I’m just going to say one more time that, in a society that has lost its moral way, Christian women today have to be more than a little different in our entertainment choices. Entertainment is optional. I can go to heaven without watching a single movie or attending a single play. Thus, if the language, portrayal of sex and the blasphemy in a movie or play is antithetical to the Biblical values system, Christians should choose some other form of entertainment.

I go online and read reviews of movies or plays—reviews often written by people who have no practical religious affiliation—and find that a certain play or movie is at best littered with and, at worst, saturated with language that Christians should be working to keep from their minds rather than inviting into their hearing while paying money to do just that. Secular commenters are sometimes appalled by the same show that Christians applaud on Facebook. The non-Christians are shocked by the amount of inappropriate (i.e. sinful) language, while the Christians are applauding the wonderful evening enjoyed while ingesting it!

I know all the repeated criticisms of those of us who keep saying it. “Everyone has to make the judgment calls about entertainment.” …”Who are you to be the media police?” …”Just because I am sitting there watching the real world, history, fantasy, etc., doesn’t mean that I am approving of every thing about every scene.”… I have also witnessed a generation of children grow into adults who can see little difference between the church and the world: in how we dress, behave, speak and entertain ourselves. They cannot recognize holiness (separation from the defilement of the world) and so they, in disillusionment do not see the choice to follow God as a clear and distinguishable path to be with Him. Christianity becomes, to the observant teen, a sort of hamper to staying within societal norms, rather than a full-scale rejection of sin and the father of lies and a hatred for the things that are of the world.

Evangelism is diluted by the near-absence of any call to repentance—the crux of the salvation plan. People who are invited to become a part of a church that demands no holiness, of course, see no need to change sinful practices and life-styles. Conviction and the putting away of sin—the hardest part of the salvation plan—is the part about which that the candidate for baptism has little understanding. In other words, evangelism by those who are watching, dressing and speaking just like the world is relatively empty of conviction to change upon becoming a “disciple.” It’s important to remember, though, that a “Christian” is literally a “follower of Jesus.”

So WOULD you follow him into the theater or into your living room to see, for instance, these movies that many of those who claim allegiance to him are/have been posting about seeing in the past couple of years? Is this where Jesus would lead the new Christian?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8503618/parentalguide

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745960/parentalguide

These are just two examples of many from which I could choose. But let me be clear. People who need the gospel see our choices. Our children, who need the gospel, see our choices. We take them to Bible class, where they are exposed, at least, to the concept of holiness. They hear the readings and learn some of the verses.

Be ye holy as a I am holy.

Come ye out from among them and be ye separate, says the Lord

Whatever is true, just, pure, lovely, of good report—if there’s anything praiseworthy or virtuous, think on these things.

Let no filthy communication proceed from your mouth.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. …

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

I can hear some already: “But my Jesus ate with sinners.” Yes. He did. But your Jesus did not go to the arena of his day to be entertained by filth, to laugh at sexual humor and the taking of His own name in vain.  Those  who wear His name, but who try to put Jesus in an arena of being entertained and gratified by those who are mocking God, using impure and base language and applauding sinful sex, know better. They are not honest with the Scriptures. They are reaching to try and justify the gratification of their own desires for ungodly entertainment.

Cindy Colley

If Bermuda grass is the horticultural bane of our existence as Southern gardeners, the rabbits are the counterpart in the animal world. Many of us have heaved a sigh of relief after watching a family of bunnies playing in the vegetable garden and then finding out that they did NOT eat that ripe tomato or squash that would have been ready to pick tomorrow.

Many are the times when we have had to replant a row of vegetables after the first row had been mowed down by these voracious fuzzy monsters. We have come to expect it.

A prominent political pundit recently made a detour from his usual insightful political commentary to offer women some marital advice. Suffice to say it was not well received by either men nor women.

“It wouldn’t hurt for a wife to tell her husband, ‘I know it’s your nature to want a variety of women. Thank you for your fidelity.”

There is so much wrong in this thinking. First, a caveat. We should always be thankful for one another as husbands and wives, or any relationship for that matter.  (Romans 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:4, Colossians 1:3,  2 Thessalonians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:3.)

This gentleman went above and beyond thanks and respect, though. Beyond….in a bad way. First, he assumes that all husbands constantly desire to stray from their marriage vows, but in reality this is the exception. The inspired words penned in the Bible paint a different picture.

“I have made a covenant with mine eyes: why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1, KJV).

“But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul” (Proverbs 6:32).

Secondly, one has to wonder what kind of an idea that puts in the mind of a man who is prone to infidelity. If he gets a blue ribbon for keeping his promise made at his wedding, does he get the red, second-place ribbon if he only cheats a few times?

“Marriage is honorable in all, and the marriage bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge (Hebrews 13:4).

Third, this is demeaning to women. Do we also have to thank our men for not beating us, or murdering us? They could, you know. We are the weaker vessel. This demeanor of bowing and scraping and expressing thanks for avoiding a sin described as “against his own body” is lowering women to the level of property, a concept not found in the Bible. This sin is so egregious that God outlines it as the only condition for remarriage after divorce (Matthew 19:9).

Fourth, this idea is demeaning to men. We are not simply highly evolved apes, and should not behave as such. Man (“anthropos” or mankind) was created in the image of God. Marriage was instituted in the first week of creation. God expects better!

Having looked at all this, we can still agree that appreciation goes a long way. We must never become so complacent in good marriages that we don’t once in a while…maybe even often… tell one another how much we appreciate the godly, decent, and upright nature and actions of our spouses.

This of course includes marital faithfulness, but does not single it out. I have often turned to my husband after seeing a troubled marriage and said, “I’m so glad God gave us each other.”

If you cannot in honesty manage a blanket compliment like that, be specific. “Thank you for not eating my tomatoes.”

Christine (Tina) Berglund

Not that I don’t love a good home-cooked meal with people I love, but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up. Many congregations have a regularly scheduled fellowship meal, but sometimes it’s beneficial to plan other types of activities. Spending time together as a church family has many benefits. We will be able to learn more about each other and lead to closer and deeper friendships, one of the many benefits for which the church was designed. If your congregation has become stagnant in one way or another, these activities and more like them will undoubtedly benefit everyone.

Finding and being a part of these types of fellowship is good (and needed) for us as Christians. This also sets an example for the children in the congregation of how active and involved we should all be. If you have children, show them that being at every activity is a priority and they will be able to see what matters most in life by the standard placed in front of them

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  -Proverbs 22:6

Here are some activities and ideas to try:

1. Make of list of shut-ins and take baked goods to them. (If there are many on the list, assign groups, and divide and conquer!)
2. Take the youth group to the nursing home (if they’re allowing visitors at this time) and sing church songs to them.
3. Have a monthly craft night for women. (Bonus: take the crafts to the shut-ins as a gift!)
4. Family picnic at the park
5. Church league softball (if this is an option in your area)- the world needs to see Christians with good sportsmanship!
6. Trunk of Treat (this one has become a fall staple at many congregations)
7. Christmas ornament exchange (white elephant style?)
8. Secret sister program
9. Sporting event (ex. minor league baseball game)
10. Family camping & canoe weekeng trip (or ski trip)
11. Monthly or weekly family spotlight
    -Have a bulletin board for this- display photos of each family member with a few fun facts about each
    -Another option- mystery spotlight- don’t display the name & photo and have members guess who the person of the week is
12. Widow’s Dinner (have the youth plan a dinner for the widows of the congregation and have them serve their dinner- this will likely mean a lot to them!)
13. Community Heroes Cookout
    -Invite local police officers, firefighters, etc. to a church cookout as a thank you for their service.
    -Advertise on social media and with banners, etc.
    -This is a great way to get contacts for Bible studies and get the church’s name out there in the community.
14. Work day
    -Help the one who cleans the building by going the extra mile to clean the building
    -Plant flowers/update landscaping
    -Update bulletin boards
    -Clean out classrooms
15. Monthly singing and game night

-Ask for volunteers for members to open their home for this (different home each month).

-Guests can bring finger foods so the host doesn’t have to provide the meal.

-Game examples: card games, board games, yard games (corn hole, volleyball, horseshoes, etc.)

-Ask boys in the youth group to lead singing, which will give them experience of serving if they’re nervous in front of the whole congregation!

Janelle Pollard

My husband Dale spoke at Polishing the Pulpit recently on the topic of pessimism and its effects on the church. As he ran through some of his points out loud, it got me thinking about how much can be paralleled with this topic and the design of the human body (I guess, as a nurse, I can’t help but make that connection).

For example, if the kidneys start actin’ up, if you will, the other organs will be affected. And if this isn’t addressed correctly and in a timely manner, it can wreak havoc on the rest of the body. The other organs will overcompensate to try and keep the body healthy, but they will eventually become damaged and not able to perform at their optimum levels. The body is an incredible machine designed by a perfect Creator but we live in a fallen world and sometimes we do things, even subconsciously, that can harm our own health. Likewise, the church was designed perfectly but sometimes we can also do harm to this body. When we as Christians display pessimism, either subconsciously or knowingly, we can cause major harm to the Lord’s body. Attitudes tend to be contagious. If someone voices several complaints and negative remarks, it can discourage others and lead to more negative attitudes. The church will not grow and thrive if pessimism is commonplace.

As we age, we must take care to treat our physical bodies with special consideration so that our health doesn’t deteriorate prematurely and we can enjoy a long life with those we love and in service to the Lord. In the same way, we must take care to treat the Lord’s body with special consideration, showing gratitude and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The church may not be perfect, but we can do things to help it grow and become stronger.

Here are some practical ways we can each take it upon ourselves to combat pessimism in our own congregations:

1. If we hear someone complaining about someone or something in the church…instead of going along with the complaints and contributing to negativity, make it a point to verbalize something positive that you’re thankful for related to the topic. 
2. Do a character study of Barnabas. He was known as a great encourager and we could probably all learn a thing or two from him.
3. If you happen to know a Negative Nelly in your congregation, make it a point to compliment them. This is not meant to be manipulative or dishonest, obviously. Find something you admire about them, anything really, and let them know. It could work wonders on this person, who may not often hear personal compliments. Take time to get to know them and I bet you’ll find there’s more positivity to be found by them, it just needed to be uncovered by someone who took the time.

Let’s all do our part to show positivity instead of pessimism so the church can grow and God can be glorified!

By Janelle Pollard

During Vacation Bible School this summer, we had three little girls come from the community. Two of them were in my class, and one was in a younger class. They loved VBS and expressed a desire to come to Bible study. We made contact with the mother, and she was agreeable to having someone pick them up every Sunday and Wednesday.

These girls had been attending a denominational church with their mother before the pandemic, but they had not returned since things opened up. They seemed to love class and worship, and we have been hopeful that we could get the mother and father to start attending.

Because the children are from a blended family, there has been the interruption of other family members wanting to do things with one or more of the girls. School has started, and that has interfered with their Wednesday evening attendance. As you might guess, they have stopped coming. Mom wants them to attend, but we haven’t been able to get her to come with them.

My precious little great niece knew the younger girl, and she did everything to welcome her. She sat with her in class and during worship. One day I told her that what she was doing was personal work. She was surprised that she could do personal work, something she thought was just for grown-ups.

One of the girls in my class is friends with one of the other girls, and she has been disturbed by the fact that the girls have quite attending. She told me a few weeks ago that she asks her often why she doesn’t come back. The girl tells her that she is ok even if she doesn’t attend all the time. She says as long as she believes in Jesus, she is ok. I was very proud of the answer from her friend. She said, “Oh, no! You have so much to learn. There are so many more stories in the Bible we need to know. You need to come to class so you can learn them.”

What a great start these two girls have on being personal workers. They both love Bible class, and they love the Bible. They want others to love those things too. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all had that attitude about seeking the lost and inviting people to worship with us?

Sandra Oliver

“And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9 NKJV). Even though the magnificence of the Garden of Eden does not exist today, the world around us is still breathtakingly beautiful to human eyes. Should we love the beauty we see in the world? What do the Scriptures say will happen to this physical world one day (2 Peter 3:10-14)? Are we wise when we love something that will be burned up? Should we divide our love, our hearts and our time between both worlds, or should we give ourselves totally to the eternal? What does the Lord say in Colossians 3:1-2? “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

We get a brief glimpse into the spiritual world from Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:25-26. “At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.’” By this and similar passages we understand there are two kinds of sight, and that spiritually blind people cannot see the spiritual, eternal world.

One will find by digging deeply into the Word of God that there are many different kinds of sight described in Scripture (2 Corinthians 5:7). The more faith one has in God’s Word, the more sight he has into the spiritual realm. Unfortunately, some brethren in New Testament times lost what little spiritual sight they had in the beginning (2 Peter 1:9).

What did the Centurion, who wanted Jesus to heal his servant, see that none of the others were able to see (Matthew 8:5-10)? He saw into the spiritual realm where a hierarchy of heavenly beings was working for the Master. Whenever we read the account of the Syrophenician woman, who understood that Christ was sent to the Jews (Mark 7:25-30), are we humbled by her acceptance of her position as a Greek? Where are those few souls today who have such faith in God’s work?

God does not miss anything (Romans 8:28). How many see that God actively feeds the birds today (Matthew 6:26)? How many can see that God actively clothes the grass of the field (Matthew 6:28-30)? Where is the comfort if God is only passively watching the sparrow fall to the ground (Matthew 10:28-29)? Where is the comfort for us if He promises to watch us die like the sparrow and do nothing? Although Moses and the Israelites could not see God when they went out to fight their enemies, God was with them to fight for them (Deuteronomy 20:3-4). God is very much at work protecting us every moment of every day (1 Corinthians 10:13). We need to have faith to seek God boldly for every need (Hebrews 4:16).

How many can see that God is the One Who works in the hearts of men (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)? God can increase the fruits of our righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10). God warns us that He will respond to anyone who despises His children and that His angels always behold the Father’s face on their behalf (Matthew 18:10). How many can see God putting Jesus’ enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25)?

Paul had faith that God opens the eyes of His children’s understanding (2 Timothy 2:7). The apostle also had faith that God was active in training His children (Hebrews 12:5-11). Paul had faith that God was actively at work in the hearts of His sons and daughters (Philippians 2:13).

Jesus knew that His purpose in coming to the earth was to work on men’s eyes (John 9:39-41). “And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, We see. Therefore your sin remains.’”

God rewards those who diligently seek Him, if they have faith that He will reward them (Hebrews 11:6). Those who receive God’s help must believe in that help (James 1:5-8). We must not allow our hearts to doubt even a little. Some comfort themselves that if God worked miracles today, they would believe that He answers prayers (Matthew 13:54-58). Even during the time of miracles, many did not believe them (Mark 6:6). The Jews’ eyes were closed even though they saw God’s wonderful works (Luke 19:41-42). The Israelites in the wilderness did not believe in God’s work though they themselves had seen many of His miracles (Hebrews 3:16-19).

If we believe Him and trust Him, we will see the riches of the glory of His inheritance (Ephesians 1:18). What a beautiful sight that will be!

Beth Johnson

What is a friend? A dictionary definition says a friend is “one attracted to another by affection or esteem, a favored companion.” My definition of a “friend” is one on whom I can depend – one to whom I can tell personal information and know she will not tell anyone. A friend can be someone you do not see very often, but when you get together, you pick up right where you left off. It is just like you were never separated. Proverbs 18:24 defines a friend thusly, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (NKJV).

Not everyone has a person on whom she can rely. This is so sad. Everyone needs someone. There may be reasons people do not have friends. If we cannot show ourselves to be friendly, why would we think we should have friends? We must put ourselves out to others to make friends, rather than to just sit back and let them come to you. Though you may be timid, take the first step by introducing yourself to others. You can do this if you set your mind to it. Remember God is on your side, and He will give you the strength to do the Christian thing that needs to be done.

If one is mean or snobbish, he or she cannot expect to have someone befriend him or her. On the other hand, sometimes one who is very shy, afraid to talk, does not have close friends. Some people are very shy, and others are outgoing. Which category describes you? As for me, it all depends on the situation in which I find myself. If it is one on one, I am usually able to start a conversation, but if there is a crowd of people, I sometimes have a harder time approaching others. I usually must push myself. For instance, if I see visitors at Bible class or worship services, I will make myself go and speak to them. When I do this, it does two things; one, it makes the visitor feel welcome, and second, it helps give me more confidence to go introduce myself the next time we have visitors.

When you became a Christian, did you know the members of the congregation where you would be attending? If you were a child of that congregation, of course you knew most of the families. If you were an adult when you learned the truth and became a Christian, most likely you knew the one who converted you to Christ but few or no one else in the congregation.

If you are a shy person and just started attending a new congregation, what do you do? Do you sit in the back of the auditorium and leave as soon as the closing prayer is over, or maybe as soon as the preacher is done preaching? If you do this, how are you going to learn the members of the church who are your brothers and sisters? Maybe you stay and the preacher and elders speak to you and no one else does. How does this make you feel? Does this make you feel welcome and loved as a sister in Christ? Of course not! On the other hand, if you stay and a lot of the members speak to you and tell you how glad they are to have you in the congregation, how does this make you feel? Does this give you a sense of belonging to a friendly family of God? Which would you like better? That’s, of course, a rhetorical question. How should we conduct ourselves? That’s a rhetorical question, too!

True friendship goes two ways; friendship is not just one-sided. Companionship or friendship is not being a taker and not being a giver; it is both in a true friendship. We are told In Luke 6:31 to do to others as we want to be treated. We would not want others to take advantage of us, and neither should we take advantage of them. We are to be there for each other in true friendship. We are told in Romans 12:15 to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” In other words, we are to be happy when our friends are happy and cry with them when things are not going well for them.

There are times we must put ourselves out there to others even if it means we will not be in our comfort zone. Each time we get out of this area in our life, it will be much easier to do it again and again. Do not be afraid; those with whom you are making this effort may be in the same place you are or even much shier. Remember, God is on your side when you are trying to do the right thing. Also, the devil is always trying to hold you back from doing right. Who will you obey – God or the devil?

Martha Lynn Rushmore

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

   GETTING THE SHADE

There is a Chinese proverb that says, “One generation plants the tree; the next generation gets the shade.”

Trees are important. They provide oxygen, improve air quality, conserve water, preserve soil, support wildlife, and they aid in climate improvement. The environment is very important to us, and we are constantly trying to find ways to improve the world in which we live.

The idea of planting a tree in one generation and reaping the rewards in the next reminds me of raising children. Each generation reaps the results of the previous.

In Deuteronomy 6:5-9, God told Moses that His people were to teach their children the commandments He had given. These were the instructions: teach them diligently; talk about the commandments in every situation (when you are sitting in your house, when walking from one place to the other, even when you put them to bed). He also wanted the parents to put the commandments on their clothing, on the doorposts of their homes, and on the gates of the city.

In chapter 11, God repeated these same commandments about teaching children. This time, He told them to hold these things in their hearts and souls. In other words, this teaching and their love for God was to be the most important thing in their lives. The teaching of those things was to take priority over anything else.

Paul must have gotten a similar message from God, because he gave instructions in the book of Ephesians for fathers to bring up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  It is no less important today than in the days of Moses to train our children in the Lord.

Unfortunately, the Children of Israel didn’t heed the words of God and left their teaching. Sadly, the same is true today. Some parents don’t heed the instruction of God, and the children live their lives according to what is right in their own eyes. Some children are rebellious and refuse to obey their parents.

Solomon said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck (Proverbs 1:7-9). “Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life” (Proverbs 4:13). One that fears the Lord will be open to teaching.

Children need correction. Our society, even Christians, have adapted the attitude that reproof is damaging to the child’s mental and emotional well-being. Scripture says that those who ignore instruction actually despise themselves. Those who listen to correction gain intelligence (Proverbs 15:32). If we don’t instruct, how can we expect our children to gain intelligence?

Jeremiah, known to us as the weeping prophet, diligently warned God’s people of the destruction that awaited them, if they did not repent. He repeated God’s commandments to them, and this was their response. “Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction” (Jeremiah 17:23).

Paul told Timothy that the sacred writings he had been taught since childhood were able to make him wise. This wasn’t about being book smart but rather wise for salvation. Those writings were breathed out by God, and they would serve him in teaching, reproving, correcting, and training in righteousness. Those teachings would equip him for every good work.

Timothy’s mother and grandmother had taught him all of his life the importance of obedience to God. That training, plus the instruction by Paul, would make him a preacher of the gospel of Christ. It would allow him to teach others what to do to go to heaven. No doubt Timothy was educated in school, but Paul refers to his religious teaching as what was important.

Like a tree that takes 10 to 20 years to grow to maturity, a child will grow to physical maturity in a short 18 years. If the tree is not nourished, provided food, sufficient water, and good soil, it will not mature. A child left to his own ways will not grow be spiritually healthy without the proper teaching and training.

Just as we want the trees we plant in our generation to grow and provide all the good things they were intended to provide, we should want our children to go to heaven. That’s the goal.

Sandra Oliver

II Kings 6: 16 “’Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’”

Elisha was assigned the job no one envies: following a superstar! His predecessor, Elijah, was so godly, the Great I Am carried him into glory in flamboyant Fourth-of-July flare on a chariot ablaze with fire. How was Elisha to top that!

So, Elisha made a bold and gutsy request: “Let a double portion of your (Elijah’s) spirit be upon me.” The new prophet was well aware Elijah’s spirit was the spirit of the mighty God of creation – the God who rained down the plagues upon Egypt – the God who parted the roaring sea. And when Elisha’s request was granted by Jehovah God, his double portion came with impressive “Superpowers.”

We’ve all dreamed of possessing superpower. I recall as a child wishing for homework to vanish and chocolate to appear. If I dare ask for adult superpowers, I would wish for laundry to vanish and calorie-free chocolate to appear. (I guess some wishes never change!)

God’s double spirit upon Elisha provided him powers more in line with Hollywood’s Marvel movie characters. In 2 Kings 6, Elisha’s servant rose early to discover the Syrian army surrounding the camp. In panic, he quickly alerted Elisha of the danger that crept in overnight.

If we freeze-frame the story right here, we observe two very different perspectives. The servant’s tunnel-vision allowed him to see only the Syrian’s horses, chariots, and swords. Elisha, using his double portion of God’s spirit, saw the invisible army of God filling the mountains and outnumbering the enemy. Surely the servant rushed to gather his sword for battle. Elisha chose a different weapon: prayer. His prayer was for the servant’s eyes to be opened. As his request was granted, the servant looked and beheld God’s mighty army surrounding them with protection, outnumbering the Syrians. All fear vanished.

Reminder dear Sisters: This Almighty God is the same today, tomorrow and forever. He remains committed to filling us with His spirit and enveloping us in His protection. Today may place us on a battlefield fighting against selfishness, pride, jealousy, or self-doubt, to name a few. Perhaps we would be wise to recall the story of Elisha and the mighty army of God fighting for us.

May today bring you victory and peace through Him.

Father God, open our eyes to Your mighty army surrounding us. May we live boldly for You.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

Last weekend, we celebrated Colleyanna’s birthday. It was a fun time at Serenity and, although there were just a half-dozen of us gathered in the dining room, Colleyanna could not have loved it more if we’d been in the presence of royalty at Buckingham. She and her siblings were excited from the moment they woke up in the morning till the moment the last game was played before bedtime.

The last game before bedtime was a game of “house”.  Max (Ezra) was my husband and I was Lilly.  Our “house” was the master bedroom.  I worked at a restaurant (my kitchen…that work was real) and Max raced a motorcycle. Our next-door neighbor, Snowdrop (Colleyanna..she’s always picking a name with flair), was always dropping by, uninvited, and bringing her cat, Oreo. (It’s funny how there was more than one  new board game and more than one toy received at the birthday party, but their favorite game, by far, was still the one that just involved people and pretending (and not those toys).

As I was thinking about the half dozen years that Colleyanna has been on the planet, it was not lost on me that last weekend also marked the birth of someone else who, not so long ago in the grand scheme of things, was left alone with three children between ages one and seven. She was left to have to find childcare for her children while she worked hard to make ends meet in a tiny little house. She was, though under great duress, a woman of great faith and prayer. She was resourceful. And her children were blessed.

That woman was my grandmother (Colleyanna’s great, great grandmother) and her birthday was last weekend, too. Born on September 10th, 1898, she was, when she left this life in 1980, Mattie Lee Louise Abernathy Smith Duncan. That’s a lot of name for such a humble and meek woman of God.  She taught me how to play house, and rock school and hop-scotch and she could make a doll out of a handkerchief and a chalice out of gum wrapper.  She took me to beautiful springs that bubbled out of a rocky hillside near the graves of some of our ancestors.  She was the one in that lineage who came to know and obey the gospel first. Converting her second husband to the Lord, all told, she (they) raised two faithful gospel preachers, an elder in the Lord’s church, another son and my mother, who was one of the greatest examples of Christianity I’ve ever known. All of those five children, to my knowledge, died as faithful Christians.

Two of those children were profound influences on my spiritual development. How does one ever overestimate the power of motherhood in the molding of a soul for heaven? My mother’s power in my life is, even now, strong and vast. But one of the preachers my grandmother raised, Bobby Duncan, was the local preacher in the church in which I grew up. He baptized me and I am quite sure I do not even fully know the extent to which he shaped my love of the Word and my desire to serve God. That shaping is palpable every time I take out the Word to study.

I often remember specific things Bobby Duncan said when I am studying a particular topic or text. I love the fact that my husband was blessed to “inherit” the preaching files of my uncle Bob. In my basement there is a file cabinet that is more valuable to both of us than any material treasure he could have ever left behind. He wrote almost every sermon in very complete outline form, though he never read his sermons. He had them so very well-learned by the time of delivery that  no one would have known that much of what he said rested on the pulpit in front of him. Here are a few samples of quotations I’ve recently read from his files in that cabinet:

On the faith: “The faith is constantly under attack. It is under attack by the forces of atheism, agnosticism, existentialism, liberalism, anti-ism, radicalism, and every other “ism”. The gospel cannot defend itself against these attacks. It has no voice of its own. It must utilize our voices for its defense. I have about as much respect for one who would stand idly by and watch a defenseless old lady get mugged, and not lift a hand to defend her, as I have for a gospel preacher who will stand idly by while the faith is being attacked , and not say a word in its defense (Phil. 1:17). We must contend for the faith.”

On marriage, divorce and remarriage: “Brethren, let’s not be stricter than the Lord was in these areas. When a man puts away his wife for fornication, and marries another woman, he only has one wife. We ought not to penalize that man for doing what the Lord said he could do (Matthew 19: 9; 5:31-32)  When a man puts away his wife for a reason other than fornication, then he is living in adultery and should not be utilized in the services of the church, but should be forewarned and disciplined.’

On adultery:  “Well, what is to be done about the sin of fornication? What is to be done to obtain forgiveness? If one is guilty of the sin of fornication, then what is he supposed to do? Of course, if a person is not a Christian, in order to be forgiven of any sin, he has to obey the gospel of Christ. He has to hear the gospel and believe it, repent, confess, and be baptized. But now notice, repentance means getting out of sin. It means giving up the sinning business. If a man is a thief, he has to quit thieving. If he is a bootlegger, he has to quit bootlegging. That is what repentance involves. If he is committing fornication, then he has to quit committing fornication. And that would involve that adultery that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 19:9 where it says ‘Whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery.’ If a man is in an adulterous relationship, when he repents, that means he has to get out of that relationship. He can’t just keep on committing sin and get God’s forgiveness.”

On taking the name of God in vain: “Technically, what does it mean to take the Lord’s name in Vain?

1. It means to use God’s name to back up a lie.
2. In Isaiah 59:4 “They trust in vanity and speak lies….”
3. The word “lies” is the same Hebrew word “shav” translated “vain” in Exodus 20:7.
4. (Hosea 10:4  “They speak vain words, swearing falsely in making covenants…”
5. (Exodus 23:1) “Thou shalt not take up a false report; put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.”
6. To take the Lord’s name in vain means, therefore, to use the Lord’s name to back up a falsehood or a lie.”

What I love about studying these files is that there’s no mincing of words. I love that he was bold and compassionate, powerful and plain, rich and relevant. (What he wrote 40 years ago still helps me make practical decisions.)

What I also love is that I know it was the power of the gospel that touched the heart of a young woman, married at 15 in 1913 and deserted by an adulterous husband by the time she was in her early twenties—It was the power of the gospel in a broken heart that indirectly gave me sound teaching through this great man of God. Taking in washing and ironing, working at the cotton mill just to survive with three small children, my grandmother put something in three  hearts that led them all to respond favorably to the gospel when presented with it. She then met and married my grandfather and she (and others who helped her), led him to the Lord eventually, too, along with the two children they had together. They led some of my grandfather’s family members to the Lord. In the end, there have been about 20 faithful ministers (in various capacities) and elders, who are descendants of or who married descendants of this praying woman.  I could have quoted from several of them, who have written various works. I chose the one who has impacted my life most deeply (except for Glenn, of course.)

Just marvel with me at this simple woman’s legacy. She’s still speaking through her children’s children. If you find yourself in a place of challenge—even brokenness; if you find yourself feeling hopeless or alone, remember 20 elders and preachers/ministers in the kingdom from a destitute mother of three. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel. Be empowered by it, for it is the “power of God to salvation”(Romans 1:16).  It’s the power of God to salvation to the single mother who is doing all she can to put heaven in the hearts of her children. It’s the power of God to salvation to the child who is growing up in a world in which the devil is fighting hard for his soul. It’s the power of God to eventual salvation for the little girl who is turning six and pretending to be “Snowdrop” just as it was for her great-great grandmother who was “pretending” with three young children in a shotgun house in the mill village in Jacksonville, Alabama in the early twentieth century.

If you are doing hard things for Him, you may be doing more For His glory than you can imagine! Pray for the little souls in your charge and keep your eye on the goal! I’m keeping the faith!

Cindy Colley