Is That Really True?

 

In a tiny coastal Mexican village, a small fishing boat comes into port and ties to a little wooden dock. A nearby vacationing American business executive compliments the lone fisherman on the quality of his catch and asked him how long it took to catch the fish. “Not very long,” answers the fisherman. “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” inquired the businessman. The village resident explains that these few fish are sufficient to meet his family’s needs. The American then asks, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?” Well,” said the fisherman, “I sleep late, play with my children, and take an afternoon siesta. In the evening I go to the village to see my friends, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.” The executive interrupts, “Listen, I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you. You should start by fishing longer every day and then you can sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money a larger boat brings in you can buy a second one and a third one – until you have an entire fishing fleet. Then you can open your own processing plant.” “And after that?” questioned the fisherman. “When the business gets really good,” continued the executive, “you can start selling stock and make millions!” “Millions?” – “Really?!’ exclaimed the fisherman, “And then what?” The smirking executive said, “After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas, spend you evenings playing the guitar and singing songs with your friends!”

Two people were sitting on a park bench discussing what had made them both failures. The first said, “I’m a failure because I never took anyone’s advice.” The second one said, “I’m a failure because I took everyone’s advice.” Among the greatest mistakes a person can make are these: 1) Never listen to anyone; and 2) Accept what others say without investigation and thinking for one’s self. In America today, many believe that there are no moral absolutes. Many hold to a philosophy of a moral relativism. How many times have we heard statements like these: “What is right for you may not be right for me;” or, “If it feels good, do it!” or, “Anything goes;” and, “Nothing is right or wrong – there are just differences of opinion.” All of this is the result of the feeling that there is no absolute truth. “You are entitled to your truth, and I am entitled to mine” is the view held by many in the world today. Polls reveal that around 70% of Americans do not believe in moral absolutes. Among “Baby Boomers” the percentage is even higher, at about 80%. Even a whopping 60% of professing Christians said that there is no absolute standard of right and wrong. Is it any wonder moral decay is ruining U.S.?

[1 Timothy 4:1-10] In religious matters God expects us to listen and He also expects us to think for ourselves. The Bereans were commended because, after Paul preached to them, “…they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). Unlike the Thessalonians, and the two persons on the bench, the Bereans took the information they received and “checked up” on the apostle Paul! The message is obvious. Don’t accept anything, secular or religious, just because someone says it is so. Investigate the facts to enable correct thinking to govern your life in your general affairs. Religiously, neither should one accept anything just because someone says it is so, but check for yourself whether or not it is “true to the Word of God”. Jesus is truth and truth will set you free (John 8:32; 14:6). Free from tyranny and sin which separates us from the love of God.

Lord, Prop Us Up

 

“If I should die before I wake,” prayer young Timmy; “If I should die before I wake …If I should die.” “Go on, Timmy,” urged his mother, “You know the rest of the prayer.” “I’ll be right back,” blurted the youngster! Scrambling to his feet, to the surprise of his mother, he ran into the next room. Soon he returned and dropping to his knees beside his bed, rattled off the familiar nightly prayer without a flaw. While tucking little Timmy into bed his mother issued a gentle rebuke for the sudden interruption insisting that he should think about what he was saying when he prayed. “Mom, I was thinking about what I was praying,” said the boy defensively. “That’s why I had to stop! You see, I stood all of Ted’s wooden soldiers on their heads just to see how mad he’d be in the morning. If I should die before I wake I wouldn’t want him to find them that way, so I had to fix them right away.” “…if you are offering your gift at the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). How about you, if you should die before you wake?

Often in his public prayer the elderly deacon was heard to say, “Lord, prop us up on our leanin’ side.” After hearing him pray that plea many times, he was asked about the meaning. “Well, you see, it’s like this… I got an old barn out back of my place. It’s been there a long time; it’s withstood a lot of weather; it’s gone through a lot of storms; and it’s stood strong for many a year. But one day I sort of noticed it was leanin’ to one side a little bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leanin’ side so’s it wouldn’t eventually fall over. Then I got to thinkin’ ‘bout that and how much I was like that old barn. I’ve been around a long time; I’ve withstood a lot of foul weather in my life; I’ve gone through a lot of life’s little storms; I’ve withstood the hard times and I’m still standing too. But I find myself leanin’ to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leanin’ side, ‘cause I figure a lot of us get to leanin’ at times.” Sometimes we do get to leaning toward anger; leaning toward bitterness; leaning toward hatred; leaning toward cussing; leaning toward a lot of things we shouldn’t – so we need to pray, “Lord, prop us up on our leanin’ side,” so we remain straight and tall, ever glorifying God. “…So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12-13). Yes, God is willing to prop you up on your leanin’ side.

[John 8: 23-24] Some years ago, Dalton Key made an observation about sin that bears repeating. “… Most people wouldn’t use the word ‘sin’. The word is too staid, too old fashion, too judgmental. Sin isn’t talked about much these days, even from the pulpit. We hear about ‘faults’ and ‘lapses in judgment’ and ‘failing to live up to our potential’ but the word ‘sin’ rarely surfaces. Folks who used to require repentance now need understanding. Those who in days past were rebuked for sin are now accepted ‘as they are’. Confession has been replaced with counseling; godly sorrow and repentance with therapy” (Dalton Key, “The Dreaded ‘S’ Word”, The Words of Truth, Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan. 2, 97, p. 3). He’s right. Sin isn’t sin anymore in the minds of most folks. The Bible says, “…all have sinned…” (Romans 3:23), and “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23). We may try to ignore it; we may try to explain it away, but sin still exists, and it will cause us to lose our soul, unless our sins are removed through contact with the saving blood of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:17-18). What are you doing about the sin in your life, before you never wake?

Give It To God To Clean Up

 

There was not too long ago an expression of self-gratitude going around, “I owned it today; I took a test and totally owned it!” or “During our game today we owned the other team!” Do you remember what that means? It means the one expressing those words of triumph came out on top. They had a highly productive day, or easily passed the test, or won the game with skill and they’re full of pride in their accomplishment. I think we’ve all had that feeling .Wouldn’t it be great if we could “own” the world? I don’t mean in the sense of climbing over it on our way to the top. I’m thinking more in the way of having such an impact on the world that it would become better. About a decade ago National Geographic carried a story about the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. Between 1908 and 1926 there was 423 million board feet of lumber removed from the once beautiful natural habitat teeming with wildlife. This human impact nearly destroyed that habitat and disrupted delicate migration patterns. Today, a National Wildlife Refuge, the wilderness is once again in pristine condition - as if man had never touched it. The magazine stated that this is a good example “of what nature will do to restore herself and heal herself.” Well, there are “laws of nature” that have been set forth by the Creator and although it was man who scarred Okefenokee, it was God who has healed it. We have here a splendid picture of the hand of God in human affairs. After all, it is God who made nature and set in order those eternal laws which govern life.

[Psalm 51:7] There is another way that God heals the damage done by man. Many lives have been ravaged by sin to the extent that they have nearly lost all hope of ever returning to their pristine state. Think about it for just a moment. Sin dominates our world (Romans 3:23; 5:12). And because sin is destructive (Romans 6:23), the world continues getting worse. But, (to borrow from the song), “There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.” That balm it speaks of is the cleansing blood of Jesus shed at Calvary for our misdeeds. He died for you – personally! Regardless of how deeply you are mired in sin, you may truthfully declare with David, “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow,” with the assurance that when you give your life to Jesus your sin will be removed to restore your soul to the purity that it possessed when it first entered the world. Man decimated the Okefenokee! Before the swamp could be returned to its natural state by God, man’s co-operation was necessary. He had to stop the depredation that had once ruined it. And if your soul is to return to what it once was, you must co-operate with the Great Healer by renouncing the sin with which you scared its beauty. Your soul is worth saving! Give God a chance to do it! You can “own this” and the power to do so is found in the Word of God. Become the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). As salt flavors and helps prevent spoilage, we need to help prevent the moral decay taking place in our society. We do this by upholding godly principles of righteousness for worldly things. Become the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-16). Light has the wonderful benefit of showing the way before us no matter how dark the world may become. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Light exposes the hidden things of darkness that can cause us to stumble (Ephesians 5:8-14). We are to be the light of the world by reflecting the presence of God and His glory. When the world sees this positive effect in us, they will be able to see God. We can “own” the world if we become salt and light. It begins with ME! Each one of us must take personal responsibility for our lives before God - and those around us.

Leaning On One Another

 

I heard about a road crew that was assigned to work on a particular stretch of highway. After arriving at the worksite, it was determined that they had a problem. A phone-call was made to the office, “Boss, we have a problem; we only have one shovel.” To this the boss replied, “Well… just lean on one another until I get there.”

[Acts 14:21-22] “…strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith; (Paul and Barnabas preached) ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’” As Christians we should take heed to what the boss told his road crew and learn to lean on one another when we lack the tools to stand strong and/or alone. If you have done any living at all, you know by now that this present world can be a tough place to live - and it ain’t getting any easier! We can surely use some help now and again if we are to survive what this world can throw at us. Do you ever think about what is the real purpose of the church? Is your local congregation only a place to gather for “church services”? According to the book of Acts, the church was not a gathering place, such as a building, but the church (the local congregation - baptized believers are the church of God; the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12: 12-13; 27, Colossians 1:18; 24)) would gather at a certain place. Those who were Christians met together for Lord’s Day worship (i.e. Acts 20:7). The early Christians, in addition to worship, met together to encourage one another (Acts 2:42-47). The Hebrew writer, concerned that some were losing their faith, said, “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:12-13). Christians are less likely to fall away when we spend time encouraging one another. I think we can see from the Word of God that Christians gather for worship and to lean on one another until the Lord returns or we depart from this earthly life. If we shared a common goal to build up one another, the church would be better for it. Paul wrote, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Philippians 2:1-2). We live in a world that presents tremendous challenges for everyone, and the Christian is not exempt. Paul sent Timothy, “…to strengthen and encourage you in your faith so that no one would be unsettled in these trials. You know quite well we were destined for them. In fact when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless” (1 Thessalonians 3:2-5). Likewise, until the Lord comes, like Paul, let us lean on and encourage one another (Romans 14:19).

Our world is full of sadness and sorrow. Death comes and takes our loved ones. Financial troubles wreck our future plans. Sickness robs us of what we had envisioned for our lives. If we are not disciplined, we let these things rob us of our happy life. Jesus knew life would be hard on his disciples; it was hard on him too. “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He has robbed death of its power (1 Corinthians 15:50-58); He has promised us an eternal home (Revelation 21:1-5). Be positive and hopeful. Together we can overcome through Him!