The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same

When I hear any discussion of social media, I have two distinctly different reactions. I believe social media have contributed significantly to the pervasive negativity and anxiety of our times, as well as a seeming groundswell of narcissism. However, social media serve a significant communications role and introduce us to a wide range of useful information we might not encounter in any other way. The trick is being able to distinguish between what’s useful and what’s unproductive.

 

William Booth
(Wikipedia photo)

Recently I came across one of the former, an intriguing quote by William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, that he made in the early 1900s: “The chief danger of the 20^th century will be religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”

What I find most interesting about this is not just Booth’s specific points, but that this seems equally true in the 21^st century. Increasingly we hear people talking in terms of the God they want, rather than the God who is. Rather than regarding the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, many feel they have the license to treat biblical teachings as suggestions to be interpreted, redefined and applied according to their preferences and the prevailing winds of culture.

 

Times do change, no doubt. Styles of fashion, social customs, even vocabulary. Technology has become a major factor in our ever-shifting approach to everyday living. And yet, as we read in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Times may change, but our Creator God is unchanging. The same is true of His Word.

 

Even in biblical times there were those eager to distort and manipulate the Scriptures to accomplish their purposes. We see the apostle Paul warning two of his proteges, Timothy and Titus, to avoid the seduction of false teaching.

 

He cautioned Timothy, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1). Do such stern words have a familiar ring for today?

 

I’ve previously referred to Paul’s prophetic words that, “the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine…they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear…” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

 

For this reason, he later exhorted young pastor Tim to, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). I like how another translation phrases it: “rightly dividing the word of truth.” It evokes the image of a farmer plowing a field in straight furrows, rather than frequently glancing behind him and creating an uneven path.

 

The apostle expressed similar concerns to Titus, who was ministering to believers in Crete. Paul wrote of the qualifications for spiritual leadership, including faithfulness to godly teaching: “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9).

 

About the dangers of listening to false teachers, Paul declared, “They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach – and that for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:11). To counter this, he offered Titus this challenge: “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). 

 

Two thousand years later we find ourselves in similar circumstances. On TV, radio and from many pulpits, messages are given that seem straight out of the books of 1 and 2 Opinions. (They’re not in the Bible.) Seeking to be “woke,” or perhaps thinking that by diluting the message of the Gospel they can make Jesus more palatable, they’re promoting exactly what Booth warned against: a religion lacking the presence and power of the Holy Spirit; a Christ-less Christianity; forgiveness that requires no repentance; a salvation absent of becoming a new creation in Christ; a godless government, and no fear of eternal punishment for rejecting God’s gift of redemption.

 

We must never forget that we receive salvation and eternal life on God’s terms, not ours. As Jesus admonished, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). To state it another way, ‘Don’t follow the crowd. Follow Jesus.’

There’s Knowing – and Then There’s Truly Believing

We’re a people infatuated with information and knowledge. We’ve had encyclopedias, libraries and bookstores for centuries, meccas for everything we needed to know. But those are all “so-20^th century.” They’ve been succeeded by online search engines and digital resources like YouTube. 

Just about anything we need to know is literally at our fingertips by typing a few keys or clicking a mouse. Want videos on any kind of music? TV shows, old and new? How-to’s for such things as playing a musical instrument, growing plants, creating a costume, baking a cake, or making home improvements? They’re right there, accessible on the Internet. Everything’s on a need-to-know basis – if you need to know it, you can find it.

 

It's wonderful to have such a seemingly limitless storehouse of knowledge and information. Except when it’s not. Knowledge and information don’t always equate with truth and meaning. My father used to have a saying that, “Some people are so smart, they’re stupid.” There’s danger in being too enraptured with what we know – or think we know.

 

This is especially true spiritually speaking. There’s a wealth of knowledge available about the spiritual dimension of our lives; it’s tempting to think that the more information we absorb, the closer to God we become. But that’s not necessarily the case. Sometimes knowledge can actually become an obstacle to experiencing a genuine, intimate relationship with the Lord. 

 

The apostle Paul expressed this concern to his young disciple, Timothy, referring to people who are “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive…ungrateful, unholy…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Then he made this amazing description of them as “always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).

 

Kind of brings to mind a person who pursues one college degree after another, amassing an incredible amount of information but never putting it into practical use in the real world of work and everyday living.

 

But isn’t it good to grow in knowledge, especially in a spiritual sense? We have the Bible, Christian messages on TV and radio, a plethora of Bible study resources, conferences and retreats. We can never know enough, right? 

 

J.C. Ryle, an English evangelical Anglican bishop in the late 19^th century, expressed a concern similar to what Paul wrote to Timothy. He observed, “Satan is a master theologian. He’s talked to God, interacted with God, believes in God’s existence, and knows more about God’s attributes and abilities than most…and yet Satan doesn’t love God.”

 

Therein lies the rub, we might say. Knowledge about God doesn’t equal faith in Him and love for Him. I can read and even memorize portions of books about aerodynamics, but that doesn’t make me an airline pilot. A never-ending relationship with the Lord takes more than biblical information.

 

And there’s an even greater potential danger in our pursuit of knowledge about God. Later in his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Strong words for sure.

 

Some might say in their own defense, “But I believe in God!” To that the apostle James would respond, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder” (James 2:19). The demons’ knowledge will be of no benefit for them in eternity.

 

This isn’t to disparage a desire to gain a greater understanding of God and Jesus Christ from the Scriptures. We are encouraged to grow in our faith, and one way of doing this is by reading, studying, meditating on, memorizing and living out what the Bible teaches. Paul admonished Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

 

We need to check our own motives. Are we genuinely seeking to know the God who is and learn how to become faithful disciples of Christ? Or are we attempting to twist the Scriptures in a way that conforms with what we want the Lord to be? Is our goal simply to acquire information we can feel good about, or is it to truly believe with unwavering, unshakable faith?

 

Jesus, speaking about those who are presented with the truth of the Gospel but refuse to respond, said, “To them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For the people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear...” (Matthew 13:14-16).

 

May we be abundantly blessed by God because we see the truth, hear the truth, understand with our hearts, and determine to live out the truth.

Who Gave Discipline a Bad Name?

Being sports spectators gives us the advantage of being able to admire and appreciate the skills of athletes who have trained countless hours to excel. Watching the recent Summer Olympics, for example, we saw gymnasts performing an array of flips, tumbles, spins and other feats that would leave the rest of us with broken bones and torn muscles.

 

We saw pole vaulters soaring to amazing heights. Discus and hammer throwers hurling heavy weights incredible distances, executing powerful spins that would leave most of us in a dizzy heap. Sprinters blazing at world-record paces, and runners battling through fatigue and pain over distances we wouldn’t even attempt.

 

How do they become so accomplished in their various events? I think of the pro football player who was asked how the pregame practice had gone. “Practice?” the player asked in amazement. “We talkin’ about practice?” Yes, practice – lots of it – is how gifted athletes hone their talents to become champions.

 

However, there’s more to practice than just repetition. Even though it seems to have gone out of fashion in the minds of many, it’s discipline. It’s the determination and resolve to be unrelenting in the pursuit of excellence and mastery. It’s putting in countless hours repeating basic skills so they become second nature, executed without having to think about them. 

 

Consider the virtuoso pianist who, decades after having begun playing, still spends time practicing the scales to maintain finger dexterity and strengthen muscle memory. Many of us marvel, wishing we could play the piano with such skill. But the truth is, which of us would be willing to discipline ourselves to invest the innumerable hours needed to become so skilled?

 

Most of us will never be championship athletes, celebrated musicians, or elite surgeons or scientists. But that doesn’t mean we can’t benefit from discipline in our lives. Somewhere along the line, discipline received a bad name. As if it’s some contagious disease no one wants to catch.

 

Discipline and punishment are often regarded as synonymous, but they’re very different. Punishment is designed to address wrongful behavior; discipline is intended to train and equip people to do what’s right. 

 

These days many parents are reluctant or unwilling to discipline their children, thinking even toddlers have enough sense to recognize right from wrong. The fact is, they don’t. This is why Proverbs 22:6 admonishes, “Train [discipline] a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” The role of parents is to love their children and provide for their needs, but also to discipline – correct them when they’re off course and train them in how to live, think and behave properly.

 

But discipline isn’t only for children. It’s something we all need and should embrace. The Scriptures explain it’s one of God’s primary means for guiding and shaping us. In Proverbs, one of the Old Testament’s wisdom books, discipline is often mentioned. One chapter, Proverbs 19, offers three significant references:

“Discipline your son while there is still hope…” (Proverbs 19:18). There may be a time when it’s too late for sound correction. Don’t wait until then.

“Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days” (Proverbs 19:20). Rejecting well-intended discipline and godly counsel often leads to foolish decisions and regretful actions.

“Cease listening, my son, to discipline and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (Proverbs 19:27). Many a hard-headed individual has ignored discipline and correction and later had to face hard consequences.

 

Sometimes when we encounter adversity, we feel confused or angry. ‘Why is God doing this to me? Why’s He allowing this to happen?’ Before jumping to the conclusions that we’re being punished or that the Lord is mad at us for some reason, we need to consider what the Scriptures say about how He uses discipline in our lives:

 

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined – and everyone undergoes discipline – then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who…disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

 

Sometimes a parent will deny a child something he or she wants; other times the parent will insist that they do something they don’t want to do. “I’m doing this for your good. It’s because I love you,” the parent will say. At the time the child may think, ‘Yeah, right,’ only to realize later the parent in fact did it for his or her good. Sometimes the best demonstration of love is discipline.

 

God loves us far more than any parent could. He gave His one and only Son to die on a cross to redeem us from our sins (Romans 5:8). If that’s true, why shouldn’t we trust that when He disciplines us, it’s for our very best – part of His process for training and transforming us into the people He wants us to be.

 

And if we also desire to become who the Lord wants us to be, we must learn to discipline ourselves. There are many good ways of doing this, but one of the best is devoting consistent time to reading, studying, meditating on, memorizing and applying the Word of God. Like the professional athlete who practices until certain skills become second nature, we need to make the Scriptures central to our everyday lives so that over time they become second nature for our thinking and behavior.

 

Practical Teaching About Money That We Lack

Education is a great thing, but sometimes I wonder if we’re being educated about the wrong things. 

 

For instance, during my college career I was required to take two science courses. Since I had already taken biology, for some reason I signed up for an introductory class in geology. The professor was a real snoozer, and to this day I can’t tell you the difference between a rock and a mineral. I also had to take Economics 101 but can’t recall a single fact or principle I was exposed to during that course.

 

Those disciplines obviously are of great value for future geologists and would-be economists, but for me as an aspiring journalist they were of no use at all. The English and journalism classes I took were most valuable, but I wish that among the prerequisites for graduation there had been instruction in practical life skills. Like how to handle your personal finances.

 

When I read about college athletes still in their teens signing multi-million-dollar contracts to play professional sports, I have mixed feelings. They’re entitled to earn a substantial income by using their athletic skills and expertise – but what does a teenager or even young 20-something know about how to handle money? Especially a lot of it? They certainly don’t learn about that in college.

 

College students would benefit greatly from instruction about basic things like handling a checking account, properly using credit cards, developing a consistent savings plan, and even understanding the essentials of investments.

 

In my case, after graduation my financial naivete resulted in accumulating a significant amount of credit card debt. After being ‘awarded’ my first credit card, I thought I had it made, being able to buy whatever I wanted. I didn’t need cash. I knew nothing about how interest on credit cards accrues. Or that those items I bought “on sale” would ultimately cost me twice as much or more.

 

It was years later that I realized the oppressive power of debt. My greatest teacher on personal money management became the Bible. One lesson I wished I had learned earlier was, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Irresponsible indebtedness, of which I was guilty, not only left me with bills I struggled to pay, but also severely restricted my ability to purchase things I needed. Long before I bought my first house, I was mortgaging my future.

 

I also knew little about the value and importance of saving money. Like many folks, I was living from paycheck to paycheck with little thought of saving for future needs and unexpected expenses. Years later I discovered the wisdom of setting aside a small portion of my income. A Christian financial advisor showed me that “…he who gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11).

 

While I was a newspaper editor and publisher, I made the mistake of cosigning on a loan for a staff person. I won’t get into the details, but it was a step I unwisely thought I had to take at the time. Later I learned the biblical warnings against accepting responsibility for another person’s debt: “Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you” (Proverbs 22:26-27).

 

The potentially adverse consequences of cosigning are so great, several other passages in Proverbs address it. For instance, Proverbs 11:15 cautions that “He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.”

 

Proverbs 6:1-4 is even more direct: “My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another…. Go and humble yourself…. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.” Eventually I was able to extricate myself from my surety obligations, but in the process had to endure a lot of unnecessary stress.

 

But the greatest lesson of all the Bible taught me was about financial stewardship and ownership. Like many people, my attitude had always been, ‘It’s my money. I can do whatever I want with it.’ Then I read this prayer of King David which puts wealth and possessions in proper perspective:

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things…” (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).

 

This taught me that ultimately, I own nothing. God entrusts us with money and material resources, but we’re to serve as managers or stewards, not owners. As such, we are responsible to the Lord for our financial decisions. 

 

Writing not only about material possessions but also spiritual wealth – “the secret things of God” – the apostle Paul wrote, “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).

 

If I had learned common sense stuff like this in college, I could have avoided many challenges and a lot of unneeded worry. But what collegiate textbooks didn’t teach me I did learn from the greatest book of all, the Word of God. As David wrote in another psalm, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Considering the Five Senses of Faith

Human behavioral experts have concluded that whenever we make important decisions, three factors are involved in the process: our mind, our emotions, and our will. We gather the information we need, let our emotions influence how we feel about making the decision, and then initiate our will in committing to move forward with whatever the decision might be.

 

This is especially true for spiritual matters. Determining to follow Jesus Christ, for example, is typically a three-step process of engaging the mind, responding with the heart (emotions), and then willfully deciding to take the necessary step of faith. However, my thinking about this changed a bit recently while reading a devotional entry by Charles H. Spurgeon, a highly regarded British preacher during the latter half of the 19^th century.

 

In his book, Morning by Morning: Meditations for Daily Living, Spurgeon observed, “Faith in the Scriptures is spoken of as pertaining to all the senses.” How he explained this was so interesting, I’ll quote it directly and then offer some comments. He said:

“It is hearing. ‘Hear Me, that your soul may live’ (Isaiah 55:3). One of the first performances of faith is hearing. We hear the voice of God, not with the outward ear alone, but with the inward ear. We hear it as God’s Word, and believe it to be so….

“Then our mind looks on the truth as it is presented to us…we understand and perceive its meaning. This is sight. ‘Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation’ (Hebrews 9:28).

“We begin to admire it and find how fragrant it is; that is faith in its ‘smell’…. “All Your garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia’ (Psalm 45:8). Then we appropriate…faith in its ‘touch.’ By faith the woman came behind and touched the hem of Christ’s garment (Luke 8:43-44), and by this we handle the things of the good word of life.

“Faith is equally the spirit’s ‘taste.’ ‘How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my lips’… [Psalm 119:103].”

 

Spurgeon didn’t say it quite this way, but expressed in today’s vernacular, we might conclude that Jesus passes the hearing test, the eye test, the sniff test, the touch test, and the taste test.

 

All five senses are referred to numerous times in the Bible, affirming that committing one’s life to Jesus Christ isn’t a blind leap of faith as some would suggest. For example, after the Israelites had fled from slavery in Egypt, they confronted the vast expanse of the Red Sea. Never fear, their leader Moses assured them: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again” (Exodus 14:13). For them, believing was seeing.

 

After declaring, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” the apostle Paul observed, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:13-14). We come to faith in Christ when we respond to what we hear.

 

Paul also referred to the role the ‘spiritual sense of smell’ plays in one coming to faith: “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life…” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

 

The Gospels give many accounts of Jesus Christ healing people’s maladies by a mere touch when they came to Him in faith. For example, a man afflicted with leprosy approached to Him and said, “‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his leprosy” (Matthew 8:3).

 

As for the sense of taste, this is referred to several times as well. King David wrote, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8). And the apostle Peter exhorted followers of Christ, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

 

However, in teaching about how our spiritual senses can prompt us to respond to God, the Scriptures also caution against ignoring what we see, hear, smell, touch and taste.

 

The prophet Isaiah, after accepting God’s call to serve as His spokesman among arrogant, unyielding peoples, was told by the Lord, “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding, be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’… Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9-10).

 

We find a similar admonition in the New Testament, warning those who have ‘sampled’ God’s truth but then choose to reject it: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance…”(Hebrews 6:5).

In matters both temporal and eternal, there is a time when we must ‘come to our senses’ or ultimately face the consequences. 

The Comfort of Knowing Who’s Going to Win

With football season well underway, I can’t resist commenting on a trait many of us fans share. Even if we feel confident our team will win, don’t we feel uneasy as the game unfolds? That’s part of the fun, but also part of the frustration, watching anxiously and hoping for the desired outcome.

 

Have you ever had an occasion when your favorite team was playing a crucial game, but you couldn’t watch it on TV live? Maybe you’d been invited to a wedding and couldn’t think of a single valid excuse for not attending? (Who plans weddings that conflict with important games, right?) 

 

Maybe some old friends stopped by unexpectedly for a visit, and you realized how rude it would be to ignore them and watch the game? Or maybe you had to work while the game was on – there was no getting out of it. So, what did you do? If possible, you probably recorded the game for watching later.

When your obligation was fulfilled, you could hardly wait to get to the TV and watch the game from the start. But first, you couldn’t resist taking a peek at the final score to make sure your team came out on top. Comforted by knowing that victory was already in hand, you found your anxiety level considerably reduced, or even non-existent. Correct? After all, you already knew who was going to win.

 

Recently, I read about one avid fan who was required to attend a work meeting while his favorite team was playing against its archrival. Later he invited a friend at the meeting to watch the recording of the game with him, but he didn’t exhibit his usual crazed, fanatical self.

 

After a while, the friend asked why he wasn’t ranting and ranting at the game’s expected ups and downs. His response? “While we were in the meeting, one of the guys got a text about the game. My team stages a comeback in the fourth quarter to win. So why worry if I know we’re going to win?”

 

There’s an important spiritual parallel to this. Sometimes we look at the world around us and find ourselves fretting. ‘God, are you paying attention? Things are really messy here. Can’t you do something?’

 

In reality, the Lord already has done “something.” The most important something of all: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). For all who have trusted in Jesus Christ and have been born again into God’s family, our sin problem has been remedied, once and for all, and our eternal future is secure.

 

Okay, but what about the course our society and the world are taking? It often seems God has been excluded totally from the equation. Isn’t that a good reason for fretting, maybe even gnashing our teeth? Just weeks from now an important election is coming up. What if the candidates we think should win don’t? Or looking at things on a more personal level, perhaps we’re facing some overwhelming challenges – health, relationships, finances, career. Aren’t those things worth worrying about?

 

We could easily justify our anxieties. But that’s where faith comes in. Not a blind, hope-so kind of faith but one that is unwavering, anchored in who God is and what He says. This is when knowing who’s ultimately going to win is so important. 

 

As the apostle Paul could boldly write to his protégé, Timothy, “…I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day [when he will stand victoriously before Christ in heaven]” (2 Timothy 1:12).

 

More than we can ever imagine, Paul endured hardships and suffering in many forms, yet because he could look forward with earnest expectation and confident assurance in the Lord’s promises, he didn’t fall victim to despair and hopelessness.

 

Jesus addressed this with His troubled, confused disciples near the end of His earthly ministry as they pondered His imminent departure: “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He was saying in effect, ‘Don’t be overwhelmed by worries and concern. The outcome of the game is already settled – and we win!’

 

The Scriptures offer similar assurances in many places, both the Old and New Testaments. But there’s none better than what Jesus declares in the final chapter of the last book in the Bible: “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 21:12-13).

Like watching a football game when it seems the momentum has shifted to the opposing team, it makes all the difference in the world if we know beyond the shadow of a doubt who will emerge victorious!   

Can We Really Trust the Veracity of Bible?

When you buy a new car – or a car that’s new-to-you – it usually comes with an owner’s manual, right? You probably don’t sit down and spend hours reading through it, unless you’re having trouble sleeping. But most likely you don’t question whether those guidelines and instructions from the manufacturer are accurate and justified.

 

Similarly, when was the last time you got an owner’s manual for anything – maybe a refrigerator or microwave, a TV, or a computer – and thought, “Who do they think they are to tell me how to set this up and operate it?” We don’t do this (unless we’re naturally defiant) because we trust the manufacturer has determined the correct specifications and how to get the maximum benefit from using whatever it is.

 

Would you be surprised to know that the Bible is God’s “owner’s manual” for our everyday lives? Some people view the Scriptures as a collection of “do’s” and “don’ts.” Isn’t that what the 10 Commandments are all about – ‘thou shalt this’ and ‘thou shalt not that’? They couldn’t be more wrong. In reality, the Scriptures are God’s perfect way to provide us with principles and instructions for how to enjoy the most fruitful, most fulfilling lives possible.

Speaking to His followers, Jesus Christ said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Another translation phrases it “the abundant life.” Who doesn’t want an abundant life? Jesus says we can experience this by following the guidelines set forth in His Word.

 

Writing to his protégé, Timothy, on how to live a godly life, the apostle Paul declared, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. So that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Read this again, especially the words teaching, rebuking, correcting and training.

 

When many of us have started new jobs, one of the first things we received was a job description on what the job entailed, what our responsibilities were, and how we were to carry them out. Paul was reminding Timothy that the Scriptures can serve as God’s ‘job description’ for us – teaching us about Himself and ourselves; rebuking us when we’ve gotten off track; correcting us when some changes are needed; and training us in what righteous, holy living should look like.

 

We have much we can use to prove the authenticity and veracity of the Bible. There’s an ever-growing collection of historical, scientific and prophetic evidence to demonstrate this. Archaeology in many ways has located and confirmed sites described in the Bible. It also has uncovered many historical records that validate biblical accounts and timelines about people and events. Hundreds of Old Testament prophecies have proved true, including more than 300 Messianic predictions that Jesus fulfilled.

 

But the greatest proof of all is when we learn and apply the truths and principles God gives to us through His Word. When we do, we come to the realization, “This works!”

 

Whenever we try to do something by following the accompanying manual and we succeed, isn’t that gratifying? Not being mechanical at all, I was amazed when we bought a piece of do-it-yourself furniture and the step-by-step instructions were simple to follow – and they worked. I’ve found it’s the same way when we trust what God teaches in His Word.

 

In the process of learning and living out biblical truths and principles, we are introduced to timeless guidelines for marriage, raising children, handling finances, building a successful career, and enjoying a rewarding life. Most important of all, we discover what it means to have a personal, growing relationship with God through Christ. 

 

As His followers, we become what some might describe as “satisfied customers.” Having learned through first-hand experience that what the Bible teaches is true, we gain the desire to help others find that out for themselves as well. Encountering Good News, it’s only fitting to want to share it with others. 

 

After the despised Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well and discovered from their conversation that He was the promised Messiah, she couldn’t keep the news to herself. “Many of the Samaritans from (her) town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did’” (John 4:39).

As Jesus said, “If you continue in My word, you really are My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). In a world in which truth is becoming harder and harder to discern and is often under attack, the Scriptures are the one unchanging, unfailing source of truth. Not only for today, but for all of eternity! 

The Kinds of People God Chooses to Use

Two months from today, millions will stream to the polls and vote in another important General Election. (Unless they’ve already opted for early voting to beat the rush.) One of the most cherished rights of our democratic republic is being able to vote, to collectively choose who will be representing us at the various levels of government. The Presidential race will command the most attention, but many other important offices also will be at stake. 

 

Conscientious voting can be challenging, choosing which candidates are most qualified. Alas, sometimes we look at the candidates and shrug our shoulders in resignation, concluding there’s not much to choose from. If only God would reveal which one’s the best.

 

Many factors can enter into voting decisions, two of them being the specific individuals seeking to be elected, and the policies they espouse. For many of us, character is an important criterion. We would like to be able to choose individuals of great integrity, unquestioned moral conviction and behavior, not tempted by greed and personal interests, and other admirable qualities.

 

Unfortunately, maybe because traditional and social media are so adept at beaming harsh lights on transgressions major and minor, it seems people possessing the traits listed above are harder and harder to find. 

 

For this reason, rather than holding their noses while casting their ballots, some eligible voters will opt not to vote at all. That’s their choice. Voting is a right, not a requirement. But in reading the Scriptures, I’ve discovered that if we’re searching for leaders demonstrating sterling character and flawless perfection, it’s a very short list. A list of one: Jesus Christ.

 

Everyone else in the Bible, even those celebrated as heroes of the faith, possessed more warts than some toads. It’s amazing to consider the kinds of people God has used in the past to accomplish His purposes. A comprehensive list could fill a hefty book. So, we’ll just look at a handful of the misfits the Lord selected to lead and intervene on behalf of His chosen people.

 

Speaking of God’s chosen people, we’ll start with Jacob, who was later renamed Israel. He became the namesake for the ancient Israelites, their descendants being referred to as God’s “chosen people” to this day. This was despite the fact he was remarkably short on scruples.

 

His given name, Jacob, can be translated “to supplant or overreach,” which is exactly what he did in scheming to steal his brother Esau’s birthright. Then he compounded the deed, deceiving Isaac, his nearly blind father, to snatch the patriarch’s special blessing from Esau. Double whammy! You can find this account in Genesis 27-28. Nevertheless, God used him.

 

Then there was strong man Samson, one of history’s first superheroes. His story is recorded in Judges 13-16. We’re told, “…the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). On several occasions “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with power” (Judges 14:19) and Samson performed great feats of courage and strength.

 

Unfortunately, he had an eye for the ladies, including one seductress named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines bribed her to find out the source of Samson’s strength. After several attempts, he confided in her the promise God had made. As a result, the Philistines were able to subdue him, gouging out his eyes and throwing him into prison. But Samson had the last laugh so to speak, literally bringing the house down by toppling the central pillars of their pagan temple, killing everyone in it including himself.

 

King David was described by God as “a man with a heart after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). That sounds good, right? And yet, as we read starting in 1 Samuel 16 through the opening chapters of 1 Kings, he was an adulterer, a murderer, and the head of perhaps the most dysfunctional family in history. How could the Lord use a person like that?

 

The key was that when confronted by his sins, David was genuinely repentant, humbly acknowledging his wrongdoing without making excuses. God not only used him to reign over the Israelites but also to author many of the Psalms. In one of his penitential psalms, David wrote:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:10-12).

 

We could cite many others with major flaws and shortcomings, such as Moses, King Solomon, and the apostles Peter, Paul, James, John and Thomas. But the point is simple: If God chooses, He can and will use anyone and anything to accomplish His divine purposes. As Proverbs 16:4 states, “The Lord works out everything for His own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Proverbs 16:4).

 

As election day nears, as we weigh both character and where candidates stand on important issues, we all will be hoping to see our favorites receive the most votes. However, our confidence should be anchored in God alone. 

From the book of Proverbs, we have these assurances that ultimately, God is in control: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Proverbs 21:30). This should give us unwavering hope. 

Celebrating Work, an Integral Part of Everyday Life

There are those among us who regard work merely as ‘a necessary evil.’ They live for being able to declare, “TGIF! – Thank Goodness It’s Friday!” But from its beginning, work has been an integral part of American life and culture. It’s fitting that every year our nation designates September’s first Monday as Labor Day.

 

To some folks, Labor Day is simply the last holiday before the beginning of the school year and the long slog through autumn until Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. But Labor Day should also be a time for recognizing the efforts – the blood, sweat and tears – of countless millions who labored in steel mills, coal mines, factories, and shops; drove trucks, laid railroad tracks, built highways, designed and made clothing, and developed new technological innovations. The list could go on and on.

The significance of work has been put to melody and song in many ways, some positive and some not. Consider just a sampling of labor-related hit tunes from years past:

“Working 9 to 5” by Dolly Parton; “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke; “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive; “Workin’ For a Livin’” by Huey Lewis and the News; “Take This Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck; “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford; “A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles.

 

Work has such universal value that it was the subject of not one, but two songs in the animated Walt Disney classic, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Many of us can still happily recall “Heigh-Ho” and “Whistle While You Work.” Snow White and her little friends were an industrious lot.

 

In more ways than we could count, we’ve all benefited from work. But work wasn’t a concept conjured up by some caveman who stumbled across the possibility of making a fire or fashioning a primitive wheel. It wasn’t thought up by the many “captains of industry.” It was God’s idea from the start, as we see in the opening chapter of the Bible’s first book.

 

After creating humankind in His own image, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food…’” (Genesis 1:27-30).

 

But God didn’t create work as a burden or a punishment. He originally designed it as part of his purpose for humanity. Some theologians have termed it the “cultural mandate” – to serve as keepers or stewards of His creation. We also see this in the New Testament, where the apostle Paul declared, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9)

 

Imagine being given the honor of being “fellow workers” with God?

 

Along with this amazing privilege comes great responsibility. Work is an obligation and a necessity as well. In this post-pandemic age when it seems fewer and fewer are motivated to work and seem to have figured out ways not to, the Bible offers numerous admonitions about the importance and intrinsic value of honest labor.

 

Writing to Christ followers in the ancient city of Thessalonica, the apostle Paul apparently was addressing a problem with people who had an aversion to work. That, he stated, could not be tolerated: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

 

As an aside, this phrase was even incorporated into early Communist and socialist writings. Russian leader Vladimir Lenin wrote in his 1917 work, The State and Revolution, that “he who does not work shall not eat” was an essential principle under socialism. Somehow, it seems, the gravity of that conviction has been lost in contemporary thinking, socialist or otherwise.

 

The Bible, of course, does not endorse such ideologies, promoting instead the virtues of hard work and personal initiative. Proverbs 15:19 puts it this way, “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.” Looking at this from a little different angle, Proverbs 16:26 observes, “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.”

 

Even nature affirms this reality. State and national parks feature signs that read, “Don’t feed the bears” and “Don’t feed the animals.” Left alone, these creatures are perfectly able to find food by themselves. Feeding them disrupts this natural instinct, making them lazy and dependent.

Bottom line: As we observe this Labor Day, most of us treating it as a ‘lazy day’ – a much-needed break from our jobs – let’s pause to appreciate the benefits and values we can derive from a hard day’s work, in whatever form it takes.