Thoughts from the Past -- “I Don’t Believe It”

Jan. 15, 2006; edited July 2025

"I Don't Believe It"

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Friday afternoon my parents and I went out to run some errands and shop. We also stopped at our favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner. While we were eating a mother and her two young children came in and sat at the next table. In the course of their conversation the mother made a statement and the little girl answered pointedly, "I don't believe you." This she said with all the profound wisdom of a five year old. Somehow this comment made its way into my dreams that night, and when I woke up I got to contemplating.

One of the most amazing things about truth is that it is not altered nor changed by lack of belief. If no one in the world believes it, it is still true. This is why truth is so powerful. (Which leads many people to claim or pretend that they have some "truth" only they can dispense.)

These things play themselves out in millions of ways in life. But, regardless of what people believe or don't believe, how they promote the truth or try to twist it, it is still recorded in the inerasable record of time and creation. It matters not to God that man has mis-recorded his record. God's alone is absolutely true. Speaking of the Jews who did not believe the gospel, Paul wrote through the Spirit, Romans 3:3-4 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

In total contrast it is only when lies are believed that they become truly powerful. What if no one had believed Darwin? What if Hitler had been branded a liar and run out of the country when he first started his loud lies? What if Marx and Lenin had been seen for what they were and cast aside? What if someone had burned the original "Protocols of Zion"? What if the monks at the monastery in the desert had told Tishcendorf that he could not have their discarded Greek manuscript of the New Testament because it had lies in it? The course of history would have been altered in significant ways. Even so, these lies have no power to actually change the truth, even though billions of people have believed them! The truth remains the same. Proverbs 12:19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Man has the ridiculous habit of thinking that if he does not believe a thing, it is therefore not true. His "proofs" may convince himself, but at the same time they do not alter the truth nor affect it in the least. Of course, the father of lies is always pleased to supply plenty of his own alleged "proofs." John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The fact that millions don't believe in creation has not changed the truth of it, nor has it changed the fact that the creation continues to show the mighty power of God. Just because some little brat stands up, looks God square in the face and says, "I don't believe you!" doesn't change what God did in the least. It doesn't impress Him either nor does it intimidate Him. And what's more, He has no need to "prove it" as some demand. He gave His record and man's belief or unbelief cannot alter it. (John 8:13-16)

So it is with a thousand different things. The age of the earth is not changed by the fact that man can't agree upon an exact date. The King James Bible is still the only pure scriptures in English, even if the scholars ridicule it and people doubt it. Jesus Christ is still the Son of God, even though men crucified Him and deny Him still. The catching away of the church will occur though many disregard it and mock it. Devils are still real and active though some think that is superstition and myth. A child of God is still saved even though he or she may cease to believe it, 1 John 3:20.  (You might want to read that last one again.)

Our lack of faith and belief cannot break the truth. We may be deceived into thinking it has because of the effects our unbelief have upon our lives, but experience has no bearing on absolute truth. If experience and truth agree, the truth is right. If experience and truth do not agree, the truth is right. If the truth does not appear true, it is still true. How we feel about it makes no difference.

Think of it this way - if a person is charged, found guilty, sentenced and executed for a crime they did NOT commit, does that prove they did it? Certainly not! Thus, as with the little girl and her mother, when some man or woman turns to their Creator and says, "I don't believe you," they have accomplished nothing but to prove their own ignorance and foolishness. Basically, they just look silly.

The very fact that truth is unalterable proves there IS a holy God. The unholy gods of other religions, and even "Christian" cults, have no power to keep truth true. Their alleged "truth," if they claim any, changes over time and through circumstances. The Lord God Almighty ...keepeth truth for ever... (Ps. 146:6). It is not up for debate. It is not affected by unbelief.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
1John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
3John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Psalm 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

Worth Repeating - The Red Seas of Life

Some years back we heard a sermon on the subject of the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14. I couldn’t help thinking of these two poems, which I love, and which have been a comfort and encouragement to me. May God bless them to you as well.
[First published here in 2012. Edited 2025.]

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The Red Sea
by Martha Snell Nicholson

When the Children of Israel crossed the sea,
It comforts my heart to know
That there must have been timorous ones
Who faltered and feared to go;

Feared the ribbon of road which stretched
Ahead like a narrow track,
With the waves piled high on either side,
And nothing to hold them back­

Nothing to hold them back but a Hand
They could neither see nor feel;
Their God seemed distant and far away,
And only the peril real.

Yet the fearful ones were as safe as the brave,
For the mercy of God is wide.
Craven, and fearless, He led them all
Dry shod to the other side.

And I think of the needless terror and pain
We bring, to our own Red Sea.
Strengthen Thy timorous ones, dear Lord,
And help us to trust in Thee!

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

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One thought that crossed my mind was how we sometimes make mud puddles into Red Seas. Life surely brings us the apparently impassible seas that require a miracle from our Lord to get us through. But, to be honest there are times when it isn’t a Red Sea at all, but we imagine it is.  I have a natural tendency toward this myself, and I know at least some of you do as well. Regardless of how big the “sea” really is, what a mercy it is from God that He is not limited by our timidity or lack of imagination! 

Ephesians 3:20-21  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

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A Red Sea Place
by Annie Johnson Flint

Have you come to the Red Sea place in your life,
Where in spite of all you can do,
There is no way out, there is no way back,
There is no other way but through?
Then wait on the Lord with a trust serene
Till the night of your fear is gone;
He will send the wind, He will heap the floods,
When He says to your soul "Go on."

And His hand will lead you through - clear through -
Ere the watery walls roll down,
No foe can reach you, no wave can touch,
No mightiest sea can drown;
The tossing billows may rear their crests,
Their foam at your feet may break,
But over their bed you shall walk dryshod
In the path that your Lord will make.

In the morning watch, ‘neath the lifted cloud,
You shall see but the Lord alone,
When He leads you on from the place of the sea,
To a land that you have not known;
And your fears shall pass as your foes have passed,
You shall no more be afraid;
You shall sing His praise in a better place,
A place that His hand has made.

Psalm 106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

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Oh, how frightening it is to the flesh to be in a place where “There is no way out, there is no way back, There is no other way but through..” How we tend to chafe and struggle and doubt, even after we’ve seen the mighty power of God over and over, as the Israelites had in Egypt. Would to God our response could always be the response of Moses. Exodus 14:13-14  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

It is so hard to stand still and hold our peace when we think we are about to be destroyed and we imagine God isn’t paying attention. Remember the disciples in the boat when Jesus was sleeping and the storm of wind came up? Luke 8:23-24  But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. These men had also witnessed the power of God to perform miracles, and yet they thought that their ship was going to sink and they were going to perish when the Son of God was with them! How silly! Yet, how like us. How like me!

What can we do? 

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Philippians 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

1 Peter 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

Worth Repeating - A Few Words to "The Mother Club" on Behalf of the Hurting Ones Outside

 

Here is a new article I wrote on the Home Maker’s Corner. I hope that you will make the time to read this if you are a Christian woman. It is something that has been heavy on my heart and the Lord brought about a situation that forced me to get this said. (First published in 2014.)

A Few Words to "The Mother Club"
on Behalf of the Hurting Ones Outside

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own...

Recently I read a blog post by a well-meaning lady who was addressing an important subject.  She was debunking the "perfect family" ideal that has developed, thanks largely to Quiverfull, Hyper "Biblical Patriarchy" and Family Inclusive Churches.  This is the ideology that large families are more special, more blessed, have better "quivers" and are generally more to be admired by Christians than small families.  (And, let me say here that I have no problem with large families if that's what the parents want.)  The attitudes of some become almost idolatrous, if not fully so.  I was very glad to see her dealing with this subject as it is a serious issue.  No mother should be made to feel like a failure or inferior because she "only" has one or two or three kids!

However - my heart was also very deeply hurt by this lady's article (which is one reason I'm not sharing the link or quotes).  As I read her article I was so glad she was saying many of the things she said and yet so torn because of all the things she missed and even the things she was making worse and more hurtful for others.  You see, for all her good intentions she totally missed the fact that mothers of small families are not the only ones that are hurt by the "motherhood IS our identity" ideal.  She pointed out that women who are mothers to one or two or even adopted children are still "in the club" of motherhood.  I sat there and grieved in my heart for all of us who are mother to none.

Continue Reading.

From Mom’s Collection – Thoughts On Time

This selection from my Mom's Collection was first published here in 2015. It seems appropriate as an end of year post and is Worth Repeating.

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Psalms 31:15  My times are in thy hand...

As this is time change Sunday here in the U.S., I thought I’d share some things on the subject of time. Two of the items come from my mom’s collection.

This first item she typed on a page from a little red ring-binder she used at least as far back as the time of her wedding. (I know this because her list of expenditures is in it.)

Do you have a problem with TIME? 

My name is Time. I haven’t always been, and I won’t always be.  But right now I’m on the move, measuring out life.  Men wait for me, submit to me, fear me; but no one can stop me.  EXCEPT GOD.  He is in control, and He says I am running out….Most men couldn’t care less.  They think I’m on the move forever.  But I’m not.  And when I stop, eternity will keep right on going…. 

[Author unknown]

My thought:  This is very interesting to think about. We don’t usually consider that time had a beginning, and even though the scripture tells us that time shall be no more (Rev. 10:6), I’m afraid we don’t often think about it ending. Time is limited, not just because our own lives have a limit, but because God plans to end time itself some day. Yet, eternity will go right on without it.  As I mentioned last week, being eternal without reference to time is difficult for us to comprehend. 

 
How important it is that we should treat time as the rare treasure that it is. We value diamonds and gold because of their amazing durability – their ability to withstand the wear and tear of time.  But, how often we forget that this most precious thing is running out. As surely as the sun rises and sets upon another day, so time is going away.

Ephesians 5:15-17  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

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The second item from my mother is this poem which is hand written on a very yellowed sheet of paper.

The Day Before

Sometime some ordinary day will come,
A busy day, like this, filled to the brim
With ordinary tasks – perhaps so full
That we have little care or thought for Him.

And there will be no hint from silent skies,
No sign, no clash of cymbals, roll of drums…
And yet that ordinary day will be
The very day before our Lord returns!

The day before we lay our burdens down,
And learn instead the strange feel of a crown!
The day before all grieving will be past,
And all our tears be wiped away at last!

O child of God, awake, and work and pray!
That ordinary day might be – today!
Make ready all thine house – tomorrow’s sun
May dawn upon the Kingdom of God’s Son.

[Author unknown]

Matthew 24:42-46 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

My thought: The hope of Jesus’ coming should be a blessing to us, but if we don’t live like we anticipate it, it is apt to be a fearful thing. And, while we are looking for His return to gather us unto Himself (when His kingdom will technically begin for us), let’s strive to live our daily lives so that we might look forward to the end of time with hope and joy.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

This is one of my favorite hymns – “The Sands of Time Are Sinking”.

The Arrogant Patriarch - by Frank I. Snyder

"The Angry One" by F. Hodler

Here is an article I found online and published here in 2016.  At the present time - 2024 - I feel that it is again a much needed and timely reminder as many are embracing such men and women in the church context as well as in public life and politics. 

I received permission from the author to republish and distribute it as he is very burdened about this problem and trend in the Lord's church.  I am thankful for his generosity as I also feel there is a great need to get the word out. I have already published it at the Home Maker's Corner, but decided to copy the article in its entirety here too.

This article goes well with the post on "Spiritual Abuse and Those Who Crave It", and I would add that there are a good number of pastors who sadly fall into this category of the arrogant patriarch as well.

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The Arrogant Patriarch

by Frank I. Snyder
Original article.

Over the years I have met a generic person. I know this sounds a bit strange and the term “generic” may be a bit confusing, so let me explain. A generic person is not one person, but a kind of composite of people who share characteristics or traits. So this person is a composite of certain traits in people. These people are not all the same. They are different in many ways but they do share commonalities.

This person is ageless. One would think that this person would typically be “old” simply because we expect some of these traits from older people. Surprisingly, though, the people that have fit this generic description are not confined to the older generation. They are often younger people. Perhaps that is why they have caught my attention so readily. They have not been what most folks would typically consider “old.” I have witnessed these traits in people as young as 15. Most of them, however, have been between 17 and 55, the majority in their 30’s and 40’s.

This person is also genderless. I have witnessed these traits in both men and women. I will concede, however, that most of the ones who have evidenced these traits have been men. But please understand that I refer to this person with masculine pronouns more for convenience sake than to imply that these traits are only witnessed in men. Hence I have called this person the “the arrogant patriarch”.

The traits of the arrogant patriarch are as follows:

A confidence in his own intelligence: I do not mean to imply that he is intelligent. He may be very intelligent. But what defines him is his belief in his intelligence. Sometimes he is neither intelligent nor educated but still believes he is intelligent. Along with this comes a certainty about his views and opinions being correct.

I have encountered this phenomenon in a man with a PhD from Harvard and a man that was illiterate. The PhD, a professed born again Christian, questioned the biblical account of Creation and other accounts and justified abortion to the 9th month gestation. The illiterate man insisted to me that the Bible was full of errors. When I challenged him to show me one, he left the room. Then his wife whispered to me that he could not read. But that did not stop him or the PhD from rendering an absolute opinion. These folks tend to have an opinion about most topics. He is so certain and confident about his viewpoint because he believes in his own intelligence.

The student /teacher dynamic: This trait is more felt than easily defined. But the subtle idea conveyed by him is that he is the teacher (or should be) and you are the student. He may not actually say that he is the teacher and you are the student. He is not necessarily abrasive. He just acts like he is (or should be) the teacher. It is connected with his belief in his intelligence. Some folks will readily accept him as the teacher simply because they are swayed by his manner. He believes he should be in charge and acts like it. This in part leads to the next characteristic of the arrogant patriarch.

The tendency toward conflict with others: Conflict comes with others because he tends to act upon his belief in his own intelligence. He believes that his viewpoint is the correct one and his decisions are the best. Therefore, it is only natural that others should do what he suggests or do things as he would do them. Any other way is deficient. When conflict with others arises because of this, it is not his fault. Other people are just too sensitive, or are jealous or threatened by his superior giftedness. The problem always resides in others. It could not be in him.

The inability to follow: This guy is often perpetually unemployed or he is in business for himself. The reason for either circumstance is that he just cannot work for someone else. If he has a job, he is often in conflict with his superiors or disdainful of them. In a church situation, he is someone that has difficulty recognizing the leadership authority of a pastor (Hebrews 13:7, 17). Typically, he embraces the plurality of elders viewpoint in church governance, not because he believes it is biblical, but because it fits his personality. Complete equality in authority means less infringement on his independency. The truth is he is no more in deference to a plurality of leadership than he is to one leader.

One such man with whom there had been persistent issues in a local church was asked if he could follow the pastor’s leadership. His reply was, “A man is not a pastor because he says he is. He is a pastor if he is pastoral.” And who determines if he is pastoral? The patriarch. He was saying that if the pastor met his expectations, (the only correct criteria), then he would recognize his leadership. The problem is that all pastors have flaws and given enough time, the patriarch will find them. It is his justification for ignoring the counsel of a shepherd and following his own judgment. In his mind, he does not need pastoral leadership.

The tendency to pontificate about one or select Biblical topics: Often this person “goes to seed” on some area of theology or biblical interpretation. Often he becomes an expert on some biblical topic such as prophecy, family living, evangelism, election, living by grace or the nature of the church. It really does not matter what the topic might be, for he has mastered it. He is an expert and people who do not agree are ignorant or willfully rebellious against what he knows to be the truth. He outguns those who are ignorant of or not as studied in areas where he is a specialist. He rarely will deal with someone as studied as he. This, of course, confirms his belief in his opinions and ultimately his superior understanding.

A desire to limit exposure of his family or comrades to only his views: This trait appears virtuous as certainly all family heads, leaders and loyal friends should desire to protect those close to them from error. But this goes further than that. For when a family member, friend or loved one begins to be swayed by opinions other than the patriarch’s, he will often begin to resent the intruder’s influence. He will take steps to withdraw his family or friends from opinions he deems to conflict with his leadership. He will pull his child out of a class, require his family to sit only with him, or withdraw his family and go to another church. Sometimes no church is good enough because, to him, they are all in error or bound by unbiblical traditions. So he may form his own “church” where he is the pastor and where people can get the truth. If he stays in a church, he stays on the perimeter of involvement so as to retain control of information. This person will often home school / home church his family so as to “protect” them. But it really is not about protection of his family. He is protecting his patriarchal position.

A condescending attitude toward the opposite sex: If a man, he treats his wife or women in general not just as the weaker vessel but as the lesser vessel. If a woman, she tends to regard men as generally stupid and needy and takes a condescending attitude toward them. A man tends to think of most women as inferior beings by design and regards his role not just as protector but as director. Whether a man or a woman, this person tends to want to control the partner either by force of will or manipulation – all of this because of a basic belief in his superiority and of the partner’s inferiority. This is not to say that the patriarch does not love or care for the individual. He very well may love them. He is still manipulative and controlling.

These are seven common characteristics of this generic person that I have referred to as the arrogant patriarch. If you are one of them I am sure that you will not have kindly thoughts toward this writer. If you are not one of them, beware. You could easily become such.

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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?

Halloween - More Than The Appearance of Evil

 

I decided to republish this again this year.

I didn't intend to write anything specifically about Halloween this year, but there are things I've seen and heard that make me heavy hearted. Too many Christians still don't get the fact that it is not a godly thing to be involved in. The world has worked overtime to make it attractive and cute for those who don't like the more sinister parts of it, and yet, today the evil side is much more "in your face" than it was when I was a kid. The cute and cozy facade is deceptive and enticing to people whose convictions and standards are negotiable based on whether they like something too much to give it up for the Lord.

I saw a short video on Instagram by a young mother who was basically saying, "Why can't we just tell our kids that Halloween is evil and of Satan and we don't have an alternative to it? We just don't do it."

Why indeed? 

My own family gave up Halloween fairly early, and my dad generally had no use for "alternatives to Halloween" that were popular at that time. Now, the so-called alternatives aren't even that "alternate." Some of the things that churches do are essentially just sanitizing occult and heathen practices so that they are less offensive. Whether it's a trunk or treat party, a harvest festival with pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples, or a "Reformation Day" party with costumes and the usual suspect games, many of the activities aren't essentially different from the practices that came from ancient witchcraft and the superstitions of All Hallow's Eve. They're basically just dressed up and rebranded for Christian consumption.

In addition to this, I learned recently that Halloween is also considered the LGBTQ+ "christmas." I'm not keen on linking to sources on this one, but if you don't believe it, I recommend that you do a little research for yourself. Try Googling "Halloween main LGBTQ holiday of the year". Yeah. It seems pretty clear that the homosexual and lesbian population of this country has been instrumental in increasing the popularity and social acceptability of Halloween. That they embrace it as their alternative to Christmas ought to give you pause if you desire to honor Jesus Christ with your life.

Christians who don't care what other's think of their actions and choices regarding these things need to consider carefully the scriptures about separating from evil, darkness, and the wickedness of this world.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

What others see you doing and supporting is important. Appearances are things that other people see. And we aren't even supposed to be involved with things that appear evil - even if our motives aren't evil. In other words, it doesn't matter how you feel about it or whether or not you care for other people's opinions. It does matter if your testimony as a Christian is marred by associating with something that clearly declares itself to be a celebration of wickedness and darkness. Halloween is more than just an appearance. It is the genuine article - evil itself.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

If Halloween and its witchy trappings are so important to you - if you love them so much - that you refuse to give them up for God, that verse basically says that the love of the Father is not in you. That's strong language, and it should scare you a bit if you are one of those Christians.

Ephesians 5:11-12 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 

No fellowship. That means you don't participate at all. Even a little. It also means that Halloween and all the sinister and dark things around it, are unfruitful. And, instead of inventing "alternatives" and sanitized substitutes, it's time for Bible loving Christians to stand up and reprove these works of darkness.

A shame even to speak of those things. At the same time, we should avoid becoming preoccupied with telling every morbid and hideous details we can dredge up. Just sayin'...

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 

Do you actually need that explained?

1 John 1:5-7 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

All that dark, devilish stuff is not of God. If you walk in fellowship with Him you can't have fellowship with those evil things. It's either/or. Either you walk in the light with God and not in darkness, or you walk in darkness and you are a liar and are not obedient to the truth. Those are harsh words, but they are not my invention. They are the clear words of God Almighty. If you have an issue with it, take it up with Him.

Because at the end of the day, when you try to say that the darkness and evil that is the holiday of Halloween is ok for you to participate in, you aren't justifying your choices. You are, instead, telling us more about your heart than you probably wanted us to know. But, more than that, God DOES know your heart. He also KNOWS His word. He isn't fooled by your excuses and justifications. 

1 Samuel 16:7 ...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

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. 

What is the real alternative to participating in the works of darkness?

Titus 2:11-15  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

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Further reading:

Why We Do not Celebrate Halloween

Halloween and Other Things of Pagan Origin

What Would the Ephesian Believers Think of Halloween, Twilight, and Harry Potter In Christian Homes?

Does It Matter Which Bible Translation You Prefer?

Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. 

John 6:67-68 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 

Brandon Staggs, the man speaking in this video, was a friend of my brothers' years ago. He also went to high school with my husband, although they didn't know each other very well, being in different grades. It is very curious how the Lord makes connections sometimes.

I used an NASB briefly before I came to understand the issues surrounding the textual controversy - thanks to my dad's teaching. I was about 15, I think, when I made the switch permanently. I have never regretted it, and as Brandon shows a few of the significant changes that have been made in modern versions of the Bible, know that what he says is true - there are many, many more. I hope to start addressing some of these soon on The Home Makers Corner, Lord willing.

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Brother Brandon is the creator of the Bible program Sword Searcher. I have used it for my writing needs for years now, and I use it for Facetime Bible study when I can. I recommend it if you are looking for a Bible program to have on your own computer, rather than using online Bible programs.

Worth Repeating - The Rich Family In Our Church

 

2 Corinthians 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

I don't remember where I first found this story, but it is worth repeating. It was first posted here in Jan. 2014.

The Rich Family In Our Church

By Eddie Ogan

I'll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy, 12, and my older sister Darlene, 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died 5 years before, leaving Mom with seven school kids to raise and no money. By 1946 my older sisters were married, and my brothers had left home.

A month before Easter, the pastor of our church announced that a special Easter offering would be taken to help a poor family. He asked everyone to save and give sacrificially. When we got home, we talked about what we could do. We decided to buy 50 pounds of potatoes and live on them for a month. This would allow us to save $20 of our grocery money for the offering. Then we thought that if we kept our electric lights turned out as much as possible and didn't listen to the radio, we'd save money on that month's electric bill. Darlene got as many house and yard cleaning jobs as possible, and both of us baby sat for everyone we could. For 15 cents, we could buy enough cotton loops to make three potholders to sell for $1. We made $20 on potholders.

That month was one of the best of our lives. Every day we counted the money to see how much we had saved. At night we'd sit in the dark and talk about how the poor family was going to enjoy having the money the church would give them. We had about 80 people in church, so we figured that whatever amount of money we had to give, the offering would surely be 20 times that much. After all, every Sunday the Pastor had reminded everyone to save for the sacrificial offering.

The day before Easter, Ocy and I walked to the grocery store and got the manager to give us three crisp $20 bills and one $10 bill for all our change. We ran all the way home to show Mom and Darlene. We had never had so much money before. That night we were so excited we could hardly sleep. We didn't care that we wouldn't have new clothes for Easter; we had $70 for the sacrificial offering. We could hardly wait to get to church!

On Sunday morning, rain was pouring. We didn't own an umbrella, and the church was over a mile from our home, but it didn't seem to matter how wet we got. Darlene had cardboard in her shoes to fill the holes. The cardboard came apart, and her feet got wet. But we sat in church proudly. I heard some teenagers talking about the Smith girls having on their old dresses. I looked at them in their new clothes, and I felt so rich.

When the sacrificial offering was taken, we were sitting on the second row from the front. Mom put in the $10 bill, and each of us girls put in a $20. As we walked home after church, we sang all the way. At lunch Mom had a surprise for us. She had bought a dozen eggs, and we had boiled Easter eggs with our fried potatoes!

Late that afternoon the minister drove up in his car. Mom went to the door, talked with him for a moment, and then came back with an envelope in her hand. We asked what it was, but she didn't say a word. She opened the envelope and out fell a bunch of money. There were three crisp $20 bills, one $10 and seventeen $1 bills. Mom put the money back in the envelope. We didn't talk, just sat and stared at the floor. We had gone from feeling like millionaires to feeling like poor white trash.

We kids had had such a happy life that we felt sorry for anyone who didn't have our mom and dad for parents and a house full of brothers and sisters and other kids visiting constantly. We thought it was fun to share silverware and see whether we got the fork or the spoon that night. We had two knives which we passed around to whoever needed them. I knew we didn't have a lot of things that other people had, but I'd never thought we were poor. That Easter Day I found out we were.

The minister had brought us the money for the poor family, so we must be poor. I didn't like being poor. I looked at my dress and worn-out shoes and felt so ashamed that I didn't want to go back to church. Everyone there probably already knew we were poor! I thought about school. I was in the ninth grade and at the top of my class of over 100 students. I wondered if the kids at school knew we were poor. I decided I could quit school since I had finished the eighth grade. That was all the law required at that time.

We sat in silence for a long time. Then it got dark, and we went to bed. All that week, we girls went to school and came home, and no one talked much. Finally on Saturday, Mom asked us what we wanted to do with the money. What did poor people do with money? We didn't know.

We'd never known we were poor. We didn't want to go to church on Sunday, but Mom said we had to. Although it was a sunny day, we didn't talk on the way.

Mom started to sing, but no one joined in and she only sang one verse. At church we had a missionary speaker. He talked about how churches in Africa made buildings out of sun-dried bricks, but they need money to buy roofs. He said $100 would put a roof on a church. The minister said, "Can't we all sacrifice to help these poor people?"

We looked at each other and smiled for the first time in a week. Mom reached into her purse and pulled out the envelope. She passed it to Darlene. Darlene gave it to me, and I handed it to Ocy. Ocy put it in the offering.

When the offering was counted, the minister announced that it was a little over $100. The missionary was excited. He hadn't expected such a large offering from our small church. He said, "You must have some rich people in this church."

Suddenly it struck us! We had given $87 of that "little over $100."
We were the rich family in the church!

Hadn't the missionary said so?

From that day on I've never been poor again.

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Mark 12:41-44  And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Worth Repeating: The Hidden Line

 

The Hidden Line - Have You Counted the Cost?

First published here in September of 2013. Edited Oct. 2023.

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Hebrews 3:7-11  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Last Sunday night we heard a very useful and challenging sermon on the subject of not allowing our hearts to become hardened to the Spirit of God. In the course of the message the pastor talked about the invisible line that we can cross when we persistently resist the reproving of the Holy Spirit and harden our hearts against Him. There is a point at which the Spirit ceases to speak or call and we cannot know when and where that point may be.

Saved people can cross a line when they refuse to deal with sin in their lives that the Lord wants them to deal with, or when they refuse to do things that He wants them to do. If we harden our hearts over and over and refuse to deal with something the Lord at some point may finally steps back and let us go our own way. The results of this are never good. 

1 Timothy 4:1-2  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [Emphasis added.]

Galatians 6:7-9  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. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Those who are not Christians can cross the hidden line where God’s Spirit no longer draws them. This may happen when they repeatedly reject the call to salvation in Jesus Christ. There have been many people no doubt who went on and on time after time rejecting the call to life through Christ until they no longer heard it at all. Sadly, they don't necessarily feel any evidence of their loss or impending doom, nor do they realize that they have chosen eternal death over eternal life. This is a very fearful thing! 

Proverbs 29:1  He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

2 Corinthians 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

This brother’s message reminded me of this poem and also of an old song. I wanted to post them here today.

The Hidden Line
[The Destiny of Man]

There is a time, we know not when,
A point we know not where,
That marks the destiny of men
To glory or despair.

There is a line by us unseen,
That crosses every path;
The hidden boundary between
God’s patience and his wrath.

To pass that limit is to die,
To die as if by stealth;
It does not quench the beaming eye
Or pale the glow of health.

The conscience may be still at ease,
The spirit lithe and gay;
That which pleases still may please,
And care be thrust away.

But on that forehead God has set,
Indelibly a mark,
Unseen by men, for men as yet
Are blind and in the dark.

And yet the doomed man’s path below
May bloom as Eden bloomed;
He did not, does not, will not know,
Or feel that he is doomed.

He knows, he feels that all is well,
And every fear is calmed;
He lives, he dies, he wakes in hell,
Not only doomed, but damned.

Oh, where is this mysterious bourn
By which our path is crossed;
Beyond which God himself hath sworn,
That he who goes is lost.

How far may we go on in sin?
How long will God forbear?
Where does hope end, and where begin
The confines of despair?

An answer from the skies is sent,
"Ye that from God depart,
While it is called to-day, repent,
And harden not your heart."

Dr. J. Addison Alexander

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Chorus from an old song – (Have You Counted the Cost?)

Have you counted the cost,
If your soul should be lost,
Though you gain the whole world for your own?
Come to Jesus today,
He will show you the way,
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

Hebrews 3:7  …To day if ye will hear his voice,

The choice is yours.

Short Thoughts - Good All by Himself

All By Himself

A friend once sent me a link to a song. I don't remember what the song was, but something the singer said before she started singing made me think. She said, “God is just good, and He is good all by Himself!” Wow. What a statement. 

Do you realize that God doesn’t need us to “prove” that He is good? He doesn't need to do anything to "be good" like we do.  He IS GOOD – all by Himself. He is good in and of Himself. He doesn’t need anyone or anything to prove it. I think sometimes we get the wrong idea - that we have to somehow prove that He is good or that He is God. Why? He is Good and He is God without proving Himself to us, without our approval, without our proving it to others, to Him or to ourselves. Although He does prove Himself, He does not need to prove Himself in order to be good.

He does not technically need us to tell Him He is good either, though we know from scripture that He wants us to praise Him for who and what He is – including His goodness. It is expected of those who love, fear, and worship Him. But, He was good and wise and creative and mighty “all by Himself” before the foundation of the world. Or I should say, He IS all these thing before the foundation of the world. His goodness is not limited to time as ours is, or as our concept of Him is. John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

I don’t know what the lady was thinking when she said that God “is good all by Himself.” It might have been what Jesus said when He stated, "…there is none good but one, that is, God." Mark 10:18 God “is good all by Himself” in the sense that He alone is good (all others have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23). He also is good alone, without the need of proof or commendation by anyone. It is a wonderful thought! It takes a lot of false responsibility off of us. It also reveals to us the blessing and privilege of worshipping Him outside of our own specific needs. He is not good and just and wonderful and powerful and mighty and wise because we found Him so, or because He proved Himself to be so to me or to you. He is not all these things because we say He is either. He is all these things without our praise, without our permission, without our being on the receiving end of them. He is "good all by Himself." He is I AM THAT I AM (Ex. 3:14).

And yet, He desires the sacrifice of praise from us in adoration and worship of Him as the good, creative, mighty, awe-inspiring God that He is! What a privilege! What a blessing! And yet, how humbling.

Psalm 104:35 Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD. 

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 

 

Whole - in an unbroken or
undamaged state; in one piece.

Matthew 9:20-22 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Continue Reading --

Word of the day: Whole

Word of the Day - Late

 

Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late,
to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Continue Reading.

An Encouraging Sermon and Amazing Grace

A blessed New Year to those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

A very good reminder to start the New Year. 

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

   

 If you wish to see the whole service, start it at the beginning. I have selected to start it at the preaching. I have no control over ads or suggestions.

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Today also marks the 250th anniversary of John Newton first presenting the hymn "Amazing Grace" to his congregation when he preached on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17. 

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found;

Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,

I have already come;

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,

His Word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess, within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine;

But God, who called me here below,

Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we’d first begun.

John Newton

Thoughts from the Past – You May Never Know On Earth

1 Corinthians 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Here is an article I wrote years ago about the subject of witnessing for Christ but not seeing immediate results. Sometimes it can get discouraging when you hand out tracts or witness, or minister to others in whatever way you do, and you don’t see the fruit of your efforts. This article was written as a reminder that it is God that giveth the increase and that our job is to be faithful stewards. We may never know till we get to heaven some of the fruit that results from our efforts to plant and water. 

This article includes an amazing story my dad tells about a work among Muslims in Nigeria many years ago. Please take time to read the whole article, I promise that you will be blessed if you love the Lord!

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1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Giving out tracts at the stores where we shop, trying to live a godly life that will glorify our Father in heaven, giving a word to the weary, telling someone what the Bible says about something -- these are some of the things that we do that we may never hear any fruit from.  It can be a temptation to be discouraged and feel that our efforts are in vain, especially for ladies who keep the home.  We may feel like we're just not doing that much sometimes.  We answer to God, though, not to others or even ourselves.

Much emphasis is put on the necessity of winning souls among some Fundamental Baptists and other Christians to such a point that if you don't win a lot of souls regularly, they consider you backslidden and may even start questioning your salvation.  In some places, such as Hyles Anderson College, there is (or was last we heard) an actual quota that each student was to win each week or month. This is no different than the Charismatics who think they can make God preform on their schedule.  It is disgusting, to say the least.

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.   Winning souls is wise, but far be it from us to demand the fruit from God on our terms!  

Continue reading here.

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Vintage graphic - unknown.
This post was first published here Dec. 2014.

Article updated 2022.

Evening Song - It Is God that Gives the Increase

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

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johnmarshallfamily.com - We recommend the Marshall's music. You can buy it here - both recordings and some printed music composed by members of the family.

From Mom’s Collection - Some Thoughts on Prayer

 Worth Repeating

Here are some more items from my mother’s collection, along with some of my own thoughts. This time we’re thinking about prayer. [First published here 4/12/2015. Updated October 2022.]

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God Cares

He knows, He cares, He understands;
With love and wisdom He commands
Our lives, and knows our every need;
Lovingly, He’ll intercede.

- Author Unknown

My thought: There is a lot in that short poem. 

Romans 8:26-27   Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Hebrews 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The Holy Spirit of God and the Lord Jesus are both said to intercede for the saints. Because they are members of the Godhead it is impossible for them to ask anything that is not the will of God. It is strange that we so quickly forget that God knows and understands our every need and that His own Spirit is praying for us and helping our infirmities.

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In another place in her book where she was likely taking notes on a sermon or teaching session, my mom wrote a short note on Acts 4:24-30. I am going to include a couple more verses.

Acts 4:23-31  And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Mom’s note:

“Prayer for boldness, not for situational change. Our attitude needs to be changed. God has a purpose in every situation.”

My thoughts: I don’t know about you, but that rebukes me. I know that it’s OK to pray for situations to change up to a point because Paul did pray that his thorn in the flesh would be removed (2 Cor. 12:7-8).  However, the Lord did not change that situation for him either.  There are other instances in scripture where people did pray for a situation to be changed, and God changed it for them. 

But, what is our attitude? How often when we get into a trial do we ask God to change it for us, to take it away, to make it better with little reference to what He wants us to be doing? Sometimes it’s as if we think we shouldn’t have to suffer, even for Him. 1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

I know from my own experience that there are times when instead of praying for deliverance from a difficult situation, I should be praying for wisdom and boldness to speak the right words – His words – at the right time. I fail to speak His words so often, I surely need to pray about it more! We can’t deliver ourselves from troubles, and while it is fine for us to pray for deliverance and let our requests be known to Him (Philippians 4:6), yet how often we fail to pray that we might glorify Him and speak His word! I feel very deficient in this myself. How about you?

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Be Still and Know

When the cares of the day overwhelm us,

And its tensions are hard to bear,

There’s a refuge that’s sure,

   And a shelter secure,

In the quiet communion of prayer.

For there in the hush of His presence,

We lose all our sense of despair;

Our hope springs anew,

  And His peace comes through,

In the quiet communion of prayer.

- Cleo King

My thought: This reminds me of one of my favorite verses.

Isaiah 30:15  For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…

How hard it is sometimes in the clamor of life to just be still and rest in God. We are so apt to pray a lot of “please do this” prayers, and neglect to listen for His still small voice and His comforting words. Maybe if we were quieter and more focused upon His words to us we would have more confidence in His ability and have more peace and rest.

The last part of that verse, the part I left off, says, “…and ye would not.”  What a horrible commentary on the people to whom God was speaking. They would not. That means it was their will – their choice – to refuse to rest and be quiet and confident in the Lord. What would be the results of their rebellion? They would not be saved from their enemies (in the context of the passage) and they would not have strength.

Do we wonder sometimes why we lack strength and can’t resist the enemy? Perhaps we need to return to the Lord, and rest in Him in quietness and confidence. What better way to do this than to pray and listen to Him?

Psalms 55:16-17  As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Isaiah 32:17  And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

Psalms 85:8  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

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Worth Repeating - His Way Is Perfect

 

(Aug. 2013; edited Oct. 2022)

I read Psalm 138 this week and this last verse especially touched my heart.

Psalms 138:8  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

We all have our struggles in life. Some things that are struggles to one person may not be at all to someone else, but it doesn’t mean that those struggles are any less real to the person who finds it a trial. Many of us have challenges that worry, bother, or frighten us. But, here is the point – the Lord knows all about it and He will perfect those things in our lives as children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

I think it is interesting that the King James translators used the word “concerneth” here. The word no doubt means the things that pertain to us, things in our lives or that we are connected with. But, in modern times we use the word “concern” to speak of things that cause us worry or that we’re bothered about. So, to me this verse speaks a double meaning – both the things that surround me as well as the things that I’m concerned about.

Sometimes there are things in life that really worry us – things we’d like to do and are not able to do, things that we don’t want to do but we have to do. Sometimes there is a person we have to deal with or live with who is not saved or refuses to do right according to God’s word. All these things we can trust God to perfect!

To perfect as a verb means “Make (something) completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition as possible.” What a wonderful thought! Of course, the scary part for us sometimes is that the situation might not be perfected the way we want to see it done. Maybe the Lord will remove someone from our lives whom we love, maybe He will take away possessions or people or situations in a way that is frightening to think about.

This brings us to the last two-thirds of the verse, …thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Our comfort in trusting Him to perfect those things which concern us is that His mercy endures forever! That’s a lot of mercy, friend. We can trust Him to be merciful in whatever solution He gives to our situation.  This should bring us peace.

Then too, the prayer is added that He won’t forsake the works of His own hands. We know from other scripture that He will not, so we can have complete confidence that He will not forsake us no matter what perfecting He gives us for our concerns. 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

What sweet fellowship. What wonderful comfort. He is with us and He will work each concern out in His perfect way.

Sometimes we are concerned about the decisions or actions of other people and how those things affect us or will affect our future. J. Hudson Taylor said something to this effect, “It may not have been God’s will for him to do what he did, but by the time it reached me, it was God’s will for me.” I would amend that to say that it was God's will for me to honor Him in how I respond to it or handle it. God is not limited by the sins of others in His care for us, but we may indeed suffer from the bad choices of others. 

This reminds me of Romans 8:28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Some situations are so horrible that it is hard to imagine how God can work them for good or perfect that thing for us. In this day and age when victimhood is a common complaint, I'm sure some people find it insulting even to suggest that their hard trial could be worked for good. But, think of Corrie Ten Boom and the terrible things she saw and went through at the hands of the Nazis. Think of Richard Wurmbrand and the horrors he experienced in Communist prison in Romania. Think of Annie Johnson Flint and Martha Snell Nicholson - two women who suffered greatly due to their physical health. Yet all of these poured forth the sweet and precious comfort of God and the determination to keep going with God no matter what into the lives of millions, and they keep on doing so to this day though they "being dead yet speak." Nothing is wasted with God, even when it seems impossibly hard. 

It is good to remember that the Lord will perfect all things for us according to His mercy and good pleasure, even those things that are brought to us through the sins of others. And, He won’t forsake us, or any of His children, in the process.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

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Better than My Best – a poem by Annie Johnson Flint

Letters to My Friend - Thoughts On Queen Elizabeth II

I wrote a letter talking about the life of Queen Elizabeth II, and a few things she knew and did in her life. I also pondered what it would mean if she was in fact a believer and went the heaven, and how we might learn something about sacrifice and duty from her life. Though hers was an earthly duty and our is to our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, we can to ask ourselves if we have done what we could in service to our great King.

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Excerpts:

In my mind, it is the end of an era, a breaking point in history, a disconnecting from the past. This lady saw a truly amazing stretch of history over her 96 years. She saw the abdication and its aftermath of Edward VIII, moving her from a comparatively unimportant princess to the daughter of the king and heir to the throne. She saw the rise of Hitler and Mussolini and the horrors of World War II as it affected her beloved country and people. She saw her parents sacrifices through all of that as she stayed in London with her parents who insisted that they would not leave and go to a safe place, but would risk their lives with their people. Perhaps she was in the palace when Buckingham Palace itself was bombed. She herself served as an ambulance driver and mechanic during that War, an unheard of thing for the female heir to the throne. Indeed, there were many historical "firsts" for her in her lifetime.

...death is the great leveler. Speaking from the point of view of human reasoning, King Solomon, the wisest king who ever lived said this: "For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool." Ecclesiastes 2:16 Despite her wisdom and the good she did, at the end of the day, when HRH Elizabeth II passed out of this life, a body was left behind and it was no better than any other body that is left behind. Dead is dead. Grand memorials, expensive monuments, massive amounts of flowers, and well-spoken eulogies can't change that...

As I was thinking about the Queen, I was wondering, "What if she was truly saved?"...

When she entered Heaven after leaving her body on this earth what happened?...

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Word of the Day - Weakness - Part 2

Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength.

- Dwight L. Moody -

God does not need your strength: he has more than enough of power of his own. He asks your weakness: he has none of that himself, and he is longing, therefore, to take your weakness, and use it as the instrument in his own mighty hand. Will you not yield your weakness to him, and receive his strength? 

- Charles Spurgeon -

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Guest Post - Stewardship

Stewardship

by Steve Van Nattan

The favorite sermon topic of the average Baptist preacher is stewardship. Of course, this short sighted preacher has only the offering plate in mind, and he always hammers the sheep to pay their tithes. Some even use Faith Promise, a totally unbiblical concept, to convince us to pay our tithes forward in the form of vows based on the gifts of God we do not yet have. "Take therefore no thought for the morrow..." [Matt. 6:34] Ever hear that from someone? God holds you responsible for ONLY what you have now. [Also see: 2 Cor. 8:11-14]

So, what is involved in stewardship?

In terms of everything God made, the part we can see and live in, stewardship involves Space, Time, and Matter. How we use these three is the bedrock of stewardship, that is, whatever part of the whole universe God has given to me to control and use. This is a rather large piece of stuff to try to conceptualize, right?

But, a simpler way to deal with the topic is in these three resources which God gives us all, whether much or little:

Time, money, and energy. 

I suggest you take your share of these resources into the laboratory of your mind and soul for examination. For the next week, end your day with a quiet time, and list the ways you used your Time, Money, and Energy, and how much of it clearly was for the benefit of Jesus Christ. Write it down.

Do not make lofty goals for a week. Do the self-examination. Then the next week, look at your previous week, and every evening decide one thing you will do different the next day. It may be to stop by and visit some old lonely saint. It may be to take another Christian out for coffee or lunch. It may be to vigorously watch for a homeless person and see that they have a good lunch, either with you, or deliver it to them.

The notion that tithing is the beginning and end of stewardship is cheap stewardship, and it asks very little of you.

You see, stewardship is so often about doing to others, and the money is the resource that makes it possible. Our time we must also factor in and make space for the deed to play itself out. It is cheap stewardship to hand a ten dollar bill to a homeless person. What is a noble use of my resources is when I invest all three, time, money, and energy to meet someone's need.

I Peter 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 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.

In this text we see no money in stewardship, at least a minimum of cash. What we see is that we are given gifts from God to use to minister to others, both the saved and the sinners. Those gifts are always one or all of the three: Time, Money, or energy. And, God does not expect the same amount of energy from me as he does from you. Verse 11 is the Energy aspect. God may give you lots of energy or ability. I must not use you as my model for ministering. But, I must be a steward of the energy He has given me.

Are we so busy, or plain selfish, that our home is seldom used to entertain the saints? Peter commands us, "Use hospitality." Time, Money, and Energy may mean leaving an evening open, buy some good cuts of beef, and invite some struggling saints to your home for fellowship. It simply all depends on who has the preeminence in your life, Jesus and his people, or YOU?

How about those college students in your church who are far from home and may be lonely? If you have them over, I suggest you also invite some older extrovert senior in your church who loves Jesus so that the students can mix up and learn about the old ways from the past. Ask your senior friend to prepare a short Bible devotional to end the evening.

Jesus does not only give you resources based on your need. He also gives you gifts based on what you did with what He already gave you. To see Him teach this, read Matthew 25:14-30.

Enough said. Now, go be a good steward, not for me, but for Jesus.

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Editor's Note: Some of us have limitations - physical, financial, mental, time - that seem to make it harder to do these things. Some may actually have been tricked into believing that if they don't have money to give there isn't much they can do or that money is the only thing that really counts. Some preachers will even belabor the idea of "giving till it hurts," implying that if you don't you lack faith. But, that isn't what the Bible says. In fact, the church in Corinth gave themselves before they gave their money. 2 Corinthians 8:4-5 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Have you ever stopped to consider what the health of the body of Christ would look like if Christians gave themselves to God's work before they gave their money? I have a feeling it would be a lot better than it generally is at present.

Maybe you should ask the Lord to help you use your imagination or to stretch yourself a little. Set aside some time and energy to phone a Christian lady who could use encouragement (can't we all?) and just talk. Take the time to send out some Bible verses or Christian poetry in texts or email to ladies you know. Ask someone what you can pray for them this week, and then make sure you do it. Buy one or two extra items to give to someone in your church or neighborhood who is struggling to make ends meet. Pray extra for your friends on social media who are going through hard things. Give some flowers from your garden to someone. Send snail mail to someone. Share the bounty of your garden or fruit trees. Use the wakeful hours of the night to pray for others. 

Your list may have things that apply to your God-given abilities very specifically, but whatever the case, there are things you can give beyond the offering plate. There are many ways we can be better stewards of our time, energy, and resources. We just need to ask the Lord to help us find them. 

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.