Do What's Right -- Anyway

People are often unreasonable,
      Illogical, and self-centered;
      Love them anyway.

If you are kind,
      People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
      Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,
      You will win some false friends and some true enemies;
      Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
      People may cheat you;
      Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
      Someone could destroy overnight;
      Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
      They may be jealous;
      Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
      People will often forget tomorrow;
      Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
      And it may never be enough;
      Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
      It is between you and God;
      It never was between you and them anyway.
 

 (author unknown)

The church is not in the entertainment business

It's Not About You!

“Too many Christians, just like their unsaved counterparts, are impressed by appearances rather than structure; are seeking thrills and excitement rather than substance; are more apt to respond to emotional manipulation rather than to rational discourse... The problem is that the main business of entertainment is to please the crowd, but the main purpose of authentic Christianity is to please the Lord.” (Gary Gilley, taken from ‘This Little Church Went to Market’).

The Lord's church is not in the entertainment business. It's a spiritual relationship (John 18:36; Romans 14:17; Ephesians 1:3, 22-23). It is not wrong to enjoy worshiping the Lord and hearing the message of Christ proclaimed, but the goals of our public assemblies are to glorify God (1 Corinthians 10:31) and to edify one another (1 Corinthians 14:26) not to entertain. If you don't find the worship assembly to be fun, just get over it. That's not our purpose. It's not about pleasing you or me. It's about pleasing the Lord. "For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10b). "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him" (2 Corinthians 5:8-9).

- by Keith Sharp

Rainbow Lake Trail on Signal Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee

Follow The Map

"Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.  Wash your spirit clean." -- John Muir

My family and I don't see mountains very often, so when we do, we love to hike mountain trails and see the beauty of God's creation from the heights.

Recently, my wife and I, with two of our children, did some hiking on the Rainbow Lake Trail on Signal Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee.  At the beginning of the trail, we looked at the trail map posted on a sign.  We determined that my wife (Patrice) and I would take the shorter trail to Rainbow Lake and our children, Lacey and Jon David, would take a longer trail to the same location.

We began our hike, came to the fork in the trail, and split up to follow the two different trails with the intentions of meeting in an hour or so in the designated location.

It would be several hours before we'd see one another again!

Each of us would later reflect on some of the beautiful sights that we saw while hiking, but for a while we became somewhat anxious when our parties did not meet as quickly as we had planned.

Having reached Rainbow Lake and waited a while for our children, Patrice and I decided to follow another trail to see some more sights.  We were relying on what we had remembered from the map at the trailhead.  Once we climbed high enough in elevation, we were able to text our children about our new plans.  Our children, also relying on what they remembered from the map, agreed to meet us at Edward's Point.

To make a long story short and a short hike into a long one, my wife and I were heading south while our children were headed north!

After hiking for a couple of hours and finally figuring out what we had done, Patrice and I gave up on our quest to find Edward's Point and backtracked our way to our van.  Meanwhile, Lacey and Jon David figured out their location using their cell phones and waited for us to pick them up at a road at the north end of the Prentice Cooper State Forest.

We learned several lessons from our experience: consult your map carefully (and take it with you!), don't give up, and communicate well.  We also experienced the joys of being reunited!

There are many spiritual applications of our experiences, too.

1.  Set your sights on the proper destination.  Our sights should all be set on heaven (see John 14:1-3).

2.  Follow the Map carefully.  God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).

3.  There is tremendous joy in being reunited with your loved ones.  The Apostle Paul comforted some Christians with the knowledge of a great reunion with deceased loved ones in Christ when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Because of Jesus, we and our loved ones can look forward to being reunited and live eternally in heaven with God (Romans 6:23).  Jesus has made this possible by dying on the cross for our sins (Romans 5:6-8).  Salvation, joyful reunion, and eternal life are promised to those who follow the Map: Jesus.  Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus 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).

Won't YOU follow the Map (Jesus) all the way to heaven?

- David A. Sargent

Rubbergate

 Heaven’s Bank – Writing Checks Without Deposits?

 Anybody remember “Rubbergate”? The term was a nickname given to a government scandal which broke in early 1992 (from the expression “rubber check”). The U. S. House of Representatives was allowing members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House Bank (the House Bank provided overdraft protection to its account holders). Out of the hundreds who did, few actually broke any laws. But 22 Congressmen/women were eventually singled out. The scandal strengthened a widespread perception of corruption and malfeasance in the federal government and led to major changes in the House. During a press conference to answer questions about the scandal, Congressman Joe Early (Democrat, Massachusetts), made this statement: “They gave me a book of checks. They didn’t ask for deposits.”

 I don’t know if Early was serious, or just making a desperate if pathetic duck for cover. Whatever the case, his statement reflects a widespread problem in our culture and to a great extent in the church. Many people believe that they ought to get without giving, to enjoy perks and privileges without personal effort, to enjoy the sweets that come from labor without the sweat, to withdraw without making deposits. Ours is an “it’s-all-about- me, what-have-you- done-for me lately” world. I want to focus especially for a few moments on the church’s situation and attitude. Let’s settle it first of all that God provides overdraft protection! That is, we get much more from God than we can ever give! God loved us and provided for our reconciliation with Him when we were “without strength. . .ungodly. . . sinners. . .enemies” (Romans 5:6-10). The Bible says what we ought to say with humility and gratitude but with certainty – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Again, the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5). Through His grace, which is, as we often hear preachers say, God’s “unmerited favor,” God made copious deposits into Heaven’s bank account in our behalf. If we had to deposit good works that merit salvation to save ourselves, the check would bounce every time for every accountable person (see Romans 3:23). And yet we write checks off of God’s grace daily. But wait a minute. While true God gives us overdraft protection, it is NOT true He never asks for deposits! After declaring we are saved by grace and not works, Paul the apostle went on to declare Christians are God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Finally, Galatians 5:13 is another of many New Testament texts that remind us that while God’s grace dismisses the notion we earn salvation, it does not dismiss effort – “For you brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use your liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Christians may or may not be members of Congress. But it is ridiculous and scandalous to think we can write checks on Heaven’s bank without ever making deposits. We are saved to serve. Think about it.

Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN

Is Satan a red faced creature with two horns?

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Many will say they would never bow down to Satan or worship him. But they do! When they become worldly or materialistic and become less spiritual; they are in fact, worshipping the god of mammon (Matthew 6:24).

In the mind of most people, Satan is a red faced creature with two horns. They are wrong! Satan will not be doing a good business in luring people away from God if he comes in that scaring form. People will be scared and run away from him; he will be out of business. The Bible tells us about him. As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul tells us that Satan and his ministers usually transform themselves into angels of light and ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

If Satan were to appear as an angel of darkness and horror, we will be weary of him and avoid him at all cost. We would even come up with a device to exterminate him. But the devil comes to us as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers or righteousness.

It is the reason that our worst temptations come to us like a sumptuous buffet. They look so good and delicious. What did the tempter show Christ? He showed Him the world. History tells us of men who wanted to rule the world. Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Alexander, Hitler, and Hirohito (emperor of Japan who started the second world war in Asia); all of them wanted to rule the world.

Economically, many want to rule the world. Microsoft’s Bill Gates controls the world’s computers with his Windows and Office. Apple and Samsung are head to head with the i-Phones and android phones respectively.

How do you get the ants out from their nest? You place some honey. It won’t take long for the ants to sense it and soon they will gather round the honey. Temptation is as sweet as honey, maybe, sweeter.  The devil knows what men and women want. He places those things in front of their eyes. They will come out and get them.

Satan's main tactic is to entice people, not scare them to death; that’s why he is called the tempter (Matthew 4:3). That was certainly his modus operandi in the Garden of Eden when he manipulated Eve into breaking God's only prohibition. He appealed to her senses and convinced her that partaking of the forbidden fruit was the logical thing to do: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6). 

Why do we succumb to temptations? It is because they look so good, pleasant, right, or even religious. But why are we so gullible as to fall into temptations? It is because of lust. Lust is a burning desire that is in us: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14-15).

You can’t tempt a child who does not like to eat vegetables with more vegetables. He is repulsed by the sight of vegetables. You have to try something else. You have to try something he likes. Today, kids like their smart phones. “Son, if you eat this vegetable, I will buy for you the new i-Phone that is coming out next week.” I guarantee you that he will eat it.

“We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us” (James 1:14, CEV). Materialism has shown to be the greatest threat to spiritually. Materialism is devil worship. Satan offered it to Christ. Christ warned: “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).

The tempter has said it and will continue to say: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9).

A worldly and materialistic Christian is serving the god of mammon. Such a one has already bowed down to the devil and worships him. How about us? Are we worshipping God or mammon of unrighteousness?

Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

Why am I not growing spiritually?

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Why am I not growing spiritually?
Why I know so little about the bible?

The answer to the above questions is simple: it is because I have never been hungry for those things.

Have you ever been hungry or thirsty? I mean really hungry and thirsty? What happen to your body in extreme hunger and thirst? You are desperate for food and drink. You feel you need to fill up your stomach and quench your thirst straightaway. You feel like you are going to die if those things are not available immediately.

We can all relate to this beatitude because we experience a daily hunger that needs to be satisfied. When we are hungry and thirsty, we look for food and drinks. Christ used the things we do every day to deliver a lesson on spiritual hunger.

Our Lord said that blessed are they which do hunger and thirst not after the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world, but after righteousness. Unfortunately, many are hungry and thirsty for physical food, for power and honour, for riches and pleasures, but not for righteousness.

What does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness? It can mean a few things:
1. To hunger for the word of God. “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.” (Psalm 119:172).

2. To hunger for heavenly things: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33).

4. To hunger for righteous living: “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22).

5. To hunger for God: “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.” (Isaiah 58:2).

The person who hungers and thirsts after righteousness has his mind fixes on doing the things that are pleasing to God.  Do you hunger and thirst for right relationship with God? Do you hunger for the word of God?

Our Lord is saying this: righteousness is as vital to the spiritual life as food and drink is to the physical life. Without the desire for righteousness, we cannot live spiritually. Without the hunger for the word of God, we cannot grow in grace and in the knowledge of His word (2 Peter 3:18).

Unfortunately, many are hungry for wealth, power, pleasures, honour and not for spiritual things. The athletes hunger for the gold medals at the Olympics.  They drive themselves to work very hard to fulfil their dreams. They push themselves to study every facet of their discipline, and they practice longer and harder than others. Their ambition knows no limits.

If we are ever that hungry for righteousness as those athletes, we will be righteous and spiritual. Christ said “they shall be filled.” Yes, God is in the filling business. In fact, the word "fill" means to be satisfied in the sense of being stuffed after a sumptuous meal. It’s like driving into a petrol station and asks for the tank to be fully filled.

The Christian who is hungry for righteousness will be fully filled. He will be satisfied. Righteousness is a lifestyle that distinguishes us as true Christians from the rest of the world. Righteousness causes us to seek God's things above everything else. It is a life that is centred about doing the will of God.

Are you hungry spiritually? The only way to be filled spiritually is to have an earnest desire for it. Let us hunger and thirst after righteousness; and we will be filled.


Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.