The Christmas season has once again arrived and it appears that this year will once again be a white Christmas. As I gaze out of my office window I am able to see a large pine tree frosted with a fresh snowfall that not even the brisk wind is able to dislodge. The shingles of the church roof have as well been decorated with wisps of snow that create a card like backdrop for that beautiful tree. Ah, the perfect picture of Christmas, or is it?
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That picture may be a great reminder of December 25th, for it is but one of the captivating scenes painted by the hand of God upon our landscape during this time of year. Yes a reminder of a Midwest December, but not necessarily a reminder of Christ. It is quite unlikely that Jesus was actually born in December, let alone on the 25th. In many ways I fear that our celebration has done more to distract us from Him than to cause us to focus on Him.
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So why is it so important to focus on Jesus Christ? The reasons to focus on Him go back much farther than His birth in Bethlehem. Those same reasons show us why our focus on Him must go beyond one day, or even one season. Jesus Christ must become a day by day moment by moment part of our lives.
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To fully grasp the significance of Christ coming to earth and being born as a child in Bethlehem, we must first realize why He came. His reason for coming dates all the way back to Adam and Eve and the first sin. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12. Since Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, prophets have been predicting that a Savior, a Messiah, would some day come to bring deliverance. The Old Testament of our Bible contains many of those prophecies, so when Jesus was born, many were already looking forward to His coming. The fulfillment of all these prophecies comes together as the angel told Joseph, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
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There is something very important that we must understand about the birth of Jesus. His birth was an incarnation. That means that the baby Jesus was a manifestation of the true God in human form. That means that He is God in the flesh. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
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The Old Testament prophets clearly testified to the truth that Jesus would actually be God in human form. This was even made clear in the prophecy of the virgin birth. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14. That name, repeated in Matthew 1:23, means “God with us.” The deity (truth that He is God) of Jesus Christ is also made clear in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Notice what Isaiah says about Him. The child is The mighty God, The everlasting Father. When Jesus claimed, “I and my Father are one,” in John 10:30, He was affirming what the prophets had already predicted.
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Some folks refer to this time of year as the advent season. The word advent means the arrival of something important. What could be more important than the arrival of God? When we consider that the birth of Jesus Christ was God’s arrival to earth in human form, we must ask the question- when did Jesus actually come into existence? Micah 5:2 has the answer to that very question: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This prophecy written about 700 years before the birth of Christ tells us that He has always existed. Jesus Christ has always existed because He is God.
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Because He is God, Christ deserves our worship. Trusting Him and accepting Him as the long awaited Messiah who came to forgive sin is what makes the difference between heaven and hell. John 3:16-18 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” By not trusting Him, you are condemned already because since the time of Adam, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. What better time to give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ than the advent season. Then you will not only be focusing on the arrival of God to earth, but the arrival of God into your life.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Teenage God of Popularity
The first of the ten commandments clearly exhorts, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” In spite of this command, many teenagers put popularity ahead of God, thus the teenage “god” of popularity.
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Whether you are a parent, pastor, youth worker, or a teen yourself, many of the problems that must be dealt with in relating to young folks can be traced to the teenager’s desire to be popular. We recognize that drugs, alcohol, and even premarital sex are often driven by peer pressure. But what about the basic issues of showing love for one another? Consider the young lady in the youth group who gets ignored by the other girls because she doesn’t quite fit in. Consider the young man who becomes so preoccupied with sports that he forgets about his relationship with God just because he wants others to think well of him. Consider the parent, pastor, or youth worker who sets a bad example in these same areas by putting a premium on popularity in their own lives.
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The quest for popularity is not just about the party atmosphere, it can be as simple as a put down in order to make yourself look good. You see there are many little foxes that spoil the vine.
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As we consider the players in the popularity game we would do well to consider how popular Jesus Christ was. He had friends and even disciples who followed and learned from Him, but was He really popular in our way of thinking? Isaiah 53:3 tells us, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
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Sure, He had a lot of friends, but He was not popular in a fashionable sense. It reminds me somewhat of my years at a small Bible college. If the students there were asked who was the most popular, and then they were asked who had the most friends, I suspect they would have given a different list. You see, in the world’s mind, popular is fashionable, cool, and trendy. It really has little to do even with how likeable a person is. It is actually less about how many friends one has and more about how many people they think want to be their friend.
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Some of the popular people are likeable, but others actually attain that status by being rude and unlikeable. Then there are those who would not be considered popular because they are not necessarily trendy, but because of their love and kindness to others they have many friends. This quickly shows that there are actually two kinds of popularity. A godly popularity, and the popularity of the world.
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If a popularity is actually godly, it would never compete with the true God for position. What really must be discouraged among both teenagers and adults, is the sort of popularity that puts pride ahead of God. Essentially, this is the root of the problem. The lust for popularity becomes self idolatry. Pride says we are more important than God. We must be reminded that idolatry is about more than just graven images, it is also about trying to take glory and attention that is reserved only for God. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42:8
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In many ways the popularity challenge is really a priority challenge. What is more important, the love of God or the pride of life? 1 John 2:15-17 is very clear, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
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Matthew 22:37-39: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.“ When man pursues popularity at the expense of these great commands, he is putting the world and all it has ahead of God.
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So is it really that bad to put the world ahead of God? James 4:4 answers that question, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” No doubt it is a serious matter to be an enemy of God. Common sense as well as godly sense says it would be better to be an enemy of this world than an enemy of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us the same in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
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So what are parents, pastors, youth workers, and teens to do in a world that puts such a premium on popularity. No doubt the advice to Timothy is appropriate, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.” The sad truth is that instead of preaching godly principles, parents and others often end up pressuring young people to be popular. Dads and moms, do you really know what you are asking your children to do? If you push them to live up to your worldly ideal, you are pushing them to be God’s enemy.
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Parents, pastors, youth workers and godly teens must not only teach with words, but they must teach by example. How can we expect the next generation to overcome this challenge if we fail at it. Do we recognize the danger of pride in our own lives? Do we act like we always have to be the center of attention? Are we willing to shun worldliness in our lives? Are we willing to be seen with unpopular social outcasts? How can we expect the youth to mortify their sinful nature if we are not willing to do the same?
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“And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.” 1 Corinthians 4:6
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Whether you are a parent, pastor, youth worker, or a teen yourself, many of the problems that must be dealt with in relating to young folks can be traced to the teenager’s desire to be popular. We recognize that drugs, alcohol, and even premarital sex are often driven by peer pressure. But what about the basic issues of showing love for one another? Consider the young lady in the youth group who gets ignored by the other girls because she doesn’t quite fit in. Consider the young man who becomes so preoccupied with sports that he forgets about his relationship with God just because he wants others to think well of him. Consider the parent, pastor, or youth worker who sets a bad example in these same areas by putting a premium on popularity in their own lives.
-
The quest for popularity is not just about the party atmosphere, it can be as simple as a put down in order to make yourself look good. You see there are many little foxes that spoil the vine.
-
As we consider the players in the popularity game we would do well to consider how popular Jesus Christ was. He had friends and even disciples who followed and learned from Him, but was He really popular in our way of thinking? Isaiah 53:3 tells us, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
-
Sure, He had a lot of friends, but He was not popular in a fashionable sense. It reminds me somewhat of my years at a small Bible college. If the students there were asked who was the most popular, and then they were asked who had the most friends, I suspect they would have given a different list. You see, in the world’s mind, popular is fashionable, cool, and trendy. It really has little to do even with how likeable a person is. It is actually less about how many friends one has and more about how many people they think want to be their friend.
-
Some of the popular people are likeable, but others actually attain that status by being rude and unlikeable. Then there are those who would not be considered popular because they are not necessarily trendy, but because of their love and kindness to others they have many friends. This quickly shows that there are actually two kinds of popularity. A godly popularity, and the popularity of the world.
-
If a popularity is actually godly, it would never compete with the true God for position. What really must be discouraged among both teenagers and adults, is the sort of popularity that puts pride ahead of God. Essentially, this is the root of the problem. The lust for popularity becomes self idolatry. Pride says we are more important than God. We must be reminded that idolatry is about more than just graven images, it is also about trying to take glory and attention that is reserved only for God. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42:8
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In many ways the popularity challenge is really a priority challenge. What is more important, the love of God or the pride of life? 1 John 2:15-17 is very clear, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
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Matthew 22:37-39: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.“ When man pursues popularity at the expense of these great commands, he is putting the world and all it has ahead of God.
-
So is it really that bad to put the world ahead of God? James 4:4 answers that question, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” No doubt it is a serious matter to be an enemy of God. Common sense as well as godly sense says it would be better to be an enemy of this world than an enemy of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us the same in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
-
So what are parents, pastors, youth workers, and teens to do in a world that puts such a premium on popularity. No doubt the advice to Timothy is appropriate, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.” The sad truth is that instead of preaching godly principles, parents and others often end up pressuring young people to be popular. Dads and moms, do you really know what you are asking your children to do? If you push them to live up to your worldly ideal, you are pushing them to be God’s enemy.
-
Parents, pastors, youth workers and godly teens must not only teach with words, but they must teach by example. How can we expect the next generation to overcome this challenge if we fail at it. Do we recognize the danger of pride in our own lives? Do we act like we always have to be the center of attention? Are we willing to shun worldliness in our lives? Are we willing to be seen with unpopular social outcasts? How can we expect the youth to mortify their sinful nature if we are not willing to do the same?
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“And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.” 1 Corinthians 4:6
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Does the Devil Want to Confuse Us?
I have not had to sit for jury duty yet, but I did receive a subpoena to testify in a court case. Because of my earlier work as a sheriff’s department chaplain in another county, I was placed at a scene that allowed me to be a witness in this particular incident. Such cases are presented before a jury, and the jurors are left with the challenge of looking at all the evidence in order to make a judgment as to what the truth is. You do not have to be on a jury to face these same challenges. Mothers and fathers are faced with similar challenges as they attempt to resolve conflicts between their children as the kids give conflicting testimony and the parents must try sort out the truth.
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What about the matters of theology and Bible teaching (doctrine)? Do you think the Devil would like to give a little conflicting testimony himself? Let us not forget that he is the father of lies. (John 8:44)
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The Apostle Paul actually warns Timothy of this very danger of false teaching coming from Satan and his followers in 1 Timothy 4:1-3, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
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Paul is one of the most prolific writers of New Testament Scripture, and much of his writing includes warnings about false teaching. In verse 14, chapter 4 of Ephesians he alerts his readers, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”. Not only does the Devil recruit his demons for this terrible task, but he uses men to lead others astray with wrong teaching.
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We need to know what the truth is so that we do not fall for these false testimonies of Satan. You see when it comes to doctrine, the Devil is the great counterfeiter. He will take a little truth from Scripture, and distort it just enough to be extremely dangerous. The best way to recognize false teaching is to study true teaching. That means we need to study our Bibles. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” The more familiar we are with God’s word, the better we will be able to spot false doctrine. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
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Yes, the Devil does want to confuse us. The ideas of men and their teaching will change, but the word of God will endure forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25 tells us, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” God and His word do not change. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8
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Paul warned us about being carried by every wind of doctrine. One of the characteristics of false religious systems is that their beliefs change based on who is in power. I am so thankful that we have an unchanging Savior who has given us an unchanging word so that there might be a check on the lies of Satan. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23
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What about the matters of theology and Bible teaching (doctrine)? Do you think the Devil would like to give a little conflicting testimony himself? Let us not forget that he is the father of lies. (John 8:44)
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The Apostle Paul actually warns Timothy of this very danger of false teaching coming from Satan and his followers in 1 Timothy 4:1-3, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
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Paul is one of the most prolific writers of New Testament Scripture, and much of his writing includes warnings about false teaching. In verse 14, chapter 4 of Ephesians he alerts his readers, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”. Not only does the Devil recruit his demons for this terrible task, but he uses men to lead others astray with wrong teaching.
-
We need to know what the truth is so that we do not fall for these false testimonies of Satan. You see when it comes to doctrine, the Devil is the great counterfeiter. He will take a little truth from Scripture, and distort it just enough to be extremely dangerous. The best way to recognize false teaching is to study true teaching. That means we need to study our Bibles. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” The more familiar we are with God’s word, the better we will be able to spot false doctrine. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
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Yes, the Devil does want to confuse us. The ideas of men and their teaching will change, but the word of God will endure forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25 tells us, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” God and His word do not change. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8
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Paul warned us about being carried by every wind of doctrine. One of the characteristics of false religious systems is that their beliefs change based on who is in power. I am so thankful that we have an unchanging Savior who has given us an unchanging word so that there might be a check on the lies of Satan. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23
Friday, November 28, 2008
What Does 666 Mean?
In an earlier article we were told that Jesus Christ would one day return to set up His kingdom, but what if an imposter comes and claims to be the Messiah? Actually the Scriptures warn of that exact thing. In fact, there will be many anti-Christs or false messiahs. Jesus gave a very clear warning about this in Matthew 24:23-27: “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
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Jesus Christ’s warning is very clear. These false christs and false prophets will even do amazing signs and wonders in order to trick people, but when the true Christ comes, there will be no doubt who He is. His coming will be as quick and powerful as lightning lighting up the whole sky from one horizon to the other. There will be no speculation on if He is the Messiah or not, because there will be no doubt.
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Although there will be many anti-Christs, there will be one specific anti-Christ called the beast who will rise to preeminence in the last days before the real Christ returns to earth again. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Revelation 13:18 A score is 20, so 3 score would be 60. 600+60+6=666. That is the number of the Anti-Christ.
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As was shown earlier, these false Christs and prophets would be able to do signs and wonders. Let us be reminded that the ability to do the unexplainable is not proof that someone is from God. Even Pharaoh’s magicians were able to copy many of the things that God gave Moses the power to do. This beast and his false prophet will as well deceive people with wonders. Revelation 13:13-18: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
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The fact that there are false messiahs should concern us. Jesus Christ is the true Messiah. He gave His life for us, but the beast would like to take your life from you. When Jesus was on this earth, He told His followers, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:10-11
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Make sure you trust the true Christ before it is too late. What if the false christ comes along and deceives you instead? 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
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Jesus Christ’s warning is very clear. These false christs and false prophets will even do amazing signs and wonders in order to trick people, but when the true Christ comes, there will be no doubt who He is. His coming will be as quick and powerful as lightning lighting up the whole sky from one horizon to the other. There will be no speculation on if He is the Messiah or not, because there will be no doubt.
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Although there will be many anti-Christs, there will be one specific anti-Christ called the beast who will rise to preeminence in the last days before the real Christ returns to earth again. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Revelation 13:18 A score is 20, so 3 score would be 60. 600+60+6=666. That is the number of the Anti-Christ.
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As was shown earlier, these false Christs and prophets would be able to do signs and wonders. Let us be reminded that the ability to do the unexplainable is not proof that someone is from God. Even Pharaoh’s magicians were able to copy many of the things that God gave Moses the power to do. This beast and his false prophet will as well deceive people with wonders. Revelation 13:13-18: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
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The fact that there are false messiahs should concern us. Jesus Christ is the true Messiah. He gave His life for us, but the beast would like to take your life from you. When Jesus was on this earth, He told His followers, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:10-11
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Make sure you trust the true Christ before it is too late. What if the false christ comes along and deceives you instead? 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Gabby's Ground Rules
Fall has always been a busy time of year for me. When I was on the farm, harvest time meant late and sometimes all nights in the field. We wanted to get things done before the weather turned bad. Then when I spent a few years as a contractor, I found myself facing similar deadlines as I desired to finish outside work before the bitter cold of winter set in. Now as a pastor, I get to work from a nice heated office most of the time. Now that is not the reason that I went into the ministry, but it does have its perks.
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Still, I have that desire to get things finished up outside before the snow flies. One of my goals this fall was to have the garden all tilled up and ready for winter. Once this goal was met, I sat back with a sigh of relief. The feeling inside of me was actually more than relief. As I looked at the deep black dirt of the garden, all tilled and ready, I felt a sense of pride. Of course the familiar Proverb says that pride goes before a fall. This actually comes from Proverbs 16:18 which says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” I should have known better, I have preached against pride.
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So how could tilling up the garden possibly humble a man? I would like to introduce you to Gabby Groundhog. No I did not kill him as I worked in the garden, but I should have called him before I planned to dig. I heard the ads on the radio about Gabby’s Ground Rules: always make the Iowa One call before you dig. I did not. Furthermore, I had decided to make the garden a bit bigger, and tilled up an area that had not been tilled before, and that is where the phone line was. Yep, not only had I taken out our phone service, but I had cut the line to our neighbors across the alley as well. My wife enjoys reading the “Great Goofs” sections in the back of my handyman magazine, and she tried to make me feel better by reminding me of what others had done.
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We found out later that the line was only seven inches deep, and some have tried to make me feel better by saying that it should have been deeper. That did not help as I went to bed that night realizing what I had done. By the time I realized my mistake, it was around 10 p.m. so it was too late to call for repairs and I had no idea how many others were without a phone. I went to bed feeling really guilty. I told my wife that I would feel better in the morning once I was able to call the phone company and admit to them what I had done. I was up early and called the phone company and listened to a recording that said they would open at 7:30. I called then, reported what had happened, and immediately felt better.
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I had learned long ago, that confession is the best way to deal with guilt. Now cutting the phone line was not a sin. Iowa law does not even require the Gabby call for gardening. Still I felt bad about it until it was taken care of. How much more shouldn’t we feel that way about sin and our relationship with God. Proverbs 28:13 warns, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
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Jesus Christ did not die on the cross to fix phone lines. He did not even die in order to make all our problems go away, but He did die to take care of our sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9.
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I feel good knowing the phone line is fixed, but I feel even better knowing that all my sins have been fixed. I no longer have to worry about the penalty or guilt of sin. Anyone who has truly surrendered to the Lord, trusting Christ alone as Savior, can truly say, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12. That is why I am able to sleep at night.
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Still, I have that desire to get things finished up outside before the snow flies. One of my goals this fall was to have the garden all tilled up and ready for winter. Once this goal was met, I sat back with a sigh of relief. The feeling inside of me was actually more than relief. As I looked at the deep black dirt of the garden, all tilled and ready, I felt a sense of pride. Of course the familiar Proverb says that pride goes before a fall. This actually comes from Proverbs 16:18 which says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” I should have known better, I have preached against pride.
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So how could tilling up the garden possibly humble a man? I would like to introduce you to Gabby Groundhog. No I did not kill him as I worked in the garden, but I should have called him before I planned to dig. I heard the ads on the radio about Gabby’s Ground Rules: always make the Iowa One call before you dig. I did not. Furthermore, I had decided to make the garden a bit bigger, and tilled up an area that had not been tilled before, and that is where the phone line was. Yep, not only had I taken out our phone service, but I had cut the line to our neighbors across the alley as well. My wife enjoys reading the “Great Goofs” sections in the back of my handyman magazine, and she tried to make me feel better by reminding me of what others had done.
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We found out later that the line was only seven inches deep, and some have tried to make me feel better by saying that it should have been deeper. That did not help as I went to bed that night realizing what I had done. By the time I realized my mistake, it was around 10 p.m. so it was too late to call for repairs and I had no idea how many others were without a phone. I went to bed feeling really guilty. I told my wife that I would feel better in the morning once I was able to call the phone company and admit to them what I had done. I was up early and called the phone company and listened to a recording that said they would open at 7:30. I called then, reported what had happened, and immediately felt better.
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I had learned long ago, that confession is the best way to deal with guilt. Now cutting the phone line was not a sin. Iowa law does not even require the Gabby call for gardening. Still I felt bad about it until it was taken care of. How much more shouldn’t we feel that way about sin and our relationship with God. Proverbs 28:13 warns, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
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Jesus Christ did not die on the cross to fix phone lines. He did not even die in order to make all our problems go away, but He did die to take care of our sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9.
-
I feel good knowing the phone line is fixed, but I feel even better knowing that all my sins have been fixed. I no longer have to worry about the penalty or guilt of sin. Anyone who has truly surrendered to the Lord, trusting Christ alone as Savior, can truly say, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12. That is why I am able to sleep at night.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The King is Coming
By the time many of you read this, yet another election cycle will have come and gone. As we listened to the debates and the political adds, it quickly became apparent that no man is able to solve all the problems that this world, or this country, or even this county faces. In fact, as we go to vote, we often fear that those elected may actually make the problems worse. I am writing this on election morning, so I do not know who has won the races.
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What would happen, if instead of electing a group of imperfect humans to oversee our affairs, we could just have God as our King? What if He came down to earth and ruled it? Those who understand how just, fair, honest, loving, and merciful God is would actually look forward to that idea. Those who hate the idea of living under God’s standards of right and wrong would fight against that idea. Well, to a certain extent, that represents the spiritual battle that is happening in our world right now.
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The King, the Lord Jesus Christ, came to earth around 2000 years ago. At that time, many expected Him to set up a kingdom and to rule the world. That is what they expected the Messiah to do when He came. Instead of setting up the kingdom, He began first by proclaiming the kingdom. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matt. 9:35. The word gospel, means “good news”. Luke 8:1 emphasizes the good news of the message of Christ’s coming kingdom. And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,.
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The good news of the gospel is really the good news of the coming kingdom of our God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. When He came, He preached the kingdom and told how to get into His kingdom. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3. We are born again by putting our complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:3 is in the same chapter as John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In Matt. 4:17, Christ made it clear that we must repent because the kingdom was near. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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The message of the coming kingdom is the message we are to proclaim. Even as Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father), He said, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” and “for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever.” The kingdom is to be a priority. In Luke 12:31, we are told to be more concerned with the kingdom of God, than with our physical needs, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
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Christ spent much of His time here on earth speaking of His coming kingdom. Christ will one day return to set up that kingdom, and when He does, He will decide who is allowed in, and who will be cast out. That is why His message of “repent for the kingdom is at hand” is so important. That is why we as well need to proclaim the news of His coming kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 makes it clear, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
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As we saw in John 3:3, you must be born again to enter the kingdom. The scriptures are clear that not everyone will enter. In fact, few will. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. 7:14. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. Luke 13:28. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Eph. 5:5.
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I have some good news, the King has come, and He is coming again. I also have a warning- except you repent and are born again, you will not be ready when He returns.
-
What would happen, if instead of electing a group of imperfect humans to oversee our affairs, we could just have God as our King? What if He came down to earth and ruled it? Those who understand how just, fair, honest, loving, and merciful God is would actually look forward to that idea. Those who hate the idea of living under God’s standards of right and wrong would fight against that idea. Well, to a certain extent, that represents the spiritual battle that is happening in our world right now.
-
The King, the Lord Jesus Christ, came to earth around 2000 years ago. At that time, many expected Him to set up a kingdom and to rule the world. That is what they expected the Messiah to do when He came. Instead of setting up the kingdom, He began first by proclaiming the kingdom. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matt. 9:35. The word gospel, means “good news”. Luke 8:1 emphasizes the good news of the message of Christ’s coming kingdom. And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,.
-
The good news of the gospel is really the good news of the coming kingdom of our God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. When He came, He preached the kingdom and told how to get into His kingdom. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3. We are born again by putting our complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:3 is in the same chapter as John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In Matt. 4:17, Christ made it clear that we must repent because the kingdom was near. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
-
The message of the coming kingdom is the message we are to proclaim. Even as Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father), He said, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” and “for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever.” The kingdom is to be a priority. In Luke 12:31, we are told to be more concerned with the kingdom of God, than with our physical needs, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
-
Christ spent much of His time here on earth speaking of His coming kingdom. Christ will one day return to set up that kingdom, and when He does, He will decide who is allowed in, and who will be cast out. That is why His message of “repent for the kingdom is at hand” is so important. That is why we as well need to proclaim the news of His coming kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 makes it clear, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
-
As we saw in John 3:3, you must be born again to enter the kingdom. The scriptures are clear that not everyone will enter. In fact, few will. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. 7:14. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. Luke 13:28. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Eph. 5:5.
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I have some good news, the King has come, and He is coming again. I also have a warning- except you repent and are born again, you will not be ready when He returns.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Am I Sorry?
All little kids, no matter how cute or wonderful they are, are naughty at some point. Most of us learned as children that when we are naughty, we are supposed to say, “I’m sorry.” We probably learned that about the time that we were taught to say “please” and “thank you.” But did we really learn what it meant?
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The basic definition of ‘sorry’ is to feel regret for an action. The problem is that there are a lot of reasons why we may feel regret for something. Consider a little boy who puts his gum in the hair of a little girl at school. There are a lot of reasons why he may be sorry that he did it. He may be sorry that the teacher yelled at him. He may be sorry that the little girl doesn’t like him anymore or that his friends thought it was a dumb thing to do. He may be sorry that his parents were disappointed in him and will not buy him anymore gum. There are a lot of reasons for him to be sorry and to wish he had never put his gum in her hair, but the little boy is not truly repentant unless he is sorry because he realizes it was wrong.
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Most people are like the little boy. We are sorry because our sinful actions hurt us rather than benefit us. In other words, unless there are consequences for our sins, we really are not worried about offending God. Someone who has really surrendered to God is not as worried about the consequences of the sin as the sin itself. Even if the teacher did not catch him and his friends thought it was cool, he still would not pull the gum stunt because it was wrong.
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Merrill F. Unger in The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary tells us that repentance includes humble self surrender to the will and service of God. There is a real difference between Biblical repentance and worldly sorrow. The apostle Paul actually dealt with this subject in II Corinthians 7:9-10 when he tells us, “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
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When it comes to salvation, the difference between real repentance and worldly sorry over results or consequences of our actions is a difference between heaven and hell. Jesus Christ made it clear that repentance was a life or death issue when He clearly warned, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).
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Romans 3:23 makes it clear, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. Are we simply sorry that God knows we are sinners? Are we just sorry that the rest of the world knows we have sinned? Are we only sorry that things haven’t worked out so well because of our sins? Or are we truly repentant that we have offended a holy God, and are so sorry that we are committed to Him in such a way that we want Him to change our lives for His Glory?
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That is what real repentance is about. Being so sorry for sin that we are committed to God in such a way that we want Him to change our lives for His Glory. That is essentially what it means to be ‘born again’. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). Things become new as we recognize that our old way of excusing sin must be put aside as we surrender our wills to the service of God. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
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The basic definition of ‘sorry’ is to feel regret for an action. The problem is that there are a lot of reasons why we may feel regret for something. Consider a little boy who puts his gum in the hair of a little girl at school. There are a lot of reasons why he may be sorry that he did it. He may be sorry that the teacher yelled at him. He may be sorry that the little girl doesn’t like him anymore or that his friends thought it was a dumb thing to do. He may be sorry that his parents were disappointed in him and will not buy him anymore gum. There are a lot of reasons for him to be sorry and to wish he had never put his gum in her hair, but the little boy is not truly repentant unless he is sorry because he realizes it was wrong.
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Most people are like the little boy. We are sorry because our sinful actions hurt us rather than benefit us. In other words, unless there are consequences for our sins, we really are not worried about offending God. Someone who has really surrendered to God is not as worried about the consequences of the sin as the sin itself. Even if the teacher did not catch him and his friends thought it was cool, he still would not pull the gum stunt because it was wrong.
-
Merrill F. Unger in The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary tells us that repentance includes humble self surrender to the will and service of God. There is a real difference between Biblical repentance and worldly sorrow. The apostle Paul actually dealt with this subject in II Corinthians 7:9-10 when he tells us, “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
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When it comes to salvation, the difference between real repentance and worldly sorry over results or consequences of our actions is a difference between heaven and hell. Jesus Christ made it clear that repentance was a life or death issue when He clearly warned, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).
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Romans 3:23 makes it clear, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. Are we simply sorry that God knows we are sinners? Are we just sorry that the rest of the world knows we have sinned? Are we only sorry that things haven’t worked out so well because of our sins? Or are we truly repentant that we have offended a holy God, and are so sorry that we are committed to Him in such a way that we want Him to change our lives for His Glory?
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That is what real repentance is about. Being so sorry for sin that we are committed to God in such a way that we want Him to change our lives for His Glory. That is essentially what it means to be ‘born again’. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). Things become new as we recognize that our old way of excusing sin must be put aside as we surrender our wills to the service of God. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
Does It Really Matter?
My little brother was about 11 years younger then me, so I was able to watch him get into all kinds of trouble growing up. Much of the trouble he got himself into was due to his exploring spirit and his wild imagination. When he was just a toddler, he came running into the house crying “I spilled the beans”. His excitement mixed with terror told us that he had done more than let out a secret. We followed him outside as he led us to a silo filled with corn. The silo had a sliding gate on one of the doors that we would open to let the corn out when grinding feed. Dusty had watched me do it, and wanted to try it himself. Since he was still too young to know the difference between corn and beans, he was also too young to figure out how to shut it once it was opened and he had run a huge pile of corn onto the ground. Fortunately he ran away instead of being buried.
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Not long after that, he decided to put a cape over his back and jump off of a chair as if he could fly. After he broke his arm, he discovered that he could not defy gravity. Dustin learned a very important lesson that day. You cannot change reality by wishing it so, or by denying the facts. It comes down to an issue of truth. Truth does exist. Often a denial of truth is a denial of the consequences of that truth. But denying that gravity exists does not allow one to fly.
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This issue is no less critical in the spiritual realm than it is in the physical. If we deny that God exists, it does not change the truth. Though most people do not deny God’s existence, they often ignore important truths from the Scripture. One of the key truths is that Christ Himself represents the truth and the way. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
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That truth may sound quite narrow, but so is the truth of gravity here on earth. Absolute truth does not leave wiggle room, 2+2=4. That is truth, and that is reality, no matter if folks are offended by it or not. There was a time when Christians were much more dogmatic about what they believed. There was a time when truth was much more valued as well. You see, truth is not about our feelings or what we wish something to be, it is about what it actually is. According to John 14:6, that means that Jesus Christ is the only way to a relationship with God. 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.
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Some may wonder why I am so concerned about truth. The answer is because truth matters. That is why we must constantly go back to the Scripture in order to find out what the truth is. This is not just the issue of a broken arm. These are matters of eternal consequence, life and death, and heaven and hell. The truth clearly relates to issues of sanctification . Notice what Christ prayed about God’s Word, truth, and sanctification. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17).
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What it comes down to is the fact that doctrine matters. Doctrine is just a big word that means teaching. It matters what is taught because the truth matters. The Apostle Paul complemented those at Berea for not just believing what he was teaching, but actually looking it up for themselves. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Paul told Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Tim 2:15).
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Timothy was a young preacher, and Paul warned him not to back down from the truth. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” (2 Timothy 4:3). Paul’s warning to Timothy applies to our age as well. Sadly, instead of wanting to hear the teaching of truth, many want to have their ears tickled. Some pastors have given into that pressure. By God’s grace, I want to preach the truth and not compromise it, because the truth is not mine to give up. Yes, truth does matter.
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Not long after that, he decided to put a cape over his back and jump off of a chair as if he could fly. After he broke his arm, he discovered that he could not defy gravity. Dustin learned a very important lesson that day. You cannot change reality by wishing it so, or by denying the facts. It comes down to an issue of truth. Truth does exist. Often a denial of truth is a denial of the consequences of that truth. But denying that gravity exists does not allow one to fly.
-
This issue is no less critical in the spiritual realm than it is in the physical. If we deny that God exists, it does not change the truth. Though most people do not deny God’s existence, they often ignore important truths from the Scripture. One of the key truths is that Christ Himself represents the truth and the way. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
-
That truth may sound quite narrow, but so is the truth of gravity here on earth. Absolute truth does not leave wiggle room, 2+2=4. That is truth, and that is reality, no matter if folks are offended by it or not. There was a time when Christians were much more dogmatic about what they believed. There was a time when truth was much more valued as well. You see, truth is not about our feelings or what we wish something to be, it is about what it actually is. According to John 14:6, that means that Jesus Christ is the only way to a relationship with God. 1 Timothy 2:5 tells us, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.
-
Some may wonder why I am so concerned about truth. The answer is because truth matters. That is why we must constantly go back to the Scripture in order to find out what the truth is. This is not just the issue of a broken arm. These are matters of eternal consequence, life and death, and heaven and hell. The truth clearly relates to issues of sanctification . Notice what Christ prayed about God’s Word, truth, and sanctification. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17).
-
What it comes down to is the fact that doctrine matters. Doctrine is just a big word that means teaching. It matters what is taught because the truth matters. The Apostle Paul complemented those at Berea for not just believing what he was teaching, but actually looking it up for themselves. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Paul told Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Tim 2:15).
-
Timothy was a young preacher, and Paul warned him not to back down from the truth. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” (2 Timothy 4:3). Paul’s warning to Timothy applies to our age as well. Sadly, instead of wanting to hear the teaching of truth, many want to have their ears tickled. Some pastors have given into that pressure. By God’s grace, I want to preach the truth and not compromise it, because the truth is not mine to give up. Yes, truth does matter.
Solomon and Communism
As we come upon this political season, I often wonder why communistic/socialistic ideals seem so attractive. If communism is such a huge benefit, then why are so many citizens from Marxist countries seeking to come to the United States. For example even certain politicians seem to suggest that perhaps we should be more like Cuba, yet so many citizens of Cuba risk their lives to come to our country. Part of the mystery can be explained by the fact that the grass often seems greener on the other side of the fence. That may explain why some Americans think that communism has much to offer. This, however, does not explain why those from Cuba who have made it to the United States do not want to go back and, in fact, want their families to come here too. They truly have found a better place.
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For years I have been puzzled why anyone would even consider pushing communism when it so obviously is not in the best interest of the citizens it claims to benefit. I actually started to understand it a bit better as began to read about the wisdom of Solomon in I Kings 3.
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Two harlots were living in the same house. They each had a baby. It seems that one of the babies died during the night, and come morning there was a huge dispute over whose baby was living and whose had died. Each claimed that the live baby was hers. The dispute was brought before King Solomon who, in his wisdom asked that a sword be brought and ordered the baby cut in half.
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The mother of the baby asked that the child be given to the other woman, because she would rather lose her offspring to another than to have him killed. The other harlot was ready to let the baby be killed. In this manner, Solomon was able to deduce who the real mother was.
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One thing puzzled me for years as I read this story. Why would the other harlot be willing to have the baby killed? I could not understand such a desire until I began to read and listen to those with a Marxist/communist/socialist/entitlement mindset. You see, it was not as much about improving her own situation as it was about making sure that her rival did not have more than she had.
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It is a whole new variant on keeping up with the Joneses. Instead of working hard in order to get as much as the neighbor, the communist mindset says to take everything away from the neighbor so they do not have more than you do. Never mind the fact that you are BOTH worse off, at least they didn’t outdo you. You are both equally poor.
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We live amongst surprising wealth. Even the poorest amongst us seldom go without food. Only when we compare ourselves with those who have a larger house, nicer car, bigger TV, etc. do many of us seem poor. Such comparisons are not wise. May we as Christians, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5. This should serve to guard us against communistic covetousness.
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At the same time, we should also guard against greed and pride, and we should never compromise Christian values just to get ahead. There is no reason why you have to keep up with the Joneses. It is okay to have a smaller house or older car, especially if it is because you are giving to those who truly have needs instead of spending it on yourself. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27
To read past articles by Pastor Miller, please visit bancroftbaptist.blogspot.com
-
For years I have been puzzled why anyone would even consider pushing communism when it so obviously is not in the best interest of the citizens it claims to benefit. I actually started to understand it a bit better as began to read about the wisdom of Solomon in I Kings 3.
-
Two harlots were living in the same house. They each had a baby. It seems that one of the babies died during the night, and come morning there was a huge dispute over whose baby was living and whose had died. Each claimed that the live baby was hers. The dispute was brought before King Solomon who, in his wisdom asked that a sword be brought and ordered the baby cut in half.
-
The mother of the baby asked that the child be given to the other woman, because she would rather lose her offspring to another than to have him killed. The other harlot was ready to let the baby be killed. In this manner, Solomon was able to deduce who the real mother was.
-
One thing puzzled me for years as I read this story. Why would the other harlot be willing to have the baby killed? I could not understand such a desire until I began to read and listen to those with a Marxist/communist/socialist/entitlement mindset. You see, it was not as much about improving her own situation as it was about making sure that her rival did not have more than she had.
-
It is a whole new variant on keeping up with the Joneses. Instead of working hard in order to get as much as the neighbor, the communist mindset says to take everything away from the neighbor so they do not have more than you do. Never mind the fact that you are BOTH worse off, at least they didn’t outdo you. You are both equally poor.
-
We live amongst surprising wealth. Even the poorest amongst us seldom go without food. Only when we compare ourselves with those who have a larger house, nicer car, bigger TV, etc. do many of us seem poor. Such comparisons are not wise. May we as Christians, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5. This should serve to guard us against communistic covetousness.
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At the same time, we should also guard against greed and pride, and we should never compromise Christian values just to get ahead. There is no reason why you have to keep up with the Joneses. It is okay to have a smaller house or older car, especially if it is because you are giving to those who truly have needs instead of spending it on yourself. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27
To read past articles by Pastor Miller, please visit bancroftbaptist.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Should Christians Be Christ Like?
I could not help but notice a recent news headline that asked whether Miley Cyrus (Hanna Montana) should represent Christianity. The writer did not make a claim one way or the other about being a Christian, but simply raised the question about the recent scandals that the actress had been involved in concerning immodest dress and other rebellious behavior. The article seemed to imply that Miss Cyrus was a hypocrite.
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After reading the article, I could not help but think that Miley was not all that different from most people who use the title Christian. Sadly we live in a culture where most people who call themselves Christians really don’t think it is necessary to live like Christ. It is not my purpose in this article to speculate on whether or not Miley is genuine, but simply to cause each one of us to “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5a.
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How much confusion does such an approach cause? Why do so few seem to understand it? Does a commitment to Christ actually mean that we should be concerned about what God thinks, or does it mean we can just accept His grace and then tell Him to leave us alone and let us live our own life? Does the Bible have anything to say about such things?
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The Scriptures often speak of those things that are opposed to God as being of the world. An example is found in Christ’s words in John 15:19 “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Folks may wonder what a preacher means when he speaks out against worldliness. He is talking about those sinful things that are commonly practiced by the world, but that should not be done by Christians.
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So does God really expect Christians to be different from the rest of the world? 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” The context of this verse is telling Christians that they should not model their life after the things that they used to follow, but should model it after the standards of God (read vs. 14-16 of I Peter 1).
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Some may argue that we should act like sinners to reach sinners with the truth of God. First, how can we effectively share the truth of God when we ignore it ourselves? Further, the Scripture deals with this very attitude. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” Matthew 5:13-15.
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Jesus challenged Nicodemus, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. Being born again means, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. In other words when we are born again, there must be changes in our lives. A born again person is naturally different from the rest of the world. We do not live righteously just so God lets us into his kingdom [we simply are able to look forward to it by His grace (Eph. 2:8-9)], but we must also understand that if we have truly come to Him there will be evidence of a change (Eph. 2:10).
-
The first of the ten commandments says that we should have no other gods before us. When asked about the first and greatest commandment Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37. Sadly too many people today have made popularity their god, and have bowed at the alter of worldliness, compromising the standard of the clear teachings of God. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1.
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To read past articles by Pastor Miller, please visit bancroftbaptist.blogspot.com
-
After reading the article, I could not help but think that Miley was not all that different from most people who use the title Christian. Sadly we live in a culture where most people who call themselves Christians really don’t think it is necessary to live like Christ. It is not my purpose in this article to speculate on whether or not Miley is genuine, but simply to cause each one of us to “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5a.
-
How much confusion does such an approach cause? Why do so few seem to understand it? Does a commitment to Christ actually mean that we should be concerned about what God thinks, or does it mean we can just accept His grace and then tell Him to leave us alone and let us live our own life? Does the Bible have anything to say about such things?
-
The Scriptures often speak of those things that are opposed to God as being of the world. An example is found in Christ’s words in John 15:19 “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Folks may wonder what a preacher means when he speaks out against worldliness. He is talking about those sinful things that are commonly practiced by the world, but that should not be done by Christians.
-
So does God really expect Christians to be different from the rest of the world? 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” The context of this verse is telling Christians that they should not model their life after the things that they used to follow, but should model it after the standards of God (read vs. 14-16 of I Peter 1).
-
Some may argue that we should act like sinners to reach sinners with the truth of God. First, how can we effectively share the truth of God when we ignore it ourselves? Further, the Scripture deals with this very attitude. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” Matthew 5:13-15.
-
Jesus challenged Nicodemus, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. Being born again means, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. In other words when we are born again, there must be changes in our lives. A born again person is naturally different from the rest of the world. We do not live righteously just so God lets us into his kingdom [we simply are able to look forward to it by His grace (Eph. 2:8-9)], but we must also understand that if we have truly come to Him there will be evidence of a change (Eph. 2:10).
-
The first of the ten commandments says that we should have no other gods before us. When asked about the first and greatest commandment Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37. Sadly too many people today have made popularity their god, and have bowed at the alter of worldliness, compromising the standard of the clear teachings of God. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1.
-
To read past articles by Pastor Miller, please visit bancroftbaptist.blogspot.com
Friday, July 11, 2008
WARNING: DANGER AHEAD!
I have heard a number of heartbreaking stories in regards to the floods we have had this past spring. Many families still need our prayers as they recover from the damage and in some cases, recover from the heartache over the loss of loved ones.
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One of the sad cases concerning the loss of life happened not too far away. A county highway near Albert Lea was washed out one night by spring floods. A man was traveling down the road in the dark shortly after it happened and by the time he saw the washout, it was too late to stop. He was able to be rescued, but only because his vehicle landed on top of another that had went in before him. The driver of the first vehicle was not as fortunate. Ironically, he had given his life in order to save the live of the other driver without even knowing it.
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Unfortunately this sad story does not end here. A few weeks later, before the road was fixed, a SUV drove around the barricades and crashed into the same washout. One of the passengers was killed shortly after the crash, another died later. In this sad story, it seems one of the barricades had been removed while the others remained to warn of danger ahead. Perhaps the drive did not realize how dangerous it was. Likely he did not know that the road was completely gone and that two of his passengers would die. I am confident in speculating that if he had known what would happen, he would never have gone down that road.
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What if you were driving down that road? If I stood there in the middle of the road and waved my hands and warned you not to continue, would you listen, or would you just drive on by wondering what that crazy man was doing?
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Today I must give a warning, not of a washed out road, but of the judgment of God. As a pastor, I love to talk about God’s love and mercy, but it is easy to put so much attention on His compassion for mankind, that we forget to warn that He is coming again to judge man. When Jesus Christ came to earth around 2000 years ago, He came not to judge but to save. Just as the first man who went into the washout was able to give his life for the second, Christ gave His life so that all sinners could be saved if they trusted Him. Unlike the man in the accident, Christ did it willingly because He loved the whole world.
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Jesus came to die for us, and when He came, he said that He was not here to judge but to save. That was His purpose for coming then. He will have another purpose when He comes again, and He has promised to come again. He has already come to save, so when He comes again, it will not be to save but to judge. I must warn of that judgment, just as I would warn of a washout in the road, for the consequences will be even more serious.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;” II Timothy 4:1.
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14.
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalm 7:11
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27
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Now I understand that many will ignore my warnings, just as the driver ignored the barricades, but I pray that perhaps some will heed the warnings and turn to God for forgiveness, and accept Christ as their only Savior so that they might avoid the ultimate judgment that leads to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:12-15
-
One of the sad cases concerning the loss of life happened not too far away. A county highway near Albert Lea was washed out one night by spring floods. A man was traveling down the road in the dark shortly after it happened and by the time he saw the washout, it was too late to stop. He was able to be rescued, but only because his vehicle landed on top of another that had went in before him. The driver of the first vehicle was not as fortunate. Ironically, he had given his life in order to save the live of the other driver without even knowing it.
-
Unfortunately this sad story does not end here. A few weeks later, before the road was fixed, a SUV drove around the barricades and crashed into the same washout. One of the passengers was killed shortly after the crash, another died later. In this sad story, it seems one of the barricades had been removed while the others remained to warn of danger ahead. Perhaps the drive did not realize how dangerous it was. Likely he did not know that the road was completely gone and that two of his passengers would die. I am confident in speculating that if he had known what would happen, he would never have gone down that road.
-
What if you were driving down that road? If I stood there in the middle of the road and waved my hands and warned you not to continue, would you listen, or would you just drive on by wondering what that crazy man was doing?
-
Today I must give a warning, not of a washed out road, but of the judgment of God. As a pastor, I love to talk about God’s love and mercy, but it is easy to put so much attention on His compassion for mankind, that we forget to warn that He is coming again to judge man. When Jesus Christ came to earth around 2000 years ago, He came not to judge but to save. Just as the first man who went into the washout was able to give his life for the second, Christ gave His life so that all sinners could be saved if they trusted Him. Unlike the man in the accident, Christ did it willingly because He loved the whole world.
-
Jesus came to die for us, and when He came, he said that He was not here to judge but to save. That was His purpose for coming then. He will have another purpose when He comes again, and He has promised to come again. He has already come to save, so when He comes again, it will not be to save but to judge. I must warn of that judgment, just as I would warn of a washout in the road, for the consequences will be even more serious.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;” II Timothy 4:1.
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14.
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalm 7:11
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27
-
Now I understand that many will ignore my warnings, just as the driver ignored the barricades, but I pray that perhaps some will heed the warnings and turn to God for forgiveness, and accept Christ as their only Savior so that they might avoid the ultimate judgment that leads to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:12-15
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
God Wants You
Farming has always had its challenges- in 1993 it was the floods, in 2001 it was the soybean aphids, in 1997, it was the corn borer. I was farming in Southwestern Minnesota in 1997. The crops were looking great. I took kernel counts in mid summer and began to formulate a very optimistic yield estimate. Then the corn borers came. They came worse than we had ever seen them. We should have sprayed, but did not. By the time we realized what was happening it was too late. They had tunneled through though the stock, cutting off the nutrient supply to the ear. They were so bad that they had even tunneled through the center of most ears. Later as we combined, the grain tank was literally littered with corn borer larva. One of the fields yielded only half of what I had estimated because the kernels stayed small and the test weight was terrible.
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As I was combining a particularly bad field, I began to punch numbers and do the math…based on yield, price crop insurance payments and expenses, will I be able to pay the bills? I determined that I would be alright. I was single at the time, so my living expenses were quite low. I just would not be able to afford the piece of machinery I had had my eye on. I began to think, “well maybe next year.”
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Then I began to think, “what if I have a bumper crop and great prices next year? Then what? What if I have many profitable years and even am able to get all new machinery? So what?” As a Christian, I knew that there was more to life than a new John Deere, so I began to pray as I drove the combine.
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I began to feel an emptiness. I thought that instead of buying a new tractor, I could give the money to the church. I knew that would be a good thing to do, but then it hit me, God didn’t want my money as much as He wanted me. I saw how easy it would be to get so focused in my work of farming that I did not give my time to God. I realized that if I earned less money, but served Him more, that God could easily get the money that I would have given from somewhere else. I remembered the truth of Psalm 50:10, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”
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God did not want my money as much as he wanted me. I got to the end of the field and waited for my brother to come with a wagon. I bowed my head on the combine steering wheel and told the Lord that I was ready to do whatever he wanted even if it meant giving up farming. I was willing to stop farming if that was what was asked of me, but the Lord allowed me to continue to farm another six years, just on a smaller scale. Shortly after that prayer, the doors began to open up to volunteer at church. I had cut back on acres, so that gave me the time to walk through those open doors. Eventually I quit farming to prepare for the pastorate.
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I am not writing this to tell the readers that they should quit their jobs and become a pastor, but to remind all of us that there is something more important than ourselves. Matthew 16:26 says, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” We cannot buy off God - not with our money, not even with our service, yet He is worthy of both.
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What God really wants is us. Not just our time, not just our wallet, but our very hearts and souls. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38. If you do not give God your heart in this life, there is nothing you can give for your soul in the next.
To read past articles by Pastor Miller, please visit bancroftbaptist.blogspot.com
-
As I was combining a particularly bad field, I began to punch numbers and do the math…based on yield, price crop insurance payments and expenses, will I be able to pay the bills? I determined that I would be alright. I was single at the time, so my living expenses were quite low. I just would not be able to afford the piece of machinery I had had my eye on. I began to think, “well maybe next year.”
-
Then I began to think, “what if I have a bumper crop and great prices next year? Then what? What if I have many profitable years and even am able to get all new machinery? So what?” As a Christian, I knew that there was more to life than a new John Deere, so I began to pray as I drove the combine.
-
I began to feel an emptiness. I thought that instead of buying a new tractor, I could give the money to the church. I knew that would be a good thing to do, but then it hit me, God didn’t want my money as much as He wanted me. I saw how easy it would be to get so focused in my work of farming that I did not give my time to God. I realized that if I earned less money, but served Him more, that God could easily get the money that I would have given from somewhere else. I remembered the truth of Psalm 50:10, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”
-
God did not want my money as much as he wanted me. I got to the end of the field and waited for my brother to come with a wagon. I bowed my head on the combine steering wheel and told the Lord that I was ready to do whatever he wanted even if it meant giving up farming. I was willing to stop farming if that was what was asked of me, but the Lord allowed me to continue to farm another six years, just on a smaller scale. Shortly after that prayer, the doors began to open up to volunteer at church. I had cut back on acres, so that gave me the time to walk through those open doors. Eventually I quit farming to prepare for the pastorate.
-
I am not writing this to tell the readers that they should quit their jobs and become a pastor, but to remind all of us that there is something more important than ourselves. Matthew 16:26 says, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” We cannot buy off God - not with our money, not even with our service, yet He is worthy of both.
-
What God really wants is us. Not just our time, not just our wallet, but our very hearts and souls. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38. If you do not give God your heart in this life, there is nothing you can give for your soul in the next.
To read past articles by Pastor Miller, please visit bancroftbaptist.blogspot.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
Paint the Rock Wagon
How much rain did you get? This question has become a reminder of all the troubles that come with too much water in one place. We praise God, for rain, because without it, the crops would not grow, yet an overabundance of a good thing brings its own set of problems- flooded basements, unplanted crops, drowned crops, whole houses washed away, whole towns under water, and even the loss of life. “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” James 5:17-18. Times like these should remind us to pray if nothing else.
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As I reflect on the above verses I recall the childlike faith of my little brother when we were children. We grew up on a farm, and the rains kept missing us. Instead of being too wet, it was too dry. My little brother was not very old at the time, and he had heard Dad praying for rain, so he began to pray for rain before every meal. This went on for weeks until it finally started to rain. We were blessed with great rains, in fact, they kept coming, but my little brother had gotten into the habit of praying his prayer. Finally, Dad (although not wanting to hurt the little guy’s feelings) told him that we had enough rain for now, and he could quit praying for it. Who knows, before long we may be praying for rain again.
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In situations like floods, tornados, and other weather systems, we realize how completely helpless we are, and how much me must depend on God. It is not always easy when the water is pouring into your basement, or your crops are under water. You find yourself in the midst of trials.
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In the first chapter of James, we are told to count it joy when we face trials. That sounds strange at first, because who wants to have problems? But we are given the reason: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4.
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Basically what he is saying is that by going through trials, you learn patience so you are better able to endure them. Some folks have lived such sheltered lives, that when the slightest problem comes along, they fall apart. Be going through a few challenges along the way, we are strengthened so we are better able to face life.
-
The value of the patience we gain in trials should not be underestimated. Most rural folks have a lets “git er done” attitude. In most cases that’s good. Its an evidence of a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. But when it comes to waiting for the fields to dry out, or the river to go down, sometimes we just have to wait on God’s timing. That teaches us to wait in other areas as well.
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I remember trying to plant crops in the wet spring of 1993. A friend of mine was utterly depressed as we approached June without having the beans planted. He felt like a failure because he did not have his crop in yet. I asked him if he thought the same of all his neighbors, because none of us had our crops in yet either. He did not, but said he wished that there was something more he could do. I asked him if the planter, digger, and tractors were all ready to go as soon as the fields dried out. I think he told me that he had already greased them multiple times. I said there is nothing else we can do but wait and pray. He still was not satisfied and said that he wished that there was something more he could do. “Okay,” I said, “if you want to do something, then paint the rock wagon.” Ironically, he felt better, because now he had a goal and something he could do, but ultimately he understood he would have to learn to wait patiently.
-
As I reflect on the above verses I recall the childlike faith of my little brother when we were children. We grew up on a farm, and the rains kept missing us. Instead of being too wet, it was too dry. My little brother was not very old at the time, and he had heard Dad praying for rain, so he began to pray for rain before every meal. This went on for weeks until it finally started to rain. We were blessed with great rains, in fact, they kept coming, but my little brother had gotten into the habit of praying his prayer. Finally, Dad (although not wanting to hurt the little guy’s feelings) told him that we had enough rain for now, and he could quit praying for it. Who knows, before long we may be praying for rain again.
-
In situations like floods, tornados, and other weather systems, we realize how completely helpless we are, and how much me must depend on God. It is not always easy when the water is pouring into your basement, or your crops are under water. You find yourself in the midst of trials.
-
In the first chapter of James, we are told to count it joy when we face trials. That sounds strange at first, because who wants to have problems? But we are given the reason: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4.
-
Basically what he is saying is that by going through trials, you learn patience so you are better able to endure them. Some folks have lived such sheltered lives, that when the slightest problem comes along, they fall apart. Be going through a few challenges along the way, we are strengthened so we are better able to face life.
-
The value of the patience we gain in trials should not be underestimated. Most rural folks have a lets “git er done” attitude. In most cases that’s good. Its an evidence of a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. But when it comes to waiting for the fields to dry out, or the river to go down, sometimes we just have to wait on God’s timing. That teaches us to wait in other areas as well.
-
I remember trying to plant crops in the wet spring of 1993. A friend of mine was utterly depressed as we approached June without having the beans planted. He felt like a failure because he did not have his crop in yet. I asked him if he thought the same of all his neighbors, because none of us had our crops in yet either. He did not, but said he wished that there was something more he could do. I asked him if the planter, digger, and tractors were all ready to go as soon as the fields dried out. I think he told me that he had already greased them multiple times. I said there is nothing else we can do but wait and pray. He still was not satisfied and said that he wished that there was something more he could do. “Okay,” I said, “if you want to do something, then paint the rock wagon.” Ironically, he felt better, because now he had a goal and something he could do, but ultimately he understood he would have to learn to wait patiently.
Friday, May 16, 2008
The "Garbage" God Provides
I do not consider myself stingy, but I am quite frugal. I like to find a deal, even if it means making someone else’s trash my treasure. When I was farming I would often go to farm sales and buy equipment that no one else wanted because it needed a new bearing or fresh paint. I figured I could spend a little sweat equity on it and have it work just as good as new.
We were able to do the same thing with our car last summer. We found a damaged vehicle that had been recovered from the insurance company. It was less than five years old and had less than 60,000 miles, but it had a damaged radiator, mounting bracket and bumper. Well, we bought it along with $200 worth of parts from a salvage yard, and after a days worth of labor, we now have a nearly new car.
After saying all that, I could not help but admire all the folks who picked up stuff from the curb during garbage pick up days. Some of the folks may not have had the means to get furniture any other way, but I am guessing that most were simply enterprising entrepreneurs.
I must admit I did the same. I was actually hoping to simply find a small piece of left over sheet rock for a small home improvement project. It only needed to be 2 by 3 feet. I got the idea when we saw some pieces by the curb that were too small for our use, so we began to drive around town looking through our window at other people's garbage hoping to see a piece of sheet rock. Well we did not find it, but we did find a fine grill instead. We talked with the nice gentleman who had just set it out, and he said that it still worked but he had received a new on as a gift and we could have his old one if we liked. Of course we liked. I had been smelling the aroma of meat cooking from grills all over town this spring and was excited about the prospect of adding to that odor.
It is really neat to see how God provides. As I look around our house I am reminded of the recliner we were given by our old neighbors after they got a new one, the free bookshelf we picked up, the sewing machine my wife was given by some elderly friends who had just sold their home, the dresser her grandfather made her, the file cabinet I got for free from a friend and so many other blessings too numerous to mention.
The apostle Paul understood what it meant to be content with what he had. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11. Once we learn to be content with the things we have, it is amazing how much God blesses us with. Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Notice it says needs not wants. I do not need a blue 1965 Chevy Impala Super Sport hardtop with a 327 and Keystone Classic rally rims (my dream car), so I do not have that as my expectation. Instead, God has allowed me to have a Ford Taurus, a very reliable and practical car. “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” I Timothy 6:8.
To conclude our little story, I was working in my office on garbage pick up day, and could see our own pile of junk by the curb, when not ten minutes before the garbage truck came, a woman stopped to pick up our tattered old recliner. I am thankful that God was able to use some of our junk to provide for someone else.
We were able to do the same thing with our car last summer. We found a damaged vehicle that had been recovered from the insurance company. It was less than five years old and had less than 60,000 miles, but it had a damaged radiator, mounting bracket and bumper. Well, we bought it along with $200 worth of parts from a salvage yard, and after a days worth of labor, we now have a nearly new car.
After saying all that, I could not help but admire all the folks who picked up stuff from the curb during garbage pick up days. Some of the folks may not have had the means to get furniture any other way, but I am guessing that most were simply enterprising entrepreneurs.
I must admit I did the same. I was actually hoping to simply find a small piece of left over sheet rock for a small home improvement project. It only needed to be 2 by 3 feet. I got the idea when we saw some pieces by the curb that were too small for our use, so we began to drive around town looking through our window at other people's garbage hoping to see a piece of sheet rock. Well we did not find it, but we did find a fine grill instead. We talked with the nice gentleman who had just set it out, and he said that it still worked but he had received a new on as a gift and we could have his old one if we liked. Of course we liked. I had been smelling the aroma of meat cooking from grills all over town this spring and was excited about the prospect of adding to that odor.
It is really neat to see how God provides. As I look around our house I am reminded of the recliner we were given by our old neighbors after they got a new one, the free bookshelf we picked up, the sewing machine my wife was given by some elderly friends who had just sold their home, the dresser her grandfather made her, the file cabinet I got for free from a friend and so many other blessings too numerous to mention.
The apostle Paul understood what it meant to be content with what he had. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11. Once we learn to be content with the things we have, it is amazing how much God blesses us with. Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Notice it says needs not wants. I do not need a blue 1965 Chevy Impala Super Sport hardtop with a 327 and Keystone Classic rally rims (my dream car), so I do not have that as my expectation. Instead, God has allowed me to have a Ford Taurus, a very reliable and practical car. “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” I Timothy 6:8.
To conclude our little story, I was working in my office on garbage pick up day, and could see our own pile of junk by the curb, when not ten minutes before the garbage truck came, a woman stopped to pick up our tattered old recliner. I am thankful that God was able to use some of our junk to provide for someone else.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
No Way to Hide it From Mom
Carpentry has been a hobby of mine for many years. It became such a hobby that I actually made a living with it for a couple of years. Now any good wood butcher knows that if you cut enough boards, you will make mistakes from time to time. If I could just invent an effective board stretcher, I’m sure I’d have a million dollar idea. Unfortunately, for the story I have today, I board stretcher would not even have helped.
I was a teenager and had not yet begun to master my carpentry skills. I did however know how to cut a board with a circular saw. I was trying to make some improvements in the kitchen and determined that a board had to be cut. Now the smart thing would have been to take to board outside in order to minimize dust in the house, but teenage boys are usually not all that concerned about dust. By the end of the day, I had determined that the dust was the least of my problems.
Now when working in the limited confines of your mother’s kitchen, there is not a lot of room for a saw horse; besides, why use a saw horse when the kitchen table is right there? For those of you who see the writing on the wall, you may have already let out a gasp of “oh no!” Now most saw horses are made of wood, and most saw horses have several cuts across the top of them where the saw naturally passes as they are used to support the board that is being cut. That is fine for a saw horse, but not for a kitchen table. Fortunately I did not pass clear across the table, but only cut about an inch into the side before I noticed what had happened.
Please realize that it was a very small cut. As I said, only about an inch long and about half that deep, but trust me, there is no way to hide something like that from your mother. It would have been foolish to just pretend that it did not happen. My careless negligence had caused a blemish in her beautiful table.
I admitted to Mom what I had done. Although she was upset, she eventually forgave me. Her forgiveness was so sincere that when I recently asked her about it, she had forgotten that it even happened.
Do we realize that trying to hide our sins from God is like trying to hide the cut in the kitchen table? We may say that it is a small sin, just as I argue that it was only a small cut, yet even a sin that is small in our eyes mars the holiness that God expects. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10.
Do we grasp how serious that is? Now when I cut the table, I disappointed my Mom. I marred a nice piece of furniture at a time when we did not have much to spare, but in the big scope of things, it was not as serious as one little sin against God. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:15
The first half of Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. In other words, the consequence of sin is ultimately death that leads to eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. If the verse ended there, our situation would be quite hopeless. It would be as hopeless as my being able to make the cut in Mom’s table disappear, but the whole verse says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In other words, because Jesus paid the price for our sins if we put our complete trust in Him and Him alone, we are accepting His free gift and we will be given eternal life instead of an eternity in the lake of fire.
Just as I had to ask Mom to forgive me for cutting her table, so we must ask Christ to forgive us for our sins. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:2 states, “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”.
I was a teenager and had not yet begun to master my carpentry skills. I did however know how to cut a board with a circular saw. I was trying to make some improvements in the kitchen and determined that a board had to be cut. Now the smart thing would have been to take to board outside in order to minimize dust in the house, but teenage boys are usually not all that concerned about dust. By the end of the day, I had determined that the dust was the least of my problems.
Now when working in the limited confines of your mother’s kitchen, there is not a lot of room for a saw horse; besides, why use a saw horse when the kitchen table is right there? For those of you who see the writing on the wall, you may have already let out a gasp of “oh no!” Now most saw horses are made of wood, and most saw horses have several cuts across the top of them where the saw naturally passes as they are used to support the board that is being cut. That is fine for a saw horse, but not for a kitchen table. Fortunately I did not pass clear across the table, but only cut about an inch into the side before I noticed what had happened.
Please realize that it was a very small cut. As I said, only about an inch long and about half that deep, but trust me, there is no way to hide something like that from your mother. It would have been foolish to just pretend that it did not happen. My careless negligence had caused a blemish in her beautiful table.
I admitted to Mom what I had done. Although she was upset, she eventually forgave me. Her forgiveness was so sincere that when I recently asked her about it, she had forgotten that it even happened.
Do we realize that trying to hide our sins from God is like trying to hide the cut in the kitchen table? We may say that it is a small sin, just as I argue that it was only a small cut, yet even a sin that is small in our eyes mars the holiness that God expects. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10.
Do we grasp how serious that is? Now when I cut the table, I disappointed my Mom. I marred a nice piece of furniture at a time when we did not have much to spare, but in the big scope of things, it was not as serious as one little sin against God. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:15
The first half of Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. In other words, the consequence of sin is ultimately death that leads to eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. If the verse ended there, our situation would be quite hopeless. It would be as hopeless as my being able to make the cut in Mom’s table disappear, but the whole verse says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In other words, because Jesus paid the price for our sins if we put our complete trust in Him and Him alone, we are accepting His free gift and we will be given eternal life instead of an eternity in the lake of fire.
Just as I had to ask Mom to forgive me for cutting her table, so we must ask Christ to forgive us for our sins. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:2 states, “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”.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
A Lesson From Menards
As a pastor, I expect my congregation to practice what I preach, but that expectation must first be applied to myself. As a child, I often heard my father say, “do as I say, not as I do!” I did not dare argue with him, but realized his advice could be classified as hypocrisy. Upon reflecting on God’s word, we quickly find out how hard it is to consistently apply it and how much we need God’s help in living the way we aught to.
For example, a few years ago, I had been to a Bible conference. I found myself whole heartedly agreeing with the preachers challenge to care about the folks around us and to care enough to witness to them. I left that conference with a renewed vigor to reach out with love to those around me.
On the way home, I passed through a town with a Menards store. I just had to stop. As a do-it-yourselfer, and a tool nut, Menards is one of my favorite stores. Now understand that I lived about an hour and half from Menards at that time, so this was a special treat. I was excited about walking down the isles dreaming about my next big project while listening to “save big money” over the intercom.
My excitement was tempered as I pulled into the parking lot and could hardly find a parking space. I began to think, “why did all these people have to come here today; don’t they live close enough that they could have come another day instead.” Foolish of me, I know, but our sinful minds often become cynical. My bitter attitude did not improve as I entered the store. The building was as packed as the parking lot. Every isle I attempted to go down was blocked, often by people with shopping carts who did not seem to have any desire to make room for others to meet them. I found myself muttering under my breath, “why all these people.” I couldn’t wait to get out of the store and away from all those people.
Just as my contemptuous thoughts were getting the best of me, I rounded an isle and a calm pleasant lady took the time to smile. I realized that I had not been smiling. In fact, I probably looked quite mean and angry. Then I remembered the message I had heard just hours before about caring for those around us. I came under conviction and prayed to my Heavenly Father asking Him to forgive me for such sinfulness and hypocrisy. I then began to smile. As I smiled, I noticed how many people made extra room in the isles and smiled back. I was able to see them as people and not as inconveniences .
Please understand, I am not normally as hard to get along with as I was that day at Menards, but this illustration just goes to show us how easy it is to fall into sin, even after being reminded how we are to act. It also should remind us of the truth of Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” It reminds me that I am not, nor can I ever be righteous enough to get to Heaven. That is why I must depend on Christ’s righteousness not my own. “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:26. The next verses makes it clear that I cannot boast in my goodness to get to Heaven. “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:27-28. This shows me that I can never be good enough to live up to God’s standard, but Christ who was totally sinless, was good enough and He paid the price for me.
Now should the fact that Christ paid the debt that I could not pay give me an excuse to be bitter and sinful? God forbid. NO! It should NOT give me and excuse! The apostle Paul deals with this very issue a few chapters farther on in Romans where he says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2.
God’s grace never gives us an excuse to sin. If a man uses the grace of God to justify disobedience to God, then he does not even know God. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. You see our obedience is not our means of salvation, but the evidence that Christ has saved us. Because I know I could never be good enough to reach God’s ultimate standard, I try to do right because He saved me, not in order to be saved. Now not everyone is saved, not even those who are doing a lot of good things, only those who have put their complete trust in Christ.
Here is what it amounts to. If I could depend on my goodness to get to heaven, then if I made it, I could brag about how good I was. But when I recognize that I will never be good enough, then I realize that Christ did it all, and He is the ONLY ONE who is good enough. Therefore, Christ is exalted rather than I.
“ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Pastor Jerry D. Miller First Baptist Church, Bancroft, IA 885-2702
For example, a few years ago, I had been to a Bible conference. I found myself whole heartedly agreeing with the preachers challenge to care about the folks around us and to care enough to witness to them. I left that conference with a renewed vigor to reach out with love to those around me.
On the way home, I passed through a town with a Menards store. I just had to stop. As a do-it-yourselfer, and a tool nut, Menards is one of my favorite stores. Now understand that I lived about an hour and half from Menards at that time, so this was a special treat. I was excited about walking down the isles dreaming about my next big project while listening to “save big money” over the intercom.
My excitement was tempered as I pulled into the parking lot and could hardly find a parking space. I began to think, “why did all these people have to come here today; don’t they live close enough that they could have come another day instead.” Foolish of me, I know, but our sinful minds often become cynical. My bitter attitude did not improve as I entered the store. The building was as packed as the parking lot. Every isle I attempted to go down was blocked, often by people with shopping carts who did not seem to have any desire to make room for others to meet them. I found myself muttering under my breath, “why all these people.” I couldn’t wait to get out of the store and away from all those people.
Just as my contemptuous thoughts were getting the best of me, I rounded an isle and a calm pleasant lady took the time to smile. I realized that I had not been smiling. In fact, I probably looked quite mean and angry. Then I remembered the message I had heard just hours before about caring for those around us. I came under conviction and prayed to my Heavenly Father asking Him to forgive me for such sinfulness and hypocrisy. I then began to smile. As I smiled, I noticed how many people made extra room in the isles and smiled back. I was able to see them as people and not as inconveniences .
Please understand, I am not normally as hard to get along with as I was that day at Menards, but this illustration just goes to show us how easy it is to fall into sin, even after being reminded how we are to act. It also should remind us of the truth of Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” It reminds me that I am not, nor can I ever be righteous enough to get to Heaven. That is why I must depend on Christ’s righteousness not my own. “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:26. The next verses makes it clear that I cannot boast in my goodness to get to Heaven. “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:27-28. This shows me that I can never be good enough to live up to God’s standard, but Christ who was totally sinless, was good enough and He paid the price for me.
Now should the fact that Christ paid the debt that I could not pay give me an excuse to be bitter and sinful? God forbid. NO! It should NOT give me and excuse! The apostle Paul deals with this very issue a few chapters farther on in Romans where he says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2.
God’s grace never gives us an excuse to sin. If a man uses the grace of God to justify disobedience to God, then he does not even know God. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. You see our obedience is not our means of salvation, but the evidence that Christ has saved us. Because I know I could never be good enough to reach God’s ultimate standard, I try to do right because He saved me, not in order to be saved. Now not everyone is saved, not even those who are doing a lot of good things, only those who have put their complete trust in Christ.
Here is what it amounts to. If I could depend on my goodness to get to heaven, then if I made it, I could brag about how good I was. But when I recognize that I will never be good enough, then I realize that Christ did it all, and He is the ONLY ONE who is good enough. Therefore, Christ is exalted rather than I.
“ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Pastor Jerry D. Miller First Baptist Church, Bancroft, IA 885-2702
Spring Planting Can Strain the Best Marriages
As a child growing up on the farm, I could not help but notice that Mom and Dad seemed to argue more around both spring planting and fall harvest time. My father lamented that in his conversations with other farmers, he found that this was not an isolated problem. I doubt that much has changed in the few decades since my childhood. The added stresses try even the best patience.
Let is take some time to look at some natural causes that may trigger tensions within the marriage relationship of the farmer. Now let me confess, I have never been a husband and a farmer at the same time, yet I have been both. I did not get married until after I had left the farm for the ministry, but after having a wife and noticing her desires, I can better understand what may be happening in many farm families.
First, most wives really desire to spend “quality time” with their husbands. Now for most men, “quality time” with their wife is any time they are within a mile of each other. In other words, if your pickup is parked at the end of the field while you’re planting, and you can see your wife drop off that extra bag of seed for you, and she can see your tractor, you feel like you spent some quality time together. Now for the wife, “quality time” actually involves talking, and not about farming. The only problem is that the radio and/or cell phone don’t count. No, for her a mile is not close enough. Not only does she want to be in the same room, but within a few feet of you.
This may sound humorous until you figure out how this actually plays out in the farmer’s relationship. I got a glimpse of this scenario after my father passed away. I was still single at the time, was farming the family farm and living in the same house with my widowed mother. I came in from the field at about one o’clock in the morning. I was very tired, but too wound up from all the days activities to go straight to bed. So I sat at the kitchen table in the middle of the night reading the newspaper for a few minutes so I could relax enough to go to bed. Evidently, my mother was not sleeping either, because when she heard me in the kitchen she came out and began to talk. Please understand, I love my mother dearly, and I like to talk to her, but not in the middle of the night after a hard days work when I am very tired. Having said that, I must speak in defense of my mother. She was recently widowed, had been cooped up in the house all day, and was feeling quite lonely.
You see, this helps us understand what is happening to many farm couples. The wife is desiring to spend quality time with the husband she has hardly seen for the past two weeks because he has been putting in those 18 hour days. She only gets to see him for these measly 6 hours out of the day, and all he wants to do is take a shower and sleep. And then he has the nerve to read the paper or watch TV instead of spending time talking to his beloved.
From the husbands perspective, he has been working hard all day. He only has a limited amount of time to sleep or relax until he has to do it again, and his wife expects him to give up his much needed sleep just to talk to her. Add to the tension the fact that he has been in a noisy tractor all day, and just wants some peace and quiet.
I think we can quickly see how easily this could turn into a recipe for disaster. So what is the solution? Ephesians 4:2 says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” What it really amounts to is loving our spouse enough to be humble and patient with them through the planting and harvest season. That means that he husband must understand that his wife needs that quality time, and the wife must understand that her husband needs his space and some time to rest.
Some practical suggestions. Husbands, when it rains, take some time out of the day just to talk to your wife. Let her know that this is her special time because you know that once the fields dry up, she will not see you very much again. Furthermore, try to eat at least one meal a day with her, even if it is on the tailgate of the pickup at the end of the field.
Wives, give him some space after those stressful days. After I quit farming I volunteered as a county sheriff’s chaplain. Police officers actually have one of the highest divorce rates of any profession. One of the reasons is due to the job stress. Once an officer puts on the badge and the gun, he is on high alert all day long. When he gets home and takes off the uniform, he is finally able to relax. Most men need about a half an hour just to wind down. The problem is, just like the farmer who has been gone all day, their wives as well are desiring the quality time. I have advised officers to share this problem with their wives and ask them to just give them at least 20 minutes after they get home before she starts to talk to him about her day. This will be hard for many wives, but the benefits of having a more calm and attentive ear after this time to unwind, can be quite rewarding. Farm wives should apply this as well.
The busy farming season is not easy for couples, but the rewards of considering each other will not only make the planting and harvest season go smoother, but will provide opportunities for your marriage to grow and prosper as well.
Pastor Jerry D. Miller is pastor of 1st Baptist Church of Bancroft, IA.
He can be reached at 885-2702
Let is take some time to look at some natural causes that may trigger tensions within the marriage relationship of the farmer. Now let me confess, I have never been a husband and a farmer at the same time, yet I have been both. I did not get married until after I had left the farm for the ministry, but after having a wife and noticing her desires, I can better understand what may be happening in many farm families.
First, most wives really desire to spend “quality time” with their husbands. Now for most men, “quality time” with their wife is any time they are within a mile of each other. In other words, if your pickup is parked at the end of the field while you’re planting, and you can see your wife drop off that extra bag of seed for you, and she can see your tractor, you feel like you spent some quality time together. Now for the wife, “quality time” actually involves talking, and not about farming. The only problem is that the radio and/or cell phone don’t count. No, for her a mile is not close enough. Not only does she want to be in the same room, but within a few feet of you.
This may sound humorous until you figure out how this actually plays out in the farmer’s relationship. I got a glimpse of this scenario after my father passed away. I was still single at the time, was farming the family farm and living in the same house with my widowed mother. I came in from the field at about one o’clock in the morning. I was very tired, but too wound up from all the days activities to go straight to bed. So I sat at the kitchen table in the middle of the night reading the newspaper for a few minutes so I could relax enough to go to bed. Evidently, my mother was not sleeping either, because when she heard me in the kitchen she came out and began to talk. Please understand, I love my mother dearly, and I like to talk to her, but not in the middle of the night after a hard days work when I am very tired. Having said that, I must speak in defense of my mother. She was recently widowed, had been cooped up in the house all day, and was feeling quite lonely.
You see, this helps us understand what is happening to many farm couples. The wife is desiring to spend quality time with the husband she has hardly seen for the past two weeks because he has been putting in those 18 hour days. She only gets to see him for these measly 6 hours out of the day, and all he wants to do is take a shower and sleep. And then he has the nerve to read the paper or watch TV instead of spending time talking to his beloved.
From the husbands perspective, he has been working hard all day. He only has a limited amount of time to sleep or relax until he has to do it again, and his wife expects him to give up his much needed sleep just to talk to her. Add to the tension the fact that he has been in a noisy tractor all day, and just wants some peace and quiet.
I think we can quickly see how easily this could turn into a recipe for disaster. So what is the solution? Ephesians 4:2 says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” What it really amounts to is loving our spouse enough to be humble and patient with them through the planting and harvest season. That means that he husband must understand that his wife needs that quality time, and the wife must understand that her husband needs his space and some time to rest.
Some practical suggestions. Husbands, when it rains, take some time out of the day just to talk to your wife. Let her know that this is her special time because you know that once the fields dry up, she will not see you very much again. Furthermore, try to eat at least one meal a day with her, even if it is on the tailgate of the pickup at the end of the field.
Wives, give him some space after those stressful days. After I quit farming I volunteered as a county sheriff’s chaplain. Police officers actually have one of the highest divorce rates of any profession. One of the reasons is due to the job stress. Once an officer puts on the badge and the gun, he is on high alert all day long. When he gets home and takes off the uniform, he is finally able to relax. Most men need about a half an hour just to wind down. The problem is, just like the farmer who has been gone all day, their wives as well are desiring the quality time. I have advised officers to share this problem with their wives and ask them to just give them at least 20 minutes after they get home before she starts to talk to him about her day. This will be hard for many wives, but the benefits of having a more calm and attentive ear after this time to unwind, can be quite rewarding. Farm wives should apply this as well.
The busy farming season is not easy for couples, but the rewards of considering each other will not only make the planting and harvest season go smoother, but will provide opportunities for your marriage to grow and prosper as well.
Pastor Jerry D. Miller is pastor of 1st Baptist Church of Bancroft, IA.
He can be reached at 885-2702
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