HOPE

We sit in a world of almost hopelessness. Something happened in the last fifty years that killed the dream and dare in the hearts of young people. We blame our situations on the world around us, and we give no hope to those with a difficult path. Some people do have a more difficult path, but no path is impossible. In reading about Ruth, I find those ideals repulsive.

Ruth 2:1 “AND Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.”

First, notice that Ruth was as far from acceptable to her society as a girl could be. Her race labeled her as a Moabite dog. She followed her mother-in-law to Israel, and in so doing, she walked into a very difficult world. Most of us know how God led her, and she ended up married to the great grandfather of King David; therefore, I happen to believe that you and God can do anything and overcome any obstacle. ?
Notice our text for today:
Ruth 2:1 “AND Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz."

According to God, Boaz was a mighty man of wealth. Who is this Boaz, and why would he care about Ruth? In fact, Ruth asked that question as well.

Ruth 2:10 “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?”

The end of the book tells us he is the son of Rahab the harlot. That is reason enough for compassion on a stranger.

Compare the verse in the book of Matthew with the verses in the book of Ruth and the family relationships.
Matthew 1:5 “And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;"
Ruth 4:21 “And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,”
vs. 22 “And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.”

Picture this story: a harlot escaped death in Jericho as the walls came down. She was not allowed inside the camp of Israel, yet she married an Israelite man. Joshua and the people conquered city after city, and this Canaanite lady tagged along. (I would assume that she was viewed with suspicion.) She gave birth to a child, and that child was half Jew and half Canaanite. (The same people Joshua and Israel were killing in masses, yet she and her family were among the travelers near the Promised Land.) Other relatives of Rahab existed, but she married into the family of Israel. Her half-breed son grew up in a new world. Considering the history of humanity, we could probably say that he had a few things against him. I assume Jewish boys and men gave him a bad time. Similar to the Japanese people after Pearl Harbor, it is logical to think that patriots had a problem with this mother and her boy. Yet, his lot was to grow up in a difficult world.

The Bible says nothing about this young man during his youth. The next instance that we read about him, he has become a mighty man of wealth.

Ruth 2:1 “AND Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.”

The book of Matthew tells that Boaz and Ruth gave birth to a son who was in the lineage of Christ.

Matthew 1:5 “And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;”

My one thought is this: with God’s help, anyone can make it; anyone can have a life of worth and significance. Yes, burdens exist and yes, there is injustice; but yes, there is a living God Who has a plan for every life that is surrendered to Him.

In a few short years, this mixed up youth was rich, mighty, and had not lost his compassion for the stranger. He saw Ruth and her mother-in-law and, in compassion, remembered his upbringing and the treatment his mother received as a Gentile – he was kind to them. Sometimes our suffering makes us hard, but not this man; he stayed thoughtful and caring for those who hurt as he had hurt. No doubt, he used his own difficult past to launch himself into a life of compassion and love; and as such, he married Ruth and carried out the divine plan of God.

Little reason exists for pouting and giving up. There is no value in hopelessness. To act as if the world is against us is self-centered and foolish. This world has been hard on many people, and many people have gone on and made a life for themselves. If life becomes difficult, then do that which is difficult. Somehow, Boaz made his life into something.

Boaz made a life; likewise, Ruth found a path to follow in which God was involved. Through divine mercy, both of them succeeded. To bring up young people to act as though they have no hope is evil. Our God is a God of all hope, compassion, and love. We ought to always point young people to the Lord and to hope, not to a depressed, hopeless life.

Pastor

HIS AID

While praying for our missionaries in Africa and the South Pacific, I was very conscious of the weaknesses of these dear friends and the fierceness of the enemy they face. Some of these missionaries I prayed for have been my friends since college or the early years in our ministry. For over a third of a century, these faithful servants have served; and as I watch them age, I pray more for them and their families.

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Paul wrote of our spiritual wrestling — the battle against spiritual wickedness in high places. These missionary friends face demonic activity, corrupt governments, and all the sinful powers of the flesh. As I prayed for them, I was reminded that I am no more able to fight the spiritual enemy than they are; the outcome of the battle is all of the grace and the power of God.

Some of these friends have serious physical ailments, some have broken hearts over loved ones living sinful lives, but all wrestle with the evil one. I am reminded that a sound body is no more able to fight spiritual darkness than a weak and sinful one. In fact, in weakness, we often pray more and humble ourselves more easily.

I need prayer just as my friends do. The Apostle Paul also requested prayer:
2 Thessalonians 3:1 “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:”

Were it not for the grace, mercy, and help of God, how easily we would stumble and fall or become discouraged and quit. I must continue to remember that without Him, I can do nothing.

John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

I have been overly busy of late, but I am reminded that I need to stop and go aside to seek the presence and help of the Father if I hope to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Many a faithful child of God has walked away from his church or place of service simply due to despair, weakness, or frustration. All of that could have been helped by spending time in prayer and by the prayer of others.

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
vs. 19 “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”

Missionary Mark Sigstad and I attended college together. He has spent over three decades laboring in Nigeria. He wrestled through a bout with cancer and returned to West Africa. The grace of God is the only element that has allowed him to successfully continue in the spiritual warfare as the years pass. May we all be assured that being a mother or carrying the responsibility for the spiritual well-being of a family as a father does is impossible without the help of God.

Let us often remind ourselves of the words in these songs:

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children; help those who are weak;
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Pastor Goddard

Greed

We are to work... or not eat:
2 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

We need to work and provide for ourselves:
2 Thessalonians 3:12 “Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”?

We ought to work and provide for our family:
1 Timothy 5:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

The Bible gives great warning about the passion for financial gain:
Proverbs 23:4 "Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom."

There is a grave danger in seeking wealth; it may bring about lowering our standard of right and wrong in order to gain riches:
Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.”

Timothy gives us a similar warning:
First, be content!
1 Timothy 6:8 “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

Second, realize that the desire for wealth can cause us to do wrong, and hurt ourselves and those we love.
1 Timothy 6:9 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

Third, we see the reminder that, according to the Lord, the LOVE of money is the ROOT OF ALL EVIL — that statement is monumental; but God made the statement, so we know it is true.  
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

How many people would be in the ministry but cannot fathom trusting the Lord for the needs of their family or for allowing minimal income to be their provision?  

How many times have people compromised their fellowship for the sake of business and done immeasurable harm to their children or marriage? 

How many potential Sunday school teachers, choir members, and bus workers have been unwilling to commit to teaching a class because of the obligations they have at work? 

We see the trouble in that last verse:
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after…"

Covetousness is all through the Bible.  Perhaps, covetousness is the object of more Bible warnings and prohibitions than any other sin.  

Exodus 20:17 “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”

This warning is repeated in Deuteronomy 5:21 and in New Testament passages, Romans 7:7 and Romans 13:9.  Many other passages repeat the same warnings.  God is so strong in His feeling toward this matter that He tells us not to fellowship with a covetous man.
1 Corinthians 5:11 “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”

Certainly, the desire for financial gain can lead us into participating in all kinds of wrong, not to mention growing complacent toward the things of God.  The wrong friends we gain through business can change our actions.  Wrong activities for financial gain may demand friends who are godless, and social time required by work can make us complacent toward booze and moral shame.  (The list goes on and on.)  Sometimes the desire for financial gain is not covetousness; it is a simple desire to do well, to accomplish, and to succeed.  This desire, without any ill motive, can become a deadly sin as we are soon motivated by gain rather than God in our every action.

?Good priorities cause us to seek first the kingdom of God.  Seeking eternal things ought to occupy our minds far more than accumulating earthly wealth. 
John 6:27 “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”

We ought to labor for the things of God!!  

If we are not careful, our wrong priorities will show in our conversation; our children will hear us speak of "successful" people with money, yet never speak of those serving God as "successful."  Another danger arises when our children grow up thinking that serving in the ministry is not successful because there is not as much money found in that career, or they fail to see spiritual leaders as successful men and women.  Allowing finances to corner our attention could easily prevent our children from any interest in the mission field.

Success is not gain, but rather earnestly following the will of God — nothing else — will determine our success.   

Pastor

DECISIONS

Often, an outcry from children and teenagers has been made in regard to politics. The emotionally-based culture in which we live will take a camera into a classroom and ask the students what they think of a president, a war, or a law. Of course, children are designated as pure and innocent; but anybody with half a brain knows that children, in a situation like that, are simply parroting what teachers or their parents have told them. If a child is asked about Washington, he might just say, “Get rid of all the bad people.” What a grand suggestion! (However, only a few people would be left to make the decisions.)

There is a particular reason one must be at least thirty-five years-of-age to be the United States President. There is a reason that age minimums exist for someone to serve in the Legislature. People need to be old enough to be mature, well-thought, and well-educated in order to make decisions that influence society. Emotionally-based choices are usually made in the spur of the moment; anyone would agree that making decisions based on the happenings of the very moment is unwise, whether the decision concerns saving and spending money, making marital decisions, buying real-estate, or taking care of your diet and health.

Our culture loves to advertise emotional issues, while logic and reason seem to be underrated in every situation.

The end result of our decisions is what matters most. In Scripture, God defines the wise decision maker: one who possesses the ability to determine the end result.
Deuteronomy 32:20 “And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.”
Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”

We all understand that being able to determine the end result of a given action is vital. The book of Proverbs calls that ability wisdom; wisdom is the ability to see the end result of a given action. To allow children and teenagers to weigh in on moral, legal, and national decisions is the height of stupidity. The Democratic party lives on emotion and the immediate circumstance, rather than using wisdom to see the end result of given actions. Now, we can criticize emotion-based, feeling-motivated decisions, but what about the decision of choosing a church? Allowing teens to weigh in on political matters is no more stupid than adults choosing a church based on how they feel.

To be wise, we must be willing to consider the outcome of our marriage or our child-rearing choices. We need to decide how these choices will affect the world, the homes of our children, and the Judgment Seat of Christ. Our decision to join one church rather than another should be based on eternal reasons, not on feelings or fun, and certainly not because our teenager likes one church better. If we hope to make our decisions based upon wisdom, we ought not to trust those choices to teens. We need to ask ourselves how our decision will affect the end result — a vital question. Whether drugs or adultery, gambling or quitting a job we do not like, we would be wise to consider the end result and to beg God for wisdom enough to identify the right path.

Let us consider the subject of a school shooting. I would suggest that someone who has yet to figure out how to graduate from school not be trusted to have a logical or wise opinion about how to run, much less to protect, a school. The opinion of an uninformed, uneducated youth is of little consequence; but wisdom to know the outcome of a given course should shape our actions.

Deuteronomy 32:29 “O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!”

Pastor

TRUTH

Much evil in the world is committed under the guise of the excuse that it was not “my decision,” or it was “the leader’s choice,” or “I had no power to stop it from happening.” The fact is, we may not have the power to stop our leaders from doing wrong, but we certainly have the power to walk away or to verbally object. We can stand with those who are being hurt or simply stand for truth even if we stand alone.

Jeremiah was put away in jail, and his assistant, Baruch, had been writing Jeremiah's words, Baruch was instructed by Jeremiah to go and read these words out in public areas where people would hear the warning from God.

Some of the civic leaders heard the warnings, and they were scared.

Jeremiah 36:16 “Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.”
vs. 17 “And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?”
vs. 18 “Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.”
vs. 19 “Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.”

These men knew their country was in trouble. They also knew that right would not be well-received by the king. These men told Baruch and Jeremiah to go hide somewhere; they also had the roll (the written document) hidden in hopes perhaps that the king would not find it and destroy it. Make no mistake, these men knew right from wrong. They were afraid because of the wrong in which they had been a part. The question now is, what were they going to do?

vs. 20 “And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.”
vs. 21 “So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.”
vs. 22 “Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.”
vs. 23 “And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.”
vs. 24 “Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.”

The king and his counselors listened to the Word of God, and then mocked and burned It, thinking that perhaps they could rid themselves of the Truth. You cannot destroy the truth. God instructed Jeremiah to rewrite every word and added more. The nation fell as Jeremiah had spoken, and the king went into captivity as God said he would.

The point this morning is about the men who knew right from wrong. These men heard the Word and feared. Deep down in their souls, these men knew the truth; what would they do?

vs. 25 “Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.”

These men urged the king not to burn the roll, but they did not stand for right. Greatness is exemplified in Daniel’s willingness to go to the lion’s den in order to stand for right. Greatness is the willingness of Daniel's friends to walk into the fiery furnace. Greatness is the boldness shown when the disciples said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

These men knew right from wrong, but they were not man enough to stand up for it. They were not willing to risk their jobs or to endanger their lives for the truth. When truth is on one side and leadership is on the other, each person has to decide for which side he will stand. Will we stand with the truth regardless of cost, or will we turn our backs on the truth and allow evil to go unchecked? We may not be able to stop evil, but we can certainly make it clear that evil is not right and that no one else thinks it is either.

No one should stand idly by while leaders violate righteous laws and principles. A moral populace may not be able to stop the dictators, tyrants, and demagogues who rule, but we can certainly stand up and say they are wrong and that we refuse to act as if they are right.

God often mentions the fact that men do not care, and that they see wrong but do nothing.

Isaiah 59:14 “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”

Isaiah 57:1 “The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”

Jeremiah 12:11 “They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.”

Somebody must care about the truth of God's Word! We should stand up for the truth, even though it may mean we will lose our lives. That is what the founders of our country meant when they said, “…we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

Pastor

WHAT MATTERS?

Most of the people who seek money or earthly accolades are, in reality, looking for happiness.

What really matters most when it comes to happiness, though, is usually a good marriage and good children — not great wealth. The ability to provide the basic needs for your children is important, but many poor people find happiness, and many rich people find none. It is not money that brings happiness. Happiness is internal, not external.

Dad and Mom
What is it that really does matter? What really matters is a dad and a mom in the home. God designed the home with the father and the mother — the foundation of the family. Teach this principle to your children, in your Sunday school classes, and talk about it with dating couples under your influence. A strong, well-planned marriage will go far in bringing a lifetime of happiness. When God gave the “first commandment with promise” it was to honor your father and mother. Both parents are expected to be in the home influencing the children.

Church
What else really matters? A good church and Sunday school where children are taught the ways of the Lord.

Isaiah 54:13 “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”

Psalm 144:15 “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”

Your child's soccer ability will not make a happy home, but bringing up that child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord will.

School and Friends
What really matters when we consider what makes a happy home? The school in which our children grow up, the teachers, the textbooks, the instruction in morality, and the proper behavior toward authority are what really matter in the life of a child and in seeking a happy home and blessed life.

What is it that really matters? It is not the fancy shoes or the expensive clothing. It is something eternal and ordained of God. A dad and mom, a church, and a good school that honors God and the Bible, and supports the values of mother and father are essentials when it comes to happiness.

Of course, controlling the influences in a child's life like television, internet, phones, and all cyber influences also matters. Friends and social life likewise matter. If a child has a mother and father, a good church, and a good school, these three elements will dominate all of his decisions.

A godly father and mother, a godly church, Sunday school, and youth department, as well as godly teachers in a godly school with curriculum and a social life that are biblical and decent, are the components that really matter.

Throw out your concerns over your child having a car when he turns sixteen. Ignore the world’s demands to give your child a college scholarship to some university. The fundamentals that matter are the influences that honor God and these factors will bring long-term happiness.

2 Chronicles 26:5 “…as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”

Parents, seek the Lord; seek His influence in every area of your life, and God will take care of the desired happiness.

Pastor

HE DOES NOT HAVE MUCH TO WORK WITH

We tend to beat ourselves up over our weaknesses, when, in fact, all God has to work with is sinners. The fact that I fail is not nearly as big a problem as if I do not try. The Bible says little about my being something spectacular, yet it says much about my faithfulness.

I do not have to be a great father, but I do need to be there and to give the job my best effort and to do so in prayer and intercession to God for mercy. I do not have to be a miraculous husband who provides fancy cars and amazing vacations, but I do need to be faithful, keep my vows, work at whatever job God gives me, and come home and love the family God gave me.

I am certainly not a great soul winner, but for over forty years, I have witnessed to people at stores, in parking lots, at doors, in lines at amusement parks, and in seats next to me on planes. I do not have to be great, I just need to be faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

It is required that I be found faithful!

Look at the disciples: they were proud, they argued among themselves, and they disagreed.
Luke 22:24 "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest."
vs. 25 "And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors."
vs. 26 "But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve."

At one point, Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross.
Mark 8:32 "And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him."
vs. 33 "But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan:"

Saul murdered Christians before he was saved. Paul and Barnabas got into an argument and quit traveling together.
Acts 15:39 "And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;"

The church at Corinth had division and moral impropriety. The book of Acts tells us that the church in Jerusalem had a problem with neglecting widows.
Acts 6:1"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.The church is just made up of sinners."

In the book of Micah, we are shown what GREAT Christianity is — it is nothing spectacular, but just doing the little things right.
Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

These are things we are commanded to do: do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. God wants us to do our best. Each one of us is to love God with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength. God does not say we have to be the best at anything, or spectacular, or supernatural, or overachievers. We might be overweight or anorexic, short or tall, bald or with a full head of hair, but what God wants is for us to be faithful.

God does not have much to work with; honestly, He does not need much.

God does not use my goodness, he uses my faithfulness. The goodness comes from God. The power comes from God. The miraculous works come from God. As for me, I just need to be there when I am supposed to be there. If I were a Sunday school teacher, I would be at my class on time every week. If I were a bus worker, I would be on my bus route on Saturday visiting the children and looking for new riders and be on the bus on Sunday investing time and attention in these children. God will build the bus route if I will be faithful.

As a Christian, I can read my Bible; if I cannot read, I can listen to it with an electronic device. I can pray; I can take the time to stop everything and talk to God — anyone can do that. If we do our part, God will do that which we cannot do.

I have seen amazing people raise very un-amazing children. I have seen very common people with financial burdens and health trouble bring up wonderful children. I have seen people from broken homes rebuild their lives and become great servants of God. We have had bus riders from difficult homes become wonderful church members, and some have gone into the ministry. God uses a faithful parent, not a spectacular one.

Faithfulness is the key!

Faithfulness to church
Let me clarify an amazing thought: When a baby has a runny nose, the entire family does not need to stay home to help wipe it.
Does dad stay home from work when mom is sick?
Does mom stay home from work when dad is home sick?
Does dad stay home from work when dad is sick? Not often.
Yet folks will miss church for any little reason. We have allowed society to tell us that work matters but church does not. We have allowed the world to teach us that attending church is an option, and that work and money are not optional but a mandate.
Unfaithfulness to church says that you feel that church simply does not matter much— by doing this, we teach our children that God does not matter much either.

Faithful to the daily things makes all the difference. Be home when you are supposed to be. BE at church or work when you are supposed to be. Be with your children or spouse when you are supposed to be. Be with God when you are supposed to be. Faithfulness is not difficult, but it is hard; for it demands self-control to be FAITHFUL.

Faithfulness matters!

Pastor

GO ON AND TRY

The fact that we fail is undeniable. The fact that we sometimes think selfishly and even evil is also true. Yet, God, in mercy, works with sinful men. We are but dust, and the Lord knows this. Before I get to the lesson, let me say that no one gets close to the Lord without the love for right and the passion for holiness. (Hebrews 1:8-9, 1 Peter 1:15-16) I believe that a life of casual living with compromise toward the things of the world will cost us on earth and limit our usefulness to Christ. James teaches that even friendship with the world is enmity with God, and as such, keeps us from ever having the intimacy with the Father that could be ours. Yet, God has only sinners with whom to work, and, in mercy, He does so.

Jacob left home; and in route, he vowed to tithe and serve God if God would preserve him.
Genesis 28:20 “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,”
vs. 21 “So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:”
vs. 22 “And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”

God preserved Jacob and more by making him rich and by greatly rewarding his hard work and love for God. Jacob also gained four wives along the way. When God led him to return home after being away for twenty years (31:41), he presented the idea to Rachel and Leah. Here is their response:

Genesis 31:14 “And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?”
vs. 15 “Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.”
vs. 16 “For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.”

No family thoughts or concern about their father arose. Neither lady spoke of missing her mom or siblings — it was all about money. As long as these girls had lots of money, they were happy. Since their father had little, why not leave? What reason did they have to stay?

Now, if those women are not examples of totally selfish girls, I have never seen any. Of course, prior to this event, both of their selfish, bickering spirits manifested themselves several times. These gals fought over Jacob, and they fought over who had children and who did not. The favorite wife, Rachel (the idolatrous thief), even stole her father's gods.
Genesis 31:19 “And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s."

Suffice it to say, these women were not the godly examples we might hope for in the lives of our sons.

Yet, God greatly used Jacob. Jacob, whose name means supplanter or trickster, had his name changed to Israel meaning a prince. It was said that he had power with God. (Genesis 32:28)

We may live in a difficult situation or struggle with ties to shame or wrongdoing, but never forget that God can bless whomever He chooses to bless. Our pastor, Dr. Hyles, came from a family with a dad who was a drunk, beat his mom, and abandoned his responsibilities as a father and husband. David, the man after God's own heart, grew up in a home in which he was treated as a bother; he was mocked and ridiculed when he wanted to stand for God. Godly Solomon was the second child born to Bathsheba and David, and Solomon’s mother began her relationship to David in adultery.

The stories of men and women in difficulty being used of God are endless. The famous missionary, Jim Elliot, arrived at his desired mission spot only to be killed by those he came to help. Some time later, his wife and others returned to this same group of people, and a great harvest of souls took place. (Read the book, Through Gates of Splendor, written by Mrs. Elliot.) Many of our finest young people who went out to serve the Lord came from homes without Christ, and some came from a family with parents who claimed Christ but lived little or none of the things they claimed to believe. I have two friends, who are wonderful preachers, whose father sits in a jail cell due to sinful acts while in the ministry.

If someone near you is living selfishly, you decide to go on and live for God as best as you can. If those around you are evil, love God and follow Him as you are able. If those near you are contentious, live as best as you can in that situation. God is not blind to your world, and He loves you and knows your heart. God says, “If it be possible...live peaceably…” What liberty and comfort that brings to those who also live in very difficult situations.

Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

Just go on and live for God as best as you are able.

Pastor

Stability

Decisions should be made very slowly, thoughtfully, and while seeking counsel.

Look at the biblical use of the word unstable.

Genesis 49:4 “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.”
James 1:8 "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
2 Peter 2:14 “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:”
2 Peter 3:16 "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

You cannot bounce around and expect to be used of God.

Countless opportunities arise for preachers to move, change, or find an easier course, but they stay because stability is spiritual. Notice what James writes above, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." ALL HIS WAYS. That is serious! In every area of life, you will find your world unstable.

To bring about some measure of stability and security, one must watch their crowd; the wrong people will hamper your stability and security.
Proverbs 24:21 “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:”

Compare the references that speak of being of a double mind.
James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

The double-minded need to be purified in heart and cleansed in hands.

The Bonsai tree supposedly starts out as a normal tree, but removing it from the soil over and over and trimming the roots causes it to be stunted - it looks like a real tree, but is severely stunted.

There is no end of Bonsai Christians who move, change, and quit; and often they do so at the drop of the hat. If an injustice or difficulty causes you to walk away, you "shall not excel." If a brighter opportunity arises and you trot off after it, you will create the habit of instability and guaranteed mediocrity.

Every marriage is tested; every person in the ministry is tested, and even in secular work, those with potential for excellence and great success are going to deal with the chance to walk away and try another job, another position, or another team. Successful people are rooted and grounded.

If you have made any major change in the last six months, the next big change better be years away. If you can count several quick choices of change, or moved jobs in the last couple years, your habits are starting to form in stone. You will need to fight to lock in stability and then hopefully offer your spouse and family security.

Those who move churches regularly are never going to prosper spiritually. Those who run when opposition arises will find themselves always running. Those who always watch for that dream job will discover that dreams only happen when one is asleep, and dreams are very far from reality.

Pastor

Exercising Mercy (Part 3)

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
vs. 2 “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
Romans 14:4 “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

James 2:13 “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

James 4:11”Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.”
vs. 12 “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”

Do you know the murderer can find mercy, the prostitute can find mercy, the drunk can find mercy, but the one who will show no mercy, can find NONE!!!
James 2:13 ”For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy;"


Every disciple fled for his life when Jesus was arrested and crucified.
Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Matthew 26:31 “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.”

The best men fail at times.

Where was God when Adam sinned? Trying to reconcile things.
Where were you the last time someone in church messed up and fled? Were you looking for them?
Were you looking to reclaim them?

Who is the church for? For the sinless or the sinner seeking to do right?

For whom did Christ die? You understand that the reason Christ's death was so morbid, so violent, so brutal was because that is the treatment we deserved.
God laid our stripes on Jesus because that is what we should have faced.

Show me the great stories in your Bible. Let us start with the gospel of John and see how many “sinners” our Lord worked with.
John 3 - a proud foolish religious leader
John 4 - a woman with five husbands living with a sixth
John 6 - quitters because the preaching was hard to understand
John 8 - an adulterous woman

Further in the book of John we find:
• boastful Peter... “though all forsake you, I never will”
• Judas who betrayed Jesus.
• disciples who forsook Him.
• After seeing the Lord resurrected, Thomas doubted and all the rest of the disciples went back to fishing.

The Lord only worked with sinners, and mercy flowed freely.

At this moment, some of the finest of God's servants sit useless because of the judgmental spirit of God's people. I believe some of the best Christians in America sit doing nothing today because of criticism and slander. Some have been so critical and hard on others, offering absolutely no mercy, that today they too sit doing little or nothing because those who offer no mercy find no mercy.

Perhaps the greatest president America has ever had relaxes in Florida today because of arrogant, slanderous people who will give an account for every word. Sadly, when they need help from Heaven, there may be none because of their merciless treatment of a decent President.

Mercy is a wonderful commodity to give. Judgment without mercy is a terrible weapon to use against others, for it will most certainly come back on us.

Pastor

Exercising Mercy (Part 2)

Yesterday, I posted part one to this thought about having mercy on those who messed up. Today, I will continue the thought with more Bible to encourage us to have mercy and to forgive.

Luke 5:30 “But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”

Do you remember what Jesus said about the guy who looks on a woman in lust? God says he has committed adultery already in his heart. The standard of excellence God asks of us for is far beyond anything we live. We all ought to strive for Christlikeness, but as we do, we must understand how far we fall short. Because of that, we ought to have mercy on others.

John wrote that if you hate your brother, you are a murderer. He then asks how you can say you love God? (1 John 3:15)

Those first-century critics accused John the Baptist as well as Jesus.
Luke 7:33 “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.”
vs. 34 “The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!”

Twice, this crowd of shameless judges accused Jesus of being friends with sinners. (We better all be glad Jesus will be a friend of sinners, otherwise we would have no hope.)

Luke 15:1 “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”
vs. 2 “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

Luke 19:5 “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”
vs. 6 “And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.”
vs. 7 “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”

Mark this down and thank God for it!! Every time you lift your voice in prayer, Christ bows His ear to a sinner.

God bestows every blessing in your life, knowing he is doing so to a person filled with greed, selfishness, arrogance, pride, fear, doubt, and a judgmental spirit. God blesses sinners!

Every time we knock on a door and invite someone to church, we invite a sinner, a fallen, condemned, Hell-bound sinner to enter our church

Every time we shake hands with a guest in our church, we do so with a hand that is selfish, and loves the things of this world more than the things of God. What gives us the arrogance to act as though others are bad and we are good?

As Jesus stood by the woman supposedly taken in adultery (John 8), He asked that the one without sin cast the first stone. In the presence of the almighty God, they all walked out – from the greatest to the least. Jesus was the only One without sin, and He cast no stones, but instead He had mercy.

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
Matthew 6:15 “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Do you know there are people sitting out of church across America today that would like to be in church, but they know the spirit of God's people – therefore they will not go back to church. Not because of their desire to be out of church or because of their sin, but because of the attitude of God's people, these castaways are out of church and may never return again.

If someone broke the law, allow the law to do its duty; you go on loving people. If someone cannot teach or lead in a ministry, that is fine. (For logical reasons, most churches have rules on who can teach and serve in leadership and who cannot.)
…But mercy and love are commands of God.

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

God says that when a person is saved, they are washed, sanctified, and justified. How much like God are we?

Pastor

Exercising Mercy

Most of us go through life with a hope for justice, fair treatment, and a decent chance for a happy life. As we age, we come to understand that boyfriends and girlfriends hurt us, referees are crooked, and life in general can be painful. Adulthood arrives on the scene with an even more painful sting. Our experience with injustice and corrupt people begins perhaps on the playground, but it certainly finds us again before we get too old. The question is, "How do we respond."

God makes it clear that all have sinned; in fact, He says that the liar will go to hell along with the murderer.

Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

We have all broken the commands of God. We have all lived in a way that deserves death and Hell. With that obvious fact in mind, how do we respond to sinners around us? James gives us some direction.

James 2:8-12 “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:”
James 2:13 “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

Judgment without mercy? That is no place you want to live. We all should desire mercy daily! Yet, if we do not exercise mercy on those who do wrong, we are in grave danger. Yes, the law can do as it pleases, but we are not the law. We are to live like the people of God.

Jesus had many dealings with judgmental people, and they did not fare well in His world.

Matthew 9:10 “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.”
vs. 11 “And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?”

Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Matthew 9:13 “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Also see Matthew 11:19.)

Remember what Jesus said to Peter when he suggested offending people and forgiveness?
Matthew 18:22 “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

As the passage about mercy, if we mess up on this, it will have serious consequences.
Matthew 18:35 "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

Let me be clear; God has been extremely merciful to all of us, and He expects us to do the same.

Pastor

Get to the Real Trouble

Good Morning,

I heard some conservative media folks talking about certain troubles in our nation, and one asked the question, “Why?”   They were seeking an agenda.  These are good people, but they are missing a heart and head full of Bible.  

Much of the wrong in the world has a very clear “Why?” It is the devil.  Most people do not talk about God; they just beat around the bush.  A small group may speak of Him, but very few will address evil and the source of evil, Satan.  The same is true of people who will speak of Heaven compared to the number who will converse about Hell.  It is just more difficult to deal with evil.  

In reality, evil has always been present in our world, and if we do not address its origin, we will fail miserably at addressing the blessing of this life.  Of course, the answer is, we need the Lord. 

Think about our modern world.  What is being attacked, and how illogical are those attacks?  Who really wants to defund police?  Only Satan. He wants anarchy and totalitarian rulers.  Who would get young people to question their gender?  The wicked one is most pleased by that.  How about traditional roles in the home; who would try to get men to follow and woman to be the leaders?  

Allow me to take this principle a step further.  Let us think about the average “wholesome” movie, like Hallmark.  The men are almost always soft and feminine.  Women are often following a career and the man is following the gal.  Like so many other newer shows, women are rescuing the guys, solving their problems, and answering their questions – it just goes on and on.  You may even see two men sharing their deep feelings – NEVER do two men sit around sharing their heart (unless perhaps they are queer, then they might, I would not know).  

Society has been taking away anything on the playground that develops strength, courage, tenacity, or individualism.  Young couples are assured that it is okay not to buy a home, not to move out on their own, and not to try to be independent.  Parents are being told how to run their homes, and businesses are being forced to operate according to the whim of the local or national rulers.  Decision making, independence, and responsibility are being pushed out of life.  Only Satan would suggest such a thing.  

I remember a cigarette commercial from my childhood in which the slogan was, "I'd rather fight than switch."  The man had a black eye, and he was not about to change his cigarette, even if it was a fight.  What a passive, soft culture of males we are training!  Female superheroes, and women with women lovers brings males to think if they were more feminine that women might like them.  Since "I Love Lucy,” Hollywood has slowly cultivated strong, dominant women and weaker and indecisive men.  Any strong man is made out to be a fool or an unliked ogre. 

The trouble? We do not truly believe what the Bible says about evil, and we do not believe what the Bible says about right and wrong. Talk show hosts and conservative leaders can say all they want, but until they come to grips with the fact  that there is a devil and a Holy God Who gave us a  holy Book, they will all just be shooting in the dark.

Do not forget the beauty of life with God and His Word.  Enjoy it all you can. Do not allow the crazy, obscure, confused ideas around us to bring frustration and confusion to your heart. We serve a great God with a Book full of clear instructions. Let us rejoice in the clarity in the truth He put before us.?

Pastor

Common Sense

Good Morning,

We hold a Bible in our hands with an enormous section called “The Law,” and we know Jesus said, “If you love me keep my commandments,” yet somehow, we have a perspective on Christianity that says to do, “whatever you think right.”

Consider the most basic things like alcohol. The vast majority of church goers will say there is nothing wrong with drinking, as long as you do not get drunk. Most of our religious Americans will say adultery is not a good idea, but rare is the sermon when a pastor dares to cross the line of “legalistic preaching” by publicly condemning moral misconduct.

Our secular government has what was called a “sin tax” on substances like tobacco, booze, and (I believe) gambling, yet few people are willing to call anything like that sinful. The current culture dictates a “whatever you think” and “no one should ‘judge’ another” philosophy as correct.

Secular society now accepts the ideas of questioning genders and seeking to normalize perversion with a question mark on reality. We refer to mankind as advanced animals via evolution, yet we speak of every animal as male or female and recognize the vital distinction in every area of agricultural life. No one buys a thousand chicks, with no concern about gender (at least, not if they desire to raise laying hens). Roosters are of little value in that area. When someone buys a papered pet dog, the question, “Would you like a male or female?” will most certainly be asked.

Regarding the home, any sane person in any culture understands this to be a man and a woman and usually children. In fighting fruit flies, one non-chemical method used is to introduce sterile males into the area where fruit flies are found. Breeding takes place and no offspring are produced. How difficult is that to understand? Countless millions of people blindly stand on the “I just feel” kind of reasoning. Truth is absolute and must be loved and sought. To live according to the “whatever you think” idea is foolish. That is the kind of decision we make at the ice cream counter, not on abortion, opioid use, and religion.

Someone may feel it is unfair for God to threaten people with Hell, but that is what the Bible says. Some “nice” preacher may say Hell is only separation from God but not eternal fire; but that preacher will face God over that proclamation. What we feel about Hell does not matter one iota; only what God says matters.

Judas felt that it was okay to betray the Saviour. Absalom felt that it was justifiable to seek to remove his father from the throne and take the kingdom for himself (2 Samuel 15). Ananias and Sapphira (his wife) (Acts 5) lied about their giving and sought praise from men - God killed them - but I would guess they thought it was okay to be deceitful about their giving. None of these people thought it would do any harm to do what they did; they did what they thought would be okay.

Paul and John had their share of critics and slanderers, who, it seems, felt it was acceptable to criticize the Apostles,
3 John 9 “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”
vs. 10 “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

2 Timothy 4:14 “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:”
vs. 15 “Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.”

These men have discovered that their “feelings” are not a sound argument of comparison to the presence of the Lord. Like Eve, who for the past six thousand years has regretted trusting herself and personal opinion, each of us must face the fact that our hearts are deceitful ( Jeremiah 17:9).

The Bible says that men who do not work “walk disorderly” (2 Thessalonians 3:6,7,11), but society excuses lazy, slothful living and rewards it with government handouts. The issue is not about opinions and feelings, the issue is truth. Good old-fashioned ideas of right and wrong are not very popular in our current society, but they are still right.

Let us reflect back to the first comments about the Ten Commandments. As God was giving Moses the command to have no idols and not to bow down to them, Aaron was making golden calves, and the people were dancing naked to wrong music.

Exodus 32:17 “… There is a noise of war in the camp."
vs. 18 “And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.”
vs. 25 “And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)”

Opinions were unimportant; three thousand people died that day in judgment.

I speak or write often on this subject because we are bombarded with the idea that our feelings justify our actions. When some crazy person shoots folks or drives his car into them, we tend to wonder what happened. What happened is a stupid society taught too many people that their feelings justify their actions. I do not excuse anyone for their evil behavior, but educators and media are much to blame.

The Bible, Sunday school, and church are the moral compass of society. Let our goal be to get everyone back under the influence of the Lord, and then, perhaps, common sense will be a little more common.

Pastor

Right in our own Eyes

Good Morning,

While reading through the book of Judges, I feel as though I am reading a story of churches in America today.
Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

The thought is repeated at the end of the book:
Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

When there is no king or authority, each person does what he thinks is right. Without the Bible as a guide, without men of God to instruct people in the ways of God, right becomes very subjective.

The first half of the theme is presented twice more:
Judges 18:1 “In those days there was no king in Israel…"
Judges 19:1 “And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel…"

The trouble was, the people had no Bible to which they were loyal. They needed a Bible and someone to hold their feet to the fire of obedience. They needed someone to lay down the law of right and wrong.

Today, many pastors set their own standard for the manners of a pastor. They choose their own set of right and wrong, their own fashions and associations, and their own rules for behavior. Paul told Timothy how he ought to behave in the house of God. Paul commanded Timothy to:
2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me”
2 Timothy 3:14 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”

On occasion, I hear from a pastor and I wonder if I am speaking to a surfer or a sports commentator. His vocabulary matches anything but a man of God. His dress is certainly nothing distinctive for a pastor. I remember Everett Gaylor (a retired Baptist preacher who is now in Heaven) came to our church in the early days, and stayed until he went to Heaven. He often said, "The church is getting so worldly and the world so churchy that you cannot tell one from another." Now, I am not sure about the world becoming churchy, but a worldly group of churches and pastors often criticize the manner of living preached in their home churches.

The point is, too many pastors are doing what is right in their own eyes instead of listening and honoring the older pastors who have taught them.

What brought Israel out of Egypt? Humble obedience and submission to every detail of God's Word. What brought Israel across the Jordan River? Obviously, the Israelites were different; they lived quite differently than the Egyptians. When Rahab the harlot joined the people of Israel, she had to start out "outside the camp" for a time because she was from the world.

Simple obedience got the children of Israel this far; but, for some reason, everyone started trying out their own ideas rather than continuing in the things they had learned. Leadership is vital; doing what is right in our own eyes is suicidal. We need to be devoted to the Word of God and loyal to a man of God; both are consistent with the Bible.
?With all our hearts, we need to seek out the Scriptures and love them. Likewise, we need a pastor to guide us in the Word, in order that we would not lean unto our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) or do that which is right in our own eyes. I heard a young pastor say that he and others were going to "redefine fundamentalism." How pitiful for some young pastor to think he can redefine what we have embraced and loved for generations. Fundamentalism is not his to redefine, neither does he have enough wisdom or experience to redefine what he has yet to figure out. The problem is we do what is right in our own eyes and fail to have a "king" in our lives.

Judges 17:6 “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

For four hundred years, the children of Israel followed their own path. Without loyalty to God or a spiritual leader, they repeatedly made wrong choices. They would be blessed, but then forget God and find themselves in bondage; that pattern repeated itself over and over again.

Judges 3:7 “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Balaam and the groves.”

Only a brief time of victory passed before they would backslide again:
vs. 12 “And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.”

After a short deliverance, again, the Israelites drifted back into sin:
Judges 4:1 “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.”

Today, many pastors and Bible college teachers are changing the Bible because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes; they are justifying worldliness because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes; they are changing the old songs of the church because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes; they are bringing dance teams and rock bands into the church because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes.

Parents are failing to keep their children in Sunday school because having them involved in sports seems RIGHT in their own eyes. Christian mothers are trying to raise children without the father because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes. Well-meaning parents are sending their inexperienced seventeen or eighteen-year-old young people into hell holes called university campuses because it seems RIGHT in their own eyes. This list of decisions based upon feeling something is “right in his own eyes” goes on and on, but one thing is sure — we must get back to the Bible.

Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Reading our Bibles, listening to much preaching, and staying active in a good church are all extremely important. Doing what is RIGHT in our own eyes can do a great deal of damage.

Pastor

Purpose Defined

Dear Friends,

A few years ago, our daughter and her family were visiting from out of state.  One of her children was getting so sick she chose to make an emergency room visit.  After calling a friend who works there, we were met with not only medical help but a friend.  We chatted for a while, then the nurse said something very important, "I am not here to be a friend but to get him well."  Then she pulled out two syringes and thrust the needles into the chubby little thighs bringing about extra noise to the emergency room, but also bringing help to the little one.

Many times, we do not do what we should do because we are stuck on being nice or friendly, or striving to avoid hurting people.  In reality, we have forgotten our purpose.

In each situation, we must know our purpose.  Why are we here?  What is our duty or role?  
Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”
vs. 36 “And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.”
vs. 37 “And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.”
vs 38 “And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.”

Jesus had risen before the sun to pray.  Peter found Him to tell Him how many people were waiting to see Him; Peter assumed Jesus would come straight to the crowds.  Instead, Jesus pointed out the reason for all actions, "...for therefore came I forth."  There was a reason Jesus came, and that reason had to motivate His every action.  In this case,  Jesus came to preach all over the area, not just to stay in one little village and preach.  It is the same for all of us.  The father has a responsibility to provide for his family, therefore, he must work.  He has children to raise, a marriage to nurture, and a church in which to serve.  Many things motivate our actions, but few are based on feelings.  

Jesus explained the events to come and that His life would be forfeited.  Peter did not think that was a good idea at all; Peter had his own idea of what was good and bad.

Matthew 16:22 “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.”
vs. 23 “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Peter was thinking like a man and loving the things a man would love; rather than thinking like God.  Peter simply did not want Jesus to have to die.  Was that so bad?  But Jesus said, "...for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."  God had a will that had to be fulfilled.  

Jesus called him "Satan."  Anyone who tries to prevent us from doing the will of God is satanic.  This principle fits with countless areas of life from disciplining children to reading our Bibles.  Some things are right; the subject is not up for debate. 
 
Rarely, have young people had serious trouble in our school, but it has happened. When the young person finds himself in the principal's office, tears of remorse are often present (not because of physical discipline; we do not do that).  Our principal, having done this job for decades, is not moved at all by tears.  Someone’s crying is no reason to change your course of action.  Regarding children, Proverbs 19:18 says, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.”  Crying should not convince you to change your course of action.  

Crying reporters should have ZERO effect on legislation.  Loud cries of hired protestors should carry no weight at all in political situations.  Children, still underage to vote, should be told to stay out of politics until they have reached the age at which their opinion is respected.   We have a system of legislation that allows the majority to rule when votes reach a certain point.  Screaming people do not or should not overrule the will of the populace.  (With a Constitutional Republic, the majority should not overrule the rights of the individual either, but that is another subject.)   In summary, feelings, emotions, tragic situations, and hurt to some or many does not change the necessity of doing right each day.  

Capital punishment is right because God says it is right, but it is also right because our legal system says it is right.  The fact that a life is being taken as punishment is not reason enough NOT to administer justice.  Some people commit deeds worthy of death.  To allow emotions to rule in a courtroom, a classroom, or the baby's room is wrong.  We are a people of laws and rules, both as Americans and as Christians.  Emotion is good but must always be subject to right and reason.  Why are we here?  What is our duty?  What are our obligations?  These questions ought to dictate our daily lives.  

For a mother to homeschool her children requires her to step out of her "mom" shoes and put on “teacher” shoes.  Switching roles is not easy, and many people cannot do it.  For a busy manager to be a good husband, he needs to determine when he is to be "husband" and not answer the phone from work.  When one child requires extra care, a wise parent must not neglect the other children because of the one’s special needs.  Each child needs mom and dad, and each one needs unique training; duty may cause you to step away from the needy child so as to fulfill your responsibility toward the other children.  Yes, you are in college and dating, but you have to pay your bills,  pass your classes, and walk with God.  To allow one responsibility to create failure in another area is folly.  

Each day, a mom needs to prayerfully ask God, "What am I to do today?"  Each college student or father needs to ask the same question; life is far too complicated to allow our actions to be determined by the feelings and emotions of the hour.   

Pastor