PRESS TOWARD THE MARK

Bible Reading Companion

2011-12-28T23:09:00.021-05:00

What It Is

A full set of one-page fill-in-the-blank worksheets that correspond with each day’s reading assignment that will get you through the entire Bible in just under a year (see notes under “What You Need to Know”).

How It Came About

A couple years ago, I was looking for a way to encourage the members of our teen Sunday school class to get involved in a Bible reading program. We offered this program (among other things) as a way for our young people to earn credit toward the cost of that summer’s youth trip. Instead of asking the students to report on what they had read for the week, at the end of every Sunday school class I passed out a week’s worth of one-page assignments to correspond to the reading for that week.

The program started with the New Testament then went to Psalms and Proverbs before going through the rest of the Old Testament. In order to get the companion ready for distribution, I reworked the program so that it moves sequentially through the books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, with each assignment corresponding to a calendar date.

What You Need to Know

1. The original program allotted five months for the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, and seven months for the rest of the Old Testament. For that reason the Old Testament assignments tend to be longer than those in the New Testament.

2. You will also notice a difference in style once you get to the first of the New Testament assignments because that is where the program started. It took some time before I developed a somewhat consistent approach to writing the assignments.

3. I did not use any certain method for the selection of phrases to include in the assignments, or words to leave blank. In many cases, the selection is largely random and is designed simply to make sure you are paying attending to what you are reading and to keep you focused on the text. However, in some cases, the words and phrases are indeed chosen to emphasize important truths; and in others the intention is to pique the reader’s interest by focusing his attention on something I found curious.

4. The program was designed to end on a Sunday, not the last day of the year. For that reason, this companion ends three days early on December 28. I hope you will forgive my not taking the great deal of extra time and effort to make the assignments of consistent length and style, as well as stretch the program to a full 365 days.

5. For that same reason (time), these assignments have not been proofread. Throughout the course of the year that these were distributed in our teen Sunday school class, I corrected whatever mistakes were brought to my attention. I am certain there are many more. If you decide to complete these assignments and would like to notify me of the errors you come across, I would greatly appreciate it. There is also no answer key. If anyone would be interested in making such a thing (electronically) as they go through the assignments, please contact me, and I will be more than happy to have you do so.

How It Can Be Used

Basically, any way you like. If you are serious about completing the entire program, I would suggest printing the entire file (double-sided) and placing the worksheets in a large, three-ring binder. I have wondered if this would make a suitable curriculum for a homeschool Bible class (except for the lack of an answer key)?

Please feel free to contact me with your questions, suggestions, criticisms, ideas, etc. May the Lord richly bless as you read, study, and practice His perfect, powerful, eternal word.

1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Isaiah 34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read…

Deuteronomy 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Practical Deism

2011-12-14T21:27:00.001-05:00

Zephaniah 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.

Forgive me for quoting wikipedia, but this concise summary well serves its purpose:

“Deism in religious philosophy is the belief that reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion, can determine that the universe is the product of an all-powerful creator. According to deists, the creator does not intervene in human affairs or suspend the natural laws of the universe. Deists typically reject supernatural events such as prophecy and miracles, tending instead to assert that a god (or "the Supreme Architect") does not alter the universe by intervening in it. This idea is also known as the Clockwork universe theory, in which a god designs and builds the universe, but steps aside to let it run on its own.”

The entire page would probably be interesting to search, but the purpose of this post is not at all to discuss the history or beliefs of what we might call “philosophical” deism. It’s to point out the fact that in Zephaniah’s day there were those who, in a very practical sense, though they believed in God, had this idea that He was very uninvolved in their lives. We’ll call them “practical” deists. And they’re still around.

In the passage, they convince themselves that God doesn’t bless the good or judge the evil. He’s the Lord, but He’s off somewhere far away in heaven – far enough off that I don’t really have to worry about Him too much.

Granted, the deist – philosophical or practical – is a step up from the fool, who denies (or temporarily forgets, Proverbs 24:9) God’s existence all together (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). The deist acknowledges His existence, but thinks of Him more so as a disinterested spectator.

Now let’s take a little closer look at the passage. The Lord said He would search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees. Maybe I’m just dumb, but I had no idea what lees were, or how one would settle himself upon them. Sounded to me like a professional couch potato. Anyway, I looked it up in a Bible dictionary on my shelf (World’s Reference Library), and here’s what I found:

LEES (dregs)

“Wines on the lees,” were wines allowed to stand after the first fermentation for better preservation of the wine (Isaiah 25:6). Figuratively, it means contentment with one’s self and state, indifference and sloth (Jeremiah 48:11; Zephaniah 1:12). To drink the lees, or dregs, is a picture of God’s punishment (Psalm 75:8). No one can escape until He is completely finished; the cup must be drained, not tasted.

So the lazy complacency of these practical deists was a result of their failure to believe that God would DO anything, good or evil.

Now, the application my mind went to was the failure of God’s church in their charge to reach this lost and dying world with the gospel. Why is it that so many of God’s people are “settled on their lees” while the world is lost and going to hell?

Maybe it’s that we’ve slipped into some sort of practical deism. We don’t deny the Creator, the Savior, the Redeemer. We just refuse to really believe, or fail to remember, that there really is a hell, there really is a lake of fire, people really are going, and we really are commissioned to bear the message of the only means whereby God’s judgment can be averted. It just seemed like if we really believed those things, we’d be doing SOMETHING to pull them out of the fire (Jude 1:22-23).

And it seems like we’d realize THAT is far more important than things like feeding the homeless, curing aids, building habitats for humanity, fighting abortion, drilling wells in third-world countries, etc. Don’t get me wrong. All those things are great. But all of that without Jesus Christ will only benefit a man in THIS LIFE. Fact is, every man, woman, boy, and girl has an ETERNAL SOUL we need to be concerned about. And eternity lasts quite a bit longer than the 70 years or so we’re allotted down here.

Further, the passages states that this practical deist fails to believe that “The Lord will…do good.” God will bless His word (Isaiah 55:10-11). Souls will be saved (Psalm 126:5-6; 1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Our work will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:19).

So let’s get up off our lees and do something to help reach this world with the gospel. Pass out some gospel tracts. Hold a gospel sign at a busy intersection. Knock on some doors. Put a bumper sticker on the back of the car. Go ahead and bring it up with our co-workers or family member. Write a letter to that relative that needs to hear the gospel. Support a missionary. Pray for a missionary. Better yet, be a missionary. Whatever we do, let’s do something.

Nobles & Their Necks

2011-10-13T10:49:00.000-04:00

Coupled with the book of Ezra, the book of Nehemiah presents the history of the Jews who returned to the homeland following the Babylonian captivity. Ezra was a ready scribe of the law of God (Ezra 7:6-10). The book that bears his name focuses on the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer (Nehemiah 1:11-2:5), and his book focuses on the rebuilding of the wall of the city.

Chapter 3 is where the work commences. It’s a description of who built where and repaired what gate. The names of the gates – and what they represent – make for some great preaching.

Then there’s this statement in Nehemiah 3:5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. A couple points need to be made.

1. If you’re too noble to work, then God will never use you.

The people had a mind to work (1 Corinthians 1:26). But the nobles refused to participate. The Tekoites were among those God used to repair the walls and gates of Jerusalem. But the nobles considered themselves too important for that type of work. And they missed out.

Perhaps this is why the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:26 …not many noble, are called:

It’s a noble thing to want to accomplish something in this life for the honor and glory of God. But whatever it is we might seek to accomplish, it’s going to take some WORK. Your talent, your ability, your skill is not enough. Prayer alone is insufficient. Anything meaningful, anything worthwhile is going to take some labor, some effort, some toil.

God can use all kinds of people. But He cannot, He will not use a lazy, self-important man or woman.

2. There is risk and sacrifice involved in accomplishing something for the Lord.

Read the verse again, Nehemiah 3:5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.

Would you not expect the verse to say that they put not their backs to the work of their Lord? That’s what I expected to read, but that’s not what it says. It says that they put not their necks to the work of their Lord.

That’s a common expression we all understand. To “stick your neck out” or “put your neck on the line” is basically to take a calculated risk. It’s to say, “This might not work, this might not turn out, but I believe it will, and I really think it’s the right thing to do, so here goes…”

You and I are unlike God. We can’t see the end from the beginning. When we step out by faith in obedience to His word, all we have to go on is His promise that in the end, God will be pleased, and He’ll reward us for our labor (1 Corinthians 3:8). We’re never promised success. We’re never promised favor. We’re never promised protection.

When you set out to do something for the Lord, you will be exposing yourself to failure, to ridicule, to mockery, to attack, to opposition.

Perhaps these nobles had listened too carefully to the laughing of Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem (Nehemiah 2:19). Perhaps they decided to distance themselves from the work on the wall, just in case those guys were right. Maybe they didn’t want to subject themselves to the ridicule and conspiracy of chapter 4.

What we need to recognize is that dealing with all of those things is just part of doing God’s work. So we all have a choice to make. We can aim at nothing and hit it. Or we can go ahead and pull the trigger, mindful of the fact that there might be some recoil or retaliation. We just need to count the cost and figure out whether or not it’s worth it.

Considering all that the Lord has done for us, we’ve got to say that anything we could possibly do for Him is absolutely worth whatever it might cost us. May the Lord really help us believe that’s so.

Bible Facts on Hell

2011-10-04T09:59:00.002-04:00

· Mentioned 54 times in the word of God

· Mentioned 15 times by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry

· To deny its existence is to call Jesus Christ a liar

· To downplay its importance is to criticize Jesus’ preaching

· Fire that shall never be quenched, flaming torment (Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:24)

· Occupants cry for momentary relief of one drop of water (Luke 16:24)

· Weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42, 50; 24:51; Luke 13:28)

· Place of outer darkness (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30)

· Left with nothing but your thoughts, memory (Luke 16:25)

· Everlasting destruction (Matthew 10:28-29; Luke 12:4-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Hebrews 6:2)

· Better to pluck out your eye, cut off your hand, cut off your foot than to enter (Matthew 5:29-30; 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-48)

· Location the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40 w/ Acts 2:27, 31)

· Levels/degrees of punishment: lowest hell, greater damnation (Deuteronomy 32:22; Psalm 86:13; Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47)

· Temporary holding place: jail, trial, prison = hell, Great White Throne, lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15)

· Jonah cried from belly of hell (Jonah 2:2)

· Jesus was not left in hell (Matthew 12:40; Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27-31)

· Jesus has the keys (Revelation 1:18)

· Will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18)

· Strange woman’s house the way to hell (Proverbs 5:5; 7:27)

· Proper chastisement helps children avert it (Proverbs 23:14)

· God’s presence if I make my bed there (Psalm 139:8)

· Tongue set on fire of hell (James 3:6)

· Never full; enlarges itself (Proverbs 27:20; Habakkuk 2:5; Isaiah 5:14)

· Population continually increasing – 150,000 people die every day, and most of them go there

· Hell is filling up…with people you care about – your lost friends, family members, classmates, job mates – they’re headed there (John 3:36)

· Rich man in hell wanted somebody to tell his brothers (Luke 16:27-28)

· People in paradise would have sought to rescue those in hell were it not for the great gulf (Luke 16:24)

· Only chance we have is now, and we can make a difference (Jude 22-23)

An Idle Soul

2011-09-20T12:15:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

The Bible (and the book of Proverbs in particular) has a lot to say about slothfulness, laziness, idleness. In this modern-day American society that’s obsessed with entertainment, amusement and leisure, it’s important that we’re constantly reminded of the dangers of being idle.

There are dangers in idleness of mind. Benjamin Franklin was by no means a Christian or a godly man, but he said some insightful things. One of those sayings is that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. That might not be Bible, but it’s biblical. We must guard against an idle mind. Man’s heart is desperately wicked, and if we allow our minds to wander and allow our thoughts to roam, they have a powerful tendency to go where they shouldn’t (Genesis 6:5). We’re to carefully guard our thoughts, take our thoughts captive, and bring them in obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3). Twenty times, the Bible uses some form of the word meditate, and it’s pretty much the very opposite of the transcendental variety. God wants us to think on purpose. About Him. About His word. About what’s right. Don’t have an idle mind.

Then there are dangers in idleness of body. According to Ezekiel 16:49, the root of Sodom’s iniquity and the primary reason for its eventual destruction was not sexual perversion. That was just a symptom. A major part of Sodom’s problem was that “abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters.” Too much free time. Too much leisure. Too little responsibility. And so they kept devising mischief (Psalm 36:1-4; Proverbs 6:14, 18) until they sunk to the depths of depravity. We ought to be people of activity. With a God to glorify and a world that’s dying and going to hell and with so much to learn and so much to do, it’s pretty much a sin to be bored.

But what caught my attention in Proverbs 19:15, was the phrase “an idle soul.” You see, I know a lot of young people who rot their guts on junk food and their minds on video games, but then again, I know a lot who don’t. They’re not idle in their minds. They’re busy studying, busy learning, taking tests, writing papers, preparing for their future. And they’re not idle in their bodies. They’re working jobs and completing projects and playing sports and participating in this activity, that group, the other program.

But the dangers they fail to recognize are the dangers of an idle soul. When it comes to their spiritual life, they’re lazy. They’re lazy about their Bible reading. They’re lazy about scripture memory. They’re lazy about their prayer life. They’re lazy about witnessing. And they don’t think it’s that big of a deal. They’re busy with school. They’re busy with friends. They’re busy with their plans. They’re busy with life. And that’s good. But their soul is starving to death.

The Proverbs passage says that “slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep.” It makes them like Jonah down in the sides of the ship. Taking a nap while the world goes to hell.

1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Romans 13:11-12 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Let’s be aware of the dangers of idleness. Let’s not allow our minds, our bodies, or our souls to be idle. Work for the night is coming!

Lessons from Ahab

2011-09-16T17:39:00.002-04:00

1 Kings 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

If you’ve ever heard anyone say that Ahab is the most wicked king that Israel ever had, that statement is based on this passage (and 1 Kings 16:25, 30). Had a couple interesting thoughts as I came across it this last time in my Bible reading.

1. Ahab sold himself to work wickedness.

Romans 12:1-2 is about as critical a passage as any other when it comes to the Christian life. You’ll never become what God can make you and accomplish what God can do through you until you learn to lay your body on the altar of surrender and submit your will to God’s (see Christ’s example, Luke 22:42). Especially in youth ministry, this is often referred to as “selling out” to God. It involves sacrifice. It involves giving up some things. Things like worldliness (Romans 12:2). Things like the lusts of the flesh (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Things like personal desires and ambitions. Things like ungodly friends and companions (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). So we’re challenged to count the cost and to transform our thinking so that we can view it as reasonable service (Romans 12:2).

What I thought was interesting about 1 Kings 21:25 is that doing wrong involves just as much surrender as doing right. If you want to live for the Lord, you’ll have to be a living sacrifice. But if you end up working wickedness instead, it just means that you’ve sold yourself to that.

Here’s the point. Those who refuse to surrender to the will of God and opt rather to follow the lusts of the flesh often do so under the delusion of “freedom” or “liberty” or “choice.”

But if you believe the Bible, Romans 6 makes it very clear that you do have a “choice,” but that choice is whether you yield to God or yield to the flesh. Romans 6 makes it clear that you’re “free” to choose whether you want to be the servant or God or the servant of sin.

Here’s the difference. Those who live after the flesh think they’re free, but they’re really in bondage (2 Peter 2:19; John 8:34). And the people who live for the Lord consider themselves servants, but enjoy a glorious freedom (Romans 6:16-23; Galatians 5:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17).

2. Jezebel his wife stirred him up.

Here’s just another example of why the company you keep is so important. Chances are Ahab wouldn’t have topped the “most wicked kings of Israel” list had it not been for the influence of his heathen wife.

Proverbs 13:20 says that a companion of fools shall be destroyed, and you had better believe it. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says that evil communications corrupt good manners. If you don’t believe it’s true, that just proves you are deceived. In Galatians 3:1 Paul asked the foolish Galatians WHO had bewitched them that they should not obey the truth. Again in Galatians 5:7, WHO did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

So here’s the question. Are your friends the servants of righteousness or the servants of sin (there are no other options)? If the latter, then it’s time to get yourself a new set of friends. Because the people around you are going to influence you, and you need someone to influence you toward the freedom of serving God.

Another question. That guy you’re interesting in… That girl you think is cute… That person you’re “going out” with or that person you’re thinking about marrying… What does he serve? Who does she serve? You had better make sure you both have the same master! Because if you’re serving one and she’s serving the other, chances are she’ll win you and not vice versa. If you’re submitted to the will of God and he’s selling himself to do wickedness, then just the fact that you’d yoke yourself with that type of person shows that they’re dragging you down and not the other way around.

So even the worst of us can serve as a bad example. And that’s just the case with Ahab. Hope we can learn from his mistakes and avoid making them ourselves.

Lessons from 1 Kings 13

2011-09-12T01:29:00.001-04:00

1 Kings 13 is one of the more interesting and instructive accounts of the Old Testament. I always enjoy coming to this spot as I’m making my way through God’s word.

Let me briefly point out a number of the many lessons we can take from this chapter.

1. God doesn’t appreciate those who dishonor His messengers.

1 Kings 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

The hand Jeroboam lifted up against God’s prophet was withered in that very instant. God warns the wicked in Psalm 105:15, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” The New Testament believer is instructed in Hebrews 13 to remember and follow them which have the rule over us (v. 7); to obey and submit to them (v. 17); and to salute them (v. 24).

2. On the flip side of that, always stick with God’s word, even when it’s contradicted by those who claim to speak for the Lord.

1 Kings 13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

Mark it down, whenever a man or woman claims that an angel spoke to Him or that God told Him something (that’s not in the Bible), he’s probably lying. Run these references on lying prophets – Jeremiah 14:14; Jeremiah 23:25-32; Jeremiah 27:14-16; Zechariah 13:3; 2 Corinthians 11:15; Galatians 1:8.

3. Partial obedience is disobedience.

1 Kings 13:21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

1 Kings 13:26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.

This man is to be commended for standing up to the king and speaking out against his idolatrous worship. That took some courage. That took some guts. But that was only part of what God had commanded. Obeying one part didn’t give him license to disregard the other part, and sadly, he paid the consequences.

4. The failures of God’s messengers do not negate the truth of God’s words.

1 Kings 13:32 For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

By his disobedience, the man of God discredited himself as a messenger. But what he said still came to pass (2 Kings 23:16-17) because it was God’s word, not his. Many attempt to excuse their disregard for God’s word by pointing to the failures of those who deliver it, but it just doesn’t work. God uses weak, fallen men to deliver his word. And we’ll not answer for them. We’ll give account of ourselves for what we did with the light (Psalm 119:105) we were given.

Too Much

2011-09-09T11:45:00.001-04:00

Because of Solomon’s idolatry, his kingdom was rent in twain, and the 10 northern tribes were given to the rule of a man by the name of Jeroboam. This was prophesied in 1 Kings 11, during the days of Solomon (whose resulting attempts to kill Jeroboam were unsuccessful), and it came to pass in 1 Kings 12, at the outset of the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son.

However, it didn’t take long for Jeroboam to slip into the same idolatry that got the kingdom taken away from the house of David. He set up a couple of golden calves and proclaimed these to be the gods that brought up Israel out of Egypt (sound familiar?).

And he offered this lame excuse (in 1 Kings 12:28), "It is TOO MUCH for you to go up to Jerusalem…”

Basically, Jeroboam said, “God commanded us to worship in Jerusalem. God commanded us to offer sacrifice in Jerusalem. God commanded us to observe certain feasts in Jerusalem. But He’s really asking too much. Instead let’s just do this…”

That was almost 3,000 years ago. Sadly, the same lame excuse is still being put to use by many of God’s people. What the Bible calls “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1) many times we think of as “too much.”

Church three times a week…is it really necessary?

Fellowship, activities, outreach…don’t you guys have a life?

Daily Bible reading and prayer and scripture memory…aren’t you being a little fanatical?

Dressing like a Christian all the time…you don’t really want your friends to think you’re weird, do you?

All that witnessing and passing out tracts and public ministry…isn’t it just a little overboard?

God doesn’t really expect me to abandon all my desires and just “seek His will for my life,” does He?

There may be some other area of obedience that you just think is extreme, but the point is that we need to transform our thinking (Romans 12:2) and look at presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord the same way that God sees it. Not as fanatical, not as not as excessive, not as overboard, not as too much – but as reasonable service.

Meditate on This

2011-09-06T16:52:00.001-04:00

We are commanded to read God’s word (1 Timothy 4:13; Isaiah 34:16; Deuteronomy 17:19). We are instructed to study God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15; John 5:39). But something we often overlook is the necessity of meditating on the word of God. We need to set aside time and make a deliberate effort to think about what we read in God’s word. To contemplate what we study in God’s word. To dwell on truths we find in God’s word.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Came across a couple statements in 2 Samuel 15 that are worthy of some meditation.

Here’s the setting. King David is fleeing for his life. But not from Saul. This time he’s running from his son Absalom, who has conspired against him and usurped the throne of Israel. David’s finding out who his real friends are. And who his enemies are, as well.

Consider the statement made to David by his servants in 2 Samuel 15:15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

Just think about that. We’re God’s servants, right? Is that our attitude? Is that our heart? Could we pray that, and really mean it? Something to think about.

And then David makes this statement in 2 Samuel 15:26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

If you read back into the context (v. 25), what David is saying is that if God chooses to bring him back to Jerusalem, great. “I’m in God’s hands, and God always does what’s right. And if not, I’m still in God’s hands, and God always does what’s right.” Just let the Lord do what He thinks is best. His way is perfect. His word is right. What’s best for me is to let Him have His way.

Is that our attitude? Is that our heart? Could we say that, and really mean it? Are we OK with God doing whatever He wants with us? Are we OK with God doing whatever He wants to us? Really something we ought to meditate on.

The Savor of His Knowledge

2011-08-31T12:14:00.003-04:00

Came across a passage that piqued my interest this morning.

2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

I still have some questions about the verses that follow (15-16), where the Bible says that we are a sweet savor unto God of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish (the unsaved), to the one the savor of death unto death, and to the other the savor of life unto life.

I have some thoughts on these verses. I’ve read some thoughts on these verses. And I’d like your thoughts on these verses.

But back to verse 14, notice three things.

1. The savor of His knowledge is made manifest by us.

Savor is defined as the taste or smell of something. A savor is a distinctive quality of something; or that which renders something valuable.

Basically, the statement serves as a reminder that you, Christian, are the only Bible that some people will ever read. Your life, your testimony, your witness will be the only taste of the knowledge of God that many people ever get. You are a representative of Jesus Christ in every place that you go. What the people you know (lost or saved) think about Bible Christianity will in a large part be determined by what you say and what you do. Everywhere you go, you’re giving off an aroma for people to associate with the knowledge of God.

And so the question is this: What kind of odor are you giving off? What taste have you left in the mouths of those that know you represent Jesus Christ? What is the distinctive quality of your witness, of your testimony, of your preaching?

2. God wants us to make Him known in every place.

The statement is that we manifest the savor of His knowledge in every place (point # 1). That’s the reality of the situation, and a great responsibility.

But is it not also true that God has commanded us to make Him known in every place, and is that not also a great responsibility? Two applications here.

First of all, missions. God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). God is willing that all should be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Our commission is to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Our calling is to teach all nations (Matthew 28:19). Our commandment is to be His witnesses unto uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). God wants the savor of His knowledge made manifest in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14). So what are you doing to reach the world with the gospel?

And secondly, our personal witness. Paul made some amazing missionary journeys and made Christ known in a lot of places. But He didn’t personally go to every place. The statement here is that every place Paul went, He gave people a taste of the knowledge of God. So the challenge for us is to be a 24/7 Christian. To be a round the clock witness. To take the knowledge of God everywhere we go. To take the knowledge of God to the school house and tell the people there about Jesus. To speak up for the Lord at the workplace. To leave the clerk at the counter with a gospel tract. To be His witness in your neighborhood. To never go off duty. To never miss an opportunity to give someone the gospel.

3. We need the power of God.

In light of this great responsibility – making manifest the savor of His knowledge in every place – the Bible says, “And who is sufficient for these things?” (verse 16). The answer is in chapter 3, verse 5: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”

Looking more closely at 2:14, the wording points to the fact that only does God cause us to triumph in Christ (hallelujah) but that God is the one who makes manifest the savor of his knowledge. He just uses us to do it.

So I’m not dependent on my own ability, my own strength, my own power. And good thing. Because I am terribly insufficient. I have a great responsibility, but I also have a great God who works in me both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13) and always causes me to triumph in Christ (verse 14).

Verse 17 says, “but as of God…speak we in Christ.” I am to be a powerful witness. I am to have a powerful testimony. But God supplies the power. So I need to walk with Him. I need to yield to Him. I need to trust in Him. I need to obey Him. And He’ll give me the power I need to represent Him properly (Ephesians 3:16-21).

Not Many Mighty

2011-08-23T10:45:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 is a great passage to read when you’re having a Galatians 6:3 moment (and we all go there from time to time).

Verse 26 says that not many wise, not many might, not many noble are called. The wording does allow for the reading that there are a few wise…mighty…noble who are called. But just in case you think that’s you, verses 27-28 basically imply that you’ll never amount to much for the Lord. Because God chooses the foolish to confound the wise; the weak to confound the mighty; and that which is base and despised to bring to nought the things that are.

But why? For this reason (verse 29), “That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

That sounds awfully similar to one of the main reasons that a man’s good works can’t save his soul – because God doesn’t want anybody in heaven bragging about what they did to get there. (See Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 3:27.)

And it’s the same reason that the Lord is not likely to use someone who thinks they have something great to offer Him. He doesn’t want us to “glory in his presence.”

Colossians 2:6 says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” How did you receive Jesus Christ? In humility. Knowing you could do nothing to save yourself. How did you receive Jesus Christ? By faith. Trusting what He had done not what you could do.

The Lord wants us to take that same attitude into Christian service. He wants us to own our complete dependence upon Him. He wants us to recognize that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). That we are insufficient of ourselves; that our sufficiency is of God (2 Corinthians 3:5). That it’s not by might or by power but by the spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6). That it takes God working in us and working through to accomplish anything that will matter (Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:20-21).

The Lord wants us to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Believing His word; obeying His word; seeking His will (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6). Depending not on our strength or ability but on the power of the indwelling Christ (Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 3:16-20).

The Lord will reward us for that kind of service (1 Corinthians 3:14; Colossians 3:23-24; et al), but we’ll cast those crowns right back at Jesus’ feet because all the honor, all the glory, all the power, all the praise – it rightly belongs to Him (Revelation 4:10-11).

The Great Commandment

2011-08-17T15:00:00.002-04:00

Joshua 23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

Does it not strike you as an amazing thing that you and I have to WORK at loving God? That we have to do it on purpose? That we have to “take good heed” to ourselves to make sure we keep the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37)? It seems so simple and at the same time so daunting a charge. But in light of everything we know about God, doesn’t it seem loving Him supremely would just be automatic? Doesn’t it seem like it’d just happen naturally? How could we HELP but love the Lord!

1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

To me, Joshua 23:11 serves as a sad statement on human nature. A sad reminder of our tendency to lose sight of the amazing love God has for us. A sober warning on how quick we are to forget.

In the context and into chapter 24, Joshua recounts all the wonderful things that God had done for the nation of Israel – from the call of Abraham, to deliverance from Egypt, to protection and provision in the wilderness, to victory and conquest in the land of Canaan. And right in the middle of all that is this directive to take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

I know I should love God. I know I have all the reason in the world to do so. And I do. Definitely not as much as I should, but I do. And I realize that based on the word of God, living life in this mortal flesh on this sin-cursed earth, it’s something I had better continue to work at. Something I had better cultivate. Something I had better grow. A choice I had better make on a daily basis.

In these last days, iniquity abounds, and the love of many has waxed cold (Matthew 24:12). Many have gone the way of the Ephesians and have left their first love (Revelation 2:4). May the Lord help us continually kindle in our hearts a constant and genuine love for Him.

Evil Surmising

2011-08-11T12:45:00.002-04:00

The initial accusation given by the Jews against the apostle Paul in Acts 21 provides an interesting glimpse at human nature. But first of all, let’s back up to his greeting by the elders of the church at Jerusalem.

Acts 21:18-21 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

A number of points:

1. If this is what Paul was teaching, he would have been right.

2. At least the elders did the right thing in taking what they had heard about Paul to Paul instead of spreading if further. That’s a good example for us to follow.

3. I need to research the timeframe of these events in relation to Paul’s writings a bit further, and perhaps somebody can help me with this: Was Paul backsliding on what he said to Peter and what he wrote to the churches of Galatia? What he wrote in Romans 6:14? He counters the elders’ charge by agreeing to purify himself with 4 men that had a vow on them, as a testimony to the Jews that he walked orderly and kept the law (vv. 22-25).

4. So the conclusion of the council in Acts 15 – that the law was in no way binding on believers – at this point was seen, at least by these, as being limited to Gentile believers (vv. 22, 25).

5. Some excuse Paul’s actions with 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, becoming all things to all men. I believe this excuse is invalid, especially in light of the Holy Spirit’s continually directing Paul NOT to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:4 vs. 20:22; 21:10-14; even when he made it there, 22:17-21).

Interesting. Now,

Acts 21:27-30 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

1. So the Jews who had heard and opposed Paul’s preaching in the cities of Asia (during Paul’s previous missionary journeys) are in Jerusalem for the feast and see Paul go into the temple.

2. The first part of their accusation is extremely negative – that Paul taught against the Jews, against the law, against the temple (cp. 6:10-14). This is how they heard Paul’s preaching for Jesus Christ and for salvation and for forgiveness and freedom from sin.

3. The last part of their accusation is pure conjecture. And this is really what stuck out to me about the passage. Mankind has this tendency to “put two and two together,” only to find out later that part of that equation was off because the situation didn’t add up to four. The Jew’s logic was as follows: Trophimus was with Paul in Jerusalem + Paul was in the temple = Paul polluted the temple by bringing in a Gentile. That’s quite a leap. But that’s what we do. We suppose that if this is true and if this is true then that means the other must be true, and we convince ourselves that it is, and we act upon it. The Bible calls it “evil surmising.” And we need to be really careful about that. Because a lot of the time we end up being wrong. And in this case, it just about got Paul torn in two.

4. What we need to be careful to do is make sure we diligently enquire about a person or situation before we act on mere supposition or accusation (Deuteronomy 19:18). What we need to be careful to do is Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. What we need to be careful to do is Proverbs 25:9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: Don’t just assume something is true because you heard it or you thought it up in your mind. Find out the truth; go about it the proper way; and respond accordingly.

Amen.

The Danger of Men-Pleasing

2011-08-03T14:38:00.003-04:00

Pontius Pilate is an interesting character study. Here’s what the Bible says about him.

He received witness from Jesus Christ Himself (1 Timothy 6:13). He was warned by his wife not to have anything to do with that just man (Matthew 27:19). He knew the chief priests had delivered Him for envy (Mark 15:10; Matthew 27:18). Three times he told the Jews he found no fault in Him at all (Luke 23:4, 14; John 18:38; 19:4, 6). Called Jesus a just person (Matthew 27:24). Was willing to release Him (Luke 23:20). Was determined to let Him go (Acts 3:13). Refused to change the writing, “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19). Marveled that He had died (Mark 15:44). Didn’t seem surprised at the prospect of Christ’s resurrection or convinced a watch could do much to prevent it (Matthew 27:65).

And yet – in spite of all this – he authorized the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Why?! Two reasons:

Mark 15:15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

John 19:12-13 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

Pilate gave the order for Jesus to be put to death because (1) He wanted to be Caesar’s friend, and (2) he was willing to content the people. Amazing.

So it doesn’t matter how much you know about the Bible. It doesn’t matter how much you know about how rotten the world is. It doesn’t matter how much you know about the Lord. It doesn’t matter how much you say you love Jesus. If your desire is to please the crowd; if your desire is to find acceptance in the eyes of this world; if your desire to be somebody’s friend, you will sell out the Lord. There’s no doubt about it.

Paul said that if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). Jesus said that no man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

Since Jesus Christ loved me enough to lay down His life for my sins…

Since God’s ways and God’s thoughts are so much higher than my own…

Since I’ll stand before Him and no one else on the day of judgment…

And for so many other reasons…

Let’s forget the crowd and follow Jesus.

The world behind me; the cross before me. No turning back; no turning back.

John 13:17

2011-07-28T09:21:00.002-04:00

John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Came across this verse this morning, and it seems to be a good follow up to the post on “Heart, Doctrine, & Life.”

1. If ye know these things…

In order to do what is right (and thus be happy), I have to first know what is right. In order to be a doer of the word (who is blessed in his deed), I have to first be a hearer of the word (James 1:22-25). In order to believe the word of truth (and be saved), I must first hear the gospel (Ephesians 1:13; Romans 10:14).

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2. Happy are ye if ye do them.

But if I want to live a happy and blessed Christian life, I can’t stop with hearing the word of God. I’ve got to be a doer of the word and a doer of the work (James 1:22-25). I have to trust God enough to obey what He says (Ephesians 1:13; Romans 10:16). Otherwise, the truth that I’ve heard is rendered unprofitable (Hebrews 4:2).

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

The Purpose of Biblical Separation

2011-07-26T11:37:00.002-04:00

Leviticus 27:14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD…

Allow me to spiritualize this passage in order to point out some important Bible truths.

1. Our churches (1 Timothy 3:15), our homes (Ephesians 6:4), our individual bodies (2 Corinthians 5; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) must be sanctified; we must be set apart; we must be separate from this world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Ephesians 5:11).

2. But sanctification does not equal holiness. We must be sanctified so we can be holy. Being separate doesn’t make me holy, but I can’t be holy if I’m not separate. Sanctification is a necessary step in the path toward holiness.

3. We need to be holy so we can serve God. We can’t stop with being separate from the world. We must be separated unto the Lord (Nehemiah 10:28). We can’t stop with not being conformed to the world (Romans 12:1-2). We need to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

There’s a purpose behind being separate. It’s so we can be holy. And there’s a purpose behind striving for holiness. It’s because our God is holy (1 Peter 1:13-16), and we want to be like Him and please Him.

So God help us sanctify our house to be holy unto the Lord.

Heart, Doctrine, & Life

2011-07-18T10:02:00.006-04:00

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Titus 2 goes on to talk about practical matters of Christian conduct and character. The principle that’s important for us to understand is that the right doctrine leads to the right life.

Again in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

In the absence of Bible doctrine, I as a Christian cannot become what I am supposed to be for the Lord.

But there’s another factor in this equation. To have the right life, the right character, the right conduct, the right walk before the Lord, you’ve got to have to the right doctrine. But what takes you from right doctrine to the right life is a right heart.

Romans 1-11 is heavily doctrinal, dealing with man’s lost condition; God’s remedy; the way of salvation; the condition of the saved man; future of the nation of Israel.

Romans 12-16 are highly practical dealing with the practical outworking of the truths of chapters 1-11.

And it all hinges on Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What translates the doctrine of chapters 1-11 to the life of chapters 12-16? Understanding God’s mercy; presenting your body a living sacrifice; not conforming to the world; being transformed by the renewing of your mind.

right doctrine + right heart = right life

It is also true that:

wrong doctrine + right heart = wrong life

How are you going to please God if you don’t know what pleases Him? How are you going to live by the Bible if you don’t know what the Bible says? How are you going to worship God if you don’t know the truth? How are you going to serve the Lord if you don’t know what type of service He desires? You can’t have the right life without the right doctrine.

Likewise:

right doctrine + wrong heart = wrong life

You can have all the truth you want, but Hebrews 4:2 the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Think of Jonah. A member of God’s select nation. A prophet. He claimed to fear the God of heaven. But his heart was rotten, and so was his life.

So:

1. right doctrine + right heart = right life

2. wrong doctrine + right heart = wrong life

3. right doctrine + wrong heart = wrong life

The best alternative is obviously #1. But between #2 and #3, I believe you’d be better off with wrong doctrine and a right heart than right doctrine and a wrong heart, and here’s why. If you’ve got a right heart, the doctrine is easy to correct. If you have a right heart, you’ll respond properly to the right doctrine. But if you have the right doctrine and a wrong heart, that’s not as easily corrected. It’ll take a work of the Holy Spirit to break your hardened heart.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Immodestly Defined

2011-07-13T11:55:00.002-04:00

1 Timothy 2:9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Here is THE passage in the NT (though not the only principle in the word of God) on dress codes, proper attire, how a Christian lady is to adorn herself. And the passage centers on the principle of modesty. (Sort of. It more so centers on the adornment of good works – cp. 1 Peter 3:3-5 – but as far as apparel goes, modesty is the standard).

So if we want to please God and if we want to obey His word, then what we need to figure out is what it means to be modest. Sounds easy enough.

What makes somewhat it difficult is the fact that this is the only time the word is used in scripture. Not only that, but the word associated with it – shamefacedness – is used only here as well. It’s not that “modest” is an uncommon word. Anybody who wants to know what it means can figure it out fairly easily. But because the word appears only here in 1 Timothy 2, many have mistakenly based their definitions for the term on “the Greek” or their own personal standards and convictions.

Having said that, let’s look at the definition in Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.

1. Proper; restrained by a sense of propriety; hence, not forward or bold; not presumptuous or arrogant; not boastful.

2. Not bold or forward.

3. Not loose; not lewd.

4. Moderate; not excessive or extreme; not extravagant.

The definitions match 1 Timothy 2. Modest apparel, then, is conservative; not sensual; does not draw improper attention to oneself. Modest apparel is not extravagant, does not reveal one’s flesh, does not draw attention to one’s body in a bold, forward, loose, lewd, improper, or boastful way.

Now the purpose of this post isn’t so much to come up with a dictionary definition for modesty as it is to describe what so commonly passes for “modest” among so many so-called Christians that just doesn’t hold up to the Biblical definition.

Our approach in preaching and teaching the word of God is to emphasize biblical principles and allow the Holy Spirit to work out the details. For a number of reasons, I believe that is a good approach.

But every now and then, it seems like there are those just don’t get it. Most of the time, it’s obviously because they don’t want to get it. If that’s you, there’s really no way to help you until you get your heart right. But every now and then, there are some people who seem to genuinely care about what the Bible says but for whatever reason lack the wisdom that is necessary to apply Biblical principles to the reality of daily life.

For those of you who might fall into the second category, what I want to give you is a small list of things that don’t qualify as modest apparel, and why (without going into detail that would be better left for a lady to discuss). Here we go.

· A bikini. To me, that seems like it should go without saying, but there are people who go to the same church I go to (and probably some in yours) who don’t seem to understand that. So let’s get this out there in the open. I’m 100% certain that God is not OK with a Christian girl or a Christian woman wearing a bikini in any type of public setting. To expose your flesh in such a manner is loose, lewd, bold, forward, and immodest to the utmost degree.

· A one-piece bathing suit. Too many Christians seem to define modest as one step above the standard of the world. It’s some sort of comparative or relative modesty. Like a one-piece is OK because it’s not a bikini. But the word of God sets the standard. “What’s wrong with a one-piece?” High legs. Low neck. Form-fitting. There is nothing proper about the attention it draws to the one who’s wearing it.

· Short shorts (dresses, skirts, etc). No one (well, almost no one) would contend that it’s OK to leave your bedroom completely naked. Then why in the world would you walk out your door with a skirt 2 inches above your knee, or even worse a pair of shorts halfway up your thigh? Because you define nakedness differently than God does. (See Isaiah 47:1-3; Exodus 28:41-43). God says to uncover your thigh is to uncover your nakedness and allow your shame to be seen. And it doesn’t matter if it’s the lake, the beach, the gym, the mall, or the house next door. The definition doesn’t change.

If you’re a Christian woman or girl and you wear (or a Christian father and you allow your daughter to wear) any of the above, either (1) you know it’s immodest, but you do it because you don’t care; or (2) don’t think it’s immodest because you’re more influenced by the world than the word of God. The solution to either is the same, and it’s simple. Repent, and start obeying the word of God.

Along the same lines are the low shirts, the tight shirts, the not-quite-long-enough shirts, the spaghetti strap shirts, and the strapless shirt or dress. I’m not real comfortable explaining why all those are immodest, but I think you can figure it out. If not, seek out a godly lady who can help you (Titus 2:3-5).

Here’s the point. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. As Christians, everything in our lives ought to be about glorifying God. Back to 1 Timothy 2, what glorifies God is when a Christian lady adorns herself in modest apparel AND good works. So modest apparel doesn’t cover for a lack of good works, and good works don’t excuse you from dressing modestly. God wants both.

Two more points to wrap up this lengthy post:

1. Guys, it’s important that you’re modest, too. So keep your shirt on. Again, it’s not OK to go out naked, right? Since when is the definition of naked different for a guy than a girl? Do a Bible study on Ezekiel 23:8-18 and John 21:7 then report back on the Biblical reason why it’s OK for you to be bare-chested in public.

2. Yes, it is possible for a woman to be just as immodest in a skirt or a dress as it is for a woman to be immodest in a pair of pants. But if you have to bring this point up every time somebody talks about clothing (a) that might just be conviction, and (b) you need to understand the fact that it’s possible to be immodest in modest clothes doesn’t mean that it’s possible to be modest in immodest clothes. Read that again and think about it for a minute.

Happy Summer :)

Click here for a sermon on “Principles of Proper Attire”

Do You Love Strife?

2011-07-07T02:04:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 17:19-20 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

A couple of brief points to make from these verses that are particularly pertinent for us Independent Baptists.

1. He loveth transgression that loveth strife. So to love strife (see Philippians 1:15) is to love transgression – you know, like, sin.

2. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good. So if all you can see is the bad in everything, it means you have a froward heart.

That’s what God said. Just something to think about.

Custom Tract Source

2011-07-04T14:17:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

Hope the weekend provides you some opportunities to exercise the freedoms the holiday commemorates. The Lord blessed us Saturday, and we had 74 faithful saints from THE BIBLE Baptist Church stand up for Jesus at the Daytona Speedway with gospel tracts, gospel t-shirts, gospel signs, and gospel preaching.

This afternoon we’ll have groups passing out tracts and preaching the gospel at two local fireworks shows. Praying that the Lord will give us liberty, boldness, compassion, open doors, and souls saved for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.

We’ll be passing out this tract, printed by the guys at Custom Tract Source.

FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE (front/back)

Take a look at some of the other tracts they’ve helped us design for our evangelism efforts at the Daytona Speedway, University of Florida football games, arts festivals, and fireworks shows.

RACING IS NOT A SIN (front/back)

GATOR FOOTBALL – WHAT COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT (front/back)

COEXIST (front/back)

And here are some of their designs that we’ve had customized with our own message.

HOPE (front/back)

FREEDOM (front/back)

ARE YOU A GOOD PERSON? (outside/inside)

YOUR LIFE (front/back)

I’d encourage you to stop by their website and think about customizing one of their tracts (careful, they’re not all KJV) or enlist their help in designing one of your own.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Devising Devices

2011-06-29T21:57:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 14:22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

According to Mr. Webster, to “devise” is to invent; to contrive; to form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to excogitate; to strike out by thought; to plan; to scheme; to project.

Simple question. What do you devise? What do you plan? What do you turn over and over and over in your mind? What keeps you up at night? What wakes you up at night? What are you always thinking up?

Another way to get the gospel out? A better way to be a witness? Another way to be a blessing to somebody? Another way to minister to your brothers and sisters in Christ? A word of encouragement? A better plan for your devotional life? A way to save a few extra dollars to give to missions?

Or something else? How you’re going to keep from getting caught when you do that? How to manipulate that situation to your advantage? How to get one over on that guy you just can’t stand? How to make a few more bucks so you can indulge your covetousness? Or just how to get out of doing what you know is right? How to justify yourself for doing what you shouldn’t or not doing what you should? How you can meet the minimum requirement set by your parents or your preacher so they’ll keep off your back?

Just something to think about. What do you devise?

Despising God

2011-06-26T08:38:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 14:2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

Reading through Proverbs 14, the last part of that verse stuck out to me. “He that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.”

Perverse is defined:

1. Literally, turned aside; hence, distorted from the right.

2. Obstinate in the wrong; disposed to be contrary; stubborn; untractable.

3. Cross; petulant; peevish; disposed to cross and vex.

And to despise is:

1. To contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have the lowest opinion of.

2. To abhor.

So perverse doesn’t necessarily mean sexually deviant. It just means turned aside from that which is right. Proverbs 14:2, if you’re not upright, you’re perverse.

And if you’re not upright, you’re not neutral toward God, you despise Him. You abhor Him. You have the lowest opinion of Him.

There’s no such thing as neutrality in the Christian life. If you love God, you keep His commandments. If you don’t keep His commandments, it means you don’t love Him. And you can’t be perverse (not upright, not keeping His commandments) and be “OK with God.” The Bible says you despise Him.

We don’t naturally think this way. But that’s why the Bible is so important. It corrects our thinking. It helps us be transformed by the renewing of our minds so we can prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).