One Week Left For Man

One Week Left For Man 

According to the interpretation of some the end of the world will happen next week in accordance with a supposed prophecy from the Mayan culture long ago. The great event of 2012 will be another prognostication of the end of time. Like the Y2K fears and the myriad of religious leaders who have led many to believe in their own brand of “end-times” belief the Bible does tell us when the end of the world will be. If anyone would know when the earth will be destroyed it would have to be the One who created it and put it into motion. Since God is the sovereign power and authority to man’s existence (Daniel 5:23) He would be the one to tell us when the world will come to an end.

It must be understood in the beginning that man’s existence is limited. As life is characterized as a vapor (James 4:14) so the life of all things balance on the thin line of mortality. The earth itself is a living creature created by the will of the Almighty whose life is destined to end by the wish of the Creator. Genesis 6-9 is a testimony of the mighty power of how God can destroy all mankind (save eight souls) in one event. The grand scale of the flood and utter destruction pale in comparison to the final occasion of earth’s demise.

Peter describes the end of the earth in graphic terms. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up … the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:10,12). No black hole, no meteor, no global warming effect and no nuclear holocaust. Man can never destroy his own world in a total event; that is left to the justice of the Lord.

The most important question of the earth’s end is when this will take place. The Bible clearly tells us the day and the time of the end of time. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:31-33). I know when the world will come to an end! Isn’t that great! How wonderful is that knowledge. The end of all time will be in accordance with the will of the Father alone. No man knows, no angel knows and not even Jesus Christ. I don’t have to worry about when that will be because it will be the decision of my Father.

Do you not feel relieved to know that as long as God knows we don’t have to worry about when the world will come to an end? What I get to do is to watch for the coming of His Son and what a wonderful day that will be (2 Thessalonians 1:10). My life is filled with the prayer of “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Many people worry about the end of time because they know that if it happens at the wrong time it would be a tragedy for them. For those who live in the grace of God death has no fear (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) and the end of the world is a blessing. “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:4-5). Maybe the Lord will come today!! Praise God!

Discipleship (Vance Havner)

The Great Commission bids us make disciples, not merely believers. Jesus was out for disciples, not "joiners."
 
The rich young ruler had morals, manners and money. He would be welcomed readily into many churches today, with no questions asked. He would make a good "joiner" but he would be a poor disciple.
 
We have put the demands of discipleship in fine print for fear we will scare away "prospects."
 
A beliver comes to Christ; a disciple comes after Him. He are long on membership these days, but short on discipleship.
 
The first item on our agenda is to produce a better grade of Christians before we go out to add more names to our church rolls when we already have too many of the kind we have.
 
WHAT OUR LORD SAID ABOUT CROSS-BEARING AND OBEDIENCE IS NOT IN FINE PRINT. IT IS IN BOLD PRINT ON THE FACE OF THE CONTRACT!

From A to Z (Revelation 22)

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. (Revelation 22:13)

From A to Z

Whenever we want to suggest something as complete and lacking nothing, we may use the alphabet as an example that includes everything from “A to Z”. This is the same sense with which the Lord says that He has done all things, is all things and there is nothing lacking in how He has provided all things for man. The “alpha and omega” are the corresponding letters of the Greek alphabet that suggest all things complete. The conclusion of the Revelation is like its beginning. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8).

The Lord is now and rules at the right hand of the Father. He was as in the beginning with the Father (John 1). His coming is imminent at the bidding of the Father (Revelation 22:12). The Lord is everything from “A to Z” because He created the world, saved the world and will return for His saints.

He has given us all things (from “A to Z”) that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). There is nothing lacking. The needs of man are met on every level through Jesus Christ. All grace has been given that all our sins may be washed away that we may all find hope in the love of God who gave us all He had – His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Praise God for the “Alpha and Omega.”

He Preached Jesus (Acts 8)

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. (Acts 8:35-38)

He preached Jesus

The evangelistic mission of Philip is best outlined in his teaching of the Ethiopian Eunuch. We find four things that Philip shows in teaching others the good news of salvation.

1.    Philip began where the man from Ethiopia was. When he started his study, Philip began where the man was reading and taught him the gospel. It is always best to begin the journey on the road our friend is traveling where they are so we can take them where they need to be.

2.    Philip preached Jesus to him. What a powerful unwritten sermon that is. But the simple truth is that Jesus is the message and we do not need to invent special ways to teach people salvation. If they will not believe in Jesus, there is nothing to believe in. Teach Jesus.

3.    Philip brought the man to ask his own question. The eunuch is the one that asked the question about baptism. Whatever Philip taught the man we know that preaching Jesus is teaching the necessity of obedience in water. But Philip guided the man to examine is own self and act upon his heart of faith.

4.    Philip obeyed the pattern of salvation. He did not suggest the man could be saved by faith alone or works alone. The challenge of confession and belief was accepted by the eunuch and then obedience fulfilled the will of God as they both went into the water to wash away sin.

We can do no less than what Philip did in sharing the saving grace of God to our neighbors and friends. When we follow the will of God then truly there is great rejoicing.

The Nations Are But Men (Psalm 9)

The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O LORD, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. (Psalms 9:15-20)

The nations are but men

David had a great outlook on life and he understood the frailty of the power of man. In every generation there are powerful nations who seek to rule the world. With every nation that exalts itself the sands of time bear witness to their folly. When nations turn away from God the destruction is certain.

America has dug its pit and we are sinking into the mire of immorality. But the Lord wants to remind us that we have dug the pit ourselves and the chaos in our country is the result of our being snared by the work of our own hands. We are destroying ourselves.

As a nation we have forgotten God. There was a time in our young history that our country embraced a belief and recognition of the “Almighty” but no more. The Bible is banned not believed. Worship of a higher being is not accepted but rejected. Expressions of love is about self and not about others. As a people we have no knowledge of God nor the acceptance of life after death.

David’s final plea in Psalm 9 is to remind all nations they are mere men. He sees clearly the weakness of the nations of men as made up of clay. History is the master teacher showing the rise and fall of the nations of men “but the Lord shall endure forever” (Psalm 9:7). Our trust must not be in the politics of today or the economic hopes built upon Wall Street nor the passions of a mad-crazed world of entertainment. “Those who know Your name will put their trust in You” (Psalm 9:10).

The Voice Of The Lord (Psalm 29)

The Voice Of The Lord

A Psalm of David.

Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones; give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 

The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is over many waters.

 

The voice of the LORD is powerful.

 

The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

 

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

 

The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.

 

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

 

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"

 

The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, and the LORD sits as King forever. The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.

 

(Psalms 29)

The appeal David makes to all men is to recognize the greatness of the Lord and the need for all men to worship the Lord as Creator of heaven and earth. Glory belongs to the Lord because of the manifestation of His power in creation. Man should recognize the strength of the Lord when he considers his frail knowledge compared to the unending vastness of God’s wisdom. To drive the point home, David appeals to one of the characteristics that will cause all men to bow before the Lord – the voice of the Lord. 

Standing in a lightning storm is a terrifying experience with the immense power of the thunder unyielding on the ear. This pales in comparison to the thunder of the voice of God. It is powerful and full of majesty. In Genesis 1 the world was formed by the voice of God and with but a whisper of God’s breath the world came to an end in the flood. No tree can stand when the voice of God thunders nor mountain fail to tremble if but God chooses to speak. 

While men perished in the flood the Lord sat enthroned as King forever because His truth is righteousness and His mighty power punished the evil doer and saved the righteous. Isaiah writes, "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath” (Isaiah 45:22-23).

When the voice of the Lord shouts everyone will say, “GLORY.” This voice will give confidence and hope to the children of God and by this voice the blessings of God will be given to His children. “Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9).

Next Week Will Be 12-12-12

Next Week Will Be 12-12-12

In the calendar month of December 2012 a phenomena will occur that will not be repeated for nearly one thousand years. For the past twelve years the monthly calendar has reflected consecutive dating with year, month and day. On January 1, 2001 the date read 01-01-01 and with each year moved through the calendar until next week when the final count of the twelfth day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of the second millennia will complete the cycle. For the pundits of trivia this will have an exciting air of conclusion as the mathematical formulas of the universe display its sage. As for most folk this will only be a side note of disinterest. But there is something amazing about the thumbprints of the Creator we find in this unimpressive fact.

There is order in the universe created by the “finger of God” (Luke 11:20). In Genesis 1 Moses describes the hand of God bringing into creation every part of our universe. There is order in the days building upon one another with light being created before plants (who could not survive if created before light) and so forth. The whole of creation cries forth in simple design and reflects the majestic wisdom of the Master Creator. King David declared, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalms 139:14). Man has yet to unravel the mystery of the human body, the oceans filled with abundant life, the heavens shining forth the radiant power of God’s design. “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him” (Psalms 8:3-4)?

NASA has proven there is a Creator every time they send a rocket into space. The order of the universe allows them to calculate with precise measurements the speed of space craft and direction sending many probes into the depths of worlds beyond. Medical advancements establish the organized makeup of the human body that allows man to perform incredible surgeries and save thousands of lives. Technology is based upon the simple mathematical structure of a world that is not designed by chance or random events but an orderly arrangement of mathematical calculation. 12-12-12 is a time stamp from the hand of God that tells us He is real.

The most important thumbprint of next week will be the reality of time. This will be the final day in the second millennia that reflects the unique pattern of year, month and day. Will there be another 01-01-01? The year 3001 seems impossible but the year 2001 would have been as improbable to those living in years past. There is no promise of tomorrow and not even a promise that 12-12-12 will happen. “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:13-14).

No one living today will see 3001 but everyone living today will see the Lord. The twelfth day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of any millennia is only important as much as the lesson is taught that life is not about today but about the unending millennia that all men will find themselves (John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:31-46).

The Death of the Testator

The Death Of The Testator

A will is a legal document that sets forth the manner an individual entrusts his inheritance to be carried out following their death. Contained within the wording of the will is language that clearly states the means of inheritance, promises given when the testament is carried out and all declarations pertaining to the wishes of the one executing the will. The single clause that makes a will binding or not is whether the person is still living. Before death a will can be changed innumerable times but after death cannot be changed. In death, the testimony of the will is enforced.

The writer of Hebrews explains what happened when Jesus Christ died on a cross outside of Jerusalem. “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives” (Hebrews 9:15-17).

Hebrew (Jewish) Christians were struggling with their faith and had suffered great persecution (Hebrews 10:32-34). The writer pleads with them not to “cast away your confidence which has great reward” (Hebrews 10:35). They had come so far and enjoyed the blessings of salvation in Christ and needed endurance to receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36-39). What they had to focus on was the new covenant of blessings enjoyed in Christ. They had a better hope (7:19), a better covenant (7:22; 8:6), better sacrifices (9:23), better possession (10:34), better country (11:16) and better provisions from God (11:40). The Law of Moses could promise none of these and only in the salvation of Jesus Christ would redemption be found (9:15).

The death of Christ (the testator) affirmed His will for all mankind. Jesus died to take away the curse of the law and the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Man can no longer be saved by keeping the law as Noah or Abraham followed. Salvation will not be found in the Law of Moses (including the Ten Commandments) because “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). The death of the testator Christ established His will and nullified all covenants before the cross.

Salvation is in the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13) and the will of the Father is established in the death of Jesus when the new testament of grace was enacted.  Those who live in accordance with the new testament of God’s will enjoy the blessing of inheritance (Romans 8:15-16). Affirmed by His death Jesus created the avenue of redemption under the law of grace. The Jew can no longer be saved by Moses’ law nor modern day Sabbath keepers. Seeking justification by the old law will find one outside the legal parameters of the binding nature of the last will and testament of Jesus Christ.

In Philippi the jailor asked, “Sirs what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas “spoke the word of the Lord” (Acts 16:30-34) to them in accordance with the will of the testator Jesus Christ. As proclaimers of His WILL we must do the same. Preaching the word is preaching the WILL of Christ. If we do not preach the WILL of God then we are teaching a false document of hope.

Gratitude Is The Memory Of The Heart

Gratitude Is The Memory Of The Heart

To be thankful for something is to remember in the heart a kindness or blessing shared by others whether deserved or not. There is so much to be thankful for in our lives. The land we live in was founded by those who sought a better life and established principles of morality to guide a young nation to be a great people. We live today as recipients of thousands who died to keep liberty free. Untold myriads have labored with their hands to forge out a land filled with prosperity and bounty. An unknown author said “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”

Thanksgiving has three eyes that look back at the sacrifice of others who make possible today with promise of tomorrow. As a nation of states united under one flag we enjoy the victory of battles fought to keep a union of freedom as the United States of America. The challenge of any nation is to find the courage to keep alive the passion of freedom which is quickly eroding into an atmosphere of distrust and fear. A heart of gratitude is to remember what others have died for so that we can treasure the present in the freedoms of liberty.

Few nations have enjoyed the level of prosperity as this country. Fields abound with crops and technology has allowed the wealth of our land to be used to fill stores with every imaginable creation known to man. Communities thrive with homes, automobiles, computers, communication devices and gadgets that marvel the science of modern man. The comforts of home have evolved into a world unknown by most countries and civilizations past. A heart of gratitude is to be thankful for the bounty of thanksgiving.

But is the spirit of our holiday Thanksgiving only about the freedoms we enjoy or the material opulence overwhelming our lives? In truth the liberty of our land is being challenged on every side and one day will largely be taken away. History is a cruel teacher to remind us what men do with power. The bounty of our land has made citizens to be selfish, self-centered and uncaring for others. Thanksgiving often becomes the token of kindness given one time a year but lacking any commitment to helping others the other 364 days of the year. What is the real meaning of thanksgiving?

To find the worth of something we must examine the content and character of what we have. Freedom is taken away, wealth is lost and life itself will end. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28). A thankful heart will fill with the memory of what our Creator has given us as Paul said in Athens so long ago: “For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring’” (Acts 17:28). Of all the things we should be thankful for it is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the bounty of our blessings in Christ and the anticipation of the return of God’s Son.

All men will die and all men will stand before God in Judgment. The sacrifice of Christ was given to save us from the penalty of sin and give us hope for His return. Our breath is held in the hand of God (Daniel 5:23). Thank you Lord for your enduring love and for the promise of eternal life beyond the grave. Death is no longer feared and that by itself is the greatest victory we have in thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Our praise is echoed by those in Revelation 7:12, “Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen" (Revelation 7:11-12). Gratitude is found in the memory of our hearts reflecting upon the hand of God through the ages making possible our hope in the promise of God.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name … and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Psalm 100:4; Colossians 3:15). Thank you Lord for all you have done. Thank you Lord for what you give us each day. Thank you Lord for what you have promised. Thank you Lord.

The Spirit of Solomon

The Spirit Of Solomon

In the early days of the reign of Solomon, the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice to the Lord. While there, God appeared to Solomon and asked him, “What shall I give you” (1 Kings 3:5)? The answer of the young king is revealing into the purity of motives and humility of heart impressed upon the son of David. Solomon praised his father David for his faithful walk with the Lord but now that he was king Solomon recognized the immense burden of leadership that now rest upon his shoulders. He would not ask of God riches and power but rather something that he understood was more important than anything found in the world: an understanding heart to judge the people. This request came from the spirit that dwelt in his own heart as he told the Lord, “I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7).

Children have a purity about them that comes from the innocence of age. They are fully trusting and dependent upon others to guide them and take care of them. No child can survive left alone and as the heart of the child grows it learns how to walk and talk and care for itself. When the child grows into maturity it leaves off that dependence and seeks its own way. Jesus described the people of God like children when He said, and said, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). The disciples wanted to know who would be great in the kingdom and Jesus reply is a child.

In our spiritual life we are never to mature to the point we no longer need God. We should always be children in our hearts like Solomon. Our confession daily must be we know not “how to go out or come in” and “I need thee every hour” (Annie S. Hawks). Our troubles come when we no longer think and act like a ‘child of God’ and are no longer little in our own sight. The predecessor of Solomon and David was Saul of Kish who in the beginning of his reign had the heart of a child. Then he took upon himself the role of thinking for God and in the final insult to God did not destroy the Amalekites as commanded by the Lord (1 Samuel 15). In his rebuke the prophet Samuel said, "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:17)? Saul lost his child like heart.

David wrote of the child’s heart in Psalm 131 – “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalms 131:1-2). As children of God we follow the will of God without question and through our love for our Father. We are but children and with the spirit of a child’s heart we learn dependence (Matthew 6:25-34) and trust (Proverbs 3:5-8).

There are only children in the kingdom of God. No one is greater than another and we all serve one another as we serve one Father. “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12). Children learn to wash feet as Jesus shows in John 13. Children understand forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26). The spirit of a child is filled with love (1 John 4:7-11). Be like Solomon: “I am a little child.”

What is wrong with life

I think the biggest problem with life is that there is no background music.

Good News Voters - God Is Still In Control

[The following article is for the Thursday publication following election day]

 

Good News Voters – God Is Still In Control 

The election is over and all the tallies have been totaled. Many are disappointed because only one can fill the chair and the elected official enjoys the success of victory. From the dawn of time man has positioned himself into places of authority and power as nations rise and fall. Some seek power and fail while others gain notoriety unknown but through the circumstance of position. This process of rule is found in the ruthlessness of dictators and despots to the freedoms enjoyed by a democratic society allowing citizens to choose their kings and presidents. We are blessed with the privilege of voting for a candidate and hoping they will win. To cast a ballot is to cast a choice.

As the dust settles over the election of this year one thing will remain constant that has been true since the beginning of time. It is best explained by King David long ago when he wrote, “For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28). Whether we understand the workings of God the final truth rest upon the hand of God upon all the nations of men (Psalm 47:8).

Daniel reminded King Belshazzar that it was God who had established Nebuchadnezzar as ruler of a kingdom and gave to him “all people, nations, and languages” that would tremble and fear the Babylonian ruler (Daniel 5:18-20). He also told the king that God holds the breath of all men in his hand (Daniel 5:23). No king can escape the power of God nor shall any man. “That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17).

In the city of Athens the apostle Paul said that God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:26-28). As Creator the Lord God has made all men and determined the boundaries of their power. No man shall ever rule the earth as many of tried and failed. God’s will is accomplished in every nation.

If God is in control does this suggest there is nothing I can do about those elected? This is much like prayer as someone may ask why pray if the Lord knows what we have need of before we ask (Matthew 6:8). Prayer is the manifestation of my faith toward God seeking His blessing and as prayer can change the course of events (James 5:13-18) so can my involvement in government help to sway the course of history. Why else are we admonished to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)?

What happened Tuesday finds itself in our part as people of God to those elected to office. “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13-17).

Work

I have found the more work I do the more work gets done.

Five Steps To Destruction

Five Steps To Destruction 

As God renewed the covenant with Israel in the land of Moab, He gave the people a choice of blessing or cursing (Deuteronomy 29-30). If they would love the Lord, walk in His ways, keep His commandments, statutes, and judgments then the Lord would bless them. Then He says, “But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish” (Deuteronomy 30:17-18a). When people reject the Lord they follow the five steps outlined in this passage.

The heart is the first thing that is turned away. The wise man said, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus taught the heart is like soil that is either hardened with sin, filled with stones that rob nutrition, crowded out with the cares of the world and deceitful desire for riches or the good ground who hears the word of God and understands it growing thereby (Matthew 13). The heart is the first thing Satan seeks to destroy (Acts 5:3) and if he can gain control of the heart then he will have his way.

When the heart is hardened then the ears become dull of hearing. Desire comes from the heart and as the heart turns away from God the ears no longer want to seek the will of God. Paul warned Timothy of those who would “not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Even at this stage many go through the motions of worship but their heart is far from God because their ears are closed (Matthew 15:8).

As the heart hardens and the ears close the feet begin to draw away from God. This is a progressive action as the psalmist described. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psalms 1:1). Drawing away from God goes from walking to standing to sitting with Satan. This drawing away takes place in the heart. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).

The final two stages happen because the heart no longer seeks holiness or the ears righteousness and the feet walk after other gods. Jehovah God is not the object of worship as man begins to reverence himself and his own desires. Worship is the focus we manifest in our lives and the object of our worship is where we find our service. The final stage of destruction is when man serves his own needs and desires rejecting the will of God (Romans 1:16-32; Luke 21:34).

The gods we worship are not carved in stone but in our hearts. Our love is for this world and the charms of temptation that fill our lives with useless pursuits. Some ‘gods’ are good in and of themselves but they are evil gods because they keep our hearts from serving the Lord. Sometimes Satan destroys us not with immorality but with the trinkets of life that keep our eyes off of Jesus. What destroyed the third soil in the parable of the sower was the “desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). There are five steps to destruction and only way for salvation (John 14:6). Which way are you headed?

Not Since The World Began Has This Been Done

Not Since The World Began Has This Been Done

Knowing nothing but darkness his whole life, the man blind from birth now stood before the religious leaders of his day trying to prove his restored eyesight was from the hand of a man called Jesus. The Pharisees grilled the man with questions of doubt unbelieving he was truly blind. Calling his parents they questioned them about their son’s blindness which they confirmed he had been blind from birth. As to how he received his sight they told the Pharisees to ask their son. Demanding a straight answer the Pharisees pressed the man further. The accused began to teach his accusers showing them the power of God which they would not see with their own eyes. He replied, “’Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.’ They answered and said to him, ‘You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?’ And they cast him out” (John 9:32-34).

One man was born blind by a circumstance of nature and a body of men born with physical sight could not see in their hearts the power and wonder of God’s power in Jesus. Clearly evident throughout the ministry of Christ no man would ever deny the miracle performed. When Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11) the miracle was not denied but confirmed when the chief priests and Pharisees said, “What shall we do? For this man works many signs” (John 11:47). Others who were blind were healed (Matthew 11:5; 12:22) along with the mute, lame, sick, diseased, etc. Nothing like this had ever been seen on the scale of Jesus ministry. The blind man of John 9 understood the power of his miracle was not only his sight being restored but the eternal power of God demonstrated through Jesus Christ.

The healing of the blind man was not the first miracle ever done. Creation itself is the evidence of the awesome power of God when he “spoke” everything into existence (Genesis 1). Destroying man with the flood in Genesis 6 shows a power second only to creation. Pharaoh witnessed firsthand the destructive nature of God’s fury (Exodus 7-12) and the Hebrews walked in the midst of God’s grace when they crossed the Red Sea on dry land (Exodus 14). The Bible unfolds page after page of the majestic power of God in His working with man throughout the generations. John confirms the purpose of miracles proving that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and the world itself could not contain the books that would be written of what Jesus did (John 20:30-31; 21:25).

Not since the world began has there been a book that would tell man so much about who he is, where he came from and what lay before him in death. The Bible is the last and final miracle of God and yet most men cannot see His power in this book. Like the Pharisees of John 9 men today cannot deny the evidence of the book yet they deny its message of salvation. It has stood the test of time and will endure until the last day (1 Peter 1:25). The gospel is God’s power (Romans 1:16) and while critics assail its contents the purity of its message remains unchanged for generations.

The blind man saw more than most men. He experienced the grace of God when his eyes were opened and today when our eyes are opened by the word of God we understand the grace of God (Romans 10:17). “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (Psalms 119:18).

The Blind Spies

The Blind Spies

Twelve men walked the length of Canaan for forty days spying the cities, the land and the people. They witnessed a place of great beauty and produce. One cluster of grapes had to be carried on a pole between two men. The land impressed them as a land that “flows with milk and honey” (Numbers 13:27). What troubled the hearts of most of the spies were the people that lived in this place of bounty. Of the twelve men sent to spy the land, ten feared the strength of the cities and the people. The cities seemed impregnable. The descendants of Anak (giants) filled the land. The ten spies reported they felt like grasshoppers in the sight of the people. By their words they discouraged the people of Israel (Numbers 13:28-29, 31-33).

Joshua and Caleb were the only spies who believed the land could be conquered. They begged the people to reject the counsel of the ten spies and go at once to take possession of the land (Numbers 13:30). With God’s power they did not need to fear the people because the Lord would fight for them. The seeds of doubt had settled in the hearts of the people and they refused to listen (Numbers 14:1-4). For their rebellion Jehovah God caused the people of Israel to wander in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 14:34).

Why did ten men see fear and two men see victory? The ten spies did not see what Joshua and Caleb saw. Their hearts were blinded by what they saw with their eyes rather than what they could see with God’s power. Moses had instructed the twelve to see how strong the people were and how difficult the cities would be to conquer (Numbers 13:17-20). The twelve spies were leaders among the people yet ten were blinded to the things that had witnessed in the past few months. Had they forgotten the power of God in Egypt when the Lord brought the plagues upon Pharaoh? How could anyone fail to remember the crossing at the Red Sea? If the Lord was victorious over the nation of Egypt how difficult would it be to conquer this new land?

Joshua and Caleb saw the same giants and fortified cites the ten spies saw but they viewed them as weak because they knew what God could do. “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them" (Numbers 14:8-9).

We can be like the ten spies when we fail to see how God can work in our lives. The giants of doubt and fear will stand before us and we shrink back with worry and fear not believing that we can overcome. Paul reminds us that nothing is impossible for us if we trust in God. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me … What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? … Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39).

Focusing On The Famiy Audio Files

The audio files for "Focusing on the Family" with Max Dawson are being posted to our web site at www.trentonchurchofchrist.com

Brother Dawson has done a superb job of outlining the lessons with the family in mind. Here is a brief outline and overview:

Back to Eden - The pattern for marriage and the family is rooted in Heaven's truth. Jesus took the Jews back to Eden. We must take our children back to Eden. Those contemplating marriage must go back to Eden.

Five Power Points that will Bless your Family - The power of appreciation. The power of example. The power of love. The power of correction. The power of communication.

Helping your Kids become Responsbile Adults - The principle of reinforcement. The application of reinforcement in child rearing.

Five things your Parents must Teach You - You are God's special creation. Some things are absolutely right and absolutely wrong. Your choices have consequences. There is joy in serving Jesus. You are accountable to God.

Will the Real Me Please Stand Up? - Me number one: The me others think I am. Me number two: The me I think I am. Me number three: The me God says I am.

What Dads Teach their Kids about Marriage - You are teaching your kids about the permanence of marriage (or not). You are teaching your kids love and appreciation for a wife (or not). You are teaching your kids about sensitivity to family needs (or not). You are teaching your kids about the need for cooperation in the home (or not). You are teaching your kids about the need for support from other men (or not). You are teaching your kids about the need for God in your home (or not).

Your Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary - We never thought about quitting. We never let anybody mess with our marriage. We were good friends. We worked for harmony and knew our roles and how they worked together. We served God together.

The Autumn of Our Lives - The unchanging nature of God. The remarkable forsight of God. The wonderful blessins of God. The need for commitment to God.

CD's are available free of charge to anyone. Printed outlines and powerpoints can also be requested.

The Right Kind of King

The Right Kind Of King

The nation of Israel was born from a promise to Abram to make of his seed a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Established at Mt. Sinai, Israel would have a troubled beginning drifting forty years through the wilderness before crossing the Jordan to take their place in Canaan. It would be many more years before the first king would sit upon a throne and rule the nation. Only three men would rule over a united kingdom for a period of 120 years: Saul son of Kish, David son of Jesse and finally Solomon son of David. After Solomon’s death the nation of Israel would plunge into a chaos of disharmony and wickedness ending finally in the total destruction of the northern tribes by the hand of the Assyrians and bondage of the southern tribes in Babylon.

Throughout the reigns of the kings who sat upon the throne of the northern kingdom of Israel not one man was righteous. Beginning with Jeroboam the Lord described the rule of the northern kings as evil.  “But you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back” (1 Kings 14:9). Nadab the son of Jeroboam “did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin” (1 Kings 15:26).

“But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up” (1 Kings 21:25). All of the kings of Israel were characterized by the words “And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin” (2 Kings 15:24).

In contrast of the northern kings Judah would enjoy years of peace and prosperity when kings would rule who would follow in the way of God. Like their northern sister, Judah would have evil kings but men like Josiah would govern the nation who would do “what was right in the sight of the Lord, and [walk] in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (2 Kings 22:1-2). The prophet Ahijah had warned Jeroboam the judgment of the king would be whether he would “heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments” (1 Kings 11:38).

David Lanphear observed, “The kings of Judah and Israel are described as either good or evil. The Scriptures don’t tell us much about where they stood on issues like defense, foreign policy, education, the economy, or national debt. Generally, they are described as good or evil because of their allegiance to God or approval of idol worship or sacrificing their children to Moloch… Nations were judged as penitent or wicked based on their obedience to God.” The wise man reminds us that “wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, but what is in the heart of fools is made known. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:33-34).

The right kind of king was one who had a view of God as Creator (Genesis 1:1) and Judge (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Paul exhorted that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:2).

And Thank You Fathers For All You Do

A Successful Dad

(Selected)

 

I may never come to glory;

I may never gather gold;

Men may count me as a failure

When my business life is told;

But if he who follows after

Shall be manly, I’ll be glad,

For I’ll know I’ve been successful

As a little fellow’s Dad. 

It’s the one job I dream of,

It’s the task I think of most;

If I’d fail that growing youngster

I’d have nothing else to boast;

For though wealth and fame I’d gather

All my future would be sad

If I failed to be successful

As that little fellow’s Dad.

I may never be as clever

As my neighbor down the street;

I may never be as wealthy

As some other men I meet;

I may never have the glory

That some other men have had;

But I’ve got to be successful

As that little fellow’s Dad 

There are certain dreams I cherish

That I’d like to see come true;

There are things I would accomplish

Ere my working time is through;

But the task my heart is set on

Is to guide a little lad;

And to make myself successful

As That little fellow’s Dad.

 

Father

(Selected) 

• 4 years – My daddy can do anything
• 7 years – My dad knows a lot, a whole lot
• 8 years – My father doesn’t quite know everything
• 12 years – Oh well, naturally father doesn’t know everything
• 14 years – Father?  Hopelessly old-fashioned.
• 21 years – Oh that man is out of date. What did you expect?
• 25 years – He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
• 30 years – Must find out what dad thinks about it.
• 35 years – A little patience, let’s get Dad’s meaning first.
• 50 years – What would Dad have thought about it?
• 60 years – My dad knew literally everything
• 65 years – I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

A Father’s Prayer

(General Douglas MacArthur) 

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory. 

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee – and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge. 

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.  Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail. 

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past. 

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously.  Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength. 

Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.” 

“And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

Thank You Moms Every One

Before I Was A Mom

(Selected)

Before I was a mom I made and ate hot meals, had unstained clothing and  quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a mom I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a mom I cleaned my house each day and never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies. I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous and never thought about imunizations.

Before I was a mom I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, chewed on, peed on or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a mom I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts, my body and my money.

Before I was a mom I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a single grin nor sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.  I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a mom.

Before I was a mom I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body nor how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn’t know the bond between a mother and her child that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a mom I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every ten mintues to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being mom.

I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a mom.