Monday, March 31, 2014
Free sermon on Acts 27:31
"Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved." Acts 27:31
In the above cited verse, Paul is a passenger on a ship and is being escorted to Rome for a trial. The ship had sailed from port despite Paul’s warning that they would be in great peril if they did and that they should remain in the harbor. Now they are in the midst of a storm and things are looking pretty grim. Some of the crew were about to leave the ship when Paul, speaking to the Centurion in charge said those cited words. Keep those words in mind and we’ll revisit them later in this lesson.
I was reminded of this warning by Paul when I reread something about another "warning." I had read and saved this little piece many years ago and upon reading it again and, what with all the political "goings-on" for the last few years I thought that it might be good to dust it off and let you see if you consider it applicable for a lesson today.
Let me just opine something more before I present you with the article I referred to a moment ago. You know, the word "cannot" is a word that most people really don’t like hearing, do we? And, as we age in life, we don’t even like to think about that word. As in becoming aware of some things we "cannot" do anymore that we had no trouble doing earlier in our lives. The word just sort of incorporates a negative image, doesn’t it?
Okay, that said, here’s some words penned by a minister (name unknown to me) way back in 1916. I perceive his thoughts as being like some that are just apropos, or pertinent, to all times and seem, to me anyway, most appropriate to our recent "times." He entitled his little piece: "The Ten Cannots" and after we read his "cannots" I’ll give you some Biblical "cannots" that I feel are good for us to also keep in mind.
"You CANNOT bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift."
"You CANNOT help small men by tearing down big men."
"You CANNOT strengthen the weak by weakening the strong."
"You CANNOT lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer."
"You CANNOT help the poor man by destroying the rich."
"You CANNOT keep out of trouble by spending more than your income."
"You CANNOT further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred."
"You CANNOT establish security on borrowed money."
"You CANNOT build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative
and independence."
"You CANNOT help men permanently by doing for them what they could and
should do for themselves."
Now I ask you, is there even one of those "cannots" that isn’t dead-on with what we’ve seen going on in our world today? I wasn’t around in 1916 so I can’t testify as to their appropriateness then but, I sure can as to what’s happening now. Now here’s some more "cannots" selected by me that are also appropriate for all times and occasions. You might think of some others, but these are mine.
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill CANNOT be hid." Mt. 5:14
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other.
Ye CANNOT serve God and mammon." Mt. 6:24
"A good tree CANNOT bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Mt. 7:18
"And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom CANNOT stand.
And if a house be divided against itself, that house CANNOT stand." Mk. 3:23-25
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, CANNOT be my disciple." Luke 14:27
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he CANNOT see the kingdom of God." John 3:3
"Abide in me and I in you. As the branch CANNOT bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." John 15:4
"So they that are in the flesh CANNOT please God." Rom. 8:8
"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." 1Cor. 15:50
"In hope of eternal life, which God, that CANNOT lie, promised before the world began." Titus 1:3
Remember that I told you we’d revisit our preamble verse? Well, here’s where and how we’ll do that. In a parabolic sense, think of Christ as the "ship" in which we’re traveling on our journey and think of "Rome" as representative of our heavenly home. When we do that, it’s pretty easy to see the parable, isn’t it?
If we "jump ship"
Ron Covey
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Rodney Carroll always wore the right hat in the right situation
What He Did Best
Adam Kemp wrote: "Rodney Carroll always wore the right hat in the right situation."
Rodney lost his hair at an early age, so he was always wearing a hat. He wore a Red Sox hat during baseball season, an "Indian Jones" style hat during Bible camp, and a flat cap for everyday wear.
The expression - "he wore many hats" - also describes Rodney in that he not only served as the minister for Ninnekah Church of Christ in Chickasha, OK, but also as a counselor and patriarch for the Chickasha community.
It was while he was wearing one of those "hats" that Rodney lost his life....
He was returning from picking up his wife, Diana, at the Oklahoma City airport when the car in front of them lost traction on an icy road near Chickasha and struck a barrier. Immediately, Rodney, age 61, put on his characteristic "helping others hat" and jumped out of his SUV to try to help the hurt couple in the car. "That's when a school bus behind them also lost control on the ice, striking Rod and killing him," reports Kemp.
The 26 church pews inside the small sheet metal building that houses the Ninnekah Church of Christ were filled to capacity on the day of Rodney's funeral. Memories were shared and appreciation was given concerning the life of their friend, mentor, and counselor.
"We lost the best man we've ever known," said his wife, Diana. "He left this world doing what he did best and that was helping others."
Rodney's life and even the circumstances of his death reflect the life and death of the One concerning whom Rodney preached.
You and I have wrecked OUR lives due to our sin.... But Jesus came to our rescue! In order to save us, however, He had to give His life for us. Only the precious blood of Jesus, God's Perfect Son, could pay the price for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19). Jesus, who lived His life seeking to help and to save others, willingly laid down His life (John 10:17-18) so that we might have forgiveness of our sins and receive the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).
God will save those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His word (1 John 1:7).
Jesus lived and He died "doing what He did best"... and that was helping - and saving - others."
Won't YOU accept His offer of salvation on His terms?
David A. Sargent
Adam Kemp wrote: "Rodney Carroll always wore the right hat in the right situation."
Rodney lost his hair at an early age, so he was always wearing a hat. He wore a Red Sox hat during baseball season, an "Indian Jones" style hat during Bible camp, and a flat cap for everyday wear.
The expression - "he wore many hats" - also describes Rodney in that he not only served as the minister for Ninnekah Church of Christ in Chickasha, OK, but also as a counselor and patriarch for the Chickasha community.
It was while he was wearing one of those "hats" that Rodney lost his life....
He was returning from picking up his wife, Diana, at the Oklahoma City airport when the car in front of them lost traction on an icy road near Chickasha and struck a barrier. Immediately, Rodney, age 61, put on his characteristic "helping others hat" and jumped out of his SUV to try to help the hurt couple in the car. "That's when a school bus behind them also lost control on the ice, striking Rod and killing him," reports Kemp.
The 26 church pews inside the small sheet metal building that houses the Ninnekah Church of Christ were filled to capacity on the day of Rodney's funeral. Memories were shared and appreciation was given concerning the life of their friend, mentor, and counselor.
"We lost the best man we've ever known," said his wife, Diana. "He left this world doing what he did best and that was helping others."
Rodney's life and even the circumstances of his death reflect the life and death of the One concerning whom Rodney preached.
You and I have wrecked OUR lives due to our sin.... But Jesus came to our rescue! In order to save us, however, He had to give His life for us. Only the precious blood of Jesus, God's Perfect Son, could pay the price for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19). Jesus, who lived His life seeking to help and to save others, willingly laid down His life (John 10:17-18) so that we might have forgiveness of our sins and receive the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).
God will save those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His word (1 John 1:7).
Jesus lived and He died "doing what He did best"... and that was helping - and saving - others."
Won't YOU accept His offer of salvation on His terms?
David A. Sargent
Friday, March 28, 2014
Heaven Is Not A Nudist Colony!
Some wag noted that preachers who formerly preached on women's clothing have been compelled to turn to other subjects because there just isn't enough material anymore! True or not, "bare" season rapidly approaches. As regards clothing, millions of Americans will "take it off, take it all off," or at least take too much of it off as temp's rise. Jails, schools, some commercial enterprises, and other organizations recognize the importance of a certain kind and amount of clothing and enforce a dress code. But many in society and, even worse, in the church, are so casual about a personal dress code that at times it seems as if clothing itself is now optional. Without a reference to the Bible, Mark Twain observed, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society." The Bible's message on clothing may not get much ink these days, but it says some very direct, discriminating things about the way people dress.
* Proverbs 4:10 teaches that a woman can dress like a prostitute: "And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart" (English Standard Version).
* Ezekiel 16:35-37 Here God described Judah as a "harlot" (prostitute), and used graphic words to describe what He would do to judge their sins/idolatry: "surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness."
* Isaiah 47:2-3 These verses record God's words through the prophet Isaiah as the Lord described the judgment that was coming on the nation of Babylon: "Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen; I will take vengeance, And I will not arbitrate with a man." Be careful to note the Biblical language here connects "nakedness" and being "uncovered" with "shame." Many in our world, and some in the church, have completed severed that connection.
* 1 Timothy 2:9-10 "that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation." * See also Genesis 3:21; Exodus 28:2-3, 40-43; Matthew 22:11-12; Revelation 3:18, etc. Second Corinthians 5:2-3 assures us Heaven is not a nudist colony -- "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked."
I realize some of these passages are teaching the need for spiritual clothing, not physical. But the logic and arguments the writers use are drawn from the undeniable fact God views immodesty in dress as shameful and sinful, whether the nakedness is of the body or the soul. Christians should study out and pay attention to how often the Bible uses the shame of nakedness and insufficient covering as a metaphor to describe those outside His will. Heaven is not a nudist colony. No one there will be undressed for everyone there will be clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
Think about it.
--by Dan Gulley,
* Proverbs 4:10 teaches that a woman can dress like a prostitute: "And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart" (English Standard Version).
* Ezekiel 16:35-37 Here God described Judah as a "harlot" (prostitute), and used graphic words to describe what He would do to judge their sins/idolatry: "surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness."
* Isaiah 47:2-3 These verses record God's words through the prophet Isaiah as the Lord described the judgment that was coming on the nation of Babylon: "Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen; I will take vengeance, And I will not arbitrate with a man." Be careful to note the Biblical language here connects "nakedness" and being "uncovered" with "shame." Many in our world, and some in the church, have completed severed that connection.
* 1 Timothy 2:9-10 "that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation." * See also Genesis 3:21; Exodus 28:2-3, 40-43; Matthew 22:11-12; Revelation 3:18, etc. Second Corinthians 5:2-3 assures us Heaven is not a nudist colony -- "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked."
I realize some of these passages are teaching the need for spiritual clothing, not physical. But the logic and arguments the writers use are drawn from the undeniable fact God views immodesty in dress as shameful and sinful, whether the nakedness is of the body or the soul. Christians should study out and pay attention to how often the Bible uses the shame of nakedness and insufficient covering as a metaphor to describe those outside His will. Heaven is not a nudist colony. No one there will be undressed for everyone there will be clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
Think about it.
--by Dan Gulley,
Monday, March 24, 2014
What are Christians to to be faithful in?
“Most men
will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can
find?—Proverbs 20:6
As I
researched this passage, I came across two other versions that really caught my
attention. One is from the Contemporary English Version: “There are many who
say, “You can trust me!” But can they be trusted?” The other is found in the
Good News Bible: “Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just
try to find someone who really is!” It is easy to find those who pretend to be
faithful, who talk about their generosity and love but it is often difficult to
find the fruits of their proud declarations (Luke 18:10-14, Matt. 6:2, James
2:14-18, 1 John 3:18-19).
Faithfulness
is expected of all of us (1 Cor. 4:2). We talk about faithfulness a lot and
there is not one of us who has not quoted many times and will continue to quote
for so long as we live Revelation 2:10 “…..be thou faithful unto death and I
will give thee a crown of life.” Question, what are we to be faithful in? Let me
suggest just a few things for your consideration:
1. Studying the word of God—2 Tim 2:15
2. Prayer—Phil. 4:6, Heb. 4:16, 1 Thess. 5:17
3. Being an example of the believer—1 Tim. 4:12
4. Refraining from evil—1 John 2:15-17, Jas. 1:27, 1 Thess.
5:22
5. Doing good—Matt. 5:16, Gal. 6:10
6. Family relationships—Eph. 5:22, 25, 6:1-4, Matt. 19:4-9
7. To the church—Matt. 6:33, Heb. 10:25
8. To set affections in right place—Matt. 6:19-21, Col. 3:1-2
9. To think on the right things—Phil. 4:8
10. To watch ye, stand fast in the faith, act like men, be
strong
and do all things in love—1 Cor. 16:13-14
11. Love Jesus and whatever you do, do it by his authority—
Mark 12:30, John 14:15, Col. 3:17
I was once
involved in an annual tug-of-war across a local river. As a freshman, it was my
first one and I was extremely nervous because I did not want to be pulled into
that river. Just before starting, one of my fellow students asked the Professor
who was urging us on, what do we do? I will never forget his answer: “Hold on
for dear life and do not let go”! Friends, that is exactly what being faithful
to God is all about. If we hold fast to his unchanging hand and never let go,
then one day we will be at home with the redeemed of all ages.
Charles
Hicks
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Catholic church "gay marriage"
"I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom. 12:1-2 ESV)
It’s my prayer and hope that by the time I’m finished with this lesson you’ll understand why I started with the above scripture reading. Notice that Paul says there that we are not to be "conformed to this world." The word "conformed" simply means that we’re not to be "fashioned" or "guided" by the world’s wisdom.
Rather, he says for us to be "transformed" which means to be "changed in mind." Instead of following the world’s wisdom, follow God’s wisdom. Or better said, in keeping with the scripture there, to follow that "worship" which is "acceptable" to Him. And I submit to your consideration that anything in the way of the world’s idea of worshiping God or any doctrine/teaching of man that differs from God’s Word, is "not acceptable."
Now you’re probably wondering what might have directed my thoughts to this subject matter today and in case you are - here’s where my inspiration originated. Basically, that subject will be a lesson on departing from God’s wisdom and man’s insertion of his own wisdom. I’ll do that by using a particular issue prevalent in the world today - homosexuality and God’s condemnation of it.
Romans 1:24-28 shows us, pretty plainly I might add, what God thinks of those who practice such behavior. If you read those verses you’ll see that He describes that behavior as being "unclean" in verse 24 and then says that such conduct is "vile affections" in verse 26. Then in verse 28 we find a description that really fits those deviant souls as having a "reprobate mind." Romans was written in Greek and in that language the word "reprobate" means "unapproved" or "rejected."
Probably serving to give us a better idea of how God views this sin is what we read in Lev. 18:22 He calls such behavior as being an "abomination" (something abhorrent). And, in helping us to understand how God sees this sin, let us not overlook what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah which was directly attributable to that sin. You can read the account in Gen. 19 but let me also refer you to Jude 7 where it says: "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire."
Nope, I have no trouble understanding what God thinks about the practice of homosexuality because He tells us His views, as we just read. Now here is what "directed" my mind towards this lesson topic of man inserting his belief/teaching/wisdom into "religion" with that teaching being opposed to God’s.
And, keep in mind a truism that I’ve mentioned in past lessons. "It takes as much authority to change a law as it does to make the law." Anyone doing such a thing is placing themselves on an equal level with God. How blasphemous can a person be who does that?
In early March of this year I was listening to an interview between a news’ show host and the leader of a particular homosexual group. The subject under discussion was regarding a recent statement made by the Pope indicating a change in the Catholic church’s attitude towards "gay marriage."
Asked by the host what he (the group leader) thought about the Pope’s statement, the leader replied that he was "glad to see that the Pope has changed from trying to get society to fit the church. That now he’s going to do the opposite." Meaning, to my understanding of his reply, that the church is going to "fit" itself to "society."
Let me ask you - isn’t that the motivation of many "religious leaders" today? IE: the teaching, regardless of what behavior the subject matter is, that religion will have to "change to fit" the ever-changing mores of society. We even see some in the Lord’s Church advocating that society is different today than it was when the Gospel was first given. That’s just another way of saying that it’s "old fashioned." Therefore, it’s seen as being adaptable by man to fit the times.
It’s my humble opinion that those who promote this belief are no different than the Pope in Rome and his conforming to society. By this promotion, they are giving up God’s precept of man changing to "fit the church" into man’s precept of "fitting the church" to society. I read in some publications where those doing the promoting of "updating the Gospel" (my phrase) are referred to as "Change Agents." Sounds like an apt title to me.
I believe as the apostle Paul did, that anyone, Pope, preacher, elder or even "an angel from heaven" that advocates the doctrine of "fitting the church" to society - "let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8-9)
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey
It’s my prayer and hope that by the time I’m finished with this lesson you’ll understand why I started with the above scripture reading. Notice that Paul says there that we are not to be "conformed to this world." The word "conformed" simply means that we’re not to be "fashioned" or "guided" by the world’s wisdom.
Rather, he says for us to be "transformed" which means to be "changed in mind." Instead of following the world’s wisdom, follow God’s wisdom. Or better said, in keeping with the scripture there, to follow that "worship" which is "acceptable" to Him. And I submit to your consideration that anything in the way of the world’s idea of worshiping God or any doctrine/teaching of man that differs from God’s Word, is "not acceptable."
Now you’re probably wondering what might have directed my thoughts to this subject matter today and in case you are - here’s where my inspiration originated. Basically, that subject will be a lesson on departing from God’s wisdom and man’s insertion of his own wisdom. I’ll do that by using a particular issue prevalent in the world today - homosexuality and God’s condemnation of it.
Romans 1:24-28 shows us, pretty plainly I might add, what God thinks of those who practice such behavior. If you read those verses you’ll see that He describes that behavior as being "unclean" in verse 24 and then says that such conduct is "vile affections" in verse 26. Then in verse 28 we find a description that really fits those deviant souls as having a "reprobate mind." Romans was written in Greek and in that language the word "reprobate" means "unapproved" or "rejected."
Probably serving to give us a better idea of how God views this sin is what we read in Lev. 18:22 He calls such behavior as being an "abomination" (something abhorrent). And, in helping us to understand how God sees this sin, let us not overlook what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah which was directly attributable to that sin. You can read the account in Gen. 19 but let me also refer you to Jude 7 where it says: "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire."
Nope, I have no trouble understanding what God thinks about the practice of homosexuality because He tells us His views, as we just read. Now here is what "directed" my mind towards this lesson topic of man inserting his belief/teaching/wisdom into "religion" with that teaching being opposed to God’s.
And, keep in mind a truism that I’ve mentioned in past lessons. "It takes as much authority to change a law as it does to make the law." Anyone doing such a thing is placing themselves on an equal level with God. How blasphemous can a person be who does that?
In early March of this year I was listening to an interview between a news’ show host and the leader of a particular homosexual group. The subject under discussion was regarding a recent statement made by the Pope indicating a change in the Catholic church’s attitude towards "gay marriage."
Asked by the host what he (the group leader) thought about the Pope’s statement, the leader replied that he was "glad to see that the Pope has changed from trying to get society to fit the church. That now he’s going to do the opposite." Meaning, to my understanding of his reply, that the church is going to "fit" itself to "society."
Let me ask you - isn’t that the motivation of many "religious leaders" today? IE: the teaching, regardless of what behavior the subject matter is, that religion will have to "change to fit" the ever-changing mores of society. We even see some in the Lord’s Church advocating that society is different today than it was when the Gospel was first given. That’s just another way of saying that it’s "old fashioned." Therefore, it’s seen as being adaptable by man to fit the times.
It’s my humble opinion that those who promote this belief are no different than the Pope in Rome and his conforming to society. By this promotion, they are giving up God’s precept of man changing to "fit the church" into man’s precept of "fitting the church" to society. I read in some publications where those doing the promoting of "updating the Gospel" (my phrase) are referred to as "Change Agents." Sounds like an apt title to me.
I believe as the apostle Paul did, that anyone, Pope, preacher, elder or even "an angel from heaven" that advocates the doctrine of "fitting the church" to society - "let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8-9)
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey
Monday, March 17, 2014
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Gen. 2:7
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Gen. 2:7
Could there possibly be anyone on the planet that’s not aware of the missing aircraft, a Boeing 777 known as Malasia Airlines Flt. 370? I doubt it. Hasn’t it been an interesting news story to follow? I don’t think that I’ve ever seen as many "experts" on airplanes and their systems in my life. It looks like the media is dredging the expert pools for anyone willing to offer an opinion on this situation and finding plenty of them.
So far, even though there’s as many scenarios put forth as to what "might" have happened as there are "experts," at the time of this writing the plane, its occupants and its whereabouts are still unknown. I’m leaning as much to the "alien abduction" theory as any of the many proffered. Just kidding, of course but still, at this point, it’s anybody’s guess as to its fate. And, lacking more definitive information, that’s exactly what they are - guesses.
The facts that we do know, as reported by the media, is that there were 239 people on board the aircraft when it left Kuala Lumpur bound for Peking, China. It’s those occupying the aircraft that make up the gist of my lesson today. As in, what you don’t hear mentioned by the media is a term used by the airlines (military & commercial) and shipping companies too that relates to those on the aircraft and I find it so useful to a spiritual application. That term is "Souls On Board."
There are several opinions as to the origin of that term and they range from the ridiculous to the most probable. It did originate in the maritime, or ship-traveling era and was adapted by the air traffic age. It’s a term used to indicate the "total" number of "living" persons on board the aircraft because it could get confusing at times as to whether you were referring to "passengers" or "crew members" or "infants." Thus, "Souls On Board" includes every "living" person on the airplane.
As I mentioned, I find this term interesting because it can be so conducive to a parabolic-type lesson. IE: using a descriptive term relative to a ship or aircraft disaster that can be "laid alongside" a spiritual connection. Let’s just spend some thought time on this term "Souls On Board" for a few moments.
Without a doubt, the prime example of "Souls On Board" a shipping vessel would be the HMS Titanic that left port in England with about 2228 "Souls On Board" and only 705 of those "Souls" survived the sinking of that great ship in the North Atlantic.
There have been many (too many) aircraft/flying disasters we could use for that category of travel, so we might as well just stick with the current one in the news. At some point along the air route, Flt. 370, with its 239 "Souls" disappeared and its’ whereabouts are unknown. Perhaps, by the time you read this, its’ location will have been determined, but as for now, we don’t know the final outcome of the aircraft, thus we don’t know how many, or even if any, of those "Souls" have perished.
But, even without that information we can still draw a spiritual lesson from this scene. I’ll try to put my thoughts on this event and its relation to our lesson together in this manner. First, while the investigators are researching everything they can find out about every "soul" on the plane as to whether some might have been terrorists, I’m more inclined to think about the condition of the "soul" of those "Souls On Board."
As in, what condition was it in to "return to God who gave it?" (Eccl. 12:7) And, as more time passes, it’s looking more and more likely that they did make that "return." I just wonder whether it will be acceptable by Him?
Or, in keeping with another Biblical metaphor, "garment" (Rev. 3:4), how "clean" will it be? It was perfect and unstained when issued. Would it "return" in that condition? Had it been "washed" in the only Jehovah-approved cleansing agent? (Rev. 1:6)
And also I thought: do you think that any of those "Souls On Board" thought that this would be their last day on earth? I suspect that they’re like most other "souls" on earth in that we don’t go around constantly thinking "This is my last day," do we? But, if one is a "righteous soul," one that has their "garment washed" then they don’t have to worry about it.
Think of it this way - all of us are "Souls On Board" this ship we call earth. At some "appointed day" (Acts 17:31), in some manner, we will depart it. At that time we will cease to be among the "Souls On Board" because we won’t fit the definition - "living." God will retrieve that "soul" we were issued and it will "return" to Him in one of two conditions. Either it will be "righteous" (clean) which equals "saved" or "unrighteous" (dirty) and "lost." I refer you to Ezek. 18 verses 20-22 for a reading on these conditions.
One of the saddest mathematical equations in the Bible (to me anyway) is the one found in Matt. 7:13-14. It’s there that Christ tells us that, of all the "Souls On Board" the earth, "many" will "perish" eternally versus the "few" who will "live" eternally. That’s a ratio that just begets sadness, doesn’t it?
I wouldn’t presume to say that I know how God "feels" about something. Whether He’s sad about that "ratio" or not, but really I don’t have to "presume." He tells us as much in His Word. In 2Pet. 3:9 we see where He is "patient" towards the "Souls On Board" this world. That He’s "not wishing that any" of them perish eternally.
And in Ezek. 18:23 we see God ask the rhetorical question "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" Then in verse 32 He answers that question: "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God, so turn and live."
Now, as preachers are wont to say, "in conclusion," He knows that all "Souls On Board" the earth will some day, in some manner, leave this temporal life. But, that "soul" does not have to die eternally.
"But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live , he shall not die." (Ezek. 18:21)
Ron Covey
Could there possibly be anyone on the planet that’s not aware of the missing aircraft, a Boeing 777 known as Malasia Airlines Flt. 370? I doubt it. Hasn’t it been an interesting news story to follow? I don’t think that I’ve ever seen as many "experts" on airplanes and their systems in my life. It looks like the media is dredging the expert pools for anyone willing to offer an opinion on this situation and finding plenty of them.
So far, even though there’s as many scenarios put forth as to what "might" have happened as there are "experts," at the time of this writing the plane, its occupants and its whereabouts are still unknown. I’m leaning as much to the "alien abduction" theory as any of the many proffered. Just kidding, of course but still, at this point, it’s anybody’s guess as to its fate. And, lacking more definitive information, that’s exactly what they are - guesses.
The facts that we do know, as reported by the media, is that there were 239 people on board the aircraft when it left Kuala Lumpur bound for Peking, China. It’s those occupying the aircraft that make up the gist of my lesson today. As in, what you don’t hear mentioned by the media is a term used by the airlines (military & commercial) and shipping companies too that relates to those on the aircraft and I find it so useful to a spiritual application. That term is "Souls On Board."
There are several opinions as to the origin of that term and they range from the ridiculous to the most probable. It did originate in the maritime, or ship-traveling era and was adapted by the air traffic age. It’s a term used to indicate the "total" number of "living" persons on board the aircraft because it could get confusing at times as to whether you were referring to "passengers" or "crew members" or "infants." Thus, "Souls On Board" includes every "living" person on the airplane.
As I mentioned, I find this term interesting because it can be so conducive to a parabolic-type lesson. IE: using a descriptive term relative to a ship or aircraft disaster that can be "laid alongside" a spiritual connection. Let’s just spend some thought time on this term "Souls On Board" for a few moments.
Without a doubt, the prime example of "Souls On Board" a shipping vessel would be the HMS Titanic that left port in England with about 2228 "Souls On Board" and only 705 of those "Souls" survived the sinking of that great ship in the North Atlantic.
There have been many (too many) aircraft/flying disasters we could use for that category of travel, so we might as well just stick with the current one in the news. At some point along the air route, Flt. 370, with its 239 "Souls" disappeared and its’ whereabouts are unknown. Perhaps, by the time you read this, its’ location will have been determined, but as for now, we don’t know the final outcome of the aircraft, thus we don’t know how many, or even if any, of those "Souls" have perished.
But, even without that information we can still draw a spiritual lesson from this scene. I’ll try to put my thoughts on this event and its relation to our lesson together in this manner. First, while the investigators are researching everything they can find out about every "soul" on the plane as to whether some might have been terrorists, I’m more inclined to think about the condition of the "soul" of those "Souls On Board."
As in, what condition was it in to "return to God who gave it?" (Eccl. 12:7) And, as more time passes, it’s looking more and more likely that they did make that "return." I just wonder whether it will be acceptable by Him?
Or, in keeping with another Biblical metaphor, "garment" (Rev. 3:4), how "clean" will it be? It was perfect and unstained when issued. Would it "return" in that condition? Had it been "washed" in the only Jehovah-approved cleansing agent? (Rev. 1:6)
And also I thought: do you think that any of those "Souls On Board" thought that this would be their last day on earth? I suspect that they’re like most other "souls" on earth in that we don’t go around constantly thinking "This is my last day," do we? But, if one is a "righteous soul," one that has their "garment washed" then they don’t have to worry about it.
Think of it this way - all of us are "Souls On Board" this ship we call earth. At some "appointed day" (Acts 17:31), in some manner, we will depart it. At that time we will cease to be among the "Souls On Board" because we won’t fit the definition - "living." God will retrieve that "soul" we were issued and it will "return" to Him in one of two conditions. Either it will be "righteous" (clean) which equals "saved" or "unrighteous" (dirty) and "lost." I refer you to Ezek. 18 verses 20-22 for a reading on these conditions.
One of the saddest mathematical equations in the Bible (to me anyway) is the one found in Matt. 7:13-14. It’s there that Christ tells us that, of all the "Souls On Board" the earth, "many" will "perish" eternally versus the "few" who will "live" eternally. That’s a ratio that just begets sadness, doesn’t it?
I wouldn’t presume to say that I know how God "feels" about something. Whether He’s sad about that "ratio" or not, but really I don’t have to "presume." He tells us as much in His Word. In 2Pet. 3:9 we see where He is "patient" towards the "Souls On Board" this world. That He’s "not wishing that any" of them perish eternally.
And in Ezek. 18:23 we see God ask the rhetorical question "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" Then in verse 32 He answers that question: "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God, so turn and live."
Now, as preachers are wont to say, "in conclusion," He knows that all "Souls On Board" the earth will some day, in some manner, leave this temporal life. But, that "soul" does not have to die eternally.
"But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live , he shall not die." (Ezek. 18:21)
Ron Covey
Friday, March 14, 2014
How Long Since You Prayed?
Mosie Lister's gospel hymn "How Long Has It Been?" has encouraged Christians to evaluate their prayer lives since 1956. The lyrics include these words: "How long has it been since you talked with the Lord, And told Him your heart's hidden secrets? How long since you prayed? How long since you stayed On your knees 'til the light shone through?" The song reminds us that at its most fundamental level, prayer is simply having a "talk with the Lord." We live in a connected age. Thanks to wireless communication technology, particularly the "smart" cell phones, people talk to and communicate with others far and near on a continual basis. Email and texting and tweeting and Facebook and Instagram and a score of other social media tools have exponentially increased the numbers of times that people connect and "talk" with others every day. When was the last time you talked on a phone (land-line or wireless), or texted or tweeted or facebooked or otherwise connected with someone else via electronic means? For most who read these words, it has not been very long. Now, back to the words of Lister's hymn - "How long has it been since you talked with the Lord?" The Lord seeks to get texts through to us every day - His Word, the Holy Bible, is a text-based communication! And according to the inspired words of 2 Thessalonians 2:14, the gospel itself is an attempt on God's part to "call" and make a wireless contact with every person living who is of accountable age. God wants to talk to you! And all that is necessary for that to happen is for you to pick up a Bible and read (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). So, the question is, "How long has it been since you talked with the Lord? How long since you prayed?"
The Bible instructs us to connect with God via knee-mail - that is prayer! And to do it constantly. We are directed in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." Colossians 4:2 tells Christians to "Continue earnestly in prayer." Ephesians 6:18 teaches us to be "praying always." Bible writers believed that prayer puts us in touch with God! And so they direct us to stay on-line with Him at all times. In Matthew 6:11, as part of what is referred to as the "model prayer" or "the Lord's Prayer," Jesus instructed His disciples to pray these words: "Give us this day our daily bread." He apparently expects us to be in touch with God on at least a daily basis. So, again, how long since you talked, really talked, to God?
I read a story about the professor of a graduate-school. She had a class of gifted students and included a huge amount of material on their final exam. Tension built in the room and people were sighing and gasping aloud as they began to realize how much material the class had covered and were expected to recall. The following week the prof' tossed the graded papers on her desk and announced, "Class, after I left here last week, the Lord spoke to me. He said, 'Gee, thanks, professor. I hadn't heard from some of those people in years.' " It's just a preacher's story, but it reminds us we ought not to wait until we face a stiff test to talk to God. He wants to hear from you often. So, how long has it been since you prayed?
-- by Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN
The Bible instructs us to connect with God via knee-mail - that is prayer! And to do it constantly. We are directed in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." Colossians 4:2 tells Christians to "Continue earnestly in prayer." Ephesians 6:18 teaches us to be "praying always." Bible writers believed that prayer puts us in touch with God! And so they direct us to stay on-line with Him at all times. In Matthew 6:11, as part of what is referred to as the "model prayer" or "the Lord's Prayer," Jesus instructed His disciples to pray these words: "Give us this day our daily bread." He apparently expects us to be in touch with God on at least a daily basis. So, again, how long since you talked, really talked, to God?
I read a story about the professor of a graduate-school. She had a class of gifted students and included a huge amount of material on their final exam. Tension built in the room and people were sighing and gasping aloud as they began to realize how much material the class had covered and were expected to recall. The following week the prof' tossed the graded papers on her desk and announced, "Class, after I left here last week, the Lord spoke to me. He said, 'Gee, thanks, professor. I hadn't heard from some of those people in years.' " It's just a preacher's story, but it reminds us we ought not to wait until we face a stiff test to talk to God. He wants to hear from you often. So, how long has it been since you prayed?
-- by Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
WILL YOU MAKE THE JUMP?
In the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Butch and Sundance, running from the law, run up to a cliff hundreds of feet high overlooking a river. They are outnumbered by lawmen who have taken up their positions and there is no way out. They get ready to shoot it out, but they know it's a suicide mission. Then Butch looks out over the cliff and sees the river below and says, "I know, we'll jump!" Sundance thinks he's crazy. Butch tells him it's their only hope. Sundance is still reluctant. Butch assures Sundance that the lawmen would never follow them, saying, "Would you make a jump like that you didn't have to?" Sundance says, "I have to, and I'm still not going to." Finally, Sundance gives the reason for his reluctance. He says, "I can't swim." Butch just laughs and says, "Are you kidding? The fall will probably kill you!" But Sundance, because of the predicament, knows he's out of options, and though he can't swim, he jumps.
I think there are times that the Lord leads us into predicaments where the only reasonable thing to do is to jump and trust the Lord. And we know that he'll never let us down. Over and over, the Bible stresses that one of the primary attributes of God is his faithfulness. God is always dependable. You can count on him. He makes his word good. When he tells you he'll do something, you can believe that he will do it. When he makes a promise, you know he's going to keep it. Because God is faithful.
It's interesting to notice how the Bible connects stability in the lives of Christians to the faithfulness of God. Thus, we find statements like this: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23). The reason a Christian is able to stand when life's storms come against him is that his faith is grounded in a God whose promises to him will always be honored.
In Hebrews 11, Sarah is praised with these words: "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11). Here were two people who shared the disappointment over the years of being childless. They had no tangible reason to think anything had changed. Yet, God gave his word to them. And they knew that God was faithful. He wouldn't let them down.
It is essential that we understand this very important truth: God keeps his promises. And it doesn't matter whether it was made to Abraham, David, Paul or you, God has never given a promise that he failed to honor. He is faithful.
All you need to do is to jump.
Have a great day!
Alan Smith
In the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Butch and Sundance, running from the law, run up to a cliff hundreds of feet high overlooking a river. They are outnumbered by lawmen who have taken up their positions and there is no way out. They get ready to shoot it out, but they know it's a suicide mission. Then Butch looks out over the cliff and sees the river below and says, "I know, we'll jump!" Sundance thinks he's crazy. Butch tells him it's their only hope. Sundance is still reluctant. Butch assures Sundance that the lawmen would never follow them, saying, "Would you make a jump like that you didn't have to?" Sundance says, "I have to, and I'm still not going to." Finally, Sundance gives the reason for his reluctance. He says, "I can't swim." Butch just laughs and says, "Are you kidding? The fall will probably kill you!" But Sundance, because of the predicament, knows he's out of options, and though he can't swim, he jumps.
I think there are times that the Lord leads us into predicaments where the only reasonable thing to do is to jump and trust the Lord. And we know that he'll never let us down. Over and over, the Bible stresses that one of the primary attributes of God is his faithfulness. God is always dependable. You can count on him. He makes his word good. When he tells you he'll do something, you can believe that he will do it. When he makes a promise, you know he's going to keep it. Because God is faithful.
It's interesting to notice how the Bible connects stability in the lives of Christians to the faithfulness of God. Thus, we find statements like this: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23). The reason a Christian is able to stand when life's storms come against him is that his faith is grounded in a God whose promises to him will always be honored.
In Hebrews 11, Sarah is praised with these words: "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11). Here were two people who shared the disappointment over the years of being childless. They had no tangible reason to think anything had changed. Yet, God gave his word to them. And they knew that God was faithful. He wouldn't let them down.
It is essential that we understand this very important truth: God keeps his promises. And it doesn't matter whether it was made to Abraham, David, Paul or you, God has never given a promise that he failed to honor. He is faithful.
All you need to do is to jump.
Have a great day!
Alan Smith
"Police Ticket 2-Year-Old!"
One encounters so many headlines while scanning a news site like Yahoo News. I glance quickly over the list and ignore the vast majority. But there was no way I could pass on the story about police ticketing a 2-year-old driving a white convertible.
Once inside the article, I learned that the child was Za'Dariyah Mishaw who lives in Jacksonville, Florida. The convertible turned out to be a child-size pedal car. But the part about police giving her a ticket was absolutely true.
The apartment complex where Za'Dariyah and her family lives has been experiencing crime, and the police have not always been viewed in a positive light. When they responded to a call this past Sunday, they saw the little girl zipping along in the parking lot. They also saw an opportunity to defuse accumulated tensions.
Za'Dariyah was given a ticket for speeding which carried a $4 fine. The response has been entirely favorable; the child is determined to pay her fine and her family has enjoyed the experience. Photos placed on Facebook have attracted over 3 million views and 150,000 "likes". The Jacksonville police made a positive community impact.
God's word, an ancient Book, tells us that this principle works for many situations. Proverbs 17:22 is one example: "A merry heart does good, like medicine. But a broken spirit dries the bones." A community much larger than the Jacksonville apartment complex has now seen a lighter side - a more human side, perhaps - of those who have the serious job of enforcing the law.
A similar proverb states the same idea: "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" (Proverbs 15:13). There are times we need to step back from the seriousness of life and smile. Maybe even laugh.
Does God have a sense of humor? Have you paused to look at a camel lately? Though a beast that is able to bear amazing burdens in near-impossible conditions, the camel has an appearance that naturally makes one smile. So do other creatures the Lord has made. (Have you seen videos of pink flamingos moving about in groups?!)
Consider also the son given to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. Both of those godly people laughed at the idea of having a child at such advanced ages (see Genesis 17:17; 18:12). When God did what they considered impossible, the name God had given to this child (Genesis 17:19) showed His humor; "Isaac" means "He laughs".
Yes, we have serious tasks before us; there are times it is highly inappropriate to laugh. But for all of us the need to have cheerful hearts is a bit of God- given wisdom.
Timothy D. Hall
Once inside the article, I learned that the child was Za'Dariyah Mishaw who lives in Jacksonville, Florida. The convertible turned out to be a child-size pedal car. But the part about police giving her a ticket was absolutely true.
The apartment complex where Za'Dariyah and her family lives has been experiencing crime, and the police have not always been viewed in a positive light. When they responded to a call this past Sunday, they saw the little girl zipping along in the parking lot. They also saw an opportunity to defuse accumulated tensions.
Za'Dariyah was given a ticket for speeding which carried a $4 fine. The response has been entirely favorable; the child is determined to pay her fine and her family has enjoyed the experience. Photos placed on Facebook have attracted over 3 million views and 150,000 "likes". The Jacksonville police made a positive community impact.
God's word, an ancient Book, tells us that this principle works for many situations. Proverbs 17:22 is one example: "A merry heart does good, like medicine. But a broken spirit dries the bones." A community much larger than the Jacksonville apartment complex has now seen a lighter side - a more human side, perhaps - of those who have the serious job of enforcing the law.
A similar proverb states the same idea: "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" (Proverbs 15:13). There are times we need to step back from the seriousness of life and smile. Maybe even laugh.
Does God have a sense of humor? Have you paused to look at a camel lately? Though a beast that is able to bear amazing burdens in near-impossible conditions, the camel has an appearance that naturally makes one smile. So do other creatures the Lord has made. (Have you seen videos of pink flamingos moving about in groups?!)
Consider also the son given to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. Both of those godly people laughed at the idea of having a child at such advanced ages (see Genesis 17:17; 18:12). When God did what they considered impossible, the name God had given to this child (Genesis 17:19) showed His humor; "Isaac" means "He laughs".
Yes, we have serious tasks before us; there are times it is highly inappropriate to laugh. But for all of us the need to have cheerful hearts is a bit of God- given wisdom.
Timothy D. Hall
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
The Center for Disease Control
After I got to the point where I could sit up, do a little reading and writing,
I thought I would get on line and see if there was any information available for
me to do a layman's job of diagnosing what caused me to feel so bad. The Center
for Disease Control says there are three types of influenza viruses: A, B, and
C. Type A and B are human viruses and can cause seasonal epidemics across our
country. Influenza A is divided further into two subtypes: the hemagglutinin (H)
and the neuraminidase (N). There are 18 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 11
different neuraminidase subtypes. Influenza A viruses can be further broken down
into different strains. Current subtypes of influenza A viruses found in people
are influenza A (H1N1) and influenza A (H3N2) viruses. In the spring of 2009, a
new influenza A (H1N1) virus (CDC 2009 H1N1 Flu website) emerged to cause
illness in people. This virus was very different from regular human influenza A
(H1N1) viruses and the new virus caused the first influenza pandemic in more
than 40 years. That virus (often called "2009 H1N1") has now mostly replaced the
H1N1 virus that was previously circulating in humans.
Now that I have bored you with all that technical information, it might (or might not) be comforting to know that flue shots are generally good for protection against three of the dozen or so influenza possibilities. Now, I must confess that I did not get a flu shot this year. Even if I had there was still a 3 in 4 chance I would still get some kind of "the bug." Like I said, "No wonder I felt so bad! Thankfully, I am making progress and plan to be present Wednesday evening to teach my class. Of course there is always the possibility that one of the remaining "bugs" might still come my way! Like Scarlet O'Hare, said, "I'll not think about that right now!"
Now that I have bored you with all that technical information, it might (or might not) be comforting to know that flue shots are generally good for protection against three of the dozen or so influenza possibilities. Now, I must confess that I did not get a flu shot this year. Even if I had there was still a 3 in 4 chance I would still get some kind of "the bug." Like I said, "No wonder I felt so bad! Thankfully, I am making progress and plan to be present Wednesday evening to teach my class. Of course there is always the possibility that one of the remaining "bugs" might still come my way! Like Scarlet O'Hare, said, "I'll not think about that right now!"
An Open And Shut Case by Tom Wacaster
|
Mystery writers produce plots that, more often than not,
revolve around some heinous crime such as murder. Some of the more successful
fictional sleuths include such notable characters such as Sherlock Holmes,
Hercule Peroit, Mark Slone, Colombo, and Jessica Fletcher. Real live detectives
(and even the fictional ones) enjoy cases that are "open and shut." That means
the evidence is so simple, so obvious and so abundant as to make the case
exceptionally easy to solve. I enjoy watching Colombo for the simple reason that
when the police first arrive on the scene the murder appears to be an "open and
shut case." Of course Colombo "doth not think so," and hence, the unfolding of
the story as the apparently inept Lieutenant goes about solving the mystery.
We sometimes use the same terminology to express the simplicity of a problem. "It's an open and shut case!" But I want to use these five words to help us focus on a passage in God's word that has nothing at all to do with the work of a sleuth. Consider these words of our Lord as recorded in the book of Revelation: "To the church at Philadelphia write: These things saith he.that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth" (Rev. 3:7). We can only surmise what prompted these words to the Christians living in the city of "brotherly love" - saints who had faithfully kept the word; who did not deny the name of Christ. In the first century the church endured some of the most severe persecution in the history of Christianity. These Christians may have been tempted to capitulate on the basis that the battle was not going well for the church; that the door of opportunity was not there; that no one would listen. Perhaps the church had ceased to grow as it should, and rather than compromise the truth for the sake of "numbers," these faithful disciples stayed the course. Jesus reminds them that it is He Who opens the doors of opportunity and it is He Who shuts those doors. This truth was demonstrated with ancient Israel when, upon failing to enter the Promised Land by faith, the door was closed and that disobedient generation could not reopen that door, try as they may. Whatever the situation in Philadelphia our Lord reminded them that He has the "key of David." It is He who has the power to open doors; not Rome; not the synagogue of Satan; not the enemies of the church. When once our Lord opens a door, none can shut; and once He has shut the door, none can open. He opens the door of opportunity for His churches; He opens the heart through the teaching and preaching of the gospel; He opens a door of admission into His church, laying down the terms of entrance and fellowship. He also shuts the door, when He pleases. He shuts the door of opportunity and the door of utterance, and leaves obstinate sinners shut up in the hardness of their hearts; He shuts the door of fellowship against unbelievers and profane persons; He shuts the door of heaven against the foolish virgins who have slept away their day of grace; He shuts the door against the workers of iniquity, how vain and confident they may be. There are dark clouds on the horizon! Where the bright light of freedom once shined, the dark clouds of error and sin are now blocking and blinding the eyes of men. Right is now called wrong; sin is glorified and honored. It seems as if the liberal leaders of our land are going about to get their wicked deeds "on the books" and written into law so as to suppress, intimidate, and incarcerate those who would dare speak out against the sins of homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia, fornication, and marriage and divorce. The door into the hearts of men is being shut; the gospel rejected; God's love requited. You and I may be tempted to think that the "unholy trinity" of Congress, the White House, and the Judicial branch of government are closing the doors to our liberty; that the wicked leaders of our generation have successfully silenced the gospel. But when I read these words of Jesus to the saints in Philadelphia I am reminded that all the governments of the world cannot close the doors unless our God permits it! I know not what is in store for this nation, but I fear that our Lord is closing the doors in our country much as He did in Russia in the last century; as He has in Muslim countries around the world; as He has in China, and other places where men have determined in their own mind that they will not bow to the King of kings. We dare not capitulate in the face of adversity. Stay the course brethren; keep your faith in God. And should our God decide to take these freedoms from us, to bring upon this land a famine of the word, to allow our Bibles to be banned, and the truth evil spoken of, let us not forget that our God will accomplish His |
Monday, March 10, 2014
How many people will be in heaven?
Luke 13:23
“Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved…..”
Jesus answer
to this man’s question follows in verse 24 and there are a number of things
about the Lord’s answer that demand our attention today. It is impressive that
Jesus did not give a direct answer to the man’s question. He did not say yes or
no and neither did he quote any kind of number. Now, when you think about it, it
is not really a matter of how many will be saved but rather, who will be saved
and will I be one of them.
His answer:
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able.” With all my heart, I believe we should agonize
over this matter of being saved. We must be earnest in our pursuit of being
saved and must strain with every nerve, making an earnest effort to enter the
strait gate that leads to life everlasting. Here is the difference: Striving
versus just seeking, straining every nerve versus just trying, doing our best
versus just making an attempt. A profession of faith may sound good and it may
even soothe a guilty conscience but do not err in thinking that the Lord does
not know exactly what is in our heart (Jer. 17:10, 1 Chron. 28:9, Rev. 2:23). He
knows whether our faith is genuine or only something from our lips (Matt.
15:8).
Many people
are going to come short of the glory of heaven because they only make a weak,
lazy effort to achieve that goal. It does seem that many have the attitude not
of “how much can I do” but “how little can I do” and one day be at home in
heaven. Make no mistake here, entering that strait gate requires that we do all
we can to enter in. We cannot work part-time and make it. There will be no mark
down prices, no bargain basements. Making it into and through that strait gate
will be achieved only through a mountain of care, pain, difficulty and diligence
on our part. It will require that we deny ourselves, take up our cross and
follow Jesus wherever his footsteps take us (Matt. 16:24, 1 Pet. 2:21, Rom.
12:1-2). Sometimes the road we travel is going to be smooth and easy, sometimes
it is going to rough and treacherous and always there will be an adversary
throwing fiery darts, constantly seeking to devour us (1 Pet.5:8, Eph.
6:16).
One day Jesus
encountered two blind men who begged him to have mercy on them. Jesus asked them
if they believed that he was able to do what they asked, to which they replied,
“Yea Lord”. Jesus reply to them is truly remarkable, “According to your faith,
be it unto you” (Matt. 9:27-30). I wonder, when you stand in judgment pleading
for entry into the heavenly portal, should the Lord say the same to you,
“According to your faith, be it unto you”, where do you think you would spend
eternity based on the faith you now exhibit in not only word but in deeds also
(James 2:14-20).
Charles
Hicks
Book review: Rodney Stark, America’s Blessings
The Christian Worker
Rodney Stark’s book America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists has been eye-opening and rewarding to read and digest. I hope you have been encouraged by the information I have shared with you over the past several weeks. It has shown how out of touch the mainstream media and cultural and political elites are when it comes to understanding who Christians are and what we do and accomplish in life.
Last week, I presented the information showing that Christians tend to be better educated than non-Christians and our teens take their own education more seriously than non-Christians. As you might expect, that college education pays dividends when it comes to occupational prestige.
Back in 1947, Paul Hatt and Cecil North took a sample of Americans concerning 87 job occupations. The sample rated the occupations on a scale, if the job was “excellent,” “good,” “average,” “somewhat below average,” or “poor.” Based on the ratings, scores were then given to the various occupations, ranking them relative to their “prestige.” A Supreme Court Justice scored a 94 while a “shoe shiner” scored a 34.
In 1962, another study was done and the results were equivalent to the 1947 study. Scores for occupations, considering their “prestige,” could be predicted based on the average education of those in that field as well as their average salary. Guess what…?
Among both whites and blacks, those who worshiped weekly scored the highest among upper-income categories! They were also significantly less likely to hold the “lower prestige” jobs. Those who worshiped weekly held 18% of the upper occupational prestige jobs; “sometimes” worshipers held 14% while the “nones” held 12%. In some way, then, church attendance correlates with occupational prestige.
But what about wealth? You would think that college education and occupations with higher prestige would also contribute to greater wealth. How do Christians stack up then? This type of measurement, according to Dr. Stark, is very hard to measure. Yet, there are some statistics that are enlightening.
Among both whites and blacks, those who worship weekly are more likely to own their own home (75% versus those who never worship, 56% among whites. The numbers are 51% and 31%, respectively, for blacks). Those who worship weekly are more likely (32%) to invest in the stock market or mutual funds versus those who do not worship (22%).
Finally, on the other side of the employment line, weekly worshipers are less likely to have ever been unemployed (20%) versus those who never worship (37%). The gap for blacks is 31% and 47%, respectively.
For those who have ever been behind on their rent or mortgage within the past year, 4% worship weekly, 11% never worship. Among those who have ever been on welfare, 28% worship weekly, 43% never worship. One last statistic - for those who have ever been on welfare, 37% worship weekly while 55% have never been to worship. No wonder there is a religious gap between the producers and the consumers!
For those of us who are Christians, none of this comes as a surprise. God put man on earth to work (Gen. 2:15). From one end of the Bible to the other, the message is the same. Paul told the Christians in Colossians: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).
If you live by Christ’s principles, you will get a good education (which, obviously, is not always a college education). You will get a good job. You will keep your job. You will make money. You will get promoted. You’ll make more money. You will have to give to others, providing all the charitable giving we discussed last week.
Indeed, Christianity is good for America.
--Paul Holland
Rodney Stark’s book America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists has been eye-opening and rewarding to read and digest. I hope you have been encouraged by the information I have shared with you over the past several weeks. It has shown how out of touch the mainstream media and cultural and political elites are when it comes to understanding who Christians are and what we do and accomplish in life.
Last week, I presented the information showing that Christians tend to be better educated than non-Christians and our teens take their own education more seriously than non-Christians. As you might expect, that college education pays dividends when it comes to occupational prestige.
Back in 1947, Paul Hatt and Cecil North took a sample of Americans concerning 87 job occupations. The sample rated the occupations on a scale, if the job was “excellent,” “good,” “average,” “somewhat below average,” or “poor.” Based on the ratings, scores were then given to the various occupations, ranking them relative to their “prestige.” A Supreme Court Justice scored a 94 while a “shoe shiner” scored a 34.
In 1962, another study was done and the results were equivalent to the 1947 study. Scores for occupations, considering their “prestige,” could be predicted based on the average education of those in that field as well as their average salary. Guess what…?
Among both whites and blacks, those who worshiped weekly scored the highest among upper-income categories! They were also significantly less likely to hold the “lower prestige” jobs. Those who worshiped weekly held 18% of the upper occupational prestige jobs; “sometimes” worshipers held 14% while the “nones” held 12%. In some way, then, church attendance correlates with occupational prestige.
But what about wealth? You would think that college education and occupations with higher prestige would also contribute to greater wealth. How do Christians stack up then? This type of measurement, according to Dr. Stark, is very hard to measure. Yet, there are some statistics that are enlightening.
Among both whites and blacks, those who worship weekly are more likely to own their own home (75% versus those who never worship, 56% among whites. The numbers are 51% and 31%, respectively, for blacks). Those who worship weekly are more likely (32%) to invest in the stock market or mutual funds versus those who do not worship (22%).
Finally, on the other side of the employment line, weekly worshipers are less likely to have ever been unemployed (20%) versus those who never worship (37%). The gap for blacks is 31% and 47%, respectively.
For those who have ever been behind on their rent or mortgage within the past year, 4% worship weekly, 11% never worship. Among those who have ever been on welfare, 28% worship weekly, 43% never worship. One last statistic - for those who have ever been on welfare, 37% worship weekly while 55% have never been to worship. No wonder there is a religious gap between the producers and the consumers!
For those of us who are Christians, none of this comes as a surprise. God put man on earth to work (Gen. 2:15). From one end of the Bible to the other, the message is the same. Paul told the Christians in Colossians: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).
If you live by Christ’s principles, you will get a good education (which, obviously, is not always a college education). You will get a good job. You will keep your job. You will make money. You will get promoted. You’ll make more money. You will have to give to others, providing all the charitable giving we discussed last week.
Indeed, Christianity is good for America.
--Paul Holland
HEAR COUNSEL AND RECEIVE INSTRUCTION
The Wise Man said, “Hear counsel,
and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end” (Prov.
19:20). We easily recognize there are good things to learn, or traits to
possess, but spiritually we may fail to look to the latter end when it comes to
possessing and growing in spiritual qualities (faith, grace, love, mercy,
etc.).
Jesus instructed the Pharisees to go
and learn what it meant for him to have mercy; “And it came to pass, as Jesus
sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down
with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his
disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus
heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice…” (Matt. 9:10-13). They were in the process of erroneously mocking
and condemning his actions and he gave them the instruction they needed.
But of course they didn’t see the value nor did they consider the latter
end.
It wasn’t just a few chapters later
the Pharisees saw his disciples eating corn and “…they said unto him, Behold,
thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day” (Matt.
12:2). Jesus responded to help them understand scripture and
ended, “But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless” (Matt. 12:7).
Isn’t it startling that failure to learn in this context, not only meant
they would not be merciful, but this lack of understanding would cause them to
condemn the guiltless? How easy it must have been for them to ignore the
instruction to learn about mercy without realizing the resulting latter end
would have them unjustly condemning the innocent.
But that’s just one example and one
trait. Consider Peter’s instruction, “And beside this, giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” And he continues
with, “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But
he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Pet. 1:5-9).
Our latter end is determined by what we do in the beginning and
throughout (Gal. 6:8). May we, like Peter, look to the latter end;
“…for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ” (vs10-11).
—Matthew Johnson
Sunday, March 9, 2014
"THE WHALE..... PUT JONAH..... DOWN THE HATCH.....BUT COUGHED HIM UP..... BECAUSE HE SCRATCHED"
Somewhere along the line I may have mentioned to you that I’m an inveterate
sign reader. And, as I travel quite frequently, both around the Southern
California area and cross country to the East coast (or Left coast as the
pundits call it), I look for interesting signs along the way. And if you’re
looking for them, you’ll find a lot of humdingers. I’m going to talk some today
about "signs," of both the scriptural and non-scriptural type.
When I was a youngster and we were taking a family road trip, usually to "grandma’s" house, it was a game we played to see who could spot a Burma Shave sign first. A few years ago I had the opportunity to buy a little book entitled "The Verse By The Side Of The Road" which is the story of the Burma-Vita Co. and it’s advertisement signs. Not only does it tell the company story, but also gives all of the signs that they posted.
One of those signs seems to relate right well with our class study of Ecclesiastes. Solomon is preaching a sermon there, teaching in great detail about the "vanity" of our lives here on this earthly plain. That’s also the book that talks about the "times and the seasons" for everything so when I read this "verse by the side of the road" it connected me with Solomon’s lesson and something a little more personal. It read: "WITHIN THIS VALE..... OF TOIL..... AND SIN..... YOUR HEAD GROWS BALD..... BUT NOT YOUR CHIN..... BURMA SHAVE."
Let me just mention one more "earthly" sign and then we’ll look at some things seen in the Bible about them. Not far from where I live is a large church/school complex, the name of which isn’t important as far as our lesson is concerned and neither is the individual’s name on the sign. It’s a large marquee-type sign out by the road and it’s some particular words on it that is applicable to our thoughts here. It names the individual as being the "PASTOR AND FOUNDER."
When I absorbed what I had read my first thought was "what arrogance" and "how presumptuous" can a person be in describing themself as such. I immediately recalled the passage in Mt. 16:18 where Jesus said "...I will build MY church" (emphasis by me) and I was thinking about how this individual was putting himself on an equal basis with Christ.
Later on I got to thinking more about it and it sort of dawned upon me that even though he’s still guilty of "pride" and "haughtiness" what he had built and founded was NOT the church Christ built. The actual structure might have been his doing, but that structure is not the Church. But, in my understanding of the Scriptures, he’s also guilty of the sin of "presumption" by presuming that whatever he’s teaching, religious-wise, is equal to the "church" built by Christ.
Well, let’s take a few minutes and look at some "signs" mentioned in the Bible. Any good concordance will tell you that "sign/signs" are seen many times in God’s Word. Throughout the study of Israel in the Old Testament we see "signs" being given them by God, usually as reminder, or proof of His having something miraculous for them.
It’s my personal opinion that their having been given so many "signs" before the Messiah came, when He did they demanded even more. In Mt. 12:38 we see where some Scribes and Pharisees said that they "wished to see a sign from you." The account in Luke 10:15 gives a little more understanding to it by saying that they wanted a "sign from heaven" proving that He was who He claimed to be.
Now these are the same folks who had just witnessed some miracles but apparently chose to ignore them. Sure, He had "healed" the man with the "withered hand" and then "healed" a "demonic-possessed" man who was also "blind." Even with having witnessed these miraculous "signs" they still wanted to see a "sign from heaven."
On another occasion we read about in the 2nd chapter of John we see where Jesus had begun His ministry with the working of "miracles" (vs. 11) and had confronted the "money-changers" at the Temple which He referred to as "my Father’s house." (Vs. 16) And here again, the Jews want Him to show them a "sign" proving His doing "these things." (Vs. 18) It was never enough for the Jews that the "miracles" were "signs" in of themselves.
We don’t really know how many "signs" and "miracles" Jesus performed among His own people, (Jn. 21:25) but it’s evident that they weren’t enough for them to believe that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. When you consider that, it sure adds meaning to what He said in John 20:29, ".....Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Just about anytime and anywhere you travel one thing you look for the most are "road signs." Signs that direct us to a certain location. One thing to remember about the Jews and the "signs" that they ignored or refused to believe were all the "road signs" in the Old Testament that directed them to the Messiah. And, think about this too: when they were asking Jesus for a "sign from heaven" they were looking directly at the greatest sign ever given them.
Paul comments about the propensity of the Jews to always want a "sign" shown to them for them to accept any teaching on religion. In 1Cor. 1:22-23 we read these words: "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles." (ESV)
The life and ministry of Jesus was a "living sign" but His crucifixion was a "stumbling block" to the Jews because they couldn’t accept that it was the way to salvation. That’s why they’re still looking for a "Messiah" to come that will fit their idea of salvation.
I’ll just wrap this up by citing one more scripture that I feel fits with the man who "founded" his church in our area and also addresses our nation and all others of this world.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." (Psa. 127:1) ESV
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey
When I was a youngster and we were taking a family road trip, usually to "grandma’s" house, it was a game we played to see who could spot a Burma Shave sign first. A few years ago I had the opportunity to buy a little book entitled "The Verse By The Side Of The Road" which is the story of the Burma-Vita Co. and it’s advertisement signs. Not only does it tell the company story, but also gives all of the signs that they posted.
One of those signs seems to relate right well with our class study of Ecclesiastes. Solomon is preaching a sermon there, teaching in great detail about the "vanity" of our lives here on this earthly plain. That’s also the book that talks about the "times and the seasons" for everything so when I read this "verse by the side of the road" it connected me with Solomon’s lesson and something a little more personal. It read: "WITHIN THIS VALE..... OF TOIL..... AND SIN..... YOUR HEAD GROWS BALD..... BUT NOT YOUR CHIN..... BURMA SHAVE."
Let me just mention one more "earthly" sign and then we’ll look at some things seen in the Bible about them. Not far from where I live is a large church/school complex, the name of which isn’t important as far as our lesson is concerned and neither is the individual’s name on the sign. It’s a large marquee-type sign out by the road and it’s some particular words on it that is applicable to our thoughts here. It names the individual as being the "PASTOR AND FOUNDER."
When I absorbed what I had read my first thought was "what arrogance" and "how presumptuous" can a person be in describing themself as such. I immediately recalled the passage in Mt. 16:18 where Jesus said "...I will build MY church" (emphasis by me) and I was thinking about how this individual was putting himself on an equal basis with Christ.
Later on I got to thinking more about it and it sort of dawned upon me that even though he’s still guilty of "pride" and "haughtiness" what he had built and founded was NOT the church Christ built. The actual structure might have been his doing, but that structure is not the Church. But, in my understanding of the Scriptures, he’s also guilty of the sin of "presumption" by presuming that whatever he’s teaching, religious-wise, is equal to the "church" built by Christ.
Well, let’s take a few minutes and look at some "signs" mentioned in the Bible. Any good concordance will tell you that "sign/signs" are seen many times in God’s Word. Throughout the study of Israel in the Old Testament we see "signs" being given them by God, usually as reminder, or proof of His having something miraculous for them.
It’s my personal opinion that their having been given so many "signs" before the Messiah came, when He did they demanded even more. In Mt. 12:38 we see where some Scribes and Pharisees said that they "wished to see a sign from you." The account in Luke 10:15 gives a little more understanding to it by saying that they wanted a "sign from heaven" proving that He was who He claimed to be.
Now these are the same folks who had just witnessed some miracles but apparently chose to ignore them. Sure, He had "healed" the man with the "withered hand" and then "healed" a "demonic-possessed" man who was also "blind." Even with having witnessed these miraculous "signs" they still wanted to see a "sign from heaven."
On another occasion we read about in the 2nd chapter of John we see where Jesus had begun His ministry with the working of "miracles" (vs. 11) and had confronted the "money-changers" at the Temple which He referred to as "my Father’s house." (Vs. 16) And here again, the Jews want Him to show them a "sign" proving His doing "these things." (Vs. 18) It was never enough for the Jews that the "miracles" were "signs" in of themselves.
We don’t really know how many "signs" and "miracles" Jesus performed among His own people, (Jn. 21:25) but it’s evident that they weren’t enough for them to believe that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. When you consider that, it sure adds meaning to what He said in John 20:29, ".....Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Just about anytime and anywhere you travel one thing you look for the most are "road signs." Signs that direct us to a certain location. One thing to remember about the Jews and the "signs" that they ignored or refused to believe were all the "road signs" in the Old Testament that directed them to the Messiah. And, think about this too: when they were asking Jesus for a "sign from heaven" they were looking directly at the greatest sign ever given them.
Paul comments about the propensity of the Jews to always want a "sign" shown to them for them to accept any teaching on religion. In 1Cor. 1:22-23 we read these words: "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles." (ESV)
The life and ministry of Jesus was a "living sign" but His crucifixion was a "stumbling block" to the Jews because they couldn’t accept that it was the way to salvation. That’s why they’re still looking for a "Messiah" to come that will fit their idea of salvation.
I’ll just wrap this up by citing one more scripture that I feel fits with the man who "founded" his church in our area and also addresses our nation and all others of this world.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." (Psa. 127:1) ESV
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey
Thursday, March 6, 2014
What is Ash Wednesday? What is Lent?
A close friend asked me over the Internet if I could explain what Ash Wednesday and Lent were all about. They said that several of their friends practiced this and would give up things such as caffeine and chocolate for Lent. The problem was that they couldn't explain why they were doing this. So, here is my answer.
First things first:
Let me state first and foremost, that the practice of both Ash Wednesday and Lent are no where found in the bible. They are not commanded, nor are there any examples of the early Christians practicing these things. They are purely the design of the Catholic church leaders. Granted they were begun from the best of motives. The stated purpose is to help people remember the death and crucifixion of Jesus, but again, we don't find these two things in the bible.
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is a special day instituted by the Catholic Church, (adopted by some other denominations also). Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving leading up to Easter. Of the 46 days until Easter, six are Sundays. Sundays are not included in the fasting period and are instead "feast" days during Lent.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of followers as a reminder of human mortality, and as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered from the burning of the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday.
What is Lent
Lent is a religious observance 6 week period of time in which the adherents are suppose to draw closer to God through self denial. Again this practice was instituted by the Catholic Church, but is also observed by other denominations at this time. The time period for this period of religious observance begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter Day.
The Purpose: The traditional purpose of Lent is to the believer be more in touch with God in their lives through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial.
The observance often culminates in the annual commemoration of "Holy Week, marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This recalls the events of the New Testament beginning on Friday and climaxing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ". (Note: the basic explanations come in part from Wikipedia, with commentary by me).
Now you may be asking, "Why would religious people practice something that is not found in the bible?" Well, I'm wondering right along with you. I know that for some, they do it because their religious leaders tell them they need to do it and they really don't bother to stop and ask why. Others do things just because that's the way they have always been done and again, they don't bother to stop and ask why.
Personally, I always want to know why we do something. I encourage the members of our church to always question me or the other leaders, as to what we practice or believe and why. If they can't tell you, then there really is a problem.
I know that some may be offended by what I have just written, but notice what Jesus had to say about this problem in Matthew 15:12-15. "Then the disciples came to Him and asked, "Do You realize You offended the Pharisees by what You just said?" Jesus replied, "Every plant not planted by My heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."
How about you, will you follow blindly, or search for the truth. Here is an interesting passage of scripture that applies to this problem. Act 17:11, "And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth." How about you, do you think you can handle the truth?
Russ Lawson
Lego building blocks
"Lego Man"
Lego Man is definitely getting around. In early January of 2012, with the help of two 17-year-old Canadian young men, he was shot into Earth's upper atmosphere on a rocket. He ascended to 80,000 feet - an altitude few people have ever seen - before gently returning to solid ground by means of a parachute. The trip was filmed with a camera attached to Lego Man, and you can watch his journey on YouTube.
In case you're wondering, Lego Man is not an actual person, but a figure made popular by the famous Lego building sets. Lego, I've learned, was first introduced in 1958 by a fellow in Denmark. The name comes from the Danish words for "play well". In the last 56 years, Lego building blocks have become a cultural phenomenon. In fact there are six different Legolands in the world, including two in the U.S. (Florida and California).
One distinguishing feature of Lego Man is that he can be put together - or taken apart - to suit one's needs at the moment. Thankfully there are no sound effects that go along with disassembling his parts (which are few).
Building things has always been a pursuit of mankind. In the Bible Jesus spoke about a wise man who built his house on a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24). The word for "build" is the Greek oikodomeo, a word often found in Greek literature for building houses or other structures.
Interestingly this word is also used for people. Romans 15:2 states, "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification." "Edification" is translated from oikodomeo, the word otherwise translated "build up". We get the idea. We can do things that will make others stronger, or "build them up". That should be our aim.
Paul's admonition suggests that there are other choices we can make. Ephesians 4:29 gives that view: "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth ..." "Corrupt" is from a word that describes something that is rotting or deteriorating. It is not as strong as it once was, and is headed toward its end. Our words, Paul teaches, can have that effect on others. It's as if we were tearing them down, piece by piece.
The verse goes on. In the place of corrupting words that might come out of our mouths, we should choose "... what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29). Tear down? Build up? We have the power to do either through the words we speak. We should always seek to build up.
Lego Man reminds us that people can be taken apart, too. That's not the choice we should make, God teaches. Seek to build up. Help Lego Man be strong.
CTimothy D. Hall
Lego Man is definitely getting around. In early January of 2012, with the help of two 17-year-old Canadian young men, he was shot into Earth's upper atmosphere on a rocket. He ascended to 80,000 feet - an altitude few people have ever seen - before gently returning to solid ground by means of a parachute. The trip was filmed with a camera attached to Lego Man, and you can watch his journey on YouTube.
In case you're wondering, Lego Man is not an actual person, but a figure made popular by the famous Lego building sets. Lego, I've learned, was first introduced in 1958 by a fellow in Denmark. The name comes from the Danish words for "play well". In the last 56 years, Lego building blocks have become a cultural phenomenon. In fact there are six different Legolands in the world, including two in the U.S. (Florida and California).
One distinguishing feature of Lego Man is that he can be put together - or taken apart - to suit one's needs at the moment. Thankfully there are no sound effects that go along with disassembling his parts (which are few).
Building things has always been a pursuit of mankind. In the Bible Jesus spoke about a wise man who built his house on a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24). The word for "build" is the Greek oikodomeo, a word often found in Greek literature for building houses or other structures.
Interestingly this word is also used for people. Romans 15:2 states, "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification." "Edification" is translated from oikodomeo, the word otherwise translated "build up". We get the idea. We can do things that will make others stronger, or "build them up". That should be our aim.
Paul's admonition suggests that there are other choices we can make. Ephesians 4:29 gives that view: "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth ..." "Corrupt" is from a word that describes something that is rotting or deteriorating. It is not as strong as it once was, and is headed toward its end. Our words, Paul teaches, can have that effect on others. It's as if we were tearing them down, piece by piece.
The verse goes on. In the place of corrupting words that might come out of our mouths, we should choose "... what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29). Tear down? Build up? We have the power to do either through the words we speak. We should always seek to build up.
Lego Man reminds us that people can be taken apart, too. That's not the choice we should make, God teaches. Seek to build up. Help Lego Man be strong.
CTimothy D. Hall
Why people misunderstand the Bible
WHAT YOU THINK HEAR
A friend shared the following story with me that illustrates that what you think you hear is not always what is said.
It seems that a young mother took her 3 year old son shopping at a local mall one day. Things went fairly well and the boy was well behaved, but by lunch he was getting tired of the whole "shopping" thing. They stopped at the mall food court and had lunch and the mother asked the boy if he would like to go to the big toy store in the mall. He cried, "Yes," and immediately took off running as fast as his little legs could carry him. The mother, caught off guard took off after him, him running through the mall and she chasing him, which of course drew the attention of many of the other mall shoppers. When they neared the entrance of the store the mother almost caught up with the fast toddler. Thinking she would make a game out of it as to who got to the entrance first, the mother called out, "I'm going to beat you!"
To her horror the toddler came to a screeching halt misunderstanding his mother's intent and screamed, "PLEASE DON'T BEAT ME MOMMA, I'LL BE GOOD." You can imagine the looks the mother got from those mall shoppers watching the event.
I guess it's not surprising how many times we misunderstand what God says to us, it seems it is human nature to hear what we want to hear, not what is actually said. How many times does God have to tell us, to live in purity of life, yet we don't think he really means it? Some cheat on their taxes; cheat on their spouses; lie when it suits their needs. Some will commit sexual sins and honestly believe that God didn't really mean it when he specified things we are to refrain from doing.
The scripture tells us that "God's Word is Truth," and that we will be judged by every word contained in his book, the bible. Yet, often we persist in hearing only what we want to hear or what we think it may mean. Understand this, when God says "don't do something, or you will be punished for it," he means it.
There is an interesting passage in Revelation 21:7-8 that makes a statement regarding this thought. Notice what God says: "All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars, their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
Please understand that God is not a God of anger or a God that delights in punishment anymore than you as a parent do. But there will come a time when we will receive our "just deserts" as the saying goes.
Perhaps we need to be more careful as to what God really said, and not what we think he said.
Russ Lawson,
A friend shared the following story with me that illustrates that what you think you hear is not always what is said.
It seems that a young mother took her 3 year old son shopping at a local mall one day. Things went fairly well and the boy was well behaved, but by lunch he was getting tired of the whole "shopping" thing. They stopped at the mall food court and had lunch and the mother asked the boy if he would like to go to the big toy store in the mall. He cried, "Yes," and immediately took off running as fast as his little legs could carry him. The mother, caught off guard took off after him, him running through the mall and she chasing him, which of course drew the attention of many of the other mall shoppers. When they neared the entrance of the store the mother almost caught up with the fast toddler. Thinking she would make a game out of it as to who got to the entrance first, the mother called out, "I'm going to beat you!"
To her horror the toddler came to a screeching halt misunderstanding his mother's intent and screamed, "PLEASE DON'T BEAT ME MOMMA, I'LL BE GOOD." You can imagine the looks the mother got from those mall shoppers watching the event.
I guess it's not surprising how many times we misunderstand what God says to us, it seems it is human nature to hear what we want to hear, not what is actually said. How many times does God have to tell us, to live in purity of life, yet we don't think he really means it? Some cheat on their taxes; cheat on their spouses; lie when it suits their needs. Some will commit sexual sins and honestly believe that God didn't really mean it when he specified things we are to refrain from doing.
The scripture tells us that "God's Word is Truth," and that we will be judged by every word contained in his book, the bible. Yet, often we persist in hearing only what we want to hear or what we think it may mean. Understand this, when God says "don't do something, or you will be punished for it," he means it.
There is an interesting passage in Revelation 21:7-8 that makes a statement regarding this thought. Notice what God says: "All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars, their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
Please understand that God is not a God of anger or a God that delights in punishment anymore than you as a parent do. But there will come a time when we will receive our "just deserts" as the saying goes.
Perhaps we need to be more careful as to what God really said, and not what we think he said.
Russ Lawson,
Monday, March 3, 2014
Free Bible study on Romans 1:17
Romans 1:17
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is
written, The just shall live by faith.”
Those people
who have heard the word of God and have made the decision to conform their lives
to the divine will of God are without exception living by faith. When we live by
faith, we do not worry about tomorrow, whether it will bring happiness or
sorrow, because we have decided to deny our self, take up our cross and follow
Jesus allowing him to be in control of our life (Luke 9:23, John 14:1, Phil.
4:6-7). When life is full of turmoil, when the storm clouds gather, the thunder
roars and the wind blows, he is there looking on and walking with us step by
step (Heb. 4:15-16, Heb. 13:7, Psalms 23). Living by faith, we have an
unswerving belief in all his promises and an unfailing belief that he is able to
do all that he has promised (Heb. 2:18, Jude 24-25, Eph. 3:20-21).
The chorus of
the song, “Living By Faith”, proclaims a great message worthy of our serious
consideration: “Living by faith in Jesus above, Trusting, confiding in his great
love; From all harm safe in his sheltering arm, I’m living by faith and feel no
alarm”. Living by faith, we place ourselves in his arms, trusting that he will
see us safely through the day and into the night, knowing that when the morning
breaks, he will still be there surrounding us with his arms of love and
care.
Living by
faith is relying on God for strength, courage, hope, peace, justification and
the eternal welfare of our soul. It is imperative we understand that living by
faith does not rule out the fact that we must do what we can in order to please
God and receive his marvelous blessings (Phil. 2:12, James 2:17-26, 2 Tim.
1:12).
Living by
faith we can see the eternal purpose of God in all things (Rom. 8:28). I don’t
understand everything that happens in this life and I must confess that like
Gideon of old there have been times when I have cried our “Why”. Why this
burden, why this sickness, why this death? I just don’t always know the answer
but one thing I do know, the God I love, trust and confide in does know the
answer and so long as my trust and confidence is in him, I don’t have to fear
anything because he will see me safely through (Isa. 12:2-3, Ps. 56:11, Rom.
8:31, Phil. 4:6-7).
We are weak,
frail human beings, very limited in our abilities but there are no limits to the
power of God. Without a strong faith in him, there will be no hope for us, and
if there is no hope, there will be no anchor for our soul and if there is no
anchor, we will drift aimlessly through life and one day meet our God in
judgment totally unprepared. Today, I pray we will live by faith, ever trusting
and confiding in our God.
Charles
Hicks
Sunday, March 2, 2014
The good old days
"The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." Prov. 10:7
I believe that one of man’s greatest blessings from God is our memories. Or, maybe better said, our ability to remember, as in the "good old days." Of course with the caveat that some have greater ability at this than others. I’m going to combine a couple of illustrations relating to our memories that just somehow connected in my mind and those would be -ancient Israel and muscle cars.
Sounds like an odd combination, doesn’t it? Well, many years ago I gave up trying to explain how things connect in my brain. Suffice it to say, they just do, so we’ll leave it at that. Anyway, I’m going to, as we say "give it a go" here at developing a spiritual thought from this combination of Israel and cars.
First, let’s look for a moment at a little history of old Israel. Specifically at the time when they had left Egypt and were on their way to the "Promised Land" which was so-named because God had "promised" it (Canaan) to the descendants of Abraham (Gen. 17:8 and Ex. 12:25).
You remember how God had delivered them from "bondage" in Egypt via the working of great miracles and now they were out in the wilderness. They had only been out there for a relatively short period of time before they began reminiscing about the "good old days" back in Egypt.
REALLY? Think about this a moment. They were "slaves" there. According to the Biblical account (Ex. 3:7) they had a harsh and sorrowful existence back there. This just shows us how our memory plays tricks on us, doesn’t it? We have a tendency to remember the "good" of the "old days" and overlook the "bad." It’s Israel’s remembrance of the "old days" that connects in my mind with our 2nd illustration - cars.
Back some years ago I was "into" cars. Not just any cars, but the ones that were common during my high school days. (And yes to my kids, they had cars back then) So I obtained me a "muscle car" from that era. A nice little Chevy Nova SuperSport and I "gussied it up" as best I could and then joined up with about 2000 other owners of that era of cars in a gathering known as the "Route 66 Rendevous."
Oh, we paraded around town, ooh’d and aah’d over everyone’s vehicles and generally reminisced about the "good old days." Back when these cars were the cars of the day. Like the Israelites, we car owners were, as they say, waxing nostalgic about the past. Remembering the earlier years of our lives. See, that’s what I think the cars, or any number of other things, are representative of. Why they mean so much to us. They take us back to the younger part of our lives.
You know what "part" I’m talking about, don’t you? That "part" where we had youth and its vigor. We had lots of energy and seeming invincibility. As opposed to our latter (now) years when our "vigor and energy" have long deserted us. Where our "invincibility" has turned to aches and pains and the realization of mortality.
To me, it’s only natural that we like to go back in time, at least in our minds, to those "halcyon days of youth." To that happy, carefree time of our life. I think that among other things, the "cars" do that for some of us,
For the Israelites, it was the remembrance of the foods they had back in Egypt. They remembered the "meats and the fish." The fresh vegetables and even the "garlic." (Num. 11:5) They were now out there in the "wilderness" subsisting on "manna," the "bread from heaven" (Ex. 16:4) provided them by God. Food for which they did not have to work or slave for - just pick it up each day and there was always plenty.
But, they remembered the "food" of Egypt and wanted to go back to those "good old days." It’s here where we see how their memory "tricked them." Because they only wanted to go back to the "food stuffs." Their memory had blanked out the fact that they had to "slave" to get that "food." That they had no freedom back in Egypt.
And, like the Israelites, I think that we too trick ourselves into remembering the "good" of the "old days" and sort of conveniently forget some things of those days that are much better now. I’ll leave it to your mind to contemplate what’s better for you.
But, I have to admit that, in many ways, I believe the days of my youth were better than today. Not because of the physical deterioration that time exacts on all of us, but I think the world of that era was a lot more "purer," if that’s the right word, than the world of today.
Not that sin and decadent behavior didn’t exist back then but, it wasn’t so "in your face" and readily accepted as "normal" behavior as it is now. I think that in the "days of my youth" we lived in a safer world. I’m not talking about national security, although I’m of the opinion that today’s national scene is still more dangerous, I’m referring to my immediate world.
In those days, parents didn’t have to worry about many of the things they worry about today. Drugs and alcohol addiction even among the youth today and immorality bordering on depravity that’s condoned and justified as "alternate lifestyles." No, to me, it was a lot "safer" in many ways back then.
Well, I’ll stop reminiscing and see if I can wrap up my thoughts here. Yes, God blessed us with our memories, such as they are. But, we have to keep in mind that our focus is forward, not backward. That our "hope" lies in the future before us. Israel’s problem in the wilderness was the "looking back" at Egypt and wanting to return there. They forgot that they were headed for the "Promised Land." Their focus was on the wrong thing.
We can be guilty, so to speak, of following in their footsteps if we shift our focus from "forward" to "backward." Wanting to stay in a sinful world wherein we’re "slaves" to those sins and forgetting where our "hope," our "Promised Land" lies. A sad thing to report is that only two of all those Israelites who were freed from Egyptian bondage had enough faith, who "looked forward" enough, actually made it to the "Promised Land."
Closing thoughts: How many of us living today will possess the faith necessary to stay focused on the goal and reach our "Promised Land"? (2Pet. 3:13 & 1Jn. 2:25) Something to think about, isn’t it?
An anonymous author once penned some words about memories that I just have to pass on to you and I can personally vouch for the truthfulness of them.
"Sometimes memories sneak out of my eyes and roll down my cheeks."
Ron Covey
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