Is Our Time Ripe?

 

Veterans Day is coming up this Wednesday. It is a federal holiday observed every year on November 11. It has been called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day, originally honoring the end of WWI. Today, there are no veterans of WWI. The last veteran of World War 1, Frank Buckles, died in February 2011 at the age of 110. And the veterans of WWII are fast disappearing. According to one source, only 30,500 of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII are still living in 2026. Of those millions who served in the last world war and died on the battlefield, the remains of some soldiers are still unidentified. But the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) continues to discover those soldiers who are still officially listed as missing, and to identify the remains they have. As a nation, we have promised to find our missing boys and return the remains to family members. We do this because we honor the ultimate sacrifice they made.

On this coming Wednesday, let’s say a prayer of thanksgiving for the men and women who have died before their time, fighting in conflicts throughout time to protect the values of freedom, decency, and respect for one’s fellow human beings. —Timothy Merrill

[Daniel 4:25] We often wonder what the world is coming to; just how long will evil progress in our world? The Bible ought to be at the forefront of our focus when we have such questions. That God wrote the Bible is evident from many of its characteristics, one of which is its controlled way of describing evil in the world. There is no shock at the evil acts of men, but rather a reminder that God is in control over the kingdoms of men and works according to His own timetable. Just as farmers wait as long as it takes for their crops to mature before they harvest them, God waits until the time is right to punish nations.

 Often, we become anxious and impatient about evil, wondering when God will deal with it. Men in the Bible did this as well. Jeremiah questioned how long God would allow the wicked to prosper (Jeremiah 12:1-4). Habakkuk knew that God was of purer eyes than to behold evil (Habakkuk 1:13) but was troubled because to him it seemed that God was idly looking at wrongdoing (Habakkuk 1:2-4). John saw the souls of them who were slain under the alter crying out, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10), an evident representation of God’s sense of justice being so sensitive that innocent blood screams out to Him (Genesis 4:10).

God will punish when the time is ripe. In Genesis 15:16, God promised Abraham that his descendants (Israel) would inherit the land where Abraham was sojourning (Canaan), when the iniquity of the present inhabitants (the Amorites) was full. However, before that time Israel would be a servant in the land of Egypt until the time was right for God to judge them (Genesis 15:13-14). God had plans to bless Israel and to punish Egypt and the people of Canaan, but it was all according to His time.

When will the iniquity of our nation be full? God alone knows. He sent His Son to save the world “when the fullness of time had come” (Galatians 4:4). Revelation 14:13-16 portrays an angel being sent forth from God with instructions for Christ to reap the earth with a sharp sickle gathering God’s people for deliverance.

The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 came when the time was ripe. Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-43 gives a glimpse of the harvest that will take place at the end of time. God harvests when the time is ripe for individuals and nations. He will issue His last and great harvest at the end of time, of which only He knows (Matthew 24:36-39). It is up to us to make sure we are prepared for the reaping when the time is ripe.

Doing Good for Good Pay

 

A story was told about a small boy wanting to buy a watermelon from an old farmer. The boy was willing to pay one dollar for a delicious melon still attached to the vine. The old farmer said, “Nope. I get four dollars for a melon like that one.” The boy pointed to a small melon two rows over and said, “How about a dollar for that one?” The old farmer smiled and took the boy’s dollar, and said, “It’s a deal.” The boy returned the smile and said, “Deal! I’ll pick it up about this time next week.” Sometimes the best deals are made when we’re willing to wait. Patience is always a key ingredient toward success.

Several missionaries were having coffee one afternoon, when an ant appeared on the white tablecloth, made its way to the plate of donuts, walked around it, and made straight for the sugar bowl. After eating several bites, it walked off with a small piece. They watched the ant disappear under the door only to return a few minutes later with several of its relations. They climbed the table leg, entered the sugar bowl, and ate their fill. Then they departed, each with a morsel of sugar in its mouth. But it didn’t end there. Presently, a swarm of ants arrived to partake of the same sweet food, leaving with abundant stores for home. These ants teach us a lesson. The first went and told others of the “good news,” who in turn, went and told the glad story to many more. Like Isaiah, the demonic, the woman of Samaria, and others, we must “go and tell” the glad story of God’s redeeming love that all may share in the grace of forgiveness found in God’s kingdom of sweet rest.

[John 15:5] Have you ever had the feeling that after all is said and done, that all your talking and working had been wasted? Most people seem to have some experience of this sort from time to time. Yet, the Lord reminded His followers, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” The apostle Paul wrote, “...be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Toiling for the Lord is never a wasted effort, no matter whether we see the immediate results we had hoped for or not. To teach a lost one and have them reject the gospel message is not a wasted effort. It is never in vain to do God’s will. To encourage a weak Christian to remain faithful and yet see that person turn away from Christ and the church is not a wasted effort. You have shown your love for God and for your neighbor. You have obeyed God. Obedience is never a wasted effort. Jesus died for all mankind, yet most will not come to Him for salvation. Who can say that His self-sacrifice on the cross was a wasted effort?

It is human nature to get tired of doing anything that is not going as one expected. Therefore, God has encouraged us through the pen of Paul, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10). Doing good is doing God’s will. We must not give upon doing good because God will reward us at the proper time.

“Bondservants, obey in all things your master’s according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men pleasers, but in sincerity of the heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality” (Colossians 3:22-25).

He who does God’s work will get God’s pay; He does not pay as others pay; And this is sure, let come what may; He who does God’s work will get God’s pay! Everlasting life!

What Scares You?

 

Ours, it is to be feared, is an irreverent age and land. The number of those who neither fear God nor regard man, is greatly multiplied. The whole providentially arranged system of things is being reversed; and if there is any one motto which might be inscribed on the surface of society as it now is, or as modern innovators and radicals would have it, it would be this - “The elder shall serve the younger.” Youth no longer hangs upon the counsels of age or experience, or design to ask of the former times; but the less one knows of the past, the surer and wiser guide for the future is he esteemed by many.

An ancient Apostle predicted that in the last days children would be disobedient to the
counsel and dictation of their parents. And has not that season arrived when there is a widespread unwillingness on the part of the son to observe the mandates of the father, or the daughter to be swayed by the gentle instruction and mild reproof of the interested mother? Truly, we are called on to deplore the evil which has and must follow the reckless regard which is evinced by the young to the right and safe path pointed out by the aged or those of riper years.

Says a worthy eminent preacher, A.P. Peabody, in his Thanksgiving Sermons, (Millennial Harbinger February 1842) “It seems to me that even within my remembrance there has been in this respect a very great change for the worse. The commandment used to be taught, ‘Honor thy father and mother,’ and ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord.’ But now, from what I witness frequently of the mutual relation of children and parents, I should almost imagine that it had been written. ‘Honor thy son and thy daughter,’ and ‘Parents, obey your children.’ If, in these days of irreverence, there is anything that is treated with universal reverence, it is the wayward impulses and whims of children. And often have I seen parents of large and well-informed minds, instead of moulding their children’s characters, submitting themselves to be moulded by them, brow-beaten out of sound opinions, driven from respectable and worthy habits, and drawn where neither good sense nor conscience would go with them. It is children thus trained, or rather thus untrained, who, when they grow up, push their elders aside. It is such that despise laws and speak evil of dignities. Therefore, let it be enforced by all – ‘Children, obey your parents.’”

As the cool autumn breezes bring in a new season, many people will kick off fall by scaring themselves silly. Witches, goblins, vampires, and horror movies seem to be the focal point for October. Why some people enjoy being scared of things that do not exist is beyond me. Daniel Kelly, a philosophy professor at Purdue University, once said that Halloween is the time when people can have their “fear and disgust buttons pushed without actually being in danger.” Isn’t it strange that people seek out and dwell upon evil things to tantalize their emotions with fear of non-existent things like zombies and werewolves, and imitating all sorts of evil things, but seem to have no actual fear of things that really exist, such as the coming day of judgment and eternal punishment in hell?

[2 Thessalonians 1:6-10] Jesus will return “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Lord Jesus says that separation from God for all eternity in hell will be horrifying! (Mark 9:43-48) “…where ‘Their worm does not die; And the fire is not quenched.’”

Halloween is enjoyed by many today for the “safe scares” it supposedly provides. But have you stopped to consider the horror of eternal life without Jesus? If you reject Him, you will live in eternal horror, with no relief or safety to be found. Now that’s scary.

There Your Treasure Will Be Also

 

As usual, the gorilla exhibit at the San Diego Zoo was teeming with people when we entered the enclosure on a busy Saturday afternoon. The cave-like dwelling offered welcome relief from the hot sun. The benches in front of the glass windows were full of parents and children who were talking and laughing as they watched the huge beasts swinging from the trees, grooming each other, or romping around. The adult gorillas played with the youngsters.

Suddenly, I realized our 5-year-old granddaughter was no longer right in front of us. I heard her voice before I saw her. She was sitting cross-legged on the ground right in front of the glass-enclosed area for the gorillas — out of harm’s way — and reading a picture book. No doubt she needed a break from the crowds, the walking, and the sun. And as I watched, one of the giant gorillas lumbered over and sat down right in front of the glass and faced our little one, carefully watching her. Unafraid, she continued to read, going a bit slower, reading a bit louder and holding the book up to show each picture to the gorilla who seemed to be interested! Soon a crowd gathered around her and the noise level in the enclosure disappeared and all that could be heard was the voice of a little girl, giving attention –– giving a sacred space –– to one of God’s creatures. As the story ended, there was a moment of silence and a stillness in the area.

One had to wonder: What was the gorilla doing? Was he thinking? And then came the realization that it didn’t really matter. The child and the enormous ape had made a connection, thereby connecting us all. —Melanie Silva

[Matthew 6:21] A law of nature that mankind has been bound by since the beginning of time is gravity. Sure, man has gone into space and experienced weightlessness, but the rule remains that what goes up must come down. The principle can be applied to what goes into our minds as well. In other words, what goes in must come out. Jesus said something similar to this; “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If we fill our mind with the things of this world, soon our actions will show our heart is not set on things above. The apostle Paul wrote, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). As followers of Christ, we must be cautious of what we allow to enter our minds. If we are constantly around negative people, they will soon rub off on us, and our minds will be transformed into negative thinking. Paul wrote, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). Paul understood that we can be conformed to the world by things we watch, listen to, read, participate in, and the people we associate with.

When James wrote about taming the tongue, he described it as “a fire” (James 3:6). He recognized, “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). Where does this fire get its fuel? Our speech strongly reflects the things we put into our minds. One is more likely to allow bad language to ooze into one’s vocabulary if one permits it into their mind. It may be a gradual progression we do not recognize has happened. It may get to a point that, “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessings and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be so” (James 3:9-10). What goes up must come down - what goes in must come out. Share your love and others listen.

Living Is A Challenge

 

I experienced a rather solemn week past, making decisions no one likes to make. My little Chihuahua of thirteen years just couldn’t take another step. Declining in her physical abilities for the past six months, all the meds and love couldn’t reverse or slow the aging process. Normally, my supervisor roams around the yard as I trim and mow the grass, but Wednesday she just laid without concern leaving me to move her out of the way twice as I approached her with the mower. I knew then that time was close as her mobility had nearly come to a complete failure. Thursday morning I could see it in her eyes – the spark wasn’t there anymore. That afternoon I took her to the vet for a quality-of-life exam and as I suspected water and nutrition was not being retained and the best thing for her was to put her to sleep. I wish to give accolades to the staff at Deason Animal Hospital for their care, concern, and compassion they showed me, and assume they share with all who are faced with the decision of having to part with a “member of their family” so to speak. Thanks; Bella is at rest.

A terminally ill man turned to his doctor as he was leaving the examining room and said, “Doctor, I’m afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.” Very quietly the doctor said, “I don’t know…” “You don’t Know? You’re a Christian man and you don’t know what’s on the other side?” The doctor was holding the handle of the door, and on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning again to his patient the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing but that his master was here. And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what’s on the other side of death – but I do know one thing – I know my master is there and that’s enough for me to want to go without fear.”

Most days “living” is a challenge. We have many responsibilities and challenges that compete with our relationship with God. We are raising a generation that has no real religious concern or eternal focus. As a society, our current generation continues to drift from the Creator. The world around us seems to have put us in survival mode every day.

Christians can live a fruitful, meaningful life, provided we are in the right relationship with God. We can live decisively, abundantly, and eternally as long as we live obediently.

We can live decisively if we make the decision to put God first in our life. Matthew 6:24 tells us, “No one can serve two masters…” True success is based on and a result of putting God first. This is the only foundation that can weather the storms of life without doubt. We can live abundantly once we understand why Jesus came to earth. John 10:10-11 says, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep.” Christ died for our sins that we may have spiritual life eternal. We can live eternally once we focus on the home that awaits us. John 14:2 says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; …I go to prepare a place for you.” When we want to quit, we should remember why we started. Working and toiling can be difficult at times, but we must not lose focus on why we changed our life and chose to become a Christian. Quitting is not an option for Christians. Christians can live and not just survive by being obedient. Being obedient is hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17); believing God’s Word (Hebrews 11:6); repenting of sins (Acts 17:30); confessing Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 16:16); being baptized for the remission of sins (Mark 16:15-16); and remaining faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). Don’t let living in this world separate you from God who wants to love you for all eternity.

A Healthy Spiritual Heart Forgives

 

    A teacher asked the children in her Sun­day School class, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into heaven?” “NO!” the children all answered. “If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would I get into heaven?” Again, the answer was “NO!” “Well,” she continued, “then how can I get to heaven?” In the back of the room, a five-year-old boy shouted out, “You gotta be dead!”

    Our doctors want us to be healthy and so they ask, “Let me listen to your heart.” But who helps you with a spiritual heart condition? Often, the spiritual heart is hurting more than we ever let on. Christians often see Spiritual deficiencies in others, but not in themselves. Our spiritual health depends on what we are willing to accept Spiritually (Luke 9:46-48). The One listening to our spiritual heart knows all about us and we must be ready and willing to accept His diagnosis and His recommended corrective action. I take comfort in knowing that the Great Physician is monitoring my spiritual heart’s health.

    The Old Testament provides a record of many memorable stories that teach us valuable life lessons. However, our use of Old Testament is sometimes limited to those familiar stories that we heard as children. Stories about creation, Abraham, Moses, David and Goliath, and Daniel in the lion's den. In limiting ourselves to these old familiar stories, we might be robing ourselves of many rich stories that God intended for us to know – a sort of reading between the lines for better understanding.

    For instance, do you remember the Old Testament story of Eliam? Eliam is a rather obscure character of the Old Testament and often overlooked. In fact, the name is only mentioned twice. This is the story of one of those two men.

    [2 Samuel 11] Eliam was the father of a little girl. Like all fathers, he loved his daughter and watched her grow into a beautiful young lady. The day finally came when Eliam gave his daughter’s hand to a young man to be his wife. Eliam’s daughter and son-in-law were making a life together when tragedy befell them. One day, when Eliam’s son-in-law was away at work, a man who had quite a bit of power in the region, sent men to Eliam’s son-in-law and daughter’s house. These men entered her home, took her away, brought her to the man of power, and he had sexual relations with her. Not only that, but this man of power also had Eliam’s son-in-law murdered.

    For the record, Eliam’s son-in-law was Uriah. His daughter was Bathsheba. And the man of power was King David. Ah! Now you remember the story. It was just told from a unique perspective, through the eyes of Eliam. We know and love King David in spite of his murderous and adulterous actions. We “brush off” his mistakes and count him as one of our heroes. I have some questions: Do you think Eliam viewed David as a hero? Through the eyes of Eliam, how do you suppose the man who murdered his son-in-law, and stole away his daughter was viewed? Do you think it might have been harder for Eliam to forgive David than it was for us? Surely, and that brings me to my point.

    We can talk about forgiveness all day long and know all the correct answers, but we may not appreciate how much work this spiritual discipline requires. Forgiveness is easy until you really need to forgive someone. Loving our enemies is easy until you really have an enemy of your own. One should not get over-confident in one’s ability and willingness to forgive. One must continue to work and mature in this spiritual discipline. And when one thinks they have arrived, go back and look through the eyes of Eliam. Stay healthy.

Overcoming Evil Wtih Goodness

 

An old man was walking through the land pulling a small, two-wheeled cart behind him. At last, he came upon a village. As he entered the little hamlet, the villagers moved toward their homes, locking doors and windows. The stranger smiled and asked, “Why are you all so frightened? I am a simple traveler, looking for a soft place to stay for the night and a warm place for a meal.” “There’s not a bite to eat in the whole province,” he was told. “We are weak and our children are starving. Better keep moving on.” “I have everything I need,” he said. “In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you.” He pulled an iron cauldron from beneath a tarpaulin in his cart. He filled the huge pot with water and built a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a silken bag and dropped it into the water. By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come out of their homes. As the stranger sniffed the “broth” and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome the villagers’ fear. “Ahh,” the stranger said to himself rather loudly, “I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage ––that’s hard to beat.” Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a small cabbage he’d retrieved from its hiding place. He added it to the pot. “Wonderful!” cried the stranger. “You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king!” The village butcher managed to find some salt beef. And so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms and other vegetables until there was indeed a delicious meal for everyone in the village to share. The village elder offered the stranger a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell it. As he was leaving the village, the stranger came upon a group of village children standing near the road. He gave the silken bag containing the stone to the youngest child, whispering to the group, “It was not the stone, but the villagers who performed the magic.” —Melanie Silva

[Romans 12:21] “Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Several teens were posed the question: “If you were a superhero, what super-power would you want to have?” Answers range from extreme speed to flight, and from x-ray vision to great strength. Everyone wants to be in control and not beaten back by the villains of the world. So, on the surface, everyone agrees wholeheartedly that we shouldn’t be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good – like ‘good’ is some sort of super-power to wield.

But Jesus tells us that only God is good (Matthew 19:17). And yet, we are to add goodness to our faith (Galatians 6:9-10) in “increasing measure” to “receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom.” This shows the fruit of the spirit to be rare but certainly growable in our lives (Galatians 5:22-26).

The key to having goodness is found at the beginning of Romans chapter 12. We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, not conforming to the pattern of this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we can be like God, who alone is good, to overcome evil with good. Spiritual super-powers don’t come as gifts to be given but as fruits to be grown. Don’t wait until you’re hungry to plant a garden. The seeds of faith and hope are found in the Word of God – Jesus’ parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15). The seeds of life (Luke 8:11) can be planted from God’s Word into the heart of every living being to grow into the spiritual fruit God desires that we all produce in this life. If such a garden were growing in the hearts of everyone, we could be living in a spiritual Garden of Eden. Love and peace exist in the heart of those who love one another (1 Corinthians 13:4-13).

He Who Has Ears To Hear...

 

Mankind has al­ways wanted to play and have fun rather than work. We have always wanted to be entertained, more than to be serious about spiritual matters. This desire is worldliness at its core.

What we sometimes fail to realize is that this mindset was common long before mod­ern gadgets and playthings. Centuries before smart phones, cars, jets and cruise ships, peo­ple sought the pleasures of life. They wanted the best food, the nicest clothes, the most comfortable houses, and the most exciting forms of entertainment. This craving char­acterized people in Noah’s time, people in Jesus’ time, and people of today. In every case, this attitude always has the same effect: it leaves people with little interest in spiritual things. Whatever religion remains, is cold and lifeless. Religious leaders are expected to be shallow advisors instead of convicting preachers of the Word.

How little life has changed. A homeschooling history book describes the religious climate of New En­gland in the 1700’s (America: Land I Love, Beka, 1994, p.69). A Connecticut historian described the situation by saying that “…the forms of religion were kept, but there ap­peared but little of the power of it.” Preachers of the period “…contented themselves with preaching a cold, unprin­cipled and lifeless morality.” Even without temptations we consider to be modern and unique to our generation, these early Amer­icans were absorbed with worldly cares and pleasures and had little concern about their souls.

[Luke 8:14] “Now the ones (the seed – God’s Word) that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and plea­sures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” The world has always offered mankind pleasure. It has always suffo­cated spirituality because men love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). What a warning this case should be to us! The craving for worldly pleasures quickly stifles the power of the Word of God in our lives! We must make sure as individuals that we are spiritually minded. We must fight as the church to resist the trend to become an entertainment center. We must keep the fo­cus of the pulpit and classrooms on teaching the Word of God in all its power. Let us learn from the past instead of repeating it.

Many give lip service to the Bible and claim to believe that it is the Word of God. When Jesus was walking the earth, the Jews thought they were worshiping God when in reality they were just following the traditions and commands of men. Jesus said this wor­ship was vain or useless (Matthew 15:1-10). Do we really know what God has said in His Word? Do we believe what the Holy Spirit inspired writers recorded for us in the Bible? Are we following God in our worship or like the Jews, are we listening to what men (preachers, teachers, the world) say about our spiritual life? Jesus said that not every one that says, “Lord, Lord” will be saved (Matthew 7:21). In our every­day language, that means we can’t just “talk the talk”, we must also “walk the walk”!

Paul wrote “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus …and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). Je­sus “walked the walk” so that we could be saved. Should one not be willing to “…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” to Him? (Romans 12:1)

The Jews of long ago didn’t have a “ready reference” as to what God commanded as we do today. Open your Bible and read it. Some day every ear will hear its words, and every knee will bow to Jesus. (Matthew 13:36-43) He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Christianity Is Good For You

 

A certain father was trying to teach his son the value of sacrificing for the things we really want in life. At the moment the boy could think of nothing grander than to own a BB gun. His father wanted to help, so he told the son that he would double anything that the boy saved. That sounded pretty generous and the boy began at once. Things went along pretty well for a while, and the funds grew rapidly. There was no mention of it as the funds grew to $10 saved. Not much by to­day’ s standards, but there are some children who would have a tough time saving $10 as they rarely see that kind of money. A month or so later the father happened to think of the proposal and asked his son how much mon­ey he had saved. Hesitantly, the boy told his father that he didn’t have the money he had saved up. “I spent it for something else,” is all he could mutter. All dad could see was that his lesson in saving and sacrifice had gone up in some frivolous moment.

The father pressed the son for an explana­tion, expecting to hear of some trivial and wasteful purchase. “Well, Son, it was your money and if you didn’t really want the gun…” “But, Daddy, I do want the gun. I’ve even dreamed about it, but I bought a Chinese boy instead.” The obvious question was forthcoming, “How in the world did you do that?” The little boy recounted how the Sun­day school teacher had informed them that they could contribute money to mission work and help save the souls of other young people just like themselves, so the little boy gave his $10 to help save another soul.

We all know who learned the greatest les­son in sacrifice that day. When a boy can teach a lesson such as this to a grown man, can we as Christians learn just such a great lesson in sacrificing? Not only our time and our money, but our very existence helps save this lost world.

It turns out that Christianity is good for you, and good for your kids. Aren’t I Captain Obvious? Well, I suppose if you have been listening too much to certain atheists it might not be obvious. Richard Dawkins has claimed that teaching children to accept their parent’s religion is a form of child abuse and suggests it’s even more damaging than sexual abuse. Interesting attention-grabbing statement—and completely wrong.

If you look at Christian families with unbiased eyes it is to see how beneficial practicing the Christian faith can be. If you need further proof, consider a 2018 Harvard Study. Researchers kept track of over five thousand youth for over a decade. Their findings? Young people who went to church and prayed were more likely to say they were happy, more likely to volunteer, and less likely to use drugs. The study’s author, Ying Chen, said “Many children are raised religiously, and our study shows that this can powerfully affect their behaviors, mental health, and overall happiness and well-being.” I didn’t need a Harvard professor to tell me that - but it’s nice when someone sees the truth.

[John 3:16; Romans 5:6-11] God sacrifices His Son for us. What are we sacrificing for Him? May we carry this same spirit over into an everyday attitude of “giving” of ourselves, and may we be encouraged to have the same diligence to show the sincerity of our love for God as we lay by in store each first day of the week.

(2 Corinthians 9:6-7) “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” The marvelous thing is that if we do this without a covetous desire, we’ll reap more than we sow. God’s shovel is just bigger than ours. Besides, all you possess belongs to God already – on lone to you.

Making The Right Choices

 

“The Choice” by unknown author. “I dreamed that it was Judgement Day, it hit me pretty hard. To meet my Maker face to face, and receive my reward. As I stood there before Him, He sadly shook His head. He turned the pages of the Book, and I was filled with dread! He looked me squarely in the eye; I knew I’d lost the race. Too many times I’d made the choice, and God took second place.”

A few years ago, I received a call from a lady at the hospital, presumably a staff nurse. She said a patient wanted to see a church of Christ preacher. I went to the hospital to see a man I had never seen before. He was near death and wanted me to say a prayer for him. He then related that he was a member of the Church but had not been in a church building for years. But now at the end of his life, he wanted to have a prayer. I took his hand and prayed as he requested. I’m not anyone’s judge, but I have a very difficult time with those who want to live apart from the Lord until the last minute of life. I truly fear for their soul. I know God forgives when we repent (1 John 1) and I pray that prayer is enough repentance.

But what about all the years away from the Body of Christ? What about those person’s he might have reached with the gospel? I can’t help but worder if a deathbed prayer is true repentance. We are told to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:15-16). And surely this person I visited had not done so. Regardless, such a person’s soul is in the hands of God and God is the judge of us all (Acts 10:42). But it is wise not to wait; death may come unannounced.

[1 John 2:2] “And He Himself (Jesus) is the propitiation (our atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

If Jesus is every lost person’s Savior, why isn’t every lost person saved? The answer to this question is very easy. The Lord Jesus saves only those who respond to His call to salvation, which is the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). He saves only those who get into Him and put Him on in water baptism (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27). Baptism that puts one into Christ, and by which one puts on Christ has to be preceded by one’s faith in Christ as the Son of God, the Savior which came down from above (John 8:21-24). Baptism must also be preceded by repentance of sin, and by confession that Jesus is God’s Son (Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9-10).

Today you have the power within your grasp to change this horrible nightmare of judgement into that blessed assurance of a home in heaven with God for eternity. Yes, you have the ability to change your destiny, your eternal home, heaven or hell, by the choices you choose to make – today and the rest of your life. In a hundred years it won’t matter what kind of car you drove, how big your house was, or even how well you could swing a golf club or throw a rope. What will matter is how true one has been to the Bible.

John 12:47-50 tells us that God’s Word, the Bible, will judge us. “And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me gave Me command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Be sure you’re making the right choices, for your choices will dictate your home for eternity.

Peer Pressure

 

At the climax of a graduating commencement ceremony in a certain Bible Institute in India, the entire graduation class rises to commit themselves to the Lord’s work with these words: “Today, I stand as a dead man. I declare that in Jesus Crist, I am saved by His blood, and thus I am dead to sin, and no longer dead in my sin. Today, I stand and declare that I surrender my will and my life to His will and His life. I shall go where He sends me, without asking questions. I shall go to whomever He sends me, without seeking fame. I shall preach to everyone, even if they hate me. I am an ambassador of the Cross and must deliver the message. I shall pour my life out to reach my family, my friends, my neighbors, and my city. I embrace the shame of the Cross, and I fear nothing but God. I welcome suffering, shame, persecution, beatings, imprisonment and death, but I will not be silenced. If I am killed, I pray that my blood should be a harvest for souls. This is my city. I dare not do less.” Following graduation, each student is given three items. 1. A new Bible. 2. A new Bicycle. 3. A one-way train ticket to their field of service. There is no Plan B, and neither should any Christian have such.

When the phrase “Peer Pressure” is mentioned, our minds often jump to scenes in a school yard where a group of bullies are tempting young children to try drugs for the first time. Unfortunately, peer pressure is still prominent in college and even in the professional world. People, whether explicitly or implicitly, always seem to influence the decisions we make – for good or ill.

[Genesis 6:8] “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” This favor that Noah found in God’s eyes made a big change on the earth and the human race. About 5000 years ago, Noah and his family lived in the midst of an estimated one billion evil, violent, corrupt people. Mothers – think of hard it would be to raise a family. Mrs. Noah evidently supported her husband as he preached to those evil neighbors. The ark he was building was as long as one-and-a-half football fields and one-hundred miles from the nearest large body of water. Mothers – imagine the abuse and laughter that this family endured. But even in this dark time of human history, Mrs. Noah’s sons found wives. Give credit to this family for having the patience to endure and strived to teach God’s will for 100-years. Noah’s primitive tools made work very slow. To tell him to “hurry-up” would have been very foolish. Do you suppose Mrs. Noah heard her children say, “Nobody else does this. Why do we have to be different?” and “Is daddy nearly finished?” Noah and his wife set the example for all fathers and mothers. They accomplished their greatest responsibility by seeing that their family was saved from the impending disaster God warned about.

Peter most certainly understood this influence on decisions of integrity and belief when he wrote 1 Peter to the Christians scattered about Asia Minor. While the direct cause of suffering is still debated it seems most likely the Christians Peter was addressing were suffering from social pressures, or “peer pressure”. They were being “persecuted” because they didn’t participate in the same things as other Roman citizens or worship the pantheon of gods in Roman religion. (1 Peter 4:1-6) “…they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”

So, whether in your workplace, school, church, family, or vacation – remember that we must not succumb to peer pressure that leads us away from Christ. For Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Amen!!

Answer The Call

 

One night a teenage girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents, and they were appalled by his appearance: leath­er jacket, motorcycle boots, tattoos, and a pierced nose. Later, the parents pulled their daughter aside and confessed their concern. “Dear,” said the mother diplomatically, “he doesn’t seem very nice.” “Oh please, Mom,” replied the daughter, “if he wasn’t nice, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?”

Hulk Hogan, the famous wrestling star, missed a call from his agent about a possible endorsement deal. Now the story has shifted over the years, but basically, his agent had set up some potential sponsorship on some kitchen items. These companies felt a celebrity name on their product could rocket them to success. Hulk favored a meatball maker, but the agent had another product in mind. So, he rang up Hogan, but he never answered. The agent moved on to his next client to see if he wanted to put his name on a personal grilling machine. That client, ex-boxer George Forman, took the call and the offer. Over 100 million George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machines have been sold worldwide. It is estimated that Forman has made over 500 million dollars from that deal, more than he made in his entire boxing career. I bet the Hulk wishes he had answered his phone.

A merchant sat at his desk, and all around him were letters, bills and other evidence that he was much absorbed in the details of his business. A gospel preacher entered his office and said, “I have come to you to try to interest you in a matter of great importance. I would like to talk to you about the destiny of your soul, and the gospel of Christ.”

“Sorry, not now. You must excuse me preacher,” said the merchant. “I am very busy,” was his reply. The preacher excused himself and with a sad and heavy heart, left. The merchant turned again to his papers.

Just a few days after this incident, a dis­agreeable stranger stepped into the mer­chant’s office and laid a cold moist hand upon his brow and said, “Come home with me,” and the merchant laid down his pen and closed his books and went home. He felt diz­zy, faint and sick. A cold chill settled on the merchant’s heart, specters of ships, notes, ledgers, houses and lands flitted through his excited brain. His pulse beat slower; his heart heaved, a thick film gathered over his eyes; his tongue refused to speak, and death’s clammy damp­ness was on his brow. He knew the name of the strange visitor was “Death.” He was too busy to attend to spiritu­al matters and the salvation of his soul, but he wasn’t too busy to die.

We don’t always see an opportunity for what it is. What may change our life might be seen initially as an annoyance or a hassle. We have different ideas about what is best. Yet later we can see how an opportunity slipped away.

[James 4: 13-14] God warns, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit,’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.’”

Right now, you have an opportunity to change your life for the better. You have access to ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ’ (Ephesians 3:8). He wants to put his name on YOU! (1 John 3:1-3). The Gospel call is ringing out to all of us (Romans 1:16-17; Acts 2:38-39). How are you going to respond? Ignore the call? Choose something else that won’t be as valuable? Or do you take the offer that grants far more than you ever hope to have in this life?

“…now is the accepted time; …now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

Well Known Roads

 

As the stranger enters the country store, he spots a sign: “Danger! Beware of Dog!” Down one aisle he spots a harmless old hound asleep in the middle of the floor. “Is that the dog we’re supposed to be aware of?” he asked the store owner. “That’s him,” comes the reply in an old slow southern drawl. “Well, he doesn’t look dangerous to me. Why would you post that sign for such a harmless old dog?” The store owner looked down at his beloved dog, then up at the stranger and said, “It’s more for the safety of the dog than the people. Before I posted that sign, folks kept tripping over him.”

One blade at a time. That’s how the last remaining Inca rope bridge is rebuilt every year. The Q´eswackaka bridge spans the Apurimac River in the Cusco region of Peru. For 600 years, communities from both sides of the bridge have been assembling to cut down the old bridge and rebuild with a new one – totally out of local Ichu grass. Women of all ages participate in the gathering of the grass and using it to brad into ropes, which the men of the communities will take and twist into strong cables. The braver of the men will use the cables to build a strong enough bridge to support travelers across the gorge for the next year. The total process of bridging the gap takes only three days, and the completion of the bridge requires total cooperation from both sides of the gorge.

This world is full of roads that may remind us of, or symbolize, many things. Perhaps the mention of “The Yellow Brick Road” brings to mind the exciting adventure to see the “Wizard of Oz.” “Abbey Road” will remind some of the Beatles. The “Burma Road” will remind a much older generation of a 717-mile-long road through mountainous country of China that was built by 200,000 Chinese laborers from 1937 to 1938 and later used by the British to transport war material during World War II.

Then there are roads noted in the Scriptures. The “Jericho Road” mentioned by Jesus in the parable of the “Good Samaritan” that might symbolize a ROAD TO SERVICE (Luke 10:33-35). The “Road to Gaza” where Philip met up with the Ethiopian treasurer might be noted as a ROAD TO DISCOVERY as Philip helped this man understand the One of whom Isaiah wrote was Jesus, the Messiah (Acts 9:1-8, 17-18). Then there was “The Road to Emmaus” on which Jesus walked with two disciples who were pondering the Lord’s death, burial, and the report of an empty tomb (Luke 24:13-35). Perhaps that road could be called “THE ROAD FROM SORROWING TO SEEING”.

[Matthew 7:13-14] “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” What makes roads significant and memorable is what occurs on them and to where they lead. On what road are you traveling throughout this life? Is it a well-traveled highway or faint path less traveled. What is occurring along the way? Where is it ultimately leading?

Jesus implied the choice boils down to two ways leading in opposite directions. One road leads to disappointment and death (spiritually), while the other to hope and Heaven (spiritual everlasting life). Though the road on which we would follow the Lord may be difficult at times, it will be worth the challenges, since it is the one leading to everlasting life in Heaven with God. (Jeremiah 6:16) “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls…’” Though it may not be a well-worn path of the many, keeping our eyes on Jesus who is “THE WAY” (John 14:6), we won’t get lost on THE KING’S HIGHWAY.

Feeling A Debt To Sinners

 

A $1 bill met an old friend, the $20 bill, and said, “Hey, what’s up? I haven’t seen you around here lately.” The $20 bill said, “I’ve been hanging out at the casinos, went a cruise, saw a couple of baseball games, that kind of thing. How about you?” The dollar bill said, “Oh, you know, the same old thing; church, church, church.”

What would you think of a person who was deeply in debt to someone else and all the time this person had the ability to pay off the debt but didn’t? What if the person to whom the money was owed was naïve, poor, and ignorant, so that the debtor could avoid paying off the debt? What would your opinion be of the debtor? You would probably be outraged of the lack of moral integrity, would you not?

During the Civil Wars in England a man on the Isle of Man was accused of treason and sentenced to death. The king eventually granted him a pardon. The pardon fell into the hands of a bitter enemy of the condemned man, and it was never delivered to the jailer. The man from the Isle of Man was executed. What do you think of someone who possesses a pardon which could have saved another person’s life, but he fails to deliver it, whether intentionally or by neglect? Again, would you not be outraged at the insensitivity and inhumanity of this person?

The story is told of a man who carried a small can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door that squeaked, he’d put a drop or two of oil on the hinges, and if a gate were too hard to open, he’d oil the latch. So, he passed through life lubricating all the squeaky places, making it a little more pleasant for those who followed him. There is no telling how many lives you and I could keep from rusting and squeaking and how many gates we could open to happiness, if only we would apply a little oil of human kindness and brotherly love to those we encounter throughout our day. Let us use it wherever we go, for there are many lives hardened and rusting away in sin.

[Romans 1:14-15] The apostle Paul wrote, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and unwise. So as much is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.” Paul said that he was a debtor to the people of the world. Of course, Paul was in debt to God for His marvelous grace. Paul was in debt to Jesus Christ for His substitution sacrifice of atonement at Calvary. Why should Paul feel a debt to the sinners of the world - most of them he never met, many of whom were his enemies? Paul felt the obligation because God called him to be an apostle. Paul was “separated to the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1). Paul possessed the payment to save others from spiritual bankruptcy. He possesses the pardon from the King to save them from being executed. He had the gospel, the good news of Jesus. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).

We possess this very same gospel today which has the identical saving power as it did in the first century. The needs of people today for salvation are just as pressing as those of Paul’s world were. Should we not feel the same debt of obligation to others to share the good news of Jesus Christ?

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength; and whosoever loves much, can accomplish much; and what is done in love is well done” Vincent Van Gogh.

“Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too” Will Smith.

Having A Kind Of Godliness

 

In the woird we lvie in tehre are tihngs thai smoetiems jsut dno’t seem rihgt. Tehre are otehr teems when things are blatantly wrnog, and stcik out lkie a sroe thmub. Hvae you eevre ntoiecd that wehn you are porof redaing soemthnig taht you hvae written, taht yuor eye deos not cacth an erorr? Geiv it 10 somoene else to raed and tehy sopt it rihgt aawy. Why is tihs? Colud it be taht we are too colse to the sitaution?

Okay, enough with the fun. However, I hope you do see what I’m trying to convey with the overemphasizing of the misspellings.

It’s widespread practice for most states to issue examines to high school students who are nearing graduation. These pupils are given more than one chance to pass this test before they can participate in a graduation ceremony. Are some students passing along just because administrators do not know what else to do with them? Perhaps some children don’t understand what it means to have structure, yet they expect to perform miracles at the eleventh hour, so to speak. A test of a child’s knowledge is based on how much they have learned and how well they retain the information fed to them by teachers and textbook data. Their future hinges upon whether or not they go to college based on their test results.

Likewise, teachers are given competency tests and are given more than one chance to pass, and with an overall passing score they may become certified to teach. Prospective teachers are evaluated for their knowledge, which is based on how much they remember and how well prepared they are to instruct our children. Teachers must pass the tests because their future depends upon their dream job. Some students cannot pass the exams and ironically some teachers cannot pass their exams – this is an enigmatic problem.

[Acts 17:22-23] … “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an alter with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD…”

In any sizeable community one will find the building of various denominational groups. Nearly all professing a different doctrine from the other. The apostle Paul noticed something similar in Athens. Now, if I’m looking at this in a logical way, I would say that not all the denominations can be right in their doctrine. Something is wrong somewhere. Most of them, I will admit, have a form of Godliness, just like the misspellings above. There is enough of the words spelled correctly (their teaching) that one can make it out, yet they are not totally truthful and correct. In John 4:23-24, Jesus reminds us that God is Spirit and said that true worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth. This is a command to the believer. How do we know if we are true worshippers – the kind that God wants? The answer is really simple – by studying. God wants His people to know the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

“When We All Get To Heaven” makes me think of death as a graduation ceremony. Like a classroom, we already know that we will have an exit exam. John 12:44-50 plainly states that God will examine us in the end by His every word and our belief in Him.

Did I do my part to help others? Was I courteous even when I wasn’t in the mood? Did I honor my responsibility to the church? Did I respect the rights of others? Did I make righteous choices? This is one exam that we don’t get to retake until we receive a passing grade. Are you sure you’ve been taught the truth? Can you say unequivocally you are worshipping God the way He wants to be worshipped? 1 John 5:13 – Eternal life awaits.

Independence Is Dependent

 

One cold, rainy night, in a small mid-western town, the telephone rang in the house of a doctor. The caller identified himself and said his wife needed urgent medical attention. The doctor was understanding and said he was willing to come and attend to her needs but explained that his car was being repaired and asked that the man come and pick him up. The man angrily responded, “What! In this weather?” Oh, aren’t we selfish silly people?

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

This is the last line of the Declaration of Independence, and it shows us two things in particular about the patriots who signed it: They depended on God and they depended on each other. That last bit sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it - how they depended on God and each other? How is that independence? How can you depend on someone or something, and at the same time declare your independence? We like to think that Independence Day - that grand 250^th anniversary just celebrated - is all about allowing every American to stand alone, as a rugged individual - forgetting that Independence Day is about the independence of a nation, not of a bunch of people looking after their own interests. It’s terribly easy, in our contemporary culture, to forget that hard-earned lesson: that we are inevitably dependent. The pioneers on the frontier knew: • how, if you had to raise a barn, you couldn’t do it without your neighbors; • how, if you fell sick, you could depend on the people in the next cabin to fetch the doctor; • how you could look across the valley through a snowstorm and see from the lantern in the window that you were not alone. The founders of our country knew you couldn’t have a declaration of independence without a corresponding declaration of dependence - that we are dependent on God, and we depend on our neighbors to help us. Let us give thanks today for our nation’s independence. But let us also give thanks that we are blessed with so many people who help us. They help us with visits, with health care, with our daily meals and so much more. We are blessed in so many ways! (Carlos Wilton and Timothy Merrill)

[Psalm 131] “Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely, I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, (O America) hope in the Lord; From this time forth and forever.”

In my mind, one of the things that proves to me the Bible is the Word of God, is it’s view of life and death. It gives an honest approach to living. There are no myths, no fairy tales, and in many cases no happy endings. God’s Word deals with the greatness and the failures of the lives of God’s people. The Bible shows us how to live and the results of not living that way. It speaks of salvation and condemnation; it presents joy and great sorrow. It deals with real life in a brief statement of fact and then goes on with the story. Think how our news media would deal with some story in the Bible like Adam and Eve being forced out of the garden. It would be on the five o’clock news, the ten o’clock news, and the story would for at least or more about how harshly they had been treated. But in God’s Holy Word its briefness is a sign of its divine nature.

The Bible remains a number one best seller and the least read book in the world. If every household in America, and the world, would dare to read God’s Word and follow its precepts there would be peace and wisdom in every land. That would be so pleasing to God.

Commitment

 

John Claypool shares this story in “Leadership” Vol. 12, No.1 – “Winston Churchill had planned his funeral, which took place in St. Paul’s Cathedral. He included many of the great hymns of the Catholic church and used the eloquent Anglican liturgy. At his direction, a bugler, positioned high in the dome of St, Paul’s, intoned, after the benediction, the sound of ‘Taps’ – the universal signal that says the day is over. But then came the most dramatic turn. As Churchill instructed, as soon as ‘Taps’ was finished, another bugler, placed on the other side of the great dome, played the notes of ‘Reveille.’ ‘It’s time to get up; It’s time to get up; It’s time to get up in the morning.’ That was Churchill’s testimony that at the end of history, the last note will not be ‘Taps,’ it will be ‘Reveille’.”

Death surrounds us, we cannot escape it and we can’t escape constantly hearing about it. Turn on any TV news program and the lead story will almost always be about some violent death. Pick up any newspaper and usually somewhere on the front page will be a story that deals with someone’s death. Some are uncomfortable with this constant reminder of our mortality. Death is something we will all face someday. No matter how religious one is; no matter how good one is; someday all will face death and face the maker of all things. How do you view death? How have you prepared for this eventuality? Do you face our mortality with confidence or fear?

[1 Thessalonians 4:13-18] Churchill’s understanding is straight from the scriptures. Paul’s writing is encouraging concerning death. The key to these verses is found in the first verse, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” The word ‘brethren’ directs Paul’s address to ‘Christians” in Thessalonica. “Christian” is a descriptive word that is given to those who are obedient disciples of Jesus Christ. For those who serve God it is not a matter of life or death, it’s a matter of life and continuing life in a new location. Maybe it’s time to consider if you are ready for that day. Eternal life with God or eternal suffering in hell.

Commitment is the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself. It is regarded as a pledge or a promise. When we became Christians, we committed ourselves to take up our cross and follow Christ daily. This commitment is for a lifetime. In Christianity there is no such thing as a temporary commitment or a partial commitment.

When the pilot of a giant airliner is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point where he cannot decide to remain on the ground. When he crosses that line, he has to commit to the air. If he doesn’t, the plane will run out of runway and crash disastrously. That pilot cannot change his mind when the plane is two-thirds of the way down the runway. He must make his decision from the beginning and stay with it to become airborne.

Many members of the church have obeyed the gospel, leaving the old man of sin; but they seem to sit at the beginning of the runway revving their engines – but never moving. They have been saved but have never gotten engaged in their faith. Christianity is not a spectator sport Everyone must compete against an enemy who is out to get their soul (Ephesians 6:10-13; 1 Peter 5:8). This is not a competition where winning or losing does not matter. It is a competition with eternal consequences. “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Our faith in Christ is a commitment with no end. Let’s not spend our time gunning our engines on the runway. Let’s take off!

Fathers Day

 

·         My dad used to carry around a frayed knot in his pocket just an old tied up piece of rope. Then any time someone asked him something and the answer was, “no", he would just pull out the frayed knot and say, “fraid not!” and he would burst out laughing. Nobody else thought it was funny.

·         Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow.

·         Dear Dad, $chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can’t think of anything I need, $o if you would like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you. Love, Your $on

Dear Son, I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh. Love, Dad

When Peter was 16, he finally got his driver's license. To celebrate the special day, the whole family went out to the driveway and climbed into the car to enjoy his first official drive. However, dad went to the back seat, where he sat right behind his boy. When Peter saw his dad he said, "Dad, you must be fed up with the front seat after teaching me how to drive all these days, right?” "Nope!", came the quick reply from the dad. "I'm going to sit back here and kick the back of your seat while you drive, just like you've been doing to me for the last sixteen years!"

Father’s Day Perspective by Brandon Britton

Father's Day - what does it mean to you? Its meaning has changed for me over the years. When I was young it was a day to wear a red rose to church. It was a day to say, "Thanks Dad for all the things you do." Later, when I became a dad, it took on a deeper meaning as I began to realize all the responsibilities that go with the title. Now, being a father and a grandfather, it takes on a special meaning. I look back at the memory of my own father with warm thoughts and understand him better.

I look to the future by looking in the eyes of my son. I see the strength of young manhood and hope and pray that I have been, and am being, the kind of example he needs to see and know what being a Christian father is all about. I look into the eyes of my grandson and see the wonder of new things as he learns to explore his world in which there are new discoveries every day. Again, I hope and pray that I am being the example that he needs to see and to know what being a Christian grandfather is all about.

Father's Day is a wonderful day to stop and reflect on being a father. It is a time to think of the great privilege that God has granted men to become fathers, and to help shape and mold a young mind and soul. It is a time to think that with this privilege comes great responsibilities, as the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:4, "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition the Lord.”

Fathers, notice there are two parts to this verse. One is a negative, "do not provoke.” This provoking is done by making too many demands, undue severity when disciplining our children. The other part is a positive, "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." This requires instruction, spiritual and moral nurture as well as physical (Matthew 4:4). As the children grow older, then we need to give them admonition, that reasoning for which they should or should not do certain things (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Fathers, there will be no greater reward than getting to heaven and being surrounded by our families!

Flag Day

 

In May of every year, Australians submit themselves to a national experience of repentance. Sounds unusual, but it’s true. First, there’s National Sorry Day (this year it’s May 26), which is followed by National Reconciliation Week, which this year is May 27-June 3. According to one source, National Sorry Day, also known as National Day of Healing, is “an annual event that has been held in Australia on May 26 since 1998, to remember and commemorate the mistreatment of the country’s indigenous peoples, as part of an ongoing process of reconciliation between the indigenous peoples and the settler population.” The week of reconciliation which follows is intended “to celebrate the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, and foster reconciliation, discussion and activities.” This is a great idea, and I wish the United States had such a week-long period of national repentance. We have so much of which to repent; slavery, the treatment of Native Americans and ongoing racism for starters. I know there are some who may disagree about the need to do this at a national level, but I believe it would be a good thing. But, having a pastoral heart as I do, I also think it would be good for every church in America to have a Sorry Sunday, and a Week of Reconciliation. Sorry Sunday would be a day in which we fervently repent for our sins on a personal level. We draw up plans to make amends. We approach those whom we have wronged. We make right the wrongs we have committed. Perhaps Lent would be a good time to designate one Sunday as Sorry Sunday. This could be followed by a church-wide Week of Reconciliation. Devotional messages, reconciling activities, worship and prayer, vesper services, and more. Such a week could be a time of renewal and a refreshing of the Holy Spirit in the church. But what about us? Perhaps we should think about having a Sorry Day once a month or once a week. But only if we find it hard to say, “I’m sorry,” and offer an apology. We don’t need a special Sorry Day, do we, if we already make it a habit to correct an injustice when it is done, or to apologize when a harsh word is uttered, or to offer the hand of friendship to the friendless? Let’s not forget how to say, “I’m sorry,” and let’s not forget how to swallow our pride and make things right when things go wrong. —Timothy Merrill

[Isaiah 9:6-7] “…Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…” The government of the United States and its Constitution were established under the ideals and morals of God’s Word. Flag Day marks the anniversary of the official adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777. Unfortunately, flags have become like magazines and web sites – everybody’s got one. The U.S. flag has been given a back seat to many of them as its history fades in ignorance along with our public Pledge of Allegiance because it contains the phrase, “…under God…” On June 14, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill to insert the phrase “under God” into the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance that children recited every morning in school. American’s lived by the morals of God Almighty every day.

While searching through my references I came across an Editorial in our local newspaper, the Wilson County News, of October 5, 2005. A political cartoon was exhibiting the thoughts of the time.                                                                                                                                                           

The State of Texas was “defending the Pledge as an entirely Constitutional acknowledgement of God and our heritage.” God save America. Our only hope and stay. 

Lift Your Cross and Follow Me

 

A Maine potato farmer and a Texas Rancher were engaged in conversation at a political rally. The man from the Lone Star State asked, “How much land do you tend?” The Mainer replied, “About a hundred acres.” “I manage about a thousand myself” said the Texan in a slow drawl. The man from Maine was not overly impressed, so the Texan continued, “I know where there’s a much bigger ranch south of San Antonio. To give you an idea of its size, the owner can start off in the morning in his pick-up, and he ain’t barely crossed his place by noon.” The man from Maine said, “Yup, I had a truck like that once.”

Life is full of ups and downs. If we made a list of all of the positive things in our life, all of the blessings, that list would almost certainly far exceed a similar list of all of the negative things in our life. Despite that fact, we tend to focus more on the downs than on the ups, more on the negatives than on the positives. It would be a good exercise in self-examination to try to figure out why this is the case. One fundamental reason for being so consumed with the difficulties, challenges and troubles of life is the mindset that we carry into life on a daily basis. Our mindset can be understood as the lenses through which we look at life. It is the general framework of how we view life, of what happens to us and around us. If our mindset tends toward the negative, then we will naturally see life from a more negative perspective. Our mindset is of our own making. It is the result of how we set our mind. We make the choice as to how we will take on the day. The most productive mindset is one that is guided by godliness.

[Colossians 3:2] The apostle Paul advised: “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” A faithful Christian knows who he is, what he is, and where he is going. As a result, he sees life from a different perspective than most people. He recognizes that this world, and all that goes on herein, is temporary. The faithful Christian is looking, ultimately, to eternity. He can stay basically positive even in the face of seemingly negative circumstances. An instructive, and comforting, passage of scripture along this line reads as follows: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This verse does not say that all things that happen are necessarily good. It says that the faithful Christian, “those who love God...who are the called according to His purpose,” can face each day with the expectation that God can cause good to come from even the bad things that happen to them in life. Such a mindset enables a faithful Christian to see life, even with its difficulties, challenges, and troubles, through lenses of hope, expectation, and assurance rather than of hopelessness, despair, and depression. The faithful Christian’s mindset enables him to enjoy life more abundantly (John 10:10) and far less superficially than a person who can’t see past the matters of this world.

“…I oft complained to Jesus how folks were treating me…” This is a portion of the words to the song “Follow Me” by Ira F. Stanphill. The song continues where Jesus replies and tells how heavy the cross was to bear and says, “Be faithful… Just lift your cross and follow close to Me.”

What is your mindset? What do you do when things go bad? Trust God to watch over and care for you, whatever may come (Matthew 6:33-34). Your Heavenly Father sent His Son to be your Savior. Through Him you can find abiding peace to see you through the trials and troubles of this life (Philippians 4:4-7). Through Him you will be able to do all things that truly need to be done (Philippians 4:11-13). Be always mindful of eternity.