For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:17–18 NKJV) All too often, at least when it is convenient, mankind often views life from a perspective that can only be describe as spectatorial. There is not only a minimal investment through the lens of a spectator, but that investment is rather impotent in its ability to really make any sort of difference in the way a game is played or in the outcome of a game. It is, instead, the powers that be that hold all the cards, leaving us very little recourse to genuinely pursue an engaged and effective assertion of our energies. Unfortunately at times the powers that be also have the same attitude. While thrusting themselves upon others as the vital and dignified pieces of this game—the brains and brawn of the operation—everyone else is simply a pawn to be moved about at whim, becoming the sacrifices so the vital ones may find success. The masses of men are the political or financial doorstops who are beaten and abused so that door to vast wealth may open for the few. Have you ever felt that way? No doubt most of us will find some truth in those words. The majority has worn the

Someone once defined communication as “any modus operandi by or through which eventuates the reciprocal transposition of information between and among entities or groups via commonly understood systems of symbols, signs, or behavioral patterns of activity.” Got it? You may want to stop, go back and read it again. Or, you may be like most and simply stop reading altogether. Given the number of communication difficulties there are in the world, due a great deal to our tendency to be self-focused and prideful, one of the things that I am thankful for on a daily, if not hourly basis, is that the God who wants to know me personally has approached me in terms that I can readily understand. I think it has a lot to do with His nature. God is completely honest with nothing to hide. He has no problem telling us when we fail or when we succeed and why. He has no trouble telling you about His plans, designs and purposes. There are no surprises, hidden agendas and manipulations. That doesn’t sound much like the way we communicate, where the words and acts of others are filtered through our own experiences and thoughts. That may produce a twisted version of what someone may have originally intended, leaving us to sort out what went wrong and why. We assure ourselves that the reason for any lack of communication couldn’t possibly be us. We have bias and prejudice, and while some of that may be good, it can

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV). Man is meant to work. It is part of his purpose and meaning in life. From the time God placed him in the garden, He appointed man the task of laboring, though the circumstances were certainly different in the beginning than they are after man’s fall. As Moses wrote, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Even after man’s fall, God said, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Yet, either before or after the fall, the need to have purpose and the fulfillment of that purpose through good, old-fashioned work was hardwired into man. In our generation, we talk a lot with heated fervor for this very reason about the millions of jobless Americans, unemployment rates and jobless claims. When man is true to himself and the godly purposes given him, he will work and find meaning in an honest day’s wage. He will be a producer, a thinker and a laborer. He will perceive the work of his hands as meaning and purpose laden to the point of defining, in part, who he is. For this reason, the sluggard is like “As

“Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city’” (Acts 18:9-10 NKJV). It is easy for us to come together with those of like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1) who share the same worldview, hope, peace and love to open our lives and talk about matters that are important for the salvation of humanity. It is easy, amongst ourselves, to point out that there are horrible things taking place in the world – babies being killed to harvest body parts, children being stolen and sold as slaves, poverty, despair, and so on. It is easy to see all this, make comments, and then say something like, “Well, what are we going to do?” or “People just don’t change” or “We are just a small church. What could we do?” The expectation of God is that we speak out and not hold back. It is that simple. Now, to whom did Paul speak? If you start back in Acts 17, you find that Paul spoke to anyone he met, whether they liked it or not. He spoke, and it mattered not if they were great philosophers, lowly slaves, Jews, Romans, men or women. You see, all men and women need the Gospel, and part of why we gather together is to strengthen one another so

So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 NKJV) We have gotten better at death! Maybe it is just my opinion, but today we handle the reality of a loved one passing in a more sophisticated, mature and intellectual way. If you look back on history, you will find death attended by many odd practices that amount to little more than superstition, faulty religious beliefs or misconceived science. For instance, have you ever wondered why we can dig in the earth at the sites of ancient burial grounds and find many valuable, ancient artifacts, including vast treasure troves of kings? On some level, those ancients believed that one could take these items with them. Yet, here they are now resting in some museum behind a wall of glass, the owner deceased and gone for thousands of years. Guess they got that one wrong. Perhaps this is why cremation in our day has become so popular, whether you believe in such a

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:7-8 NKJV) While studying recently for a series of lessons I am presenting at our congregation, I ran across some research that was done among teenagers who left the church after they reached college age and moved off to make their way in the world independent of their parents’ influence. The study gave a lot of facts and figures, but one figure just floored me. Based on this study, over 60% of all the kids that were part of some church or youth group in their teens would end up leaving those pursuits behind by the time they reached college. The same study said that only about 35% would return to some religious mooring during the remainder of their lives, and fewer would return to the church of their fathers. As the researchers began to dissect the results, what they found, as far as reasons for why there was so large a trend of departure from faith, was that the fundamental disconnect between what parents believe and how they act was a significant factor in children deciding to leave. In other words, the rate of failure to retain and actually live out the Christian life on an ongoing

“Did I not just get done telling you…” If I have said that or something similar to it once, I have said it a thousand times. It is always amazing to me that despite our best warnings against certain behaviors and the consequences that will follow, some folks ignore the clear statement of facts, especially children who simply test the boundaries. They throw caution to the wind and do exactly what you told them not to do. To make matters worse, when you confront folks about such behaviors, often one of the first things out of their mouths is, “Well, how was I supposed to know that would happen?” The answer, of course, is, “Because I told you it would happen. I told you, showed you, gave illustrations and did everything for you but act it out, but you did it anyway.” I just love it when the response is, “Oh! That is what you were talking about.” It is about that time one mumbles under his breath, shakes his head and sighs. Of course, I too am human, and perhaps it is the case that my communication was not clear. Perhaps, I am not perceived as a credible historian when it comes to a particular area of advice. Thus, my warning may simply not be heeded, as is the case so often with children who, despite their age, know infinitely more than their parents. Certainly, this does not fly when it comes to sin and our relationship with God.

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJV). We are tools in the hands of the Master. Within us the Master has placed further tools for use in His kingdom. These tools in God’s toolbox are designed for great good, which is God’s reasonable expectation, though their specific and expedient use is left up to the person possessing them. Unfortunately, many of these tools either go unused or go unrecognized. Neglect or failure to use them will conceal the tools so that we forget we even have them. I was reminded of this just a few days ago while teaching at a local Christian school. The church that houses the school was cleaning some large closets and had systematically pulled all of the items out of each closet and arranged them on the floor of the hallway. Like items were grouped together. As I walked by and observed this, I was not only impressed by the organization but also by one pile within the mass of piles. Near the end of a hallway, just before a descending stairwell, on the cold hard tile, sat a large pile of hammers. I would estimate there were no less than 30 to 40 hammers of various shapes, sizes and purposes in the stack. As I descended the staircase, I met one of

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8) I love these verses for a number of different reasons, many of which stem more from the writer of the words than the words themselves. You and I know Peter fairly well. The New Testament is literally filled with his name, and quite frankly, that name is not always associated with the most appropriate behaviors. After all, it was Peter who denied Christ three times leading up to the crucifixion. It was Peter who had to be told, “Get behind me Satan.” Even after he matured in the faith, Paul had to “resist him to his face” when Peter showed partiality to the Jews. Because of these things, we can often be a little hard on Peter, just as we can be a little hard on ourselves. Yet, in these passages, Peter might as well be writing a commentary about his own life in God’s words. He finally figured it out. Spiritual success is not an all-at-once event, but rather it is an “adding to” enterprise. Spiritual success is not found in a single flash point explosion of spiritual clarity, but spiritual

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8) Wow! Read those verses carefully and what you will find is a serious challenge for all of God’s children. Of course, we have understood this since the ministry of Christ, when He revealed that His way would lead to eternal life. Yet, these verses also mean that great difficulty would come, some of which involves persecution from those not of faith. First, you will notice that Peter penned, “Make every effort.” In other words, with all that we are, in all we do and even in the power of our thinking, we ought to pursue these things. Second, he said, “Supplement your faith.” The word “supplement” means “to add,” and it implies that faith cannot stand by itself. Things must be added to it. Not adding these things is like trying to drink a cup of tea with tea and a cup but with no water. Third, Peter wrote that there are seven essential supplements to faith, and by adding them together, they result in effectiveness and in fruitfulness. Just like “1 + 6” does not equal eight, we must not fall short

For years, my family and I have taken vitamins. It is now part of our everyday routine, finding its place right after breakfast but before we all scamper out the doorways of our home to the various places that demand our attention. Our days can be long and often difficult between the school and work routines, let alone the inordinate amount of time spent on the various extracurricular activities. In an effort to provide for optimum health and well-being that enables productivity and positive attitudes (among other things), we take vitamins. Such is life in the Benesh household. Just the other day, however, as I was filling the case that holds the vitamins that my wife and I take, I began thinking about the notion of spiritual vitamins. I looked at the pills and thought, “I am taking all these for good physical health and productivity, but what sort of vitamin am I taking today to help with spiritual health and productivity?” Now, rest assured, you cannot run down to your local pharmacy and find spiritual vitamins, and I wouldn’t recommend consulting with your pharmacist about them. To get your spiritual charge, you may, instead, want to spend just a few moments in prayer or picking out a verse from the Bible on which you could focus that day. Imagine how your day could be improved if you read aloud the words, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice” and then prayed, very simply, that God would grant

“For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:29-30). “You are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). It is true. Each day we get out of bed and move through life, we must certainly be reminded of just how remarkable our existence is. Without even thinking, we breathe, blood pumps through our bodies and countless nerve endings fire their electrical pulses to make that morning coffee and to begin another glorious day. Even more amazing is the fact that you can do it like no other. You are unique. The more I interact with people, the more I am convinced of this fact. Every day I teach PE for a multitude of kids, and no two of them are alike. Some are shy, and some are outgoing. Some are loud, and some are soft spoken. Some like to push the boundaries of the rules, while others wouldn’t dream of it. They are all different. Furthermore, they all add something unique to the class. Now, often that “something” is a bit of a challenge for the teacher, but more often than not, it is an opportunity to teach. The church is no different. People do not grow toward some line of standardization. As we become adults, we are

Every Monday through Friday, twice a day, almost without fail, my youngest son and I make the short trek of about five miles from our house to his school and then back again. Each day, we see the same businesses and even some of the same vehicles as they travel with the same regularity the path that we do. One landmark that we pass is a rather large cemetery in which there are several large trees. Unless there are groundskeepers about or funeral arrangements being made, we usually see an array of animals moving amongst these trees gathering what we imagine is a hardy breakfast. Most abundant are the squirrels and a host of birds, taking advantage of the well-groomed garden-like atmosphere of the cemetery. This morning, however, we had the chance, while we sat on the street in front of this place waiting for traffic to clear, to witness and unusual phenomenon. A squirrel, minding his own business and seemingly bent on gathering his day’s ration of squirrelly food, found himself under the claws of a bird of prey, who seemingly had a different, meaty breakfast in mind. The bird swooped, grabbed, rolled, twisted, flew off, dove once more, grabbed, missed, twisted, flew off, only to dive over and over in an attempt to make the squirrel its meal. There was one major problem in this bird’s plan that was readily perceptible to my son and me but obviously not to the bird. The squirrel was about the same

“And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:14). As a preacher, I have the responsibility and the pleasure of speaking publicly the Word of God on a regular basis. It is what I have been trained to do and the area of my greatest proficiency, since it is the core of my scripturally defined work. Despite the fact that I speak often, there are few times that I “mount the pulpit” when I lack at least some sense of anxiety or what you might call fear. I am not alone here either. We have so many capable men who are great students of God’s Word, but they too have the same fear and trepidation. Perhaps you have experienced such as well. Oh! You may never deliver a sermon in front of a large audience, but we are all called to speak openly about the Scripture, engage in Bible study and win many for Christ. Thus, we are all susceptible to this fear. When examined closely, however, what we will find, from the preacher’s sermon to the individual Bible study effort, is that most of this fear revolves around who we are and our ability to deliver the message. Typically, there are two errors that play into this fear. First, we often labor under the impression that we are being judged actively by the words that we speak. Second, we believe the subject

“All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). The world thinks you are unworthy. Think about it. For just a single day count all of the messages—a content analysis of sorts— with which you are inundated to reveal to you the fact that some part of your life is either missing or inadequate. What you will no doubt find is that not only are these folks trying to sell you something, but that the biggest bill of goods is aimed directly at your self-worth and self-esteem. Women, you know you just don’t look good enough, are not thin enough, don’t work out enough, need plastic surgery to be whole, are defined by your inclusion in some health club, and on and on. Men, as well, can’t be men unless they have certain products, drive certain vehicles, manifest certain behaviors or are part of certain trends. All of us are inadequate, and we are in desperate need for external organizations of the world to tell us what to do. Funny—the odd type of funny—the One Who created you didn’t see it this way. Oh! He tells over and

Long before the days of the vacuum cleaner, rug beaters were commonly used as a cleaning tool to rid a home from dust, dust mites and other little nasty bugs that could infest a person’s house and cause discomfort or make for an unsightly home. To clean the rugs, one would drag them outside (well away from the house), hang them on a line and then use what looked like a giant metal flyswatter to beat out the dust. It was hard, time-consuming, dirty work that seemed almost counterproductive at times, since you would drag half the dust back in the house after it clung to your sweat-covered body. When I was growing up, we had a vacuum and did not need to beat the rugs. Yet, one day while rummaging through an attic, we found one of these rug beaters. Mom explained what it was, and we set about the task of beating the dust out of every rug in the house, just for fun. Of course, the fun ended rather abruptly when we were covered with dust and started coughing. It was, however, amazing to see the amount of dust that came out of the rugs. We normally never got to see it, since it was usually sucked up into a bag and eliminated pretty much without us having to witness it. We were stunned at just how much dust came out, filled the air and choked us. As children of God, purity must be our constant pursuit.

In other words, you have a Father in Heaven who knows how you feel. Why not take that pain to Him and let Him bring you peace and healing? When we experience the absolute faithfulness of God, then it also helps us with our own faithfulness toward Him and toward others. In this day, take your hurts and pains to a Father who will never fail you. Grow not only in your understanding of who He is, but how you can be more faithful to Him.

The Pareto Principle or 80-20 rule applies not just to the workplace, but also to life in general. Essentially, the principle states that 80 percent of the effects can be attributed to 20 percent of the causes. We would say, “Eighty percent of the work to be done is accomplished by twenty percent of the people.” In business the standard rule of sales is that “eighty percent of your sales comes from twenty percent of your clients.” Concerning computers, Microsoft found that by fixing the top 20 percent of reported problems or bugs, eighty percent of the crashes and failures could be eliminated. We certainly see such things in ministry or works of the church in general. One of the biggest complaints that one often hears in ministry is that “when we have work parties or anything that needs to be done, it’s the same small group that does them.” More often than not, that is true. Though every child of God has an obligation to work, most of that work will be done by the few, perhaps with good reasons or perhaps not. Yet, I want you to think of this principle in terms of your own life. Essentially what the principle, if indeed we can apply it to an individual’s actions, says is that 80 percent of the actions we may choose or not choose on a daily basis will have little effect. Only twenty percent of these actions will have some sort of affect. There are times

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12) Did you know that the tax code for our country, put into book form, is about seven times larger than the average printed version of the Bible? It was an odd little factoid that was pointed out to me by a radio news show host as I made my way in the predawn hours of morning toward a local hospital to have prayer with a dear friend before surgery. The host went on to say, “You would think that such an abundance of material would make for greater clarity. I guess God knew what he was doing, far better than our legislators.” I certainly concur, but do wonder if that news host understands that the Bible has much to say about money management and taxes. Let’s note just a few. The love of money leads to all sorts of evil (1 Timothy 6:9-11). How often do we see this? To simply have money is not a sin, but to sacrifice ourselves on the altar of money is certainly wrong. It can lead to anger, malice, wrath, wars, murder and a

Have you ever noticed the various words used to describe or give value to the idea of faith in the Bible? Some folks had “little” faith, while others had “great” faith. Others had a faith that “had not been seen in all Israel,” while others had “no” faith. Some had a faith that “made them well” or “saved,” while others’ faith was bound by “doubt.” No matter what the designation is, one’s perspective about faith and the process that it is will be the determinate factor in the various designations of faith. In other words, what you bring to the process of faith will often determine the ability of your faith to grow and produce great fruit. Recently, my children and I went to Joshua Tree National Park in California. Inside the park is a place called Hidden Valley, which promises great views, unique wildlife and beautiful vegetation. It was also one of the few places in the park where one had to park his car and hike in, which makes sense. It wouldn’t rightly be “Hidden Valley” if you could drive through it. We definitely wanted to see it, but that meant we had to hike, which would not have been a problem had we not hiked four other national parts in the three previous days. As we got out of the car and looked at the trailhead and at the trail that led up, up and up through rugged and rocky terrain, the kids let out a sigh

Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:13-15) Do you know why the Dead Sea in Israel is “dead?” Most will tell you, correctly so, that the Dead Sea is dead because of the high content of salt and other minerals, which make the sea uninhabitable by living things. The minerals and salts are so thick that one need not ever worry about sinking. Even the largest among us would float on this super saturated sea. Yet, that is really only part of the story. The mineral and salt content is so high because the Dead Sea has no outlet. No water flows out of it, but the Jordan River continually dumps water in. The water evaporates off leaving behind the heavier minerals to saturate the water. For this reason, nothing grows beside the Dead Sea. There are no trees, shrubs, gardens or grassy dunes as one finds just slightly north along the River Jordan. Now, one might wonder, “Why would God create such a thing? How does that happen, and what purpose does it serve?” Well, I cannot give answers to these in their entirety, but I can tell you that it is a wonderful illustration of

I have read the Bible through multiple times over the course of the last few years. Many of those times have been in a congregational setting as part of a class or group study. One thing that has always kind of shocked me about this sort of thing is the reaction that folks have to the more “fantastic” portions of the Bible. For instance, when we read about Elijah departing his earthly existence in a whirlwind or the ground opening up to swallow Korah and his followers, without fail we like to think about what it would be like to have been there. Almost without fail someone says something like, “It would be surprising to see that it actually happened the way the Bible says it did.” Many of us would never verbalize such, but perhaps have had that thought. It would be surprising to see what God has actually told us is real. Perhaps it is because we do not live in the times of the miraculous—using the word “miracle” in the strictest biblical sense and not as we often do today to describe some unknown, but positive phenomenon. In our age, ministers do not touch the eyes of the blind and heal them instantly. In our age, the paralyzed victims of tragic accidents are not told to instantly “rise, take your bed and walk.” There are most certainly other reasons, but too often when we read these accounts, we fail to connect with the larger meaning and how

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40). Have you ever thought about how much easier your Christian walk might be without other people? I know what you are supposed to say here, and it sounds something like, “I just love serving others, especially in the church because there is just such a deep bond in the Lord.” Granted, that should be our attitude, just as this ought to be true of the church. Yet, you and I know that this is often not the case. It’s okay. I understand. You shouldn’t be afraid to admit it. It happens to everyone from time to time. Truth be told, sometimes other Christians just drive us crazy, frustrate us and perhaps even cause a great deal of anxiety over things that more often than not just really don’t seem to matter too much in our mission and ministry. People can be inconsistent, prideful, lazy, overbearing or carry around a whole bunch of baggage that they seem intent on sharing with you at every turn or at least in those moments when it is least convenient for you. Make no mistake about it.

“And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:42-44). “Why can I not feel the love of God,” cried the man who sat across my desk pouring out his soul, telling me his story of heartache and pain. He went on to describe how for many years after his youthful conversion he devoted himself to prayer, study and worship. He sang about God’s love. He taught others about God’s love. He casually conversed about God’s love. Yet, now he could not “feel the love of God.” The Bible talks greatly about this concept. Two entire chapters in the New Testament are devoted to the qualities of love (1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 4). Perhaps the best-known verses, however, are found in the Gospel of John (3:16) where God’s love for the world is declared by the death of His Son. Most Christians, however, have those times when they feel like the gentleman who visited me. Most well-meaning Christians will have times when they just cannot “feel the love of God” for them. The reasons for this may differ, but more often than

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9). When we fail, do we blame God? Maybe the thought has never crossed your mind. If so, then you would be truly unique indeed, given man’s propensity to pass the buck and fail to take responsibility for his thoughts, words and actions. If we are honest and have lived long enough, then, we will see the day when we at least silently ponder the question of whether or not God is to blame for our circumstances, whether it is couched in this obvious language or found in terms like “God is punishing me.” In those moments, after we are first honest with our doubts, we do well to remember several of the attributes of God that place Him beyond and above our situation and circumstances. Thus, He is above the notion of human failure. First, He is omniscient. In other words, He knows all. He sees even time, which binds our thinking, as a fluid ribbon with a beginning and end, which are also in His perception. We see a single point on the line. He sees it all. He sees our weakness, our hurts and the things we need to bring us to wisdom and maturity, which are often mistaken for trials and tragedy. Second, He is omnibenevolent or all loving. With His great knowledge and

I, as some would say, “grew up in the church.” When I say that, what I mean is that my parents became Christians, and they took me to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday evening and pretty much any other function of the church (e.g., fellowships, youth functions, etc.). I watched my father preach, teach and lead the church in many ways. I witnessed my mother setting the wonderful example of what it means to be benevolent, kind, merciful and loving. I had every spiritual advantage one might be able to list. I left anyhow. Oh! I don’t mean I wasn’t at some building on the “appointed days, at the appointed hour.” What I mean is that years ago, I checked out mentally and was biding my time for—well, I didn’t know what, but I knew I hadn’t found it. I was a minimalistic Christian, which is kind of like saying, “I saw a jackalope or chupacabra.” I rode the faith of my parents hard for the benefits of social interaction with other girls and boys my age, but I had no faith of my own. I had not made the necessary jump from memorizing the list of facts doled out by my Bible class teachers to the place where I understood and embraced them. I had help, though, in reaching this comfortless, comfortable, meaningful, purposeless spiritual existence. Have you ever noticed that kids ask a lot of questions? Sure you have. However, have you ever noticed how those questions grow more

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). How often have you seen these words of Paul quoted or heard the preacher or the Bible class teacher use them? How often does it really sink in that you and I are truly sinful creatures? We have offended God, refused Him, wantonly displayed our hatred for Him or have simply been negligent with regard to His will. I think most people quote the passage, but very few really absorb the message. I am certainly no proponent of some irresistible genomic propensity to sin that is passed from one generation to the next as one might pass along a learning disability, mental disorder or heart problem. Yet, it seems clear enough to me that mankind has sought and created a sinful baseline of behavior, digressing from truth overtly and often, there to meet our fellow men. It may not be genetic, but it is the natural thing. Don’t believe me? Well, then you simply have not been around enough people or have not observed them with much thoughtfulness or done any real prolonged sort of self-examination. Even the best and most respectable among us are sinners. I do think, however, that at some point we reach a line in the sand, a landmark or a place where we are called to make a critical decision about sin. In this place we are met with an appraisal that can take a number of forms, but can be reduced to

“And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, ‘Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself” (Genesis 24:64-65). They have finally done it. Scientists have finally proven the Bible wrong and not worthy of your attention. How, you might ask. Well, it is all about camels and a man by the name of Abraham, who apparently used them quite often in his many travels throughout what we would call the “holy land” and beyond. Well, at least that is what many think and no doubt will continue to think, despite the truth. So what’s this all about? Just recently archaeologists studying the domestication of camels in the area of Palestine have determined that it was not until about the 10th century B.C. that camels arrived in the region of the Mediterranean. They studied primarily the bone density of certain camels using radioactive-carbon techniques and determined that it was impossible for camels to have existed in the regions around the Mediterranean before the 10th century in a domesticated fashion. The conclusion they then drew was that the Bible is inaccurate, and therefore, it is not trustworthy because men like Abraham are said to have used camels, though they predate the 10th century. Believe it or not, many biblical scholars actually agree that domestication of the camel did not happen until

There are approximately 613 different laws that make up what we commonly call the “Law of Moses.” Few if any, save a limited number of devout orthodox Jews, have them memorized or could even list a fraction of them. Most would struggle to get through the Ten Commandments, which are really kind of a prelude or introduction to the Law. Have you ever wondered why God gave the Jews so many laws? I guess there are a number of answers one could give. Some might say, for instance, that the ancient Jewish people lived under what you might call a limited Theocracy, where God is not only the spiritual leader, but the civil, governing body as well. Thus, He gave them not only a spiritual law, but a civil law, too. Yet, I think another very strong argument that we could make, and perhaps one that is a little more practical and maybe not fraught with some difficulties, is the simple fact that God went out of the way to give us abundant evidence for the need of a Savior. Consider those 613 laws in light of what Paul would say in Galatians 3:24-25. “So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.” The Law of Moses pointed to something. It pointed to the same fact that you and I face every day. We have been

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:4-6 ESV). Living stones? Well that sounds kind of archaic. I mean, who builds with stones anymore? Homes have been built with them. Office buildings have been made of giant piles of stones. We don’t make storage sheds out of stones. Oh! You will find the occasional wall in some parts of the country, where stones are found in abundance, being fabricated using stones. Today, we usually build with very different materials, many of them manmade. We use concrete, brick and steel. We use wood or some recycled composite material. Seldom do we use stones extensively anymore. So, why talk about the church in terms of stones or living stones? Even in the days of Christ, much of the building was done with brick formed from clay and baked. There are, of course, several reasons. First, stones are not manmade. They are of God. Second, stones will last much longer than the many manmade or fabricated materials that are used today. Just take a good hard look at the ancient ruins

What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. (1 Kings 19:9-12) It started off as a misdialed call and ended with a promise of greater spirituality. A woman, whom I only know now as “Kim,” called my number by accident while trying to get a hold of her neighbor for some reason. After three attempts at dialing the neighbor and getting me instead, I tried to walk her through a series of questions to figure out why she was dialing my number rather than the neighbor. She was surprised by my willingness to help and laugh off the situation. “It is good to hear laughter,” she said. “I haven’t laughed in a while.” I told her that I was

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5) Have you ever prayed for pain? I doubt that any of us have, and yet over and over, we are told about it and called to understand that there are great benefits to it. For instance, most of us have heard the saying “No pain, no gain.” It is true in spiritual circles as well. Consider Paul’s words in Romans. Notice that Paul says the pathway to hope, that confident, forward-looking expectation of eternal salvation, is laid by trial and tribulation. To put it another way, you cannot find hope until you have seen it through the eyes of pain and suffering. This is often why those who are hurting or suffering can have a clearer picture of spiritual matters. That is why the near-death experience can so radically change a person’s worldview. It is the “how” behind the change we see from time to time in people who go

“There is nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it.” Most of us have heard this advice or tidbit of wisdom. Most have heard it multiple times, no doubt, throughout the course of their lives. I know that I have, but to be honest, this advice has always been lackluster to me. Something about it just does not sit right with me. You see, on one hand, I understand the point. We must think positively. It never benefits us to trudge through our day thinking that the things we would like to accomplish are just too far out of reach to be sensible. We do not know what the future holds, the steps of growth we can make and the doors that each will open. To think in terms of “I cannot” (and similar sentiments for that matter) is to close off or gravely limit that future and the possible opportunities we may have. On the other hand, something seems to be missing in this phrase. It is really not the “nothing you cannot do” part, but the “if you put your mind to it” part. Why does it not sit right with me? Well, there are a couple of reasons, but let me share the one that I think most vital. It leaves out Christ. You see, all things are possible, but not all things are possible for the wrong thinking person. The Bible encourages us to “have the mind of Christ.” That is the Christian

Most of us are familiar with the fact that the first major work produced by the newly invented Gutenberg printing press, which featured moveable type, was a copy of the Bible known as the Latin Vulgate. It was printed around 1450, and the next fifty years would see many copies of the Vulgate in over 100 different editions born from the press. So popular was it that many, even up to our age, have asserted the Bible was first rendered in Latin. However, it was not until 1514 that a Greek version of the New Testament, included in a work called the Complutensian Polyglot, was printed in any complete form. There are a number of reasons why this may have been the case. First, Koine Greek letters were very different in form from the letters we have in, say, the English language. Very often one letter can have many different forms. In addition, a system of accenting and breathing marks would change depending on the usage of the word, which made it necessary to create each variation of the letter to be placed on the printing press. Thus, the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet required the creation of over 200 different printing press pieces. Another reason, however, that it took so long had to do with a fear that if scholars were able to examine the Greek, then they would be able to point out the flaws in the much-venerated Latin Vulgate. They would be able to examine the

How does God speak to you? Perhaps with greater frequency than any other this question is asked of me regularly. I have spent many hours encouraging folks to daily commune with God to hear His voice and take heart, not in some mystical, magical “crossed over” sort of way, but by the means that He details for us in His Word. Now, make no mistake about it; I am not saying that all you have to do is read the Bible or study it. If that were so, then why give all the commands and encouragement to “meditate” on His Word or encourage us to “pray for wisdom?” Think about it for a moment. How many ways do you communicate? Obviously, you speak words, but there is much more. As a matter of fact, researchers will tell you that well over half of what you communicate is not verbal, but through some other means. We will gesture, add various tones to our words and indicate attitude through posture or emotion. When we begin to break each of these down further, then we can truly see that what we communicate and how we communicate comes in many different forms. The young man who bursts through my office door, storms to the nearest chair, throws himself in it and wrings his hands incessantly, has pretty much told me that something is wrong, and he is in need of help without ever speaking a word. Now, the Bible is God’s verbal communication to

“The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). There are approximately 613 different laws that make up what we commonly call the Law of Moses. Few if any, save a few devout orthodox Jews, have them memorized or could even list a fraction of them. Most would struggle to get through the Ten Commandments, which are really kind of a prelude or introduction to the Law. Have you ever wondered why God gave the Jews so many laws? I guess there are a number of answers one could give. Some might say, for instance, that the ancient Jewish people lived under what you might call a Limited Theocracy, where God is not only the spiritual leader, but the civil governing body as well. Thus, He gave them not only a spiritual law, but a civil law, too. Yet, I think another very strong argument that we could make, and perhaps one that is a little more practical and perhaps not fraught with some difficulties, is the simple fact that God went out of His way to give us abundant evidence for the need of a Savior. Consider those 613 laws in light of what Paul wrote in Galatians 3:24-25. “So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.” The Law of Moses pointed

It seems like the older our children get the fewer Christmas gifts they actually want. My oldest actually told me, “I really don’t need anything this year. Being with family is enough for me.” The idea that you do not need a lot of “stuff” to be happy has certainly started rubbing off on them. However, while their Christmas wish lists are by far much shorter than in years past, the items on those lists tend to be much more expensive. Gone are the days of the $1 Matchbox cars and coloring books or the inexpensive toys that one can pile high under the tree. Instead, their lists include things like digital book readers, music players or other electronic devices that have multiple uses. All of these have a rather large price tag. One could buy a hundred or so matchbox cars for the price of one of these items. This phenomenon is not new. I remember such as I grew up and graduated from action figures to remote control cars to bikes and then to the motorized variety of bike that costs much more. Ironically, when we are much older, this phenomenon goes into reverse sort of. I cannot remember a single gift that my grandparents requested. If you would ask what they wanted they would say something like, “Just being able to give you all gifts and watch you enjoy them is enough of a gift for us.” They did not want anything. They did not need anything,

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11). In 1920, the 18th amendment to our constitution was adopted to ban the consumption of alcohol. Most simply refer to this as “Prohibition.” However, thirteen years later the 21st amendment repealed the eighteenth, revealing to us the validity of the phrase “you can’t legislate morality.” While only partially true, it is true nonetheless. Why? Well, prohibition proved that alcohol was not the problem, just like guns, sex and gambling are not problems. As the old saying goes, “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” The problem is our lack of self-control, which would also be difficult to legislate. We do not need gun control or stricter laws about the availability of sex or gambling. We need more self-control. We need less of the flesh and more of the Spirit. Fortunately, our loving Heavenly Father has made us an offer that is just too good to refuse. You see, if you will allow it, God can come into your life, bringing control and godliness so you may be more like Christ. By His spirit we can be empowered to live above the evil influences of the world, and thus the problems that stem from them. In this day, let the Spirit of God live within you and have control.

What are you willing to lose for Christ? It is really not my question, but His. He issued the challenge a number of times during His ministry, but perhaps none is as strong a statement as the one found in Matthew 10:39, when he says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” This came at the end of a rather long speech to His disciples just before He sent them out into the world to teach His message of the kingdom. In the speech, He told them where to go, what to do, and then warned them that the message may not be received well. In essence, Christ revealed that the road was going to be a difficult one, and they should not be surprised when they were betrayed, slandered and make enemies even in their own households. At the same time, He empowered them with the knowledge that they were not be alone, but the Father in heaven had even the very hairs of their heads numbered and would more than take care of them on their journey. Furthermore, they would be rewarded in full for their efforts. What I want you to notice, however, about this wonderful section of Scripture is the list of people to whom they were supposed to go and to minister. They were forbidden, at least at this time, to go to the Gentiles (10:4-5), but others they were to seek out and

“Go to the ant …consider her ways and be wise” (Proverbs 6:6). The Bible talks about a number of animals this way, but have you ever actually done it? Have you ever truly considered the ant so that you could be wise? Maybe we are too lifted in our pride or bigness. Maybe we think we just don’t have the time. Maybe we see those ants as nothing more than a threat that need to be exterminated. God, however, said they were not only wise, but that you and I could learn from them. To be completely honest, I had never really given ants much thought to the point where I would observe them. I never really noticed them and their exceptional nature, except for those little red ones that make mounds in my front yard and sting me when I walk by them. I notice how exceptionally adept they are at getting on me if I so much as even dare to brush against their bothersome burrow for but a fraction of a second. How did they do it? I mean, do they have a large force of ready and waiting mobilized, armored, teeth-sharpened Special Forces ants prepared to face certain death to protect the queen? Just a short while ago, however, I had the opportunity, because my wife pointed it out, to observe an amazing thing among the ants (not fire ones – those in northern states who don’t know fire ants, pray now and thank God you

Have you ever had one of those moments where you really thought to yourself, “Man, am I in a heap of trouble”? Have you ever experienced one of those times when you knew very clearly that you had either fallen into a hole too big to climb out of or had dug your own grave and now had to deal with it? Maybe I am alone here, but there have been several occasions where that has happened to me. For one reason or another, a brief, but powerful chain of events occurred just in the right order to land me in some hot water. Well, if you are reading this note, then I would dare say that you trust I made it through alright. Yet, in the midst of trial one never knows just how it will pan out. Years ago when I was laboring at a church in a region far north of the sunny shores of Florida, which is my current location, I fell into one of these situations. It had snowed for days. Before that we had freezing rain. It was a Saturday night, and I had some last minute work to do, so I prepared to set off for the office, which was about a one minute walk from my front door, across the church parking lot, into the building, and then across the building to the door of my office. Seems like such a simple thing. As I prepared, I heard the sound of the

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) The race was not even close. The incumbent mayor received only 85 votes, while the challenger garnered nearly 300. The place was Tracy City, TN. In the grand scheme of things, this story would probably not have even made the news if it were not for one small detail in the race – the newly elected mayor actually died several weeks before the election. Election Commission officials for the small town said they could not even speculate why the dead man received so many votes. Now, however, the city council will have to appoint a new mayor to serve out the term of the newly elected, but dead mayor. Perhaps the folks of Tracy City were simply trying to make a statement about the incumbent. Regardless, it is flawed thinking to assign your allegiance with dead things or people in things pertaining to life. Other than a statement about the incumbent, what would one hope to gain by electing a dead man to the post of mayor? It sounds like a bad joke or dark comedy. Oddly enough, this type of thing, in principle, is not new. Folks spend an awful lot of

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). “I counted to infinity and back; what took so long?” That was what my youngest son said after he had to wait on me for about 10 minutes before he could get on the computer and play one of his learning games. I doubt very seriously that he understands the idea of infinity, except to say that it means a long time. We hear folks use the word or synonym this way all of the time. “That took an eternity to do!” “It’s been an eternity since I’ve seen you.” Yet, God has a whole different idea in mind. Eternity in the Bible carries several ideas, but two stand out as they are relative to man. First, it is what is next. Second, it is timeless, never-ending existence. For each and all of us, this eternity is coming, whether we like it or not, whether we believe it or not. Eternity is the next and final journey of our existence. How do we know? Because eternity does not end! There is no “next” in the eternal scheme of things. Knowing this to be so, God has made man aware of this by virtue of creation. From birth, the notion of eternity is real to us; we know there is more than this and must be

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). My oldest son is such a blessing. Oh! He is a teenager and sometimes falls prey to those teenage issues, which, if let go, can become serious. However, he is such a blessing. There are several things that we do together and in which I find great joy, as does he. One of those things is fixing our vehicles when they break. Fortunately, that is not often. However, this weekend I have a few things to take care of for one of our older vehicles. They are small repairs, but the kind that take some time and a second pair of hands. Last night I approached my oldest son about helping me out and he anxiously said, “Yes.” That, of course made me glad. However, then I told him I would pay him a little money, because I know he has been saving for a while for a piece of musical equipment that he wants. I figured we could both win in the deal. I get the help I need, he gets some money to add to savings, and we get to share our lives and know one another better. He refused! As a matter of fact, he said, “It just doesn’t seem right that I should get paid for helping your fix a vehicle

“Be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). When many of us read this passage we are left with a picture that spans the entirety of our lives and, with reason, it can be a frightening proposition. What about tomorrow or the next day? “How can I guarantee I will make it through and be rock solid in my faith? What if something happens? What if I, God forbid, fall prey to my own desires for things that are spiritually harmful?” Just as if you can only live one day at a time, you can only be faithful one day at a time. Fear and anxiety about tomorrow is fruitless and wastes the time you have today to make a better tomorrow. The walk of faith is like laying block. If I just sit and look at the plans and say, “Boy that is a lot of bricks, I don’t know how I will ever do it,” then I probably never will. On the other hand, if I just took each day and laid a nice straight, solid row of bricks, then soon the house will stand. You can only live a day at a time. What will you do in this day to be more faithful and secure that faithful future, realizing worry is counterproductive?

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” (Luke 16:10-12). Did you know that Edison was born almost completely deaf? He could hear only the loudest of sounds. Yet, you may also recall that it was Edison who invented the phonograph. Odd, don’t you think? Odder still, however, is the fact that the work on this invention began two months after Edison’s plant, containing his inventions, burnt to the ground. Many have quoted those famous words, spoken to his brother as they watched their life’s work go up in smoke. “There go all our mistakes. Now we can start over afresh.” Edison didn’t have a hand up, charmed life or golden boy status. Yet, he was a great success that changed the world. Often, however, our lives are very different. We seem greatly blessed, but do little with it. Especially is this true in spiritual matters. Many, who have the greatest gift of all, the gift of salvation, never get around to doing anything with it. Content to just let the world fly by us, we often miss out on some of the greatest opportunities to do the work of the Lord

“Brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you the spiritual ones restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the Law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2). I cancelled my television service. I have needed and been meaning to do it for a while, but just didn’t get around to it. What was my reason? Well, about the same as anyone’s–hundreds of channels and less than zero on, but paying more and more for it. When I called, however, they simply did not want to let me go. I bet I talked to three different departments, including one called “customer retention.” They offered “free” this and “expanded” that and just about everything but George Bailey’s moon to get me to stay. In the end, I turned them down. It took nearly an hour, but they finally figured out that I was resolved to let them go. Even then, they said they were sending me an email with a code that would enable me to hook back up without having to pay a new service connection charge. The saga doesn’t end there, however. Two days later I received a call from the retention office again, telling me that I will receive the next two months free, whether I chose to stay or not, even though I am only paid up through the end of the month. A day after that, I received confirmation of

“For, Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you!” (Luke 17:21) Of all the concepts Jesus Christ ever talked about, this one, perhaps, was more baffling and confusing to not only the religious leaders of the day, but His own followers. “What do you mean the kingdom is within us? We thought you were going to actually build something and actually put us in positions of power!” To men like the Pharisees, who failed to understand this notion, it was a threat of being removed from their positions. “What! A new kingdom—without us?” For such, they sought to kill him, loving the chief seats among the people. Yet, if He said it once, He said it a thousand times, His kingdom is not a physical thing, but spiritual, that will not “come with observation.” Think about it in some more mundane terms. Each of us has or at least has ridden in a car. As you are riding along, you do not see the vital fluids of that vehicle coursing through the metallic, venous system to lubricate and cool the engine, do you? Of course not! To disturb it would be to interrupt the functioning of the vehicle. Yet, it is essential. No oil, no go! You can put it on the outside of the engine all you want, where it can be observed, but it will only smoke smell and—well, your engine will burn up anyway. It is that simple. The same is true with the kingdom of God.

For years, men have debated this verse and exactly why “Jesus wept.” Perhaps you have a theory of your own. Some say it was because His friend Lazarus had died. Others will tell you that it was because His friend, a righteous man, had gone on to glory and Christ wept because He was now going to bring him back from that glorious reward. Still others would say that He wept simply because He was caught up in the emotion of the moment and wept as everyone else was. All of these, I believe, miss the clearest and simplest point of the concise and pithy statement, “Jesus wept.” Jesus wept because “Jesus cared.” He cared about His friend. He cared about his soul. He cared about Mary and Martha. He cared about the lesson He was teaching them. This is abundantly illustrated for us time and again in His ministry. When He healed the leper—He cared. When He spoke to the woman at the well, a societal pariah, offering guidance and rebuke cloaked in the words that were soft as a dear friend’s—He cared. When He withstood the stiff-necked Pharisees and called them hypocrites—He cared. As His followers, we must display the same type of care and empathy. We must be sympathetic and have the ability to put ourselves in another’s shoes, rather than simply try to impose our will, experience and personally create expectations and traditions on them. If we can do that, if we embraced every person where