Special Days B
“Click” on Jesus! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
The History of New Year Celebrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Happy NEW Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Out of Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Liberty to the Captives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Don’t Worry in the New Year! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Happy New Year! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
The Road of No Regrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Do It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Too Wonderful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
God Does It Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
God Can Give You a New Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
The Love Slave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
VALENTINE’S DAY
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Merry Christmas! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
His Unspeakable Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Christmas All Year Long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Not to . . . But to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Refrigerator Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
My Son, My Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Go Away, Gabriel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Christmas and Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
The Fulness of Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Merry Christmas! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The Christmas Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
God was Manifest in the Flesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Christmas Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
A Faithful Saying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHRISTMAS
“Do” or “Done” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
No Martyrs for a Hoax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Incredible? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
The Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Luxurious Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Unconditional Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
The Work of a Mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
A Stork or an Ostrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
A Tribute to Mothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Mothers and Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
The Making of a Mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Mother Teresa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
His Mother and Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Jesus Had a Mother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
The Mother of Sisera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
MOTHER’S DAY
The Mystery of Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
God is a Jealous God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Palm Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
The Symbols of Palm Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Jesus Wept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
He Steadfastly Set His face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Jesus Didn’t Quit! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Do Not Be Afraid! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
A Corn of Wheat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
The Six Miracles of Calvary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
.Abraham and the Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
The Power of His Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
A Hope That Maketh Not Ashamed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
The First Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
PALM SUNDAY
EASTER
Lest We Forget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Memorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Out of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Discerning the Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
I Can Do That! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
There is One Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Followers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
The Curse of Ritualistic Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
The Open Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
The Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Loose Him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
We Dream of a Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Declaration of Dependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
A Famous Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
A City Upon a Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
In God We Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
PENTECOST
JULY 4TH
Father’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Reverence For Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
God Wants to be Our Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
What the Father is Doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Family Troubles? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Honor Thy Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Adam Was Not Deceived . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
An Attack on Adam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Not Many Fathers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Long Distance? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
And Adam Gave Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
The Responsibility of Fatherhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Joash Remembered Not! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Memorial Day Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
The Gettysburg Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
MEMORIAL DAY
FATHER’S DAY
his is a book of messages about special days..
It is written primarily for citizens of the United
States of America. Every American knows that
it’s great to be “home for the holidays.” Our eyes grow moist
with emotion when we dream of a “white Christmas,” or a
Thanksgiving turkey.
We must face the fact, however, that the observance
of “special days” was a source of controversy and concern in
the early church. Paul wrote to the Galatians: “Ye observe
days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of
you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain”
(Galatians 4:10-11).
The special days observed by the Galatians were
those mentioned in the Law of Moses. The observance of
these days kindled a fear in Paul that the Galatians were
going to abandon Christ and seek to be justified by the Law.
If they did so, they would be severed from Christ and fall from
grace (Galatians 5:4).
The uniting of Jews and Gentiles was perhaps the
greatest challenge faced by the early church. The Jews had
over 1,500 years of sacred history and tradition. It was not
easy for them to abandon this rich heritage. Unity was
achieved by a remarkable strategy. The apostles and elders
met with the church in Jerusalem and concluded that it was
not necessary for the Jews to give up their heritage. They
could continue to observe their Jewish laws as long as they
did not bind them upon the Gentiles.
Paul himself was a Jew. Throughout the entirety of his
life he continued to observe the traditions of his earthly
fathers. He circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3). He sheared his
Introduction T
The First Thanksgiving Proclamation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Thanksgiving Proclamation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Prayer for the Persecuted Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
A Lesson from F. Kefa Sempangi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Rwanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Out of Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Two Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Thanksgiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Neither Were Thankful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Ingratitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Learning Contentment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
The Guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Where Are The Nine? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
THANKSGIVING
#
When the Samaritan woman came to draw water,
Jesus took advantage of what she was already
thinking about and told her that if she drank of the
water that He could give she would never thirst again
(John 4:14).
#
After feeding the multitudes with five loaves and two
fish, Jesus took advantage of what they were already
thinking about and taught them: “I am the bread of
life” (John 6:35).
#
When someone wanted Jesus to help him receive his
inheritance, Jesus took advantage of the situation and
taught to take heed and beware of covetousness
(Luke 12:15).
#
While Mary and Martha were mourning for their dead
brother Jesus took advantage of what they were
already thinking about and taught that He was the
resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
#
By the sea shore He taught that the Kingdom of
Heaven was like a great net cast into the sea (Matt.
13:47).
#
While observing the Passover Jesus took bread and
said “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matt. 26:26).
#
Etc.
Is it not wise to do what Jesus did in this regard? Is it
not common sense to capitalize on what people are already
thinking about to teach them spiritual reality? Everything that
happened in the presence of Jesus became a door of
opportunity for teaching. It can be the same for us.
In rural communities, farming can present many
WHY WRITE A BOOK ON SPECIAL DAYS?
However ill advised some may think it to be, it is an
attempt to be like Jesus. Jesus, the Master Teacher, took
advantage of what people were thinking about to teach them
spiritual truth.
head in Cenchrea because he had taken a vow (Acts 18:18).
He didn’t spend time in Asia so he could be in Jerusalem for
the Day of Pentecost (Acts 20:16). He went into the Temple
to worship for the specific purpose of showing that he walked
“orderly” and “kept the law” (Acts 20:24).
While Paul was free to observe these Jewish laws, he
never tried to bind them upon the Gentiles. He was fully
aware that salvation was in Jesus Christ alone. The
Jerusalem Council concluded that only four tenets found in the
Jewish faith were universally binding upon all men. They are:
(1) To abstain from the pollution of idols, (2) From fornication,
(3) From things strangled, (4) And from blood (Acts 15:20). It
seems that these four universal prohibitions have been in
place since the days of Noah and consequently are incumbent
upon all men. Circumcision, and Jewish laws, however, came
much later and involved only one special segment of society.
All men are descendants of Noah, but not all are descendants
of Abraham.
This strategy, sanctioned by the Holy Spirit (Acts
15:28), brought unity to the divided people of God. When
Paul wrote to the Ephesians he spoke of unity as a present
reality. God had broken down the wall of partition and made
Jews and Gentiles one (Eph. 2:14). Their unity was not a
result of agreeing on special days, their unity came because
they agreed on Christ (I Cor. 3:11). When Paul wrote to the
Romans: “Who art thou that judgest another man's
servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he
shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another
esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day,
regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the
day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth,
eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that
eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God
thanks” (Romans 14:4-6).
e begin our book on special days with
Christmas. This is indeed a happy time for
most people. It provides a wonderful
opportunity for believers to share their faith and to help others
to know Christ. Since you will be using Christmas as a
teaching tool for truth, let us begin by saying:
#
There is no commandment to observe the birth of
Christ in the Bible.
#
We do not know on what month or day Christ was
born, but it was probably not in the winter (the emperor
could collect more taxes when it was easier to travel,
and flocks are not normally in the fields during the
winter).
#
Our modern observance of Christmas has pagan
roots.
#
We are commanded, however, to observe the death of
Christ (I Cor. 11:23-26).
CHRISTMAS IS STILL A WONDERFUL TIME OF THE
YEAR AND PRESENTS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
TEACHING OF TRUTH! As long as people are already
thinking about the birth of Christ , doesn’t it make sense to
take advantage of that fact and teach them more?
Since some, however, are convinced that the
observance of Christmas is unchristian, let us reflect upon the
history of Christmas. The following “facts” have not come
from original sources, but paint a picture which is generally
accepted.
#
The First Century Church did not observe the birth of
Jesus.
#
By the third century some were observing the birth of
Christmas W
CHRISTMAS
opportunities to teach spiritual reality. The planting, the
weeds, and the harvest are all excellent examples which
Jesus used to teach about evangelism and judgment.
A drought, flood, or storm can be used to focus on the
Sovereignty of God and our need of His divine protection.
This is the reason why this book on special days is
being put into print. On special days, almost every mind in
your community is already focused on the same thing.
Perhaps this book will help you to capitalize on that situation
for Christ.
“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God,
even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us
everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word
and work.” (II Thess. 2:16-17).
Boyce Mouton
NOTE THIS VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE! ALL
TRUTHS ARE EQUALLY TRUE, BUT NOT ALL TRUTHS
ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
There were Ten Commandments written in stone by
the finger of God, and over 600 other commandments found
in the writings of Moses. Jesus, however, gave priority to two
commandments.
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him
a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is
the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matt.
22:35-40).
Suppose I tell you that your car has a scratch on the
fender and no oil in the crankcase. Both statements may be
equally true, but both statements are not equally important.
Successful drivers must establish the right priorities, and so
must everyone else.
Please take a close look at the church in your
community. In all probability, there are many things wrong
with it. Surely, in our pecking order of priorities, stopping
Christmas should not be very high on the list.
Now let us, having dutifully addressed the concerns of
some, focus on the needs of many. May God help you to use
the Christmas Season for evangelism and growth!
CHRISTMAS
Christ.
#
December 25 was selected by Julian I in 353 A.D.
#
Some say this day was selected because it was a day
when the Romans observed the winter solstice and
the church was eager to replace pagan festivals with
Christian ones.
#
A fourth century bishop from Turkey, St. Nicholas, was
said to be the original Santa Claus. According to
legend, he dropped a bag of gold coins down a
chimney. The coins fell into a stocking which a poor
girl had hung by the fireplace to dry.
#
The name “Christmas” comes from combining “Christ”
and “Mass.”
#
The decorating of “Christmas Trees” began in
Northern Europe in the eighth century. Supposedly,
St. Boniface convinced the pagans of the area to stop
worshiping Odin’s sacred oak, and to decorate a fir
tree in honor of Jesus Christ.
#
Christmas carols date back to the Thirteenth Century
when people danced joyously around a nativity scene.
#
Many of the early pilgrims who came to America
refused to observe Christmas. They considered it a
piece of “Popish frivolity.”
#
On May 11, 1659, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony,
the colonial legislature set a fine of five shillings for
anyone caught observing Christmas. The laws
forbidding Christmas caused widespread discontent
and were abolished in 1681.
#
The exchanging of Christmas cards is said to have
begun in England in 1840.
#
Christmas is today a very popular holiday in the United
States, and also in many other countries of the world.
CHRISTMAS
difficult to say. Many children have had nightmares instead of
dreams. Their treasure chest of memories is filled with
monsters. They have survived by being hard. They did not
give up and quit, they developed callouses. Now they have to
learn another important lesson of life. Loving not only makes
us vulnerable, it enables us to live. The seeds of happiness
that seemed to die, can bring forth new life when they are
exposed to the sunlight of selfless generosity. Christmas is
"tailor made" for loving others.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! This is a talisman phrase that
transforms a cottage into a castle, and a pauper's home into
a palace. Our happiest memories of Christmas Past have
nothing to do with the price of our home. When we hear the
words, "Merry Christmas," it helps us forget our headaches
and heartaches. It makes the rough road a little smoother, the
long journey a little shorter, and the heavy load a little easier
to bear.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! No matter who you are, or
where you are, please have a Merry Christmas! You can do
it, if you will. True happiness is a state of mind and not a state
of events. If Christ is your King, you can be happy, regardless
of your circumstances. The man who "will" not see, is more
to be pitied than the man who "cannot" see.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! From me to you. From our
family to your family. From all of us to all of you. You are in
our hearts and prayers. May this Christmas find you
prospering in every good word and work. May the Spirit of the
Great Giver fill your life with sunshine and flow through you to
others.
CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS! This is among the most
famous and familiar phrases in the English language. It
brightens the eyes of children, it brings cheer to those
imprisoned on beds of suffering, and it gives hope to those
whose lives are in deep despair. It is spoken in every city,
village and hamlet in America. It has been learned by
thousands of people who do not live in America, and who do
not read, speak, or understand the English language.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! These are the magic words
that put a smile on the face of Ebenezer Scrooge. Before he
learned to speak these words, his life was miserly, and
miserable. Scrooge was the proverbial small package of
conceit. His philosophy of life was puny and pathetic. Then
he learned the message of Christmas. Suddenly his life was
filled with happiness and generosity. His selfishness vanished
like a vapor. The happiness he found in helping Tiny Tim was
greater, and more satisfying, than any he had ever known.
The miracle of Christmas involves a paradox. The best way
to have a Merry Christmas, is to give one.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! These words are music to the
ears of our service men in foreign countries. Their fathers
heard the same words at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. Their
grandfathers heard them on the blood stained battlefields of
Verdun. They dream of a White Christmas! They know that
it would be great to be home for the holidays. Their sense of
duty, however, compels them to fight and die over there, so
that Christmas can be merry over here.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Sometimes these words are
Merry Christmas!
CHRISTMAS
the place of their birth.
Jesus was rich. He had choices. He could go
anywhere and do anything. Legions of angels surrounded
Him to do His bidding. For our sakes, however, he became
poor. He was born in a manger. The Sovereign of the
Universe condescended to become a man. At the time of His
birth he could not even hold His head erect. Wrapped in
swaddling clothes He was incapable of moving anywhere
without help. For an extended period of time He had virtually
no choices. He ate only what He was given, and went only
where He was taken.
His condescension resulted in our exaltation. His self
denial resulted in our self fulfilment. He gave up choice that
we might have an alternative. His poverty enables us to
become rich. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!
The example of Jesus is contagious. His unspeakable
gift inspires generosity. The Christmas Spirit provides a cure
for the miserly and miserable. Ebenezer Scrooge became
hilarious when he reached out a helping hand to others.
"Hilarious" is precisely the Greek word used in II Cor. 9:7. It
is translated as "cheerful" in the King James Version. "God
loveth a CHEERFUL giver." God loves those who are
"hilarious" in their generosity.
God's unspeakable Gift is the Reason for the Season.
God so loved that He gave. When our hearts are captured by
His contagious love, we cannot help but give. May the
generosity of Christ inspire each of us to break down barriers
of division with love and kindness. May hurts be healed at
Christmas. May homes find happiness at Christmas. May
souls be saved at Christmas.
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift! This is my
message to you at Christmas! On behalf of my family, and
staff, thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. It has made
us brothers and sisters in the same family. It has given us
CHRISTMAS
he Scripture before us touches the heart and
opens the mind in ways too wonderful for words.
The Jews and Gentiles had been bitter enemies
for centuries. At this time, however, both Jews and Gentiles
had become Christians. The Jewish people in Judea were
starving, and their Gentile brothers sent relief. It was not
merely a "token" gift, but a generous one. They gave "beyond
themselves" in an extravagant display of love.
Such generosity not only would save people from
starvation, it would result in spiritual growth and thanksgiving.
It would cause embittered enemies to pray for one another.
It would melt their hearts together and break down barriers of
division. It would heal the hurts of estrangement and prove
that the Gospel really does work.
Such generosity reminded Paul of Jesus. It caused
him to thank God for His unspeakable gift. It flooded his mind
with memories of the Christmas Story. "For you know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet
for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty
might be rich" (II Cor. 8:9).
Rich people have choices. We can decide what food
we will eat, what clothes we will wear, and what car we will
drive. We can decide where we will go, and when we will go
there. Rich people have choices.
Poor people do not have choices. They are fortunate
to have anything to eat or anything to wear. The thought of
owning an automobile does not seriously enter their minds.
Many poor people have never traveled over fifty miles from
His Unspeakable Gift
“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift” (II
Cor. 9:15)
T
CHRISTMAS
minds. Christmas is the catalyst that moderates the noxious
poisons that estrange family and friends. It heals the heart,
paints a smile, and provides a respite from resentment and
revenge. It leads us to wistfully wander down memory lane
and relive the happiness of the “auld lang syne.”
There may also be some very profound theological
implications to our observance of Christmas. If nothing else,
it provides us with an interesting commentary on the way that
people interpret the life of Jesus. Regardless of your views
about religious holidays, isn’t it interesting to see such an
emphasis on love. Though the man on the street may not
darken the door of a Christian chapel, he still embodies the
essence of God incarnate when he manifests a genuine
concern for others. This, it seems, is more prominent at
Christmas than at any other time of the year.
Napoleon in exile and defeat was said to have mused:
“Alexander the Great, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself all
tried to build kingdoms with force, and we have failed. Jesus
Christ founded His Kingdom on love and it yet endures.”
What about you? Why not plan to extend the
Christmas Spirit beyond the Holidays. Every day ought to be
a holy day for believers. Every day ought to be a day when
we let the mind of Christ dominate our lives and consider
others better than ourselves. It is more blessed to give than
it is to receive. Let’s have a Merry Christmas . . . all year long!
CHRISTMAS
r. Average American spends eleven months of
the year fighting to keep pace with his
competition. He gets up early and goes to bed
late determined to make a profit. He falls to sleep dreaming
of deals and planning for the future. Someone has jokingly
described the ambitious American as having “his ear to the
ground, his shoulder to the wheel, and his nose to the
grindstone. Distortion has become a way of life.
Sometime in December, however, something changes.
Instead of only thinking about “making” money, we start
thinking about “giving.” The work schedule remains the same,
but the emphasis is different. Christmas tends to make us
more emotional than practical. We want to show our love so
much that we may buy gifts that someone doesn’t even need.
We lavish our loved ones with presents, and sometimes even
contribute to charity. It’s interesting to note that many people
are happier at Christmas time than at any other time of the
year.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have that
“Christmastime attitude” all year long? It isn’t the weather, or
the calendar, that makes us happy. It’s our attitude that
makes the difference. It seems silly to endure eleven months
of a “rat race” and one month of happiness. Why not have
twelve months that are dominated by selflessness and love?
Christmas is a happy time! It delivers us from the
doldrums of self pity and encourages us to think of others. It
is therapy for wounded spirits and a healing balm for troubled
happiness here and hope hereafter. It provides us with power
to dream the incredible and do the impossible.
THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT!
Christmas All Year Long
M
CHRISTMAS
Jesus avoided. It is what Jesus did that inspired both angels
and men. When we do something that is positive, it will do the
same.
Jesus did not curse the fig tree because it produced
poison ivy. The tree was condemned because it had no fruit.
People will be condemned for the same reason. Every branch
that does not bear fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.
Jesus promised that someday all nations would be
gathered before Him in Judgment. We will be separated like
sheep and goats. Some will be saved. Some will be lost.
Salvation is the result of doing something positive.
Jesus said: "I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. I was
thirsty, and ye have me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took
me in. Naked and ye clothed me. I was sick, and ye visited
me. I was in prison and ye came unto me."
The unrighteous will find no solace in what they did not
do. The fact that they did not lie, steal, or kill, does not mean
that they would be saved. A dead branch does not lie, steal,
or kill either. All anyone has to do to be condemned, is
NOTHING!
Christmas is a wonderful time to do something
positive. Jesus said: "When thou makest a dinner or a
supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy
kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; Lest they also bid thee again,
and a recompense be made. But when thou makest a feast,
call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And thou shalt
be blessed: for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt
be recompensed at the resurrection of the just (Lk. 14:12-13).
There is someone this Christmas that needs you.
Therefore, you are not to think only of yourselves, but to think
of others; not to be selfish, but generous; not lazy, but
industrious; not complaining, but praising; not sad, but glad;
not frowning, but smiling; not harmful, but helpful; not stealing,
but working. "Be ye therefore followers of God as dear
CHRISTMAS
am indebted to my friend, Doug Williams, for
pointing out this simple, but profound principle of
Scripture. Nature abhors a vacuum. Therefore,
every time something bad is removed from our lives, it needs
to be replaced with something good. If it is not, evil spirits
may come in profusion to fill this void (Lk. 11:24-26). Jesus
said: "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but
the will of him that sent me" (John 6:38). Note that His divine
mission was something positive. Ours should be too!
Paul put it like this in Ephesians 4:
Be no more children . . . but grow up into him in all
things.
Put off the old man . . . and put on the new man.
Put away lying . . . and speak every man truth with his
neighbor.
Don't steal . . . but work and give to the needy.
Don't speak corrupt things . . . but speak that which
edifies.
Let bitterness depart . . . and be kind and
tenderhearted to one another.
The works of the flesh require energy. The Christian
is not to cease activity, but to redirect negative energy into
something positive. The boundless energy of children at play,
is to become the productive work of an adult. The liar is not
to quit talking, but to focus his energies in speaking the truth.
‘Etc.
Such a positive message is the very essence of
Christmas. What Jesus did NOT do is not a source for
singing. Christmas Carols are not composed to honor what
Not to . . . But to
CHRISTMAS
I have done for Jesus with the better and more mature work
of others. Perhaps this is the reason why the Scriptures teach
that it is not wise to measure and compare ourselves with one
another (II Cor. 10:12). Earthly fathers appreciate the sincere
efforts of a six year old, just as much as the more experienced
work of his twelve year old brother. God does the same!
These thoughts are especially relevant at Christmas.
We can present to the Christ an acceptable gift no matter how
inept we are. If we do our best, He will be pleased. It doesn't
matter what anyone else thinks, because we're not doing it for
them. It doesn't matter what anyone else does, because God
does not compare us with them. God has a perfect
understanding of every person's ability. To some people He
gives five talents, and to others only one. Every person,
however, can win the game of life with the help of Christ.
There is an old story about the little boy who was
saying his prayers at bed time. His father said: "Speak up
son, I can't hear you!" The little boy responded: "I wasn't
talking to you daddy." Such focus is an integral part of
Christianity. Whatever we do, we are to do "heartily as to the
Lord" (Col. 3:23). We are not to give "eye service, as men
pleasers," but are to do the will of God from the heart as
though we were doing it for the Lord, and not for men (Eph.
6:7).
Therefore I am determined to pick up my crayons and
do my best for Jesus. Others may laugh at my efforts, or
make fun of the clumsy and awkward things I do. That's all
right, I'm not doing it for them!
I Cor. 3:18 has played a pivotal role in my commitment
to Christ. May the Holy Spirit teach you from this verse a
special truth for Christmas.
"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a
CHRISTMAS
he most popular art in America, if not the world,
is the type hanging on refrigerators. Quite often
it is done with crayons. The creatures pictured
there are often strange and misshapen, and so are the
people. I once saw a cartoon depicting a school activity.
Everyone in the picture looked normal but Mrs. Jones. Mrs.
Jones had sticks for arms and legs, dots for eyes, and hair like
a frazzled mop. The teacher said: "Welcome, Mrs. Jones, I
recognized you from your daughter's picture."
This art, which is so precious to us, is of no value to
anyone else. Don't try to sell it at an art auction. No one will
buy it. Even if you gave it to your best friend they probably
would discard it. The value of this art, you see, is not
universal. It is worth something to you because it came from
someone you love. It is a confirmation of your relationship. Its
value cannot be appraised in terms of dollars and cents. You
love them, they love you, and their art is an expression of this
love. How simple! How profound!
The love of God is like the love of parents, only deeper
and more profound. Jesus said: "If ye then, being evil, know
how to give good things unto your children, how much more
shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them
that ask him" (Matt. 7:11). God is the ultimate manifestation
of love. This leads me to believe that He appreciates the
same kind of art which we do. God, the perfect Father, can
even love and appreciate the efforts of His retarded children.
Quite frankly, it is depressing for me to compare what
children; and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us . . . (Eph. 5:1-2). MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Refrigerator Art T
CHRISTMAS
“ . . . O my son Absalom, my son, my son
Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my
son, my son! (II Sam. 18:33).
A
bsalom was the third son of David born at
Hebron to his third wife, Maacah (II Sam. 3:3).
Absalom had been mad at his father for many
years. His anger, perhaps, dated back to the day that Ammon
raped his sister, Tamar. Perhaps you remember the story.
Ammon pretended to be sick, and asked David to have Tamar
take care of him. The King ordered her to do so, not knowing
that Ammon was about to do.
After two years went by, and David had not punished
Ammon, Absalom took matters into his own hands. He invited
all the king’s sons to a party. There Ammon was murdered,
and the princes were forced to witness Absalom’s revenge
After several years of banishment, David was tricked into
reinstating Absalom (II Sam. 14:4-33).
Now Absalom was emboldened to usurp his father’s
throne. He prepared chariots and horses, and had fifty men
run before him. He rose up early and sat at the gate to steal
the heart of the people. He constantly criticized his father and
promised that if only he were king, things would be much
better. He sent spies throughout the land and proclaimed
himself the king in Hebron (II Sam. 15:10.) He went to
Jerusalem and violated his father’s harem in public (II Sam.
16:22). He planned the death of his father with cold hearted
cruelty (II Sam. 17:1-14). He gathered an army and
descended upon David as the “dew falleth to the ground.”
David divided his troops into three groups under Joab,
Abishai, and Ittai (II KI. 18:1-2). He gave specific instructions
My Son, My Son
CHRISTMAS
fool, that he may be wise" (1 Cor. 3:18).
CHRISTMAS
nails into His hands and feet. He still loves us, and prays
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!”
This is the message of Christmas! A message of
undeserved love and sacrifice. It was God who put it into the
heart of David to want to die for his wayward son. This is the
same God who did not count Deity a thing to be grasped, but
emptied Himself to become a slave and assume the likeness
of men. And being found in fashion as a man God humbled
Himself unto death, even the death of the cross.
David desired to do what God did, and God did what
David desired to do! He who knew no sin, was made to be sin
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Joab
was outraged by such undeserved love (II Sam. 19:5-6). So
also the heavens were filled with wonder and amazement that
God Himself would die for the sins of mankind. God’s gift was
not under the tree, but on the tree. The gift God gave was
Himself!
CHRISTMAS
to “deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with
Absalom” (II Sam. 18:5). In the course of the battle,
Absalom rode his mule under an oak tree. His massive hair
became entangled in the boughs of the tree and he was
suspended between heaven and earth. It was at this point
that Joab took three darts and thrust them through Absalom’s
heart (II Sam. 18:14).
In the meanwhile, David sat waiting for news of the
battle. Joab sent Cushi to tell the king the good news. Later,
Ahimaaz was also allowed to run. Ahimaaz out ran Cushi and
brought David the news of victory. David’s concern, however,
was still for his son. “Is the young man Absalom safe?” he
inquired.
When Cushi arrived, David asked the same haunting
question: “Is the young man Absalom safe?” (II Sam.
18:32).
At this point David was informed of Absalom’s death
and cried out his bitter lament! “O my son Absalom, my
son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O
Absalom, my son, my son.”
It is important to remember that Saul was rejected as
king, and David was chosen to be king, because of their
hearts. (I Sam. 13:14.) David was a man after God’s own
heart When David’s brother was rejected as king, the Lord
told Samuel: “Look not on his countenance, or on the
height of his stature; because I have refused him: for trhe
Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the
outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart”
(I Sam. 16:7).
What a wonderful insight David gives us into the heart
of God! It doesn’t matter that all have sinned and fallen short
of His glory . . . He still loves us! It doesn’t matter that we
have profaned His Holy Name and sought to usurp His Throne
. . . He still loves us! It doesn’t matter that cruel men drive
CHRISTMAS
"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath
rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low
estate of his handmaiden; For behold, from henceforth all
generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty
hath done great things; and holy is his name. And his
mercy is on them that fear him from generation to
generation. He hath showed strength with his arm; he
hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their
hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats,
and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry
with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his
mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his
seed forever" (Lk. 1:47-55).
future, and I should have the right to choose mine. If you are
commanding me to have this baby, you are infringing upon my
right of choice.”
Mary, as you know, did not have the right of choice.
The Sovereign of the Universe did not ask her if she wanted
to have a baby. He sent the angel Gabriel to tell her what had
already been decreed in heaven. The power the Almighty
would overshadow her, and she would conceive a child in her
womb. She did not really have a choice before she got
pregnant, or after. Neither, in a sense, do we. Jesus will be
Lord of all, or not Lord at all! Mary didn't want Gabriel to go
away. She delighted in the miracle of motherhood and said:
One mother wrote: “I’m tied down by clothes lines on
which I hang baby clothes. I’m tied down by the thread I use
to sew on buttons and mend little pockets. I’m tied down by
jumping ropes and other ropes that pull little toys. I’m tied
down by strips of gauze that I use to bind a bleeding knee.
I’m tied down by tiny arms around my neck. Oh yes, I’m tied
CHRISTMAS
hat if Mary had said, “Go away Gabriel! Can't
you see how busy I am? I don't have time to
even think about a baby, let alone have one.
I have a life of my own to live. I have plans for today, I have
plans for tomorrow, and I have plans for my whole life. Those
plans do not include a baby, so please go away.”
I know some girls who are not as ambitious as I am.
Let them have the baby. Let them have the stretch marks on
their stomach, and the sagging breasts. Let them do the dirty
diapers and sing the childish songs. I have plans that are
more important than this. I want my life to count for
something. I want to use my energy and influence to impact
the lives of people who will change the world. Let someone
else have the baby, and let me do something that is important.
You don't seem to understand how much time a baby
takes. You don't seem to care that this child will take hours
every day that I could be spending upon myself, my plans,
and my future. I'm sorry, but I'm not about to be saddled with
that kind of responsibility. Please go away!
Some of my friends have babies. Now they never
have time for the things that really matter. Their whole lives
are wrapped up in insignificant little things, for insignificant
little people. I dream of dining with royalty, and of carrying on
important conversations with those who move and shake the
world. That's why I think you've come to the wrong person.
Please go away!
Now don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against
babies. I think it's wonderful for some women to have them if
they want to. I am convinced, however, that this must be a
personal decision. They should have the right to choose their
Go Away, Gabriel
CHRISTMAS
W
am indebted to Given Blakely for reminding me
that God cares little for human convenience.
This principle is easily illustrated by the
Christmas story. Let’s start with John the Baptist. He
played a crucial role in preparing the way for Christ.
Israel had been waiting for John since the days of Isaiah
(Is. 40:3). He was the “Elijah” predicted by Malachi (Mal.
4:5-6; Matt. 11:14). Among those born of women there
was not a greater prophet than John (Matt. 11:11).
There was, however, nothing convenient about his birth,
life, ministry, or death.
John’s parents, as you know, were “well stricken
in years” (Lk. 1:7). How utterly inconvenient! No church,
or adoption agency would dare to place a new born baby
with such elderly people. Raising John was made more
difficult by the fact that he was never to taste wine or
strong drink. Those who live in king’s houses may have
a convenient life, but John grew up in the desert and ate
locusts and wild honey. His garment was rugged and
uncomfortable. This prophet of principle was not like a
reed blown by the wind. He dared to rebuke the king and
died for doing so by the treachery of a wicked woman.
God certainly did not design his life to be convenient in
any way, shape, matter, or form.
Neither was there anything convenient about the
birth of Jesus. Mary was single when she became
pregnant. Joseph was poor. They had to journey 75
miles to Bethlehem when she was “great with child.”
There was no room for them in the inn. Jesus was born
in a manger. Wicked King Herod tried to kill him. The
Christmas and Convenience I
CHRISTMAS
down, and it has become the greatest joy of my life.”
CHRISTMAS
to Israel, or Jonah to Nineveh. God never intended it to
be convenient. When the people in ancient times
repented, they symbolized their submission to God by
exchanging
their
comfortable
clothes
for
the
inconvenience of sackcloth and ashes.
When the fair weather disciples wanted to follow
Jesus He warned them of His austere life. The birds had
nests, and the foxes had caves, but the Son of Man did
not have a place to lay down His head. How utterly
inconvenient!
Crosses are not convenient and Jesus demanded
that if any one would follow Him, they MUST DENY
THEMSELVES AND TAKE UP A CROSS!
What about you? If you are waiting for a
convenient season to surrender to Christ you will never
become a Christian. Satan will see that it is never
convenient to do the will of God. Convenience is man
centered. Obedience is God centered. May God be the
center of your life, and may all of your activities revolve
around Him. Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to
God and the Father by Him.!
CHRISTMAS
family then fled to Egypt. Was there anything convenient
about the first Christmas?
The wise men came from the East with gifts. Was
that convenient?
The shepherds left their flocks and came to
Bethlehem in search of Christ. They were only told that
he was wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a
manger. Was that convenient?
Egypt was a long way off where they spoke a
different language and had different customs. Was that
convenient?
When Herod died, Joseph and Mary were
directed by God to go back to Nazareth. This was the
very city where rumors were rampant about Mary. It was
a city filled with unbelief (Mark 6:6). Was that
convenient?
God may not care about convenience, but the
modern American church is obsessed with it. We want
to start at a convenient time. We want convenient
parking, and comfortable pews. The “sanctuary” must
not be too hot, or too cold. The “service” must not be too
boring or too long. The sermon must not be too
demanding, or too loud. We must be careful when
asking people to stand, or kneel, because such efforts
might not be convenient. It is also important to conclude
at a convenient time. We know that if we do not cater to
the consumer mentality of our clients, the church down
the street will. Convenience therefore becomes the star
by which we steer. It is the god to whom we give priority,
and offer the first fruits of our labors.
Certainly God does not think as we think! I
cannot find a single example in Scripture where God
placed anyone’s convenience above His sovereign will.
It was not convenient for Moses to go to Egypt, or Amos
CHRISTMAS
about predicaments. In retrospect, we know that
everything always turned out the way God wanted it to.
There never was a time when worry was appropriate, or
anxiety was required. All things, were always under the
control of our Sovereign God.
But now, let us extrapolate this principle into our
own lives. Our problems may not be as great as those of
Moses, or as critical as those of Joseph and Mary.
Nevertheless, they have a way of dominating our
thinking. Even small objects can shut out sunlight when
they are held too closely to the eyes. The solution to our
problem is not to be found in worry, care, or anxiety, but
in faith. Our perspective is broadened, not by drawing
closer to our problem, but by drawing closer to God. No
matter how much trouble Joseph and Mary went through,
their story is not negative. The Christmas Story is the
most wonderful story in the world.
How vividly I recall a conversation with the late
Robert Morse. He was recounting his resentment for the
years he spent in Hidden Valley. His missionary family
was being expelled from Burma. Some children were
sick, and one of the women was about to have a baby.
These "unfortunate" circumstances forbade them from
flying to America in luxury. Instead, they had to hike over
the Himalayan Mountains and live in the jungle. This
"temporary inconvenience" lasted six long years.
In retrospect, however, this was a very important
and productive time. During these years, Robert
completed his translation of the Rawang New Testament.
First converts were also made among a tribe of
headhunters known as the "Naked Nagas." When the
Reader's Digest published a book about the Morse
family, they focused on this one six-year period that
Robert had resented. The book was titled, "Exodus to a
CHRISTMAS
he timing of God is perfect. Every prophecy
which focused on the advent of Christ into
the world had been fulfilled. Every event in
human history had already been orchestrated by God to
enhance the miracle of the incarnation. Every angel was
poised to observe this manifestation of God in the lives
of men. There were no mistakes!
From the human standpoint, however, it must
have seemed much different. Mary was forced to make
the long journey to Bethlehem when she was nine
months pregnant. At the time Jesus was born there was
no room for them in the inn. No one came to celebrate
that great occasion but the lowly shepherds. Joseph did
not have enough money to buy an animal for sacrifice.
Herod sought to kill the baby Jesus. Wise men from the
East, had to return to their homes in secret. Joseph,
Mary, and Jesus had to flee into Egypt.
It is obvious that God sees things differently from
men. As the heavens are higher than the earth, His
thoughts and ways transcend our thoughts and ways.
The process of conversion, however, enables us to "sit
with Christ in heavenly places" (Eph. 2:6.) It gives us the
perspective of God. It enables us to have the mind of
Christ (I Cor. 2:16, Phil. 2:5, etc.) Things appear
differently to those who have the mind of Christ.
The Bible is filled with crises. Catastrophic events
have taken place in every age. When we read about
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, or anyone else, we read
"When the fulness of time was come, God sent
forth His Son" (Gal. 4:4)
T
The Fulness of Time
CHRISTMAS
Merry Christmas!
Some years ago I came across this beautiful
poem:
Help me to be the kind of man
That loyal friends believe I am.
Help me to be as true and fine
As they believe, these friends of mine.
If I could have but just one plea
I think that that one prayer would be,
With all that such a prayer portends,
"Lord, make me worthy of my friends.
And if, sometimes, I may have erred,
In any thought or deed or word,
Then help me, Lord, to make amends,
Lord, make me worthy of my friends."
Give me the courage under stress
That they expect me to possess;
And when they smile and look at me,
Oh, let me be, Lord, what they see!
Help me all pretense to forego,
And simply, without pomp or show,
Repay with true sincerity
The loyal faith they have in me.
Helen Lowrie Marshall
WORTHY OF MY FRIENDS WORTHY OF MY FRIENDS WORTHY OF MY FRIENDS WORTHY OF MY FRIENDS
CHRISTMAS
Hidden Valley."
Robert smiled and confessed that God was right
all of the time. There was no need to worry, and no need
for anything to be done differently.
Perhaps it is time for us to smile and come to the
same conclusion. God is still in control, and in the
"fullness of time," everything is going to be okay.
CHRISTMAS
he story of Christmas is beautiful beyond
compare. It so staggers the imagination
that it is almost beyond the scope of human
comprehension. This remarkable story reminds us that
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son to redeem it. God not only created man, He became
a man.
He was born in a manger. His relatives were poor
and inconspicuous. During His brief life He accumulated
no earthly possessions or wealth and was buried in a
borrowed tomb.
Though He had no formal education His teachings
challenge the intellect of the world’s most prodigious
minds. While worldly wisdom blossoms and withers like
the seasonal flowers, the teachings of Jesus remain fresh
and beautiful for every generation.
Though His earthly life lasted but thirty-three
years, His influence has flooded every succeeding
century, and His words have been translated into more
languages and dialects than those of any other.
Though He never preached over 100 miles from
the place of His birth, His words today are being heard
around the world.
He healed the multitudes without medicine and
yet has inspired the building of hospitals and clinics. His
selfless concern for others has inspired doctors and
nurses to sacrifice and humanitarian service.
The influence of His Spirit has dried the tears of
orphans, brought sympathetic care to the afflicted, and
offered comfort and hope to those beset by the withering
The Christmas Story T
CHRISTMAS
hese words have a special meaning for me
at Christmas. I do not send Christmas
cards, yet, invariably I receive them.
Consistently, I receive more gifts than I give. My
bountiful blessings are without number. In my heart I
know that I am not worthy of my friends, but . . . I want to
be. That's why this poem is so special.
The late Jim Rutherford used to paraphrase the
words of Jesus - "What is a man profited if he gain the
whole world and lose his friends." How miserable our
lives would be if we had no friends.
Mike Pratt once observed that a ‘joy shared is
doubled, and a sorrow shared is cut in half.’
These words will be read by hundreds of people
who are special to me. Perhaps, over the course of time,
it will be passed on to others whom I do not know. At the
risk of being presumptuous, this seems to be a wonderful
prayer for everyone.
So from our church, to your church . . . From all
of us to all of you . . . Lord, make all of us worthy of our
friends!
CHRISTMAS
T
n the beginning...God! There were no
angels...no atoms...only God. With creation
came rebellion. Angels revolted in heavenly
places and earth became a battlefield of opposing forces.
Ultimately God will prevail and He will again be "all in all"
(I Cor. 15: 28).
The activities of earth in the meanwhile, are of
intense interest to the spirit world. Paul was made a
spectacle unto angels (I Cor. 4:9). Women were to be
properly attired "because of the angels" (I Cor. ll:10).
The Church is to make known the manifold wisdom of
God unto the "principalities and powers in heavenly
places" (Eph. 3:10). The fulfillment of Biblical prophecy
is something which "the angels desire to look into" (I
Peter l:12). We are surrounded by a "great cloud of
witnesses" (Heb. 12:1).
The plan of God, or "mystery" was kept secret
since the foundation of the world. No one had the
faintest idea what God would do. Paul quoted Isaiah in
this regard that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him..." (I Cor. 2:9).
This incredible mystery involved the Incarnation.
The Infinite and Omnipotent Creator of the vastness of
God Was Manifest in the
Flesh
"And without all controversy great is the
mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up
into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)
I
CHRISTMAS
hand of time.
After the passing of nineteen long centuries we
may say with confidence that no man, or group of men,
has so changed the course of human history as this lowly
Carpenter from Galilee.
The date lines of the world bend around the
manger of His birth.
Though He wrote no book, He reigns supreme in
the world of literature.
Though He composed no music, He has put more
melody in human hearts, and inspired more songs than
any other man in history.
Though He marshaled no army, He numbers
more volunteers, more prisoners, and more martyrs, than
any empire the world has ever known.
Fishermen dropped their nets to follow in His
steps. His calloused hands brought cleansing to the
lepers and healing to those with blinded eyes. His mercy
reached out to the corrupt. His forgiveness brought
hope to those in despair. His healing power transformed
lives. Even the winds and the waves obeyed His voice.
When He died at Calvary the earth shuddered and the
sun hid its face in amazement.
His name was Immanuel, and His name is
Immanuel. The story of Christmas is alive and well.
When Jesus ascended into heaven He did not leave us
like orphans. He promised to return in the person of His
Spirit and dwell in every heart where He is invited.
Would you invite Him in and make the Christmas
story a reality in your life?
CHRISTMAS
born of women there hath not risen a greater prophet
than John the Baptist...but Jesus promised that even the
least in the Kingdom would be greater than John. John
lived and died under a different dispensation and
covenant. Today it is not necessary for devout
worshipers to journey up to Jerusalem to worship the
Father...we worship Him in Spirit and in truth. His
covenant is in our mind and in our hearts and our bodies
are temples of His Holy Spirit.
One more incredible aspect of this amazing
"mystery" is that God has chosen to enter our hearts only
by invitation. He has the power to speak the universe
into existence or to destroy it all with the breath of His
Power, but He has chosen to lovingly stand at the door
of our hearts and patiently knock. When you choose to
open that door, God will again be "manifest in the flesh."
CHRISTMAS
the universe would be "manifest in the flesh." His name
would be "Immanuel," which means "God with us."
Shock waves of amazement must have reverberated
through the spirit world as Mary gave birth in a manger.
God emptied Himself and became a man.
As amazing and incredible as this must have
been, there was an even more incredible part of God's
plan. Not only would God be manifest in Jesus...He also
would be manifest in us. Jesus was without sin...we are
not! Jesus was a perfect manifestation of God...we are
not! None-the-less He has condescended to be identified
with us whom He has rescued from the garbage dump of
life. The night before Calvary, Jesus promised His
disciples that He and the Father would make their
"abode" in those who loved Him and kept His words (Jn.
l4:23). Paul wrote to the Colossians that God would make
manifest the riches of the glory of this mystery which is
"Christ in you" (Col. l:27). To the Ephesians He
explained that they could be "strengthened with might by
His Spirit in the inner man"...that Christ could "dwell in
their hearts by faith"...and that they could be "filled with
all the fulness of God" (Eph. 3:16-19).
The prophets searched and inquired diligently to
understand the full import of their prophetic utterances.
They could not do it! They had to be content with the
understanding that their words would be fulfilled in a
future generation (I Peter l:10-12).
God was not only "manifest in the flesh" in
Jesus...there is also a sense in which He is still manifest
in the flesh today. The blessing of His presence is not
the result of any human cleverness or ability...it is totally
the result of divine grace. We are not sufficient of
ourselves to think anything as of ourselves. Our
sufficiency is of God (II Cor. 3:5). Among them that are
CHRISTMAS
or any sacred regard for human life, where the gospel of
Christ has not gone and cleared the way for such a
condition of affairs."
He then suggested that if such a place could be
found the unbelievers ought to emigrate there and
advocate their unbelief. It seemed obvious to him that
scoffers against religion were dependent upon the very
religion they discarded for every privilege they enjoy as
citizens of a Christian Community." Before the Gospel
came to the Auca Indians of Equador, the parents would
laugh when their children stepped barefooted upon a hot
coal. Children, growing up in such a society, could
dispassionately bury their parents alive. Both concepts
are inconceivable in a Christian Community.
Elijah was to prepare the way for Jesus. He was
to straighten out the crooked highways and make the
rough roads smooth. He was to demand visible signs of
repentance. Those who had more clothing than they
could wear were to share with those who had none.
Those in positions of power were not to take advantage
of those without power. Even soldiers were admonished
to avoid violence and false accusations...and to be
content with their wages. (see Luke 3:l0-l4) A part of
this package would naturally involve interpersonal
relationships in the home and community. There always
has been a "generation gap." The young and the old
think
differently.
We
like
different
kinds
of
music...different kinds of clothing...different kinds of
recreation. When each segment of society is selfish,
Malachi predicted that God would come and smite the
earth with a curse.
Elijah would see to it that the curse did not come.
He would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the hearts of the children to the fathers. He would
CHRISTMAS
hristmas has always been a happy time for
me. As a small boy I can remember the
thrill of presents under the tree with my
name upon them. In particular, I remember the year that
my father bought me a sled. It was the nicest one in the
neighborhood. When the snows came, the city blocked
off Brady Street and we were able to slide all the way to
Roosevelt School. As a parent I remember the joy of
giving to our children. One year, when our funds were
particularly low, I simply painted up and repaired their old
toys so that they looked like new. It was a great
Christmas! While these observations seem simple they
contain an element which is quite theological and
possibly even profound.
From Moses to Malachi the prophets of God
foretold the coming of the Christ. The final prophecy is
found in the last two verses of the Old Testament
Scriptures. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the
Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest
I come and smite the earth with a curse.” To a certain
extent it is true all year long...but especially at Christmas
time the hearts of the fathers are turned to the
children...and vice versa. Such sentiment is somewhat
unique to Christianity. When James Russell Lowell was
Minister of State to England, he challenged a group of
skeptics to find a place on the globe ten miles square
"...where a man can live in comfort, security, and
decency, where he can find education for his children,
reverence for infancy and old age, honor for womanhood
Christmas Time C
CHRISTMAS
A Faithful Saying
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that: Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (I Timothy l:15).
T
he "chief of sinners" was an old man when
he wrote these inspired words. In the long
night the sins of his youth came back to
haunt him like the Ghost of Christmas Past. During
those days he was a "blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious..." (I Timothy l:l3). He had guarded the
garments of those who stoned Stephen (Acts 7:58). He
shut up the saints in prison and when they were put to
death he gave his voice against them. He punished them
in every synagogue, compelling them to blaspheme, and
persecuted them even unto strange cities (Acts 26:l0-ll).
HOW BEAUTIFUL TO REMEMBER THAT
CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE
SINNERS!
The early church did not enjoy the luxury of the
completed Scriptures. At that time, the Bible was just in
the process of being written. Manuscripts were few and
far between and the printing press, as we know it, would
not be developed for over one thousand years. For this
reason the Christians of the First Century repeated
certain "sayings." These sayings were the slogans of
their faith which epitomized, and capsulized their
convictions. One of the most beautiful of their "sayings"
was that CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO
SAVE SINNERS.
Jesus once told of two men who went up into the
temple to pray. One of them thanked God that he was
not an extortioner, unjust, or an adulterer. Blinded by his
CHRISTMAS
help us to bridge the generation gap with thoughtfulness
and love. He would cause us older folks to scratch our
heads and ponder how to make the little ones happy and
the little ones would reciprocate with crayon pictures
embellished by a profusion of hugs and kisses. Such
love would not only prepare the way for Jesus...but it still
follows today as a beautiful manifestation of His presence
in the lives of His people.
As remarkable as it might seem, I have
experienced the fulfillment of that prophecy in my own
family. I have seen it fulfilled in the lives of literally
hundreds of people in many years of ministry. It always
is true in a Christian community, but especially so at
Christmas.
CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
CHRISTMAS
own pride he went back to his house unforgiven. The
other man, by contrast, did not attempt to hide the fact
that he was a sinner. Deeply ashamed of his life, he
would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote his
breast, saying: “God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke
l8:13). This was the man whom Christ forgave, for
CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE
SINNERS!
Christmas time is indeed a happy time. It is a
time for giving gifts and remembering old friends. It is a
time for feasting, and family reunions, and Christmas
carols by the fireside. But perhaps no part of the
Christmas story is so widely known and deeply
appreciated as the irrefutable fact that CHRIST JESUS
CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS!
The older I grow, the more easily I can identify
with "Paul the aged" (Philemon 9). I, too, can remember
the sins of my youth and I am grateful beyond words that
CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE
SINNERS!
Paul, however, did not just think of his sins in
days gone by. He saw himself at that very moment as
the "chief of sinners." Not to worry! Everything in
heaven and earth is on track and under His control.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO
THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS!
Every thinking person is aware of their own
glaring faults and imperfections. Not only have we fallen
short of God's Law, we have even fallen short of our own
standards and expectations. For this reason it is indeed
"Good News" to know that God did not become incarnate
to "condemn the world, but that the world through Him
might be saved." CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE
WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS!
CHRISTMAS
folks. They are fearless as they experiment and learn
Perhaps you have heard the joke about the child who
said: “This program is so simple that even my parents
can understand it.”
We should not be surprised, therefore, that
children “Click on Jesus” more readily than others. Most
decisions for Christ are made in childhood. Moreover,
Jesus taught us that we MUST become like little children
in order to be saved. It is not an option, it is an
indispensable requisite for entrance into His Kingdom.
Note again these familiar words: Except ye be
converted and become as little children, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3).
While we debate some theological theory, the
children “click” on Jesus are saved. It really isn’t all that
hard. It is not necessary to ascend into heaven and
bring God down, nor descend into the deep and bring
Him up. The reality of God is instantly available to any
and all who will believe with the heart, and confess with
the mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord (Rom. 10:6-13). The
secret to salvation, of course, is Jesus. He is the Way,
the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes unto the
Father but by Him. He is the Icon of the Invisible God,
and through Him we have access to the infinite reality of
our Heavenly Father.
What about you? Eternal Life is described by
Jesus as knowing “ the only true God” (John 17:3.) Do
you know Him? Do you want to know Him?
You can know Him, if you will only “click” on Jesus!!!
CHRISTMAS
lmost everyone with a computer knows
what an “icon” is. It is that little image on
the screen which identifies a program in
your computer. When you “click” on the icon, the
program opens up.
It is interesting that the word translated “image” in
Col. 1:15, is the Greek word “eikon.” Though we spell it
differently in English, it is still the same word. Jesus is
the Icon of God!
No man has seen God an any time (John 1:18.)
God is eternal, immortal, and invisible (I Tim. 1:17). But
Jesus is the “image” of the invisible God. Jesus is the
“icon” that opens up God to man. When we “click” on
Jesus, we can see God (John 14:9). Through Jesus we
can be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph. 3:19). In
Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in a body,
and we are complete in Him ( Col. 2:9-10).
Grasping this reality is no trivial matter. It is the
essence of the Gospel message. It is the mystery kept
secret since the world began (Rom. 16:25). It is the
eternal plan of God which both prophets and angels
desired to look into, but were not permitted to do so (I
Peter 1:10-12). It is the focus of a faith which no eye had
seen, no ear had heard, and which had never entered
into the hearts of men (I Cor. 2:9-10). It prompted Paul
to cry out: “O the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
Isn’t it remarkable how easily children adapt to
computers? They seem to learn more quickly than older
“Click” on Jesus!
“Who is the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15)
A
CHRISTMAS
Such technical arguments, however, are beside
the point. The fact is that most people to whom we
minister celebrate the new year. It is a time for reflecting
on the past and making promises for the future.
God help us to take advantage of this opportunity
to teach eternal truths from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
NEW YEAR’S DAY
he earliest known record of New Year
festivals dates back to Mesopotamia in
2,000 B.C. Their year began with the new
moon closest to the spring equinox. This was usually in
the month of March. In Assyria the year began in the fall
near the autumnal equinox. This was usually in the
month of September. The Egyptians, Phoenicians, and
Persians all began their new year on the autumnal
equinox. This usually fell on September 23rd. The
Greeks began their year in December at their winter
solstice and the early Romans selected March 1st. After
153 B.C., however, the date was changed to January 1st,
a date which was kept in the Julian Calendar.
The Jewish calendar was given by divine
revelation. In preparation for the Passover, God told his
people “This month shall be unto you the beginning
of months: it shall be the first month of the year to
you” (Exodus 12:2). That month was known as Abib, or
Nisan. The Scriptures, however, say nothing about the
celebration of the new year.
Modern Jews celebrate the new year in the fall at
the Feast of Trumpets and call it Rosh Hashana. Just
how and when this emphasis was given to the Feast of
Trumpets is hotly debated by the scholars. Some have
suggested that the Jews had two calendars: one
religious, and the other secular. The religious year
began in the spring as we have said, and the civil year
began in the month of Tishri.
The History of New Year
Celebrations
T
NEW YEAR’S DAY
“make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). It is now possible for us
to have the “full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the
Father, and of Christ (Col. 2:2).
“And without all controversy great is the
mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up
into glory” (I Tim. 3:16).
The world has been bombarded by a great many
new ideas. We smile condescendingly at the lever, the
wheel, and the invention of writing. These were,
however, earth shattering discoveries in their day. Only
a few short centuries ago the world was again
transformed by the movable type printing press. In all
the thousands of years before Gutenberg, Europe had
only accumulated 30,000 books. All, of course,
laboriously transcribed by hand. Fifty years after
Gutenberg, the total had swelled to over nine million, and
most of these were devoted to religious themes.
Today, the magnificent books made possible by
Gutenberg are being rendered obsolete by the computer.
Today, a school child with a computer and modem, can
access more information than that which was found in the
world’s largest library just a few short years ago. Even
more remarkable, he or she can do it without leaving
home. This World Wide Web, no doubt, will itself be
obsolete in a few short years.
The first man made computers, as you know,
were massive and cumbersome.. As our technology
advanced they became increasingly smaller and more
efficient. Man’s technology, however, will forever pale
NEW YEAR’S DAY
ave you noticed how many “new” things are
mentioned in the Bible. Here are a few
examples: new wine, new bottles, new
cloth, new garment, new commandment, new testament,
new doctrine, new man, new name, new creation, new
way, new song, new Jerusalem, new heavens, and a
new earth. In fact, the Lord promised to make “all
things new” (Rev. 21:5).
The “new doctrine” of the Bible was so
revolutionary that Isaiah predicted that since the
beginning of the world “men have not perceived by the
ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee,
what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him”
(Is. 64:4). Paul quoted this in I Cor. 2:9 and applied it to
the Gospel. The “Gospel” is the most revolutionary “new”
thing in the universe. The prophets searched and
inquired diligently to understand this message, but they
were not permitted to do so.. Even the angels desired
in vain to look into these things. They too were forced to
wait for the fulness of time when the transcendent plan of
God would become reality.
This “new thing” that God was about to do is
sometimes called a “mystery.” Here is what the Bible
says about this mystery: It was “kept secret since the
world began” (Rom. 16:5). It is the “hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the world unto our glory”
(I Cor. 2:7). Now, God wants all men to see “what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning
of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:9). God also wanted to
Happy NEW Year H
NEW YEAR’S DAY
he first mention of Egypt in the Bible is in
Gen. 12:10. There was a famine in the
land and Abram went down to Egypt. Why
not? Egypt was the richest country on earth. The
wealth of their Pharaohs was legendary. The “Great
Pyramid” was reckoned as one of the Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World. Their supremacy in art, culture,
medicine, and science was well known. Egypt had food
when everyone else was starving.
It is remarkable that Egypt, with all of its wealth,
is symbolic of slavery! Egypt gained its wealth on the
backs of the poor. Things were more important than
people. Their stunning achievements were realized at
the expense of their own populace. Not only is Egypt
symbolic of physical slavery, but also of spiritual slavery.
Remember, Hagar, was an Egyptian (Gen. 16:1). She
and her son, Ishmael, are an allegory of a religious
system that kept the people of God in bondage (Gal.
3:23, 4:21-25).
Our text has at least two different fulfillments.
The first took place in the days of Moses when God
called Israel out of Egyptian bondage. The second
refers to Jesus who was also called out of Egypt 1,500
years later (Matt. 2:15). Jesus was tempted in all points
like as we are. God also called Him out of bondage to
earthly things.
As we prepare for a brand new year, it is
interesting to think of deliverance from Egypt. I
Corinthians 10:1-13 indicates that the liberation of the
Out of Egypt
“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and
called my son out of Egypt” (Hos. 11:1)
T
NEW YEAR’S DAY
into insignificance by comparison with the miracle of
Christmas. The God of the universe, so vast that the
heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, condescended
to become a baby in the manger at Bethlehem. The spirit
world was aghast with amazement. In that tiny baby was
the fulness of the Godhead in a body. Our Invisible God
had become manifest in a manner that no one ever
dreamed would ever come to pass.
Jesus is the ultimate expression of Deity. The
fact that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever,
means that He is forever new. Today He wants to fill
your life with His fulness. He lovingly stands at the door
of your heart with new power for the New Year! If you
will open your heart and let Him in, you can be a new
creation, with a new name, a new song, and a new hope.
You can live in the New Jerusalem and enjoy the
blessings of a new heaven and a new earth.
PLEASE LET JESUS BE YOUR LORD IN THE NEW YEAR!
NEW YEAR’S DAY
News. Everything that happened to them afterward was
counted from “day one.”
The same can happen to you and me. The God
of eternity is in complete control of time. He can blot out
all the mistakes of yesterday and let you start over right
now.
A proximity to the New Year provides us with a
psychological advantage. Many people are dreaming
dreams and making resolutions. Believers in Christ,
however, have much more than a psychological
advantage. The resources of heaven are at our
disposal. The Red Sea may be an inescapable barrier
to others, but not to us. Our God can part such waters
and lead us to victory on dry ground.
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt is illustrative of our
liberation from sin. At their most discouraging time, God
came with deliverance. He not only delivered them from
slavery, but gave them a new calendar, a new identity,
and a new land. Our deliverance from sin is quite
similar. Jesus is our Passover Lamb who has made our
escape possible. Christians also go through a baptismal
experience and are journeying to the “Promised Land.”
Every day I encounter a wide variety of people
who need deliverance. I just spoke with a dear friend
who is facing a career change in mid life. He needs help.
I just tried to phone a second person who is trapped by
sexual lust. They too need help. Earlier today we were
prayerfully discussing a third person who is enslaved to
alcohol. Yesterday I helped our local Fire Dept. contact
a fourth family who had nothing to eat. Last week I
asked for special prayer for someone who has been
institutionalized with an eating disorder. We are
planning to leave on Christmas Day for a mission trip to
Old Mexico and a church member just came in with gifts
to help them in their poverty. We face an endless list of
human needs.
The passage in I Corinthians assures us that
God never tempts us beyond what we are able. When
the going gets too tough for us, He steps in with
deliverance. This is not just a promise for people many
years ago, it is a promise for us today!
God told the Hebrews: “This month shall be
for you the beginning of months” (Ex. 12:2). It didn’t
matter what month or year the Egyptians said it was,
from the perspective of God it was time to start over. He
gave His people a new beginning. He brought them out
of Egypt with a high hand. They started counting time
from the very moment that God gave them the Good
NEW YEAR’S DAY
synagogue that day were also slaves of sin. They were,
however, blinded to this reality.
On that occasion Jesus used two illustrations
which so enraged His audience that they tried to take
His life. First, He told them that there were many
widows in Israel when God decided to care for a Gentile
widow in Serapta, a city of Sidon. Next He reminded
them that there were many lepers in Israel when God
decided to heal a hated Syrian named Naaman. In each
instance their national pride blinded them to the reality
of true spiritual freedom. There is a liberty which
transcends all the physical boundaries of earth and time
and makes us free for all eternity. It is so majestic and
wonderful that human words are not adequate to
describe it.
Paradoxically, this true freedom can only be
found in slavery. Paul said it like this: “ . . . you are
slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are
slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience
which leads to righteousness” (Rom. 6:16 NIV).
What about you? Do you feel trapped and
enslaved by circumstances around you? Do you resent
your daily schedule? Do you long for the freedom to run
your own life and be free do the things you have always
wanted to do? If so, please take careful note of this
warning!
the Lord promises slavery and gives freedom.
The unconverted heart is deceitful and
desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). A person with this kind
of heart should never do what he wants to. This would
be a disaster and would certainly lead to slavery of the
worst kind. The secret to true freedom is to become a
slave to Jesus. Those who are weary and heavy laden
The devil promises freedom and gives slavery ,
NEW YEAR’S DAY
here is a natural inclination for captive
people to long for liberty. Washington said:
‘”Interwoven is the love of liberty with every
ligament of the heart.” Jefferson considered it an
inalienable right endowed upon us by our Creator.
Patrick Henry said: “Give me liberty, or give me death.”
These men helped found a nation symbolized by the
Statue of Liberty. A nation for tired and hungry people
yearning to breathe free. There is, however, a greater
freedom than political freedom.
Jesus tried to tell His neighbors in Nazareth
about this freedom (Luke 4:16-30). He stood up in their
synagogue and read from Isaiah the words of our text.
Israel, at the time, did not have political freedom.
Roman soldiers were stationed everywhere. A Roman
garrison was positioned by the Jewish temple to prevent
religious fervor from becoming political dissent. On one
occasion Pilate dispatched these troops into the Temple
and mingled the blood of Galilean worshipers with the
animals they brought for sacrifice (Luke 13:1). When
Jesus read about liberty for captives He was striking a
responsive chord in every heart. But their more serious
bondage, of course, was spiritual. Those who sat in the
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me;
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up
the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that
are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).
T
Liberty To The Captives
NEW YEAR’S DAY
GOD ANSWERS PRAYER
I know not by what methods rare, but this I know,
God answers prayer-
Which tells me prayers are always heard, when
in my heart or spoken word,
And will be answered, soon or late, and so I pray
and calmly wait.
I know not if the blessing sought, will come in just
the way I thought,
But I leave my prayer with Him alone, Whose will
is wiser than my own,
Assured that He will grant my quest, and send
some answer far more blest.
I know that prayers are always good, If I present
them as I should.
Eliza Hickok
few moments ago I happened upon this
beautiful poem which I had scribbled on a
small piece of paper. I do not remember
where, or when, I made these notes. I’m not sure that
every word is accurately transcribed, but here is a poem
that ministered to me.
Eliza Hickok has tapped into a rich vein of
Biblical truth. Jesus wanted His followers to place total
confidence in God and not worry about anything. This
is the way the Living Bible translates Matt. 6:25-34:
Don’t Worry in the
New Year!
A
NEW YEAR’S DAY
should bow down before Jesus in total surrender. We
need to take His yoke and learn from Him., We need to
let Him teach us to pray “not my will but thine be done.”
When this is done a miracle will take place you your life.
You will become a “new creation.” God will give you a
new heart, and a new mind. You will have new desires
and aspirations. It will no long be you that lives, but
Christ will be alive in you. Where the Spirit of the Lord
NEW YEAR’S DAY
is, there is liberty!
What about you? Do you really trust God? Can
you pray with Christ, “Not my will, but Thine be
done?” Do you believe God will hear and answer your
prayers even when you do not understand?
Let’s make the New Year a proving ground for
our faith. Let’s re-commit ourselves to trusting God,
even when we do not understand Him! Let’s pray more
and worry less!
AIM HIGH!
THE SIZE OF YOUR GOAL
REFLECTS THE SIZE OF YOUR GOD!
NEW YEAR’S DAY
“Don’t worry about things- food drink,
money, and clothes. For you already have life and
a body- and they are far more important than what to
eat and wear. Look at the birds! They don’t worry
about what to eat- they don’t need to sow or reap or
store up food- for your heavenly Father feed them.
And you are far more valuable to Him than they are.
Will all your worries add a single moment to your
life? And why worry about your clothes? Look at
the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. Yet
King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as
beautifully as they. And if God cares so
wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone
tomorrow, won’t He more surely care for you, O men
of little faith? So don’t worry at all about having
enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen?
For they take pride in all these things and are deeply
concerned about them. But your heavenly Father
already knows perfectly well that you need them.
And He will gladly give them to you if you give Him
first place in your life. So don’t be anxious about
tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too.
Live one day at a time.”
There is an old story about the elderly woman
crossing Lake Michigan on a boat. When the ship was
beset by storm, the Captain went to her cabin to calm
her fears. To his amazement, she was quietly reading
her Bible, and was totally unafraid. When he inquired
about her confidence she replied: “Young man, I have
one daughter in heaven, and another in Chicago. I’m
going to see one of them tonight, and it doesn’t matter
to me which one.” This dear soul was practicing what
Jesus preached.
NEW YEAR’S DAY
that are past due. When the ball is snapped, however,
he needs to have total focus on the play at hand. If he
throws the ball, his receiver also needs the same type of
concentration. The receiver must not be distracted by
the fear of a hard tackle, or anything else.
Many mistakes in life come as the result of a
distracted focus. When we try to do too many things at
the same time is when we wreck the car, break the dish,
or drop the ball.
But now let us focus on a spiritual application of
this obvious truth. We cannot serve two masters. We
cannot focus on both God and mammon. We cannot
plow a straight furrow while looking back. If our eye is
clouded by sin our whole lives will be filled with
darkness. If our eye is single, our whole body will be full
of light.
Paul wrote to the Philippians that he was going
to focus on only ONE THING (Phil. 3:13). He was going
to focus on Christ! He was going to forget the
distractions of the past and press for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. When the time of his
departure was at hand he had finished his course, kept
the faith, and was expecting a crown (II Tim. 4:7.)
Paul's inspired philosophy of life is particularly
appropriate while we are making New Year's resolutions.
Let's all focus on pleasing Christ in the coming year!
Each of us, of course, will be doing different
things, at different times. We are different parts of His
Body, with different functions to perform. Whatever we
do, however, we can "do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men" (Col. 3:23). He wrote the same
truth to the Ephesians. We are not to work with "eye
service" as "men pleasers," but "with good will doing
service, as to the Lord, and not to men": (Eph. 6:7.)
NEW YEAR’S DAY
even or eight years ago I purchased a
watch for about twenty dollars. It keeps
excellent time, and I feel lost without it.
Twenty or thirty times each day I look at the watch to
see what time it is. This watch, however, also has the
date in the upper right-hand corner. When I am focusing
on the time I never see the date, and vice versa.
Now, I am looking at the same watch with a
different focus. This time I am not looking for the time,
or date, but the manufacturer. The word "Timex" is now
quite obvious. It is written in gold letters on a black
background. I didn't see it, however, until I looked for it.
Changing my focus a fraction of an inch informs me that
this watch is water resistant to a depth of 100 meters.
Changing my focus again, reveals four buttons. Each is
clearly labeled. Even though these labels are less than
an inch apart, I can only focus on one at a time. One
button is labeled "mode," another "set," another "al. on,"
and the fourth "light." With a different focus, the word
"quartz" can also be clearly seen. Though I have owned
the watch for years, this is the first time I remember
reading that. A jeweler might look at the same watch
and see several blemishes where the plastic has been
scratched. With a different focus he would note that four
screws must be removed to replace it, etc.
I have a good friend who can see everything, but
cannot focus on anything. He is legally bling!
The ability to focus is an integral part of success
in every area of life. Take athletics, for example. The
quarterback may have a sore foot, a sick child, and bills
Focus
"This one thing I do . . ." (Phil. 3:13.)
S
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Pharaoh's work. Their little boy babies were being put to
death. At this time in history, God stepped in. He
announced that it was time to start over. He not only
gave them a brand new calendar, He gave them a brand
new life. It didn't matter what the Pharaoh said. It didn't
matter what the Egyptian calendar said. God set the
stage for His own New Year. He didn't just put a period
on the past, He tore up the page and started over.
As we said before, this new year involved far
more than merely a new calendar. Everything became
new! They had a new leader, a new power, a new law,
and a new direction in life. They began their new year
with a journey. They started out for the Promised Land.
They said goodbye to the slavery of their former life and
breathed the air of freedom.
The Gospel proclaims the good news that God
controls the calendar in our lives too! We can start over,
just like the Hebrews did. We can escape slavery and
find freedom. We can have our past erased and turn
over a new leaf in life. Here is something "new" for your
own "New Year".
A new creation - I Cor. 5:17
A new birth - John 3:3-5
A new life - Rom. 6:4
A new man - Eph. 4:24
A new heart - Eze. 36:26
A new spirit - Eze. 11:19
A new name - Is. 62:2
A new song - Ps. 144:9
New wine - Matt. 9:17
A new covenant - Jer. 31:31
A new commandment - John 13:34
A new way - Heb. 10:20
A new Jerusalem - Rev. 3:12
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Happy New Year!
“This month shall be unto you the beginning
of months: it shall be the first month of the year to
you" (Ex. 12:2).
T
he calendar is one of the oldest forms of
applied science. Nomadic hunters needed
a calendar so they could prepare for the
migration of animals and birds. Farmers needed a
calendar to determine the best time to plant their crops.
Traders needed a calendar as a basis for contracts and
payments.
The Egyptians had a calendar. Their year began
at the flooding of the Nile and was divided into four
seasons. It was also marked by the heliacal rising of
Sirius. "Sirius" is the Greek word for "scorching." This
name was given to the brightest star in the heavens,
located in the constellation Canis Major. It is also called
the Dog Star.
The exodus of God's people from Egypt occurred
about 1500 B.C. This was during the 18th dynasty of
Egypt, which is dated from 1551 - 1315 B.C. Historians
call this the "New Kingdom," and describe it as the
zenith of Egypt's political power and wealth.
Focus your mental and spiritual energies on this
remarkable fact: God disregarded the Egyptian calendar,
and gave His people a new calendar of their very own!
This happened at a time when Egypt was the strongest,
and the Hebrews were the weakest. Hallelujah! When
things were not going well, God gave His people the
privilege of starting over.
The Hebrew people had no power. They were
slaves to the Egyptians. They were forced to do the
LET'S FOCUS ON CHRIST IN THE NEW YEAR!
NEW YEAR’S DAY
r. Wayne Bigelow once spoke to a group
of college students on “The Road of No
Regrets.” During this lecture he spoke of
the first three patients he was assigned as a young
intern. All three patients died. The first was an alcoholic
who died from the dissipating effects of his addiction.
The second died of lung cancer as the consequence of
a life time of smoking. The third also died as a result of
a life style decision. He died from a sexually transmitted
disease.
Dr. Bigelow was a capable and conscientious
physician. He approached each patient with the
confidence that his training and medical science could
help. He was wrong! The illnesses he faced were
beyond the help of medical science.
The good doctor then told the students that if
they would follow Christ they would be traveling down a
road of no regrets. This simple advice deserves
consideration. There are many things in life that we
regret, but none of them can be blamed on Jesus. The
Good Shepherd never causes us to do wrong or to lie
down in bad pastures. Those who follow Him find
happiness both here and hereafter.
Dr. Charles Crane tells the sad story of a young
man getting drunk for the first time. He wrecked his car
and wandered into a strange house at 3:00 a.m. He
was so disoriented that he had no idea where he was.
The next day he looked at Dr. Crane through steel bars
of the local jail. There was no lecture or sermon that
day, only a radiant smile and the reminder that when we
The Road of No Regrets D
NEW YEAR’S DAY
A new heaven and a new earth - II Pet. 3:13 HAPPY NEW YEAR!
NEW YEAR’S DAY
For by and by the mist will lift,
And plain it all He’ll make;
Through all the way, though dark to me,
He made not one mistake.
There’s so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight’s far too dim;
But come what may, I’ll simply trust
And leave it all to Him.
Tho night be dark and it may seem
That day will never break;
I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,
He maketh no mistake.
NEW YEAR’S DAY
do what Jesus wants us to do we have no regrets.
Adam regretted his disobedience. Achan
regretted his disobedience. David regretted his
disobedience. Judas regretted his disobedience. But
those who obediently follow Christ are walking down a
road of no regrets.
Each day we make many decisions. We decide
where we will go, and what we will say and do. Many of
us will have regrets at the end of the day, but no one
ever regrets following Jesus.
The decisions we make assume a new
significance as we face a brand new year. It offers to us
both opportunity and danger. The devil walks around
like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but
those who follow Jesus have no reason to fear. The zoo
is a fun place to be if you go where you are supposed to
go. The devil is bound by the power of the gospel. He
that is within us is greater than he that is in the world.
When we rebuke him through the power of Christ he will
flee. Those who decide to follow Christ in the New Year
will be walking down a road of no regrets.
My father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache;
But in my heart I’m glad I know,
He maketh no mistake.
My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away;
But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,
For he doth know the way.
NEW YEAR’S DAY
The poet said it like this:
Ecclesiastes 9). Its primary reference is to knowledge
that is of a personal and experimental nature. A friend
once confessed the diabolical urge to open the
emergency door on an airliner at 40,000 feet. That, of
course, is lunacy. If, however, you have some hidden
desire that is not contrary to the will of Christ, “Do it!”
The Hebrew word for “wisdom” is “khok-maw.”
It refers to a skilful manner of thinking regarding the
experiences of life. Some things which are done
impulsively we live to regret. The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom. We do not always understand
why God commands us to do certain things, but we will
always be glad when we obey. If there is some
command of Scripture that weighs heavily on your heart,
“do it!”
The late W. Carl Ketcherside lectured at many
colleges during the 60's. A college student once asked
him to distinguish Jesus from the Oriental gurus who
were so popular at the time. Carl responded that Jesus
was a man of action. He did not sit with His legs
crossed and stare at His belly button. Jesus was a man
on the move. He was busy touching the lepers, healing
the sick, feeding the hungry, and bringing hope to those
in despair. In this regard he left us an example that we
should follow in His steps. Whatsoever His hand found
to do, He did it mightily.
Someone has observed that rich people have
choices. We choose what we will eat, what we will wear,
and where we will go. Poor people do not have choices.
They are often trapped in circumstances where they
have nothing to eat, nothing to wear, and no way to
travel. The Scriptures teach that though Jesus was rich,
for our sakes He became poor, that we through His
poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).
NEW YEAR’S DAY
ou have, no doubt, heard of the wisdom of
Solomon. The above verse is an
example. How obvious! If you ever intend
to do anything, do it now. Do it energetically. When you
die it will be too late!
Four activities are specifically mentioned: (1)
Work, (2) Device, (3) Knowledge, (4) Wisdom.
The Hebrew word for “work” is “mah-as-eh.” It
refers to an action, transaction, or activity. A great many
people come down to the close of their lives muttering “if
only.” They had intended to do this or buy that, but they
didn’t. To all such people Solomon says: “Do it!”
The Hebrew word for “device” is “khesh-bone.”
It comes from a root which means “to weave.” By
implication, therefore, it refers to some contrivance
woven by the mind of man. There are at least a half
dozen ways the word is used in Scripture. One of these
ways involves an “invention.” Haven’t you heard of
someone who had a great idea, or big invention that
they never developed? They may brag about their brush
with success in declining years, but Solomon says: “Do
it!”
The Hebrew word for “knowledge” is “dah-ath.”
It is found 93 times in the Old Testament Scriptures,
primarily in the “wisdom books” (Proverbs 41, Job 10,
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with all thy might, for there is no work, no device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither
thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Y
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Do It!
"There are three things which are too
wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The
way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon
a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and
the way of a man with a maid" (Prov. 30:18-19).
T
hese inspired words were written by Agur,
the son of Jakeh (Prov. 30:1). An eagle in
the air is absolutely amazing. On the
ground it may be awkward and clumsy, but in the air it is
the personification of elegance, agility, dexterity, and
grace. The magnificent eagle knows how to catch those
upward currents and soar above the tallest mountains.
A serpent on a rock is also amazing. It has no
hands or feet, yet slithers up the side of a cliff with ease
and confidence.
The third thing too wonderful for the writer was a
ship in the midst of the sea. A man in the water is
weighed down by the smallest object, but the marvelous
ship can carry tons of cargo without a problem.
The fourth marvel which was too wonderful for
Agur was the "way of a man with a maid." Like those
other things, it was something he had always seen, but
never completely understood.
The Hebrew word for "glory" is "kabod" which
literally means "heavy." When the Hebrews saw the fire
of God descend upon the Tabernacle, they cried "Glory!"
It was a "heavy" or "weighty" experience. Consequently,
it was something which was better experienced than
explained.
Too Wonderful
VALENTINE’S DAY
Most of us, however, have choices. Solomon
would encourage us to abandon the “paralysis by
analysis” and do something. We can cogitate,
speculate, meditate, and procrastinate and die without
doing much of anything. The Scriptures, however, call
us to a different course of action.
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with all thy might, for there is no work, no device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither
thou goest.”
NEW YEAR’S DAY
accomplish exceeding, abundantly above all that you
can ask or imagine.
If God has reserved some special person to be
your mate, I pray that you will have the faith and
patience to "wait on the Lord" to bring you together.
If you are married, I ask that this Valentine's Day
will enhance and validate that beautiful commitment
which you made at the marriage altar. May the light of
your love burn like a beacon to show the way to others.
SUCH LOVE IS JUST TOO WONDERFUL FOR
WORDS!
VALENTINE’S DAY
It is not by accident that the Scriptures describe
the woman as the "glory of the man" (I Cor. 11:7).
Such a relationship is also weighty and profound. It too
is like a fire from God that is better experienced than
explained. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.
Our heart is like the Holy of Holies. It is the dwelling
place of God. Our sexuality should therefore be
expressed in such a way that we glorify God in our body,
and in our spirit which belong to God (I Cor. 6:19-20).
The first time Jacob saw Rachel he kissed her,
and lifted up his voice and wept (Gen. 29:11). Her
father promised to give her in marriage in exchange for
seven years of work. The Scriptures record: "And
Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they
seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had
to her" (Gen. 29:20). It's just too wonderful!
A modern day poet has written: "I hear music,
and there's no one there. I smell blossoms and the
trees are bare. All day long I seem to walk on air. I
wonder why. I wonder why!" This thing called love. Isn't
it wonderful!
Someone has observed that sin is merely the
misuse of good things. The beautiful love which God
ordained between men and women turns ugly outside of
marriage. For this reason, the very next verse in
Proverbs warns of "an adulterous woman." Fire can be
either good, or bad. It can warm the home, or destroy it.
It can cook a meal or burn down a city. So also with
flames of passion. A wrong relationship with our
neighbor's wife is like a fire that burns our bosom and
blisters our feet (Prov. 6:27-28).
Some who read these words are single. If God
has given you that special gift of belonging to Him alone,
may this Valentine's Day enrich that relationship to
VALENTINE’S DAY
when seen in a meadow, and amazement when seen
under a microscope. Their fragrance fills the evening
breeze and their seeds will fall to the ground and grow.
Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one
of these. The flowers of the field, which today are, and
tomorrow are cast into the oven, are an integral part of
a living, vibrant, eco system. Without them, many
species of birds and insects would disappear. God does
it better!
Man can make a telescope to probe the
heavens. God makes the heavens for the telescope to
probe.
Man can make a baseball park, a bowling alley,
and a skating rink. God can make a snow capped
mountain with sparkling streams. Its mirrored lakes will
be alive with fish. Its forests will flourish with living
creatures from the tiny insect to the bounding deer.
God’s creative work provides an infinite supply
of living things for man to study. There are, for example,
8,800 known species of ants. Someone has estimated
the ant population of the world to exceed ten million
billion. After all our years of scientific study on this
single subject, there are many mysteries yet to be
solved and many discoveries yet to be made. God does
it better!
Anything produced by finite men can be
understood by the finite mind. This is why we can
"complete" a study of that which is carnal. That which is
created by God, however, will forever be elusive. It is
too high, too wide, and too deep for the finite mind to
completely comprehend. Take, for example, the study
of the atom. Nothing is more basic, or foundational to
understanding the universe than the atom. It is safe to
say, that atomic science will be like all other science. Its
VALENTINE’S DAY
hen comparing the work of God and the
works of man, there is no comparison.
Everything God makes is better! The
more closely you examine the work of God, the more
beautiful it becomes. A snowflake, for example, is
magnificent on the mountaintop, but is even more
magnificent under the microscope. The works of man,
by contrast, are crude and ugly under close examination.
A portrait which seems beautiful from across the room,
reveals many brush marks and human imperfections
when examined closely. Under the microscope it has no
beauty at all.
Everything man makes grows old. Only God can
make something which grows tall. Man can make the
sounds of traffic and industry. God can make the
crickets chirp and the birds to sing. M a n m a k e s a
machine to grind out merchandise. God makes a baby
laugh. Man can make a tiny satellite to orbit the earth.
God can make the earth for the tiny satellite to orbit.
Man makes the wonders of the world, but God makes
the world to make men wonder.
Everything which man makes is sterile and
unproductive. Artificial flowers, for example, cannot
reproduce. Imitation flowers do not cause a scientist to
be breathless with wonder. Such flowers provide no
fragrance for young lovers, and no nectar for a passing
bird or bee. They have no life producing seeds and
nothing from which a drop of honey can ever be
produced.
Such man made flowers pale into insignificance
beside the creative work of God. God's flowers are
beautiful beyond description. They bring us pleasure
God Does It Better W
VALENTINE’S DAY
violence. The world was violent, because the thoughts
of men's hearts were only evil continually. Again God
demonstrated his wrath against sin and brought death
upon all living creatures. The only lives spared in the
flood were with Noah on the ark. We learn from this that
even the power of a world wide flood could not cleanse
the sinful heart of man. After the flood, the Tower of
Babel became a symbol of man's rebellious heart. God
commanded them to scatter, but they decided to build a
tower to keep from being scattered. It is obvious that
man needed a "new heart."
Even commandments written in stone, and
enforced on pain of death, could not change or
transform the heart of sinful man. While Moses got the
commandments on the mountain, the people were
fornicating before a golden calf in the valley. Paul
summarized Hebrew history by quoting from Isaiah 65:2:
"All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto
a disobedient and gainsaying people" (Rom. 10:21).
There never was a time in the history of the world
when mankind was basically "good." Jeremiah said it like
this: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked. Who can know it? (Jer. 17:9).
If mankind was to be transformed, God would
have to do something about the heart. Please consider
this beautiful promise from the Lord:
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the
stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an
heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall
keep my judgments, and do them" (Ez. 36:26-27).
The Old Covenant was written in stone, but the
New Covenant is written in the heart. The New
VALENTINE’S DAY
he Jews criticized Jesus for eating with
unwashed hands. Jesus responded that
sin does not come from without, but from
within. The problem of sin, is a problem of the heart,
and the Scriptures are filled with examples to prove it.
Laws that force us to "conform" on the outside, are
powerless to "transform" us on the inside.
Take, for example, the story of Adam and Eve.
They were perfect specimens, in a perfect environment.
God gave them but one law, and threatened them with
death if they broke it. Even the fear of immediate death,
however, was not sufficient to overcome the corruption
of an unconverted heart. Adam and Eve sinned, and the
world has never been the same.
By one man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin. But sin is still a condition of the heart. Cain had
murder in his heart, and that's why he killed his brother.
Lamech had murder in his heart, and that's why he also
committed murder. Soon the earth was filled with
"For from within, out of the heart of men,
proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications,
murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness: All these evil things come from within,
and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-22.).
T
text books will be obsolete in a few short years.
God does it better!
God Can Give You
A New Heart
VALENTINE’S DAY
remarkable contrast between law and love
is given in the Bible immediately after the
Ten Commandments. As despicable as it
seems today, the Law did make provisions for slavery.
The word translated as “servant” in this passage is the
Hebrew word “ebed.” This is precisely the same word
translated as “slave” in Jer. 2:14. The “law slave” was
his master’s property. The master could do with him, or
her, as he pleased. There were only a few restrictions.
He could beat his servant but could not knock out an eye
or a tooth (Ex. 21:26-27). He could not beat his servant
to death, but he could beat them so severely that they
would die in a day or two (Ex. 21:20-21.) At the end of
six years, the “law slave” was to be set free (Ex. 21:2).
At the same time we are told about law and
slavery, we are exposed to another type of slavery which
was far more demanding. At the end of six years the
Hebrew servant was to be set free. They could,
however, renounce that freedom. They could choose to
be a slave without the protection of law. If they loved
their master and wanted to remain in his service, they
could become his slave forever. At the end of six years
they would not go free. If their master knocked out an
eye, or a tooth, they could not appeal to the law to gain
their freedom. They were slaves forever. The impetus
responsible for such self denial was not law, it was love.
Only if the slave loved his master enough would he be
“I Love my master, my wife, and my children; I will
not go free” (Ex. 21:5).
A
The Love Slave
VALENTINE’S DAY
Covenant gets to the "heart" of the problem, for as a
man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
It is obvious that man cannot by his own will,
overcome his own will. Jesus knew this! He knew that
the problem of the heart was too profound and deep to
be healed by anything external. Therefore, He
volunteers to come into the inner chambers of our secret
self with all of His healing power. He lovingly knocks at
the door of our heart and patiently implores us to let Him
in. He said: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock;
if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will
come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
me" (Rev. 3:20).
PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART AND LET JESUS IN!
VALENTINE’S DAY
know that when you offer yourselves to someone to
obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom
you obey-- whether you are slaves to sin, which
leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to
righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though
you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly
obeyed the form of teaching to which you were
entrusted You have been set free from sin and have
become slaves to righteousness. (Rom. 6:16-18
NIV).
Certainly it is not wise or judicious to become
slaves to sin. The smartest thing one will ever do,
however, is to become a slave of Jesus Christ.
Paradoxically, in this type of “slavery” we find true
freedom.
Jesus is our Leader and Example. He has been
exalted to the highest place of honour in the universe
and if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed
(John 8:36).
VALENTINE’S DAY
willing to deny self and become a slave forever.
The permanent nature of this commitment was to
be marked by a public ceremony. The master and slave
would come before the judges to authenticate the
decision. At this time the master would bring his slave
to the door, or door post, and bore his ear through with
an awl, and the slave would serve him forever (Ex.
21:6).
The Greek word for slave is “doulos.” This is the
word used to describe the condescension of Christ.
Paul wrote to the Philippians that though Christ was
God, He did not consider His role as God something to
be clutched at. In this remarkable passage we are told
that Jesus emptied Himself and took the very nature of
a “slave” (Phil. 2:7).
Slavery was an integral part of the Roman world.
Gibbon estimates the number of slaves under the reign
of Claudius to be no less than one-half the entire
population. Schaff, the historian, points out that
between the conquest of Greece in 146 B.C., and the
reign of Alexander Severus (A. D. 222-235), the ratio
was three slaves for every freeman. The point is, that
citizens in the Roman world immediately understood the
profound implications of “God” becoming a “slave.”
The designation of “doulos” or “slave” was not
just used of Jesus. It was a common way to describe all
Christians. It was used of Paul (Rom. 1:1), Epaphras
(Col. 2:14), Timothy (II Tim. 2:24), James (James 1:1),
Peter (II Pet. 1:1), Jude (Jude 1:1), and John (Rev. 1:1).
The Scriptures admonish us to have the mind of Christ.
We are to think as Jesus thought. If Jesus gave up His
role as God to become a slave, what excuse do we
have?
The book of Romans puts it like this: “Don't you
VALENTINE’S DAY
marriage. What is hard about marriage is what is hard
about facing God. It is the constant strain of living
continually under the intimate scrutiny of another pair of
eyes. In marriage and in Christianity, we surrender our
independence and vow to squander our entire lives on
someone else. Further, we are destined to stand naked
and defenseless before them, for marriage is a
sacrament of openness.
Good marriages are the foundation of society,
but the godless are fleeing from this commitment in
droves. The decisive finality of the marriage vows was
intended to free people from endless courting rituals
which drain away life’s energies in a constant search for
“meaningful relationships.” Many of those who seek to
avoid the total commitment of Christian matrimony flee
from one amorous union after another in a futile search
for sexual fulfilment and lasting trust. Instead of growing
to maturity with one partner they go over and over the
same basic ground in each new liaison. The heartache
of such tragedies has been described as the single most
traumatic experience that a human can endure. Such
grief is more prolonged and inconsolable than from a
death.
But marriage is also a sacrament of discovery.
It is the only relationship wherein one person may
rightfully “possess” another. Consequently there is a
place for jealousy. Just as God is a “Jealous God,” the
human possesses the capacity to be jealous over the
infraction of the marriage vows.
The fourth chapter of the Song of Solomon
declares: How beautiful are you, my darling! You have
stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.” This the
kind of love which Christ has for the church and which
every husband ought to have for his own wife.
VALENTINE’S DAY
od designed marriage to be the closest
possible bond between two people. It
was to be something unique and without
parallel or precedent. This radical abandon of self and
commitment to another was to transcend every other
form of human union or covenant. The two were to
become one. One: socially, legally, physically,
emotionally, and spiritually.
Such closeness can only be achieved at the cost
of one’s self. Those who experience marriage as God
intended are shocked at the enormous price and the
monstrous inconvenience of intimacy. There is nothing
else in all human experience to compare with the lifelong
cauterization of the ego that must take place in
marriage. Not only can marriage be exhausting,
unnerving, infuriating, and disintegrating, it can also
bestow transcendent joy and indescribable happiness.
Some enter into marriage with the mistaken idea that
they will not have to change much. In reality it requires
a radical and sweeping reformation of life. Love, of
course, is the potent force which makes that possible.
There is no authority more compelling, no power more
hypnotically transfixing, no counsel more wise, no
message more desirable to hear, and no master to
whom it is easier to surrender and obey, than love.
Marriage is to human relationships what
monotheism is to theology. It is a deliberate decision to
put all of your eggs in one basket and to go for broke.
When the devout believer makes a total commitment to
God he is approximating the radical self abandon of
The Mystery of Marriage G
VALENTINE’S DAY
She was cast out in an open field to die.
At this time God passed by and saw her
weltering in her own blood. He washed her with water,
anointed her with oil, clothed her with broidered work,
fine linen and silk. He decked her with gold and silver
and precious jewels. Israel, however, did not return this
love to God. She grew up to trust in her own beauty and
played the harlot. God’s judgment was: “Thus saith the
Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out,
and thy nakedness discovered through thy
whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of
thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children,
which thou didst give unto them; Behold, therefore
I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast
taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved,
with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather
them round about against thee, and will discover thy
nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy
nakedness. And I will judge thee, as women that
break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will
give thee blood in fury and jealousy” (Ezek
16:36-38).
Modern man has a tendency to view God as an
over-indulgent grandfather rather than a jealous
husband. As the song writer said: “He’ll always hear
and say ‘Well Done’. “ The truth of the matter is, that
God will not always say “Well Done.” Sometimes He
will say “Depart you cursed, into eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels.”
Malachi used an interesting illustration to
emphasize the wrath of God on the unfaithful. He lived
in a generation when the people robbed God in tithes
and offerings without either embarrassment or shame.
They offered polluted bread upon the altar. They kept
VALENTINE’S DAY
od is a jealous God! This truth is found in
the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:5, Deut.
5:9.) It is repeated in Deut. 4:24; 6:15;
Josh 24:19; Nahum 1:2, etc. It is a foundational concept
toward an accurate understanding of God and a
principal ingredient in Christianity.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For I am jealous
over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ” (II Cor. 11:2).
The Hebrew word for jealous is “kan-naw.” It
comes from a root word that is found 87 times in
Scripture. The Theological Workbook of the New
Testament states that “zeal” is the original sense. The
concept is closely associated with ”envy”, which is not
always used in a good sense. They continue, “The
central meaning of our word, however, relates to
‘jealousy’ especially in the marriage relationship” (Vol. 2,
p. 802).
God is depicted as Israel’s husband, and at the
same time we are reminded that He is a “Jealous God.”
The church, of course, is also the “Bride of Christ.”
Thus, the image of matrimony and jealousy in
association with God is consistent.
The 16th chapter of Ezekiel pictures Hebrew
history by means of a profound and pathetic parable.
Israel is likened unto an infant that was abandoned at
birth. She was not washed, nor salted, nor swaddled.
(Condensed from an article by Mike Mason in
THE CHRISTIAN READER, May/June ‘86)
God is a Jealous God
G
VALENTINE’S DAY
Palm Sunday
! Palm Sunday
! The Sunday before Easter
! Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey
! This was predicted by Zechariah
! The people spread their garments in the way
! They also cut down branches from trees and
strawed them in the way
! The multitudes cried "Hosanna to the son of
David"
! The Pharisees were outraged
! Jesus beheld the city and wept
H
e said: "If thou hadst known, even thou,
at least in this thy day, the things
which belong unto thy peace! But now
are they hidden from thine eyes. For the days shall
come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a
trench about thee, and compass thee round, and
keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even
with the ground, and thy children within thee; and
they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another;
because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation"
(Lk. 19:41-44).
A few days later the fickle crowd would cry out
for His crucifixion. They would say "Let his blood be
upon us and upon our children."
A few years later the Roman General, Titus,
would cast a trench about Jerusalem and raze it to the
ground. Not one stone would be left upon another.
Palm Sunday has many lessons for the student
of the Scriptures. Permit me to focus on only one.
PALM SUNDAY
the choice animals for themselves and offered God the
blind, the lame, and the sick. Malachi suggested that
they try this with the governor. They would not dare do
that to the governor, but they tried to do it to God. Most
of us have enough fear of civil government that we pay
our taxes on time for fear of the I.R.S. Many of the
same people, however, have no fear of God.
They should have feared God. The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God. He that despised
Moses Law died without mercy unto two or three
witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think
is reserved for those who trample under foot the blood
of Christ and count the blood of the covenant an unholy
thing. The Lord said to the people in the days of
Malachi: “I have no pleasure in you . . . neither will I
accept an offering at your hand (Mal. 1:10).
Let us love God with all of our heart, mind, soul,
and strength, and pray that our offerings are acceptable
unto Him! He is, as you know, a Jealous God!
VALENTINE’S DAY
than basketball games and stock market reports. We
focus on the things which we see. These are only
temporal. They focus on the things which we cannot
see. Those things are eternal!
This year let us try to see Palm Sunday through
the eyes of angels. Let us turn our eyes toward heaven.
Let us try to forget what pains, or what pleases, and
focus on those things which endure forever.
PALM SUNDAY
Earthly systems, and human government, are only
temporal. The Kingdom of Christ is eternal. Palm
Sunday headlines usually forget this. They may focus
on major events of the day, with little or no
comprehension of their eternal significance.
Look at our own newspapers. The United States
is but a brief two hundred years old. Rome lasted more
than three times this long. Egypt lasted thousands of
years. So what!
I am told that a cathedral in Milan has three
entrances adorned by three poignant works of art. One
has a thorn with the inscription: "That which pains is but
for a moment." Another has a rose with the words:
"That which pleases is but for a moment." The main
entrance has a cross, proclaiming: "That alone is
important which endures forever."
Jesus was born to die. He was like a Lamb, slain
from the foundation of the world. His journey to
Jerusalem was not irrelevant. The prophets had
described it centuries before. It was at the centerpiece
of God's eternal purpose. Myriads of angels watched
every event with breathless anticipation. God incarnate
was about to die for the sins of the world. He was going
to enter into the Holiest, and offer His own blood as a
divine oblation. Death was about to be destroyed, and
life and immortality were being brought to light by the
Gospel.
The late W. Carl Ketcherside sarcastically
pointed out the difference between the angels and us by
saying: "Don't talk to me about world evangelism - who
got my parking place?"
Heaven's newspapers are much different from
our own. The angels rejoice when one sinner repents.
They are more concerned about widows and orphans
PALM SUNDAY
that it had been specifically predicted centuries before
by the Prophet Zechariah.
Jesus was the son of David. We are reminded
of this in the opening verse of the N. T. Scriptures, and
we are not allowed to forget it. Over and over we are
reminded that Jesus was the "Son of David." David, as
you know, was a man of war. As a young shepherd he
killed a lion and a bear. As a young warrior he killed the
giant Goliath. He killed two hundred Philistines as a
dowry that he might marry the king's daughter. David
had so much blood on his hands that God would not
allow him to build the temple.
Since Jesus was the "Son of David," many
expected him to also be a man of war. They expected
Jesus to recruit an army as David did. They expected
Jesus to defeat Rome as David had defeated his
enemies.
The Maccabean revolt was a more recent
example of a military victory over pagans. In 166 B.C.
every village in Palestine was required by the Syrians to
set up a heathen altar. Mattathias, and his five sons,
refused to worship at a pagan altar. In a spontaneous
display of righteous indignation they slew the king's
legate and tore down the pagan altar. Mattathias cried
out: "Let every one who is zealous for the law and
supports the covenant come out with me.” Against
overwhelming odds they defeated Syria and gained
freedom for the people of God.
Now the stage was set for another military revolt.
The Passover was nigh. Millions of Jews had come to
Jerusalem from all over the world. Roman soldiers
looked down on the crowd from the Tower of Antonia.
They paced nervously as a stir of excitement swept
through that sea of humanity. Suddenly, the multitudes
PALM SUNDAY
odern man is learning to communicate
with symbols. Road signs, for example,
are now symbols. These symbols
provide needed information to tourists who cannot read
English.
We should not be surprised to discover that the
Bible is filled with symbolism. The Apostle John, for
example, received visions on the Island of Patmos of
things which "must shortly come to pass" (Rev. 1:1).
Much of this information was given by symbols.
Alexander Campbell considered this an advantage and
wrote:
"Symbols are exempt from some of the
objections lying against literal descriptions. They need
no translation. Sun, moon, and stars speak the same
sublime language to every eye, and suggest the same
devout and lofty emotions to every heart. A lion, a
leopard, a bear, - an earthquake, a tempest, a swelling
sea, are types of the same ideas and call forth the same
thrilling sensation in every spectator."
Having said this, let us prayerfully consider the
symbolism of Palm Sunday. Jesus came riding meekly
into Jerusalem on a little colt which had never been
ridden before. This powerful message was so important
"Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek,
and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an
ass" (Matt. 21:5).
M
The Symbols of Palm Sunday
PALM SUNDAY
t was the day of His triumphal entry into
Jerusalem. His followers were ecstatic.
Jesus was riding on a colt, exactly as
Zechariah had predicted (Zech. 9:9). They ripped the
branches from palm trees and cast their garments in the
way before Him. They were saying: "Blessed be the
King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in
heaven, and glory in the highest" (Lk. 19:38).
Suddenly the city of Jerusalem burst into view.
From the slopes of the mountain it lay before Jesus like
an open book and He began to weep. At the tomb of
Lazarus He shed silent tears (Jn. 11:35 - Greek word
"dakruo"). Upon this occasion, however, He wept
openly like a child. The Greek word is "klaio" which
refers to loud expressions of grief. The LXX used this
word to describe the crying of the baby Moses when he
was set adrift on the waters of the Nile (Ex 2:6). This is
the word also used to describe loud lamentations for the
dead. It is sometimes translated as "bewail."
The multitudes were filled with a frenzy of joy
because they saw only the moment. Jesus wept
because He saw the future. He knew that someday this
happy city would be covered with ashes and wet with
human blood. His prophetic insight opened to Him a
horrible panorama of indescribable suffering and death.
Their enemies would cast a trench about them and
totally destroy everything. Not one stone would be left
upon another that would not be cast down.
Thus we have a strange and incongruous
mixture of hosannas wet with tears, a weeping Jesus
Jesus Wept
"He beheld the city, and wept over it" (Lk. 19:41)
I
PALM SUNDAY
began to shout "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Hosanna
means "save now!" Their voices rose to crescendo and
echoed back from the mountains surrounding the city.
They ripped the branches from palm trees and strawed
them in the way before Jesus. They also spread their
clothes in the way.
There would, however, be no military revolt! The
only blood that Jesus came to shed was His own! There
He was, tottering on the back of a little donkey that had
never been ridden before. He was the very symbol of
defenselessness and vulnerability. Jesus did not come
to be served, but to serve others and give His life as a
ransom for many.
In this regard He left us an example that we
should follow in His steps!
PALM SUNDAY
America, will be different from that of Jerusalem. Even so come Lord Jesus!
PALM SUNDAY
and a singing multitude, a wail of death surrounded by
sounds of life.
The Book of Revelation indicates that Jesus
walks in the midst of the churches. He who has eyes as
a flame of fire is fully aware of everything that was, that
is, and that will be. Jesus sees us with the same clarity
that He saw ancient Jerusalem. Perhaps He is again
weeping as He did in days gone by. Perhaps even now
He is convulsed with anguish and overcome with grief.
Try, if you can, to see America from the vantage
point of God. Some time ago the network news
described a blood bath in Waco, Texas involving a false
messiah. T.V. talk shows exonerate and advocate every
form of deviate behavior as normal. Advertisers pour
billions of dollars into sitcoms and movies that attack
and belittle virtually everything which is righteous and
holy. Condoms can be passed out in the same schools
where the Bible is forbidden. The gurus of sexual
liberation insist upon their "right" to kill unborn babies
(There are1.6 million reported abortions each year in the
United States alone). Who can deny that such a sorry
state must pain the heart of God?
Listen to the loving invitation of Jesus to
Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest
the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto
thee, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left
unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see
me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matt. 23:37-39).
There is a point, however, when even the
longsuffering of God comes to an end. Let us devoutly
pray that the experience of the United States of
PALM SUNDAY
at my house” (Lk. 9:61). How modern! How absolutely
in tune with our time. How much like the rest of us! He
wanted to follow Jesus, as long as it was convenient.
This poor soul did not understand that Jesus was on His
way to the cross. Crosses are not convenient! Jesus
put it like this: “If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me” (Lk. 9:23).
Jesus steadfastly set His face toward Jerusalem.
No man was going to take His life, He was going to give
it (John 10:10). Solomon said that the way a man
thought reflected what he was (Prov. 23:7). In this
regard Jesus concentrated all of His mental energies on
doing the will of God. He said explicitly: “I seek not
mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath
sent me” (John 5:30).
The heroes of history have been people with
determination. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego did
not know what the King would do, or what God would
do. They did, however, know what they would not do.
They would not bow down and worship a golden image
(Dan. 3:18). Esther determined to intercede for her
people and said: “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). A
den of lions could not keep Daniel from his prayers, and
no force in the universe could keep Christ from Calvary.
He steadfastly set His face toward Jerusalem.
When Martin Luther was threatened by King
Henry VIII he responded: “But let these swine come on
and burn me if they dare. Here I am and I will wait for
them, and my ashes alone having been cast after my
death into a thousand seas, I will persecute and harass
this abominable crowd. While alive I will be the enemy
of the papacy Burned, I will be twice an enemy . . .”
Savanarola was offered the office of Cardinal if
PALM SUNDAY
He Steadfastly Set His face
“And it came to pass, when the time was
come that he should be received up, He steadfastly
set His face to go to Jerusalem . . .” (Lk. 9:51).
J
esus was born to die. He was a lamb slain
from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8.)
The shadow of the cross was upon the
manger of His birth. Throughout His brief ministry He
told His disciples many times that He had to suffer many
things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests
and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day
(Lk. 8:22). He spoke with Moses and Elijah about His
decease which He should accomplish in Jerusalem (Lk.
9:31). When the people marveled that He had cast out
a demon He said to His disciples: “Let these sayings
sink down into your ears: for the Son of Man shall
be delivered into the hands of men . . .” (Lk. 9:44).
Jesus did not die on the cross by accident. He
steadfastly set His face toward Jerusalem. As He
journeyed a certain man said: “Lord, I will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest” (Lk. 9:57). He wouldn’t,
and Jesus knew it! The birds of the air had nests, and
the foxes had holes, but Jesus didn’t have anywhere to
lay His head.
Jesus said to another: “Follow Me!” But this
man too had other priorities. He wanted to put Jesus on
the “back burner” until the more important things were
taken care of.
A third man said: “Lord, I will follow thee; but
let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home
PALM SUNDAY
ometimes I quit, but Jesus didn’t quit!
Nobody likes a quitter and every time I
quit I like myself a little less . . . but Jesus
didn’t quit.
Someone said:
You remember Christopher Columbus . . . he
didn’t quit!
You remember Thomas Edison . . . he didn’t quit!
You remember Abraham Lincoln . . . he didn’t
quit!
Nobody remembers George Swartz . . . he quit!
But Jesus didn’t quit! When He came down to
the last few days of His life He had a lot of opportunities
to quit. He knew Judas was going to betray Him, but He
let him do it anyhow. He could have tossed in the towel
when He prayed in Gethsemane, but He didn’t do it. He
could have called twelve legions of angels to rescue
Him, but He didn’t do it. Jesus didn’t quit!
“Come down from the cross” was the sarcastic
challenge of those who cried out for His crucifixion, but
Jesus didn’t do it. Jesus didn’t quit! With every sinew
and nerve in His bleeding body crying out for respite and
rest, He didn’t quit. He was faithful until death! While
the sun hid it’s face in amazement and the earth
trembled at the awesome spectacle of Calvary, Jesus
Christ was faithful and true until His last responsibility
had been faithfully completed. Then He cried out with
a loud voice: “It is finished!” Then, and only then could
He release His grasp upon life and yield up His Spirit to
God! Then, and only then was it permissible for Him to
Jesus Didn’t Quit! S
PALM SUNDAY
he would but change his style of preaching. He chose
instead to be strangled and burned because he said the
flames of hell were redder than a Cardinal’s hat.
The late W. Carl Ketcherside said it like this:
“The crying need of our age is for men filled with the
Spirit of God, men who dare to break with tradition, and
if need be, die for the vision which they have cherished
. . .”
Jesus set His face steadfastly toward Jerusalem.
Others may be detracted from their duty by fear,
ambition, or selfish sentiment, but Jesus was determined
not to do His own will, but the will of the Father which
had sent Him. He put His hand to the plow and did not
look back..
The song writer said it beautifully: “Turn your
eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And
the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of
His glory and grace.”
PALM SUNDAY
either. I can fight another round, play another inning,
run another mile, teach another lesson, preach another
sermon, pray another prayer, make another call, turn
the other cheek, write another check . . . I DON’T HAVE
TO QUIT!
The Bible has good news for us sinners. Jesus
wants us to be saved. Peter denied Christ three times,
but he got another chance. The prodigal son wasted his
substance in a far country but he got another chance.
They brought a woman to Jesus who was caught in the
act of adultery, but she got another chance. God is
longsuffering toward us and is not willing that any should
perish but that all come to repentance. Even God,
however, cannot save a quitter! If Judas had only come
to the cross he could have been graciously forgiven.
Whoever comes to Jesus ss never cast out. Judas,
however, didn’t give Jesus a chance to forgive him. He
gave up on God and he also gave up on himself. He
quit like a coward and his name will forever be
associated with infamy.
Don’t quit like Judas! When the going gets
tough, the Spirit intercedes with new power and
strength. Be thou faithful unto death and you will
receive the crown of life! Jesus didn’t quit on you, don’t
you quit on Him! Hang in there, and have a real nice
eternity!
PALM SUNDAY
relax His vigil and surrender to the shroud of death. It
was finished! He had completed the work that God had
given Him to do. The game of life was over and Jesus
had won! But Jesus didn’t quit!
When I catch a glimpse of the courageous Christ
I am challenged to hang in there for another day. When
my eyes are blurred with sweat and tears I am
emboldened by Christ to keep on trying. I somehow
want to take another step when I remember that I am
following in the footprints of Jesus. When the wet
blankets of discouragement and doubt threaten to
overwhelm my soul and smother out the flame of what
little faith I have, I take another look at Calvary and
smile with the confidence that Jesus didn’t quit and I
don’t have to quit either.
What a blessing it is to know in my heart of
hearts that He that is within me is greater than he that is
in the world. The Sovereign of the Universe has written
me a promise that He will never leave me or forsake
me. His Holy Word declares that I will never be tempted
above what I am able to bear. I can be “more than a
conqueror” through Him that loves me. I really don’t
have to quit. Every resource in heaven and earth has
been marshalled by God to ensure my victory. Nothing
can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus my Lord.
The crown of life is not for those who start the
race, but rather for those who complete it. The race of
life is run before the inquiring eyes of angelic hosts and
redeemed men. Through us, the principalities and
powers in heavenly places observe the manifold wisdom
of God. Even the angels are vitally interested in what
we do and rejoice each time a sinner is brought to
repentance. Jesus didn’t quit, and I don’t have to quit
PALM SUNDAY
the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it
again” (John 10:18). When the women came to anoint
the body of Jesus, an angel told them, “Fear not . . . He
is not here, for He is risen, (Matt. 28:5-6). When the
women saw Jesus they held Him by the feet and He
said, “Be not afraid” (Matt. 28:10). Jesus knew that He
was going to “get up again.” That’s why He wasn’t
afraid. If we know we are going to “get up again,” we
don’t have to be afraid either.
Eugene O’Neil wrote a play about Lazarus whom
Jesus raised from the dead. Later in life, according to
the play, Lazarus was supposed to have been
threatened with death. Instead of cowering with fear,
however, Lazarus laughed. Death was not a fearful
experience for him. He had “been there and done that.”
He had died and gone to his grave. Four days later, as
you know, Jesus called him out of that grave with a
brand new body. The old body had already decayed.
Everybody knew that. But the “sting” of death was gone,
and the “victory” of the grave had been removed (I Cor.
15:55).
Webster defines “comedy” as “originally, any play
or other literary composition with a non tragic ending.”
Little children can laugh at the cartoon as long as they
know the coyote is not going to catch the road runner.
We can laugh at life for the same reason. The ending of
life for the Christian is “non tragic.” Someday, we’re
going to get up again. Every device and contraption of
the devil is ultimately going to be used against him. We
now know that it was through death that Jesus
destroyed Him that had the power of death, that is, the
devil (Heb. 2:14).
Many poems and songs associate the Jordan
River with death. We sing about standing on Jordan’s
EASTER
he March/April, ‘97 issue of CHRISTIAN
READER has the humorous but profound
story of the “Jesus Film” in Bangladesh.
Toward the end of the story people were craning their
necks in the crowded room to see the crucifixion.
Weeping, and gasps of unbelief could be heard as the
Bengalis shared in the pain and agony of the cross.
Suddenly, a young boy jumped up and cried out,
The child like faith of this little lad personifies the
genius of Christianity. Fear and faith are incompatible.
If we have faith we need not be afraid, and if we are
afraid we need to have more faith. On the threshold of
his own martyrdom, Paul reminded Timothy that God
has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7). Paul could go to
his death with confidence because he knew God, and
was persuaded that He was able to keep that which he
had committed unto Him. Like the little lad said, don’t be
afraid, we’re going to get up again.
Jesus spoke with boldness, and not as the
scribes. He knew where He came from, and where He
was going. When the daughter of Jairus died, Jesus
said, “Be not afraid” (Mk. 5:36). When the widow’s son
died Jesus said “Weep not” (Lk. 7:13). Jesus told His
friends, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body and
after that have no more that they can do” (Lk. 12:4).
On the night before Calvary Jesus told His disciples,
“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid” (John 14:27.) Jesus said of His life: “No man
taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
“Do not be afraid. He gets up again! I saw it before”.
Do Not Be Afraid! T
EASTER
sn't it interesting that the environment which
perpetuates life in living things, will destroy
the nonliving . . . and vice versa?
A grain of wheat is alive. When it is planted in
the ground, the elements of earth eat away at its
exterior. Instead of killing it, however, these corrosive
influences only release a greater form of life which
brings forth much fruit.
Any nonliving substance subjected to the same
environment would be destroyed. Should you drop a
pair of pliers, or a pocket knife in the garden, that inert
and inanimate object would immediately begin to
deteriorate. Ultimately, the very environment which
released life from the living seed, would destroy that
which had no life.
To protect nonliving things they must be shielded
from heat, oxygen and moisture. These, as you know,
are essential to life. In July 1969, Neil Armstrong
planted an American flag on the moon. That flag is
"frozen in time." There is no life on the moon,
consequently there is nothing to rot the fabric. We can
achieve something similar on earth by placing objects in
a deep freeze, or a vacuum.
Living things cannot survive in a vacuum. Living
things must be exposed to the sun, and the rain. A corn
of wheat that is kept in a dry cold place will abide alone.
"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground
and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth
forth much fruit" (John 12:24)
I
A Corn Of Wheat
EASTER
stormy banks and casting a wistful eye toward Canaan,
or perhaps about not having to cross Jordan alone.
There is some validity to such symbolism. Israel was
enslaved in Egypt, but they escaped by being “baptized
unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I Cor. 10:2).
They wandered like strangers and pilgrims for forty years
before receiving the “Promised Land.” The Jordan stood
between them and their reward. In this regard it is
enlightening to remember Elijah and Elisha who smote
the waters of the Jordan and walked over on dry ground
(II Ki. 2:8-14). Death has no fear for the Christian. To
paraphrase the little boy from Bangladesh, “Don’t be
afraid, we’re going to get up again!”
EASTER
that his weakness and infirmities actually released the
power of God in his life (II Cor. 12:9). After being
shamefully treated in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and
Derbe, he confirmed the souls of the disciples and
reminded them "that we must through much tribulation
enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
As we take up our cross to follow Jesus, let us
say with Paul: "God forbid that I should glory, save in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
is crucified unto me, and I unto the world (Gal. 6:14).
EASTER
It only produces life when it is exposed to death.
The spiritual ramifications of this principle are far
reaching. Resurrection power is not experienced by
those who shrink from death. Paul put it like this: "That
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and
the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable
unto his death" (Phi. 3:10). "For we which live are
always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal
flesh" (II Cor. 4:10). When this inspired apostle wrote "I
die daily" (I Cor. 15:31), he was expressing a principle
that leads to abundant life.
Remember, that which promotes life, destroys
the nonliving. Take "tribulations" for example.
Tribulations can destroy a carnal person without deep
spiritual roots. Jesus so stated in the parable of the
sower (Matt. 13:21). Spiritual people, however, rejoice
in tribulations. This is specifically stated in Rom. 5:3-5,
and is directly associated with the Holy Spirit. "...we
glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh
patience and patience experience, and experience,
hope: And hope maketh not ashamed because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
which is given unto us."
Christians thrive in circumstances that would
destroy others, and vice versa. Persecution did not stop
the growth of the Jerusalem Church. It may actually
have accelerated it. Perhaps no church in the First
Century grew as rapidly as the Jerusalem church. The
Thessalonians also experienced great growth. Their
evangelistic fervor was so great the apostles did not
have to say anything (I Thess. 1:8). Yet they were also
suffered as did their brethren in Judea (I Thess. 2:14).
Paul actually gloried in his infirmities. He discovered
EASTER
When Moses received the Law, the Lord
descended on Mt. Sinai and the “whole mount quaked
greatly” (Ex. 19:18). Now, as the Law was taken away
and nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), the Lord again
manifests His presence with an earthquake.
The fifth miracle of Calvary was the marvelous
arrangement of things in the grave of the just risen
Christ. Peter and John were the first to observe the linen
clothes “lie” and napkin “wrapped together.” John saw
Holiest to everyone.
3. The earthquake
“And the earth did quake and the rocks rent”
(Matt. 27:51).
The miraculous earthquake had both force and
design. The fact that the rocks rent, shows force. The
fact that the graves were opened, shows design. The
opening of the graves was as the budding of coming
glory. We would assume that the earthquake would be
most powerful at the point of origin, and therefore
conclude that the open graves were nearby to Calvary.
5. The Undisturbed Graveclothes of Jesus
“Simon Peter . . . went into the sepulcher, and
seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was
about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but
wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in
also that other disciple . . . and the saw and believed”
(John 20:6-8).
4. The Miracle of the Opened Graves “And the graves were opened” (Matt. 27:52).
EASTER
This is the first of the six miracles of Calvary. It
could not have been an eclipse for it lasted three hours
and occurred during the Passover when the moon was
full. This remarkable event was referred to by Tertullian
at the close of the second century, and later by Celsus.
The record is credible and mankind is left to ponder the
symbolism and meaning of this darkness. It came at the
very time when Christ was becoming sin that we might
become His righteousness (II Cor. 5:21).
2. The Rending of the Veil.
“And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom” (Matt. 27:51).
The verse before, associates this event with the
death of Jesus. He cried with a loud voice and yielded
up the ghost. The latter part of this verse continues that
the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. The Gospel of
Mark mentions the death of Jesus, and the rending of the
veil, but does not mention the earthquake. It seems that
the splitting of the veil, and the earthquake are two
separate miracles.. The loose hanging curtain was not
destroyed by the earthquake, but by a special miracle of
God. The Lord Himself, through Christ, opened the
1. The Miraculous Darkness
“And it was about the sixth hour, and there
was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
And the sun was darkened” (Luke 23:44-45).
The Six Miracles of Calvary
(Condensed from the Book by William R.
Nicholson)
EASTER
braham believed in the resurrection. How
did he do it? As far as we know he was the
first human being in history to conceive
such an idea. We have a saying that “seeing is
believing.” Thomas, for example, had been present
when Lazarus was raised from the dead. He had seen
a resurrection. Yet he said he would not believe in the
resurrection of Jesus until he had personally examined
the resurrected body. How then did Abraham come to
believe in the resurrection without ever seeing one?
We do not know the answer to this question.
Perhaps he reflected on Springtime when the deadness
of winter blossoms to new life. Perhaps he thought of
seeds that seem to die and disappear, but revive again
to press through the earth with freshness and beauty. I
don’t know how he did it, but somehow this remarkable
man believed that God was able to raise his son from the
dead.
New ideas are not readily received. Christopher
Columbus died in obscurity. The Wright Brothers waited
for years for the U.S. Govt. to recognize what they had
done. Robert Goddard died in 1945. It was, of course,
#
God promised Abraham that his seed would
come through Isaac - Gen. 17:19.
#
God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac as a
burnt offering - Gen. 22:2.
#
Abraham believed that God was able to raise
Isaac from the dead - Heb. 11:19.
A
.Abraham and the Resurrection
EASTER
Up to this point in history there are at least six
restorations to life mentioned in the Bible. The widow’s
son of Serepta (I Ki. 17). The Shunammite’s son (II Ki. 4).
The resurrection caused by the bones of Elisha (II Ki.
13). The daughter of Jairus (Matt. 9). The widow’s son
at Nain (Lk. 7). Lazarus (John 11). In each instance,
as well as the one before us, they were raised to life, only
to die again. The resurrection of Jesus is unique. He
was the “firstborn” from among the dead. Jesus was the
first person to come back to life, who would never die
again
this and believed. Evidently, the Lord left his grave
clothes intact when he arose from the dead. As He
appeared in the Upper Room when the doors were shut,
His body went through cloth like sunlight through a
window.
6. Revivals to Life in the Calvary Graveyard
“And many of the bodies of the saints which
slept, arose, and came out of the graves after his
resurrection, and went into the holy city, and
appeared unto many” (Matt. 27:52-53).
EASTER
accept or reject at our own pleasure. It is an essential
element of the Gospel story and an integral part of our
own salvation. If Christ be not raised from the dead our
faith is vain, and we are yet in our sins.
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in
Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise”
(Gal 3:26-29).
EASTER
much later that the impact of his research on rockets was
recognized by the world.
Daniel wrote that in the time of the end,
knowledge would be increased (Dan. 12:4). The
technology of our modern age staggers the imagination.
The fertile mind of man is making monumental
discoveries every day. The latest computer is obsolete
by the time in is constructed. The latest medicinal book
is out of date when it comes from the printer. The world
wide web of information is growing at record pace.
Yet, in spite of our space age technology and
proliferation of knowledge, we are yet to conceive
anything more spectacular than the resurrection.
Manned flight to Mars, for example, pales into
insignificance by comparison with the resurrection. Yet
the resurrection, as far-reaching and incredible as it is to
us today, was in the mind of a wandering shepherd
almost 4,000 years ago. Abraham not only believed that
God could raise Isaac from the dead, he even believed
that God could reconstruct his son from the ashes of
cremation. Abraham was commanded by God to offer
his son as a burnt offering. He was to put a knife to his
throat and burn his body in sacrificial flames.
Abraham was to make that sacrifice in the land of
Moriah, on a special mountain that God would show him.
This was, no doubt, the very mountain where Jesus
would die nineteen centuries in the future. As Isaac
carried the wood for his own demise, so also Christ
carried His cross. This remarkable story prefigured the
death of Christ generations before it came to pass.
What about you? Do you share the faith of our
father Abraham? Do you believe that God is able to raise
someone from the dead? The doctrine of the
resurrection is not some extraneous whim which we can
EASTER
"power of the resurrection." On January 17, 1993, he was
teaching Sunday School at the First Baptist Church of
Houston, Texas. Approximately two hundred people
were present. He had a "headset" which projected his
voice over a PA system. The lesson was from a
standard Sunday School curriculum which had been
planned years before.
About half way through the lesson, Duane was
reading from the 103rd Psalm. "Praise the Lord, O my
soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all
my sins and heals all my diseases; He redeems my
life from the pit . . ." As Duane spoke those words, his
voice was miraculously healed.
The First Baptist Church of Houston has a
membership of around 24,000. In a matter of a few
minutes Duane Miller, became the most important person
in the whole church. The church service was stopped so
that he might explain what happened. Others, outside of
the church, were also interested in his story. Duane
spoke in Joplin, Missouri in December 1995. At that time
10,000 people had received Christ under his ministry in
1995. Prominent publishers approached him for the
privilege of printing his story. Promise Keepers also
wanted him to speak.
Many have already heard his story. The actual
tape of his Sunday School lesson has been available free
for many years for those who call 1-800-993-TAPE. The
story is appropriate at Easter time because the power of
the resurrection was not just for Jesus, and Duane Miller,
it is for every believer.
Paul specifically prayed that we might know the
"exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who
believe, according to the working of His mighty
power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised
EASTER
uane Miller was at the end of his rope. He
was a preacher without a voice. His
strongest effort to speak only produced a
raspy squeak. For three long years he had been under
the care of the best voice specialists in the world. They
not only concluded that his condition was incurable, but
also predicted that within two years he would lose what
little voice he had.
Duane had medical insurance, but they stopped
paying as all his treatments were now considered
"experimental." His disability income also ran out. He
had tried to earn money doing legal research. His
clients, however, took their business elsewhere. They
realized that Duane's "voice" would not make him a good
"expert witness" if he was called to testify in court.
Duane tried to support his family by writing. Again he
failed! He was told frankly that he had no name
recognition. Even if someone published his book, he
would be unable to promote it by lecturing on a book tour.
In retrospect, it seems that Duane was "sharing
in the sufferings of Christ." From the human point of
view, both of their situations were hopeless.
Duane, however, was about to experience the
"I want to know Christ and the power of His
resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His
sufferings, becoming like Him in His death" (Phil.
3:10, NIV)
D
The Power of His Resurrection
EASTER
short while before John Lyttle passed away,
he conducted a funeral in Sullivan, Indiana.
I was privileged to be there. John had
been in failing health for some time. He was on oxygen
twenty-four hours a day, except when he was preaching.
On the way to the funeral he carried a portable supply of
oxygen. At the office he remained on oxygen and rested
for about thirty minutes. Then he made his way to a
small room just outside of the auditorium. There he
continued on oxygen and gathered strength to preach.
At the appropriate time he left his oxygen, and
stepped to the pulpit. It was a powerful message, about
thirty minutes long. He spoke in a strong voice and
without hesitation. The text was Genesis 37:32-33:
"And they sent the coat of many colors, and
they brought it to their father, and said, This have we
found: know now whether it is thy son's coat or no.
And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil
beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt
rent in pieces . . . "
The brothers of Joseph, as you know, conspired
against him. They cast him into a pit, and sold him as a
slave. Then they endeavored to hide their sin by a clever
piece of deception. They took Joseph's coat, and killed
a goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
Their father, Jacob, saw the evidence and
concluded that Joseph was dead. He was wrong! It was
false evidence! Joseph was not dead at all. He was
Joseph Was Not Dead! A
EASTER
Him from the dead . . ." (Eph. 1:19-20).
Are you facing a crisis in your life? Do you have
problems that seem to be without a solution? Perhaps
you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ! Maybe God
has allowed these circumstances to overwhelm you so
you can "become like Jesus in His death."
Duane Miller taught a powerful Sunday School
lesson. At a time when he must have felt like quitting, he
continued to cling to the exceeding great and precious
promises of Scripture. Like Jesus before him, he never
lost hope!
PLEASE DON'T LOSE HOPE - THIS
RESURRECTION POWER IS FOR YOU!
EASTER
"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Spirit which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5).
E
verybody has some kind of hope. Even the
atheist has hope. He hopes there is not
God. Someone was supposed to have
asked the late Robert Ingersoll: "Are you sure there is no
God?" "Of course," was the reply. "Why do you ask?"
The sad answer was, "Because I'm counting on you, Mr.
Ingersoll." Someday Robert Ingersoll will hang his head
in shame for such a stupid, false, and ignorant hope.
Many years ago Gary Gilmore was executed. He
was different from many criminals in that he wanted to
die. Since there had not been an execution for many
years he actually had to insist that they put him to death.
Perhaps one reason why he faced the firing squad
without fear was that he believed in reincarnation. He
had made a mess out of this life and obviously hoped to
do better next time. What a surprise he will have when
he discovers that it is appointed unto men once to die,
and after this comes the judgment (Heb. 9:27).
In August of 1936 a Great Northern passenger
train left Ft. Benton, Montana. On the train was the
casket of a shepherd who was being shipped back East
for burial. The shepherd's loyal dog maintained a
constant vigil at the railroad station for five and one half
years. His master, of course, never came back. The
A Hope That Maketh Not Ashamed
EASTER
alive and well. He was filled with youth, energy, and
enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, Joseph was on his way
to a position of great power. Soon he would be ruling
over millions of people in the most powerful nation on
earth.
Then John looked down at the casket. "It would
be wrong,” he said, “to conclude from this evidence, that
our loved one is dead. In fact, he is not only alive, he is
on his way to a position of great power."
Many years later, as you recall, Jacob received
testimony that Joseph was alive, but was reluctant to
believe it. He had believed a lie so long, it was hard to
believe the truth. Joseph helped his father to believe by
sending evidence. Not just a little evidence, but wagon
loads of evidence. He also gave changes of raiment to
his brothers. To Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces
of silver and five changes of raiment. To his father he
sent ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and
ten she asses laden with food for the journey.
Jacob's heart revived, but the best was yet to
come. Not many days hence Jacob would see Joseph
face to face. He would throw his arms about his neck
and weep tears of great joy.
Someday, you will be told that someone you love
is dead. You may be shown a fleshly garment covered
with blood. Don't believe it! Jesus said:
"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he
live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall
never die . . ." (John 11:25-26).
EASTER
tribulation. His victorious Spirit within us will not be
overcome. The pressures and troubles of this life will
only refine our faith as gold is refined by fire. In the
believer,
tribulation
produces
patience,
patience
produces experience, experience produces hope, and
hope makes us not ashamed because the love of God is
shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (see Rom.
5:1-5).
"And we desire that every one of you do show
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto
the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of
them who through faith and patience inheritance the
promises” (Heb. 6:11-12.).
HOPE IN JESUS DOES NOT MAKE US ASHAMED!
EASTER
newspapers picked up the story and the dog became
famous. When the dog died he was buried on a bluff
overlooking the station. The dog was to be pitied. He
was ignorant. He lacked the capacity to understand
virtually anything of what was going on. Unfortunately,
many people are like this dog. Whatever hope they have
is based on ignorance.
The Christian hope is different in that it does not
make ashamed. The Christian hope is based on God.
HE is the one "constant" in a world of change. He is the
same "yesterday, today, and forever." He is without
variation or shadow cast by turning. He cannot lie! God
will be true when ever man has been found a liar. His
Word is sure! He speaks and it is done! His promises
are steadfast. Those who believe in Him shall not be put
to shame.
Since God dwells in eternity, time is irrelevant to
Him. One day is like a thousand years and a thousand
years is like a day. Finite man, however, dwells in a time
conscious world. God has been gracious to us in our
weakness. He knows our frame and remembers that we
are dust. Therefore He has empowered us with His
Eternal Spirit that we might be successful in this earthly
pilgrimage. His Spirit is the "seal" of His promise and our
redemption (Eph. 1:l3-14). His Spirit enables us to
"abound in hope" (Rom. 15:13). His Spirit empowers us
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge and
to be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph. 3:19). His
love is shed abroad in our hearts by the power of His
Spirit within us (Rom. 5:5).
.
Because we have been justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a
privilege enables us to rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. Because of what we know, we can even rejoice in
EASTER
and they that hear shall live . . . Marvel not at this: for the
hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall
hear his voice, and shall come forth" (John 5:26-29).
Note that Jesus promised that "all" in the grave
would hear his voice and come forth. This obviously
refers to the resurrection of the body. The bodily
resurrection will simultaneously involve everyone, good
or bad. The spiritual resurrection, however, is only for
those who hear the voice of Jesus and believe on Him
that sent Him.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians that they were dead
in sins, but made alive with Christ. Their conversion
involved being raised up together in Christ to sit in
heavenly places (Eph. 2:5-6). The same terminology is
used in Col. 2:12-13. We were dead in sins, but raised
from death in baptism, being made alive together with
Him. Life from death is the very essence of resurrection.
There is a sense in which the Christian, having
already participated in a spiritual resurrection, will never
die. Jesus stated this specifically: "Whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die" (John 11:26). That is,
nothing can separate the believer from God. For the
believer, to be absent from the body is not death, it is to
be at home with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8). Nothing can
separate the believer from the love of God, not death, or
life, or angels, or principalities, or powers, or things
present, or things to come, or height, or depth, or any
other creature (see Rom. 8:38-39).
The "first death" occurred when sin separated us
from God. The "second death," or separation, will occur
at Judgment. The "second death" has no power over the
Christian. Jesus bore our sins in His own body and
promised us that we will never come into condemnation.
He will never leave us or forsake us!
EASTER
efore we can understand the "first
resurrection," we must understand the "first
death." The first death was not physical.
Adam and Eve were warned that they would die the very
day they ate the forbidden fruit. They did! To die, means
to be separated from life. That very day they were
separated from God, who is the very essence of life.
Adam, however, continued to live physically for 930
years.
The Bible has a great deal to say about spiritual
death. Jesus told a would be follower: "Let the dead
bury the dead" (Matt. 8:22). That is, let those who are
dead spiritually, bury those who are dead physically.
Paul warned Timothy about certain widows: "She that
liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth" (I Tim. 5:6).
Those who are separated from God are dead in the
truest sense of the word.
Conversion involves coming back to God. This is
the very essence of life. Christianity is "passing from
death unto life." Jesus said: "He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life" (John 5:24). In the following verses,
Jesus drew a distinction between those who "pass from
death unto life" spiritually, and those whose bodies are
resurrected. He said: "The hour is coming, and now is,
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God,
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the
first resurrection" (Rev. 20:6).
B
The First Resurrection
EASTER
ost religions in the world focus on
something
to
do.
There
are
commandments to be obeyed, prayers to
be said, rituals to be observed, and festivals to be kept.
The “focus” and “emphasis” of these religions, is
"DOING!"
Christianity, by contrast, has a different focus.
Christians FOCUS on something that has already been
"DONE!"
This distinction is made often in Scripture. Take,
for example, the tenth chapter of Hebrews. This passage
draws a distinction between the MANY sacrifices of
Judaism, and the ONE sacrifice of Christ.
The Jewish people had to be very busy. They
were commanded by Law to make many offerings and
sacrifices. Some of these are listed in the first seven
chapters of Leviticus. Chapter one, for example, gives
instructions regarding Burnt Offerings. These Burnt
Offerings were divided into three categories: cattle from
the herd, sheep and goats from the flock, and birds.
Special instructions, of course, were given for each
category. Chapter two involves Grain Offerings. Grain
could be presented to the Lord whole, or ground into
flour. It could also be baked in an oven, fried on a
griddle, or cooked in a pan. Naturally, there were special
instructions for each offering. Chapter three explains the
Fellowship Offering, Chapters four and five the Sin
Offering, etc. Each offering, or sacrifice, was to be
performed within strict guidelines, and under the watchful
eye of a priest. The Jewish worshiper was very busy!
“Do” or “Done” M
EASTER
Let the theologians debate their theories and
quibble over matters that God has placed within His own
power. Now is the time for believers to enjoy their new
life in Christ. He has given unto us the "power of the
resurrection" (Eph. 1:19-21). At this very moment the
Holy Spirit, which raised Jesus from the dead and set
Him on the right hand of God, can empower us to victory
in Christ.
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the
first resurrection: on such the second death hath no
power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with him a thousand years . . ."
EASTER
more people worshiped, the more guilty they felt. God
had no pleasure in these offerings and sacrifices (v. 6).
Christians focus on Jesus. He is our Great High Priest,
and our only hope. The more we worship Him, the
happier we are.
! We are sanctified by the offering of Jesus once
for all (Heb. 10:10.)
! This man hath made one sacrifice for sins
forever (Heb. 10:12.)
! By one offering he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified (Heb. 10:14.)
WE ARE NOT SAVED BY WHY WE "DO," BUT BY WHAT JESUS HAD "DONE!"
EASTER
Every week the devout Jew was required to
observe the Sabbath, every month the New Moon, every
seven years the Sabbath Year, and every fifty years the
Jubilee. They were also commanded, by Law, to
observe the Passover each year in Jerusalem. Fifty days
later they were required to return to Jerusalem to
observe Pentecost. Six months later they had to return
for the Feast of Tabernacles. Then, there was also the
Feast of Trumpets, and the Day of Atonement. Later
would come Purim, and the Feast of Dedication.
In addition to these many things they were
commanded to "DO," there were also many things they
were commanded not to do. Hebrew Law has a long list
of things not to eat, drink, or touch.
The Scriptures teach that in these sacrifices there
was "A remembrance of sin" (Heb. 10:3). The devout
Jew was never free to relax and enjoy a relationship with
God. He was constantly "doing" something, or planning
to "do" something.
At this point it is important to remember that God
designed the Law for a special purpose. It was not given
to make us feel good, it was given to make us feel guilty.
This is stated explicitly in Rom. 3:19: "What things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law: that every mouth may be stopped, AND ALL THE
WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD."
Remember, the Law was a Schoolmaster to bring us
unto Christ that we might be justified by faith.
By contrast with the many things that Jewish
people were to "DO," Christians are to focus on what
Jesus has already "DONE." This is the message of
Hebrews 10. The Jewish priests made sacrifices every
day that could never take away sin (v. ll). In these
sacrifices there was a remembrance of sin (v. 3). The
EASTER
In 1871, however, the Cardiff Giant was
discovered to be a gigantic hoax. It was not an
archeological discovery, it was a monument to man’s
gullibility.
It all began in 1866 when George Hull visited his
sister in Iowa. While there he bought a five ton block of
gypsum from a quarry about two miles east of Fort
Dodge. He then hired horses to transport the stone to
the nearest railroad which was forty miles away. The trip
took twenty days. The stone was then transported by rail
to Chicago.
In Chicago the stone was shaped into human
likeness. The “pores” on the giant’s “skin” were created
with mallets and darning needles. It was sponged with
water and acid to give it a “worn” appearance. Finally it
was bathed in sulphuric acid to make it look old.
In November 1868 the completed giant was
shipped in secret to New York and discretely buried on a
dark night. The field was sown with clover and the
tricksters had less than a year to wait for the miraculous
discovery to be made.
Even after the giant was proven to be a hoax,
people paid a second time for the privilege of seeing
what had fooled them the first time. P. T. Barnum is
supposed to have said, “There is a sucker born every
minute, and one dies every thirty minutes. That leaves
me twenty-nine to work on in the mean time.”
Today the “Cardiff Giant” is on display at the
Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.
It is both interesting and significant that nobody
died to perpetrate this hoax. When the scam was
brought to light, the perpetrators had a good laugh and
confessed to their mischief.
The fact that the Apostles of Christ died preaching
EASTER
n October 16, 1869 Hand Nichols and Gid
Emmons were digging a well on Stub
Newell’s farm. At about five feet down
they uncovered what looked like a human foot. It was,
however, about twenty inches long and hard as a rock.
Further excavation revealed a 3,000 lb. “petrified giant.”
Since the nearest town was the obscure village of Cardiff,
New York, the discovery was known as the “Cardiff
Giant.”
News spread like wildfire. Newell put up a tent to
shield the giant from public view and began charging
admission. People came by the thousands to see this
amazing discovery.
Highly esteemed professors came from New York
and Boston. Their opinions ran the gamut from
“impossible” to “the greatest discovery of all time.” Some
thought it was a fossilized giant, and others pronounced
it an ancient statue. A graduate student from Yale
examined it with a magnifying glass and announced that
the scratches on the right arm were Phoenician
characters that said: “Tamur, god of gods.” Ralph Waldo
Emerson wrote that it was “very wonderful and
undoubtedly ancient.”
The controversy was good for business and as
many as 3,000 per day came to see with their own eyes
the Cardiff Giant. Two saloons sprang up and a cowshed
was converted into a restaurant. P. T. Barnum tried in
vain to buy the big fellow for his circus. When his offers
were refused he had a copy of the giant made for his
show and both drew big crowds.
No Martyrs for a Hoax O
EASTER
“Oh that my words were now written! Oh that
they were printed in a book! That they were graven
with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I
know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall
stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though
my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:23-27).
M
ost of us will never be called upon to
endure the great trial of affliction that
came to Job. In a single day he lost
every earthly possession and all of his children. In spite
of these tragedies, however, Job did not sin nor charge
God foolishly. He rent his mantle, shaved his head, and
fell down to the ground in worship to God.
But the trials of Job were far from being over.
After losing his wealth and his family, he also lost his
health. His body was covered with “sore boils” from the
sole of his feet to the crown of his head. The Hebrew
word translated as “sore boils” comes from the root word
that means to “burn.” The pain he experienced was like
his body had been pierced by arrows (Job 6:4). When
the boils broke open the running sores were infested with
maggots (Job 7:5). His skin was loathsome and his
visage so marred that his friends did not recognize him
(Job 2:12). He could not sleep (Job 3:26). His friends
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
EASTER
His resurrection immediately sets them apart from con
men intent on perpetrating a hoax. The word “martyr,” as
you know, means “witness.” Every Apostles was a
witness of His resurrection, and not one of them changed
his story no matter how severely he was persecuted.
The book of Acts reminds us that the Apostles of
Christ preached Jesus and the resurrection (See Acts
1:22; 3:15; 4:2; 5:33; etc.) The small flame of Christianity
could have been extinguished forever if the enemies of
Christ could have produced His body and placed it on
display. They could not! Neither could they illicit a single
denial of His resurrection from those noble martyrs who
sealed their testimony with their own blood.
There are no martyrs for a hoax, but there are
plenty of martyrs for the resurrected Christ!
Hallelujah! He is risen!
EASTER
they spent alive on earth.
And only our loved ones really know how much
that line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own of cars and
houses and cash.
What really matters is how we live and how we
spend our dash.
So think of your tombstone long and hard. Are
there things that you need to change?
A more beautiful dash can be written there if
priorities you rearrange.
It’s time to slow down and consider what’s real in
the course of a life that is true.
For a relationship brings more treasure than
things, be careful today what you do.
Be quick to hear and slow to speak and value the
life of a friend.
Such treasures will always be there safe when
your journey comes to an end.
But most of all, as you rise and fall, and struggle
to win the race.
Just take your dash and give it to God and Christ
will take your place.
His dash will cover the stains of yours and He’ll
show you the path to trod.
And your final date will be the door to eternity with
God.
EASTER
wept aloud when they saw him (Job 2:12), and his own
wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:9).
The story of Job’s life has a happy ending. “So
the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his
beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and
six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen,
and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons
and three daughters” (Job 42:12-13).
One reason Job survived the trials of his life was
that he believed in the resurrection. He was so confident
of this fact that he wanted everybody to be aware of his
testimony. He wanted his words to be written in stone
and remembered forever. He knew that his redeemer
lived. He knew that after the skin worms destroyed his
body he would still see God in his flesh. His own eyes
would behold the Lord in spite of his earthly problems.
Some who read these words will be permanently
crippled or terminally ill. Others will be facing
insurmountable problems beyond the scope of human
language to describe. Surrounded by critics you will be
tempted to curse God and die. In times like this,
remember the resurrection.
Please prayerfully consider these words from an
unknown poet:
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral
of a friend.
He noted the dates on the tombstone from
beginning to the end.
First came the day of a happy birth, and the
following date brought tears.
But really what mattered most, he said, was the
dash between those years.
For that dash is the symbol of all the time that
EASTER
raise the dead?
Some have suggested that the creative power of
God is as much beyond the reach of the microscope as
it is the telescope. There may be as many mysteries in
the atom as there are in the universe at large. In every
scientific discipline mortal man will ultimately arrive at an
impassable barrier. If we cannot understand how God
can turn a caterpillar into a butterfly, or an acorn into an
oak tree, why should we be slack jawed and incredulous
that God can raise the dead?
Paul wrote: “But some man will say, How are
the dead raised up? And with what body do they
come?” To this question he responds: “Thou fool, that
which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that
body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of
wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a
body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his
own body” (1 Cor 15:35-38).
It seems that God from the beginning of creation
has given us a mechanism to help us to understand the
resurrection. The first reference in the Bible to the
creation of life involved seeds. Every living thing had
seeds and reproduced after its own kind. Jesus said that
a seed that did not die would abide alone. If it dies,
however, it can bring forth much fruit (John 12:24).
When a seed is placed in the ground it seems to die. It
seems that the corrosive elements of earth will utterly
destroy the seed. Quite the contrary. The death of the
seed does not destroy life, it releases it.
This is a beautiful illustration of the resurrection.
“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in
corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in
dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in
EASTER
od is all powerful, all knowing, and
everywhere at the same time. Why
should it be thought a thing incredible that
God can raise the dead? If God can speak the universe
into reality and hold all of those atoms together by the
power of His might, why should it be thought incredible
that God can raise the dead?
The universe in which we live is infinitely large.
We have absolutely no idea how vast it is, or how many
stars there really are. In fact, we don’t even know how
many galaxies there are. Our earthly minds are utterly
incapable of comprehending how long is eternity or how
far is infinity. Why should we worry about the
resurrection?
The tiny planet on which we live is spinning on its
axis at a thousand miles per hour. At the same time we
are whirling through space in solar orbit at 16,000 miles
per hour. We, however, are not aware of any motion at
all. If God can care for and control such things as this,
why should we sit up nights wondering if He can also
#
If I could raise the dead, that would be incredible.
#
If you could raise the dead, that you be incredible.
#
If medical science could raise the dead, that
would be incredible.
#
But why is it incredible that God can raise the
dead?
G
“Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” (Acts 26:8)
Incredible?
EASTER
“But he answered and said unto them, An evil
and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and
there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the
prophet Jonas” (Matt 12:39).
T
he Creator of the universe is understanding
and compassionate. He knows our frame
and remembers that we are dust. He took
upon Himself the nature of man. He was tempted in all
points like we are, yet without sin. He created within us
a streak of skepticism and is sympathetic to our need for
evidence. Consequently, God has never required man to
do something without providing a rational basis for his
obedience.
Moses, for example, was commanded by God to
return to Egypt and liberate a nation of Hebrew slaves.
A number of things made Moses reluctant to do this.
First, he was wanted as a criminal in Egypt. In the
second place, he was a shepherd, and every shepherd
was an abomination unto the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). In
the third place, he been away from Egypt for forty years
and was no longer fluent in their language. God,
however, gave Moses a series of signs. A bush burned
but was not consumed. His rod became a serpent and
his hand became leprous. Finally Moses was convinced
that God was calling him to Egypt and it made more
sense to have the Pharaoh mad at you than God.
Gideon was called by God to deliver Israel from
the Midianites. This did not make sense to Gideon. He
was from a poor family in Manasseh and he was the least
The Sign
EASTER
weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural
body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor 15:42-44).
A little child can plant a garden. The power of life
is within the seed and not the hand of the one who plants
it. If it is not incredible that God can cause life to come
out of a dead seed, why should it be thought a thing
impossible that God could raise the dead?
An evil and adulterous generation sought for a
sign. No sign was given but the sign of Jonah the
prophet. As Jonah came from three days in a great fish,
Jesus would come forth from three days in the heart of
the earth.
It is not by accident that Jesus is referred to as a
“Seed.” He was the “Seed of woman,” the “Seed of
Abraham,” the “Seed of David,” etc. This living “Seed”
has now become the firstfruits of them that sleep and the
guarantee of our own resurrection. It is not incredible
that God can raise the dead!
EASTER
Christ.
A doubting world demands a sign. What
evidence do we have to make such a radical change in
our behavior?. The sympathetic Savior replies: “Destroy
this temple and in three days I will build it up.” “An evil
and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there
shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in
the whales belly; so shall the Son of man be three days
and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Thus the sign of the resurrection is deemed
sufficient by the Judge of Heaven to convince rational
men to become Christians. The logic of the apostles
focused on the empty tomb and reminded the world that
if Christ be not risen, our faith is vain and we are yet in
our sins. If Christ is still in the grave we are of all men
most miserable.
The Good News, however, is that Christ is risen
from the dead. Please prayerfully ponder this
magnificent “sign” and surrender your life to the
resurrected Christ!
EASTER
in his father’s house. He asked the plaintive question: “If
God be with us, where be all the miracles our fathers told
us of.” A series of signs were then graciously given by
God to Gideon. (1) Fire came out of a rock and
miraculously consumed a sacrifice. (2) A fleece of wool
was made wet with dew while all about it was dry. (3) A
fleece of wool was made dry while all about it was wet.
(4) A Midianite dream was related ascribing victory to
Gideon. Gideon was convinced and ultimately was given
a miraculous victory.
Hezekiah was promised an additional fifteen
years of life as well as deliverance from the King of
Assyria. It seemed impossible. The king said to Isaiah,
“What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me?” (II
Kings 20:8)._ The gracious god who understands our
doubts turned back the clockwork of the heavens and the
shadow on the sun dial of Ahaz went back ten degrees.
The world has catalogued and condemned its
doubting Thomases, but Jesus did not. HE simply said:
“Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and
reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side and be
not faithless, but believing.” The word “Didymus” means
“twin.” God could understand the skepticism of a man
who had been mistaken for his twin brother upon many
occasions. Consequently he gave to Thomas evidence
that was irrefutable.
But now let us pause and consider the evidence
that God has given to us. He demands that we deny
ourselves, take up a cross, and follow him. He requires
that we repent of our sins, confess Him before men, and
be baptized. He calls upon us to gather faithfully each
week with others of like precious faith. His demand upon
our lives is totally intrusive and requires that whatever we
do in word or deed we do in the name of our Lord Jesus
EASTER
children who have never tasted homemade bread or
smelled hot rolls fresh from the oven. A wealthy friend
who hunted with my father would call my mom and ask
if she would fix him some corn bread and beans. It
seems that no restaurant on earth can compete with
meals prepared by love.
The real luxuries of life do not come from the
discount store. They are not stamped out by a machine,
or boxed at the end of an assembly line. The real luxuries
in life are custom made. They are especially designed
for someone special. In this regard I was raised in the
lap of luxury. My meals were prepared by my own
personal connoisseur of gourmet delights. I was
diapered and dandled by my own personal doctor and
diagnostician. I was the recipient of perpetual maid
service. I had a custom tailor in charge of my clothing.
I had my own private tutor who read me stories at bed
time. When I went someplace I was accompanied by my
own personal chauffeur and body guard. When I was
lonely or afraid I would cling to the apron strings of my
own personal companion and counselor. The fact that all
of these important functions were performed by own one
mother does not diminish their importance. The way that
I was raised gave to me a measure of confidence and
security that has shaped my life in ways too wonderful for
words.
Certainly it is not wise or practical to try and turn
back the clock and live in the auld lang syne. It would be
folly to destroy our technology while millions are starving
without a crust of bread or a bowl of rice. But isn’t it also
silly to sacrifice our children on a pagan altar which some
call progress? Is it not insane to place more value on a
new car, or piece of furniture, than on the eternal welfare
of our own children? Is it not a crime against God, our
MOTHER’S DAY
rowing up in the post depression days of
the late thirties brought a certain measure
of austerity to our little family. We canned
our own food, made our own soap, butchered our own
meat, and somehow survived. My mother did our
washing on a scrub board and carefully patched clothing
which a future generation would casually discard.
Then came the rigors and hardships of war. My
uncles went into the army, and my brother into the Navy.
We planted our “Victory Garden,” and carried our tin
cans to school to help provide precious metal for the war.
Gasoline and food were rationed and times were tough.
In retrospect, however, it seems that little children
were better off then than now. Juvenile crime was low,
teenage suicide unheard of, and when you lost your
marbles you went to a dime store instead of a
psychiatrist.
Because of my mother, I was raised in the lap of
luxury. She worked seven days a week, but not outside
of our home. Our family was the major focus of her life.
At that point in time this was what I really needed. I did
not need a new car, or expensive new carpet, I needed
my mother. I needed her more than I needed a nursery
school or a nanny. I profited more from her presence
than from a hundred new toys or a thousand suits of
expensive clothing.
I never knew the loneliness of
coming home to an empty house, or the sadness of
finding her bed vacant in the middle of the night. I never
had to explain a divorce, a new daddy, or a different
name.
My heart bleeds for the millions of modern
Luxurious Living G
MOTHER’S DAY
ome time ago I asked Tasci King what
thought came immediately to mind at the
mention of the word "mother." She
responded,"unconditional love." As a young girl, Tasci
was overweight. At school she felt alone and rejected.
She was convinced that it was because of the way she
looked. She was invited to accompany her classmates
at recitals only because she was good at the piano.
When they made the trip to and from those recitals, she
remembers sitting rejected and alone in the back seat.
She felt used. There was one person, however, who
never sought to use or exploit her. There was one
person who always made her feel welcome and
important. There was one person who did not care what
she looked like, or what kind of grades she made, or how
popular she was on campus. It was her mother!
This beautiful testimony struck a responsive cord.
I knew she was right! My first thought, however, was
neither profound, nor theological. It was of Dumbo the
elephant. Walt Disney became a multimillionaire
because he possessed the uncanny ability to touch a
tender place in our hearts. He told the story of a little
elephant with ears so large that he became a
laughingstock. His handicap, as you know, turned out to
be a great advantage when he learned to fly. There was
one character in the cartoon, however, who was constant
in her love. It was his mother! She was as faithful when
he was ridiculed, as she was when he was famous. Her
love for him was unconditional! In the midst of a
childhood fantasy, Disney had found a way to teach little
Unconditional Love
MOTHER’S DAY
S
society, and ourselves to place more value on money
and materials than family and friends?
Socrates said it like this: “Could I climb to the
highest place in Athens, I would lift my voice and
proclaim: ‘Fellow citizens, why do you turn and scrape
every stone to gather wealth, and take so little care of
your children to whom one day you must relinquish all?’”
The problem faced by Socrates lingers yet to
plague our modern world. It has filled our juvenile courts
and crowded the waiting rooms of psychologists and
psychiatrists. It is the cancer which eats away at the
church of tomorrow and the arthritic pain that has
crippled the church of today. Mothers need to return to
the home. They need to understand that children are
more important than careers. People are more important
than things, and what you have is not as important as
what you are. When mothers learn to see motherhood
as God sees it, perhaps little children will again learn
what “Luxurious Living” is all about.`
MOTHER’S DAY
ount Rushmore is 6,200 feet high. On the
perpendicular side of that mountain,
Gutzon Borglum carved the likeness of
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham
Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. This, as you know, is
one of the most famous art projects in the world. Those
faces, on the scale of living men, would stand fifteen feet
taller than the Great Pyramid of Cheops, and can be
seen from sixty miles away.
Borglum began the monumental project in 1925
and it was not yet completed when he died on March 6,
1941. The final drill and blast were done by his son
Lincoln Borglum on Oct. 31, 1941. It was a lifetime
labour of love as he was only paid the modest sum of
about $10,000 per year. The colossal project was
achieved without proper tools, without adequate power
and funds, and without any trained assistant.
But now let us compare the work of this great
sculptor with the work of a mother. The sculptor works
with inanimate materials like granite and clay. Mothers
work with living souls and eternal spirits. The mothers of
these great men certainly did more for the world than
tdhe man who merely carved their faces in stone.
There is an old joke about the doctor who took a
class in carpentry. The teacher warned that he would
have to really be careful with wood as it wouldn’t heal
when he made a mistake. The humor of the story is in its
absurdity. People are obviously far more important than
boards. The point of the parable is that the work of a
mother is profoundly significant. Human art is temporal.
The Work of a Mother M
MOTHER’S DAY
children a fundamental truth of life. Almost everyone can
relate to a mother's love.
Then I thought of Jesus on the cross. He was
despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief (s. 53:3). He was no longer loved
or popular. His fair weather friends had vanished like a
vapor. Even His disciples forsook Him and fled. While
scholars debate the theological significance of His words,
Jesus did cry out from the cross that God had forsaken
Him. His mother, however, did not.
Many years ago my friend Bill Groff took me to a
small little cemetery between Carl Junction and Joplin.
He showed me the grave of a murderer named Billy
Cook. I had heard of him. He was hitch hiking and was
picked up by the Mosser family. He rewarded their
kindness by killing them and stuffing their bodies in an
abandoned well. He was executed for his crimes and
buried not far from that well. The point of the story, is
that his grave was neatly trimmed and cared for. In a
cemetery that is largely neglected and unkempt, his
grave was not neglected. Someone cared, even for Billy
Cook. Perhaps it was his mother.
In this regard it is significant to remember that the
church of the Lord Jesus is described in Scripture as the
"Jerusalem which is above . . . which is the mother of us
all" (Gal. 4:26.) The Church of the Lord Jesus is like a
mother. Her love for sinners is the hallmark of her
existence.
Happy Mother's Day to every mother! Thank you
for loving us in spite of the way we act. Your godly
example is providing us with insights and understanding
regarding the very nature of God.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
MOTHER’S DAY
ob said: "Ask now the beasts, and they
shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air,
and they shall tell thee . . . (Job 12:7.)
Obviously, there are some lessons in life which we can
learn from such creatures. Consider, for example, the
stork and the ostrich.
The Hebrew word for "stork" comes from a root word
meaning "constant, loving, and loyal." In Palestine the
stork became a symbol of parental loyalty and love.
Perhaps this is the reason for the famous fable about
storks bringing little children into the world. Every parent
could profit from the examples of loyalty and faithfulness
of many creatures created by God.
The "ostrich," however, is not a good parent.
Maybe we could learn something from her too. The
Scriptures accuse the daughters of Israel of being "cruel
like the ostriches in the wilderness." "Even the sea
monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their
young ones: the daughter of my people is become
cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness"
(Lamentations 4:3). Even more explicit are the words of
Job regarding how the ostrich treats her eggs. She
leaves them in the earth unmindful that someone might
step on them, or that a wild beast might crush them.
"She is hardened against her young ones as though
they were not hers . . . God hath deprived her of
wisdom,
neither
hath
he
imparted
to
her
understanding" (Job 39:15-17).
Today we speak of people as: "wise as an owl,"
"sly as a fox," or "strong as an ox." In ancient times there
.
A Stork or an Ostrich
J
MOTHER’S DAY
The work of a mother is eternal.
The famous faces on Mt. Rushmore have been
admired by millions. The first great viewing occurred on
July 4, 1930. A crowd of 2,500 gathered to see the face
of George Washington. Spectators gasped as a huge
flag was slowly removed. Again, it is important not to
forget Washington’s mother. The sculptor’s work pales
into insignificance by comparison.
The likeness of President Jefferson was unveiled
on Aug. 23, 1936, and Lincoln's likeness was dedicated
Sept. 17, 1937. This was the 150th anniversary of the
adoption of the Constitution. Lincoln himself once said:
“All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel
mother".
It is not our intention to deprecate the noble work
of Gutzon Borglum, only to exalt the work of mothers.
Sydney Harris has observed that simply having
children does not make you a mother, any more than
having a piano makes you a musician. There is a special
work associated with the honor of motherhood. She
does not work with brush and canvas, hammer and
chisel, or pen and ink. She works with living souls to
fashion them into the likeness of Christ.
In this regard, Mary the mother of Jesus,
considered herself the most blessed woman in the world.
She said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my
spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath
regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for,
behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me
blessed” (Luke 1:46-48).
What Mary did with Jesus makes the work of
Leonardo Da Vinci seem utterly insignificant.
MOTHER’S DAY
r. Benjamin Rush was the Surgeon General
of the Continental Army and one of those
patriots who signed the Declaration of
Independence. After the war was over he delivered a
speech at the Young Ladies Academy in Philadelphia.
The date was July 28, l787 and the subject of his speech
was "Thoughts Upon Female Education." Dr. Rush
believed that women should receive the very finest
education, for it was his conviction that the moral and
spiritual status of a society would be governed by the
character of its women. He feared that American moral
values would deteriorate like those of Europe and that
the first harbingers of this dreaded possibility would be
seen in women. Permit me to quote from his speech,
"The first marks we shall perceive of our declension will
appear among our women. Their idleness, ignorance,
and profligacy will be the harbingers of our ruin. Then
will the character and performance of a buffoon on the
theater be the subject of more conversation and praise
than the patriot or the minister of the gospel . . ."
The influence of women upon society is so utterly
profound that it has been stated that the hand that rocks
the cradle rules the world. Napoleon said, "The future
destiny of the child is always the work of the mother."
John Q. Adams once said, "All that I am my mother made
me" Abraham Lincoln echoed the same sentiment: "All
that I am or ever hope to be I owe to my angel mother."
Henry Ward Beecher said, "The mother's heart is the
child's schoolroom" and an old Spanish proverb declares,
behave in such a way that our children will be blessed
both here and hereafter.
A Tribute to Mothers
D
MOTHER’S DAY
was a similar expression: "more foolish than an ostrich."
Great collections of tamed animals and birds date back
beyond 2,000 B.C. so it is possible that Job may have
had tamed ostriches living around his tent.
The ostrich is by far the biggest living bird. An adult
cock may stand eight feet tall and weigh 300 pounds. It
can run 50 miles per hour, but has a reputation for
stupidity. Many picture the ostrich with its head buried in
the sand oblivious to reality. Some think that one of the
Hebrew words for "ostrich" comes from a root word
meaning "greedy." Ostriches do have the habit of
swallowing inedible objects which sometimes proves
fatal.
Remember that we are dealing with a statement
of Scripture: "GOD HATH DEPRIVED HER OF
WISDOM, NEITHER HATH HE IMPARTED TO HER
UNDERSTANDING." The reason for these harsh words
is that the ostrich neglects her young. First, she leaves
her eggs in the dust oblivious to the fact that her unborn
babies might be destroyed. Furthermore: "She is
hardened against her young as though they were not
her's: her labor is in vain without fear" (Job 39:16).
Perhaps God deprived the ostrich of wisdom to
give good mothers an example to avoid. It is
irresponsible and dumb not to care for an unborn baby.
Every time a mother has an abortion she is behaving like
an ostrich. She is burying her head in the sand and
refusing to consider what she is doing.
Every expectant mother who uses alcohol and
drugs is behaving like an ostrich. She refuses to
consider that her selfishness might damage the health of
her unborn child.
Perhaps there is a little stork, and a little ostrich in
all of us. Let us learn from the beasts and the fowls to
MOTHER’S DAY
he fact that mothers love their children is
axiomatic. Isaiah 49:15 makes reference to
how hard it would be for a mother to forget
her sucking child. Isaiah 66:13 pictures the ultimate
consolation as being comforted by your mother. The
ultimate sadness is one who mourns for his mother
(Psalm 35:14). King Solomon was asked to determine
the custody of a little child. He easily identified the true
mother because he knew she would never knowingly
harm her baby (I Kings 3:24-28.) The mother of Moses
risked her life to save his (Ex. 1:8 - 2:10). The mother
Hannah made the ultimate sacrifice by surrendering her
son Samuel to the Lord (I Sam. 1:2 - 2:11). The mother
of Jesus was at the cross when others forsook Him and
fled (John 19:25 - 27).
Even animals have a strong maternal instinct. “A
bear robbed of her whelps,” is a proverbial way to
describe anger (2 Sam. 17:6). My father carried a scar
to his grave because he once got between a brood sow
and her pigs. Some years ago I was attacked by a cow
and flipped in the air. The day before she would have
eaten out of my hand. On that day, however, she had
just given birth to a new calf.
It is important to remember that love is the
primary message of Scripture. Jesus said that all the law
and the prophets could be summarized by two brief
commandments about love (Matt. 22:37-38). You can
obey God without love, but you cannot love God without
obeying Him (John 14:21-24). Mothers help to flesh out
this eternal truth as they love and care for their children.
Mothers and Love T
MOTHER’S DAY
"An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy."
I know that my own mother has had a profound
influence upon my life and I also know that words are not
adequate to express my love and appreciation for all that
she has done for me. An unknown author has given it a
try, however, in this beautiful tribute to mothers.
She carried me under her heart and loved me
before I was born.
She took God’s hand and walked through the
valley of shadows that I might live.
She bathed me when I was helpless, clothed me
when I was naked, fed me when I was hungry, rocked
me to sleep when I was weary, and sang to me with the
voice of an angel.
She held my hand when I learned to walk. She
suffered with my sorrow and laughed with my joy. She
glowed with my triumph, and as I knelt by her side she
taught my lips to pray.
Through all the days of my life she has given me
strength for my weakness, courage for my despair, and
hope when other hope was gone.
She was loyal when others failed. She was true
when tried by fire. She was my friend when my other
friends were gone.
She prayed for me through all my days, whether
they were flooded with sunshine or saddened by
shadows.
Though we lay down our lives for her, we can
never pay the debt we owe to our mother.”
MOTHER’S DAY
“My Mother,
and “most demanding” lifestyle is not law, it is love. To
love your neighbor as yourself is the law and the
prophets!. This kind of love impacts every area of our life
and every aspect of our being.
The essence of love is personified in motherhood.
Jesus said: “A woman when she is in travail hath
sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as
she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no
more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the
world” (John 16:21). The pain she experienced is
eclipsed by her overwhelming love for her precious child.
How utterly simple! How utterly profound!
It goes without saying that every person on earth
has a mother. Our mothers not only feed and clothe us,
they personify to us the very nature of God. Their love
for us helps to prepare our hearts to receive the
indwelling Christ, and to know His love which passes
knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fulness of
God!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
MOTHER’S DAY
There are some who feel that love is a limp
wristed alternative to law. They feel that law is strong,
and love is weak. They are wrong! Exactly the reverse
is true. Love is the most powerful force in the universe.
It was love that caused God to send His Only Begotten
Son to the cross. Perfect love casts out fear. The police
will let you get by with a lot of things your m other wont.
Her love is far more demanding than law. After seventy-
three years of atheism the Soviet Union discovered that
a mother will take better care of her child without charge
than the best baby sitter will for money. Baby sitters are
controlled by law, but mothers are motivated by love.
The very nature of God is to love, and the nature of love
is to give. God so loved that He gave. So do mothers!
The Sermon on the Mount provides a striking
contrast between the message of Law, and the message
of Love.
#
The Law commanded not to kill, love forbids us to
get angry (Matt. 5:22-23).
#
The Law required gifts, love makes those gifts
meaningless unless we love (Matt. 5:23-24).
#
The Law taught against adultery, love forbids
even lust (Matt. 5:27-28).
#
The
Law
taught
revenge,
love
requires
forgiveness (Matt. 5:38-42).
#
The Law taught to hate enemies, Jesus taught us
to love enemies (Matt. 5:43-48).
#
There is a way around law, but there is no way
around love!
Jesus taught us to enter in at the straight and
narrow gate (Matt. 7:13-14). The way to heaven is so
difficult that only a few will find it. The verse immediately
before this is the Golden Rule. What God has joined
together man should not put asunder. The “straightest”
MOTHER’S DAY
men the reverse is true.
The woman can menstruate, get pregnant, and
nurse her baby. She has more different hormones than
does man. The same gland behaves differently in the
two sexes. The woman's thyroid is larger and more
active. It enlarges during pregnancy and menstruation.
This makes the woman more prone to goiter, provides
resistance to cold, and is associated with her smooth skin
and relatively hairless body. It also contributes to
emotional instability so that a woman will laugh and cry
more easily than man.
A woman has a larger stomach, kidneys, liver,
and appendix, but smaller lungs. Her heart beats more
rapidly (80 vs. 72), her blood pressure is lower by 10
points, and she is much less tendency to high blood
pressure, at least until after menopause. In brute
strength she is 50% inferior to her husband but will
outlive him by three to four years. Her breathing power
is lower by a 7:10 ratio. Her blood contains more water
but 20% fewer red cells. She tires more easily and is
more prone to faint. During World War II British factories
from increased from 10 to 12 hour work days. Accidents
of women went up 150%, of men, not at all.
God did not create the woman for strength,
speed, and combat, but for a totally different purpose.
While some are single, or barren, every woman is gifted
by God with those wonderful qualities associated with
being a mother.
Girls cannot be taught to grow a beard, and boys
cannot be taught to have a baby. We are different!
Rather than rebel at this reality, it ought to be celebrated.
Please do not regret or resent the way that you were
created by God. No matter who you are, you have a
special purpose and calling. As you present your body
MOTHER’S DAY
hen God made the heavens and the
earth, everything was good but man.
The light was good (Gen. 1:4). The
earth and the seas were good (1:10). The herbs and
trees were good (1:12). The sun, moon, and stars were
good (1:18). The creatures were good (1:21). The
beasts and creeping things were good (1:25), but it was
NOT good for man to be alone (2:18).
Therefore, God determined to make a woman.
After creating the woman God pronounced that it was
"very good" (1:31). The woman was the consummate act
of creation. She was the perfect counterpart to man.
Since Adam could not reproduce, the woman was
designed to become the "mother of all living" (3:20). All
of creation reproduced "after its kind," but the ultimate act
of reproduction was to be experienced by man and
woman. This union would be so profound and beautiful
that it would be chosen by God to represent the
relationship of Christ and the church.
Dr. James Dobson in his book "What Wives Wish
Their Husbands Knew About Women," declares that the
men and women are different in every cell of their bodies.
The differences between men and women are not
learned from culture, but are an integral part of the way
we were created by an omnipotent and omniscient God.
Here are some differences that Dr. Dobson lists.
Women have a different skeletal structure than men do.
They have a shorter head, broader face, chin less
protruding, shorter legs and longer trunk. The first finger
of a woman's hand is usually longer than the third; with
The Making of a Mother W
MOTHER’S DAY
other Teresa was one of the most famous
women in the world. Perhaps reflecting
on her life will help us in our own spiritual
journey. She was born in Skopje, Yugoslavia in 1910.
Her original name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. In 1928
she decided to become a nun and traveled to Dublin,
Ireland to join the Sisters of Lereto, a religious order
founded in the seventeenth century. After studying in the
convent for less than a year, she left to joint the Loreto
convent in the city of Darjeeling, in northeast India. On
May 24, 1931, she took the name “Teresa” in honor of
St. Teresa of Avila, a sixteenth-century Spanish nun.
In 1929 she was assigned to teach geography at
St. Mary’s High School for girls in Calcutta. In 1946 she
received consent from her archbishop to leave her
position and minister to the poor. Her heart was touched
by the children abandoned in the streets, and the millions
who were dying of starvation and disease. God seemed
to honor this decision and in 1948 Pope Pius XII granted
her permission to live as an independent nun. That
same year she became an Indian citizen. After studying
for three years with American Medical Missionaries in the
city of Patna, India, she returned to Calcutta and founded
the Missionaries of Charity. She chose a plain white sari
for her habit. It had a modest blue border and a simple
cross pinned to her left shoulder.
In 1949 she was joined by her first recruit, a
young girl from the city of Bengal. Many who joined her
order in the next few years were former students from St.
Mary’s. Each recruit was expected to devote her life to
serving the poor without accepting any material reward.
Mother Teresa M
MOTHER’S DAY
as a "living sacrifice," do not be "conformed" to the world, but "transformed" by the renewing of your mind.
MOTHER’S DAY
world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:24-26)
His Mother and Mine
“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother,
who has been a mother to me too”
(Rom. 16:13 NIV)
T
he word “mother” as it is used in Scripture
does always refer to a biological parent.
The disciples were promised, for example,
that no one had left houses and mothers for Christ, but
what they would receive a hundredfold more houses and
mothers in this life (Mark 10:28-30). Perhaps the mother
of Rufus was this kind of mother to Paul.
First, let us concentrate on the identity of Rufus.
The name “Rufus” means “red” and is found but two
times in the Bible , Mark 15:21 and Rom. 16:13. The
reference in Mark seems to indicate that those who
received that Gospel were familiar with Rufus. While
describing the crucifixion, Mark relates that Simon of
Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross for Christ. He
then explained that this Simon was the father of
Alexander and Rufus. Thus the father who might not be
known was identified by the sons who were.
It is commonly believed that Mark wrote his
Gospel for the Christians in Rome. This adds weight to
the idea that the Rufus of Mark 15:21 and the Rufus of
Romans 16:13 were one and the same person.
But now the question arises: “How was the
mother of Rufus also the mother of Paul?” There are at
least two viable possibilities. They could have known
one another in (1) Jerusalem, or (2) Antioch. The latter
seems more plausible to me.
MOTHER’S DAY
In 1952 her order received permission to use a
portion of an abandoned temple to the goddess Kali, the
Hindu goddess of death and destruction. Here Mother
Teresa founded the Kalighat Home for the Dying. People
from the streets were brought here to be comforted
during the last hours of their life.
In the mid 1950's she began a special effort to
help lepers. The Indian Govt. gave the Missionaries of
Charity a 34-acre plot near the city of Asansol. Here
Mother Teresa founded a leper colony called Shanti
Nagar (Town of Peace). In 1962 the government of India
gave her the Magnificent Lotus award.
In 1965 Pope Paul VI placed the Missionaries of
Charity under the direct control of the Papacy and
authorized expansion of the order outside of India.
Centers to treat lepers, the blind, the disabled, the aged
and the dying sprang up around the world. One was
opened in Rome in 1968. Her selfless spirit also
spawned the formation of schools, orphanages and a
male companion organization known as the Brothers of
Charity.
In 1971 she was honored with the first Pope John
XXIII Peace Prize. The next year the Indian Govt.
presented her the Jawaharlal Nehru award for
International Understanding. In 1979 she received the
Nobel Peace Prize. All of the awards were accepted on
behalf of the poor, and any money received was used to
help those in need. At the time of her death, I am told
that Mother Teresa had virtually no earthly possessions.
Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and
whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
MOTHER’S DAY
Simon to take his family to Rome and help make
preparations. Remember, at the time Paul wrote to the
Romans he had never been to Rome. Yet he sent
personal greetings to twenty-four people in Rome with
whom he had close associations (Rom. 16:3-15).
On Paul’s third missionary tour he arrives at
Ephesus. Acquila and Priscilla were there at the time
(See 1 Cor. 16:8, 19). He also encourages them to go to
Rome. Then he also sends Epaenetus, his first convert
in Asia (Rom. 16:3-5). Paul’s excitement is building as
he has dreamed for many years of going to Rome, and
then using that as a base of operations to continue on to
Spain.
A short time later Paul arrived in Corinth and was
told that Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea,
was going to Rome. He calls for Tertius the scribe and
begins the dictation of the Roman Letter. As he
concludes the letter his mind is flooded with memories of
the great workers he has sent ahead. These were his
fellow workers and fellow prisoners. These were the
ones who had laid down their necks for him. Included in
the list was Rufus and his mother. This godly woman
had not only been a mother to Rufus, but also a mother
to Paul.
Our wonderful Lord has promised that not even
a cup of cold water given to help the cause of Christ will
be forgotten (Matt. 10:42). Surely the mother of Rufus
has many treasures laid up for her in heaven where moth
and rust cannot corrupt, and thieves do not break
through and steal.
Perhaps reading about this mother will inspire
others to follow in her steps!
MOTHER’S DAY
Please consider the following possibility. Simon
was a Jew from Cyrene in North Africa. It took great
personal sacrifice for him and his family to make the long
pilgrimage to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. While
there he is forced to carry the cross for Christ. Simon
and his family become Christians. Simon would logically
have a certain notoriety as the “man who carried the
cross.”
A short time later, Stephen is stoned and the
Christian are scattered from Jerusalem (Acts 8:1).
Instead of going back to Africa, however, Simon moves
to Antioch to share his faith. Consider this reference
from Acts 11:19-20: “Now they which were scattered
abroad upon the persecution that arose about
Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and
Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the
Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus
and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch,
spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.”
Barnabas also came to help in Antioch for a great
number of people were added to the Lord. Barnabas
then departed to Tarsus to seek for Saul (who later is
known as the Apostle Paul.) They assembled for a
whole year with the church in Antioch and taught much
people (Acts 11:26.)
It seems quite plausible that Paul could have
stayed with the family of Simon of Cyrene during this
year. The first hand testimony of Simon about the
crucifixion would have been quite helpful to Paul.
Years later, when Paul returned from his second
missionary journey to Antioch, he again finds lodging in
the home of Simon. Now, however, Paul is obsessed by
a burning desire to preach the Gospel in Rome (see
Rom. 1:132; 115:23, 24, 28, 29, 32). He prevails upon
MOTHER’S DAY
constant companion during those formative years of His
life when He advanced in wisdom, in stature, and in
favour with God and man.
Thirty-three years later His beaten and mutilated
body would be nailed to a cross. Most of His disciples
had forsaken Him and fled. His mother, however, did not
forsake Him. She was true though tried by fire. She
was His friend when other friends were gone.
Convulsing in agony He would find it difficult to speak.
Straining on the nails He raised Himself and spoke to His
mother.
The agony of her weeping face brought back
thousands of precious memories. Through her eyes He
gained His first human perspective of God. Through her
lips He came to experience the melody and meaning of
the very Psalms His Spirit had inspired.
At that moment Jesus gazed into the future and
foresaw the time when Mary would be too old and feeble
to care for herself. The days would come when she
would need someone to clothe her when she was naked
and feed her when she was hungry. Someday she would
need a steady hand to help her walk and to care for her
when the withering hand of time had rendered her
incapable of caring for herself.
Standing by His mother’s side was that disciple
whom Jesus loved. Struggling to gain His breath, Jesus
gasped: “Woman, behold thy son.” Stretching for
another breath of air He agonized again and said to His
disciples, “Behold thy mother.”
Then, the Scriptures teach that after this Jesus
knew that all things were accomplished. Now that He
had cared for His mother He could care for the rest of us.
He knew no sin, but became sin for us that we might
become the righteousness of God through Him.
MOTHER’S DAY
ecause Jesus was conceived of the Holy
Spirit, Joseph was only His foster father.
But Jesus did have a mother. It is logical
to assume, therefore, that His relationship to her was no
different from that of any other normal child.
This being true, on the day of His conception two
microscopic cells combined in Mary’s womb. Within two
weeks a bubble-like sac had formed around the baby
Jesus. Today we call this sac the “amnion” which is a
Greek word meaning “little lamb.” At only six weeks little
baby Jesus could already experience pain. At two
months brain waves began to flow and by the third month
he was sleeping, and waking, and breathing amniotic
fluid. At four months he was half as tall as he would be
at birth and possessed the capacity to move with ease.
He could even suck His thumb. Somewhere between
His fifth and sixth month, the unborn baby Jesus could
hear His mother’s voice and see the difference between
darkness and light. During the last three months before
His birth the baby Jesus could also taste and touch and
relate to the mood swings of His mother.
When he was born, the baby Jesus was cold,
hungry, and unable to even hold up His head. In that
moment of utter helplessness He felt the tender and
loving hands of His mother. She held Him to her breast
that He might find warmth and nourishment. She
wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a
manger.
Jesus had a mother. She clothed Him when He
was naked, fed Him when He was hungry, and cared for
Him when others did not even know He was alive. She
held his hand when He learned to walk. She was His
Jesus Had a Mother B
MOTHER’S DAY
(Judges 5:28).
Her wise ladies attempted to console her with
possible explanations. They assume that he was busy
dividing the spoils of war. They were wrong! This
mother’s vigil was in vain. Sisera would never come
home again.
Is it not touching, however, to see this poor
woman gazing through the lattice of her window? Can
you not see in her face a love for her son that transcends
the barriers of race or religion? Motherhood is an
emotional reality that it touches the totality of the human
race.
She looked out of the window as she had done so
many times before. Her look of deep concern was
nothing new. The wrinkles on her brow and the lines
upon her face were a testament to her love. It didn’t
matter what kind of a son she had, she loved him just the
same. “Why is his chariot so long in coming?” “Why
don’t I hear his car coming in the driveway?” “Why don’t
I get a letter from him in the mail?” “Why doesn’t he
call?” Such questions may not be unique to mothers, but
they are certainly characteristic of them.
Each one of us have seen this kind of concern
upon a mother’s face. We have seen it in the court room,
and the hospital. We have seen it in time of war and we
have seen it in times of peace. A mother’s love is so
comprehensive and complete that it is used by God to
illustrate the love experienced in the church. The church
of our Lord Jesus Christ is called in Galatians the
Jerusalem from above which is the mother of us all (Gal.
4:26).
It is exciting to know that the love of God for His
people is far greater than even the love of a mother.
Isaiah put it like this: “Can a woman forget her sucking
MOTHER’S DAY
Before Jesus died, however, He provided for us
an eternal reminder that He really did have a mother!
The Mother of Sisera
S
isera was the captain of the Canaanite
army under King Jabin. For twenty long
years the Canaanites had paralysed
Israelite commerce and subjected them to intolerable
oppression.
The military superiority of the Canaanites is
indicated by the fact that they had 900 chariots of iron
(Judges 4:13). Apparently the Israelites had none.
Under the guidance of the prophetess Deborah,
the people of God gathered at Mt. Tabor to challenge the
Canaanites. God promised to lure Sisera and his
chariots to the River Kishon and then deliver them into
the hands of the Hebrews. A sudden rainstorm played a
key part in the victory (Judges 5:4). The dry river bed
became a death trap for the Canaanites. Iron chariots
are not an asset in deep mud. Sisera jumped down from
his chariot and ran for his life. He fled for refuge to the
tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite.
Jael went out to meet him and told him to not be
afraid. She gave him milk to drink. Since his clothing
must have been wet she covered him with a mantle to
keep him warm, and soothed him off to sleep. It was a
fatal mistake for Sisera. Jael took a hammer and
fastened his head to the ground with a huge nail.
The people of God composed a song to
commemorate their victory over the Canaanites. That
song contains these words about the mother of Sisera:
“The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and
cried through the lattice, why is his chariot so long in
coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?”
MOTHER’S DAY
he idea for Father’s Day was conceived by
Sonora Louise Smart. She was the eldest
of six children. At least two things
combined to make Sonora want to honor her father.
First, her mother had passed away, and she appreciated
very much the fact that her father cared for the family. In
the second place, she was said to have resented the
ridicule heaped upon men. In those days before
prohibition it was fashionable to blame men and alcohol
for all the problems of society.
On Mother’s Day, 1909, Sonora went to church
and listened to the sermon. She had a loving,
courageous, and selfless father and longed to honor him.
His name was Henry Jackson Smart. Since she lived in
Spokane, Washington, she went to the Spokane
Ministerial Association and asked for help. She also
asked for help from the Young Men’s Christian
Association.
The first official Father’s Day observation was in
Spokane on June 19, 1910. This was Henry Jackson
Smart’s birthday. There is, of course, a biblical mandate
to honor our fathers, and the idea caught on. The United
States Congress officially recognized Father’s Day in
1914 and set the observance for the first Sunday in June.
In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the
third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Roses were
designated as the Father’s Day flowers: red to be worn
for a living father, and white if the father had passed
away.
Sonora Louise Smart married John Bruce Dodd.
She never tried to “cash-in on” or commercialize her
idea. She simply wanted to honor her father. Sonora
Father’s Day T
FATHER’S DAY
child, that she should not have compassion on the
son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not
forget thee” (Isa 49:15).
MOTHER’S DAY
More memorable than my household responsibilities,
were the endless stream of corrections which came my
way. My father never stopped correcting me. Just a
short while before he died, he looked at me from his
hospital bed and said: "Why don't you get rid of that
paunch?"
Father's obsession with physical fitness dates
back many years. On July 4, 1919, Jack Dempsey
knocked out Jess Willard, and became the heavyweight
champion of the world. Father was almost sixteen, and
it must have made a profound impression on him. He
held the champ in great admiration. Dad had only a few
professional bouts, but never stopped thinking of himself
as a fighter. Even in his eighties he would jokingly
introduce himself as the "Wasp waisted young Hank
Moutaaaaaaaaaaaaan."
So I gave reverence to my earthly father. I was
afraid not to! He would take a belt to me if I dared to
disobey. He tried to teach me anything that would help
me in life. I was thumped on the back a thousand times
and told to "straighten up!" He insisted that I take my
elbows off the table and stop eating like a field hound.
He never hesitated to tell me to wash my face, comb my
hair, brush my teeth, or shine my shoes. Sometimes he
would say, "You act like you fell out of a hickory nut tree
on your head." Or worse, "You'd have to go to summer
school before they'd let you in the insane asylum."
I never thought of such language as abusive.
Somehow, I was always certain of my father's love. My
reverence for him did not diminish through the years. On
Feb. 12, 1987, father was the victim of a debilitating
stroke and was bedfast for almost eight years. The fact
that he was privileged to die at home is a tribute to the
faith, strength and courage of my mother. She was his
FATHER’S DAY
y first memories of my father are pleasant
ones. I was only two or three, but I
distinctly remember his heavy winter
coat. It was lined with fur, and its pockets invariably held
some treasure which I was permitted to find. It was
usually only a stick of gum or piece of candy, but
unforgettably important. Occasionally, the "treasure
coat" would yield a trinket or toy purchased for a few
pennies at the local dime store. A bonding was taking
place between my father and me that would someday
help me to understand God.
The stability which my father brought to the
household enabled me to have a carefree childhood. I
never worried about food, clothing, or shelter. My father
provided for all of that. Beyond these necessities, I had
many things which I didn't need. I had presents every
birthday and Christmas and other blessings too
numerous to mention. My father spent a lot of time with
me. He taught me how to hunt and fish, play ball and
drive a car. As Jesus said, if I asked him for an egg, he
would never give me a scorpion.
Along with these many things which father did for
me were certain things that I was expected to do for him.
Reverence For Father
"Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh
which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the
Father of spirits and live?" (Heb. 12:9.)
A tribute to my earthly father, Henry Boyce Mouton
(July 12, 1903 - Dec. 5, 1995)
M
FATHER’S DAY
passed away March 22, 1978.
God Wants to be Our Father
"Come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto
you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty" (II Cor. 6:17-18).
T
he city of Corinth was infamous in the
ancient world. "To live as a Corinthian" was
synonymous with opulence and immorality.
The Athenians worshiped Athena, the goddess of
wisdom, but the Corinthians worshiped Aphrodite, the
goddess of love. Corinthian worship had degraded to an
orgy of insatiable lust. The Temple of Aphrodite had
more than a thousand prostitutes who were called
"hierodouloi," or "sacred slaves." These pitiful women
were used, abused, and discarded like so much human
debris.
Paul knew such worship was demonic (I Cor.
10:20). The Devil is a liar and a murderer. He rewards
his most ardent followers with death. Behind the thin
veneer of pleasure was a Pandora's Box of horrific
problems. The temple was a cesspool of physical,
emotional, and spiritual contamination. Venereal disease
was rampant and many worshipers became carriers.
Since Corinth was a seaport city, the ancient mariners
contaminated by Aphrodite, spread deadly diseases
throughout the whole world.
The command of God is to "come out . . . be
separate . . . and touch not the unclean thing." If we
would do this, then God will "receive" us and be a
"Father" unto us.
The ancient Jews told Jesus, "We be Abraham's
seed, and were never in bondage to any man" (John
FATHER’S DAY
principal care giver throughout his long illness.
I shall forever be grateful to God for my father. I
reverenced him in youth, and this respect was deepened
with the passing of time. There is, of course, an eternal
purpose for earthly fathers. Our fathers in the flesh teach
us how to give reverence to the Father of Spirits that we
might obtain eternal life. (See Hebrews 12:9)
Let us all, as the Scriptures teach, give reverence
to our fathers!
FATHER’S DAY
longingly waits for our decision. He wants to welcome us home and be our Father. Let's let Him do it!
FATHER’S DAY
8:33). Quite to the contrary, they had been in bondage
many times. They had been in bondage to the Egyptians,
the Amorites, the Philistines, the Moabites, the
Midianites, the Canaanites, the Babylonians, and many
others. In fact, at that very time they were in bondage to
the Romans. Roman soldiers were garrisoned in the
Tower of Antonia at the northwestern corner of the
temple area. That tower rose forty cubits above the rock
and was a constant reminder of Roman rule.
The Jews, however, were so steeped in satanic
delusion that they were out of touch with reality. Jesus
said: "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" (John 8:44.)
The divine prescription for their problem was to
"come out and be separate." They were to abandon the
world and come to Christ. They needed to sever their
ties with friends that were dragging them to hell. They
needed to break allegiance with a failed system that was
doomed for destruction. The fatherhood of God is
conditioned by our conduct. If we come out from satanic
activity He will receive us and be our Father. If we do
not, He will not!
Today, we have the blessed opportunity to
choose our father. We can be a child of Satan, or a child
of God.. We must, however, choose one or the other.
There are no half way Christians. We are either in the
world, or in Christ. No man can serve two masters. The
prodigal son had to make a choice, and so do we. He
could stay in a "far country" and eat with the hogs, or he
could come home to his father. God loves us and
FATHER’S DAY
Jesus to participate in the work of God.
This concept has far reaching implications for the
believer. If we see what God is about to do, we can
participate in it.
Take, for example, the feeding of the five
thousand. Other than the resurrection, this is the only
miracle that is found in all four Gospels. John observes
that Jesus knew in advance what was going to happen
(John 6:6). Jesus knew that God was going to feed the
multitudes.
Let us take another look at this miracle. The
disciples were looking at the crowd from a purely human
point of view. They were in a deserted place, and the
people were hungry. Therefore, the disciples said to
Jesus, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into
the villages, and buy themselves victuals" (Matt. 14:15).
Jesus knew what God was about to do and said: "They
need not depart; give ye them to eat." Just think, if the
disciples had seen what Jesus saw, they could have
done what Jesus did!
The Christians in Southern Mexico have a saying:
"estamos arando." It means "we are plowing." The
saying assumes significance when you know the story
behind it. Someone saw a fly on the horn of a gigantic
ox. They asked the fly what it was doing. It answered:
"estamos arando," "we are plowing". Our Mexican
brothers know that we are "laborers together with God."
If we do what God is doing we plow a furrow. If not, we
leave a fly speck.
Our modern world has been amazed by the
collapse of atheism in Russia and a great revival in
China. Historical events of such significance are not the
result of human strategy and strength. God is at work.
He is doing many things in our modern world. His works
FATHER’S DAY
What the Father is Doing
"Then answered Jesus and said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing
of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what
things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son
likewise" (John 5:19).
T
hough Jesus was God, He emptied Himself
of Deity and was born as a man. He
assumed the same human limitations that
we have. He was willing to be tempted in all points just
like we are. He took a human body that needed food and
raiment just like we need. He got thirsty, tired, and
sleepy just like we do. The All Powerful Sovereign of the
Universe nursed the virgin's breast to survive. His infinite
mind was replaced by brain of an infant. He had to learn
to walk, and talk, add and subtract, work and play. It is
obvious that Jesus could accomplish no more by human
wisdom and energy than we can.
The secret of His amazing life and ministry,
however, did not involve human wisdom and energy.
Jesus said, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine
own will, but the will of him that sent me" (John 6:38).
God had a plan! It was conceived before the foundation
of the world. God knew exactly what He was going to do.
Jesus came to earth to help fulfill the plan of God. His
earthly life and ministry had significance, only as it
related to what God was doing. Jesus said: "The Son
can do nothing of Himself"! (John 5:19)
Jesus, however, had such a close relationship
with God, that God revealed to Him what He was going
to do before it came to pass. "For the Father loveth the
Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth"
(John 5:20). Seeing what God was about to do, enabled
FATHER’S DAY
o you have family troubles? It seems that
most people do! Last week it was
suggested to me that Jesus had family
troubles. I had never thought of that before. I knew that
Jesus was tempted in "all points like as we are," but
somehow, I had never associated that with "family
troubles."
A dear friend Gary Reed, helped me years ago to
empathize with Mary. She was the world's first, and only
pregnant virgin. Surely she must have had great
difficulty convincing family and friends that her story was
true. This may explain why she went "with haste" to visit
her cousin Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea (Lk.
1:39). Elizabeth knew about the angel Gabriel, and had
also experienced a miracle. She could probably
understand Mary better than her own mother. Once you
think about it, it seems quite plausible that unbelief in
Nazareth would naturally have had a negative impact
upon the family of Jesus.
While the Christian community accepts the story
of the virgin birth, most others do not. This was
apparently true even in Jesus' day. The Jews said to
Jesus,"We be not born of fornication" (John 8:41). They
probably thought that He was. Such gossip, as you
know, it often harmful to a family.
When Jesus was twelve years old He became
separated from his parents at the Passover (Lk. 2:42 ff).
This is the last time that Joseph is mentioned in the Bible.
Most believe that Joseph died, and that Jesus was raised
in a single parent home. This too, is another powerful
stress component.
The Scriptures teach that Jesus had four
Family Troubles? D
FATHER’S DAY
are great and He is greatly to be praised. When we see
what God is doing we too can become a participant.
When we do become co-laborers with Christ it is
important that we remember of give God the glory. A
dear friend said that Mother Teresa was asked how she
kept the many accolades she received from going to her
head. Her beautiful response was something like this:
"Palm Sunday was to honor Jesus, not the little jackass
who just happened to be associated with Him."
FATHER’S DAY
His mother. He asked John the Apostle, not His
brethren, to care for Mary (John 19:25-27).
Yes, Jesus was tempted in all points like as we
are, yet without sin. Whatever family troubles He may
have encountered did not keep Him from doing the will of
His Heavenly Father. Neither should ours!
It is encouraging to note that James, the brother
of Jesus, repented of his unbelief and became an
outstanding leader in the early church. Let us pray that
unbelieving brethren will do the same.
FATHER’S DAY
brothers, and at least two sisters (Matt. 13:55-56; Mk.
6:3). John observed that during the ministry of Christ His
brethren did not believe in Him (John 7:5). This
incredible statement of fact is worthy of serious
consideration.
As the oldest male member of the family, Jesus
was in a position of leadership. Not only was He the
primary provider for the family in financial matters, but
spiritual matters as well. But when your brethren do not
believe in you, it is hard to be a leader. Jesus may have
had the same kind of trouble in His family, that you do.
Remember Joseph and his outrageous dreams of
leadership. God had destined for Joseph to be a leader,
but his family did not immediately accept that leadership.
The Scriptures state it succinctly: "Joseph dreamed a
dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated
him yet the more" (Gen. 37:5). Perhaps the brethren of
Jesus were jealous of Him in much the same way.
Even the friends of Jesus thought He had taken
leave of His senses. After choosing His twelve Apostles,
Jesus was so popular that He didn't have time to eat. At
this point Mark wrote: "And when his friends heard of it,
they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is
beside Himself" (Mk. 3:21).
When His family tried to interrupt His ministry,
Jesus said: "Who is my mother? And who are my
brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward
His disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my
brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my
Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother,
sister, and mother" (Matt. 12:48-50).
The relationship of Jesus with His brethren was
apparently so strained, that in the last moments of His life
He turned outside of His immediate family to find help for
FATHER’S DAY
T
he Ten Commandments were given to the
Children of Israel as they prepared to enter
the Promised Land. The first commandment that had a
promise involved honoring parents. If the Hebrew people
would do this, they would live long in the land which the
Lord their God was giving them. If they did not, their
country would soon crumble from internal decay and
weakness. People who do not honor their fathers and
mothers are only one generation away from national
disaster. Those who have never learned to take
instructions, are ill equipped to give them.
These words are particularly appropriate in
modern America. No unbiased observer could possibly
conclude that "honoring our fathers" is a national priority.
Hollywood movies, and television sit-coms focus on
fathers who are failures. Traditional family values are
constantly ridiculed. As if this were not bad enough,
revisionist historians are even attacking our ancestors.
Denigrating fathers and fatherhood does not come
without a price. It is an alarming indication of national
disaster.
Someone has correctly observed that it is better
to light a candle than merely curse the darkness. There
are many circumstances on the national and international
scene which are beyond our ability to remedy or even
understand. We can, however, on this Father's Day,
honor our Fathers and remember that God always keeps
His promises.
FATHER’S DAY
n 1907 Brother Henry Grabler was saved from
a whipping by a man who handed him these
words on a card. The truth of these words is
especially appropriate on Father's Day.
Honor Thy Father
"Honor thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with a promise" (Eph. 6:2)
I
MY CREED
Do no leave the alabaster boxes of your love
and tenderness, sealed up until your friends are
dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak
appreciating words while their ears can hear them,
and while their hearts can be thrilled and made
happier; the kind things you meant to say when they
are gone, say before they go. The flowers you
meant to send for their coffins, send to brighten and
sweeten their homes before they leave them. If my
friends have any alabaster boxes laid away, full of
fragrant perfume of sympathy and affection, which
they intend to break over my body, I would rather
they would bring them out in my weary hours and
open them, that I may be refreshed and cheered
while I need them. I would rather have a plain coffin
without a flower, a funeral without a eulogy, than a
life without the sweetness of love and sympathy.
Post mortem kindness does not cheer the burdened
spirit. Flowers on the coffin cast no fragrance back
over the weary way.
FATHER’S DAY
No wonder Adam was “not deceived”. He had
spent so much time with God that he understood his
word more clearly than his wife. Eve should have
listened to him!
It is fair to ask, however, if Adam was not
deceived, why did he sin? Why did Adam deliberately do
something that would bring death? It is obvious that he
did not do it for God, or himself, so he must have done
it for his wife. Somehow, she nagged or seduced him
into the denial of his own reason. This does not excuse
his action. The Scriptures are explicit that by one man
sin entered into the world and death by sin (Rom. 5:12).
In Adam, all die (1 Cor. 15:22). The influence that Eve
had over Adam does not excuse his sin, but it is more
powerful than most men are willing to admit.
But it is also fair to ask why Eve sinned? Even if
she was deceived she still should have submitted to the
leadership of her husband. But she didn’t submit to her
husband. She submitted to a stranger. It is indeed
incredible that the first woman on earth had more respect
for a stranger than for God or her own husband.
This Scripture is worthy of serious study at any
time of the year, but especially on Father’s Day. In
reflecting on this we approach a truth which is
foundational to Christ and the church. It is a truth which
can transform the home, the church, and all of society.
him to name (2:19).
#
Adam named all the cattle, fowl, and beasts
(2:20).
#
No helper was found suitable for man (2:21).
Then . . . after all this . . .
#
God caused a deep sleep to come on Adam and
formed Eve from his rib (2:22).
FATHER’S DAY
Adam was not deceived . . .
“Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam
was not deceived, but the woman being deceived
was in the transgression” (I Tim. 2:13-14).
T
he passage before us teaches two things
about Adam. First, he was formed before
Eve. Second, he was not deceived. It also
teaches two things about Eve. First, she was formed
after Adam. Second, she was deceived.
There may be many reasons why Eve was
deceived, and Adam was not. This Scripture, however,
points to only one. Adam was was “first formed.”
Please prayerfully consider this list of events
chronicled in Genesis 2:
#
God formed Adam from the dust of the earth and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and
man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7).
#
God planted a garden eastward in Eden (2:8).
#
God made every tree pleasant to the eyes good
for food to grow in the garden (2:9).
#
God also put the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil in the garden (2:9).
#
God placed a river there to water the garden
(2:10).
#
God put Adam in the garden to dress and keep it
(2:15).
#
God commanded Adam to eat freely of every tree
in the garden, but one (2:16).
#
God forbade Adam to eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil lest he die (2:17.)
#
.God determined it was not good for man to be
alone (2:18.)
#
.God brought to Adam every beast, and fowl for
FATHER’S DAY
he chronology of creation progressed from
the non-living to the living, and from
animals to man. God created the animals
before He created man (Gen. 1:25-26), and He created
man before He created woman (Gen. 2:22).
It is not clear how much time lapsed between the
creation of Adam and the creation of Eve. It seems
clear, however, that there was enough time for God to:
#
Put man in the garden to work it and take care of
it. (Gen. 2:15).
#
To command man not to eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 21:17).
#
To recognize that it was not good for the man to
be alone (Gen. 2:18).
#
And to allow Adam the privilege of naming all of
the beasts and birds (Gen. 2:20).
#
After all this God took one of Adam’s ribs and
created the woman.
Many years later, the Apostle Paul would make
reference to this order of creation and remind Timothy
that “Adam was first formed and then Eve” (I Tim.
2:13). He reminded the Corinthians of the same thing
and wrote: “Man did not come from the woman, but
the woman from the man” (I Cor.11:8).
This chronology is important because the woman
was not present during the earlier conversations that her
husband had with God. She was not there when God
placed Adam in the garden to take care of it. She was
not there when God commanded her husband not to eat
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She was
An Attack on Adam
“Did God really say, ‘ You must not eat from any
tree in the garden’”? (Gen.3:1 N.I.V.)
T
FATHER’S DAY
It is stated clearly in Eph. 5:21-33. As the church is
subject unto Christ, wives are to submit to their own
husbands in everything. Husbands are to love their wives
as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it (Eph.
5:25).
What would the world be like if husbands loved
their wives as Christ loved the church, and wives
submitted to their own husbands in everything? It would
be like paradise!
FATHER’S DAY
attack is still on fathers. Not just on our early fathers, but
even on God Himself.
Some years ago actress Jodie Foster was
featured on the cover of People Magazine. The
headlines read “And Baby Makes Two.” The father was
out of the picture. He was but a “sperm donor” and
therefore considered as inconsequential. The message
is much the same as that in Eden. Don’t trust a man!
Don’t trust God! Trust yourself! Satisfy yourself! Paul
said it like this: “But I am afraid that just as Eve was
deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may
somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure
devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).
FATHER’S DAY
not there when Adam named all of the beasts and the
birds.
AS
FAR
AS
THE
SCRIPTURES
ARE
CONCERNED, ALL EVE KNEW ABOUT ALL OF THESE
SUBJECTS IS WHAT HER HUSBAND TOLD HER!
The serpent was the original predator. Many
animals have the capacity to exploit weakness and
destroy their prey, but he was more crafty than them all.
A good case can be made that he not only wanted the
woman to question God, but also her husband.
“Did God really say that?” he asked. Are you sure
your husband didn’t make a mistake? Like a deadly
spider the devil was spinning a web of deceit. In her
short and innocent life, the woman had never doubted
her husband about anything. Now this tantalizing idea
was placed before her with great mental dexterity and
skill. Maybe Adam was wrong. The tree was good for
food. It was pleasant to the eyes. It was desirable for
gaining wisdom.
Once you have learned to doubt someone, it is
easier to doubt everyone. Eve’s doubt may have given
way to confusion. Maybe Adam did tell the truth, but
what if God Himself was trying to keep them from having
their eyes opened to know good and evil?
The rest, as you know, is history. Eve was
deceived. She ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to
her husband. Adam was not deceived, but ate anyhow.
By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin.
Many years have gone by since the day of Adam
and Eve, but the strategy of the wicked one is still the
same. He is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
Jesus said that when he tells a lie he speaks his native
language. His malignant distortions have spread like a
deadly virus throughout the earth and the focus of his
FATHER’S DAY
he’d just as soon have been a teacher.
A doctor once told me: “The women complain,
and the men die.” A Joplin woman helped confirm this
little saying by sharing a special sorrow she had at the
death of her husband. He died of a heart attack as she
was recuperating from surgery. She found in his wallet
a doctor’s report recommending heart surgery. He had
gone to the doctor without her knowledge and was quietly
waiting for her to get well before he took care of himself.
Sounds like a father to me.
Jesus told of a certain man who had two sons. It
seems that neither son appreciated him. The younger
son asked for his inheritance and went to a far country
where he wasted it in riotous living. When the prodical
son repented, the father forgave him. The older son,
however, was angry with his father. He refused his
invitation and rejected his love. As the saying goes: “it
sounds like deja vu all over again”.
Jesus assumed that fathers would be good. If a
son asked for bread the father would not give him a
stone, and if he asked for a fish he would not give him a
serpent (Matt. 7). Just because fathers may be good,
however, does not mean that we will treat them good.
Ham defiled his father, Noah (Gen. 9). Lot was like one
that mocked unto h is sons-in-law and his daughters also
defiled him (Gen. 19). Jacob lied to his father, Isaac
(Gen. 27). Jacob’s sons lied to him (Gen. 37). Absalom
usurped the throne and tried to kill his father, David (II
Samuel 17). When Absalom was killed David wept and
said: “My son, my son Absalom! Would God I had
died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (II Sam.
18:33). Joash the king, remembered not the kindness of
Jehoiada his father (II Chron. 24:22).
The most shocking example of disrespect,
FATHER’S DAY
Not Many Fathers
“For though ye have ten thousand instructors
in Christ, yet not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I
have begotten you through the gospel” (I Cor. 4:15).
The words before our text show how little the
Corinthians appreciated Paul.
#
v. 9 - He felt like a man condemned to death, a
spectacle to the world, angels, and men.
#
v. 10 - They were wise, he was a fool. They were
honorable, he was despised.
#
v. 11 - Paul went without proper food, clothing,
and housing.
#
v. 12 - He worked hard with his hands, blessed
those who reviled, and endured persecution.
#
v. 13 - He was defamed and made like the filth
and off scouring of all things.
#
v. 14 - He did not write to shame them, but to
admonish them like children.
#
v. 15 - They may have had 10,000 teachers, but
Paul was like their father.
#
v. 16 - Of all things, he wanted them to follow, or
imitate his example.
A
be Lincoln once quoted the man who was
tarred, feathered, and ridden out of town on
a rail. He said: “If it wasn’t for the honor,
I’d just as soon have walked”. It seems that Paul could
have said much the same. He was the man who brought
the Gospel to Corinth, and endured much hardship to
help them grow. When there was trouble in the church,
he blamed himself and Apollos to spare them (I Cor. 4:6).
They were rich and reigned as kings, but treated him like
trash. If it were not for the honor of fatherhood, perhaps
FATHER’S DAY
sn’t it strange that many of us didn’t want to
talk to our fathers when we lived at home.
Later, however, we treasure their advice.
Quite often we have moved away and have to talk to our
fathers “long distance.” Someone wrote:
#
4 years: My Daddy can do anything.
#
7 years: My Dad knows a lot, a whole lot.
#
8 years: Dad doesn't quite know everything.
#
12 years: Oh, well, naturally Father doesn't
understand.
#
14 years: Father? Hopelessly old fashioned!
#
21 years: Oh, that man is out-of-date: What
would you expect!
#
25 years: He comes up with a good idea now and
then.
#
30 years: Must find out what Dad thinks about it.
#
35 years: A little patience; let's get Dad's input
first.
#
50 years: What would Dad have thought about
that?
#
60 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once
more.
This same principle also applies to God. How
tragic that anyone should ever have to talk to God "long
distance." God wants to dwell in our hearts by faith. He
has designed our bodies to be temples for His Holy Spirit.
He desires to be such an integral part of our existence
that in Him we will live and move and have our being.
He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. We
ought to feel His presence every moment and be able to
converse with Him in a whisper. But alas! God is so far
away from many people, that if they talk to Him at all, it
Long Distance? I
FATHER’S DAY
however, is reserved for our Heavenly Father. God is the
Creator and Sustainer of all life. In Him we live and move
and have our being. We are utterly dependent upon Him
for every heart beat and every breath of air, but most
treat Him like the Corinthians treated Paul. God,
however, loves us just the same. Just as Paul wanted
his children in the faith to imitate him, let us also be
imitators of God as dear children. Let us walk in love as
Christ also has loved us and given Himself as an offering
and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2).
FATHER’S DAY
necessary to talk to God long distance, why not open your heart now and invite Him in?
FATHER’S DAY
has to be long distance.
Experts agree that most communication is
"nonverbal." From 60% to 90% of what we learn from
others does not come from words alone. The meaning
of words is enhanced by facial expressions and body
language. Close friends can say a lot without speaking
at all. A smile and loving touch may be an eloquent
answer to a burning question. An appropriate shrug of a
shoulder, or raised eyebrow may speak volumes. Such
intimate communion cannot be experienced "long
distance". It is reserved for those who are there. God
has given us five senses. We can hear, touch, taste,
see, and smell. Those who talk "long distance", are
limited only to what they can hear. How blessed it is to
open the door and invite God in to share each and every
experience of life. Jesus wants to share our every
sensation, and to be a part of every perception.
Whatever we do in word or deed, ought to be done in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the
Father through Him.
Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians:
"The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him" (Eph. 1:17). He wrote to the
Colossians that they might be "filled with the
knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding . . . and increasing in the knowledge
of God" (Col. 1:9-10). We need to have the "light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ" (II Cor. 4:6). Such intimate knowledge
does not come "long distance".
The institution of marriage provides insight and
understanding into the close relationship between Christ
and His church. To "know", in the Biblical sense, means
to become one so that a new life is produced. It isn’t
FATHER’S DAY
created. He was busy dressing and keeping the Garden
and communicating with his creator on a level so utterly
profound that it is all but beyond our wildest imagination.
Adam had such fellowship with God that the Lord
God brought every living creature into the presence of
Adam for him to observe and to name. After scrutinizing
each form of life Adam gave it a name, and whatsoever
Adam called every living creature, that was the name
thereof.
If little children in that distant era wanted to know
anything about biology, or zoology, or theology, they
could find no better or mor accurate source of information
than Ada. Adam was sinful, and fallible, and there were
undoubtedly many questions which he could not answer.
He was, however, the best source of information
available on the face of the earth.
Even the woman was informed by God: “And thy
desire shall be unto they husband, and he shall rule
over thee.” (Gen. 3:16).
Thus the age of the Patriarchs was born. The
word “patriarch” is a compound of the words for “father”
and “rule.” It refers to the age where the “fathers ruled”.
The fathers were the prophets, priests and kings. When
God desired to communicate to man He gave that
message unto the fathers. When sacrifices were to be
offered God gave that responsibility unto the fathers.
When sacrifices were to be offered God gave that
responsibility unto the fathers.
That which is reasonable and proper in the
Christian age cannot be divorced from the historical roots
of humanity. Thus the Scriptures direct woman “to be
under obedience as also saith the law” (1 Cor. 14:34).
Women are commanded to be in obedience to their own
husbands “even as Sarah obeyed Abraham” (1 Peter
FATHER’S DAY
ain and Abel had only limited sources of
information. There were no schools or
colleges to attend. There were no
magazines or periodicals to read. There were no
televisions to watch or children down the street with
which to confer. There was literally no human being
outside of their own immediately family from whom they
could learn.
Basically, they had only three options: (1) They
could learn by experience. (2) They could learn from
their mother. (3) They could learn from their father.
Ideally, of course, learning should include a
combination of all these sources of information.
Unfortunately, Cain and Abel did not live in an ideal
world. Because of sin they lived in a world of
fragmentation and conflict. They did not inherit Eden,
they inherited a world where the clash of ideas was a part
of their daily routine. In this kind of a world, where
should Cain and Abel go for advice? The answer is
obvious. They should have gone to their father.
The Scriptures are explicit: “Adam was first
formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but
the woman being deceived was in the transgression
. . . “ (1 Timothy 2:13-14). Adam had a special and
unique relationship with God before Eve was even
AND ADAM GAVE NAMES
“And out of the ground the LORD God formed
every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and
brought them unto Adam to see what he would call
them: and whatsoever Adam called every living
creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave
names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to
every beast of the field” (Gen 2:19-20).
C
FATHER’S DAY
nyone can conceive a child in an act of
passion, but the Scriptures teach that the
godly father must do more than that.
Please prayerfully consider these inspired words of Paul
to Timothy. “But if any provide not for his own, and
specially for those of his own house, he hath denied
the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Tim 5:8).
A caustic cartoon pictured three test tubes on a
mantel. The mother explained to her child, “This one in
the middle is your father.” Touche! An absent and
impersonal father is the only kind of father that many
children can relate to.
This is indeed an age of irresponsibility.
Everyone seems intent on placing blame on someone
else. The failing student blames the teacher. The
convicted criminal blames society. The poor blame the
rich. The AIDS patient blames the lack of research.
Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent.
There is, however, a sense in which God does
hold fathers responsible for the activities of their children.
Eli the priest, is an interesting case in point. His sons
were vile, almost beyond description. Consider these
words from Scripture: “Now Eli was very old, and
heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how
they lay with the women that assembled at the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation” (1 Sam 2:22).
God, however, expected Eli to correct and restrain his
sons. Consider this: “In that day I will perform against
Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his
house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I
have told him that I will judge his house for ever for
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
FATHERHOOD
A
FATHER’S DAY
3:6). The aged women were instructed to teach the
young women to “love their husbands . . . and to be
obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God be
not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:4-5)._
There is an old saying: “When all else fails, go by
the instructions”. At a time when the foundations of
society are crumbling, when divorce is eroding the basic
fabric of civilization; when little children are caught in the
vortex of a humanistic sewer, perhaps it is time to go
back to the instructions.
Honoring your father and mother is the first
commandment with a promise. The promise to the
Hebrews for honoring their parents was that they would
live long in the land which the Lord their God was giving
them.
The peace and tranquillity of our own nations also
hinges on this same simple truth.
FATHER’S DAY
Edgar A. Guest
FATHER’S DAY
the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons
made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli,
that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged
with sacrifice nor offering for ever” (1 Sam 3:12-14).
There are little eyes upon you,
And they’re watching night and day;
There are little ears that listen
To every word you say.
There are little hands all eager
To do the things you do.
And a little boy who’s dreaming
Of the day he’ll be like you.
You’re the little fellow’s idol,
You’re the wisest of the wise;
In his little mind, about you
No suspicions ever rise.
He believes in you devoutly,
Holds that all you say and do
He will say and do in your way
When he’s grown up just like you.
There’s a wide-eyed little fellow
Who believes you’re always right;
And his ears are always open
As he watches day and night.
You are setting an example
Every day in all you do,
For the little boy who’s waiting
To grow up just like you.
Edgar A. Guest said it like this:
A Father’s Example
FATHER’S DAY
one. He guided him in breaking down the altar of Baal,
selecting wives, repairing the House of God, and
spearheading religious reform. The Scriptures teach
that: “Joash did that which was right in the sight of
the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest” (II Chron.
24:2).
Finally, however, Jehoiada died at the age of 130
(II Chron.. 24:15). Almost immediately, the fickle King
Joash reverted to idolatry. He forgot all of the spiritual
lessons of Jehoiada and began the worshiping in groves.
The wrath of God descended upon Judah and Jerusalem
because of this trespass.
A series of prophets were sent by God to call
Joash to repentance. Their message, however, was
unheeded. Finally God sent Zechariah the son of
Jehoida to rebuke the idolatrous king. Zechariah was the
foster brother of Joash. Surely the wayward king would
listen with respect to a member of his own family. Surely
the sight of Zechariah would rekindle the many fond
memories of holiness and truth which both of these boys
had learned from their deceased father.
The Scriptures teach: “And the Spirit of God
came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest,
which stood above the people and said unto them,
Thus
saith
God,
Why
transgress
ye
the
commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper?
Because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also
forsaken you” (II Chron. 24:20).
Instead of repenting, however, the wicked king
commanded that his own brother be stoned death. The
only “crime” of Zechariah was that of speaking the word
of God. It is incredible, but true, that: “Joash the king
remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his
father had done to him.”
FATHER’S DAY
oash, the king of Judah, was the son of
Ahaziah. When Ahaziah was killed because
of his sin, his mother, Athaliah, decided to kill
all the children of the royal family that she might reign as
queen. Athaliah, as you recall, was the daughter of
Jezebel. This wicked woman was successful in killing all
of her grandchildren but one. His name was Joash.
Joash was rescued from death by the courageous
actions of his aunt Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the
priest (II Chron. 22:11). By comparing II Chron. 24:1
and II Chron. 24:15 we discover that Jehoiada was
eighty-three years old at the time. The sacrificial service
of this elderly couple not only saved the child’s life, but
ensured that a descendant of David would sit upon the
throne of Judah as God had promised.
The dangers involved in hiding this little boy for
over six long years are passed over in Scripture without
a single word. In the seventh year, however, Jehoiada
strengthened himself with the courage to make Joash the
king at the tender age of seven. The coup was
successful, the wicked Athaliah was slain, and a
descendant of David was back on the throne.
Since Joash was an orphan, Jehoiada became
his father. He helped save him from death, hid him for
over six years, and installed him as king. Obviously, a
seven year old boy did not have the wisdom the rule a
nation. So, in spite of his advanced age, Jehoiada was
the power behind the throne. Somehow he found the
strength to insure that the reign of Joash was a godly
JOASH REMEMBERED NOT!
“Thus Joash the king remembered not the
kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him,
but slew his son” (II Chronicles 24:22).
J
FATHER’S DAY
I. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the
purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating
the graves of comrades who died in defense of their
country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now
lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in
the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is
prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way
arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect
as circumstances may permit.
We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us,
for the purpose, among other things, “of preserving and
strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which
have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines
who united to suppress the late rebellion.” What can aid
more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the
memory of the heroic dead, who made their breasts a
barricade between our country and its foe? Their soldier
lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and
their death a tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We
should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that
the consecrated wealth and taste of the Nation can add
to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to
the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot
tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant
paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and
found mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect,
no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming
generations that we have forgotten, as a people the cost
Memorial Day Order (By General John A. Logan)
MEMORIAL DAY
Most of us are more like Joash than we would
care to admit. We are not “self made” individuals.
Someone else provided us with total care and protection
the first seven years of our lives. During our years of
adolescence someone else provided us with food and
shelter. Our “maturity” did not happen in a day. It came
as the fruit of many years of sacrificial service on the part
of others.
Joash died for the sin of his forgetfulness and
ingratitude. Surely God will not deal kindly with us if
follow in his ungodly steps. LET US DAILY BE
REMINDED OF THE KINDNESS SHOWN TO US BY
OTHERS!
FATHER’S DAY
n November 19, 1863, a cemetery was
dedicated at Gettysburg for those brave
souls who perished there in the Civil War.
Edward Everett, the famous orator, was the main
speaker. President Abraham Lincoln was among the
dignitaries who were present. He was asked to speak to
the assembly but no one present understood the
profound significance of his remarks. Mr. Lincoln
assumed that the world would little note nor long
remember what he was saying. The newspapers dutifully
noted: “Mr. Lincoln also addressed the assembly.” The
eloquent simplicity of President Abraham Lincoln is now
considered among the most famous speeches in human
history.
Day until more recent times. In an attempt the make the
work week more efficient the actual day has been
changed to create a three day weekend.)
The Gettysburg Address
O
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in
liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that ‘all men are
created equal.’
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether
that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so
dedicated, can long endure. We are met upon a great
battle field of that war. We come to dedicate a portion of
it, as a final resting place for those who died here that the
nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But,
in a larger sense, we can not dedicate it – we can not
MEMORIAL DAY
N. P. CHIPMAN
Adjutant-General
(Note - May 30th was recognized as the official Memorial
If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other
hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as
long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.
Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their
sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds
above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us
raise above them the dear old flag they saved from
dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our
pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left
among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude,
–the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.
II. It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to
inaugurate this observance with the hope it will be kept
up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains
to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He
earnestly desires the public press to call attention to this
Order, and lend its friendly aid in bringing it to the notice
of comrades in all parts of the country in time for
simultaneous compliance therewith.
III. Department commanders will use every effort to make this order effective.
MEMORIAL DAY
of free and undivided republic.
By command of:
JOHN A. LOGAN
Commander-in-Chief
udyard Kipling was born in 1865, the year
the Civil War was over. He became one of
the most famous people in the world.
Mark Twain said of him: “He knows everything that there
is to be known, and I know the rest”.
Though Kipling was born in Bombay, he was an
English citizen and staunch patriot. The fact that he was
widely traveled and well informed gave him keen insight
into the role Great Britain would play in the history of the
world.
His poem, THE RECESSIONAL, was composed
in 1897 for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The poem
was considered as an insult. It was said to have
embittered his enemies and did nothing to humble the
nation he loved.
Please prayerfully consider these words:
Lest We Forget R
The tumult and the shouting dies.
The captains and the kings depart.
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice.
A humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts be with us yet.
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
God of our father, known of old.
Lord of our far flung battle line.
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet.
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
MEMORIAL DAY
consecrate – we cannot hallow, this ground – the brave
men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed
it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world
will little note, nor long remember what we say here;
while it can never forget what they did here.
It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the
great task remaining before us – that, from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause
for which they here, gave the last full measure of
devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a
new birth of freedom, and that government of the people
by the people for the people, shall not perish from the
earth.”
#
The Pythagorean theorem has 24 words.
#
The Lord’s prayer has 66 words.
#
Archimedes’ Principle has 67 words.
#
The Ten Commandments have 179 words.
#
The Gettysburg address has 286 words.
#
The Declaration of Independence has 1,300
words.
#
The US Government regulations on the sale of
cabbage has 26,911 words.
Someone has observed that the
MEMORIAL DAY
#
Spanish American War (1899 - 1902)
2,445 dead
#
World War I (1914 - 1918)
116,516 dead
#
World War II (1939 - 1945)
405,399 dead
#
Korea (1950 - 1953)
54,246 dead
#
Viet Nam (1961 - 1975)
58,167 dead; 2,266 MIA
#
The Persian Gulf War (Jan. 16 - Mar. 3, 1991)
293 dead; 19 MIA
MEMORIAL DAY
If drunk with sight of power,
We loose wild tongues that have not Thee in awe.
Such boastings as the gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the law.
Lord God of Hosts be with us yet.
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
Lest we forget, here is a list of those who died in defense of the United States of America.
#
The American Revolution (1788 - 1783)
6,188 dead
#
The War of 1812 (1812 - 1814)
4,505 dead
#
The Mexican War (1846 - 1848)
4,152 dead
#
The American Civil War (1861 - 1865)
498,332 dead
Rudyard Kipling
For heathen heart that puts his trust
In reeking tube and iron shard.
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
and guarding calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word . . .
Thy mercy on Thy people Lord.
Far called our navies melt away.
On dune and headland sinks the fire.
Lo, all the pomp of yesterday.
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre.
Judge of the Nations spare us yet.
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
MEMORIAL DAY
hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared
to ask him of that saying.” The same truth is stated in
Mark 9:32. While the twelve disciples did not understand
the word of Jesus, Mary did! When it dawned upon her
that Jesus was about to die, she was overcome with
emotion. She took an alabaster box of very precious
ointment, broke it, and anointed Jesus. The value of the
ointment was said to be more than three hundred days
wages. It was, no doubt, her life savings. When Judas,
and the other disciples criticized her, Jesus came to her
defense. “Why trouble ye the women? For she hath
wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor
always with you; but me ye have not always. For in
that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she
did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you,
wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the
whole world, there shall also this, that this woman
hath done, be told for a memorial of her” Matt. 26:10-
13).
The fragrance of this expensive ointment filled the
house. Mary poured it on the head and feet of Jesus.
No doubt He carried the fragrance of her generous gift
with Him to His grave. When the High Priest entered into
the Holy of Holies he had to prepare the way with sweet
smelling incense or he would die (Lev. 16: 13). The last
breath of air inhaled by Jesus before He died was
blessed by the sweet smelling incense that Mary had
poured on His head just a few days before.
The other use of the word “memorial” in Scripture
involves the prayers of a Gentile Centurion named
Cornelius. He was a devout man, and one that feared
God. He also gave much alms o the people and prayed
to God always. One day as he prayed he had a vision of
an angel, who said: “Thy prayers and thine alms are
MEMORIAL DAY
he word “memorial” is found but three times
in the New Testament Scriptures in the KJV
(Matt. 26:13; Mk. 14:9; Acts 10:4). It is the
Greek word “mnemosunon” and refers to that which
keeps a memory alive. Twice it refers to Mary who
anointed Jesus with very precious ointment. The other
reference is to the prayers and alms of Cornelius. Just
as we keep our own Memorial Day, let us also reflect
upon those things which are specifically said to be
“memorials” in the Bible.
It was six days before the Passover. Jesus and
His disciples came to Bethany and dined in the home of
Simon the Leper. For more than six months Jesus had
been teaching repeatedly that it would be necessary for
Him to go to Jerusalem, and to suffer many things of the
elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be
raised again the third day (Matt. 16:21).
He had taken Peter, James, and John to the
Mount of Transfiguration where he spoke with Moses and
Elijah about His decease which He should accomplish in
Jerusalem (Lk. 9:31). On the way up to Jerusalem Jesus
said again: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son
of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto
the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and
shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge,
and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again”
(Matt. 20:18-19).
Remarkably, however, the words of Jesus were
not understood by His disciples. Consider, for example,
Luke 9:44-45. “Let these saying sink down into your
ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands
of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was
Memorials T
MEMORIAL DAY
en Merold said recently at a Church Growth
Seminar: "All good growth will be out of
control." Zounds! I thought. He's right!
Everyone knows that nothing is out of control to
God. That's obvious! Ben evidently meant that all good
church growth is out of man's control.
He further explained that in the course of teaching
hundreds of students on the graduate level, he required
many research projects. One such project involved
studying church records. The students discovered that
every six to nine years the average church experienced
numerical growth. When the church tried to "control" this
growth, however, it disappeared. It is not at all
uncommon for some churches to stay the same size for
decades. One reason for such lack of growth, involves
control. Our efforts to control church growth is an
indicator that we have more confidence in ourselves than
we do in God.
Let's consider an example straight from the Bible.
Suppose you are a part of a congregation of 120, and
you had 3,000 converts in a single day. This, as you
know, is precisely what happened to the church in
Jerusalem. Can you not appreciate the level of
discomfort this would bring to the average church board?
Things would be out of their control. How would they
protect their original little group from false teaching?
Such a large influx of new believers would be seen as a
grave danger to true doctrine. It would be the tail
wagging the dog. In such a large congregation, people
would be teaching without any man's approval or
credentials. Even with twelve inspired apostles on the
scene, such numbers are demonstrably unmanageable
Out of Control B
PENTECOST
come up for a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). This
remarkable passage gives new meaning and significance
to the word of Jesus about laying up treasure in heaven.
The sacrificial generosity of dedicated people like
Cornelius and Mary are never forgotten by God. Even a
cup of cold water given in the proper way will always be
remembered by God. These are eternal treasures in
heaven where moth and rust cannot corrupt, and thieves
cannot break through and steal.
But now, let us reflect upon the “memorials” which
we can bestow upon our wonderful Lord. Let us
endeavor to make the prayers we offer, the time we
devote, and the money we give be a worthy “memorial”
to our faith.
The late Jim Elliot said it beautifully: “He is no fool
who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot
lose”.
MEMORIAL DAY
Christians in Korea. Now the biggest churches in the
world are there. The evangelism of China is even more
exciting. Some have estimated that there are more
evangelical Christians in China than in any country on
earth. Just as in the First Century, this amazing growth
has been out of control. The wind blows where it wants
to. We can hear the sound, but we cannot tell where it
comes from, or where it is going. This is precisely the
illustration that Jesus used to describe those who are
born of the Spirit.
PENTECOST
by man.
The problem of control was magnified, however,
by the fact that these 3,000 new converts were
evangelistic. Once again the fear of false teaching rears
its ugly head. How can a conscientious board member
tolerate anything so out of control? Soon their number
was 5,000 men (Acts 4:4), and probably not one had
even received a Baptismal Certificate. Based on today's
mentality, many board members would be forced to
resign as a matter of conscience. Since things were out
of their "control", they would automatically assume that
apostasy was inevitable.
It has been estimated that the Jerusalem church
had grown to over 20,000 before they saw the need of
deacons. And then, of all things, they only appointed
seven. We have congregations today with only a
hundred members that have this many deacons. These
men in the Jerusalem Church, however, were not
appointed to control, but to serve.
Then the problem of control by man was made
even more difficult by persecution. Stephen was stoned
and these thousands of uncontrolled believers were
scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
From the human standpoint, the situation was manifestly
unmanageable. Fortunately, Jesus never lost control of
anyone or anything. No matter where believers were, or
what problems they faced, Jesus was in control. It is a
great relief to remember that the Head of the Body is not
separated from the members of His Body.
Perhaps the greatest church growth ever is taking
place in modern times. The Iron Curtain is down, and an
evangelistic fervor is sweeping Eastern Europe and
Russia. Parts of Africa are aflame with evangelism.
Only a few short years ago there were hardly any
PENTECOST
his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph.
1:22-23). Since the Spirit of Jesus dwells in every
believer, it is appropriate to say that "by one Spirit are
we all baptized into one body . . ." (I Cor. 12:13). In a
very real sense, we are "members of His Body" (Eph.
5:30).
We are not only to discern the body of Jesus that
was nailed to the cross, we are also to discern our fellow
Christians who are members of His Body. The church at
Corinth was filled with contention (see I Cor. 1:11; 3:3;
6:7; etc.) This bad feeling between these brethren
prevented them from partaking of the Lord's Supper. This
is explicitly stated in I Cor. 11:20-21.
This emphasis is continued in the following
chapter. "For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that one body,
being many, are one body: SO ALSO IS CHRIST!" (I
Cor. 12:12). A physical body has different members,
such as eyes, ears, hands, and feet, etc. The Body of
Christ has many members too. There is to be no schism
in the body. The Body of Christ is to be one! When one
member suffers, we all should suffer. When one member
rejoices, we all should rejoice (I Cor. 12:25-26).
The way we treat our brethren not only involves
the Lord's Supper, it will be a principal factor in our
salvation, or condemnation. What we do to our brethren,
we are doing to Jesus. The King shall answer and say:
"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40).
The Bible teaches that we are not only to love
God, we are also to love our neighbor. A failure to love
our neighbor has been a problem from the very
beginning. Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, tried
PENTECOST
Discerning the Body
"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,
eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not
discerning the Lord's body" (I Cor. 11:29).
I
t is essential that we "discern the body" when
partaking of the Lord's Supper. If we do not,
we eat and drink condemnation to ourselves.
First, and foremost, we must discern the human
body of Jesus that was nailed to the cross. We must
remember that Jesus took the form of man. This is
central to the Gospel message. He was born to die. He
was the Lamb of God, destined to take away the sins of
the world. He was tempted in all points, like as we are,
yet without sin. Though He knew no sin, God made him
to be sin, that we might become the righteousness of
God in him (II Cor. 5:21). His body was nailed to the
cross as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Jewish priests
made daily sacrifices, but we are sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all (Heb.
10:10). Jesus bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
that we being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (I Pet.
2:24). This is that great mystery about which the
prophets searched and inquired diligently. This is the
message which the angels desired to understand. It is a
crime against heaven to partake of the Lord's Supper
without remembering the body of Jesus that was nailed
to the cross.
But the Scriptures also use the word "body" in
another way. The word "body" is also used to describe
the church. Jesus "is the head of the body, the church
. . . " (Col. 1:18). The Bible affirms that God "gave Him
to be the head over all things to the church, which is
PENTECOST
avid Kelley, a dear Christian friend, recently sent
a study that convinced me that I am more like
the apostles than I thought I was. Quite
frequently we see these men as so super spiritual that we
could never do what they did. As I was reminded of these
scriptures, however, I kept saying to myself "I can do that!"
For example, Jesus said they were fools and slow of
heart to believe the prophets (Lk. 24:25). Such a thought
made me feel right at home. One day as they were traveling,
they forgot to take provisions. Zounds! I said, "I can do that!"
On another occasion they tried to cast out a demon and failed
(Mk. 9:18). Then they criticized a man who did cast out
demons because he didn't follow them (Mk. 9:38). Hey! I'm
starting to feel right at home.
Then there was the time the Samaritans refused them
hospitality and they wanted to call down fire from heaven and
destroy them (Lk. 9:54). Or what about the time they rebuked
those who brought little infants to Jesus (Lk. 18:15)? Or what
about the time they didn't understand Jesus and were afraid to
ask (Mk. 9:32)? By this time I'm starting to think: Hey! I'm
“apostolic timber” after all.
Then there are those many references to "fear" in the
apostles. They were afraid in a boat (Lk. 8:25). They were
afraid on a mountain (Mk. 9:6). When they saw Jesus walking
on the water and were afraid (John 6:19). When Peter saw the
wind and waves he also was afraid (Matt. 14:30). On the way
to Jerusalem they were "amazed and afraid" (Mk. 10:32).
After the resurrection they didn't say anything to any man
because they were afraid (Mk. 16:8). Maybe all of us are more
like the apostles than we thought we were!
The apostles disputed among themselves about which
of them was the greatest (Mk. 9:34). On another occasion
I Can Do That! D
PENTECOST
to worship God without loving his brother (I John 3:11-
12). The Scriptures are explicit: "If a man say, I love
God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that
loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can
he love God whom he hath not seen?" (I John 4:20).
WHEN YOU PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER,
REMEMBER TO DISCERN HIS BODY!
PENTECOST
homas Lindsay has written the book THE
CHURCH AND THE MINISTRY IN THE EARLY
CENTURIES. On pages 14-15 he offers a
perspective of some early Christians regarding the unity of
believers in the church of Jesus Christ.
"The unity of the Christian Church . . . is not confined
within the bounds of space and time as merely material entities
are. It can be present in many places at the same time, and
in such a way that, as Ignatius says, 'Where Jesus Christ is,
there is the whole Church.' The congregation at Corinth . . .
was not a Body of Christ, for there is but one Body of Christ;
not a part of the Body of Christ, for Christ is not divided; but
the Body of Christ in its unity and filled with the fulness of His
powers. It is in this One Body, present in every Christian
society, that our Lord has placed his 'gifts' or charismata . . .
The Christians of the early centuries clung to this
thought, and we have a long series of writers, from Victor of
Rome, in the second century, down to Clement of Alexandria
and Origen, who tell us that the whole Church of the redeemed
with Christ and the angels, is present in the public worship of
the individual congregation. The promise of the Master that
where two or three were gathered together in His Name there
would He be in the midst of them, was placed side by side with
the thought in the Epistle to the Hebrews that believers are
surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses; and the combination
suggested that in the simplest action of the smallest Christian
that we ask or think according to the power that worketh
in us. Unto Him be glory in the church . . . (Eph. 3:20-21).
There is One Body
"There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all,
and through all, and in you all . . . " (Eph. 4:4-6).
T
PENTECOST
they were moved with indignation against their brethren (Matt.
20:24). They criticized Mary for her generosity (Matt. 26:8).
They also had wrongful indignation against her (Mk. 14:4).
They slept while Jesus prayed (Lk. 9:32). They fled at the time
of His arrest (Matt. 26:56). They refused to believe the
testimony about His resurrection (Mk. 16:11). At the time
Jesus gave them the Great Commission, some still doubted
(Matt. 28:17).
Please consider these words of Scripture: "And it
came to pass in those days, that He went out into a
mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples:
and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named
apostles" (Lk. 6:12-13).
The apostles of Jesus were carefully chosen after a
night of prayer. He selected men who were quite ordinary. In
fact, they were just like us. We can identify with their lives.
We can do many of the things they did, and we can also
understand their fears and frustrations.
But wait! There were also other things which the
apostles did. They denied themselves and took up a cross.
They left their homes and went into all the world to preach the
Gospel. They were constantly in danger, and most died as
martyrs. They had thousands of converts and many
remarkable answers to prayer. Is it possible that we can do
these things too?
Yes we can! Apostolic power came from Jesus. These
men would have been total failures on their own. That's why
Jesus commanded them not to try it by themselves. He said
to "wait for the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4). He
promised them: "But ye shall receive power after that the
Holy Spirit is come upon you . . . " (Acts 1:8)
This same power is available to us today. "And now
unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
PENTECOST
he Bible word translated as "followers" is
"mimetes", from which we get our English word
"mimic". Some versions translate the word as
"imitators." Paul used the same word in I Cor. 4:16. In this
passage, he considered himself as their spiritual father, and
encouraged them to "imitate him" or be his "followers".
What did Paul mean by these words? He had a unique
calling as an apostle to the gentiles. Are we to imitate this?
Paul was not married. Are we to imitate this? Paul was
inspired to write books of the Bible. Are we to imitate this?
The answer to these questions is obviously, no! What then did
he mean?
Please consider! Paul wanted us to follow him, as he
followed Christ. How did Paul follow Christ? The answer is
obvious, he followed Him directly. In this regard there can be
no misunderstanding. Paul made it crystal clear that He did
not have a "second hand" relationship with Christ. He wrote to
the Galatians: "But I certify you brethren, that the gospel
which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the
revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1:11-12). The focus of
Paul's life and ministry was always to please God, and not
man. If fact, he said that if he tried to please men, he would not
be a servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10). His relationship with Jesus
did not come through Peter, James, or John. It did not come
through any man. Paul had a personal and direct relationship
with Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted all of to have. The
ultimate goal of every believer is to be "followers of God as
dear children" (Eph. 5:1).
It has been correctly stated that God has no
Followers
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ"
(1 Cor. 11:1).
T
PENTECOST
The thoughts of these early disciples are worthy of
serious study and contemplation. Christian worship is indeed
a profound experience. Consider, for example, the contrast
between Jewish worship, and Christian worship, described in
Hebrews 12:18-24. In this passage we are reminded that the
ancient Hebrews gathered to worship before Mt. Sinai. They
were summoned by the sound of the trumpet to a mountain
that quaked, and burned with fire. Anyone who dared to touch
that mountain, whether man or beast, was stoned or thrust
through with a spear. Even Moses was so terrified by the sight
that he did exceedingly quake and fear. As awesome as that
experience was, it pales into utter insignificance when
compared to Christian worship. The Scriptures continue:
"Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh
better things than that of Abel" (Heb. 12:22-24).
The next time you meet with your brothers and sisters
in Christ to worship God, remember that there is only One
Body!
fellowship there was the presence and the power of the whole Church of Christ . . . "
PENTECOST
"We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). So
should we!
The Curse of Ritualistic
Religion
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and
when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of
hell than yourselves" (Matt. 23:15).
T
he degenerative effect of Jewish religion is
obvious. Each new generation of converts
became progressively worse. When Moses
received the Law on Mt. Sinai the people were bad. When
Jesus was born they were worse. The first High Priest was
bad, and it was downhill from there on out. By the time Jesus
was on trial the High Priest was perhaps the most corrupt
person in the entire nation. Yet, the religion they espoused,
and the rituals they observed, were divinely ordained. These
laws, as you know, were not intended to make man righteous.
They were a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we
might be justified by faith. Worship by rote and ritual is
debilitating.
God has always intended to make us free. He even
described His own rituals as a prison (Gal. 3:23), weak and
beggarly elements which kept us in bondage (Gal. 4:9),
shadows and not reality (Co. 2:17), death and not life (II Cor.
3:7). He never intended us to be restricted by ritual forever.
He always wanted us to have the freedom to worship Him in
Spirit and in truth. He has redeemed us from the curse of the
law. He has brought us into the glorious liberty of the children
of God.
Max Lucado in his book "AND THE ANGELS WERE
SILENT", tells the story of Hans Babblinger. He lived in Ulm,
PENTECOST
grandchildren. Every child of God must have a personal and
direct relationship with their Heavenly Father. Once this is
understood, it is possible to do everything "as to the Lord."
Please consider these Scriptures:
! "Servants, obey in all things your masters
according to the flesh; not with eye service, as
menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And
whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not
unto men . . ." (Col. 3:21-23).
! "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord" (Eph. 5:22).
! "Servants, be obedient to them that are your
masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in
singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. Not with
eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ,
doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing
service, as to the Lord, and not to men" (Eph. 6:5-7).
! "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust
with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men,
but God, which trieth our hearts" (I Thess. 2:4).
! Etc.
Everyone is familiar with using a pattern. If you are
cutting boards according to a pattern, it is important that you
always go back to the original pattern as a guide. No matter
how careful you try to be, each copy of the original is slightly
different. The same principle applies to Christianity. Jesus is
our "Original Pattern". Jesus is the "ultimate example" for our
lives. Paul endeavored to pattern his life after Jesus. The
Corinthians were also to pattern their lives after Jesus, and so
are we.
Whatever we do, in word or deed, we are to do it "as to
the Lord, and not unto men." The Jewish leaders, for example,
commanded the apostles not to preach or teach in the name
of Jesus. Peter, and the other apostles, correctly responded:
PENTECOST
man should attempt to organize an ant hill, he would only
interrupt the flow of God's creative design. Every attempt to
create or promote worship by means of rote and ritual, is as
unnecessary as attempting to organizing an ant hill.
PENTECOST
Germany in the sixteenth century. He wanted to fly so he
made a pair of wings and ascended the Bavarian Alps. Strong
updrafts are common in the region. On that memorable day
he amazed his friends by soaring safely to the ground.
When the king came to town the local Bishop wanted
to impress him. He prevailed upon Hans for an exhibition of
flying. This time, however, they did not ascend the high Alps.
They chose instead to fly in the lowlands from the bluffs of the
Danube. It was a poor choice. Without the dynamic lift from
the mountain breeze, Hans fell like a rock to the river below.
The next Sunday the embarrassed Bishop proclaimed from the
pulpit that "Man was not meant to fly." Hans put his wings
away and never tried to fly again. The Cathedral at Ulm is now
empty. Most of its visitors are tourists who have traveled there
in an airplane.
It was at about this time that Galileo Galilei devised a
thermometer and a telescope. He became intoxicated by the
thrill of learning. He challenged the traditional views of the
church and espoused the teaching of Copernicus. He believed
that the earth revolved around the sun, and not vice versa. On
April 12, 1633 he was brought before a church tribunal and
forced to kneel down and recant his views. He was sentenced
to perpetual imprisonment. He died on Jan. 8, 1642. His
church had succeeded in keeping him from ever tasting
another breath of fresh air and freedom.
God is not the Author of confusion. He can be trusted
to orchestrate and direct the members of His own Body. It is
not necessary for finite man to become a Messiah in order for
the church to be saved. One Savior is sufficient. Jesus has
already promised that the gates of hell will never prevail
against His Church.
Solomon said: "Go to the ant . . . consider her ways
and be wise" (Prov. 6:6-8). The ant has no "guide, overseer,
or ruler" and yet the ant hill is a model of order and design. If
PENTECOST
nothing about Jesus. Christianity was no longer for "activists,"
now it was for "spectators".
This theological transformation signaled the beginning
of the Dark Ages. The "priesthood of believers," was replaced
by a "professional priesthood." That which had originally been
the responsibility of every Christian, was now relegated to the
role of specialists. Rutz believes that our modern concept of
sermonizing dates back, not to the Bible, but to John
Chrysostom. His name means "golden mouth." This pagan
student of rhetoric was the most promising orator in the
Empire. When he converted to Christianity he helped change
the blunt style of the Hebrew prophet, into Greek oratorical
skills. Those who had previously ministered around a kitchen
table, now felt inadequate to speak from a professional pulpit.
It would be impossible to adequately describe our modern
church
without
frequent
references
to
"clergymen."
Archeologists, however, have studied 25,000 Christian
documents and fragments from the first three centuries without
finding a single reference to a "minister, priest, or pastor."
What would happen to a modern church if the "pastor"
were suddenly prevented from performing his duties? In at
least one church, it turned out to be a blessing. Chinese
Pastor, M.Y. Chan, was singled out for punishment by the
Communists. From 1961 to 1979 he was forced to spread
buckets of human waste on the fields as fertilizer. His huge
prison camp in Kiangsu province, had four main latrine areas.
They all drained into one horrendous hell hole where he stood
for six to eight hours every day in sludge that was sometimes
up to his waist. Because his brethren knew of his suffering,
they upheld him daily in prayer. He was not sick one time in
over eighteen years. Meanwhile, his church of 300, had grown
to 5,000. Chan, now 58, reports churches in twenty locations,
each with about a thousand believers. Someone has said that
there is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.
PENTECOST
f you've ever felt lonely and unimportant in church,
there's a good reason: You are alone and
unimportant.
From 11 to 12 Sunday, you're just another pretty face
in the crowd.
Though surrounded by others, you're cut off. Custom
walls you off in your own space and silences your voice -
except for song or responsive reading.
Surrounded by an audience of trainee mutes, you can
find it lonely as a solo trek across Antarctica. After you've
eaten all the sled dogs.
The service would be exactly the same without you.
You know that. Your impact on it is like an extra gallon of
water going over Niagara Falls. This is the way that Rutz
begins his challenge to "open the church". He contends that
for the first three hundred years of Christianity, there were no
church buildings, no pulpits, and no clergy. Therefore the
church experienced "open worship, open sharing, and open
ministry". "At the weekly get-together, everyone was the star
of the show, everyone was needed. Spirits were lifted,
problems solved, hurts healed, hearts fed, and the Lord of
lords spoke to every soul". Imperial persecution only fanned
the flames of evangelism. Everyone felt needed. Everyone
was needed.
Then came the "triumph" of Christianity. The Emperor,
Constantine, became a "Christian". Money that had been
previously used to build temples to pagan deities, was now
available to construct the same type of buildings for believers.
Pagan priests followed the money trail and "converted" to
Christianity. By A.D. 400, 80% of the Roman Empire was
"Christian". Even though many of these people knew little or
The Open Church
(Review of the book by James H. Rutz)
I
PENTECOST
hen the Soviets overran Romania in 1944,
there were only 750 communists in the entire
country. By deception and brutality, they
proliferated like cockroaches, and Nicolae Ceausescu became
the president.
Romanian soil had been called the most fertile in
Eastern Europe, but under Ceausescu's evil regime the people
were starving. Food staples were strictly rationed and hungry
peasants stood in long lines to buy bread laced with saw dust.
Government housing was only heated to 50 degrees, and light
bulbs bigger than 40 watts were forbidden. Electrical power
was intermittent, and many had hot water only once a week.
The Ceausescus’, by contrast, lived like kings. When
Elena had a birthday, the menu included: "Three kinds of
caviar, pate de foie gras, filet mignon, roast beef, baby pork,
pork chops and pork loin, venison, roast turkey, Cornish game
hens, pheasant, lobster, frogs' legs, smoked salmon, and three
kinds of trout."
The spiritual famine, however, was more serious than
anything physical. Many church leaders considered that
compromise was a reasonable price to pay for survival.
Church publications sang the praise of the party, and all
activities were cleared by communist officials. True
Christianity, it seems, had all but disappeared.
In 1987, Laszlo Tokes became the pastor of the
Hungarian Reformed Church in Timisoara. With fundamental
faith and evangelical zeal the church grew to five thousand in
two short years. New converts were being baptized and
The Body
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one
body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be
bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit" (I Cor. 12:13).
W
PENTECOST
Perhaps this is the time for the priesthood of all believers to become a reality, and not just a slogan.
PENTECOST
Adapted from THE BODY, by Charles Colson
PENTECOST
discipled to Christ, not communism.
In 1989 Tokes granted an interview to a TV station and
dared to criticize Ceausescu. These remarks made their way
to Radio Free Europe, the BBC, and other Western radio
stations.
The government responded by denying Tokes his
ration books, and ordering his eviction. His phone was shut
off, and he was forbidden to talk with relatives and friends. He
was also attacked and beaten.
On Sunday, Dec. 10, 1989, Tokes announced to the
congregation that he had rejected the eviction notice and
would be taken by force on the following Friday. Five days
later, the secret police arrived to take Laszlo. Thousands of
people gathered as a human shield. They were not only his
parishioners, but representatives from all denominations.
When night descended the people lit candles. Some began to
sing the patriotic "Awake Romania" which had been banned by
the communists.
Before dawn on Dec. 17th, the police finally made their
move. The door was broken down and a beaten and bleeding
Laszlo Tokes was taken away in the darkness.
With their pastor gone, the people moved to the central
square which bristled with tanks, troops and attack dogs. The
communists responded with brute force. They opened fire on
the unarmed protestors. Hundreds died, but there was no
turning back, and no middle ground. In a few hours,
Ceacsescu was dead and Romania was free.
The catalyst that brought this dramatic change was the
church. It was not one denomination, but One Body. For one
blessed moment in time, racial, social, and religious
differences were sublimated to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Such unity did not come from human wisdom and the strategy
of men. Please consider that it just might have come from
God.
PENTECOST
traditions of death. It is sad to contemplate a freshly created
Adam with his vision is restricted, his ears are covered, and
his movement curtailed. Why not loose him and let him go?
In 1973 Ralph Neighbour published his book “The
Seven Last Words of the Church”. Those words were: “We
never tried it that way before”. Neighbour argued that every
major industry needed a Research and Development staff to
stay on the cutting edge of societal need and change. He did
not want to change the Bible or alter any doctrine of
Christianity, he only wanted to change traditions. He wanted
the church to be a redemptive fellowship rather than a religious
equivalent of secular promotion.
Chapter 8 of his book is titled: “The Dark Night of the
Soul”. In this chapter he bared his soul with the prayer that
others might profit from his discouragement. He wrote: “How
can I describe the agony of walking in the fields at a nearby
ranch, begging God to let me die, or the times driving around
in my car when only my deep love for my family kept me from
driving into a concrete wall? It seemed as though all the
preparations of my life had led me to that moment when I
would pastor our experimental church. Then it all came
crashing in. There seemed to be no clear answer to my
constant cry, of ‘Why, God, why”?
In a matter of a few minutes Lazarus was free from his
grave clothes. In only a very brief time he went from being
bound hand and foot to a free range of movement.
Unfortunately, the church fears such freedom. We are living
B.C. lives in an A.D. world. We assume that our modern
rituals are as binding as Mosaic Law, and that tampering with
tradition with summon the wrath of God.
Exactly the reverse is true. We are no longer held
prisoner by law, we are free. The wind blows where it wants
to. We hear it’s sound but cannot tell where it comes from or
where it is going. This is the way people are who are born of
PENTECOST
hen Lazarus was raised from the dead he was
“bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and
his face was bound about with a napkin.
(John 11:44). How does a man bound hand and foot “come
forth” from the grave. Did he hop? Did he roll out of the tomb?
Did the power of God cause him to levitate and float like a
cloud?
The Scriptures do not say how Lazarus came forth from
the tomb, but they are crystal clear that Jesus commanded:
“Loose him, and let him go.”
Lazarus had been dead for four days. Within a few
minutes after death we are told that brain tissue is “irreversibly”
destroyed. Shortly thereafter the corrupting influence of death
would permeate every tissue of the body. Since Lazarus had
been dead four days, Martha bluntly said: “he stinketh.”
Lazarus, however, had been given new life by God.
The creative power that brought Adam forth from the dust
made a new man out of him. It is logical to assume that
Lazarus was recreated in good condition. His resurrected
body did not have disease or infection. His vision and hearing
were perfect. He did not have aches and pains or digestive
trouble. Yet, even though he had perfect vision he could not
see anything, because his face was covered over with a
napkin. His hearing was impaired by the wrappings of death.
He had almost no mobility because he was bound hand and
foot like a mummy. Jesus said: “Loose him and let him go”.
The application of this story to our modern world is
painfully obvious. The church of our Lord Jesus Christ has
also been given new life. We are new creations in Christ
Jesus. We have been given eyes to see and ears to hear. We
have the capacity to run and not grow weary and walk and not
faint. Unfortunately, however, many are wrapped in the
Loose Him W
PENTECOST
We dream of a church . . .
! Where Jesus is the focus.
! Where praise is a way of life.
! Where prayers are not merely formalities.
! Where the power of God is seen and not just talked about.
! Where meetings prepare the saints to minister.
! Where everyone has a ministry.
! Where others are attracted to Christ by the lives of
believers.
! Where the Holy Spirit is welcomed as a source of guidance
and strength.
! Where love never fails.
! Where "works" and "grace" are both esteemed.
! Where assurance does not lead to arrogance.
! Where confidence is not a source of pride.
! Where love is more important than knowledge.
! Where people judge themselves more readily than others.
! Where every member is of value.
! Where everyone is listened to and encouraged.
! Where leaders are servants.
! Where people can disagree without being disagreeable.
! Where intelligent and spiritual people can see the same
verse differently.
! Where people are taught how to study more than what to
believe.
! Where family life is encouraged and helped by church
activities.
! Where orphans and widows are honored.
! Where needy and hungry people are never turned away.
! Where all are striving for the measure of the statue of the
fullness of Christ.
(Adapted from the thoughts of Bruce Rodda and the
PENTECOST
the Spirit. Every day is a new adventure as we follow in the
footsteps of our risen Lord.
Once Lazarus was free from his grave clothes, he
could go back home and help his family. He could become a
positive influence upon society. He could care for widows and
orphans and make the world a better place in which to live.
When the church is loosed from it’s grave clothes, we
can do the same!
PENTECOST
Declaration of Dependence
There comes a time, in the course of
human events, when every person is in need
of help. There comes a time when it is
both wise and practical to recognize our
inherent ignorance and weakness, and to be
willing to abandon our pride and admit our
need. Such a time has come in my life,
and it is therefore appropriate that I
affix my name to this formal "Declaration
of Dependence."
First of all, I recognize and declare
my dependence upon God. I am dependent
upon Him for every heart beat and every
breath of air. Without His beneficent
care I would be unable to survive for a
single moment. From the vital functions
of my body, to the circumstances in my
neighborhood, to the orderly progression
of the universe about me, I am utterly
dependent upon God.
Secondly, I recognize and declare my
dependence upon Jesus. I have a problem
with sin. It has been a part of my life
as long as I can remember. In additional
to my spiritual needs, I also have a
growing list of physical infirmities which
curtail
and
diminish
my
ability
to
JULY 4TH
church at 2728 W. Fairview in Spokane, Washington)
PENTECOST
God
has
given
me
would
be
utterly
worthless and without meaning should I be
removed from my brothers and sisters in
Christ.
It has been said that no creature on
earth is more helpless and dependent, than
the human infant. When we were born we
were totally and utterly dependent upon
someone else for our survival. It was
days before we could hold up our head,
months before we could take a single step,
and years before we were capable of
becoming a productive part of society.
It has also been suggested that God
designed the human infant to be this way
for a purpose. He wanted to provide each
generation with a dramatic demonstration
of dependence. He wanted us to learn
eternal truths from our own family. He
demanded that everyone be converted and
become as little children in order to
enter into His Kingdom. He has promised
to resist the proud, but give grace to the
humble.
It is therefore appropriate that I
sign this Declaration of Dependence as a
testimony to my fellow men, as well as a
testimony to the principalities and powers
in heavenly places.
JULY 4TH
function as I would like. I am in
desperate need of a Savior. I am
dependent upon Someone to forgive my sin,
and to offer hope beyond the grave. My
dependence upon Jesus to do this for me is
more important than words are able to
convey.
In the third place I recognize and
declare my dependence upon the Holy
Spirit. I need power today. I need help
right now. His presence within provides a
perennial source of help and strength.
When my body becomes His Temple I can face
every circumstance with optimism, knowing
that He that is within me is greater than
he that is in the world. He has promised
never to leave me or forsake me and His
presence in my life is proof of my
relationship with God.
In the fourth place I recognize and
declare my dependence upon the Church,
which is His Body. Others form a vital
part of virtually everything I do. I would
not be a Christian if others had not
preached the Gospel to me. I would not
even have a Bible if others had not been
used of God to make it available in my
language, my country, and my lifetime.
The spiritual insights and abilities which
JULY 4TH
oe Wright, minister of the Central Christian Church
in Wichita, ignited a storm of protest by offering
this prayer before Kansas legislators.
“Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask
Your forgiveness and seek your direction and guidance. We
know Your word says “Woe to those who call evil good,” but
that’s what we’ve done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our
values. We have worshiped other gods and called it
multi-culturalism.
We have endorsed perversion, and called it an
alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have neglected the needy and called it self
preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called in choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called
it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have polluted the air with profanity and
pornography and called it freedom of expression/
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our
forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today. Try us
and see if there be some wicked way in us. Cleanse us from
every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women who have been
sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been
ordained by You to govern this great state. Grant them Hour
A Famous Prayer J
JULY 4TH
JULY 4TH
ohn Winthrop was the first governor of
Massachusetts. He was born in Groton, England,
on Jan. 22, 1588, and was forty-two years old
when he came to America. On June 8, 1630 he saw New
England for the first time. His heart and mind overflowed with
emotion. In a rush of inspiration he went to his writing box,
selected paper and quill, and wrote a document which ranks in
importance with the Mayflower Compact. The earlier pilgrims
wrote about a government under God, and Winthrop was
about to explain why such a concept would work. He titled his
thoughts: A MODEL OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY. Here are
some of his thoughts:
"This love among Christians is a real thing, not
imaginary . . . as absolutely necessary to the (well) being of the
Body of Christ, as sinews and other ligaments of a natural
body are to the (well) being of that body . . . We are a
company, professing ourselves fellow members of Christ (and
thus) we ought to account ourselves knit together by this bond
of love . . .
Thus stands the cause between God and us: we are
entered into covenant with Him for this work. We have taken
out a Commission; the Lord hath given us leave to draw our
own articles . . . If the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring
us in peace to the place we desire, then hath He ratified this
Covenant and sealed or Commission, (and) will expect a strict
performance of the Articles contained in it. But if we shall
neglect the observance of these Articles . . . the Lord will
surely break out in wrath against us.
Now the only way to avoid this shipwreck and to
provide for our posterity, is to follow the counsel of Micah, to
do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God. For this
end, we must be knit together in this work as one man . . . We
A City Upon A Hill J
JULY 4TH
wisdom to rule, and may their decisions direct us to the center
of your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen! “
Rep. Delbert Gross, a Democrat from Hays, went to the
microphone and said: "I have never heard in 10 years as
divisive, sanctimonious, self-serving, self-righteous and
overbearing a prayer as I have heard this morning. The man
of the cloth who spoke this morning did this body a disservice."
Reps. David Haley, from Kansas City, and Sabrina
Standifer from Wichita, both Democrats, followed Gross to the
microphone and said: "I took umbrage at the prayer we had to
suffer through this morning." That pastor "can do that in his
own church, where maybe they worship snakes," but it wasn't
appropriate in the Kansas House. "It was blasphemous and it
was ignorant."
censoring prayer as the answer to our problems."Gross
and Haley said they were upset that the prayer equated
laziness with welfare and suggested that tolerance of other
creeds and cultures was the same as worshiping false gods.
The comments of these Democrats are now a part of
the House's public record. None of the Republicans went to
the microphone, but Rep. Tony Powell, a Wichita Republican
who worships with the Central Christian Church said: "I'm glad
to see our liberal friends advocate
(Condensed from releases by the Associated Press, and Harris News Service)
JULY 4TH
ur Puritan forefathers were deeply religious.
When they arrived in America in November
1620, they signed the Mayflower Compact
stating they had come "For the Glory of God, and the
advancement of the Christian Faith".
The first charter of Massachusetts, dated March 1629,
reflected their desire to evangelize the natives. It stated their
intentions to "wynn and incite the natives . . . to the knowledge
and obedience of the onlie true God and Savior of mankinde,
and the Christian fayth . . . "
Their first law regarding public education was enacted
in Massachusetts in 1642. It was called the "Old Deluder
Satan Law." It was designed to make children literate so they
could read the Bible. The law began: "It being one chiefe
project of that old deluder, Sathan, to keepe men from the
knowledge of the scriptures, as in former time . . . " The law
then ordered that every community with fifty householders
have a teacher, and every one with one hundred householders
have a grammar school. Their ancestors, in the old world, did
not read the Scriptures. American schools were specifically
designed to correct this problem.
The first college in America was Harvard College, also
founded in Massachusetts. It was established in less than ten
years after the Puritans arrived in America. The official motto
of Harvard was "For Christ and the Church."
One hundred and six of the first one hundred and eight
colleges in America were founded on the Christian faith.
Samuel Adams has been called "The Father of the
American Revolution." He wrote that Christian rights "may be
best understood by reading and carefully studying the
institutes of the great Law Giver and Head of the Christian
Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated
In God We Trust O
JULY 4TH
must hold a familiar commerce together in all meekness,
gentleness, patience, and liberality. We must delight in each
other, make one another's condition our own, rejoice together,
mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having
before our eyes our Commission and Community in this work,
as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace . . .
We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when
ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies,
when He shall make us a praise and glory, that men of
succeeding plantations shall say, 'THE LORD MAKE IT LIKE
THAT OF NEW ENGLAND.' FOR WE MUST CONSIDER
THAT WE SHALL BE AS A CITY UPON A HILL . . .
It is obvious that the government envisioned by our
forefathers was to be different from those tyrannies from which
they fled. At the same time it was to be "One Nation Under
God", it was also to be "Of the people, by the people, and for
the people". Winthrop believed that the fabric of this society
would be held together by Christian love. Love in this new
government would be like sinews and ligaments, holding the
body politic together.
He felt that to abandon love would be to summon the
wrath of God. The divine prescription to avoid this tragedy was
found in the words of Micah the Prophet: "to do justly, to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with our God".
Jesus said that a city set upon a hill could not be hid.
John Winthrop applied these words to America. He believed
that a loving, caring, society would be so radical and different
in the world, that it would merit the admiration of people
everywhere. Let us live in such a way that his words will come
true.
(Adapted from THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY, pages 162-163)
JULY 4TH
In January 1996 the National Association of
Evangelicals released a “Statement of Conscience” about the
persecuted church. September 29, 1996 was designated as
an “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church”.
Not only are many major denominations waking up to
the persecution of Christians, politicians are at least giving lip
service to it too. On Sept. 17, 1996 the U.S. Senate officially
recognized the problem under Senate Concurrent Resolution
71. On Sept. 24, 1996 House Resolution 515 accomplished
a similar purpose.
ina Shea is a human rights lawyer with Freedom
House. Her book “IN THE LION’S DEN” is a
wake up call about Christian martyrs in our own
generation. She writes:
“Millions of American Christians pray in their churches
each week, oblivious to the fact that Christians in many parts
of the world suffer brutal torture, arrest, imprisonment and
even death - their homes and communities laid waste - for no
other reason than that they are Christians. The shocking
untold story of our time is that more Christians have died this
century simply for being Christians than in the first 19 centuries
after the birth of Christ. They have been persecuted and
martyred before an unknowing, indifferent world and a largely
silent Christian community”.
Jesus not only warned His disciples that they would be
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
Prayer for the Persecuted
Church
N
THE BIBLE PREDICTS PERSECUTION
in the New Testament".
George Washington, our first president, is also known
as the Father of our country. He considered it impossible to
rightly govern the people without God and the Bible.
The Pennsylvania constitution required legislators to
make the following declaration before taking his seat: "I do
believe in one God, the Creator and Governour of the
universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the
wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration". Other
states had similar requirements.
Our elected leaders take their oath of office with their
hand upon the Holy Bible.
Witnesses in court swear to tell the truth with their hand
upon the Holy Bible.
The first Thanksgiving proclamation was set apart "as
a day of Public Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer".
Noah
Webster
has
been
called
"America's
Schoolmaster". He wrote his first speller in the 1780s.
Webster wrote: "In my view, the Christian religion is the most
important and one of the first things in which all children under
a free government, ought to be instructed . . . "
America's most famous school book was McGuffey's
Reader. Its author, William Holmes McGuffey wrote: "From no
source has the author drawn more copiously than from the
Sacred Scriptures".
On November 13, 1861, the Rev. M. R. Watkinson
wrote to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase proposing that
American money be inscribed with the motto "In God We
Trust." This motto became official with the Act of March 3,
1865.
God is still God! He is still worthy of our trust! LET'S
TRUST HIM!
JULY 4TH
Emperors of Rome opposed Christianity as a matter of
government policy.
#
Nero put Christians to death the thousands, including
Paul and Peter.
#
Domitian continued to persecute Christians. John was
banished to the Island of Patmos during his reign.
#
Trajan felt he had to oppose Christianity in order to
uphold Roman Law. During his reign Ignatius was
taken to Rome and thrown to the wild beasts.
#
Hadrian was moderate in his persecution of Christians.
During his reign Christianity grew in numbers, wealth,
and social influence.
#
Antonius Pius was said to have favored Christianity
but executed them as a matter of law. Under his reign
Polycarp suffered martyrdom.
#
Marcus Aurelius, did not just uphold the law, but did
so vigorously and encouraged the persecution of
Christians. Thousands were put to death during his
reign, including Justin Martyr.
#
Septimius Severus also put thousands to death. The
persecution was particularly severe in Egypt and North
Africa where martyrs died daily from beheading or
crucifixion. Leonidas, the father of Origen, died under
his reign.
#
Maximin also put many prominent Christian leaders to
death, but Origen escaped.
#
Decius did not just persecute believers but did
everything within his power to completely exterminate
Christianity.
#
Valerian was even more severe than Decius. Cyprian,
Bishop of Carthage died under his reign.
#
Diocletian was responsible for the last and most
severe Imperial persecution. In 303 A.D. he burned
what he believed to be the last Bible and wrote
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
The initial persecution of Christians was instigated by
the Jews. The stoning of Stephen and the persecution by Saul
of Tarsus are classic examples. Later, however, the
persecuted, He predicted that the time would come when
those who put them to death would think they were doing
service to God (John 16:2). Paul went so far as to write that
all who live godly in Christ Jesus would suffer persecution (2
Tim. 3:12). Here are some Scriptures to get you started in
your personal study.
#
Matt. 5:10-12; 10:13-28; 10:34-39; 24:9-10
#
Mark 10:29,30; 10:39,40; 13:9-13
#
Luke 6:22,23; 6:26-30; 12:49-53
#
John 14:27; 15:189-21; 16:1-4; 16:33; 17:14-18
#
Acts 7:54-60; 8:3,4; 9:16; 14:22; 20:23,24; 21:11
#
Rom. 5:3; 8:18; 8:35,36; 12:9-21
#
1 Corinthians 4:9-13; 15:30-32
#
2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 4:10,11; 4:16-18; 6:4,9; 11:23-
228; 12:9,10
#
Colossians 1:24
#
1 Thess. 2:14-16; 3:3,4
#
2 Thess. 1:4-6
#
2 Tim. 1:8, 12; 2:12; 3:12; 4:5
#
Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-17; 13:13; (See also
2:9,10,18: 5:7-9)
#
James 1:2-4; 1:12-15
#
1 Peter 2:18-23; 3:13-18; 4:1-19; 5:6-10
#
1 John 3:13
#
Revelation 1:9; 2:10; 6:9-11; 12:13; 13:7,15; 17:14;
18:24; 19:2
#
All of the Apostles died as martyrs with the exception
of John and Judas Iscariot.
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
HISTORY CONFIRMS PERSECUTION
In addition to the Bible, read THEIR BLOOD CRIES
OUT by Paul Marshall and Lela Gilbert.; IN THE LION’S DEN
by Nina Shea; MARTYRS, edited by Susan Bergman; THE
OVERCOMERS by Richard Wurmbrand; OPERATION
WORLD by Patrick Johnstone; BOUND TO BE FREE compiled
by John Pit; SECRETS TO SPIRITUAL SUCCESS by Paul
Estabrooks; RWANDA, and THE CHURCH IN CHINA by Carl
Lawrence; and RELIGIOUS LIBERTY by Daniel Ho.
13:3).
Fortunately, a growing number of Christians are waking
up to the reality of persecution. Here are a few resources that
can help you stay informed.
#
IDOP (International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted
Church) 1-888- LETS PRAY (1-888-538-7772) Web
site: www.persecutedchurch.org
#
Voice of the Martyrs, P.O. Box 443, Bartlesville, Ok.
74005-0443. Ph. (918) 337-8014.
#
World Evangelical Fellowship, Ph. (630) 668-0440.
#
Open Doors with Bro. Andrew, Ph. (800) 788-5574.
Let us “Remember them that are in bonds, as
bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as
being yourselves also in the body” (Heb. 13:3).
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
The next Emperor was Constantine who professed to
be a Christian. Obviously, he stopped the government from
persecuting believers. One of his first official acts was to
commission Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea, to prepare fifty
Bibles for the instruction of the church.
John Foxe was born in 1517 and died in 1587. His
history of Christian martyrs is a classic. It not only details the
death of the apostles and the Imperial persecution of Rome, it
also covers persecution during the Dark Ages. While any
reputable history will tell of Christian martyrs, this classic book
should be familiar to all believers.
“Extincto Nomene Christianorum.” He believe He had
brought to extinction the name of Christ. He was
wrong!
Statisticians compute that when the church began there
were only 250 million people on earth. Today there are over
6 billion people on the planet. There are more believers now,
than there were people then.
This helps us to understand the shocking statement of
Nina Shea that “More Christians have died this century simply
for being Christians than in the first 19 centuries after the birth
Not only have most of these faithful martyrs died before
an uncaring world, but also an uncaring church. The
Scriptures command that we “Remember them that are in
bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer
adversity, as being yourselves also in the body” (Heb.
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
FOXE’S CHRISTIAN MARTYRS OF THE WORLD
MARTYR’S TODAY
of Christ”.
him home from church. Their faces were scarred with the
distinctive tribal cuttings of the Kawa tribe. Through a face
twisted by hatred their leader said, “We are going to kill you .
. . if you have something to say, say it before you die”.
Trembling with fear the Holy Spirit somehow
emboldened him to say: “I do not need to plead my own
cause, I am a dead man already. My life is dead and hidden
in Christ. It is your lives that are in danger, you are dead in
your sins. I will pray to God that after you have killed me, He
will spare you from eternal destruction”.
Shocked and surprised by these words the assassins
not only spared his life but promised to guarantee his safety.
After a series of escapes by the narrowest of margins, Kefa
and his family fled to America where he completed a seminary
degree and became director of the Africa Foundation, Inc.
After his first year in America Bro. Sempangi noticed a
difference in his Bible study. In Uganda he read his Bible
without time for argument, discrepancies or doubt. In the
security of his new life, however, he was able to have the
luxury of analyzing and speculating about the Bible. He came
to enjoy abstract theological discussions and found them
intellectually refreshing.
The biggest change, however, came in his prayer life.
“In Uganda,” he said, “I had prayed with a deep sense of
urgency. I refused to leave my knees until I was certain I had
been in the presence of the resurrected Christ. It was not just
the gift I needed. I need to see the Giver. I needed to know
that the God of orphans and widows, the God of the helpless,
heard my prayers. Now, after a year in Philadelphia, the
urgency was gone. When I prayed publicly I was more
concerned to be theologically correct than to be in God’s
presence. Even in private my prayers were no longer the
helpless cries of a child. They were spiritual tranquilizers,
thoughts that made no contact with anything outside of
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
. Kefa Sempangi founded and pastored the
14,000 member Redeemed Church of Uganda,
which became a target of Idi Amin’s persecution.
Leaders from Libya and Saudi Arabia contributed to the
extermination of Christianity and attempted to turn Uganda into
a Muslim state. Colonel Qadhafi’s Libya alone contributed 30
million dollars. The money came from the Jihad, or “Holy
Land” fund.
In the last three months of 1972 over 90,000 perished.
Ultimately the number of dead would surpass 300,000. Death
became so common that one day Bro. Sempangi saw soldiers
kicking a man to death with a casual arrogance. No one
seemed to notice or care. Public workers went on mowing,
golfers played on to the next hole, and young people walked
on down the street.
So many thousand died that often their bodies were
strewn along the street unattended for days. No one could be
certain who would be next. Each greeting and each farewell
held a special significance. You never knew if you would see
your friends alive again.
One day Bro. Sempangi went calling on the Okelo
family. They had just visited his church. He found their plush
carpet covered with blood and excrement. Broken teeth and
eyes pulled from their sockets were scattered throughout the
room. On a table in the center of the room were three human
tongues laid out in a row, as if on public display. The only
survivor was a 12 year old boy who had escaped the soldiers
by hiding under a bed.
Ultimately they came for Bro. Sempangi himself. In
was Easter Sunday 1973 when five Nubian assassins followed
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
A Lesson From
F. Kefa Sempangi
F
new round of killing in Rwanda began April 6,
1994. President Habyarimana of Rwanda was
returning
from
a
peace
conference
in
neighboring Tanzania. Suddenly, his plane was blasted from
the sky by a terrorist rocket. The President of Burundi was
also on board.
The short stocky Hutus composed 84% of the
population in Rwanda. They suffered a long history of
oppression by the Tutsi minority. In 1959 the Hutus sparked
the first of many revolts. Thousands died and 160,000 Tutsis
fled to neighboring countries. By means of a U.N. sponsored
election with “one man, one vote” the Hutus won a resounding
victory. The Hutu regime, however, was a governmental
disaster. Now, however, they seized on the death of their
president as another excuse for revenge against the hated
Tutsis.
Before his death, President Habyarimana had formed
an elite group of well trained extremists known as the
Presidential Guard. They began the massacre with cold
blooded efficiency. Ten Belgian peace keepers under U.N.
supervision called their military commander and asked what to
do. They were told to return to their barracks, not to fight, and
to surrender their weapons. The Hutu militia made quick work
of the unarmed soldiers. First, they took machetes and hacked
their Achilles tendons. Then, while the wounded men were
writing on the ground, they hacked them to pieces.
This set the stage for a bloodbath “beyond journalism’s
reach”. Tutsi’s who had money could die quickly with a bullet
in the brain. Those without money were hacked to death for
“free”. In previous times church buildings had been recognized
as a safe haven. This time, however, there was no refuge
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
Rwanda
(A review of the book RWANDA by Carl Lawrence)
A
themselves . . . “
The recognition of this dangerous lukewarmness
caused Kefa Sempangi to fall to his knees and ask forgiveness
for his sin of unbelief. The dangers of materialism are in some
aspects more threatening to the Christian life than dangers of
overt persecution. The cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches can choke the Word so that it becomes
unfruitful.
This is a lesson we can learn from F. Kefa Sempangi.
(Adapted from A DISTANT GRIEF, by F. Kefa Sempangi)
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
the memories without knowing that somehow I made a
difference in someone’s life. Even one. Even one would be
worth it. For even one you died. I wonder how many people
you touched with just a glance, a simple touch of souls? I
wonder how many remembered the life and love they saw in
your eyes while on the cross and turned to you years later in
a sweat-soaked bed, their sleep plagued by dreams of the Man
they crucified? Dear God, let it be . . . “
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
anywhere. Men, women, and children were slaughtered
indiscriminately.
The militia was made up of young rebels, like Mao’s
Red Guard, or Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. It is remarkable that
men so young were capable of such unspeakable atrocities.
Often the taller Tutsis had their legs hacked off before being
thrown into the river to drown. The laughing Hutus would
shout, “now you have been brought down to our size”.
After two days the rivers were literally blocked with
bodies. Thirty-six thousand were buried in one mass grave.
Parts of Lake Victoria are still polluted by the carnage. Gary
Haugen, a U.N. investigator, wrote in Christianity Today that
the slaughter was not the work of a few crazed men, but rather
it was done by countless ordinary individuals - “a school
principal, a farmer, a merchant, a doctor, a magistrate”.
Carl Lawrence observed that 80% of the people of
Rwanda claimed to be Christians. He then struggled with the
horrible thought that Christians were killing Christians. He
concluded, however, that such was not the case. There is a
difference between wheat and tares, and between true
Christians and those who merely profess to be Christians.
“No”, he wrote, “true believers did not kill fellow Christians”.
Illustrative of these faithful martyrs is the story of the
militia calling a church of two hundred outside of their house of
worship. When the Hutus were ordered to step out and be
saved, they refused to do so. The young Hutu pastor bravely
announced, “We are neither Hutu or Tusi, we are Christian.
We are all brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ.” With that a holy
silence was shattered by the sound of machine guns and the
horrible hacking of blood stained machetes. Then there was
silence again. The church had given a powerful and final
message.
Bro. Lawrence penned these poignant words as his
interviews came to a close: “Dear God, let it be. I cannot carry
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
of honour and prosperity (Dan. 6).
#
The apostles were released from prison that they
might preach (Acts 5:19-21).
#
Peter was released from prison by an angel (Acts 12:3-
19). His name appears first in each list of the apostles.
#
The martyred Paul went directly from prison to receive
the crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:7-8).
#
John received the Revelation while a prisoner on the
Isle of Patmos.
#
Jesus preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19).
#
Millions of Christian martyrs went to prison rather
than deny their faith.
#
William Tyndale was prisoner when he was burned at
the stake for translating the Bible into the English
language.
#
Martin Luther was a prisoner in Wartburg Castle when
he translated the Bible into German.
#
John Bunyan was in prison when he wrote “Pilgrim’s
Progress.”
#
The pilgrims came from prison and persecution to
colonize America.
#
Anne Frank wrote her famous diary in prison.
#
Church Colson came out of prison to become a
prominent Christian leader.
#
Alexander Solzhenitsyn honed his writing genius in a
Soviet prison.
#
Nelson Mandela came out of prison to become the
president of South Africa.
#
Vaclav Havel came out of prison to be the President of
the Czech Republic.
#
Frederick Chiluba came out of prison to become the
President of Zambia.
#
Jesus pictured Judgement Day as a time when He
would say: “I was in prison and you came unto me”
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
Out of Prison
“Out of prison he cometh to reign” (Eccl. 4:14).
The inspired writer of Ecclesiastes observed that
sometimes a person can come directly out of prison to a
position of power. Please consider:
#
Joseph came out of prison to become a ruler in Egypt
(Gen. 40 - 41).
#
Moses came from obscurity to power. Not only was
he considered a criminal in Egypt, he was also a
shepherd. Every shepherd was considered an
abomination to the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). Moses,
however, came directly from his prison of prejudice
and obscurity to challenge the pharaoh and lead the
Hebrew nation.
#
David cried out in Ps. 142:7 for God to deliver him from
prison. He was so beset and hounded by King Saul
that he considered himself a prisoner. God answered
that prayer and David became the king.
#
Jehoiachin was released from prison and promoted to
a seat of honor higher than the other kings who were
with him in Babylon. (2 Kings 25:27-30)..
#
Jeremiah also came from prison to power. He was let
down by cords into a dungeon and sank in the mire.
The mire was so deep that when he was lifted up they
put rotten rags and worn out clothes under his arms.
He went directly from that horrible dungeon to the
honor of speaking the word of God to King Zedekiah
(Jeremiah 38).
#
Ezekiel received his prophetic visions while in a land of
captivity.
#
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were promoted
from the fiery furnace to positions of power (Dan. 3:30).
#
Daniel was delivered from the lion’s den to a position
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
C. Pliny, to the Emperor Trajan, wishes health. Sire!
It is customary with me to consult you upon every doubtful
occasion; for where my own judgment hesitates, who is more
competent to direct me than yourself, or to instruct me when
uninformed? I never had occasion to be present at any
examination of the Christians before I came into this province;
I am therefore ignorant to what extent it is usual to inflict
punishment or urge prosecution. I have also hesitated whether
there should not be some distinction made between the young
and the old, the tender and the robust; whether pardon should
not be offered to the penitent, or whether the guilt of an
avowed profession of Christianity can be expiated by the most
unequivocal retraction - whether the profession itself is to be
regarded as a crime, however innocent in other respects the
professor may be; or whether the crimes attacked to name,
must be proved before they are made liable to punishment.
rajan became the Emperor of Rome in A.D. 98.
Shortly thereafter he conferred the government of
the province of Bithynia to his ingenious and
celebrated friend Pliny. Severe edicts against Christians had
been issued by previous Emperors and Pliny seemed hesitant
to carry them out without first consulting the Caesar himself.
The Scriptures command that we “Remember them
that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer
adversity, as being yourselves also in the body” (Heb. 13:2).
Perhaps reading these letters will help us to obey the Bible and
remember those who are suffering for the cause of Christ.
They may be out of sight, but may they never be out of our
minds.
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
- Letter
- 1 - “C. Pliny, to the Emperor Trajan.”
Two Letters T
(Matt. 25:36).
#
The Scriptures teach: “Remember them that are in
bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer
adversity as being also in the body” (Heb. 13:3).
#
Isaiah predicted that Jesus would be taken from prison
and judgment to be cut off out of the land of the living
(Is. 53:8). Jesus is now the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords.
#
Jesus came to proclaim freedom to the prisoners
(Luke 4:18-19).
#
Jesus said: “If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
themseles as with a solemn oath not to commit any kind of
wickedness; to be guilty neither of theft, robbery, nor adultery;
never to break a promise, or to keep back a deposit when
called upon. Their worship being concluded, if was their
custom to separate, and meet together again for a repast,
promiscuous indeed, and without any distinction of rank or sex,
but perfectly harmless; and even from this they desisted, since
the publication of my edict, in which, agreeably, to your orders,
I forbade any societies of that sort.
For further information, I thought it necessary, in order
to come at the truth, to put to the torture two females who were
called deaconesses. But I could extort from them nothing
except the acknowledgment of an excessive and depraved
superstition;
and,
therefore,
desisting
from
further
investigation, I determined to consult you, for the number of
culprits is so great as to call forth the most serious deliberation.
Information is pouring in against multitudes of every age, of all
orders, and of both sexes; and more will be impeached; for the
contagion of this superstition has spread not only through
cities, but villages also, and even reached the farm houses. I
am of the opinion, nevertheless, that it may be checked, and
the success of my endeavors hitherto forbids despondency; for
the temples, once almost desolate, begin to be again
frequented - the sacred solemnities, which had for some time
been intermitted, are not attended afresh, and the sacrificial
victims, which once could scarcely find a purchaser, now
obtain a brisk sale. When I infer, that many might be
reclaimed, were the hope of pardon, on their repentance,
absolutely confirmed.
My Dear Pliny, You have done perfectly right in managing as you have,
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
- Letter
- 2 - “Trajan to Pliny”
In the mean time, the method I have hitherto observed
with the Christians, who have been accused of such, is as
follows. I interrogated them - Are you Christians? If they
avowed it, I put the same question to them the second, and a
third time, threatening them with punishment decreed by the
law; if they still persisted, I ordered them to be immediately
executed; for of this I had no doubt, whatever was the nature
of their religion, that such perverseness and inflexible
obstinacy certainly deserved punishment. Some that were
afflicted with this madness, on account of their privileges as
Roman citizens, I reserved to be sent to Rome, to be referred
in your tribunal.
In the discussion of this matter, accusations multiplying,
a diversity of cases occurred. A schedule of names was sent
me by an unknown accuser, but when I cited the persons
before me, many denied the fact that they were or ever had
been Christians: and they repeated after me an invocation to
the gods, and of your image, which for this purpose I had
ordered to be brought with the statues of the other deities.
They performed sacred rites with wine frankincense, and
execrated Christ, none of which things, I am assured, a real
Christ can ever be compelled to do. These, therefore, I
thought proper to discharge. Others, named by an informed,
at first acknowledged themselves Christians, and then denied
it, declaring that though they had been Christians, they had
renounced their profession , some three years ago, other still
longer, and some even twenty years ago. All these
worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and at the
same time execrated Christ.
And this was the account which they gave me of the
nature of the religion they once had professed, whether it
deserves the name of crime or error; namely, that they were
accustomed on a stated day to assemble before sunrise, and
to join together in singing hymns to Christ as to a deity; binding
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
hanksgiving is a learned behavior. Adam and
Eve were placed in a paradise, but they didn't
appreciate it. Apparently, they were not thankful
even after they were driven out of Eden. Paul specifically
stated that the patriarchs knew God, but did not glorify Him as
God, "neither were they thankful" (Rom. 1:21).
The word "thanksgiving" is not found in the Bible until
the time of Moses. With reference to the law of the sacrifice of
peace offerings, Moses wrote:
"If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer
with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes
mingled with oil . . ." (Lev. 7:12).
The point is, the people of God were apparently not
thankful until they were commanded to be. They had to be
trained. Even though the law commanded the people to be
thankful, there are not many references to thanksgiving until
the time of David. For your information:
! The first use of "thank" in the Bible is - I Chron. 16:4
!
"
"thanked" - II Sam. 14:22
!
"
"thankful" - Ps. 100:4
!
"
"thankfulness" - Acts 24:3
!
"
"thanks" - II Sam. 22:50
!
"
"thanksgiving" - Lev. 7:12
!
"
"thanksgivings" - Neh. 12:27
!
"
"thankworthy" - I Pet. 2:19
All educated people today know that the world is round.
We know that the earth revolves around the sun and that it is
possible to place man made satellites in orbit. Our ancestors,
however, did not have this knowledge.
It now seems possible, if not probable, that men before
Moses went through the motions of worship without the
foundation of thanksgiving and praise. There are many
Thanksgiving T
THANKSGIVING
the matters which relate to the impeachment of the Christians.
No one general rule can be laid down which will apply to all
cases. These people are not to be hunted up by informers; but
if accused and convicted, let them be executed; yet with this
restriction, that if any renounce the profession of Christianity,
and give proof of it by offering supplications to our gods,
however suspicious their past conduct may have been, they
shall be pardoned on their repentance. But anonymous
accusations should never be attended to, since it would be
establishing a precedent of the worst kind, and altogether
inconsistent with the maxims of my government.
Taken from “The Gospel Restored,” by Walter Scott, Cincinnati 1836
DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCH
he Scriptures point out that Patriarchal man was
not thankful. When he knew God, he did not
glorify Him as God, neither was thankful. His
corrupted mind degenerated from the worship of the One True
God, into paganism and idolatry. As if totally devoid of reason,
he came to worship and serve the creature, more than the
Creator.
This life of ingratitude may not have been reserved only
for the ungodly. There seems to be no evidence that anyone
was thankful.
Cain and Abel build altars and brought sacrifices to
God (Gen. 4:). So did Noah (Gen. 8:20ff), and Abraham (Gen.
12:7, 13:4), and Isaac (Gen. 26:25), and Jacob (Gen. 28:18ff.
31:54; 33:20; etc.). Job offered burnt offerings unto the Lord
(Job 1:5), and so did his friends (Job. 42:7-8), and so did
Jethro (Ex. 18:12). Yet, not once are we told that any of these
worshipers came to God with thanksgiving.
The Hebrew word for "thank" is "yaw-daw'." It comes
from the root "yawd," which refers to a hand that is open.
Hence, to thank God, is to approach God with open hands. It
especially refers to revering God with extended hands. This
same Hebrew word is also translated as "praise".
When Leah gave birth to her fourth child, she said
"Now will I praise the Lord, and she called his name Judah"
(Gen. 29:35). The word "Judah" is a derivation of the word for
"praise." This is the first use of the word for gratitude that I
have been able to find in the Bible.
! The first use of the word "thanksgiving" is in Lev.
7:12. The Mosaic Law was teaching people to be thankful.
! "Thank" is first found in I Chron. 16:4. David
appointed Levites to thank God.
Neither Were Thankful
(Rom. 1:21)
T
THANKSGIVING
references to altars and sacrifices during the age of the
patriarchs. Cain and Abel built altars and brought sacrifices
and offerings unto the Lord. This was also true of Noah, Job,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc.
The Hebrew word for "thank" is "yaw-daw." It comes
from the root "yawd," which refers to an open hand. The
ancients worshiped and thanked God with outstretched hands.
This is the same word that is translated as "praise" in the Bible.
When Leah gave birth to her fourth child, she said:
"Now will I praise the Lord, and she called his name Judah
(Gen. 29:35.) It is interesting, if not significant, to note that
Jesus came from the tribe of Judah.
We are blessed to live in the age of the Spirit. John the
Baptist was as great as any prophet ever born of woman, but
today, even the least in the Kingdom is greater than John.
Today, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Today, the
Holy Spirit produces in us His beautiful fruit. Even so, we still
need the discipline and training of learning to be thankful.
! "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thess. 5:18).
! "Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known unto God" (Phil. 4:6).
! "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as
becometh saints: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks"
(Eph. 5:3-4).
! "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:20).
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
THANKSGIVING
here is a sense in which “ingratitude” is involved
in almost ever sin. Adam and Eve were not
thankful. They had everything they needed but
not everything they wanted. They could freely eat of every tree
in the garden but one. Instead of being thankful for what they
had they lusted for what they didn’t have. They wanted more!
They had access to the Tree of Life, perfect health, perfect
food, a perfect environment, a perfect marriage, but they
wanted more. Their ingratitude was exploited by the wicked
one to their eternal shame. The devil is a liar and specializes
in ruining the lives of all who are unthankful.
Achan was a soldier in the army of Joshua. God had
given them a miraculous victory over Jericho. He should have
been thankful, but he wasn’t. He wanted more. He lusted
after a wedge of gold and Babylonian garments. He and his
family died for money he could not spend and clothing he
could not wear. Their graves are a monument to ingratitude.
Ahab was the King of Israel. He had great wealth and
no doubt owned thousands of acres and many vineyards.
Instead of being thankful for what he had, but he wanted more.
His ungrateful heart coveted the vineyard of Naboth. Mosaic
Law forbade the sale of this property and Ahab’s ungrateful
became an open door of opportunity for sin.
King David should have been thankful for all the many
wives which he already had, but he wasn’t. He lusted after the
wife of another man. Ingratitude is the breeding ground for a
million woes. It spawns the sins that wreck and ruin our lives.
It can destroy a life, a family, and a nation. Ingratitude is a
powerful tool used by the devil to pry open a Pandora’s Box of
heartache and trouble.
The thankful person is hard to tempt. They are happy
with who they are and what they have. They have joy
THANKSGIVING
Ingratitude T
! "Thanks" is first found in II Sam. 22:50. This is
David's psalm of thanksgiving.
! "Thankful" is first found in Ps. 100:4.
! "Thanking" is first found in II Chron. 5:13.
Trumpeters and singers were thanking God during the days of
King Solomon.
! "Thankfulness" is found only in Acts 24:3.
All Godly people are thankful today. Our ancestors, the
Pilgrims, were thankful. Many pagans, including the American
Indian, have been thankful. We train our children to say "thank
you". Others have also done so for thousands of years.
This, however, does not prove that men were thankful
in that first age of human experience. They knew God. They
should have been thankful. They saw God's hand manifest in
miracle working power. They built altars. They offered burnt
offerings and sacrifices. They called on the name of the Lord.
Paul wrote by inspiration, that when they knew God, they didn't
glorify Him as God, and they were not thankful.
More careful students of the Scriptures may find
references to gratitude and praise that I have overlooked. It is
obvious, however, that thanksgiving was remarkably absent in
the Age of the Patriarchs. Though the Mosaic Law
commanded "Thank Offerings," there are hardly any
references to thanksgiving and praise until the time of David.
That which was extremely rare during the first age of man, is
a principal characteristic of the Christian. In everything, we are
to give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning us" (I Thess. 5:17). Whatever we do, we do in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father
by Him (Col. 3:17).
THANKSGIVING
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:18).
THANKSGIVING
unspeakable and full of glory. Their gratitude, however, is a
result of the state of their mind, and not their state of events.
Our attitude is a reflection of “what we are” not “where we are”.
Adam and Eve were unhappy in Paradise. Paul was happy in
prison. The widow with her mites can be more grateful than
the king with his millions. Thanksgiving can warm the fire of a
shanty and make it seem like a palace. Ingratitude can frost
over a palace and make it seem like a shanty.
Probably no nation in human history has enjoyed more
physical blessings and benefits than the United States of
America. That fact, however, does not guarantee that we will
be happy. It is possible to have all these physical blessings,
and still want more. We have an alarming suicide rate. Many
of the people who take their own lives are rich. They have
everything to live on and nothing to live fore. A growing
number of others are so miserable and unhappy that they turn
to alcohol and drugs to blunt the cutting edge of their misery.
We have become a nation of ingrates.
What would happen if we could suddenly find ourselves
in the shoes of our Pilgrim forefathers. There would be no
government guarantee if our crops failed. There would be no
food stamps if we killed no game. There was no Government
Hospital to help in time os sickness and disease. There was
no government program to help heat their homes in the winter,
or cool them is the midst of summer’s blazing heat. In spite of
it all, however, they were thankful. Their crude cabins were
cathedrals reverberating with praise. Their coarse clothing did
not smother out the flame of their gratitude. They smiled at the
sunrise and sang their way through hardships. Their lives
were harsh by modern standards, but they have bequeathed
to us a legacy of gratitude too wonderful for words. The
Pilgrims were thankful. They saw beyond the sickness and
the cemetery. They saw beyond the hardship and privation.
Their hope was not in a lottery ticket, it was in God.
THANKSGIVING
It is at this point that the Bible narrows our focus to only
one of the lepers. When he realized that he had been healed
he turned and with a “loud voice glorified God”. Then he came
and fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus and gave Him
thanks. At this point we are informed that this thankful man
was a Samaritan.
Jesus said: “Were there not ten cleansed? But
where are the nine? There are not found that returned to
give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto
him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”
(Lk. 17:17-19).
The nine were doing precisely what the Law of Moses
required them to do. They were avoiding contact with anyone
who was not a leper until their cleansing had been legally
established. The Samaritan, however, operated outside the
realm of law. His faith made him whole.
The Law of Moses does not reflect the ultimate desire
of God for man, it is merely a schoolmaster to bring us unto
Christ that we might be justified by faith (Gal. 3:24). Jesus
told a similar story in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The
priest and the Levite avoided a man in need while a Samaritan
disregarded his own legal purity and ministered to him. Jesus
told us to go and do likewise. We are to be like the Good
Samaritan, and not like those enslaved to law.
The problem of sin, as you know, is far more serious
than leprosy. It contaminates us from the crown of the head
to the soul of our feet. It fills our souls with wounds, and
bruises, and putrifying sores that cannot be bound up neither
mollified with ointment (Is. 1:6). When we are cleansed of sin
we fall on our faces before Him and cry: “O the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding
out” (Rom. 11:33).
It matters not what others may say or do, let us fall
THANKSGIVING
uke 17:11-19 tells the story of ten lepers who
were healed by Jesus. Jesus was on His way to
Jerusalem and passed through the midst of
Samaria and Galilee. As He entered into a certain village he
met the lepers. In harmony with the instructions in Lev. 13,
these men were isolated from society. They stood afar off and
called to Christ: “Master, have mercy on us.”
Though there are many lepers on the earth, most of us
have never met one. Usually this terrible disease afflicts those
in third world countries. In Bible times the lepers were
required to tear their clothes, have unkempt hair, and cover the
lower part of their face (Lev. 13:45). They were also to cry out
“unclean, unclean”, when someone approached.
The disease known as leprosy in modern times attacks
the nerve trunks and sensory fibers so that the patient loses all
sensation of pain. Many wear special shoes for protection as
they may cut their feet without knowing it. Others awaken in
the morning to discover that rats have eaten away fingers or
toes. As the extremities of the body are reduced to bleeding
stumps a terrible odor exudes from the rotten flesh. In the final
stages the leper goes blind and loses the ability to speak. The
reality of a blind leper, making grotesque guttural sounds, with
his flesh rotting away is almost beyond our comprehension.
The lepers of our text were fortunate enough to be
ambulatory and alert. They saw Jesus and lifted up their
voices in a plea for mercy. Once the procession stopped, and
their request had been understood, Jesus hallooed back: “GO
SHOW YOURSELF UNTO THE PRIESTS”. This too, was in
harmony with the teaching of Moses. A leper could not return
to society until he had been pronounced “clean” by the priests
and gone through the appropriate ritual for cleansing.
As they went, they were cleansed!
Where Are The Nine? L
THANKSGIVING
when he was full, and also when he was hungry. He had
learned that he could do all things through Christ who
strengthened him.
Acts 16 provides a personal vignette of Paul that
speaks volumes. He had been unjustly beaten and cast into
prison. The jailer had thrust he and Silas into the inner prison
and placed their feet in the stocks for safe keeping. At
midnight, however, Paul and Silas were singing praises to God
(Acts 16:25). This amazing story provides clear insight into
the “contentment’ Paul had learned. In Christ he could die
happier than others could live.
It is proverbial that we crawl before we walk, and walk
before we run. There was a time when we could neither walk,
nor talk, and now we can do both activities in our sleep. Life
is a learning experience. We can learn contentment in much
the same way. At first it will not be easy, but ultimately it can
become our very nature.
Our first lessons in gratitude involve thanksgiving for
food and favors bestowed upon us by others. Next we can
grow to the place where we are thankful for blessings that are
spiritual and eternal. Ultimately we can learn to give thanks in
everything (1 Thess. 5:18). We need to be constantly
reminded, however, that “learning Christ” is a spiritual
experience that must be accompanied by spiritual power.
Here are several truths that are foundational to a life of
gratitude:
1. First we need to learn that God is good, and all
things work together for good to those that love God and are
called according to His purpose.
2. Secondly, it is helpful to learn that there has no
temptation taken us but such as is common to man. God is
faith, and will not allow us to be tempted above what we are
able, but will with every temptation also provide a means of
escape that we may be able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13).
THANKSGIVING
ittle children are born selfish and ignorant. Initially
they have little or no awareness of anyone’s
needs but their own. The infant does not
automatically think how tired mommy is, or how little sleep she
has had. They do not automatically want to share their toys,
or consider the needs of brothers and sisters. Children must
be taught to think of others.
I am told that the newborn infant has only two fears, the
fear of falling, and the fear of loud noises. In the course of a
normal life they will learn 5,000 other fears. The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This too is something every
child need to learn in order to have a happy life and a healthy
future.
Christianity is itself a learning process. Paul wrote:
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity
of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that
is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who
being past feeling have given themselves over unto
lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But ye have not so learned Christ” (Eph 4:17-20).
Paul’s “learning” of Christ enabled him to find
contentment wherever he was. His letter to the church in
Philippi is a “prison letter”. His bonds in Christ, however, did
not deter him from happiness. He had learned in whatsoever
state he was to be content. He knew how to be abased, and
he also knew how to abound. He had learned to honor Christ
down before Him with eternal gratitude and praise. Let us not
leave a life of thanksgiving to strangers.
Learning Contentment
“ I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith
to be content” (Phil. 4:11).
L
THANKSGIVING
he Greek word translated as “will guard” in this
passage is “phroueo.” It is a military term. W. E.
Vine in his word studies defines it as “to keep
under guard, as with a garrison.” It is the same word used in
2 Cor. 11:32 to describe the careful watch made by soldiers in
Damascus when Aretas was seeking for Saul.
Notice how logically and beautifully this passage
unfolds.
#
First, the recognition of God’s presence is followed by
the appropriate admonition not to worry. Why should
we worry as long as God is near?
#
Next, we are encouraged to take everything to God in
prayer. Nothing is too insignificant, or too great for
God. Two different Greek words are used to describe
our prayers. First, “prosuche” is translated as “prayer.”
Then “deesis” is translated as “petition.” Thayer
distinguishes the two by saying that the first deals with
devotional thought while the second involves personal
need. The first we say in chapel, and the second by
the bedside of a dying friend.
(Note that our “prayers” and “petitions” are to always be
#
Finally, the peace of God which transcends all
understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus.
This simple recipe will work. First, don’t worry.
Second, always pray with thanksgiving. Finally the peace of
The Guard
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7, NIV)
T
THANKSGIVING
accompanied by thanksgiving.)
3. In the third place we can learn that nothing can
happen to us without the specific permission of God. The story
of Job is an interesting case in point. The devil could not touch
his wealth, his family, or his health without permission from
God. (See Job. 1-2)
4. In the fourth place we can learn that He that is within
us is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4), and that
when we resist the devil he will flee from us.
5. Finally, we can learn that nothing can separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom.
8:38-39). Jesus Christ Himself has promised never to leave us
or forsake us (Heb. 13:5).
These are just a few of the exceeding great and
precious promises which we can “learn” in Christ (2 Pet. 1:4).
THANKSGIVING
Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge
the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful
for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and
favour, – and,
Whereas, both Houses of Congress have by their joint
committee requested me to recommend to the people of the
United States a day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be
observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many
signal favours of Almighty God, especially by affording them
the opportunity to establish a form of government for their
safety and happiness.
Now, Therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday,
the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the People of
these States to the service of that great and glorious Being
who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is,
or that will be — that we may then all unite in rendering unto
Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and
protection of the people of this country previous to their
becoming a nation; for the signal and mainfold mercies and
favourable interpositions of His providence, which we
experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war; for
the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we
have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in
which we have been enabled to establish Constitutions of
government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the
national one now lately instituted – the the civil and religious
The First Thanksgiving Proclamation
The President of the United States of America A proclamation:
THANKSGIVING
God will guard our hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.
The Philippian letter is evidence that Paul practiced
what he preached. It was one of four letters by Paul written
from prison. The others are Ephesians, Colossians, and
Philemon. The Philippian letter, however, is not a letter about
suffering, it is a letter about rejoicing. The Greek noun for
“joy” is “Xara.” It is found five times in Philippians, (1:4; 25;
2:2, 29; 4:1). The Greek verb for “joy” is “Xarein,” and it is
found 11 times in the letter (1:18, 18; 2:17, 17, 18, 18, 28; 3:1;
4:4, 4, 10).
The late J. Paul Getty was a billionaire, but lived in
constant fear. His fears were intensified after his grandson, J.
Paul Getty III, was kidnaped and held for ransom. To prove
their cruelty the kidnappers cut off the young man’s ear and
mailed it to his grandfather. Grandpa Getty then had his
bedroom door removed and fitted with a steel plate. When he
went to bed at night there was an armed guard outside the
door with an Alsatian attack dog.
The Apostle Paul had a far better protection system
than J. Paul Getty. The Lord Himself stood by Paul, and one
reason he did so was that Paul offered his prayers and
petitions with thanksgiving. Because Paul was thankful, God
protected him both mentally and emotionally. He guarded his
heart and his mind in Christ Jesus.
Note how boldly Paul encourages us to follow his
example: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard
from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God
of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9 NIV).
May we also follow his godly example and put into
practice what we learn, receive, hear, and see in his life.
Especially, let us always offer our prayers and petitions with
thanksgiving.
THANKSGIVING
It is the duty of nations as well as of men to owe their
dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess
their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with
assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and
pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the
Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations
are blessed whose God is the Lord.
We know that by His divine law, nations, like
individuals, are subject to punishments and chastisements in
this world. May we not justly fear that the awful calamity of
civil war which now desolates the land may be a punishment
inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins; to the needful end
of our national reformation as a whole people?
We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties
of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in
peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and
power as no other nation has ever grown. But have forgotten
God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved
us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us,
and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our
hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some
superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with
unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel
the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to
pray to the God that made us.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be
solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one
heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do
therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United
States, and also those who are at sea and those who are
Thanksgiving Proclamation (By Abraham Lincoln - 1863)
THANKSGIVING
liberty with which we are blessed and the means we have of
acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all
the great and various favours whish He hath pleased to confer
upon us.
And, also that we may then unite in most humbly
offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and
Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and
other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or
private stations, to perform our several and relative duties
properly and punctually, to render our national government a
blessing to all the peoples by constantly being a Government
of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully
executed and obeyed to protect and guide all Sovereigns and
Nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us) and
to bless them with good Government, peace and concord. To
promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue,
and the increase of science among them and generally to
grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity
and He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York, the third
day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
George Washington
THANKSGIVING
sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last
Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to
our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.