Time Spent with God is Always Time Well Spent

The Bible is replete with passages about time. God made time for us; He has no need of it. He is the eternal One; He is the self-existent One; He is the One who inhabits the expanse of eternity. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” In the Truth for Today Commentary on this book, Denny Petrillo made these observations on this verse. The writer did not want us to despair because there is nothing we can do about anything in life, as if all were preordained (appointed). This was not at all Solomon’s point. If it were, his suggestions of choices would not make sense. In fact, we are free moral agents—free to do as we choose. However, the wise person considers the will of God in every decision he makes. He can live life optimistically, not pessimistically, since God is in control and since God provides guidance for His people. Psalm 39:4 says, “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” Psalm 90:12 states, “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Tom Wacaster wrote a piece entitled, Time: How Are You Using It? One paragraph reads: If a man in some remote corner of the world can “number his day” without the aid of a watch, or a calendar, so as to make the most of every moment, …

God Has Given Us Everything!

Everything we have to enjoy, everything we know about anything, everything that we are and hope to be that’s good, and every breath we take is because God is God. Who we think we are and who other people think we are have no bearing on God being God. Why? James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” What does that mean? In his book on James, J.J. Turner made these most insightful thoughts on the passage. “In contrast to God’s not being responsible for sin, James now affirms that God is the source of all that is good… God’s gifts are good… Not only are the gifts good, but they are also perfect, i.e. complete, whole… These gifts are not material in nature, but spiritual; they shall endure after the temporal has failed or vanished.” He continues by noting, “God is the Father of lights, i.e. He is the Creator of the heavenly bodies, which includes the sun, moon, stars, etc… The heavenly lights can vary in the giving off of light; they can change in degrees of intensity. But with God, the Creator and Sustainer of lights, there is no changing – He is immutable… In this verse… we learn some additional truths about the giving God. (1) He gives only good and perfect gifts. (2) He gives continually. (3) He never changes.” What are …

A Reminder of These Things after My Decease

This writer was introduced to a national prayer line in March of this year, and the moderator of that prayer line would always say and she continues to say, “Sisters, let’s stay read up, prayed up, and do everything in our power to make our calling and election sure.” Her weekly reference to making our calling and election sure is part of a passage that Peter wrote in his second letter to the elect scattered throughout Asia Minor. James M. Tolle notes in his book The Christian Graces that the requisites for the development of Christian personality are presented in the First Chapter of Second Peter. They are commonly referred to as the Christian graces that must be added to our faith. The means to obtain this spiritual growth is identified in verses 5-7 – (1) virtue, (2) knowledge, (3) self-control, (4) patience, (5) godliness, (6) brotherly kindness and (7) love. Prior to the listing of these traits, the reason for the development of this Christian personality appears in 2 Peter 1:1-4. Peter then repeated a phrase five times that gets this writer’s attention in a most profound way. He told us how spiritual growth and maturity will increase and our faith will flourish. Faith is recognized as the basis or the root from which all the Christian graces are traced. For without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). In Verse 8 Peter wrote, “For if these things are yours and bound…” Verse 9 reads, “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted…” In …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #13 Lessons Learned and Observations Made – A Summary

This series of articles on loss, sorrow, and grief was first taught in a ladies’ Bible class from January – September 2014. They were published consecutively on this site beginning in August 2015. Four of the twelve lessons were vital in order to address the eight personal, significant losses. The eight remaining lessons addressed the faces of personal, significant losses. It would not truly serve the purpose of this series of articles if our own death was not addressed. In her book, Let This Cup Pass, Jane McWhorter states: Every time the clock ticks one more second, someone in this world dies. Planting in our minds at this time the seeds of what a Christian’s reaction should be will help us accept death with grace whenever it comes our way. Life is so fragile. A person can be in perfect health with everything in his favor and yet be dead within the next minute. God placed us here on this earth to give us an opportunity to prepare ourselves for eternity and take others with us. The question under consideration is not the duration of our lives but what we accomplish while we’re here. How much will we be missed? When we continue living in the hearts of those left behind, have we really passed out of existence? (149) For a Christian, the ultimate in victory is not just to accept the deaths of the masses but also his own with dignity. Acceptance is not a giddy, light-hearted gaiety. It is not happiness …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #12 Loss of Husband

When your husband dies, if the relationship was of the quality that God intended when He instituted marriage in the Garden of Eden, your life is irrevocably changed. When I lost my husband in 2013, my world was shattered into a thousand little pieces! My days were spent with him being constantly in my thoughts, no matter who was in my presence or what I may have been doing. I woke up with him; I went to sleep with him. He was in the recesses of my mind every waking moment. My feelings were like being on a roller coaster. They ranged from a calm facing of the reality that he was really gone, to an overwhelming sadness and despair as I contemplated the fact that I would never see him again—not in this life! I continue to live in God’s Word and believe His promises to turn my journey of mourning to joy, in His time and in accordance with His revealed will. Oh, how I am looking forward to the year when losing the love of my life will be a sweet sadness! “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You” (Psalm 39:7). “My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my inheritance forever” (Psalm 73:26). Decisions That Helpedin My Grieving Process Things I Have Learned I fully understand that God is my ultimate source of strength and comfort. I know He is there to console and care for me in this …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #11

The Loss of a Wife Experts feel that the loss of a spouse or the loss of a child are the two most difficult losses to which adjustment must be made. Unlike the loss of a child, the loss of a spouse carries with it the separation of the formal union of the two who were “one flesh.” Marriage as God intended is the tie between husband and wife that is stronger than any other relationship. This bond is altogether different from any other human agreement or promise. This bond is ordained by God. When a man takes a woman to be his wife, they become one flesh. In his book, The Study of Genesis, A Study for Home and Bible Class, Lesson 3, “Going Deeper: God’s Definition of Marriage,” Richard Cravy wrote the following. “Leave…and be united: That men (and women) are to leave their parents’ family in order to enter marriage simply shows that the parent/child relationship is not intended to be either as permanent nor as complete as the marital relationship… [T]he word (‘cleave; in the KJV) carries with it the essential idea of being glued or held fast together” (Three-7). Husband/Wife RelationshipAbove and Different from All Others H. Leo Boles defined marriage this way. In the beginning God “made them male and female”; they were made as one pair, therefore they should be united in pairs; these pairs should remain as God ordained as the basis of the family… This act of divine creation has become the symbol of the …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #10

It has been said that during our lifetimes that we will make many acquaintances, but our best friends can be counted on one hand. A true friend is one who knows all about you, yet loves you just the same. Best friends sometimes finish each other’s sentences. “Friends cross all barriers of race, creed, age, gender, and country to connect only with the heart and spirit, which have no walls. Sometimes they don’t even know it when they say the right words at just the right time. Sometimes friends feel like family; sometimes they are family” (Fargo). The USAA Educational Foundation published When a Loved One Dies: Coping with Grief. Several deep, personal losses are addressed in one section. This statement was made on the loss of a friend. “Accepting the death of a friend and grieving your loss can be complicated by the fact that others may not appreciate how much the friendship meant to you. That is because a friend is someone with whom you have shared experiences, confidences, laughter and tears” (11). Friend Defined A dictionary definition of “friend” includes the concept of a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts – a favored companion. Selected Biblical References to Friends Job lost all of his material possessions and all ten of his children in one day! Shortly afterwards, he was stricken with boils from his head to his feet. In his agony he said, “He [God] has removed my brothers …

Thoughts on the Death of Jesus

God knows the difference between right and wrong,We should live for Him, though our lives are long, We’ve suffered here for many years,Though Jesus went through more than tears, They whipped Him and beat Him until He died,Then they shoved a spear through His side, But now He’s up on God’s right side,Up in heaven so fair and bright, Trust and obey, we can go too,Lord I will live my life for you. Deserae Cobb (age 10)

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #9

This statement was quoted in a sermon from the book, Heart-to-Heart by Robert G. Lee. “Sin has dug every grave, built every coffin, enlarged every cemetery… that the world has ever seen” (65-66). The loss of grandchildren and great-grandchildren can strike the deepest core of our emotions, especially if the loss is an infant, a toddler or an adolescent. These losses are suffered by all people around the globe. In the final analysis, the age of the grand or great-grand is totally irrelevant. The stark reality is they are no longer with us, and we grieve on some level for the rest of our lives! Grief becomes more complicated when a loved one’s death is: What to Expect Every symptom of grief may be more intense and prolonged after a traumatic death. It is normal to experience: Many of us are familiar with the poem “I Walked a Mile with Pleasure” by Robert Browning Hamilton. I walked a mile with Pleasure;She chatted all the way;But left me none the wiserFor all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow,And ne’er a word said she;But, oh! The things I learned from her,When sorrow walked with me. Virgil M. Fry wrote Rekindled – Warmed by Fires of Hope. He included a section entitled, “When Fires Rage – The Unique Journey of Grief: Reflections.” Note these selected quotes. Our world is in a state of constant change. God is not. At times, the world seems to be trembling beneath our feet. But we can …

Life’s Not Fair!

Have you ever heard yourself or someone else, especially a child say, “That’s not fair!”? As a teacher, I hear this frequently. My usual response is something like, “Life’s not fair, get over it.” That may sound harsh, but it is the truth. Besides that, I usually hear the comment from a student not getting his way about something. However truthful or harsh it may be, we all need to understand, life is not fair…but eternity is. Life is not fair… It is evident in our world that life is not fair. Many honest, moral, hardworking individuals receive little for their efforts except pain and suffering. On the other hand, others whose lives manifest corruption, selfishness and laziness appear to prosper and to be at ease. To the family that loses everything to a natural disaster or to the individual who loses his life when someone else chooses to drink and drive, life is not fair. How ought Christians to respond to the unfairness of life? How should Christians respond to those who claim there is no God based on the unfairness of life? We must realize the Bible does not promise the Christian a life of peace, ease and fairness. Christians in the early days of the church suffered greatly from persecution (Acts 8:1, 3; 9:1-2). Paul wrote to the young preacher Timothy, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Even today, faithful Christians suffer for their convictions. In …

Standing in His Shadow

Turn on the television on any given day and you will see news of terrorist group activity. It might be at a movie theater, a restaurant, a school, a business, a marathon or even a church building. This can lead one to think there is no safe place in this world. Just taking care of one’s day to day responsibilities can end in tragedy. This may make one feel insecure, lost and nervous. Where can we go from harm? Where can we find a safe place? We can find safety in God Almighty. When we are afraid, we must go to God. When we are unsure of our future, we must go to God. Psalm 46:1-2 refers to God as our refuge. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” This is such a reassuring Scripture to the Christian! It reminds us that the Creator of the earth and mountains is in control. He is our refuge. God will be present despite whatever comes our way. Psalm 46:10 states, “Be still and know that I am God.” This reminds Christians there is no need for panic, no need for anxiety and no need to get upset; be still, be calm. He is God and is in full control. What comfort! What a feeling of safety and security! We can find safety in God …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #8

The loss of grandparents is something we are likely to face at some point. Those of us who have lost our grandparents, depending on one’s age and relationship, remember that loss with varying emotions. Some of us who have lost both parents are now grandparents. Some of us have suffered the loss of our spouse and the void that was left had to be addressed with the grandchildren. Some of us were brought up by our grandparents for any number of reasons. If the relationship was close, you were probably greatly affected when they died. Don Williams (2015) stated: In early America, death was a familiar experience. When several generations of a family lived in the same house, children became aware of aging, illness and death. With life somewhat like that of The Waltons, children watched as Grandpa and Grandma grew old and eventually died. They gathered with other family members when death occurred, and knew what funerals and “wakes” were all about. These were normally held in the home. Children of early America realized that a significant loss had occurred, and they would experience tears and sorrow. Death was something that was a regular part of their lives as animals would regularly die. Death was not a mystery to children in early America. (99) In their book, Grieving with Hope, Samuel J. Hodges, IV and Kathy Leonard state: One difference between grieving adults and children is that children grieve intermittently. Whereas adults feel they are constantly flailing in a tidal wave …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #7

The emotional aspects of a child’s death involve all of the normal stages of grief and recovery. Because it is such a difficult loss, families may need professional help as well as support from family and friends. Parents need to talk about the child and their grief. They need to know they are not alone. After the death of a child, it is important to: On the loss of a child, the following analysis is from Grief Share: “Through a Season of Grief.” An additional perspective comes from James Tolle in his book, Living without Fear: Fear of Death. This most painful experience is shared by Rusty Bolton in his book, It Depends on How You Look at It! When Things Are Tough (29-37). Biblical Parents Who Sufferedthe Loss of a Child or Children King David had six sons born to him in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:1-5). Three of those six died violently. David fathered an illegitimate child by Bathsheba while she was married to Uriah, the Hittite. The child died as an infant; he lived one week after becoming ill (2 Samuel 12:14-18). King Jeroboam and his wife lost their son who became sick and died because of the sin of his father (1 Kings 1:1-13). Job and his wife lost all ten of their children—seven sons and three daughters in one day (Job 1)! This modern day concluding experience may well serve as a description of the agony of losing a child. Glenn Martin’s article, “This I Have Learned from My Son’s Death,” shared these heart wrenching feelings …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #6

In his book, Disrupted—Finding God in Illness and Loss, Virgil M. Fry includes a chapter entitled, “The Only Way Out Is Through.” He wrote: We Americans live in a death-denying culture… It’s okay to hurt briefly if a gain (fitness, prestige) can be realized. It’s not okay to hurt (at least publicly) over losses from sickness, divorce or brokenness. Grief counselors know it takes months and years for family members and friends to process their grief, to reconcile themselves to permanent separation, to find hope and peace and comfort in daily living. The true Gospel message is this: God has cared, is caring, and will always care. God loves. God comforts. God hears. God is. The implication for us: No one hurts alone. We can admit our pain without fearing rejection. We can allow ourselves time to share memories, distress and turmoil. We can cling to the assurance that there’s more to life than what we experience here. We can remember that brokenness, sickness, evil, and death all sting—but they don’t have to have the final word. Indeed, the only way out is through. (82-83) Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 15:56-57, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In the magazine, Think–Current Issues from a Distinctly Christian View, the theme for the February 2014 issue was “Coping with Death and Loss.” In that issue is Daniel Howell’s …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #5

The USAA Educational Foundation published, When a Loved One Dies: Coping with Grief. Several deep personal losses are addressed in one section. This statement was made on the loss of a sibling. “When a sibling dies, there is an immediate sense of loss. An individual who was raised with you and shared your childhood is gone, leaving a void that cannot be filled. Unfortunately, siblings are sometimes known as the “forgotten mourners” because expressions of sympathy and comfort are often directed at surviving parents, spouses and children” (10). With the loss of a sibling, sometimes there are emotional experiences that can be most troublesome. If you have lost a brother(s) or a sister(s), it may change your role in the family structure. If the sibling that died is the one that was looked upon as the leader, especially in the time of a crisis, that loss could have a devastating effect on other family members. Seek the support of other family members who feel the loss the way you do. If you have other brothers and sisters that share your grief, they can be very comforting and consoling. They will welcome the opportunity to talk, remember, mourn and heal together. Remember the happy times—the things that made you laugh until you cried! Also remember the things about them that made you so angry! It may surprise you as you recall those things after their death; they can make you laugh as well! Observations from A Time toMourn, A Time to Dance—Help for …

Works of God

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:21-31) Do men understand that God will destroy everyone who does not consider His work? Psalm 28:5 tells us plainly, “because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.” The world entices us to set our affections on man’s works, and when we are fully involved in the world, we have no time to seek …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #4

Becoming stuck or frozen in grief causes emotional peril to recovery and healing. Two questions were asked from Grief Share: Your Journey from Mourning to Joy that must be answered in order to avoid becoming stuck in grief. Two profound statements were made for objective consideration. If God answered all of your questions and you understood fully why your loved ones died, they would still be dead! If you could have them back (i.e., they hadn’t died), you would get them back just the way they were when they died – dying! In light of this inescapable truth, consider normal grieving vs. unhealthy grieving. What Is Normal Grieving? What Is Unhealthy Grieving? Confronting and CopingEquals Recovery and HealingConfront – To tackle, face up to, meet head-on, deal with itCope – To manage, handle, survive, get by, muddle through Keys to Avoiding BecomingStuck/Frozen in Grief Biblical Examples of Reactions andResponses to Traumatic Personal Losses In his editorial “Coping with Grief,” Dennis Loyd, Associate Editor of Gospel Advocate, wrote “Whatever the cause of our grief, we have ways to confront it and cope with it. God’s Word becomes our light. Prayer becomes our appeal. Christian fellowship becomes our comfort. Jesus becomes our hope” (3). Helen M. Young wrote in, When You Lose One You Love, these most provoking thoughts about “Accepting Bereavement: The Healing Process of Grief.” She used the metaphor of ocean tides. “Grief is like the ocean tides. It comes in waves. Just when you feel you are doing better, a wave of grief will sweep over …

Take Comfort

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). One brother may say, “Light affliction! You mean that suffering at the hands of my coworkers because I am a Christian is light affliction? They reject me, slander and mock me day after day. How can I keep from worrying about these things?” A young Christian teen may say, “Ever since I became a member of the church, my school friends have left me. They will not invite me to go with them anywhere because they know I will not participate in the things they do. That is hard to endure when we were so close before. I worry about losing my friends.” The heart of a young mother whose husband has not embraced the truth may be torn because her husband is trying to undermine the teaching she is giving the children. She may be the object of mockery or rejection by her relatives and in-laws or by her own children. How can she endure and focus on the eternal things when her earthly trials are so heartbreaking day after day? How can she keep from worrying? The apostle Paul was the one speaking in 2 Corinthians 4:17, and the trials which he endured, to most of us today, would seem to be anything but light. These trials consisted of want (maybe even near starvation), danger, contempt, stoning, toil, weariness and the scorn …

Seeing God in My Rearview Mirror

For anyone who has ever traveled the stretch of interstate known as I-40 West connecting Nashville to Memphis, Tennessee, one can truly understand just how long and boring those 200 miles can be. Perhaps it’s because there is virtually nothing from Nashville to Jackson, few towns and fewer exits. It was July 2005 and my two children and I were traveling from our home just outside Memphis to visit my parents slightly east of Nashville for a little summer vacation. The weather was beautiful, the sky clear and sunny, and so began our journey as we had done many times before. However, on this particular trip, from the driver’s seat of my Saturn Vue, I caught a glimpse of God in my rearview mirror that I had never seen before. Let me tell you what I saw. This story really began in 1997 when my husband was preaching in a Gospel meeting near Manchester, TN. He left our home in East Tennessee to go begin the meeting when near Monteagle Mountain his car broke down. He was stranded. He finally got the car to a station only to find out that it would take a few days to repair it. He called one of the members of the church where he was scheduled to preach that next morning to come get him. When the elderly gentleman arrived (a longtime friend of ours), his daughter and new grandson, Will, were with him. Evidently, Will captured the attention of my husband in …

Mistakes

A few months ago I attended a training session in my school district. The training was designed to provide information on the upcoming online state testing procedures. The trainer stressed the importance of asking for help using the new system if needed. He then gave a brief explanation on three kinds of mistakes he sees. He indicated he readily would help those who make one kind of mistake, but those making the other kinds of mistakes were on their own. As I pondered his points, I realized the Bible addresses these three types of mistakes as well. Let’s consider them now. Too Big for Your Britches The first kind of mistake is made when someone is “too big for her britches.” This occurs when the individual thinks she already knows everything and has no need of help. Several verses come to mind that refute this type of thinking. First Corinthians 10:12 reads, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” The previous verses remind the readers of the complaining Israelites who wandered the wilderness for forty years—and died there. Galatians 6:3 also warns against thinking we are better than we are. When we think we know the “better” way, we are in the most danger of losing our way. Psalm 119:105 tells us God’s Word lights our path. Jesus told His followers in John 14:6 that He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” In Philippians 3:17, Paul instructed the church to follow the pattern …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #3

It has been noted that when we lose a parent, we lose our past. Most of us expect to outlive our parents. How did we feel when that expectation became a reality? That was the first question that this writer’s husband asked when my mother died. “How do you feel?” My reply was, “I don’t know.” We remained in total silence for quite a while. Perhaps your parents lived long and fulfilling lives, but that did not necessarily make it any easier to say goodbye! Even the fact that you may have been anticipating their death does little to prepare you for living without them; life will never be the same. The account of the death of Sarah, Isaac’s mother, is tender indeed. Isaac was only 37-years-old when Sarah died (Genesis 17:17). His father Abraham took steps to ensure Isaac’s comforting as recorded in Genesis 24. Most individuals expect their parents to die before them, but few are really prepared for the loss. The intensity of your grief may surprise you, especially if you were anticipating the death of an ill or elderly parent. The recognition that your father or mother lived a long, full life or was released from pain and suffering does not make your loss easier to bear. A parent’s death is particularly difficult because: How Certain Biblical SiblingsDealt with the Death of their Father There are times when the death of parents can bring about a healing of relationships. Such was the case in the lives …

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #2

What to Say to a Grieving Person “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in its time, how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23).“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). Do’s Dont’s From the American Cancer Society What to say to someone who has lost a loved one: What to Do for a Grieving Person “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10). Do’s Dont’s Life Beyond Loss Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that we as a society struggle so much with death is because not many of us want to think about it, not to mention talk about it. However, everybody needs to talk about it because it is as natural as breathing. It happens every day every few seconds around the world. In our attempts to know what to say and what to do, less is more. Particularly if the “right words” are not easily expressed, to be wisely silent is always best. A strong, calming presence or a genuine look of love speaks volumes!   To be a welcomed source of comfort and caring, it is best to remember the words of our Lord when He said, “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). Work Cited Doka, Kenneth J., Ph.D. Life Beyond Loss: Picking Up the Pieces and Facing the Emotions of Grief. Acworth: Guideline.

God’s Way for Us to Cope with Loss, Sorrow and Grief, #1

The God of All Comfort “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation [affliction], so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any tribulation, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God has provided for us to be comforted in our grief. Physical death became a part of the human condition in the Garden of Eden. The Bible is the only source that we have that tells us what death is and why it comes to all of us. Death is the great equalizer; it happens every day all over the world. However, most of the time, death does not get our attention until it knocks at our door! Prayer is Our Lifeline Prayer is the beginning of our recovery from loss, sorrow and grief. We must be in constant, fervent and submissive prayer to God every day and every night! “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, to His ears” (Psalm 18:6). Grief Defined Grief is intense suffering caused by severe and deeply felt loss. It is acute sorrow, deep distress and profound sadness, and grief is a process that takes a long time! It is a process that must be dealt with in a mentally healthy way, if …

God’s Word Must Be the Filter

In our world, we are familiar with oil filters, air filters, transmission filters, heating/air conditioning filters, etc., which serve the purpose of keeping engines and other various mechanical parts clean and free from dirt and debris. These filters must be checked, maintained and replaced so equipment can function at its maximum capacity. The Encarta Dictionary English (North America) on the Internet gives several definitions for the word “filter,” two of which are most appropriate for the purpose in this article. “1. To seep or pass through something that is intended to act as a barrier. 2. A straining device that allows the passage of some frequencies and blocks others.” God’s Word Must Be the Filter for our Minds On the back cover of his book, Making His Mind My Mind, J.J. Turner states by reading his book, we will learn “how to develop a biblically-conscious pattern of thinking and acting to make His mind our mind and reap the right kind of harvest. Everything we do begins in the mind. It makes us or breaks us.” He further asks these thought provoking questions: “To whom will we surrender the control of our minds? God? Satan? Self? Which? Proverbs 23:7 says, ‘As a man thinks in his heart so is he.’” One’s mind is the ultimate control center. Psalm 119:10-11 declares, “With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” God views sin as …

I’m Scared!

“Please take this down to the recyclable basket,” I asked my young son as I handed him the plastic bottle. He took the bottle as he swallowed hard and choked back his tears. He took a step in the right direction then stopped and hollered at me, “I can’t, I’m scared!” The recyclable basket was located in our basement, and this night was dark and cold. Though the basement is clean and carpeted with plenty of possible lights along the way, my son had a fear that overrode the facts. He was afraid and that’s all that he cared to consider. As adults, we also have fears, and as Christians, fear can affect our walk with our Lord. Yet, as His disciples, we need not be slaves to fear. Romans 8:15 states, “For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” One way fear can affect our walk with the Lord is that fear keeps us frozen. Have you ever found yourself in a situation with which you knew you were unhappy, but due to fear you made no change? This could be with your job, a relationship, where you live, your health or any number of situations. Perhaps you are in a place where sin in present, and yet you make no change for you fear the future. Second Timothy 1:7 states, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear but …

Worship/Fellowship

The Greek word “proskuneo” is most frequently translated “to worship.” It means “to make obeisance, do reverence to” (from pros, “towards,” and kuneo, “to kiss”). It is used of an act of homage or reverence to God (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words). Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines worship as, “Reverent devotion and allegiance pledged to God; the rituals or ceremonies by which this reverence is expressed. The English word worship comes from the Old English word “worthship,” a word which denotes the worthiness of the one receiving the special honor or devotion.” Our worship is directed to God, and all throughout the Bible we have examples of God’s people worshipping Him. In Genesis 12:18 and 13:18 Abraham built altars to God for worship. In Exodus 35:1-40:38, Moses instructed about the building of the tabernacle, and he stated God’s plan for how the Israelites were to worship Him. After the death of Christ and the beginning of the church, God changed how He wanted Christians to worship Him. Our worship is no longer ceremonial with a priest offering sacrifices to God on our behalf, but it is personal, individual praise to God on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Our worship consists of singing praises to God (Ephesians 5:19-20: Colossians 3:16); giving (1 Corinthians 16:2); preaching the Word of God (Acts 20:7); partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7); and prayer (1 Corinthians 14:15). Our worship must be done in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Hebrews 10:25 states, “And let …

Hardening of the Heart Is an Inside Job

There are many great messages found in the Book of Hebrews. One message is the warning against hardening one’s heart through unbelief. Hebrews 3:7-9 reads, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years.’” More is stated in verses 12-13. “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” In his book, Studying Sin Seriously, Wendall Winkler lists seven practical ways in which sin is deceptive and disillusioning. Several years ago this writer read the following statement that still resonates: “Sin that we thought would be a delightful servant becomes our horrifying master!” Paul writing to the church at Rome said, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). One of the most compelling figures in the Bible who demonstrated this hardening of his heart, despite the overwhelming display of irrefutable evidence, was the Pharaoh of Egypt during the time of Moses. As one good minister phrased it, “Pharaoh wanted to know who God was; so God gave him a 10-lesson correspondence …

We Are in a Fight—Not on a Picnic!

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a picnic as “a meal eaten outdoors on an excursion; an easy task or pleasant experience.” We may or may not care for picnics, but virtually all of us like easy tasks and pleasant experiences. However, going to heaven is not of the picnic variety. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. It is an ongoing, lifetime task. The following statements made by two brotherhood preachers have been referenced in previous articles by this writer; they bear repeating. Perhaps it is because the words “anybody” and “nobody”— two opposites — are used to make the same point so profoundly. “Anybody can go to heaven who wants to go to heaven more than anything else in the world. And until you want that more than anything else in the world, you are as close to heaven right now as you are ever going to get!” “Nobody is going to accidently stumble into heaven. If we are there, it will be from a lifetime of intention, and planning, and forethought, and devotion, and humility before the living God!” In the October 28, 1986 publication Firm Foundation, there is a graphic entitled, “Awake Thou That Sleepest…” It pictures a man lying in a hammock asleep, hands resting with his fingers intertwined across his chest, with what appears to be a newspaper over his face. There’s a dog sleeping quite contentedly at his feet. This man’s spiritual armor is lying on the ground around him. The apostle Paul lists the spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:14-17 as …

Emergency Preparation

This winter in the United States has been extremely unusual. Areas in the north have documented record breaking snowfalls. Many places have set new record low temperatures. Southern regions have struggled with winter weather normally only seen in the north. I teach children in Mississippi who at twelve-years-old have never experienced more than an inch or two of snow on the ground at one time. Yet, in less than two weeks, school has been cancelled four times, and students have been dismissed three hours early from school twice due to winter weather. People everywhere it seems are making frequent preparations for winter weather, a potential physical emergency. While these emergency preparations are important, how much more important is spiritual emergency preparation? Whether physical or spiritual, emergency preparation consists of several elements. First, individuals must recognize the potential for an emergency situation. Second, mental preparation must be made. Finally, action must be taken. Failure to complete any of these steps could lead to disaster. Emergency Recognition In the physical world, recognition of a potential winter emergency begins with gathering information. Meteorologists collect weather data, consider models and make predictions. Those predictions are then shared with those who could be affected by the temperatures, snow or ice. In the spiritual world, there is one “emergency” for which all must prepare. The Bible reveals that Judgment Day is coming at a time no one will expect (Matthew 25:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). In recognition of that day, everyone needs to realize that …

God and Nothing

There are 17 definitions of the word “nothing” in Webster’s College Dictionary. A few of these definitions rightly describe God’s perspective on the matter. (1) In no respect or degree; not at all (2) Amounting to zero (3) To treat lightly; regard as easy (4) To regard as insignificant or routine. One of virtually thousands of Scriptures could be quoted to establish this divine truth. Jeremiah 32:17 declares, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” Abraham and Sarah had major doubts when God told them they would have a son in their old age. Genesis 18:13-14 records, “And the LORD said to Abraham… ‘Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’” It is humorous to observe that their son Isaac’s name literally meant laughter. Abraham fell on his face and laughed (Genesis 17:17). Sarah laughed within herself, then because she was afraid denied it when God asked Abraham why she laughed (Genesis 18:12, 15). Moses and his major doubts had to be brought in check when the children of Israel were complaining to him about a lack of food in Numbers 11. He asked God where was he to get meat to give to all of those people. God told Moses He would give them meat not for one day, or two, or five, …

Lessons I Learned from the Cross

I paced back and forth the living room floor, not really knowing what to do with myself. I couldn’t believe I had been treated this way. I felt hurt. I felt angry. I felt such disappointment. It was then that a bit of advice, given from a friend years ago, had come to my memory. “When you have ill-feelings, study the life of Jesus.” Feeling persecuted, I opened my Bible to Luke 22 and 23, the account of the crucifixion of Christ Jesus. As I began to read this familiar text, a new significance seemed to leap off the pages. Here are three lessons I learned from the cross that night. Pray for those who cause us suffering. It is our sinful humanity that wants to retaliate and “get them back” when we have been hurt. The inspired penman affirmed that we daily have a battle going on between the carnal and the spiritual (Romans 7:15). However, if we follow the example of our Savior, Jesus the Christ, we see that He took the spiritually mature route. Luke 22 and 23 records that Jesus had just suffered hours upon hours of illegal and unfair treatment, betrayal from so called friends, a conspiracy of corruption full of lies smeared on his name, defamation of character, arrest, mocking and beatings. All alone he faced the Sanhedrin, a crew of 71 men. Our Lord faced the public who falsely accused Him and then demanded that Barabbas, who was a criminal in prison for …

Same Name, Different Results

he Book of Acts tells of two men who have the same name. One of the men tried to make others think he was a great servant of the Lord. In reality, he was a liar. The other man answered the call of the Lord even though he was afraid. Who are these men? Both are named Ananias, but their lives demonstrated very different priorities. First, consider the Ananias of Acts 5:1-11. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for …

Lord, I Believe, Help My Unbelief!

Mark 9:14-29 records the account of Jesus healing a mute. He came to the disciples and saw a huge crowd around them and the scribes disputing with the disciples. Jesus asked the scribes what they were discussing with them. A father in the crowd had brought his son to the Lord’s disciples for healing. He was suffering with a mute spirit, but they could not heal him. Jesus instructed that he be brought to Him. Jesus asked his father how long had this been happening to him; the father said to Him from childhood. The father explained the spirit had often thrown him into fire and water to destroy him. Then, he made a statement that would tug at the heartstrings of any parents who have experienced their child suffering from a serious sickness or disease. “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22b). Imagine saying that to the firstborn over all creation! Jesus simply said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). The father’s response is heart wrenching. “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!’” W. Elmo Mercer wrote the song, familiar to many of us, Each Step I Take. The words of the second verse echo the feelings so many of us have had or may be currently having about any number of life’s circumstances. “At times I feel my faith begin to …

Paul on Prayer

In a recent Bible class, a verse was quoted from the Book of Philemon. On hearing the verse, my first thought was, “I thought that verse was in a different book.” When I later looked more closely, I found the words from Philemon are found in at least nine of the books of our New Testament written by Paul. What did Paul find so important that he stated it often in his writings to the infant church? What can we learn from these words to help us in the church during the 21st century? The Words Throughout Paul’s writings, he used the words “I thank my God” (Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Philippians 1:3; Philemon 4) or “We give thanks” (Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:2). Other verses also mention “thank God” (2 Thessalonians 1:3) and giving “thanks” (Ephesians 1:16). In each case, Paul was thanking God for fellow Christians and their work or for God’s gifts to those Christians. Obviously, Paul was thanking God through prayer, as we do today. However, in many of the verses where Paul stated that he gave thanks, he emphasized giving that thanks through prayer (Philemon 4; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Ephesians 1:16). Additionally, several of these verses written by Paul tell the original recipients that he made “mention” of them in prayer. The Reasons Paul’s prayers for the brethren were about more than just thanking God for the existence of fellow Christians. In Romans 1:8, Paul was thankful for the faith of the …

Trying to Level with Myself

This writer is on a mailing list to receive letters of spiritual encouragement since I experienced the most significant loss of my life. In the letter that I received in November of 2014, several questions surrounding the idea, if any earthly desire might be granted what would it be? The statement was made, “Well, today, I am trying to ‘level with myself’ – looking inwardly in a most sane manner.” This is a thought that could resonate with us for the entire year of 2015. That sentence immediately captured my attention. I have been thinking about it since then, and a few thoughts have definitely caused me to actively pursue that inward look. Spiritually, we are either growing or we are rotting; we are either moving forward or slipping backward. There is no such thing as “holding our own” and still being pleasing to God! Being in a holding pattern is great for airplanes – never for God’s people. The call of the prophet Zephaniah was to motivate the nation of Judah to repentance. God told him to tell His people that He would search Jerusalem with lamps, “And punish the men who were settled in complacency, who say in their heart, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will He do evil’” (Zephaniah 1:12). What were they saying? “God never does anything; He won’t help us; He won’t punish either.” They really needed a reality check! Zephaniah gave them one they would never forget regarding their terrible impending punishment. All facets of our …

The Bible’s Plea for Unity

The word unity is used often in the religious world, but what does it really mean? Dictionary.com lists multiple parts to the definition of this word. 1. the state of being one; oneness. 2. a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one. 3. the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification. 4. absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character. 5. oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement. 6. Mathematics. a. the number one; a quantity regarded as one. b. identity. 7. (in literature and art) a relation of all the parts or elements of a work constituting a harmonious whole and producing a single general effect. Notice the recurring theme of “one.” Also interesting to note, while the Bible is not literature as the world views literature, the Bible is the perfect example of the last definition – “a harmonious whole and producing a single general effect.” Now that we see what a dictionary says about “unity,” focus for a moment on the word as used in the New Testament. The word “unity” appears in Ephesians 4:13. Romans 12:16 uses the phrase “same mind” to express the concept of unity, which corresponds to the fifth definition from the dictionary. Acts 2:46 also reflects the fifth dictionary definition when the verse has “one accord.” Many other passages, from both the Old and New Testaments, use words or phrases that mean “unity” or …

In the World, But Not of the World

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.  And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (John 17:9-19) A paraphrase for these verses …

Inviting Disaster through Your Door

We are blessed here in Ohio to have such blazing orange, crimson reds and lemony yellow fall leaves to see on the trees this season. I recently took my annual autumn trip with my husband and children. We travel through parts of Ohio to admire the fall foliage, the rows of orange pumpkins and speckled gourds, the teams of mystical horses, bushel baskets full of crisp, colorful apples and the many other delights this time of year brings. At one location, a woman was selling her wares from her country cottage. I had seen rows and rows of her handmade quilts and walked to them for a closer look. The geometric shapes fit perfectly together with bright fabrics. Each shape different, yet put together made a glorious fabric collage. “How did she do that?” I thought in impressed amazement. All the while, I understood she used a pattern to make such a lovely piece of art. When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them a pattern to follow for a successful marriage. Genesis 2:18-24 reads, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” With God’s pattern, a lovely product is the end result. Likewise, when Noah built the ark, God have him a pattern (Genesis 6:13-22). Humans marvel at the monstrous size …

It Is All Going Up in Smoke!

It is that time of year once again when some people lose their minds in the feeding frenzy of shopping. Why? Some have an insatiable appetite for spending, and during the holiday season, that ravenous enthusiasm spirals out of control. On the Friday following Thanksgiving, which has become known as Black Friday, fights break out in department stores and malls as civilized people become brute beasts attacking one another over that “must have” bargain priced item. In many instances, it’s not so much about the buying, but it’s all about the fury of being in overcrowded malls just looking and socializing. A recent news report stated that in some cases, these Black Friday deals are the same price that they were in September! Still some will rack up huge bills and will be struggling to pay those bills throughout 2015! Satan plays that “buy now – pay later” card to the maximum everywhere every year. Some of us have seen the commercials of the graveyard of gifts stashed in an out-of-the-way closet, in the attic or in the storage shed, never to be seen or mentioned again. These are those “acknowledgment” gifts we did not want and certainly did not need from family and friends. Do we remember what we bought last year or what we received from whom and why? One friend commented that she hoped her family would remember what they got last year because there would be nothing for them this year. How would that idea “play …

A Life of Thanksgiving

We sing the song “Count Your Blessings,” and part of that song calls us to “name them one by one.” That is a task none of us could ever complete. God showers countless blessings upon the entire human race! For the limited space of this article, only four of these divine favors will be noted. God is to be thanked for (1) our lives, (2) our health, (3) our provision and (4) our protection. When we live in the light of His presence, we will express with David, “You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word” (Psalm 119:65). Life itself is the priceless gift from God. Have we ever given any serious thought to just how fragile we are? Solomon declared in Ecclesiastes 8:8a, “No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no one has power in the day of death.” One writer’s comment on that verse said, “None of us has the power to keep ourselves alive one breath beyond God’s will for us to breathe!” Psalm 146:3-4 declares, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man [a human being], in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.” That biblical perception defies deliberate misunderstanding. Physical health is a priceless gift from God. If we do not have our health, life loses much of its appeal and zest. Health is lost in numerous ways – some being through illness, disease, injury and aging. …

What Is the Bible Definition?

God deals with us according to His Word, not according to what we want or even what we think we need. In all that He does and in all that He allows, God is always pursuing our salvation! David understood that. He said in Psalm 119:65, “You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.” We must read and study God’s Word, seeking spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding. When we are striving to be diligent students of God’s Word and servants of His will, we are frequently faced with the need to understand His meaning of numerous words in Scripture. There are many definitions in God’s Word, and this article will call attention to only a few, wherein the emphasis pertains to the repeated use of the being verb “is” in the meaning. Any definition given in Scripture is always the right one because all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16-17). To develop spiritual discernment, we must seek to understand what God has revealed to us and why. Since God is infallible to infinity, this gives us superlative confidence in the accuracy of the meaning of any word found in the Bible. The following passages of Scripture all speak to that unalterable fact. Psalm 119:160 says, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119 is a discourse on the supremacy, reliability and significance of God’s Word. If we want to know who God is, we must read the …

Worthless Servants?

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor” (Luke 6:12-17). Who were these men Jesus appointed as His apostles? They were men from Galilee, a northern district in Palestine, considered unlearned, ignorant men from the working class who were looked down on by the Jews from Judea (Acts 2:7). Matthew was a tax collector; the Pharisees linked tax collectors and sinners in the same category (Matthew 9:9-10). Simon was a Zealot, equal to a modern-day terrorist. Peter was impetuous, speaking before he thought through what he was saying; frequently he had the proverbial foot in his mouth. James and John were intolerant (Mark 9:38-39) and revengeful (Luke 9:51-55); Jesus called these brothers “sons of thunder” because of their attitude toward others. Saul, better known to us by his Greek name Paul, consented to the death and imprisonment of Christians. After he became an apostle, he along with many of the other apostles were imprisoned for their teachings. All the apostles, with the exception of John, were killed because of …

Have I Become Your Enemy Because I Tell You the Truth?

Several sources on the Book of Galatians refer to it as the Magna Charta or Manifesto of Christian liberty. It is God’s emancipation proclamation for sinners. However, in Paul’s day Judaizing false teachers were attempting to convince Christians in Galatia that the Jewish law was binding upon them because salvation was obtained by works of the Law of Moses. This was extremely distressing to Paul, so much so that his letter to them was intense. He was striving to win them back to the simplicity and truth of the Gospel message. He said, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7 NASB). These false teachers had also planted doubt in the minds of the Galatians regarding the authenticity of Paul’s apostleship. In his defense, he wrote in Galatians 1:11-12, “But I make known to you brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” He told them later in his letter that if they were attempting to be justified by law, they had fallen from grace (Galatians 5:1-4). He did not say they had tried to fall from grace, he said they had done it! Paul pointed out several …

What is the Role of the Preacher’s Wife?

I am sure asking various members of the Lord’s church, one would hear a variety of answers to the question, “What is the role of the preacher’s wife?” Yes, the leaders of a congregation and the preacher that serve that congregation need to consider the opinions of the individuals who make up the congregation on any subject that effects the church, including the “role of the preacher’s wife.” However, the only viewpoint that matters is what God’s Word says on the subject under consideration! Biblically speaking, the primary role of the preacher’s wife is to be a faithful Christian, putting God first in her life. Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Also, consider our Lord’s words in Luke 16:13. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The word “hate” in these two verses means to love less. As faithful followers of Jesus, we must love our family members less than we love Christ. The latter verse further explains that our hearts will be loyal to only one master – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ or Satan – we cannot divide our loyalties between the two. The preacher’s wife, as well as …

God Is Our Father

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8). However, in today’s world, it is very difficult for children to think of their fathers as those who would mold them into something they wanted them to be. Indeed it is difficult for modern day fathers to think that way. We have been so conditioned to believe every man is the master of his own destiny and has total rights over his own life that the idea of being putty in God’s hand is repugnant or only rarely comes to mind. As Christians, we should understand that our Father is our Creator, Master, Lord and Guide (Romans 1:18-23). As our Father, He has the responsibility of training us to be faithful children who will submit to His authority and guidance (Hebrews 12:5-11). From our reading Old Testament Scriptures, we can more fully appreciate God as the Father of the faithful in the New Testament. He knows all about His children, even numbering the hairs on their heads (Matthew 10:30). He protects His children and rescues them when they are in trouble or need guidance (Romans 8:26-27, 34). He teaches them the way that they should go (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) and supplies all of their needs (Matthew 6:33). In turn, our Heavenly Father expects honor from His children even though He does not always receive it (Isaiah 1:11-17; Acts 7:38-39). Jesus sought …

What Was the Divine Response?

The prophet Elijah was without a doubt one of God’s greatest servants. He obeyed God’s commandments to the letter. First Kings 18 is the account of perhaps Elijah’s most monumental victory over Baal. God’s power was demonstrated to the zenith in the destruction of this false god! King Ahab of Samaria had told his wife Jezebel all that Elijah had done and also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. First Kings 19:2 records her murderous threat. “Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.’” Elijah arose and ran for his life! He prayed that he might die; he said it was enough; he wanted God to take his life because he felt he was no better than his fathers. His desperation and feeling of hopelessness is bone chilling! What was the divine response? On two occasions the angel of the LORD brought Elijah food and water (1 Kings 19:5-8). Then he went into a cave to spend the night, and the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ So he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword, I alone am left; …

Don’t Drop that Baton

At times I have wondered if some of the world’s church-related statistics have not been worded in such a way as to discourage parents – especially Christian parents. “They’re leaving!” It’s hard to miss that ugly declaration in bulletins and periodicals everywhere. One such report from George Barna’s stats proclaimed that an average of 70% of teens will leave the church after high school graduation. Should we be frightened? What should be our response? One blogger testifies that families and the church are dysfunctional and that kids want to get away from both. They want to find their own “functionality” for their lives without the problems they see around them (Woodman). Not only are the children leaving, but scores of women are said to have already left the church for institutions where their voices may be heard from the pulpits and stages. Supposedly even preachers are leaving for systems where they are not so restricted by laws (Palmer). My husband and I have given birth to three strong-willed, independent-thinking children, beginning with our firstborn in 1963. Later, we adopted two more equally strong-willed children whose families were not there for them. While I was a public schoolteacher, my husband was a fulltime minister, and after more than a half-century of investing our lives in our children’s spiritual development, supplementing their education, eventually beginning to homeschool, we have learned a whole lot about what it means to transfer the baton to the next generation. Early on we learned that home educators …

Working Now, We Will Rest When We Die

The apostle John wrote in Revelation 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’” When Jesus Christ had John to write to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2 and 3, He made this statement to every one of those churches: “I know your works.” Paul admonished us in Galatians 6:9-10, “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.” Christians don’t ever give up! Speaking of Himself, Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” Solomon put it like this in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” From these few of countless passages where God has called us to the work, where did some of us ever get the idea that once we were saved that there was nothing left to do but wait for the Lord’s return? How did some of us confuse getting saved being equal to …

To Do or Not to Do – There Is No Try

Those who are Star Wars fans are very familiar with the characters in that movie and who said what and why. Casandra Martin wrote Living the Jesus Resolution. She challenges the reader to join her in making a resolution that will change your life, committing to looking like Jesus. One of the thoughts in her book is entitled, “Yoda.” In Star Wars, Master Jedi Yoda tells Luke, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” When I was sharing this with one good sister, she finished the last part of the quote for me – a dyed in the wool Star Wars fan! I have since relegated the word “try” to being powerless in view of God’s expectations. As Christians growing toward spiritual maturity, trying is totally unacceptable in our pursuit of right and righteousness. If we expect to see heaven, “striving” is the word we must embrace. V.E. Vine’s Dictionary defines the word “strive” as “to contend, laboring fervently, to fight.” Webster defines it, “to exert oneself vigorously; to make strenuous efforts toward any goal.” On His way to Jerusalem, someone asked Jesus, were there just a few who were being saved? Jesus said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). Hopefully, we did not let the utter profoundness of that eternal truth get by us! In comparing the narrow and wide gates, Jesus had said in Matthew 7:13-14 that the gate to destruction was W-I-D-E and would be filled with many. …

Viewed through the Lens of Eternity

Are our daily thoughts, words and actions viewed through the lens of eternity? One of the many definitions in Webster of the word “lens” is a piece of transparent glass used in optical devices in correcting defects of vision. To see with correct spiritual vision, we must look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it (James 1:25). That look must be penetrating to the extent that it brings about transformation in our attitude, conduct and character, “to be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:23). Romans 14:11-12 declares, “For it is written: ‘As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Do we really believe and understand that this experience is inevitable for every person? If we do, it will be reflected in the way we conduct our lives and in our interactions with all people. Do we really believe and understand that our choice to live or not to live according to the way God has commanded has eternal consequences? Romans 8:13-14 says it does. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” As our Creator, our Lord and Master, and our Father, He is aware of …

True Repentance

According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary: There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to denote repentance. (1) The verb metamelomai is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used with reference to the repentance of Judas (Matthew 27:3). (2) Metanoeo, meaning to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with (3) the cognate noun metanoia, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised. Jesus said in Luke 13:3, 5, “…unless you repent [metanoeo] you will all likewise perish.” In Acts 2:38, Peter told those in Jerusalem, “Repent [metanoeo], and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” In the next chapter, Peter instructed the people to, “Repent [metanoeo] therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). Here Peter joined repentance with being converted – to revert, to come again, to turnabout. Judas repented (was remorseful) for betraying Jesus, but he did not truly repent of his actions (Matthew 27:3). The early Christians in Acts 2:38-41 and Acts 3:1-4:4 changed their lives to conform to the will of God. They no longer walked away from God toward unrighteousness, but they turned around and walked toward God and away from their former, sinful lives. Christians today must truly repent – no …

God’s Children Are Forgiven

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). Nothing is more heartwarming than seeing a father fold a small child in his arms to protect him from harm and danger or to keep him from doing wrong. It is easy to see that the Father wants his child to be the best he can be and wants him never to be harmed in any way. In 1 John 2:1, we see this same analogy used for God’s spiritual children. By this, we feel assured that our Father in Heaven loves us very much. His focus is for us to be clean, pure and without sin. We are His children taken into His bosom for assurance of His love and concern for our eternal souls. The apostle Paul stated the same thing another way: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). Verse 12 informs us that God’s children are forgiven. They have their sins washed away and stand clean before Him. They have made a covenant with the Father. If there were no forgiveness with God, there would be nothing but damnation for all of us. “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? …

Why Is This Happening to Me?

How many times have we asked this question when some adversity has come knocking on our door and entered to our utter dismay? How many times has someone asked us this question? Joseph of old certainly could have been asking himself or somebody this question. It all started with family favoritism. The Bible tells us that Joseph was hated by his older brothers because their father Jacob favored him over them. Genesis 37:3-4 says, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” His brothers’ utter contempt for him served as fertile ground for what they did. On one occasion Jacob sent Joseph to look for his brothers. Away from the protection of his father, Joseph’s brothers took full advantage of this unhealthy family atmosphere and how they felt about him. When they saw him coming, they conspired to kill him. Reuben talked them down from this murderous plot with the intention of delivering Joseph out of their hands and returning him to his father (Genesis 38:21-22). Judah also agreed that Joseph should not be killed, but suggested that he be sold for profit (Genesis 38:25-28). Speaking of his ordeal, Psalm 105:17-18 records, “He [God] sent a man before them – Joseph – who was sold as a slave. They hurt …

If You Have Any, You Have Too Many!

We were very poor growing up. Having enough food all the time was not always our reality. I remember mama saying to me in regards to food and other things that were sometimes very sparse, “If you’ve got any, you’ve got enough.” All of us children knew exactly what that meant. That was over 50 years ago; I was in my teens, but that statement still resonates with me. We had no questions about what she had said or why. When she would say that, complaining was a total unknown. Unlike what mama had said to us, God gave His first two children a command that they were to obey without question. When He gave them that command, He also gave them the reason why. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17). If they committed just this one sin, it would be one sin too many! When the serpent talked to Eve, he first asked her a question. “And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1b). Eve’s answer would have been golden, had she not added something that God never said. “And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of …

A Young Servant Girl

We read in 2 Kings Chapter Five about the biblical account of the healing of Naaman, a captain in the Syrian army. This man was a mighty man of valor who was plagued with leprosy. When we study this passage of Scripture, we concentrate on the miraculous healing of Naaman. We emphasize the importance of following God’s instructions. We see the fallacy of pride and the arrogance and the anger that goes hand in hand with pride. However, in this study, I want us to consider verses two and three, “And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.’” The Hebrew word for “maid” in this passage can mean a child from infancy to adolescence. This young girl was old enough to serve as a maid to Naaman’s wife, but she was not a young adult. Please consider the following ideas gleaned from this young, Hebrew slave. She listened to the instruction of her parents. This youthful maiden was blessed with parents who taught her the about the one true God – the God of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 4:39). Her parents took to heart the teachings of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. They must have used every waking moment to instill a love for God in her. She carried …

Let’s Suppose God Began Today to…

There was an article written some years ago, and the first line stated, “Just suppose that the Lord should begin next Sunday to make the people as sick as they say they are on Sunday and Wednesday.” The focus of this article will have a slightly different slant. Let’s just suppose that God began today to keep a record of our sins in thought, word and deed. It would not matter to Him how many times we genuinely asked His forgiveness. What a horrifying position to become aware of—our sins mounting by the second—and held against us for life! Unlimited forgiveness is available to the penitent through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Without Him, our sin debt exceeds all of our power, desire or ability to rescind. However, our forgiveness is predicated on our willingness to continually forgive those that sin against us. Jesus taught His disciples to pray as He responded to their request in Luke 11:1-13. Praying for forgiveness and extending it to others was part of that teaching. Verse 4 says, “And forgives us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Let’s just suppose that God began today to treat us the way we sometimes treat others. Could we, would we take that kind of treatment from anybody? Would we be planning our retaliation? The world’s attitude is one of getting even, looking out for number one and stepping on others to get what you want. The way of the Lord is diametrically …

Rearing Faithful Children

Wise King Solomon penned the words, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The Hebrew word chanak translated “train” means to “initiate or discipline” and is translated in the KJV as “dedicate, train up” (Strong’s). An English dictionary definition for “initiate” means, “verb (used with object) 1. to begin, set going, or originate: 2. to introduce into the knowledge of some art or subject” (https://dictionary.reference.com/). The English meaning of the word train is to “develop or form the habits, thoughts, or behavior of (a child or other person) by discipline and instruction: to make proficient by instruction and practice, as in some art, profession, or work” (https://dictionary.reference.com/). The word dedicate means, “to devote wholly and earnestly” (https://dictionary.reference.com/). Adam Clarke made the following observation about this Bible verse: “Initiate the child at the opening (the mouth) of his path.” When he comes to the opening of the way of life, being able to walk alone, and to choose; stop at this entrance, and begin a series of instructions, how he is to conduct himself in every step he takes. Show him the duties, the dangers, and the blessings of the path; give him directions how to perform the duties, how to escape the dangers, and how to secure the blessings, which all lie before him. Fix these on his mind by daily inculcation, till their impression is become indelible; then lead him to practice by slow and almost imperceptible …

Have You Ever Thought about What It Takes to Do Mission Work or to Be A Missionary?

It is not just getting on an airplane and flying overseas. There is also a lot of mission work to be done in the US. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that we as Christians are not involved with and do not know, see or understand. I do know a little something of this behind the scenes work from watching, helping, and spending time in Winona, MS with Louis and Bonnie Rushmore, Jerry and Paula Bates and Betty Choate at the World Evangelism work in Winona, MS. They take a lot of orders and pack and ship books and tracts all over the world. They do the bill paying and a lot of office work. The men have to continue to study as they prepare for preaching on Sunday and Wednesday appointments, on lectures, group meetings in different areas of the US to build up the work and win souls to Christ and His church. There are also many articles written and proofed by at least 5 different people. These articles are for Gospel Gazette Online, The Voice of Truth International, Global Harvest, Gospel tracts, books, newsletters, personalized and thank you cards for all contributions for personal and work use and whatever else they need. The ladies are also busy with writing articles for different Ladies’ Christian magazines, Gospel Gazette Online, The Voice of Truth International, books and many other routine office duties. They are also busy writing and planning for ladies’ classes here and overseas, for ladies’ retreats, …

That No One May Take Your Crown

As we have been granted the priceless gift of life in this New Year, we must keep the hope of heaven fresh in our hearts. Jesus said to the church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10b, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” This verse is among some of the most familiar passages in the Book of Revelation. In the Truth for Today Commentary by David L. Roper, a few of his comments on the last part of this passage are as follows: “In context, the phrase until death means ‘even if it means your death.’ Jesus did not promise to deliver these Christians from trouble; rather, He would bring them safely through their trouble. In Jesus’ promise, the crown consists of life—eternal life” (124). The Lord’s strong encouragement to the church at Philadelphia certainly applies to those of us who want to make heaven our eternal home. Jesus said in Revelation 3:11, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Brother Roper makes this noteworthy comment: “The Christians in Philadelphia may have possessed little—but regarding the important things, they had much: …They were to take a firm grip on what God had given them and never, never, never let go” (180). To let our crown be taken through any circumstance, condition, event, incident or situation is so past comprehension! It is noted that of the seven churches that Jesus addressed in Revelation chapters 1-3, the congregations at Smyrna and Philadelphia are the only two that …

Attitudes

Attitudes – we all have them – sometimes they are good, and sometimes they are bad. Usually when we accuse someone of having an attitude, we are implying that they have a bad attitude about something, someone or just life in general. The dictionary definition for the word “attitude” is, “1. manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind: a negative attitude; group attitudes. 2. position or posture of the body appropriate to or expressive of an action, emotion, etc.: a threatening attitude; a relaxed attitude.” We display an attitude by the words we use, our tone of voice and by our actions. Even one’s posture may be indicative of an attitude! Although the Bible does not use the word “attitude,” this topic is discussed in Scripture. Consider Jesus words, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 NKJV). Our Lord contrasted in this passage two different attitudes – love and hate. We are instructed to do the opposite of what our nature wants to do. Our natural reaction to those who mistreat us is to abuse them. However, Jesus instructed us to show love and kindness to those who harm us physically or mentally. The apostle Paul told the Roman brethren, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14). We are to speak well …

Living in the Exclamation Points!

Several months ago, in one of the many biblical articles that I read regularly, the statement was made that we as God’s people should live in the exclamation points of His Word, not in the question marks of life. What a proactive attitude for us to acquire if we don’t already think that way. After I read that, I started noticing some of the places in the Bible where exclamation points have been inserted. I fully realize that none of the punctuation in Scripture is inspired, but some of the passages that will be referenced in this article will resonate the attitude of living in the exclamations of God’s Word. Psalms is perhaps the one book of the Bible where the use of the exclamation point has been utilized more frequently, and maybe rightly so. The Psalms are filled with worship, praise and prayer to God, the Most Excellent Glory. Psalm 32:19 – “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!” To fear God is to hold Him in the highest reverence and to respect Him and His Word. We must learn to trust God, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance, throughout our lives no matter what happens. Psalm 38:1 – “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!” Any sensible person does not want …

The Unity of Lights

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:12-15 NKJV) Paul began Chapter Two admonishing the Philippian brethren to be united. This unity is obtained by each Christian humbly submitting himself to his fellow Christian. Paul went on to explain that if Jesus Christ could humble Himself to leave the glory of heaven and come to the earth as a servant, surely we can humble ourselves to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our salvation is dependent upon obeying the commands of God. In the overall context, our entrance into heaven, in part, will be determined with how we treat other Christians (v. 12). We are commanded to not only obey God’s commands but to do so with the proper attitude (v. 14). If we obey God simply because we have to, we have failed. We must obey because we love Him and He is first in our lives. When we submit our attitudes and behaviors to God’s will, we can then be the bright and shining light to a world lost in …

You Will by No Means

One of the many definitions of the word “means” that Webster states, is a method used to attain an end. When we understand and know God and His Son as they are revealed in Scripture, we become keenly aware of the fact that they say what they mean and mean what they say. This straightforward approach eliminates the possibility of anyone successfully using an alternate method when divine truth has been spoken. Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). This is clearly seen in the account of the rebellion and complaining of the children of Israel in Numbers 13. Their refusal to believe what God had said led to the doom of all persons 20-years-old and above. God passed a death sentence on the rebels. He said in Numbers 14:29-30, “The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in” (emphasis added). When the people heard this, they mourned greatly. They went to Moses and said they would go up to the place that God had promised, for they had sinned. In Numbers 14:41-42 Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD …

There Are Only Two Voices

We have been given the choice of listening to only one of two voices. We are either listening to the voice of God or we are listening to the voice of Satan. There is nothing in between. Contrary to popular opinion or belief, we cannot be listening to both of these voices at the same time. God spoke to Adam and Eve telling them exactly what they needed to know and to do to stay in His divine favor in the Garden of Eden forever. Eve chose to listen to Satan’s lying voice through the serpent. Both she and Adam were soon to learn they had made the most tragic mistake. Neither of them was forced to do what they did, and it was beyond their ability to ever recover from the ramifications of that choice! God always gives us a choice in the things we choose to do or not to do, but we do not get to choose the consequences of our bad choices. When the consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedient choice were brought to bear, suddenly Satan the instigator was totally mute. Nothing has changed through the centuries; he is still using the same ploy, and not surprisingly, getting the same results. To his utter amusement, he knows what the horrifying outcome of disobedience will be – separation from God eternally! When God asked Adam where he was, if Adam had been forthcoming in his reply, he would have said, “I am in sin.” Genesis 3:10 states, “So he said, …

The God of All Comfort

When we experience suffering for any reason, the apostle Paul speaks of the ultimate comfort that can only come from the divine God. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, he proclaimed, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble [tribulation], with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” When we experience loss, sorrow and grief, God is the God of all comfort. Second Thessalonians 2:16-17 reads, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish [strengthen] you in every good word and work.” W.E. Vine stated verse 16 combines encouragement with alleviation of grief. God fills us with His peace, joy and comfort as He heals our broken hearts. Psalm 147:3 tells us, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” We must trust God to keep us from falling into total despair. One good preacher wrote, “Friends seek to console—words, hugs, express sympathies; sometimes just a meeting of loving eyes tell the story best—‘I love you and I care for you’—a thousand and one attempts at sharing a burden. Yet, often they all fall so far short. The struggle remains. Faith in God—trust in Him is found to be the most valuable asset …

Jesus Is the Light!

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (John 8:12 NKJV). Jesus claimed to be “the light of the world,” but what is this “light”? Before one can claim the “light of life” as Jesus promised, one must understand the meaning of “the light.” The Greek word for light, phos means to “shine or make manifest, especially by rays” (Strong’s). Nelson’s Bible Dictionary describes this light as an “Illumination; the opposite of darkness.” “Jesus is the “personification of light or divine illumination” (Nelson’s). The light Jesus discussed is an illumination, and He is the source of that radiance. Isaiah predicted that Jesus would be “the light of the world.” “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2). Also consider Isaiah 60:1-3. We see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 4:15-16 and John 12:35-36, 46. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:1-5). Here, the apostle John stated that Jesus is the light and that He was …

Keeping Vows

Some say that keeping vows is “not that big of a deal.” We can see by the recent statistics on marriage and divorce that the marriage vows count for little in today’s society. In addition, what about our commitment to Christ when we were immersed in the waters of baptism? Did we promise to lose our lives for Christ and the Gospel? Did we agree that Jesus is our King and Lord? If He truly is our Lord, we must do the things He says (Luke 6:46). I keep hearing from those who claim to be members of the church that the reason they became Christians was to escape pain and suffering and to go to heaven instead of hell. Their minds (attitudes) seem to focus on what they can get from God rather than how they can serve Him. They seem to have forgotten that they did not create themselves, but that He created them (Psalm 100:3; Romans 1:21; Mark 8:36-37). Judas Iscariot sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). Some today seem quite willing to sell their souls for a high paying job, a new house, a new car or even prestige or power. Both partners in a household will frequently work seven days a week to lay up treasure here on earth (Luke 12:16-21; Matthew 6:26), but they rarely will spend more than an hour on Sunday to serve the Lord. Would spending that much time each week make any other commitment prosper? Certainly …

Where Will You Spend Your Vacation?

Summer is upon us. The children have been out of school for several weeks and everyone is talking about vacations – where shall we go or what a wonderful time we had on vacation. The social media sites are filled with pictures of family vacations. It is vacation season. Jesus saw the need to pull away from the crowds for a period of rest and prayer (Luke 5:15-16). Today’s Christian needs to withdraw from the rigors of life for periods of rest and concentrated prayers as well. Also, we need to spend enjoyable, relaxing time with our families. A vacation away from home can be ideal to achieve this goal. Where will you go, and what will you do while on vacation? Will you remember our Heavenly Father? Will you worship Him and attend midweek Bible Classes? We are commanded to gather with the saints and worship God on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). As Christians, we should rejoice at the opportunities to gather with other Christians for fellowship and to grow in God’s Word. Will you leave your contribution at home where your membership resides and give a small donation where you are visiting? We are instructed to give on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Giving a small amount wherever we worship fulfills that command while leaving our weekly contribution at home ensures the continued work of the home congregation. How will you dress on vacation? Will you forget that modesty is …

Casting Your Care Upon the Lord

Each one of us travels through mountains and valleys as we sojourn through life on earth. How do you handle the lows of life? Are you prone to fret, worry and become anxious? Or, are you like the proverbial ostrich – burying your head in the sand – pretending the difficulty is an allusion and not really there? Perhaps you become angry and blame others or God for the problem. Or, do you turn to God in prayer, trusting in His Word? “…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 NKJV). Jesus frequently spoke on the topic of being anxious or of worry. He taught in Matthew 6:25-34 that we are not to become “anxious (NAS),” “worry (NKJV)” or “taking thought (KJV)” for the necessities of life. He further admonished that if God provides for the animals and grass, He will provide for His children. The Greek word “merimna” as used in this passage means, “‘to draw in different directions,’ distract, hence signifies ‘that which causes this, a care, especially an anxious care’” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words). Jesus taught that we should not worry about physical life. When we place God first in life, God will care for us. Jesus was not saying that “we should sit back and wait for the necessities of life to be handed to us on a silver platter.” He taught that we should not worry about …

You Have Done Foolishly

Foolish is defined as resulting from or showing a lack of sense; lacking forethought or caution; trifling, insignificant or paltry. When honestly contemplated, virtually all of us must admit to acting at times in some of these ways. How do we react when we are told we have done foolishly? Can we admit to ourselves when we have done foolishly? Perhaps more importantly, how long does it take for us to at least make the attempt to remedy the ramifications of our foolishness? The Bible records several instances of the statement, “You have done foolishly,” “I have done foolishly” or “I have done very foolishly.” Some of these people in the Word may surprise us in not only who they were, but also in what they did that was so very foolish. The first recorded account occurs in Genesis 31. Jacob had made the decision to flee from Laban, his father-in-law, with everything that belonged to him along with his wives Leah and Rachel and his children to return to his homeland. Laban found out about it, pursued and overtook them. He said to Jacob, “Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing” (vs. 27-28). Consequently, an agreement was reached between Jacob and Laban; Jacob continued on …

Some Things I Wish I Had Known When I First Married!

Well, where do I start? I had to do a lot of thinking on this question. So, I went to my family and friends. They all said different things such as realizing that we would not always stay the same in our thinking, money matters, knowing one another better, how to deal with the sexual part of marriage, knowing my spouse and his family better and some of their background history, how to rear children, how many children we would want, unity in religion, how to prevent problems that can happen by living too close to the in-laws, communicating as adults (which we were supposed to be), more Bible study together as a family, letting the husband be the head of the home as God would have it, and having three in your marriage (God, husband and wife). There could be so many more ideas that could be mentioned, but these are a few that were suggested to me by my family and friends. I was 19 when Bob and I got married on December 29, 1967. I thought I was so in love, and there was no way I could love him any more than I did than on the day we married 45 years ago. Boy, was I ever wrong – I didn’t know anything. However, when we said our “I Do’s,” we knew it was for life. We could not go back home to dad and mom, and there was nowhere else to go, so we had …

The One Who Read Minds

My husband and I were in the grocery store; I went to the pharmacy, and he went to pick up something else. A few minutes later, he came and asked me if I had gotten a certain item; I said no I had not. In his mind he really believed that he had told me to get that item. He then said he had told me to get it, to which I again replied, no he had not. Two of the women working in the pharmacy heard this conversation, and I said to them, “The One who read minds has been gone a long time.” It took them a second to grasp what I had just said, but when they did, they looked at each other and burst out laughing! How often are we so positive of “certainties” that have taken place only in our minds? Jesus was the only One who was able to read minds. For the purpose of this article, just a few of those will be referenced. Matthew 9:1-7, Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26 record the account of a paralytic who was brought to Jesus to be healed. All three writers recorded the sequence of events in a similar way. One of the most undeviating points in all three writings is Jesus knowing the thoughts of the people who witnessed the healing. Their thoughts were evil—and He knew it! Matthew 9:1-2 tells us when Jesus saw the faith of those who brought the paralytic, He forgave his sins. …

Older Women, Please
Teach the Younger Women

Titus 2:5 clearly teaches that the older women are to teach the younger women. In this context, older women are to admonish the young women to “love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands.” The Greek word sophronizo translated “admonish” in the NKJV and “teach” in the KJV means, “to make of sound mind, i.e. (figuratively) to discipline or correct.” Many times when we think of the older women teaching the younger, we think of a formal Bible class where an elder’s wife or one of the older ladies prepares lessons and teaches the younger ladies. This is a useful tool in teaching, and I encourage this type of setting. Younger ladies, if your congregation has a Ladies’ Bible Class, you are expected, even commanded, to be there according to Titus 2:5 and Hebrews 11:25. A side benefit of a formal Ladies’ Bible Class is the fellowship of women gathered together to encourage and uplift one another. A formal classroom setting is not the only venue for older women teaching younger women. We teach by our example, our manner of speech, our behavior, our dress, our attitude, etc. We can teach one to one with an open Bible. We can also teach in casual conversations. Our opportunities to teach are everywhere – we just need to seize them. The formal classroom setting is straight forward. We study Bible passages possibly with the aid of a class book with a teacher lecturing the …

Naughty by Nature

Living a life that brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ is not a natural tendency. Being filled with and controlled by the power of the Holy Spirit is not a natural tendency. Dying to self is not a natural tendency. Having a total incompatibility with sin is not a natural tendency. We are naughty by nature. What does it mean to be naughty? In our carnal, worldly state of thinking, talking and acting, we are disobedient, mischievous, improper, indecent, wicked, impish, wayward, badly behaved and poorly self-disciplined. This carnal, naughty nature is fully acknowledged in God’s Word. How long has the human race been naughty by nature? God’s word tells us in Genesis 6:5. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This most deplorable state of immorality, shamelessness and vice is further described in Genesis 6:11-12. “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” Does this description hold an all too familiar ring to the world we live in today? R.C. Bell wrote Studies in Ephesians. He stated, “No portion of the Bible draws the contradiction between fleshly and spiritual men more fully, or portrays the depraved, wretched, natural man in more colorful terms than Ephesians does.” He addresses the ‘havoc wrought by Satan in man’s personality.’ He wrote, …

This World Is Not My Home!

Occasionally, Louis and I are approached by church leaders with concerns that the members for which they are responsible do not appear to be studying their Bibles or serving God as they ought. These individuals are looking for Bible class material to motivate the members or programs that will encourage the members to become more involved in the Lord’s work. These elders are concerned about the spiritual health of the flock over which God expects them to watch (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:2). They are looking for advice and help to lead Christians on their journey to Heaven. As I ponder their concerns, I must admit I do not have a solution as to how to motivate Christians to be active servants of our Lord, but I believe I know the root of the problem. We, especially in America, have forgotten that this earth is not our home. We are just pilgrims passing through! When we convince Christians that our lives on earth are temporary, that Heaven awaits those who faithfully serve Our Lord and Master, then Christians will put God first in their lives! The difficulty elders’ face is convincing Christians of this fact. Perhaps, we need more Bible-centered lessons from the pulpit and in the Bible class – lessons on Bible characters such as Enoch who walked with God and did not suffer physical death (Genesis 5:24). Enoch certainly was a man who understood God first and enjoyed spending time with our Lord. Abraham realized that our lives …

The Bottle of Spiritual Tranquilizers

What do you do when your whole world is rocked by an unexpected truth that slaps you in the face? What do you do when your whole life is changed in a matter of seconds? Who is it, or what is it, that has you by the throat and is seemingly choking the life out of you? What do you do when you thought that a medical issue had been dealt with and solved only to be told it had returned with a vengeance? What do you do when you are told the only hope is radical treatment and surgery is not one of your options? The Book of Psalms is the answer that God has provided as the spiritual tranquilizer for our lives. Psalms is unique in the sense that it speaks to every human experience – good or bad. However, God’s tranquilizer is too often looked upon as a last resort, if at all. This tragic mistake brings mental anguish upon untold millions as they struggle with the overwhelming traumas. Robert R. Taylor, Jr. wrote Studies in Psalms. In the first chapter under one of the subheadings he wrote, “It is a proper usage of Psalms to go there for strength in weakness, for comfort in sadness, for understanding in times of confusion and for greater faith in times of crippling disbelief.” Under his heading “Points to Ponder” he wrote, “Psalms touches the chords of every emotion of the human heart. Psalms is a spiritual oasis to every soul that hungers …

Was Moses a Plagiarist?

Most archaeologists pride themselves on the claim that they enter into their studies with open, scientific minds, unimpeded in the fairness of their conclusions by any preconceived belief in any “god” or any “inspired message” from God. They overlook the obvious: that the mind of man invariably will attempt to resolve the question of his origin – and one believes either that there was a Creator or that there was not. Most “open minded” scientists and archaeologists long ago accepted the theory that the universe is 15-20 billion years old, and that everything in existence developed through an “evolutionary” process. So, most actually begin their assessment of all things from a very close-minded hypothesis of no God and no message given from His vantage point of knowledge. Therefore, the Bible is the prime target for rejection and ridicule, in open refutation of its claim to be inspired by God. It is lumped with all other “holy” books and mythical histories. Matter-of-factly and without hesitation, the characters of the Bible are dismissed or remade into whatever suits the imagination of the “scholars.” In such an analysis, Abraham is pronounced as being not an individual person, but a composite “hero” of 500 to 1000 years of oral traditions of Hebrew nomads. (Such casual guessing about the time supposedly involved tells us a great deal about the accuracy of the rest of the fabrication!) Moses, if such a person existed historically, was actually a prince of royal Egyptian blood who had to be …

God Knows My Heart

Those of us who have evangelistic courage for the lost and continuing concern for the unfaithful probably have heard the title of this article in defense of their lifestyle choices. When questioned or challenged about accountability, God “knowing their hearts” is often the response. “I know I need to change my life, but God knows my heart.” “I know judgment is coming, but God knows my heart.” “I know I should be in worship every Sunday, but God knows my heart.” “I know I should be reading and studying my Bible every day, but God knows my heart.” I know I should be spending more time in prayer, but God knows my heart.” The remainder of the space that is available for this article could be used in quoting those kinds of statements, but that is not the purpose. If people understood what self-indicting statements they are making, they would not feel so free to use it in an attempt to validate their self-willed, self-seeking, self-serving mind-set. Why? James 4:17 declares, “To him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Do they “know” that? Speaking of God, Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart; I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” How sobering and convicting! We need to understand that Satan too knows the desires and weaknesses of our hearts. He is just …

He Lifted Up His Eyes

Two men walked along a road on a bright summer day. Bob stooped to retrieve a small sheet of paper fluttering at his feet. “What’s this?” he asked. “Oh. Nothing important — just a young child’s school paper, maybe even homework. Look, what a struggle it was to form the numbers — he’s probably in first grade. And here he’s missed an addition problem: 2+2=5! Wrong!” he laughed. “No, your explanation requires purpose and intelligence,” Bill disagreed. “I would say that over several million years that paper slowly and gradually formed itself. What seems to be a child’s writing and arithmetic problems is only the effect of weathering through the ages.” Bob looked incredulous, but he said nothing. A little further down the way they topped a rolling hill. Stretching away as far as the eye could see were fields of knee-high ripening grain. “The man who runs this farm is a powerful organizer!” he remarked. “What kind of planning and equipment would it take to cultivate and harvest thousands of acres like this?” “You’ve got it wrong again,” Bill responded. “This just looks like a farm, but it isn’t that at all. Millions of years ago little rows began to develop, and then finally when the soil was just right seeds began to blow in from great distances and to settle here. The result is what you see, but it took millions of years to happen.” “Do you mean no thought and no expertise went into this at all?” …

Applications from the Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth could be called a book about love. One certainly can see the great love exhibited by a daughter-in-law toward her mother-in-law and the loving qualities of this remarkable young Moabite lady. “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me” (Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV) are the words Ruth spoke to her mother-in-law, and years ago these words were often repeated as wedding vows between a husband and a wife. We can learn many valuable lessons from this remarkable young woman. One lesson is the need to follow the God of the Bible. Ruth the Moabitess was reared in a land that worshipped idols. The Moabites were descendants of Lot and his incestuous relationship with his daughter. Being descendants of Lot, these people should have had knowledge of the God of the Bible and His prohibition about worshipping idols. However, over the course of time, they neglected God and turned their affections to the idol Chemosh. Sometime during Naomi’s ten-year stay in Moab, her family influenced Ruth to leave the false religion of her people and obey the God of the Bible – the God Who created the universe …

Jesus the Christ, He Is the One

At this time of the year, a great majority of the world will have its thoughts turned to Jesus Christ. For the purpose of this article, the focal point will be on a few of the many eternal truths that God has revealed to us about His only begotten Son. Jesus the Christ, He is the One. Years ago somewhere I read that the center of the entire Bible is Jesus Christ. The writer stated that the message of the Old Testament is, “Jesus is coming.” The message of Matthew through Acts 1:11 is, “Jesus is here.” The message of Acts 1:12 through Revelation is, “Jesus is coming again.” The writer went on to say that if we as readers of the Bible miss that message, we need to go back and read that page of Scripture again. One of the many eternal truths to examine is, Jesus has the name that is above all names. His name “Jesus” fulfilled all that God had in His mind for His Son to accomplish. God’s eternal plan and purpose is the redemption of mankind. The angel told Joseph regarding Mary his wife, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Isaiah 9:6 proclaims, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince …

The Devil Is Rejoicing

Before an individual obeys the commands of God to be immersed in water for the remissions of one’s sin (Acts 2:38), that person is a child of the Devil. After one is baptized, the person becomes a child of God (Acts 22:16). When one lives in sin, Satan is happy, and when one obeys God’s commands, God rejoices. I believe there are times when the Devil is shouting for joy over the actions of people here on earth. Each time a child of the Devil hears the plan of salvation and does not respond to it, the Devil rejoices. God sheds tears of sorrow each time a sinner fails to respond to the saving power of the blood of Christ (2 Peter 3:9). However, I believe that the Devil has greater joy when a child of God sins. The apostle Peter wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). These words were written to Christians. Satan is roaming the world like a hungry lion searching for his dinner. Peter went on to say in verse nine that we should be strong in our faith, knowing that our brothers and sisters around the world are suffering as are we. The children of the world are already the sons of the Devil, and he rejoices when they continue to walk in the ways of the world. However, he is diligently searching for ways to tempt the …

Giving Thanks for What and Why?

As Christians, living a life of thanksgiving should be as natural for us as breathing. We need to be thankful for life itself. Why? God holds our breath in His hand and owns all our ways (Daniel 5:23). We need to be thankful for our health. Why? Any and all measures of health and strength are ours because it is in God that we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). We need to be thankful for provision and protection. Why? God gives us richly all things to enjoy, and because of Him, we dwell in safety (1 Timothy 6:17; Psalm 4:8). This perpetual mindset is conveyed in Psalm 140:13. “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence.” First Thessalonians 5:18 is very direct in expressing why we are to constantly be thankful. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (ESV). Giving thanks in all circumstances is an outgrowth of our faith and trust based on a right relationship with God. Even through the worst times, we give thanks because we understand as long as we live in this fallen, sin-filled and sin-cursed world, “bad” is inevitable. Since “bad” is inevitable, it must be rightly endured. We also give thanks as we realize many circumstances will be bad, but they could get worse! Through the good times and through the bad times, God is good. David declared, “Oh give thanks …

God’s Way – The Highway

Every person on earth is traveling on the road to eternity. We are following the broad way to destruction or the narrow way to Life (Matthew 7:13-14). When traveling from one location to another, we need directions to get to where we are going. Our journey to heaven is no different. We need guidance to follow the narrow way to heaven. God has given us the Bible to be that guide. The Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). God’s Word – the Bible – is the light that guides us on the beaten down pathway of life. As we make our journey toward heaven, we are not traveling alone. We have family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers traveling along the road with us. Are you a help or a stumbling block to others as you make your journey? Are you helping your sister along the highway or are you the potholes and detours along the way? One of the greatest assets each of us has that can be used to assist or hindrances to detour another are our words. Wise King Solomon taught, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). He contrasted that with, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8). James taught that sweet and bitter words cannot come from the same mouth (James …

Trust in the Lord – Always!

Trust defined is “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, of a person or thing; confidence, dependence.” When these descriptive words are used in relation to God, they are to the superlative. For trust to be real in the lives of Christians, we must first understand that we cannot and we will not trust God if we do not know Him. Everything that God wants us to know about Him in order for us to develop trust in Him has been revealed in the Bible. For the purposes of this article, six questions will be addressed and then answered with Scripture. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” All of us who trust in God had to hear, believe and obey His Word. Trust is a result of that decision. Who should trust in God? “The LORD also will be a refuge… in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You” (Psalm 9:9-10). “Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God” (Isaiah 50:10). When should we trust in God? “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8). …

The Empty Classroom

I recently read an article in The Voice of Truth International called, “My Child Doesn’t Like Bible Class.” The author gave some excellent suggestions to parents on how to motivate their children to want to go to Bible class. However, in some congregations, just the opposite problem exists. The children do not come to class, not because they do not want to come, but because their parents prefer to attend only the Sunday morning worship service. The Sunday school teacher, with a lesson all prepared and ready, sits in an empty classroom week after week. This is discouraging for the teacher, but more importantly, it is tragic for children who are missing out on essential, age-appropriate lessons from God’s Word. In Matthew 19:13-14, the disciples rebuked parents who brought their children to Jesus, but Jesus Himself intervened and said, “Let the little children come to me.” Today, more than ever, parents need to bring their children to Jesus. What better way to do that than to take them to Sunday school and midweek Bible class, where they can learn Bible stories and sing songs to help them remember basic Bible truths? Paul told fathers in Ephesians 6:4, “…do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the teaching and the admonition of the Lord.” As parents, we all have the responsibility of teaching our children about God and Jesus. We can do this by having Bible studies and devotionals in our homes, and also by bringing them to Bible …

Walk as Children of Light

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” (Ephesians 5:8). Light is the opposite of darkness. The Bible speaks of light as the symbol of God’s presence and righteous works. “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:16). Physical light has been associated with God’s presence, while spiritual light is associated with His knowledge, truth and righteousness since creation. Darkness, on the other hand, symbolizes ignorance, error, evil and the works of Satan. God and His Word are frequently pictured as lights or lamps to enlighten and guide the believer down the dark roads of life. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:5-6). “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). The Psalmist also declared, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1). Light is also used as a symbol of holiness and purity. Paul counseled the Christians at Rome to “put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:12). The New Testament presents Jesus as the personification of …

God Does Not Need Anything from Us

Paul by inspiration in Acts 17:24-25 made a most magnanimous declaration to the Athenians about God’s divinity and fundamental nature. “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” This passage alone lets us know that God needs nothing from us. Paul staunchly proclaimed this eternal truth about God in Romans 11:33-36. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?’ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” He told the church at Corinth, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). If these were the only three passages in the entire Bible speaking of God’s divinity and fundamental nature, they would be enough to let us know that God does not need anything from us! This does not in any way mean that He does not want the very best for us. He demonstrated His ultimate desire for our redemption and eternal life …

No Longer Blush

Several decades ago if an unmarried woman became pregnant, she was shipped out of town to a home for unwed mothers. Or, the young woman was sent to live with a distant relative far from home. Often, the child was given away for adoption upon his or her birth. Sometimes, there was a “shotgun wedding” – the father was forced to marry the mother. All this was done to save the family from the embarrassment of having an “illegitimatechild” – a child born to parents who are not married to each other – in their midst. Unwed mothers were never discussed at family gatherings. During this same period in history, one did not talk about the family member who divorced his spouse. It did not matter that the offending party committed adultery, divorce was an embarrassment to the family. Move forward a couple decades. When I was in high school in rural western Pennsylvania, a married individual was not allowed to attend high school. If school officials discovered a boy or girl were married, they were immediately expelled from school. Also, if someone discovered that a student was pregnant, she was immediately expelled from school. At this time in history, the girl could stay at home and have her baby. However, she was still an embarrassment to the family, but not to the extent that she should be sent away. Yet, she could not attend school because she represented an improper behavior and was deemed a bad influence upon her …

Choosing to Remain Weak

Virtually all of us have experienced being weak to some degree from a physical stance. Definitions of weak and weakness include fragile, feebleness, lack of strength, firmness, vigor, liable to give way under pressure or strain. This vulnerability can be most aggravating, frustrating and at times frightening. Sometimes, we will seek medical attention to find the cause to rid ourselves of this feeling of helplessness in order to regain our strength and vigor as quickly as possible. Like physical weakness, spiritual weakness comes in all shapes and sizes. When we look candidly at our lives, we all must admit being spiritually weak in some aspect. The proper attitude toward spiritual weakness, in ourselves as well as in others, is spelled out in Romans 14:1 and Romans 15:1 respectively. “As for the one, who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (ESV). “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” We are further commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” A great many of us have heard or read the statement, “One week without God makes one weak.” An email circulated several years ago that said, “Without God, our week is: Sinday, Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday, Shatterday.” What rational person wants this? The focus of this article is choosing to remain spiritually weak. That choice can have the most catastrophic consequences! How tragic when …

Role of Women in the Home

We have already discussed the definition of terms “subject,” “submission” and “role” in last month’s article. A clear understanding of these terms is required to comprehend God’s plan for men and women. As a reminder – subject and submission have the same basic meaning, “To be in subjection or to be in submission is to allow someone to have control and authority over another.” The term “role” is synonymous with “responsibility.” So, what has the Bible outlined as the “responsibilities of wives in the home?” I use the term “wives” since a single woman, living by herself, is the head of her home as she is the only individual living there.Scriptures Discussing Wives’ Role within the Home Genesis 2:15-25 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So …

What Is Your Purpose for Being Here?

It has been said that the purpose of life is a life with purpose. The Bible contains the accounts of numerous people who were willing for God to work through them to accomplish His divine plan and purpose. It also tells of all those who were unwilling to submit to God, and they were used despite their obstinacy. None of us will ever be able to interrupt God’s plan and purpose, which is the redemption of mankind through the cross of Calvary. Proverbs 19:21 says, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’S counsel — that will stand.” Speaking of God, Job declared, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You” (Job 42:2). The Old Testament is filled with nobodies who became somebodies when they fulfilled God’s purpose for creating them. Noah found favor in God’s sight, and his life was changed forever. He obeyed God’s commands to the letter when God told him that a great flood was coming to destroy the world. Mrs. Noah and the rest of the family were definitely in support of him in his obedience to God. Abraham was called the friend of God. He left his country and his family at God’s command, and his life was changed forever. Abraham was 75-years-old when God called him. His wife Sarah was by his side, being 65-years-old at that time. God used their attempt to run ahead of His timetable when Sarah’s Egyptian …

Role of Women in the Church

Definition of Terms When discussing “the role of women,” there are three words that typically upset those who desire to change biblical teaching on the woman’s role. So, before turning to the Bible, we must understand the definitions for these words – subjection, submission, role – as used when discussing God’s desire for the “role of women.” When women and men understand how these words are used in the biblical framework of the role of women, controversy will cease, and women’s roles will automatically fall into place – as long as Christians truly desire to please God. Subjection The dictionary definition for “subjection” is “1. the act of subjecting. 2. the state or fact of being subjected” (dictionary.com). The word “subject” as used in the previous definition is an adjective, meaning, “being under domination, control, or influence” (dictionary.com). Basically, the word “subjection” means someone or something has control or influence over you. Every day of our lives, each one of us is subject to someone or something! Submission “Submission” is a noun meaning, “1. an act or instance of submitting 2. something submitted; a proposal, argument, etc. 3. the quality or condition of being submissive to another” (Dictionary.com). The root word “submit” is a verb meaning, “1. to give over or yield to the power or authority of another (often used reflexively). 2. to subject to some kind of treatment or influence” (Dictionary.com). As you can see, the words “subjection” and “submission” can be used interchangeably since they have essentially the same …

Let His Glory Shine through Me

In April of this year, I had the privilege of being the guest speaker for the first Ladies’ Day program at the Riverside congregation in Kerrville, Texas. The coordinator and I had been talking by phone and corresponding through email for months. It was truly a thrill to finally meet her and all the good sisters that had been working for so long to make the preparations for that day a reality! Their theme, the title of this article, was quite a challenge for me. After much prayer and many presentation revisions, I realized addressing the glory of God and Christ shining through us was monumental. The ways that Deity can shine through humanity are literally countless. W.E. Vine defines God’s glory as the nature and acts of God in self-manifestation. The American Heritage Dictionary defines glory as exalted honor, praise or distinction; renown, adoration, thanksgiving. Psalm 150:2 proclaims, “Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” What are His mighty acts? Creation alone announces the glory of God! The nature and acts of God are affirmed in Jeremiah 51:15-16. “He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding. When He utters His voice — there is a multitude of waters in the heavens: He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.” What makes …

What Will Our Children Inherit?

For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. (Psalm 78:5-7) On my Yahoo email account there is often a life insurance advertisement with a picture of a little boy sitting alone by the side of an empty street – perhaps a dock near a harbor. Written to parents, the sign simply says, “When you die, love continues.” Naturally, the scene is meant to touch heartstrings and cause one to think seriously about providing for his family after his demise. It sparked questions in my mind and a Bible class lesson that I would like to share today. 1. How can we be sure our love continues after we leave our children? 2. How will they benefit from our having reared them instead of some other parents rearing them? 3. What legacy will we leave them? Christian parents are told to lay up for their children (2 Corinthians 12:14). Jesus recognized this as a normal response (Matthew 7:9- 11). Generally, most parents have a desire to leave their children a good inheritance. Most want to provide them with the good things they need so they do not have to …

How Do We Wear Him?

On the one hand, the Scriptures speak of the Christian being clothed with Christ, being washed in His blood in baptism, and as wearing His righteousness. As we go about our daily lives, people are to see Christ in our behavior. On the other hand, the Scriptures speak of Christ dwelling in the Christian: “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:16-17). This means that whatever we do and wherever we go, we take Christ with us — that He is in us (Romans 8:9-10).

Growing Toward the Light

As one goes out the back door onto the patio, along the side of our house there is a flowerbed where three or four small trees/bushes grew. Louis and I decided to move those bushes to the corner of fence that we installed last year. I had planted a rosebush in that location only to discover that it did not get enough light because of the overshadowing trees. So, with some difficulty, we moved the bushes to the fence and the rosebush to the flowerbed where it would get more light. This left several feet of bare ground along the house between roses and the cement pad of the patio. So, the natural thing to do was to plant more flowers. I purchased some Lily bulbs and planted them between the rosebush and the steps into the house, stopping about three feet from the steps as that area is overshadowed by the roof. A couple weeks later, the plants started to emerge from the ground. As the plants became taller, they all leaned toward the rosebush. I soon discovered buds and then open blooms on the Lilies. However, they are still growing toward the rosebush. I underestimated the amount of light that part the flowerbed is receiving. The Lilies are growing toward the rosebush because that is where the sunlight is most prominent. This brought a thought to my mind. Are we growing toward the Sonlight of Christ? Jesus said, “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall …

We Are a Breath!

Job pled and cried for justice and mercy during his intense suffering. In Job 7:1-7 he said: Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man? Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade… So I have been allotted months of futility, and wearisome nights have been appointed to me. When I lie down, I say, “When shall I arise, and the night be ended? For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.” My flesh is caked with worms and dust, my skin is cracked and breaks out afresh. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope. Oh, remember that my life is a breath! Job said this again in verse 16. “I loathe my life; I would not live forever, let me alone, for my days are but a breath.” How long does it take to take a breath? In comparison to eternity, that tiniest bit of time could be an accurate representation of just how short our lives are! Job fully acknowledged God’s control and life giving spirit over every living creature. Then he asked this thought provoking question in Job 12:9-10. “Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” Elihu, one who reproved Job and his friends, said in Job 34:14-15, “If He should set His …

Training Young Timothy

Humanists today believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Do we find that idea in Scripture? Is every shopkeeper, every neighbor, every relative or older sibling an authority over younger children? Pity the poor child who has no idea what to do because of conflicting rules! There must be some standard of judgment to teach respect and good behavior to our children while also helping them to understand who actually has been given authority over them. The New Testament tells us about a young Christian man named Timothy who became a special assistant to the apostle Paul after he heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul had converted many in Lystra, Iconium and Derbe on his first missionary journey, and by the time Timothy first appears by name in Acts 16:1-3, he had already grown to have a good reputation among the Christians in the cities of Lystra and Iconium. Timothy left his home to travel to distant places with Paul, and eventually he preached on his own. We know from the letters that Paul wrote to him (1 and 2 Timothy) that Timothy was a responsible, hard-working, tenderhearted young man who loved the Lord. He did what was right when it was unpopular, when it was very hard and even when his life was in danger. However, we know that Timothy did not become such an outstanding young man by himself. Who was it that trained Timothy in his young years? Timothy was taught to love God and the …