Hard Questions - What About Vaccines?

 

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow

after the things which make for peace,

and things wherewith one may edify another.

 

A tremendous amount of tension and drama has surrounded the subject of vaccinations for years now, but recently it has reached a fever pitch. It is a very polarizing subject, causing splits in friendships, family relationships, Christian fellowship, and the public arena of life. It is hard to overstate the situation.

Making decisions about this issue is very complicated and not a matter to be taken lightly for many people. I’ve read, heard, and seen enough to know that there are points of legitimate contention on both sides. Yes, I did just take a moderate position. Sadly, there are people who won’t have the mental fortitude to continue reading because they are so polarized on this issue that they can’t even tolerate hearing a slightly different point of view than their own. Yes, I did just call you a wimp if you get all mad and leave without finishing reading this, but I mean it in the nicest possible sense. <smile>

Frankly, I’m more than a little tired and put out with the controversy that some Christians feel is appropriate on this issue - controversy and sinful anger in defiance of God’s word and Christian charity. And, I’m saying that to both sides, so please don’t assume I mean one or the other. I’ve seen the people who support informed choice on this issue get mostly ignored because they were moderate instead of supporting one extreme position or the other. I've also seen people who believed in informed choice take extreme positions on the "right" to choose, to the point of ignoring what the Bible actually teaches. I know that there are people on all sides of this issue who will automatically be disgusted with me before they even hear me out just because I am not “smart enough” to take their own position. This doesn’t remind me much of 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13:1-4 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 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. Charity suffereth long, and is kind...

As Christians, what should our position be? This is a tough question and one to which many people think they have an absolute answer. Most of them, however, are basing that answer on what they believe are “the facts” surrounding the issue of vaccinations rather than Biblical principles. Some also believe they are following biblical principles but they are only taking into account what supports their own presuppositions. Worst of all, some people actually base their position on nothing more than a political ideology or the say-so of their favorite "big cheese" (president, politician, doctor, pastor, movie star, sports hero, you name it.)

Let’s consider a couple questions relating to the issue, questions that might not be exactly the ones generally asked.

Continue Reading.

Guest Post - Social Media - Why Jump Ship?

My sister-in-law wrote this last year and gave me permission to share it. 

Editor's Note: This issue about social media and jumping to alternate, sketchy services to make a point over politics happened in 2021, but it is something that Christians need to think about soberly and wisely.  One service some Christians were going to and supporting at that time ended up in the midst of criminals, filth, and others who were looking for freedom from the law and decency, not freedom of speech to say right things. Please consider my sister-in-law's useful observations on the matter and ask yourself this question: Why am I really on social media in the first place, and should persecution or opposing political views change that objective?

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Worth Repeating – Are You Warming or Chilling the Lives of Others?

 

Psalms 91:2-4  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

By Marsha Burkholder, February 2014

This seems to have been one of the coldest winters I remember in Austin since we moved here over 30 years ago. Most of the Austin winters have always been too mild for me. I tolerate the heat of summer and love the cold of winter. There are some Austinites who do not share my enjoyment of this winter weather. Of course, if I had to work out in the cold or lived in an area where the winters were much colder and longer in length, I might not feel as enthused about winter.

Some of the things I enjoy about winter are sleeping under thick blankets, wearing sweaters, basking in the warmth of a fireplace, coming into a warm, cozy house, drinking hot chocolate with melting marshmallows and in the rarest of Austin times having to stay home because of inclement weather. I guess when I look at what I like about winter, it looks like I like it most when I’m doing things that will keep me warm. These thoughts made me think of a quote I read:  “This cold world needs warmhearted Christians.” Indeed, this world is a spiritually cold place. I don’t enjoy its kind of coldness; however, it gives us Christians an opportunity to be someone’s spiritual blanket, sweater, fireplace, heater or hot chocolate. That unsaved person we meet at the grocery store, the school, the work place, etc. who seems to be chilled to the bone, burdened with the cares of this world needs our smile, our encouragement and most of all our witness of the Savior and His wonderful salvation. Even that saved person who may be going through a wintry time in his life is in need of our warmth.

I’m reminded of an old saying that something “warms the cockles of my heart” i.e. brings joy and warmth to the innermost part of a person. Only Jesus can bring that kind of joy and warmth.

Christians can become cold when they stray from the Lord’s warmth. In that state, we cannot give off the warmth to the unsaved who are truly the coldest of all. When one is cold, it doesn’t do him any good to shake hands with someone who has cold hands. When one is cold spiritually, there is the same effect on another.  Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” God’s provision of salvation, His daily provisions and love are truly warmth for the cold in heart. May those around us never feel spiritually cold from having been around us but desire to know the One Who keeps us spiritually warm.

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Editor’s Note: It is amazing how much a kind word and a cheerful smile can improve someone’s day and warm their heart, and it usually costs us nothing more than the effort. Even more importantly, we need to point others to the only true source of spiritual warmth and light – the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings… Malachi 4:2

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Originally published here Jan. 2015.

Hard Questions - To What End?

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Man of sorrows what a name,

For the Son of God who came...

It is hard to understand why Jesus Christ, who was God in the flesh, would take on the sorrows and grief of this life. It is deeply comforting, but it is also a mystery. But as the old hymn clearly shows us, there was a purpose.

Ruined sinners to reclaim:

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Philip P. Bliss

One question that I am trying to ask myself more is, "To what end?" In this context "end" means the result or purpose, but with a more permanent thought behind it. The means to an end reflects the idea of a plan or method that arrives at a desired goal. "To what end?" is a question that applies right across the length and breadth of life. If we will ask ourselves this and answer honestly, it can help us in determining the value of many things in life. It can direct our efforts and priorities, and it can help us "delete" things from our lives or thoughts that simply don't matter. Basically, it comes down to this: If the end result is not useful or beneficial in some way, if it does not take us further in the path God has laid before us, then it probably isn't something we should be spending our precious life on.

Continue Reading.

Short Thought - How Are Others Using Your Time?

 

"A man who has nothing to do with his own time has

no conscience in his intrusion on that of others."

Jane Austen

Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 

Sometimes when we really need to get things done we may need to avoid people who have no respect for other people's time. Of course, this is not speaking of your children or those for whom you are directly responsible, but those whom you may actually avoid. It can come at us in a lot of ways - text messages that distract us, phone calls, chats online or in the store, family members that interrupt and expect our undivided attention (while not helping with the tasks at hand), etc.

This may sound harsh is some ways, but Jesus did not always allow the multitudes to consume His time. Sometimes He avoided them. We need to be attentive to His leading as to whom we are really meant to communicate with and spend time on, and whom we should avoid in specific circumstances. Sometimes it will even be necessary to excuse yourself so that you can get on with the things that need to be accomplished. Some people find this hard to do and then are stressed because they didn't get something done when it should have been done. Learn to politely, but firmly, disengage when it is necessary. 

I remember my parents struggling with people interruptions sometimes when my dad was a pastor. There were times when it was difficult to know who was really needing help and who was just looking for attention or an ear to monopolize. There were a couple times when my dad had some man coming to him over and over for "help" or to talk out his struggles, but the man never actually did anything my dad told him he should do to resolve things or live more biblically. Eventually I think my dad told both those men that if they weren't going to do the (biblical) things he suggested, then he didn't have time to talk to them.

In John 4 Jesus Christ went out of His way to meet the woman at the well, and yet in Mark 3:31-35 when His own mother and brethren stood outside the group and sent someone in to call Him away, He refused to go - without apology. Mark 3:31-35 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Sometimes family will be the hardest to walk away from, but if they are interrupting things that you know are the Lord's will, you have to do it. It won't be easy, and it may not feel good at the moment, but it's about doing God's will and honoring Him with our time and energy.  

By the way, shoving everyone out of your life so you can do your own thing isn't the answer to interruptions. If you are the one who lacks skills in stepping back graciously at appropriate times, you need to work on that, not just push everyone away. We are called to serve and minister. But, there has to be a balance that is in accordance with God's will. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom if this is something that is a struggle for you.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

Hard Questions - Is It Your Christian Duty to Vote?

This article was first posted in 2016. I had planned something else for today, but after revisiting this it seemed like maybe it was time to put it up again since the elections in the U.S. are fast approaching again. I edited it and made a few changes.
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Is It Your Christian Duty to Vote?

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;

and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly,

and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

This was an article that I wasn't sure I wanted to write this year (2016). There has been so much said by so many that I hesitated to add my thoughts as it seemed like there was too much already. The thing that made me reconsider is all the drama I've seen and heard about how it is supposedly the American Christians' duty before God to vote. The misuse of scripture in some instances has bothered me. Added to this is the overwhelming pressure that various Christian people and groups are putting on others to try to force them to vote for the person they deem to be "the right one." In the hopes of helping a few people get a little peace about this, I decided to venture forth into a topic that is generally odious to me. So, here we go.

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American Christians have been told for years that it is their "duty to vote." The preachers, pastors, and evangelists have stomped up and down this country in and out of election years, telling people that if they don't vote for  the "right" candidate (meaning the one of that man's choice) or for a specific issue then it will be their fault when this country goes to the devil. Prohibition was passed largely based on this type of pulpit politics, and after some years and total failure, it was repealed and, strangely enough, we are not all drunkards now. (Yeah, the nation is a mess, but you can't honestly blame all of this on alcohol.)

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Thoughts from the Past – Who Do You Sound Like?

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. 

Written April 13, 2008 (edited Aug. 2020)
 
Who Do You Sound Like?

My parents ate breakfast yesterday at a local cafe, or perhaps more accurately, a "greasy spoon." One of the patrons was a local sports coach who was holding court with anyone who would talk with him. Plenty of people knew him and he was having a grand time shining on the willing audience.
My parents were listening to other people's conversations (a great way to pick up the local "news") and couldn't help hearing the coach's chatter as he held forth, no doubt on his favorite subject. My dad particularly noticed that the man's favorite source to quote was himself.

We've all heard people like this I suppose. Their conversation is peppered with remarks like, "I always say,..."; "As I told so-and-so,..."; "I always tell them..."; and so forth. To hear them tell it, you would think that they are the most useful and reliable sources of information.

Our family once saw a series of historical documentaries done by the droll Englishman, Alistair Cooke. In one of those films he made this clever witticism (clever for an Englishman, that is), "Someone once said, and it might have been me..." and thus imparted some appropriate quote upon the subject. This is unfortunately how some people seem to think, only they really mean it.  It isn’t a joke to them.

I was just thinking the other day that anyone who knew my Gramma Hoover very well would recognize that I had spent quite a bit of time with her by hearing me talk. I use her expressions and words, and no doubt use her manner of speech enough to betray the fact that we were close relatives as well as close friends.

In the gospel of Matthew we read that when Peter was warming himself beside the fire in the high priest's palace, the others there were accusing him of being with Christ. He denied it, but they could not believe him. Matthew 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Peter's speech had betrayed him. Whether it was his Galilean accent or some other clue of his speech I don't know for sure, but he gave himself away with his mouth.

Later, after the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost at the day of Pentecost, Peter and John were arrested and stood before the spiritual leaders of Israel (including some of the same men who had officiated at the trial of Christ). When Peter answered the men boldly in the power of the Holy Ghost, we are told in Acts 4:13, Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Their speech showed that they had been with Jesus. They were not naturally men of this sort of boldness, speech and wisdom. If they had not listened, had not believed and had not desired to follow Christ, their speech would not have reflected His influence on them.

Our speech shows who we have been spending time with, who our companions have been. The coach mentioned above shows by his speech who he thinks is important and who is an excellent source of knowledge or wisdom - himself. My own expressions and some of my mannerisms reflect a person with whom I spent much time and who was a great influence on me - my grandmother. Many people are quick to quote their pastor or some other expert or "guru" whom they consider to be a "great source" of wisdom.  When some question or issue comes up, they will inform you, "Well, Pastor ________, says thus and so," as if he was a final authority. If you ask some people why they do such and such, they won't give you scripture, they will quote Michael Pearl, Jack Hyles, Bill Gothard, Elizabeth Elliot, Francis Chan, Paul Washer or whoever their favorite expert is.

What a wonderful thing, though, it would be to have it said of us that others knew we had been with Jesus because of our speech and our manner! I think there are few witnesses of His power in our lives that should be so sweet and so desired as this one. People strive for notice in soul-winning, in works of many kinds, in being noted for their "great deeds for Christ", in having a "deep spiritual life" and many such things. But, if we have spent so much time with Christ, hearing His words and listening to Him, that people can readily recognize it because our speech and our behavior is different, any other truly spiritual accomplishments should naturally, or rather supernaturally, follow.

A number of years ago my dad and a friend of ours had the distinct privilege of meeting a man who "had been with Jesus." He had obviously saturated his soul with the word of God, for his speech betrayed him. My dad and his friend were traveling from Canada back into the U.S. They had a large load of scripture plaques and there was some question as to whether they would be charged duty at the border. Since they were not prepared to pay a large amount of money for this, there was some concern about it. Before they left this brother from whom they had received the plaques, he  wanted to pray with them. As he prayed my dad and our friend came into genuine awe. The man's manner of praying was to quote passages of scripture easily and fluently, working them into his prayer without any strain to do so and talking as if it were the most natural way in the world to talk to God. And perhaps it is. It was not a stilted or forced thing, but simple expressions and requests regarding the trip and the need at hand. It was not pompous or puffed up, but sincere and as a man would talk to his friend. The man's normal speech had been well salted, but his manner of prayer made them realize that they had been visiting with a man who had spent much time with the Lord reading and absorbing His word. (Incidentally, though significantly, this man had also had a truly heart breaking experience which had changed the whole course of his life.)

[By the way, they got through the border without paying any customs because the inspector declared the plaques "religious icons" - though all that was on them were scripture verses. :-) ]

There are many Christians who live in fear or suspense about the coming of persecution to the USA.  There are many professing believers whose mouths are full of political ideologies, conspiracies, health dangers, the praise of man, the world, etc.  Would to God that if we are ever called upon to answer before a court of man for our behavior and speech that our testimony before men would be that they would take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus!

Deuteronomy 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom...

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This item was first posted here in June 2012.

Hard Questions - Should You Obey the Government?

This sermon is by a pastor in Australia whose testimony is well known to some of my family. I found this message very encouraging and also such an urgent reminder for this time we're in now. The Lord commands us to obey the powers that be, which He has ordained (Romans 13). In this message Brother Hyland makes it clear from God's own word how much we are to be subject to the governments God has set in place and the limited parameters of when and how we can disobey. It may not be at all what you think. Have a listen.

Why Do the Women Look and Sound Alike? - Some Signs that A Group May View Women Strangely

Have you ever been in a group of Christian women and noticed that they all look alike, sound alike, and maybe even think alike? Have you felt like you were the odd one out in the gathering, even though you may have been dressed conservatively yourself? A friend and I had this experience once in a very marked way when we went to an event sponsored by women in a "Biblical Patriarchy" "Family Inclusive" type church group. We were wearing dresses/skirts. We were dressed very conservatively by most standards and neither of us were "styled" heavily in any way. Neither of us have really short hair, nor was our hair really long at the time. But, I felt like we were almost weirdos among them. It was an odd feeling to me at the time. The only other women there who didn't fit in were some unsaved relatives of someone. They had super short hair, heavy make-up, pants, bright orange hair, etc. It seemed strange to be among the outsiders in this group.

What was this about? I had questions and thoughts.

Of course, I'd seen similar things before. The Mennonites, Branhamites (followers of William Marion Branham), Gothardites, various Pentacostals and Church of God, and others exhibit similar behaviors. It's hard not to notice their weirdness sometimes, even when you want to not notice and to be compassionate or kind.

But, what does it mean? What does it potentially show about the group's view of women?

Continue Reading.

Thoughts On Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle invented the most famous detective of all time - Sherlock Holmes. His skill as a writer is unquestionable. Sadly, that can't be said for his spiritual life. He was called the Apostle of Spiritualism and was heavily involved in the pursuit of supernatural things of a devilish type. I wrote this article some years ago and recently went over again. I don't believe I've shared it on the blog before, so today is the day.

Job 32:9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. 

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Apostle of Spiritualism
Somewhere in my teens I became very interested in the Sherlock Holmes stories. My brother and I read all that we could get our hands on and I even had a few books of my own. One day my dad bought two volumes by Arthur Conan Doyle for me at a yard sale because they had several Sherlock Holmes stories among the others. I read the Holmes stories, and then some of the other stories that were in the books. The other stories turned out to be quite enlightening, but not in the sense that I was expecting. I was rather surprised at the "fiendish female" ghost stories as well as a bizarre "romance" with a weird conclusion and other strange tales. I don't recall the names of the stories now, but the Lord used those books to really wake us up to the fact that Doyle was much more than slightly off...

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A Friendly Reminder About Halloween

Romans 13:12-14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

Just a friendly reminder about why Halloween is something that followers of Jesus Christ should not be doing.

Why We Don't Celebrate Halloween

Hard Questions: What would the Ephesian Believers Think of Halloween, Twilight and Harry Potter in Christian Homes?

Random Questions - Relationships with Others

Here is a short list of questions from my collection.

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Do you prefer that people shoot straight with you or temper their words?

I think that something in between is the most useful. In Ephesians 4:14-15 we read,  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Some people will speak the truth without love. This is destructive and can cause serious damage. Some people try to speak in love, but they don't pay enough attention to truth. This is unhelpful and can be destructive in a different way. A combination of both is necessary for true usefulness and this is what I like to find in others. It is what I want to do myself.

What are three qualities that draw you to someone new?

This is hard to answer. At the Lord's prompting, I have been trying over the last few years to broaden my friendships and include people who might not have been too high on my list of "perfect friends" in the past. So, I actually try not to allow myself to be overly influenced by my personal preferences. Obviously, I want to be drawn to people who are born again and have a sincere love for the Lord. I also want to appreciate the things God has placed in His children for the help of other Christians, including me.

I do find myself not enjoying interactions with people who are overbearing or always pushing for answers or trying to make you a more spiritual person. Asking hard questions is a useful thing when it is done appropriately, but it is exhausting when someone does it almost constantly. It makes it hard to relax in that person's presence. The first thing that attracted me to my husband was that I realized I was comfortable talking with him and didn't feel tense around him. I don't do well with high tension. :-)

When do you immediately click with someone you just met?

I occasionally find a connection with someone because they "speak my language." This means to me that I don't have to stop and explain every other idea (or comment) that I bring out and I can see that they are grasping my thoughts with understanding even as I speak them. This doesn't apparently have to do with background or geographic location as one might think. I have experienced this with ladies from very different places and also upbringings. It doesn't happen very often, though.

Are you close with anyone now that you really disliked at first?

I would say yes, but "really disliked" is too strongly put. I do have a few what I would call close friends whom I didn't appreciate much at all when I first got to know them. However, for one reason or another we've grown in our friendships, either from necessity or for other reasons, and we've been able to be of mutual service to each other in the Lord.

There are also people whom I thought I liked when I first got to know them, some even contributed some truly useful things to my life, but then later I found them to be problematic or even really unbiblical in their attitudes or behavior. I suppose this is more common than the other in some ways.

How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who refuses to apologize?

It depends on the offense, doesn't it? Some things are much harder to let go of than others. But, I have learned that forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation, and in that there is a certain amount of freedom. This was a realization that transformed my thinking.

We can forgive someone, but if the offense is so great or such an affront to righteousness that an apology is necessary for any relationship to exist, then we cannot reconcile with them until they see their offense for what it really is. This is true of those whom Jesus asked the Father to forgive when He was on the cross. Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. God might forgive them that particular sin, but He could not have a relationship with them until they wanted reconciliation and were repentant (saying the saying the same thing about their sin that God says).

Who is the person who has been the most supportive in your life?

My husband.

There have been many others over the years too, both family and friends. I am very thankful for the supportive people God has placed in my life.

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Painting by Edmund Charles Tarbell

Hard Questions – Have You Done What You Could?

This was first posted here six years ago. As I was thinking about what to post for the end of 2018 and beginning of 2019 I wondered about something new or reposting something from the past. Among the old posts that I considered for revisiting, this one eventually stood out as a good one for the turning of the year. I needed the reminder as much as anyone!

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Dec. 8, 2012
[edited]


I was going through some of my photos when I came across  a couple pictures that made me think – again.




My husband and I were walking on a riverside walkway in North Carolina with some of his family the day we found these notes. I was touched and blessed to see that some child with a zeal for lost souls had put these notes (at least one had a tract with it also) on benches along the walk. The printing was not perfect, the syntax was not perfect, but the spirit of the thing – how precious it must be in God’s sight! Whoever this young boy or girl was, they were using what skill they had to do what they could for the Lord Jesus.

Do you remember this story from the Bible? Mark 14:3-9  And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.  And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

I sometimes get frustrated about the energy and concern that I see Christians put into things like rescuing dogs and cats, fighting genetically modified foods, “saving” America, supporting “our” troops, and righting numerous great wrongs in the world. It isn’t because there isn’t a point to some of these needs, because there is. For example, we are reminded to “remember the poor” in Galatians 2:10.  And, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast…,” Proverbs 12:10. But, sometimes all these earthly good deeds are pursued at the expense of the heavenly good deeds – glorifying the Lord Jesus and rescuing precious souls from eternal damnation.

What good does it do to rescue a child from abortion or a girl from a slave brothel and then not give them the Gospel of Jesus Christ? (That one qualifies as a hard question!) What good is it if we give to the poor and take care of hurt animals but don’t spend time worshiping the Lord Jesus Himself? (And, I don’t mean just “going to church.” Too many people think that warming a pew for a couple hours a week qualifies as doing what they “should” for God.)

1 Corinthians 13:3 says,  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. This is another consideration. Charity is an ability all believers can and should cultivate.

I know some of us sometimes we feel like we don’t have a lot to work with. Maybe you are “stuck” at home for days on end. Maybe you struggle with some physical or emotional disability that makes it hard for you to do what others do. Maybe you feel like your skills are small. Maybe you are financially limited for one reason or another. But, what are you doing with what you have that you can use?

Look at this video of these people who live on a landfill - a garbage dump. [I have no control over advertisements or recommended videos shown.]



Most of us are not in this position I’d dare say! Yet, see what amazing musical instruments these people have created from other people’s garbage! Think about how they are turning the off cast rubbish of others into beautiful music which is in itself a form of giving back.

Do you really and truly have nothing to work with for the Lord? I don’t think any of us could honestly say that. I know I fail often to use the tools that I could as efficiently as I could or as wisely as I could. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.

Martha Snell Nickolson who was bed ridden and wracked with pain for years wrote this:

Handicapped?

How handicapped, how bound are we
When Christ was bound on Calvary?
He could not move a hand nor foot,
And He was wracked with anguish, but
He gave Himself to earnest prayer
For those whose weight of sins He bare.
"Father, forgive, they know not what they do."
O child of God, say not,
"I am too handicapped, too bound,
Too busy, and I have not found
A service I can do for Him."
O Shame! Let us, with eyes grown dim,
Look back to Calvary.
Bound helpless there,
The suffering Saviour gave himself to prayer!

At the very least, we can pray. Or is that “the least”? James 5:16  …The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

It is easy to imagine that our small contribution in the work of the Lord is not much and not worth a lot in the big picture. But, one of the great things about our God is that nothing is too small with Him. Consider the attention He gave to the construction of snowflakes, of DNA, of atoms, and more. We should not think that what we have to offer in His service is too small or useless. He has a purpose and use for every life that He sustains!

When the Lord appeared unto Moses in the burning bush to call Moses to go to the Hebrew people, Moses did not believe that the people would listen to him. 

Exodus 4:1-4  And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

Moses’ rod was the tool of his occupation as a shepherd. It was not some special thing nor talent, it was a common everyday thing that he used to work. Yet, under the miraculous touch of the Lord God Almighty, it became something by which he could prove that the Lord had appeared unto him.

Now, I’m not anticipating having any of our common tools turn into snakes. :-) It’s the Jews that require a sign anyway, 1 Cor. 1:22.  But, what are the tools that we have – the common, everyday things that we use in our daily work – that could be used to the glory of God? With His enabling power not just the common things, but even the things humanly considered to be “trash” can be transformed into something for His glory.

One young lady I had the privilege to meet had almost nothing to use but her stunning smile, and yet she used that for the glory of God. (See Violet’s Story.)

Think of that child who used his/her “poor” writing skills, some paper, a pencil, a stick, and a rock for Jesus. Think of those folks who literally used the garbage and cast-off junk of others to make beautiful music. Perhaps it is a bed of anguish as with Martha Nicholson. Perhaps it is “just” a smile as with “Violet”. What are you using for the Lord? What are you overlooking as “too insignificant” to be any good? This is something that we all need to consider. One of the greatest things that ever could be said of us is that we did what we could!

1 Peter 4:10-11  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Did You Meme That? - A Good Woman?

By Mary Stephens
with assistance from a friend.
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First of all, let's consider the issue of looks.

We are told in Proverbs 31:30,  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

We should be more concerned about our relationship with the Lord and our testimony for Him than we are about our outward appearance. Although the point of this meme is to emphasize that there is a more important value for a woman, we should still ask if it is the right one.

Psalm 53:2-3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Are We Good Women?

We are clearly told in the Bible that none of us are righteous and that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. In other words, none of us are "good" in and of ourselves.

Matthew 19:16-17 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

In this passage Jesus was telling the man who asked this, in essence, "If you don't recognize me as God, then don't call me 'good.'" Why? Because our human perception of goodness is not the same as God's. In His estimation of goodness He is the only One who is good. In our estimation all kinds of things and people are good. The only real goodness worth having, then, is God's goodness.

This meme claims that a woman will lose her pretty face and her body will change with age, but that if she is "a good woman" she will always have her own goodness to fall back on to give her value. The problem is we have no real goodness of our own.

The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9-10,  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

And again, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23.

Some people imagine themselves to be "good" because they do "good" things. But, all of our righteousnesses and good works are as filthy rags. In the sight of God they are worthless.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 

We, by our own sinful nature, want to be lifted up and admired for what we see as our good works. We like to admire ourselves and our accomplishments. This is pride, even in its most benign forms.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 

Pride in our worthless "goodness" is a sure path to destruction. To be proud of ourselves for being "good" and resting in that is very dangerous. Human "goodness" is more perishable than we are ourselves and we are no better than withering grass and fading flowers (Isaiah 40:7-8). We are told in Galatians 6:3, For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. It is nothing but self-deception to think we are good and that our goodness is enduring.

A Goodness that Endures

The meme says that a "good woman" will always be good. Will we always be good people - with or without good looks? Since we are technically not good to begin with, that is impossible from the very start. Even those who trust Christ as Savior are still sinners. (1 John 1:8-10)

It is important to understand that true goodness is a fruit of the Spirit of God because only God is good. Without His Spirit in us we cannot produce true goodness.

Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Some people talk about a person being "good at heart" even when some of their actions are obviously not good. But, can we trust in our own hearts or feelings?

God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Good or evil proceed from the heart. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 12:34-35: O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. We can only become truly good at heart through salvation and being changed inside so that we bear the fruit of the Spirit.

When a person chooses to trust their own heart or goodness, they will reap the fruit of that. The fruit of the Spirit is eternal life, but fruit of the perishing flesh is death. Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Humanly speaking there are people who appear to be better than others. They may seem "good" on the outside, but it's what is inside that counts. The Pharisees are prime examples of this. Even though they appeared very religious and good on the outside, their hearts were vile. Matthew 23:27-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 

You see, fleshly goodness will eventually produce corruption. You won't "always" be "good" just because you appear to be at one time. Only God's goodness will last forever. This is why we can trust in God and what He says about His own goodness and the goodness of His Son. We can trust Him with our hearts. We can trust Him to give us of His goodness for our eternal good. His goodness is the only goodness worth having because He Himself will keep on being good eternally. Every person who trusts Christ as their Savior can fully rely upon His goodness.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Jesus Christ is good, so we should hold fast to Him and place our trust for all future goodness in Him!

Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Relying on the Goodness of God

So, how can we rely on God’s goodness? How can we see God's goodness revealed in our lives?

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

We will see God's goodness in our own lives by walking in the Spirit. We will see it through reading and obeying His word, and by trusting in and cleaving to the living word - Jesus Christ. The fellowship and edification of godly music and teaching can also help bring the goodness of God into our lives, as we read in Colossians 3:16-17: 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 whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Someone may be thinking, "I thought Christians are supposed to do good work."

Well, yes. We are. However, as we trust in Christ to lead our lives, reading His Word and talking to him through prayer, He will produce the fruit or good works in us.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 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. 

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

It is God's purpose and plan that we should walk in good works. We are created in Christ to do this for the glory of the Father in heaven. When we do our good works as unto Christ, and not as a vain shew for man (see Matthew 6), we can know that they will be rewarded according to His good pleasure and that we are glorifying Him.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Hebrews 13:20-21 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

When we obey the word of God, resting in the power of the resurrection and the blood of Christ's covenant, we can have the joy of knowing our good works are well-pleasing in the sight of the Lord, and that they will last, not in our strength or goodness, but in His. Anyone who trusts Christ as Savior should rest in God's goodness and promises. He will guide, keep, and provide for us and never forsake us. He will also make us fruitful in the good works according to His will and purpose as we follow the Lord Jesus.

Conclusion

Dear reader, if you have not trusted in Jesus Christ alone and His finished work on the cross, then all you have to trust in is your own goodness. As we have seen, that is a very dangerous place to put our trust. Relying on anything but Christ for salvation will lead to eternal loss because there are only two places we can go after this life - heaven or hell. If you trust in your own goodness you will end up in hell - a place God never intended for you to be.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The Lord lovingly lets all of us choose what we will trust in and, therefore, our eternal destination. Remember that all our good works are as filthy rags. Your good works will not gain you favor with God or eternal salvation. Only faith in Jesus Christ and the ultimate good work He did through His death, burial, and resurrection can bring salvation.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

When God finished creating the heavens and the earth on the sixth day, we are told in Genesis 1:31 that "...it was very good..." Adam chose to sin and disobey God's direct command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so he brought sin upon the entire human race and creation. The original goodness of mankind was permanently lost. Only Jesus Christ's sacrifice upon the cross can restore that to us spiritually.

Now your sin will keep you from heaven if you choose to reject the payment Christ made for us. You will then be forced to make that payment yourself, and you cannot. Jesus, the Son of God, paid the ultimate price to make us truly good with the goodness that only God can give. But, the choice is yours. If you haven't done this, I encourage you choose this day to trust Jesus Christ and receive the goodness and salvation that are only found in and through Him.

If you are already a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, then you need to think on a different aspect of this. Trusting in our own goodness as our source of value is ultimately just as wasteful as trusting in our good looks. Our goodness is actually more fragile and fading than our physical appearance is. Let's trust in the goodness of God and seek to bring forth the good fruit that He has willed for us to bear through His Son. Then we will have something of eternal value, something that won't pass away with the worthless "goodness" of this world.

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

I like this verse from the Old Testament. It reminds me of how we can now live as Christians through the power of Christ in our lives. Ultimately this is how to truly be "good women" that please God.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Hard Questions: Is the "Billy Graham Rule" Biblical?

Here is a new article I wrote over at the Home Maker's Corner. It deals with an article by a woman who does not agree with the personal rule some married Christian men have not to eat alone or be alone with any woman other than their own wives.

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Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Last year, I ran across this post on another blog that got me to thinking: "Billy Graham’s Rule – Misusing it to Hold Back Women and Men of God." The guest writer (Kelly Ladd Bishop) who wrote this item was talking about the standard Mike Pence has to not eat alone with any woman other than his wife and to only enter certain situations if she is with him. This has been called "The Billy Graham Rule" because Mr. Graham had a similar standard for himself during his ministry.

Kelly Bishop is mostly addressing a "tweet" by a certain man which she took exception to, but in the course of her writing about it she made some points that I wanted to address.

Ms. Bishop writes:

"While there are times when it is appropriate for a person to set up boundaries that protect his or her marriage, it is not appropriate to make blanket statements or rules regarding the opposite sex – especially when it puts one sex at a real disadvantage in business, ministry, or life in general. It also doesn’t respect either men or women. It assumes that men can’t control themselves in the presence of a women who is not their wife, and that women are temptations that must be avoided. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we can do better."

"...A straw man argument is an argument that sounds like it is refuting an opposing view, but is actually refuting an argument that was never made..."

Having rules of conduct is appropriate in certain situations. This is why we are given many of them in scripture, even in the New Testament teachings to the church. Personal standards, however, should be viewed as non-absolute. We may make a rule or boundary for ourselves, but we need to realize that there may arise some situations that will make it necessary to break it in order to obey the commands of scripture.

Examples:

When we were all still at home my mom had a personal standard that she never washed laundry on Sundays. She worked hard to make sure it was done during the rest of the week so that she (and we) could have a rest from that. But, when we had friends staying with us who had some special need to do laundry at our house on Sunday, she didn't balk at that.

Continue Reading.

Hard Questions: What Is Your Red Hot Center?

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Not long ago I saw a commercial on YouTube by journalist Bob Woodward who has an online course that you can take to improve your writing and research skills if you are or want to be a journalist. The thing that struck me was his comment about going to the red hot center of what is important in someone's life because that is where the real story is, where the truth is about them.

This is something that kind of bothers me at times about a lot of Christians, and about myself as well. There are so many voices in our world today calling us to causes, problem solving, "passions," and so forth. This is one thing that frustrates me when I see people writing or posting about things that they view as "extremely urgent" but that are not things worthy of being the red hot center of their lives.

Continue Reading.

Did You Meme That? - A Good Life Ambition?

"My main ambition in life is to be on the devil's most wanted list."  

Attributed to Leonard Ravenhill.

Ambition - noun - "a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work...desire and determination to achieve success." [Source]

Main - adjective - "1. chief in size or importance." [Source]

Should our chief goal in life, the thing which we work towards the most, be to get on "the devil's most wanted list" (if such a thing even exists)? According to this quote it is apparently a worthy aim.

But, what saith the scriptures?

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Notice that this is the one thing Paul does. It is, then, his "main ambition in life." It has nothing whatsoever to do with what the devil thinks of him and everything to do with Jesus Christ. 

Our goals in life should not be based upon anything so sorry as what Satan thinks of us. Instead of focusing on Jesus Christ, this thinking focuses on the devil and making him mad. What a lamentable aim that is. And, in thinking about it, I can see how that would please the devil rather than angering him because if we are basing our main ambitions and goals in life on getting his attention, we are not basing them on the glorious ambition of glorifying God and lifting up the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus sent His disciples out to do works under His authority they came back rejoicing, but in something which He didn't approve.

Luke 10:17-20 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 

Notice that they were joyful and the apparent reason was that the devils were subject unto them through Jesus' name. This tendency of humans is not so surprising because the devil, being the prince of the power of the air, has typically kept mankind in bondage in many ways and exercises great power over people.

Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

Hebrews 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

So, it is not uncommon for Christians to get a big rush out of the fact that we now have power over Satan and his devils through Christ Jesus. 

However, consider the answer Jesus gave His disciples in Luke 10. First, He tells them that He saw Satan fall from heaven. This is likely referring to the time before the creation of the earth, or shortly afterwards, when Satan was cast out of heaven for his sin of pride and rebellion against God (see Isaiah 14). In any case, Christ goes on to say that He gives them His power over the enemy - Notwithstanding. This means "in spite of this," and then He goes on to say, "...in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

Especially notice that He specifically commanded them not to rejoice in this power they had, even though it was through His name.

Now, what do you suppose Jesus Christ would think of making one's main ambition in life to "get on the devil's most wanted list"? He told His disciples while He was on this earth not to rejoice in the fact that He had given them power over the devils, but to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. I think that part of the reason for this is because this sense of their own importance and power are a direct route to walking in pride.

The fascination with the power over devils is one reason that certain groups make a big show out of "casting out devils" and various stunts intended to display their alleged power over Satan. It is very enticing stuff because it makes people feel very big and important, and even if they give lip service to Jesus Christ, they generally develop a sense of their own greatness when once they start down that path. It is also a temptation to become preoccupied with Satan and his works rather than keeping focused on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Many of them, though, are not really working in the power or Spirit of God. If they were they would be more interested in different things. It can easily become a source of pride to "prove" that we have God's power and that He is working through us by making a big display of it. (Perhaps the most extreme example of this is the groups that handle deadly snakes to "prove" they have God's power.) If we are really walking in the Spirit of God, we will be focused on following Christ's steps and rejoicing that our names are written in heaven as He told the disciples in Luke 10.

In John 15 Jesus clearly says that the Comforter will testify of Him. The Spirit's job is not to make a show of power over the devils, but to testify of Christ. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 

Colossians 2:14-15 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. 

It is Jesus who triumphed over the principalities and powers and made a show of them openly. The Holy Spirit testifies of these things. The mind of Christ is not to rejoice in overpowering the devil and making him hate us more. It is to rejoice that we now have salvation through His name (Acts 4:12) and that we can take unto us the whole armor of God (Eph. 6) and stand in His strength. All of this is because our names are written in heaven, and that blessing was purchased for us under the new testament (Heb. 9:15) in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh, why waste one's life trying to get on Satan's "most wanted list" when we can live every day and hour in the glory and joy of knowing complete salvation and assurance of heaven in the person of Jesus Christ, the friend of sinners, the Savior, the good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep, and the author and finisher of our faith! Truly, it is a very low ambition indeed compared with what we have to rejoice over!

If Mr. Ravenhill actually said this it lowers him in my estimation because from a biblical standpoint this should not be anyone's main ambition in life at all. We should be striving to follow Christ's steps as we read in 1 Peter 2:21, For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Of course, we will feel the attack of Satan on our lives from time to time, and in some situations this will be more fierce when we are pressing the battle into his territory in some way, but to attract his attentions should never be a motivating force or ambition in our lives. It seems to me to be unworthy of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has given us and told us.

We all say foolish things at times, I know, but I sincerely hope that no one will be posting my foolish sayings with approval after I am dead and gone. I am sure that Mr. Ravenhill would not be glad to know that this unbiblical saying of his was being posted on social media by today's Christians.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. 

When we post anything online as something we agree with and approve, it is as if we were saying it ourselves, and it is certainly the meditation of our hearts, at least for that moment. Let's strive to make these things that are acceptable in the sight of God, not just things that sound clever and powerful but are not faithful to the word of God.

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Hard Questions - Are You Riding On Past Victories?

Originally published Dec. 2013. Edited.

My dad used to tell us, “You can’t coast on past victories.” What he meant was that things we did in the past for the Lord aren’t “enough to last a lifetime." We have to keep pressing forward, finding new things to do for Christ, and striving against sin in the present. Past victories may be sweet memories, even invigorating, but they don’t suffice to justify our existence today.

We would think it strange if an unemployed and poverty stricken man enjoyed boasting of the $50 an hour he once made but showed no interest in finding a new job. If a father asked his child, “Well, son, have you been obedient today?”and the boy answered, “Well, I was last week,” the father would be quite unimpressed. Boasting of past blessings and victories is pretty much the same.

Martin Lloyd-Jones had this to say:

“I have always found it depressing to listen to the kind of people who, whenever you meet them, will always for sure tell you the story of their conversion many years ago. They tell you that story every time. I have known people do exactly the same thing with revival. There is always something about an initial experience that is remarkable and outstanding. And a time of revival is so amazing and wonderful that it is not surprising that people go on talking about it. But, if they give the impression that they have had nothing since that wonderful experience, that ever after they have been walking through a wilderness, and travelling through a desert, then it is absolutely wrong. Their idea of the Christian life is of a dramatic experience, perhaps at the outset, after which they just trudge along, living on the strength of that and partly keeping their eye turned backwards as they go forward.”

My family had a friend who once said something to this effect – “They talk about revivals and how we need to get all fired up again for God. I don’t want to go up and down all the time. I would rather just live with a steady zeal all the time.”

What are you doing? Are you riding on past victories with nothing to speak of from recent times? If so, what can you do to get back into “active duty” as it were? Or, are you one of those Christians who lives a roller coaster life plunging to defeat or lethargy then bounding up to exultation and zeal after a good “revival”, only to follow the same path of descent again before long?

It is something worth thinking about.

The apostle Paul said, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

Paul was not content to “rest upon his laurels,” as it were, yet if anyone had room to boast in accomplishments he did. Instead he left us an example of pressing forward – whether it was in the body (during his missionary journeys) or in spirit (during his prison years).

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.

The Christian life is one of moving forward, of not lingering indefinitely over the foundations. We should never stop growing in grace. And, while we are stedfast and unmoveable we should also be abounding in the work of the Lord.

2 Peter 3:17-18 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Hard Questions: Can You, Should You Give Thanks for That?

Can You, Should You Be Thankful for That?

Excerpt:

Christians sometimes quote 1 Thessalonians 5:18, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. They may emphasize “In every thing…” and say that we don’t have to give thanks for everything. Yet the Spirit of God clearly tells us through Paul in another place that we should be thankful for all things.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

A friend of mine was posting a “31 days of gratitude challenge” in October on Facebook. One of her questions was “What pain are you grateful for?” I had to honestly answer that I couldn’t say that I was thankful for my anxiety disorder, but that it has taught me some important lessons for which I’m thankful. I also haven’t learned to be thankful for migraines, although I am thankful for the sympathy I’ve learned for others through them. But, this shows my limitations, not that it is impossible to give always thanks for all things. I should be thankful for that pain, despite its hardship. Anything that pushes us closer to Jesus Christ and causes us to cast ourselves more wholly upon Him is something to be thankful for, unpleasant as that seems. Like contentment, it is something that we generally have to learn.

Read the whole article here.

Was Jesus Homeless?

Something that has come across my path from time to time in various ways is the idea that Jesus was a homeless person. This is used to make Him "relate-able" to homeless people, but I think it is primarily intended to make Christians feel guilty about how they treat the homeless.

Ministering to the poor is an important duty. It is mentioned in the New Testament a number of times. We also see God having pity upon the poor and encouraging us to do so over and over in scripture.

Galatians 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. 

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. 

Psalm 9:17-18 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

But, in our zeal to acknowledge the suffering of the homeless it is not appropriate to misrepresent the Lord Jesus Christ.

The thing is that Jesus wasn't homeless. I think that people get the idea He was from this verse:

Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 

He had nowhere to lay His head on this earth, but heaven was still His home. He left His home to come and save us.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

It was still his father's house, and it was His home. He voluntarily gave up the comforts of His home to be a servant, to walk in the dirt and grime of this world, and to minister; ultimately to bring us eternal salvation. He endured many privations, the suffering of life on this earth, and the horrible death of the cross so that He could make heaven our home too!

John 14:3 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.

1 Peter 2:21-25 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Because Jesus Christ did all that for us, we are called to follow His example.

We are also told to be content with food and raiment.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

If you don't have a house, or a car, or a bank account, or property, but only the clothes on your back and some "daily bread," you still have a home if your are a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Your home is heaven.

Oh, that is so easy to say and so terribly hard to live out in real life. I have heard and read of believers who were actually homeless and living on the street. This may happen for a number of reasons, and war and persecutions have been two that have caused this throughout the history of the church. In ancient Rome during the severe persecutions a lot of Christians even lived in the tombs under the city - the catacombs, as they are called (which takes some of the awfulness off of the face of it because that word isn't commonly used).

Hebrews 11:37-38 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

My own family was once "homeless" for a few months when a man told my dad to move to California because he had a job and a house for him there. My dad loaded us up (we were four total at the time) and we drove out west from Michigan, only to discover that there was no job and no house. We were just about 7 months home from the missionfield at the time and my dad had thought this was God's leading, so it must have hit him pretty hard. Well, it was the Lord's will, but we had to wait for three months. Thankfully, the man who got us into the mess opened his home for us to live in, but those were difficult days. [Eventually the Lord opened up a place for my dad to serve as a pastor. It was his first pastorate and possibly his best, but we had to go through that trial of not having an earthly home of our own to get there. And, by the way, pastors who live in parsonages do not own "homes" anyway. We lived in that situation for many years.]

I have also known missionaries who lived in very limited situations - in tiny cinder block houses, in a small space within a church building or Bible Institute building, in tiny apartments, in mud houses, in jungle huts, etc. None of them were places they could really call their own. This is part of following the example of Jesus Christ to do His will.

These are the sort of things that happen sometimes to pilgrims who are on a journey to their eternal home. Because we are not called to have nice houses and comfortable lives all the time, or even most of the time in some cases, we often learn to look more hopefully and joyfully to the future home in heaven. Probably this is what the Lord intends by allowing these situations. But no matter the circumstances, we are never really "homeless" and even the best that this world has to offer should be nothing but a temporary dwelling place for us while we "...look for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Hebrews 11:10

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 

We are strangers and pilgrims on this earth, but we have a home in heaven and someday we are going to go there.

Jesus was not "homeless" and neither are we.

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The Lights of Home

O the friends that now are waiting,
In the cloudless realms of day,
Who are calling me to follow
Where their steps have led the way;
They have laid aside their armor,
And their earthly course is run;
They have kept the faith with patience
And their crown of life is won.

Refrain:
They are calling, gently calling,
Sweetly calling me to come,
And I’m looking through the shadows
For the blessèd lights of home.

They have laid aside their armor
For the robe of spotless white;
And with Jesus they are walking
Where the river sparkles bright.
We have labored here together,
We have labored side by side,
Just a little while before me
They have crossed the rolling tide.

On those dear familiar faces
There will be no trace of care;
Every sigh was hushed forever
At the palace gate so fair.
I shall see them, I shall know them,
I shall hear their song of love,
And we’ll all sing hallelujah
In our Father’s house above.

- Fanny J. Crosby

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Since Yesterday 

Along the golden streets
A stranger walks tonight
With wonder in his heart --
Faith blossomed into sight.

He walks and stops and stares,
And walks and stares again.
Vistas of loveliness
Beyond the dreams of men.

He who once was weak,
And often shackled to a bed,
Now climbs eternal hills
With light and easy tread.

He has escaped at last
The cruel clutch of pain;
His lips shall never taste
Her bitter cup again.

O never call him dead,
This buoyant one and free,
Whose daily portion is
Delight and ecstasy!

Now bows in speechless joy
Before the feet of Him
Whom, seeing not, he loved
While yet his sight was dim.

Along the golden streets
No stranger walks today,
But one who, long homesick,
Is home at last, to stay!


- Martha Snell Nicholson

Also see: The Road that Leads Home