of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul discusses miraculous gifts. These miraculous gifts, in the first century, were visible signs that the Christians had received the Holy Spirit as a gift, visible in the sense that they could perform various miraculous abilities. There are a variety of gifts, Paul tells them in 12:4. Yet, there is something even better than miraculous gifs Paul says in chapter 13: that is love.

The Corinthians’ contributions were also considered gifts in 1 Corinthians 16:3. Paul describes their contribution as a “generous gift” in 2 Cor. 8:20. He uses the word “bountiful” to describe their contribution, a “bountiful gift” in 2 Cor. 9:5. In that same letter, 9:15, Paul says that Jesus Christ is God’s “indescribable gift.”

Salvation is a gift from God, Ephesians 2:8. God’s grace is a gift (Eph. 3:7). We, who are Christians, have tasted of the “heavenly gift,” the Hebrew writer reminds us in 6:4. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17).
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

So, the NT begins with describing the Wiseman bringing gifts to baby Jesus and it basically ends with challenging us to use our gifts in serving one another as stewards of the many-sided grace of God. What a fitting challenge for us to remember.

Paul Holland

“But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV).

Some years ago three Americans, including myself, were sitting in a restaurant in Kathmandu, Nepal discussing our experiences. One of the others told of a congregation he had visited which had difficulty meeting on Sunday for worship because Nepal considers Sunday a weekday, with all offices and schools open. He said he had told them “not to be legalistic” and to meet on whichever day they found it most convenient. He then asked what I would have done.

My response was simple: “First I would make sure that there was no possibility of meeting on Sunday.” Many churches in South Asia meet early in the morning (7:00 a.m is a popular time) or after work time in the evening (e.g., 6:00 p.m.). They seem to have no trouble meeting this schedule. My response ended the discussion.

The fact is that many moderns mistake convenience for necessity. If we can’t meet at our preferred time on Sunday, then let’s find a day when we can. They argue that “God will understand that we have to accommodate our culture.” But the Bible shows no evidence that our convenience or preferences have a big priority with God. When we consider his revealed will essential, we can normally find a way to follow it, even if it requires a little extra effort on our part.

In a meeting in east Nepal during the dry season, a teenage girl asked to be baptized. There was no water in the riverbed, nor were there pools, ponds or other available places. What were we to do? Many might have said, “We’ll just wait until the rainy season (four months away), and if anything happens to her God will understand.”

Our brothers found an empty plastic barrel or drum of about 50 gallons capacity. They filled it half-way, the girl got inside, and a man pressed slightly on the top of her head and she bent her knees and was immersed completely. Granted, an older, larger person may not have been able to use that particular method, but it was more than adequate for her.

We know the proverb, “Where there is a will there is a way.” That may not always be true of human will, but it certainly is true of the Divine Will. Just as God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to refuse, so he does not command anything of us which we are unable to perform.

Jesus spoke to that principle in his message to the Twelve on the night of his betrayal. “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus overcame all obstacles and barriers to our faithfulness, therefore we are at peace (contentment) knowing, as did the apostle Paul, “[We] can do all things through Christ who strengthens [us]” (Philippians 4:13).

Obeying God is not legalism. It is faith. God’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). That is that they ask no more of his people than God finds reasonable and good. They are certainly not impossible to obey. But they may require effort, or incur consequences such as persecution. That they cause us difficulty is no excuse for refusing to obey. After all, consider the difficulties endured by Jesus so that we may have the opportunity to obey God. Our troubles pale by comparison.

Michael Brooks

Bearing burdens

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 NKJV).

It would be difficult to find a more appropriate way for one to begin his new life as a Christian than that which I witnessed recently. A young man was baptized into Christ, and as he was preparing for his obedience, he carried his elderly mother across a field, down a river bank and into the water where she too could be baptized. He took “bear another’s burdens” quite literally.

The older woman was tiny and very frail, yet when she made her confession of faith in Jesus and expressed her desire to put him on in baptism there was commitment and joy in her eyes. Her gratitude to those who taught and assisted her was expressed in tears. No one watching could doubt her conviction of the need for salvation; her awareness of her burden of sin.

And there were her sons. One son, already a Christian for several years, had taught his parents and other family members. It was he who was immersing them, in the water of a local canal just a hundred yards or so from their home. But even that short distance was too far for their mother to walk. So her sons carried her, each taking his turn. Either one could have managed it easily alone, but they took joy in the opportunity to help, so shared the task.

I could not help but think as I watched, that these young men already know a lot of what Christian faith is all about. Yes, there are doctrines to be studied, and proper procedures to be learned. But nothing exceeds the importance of loving one another and bearing each other’s burdens. As much as, if not more than, anything else, Christianity is about helping each other. And it is never too early in one’s Christian life to begin.

Jesus came to this world to save sinners (Luke 19:10). That is to say, he came to help ailing humanity. We have many problems. We are unable to solve them alone. But Jesus is our friend and helper. But not only that, he also is our example, so that we are encouraged to do for others as he has done for us (John 13:15). That is our task on this earth, to serve him by serving those whom he loves (Matthew 25:40; 1 John 4:11).

Paul’s instructions in Galatians 6:2 are clear and emphatic. To bear the burden’s of others fulfills the law of Christ. It is not just a suggestion or a good idea. It is law – that is, it is a command of God. We must seek to help others. This may involve benevolence, physical care, or giving comfort. It may involve teaching the lost about Jesus, or correcting someone who is in error (Galatians 6:1). There are many needs, and many ways that needs may be met. We all have different abilities and different resources and opportunities. But there are ways in which each can be of service to others.

There are many burdens to be borne. There are more than enough for each of us. Others have helped us; let us now do what we can do for someone else.

Michael Brooks

The theme of Ecclesiastes is “vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (1:2). That is, if you look at life simply as what happens “under the sun.”

But God is never far away from Solomon’s thoughts when he writes Ecclesiastes and reflects on the transitoriness of life. “God” is used 41 times in the book. Solomon does not write much on theology. Largely God is the Creator and Judge. Forty-one times Solomon mentions God. That’s an average of 3.4 per chapter.

But Solomon has a dense concentration of “God” in chapter 5. “God” is mentioned 11 times in this chapter (NASV). Therefore, God is important in these thoughts.

Solomon begins by reflecting on worship: “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.” Fools go to worship to talk, to make demands, to try to negotiate with God. Wise men go to “listen.” And the Hebrew verb “listen” can be translated “obey.” Wise men go to the house of God to obey.

Solomon warns not to think that your many words in prayers, promises, threats, vows, are going to manipulate God: “For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”

In fact, be very hesitant to make a vow before God: “It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.” Additionally, do not reject the message of God through His messengers. The truth is the truth regardless of who speaks it: “Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake.” That is why I sign each Daily Droplets with President James Madison’s motto: Veritas non verba magistri – “Truth, not the word of the teacher.”

The bottom line is: “Fear God” (5:7). Solomon does not wait until 12:13-14 to remind us that our highest calling is to fear God. He reminded us in 3:17 that we will be judged for our behavior here on earth.

Yet on earth, there is, always has been, always will be corruption among politicians (5:8-9). Twenty-first century America will be no exception and I doubt the new administration will be any exception. Only the Lord knows.

Under the watchful eye of God, be careful about your attitude toward money (5:10-17). Money and stuff does not bring ultimate satisfaction. Money can buy you acquaintances but not friends. Be a working man and your sleep will be pleasant. Don’t hoard your riches; they’ll do nobody any good.

From Job (1:21) to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:7), the Bible warns that there will be no wealth carried into the next life and wealth in this life will have no bearing on our salvation. “This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?”

But, as Solomon frequently does, in this context he tempers his pessimism with spiritual reality. Life is a gift from God. The ability to work is a gift from God. It is okay to enjoy the fruits of your labor: “He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.” (5:19-20).

This chapter begins and ends with “God.” Be thoughtful as you worship Him. Remember that He gives you abilities to make your living. Enjoy it.

Paul Holland

“The more you read and observe about this politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that’s out always looks the best” (Will Rogers).

This is another version of the proverb “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”

Preachers change congregations because they feel they are taken for granted in the one they currently serve. Church members treat congregations like boutiques in a shopping mall: “If I don’t like this one, I’ll shop around till I find one that meets my wishes.” (You do realize that this is not possible on the mission field where a major metropolitan area might have only one congregation of God’s people, right?).

I hate the idea that we have reduced the principle of involvement in a congregation of God’s people to mild blackmail:

“If you don’t please me, I’ll take my talents to another congregation. Better live up to my expectations!” I am not making a blanket statement; there will be times when members will find gross false teaching in a congregation, and after having endeavored to express their concerns for a period of time they make the sad decision to leave. I understand that.

But I hope we don’t treat our marital relationships that casually: “If you don’t please me, I’ll find a woman who will.” Now that I think about it, these days many do treat their marriages with that degree of off- handedness. How tragic!

Statistics prove that 100% of churches are comprised of…wait for it…human beings! Among those humans populating church pews on a Sunday morning would be you and me!

Paul painted the picture of the church, the bride of Christ, as bright and beautiful, prepared in such a way as to “present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish”(Ephesians 5:26).

I am stunned by the dismissive manner in which some leave a family of God’s people for greener pastures. As a preacher I have had to leave congregations (I hope for worthy reasons). It has hurt every time to say goodbye to these congregations.

It’s interesting how the Lord’s view of his people differs from ours. We see a woman in a shabby dress, unkempt and worthy if our dismissal; God sees the bride of Christ, beautiful, blood bought and cherished.

I wonder whose view is the correct one?

Stan Mitchell

I thank my God every time I remember you, in all my prayers for all of you I always pray with joy” (Philippians 1:3,4).

The book of Philippians is usually used as a devotional book. One liners and sweet thought-for-the-day type writings abound on this book. Fourteen times in its four chapters the word “joy” or its cognate “rejoice” is used in this letter. Is Philippians really the “Vanna White” of Paul’s epistles? Is it merely the lightweight amongst heavyweights such as Romans and Galatians? Or are those wonderful devotional thoughts such as “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) or “for me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21) simply skimming the cream off the top? Are there depths rarely plumbed in this book?

Our first clue that this is so comes from one fact: this seemingly sunny postcard, this relentlessly upbeat message, was written from jail. Roman prisons weren’t usually mistaken for Holiday Inns. For his accommodation, the authorities had pulled up the carpet, taken out the conveniences, and added a grim-faced guard along with the obligatory drip, drip of water, not to mention the rats.

Paul wasn’t having a good day!

So how could he write a book whose theme was joy, even if that joy was “in Christ?” And how could we mope and complain so constantly about our church and our brethren when we have it so good? Clearly there’s more going on than meets the eye in Philippians. Philippians is more than just a pretty face.

If Paul could be deeply, profoundly content in a prison cell, then we ought to find a joy in the Lord, too. If we scratch the surface away, we may find what it was that Paul had. Ready to read?

Stan Mitchell

Reactions to The Truth

When Paul preached his famous sermon on Mars Hill in Athens, his teaching received three distinct reactions. “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, we will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed . . .” (Acts 17:32-34). Do you see it? Some rejected the teaching immediately. Others procrastinated or withheld judgment, and did nothing. But some enthusiastically accepted the truth and acted upon it.

The same three reactions are in evidence to this day – even among members of the Lord’s church. Consider this scenario: The preacher preaches a “hard” sermon that exposes sin and worldliness. It is one of those sermons that “steps on toes” and hits “close to home.” Some Christians will grow angry. The things taught suggest the need to change, and they are not willing to do so. They are happy to hear preaching on things they already agree about, but if a lesson contradicts their existing views or practices, they get mad. They are like those in Athens who “mocked.”

Some other brethren hear this same sermon and, while it plainly shows that there are things they need to change in their life, they postpone any action. These are the ones who commend the preacher as they go out the door: “I really needed that!,” or “You really stomped on my toes today!” And, yet, they do nothing. They continue in their former ways, effectively saying, “we will hear thee again of this matter.”

Thank God that there are those who are tenderhearted — those who are always looking to bring their life into closer harmony with the will of God. These are the folks who, upon hearing the truth, respond by putting it into practice in their lives. If it means changing from what they previously believed, they will do so. Their commitment is to the Lord. Serving Him is their first priority. May their tribe increase!

– by Greg Gwin

Ever feel like Habakkuk when he cried out, “How long, LORD, must I cry for help?” Sometimes it might feel like we are pressing forward with faith and obedience, and yet we do not see God’s intervention.

What can two stories about faith, obedience and God’s power teach us about living for our God? After all, we are neither the first nor the last to strive to live for God in a world filled with injustice and trials.

Let’s start by imagining we were one of those ancient Israelite warriors preparing to march around Jericho. Perhaps we were born shortly after Israel had received the Law at Mt. Sinai.

We have witnessed how God enabled Israel to overcome the powerful kings Sihon and Og. We have walked on dry ground across the Jordan riverbed because God caused the Jordan to stop flowing.

Therefore we have good reason to trust God’s message to Joshua. God had said that the walls of Jericho would collapse after we march around it for seven days.

And so we march in silence around Jericho for the first time. Absolutely nothing happens to the wall.

On the second, third,  fourth, fifth and sixth days our eyes examine both the lower and upper walls as we silently march onward. Is a crack forming? Does a single clay brick fall revealing the wall is weakening? Nothing! In faith we are obediently doing what God said, but there is no evidence that God is doing anything.

On the seventh day. God’s command is to march around the city seven times.   After completing six revolutions, the walls appear as solid and impressive as ever. We are doing what we are supposed to do. Why hasn’t God begun to work? Why?

Let’s step into the shoes of an ancient Syrian named Naaman. Let’s put ourselves in his place.

An Israelite prophet has sent out his servant to tell us that if we would dip ourselves seven times in the Jordan River our leprosy will be cured. We now stand in the river. Six times we have dunked ourselves under the water.  Once again we have stood up examining our hands and arms. But the leprosy remains as extensive ever.

Each dunk in the water is not removing more and more leprosy. This does not appear to be working. It does not look like the God of Israel is doing anything.

However, arising the seventh time our skin is as beautiful as a baby’s. And with that seventh march around the city followed by a great shout, the walls of Jericho collapse. God was at work. God was faithful.

This is not an article suggesting that seven times is a magic number to make God give us what we want. Rather, sometimes we need to press forward in faith and obedience even when we do not see the results as quickly as we desire. Faith presses on. Our God is reliable.

Barry Newton

What did Satan promise Eve?

He promised her that if she ate the fruit she would become like a goddess. “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). Talk about promising a woman the moon and the stars!

But what did he actually give her? Genesis notes that when they ate the fruit they “knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Well, they had information for sure, but short of the knowledge God possesses.

You see, Satan promises us the sun and the moon and the stars, but he does not deliver. While sin does provide pleasures, it is nothing as magnificent as that which it promises. It’s a little like junk food. We smell it cooking and think we’re going to get some magnificent cuisine. Sin, like junk food, is easily accessible, leaves you craving more, never truly fills you up, and, note this, making it a habit will kill you.

I think of the adverts that show compelling and cool people drinking alcohol. They’re having so much fun together! They’re so sophisticated! Tomorrow they will be so hung over!

Or the dramas on television depicting adultery. They’re so in love! They’ve found such solace in each other! Tomorrow their families will be broken, children disorientated and frightened. There’s what we see in the here and now, the allure of sin, and what takes place down the road and around the corner, the heartbreak and, it still stings.

Moses chose to serve God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin “for a time” (Hebrews 11:25). Sin’s promises are saccharine sweet, insubstantial as Jell-O, and just as hollow. Instead, find genuine fulfillment in the Lord.

Stan Mitchell

• In the beginning there was nothing. And suddenly for no reason nothing exploded and created everything. You expect me to believe that?
• At some point, by chance the right chemicals happened to float together at just the right moment to be struck by an electrical charge and become life. You expect me to believe that?
• Somewhere two non-human mothers each gave birth to a human child. They were born at the same time and in the same place, one was male and one was female. These two new “humans” gave birth to the human race. You expect me to believe that?
• One of the descendants of these first humans was born with a knowledge of right and wrong. No longer driven by instinct, this person suddenly was making decisions based on a morality for which there is no real explanation. You expect me to believe that?

I’m sorry. I don’t have that much blind faith. It’s all just too farfetched to be anything more than a fairy tale. I can’t believe intelligent people claim it is “science” (cf. I Timothy 6:20).

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1: 1). I can believe that without stretching my imagination.  The universe was created by an all-powerful, all-knowing God. That I can believe

– by Phil Grear