Wisdom of The Week

     We had the opportunity to attend the district track meet in Oregon to watch our granddaughter qualify for state in the 100 meter hurdles  (Yea Lacey!).  Our grandson, Luke, who was home from his first year at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, got to assist the track coach in preparing the athletes for district. He especially worked with Mason, the  javelin thrower. Although Luke qualified for state last year in several events, the javelin was his specialty. He won the district meet and narrowly placed second at state.  It was fun to watch the vicarious enjoyment that Luke got as he helped Mason after each throw to make minor adjustments which resulted in his placing second and qualifying for state.  

     This past week John, a  good friend and brother in Christ, helped us get a load of firewood. John is a retired Marine and police officer and expert marksman, especially in pistol shooting and helps out with local shoots as well as competes in matches throughout the year. As we worked, he mentioned the joy and excitement it recently gave him to help someone who had been doing well on nearby targets but struggled as the targets were moved further. He noticed that they were not “squeezing” the trigger as they had been earlier. He pointed it out to them and it made a big difference in their accuracy. 

     It should bring us joy when we help others to succeed, even if they pass us up!   I have coached high school tennis and given private lessons for several decades and it always brings me a sense of fulfillment when I see players that I have worked with improve and have success competing at a level far beyond my skill level.  That is part of the joy of mentoring or discipling others, and is especially true when it comes to our spiritual lives. 

     I think of the example in Scripture of Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth who was nicknamed “Son of Encouragement” (Barnabas) by the Apostles (Acts 4:36).  When Saul of Tarsus, a leader in Judaism and  persecutor of Jesus’ followers called “The Way” (Acts 8,9) came to know Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior on his way to Damascus (Acts 9), he went to Jerusalem and tried “to associate with the disciples but they were afraid of him (understandably so!), not believing that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26).  “But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the Apostles” and went on to vouch for the validity of his transformation (vv. 27-28). While others avoided this former persecutor of believers, Barnabas took Saul under wing and discipled him.

     Because of persecution, many believers had fled to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch (Acts 11:19).  At Antioch many Gentiles got saved (v. 21) creating a very highly explosive situation.  The Church was barely off the ground and it could be split down the middle between Jews and Gentiles, so the Church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas, the “man with the oily disposition,” to Antioch (v. 22).   Barnabas, “a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” encouraged them and “considerable numbers were being brought to the Lord” (vv. 23,24).  

     Then Barnabas decided to go to Tarsus to get Saul to come and help at Antioch and for a year they discipled the believers. It was there at Antioch that believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:25-26).  You will note that at this point the duo is called “Barnabas and Saul” (v. 30),” implying that Barnabas is the leader, the discipler. The leadership that grew out of the church at Antioch was soon directed by the Holy Spirit to “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”  (Acts 13:2).  Barnabas and Saul were commissioned by the church and sent out on their first missionary journey to Asia Minor. Note that it was still “Barnabas and Saul” (13:7). 

     As they continued in ministry, Saul started going by his Gentile name, Paul, and pretty soon it is no longer “Barnabas and Saul,” but “Paul and Barnabas,” (Acts 13:42) implying that Paul was now the leader of the team. The disciple had passed up the discipler!   That is very often the case, and it should bring joy to the discipler to observe it happening.  

     What a joy it is to me when I hear of how someone I taught in a youth group way back in the 1970’s is now faithfully serving our Lord in a vocation as a pastor, a missionary, Christian author or even as a Bible college professor!  Or, I hear of someone who attended the church I pastored for 37 years who is continuing to use their spiritual gifts to serve the Lord.  In his third epistle, John wrote: “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth” (III Jn. 1:4).    Discipling is hard work, takes great discipline on our own part, but is so rewarding when we see the truths from God’s Word fleshed out in the lives of those in whom we poured it.  So, “Pass it on!”  The things that God has taught you through His word through those who discipled you, entrust to others who will in turn be equipped to teach others (II Tim. 2:1,2). 

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

     Throughout the history of the United States of America, millions have sacrificed their time and comforts and many even their lives for the sake of our freedoms and rights.  Today, we pause to remember their sacrifices on our behalf, allowing us to live a life of freedom in this great nation founded on the principles of God’s truths. God has given us a memory on purpose because there are some things in the past that if we were to forget them, we would be impoverished in the present and the future. We are reminded of the grief experienced by those who received that phone call or telegram or that knock on the door to hear that a loved one wouldn’t be coming home. When we don’t remember, it’s as if we are taking it for granted and in a sense wasting the sacrifices that so many have paid for our benefit.  The compelling reality that surrounds a Memorial Day, is that freedom always has a price.

     If we think of it in a spiritual sense,  God created us to be free. We were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26,27) which included a free will that could make choices. But Satan came along and sabotaged that with his temptation in the Garden and Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s orders and ate of the forbidden fruit and as a result the tyranny of sin and bondage entered the world.  “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Ro. 5:12).  Mankind was placed in bondage and robbed of the freedom for which we were created.  But, Jesus Christ came, the “seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:15), made the ultimate sacrifice, laying down His life for us (Jn. 10:11,18), that we might be set free from the bondage of sin and of death. 

     Jesus understood the importance of remembering the sacrifice He made for us so instituted the “Lord’s Table” or the communion service where we break the bread and share the cup. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (I Cor. 11:24,25).  Jesus knew how easy it is for us to forget the price that was paid for our freedom, both spiritually from the bondage of sin and also as a nation which has experienced the greatest freedom of any nation on earth, but not without a tremendous cost to millions who have served to obtain and protect those freedoms. Today, this Memorial Day, we pause to express our gratitude for every life that has been given to procure the freedoms which we too often take for granted. We also extend a huge “Thank You” to those who are currently serving in the military to fight to protect those freedoms. 

     Sadly, too many government officials today are taking actions that undermine and dismantle many of the very freedoms for which these heroes gave their lives. Freedom is precious–costly–and we must be vigilant to ensure that the freedoms many have sacrificed their lives for continue to be enjoyed by our children and grandchildren. We are greatly indebted to those who laid down their lives for our country. One way we can honor their legacy is by protecting those freedoms today.  Praise the Lord for groups like “Alliance Defending Freedom,”  “American Center for Law and Justice,” and “Freedom Coalition” that are fighting to protect those freedoms against the tyranny of politicians and judges who attempt to destroy them.  

     Similarly, but even more important, are those who are boldly and uncompromisingly proclaiming the truths of God’s Word in the midst of a culture that is in moral freefall and increasing spiritual darkness. Praise the Lord for believers who are remaining steadfast and being “salt and light” (Mt. 5:13-16).  

     All freedom ultimately comes only from a commitment to the truth and to the One who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” (Jesus Christ…Jn. 14:6).  Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free…If the Son shall  make you free, you shall be free indeed” (Jn. 8:32,36).  Obviously, the reason we are struggling in our nation is because we have not been acknowledging the absolute truths of God’s Word and are just doing “what is right in our own eyes” like during the period of the Judges, which was one of the darkest periods in the history of God’s chosen people, the Jews (Judges 21:25).  If we are going to truly honor those who have given and are giving their lives to protect our freedoms, we must get back to following the truths of God’s Word.  That is the only way to protect the freedoms for which they have sacrificed and for which our Savior made the ultimate sacrifice as He died for the sins of the world to give us the opportunity to be set free from sin’s penalty and power.   

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

A Memorial Day Prayer

“Father, we thank you for each and every one of our military personnel who defend our country from those who might take our freedom from us. Today, we thank you especially for those who have fought and died on foreign shores…for those whose graves we mark and honor, and for those whose fate is known only to You. We thank you for those who have been wounded in battle…may we never forget their service and care for them as they deserve.  Father, we ask you to watch over those men and women stationed abroad today, and be there with their families when they cannot be there. Bless, preserve, protect and defend them, and bring them safely home. 

In Jesus name, Amen.”      (Virginia Saunders)

     In just a week, Israel turns 75 as a modern nation.  On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, declared “the establishment of a Jewish state to be known as the state of Israel.”  “In the days leading up to the formation of the Jewish state, most foreign ministry and military officials believed it was a mistake to let Israel become a nation because they expected that it would be immediately destroyed by its Arab neighbors, so they strongly lobbied President Truman not to recognize the new Jewish nation, fearing the United States would have blood on its hands when Israel was wiped out” (The Friends of Israel newsletter, April 2023).  But, President Truman, from his Southern Baptist upbringing, knew that Israel was the only nation with whom God had made a covenant in which He promised them the land of Israel.  That covenant began with Abraham, as recorded in Gen. 12:1-3 (cf 15:7; Acts 7:1-5; Heb. 11:8) where God promised him a land, a nation and a blessing.  President Truman hurriedly typed up a proclamation recognizing the new state of Israel. “He knew his advisors were about to arrive at the White House, and he did not want to risk the possibility of them stopping him!”  He felt that God had placed him in the presidency (like Esther in the Bible) for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). 

     Truman’s political and military advisors had been advising him against standing with Israel, but God, in His providence, had sent a childhood friend of President Truman, a Jewish man named Edward Jacobson, to visit him a few weeks before David Ben-Gurion’s declaration. Jacobson explained to Truman why it was important for the Jewish people to have a homeland of their own where they could defend themselves and to which Jews scattered around the world could return. 

      So, on May 14, 1948, just eleven minutes after newly appointed Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion read the Declaration of Independence for Israel, President Truman officially announced the United States’ recognition and full support of the sovereign nation of Israel.  

     That very evening, a coalition of Arab nations attacked Israel, but the fledgling State of Israel rallied and defended itself successfully–and miraculously, and has been doing so ever since with wars and skirmishes to defend its borders from the Arab nations that surround it, vowing to push Israel into the Mediterranean and off the face of the map.  The hand of God is so evident in all of this, and will continue to be, for they are God’s Chosen, covenant people (Dt. 7:6-9; Isa. 43:10-12; 49:3,6; Ro. 11:28,29) and He will fulfill all His promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David (Isa. 44:21-28; 45:5-7,12,18; Jer. 29:11).  There is no other way to explain their rebirth and 75 years of longevity in the face of constant opposition. No other nation has experienced the constant onslaught of hostility; yet the little nation of Israel, the size of the state of New Jersey, thrives as a democracy while surrounded by nations bent on destroying her. 

     Year after year, this amazing little nation, the miracle of God, continues to prosper and bless the world with its scientific, agricultural, information technology, and medical advancements, and millions of visitors flock to Israel each year! Truly, through the nation that God established through Abraham, all the nations of the earth are blessed. But the greatest blessing, of course is that through that nation, God provided the Holy Scriptures and the Messiah-Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who came to provide salvation to all who would believe, Jew and Gentile alike, through His sacrifice at Calvary and subsequent bodily resurrection three days later. 

     I believe that the reason the United States has been a “great nation” is first because of our foundation on biblical principles with a desire to have a place where we could freely worship God without interference from the state; but secondly, because of our support for Israel and God’s chosen people.  In God’s covenant with Abraham, He not only promised Abraham a land and a nation and blessing, but added, “I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse…” (Gen. 12:3).  We have been blessed because of our recognition and support of the nation of Israel, just as proclaimed by President Truman. But that support has been waning and we now see a big increase in anti-semitism within our own country which is one of the major reasons we have been struggling in every aspect.  We, as a nation have turned our back on God and His Word and have become like the Israelites during the period of the Judges when “Everyone did that which was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25), and along with that have weakened in our support of Israel.  I pray that our leaders would come to their senses and repent and return to our Christian and biblical roots before it is too late. 

     I pray too for the many Jews who have yet to recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Savior.  The nation is living in unbelief, but God hasn’t given up on them, and one day, “all Israel wil be saved” (Ro. 11:26).  Because of the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah when He came to earth, the Gentiles had the opportunity to hear the Gospel. The Apostle Paul wrote: “For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Ro. 11:15).  When the Jews turn to Christ (at the end of the Tribulation) it will usher in Christ’s promised Kingdom on Earth and what a blessing that will be as there will finally be peace and justice and a rule of righteousness on earth. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).  

Happy 75th Birthday, Israel!

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

     Over the past couple weeks we have commemorated  “Earth Day” (established in 1970 on April 22nd) and “Arbor Day” (established in the early 1870’s in Nebraska City, NE as the last Friday in April).   Both have become global events demonstrating support for and protection of our environment. “Earth Day,” which is coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG, is now recognized in nearly 200 countries.  The official theme for 2023 was “Invest In Our Planet”–Be part of the ‘Green Revolution’.   People, of course are encouraged to send in money to help in the cause of educating about “Climate Change.”  

     While it is encouraging that we are reminded of our need to care for our planet on which we live (just as Adam and Eve were instructed by God in Gen. 1:28 and 2:15) , it is unfortunate that it has become a  political issue as many seem to think that man is solely in control of the future of our earthly home and will destroy it if we don’t “go green” according to their plan.  Well, I’ve got news for them. If they think we’ve messed it up, wait and see what God–who is actually the One in control–is going to do to it.  

     First of all, many don’t even acknowledge that He sent a universal flood that destroyed all life on earth except for Noah and his family and the animals which God sent to be with them on the Ark, and completely changed the terrain and climate on this planet on which we live that appears from space as just a “little blue dot.” Such skeptics are referred to in II Pet. 3:3-13 where we read: “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.’  For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But this present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men…the Day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up…But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”  

     God created the earth as a very special place for those He created in His own image (Gen. 1:26,27) to dwell.  We read in Isa. 45:18: “For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it. He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited….”   When you think of what it takes for life to exist on this “little blue dot” of ours and of the infiniteness of the universe around us,  it is far beyond our ability to comprehend. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand (the oceans contain 340 quintillion gallons of water), and marked off the heavens by the span (the known universe stretches over 30 billion light years or 200 sextillion miles), and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in a pair of scales (earth weighs 56 sextillion metric tons)…With whom did He consult and who gives Him understanding?…” (Isa. 40:12,14).  

     When God finally responded to Job after his horrendous ordeal, He said to Job, “Now gird up your loins like a man (put on your big-boy pants!) and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!  Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth!…Who set the measurements…or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk?…Or who enclosed the sea with doors…Have you ever commanded the morning and caused the dawn to know its place?…Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?…Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail? ” (Job. 38:3-22).

      Needless to say, our “little blue dot” is a very special, very amazing place and it is good that we have a day set aside to recognize our need to be good stewards and care for the earth, but I wish more so that we would acknowledge the Omnipotent, Omniscient God who created this dwelling place of ours, and that it is “He who has made us (and the earth for our home) and not we ourselves” (Psa. 100:3). We need to “stand in awe” (Psa. 4:4; 33:8; 119:61) as we consider the work of His hands. “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth” (Psa. 8:9).  Just as the word “create” (to make from nothing) really only applies to God, so the word “awesome” really only applies to our Creator and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory for ever. Amen” (Ro. 11:36). 

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

P.S.  As amazing as our planet is inspite of the curse of sin placed upon it, imagine what the “new heavens and new earth” will be like “where righteousness dwells”!

     In an attempt to transform the world for the better, a global movement was begun in 2007 by international motivational speaker Blake Beattie. He had been inspired by American novelist Catherine Rayan Hyde’s book “Pay it Forward” which was adapted into a movie in 2000. “Pay It Forward” day is now celebrated in 80 countries with a goal of spreading kindness. The idea is that when we are shown kindness by someone, rather than trying to pay it back, you pay it forward by doing something nice for someone else, who is to do the same, causing a “ripple” effect. 

     The principle was the key plot element in a play in 317 B.C. by Meander called “Dyskolos.”  The phrase itself was coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her book “In the Garden of Delight,” and was further popularized in Robert Heinlein’s novel, “Between the Planets.” 

     Paying it forward can help spread some civility and kindness but random acts of kindness can only go so far.  The Bible teaches a much more profound, deeper level of this concept: doing good from a grateful heart that recognizes the magnitude of blessings we have received. Jesus said to His followers: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples” (Jn. 13:34).  When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He modeled humble service toward others and told them, “For I gave you an example, that you also should do as I did to you” (Jn. 13:15).  He also taught that doing good for others is not about keeping score or being repaid. He said: “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return…” (Lk. 6:35). 

     In his letters to the churches, the apostle Paul gave similar commands, urging believers in Ephesus and Colossae to forgive others as Christ forgave them (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Husbands were told to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25).   Directly and indirectly throughout Scripture, God’s people are told to accept God’s blessings with gratitude, and, in a sense, pay them forward by treating others with the same grace and mercy the Lord has shown them. Rather than being a divine plan to build a kinder, gentler world, such godly behavior demonstrates what it means to be a true disciple of Christ:  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples” (Jn. 13:35). 

     Paul demonstrated that attitude when dealing with his friend Philemon and Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus. After coming to know Christ under Paul’s ministry while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, Onesimus was sent home to Philemon in Colossae. In an attempt to reconcile slave and master, Paul sent a letter encouraging Philemon to receive Onesimus and treat him, not as a worthless runaway but, rather, as a valuable new brother in Christ. Paul’s petition on Onesimus’ behalf is preserved for us in the book of Philemon.  Paul challenged Philemon to receive his runaway slave who had wronged him in the same way he would receive Paul himself, an act that would go much deeper than simply paying it forward. 

     In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul encouraged them to “accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God” (Ro. 15:7).   He also instructed them to “accept the one who is weak in faith” (Ro. 14:1).   Paul lived in gratitude for the way Jesus loved, reached out, and accepted him even though he was an enemy who had persecuted Jesus’ followers.  In the same way, Paul reached out and welcomed those who came to know Christ, regardless of their backgrounds. He then encouraged those who were received by Christ to pay it forward to others. To the Corinthians, Paul said, “For I delivered to you what I also received…” (I Cor. 15:3).  

     Paul encouraged others to forgive as they had been forgiven. To the believers at Ephesus he wrote: “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). In light of the “indescribable gift” (II Cor. 9:15) we have in Christ, it may seem insignificant to pay it forward with the limited love, acceptance, and forgiveness we are able to offer to others from our sin-scarred hearts, but paying it forward from a heart filled with gratitude for the blessings we have received bears testimony to our faith in Jesus and glorifies our Father in heaven. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:1,2). In other words, “Pay It Forward!”

Forever Grateful,

Pastor Dave

     In Job’s reply to one of his “comforters,” Zophar, he said, “But now ask the beasts and let them teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; and let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing. And the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:7-10).  

     We love to watch the wildlife on our property and see how God has equipped each in such a genius way to survive and thrive.  Yesterday we noticed that our bluebirds were back and immediately began building a nest in the same birdhouse they used last year.  During the winter we were entertained by various species of woodpeckers, including a pair of big pileated, that frequented our suet block hanging from our maple tree. Many black-capped chickadees, juncos, wrens and nuthatches also spent the winter with us, enjoying our feeders.  And, of course we are always overrun with turkeys!

     God’s word encourages us to observe how God has designed and cares for His creation.  Jesus even talks about that in His Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 6:26-30).  The lesson, of course, is that if God has so designed and cares for His plants and animals, imagine how much He must care for us, the “crown of His creation” (read Psa.8 and 100). 

     Every one of God’s creatures shows us what an amazing Engineer/Creator we serve. Consider for example the giant sea turtles whose young navigate across the ocean guided by variations in Earth’s magnetic field. Scientists say the sense is derived from a light-detecting protein called “cryptochrome” specifically found in these animals. It didn’t just evolve over time. God put it there! Or consider bumblebees that build up a positive electrical charge as they fly and, using tiny filaments on their head and body, can detect the negative charge that flowers generate. Our God equipped them that way.  

     Or, consider how elephants use low frequency sound (inaudible to the human ear) to communicate with other elephants miles away.  Or, think about how God provided dogs with about 300 million olfactory receptors to amplify their sense of smell, compared with about 6 million that humans have.  The canine capacity for odor detection has been reported to be as much as 10,000 to 100,000 times that of the average human. And dogs can detect volatile organic compounds down to one part per trillion!  No wonder dogs make great drug detectors and can follow the tracks of an animal or detect the presence of a bird. 

     Every one of God’s creations has its own unique, special abilities highly engineered to survive and thrive on the earth.  But one of the most incredible is the one whose return we await any day now, the hummingbird.  They usually show up at our window to let us know we need to get our feeder out!  Not only are they equipped with such an amazing means of maneuverability with God’s design of their wing structure (wings that can beat 80 times a second!),  but scientists now know that they can see ultraviolet light in colors invisible to humans. “Researchers led by sensory ecologist Mary Caswell Stoddard at Princeton University tested wild broad-tailed hummingbirds in their natural setting and clearly showed the birds use their ultraviolet vision to forage for food” (Newsmax Maxlife, October 2020). The tiny birds acrobatic ability to swoop, swerve, and hover is made possible by a brain that processes color, motion, and other visual cues in a way that may be unique among birds. Their brains, the largest relative to body size of all birds, have dense arrays of retinal neurons and enhanced brain circuits for high-speed image processing, guidance, and collision avoidance (You really don’t need to worry about having a hummingbird accidentally jamb his beak into your head!) Ultraviolet vision enables a fast-flying bird like a hummingbird to navigate through dense brush by highlighting obstacles more clearly.  

     Interestingly, hummingbirds, with their amazing, expanded color vision, have no sense of smell, while dogs, as we observed, have a highly sensitive sense of smell but appear to be colorblind!  Again, God has given each one of His creatures specialized abilities, demonstrating His engineering genius.  Douglas Altshuler at the university of British Columbia said, “If we were able to sense what every animal could sense and put it into one brain, I don’t think we could make a brain big enough” (Newsmax Maxlife).  

     Well, as amazing as all of God’s creatures are, God made man in His own image, with a spirit that is aware of God and can communicate with and, as an act of the will, worship God in all His glory and can learn about Him by studying the world and universe around us.  And, speaking of the human brain which God designed, consider this: scientists now estimate that it has a memory capacity of 2.5 million gigabytes, or as much as the entire internet!  Just as a comparison reference, the average memory of a laptop computer is 256 gigabytes!  No wonder the Psalmist proclaimed: “I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psa. 139:14). 

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

     We know that Jesus Christ created all things in heaven and on earth.   “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being”  (Jn. 1:3).  “For by Him all things were created, both  in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created by Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16).   Therefore, everything belongs to Him, as pointed out by the Psalmist: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine… for the world is Mine and all it contains” (Psa. 50:10-12).

     But when God the Son took on the form of man in order to become the sacrifice for the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29), He “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient  to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:6-8).  Jesus did not hold onto heavenly glory and throw His weight around.  As the God-Man, He emptied Himself and gave Himself completely away for the benefit of others. 

      Though as Creator, He owns all things, while on earth in a human body, He became a “borrower.”  Jesus was born in a borrowed place and laid in a borrowed manger. As He traveled, He had no place of His own to spend the night (see Lk. 9:58; Mt. 8:20). He borrowed Simon Peter’s fishing boat from which to preach to the crowd on shore (Lk. 5:1-3).  He “borrowed” a boy’s sack lunch to feed thousands of hungry people. (I say “borrowed,” because they ended up with 12 baskets of leftovers!...Jn. 6:1-13). Jesus rode into Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday” on a borrowed, unbroken colt (Lk. 19: 28-35). Jesus celebrated the Passover and had His final meal with the disciples in a borrowed “upper room” (Lk. 22: 7-13).  After Jesus died in our place on the cross, He was buried in a borrowed tomb, one belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (Lk. 23:50-53; Mt. 27:60; Jn. 19:41 cf Isa. 53:9). 

     When you reflect on Jesus’ life on earth, He had no dock fees for boat storage, no boarding fees, no rent, no cemetery upkeep, no property to keep up and on which to pay taxes. He had no earthly investments that would have been a distraction.  Such ownership would have impeded the vagabond lifestyle necessary to accomplish His task. He became “Jesus the Borrower,” a humility reflected in Phil. 2:5-8 quoted above.  It also made Him dependent upon His Father in a new way. He depended on God to provide through fallible humans who “owned” things, like stables, and boats, and rooms and tombs.  

     Interestingly, when Jesus sent out the Twelve the first time (in pairs), “He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey,” no money, no food, no knapsack and no extra clothes (Mk. 6:7-9).  He was teaching  them to depend upon God to provide for them through those who “owned” things, Just as Jesus did in His earthly ministry. 

     Jesus had only temporary need for the things He borrowed, as He would soon be heading back to His heavenly home.  Even the tomb was only temporarily borrowed, for He would only need it for portions of three days.  Jesus had prophesied on numerous occasions that He would suffer and die and remain in the grave for “three days and three nights” and then rise again (Mt. 12:40; 26:61; 27:40, 63; Mk. 14:58; 15:29). In contrast to the founders of any other religious movements, Jesus’ tomb is empty!  When tourists go to visit the site of the Crucifixion of Christ and the tomb in which He was laid, there is nothing but an empty tomb.  Praise the Lord, He is alive!–a fact celebrated around the world yesterday.  

     If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, nothing else matters (I Cor. 15:12-19).  That is, if Jesus didn’t conquer death as He promised, then we are still in our sins and life has no meaning, no significance, no purpose and no assured hope for the future. We may as well “eat and drink and (try to) be merry for tomorrow we die” and that is it (Eccl. 8:15). But since Jesus Christ did rise from the dead (a fact for which we have “many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3), then we know our sins are paid for and we have eternal life through Him (Jn. 5:24; I Jn. 5:11,12), and nothing else really matters. Everything else is temporal and fading away.  Paul wrote, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Cor. 4:16-18).  

     Because Jesus Christ is alive, and lives in us as believers, we are in a “win-win” situation. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).  For our remaining time on earth, we have “Christ in us, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27) and can make it through any circumstance because of His presence in us, when we depend upon Him. And when we die, our soul and spirit will be immediately ushered into His presence (II Cor. 5:8). “Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him” (v. 9).  

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

     The expression “skin in the game,” often encountered in the world of business and finance, refers to owners or executives having a significant stake in the shares of the company they manage. It is important to investors, for it shows that the owners or executives share a stake in the company’s success.  Or, when workers have stock in the company they work for, they “have skin in the game” so they may work harder to make it successful. So, to “have skin” in something means you have an active interest in its success, because you are invested in it, and if it fails, it affects you in some way.  The term, “skin in the game,” originated from the derby races where the owners of the horses had the most to gain or lose. 

     The ultimate example of one who (literally) had “skin in the game,” is Jesus Christ, the “Word” who was “with God,” and “was God,” and “was in the beginning with God,”  that “became flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:1,2,14).  “Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (Heb. 2:14,15).  God the Son took on human flesh in order that “He might taste death for every one” (Heb. 2:9). 

     He became the “one mediator between God and men” and “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (I Tim. 2:5,6).  As the God-Man mediator, He most certainly had “skin in the game.” But why was such a mediator needed?  Because sin made us enemies of God and we were without hope and no amount of animal sacrifices could take away our sin. Jesus came as both our High Priest and our sacrifice. As the perfect “Lamb of God” (Jn. 1:29) he laid down His life as a final sacrifice for sin. “Through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption…And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sin; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 9:11; 10:11,12). 

     Jesus definitely had “skin in the game,” for “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18) depended upon His “bearing our sins in His body on the cross” (I Pet. 2:24).  That is what makes the resurrection of such great significance, for it was proof that God the Father was satisfied (“propitiated”) with Jesus’ sacrifice in payment for our sins. I John 2:2 says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” And Paul wrote: “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith” (Rom. 3:24,25).  He goes on to add: “He was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification” (4:25).  In other words, He died for our sins and was raised as evidence that the payment was accepted. God was “propitiated” or “satisfied.”  

     This adds insightful impact to the “resurrection chapter” of I Corinthians 15, where it says “…If Christ has not been raised, your faith in worthless, you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. BUT NOW Christ has been raised from the dead…” (vv. 16-20).  

     As we approach Resurrection Sunday, we can rejoice that Christ Jesus had “skln in the game,” that He was fully invested in God’s plan of redemption to put away our sins through going to the Cross and laying down His life as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29).  As beneficiaries of that amazing sacrificial act, we too have “skin in the game,” for we are not our own. We have been bought with a price and therefore should glorify God in our body (I Cor. 6:19,20). “He died for all, that they who live (those who have received Him as Savior) should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (II Cor. 5:15).  We are to be “all in” for Jesus, because He was “all in” for us.  

Forever His,

Pastor Dave

     Have you ever been accused of “making something out of nothing,” meaning you have over-reacted to something insignificant and made it into a big deal.  Well, I have news for you, none of us can do that. Only God can “make something out of nothing”!

     In the very first verse of the Bible, God’s revelation to mankind, it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).  The Hebrew word translated “created” is bara and can only have God as its subject for only God can create, i.e., to bring something out of nothing (ex nihlo).  The context dictates that this was a creation without preexisting material.  Although God “made” some things out of the elements he created, such as forming Adam from the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7), and Eve from one of Adam’s ribs (Gen. 2:21), He is the only one who can just speak things into existence like we see in Gen. 1:3: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” We read in Heb.11:3, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” 

       Just think about the greatness of our God Who created a universe far beyond our ability to comprehend.  “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing”  (Isa. 40:26). (NOTE: The universe contains at least 200 billion galaxies each made up of about 100 billions stars, and every star is not only numbered but named...Psa. 147:4).  

     In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul wrote: “For by Him (Jesus Christ) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16,17).  Not only can Jesus Christ “make something out of nothing,” He can also hold it all together. If it weren’t for His sustaining power, this planet on which we live, which, in addition to its daily rotation,  is orbiting the sun at an average speed of 67,000 mph (18.5 miles/sec), would reel off into space.  No wonder we sometimes get vertigo!

     All this to say that Gen. 1:1 is possibly the most profound  and impactful passage in the Bible. How a person responds to Gen. 1:1 determines not only his belief about creation, but it may well indicate his attitude toward the rest of Scripture.  When we recognize the eternal existence of God, who in the beginning of time as we know it, “created the heavens and the earth,” we have no trouble with the rest of Scripture: the universal flood of Noah, the burning bush, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna from heaven, Joshua’s long day, Jonah being swallowed by the great fish, Daniel’s deliverance, Jesus’ virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death and bodily resurrection.  Accept the first four words of the Bible, and there’s no need for ridiculous theories to explain away the miraculous. But, when the Creator is excluded from man’s thinking, man desperately tries to form some explanation of things as they are. That’s when he turns to the theories of evolution spawned by the blinded and swallowed by the gullible. How much better to believe: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”!

     The Apostle Paul warns us what happens when we suppress the truth about God the Creator: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals. Therefore God gave them over in the lust of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Ro. 1:18-25). 

     Jesus Christ is the Creator, and once He put on human form, His creative abilities continued to find application. Several of His miracles involved creation out of nothing. Note the feeding of the 5,000 (Jn. 6:10-11), the restoring of the withered hand (Mk. 3:1-5), bringing life back to the dead (Jn. 11:43-44), replacing a severed ear (Lk. 22:49-51)–just to name a few.   But, perhaps the most important creative act of Christ is one He performs on repentant sinners every day. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ( or creation); the old things passed away; behold new things have come” (II Cor. 5:17). Through faith in Christ and His death, burial and resurrection, we, who were “dead in sin” (Eph. 2:1),  are “born again” (Jn. 3:3), made alive in Christ (Eph. 2:5) and “pass out of death into life” (Jn. 5:24).  There’s only One who can accomplish that and that is the only One who can truly “make something out of nothing,” Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory forever, Amen!

Forever his, 

Pastor Dave

     During a recent heavy-snow winter, we had record snowfalls in Northwest Montana with anywhere from 13 to 18 feet accumulating in the valley (more in the higher elevations) from Thanksgiving through early January.  As the snow melted in the spring we had a “lake” in our field and a stream flowing through our front yard.  As the geese returned from their southern wintering grounds, we had geese swimming in our new “lake.”  Every year since that time, we have at least one pair of geese show up looking for the water.  They still often spend a few days grazing on any new grass that is up, and I’m sure, wondering what happened to the “lake.” 

     Well, today is the first day of spring, and sure enough four big “honkers” (Canada Geese) landed out by the old “lake” site and are currently feeding on the little patch of grass exposed under a lodgepole pine tree (our field is still covered with close to a foot of snow!). And, is their custom, one of the four geese stands watch for danger while the other three feed.  They are called sentinels and have a very important job, crucial to the safety of the others.  Many birds and other animals have that practice. We also have a couple rafters of turkeys that hang out in the area and as they are feeding, there is always one standing watch.  

     The crows have recently returned as well from their migration. You definitely know when they are back as they are very noisy and love to hang out in groups, which are called “murders”!  (So, if you only have two or three crows in a group is it an “attempted murder”?!)  Crows too have sentinels that keep watch while the rest are feeding and they put so much emphasis on the position that if a sentinel is careless and doesn’t pay attention and allows an enemy to approach without warning the flock (murder), the first feeding crow to notice the danger will sound the alarm and the sky will suddenly be full of crows making a terrible ruckus, but before flying away from danger they will likely attack the negligent sentinel and shred it to death with their sharp beaks. (Maybe that’s why a flock of crows is called a  “murder” !)  By the way, crows are very intelligent and great communicators, with a vocabulary of at least 50 different messages that they convey and as a result they work together extremely well to accomplish their goals.

     Sentinels have a very important job which needs to be taken seriously.  The welfare of the others depends upon their giving an alarm of any approaching danger.  That is not only true in the animal world, but also in the body of believers.  In the ancient world, cities often had walls around them for protection and had sentinels called “watchmen ” who stood on the walls to warn of impending danger.  The Israelites also had  prophets whose job it was to not only convey messages from God but also to warn  the Israelites of danger from false teachings that threatened the spiritual health of the people. In the book of Isaiah, we see the sins of Israel’s wicked prophets denounced: their spiritual blindness, and false sense of optimism. Isa. 56:10,11 says, “His watchmen are blind. All of them know nothing. All of them are dumb dogs unable to bark, dreamers lying down, who love to slumber…shepherds who have no understanding.” 

     Ezekiel was commissioned by God to be a watchman for Israel (Ezek. 3:17).  As a watchman, it was his job to warn the wicked of pending judgment. If He didn’t warn them and they died in their sin, God said, “his blood will I require at your hand” (vv. 18-21). God’s message to Ezekiel is repeated in Ezek. 33: 6-11.  

     Throughout biblical history, shepherding was one of the primary occupations and provided many illustrations of caring for the “flock of God” (We are called “His people and the sheep of His pasture” …Psa. 100:3). As David said, “The LORD is my shepherd” (Psa. 23:1), and Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn. 10:11). He protects His sheep and will not lose one of them (Jn. 6:39).  But “the hireling (who is not concerned about the sheep)…beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them” (vv. 12,13).

    God also has “undershepherds” to care for local flocks of His sheep–to guide and guard and graze them.  Sheep are very vulnerable and dependent for their welfare on a good shepherd who watches out for them. Paul told the elders from the church at Ephesus, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert…” (Acts 20:28-31).  

     We are living in a period close to the return of Christ when, as prophesied(I Tim. 4:1-4; II Tim. 3:1-7) there is a proliferation of false teachers who are luring believers away from the truth and confusing unbelievers as to what truth is or if there even is any absolute truth.  It is more important than ever that we have “watchmen on the walls,” sentinels who are warning of these threatening heresies and perversions of the truth. As believers, especially those in positions of leadership as pastors and elders, we serve as sentinels, warning the flock of these dangers and protecting from the many false teachers in the world as well as within the church.  And just as the sentinel crows or geese, we need to take our responsibility seriously. 

Forever His, 

Pastor Dave