When does spring start?

There has been much discussion the last few weeks about how much earlier spring
has arrived.  Blooms that are typically not seen until early April appeared a
month early.  Many attribute this phenomenon to global warming; others claim
that there are cycles our climate follows.  I don't claim to have the answer,
though I think stewardship of our planet is always a good idea.

Aside from blooming plants, there have been human signs that warm weather has
arrived.  A short walk around my neighborhood would provide these sightings:
Lawn mowers being used with more gusto than is seen later in the mowing season;
people taking walks or jogs; shorts and sandals in abundance; and the planting
of flowers, shrubs and vegetables.

It's obvious spring is a favorite time of the year for many.  The return of the
sun's warmth and longer hours of daylight are a happy break from the bleakness
and chill of wintertime.

Why is it people are not as enthusiastic about the effects of the Son?  For
every benefit of spring you can name, I can list many more that come as a result
of Jesus Christ.  But it seems many in our world couldn't care less.

Peter summed up the benefits of the Son in remarks recorded by Luke in Acts
3:19: "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so
that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."  Yes, deciding
to follow Jesus carries with it a commitment.  One must "repent and be
converted", suggesting that a large-scale change must take place in that life.
But the benefits will be well worth it, Peter argued.  The convert would see
"times of refreshing".

Spring is a time of refreshing.  Trees that dropped dry leaves in the fall put
out new leaves in the spring.  Grass that has been brown and brittle suddenly
returns to its beautiful green appearance.  Earth is refreshed in springtime, a
display that prompts people everywhere to marvel.

That's the difference Christ can make in a life.  Paul described the process:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved
us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by
grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Picture the scene: We were alive once, but sin strangled our souls to the point
of bringing us down to death.  Normally such would be abandoned; there is no
hope of reviving the one who died.  But God "refreshed" our spirits in Christ,
and raised us up with Him.  The story gets better still when Paul says we have
not only been raised, but made to "sit together in the heavenly places".

Make no mistake about it: Being "in Christ" makes all the difference.  But how
does a person reach that condition of being in the Son?  Galatians 3:26,27
provides the answer: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
Romans 6:3,4 teaches the same truth; God, who raised His Son from death, will
also raise us from the death of sin when we put off the old man of sin and are
buried with Christ in baptism.

Admit it: You love spring and the refreshment it brings to earth.  So do I.
Just imagine how much greater is the refreshment our souls enjoy when we allow
the Son to enter into our lives!

Timothy D. Hall.

 

Will Mitt Romney win the Presidency?

Ideology versus Pragmatism

 

          As the Republican primary challenge rolls along, there are two "camps" in the party of the GOP. One leans heavily toward Mitt Romney. While they do not believe he is necessarily the most conservative candidate, they believe he can more easily defeat President Obama in the fall, general election. Another camp leans heavily toward either Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich. These are the so-called "non-Romney" voters. Because Romney signed into law "Romneycare" and has changed his positions, these voters do not believe Romney is, at heart, a conservative. The former voters seem to be more pragmatic while the latter seem to be more ideological.

 

          Ideology versus pragmatism. Ideological refers to someone who is deeply committed to a set of ideas and will not waver from those principles. Pragmatism refers to the idea that one needs to do what works, what is successful.

 

          I'll leave the political debate aside. There is also an ideology versus pragmatism debate in Christianity. For example, the New Testament clearly teaches that Christ intended His church to be governed by a local body of men called elders (Philippians 1:1). Early in church history, however, Christians came to believe that the local body was too restrictive to handle the onslaught of false doctrine. While their intentions were good, their pragmatic approach led to them rejecting the plan of God. Thus developed church councils and eventually creeds, the Pope, a one-man pastor system, etc. As you can easily see, "pragmatism" did not stop false ideas from spreading.

 

          We must be very careful in spiritual matters when we take the "pragmatic" approach. When the Israelites complained of thirst in the wilderness (Numbers 20:8-13), God told Moses to "speak to the rock." If Moses had been committed to ideology at that point, he would have obeyed God and been blessed. Instead, Moses went the "pragmatic" route. That is, God had early told Moses, in similar circumstances, to hit the rock (Exodus 17). It worked then, perhaps Moses reasoned, it will work now.

 

          But God always has the prerogative to change His command. This time, God told Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock as he did before (Numbers 20:11). Moses' pragmatic approach caused him to sin against God. "You have not believed Me," Jehovah told Moses and subsequently, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land for which he had been living for 120 years.

 

          Pragmatism may be acceptable in politics. But when it comes to Christianity, we better be absolutely sure that God has not revealed His specific will in a given matter before we choose the pragmatic route.

 

--Paul Holland

How powerful is a blog?

We live in a time of unparalleled excitement when it comes to how fast words travel.  The internet, though a reservoir of danger and evil, is also the fastest conduit for spreading God's Word we have ever known.  The Daily Bread you receive is also posted to my blog.  Not only is every "hit" on my blog counted by Wordpress, they are now able to tell me what country each reader calls home.  In the last 30 days, my articles have been read by people from such places as Lebanon, Pakistan, North Korea, Argentina, Serbia, Malta, Finland, Iceland, and Indonesia.  In fact, in addition to the United States, people from nearly 60 nations have read the blog.  That is humbling and frightening, in the light of James 3:1.  Please pray that I may always accurately handle God's truth and teach it correctly!  

 

But, this also points up something exciting for all of us as we think about each of our lives.  In most activities or actions we undertake, there is not a "counter" or "meter" that measures how many lives we effect.  Whether it is our example or a kind word or deed, whether it is an effort, however feeble or valiant, to teach someone the truth, or whether it is someone in whose life we invest, we cannot know the full impact we are having upon them and those whose lives they subsequently touch.  Certainly, the opposite of that is also true.  A bad example or deed that undermines Christ's cause can have far-reaching, rippling effects, too.  Yet, think about the power that is in your hand.

 

Imagine walking the street of gold and meeting people who are there, in part, because of something you said or did!  Given the leavening effect of our lives, I believe we will be surprised at how many lives we touched for the good.  Keep that in mind as you leave your footprints on this day!

 

--Neal Pollard

 

 

Snow in California

While  much of the country was enjoying sunny and warm weather this past weekend, things have been different for us here in the Southern California Mountains. We have had temperatures in the 20's and have been under a winter storm watch. We ended up getting between 8 inches of snow here in our community.


How many of you rush to the store, when you hear about a snow storm coming into  your area? Personally, I went to the store early on Saturday morning,  just to pick up a couple of things… Needless to say, I was not alone.


The store was full of other shoppers, looking to do the same thing.  As I reflected upon this phenomenon later, I thought about the parable of the ten maidens in Matthew 25:1-13. You remember the story, a bridegroom was coming and the maidens had to be ready when he came, and his intent was to surprise them.


I read about another way to tell this story, but don't know who came up with the idea, but here is my rewrite of the story someone else shared.


"The kingdom of heaven is like ten people who sat down one night to watch the evening news. Before long, the All-Wise, All-Knowing and Always Accurate Weatherman appeared on the TV set and spoke.


"Behold," he said, "A snow storm of a severe nature approaches, so be prepared. At midnight, it shall be upon you and in the morning, there shall be whiteness on the ground which shall reach up to your knees. Thus says your weatherman.


Five of the ten people were prepared, so they sat comfortably in their homes and watched the rest of the news. But the other five were not prepared. They had no milk, they had no bread and they wondered where they had left their winter gloves.


So, they jumped into their cars and raced to the store with money in hand, desperately hoping they could lay an offering upon the altar of the Cash Register and get a few last minutes things in return.


But behold, they were too late. The door to the store was locked. The gods of commerce would accept no more offerings until the morning. The five people went home and asked their neighbors, "Do you have any bread or milk I can borrow?" Their neighbors said, "No, I don't. I only have enough for my family.


A curse upon you who hear this warning and do not prepare… The snow approached and you paid no attention to the day or the hour. You should have been prepared. Now you shall be judged wanting in the day the snow cometh…"


I know it is a silly little story, but does that make it any less true? If the Lord were to come tonight would you be ready?

 

--Russ Lawson

You Can't Dribble a Football

 

 

            You can't dribble a football - why? It was not designed for that purpose. You were not designed to serve yourself. You were designed to serve and worship God.

 

            But serving and worshipping God in this physical world can cause confusion. Why? Because we live in a physical world and there are demands.

 

            When Adam and Eve sinned and were expelled from the garden, they left feeling a sense of shame and guilt. They left, being separated from the Tree of Life. They left having to work harder and in more painful ways - both to have a family and to support that family. Ecclesiastes is "wisdom" literature, designed to tell us how to live, being weak and mortal.

 

            The theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is identified in 1:2 - "vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities! All is vanity." Observe also the phrase - "striving after wind" (vs 14) - "It is a phrase that expresses frustration; it describes the pursuit of something that is futile" (Dave Bland, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Songs, 315).

 

            There is a great deal - or seems to be - of skepticism in the book. The author seems to suggest that you work and work and work and it is all pointless - all is vanity and striving after wind. We are all going down the road and we can't stop ourselves, we can't get off the merry-go-'round - death is the final result and it happens to everyone. All is pointless.

 

            But Solomon also tells us how to live life with a purpose. In 3:12-14, he says everything God does remains forever. What is done in the name of God and for God is what lasts forever. According to 5:7, there is emptiness in dreams but we should "Fear God."

 

          What is Solomon's message for teenagers looking to get prepared for life and be successful in life? His point is to seek God above all. Life is a gift from God and should be used in service to God.  Listen to his words from 12:1, 7-8, 13-14.

 

          Where is the center of your life? Solomon would say make sure your life is centered in and grounded in God. "[L]et your whole perspective on life be informed by the view that God is creator of everything" (Craig Bartholomew and Ryan P. O'Dowd. Old Testament Wisdom Literature: A Theological Introduction, 204). When you are serving God, you are serving the purpose for which you were created.

--Paul Holland

March Madness

   Yes, today is one of the best days in sports on the whole calendar, the start of March Madness. Brackets will be busted. Cinderella stories will be written. Usually, juggernauts will eventually reign. It is a big day for Colorado basketball, as the Buffaloes make the field for the first time since 2003. Tad Boyle, the head coach who has rebuilt a once-struggling program, summed up CU's mission by saying, "We've got to stay humble and hungry." He is talking about not letting success go to their head, to know their strengths but realize their vulnerabilities.

     There is an arena in which this mindset is infinitely more valuable. In living the Christian life, no matter what roles we play in the church, we must remember to stay humble and hungry. Pride and apathy may be polar opposites, but they are equally deadly. With pride, we have an inflated view of self. Yet, God roundly condemns arrogance as wickedness. It is one of the things God hates (Prov. 6:17). He resists it (Prov. 3:34). It may be unattractive to us, but it is repulsive to Him! Paul understood that in and of himself he was nothing, but his power and ability came through Christ who strengthened him (Phil. 4:13).

     Equally damaging is the spiritual lethargy that displays a "couldn't care less" attitude toward God's Word and the Christian's work. This comfortable, lukewarm approach to spirituality makes God sick (Rev. 3:15-17). People are dying lost. Many are struggling with temptation, doubt, and fear. Good works wait in the wings for eager, zealous people of God (Ti. 2:14).

     Consistently, the New Testament likens Christianity to athletics and competition. Among the needed qualities of the "competitors" is enthusiasm (Rom. 12:11) and humility (1 Pet. 5:5). Winning (the crown of life) means everything, so run to win (1 Cor. 9:24). --Neal Pollard

Just A Game

When my family is ready to play a board game, they hesitate before asking me to
join in.  The nice word for my personality is "competitive"; some would say I'm
just a sore loser.  Yes, I get much too involved at times.  I need to remember
that it's only a game.

You'll no longer be able to convince Clay Carpenter that golf is just a game.
This 48-year-old resident of the Dallas-Forth Worth area was playing a round of
golf with friends earlier this year.  The group in front of them were slower
than most, and the course marshal told Carpenter's group to play through.  One
in the slow group didn't take kindly to the gesture and began swinging his
putter.

The next thing he knew, Clay's leg was gushing blood; the putter had sliced open
his femoral artery.  He feared for his life (with good reason), but was
thankfully rushed to a hospital where appropriate care was given.  One question
remains: Can his leg be saved?  There's a real possibility amputation may still
be needed.  No, golf for some is clearly not just a game.

March Madness is in full force; 68 college basketball teams were recently chosen
to compete for the national championship.  Would any of us say these are just
games?  When you see the tears at the end of the games and consider the millions
of dollars that will be wagered on outcomes (illegally, we should note), we
again must conclude - no, these are more than games.

Someone has observed about our American culture that we play at our work and
work at our play.  That doesn't apply to all, of course; maybe not even to most.
But some clearly need to reevaluate their priorities.  Life is not a game.  Yes,
it can be fun at times, but there are certain objectives that must be met.  

A powerful king once reflected on his life and saw many examples of
meaninglessness.  His opening words show how he viewed most of his life:
"'Vanity of vanities,' says the Preacher; 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity'"
(Ecclesiastes 1:2).

This assessment of life did not come from a "loser".  In his writing he mentions
various things he had pursued: pleasure, houses, gardens, servants, precious
gems and metals, etc.  He had tried it all at one time or another.  "Whatever my
eyes desired I did not keep from them.  I did not withhold my heart from any
pleasure ... [but] There was no profit under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 2:10,11).

Not until the close of his book does the author (probably King Solomon) reveal
the one true pursuit that makes life meaningful: "Let us hear the conclusion of
the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all"
(Ecclesiastes 12:13).  In fearing God, he is saying, our lives will be based on
the correct priorities.

One even wiser than Solomon affirmed that God's way of life is the correct
approach.  Jesus said this in John 10:10: " ... I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  His apostle Paul would later
elaborate on the enjoyment that life brings: "Command those who are rich in this
present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the
living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17).

Life can (and should) be enjoyed!  But we have to begin with God to make that
happen.


 Timothy D. Hall

 

What does inspiration mean?

Many times I begin an editorial by telling you what inspired me to write on a particular topic, but today our topic will be about "inspiration" itself. As in, what inspires us? By definition and usage the word "inspiration" means things like "an infusion" or "being moved." We even see it applied as "firing us up." So, what "moves" us? What "lifts" our spirits? And we know of a certainty that our spirits need to be "lifted" at times, don't we?

Another definition of "inspiration" is "encouragement." Same as being "lifted" we need to be "encouraged" from time to time. Sort of like getting a "shot of adrenalin" right at the time we need one. And, speaking both medically and spiritually, where does "adrenalin" go? To the heart of course. That's why we say that we "take heart" when we're encouraged in some way.

I love the way Paul expressed this thought on two occasions. The first one was after he finally arrived in Italy after all the problems with the passage there (storms, shipwrecks etc.) and we read in Acts 28:15 that he "...thanked God and took courage." The second expression by Paul that I'll cite is found in 1Cor. 16:18 where he has been visited by several brethren who supplied him with things he needed and he says "...they have refreshed my spirit..."

Let me make a point by asking some rhetorical questions here. Are our "spirits" lifted and refreshed when our brethren remember us in some way? When the sick and shut-ins are visited? When we know that our brethren are concerned about us and in some way show their care for us? Of course we are!

Personally, I'm "encouraged," my spirit and heart is "lifted," by some things referred to as "visual examples of faith" but I like to call them "walking sermons." And, let me tell you a fact - they're all around us and I'll say more about them in a moment. Before I do that though, I'd like to relate an example of a "walking sermon" that was told by one of our brethren who was serving in the military in Germany. He said that in all the years since that time, he's never forgotten this "visual sermon."

It happened on a Sunday morning on a bitterly cold and rainy day in November. He had gotten out of bed and looked out the window, seeing everything covered in ice and saw that snow had even fallen during the night. He was trying to decide whether or not to try and make it to worship service or just stay home and study the Bible. Because he was the only song leader for the congregation and would certainly be missed, he made the decision to brave the cold and rain and go.

He was riding the bus to the church building about 3 miles away and was looking out the window when he saw two people trying to walk through the snow and rain and he recognized them as being faithful members of the congregation and knew that both were elderly. Not only was the man in his 80's, he was blind. His wife was his only guide and she was 75 years old and lame in one foot. They lived in a small apartment and had hardly any income, which was why they couldn't afford to ride the bus and were walking to church.

Knowing them to be faithful members who attended every service, he now realized that they walked to church every Lord's Day. Here he was, riding in a warm bus, having almost been unwilling to attend the worship service because of the weather and here before him were two elderly Christians who, despite their age and infirmities, were walking to worship in that same weather because of their love of the Lord. He has never forgotten that "sermon" and the impression that it had on his heart and his faith.

Inspiration comes to us in lots of ways and in many forms. We are inspired by songs and hymns and poetry and I think it's because those things come into being by "inspiration" themselves. It also comes to us in the form of events, both tragic and good. But, the direction of my lesson today is aimed at the "inspiration" I get from the "visual examples of faith" that I see around me. And they're there for you to see too. Just look around you.

I see "walking sermons" in our faithful Christian family members, some of whom don't "walk" so good anymore. They come to services on crutches, with walkers, in wheelchairs. Some with barely enough health to get dressed and make it from the parking lot into the building. Yet, they are there. Why? For the same reason the old couple in Germany walked 3 miles through rain, snow and cold to church - the love of the Lord. Like the serviceman, I'm "inspired" by their dedication to God.

Plus, I feel my spirit "lifted" and my faith "infused" when I see the "good works" being done by my fellow Christians in helping others in whatever the need may be. Why are these works done? For the same reason the German couple and our infirm members come to worship services - the love of the Lord.

I once read a quotation by an unknown author that simply said; "What's on the inside will eventually show on the outside." In Matthew we see that our thoughts and our actions are controlled by our "hearts," our "inside." (Mt. 12:36) We also see in chapter 5, verse 8 that Christians are to have "pure hearts."

What we produce, what "shows on the outside," stems from a location that is either dedicated to God or is dedicated to self. Ephesians 6:6 tells us that "as servants of Christ" we "do the will of God from the heart." I know that my "walking sermons" are doing what they do because their "heart" directs their actions and their "heart" belongs to God.

In closing, do you ever get to thinking like our serviceman stationed in Germany? That our faith and resolve might just be weak at times? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret - at times, we all get that way. And then, without them even knowing it, a brother or a sister "preaches" a "walking sermon" to us and we get that "shot of adrenalin" to our "heart." Like Paul, we are "encouraged and refreshed."

One more thing: never, ever forget this - you don't know but what you might be a "walking sermon" to another "heart" that might just happen to need an "infusion." That needs "lifting" right at the time you are "preaching your sermon." What happens if you're not there to be a "visual example of faith."

It's impossible for me to enumerate all of you that serve to "lift" my spirits. Who "moves and refreshes" me and I can only echo the words of Paul and say "I thank God for you" and I "take courage."

Ron Covey