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Seeing the invisible – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

11 Aug

  JesusIsLordofthisWebSite placeforyou2 575273_579331012148169_1163921425_n

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We have always been curious about seeing the invisible, so we create great microscopes so that we might see microbes and even atoms. We create telescopes so we can see the galaxies and stars so far away. There are, however, some things we can never see, at least with physical eyes. Some things can only be seen with the eyes of faith.

So much of what is best about Christianity cannot be seen by human eyes. When we do develop our spiritual eyes and are enabled to see what is of the greatest value, then we see that the visible is not worth comparing with the invisible.

1.The visible decay is not worth comparing to the invisible renewal (v. 16).

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Eventually the human body stops growing. Eventually, little by little, the body ages. As we age, sickness becomes more common. As we age, the pain becomes more intense. This decline never has to happen to our spirit.

  1. The visible affliction is not worth comparing to the invisible glory (v. 17).

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

    The affliction we must face here is light. The affliction we must face here is temporary.

  1. The visible existence is not worth comparing to the invisible existence (v. 18).

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

   This life is not all there is. As beautiful as it sometimes can be, God has promised a better place. This life is temporary. Everything we experience here will someday fade, but that which is eternal only grows more beautiful.  This life is not the best God has for us.

Conclusion

In April of 1988, a TV cameraman jumped out of a plane with some other skydivers.  His goal was to record the exciting jump of the skydivers as they fell to the earth.  What’s more, this footage was shown on the local TV news, but not for the reasons why the cameraman had originally recorded the event.

After several minutes of “free fall,” the cameraman then filmed the skydivers as they one by one opened their parachutes. Of course, the final skydiver was the cameraman himself and the time came for him to pull his parachute ripcord.

However, when the cameraman reached for his ripcord, he realized to his horror and shock that he had no ripcord.  It turns out that he had completely forgotten to put on his parachute.

This story is not only tragic, but it is also ironic.  Ironic because the cameraman took a plunge into what appeared to be an exciting and thrilling jump.  But tragically, in a moment of foolish carelessness, he made the worst mistake of his entire life: he jumped to his own death.  Yes, his faith had been based upon a parachute — a life support — that wasn’t there.

In the same way, if we based our lives upon anything other than faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, then we will make the biggest mistake of our entire lives as well.  That is, faith other than in Christ will lead to our spiritual deaths!  What’s more, this spiritual death will be for all eternity — forever and ever!

The most important things in life are things we cannot see. We trust a book, whose original we have never seen, to help us learn about a man we have never met, to save us through an event we have never seen, and take us to a place we have never visited. Nevertheless, we believe.

 
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Posted by on August 11, 2016 in Encouragement

 

Finding Good Leaders

07 Aug

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What kind of person is best able to involve others and himself in good decision making? 

1. The ability to look ahead and see what’s coming—foresight.

2. Steadiness, with patience and persistence and courage.

3. A buoyant spirit that in spite of cares generates confidence.

4. Ingeniousness, the ability to solve problems soundly yet creatively.

5. The ability to help others.

6. Righteousness, the willingness to do the right thing and speak the truth.

7. Personal morality of a quality that commands the respect of others.

Charles W.L. Foreman, “Managing a Decision Into Being,” from the Management Course for Presidents, pp. 3-4.

 
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Posted by on August 7, 2016 in Church

 

Upgrade Your Marriage By Changing Your Focus

04 Aug

62e9f8593efa2b836dde92e138a7df99As the story goes, a Cherokee elder was sitting with his grandchildren. He told them, “In every life there is a terrible fight—a fight between two wolves. One wolf is evil: he is fear, anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, and deceit. The other wolf is good: joy, serenity, humility, confidence, generosity, truth, gentleness, and compassion.”

One of his grandchildren asked, “Grandfather, which wolf will win?” The elder looked him in the eye and replied, “The one you feed.”

This brief story contains a far-reaching truth. You choose which traits, attitudes, beliefs, and values you will give attention to. And what you focus on will grow and expand. For example, if you value honesty, this value will affect all of your dealings and interactions with others. If you nurture and “feed” resentment, it will eventually take over your life.

Continually focusing on marriage problems makes the relationship seem even worse than it actually is. If you continually talk about how you’ve been done wrong and how angry you are at your spouse, your anger will grow and blot out your memories of more positive times. When that happens, you are unable to see a balanced picture.

The more energy you devote to focusing on the negatives in your relationship, the worse and more hopeless everything seems. And when you’re feeding your negativity, your creative energy is frozen. Thus, you don’t have the ability to generate helpful options or a fresh perspective.

How to Change Your Perception of Reality

You influence your perception of reality by the thoughts you think, the beliefs you hold, and the attitudes you cultivate. According to Katherine Mansfield, “Could we change our attitude, we should not only see life differently, but life itself would come to be different. Life would undergo a change of appearance because we ourselves had undergone a change of attitude.”

In each moment, you decide whetheMarriage-Quote-4r to make negative or positive interpretations about the events and people in your life. These interpretations shape your experience of reality and impact your capacity to be all you can possibly be. They also affect your expectations about what is possible.

Choosing to develop qualities such as compassion, honesty, serenity, and joy can transform your marriage and your life. And choosing to reduce the resentment, anger, deceit, and fear in your life can lighten your emotional load and leave you will more energy to generate creative solutions to your marriage problems.

As you become more positive, you bring more positive energy into your interactions with your spouse. When this happens, surprising things can happen in your marriage. The sharp, prickly edge of anger can start to soften between you and your partner. New insights and understandings about a situation can occur, and you can be more likely to find the middle ground of compromise.

These Tips Will Help You

The following tips can assist you in training yourself to focus more on what’s right with your marriage and your life:

  1. Take the time each day to list the things that you are grateful for in your life. Remember to include the things people often take for granted, such as three meals a day, a hot shower, heat, a stove and refrigerator, running water, medical care, and friends.
  2. Each day, remind yourself of your spouse’s positive qualities and contributions to your life. Think back to what attracted you to your partner initially. Reflect on how your spouse has caused you to stretch and grow and on how much you’ve learned from the experience.
  3. Write in your journal about what positive qualities in yourself you want to cultivate and develop. These are the attitudes, beliefs, and values that you want to focus on and encourage to take root, grow, and thrive in your life.
  4. Visit a library or bookstore and select some inspirational reading material and inspirational tapes or CD’s. Find the time each day to read or listen to something that is positive, encouraging, and inspiring. It’s important to refill at the well of inspiration daily.
  5. Spend less time with friends and family members who are negative and leave you feeling depressed and fatigued. There’s a name for those individuals who drain your positive energy—“energy vampires.” Instead, cultivate new friends who are positive, supportive, and encouraging and who bring out the best in you. — By Nancy Wasson, Ph.D.
 
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Posted by on August 4, 2016 in Marriage

 

Nothing in our world is permanent

01 Aug

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From the human point of view, nothing seems more permanent and durable than the planet on which we live. When we say that something is “as sure as the world,” we are echoing Solomon’s confidence in the permanence of planet Earth. With all of its diversity, nature is uniform enough in its operation that we can discover its “laws” and put them to work for us. In fact, it is this “dependability” that is the basis for modern science.

Nature is permanent, but man is transient, a mere pilgrim on earth. His pilgrimage is a brief one, for death finally claims him. At the very beginning of his book, Solomon introduced a topic frequently 1c629844e98829ebd0b48778bb99a9c3mentioned in Ecclesiastes: the brevity of life and the certainty of death.

Abraham Lincoln had ten guidelines by which he lived and governed his life. He followed these guidelines until the day he died:

  1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
  2. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
  3. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
  4. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
  5. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
  6. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
  7. You cannot further the brotherhood of men by inciting class hatred.
  8. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
  9. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
  10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
 
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Posted by on August 1, 2016 in Encouragement

 

A study of Church History/Restoration Movement: Church Growth and Apostasy

28 Jul


http://www.radicallychristian.com/what-does-it-mean-to-restore-the-new-testament-church282717208_640

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Is it possible to read your Bible, and from your reading, see that in the New Testament there is a Church that Jesus established? Is it possible to see in the Bible, that God set forth His standard of acceptance in salvation, worship, church organization and daily living? Is it possible to follow the teachings of God, revealed in the New Testament, to direct our lives in the same way as He did first century Christians?

The answer to all the questions above is a resounding, yes! For since the writing of the New Testament, men and women of all walks of life have studied their Bibles, and seen how one, even to this day, can become a Christian the way those in New Testament times became Christians.

They have seen how one can establish the Church of the New Testament and emulate its structure, worship, and activity.

Someone has rightfully expressed that we should always remember to stop and show appreciation for the bridges we have crossed. For the Christian this is especially true! Not only are we to be thankful for the work of the apostles and early church workers in the 1st century A.D., but we should also remember the value of all those since who have directed others to give up the shackles of religious error, only to take on the truth revealed in God’s Word.

Someone has said, “We are standing on the shoulders of giants.” We often take the church for granted. An example is found in Lexington, Kentucky; in 1900 it was grounded having many faithful congregations. Had a college “College of the Bible” etc. In the 1960’s Basil and Margie Overton went back into this area once again having to establish N.T. Christianity. In less than 60 years the area went from faithful to non-existent. The church today can do this if we take it for granted.

We need to study Church History for several reasons.

  1. Help us learn from the mistakes of the past and avoid them.
  2. To build upon their successes, so we can grow from them.
  3. Help us to appreciate God’s Church.

“Restoration” Defined

When one speaks of a “restoration” plea, several things are implied. First, there is the suggestion that there is a divine “pattern” for human conduct. Second, God expects conformity to that pattern. Third, in the nature of things, rebellious and frail men will digress from that heavenly way. Fourth, it is the responsibility of those who revere the Lord’s will to restore, the primitive order, and call their fellows back to the “old paths” (cf. Jer. 6:16).

There are numerous New Testament passages which stress these truths. Let us consider a few.

  1. The early church is clearly a model for us in that it “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). Why was that an important point for Luke to make if the pattern of the “apostles’ teaching” is irrelevant? Moreover, the multitude of believers “were of one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32), suggesting a unity of practice in their Christian decorum.
  2. Paul reminded the saints in Rome that they had been made free from sin due to the fact that they had been obedient to a certain “form” [pattern] of teaching (Rom. 6:17,18). Can such a passage yield any sense if there is no pattern?
  3. The Christians in Rome were admonished to “mark” (be on the look-out for) and turn away from those who were causing divisions “contrary to the teaching” which they had learned (Rom. 16:17). If there is no pattern of New Testament doctrine, how could one ever be required to “turn away” from those who do not conform to it?
  4. The inspired Paul instructed the brethren in Corinth not to go “beyond the things which are written” (1 Cor. 4:6 – ASV). This clearly demonstrates that spiritual activity is regulated by the Scriptures.
  5. The primitive Christians were warned repeatedly about “falling away” from “the faith” (cf. 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1ff; 2 Tim. 4:1ff). The expression “the faith” has to do with a body of doctrinal truth. If there is no doctrinal “pattern,” how could one ever “fall away” from the faith? Note also that identifying marks of apostasy went beyond so-called “core” matters, such as the deity of Christ. They concerned things like the forbidding marriage and prohibiting certain foods (1 Tim. 4:1ff).
  6. Paul spoke of the “pattern of sound words” (2 Tim. 1:13) which the early Christians were being taught and in which they were to “abide” (2 Tim. 3:14). These truths were to be passed on to others (2 Tim. 2:2), and men were to be charged not to teach a “different doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:3). How in the name of common sense can men read these passages and not know that there is a body of sacred truth with which we must not tamper?
  7. The writer of Hebrews affirmed that Moses, in constructing the tabernacle, was warned by God that he must “make all things according to the pattern,” which was shown to him at Horeb (Heb. 8:5). Do we, as recipients of the “better covenant” (Heb. 7:22; 8:6), sustain a lesser responsibility as we minister to God in his church—of which the tabernacle was but an inferior type (cf. Heb. 9:1-10)? It is unbelievable that anyone would dare to argue such.
  8. John unequivocally states that those who go beyond the “teaching of Christ” have no fellowship with God (2 John 9).

We may also associate the term with the pleas of the Restoration Movement such as:

  1. “Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where it is silent.”
  2. “Do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names.”
  3. “In matters of doctrine unity, in matters of opinion liberty, and in all matters, love.”

God has been working toward restoration ever since the garden. Paul was involved in restoration  hundreds of years before Alexander Campbell was even born. As we discuss restoration, we mean as much the restoration of the law under Josiah, as we do the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah. Our concept of restoration must be expanded far beyond an American movement of the last two hundred years.

Ungodly men are always the enemies of the faith and of the peace of the church:

(Jude 1:3-4)  “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. {4} For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

(Jude 1:17-18)  “But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. {18} They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.””

The 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries have been preeminently an age of denominations. We need to be clear about what God and the Bible say about the church.

The Reality of the Church

In the city of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after His ascension, Jesus established the church. Acts 2 records the activities that took place on that day and the prophecies which those activities fulfilled.

Being originally designed by Jesus, the church is, therefore, divinely organized and constituted.

Since Jesus is its head ((Ephesians 1:22)  “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,”) and chief cornerstone ((Ephesians 2:9-10)  “not by works, so that no one can boast. {10} For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”)

…only the characteristics He has set forth for it in His supreme authority are approved of God. No authority has been given to any man, body of men, or ecclesiastical body to change any of its features:

(Matthew 28:18)  “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Identifying Christ’s church: Designations.

House of God

(1 Timothy 3:15)  “if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

The body of Christ

(Colossians 1:18)  “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

(Colossians 1:24)  “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.”

The “called out”

(Matthew 16:18)  “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

(Ephesians 5:23-25)  “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. {24} Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. {25} Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”

The temple of God

(1 Corinthians 3:9)  “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

(1 Corinthians 3:16-17)  “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? {17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

(Ephesians 2:19-22)  “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, {20} built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. {21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. {22} And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Government and organization.

Jesus is the supreme ruler:

(Colossians 1:18)  “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Serving under Jesus were the apostles whose ministry was perpertual through the inspired writings. Since that revelation is complete, they have no successors.

(1 Corinthians 13:10)  “but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.”

(2 Peter 1:3)  “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

 (2 Timothy 3:16)  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”

(Ephesians 4:11-16)  “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, {12} to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up {13} until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. {14} Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. {15} Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. {16} From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

The sole collective functioning unit is the local congregation. Each congregation is free from ecclesiasticism, synods and councils and is independent and autonomous. The authority of the local congregation is vested in a plurality of elders (bishops, pastors, overseers, shepherds).

(Acts 14:23)  “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”

Deacons are servants within the congregation who work in conjunction with the elders.

 (Philippians 1:1)  “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:”

The only creed is Christ. Its sole rule of faith and practice is the New Testament. Its terms of admission are the same as in the book of Acts: obedience to those things which put one into Christ and grant remission of sins: faith, repentance, confession, and baptism, and faithful living.

 
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Posted by on July 28, 2016 in Church

 

Bible Study Textbook series … free online downloads

28 Jul

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College Press commentaries free for download online

cpmed1http://www.collegepress.com/storefront/node/238

Here is a link to my One Drive folder that has all of them:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AldRtemY-fLrgt8h_Fd8qrXhf1OjGQ

Many of you are familiar with the Bible Study Textbook Series (The Old Green Commentaries).  These were very popular several years back and many of you have requested copies of these timeless treasures.  Because reprint cost are so high we have chosen not to reprint but instead, we are offering them electronically for free. Feel free to download them to your computer.  These files are very large and may take a while even with high speed and DSL services. Thank you for your interest.

IF you do not find what you want, send me an email (ged880@yahoo.com) and I can send another link to get these free resources. Here is a link to my One Drive folder that has all of them: 

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AldRtemY-fLrgt8h_Fd8qrXhf1OjGQ

 
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Posted by on July 28, 2016 in Sermon

 

Sins of the father…laid on the son, grandson?

25 Jul

ForgivenessWe must begin with some widely repeated verses from the Old Testament: Exodus 20:5 “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.”

Exodus 34:6-7 “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Is God saying that the children and the grandchildren of the father would have to pay for the sins of their father?  What does God mean by this?  Especially since Deuteronomy 24:16 says “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin” and that “The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself” (Ez 18:20).

The idea that the sins of the father will be laid on the son, grandson, and other generations has long been understood and misunderstood by many Bible students.

Certainly, the lessons we teach by word or deeds are often repeated by family members, and that just reminds each of us to be careful what we teach AND do.

As the Father Goes, so Goes the Family

What God is saying is that if a father misleads his family, the family will pay for it.  Each will have to pay for their own sins but the father could have prevented many of the sins that his children and grandchildren would fall into had he led his family in obedience to the Law of God.  The effects of this fatherly mismanagement would be felt by multiple generations because what has been sown will be reaped because God cannot be mocked (Gal 6:7).  God is not punishing the children for their father’s sins but they are feeling the consequences and having to pay for them.  That is what God means in Exodus 20 and 34.  These verses deal with the descendants of those children who would follow their father’s example of disobedience but each one of us are ultimately responsible for our own sins and this is what Ezekiel 18 and Deuteronomy 24 is saying.  The father’s disobedience to God’s commandments have a ripple effect that keep on going until some other father in his lineage breaks that cycle.

God Doesn’t Punish Innocent Children

We cannot read these verses by themselves.  Anytime there is an unclear passage we must read other plain passages so that we can clarify the unclear.  In the first place, those who are too young to know good from evil cannot be responsible for knowing and obeying God. 

Jeremiah addresses this question in chapter 16:10-13 “Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’  then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me.  Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.’”

God says that those who disobey God cannot blame their fathers because sometimes they “have done worse than [their] fathers” did, therefore they will have to pay for their own iniquities because God says that “every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me.”

The sins of the fathers being visited upon the children is a biblical principle. We see, for example, that Isaac seems to learn deception from his father, Abraham. Isaac passes off his wife as his sister, just as Abraham did with Sarah (see Genesis 12:10ff.; 20:1ff.; 26:7). On the other hand, when one looks at the kings of Judah, one can see that some godly kings had wicked sons, just as some wicked kings had godly sons. There is a tendency and a trend, but not an irreversible certainty.

The most encouraging text, however, is found in Jeremiah chapter 31, which speaks of the “new covenant.” Jeremiah 31:29-34 (ESV)  “In those days they shall no longer say: “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ 30  But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. 31  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32  not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34  And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

In this text God assures His people that under the New Covenant the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children. Praise God! ([ Walvoord, John F., and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.])

But we also need to listen to the repeated lessons from Ezekiel 18:1-32 (ESV).
As you read this chapter, you find the prophet answering the erroneous statements the Jewish exiles were making about God and their difficult situation (vv. 2, 19, 25, 29). God knew what His people were saying and so did His prophet. Ignoring the inspired Word of God, the people were building their case on a popular proverb: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” In other words, “Our fathers have sinned and we, their children, are being punished for it.” Their philosophy was a kind of irresponsible fatalism. “No matter what we do,” they argued, “we still have to suffer because of what the older generation did.” The Prophet Jeremiah quoted the same familiar proverb and preached the same truth that Ezekiel preached: God deals with us as individuals and punishes each of us justly for what we do (Jer. 31:29-30). He is a just and righteous God who shows no partiality (Deut. 10:17; 32:4). If He withholds punishment, it’s only because of His grace and merciful longsuffering. (from the Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) – Old Testament – The Bible Exposition Commentary – The Prophets.)

It seems that these ideas might have come from a proverb often repeated: “The word of the LORD came to me: 2  “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

A new time is now made known from God: “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4  Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. 5  “If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— 6  if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7  does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8  does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, 9  walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD.

10  “If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11  (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12  oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, 13  lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.

14  “Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: 15  he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 16  does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 17  withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live.

18  As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity. 19  “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.

20  The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. 21  “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22  None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.

23  Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24  But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.

25  “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26  When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27  Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28  Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29  Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

30  “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31  Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32  For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”

The conclusion of this message was an invitation from the Lord for the people to repent (change their minds), turn from their sins, cast away their transgressions like filthy garments, and seek a new heart and a new spirit. God promised them a new heart if only they would seek Him by faith (Ezek. 11:19; see 36:26). This was one of the key themes in the letter Jeremiah had sent to the captives in Babylon (Jer. 29:10-14), but the people hadn’t taken it to heart. God made it clear that He found no delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:23, 32), but if the wicked found delight in their sinful ways and would not repent, there was nothing the Lord could do but obey His own covenant and punish them.

 
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Posted by on July 25, 2016 in Encouragement

 

Strengthening Our Grip…on Success

25 Jul

Does the one with the most toys really win?

successSuccess is an elusive commodity. It is pursued by many, but achieved by few. But what is true success? It certainly is definite in numerous ways in our society!

To some, success is seen as the power of a Wall Street ‘mover and shaker.’

Others look to TV personalities or sports heroes. As we move through the Bible, it looks quite different, doesn’t it?

The acquisition and use of power has motivated people throughout the centuries. Power is a curious thing. It can be abused certainly. But it can also be used for good. Jesus exemplified the constructive and compassionate use of power when he healed people physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But what is power really, at its root? Domination over others? The skill of making things happen? Force that cannot be resisted? The ability to effect miracles? The secular view of power has to do largely with the idea of dominance. The New Testament view of power is quite different. It involves action that springs from a place of weakness not from a place of superiority.

When you were 12 years old, who had the most powerful influence in your life? (Check two)

__ your mother            __ your father   

__ your grandmother   __ your grandfather

__ your sister/brother  __ a teacher

__ a friend                __ a minister/youth leader

__ a neighbor            __ a TV/movie star

 

 Which of the following do you feel are the most common ways people pursue happiness? (choose two)

a. By achieving social status        

b. By acquiring knowledge

c. By having a loving family and friends

d. By getting rich                        

e. By serving others

f. By living in harmony with nature

g. By pursuing their spiritual beliefs

h. By achieving successful careers

i. By maintaining good health

We want to look at a well-known event in the life of Jesus. As we work through the verses, ask yourself constantly: who is the successful person in God’s view of things? Is it the one who uses power to dominate others or the one who relinquishes personal power for the sake of others? Read Matthew 4:1-11 and discuss your response to the following questions with your group.

1. How would you describe the power struggle going on here?

a. This is the classic struggle between good and evil

b. Satan is trying to conquer Jesus when he seems weak and powerless

c. This power struggle is no different than the ones we face daily

d. Satan is trying to conquer Jesus by tempting him on the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual levels

 2. What was the devil attempting to do with Jesus?

a. He was trying to physically kill Jesus

b. He was trying to play “mind games” with Jesus

c. He was trying to get Jesus to worship him

d. He was trying to enlist Jesus as an ally

 
3. What tactics did Jesus use to counter Satan?

a. He called on an army of angels to help him

b. He quoted Old Testament Scripture as authoritative rebuttals

c. He changed the subject

d. He appealed to a higher authority or power

 4. In verse 3, why did the devil challenge Jesus to change stones into bread?

a. He wanted to see if Jesus could really do it

b. He wanted to exercise some control over Jesus

c. He was mocking and daring Jesus

d. He knew Jesus was very hungry and vulnerable
5. In verse 3, why did the devil challenge Jesus to change stones into bread?

a. He wanted to see if Jesus could really do it

b. He wanted to exercise some control over Jesus

c. He was mocking and daring Jesus

d. He knew Jesus was very hungry and vulnerable

 6. In these verses, what do you learn about Satan?

a. He also knows and can quote Scripture

b. He is able to change his tactics as circumstances dictate

c. He is easily frustrated

d. He tries to tempt at a point of weakness

 
7. Why didn’t Jesus give in to this temptation?

a. He knew Satan’s ultimate agenda was to have Jesus worship him?  

b. He didn’t want to interfere with his reason for coming to earth?

c. He knew that, in the end, he would defeat Satan?

 8. What can be learned from the way Jesus handled this power struggle? a. That even in a moment of weakness, we should fight back?

b. That power is exerted with the “Big Picture” in mind?

c. That power struggles should be avoided at all cost?

d. That power can be used without annihilating others?

e. That God is ultimately in control?

 

 
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Posted by on July 25, 2016 in Encouragement

 

Habits Couples Therapists Say Always End A Marriage

21 Jul

Marriage-Quote-4

Uh-oh: Your (seemingly innocent) daily habits—like scrolling through Insta in bed—could be destroying your marriage. “Research shows that there are a lot of little things people do that can indicate serious problems in relationships,” says Carrie Cole, a couples therapist and at the Center for Relationship Wellness in Houston. The good news? Even if you’re having problems now, it doesn’t mean you’re headed for a divorce. Couples are more likely to try to work things out—and break the bad habits they’ve developed—than they were even 10 years ago. Watch out for these bad habits that couples therapists say always end in a split.

Talking trash behind each other’s backs.

It might sound like advice on avoiding high school drama, but speaking in a mean-spirited way about your partner when he’s not around—not just poking innocent fun at his Star Wars obsession—is a red flag that, surprisingly, is pretty common, says Cole. And it could have a lot to do with your friends. “Women may fall into this habit if they’re surrounded by people doing the same thing,” she says. “If your close group of girl friends are constantly talking poorly about their own husbands, it may feel more normal for you to chime in and say, ‘You think yours is bad? Listen to mine.'” But in reality, it shines a light on a deeper issue, says Cole. “It shows a lack of respect for him and your connection, even if he never finds out,” she says, and starts a pattern of negative comparisons that can lead to even more criticism and contempt. Before you know it, your relationship is in a fast, downward spiral.

Fixating on what your hubs doesn’t do well.

Whether you’re remembering how hilarious your ex was—unlike your comparatively quiet husband—or wishing your guy was a door-opening gentleman like your friend’s husband, negatively comparing your spouse to others is another subtle kiss of death. “Even if you’re only making notes in your mind, it can kill a relationship over time,” says Cole. Try to remember that the grass always seems greener because one person is never going to have everything on your wish list, and your friends are probably jealous of something your own guy does—like the fact that he’s got serious skills in the kitchen (#domesticgod). And if there’s a habit he’s developed that you’d like to, err, tweak (like his tendency to overspend), there’s nothing wrong with that—so long as you’re not ultimately trying to change who he is. Cole says to use a gentle approach, and at the end of the day, you might as well focus on the good. Your marriage—and sanity—will be better for it.

Never putting yourself in your partner’s shoes.

We’re not into gender stereotyping, but experts widely agree that men tend to have more difficulty with a skill called “accepting influence,” which means having an ability to understand your significant other’s perspective, even if you don’t agree with it. Experts think that guys struggle more to develop this skill because ladies tend to be more empathetic, thanks to the biological and neurological differences between the two genders. But just because it’s harder to do doesn’t mean it should be ignored. In fact, “marriages in which men don’t accept influence from their wives are at a much higher risk for divorce,” says Diane Gehart, professor of marriage and family therapy at California State University, Northridge. Research from the Gottman Institute even found that when men don’t do this, their marriage has an 81 percent chance of failing. (Yikes.) But just because men are usually the ones to struggle in this department doesn’t mean the ladies get off scot-free. Men inherently want to feel understood too (it ties into their need to feel respected by their partner), so both parties should try to walk in the others’ shoes when working on a problem.

Starting fights with your (figurative) fists up.

When you’re having a chat with your husband and suddenly go from an emotional zero to sixty, that’s not a good sign. Doing so drives your partner away, explains Gehart, because it immediately shuts down the possibility of having a productive conversation. And unfortunately, women are the usual culprits. “Women are more likely to raise issues aggressively than men are,” she says, and a study found that it’s likely because men are usually able to quickly “calm down” and analyze a situation sans emotions, whereas women are more likely to go by how they feel. We know it’s way easier said than done, but if you tend to yell or use a harsh tone every time your husband grates your nerves, try to pull back—otherwise you could instigate his defense mechanisms, which halts his ability (or willingness) to talk openly and honestly. And if he’s not being real with you—and only hearing your anger or irritation—then what’s the point?

Not knowing when to press pause on a fight.

Once an argument gets going, it can be hard to stop it from spiraling out of control. But disengaging makes it easier to resolve problems, because you can then talk more calmly and compassionately, says Cole. If you don’t, you’re more likely to find yourselves yelling, crying, or freezing each other out—and that can have a literal effect on your body. “When people shut down during conflict, it’s usually because their heart rates have skyrocketed to over 100 beats per minute, which throws you into fight or flight response,” she says. “When that happens, you lose access to the part of your brain—the frontal lobe—that gives you communication skills. So sometimes you literally can’t speak coherently, even when you try.” So no, it’s not a cop-out to take a break from talking mid-fight and resuming the conversation later. It can actually make the difference between a productive, solution-oriented talk, and one that sends you deeper down the rabbit hole. If it becomes a habit, that tunnel isn’t going to lead you to Wonderland, but Divorceland.

Always putting on a good face.

Even when you’re trying to look totally calm, your body often betrays how you’re really feeling. A few subtle cues that tip experts off to problems: A high-pitched voice, dilated pupils, and a slightly paled complexion—and they all usually come with that classic, fake smile and rigid movements. “These are all signs that someone is overwhelmed with their own emotions and shifting into a flight or fight mode, so they simply can’t tune into their partner in a way that shapes a safe dialogue,” says couples therapist Sue Johnson, Ph.D., author of Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. When you regularly fall into this—rather than just letting loose and telling your partner how you really feel about the fact that he invited your mother-in-law to stay for an entire week without even asking—then you create a pattern of refusing to be emotionally honest, Johnson explains. That automatically shuts off the possibility for him to understand, support, and potentially correct the problem with you—and instead tips the relationship into even more distress and distance that could ultimately derail a marriage.

Not fighting at all.

When crickets replace conversation—and yes, bickering, because no two people will agree on everything all the time—experts say your relationship could be dying a slow death. Because when you don’t even bother to bring up something that bugs you, it means you’ve stopped putting energy into the relationship and could be emotionally checking out, says Gehart. Now, that doesn’t mean you should be picking fights in order to show you care, but if there’s a sense of quiet resentment or ambivalence, it’s better to bring up the issue than let it simmer. Because eventually, Gehart says it always boils over…and so will your marriage.

Waiting too long to deal with your issues.

It’s super common to put off having tough conversations, according to the Center for Conflict Dynamics at Eckerd College. After all, it’s not like you’re headed to a fun party. But not facing your problems soon enough can put you in a situation of too little, too late. “By the time many couples make their first therapy appointment—an unpublished study reported that the average couple waits six years from the onset of problems to seek help—the toxic dynamics have been in place for so long that it’s harder to undo the damage,” says Cole. That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost, though. Just remember that the longer you wait, the more time and work it will take to get things back on track, and you both need to be willing to put in that effort in order for your marriage to succeed.

 

 
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Posted by on July 21, 2016 in Marriage

 

The courage to act on our convictions

18 Jul

cropped-discipleship-294.jpgDuring World War I, a British commander was preparing to lead his soldiers back to battle. They’d been on furlough, and it was a cold, rainy, muddy day. Their shoulders sagged because they knew what lay ahead of them: mud, blood, possible death. Nobody talked, nobody sang. It was a heavy time.

As they marched along, the commander looked into a bombed-out church. Back in the church he saw the figure of Christ on the cross. At that moment, something happened to the commander. He remembered the One who suffered, died, and rose again. There was victory, and there was triumph.

As the troops marched along, he shouted out, “Eyes right, march!” Every eye turned to the right, and as the soldiers marched by, they saw Christ on the cross. Something happened to that company of men. Suddenly they saw triumph after suffering, and they took courage. With shoulders straightened, they began to smile as they went. You see, anything worthwhile in life will be a risk that demands courage. [1]

We certainly want to avoid the charge being leveled toward us that we were neutral at a crucial point of our life. Dante said in the 13th century that “the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a period of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. “

Today our culture is far less likely to raise up heroes than it is to exalt victims, individuals who are overcome by the sting of oppression, injustice, adversity, neglect or misfortune. … Success, as well as failure, is the result of one’s own talent, decisions and actions. Accepting personal responsibility for victory, as well as for defeat, is as liberating and empowering as it is unpopular today.[2]

Ed was a motion picture producer who had finished his most recent film. During the next year as every independent film producer does, he had been working hard to try to sell his picture to one of the majors.  Being unsuccessful in his attempts to sell the majors, he had then approached many of the minor motion picture distribution companies.  He had finally aroused some interest in a smaller motion picture distribution company and had arranged for a showing of his picture to their top executives.

At the conclusion of the showing, the president of the motion picture distribution company turned to Ed and said, “There is nothing particularly wrong with your picture.  The story is all right, the quality is fine, the acting is acceptable, but if it is going to be a money maker there are three changes that need to be made.  There are three different locations in your film where we need to add sex scenes so that the picture will have some kind of box office appeal.  With the addition of these three scenes, we can assure you of a million dollars in profit for your share of what this picture will gross when released by us.” 

Ed needed to make a sale badly because of the current conditions in his own company, but he responded by saying, “Thank you for looking at my film.  I appreciate your taking time to consider this as one of your projects for distribution, but I am sorry that we will not be able to make the changes that you have suggested.”  Ed knew to whom to say “No.”

He had the courage to act on his convictions.

However, taking a stand against the crowd is not easy. This is a struggle that exposes our strength or weakness. In past years South Africa was a climate of racism and black men often suffer humiliation from white inhabitants.  A Bantu was sent to the theater to get tickets for his  white employer.  There was a single line and upon inquiry he was told to get in the white man’s line although in South Africa this is forbidden. Suddenly a black haired youth elbowed him out of line.  This haughty action was followed by similar actions of a teenage girl.  Then a real bull of a man with closely cropped hair seized the native and hurled him into the street. 

The theater manager told him to get back in line, but again he was thrown out. Then a voice sounded clear above the rumble of the complaints.  A man of about fifty, with whitened temples and in the open neck attire of a farmer, shouted with a voice ringing with threat and authority,  “Let this fellow in. What’s the matter with you?”  The crowd cowered and the lowly native was placed in front.

The South African farmer risked his reputation and the crowds disapproval, but he stood firm.  This is goodness.  And, it costs. Contrast this with the Indiana teenagers arrested for shoplifting.  They admitted they did not need the merchandise, but stole it because everybody was doing it.  Investigation revealed they did not feel they had done wrong since the crowd had placed a sanction on it.

———————————-

[1] Gordon Johnson, “Finding Significance in Obscurity,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 82.

[2] U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in a speech at Regent University, quoted in the Christian Leader (Oct. 1996), Christianity Today, Vol. 41, no. 2.

 

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Posted by on July 18, 2016 in Encouragement

 
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