The Schnell Channel

Are You Pondering What I’m Pondering?

2012-01-31T12:07:00.001-07:00

When I was growing up there was a cartoon called, “Pinky and the Brain”. Pinky and the Brain were two lab mice who had been genetically altered to change their intelligence level. Unfortunately it seemed that Pinky’s alteration failed and left him as unintelligent and random as ever, and Brain’s alteration caused him to fixate on taking over the world using his newfound knowledge. Night after night, Pinky and the Brain would escape from their cage and attempt to take over the world using some new radical plan devised by Brain himself. Brain would look to Pinky as they were beginning their escape and ask, “Pinky, are you pondering what I’m pondering?” And Pinky would say something obviously wrong like, “I think so Brain, but if they called them ‘sad meals’ the kids wouldn’t buy them.” Even though Brain’s plan seemed air tight every night, Pinky always found a way to disturb the balance and cause everything to come crashing down around them, forcing them to go back to the drawing board until the next night, when they would again try to take over the world.

^“21Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

People think of a lot of things. We think about how we might do this or do that, how we might get rich or how we might make a better life for our families, how we might take revenge on a sworn enemy or how we might make up for a wrong done to a loved one, but in all the plans we make in our lives, we must remember one thing: Only the counsel of the Lord will stand. Our “Brains” can think of a lot of plans, but if those plans are not made according to God’s will and God’s counsel, they will inevitably fall. Remember the words of our brother James that he wrote years ago in James 4:13-15:

“¹³Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’¹⁴ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ Instead say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’”

In all our plans, let us remember to consider first God’s will for our lives, and then if it is pleasing to Him we will do the things we plan. Let us remember that we are servants of God first, and that our desires are not as important as God’s will.

If you are in the Sacramento area and are looking for a congregation who tries to do things in a way that always puts God’s will first, come visit the Mariposa Avenue Church of Christ. Hope to see you soon!

Are You Connected?

2012-01-24T13:56:00.001-07:00

In the world we live in today connection is crucial. We have more ways to connect today than ever before. We’ve got telephones, cell-phones, email, instant messaging, Facetime, Facebook, Skype, and the list continues to grow as time goes by. Connecting to other humans is a natural desire, but sometimes what we find when we connect with others is not what we expected. Sometimes we “connect” with a police officer who has pulled us over for speeding, and that’s not exactly what we hoped for. Sometimes we “connect” with the principal at school when we’ve misbehaved, and that’s not really a pleasant connection to make. Sometimes, though, connections are good things, and we receive help from them or are encouraged by them. Maybe it was the counselor you spoke to about a problem you were having and they advised you about a way to peacefully (and legally) resolve it. Maybe it was a parent who gave some good advice that you took, for once, and great things began happening in your life. No matter what connections we make in life, we have to decide which ones are important enough to keep and which ones we want to leave behind us.

In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul talks about how much he wanted to know how the Thessalonian church was progressing in the faith. He wanted to know so badly that when he was hindered from going to them (1 Thess. 2:18) he sent Timothy in his place to get an update about their faith in the Lord. In Chapter 3:6, Paul receives word from Timothy about the Thessalonians. Read Paul’s reaction in 1 Thessalonians 3:6-8:

⁶ But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, ⁷ for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; ⁸ for now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

Paul is impressive. Every time that we read about him being imprisoned or mistreated, his first concern is whether or not the gospel is being heard and whether or not his fellow Christians are remaining faithful to Christ and continuing to grow in Him. Paul was tied to these new Christians in Thessalonica very closely. This close bond that Paul felt is an example of true Christianity being allowed to control the thoughts and feelings of an individual. Did Paul let himself feel depressed because he was in prison? Nope. In contrast, as long as the church was continuing to be faithful to the Lord, he was content in his own circumstances.

Paul had made a lot of connections with a lot of people in his life, whether it was the praetorian guard, or Caesar or anyone else. Paul decided that as a Christian, the connections he needed were those of fellow Christians. Those connections brought him closer to God, and allowed him to find joy even in the most difficult of situations.

How do your connections work? Do the connections you have chosen for yourself give you the advantages that Christian connections do, or do you find yourself being brought down by your connections? If you want to be brought higher than the influences of the world can bring you, get some connections with the church. Not just any “church” either, but a church who is trying to follow the New Testament and nothing else. If they are truly trying to be what the New Testament calls them to be, you will be lifted up by your interaction with them, and you will find that they call you to a higher place than the world does.

If you are in the Sacramento area and are looking for a group of people who try to follow the New Testament, come visit the Mariposa Avenue Church of Christ in Citrus Heights.

Hey, What’s That In Your Eye?

2011-12-06T12:56:00.001-07:00

For thousands of years people have been studying the life of Christ. Many different kinds of approaches have been used in looking at Christ; some want to prove that He wasn’t perfect, some want to prove that He was, some want to find some way that He contradicts Himself, some want to find out what He has to say about their current struggle. The approaches go on and on, but the point is that we look at every facet of Jesus’ life, and we focus on every detail of every situation He was ever in, and how He dealt with it. We examine Jesus as though He were on a slide under a microscope. What is truly amazing is that even under such close scrutiny, Jesus is seen to be perfect in every situation every time.

We know how to look closely at a person to see if they are really what they say they are. We don’t just look at Jesus, but we look at others as well. But in all this scrutiny that goes on, we must remember to look at ourselves. We need to ask ourselves the hard questions, and look at every situation we have a part in and think about whether we behaved in a Godly way or not, and whether or not we were a good representation of what it means to “be a Christian” to those looking on.

It’s easy to overlook our own shortcomings in order to point out a fault in someone else, and so we need to be careful not to do that. True Christians examine themselves first, then turn their eyes outward to see how to help others in their walk with God. Jesus points this out to us in Matthew 7:3-5 when He says:

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

What an embarrassing situation to be in, right? The picture painted is the equivalent of a man who is so drunk he can barely stand on his feet reprimanding the man next to him for having a drinking problem! Not only is it embarrassing, but any instruction we would give loses its weight and meaning when we fail to apply it in our own lives. Self-examination is of the utmost importance in the life of a Christian. Let’s be sure and be honest with ourselves so that we can be of the greatest help to others.

There’s a Rainbow in the Cloud

2011-08-23T13:38:00.001-06:00

Rainbows are fascinating to me. I remember being a child and playing with the hose, making a mist out of the water, and seeing the rainbow produced in it. While that was cool, it was even more special to see a true rainbow in the sky. I remember looking up, just after it had stopped raining, and seeing a beautiful rainbow as the sun began to show itself through the clouds.

People have attached many meanings and stories to rainbows, small children probably think about the funny little man with a green suit sitting on a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. While many stories have been told about rainbows, let’s remember together the true purpose of the rainbow, and why God made it:

“Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying…‘I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.’”

-Genesis 9:8, 11-15

When the rainbow appears in the cloud, it is not simply a beautiful part of God’s wonderful creation, but is also a reminder to us concerning God’s covenant, that He would not ever again cover the earth with water. Also, we are told that at the same time that we are looking at that rainbow, God also is looking at it, and He recognizes His covenant with the earth as well.

Ever since the time of Noah, God has never covered the entire earth with water. The rainbow reminds us of the fact that God always honors His word, and always keeps His promises. It is comforting to know that, even in a time of lawyers and loopholes, God will always keep His word. As we strive to be more like God, let’s keep our word, and always be dependable.

Don’t take MY Word for It

2011-07-12T12:07:00.001-06:00

The feeding of the 5,000 is a wonderful account of one of the miracles of Jesus. One of the places we find it recorded is in Luke 9:12-17. Here is the text, take a gander:

¹² Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” ¹³ But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ They did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. ¹⁷ And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

What an amazing thing! I am constantly impressed by the miracles Jesus performed during His time on earth. With only a few loaves of bread and two fish Jesus was able to feed five thousand men!

Something that often gets overlooked as a minor detail, however, is the fact that Jesus had the men sit in groups of about 50 each. While we aren’t told specifically why Jesus said this, we can probably assume that He was setting a precedent for the church that only 50 people should meet in a single worship service on Sunday. Yes…I’m sure that’s it.

Does that last paragraph seem strange to anyone else? It seems strange to me. Maybe it’s the fact that Jesus never said this was a precedent that must be followed, or that the main point of this account has nothing to do with how many were in each group of men, but it seems like quite a stretch to force this into a command for the church to follow, doesn’t it?

It seems like a stretch because it’s wrong. Sometimes we read one article or another, or one commentary or another, and just take the writer’s word for it, even though some of the things proposed are as preposterous as the claim that “only 50 people should meet in a single worship services”. We can weed out this type of error by checking the words of writers with the Scriptures.

Be careful of these types of false teaching when you are studying. They’ll creep up on you, and before you know it they’ll have you believing false doctrine. Make sure you study the Scriptures yourself, and don’t just take someone’s word for it!

When Will I Ever Use this in REAL Life?

2011-05-10T14:38:00.001-06:00

That question is uttered by more students in high schools taking Trigonometry and Calculus than any other class, by my estimation . There are a great many things in this life that we simply do not see the use for when we are experiencing it. We look at difficult things we endure and wonder, “Why me?” If you have ever found yourself in a difficult situation asking yourself that question, you may have found comfort in a few verses in the beginning of the book of James:

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

The answer to why we go through difficult circumstances and unpleasant events in life is so that we might become stronger. In the same way that gold is refined by fire, our character is refined by the difficult things we endure.

The gold refining process is an interesting example for our lives. When gold is brought in to be refined, the fire is turned up so that the gold melts down and the impurities within it float to the surface. The refiner then skims those impurities off the top, leaving a purer gold in the fire. Once the gold is allowed to cool, it is then put back into the fire, except the fire is turned up higher and hotter, and more of the impurities float to the top and are skimmed off. This process is repeated until no impurities are left rising to the top, and you have pure gold.

Do you get it? Look at your life. When do your impurities and your character flaws show themselves most often? Answer: When you are going through something extremely difficult. When difficult circumstances arise, our goal is to skim those impurities out of our lives. Fight the urge to lash out in anger. Fight the urge to throw a bad attitude at the ones you love. You will be purer for it when you come through the other side of the difficulty.

So once I go through one difficult circumstance or painful experience, I’m done, right? I wish. Unfortunately, life continually throws pain and discomfort our way. This is the part of refining your character where the fire gets turned up higher and hotter and you become more pure through the more difficult trials you endure. Our experiences as an individual build on one another and help us to deal with more and more stressful trials.

Look at yourself as you are now. Think of all the difficulties you have gone through in the past and think of how those things have made you purer. Perhaps now you are more patient, more compassionate, more loving, more generous. In reality, the list of benefits we receive from enduring difficult things is quite long. Now look at the troubles you are currently having to endure. The difficulties you endured in the past ARE helping you to cope with whatever it is you are currently dealing with.

When we ask ourselves, “Why me,” the answer is plain. To make you strong. If you were already strong, it is to make you stronger. Through your difficulties you are able to be refined, to be made purer. Our difficulties (which can seem endless at times) provide us opportunities to grow into better people than we are currently. Don’t waste your opportunities! Use them, and become purer and more like Christ through them.

That’s how you use James 1:2-4 in “real life” .

Bible Study: Where do Commentaries Fit In?

2011-04-21T12:01:00.003-06:00

Last week’s post touched on some of the basics of how to study your Bible. We talked about reading a verse or two, asking questions of those verses, and searching in the surrounding verses for the answers to those questions. This process will usually serve you well. God did an excellent job (imagine that ) at making His Word understandable. Most of the time the answers you need are placed plainly in front of you, and it only takes some time and effort to find them. However, there are some times when you have trouble making sense of what’s going on in a passage, or you simply want to see what conclusions others have come to about a passage you are studying. When you begin feeling this way there are a couple of routes you can take.

Your first route, and probably the most obvious, is to talk with other Christians. Talk together about the scriptures you have been studying. This will help them and you! It helps them because they are talking about scripture and studying when they may not have otherwise. It helps you because you get another point of view on the scriptures you are studying. Don’t be afraid to be wrong, and don’t be afraid to defend the conclusions you have come to. If the conclusions you have come to have good evidence to support them, you just may be right! Discussing Scriptures and the application of them with other Christians is an excellent way to edify one another and to help each other grow in the faith.

Your second route is to look at a commentary. Before we go any further, we need to understand some facts about commentaries:

Commentaries are NOT inspired by God.
Reading a commentary is exactly the same as asking someone their point of view on a passage.
Commentaries are NOT inspired by God.

Did I write one of those twice? Ah well, too late to go back and change it now . In all seriousness, we must understand that commentaries are simply what one person thinks about a scripture. A good commentary will give you evidence and help you to look back to the text with a critical eye and take into consideration all the evidence that is there. A bad commentary will give you a conclusion with no evidence to support it. When you open a commentary and read it, you’ll know which one you have.

Studying God’s Word is crucial to our Christianity, and commentaries can help you to understand and draw conclusions about passages that are difficult. However, you must be careful with commentaries, since they are NOT inspired by God, they are the writings of uninspired men. Commentaries may have mistakes in them, they may (depending on the writer) teach false doctrine, and so caution is necessary. In the same way, we need to be careful when we talk with other Christians. They are not always right, and neither are you! We all make mistakes, but we all should continue to grow together. As you study if you remember that God’s Word is inspired and is always correct, you will do well. Next week we are going to discuss even more options for studying your Bible, and how you can find evidence on your own instead of depending on others to present it to you. Happy Studying!

How do You Study Your Bible?

2011-04-14T13:32:00.001-06:00

What does it mean to study the Bible? We are constantly being encouraged to “study more” or “study ahead” for Bible class, but what does that actually mean? Is it more than simply reading the scriptures? If it is, what is involved? Is it hard? All these questions come to mind when we start thinking about studying the scriptures, and sometimes they stop us from even opening the book because we are too intimidated by these unanswered queries. In this post we are going to look at those questions and practice some Bible study tips to help you get started.

First, it is more than simply reading the scriptures. The difference between reading the Bible and studying the Bible is much the same as the difference between reading a textbook and studying the material that is there to learn. Studying has more depth than simple reading. Studying will give you more benefit than simple reading. In short, studying is way better.

Since studying the Scriptures is much better than simply reading them, we need to understand what “study” involves. The simple explanation is this: study involves asking questions of the verse and looking around it for answers. Let’s look at an example together to see what I mean:

^“Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”
-Luke 7:49 (NASB)

First, read the verse and mark some questions you yourself have. After you have done that, take a look at a few I have for it:

Who are the ones reclining at the table?
Who is the “Him” they were reclining with?
Whose sins were forgiven?

Take a look in the verses surrounding verse 49 and see if you can find the answers to these questions as well as any others you may have come up with. My answers are upside down on the bottom of this article, but do yourself a favor and try to answer them yourself before looking!

*Hint: All the answers are found from Luke 7:36-50.

*Hint: You may have questions that are not answered! That probably means the answer is not important to the text.

The questions you have may differ from mine, but the answers should all come from the same place: the Scriptures. This process of asking questions and finding answers to them in the Scriptures IS studying your Bible. Remember this process, and use it often! Happy studying!

Highlight the text below this sentence to find the answers!

Answers Below:

1. We aren’t told!
2. Jesus – Luke 7:40
3. The Immoral Woman – Luke 7:37ff

And Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide…Right?

2011-01-11T15:55:00.001-07:00

The children’s cartoon “Pinocchio” has some very memorable moments, from the time that the marionette first was given life to when his nose grew and grew until birds nested in the end of it because of his lies. While there are many memorable moments, one of the lines that has continued to be said for many years is found in the song of Jiminy Cricket, as he is teaching Pinocchio about living life and knowing what to do when you face temptation. Jiminy tells Pinocchio that when things are tough and you can’t tell right from wrong, always let your conscience be your guide.

Many have this same philosophy, but they say it a little different. They might say, “Just go with your gut” or “Follow your heart.” The idea is that when you don’t know exactly what to do, you ought to do what you think is right at the time. On the surface this sounds like a philosophy that might work out just fine! We all try to do what’s right, right? But when we think a little more about what this sort of philosophy entails, we come to a more sinister understanding. If everyone follows their own heart, and everyone goes with their own gut, we will find trouble with God.

There was a society that “followed their heart” and “always let their conscience be their guide.” They were the nation of Israel, and we find their history in the Old Testament in the Bible. In the book of Judges we can read about the idols they served and the evils they did in the sight of the One True God. As you near the end of the book of Judges, you find a telling statement concerning Israel during these dark times:

“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

-Judges 17:6

When we do what we believe to be right without consulting God’s greater wisdom, we often find ourselves doing wrong without even knowing it!

Some would object, saying, “God gave me my conscience, and so I know I can trust it!” This statement is only partially true. Has God given you a conscience? Yes. But the question still remains, can we always trust our conscience to guide us? The answer to that question is an emphatic and resounding, NO. We cannot always trust our conscience to guide us, because the Scriptures plainly identify that our conscience can be corrupted and changed:

“…some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron…”

-1 Timothy 4:1-2

Our conscience can be trained to believe that something right is actually wrong, but can also be trained to believe something wrong is actually right! Through our practices we must be careful to be true to God’s Word, for through our practices our conscience will be trained. If we depart from God’s Word and train our conscience to believe a falsehood, we will be weaker for it. Let us train our conscience in truth, leave false or inaccurate traditions behind, and do as God says, even if the Scriptures go against what we feel.

What’s the Magic Word?

2010-11-19T09:44:00.001-07:00

Before I begin my discussion of the subject at hand, I would like to clarify that Jack Wilkie is my brother in Christ and we both have the same goal in mind: to do what God desires for us to do. Although I disagree with Jack on the point under discussion, I still consider him a brother in Christ and a fellow servant of God. I am not maliciously going after Jack personally, but rather am simply attempting to make clear a subject that has been muddled by some false application of concepts.

A few days ago Jack posted a blog in which he presented his thoughts on why he believes watching and/or reading the books in the “Harry Potter” series is sinful. If you would like to read his arguments (and I would suggest you do, since I am dealing only with the arguments he has presented) they can be found here under the blog post “Hocus Pocus?” I will list the arguments specifically as clearly as I can and answer them the most truthful way I know how.

ARGUMENT #1: The Bible condemns the practice of Sorcery and Witchcraft and the Sorts of things happening in Harry Potter fall under the category of Sorcery and Witchcraft.

ANSWER #1: Yes the things being portrayed in the movies would be considered witchcraft. If I were to practice witchcraft I would be in violation of God’s commands. I am not, however, practicing witchcraft by watching a movie. Next argument.

ARGUMENT #2: Watching fictional witchcraft is the same as watching fictional sexual immorality.

ANSWER #2: There is at least one major difference between the two: Watching fictional sexual immorality (in most cases) is going to cause me to lust after the people portraying the fiction because of the activities they are engaging in on the screen. This is why watching this sort of content is wrong. However, we cannot compare watching sex on screen to watching a boy say “abra cadabra” and a book floating in the air. We have two totally different discussions on our hands at this point. The reasoning behind not watching sexual immorality is solid, but does not apply to Harry Potter, or other such movies.

ARGUMENT #3: It is wrong for us to be entertained by fictional characters using fictional spells because some people still attempt to use spells/witchcraft in real life.

ANSWER #3: Obviously just because some people are extremely misguided does not change whether or not something is wrong or right in the eyes of God. Whether or not “Wiccans” and “Witches and Warlocks” still exist is of no consequence in a discussion of right and wrong. The very mention of other people in this discussion, however, opens a door that I would like to step boldly through. If we converted a “practicing” witch or warlock or a Wiccan, it is possible that having them sit down and watch Harry Potter with me for entertainment would place a significant stumbling block in front of them because of their background. They may begin wondering if witchcraft is alright to still practice, or they may be reminded of their days spent “spell-casting” and lapse back into practicing something God condemns. In this case I would be sinning because I am not considering the greatest good of my brother. Again, I am not sinning simply because I am entertained by “abra cadabra” and a floating book, but because I am damaging the conscience of my brother in the process (1 Corinthians 10:23ff).

Joe Wilkie made an interesting statement concerning some of the characters in the Scriptures. In Hebrews 11 we have our “heroes of faith” who are discussed and brought up by name. Among those names we find Rahab. Rahab was a harlot, a prostitute, and a liar. I ask myself at this point, does the fact that she was a harlot and a liar make her story less inspiring? Does it make her story sinful for me to read about? No. I can focus on the good she did for God and the overall moral of the story rather than the fact that she was a liar and a prostitute. We can do the same with Harry Potter. We can place our focus on the moral of the story instead of thinking “OOOOOOOO!!! I wanna do MAAAAGIC!”

ARGUMENT #4: Harry Potter has dark undertones and this makes it sinful to watch.

ANSWER #4: I ask the question: do dark undertones make a movie sinful to watch? The darkness that is there is portrayed by the evil characters, not the protagonist Harry. The evil is triumphed over at the end (I assume). The idea that “It isn’t Bambi and so it sinful” is a bit far-fetched. Also, as a side note, swearing can be dealt with by purchasing a filter for your DVD player that can remove the swearing so that when you rent/buy the movie you don’t have to deal with it being placed in your ears. Also worthy of note: Harry Potter has very little if any swearing within the movies that I can recall. It has been some time since I have indulged them, but I wanted to make the statement.

Conclusion:

I don’t see any damning evidence being presented in these arguments. Would it be wrong for a Christian to begin worshipping “House Gryffindor” or “House Slytherin?” Absolutely. Would it be wrong for a Christian to begin attempting to learn how to cast magic spells using power from sources other than God? Absolutely. But is it wrong for me to watch a movie where a writer has created a fictional story about a little boy who can use magic and goes to a school for “gifted individuals” where he deals with moral dilemmas and issues of right and wrong, heroism and villainy? I have yet to see where the Bible would condemn such an action.

Make Melody in Your Heart to the Lord

2010-10-27T13:05:00.001-06:00

We like variety. Just look at the world around us and you’ll see it’s true. God made the world for us to enjoy, and He didn’t make it bland. He didn’t make it black and white only. He made it full of color and depth and beauty. Think of an animal or insect (like a butterfly) that you find beautiful. There are scientists who have dedicated their lives to studying individual insects and animals. Each time that scientist finds a butterfly, he most certainly marvels at the beauty found in the wings and the designs and patterns displayed on them. He may look at that butterfly for several minutes or hours, but after some time he will find another butterfly, beautiful just as the last, but also with its own unique qualities. While he still admires the beauty of the previous butterfly, he spends his current time focusing his gaze on the new, perhaps comparing it to the old, and ultimately he will place the new alongside the old and turn his gaze to the next beautiful specimen he has found, which will go through the same process.

Think now, what if that scientist had simply become completely absorbed in the first butterfly he found? He saw the intricate designs on the wings, the exquisite colors and the beauty they created as he continued to focus ever more intently on the minute details and the individual lines and curves, never taking his eyes away, even for a second. How sad for the scientist as we, the onlookers, see that had he shifted his gaze, even for a moment, he would have seen all the other butterflies that had come to rest on his now slumped shoulders and hunched over back. How much richer his existence could have been, had he simply looked around him!

We recognize the good that can come from variety, but many times we become set in our ways just as this man did. There is an idea within the brotherhood that there are certain songs which are “worship songs” and others which are “devotional songs.” Some Christians have gotten the idea that only “worship songs” are proper to sing when the church meets on Sunday and Wednesday. “Devotional songs” typically are songs that more recent songwriters have written in praise of our God. I pose the question: “What makes these songs less worthy to be sung by gathered Christians in praise of our God?”

As you search for the answer, try this on for size and see if it fits. “I just grew up singing...these other songs.” This is one of the major points of reasoning used by those who decide we shouldn’t sing more recent songs, although biblically correct, in praise and worship to our Creator. Perhaps we are guilty of looking at the beauty we have always had in front of us with the songs we grew up with, to the neglect of the other beautiful things that have landed all around us. Don’t just dismiss new songs, learn them! Write them! Be honest with the songs and don’t just sit in your tradition and “sing what you’ve always sung, because it’s what we’ve always sung and we all know it.” SING BECAUSE IT PRAISES THE LORD! Sing because it TEACHES a good lesson! Sing because it EDIFIES your brethren! Do your best to find the beauty in everything, even new songs.

“…be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:18–19 (NAS)

Time for Prayer

2010-08-25T12:55:00.001-06:00

My wife Katherine and I, as many of you know, have recently moved to the state of California. This is quite a move for us, as both of us were raised in Oklahoma, which is farther than a day’s drive away, to say the least. Adjusting to being so far from home takes time and it isn’t the easiest task. Something that helps, though, is lots and lots of phone calls to family back home. There’s just something about being able to talk to them and let them know what is happening out here with us that is comforting.

In the same way that it is comforting to speak to our parents over the phone, it is also comforting for Christians to speak to their Lord in prayer. Through prayer we are allowed the privilege to speak to our Lord and receive the comfort that comes in knowing He listens and takes care of us. Our life here on this earth can be very difficult sometimes. We deal with sin, death, love, hate, anger, and all the stressful situations that those things bring on us. Whenever we find ourselves in a tough spot, we must remember that our Lord is there for us and wants to help us.

Most of us recognize that God is there to help us in the tough times, but sometimes when He helps us and the solution is applied, we forget our God. Just like the Israelites in the Old Testament, when things are going well for us we tend to forget about our God and believe that we can take care of ourselves and we don’t need His help. That, dear hearts, is a thought and belief we must not hold. We must remember God in the good times, in the easy times. When we forget God, we forget that He is the One who made the times good that we are in.

Let us remember God and remember to talk with Him regularly. Many of us take time to pray before we consume a meal, but those prayers often become simply repetitions of the same words you always say. How would you feel if when you spoke to your children they always said the same few words to you? Many times we think God is satisfied with a few sentences repeated over and over again. God desires more than memorized words that have no real meaning. He desires to know YOU and know YOUR struggles and YOUR happiness. Take the time to really speak with the Lord. Tell Him your innermost feelings, what you want and what you are thankful for. Praise Him for being the wonderful God He is. Praise Him for taking care of you. Praise Him for providing His Son as a sacrifice for you. Tell Him whatever is on your mind, He will be there to listen for as long as you are willing to speak.

Assignment: Each day this week, pray to God one more time than you normally would. Tell God how your day was and what trouble you had and what you need help with, and what you are thankful for.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Built for a Purpose

2010-08-18T13:29:00.001-06:00

During the 2008 Summer Olympics, Michael Phelps became widely known for his ability to swim faster than any other swimmer in the competition. As the competition went on, the announcers began studying him and found that the length and size of his limbs and body lends itself to swimming quickly. The basic idea is that his body is like a machine built for swimming.

How amazing would it be to have your body formed and proportioned to be effective at one specific task, and then to find that task and become practiced and trained in it? The example we find in Mr. Phelps is applicable to each one of us, spiritually. Each one of us has been designed, spiritually, to be effective at a specific task that God has set before us.

Think about that fact for a moment. You, if you are a Christian right now, have been given a spiritual gift from God. Your spiritual self is formed in such a way that you are going to be effective at something in the Lord’s church. That is truly an exciting prospect, is it not?

In addition to the knowledge and excitement we feel over having this gift from God, we also have a responsibility. God has placed a spiritual gift into your care. You are a steward of that spiritual gift, and you are expected to use it in service to the Lord. Your gift may be any number of different things. You may be gifted in evangelism, in teaching, in serving others, in leading, in encouraging others, in being merciful, or your gift may be in some other area of life.

As you are considering your spiritual gift or are attempting to discover your spiritual gift, you do need to keep in mind that the scriptures do teach that some spiritual gifts, like prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miraculous knowledge, have been done away with. So your spiritual gift won’t be one of those (1 Corinthians 13). As a Christian, you are responsible to find and develop the spiritual gift you have been given by God. Let’s all adventure together and find our spiritual gifts and make use of them together to the building up of the body of Christ.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

-1 Corinthians 12:4–7

The Bible: More than a Children’s Book

2010-07-01T15:55:00.001-06:00

As you may already know, I am a minister at the West Visalia Church of Christ in Visalia, California. We have begun implementing a program aimed at the children in the congregation called, “The 66 Club”. The point of the program is to help the youngsters memorize scriptures and learn the 66 books of the Bible in order. The passages they learn are strategically grouped into certain subjects the Bible covers so that the children can not only be learning scripture, but learning to place those scriptures together with others of the same type or subject. The program is doing very well and the children are learning habits that will benefit them as they continue their walk in Christ.

One thing is unfortunate.

Many Christians, as they get older, tend to forget this rudimentary part of following Christ. Many “adult” Christians forget to study and learn and really KNOW the scriptures. These children run around the building quoting more scripture than many of the so-called “adult” Christians may know themselves! It is a tragedy when we forget to study and know the Scriptures. We should be able to say more than just “I know Acts 2:38!” We need to have a mind set on the Scriptures so that we can offer words of wisdom to each person to comes into contact with us every day! The lost need the gospel, and we are the ones who have been entrusted to give it to them. Let us truly fulfill what has been set before us to do, and know the scriptures backwards and front, and be able to teach them to others so that they can be with God and us for eternity! Love them the way you were loved by God. Sacrifice a little of your time on earth to study God’s word and help others to know it as well.

“Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. ”

-Colossians 4:5–6

Surprises

2010-05-18T14:24:00.001-06:00

Our lives here on earth are full of surprises. Sometimes those surprises are good and sometimes they are bad, but they are surprises none the less. Many times the bad surprises seem to happen in rapid succession, one right after the other, and it can sometimes seem that we will never again see a day where something good happens unexpectedly. Sometimes during our stay here on earth the bad seems like it doesn’t let up, like there is no rest for the weary, and like every good thing has been beaten into non-existence.

Other times, the good seems to pile on like a triple-scoop ice cream cone made with your favorite ice cream. There seems to be no end to the wonderful things our God places in our hands. All our efforts prosper, we have the right words at the right times, we know how to maneuver our way through difficult situations, and we feel like we could scale a mountain in a single step, if we put our mind to it.

Life is full of these ups and downs, these hills and valleys, these mountains and ravines. Sometimes our highs seem too high, and sometimes our lows seem too low. Then a ray of light shines through our cloudy day showing us the way to get back up off the bottom and begin climbing again. A foothold presents itself, and we take it, and begin the process over again.

No matter what situation you find yourself in, remember to praise God. In Philippians 4, Paul writes these words from the prison he was placed in:

“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul knew how to be content, and taught us something about the valleys. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas had their robes torn off them, they were beaten with rods, and then they were thrown into prison. The next verse goes like this:

“But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God…”

The way to contentment is found through total and complete trust in our Lord. When we know He is watching over us and caring for us, we are able to be content wherever we are and in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

-Hebrews 13:8

Among all the surprises life brings, there is One who is not surprising, in fact He has been the same forever. Trust in Christ, trust in His teachings, and remember to praise Him always.

A Helping Hand

2010-04-14T14:39:00.002-06:00

As you may or may not know, I enjoy playing video games on a regular basis. It helps calm me down, helps me to leave behind any stress I am currently feeling. Sometimes, however, the video games can CAUSE more stress than they relieve. If you’ve ever played a difficult game you know what I mean. There was a certain game I was playing that had a seemingly impossible foe to defeat. After half an hour of straight deaths, I placed the controller on the end table next to the chair and went to bed.

The next day I was back at it, grinding through enemies to get to the juggernaut at the end, only to die without much resistance. I had no idea how I was going to overcome this challenge, so I decided to do some exploring elsewhere in the game. I came across a famed soldier who was held in a cage, which I conveniently held the key to. After a short conversation, I freed him in exchange for his help with my problem.

I then proceeded back to the nearly impossible battle, entered the arena with my helper by my side, and began fighting. The battle was over in a matter of a minute and a half. All I needed was a helping hand.

Evangelism can be one of those tasks that seem at the very least daunting, and quite possibly impossible to undertake alone. We can find ourselves saying, “I need to spread the gospel” or “I know he’s lost and in need of Christ,” but many times also we find ourselves, in those very same situations, making little or no effort to do the work we see needing to be done. We shy away from our Christian duty to teach Christ to others, to let our light shine before men. Sometimes, we need a helping hand.

In the New Testament we see patterns of evangelists and disciples going out to spread the gospel in pairs. Why is this? One of the reasons is so that they would be able to encourage each other and to help each other evangelize. Alone, the early disciples would have become discouraged and failed in their duty to God. Together, however, they were able to turn the world upside down.

If you find yourself shying away from evangelism, take someone with you to help encourage you. Find a partner. Married people, take your spouse. It’s easy, just find a friend who can help you, and go with them. The amount of courage you feel having someone at your side working with you will amaze you, and the effect you have on those around you will too.

You may well say, “I don’t have anyone who wants to go with me!” And physically that may be true. But never forget the One who goes with you in spirit whenever you are doing His work and abiding in His will. He will not fail you or forsake you. He is with you always, so take courage in Him.

Teach Christ to someone new today.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

-Deuteronomy 31:6

It’s OK if You Don’t Know Everything

2010-04-02T16:22:00.001-06:00

Small children and adults alike have all fallen prey to the “how?” and “why?” syndrome. The desire to know about what happens in the world and why is something we all have. Sometimes we even act like we know when we don’t, just to impress other people…who also don’t know.

Many times we can know the answers to our questions. All it takes is a little bit of time and effort in researching and studying the particular subject, and we may find our answer. There are things, however, that we do not and will not know for sure until the Lord comes again. At that point we may not even care about the answers, but that’s beside the point.

In the book of Job in the Old Testament, many things happened to Job that he did not understand. He was an upright and righteous man who feared God and kept His commands. He sacrificed to and worshipped the Lord regularly. Job was the model man.

Then his livestock were killed. Then his servants were killed. Then his camels were stolen. Then his children died. Then his body broke out in boils, covering every inch of his body. Then his wife turned against him and God. Then three friends came to him and told him it was all his fault, that because of his sinfulness all these things had happened to him and his family.

Job began crying out to God to tell him why these things were happening, to answer his questions, to come and justify His dealings with Job. Eventually God did come to Job.

In the last part of the book of Job, God comes and poses many questions to Job which Job was unable to answer. These were questions about creation and the wind and the snow and the rain, the oceans and things in them. Job was left speechless against God’s line of questioning, and had only praises for God when he realized the power and knowledge and wisdom of God.

God didn’t answer Job’s questions. God didn’t justify what was happening to Job, other than to say “I AM in charge” [paraphrased]. We ought to stop worrying about whether we are being treated justly or unjustly, whether we are getting what we deserve or not, and start realizing who is in charge and who we serve, the Almighty God. The answers to the questions of “how could this happen!” and “why me?!” will melt away in the glory of our God, when we take the time to think about it. Let God rule your life, and you will be blessed.

Christian Evangelism

2010-04-01T09:36:00.001-06:00

This past week I read a blog from a preacher I know in Texas. His article this week was on spiritual maturity and what evidence there is to show it. Among the points discussed, there was one which considered the importance of evangelism. He said, “Only the immature would want to keep something so important, so life changing, so awesome, to themselves.” He went on to detail how that the Christians in the 1^st century had zeal and an excitement about teaching Jesus to others. They had a sense of urgency concerning their Christianity, they understood that part of the life change that Christianity demanded was a change in their everyday conversation and activity. They understood the obligation Christians have toward God to do what He has asked us to do. God has done great things for us, He gave His son for us, through whom we can have our sins forgiven. He made a way for us to come back to Him and to have fellowship with Him again. God has shown immeasurable compassion and grace and love to us, and in return He asks that we love Him, obey Him, and help people in this earth know about what has been done for them by teaching them about Jesus.

Sometimes we fall into the trap of expecting “the church” to evangelize and teach people for us. Instead of just teaching people about Jesus as we come across them, we tend to just invite them to “church” and then, through osmosis, we expect them to become evangelized. That’s not how Christianity works, and it’s not how we are told to bring people to Christ. Instead of simply asking people to visit our “church,” teach them about Jesus, and help them understand who He was and what His life means in regards to our relationship with God.

An essential part of our Christianity is our enthusiasm to teach the lost about Christ. If we lose that enthusiasm, we need to examine ourselves and our belief in Christ, and question whether or not we are truly convinced of what the Bible teaches. Be active this week, be proclaiming the good news about Christ from the roof of your house! Make contact with your neighbors and those you work with. Reach out to those you are closest to, and be active in your own spiritual growth this week.

A Lesson from the Rockbiter

2009-05-05T11:45:00.002-06:00

Some may remember the movie called “The Neverending Story” in which a boy finds an extraordinary book in an extraordinary bookstore, which he “borrows” from the store. One of the characters he finds is called the “Rockbiter” who finds sustenance in rocks, and his entire body is made of boulders and stones. He was a giant of a being, and he was as strong and sturdy as a mountain.

“The Nothing” began to sweep through the land, simply sucking everything into a sort of black hole, and it disappeared. As the Nothing came close to where the Rockbiter was located, Rockbiter tried to hold his friends close to him in his hands, but as the nothing came closer they slipped from his grasp.

As the boy came upon him, a single phrase slipped resignedly from the lips of the Rockbiter, “They look like good, strong hands…don’t they?” The Rockbiter continued on recounting the episode to the boy, how he lost his dearest friends, and how he felt his good, strong hands had failed him.

What a sad predicament to be in, placing such trust in that which could never save those dearest to him. Many times we can do the same thing, placing our trust in our money, or in modern sciences, or in our house or our car. During good times, these things may look like good, strong hands, but in the end our soul, that which is truly important, will be lost to the depths of Hell. We must place our trust in the Lord God. He is the One who truly has good, strong hands with which to save us. Trust in the Lord.

What are You Doing Here?

2008-10-04T14:27:00.001-06:00

The account being spoken of can be found in I Kings 18, if you wish a fuller reading. I would suggest that you read it, it is a rewarding study, as is all scripture.
Elijah was a man of God who placed a challenge in front of 400 prophets of baal and, with God's help, proves that baal is no god at all, but that God is the only God. This man is faithful through many trials, but when Jezebel, the evil queen of Israel, threatened his life, he ran. When he came to a juniper tree, he laid down and requested that he might die, using these words, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
A short time later, the Lord speaks to Elijah, and simply says, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Elijah was not in the place that God wanted him. God had other plans for Elijah. Elijah, rather than trusting in God to take care of him in whatever circumstances he found himself, ran away from the trials that were facing him.
How often do we run away from our trials? Is it when we see something that is not as God would have it, but, in order to maintain our social status, we let it go? How many times could the people of God, the christians here on the earth, have made a difference, but instead we simply sat by and watched? Like Elijah, we have all had times when we stood for God, stood for the truth, but we also have times when we say, "It is enough."
Who decides when it is enough? It is not us. God is the one who knows us, and knows when it is enough. I Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able. When we tell God, "It is enough," either using words or deeds, we are, in effect, calling God a liar. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and we need to have enough faith to stand for God in the trials we are faced with.
For us, the question is posed, "What are you doing here?" Whenever you have the chance to stand for God, ask yourself, "What am I doing here," and don't be afraid to go straight into whatever trial has been presented to you.

Listen to the Sound...

2008-09-08T19:20:00.001-06:00

Luke 16:19-31 is one of the few places that we, as humans still on this earth, get a glimpse into the life after death. Several notable lessons can be gleaned from this set of verses, but as you read through this passage this time, take special note of the words of Lazarus.

Luke 16:19-31, The Rich Man and Lazarus.

19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.

20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,

21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.

23 “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’

25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.

26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’

27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house—

28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’

30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’

31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Lk 16:19-31). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Did you get it? What words did Lazarus speak? Lazarus said nothing. In this entire account, Lazarus is recorded as saying absolutely nothing.

The rich man in this passage is portrayed, after his death, as being in utter and complete torment. He is in flame and agony. He is burning, but he is not blind. He clearly sees the peace and rest that he so desperately wishes he had. He can see Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, resting peacefully without a care.

What did you notice when the rich man called out? Who was it who answered him? Abraham, right? Never does the Bible portray Lazarus as having any knowledge that the man in torment is able to see him or is calling out for him to be sent for water.

Is this significant, or just a coincidence? Although it does not really matter to our immediate salvation, I wonder if perhaps this is a clue about what sort of peace is included in our reward after this life. And, perhaps this is a clue that those who are tormented will, at least in this phase, be able to see those who are at rest.

Let me illustrate the point I am making. When you are having a bad day, what is the worst thing that can happen? How about, someone you know is having the best day of their life, and they tell you all about it? For some reason, that always seems to make your bad day worse than it was.

When we think of the man in torment, how much worse would his torment be if he could see the man in rest, and know exactly what he's missing?

On the side of Lazarus, how much better would his peace be if he knew nothing of the man in torment, could not see the place of torment, and was not bothered with the wails of those who are suffering?

Many, I'm sure, have observed this side of the passage before, but some, I'm sure, have never thought about it. I hope that this thought has sparked an interest in you for the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. Don't forget to listen to the sound...of silence.

Preaching Out

2008-04-01T18:09:00.001-06:00

Just an update for all of those who are out there. I'm going to the Greeley Congregation on the 27th of April to teach class and preach the lesson on Sunday morning. Greeley is about 2 hours away from here, so I'll be leaving in the wee hours of the morning to get there before 9:00 class. Pray for a safe trip there and back. Talk at you all later! Remember to count your blessings!

My Two Cents

2008-01-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been given too much change at the grocery store? Many have been, and if you haven't, you probably will be some day. What did you do when you found out? Did you simply continue with your day, feeling as though you were just getting what is rightfully yours, especially in light of this year's taxes? Or, did you go back and set everything right, knowing that the money you received was not rightfully yours, and that it should be given back to the owner?

This is a dilemma that many of us face, and it is made harder since nobody would really know who had the missing funds. When presented with this choice in a hypothetical situation, it is easy for us to make the right decision. Of course all of us would give the money back! But when the situation comes at us in reality, what will we do? I believe the apostle Paul can help us with our dilemma.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are imprisoned, and they are singing praises to God. In the middle of the night, an earthquake came and all the doors were opened, and all the prisoners were let loose of their bonds. Now, the prisoners and Paul and Silas had a decision to make. They could either take the extra change they had gotten and run with it, or they could stay and pay their dues. This would have been an even harder decision for the prisoners, since many would lose their lives. But, even in light of those consequences, the prisoners and Paul and Silas decided to stay and do the right thing.

Now is where things get a little more interesting. The jailer in this scenario would have been killed if any of the prisoners were found missing. This puts a different spin on things, eh? While the jailer was about to kill himself, Paul and Silas and the other prisoners made their presence known, and saved the jailer's life. I found the jailer's next actions quite important. When he saw that these men had not fled, as most would have, he fell at their feet and pleaded with them to tell him what to do to be saved. Wait a second, I thought that his life was just saved because the prisoners were there, why is he asking them how he might be saved? The answer is that the jailer is no longer concerned with his physical life, but is now more concerned with his spiritual well being. Because of Paul and Silas and the other prisoners' righteous actions, the jailer was taught how to be saved.

Now let's look back at our illustration we started with. We are given too much change at the store. Now, while someone may not lose their life over a few dollars, their soul may be gained because of its return. Our actions that show us to be a different sort of people will open the door for spiritual interaction and discussion. Even though the extra money, or whatever the item may be, would be nice, a soul is more precious and important than anything we may accidentaly receive. Let us remember to store up for ourselves treasure in heaven, and keep everything in its rightful place here on earth.

Matthew 6:19-21

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Blind Guides

2008-01-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

While Jesus was on the earth, He taught a great many things. Not only did He teach a great many things, but He also taught on a great number of subjects to a great number of people. Jesus often spoke of the Pharisees as hypocrites, because they would teach one thing while doing the opposite. Because of their hypocrisy, Jesus reprimanded them. The Pharisees were in the wrong, and Jesus did not hesitate to point it out to them and all who were around. In Matthew 15, Jesus is asked about traditions that He and His disciples are not keeping. From this question, Jesus points out that God's commands are above tradition, that if the traditions go against God's commands, they cannot be followed. When Jesus finishes giving his evidences about why traditions are below commands, His disciples come to Him and tell Him that He has offended the Pharisees with His sayings. When Jesus hears this, He gives yet another illustration. He calls the Pharisees blind men who guide blind people, and continues to say that, eventually, both will fall into a pit.

This passage is one that I have truly taken to heart, especially in the past few years. I have come to Bear Valley so that I might not be a blind guide, so that I would be able to see and help others to see. When I decided that I needed to preach, one of the first thoughts to run through my mind was, "I need to get equipped". I needed to have tools. I needed to learn how to study the Bible for myself, and how to come to my own conclusions, based solely on the Bible and the teachings and concepts within. I needed to learn how to answer the questions about God and His word that were in my mind. I am constantly finding answers to questions that I have had, and am constantly forming new questions, based on the answers I have found. This process fascinates me. I am blown away by the depth that one book presents and the unending number of connections within it. I have talked with men who have studied the Bible their whole lives, and are still finding new connnections and new ideas within it. I am striving to be one of those men who continues to find questions and answers within the Bible. Along with that struggle, I hope to be one who can instill that need for God in others, that need to search and find answers within God's book. May we all strive to be people who search God's book, and who make others curious about it.

Matthew 15:14

Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind, and if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.

Rest Easy

2008-01-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

In these current times, we have to endure countless attacks on the Bible and its credibility as God's word. Even within public schools and universities, children and scholars are being taught that the world and the universe came from nothing. It simply came to be, without any planning or any place for everything to come from. The books of the Bible are constantly challenged because of information found within them that the humans of today have yet to discover. Because these scholars cannot discern, by physical means, the truths of the Bible, they simply say that the Bible cannot be correct. I remember going through science classes in elementary and middle school, and being taught that the world and the universe is billions of years old, that dinosaurs lived millions and millions of years before man, and that humans evolved from monkeys and gorillas. How false all this became to me when I finally figured out that it all goes against what the Bible teaches! While I was young, I never put two and two together that both the Bible and the theories about the origins of humanity and the universe could not be true! When this fact became clear to me, I began wondering why these people were being so irrational. Rather than taking what God put in the Bible, they are ignoring Him and formulating their own bizarre plans and theories. I do not know how to explain why these people are doing these things, other than to say that they simply do not want the Bible to be true. I don't see any other reason for it. If these men allowed the Bible to be their authority, countless hours of countless lives could have been used for something other than "the big bang" theory. How many sicknesses could have been cured? More importantly, how many souls could have been saved?

As a follower of Christ, I am glad that I do not have to think about why or how certain elements of our lives came about. Some events are explained in the Bible for us. Others, however, are not. Either way, God knows, and if we needed to know, He would have told us. I am glad that I can rest easy, knowing that God has control over all things.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The Door of Opportunity

2008-01-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Today, I was reading in the Gospel of Luke about the two men on the road to Emmaus, to whom Jesus Himself appeared to after He had been resurrected. These men were prevented from recognizing Jesus for who He was, but still, Jesus explained everything to these two men concerning the prophecies and their fulfillment. When Jesus came into the place where these men were staying and broke bread with them, they recognized Him for who He was, and then He was gone. Once Jesus had gone, the men seem as though they cannot believe that they did not recognize Jesus.

Many times today, we have opportunities that we do not recognize until they are gone, and when we look back, we cannot believe that we did not recognize them while they were present and with us. We have contacts and openings every day to help spread the Gospel, and yet many times we do not take advantage of these possibilities. Why do we not take advantage of these opportunities?! I believe this is a question we all ask ourselves when we realize what we have let pass by us. Often times we regret not taking action when we could have. Just think what sorts of things the men on the road to Emmaus could have asked Jesus if they had recognized Him! Although these men were prevented miraculously from recognizing Jesus, we are not prevented from seeing the opportunities that we have daily. We just have to look for them, be ready for them, and take advantage of them when they do present themselves to us. How much more could we further the cause of Christ if we stepped through the open doors that are in each of our lives? How much more could we learn if we took the time to study? These are questions that can only be answered by action. If we act, we can find out, and our existence on this earth will be fuller, not to mention more Christ-like. We should try every day to train our minds to see the open doors, and the many opportunities that come our way, so that we do not leave this life with doors unused, and souls not saved.

Best Seat in the House

2008-01-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

Oh, we all love the recliner, right? We love to come home from a hard day at work and sit down and recline in the recliner. I don't think a better invention has been made, except for the massaging recliner. Man, sit in that thing for an hour and you'll probably go to sleep. Gentle kneeding on the sore places in your back and perhaps some heat to soothe your tired body. Ahhh, so nice.

On the flipside of this coin, we have the old, wooden, splintery, creaky chair. Sounds comfortable, right? Small pieces of wood sticking into your arms when you rest them on the armrests, a seat that places odd pressures on your back, and legs that don't quite meet the floor in the same places (so that you get the amazing teeter-totter effect). Which seat would we choose to sit in? Would we choose the nice, comfortable, soothing recliner, or would we choose the creaky, old, busted, splintery, teeter-seater?

Yes, that's a rhetorical question. I know that all of you would choose the recliner over the teeter-seater. But these two chairs made me think of one of Jesus's parables. In Luke 14:7, Jesus sees the guests at a dinner choosing the "places of honor" at the table. In other words, these people were going for the massaging, heated, recliner and leaving the teeter-seater for someone else. Upon seeing this, Jesus teaches them to sit in the less-respected seats first, so that the one who is hosting the dinner comes and tells them to move up, rather than coming to evict them from the best seat to place them in the worst seat. Jesus is teaching more than just where to sit at the table here, He is providing a concept that can be applied to many different situations across all time.

What truly struck me when I read through this parable again was that Jesus lived this parable with His entire life. He is the best example of a humble servant, who gives all He has to others, that we have. He took the lowest seat, and everything that went with it. He suffered shame, ridicule, torture, betrayal, and finally, the most agonizing death that man has ever conceived. Jesus deserved the best seat, and could have rightfully taken it, but instead he went for the lowest seat. Once Jesus sat in that seat for the 33 years he spent on this earth, God came to Him and said, "Friend, move up higher". Jesus has been moved up to the best seat, He now sits at the right hand of God Himself, waiting for the day when He will come back to take His bride, the church, back with Him for all eternity.

With the life of Jesus as our example, we can truly see our place in this world. We are to put others above ourselves, and take the lowest seat. Every one of us should be a servant to each other, and should follow the example of Christ, a selfless servant who put the entirety of humanity before Himself. It is our duty as Christians, followers of Christ, to place the needs of others above our own. In this way, we can all imitate Christ. Although the recliner is nice, let's sit in the teeter-seater until the end of our days, when God will say to us, "Friend, move up higher".

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Reflections

2008-01-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

The moon is one aspect of God's creation that is easily taken for granted. Especially in the world today with cars that have headlights, streets with automatic lights, and if it came right down to it, we even have simple flashlights to help light our way at night. But how many of us actually take the time to truly appreciate the moon? Imagine a world with no lights at night, except the moon. Much darker, yes, but how much more would we appreciate the moon and stars? They would be our only light to the darkness that envelopes the night. But in truth, the moon is not a light in and of itself, is it? The moon merely reflects the light of the sun, which we cannot see during the night. This is the way God made it.

"God mad the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the
lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. God placed them in the
expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the
night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was
good." (Genesis 1:16-18).

What was the purpose of the sun and moon again? Look again. The sun and moon give light, govern day and night, and separate the light from the darkness.

Within the Bible, those in sin are spoken of as being in darkness, or walking in darkness (1 John 1:5-10). Fellowship with God is impossible when we are in the darkness. I compare God to the sun, the greatest light we know of here on earth. When we are walking in the light, we can see the sun, and the sun gives us light, but when we are in darkness, we have no light from the Father. He cannot exist where darkness is.

Following this line of thought, we are to be lights to this dark world (Matthew 5:13-16). Those in the world who are walking in the darkness cannot be with the Father. They are only able to have fellowship with the Father if they repent, and obey His commands, and the Gospel. While some will obey, my question is, "What influence will we, as christians, have on their decision to become God's?" We often hear the phrase, "Be in the world, but not of the world," a concept that comes from John 17:14-21. In my thoughts on the moon, I can see how the moon is in this world, it is in our view and within our sight, but it is not of this earth, it is not able to be touched or felt or made a part of our lives outside of sight. The moon is a reflection of the sun, and if we are comparing God to the sun (simply for lack of a greater light), I think we can fairly compare ourselves to the moon. Our lives are to reflect the light of God to a dark and lightless world. We are the lesser lights, and God is the greatest, but our lives should reflect God in such a way as to make those who see us wonder where our light comes from. Without Christians who follow the Bible and God, this world would be lost in darkness, wandering about stumbling constantly because they cannot see where they are going. God is the greatest light, and we are merely reflections of Him to this lost and dark world.

Now, if we do compare ourselves to the moon, we also need to recognize that the moon works in phases. A perfect circle is not always presented to us from the moon. Sometimes the moon does not reflect the light to us at all. The moon is not always in the correct place to reflect the light to us directly, in the form of a full moon. More often than not, we see half or less of a moon. Let us consider what phase we are in. As christians reflecting God, how well are we reflecting His light to the world? Are we a full moon, presenting the most light for those who would see, or are we merely a crescent moon, showing only a sliver of what could be? The answer, of course, will depend on each person, but all of us can become better reflections, through Bible study and by obeying the commands found within. Let us all strive together to be the fullest reflections of the Father to the world that we can be.

Fortune Cookies

2008-01-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

Alright, this may seem like a small thing to most of you, but as someone who values chinese restaurants, this question is valid. What has happened to fortune cookies? Many people used to look forward to getting their fortune cookie at the end of their chinese meal. But now, many dread the end of the meal, since there will be a rock-hard, plastic-wrapped, sugar pellet thrown at them from across the room by someone who seems like they are from the eastern world. Oh, and yes, you get a fortune, if it can be called that. Many times it is not even a fortune, but a saying that may or may not be valuable at all. For example, "He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at." Is that a fortune or a proverb or what?

Ok, so this is a little bit extreme, but I would like to talk a little bit about a principle found within fortune cookies. In essence, a fortune cookie is supposed to give you a prediction of how your life will go. But a gigantic flaw exists in this logic. Can you think of it? Try this: You can get more than one fortune cookie. Is it coming to you? How can anyone have more than one fortune? The simple answer is that nobody can have more than one fortune. And fortunes are not told by small pieces of paper inside a cracker. Our lives are what we make them. The choices we make, whether right or wrong, make us who we are.

Now comes the question, "How do we know what is right and wrong?" The simple answer is that God tells us through the Bible. Granted, God didn't outline every choice that we will ever have to make in our entire life. But He has provided us with principles, guides, and examples to follow. Whenever someone begins talking about, "making good choices," I can't help but think of my nephew, Jonathan, who has been taught to recognize when someone (especially his little brother Matthew) is, "making bad choices". Every now and then, he can be heard saying, "hmmm...Matthew's making bad choices!" It can be quite comical, but at the same time a fundamental truth is presented. When our minds are trained correctly, we can more easily see the "good choices" we should make.

When we retrieve the fortune from inside the cookie, I believe that each time it proves that we have an infinite number of choices that can lead to several outcomes in the physical life. Those "fortunes" could apply to anyone, it all depends on the choices he or she makes. Let's all try to make good choices through life, ones based on Biblical principles and examples that will lead us on the path to Heaven.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Thanksgiving Day

2007-12-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

The Thanksgiving holiday is great, isn't it? Families gather together and exchange big fish stories, play board games, watch TV, and (of course) eat! What a celebration! I don't know about your families, but my family usually doesn't eat all day before the Thanksgiving meal. We like to wait, so we can truly savor all the different tastes and varieties of food. As the time for the meal draws near, the smells of the food make their way into all the rooms of the house, and for the first time, we realize that we are desperately hungry. Then a friendly face appears from the kitchen doorway. As Mom pokes her head in, she says, "OK everybody! One week from today we're going to eat!"

What? We're not eating until next week?

I don't know about you, but I think I would go crazy if all that wonderful food was just sitting on the table, steaming hot, ready for me to devour, but I had to let it sit there for another week.

In this situation, we have put ourselves in the position of our spiritual man, the soul inside each of us. I think of the Thanksgiving feast as the Bible, with all the wonderfully perfect inspired words found within. How terrible to let such a feast go to waste! We are literally torturing our spiritual man when we lay the Bible on the table and wait for the next week to open and read it. Do we look at the Bible as a daily necessity? Are we taking care of the needs of our spirit? These are serious internal questions that can only be answered by delving deep inside ourselves, and truly taking note of who we are. Let's take care not to neglect our spiritual man in the daily activities of life, he gets hungry too.

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Working Together

2007-11-30T17:20:00.001-07:00

In Exodus 3-4, God commands Moses to go and retrieve His people from Egypt. While Moses eventually does go, one verse struck me in a unique way. In chapter 4:13, Moses simply tells God, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." The passages leading up to this event contain several questions that Moses asks God. These all seem to be reasonable questions up until this point. When Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it," I thought, how many times have we as Christians said these words through our actions? Here are a couple of examples of what I mean:

"There is a worship service to be held at the nursing home this afternoon, and we need a speaker and a songleader." Do we volunteer? Or do we wait just long enough so that someone else does it?

"O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

"There is a service project on Saturday at 9:00 A.M., and we would appreciate all the help we can get." Do we go? Or do we value our relaxing Saturday morning more than helping fellow members?

"O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

Granted, everyone cannot always make it to everything, but if we are not careful, we will lose that sense of urgency for our responsibilities. At times I have been guilty of this myself. When the Lord comes back to find His workers, where will we be? Will we be in the middle of an, "Oh Lord, please send someone else?"

I found this attitude sharply contrasted by the attitude of Isaiah in Isaiah 6:8, where it is written, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" Wow, what a difference in attitude. When I read this, I realized that we all are either a Moses or an Isaiah at different times. I know we, as humans, cannot be a perfect people. I am simply urging us all to be more like Isaiah, and hear the voice of the Lord coming from our fellow workers in this world. Whenever a volunteer is needed, whenever a visit should be made, whenever there is a service that needs to be done,

"Here am I. Send me!"

Let's all make an effort together to be a "Here am I. Send me!" sort of people. How wonderful on the day the Lord returns to be caught in the middle of that sentence, eh?

Good Deeds Done

2007-11-28T15:52:00.001-07:00

In Matthew 6:1, Christ is recorded to have said, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." Does this mean that we cannot do good deeds while others are near? No. If we pay specific attention to the attitude portrayed by the one practicing righteousness, we see that this person is not practicing righteousness simply for the cause of pleasing God with their actions. Instead, the person described in this text is practicing righteousness (doing good deeds) to be praised by men, and to be great in their eyes, not God's.

As I read this passage, I found myself wondering why we (myself included) tend to feel slighted when we are not thanked, or repaid in some way, for some good deed we may have done. We should be careful not to demand thanks for the good things we do. Have you ever done something good, and nobody else knows? After doing this, instead of telling the first person you see what you have done, simply don't tell anyone. When I have done this, I find myself with a better attitude than when I began, my outlook on life brightens, and I tend to see others in a more positive way.

Taking the time to do a good deed, simply for the sake of doing good. I believe this is part of a Christian attitude. Have a great day, and try to do a good deed, especially when nobody would know.