Famous quotes by Benjamin Franklin

One of our countries great founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, once said, “There never was a good war or a bad peace.”  Now, being a student and fan of history, I’ve always liked the sayings of old Ben but, in a way, I have to disagree with him on this one.

I’m not referring to an earthly-type war because I believe that some of these wars are necessary, however they can’t be thought of as being “good.”  But, in the spiritual realm, I think that there is a good war being fought.  It’s one that we’re engaged in from the age of accountability to our death.

I’m talking about God’s war versus Satan.   It’s probably more accurate to say Satan’s war against God.  Plus, it’s a war in which every Christian is a soldier in the army of God.  And the battles aren’t just once in a while, we fight them every day because Satan attacks us daily.  Which is the reason Paul warned us and why we’re given our “armor”  (Eph. 6:10-18). 

The reason I’m talking about this spiritual war today is to make us aware of something that is analogous to both this war and the wars of this earth.  There’s just something about our war with Satan that’s relative to all wars.  Do you have any idea what that might be?

Well, here’s what I see in the war for men’s souls that is comparable to the wars fought for men’s bodies.  There are prisoners taken.  Just as it happens in man’s wars, in our spiritual war souls are being captured by our enemy - Satan.  Sadly, most of them remain in captivity and do not escape his prison.

And, just like regular soldiers are warned about, and are trained to watch for, Christians are warned about being captured.  Like the passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossians that I cited as a preamble to this lesson.  Or, as he tells us in 2Tim. 2:15-16 that we need to “study” in order to be an “approved” (worthy) “workman” (soldier) of God.  And to “shun” (avoid) those things that “increase unto more ungodliness.”  (Get us captured).

Therefore it’s always good for us to continually study and refresh our minds, or to put it in computerese, to reboot our”software programs” and also look at some of Satan’s methods of capture.  His “wiles” - the things that work for him and his army.

They can’t be lumped together any better that the Apostle John categorized them in 1 John 2:16 - “...the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life....” These are things of the “world” and not of “the Father.”  And these are the things which Satan uses to capture our souls.

Let’s break them down just a bit more.  “Flesh”: adultery, lasciviousness, immoral activity, etc.  “Eyes”:   greed, covetousness, evil concupiscence, etc.  And last, “Pride of life”:   lovers of self, heady & high-minded, puffed up with vainglory, etc.  Satan has a lot of these battlefield tools on hand and all of them have proven to be effective in capturing men’s souls.

Now here’s somewhat of an enigma in that it’s a difference between earthly war captives and spiritual war captives.  That difference is, they’re still living and abiding among us.  They’re still present in our lives.  In some of the wars fought on earth we see prisoners of war wearing some sort of uniform with a big “P” emblazoned on it.  Yet in our spiritual war, they look just like us.

But, there are ways of identifying them if we take the time and the care to do so.  A lot of the time they can be spotted by their manner of speech, the things they say.  You might hear phrases like: “We only go around once in life so we have to have all the fun we can.”  Or, “I’ll obey Christ as soon as I make the money I need in life.”  Probably one of the more well-used phrases is: “I just don’t have the time for church and Christ right now, I’ve got too much going on.”

Also they can be spotted by their demeanor.  They may look depressed or frustrated by the affairs of the world.  They’re more concerned about material things of life than eternal things.  Their life may be more centered on earthly or temporal things or activities than righteous or heavenly things.

In many of man’s earlier wars the siege was one of the preferred methods of winning the war.  They simply surrounded a city and starved them out.  I don’t see Satan’s methods much different.  He simply surrounds a person with all temptations, all the time, and that person’s soul succumbs to “spiritual malnutrition.”  It will die because it has been cut off from the source of its sustenance - God.

Here’s the point of my thoughts today.  We can know and recognize those who have been taken captive by Satan.  It is our duty and responsibility to do what we can to bring them back.  To “repatriate” them.  We’re required to care for their captive soul and to do all that we can to set them free from their captor.

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey

What is the greender grass syndrome?

Greener on the Other Side

The scene is a common one: a cow with her head stuck through a fence reaching as far as she can for lush mouthfuls of green grass.  In fact, so common is the sight that a well-worn expression has resulted.  We’ve all heard that ‘the grass is greener on the other side of the fence’.  The saying is used metaphorically to describe someone who is not content where they are – always looking for something different (better as they see it) just beyond the confines of their present situation.

Unfortunately, Christians in a local church are sometimes known to seek the ‘greener pastures’.  They grow discontent with the situation in their own congregation and see other churches that they imagine are better.  This frequently results in them leaving ‘here’ and going ‘there’ in hopes of finding something more to their liking. 

These folks typically do not stop to recognize or appreciate the good things where they are.  They seem oblivious to the work and effort of their faithful brethren, and discount the efforts being made.  We would encourage them to ‘stop and smell the roses’ where they are. 

Furthermore, those who are inclined to ‘fly the coop’ most often do so without making any serious effort to improve the perceived issues in the initial congregation.  All churches have problems – including the one where they might eventually ‘land’.  Mature Christians know this and will not walk away from a local church without trying hard to help make the needed changes.

Sometimes leaving a congregation is the right decision – but it is a decision that should not be taken lightly.  A sense of ‘family’ loyalty ought to exist among spiritual brothers and sisters that will make this a last option rather than a first one. 

‘Greener on the other side’?  Maybe.  But if you look around, you might just realize that you are ‘knee deep’ in a wonderful situation.  Think!

- by Greg Gwin

There’s a mansion now empty, just waiting for me At the end of life’s troublesome way Many friends and dear loved ones will welcome me there Near the door of that mansion

One day when an assembly is held in honor of my graduation from this life to eternity, there are some three songs I want sung at that assembly, one of which is “An Empty Mansion”:

“When my labor and toiling have ended below And my hands shall lie folded in rest                   

  I’ll exchange this old home for a mansion up there”

  There’s a mansion now empty, just waiting for me At the end of life’s troublesome way

  Many friends and dear loved ones will welcome me there Near the door of that mansion           

   some day”

Heaven is the promise of a better day for all of us (Rev. 21:1-4). Our joy will be multiplied because there will be no sorrow, pain, tears, darkness, death or separation. Over there we will never grow tired or weary. With joy we should be anticipating the day when we will reach that golden shore (Phil. 3:13-14). This old earthly tabernacle being burdened does groan more and more with each passing day. My friends, this earthly journey has been exciting but like a wanderer home from his travels, my soul thrills at the thought of “going home” to a better country (Heb. 11:13-16).   I don’t know what kind of body we will have in that abode. I only know that God will clothe us with a new body (1 Cor. 15:35-57). I have no idea what that new body will look like but I believe that our personalities will survive the shock of death and live on beyond the grave (Luke 16:19-25).  To all that I know and have known,  I believe that if for some reason another day in this life does not come for me, there will come a time when, if you I and have been faithful to God, we will meet again.  One of our grand old songs says it so well: “You’ll know me in the morning by the smiles that I wear when I meet you in the morning in the city that is built foursquare.”    

Yes, Heaven is truly the dawning of a better day! We just can’t afford to miss heaven. Given the brevity of life, the reality is that whether you be young in age or older in years, your life had best be one in which you can say in all truth that you are ready to shed these earthly bonds. At this very moment can you say, I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith? (2 Tim. 4:6-8)  One day you were somebody’s little boy, somebody’s little girl and, like myself, probably learned this child’s prayer: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take”. If we are faithful children of God this little prayer is one that we can pray with a fervent spirit and it will have great meaning to us. If we are in Christ when the sun sets on this life, then it will not be “good-bye”, it will be “so long, see you”. To God be the glory forever and ever, Amen (1 Pet. 5:11).

Charles Hicks