Choices and Their Consequences

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Pastor Dave

   “Our character is best revealed by the decisions we’ve made and the impact of these decisions on ourselves and others.

Over time, the decisions we make–large and small–become the legacy we leave behind” (Erwin Lutzer).
 
     As I was thinking about this statement from the pastor of the Moody Church, I thought back to some of the decisions made by key players in biblical history and the consequences of those decisions. It all started with Adam and Eve and the choice they made to disobey God and partake of the forbidden fruit. Everyone who has been born–apart from Christ–has inherited the sinful nature passed down from Adam as a result of his sin. The Apostle Paul writes: “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). The curse on the earth, including labor pains in child birth, the tediousness of work, the natural disasters, the mosquitoes and poisonous snakes, even decay and death, are all the results of the choice made by Adam and Eve. (Thanks a lot, huh!). 
     Cain, after making the wrong choice of a sacrifice, which was rejected by God, became angry and his face showed it (Gen. 4:3-6). God gave Cain a chance to repent but he chose instead to take out his anger on his brother, resulting in the first murder in human history, an act that has been repeated millions of times since. When Jude, the half brother of Jesus, wrote a treatise condemning false teachers, he said, “Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain…” (Jude 11). That is, they have rejected God’s provision for acceptance with Himself. Today, many do the same by rejecting God’s offer of forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf.
     God promised to make of Abraham a great nation (Gen. 12:1-3), with descendants as numerous as the stars (Gen. 15:5). But Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was barren, so she suggested that if they were going to have a son, Abraham should have relations with the Egyptian handmaid, Hagar. Rather than waiting on God’s timing, Abraham had a son through Hagar, Ishmael, whose descendants also would become too many to count (Gen. 16:10)–the Arab nations!  God, of course, did provide the son He promised, Isaac, to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. To Isaac and Rebekah were born twins, Jacob and Esau. Jacob’s name eventually was changed by God to “Israel,” and his twelve sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, who have faced conflict with the Arabs throughout their history! 
     David, who chose to laze around at home rather than to be with his army in the field, also chose to cater to the lust of his flesh and committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers and then tried to cover his sin, ultimately even being responsible for the death of her husband Uriah.  Even though David was “a man after God’s own heart” (I Sam. 13:14), and repented when confronted later by Nathan (II Sam. 12 cf Psa. 32,51), he faced grave consequences of his sin throughout the rest of his days. Nathan said to him, “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your companion, and he shall lie with your wives in broad daylight” (II Sam. 12:10,11). The child born to David through his affair with Bathsheba also died. I’m sure that every time there were problems in David’s family, with his sons, he was reminded of his poor choice and Nathan’s prophecy.
     Judas Iscariot who had the rare privilege of spending much time with Jesus and seeing His mighty miracles and hearing His amazing teaching and who, even in the upper room during the Passover meal had a final opportunity to really commit his life to Jesus, chose instead to carry through with a plan that he probably thought would force Jesus to establish His kingdom. He betrayed Him for the going price of a common slave. In his remorse–not repentance–Judas went out and hanged himself. What a tragic end to the lives of those who have opportunity to truly follow Jesus but choose instead the allurements of the world.
     Remember when God told Samuel to convey to King Saul that he was to punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel. He said to Saul, “Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, oz and sheep, camel and donkey” (I Sam. 15:3).  But Saul chose, rather than to completely obey God’s command, to instead to spare King Agag and some of the best of the livestock. When confronted by Samuel, Saul made excuses and placed the blame on the people. He said we saved some of the choice animals to sacrifice to which Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offering and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD. Behold to obey is better than sacrifice” (v. 22).  The story doesn’t end there, however, for when we come to the story in the  Book of Esther, we find a man by the name of Haman who was promoted by the Persian King, Ahasuerus, to a position of high authority to where all the King’s servants were to bow down and pay homage to him. But there was a Jew by the name of Mordecai who wouldn’t bow because he was faithful to the God of Israel. So, Haman talked the king into decreeing that all Jews be killed because they wouldn’t observe the King’s laws. We read something very interesting about Haman in Esther 3:1. He was an “Agagite!”  Because of King Saul’s failure to kill all the Amalekites as God ordered, The Jews were about to be wiped out by the Persians! 
     Interestingly, we have another Persian (Iran today) ruler who also has vowed to wipe out the nation of Israel. I am reading a fascinating book by Joel Rosenberg, Inside the Revolution, in which Joel describes how on April 1, 1979, Iran became the first Islamic republic in history, and how now, more than three decades later, the shock waves of the Iranian revolution are still being felt around the globe. Iran today is the most dangerous terrorist state on the face of the planet. What’s more, we are rapidly approaching the most dangerous moment in the history of the Iranian revolution. Iran’s leaders, especially Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have stated that the end of the world is “imminent.” They are teaching that the way to hasten the arrival or appearance on earth of the Islamic messiah known as the “Twelfth Imam,” or the “Mahdi,” is to destroy Israel, which they call the “Little Satan,” and the United States, which they call the “Great Satan.” They have vowed to annihilate the United States and Israel and have urged Muslims to envision a world without America and Zionism. They believe that Allah has chosen them to create chaos and carnage on the planet, setting the stage for the return of the Mahdi. The key leaders in Iran are hell-bent on accomplishing their apocalyptic, genocidal mission. They are feverishly trying to build, buy or steal nuclear weapons to help accomplish their goals. No amount of negotiating or sanctions will be able to dissuade them! 
     But, God is still in control, and the Jews are still His “chosen people,” and just as He placed Esther in her position as Queen to spare her people from annihilation, God will not allow Persia and her allies to destroy the nation of Israel. In fact, we read of a battle in Scripture that will take place–probably in the near future–in which Persia and her cohorts will be soundly defeated.
     Obviously, from all the biblical examples, and throughout history, choices can affect not only our own lives, but can affect many for generations to come. We are free to make our choices but we are not free to choose the consequences.
 
                                                                                                        Forever His,
                                                                                                               Pastor Dave
    
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A Tribute to Charles W. (Chuck) Colson

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Charles Colson, who went from President Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man” and Watergate felon to evangelical leader and founder of Prison Fellowship died Saturday afternoon, April 21, 2012 in Fairfax, Virginia. Chuck, age 80, had suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage March 30 while giving a speech at the Wilberforce Weekend Conference hosted by the Charles Colson Center for Christian Worldview in northern Virginia.  He underwent surgery the next day to remove a pool of clotted blood from the surface of his brain and remained in critical condition in the weeks following surgery.  For the first time in 34 years, he missed spending Easter Sunday in a prison among inmates. He was scheduled to preach at Sing Sing and Rikers Island prisons in New York. Chuck is survived by his wife, Patty, three children and five grandchildren. We need to uphold them in prayer during these difficult days in their lives.

     Colson, of Swedish and British descent, was a graduate of Brown University and George Washington University Law School. He also served in the United States Marine Corps from 1953-1955, achieving the rank of captain. Chuck began his political career in 1969 as a hard-nose operative in the Nixon White House, where Richard Nixon once told him to “break all the [expletive} china” to get the job done as special counsel to the president on the Key Issues Committee.  With his tough-driven former marine, type-A personality, Chuck indeed was ruthless in getting things done. Colson and John Ehrlichman appointed  E. Howard Hunt to the White House Special Operations Unit (the so-called “Plumbers”) which had been organized to stop leaks in the Nixon Administration. Hunt headed up the Plumber’s burglary of the Pentagon Papers leaker Daniel Ellsberg (psychiatrist) in September 1971. The Pentagon Papers were military documents about the Vietnam War which helped increase opposition to the war. Colson hoped that revelations about Ellsberg could be used to discredit the anti-Vietnam War cause. Colson admitted in a later book to leaking information from Ellsberg’s confidential FBI file to the press, but denied organizing Hunt’s burglary of Ellsberg’s office. He expressed regret over the attempt to cover up this incident.
     On March 10, 1973, Colson resigned from the White House to return to private law practice but on March 1, 1974 was indicted for conspiracy to cover up the Watergate Burglary. He was convicted in the Watergate proceedings for obstruction of justice and served a seven-month sentence in Maxwell Prison in Alabama. In the midst of the historic scandal, which led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974, and while Colson was facing arrest, his close friend, Thomas Phillips, gave Chuck a copy of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. After reading it, especially the section on pride, Chuck was convicted by the Holy Spirit and trusted Christ for eternal life.
     Colson’s conversion sparked a radical life change that led to the founding of his non-profit ministry Prison Fellowship and to a focus on Christian worldview teaching and training, the authoring of more than thirty books and the establishing of a daily radio program Breakpoint heard on more than 1,400 stations. Today Prison Fellowship is at work in most U.S. prisons and in more than 115 countries around the world. Prison Fellowship’s logo since shortly after the group’s founding in 1976, has featured a bent reed, a reference to Isa. 42:3 which says, “A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.” That verse reflected Colson’s belief that no one–not the most hardened criminal nor the egotistical politician (like himself)–was beyond hope. In 2010, Colson co-authored the “Manhattan Declaration,” a statement of conscience and marriage endorsed by a broad spectrum of Christian leaders and now with more than a half million signatures.
     Colson showed that highly intelligent people can be Christians. He had a brilliant legal mind, working for senators and the president of the United States.  He received 15 honorary doctorates and in 1993 received the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. He donated the $1 million award to the work of Prison Fellowship as he did all his speaking fees and royalties. In 2008 he was awarded the President’s Citizen’s Medal by President George W. Bush. 
     A lot of people falsely accuse Chuck of being overly political–but his whole emphasis has been to say that the root problem is a spiritual one, not a political one. He was, at the depths of his heart, an evangelist, but he realized that preaching the gospel is “not just dropping tracts from a blimp.”  In his final speech at the Wilberforce Weekend Conference, he said, “Elections can’t solve the problem we’ve got. The problem is that our culture has been decaying from inside for 30 or 40 years and politics is nothing but an expression of culture. So it comes right back to us. Look in the mirror, that’s where the problem is! If we can renew the church to really bring a healthy cultural influence, then there’s some hope we can be changed.  The time is right for a movement of God’s people under the power of the Holy Spirit to begin to impact the culture in which we live.  Desperately needed!”  (Amen!)
     Let’s celebrate the life of Charles W. (“Chuck”) Colson–a man of integrity, fidelity, and true Christian faith, a man who was willing to take a stand against the modern trends of the day, a man whose legacy inspires us to even greater devotion to the principles for which he stood. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones” (Psa. 116:15). I’m sure that Chuck heard a “well done, good and faithful servant,” as he was welcomed into the joy of the Lord in heaven this past Saturday. From our view, we mourn the loss of a great Christian leader who was willing to “stand in the gap” (Ezek 22:30) and who fought valiantly to maintain a Christian worldview in a society that is spiraling downward spiritually. I personally profited greatly from his writings and Breakpoint Commentaries and will miss him a lot. I’m encouraged that others will continue his work. May their tribe increase!
 
                                     Forever his,
                                            Pastor Dave
    
    
 
    
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Drowning in Information

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Pastor Dave

 This age has rightly been called the “age of information.” We have multitudes of books and periodicals in every field of study and practice and billions of dollars devoted to all kinds of research from finding a cure to cancer to the mating habits of field mice in Glacier Park! (That was the summer project of a fellow student at Montana State University). And now we have the “information superhighway” of the Internet where it seems everyone and every organization is posting information of some sort on its own website and email. You can find a blog site for about any subject imaginable and you can google to get information on any question you might have. The world is almost drowning in information–and yet we are starving for true knowledge and wisdom and understanding.

     Job, who was likely a contemporary of Abraham, asked an urgent question: “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12).  And the answer can never be found “online,” but only in an ancient book, as Job goes on to indicate: “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding’ ” (v.28).  This spiritual truth is found often in The Book. King Solomon, to whom God had granted special wisdom (see I Kgs. 3:11,12), penned divinely inspired words when he wrote: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…” and then “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Pr. 1:7; 9:10). The Psalmist also wrote: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psa. 111:10). If anything is missing in our information age, it is surely the ‘fear of God,’ and obedience to Him, at least among most people–even most religious people.
     Though man has plumbed the depths of the earth to find rich minerals ($20 billion worth in one gold field in South Africa alone), he has yet to find anything as valuable and precious as the wisdom of God. With all his vast amounts of information, man thinks he has wisdom and knowledge and understanding, but cannot through it come to know God. The Apostle Paul wrote: “For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside’ (cf Isa. 29:14). Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe…Because the ‘foolishness’ of God is wiser than men, and the ‘weakness’ of God is stronger than men…And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom…the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood…but just as it is written, ‘things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him’ (cf Isa. 64:4; 65:17). For to us, God revealed them through the Spirit…” (I Cor. 1:19,20,21; 2:4-9).
     Paul also tells us that “in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).  Those who ignore or reject Christ cut themselves off from true wisdom and knowledge and understanding, no matter what vast amounts of information they have available to them. When people suppress the truth about God and about the God-Man, Jesus Christ, not honoring Him as God, or giving thanks, “they become futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart is darkened, Professing to be wise, they become fools…For they exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worship the creature rather than the Creator…and since they don’t see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gives them over to a depraved mind to do those things which are improper (such as homosexuality and lesbianism and murder and deceit and all sorts of wickedness)” (Ro. 1:18-30).
     If we are going to see a revival in our nation, a return to Godly wisdom and understanding, and a resulting reversal of the downward moral and spiritual decline, there must be a return to honoring God and trusting in Christ, not only for salvation through His sacrifice for us, but also as the source of true wisdom and understanding  through getting to know and following His Word, the Bible. Wisdom and insight and understanding are hidden from those with just worldly ‘wisdom,’ but are revealed to all who come to God with the believing trust of little children (see Mt. 11;25; 18:3: Eph. 1:8). And God knows, we need some Godly wisdom in our country right now!!
 
                                    Forever His,
                                        Pastor Dave
 
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The Son is Up!

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Pastor Dave

 We had the opportunity to attend an outdoor Easter sunrise service Sunday. It was cool (18 degrees!) and clear with a beautiful sunrise. What a great setting for singing the joyous hymns of our Savior’s resurrection!  As the rays of sun began peaking over the mountains to the east, I couldn’t help but think of the contrast to the hours of eerie darkness during mid-day, from noon to 3 p.m. (Mt. 27:45) as Jesus bore our sins and the wrath of God was poured out on them, and Jesus was separated from His Father, suffering spiritual death on our behalf. Interesting too that the 9th hour (3 p.m.) was the time of the Jewish evening prayers and sacrifice (I Kgs. 18:36-39; Acts 3:1; 10:31). 

     I thought too of the conversation Jesus had had just hours before with Judas Iscariot as they sat about the table with the other disciples, having just celebrated the Passover meal. Jesus dipped the morsel and offered it to Judas–a final offer of friendship and an opportunity for Judas to do the right thing. But, as we know, Judas chose to go ahead with his plan of betrayal. Then a very tragic commentary follows: “After the morsel, Satan entered into him and Jesus therefore said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.’ He went out immediately; and it was night” (Jn. 13:26-30). Jesus had been introduced to the world as “the light of men” which “shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”   He was the “true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (Jn. 1:4,5,9).  He said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12). But, not everyone responds positively to the light. Jesus said, “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (Jn. 3:19,20).
     All of us have experienced, too, periods of darkness in our lives when we longed for a ray of light to dispel the darkness. It may have been due to depression, poor health, loss of a loved one, financial problems or strained relationships. We wondered if we would ever see the light of day again. But the sun returned!  The Psalmist, who experienced lots of dark times, wrote: “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Psa. 30:5).  There’s something about the sun coming up in the morning to remind us of the faithfulness of our God, that He is still in control, not only of the times and the seasons and the days and the nights, but of our very lives. He has not failed us or forsaken us. How encouraging it is after a period of damp, gloomy days, to see the sun come out. You just feel invigorated and given new life to go on. Amazing what a little bit of sunshine can do for a dark, gloomy spirit.
     I know that at times it seems like the night is going to last forever (like in Alaska in the winter!), but the sun has always come up and it will again. I remember one long night out camping in the Cabinet Wilderness. It was the first overnight camping with some of our grandkids. As we lay there under the big, starry sky, wishing sleep would finally come, I would hear from the granddaughter “sleeping” next to me, “Grandpa, do the bears sleep at night?”   And then a little bit later, “Grandpa, did you hear that noise?”  It seemed that night was never going to end to dispel the darkness and the accompanying fears. What a thrill to see the sun peaking over the horizon that morning!  The sun was finally up and we didn’t get eaten by bears or wolves or mountain lions (all of which do exist in quite large numbers in our “neck of the woods”).
     Well, as someone said this past Sunday morning, reminding us of what took place nearly two thousand years ago, “The Son is Up!”  There’s never been more exciting , more significant news. The angels said to the women who came early Sunday morning to the tomb, “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said…go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead” (The Son is up!…Mt. 28:6,7).
     Every day when the sun comes up, remember, it is because the Son is up, for He is not only the Creator, but the sustainer of all things (Col. 1:16,17). There’s coming a day, however, when there’ll no longer be a need for the sun or moon, for the Lamb will be the lamp (Rev. 21:23). In fact, there will no longer be any night, for the Lord God shall be the light–the One who is the “true light” who came to dispel the powers of darkness in our lives that we might “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Pet. 2:9b).
     Praise God, The Son Is Up!!
 
                                                                                                            Forever His,
                                                                                                                   Pastor Dave
    
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What A Week!

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Have you ever had a week where your emotions were on a roller coaster of highs and lows? Maybe you had a fantastic, joyous, victorious “mountain-top” experience where you were riding high like a kite soaring in the spring breeze. Then your “kite” caught a down draft and came crashing to the ground and you felt as though your whole world had caved in. Imagine the emotional ups and downs of the first earthly couple–from enjoying the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden and intimately fellowshipping with God until they disobeyed God and were thrown out of the Garden.  Then they experienced the joy of being the first parents and watching their sons, Cain and Abel grow up only to be destroyed with the grief of discovering that Cain murdered his brother!

     Or, consider the euphoria that Abraham must have felt to finally receive the promised son Isaac born after he and his wife Sarah were well past child-bearing age! But then think of the day when Isaac had become a healthy, strong young man, and Abraham heard God asking him to sacrifice Isaac on the altar! What an emotional swing that must have been for Abraham–but he obeyed God.
     And what about Moses, who went from being raised in the courts of Pharaoh with the benefits that went with that position, to fleeing into the desert and becoming a lowly shepherd for some forty years, then hearing God speak to him from a burning bush and ending up leading a group of probably two million fellow Hebrews out of Egypt, witnessing miracle after miracle, only to have the people grumble and gripe at his leadership and wish they were back in Egypt. Then there was his “mountain-top experience” on Sinai where God gave him the law and he literally radiated from being in God’s presence. But when he returned from the mount into the valley, he discovered the impatient Hebrews had made a golden calf  to worship! That’s when Moses was the first to “break” the Ten Commandments, as he threw the stone tablets to the ground in anger!  What a life of highs and lows. And he would still experience several more.
     Think of the story of Joseph whose Father had given him a fancy coat of varied colors to show his love for his son, yet Joseph was hated by his jealous brothers who plotted to kill him. Joseph–by the grace of God–ended up being sold into slavery instead. Even then, God was blessing his life and he was granted a privileged position working for Potiphar, only to be falsely accused of having an affair with Potiphar’s wife and be thrown into prison. But, God was still at work and ultimately promoted him to second in command in Egypt!  What a roller coaster of emotions in Joseph’s life.
     While many have experienced great swings in emotions from the beautiful majestic mountain tops to the darkest valleys, none can compare to that of the life of Christ on earth. He was introduced to the world by his second cousin, John the Baptist, as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). Then He was baptized by John, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Him, as the Father spoke from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Mt. 3:17).  What an emotional high that must have been for Jesus! But then we read that “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Mt. 4:1). It seems that whenever we experience an emotional and spiritual high, we can often expect shortly after to face a severe testing and temptation. Satan knows when we are most vulnerable. 
     Throughout Jesus earthly ministry there were many highs and lows but none like that final week of His life–the week that literally “rocked the world,” and turned it upside down. The week started with so much promise as Jesus rode from Bethany and Bethphage into Jerusalem on the unbroken colt, fulfilling the prophecy of Zech. 9:9. Crowds gathered and laid garments and palm branches before Him while shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel” (Jn. 12:13 cf Psa. 118:25).  They were excited in anticipation that the Kingdom was near at hand and Jesus was ready to set up His reign and bring peace on earth. Little did they realize that many of the same lips shouting “Hosanna…King of Israel” on that day would later that week be crying out to Pilate, along with the chief priests, “Away with Him!, away with Him, crucify Him!…We have no king but Caesar” (Mt. 19:14). Even when Jesus had told his disciples about His betrayal and death, they couldn’t imagine what He meant, and they were even more confused when He spoke of rebuilding the temple in three days. Add to all that the denials by one of the “inner-circle disciples,” Peter, and the betrayal by another disciple, Judas. Then, except for John, and a few of the women, including His own mother, Jesus was left alone during the excruciating scourging, beatings, and crucifixion. It would appear that the forces of darkness had won and the world had indeed come crashing down for those who had followed Jesus with such anticipation.  But, as one preacher titled his sermon, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s a Comin’!” 
     We all have weeks where our emotions are on a roller coaster with high peaks and low valleys. But we can rest assured that, while we are in those dark, confusing, trying valleys, that “Sunday’s a comin’!”  It is made possible because Jesus, of course, as He had promised and prophesied, didn’t remain in the grave. He began a new week and a whole new era by His physical resurrection from the dead in a glorified body. And, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives” (Because He Lives by Bill and Gloria Gaither).
     The passion week was truly a week that rocked the world for those present and it continues to do the same today. It was the most significant week in the history of the world. God fulfilled His promise to Adam and Eve (and us) that a Deliverer, the “seed of a woman” (implying virgin born) would come and defeat Satan and the effects of sin, but would have to suffer in doing so. “God so loved the world (us) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16). Jesus also said, “Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (Jn. 5:14).  Because Christ died for our sins and rose again, we can have new life in Him and be able to face the peaks and valleys of life and find our hope and stability in Him.
 
                                                                                        Forever His,
                                                                                                   Pastor Dave
    
    
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They’re Back!

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Our birds are back! We’ve seen robins, house finches, downy woodpeckers, rufus-sided towhees, starlings, hoary redpolls, mourning doves, Oregon juncos, Canada geese, and the swallows should be here any day. I have a log to record when our birds arrive each spring and it is quite amazing to see how close to the same time each year they arrive, especially when you realize that some have traveled for thousands of miles to get here. The black-polled warbler, for example (though we don’t normally get to see them here) migrates from Alaska to Venezuela each year, a distance of 5,000 miles, traveling non-stop in the autumn and back in the spring. It doubles its weight from 1/2 to 1 ounce in the fall and then waits for a low pressure system before heading out, knowing that afterwards there will be strong winds blowing southeast. When it reaches the New England Coast, it moves up to 3,000 feet elevation to catch trade winds to Venezuela!

     There’s even one bird, the bar-headed goose, whose migratory route takes it over Mount Everest and the Himalayan mountains. They carry no food or water, no oxygen, no winter survival gear! Our Creator’s incredible skills are surely displayed in this amazing bird, which navigates the air over the Himalayas at 30,000 to 33,000 feet. The oxygen concentration at this height is a little more than one-quarter that of sea level–not enough air for kerosene lanterns to burn, helicopters to hover, or people to breathe, yet this goose remains fully conscious and faithfully flies over the Himalayas twice each year, a journey which takes many hours. The bar-headed goose breeds in southeast Russia and western China but travels to India and northern Burma for the winter. So why doesn’t it just fly around the mountains or snake its way through them using river valleys, like the majority of other migratory birds in the region? I believe this goose has been given the titanic task of showing us, in a visible way, that Christ can, and will, sustain his creatures through all difficulties as His hand leads and upholds this bird. God made this amazing goose with larger than normal wings, lungs that inhale greater than normal amounts of air, and blood containing a special type of hemoglobin that carries higher-than-normal levels of oxygen to its tissues and organs. He also designed this bird to produce a lot of heat when it flies, helping prevent the wings from icing up. With a little help from tailwinds, the bar-headed geese make the trip from Tibet to India–more than 1,000 miles–in a single day!  By using tailwinds, the geese capitalize on weather that would pulverize lesser creatures. These geese are powerful flappers, with huge wings, pointed to reduce wind resistance. They can fly more than 50 miles an hour on their own power and they really move if they can add the thrust of 100-mile-per-hour tailwinds. Able to gauge and correct for drift, bar-headed geese can even fly in cross-winds without being blown off course.
     What an amazing design of our “Intelligent Designer,” the Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ with whom “all things are possible” (Mt. 19:26). God shines His glory in the farthest reaches of the earth–even where life’s presence seems utterly impossible. Fish with brilliant colors have been found in some of the deepest parts of the ocean where no light can even penetrate? So why the colors? Simply because God sees them and He chose to display His creative beauty in them.  Evolution has no explanations for such examples as these.  Rather than try to determine how and why these things may have evolved as they did–and there are no possible answers–why not just believe that they are the handiwork of our all-wise, all-powerful, Creator. “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14).  The answer is NO!  God has not only designed some amazing creatures with mind-boggling features, but can sustain them as well, even guiding them on thousands of miles of migratory routes.
     Every species of God’s creation, upon examination, has things about it that could never have happened through the time and chance processes of evolution, features that God designed either for His and our pleasure, or for the creatures survival. Male ducks, for example, after a mate has been won and a family successfully launched, lose their gaudy coloring, which was used in attracting their mate. Their fine breeding raiment is shed and replaced by a drab plumage, making them less conspicuous. For, like other birds, ducks lose all their wing pinions at one time, and are left flightless, and must lie low for several weeks. Their drab plumage helps to conceal them in their grassy environment. Later, with the growth of new wing pinions, their brilliant plumage returns and they are ready, in all their splendor, to take off on their annual migration route!  Isn’t our God amazing!  We can proclaim with the Psalmist, “O LORD, how many are Thy works.  In wisdom Thou hast made them all; the earth is full of Thy possessions” (Psa. 104:24).
     Job challenges us with these words: “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 you 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). As you look at the wondrous design of our Creator, and how He provides for his creation, think about how much He must love for and care for us. Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt. 10:29-31).
 
                                                                                                                        Forever His,
                                                                                                                                   Pastor Dave
    
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Savage Wolves

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Our state is embroiled in controversy over the re-introduction of wolves near Yellowstone Park several years ago. Those wolves multiplied very rapidly and have spread throughout Montana, Wyoming and Idaho and very adversely affected ranchers, costing them thousands of dollars in the loss of livestock, not only from the wolves killing their cattle and sheep but also from their harassing the animals to where they lose weight and abort their young.  It has also had a dramatic affect on hunting, as the numbers of deer, elk and moose have been greatly depleted, with hunters crying out to the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department to do something. There has been a battle royal over hunting them by permits, with wolf advocates doing all they can to stop such hunts. I know first hand as a hunter here in Northwest Montana, it has been very discouraging in the past few years to see so little game and so many wolf tracks and wolf kills. The sad thing is that the wolves don’t just kill for food, they kill for sport and often leave a live maimed animal to suffer.  I could easily get on a soap box here and really go off on this subject, but will just refer you to a website if you’d like to hear the real story of what has taken place. A Christian young man from the Bighole country of Montana produced a very informative video that you can view at http://www.lobowatch.org/  It will help you understand more fully why we have such a battle going on over wolves.

    
     But, this is nothing new. The Apostle Paul had been to Greece and was hurrying to get back to Jerusalem to celebrate the Day of Pentecost. But, he really wanted to visit with the elders of the church at Ephesus in Asia Minor (Turkey). This church was much on his heart, and he knew that he might not ever see them again. But he also knew that if he went there his friends would surely delay him, so he invited them to come see him at Miletus, which would be his stop on the way to Jerusalem. He wanted to give them one last bit of instruction and encouragement. His major concern for them was the warning recorded by Luke in Acts 20:28-30: “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…”  Paul knew that there would be those who would come in and try to destroy the church with their false doctrines.
     We know that that happened too, because later Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus and wrote this to him: “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of  God which is by faith” I Tim. 1:3,4).  The Greek word Paul used, heteros, translated “strange” in NASB, means “a different kind of doctrine.” Paul wrote a similar thing to the churches in Galatia which had also been infiltrated by false teachers (wolves), saying: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different (heteros) gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:6-8). The false doctrine that concerned Paul the most was a works-oriented salvation, which is not “good news” at all because it can’t save anyone. His word heteros means something of a totally different sort altogether. It is quite the opposite of the truth–a perversion of the true gospel, the mixing of works and grace. Then it is no longer grace (cf Gal. 2:16; 3:1-11).
     Paul also concerned himself with lifestyle, writing this to Timothy: “If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain” ( I Tim. 6:3-5, NASB… the KJV adds: “from such withdraw thyself”). Paul concludes his letter with this: “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’ ” (gnosis…KJV has “science”). This “false knowledge” or “false science” is likely a reference to the age-old philosophy of evolutionary humanism. This anti-god belief has appeared in many guises throughout history, but has always been characterized by worship of creation instead of the Creator (cf Ro. 1:25). 
     Ironically their are many today who consider wolves more valuable than the Creator of the universe and unknowingly have fallen prey to the very warning Paul gave about the “savage wolves” that would come in and speak perverse things to draw people away from the truth. Jesus too had warned about wolves, saying: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt. 7:15).  Even the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament, in speaking of groups that would lead Israel astray mentioned them to be “like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain”
     The list of characteristics of the false teachers given by Paul in I Tim. 6:4,5 contrasts markedly with those resulting from proper doctrine and life. Paul wrote: “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (I Tim. 1:5). True Christian love is built on 3 pillars:”A pure heart,” which is moral uprightness, a “good conscience,” which shows personal integrity and character, and a “sincere faith,” which can only come from doctrinal purity. When Jesus warned about the false teachers he said they would come in disguise, “in sheep’s clothing,” but they were really “ravenous wolves.” He did add, however, that “you will know them by their fruits” (Mt. 7:16,20).  Beware of the wolves that have been introduced by Satan. Many will appear in “sheep’s clothing,” but do they have a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Do they have genuine love and do they teach the truth of God’s Word? Satan not only appears as a “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (I Pet. 5:8), he (and his workers) also “disguises himself as an angel of light” (II Cor. 11:14), i.e., as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
 
     When you hike now in our area, it is wise to be armed with a handgun or pepper spray because of the presence of predators: grizzly bears, mountain lions and wolves. Well, when we walk about in our world today, we also need the  “armor of God” to be protected against the “schemes of the devil.” Especially, we need the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:10-18).  Keep your armor on and be sure and go “armed” today!
 
                            Forever His,
                            Pastor Dave
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His Way Is Perfect

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Pastor Dave

A motto that was taught to us as engineers was “Never A Best Way, Always a Better Way.” It was to be an incentive to always look for a more efficient way to do things or to continue to improve a product. In my case as an Industrial and Management Engineer, it was my job to find a better combination of men and machines, applying principles of “Human Engineering” to a work place. The “room for improvement” is an unending room! 

     But, when we try to apply that engineering motto to life principles which are laid down in the Bible by God, the sovereign Creator of all things, we get ourselves in a lot of trouble. You see “As for God, His way is perfect…” (Psa. 18:30 KJV). You can’t improve on something that is already perfect. Obviously any change from what God has done or has dictated will be in a downward, damaging, degrading, direction!  For example, God laid down the standard for marriage of one man and one woman in providing a wife for Adam. Any deviations from that are in rebellion against our Creator and thus sin,  and will have negative consequences. We see throughout Scripture, accounts of polygamy, adultery, homosexuality, incest, and in all cases they brought great problems. God sent angels to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for its immorality–namely homosexuality (Gen. 18,19). When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were to remove the pagan idol worshipers that lived there. They didn’t completely obey and as a result faced constant conflict with the Amorites, Canaanite, Perizites, Jebsites, etc. They also ended up entering into some of the same pagan idol worship. We read repeatedly in the book of Judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).  King David’s family suffered throughout David’s life for his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Solomon created all sorts of problems, such as idolatry, by multiplying wives and concubines. (For a write-up of the lessons he learned, read the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.)  A man in the church in Corinth was delivered over “to Satan for the destruction of his flesh” for his incestuous affair (I Cor. 5:1-5). 
     God, who made us, also gave us an instruction manual on how we are to operate efficiently. It is called the Bible. If we are to have a joy-filled, purposeful, satisfying life of significance, we must follow His directions and His principles. When we substitute our own, we are asking for trouble–and we will get it. God loves us and wants to bless us but can’t when we violate His ways. For the past 50 years in our great nation we have been eliminating the Bible and prayer and public display of the Christian faith, trying to confine it to the walls of our churches, and even then being told what we cannot preach about or we could be charged with a hate crime! Chaplains are being told not to pray in the name of “Jesus,” for it might offend someone. We are to be tolerant of everyone else’s religious views and practices but they don’t seem to have to be tolerant of ours!  Folks, what’s happened to our country?!!  There’s a reason that the United States has been such a great benefactor to the world, always there to help others in their time of need. God has blessed this nation and has mightily used it. But, can that continue when we are turning our back on Him?
     God says that life is precious and that it begins at conception (Psa. 51:5). To take the life of a child in the womb is murder, and we have murdered some 53 million babies in our country since the fateful Roe versus Wade decision of 1973.  How do you suppose God looks upon that? God’s Word is to be our standard not the whims of our politicians who want to make “changes,” thinking they have a “better way.” How can we say, as many do at the end of their speech, and “God bless America,” when we are purposely violating so many of the principles and commandments of His Word?  The Bible says, “Blessed is that nation whose God is the LORD…” (Psa. 33:12), and “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Pr. 14:34). Our nation is being disgraced by many of the decisions that have been made in recent years and months. How can we expect God to bless us and not judge us?  If He does not judge us, He would have to “apologize” to Sodom and Gomorrah and many others that saw his hand of judgment for their immoral, wicked, rebellious behavior in the face of God.
    We need to remember that God is God and we are not. Anything that is contrary to God’s character and His Word, is sin, and has consequences. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Pr. 14:12). Remember the story of Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve’s sons? God had set a pattern for offerings by providing coats of animal skins for Adam and Eve when they sinned. Abel, following God’s pattern, brought an animal sacrifice to offer to the Lord (Gen. 4:4), but Cain brought fruit from the ground (Gen. 4:3). It is likely that before he disobeyed Adam brought offerings to God of the fruit of the ground he tilled in the Garden, but now sin had occurred and God required the sacrifice of an innocent substitute, and the shedding of blood. Cain was proceeding as if nothing had happened. Abel, by his offering, was admitting that sin had occurred and that the shedding of blood was need to satisfy God’s justice. Cain was just doing his own thing (and you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip!). God, of course, accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Cain became angry and rather than repent when given opportunity by God (Gen. 4:7), “rose up against Abel, his brother and killed him” (v. 8). As a result Cain became a vagrant and a wanderer the rest of his days. Obedience costs, but disobedience costs much, much more. In the New Testament we read again of Cain in reference to false teachers who think their way is better than God’s way. It says in Jude 11: “Woe to them! for they have gone the way of Cain”
     “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psa. 18:30). Woe to those who ignore God’s way and try their own, thinking there is a “better way.” They have “gone the way of Cain.” Remember the old television program, Father Knows Best? Well, HE really does!  And there is not a better way!
 
                                   Forever His,
                                            Pastor Dave
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Lynsanity

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Pastor Dave

 “Lynsanity”  is now an official English-language word, declared so by the Global Language Monitor. I doubt there are many Americans (and scarcely any Asians)  who aren’t familiar with what the Wall Street Journal called Lin’s “quintessential underdog story.”  Jeremy Shu-How Lin, born August 23, 1988, received no athletic scholarship out of high school. He attended Harvard University where he made the basketball team, averaging (for his college career) 12.9 points, and 3.5 assists per game, with nearly a 50 % field-goal percentage. Though he was undrafted out of college, the 2010 Harvard grad reached a contact agreement later that year with his hometown Golden State Warriors. He seldom played in his rookie season and was assigned to the NBA Development League (D-League) three times. He was then waived by Golden State and picked up by the New York Knicks early in the 2011-2012 season. He was assigned again to the D-League where he only played sparingly.

     But, in February, due in part to an injury to star Carmelo Anthony, Lin was put into a starting point guard role for the Knicks. He was a key factor in a Knicks’ wins streak, generating a global following known as “Linsanity.” He is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history and the first American player in the league of Taiwanese descent (recently retired 7’6″ Yao Ming was born in Shangai, China). Since being given playing time, Lin is averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
     He appeared on two consecutive covers of Sports Illustrated, the first with the headline: “Against All Odds.” Time magazine also had him on the cover and his story made the front page of many Taipei newspapers. David Stern, NBA Commissioner wrote: “No player has created the interest and frenzy in this short period of time–in any sport.” (Don’t forget Tim Tebow and the “Tebow-mania” of this past fall!). Sale of replicas of Lin’s #17 jersey have increased more than 3,000%! It has been the top selling jersey in the NBA since Feb. 4, 2012, and is marketed by both Nike and Adidas. One of his rookie cards recently saw bids exceeding $21,000!  Yet, according to his coaches, Lin remains the same humble guy, which is quite unique for a young man creating such “insanity.”
   He is so popular that politicians on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have rushed to embrace him. While Taiwan has an obvious connection to Lin, the Communist government wasn’t about to be left out of the hoopla. The head of the Communist Party in one Chinese province announced that Lin’s maternal ancestors were natives of a village near the provincial capital. But, while Communist officials were quick to note the birthplace of Lin’s ancestors, they never said a word about something else even more important about Jeremy Lin–the fact that He is a born-again Christian. In fact, Lin’s great grandfather converted to Christianity through some American missionaries in the early 20th century, making Lin a fourth-generation Christian. None of the Chinese coverage of Lin’s exploits mentioned his faith. As a result, relatively few Chinese citizens know about Lin’s faith. After all, for the Communist Chinese to acknowledge Lin’s Christianity would be, to put it mildly, awkward. What’s even more ironic is that the Lin story broke around the same time that China’s next leader, Vice President Xi Jingping, was touring the United States!
     Not only has Jeremy remained humble through all this “hoopla,” (pun intended!), but he has, like Tim Tebow, maintained his Christian testimony, letting people know that Christ is more important to him than his success in sports. He quotes all kinds of Bible verses in twitter messages. His story has also helped draw attention to a group of even bigger underdogs, Chinese Christians. Even the Times, in reporting on Jeremy Lin’s impact on China, described China’s Christian minority as “often-persecuted,” and reported the various efforts the Communist government has used to contain the spread of Christianity, pointing out the irony in Beijing’s embrace of Lin.
     Many in the world idolize athletes, giving them a unique platform of influence. Some, like Charles Barkley, retired Utah Jazz player from the NBA, say they don’t want to be a role model, but they are, nonetheless, just that to thousands,even millions of young and old alike. Whether they are a good or bad role models, they are just that, with many watching and looking up to them. Think of the impact of the poor choices some of these idolized athletes have made: Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds, Tiger Woods, etc. It’s so refreshing to have some role models who are standing up for Christ and being a positive influence for Him. We surely need to pray for them, for Satan will do his best to get them to crash and ruin their testimonies. Praise the Lord for the Tim Tebows, and Jeremy Lins, who are willing to put Christ above all else and not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. May their tribe increase!
     I think about how God elevated Hadassah (Esther) through a beauty contest to the position of queen to Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and how through that platform of influence she was willing, with some encouragement from cousin Mordecai, to use her position to help save her people, the Jews, from annihilation at the hands of the Persians, thanks to a plot by wicked Haman. Mordecai’s appeal to Esther (Hadassah being Hebrew name) was: “…And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this” (Est. 4:14).  We may not all have such a large platform of influence as a Queen Esther or a Jeremy Lin or a Tim Tebow, but we all have some opportunities to be a positive influence for Christ in our “little world.” There are always others who are watching us and giving us opportunity to take a stand for Christ and be the salt and light we are intended to be of which Jesus spoke in His sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5:13-16). 
     What kind of influence are you being for Christ. You and I, as believers, are either pointing people to Him or away from Him. Someone said, “Christians are the greatest argument both for and against Christianity. Which are you? Which am I?…. And, don’t forget to pray consistently for Christians who happened to be in the limelight and have a large platform of ministry–they have a lot of pressure on them. They are definitely on the front lines of spiritual warfare.
 
                                                Forever His,
                                                    Pastor Dave
 
P.S.  Some of the information in today’s “Wisdom of the Week” was gleaned from Chuck Colson’s Breakpoint from Feb. 27, 2012.
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Acting Your Age

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Pastor Dave

Our son got a pretty good start in life, weighing in at 10 lbs 4 oz!  One time when he was still not quite walking we were in a store to buy him some shoes. The shoe clerk, after putting some shoes on him asked him to walk to see how they fit. He just assumed that because of his size he was already walking and when he realized he couldn’t was a bit embarrassed thinking that there was something wrong with him–until we told him his age!   We have expectations of when babies usually learn to walk, talk, use the potty, etc. If they are very late in doing so, we get a bit concerned, wondering if they ever will. Along with growing older we expect certain levels of growth and maturity.  Since we only get to see our grandchildren every few months, we can observe their having grown physically, but also can observe the accompanying growth in maturity. For parents who are around their children every day, the growth is harder to notice.

     Occasionally we get the opportunity to see someone that we haven’t seen for many years, which was the case a couple times this past year. We wonder, will we recognize them? Will they recognize us?!  You see aging is not something we can really control–no matter what the advertisers try to sell us. We all grow older. That’s not an option, but maturing with growing older–that is an option. If a baby doesn’t mature as it grows older, that is sad. If a Christian doesn’t mature in his faith as he grows older, that is a great tragedy! 
     As parents are rearing children they may on occasion say to them, “Act your age!” meaning that they are behaving childishly for how old they are. Well, I’m sure our Heavenly Father would often say that to us as well. Jesus had spent three years with His disciples, teaching them, demonstrating to them His deity, yet He knew that there were things He couldn’t share with them because they weren’t at a place yet to understand, and they wouldn’t until He left and sent the Holy Spirit to live in them. He said to them, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear (understand)  them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth…” (Jn. 16:12,13).  His disciples, of course, not only did not yet have the Holy Spirit living in them to guide them, they did not have the completed revelation of the written Word of God, and we know that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Ro. 10:17). We mature spiritually as we listen to, read, study, meditate on, and obey the Word of God. If we are not consistently in the Word, we really can’t grow. We will stay babes in Christ. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth he said, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh (carnal), as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for your were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able” ( I Cor. 3:1,2). The author of the book of Hebrews gave a similar rebuke/challenge, writing: “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time your ought to be teachers, your have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity…” (Heb. 5:11-6:1). Implied in Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians and in this challenge to the Hebrew believers is the fact that maturity involves time and it take, a growing knowledge of God’s Word and experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and evil.  Obviously at this time in both cases the believers should have matured more than they did and were being rebuked for their lack of growth and were challenged to get growing!
     I’m sure the situation is no different today. We have many believers–probably the majority–who seem content remaining in an infant stage of development. Oh, they’ve been miraculously “born again” and given new life in Christ, but their growth has been stunted for various reasons. They may be regular attenders at church services, but they just “sit and soak and sour!”  They never really apply personally what they are learning and don’t spend time on their own studying God’s Word and they very seldom, if ever give out what they are taking in. Staying healthy and growing spiritually is much like staying healthy and growing physically. We need proper nutrition, proper rest, and proper exercise. If we are not growing, one of those three things is being neglected–probably for a majority it is lack of exercise. The writer of Hebrews said, “by this time you ought to be teachers.”  Paul challenged his understudy, Timothy, saying: “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witness, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (II Tim. 2:1,2). Note the principle of multiplication as we pass on what has been shared with us to others who will do the same, which, by the way, is why each of us has had the privilege of coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. Someone passed on the Good News to us. Paul modeled that in his life, ‘practicing what he preached.’ He wrote to the Corinthians, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel…for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received…” ( I Cor. 15:1-4).
     So, how about you?  Are you “acting your age?”  How long have you been a Christian?  Are you still growing? Remember, “If you think you’re ripe, you’re rotten. If you think you’re green, you’re growing!”  As long as you are still breathing, you can still grow spiritually. The resource and potential for growth is infinite. Are you teaching others? Why not?  Let’s “get growing” and sharing with others what we are learning from God’s Word and have applied in our own lives.
 
                                            Forever His,
                                                Pastor Dave
 
P.S. Speaking of getting older, thought you might enjoy these thoughts on aging:
 
        “God grant me the senility to forget the people I have never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones that I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.”
 
          Now that I’m ‘older’ here are some things I have discovered:
                1.  I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it (cf Job 1:21; Eccl. 5:15).
                2.  My wild oats have turned into prunes and All Bran.
                3.  I finally got my head and heart together; now my body is falling apart (cf Eccl. 12:1-8).
                4.  Funny, I don’t remember being absent minded.
                5.  If all is not lost, where is It?
                6.  It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
                7.  I wish the buck had stopped here; I could sure use a few.
                8.  It’s hard to make a comeback when you haven’t been anywhere.
                9.  If God had wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees!
                10.  When I’m finally holding all the card, why does everyone decide to play chess?
                11.  It’s not hard to meet expenses–they’re everywhere.
                12.  The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. 
                13.  By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he’s too old to go anywhere.
                14.  You can get older and still look like a million bucks–wrinkled and like you’ve been handled a lot!
                15.  At a certain age, if you don’t wake up aching somewhere, you may be dead–check the obit’s!
                16.  My doctor recently told me that jogging could add years to my life. I think he was right. I’ve only been jogging once and feel ten years older already!
                17.  If your friends can accurately guess your age, you need to find dumber friends.
                18.  “We could certainly slow down the aging process if it had to work its way through congress!” (Will Rogers)
                19.  If you live to be 100, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age!” (George Burns)
                20.  These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the “hereafter.” I go, somewhere to get something and then wonder: “What am I here after?”
    
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