We must work on improving ourselves. What do I mean by this statement? I mean, we need to grow as Christian ladies. The more we grow, the more we will improve, and we will be able to do more for the congregation of which we are members. There are many ways in which we can improve ourselves and grow in the service of the Lord. We can grow by studying by ourselves or with Christian ladies in a group. I enjoy being in a ladies’ class because I get so many ideas of ways to make myself a better Christian, because ladies have many great ways for all of us to grow in the Lord.

We can learn more Scriptures, learn to pray, learn to meditate on God’s Word, memorize verses of the Bible and many other ways to grow. How can we teach others if we have not studied the Bible other than to know how and why we became Christians? Our ultimate goal is for a person to be taught what is needed for her to become a child of God.

It is wise to go into a Bible study knowing where the Scriptures are found before trying to teach others the way of eternal life. In 2 Timothy 2:15, we are told to study the Scriptures, rightly dividing the Word. How can we rightly divide the Scriptures if we do not know what the Bible says? We can’t! This does not mean we need to know everything in the Bible; that is an impossible task. We do need to know the basics. The only way we can know God’s Word is by studying, as well as attending worship and Bible classes. During Bible study, the teacher should be using the Bible. Likewise, the preacher ought to use the Bible. We, as auditors of class teachers and preachers ought to follow along in our Bibles. As listeners and students of God’s Word, we are obligated to verify from the Bible that truth is being taught (1 John 4:1; 1 Peter 4:11).

Louis and I got into a situation trying to teach a young lady not to live with her boyfriend, maybe to be his wife. She did not have a scriptural divorce, and therefore, she does not have the right to get married again, according to Matthew 19:9. She had an affair while married to her husband, and then, she divorced him – also leaving behind three children. He did not treat her right by what she told us. He was not innocent in this marriage either. So, you see in this situation, she is not free to remarry, and he may not be either. She had made up her mind that she is too young to be alone. Unfortunately, she knows the Scriptures as well as we do. We quoted Scriptures, and her answer was, “I know what the Bible teaches, but someday we are getting married.” We were not the only ones trying to work with this younger woman. This is sad. However, we can only try to help those who will help themselves and be guided by God’s Word.

Sometimes the limit of what we can do about a particular situation is to resort to prayer. Prayer is a general term that includes any “talking to God.” When we pray, we need to include in our prayers what is taught in 1 Timothy 2:1-6. Supplication – is making requests to God. Prayer – is a close communication with God. Intercession – is pleading for others, such as the sick, the poor or needy, those having financial problems, those husbands and wives having marital problems and any other things that may be going on in their lives. Giving of thanks – is for our blessings. When we pray to our Father in Heaven, we should thank God for all He has given us. Many think they got all the things and money they have because they worked hard and long, having gotten these blessings on their own. This is far from the truth. Everything we have comes from our God (Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:13; Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17). We should forgive as found in Matthew 6:12. God will forgive us if we ask. We commit sins daily, some we know and some we do not know. In Romans 3:23, we are told, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Do you remember Simon in Acts 8:22? He wanted to be able to perform miracles like the apostles, and he tried to buy this ability from them. He was told to repent and to pray to God for forgiveness. We can ask for wisdom according to Philippians 4:6. We want to make wise decisions and desire our actions to be the best. There are plenty of people watching us, and we want our influence to be for good. In our prayers, we make requests for sinners, for Christians, for our families and friends, and for our enemies. God is our Heavenly Father, and He wants us to talk to Him. Our earthly fathers want us to talk with them, not just when things are going badly but when things are going well with us, too. God wants us to talk with Him when things are well with us. When things go wrong, people are more inclined to pray to God for help. When things are going well for them, then they seem to forget God. We also need to acknowledge that our prayers are in the name of Jesus. In Matthew 6:9-13, we have an example of our Lord teaching His disciples to pray. Today, we can follow this example, with the exception of praying for the kingdom to come. It has already come, following the death of Jesus on the cross and the establishing of His church. We need to watch our thoughts and words. People in the world and in the church watch our everyday actions and language. People are watching us, even when we are not aware of them being around us. There is a song, “Watch Your Eyes.” Do you know this song? We can help the church grow by the way we talk, by the way we act, by the way we dress and by where we go.

There is a saying, “Garbage in, garbage out.” This means what we put in our minds is what is going to come out in our thoughts, out of our mouths and in our actions. If we do not want GIGO, then we must replace it with “Best in, Best out.” I just made the BIBO up for our purpose of doing good. What are some things that would be considered GIGO? Dirty jokes, swearing, using God’s name in vain, using euphemisms, reading books with a lot of bad things in them. What are some things that would be considered BIBO? Reading our Bibles, memorizing Scripture, prayer, spending time with Christian friends talking about the Bible, listening to Christian music and many other good things.

In Matthew 12:36, we are told that we will be judged for every idle word. We are also told in Philippians 4:8 to keep our thoughts pure. “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are no noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue. And if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” The only way we will not be held accountable at the day of Judgment is in this life to ask God that we might be forgiven.

We all want to go to Heaven when we die, and when we will stand before the Lord on Judgment Day. Therefore, ladies, we must be prepared at the time of our deaths. As Louis has said many times, “We are only one breath away from eternity.” So, let’s work on going to Heaven and take someone with us.

Martha Lynn Rushmore

In his book, Renewing Your Spiritual Life, Aubrey Johnson addresses “A Study of Deuteronomy: 13 Simple Steps for Maximum Spiritual Growth.” In the introduction to the background of Israel, he makes these observations. “When Israel was preparing to enter the Promised Land, Moses revealed a secret that would guarantee the people military victory, economic prosperity and spiritual vitality. That secret was to honor God’s covenant. Those who follow Moses’ advice find that it still works today! Simply put, renewal is the result of committed love for God and obedience to His Word.”

In Deuteronomy 4-30, Moses told Israel to listen to the statutes and judgments, which he taught them to observe, so that they might go in to take possession of the land that the LORD God of their fathers was giving them. Moses’ “aim was not to provide a new and distinct body of teaching different from what he delivered earlier at Sinai. Rather, his intent was to restate the same law and urge the Israelites to reaffirm it” (Johnson 10). The focus of this article is what God did for the Israelites for their good and what He continues to do in the lives of 21st century Christians for their good. Selected passages in Deuteronomy, along with other noted Scriptures, deserve special attention, and Job is the stellar example of God always working for the good of His children.

Deuteronomy

Moses cautioned the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 6:10-25 against disobedience. He told them how to respond when their children asked what was the meaning of the testimonies, statutes and judgments that the LORD God had commanded. Moses said, tell your son, “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand… Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes to fear the LORD our God for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 6:21, 23-24 NKJV).

Deuteronomy 8 only has 20 verses, and Moses exhorted the children of Israel in the first 18 verses to remember the LORD their God and how He had lavishly blessed them beyond measure! Beginning in verse 11, Moses said:

Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest – when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them… when your heart is lifted up, and you forget about the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage… who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end – then you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.” And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:11-18)

In Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Moses continued to teach and question the children of Israel regarding the essence of the Law. “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statues which I command you today for your good?”

New Testament

Jesus openly communicated to His disciples His expectations for them to endure and the need for them to press on in obedient faith. In John 15:1-2, He told them, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” To prune involves cutting off undesired twigs, branches or roots – to remove anything undesirable. What is our attitude toward that discipline when we as 21st century Christians are spiritually pruned? The Holy Spirit convicts us through the Word that He caused to be written. He forces us to face the greed, selfishness, pride, misguided zeal, lukewarmness and the many other sins that we may have in our lives and which must be purged. Hebrews 12:9-11 forthrightly states:

Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Job

After all Job had endured emotionally, materially, physically and spiritually, Job 42 records his repentance and restoration. Job 42:10-11 states:

And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.

The last two verses of the book, Job 42:16-17, tell us, “After this Job lived one hundred and forty years and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days.” James 5:10-11 gives us such a precious insight into how God deals with us when we correctly endure our afflictions. “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

Conclusion

Following are some of the key thoughts from three authors regarding what it means to have unwavering trust, confidence, submission, obedience and enduring faith in all circumstances of this life. “Looking backward and evaluating Job’s life, one can see his faith in God was completely justified. God was ultimately in control. The contrast in Job’s case is striking. The devil’s end was to drive him to despair, and to cause him to blaspheme his Maker. God’s end was to reward his faith (Job 42:10-15)” (Bragg 102). “If any man ever had good reason to quit, to forsake the Lord, it was Job. But he did not. He didn’t understand why all these things were happening to him, but he declared that he was on God’s side – and there he would stay (Job 1:21; 13:15)!” (Roper 118). “No matter what happens, therefore, we, like Job, can trust God. The ‘patience of Job’ is not just a proverbial statement, but a historical fact that should motivate us to trust God to work all things for our good” (Turner 154).

The same Holy Spirit that inspired Moses to convey the Father’s determination to demonstrate good and benevolent actions toward Israel – as long as it obeyed Him – likewise inspired the apostle Paul to proclaim the Father’s divine benevolence to spiritual Israel in the New Testament era. “And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 6:24). “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Marilyn LaStrape

Works Cited

Bragg, David. Pure Religion: A Study of James. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 2008.

Johnson, Aubrey. Renewing Your Spiritual Life. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 2005.

Roper, David L. Practical Christianity: Studies in the Book of James. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1987.

Turner, J.J. The Book of James. Fort Worth: Quality P., 1976.

Esther 5:9 “Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.” NAS

I have never tallied the number of texts I send and receive in a day’s time, but fear the result would be astounding. Texting is a primary means of communicating today. We use it for greeting, meeting, asking-out, breaking-up, checking-in, updating, and everything in-between.

Discoveries about oneself are not always welcome, and recently while texting, I experienced one such ah-ha moment: I am very moody! In one single text, I used a smiley face followed by clapping hands, then switched in the next sentence to angry eyes and frowny face, and concluded my text with multiple hearts and prayer-hands. Granted, it was a long, involved text, but talk about mood swings!

If misery loves company, (and truly it does!) the champion of mood swings has to be Haman in the book of Esther. Haman stood on the pinnacle of happiness with an invitation to the King’s private party. However, within the very same verse of scripture and with merely a shift in his focus, Haman’s mood plummeted to the lowest valley as he realized Mordecai failed to honor him. Haman’s happiness vanished because he needed it all: honor from the King and honor from everyone else.

If Haman could have texted his wife in that very moment, it would have begun with numerous smiley-faces and hand clap emojis, followed by crowns, followed by food and wine emojis, and a big thumbs-up. But before pushing “send,” Haman would have switched to emojis of angry eyes, heads shooting out steam, and lightning bolts!

Oh, how quickly our outlook changes when circumstances fail to go our way. No wonder we have more than 3000 emojis available for us to use.

Haman’s happiness was dependent upon circumstances always going his way. But happiness cannot be sustained upon such temporary fragments of life for it is superficial and can instantly vanish, allowing other, more undesirable emotions to surface.

Only by living a life in Christ can we discover deep-down, sustainable joy. Christ is the answer to a life lived with smiley faces and hand claps! When fear of the future steals our happiness, Christ’s peace sustains our joy. When trials and difficulties rob our glee, Christ’s strength preserves our joy. When life turns against us, Christ’s promises of protection defend our joy.

Living a life in Christ could eliminate our need for many of the unpleasant emojis. Yes, happiness will come and go, but the steadfast love of the Lord never fails. And that, dear sisters, is pure joy.  😊

Father God, we praise you for the joy you offer us through all the emotions of life.

Blessings,
Rita Cochrane

Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him.” NKJV

I sat in the coffee shop, preparing for an upcoming conference with my laptop up and my Bible open. A patron approached and seeing my Bible, chose to comment. His words stung me to the core.

“I don’t believe in God,” he said with a scowl.

Not being something I am accustomed to hearing, I curiously inquired, “Will you tell me why?”

As he began to spew out angry words, it became evident this man had been offered a misrepresentation of God. He reminisced of a church family filled with ridicule for sinners. He spoke of those struggling with their faith as being outcast by the brotherhood. He told of a God who lay in wait for us to sin so we could be condemned to hell. He witnessed only to a God of eternal punishment of fire and brimstone.

While he ranted, I prayed for words that might make a difference. Having said his piece, he looked me square in the eyes and waited for my reply.

I took a breath and said, “I’m so sorry. I don’t believe in that god either.”

I hoped to be granted the privilege of additional response time. However, he turned, picked up his beverage, and as he left, looked over his shoulder to say, “Good! That god is not worth believing in.”

Before I could utter another word, he was off.

How tragic!

“His god” was worlds apart from The Great I Am found in the Word. Yes, God disciplines us, but with the love of a Father striving to redirect his child. There is so much more to God than this man knew. If only he could experience the God of Psalm 34 where David records:

God is good.  (Psalm 34:8) “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good.”

God hears the cries of his children and carries them through their fear. (Psalm 34:4) “I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.”

God is near to us when our hearts break. (Psalm 34:18) “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart.”

God lovingly redeems his children. (Psalm 34:22) “The Lord redeems the soul of His servants.”

God does not wish for us to be condemned. (Psalm 34:22) “None of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.”

David wrote these words as he was surrounded by troubles, yet he knew the love of a Father who longs to bring us close to Him. Oh, how I wish the coffee shop man could know that God. And oh, how I pray all of God’s children come to an intimate knowledge of His love for us.

Father God, may our hearts know the real You.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

Bonus Post:  Who was Nicodemus?

JUSTIFIED BY WHAT I THINK

It has been many years ago when our children were young that I experienced a great loss. It was not a death, though I have experienced that loss. It was not a tragedy like the loss of our house by fire. It was not sickness, though we have had our share of that. It was the loss of a friend.

I had developed a friendship with the wife of a teacher with whom my husband taught school. She had two boys about the age of our two children. They became great friends, and so did we. We spent a lot of time together as families. She became almost like a sister to me. We were members of the same church family, but my husband took a preaching job across town; and her husband took a teaching job in a different school. We remained friends, but we obviously did not spend as much time together as we had in the past.

Some time passed, and I began to hear some rumors about my friend, things I didn’t like hearing. At first, I didn’t believe they were true; but then I received a call from her husband that verified my worst fears. She was having an affair. I had to hear it from her, so I called and made arrangements to see her. She was different, and sadly what I had learned was true. She wanted out of her marriage, and this was her reasoning. She said, “God would not want me to be married to a man and be unhappy.”  This was her justification for her sin.

The New American Oxford Dictionary defines justified as, “having, done for, or marked by a good or legitimate reason.” To justify is to, “show or prove to be right or reasonable; be a good reason for.” Justification is, “the action of showing something to be right or reasonable; good reason for something that exists or has been done; the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God.”

My friend thought she was “justified” in her affair because she was unhappy in her marriage. She found this explanation “a good reason,” “a reasonable explanation,” even making it “righteous in the sight of God.” We know her sin was not justified because she violated a command of God. Adultery was condemned under the Old Law, and it is condemned under the New Law (Matthew 5, Hebrews 13:4 and other passages). The writer of Hebrews says that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, ESV). The expectation of the Lord has not changed. Adultery is still a sin.

When God gave Moses the law to govern the people of Israel, He laid out laws to cover all aspects of their lives. One of the things He said was “…I will not justify the wicked” (Exodus 23:7 KJV). God just isn’t going to justify those who disobey His laws.

Isaiah 53 is an interesting chapter. We often use verses 8 and 9 to show that God doesn’t think like we do. Though this is a fact, confirmed by this passage, there is more to this chapter. We have missed a very important fact later in the chapter. Isaiah is speaking for the purpose of showing the state of happiness available to believers. He is speaking to people who do not value the blessings available from the Father. Here he invites the people to be obedient, turn from their evil ways, and repent of their sins (verses 6-7). Then we have the explanation that “My thoughts are not your thoughts; your ways are not my ways.” Verse 11 supplies us with why we need to obey His voice and not our own. Isaiah says the reason is “it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” There is a purpose behind the commands God gives us. This was true for Israel, and it is true for us today. God has a purpose for His laws, and that is to accomplish His purpose—not ours.

In Luke 10, Jesus was approached by a lawyer whom Scripture says wanted to test Jesus. He asked, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied that he should love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself. Verse 29 says, “But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” His questions were designed not only to test, but also to justify himself.

When Jesus found the Pharisee and the publican in the temple, He found them praying. The Pharisee prayed with great praise for himself and thankfulness that he was not like the wretched publican that stood beside him. When the publican prayed, he prayed for God to be merciful to him because he was a sinner. Jesus said, “This man went down to his house justified, rather than the other” (Luke 18:14).

My friend lived in this adulterous relationship for many years. The man with whom she had the affair had a wife, and she would not divorce him. My friend left her two boys because she said she was the one unhappy and not them. She left her house and most of her belongings. She moved into a trailer, quite a contrast from her beautiful brick home and lovely furnishings. After the man’s wife died, they married. He was much older than she was, and he became ill. She put him in a nursing home, because she didn’t want to take care of him. When he died, she was all alone with no one to comfort her. She had cut herself off from everyone that had cared about her: family, friends, and her church family. Though many of us tried over and over again to help, she refused to repent. She felt “justified” in her sin.

So, here is the point to this story. Anyone can justify what they do and how they live. They justify themselves by what they think God thinks. God thinks what He tells us in His Word. Just as children are not always happy with rules by which they must live, we may not always be happy with God’s rules. Nevertheless, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.

Sandra Oliver

Can members of the LORD’s body, the church, take each other to court?

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 KJV Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Christians have a higher law. Their lives are governed by principles not known to, or accepted by the world. As you read the following scriptures, ask yourself if worldly people would pay any attention to these commands.

Matthew 5:9-12 KJV Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:21-22 KJV Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5:23-26 KJV Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Matthew 5:27-30 KJV Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:31-32 KJV It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matthew 5:33-37 KJV Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Matthew 5:38-41 KJV Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 5:42-48 KJV Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (See also:

Matthew 7:1-5 KJV Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

It is a well-known fact that doctors and medical personnel must be careful not to reveal personal information about patients? Even employers are held to strict rules regarding employee privacy.

• LEGAL INFORMATION INSTITUTE (covers all areas)
• HEALTH INFORMATION PRIVACY

There might be many other situations where people have a right, according to civil law, to bring a suit against a medical person, an employer, or even a personal friend when their privacy has been breached.

As far as the world is concerned, the HIPPA laws and FERPA laws regulate our physical privacy, but who is there that will protect our spiritual privacy? What can a Christian do about malicious character assassination?

Shouldn’t preachers and elders be held to more strenuous standards when church members entrust them with personal information about events in their private lives? Should a preacher or elder spread news about sins when members have confessed and asked for help? If such privacy is disclosed, and the brother’s reputation is destroyed, what can the man or the church members do to help make peace and save that soul?

Matthew 18:21-22 KJV Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

We humans tend to assume the worst about our fellowman, but what if the man offended has determined to live above his past sins? What if he is genuinely trying not to repeat his error? Would public disclosure so discourage him that he could not lift his head in public?

While asking first one Christian and another how they felt about this issue, more than one said they would definitely feel compelled to warn everyone who might come in contact with the offender if the sin were financial dishonesty, sexual assault or pedophilia.

In one congregation we had worked with for a while, the treasurer was exposed for misappropriation of funds.  We were in the mission field and knew nothing about the matter first hand, or so we thought.  As it turned out someone from that congregation contacted us to ask if we had recently lost several sources of support.  Sure enough, a man whom we had asked to bring mail from the P.O. had used the information he gathered from our mail to write to each supporter and have the money directed to himself. How did that pertain to the treasurer in the US? The men who were auditing the books realized those checks were not coming through the treasury anymore, and they assumed the treasurer was the one who had cashed them. That accusation against him was false, but as it turned out, he was proven guilty of embezzlement in other ways. That rather lengthy research exposed two men—one in the mission field and one in the US.

The treasurer in the US congregation did not confess his sin at that time. He simply decided to move his membership to another congregation. When they thought the treasurer was not in any way repentant, several men of that congregation wrote letters to us and to the new congregation to warn that he could not be trusted with financial affairs. But what if he had repented and confessed early on? No doubt he feared he would be forced to return the money, so to try to help him repent and to make peace, the men told him they were not going to demand a repayment.  At that point he confessed and went forward to ask for forgiveness.

Was this situation dependent on his confession? When he tried to hide his sin, the men were still doing their best to search out the gigantic loss of funds.  However, after he confessed and repented, there was no reason to talk about it anymore.

What if the treasurer had confessed right away? What if he had confessed specific sin and been forthright about what he did with the funds? Why would anyone need to spread the news farther?

Back during the Boston-Crossroad movement, there was a man who came to a congregation where we worked and of courses he had to sing better, work harder and baptize more than anyone.  He was quite professional at making converts within the state prison facility. He had had experience at converting men who stood to gain the most from being released. He taught them how to stay out of trouble until they got rewards for good behavior.  Then, when they were released he quite often prevailed on members of the church to invite them to stay with them in their homes until their probation time was over. Of course there was always the emotional appeal of the baptism and the “recovery” history.  Many things were said that did not need to be said if the person had truly repented and wanted to leave that past behind.

I know one preacher who delights in retelling what all he gave up or left behind when he became a Christian—almost as if he is proud of those things. There seems to be no shame.

REGARDING SEXUAL SINS…

If anyone’s past includes documented sexual sins; marriage divorce and remarriage records; and such like, his history will be posted on searchable government records also HERE and HERE.  An individual may warn others merely by passing along a public website.

John 8:3-9 KJV And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

SOMETHING TO PONDER FROM THE OLD LAW:

Deuteronomy 19:15-21 KJV One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. 16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; 17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; 18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. 20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. 21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Proverbs 16:32 KJV He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Beth Johnson

Chennai Teacher Training School

Women’s Studies

Muliebral Viewpoint

Articles and Books by Beth Johnson

by Cindy Colley.

John 14:2-3 “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” NKJV

We were normal elementary school girls who relished playing outdoors and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We had all the world could offer and could imagine nothing more.

Then one day, my sister and I received an invitation from a wealthy relative who wished to treat us to an adventure-day. She took us to museums we never knew existed, explored historical family sites, and laughed at comical renditions of ancestors. Then, in an unprecedented move, this matriarch allowed us to choose where we were to eat. She had but one stipulation; it must be a “fancy restaurant.”

We had absolutely no clue of fancy restaurants. Growing up in a family of eight meant we barely had any knowledge of burger joints. But after much discussion, we agreed on the world’s fanciest restaurant: Shoneys, the Home of the Bigboy!

We had seen the Shoneys’ ads where you ordered at the table and they brought your meal as you remained seated. Plus, at the end of every commercial was featured a to-die-for strawberry pie piled high with whipped cream. Dining at a Shoneys was beyond our wildest dream!

We excitedly proclaimed our restaurant choice and were puzzled when her expression seemed one of disappointment. However, she graciously took us to our “fancy” restaurant where we got our picture made with the Bigboy and savored the most delicious hamburger, french fries, and strawberry pie in existence.

Today, our restaurant-repertoire has expanded just a bit and we laugh recalling our shallow thoughts. Yet long ago, our simple little minds could not comprehend an eating establishment with white tablecloths, or dimly lit candles, or silverware laid out on cloth napkins, for we had never witnessed such unimaginable places.

In the same way, heaven defies all comprehension. Our simple thoughts cannot imagine the celebration we will have as we first encounter the encompassing presence of God, our creator. How will we contain ourselves as Jesus, our Savior, returns to claim us? Can we even fathom the concept of eternity when we hold no prerequisite of an existence without time restrictions?  Our human concepts are simple and earthly and prevent us from accurately picturing the grandeur of things never witnessed.

Sisters, one thing is for sure: heaven will exceed all we can think or imagine! Spending time in the presence of God will be immensely greater than the “commercials” found in scripture of golden cities and walls of jasper stone. Although our most eloquent carnal language fails to describe its glory and there are no thoughts grand enough in our human minds to fathom being held in the loving presence of God, we can trust it will be far beyond our wildest dreams!

Father God, we anxiously await eternity with You.

Blessings,

Rita

Mark 16:7 “But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.” ESV

The apostle Peter’s life was marked by ups and downs as his loyalty to the Savior flip-flopped between faithful and frightful. Peter had walked and talked and eaten and communed with Jesus. Just imagine the impossible events he witnessed: the blind made to see, the lame made to walk, and corpses made to breathe life again. Being with the Savior meant Peter’s faith was so rock-solid that he found himself walking on water and boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost.

But make no mistake, Peter also experienced agonizing seasons of failure. Yes, stepping out of a boat to walk on water required unprecedented trust, but when Peter’s focus shifted away from the mighty Savior to gaze upon the mighty waves of the sea, he found himself drowning, desperately reaching for the Savior’s touch. And, as Peter cowered around a fire on the night of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest, his fear was so overwhelming that denying Jesus was the first thing on his lips.

Then, the unimaginable happened: Jesus Christ was crucified and laid in a tomb.

As women arrived at the tomb three days later, they never anticipated Jesus would be missing. Yet, there in His place sat a messenger who shared the good news of His resurrection. The women were instructed to go and tell this good news to the disciples and to Peter.

Yes, Peter the traitor, the denier, the one who sank in the waves, got his own personal shout-out.

Have you ever wondered why Peter was specifically mentioned by name? Could it be the women would have never dared tell a traitor this good news? Perhaps the women might have assumed Jesus to be angry with Peter and not want him near. But Jesus knew the pain in Peter’s heart. Peter was in great need of mercy for surely, he struggled with what he had done. Just perhaps Peter was called by name because Jesus wished to redeem Peter.

Our lives can mimic Peter’s journey. We can have seasons of rock-solid, unshakeable trust in Jesus. We can enjoy an abundance of patience, respond to all annoyances with grace, and relish serving others. But when circumstances change, we may find ourselves stumbling in our faith-walk, living a life in denial of Jesus, and unable to utter a prayer. But just as Christ drew Peter back to Him, He draws us today. So sisters, relish in the words of Mark 16:7 for they offer us that beautiful glimpse into the heart of Jesus – a heart overflowing with forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Father God, thank you for loving us through the weak seasons of our lives.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

Jesus cleansed the temple (Sandra Oliver)

HOW IMPORTANT ARE WE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD?

This quarter I have been teaching the parables of Jesus in my fourth and fifth grade class. I love this study, and I always learn something from the parables that I had never seen before. Yesterday’s lesson was on the lost sheep. I also included the lost coin and the prodigal son.

Parables are simply earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Jesus used these stories often to answer the scribes and Pharisees when they asked Him questions and tried to trick Him. Some of them have obvious meanings while others have to be studied more diligently to understand what Jesus is trying to teach.

The parable of the lost sheep and lost coin are covered in about seven verses, and they are about lost and recovered items. The third, the prodigal son, is a longer story with an ending that leaves one wondering about the outcome. God is shown in all three: a shepherd, a woman, and a father.

The reason Jesus told these particular parables was because the scribes and Pharisees were murmuring against him because He ate with publicans and sinners. The Pharisees only socialized with other Pharisees and other Jewish leaders. They fit our modern-day description of snobs. When Jesus heard their gossip, He chose these parables to teach them a lesson.

In the first story, a shepherd had 100 sheep. One became lost, and the shepherd left the 99 to go rescue the one.

In the second story, a woman had ten silver coins. One was lost, and she swept her house looking for the coin. In both cases, the lost was found; and there was rejoicing over the return of the lost sheep and coin.

In the third story, a more involved situation arose. A father of two sons was approached by the younger. The son requested his inheritance immediately. Under the Jewish law, the older son received double the amount of the other children in the family. The inheritance was to be handed out at the death of the father. This was an unusual request from the younger son, but the father granted his request. The son took the money, left for the big city, and squandered his inheritance on “riotous living.” He had lots of friends until he ran out of money. To complicate matters, there was a famine in the land. He was hungry, had no money, no friends, and he needed a job. The only work he could find was working for a pig farmer. Those listening to this story would have been horrified by this, because pigs were considered unclean to the Jews. Nevertheless, the boy took the job; and he was so hungry he would have eaten the husks like the pigs ate.

I love the next part of this story. Luke says, “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants’” (Luke 15:17-19 ESV).

With a humble heart and a repentant spirit, the young man returned home. He would have been dirty, stinky, and dejected. He had no idea what awaited him when he arrived. He knew his father could send him away or hire him as a servant. What he received was probably not at all what he expected. With open arms, his father greeted his stinky, dirty body. He embraced him and kissed him. Even though he was greeted warmly, he confessed that he had sinned against heaven and his father (verse 18). Then he begged for a job as a servant.

The father didn’t dwell on the sin but rather called for clean clothes, a ring, and shoes for his son. He had a feast prepared and called for a celebration. Everyone was ready to celebrate except the older brother. He was jealous and sullen and became angry—so angry that he refused to go to the feast. The story ends with the older brother given the chance to celebrate with them, but we have no idea if he did.

Before I gave the ending to the story, I asked the question, “What choices did the father have?” After some thought, one of the boys said, “He could say no. He could take him back.” So, I told the rest of the story. At the end, I asked, “Why do you think the father welcomed him home?” The same student said, “He was a Jew, wasn’t he? He was one of God’s chosen people. He belonged to God.” He got it! The boy had sinned against the heavenly Father and against his earthly father. When he asked for forgiveness, he was forgiven.

So, how important are we to God? In Peter’s description of the return of the Lord to earth, he answers this question. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (Second Peter 3:9).

God wants everyone to be saved. He created man, and He wants us all to be a part of His chosen people. Just as Peter told the people to grow in grace and knowledge in verse 18, so the prodigal son grew in his understanding of the need to be obedient to his physical father. And just as Jesus saw the need to be with sinners and publican, He used that opportunity to teach them the lesson of obedience to the heavenly Father in order to receive our spiritual reward.

Sandra Oliver