INTRODUCTION:

Any man who is fair and honest with himself will readily admit that in the final analysis he is dependent upon God for all his blessings. No man could live in this world a single hour without God’s benefits. Yet, in the face of all this, it is a notable fact that man is seldom satisfied with the things that God so graciously bestows upon him. A thoughtful consideration of these truths should cause man to realize that his nature is depraved through sin, and that he should seek to get back to God.

1. MAN AND HIS HOME IN EDEN:
   1. Jehovah gave Adam and Eve a home in the Garden of Eden and told them how they might keep it, but not being satisfied to do as God command them, they lost it. Genesis 3.
   2. Man has been told how he may regain the lost paradise, but he is not satisfied to follow God’s instructions and he will have no one to blame but himself if he is finally lost.

1. ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPTIAN BONDAGE:

1. The life of the Israelites was a bitter one while they were serving the Egyptians (Exo. 1:13-14). But God in his goodness led them out of that bondage and instead of showing their appreciation for his kindness, their after-life was one of almost continual murmuring. They complained about the way they had to travel, their food, drink, the giants in the land, walled cities, etc.
2. Both the Scriptures and human experiences teach us that the way of sin is hard (Prov. 13:15). God in his mercy delivered us from the bondage of sin (Rom. 6:16-18), yet how often do we complain of our lots as Christians?

III. THE MISUSE OF THEIR GOD-GIVEN RICHES:

1. Before the people left Egypt, God gave them favor with the Egyptians, and when they requested it, they gave them jewels of gold and silver (Exo. 12:35-26), but it was not long afterward until these things were made into an object of their worship (Exo. 32:1ff).
2. The same God has bestowed many material blessings upon us but how often do we worship them instead of God!? The Israelites were not satisfied to use their blessings as Jehovah intended, and neither are we (Heb. 13:5; Mal. 2:2).

1. THE REMEDY FOR THIS UNHOLY ATTITUDE:

1. Not only do these examples demonstrate that man is blessed, yet not satisfied, but they also emphasize the fact that human nature is the same in all ages of time.
2. The only cure for this disorder is to realize that if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature, or there is a new creation (2 Cor. 6:17), and that if he wants to please God, he must walk after that rule (Gal. 6:15-16). There must be a putting off of the old man and a putting on of the new man (Eph. 4:22-24). Then it will be that he may find himself.

a sermon by the late Wayne E. Holland

preached at:

Hiawassee, GA (1/08/1984)

Roxboro, NC (7/15/1989)

Henderson, NC (1/14/1997)

Have you ever heard of an upside down Christmas tree? Some of the first trees to be offered were 18 years ago by a New York based company called Hammacher Schlemmer. The trees retailed for $600. The company’s website advertised that the tree would make it easier to see ornaments and would allow more room for the accumulation of presents underneath. Other retail sites got in on the action and now you can order a 7’ tall Christmas tree through Amazon for $74 or through Home Depot for $160 (which is pre-lit)…

When we become a follower of Jesus Christ, our world gets turned upside down. When we truly try to start walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), we learn what it means to trust God for His promises. We will not obey Jesus in any way until we trust Jesus.

Let’s take a look at the first event recorded in Luke in which Jehovah God sent a messenger from heaven, for the first time in four hundred years! Gabriel will turn Zacharias’ and Elizabeth’s world upside down.

THE HOPELESSNESS OF MAN – 1:5-7:

Now, you might feel that your own situation in some way is hopeless. But its when we have found ourselves hanging on to the end of our rope that we quit trusting in ourselves and we begin trusting God and His promises. Do you think God wants you to be successful and to use your skills in His service? Then you’ve got to trust Him to do that in His own way.

THE MESSAGE FROM GOD – 1:8-13:

Now here, the message from Gabriel to Zacharias is this:

1) Your petition is heard. Do you trust God to hear your prayers? Do you trust God to answer your prayers? Mark 11:24; John 14:13; 1 John 5:14.

2) Specifically relative to Zacharias, “Elizabeth your wife will bear you a son.” Elizabeth was sterile, but through the power of God, she will give birth to a son. When Gabriel appears to Mary, Jesus’ mother, with a similar but even more astounding message, he tells her: “Nothing will be impossible with God” (1:37).

3) Then, Gabriel, reflecting God’s plans, gave John his name. The name “John” means “a gracious gift” or “merciful God.” Either way, it would be a reminder of Elizabeth every time she called his name that he was God’s gift.

THE MESSENGER OF JESUS CHRIST – 1:14-17:

This paragraph is the most important from a theological perspective of this whole section. Who is this messenger of Jesus? What was he supposed to do?

Through this work, John the baptizer would “make ready a people prepared for Jehovah.” In other words, after hearing John preach, then the Jews would be ready to accept Jesus as Jehovah God in the flesh and their Savior.

THE UNBELIEF OF MAN – 1:18-20:

When you and I open ourselves to being led by God, both in the Scriptures and through prayer, He will guide us where He wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do. This miracle, among all the miracles in the Bible, are designed to help us have faith and confidence in the word of God so that we will trust the promises of God.

THE WORDLESS MESSAGE – 1:21-23:

When Zacharias finally exited the tabernacle, he was not able to talk. Then the people realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He “kept making signs” to them but remained mute. That makes me wonder if he thought that, perhaps, if he tried talking to them and told them about Gabriel, that God would give him his speech back. But, it didn’t work, not until after John’s birth and Zacharias wrote on a tablet that the boy’s name would be “John” (ver. 63-64).

THE WORD FULFILLED – 1:24-25:

When God answers our prayers, the best thing we can do is thank Him and worship Him. We praise God because of answered prayers. And it strengthens our resolve to trust Him more strongly and more broadly in the future.

It really will turn your world upside down when you learn what it means to trust God’s word. Your prayers will be answered and your life will be enriched.

Paul Holland

Two birds flew over a desert. Both birds saw the same scenery, but they each viewed them differently. The vulture noticed the rotting flesh and decay because that’s what it was looking for. But the hummingbird ignored the dead animals and instead looked for the colorful blossoms of desert flowers. The vulture thrives on what was and lives off of the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is, they search for new life, and they fill themselves with the freshness of life. Two birds flew over a desert, and they both found what they were looking for.

We all have the ability to choose what it is that we focus on. Each one of us has the ability to choose our attitude in life. God saved us for a reason, and that is so we would glorify Him with our lives. If we choose an attitude of discontentment or laziness we are failing to fulfill our divinely given purpose. Having the proper attitude helps us mentally, spiritually, and even physically. So what should our attitude look like?

God wants us to have an attitude of gratitude for letting us be a part of His saving plan (Look throughout the psalms!). Gratitude is choosing to focus on the positive. It is to be grateful for what we have been blessed with and not what we don’t have.

We should have an attitude of excitement in getting to help others find and grow a relationship with God. It is a God-given privilege to be a part of the work of the Kingdom. We are doing what really matters, and we should be excited to be a part of such a great work.

We should also have patience (Gal. 6:9). Times will get tough. It won’t always be easy to show excitement and gratitude. It’s in the trials and testing that our patience is needed. We must have a patient attitude knowing that God holds the future in His hands (Psa. 31:14-15).

If we have this proper attitude it will help us glorify God through our actions. These actions include important things like bearing fruit for the Father (John 15), fighting as soldiers for Christ (2 Tim. 2:3-4), and running in the Christian race (1 Cor. 9:24-27).  Having the proper attitude will strengthen our dedication to the Lord. We receive salvation from God and in return we must be dedicated laborers and workers in the Kingdom (Col. 3:23; Matt. 5:16).

Just like those two birds that flew over the same desert, we have been given the ability to choose what we focus on and what our attitude will be in life. Two people can go through the same terrible event and respond in two entirely different ways. God created us with the power of choice. We have the power to choose what our attitude will be. We can either focus on the bad in this world, the hopelessness, the sin and decay. Or we can focus on glorifying God with an attitude that He approves of.

Carl Pollard

The writer of Hebrews (13:5) quotes from Deuteronomy 31:8 and Joshua 1:5: “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”

See the power of this promise illustrated in the longest chapter in the book of Genesis… It records a very significant event in the life of Abraham and in the fulfillment of God’s plan. Abraham needs a family. He has Isaac, but one child does not guarantee progeny.

SCENE ONE – 24:1-9:

God had promised Abraham that He would bless him (12:1-3). That blessing has now turned into reality: “Jehovah blessed Abraham in all things.” Isaac did not have a wife and he was mourning the loss of his mother (24:67), apparently now for three years.

SCENE TWO – 24:10-27:

Abraham’s faithful servant bowed down and worshiped Jehovah God for answering his prayer. To say that he blessed Jehovah God means that he praised God for His blessing on the servant. The servant felt that the loving loyalty and faithfulness God had shown to Abraham was now being shown to the servant.

SCENE THREE – 24:28-49:

Israel needed to be assured that if / when God promises to send His angel / messenger before them, He means to do just that (cf. Exo. 33:1-3). Christians are also reminded that God has angels as His servants on behalf of Christians (Heb. 1:14), but even more than that, Christians are reminded that God will never leave them nor forsake them (Heb. 13:5-6).

SCENE FOUR – 24:50-60:

Rebekah will prove to be a strong woman, as we see her again in chapters 25 and 27. After chapter 27, Rebekah will not play a significant role; later references to her will only be references (28:5; 29:12; 35:8; 49:31).

SCENE FIVE – 24:61-67:

Isaac had gone out, perhaps to meditate in the field. When they came close enough to speak, the servant related to Isaac what had happened. Knowing that God had worked all things together for Isaac’s good, Isaac took Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, indicating that Rebekah was the new mistress of the family. Isaac took Rebekah as his wife and her love comforted Isaac after mourning for his mom for three years.

CONCLUSION:

The promised seed continues.

Throughout this whole event, God has not acted. There is no miraculous event in all of this; but the astute reader will recognize God working “behind the scenes” in His providential way. While the angel of Jehovah has also been mentioned by Abraham and the servant, there is no record of the angel actually doing anything. God can work just as effectively in the normal, everyday affairs of life as He can through miracles. From Christians, it just takes trust in Him to work out what is best for His servants (Rom. 8:28) and prayer for His will to be done (James 4:15). This account ought to encourage Christians to pray in faith (Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17).

Trust God’s powerful presence in your life.

Paul Holland

The typical response when first hearing of tragedy or hard times is, “oh no. I’ll be sure and pray for you.” I have been on the receiving end of that response, but have also been on the offering side of it as well. Truth be told, I’m sure I have let down a lot of people when it comes to my prayer life.

Prayer is such a divine privilege and often gets taken for granted. Before Christ, going before God was done through a priest. Even kings couldn’t do such a task without a priest; consider the pride and fall of king Uzziah (2 Chron. 26:18). There have also been times in the Old Testament scriptures where God has told individuals, “do not lift up a prayer for this people” (Jeremiah 7:16). God wanted to hear prayers of only the contrite and faithful. The same theology can be found in the New Testament as well (John 9:31). Luckily for us, we have Jesus who takes the spot as High Priest and allows us to go before the throne despite our flaws (Heb. 4:14-16).

Personally, I’m trying to do better about flippantly saying, “I’ll be sure and pray for you.” That kind of statement ought to carry a great deal of weight between the three involved parties; the receiver, the requester, and the listener. There are few more comforting thoughts in this world than to know that someone is kneeling before God’s mighty throne, having a divine conversation with my name included in the dialogue. That type of action is a responsibility that I, as a Christian, am obligated to do for others.

The problem comes down to a finite memory and simply remembering those who need prayers. You’ll find your prayer life becoming more consistent when praying for others instead of self constantly. Here are some practical ways to help our weak minds remember those in need:

1. Prayer Journal – Among the other ways to keep track of prayers, this is my favorite method. Perhaps the coolest aspect of a journal is the ability to look back through time and become a witness of how God works through prayer. Find a journal no larger than your cell phone or wallet in order to keep it on you.
2. The Echo Prayer App – If you have a smart phone, put it to use. There’s a handy app called “Echo Prayer” which utilizes your phone to create a prayer journal. I’ve used it before and have enjoyed my experience with it.
3. Good old fashioned bulletin – maybe it’s a product of being a “secretaries kid,” but I find the Sunday bulletin to be an invaluable method of keeping people in your prayers. This can also be found in digital form in your email.
4. Simply mean it. When you tell someone you’re going to pray for them, consider it an eternal reliance on you. You’ve got a job to do, so do it. You’ll find yourself growing closer to God and His people with each prayer.

   Tyler King

Astonishingly, the Nephilim have been all over social media lately, and that’s because of an appearance they made at a mall in Miami! At least according to some. Let’s give some attention to the first few verses of Genesis 6. The text reads:

“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’ 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

Some have the strange notion that the “sons of God” in this text refers to wicked angels, and then actually go on to say that they came down to earth and had relations with “the daughters of man” and whose offspring became known as the “Nephilim.” This is actually taught in the apocryphal book of 1 Enoch and is believed by many today. But is this what the Bible really teaches?

We should note that the phrase “sons of God” does at times have reference to angels (see Job 1:6; 2:1), but not always, and definitively not in our text. The “sons of God” here almost certainly refers to the more righteous line of Seth, as compared with the wicked line of Cain, “the daughters of man.” The magnitude of evil on this earth came to a climax when the righteous line of Seth intermarried with the wicked line of Cain. God desires “godly offspring” (see Mal. 2:15), but that is not naturally occurring when the righteous marry the wicked. The seemingly innocent beginning of this problem, which led to the global flood, was marriages based largely on beauty.

The “Nephilim theory” may be debunked very quickly noting that angels are not even sexual beings! (see Mt. 22:30). The simple truth of this matter does not set well with those looking for novel things more than true and biblical things. But this fact is insurmountable for the one who believes Scripture.

We should also note that this intermarrying between these lines did NOT produce the Nephilim, period! This is simply not what the text says. The Nephilim were already a people before this ever occurred. Verse 4 says, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards when the sons of God came into the daughters of man…”

So, who are these Nephilim? The end of verse 4 says, “These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.” Two things we learn here is that they: (1) “Weren’t born yesterday,” (or in the days that Genesis 6 refers to) and (2) They had quite a reputation.

We also read about the Nephilim in Numbers 13:33 which says, “And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Though the Nephilim were certainly known for their size, they were also known for being just as human as anyone else, like the Philistine giant, Goliath (see 1 Sam. 17).

Let’s read the Bible carefully and seek to understand what it really says and means instead of seeking to find something novel.

Daren Schroeder

There is a spiritual war going on. We are in the midst of this constant struggle between good and evil. In the trenches and the front-lines, we fight this battle on a daily basis. However, we are not alone in this battle. We have a leader who volunteered to show us the way.

There are many acts of bravery documented in Stephen E. Ambrose’s book D-Day. One account that has stuck with me is about Lt. Robert Mason Mathias serving as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Lt. Mathias was riding in a C-47 Dakota over France at 0227 hours on June 6. Nearing the jump zone the plane starting to take flak from German guns. Lt. Mathias stood and took the first jump position at the open door. You may think this is strange. Leaders are supposed to take up the rear where it is safe. However, this is not the case in the Airborne. The leader is the first to jump out the door. As Lt. Mathias was standing in the door a shell burst beside him. Red-hot flak ripped through his reserve chute into his chest, knocking him off his feet. He pulled himself back to his feet as the jump light came on. He could have stayed on the plane and gotten medical care. Instead, he raised his right arm, yelled out “Follow me!” and leapt into the night. Whether Lt. Mathias died on the way down or from the impact of landing is not known. He was the first American officer killed by German fire on D-Day.

In like manner, our spiritual leader was not willing to command us from the safe confines of heaven. Knowing well what it would cost Him, our Lord made the leap from heaven to earth. Jesus entered the front-lines of the battlefield and ordered us to follow him (Matthew 10:38). Lt. Mathias and countless other soldiers sacrificed themselves to free Europe from the oppression of totalitarianism and protect the freedoms we enjoy today. Likewise, Christ, upon the cross, sacrificed Himself to free us from the oppression of sin (Matthew 26:26-28). When you find yourself feeling alone and lost in the battle, remember that Jesus has been there before. He has fought the battle and won the war. What we must do is follow him.

Thom Vaught

What doors will open for you in 2024? A new job opportunity perhaps? Or maybe the door will open to make that long awaited trip. Perhaps the unexpected chance to scratch off another item on your bucket list. We all have improbable opportunities present themselves in life. Some of these open doors can change our lives, and even serve God.

When Paul was in Troas, he was preparing to go into Asia, but in a vision, he saw a man in Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us.” So Paul traveled to Macedonia and came to Philippi. Paul later told the Corinthians that in Phillippi, “a door was opened for me in the Lord” (2 Cor. 2:12). What door? First, he met Lydia during a prayer meeting down by the river and baptized her and all her household. Next, doors were really opened in the prison, that led to the conversion of the roman jailer and his household (Acts 16).

 God accomplishes His will by opening the doors of opportunity for us to walk through. We might call it providence, happenstance, or just dumb luck. In truth it is God working in our lives, directing us through the opportunities he presents to us. “Chance,” Anatole France said, “is the pseudonym of God when He did not want to sign.” How will God direct your life this year?  What doors will He open to for you? Are you ready to walk through those doors?

-Dennis Doughty

With a 3.5-year-old and a nearly 2-year-old in our house, we greatly value silence. Of course, we enjoy hearing our children playing with their toys and singing, but when they go to bed at the end of the day, we are usually “noised out” and ready for some quiet time. Silence is not only valuable; it is biblical.

Silence usually appears in the Bible in two contexts. The first is waiting for the Lord and trusting Him to act. The second is the wisdom of knowing when to keep silent.

David makes the following statement twice, with minor variations, in Psalm 62: “For God alone my soul waits in silence” (vv. 1, 5). In Exodus 14 Moses says to the people, “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (v. 14). The silence in these verses indicates God’s sole ability to render human salvation (in these cases physical). Lamentations 3:26 says, “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”

We also find scenes in Scripture of God’s presence bringing about silence. Habakkuk 2:20 says, “But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” Likewise, we learn that at the opening of the seventh seal of the scroll in Revelation 8:1, “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” This is a reverential, deferential silence that recognizes God’s holiness and perfection.

The book of Proverbs repeatedly ties together wisdom and the ability to keep silent; Proverbs 17:28a says, “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise” (also see 11:12; 18:13; 21:23; 29:11). Both Solomon and James teach similar truths (Ecclesiastes 3:7; James 1:19).

One of the greatest moments of silence in Scripture combines the two aforementioned contexts. In a prophecy fulfilled on the cross, Isaiah states of our Messiah, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (53:7).

Jesus, God-in-the-flesh, displayed divine wisdom, presence, and salvation in this one special moment. The God-man kept silent so that men could share in the holiness and perfection of God. What a gift!

Clay Leonard

In a terrible accident at a railroad crossing, a train smashed into a car and pushed it nearly four hundred yards down the track. Though no one was killed, the driver took the train company to court.

At the trial, the engineer insisted that he had given the driver ample warning by waving his lantern back and forth for nearly a minute.  He even stood and convincingly demonstrated how he’d done it.  The court believed his story, and the suit was dismissed.

“Congratulations,” the lawyer said to the engineer when it was over.  “You did superbly under cross-examination.”

“Thanks,” he said, “but he sure had me worried.”

“How’s that?” the lawyer asked.

“I was afraid he was going to ask if the lantern was lit!”

In a similar way, we often go through our lives afraid that someone will ask us a particular question.  “If someone asks me why I believe in God and not evolution, what will I say?”  “What if someone asks me how I can possibly believe in the resurrection?”  “What do I say if someone asks me why I believe the Bible truly is the Word of God, or why I believe that it teaches this or that?”

Instead of being detrimental as in the case of the engineer above, though, such questions provide us with an opportunity to share our faith.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (I Peter 3:15)

Don’t be afraid for anyone to ask!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

My buddy was running late for lunch one day, which was very unlike him. When he finally made it to the restaurant and sat down across from me, I could tell he was a little frazzled.

“Sorry,” he said. “I’ve been on the phone with a business associate and well…”

I interjected, “They were giving you a hard time?” 

He smiled and said, “They were giving me an opportunity to love on them.”

That sentiment has stuck with me for a long time. When someone gives me a hard time, the instinct is to see it as an opportunity to get even. I may snap back at them or some other retaliation. Perhaps secretly I file the incident away to build of case of how they are a mean person and thus I can justly avoid them and have a low reputation of them. Yet, my buddy laid out a whole different perspective. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to despise, I should see it as an opportunity to love.

Christians frequently ask God for opportunities to live out our faith. What we often forget is that those opportunities regularly show up as frustrating, difficult moments that put our faith to the test. Let’s call it like it is…It’s hard to love someone who is being ugly to you. Yet, what better way to practice loving like Jesus than to do it toward someone who has hurt me? It’s a lot more effective than returning the favor. Solomon observed, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses” (Prov. 10:12). Peter echoes the same sentiment, but with a greater sense of urgency. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet 4:8). Think about it. If we can learn to love those who are giving us grief and trouble, how much easier is it to love on them when we are at peace?

The next time someone starts ruffling your feathers, don’t look at it as an opportunity to get even. Learn to see it as an opportunity to love on them.

Cory Waddell

Last week I drove past a man walking on the sidewalk carrying sacks from a purchase he’d evidently just made. He had no hands. His arms were stumps, but he was able to carry his sacks. He was managing.

Jesus entered a synagogue to teach. A man with a withered hand was there. It was widely known that he would heal people on the sabbath.

Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him. He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him. Matthew 12.9-14.

Why did Jesus go ahead and heal the withered hand? After all, the man wasn’t at risk of dying. He’d probably gotten along so far in life in his present state. Maybe Jesus could have set up with the man to heal on another day. What difference would another day or two make? Why upset the authorities even more? Someone might say, “See!? His actions provoked them to plot a plan to kill him.”

Our Lord’s actions provide his followers with many strong principles.

First, do good when it is in your power to do it.

“Do not withhold good from someone entitled to it when you have in hand the power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow and I will give it,” when you have it with you at the time. Proverbs 3.27-28 GGN/NET.

The apostle Paul also reminds us: “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith” Galatians 6.10 NET.

Second, don’t let criticism or opposition keep you from doing good. Remember that it will often come from religious people. The joy-bus ministry back in the 1970s got lots of criticism — from people in the church. And when some were doing missions decades ago (not a thing anymore), many churches opted to do something within a day’s driving distance of their building.

Third, keep your mission to save souls at the forefront. Jesus didn’t go to the synagogue with the purpose of finding someone to heal. He went to teach. And teach he did — generating more opposition. His miracles pointed to his mission and showed the spiritual bankruptcy of the religious authorities and teachers. We ought to get the same important point today from his miracles. He went around doing good and his life culminated in the greatest good of all — salvation for mankind.

Fourth, know the relative value of things. People are more important than animals. This was Jesus’ argument to those who wanted to accuse him. He cited their own law against them. If you could save an animal on the sabbath, certainly you could save a man. An important application of this principle for us? The eternal spirit is more important than the body. The greatest good we can do for others is to teach them the way to salvation. That is why Jesus defined his mission as seeking and saving the lost, as preparing a place in heaven for his followers, as testifying to the redemptive truth. Jesus taught at length about Heaven and eternity. He wanted us to be “welcomed into the eternal homes” Luke 16.9. He, more than anyone, spoke about eternal hell.

Jesus wants to make us completely whole. By his miracles, he did that on earth for people. Only the man with the withered hand — or the man I saw with no hands — could appreciate not having a good hand. By his death, Jesus brought spiritual and eternal wholeness. Every broken heart and life can appreciate what this means. Those who pretend to have it all together, however, have no idea.

by J. Randal Matheny

Hubris! That is the only way I can describe it in retrospect. The idea that my presence could somehow control the chaos that comes with living in this world. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up a bit. For many years, my job has required a significant amount of travel. Sometimes I might be on the road for parts of many weeks in a row. In doing so, my thoughts are often distracted by care and concern for my family, who remain 1000 miles away. As many of us do, my habit has been to pause and pray to God for the safety and protection of my family. Interestingly, the phraseology of those prayers went something like this; “God, please take care of my family while I am away from them”. Think about that. That approach is basically saying that when I am home, “I got this”, but while I am away, please take over. As if God and I are tag-teaming the protection detail. Therein the hubris.

As we look around us at the seemingly random nature of threats in our lives, it is ever more comforting to simply turn over the protection detail to God in its entirety. We should be encouraged by the sheer number of ways that God promises His protection throughout scripture. He has any number of tools that offer us comfort and peace. Here are examples of just a few of those tools:

Protection derived from His impenetrable strength Psalm 46

Protection as a result of His salvation John 10:28-30

Protection of His love that is constant Romans 8:38

Protection from sin and Satan 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Protection derived from wisdom He provides Proverbs 4:6

Protection from disaster/destruction Psalm 57:1

Protection from our enemies Psalm 59:1-4

Protection from fear Deuteronomy 31:6

A couple of weeks ago, our family went on a trip to southwest Colorado and southeast Utah. We stayed overnight in Ouray, in lodging that backed up to the Uncompahgre River. My son and I went for an extended hike along the river and along the way, passed a rather inconspicuous trail marker that led straight up the side of the mountain. Of course, we took it. The trail and the mountain were steep and along the way, we walked across several slide areas that had required obvious trail reconstruction over time (my clumsy use of the literary device of foreshadowing). We arrived at a dramatic overlook a mile or two into the hike, enjoyed the view and started back toward the trailhead. Roughly 50’ after passing the first slide area, a number of boulders (one being half the size of a VW Bug) cut loose from above and tumbled across the trail we had JUST WALKED, less than 10 seconds prior. The large boulders caused the ground to shudder under our feet as they gained air then crashed back down to earth while traveling at a high rate of speed down the slide. The trail crossing the slide was obliterated, and we listened wide-eyed, as large trees snapped along the path of the boulders careening down the mountainside.

This event confirmed several things in my mind. First, that we have no real chance to provide protection to ourselves and our families from events like the one above. We are frankly helpless without God’s help. Second, it causes one to consider how many times God protects us in less obvious ways, when we might not even know it. Consider the flow of traffic that places us at a certain place at a certain time, but not at another place, therefore avoiding potential tragedy. Third, God answers prayer. I pray for God’s protection for my family every day, but I don’t always see the result of those prayers. In this case, the result was obvious.

Later that evening (after we started breathing again and had scrambled down the mountain rather quickly) I remembered Psalm 121. “The Lord will guard your going out and going in (everything that you do) from this time forth and forever.” Be comforted that God is always vigilant is His promised protection of us. Nothing is random with God and He always delivers on His promises.

Dean Murphy

Jesus cited Isaiah 6.9-10 to explain why people didn’t understand his parables. Paul cited the same passage, and Luke uses it at the end of Acts, to explain the rejection of the gospel by the Jews.

What catches our attention about the Isaiah passage is that it follows directly the account of the prophet’s vision of God’s holy glory and his calling to go speak to the people.

He said, “Go and tell these people: “‘Listen continually, but don’t understand. Look continually, but don’t perceive.’ Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind. Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”

We have often emphasized, and rightly so, the place of hearing in the plan of salvation. Without it, there will be no understanding of the message and no salvation by Christ.

Hearing, however, like faith, is not a one-time action. It is a continuous process. This is seen clearly in the calling of Isaiah. He was an Israelite, one of God’s people. He did what Israel refused to do, in the preceding verse:

I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?” I answered, “Here I am, send me!” v. 8.

The Lord spoke to Isaiah. He heard his voice and responded to it. The Lord’s question points up the need, his will and desire, the importance of speaking the message of God. And this man, sensitive to his sin in the presence of God, steps forward.

You and I aren’t going to be privileged to see a miraculous vision of God’s throneroom and hear the booming voice of the Lord. It’s not going to happen.

But we have been privileged to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, who left that glory and became a human being, who lived as one of us and witnessed to glorious truth, who submitted himself to the will of God and humbled himself to the point of death — and death on a painful cross.

When we stand before that cross, we ought to hear the voice of the Lord say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?”

And we ought to say, like Isaiah, “Here I am, send me!”

You and I who are the saints of God stand in the same position as the person who is hearing the truth of Christ for the first time. God speaks. The gospel and the calling are one and the same. We are saved to save.

Refusal to hear God and respond brings to both groups the same condemnation. He who refuses to hear the plan of salvation will not be saved. He who refuses to heed the call of Christ to go will not save others and he himself will be lost.

If the plan of salvation is precious to us, why is the call to go not as precious?

The American church is shrinking. It is shrinking for a single reason. Because it has refused to hear the voice of God.

It is time to wake up and listen. For God will cast her aside and find people willing to hear and to go. And the passage of Isaiah 6.9-10 will close another sad chapter in the history of the church, when his people refuse his word and find themselves excluded from the Kingdom.

Randal Matheny

It is estimated that people in this country spent about $2.2 billion dollars in 2018 on the services of psychics. Whether these people were trying to get someone to tell their future or trying to contact someone dead, it is a booming and profitable profession.

Even well-meaning Christians get caught up in the belief that it is possible in some ways for those living on earth to communicate with a loved one who has died. How many people will go to a grave and “talk” to a deceased person? How many in grief or loneliness will “talk” to someone cherished, admired, or missed as if they cannot only hear them, but can in some way send them a message of help or comfort? Last, how many believe or verbalize that they know some deceased loved one is “watching over them” or “protecting them”?

As sensitive as this subject can be for people, it is one in which Christians need a firm Biblical understanding so that we are not caught up in emotion rather than the truth.

According to the Law of Moses mediums were an “abomination to the Lord” (Deut. 18:10-12) and the Israelites were commanded not to consult with them. (Lev. 19:31; 20:6) There are numerous instances where mediums and wizards were grouped with all manner of wickedness. (2 Kings 21:6; 23:24; 2 Chron. 33:6)

God says that the “dead know nothing.” (Eccl. 9:5-6) In other words, the dead cannot see what is going on with those on earth and the Bible says that it is impossible for the dead to communicate with the living. In Luke 16:19-31, Abraham specifically tells the rich man that he cannot send Lazarus back to earth to speak to his brothers.

But why would God not want me to find comfort or guidance from those loved ones who have passed away? Isaiah answers this very question. “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?” (Isaiah 8:19) God expects us to obtain our guidance and comfort from Him and Him alone!

Why would I pray to a loved one rather than to God who hears my prayers? Why would I ask of a dead loved one those things that God is so willing and able to provide to me as His child? In Luke 11:10-13 Jesus said, “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? … how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Randy Reagan

Several weeks ago I was told a sermon illustration with a very powerful reminder.

It begins with a scenario that each one of us is quite familiar with. You’re at the grocery store and you’re shopping for your weekly groceries. In this illustration we are introduced to two very different shoppers.

Shopper #1

This person can be summarized as an individual who is definitely NOT on a diet of any kind. They go through each aisle grabbing anything and everything that looks good to them. They aren’t concerned about health or nutrition, they get whatever they want. If it looks good, they grab it. If it tastes good, they take it.

Their shopping cart is filled with all kinds of unhealthy food. I’m talking Cheetos, Mountain Dew, Little Debbies, cake batter, and ice cream. Bottom line, Shopper #1 is an unhealthy individual who has only one desire, to eat what looks good to them with absolutely no consideration for nutrition or health. This individual is similar to those described in scripture who are trapped in several deadly sins. Shopper #1 through his choices symbolizes those in the world who choose to practice sins such as lusting (James 1:14-15), gluttony (Phil. 3:17-19), laziness (Prov. 6:6), anger (Col. 3:8), envy (Prov. 14:30), and pride (Prov. 16:18). The sins found in Shopper #1’s cart are by no means an exhaustive list, but they are examples of what to expect in this kind of person’s cart.

Shopper #2

This individual is a completely different type of shopper. They are on a serious diet. It’s almost depressing to look at wha’ts in their cart. It’s all healthy and beneficial to the body. It’s items like carrots, peas, broccoli, chicken breast, yogurt, fruit, and spinach. This person isn’t focused on the taste necessarily, but more on the nutrition and vitamins found in food. This shopper symbolizes the ones who Paul would call dedicated Christians.

1 Tim. 6:11, “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” Who does Paul call a man or woman of God? The shopper who chooses: Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. The person who is dedicated to filling their cart with these things and other similar traits is a true Christian. Shopper #2 chooses to eat healthy no matter how gross or inconvenient the food may look. Both shoppers went to the same store and passed the same choices.

The illustration comes to a close as the two shoppers get to the checkout line.

Shopper #1 empties their cart at checkout and begins ringing up their grocery items. They scan their anger, their pride, their envy, and the rest of their life choices. They finish and pay what is due. Shopper #2 does the same. They scan their faith, love, gentleness and the rest of their godly choices. They empty their cart, but something unexpected happens.

As they reach for their wallet to pay the total on the screen says 0. Their groceries are paid for in full.

Shopper #1 lived his life however he pleased. He chose to do what made him happy and when checkout time came he was required to pay in full.

Shopper #2 lived their life according to God’s Word. They did their best to fill their cart with the things that pleased God.

Because of this decision, God has paid their bill in full. The one who has put on Christ and has devoted his life to serving God will find grace and mercy on that final day. Not out of his own good works, but through grace and salvation found in faith in God. This leads us to the all-important question, “What’s in my shopping cart?” Is it filled with the things I want? Is it junk food and sin? If so, one day I will pay for this decision. Or is it filled with the things that lead to eternal life? If your cart is filled with sin, there’s still hope (1 Cor. 6:9-11). If you have made the choice to fill your life with sin, it’s not too late to empty the cart and start over. And the time to do that is right now.

Carl Pollard

Some of the biggest mistakes people make come from assumptions.

The people of Nazareth made assumptions about Jesus that were very wrong. When he visited his hometown, Nazareth, Jesus attended the synagogue and taught there. It was an opportunity to tell people the truth about himself and God.

As Jesus taught the hometown folks, many of them became indignant (Matthew 13:54). One said, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” That was an assumption. These people had seen Jesus all his life. They figured they knew who he was. But, oh, how little they did know!

Jesus is not the carpenter’s son. He is the son of God. The miracles the Lord performed before their eyes and his teachings proved this. But they had assumed because the young Jesus was with Joseph that he was Jesus’ father. They embraced the assumption while they rejected what their eyes and ears told them.

Then they asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these powers?” There is another assumption. “Where did this man…” Jesus wasn’t just a man. He is Immanuel or “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

Humans make many assumptions. Some assume evolution is true, but when people honestly study the evidence of God’s word, it is shown to be false. Some of the established religions in the world would appear correct. Then, when the fruit of sexual misconduct and hypocrisy are apparent, they are proved to be false.

Isn’t it time to stop looking at the Bible through the doctrines and “confessions” of faith that are popular in some religious bodies? Isn’t it time to find out for yourself that the Bible alone is true?

John Henson

When Hezekiah became king he reversed what his father Ahaz had been doing and started to lead the nation of Judah back to worshipping God. He was 25 when he became king and his first recorded act, in the first month of his reign, was to put God’s temple in order. This required quite a bit of work in several areas.

First there was the physical building of the temple. Through many years of neglect it was in need of repair. Following this it needed to be consecrated, cleansed of anything that would make it ceremonially unclean. Hezekiah’s father Ahaz had set up idols to be worshipped in the temple and had even moved God’s altar from its central position to be replaced with one to a pagan god. Anything that had been associated with idolatry needed to be removed. What they hadn’t been doing – offering incense and burnt offerings to God – needed to begin to happen again.

Hezekiah recruited those who had been set aside by God to serve in the temple: the priests and Levites. They, too, had been neglecting their duties to God and serving idols. They immediately went to work.

“They assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves. Then they went in to purify the Lord’s temple, just as the king had ordered, in accordance with the word of the Lord. The priests then entered the Lord’s temple to purify it; they brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple every ceremonially unclean thing they discovered inside. The Levites took them out to the Kidron Valley. On the first day of the first month they began consecrating; by the eighth day of the month they reached the porch of the Lord’s temple. For eight more days they consecrated the Lord’s temple. On the sixteenth day of the first month they were finished.” (2 Chronicles 29:15-17 NET)

For over two weeks they worked on just getting the paraphernalia associated with idolatry out of God’s temple. But it wasn’t enough to just get rid of it by dumping it outside the walls of Jerusalem in the Kidron Valley – they needed to put back what they should have been doing.

The day after they were finished Hezekiah brought sacrifices for a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary and Judah. These were offered “to make atonement for all Israel” (2 Chronicles 29:20-24).

Following this they restored the worship of God with the various sacrifices and singing. There were so many animals brought to be offered that there were not enough priests to do it all – the Levites had to help. All of this was to restore the worship of God.

“There was a large number of burnt sacrifices, as well as fat from the peace offerings and drink offerings that accompanied the burnt sacrifices. So the service of the Lord’s temple was reinstituted. Hezekiah and all the people were happy about what God had done for them, for it had been done quickly.” (2 Chronicles 29:35-36)

He then commanded the people to observe the Passover. Even though it was a month late, because there were not enough priests consecrated to do it as they were cleansing the temple, “The Lord responded favourably to Hezekiah and forgave the people” (2 Chronicles 30:20).

What is sad in all of this is this statement: “There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel” (2 Chronicles 30:26).

What happens when we wander away from God? Usually we start doing things we shouldn’t and not doing what God wants us to do. To get back to God we need to get rid of what is sinful and replace it with what God wants of us. Included in this is getting back to worshipping God as we read the Christians did at the first. When we do this we can once again serve God as his people.

Jon Galloway

Self-analysis is recommended. “Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” 2 Corinthians 12.5a.

Here are three questions to aid all of us in being obedient to the Lord, for that is exactly the objective self-analysis should have.

1. If Christ returns today, what will he say to you?
2. Based on his words to you (final judgment), what would you have done yesterday?
3. What keeps you from doing today, right now, what you would have done yesterday?

The answers to these questions must be based upon the word of Christ which will judge us in the last day: “The one who rejects me and does not accept my words has a judge; the word I have spoken will judge him at the last day” John 12.48.

It is quite possible that Christ will return today. He tells us to be ready at all times. When he comes, he will say one of two things to every single person:

• Well done, come on in.
• Depart from me, you sinful creature.

Yesterday, in the questions above, stands for not only yesterday but all days in the past, although we’ve narrowed it down to help us focus on specific places, times, and events.

The third question focuses upon impediments to our obedience to the Lord.

“Just as ritual circumcision cuts away the foreskin as an external symbol of dedicated covenant commitment, you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the Lord and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you do not, my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you that no one will be able to extinguish. That will happen because of the evil you have done” Jeremiah 4.4.

Paul asked the Galatians: “You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5.7. Relationships are often a big problem to committing to Christ and to remaining committed to him, because we act, change our ways, or bend our wills to please others. “Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!” Galatians 1.10.

Many fail to proclaim the gospel to everyone because they are people-pleasers. And God is not pleased.

“For the appeal we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts” 1 Thessalonians 2.3-4.

The disciple Ananias asked Saul, “Now, why wait any longer?” Acts 22.16 NCV. His question sought to sweep away any objections to obedience, any barriers to baptism. It still serves a useful purpose today, even to those who have been baptized, since faith and obedience must be ongoing. If you obedience is not yet complete, the question still stands: Why wait any longer?

Because Christ might well return today. And you’ll wonder why you didn’t do something different yesterday.

J. Randal Matheny