Archive for April, 2011

  • 10 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    STAY IN EPHESUS

    0

    “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine.”
    I Timothy 1:2, 3

    For someone who loved the adventure of gospel ministry, the opportunity to travel with the apostle Paul would have been a chance of a lifetime. Timothy enjoyed such a privilege on many occasions. He learned firsthand both the doctrine and the demeanor of the faithful missionary. However, at this particular time, Timothy would not be continuing on with his spiritual mentor. Paul instructed Timothy to “abide still at Ephesus.” There was important work to be done there. People needed to be taught. Error needed to be exposed and shunned. For Timothy, it probably would have been easier to leave, but Paul needed him to stay.

    Sometimes, staying where you are is not the most attractive thing, but it may be the most helpful and productive thing. All of us should be willing to leave our place of service if God says, “Go,” but we should also be committed to staying until God specifically tells us to leave. Too often people leave because the work is slow or difficult, or because the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. They leave their church when things are not what they prefer. Depending on whose statistics you hear, the average stay of a pastor today is only a few years in each place. Often they relocate because of problems in the church or a lack of results rather than because God is actually leading them. The same can be true of missionaries. Too many times the discouragement and difficulty of the work result in missionaries quitting or changing directions. Many situations are different from the ones described, but these can be common.

    We need men and women who, like Timothy in Ephesus, will stay until the assignment is complete. As challenging as it is sometimes to begin a work, it is very often more challenging to finish it. We have known more than a few men and women who were good at starting something but poor at finishing. They made sincere commitments to begin some new step of obedience, but soon it was abandoned. Don’t leave your post until God tells you to. You are needed where you are. Stay in Ephesus.

  • 09 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    SUPERVISING OURSELVES

    0

    “And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.”
    Judges 2:18a, 19

    “And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.”

    The Book of Judges reveals a consistent pattern of behavior among the children of Israel. God’s people would turn from the right way, and God would allow their enemies to oppress them. Then God would raise up a judge, or deliverer, and the people of God would be delivered. When the judge was gone, the people would go back to their disobedience or idolatry, leading to bondage. After a while, they would begin to cry out to God; and He again would send them a leader who would lead them to victory. After that judge died, they would turn away from the Lord, find themselves oppressed, and thus another deliverer was sent.

    Thank God for the judges who led them to victory, but one has to wonder why the Israelites never got to the place where they could keep themselves from turning astray. We must admit that we have seen the same pattern of behavior, perhaps in our own lives. As long as a person has someone standing over him and supervising him, he usually stays close to where he ought to be. But as soon as he is on his own, he does not remain faithful.

    Leadership is a wonderful thing, and it is a part of God’s plan for helping us grow and mature. However, a part of maturity is learning to supervise ourselves. In training children, we want to bring them to the place where they can be trusted to make the right decisions, whether we are in their presence or not. It is a sad thing when grown men and women, some who have been saved for a long time, never learn to supervise themselves. Like the Israelites of old, they depart from the narrow way as soon as no supervision is present, or when things begin to go well. Only when serious trouble invades their lives do they turn back to God and beg for His intervention. Something is lacking in the spiritual discipline of such a person. We need to cease from our own ways, whether being supervised or not, and learn to walk in the fear of the Lord; for He is always looking over us.

  • 08 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    THE PROPHETS PROPHESY LIES

    0

    “Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.”
    Jeremiah 14:13, 14

    Most true men of God, from any era of time, have something in common with the great prophet, Jeremiah. Jeremiah prophesied at a time when there was an abundance of false prophets in the land. His message was quite different from theirs. They were proclaiming that peace would come and that the people did not have to fear judgment, saying words such as “Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine…I will give you assured peace in this place.” On the other hand, Jeremiah was announcing that the sword of God’s chastisement would visit this rebellious nation.

    It is no different today. There are many contrasting messages being broadcast in the name of the Lord. Some men are saying we are experiencing revival while others are preaching that we are under God’s judgment. Some are saying that we should unite with all who claim to be brethren, and others are proclaiming that we should separate from compromise and apostasy. Some preachers declare that doctrinal differences are of no great consequence, and others say that doctrine is essential for unity and identity. How can we know who is telling the truth? Who can we trust? In Jeremiah’s day, the false prophets were preaching lies in God’s name. Yet, God said, “I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them.”

    Thankfully, we have the tools to determine if the message is true or false. We have the Word of God as the standard of truth. Much of what is being proclaimed as truth clearly disagrees with the Scripture. If a doctrine or teaching is contrary to the Bible, it is false and should be shunned. False teachers prey upon the simple or uninformed. Additionally, as true Christians, the Holy Spirit indwells us, and is able to guide us into truth. As we walk in the Spirit, He gives us discernment, helping us recognize when we are hearing false doctrine. Though false teachers abound, we can know the truth and not be deceived by error.

  • 07 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    THE REASON WE’RE HERE

    0

    “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
    Revelation 4:11

    The scene is in Heaven. John saw a vision of the throne of God and those who were worshiping the Lord. He could hear the voices of those who were casting their crowns before His throne. Included in their words of praise were these words, “thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Why were all things created? All things were created for God’s pleasure. Why then are we here? What is our purpose? Many are looking for the purpose and the meaning of life. We are here to please the Lord. Our purpose for existing, the reason we are here, is for the Lord.

    The average person in our world has a self-centered worldview. He filters most, if not all things in his life through the test of how it might affect him, his personal objectives, or his happiness. Most people in our world will spend their entire day today with no regard for the will or pleasure of God, and yet that is precisely why we are here. Mankind has fallen so far from our original state when Adam lived to serve the Lord and do His will. That is why each person must be regenerated through the new birth experience, repenting of his sin and selfishness, and trusting Christ as Savior. Then, those who are saved should make it their goal in this brief life to please the Lord. To do so, we must take seriously the responsibility to discover and follow God’s will. God has a will for each of us. His general will is basically the same for all. We are to love Him, worship Him, treat others the way we want to be treated, etc. God also has a more specific will for each person. It is our quest to identify that plan and embrace it enthusiastically. As a farmer, construction worker, missionary, house wife, Sunday school teacher, architect, etc., our desire is to serve the Lord in His will for our lives.

    We should learn to evaluate our attitudes, actions, and opportunities with the simple question, “Will this please the Lord?” If our purpose in being here is for His pleasure, then pleasing Him must be our priority. If it would not be pleasing to the Lord, by His grace, we should refrain from it. If it would please Him, let’s do it for Him and His pleasure. This is the path to purpose, meaning, and eternal reward: living for that which we were created – for His pleasure.

  • 06 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    HONOR ALL MEN

    0

    “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”
    I Peter 2:17

    The Bible teaches us to show respect in a variety of relationships. We are to “Love the brotherhood.” This has to do with the special love and commitment we have to those who are a part of God’s family. Jesus emphasized strongly the responsibility Christians have to love each other. This should be a badge of true discipleship. We are to “Fear God.” There should be a heightened respect and reverence for God, more than for any other thing or person in our lives. The fear of the Lord is largely absent in our day of watered down doctrine. We are to “Honor the king.” Those in places of government leadership are entitled to a special respect or honor because of their position. Although elected officials do not always demonstrate the kind of character that deserves respect, we are taught to honor them as our leaders.

    The verse begins with the words, “Honour all men.” Although special respect is shown to the brethren, to the Lord, and to those in positions of authority, a certain degree of respect is appropriate for all men. The word honor means, “to place a value on or to have a high estimation for others.” Most of us would readily agree that there is a need in our society for the restoration of respect for others. Like many of life’s simple virtues, we have witnessed with great sadness the deterioration of respect in our generations.

    We know that we are to respect our elders, our leaders, and our Lord. But whom else should we respect? We are to show respect for all. The person that waits on you at the grocery store or restaurant deserves some respect. Your neighbor should be respected. Your children should be respected. The mailman, the mechanic, the barber, the flight attendant should be respected. Parents should be respected, as well as brothers and sisters. Your teachers, students, or classmates should be respected. “Honour all men.”

    As parents, we must demonstrate to our children and grandchildren this important principle. They are learning from us. If we are not respectful to others, our children will probably not be. Also, we should require respect of those in our homes. Children should be taught to acknowledge the presence of adults and show respect to their elders. In a disrespectful culture, we are to “honor all men.”

  • 05 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    HIS CHILDREN ARE BLESSED

    0

    “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”
    Proverbs 20:7

    Is it possible that our descendants will actually be blessed as a result of the way we live our lives? Could our integrity cause others to benefit? The Word of God makes it clear that the way we live affects others, particularly our children.

    As Christian parents, we want to do what we can for our children. There is nothing in life more important than taking seriously the training of our children. We want to provide for their basic needs, teach them right from wrong, protect them from many of the destructive temptations of the world, live before them as positive role models and good examples, and transfer to their generation the values we hold dear. However, there is something else that we can do for those we so dearly love. The Scripture tells us that when the just man walks in his integrity, “his children are blessed after him.” One of the best things we can do for our families, especially our children, is to have a sincere walk with the Lord. Walking before the Lord with an honest heart is good for us, and it is pleasing to the Savior. Furthermore, it will have a positive impact on our children.

    This is true in the natural realm because they witness our godly living. Young people need to see parents who have a genuine walk with God. Few things are more potentially damaging to children as witnessing parents who live hypocritically – professing to love the Lord yet serving the flesh and the world. Not only will children be encouraged spiritually by the lives they see their parents live, but God actually promises special blessing to those who follow us.

    It is hard to understand how someone claims to know Christ, yet lives with little or no regard for the way his life will affect others. Our lives are touching and influencing the lives of others. I think if more parents understood this passage, they would have a greater motivation to live a righteous life. We should want to live godly because it is God’s will and because we want to please Him.

    We are also encouraged to let the Lord continually work in our lives and strive to obey Him because we will answer to Him one day. We are interested in our personal reward and accounting before Him. We are also motivated to deny ourselves and to wholly live for Christ; because one day it will result in blessings coming to our children.

  • 04 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    UNRESOLVED CONFLICTS

    0

    “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.”
    Genesis 37:3, 4

    What causes the kind of violence and acts of hatred that are so common in our culture? Even among family members, heinous crimes are becoming more commonplace. What causes the malicious treatment often witnessed among professing Christians? The story of Joseph and his brothers has at least one answer to these questions. The ill treatment of Joseph by his brothers was the result of pent up resentment and bitterness. Joseph had reported some of his brothers’ mischief to their father. Then they were jealous over Jacob’s preferential treatment of Joseph. Added to that, they resented the dreams that Joseph shared with them. One thing led to another, and eventually they sold him into a life of slavery. Afterwards, they lied to their father, causing him to believe Joseph was dead. Thus, they sentenced their father to a life of grief.

    All of this behavior serves to teach us the way ill feelings can compound. It is doubtful that the bitter brothers would have banished their younger brother to a life of slavery after only one issue of disagreement with him. But what often happens is that one issue that is not resolved becomes the ingredient that future conflicts are mixed with. With each added bit of envy or anger, the hatred only grows stronger. If the brothers had been diligent in confessing and reconciling with each individual occurrence, it is highly improbable the eventual separation would have ever materialized.

    The damaging results of envy, bitterness, and unresolved conflicts are real and they are serious. When we allow resentment or envy to reside in our hearts, it will eventually cause great hurt. It will harm us as well as others. Even small differences, which we might think are unimportant, if they are not dealt with properly, can contribute to very serious problems. All of us have been hurt, or have had things happen to us that we just do not understand. Unresolved conflicts can be the ammunition Satan uses to destroy. The only way to avoid being corrupted by bitterness is to forgive others in the same way our Savior has forgiven us.

  • 03 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    FINDING FAULT

    0

    “Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.”
    Mark 7:1, 2

    The Pharisees are well known for their criticism of Jesus. They saw that some of the disciples were eating without properly washing their hands; immediately, they made an issue of it. It did not matter to them that our Lord was healing the sick and helping the hurting. They did not care that He was restoring the fallen and giving hope to the weary. They only cared that Jesus did not follow the tradition of the elders. The Bible says that, “they found fault.” How could it be that, with all the miraculous and wonderful things that were occurring, they found something to be negative about? One of the reasons they found fault is because that is what they were looking for. They were not focused on the blessings or the good things, but were only interested in finding something to criticize.

    What are we looking for in life? Are we looking for positive things or negative things? Which are easier for us to see? Is most of our time spent dwelling on the good that we notice or the bad that we find? Obviously, someone who finds fault with Jesus has a serious problem, for Jesus does all things well. This shows us how serious a negative attitude can be. If a person can find fault with Jesus, he will certainly find plenty of fault with us. This can be a problem for any of us. That same kind of critical or fault-finding spirit can be found in all.

    In our sinful world, wrong can always be seen. We are all human. We all make mistakes and our sins must be dealt with. It is wrong to ignore sin. We should not be so positive-minded that we are blind to error. However, while we need to be aware of sin so that it can be corrected, we must not fall into the snare of looking for faults so that we can criticize or condemn. When people are continually looking for faults, they will surely find them. In the same way, when people are looking for good things, they will find them plenteous.

    Life is too short to focus on the negative. Many churches have been damaged by those with the same spirit as the Pharisees. If faults are what we are looking for, we will find them. But who wants to always focus on the negative when there are so many positive things to appreciate?

  • 02 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    TODAY

    0

    “Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, Today 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.”
    Hebrews 3:7-9

    One of the most tolerated and underrated sins that can be committed is the sin of procrastination. There can be severe consequences for putting off some decision or action that God expects. The illustration used in this text is the familiar story of the children of Israel’s opportunity to possess the land of Canaan. Rather than obey God and occupy the land, they believed the negative report of the ten spies and postponed their action. When they did not promptly obey, they forfeited their opportunity The result was that they had to spend forty years wandering in the wilderness until an entire generation died.

    It is a mistake to believe that tomorrow will always offer the same opportunities as today. We see many examples in the New Testament of those who seized their chance by acting promptly when an opportunity presented itself. Blind Bartimaeus would not be denied his opportunity to have the attention of Jesus, the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment seized her moment for healing, Zacchaeus who climbed the tree, and many others testify to the power and wisdom of acting on divine opportunities. They did not procrastinate about their decisions. To refuse to act could mean the end of their opportunity.

    In addition, the refusal to obey God when He prompts us about something can result in the heart being hardened and less sensitive and responsive. At times, we have the notion that somehow it may be easier to obey in the future. Contrary to that false idea, it is usually more difficult to obey later. When one says “no” the first time, it usually becomes easier to say “no” again.

    Today is a wonderful gift from God, and we must learn to take advantage of the opportunities each day presents. To wait to do God’s will when we know what He would have us do is a subtle trap of the enemy to keep us from the blessings God has for us. It seems that many, like Felix, are looking for a more convenient time to do what is right. May God help us to take advantage of the moments that we have; otherwise, we will look back with regret and wish that we would have done more with today.

  • 01 Apr

    Posted by


    Category

    UNITY AND PRAYER

    0

    “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
    Matthew 18:19

    One of the most common subjects in the Bible is that of prayer. From the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation, we find men conversing with God. The primary purpose for our existence is to fellowship with God. God made man to communicate with his Creator. This matter of prayer ought to be central to our Christian lives. We are instructed to pray about everything. We are to pray for our daily needs, wisdom, forgiveness, deliverance, and strength. We need to learn all we can about prayer, and we need to practice what we know. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.

    A valuable lesson about prayer is found in this passage. It has to do with unity and prayer. Jesus was teaching about resolving conflicts in the body of Christ, the authority given to the church to make decisions, and how His presence would be committed to the local assembly. In that context, our Lord emphasized the importance of unity and prayer. Being in unity, or agreement, increases the power of prayer. The primary application of this lesson has to do with the church in prayer. Obviously, being in unity and agreement with others would be important in any prayer meeting, but Jesus is specifically addressing the matter of church harmony and agreement. God desires that His churches be in one accord, and He makes unity a condition of answered prayer.
    There are many things which will affect our prayers, and one of them is unity with the brethren. It is very foolish to think that God will hear and answer our prayers if there is strife and discord within the Christian family. God wants us to communicate with Him; He desires to show Himself strong as we look to Him in faith and prayer. We need to have unbroken access to God and to be able to bring our requests and burdens before Him continually. In order to see our prayers answered, we must seek to be right with one another, as well as stay right with God.

    Because we are serious about our prayer lives, we must also be serious about our church unity. In prayer, we earnestly and sincerely desire for God to work according to His will. The more we are in agreement with fellow believers, the more we can expect our prayers to be effective.

Page 3 of 3«123