You are the light of the world

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

I was thinking about this scripture after our bible class the other night and thought how we often limit the scope of this instruction. As near as I can remember I believe that I have always heard this scripture applied to those of the world. That’s good, that’s how it should be, but I think we forget how much our light effects those around us in God’s family also.

Shinning on the world is good, John says the world is filled with darkness and loves the darkness… it doesn’t really know any better. It doesn’t know or has forgotten the blessings that come from being in the light. But what about those in God’s family who are struggling, who are barely holding on, who’s spirits are near the edge of breaking. Do we ever think about how important it is to shine the light in their direction also?

I was remembering a scene from the movie, “The Mummy”. In this scene at one point they enter a dark cavern like room below a pyramid. There is a shaft of light shining into the room from above. They move a ancient mirror in front of the shaft of light and direct it into the room where it shines upon other mirrors arranged around the room. Suddenly the whole room is bathed in light, you can see everything, treasures beyond imagination, more gold than you could spend in a lifetime.

I wonder how much treasure could be revealed if you took the time to shine your light on others the way you are supposed to? One of my favorite passages is Hebrews 3:12-13 where we are told, “see to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

So, how about making a special effort this week to shine your light, it may make a difference in whether or not they turn away from God or not.

Christians and Halloween

Here we are at the Halloween season once again and I don’t aim to promote or condemn it as such just to make some observations. It’s a time for what we call “trick or treat,” which used to mean you pass out treats to those who visited because you wanted to do something nice for the children in you neighborhood. The visitors dress up in strange costumes, wear masks, wigs, face paint, etc. You passed out some treat or you might have your widows smeared with soap or something else as relatively mild as a consequence. It really was (and sometime still is) a community activity meant to be enjoyed.

 

Times have changed through the years though, for some, what had been a fun time has become a dark and dangerous time. Kids can’t go out unattended any longer, it’s not safe, there are human predators stalking our streets seeking to do harm to folks and property. That doesn’t speak well for our society does it? Many of the “Trick or Treaters,” have changed also. For some It’s no longer about just having fun it’s about “what you can get for yourself,” and what kind of destruction you can cause and the masks and costumes are just a way to hide your identity.

 

Of course as I was thinking about this, the current elections came to mind and how much they mirror the “Halloween Mentality”. It seems that all of those running for some office wear mask and costumes, trying to hide who they truly are and it seems also more interested in how holding some office can benefit them and not others. Now, I imagine that there are some politicians somewhere (I know one personally), who truly does seek only to help folks and not benefit themselves, but seems a rare thing. What comforts me in these troubled times is that if God can use ungodly men like king Nebuchadnezzar, and the Pharaoh of Egypt to serve his purposes he can still do it today.

 

Now here is the difficult thing; we don’t know God’s purpose or his reason for doing things in a certain way. What we do know is that God is in control and no matter who wins the earthly election, we have already won the eternal election if we are Christians. 2 Peter 1:5-8, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Then in verse 10 & 11 he adds, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

 

The bottom line is that if we serve God faithfully, out Election to the eternal kingdom is assured. It’s an office for life, with no term limits. No masks, no costumes, only the real us revealed before God. I’m tired already of the earth elections, but excited about the eternal one, how about you?

 

--Russ Lawson

David and the Shewbread

Okay, let's try this one more time and see if we can get it straight.  We continue to hear folks, even some Christians, who would like to use Jesus' reference to David and the shewbread as a justification for a kind of ‘situation ethics’ reasoning. 

Do you remember the incident (Matt. 12:1-8)?  On a Sabbath day the disciples had passed through a field and gathered some grain to eat.  The old law allowed such gathering (it was not stealing).  But the Pharisees criticized them as doing that which was "unlawful".  Their complaint was about the ‘work’ involved in gathering the grain.  While not forbidden by the law of Moses, the Jews had invented certain traditions which prohibited this.

In response to this criticism by the Pharisees, Jesus said: "Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him; how he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?" (vs. 3,4).  He went on to rebuke the Pharisees for "condemning the guiltless" (vs. 7). 

The point here is clear.  The Jews regarded David as their great national hero.  In the matter of the shewbread, David sinned. (We must take Jesus at His word - David's deed was "not lawful".) The Pharisees overlooked this clearly sinful act.  But, in the case of Jesus' disciples, they criticized something that was not wrong (notice that Jesus said it left them "guiltless").  Jesus was simply pointing out the inconsistency of the Pharisees in this matter.

And so, we have here no justification for any ‘situation ethics’ type of reasoning.  Jesus was not holding up David as a worthy example.  He was not saying that the law can be broken under extreme circumstances.  He was not justifying the disciples in a sinful deed.  He was pointing out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day.  Learn the lesson!

- by Greg Gwin

 

Are There Any False Teachers?

The Bible warns of false prophets, ones who pretend to be preachers of righteousness, but are actually agents of the devil.  "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15).  John warned, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 Jn. 4:1).  However, in spite of these warnings, many today act as though there are few, or no, false teachers in the world.  They will give their general approval to almost any man (or woman) who says he is preaching the gospel.

In contrast to the general feeling among religious people, the Bible teaches that false prophets abound.  John said "many" have gone out into the world.  Is it any different today?  Right after Jesus stated that few would make it to heaven while many will go to hell, He warned us about false teachers (Matt. 7:13-20).  Do you suppose there is any connection?  Many false teachers will deceive many people.  Few teachers of righteousness will persuade few people.

Instead of endorsing everyone who is a "preacher" and accepting his teaching, we are to examine, test, and try what he says by the Scripture (1 Thess. 5:21; Acts 17:11).  When it is true, accept it and live by it.  When it is false, reject it and him (Gal. 1:8-9).  When a man will not affirm that Jesus is the Christ, reject him (Matt. 16:16).  When a man will not teach that salvation is offered to all men of all races, reject him (Mk. 16:15).  When a man will not advocate the words of the Lord, that baptism is for salvation, reject him (Mk. 16:16; cf. Acts 2:38).

Please, dear friend, understand that there are false teachers in the world.  Use some discernment.  If what we teach is false, reject it.  Only follow the Word of God!  Yet, if what we teach is true according to God's revelation, receive it and abide in it.  We want to go to heaven and want you to go, too.

- by Steven F. Deaton

 

Is This an Active and Growing Church?

There can be no doubt that the Lord expects every congregation of His people to be active and growing.  He told all of the seven churches of Asia (Revelation 2,3) that He was aware of their activity.  He began His assessment of each church with the statement, “I know thy works.”  We would be seriously mistaken to imagine that He does not make the same observation of all churches today.

So, we must be active and growing.  But, while seeking to be so, there are some errors to avoid:

1) Don’t equate increased numbers with real growth.  Yes, growth usually means an increase in the physical size of the congregation, but not always.  There are instances where the kind of ‘growing’ that God desires will actually result in lower numbers.  The rapidly growing church in Jerusalem actually lost members in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1ff).  The church at Corinth was condemned because an immoral brother had not been “taken away from among you” (1 Cor. 5:2).  ‘Growing’ sometimes means losing numbers in order to please God.

2) Do not confuse ‘commotion’ with beneficial, God-honoring activity.  Seems some brethren think that ‘keeping things stirred up’ is a good thing.  And so, they constantly are bringing up controversial subjects or suggesting ill-conceived plans that force an unnecessary tumult.  These folks apparently have missed the analogy of the church to a flock of sheep.  Just as sheep do best when kept calm, so also the church.  We do not need or want unnecessary stress and turmoil in the local church.

3) Never compromise Bible authority in the name of ‘doing good.’  The religious world at large – and sadly, too many of our own brethren – urge us to consider ‘how much good is being done’ when we challenge them about their unscriptural practices.  We must remember Samuel’s famous rebuke to King Saul: “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22).  Or, to put it another way, you aren’t really ‘doing good’ if you aren’t adhering to Bible authority.

4) Be careful about assuming that ‘special programs’ are essential in achieving growth.  Too many disciples apparently think that nothing is being done if there are not specially organized efforts in behalf of this or that artificially designated group within the congregation.  This is particularly evident in regards to ‘programs for the young people.’  However, even denominational ‘church growth experts’ are proclaiming that “today's modern concept of youth ministry is a 50-year failed experiment” (Christian Post, 7/28/11). Actually, this institutionalized view of activity hurts the real productivity of a congregation by causing members to sit back and wait for someone to ‘organize’ something, rather than using their own initiative to get God’s work done.

5) Do not imagine that the church is not growing and active simply because you don’t ‘see’ something happening.  Often the most positive work done in a local congregation is done by quiet, humble servants who are simply out there caring for the sick, encouraging the weak, sharing the gospel with others, etc.  They’re not trying to make a big‘splash’ – they’re just doing their best to accomplish all they can.  They are not doing their work “to be seen of men” (Matt. 6:1ff).

Active?  Growing?  Yes, we must be!  But let’s evaluate our progress as the Lord does, and not as man does.  Think!

- by Greg Gwin

 

How to win souls

Influence

A woman asked, "How can I win my husband to Christ?"  "You can't," was the surprising answer from the preacher.  "You never attend worship regularly.  If your husband wants to go for a drive on Sunday, you  neglect the Lord and go with him.  And if you don't have a way to come to church, you never call some other member to come for you.  You will never win your husband unless you let him know, and all those about you, that your religion means more to you than anything else under heaven.  This alone is the kind of influence that wins souls."

- via "Great Plainness of Speech"

 

This Body… One owner, High Mileage, Needs work!

I was doing some work at our house the other day and I kind of over did it. I worked on different projects for probably about 5 hours and I was so tired that I really didn't feel like doing anything else the rest of the day. You probably know how that feels, just worn out.

The other day I saw an "older gentleman," with a tee shirt that had a caption with which I could identify. It said, "This Body… One owner, High Mileage, Needs work!" Simple, straight forward, to the point! That describes me at times… and perhaps you also.

Folks often say that it would be great to "turn back the clock," to a time when we were younger, with the addition of keeping the knowledge we have now. Yes, that is very appealing; a younger body, no aches, no pains, smooth skin, strong muscles, but at this point even with all of our medical technology it is just not possible; at least not possible here on earth.

I heard a story about a little boy who came running to his father and said, "Dad, I just figured what the Bible is about." His days, said, "Really, what is it about?" The son answered, "It's on the front, "B.I.B.L.E. and it means, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." I guess he got it right didn't he, that just about sums it up. That is what the Bible is all about, because we for sure are not going to stay here on earth forever.

At times I'm ready for that change, the older I get the more I understand the power of the promise. That's the promise the Apostle Paul was trying to help us understand in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 where he said: "But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies."(NLT)


Yes, I'm ready for a new one, a new body, one like Jesus, no more pain, no more weariness; no more parts that sometimes refuse to cooperate. There is a time coming when my 'High mileage" body will be traded in for a new one. That's what I planning for, that what I'm looking forward to! How about you?

--Russ Lawson