Category Archives: Seriously

No Desire

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When I am “engaging” someone and if they indicate they are a Christian, I will usually ask if they read the Bible. This week one answered, “not as much as I should.” This is a very common answer, just below “no.” Their answer to that question reveals something about where they are spiritually and how they might be encouraged.

Jesus told Nicodemus (John 3:7) that he must be born again. That means there must be a spiritual birth for a person to come into a relationship with Christ. Then after the birth, there must be growth, and that comes by feeding on the Word. The “milk of the Word” is essential. It is amazing, boundless, and to be craved.

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-3). If a baby doesn’t desire milk, that is not good. Also, we should be concerned for anyone’s spiritual life if they don’t desire the Word.

May we all love and consume God’s Word everyday. It is amazing beyond measure.

Mistaken Identity

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Most have greeted someone they know with the wrong name. However, it is even more embarrassing to warmly greet someone by name and discover they are a different person entirely, and you have never known them. Hey, we are human and can easily make those sorts of mistakes. Right?

However, the worst of the worst is to not “recognize/know” God for Who He really is as revealed in Scripture. Many have shared their understanding (picture) of God, and sadly, that isn’t the God of the Bible. Their God is all loving, merciful, and forgiving Who excuses, understands, and winks at their sin. That is a god of their own creation, only partially correct. The God of Scripture is also just, holy, and righteous. As such, God hates and must punish sin. 

“These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes” (Psalms 50:21).

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

The Worst Words

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Imagine the end-times judgement of those who were not followers of Jesus Christ. We aren’t given many specifics, but what if the redeemed are able to observe the judgement of those who never came to Christ? If so, can you imagine with me one of your neighbors is summoned and stands before the Lord. The Lord, the Judge of all the earth is told that your neighbor’s name is not in the Book of Life. Your neighbor then hears those terrible words, “… I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23a). Your neighbor is horrified and realizes his fate is eternal hell. If only he had been told earlier. 

Then he turns toward you and points a shaking finger and SCREAMS, “YOU HYPOCRITE! YOU KNEW I WASN’T A FOLLOWER OF JESUS, AND YOU DIDN’T DO EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY COULD TO HELP ME COME TO HIM?” 

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

Brothers, how serious are you in sharing Christ with those you know, neighbors, and extended family? Might the worst hypocrite be the one who is saved and does not love his “neighbor” by telling him about salvation by the blood of Jesus?

Flooded

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The babysitter’s house flooded due to the heavy rain overnight so the sitter couldn’t watch the mom’s six-month-old while she went to work. So the mom asked the owner of the small business where she worked if she could bring the child to work with her. When Teri and I came to the store, we noticed the adorable little guy lying on a blanket on the floor in her office. In front of the child, a phone was propped up so the child could see lively cartoon characters with the goal of keeping him happy and quiet. My heart was heavy thinking of the lifelong dependency on entertaining media likely ahead for him.   

I have mentioned previously that I meet many young men who are addicted to video games. Let’s assume that the games they are playing are not sinful. The popular attitude these days is that if a game isn’t sinful, then it’s okay. The truth is these individuals are addicted to their video games and live for them. “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

These same young men would not spend their hard-earned money to buy a car that simply sat in their driveway and was not driven. Cars are purchased to be driven. Brother, Jesus Christ purchased us with His precious blood (1 Peter 1:19) so that we could be used by Him to proclaim the good news of the Gospel and serve Him with our lives. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Please understand, I know media is an easy way to keep children happy. We were TV free until the children caught chicken pox in the late 1980’s. We got one then to keep them happily occupied. What a mistake. It took several years to get the beast out again. I believe iPads, video games, movies and cartoons are far worse today and addicting. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

What’s Your Goal?

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Do you have goals for raising your children? My brothers, it is important that you have a target to compare all your decisions with. You can then ask yourself: Will the result of this decision keep us on track or take us off course? A target doesn’t guarantee you will arrive “there,” but you most likely won’t if you aren’t focused on the outcome you desire. (That was the primary topic in the session we presented called Building a Vision.) 

Consider David’s prayer request in Psalms 144:12. “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.” David wanted children who were grown up (Gadal H1431) in character, desires, and conduct while at a young age. That goal is not popular today as evidenced by the spiritual condition of our country. 

Do you desire boys who will become real men of God? If so, that will require purposeful parenting. You want to bring things into their lives that will achieve the goal and eliminate the chaff of the world that prevents them from maturing. 

As Spurgeon said in The Treasury of David, regarding Psalms 144:12, “that the young men are, the older men will be.” Might that explain why the average professing believer/church member is more interested in having fun and a good time than serving and sharing Christ? 

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

How Committed Are You?

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Our neighbors are beginning to plant their gardens. No one plants without the hope of a harvest. How earnest they are in fertilizing, watering, and defending against weeds and pests will determine the quality of their produce. The parallels are striking between gardening and raising children.

Some (few?) Christian parents want to raise children to become dynamic followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Obviously, we can’t know any parent’s heart, but we can clearly make assumptions based on the actions and choices that are observable. This is similar to observing what a gardener does with his garden. Optimism isn’t enough. It takes making hard decisions, denial of self, and the right investment in your children. Bad choices = bad harvest.

Foolishness is bound in the heart of children (Proverbs 22:15). You don’t just start with a clean slate. Children begin as fools. Then the work must begin.

Our Lord wants us and our children to love Him and forsake the world. How our hearts yearn that this is the desire of all Christian parents. That is why we write these articles and offer our resources. Through them you have someone encouraging you to be in the Word, forsaking the love of the world and all the enticing things it offers. 

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

Premeditated Yet Innocent

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This week includes a “celebration” of the results of the greatest injustice ever committed since the beginning of the world. The Creator, came to earth in man’s flesh, sinless, proclaimed the offer of a relationship with His Father, was tried, condemned, and executed for committing no crime. The Ultimate Judge, Himself, knew that the condemned was innocent. Furthermore, every detail of the situation was carefully scripted. He would be condemned and executed at precisely the right time fulfilling Old Testament prophesies. On top of that the Judge, the ultimate Executioner, was the Father of the condemned, Who He desperately loved. 

Why would God the Father do such a thing as pour out His wrath on His Son? He did it to pay the debt of sin that you and I could not pay. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We deserve eternal hell, and Jesus paid that price (Rom 6:23) so we could have fellowship with the Father in heaven instead. He bought us with His blood (1 Peter 1:18,19). It wasn’t for us to have a good, happy life, but that we might serve Him.

 May we follow Him my Brothers, every day, all day. Is that your daily purpose? We must be steadfast. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

20 20

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How blessed we are to have eyesight. Normal life is so much easier and more pleasant when we can see well. In recent decades even those with inferior eyesight have been able to use corrected lens and live normal lives, behold God’s magnificent creation, and avoid dangerous situations. My heart goes out to those through the ages who haven’t been able to see well or at all. Yet, as important as physical eyesight is, it pales compared to the necessity of spiritual eyesight, which is often taken for granted. 

We are to look at all of life through the “lens of Scripture,” which includes a host of things Scripture would not have us look at. “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deuteronomy 11:18).

“The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalms 19:8).

I’m convinced that entertainment is the idol of this age for the professing church. How our thoughts and precious time are often spent on the idolatrous things our eyes covet. Make it fun and pleasurable if you want them content and happy. As such our nation is on a fast track for hell while the professing church is having a lot of fun. God have mercy. 

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:17-19).

Everyone Has Them

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Everyone has standards by which they make their choices in life. I admit, I can’t possibly know the mind of anyone when I say that everyone has them, but I’m confident. If you are the exception and don’t have them, I would love to speak with you. 

The Christian’s rule of standard/faith is to be Scripture. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Then why is it that Christians can be worlds apart in the choices they make? Is it possible some are seeing Scripture as simply a list of commands and prohibitions and everything else not specifically mentioned is a freedom, while ignoring global verses similar to some of these? 

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14).

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Corinthians 10:23).

”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Heart Healthy

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We are to encourage each other in the Lord (thank you for reading BTW). “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24). One way we can do this is by asking brothers in the Lord, where they read in Scripture that morning and if anything stood out to them. Daily reading of our Bible is probably the most important spiritual, heart-healthy habit each of us needs.

The wisdom of having a healthy, balanced, physical diet is generally applauded. How much more critical is feeding our soul with God’s Word, which has eternal benefit? Daily supplements are encouraged by health professionals to maintain our health. They are taken daily because you can’t take a mouthful on Sunday and receive the benefit all week. Our time in God’s Word is similar. Even if we heard a great message on Sunday morning at church, daily challenge and exhortation of our souls from our morning time in the Word is also needed. 

The more our habit is to be in the Word daily, the more we will love and cherish that time.“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalms 34:8). Oh my brothers, may we daily dine on the real breakfast of champions.