What are Your Plans For 2015?

Christmas is ended and we look forward to a new year. We have no idea what this new year will bring. It may bring pleasure or it may bring heartache.
-
I think back to the end of 2005. I was still single then, and my friend Katie was telling me that I would marry her best friend who I had never even met. I did not take her seriously because people had been trying to set me up with their friends for years and nothing ever worked out. But when Katie’s friend Crystal came home from a year in Peru, I started to wonder if perhaps I should pay a little more attention to her.
-
Sure enough, Crystal and I fell in love, got married, and now have 4 little boys. We had not even met in 2005, but were married by the end of 2006. Neither of us were expecting this to happen. It seems that Katie was the only one who did. Of course God was not taken by surprise either. He knew all along what would happen. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:10)
-
Often when a new year starts, people make resolutions, but those resolutions are frequently broken before February. Sometimes they are broken because of a lack of will power, but often they are broken because events occur that are out of our control.
-
In the Bible, the book of James tells about some people who had resolved to do business in a city over the next the year and make some profit. It was not a bad goal or even a foolish business venture. The problem was that they figured that they could have their next year all planned out and that it would work out just like they expected it to. Further, as they were planning out their year, they were focusing on what they could make for themselves, rather than remembering God.
-
Consider what James wrote: “Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13-16 NASB)
-
As we come to the next year, let us remember that things may not work out like we had planned. They might be better than we expected or they might be worse. Perhaps the next year will be boring and uneventful. Regardless of what happens in our lives, let us remember that it will not take God by surprise.
-
Our conduct does have an effect on our lives, but we must realize that we are not the gods of our own destinies. When I was a farmer, I quickly realized that the one variable that had the most effect on yield was the weather. It reminded me that although I had a responsibility to engage in good farming practices and that the better job I did, the better my yields would be, that ultimately, whether I had a huge crop or a failure, depended on the grace of God and what kind of weather He sent.
-
Regardless of your plans and goals for the next year, remember that God is in control, not us.

Jesus Proved He is Good

Our little boys watched soccer on TV for the first time. They had already watched football and one of them wanted to know if the team with the horses on their helmets was playing because he wanted to watch the Broncos. I explained that they did not wear helmets in this game and then proceeded to explain the rules.
-
After explaining that the players could not use their hands unless they were the goalie, my five year old quickly stated that he wanted to be the goalie so that he could use his hands. His brother also agreed. Ironically, neither of them has ever even played soccer.
-
In order to be pro soccer players, my sons would have to prove that they were good enough. In order to play the position of the goalie, they would really have to be good. Imagine however that years from now, one of my sons showed up for tryouts for a goalie on a soccer team. Imagine then that he was so quick and so coordinated that no one was ever able to score a goal. Then the coach was so impressed with his performance that he called in the best soccer player in the world to try to make a goal and that player was still not able to score against him.
-
Such a performance would prove that this young man should be on the team. It would prove that he is a worthy player. It would prove that he has what it takes.
-
However, imagine that instead of a new soccer recruit, the world was looking for a new king. Not only were they looking for a king, but they were looking for a savior to rescue them from the curse of sin. In order to provide a rescue, this savior/king would have to perfect. He would have to sinless. He would have to be totally righteous. He would have to be so in touch with the will of God that His behavior would prove He is God.
-
When Jesus was temped by the devil, He was able to prove all of this. Just as a great soccer goalie is able to prove his skills by showing up on the soccer field, Jesus was able to show His goodness by going to a place of temptation. We must be careful not to think that we should follow His example in this. Our very sinfulness proves that we have already given into temptation many times.
-
As we consider the temptations Jesus faced, His goodness is contrasted with the sinfulness of all mankind. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
-
The first temptation in Luke 4 was to turn the stone into bread. Why would that be sinful- especially considering that Jesus later used a miracle to feed thousands? It would be sinful because He would have been giving into the will of Satan rather than the will of God. Because Jesus as the son of God is God, He understood God's will perfectly. You and I do not always know every last detail of God's will and this is further proof of how far we come from God's glory and why we need a savior.
-
The next temptation involved the kingdoms of this world. As we look at the corruption of world leaders both then and now, we are again reminded of the sinfulness of mankind and of our need for a sinless savior and king. Jesus proved that He is that kind of a king as He resisted temptation.
-
Finally Satan tempted Jesus by quoting Psalm 91:11 which speaks of the angles protecting Jesus. When the devil quoted that verse, he left off the words “in all they ways.” In other words whatever Jesus does, he will be protected, but we have to remember that whatever Jesus did was the will of God. Satan was trying to get Him to follow another will, but Jesus proved that He would always do what was right and never come short of the glory of God. By passing the test, Jesus proved that He is worthy to pay for our sins.

Let Us Always Be Thankful

I love leftover turkey. You can make it into sandwiches, hot dishes, eat it cold, or warm it up. You can cut it into little pieces and put in a salad. You can chop it up and add it to a soup. I love leftover turkey.
-
I hope you can see that I am thankful for leftovers. The Thanksgiving holiday is a wonderful time to be thankful, but our thankfulness should not be reserved for just once a year. Now that “Thanksgiving” is over for the year, our giving of thanks should still continue.
-
The holiday season is a time when we are able to gather with friends and family. I am very thankful for them. The Apostle Paul was thankful for the people in his life too, but I really like how he expresses his thankfulness in Philippians 1:3: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,”. Notice that he was thankful to God.
-
We teach our little boys to say, “thank you,” to the people around them, but ultimately we all need to remember to be thankful to God. Without Him we would not have an earth to live on or a sunset to admire. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Even the creation itself is to praise God. “Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.” (Psalm 148:4-5)
-
God reminds us that not only did He create the heavens and earth, but He created us. “I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.” (Isaiah 45:12) We should thank God for our very existence.
-
Remembering that God created the whole world and everything in it, I thank God for turkey leftovers. I also thank Him for the water that I drink and the place where I live. Knowing that I should be thankful to Him, I also want to have the right relationship with Him, but I realize that as a sinner I come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
-
That reminds me of another reason to be thankful. I am thankful for His grace and mercy. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6) God extends His grace upon us through the Lord Jesus Christ as we believe on Him. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
-
I am therefore thankful that Jesus paid for my sins. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 2:23). I realize that I have a lifetime of reason to give thanks to God.
-
Thanksgiving is not just for November. Thanksgiving is not even just for this lifetime. It is for forever. Because I have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ- trusting Him as my savior-, I look forward to thanking God for eternity. “And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing." And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." (Revelation 5:11-13 NASB)

Why Did God Order Killing?

Our little four year old is very determined to try to keep with his bigger brothers. That often means that he will push himself to run and climb beyond his level of strength and coordination, thus he will often fall and hurt himself. He then comes running to me saying, “Daddy, I have an auwee!”
-
When I hear that one of our children has been hurt, my heart aches. My desire is to protect them and to keep them safe. I worry about them falling and getting seriously hurt. I worry about them crossing the street and getting hit by a car. I worry about bad people hurting them.
-
As much as we have to worry about here in South Dakota, I am thankful that we do not have the worries that people in other parts of the world face. For example, in the Middle East, fathers have to worry about ISIS capturing their children, torturing, and killing them. I cringe to even write this, but children are actually being decapitated.
-
The news reports of the atrocities of the Mexican drug cartels are just as brutal as those of ISIS. I do not bring up these issues to sensationalize violence, but rather to point out the presence of evil in our world.
-
Imagine that you were a father or a mother living in the middle east and you had witnessed the terrible deeds of ISIS in your area. Imagine that you were fearful that your family would be the next news report. Now imagine if some soldiers who were opposed to ISIS came on the scene and destroyed the whole ISIS army along with their wives and children. You would likely be quite relieved.
-
You could argue that the wives and children should be spared, but imagine that they were fighting right along side the grown men. Image that they were supportive of everything that the men were doing. Imagine that their destruction just saved your family from being the next victim of their slaughter.
-
In an ideal world, the women and children would not have to be killed along with the fighting men. In an ideal world, no one would have to be killed in order to stop a murderous rampage.
-
We live in a sin cursed world not an ideal world. Many non-Christians have been critical of God because He ordered the absolute destruction of the Amalekites. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 explains why, "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, "how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. "Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.” (NKJV)
-
The Amalekites were murderers of innocents much like ISIS. As the Israelites were fleeing slavery in Egypt (as Moses was leading them through the wilderness) the Amalekites came and attacked the weakest of the people. God then gave them years to repent, but they continued to be an evil people. God understood that the children would grow up to be just as evil as their parents were, so He ordered them all to be destroyed. This is not an evidence of an evil unloving God, this is evidence of a God of justice who wants to protect the innocent.
-
Years later, God actually sent the prophet Jonah (the man swallowed the whale) to the city of Nineveh where many evil people lived, to give them a chance to repent so that God did not have to destroy them. They did repent and were saved. Jonah was actually upset because he thought they should be destroyed. God does not throw around His justice for no reason and even when justice is deserved, He shows mercy.

Why Have Sin and Suffering?

The days are getting shorter- well actually the days are still 24 hours long, but the amount of time that we have daylight during those 24 hours is getting to be less and less. As it gets dark earlier I have learned to appreciate the light. Because of electricity it is easy to take light for granted. Today all we have to do touch a switch and the light comes on. Not too many generations ago, a lamp or candle had to be lit to pierce through the darkness of night. In places without lights, the morning sunrise still brings an amazing transformation of brilliant light to a dark landscape.
-
As we look at scripture, the analogy of light and darkness helps us to understand the contrast between evil and righteousness. When Jesus Christ walked on this earth, His sinlessness and holiness shined like a bright light in contrast to this dark sin cursed world.
-
Just before Jesus was born, the father of John the Baptist spoke of how his own son, John, would tell about the savior of the world. He said, “To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:77-79 NASB)
-
Notice how he talks of Jesus Christ coming to shine upon those who sit in darkness and how He is called the “Sunrise from on high.” This is a beautiful picture of Jesus coming into the world to shine forth His holiness and righteousness just like the sunrise shines forth its light.
-
Many have asked why God even allowed sin and sickness into this world. I believe God allowed sin for the same reason He allowed darkness. If God had created a world where darkness does not exist and where we never had to turn on a light, we would not appreciate the light. If God had made a world without sin, we would not be able to fully appreciate His holiness and righteousness. Without suffering, we could not fully appreciate deliverance.
-
Notice how the Psalmist uses the analogy of light and darkness to describe how God brings light to life. “For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks. For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28 NKJV)
-
Long before Christ was born in Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:2 NKJV)
-
More than 700 years later, Matthew’s Gospel connects the prophecy of Isaiah directly to Jesus Christ and His ministry. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned." (Matthew 4:16 NKJV)
-
Isaiah also records the words of the Lord when He says, “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.'‘ (Isaiah 45:7NKJV) When we understand that God’s light shines through the darkness to show how good He really is, we can better understand why God would create calamity.

I Ruined My Garage Door

I had to replace our garage door because of an unplanned accident. I was hoping to install a garage door opener soon, but had still not invested in one, so I simply had a rope hanging from the bottom of the door to pull it shut. I had backed the pickup into the garage and was leaving one morning when the rope caught on something that I had in back of the truck. I did not realize what had happened until I heard a crash and looked behind me to see that I had pulled the whole garage door off the track and out of the garage. At least I had not pulled the whole garage down.
-
My wife had heard the crash as well and came from the house to see what had happened. She offered to help me get everything loose and see how much could be salvaged. I simply reached in my pocket, took out my knife, cut the rope, and told her we could worry about it later.
-
Actually I said, “let’s deal with this when I am more calm.” My wife said that I sounded fairly calm as I said that, but inside I was feeling a mixture of shame, discouragement, uncertainty, and despair.
-
I left the garage door lay in its crumpled mess, jumped in the truck, and proceeded to my destination. The drive gave me time to put things into perspective. First, no one was hurt. That was reason to rejoice. Further, the pickup had not been damaged. That was good. Further the rest of the garage was fine. That was a positive as well.
-
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.” (NKJV)
-
The short drive gave me time to pray and to think of many things that I could praise God for even though a discouraging event had just taken place. As I drove I thanked God that things were not worse.
-
I also had time to realize that in the big scope of things, this accident really wasn’t that big of a deal. Sure, it would take an extra day of my life to order, pick up, and install a new door. Furthermore, the new garage door would be an added expense that we were not planning at this time, but those were really just minor distractions. How many times hadn’t a cold or the flue taken a day of my time? How many times hadn’t God provided for us financially in ways we had not even expected? The answers to these questions brought comfort as I thought on those things that are good and I remembered that I had much reason to be praising God.
-
After I got back home I was anxious to figure out how much of the old door could be salvaged. I quickly found out that very little of it was worth saving. That was okay, though, because I was now looking at the whole situation with thankfulness, rather than despair. I priced new panels and hardware and quickly realized that it would be cheaper to just buy a whole new door. Then I found out that the new doors were on sale and were 20% off regular price. I was then able to praise God for the timing of this small disaster.
-
As I look back, I am much calmer now and I actually laugh as I think about the pickup pulling the garage door behind it. I actually wish that someone had caught the event on video camera. I am confident that it would have become a Youtube sensation. Even as I laugh, I am reminded that there are many reasons to praise God, even when our lives are disrupted by unplanned events. I pray that this lesson will be far more valuable than the cost of the garage door and that it will remind me to have the right attitude when the next trial comes along.

Submitting To Each Other

Nearly 8 years ago, I married a wonderful woman and we lived happily ever after. Well, actually, there have been a few moments- though rare- that have not been as happy as we would like. In real life, couples marry hoping for the happily ever after, only to find out that they do not always agree when a decision must be made.
-
Ephesians chapter 5 is one of the passages that explains that wives should submit to their husbands and that husbands should love their wives. Many books have been written on these subjects, but not all of them look at the whole counsel of God on these matters. Many of those books miss Ephesians 5:21 where it says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
-
For example an author named Debbie Pearl has become quite popular for writing to women about submitting to their husbands, but she has taken her ideas to a level that actually goes against the teaching of scripture. Her book suggests that a wife should submit to her husband even if he wants her to do something that would be wrong. Further, her teaching encourages the wife to enable the husband to continue sinful behavior rather than to confront it. This was not at all what God had in mind when he told wives to submit to their husbands.
-
Colossians 3:18 provides some further clarity on this matter when it says, “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” (NASB). It is not fitting in the Lord to disobey the scriptures in our submission.
-
The next verse then says, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.” (Colossians 3:19 NASB)
-
A wife is to submit to her husband, but she is not to disobey God as she does so. The husband is to love his wife and not to be bitter against her. Imagine a newly married couple trying to make a decision and they each get one vote and they are not in agreement. Soon a fight starts.
-
Imagine instead that the wife just always submitted to whatever the husband decided. Soon she would not even vote and would likely become sad and discouraged.
-
A much better option would be if each got a vote and the husband then cast the tie breaking vote. He must cast that vote in love without being bitter against his wife. It would make it much easier for her to submit to his decision if she knew that he had at least considered her thoughts on the matter. Because of his love, sometimes his tie breaking vote should even be in her favor. Sometimes he would even realize that his ideas were wrong after hearing his wife’s reasons for her position. Other times he would weigh the matter and lovingly disagree with his wife, and go forward with his original plans. This allows them both to submit to each other, while still letting the husband provide loving leadership.
-
Because the husband gets the tie breaking vote, he also must take the responsibility for the decision, even if he voted in her favor instead of his own. If the decision does not work out as planned, he should not be bitter against his wife for voting as she did, but instead should take the responsibility for having made the final decision. This also takes a lot of pressure off of the wife, because she is able to share her ideas while not having to worry about getting the blame if things do not work out.
-
The marriage relationship is not always perfect, but if we properly apply the principles of love and submission it will be much smoother.

You Can’t Manipulate God

Working from a home office has some advantages, but it also has some challenges. For example, the other day as I was preparing mailings to send out, my boys came in with their Legos asking me to build them an airplane. Occasionally I will take the time to do that, but there were 3 little boys standing there- each expecting me to build them something- and I had a lot of work to get done so I had to tell them, “not today.”
-
What would have happened if the boys had whined and cried until I built them their airplanes? If you know me, you would understand that would not work. We decided that as soon as they were old enough to communicate without crying that we would not reward such behavior.
-
Some children, however, have conditioned their parents to give them whatever they want, simply by throwing a tantrum. We are trying to teach our children that when they ask for something we will decide whether or not to give it to them based on what is best at the time. Sometimes we will give them what they ask for, other times we will tell them no, and sometimes we will tell them to wait.
-
What about when we ask God for something? Do we expect to get what we want by figuring out how to push the right buttons with Him, or do we simply trust His wisdom to either tell us yes, no, or wait?
-
When Jesus ministered here on earth, He was asked how we should pray. Consider this portion of the Lord‘s Prayer- “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) As we pray, we must trust God enough to say, “’Thy’ will be done, rather than ‘my’ will be done.”
-
As we bring our petitions to God, we must consider the role of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:27 says, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (NKJV) Notice that this passage says that the Holy Spirit makes intercession in our prayers according to God, not according to what we want. It is a great comfort for me to know that I cannot manipulate God with my prayers. As I go to prayer I can always trust Him.
-
Imagine if I wanted the rain to stay away because I did not want to have to mow my grass, but the Christian farmer was praying for rain for his crops. God does not answer our prayers based on who can cry the loudest, throw the biggest temper tantrum, or give Him the most money. God cannot be bought off or manipulated. Instead He answers according to His will. That is also a comfort to me even as I pray for the sick. For example a year ago I was praying for a friend. My desire was that she get well and stay alive, but instead God healed her by letting her die so she could be with Him (she was and is a believer). As we grow closer to God, His desires should become our desires.
-
I fear that too many Christians have the view that being filled with the Holy Spirit involves being able to get the Spirit to do what you want Him to do. Instead we should learn that being filled with the Holy Spirit means that we are ready to do and accept whatever He wants rather than what we want. I believe that explains 1 John 5:14, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (NKJV)
-
As Christians, instead of trying to get God to do what we want Him to do, let us strive to do what He wants us to do.

Christ's Yoke & Light Burden

In Jesus day, the Pharisees were notorious for adding to God’s law while refusing to obey it themselves. I remember hearing that they were so concerned about following the rules of not working on the Sabbath that they came up with rules about how far they could walk on that day. Because some of them wanted to travel farther, they ended up implementing a rule that said they had to stay within a certain distance of the dirt of their home. In order to get around that rule, some of them would then carry a bag a dirt with them and then drop that dirt on the ground allowing them to increase their distance of travel.
-
The bag of dirt story shows us how easy it is for man to think that he can ignore God as long as he working hard to do something to please God. That is not how the Christian life is to be lived. Jesus said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV)
-
Even though Christ’s burden is light, He still tells us to take His yoke. In other words, God’s expectations are much easier to bear than man’s are, but God does have expectations for us. Consider Colossians 3:5-10 NKJV, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,.”
-
Though Christ’s burden is easy, it still must be carried. In other words we need to be concerned about living for God’s glory and sometimes that can be a challenge. The end of the above passage (verse 10 of Colossians 3) tells us to put on the new man. In other words, once we are Christians we should be different than we were before. We should be changing to be more like Christ. The reality is that even as faithful Christians we sometimes struggle to live like we are supposed to live. It is sobering to realize that the letter that says not to lie anymore was addressed to the faithful Christians in Colosse (Colossians 1:2).
-
So how is a faithful Christian to live the Christian life without having it become a heavy burden? Part of the answer is in verse 10 of Colossians 3. Notice it says to be renewed in knowledge according to the image of Jesus Christ our creator. (See Colossians 1:16). We are renewed in knowledge as we study God’s word. We are renewed in knowledge as we pray. We are renewed in knowledge as we think about God’s word. There is however a very important way that we are renewed in knowledge that is found right in the book of Colossians. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16 NKJV)
-
Christians are renewed in knowledge as they come together and hear the teaching and warning of God’s word and as they sing songs that teach Biblical truth. This is one of the reasons why we should go to church. Currently there are no churches meeting regularly on Sunday mornings in Worthing, SD. We hope to soon start a church here in Worthing, so that Christians have a place to go so they can be taught and encouraged to follow Jesus Christ and to take on his yoke in a way that is not overwhelming. For more information please visit www.southtownchurch.com.

Legalism and Lawlessness

We have been picking green beans- actually they are purple beans this year. My wife decided to plant a variety that that is purple instead of green. I like them because they are easier to see when we pick the reward of our labors.
-
I have learned that some rewards are given for hard work and other rewards are given for just showing up. For example, the reward of our purple green beans comes from the hard work of gardening. On the other hand, our little boys often get the reward of Gummy Bears for simply showing up at Grandma’s house.
-
Whether the reward was earned or just given because “Grandma loves you,” imagine how you would feel if someone tried to keep you from getting a reward that was meant for you.
-
In the book of Colossians, we read of a wonderful reward that is given to Christians. That reward is the realization that we are complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10 says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (NKJV). Because we as believers are complete in Christ, we are no longer under the Old Testament law. “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14 NKJV)
-
Sadly some were trying to deprive the Christian Colossians of their reward of salvation and completeness in Christ. They were distracting them from Christ by putting their focus on angels instead. Furthermore, they were not only trying to make them think that they needed to obey the Old Testament ordinances, but they were also adding other man made ordinances as well. Consider vs. 16, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,” (NKJV) The scripture is even more blunt in vs. 20-22, “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men?” (NKJV)
-
If we continue to read into chapter 3 of Colossians, we find that God does have expectations for Christians. “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5 NKJV) Further we read, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,” (Colossians 3:8-9 NKJV)
-
I fear that the reward of the faithful Christian life is often robbed in a couple of ways. The first way is to put a heavy yoke upon Christ’s followers that he never intended for them to carry. This yoke is added by telling people that they have to do things that God does not require of them. Adding the earthly requirements of man as if they had come from God is a dangerous form of worldliness. (see Colossians 2:20-22 above). This worldly distortion of Biblical doctrine is often referred to as legalism.
-
As damaging as legalism is, chapter 3 of Colossians shows us that lawlessness can be just as damaging. The Christian must study the Bible to understand what God expects and to know the difference between man’s demands and God’s. Without such diligent study, the believer is left to the whim of teachers who may either heap unneeded rules upon the backs of their followers, or encourage them to do things that are clearly forbidden in scripture.
-
Because Christians must sort out the difference between legalism and lawlessness, it is important for them to study God’s word, but it is also important for them to find a church that preaches through the scripture verse by verse and explains what God wrote and why.

Treat Your Children Well

My family and I recently spent two weeks at a Bible camp. We were able to minister to kids from a variety of backgrounds. Some of the kids were homesick, others did not want to go back home. Our boys were among those who were not real anxious to go home. They had a lot of fun playing on the playground, swimming in the lake, and watching the older kids play games. Many of the kids who wanted to say longer had similar reasons, but for some the reasons were not as pleasant.
-
Anyone who has worked with large groups of children quickly realizes that not every child has a happy family life. It is heartbreaking to see tears in a child’s eyes because their parents are constantly fighting. Some children have learned that alcohol is more important to a parent than they are. Others have actually become the victims of physical and sexual abuse.
-
As an adult, I would not want the stress of having to live in such an environment, yet many children have no choice in the matter. The scriptures have a lot to say about children obeying their parents- in fact the command to honor them is the first command with a promise (Ephesians 6:2), but they also have a lot to say about treating children with respect.
-
Ephesians 6:4 says, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (NKJV) Colossians 3:21 warns, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (NKJV)
-
Some parents simply view their children as an inconvenience to be tolerated. Jesus was very clear that children were important to Him. “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:13-14 NKJV)
-
Bible says that children are to obey their parents, but what happens when a parent uses that scripture to manipulate a child into sinning? They are ignoring that even Peter and the disciples said that they ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Those who use scripture to manipulate children to sin should heed the warning of Matthew 18:6, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (NKJV)
-
Though children should never be abused, they should be corrected. Such correction shows that the parents do care about them. “For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:12 NKJV)
-
Parenting is not always easy, but it is important. To do it right we have to set aside selfishness. The two greatest commands of scripture- to love God and to love others- involve putting aside our own selfishness for someone else. This is especially true in parenting. We must invest time in our children to be consistent in training and loving them. Proverbs 29:17 says, “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.” (NKJV). But we must also make sure that we not become brutal in our correction so that it becomes abuse. “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21 NKJV)

The False Self Love Gospel

I recently met a man who told me that the way to heaven is to love yourself. I told him that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV) He then went on to say that he gets his teaching directly from angels rather than from the Bible. I reminded him that there are both good and bad angels- that demons are the bad angels.
-
Sadly this man considered himself a reverend and said he was trying to help people with the messages he was receiving from these dark angels. You may ask how I know that they were not good angels. The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (NKJV)
-
The message of loving yourself in order to get to heaven is a false gospel. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7 NASB)
-
The gospel is summarized quite well in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Further clarity is given in I Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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, (NKJV).
-
Notice that Jesus died for sins. That means that we are sinners who need our sins forgiven (see Romans 3:23). Notice that not only did Jesus die, but He rose again. That means He is alive and that we believe in a risen savior. Believing in Jesus means we believe we need to have our sins forgiven and that He died and rose again in order to forgive them. But John 3:16 makes it clear that we must believe in Him in order to have eternal life. Consider John 3:18, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (NKJV)
-
The most important command for the believer is to love God and the next most important is to love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37-40). As important as love is, loving yourself is not part of the gospel message. In fact, selfishness causes us to love ourselves more than God or others and we need to set aside that selfishness to put God first.
-
2 Timothy 3:1-5 warns of those who love themselves, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (NKJV)
-
Turn away from false gospels and false preachers, and turn to Christ. God loves you even though you do not deserve it. Having the love of the all powerful creator and sustainer of the universe is far more valuable than having a love for yourself.

Thankful After The Storm

Our basement is drying out and there is no longer a small lake in our front yard. Monday June 16th 2014 was definitely an eventful- as well as discouraging- day as water ran into buildings and blocked or washed out roads. Twenty two years earlier when I lived in Murray county in southwest Minnesota, that same day was also discouraging. Many farms as well as the towns of Chandler and Lake Wilson were hit by numerous tornados on June 16th, 1992. Therefore, as I look back a couple of weeks and a couple of decades on the date of June 16th, I cannot help but think of disaster.
-
During times of disaster it is easy to complain. Why didn’t the people who built our houses put more tile and larger sump pumps in the basement? Why don’t the stores stock an extra 10,000 sump pumps? Why can’t the county workers fix the road I want to drive on even though there are many other roads that are washed out as well, and the road I want to go on is still 3 feet under water?
-
Instead of complaining we should actually be thankful. Our area experienced terrible flooding, but people in Nebraska had their homes leveled by powerful tornados. In other words, it could be worse.
-
What about those county and city workers who did not seem to care about my road or the water in my neighborhood? Did we remember to thank them for the long hours that they were putting as they fought a losing battle to keep ahead of the water? The evidence is clear that they lost that battle, but it was a battle that no one could have won. We had some terrible flooding here in Worthing, but I was amazed how much better things looked the next day after the rain had stopped and I am thankful for the city workers and firemen who quickly pumped water away so things could dry up and get back to normal.
-
I once heard that thankful people tend to be much more successful than complainers. Though thankfulness can help with success, there is an even more important reason to be thankful- God told us to. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV says, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It is hard to give thanks when your home is flooded or destroyed by a tornado. That is why it is important to let the peace of God rule in our hearts, realizing we can trust Him even when we do not understand why these things are happening. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:15-17 NKJV)
-
Regardless of our circumstances and regardless of what we are doing, we should be thankful toward God and we should be encouraging each other with our examples of thankfulness. “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 5:20 NKJV).
-
The next time you are tempted to complain, be thankful instead. Remember to pray and thank God and then remember to thank those around for what they have done.

Are Christians Hypocrites?

Are Christians a bunch of hypocrites? When Jesus was on earth, He accused the Pharisees of being hypocrites. These religious individual claimed to have high standards, yet their lives were actually characterized by sin and Jesus rebuked them for that. Would He do the same to many Christians today?
-
We know that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We also know that our sin is forgiven when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV)
-
I Corinthians 6 speaks of some sins that Christians had been involved in and then in verse 11 it says, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” So does that mean that once we are Christians, that the actions that we do are no longer sinful because they have been forgiven? Some would suggest that since Christians have been sanctified by trusting Christ, that then we no longer have to worry about sinful actions since everything is now under the blood. This is a very dangerous error. The Apostle Paul warned, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1 NKJV)
-
I John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The parallel passage from the Old Testament is Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Sin is forgiven when it is confessed, but it should also be forsaken.
-
Often professing Christians are looked at as hypocrites because they don’t even seem to be concerned about the sin in their own lives. It is true that we are saved by the grace of God without works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but as Christians we are created to do what is good and right (Ephesians 2:10).
-
Though we are not saved by our works, there are still a number of passages that command us to do what is right as Christians, so we must be careful not to emphasize grace to such an extreme that we are not concerned with how we behave and live our lives.
-
Some false teachers have suggested that since Christians are forgiven that they are automatically blameless before God no matter what we do and thus we do not have to worry about our actions. Hebrews 10:10 makes it clear that we are sanctified through Christ’s offering on the cross. That offering is what allows us to have eternal life with God in spite of our sins and purifies us before God, but that does not mean that every action we do is now blameless. Hebrews 12:4-11 speaks of God disciplining Christians for sinful behavior. If we were so blameless that our actions no longer mattered, why would God discipline the Christian?
-
Consider II Peter 3:14, “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” The scripture actually challenges us to put effort into living in a way that we ought to live so we are blameless in our behavior. Consider: Colossians 1:10 and 2:6; I Thessalonians 2:12 and 4:1; Philippians 1:27; and Ephesians 4:1. If we consistently obeyed these scriptures, we would not have be accused of being hypocrites because we would be living the way God expected us to live.

What if You Died Today?

My wife’s sister recently got married and our little boys had questions about her honeymoon. Our six year old was quick to share his opinion that a honeymoon should only last one day. His mother told him that his wife would probably like to have it last a little longer. He was not convinced, so she told him that when he got married she would help him plan his honeymoon.
-
Our little six year old, then proceeded to tell his mom that she would not be able to help him with his plans because she would probably be dead by then. As if a ‘one day honeymoon’ were not enough to show his lack of understanding of the female gender, he then told her that she would probably be dead because she was getting old. To make matters worse, he then proceeded to tell her that he would have daddy help him. Of course I thought it was hilarious since I am quite a bit older than she is.
-
Fortunately my wife saw the humor in it as well. Even though she is still quite young and statistically speaking, she should be able to expect to be alive when her sons get married, we really do not know how long any of us will live.
-
This week we received some very sad news. A friend of ours was killed in a head on collision on I-35 south of Albert Lea. He was only 28 years old and engaged to be married next month. As tragic as that event was, it does have a happy ending. Our friend James was a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and had trusted Him as his Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 says, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight-- we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (NASB)
-
James death is sad for those of us who love and miss him, but we realize that he is home with the Lord. That is the happy ending.
-
We take comfort in eternal life with the Lord, but let me make this discussion a bit more personal. If you were to be the one who died in a head on collision, do you know for sure where you would go when this life ended?
-
The only way to know for sure is to trust Jesus Christ alone as your Lord and Savior. He told us in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He also told us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
-
These verses make it clear that our hope for the next life is based on our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Still, the question remains, can we really know for sure? First of all, let me remind you that Jesus Christ is God and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). If He promises us eternal life through believing in Him, then we can trust that promise. Further let us not forget another promise that He made in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (NASB) He gives a warning as well, “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 6:36)
-
As a Christian I desire to stay on this earth as long as God wants me here so that I can serve Him, but I also realize that when my life is over and my time here is done, that I get to be with Him because I have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I’m Struggling With Pride

We have small children so that means that they have a fairly small vocabulary. Before having our family Bible study, I realized that we were going to be reading a passage that dealt with pride and humility. One of the statements said, "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6b NKJV). I realized that my sons did not know what pride and humility actually were . I explained to them how when we are proud we think we are more important than others, but when we are humble we care about what others want instead of always thinking we have to have our own way.
-
That conversation reminded me of how easy it is to be proud- to think that I am the most important person in the world. I remember a friend who used to say that he looked out for himself because no one else would. I found that strange because I really did care about him and was even willing to get the shorter end of the stick to help him. Sadly he ended up alienating a number of people by living out his attitude of pride.
-
It is a lot easier for me to see pride in my friend than it is to see it in myself. Why? Because my own pride blinds my assessment of myself. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds me, “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
-
It is bad enough that someone might think that they are more important than their fellow human being, but what happens when we end up thinking we are more important than God? Even though I know that God is more important than I am, I have caught myself living as if I believed the opposite.
-
For example I have taken pride in living as a Christian ought to live. Why should I be proud of doing what is my duty to do? (Luke 17:10) Yes, we should obey God, but we must remember that even when we do all the right things, we still fall far short of His glory, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) As Christians we are supposed to be like Christ, but when I take pride in being like Christ I become more like the devil who said, “I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:14)
-
The same pride that gets me in trouble for thinking I am more holy than I really am, can also get me into trouble by convincing me that I am important enough to do whatever I want to do. Let’s face it, sin can be fun for a short time. When I start to think that I am so important that my pleasures are a greater priority than obeying God, then my pride has again pushed me farther from God. I cannot help but quote Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
-
The answer is Jesus Christ. His payment on the cross has once and for all atoned for our sins. That payment is applied to us when we believe on Him. At that time we must humble ourselves before Him realizing He will draw near to us. I realize that when I take my eyes off Christ and put them on myself I end up either being proud of my spirituality or I end up thinking I am important enough that my obedience doesn’t matter, but when I remember that Jesus Christ is God and that He is the most important one, then I realize that I must obey Him without taking pride in doing what I am supposed to do.

Are There Donkeys in Heaven?

As we were driving to church, I listened to our little boys having a conversation. Our 6 year old said that Jesus knew about donkeys because He rode on one. I reminded him that Jesus knew about donkeys because He created them. John 1:3 tells us, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Once I mentioned about Jesus making everything, our little boy replied, “I knew that dad.”
-
Actually what had led to this conversation was our boys discussing whether or not there were donkeys in heaven. Soon our 5 year old said, “Yes, there are! I know it.” When his answer did not seem to satisfy everyone he then said, “I know it because the Bible says so.” I raised my eyebrows because he had just turned 5 a few months ago and cannot even read yet.
-
I was tempted to chuckle; however, I realized that this was a serious matter that needed to be addressed. I told him that there was actually not a specific statement in the Bible about donkeys in heaven and that we should not say something is in the Bible if it is not there.
-
Sadly both Christians and non-Christians alike end up believing that the Bible teaches things that it does not teach simply because they have heard wrong information. That is why it is so important to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV)
-
It is understandable that a 5 year old might make a mistake about what is actually in the Bible, but sadly some adult religious leaders make mistakes or intentionally deceive others about what is in the Bible. Sometimes they even say something is not in the Bible when it is actually there.
-
The average Christian sometimes struggles to know what the Bible really teaches. For example some may wonder if the phrase, “a penny saved is a penny earned” is in the Bible. Help for such answers can be found by looking up words in Strong’s Concordance, which is a large book that lists all the words in the Bible and where they are found. A simpler option would be to do a computer search by visiting a site like Blueletterbible.org.
-
Though such tools are helpful they do have their limits. Consider the golden rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Though that exact phrase is not in the Bible, the idea is. Matthew 7:12 says, "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (NASB)
-
Such examples remind us why it is so important to read and study the Bible. They also show why it is important to find a church where the Bible is read and studied. Though our 5 year old cannot read yet, we do read the Bible to him. His confusion should remind all of us to pay attention when the Bible is read or preached so that we not get confused. It is also a good idea to take your Bible along with you to church so you can read along as it is being taught.
-
I do not know if there will be donkeys in heaven. I tend to think they will be there, but I want to make sure that I not claim that something is in the Bible when it is not.

What if They Don’t Forgive?

Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sin affects our relationship with God, but it also affects our relationships with one another. Fortunately God’s word tells us what to do when sin messes up our relationships. For example, Matthew 18:15-17 explains: "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (NKJV)

-
If a brother sins against you and they realize they are wrong and ask for forgiveness, then the relationship can be restored. We see in Matthew 18:17 that if they do not listen then the relationship is not restored, but at least the attempt was made. But what happens if a person is confronted and realizes they have sinned, but the one they have sinned against refuses to accept their apology? Later in Matthew 18, Peter askes, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” (Verse 21). In verse 22, Jesus answers, “ I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” In other words, instead of keeping track of how often you have forgiven your brother, just forgive him.
-
But what happens when you realize that you have sinned against someone else and you ask for forgiveness but they are not willing to forgive you? Jesus was very firm in His answer concerning this when He said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The context of this passage as well as the parallel passage in Mark is prayer. Though unforgiveness does not cause us to lose our salvation, it does keep us from close fellowship with God.
-
We must also realize that when someone else refuses to forgive us, that cannot keep us out of heaven nor can it keep us from having the right relationship with God. It does however, keep us from being close to them. If we have confessed our sin to them and asked for forgiveness and they refuse to give it, then they are the ones in the wrong, not us. I know it hurts when someone refuses to forgive, but we must understand that even if a person refuses to forgive us, God will not withhold forgiveness. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Even if the people around us refuse to forgive, God still forgives when we humble ourselves before Him and admit our sin. Let us remember that He is the one that really matters when it comes to forgiveness of sin.
-
We still must humble ourselves before our fellow man and ask forgiveness when we have sinned, but realize that some people are too sinful themselves to forgive us. As sad as that is, we must take comfort in the realization that even if people will not forgive us, God will. I am so thankful that even though we have a just God who must punish sin, He is also a loving merciful God who will forgive sin. In fact, He sent His son to die on the cross to make the payment that we could not pay so that our sin could be paid for once for all. As we remember Christ’s resurrection, let us also remember God’s forgiveness if we believe on Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Faith & The Science Method

What is science? When I was in school we were taught the scientific method. It was essentially a 4 step process of coming up with an idea and then doing experiments to either lend support to the idea or to suggest that the idea was wrong. It would break down something like this: 1) Make observations 2) Come up with a hypothesis (theory) 3) Test the hypothesis by doing an experiment 3)Analyze your data and come to a conclusion.
-
We were taught that as we did experiments, we had to be very careful to have a proper control group because we could easily come to the wrong conclusions. For example, if we left a piece of bread lay in the refrigerator and watched it turn moldy we might conclude that refrigerators caused mold. A better experiment would be to have 2 refrigerators side by side with the exact same humidity in each one but with different temperatures. Then have another experiment with the exact same temperatures but different levels of humidity. Soon you would realize that there are other factors involved in mold growth on bread. Mold growth was not caused by the refrigerator.
-
In our bread mold/refrigerator example we quickly see that although the scientific method is helpful and important, there are many factors that can easily be missed by the person doing the experiment. That should sound a loud warning that we must be careful about putting too much security in the conclusions one draws from the experiment. At the same time we must also realize that valuable data is being gathered.
-
So what happens when data is gathered and conclusions are too hastily presented as facts? Fortunately the scientific community is not publishing articles telling us to get rid of refrigerators because they cause mold, but some in the scientific community are suggesting that we reject the Bible because of the conclusions that they have come to based on their observations. Others have looked at the same data and suggested that it actually supports the Bible just as some would look at the bread experiment and suggest that it actually shows us how important refrigerators really are.
-
The field of science is made up of people- and people have biases. I know I do. With all the data available to us, we still have not settled the old debate about what is better, Ford or Chevy. Sure, you may have settled it in your mind, but your neighbor still has his bias.
-
Imagine if this were 80 years ago and you sold ice. Your bias against refrigerators may have tainted your conclusions. At the same time imagine if you sold refrigerators. Your bias may cause you to overlook some conclusions.
-
As a Christian, I understand that I have a bias in favor of the Bible. The reason I have such a bias is not because of greed to be able to sell a refrigerator, but rather because of my faith in my God. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
-
In every experiment there are things going on that we cannot see. Even if we watched the mold grow with a microscope, there are still things going on with our bread experiment that we could not observe. Because I have trusted Christ, I realize that my faith is a part of my evidence. But I also realize that those who do not believe the Bible bring their bias into the experiment; therefore, it is not valid for them to reject my conclusions simply because of my faith.

Obey God Rather Than Men

We just finished with our taxes. The tax rules are so confusing that I hired an accountant to help us. For many Christians, God’s rules are just as confusing or even more confusing than the tax code, but they shouldn’t be. I recently read that it takes 73,954 pages to explain the US tax code. The Bible is closer to 2,000 pages and much of that is history, poetry and prophecy. It is not all commands.
-
We all have rules to abide by that have no connection to morality. For example, an employee at a prestigious law firm may be required to meet a very stringent dress code that includes an expensive suit and tie. Even some minimum wage jobs require wearing a specific uniform. These are requirements placed upon man apart from the requirements of God. Still they do have a connection because Christians are taught to obey their masters as long as doing so would not cause them to disobey the Lord. We are even taught to pay taxes as we “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s.”
-
Further there are rules of society. For example it is considered rude to burp loudly in public even though there is nothing in scripture that specifically forbids such behavior. In fact, in some cultures it is considered a compliment to burp after a meal. Still as a Christian in this culture, I want to avoid such behavior because of my love for my neighbor realizing that that the sound may make them uncomfortable.
-
With all the different rules that affect us- expectations of our government, our boss, our teacher, our parents, and society in general, it can be difficult to sort out what God really expects of us and what sort of things are simply the expectations of man.
-
Sometimes because of the churches involvement in expectations the line can get even more clouded. For example during lent, some may avoid meat on Fridays in order to focus more on God. Giving up anything for a time to give more attention to God is wonderful and ought to be encouraged, however; we must understand that we cannot find a specific directive in scripture to observe lent by avoiding meat. Another example would be the expectation that men wear suits and ties to church on Sunday. Although there is nothing wrong with someone dressing up for a special time of worship- especially if they are doing it to honor God- it is not a specific requirement of scripture. In fact, scripture condemns those who look down on others for not being dressed as well.
-
All these expectations can end up leaving a Christian confused about what God really expects. For example, I have met Christians who did not even know that sex outside of marriage was wrong even though I Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” (NKJV)
-
The Bible book of Colossians addresses this challenge of balancing the rules of man with following God. Colossians 2:20-22 NKJV says, “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men?” Then in the next chapter we are told, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV).
-
Really what it comes down to is that we need to be more concerned about following what God has commanded us to do than what man has commanded us to do. In order to know the difference we must know the Word of God. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV)

Are Your Children Unruly?

I sat in the adult Sunday school class with my 2 year old son on my lap. Occasionally he would wiggle, but he had learned to sit still- for the most part- as I held him. After class the lady across the table told me how impressed she was about how good he was. I responded that he was not always that good. She then said that she was also impressed with how well his 2 older brothers had sat in the same class a few weeks earlier.
-
At that time I admitted to her that our 3 and 4 year had been in class with us because they had not wanted to go to their own class even though we had told them they should. I then explained that we had been on the road a lot recently, preaching in other churches, and that the boys were often in unfamiliar settings and had gotten a bit scared and wanted to be close to Mom and Dad.
-
This brings up an important question: Were my children being disobedient and unruly in a way that would disqualify me from being a pastor because they were too scared to go to their class and insisted on staying with us?
-
Consider 1 Timothy 3:4-5, “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” Consider as well Titus 1:6, “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”
-
Let me be honest. This is not the only issue my children have. They do not always sit quietly- especially if they have to sit for more than an hour. Further, they fight with each other over toys, they have taken candy without permission, and they have tracked mud across the floor. Even though we remind them to take their shoes off, they sometimes forget or are just in too much of a hurry to obey. Is this what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he used the word “unruly” in Titus 1:6?
-
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible defines the underlying Greek word for unruly as: “unsubdued, i.e. insubordinate (in fact or temper):- disobedient, that is not put under, unruly.” The Geneva Bible Notes (commentary from the year 1599) gives some further light to the subject when it states, “This word is used of horses and oxen, who will not tolerate the yoke.”
-
In 1599, it was much more common to have horses and oxen in a yoke than it is today, yet the usage of the word should help our understanding. Though a horse may tolerate a yoke, that does not mean it will never throw its head or even stomp its hooves. Further the driver of the yoke may have to pull the reigns to steer the animal back on course from time to time.
-
The same is true of children. They are not robots that we can just program for an automatic outcome. We have attempted to program them to never walk across the house with muddy shoes and they are improving, yet they are not perfect. Even a well trained horse may have to be reigned in now and then.
-
Still, children should not be allowed to run wild. A pastor, just like any parent should be concerned about the behavior of his children. A pastor who has no restraints on his children should be disqualified from ministry, but this does not mean that his children have to be sinless.

Avoid The Kool-Aid Men

As a child, I remember watching commercials for Kool-Aid with the Kool-Aid man. He was basically a big juice pitcher with hands, feet, and a smiley face who offered Kool-Aid to kids after breaking through a wall. As he walked away he would turn to the kids and exclaim, “Oh yah,” as he saw that their thirst was quenched.
-
In the innocence of my childhood, I was encouraged by the Kool-Aid man to drink Kool-Aid, but when I became older, I often heard the warning, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” So why would people warn against drinking Kool-Aid when the commercials of my childhood showed it to be such an effective thirst quencher?
-
In 1978, a preacher by the name of Jim Jones convinced his followers to drink Kool-Aid that had poison in it. Over 900 people were so loyal to Jones that they ended up dying after drinking the poison Kool-Aid. After that event, the phrase, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid,” became a warning not to blindly follow any human leader.
-
Jesus gave warnings about false teachers long before Kool-Aid ever hit the market. He said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 NKJV) "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11 NKJV)
-
The Apostle Paul gave similar warnings when he said, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30). He also sent this warning to a young pastor named Timothy, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV)
-
Around the same time that Jim Jones was feeding his followers Kool-Aid, another false teacher name Bill Gothard was gathering followers. Instead of bringing them to a commune like Jones did, he sent them back to their local churches. Many of those churches became divided as people had to decide whether to follow Gothard or the Bible. Many pastors quickly recognized Gothard as a false teacher as he began to impose dietary restrictions and discouraged marriage. Still he gained loyal followers.
-
Today Bill Gothard is an old man and does not travel around to seminars like he used to do. Still he has much influence through the ATI home school curriculum that he distributes. In the 1980’s he briefly stepped down due to a scandal involving young ladies who where volunteering at his ministry. A short time later, he returned to lead the ministry after replacing those who would have held him accountable. Sadly however many of his followers have continued to defend him no matter how much false doctrine has been exposed or how much evidence of ungodly behavior has been presented (34 different women have come forward).
-
The examples of Jim Jones and Bill Gothard should remind us as Christians that we must be followers of Christ, not of men. It should remind us as well to study the scripture and really find out if what we have been taught is correct and then reject false teachers, even if it means we have to swallow some pride and admit we were wrong for following them. For further questions or comments, please contact southtownbc@yahoo.com

Conditioning is not Repentance

All of our boys love playing in water. The problem is, that apart from the bathtub, their earliest experiences playing with water involved another bathroom fixture. We quickly set forth to condition them that playing in the toilet was unacceptable behavior. Eventually they learned that it was easier to leave the toilet alone than it was to suffer the consequences.
-
As they grew older, we began to notice that there was a difference between their conditioning to avoid certain behaviors and a genuine concern over doing what was wrong. We could train them to do what we expected of them, but that did not mean that their hearts had actually been changed. In other words, they really did not understand that there was anything wrong with playing in the toilet, they just knew that they would be scolded if they did it.
-
We could explain all the details about germs and messes, but our 2 year old simply was not able to understand. On the other hand, it was encouraging when our 4 year old realized he had really hurt his brothers feelings and went and told him he was sorry with genuine concern in his voice.
-
Although having concern for our fellow man is a good thing, when we sin we should have an even higher concern. We should be concerned that our sin has offended a holy God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NASB).
-
Sadly, too many people are more concerned about the consequences of their transgression than they are about sinning against God. The Apostle Paul had to write a letter to the Corinthians to confront their sin (the book of I Corinthians in the Bible). After being confronted, the Christians there were really sorry for what they had done. Paul then writes another letter to them where he says, “I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:9-10 NASB).
-
As we include God in the picture, we understand that the issue is more than just having sadness over our actions or avoiding the consequences of our sins. The issue is understanding that our sin is wrong in God’s eyes and thus turning from our sins to instead obey God. That is what repentance is all about.
-
Let me ask this question: If you could steal a large sum of money and never get caught and no one would know about it, would you do it? For many the answer would be “yes” because they are only concerned with the possibility of punishment or the stigma of being called a thief. Godly sorrow, however motivates us to understand that our sin is wrong regardless of whether or not we are caught. Remember God knows about all our sins. A truly repentant person wants to avoid sin because he wants to serve God.
-
God will ultimately hold us accountable for our sins, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a) But He loved us enough to pay for our sins by sending His Son to die on the cross, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)
-
That is why it is so important that we repent and believe, not just condition our lives to avoid sin.

I Want to Eat All the Candy

Our little boys love candy. If we were to leave candy sitting on the table I have no doubt that it would quickly be eaten. We could tell them that it is not a good idea to eat too much candy, but in spite of our warnings about excess sugar and the dangers of obesity, I am confident that they would still continue to indulge in candy.
-
As they grow older, I hope that they will develop some restraint. We seldom buy pop, but on a recent trip to the grocery store, my 4 year old suggested that I get pop. He did not argue with me when I said no, but instead said that when he is big like me he would get pop when he went to the store. That was a reminder that not all adults control their desires.
-
Though eating too much candy and drinking too much pop can affect our bodies, there is nothing sinful about pop or candy. On the other hand, there are activities that are sinful and should be avoided- even if we realize we would get pleasure from participating in them.
-
For example, I too like candy. In fact, I would really enjoy a Snickers bar right now. Imagine however if I were in the grocery and I had no way to pay for the candy bar, so I just stole it because I really wanted it. Of course that would be wrong. Exodus 20:15 tells us, “Thou shalt not steal.” (8th of the 10 commandments). Ephesians 2:28 admonishes us with the words, “let him that stole, steal no more.”
-
Obviously stealing would be wrong, even if having and eating that candy bar would make me happy. What about other sins? Stealing the candy bar would obviously affect another individual and deprive them of their rightful possession, but what about a sin that does not affect another so directly?
-
An example of such a sin would be the viewing of pornography in the privacy of ones own home. Just because a person has the desire to do such a thing does not make it right. Jesus was very clear when He said, “but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28 NASB). Let us not forget that the 7th commandment says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
-
What if a man lusts after other men instead of women? First of all, let us understand that we do not all struggle with the same temptations. Some do not have to struggle with stealing Snickers bars, but they do struggle with the temptation of pornography. Others may not struggle with lying, but they do struggle with the temptation of homosexuality. Rather than debating the reasons for such temptation, let us look to the scriptures and determine what God says about the behaviors.
-
The scriptures are clear that stealing, lusting after women, lying, and homosexual acts are sinful. The scripture is also clear that many other things are sinful as well. Rather than condemning each other for the temptations we face, let us instead encourage each other to obey God and exercise self control regardless of our temptations. With that in mind, never make an excuse for the actual sin, but also be careful about being judgmental toward someone who is resisting a sin that you never had to struggle with.
-
Further if you are a Christian and are struggling with temptation toward a sin that the scripture clearly condemns, do not sin that grace may abound- even if others in society tell you that it is okay. As Christians, we need to let God decide what is a sin. That means we ought to avoid sin, even if it goes against our desires. Even if we want to eat all the candy in the candy store, that does not mean we should do it.
For further questions or comments, please contact southtownbc@yahoo.com or visit southtownchurch.com

God's Will and a New Year

I have a Miller family history book on my bookshelf. It was written by my dad’s cousin. On page 51 is a picture of my great-great grandfather’s house in Lennox, SD. That is where he lived just before he died. We drove by that house on the evening of New Year’s Day and it is still there even though my great-great grandfather died about 105 years ago.
-
Much has changed in the past 100 years so I was not sure if the house would even still be there, but sure enough there it was. Though that house remains, my great-great grandfather, my great grandfather, my grandpa, and my dad have all passed away.
-
About 100 years ago, my great grandfather moved from Worthing where my grandpa was born to a farm north of Lake Wilson, MN. Most of my family still live in that area. As I grew up in Southwest Minnesota, I had no idea that I would one day end up moving back to the area of my forefathers. In fact, I did not even remember that they were from this area until after we were already planning to move here.
-
Though I had now idea where my life would lead, God knew all along. I think of Isaiah 46:9-10, “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'” (NKJV).
-
As I remember the past, I am reminded that God already has the future all planned out. My moving to Worthing may have surprised me, but it did not surprise God. It is reassuring to know that I serve an all knowing, all powerful God.
-
Notice as well that verse 10 of Isaiah 46 says that God’s counsel (His purpose)- shall stand. It also says that He will do all He pleases. I take comfort in praying to an all powerful God who knows the beginning from the end. I also take comfort in knowing that He will do as He pleases.
-
Some may wonder why I find comfort in praying to a God who does whatever He pleases instead of praying to a god that I can get to do whatever I want him to do. If I were powerful enough to get God to give me whatever I wanted, then my God would not be all powerful and if I could get what I wanted, so could others. What if I wanted rain and someone else wanted sunshine?
-
The God I pray to is all knowing and does as He pleases, so He knows what is best. Further I take comfort in knowing that He is good and that He loves us so much that He sent His son to die for our sins. Thus I can face the new year ahead- and all the years He allows me to have- with complete trust in Him and His will no matter what trials or blessings may come my way.