SOMETHING WORTH REMEMBERING

    Each and every one of us have something worth remembering.  Such things are sung about, written about, and taught to us through formal times of instruction or simple experiences of life.  Among those things written about you will find exhortations from God's word intended to help us remember teachings of utmost importance.

     Peter speaks of this in his second letter to the brethren (2 Pet. 3:1,2), as he exhorts them to remember the words spoken before hand by the holy prophets, as well as commandments set forth by Christ through the apostles.  Many times we don't want to hear what is being said.  Reasons for this attitude will vary but what is taking place is a rejection of God's word.  

     When you need words of comfort to whom do you turn?  When you need strength to whom do you go?  Again, answers will vary, but for the most part the answer will not be the Lord.  This is why Peter was writing this second letter.  To remind the brethren of what they heard and the source of that teaching.  These were not mere thoughts of men, but the words of the Lord.  The purpose of these words was to impart a source of encouragement, edification, and and admonition.

     Yet even the words of our God are sometimes not enough to keep us anchored to Him through faith.  We often go our own way, drifting away from our source of safety and comfort.  We end up fighting battles on our own.  All because we don't remember what can be found within God's word.

     A passage of Scripture familiar to each one of us is Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it" (NASB).  This passage relates to us there is something worth remembering.  When a child is raised to know the word of God, there is a seed planted that may not always bloom to produce fruit when we think it should.  Sometimes it seems to take longer for some to mature in the knowledge of God's word than others.  Times of unfaithfulness may also result, but there is always that ray of hope when a seed is planted.

     This is not to say that we condone sinful behavior, but once that seed has been planted, it is up to the individual and God concerning the fruit that will come.  We simply pray.  We cannot lose hope for we never know what the future holds.  That training in godliness is never really forgotten was shown to me in our last visit to the nursing homes in Leitchfield.  As we were singing the songs, I noticed an elderly woman singing along.  She held no songbook.  She sang the words from memory.  The  training and teaching from years past were evident.

     Once we learn something we never fully forget.  What becomes important is what we are teaching.  We may desire for our children to have the best education money can buy, but if we are not instilling God's word into the hearts of our children, then we have robbed them of the most precious education available to man.  And this teaching has very little cost.

     If we want the best for our children then we should strive to provide them with a knowledge of God's word.  As they grow they may encounter various trials but they will always be aware of the anchor available to keep them from drifting.  When life gets hard they will always look back at the teaching of their youth and acknowledge this is truly something worth remembering.  Rodger

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

     Anyone who has raised a family knows full well what the inside of a doctor's office looks like.  Whether or not it is your desire, you're going to see a doctor at some point in your life.  While some take great pride in never having gone to a doctor, others will see a doctor quite often.  Physically, we are different when it comes to health issues.  Spiritually, we are the same.
     In Luke 4:23 it is written, "And he said to them, "'No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me'", 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well'" (NASB).  Jesus goes on to say that no prophet is welcome in his own home town.  Strange as it seems, when people know you they don't often give you the same respect or courtesy they might give to someone else.  You would think with Jesus it would be different, but it wasn't.  Jesus had been talking about the healing He was about to perform,  as the Scriptures of the Old Testament recorded would happen, and Jesus said the passage quoted from Isaiah (61:1), was now fulfilled in their hearing (vs. 16-21).  Obviously, the people He spoke to had their doubts.
     People are strange.  They can go to the doctor and listen to the diagnosis, take the prescription he (or she) hands out, and leave, sometimes giving no attention to what was said or having the prescription filled.  Perhaps not so strange is the fact we do the same thing on a spiritual level as we do on the physical.
     In writing to the young man Timothy, Paul tells him to "prescribe and teach these things."  The 'things' refer specifically to what was mentioned previously in the context of the letter.  Paul talks about the falling away of some from the faith (4:1) because of deceitful spirits (teachers) and doctrines of demons (false teachings).  After listing some the false teachings, Paul tells Timothy to point these things out to the brethren (vs. 6) by sharing the sound doctrine he was following.
     When Timothy is told to 'prescribe' these things, it is literally meant to keep commanding these teachings.  The prescription is not just something Timothy or Paul have devised, it is the teaching of God we are to be following.  Concerning interaction with older people and widows, Paul tells Timothy to prescribe these teachings as well.  God's commandments go beyond what we like to refer to as doctrinal issues, to our everyday life and how we are to conduct ourselves toward others (5:1ff).
     While it is true that some doctors may over prescribe, the Great Physician knows just what we need.  So if we would simply follow the prescription set forth by Jesus in His word, and then apply what we are taking in, we would find ourselves a lot healthier spiritually.  That in turn, would go a long way in helping a feel better physically.  If we long to be the mirror image of our Savior so as to reflect the glory of the Father, let us follow Jesus and act not on our own initiative, but on what the Father reveals in His word.  So the next time you sit down and open your Bible and begin to take in what God would have you to know, remember you are in reality filling the prescription God has provided you.  When followed correctly, you will find that prescription is just what the doctor ordered.  Rodger

The Family of God

Many people use the phrase, "Blood is thicker than water."  It is a true saying but as a youth minister said years ago, "So is milk."  When the phrase about blood is used, it generally is to show the strength of the family bond as it exists between parents and their children, as well as other family members.

But is blood of mere man thicker or more powerful than the blood of Christ?  Why do we place such faith in the blood of men when it was Jesus who died on the cross?  Isn't it the blood of Jesus that cleanses us of our sin and doesn't that cleansing go deep even to the conscience?  If we are going to boldly state the power of  the blood we must make sure we are speaking of the blood of Christ and not our grandparents or parents.

This truth was brought home to me again recently when it was said by some how sad it was when people put their job ahead of family.  In many situations this is true.  No job is more important than my children and most certainly not more important than my wife.  However, my current position is as a minister of the gospel.  In that position I must stand firmly on the word of God as is the case for any who claim to be a child of God.

When I hold my children accountable for their actions, it is not just simply as a father, but in cases of sin, as a Christian brother.  What we often seem to overlook is the family of God.  While I am the father of seven biological children, with one safe in the keeping of God,  my heavenly Father is the creator of us all.  When I hold my children to a godly standard, I do so because that is the standard they will ultimately answer to.  No one can escape the watchful eye of God, and no one is exempt from a repentant lifestyle before Him.

What is recorded in God's word is not just for me, it is for all of us.  When I put on Jesus in baptism I am added by God to the church for which Jesus died.  When my children put on Jesus in baptism, they are added to the same church.  Though I am their earthly father, I am now their spiritual brother.  While there may be certain household rules laid down by me as a father and their mother, God's word has already established the guidelines we are to follow as members of His spiritual family.  As is the case with all who make up the church, we become accountable to one another, and most certainly are held to account by God.

It is not a question of liking my job more than family or wanting to hold my job over family matters.  It is a question of godliness and if sin is present it must be dealt with biblically.  I have lost positions as a minister because I wanted people to face their sin, when others in the church did not hold God's standard as the authoritative word it is.

I try not to allow my personal beliefs or desires cloud my judgment in spiritual matters.  I must be true to my heavenly Father.  You must be true as well.  So let us hold fast to the banner of love that is God's word and let us truly be the family of God.  Rodger

JUST SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW

We all have someone in our lives we could look back on and remember as someone we used to know.  It may be a former love interest,  a close friend, or a work associate.  Depending on the relationship the memory of that person may or may not be a pleasant reminder.  There are times it may even apply to self.   I can remember a time when I was sitting in a local diner drinking coffee and talking with two acquaintances when one of the young men began to verbally attack his girlfriend.  This young lady worked as a waitress in this diner.  That it took place publicly was an embarrassment to all around.  At the end of the verbal assault, the waitress now in tears and the angry young man having left the premises in haste, the other young man there with me said he didn't know that man.  What man?  The one that walked out.  They actually knew each other for years, but a new side had been revealed for the first time.

I began to think of the contents of this article as I struggle with a problem that is personal as well as spiritual.  It is personal because it involves me but also involves others of my family, both biological and spiritual.  I started thinking of how people change as they go through life.  Yet often those changes go unnoticed because people are separated by distance, or certain characteristics are kept hidden from loved ones.  Sometimes characteristics are seen but ignored.

Have you ever received a bad report about someone and refused to believe it?  We may want to believe only the best about people, and that's noble.  Sometimes people change.  I'm not suggesting we blindly believe everything we hear, regardless of the subject matter.  But if there is a possibility a brother or sister is in sin, do we love them enough to make sure? Or are we content to say, "that's not the person I know."  It may be true it is not the person you used to know, but people do change.  Sometimes that change may happen right before our eyes and go unnoticed, if we allow ourselves to be blinded by past loyalties.  Sometimes change will take place away from our view.  Too many times reports are received based on someone we used to know, and not who (or what)  the person  has become.

James speaks of one who looks into a mirror, goes away and forgets what kind of person he was.  This person has deceived himself for he has not changed what he saw in the mirror.  He continues to do wrong because he did not look intently into the perfect law of liberty, God's word, which shows a reflection of one who saw a need to change and did so (Ja. 1:23-25).  We can't just be hearers of the word, we must be doers.  That means we have to be willing to change.  Oftentimes even when one has been baptized change can happen over time that deceives the heart of the evil doer, while also staying hidden from the view of others.

But if we really believe in the sacrifice of Jesus, then we should truly be willing to change.  To be the mirror image of Jesus demands that change from us, so that we may behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18),  as He transforms us into His image from glory to glory.  From our cleansing to become free from sin, to our glorious eternal home in heaven, it is God through Christ who transforms us.  Let us not become blind to our own need to change, and let us not look blindly upon those around us who may be struggling in their spiritual lives.  How sad it would be to one day hear the Lord say about us, "he was just someone I used to know."  Rodger

THE BLUSHING BRIDE

     There may be many thoughts which lay beneath the surface when the blushing bride comes to mind.  It may be the prolonged kiss at the altar, causing a bit of embarrassment.  Or perhaps the point in time when the garter belt is thrown, though that may be a bit too old fashioned for some to remember.  You may have your own reason for remembering the blushing bride.  I fear however, we have have come to a time when the bride no longer blushes.
     The ever changing social attitudes have taken a once loud voice and brought it largely to silence.  The women of our land who spoke loudly against attacks on motherhood, homemakers, and the mistreatment of women in various ways, are now the very same voices who allow such attacks to be tolerated and often times overlooked.  The women of this world no longer blush or stand ashamed of the lifestyles that are now the norm in their lives.
     The prophet Jeremiah spoke about this problem in his day (Jer. 6:15; 8:12).  Jeremiah was not speaking in general terms regarding women but more specifically against the prophets and priests who were unfaithful in their service to God.  There is however, an application to be made more broadly to the words of Jeremiah.  Since Jeremiah was speaking to the covenant children who served under the Law of Moses, let us make application to the bride of the new covenant, the church.
     Jeremiah speaks the words of God against those who were offering a superficial healing by crying "peace peace," when there is no peace (6:14; 8:11).  Preachers today will many times stand in the pulpit and preach of God's love and grace while not addressing sinful behavior taking place in the body.  This is not solely the responsibility of the preacher, but he certainly bears that responsibility.  We certainly need God's grace and His love but not at the expense of losing souls through a watered down gospel. 
     More and more the worldly elements of immorality are creeping into the church through many ways, and yet we don't seem to mind.  Faithful parents as well as preachers faithful to the word are becoming the exception in the church today, no longer the norm.  That is a disturbing trend that needs to stop.  We must all be mindful of our own lives and look to the welfare of others.  Young people in the body of Christ need to return to a more modest way of life and turn away from the forms of entertainment that should be causing them to blush, and yet seem to be looked upon as acceptable behavior.  Older people need to be doing this as well.
     When someone today gets embarrassed by what they heard or saw, they are looked upon as out of touch and old fashioned.  But the truth of God's word is not going to change.  That goes beyond the teaching concerning our salvation to the daily lifestyle we follow.  What we must really understand is that when Jeremiah was telling the Lord's people they had forgotten how to blush, they were not being complimented for their maturity in now being able to accept and tolerate certain behavior.  They were being chastised for their disobedience and warned of the impending judgment against them.
     The church today, the chosen lady (2 John 1), needs to stand in defense of what is right according to God's standard, so we may truly be the mirror image of His purity and holiness.  There are images all around us that should be making us blush.  After all, we are the bride of Christ.   Rodger

DISCOVERING OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY

     How fast the time goes by.  Another birthday is upon us.  Some of our number here are celebrating birthdays around this time, but the specific birthday I speak of is in reference to America, this great country in which we live.  This birthday is better known as Independence Day.  July 4, 1776, is the day this country was born by declaring its independence from British rule.
     When you speak to people about your independence have you ever wondered why you never read about independence in the Scriptures?  I looked in several concordances and the word 'independence' does not appear.  So why is that?  I believe the answer is still found in the Scriptures.
     When one declares independence, it is for the purpose of proclaiming the breaking away from one power in order to establish an identity of sovereignty.  America declared its independence from Britain by defeating them in battle and proclaiming itself a new nation no longer governed by British rule or law.  New laws would be established and enacted and a new government formed.
     The Scriptures tell us we can't really be independent.  We must be dependent upon someone or something.  If we are dependent upon something we are practicing idolatry.  If we are dependent upon someone, we either belong to God or to Satan.  Lifestyle will determine upon which one we have placed our dependence.  Let us understand full well we can never be independent in this life.
     The good news is we can be free.  Often we equate freedom with independence.  Not true.  I have experienced freedom in my life, and yet I confess I am dependent upon my Creator, my heavenly Father.  Because I have chosen to be dependent upon my God, I have been set free from the law of sin and death (Ro. 8:1,2).  I have been set free from being a slave to sin by becoming a slave to righteousness (Ro. 6:17,18).  I have been set free from the yoke of slavery that binds others to ungodliness.  I have been allowed to live in true freedom because of the death of Jesus on the cross. 
     The title of this article is inaccurate.  There is no such thing as a true independence day.  Only a day when we choose freedom over slavery.  Have you chosen that day?  Are you living as a freeman in Jesus Christ or are you bound to slavery by sin?  Maybe a birthday is what you need.  Spiritual birth takes place at baptism after we die to sin and proclaim our dependence on our Father through Christ (1 Pet. 3:21).  I pray you are truly free. Our battle belongs to the Lord.  Rodger

THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ (not John), which was given to Him by the Father, we are told He communicated what was to shortly come to pass to John through His angel. (Rev. 1:1)  This angel is not designated as the Holy Spirit but would imply a special messenger that communicated (signified in signs and symbols) to John the content of the Revelation.  In the second and third chapters Jesus addresses the seven churches who are designated as the recipients of this Revelation.  Through the special messenger of Christ John is told what to write to the angel of the seven churches.  The term 'angel' as it is used here does not make reference to a particular angelic being or human representative, but, "symbolically the representative spirit of each church, the spirit of the church." (Wallace, The Book of Revelation, pg. 84)  What seems to be the focus here is the personality of each church.

Each congregation certainly had a distinct personality from the others and only Smyrna was found to have nothing against them by Christ.  Today there are many congregations of the Lord's church and each possesses a personality made up by those who are its regular members.  Whether that personality is good or bad is between them and the Lord.  I would like to relate this article to this great country of ours and how it relates to the church, and how the church needs to respond to this country.

To be sure the spirit or personality of America is continuing to decline because of the ungodly conduct of the majority of its citizens.  The recent scandal of Anthony Weiner speaks volumes about where we are as a country.  Many New Yorkers represented by Weiner don't think he needs to resign though Democratic leaders are beginning to urge him more and more to resign.  But this call for resignation is more political than moral for the Democrats are fearing a backlash at the voting booths.  To be sure Republicans as well as Democrats and Independents have much to be ashamed of, but the spirit of America is one that really doesn't seem to care about some of the immoralities which are becoming more common place by the day.  The ethics of our elected officials is a whole other matter but also reveals a spirit or personality in rapid decline.

What the church needs to be asking itself is how we are going to respond to such immoralities.  This response must begin in each congregation.  The first question is in regard to our own personality before our God.  Is it one that pleases God?  Would we be like Smyrna or maybe Ephesus?  Some news commentators may call Christians backward or unintelligent, but we can't let such attacks keep us from standing up for the truth of God's word.  Christians of all ages need to come together as one, and our personality, or spirit, must resemble that of Christ.

If we are to be the mirror image of our Lord and Savior then let us strive to make sure our congregations possess the personality worthy of the name of Christ, and so pursue peace and harmony based on His truth.
America is a great country but if we want to remain as such, we must begin now to change its personality back towards a godly people, and that begins with God's people.  Let us be the peculiar people we are supposed to be, that royal priesthood. Let us turn our hearts to God and in so doing lead this nation back to its Creator.  Rodger