My grandpa Miller lost his left arm in a farming accident. The earliest memories I have of him are of a man with one arm. He was quite industrious with that one arm. He would carry a vise grip in his pocket, clip it to the bottom of one side of his jacket and then use the weight of that tool to hold it down as he zipped it up.
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One day he was helping build an addition on my uncles barn when a neighbor stopped over. The neighbor wasn’t as tactful as he probably should have been and asked how grandpa could be nailing up boards with only one hand. Grandpa said, “I put the nails between my teeth and hit the back of my head with the hammer.” Of course he had a way of using his right hand to get the nails started while holding the hammer at the same time and then driving the nails in just like anyone else would.
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Today I have a friend who has only one leg. We have little boys who have a lot of questions. The other day one of our little boys innocently pointed at him and asked what happened to his leg. I was not sure how to respond and did not want to embarrass my friend, nor did I want to reprimand a child for an innocent question so I simply told him to ask my friend.
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My friend really likes kids and I was so happy to see that he showed no signs at all of being offended. He just smiled as he answered the question. Throughout life we can all find things to be offended over even though people meant no offense by what they said. Still we should all be careful in what we say so that we don’t offend with our words. James chapter 3 warns about the careless use of the tongue.
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What should our attitude be, however, when someone else says something to us without thinking- something that hurts our feelings. First of all, there are times that people are rude on purpose, but I believe that most of the time, people meant no harm by what they said. Often their statements are just as innocent as the question of a curious child.
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The scriptures actually tell us how to deal with such situations. Ephesians 4:2 says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” That word “forbearing” means “putting up with.” If we really love each other, we will patiently (longsuffering) put up with each other even when we hurt each others feelings. The more we love, the more we put the other person first and the less focused we are on ourselves. If we care so much about others that we love them enough to die for them, then we will not be so focused on our own hurt feelings but instead we will see that they really did not mean to hurt us. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (I John 3:16)
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Galatians 5:14-15 says, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Instead of getting angry and fighting with each other over something that was not even meant to be rude, we should take the advice of 1 Peter 4:8, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” That word “charity” in Greek, is also translated “love.”
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1 John 4:11 tells us, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” God does love us. “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.” (John 3:16)
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Looking Forward to Christmas
Around Thanksgiving time, our boys started to ask us how many days it was until Christmas. With 3 of our 4 boys old enough to talk, we got tired of answering that question, so finally Crystal made a chain out of construction paper that we hung from the ceiling and we let the boys take turns taking a link off each day. Now when they want to know how long it is before Christmas, they can just look at the chain.
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Today Christmas is looked upon with much anticipation- especially among children who expect to get gifts. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, instead of looking forward to Christmas, those who believed God were looking forward to the promised Messiah- the Christ. There was so much anticipation for His coming that when John the Baptist came, some wondered if he might be the Christ.
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Today Christmas has become so commercialized that rather than anticipating Christ, many just anticipate the presents and the celebration. The word “advent” literally means the arrival of something important or awaited. The boys are awaiting the arrival of their presents and another chance to go to Grandma’s house, but as we consider Christmas, should we be anticipating the arrival of Christ?
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Jesus Christ has already come and was born in Bethlehem so we are not looking forward to His birth this “advent” season. Instead we are looking back on what happened a couple of thousand years ago. The angel declared in Luke 2:11-12, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
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So what should we be anticipating as we reflect on Christmas if Jesus has already come? When He was born, an angel announced His birth. Now consider the announcement that was made as Jesus ascended into heaven after His resurrection. “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 10-11)
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We do not know when Jesus will come back. As we look forward to Christmas, we know we are celebrating the fact that Jesus has already come and been born into this world, but we should also be anticipating His return. That anticipation should not just occur at Christmas though. Even the observance of the Lord’s Supper is a reminder that Jesus will come back. Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.”
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For those who have believed on Jesus as Lord and Savior, the advent of His return is comforting. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3) For those who have not believed, His return should be frightening. “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7) Jesus is no longer a little baby in a manger. He is a resurrected savior who is preparing a place for those who believe on Him and who will punish those who will not believe. We all have reason to anticipate His return- believe on Him and His return will be worth looking forward to.
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Today Christmas is looked upon with much anticipation- especially among children who expect to get gifts. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, instead of looking forward to Christmas, those who believed God were looking forward to the promised Messiah- the Christ. There was so much anticipation for His coming that when John the Baptist came, some wondered if he might be the Christ.
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Today Christmas has become so commercialized that rather than anticipating Christ, many just anticipate the presents and the celebration. The word “advent” literally means the arrival of something important or awaited. The boys are awaiting the arrival of their presents and another chance to go to Grandma’s house, but as we consider Christmas, should we be anticipating the arrival of Christ?
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Jesus Christ has already come and was born in Bethlehem so we are not looking forward to His birth this “advent” season. Instead we are looking back on what happened a couple of thousand years ago. The angel declared in Luke 2:11-12, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
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So what should we be anticipating as we reflect on Christmas if Jesus has already come? When He was born, an angel announced His birth. Now consider the announcement that was made as Jesus ascended into heaven after His resurrection. “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 10-11)
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We do not know when Jesus will come back. As we look forward to Christmas, we know we are celebrating the fact that Jesus has already come and been born into this world, but we should also be anticipating His return. That anticipation should not just occur at Christmas though. Even the observance of the Lord’s Supper is a reminder that Jesus will come back. Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.”
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For those who have believed on Jesus as Lord and Savior, the advent of His return is comforting. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3) For those who have not believed, His return should be frightening. “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7) Jesus is no longer a little baby in a manger. He is a resurrected savior who is preparing a place for those who believe on Him and who will punish those who will not believe. We all have reason to anticipate His return- believe on Him and His return will be worth looking forward to.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Do Christians Have to Observe the Old Testament Law?
As we travel to visit family during the holiday season, I am thankful for the interstate highway system. We can pull onto the interstate, set the cruise control at 70mph and arrive at our destination much more quickly than if we had to drive 55 the whole way. I do, however, remember the days when the speed limit was only 55 mph, even on the interstate.
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Times change and laws change but it is comforting to know that our Lord does not change. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Though our God does not change, do His expectations for us ever change? I think about my own little boys. I expect that my 1 year old not play with electrical cords as he crawls around. My expectation for my 4 year old is that he be completely quite when I tell him to. My 1 year old is not yet ready to understand that.
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As my boys get older they will have more and more rules to both instruct them and to keep them safe, but there will come a time when many of those rules will no longer be needed. For example the rule for them now is that they not go on or near the road unless we are with them. This rule is given to both instruct them of the dangers of traffic and to keep them safe, but as they get older, there will come a day when they will be able to safely go out on the road by themselves.
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Our Christian Bible is divided between the Old and New Testaments. As we look at the Old Testament we see expectations for God’s people that many of today’s Christians ignore. For example, the Hebrews were forbidden to eat unclean animals including pork, yet it is not uncommon to get served a ham sandwich at church.
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Why don’t Christians observe the Old Testament law like the Jews did? The answer is that the Law of Moses was a lot like the rules I give to my little boys. The rules are there to teach so that the boys are prepared for what comes later. Galatians 3:24-25 says, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” The Old Testament law that Moses gave was a way to teach people about Christ so that they would come to Him, but now that He has come, that law is no longer needed.
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Not only did Jesus die for our sins, but notice what else was accomplished on the cross. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:14-17)
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Notice that the ordinances of the Old Testament are nailed to the cross. Sadly some people still judge others for eating pork and not observing certain special days, but Colossians 2:16 tells us that we as Christians should not let anyone judge us for not observing the Mosaic law.
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The law of Moses showed the reality of sin and the reality of sin shows the need for a savior. Jesus Christ is that savior. The Old Testament law was not worthless. It was good, but it’s purpose has been accomplished so we no longer need to observe it. Instead we should learn from it and let it direct us to Christ.
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Times change and laws change but it is comforting to know that our Lord does not change. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Though our God does not change, do His expectations for us ever change? I think about my own little boys. I expect that my 1 year old not play with electrical cords as he crawls around. My expectation for my 4 year old is that he be completely quite when I tell him to. My 1 year old is not yet ready to understand that.
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As my boys get older they will have more and more rules to both instruct them and to keep them safe, but there will come a time when many of those rules will no longer be needed. For example the rule for them now is that they not go on or near the road unless we are with them. This rule is given to both instruct them of the dangers of traffic and to keep them safe, but as they get older, there will come a day when they will be able to safely go out on the road by themselves.
-
Our Christian Bible is divided between the Old and New Testaments. As we look at the Old Testament we see expectations for God’s people that many of today’s Christians ignore. For example, the Hebrews were forbidden to eat unclean animals including pork, yet it is not uncommon to get served a ham sandwich at church.
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Why don’t Christians observe the Old Testament law like the Jews did? The answer is that the Law of Moses was a lot like the rules I give to my little boys. The rules are there to teach so that the boys are prepared for what comes later. Galatians 3:24-25 says, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” The Old Testament law that Moses gave was a way to teach people about Christ so that they would come to Him, but now that He has come, that law is no longer needed.
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Not only did Jesus die for our sins, but notice what else was accomplished on the cross. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:14-17)
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Notice that the ordinances of the Old Testament are nailed to the cross. Sadly some people still judge others for eating pork and not observing certain special days, but Colossians 2:16 tells us that we as Christians should not let anyone judge us for not observing the Mosaic law.
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The law of Moses showed the reality of sin and the reality of sin shows the need for a savior. Jesus Christ is that savior. The Old Testament law was not worthless. It was good, but it’s purpose has been accomplished so we no longer need to observe it. Instead we should learn from it and let it direct us to Christ.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Deity of Christ
I do not link up every sermon to this site, but this one has such a core doctrine of Christianity that I felt compelled to link it in.
Is Jesus really God? Today's sermon will answer that question. Jehovah Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God, but the passages that are shared in today's sermon will show that Jesus is creator (Colossians 1:16) and that Jehovah is the creator who created things Himself (Isaiah 44:24) therefore Jesus is God. Other proofs of Deity are given as well. The title of the message from Colossians 1:15-20 is "Who is Jesus." You can find the message at bancroftbaptist.com then click sermons
Is Jesus really God? Today's sermon will answer that question. Jehovah Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God, but the passages that are shared in today's sermon will show that Jesus is creator (Colossians 1:16) and that Jehovah is the creator who created things Himself (Isaiah 44:24) therefore Jesus is God. Other proofs of Deity are given as well. The title of the message from Colossians 1:15-20 is "Who is Jesus." You can find the message at bancroftbaptist.com then click sermons
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Trust God Not Politicians
Another election cycle has passed. Some Americans are celebrating, others are disappointed, and some do not even care. I must admit that I am relieved that the political calls have stopped. I am also celebrating that a personal friend was actually elected to the Iowa Senate, but even as I celebrate his election, my ultimate trust is not in him.
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Elections like other actions definitely have consequences. People on both sides of the political isle recognize that that there is reason for concern for the future of this country but they obviously have different ideas concerning the solution. As I become discouraged over some results and celebrate others, I must remind myself that my hope for the future must not be placed in a politician or a ballot measure, but in my God. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalms 118:8-9)
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I am not writing these things to suggest that we as Christians should have no concern for the political process. When I plant the garden, I trust God to make the seeds grow, but I must actually put the seed in the ground first. In other words, I believe Christians should be involved in the voting process and should be informed as they vote. At the same time we must keep things in proper perspective and realize that even when we have proud elected officials who lie, we can still trust God. “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” (Psalms 40:4)
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As we realize how corrupt many of our politicians are, and as we see that few of them even care about what God has to say, it may be tempting to become afraid. I am not suggesting that there is no reason for concern. I actually believe that Christians may face more and more persecution in the days ahead; however, I do not want us to fear, I want us to have confidence in the power of our God even if we do suffer. “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalms 56:11)
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If we allow our faith to be shaken by mere election results, then the enemy wins more than just a political campaign. “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5) As Christians, our job is the same regardless of who is in office. Our job is to remain faithful as we serve the Lord and bring glory to Him through our lives. We may face further challenges as we do that, but as we remain faithful we are able to be used for God’s glory.
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We must also remember that God is the ultimate judge who will hold wicked men accountable in the end. The Thessalonians faced persecution for their faith and they were given these encouraging words by the Apostle Paul. “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” (2 Thessalonians 1:4-8).
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Remember that God is in control and that in the end He wins. We can trust Him no matter what happens.
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Elections like other actions definitely have consequences. People on both sides of the political isle recognize that that there is reason for concern for the future of this country but they obviously have different ideas concerning the solution. As I become discouraged over some results and celebrate others, I must remind myself that my hope for the future must not be placed in a politician or a ballot measure, but in my God. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalms 118:8-9)
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I am not writing these things to suggest that we as Christians should have no concern for the political process. When I plant the garden, I trust God to make the seeds grow, but I must actually put the seed in the ground first. In other words, I believe Christians should be involved in the voting process and should be informed as they vote. At the same time we must keep things in proper perspective and realize that even when we have proud elected officials who lie, we can still trust God. “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” (Psalms 40:4)
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As we realize how corrupt many of our politicians are, and as we see that few of them even care about what God has to say, it may be tempting to become afraid. I am not suggesting that there is no reason for concern. I actually believe that Christians may face more and more persecution in the days ahead; however, I do not want us to fear, I want us to have confidence in the power of our God even if we do suffer. “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalms 56:11)
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If we allow our faith to be shaken by mere election results, then the enemy wins more than just a political campaign. “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5) As Christians, our job is the same regardless of who is in office. Our job is to remain faithful as we serve the Lord and bring glory to Him through our lives. We may face further challenges as we do that, but as we remain faithful we are able to be used for God’s glory.
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We must also remember that God is the ultimate judge who will hold wicked men accountable in the end. The Thessalonians faced persecution for their faith and they were given these encouraging words by the Apostle Paul. “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” (2 Thessalonians 1:4-8).
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Remember that God is in control and that in the end He wins. We can trust Him no matter what happens.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Mooching vs. True Needs
Ephesians 4:28 says, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” I want to work hard and have a little extra so that I can give to those who really have true needs. As a pastor we often get calls asking for gas or food. It is often difficult to know if the needs are real or if we are just being taken advantage. Because the calls come from strangers it is even more difficult especially as we consider Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
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At the same time I realize that many people are just mooching off the generosity of others. Churches are to be charitable, but there are actually clear guidelines in the scripture for showing charity. Imagine if the majority of the people who came to church refused to work and just tried to live off of the generosity of others. It would not take long before there were not enough resources to go around. A sad result would be the inevitable depletion of resources that should be available for those who really do have needs. Consider the faithful Christian widow with no resources who does not have enough to get by. Imagine if we were not able to help her, because others were constantly mooching.
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Even as we think of the widow, the scripture shows that only certain widows are to be helped on a permanent basis. I Timothy chapter 5 explains that in order to get steady support from the church, a widow must have no children or nephews (it is their responsibility to care for her), she must not have other resources to live off of, she must be godly, she must be over 60 years old, and she must have been charitable herself. Not just any widow is allowed to mooch off the church. If she has true needs, she is not mooching, she is being blessed by the provision of God as she serves in prayer.
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A similar issue was dealt with in the letter to the Thessalonians. Evidently some of them were not working and were mooching off of others so Paul wrote: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
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Paul had taught about this issue when he was in Thessalonica and he had written about it in his first letter to them as well, so this is at least the third time he has brought it up. Evidently, some people still were not listening, so he finally had to say in vs. 14, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
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In other words we are not to associate with those who are simply trying to mooch off the church. Verse 15, then makes it clear that we are not to consider them enemies, but we are to tell them to do what is right.
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As I write these things, it may be tempting to become cynical about helping others. I pray we not do that. There are those who are not moochers, but who have genuine needs. It may be a medical need or a loss from some tragedy. We should be eager to help with such needs. Let us not forget about verse 13 of the II Thessalonian passage: “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
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At the same time I realize that many people are just mooching off the generosity of others. Churches are to be charitable, but there are actually clear guidelines in the scripture for showing charity. Imagine if the majority of the people who came to church refused to work and just tried to live off of the generosity of others. It would not take long before there were not enough resources to go around. A sad result would be the inevitable depletion of resources that should be available for those who really do have needs. Consider the faithful Christian widow with no resources who does not have enough to get by. Imagine if we were not able to help her, because others were constantly mooching.
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Even as we think of the widow, the scripture shows that only certain widows are to be helped on a permanent basis. I Timothy chapter 5 explains that in order to get steady support from the church, a widow must have no children or nephews (it is their responsibility to care for her), she must not have other resources to live off of, she must be godly, she must be over 60 years old, and she must have been charitable herself. Not just any widow is allowed to mooch off the church. If she has true needs, she is not mooching, she is being blessed by the provision of God as she serves in prayer.
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A similar issue was dealt with in the letter to the Thessalonians. Evidently some of them were not working and were mooching off of others so Paul wrote: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
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Paul had taught about this issue when he was in Thessalonica and he had written about it in his first letter to them as well, so this is at least the third time he has brought it up. Evidently, some people still were not listening, so he finally had to say in vs. 14, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
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In other words we are not to associate with those who are simply trying to mooch off the church. Verse 15, then makes it clear that we are not to consider them enemies, but we are to tell them to do what is right.
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As I write these things, it may be tempting to become cynical about helping others. I pray we not do that. There are those who are not moochers, but who have genuine needs. It may be a medical need or a loss from some tragedy. We should be eager to help with such needs. Let us not forget about verse 13 of the II Thessalonian passage: “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
Friday, October 19, 2012
Responsibility & Self Defense
This time of year reminds me of deer season. I haven’t hunted in years but I still have the old shotgun. I have never had to use that shotgun for self defense, but it is there if it is ever needed.
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The issue of self defense is a serious issue, especially as we consider that it may lead to a life being taken. In Luke 22:35-38 Jesus tells his disciples to buy swords and then we find out that a couple of them were already carrying. I believe this implies Christ’s consent for the defensive carry of weapons. Having said that, I believe that there are also some important warnings that Christians must consider as we approach the responsibility for self defense and the defense of others.
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Psalms 82:4 says, “Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.” I believe that this verse gives permission to use even deadly force to save the lives of others. This however does not mean that we have the right to avenge crime. We simply have a right to protect those who are victims as the crime is being committed. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) I am not a lawyer, but as I understand the laws of Iowa, they follow these same Biblical principles in this area. We can use self defense, but we are not allowed to hunt down and kill criminals after the fact.
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What about a criminal who is simply stealing but not threatening life? Exodus 22:2-3 explains that he should make restitution, but if he cannot make restitution that he should be sold into slavery. Though slavery is not part of our culture, this passage shows the severity of the crime and that as strict as the law was, it did not involve death. At the same time this passage also makes provision for a situation where a home is broken into at night. In that situation the scripture allows for deadly force, because in the dark of night it would be difficult to know if the person was simply coming to steal or if they were coming to harm. The laws of Iowa are a bit more vague in this area, but both they and the scriptures remind us of the sanctity of the life of even a thief.
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I am a strong advocate of self defense and of the defense of the innocent victims of criminals, but I cannot defend those who own or carry weapons with a hope that they will be able to use them for the thrill of violence. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” (Psalms 11:5)
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Still, there may be times when it is necessary to use force to stop the unjust violence of wicked people. Psalm 144:1 shows that it is good to know how to use weapons in case the need arises. “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” The Psalms also remind us that although God allows for the use of weapons, our ultimate trust must be in Him, not them. “For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.” (Psalm 44:6-7) I am thankful for my gun, but it might jamb. However, I can always trust my God no matter what he allows to happen.
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The issue of self defense is a serious issue, especially as we consider that it may lead to a life being taken. In Luke 22:35-38 Jesus tells his disciples to buy swords and then we find out that a couple of them were already carrying. I believe this implies Christ’s consent for the defensive carry of weapons. Having said that, I believe that there are also some important warnings that Christians must consider as we approach the responsibility for self defense and the defense of others.
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Psalms 82:4 says, “Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.” I believe that this verse gives permission to use even deadly force to save the lives of others. This however does not mean that we have the right to avenge crime. We simply have a right to protect those who are victims as the crime is being committed. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) I am not a lawyer, but as I understand the laws of Iowa, they follow these same Biblical principles in this area. We can use self defense, but we are not allowed to hunt down and kill criminals after the fact.
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What about a criminal who is simply stealing but not threatening life? Exodus 22:2-3 explains that he should make restitution, but if he cannot make restitution that he should be sold into slavery. Though slavery is not part of our culture, this passage shows the severity of the crime and that as strict as the law was, it did not involve death. At the same time this passage also makes provision for a situation where a home is broken into at night. In that situation the scripture allows for deadly force, because in the dark of night it would be difficult to know if the person was simply coming to steal or if they were coming to harm. The laws of Iowa are a bit more vague in this area, but both they and the scriptures remind us of the sanctity of the life of even a thief.
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I am a strong advocate of self defense and of the defense of the innocent victims of criminals, but I cannot defend those who own or carry weapons with a hope that they will be able to use them for the thrill of violence. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” (Psalms 11:5)
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Still, there may be times when it is necessary to use force to stop the unjust violence of wicked people. Psalm 144:1 shows that it is good to know how to use weapons in case the need arises. “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” The Psalms also remind us that although God allows for the use of weapons, our ultimate trust must be in Him, not them. “For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.” (Psalm 44:6-7) I am thankful for my gun, but it might jamb. However, I can always trust my God no matter what he allows to happen.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Do We Know What Love Is?
My wife and I will celebrate our 6th anniversary this fall. I regularly tell her that I love her. I talk to my little brother on the phone quite a bit as well. I also regularly tell him that I love him. Though I love both my brother an my wife, the love that I have for my wife involves a romantic component that the love I have for others does not have. So what is love?
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The greatest command of all is to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and then to love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37-40). I fear however that we do not really understand what love is.
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Just because I say the words, “I love you,” does that really mean that I am showing love? Sometimes those words are not loving at all and are actually said for selfish reasons in order to try to get something or to influence someone. Real love is more than just words. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (I John 3:18) The words themselves are not the same as love, but rather they should be a part of the evidence of love. The other part of that evidence should be the actions or deeds that are done out of love. “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16)
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As we consider love in action, the word charity comes to mind. In fact, in one of the most popular English Bible versions, the Greek word “agape” is translated love 86 times and charity 27 times. This reminds us that charity is certainly an aspect of love; however, we must also realize that although love should involve action, it should also involve more than that. The word “agape” has the idea of affection or benevolence. We typically think of affection as “love” and benevolence as “charity”, yet both aspects are found in this one word.
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I Corinthians 13 is often referred to as the love chapter, yet the word “agape” in this passage is often translated “charity”. The context however clearly shows that this love is to be more than just charitable actions. Consider verse 3: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” Giving goods to feed the poor is how charity is often defined, yet this verse is teaching that a man could give everything he has away and still not have charity. The reason for this is that although love involves doing things, it is also much more than just action, it includes affection as well.
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Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”. Mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, patience, and forgiveness, are the sort of things that show love. Yet Colossians 3:14 shows us that love (charity) is to be put above all those other things that we typically think of as actions of love. I believe that the reason for this is that if you have love, then the other things are more likely to fall into place.
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As we try to understand the concept of love, let us remember that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. The heart is the idea of the affection, the soul is the idea of your life/actions, and the mind is the idea of your thoughts. There are many aspects of love. May it abound more and more.
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The greatest command of all is to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and then to love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37-40). I fear however that we do not really understand what love is.
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Just because I say the words, “I love you,” does that really mean that I am showing love? Sometimes those words are not loving at all and are actually said for selfish reasons in order to try to get something or to influence someone. Real love is more than just words. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (I John 3:18) The words themselves are not the same as love, but rather they should be a part of the evidence of love. The other part of that evidence should be the actions or deeds that are done out of love. “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16)
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As we consider love in action, the word charity comes to mind. In fact, in one of the most popular English Bible versions, the Greek word “agape” is translated love 86 times and charity 27 times. This reminds us that charity is certainly an aspect of love; however, we must also realize that although love should involve action, it should also involve more than that. The word “agape” has the idea of affection or benevolence. We typically think of affection as “love” and benevolence as “charity”, yet both aspects are found in this one word.
-
I Corinthians 13 is often referred to as the love chapter, yet the word “agape” in this passage is often translated “charity”. The context however clearly shows that this love is to be more than just charitable actions. Consider verse 3: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” Giving goods to feed the poor is how charity is often defined, yet this verse is teaching that a man could give everything he has away and still not have charity. The reason for this is that although love involves doing things, it is also much more than just action, it includes affection as well.
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Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”. Mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, patience, and forgiveness, are the sort of things that show love. Yet Colossians 3:14 shows us that love (charity) is to be put above all those other things that we typically think of as actions of love. I believe that the reason for this is that if you have love, then the other things are more likely to fall into place.
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As we try to understand the concept of love, let us remember that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. The heart is the idea of the affection, the soul is the idea of your life/actions, and the mind is the idea of your thoughts. There are many aspects of love. May it abound more and more.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Do I Really Have to Share?
We have been trying to teach our little boys to share. This can be a difficult concept. We want to teach them that they must share their toys with each other, but we also want to make sure that one of them does not use the idea of sharing as an excuse to demand that his brother give up the toy that he wants.
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Unfortunately even adults struggle with this concept. As Christians we are to share with those who are less fortunate than we are, yet we must also point out that it is not right to demand that others share their possessions simply because we want them. Consider the tenth commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.” (Exodus 20:17)
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Rather than teaching our boys that they have to give up a toy anytime anyone asks for it, we are trying to teach them the concept of charity and showing love for each other. One of those ways has been to encourage them to find another toy to trade with their brother so that they can get the toy they want. As we have implemented this concept we have also had to tell the bigger boys that they are not allowed to force the little ones to trade if they do not want to nor should all the little ones gang up on the big one to take away his toy.
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What about adults? Do they have the right to demand that others share their “toys“? There is a huge difference between charity and forced compliance. Charity is giving out of love. That is what I hope to teach my children as I encourage them to share. Forced demands, however, get results based on strength rather than love. Compliance is simply the result of a threat. For example if someone threatens you with a weapon and asks for all the “toys” in your wallet, you do not give them the wallet out of charity but because of force. Another command clearly deals with that. “Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)
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This actually brings us to an important question: can forced charity really be called charity? The reason that I am asking this question is because if someone is giving out of compulsion rather than out of love- though the giving may actually be benefiting someone else- it is not actually real charity.
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I can condition my children to respond in a certain manner, but as I teach them to share, I want them to learn the concept of love so that even if they want to play with a toy, they would love their brother enough to let him play with it as well. I also hope that they carry those concepts into adulthood so that they are willing to share with those in need, but also not so selfish as to demand that others share with them.
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Galatians 5:14 says, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Loving neighbors will not demand that others share their excess, but loving neighbors will also help those who really are in need. A Biblical concept of love should help us to share without being greedy.
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Unfortunately even adults struggle with this concept. As Christians we are to share with those who are less fortunate than we are, yet we must also point out that it is not right to demand that others share their possessions simply because we want them. Consider the tenth commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.” (Exodus 20:17)
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Rather than teaching our boys that they have to give up a toy anytime anyone asks for it, we are trying to teach them the concept of charity and showing love for each other. One of those ways has been to encourage them to find another toy to trade with their brother so that they can get the toy they want. As we have implemented this concept we have also had to tell the bigger boys that they are not allowed to force the little ones to trade if they do not want to nor should all the little ones gang up on the big one to take away his toy.
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What about adults? Do they have the right to demand that others share their “toys“? There is a huge difference between charity and forced compliance. Charity is giving out of love. That is what I hope to teach my children as I encourage them to share. Forced demands, however, get results based on strength rather than love. Compliance is simply the result of a threat. For example if someone threatens you with a weapon and asks for all the “toys” in your wallet, you do not give them the wallet out of charity but because of force. Another command clearly deals with that. “Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)
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This actually brings us to an important question: can forced charity really be called charity? The reason that I am asking this question is because if someone is giving out of compulsion rather than out of love- though the giving may actually be benefiting someone else- it is not actually real charity.
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I can condition my children to respond in a certain manner, but as I teach them to share, I want them to learn the concept of love so that even if they want to play with a toy, they would love their brother enough to let him play with it as well. I also hope that they carry those concepts into adulthood so that they are willing to share with those in need, but also not so selfish as to demand that others share with them.
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Galatians 5:14 says, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Loving neighbors will not demand that others share their excess, but loving neighbors will also help those who really are in need. A Biblical concept of love should help us to share without being greedy.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Why do Bad Things Happen?
Why does God allow disease? Why are people killed by hurricanes? Why did so many people lose their homes to forest fires? Why do bad things happen? Why did God even allow sin into this world?
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The above questions have been asked by generations of people who have tried to figure out God and what He is doing. Of course we look forward to a heaven utopia with no problems or trials at all, but if we had been born into such a utopia, it would be much more difficult to really appreciate God. The fact that we have problems drives us to God for our comfort.
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Psalm 107 is a great place to see this laid our before us. In the very first verse we are reminded that God’s mercy endures forever. Then it goes on to show us how God provided deliverance from trials. “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” (Psalms 107:6)
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The Psalm also points out that many of the trials that were faced were because people rebelled against God (vs. 11-12) or acted in a foolish sinful manner (vs. 17), yet even when the problems were their own fault, God still helped them when they cried unto Him. “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.” (Psalms 107:13, see also vs. 18)
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As we come to vs. 23 we are given the illustration of a storm at sea to show that as God sends the storm, He is able to get the attention of men so that they turn to Him. “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” (Psalms 107:23-30)
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Throughout this Psalm we are shown God’s power and God’s mercy. As He shows His mercy and helps us, it should remind us to praise Him. Psalms 107:8 says, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” That same verse is repeated in verses 15, 21, and 31 as well. As trials come and God delivers, we should be reminded to praise Him.
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As we come to the end of the Psalm, we see that some people suffer loss and others are helped. Today there are many who look at trials and realize that God is their only hope. There are others who become angry at God for causing or allowing the trials. The righteous however understand the goodness of God. Psalm 107 concludes with these words: “The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” (Psalms 107:42-43)
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Rather than getting mad at God, the righteous turn to Him, trusting His lovingkindness, as they understand that He loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. For those who still refuse to turn to God in a world filled with trials, I believe they would be even less likely to turn to Him in a utopia where they saw no need for His mercy.
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The above questions have been asked by generations of people who have tried to figure out God and what He is doing. Of course we look forward to a heaven utopia with no problems or trials at all, but if we had been born into such a utopia, it would be much more difficult to really appreciate God. The fact that we have problems drives us to God for our comfort.
-
Psalm 107 is a great place to see this laid our before us. In the very first verse we are reminded that God’s mercy endures forever. Then it goes on to show us how God provided deliverance from trials. “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” (Psalms 107:6)
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The Psalm also points out that many of the trials that were faced were because people rebelled against God (vs. 11-12) or acted in a foolish sinful manner (vs. 17), yet even when the problems were their own fault, God still helped them when they cried unto Him. “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.” (Psalms 107:13, see also vs. 18)
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As we come to vs. 23 we are given the illustration of a storm at sea to show that as God sends the storm, He is able to get the attention of men so that they turn to Him. “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” (Psalms 107:23-30)
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Throughout this Psalm we are shown God’s power and God’s mercy. As He shows His mercy and helps us, it should remind us to praise Him. Psalms 107:8 says, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” That same verse is repeated in verses 15, 21, and 31 as well. As trials come and God delivers, we should be reminded to praise Him.
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As we come to the end of the Psalm, we see that some people suffer loss and others are helped. Today there are many who look at trials and realize that God is their only hope. There are others who become angry at God for causing or allowing the trials. The righteous however understand the goodness of God. Psalm 107 concludes with these words: “The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” (Psalms 107:42-43)
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Rather than getting mad at God, the righteous turn to Him, trusting His lovingkindness, as they understand that He loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. For those who still refuse to turn to God in a world filled with trials, I believe they would be even less likely to turn to Him in a utopia where they saw no need for His mercy.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Don’t Manipulate the Bible
Imagine that you walk into a French hospital and you see a man dressed in white and he says he has the cockroach. Your first thought may be that he is an exterminator, but then you are informed that when the French talk of having the cockroach, they mean they are depressed. With this added information, you then understand that this person is likely a patient rather than an exterminator.
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It is amazing how a little additional information can change ones perspective. Often as I talk about the Bible, others will point out how there are so many different interpretations. I must agree that this is true. Since I preach through the Bible verse by verse there are occasions when I must admit that there are a number of views on a particular verse. Still, most of the Bible is quite straight forward. For example there is little room for variations of interpretation when declaring that lying, stealing and murder are sins.
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But what do we do with the areas that we are not quite so sure about? Like the illustration about the French cockroach, we must strive for as much information as possible and grasp for the original meaning and intent of words that are used in scripture, realizing that they were not originally written in English. Further, we need to get as much information as possible from the text. In other words we should not just isolate a passage, but we should look both at the immediate context as well as the rest of scripture.
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Imagine if you started to read the story of The Three Little Pigs but only read the first two thirds of it. You could easily come to the conclusion that any house that a pig built, a wolf could destroy. You would actually miss the whole moral of the story and end up replacing that moral with one that the story never intended. Sadly the same thing often happens with Biblical interpretation.
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I recently listened to an online sermon and I was exposed to such careless interpretation. The pastor pointed out that each of the 5 times the word “breeches” was used in the Bible, that it referred to men wearing them. His conclusion, based upon that information, was that women should never wear pants because only men had worn breeches in those verses. What he neglected to point out is that each of those 5 verses also referred to the priests. Based on his logic, only priests should wear pants. Further, he also missed another important piece of information. Every time the word “skirt” is found (10 verses), it always refers to men. Based on that preachers logic, only men should wear skirts.
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It has often been said that a person can make the Bible say anything they want it to say. The truth is, people try to convince others that the Bible is saying something different than what it says, but that does not change the actually text. The problem with some Biblical interpretation is that people try to manipulate the truth rather than just looking at what it says.
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2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The person who missed the moral of the Three Little Pigs, and the pastor who drew an unreasonable conclusion from the word “breeches,” had reason to be ashamed. I fear that often such foolishness is not the result of ignorance, but rather of manipulation. That is why all Christians, not just pastors, need to study God’s Word. It really can be understood.
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It is amazing how a little additional information can change ones perspective. Often as I talk about the Bible, others will point out how there are so many different interpretations. I must agree that this is true. Since I preach through the Bible verse by verse there are occasions when I must admit that there are a number of views on a particular verse. Still, most of the Bible is quite straight forward. For example there is little room for variations of interpretation when declaring that lying, stealing and murder are sins.
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But what do we do with the areas that we are not quite so sure about? Like the illustration about the French cockroach, we must strive for as much information as possible and grasp for the original meaning and intent of words that are used in scripture, realizing that they were not originally written in English. Further, we need to get as much information as possible from the text. In other words we should not just isolate a passage, but we should look both at the immediate context as well as the rest of scripture.
-
Imagine if you started to read the story of The Three Little Pigs but only read the first two thirds of it. You could easily come to the conclusion that any house that a pig built, a wolf could destroy. You would actually miss the whole moral of the story and end up replacing that moral with one that the story never intended. Sadly the same thing often happens with Biblical interpretation.
-
I recently listened to an online sermon and I was exposed to such careless interpretation. The pastor pointed out that each of the 5 times the word “breeches” was used in the Bible, that it referred to men wearing them. His conclusion, based upon that information, was that women should never wear pants because only men had worn breeches in those verses. What he neglected to point out is that each of those 5 verses also referred to the priests. Based on his logic, only priests should wear pants. Further, he also missed another important piece of information. Every time the word “skirt” is found (10 verses), it always refers to men. Based on that preachers logic, only men should wear skirts.
-
It has often been said that a person can make the Bible say anything they want it to say. The truth is, people try to convince others that the Bible is saying something different than what it says, but that does not change the actually text. The problem with some Biblical interpretation is that people try to manipulate the truth rather than just looking at what it says.
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2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The person who missed the moral of the Three Little Pigs, and the pastor who drew an unreasonable conclusion from the word “breeches,” had reason to be ashamed. I fear that often such foolishness is not the result of ignorance, but rather of manipulation. That is why all Christians, not just pastors, need to study God’s Word. It really can be understood.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Talking about God
Why am I here? What is life all about? For those who have trusted God and believe on Jesus Christ as their savior, there is a clear answer to that question. Isaiah 43:7 says, “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Revelation 4:11 states, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
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All things are created for God’s pleasure and as Christians we are created to bring glory to God. One of the ways to bring glory to God is to tell others about Him. “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.” (Psalm 105:1-2)
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Telling people about God involves making known His deeds and talking about His wondrous works. That means to tell people about the amazing things that God has done. As you do that, you get to fulfill your purpose in life as a Christian. You get to bring glory to God as you brag on Him.
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As Christians, it is important that we tell people that Christ has come to save us from our sins, but many people are not interested in that message because they do not even understand who God is and how wonderful He is.
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As humans it is only natural for us to want to bring others along to our way of thinking. For example farmers have debated with each other for almost 100 years about whether red or green tractors are better. Before that the debate was horses, vs. mules, vs. oxen. Today it is difficult to turn on the TV or radio without hearing a debate about who should be our next President. The point is, each side is trying to convince the other.
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Often we take the same approach with Christianity and sometimes it works, but other times people just feel like they are being harassed. I grew up running green tractors and if someone came and told me how stupid I was not to have used a red tractor instead, I’d probably sink in my heals and defend John Deere. On the other hand, if a friend started to simply tell me how much he liked his Case/IH and how fun it was to drive and then offered to let me come and ride with him, I’d probably take him up on the offer.
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I am not suggesting that we never enter a debate about the gospel, but there are times that it is obvious that those we are talking to are more interested in arguing than learning. With such people it may be more beneficial to simply talk about how wonderful God is and let them understand Him better before actually going on to the next step of showing them that Jesus came to die for their sins so that they could be reconciled to a wonderful God.
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Finally we must understand that it is not our job to argue someone into heaven. It is our job to tell them the wonderful good news, but we cannot force them to believe it. Some have even gone so far as to continually harass others other until they got them to pray a prayer. That is not the gospel. That is worldly manipulation that any high pressure salesman or bully knows how to use, and just because a prayer is said doesn’t mean anyone changed their minds.
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Instead of trying to manipulate others, open the pages of scripture and read about the wondrous things God has done so you have something to tell others about. Look back on you own life and remember what God has done for you. Then share what you know about God with others and tell them that He loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
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All things are created for God’s pleasure and as Christians we are created to bring glory to God. One of the ways to bring glory to God is to tell others about Him. “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.” (Psalm 105:1-2)
-
Telling people about God involves making known His deeds and talking about His wondrous works. That means to tell people about the amazing things that God has done. As you do that, you get to fulfill your purpose in life as a Christian. You get to bring glory to God as you brag on Him.
-
As Christians, it is important that we tell people that Christ has come to save us from our sins, but many people are not interested in that message because they do not even understand who God is and how wonderful He is.
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As humans it is only natural for us to want to bring others along to our way of thinking. For example farmers have debated with each other for almost 100 years about whether red or green tractors are better. Before that the debate was horses, vs. mules, vs. oxen. Today it is difficult to turn on the TV or radio without hearing a debate about who should be our next President. The point is, each side is trying to convince the other.
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Often we take the same approach with Christianity and sometimes it works, but other times people just feel like they are being harassed. I grew up running green tractors and if someone came and told me how stupid I was not to have used a red tractor instead, I’d probably sink in my heals and defend John Deere. On the other hand, if a friend started to simply tell me how much he liked his Case/IH and how fun it was to drive and then offered to let me come and ride with him, I’d probably take him up on the offer.
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I am not suggesting that we never enter a debate about the gospel, but there are times that it is obvious that those we are talking to are more interested in arguing than learning. With such people it may be more beneficial to simply talk about how wonderful God is and let them understand Him better before actually going on to the next step of showing them that Jesus came to die for their sins so that they could be reconciled to a wonderful God.
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Finally we must understand that it is not our job to argue someone into heaven. It is our job to tell them the wonderful good news, but we cannot force them to believe it. Some have even gone so far as to continually harass others other until they got them to pray a prayer. That is not the gospel. That is worldly manipulation that any high pressure salesman or bully knows how to use, and just because a prayer is said doesn’t mean anyone changed their minds.
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Instead of trying to manipulate others, open the pages of scripture and read about the wondrous things God has done so you have something to tell others about. Look back on you own life and remember what God has done for you. Then share what you know about God with others and tell them that He loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
Friday, July 27, 2012
When to be a Tattletale?
A few weeks ago I wrote a column about small towns and not gossiping. This led to a conversation with my wife about children and tattling. We do not want our children to be know as tattletales, but we do want them to report evil behavior. Many of the “bad guys” also realize children do not want to be know as tattle tales and they use that to their advantage, thus they are often able to convince children to cover up evil deeds that are done to them. Some of the most evil among them even try to convince the children that it was their fault that the sin occurred.
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Let us consider some scriptural passages as we try to sort out the difference between a child’s selfish complaints (what most people think of when they hear the term “tattletale”) and real sinful or dangerous situations that we must encourage our children to tell us about. I Timothy 5:13 says, “And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.” Look at the context of these tattlers. They are running around as busybodies telling others about things that are nobodies business. This is a far cry from a child telling his parents about a dangerous situation.
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For example, a few weeks ago I had just finished putting some shingles on a roof and had set my air nailer down as I picked up other tools. It was a careless move on my part because my 4 year old had been watching me use that tool and decided to pick it up. It was a valuable lesson for me as a father to be more careful with my tools, but it was also an opportunity to warn him about how dangerous this tool is.
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I hope he really does understand how dangerous that tool is and that if one of his brothers ever finds it in the garage and tries to play with it that he will tell us right away so that we could stop someone from getting hurt. This would not be a gossip issue, it would be a safety issue. I would not scold him for tattling at a time like that.
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What if a pedophile did something to one of our children. I would definitely want them to share that information as well. Children need to understand that if they tell someone that they will not be scolded for tattling. This brings to mind Luke 17:1-2, “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
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I hate to even think that anyone would put such a stumbling block in front of a child, yet we live in such a sin cursed world that even authority figures like coaches, teachers, pastors, and priests have done such deeds. I cannot help but think of the words of the Apostle Paul, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” (I Timothy 5:20)
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It grieves my heart to hear of the cover up at Penn. State, but let us be careful that we not train our own children to cover up evil and dangerous behavior because they are afraid of being called tattletales.
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Let us consider some scriptural passages as we try to sort out the difference between a child’s selfish complaints (what most people think of when they hear the term “tattletale”) and real sinful or dangerous situations that we must encourage our children to tell us about. I Timothy 5:13 says, “And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.” Look at the context of these tattlers. They are running around as busybodies telling others about things that are nobodies business. This is a far cry from a child telling his parents about a dangerous situation.
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For example, a few weeks ago I had just finished putting some shingles on a roof and had set my air nailer down as I picked up other tools. It was a careless move on my part because my 4 year old had been watching me use that tool and decided to pick it up. It was a valuable lesson for me as a father to be more careful with my tools, but it was also an opportunity to warn him about how dangerous this tool is.
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I hope he really does understand how dangerous that tool is and that if one of his brothers ever finds it in the garage and tries to play with it that he will tell us right away so that we could stop someone from getting hurt. This would not be a gossip issue, it would be a safety issue. I would not scold him for tattling at a time like that.
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What if a pedophile did something to one of our children. I would definitely want them to share that information as well. Children need to understand that if they tell someone that they will not be scolded for tattling. This brings to mind Luke 17:1-2, “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
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I hate to even think that anyone would put such a stumbling block in front of a child, yet we live in such a sin cursed world that even authority figures like coaches, teachers, pastors, and priests have done such deeds. I cannot help but think of the words of the Apostle Paul, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” (I Timothy 5:20)
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It grieves my heart to hear of the cover up at Penn. State, but let us be careful that we not train our own children to cover up evil and dangerous behavior because they are afraid of being called tattletales.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Do Not Oppress the Poor
There is an old saying that advises not to discuss religion or politics, yet here I am writing articles that always have some sort of religious message in them. Often within a religious discussion, politics also come up. “Social issues” are obviously part of politics, but even economic issues have a religious component to them.
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Though liberals and conservative Christians differ strongly on political issues, they share a common concern for the poor, or at least they say they do. The difference however comes in their approach about how to best help the poor. The scriptures speak extensively on these matters.
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For example, Proverbs 22:16 says, “He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.” A liberal might look at that verse and think that the whole capitalist system is out to give to the rich and oppress the poor. The conservative may look at the same verse and wonder why liberals would want to take property tax money from poor homeowners to give to teachers who are making an upper middle class living.
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Part of the problem in the whole debate is man’s preoccupation with riches. Some are preoccupied with getting others riches through stealing, begging, or legislating. Others are preoccupied with earning their riches through hard work. The scripture makes it clear that there are more important things than riches. “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1) Those who steal or oppress the poor for riches have given up their good name.
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In our country there are many people who live below the poverty level yet still have extra food, sufficient shelter, and a lot of clothes. There are others who have almost nothing. If a healthy young man is collecting welfare, driving a nice car and talking on his I-phone, isn’t he oppressing the poor little old widow who is too weak and elderly to work and who may have to sell her tiny house because the property taxes are too high? Isn’t the government thus oppressing the poor to give to the rich?
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The scripture is clear that we should help the poor. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Proverbs 19:17) “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” (Proverbs 21:13)
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The problem is that many who claim to be poor really are not. They just do not have enough cash flow to satisfy all their pleasures and they are envious of those who do. Proverbs 21:17 warns, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” If you think you have the right to get a free handout so you can take a vacation to Disney World or go out drinking, don’t be surprised if you really do end up poor.
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Further, if you are too lazy to work, don’t blame someone else for your poverty. “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” (Proverbs 19:15) “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.” (Proverbs 20:4) “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.” (Proverbs 20:13) “The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.” (Proverbs 21:25)
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Instead of envying the rich and suppressing the poor, we as Christians should make sure we are not lazy and we should work hard, NOT so that we can buy whatever we want, but so we can have some extra to help others. “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28).
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Though liberals and conservative Christians differ strongly on political issues, they share a common concern for the poor, or at least they say they do. The difference however comes in their approach about how to best help the poor. The scriptures speak extensively on these matters.
-
For example, Proverbs 22:16 says, “He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.” A liberal might look at that verse and think that the whole capitalist system is out to give to the rich and oppress the poor. The conservative may look at the same verse and wonder why liberals would want to take property tax money from poor homeowners to give to teachers who are making an upper middle class living.
-
Part of the problem in the whole debate is man’s preoccupation with riches. Some are preoccupied with getting others riches through stealing, begging, or legislating. Others are preoccupied with earning their riches through hard work. The scripture makes it clear that there are more important things than riches. “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1) Those who steal or oppress the poor for riches have given up their good name.
-
In our country there are many people who live below the poverty level yet still have extra food, sufficient shelter, and a lot of clothes. There are others who have almost nothing. If a healthy young man is collecting welfare, driving a nice car and talking on his I-phone, isn’t he oppressing the poor little old widow who is too weak and elderly to work and who may have to sell her tiny house because the property taxes are too high? Isn’t the government thus oppressing the poor to give to the rich?
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The scripture is clear that we should help the poor. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Proverbs 19:17) “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” (Proverbs 21:13)
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The problem is that many who claim to be poor really are not. They just do not have enough cash flow to satisfy all their pleasures and they are envious of those who do. Proverbs 21:17 warns, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” If you think you have the right to get a free handout so you can take a vacation to Disney World or go out drinking, don’t be surprised if you really do end up poor.
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Further, if you are too lazy to work, don’t blame someone else for your poverty. “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” (Proverbs 19:15) “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.” (Proverbs 20:4) “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.” (Proverbs 20:13) “The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.” (Proverbs 21:25)
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Instead of envying the rich and suppressing the poor, we as Christians should make sure we are not lazy and we should work hard, NOT so that we can buy whatever we want, but so we can have some extra to help others. “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28).
Friday, June 29, 2012
Loving Small Town Neighbors
I love living in a small town. Our boys just got a new sandbox and it seems like the whole town is celebrating with them. Before we even got the lumber to build it, we had told the boys what we were planning and they started to tell nearly everyone they saw that they were getting a sandbox.
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It did not take long for word to spread about our boy’s excitement. Then when we finally got the lumber, numerous residents were able to pass by and see that we were starting some sort of project. Thus more people saw what was happening. Then as we were building it and filling it with sand others stopped by to share the joy our children were experiencing.
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What really made the project special is that I had started to build the sandbox before ordering any sand and once it was built a local businessman heard about it and offered free sand that had come from a hole he had dug for another project. Furthermore, some friends not only delivered the sand, but they dumped it into the sandbox for us.
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One of the complaints I have heard about small towns is the lack of privacy and that everyone knows your business. I’ve always lived in a rural area, so I’m used to it and not bothered by it. We must realize that there is a huge difference between malicious gossip and a caring community. The news about our sandbox was not gossip and it led to a great blessing for us.
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I am so thankful to live in a caring community that knows about joyful events in our lives and is excited about celebrating those joys with us. I enjoy that the lady who was out for her walk saw the boys helping us carry boards for the sandbox and then cared enough to ask about it later. I enjoyed the excitement on her face as she realized how much fun the kids would have playing in the sand.
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I have spoken to people who have moved from a rural area into a big city and they do not even know their next door neighbors. I would not want to trade the love and joy that comes from our neighbors being part of our lives for the lonely privacy of other areas. The first and greatest commandment is to “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. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
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As we show love for our neighbors and get involved in their lives, we must have the discernment to understand that there are certain things that we learn that should be kept private and there are other joys we should share. Our love for them should drive that discernment. For example there is a huge difference between sharing exciting news about a new sandbox verses sharing scandalous news about the fight you overheard your neighbors having.
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If the news you are sharing about others is meant to wound them, that is gossip and is not showing love for them. Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”
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In small towns we are able to share a lot of news about each other and that is a good thing as long as it is not news that wounds. Rather than being discouraged that everyone knows your business, let us live in an upright manner so that it doesn’t matter that they know what we are doing, and then enjoy the love of community. At the same time realize that none of us are perfect, and be careful not to share private information that could hurt someone else.
-
It did not take long for word to spread about our boy’s excitement. Then when we finally got the lumber, numerous residents were able to pass by and see that we were starting some sort of project. Thus more people saw what was happening. Then as we were building it and filling it with sand others stopped by to share the joy our children were experiencing.
-
What really made the project special is that I had started to build the sandbox before ordering any sand and once it was built a local businessman heard about it and offered free sand that had come from a hole he had dug for another project. Furthermore, some friends not only delivered the sand, but they dumped it into the sandbox for us.
-
One of the complaints I have heard about small towns is the lack of privacy and that everyone knows your business. I’ve always lived in a rural area, so I’m used to it and not bothered by it. We must realize that there is a huge difference between malicious gossip and a caring community. The news about our sandbox was not gossip and it led to a great blessing for us.
-
I am so thankful to live in a caring community that knows about joyful events in our lives and is excited about celebrating those joys with us. I enjoy that the lady who was out for her walk saw the boys helping us carry boards for the sandbox and then cared enough to ask about it later. I enjoyed the excitement on her face as she realized how much fun the kids would have playing in the sand.
-
I have spoken to people who have moved from a rural area into a big city and they do not even know their next door neighbors. I would not want to trade the love and joy that comes from our neighbors being part of our lives for the lonely privacy of other areas. The first and greatest commandment is to “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. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
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As we show love for our neighbors and get involved in their lives, we must have the discernment to understand that there are certain things that we learn that should be kept private and there are other joys we should share. Our love for them should drive that discernment. For example there is a huge difference between sharing exciting news about a new sandbox verses sharing scandalous news about the fight you overheard your neighbors having.
-
If the news you are sharing about others is meant to wound them, that is gossip and is not showing love for them. Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”
-
In small towns we are able to share a lot of news about each other and that is a good thing as long as it is not news that wounds. Rather than being discouraged that everyone knows your business, let us live in an upright manner so that it doesn’t matter that they know what we are doing, and then enjoy the love of community. At the same time realize that none of us are perfect, and be careful not to share private information that could hurt someone else.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Bugged by Those Annoying Bugs
The last week in June, First Baptist Church in Bancroft will be hosting Vacation Bible School for grade school children. The theme this year is “Bug Zone: Transformed By Our Big God!” Just as a caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly, so are we transformed when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
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Though I like the theme for our Bible School this year I do not necessarily like bugs. That word “bug” has multiple definitions. It can mean an insect or even an arachnid. It can also mean to pester or annoy. Both these definitions fit quite well with what we call bugs.
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A while ago our two year old woke up crying and pointing to the corner of his crib and saying “bug!” Evidently a fly had bit him and he was scared. A few weeks after that we were outside in the evening and ended up being bugged by mosquitoes. No doubt about it, bugs bug people.
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We even have examples of bugs bugging people in the Bible. God sent bugs as one of the plagues upon the Egyptians during the time of Moses. “And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.” (Exodus 8:24) God later sent hornets against Israel’s enemies to drive them off the land. “And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.” (Joshua 24:12)
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Bugs are small, but they can do a lot of damage. Grasshoppers, or locusts as they are often called, can destroy crops. “The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;” (Proverbs 30:27) The moth and worm can do much damage even in small numbers. “For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 51:8)
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The next time a bug bugs you, realize that no one is immune from the effects of bugs. “The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.” (Proverbs 30:28)
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Though bugs are terribly annoying, we can learn valuable lessons from their persistence. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8)
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Let’s face it, bugs are not the only things that bug us. We face many annoyances in life, but as we do, we need to learn and grow through those annoyances rather than letting them be an excuse for sin. In other words we need to trust God’s power to transform us through our trials just as he transforms a caterpillar into a butterfly. James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 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.”
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Though I like the theme for our Bible School this year I do not necessarily like bugs. That word “bug” has multiple definitions. It can mean an insect or even an arachnid. It can also mean to pester or annoy. Both these definitions fit quite well with what we call bugs.
-
A while ago our two year old woke up crying and pointing to the corner of his crib and saying “bug!” Evidently a fly had bit him and he was scared. A few weeks after that we were outside in the evening and ended up being bugged by mosquitoes. No doubt about it, bugs bug people.
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We even have examples of bugs bugging people in the Bible. God sent bugs as one of the plagues upon the Egyptians during the time of Moses. “And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.” (Exodus 8:24) God later sent hornets against Israel’s enemies to drive them off the land. “And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.” (Joshua 24:12)
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Bugs are small, but they can do a lot of damage. Grasshoppers, or locusts as they are often called, can destroy crops. “The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;” (Proverbs 30:27) The moth and worm can do much damage even in small numbers. “For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 51:8)
-
The next time a bug bugs you, realize that no one is immune from the effects of bugs. “The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.” (Proverbs 30:28)
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Though bugs are terribly annoying, we can learn valuable lessons from their persistence. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8)
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Let’s face it, bugs are not the only things that bug us. We face many annoyances in life, but as we do, we need to learn and grow through those annoyances rather than letting them be an excuse for sin. In other words we need to trust God’s power to transform us through our trials just as he transforms a caterpillar into a butterfly. James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 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.”
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Friendship Shouldn't Excuse Sin
When I was in High School I had a friend who was a perpetual liar. He had such a reputation for going far beyond exaggeration that people who know him well knew that his word could not be trusted.
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After completing High School my lying friend went to work for a farmer who farmed right across the road from one of the fields I farmed. During the fall of the year one of the farm radio shows would ask farmers to call in with yield reports. Since this man had been a friend of mine for years I recognized his voice when he called in and I also knew that I could expect him to lie. He was running my neighbor’s combine right across the road from where I was harvesting and as I listened to the radio, I could see how full his combine got in the same distance I had traveled. By comparing the level of corn in his combine and mine, I had a pretty good estimate of how well the field was yielding, and sure enough, he lied.
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If you were to call my friend a liar, I could not argue with you. Further, I would not try to convince you that lying is okay simply because I have a friend who lies. Sadly, some people try to convince us that certain sins are okay simply because they have friends and family involved in those sins. This is especially true of homosexuality.
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A lot of things are sinful. That is why Jesus died and rose again- because we are all sinners whether gay or straight. What makes the discussion on homosexuality so difficult is that most people are willing to admit that lying, stealing, slandering, murder and so many other things are wrong, but want to ignore what the Bible says about homosexuality.
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At the same time, we must never forget that just like any other sin, if a person trusts Christ and really repents, it will be forgiven. We must also remember that we all struggle with sin. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Some people struggle with pornography, others struggle with alcoholism (drunkenness), others struggle with covetousness (greed), and some struggle with homosexual desires.
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Think of it this way, if a married man has a desire for a woman other than his wife, does it make it okay for him to sleep with her? No! It is wrong because it is adultery and God makes it clear that adultery is a sin. Some would argue that this is only wrong because the wife could be hurt in this situation, but even if the husband was able to do it without the wife ever finding out, it would still be wrong! The point is, it is wrong because it is sin. The same is true of homosexuality.
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Now if a person has homosexual temptations, but admits that acting on them is a sin, then I see no reason to treat it different than other sins people are tempted with. But if the person has the temptation and says there is nothing wrong with acting on it, then they are denying the scripture.
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I understand that not everyone is a Christian. For some of you my arguments really are not applicable unless you eventually come to the point to finally agree with what God has said, but for those of you who believe on Christ, you should believe the Bible, and it is very clear on this specific sin. That doesn’t mean we do not care about friends who are sinners, but let us not make excuses for their sin no matter what it is. Let us also recognize that we are all sinners and not make excuses for our own sins either.
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After completing High School my lying friend went to work for a farmer who farmed right across the road from one of the fields I farmed. During the fall of the year one of the farm radio shows would ask farmers to call in with yield reports. Since this man had been a friend of mine for years I recognized his voice when he called in and I also knew that I could expect him to lie. He was running my neighbor’s combine right across the road from where I was harvesting and as I listened to the radio, I could see how full his combine got in the same distance I had traveled. By comparing the level of corn in his combine and mine, I had a pretty good estimate of how well the field was yielding, and sure enough, he lied.
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If you were to call my friend a liar, I could not argue with you. Further, I would not try to convince you that lying is okay simply because I have a friend who lies. Sadly, some people try to convince us that certain sins are okay simply because they have friends and family involved in those sins. This is especially true of homosexuality.
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A lot of things are sinful. That is why Jesus died and rose again- because we are all sinners whether gay or straight. What makes the discussion on homosexuality so difficult is that most people are willing to admit that lying, stealing, slandering, murder and so many other things are wrong, but want to ignore what the Bible says about homosexuality.
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At the same time, we must never forget that just like any other sin, if a person trusts Christ and really repents, it will be forgiven. We must also remember that we all struggle with sin. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Some people struggle with pornography, others struggle with alcoholism (drunkenness), others struggle with covetousness (greed), and some struggle with homosexual desires.
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Think of it this way, if a married man has a desire for a woman other than his wife, does it make it okay for him to sleep with her? No! It is wrong because it is adultery and God makes it clear that adultery is a sin. Some would argue that this is only wrong because the wife could be hurt in this situation, but even if the husband was able to do it without the wife ever finding out, it would still be wrong! The point is, it is wrong because it is sin. The same is true of homosexuality.
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Now if a person has homosexual temptations, but admits that acting on them is a sin, then I see no reason to treat it different than other sins people are tempted with. But if the person has the temptation and says there is nothing wrong with acting on it, then they are denying the scripture.
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I understand that not everyone is a Christian. For some of you my arguments really are not applicable unless you eventually come to the point to finally agree with what God has said, but for those of you who believe on Christ, you should believe the Bible, and it is very clear on this specific sin. That doesn’t mean we do not care about friends who are sinners, but let us not make excuses for their sin no matter what it is. Let us also recognize that we are all sinners and not make excuses for our own sins either.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day 2012
If I have my history right, the United States has not formally declared war since World War II. It seems the last formal declaration of war took place nearly 70 years ago on June 5, 1942 when Bulgaria, Hungry, and Romania were added as opponents in our war with Japan, Germany, and Italy.
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Numerous military engagements have been authorized by congress since that time however. Whether or not you call those activities wars, police actions, skirmishes, or national security ventures people have died for our country.
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Though there has never been a formal declaration of war in my lifetime, many have given their lives over the past 70 years and many gave their lives long before that. We are here today to remember and to honor those who are no longer with us because they fought for the cause of a free nation under God.
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Today we honor them. That word “Honor” is quite significant. It means to value, to respect, to hold in high regard. It means to exalt, esteem, dignify and to pay tribute to. I pray that we do all those things today as we gather to remember those who no longer live among us, but are definitely worthy of tribute because they died for us.
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Willingly giving your life for another person is an act of great humility. Pride would say that you are too important to die and that someone else must die for you instead, but humility says that the lives of others are so significant that you are willing to sacrifice your own life.
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Proverbs 22:4 says, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” We looked at honor as a verb as we spoke of the action of bestowing honor on those who gave their lives, but this verse from the scripture shows honor as a noun- a thing- that is possessed by those who are humble and fear the Lord.
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As we consider the definition of honor as a noun, we come up with words like personal integrity, dignity, reputation, mark of distinction, great privilege, & high position. Though those we are honoring today no longer possess life in this world, they do possess dignity, reputation, mark of distinction, great privilege, and a high position in our estimation as we bestow honor upon them.
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As we consider those who gave their lives for others, I cannot help but reflect upon one who was slain and is definitely worthy of honor-in fact the greatest honor of all.
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Revelation 5:11-12 says, "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
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Jesus Christ is God and He gave his life for others and is definitely worthy of honor above all others, but His Holy Bible reminds us that others are worthy of honor as well.
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Romans 13:7 states, "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."
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Today let us honor our fallen soldiers with a respect and a value for their dignity and service as we bestow upon them a mark of distinction for their humble sacrifice- as we give them the honor that is due them- the honor they deserve.
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Numerous military engagements have been authorized by congress since that time however. Whether or not you call those activities wars, police actions, skirmishes, or national security ventures people have died for our country.
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Though there has never been a formal declaration of war in my lifetime, many have given their lives over the past 70 years and many gave their lives long before that. We are here today to remember and to honor those who are no longer with us because they fought for the cause of a free nation under God.
-
Today we honor them. That word “Honor” is quite significant. It means to value, to respect, to hold in high regard. It means to exalt, esteem, dignify and to pay tribute to. I pray that we do all those things today as we gather to remember those who no longer live among us, but are definitely worthy of tribute because they died for us.
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Willingly giving your life for another person is an act of great humility. Pride would say that you are too important to die and that someone else must die for you instead, but humility says that the lives of others are so significant that you are willing to sacrifice your own life.
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Proverbs 22:4 says, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” We looked at honor as a verb as we spoke of the action of bestowing honor on those who gave their lives, but this verse from the scripture shows honor as a noun- a thing- that is possessed by those who are humble and fear the Lord.
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As we consider the definition of honor as a noun, we come up with words like personal integrity, dignity, reputation, mark of distinction, great privilege, & high position. Though those we are honoring today no longer possess life in this world, they do possess dignity, reputation, mark of distinction, great privilege, and a high position in our estimation as we bestow honor upon them.
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As we consider those who gave their lives for others, I cannot help but reflect upon one who was slain and is definitely worthy of honor-in fact the greatest honor of all.
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Revelation 5:11-12 says, "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
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Jesus Christ is God and He gave his life for others and is definitely worthy of honor above all others, but His Holy Bible reminds us that others are worthy of honor as well.
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Romans 13:7 states, "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."
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Today let us honor our fallen soldiers with a respect and a value for their dignity and service as we bestow upon them a mark of distinction for their humble sacrifice- as we give them the honor that is due them- the honor they deserve.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Prayer, Rain, and Thankfulness
Last fall was really dry. I heard of farmers having extra wear and tear on their tractors and tillage equipment because the dry ground made pulling really hard. Then several weeks ago, I heard about a farmer who was concerned about planting into dry dirt and having uneven emergence. It is amazing how quickly things can changed once we got a 4“ rain.
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This reminds me of a dry spell we went through during my childhood. My dad was a farmer and he was concerned that the crops get some rain. Not only was dad concerned, he was literally praying for rain. My little brother was not very old at the time, but he too began to pray for rain and he was actually quite persistent in his prayer.
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Soon it began to rain and as it kept raining, but my little brother kept praying for rain. Finally my parents had to tell him that since our prayers had been answered, he no longer needed to keep repeating that particular prayer.
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My little brothers prayers and the spring rains in Bancroft are a reminder that God can send rain whenever he chooses. Psalm 147:7-8 says, “Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.” Let those who have received rain in the midst of a dry spell not forget to thank God for it.
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The habitual prayers of a child are also a reminder to the rest of us concerning the issue of prayer. Too often our prayers become vain repetition- just saying what we have said before- rather than real vital communication with God. Jesus warned, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7)
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I do not know if my brother’s prayers were vain repetition or the innocent persistence of a child. Persistence in prayer is not condemned but rather it is encouraged. “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?” (Luke 18:7) My little brother was definitely persistent and we did get rain.
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The passage in Psalm 147 reminds us that God prepares the rain for the earth, but it also reminds us that we should thank and praise God. Prayer should not be something we do only when we need help from God. Prayers should also be used to praise and thank God. Think of the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer where He taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be they name.” That line is praising and exalting God, as does the closing of that same prayer, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.”
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When we pray and ask for something we are admitting how dependant we are on God. When we praise and thank Him, we are recognizing His power. I like the acronym A.C.T.S. that reminds us of the components that should be involved in prayer. A= Adoration. We should praise and adore God. C= Confession. We should admit our sin and ask for forgiveness and forgive others. T= Thanksgiving. We should show our thankfulness toward God. S= Supplication. Because we are so dependant on God we should bring our needs before Him.
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With all these reasons to pray, no wonder I Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.”
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This reminds me of a dry spell we went through during my childhood. My dad was a farmer and he was concerned that the crops get some rain. Not only was dad concerned, he was literally praying for rain. My little brother was not very old at the time, but he too began to pray for rain and he was actually quite persistent in his prayer.
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Soon it began to rain and as it kept raining, but my little brother kept praying for rain. Finally my parents had to tell him that since our prayers had been answered, he no longer needed to keep repeating that particular prayer.
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My little brothers prayers and the spring rains in Bancroft are a reminder that God can send rain whenever he chooses. Psalm 147:7-8 says, “Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.” Let those who have received rain in the midst of a dry spell not forget to thank God for it.
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The habitual prayers of a child are also a reminder to the rest of us concerning the issue of prayer. Too often our prayers become vain repetition- just saying what we have said before- rather than real vital communication with God. Jesus warned, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7)
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I do not know if my brother’s prayers were vain repetition or the innocent persistence of a child. Persistence in prayer is not condemned but rather it is encouraged. “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?” (Luke 18:7) My little brother was definitely persistent and we did get rain.
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The passage in Psalm 147 reminds us that God prepares the rain for the earth, but it also reminds us that we should thank and praise God. Prayer should not be something we do only when we need help from God. Prayers should also be used to praise and thank God. Think of the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer where He taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be they name.” That line is praising and exalting God, as does the closing of that same prayer, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.”
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When we pray and ask for something we are admitting how dependant we are on God. When we praise and thank Him, we are recognizing His power. I like the acronym A.C.T.S. that reminds us of the components that should be involved in prayer. A= Adoration. We should praise and adore God. C= Confession. We should admit our sin and ask for forgiveness and forgive others. T= Thanksgiving. We should show our thankfulness toward God. S= Supplication. Because we are so dependant on God we should bring our needs before Him.
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With all these reasons to pray, no wonder I Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.”
Friday, May 4, 2012
Will There Be Pets In Heaven
We have a German Shepherd. They are amazing dogs. They were bred to be rugged working dogs. Our dog loves to do her work of watching the neighborhood and letting us know what is happening with her well timed bark. The only time that the church was ever broken into was when she was away on vacation at my in-law’s farm.
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She loves going to the farm because she loves being able to run outside at her leisure. When Crystal and I were first married we tried having her in the house with us, but she became very agitated because she felt cooped up. Not all dogs like the same surroundings, but our dog loves the outdoors.
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We devised a cable system for her to run on and installed a heated pad in her dog house so she could stay comfortable in the cold winter months. Considering that German Shepherds are made for the cold with their rich double coat, we may not have needed the heated pad, but we wanted our pet to be comfortable. Proverbs 12:10 says, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” That is why we make sure she has a warm place to sleep and plenty of food. In fact, after taking her for a checkup at the vet a few years ago we found out we were feeding her too much food and he recommended we slim her down a bit.
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Some people neglect their pets and others seem to spoil them. I would rather see a pet spoiled a bit than neglected, but we must also be careful not to idolize them. I have been reading recently about the debate in Christian circles about whether or not our pets will go to heaven.
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Instead of an answer about our pets eternal destiny, I have a question. How much of the discussion about pets in heaven is motivated by idolatry of pets? I'm not saying pets are wrong. I have had wonderful pets, but when we get to heaven I cannot imagine worrying about our pets when we get to see our Savior. The whole discussion about getting to have our own pets in heaven sounds like saving up treasure to bring with us. I do not want to sound calloused, but shouldn‘t we be focused on seeing Jesus Christ face to face rather than on seeing our pets? How would you answer a person who asked, "If I restore a '57 Chevy will I get to have that in heaven?" Or "if I buy a Rolex will I get to have that in heaven?" Not all people idolize pets, but for those who do, why is idolatry of pets more acceptable than idolatry of other things?
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Romans 1:25 gives us a warning that we must consider as we reflect on our pets, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
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If you have animals, make sure you take care of them. Proverbs 12:10 reminds us that we are to have regard for our beasts. At the same time, make sure that you do not turn your pet into an idol. There is a joke that says that dogs worship their masters and cats expect their masters to worship them, but let us not forget that we are to worship God. “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10)
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She loves going to the farm because she loves being able to run outside at her leisure. When Crystal and I were first married we tried having her in the house with us, but she became very agitated because she felt cooped up. Not all dogs like the same surroundings, but our dog loves the outdoors.
-
We devised a cable system for her to run on and installed a heated pad in her dog house so she could stay comfortable in the cold winter months. Considering that German Shepherds are made for the cold with their rich double coat, we may not have needed the heated pad, but we wanted our pet to be comfortable. Proverbs 12:10 says, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” That is why we make sure she has a warm place to sleep and plenty of food. In fact, after taking her for a checkup at the vet a few years ago we found out we were feeding her too much food and he recommended we slim her down a bit.
-
Some people neglect their pets and others seem to spoil them. I would rather see a pet spoiled a bit than neglected, but we must also be careful not to idolize them. I have been reading recently about the debate in Christian circles about whether or not our pets will go to heaven.
-
Instead of an answer about our pets eternal destiny, I have a question. How much of the discussion about pets in heaven is motivated by idolatry of pets? I'm not saying pets are wrong. I have had wonderful pets, but when we get to heaven I cannot imagine worrying about our pets when we get to see our Savior. The whole discussion about getting to have our own pets in heaven sounds like saving up treasure to bring with us. I do not want to sound calloused, but shouldn‘t we be focused on seeing Jesus Christ face to face rather than on seeing our pets? How would you answer a person who asked, "If I restore a '57 Chevy will I get to have that in heaven?" Or "if I buy a Rolex will I get to have that in heaven?" Not all people idolize pets, but for those who do, why is idolatry of pets more acceptable than idolatry of other things?
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Romans 1:25 gives us a warning that we must consider as we reflect on our pets, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
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If you have animals, make sure you take care of them. Proverbs 12:10 reminds us that we are to have regard for our beasts. At the same time, make sure that you do not turn your pet into an idol. There is a joke that says that dogs worship their masters and cats expect their masters to worship them, but let us not forget that we are to worship God. “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10)
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
I Shouldn't Get Even
Imagine if you came out of a store and saw a huge dent in your car. Another driver is sheepishly waiting for you as he stands beside the police officer filling out the accident report. What will be your response?
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In such a situation the Christian response should be to act with meekness and understanding. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
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Imagine however if after the police report is filed, you find out that the other driver’s insurance will not cover the damage. You get upset and decide that since you have a dent in your car, the other driver should have a dent in his car too, so with the help of a baseball bat, you place a dent in his fender. If you took such an action, not only would you have broken the law, but you would’ve also shown your lack of forgiveness.
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Romans 12 shows how ungodly a ‘get even’ attitude really is. “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19)
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Does this mean that our laws should not hold evil doer’s accountable, but that instead we should just let criminals do what they want to and wait for God to punish them? Of course not. God actually uses human governments and the power they have to hold evil doers accountable and God even uses these governments as a means to carry out His vengeance.
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For example, in I Samuel 15, God used King Saul and his army to punish the evil Amalekites. During the time of the Apostle Paul, God used the Roman government to hold criminals responsible. We are told in Romans 13 (right after what we just read in Romans 12) that this is an important function of government and that God uses governments specifically as revengers. “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 13:3-4)
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By saying that vengeance belongs to God, the scripture is not saying that justice should not be served. It is telling us that the function of bringing vengeance belongs to God and those He has appointed to bring about vengeance. That leaves no room for us to take actions simply to get even.
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Actions of self defense are not taken in order to get even. They are actions taken to protect life and limb of self or others, but actions taken because of anger over past actions are not actions of self defense. They are actions of vengeance.
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We can trust God to take vengeance. He may use others to bring justice in our lifetimes or He may wait until the day of judgment to hold the evil doer accountable. Regardless, God will be just and we can trust Him. “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.” (Nahum 1:2)
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Perhaps you are the one who is deserving of God’s vengeance. If so, trust Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins so God’s wrath will turn from you.
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In such a situation the Christian response should be to act with meekness and understanding. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
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Imagine however if after the police report is filed, you find out that the other driver’s insurance will not cover the damage. You get upset and decide that since you have a dent in your car, the other driver should have a dent in his car too, so with the help of a baseball bat, you place a dent in his fender. If you took such an action, not only would you have broken the law, but you would’ve also shown your lack of forgiveness.
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Romans 12 shows how ungodly a ‘get even’ attitude really is. “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19)
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Does this mean that our laws should not hold evil doer’s accountable, but that instead we should just let criminals do what they want to and wait for God to punish them? Of course not. God actually uses human governments and the power they have to hold evil doers accountable and God even uses these governments as a means to carry out His vengeance.
-
For example, in I Samuel 15, God used King Saul and his army to punish the evil Amalekites. During the time of the Apostle Paul, God used the Roman government to hold criminals responsible. We are told in Romans 13 (right after what we just read in Romans 12) that this is an important function of government and that God uses governments specifically as revengers. “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 13:3-4)
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By saying that vengeance belongs to God, the scripture is not saying that justice should not be served. It is telling us that the function of bringing vengeance belongs to God and those He has appointed to bring about vengeance. That leaves no room for us to take actions simply to get even.
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Actions of self defense are not taken in order to get even. They are actions taken to protect life and limb of self or others, but actions taken because of anger over past actions are not actions of self defense. They are actions of vengeance.
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We can trust God to take vengeance. He may use others to bring justice in our lifetimes or He may wait until the day of judgment to hold the evil doer accountable. Regardless, God will be just and we can trust Him. “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.” (Nahum 1:2)
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Perhaps you are the one who is deserving of God’s vengeance. If so, trust Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins so God’s wrath will turn from you.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Christ is Risen From the Dead
Is it possible to like a Hershey’s candy bar and not like chocolate? Is it possible to eat a cheeseburger without cheese? Sure, you can order a cheeseburger without cheese, but then it is not really a cheeseburger, it is just a hamburger. Christianity without the resurrection of Jesus Christ is worse than a cheeseburger without cheese, because without the resurrection of Christ it is not even Christianity.
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The Apostle Paul actually gave us the definition of the gospel message (the good news of how Jesus paid for our sins). That definition is found in I Corinthians 15:1-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
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Sin is a serious problem, but Jesus paid for our sins when He died on the cross. He did not stay dead though. He rose form the dead after He paid for your sins and mine. The good news of the gospel is that if you believe that Jesus alone paid for your sins when He died and that He rose from the dead, then you are saved. On the other hand, if you do not believe that, then God’s wrath still abides on you because of your sin and you are not saved. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)
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By believing in the resurrection, we are believing that Jesus rose from the dead and that we too will rise from the dead to live forever with Him. Consider the promise of eternal life that comes with belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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.” (John 3:15-16)
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Our sins have already condemned us, but Jesus came to save us when He died and rose from the dead. “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. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:17-19)
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By believing in Christ, we are given eternal life- we will be made alive forever after we are resurrected. The reason people die is because of sin and that sin started back in the garden of Eden with the first man Adam. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
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As you remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, realize that His death and resurrection make possible your resurrection to eternal life after you die if you believe in Him alone to save you from your sins..
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The Apostle Paul actually gave us the definition of the gospel message (the good news of how Jesus paid for our sins). That definition is found in I Corinthians 15:1-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
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Sin is a serious problem, but Jesus paid for our sins when He died on the cross. He did not stay dead though. He rose form the dead after He paid for your sins and mine. The good news of the gospel is that if you believe that Jesus alone paid for your sins when He died and that He rose from the dead, then you are saved. On the other hand, if you do not believe that, then God’s wrath still abides on you because of your sin and you are not saved. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)
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By believing in the resurrection, we are believing that Jesus rose from the dead and that we too will rise from the dead to live forever with Him. Consider the promise of eternal life that comes with belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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.” (John 3:15-16)
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Our sins have already condemned us, but Jesus came to save us when He died and rose from the dead. “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. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:17-19)
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By believing in Christ, we are given eternal life- we will be made alive forever after we are resurrected. The reason people die is because of sin and that sin started back in the garden of Eden with the first man Adam. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
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As you remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, realize that His death and resurrection make possible your resurrection to eternal life after you die if you believe in Him alone to save you from your sins..
Friday, March 23, 2012
God Will Keep His Promises
Life is full of unexpected events. Some are pleasant, and some are stressful. Recently we had what could’ve been a stressful event turn into an opportunity to spend more time with family. After visiting my mother, the alternator quit working on our vehicle. Fortunately we were only about 15 miles from her house when we became stranded so she was able to come and pick us up and the boys got to spend another night at grandma’s until we could get the new part the next morning.
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It really wasn’t that stressful because it was an easy fix in a place close to help from family. Even if mom had not been there, Dad’s cousin lived just a few miles from where our vehicle stopped. It’s not so bad having car trouble three miles from nowhere if you know people in nowhere.
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I did however feel bad because we had told the boys that when we got to the next town, we would stop at McDonald’s and treat them to a yogurt parfait. Because of the vehicle breakdown we were not able to give them their yogurt and there is no McDonalds’s in nowhere.
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As humans we might make promises that we have every intent of keeping, but because of situations that are out of our control, we are not able to follow through. For example you might promise to fly out to spend Christmas with a loved one who is far away, but if all the flights are cancelled because of a snow storm, there is nothing you could do even if you wanted to.
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Fortunately we do not have to worry about that when God is the one making the promises. Not only will God keep His word, but He is so powerful that nothing can stop Him from keeping His word. In Isaiah 55:11-12 the Lord tells us, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
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The Isaiah passage about God’s wonderful promise comes in the context of the promise of Christ’s coming. This whole plan of salvation for mankind through Jesus Christ is not something God just came up with at the last minute because He figured He could pull it off, it was something He had planned and promised all along. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9)
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God has made a wonderful promise concerning salvation for those who believe and He will follow through on that promise as we believe in Christ’s payment for our sins by faith. James 2:5 says, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”
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His promises do not just include salvation though. They also include his warnings of judgment. “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 24:14)
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Though men do not always follow through on their promises, God does. With that in mind, understand that His promises include both judgment and blessing. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)
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It really wasn’t that stressful because it was an easy fix in a place close to help from family. Even if mom had not been there, Dad’s cousin lived just a few miles from where our vehicle stopped. It’s not so bad having car trouble three miles from nowhere if you know people in nowhere.
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I did however feel bad because we had told the boys that when we got to the next town, we would stop at McDonald’s and treat them to a yogurt parfait. Because of the vehicle breakdown we were not able to give them their yogurt and there is no McDonalds’s in nowhere.
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As humans we might make promises that we have every intent of keeping, but because of situations that are out of our control, we are not able to follow through. For example you might promise to fly out to spend Christmas with a loved one who is far away, but if all the flights are cancelled because of a snow storm, there is nothing you could do even if you wanted to.
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Fortunately we do not have to worry about that when God is the one making the promises. Not only will God keep His word, but He is so powerful that nothing can stop Him from keeping His word. In Isaiah 55:11-12 the Lord tells us, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
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The Isaiah passage about God’s wonderful promise comes in the context of the promise of Christ’s coming. This whole plan of salvation for mankind through Jesus Christ is not something God just came up with at the last minute because He figured He could pull it off, it was something He had planned and promised all along. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9)
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God has made a wonderful promise concerning salvation for those who believe and He will follow through on that promise as we believe in Christ’s payment for our sins by faith. James 2:5 says, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”
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His promises do not just include salvation though. They also include his warnings of judgment. “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 24:14)
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Though men do not always follow through on their promises, God does. With that in mind, understand that His promises include both judgment and blessing. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
I Want You to Meet Someone
Imagine that you had a single sister and you also had a friend who wanted to date her. Your sister had never met this friend so you began to tell her about him. You told her that he did not have a job because he was too lazy and that was the same reason that he was about 100 pounds overweight. Further, he was rude and a real bully. Besides, he was a liar who would cheat anyone he came in contact with. Unless your sister was a total fool, she would not be interested in starting a relationship with this man. - On the other hand, imagine if your friend was a wonderful man. He had natural leadership abilities, he held a position of great authority, he was honorable, respected, strong, beautiful, honest, kind, loving, merciful, and just. After hearing that, your sister is probably going to be interested in getting to know him a bit better. - I fear that too often when we witness about God, we are kind of like the brother that tells his sister that he has found the perfect man for her to marry, but does not take the time to tell her anything about him. Should it surprise us if the sister changes the subject and wants to talk about something else? Instead of telling our sister that she just needs to call our friend and agree to marry him, we should first tell her something about him. I believe we should do the same as we talk to others about God. - Psalm 96 gives us a wonderful example of this as it speaks of how wonderful God is and how His attributes should be declared. “For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.” (Psalms 96:4-6) - God is wonderful and is worthy of praise. Unlike idols that were created by men, God created everything, including men. Let me tell you a few things about God. He is powerful, strong, and all knowing. He is pure, holy, honorable, and just. He is kind, loving, merciful, and gracious. - God is also righteous, and because He is righteous and just, He cannot let sin go unpunished. The fact that God must deal with sin often causes some to misunderstand Him. Realizing that He is all powerful and perfectly just and righteous, if He did not deal with sin, He would be like a corrupt judge who took bribes. But since God is perfect, justice will be served under His reign. - Because God is righteous, He must bring justice to all sin and all of us have sinned and come short of His glory. But our God is so loving, gracious, and merciful, that even though we have come short of His glory, He has come up with a way for justice to be served. - In order for God’s justice to be served, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). God is so loving that in order to pay those wages and satisfy His justice, He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) - Once we understand how wonderful God really is, we should want to know Him better. He provided a way for us to come to Him, and that way must be through the Lord Jesus Christ. “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 ) If you want to come to God, then simply believe on Jesus Christ as your savior.
Friday, February 24, 2012
How Does God Speak to Us?
Have you ever heard a voice from above that gave you a powerful message? Let me share my experience. When I just a kid, I was out in the hog house doing chores and as I walked out of the building I heard this voice from above that said, “Shake baby shake, I said shake baby shake!” Since no one else was around, I was a bit inclined to tremble/shake a bit, but then I looked over to where Dad had parked the semi just a few feet away from the hog house. I then realized that when he had shut it off, he had turned the key too far and the radio was playing a song by Jerry Lee Lewis. After that there was not much “shaking going on” on my part. - The subject of voices, dreams, and other forms of extra-biblical revelation often comes up as I minister. A number of questions come up in this discussion. One of the first I try to address is, “does God have the power to give extra-biblical revelation?” My answer is an emphatic, “Yes, God does have the power to reveal anything He wants to any way He wants.” If God can use a donkey to speak to Balaam then He can use Jerry Lee Lewis to get me to shake, but there is another important question we must consider. How authoritative would any vision, voice, or dream be? - Let me share another of my personal experiences. I had a dream about rats just before a neighbor came over with his pay loader to bury some junk piles. Sure enough as he was pushing those piles around, rats came running out. So was my dream prophetic or was I subconsciously thinking about rats as I slept because I already knew there were rats living in those junk piles that we were getting ready to bury? - These sorts of questions are real challenges we face as we begin to deal with extra-biblical revelation. How do we know if this is a specific message from God or something subconsciously manufactured within our own mind? Let us not forget Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Furthermore, not only do we have to be concerned about our own hearts deceiving us into thinking something has come from God, we also have to be worried about the devil and his ministers trying to trick us. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) - So how do we know that what we are receiving has really come from God? The answer is actually fairly simple. Trust the sufficiency of the Bible. When we go to the Bible, we know that we have God’s word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” Not only are we assured that scripture comes from God, but that it is sufficient to thoroughly furnish us unto all good works. - Many do not want to give up the idea of extra-biblical revelation because so many of their beliefs are based on things outside of the Bible. I would argue that most cults and many false doctrines would fall apart if extra-biblical revelation was not embraced. Let us trust the sufficiency of scripture.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Should We Horde The TV?
My wife has been decluttering- getting rid of things that we seldom use so that we do not become like the people on that hoarders show. The only time we have seen Hoarders is when we have been away from home or watched it on the internet, because we do not have TV reception in our house. Thus as my wife has been decluttering, she has suggested getting rid of the TV. I have argued that without the TV, we could not watch anymore VCR tapes. Of course if we got rid of the TV, we would not have to hoard all those old tapes. - Really it is not a bad idea to have a house without television because so many of the programs on today are completely ungodly. I would not want our children to be able to watch whatever happened to be on. Does that mean that all TV is sinful? Not at all; in fact, part of the reason I do not want to get rid of the VCR is because I still have some tapes in that format that can be used for ministry. - The television is one of those electronically animated inanimate objects that has the potential to be used for good or evil. Thus some have chosen to not even have one in their homes and I can definitely see the wisdom of that decision. As I consider the works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5 (adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like) I realize that all those things are promoted as good by many TV programs. By getting rid of the TV, you are able to get rid of a source of such influences. Further, it is so easy to waste a lot of time in front of the set. - But what about the people who discipline themselves to not use the TV as a time waster and are careful not to watch filthy content? I do believe it is possible for a mature Christian to do that; however, for others it may be best to get rid of the source of temptation. - For those who do decide to get rid of the TV, let me encourage you to do so, but let me also give a very important warning. Just because you have gotten rid of a powerful source of temptation, do not think that you no longer have to worry about adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like in your life. Paul wrote about these things in his letter to Galatians and that letter was written thousands of years ago- long before TV was even an issue. - The point that I am making is that as Christians we have a lot of liberty, but we should not use that liberty as an excuse to sin (Galatians 5:13). The liberty to watch TV can become liberty to sin if we end up watching shows that lead us to sin (Matthew 5:28- But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.) We also have the liberty to get rid of the TV, but if we use the excuse that we are “godly” because we do not have a TV, yet continue to sin, then we have used that liberty as an excuse for our ungodly sinfulness. - As Christians, we should have high standards for our conduct, but let us never make a manmade rule or point of conduct into an excuse to violate the clear expectations God has set out for us in His word. Regardless of how set apart we are in some of these areas of liberty, let us make sure we are truly set apart from sin and unto God.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Look Out for the Bad Guys!
The other day one of our little boys came into my office and announced that he was going to the bank. They often play make believe, but I realized that we do not live that far from the bank, and they might actually decide to walk over there some day. We then had a long talk about the danger of getting run over by cars if you go near the street. - Because we live in a sin cursed world, we also had to have another discussion. I warned them about “bad guys.” No doubt, it is a blessing to live in a small town like Bancroft, but from time to time we hear news stories about children being abducted and abused and sometimes it happens in a small town area. I wish it was not necessary to warn my little boys, but because of sin it is. Thus a few days later when we walked up town, the two older boys were very careful to hold on to their little brothers hand so a bad guy did not get him. - I do not want my boys to live in constant fear, but I do want them to understand the reality of evil. Though I want them to be aware of the special dangers posed by a “bad guy,” I also want them to understand when they have done something bad. I want them to understand that they should always tell the truth and that lying is bad. I want them to know that they should not steal anything that belongs to someone else. - I do not just want to adjust their behavior though. As they grow older, I want them to understand who God is and His role in their lives and even in their sin problem. I do not expect them to understand all about Christ’s payment for sin when they are toddlers, but as they get older I want them to grasp sin’s reality not just in the life of the “bad guy,” but in all our lives. - Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 5:12 says, “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:” - Some people think that hell is just for those who have done something really bad, but the truth is, all of us have sinned, and even if you do not think your sin was all that bad, Romans 6:23 tells us the wages of sin is death. As we consider the condemnation for our sin, listen to what God‘s word tells us about not believing in Jesus Christ: “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.” (John 3:18) - Jesus is telling us that if you do not believe on Him, you do not have to do something really bad to be condemned- you are condemned already. The reason we are already condemned is because all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God and sin has passed onto all of us from the time that the first man Adam sinned. You see hell isn’t just for kidnappers and guys like Hitler, it is for all people who have not had their sin paid for. - That reality brings us to Christ. He is the only one who can pay for our sins. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “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) “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.” (John 3:16)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
What Should I Wear Today?
My wife was all excited. She is able to fit into her jeans again after having our big baby boy. He weighed over 11 pound and at the end of her pregnancy she could not even fit into her maternity pants. Fortunately she had a couple of skirts she was still able to wear. - I am glad that I do not have to deal with the fashion struggles that she recently had. I still have shirts that I wore two decades ago, so I have to be careful not to continue to wear something that is totally out of style. I have a tendency not to be concerned enough about what I wear, while it seems that some people’s lives actually revolve around fashion. Though my wife is not preoccupied with fashion either, she can at least help me match my ties. - I get a lot of encouragement in reading about John the Baptist. He wore leather and camel hair. These were not the fancy clothes of the day. I once heard a preacher emphasizing how we should make sure and wear good quality wool suits. Though I have no objection to owning quality clothes, why should we judge someone who wears a polyester blend? In fact, the scripture condemns such judging. James 2:2-4 is quite direct on this matter when he says, “For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” - As with so many things in the Christian life, people have a tendency to go to extremes in the area of clothes- either not caring at all about what they wear or becoming preoccupied with fashion. Though James gives a warning about judging concerning dress, Paul also gives guidance in the area of fashion as he specifically addresses women. I cannot help but think that the feminine gender had a great interest in fashion even back then. Consider what Paul had to say, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array” (1 Timothy 2:9). - Much is said about clothes in this little verse. First, Paul is pointing out that women should adorn themselves with their clothes. That word adorn has the idea of decorating. In other words, there is nothing wrong with a woman wanting to look nice- in fact she is told to take care to adorn herself, but she is also given guidance about how to do it. She is to do so with modesty. Typically when we hear of modesty we think of not being risqué, and though that would definitely be included, the meaning goes much further than that. - The Greek word translated “modest” here is only used twice in the Bible and the other time it is translated “of good behavior.” Strong defines it as “decorous“, which means “in good taste.” In other words though we should not be risqué, we should also be dressing in a manner that is culturally acceptable. For example my second cousin recently sent me a picture of our families together in the 1970’s and I must say the shiny polyester orange of that era is not as culturally acceptable now as it was then. Further it is not good behavior nor good taste to dress risqué. - I believe the point Paul is making is that we are to dress within our culture in an acceptable manner without having to have the most expensive and extravagant clothes, hairstyles, or jewelry. In other words we should dress nice, without being lewd or preoccupied by our wardrobe.
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