Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The Bible Says

Probably the most famous thing that many people believe that the Bible says is that "God helps those who help themselves." Many years ago i remember a man adamantly maintaining that it was in there somewhere even though he could not tell me where. By the grace of God I have read the entire Bible through dozens of times in several languages and a number of versions. The statement God helps those who help themselves is not in there.
   There is a related problem which i hear constantly. Christians say "God says," or "the Bible teaches." In many cases what they are saying God does indeed say and the Bible does teach. The problem is that most Christians, even those who have walked with God for decades, have no idea where the Bible says or teaches the things that they are opining about. Without the verification of specific verses or passages in the Bible it is just their opinion.
    This can and should be remedied but it will take some work. Consider the example of Jesus. When He was tempted by the devil how did He respond? By quoting the Old Testament. ( Matthew 4:4,7,10) The psalmist says that he "has stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11 ESV) What does this indicate? They memorized the Word.
     In modern times we have an advantage that people in earlier eras did not. We have printing and newer technology so that the Scripture is readily available in most languages. We also have chapter and verse divisions not present in the original text. Thus we have a simple way to find things in the Bible. If we are willing to put in the work to memorize verses or passages of the Bible complete with the reference (book,chapter and verse) and then review them regularly we will have the word stored in our hearts ready for the Holy Spirit to use. I recommend learning and reciting the reference before and after the verse. Then even if you forget part of the verse you will usually remember the reference in order to find and review it.
     One big barrier to this is the belief that we can't memorize. This is an easily refuted lie of the devil. We remember many things such as the date of our birth, our social security number, the names of relatives, and information pertaining to our work or school. I don't have to look up how many quarts are in a gallon because I have memorized that there are four. I don't have to ask someone what the name of the ocean is that separates the US from Europe because i have memorized the name Atlantic.  I believed this lie until i began to actually try to memorize. Over one thousand verses later including six psalms and four NT letters later I know it was a lie.
   Memorized Scripture not only helps to minister to others by showing them where the Bible says something but is also helpful in prayer and in teaching and worship. May we grow in our faith and practice.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Personal Relationship

The Lord Jesus keeps impressing upon me the importance of my personal relationship with Him. This may seem like a no-brainer, something incredibly obvious yet I wonder how many people who identify as "Christians" actually have a truly intimate, personal relationship with Christ. He tells us that to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27) is the most important commandment. To have a love relationship with someone requires trust, time, energy, and commitment. And as humans many of us seem to need something to ignite that relationship like placing a key in an automobile ignition to get the engine going. I believe that the disciplines of reading the Word of God and praying on a regular, consistent basis form the key to start and keep the relationship with God going.
    After many years of observation and inquiry I am convinced that very few "Christians" actually do even one let alone both of these not to mention more advanced things like memorizing the Scripture and fasting. Why not? Perhaps we were told the wrong gospel. Many seem to believe that if we pray a prayer, go to a church building on a regular basis, and are a nice person that this will fulfill God's requirements. Then we can do what we feel like the rest of the week. This is the cruise ship mentality that God exists to serve us and give blessings, a celestial Santa Claus.
    The truth is that we are more like sailors on a coast guard cutter going out into dangerous waters to rescue people from sin, death and the devil. We are told to "deny ourselves, take up our crosses (an instrument of death) daily and follow Jesus- potentially into suffering, hardship and persecution. (Luke 9:23) But we will not be able to do this for any length of time if we are not receiving His love and truth on a regular basis through our relationship with Him. Without this continual filling we will inevitably place demands on people that they either cannot or will not meet with consequent frustration and problems.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Parenting

     Everyone has biological parents from whom we receive a genetic inheritance. Many of these biological parents also rear their children and provide an environmental inheritance as well. No one has perfect parents because only Jesus is perfect. ( Hebrews 5:9) God has set things up this way. He has also mandated that parents are the ones to whom He has given authority and responsibility to rear their children. ( "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Ephesians 6:1 ESV; "Children, obey your parents  in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Colossians 3:20 ESV; "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching." (Proverbs 1:8) Godly parents may delegate their authority to others but may not abdicate their responsibility.
    God commands parents to train and discipline their children. "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4) "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke." (Proverbs 13:1 ESV) "My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart." (Proverbs 7:1-3)
     The most important commandment is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul and mind and strength." ( Luke 10:27, Mark 12:30) The number one responsibility of godly parents is to teach their children to love God. In the early years especially the parents represent God. We must assure children of our love for them. Unfortunately our human ideas of love are often at variance with those of God.
     God commands discipline of children. This includes judicious corporal punishment in cases of defiance and rebellion. The following Proverbs make this clear.
"Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him." (Prov. 13:24ESV)
"Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death." (Prov. 19:18)
"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him." (Prov. 22:15)
"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod he will not die, if you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol." (Prov. 23:13-14)
"The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother." (Prov. 29:15)
"Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart." (Prov. 29:17)
     The absolute refusal of many who identify as Christians to discipline their children is rebellion against God.
There much more to say on this subject but too much for this post.
Note: In English the correct word is to "rear" children. I was once publicly corrected on this point when i used the word "raise" instead. My auditor was correct. Raising is done with animals.
Note: The command to honor one's parents is mentioned about eight times in the Bible. It is the fifth commandment. (Exodus 20:12) It is also reiterated in the New Testament. (cf. Ephesians 6:2

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

One Another?

One of the strongest house church theology principles was the practice of "one anothering." This refers to the numerous ( sixty-six verses by one brother's count) places in the New Testament where we are told to do various things to one another. Examples include love one another in John 13:34-35, encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13, 10:25, 1 Thess 5:11, teach and admonish one another (Colossians 1:28, 3:16) and many more. The idea was that instead of one person teaching or encouraging or exhorting all of the others, that we should all participate in this.
     Several problems arose. One was that in any given group about half of the people never said anything publicly. A second was that many things that were shared were not truly edifying. ( 1 Cor. 14:26) But even in more personal one on one settings our cultural bias towards intense privacy made genuine exhortation improbable.
   If we really don't know what is going on inside a person we can still pray for them and possibly offer general advice but we will not be able to pray specifically and give more in depth exhortation. North Americans and New Englanders in particular have a fierce sense of privacy about what they are willing to share with others.
    Unfortunately this "lone wolf" attitude makes it far too easy for the devil to prowl around like a roaring lion and find someone to devour. ( 1 Peter 5:8) One of the overlooked points in the Ephesians 6:10-20 "armor of God" passage is the word "stand" or "withstand" found four times in verses 11-14. Paul is using the physical reality of ubiquitous Roman soldiers to illustrate a spiritual principle. One of the primary reasons for the usual success of Roman soldiers over many centuries was their discipline. So standing doesn't mean standing around but standing in rank and formation. The tactics used meant that each soldier bore responsibility for protecting part of the next soldier with his shield. They had to rely upon each other. When we isolate ourselves and don't allow anyone into our lives then we are more easily defeated in spiritual warfare.
"Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment." ( Proverbs 18:1 ESV)

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Tuesday Thoughts

     Only Jesus is perfect. Only Jesus is always right.
Unrealistic expectations of other people leads to much disappointment in life. We should decrease our expectations of other people and increase our expectations of God.
     The phenomenon known as rubbernecking, in which vehicle drivers create miles long traffic jams for themselves when nothing is impeding forward traffic in order to look at an accident on the other side of a divided highway does not leave one with a high impression of the intelligence of the human race.
     In order for God to do needed spiritual open heart surgery on us, we have to stay on the operating table.
   If we are not willing to do anything outside of our personal "comfort zones," then Jesus is really not on the throne of our lives.
     If I was not receiving and experiencing the love of God on a personal, daily basis I would go into my room, lock the door and not come out. 1 John 4 provides probably the most detailed understanding of God's love in the whole Bible although one can find this everywhere in His Word. "In this the love of God was manifested among us, that God sent his only Son into the world that we might live through him. In this 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 4:10-11) "So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us." ( 1 John 4:16a) The voluntary suffering of Jesus on the cross to receive the righteous wrath of the Father for our sins is the decisive proof of God's love for us.
    What we believe influences how we live. If someone does not believe in inherited sin from Adam (Romans 5:12-21) then they will think they are a good person in no need of a Savior.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Renaissance

     "So even to gray hairs and old age, O God, do not forsake me until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come." ( Psalm 71:18 ESV)  This verse was sent to me today by a friend and brother in Christ. The Lord has given me the pleasure and honor of testifying to His might and power. He is the one who changes lives, the only one who can perform the spiritual "open heart" surgery that we all need. I am seeing Him work in and through me. Prayers are bearing fruit. Brethren are thanking me for the way that God is working through me. Although we not do the work of God for the praise of others, genuine appreciation helps smooth the way. The power of the Word is manifesting.
     Renewed memorization and reviewing of verses from the Bible is key to this renaissance. As I review the truth of the Word of God by repeating the verses, the Holy Spirit is ministering to my soul and spirit to strengthen me that I might encourage others. In Ephesians 6 we have a passage about the spiritual armor of God which He provides for us to "put on" (v.11) and use. One of these is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (verse 17) The Lord wants us to become skilled swordsmen, "rightly handling the word of truth." ( 2 Timothy 2:15 ESV) One crucial component of this skill in the Word is to memorize the truth of the Word. (John 17:17 "Your word is truth."
     Psalm 119:11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Memorization is a powerful weapon in our spiritual battle against the forces of darkness. ( Ephesians 6:12) We are also better equipped to minister to others. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom." (Colossians 3:16 ESV)
    Thank You, God, for renewing me and giving me the opportunity to proclaim You."

Friday, September 5, 2014

New England's Grocery Store

     About a century ago a Greek immigrant opened a little food market in Lowell, MA. Many years later this passed to his two sons, one of whom passed away early. By this time the one location had expanded to numerous and were full supermarkets. An incredibly costly and prolonged legal battle ensued. Eventually the battle passed on to the grandsons. One actively worked in and built the business while the other involved himself in different investments. Finally in this year the CEO of the 71 store, 25,000 employee chain, called Arthur T to distinguish himself from his cousin Arthur S, was fired.
     Amazingly the employees many of whom could not have known Arthur T personally rallied around him. All of the warehouse workers and company truckers went on strike, 68 of the 71 store managers said they would not work for anyone other than Arthur T, and the rank and file workers, most of them part-time joined the protest. For six weeks these non-unionized workers held firm and united against every inducement by a wealthy board of directors and new CEO's. Business essentially ceased as the public got into the act, refusing to patronize the chain.
    After considerable negotiating the offer of the ousted CEO to purchase the 50.5% of the company that he did not own was accepted. Workers who had been fired, laid off or had not received a paycheck for six weeks rushed back to work to stock shelves and prepare for opening for business.
   Today I went in to see how things were going and pick up a few items. The deli worker i spoke to said business was great. I replied that i was amazed at what the employees had done. She said they could not have done it without the customers. A true victory for New England, and an example of what unity based on care for people can accomplish.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Jury Duty

    Yesterday I went in for jury duty for the fourth time in my life. In the state in which I live, citizens are called in every three years. However I suspect that people who move frequently may never receive a notice. As with almost everything associated with government potential coercion is involved as those who fail to appear are subject to a fine of two thousand dollars.
    Juries are a product of the British heritage of the US. They decide the guilt or innocence of a person charged of a crime; the judge decides the sentence for those determined guilty. In the past they were always composed of twelve people. Nowadays the number is often less, perhaps six or seven.
    My prior three summons did not result in my being empaneled on a jury nor did this latest time. I was directed to a small courthouse which apparently has a limited number of trials in any given day. In my state one serves one day or one trial. Yesterday there were only two, both of which were settled without a jury. I suspect that there is considerable pressure on people to settle in this way. Lawyers are very expensive, and plea bargaining, a process by which a person pleads guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence, is common.
    We were supposed to arrive by 8:30. There were thirty-two chairs for potential jurors of which about twenty were filled. The court officer give a little speech indicating how his little courthouse was better than that of a much larger neighboring city. We then began to watch a little video about the court system. About half way through, a judge, a slender middle aged woman in her judicial robe, entered and the video was stopped. She explained that the trials had been settled and that our services were not needed.
   We filed out, went downstairs through a mob of people, and out to our cars. Mine was in a parking garage for which i paid the tiny sum of thirty-five cents.
     As is my normal practice I allotted extra time for my journey there. This proved wise as a bridge was out over the river with no detour signs to indicate another means of crossing. Fortunately I found a man who gave me good directions. I had never  been in that city before.