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. 

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”.

From Mom’s Collection – God’s Plan for Your Life

 

This selection comes from part of a page my mom cut from an unknown Christian publication that is dated August 30, 1964.  This poem and devotional thought were placed together on the page by the publisher, and I don’t think it was by accident.

God’s Key

Is there some problem in your life to solve,
Some passage seeming full of mystery?
God knows, who brings the hidden thing to light.
He keeps the key.

Is there some door closed by the Father’s hand
Which widely opened you had hoped to see?
Trust God and wait—for when He shuts the door
He keeps the key.

Is there some earnest prayer unanswered yet,
Or answered not as you had thought ‘twould be?
God will make clear His purpose by-and-by.
He keeps the key.

Unfailing comfort, sweet and blessed rest,
To know of every door He keeps the key.
That He at last when just He sees ‘tis best
Will give it thee.

[Author unknown.]

(Key photo from Wikimedia Commons, source unknown.)
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Contentment

Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

When a Christian manifests a restless, dissatisfied spirit, it is because he does not realize the manifold opportunities which God has set before him. The apostle says, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content…” [Philipians 4:11] and he states as the mind of the Spirit, “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” [1 Corinthians 7:20]  What peace of mind this truth would foster if we gave it full place in our thoughts; and what joy and courage would be ours if we always realized the blessed fact that “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…” [2 Peter 1:3].

A. S. Loizeaux
(edited)

Read More from Mom's Collection

Thoughts from the Past – Sing Unto the Lord

Source unknown.

Here is another old post from the past as we will be observing Thanksgiving here in the U.S.
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Feb. 4, 2006
Sing Unto the Lord
(Edited.)


Psalm 147:1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

In his hymn "Come, We That Love the Lord" Isaac Watts wrote the words:

"Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God;
But children of the heavenly King may speak their joys abroad."

There are various excuses given for not singing in the assembly of the saints. There are people who excuse themselves with, "I can't sing" and refuse to participate. Some “don’t know the songs”.  (Well, if you don’t sing them, you never will.) Some consider singing boring.

Years ago my family met an evangelist and pastor who appeared to hate singing whenever Christians were gathered together. He declared it a waste of time and didn't want more than one hymn, or so, to be sung at any service where he was speaking so that he could get on with his preaching. To him, what he had to say, even in private conversation, was obviously much more important than praising and singing unto our God. Not knowing his attitude, we suggested that our families get together sometime in a home for hymn singing. He was absolutely struck dumb and couldn't even answer us - quite a feat for him, truthfully. Others of his family had to explain to us that he had no use for that. The question arose in our minds later as to whether a man with that kind of an attitude toward praising and worshiping God could even be saved. Only the Lord knows if he is. He surely doesn't show it by his obedience to the word in that area. (In retrospect I am inclined to think the man a narcissist, which would account for the self-importance at the expense of praising God.)

As the verse above states, singing praise to our God is pleasant and comely. His saints should find it enjoyable. I've known many saved folks who loved to sing praise to the Lord. Some of them "couldn't sing" either, but they growled or droned or hopped up and down the scale in spite of that and seemed to be have the greatest time - a pleasant time - singing unto the Lord!

Isaac Watts' comment "Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God..." somehow crystallizes the thought here. When people who profess to follow Christ have no desire, no pleasure, no joy in singing praise to Him and His Father, it may be that they "never knew our God." I understand that some people really cannot sing for some physical reason, and sometimes for some emotional reason. I'm not talking about that. But what of those who refuse to sing, and who refuse to be blessed in listening to others sing?

The best we can say for them is that they are saved but not filled with the Spirit nor the word of Christ.

Ephesians 5:18-19 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Colossians 3:16 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.

The "natural" outflow of being filled with the Spirit and the word of Christ is to sing! Have you ever pondered that? Even if it's "only" in our hearts, it's the reaction that God desires. Obviously it is not a proof of salvation or filling of the Spirit since there are those who can fake this quite well. But, God intends for us to minister to each other through music! He desires our sung praise. In the Old Testament we are told that He inhabited the praises of Israel! (Psalm 22:3)

How is it with you? Do you sing as you go about our work? Do you sing in the assembly of the believers - sing as if you meant it and had someone worth singing about? Those who don't have the greatest voices can hum or whistle as they work. We can all make melody in our hearts to the Lord.

A friend of mine who suffered from years of depression was so thankful when she could again wake up in the morning with a spiritual song or hymn going through her mind. She had prayed for a restoration of that from the Lord, and as she recovered from the depression it came back.

One young man my family knew whistled hymns on his job. A coworker recognized him as a fellow believer and they took turns whistling hymns as they worked together. They were ministering to each other even in the midst of the ungodly! (Psalm 23:5)

These are things to ponder. How can we include music and singing praise to the Lord more in our daily lives? Ask the Lord to show you. He will always aid us in doing His will as revealed in His word.

Hebrews 13:15-16 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. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

(First published here 8/7/2011.)
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Click here for more "Thoughts from Hymns".

Worth Repeating - A Better Country

I had thought to repost this article earlier this month, but I didn't get to it. Still it is appropriate to this election year and worth repeating.

Hebrew 11:16 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.

The Trouble with Patriotism

There are a lot of people who are very caught up in patriotism. Here in the United States it is often equated with being a "good Christian." That is to say, if you are a "good Christian" you will also be patriotic, you will also "love your country," and your allegiance will be to the "good, ol' USA" (and, "of course," a specific political party). "God and country" is a common theme, though I'd say that "country and God" was a better word order judging by people's speech and actions.

This is an election year [again] in the U.S. and emotions will be running high in many churches. Politics is a BIG subject and many pastors will be openly or covertly plugging for the candidate for whom they want all "their members" to vote. (Too bad more of them don't think of the people as God's heritage, as it really is, and let Him lead the people to vote or not vote as HE sees fit. 1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.)

Another common thing we see among American Christians is the "need," even urgency, to "rescue America" and "restore it to it's Christian foundation." These people talk, dream and try to live in the context of "restoring America" or "making it great again." I've even heard people go so far as to say that it is our responsibility to "make the leaders of this country live by the Constitution."  Some even suggest a new revolution to enforce this. (You won't find a chapter and verse to support that one, by the way.)

Continue Reading.

Worth Repeating - The Road to Emmaus

 

The Road to Emmaus

by Mary E. Stephens
April 2017

The account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and their meeting with Jesus is one of my favorite parts of the events surrounding His resurrection. It has drama, mystery, humor, and pathos. It is beautiful. Let's take a closer look.

Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

On the first day of the week, the day that Jesus rose from the dead, two of His disciples headed to their home at Emmaus in the afternoon. Sixty furlongs is about 10-12 kilometers or 7 miles, depending on how you measure it. So, it was a bit of a walk. At a moderate pace it would take them close to two hours, longer if they went slower.

Many of the paintings and illustrations of this story have shown two men walking with Jesus or sitting at the table eating with Him. If a woman is present, it's usually in the eating scene and she is usually a background figure serving the food or merely an onlooker. But is that really how it was?

We know that one of these disciples is Cleopas because he is named in verse 18. The other person is not named, but we do know some things that point to the possibility that it was his wife.

First of all, we read in John 19:25, Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. The spelling is only slightly different, but John mentions Mary and her husband as if they should be known disciples. Assuming that it is the same Cleopas that we read about in Luke, it is very likely that he and his wife, Mary, were returning from observing the Passover in Jerusalem (something that faithful Jews would have done), and that at least Mary had been present at the crucifixion.

Continue Reading.

Worth Repeating - The Heaviest Cross - by Annie Johnson Flint

 

The Heaviest Cross

It is not His cross that is heavy;

It is those that our hands have made

That hinder us on our journey,

On our aching shoulders laid;

There is strength for the load He gives us,

And balm for the thorn He sends,

But none for the needless burdens

And none for our selfish ends.

We bear a burden of sorrow;

We carry a weight of gold;

We cling to some treasured idol,

And will not loose our hold:

We bend beneath trouble and worries;

We drag a load of wrong;

And we cry that the cross is heavy,

And sigh that the way is long.

Let us drop the sin that besets us;

Let us cast aside our fears;

Let us give our grief to Jesus;

And break our pitcher of tears;

Let us learn of the meek and lowly

Who giveth the weary rest;

Let us take His yoke upon us,

And walk with Him abreast;

For His yoke is easy to carry,

And His burden is light in weight;

He will do His share of the labor,

For He is a true yoke-mate.

Are we weary and heavy-laden?

Are we anxious and full of care?

That is not the cross of His giving,

But the one that we make and bear.

Annie Johnson Flint

Worth Repeating - Some Thoughts On Spiritual Warfare

Here are some short thoughts over at The Home Maker's Corner on spiritual warfare to remind us to be sober minded, to resist the devil, and to fight the good fight of faith.

Some Thoughts On Spiritual Warfare 

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.

Are You Grieving? It's OK to Make Holiday Changes

Worth repeating.

Recently I've had a bad case of writer's block. Also, my extended family had more sad life changes to deal with in October, one of which was one of my mom's brothers unexpectedly going to heaven. And a dear friend's mother also got her promotion to glory earlier this year. So, it felt like maybe I should post this again this week. I apologize I didn't get it up on Sunday in anticipation of Thanksgiving in the U.S. This was originally published in 2021. 

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Dear Friend, 

So many people have lost loved ones over the past two years. The numbers are so high that it sometimes seems impossible. I was talking with a sweet older lady in our church assembly and she was remarking about this, and since she is in her 80s I know it isn't just my imagination.

Holidays, birthdays, and special family events can be especially hard when you have a fresh grief. Well, honestly, they can be hard even when the grief isn't all that fresh any more.

Thanksgiving is my family's biggest holiday of the year. Last year (2020) was our first one without my mom with us. It was hard, but this year was harder. Last year we changed things up quite a bit. My husband had to work most of Thanksgiving week, including the day itself. Some family was in town the week before and so we decided to celebrate then instead. Since we were having dinner on another day, we decided to get take out from a nice restaurant. It was Brazilian, so it was not at all like our traditional Thanksgiving meal. I think we had a homemade dessert or two. I chose not to move the table away from the window so that the table would seem full with five of us. It was a hard, but it went well.

This year was different...

Continue Reading.

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

Worth Repeating: The Mercy and Grace of Prayer

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

There are many blessings that we have in Christ, among them is the mercy and grace of prayer.  Do you know the difference between mercy and grace?  Grace is unmerited favor - the blessing and kindness and love of God given to us even though we don't deserve it.  Grace tends to get all the publicity these days.  I think it's because grace tells us we're loved in spite of ourselves while mercy reminds us we're sinners who deserve judgment.  Mercy is the withholding of deserved judgment - although we deserve the wrath and justice of God for our sin, He passes over us because we are in Christ Jesus, who is our passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).

One of the miracles of prayer in the New Testament is that we have direct access to the throne of grace, where we obtain both mercy and grace.  In the Lord Jesus, God has made us kings and priests , Revelation 1:6, and a royal priesthood, 1 Peter 2:9.  Because of that we have access to the very throne of God, to the mercy seat in heaven, through our High Priest.  In Old Testament times only the earthy high priest had access to the mercy seat, but now every believer can go directly before the Lord with his or her requests. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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Thoughts from the Past - A Sun and Shield

 

I wrote this post shortly after we moved to Texas before my husband and I were married. We are experiencing a drought and fairly hot weather now too, and it isn't even July yet.

July 20, 2008 [edited 2022]

A Sun and Shield

Hot, hot, hot! Welcome to Texas. The land of heat, wasps and dead grass - well, at least it is this year since this area is presently having a bit of a drought.

Today I was walking down from my future house to the house of my brother and sister-in-law where I'm presently staying. The two places are next door and connected by a longish driveway which makes a great path for walking between them. There is more or less sunshine on this driveway depending on where the sun is in the sky, and since the sun is so hot here right now I generally try to walk in the shade as much as possible. Some people might wonder at my apparently erratic course when I'm walking between the two places because I don't follow the shortest distance between two points, but the shortest distance between two shadows. So, I tend to zigzag somewhat on my journey.

This afternoon the temperature here was apparently hovering around 100F when I made the trip down that path. I could actually feel the change in the temperature when I walked out of the sun into the shade, there was that much difference between them. In thinking about that it brought a verse to mind, and other thoughts as well.

I looked up the part of the verse I thought of and here is the passage it comes from - Isaiah 32:1-2 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

I believe this is probably speaking of the Lord Jesus in the Messianic sense. He is a man who is a hiding place and so forth. He is also a shadow of a great rock in a weary land. In 1 Corinthians 10:4 the Rock that provided the Israelites water in the wilderness is identified as Christ Himself: And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. On a day like this I can appreciate these thoughts. It truly is a weary land here today - one that makes us long for shade and refreshment. If you had to spend much time out in this heat it would make you tired. It would make some of us very tired.

I also think of this verse: Psalm  84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

The Lord is both a sun and a shield because at different times we need both. Sunshine is very necessary to me in dealing with the anxiety disorder that I have. In the winter time in Tennessee it was not uncommon for me to struggle through days when the sun didn't shine and I could not get this important ingredient, especially if there were several cloudy days together. The sun's rays supply us with vitamin D and probably other things that are essential to our health both physically and mentally/emotionally.

In that respect, the Lord is a sun to us. He supplies us with necessary things that we need to keep us healthy spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. As it says in Malachi 4:2, But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. The Lord, in the role of providing spiritual sun for us provides us with the growth and health that we so much need.  The idea behind a calf of the stall is that it never wants for anything.

But, thank God that He is also a shield! He does not burn us up with His strength, glory and power as the physical sun would if we were subjected to too much of it. The Lord provides protection and comfort as well as light and growth. The shadow of a great rock, a covert in the tempest, water in a dry place, a hiding place from the wind - these are all things that represent protection and comfort for the weary and struggling. What a blessing that when the way is too long, the struggle too hard, the heat too great we can step into the shield of the Lord and find protection and a time of rest and refreshing!

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day...

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by to know no gain or loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

Elizabeth C. Clephane

Psalms 91:1-4 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 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.

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Photo by Glenn Hoover, my grandfather. Taken in East Africa.

Thoughts for Troubled Times

 

Worth Repeating
First published here Aug. 2014
Edited.

There is so much sorrow and misery and tragedy in the world lately, what with news sources and people posting things on social media one can quickly be overwhelmed by it all. While I strongly encourage prayer for various situations, and especially for the true Christians in places such as Ukraine, West Africa and Iraq, in all honesty, I don’t believe that the Lord would want us to dwell on these things. I have two reasons for saying this.

One is obvious: Philippians 4:6-9  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

The other reason is because throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry we find Him only rarely talking about “current events.” Obviously He cared about people, but He seemed to focus primarily on those who were in front of Him at the moment. “God so loved the world”, but Jesus didn’t come the first time to set all wrongs right, and He didn’t even try. He came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), and He did that with all His might, so to speak. In essence we were commanded to continue that commission until He comes to finally set this world straight Himself. 

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be moved with compassion and pray for those in tribulation. We should. But it is not our focus nor our job to fix the whole world or save it from itself. Spreading gruesome photos all over the internet and even supporting organizations of doubtful reputation thinking that we’re helping doesn’t seem like a useful fulfillment of “the great commission”, as it’s called, nor of ministering to the saints. (Besides, I can’t help wondering if spreading the horrible photos doesn’t inspire some evil people to even greater wickedness, rather than inhibiting them.  In some instances it seems more like aiding their evil cause than stopping it. It’s something to think about anyway.)

This poem by Annie Johnson Flint has been a real blessing to me on a number of occasions. It is such a timely and helpful reminder of where our thoughts should be focused in the midst of both our personal struggles and the turmoil of this present wicked world. It also tends to remind me that things haven’t gotten worse as much as we might imagine sometimes. She wrote this sometime in the late 1800s, but her description of the world was just as appropriate then as now.

When I Think of Thee

When I think of just myself and my little cares,
Looming large and crowding close, hindering my prayers,
Of my weakness and my sins, I am sore depressed;
Weary, weary grows my thought; I can find no rest.

When I think upon the world and its many woes -
Hunger, misery and crime - how the long list grows!
Greed and hatred and unrest, strifes that never cease,
Weary, weary grows my thought; I can find no peace.

When I meditate on Thee and Thy works, O Lord,
On Thy strength and majesty, on Thy changeless word;
On Thy Steadfast faithfulness, reaching to the sky;
On Thy patient, watchful care over such as I;
On Thine everlasting love, high and strong and deep;
On Thy wisdom and Thy truth and Thy power to keep;
When I think of what Thou art and what Thy power has done;
When I number all the gifts given in Thy Son --
I forget the things that pass in the things that bide,
And my soul can rest in peace, fed and satisfied.

Annie Johnson Flint

This is a wonderful reminder of the blessedness that we can enjoy when we focus our thoughts in the right place. May God help us to do this.

Psalms 63:5-6  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:  When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Malachi 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Psalms 37:35-40  I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.  Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

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.

Worth Repeating - “The Lord’s Prayer”

 

Here is a study on “the Lord’s Prayer” that I wrote in 2007.

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Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

In Matthew chapter 6 the Lord Jesus is teaching on the subject of prayer. We will perhaps go over the verses leading up to this passage some other time.

The verses we address here are commonly called "the Lord's prayer". This is actually the wrong name for it. It should be called "the believer's prayer" or "the disciple's prayer." If something is going to be called "the Lord's prayer" it should be John 17.

Let's take a closer look at this passage thought by thought.

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Forgiven - Updated Article

 

I have been working on a couple other projects that are rather intense and not finished. This is an article I wrote years ago and updated a couple times. The most recent update was this month. It is a subject that is good to repeat because we are so needy of God's forgiveness and also so tempted to doubt that He has given it.

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1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 51:7 ...wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Simple Confession and Godlike Forgiveness

In 2 Samuel chapter 11 we read the ugly story of David's sin. The sweet psalmist, prophet, and king who was called a man after God's own heart by the Lord Himself (1 Sam. 13:14) proved what Jeremiah, the wise prophet, later declared. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 Not only did David descend to the folly of adultery, but he followed it up with murder.

God sent Nathan, the faithful prophet who loved David, to tell the king to his face that he was wicked. The parable was given. The king condemned himself in judging the selfish rich man worthy of death. Nathan spoke the judgment of the Lord clearly, Thou art the man...Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 2 Samuel 12:7 and 9. He then continues to describe the consequences that this sin will bring upon David and his family.

What follows would hardly qualify as a great revival among most professing Bible believers and Baptists. The Bible does not tell us that David went up to the altar to weep and pray. He did not even fall on his face before God and Nathan and beg for mercy. Instead we are told in 2 Samuel 12:13, And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

The simplicity of it is almost shocking to minds that have been nurtured in the idea that only with great wrestlings, tears, and lamentations can we gain forgiveness from God. Yet, there it stands. Direct, plain, and with no frills. David said "I have sinned against the LORD," and immediately God not only put away his sin, but delivered him and Bathsheba both from the death penalty (see Lev. 20:10). Dear friends in Jesus, if we can grasp this thought what liberty in Christ we might enjoy!

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Worth Repeating - Anna Duggar and Wives Being Blamed for the Husband's Failings

In light of the recent arrest of Josh Duggar on federal charges of possession of child pornography, I am posting this article here again. According to things said and written by some who present themselves as "experts" on being a "Titus 2 woman" this vile behavior could be blamed on Anna, his wife. Oh, they might deny that and condemn him roundly now, after the fact, but based on their general teachings and things that are said outright or implied, the wife is responsible to keep her husband from these heinous sins by making sure he's properly serviced in the bedroom.

There is nothing a woman can do to keep a man from sinning if he so chooses, because this is not an issue of someone failing in their bedroom duties. This is about a wicked heart. This is about a man who was raised in a vagabond "Christianity" that emphasizes works at the cost of salvation and elevates "character" over relationship with Jesus Christ. Josh Duggar may not even be born again. There is nothing that Anna could do to make him a better person or change who and what he is if he doesn't want to change, and it's become obvious that he does not, or that he lacks that internal spiritual power - the indwelling of the Holy Ghost - to make victory possible. This is Anna's sad and hurtful truth. Don't make it harder for her by blaming her for something she didn't do.

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September 2015

The recent Duggar catastrophe that exposed Josh Duggar for having an Ashley Madison account and his subsequent "confession" has caused a lot of discussion. Among other things, there has been speculation about whether Anna, his wife, would feel compelled to share in the blame. This compulsion could be caused by a number of things - the teachings of Gothard on sexual sin, her own misguided conscience, her in-laws, her church fellowship, etc. 

I feel badly for Anna, but there is nothing that I personally can do for her except pray, so speculating on her state of mind and conscience is kind of pointless. However, it seems like it would be appropriate to stop and consider how we arrived at the point where women in Christendom are so often blamed either partially or mostly for their husbands' moral failures. How did this unjust balance in thinking come about? Here are some reasons that came to mind. There are probably more.

1. It is the historical norm. 

This is not to say that since it's "normal" it's OK.  Far from it. Sin is "normal," but that doesn't excuse it. What I mean is that this has been going on in history for a very long time. In fact, it goes back to the very first husband and wife. That's right, men blame their wives because Adam did, and the rest of humanity has tended to follow his lead. No surprise on that since we are told in 1 Corinthians 15:22 that "in Adam all die..." We have been following his bad example ever since he gave it.

Continue reading the article here.