There was a daddy who had nine big, strapping sons that formed the starting lineup of the best team that ever played baseball. The daddy was the manager, and he always found fault with anything his sons did. Let one of his sons hit a homerun, and he would say something like, “Boy, he put the ole’ apple right down the middle, didn’t he? Blind man coulda hit that one. Your grandma coulda put the wood on that one. If a guy couldn’t hit that one, there’d be something wrong with him, I’d say. Wind practically took that one out of here, didn’t even need to hit it much.” If you think that was bad, you should have heard him when one of them made a mistake. It was obvious that this wasn’t “home on the range,” because there was always a discouraging word. His sons could never please him, and if they did, he forgot it. When his oldest son, Edwin Jim, Jr., turned and ran to the centerfield fence for a long fly ball and threw his glove forty feet in the air to snag the ball and caught the ball and glove, his daddy said, “I saw a man in Superior, Wisconsin, do that a long time ago, but he did it at night, and the ball was his a lot harder.” Thought: Those boys could have used some encouragement. What is true of sons in general is true of sons of God. “Blessed be the God and

Church work is like gardening (2 Timothy 2:6) without the bib overalls and straw hat. The seed is the Word (Luke 8:11). Preachers are patient laborers (James 5:7), seeking to bring their produce to harvest (Matthew 9:37-38; 13:30). Making a good garden is dependent upon several factors – the right seed, proper fertilizer, sufficient water, warm sunshine, insect control and periodic weeding, etc. (1 Corinthians 3:6). Joel Neal Pinion, my old gardening buddy over in White, Georgia, used to laugh and say, “Mike, growing a garden isn’t just about pulling weeds.” His humor had a point. Having spent considerable time in my own vegetable garden and having observed other growers and their produce, I can attest to the truthfulness of his statement. Pulling weeds is but one aspect of what a gardener must perform. Respectfully, I wish some of my fellow “gardeners” could learn that lesson. To read from the pen of some of my brethren, you would think that weed pulling (i.e., exposing false teachers and false teaching) is a preacher’s sole responsibility; it is the Gospel. Virtually every issue of their bulletins or papers is devoted to “weed-pulling” and little – if anything – is written from the vantage point of optimism or encouragement. Please don’t misunderstand; left unchecked, the weeds of false doctrine can choke a congregation and must be pulled up (Titus 1:10-11; Romans 16:17-18; 2 John 9-11; Matthew 7:16-18) in order to ensure the garden’s growth (2 Peter 2:2; 3:18). However, a preacher-writer who devotes 98% of his energies

One good Samaritan rescued a wounded man on the Jericho Road (Luke 10). One aged man (Noah) was instrumental in saving mankind from extinction (Genesis 6; Hebrews 11:7). One man (Moses) who felt unqualified confronted a Pharaoh and led the Exodus (Exodus 3). One woman (Esther) broke longstanding tradition, walked into the king’s throne room and saved an entire nation from genocide (Esther 4). One boy (David) faced a nine-foot giant and saved the Israelites from slavery (1 Samuel 17). One boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish fed thousands (John 6). One slave girl was instrumental in healing a world military leader (2 Kings 5). One vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England in 1645. One vote gave America the English language instead of the German language in 1776. One vote saved Andrew Jackson from impeachment in 1868. One vote gave Adolf Hitler control of the Nazi party in 1941.  “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring thechildren of Israel out of Egypt?’” (Exodus 3:11).

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, nurses ran out of marker and so they used their own lipstick to write on the foreheads of wounded patients. “M” meant a sailor had received morphine. “C” meant he was in critical condition. “F” meant he was fatally wounded. Imagine nearly all of the people you meet in your daily walk have a letter “F” on their foreheads. They are fatally wounded by sin (Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23) and its effects. Will you simply stand by and watch them perish, or will you offer them the only life-giving, soul-saving, cure (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)? “Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20; cf. Jude 23).

Five farmers bought a big sack of seed and agreed to plant their respective fields with the seed that came from that one bag. The seed was supposed to have been pure and unmixed. After some weeks had passed, the famers met together over breakfast and reported their yield. The first man said, “Fellas, the seed that I took from that bag produced some of the finest sweet corn I have ever seen.” Somewhat chagrined, the second farmer said, “That’s odd, because the seed I took out of that bag produced yellow squash.” The, the third spoke, “This is weird. The seed I took from the bag yielded yellow bell peppers.” The fourth farmer chimed in, “My seed yielded yellow onions.” Finally, the fifth man reported, “The seed that I took from that bag produced little, yellow tomatoes.” We have the same predicament in the religious world today. Different men claim to be reading from the same Word of God. They plant “seed” into the fertile heart-soil of men, but it is obvious that different seed is being sown, because different crops (e.g., Christians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, etc.) are springing up! Seed produces after its own kind (Genesis 1:11-12; cf., Galatians 6:7). Corn seed doesn’t produce squash, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. Roy Lanier once observed, “The seed of the kingdom (Luke 8:11) will produce the kingdom; it will not produce anything different from the kingdom… It has never been known to produce anything other than the kingdom of God, the church

Whenever I find myself wading through the pity pool, whining about how hard I have it, how unfair life can be, I am reminded of a phone call that took place several years ago. My cousin, my best friend since childhood, was in the Army, and he and his wife were expecting their second child. After getting word of the birth, I waited a day, then two, then three—but no word from him. So I phoned and teasingly asked, “Well, Bubba, just when were you gonna call and share the good news with your little brother?” The pause was deafening. His response was crushing. “Matthew has Down Syndrome,” he said. I choked my tears and said, “I am so sorry, Bubba. Can I do anything to help?” His response humbled me beyond belief and gave me cause to again look at him with great respect. He said, “God saw me through the death of Mom, Army training, combat in Iraq, the deaths of several friends and the loss of my dad. My Heavenly Father would never burden me with more than I can bear. [See 1 Corinthians 10:13.] I will gladly shoulder my cross and continue to praise Him.” “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3).

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10). In August 1857, Cyrus Field and his company, Atlantic Telegraph, attempted to lay a telegraph cable from England to North America, but the cable broke at twelve thousand feet under the ocean surface and could not be recovered. During the next nine years, Field and his men made three more unsuccessful attempts. Finally, in July 1866, they succeeded in laying hundreds of miles of cable across the Atlantic. Israel spent almost twenty-one years rebuilding the temple. The work began in 537 B.C. and was finally completed in 516 B.C. Israel’s enemies continually stopped the work; one period lasted as long as seventeen years. People of less perseverance might have given up, but Israel had a deep desire to worship God. Paul wrote about Christ’s patience, or more exactly, His perseverance. We may not understand why the Lord demonstrated patient determination in His humanity, but we are to follow His pattern. “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).

May I kindly ask a few questions for your personal study and reflection? How many churches did Jesus promise to build (Matthew 16:18)? Did He say, “I will build a church?” Did He say, “I will build My churches?” Since Jesus promised to build His church (singular), how can we endorse and authorize religious division today? We have hundreds of different churches in our country. Each of them wears a different name. Each of them promotes a different and often times conflicting doctrine. Is this what the Lord had in mind when He made His promise? Is the church the same thing as the body (Ephesians 1:22-23)? How many bodies did Paul mention (Ephesians 4:4; cf. Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:20)? Since the church and the body are the same thing, and since Christ is the Head of the body, how can we teach different, yea even opposing, doctrines? Does the Head of the body contradict itself? How many faiths does Paul mention (Ephesians 4:5)?

A story is told about a man who came face to face with the dangers of worry. Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked, “What are you going to do?” “I’m going to take 100 people,” Death replied. “That’s horrible!” the man said. “That’s the way it is,” Death said. “That’s what I do.” The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death’s plan. As evening fell, he met Death again. “You told me you were going to take 100 people,” the man said. “Why did 1,000 die?” “I kept my word,” Death responded. “I only took 100 people. Worry took the others.” “An anxious heart weighs a man down” (Proverbs 12:25).

Years ago, an experiment was conducted to measure people’s capacity to endure pain. How long could a barefooted person stand in a bucket of ice water? It was discovered that when there was someone else present offering encouragement and support, the person standing in the ice water could tolerate pain twice as long as when no one else was present. (John C. Maxwell, Encouragement Changes Everything, 25) THOUGHT: Could it also be the case that elders could serve twice as long, preachers could work twice as long and members could be faithful twice as long if they had someone holding their hands and encouraging them? I believe that this is the case. As you know, the Book of Hebrews was written to those who were discouraged and in danger of falling away. The inspired writer of this book often exhorted brethren to encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13; 10:24-25). In the twelfth chapter, we read these words, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (v. 12). “But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” (Exodus 17:12).

A man breaks the law, and he is put in jail for his crime. Once inside, he plunges even deeper into trouble; he violates some stringent code of prison behavior. So how does the warden and criminal justice system handle his latest misconduct? Often times, the offender, depending upon the severity of his deed, is placed into solitary confinement. The inmate is purposely isolated and cut off from his peers; he is denied any opportunity to interact with his fellow convicts. He is unable to see or hear from another human being until and unless the administration decides he can. It’s “lockdown” for days, weeks, perhaps even months on end. It occurs to me that a prison is not the only place where folks employ solitary confinement. A husband and wife have a spat. The disagreement reaches a heated, fever pitch and both members are left wounded and hurting. How does the couple address each other’s rude conduct? At least some married people I know force one another into isolation. First, they engage, and then they withdraw. They put each other in a sort of mental “cage.” They stop talking (Proverbs 15:23); they withhold love, affection and marital intimacy (1 Corinthians 7:1-5). They sequester themselves and refuse to interact until the other humbly (and perhaps even repeatedly) apologizes and repents. It’s verbal, emotional and physical lockdown until one mate decides the length of detachment has been long and harsh enough (cf. Mark 9:33-34). I’m certainly no expert on how to handle

It is perhaps the most dangerous thought we can entertain. It seems right. It must be right. In fact, it has to be right. Webster calls it an “assumption.” “A fact or statement taken for granted.” Note the key phrase in that definition, “taken for granted.” An assumption is neither truth nor reality; it is not fact. An assumption is merely personal conjecture. It is an unsubstantiated belief or idea based often times upon the circumstances in my own life. David assumed a soldier who had been away from his wife would immediately return to her tender affections. The king couldn’t control his sexual appetite (2 Samuel 11:2-4), and so he figured Uriah could not either (vv. 6-9). Sarah assumed couples well in to their retirement years could not have children (Genesis 18:10-15). She figured that because she had lived past the years of childbearing, any idea about a future “seed” (Genesis 22:17-18) simply wasn’t possible. Isaac assumed his wife and younger son would be honest and forthright (Genesis 27). The Patriarch had previously engaged in deception himself (Gen. 26), but he did not think that other members of his family would follow his example. Herod assumed an infant referred to as “King of the Jews” might attempt to usurp his power (Matthew 2:1-8). His insecurity led to the murder of many innocent children (v. 16). The Jews assumed the Messiah would overthrow Roman tyranny and oppression. Their prejudices and false interpretations (Acts 1:6) blinded them to the possibility of a spiritual Deliverer. A lot of

“How did he do it…?” The national media has touted Chesly Sullenberger as a national hero. The internet, newspapers and television have all given him special praise. Even President Bush made a congratulatory call. The accolades are not unwarranted. Mr. Sullenberger, or “Sully” as he’s called by his friends, did something extraordinary. He was piloting US Airways flight 1549 over New York City when his craft collided with a flock of birds. Moments later he somehow managed to land the crippled aircraft in the Hudson River without the loss of life or serious injury. It was an incredible effort. Many have deemed it “miraculous.” Yet, it really wasn’t a miracle. A miracle—in the biblical sense—is not just something highly unusual; it is something that supersedes the laws of nature (Mark 16:17-19). If the Airbus A320 was suddenly suspended in mid-air, that would have been a miracle. Though, don’t misunderstand me; Sullenberger did something worthy of the laurels he’s received. What makes this real-life story so compelling is that he was uniquely qualified for this kind of emergency. He had been preparing virtually all of his life for this very kind of circumstance. He had his pilot’s license by age 14 and was flying a crop duster in Texas by age 15. He has logged more than 19,000 hours of flight time. He was named “best aviator” in his class at the Air Force Academy. He had flown F-4 Phantom II fighter jets. He was a flight leader in Europe and the

You’re lazily flipping through the channels on your new flat screen TV. Despite the vast array of viewing options, there’s nothing worth watching, at least for the moment. Your thumb stops on a random station. It’s a half-hour long commercial for “Feed the Children.” The broadcast depicts a hungry African child. His arms and legs exhibit no muscle at all. He’s a veritable skeleton with dark brown skin stretched over the bones. Green bottle flies encircle his eyes and ears. His belly is unnaturally distended and swollen. He’s weak, pale, sickly and frail. He’s had one “meal” in the past seven days. A small cup of rice. A phone number flashes at the bottom of the television. You’re being asked to donate. Just the change out of your pocket. For the price of a cheap cup of coffee you could support this poor, starving child. You could put food in his growling belly. Your heart and emotions are aroused by this undernourished youth. “How in the world does he make it?” you ask yourself. “He can’t live on one meal a week.” Determined to help, you pick up the phone and punch in the 800 number. Stay with me for just a moment. We all recognize that to be healthy, we must maintain a steady, balanced diet. We can’t skip meals for days on end. We certainly can’t live off of a single meal once a week. Yet, isn’t that exactly what we’re doing when our only source of spiritual

Jesus loved them. John says so. He loved all three of them—Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:3, 5). That’s why He waited. The sisters sent urgent news to the Lord. It was a sort of first-century 911 call for medical assistance. They didn’t say, “Lazarus is sick,” but “he whom You love is sick.” Jesus not only knew the identity of the one who was ailing, but He recognized him as His dear friend. Jesus wasn’t that far away either. He could rush to Lazarus’ side and heal him. All would be well, the sickness would be over, and their lives would continue as normal. However, oddly enough, Jesus didn’t make the trip. He didn’t hasten to Bethany and “treat” Lazarus’ condition. There was no hurried journey to see His beloved companion. In fact, just the opposite. Not only did Jesus not go to Lazarus (not that He needed to “go” at all, cf. Luke 7:1-10) as the sisters anticipated, but He waited two more days! In a sense, the Great Physician failed to make a house call, and in-so-doing, lost His first and only patient. Think about it. He waited. Hours. Days. Yes, knowing Lazarus’ precarious condition, Jesus waited. For a long time I didn’t understand that. Evidently, Mary and Martha didn’t make sense of it either. They both rebuked the Lord for His slow response (vv. 21, 32). “If You had only been here earlier…” It was Jesus’ fault. He shouldn’t have waited; He should have come immediately. He had wasted

Jesus loved them. John says so. He loved all three of them—Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:3, 5). That’s why He waited. The sisters sent urgent news to the Lord. It was a sort of first-century 911 call for medical assistance. They didn’t say, “Lazarus is sick,” but “he whom You love is sick.” Jesus not only knew the identity of the one who was ailing, but He recognized him as His dear friend. Jesus wasn’t that far away either. He could rush to Lazarus’ side and heal him. All would be well, the sickness would be over, and their lives would continue as normal. However, oddly enough, Jesus didn’t make the trip. He didn’t hasten to Bethany and “treat” Lazarus’ condition. There was no hurried journey to see His beloved companion. In fact, just the opposite. Not only did Jesus not go to Lazarus (not that He needed to “go” at all, cf. Luke 7:1-10) as the sisters anticipated, but He waited two more days! In a sense, the Great Physician failed to make a house call, and in-so-doing, lost His first and only patient. Think about it. He waited. Hours. Days. Yes, knowing Lazarus’ precarious condition, Jesus waited. For a long time I didn’t understand that. Evidently, Mary and Martha didn’t make sense of it either. They both rebuked the Lord for His slow response (vv. 21, 32). “If You had only been here earlier…” It was Jesus’ fault. He shouldn’t have waited; He should have come immediately. He had wasted

Back in 2004, Mel Gibson produced the move, The Passion of the Christ. Ironically, he didn’t star in the film. He did, however, have a small, yet significant, cameo in the actual movie. Don’t recall seeing him? Watch it carefully again. He’s there. You don’t see his face or body, but you do see one of his appendages. Remember the scene when Jesus was being nailed to the cross? You don’t see the soldier who held the hammer and drove that long nail into the Lord’s flesh, but you do see the soldier’s left hand. That was Gibson’s hand. Gibson said he reserved that role for himself because he wanted his audience to know that his sins made the crucifixion necessary. He said, “I’m first in line for culpability. I did it.” In truth, we all did it. We’re all responsible for Calvary. Scripture says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “All have sinned.” That means everybody. Our transgressions put the Savior on tree of Golgotha. So, what do we do? If we’ve sinned, and we have (Romans 3:10), and if sin separates us from God, and it does (Isaiah 59:1-2), then what is our recourse? What do we do? My denominational friends would say, “Nothing. There’s nothing you can do, because if you do anything, you negate the grace of God.” However, dear Reader, is that accurate? Biblical? Turn in your New Testament to Acts 2. On the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter told his

When I was a young teenager, a neighbor kept several cattle in a large pasture behind our house. Perhaps it be would more accurate to say, “…A neighbor tried to keep several cattle in a pasture behind our house.” One particular bovine found a broken strand in the barbed wire fence that separated the pasture from our property. Occasionally, I would come home from school and find her traipsing around the backyard, browsing on the occasional patch of herbaceous vegetation and scattering free fertilizer. Having spent my childhood in the streets of Dayton, Ohio, I did not have a lot of experience corralling large livestock, but eventually I would manage to direct her back to her side of the enclosure—at least, temporarily, until she decided to try the Benson backyard buffet again. Once she discovered the way out, it was difficult to keep her in where she belonged. For “Bossy,” that twisted, three-strand barrier was the cow equivalent of the Berlin Wall and had to be breached. Those of you who have raised cattle know what I am talking about. Stay with me for a minute. I am always taken back when I hear denominational preachers teach the “once-saved, always-saved” doctrine. Essentially, they are saying, “You can’t leave if you’re ‘in,’ and if you do in fact leave, you were never ‘in’ in the first place.” People aren’t cattle, but experience, observation, as well as the Bible, tell us that sometimes folks, unfortunately, do wander (Hebrews 2:1; Psalm 119:176; Isaiah 53:6) from their saved state in the

In their book, Why Me?, Pesach Krauss and Morrie Goldfisher tell a story about two men who cut down an aged hardwood. The woodcutter’s observations about the inner rings within the old tree are compelling: …I sometimes tell patients the parable about the two wood choppers who had taken down a tree that was over one hundred years old. Looking at the growth rings to determine the tree’s age, the younger man noticed that there were five very narrow rings. He concluded that there had been a five-year-drought, during which the tree had shown very little growth. However, the other lumberman, a wise, old man with a philosophical bent, had a different viewpoint. He contended that the dry years actually were the most significant in the tree’s history. He reasoned: Because of the drought, the tree had to force its roots down further to get the water and the minerals it needed. With a strengthened root system, it was able to grow faster and taller when conditions improved. (71) Observations: 1. All of us inevitably experience “dry years” at some juncture in our lives. “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:8; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28). Like the apostle Paul, we can identify with those occasional periods of trouble and burden; they are an inescapable part of the human condition (cf. Psalm. 90:2; Job 14:1; 2 Corinthians

Joe Neal Pinion was a retired friend who lives in White, Georgia. Our relationship began during my first pulpit work in Adairsville. He and his wife would often invite me into their home for a meal, or just a friendly afternoon’s conversation. Joe Neal and I shared common interests—Indian artifacts, fishing and gardening, which brings me to my story. Early one afternoon, Joe Neal decided to go out to his garden and cut some okra for supper. He had just harvested a few pods from a stalk, when suddenly a red wasp flew down the collar of his shirt and started stinging him on the back. His reaction was immediate—kill the insect before it could injure him any further. However, in his fervor to slap the wasp, Joe Neal forgot that he was holding a knife and inadvertently stabbed himself in the process! While he did eventually kill the offender, he also inflicted a rather considerable wound in the exchange. Ironically, Joe Neal did more harm to himself with the knife than the wasp could have ever perpetrated. (He required medical attention in order to mend the trauma from his self-induced stabbing.) I have often reflected on that little footnote in Joe Neal’s life. In my thinking, it serves as a sort of metaphor for what sometimes happens in congregations of the Lord’s people today. See if the following sounds familiar. False doctrine (2 Peter 2:1ff) is introduced to a local body of believers via the pulpit. The shepherds of said congregation

Larry and Jane Hudson are dear friends from the Main Street church. They recently invited me to Sunday dinner following the AM worship assembly. This special couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, and so they asked me to go along and commemorate the happy occasion.     Our destination…? Owensboro, Kentucky and Moonlite Bar-B-Q.     Everybody in this neck of the woods knows about Moonlite. Think “casual dining.” Think “family feel.” Think “all-you-can-eat” BBQ buffet. Underline the word “all.” Hungry guests stand in line with a plate and then help themselves to a smorgasbord of tasty, home-style dishes.     Buffet. Choose what you want. Skip what you don’t want. Go back as many times as you wish. This is gastronomical heaven. I loaded my plate with country favorites—mashed potatoes, pulled pork and green beans, but then skipped the macaroni and cheese, gravy and rolls.     I left the restaurant full as the proverbial tick. Okay, maybe not full—I stopped just one bite shy of gluttony.     The meal was great. The Christian company was even better.     It occurs to me that many preachers treat the Word like a trip to Moonlite. They fill their theological dinnerware with perennial favorites. They “eat” what their doctrinal belly desires (Philippians 3:19), but then pass over those food items that their denomination deems unpalatable. For instance, some heap their plate with faith, but then consciously omit what the Scriptures teach about baptism. They select some of God’s Word, but not the sum of God’s Word. They claim to be “Bible-believing,” but then

By: Mike Benson My wife asked me recently what I wanted for supper. I told her I’d enjoy a big pot of home-cooked pinto beans. She quickly reminded me that we were under strict orders to cut back on our sodium intake. “The doctor says high blood pressure and salt aren’t close friends.” “They don’t have to be close friends,” I replied, “just friendly acquaintances!” Cutting back is one thing; cutting out is impossible—especially when you are a fan of pinto beans. Salt was not considered a detriment in ancient cultures. On the contrary, it was regarded as a highly prized commodity. The Greeks called it theon, which means “divine.” Often, Roman soldiers were paid in salt (that which they received as wages was referred to as a salarium, from which we get our English word “salary”), and it was from that practice that the expression “not worth his salt” came into usage. In some societies, salt was even more precious than gold. That’s something to mull over when you realize that the current market price for an ounce of precious yellow metal is just over $1,000. Remember that next winter when you are slinging that 25-pound bag of rock salt over your icy driveway. Salt was deemed valuable for at least three reasons: First, it was a preservative. Without refrigeration, meat was especially subject to spoilage. Salt “cured” animal flesh and kept it from going bad. Second, it was a seasoning. Historians tell us that the diet in and

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat’” (Luke 22:31; cf. Matthew 16:23).     He wasn’t exactly a great prospect. His resume had some rather obvious “gaps” in it. He was an uneducated (Acts 4:13) fisherman (Matthew 4:18). He was quick-tempered (John 18:10; Matthew 26:50-51), impetuous and impulsive. He was prone to break his word (Mark 14:29; Matthew 26:74). He made promises that he didn’t keep; in fact, he lied. He started things that he didn’t finish (Matthew 14:28-30). He was prone to fear and doubt (Matthew 14:30-31). He couldn’t always be counted on in a pinch (Mark 14:53-54). He could be cowardly (Luke 22:54-60a) and undependable (Matthew 26:40-41; Mark 14:37). He couldn’t always control his tongue (Mark 14:71). He couldn’t always see the “big picture” (Matthew 16:23; John 18:11), but was often preoccupied with the urgent and immediate. He was a narrow-minded racist (Acts 2:39; 10:13-14; Galatians 2:11-14) and a male chauvinist (John 4:27).     Let’s be brutally honest—Simon Peter (Matthew 16:17; John 21:15-17) wasn’t “the right man” for leading the early church. Right? The Lord needed an entirely different breed of man. He required an uncommon stock—a man with minor blemishes, a near-perfect specimen, a spiritual giant. He needed a man with a long track record of spirituality and maturity—or did He (Luke 6:12-14a)?     At Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ, there was Peter—boldly preaching the first Gospel sermon with his fellow apostles (Acts 2:14, 38)! Yes, Peter! However, it didn’t stop there. The

I would like to meet Aaron Ralston some day. He strikes me as a man of uncommon character. The avid outdoorsman was descending into the heart of Blue John Canyon near Moab, Utah recently when part of the rock wall he was climbing suddenly gave way. Ralston was not quick enough to evade the falling material, and a massive 800-pound boulder pinned his right arm into the side of the narrow chasm.     For the better part of five days Ralston fought to keep himself alive and pondered different escape scenarios. He licked clean the wrappers from the four candy bars he had eaten on the way to the excursion. He consumed the two burritos he had packed for energy. He sipped from his water supply, but by the third day, his canteen was empty and he began to dehydrate. He tried chipping away at the rock with his pocket knife, but to no avail. He tried moving the boulder by rigging a series of pulleys with his climbing gear, but that effort failed too. Despite all of his impassioned attempts, Ralston exhausted his supplies and his escape seemed hopeless.     Then Ralston considered the unthinkable. He realized that he would not survive unless he took drastic action, and so with little more than a resolute spirit, the Aspen mountaineer broke two bones in his wrist and then amputated the latter part of his right arm just below the elbow with the dull blade of his pocket knife. Before long he was free. After fashioning a tourniquet and administering

My first tornado was a Technicolor “special effect” on a televised version of the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. The Benson house was still intact, but the movie left me emotionally reeling as a youngster. That dark whirling cloud that flung Dorothy and Toto through the sky haunted my bedtime dreams for years. It just seemed so incredibly real.     Like the heroine of that beloved film, I have often wished that I could “click my heels” and be magically transported back to the more virtuous environment of the early 1960’s. Over the past four-plus decades, our nation has been “swept out of Kansas” by the cyclone of moral relativism and summarily dropped into Oz—where nothing makes sense anymore. At least, nothing in terms of moral codes of conduct makes sense.     Case in point—homosexual “marriage.” Since President Bush’s call for a constitutional amendment banning gay unions, thousands of same-sex couples have flocked to California and other such states (e.g., New York, Oregon and New Mexico) in order to pursue legal sanction for their unholy relationships. One of the more notable examples comes from the media princess, Rosie O’Donnell. She and her girlfriend, Kelli Carpenter, flew to San Francisco in order to “tie the knot.” In an effort to fan the flames of her agenda, O’Donnell commented, “I think the actions of the president are, in my opinion, the most vile and hateful words ever spoken by a sitting president.” She continued, “I am stunned and horrified. I find this proposed amendment very,

Weather seems to be the predominate theme in our news lately. Parts of our nation have been floundering under a veritable deluge of rain, while simultaneously a great portion of the US has been sweltering under an oppressive heat wave.     Because of the extreme heat and lack of water where I live, I have neglected to mow the grass in my yard for several weeks. My motivation for such disregard has been fueled by a concern that after cutting an already parched lawn, in combination with the scorching temperatures, my yard would soon die.     Recently, I was walking around my house surveying the damage that the heat and lack of moisture had wreaked on my flowers and lawn. As I turned one corner of my house, I noticed that the grass nearest the air conditioner was green, lush and healthy (in contrast to the rest of my yard, which was yellow, dry and withered). The difference between the two was striking. As it turns out, the water dripping from the AC had sustained a small two-foot section of grass, while the remainder of the yard minus the same moisture was virtually barren.     As I stood there studying the phenomenon, a simple and yet profound thought occurred to me: “Where there is water, there is life.” This is not only true in the physical realm, but it is also true in the spiritual realm as well. Just as the grass in my yard must have water in order

From our twenty-first century perspective, Christian love is a sensate quality. It is something experiential; it is something that we feel internally. Love is a warm, affectionate, reciprocal bond that is shared by brethren.     When the apostle Paul petitioned God on behalf of the Philippian saints, he said, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and discernment” (Philippians 1:9). Did you catch that? “…that your love [Greek, agape] may abound…in knowledge and discernment.” Arthur Pink, in his work, Gleaning from Paul, made the following observation about his passage: “The apostle longed that their love might be so informed and their understanding so guided by spiritual judgment and sense that on all occasions they would be able to distinguish between truth and error in doctrine” (p. 209).     His point merits our attention. The modern concept of love, in at least some segments of the church today, is more of an emotional sentimentality (cf. Romans 10:2), as opposed to the informed, judicial agape that Paul desired for his brethren in Philippi.1 For many, love is an unconditional, familial acceptance that overlooks, and even ignores, objective truth. In fact, it is frequently viewed as an acceptable substitute for soundness of doctrine (cf. 1 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1). Brethren are afraid to offend anyone—under any circumstance—and so their relationship to a brother, family member or friend supersedes their allegiance to divine will (cf. Luke 14:26).     While there is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying warm

Non-canonical myth would have us believe that Jesus as a boy performed various miraculous feats. The inspired John tells us otherwise. This was his very first “sign” (John 2:11).     We don’t know the identity of the bride and groom. It is likely that they were friends of the family. Jesus, his mother and the twelve disciples were among the invited guests (v. 2).     Something potentially embarrassing happened during this important occasion.1 The drink ran out. Mary told her son, “They have no wine” (v. 3). First century wedding feasts often lasted for as long as a week. This situation was wrought with problems. Imagine hosting a modern reception and running out of wedding cake and punch. Then imagine being taken to court for such a blunder!2     Jesus told the servants to fill the six stone water pots with water to the brim (v. 7). (Each container held between twenty and thirty gallons a piece (v. 6). He then instructed them to dip some of the “liquid” out and offer it to the “head waiter.” The man, not aware of the miracle that had occurred, assumed that the best wine had been saved for the latter part of the feast (v. 10).     Virtually every time this passage is considered, folks want to know what kind of wine Jesus made. That question ought to be addressed, but other important points also need to be considered. Note:     I. Jesus went to a party. Some people are of the opinion

Contrary to today’s popular philosophy, fear has a legitimate place in our lives. “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9:31).     Defining the fear of the Lord. The Hebrew word for “fear” is yirah and is used in the Old Testament to denote terror. The Greek word is phobos (from which we get our English word “phobia”) and is used in the New Testament to denote alarm, fright or dread. These two words also convey the ideas of reverence and awe (Psalm 89:7), which, in turn, suggest a trembling (Philippians 2:12)—literally, a quaking with fear. When we have a proper fear of the Lord, we quake at the idea of offending him (Hebrews 10:26-27; 30:31; 12:28-29).     Defending the fear of the Lord. The presence of the fear of the Lord (1) prompts obedience: “…Noah…moved with godly fear…prepared an ark for saving of his household…” (Hebrews 11:7); (2) prevents sin: “For God has come to test you, and that His fear may before you, so that you may not sin” (Exodus 20:20; cf. 19:16; 20:18); and (3) produces growth: “So great fear came upon all the church…and believers were increasingly added to the Lord…” (Acts 5:11a, 14a). The absence of the fear of the Lord (1) abhors goodness: “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way…” (Proverbs 8:13);

Question: “Did Jesus merely restate the Law of Moses in Matthew 19:9, or did he actually give a new law of his own? Since he taught this while the Old Law was in effect, is this passage applicable to us today? What do you think?”     Answer: These are very important questions. Rather than pursuing my opinion, let’s study this passage and reason together:     Jesus taught, “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality [fornication-KJV], and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9). It is clear that Jesus was teaching something very different from the Old Testament law. Note the following contrasts: 1.        The Law of Christ permits divorce on the grounds of sexual infidelity; the Law of Moses permitted divorce for an “unseemly thing.” “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness [unseemly thing-ASV] in her; then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house” (Deuteronomy 24:1 KJV.) 2.          The Law of Christ forbids an adulterer to remarry; the Law of Moses commanded that an adulterer be put to death. “If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away

I was on my way to Oak Hill Junior High to pick up my eldest daughter, Bethany, after school. It was windy and cold outside, and I didn’t want her to have to stand and wait for me in the frigid temperatures. As I made my way up the road, I suddenly noticed smoke coming from a house just off to my left. Yes, it was certainly cold enough to warrant a fire in the fireplace, but this smoke was oddly different. It was black and thick¾not the kind of smoke that typically comes from a few logs in the fireplace. I slowed down to study the dark plumage more closely. The smoke then turned a dark, yellow tone and three-foot flames began to shoot from the top of the chimney. This was no cozy residential fire in the hearth.     My instant impulse was to reach for my cell phone and call 911. Then it hit me–I had just placed the mobile on the battery charger back at home before leaving for school. I pulled my car into the nearest driveway, rushed to the adjacent house and began pounding on the back door. No one answered. I ran to the next house and tried again. This time an elderly gentleman met me at the door. I briefly explained the circumstances and urged him to call the fire department. He promised to do so.     Following our exchange, I rushed back across the road toward the burning house. Another passerby

Growing (2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:14-15; Luke 22:31-32) as a Christian is hard (2 Timothy 2:6). Getting from “where I am,” to “where I need to be” often means venturing into uncertain and unfamiliar territory (Hebrews 11:8; 1 Peter 1:6). Dennis Conner in his book, Managing at the Speed of Change, illustrates this truth principle: At nine-thirty on a July evening in 1988, a disastrous explosion and fire occurred on an old-drilling platform in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland. One hundred and sixty-six crew members and two rescuers lost their lives in the worst catastrophe in the twenty-five-year history of North Sea oil exploration. One of the sixty-three crew members who survived was a superintendent on the rig, Andy Mochan. From his hospital bed, he told of being awakened by the explosion and alarms. He said that he ran from his quarters to the platform edge and jumped fifteen stories from the platform to the water. Because of the water’s temperature, he knew that he could live a maximum of only twenty minutes if he were not rescued. Also, oil had surfaced and ignited. Yet Andy jumped 150 feet in the middle of the night into an ocean of burning oil and debris. When asked why he took that potentially fatal leap, he did not hesitate. He said, “It was either jump or fry.” He chose possible death over certain death. Consider this: * He didn’t jump because he felt confident that he would survive. * He didn’t jump

Have you ever opened your refrigerator only to discover that something in there has… well …spoiled? You may not be able to identify the source of the odor (at least at first), but it’s all too apparent that some sort of food item has gone bad. And whatever it is, it’s been in there far too long and now it’s soured. So what do you do? Leave the moldy item in the refrigerator? Of course not. You’ve got only one option–clean it out thoroughly. Find the source of the smell, then throw it out, and finally wipe the interior clean. Perhaps you’ve never thought of it this way, but bitterness is sort of like spoiled food in the refrigerator. It’s simply aggravation that has been left in the heart too long and then gone bad. Do you have a problem with bitterness? Empty the refrigerator; find the source of the offending odor, and then dump it in the garbage. Isn’t that what the Bible says…? “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you…” (Ephesians 4:31; cf. Psalm 19:12). Think about it.

It is frequently suggested that man cannot do anything–other than believe, in terms of his salvation,1 that “works” are the natural consequence of salvation, but they do not have any role in securing or receiving salvation. Is this popular doctrine in harmony with the revealed will of God? Consider what the Bible has to say: Faith is a work. John recorded, “Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent’” (John 6:28-29). The disciples asked, “What shall we do…?” In his response, the Lord neither corrected nor condemned them for their sincere inquiry. He did not say, “Do? Beloved, you cannot do anything pertaining to your salvation.” On the contrary, Jesus said, “This is the work of [from] God2 that you believe.” If all works are excluded from the plan of salvation as some allege, then faith itself is eliminated because Jesus clearly identified it as a work. Circle the word “work” in your New Testament and then make an arrow to the phrase “that you believe.” Then in the margin write, “Faith is a work” (cf. Romans 1:5; 16:26). Repentance is a work. Jesus said, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah…” (Matthew 12:41). Circle the phrase “they repented” in your New Testament and then cross-reference it to Jonah 3:10. There

It was in the early morning hours of September 8. Eyewitnesses say that it was a stormy evening on Lake Michigan. Nighttime navigation was always difficult in 1860, but especially so on this occasion. Gale-force winds made the trip all the more perilous. Passengers were nervous and with good reason. Around 2:30 a.m., about twelve miles off the Illinois coast, the steamboat “Lady Elgin” was suddenly rammed by a large, wooden schooner. The “Augusta” had been laboring under the tempest and collided with her on the port side, just aft of her paddlewheel. Lady Elgin’s crew attempted to plug the hole in the hull with a mattress, but to no avail. The breach simply could not be repaired and pounding waves quickly forced water into her oak-framed body. Edward Spencer was on board the Lady Elgin when the accident occurred. He was a student from nearby Northwestern University and decided to help. Oblivious to the storm and its attendant dangers, Edward plunged into the icy waters and began rescuing fellow passengers. There had been approximately 485 patrons on board (the ship was rated to carry only 300 people); about 380 of them drowned on that awful day. Edward lived–and so did seventeen other people whom he had saved during the deluge. However, the strain of the occasion exacted its toll on his young body. The nerves in his legs had been irreparably damaged during the mishap, and doctors were forced to confine him to a wheelchair for the rest of

Question: “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve stopped growing spiritually… What can I do to start maturing again?” Answer: Spiritual development is important (2 Peter 3:18). Let me commend you for your desire to reinitiate this process. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Eat a steady diet of healthy food. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; cf. Hebrews 5:14; Jeremiah 15:16). Set aside a regular time each day to study your Bible. When would be a good time for you to study? In the morning? At your lunch break? In the evening before bed? Devote 15-30 minutes to reading, study and meditation. 2. Develop a regular program of exercise. “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Involve yourself in the work of the church (1 Corinthians 15:58; Titus 2:14). Look for opportunities to minister to those who are in need (Galatians 6:10; James 1:27). Attend worship services on a regular basis (Hebrews 10:25). Pray regularly (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Colossians 4:2). 3. Rid your system of disease. “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (1 Peter 2:1). Repent of the sin in your life (Acts 8:22). Ask for God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Reconcile

Coy Watson was a dear friend and brother in the Lord. We worshiped and served together some years ago during my local work in West Tennessee. Coy was a solid “Bible man.” He liked to read and study the Word. He liked to talk about the Word. He liked to listen to the preaching of the Word. In the latter months of his life, Coy struggled mightily with diabetes. The symptoms were most noticeable on his left foot. His toes tingled and had become discolored. Before long, they turned virtually black and lost all feeling. His physician in Jackson told him that surgery was necessary. Part of his foot would have to be amputated. His surgeon removed the infected members, but to no avail. The disease was incrementally spreading up his body. Within weeks a second medical procedure was required. This time he lost the better part of his leg. A third surgery took the toes on his right foot. Gangrene was taking Coy a piece at a time. Consider for just a moment, did Coy have “just” a toe problem, or did he have a body problem? Now stay with me for just a moment. Don’t get lost. I sometimes hear people say, “That’s not our (i.e., a group) problem, that’s his (i.e., an individual) problem.” Such a statement is not in harmony with reality. People problems are always group problems, not just individual problems. Study the examples below and then decide for yourself if this is the case. Is each “just” an

During the hot summer months of the year, my family enjoys eating what we call a “cold plate” for dinner. Practically everything on the table comes from the garden and nothing is cooked–it’s all fresh produce. There’s no hot stove to endure, just delicious garden fruit and vegetables. One of our favorite table items is chilled cantaloupe. Unfortunately, until recently we’ve not had much success with selecting them. Inevitably, the melons we’ve bought from the grocery have been green, generally tasteless and too hard for consumption. Too many times, our family has anticipated eating a nice, ripe, juicy cantaloupe–only to be disappointed from the very first bite. And if we’ve brought a good one home, it’s been by shear accident. I called my father in Tennessee one afternoon to see if he had any insight on buying good cantaloupes. Having spent a considerable amount of time in his own garden through the years, he offered me a few suggestions that I have found especially helpful. Dad said there are certain “indicators” to look for when purchasing ripe melons. They include: 1. Color–What color is it? Avoid green-skinned melons; look for orange, brown or tan skin. 2. Firmness–Is the melon hard like a bowling ball, or can you squeeze it to certain degree? Is the consistency of the fruit over hard, or is there a certain “pliability”? Is it soft at the stem end of the melon? 3. Smell–This is one of the best signs. Is there the aroma of fresh

Question: “A friend of mine has said some unkind things about me behind my back. I feel hurt and mistreated… I really do love her and want the situation between us to be better, but shouldn’t she come to me first?” 1. Yes, your friend should come and ask for forgiveness. Jesus said, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). 2. However, you also have an obligation to go to your friend. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15). Do you really love your friend as you say you do? Then you need to go to her. 3. Your relationship with God depends upon your relationship with your friend. Compare Ephesians 4:23, Colossians 3:13 and Mark 11:25,26. How can you communicate with your heavenly Father when you can’t even talk to your friend? Too many of us hold on to the wrong belief that time and distance and silence can eventually heal all hurts. Maybe we don’t want to seem petty or oversensitive. Maybe it’s pride. Perhaps it’s a fear of facing honest emotions. Whatever the case, time is not on our side when forgiveness is needed. Let’s have a closer look at an important scriptural principle from a passage…

“An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is onhis lips like a burning fire”(Proverbs 16:27). The figures are staggering: At least 3,300+ homes, 30 businesses, and 700 other structures were charred. Financial analysts estimate losses to exceed $2 billion. Thus far, 22 people have perished including one fire fighter, while dozens have been injured. Over 100,000 people were displaced; thousands were without electricity. At one time roughly 15,600 firefighters were on the scene trying to control the conflagration. More than $9 million was spent each day in firefighting efforts. Services included 1,900 fire engines, 203 water trucks, 43 air tankers and 105 helicopters. Some 800,000 acres of land were scorched. The effort stretched over 180 miles in six counties. The destructive force of these fires is difficult to grasp. Even those who have witnessed the actual loss of life and property find it hard to articulate the magnitude and enormity of the devastation. Entire forests and towns have literally been engulfed in flames. In many instances, little is left but glowing embers and white ash. Just think. A single match–barely three-quarters of an inch in length. A thin piece of rigid paper with a small dab of white phosphorus on the end. But watch what happens when that tiny entity is ignited. Notice how that miniscule spark grows into a flicker, and then into a yellow flare. Then consider the ravages of those eleven fires in the Golden State. Remember the toll in terms of human life. Ponder the

When important events occur, we give them our strict attention. Assuming you were alive at the time, do you remember where you were on: November 22, 1963–when you first heard that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated? January 28, 1986–when you first received the news that the Space Shuttle Challenger had exploded over the skies of Florida? September 11, 2001–when you were first told that terrorists had hijacked four jet airliners and then slammed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field outside of Pittsburgh? These tragedies by their very nature “captured” our thinking. They were indelibly copied into our long-term consciousness. We probably couldn’t forget them if we wanted to. Most of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the awful news. I find that strangely ironic. We can barely remember what we had for lunch three days ago, but the events of 1963, 1986 and 2001 come flooding to our recollection in vivid detail. Like an old video cassette movie that we’ve watched a dozen times before, our minds can immediately recreate the circumstances associated with those shocking snapshots in American history. Yes, when important events occur we give them our strict attention. That being the case, isn’t it interesting that during the most important event in the history of mankind (Romans 5:6ff), the soldiers at the cross of Jesus seemed indifferent and unconcerned? Strict attention? Hardly. The mangled form of the Savior of the world was suspended above

Question: “I’ve heard you say that a person must ‘obey the gospel’ in order to be saved. Could you please explain what you mean by this?” Answer: I appreciate this thoughtful question. Please consider the following: The Gospel is defined in the New Testament as the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; cf. Acts 8:25; 14:21; 16:10; Galatians 1:6-11). Those who fail to obey the Gospel will be eternally lost. “And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; cf. Mark 16:15-16). An individual is saved by the Gospel when he obeys a form of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of

A denominational friend of mine recently authored a devotional piece on the action of baptism. In one excerpt he observed: …Immersion is commanded and while it should be a pool of flowing water sometimes it is not possible. If that is not available it can be a still pool, or if not available a small waterfall, or if not available a cup of water, or if not available two people’s sweat or spit, as often (such as in prison) is used in baptism since there is no other source. Full immersion should be done but if it cannot be for a reason, or if it is not available at the time of accepting the Lord, then a sprinkle of water will suffice… At the conclusion of his treatise, he asked me to evaluate his thoughts in light of the Bible (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15-16). In keeping with his sincere request, I offer the following affirmations: 1. Baptism in the first-century was always performed by means of immersion. Consider the testimony of religious scholarship on this subject (cf. Acts 8:38-39; Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10): “Baptism by immersion was undoubtedly the apostolic practice” (Bower–Church of England). “The word ‘baptism’ signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the primitive church” (Calvin–Presbyterian). “Baptism was…administered by immersion, the convert being plunged beneath the surface of the water to represent his death to the life of sin, and then raised from this momentary burial to represent his resurrection to the life of righteousness” (Conybeare and

A Frustrated Sovereign Scripture describes it as attempted guerilla warfare. Ben-hadad tried to carry out a series of assaults against the citizens of Israel (2 Kings 6:8). “Tried” is the operative word, because every time the king of Syria sent out a war party in ambush, he found enemy troops inexplicably guarding the camp he had intended to capture (vv. 8-10). The inspired text says this happened “not just once or twice”(NKJV), but that Ben-hadad’s plans were foiled repeatedly. The monarch came to the conclusion that there was either (a) a spy, or at the very least, (b) an intelligence leak within his own war cabinet. Somebody was obviously “feeding” Jehoram, his Israelite counterpart, information, so he summoned his military counsel together in an effort to expose the traitor (vv. 11-12). Ben-hadad inquired, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” (v. 11b). As it turned out, no one from Syria had disclosed the king’s plans. The informant was actually Elisha, the prophet from Israel, in HIS (God’s) Majesty’s secret service. Like a character from a James Bond movie, the man of God had a divine “surveillance camera” (cf. Proverbs 5:21; 15:3; Zechariah. 4:10) in the king’s bedchamber and was therefore privy to his most secret conversations (v. 12). Every strategy concocted within Ben-hadad’s heart was revealed to Elisha by God who, in turn, conveyed such to the Israelite king in Samaria. Armed with this new information, Ben-hadad turned his attention away from attacking a nation to capturing an individual (v.

“Frog Follies” sounds like something from an old episode of The Muppet Show, when in reality it’s the annual car exhibition held here in Evansville. The display started back in 1975 when the Evansville Iron Street Rod Club hosted a “rod run” for local street rod owners. The event was dubbed “Frog Follies” due to the bullfrog race that was held that initial show. The very first FF registered 44 vehicles. Now, almost thirty years later, the event accepts between 4,000 and 6,000 entries, and is one of the biggest automobile swap meets in the Midwest. Owners bring their cars from as far north as Alaska and as far south as Australia. Proceeds from the event go to various charities and also provide scholarship funds for local high school students. [Visit https://www.evansville.net/ ~frogfol/ for more information.] It’s not really necessary to look at your calendar and try to remember when Frog Follies comes about. Just wait–you’ll know when it’s in town. Those few days immediately proceeding the show, colorful street rods can literally be found all over Vanderburgh County. It’s not unusual to see dozens of flashy cars working their way through area traffic. Every vehicle seizes your attention; every street rod turns your head. Suddenly the family sedan seems incredibly lackluster and boring. In an odd sort of way, the best advertisement for the Follies is not the actual show itself when the cars are all together at the fairgrounds. Rather, it’s when those thousands of street rods are

Teri Horton stopped in Dot’s Thrift Shop to browse around. During her junket, she stumbled across a bright abstract painting and decided that it might make a good gag gift for a disheartened friend. Teri shelled out $5.00 for the 66-inch by 48-inch canvas and then lugged it home. Teri’s friend, Theresa, got a big laugh out of the hideous present, but turned it down because it barely fit through her front door. Teri took it home again, but after a year, decided it was taking up too much space and so she offered it to yet another friend who was an art professor. The work turned out to be an authentic Jackson Pollock worth millions! Pollock (1912-1957) was a leader in the American expressionist movement of the 1940’s. He employed large canvases and then “painted” by pouring liquid pigment out of a can and dripping color with a brush. No one knows for sure how the masterpiece ended up at the thrift store. Some think it may have been purchased at an estate sale in Southern California; others believe it may have simply been given away by Pollock’s brother following his untimely death. In either case, “Untitled 1948” found its way to the little store near San Bernardino where it sat for years until Teri Horton happened along. Imagine. A multi-million dollar design sold for only five bucks. The storeowner had no idea what she possessed. Maybe you’ve never thought about it before, but like Teri Horton, you have

Rudolf was the product of a very religious home. As an adult, he was a quiet, mild-mannered family man. History records that he was also an adept farmer. Much of his success in agriculture was due to a strict emphasis to detail, and not just his prowess with seed and soil. An acquaintance in government took note of Rudolf’s proficiency in the field and offered him a position in the current administration. As expected, he proved himself to be a capable leader. In staccato-like fashion, Rudolf enjoyed a rapid series of promotions up the political hierarchy. He was a man bound by habit. Each morning began with breakfast with his wife and five children. On his way to work, he would stop momentarily and enjoy the sweet fragrance of the blooms in his well-tended flower garden. He followed a strict work ethic; his days were filled with a routine of staff meetings, decisions, gathering information and issuing directives to his subordinates. At the close of his shift, Rudolf would return home to the warm embrace of his adoring helpmate. His children happily greeted him upon his arrival, because he often brought them little gifts from work. His loyalty and dedication earned him the trust of the highest-ranking official in the party. In 1940, he was assigned to a post 37 miles west of Krakow at the largest factory of its kind in southern Poland. Despite the relentless demands of his employer, Rudolf was able to meet his daily quota of

Last fall, ESPN and B.A.S.S. (i.e., Bass Angler’s Sportsman’s Society) mailed out an information packet to all of the BassMaster fishing pros requiring them to wear a patch endorsing Anheuser-Busch beer. When pros first learned of the new mandate, many were angered and contacted ESPN/B.A.S.S. to voice their opposition. At first, the partner companies assured fisherman that they would not have to wear the patch after all. But following a discussion with Busch, the pros were told that they must exhibit the patch on their clothing or forfeit their points in pursuit of the “Angler of the Year” [AOY] award as well as the $100,000 prize money. The ramifications of this new policy were profound. No Busch patch meant no points, no AOY award, no participation in the BassMaster classic, and therefore no requalifying for the following year’s fishing tour. In other words, no patch–no bass fishing career. Oddly enough, the information packet mailed out to pros also stated, “B.A.S.S. does not expect any angler to endorse a B.A.S.S. sponsor… Participating in the NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch or Craftsman truck series does not obligate or imply that one uses or endorses those series sponsor’s products. It is, however, expected and logical that one would be appreciative of and supportive of their involvement in the sport” [emphasis mine-mb]. A number of anglers saw the obvious inconsistency. They asked, “How do you not endorse alcohol, but then simultaneously display the toxic brew on the sleeve of your shirt?” Lendell Martin Jr., a popular fishing professional, dropped out of the BassMaster tour late

Esau returned home exhausted from his hunting excursion in the field. Driven by hunger, his first thoughts turned to the all-you-can-eat buffet at “the Tent Dweller’s Restaurant” (Genesis 25:27). The Record says, “And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary’” (v. 30). The Hebrew phrase translated, “feed me,” means let me swallow or let me gulp. Table manners didn’t matter to Esau; he simply wanted his usual1 hearty meal of red lentil soup.2 According to the waiter, the “current market price” for the soup of the day was one birthright. “But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day’” (v. 31). The hunter’s need for sustenance was so intense that he agreed to the exorbitant price (v. 32). Jacob offered his elder sibling a bowl of soup on the condition that Esau would make an oath3 before God as to his intentions. Esau consented and the two brothers exchanged destinies over a single meal. Call it a patriarchal “power lunch.” The birthright referred to the right of the first (born) or “primogeniture.” It was typically4 bestowed upon a man’s eldest son and included at least three factors: (1) a double-portion of the father’s estate (Deuteronomy 21:17), (2) the responsibility of providing for the family’s physical welfare, and (3) spiritual oversight of the entire clan (Genesis 18:19; cf. 22:9; 26:25; 35:1). Sadly, the only aspect of the birthright that absorbed Esau’s thinking was the double-portion (cf. Genesis 27:31). He was a man of “the

[Editor’s Note: The following article was written in September of 2004.] Folks in Florida probably think that the Weather Channel has something against them. It appears as though the Sunshine State is facing yet another violent hurricane. First, it was Charles, then it was Frances, now it is Ivan–and he’s a category five storm with winds in excess of 156 mph. This recent trio of atmospheric events serves as a metaphor for life. While you and I try to pick up from the effects of earlier tempests, yet another one looms on the horizon (cf. Job 1-2). Impending emotional pressures look to drench us like a driving rain. Additional stresses promise to surround our hearts like rushing floodwaters. Our spiritual resources are already depleted, and the thought of facing yet another climatic assault seems impossible. So how do we prepare for Ivan when we’re still reeling from his siblings (Psalm 55:8)? It sounds simplistic, but it’s profound. Remember that no storm is stronger than the Savior. Our personal hurricanes are never beyond his divine control. The Psalmist wrote, “For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea…He calms the storm, so that its waves are still” (Psalms 107:25, 29; cf. 83:15; 135:7; 147:18; Job 26:12; Matthew 5:45; Mark 4:35-41). Dear friend, are you facing another hurricane in your life? Don’t try to “ride it out” yourself. The wind and the waves obey the Lord’s will. Let him take charge (1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 78:26).

I am outraged! My anger is due to an affront from within religious academia against our Savior. Dr. Theodore W. Jennings is an ordained minister with the United Methodist Church. He is also a professor of biblical and constructive theology at Chicago Theological Seminary.1 This past May, Dr. Jennings published a book entitled, The Man Jesus Loved.2 The title relates only the very “tip of the iceberg” in terms of what the author affirms. According to Jennings: Jesus not only condoned homosexual relationships, but He was actually involved in one with John (cf. John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). To exclude people from our fellowship on the basis of their sexual practice is to “distort the Bible generally and the traditions concerning Jesus in particular.” There is a preponderance of biblical evidence (especially in the gospel accounts) that endorses same-sex relationships.3 Permit me to briefly respond to each of the professor’s assertions. Consider: It is blasphemous to insist that our Lord engaged in any form of fornication. Jesus lived under the Mosaic regime (Galatians 4:4; cf. Luke 2:21ff). He revered, endorsed and perfectly obeyed the law in all respects (John 5:46-47; Matthew 5:17-18; 7:12; 22:36ff; 23:23). How then could He engage in that which Mosaic legislation explicitly condemned and forbid (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17)? The Bible is distorted when men wrench it from its original context. “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable

Imagine that you live in Old Testament times. Imagine too that you and a good friend have been working together in the woods when suddenly a terrible accident occurs. That ax you’ve been swinging over the past several hours splinters apart, flinging its stone head at your friend’s temple. His death is instantaneous. There was no premeditation in the event; it just happened. It was unintentional, but your friend is dead nonetheless. So what do you do? You obviously can’t dial 911 because phones aren’t in existence. Neither can you simply wait around for emergency authorities to arrive on the scene because your life is now in jeopardy. You see, once news of your friend’s untimely death reaches his family’s ears, their goel (pronounced “go-L”) or avenger of blood1 (Numbers 35:19) will be in hot pursuit. It is his duty to hunt you down and kill you (Deuteronomy 19:4-6). Yes, even though your friend’s death was an accident, as long as you are “out in the open,” the goel has the legal right to take your life. That means that either you run or die. You run to any one of six special cities (e.g., Golan, Ramoth, Bezer, Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron, Josh. 20:7-8), which God designated as sanctuary (Exodus 21:12-13). Each of these cities is strategically located so that regardless of where you live in Canaan, you can flee no more than a day’s journey and find respite therein.2 Once you arrive, you present an abbreviated version of your “case” before the elders of

Fishing was their livelihood. It put food on their tables and roofs over their heads (Mark 1:29). Fishing “paid the bills.” But these two brothers quit their boats and nets and immediately followed Jesus (Mark 1:18). Remember also that Simon and Andrew not only left their jobs, but their families as well (Mark 1:30; cf. Matt. 19:27). It was kind of like being in the army reserves and receiving a call to serve in Iraq (cf. 2 Timothy 2:4). The brothers were already acquainted with Jesus (cf. John 1:35-42; 2:1; 2:13, 17, 22; 3:22; 4:1-27, 31, 43-45; Luke 5:1ff), but some time later, he summoned them to active, permanent duty (cf. Revelation 2:10). Vocation. Close relatives. Simon and Andrew walked away from both. “So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him” (Luke 5:11; cf. Gen. 12:1). Read those words again slowly. Let them sink down into your heart. “…They forsook all…” Would you quit your job at a moment’s notice? Would you close your business on an impulse, pack your bags and then bid farewell to your loved ones for an undisclosed length of time? No? Simon Peter and Andrew did. Now stay with me for a moment. Don’t get lost. Could this be why some of us never set and attain genuine New Year’s resolutions? Could this be why many are unwilling to pursue real change in their lives? Could this be why goals are often little more than lofty “pie-in-the-sky” wishes? You see, following

The scene is the 1991 U.S. Open. The place is Hazeltine National Golf Course, just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The day is peaceful, calm and nice. A gorgeous summer day. From far out on the horizon, the front wave of a bank of gray clouds rushes swiftly overhead within minutes. Turbulent skies blacken and boil. Swirling banks of electricity collect overhead. Lightning is spotted. A golfer’s worst nightmare. Storm sirens soon blast as a fierce thunderstorm blows in, threatening the safety of one of the largest single-day crowds in the history of professional golf. Forty thousand spectators scramble for any makeshift covering. Anything will work. A refreshment stand. An umbrella. A tree. Anything. A group of spectators seeks shelter under a thirty-foot willow tree near the eleventh tee to keep from being drenched. Wisely, an official asks them to find another spot elsewhere. It is just too dangerous to be under a tall tree with lightning spotted. A few people disperse. A few stay. The storm heightens and lightning strikes a tree behind the tenth green, splitting its trunk in half, stripping back the bark like a peeled banana. A visible reminder of the storm’s fury and power is recorded for all to see. Then a minute later–boom!–another lightning bolt strikes. This time it is the tall willow tree. A dozen bodies topple like bowling pins. The noise is outrageous, likened to a series of M-80 firecrackers exploding. “All I heard was a boom, boom, like gunshots,” said spectator Don

Florida was devastated by a series of powerful hurricanes. The cumulative effects of Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne prompted President Bush to ask Congress for $7.1 billion in repairs and clean up. It has been interesting to note all of the religious entities that also stepped in to help in disaster recovery. Baptists, Methodists, Adventists, Lutherans and Catholics are just a few of the denominational bodies that have mobilized volunteers to assist. These church-related groups work in concert with the federal government (i.e., FEMA) in an effort to relieve the hurting masses. They donate goods and clothing, provide childcare, offer stress-management counseling services, provide temporary shelter, repair housing, set up food kitchens and shower facilities, furnish laundry details, provide hot meals, distribute cleaning supplies, send out chain-saw crews, and render other humanitarian aid. While we commend those who give of their time, effort and monies to hurricane victims, I think we need to ask a question: “Where are all of the atheists during this crucial time?” Really. Thousands of humble people pledge their hands and hearts to storm relief, but not the atheists. Why not? How many meals do they serve? How many homes do they repair? How do they help carry the financial burden in the storm-stricken south? Where is their organizational structure for lifting the hurting throughout Florida? You see, according to skeptics, religion is a farce. Faith is a crutch for the weak. Belief in God is a tragic waste of time and energy. Ironically, whenever fellow

Stretch out your palm. Separate your fingers to their widest; hold them as far apart as you can. Study what you see and then consider: Scripture says that’s a picture of human longevity. David wrote, “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor” (Psalm 39:4-5). That’s right. Life at its best is little more than an abbreviated measurement–a handbreadth. Jeanne-Louise Calment would have agreed. According to Guinness, she was born in Arles, France on February 21, 1875 and died on August 4, 1997. Do a little math in your head and you’ll discover that she lived 122 years, 164 days. Whew! She lived a long time, didn’t she? Not really. Not when you consider life when compared to eternity. As long as Jeanne-Louise lived, hers was but a handbreadth. Dear friend, in terms of the clock, your life is ever-so-short (Job 14:1-2; James 4:14). Assuming you escape the ravages of disease, you don’t perish in some untimely accident and your parents had extremely good genes, it’s still doubtful that you’ll live as long as Jeanne-Louise Calment. And even if you do, it will be but a handbreadth. Consider: What are you doing with your time (Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5; Psalm 90:12)? Paul Meyer wrote, “Most time is wasted, not in hours,

Not everybody in the first century wanted to hear what the apostle Paul had to say. Many, in fact, were in such opposition to the Gospel that they went out of their way to hinder its proclamation. Persecution, in its various forms, often followed Paul’s evangelistic endeavors. For instance, when he and Barnabas preached in Antioch on their first missionary tour, Scripture says, “…The Jews…were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 14:45). Of course, this antagonism didn’t stop here; verbal opposition was followed by physical expulsion. “But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region” (Acts 14:50). From Antioch, the two men made their way to Iconium, but once again they were met with strong resistance. “…The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren…But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled.” (Acts 14:3, 4-5). When the pair started their work in Lystra, persecution took a decidedly brutal form. “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead”

Those of us who graduated from the sixth grade long ago can still learn from this story. Read the following and see if you don’t gain some insights: Last fall I divided my sixth grade Sunday school class into three groups for an interesting contest. As my twelve-year-olds gathered in three circles on the floor, I explained that there was only one rule in our competition: Each group had to put together a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle without talking. I poured the contents of the puzzles on the floor in front of each group, warning them again that they could not talk. The first group went immediately to work, promptly setting up the top of the puzzle box, which gave everyone a clear view of the picture they were trying to put together. The second group tried to do the same thing, but they didn’t know that I had switched the top of their puzzle box with the top from another puzzle. I had deliberately given them the wrong lid. Not knowing that, they set up their box top to use as a guide to assemble their puzzle and went swiftly to work. As the third group gathered around the pile of pieces I had poured on the floor, the kids were dismayed to discover that I had given them no box top whatsoever to use as a guide. They started to protest, but I reminded them that there was to be no talking! What followed was fascinating. The members of Group One were somewhat

IT’S DIFFICULT NOT to get discouraged at times about teaching a Bible class, isn’t it? Teaching is one of those spiritual tasks that rarely provides tangible results. Years ago I had a close friend in Georgia who was a carpenter by trade. On occasion, when the two of us went out driving together, he would slow his truck down, point to some nice two-story house over in an open field and say, “I built that.” He wasn’t trying to brag on himself — that wasn’t his nature; he was simply proud of what he had done and wanted to share that with me because I was his friend. I never said it, but I couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of envy during those tours around Bartow County. After three or four months of labor, my friend could back away and identify what he had accomplished. Like carpentry, other endeavors produce similar quantifiable results. Those who teach in a secular environment can give quizzes and tests to gauge the progress of their pupils. People who commit themselves to a fitness program are eventually able to see measurable changes in their body and weight. But not so with those of us who are Bible class teachers — we don’t have an apparatus to mark the growth of those entrusted to our care and tutelage. I appreciate one author’s observations in this realm. He notes: We usually try to measure success based on the wrong things. Normally, our natural tendency is

Question: “Are we living in the last days?” Answer: Yes. Carefully study the following thoughts and passages: The Old Testament prophets said, “the mountain of the Lord’s house” [i.e., the church] would be “established” [i.e., built] in the LAST DAYS. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it” (Isaiah 2:2). “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it” (Micah 4:1). The church Jesus promised (cf. Matthew 16:18-19) was established on the day of Pentecost following the resurrection of the Lord (cf. Acts 2:47), thus, the LAST DAYS [i.e., the Christian age] began in Acts 2, in fulfillment of Jesus’ promise. In fact, Peter told his audience that what was happening on that very occasion in Acts 2 was in fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that was to come to pass in the LAST DAYS. Compare Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:16-17. Hence, the LAST DAYS began on Pentecost. Thus, we are now living in the LAST DAYS and we have been living in them for nearly 2,000 years. The New Testament says, “God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the father by

My mind reels every time I read this story… The day had finally arrived for Jacob. For seven years, he had looked forward to making Rachel his wife (Genesis 29:18). He had served the better part of a decade for his bride-to-be and it had seemed but a few days to him (v. 20). Following the “wedding reception” (v. 22), Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, brought his new bride to him in the evening. The newly married couple then spent their first intimate night alone (verses 21, 23). It was the custom to have a great festive week after a wedding, beginning with a banquet on the nuptial night, with many male guests invited. At the proper time, when the wedding formalities had been observed, Laban presented his daughter to Jacob as his wife. Although Leah was veiled, Jacob never questioned that it was really Rachel. The two sisters were no doubt sufficiently alike in stature and general mien, probably even in tone of voice, that the deception was fairly easy to accomplish on the unsuspecting Jacob. When he took her into his chambers and into his bed, it was dark, and no doubt much of the conversation that night was in whispers and in brief words of love. Probably also Leah had been arrayed in Rachel’s clothing and perfumes. It was not until the morning that Jacob actually saw he had been grievously deceived (Henry Morris, “Jacob and Laban,” The Genesis Record. Grand Rapids: Baker, 461). Amazing, isn’t it? Rather than sleeping with

Question: “Why should we study 1 Corinthians 12-14 today? Since miraculous spiritual gifts are no longer available (1 Corinthians 13:10; Ephesians 4:11-13), how are these chapters applicable to the church in the 21st century?” Answer: There are a number of reasons why we need to investigate these inspired chapters. For example: To help us distinguish between the temporary and permanent. Many of our Pentecostal friends insist that miraculous gifts continue to be exercised today. While sincere in their convictions, they fail to recognize that the special “corroborating” measures (Hebrews 2:3-4) of the Spirit were intended to sustain the church only until such time as the written New Testament was completed. These gifts were never meant to be employed as an on-going or age-lasting means of producing faith.1 To help reinforce the fact that miraculous gifts were actually present in the first-century. It is not uncommon to find those who deny the reality of the Holy Spirit’s work and power in Scripture. In his book, Deceptions and Myths of the Bible, Lloyd Graham states: “It takes a lot of ignorance to believe this literally, yet, literally, millions do. And then we wonder what’s wrong with our world. What better world would you expect of such ignorance?” The Humanist Manifesto II [Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1973, p. 16] claims to “find insufficient evidence for belief in the existence of the supernatural.” Thomas Jefferson, one-time president of the United States, scissored from his Bible all references to the miraculous. David Hume, the nineteenth-century English skeptic, categorically denied

JESUS HAD POWER (Colossians 1:16-17). “Wonder-working” power (Luke 5:17). He could walk on water. He could raise the dead. He could instantly heal those afflicted with horrible, life-long disease. He could cast out demons. He could feed thousands with but a few loaves and fish. He could transform water into wine. He could rebuke the storm and calm the sea. He had power (Acts 10:38). And yet — perhaps his most surprising manifestation of power was the intentional failure to employ it (1 Peter 2:21-23; cf. Isaiah 53:7; Mark 14:61). Despite the unlimited miraculous resources at his disposal — when faced with Calvary and all that entailed — Jesus restrained his own mighty hand. “Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” Has it ever occurred to you that one of the Lord’s most significant displays of power was expressed in a non-miraculous way? The chief priests, elders, and scribes [religious leaders!] levied a sordid array of attacks against Jesus. They brought false testimony against him (Mark 14:55-58). They accused him of blasphemy (Mark 14:64). They spat upon him, they blindfolded him, and they struck him (Mark 14:65). Pilate had him scourged (Mark 15:15). His own friends betrayed him and denied him (Mark 14:10-11; 66ff). Finally, he was thrust upon a cruel cross and forced to endure humiliation and torture (Mark 15:22ff; cf. Hebrews 12:2). JESUS COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT ALL. Peter tried to (Mark

Question: “What will we be like in the resurrection?” Answer: This is a thoughtful question. While Scripture tells us that our bodies will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:35b-44), our exact form cannot be known until this transformation takes place. Having said that, we can still “piece together” a few passages which offer us some insight. According to the Word, we will be: 1. Like angels “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven”(Matthew 22:29b-30). Despite the fact that the Sadducees denied the resurrection and the existence of the spirit world (cf. Matthew 22:23; Acts 23:7-8), Jesus reminded them that there was sufficient Old Testament evidence to the contrary (cf. Exodus 3:6; Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 26:29; Daniel 12:2). He then explained that when the faithful dead are brought forth from the grave at the Last Day, they will share the unique qualities of spirit which belong to angels. They will not actually become angels, but will be like them (cf. Luke 16:22). Life there will be of a different order, with angels giving us the pattern. It is the life of the angels rather than the life of people here and now that shows us what heaven will be like. We know little about angels, but this saying of Jesus makes it clear that they do not live in families as we do. He does not say that we will be angels but that

Question: “Why do you teach that baptism is necessary for salvation when the Scriptures clearly teach that a person cannot earn or merit his salvation (cf. Eph. 2:8-9?)? Baptism is a work, and works cannot save. Faith alone is the means by which a sinner is redeemed.” Answer: There are at least three different kinds of works mentioned in the Bible: 1) works of merit, 2) works of the Law of Moses, and 3) works of obedience. It is important that we distinguish between them. Let me encourage you to read the following passages in your Bible, then carefully study the following questions: Case study #1: The gift of Jericho — Joshua 6. Did the Lord make any requirements of Israel (vv. 3-5)? Did any of these commands have to be carried out before Israel could receive Jericho? [If Israel had not followed the Lord’s instructions, would she have still received the city?] According to the text, were any works of obedience necessary before the blessing could be bestowed? Exactly when did Israel receive Jericho — the moment she believed, or after faith brought her to obedience? Consider: Israel’s obedience in no way entitled her to the city of Jericho. She did not earn Jericho by virtue of her meritorious endeavors, nor could she have boasted that her victory was due to her own military prowess. But the fact remains that until Israel obeyed [worked] she did not receive Jericho. Cast study #2: The gift of cleansing — 2 Kings 5. Did

Question: “If a man possesses all the other attributes necessary to become an elder, is it wrong for him not to desire the position?” Answer: There are several elements pertaining to your question which need to be addressed. Please consider the following. 1. Development. Every congregation of the Lord’s church needs to be constantly developing sound men for the eldership. *Shepherds are not born; they are cultivated incrementally over time. They do not suddenly appear when the need for them arises. One author observes: We must face it — we really don’t want elders! Congregations exist for years without ordaining elders. Congregations with elders go for years without ordaining additional elders. Preachers, having had bad experiences, have a distaste for elders. Mediocre elders or power-hungry elders look upon prospective elders with suspicion and resentment. In such cases elders have to, literally, be forced into [office.] Cliques are always trying to get an opponent out or a champion in. …Most elderships have been born in necessity or strife — this is not as it should be. Young men are repulsed with such antics — they have no desire to qualify as elders. There must be a constant development of spiritual elders! Weak or bad leadership will catch up with you! It can be “crutched” or “covered up” only so long. We must develop godly elders! [Charles Hodge, “Elders Are Tempted,” Gospel Advocate, March 22, 1979, p. 184]. 2. Readiness. A brother is to “be ready for every good work” (Titus 3:1). Paul indicates that one

This story touches a deep cord in my heart. Read it and see if it doesn’t affect you too. The old man couldn’t carry a tune in a syrup bucket, but he loved to sing — even if it was off-key. Besides, he was bad about “amening” the preacher. Services had degenerated into an undignified “assembly” because of the old man. He simply got too involved in the “goings on” and forgot himself. Four of the more “well-to-do” members decided that this man was too “crude” for the congregation. They appointed themselves as the ones to go talk to the old man. When they arrived at the old man’s house, he was in the field plowing with his old mule. Though it was beneath their dignity, they finally walked out through that dusty ground which soiled their clothes to talk to the old man. “Brother Jones,” they began, “we want to talk to you about your singing. Not meaning any offense, you just can’t sing. We wish you would not try to sing so loud because it ruins our services.” “I’m sorry,” he replied, “it’s just that when I look at these old clothes that I wear and then I think of the robes that God has for me, I can’t help singing. When I see that old shack that I live in and realize that it might fall down any time and then I think about the beautiful palace that God has for me, I just have to sing

I listened to her sob over the phone, “This isn’t supposed to be happening to me — I’m a Christian wife and mother!” The very sound of her voice made my heart feel like lead. For months, she had been involved in an affair with a man she had met at work. A friendly chat had evolved into dinner, then intimacy. Now her adultery had been exposed. She was pregnant with her lover’s baby and could no longer hide her burgeoning figure. Everybody knew — her non-Christian friends at work, her family, her church family, her husband and her God. She lamented her behavior and wanted ever-so-desperately to turn back the clock — to undo her illicit deeds. Then, too, she worried about how her future would unveil. “Where will I live?” she asked. “Who will take care of me and the baby?” “What about my other children?” I wanted to say some magic words. I wanted to alleviate her grief and mend her broken heart. Most of all, I wanted to see her restored to the Lord and her marriage repaired. My last wish wasn’t possible. Having severed her sacred trust with her husband, he had filed for divorce. In a few days, the legal work would be completed and their eleven year bond would be dissolved in a court of law. I didn’t say it to her on the phone, but I couldn’t help ponder later, “She should have thought more about sin.” That’s right! She should have

I make no secret of it — my favorite meal consists of fried potatoes, yellow cornbread and home-cooked pinto beans. Oh yeah, and a slice of white onion. [Ladies, if you have ever wondered about what to fix for the preacher the next time he comes over for dinner, now you know. Pinto Beans.] Having become something of a connoisseur of pintos over the years, I’ve made a significant discovery — beans cooked quickly aren’t fit to eat. It’s true! Good beans have to soak overnight in water, then be boiled, then be left to simmer slowly in a pot on the stove. We’re talking hours. And that’s also why I’m not fond of store-bought, canned beans. In my opinion, they aren’t worth the aluminum can and paper label that encases them. [Now that I think about it, that’s pretty much what they taste like — aluminum and paper. Their texture is generally too hard, and they have a decidedly artificial flavor.] Food processing factories leave out the most important ingredient in good beans — time. You just can’t hurry good pinto beans. Gospel sermons are a lot like good pinto beans — they require time. They need hours of mental industry and preparation. A preacher can’t “cook up” a lesson late Saturday night before he goes to bed any more than you can microwave a bag of pinto beans. If a congregation expects a regular diet of well-balanced spiritual meals (John 6:27), then the preacher has to devote large blocks

The story reads like a transcript from a recently aired edition of The Jerry Springer Show. Both had been married before. Both had found other “more desirable” partners. Both divorced their first mates and subsequently married each other. His new wife had previously been married to his half-brother, Philip. The story is true, but it doesn’t originate from tabloid TV, but from the pages of the Bible (Mark 6:17-18; cf. Matthew 14:4; Luke 3:19-20). Herod Antipas had been married to the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia. On one particular visit to Jerusalem, Antipas met Herodias, was taken with her great beauty and began an affair with her. She likewise, was enamored by the tetrarch’s great power, and so the two divorced their current spouses and joined in their unholy union.1 Antipas was interested in gratifying his fleshly desires; Herodias was interested in securing political clout. Then came the preacher — John. John preached a sermon on the sins of incest and adultery — “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife” (Mark 6:18). The Greek text suggests that he continued to repeat his message and censure the politician’s illicit behavior (cf. Colossians 3:5-7). Antipas and Herodias may have been married from a strictly legal perspective, but they didn’t have heaven’s sanction for their relationship. As one author notes, “This case establishe[s] the fact that God recognizes marriages of the unbelievers but He does not approve unlawful attachments (not really marriages.) By whose law was the relationship ‘unlawful?’ Divorce

“All ancient Christian music was vocal” (Dr. Curt Sachs, Columbia University). “Both the Jews in their temple service and the Greeks in their idol worship were accustomed to sing with the accompaniment of instrumental music. The converts to Christianity must have been familiar with this mode of singing, but it is generally admitted that the primitive Christians employed no instrumental music in their religious worship … Musical accompaniments were gradually introduced; but one can hardly be assigned to a period earlier than the fifth and sixth centuries. Organs were unknown in the church until the eighth or ninth century. Previous to this they had their place in the theater rather than in the church” (Lyman Coleman, Presbyterian). “Music in the church is as ancient as the apostles; but instrumental music is not” (Joseph Bingham, Church of England). “That instrumental music was not practiced by primitive Christians … is evident from church history” (The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge). “…Respected scholars simply say that in the early church no instruments were used. They came in the seventh, eighth and ninth centuries, too late to be authorized by inspiration in the Scriptures” (The Shaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge). “Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law” (John Calvin, originator of Presbyterianism). “Only singing … and no playing of instruments, was permitted in the early church” (Hugo Leichtentritt). “I have

Modern relativistic thinking suggests that we have no rule or standard by which we can distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, moral and immoral. Hilary Putnam — a Harvard University professor — sums it up when he declares that moral/ethical judgments are “something that we ultimately judge by the ‘seat of the pants’” (Alan Crippen II, ed., “The Train Wreck of Truth and Knowledge,” Reclaiming the Culture, 59). “We must come to see that there is no possibility of a ‘foundation’ for ethics…” (Ibid.) he asserts. Is the professor correct? Are morals and ethics based upon our own subjective opinions? Are there no moral absolutes? Consider for a moment the repercussions of Mr. Putnam’s philosophical extreme. (Author’s note: the following excerpts are very explicit): The pro-life groups are right about one thing: the location of the baby inside or outside the womb cannot make such a crucial moral difference. We cannot coherently hold that it is all right to kill a fetus a week before birth, but as soon as the baby is born everything must be done to keep it alive. The solution, however, is not to accept the pro-life view that the fetus is a human being with the same moral status as yours or mine. The solution is the very opposite: to abandon the idea that all human life is of equal worth” (Watkins, “Death What A Beautiful Choice,” The New Absolutes,85). A principal at an elementary school in New Hampshire invited a homosexual men’s chorus to give a concert to

I like reading this biblical account (Genesis 17-21). A broad smile moves across my face every time my eyes meet the words of this inspired text… Abraham and Sarah were “expecting” their first child. Nothing special about that; millions of couples have anticipated the same blessing. However, the circumstances surrounding this particular birth were “unique”: 1) God had actually been talking about it for some twenty-five years (Genesis 12:4), and 2) Abraham was one hundred years old (Genesis 17:17; 21:5), while Sarah was ninety (Genesis 18:11-12) when the birth occurred. She had “passed the age of childbearing” [lit., the manner of woman had ceased to be with her]. Beyond the obvious miraculous intervention, one of the things that affects me about this story is all of the laughter. When God broke the “good news” to Abraham (Genesis 17:16), Scripture says that the patriarch “fell on his face and laughed” (Genesis 17:17). When Sarah heard the news, she laughed too (Genesis 18:11). Interestingly, when their son was finally born, Sarah was laughing again (Genesis 21:6) and the infant was named “Isaac” (Genesis 17:19), which meant, of course, laughter. My intent is not to be irreverent, but I can’t help but notice that when God was talking, people were laughing. Perhaps Abraham and Sarah found it hard to take the Almighty seriously when he had made such an “outrageous” promise. But as I consider the “humor” of the promise and birth of Isaac, I don’t want to miss the application of this

It was obvious that she (i.e., Christ’s bride at Philippi) wasn’t feeling her “normal” self. Typically, she was a hardworking, energetic and active (Philippians 1:5-6) lady, but in recent days, she was uncharacteristically weak and uncoordinated. A family member suggested that she set up a doctor’s appointment (Philippians 4:3). Her symptoms didn’t demand an immediate visit to the ER, but they couldn’t just be ignored either (Mark 3:17). That nagging “ache” served as overt evidence of a deeper, underlying problem. Then too, failure to get treatment might make her more susceptible to other, more serious, ailments that could threaten her entire system (1 Corinthians 12:26). Her doctor, a trusted family practitioner, ran a few tests and confirmed his diagnosis — she had suffered a small “fracture” (Philippians 4:2). As a result, he recommended a combination of therapies and scribbled (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16) a prescription on his notepad — Philippians 2:4-7: Take A DAILY DOSE of joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always…” (v. 4). Unlike Paul, who could find joy within the confines of a Roman prison, some members of the Philippian fellowship experienced despair. They focused on the dispute (i.e., fracture) between Euodia and Syntyche (which in turn, affected the whole congregation). The apostle cautioned against this inappropriate emphasis and suggested that the saints needed to “keep on rejoicing” in view of their relationship with the Lord (Matthew 5:10-12). EXERCISE gentleness. “Let your gentleness be known to all men…” (v. 5a). The word translated “gentleness” means strength under

Dr. Edwin Lutzer tells the story of flying on a commercial air flight. Seated next to him was a man who used to be a commercial airline pilot, but now flies his own smaller plane. The two became engaged in a conversation about the safety of flying. The pilot said, “Many people think these huge jets are built more safely and, therefore, are safer to fly than smaller planes. People think that because there are more crashes with smaller planes than with commercial jets. “But,” he said, “that’s not true. The reason why so many lighter planes crash is not because of bad equipment. It’s because of inexperienced pilots flying the little planes.” Lutzer replied, “Tell me more.” “The error of inexperienced pilots is that they refuse to believe their instruments,” the pilot said. “In a storm, they trust their instincts rather than their navigation instruments. That’s where they get in trouble.” “For example, they are absolutely convinced that the altitude of the plane is increasing when it’s not. There is an internal mechanism that tells them the altitude. But, when the altitude is not increasing, they often choose to disbelieve the instruments and adjust the plane according to their senses. They think that the plane is turning or banking when it’s actually not. When the pilot ignores his readings and adjusts the plane according to his intuition, it is sure to crash.” Then he said, “There wouldn’t be as many light planes that crash if pilots would devotedly believe

First-century Christians recognized the incredible, “explosive” power of the Gospel (Romans 1:16) — they had seen its effect in their own lives (Acts 4:33), as well as in the lives of their peers: A Murderer Became a Missionary Before: “And Saul was there, giving approval to his death . . .” (Acts 8:1a, NIV). “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2, NIV; cf. Acts 26:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Philippians 3:6; 1 Timothy 1:13). After: “. . . He arose and was baptized . . . Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, ‘Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priest?’” Deceivers Became Believers Before: “But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great . . . And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time” (Acts 8:9, 11). After: “Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with

If anything positive came out of that “sinful period” (2 Samuel 11) in David’s life, it was Psalm 51. The king had separated himself from God, he was lonely, guilt-ridden, tormented by conscience and filled with fear. And with good reason — he had given in to lust, committed adultery, engaged in deception and murdered Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah. Following Nathan’s indictment and rebuke (2 Samuel 11:1-12), as well as his own initial expression of guilt and sorrow (2 Samuel 11:13), David penned what is considered by many to be “the most heart-searching of the penitential psalms.” It is his lament — a sort of “self-diagnosis” of his own spiritual affliction, as well as a desperate cry for relief. 1. Notice where he went — to God (vv. 1-4). (a) For mercy: “according to the multitude of your tender mercies” denoted the vastness of the Father’s loving kindness (v. 1). (b) For cleansing: Words like “blot out,” “wash” and “cleanse” suggested David’s desire for his soul to be washed as filthy garments might be laundered (v. 2). (c) With confession: He had tried to force his sins out of his memory, but they tortured him, “my sin is ever before me.” Therefore, it was necessary that he articulate them to God (v. 4). (d) In faith: While he realized that he would inevitably give an account for his misdeeds, David trusted in God’s perfect righteousness (v. 4). When we suffer with transgression, iniquity and sin-sickness (vv. 1-3), we too, like David, must

One fourth of all the material within the epistles of 1 and 2 Thessalonians addresses the subject of the Second Coming. A close investigation of the Scriptures reveals at least two reasons for this striking emphasis in Paul’s correspondence. (1) There seems to have been a general misunderstanding within the Thessalonian church regarding Christ’s return (i.e., the parousia — 1 Thessalonians 4:13ff). (2) Members of the congregation were facing severe persecution due to their faith (2 Thessalonians 1:6; 2:14; Acts 17:1-9). These, along with other factors, prompted the apostle to send an inspired message of clarification and encouragement. Despite the fact that these two letters were penned around 51-52 A.D., they continue to be as fresh and as relevant as ever (2 Peter 1:3). Consider but one excerpt from the apostle’s inspired hand: “. . . When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his might angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction form the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he comes, in that day, to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who believe . . .” (2 Thessalonians 1:7b-10a). What was Paul’s point? Don’t despair — remember Christ’s revelation! Carefully study the following: The word, “revealed” (v. 7), Greek — apoklupsis, has reference to an unveiling or disclosure,1 the uncovering of a

Some years ago, I spray-painted a white stripe across the lower end of my driveway. I was prompted to such action out of concern for my two daughters — Bethany and Katie. I did not want the girls to ride their bicycles too close to the street, (where traffic often rushed by) and be injured — thus the boundary. At first, the girls were a bit confused as to its purpose. I assured them that the stripe was there because of my love for them, in addition to my concern for their physical welfare. In the intervening years, they never crossed over the stripe. It is interesting to note that when we go to the Bible toady, we often find God’s white strips (i.e., commandments). The purpose of these commandments is not because God wants to rob us of our liberty, pleasure and our enjoyment, or that he — for some selfish reason — wants to restrict our behavior. Rather, they are in the Bible because God loves and cares for us. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 3:5). Are you staying within God’s white lines? Are you living inside his divine boundaries? He put them there for our benefit!

Modern relativistic thinking suggests that we have no rule or standard by which we can distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, moral and immoral. Hilary Putnam — a Harvard University professor — sums it up when he declares that moral/ethical judgments are “something that we ultimately judge by the ‘seat of the pants’” (Alan Crippen II, ed., “The Train Wreck of Truth and Knowledge,” Reclaiming the Culture, 59). “We must come to see that there is no possibility of a ‘foundation’ for ethics…” (Ibid.) he asserts. Is the professor correct? Are morals and ethics based upon our own subjective opinions? Are there no moral absolutes? Consider for a moment the repercussions of Mr. Putnam’s philosophical extreme. [Author’s note: the following excerpts are very explicit]. The pro-life groups are right about one thing: the location of the baby inside or outside the womb cannot make such a crucial moral difference. We cannot coherently hold that it is all right to kill a fetus a week before birth, but as soon as the baby is born everything must be done to keep it alive. The solution, however, is not to accept the pro-life view that the fetus is a human being with the same moral status as yours or mine. The solution is the very opposite: to abandon the idea that all human life is of equal worth” (Watkins, “Death What A Beautiful Choice,” The New Absolutes, 85). A principal at an elementary school in New Hampshire invited a homosexual men’s chorus