Category Archives: Christian Living

Pride Goeth Before The Fall

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Titanic_Sn1912     Over 100 years ago the Titanic set off on its maiden voyage from England to the United States. This marvel of modern manufacturing was touted as being unsinkable, due to its design and construction. It is rumored that one of the crewmen even went so far as to remark that even God could not sink the Titanic! Of course we all know what happened on the evening of April 14, 1912. The Titanic struck and iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic.

     In the book of Obadiah, we see another group of proud people. The descendants of Esau, the Edomites, are said to trust in their high and lofty position in the cliffs. Obadiah says of them, “You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’” (Obadiah 3b, NKJV). They thought that they were untouchable, and that no one could ever defeat them. God tells them, “The pride of your heart has deceived you. . . Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord” (Obadiah 3a, 4).

     God was eventually going to punish the Edomites for their transgressions in helping the enemy of their brothers. While the Israelites (descendants of Esau’s brother Jacob) were being attacked by the Babylonians, the Edomites just sat by and watched. They even went so far as to give aid and comfort to the enemy (Obadiah 10-11; Amos 1:11).

     Often we also think that we are untouchable, because of the economic and military strength of the country we live in. But, it is God who is in charge. Nations that practice sin and do what is against God’s desires will be brought low. Solomon wrote, “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). The answer for us is to be humble. Seek out God while we can. Do not be a victim of pride. Let us never think too highly of ourselves in the presence of the almighty Lord who is in control of it all.

A Day’s Journey Without Jesus

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journey     Once upon a time there was a little girl who was left behind at the church building where she grew up.  Both of her parents had driven to the worship service that morning, since her father had a meeting to attend early that morning.  When they left, both assumed that the other had the child with them.  Perhaps something like this has happened to you, and if so, you are in good company.

     Joseph and Mary had traveled to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover when Jesus was just twelve years old (Luke 2:41-42).  When they left, both of them made the assumption that Jesus was with their relatives in the caravan leading back home.  However, after traveling for a day’s journey, they realized that Jesus was not with the company (Luke 2:43-45).  They quickly backtracked and found Jesus three days later in the temple, where He was amazing the learned men with His questions and answers (Luke 2:46).

     We can just imagine the horror of realizing that our child is missing.  Searching high and low for a missing child causes us much anguish and worry for their safety, especially in our day and age.  Both Mary and Joseph were concerned about being without Jesus, even for a day’s journey. “So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously’” (Luke 2:48, NKJV).

     How many of us will journey for a day, or several days, or perhaps even months at a time without Jesus being with us?  Do we become concerned?  Are we anxious because we are not with Him?  God has said that He will never abandon us or leave us, but we have the free will to travel away from Him (Hebrews 13:5; 2:1).  All of the spiritual blessings that God has to offer are to be found in Christ/with Jesus (Ephesians 1:3).  Are we with Him, or are we journeying without Jesus?  If we are going through this life without Him, we need to come back and find Him.  Come and see, and let us help you find Jesus!

Jesus Is Better

Posted on by under Christian Living, Doctrine

Jesus Footprints     In a good news article the four ‘W’s are usually brought out in the first paragraph.  At least that’s what I remember from my very brief education on journalism from a long ago English course.  Writers want to let the reader know who, did what, when, and where.  In looking at the beginning of the book of Hebrews, we might call the writer a good journalist. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2, NKJV).

     Notice with me some of what is in these two little verses of scripture.  First, in verse one, God is the who.  Spoke is what He did.  The when is in times past, and the where was to the fathers.  The verse also tells us how God did that.  It was at various times and in various ways and through the mouth of the prophets that God spoke to mankind in times past.  Second, in verse two, God is still the one speaking, so the who and the what are the same.  However, now that speaking has been done in these last days, and it has been spoken to us by His Son, Jesus Christ.

     There are many lessons that we can learn from the old law and the Old Testament (Romans 15:4).  However, now we are told to hear God’s Son and pay the more earnest heed to His words (Matthew 17:5; Hebrews 2:1-4).  Indeed the message that comes from the entire book of Hebrews is that Christ is better.  He is better than the angels.  He is better than Moses.  He is better than the human high priests.  He mediates a better covenant, established on better promises, with a better hope (Hebrews 7:19; 8:6).

     It is Jesus Christ, the one and only unique Son of God, who has brought salvation to mankind.  We need to hear what He has to say.  We need to obey His commands.  Otherwise, how shall we escape the punishment for our sins that we deserve? “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3).

Be Prepared!

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Matthew 24     Louis Pasteur once said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”  We know that whatever we are doing, things generally go better if we are prepared.  Imagine needing brain surgery, and the person who is to perform the operation has been awake for the last 48 hours and has just graduated from high school.  They are not prepared for what is about to occur, and we should have great hesitation in submitting to their surgery.

     It is vitally important that we are prepared for what is to come when this life is over.  Jesus says much regarding our need for preparation in Matthew 24-25. First, He tells His disciples of the signs that will accompany the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Mat. 24:4-35).  They will need to heed the signs and get out before the Roman army seals them in to destroy the city. Second, He tells them of the dangers of making no preparation for His second coming (Mat. 24:36-44).  People will be going about their daily lives as they had before the flood. “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Mat. 24:37).

     Third, He tells of the danger of delaying their preparation (Mat. 24:45-51).  Like the evil servant who is doing wrong, thinking he has plenty of time before his master returns, they will be caught unaware because they have delayed their preparation for His return. Fourth, He tells of the danger of partial preparation (Mat. 25:1-13).  Here the five foolish virgins did not bring any oil with them to keep their lamps from going out.  They were not fully prepared, and they were locked out of the wedding as a result. Fifth, He shows both proper and improper preparation in the parable of the talents (Mat. 25:14-30). Lastly, Jesus shows what the results of our preparation will be (Mat. 25:31-46).

     Jesus has much to say about the subject of preparation in these two chapters.  There is an eternal consequence to our preparation for that world to come.  We need to be prepared.  We cannot delay, because we do not know when He is returning (Mat. 24:36, 42, 44).  Our preparation needs to be complete and proper.  Only then can we have that reward with Him in heaven.

Are You Thirsty?

Posted on by under Christian Living, Current Events

Miyuki Sierra Nevada     Just this week rescue workers were able to locate and air lift a missing hiker from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.  Miyuki Harwood was separated from her hiking group, apparently fell and shattered one leg, and had been missing for nine days before being found.  Her story of survival is an amazing testament to her resilience and desire to survive.

     After she broke her leg, Miyuki was without food or water and alone.  In order to survive, she had to crawl for several miles in order to find a water source in the form of a stream.  She had a bottle with her and a water filter to make the water palatable.  It took two days for her to crawl through the wilderness in a remote and rocky locale to get to the water that saved her life.  However, she was willing to do what it took to get to that water to satisfy her thirst.

     Are we equally prepared to do what it takes to fill our thirst?  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6, NKJV).  Do we thirst for righteousness?  Are we doing what we can to learn the right way and then to do that?  If we do not have God in our lives or we do not have His word in our hearts, do we feel empty and thirsty?

     The Bible says that we are to be like newborn babes desiring “the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).  Miyuki’s thirst for her physical life caused her to crawl through dangerous and difficult surroundings to find water.  Our thirst for our spiritual lives should led us to do what is necessary to find the truth and obey the word of God.  Jesus said that “whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).  Are you thirsty for that water?  Are you desiring eternal life?  If so, come and see what God’s word has to say about that living water of life!

Ask, Seek, and Knock

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knocker-164072_640     Imagine that you have a friend who comes knocking on your door at midnight tonight looking for three loaves of bread in order to feed his guests.  How would you react?  Would you direct them to the nearest Walmart?  Jesus said, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?” (Luke 11:5b-7 NKJV).  Even though the two people are friends, Jesus points out that the one will not get out of bed to help the other because of their friendship, but because of persistence (Luke 11:8).

     In looking at the context of the passage, it is quickly observed that Jesus is teaching them about prayer (Luke 11:1-4; 9-10).  Therefore, when we look at the story of persistence, what we should get out of that is our need to be persistent in our prayers to God.  Oftentimes we may feel that we are bothering God, or that we have already prayed about a certain issue and so we do not persist.  But if we are praying for God’s will to be done, we should persist.

     Notice that Jesus tells His disciples, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).  Did you notice the first letter in each of the three things Jesus told them to do?  They are to ask (A), seek (S), and knock (K).  In other words, they are to continue to ASK God for what they need.  As followers of Jesus, we are to be persistent in our prayer life and keep asking, seeking, and knocking!  If you are seeking God, we would be happy to help.  Come and see what God has done for us!

Independence

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Washington-DC     Independence is something that most Americans desire.  We want to be our own boss.  We do not like being told what to do.  We want to be the ones in charge of our life and our decisions.  When we go to 7-11, we want the 44 ounce Mountain Dew, and we do not want someone telling us we cannot have it.

     In the time of Jesus there were a good many Jews who also longed for their independence.  They did not like it that Rome was in charge and they had no say over their political affairs.  A faction of the Jews known as the Zealots tried to make things difficult on the Romans.  They assassinated leaders and revolted against Rome, which led to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the Zealot’s last stand at Masada (Josephus, Wars of the Jews).

   While political independence is something to be desired, we need to realize that we will never be totally independent.  We cannot create our own food out of nothing.  We cannot create the air we breathe in by speaking it into existence.  We cannot make our hearts stop and start beating.  We need to recognize our dependence upon God.

     God, through the pen of Paul, lets us know that we are all slaves to someone.  We are either slaves/servants of God, or we are slaves of the evil one. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16 NKJV).  We may think that we are being independent when we choose to walk away from God, but we are only making ourselves slaves to someone/something else.

     If we want true freedom from sin, if we want a reward in heaven when this life is over, then we need to realize our total dependence upon God.  We need to learn of His will, and we need to obey Him (Matthew 7:21ff; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).  Jesus said that we could know the truth, and that the truth would make us free from sin (John 8:32).  Thus, we can have independence from the evil one, but only by being dependent upon God!  God will not force us to choose Him.  That is our independent choice.  Who will you choose to depend upon?

Honey Thieves Caught in Sting Operation

Posted on by under Christian Living, Current Events

 honey-bees-326336_640    Recently in Pasco, Florida three men were hospitalized when their attempt to steal honey from a bee hive went horribly wrong.  Neighbors of the bee keeper reported hearing screams for help and seeing the three men rolling on the ground covered in bees.  Local firefighters were called out to rescue the men, who each received about fifty bee stings each for their folly.

     Whatever these men thought that they could gain in grabbing some free honey went by the wayside, as they found themselves stung instead.  Stories like these can often bring a wry smile to our faces, but let us consider what is at the heart of the matter.  The real issue is with trying to find easy gain that we have not worked for or earned.  This shows an attitude of discontent for what we already have been blessed with.

     The pages of scripture are rich in admonitions for us to be content with what we have.  Paul wrote, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Philippians 4:11b-12 NKJV).  Later, in writing to Timothy he would say, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

     Paul would go on to instruct Timothy that those who desire to be rich fall into a destructive pattern and pierce themselves with many sorrows.  Those three men who were pierced by bee stings would certainly say that this is correct!  Jesus said that if we would first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, that we would have all of the needs of our daily lives taken care of by Him (Matthew 6:33).  Let us learn to be content with what we have, and to seek Him first and foremost in our lives!

A Longer View

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Robin_Williams     Robin Williams is dead at age 63.  It was not heart disease, or cancer, or any of what we normally consider to be the ‘big’ causes of death.  By all appearances Robin just wanted out.  It is a sad thing when someone reaches that point in their life that they just don’t think that they can continue in it any longer.

Depression is a serious health issue.  Perhaps one way to battle this disease is to have a longer view on life.  Oftentimes it is easy for us to get caught up in the day to day trials of this life, where even the small things become insurmountable in our eyes.  Take Robin’s case, for instance.  Many of us would look at Robin’s career, fame, and fortune and think that he was a person who ‘had it all.’  But for Robin, the pressure to succeed and remain at the very top of his game apparently became too much for him to deal with as his career was beginning to wane (according to the news reports on the morning of August 12, 2014).

Having that longer view of life helps us to see that even though we have trials and difficult things to deal with while we are on this earth; there is a better world to come.  Understanding that there is a God who loves us, who wants us to come to Him, who wants us to obey His will for us, should give us the necessary hope to be able to tackle our daily struggles.  Paul had this longer view.  Consider all that Paul had to go through in this life,

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NKJV).

And yet Paul’s attitude about all those trials was that they were but a light affliction to be endured for a short time (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Knowing that as a child of God that we have a better hope, a hope of what is to come when this life is over, can help us to navigate the troubled seas that we have to face while we are in this body, this tent as Peter calls it (2 Peter 1:13-14).  Let us always look to God for strength in times of trial and trouble.  Let us always try to keep that long view.  Let us have that goal of heaven in our mindset, in order to help us deal with life’s problems.  Let us never become discouraged to the point of thinking we have to end it all.

A Quiet Life

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quiet lifeIn this day and age we see and hear much on the TV, the radio, and on the internet regarding our political leaders on both sides of the aisle. Most of the time, the information is a negative comment or complaint about one party or the other. While our politicians may leave much to be desired and give us many opportunities to complain, the question we should ask is are we praying for these people?

To understand why we should pray for them we should look into God’s word. Paul writes that we are to pray for all men, but then calls special attention to kings and all who are in positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). God’s divine directions are that we are to pray for our leaders. The admonition to pray for all men (1 Tim 2:1) and to pray for our enemies (Mat. 5:44) would mean that we are to pray for those politicians that we do not agree with as well. This may seem like a hard thing to do, but as with all of God’s commands there is a purpose to this instruction.

We are to pray that our leaders will follow God’s plan so that we may live a quiet and peaceable life (1 Tim. 2:2). We may think that we have extraordinarily bad rulers, and that there is no way that we can pray for immoral leaders. However, consider that Paul is writing to Timothy at the time of the Roman Empire, which reached new heights of decadence, idolatry, and immoral living.

If Paul, Timothy, and those first century Christians could pray for the Roman Emperors, certainly we can do the same for our leaders today. If we want our leadership to improve, if we truly want to live a quiet life at peace with those around us, then the solution needs to start with each of us doing our part to pray for all leaders.