Which Ones?

The rich young man asked Jesus what he needed to do to get eternal life and Jesus told him to obey the commandments. In typical young adult fashion, the man inquired, “Which ones?” (Matt 19:18a NIV). His question makes me laugh…heaven forbid that he should try to follow all the commandments. Today’s believers do something similar as we parse out Scripture looking for the minimal requirements needed to be called a Christian.

Altar Call

I recently visited a church that was more of the faith-healing and talking-in-tongues variety. Clapping, swaying, dancing to a tambourine and waving flags apparently loses something in small groups and we numbered only 10. There was an altar call following communion and an older couple went forward where there was laying on of hands and anointing with oil. It seemed to take considerable time before the Spirit moved visibly in these folks and they returned to their seats. When no one else went to the altar, the leadership then went into the audience and approached people in their seats. It became uncomfortable and awkward as I began to realize that if you don’t go to the altar, the altar comes to you!

Some Churches

I attended a church who described themselves as a full-gospel church. “Some churches just want to use the New Testament, but we use the whole Bible. They say we don’t need that stuff back there [Old Testament].” Holding up her Bible she said, “This is the Word of God…the whole thing. Jesus is in the Old Testament as much as he is in the New Testament.” Her comments were intended to elevate her own church and/or cast a shadow of discrepancy on other churches; however, I must take exception to the statement. In two years of visiting over 120 churches I have yet to find any church that teaches only from the New Testament. The body of believers understand that, “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 Tim 3:16 NIV).

Prophecies Will Cease

I was unfamiliar with a body of believers who identified themselves as a Five-Fold Church, but have since learned they take their charge from Ephesians 4:11. Paul said, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers...” Prospective members are asked to fill out a 100-question survey that helps identify one of the five categories in which they are best suited, or qualified. I wonder how this body of believers reconcile Paul’s thoughts, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears” (1 Cor 13:8-10 NIV).

Producing Fruit

As we reflect on our Christian walk we can sometimes identify the fruit we’ve produced in the kingdom and many of us measure ourselves by the Fruit of the Spirit — love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22). It gave me pause when I came across the fruit of lips, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name” (Heb 13:15 NIV).

Fading Glory

I normally wear shirts and tops that have long or ¾ length sleeves. Recently Lydia, my 11-year-old granddaughter, said, “I can’t believe you wear long sleeves in the summer.” I didn’t explain the reasons for my wardrobe choices — cold-blooded, fair skin that burns, thin skin that bruises easily, parched arm skin and sagging biceps. Nor did I tell her that, similar to Moses, we aging Christians are not immune from having fading-radiance-syndrome. According to my NIV Study Bible notes, “Moses put a veil over his face, “So the Israelites would not see the fading away of the radiance but would continue to honor Moses as the one who represented God.” (Ex 34:33 NIV).

Mandatory

As I watch TV coverage of the flooding in Texas I’m stymied by those who are given a mandatory evacuation notice, yet before making a decision on whether or not to leave they consider their own evaluation, or they ask for prayer on their decision. While I understand petitioning the Lord for direction, the word mandatory seems pretty self-explanatory to me. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).

Sending Rain

A woman interviewed on TV shortly after abandoning her home to the flood waters from Hurricane Harvey said, “We have no electricity and no water.” She sighed, “I’m humbled…if people aren’t humbled by this something is wrong!” Jesus said, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt 5:44-45 NIV).

Praiseworthy

In the epistles Paul teaches, rebukes, offers encouragement and gives praise to the churches. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thess 1:2-3 NIV). It occurs to me that in all the worship services I’ve attended, in my own church as well as those I’ve visited as a reporter, I hear praise for the work of individuals and their performances, but I’ve not heard leadership praise the Godly character of their church. I’m now wondering why church leadership fails to give praiseworthy sentiments about the body as a whole.

Surveillance

On weekdays I take my exercise walk in a fairgrounds facility. Occasionally there are a few senior-age walkers, but normally it's only the fairgrounds staff doing upkeep and maintenance. One-day last week there were about a half a dozen of us in the facility when a pair of newly purchased sunglasses went missing. The owner of the glasses questioned everyone to no avail. A couple days later I learned that surveillance tape clearly showed a man in his 80’s keeping his eye on others while he stashed the glasses in the waistband of his pants. I’m surprise and disappointed because I’ve visited and been cordial with the man on many occasions. Often we are too trusting, even amongst fellow believers. Paul warns, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” (2 Thess 3:6 NIV).

God’s Provision

It offends me to see a panhandler holding a cardboard sign that says, “Veteran…anything helps.” As a veteran myself I am well aware of all the numerous organizations available for helping vets. I also see beggars holding signs that say, “Christian needs help.” While there is no way of actually knowing whether the sign-holder is a veteran or a Christian, soliciting handouts implies that they are not being provided for. The Philippian church had sacrificially given to meet Paul’s needs and he reminded them of God’s provision for Christians, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19 NIV).

Supplying Pods

In my community we hear very little in the media about the homeless situation until winter approaches and then people and organizations scramble to keep transients from freezing — tents, sleeping bags, blankets and food. I don’t want to downplay the efforts of people helping those in need; however, at some point the homeless, like the Prodigal Son, have a responsibility to make different lifestyle choices. Reading the parable, I suspect that if the owner of the pigs had given the prodigal some of the pig’s food to eat this lost son might not have returned home to his father. In my mind the items collected for the homeless may be no better than the pods used to feed pigs.  “So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death” (Luke 15:15-17 NIV)!

Signs of the End of the Age

Some believers look at the recent eclipse as an end-times sign. Jesus said, “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’” It remains to be seen whether or not this event is a precursor of the Lord’s return as mentioned in Scripture. However, I have to give these folks kudos for looking into God’s Word rather than simply looking at the sun to experience the solar eclipse. “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (Matt 24:29, 30-31 NIV).

Eclipse

I didn’t try to find special glasses, construct a homemade viewing box, or consider driving hundreds of miles to get the best view of the full eclipse. No doubt there will be plenty of news video available to show the event. However, I do find it interesting that people are going to such lengths to look at the sun…yet so many ignore the Son. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11 NIV).

Late Bloomer

The other day a friend asked me if I wasn’t about ready to retire. I had to laugh because career-wise I’m a bit of a late bloomer. I started collecting Social Security before I began writing for an online newspaper, so now receiving Social Security and also having to pay into it at the same time. The retirement question made me think of God sending Moses back to Egypt to free his people from slavery. “Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh” (Ex 7:6-7 NIV). I can almost hear the Hebrews telling Moses, “Aren’t you about ready to retire?” 

Praise of Men

President Trump has a thick skin when it comes to his critics. However, I also see him as thin skinned when it comes to his desire for praise. While many people crave praise from men, in Trump’s case it’s as though if people won’t praise him, he will simply praise himself. It occurs to me that President Trump may in fact, “…love praise from men more than praise from God” (John 12:43 NIV). To his credit the President is a quick study and a fast learner, but when it comes to his love of the praise I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a Road to Damascus encounter with the Lord to get his attention.

Good Reputation

Recently a local resident, who is an in-your-face community activist and a constant thorn in the side of many, had a fire in his home. The man’s caustic and condescending character has left him with a bad reputation and when his children tried to raise funds for him on social media one Facebook post simply said, “karma.” Most of us cherish our reputation among people of like precious faith; however, we often underestimate the importance of a good reputation in the world.  Although Paul was speaking directly to overseers and deacons, his words are applicable to all believers. “He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap” (1 Tim 3:7 NIV).

In Weakness

I have a hard time being around people who are boastful and talk about themselves all the time. The Apostle Paul was compelled to boast even though he knew there was nothing to be gained by it, but unlike most of us, Paul boasted about the things that showed his weaknesses (2 Cor 11:30). On a human level this just makes me laugh. Most of us can’t even acknowledge we have weaknesses, much less boast about them. So often I fail to grasp that the Lord’s power is made perfect in weakness. Paul said, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10 NIV).

Firsthand Experience

On the road to Damascus Paul’s encounter with the Lord resulted in blindness and he was led by the hand into Damascus where he remained blind for three days (Acts 9:1-9). Paul’s “come to Jesus moment” was profound. I can’t help but wonder if that experience played a role in Paul’s thought process when he encountered Elymas the sorcerer. Elymas opposed Paul and Barnabas and Paul sentenced him, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13:10-11 NIV).

All Who Sail With You

The Apostle Paul warned the pilot and owner of the ship not to sail from Crete, but they did not heed his advice. The ship was caught in a northeaster and battered for many days. When the crew gave up all hope of being saved Paul said, “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you’” (Acts 27:23-24 NIV). I’m now pondering the lives of unbelievers who sail through life with me — co-workers, associates, neighbors, acquaintances, etc. We believers may never know if we’ve ever saved another person’s life, either physically or spiritually, but God is gracious to let others sail with us.