Thoughts From Above

Books with a Message

2012-01-14T20:18:00Z

In response to this advice I started Characterbooks.net. I have just printed my fourth full length book packed with Biblical lessons for all ages.
The first book I published is The Three Promises which began the day after the Titanic sank, just 100 years ago. It is based on the orphan trains that took children from the east and placed them in homes in the west from 1854 until 1929. But this story has a strong spiritual side to the plight of two orphans, Charlie and Sarah Whiteneck.
The sequel to this story is The Greatest Gift of All. It takes Charlie and Sarah through struggles and lessons in their new home in Schuyler, Nebraska.
The Mysterious Gray House tells the story of a family whose wildest dreams actually came true, and the lessons their learned from it.
The Mystery in Grandpa’s Will takes place in Virginia Beach, VA. A man is dying and concerned that willing his wealth to his grown children will ruin their lives and perpetuate their hatred of each other. So he devises a plan that is to bring the family together or they get nothing.
Check these out at characterbooks.net.

Iron Sharpens Iron

2012-01-14T19:47:00Z

The verse, of course, is not instruction on knife sharpening. It is talking about sharpening and being sharpened by others. Being sharpened means we are better people, and more effective for the Lord. Several verses in this chapter deal with this subject. ”Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (27:5-6) ”Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.” (9) ”As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.” (19) ”As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.” (21)
The principle has four applications. First, the more time you spend beholding the beauty of the Lord, the more like Him you will be (providing you have accepted Christ as your Savior so the Spirit can do His work of 2 Cor 3:18). In 2012, spend time in one or more of the Gospels just beholding the Lord Jesus, how He responded to people, what He said. Fill your thoughts with Christ.
Second, seek that kind of friend in others. As the verses above tell us, we can be and will be influenced by others and if the friend is a “sharpener,” then we are the better for it.
Third, be this type of friend to another. It will motivate you to meet some of the conditions below.
Fourth, spend time in biographies, learning from great Christians who have finished their course and kept the faith. Start with Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret. Then choose biographies of Charles Spurgeon, George Muller, D.L. Moody, Amy Carmichael, Gladys Ailward, Mary Slessor and many others. Just be your own blade; don’t try to imitate these people in every way but allow God to prod you toward godliness by their dedication and service.

Now what are seven conditions necessary for iron to sharpen iron?
1. For iron to sharpen iron, it must be as hard or harder than the blade. So you will be sharpened only by people who have risen higher than you in some way.
2. It must have an affinity toward being sharpened. A bolt may be good steel but it will take a long time to make it sharp. So be willing to be sharpened and want to be sharpened by others.
3. The two irons must be in contact. We will never be sharpened by someone who doesn’t not communicate with us. Apply this to the four points above.
4. It takes time. Be willing to let the harder steel do the work; don’t rush it.
5. It requires that the blade give up something it thinks is valuable. Sharpening means losing something, giving up something so that we can be better by concentrating.
6. Iron sharpens much faster when it is hot. The closer you are to the Lord, the easier it will be to conform to the image of His Son.
7. Sharpening is a life-long process. Living, like a knife’s use, causes us to become dull so we need a regular sharpening. Our sin nature constantly dulls us. We need regularly to be sharpened by the Word, and by others.
Never give up in all four areas of sharpening and being sharpened.

Two Paths to Follow

2011-11-19T09:41:00Z

Paul divides these two paths in several ways. He speaks of them in terms of his reaction to them. He calls the Philippian faithfuls “my joy and crown,” and “dearly beloved.” These are people who glory in the cross. He speaks of the others “weaping” for they are the enemies of the cross.

Second, Paul divides the two paths by their perspective. The enemies of the cross are spoken of as those “whose end is destruction.” Notice he speaks of their future. This is in harmony with both Psalm 37 and 73. (read them) The reason their future is destruction is because they live for the present. Notice first that their god is their belly. This is a synecdoche for all bodily appetites. They live for pleasure. They are hedenists. John calls this the “lust of the flesh.” (1 John 2:16) Second, their glory is in their shame. They brag about doing things that ought to bring shame. The words shame, ashamed, etc. appear 222 times in the Bible. The first and last times it speaks of nakedness. Psalm 4:2 speaks of those who turn God’s glory into shame. In Prov. 11:2 we are told, “When pride cometh, then cometh shame.” Examples of this are legion but Paul says it is a shame to speak of them. (Eph. 5:2) Taking pride in shameful activity is an expression of what John calls the pride of life. Third, these people whose end is destruction have their mind on earthly things. It is the things of this world that consume their thoughts, plans, and goals in life. This is not the mind of Christ spoken of in 2:5. John calls this the lust of the eyes. Yes, believers can live like this and lose rewards they would have laid at Jesus’ feet.

In contrast Paul’s group is characterized by our present perspective. Our citizenship is right now in heaven. We live better now by knowing where we’re going. We are characterized again by three things, each contrasting one of those in the other group. First, instead of living for the belly, we look forward to the Lord glorifying this body. He will one day change our bodies to be like His glorious body. So the destructive pleasures can be resisted, knowing the body and its appetites will be greatly improved! Secondly, instead of living for what things the world can offer, we look for the Savior. Heaven is not so much a place in Scripture, as a Person. “That where I am there ye may be also,” Jesus had said. The joys there are well worth any denial of distractive or destructive things down here. Thirdly, instead of the pride of willful shame, we look forward to the time when Jesus will “subdue all things unto Himself.” This is the same Greek word commonly used to describe submission to authority. This time it will be by coercion. Since Jesus will reign with a rod of iron and subdue all to Himself, we are wise to get started by submitting to Him now and attaching glory to that which is truly glorious! The other five uses of glory in Philippians exemplify this with glory going to God the Father and God the Son.

Again, the enemies of the cross ruin their future by concentrating on the present. Those who glory in the cross secure their future by focusing on their present citizenship. We are to live as citizens of heaven, as sojourners who look for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God.

Others are Better?

2011-11-13T14:33:00Z

The key, I believe, to chapter two of Philippians is found in verse 3. “Let nothing be done through strife (just to cause conflicts) or vainglory (empty self-promotion), but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves.” The lowly mind is given in principle at the end of this verse, and in illustration by the four people mentioned in the rest of the chapter: Jesus, Timothy, Paul, and Epaphroditus. The Philippians, and we are admonished to have the same mind. What does it mean to esteem others better than myself? It is NOT speaking of a morbid self-deprecation, of thinking we are no good for anything. In fact, Paul told the Romans we should think of ourselves soberly, according to the faith we are given. (chap. 12). Instead, it simply means that we put the needs of others ahead of our own pleasures. Christ, for example, left the spender of heaven to become a servant, then be treated as a criminal for our redemption. We are His trophy for His putting us ahead of Himself. Epaphroditus was close to death because of his desire to serve Paul in behalf of his home church. Modern illustrations of this are all around us. A mother gives up sleep to nurse her baby or care for her sick child. A husband will at times need to give up his expectations for the evening when he discerns his wife is exhausted from caring for their child that day. Pastors lay down their lives for their sheep. Employees might give of their best only to be misunderstood by the boss. The list goes on. Just remember, when you put the needs of others ahead of your own desires, God notices and promises great reward. Jesus is the ultimate example. He is highly exalted. To the degree that we exemplify the mind of Christ, we can expect a “well done” reward from Him.

Living Between the Promises

2011-09-25T21:12:00Z

In the hall of fame list in Hebrews 11, we might be surprised that the author summarized all 13 chapters of Joseph’s life in one sentence, his dying breath: “By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.” (11:22)
The actual command is found in Genesis 50:24-25: “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”
Why did Joseph make this command? What difference does it make where he would be buried? Whether he planned all of this or not, his remains served at least three vital purposes in the history of the nation of Israel. These purposes directly parallel three of God’s purposes in establishing the ordinance of the Lord’s Table.

1) Hope when all they had was a promise
By the time Joseph was 110, he had probably noticed that the esteem given him for saving the country was dwindling. Further, he surely knew what God had said to his father Jacob as he left Canaan to move to Egypt during the famine: “I will go down with thee into Egypt: and I will also surely bring thee up again:” (46:4). Joseph also knew the even more specific prophecy given to his great grandfather Abraham in Genesis 15:13-16: “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, (Joseph did this) and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
God had used Joseph to bring the family into that “land that is not theirs.” But he knew that, if the people would be afflicted in Egypt for 400 years, they would surely forget the promise of deliverance. So instead of complaining about God’s revealed will as we might have been tempted to do, he set up a visual aid to remind them of what would come.
Please notice that the burial request in Genesis 50 is directly connected with the promise that God would bring them out. Thus, during their years of bondage, whenever they looked at the grave of Joseph, they could be reminded of the promise of deliverance to come.
For the disciples, the Lord’s Table was given first to carry them through the dark hours before them. “That they through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4) The hours would only last until Sunday but, no doubt, they seemed an eternity to them. Yet Jesus had said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28) It was not the end of something but the beginning! Remember how many times Jesus told them He would suffer many things, be killed AND RISE FROM THE DEAD? Yet, it seems no one got the message of hope for all were surprised to learn He was again alive. For the disciples this purpose was only days long. For the children of Israel it was 359 years before the first part of Joseph’s words was fulfilled.
It was to be a hope.

2) A Reminder of what He Had Begun
We are told in Exodus 13:19, “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.” The first part of the promise had been fulfilled. Now the coffin was both a reminder of God’s promise fulfilled and of that which is yet to come.
They took his bones through the Red Sea. It was there with them at Sinai when they got the Commandments and worshipped the golden calf. It was there as they headed north to the promised land a year later.
This morning we again celebrated the Lord’s Table. It is not grace giving in itself. It is, like the body of Joseph, a visual aid, a reminder of the great event of Christ’s death. “Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24) “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Eph. 1:7) To some it is a meaningless routine or even a snack, perhaps a drudgery like dragging a coffin through the wilderness might have become. To others, it is as planned, a reminder to remember what was done for them at the cross.
But you will please notice that Paul said The Lord’s Table is more than just a reminder of a past event. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew (declare, preach) the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Cor. 11:26) The Lord’s Table links the solemn past event of His death for us, with the wonderful future promise of His coming. It is during this time between the two promises of the Lord’s Table that we live. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Phil. 1:6) His good work in us has only begun.

3) An indictment for unbelief
When they arrived at Kadesh-Barnea, they sent 12 spies out, one from each tribe. When the spies returned, two looked at God’s great power in fulfilling past promises, and applied it to His ability and willingness to fulfill the rest of the promise. Joseph had said they would come out and they did that. Now the same God was willing and able to fulfill the second part, to bring them in.
However, the majority voted with the doubters, those who had not learned to walk by faith and who forgot the second promise pictured in the bones. So God sent them back into the wilderness.
Now for 40 years the bones of Joseph were an indictment for their unbelief. They would not be able to keep the promise to bury him in the land. Their children would have to do that. (Psalm 78:40, 57)
In the context in 1 Corinthians, note how past and future are designed to motivate the Corinthians- and us- to godly living in the present. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” (1 Cor. 11:28) He died and was raised just as He said. He is coming again as king on this earth, as He said. That is just as certain. In light of what He has done, and the assurance of what He will do, Paul admonishes us to “walk worthy.” (Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:12) John says, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3)
As the bones of Joseph during the wilderness wandering, the Lord’s Table is to be a time of reflection and an indictment at times if we are not living worthy of such a sacrifice or not living in light of His soon return.

Finally Joseph’s remains arrived at the border of the land. They passed over the Jordan as it heaped up. It passed the priests holding the Ark in the midst of the river. But before burial, the coffin would wait seven more years. It was there at the conquest of Jericho, the defeat and then victory at Ai, at the battle at Aijalon when the sun stood still. For over 400 years, Israel had lived between the fulfillment of the first promise and the fulfillment of the second. The bones of Joseph were to encourage them to walk by faith in the meantime.
Now, c. 406 years after the command was given, “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.” (Joshua 24:32) (This was near the border between the land given to his two sons, in what was later called Samaria. His grave is still there today) God had kept His promises in spite of their unbelief. Now they kept their ancestor’s promise to Joseph. For those who were willing to believe it, the past event at Joseph’s death encouraged them to keep their eyes of faith on the future event of being planted in their land, and they lived accordingly.
For over 2000 years the church has lived between the promises of His comings. The same Lord who was able to rise from the dead will come again. We are not to focus on the despairing events around us, but on the promise of what lies ahead. It is as sure as Israel’s history. The Lord’s Table, like the bones of Joseph, is designed to remind us of both past and future promises and to then motivate us to live worthy of His calling as we focus on His coming.

Don’t Waste Your Crisis Crossroads

2011-09-20T08:49:00Z

The story is given in all three synoptics, here in Mark 10:17-31, and also in Matthew 19:16-30 and Luke 18:18-30. So it must be important for God to include it three times. I have chosen the Mark account because of two details he alone includes, for he notes the man’s eagerness, and also the Lord’s attitude toward him.
The story has been wrongly used to prove works salvation since Jesus told him, if he kept the Commandments, he would live, or have eternal life. It is NOT teaching this. After all, who can keep all the commandments all the time, both in letter and spirit? One primary purpose of the law was to bring the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20) This is Jesus’ point as we will see.
Our focus here will be on the crisis this man faced in his life. It was divinely ordained. After all, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:” (John 6:44) God had obviously put into the heart of this man an awareness of his emptiness in spite of being the envy of many around. And he came to the right source for the answer, didn’t he!
When has God put into your heart a desire to seek Him for salvation, or to seek him at a new level of commitment? Was it during the special meetings? Was it during a sermon? Was it while reading the Bible? Was it at some unexpected place or time? Think back to a time when God was drawing you to Himself. Perhaps that time is right now. What was He promising? What was the cost? How did you respond?
It was not only divinely ordained but was also, in a sense, self-induced. Here was a man who had everything most people would consider to be important: all three Gospels tell us he was rich, so he could buy anything. Matthew tells us he was young, so he could do anything; he had the energy of youth. Luke tells us he was a ruler, so he could be anything; he was a boss. He must have been a man of integrity to be trusted with leadership responsibility early in life.
Are not these the things young people typically have as goals in life: a) to be independently wealthy at an early age; b) to stay young by exercise, botox, facial creams, and hair coloring; c) to climb the corporate ladder. He had it all!
Yet, he came running, fell at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to reveal what was missing in his life to be assured of eternity. (custom tells us that important people didn’t run to others. They let others run to them.) Never mind what others were doing (rejecting him, or coming at night); never mind how he appeared before others; never mind getting his fancy clothes dirty; never mind the humiliation of being a ruler and bowing before a controversial itinerant teacher. He had to know! That sounds eager enough! Often today we are ashamed to come forward, or to admit we have a need. Not this young man!
We would love to know his background- his family, the reason he was both young and a ruler, what he had heard about Jesus, what had brought him to such a crisis in his life, and why he believed Jesus had the answer to his longing. We don’t know these things, but you know what God is doing in your heart right now, and why, don’t you?
Have you ever sought the Lord with that type of fervor? If so, be assured that God put it into your heart to do so. Be assured also that, at that point, you faced, are facing, or will face a crossroads. Things will never be the same after your response.
The Bible says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Matthew 29:13) Yet, this man failed. We need to know, first, how he failed.
Matthew tells us he asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (19:16) His earnest question reveals two problems. 1) He did not know to whom He was speaking. He was more than a “good teacher.” He was God in the flesh and Jesus’ first response clarified this. “Why are you calling me good? Only God is good.” (Jesus used questions like a surgeon uses a scalpel.) In other words, “I am either good and God (and you need to come empty of your own ideas), or I am just a teacher and a sinner. You must know your source of information. If it is God, you don’t come to evaluate but to learn and obey.”
When you come to God through the Bible, are you looking for Him to verify what you already decided to do, or are you coming to Him as God, the Lord, the only one who calls the shots?
2) He did not come with all his heart, but with his own agenda, based on his own good works. “What good thing can I do?” It appears he wasn’t as humble as he seemed to be.
The context is significant. Just before this in Mark, Jesus had said, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” (10:15) This man didn’t. Just after it in Luke is the story of Zaccheaus who offered to give his money to the poor. He did.
Though the focus of this message is toward believers, I would be remiss to not tell you that, if you think some good deed will win heaven, you are sadly mistaken. Eph. 2:9 says, “Not of works.” Galatians 2:16 assures us that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.
“Nothing of my own I bring;
simply to the cross I cling.”
The ‘good work’ was done by Christ on the cross and salvation comes by believing that was sufficient payment for your sins and by receiving Him as your Savior. (John 1:12) In John 6, the people asked, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (6:28-29) If God is drawing your heart to Himself, say YES today!
But Jesus met the man on his own level, of good works as He summarized the last six commandments. Matthew tells us Jesus even added the overriding second great commandment to them: love your neighbor as yourself. (Jesus repeated this again in Matt. 22:39) Truly if a person could keep all the commandments all of life both in heart and deed, he would not need a Savior. However, only Christ has done this.
Yet, in response to this list the man made a startling claim: “Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” (10:20) Do you think this was true? If “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” this man was surely deceiving himself.
In spite of this claim, the man asked, “What lack I yet?” (Matt. 19:20) He was aware of a need in his life.
Now note the next statement: “Then Jesus beholding him loved him.” In spite of knowing the man just lied to Him, and that he loved his gold more than God, that he would turn away from Him, Jesus still loved him. Now put your name in the phrase. Wherever you are, Jesus beholds you and loves you. He wants your best that will always glorify God. Remember Deut. 5:29.
Instead of arguing with him, or giving him illustrations of his failures as He did the woman at the well, Jesus masterfully gave the man a chance to demonstrate he loved his neighbor as Himself- give his money to the poor. Specifically His invitation was, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” (10:21) If what he claimed was true, this should be easy!
Notice his assets were in commodities. Today we call them ‘securities.’ He had to liquid them, then give the money away. That would burn his bridges, wouldn’t it! No 30 day waver in this one!
Note the promise here: “treasure in heaven.” Not just eternal life but eternal reward on top of that. It was more than he asked for! He was being invited to be the 13th disciple! Perhaps he could later be the replacement for Judas. If so, he would be 1) rich in heaven, 2) have eternal life (forever young), and 3) rule over the 12 tribes of Israel in the Millennium, as Jesus promised in the verses that follow. (Matt 19:28- In fact, Jesus told the disciples here that they would, one day, be rich young rulers!) He could “have his cake and eat it too!” In addition, Jesus would be saving him from the three things that “choke the Word,” namely, c) the cares (ruler), a) riches, and b) pleasures (young) of this life that bare no fruit. (Luke 8:14)
Further, there is a sense in which he would give up nothing but instead exchange it for a better spiritual equivalent. Eph. 1:17-19 a) Riches of the glory of his inheritance; 2) greatness of His power (young); 3) hope of His calling (ruler).
The only catch it, he would have to wait until later to get all this. From our perspective, he would wait, at the most, 40 years because the Romans destroyed and scattered Israel in AD 70. Being rich and a ruler meant nothing after that and he would no longer be young. But as of today he would be enjoying the “treasures of heaven” for 1941 years . . . so far! Not a bad bargain; not a difficult choice!
Yet, even in that, he would not have to wait for spiritual reward. Paul tell us in Eph. 1:17-19 that God promises believers a) the riches of the glory of His inheritance; b) the greatness of His power; c) the hope of His calling!
But note the cost here: Sell all and give to the poor- it would mean he would no longer be rich.
Take up the cross- that was an instrument of shame, confinement, and death. He would be giving up the advantages of being young. It would mean dying daily. (1 Cor. 15:31)
Follow me- he would be giving up being a ruler. He would be a disciple.
The man went away sorrowful. He came expectant and left empty. He failed his crisis. Typically he would begin to make excuses why this was asking too much, how much good he could do for God keeping his money, how this answer would not meet his need. He would then stop praying; he would turn bitter, perhaps even be one of those on the front row shouting, “Crucify Him!” At least he might have said, “If this is the result of His way, I have no regrets for what I chose that day.” But that was Friday, and Sunday was coming.
Now we need to know why he failed.
Before we examine this, note please that Jesus did not make it easy. He was demanding total commitment. a) He did not negotiate with him. It was as He said or nothing. b) Jesus did not accept him because he was sincere. Truth came before sincerity. c) Though Jesus loved him, He did not run after him and beg him to reconsider. Instead, He admonished those present not to follow the RYR’s choice. There was no compromise.
Now, in conclusion, let’s example several reasons why this man failed when offered the opportunity of a lifetime- and beyond!
1) He failed of the grace of God. (Hebrews 12:15) I am confident God gave him the enablement to obey. He refused to accept it.
2) He came with his own agenda. It was to be his way or nothing. God says, “It is my way or you lose.”
3) He failed to have an eternal perspective on the cost and reward. He viewed the loss of his beloved money, not as a child losing a tooth to make room for a bigger, better one and as a part of maturing, but as an adult losing a tooth with no hope of replacement. In reality, he loved his money and thus violated the first four commandments, loving God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind. (Matt 22:37-38) yes, the truth is, he broke all 10 commandments! Is there something you love more than God?
4) He failed to consider the great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1), people who paid the cost of living by faith and got the reward: Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Amos, Nehemiah, David, Zacharias and Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna, even the disciples standing before him.
We also have many modern examples: George Muller, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, John Paton, etc., people down through history who pave paid the price and gotten the reward. Are you one of them?
But we also have a New Testament Bible example the RYR didn’t have. Paul was probably also a rich young ruler. He was about Christ’s age and was given authority and finances to round up Christians in Acts 9. Yet he tells us, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Phil. 3:7-9)
The Bible also gives us many who failed their crisis crossroads: Lot, Cain, Gehazi, Balaam, David, Solomon to name a few.
5) He failed to grasp the significance of the Gospel. Salvation is not free! It cost Jesus everything to provide it without money and without price. But those given this free gift are told, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) This is only reasonable. If we understand the Gospel (Romans 1-11), the mercies of God, then the “reasonable” response is to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. (Rom. 12:1) A living sacrifice is a life-long, cross-bearing follower.
The story challenges me, but, as I said, it also haunts me. I have faced many crisis times in the 46 years since I was saved. To many I responded rightly. But two haunt me. The first was while in seminary. A teacher challenged us to buy and read a booklet by Barbour on total surrender. I did so and considered what that would cost me. Out of fear I consciously backed away. Years later I was at a conference and was challenged to greater commitment. I wept because, in my heart, I knew I was not willing to pay the cost. God has used me and, for that, I am humbled and glad. But I wonder how much more He would have used me if I had responded at these and other times as a living sacrifice.
So the lesson is simple: don’t waste your crossroad crisis. Obeying God is a win-win situation in the long run. And there may never be another such offer. (Prov. 29:1)

Respect of Persons

2011-07-27T13:53:00Z

All right, I’ll tell you where they are: 2 Chron. 19:7; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; and 1 Peter 1:17. A respecter of persons is one who treats someone differently because of an unimportant or unchangeable quality. If we treated someone differently because they were rich, we would be respecting their person. God does not do that, we are told. Of course, we will treat a relative different than a stranger generally. God does the same toward His children, that is, those who have accepted Christ as their Savior. (John 1:12) But this is not respecting persons.

I often think of this principle of respecting persons when working in the shop. When we moved to Eau Claire, I purchased a very nice table saw. It has done a great job over these six years and has never cut me once. But I have great respect for it. I know that, if I got my finger in place of the wood, it would not avoid cutting because I was sincere, because I was its owner, because I am tall, or because I have avoided being cut in the past. It is no respecter of persons. This is true of all my tools. The more dangerous they are, the more useful they are and they more respect they demand.

People violate God’s laws and then expect God to overlook it because they did some other kind deed, or because they hadn’t done it before, or because they were generally sincere. God is no respecter of persons. The reproofs of instruction are the ways of life. If you are one of these, I urge you to stop judging God on what He does or doesn’t do, and let God judge you. When you do, you will flee to Him for mercy, and you will receive it!

After Twelve Years

2011-07-25T12:38:01Z

Something profound happened to two families, both in the same year. Jesus was about twenty years old at the time, but the events took place several miles from his home. That year Jairus and his wife had a baby. Though initially they might have been disappointed the baby was a girl, such a feeling quickly subsided in the joy of having a happy, healthy child. Their only child. No doubt she soon became Daddy’s little girl, the apple of his eye. And so the years passed in joy.
The year that joy came to Jairus’ family, a woman in the same community lost her health. She began to bleed and the bleeding didn’t stop. This meant that she was ceremonially unclean and would only be able to participate in worship from a distance, for 12 years. The chronic problem forced her to seek help from one doctor after another. Soon she had spent everyone and the problem was worse. Twelve years of joy; twelve years of sorrow. All this while Jesus did the work of a carpenter.
Then one day the girl got sick. A shadow was suddenly cast over the twelve years of joy as her condition worsened. Family and friends gathered. Nothing could be done. Her life was ebbing away. Suddenly on this day both families were in pain.
Jairus heard that Jesus was in town. He had just come from the Gadarenes. Stories would follow that the people there asked Him to leave. Here he was welcomed. Other stories had preceded Him that Jesus had the power of God on His life. Jairus dared to believe. Surely He would be able to heal his little girl, if only he could get to Jesus in time.
The woman too had heard of Jesus and His power to heal. She was also looking for him. Both had a measure of hope.
When Jairus found Jesus, “he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house.” Pride would not stand in the way of his expressing the urgency he felt. Jesus agreed to go. A mob thronged Him as he walked and in that mob was the woman. As he drew close, she knelt down and touched the hem of his robe. Immediately she knew that what the doctors could not do in twelve years Jesus had done at a touch. Jesus stopped and turned about. “Who touched me?” He asked. The woman trembled. Jairus must have felt increasing impatience. What could be more important than to get to his girl in time? But Jesus took the time to minister to the woman. Her fear turned to joy as he told her, “thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Her joy would now be lasting.
But in the delay, the girl died. As they resumed the trip to Jairus’ home, friends arrived, telling him the sad news. “It’s too late.” By taking time to help another, his own need had failed to be met. After twelve years of sorrow, the woman had joy. After twelve years of joy, Jairus was filled with sorrow. Perhaps he felt anger toward the woman. Then Jesus said, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” When they arrived, the sadness of death filled the air as friends and relatives wailed. But their wailing turned to scornful laughter when He said, “Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.” Because of their unbelief, they were excluded from the miracle. Only three disciples and the parents entered the room where the lifeless body lay. Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Little girl, I say unto thee, arise.” Immediately life returned to her body, and to their home. The parents were dumbfounded! ‘Too late’ was, indeed, too limiting for such power! The joyful reunion is left to our imagination. But Jesus admonished them, “tell no man what was done.” The scorners would see what happened, but would not be told how.
What a mix of emotions filled those twelve years and especially that one day. Faith won the day. Those with it saw the power of God. Those without saw nothing.

(from Luke 8:40-56)

Immunized

2011-06-13T09:30:00Z

Because of the discovery of antibodies, immunization was developed. It was noticed, for example, that those who had cow pox never got small pox. Thus people were purposely given a form of cow pox and small pox epidemics were eliminated.
At first it was experimental. Jonathan Edwards died from inoculation. Others question all the shots children are required to take in order to attend school. We aren’t debating that here. But the body itself builds antibodies against certain diseases. When I was a child, we all knew we would, at one time or another, get the three big ones: chicken pox, measles, and mumps. Hopefully you would get mumps before puberty, but we didn’t know why at the time. If you got them once, you wouldn’t get them again, normally.
We attend a great church. The Gospel is preached, the Word is presented clearly, and the people are loving and serious. But I look on the children who grow up there with concern. They hear it over and over. While some visiting may be greatly affected by hearing the Word for the first time, the children can sit attentively and tune it out. I have asked them the next day what was the subject or text of the pastor’s message. Often they don’t know. They are tuned out. They are immunized. They could stay like this all their lives unless something or someone stirs them to consider personally and seriously the claims of Christ.
But Christians can do the same. “Another message on giving.” click! “Another message on evangelism.” click! What would be the subject you click off? “I will respond to that message the same way I always have,” we tell ourselves unconsciously. We become immune to a fresh challenge from the Spirit. May God stir us afresh with His Word today, and keep us from tuning out any truth He reveals to us.

Serving

2011-06-10T10:20:00Z

I am taking care of Paul this week. Paul is 22 but has the mental age of one. So he is constant care. I can imagine someone saying, “You should not waste your talents on someone so unresponsive.” Indeed, Peter said, “It is isn’t fitting that we should wait tables. Let others do that while we preach the Gospel.” On the other hand when the shipwrecked crew landed on Malta, Paul, who had just saved everyone’s lives, joined the others to gather firewood. Who was right? Of course, both were right. Peter is speaking of a major calling in life. But even while we are ministering the Word, we need to take time to pick up sticks. This might involve shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, taking care of a baby, visiting someone. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. He said we should do likewise.

A Lesson about Peace in a Pool

2011-06-02T11:43:00Z

Several times a week I take our special needs son Paul to the YMCA so he can splash in the big pool. I usually swim half-lengths until I get tired, which isn’t very long. Then I do resistance walking, trying to get exercise walking widths and keeping an eye on Paul. It was while walking in circles in the shallow end that I noticed something. Though the entire pool was rippled with waves and counterwaves, the area in the middle of the circle I formed was calm. As a teacher I had to know why. The answer was simple- the waves I made from one side of the circle collided with those from the other side and cancelled each other out. “That is a good definition of peace,” I said to myself. Peace is not the absence of waves, but it is the result of the presence of counterwaves. When our problems meet with God’s power, peace results. We don’t need all His power, though it is all available. We only need enough of it to counteract the power of the problems. ”God is able to make all grace abound toward you.” (2 Cor. 9:8) ”My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor. 12:8)

We have probably all heard the story of the artists who were assigned the task of drawing a picture depicting peace. Many drew tranquil lakes, sunsets, and the like. The winner drew a raging waterfall and a bird nest in an overhanging branch. I am suggesting that is not quite what God’s peace means either. The raging waterfall is normal and constant. The bird learns this is not a threat to its tranquility. But waves are those unexpected events that come into our lives to drive us either to despair or to God. When we turn to God, His power cancels the power of the event, and peace results.

Memorial Day

2011-05-31T12:27:00Z

Another Memorial Day has passed. Traditionally, Memorial Day is the mark of the beginning of summer, the first holiday after the long winter. It is a holiday to get off of work and school, to enjoy a parade, a picnic, and playing together. Our local stores use it to promote special sales and we had lots of them!
But wait a minute. Something is missing. Did you notice the syllable MEM in Memorial? It is the same root in memory and remember. It deals with the mind. Memorial Day is to be a time of remembering something.
If anything proves the depravity of man it would be our long history of war. Even before the first war in the Bible (Gen. 14) other history sources such as those in Egypt and China record wars. This is because freedom is not free and only those people who are willing to fight for it will have it for many others would like to take it from us. Many Americans have given their lives so that we have the freedom today to get off of work and school, to enjoy a parade, a picnic, and a game with the family. If you didn’t take time to remember the cost of freedom, it is not too late.

Fundamentals for the Family (50): Family Finances 1

2010-03-21T17:15:00Z

One poll listed the five major causes of marriage breakup as these: money, poor communication, lack of commitment, change in priorities, and infidelity. Most marriage polls list money as a top cause of problems. This is not surprising. About 43% of American families, like the government itself, spend more than they earn each year. This continues to be true, in spite of financially tough times. An average household carries $8,000 in credit card debt. As a result, personal bankruptcies have doubled in the past decade. In 2003, the total debt for American consumers was $2 trillion, an average of $18,654 per household, not including mortgage debt (another $10 trillion). This was a 41% increase in five years but has doubled since then.
Debt starts in college and never ends. In the 2008-09 academic year student loans grew about 25% over the previous year, to $75.1 billion. Today, two-thirds of college students borrow to pay for college, and their average debt load is $23,186 by the time they graduate, according to an analysis of the government’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. The loans were based on the expectation that an education would provide a good paying job and the loan could be paid back. With unemployment at 10% or more, increasingly this is not happening.
In contrast to the ‘norm’, God’s Word warns, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Prov. 22:7) Paul writes, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another.” (Rom. 13:8) Our family has lived debt-free for 29 years now and can testify this brings with it great peace. First, we don’t have to worry that we can’t make payments and something will be repossessed. Second, the absence of interest payments has allowed us to invest more into the Lord’s work. Laying up treasures in heaven is the greatest investment. Third, this conviction has brought us to prayer more than anything else. If God didn’t provide the money for something we wanted and were praying about, we were confident it wasn’t His will. Our lives are marked with many specific ways God has provided as we determined not to go into debt to meet a need.
So how do you get started living debt-free? I am confident that the first and most important step in living debt-free is to fight covetousness and learn contentment. Paul said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Phil. 4:11) The pizzazz of the world is appealing, and the need to show others we are successful will inevitably drive one to debt. God has promised to supply all our needs so erase that one from your worry list. God also often gives us ‘extras’ when we wait patiently. But He warns us not to set our heart on any of these things. Instead, “Set your affection on things above.” (Col. 3:2) After all, things cannot satisfy, and will soon pass away.

Fundamentals for the Family (49): TV

2010-03-14T17:13:01Z

A recent study by the University of Michigan revealed startling increases in the influence of television on children. Consider these statistics: TV viewing among kids is at an eight-year high. On average, children ages 2-5 spend 32 hours a week in front of a TV watching television, DVDs, DVR and videos, and using a game console. Kids ages 6-11 spend about 28 hours a week in front of the TV. The vast majority of this viewing (97%) is of live TV. 68% of 8 to 18-year-olds have a TV in their bedroom; 54% have a DVD/VCR player, 37% have cable/satellite TV, and 20% have premium channels. In 63% of households, the TV is “usually” on during meals. In 53% of households of 7th- to 12th-graders, there are no rules about TV watching. In 51% of households, the TV is on “most” of the time. Kids with a TV in their bedroom spend an average of almost 1.5 hours more per day watching TV than kids without a TV in the bedroom. Many parents encourage their toddlers to watch television. It is their major source of free babysitting. ref.
Many other studies have been made. TV is directly related to sleep problems, behavioral problems, and childhood obesity. Some relate it to the rapid rise in ADHD and ADD. It takes away from family time, playing with friends, physical activity and muscle development, mastering skills like music or art, and reading, to name a few. During formative years, the lighted box becomes their best friend and greatest influence. Children are so entertained that some school districts say they cannot keep children’s attention without videos and elaborate, expensive computer equipment.
But the greatest concern for Christian parents must be the content of what is being presented on TV. An average American child will see 2,000 beer commercials a year, and 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by age 18. They are taught that revenge is normal and satisfying. They are taught pride, lust, and covetousness by word and example. Most of the heroes are not heroic to God. Yet parents let their children watch, thinking it is benign. It is not. Even history and documentary programs can and will twist the facts to present an agenda. Programs only get worse as the line of what is acceptable is pushed. Perhaps the most dangerous and subtle lesson on TV is that life without God is fun, satisfying, and successful.
How should a Christian parent handle the influence of the TV? (These are in order from least to most radical.) 1) Limit TV watching, both in time and what is allowed. Children need to be outside, physically active every day. 2) Never let children watch TV unless a parent is there to monitor, censure, or at least interpret what is being presented. 3) Get rid of it as an enemy too strong to control. Do what is necessary so that wickedness is not welcome in your home.

Fundamentals for the Family (48): Flying Blind

2010-03-07T14:07:01Z

It was a sunny day in the fall of 2007, a beautiful day to fly. Jim O’Neill, aged 65 who had 18 years of flying experience, had guided the two-seater Cessna aircraft to about 5,500 feet when he noticed that the instruments in the cockpit seemed to be unusually bright, to the point that he really couldn’t see what they read. Then suddenly things got darker. As he considered this, he reasoned that it was because of the sun shining through the window. But the trouble continued. In fact, a few minutes later he declared an emergency. Soon all those involved knew that there were bigger problems than looking into the sun or the sun shining off instruments. Jim O’Neill was unable to see anything. At 5,500 feet he was literally flying blind! (Later he learned that he had a stroke while flying that day. The part of his brain most affected dealt with sight; he was truly blind.) Those who have done some flying say it’s hard to combat the feeling that you should ignore your instruments and just fly by feeling. Instructors drill into you to trust your instruments! But what do you do when you can’t even see your instruments?

Christians enter marriage and parenting without training. In a sense we start out flying blind. Yet, God said His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105) Do you filter all of your marriage and parenting decisions through the grid of God’s Word? God does not intend us to face family relationships and responsibilities flying blind.

The first course of action was to talk Mr. O’Neill down. The air traffic controllers tried to tell him what to do next, but it didn’t seem to be working. Jim O’Neill was simply too scared to try to land that way. That’s when Wing Cdr Paul Gerrard joined the story. He was a chief flying instructor at a local RAF base. Risking his own life, he flew another plane up to where Jim O’Neill was flying. Talking to him and staying close, he told him point by point what to do. After three aborted attempts at landing, Jim O’Neill successfully landed his plane at the Air Force Base. At last report he was recovering well, while admittedly a bit shocked at the whole ordeal.

Some of us have had lots of experience in both marriage and parenting. Our duty is to pass on what we have learned to the next generation. (Psalm 78:4) To help others 1) we must be willing to be available and to get involved in others’ lives. Americans are taught to live for retirement. God says to live for Him and never give up investing in others. 2) The younger must be willing to ask and receive instruction. If Mr. O’Neill hadn’t followed Gerrard’s instructions, it would have been fatal. Much wisdom and experience is all around you. Take advantage of it!