Science From the Bible

Good Morning,

I am willing to say that probably all of my audience would choose the Bible over science, if the two were in conflict. Not that we are anti-science, but if there is a problem between science and the Bible, we will trust the Bible, and I do not think there would be much debate over that idea.

I find it interesting that in the areas of life which demand more faith, we would choose science (more often than we would like to admit).

Allow me to give you a few examples:

1. On six different occasions, God speaks of the unicorn. 

Job 39:10 “Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?”

Psalm 29:6 “He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.”

Psalm 92:10 “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.”

(Several more verses clearly speak of a unicorn.)  

2. Then there is the satyr.  No sane person would believe in something like that, would they? 

Isaiah 13:21 “But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.”

Isaiah 34:14 “The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.”

The issue is, do we believe “scholars” who deny what we read, or do we believe the written Word.

Consider this: we believe in dinosaurs, and we have never seen one.  In fact, the skeletons that we see in different museums are usually the guess work of someone who is good with plaster of Paris. That giant creature could have been entirely constructed from one jaw bone or a femur, and a great deal of imagination. We readily accept the reality of these creatures.  while the Bible speaks several times of the satyr; why do we simply not believe it?

There are other subjects that also test us in this matter of faith versus science.

Revelation 9:16 “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

vs. 17 “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.”

Let us just believe our Bible, and, on occasion, trust science, if it does not conflict with the Word of God.

Pastor

Two Options

Good Morning,

More often than not, we have a fairy tale image of Christianity. In fact, not even a true fairy tale. Fairy tales usually have a villain, a tragedy, a hero who rescues people from suffering, and then a happily ever after – period.

The Scriptures certainly do not say that! Notice what Matthew points out:

Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected. Our Saviour leaves us two options. One option is to fall on the stone, to be broken, to surrender our lives to Him, and then to find ourselves blessed. The other option is that we ignore Him (the stone), and one day find the stone falls on us or on a nation and grinds it to powder. We might prefer another option, but there is not a third choice.

Romans 12 talks about presenting our bodies a living sacrifice. Psalm 2 promises that those who rebel against the King of kings will be dashed into pieces like a potter’s vessel. Daniel speaks of the stone that is cut without hands, crushing and scattering the nations during the end times.

Most of us believe that there will be a devastating judgment on the lost – those who reject Christ will be severely punished both on earth and eternally in hell. The part we forget is when a Christian gets broken.

Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” 

Hebrews 12:6–11 speaks of God chastening His children – all of His children.

As Paul left one of the churches he started, he left them with these words:

Acts 14:22 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” 

At the end of John 16:33, Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation…”  There are two options, surrender to the Lord and face the trials that come as God works on us, or resist God and live for our own pleasures and find a broken life.

Peter encourages the believers who are suffering, and he reminds them that they are not alone and that they should stand steadfast.

1 Peter 5:9 “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 

Do not be embarrassed that you are going through trials. It always helps to do a little self-examination, but do not become overwhelmed. We are flesh, and we will fail; trials and difficulties are part of living on this earth. If we are any kind of Christian, Satan will be chasing after us and launching continuous spiritual attacks, but we also face the gracious, loving chasing of our Heavenly Father, Who is focused on conforming us to the image of Christ.

Jesus said to be of good cheer; circumstances are gonna get better.

Pastor

Lessons From Lying Down

Good Morning,

Recently, I had a pretty major knee surgery. It is not uncommon, but it does not make it any less educational. Here are a handful of lessons I learned in the first week after surgery.

1. Drugs really confuse the mind. I found it difficult to read through a letter or even to write one. The idea of picking up a book and reading for an hour was absolutely out of the question. Although I am thankful for what the pain medicine did to help me go through the recovery process, there ought to be a deep fear in each of us for what these drugs can do to limit us and hinder us from doing the will of God.

2. I found myself restricted to the upstairs of our house, and I learned a little more about the value of certain things like soul winning. I was able to witness to several people: doctors, nurses, and physical therapists – they came knocking on my door instead of me knocking on theirs. I realized how vital the work of soul is. People are going to die and go to hell if we do not tell them the answer. Obviously, I missed several of our regular soul-winning days, as well as church service services; this reminded me that I need to take every opportunity possible to share the Gospel.

3. The importance of church and fellowship. Our culture does its best to diminish the importance of church. Attending church is one of those things that people do if they have time, if there is nothing else going on, and if it fits into their agenda of important activities. This kind of thinking will send the world to hell. I sat at home and watched our church services online. I do not have anything negative to say about the pulpit at Faith Baptist. The young men filling our pulpit are exemplary in private as well as in public. But watching a service online is not the same as attending the church service. It is not the assembling of ourselves together that Hebrews warns us not to neglect. Make church important! When we miss church a few weeks because of health problems, we quickly realize how much we miss it. If we miss a few more weeks, we will begin to not prioritize church as you had in the past – you are headed in a very dangerous direction.  

4. One more lesson learned in these first few days after surgery was that the Christian life is urgent! Our Christianity is not just something we do on the side because there is nothing else to do. It is not like Little League, bowling, or even community service. The gathering of God’s people in the place called church is infinitely more valuable and more important than human vocabulary can express - it is vital to the world. Our service in the various ministries of church is urgent beyond words.

Pastor

Foolish Pride

Good Morning,

2 Kings 5:10 “And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”

vs. 11 “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.”

When Naaman was sent to Jordan to wash seven times and be healed, his pride almost sent him home a leper.  A servant spoke to him, urging humility and obedience, and the man was healed.

When Pharaoh faced plague after plague, his heart was hardened, and more plagues followed until the nation was in ruins.  Humility and repentance would have saved his nation and made him a hero.  

In foolish pride, Herod found himself publicly humbled and eaten by worms.

Acts 12:21 “And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them."

vs. 22 “And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” 

vs. 23 “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

Many a man hears the Gospel and realizes it makes sense. Confronted with his own sin and the righteousness of God, pride wrestles with humility and truth.  The ensuing decision determines Heaven or Hell for the man.

Many people would become useful servants of God, teaching a Sunday school class, witnessing to neighbors, or standing up before family, offering their story of salvation and faith, yet pride hinders their actions.  That foolish pride then prevents their humbly proclaiming the wonder of salvation and the desperate need for all men to be saved.  As such, far too many people never venture into the world of being used of God.  

The willingness to say to one's family, "We need God and church," is a risk and demands humility, yet what a profound difference such a moment can make in time and eternity. Many families sit at home every Sunday, trying to find a way to live the full life offered by Christ, yet pride overrules prudence, and great loss follows. 

James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Pastor 

Despise the Good

Good Morning,

2 Timothy 3:3 “…Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,"

Paul lists quite a few things in regards to the type of men that will be seen during the “last days.” For four verses Paul brings out one evil character trait after another to help Timothy identify those with whom he should serve and those whom he should avoid. 

For the sake of time, I just want to comment on one character trait Paul pointed out, “despisers of those that are good.”

In politics and among private citizens, some are so insecure or perhaps, guilty about their own lives that they seek to humiliate or bring reproach upon the good.

In cultural matters, a violent, vile, filthy mouth, filled with anger and wrath is evident. It was seen in the defund the police movement, the BLM movement, and recently, in liberals protesting conservatives. They simply despise those who are good. This is also seen every time someone nominates a person with conservative morals and political values for high office.

When people are rioting on the streets, burning police cars, and robbing businesses, and then political figures bail out those who have done the wrong, the despisers of those that are good are evident.

When you see the word despised in the Bible, it is most often pointed towards the Saviour or the Father in Heaven. God represents a standard of holiness, a clear evaluation of the pure and impure. Jesus was not hated because he healed people or fed people, he was hated because he was the personification of good, decent, and holy things. From his motive and intent of heart to his love and respect for God and His Word over the whims of mankind, Jesus was good. The devil and his crowd despise those who are good.

Those who despise the good, will take a very good life and do their best to trash and destroy it because they found a flaw or weakness. This is so far from the way God deals with people and situations.  David was called a man after God’s own heart, yet there was a moment of adultery, and that led him to murder. He was also less than diligent when it came to administering justice with his children. Nevertheless, God called him a man after His own heart.

Abraham was called a friend of God. Yet, Abraham had times when his faith waned, and decisions that were made were extremely unwise.

Moses, the meekest man who ever lived (according to God), a man who was repeatedly called God’s servant, murdered a man and then sought to hide his sin. Later in life, his anger arose, and in clear disobedience, he struck the rock and ended up forfeiting his right into the promised land.

These are good men! And good men have spots, but they are good men. Evil will despise the good, and as such, will seek out those spots of weakness will magnify them until all the good is erased. 

Here is the difference, on occasion, good men are sinful; evil men, on occasion, are good.  

The way society deals with people shows how they despise good. Find the man who had been an alcoholic or a drug addict and ruined everything that was good in his life. Watch that man get into a recovery program and hit his one-year, two-year, or even ten-year anniversary of sobriety, and folks will make a hero of him. By this time, he had probably ruined every relationship that was decent in his life. He probably lived off the generosity of others for many of the years of his recovery, but still, he is lifted up as an example.

Compare the prior example to the parents, pastor, or young adult, who stand for abstinence. Let leaders stand against having fellowship with those who might lead others to use drugs or alcohol. That leader will be called a legalist, judgmental, and a religious fanatic. The hypocrisy of this situation, and the prior one shows that some simply despise those who are good.

Pastor

Help Me Do What I Do Because Of You

Good Morning,

 2 Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Far too much of the believer’s decision-making is based on their own comfort, preference, self-esteem, or with friends in mind. 

Often we make decisions with friends or co-workers in mind, even if it fails to be what we might choose to do on our own. 

Many a morning, a person is found planing their wardrobe and thinking what those they work with will think. 

That is exactly what we should have in a good relationship to Christ. We should consider what He would like most and what would please Him, and then we should seek to make each decision align with that which would please Him. 

If we are concerned what our friends might think about our clothing, pull out the word friend and put Jesus in; we should be more concerned what Jesus would think about our clothing.

If we are concerned about our hair and what our friends would like or not like, pull the word friend out, and put the word Jesus in.

Our children's education should not be chosen to impress frail humans, but certainly should be based on what Jesus would want our children to be, do, and learn. 

John 8:29  “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

Pastor 

Nice Words

Good Morning,

One of the changes that has occurred in the last few decades is the softening of words.  Most readers think all words should be nice, and we should never say anything that might hurt someone’s feelings or embarrass them. This thinking has been so strong in our culture that most of you reading this believe it is wrong to call a name or risk offending someone.

Most of you know that fifty years ago and further back, children were told by public school teachers, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” None of us enjoy being mocked, and none of us like any of the verbal ridicule that comes with life. But there is another side of this whole scenario that we lose when we forbid any pointed words. Let us refer to the Scripture to clarify.

Titus 1:12  “The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”

vs. 13 “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;”

Paul calls out one cultural group. What a racist! He also levels verbal accusations and points out lifestyle weaknesses. Today, folks would argue that all of them could not be evil beasts.  “Why catalogue all the same?” He also instructed the local pastor to rebuke them sharply; they were liars, evil, and lazy, and they were to be pointed out and rebuked.

Paul also used some name calling with civic leaders. 

Acts 23:3 “Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall…”

Likewise, Jesus used some “unkind names.” 

Matthew 23:27 “…hypocrites! …whited sepulchres … full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”

vs. 28 “…full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

vs. 33 “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” 

Pointed preaching and blunt comments are not unscriptural in the least. The use of name-calling was certainly not against biblical principles.  

Likewise, calling out personal names is not uncommon in the Word of God.

2 Timothy 4:14 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:”

1 Timothy 1:20 “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan…” 

Philippians 4:2 “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.” 

Men and women alike were called out by name and corrected for their errors. 

Many Christians warn that we should never use the term fool. Interestingly enough, Jesus, Paul, and God Himself used it. 

Luke 24:25 “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:" 

Galatians 3:1 “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,” 

1 Corinthians 15:36 “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:” 

Paul said these Galatians were fools and bewitched, those words were not “nice.” The point is, nice is highly overrated, and truth is severely underrated. The American culture has so softened vocabulary and relationships that no one can be blunt, clear, or use illustrations to embellish our statements. Name-calling for the sake of making a point was common from the playground to dealing with the coach in high-school sports.

The masculine part of American culture has been refreshed by our president and his willingness to say what he thinks. There should not be a fear in a parent, boss, coach, or drill instructor when it comes to blunt, verbal correction of those under their leadership.

God called Moab his washpot. Job used many descriptive words and phrases to point out how evil his friends had become.

It is almost as if most of America is more offended by blunt and unkind words than they are lies and corruption. May we not follow this foolish perspective regarding public relationships. 

When considering national leaders, truth must be lifted up.  If some leader use some words you think are rude or unkind, remember that you are not looking for a Sunday school teacher for your children, you are looking for someone to help run a country.

I am not endorsing vulgarity; I am simply saying that nice should not be rated higher than truth. If dad uses words or expressions that mom might not use, remember, he is not mom. 

Remember Titus 1:12 “… liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”

Pastor

Really Caring

I Do Not Care How Much You Care.

Good Morning,

Proverbs 2:1 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;”

vs. 2 “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;”

vs. 3 “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;”

If a young person is involved a relationship in which they “really care” about someone, should the parent give in (even if they have reservations about the relationship or do not approve)?  Does “really caring” change right and wrong?  

Let me change the pieces in the game and see if “really caring” still matters.  An adult man “really cares” for a young boy, or a couple of married people “really care” about others outside their marriage, is the relationship okay? Does “really caring” make the decision right?  

I listened as a beautiful twenty year-old college student told how she “really cared” for a fifty year-old man.  Jumping ahead in the story: a marriage took place (I did not marry them), and later a divorce followed.  No, “really caring” does not change logic or reason.  “Really caring” has very little to do with making wise decisions, in fact, in my life, preferring biblical advise over what I felt usually brought me into the best choices and wisest decisions.

Samson “really wanted” that girl and insisted that his parents get her for him.  (We know how that turned out.)  Some folks really believed there were weapons of mass distraction in Iraq. Hitler really thought he could rule the world. 

“But I love him/her” is a similar statement made by those about to make stupid choices. Wisdom will not allow feelings to make decisions.  Prudence searches out information that leads to logical and fact-based choices. 

The first girl I “really liked”  was a redhead named Tammy; I was 5 years old. I am glad we did not get married.  The next gal I liked was my first grade teacher.  Again, it would not have worked out had I allowed my feelings rule.  Folks will say that those situations are different, but I disagree.  Decisions based upon feelings are usually wrong, unless you feel like eating ice cream – that is probably okay.

There is a reason I never allowed my children to keep coming back and asking for something; nor could they go from one parent to the other trying to obtain the desired answer.  

As a pastor, if you desire my advice, you are welcome to come ask.  If you do not ask, that is your business; I will probably never mention the decision.  But if you ask, and then come later and ask again, and come later and ask again, here is what you are saying: “I think you were wrong with your first answer, Pastor. Now that you have had time to think, have you come around to the right answer (their answer?)”  If you ask again and again, you are not asking for anything but for the approval of your own opinions.  

Does anyone remember a guy in the Old Testament who kept going back to God asking for the same thing?  (Balaam)  He received his reluctant answer.

I do not care how much you care.  I care about what will work, what is logical, and what follows biblical principles.  Consider the feelings of a person on the Weight Watchers program looking at the ice cream counter: to follow feelings and pursue what you “really want” is unwise. 

I do believe that fasting and prayer can touch and even change the mind of God, but it is a dangerous road to travel – one I avoid.  I like the simple statement of Christ, “Not my will, but thine Lord.” 

Pastor

Defining Vocabulary

Good Morning,

For starters, I would like to clarify that I do not consider myself a“wordsmith.” I am not really smart, but I have managed to gain common sense over the years, a quality that seems to be more uncommon today.  From a simple man’s perspective, let us consider words. 

One of the sickest things that a godless society does is make up words, terms, and colloquialisms that are such a tragic abuse of language.  For instance, the most obvious definition of a man and a woman. Like the characters in The Emperor’s New Clothes, everyone knows the obvious truth, but no one is willing to speak it for fear of offending someone.  We all know what a man is and what a woman is.  We also know that there are some men who act feminine, and some women who act masculine; but they are still what God made them – male or female.  If the truth offends you, that does not mean it is a problem of society; the offense you harbor lies in your sad choice of whom you allow to influence you. 

I have had many animals throughout life: goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, horses, cows, ducks, and traditional pets like dogs, cats, fish, and the unusual snakes and rodents.  I never saw a rooster lay and egg, nor has a bull or steer ever produced milk.  As Paul writes, “God is not the author of confusion,” but Satan certainly is and has brought about confusion through the misuse of words.  

For thousands of years, a baby was born, and one of the first questions has always been, “Is it a boy or a girl?”  Now, for some foolish, demonic reason, society has decided that gender is determined by how one feels.  The very word queer was not a gender term from the beginning; the word has always been defined as something unusual, strange, or not natural – thus the word queer was used to describe men who like men. Paul worded it as being “against nature;” God says it is “vile.”

Romans 1:26 “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:” 

Let us consider the very politically incorrect subject of “women’s reproductive rights?”

If one simply speaks that phrase, one might think someone is destroying women’s ability to  reproduce.  My guess would be that someone is sterilizing these women or making laws, like China did, to say a woman could only have one child. Taking away a women’s reproductive rights must mean to take away her right to reproduce. [Which, by the way, if that happens, no matter what liberals say, men cannot reproduce by themselves (the human race would end in a few years).]

To take away “women’s reproductive rights” would mean that the right of a woman to reproduce is taken from her – but we all know that is not what the liberals mean. When a liberal speaks of “women’s reproductive rights,”  they mean that a woman wants to have the right to carelessly and recklessly violate moral principles that have been taught and believed for centuries, and then because they conceive a child that they don’t want, they demand the right to kill that child. They do not want the results of their behavior, which is also a common sinful frustration.  “Women’s reproductive rights” in the view of liberal society actually means the right to take an innocent life and destroy it.  This violates any dictionary definitions.  

As with defining “choice,” a selfish woman wants the right to “choose” to kill a baby.  Our society is redefining words; all it takes for one to accept such change is to toss out your brain, your dictionary, history, and logic. 

No one is telling women with whom they should be involved intimately; no one is telling women that they cannot or that they must be involved intimately. Now, of course, God has a moral standard for the Christian, but He does not even force it on people. He simply says that this is right and this is wrong. God says marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. (Hebrews 13:4) God also says that He will judge adulterers and fornicators, but even God does not force people to do something or not to do something – He gives them freedom.

To accuse a conservative of taking away a woman’s “reproductive rights” or of being against the “choice” is dictionary illiteracy.  We need to rediscover dictionaries and definitions of words.

Pastor

The Wrong Road Ends Wrong

Good Morning,

1 Kings 3:1 “And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.”

vs. 3 “And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places."

Notice verse one says Solomon was in a relationship with a heathen gal.  Then in verse three, Solomon loves God and honors His commands. 

We see that a person can live in compromise and still love God;  but remember – chapter 11 is coming – Solomon turned from God to idols.  It will not be long before you either give up loving God or you separate from the world – you cannot do both.  

The devil loves to nudge us closer to wrong, show us that it did not hurt, or that it didn’t ruin our lives.  We may still love God and do right even after one drink, one casual glance at pornography, or one night out with friends who are not church attenders – but remember, Satan is immeasurably patient.  

Satan does not need to ruin our lives today, he just wants to get us on the road to ruin.  The wicked one is even fine if we keep on track for years before ruining our lives and our family.  

1 Kings 11:4 "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” 

It is best to trust that God knows best, that we live a separated life, and cling to Him and His Word.  

Pastor

Spiritual or Gifted

Good Morning,

Most of us have seen someone or heard of someone who was supposed to be a, “good Christian,” who lived a life that denied their profession.  

David took another man’s wife and had her husband killed, and Peter denied the Lord three times in one night.  These Christians failed to live up to their so-called faith.  A television evangelist was arrested with prostitutes, another embezzled money from a church group: many stories could be told.  

Looking at the Scriptures, we can find some of the answers.  Summarized, we might say, gifts and abilities do not mean a person is spiritual. 

Paul writes to the people of the church in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 1:5 “That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;” 

vs. 7 “So that ye come behind in no gift…”

Here we see people who possessed spiritual gifts, knowledge of spiritual things, and the ability to communicate those truths.  These people were behind no one with it came to spiritual gifts.  

Yet two chapters later, to the same group, Paul said:

1 Corinthians 3:1 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” 

These people with spiritual gifts were not spiritual but carnal, and they were babes in Christ.  God gives people amazing gifts, but to say they are surrendered to Christ, or led of the Spirit is, obviously, another story.  Great abilities with music, athletics, organizational abilities, or detailed minds are gifts from God; but that does not mean they are godly people.  

The Corinthian people esteemed spiritual gifts, but they had moral trouble, legal trouble, division, and other problems. Paul’s first letter to this church was almost entirely full of correction, yet the people boasted of their spiritual gifts.  

Often, we, too quickly, call someone spiritual because of what we see.  Samuel was a great man, but he failed in this area when he went looking for the new king to replace Saul. Samuel saw the oldest son of Jesse and thought to himself that this had to be the Lord’s anointed. Anointed?  From outward appearances, Samuel thought this guy was anointed with the Holy Spirit?  This is where the famous verse about a man looking on the outward appearance and God looking on the heart comes from.  

We can be quick to eliminate ourselves from service for the Lord for the same reason.  Do you remember what Moses said when God told him to speak to Pharaoh?   Moses told God that he could not speak well.  God responded, “Who made man’s mouth?”  God can use any mouth He wants to use.  

Our outward gifts and appearances are tools to use, but they do not define spiritual living.  God can use anyone He desires to use. Our goal should be to walk in the Spirit, to be “spiritual,” and to allow God to use what we are and what we have, though the world may not see any great spiritual gifts.

For this reason, we must put our faith in the Lord and not in man.  Men will fail us; God never fails.

Pastor

Hey Jezebel

Good Morning,

1 Kings 21 and 2 Kings 9 both tell a story of the vile serpent Jezebel.  To hear a classic retelling of her story, look up, "Payday Someday" by R. G. Lee.  Often called the Prince of Preachers, his vocabulary and wisdom paint the picture of this foul, dirty, excuse for a woman.  

In the middle of this story, Elijah ran south and hid; he was simply tired and discouraged. 

To you who get tired or want to run, I say, “DON’T DO IT!”  You can get tired and want to run, but do not run.  God will take care of Jezebel, and if you run, you will miss seeing the results.  

As a reminder, let us recollect how her life ended after all of her threats, her power, her money, and her ugly arrogance.   Her servants tossed her out of the window, and she splattered on the street, like a rotten tomato thrown at a disappointing entertainer!   

Hey Jezebel, you better understand that you are not fighting a man, you are fighting God!  Though men may get tired and even fearful, God never does!  Jezebel seemed to win when Naboth was murdered unjustly, but the story did not end there.  (Nor will the current political story end where it seems – trust God!)  

Some lies Jezebel might have believed:

1. She had the law on her side, and since her deeds were legal, she was okay.

How very wrong she was, for an unjust government will be terribly punished by God, if not by man as well.  Hitler saw his temporary achievements crumble, and his assumed victories turn to shame and disgrace.

2. Perhaps, she thought people liked her for her success at filthy, deceitful actions; but in the eyes of humanity, a woman like this falls lower and lower.  People may act nicely to gain something from her money or power, but they do not like her or trust her. She lived a life without love or peace.  

3. She may have felt she had a right to do this deed.  Many individuals feel they have a right to do something because of their past, their upbringing, schools they attended, their race, or their poverty; they feel as if they deserve these things.  Today, in California, it is common for folks to walk out of a store with stolen merchandise.  Store policy states that employees are to allow them to do so.  If the thief is caught, and steals under $1,000 worth of merchandise, they will not be charged. Crooked lawyers cause so much trouble for the stores that it is easier for the business to raise prices and charge the honest folks more; the rest of the loss is submitted to insurance companies for compensation.  In both cases, the honest folks – who did nothing wrong – are the ones who are hurt.  Do not think God will allow this injustice to go unpunished.  Do not think anyone will get away with stealing from honest folks through corrupt behavior.  

In the courtrooms of America,  some people like Supreme Court nominees or former presidents may appear to lose, but the real loser is the one God sees as guilty.  The fact that Naboth died did not bother God. When a believer leaves this world, their status only gets better; a child of God cannot be hurt by giving them Heaven. 

This story tells the end of Jezebel; a similar fate awaits every Jezebel in our world. The actress, musician, political figure, and other serpent that thinks she has won through corrupt dealings will be rewarded with a similar messy, horrific end!  

2 Kings 9:32 “And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.”

vs. 33 “And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.” 

This woman could not cover her evil inside with hair care, botox, face lifts, or weight loss surgery; she was foul, despised, and trampled in the streets like other refuse.  Her money or political power could never replace the loving arms of a husband, children, grandchildren, and church friends. 

Do not worry about the Jezebels; God has a plan for them.  

Pastor  

Your Father’s Counselor

Good Morning,

There is a famous Bible story about handwriting on a wall at a big party.

Daniel 5:1 “Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.”

The story tells of the king who was proud, godless, and wasted countless hours and finances partying; judgment was headed his way (but that is not the point right now).  The handwriting on the wall was not attached to a body.  Of course, folks were terrified, so they called in experts to interpret what was written, but only Daniel could give an interpretation.

The issue I would like to focus on right now is the words of the queen.  

Daniel 5:10 “Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:”

vs. 11 "There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;”

The queen knew about Daniel, and of course Belshazzar at least knew the story of Daniel helping the prior king, and his father,  Nebuchadnezzar.  

This young king, a man who built nothing but lived upon the riches and power inherited from his father, had ignored what his father had learned. The son had failed to embrace the wisdom and teaching of his father.

Proverbs 27:10 “Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not... “

Daniel 3-4 tell of King Nebuchadnezzar learning of the wisdom of Daniel and the power of God. The foolish son never gained the wisdom and humility of his father. The queen came to Belshazzar and reminded him of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel, and she basically said, "You know these things."  

Belshazzar brought in the wise men, and at the last, after being pushed by his wife, he brought in Daniel. This foolish king (who was about to lose his life and kingdom to a foreign nation) did everything he could to solve the problem without turning to Daniel, the old man and counselor of his father.  At the end, there was no choice, so Daniel was brought in.

Proverbs 23:22 “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”

The story is long, but the essence is this, I chose my college on the direction of an older man.  When I prepared to get engaged, I asked an older man to approve my decision.  I made my decisions about starting a church because of the advice of two older men. I determined which city I should move to at the direction of an older man.  I gained my convictions from a few older preachers.  After forty-five years of ministry and fifty years of being saved, the most difficult thing for me is to know few older men to turn to - most are in Heaven now.

Proverbs 1:8 “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”

Proverbs 1:22 “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

vs. 23 “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

To whom we listen will determine our future.  The old men, whom your father trusted are usually a good basis for wisdom.  

Pastor

Seeking Bad News

Good Morning,

Daniel and his critics illustrate the satanic methodology still prevalent today.  

Daniel 6:3 “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

vs. 4  “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him."

There was nothing wrong with Daniel, they simply did not like him and were frustrated that they could not find fault in him.  Now, there are always ways to make someone look bad, and these men went searching for a way to do just that; so it is today in countless situations, evil people search for ways to make good people look bad.  With social media, all it takes is one accusation and empty-headed vagrants of society to "like and follow" the slander and accusation without reason or facts.  

The story is old, Moses irritated Miriam and Aaron so they became his critics and sought a way to diminish his position. Jesus was a frustration to the religious leaders so they tried to "catch Him in His words." (Mark 12:13) Today, we even have attorneys that did their best to find something to jail President Trump.  Repeated wrong actions of other politicians were overlooked, but the actions of the one they hated were placed under the microscope in hopes of finding fault.  

Absalom slowly drew men after himself and away from David, even though there was nothing wrong in the kingdom, and David had done nothing wrong.  People should have seen right through the slander of Absalom.  (2 Samuel 15)

1. Those who seek to find a fault are evil.

2. Those who go looking for ways to make good people look bad

ought to be avoided.

3. The honest believer should be true to the basic American

values of "Innocent until proven guilty." 

4. When someone is on the attack, you should be suspicious.  

5. When someone has something to gain, their attack is almost

always tainted (if not completely false).

The fourth Amendment requires serious evidence before a warrant is issued. When a search warrant is issued, good cause is required not just suspicion; it is too bad Christians do not give each other the same consideration. 

Most people have forgotten the common quote we all heard while growing up: "If you can’t say something good, don't say anything at all." 

The song “Home on the Range” had one appropriate line in the lyrics: "Where seldom is heard a discouraging word..." 

Beware of those who love to spread slander, evil reports, and bad news.  

Phil. 4:8  "...whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Pastor 

Brethren

Good Morning,

Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Ephesians 2:19 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

Regarding their closeness, there is no doubt that a special bond exists among the people of God.  We may live in various nations, fit in different economic brackets, or socialize diversly, but there is something God lifts up, calling it "the household of faith" and "the household of God."

Soldiers have something of a "brotherhood" as do many groups of people in law enforcement or similar backgrounds, but all are a counterfeit of the spiritual brotherhood God births when a person gets saved. 

Ephesians 3:15 “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named”

The saved are born of God and baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament refers to Christians as brethren 231 times, and it does so to make it clear that we are different, we belong to a different family, and we belong to a different Father.  We are not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, or to be in "accord" with the lost world around us.  We are literally to be separate from the world. Obviously, this does not refer to the trees, dirt, mountains or oceans, it refers to the PEOPLE we are to separate from.  

Jesus spoke the disciples as brethren (Hebrews 2:12).

We are not to speak evil of the brethren (James 4:11).

We are not to have a grudge against the brethren (James 5:9).

We are urged to love the brethren (1 John 3:14).

We are to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16).  

None of these guidelines apply to our relationship to the lost.  

In our culture, there are some that use the word brother as we might use the word friend.  Make no mistake, God does not want us in any kind of "fellowship" with the lost around us.  

We march to a different beat, follow a different commander, and receive our marching orders from a different source.  We literally "belong to the King.” To have friendship with the godless society around us puts us at odds with God. ( James 4:4) 

When we receive Christ, we are spiritually placed into the most amazing spiritual family – a literal "body."  As Adam said of Eve, she was bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh, just as we are members of His body. (Romans 12:15)  

1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

Ephesians 5:30 “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”

As spectacular and supernatural as it is to belong to the literal body of Christ, so is it tragic and godless for us to treat the non-Christian as if he was a brother; he has a different father.   

We ought to love people, witness to them, and be kind to them. Fellowship demands a unified basis, and they do not have our Book, our Father, our future, our Spiritual body, our Saviour, or our Blood atonement.  

As the old song says, "Blessed be the tie that binds."  


Pastor 

He’s On The Throne

Good Morning,

In our current world of political craziness, do not allow the folly of men to upset the rest you find in Christ.  I would like to remind you of a few verses:

In Genesis 26:24, Abraham is called God’s servant.

In Numbers 12:7, Moses is called God’s servant.

In Numbers 14:24, Caleb is called God’s servant.

In 2 Samuel 3:18, David is called God’s servant. 

In Job 1:8, Job is called God’s servant.

In Jeremiah 25:9, we read the following:

“Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations." 

How about that! Nebuchadrezzar, the heathen king is called God’s servant.  I understand that good men can be servants of God, but him?

We all like it when “good people” are in leadership, and it bothers us when evil folks rule, and so says the Scriptures.

Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” 

Evil rulers bother us, but we should not allow it to remove from us the assurance that God reigns in the affairs of men.

Daniel 4:17 “…the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men."  (also Daniel 4:2, 32)

Go ahead and vote, and if you desire, write to government officials, but the most important vote you can cast is in your prayer closet to the God of the universe.  

Do not worry how things LOOK.  I am sure the disciples thought the situation looked badly when Jesus was being crucified, but God had a plan far greater than anything Satan might have thought up. After three days and the redemptive work was completed, Satan was defeated, death was defeated, and the grave was turned into a doorway to the eternal city.

Do not forget the terrible days of Israel’s captivity in a heathen land.  Then one day, God spoke to the heathen leader, Cyrus, and directed him to rebuild Jerusalem.

Isaiah 44:28 “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” 

Cyrus, the corrupt king of the East?  Yes, God called Cyrus “My shepherd.”  I guess we can trust God with elections, Senate approvals, and presidential appointments. 

As the song says, “He’s Still on the Throne, so what could be wrong?” 

Pastor

Proven Paths

Good Morning,

As David reigned over Israel, there was prosperity and peace.  Absalom had been returned to the kingdom, but apparently, he still harbored bitterness over Amnon’s treatment of Thamar and David’s lack of willingness to correct the problem.  Absalom fixed the problem by having Amnon killed.  Again, David was soft and did not punish Absalom for the murder of his half brother.

The issues of heart between David and Absalom are not clear, but the following story is clearly recorded by God.

In 2 Samuel chapters 15-18, Absalom leads a rebellion against King David.  I have written about this before, but I would like to refresh your memory as to the sad result of following evil people.  

Once begun, separating from wrong leadership is difficult.  I wonder how many people knew the evils being done by targeting parents at school board meetings, yet suppressed their concerns.  How many people thought the behavior of political leaders doing things like destroying phones and off-site servers was wrong, but played the simpleton and joined the action because it was prosperous at the moment.  

Once people joined Absalom, it might have been very difficult to remove themselves from his side.  The bandwagon mentality of popularity and excitement might be satisfying for a time, but the battle in the woods is coming. 

2 Samuel 18:7 “Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.”

vs. 8 “For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.”

vs. 9 “And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.”

20,000 people died that day, many of whom surely knew their decisions had been foolish, selfish, and unmerited.  

Make no mistake – a day of reckoning is pending.  The judgment is not simply an earthly one.  There is a Judge Whose evidence is perfect and includes the outward behavior as well as the intents of the heart.  This judgement is not the kind a devious lawyer might help you avoid in an imperfect court; the Holy God knows and sees the behavior and intents of the heart, and He knows what you understood behind the scenes. 

Flee now the shameful paths of popularity and even prosperity, before the judgment day “in the wood” arrives.  One bitter man drew so many people into situations that were perhaps innocent at first (2 Samuel 15:11), but there was a time, no doubt, when they realized they were on the wrong path.  The tragic suffering that followed could never balance the short-lived thrill of being a part of Absalom’s plots.

Never follow an Absalom in causing harm to a time-tested David.  Never be a part of inflicting harm on a peaceful, prosperous kingdom – ever!!!  Most certainly, do not join in when there is no plan in place or path to follow that has been proven to be better. Foolish children will rebel against faithful parents with no idea what they might do next if they were to receive their desires. Many a weary spouse walks out on a faithful partner to follow some exciting unknown.  Much suffering usually follows.

It is wise to consider the good that you have enjoyed in the past; the men of Israel did that, but it was 20,000 deaths too late.

2 Samuel 19:9 “And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.”

vs. 10 “And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?”

The choice of people with whom you choose to run may be the very choice that causes death to you or your children. It is wise to stay with time-tested, proven paths.  

Pastor

Who Sets the Standard?

Good Morning, 

In a football game, there is a group of referees, but the one with the white hat is usually the one who makes the final call.

There are also times in some sports when someone may review the call from outside or use a replay to determine if a call is right. 

In legal matters there are courts and higher courts.  Ultimately, we have a Constitution.  

Whatever the situation, someone has AUTHORITY to make the call for right and wrong.  Building codes have inspectors and manuals on codes.  Engine manufacturers have manuals detailing specifics about maintenance and repairs.  

In summary, everything has someone or something telling us right and wrong.  It is not shocking or an abuse of power; it is natural. 

Only a few options exist when it comes to who makes the call on right and wrong in our lives:

1. Friends

2. Human Authorities 

3. A Church 

4. Personal Opinion

5. The Bible. 

Of these, which one has any true right to be the authority?

When someone says,"The Bible says so,” do not panic. It is normal for the manufacturer, the boss, or the owner to set standards.  

When someone ignores the umpire or the boss, there is a good chance they will be called out or put out. 

When God sets a standard and humanity (in all their wisdom and insight) feels they know better than God, do not be surprised if the situation does not go well. 

Let us step into 2025 trusting the TRUE authority.  

Pastor

Establishing Trust

Good Morning,

I have heard married couples struggle with trust, as one who had betrayed the other asks to simply be trusted.  The problem is that no one should trust a stranger.  A stranger is someone who has not proven their behavior in various situations, and as such, can not be depended upon.

A man or woman who did that which the spouse could not believe, who was trusted but acted in a way totally outside the realm of prior and expected response, cannot be trusted because they have become a stranger.  We tell children not to trust a stranger. Well, when you become a stranger to your spouse by actions unbecoming a married person, you just moved to stranger status and will need to take a long time to reestablish that "trust."

So it is with government. I hear big business and government people talking about communication being needed to establish lost trust. NO!  We do not need to talk.  You are an untrustworthy stranger and will have to prove yourselves to be trustworthy over A VERY LONG TIME.  You lost that trust like an adulterous spouse!  

The word honest is only used in the Bible seven times; honesty is used once; honestly is used three times.  Yet, for the few times the word is used, it is an extremely important principle in our world.

Hebrews 13:18 “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.”

Romans 13:13 “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

1 Thessalonians 4:12 “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."

We are exhorted to live a life of honesty.

1 Timothy 2:2 “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

A fruitful Christian needs an honest and good heart. 

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Acts 6:3 lifts up men with an honest reputation.  That honesty is required to be in leadership in ministry work.  "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business."

We are to live honest lives. (Romans 12:17, 2 Corinthians 8:21)

Even when we are lied about or our cause is slandered, we are to remain honest. 

2 Corinthians 13:7 “Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.”  (Also 1 Peter 2:12)

Paul urges us to think ONLY on honest things.

(That cuts out most media.)

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

All of that being said, "NO, WE WILL NOT TRUST GOVERNMENT, OR ALPHABET INSTITUTIONS – NOT FOR A LONG TIME."  As married couples say, “THEY WILL NEED TO COME CLEAN FIRST.”  Then they need to show open and honest behavior for an extended length of time.

A government that hides things, lies about things, and deceives the populace will not be trusted for a long time. Just as an adulterous spouse, no one will simply start trusting them!   

Christian, do not think it will happen with your dishonest relationships either.  When someone has been dishonest, be kind and tolerant if possible; do not hate or allow bitterness to fill your heart.  When one proves to be dishonest, do not be so foolish as to simply start trusting them. 

Pastor 

Counsel

Good Morning,

I recently wrote a few lines in regards to honoring our parents. This of course, ripples into other areas of life, and today, I will expand on the subject. Consider the Scripture that teaches simply to seek good advice.

Proverbs 28:26 “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” 

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” 

Proverbs 8:33 “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.”

Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” 

I could go on and on with Scriptures that exhort us to seek council, to not trust our own opinions, and to follow older and wiser counselors; the Scriptures are full of these principles.

Yet, today I see the same folly, especially among the young.  They have the silly idea that it is their life, and they can do as they wish.  Of course they can do as they wish, but that does not mean they will not end up in a mess.  The concept that it is your own life is wrong, at least if you are saved, it is wrong.  Paul writes, you are “bought with a price.”  If we are saved, we belong to the Lord, and He has a plan for our lives. 

As we grow older, we still have a need for wise council. May we be careful to not get thinking we have all the answers. The view from the inside is never the same as the outside, and we are certainly on the inside of our own lives. Even referees in ball games have several different men calling the game from different angles. It really does matter.

Let us be wise enough to seek council. 

Pastor