Topic : Matthew

Resource

• Christlike, Barry Applewhite, p. 9

Resource

• Biblical Viewpoint, XVII, No 2, (2 Kings), pp. 68ff

Resource

• Our Savior God, J. M. Boice, p. 87.

Resource

• Christlike, Barry Applewhite, pp. 19, 29.

Resource

• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 29

Concentration on the Task at Hand

Somewhere in the history of organized sports, a coaching staff tried out a new theory. These coaches reasoned that taking their teams away the night before a big game and putting the athletes up in a hotel gave them a competitive advantage. They felt that this cloistering would remove the athletes from the distractions of everyday life and allow the team to focus more thoroughly on the game ahead. For decades, this has been a common practice among both college and professional teams.

Jesus knew the value of concentrating on the task at hand, and He prepared for His contest with Satan as no person has ever prepared before or since. Forty days alone in the desert not only removed Jesus from every human contact or since. Forty days alone in the desert not only removed Jesus from every human contact that would demand His attention; by fasting, Jesus even said “no” to normal human needs in order to prepare Himself for the devil’s looming temptations.

The temptation of our Lord allows us a glimpse at a level of spiritual warfare we would otherwise know nothing about. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in the same ways we are tempted (Heb. 4:15), but we will never experience the intensity of the trial Jesus faced.

Today in the Word, November 3, 1997

Sermon On The Mount

• Christian Personal Ethics, C.F.H. Henry, Eerdmans, 1957, pp. 278ff.

Resources

• Zane Hodges, The Hungry Inherit, p. 109.
• Someone Who Beckons, p. 54.
• Charles Swindoll, Improving Your Serve.

Resource

• Inductive Preaching, Lewis, p. 70.

Cower Power

According to Bill Farmer’s newspaper column, J. Upton Dickson was a fun-loving fellow who said he was writing a book entitled Cower Power. He also founded a group of submissive people. It was called DOORMATS. That stands for “Dependent Organization Of Really Meek And Timid Souls—if there are no objections.” Their motto was: “The meek shall inherit the earth—if that’s okay with everybody.” Their symbol was the yellow traffic light.

Our Daily Bread

Water Problem

Driving up from Beersheba, a combined force of British, Australians and New Zealanders were pressing on the rear of the Turkish retreat over arid desert. The attack outdistanced its water carrying camel train. Water bottles were empty. The sun blazed pitilessly out of a sky where the vultures wheeled expectantly. “Our heads ached,” writes Gilbert, “and our eyes became bloodshot and dim in the blinding glare. Our tongues began to swell. Our lips turned a purplish black and burst.” Those who dropped out of the column were never seen again, but the desperate force battled on to Sheria. There were wells at Sheria, and had they been unable to take the place by nightfall, thousands were doomed to die of thirst. “We fought that day,” writes Gilbert, “as men fight for their lives. We entered Sheria station on the heels of the retreating Turks. The first objects which met our view were the great stone cisterns full of cold, clear, drinking water. In the still night air the sound of water running into the tanks could be distinctly heard, maddening in its nearness; yet not a man murmured when orders were given for the battalions to fall in, two deep, facing the cisterns. He then describes the stern priorities: the wounded, those on guard duty, then company by company. It took four hours before the last man had his drink of water, and in all that time they had been standing twenty feet from a low stone wall on the other side of which were thousands of gallons of water.

From an account of the British liberation of Palestine by Major V. Gilbert in The Last Crusade, quoted in Christ’s Call To Discipleship, J. M. Boice, Moody, 1986, p. 143.

Best Way to Acquire Knowledge

A devoted follower of Socrates asked him the best way to acquire knowledge. Socrates responded by leading him to a river and plunging him beneath the surface. The man struggled to free himself, but Socrates kept his head submerged. Finally, after much effort, the man was able to break loose and emerge from the water. Socrates then asked, “When you thought you were drowning, what one thing did you want most of all?” Still gasping for breath, the man exclaimed, “I wanted air!” The philosopher wisely commented, “When you want knowledge as much as you wanted air, then you will get it!” The same is true with our desire for righteousness.

Our Daily Bread

Resource

• Tell It To The Church, p. 85

Mahatma Gandhi

When Mahatma Gandhi was the spiritual leader of India, he was asked by some missionaries, “What is the greatest hindrance to Christianity in India?” His reply was, “Christians.”

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its taste, with what shall it be salted? It is thereafter good for nothing but to be thrown out and walked on by the people.”

Source Unknown

Salt

1. Salt adds flavor and spice. If that says anything to me, it says that the Christian life should not be dull, and Christians should not be dull people.

2. Salt acts as a preservative.

3. Salt was used by conquering armies to punish a defeated people. The soldiers would trample salt into the soil, thereby preventing crops from growing for many years. Jesus says that if the salt loses its flavor, and cannot be used positively, it will be used negatively to punish the world. In the process, the salt itself will be trampled under foot.

Tabletalk, April, 1990, p. 31

Solar Eclipse

On a cold winter morning in 1979, I witnessed an unusual incident. For several weeks the newspaper had been announcing that Portland, Oregon, would be in the direct path of a solar eclipse. Scientists explained that the moon would pass between the earth and the sun, casting the moon’s dark shadow over Portland for approximately three minutes. On February 26th, the day of the eclipse, I went to my office as usual. But just before the solar eclipse I went out to the front porch of the seminary administration building; there on the crest of a small hill I had a marvelous view of the city sloping toward the downtown business district. Suddenly, as expected, the sky began to darken—though much more quickly than at sunset. In a few more moments, the city of Portland became as dark as night. Just as suddenly as the darkness had come, something else happened—something I had not anticipated. Thousands of street lights around the city began to blink on dispelling the darkness of the eclipse. Although the sky was as dark as on any night, everywhere I looked lights were shining.

J. K. Laney, Kindred Spirit, Spring, 1990, p. 8

Not a Glare, But a Glow

“Let your life so shine (Matt. 5:16). It is not a glare but a glow; and we are simply to let the light shine. God prefers stars to comets. The figure is a candle, not a firecracker.”

Vance Havner, Leadership, IV, 4, 1986

Reformation Days

At the beginning of the Reformation, Martin of Basle, Switzerland, came to the knowledge of the truth. He accepted Jesus as his Savior. Afraid to let his friends know that he no longer believed the many falsehoods taught by his formal church, he wrote these words on a leaf of parchment. “O merciful Christ, I know that I can be saved only by the merit of Thy blood. Holy Jesus, I love Thee.” Removing a stone from the wall of his chamber, he hid behind the stone these beautiful words. The parchment was discovered more than a hundred years later.

About the same time, Martin Luther of Wittenberg, Germany, also found the truth in Christ. Boldly he confessed, “My Lord has confessed me before men: I will not shrink from confessing my Lord before princes and kings!” We all know what followed. Everybody has heard what Martin Luther accomplished by his public confession of Christ. On the contrary, no one knows of Martin of Basle.

If your life is to bear fruit, we cannot hid behind a stone in the wall our love for Jesus (Rom. 10:9, 10)

The Christian Herald, Leadership, IV, 4, 1986

God Values Our Gifts

God seeks and values the gifts we bring Him—gifts of praise, thanksgiving, service, and material offerings. In all such giving at the altar we enter into the highest experiences of fellowship. But the gift is acceptable to God in the measure to which the one who offers it is in fellowship with Him in character and conduct; and the test of this is in our relationships with our fellow men. We are thus charged to postpone giving to God until right relationships are established with others. Could the neglect of this be the explanation of the barrenness of our worship?

G. C. Morgan

Responding to a Slap

Setting of the quotation (Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20, Deut. 19:21) was public, the court of law. The Pharisees were trying to apply this in a private setting. How can a right-handed man slap another on the right cheek? Backhanded, indicating insult and challenge. Christ says don’t respond to this in anger, rather with acceptance.

Source Unknown

Resource

• The Satan Syndrome, Nigel Wright, Zondervan, 1990, p. 183

Hostage of Guerrilla Soldiers

In August 1983, Russell Stendal was taken hostage into the jungle of Columbia, South American, by a band of guerrilla soldiers. For nearly 5 months he learned what it really means to love one’s enemies. He wrote a letter home, saying, “I am in danger only of losing my life; they are in danger of losing their souls.” Through kindness, Russell befriended his guards. One day the commander told him, “We can’t kill you face to face; we like you. So we will have to kill you in your sleep.” God enabled Russell to forgive, but for the next 10 days and nights he couldn’t sleep. A submachine gun was repeatedly thrust in his face under his mosquito net, but the guards couldn’t bring themselves to pull the trigger. On January 3, 1984, Russell was released. When he said goodbye, tears fill the eyes of some of his captors.

Our Daily Bread

Ruby Bridges

In Christianity Today, psychiatrist Robert Coles told an amazing story of a girl who had learned to pray for those who were hostile to her. Coles was in new Orleans in 1960 when a federal judge ruled that the city schools must be integrated. A 6-year-old girl, Ruby Bridges, was the only black child to attend the William T. Frantz School. Every day for weeks as she entered and left the building, a mob would be standing outside to scream at her and threaten her. They shook their fists, shouted obscenities, and threatened to kill her. One day her teacher saw her lips moving as she walked through the crowd, flanked by burly federal marshals. When the teacher told Coles about it, he asked Ruby if she was talking to the people. “I wasn’t talking to them,” she replied. “I was just saying a prayer for them”

Coles asked her, “Why do you do that?”

“Because they need praying for,” came her reply.

Our Daily Bread

Effective Prayer

Local officials in southern Ethiopia illegally confiscated money, lumber, and corrugated metal roofing that a congregation had collected for a new church building. But the elders decided to rely on prayer and not go to court, according to SIM International. Shortly afterwards, an epidemic of dysentery struck the area. The officials, concluding they were the objects of divine retribution, met with the elders, asked forgiveness, returned all confiscated property, and requested the church to pray that God would end the epidemic. Prayer for local leaders has now become a weekly event for the congregation.

Christianity Today, October 8, 1982

What Passes for Love

In our relationships with others, often what passes for love is little more than a neat business transaction. People are kind to us, so we repay them with equal consideration. When they threat us unjustly, our negative response is really what they asked for. Everything is so balanced, so fair, so logical with this eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a-tooth kind of justice. But Christian love never settles for only what’s reasonable. It insists on giving mercy as well as justice. It breaks the chain of logical reactions.

General Robert E. Lee was asked what he thought of a fellow officer in the Confederate Army who had made some derogatory remarks about him. Lee rated him as being very satisfactory. The person who asked the question seemed perplexed. “General,” he said, “I guess you don’t know what he’s been saying about you.” “I know,” answered Lee. “But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me!”

Our Daily Bread

A General’s Prayer

General Robert E. Lee was riding through a battlefield when a wounded Union soldier, lying nearby, began to curse and revile the Confederate leader. Very deliberately, Lee dismounted, walked toward the stranger, and knelt beside him. The man ceased his torrent of abuse, and Lee said, “Son, I am very sorry you are hurt. I pray that you will recover soon.”

From Moody Bible Institute’s Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 43

Forgiveness

In the fall of 1987 an Iraqi fighter jet attacked the USS Stark and killed 37 American sailors. The event received worldwide news coverage, but going almost unnoticed was the response of the widow of one of the slain men. She sent a letter to the Iraqi pilot, forgiving him for his act. She also included an Arabic New Testament with the words, “Father, forgive them” underlined.

From Moody Bible Institute’s Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 6

Parable from the Eye of the Needle

Mary Marty retells a parable from the Eye Of The Needle newsletter:

“A holy man was engaged in his morning meditation under a tree whose roots stretched out over the riverbank. During his meditation he noticed that the river was rising, and a scorpion caught in the roots was about to drown. He crawled out on the roots and reached down to free the scorpion, but every time he did so, the scorpion struck back at him.

“An observer came along and said to the holy man, ‘Don’t you know that’s a scorpion, and it’s in the nature of a scorpion to want to sting?’

“To which the holy man replied, ‘That may well be, but it is my nature to save, and must I change my nature because the scorpion does not change its nature?”

Joseph B. Modica

Unfinished Mosaic

While touring Italy, a man visited a cathedral that had been completed on the outside only. Once inside, the traveler found an artist kneeling before an enormous wall upon which he had just begun to create a mosaic. On some tables nearby were thousands of pieces of colored ceramic. Curious, the visitor asked the artist how he would ever finish such a large project. The artist answered that he knew how much he could accomplish in one day. Each morning, he marked off an area to be completed that day and didn’t worry about what remained outside that space. That was the best he could do; and if he faithfully did his best, one day the mosaic would be finished.

Today in the Word, September 5, 1995, p. 32

Money or Morality'

One of the four finalists in a philosophy debate over money vs. morality wasn’t able to attend the championship round. He was in prison. Phillip Torsrud was among 700 entrants in the Great American Think-Off, a philosophy contest in New York Mills, Minnesota.

That year’s contest posed the question: “What does society value more: money or morality?”

Torsrud wrote: “I can’t take your morals from you, but I can take your money. That is why you will guard it and value it more.”

Today in the Word, November 21, 1995, p. 28

Resource

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 116

Goodie Boxes

The story is told of two brothers who owned a farm and divided the income. One brother had a large family, while the other was single. One night the single farmer, knowing his brother was struggling to raise his family, bought a box of things for the family and set off for their house, planning to leave the box secretly. That same night the married farmer, knowing his single brother did not have the joys of a family, set out for his house with a box of homemade goodies to leave secretly. The brothers met each other on their errands and embraced in tears.

Today in the Word, January 15, 1997, p. 22

Charles Spurgeon Labeled Greedy

Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in the Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, “You may have them if you pay for them.” As a result some people labeled the Spurgeons greedy and grasping.

They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves, and only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed. All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows. Because the Spurgeons where unwilling to let their left hand know what the right hand was doing (Matt. 6:3), they endured the attacks in silence.

Source unknown

The Name of the Good Samaritan

Jean Frederick Oberlin, a minister in 18th century Germany, was traveling by foot in winter when he was caught in a severe snowstorm. He soon lost his way in the blowing snow and feared he would freeze to death. In despair he sat down, not knowing which way to turn. Just then, a man came along in a wagon and rescued Oberlin. He took him to the next village and made sure he would be cared for. As the man prepared to journey on, Oberlin said, “Tell me your name so that I may at least have you in grateful remembrance before God.” The man, who by now had recognized Oberlin, replied, “You are a minister. Please tell me the name of the Good Samaritan.” Oberlin said, “I cannot do that, for it is not given in the Scriptures.” His benefactor responded, “Until you can tell me his name, please permit me to withhold mine.”

Source unknown

The Phone Booth

In a letter to his friends, hymn writer Wendell P. Loveless related this story:

One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn’t know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, a passerby noted his plight and said, “Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door.” To the visitor’s amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.

In a similar way, when we draw aside in a quiet place to pray, we must block out our busy world and open our hearts to the Father. Our darkened world of disappointments and trials will then be illuminated. We will enter into communion with God, we will sense His presence, and we will be assured of His provision for us. Our Lord often went to be alone with the Heavenly Father. Sometimes it was after a busy day of preaching and healing, as in today’s Scripture reading. At other times, it was before making a major decision (Luke 6:12).

Our Daily Bread

Living Day by Day

These two Scripture verses prompted someone to write,

“One secret of a happy Christian life is living by the day. It’s the long stretches that tire us. But really, there are no long stretches. Life does not come to us all at once. Tomorrow is not ours; but when it does come, God will supply both daily bread and daily strength.”

Source unknown

Living Moment to Moment

As Pastor Philip Doddridge was walking along the street one day, he was feeling depressed and desolate, for something had happened to burden his heart. Passing a small cottage, he heard through the open door the voice of a child reading the words found in Deuteronomy 33:25, “.as your days, so shall your strength be.” The Holy Spirit used that truth to bolster his sinking morale. He was encouraged not to look too far ahead, but just to go on living for the Lord from moment to moment in the consciousness that God would care for him.

Apparently D. L. Moody also learned that secret, for he said,

“A man can no more take a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next 6 months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to draw upon God’s store of grace from day to day as we need it!”

God never gives His strength in advance, so let’s stop crossing bridges before we come to them. The Heavenly Father will graciously supply our every need—one day at a time!

Don’t try to bear tomorrow’s burdens with today’s grace.

Our Daily Bread, December 30, 1985

I Cannot Say . . .

• I cannot say Our, if my religion has no room for others and their needs.
• I cannot say Father, if I do not demonstrate this relationship in my daily living.
• I cannot say Who art in heaven, if all my interests and pursuits are on earthly things.
• I cannot say Hallowed be thy name, if I, who is called by His name, am not holy.
• I cannot say Thy kingdom come, if I am unwilling to give up my own sovereignty and accept the righteous reign of God.
• I cannot say Thy will be done, if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.
• I cannot say On earth as it is in heaven unless I am truly ready to give myself to His service here and now.
• I cannot say Give us this day our daily bread without expending honest effort for it or by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellowmen.
• I cannot say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.
• I cannot say Lead us not into temptation, if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.
• I cannot say Deliver us from evil, if I am not prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon of prayer.
• I cannot say Thine is the kingdom, if I do not give the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal subject.
• I cannot say Thine is the power, if I fear what my neighbors and friends may say or do.
• I cannot say Thine is the glory, if I am seeking my own glory first.
• I cannot say Forever, if I am too anxious about each day’s affairs.
• I cannot say Amen unless I honestly say, “Cost what it may, this is my prayer.”

Author Unknown, The Evangel, 3/27/85

Three Parts

1. Praise,

2. Priorities,

3. Provision.

Peter Dieson, The Priority of Knowing God, p.43

Things for Which to Pray

1. That God’s name be honored and respected (9)

2. That God’s kingdom be completed (10)

3. That God’s will be implemented (10)

4. For physical needs—daily bread (11)

5. For social needs—forgiving and being forgiven (12)

6. For spiritual needs—temptation and deliverance (13)

S. Briscoe, Getting Into God, p. 58

The Disciple’s Prayer

In the Lord’s Prayer (or the Disciples’ Prayer) we have three essentials for effective praying.

1. First there is relationship: “Our Father, who art in heaven” (v. 9).

2. Then there is responsibility: “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done” (vv. 9,10).

3. Finally, there are requests: “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (vv. 11-13).

Something Happens When Churches Pray, W. Wiersbe, p.118

Jesus Loves Me

Sociology professor Anthony Campolo recalls a deeply moving incident that happened in a Christian junior high camp where he served. One of the campers, a boy with spastic paralysis, was the object of heartless ridicule. When he would ask a question, the boys would deliberately answer in a halting, mimicking way.

One night his cabin group chose him to lead the devotions before the entire camp. It was one more effort to have some “fun” at his expense. Unashamedly the spastic boy stood up, and in his strained, slurred manner—each word coming with enormous effort—he said simple, “Jesus loves me—and I love Jesus!” That was all. Conviction fell upon those junior-highers. Many began to cry. Revival gripped the camp. Years afterward, Campolo still meets men in the ministry who came to Christ because of that testimony.

Our Daily Bread, April 1, 1993

Weight of Prayer

Shortly after World War II, a woman entered a grocery store and asked for enough food for a Christmas dinner for her children. When the owner inquired how much she could afford, she answered, “My husband was killed in the war. Truthfully, I have nothing to offer but a little prayer.” The man, an unbeliever, was unmoved by the woman’s need, and said sarcastically, “Write your prayer on a piece of paper and you can have its weight in groceries.”

To his surprise, she plucked a folded note out of her pocket and handed it to him. “I already did that during the night while I was watching over my sick child,” was her immediate reply.

Without even reading it, he put it on one side of his old-fashioned scales. “We’ll see how much food this is worth,” he muttered. To his dismay, nothing happened when he put a loaf of bread on the other side. But he was even more upset when he added other items and still nothing happened. Finally he blurted out, “Well, that’s all it will hold anyway. Here’s a bag. You’ll have to put these things in yourself. I’m busy!”

With a tearful “Thank you,” the lady went happily on her way.

The grocer later discovered that the scale was out of order.

As the years passed, he often wondered if that was just a coincidence. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? Why did she come at exactly the time the mechanism was broken? Whenever he looks at the slip of paper that bears her petition, he is amazed, for it reads, “Please, dear Lord, give us this day our daily bread!”

Our Daily Bread, November 21, 1993

The Anaconda

Lorrie Anderson, missionary to the head-shrinking Candoshi Shapra Indians of Peru, was looking for a quiet place for her daily time of Bible reading and prayer, so she went down by the edge of the river. After reading the Bible, she took up her prayer list. Eyes closed, she did not see the deadly anaconda weaving through the water until it struck, burying its fangs into her flesh. It withdrew to strike, hitting her arm again and again as it held her, screaming, in its coils. It reared up for the death blows. Then suddenly the giant snake, never known to release its prey, relaxed its grip and slithered off through the water. While Lorrie was being treated, a witch doctor from a nearby village burst into the hut and stared at her. She couldn’t believe Lorrie had survived. She said her son-in-law, also a witch doctor, had chanted to the spirit of the anaconda that morning and sent it to kill the young missionary. “I’m certain,” Lorrie said, “that except for the protection of God, it would have worked.”

Our Daily Bread, August 13, 1990

The Narrow Way

What thousands never knew the road!
What thousands hate it when ‘tis known!
None but the chosen tribes of God
Will seek or choose it for their own.

A thousand ways in ruin end,
One only leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,
Pleased with a journey to the sky.

No more I ask or hope to find
Delight or happiness below;
Sorrow may well possess the mind
That feeds where thorns and thistles grow.

The joy that fades is not for me,
I seek immortal joys above;
There glory without end shall be
The bright reward of faith and love.

Cleave to the world, ye sordid worms,
Contented lick your native dust!
But God shall fight with all his storms,
Against the idol of your trust.

Olney Hymns, William Cowper, from Cowper’s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York

Life’s Toil

Out of the life, I shall never take
Things of silver and gold I make
All that I cherish and hoard away
When I leave these things on earth must stay.

Though I toiled for a painting rare
To hang on my wall, I must leave it there
Though I call it mine and boast its worth
I must give it up when I quit this earth

All that I gather and all that I keep
I must leave behind when I fall asleep
And I wonder often, what will I own
In that other life when I pass along.

What shall He find and what shall He see
In the soul that answers the call for me'
Will the Great Judge find when my task is through
That my soul has gathered some riches, too'

Or at the last it will be mine to find
That all I had worked for was left behind.

Author Unknown

A New House

The Lord Jesus is now in heaven, the “Father’s house.” He has gone there to “prepare a place” for all who have put their trust in Him. There is a sense, however, in which believers may have a part in preparing that place. That thought was brought to my attention as I read these observations by an unknown writer:

“I once had friends who were traveling abroad. Intending to build a new house upon their return, in all their journeying the dream of that new home was constantly in their minds. When they therefore could secure a beautiful picture, statue, or vase, they purchased in and sent it on ahead to await their arrival. The same thing was done with rare and curious treasures, which afterward, when placed in their new home, could be linked with happy memories and in this way contribute to their future enjoyment.” The writer then made this application: “I love to think that we, in these pilgrimage days on earth, are doing the same for our heavenly home. The kindly deed that made a rare picture in somebody’s life, the little sacrifice that blossomed into joy, the helpful friendship—all these we shall find again. Whatever of beauty, tenderness, faith, or love we can put into other’s lives will be among our treasures in heaven.”

Our Daily Bread, January 30, 1994

Going to Our Treasure

A woman met a friend of her father’s who had not seen him for many years. The woman’s father was a devout Christian, so she found great joy in telling his old acquaintance about her dad’s trust in the Lord, and the way he faced suffering, trials, and even the prospect of death.

The friend, however, had lived a different kind of life. Having given himself over completely to earning money and hoarding every cent he could, he had become very wealthy. But he didn’t have the same glad anticipation of the future as his friend did. He explained it to the daughter in this way: “Your father can be more optimistic about heaven than I for a very simple reason. He is going to his treasure. I’ll be leaving mine!”

Our Daily Bread, February 18, 1994

Quote

Treasures in heaven are laid up only as treasures on earth are laid down.

Source unknown

Jesus confronts his disciples with a basic choice between laying up treasure on earth and laying up treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19-24). It is human and natural to want to lay up treasure so Jesus tells his disciples, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” not on earth. Why should we not lay up treasure on earth? For three reasons:

First, laying up treasure on earth is daft because in the long run such treasure is of very little value. You can’t keep it (moth and rust consume it), nor take it with you (think of the rich fool, Luke 12:16-21). It cannot satisfy you; you think it’s going to bring you joy but it never does. When someone asked an immensely rich man whether his wealth had brought him joy, he replied, “No, nothing tastes now.”

Second, laying up treasure on earth is dangerous because such treasure destroys spiritual awareness. If your eyes are filled with light and working properly, your body will be able to move easily and safely. If you can’t see clearly, you will lack physical ease and poise. Similarly, if your heart is possessed by what this world and this life offers, you will not be able to see spiritual issues clearly, and when you read the Bible, its full meaning will escape you.

Third, laying up treasure on earth is disastrous because no one can serve two masters. Even double agents are working for one country or organization in a way that they are not working for the other. In the same way, we cannot serve God and possessions. And to have God pass the verdict that one has not served him is life’s ultimate disaster.

Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for December 15

That’s All Mine!

George W. Truett, a well-known pastor, was invited to dinner in the home of a very wealthy man in Texas. After the meal, the host led him to a place where they could get a good view of the surrounding area.

Pointing to the oil wells punctuating the landscape, he boasted, “Twenty-five years ago I had nothing. Now, as far as you can see, it’s all mine.” Looking in the opposite direction at his sprawling fields of grain, he said, “That’s all mine.” Turning east toward huge herds of cattle, he bragged, “They’re all mine.” Then pointing to the west and a beautiful forest, he exclaimed, “That too is all mine.”

He paused, expecting Dr. Truett to compliment him on his great success. Truett, however, placing one hand on the man’s shoulder and pointing heavenward with the other, simply said, “How much do you have in that direction?”

The man hung his head and confessed, “I never thought of that.”

Our Daily Bread, October 24, 1992

David Livingstone

The body of David Livingstone was buried in England where he was born, but his heart was buried in the Africa he loved. At the foot of a tall tree in a small African village the natives dug a hole and placed in it the heart of this man who they loved and respected.

If your heart were to be buried in the place you loved most during life, where would it be? In your pocketbook? In an appropriate space down at the office? Where is your heart'

Source unknown

Offering

At our 1987 church picnic someone went through a number of cars and stole various items. Donna K.’s purse and glasses were taken. Later, someone found her purse intact, except for some missing loose change. She’d put all her money in the offering plate that morning! (Later, her glasses were also found.)

Source unknown

Determined Thieves

There are few things that determined thieves can’t steal. In the fall of 1988 three paintings by Vincent van Gogh, including his early masterpiece, “The Potato Eaters,” were stolen from a museum in Europe. Experts had shielded the museum with a silent alarm system and two guards. Yet thieves got to the paintings, estimated to be worth about $50 million.

Today in the Word, May, 1990, MBI, p. 43

Just a Passin’ Through

As Christians, we need to think of ourselves as travelers who are just passing through this sinful world. We are not permanent residents, but pilgrims on a journey to a better land. Therefore, we need to “travel light,” not burdening ourselves with an undue attachment to the material things of life. The more we care for the luxuries and possessions of earth, the more difficult will be our journey to heaven.

The story is told about some Christians who were traveling in the Middle East. They heard about a wise, devout, beloved, old believer, so they went out of their way to visit him. When they finally found him, they discovered that he was living in a simple hut. All he had inside was a rough cot, a chair, a table, and a battered stove for heating and cooking. The visitors were shocked to see how few possessions the man had, and one of them blurted out, “Well, where is your furniture?” The aged saint replied by gently asking, :Where is yours?” The visitor, sputtering a little, responded, “Why, at home, of course. I don’t carry it with me, I’m traveling.” “So am I,” the godly Christian replied. “So am I.”

This man was practicing a basic principle of the Bible: Christians must center their affections on Christ, not on the temporal things of this earth. Material riches lose their value when compared to the riches of glory. To keep this world’s goods from becoming more important to us than obeying Christ, we need to ask ourselves, “Where is our furniture?” -D.C.E.

Our Daily Bread, July 26, 1993

Les Miserables

In Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Miserables, Jean Valjean serves nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. After his release, the bitter ex-prisoner comes to the home of a kind bishop, who serves Valjean a meal using his best silver and gives him a bed for the night.

That evening, Valjean steals the bishop’s silver and is caught. Brought to the bishop by the police, he expects the worst, only to hear the bishop say, “I gave them to him. And Jean, you forgot to take the candlesticks.” A shocked Valjean is brought to true repentance by the bishop’s extraordinary kindness.

How many people would be willing to trade their silver plates and candlesticks for the joy of seeing a broken life restored? We’d better not take a poll—we might be disappointed in the results.

Today in the Word, January 20, 1997, p. 27

A Terrible Deathbed

I once read of a man who bought a luxurious house and filled it with expensive and spectacular furnishings. After taking a friend on a tour through its many spacious rooms, the owner of the mansion asked proudly, “Well, what do you think of it?” He expected to hear lavish praise, so he was stunned when his quest responded, “It is gorgeous; but to be perfectly frank, things like this make a deathbed terrible.”

Our Daily Bread

Material Things

The apostle Peter warned that the earth, and all “the works that are in it, shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). With this truth in mind, he went on to say, “Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness.?” (v. 11). Because material things are transient, we ought to set our affection on “things above” (Col. 3:2).

Source unknown

Don’t Hang Your Heart on Things

One day I saw a little boy throw a temper tantrum in a store. He wanted a dump truck, but his mother said no. So Junior howled louder and louder until the mother, embarrassed, bought the toy. As I watched, I thought of what my mother told me when I was young. She said, “Don’t hang your heart on things!” I’ll admit that at times I rebelled against that idea, but today I’m deeply grateful for her advice. And I think it should be displayed as a motto in every home: DON’T HANG YOUR HEART ON THINGS.

Our Daily Bread, January 21, 1994

George Muller

If we could look behind the unexpected events in our lives, we would be amazed to see God wonderfully providing for our needs. The insignificant turns in the road, the seemingly unimportant events, the often unexplained happenings—all are part of God’s loving care.

His gracious providence is also evident in the tangible provisions of life. In Bristol, England, George Muller operated an orphanage for two thousand children. One evening he became aware that there would be no breakfast for them the next morning. Muller called his workers together and explained the situation. Two or three prayed. “Now that is sufficient,” he said. “Let us rise and praise God for prayer answered!”

The next morning they could not push open the great front door. So they went out the back door and around the building to see what was keeping it shut. Stacked up against the front door were boxes filled with food. One of the workers later remarked, “We know Who sent the baskets, but we do not know who brought them!”

Our Daily Bread, November 30, 1993

Earthly Treasures

When a person loves earthly things so much that he can’t get along without them, he opens himself to much suffering, both physical and mental. Some people, for example, have taken foolish risks to keep their riches intact. They have died rushing into burning houses or were killed because they stubbornly resisted armed robbers. Apparently they felt that without their material possessions life would not be worthwhile.

Others, when forced to part with their wealth, have been thrown into agonizing despair, even to the point of suicide. In 1975, six armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One lady, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, “Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box.” What a sad commentary on her values!

Our Daily Bread

The Clock that had a Nervous Breakdown

In his sermon entitled “How to Worry” Ralph Phelps tells about the clock that had a nervous breakdown. This new clock was ticking away on the shelf two ticks to the second as any good, self-respecting clock should tick when it began to think about how many times it was going to have to tick. “Two ticks to the second means 120 ticks per minute,” it mused. “That’s 7200 ticks per hour, 172,800 ticks per day, 1,209,600 per week for 52 weeks, and a total of 62,899,200 per year.” Horrors! Straightway the clock had a nervous breakdown.

The clock was taken to a psychiatrist who patched up the mainspring as well as he could then asked, “Clock, what’s your trouble?” “Oh, doctor,” wailed the clock, “I have to tick so much. I have to tick two ticks a second and 120 ticks per minute and 7200 ticks per hour, and.” “Hold it,” the psychiatrist cut in, “How many ticks do you have to tick at a time?” “Oh, I just have to tick one tick at a time,” was the reply. “Then let me make a suggestion,” replied the doctor. “You go home and try ticking one tick at a time. Don’t even think about the next tick until it’s time. Just tick one tick at a time. That you can do.”

Faith is ticking one tick at a time. Knowing that God will give us strength for the next tick. According to I Peter 1:8 we can have a “joy inexpressible.” Yet just like those oppressed and persecuted Christians to whom Peter was writing, we need to remember that this joy will never come through external stimuli, only through our internal mindset—one of faith—one of ticking one tick at a time, knowing that God will give us strength for the next tick.

John Scott

Swindoll, You and Your Problems

Worry

1. Worry ignores the logic of life (v. 25)

2. Worry ignores the value of life (v. 26)

3. Worry ignores its own limitations (v. 27)

4. Worry ignores God’s faithfulness (vv. 28-30)

5. Worry ignores the love of God (vv. 31-33)

6. Worry ignores the present (v. 34)

Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 33

The Bird’s Nest

A construction crew was building a new road through a rural area, knocking down trees as it progressed. A superintendent noticed that one tree had a nest of birds who couldn’t yet fly and he marked the tree so that it would not be cut down. Several weeks later the superintendent came back to the tree. He got into a bucket truck and was lifted up so that he could peer into the nest. The fledglings were gone. They had obviously learned to fly. The superintendent ordered the tree cut down. As the tree crashed to the ground, the nest fell clear and some of the material that the birds had gathered to make the nest was scattered about. Part of it was a scrap torn from a Sunday school pamphlet. On the scrap of paper were these words: He careth for you.

Bits and Pieces, November, 1989, p. 23

God’s Gracious Providence

If we could look behind the unexpected events in our lives, we would be amazed to see God wonderfully providing for our needs. The insignificant turns in the road, the seemingly unimportant events, the often unexplained happenings—all are part of God’s loving care.

His gracious providence is also evident in the tangible provisions of life. In Bristol, England, George Mueller operated an orphanage for two thousand children. One evening he became aware that there would be no breakfast for them the next morning. Mueller called his workers together and explained the situation. Two or three prayed. “Now that is sufficient,” he said. “Let us rise and praise God for prayer answered!” The next morning they could not push open the great front door. So they went out the back door and around the building to see what was keeping it shut. Stacked up against the front door were boxes filled with food. One of the workers later remarked, “We know Who sent the baskets, but we do not know who brought them!” -P.R.V.

Our Daily Bread, November 30, 1985

Bread to Hold

In his book God’s Psychiatry, Charles L. Allen tells this story:

“As World War II was drawing to a close, the Allied armies gathered up many hungry orphans. They were placed in camps where they were well-fed. Despite excellent care, they slept poorly. They seemed nervous and afraid. Finally, a psychologist came up with the solution. Each child was given a piece of bread to hold after he was put to bed. This particular piece of bread was just to be held—not eaten. The piece of bread produced wonderful results. The children went to bed knowing instinctively they would have food to eat the next day. That guarantee gave the children a restful and contented sleep.”

Our Daily Bread

First Things First

In the late 19th century John Wanamaker opened a department store in Philadelphia. Within a few years that enterprise had become one of the most successful businesses in the country. But operating his store wasn’t Wanamaker’s only responsibility. He was also named Postmaster General of the United States, and he served as superintendent for what was then the largest Sunday school in the world at Bethany Presbyterian Church. When someone asked him how he could hold all those positions at once, he explained. “Early in life I read, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ The Sunday school is my business, all the rest are the things.”

One evidence of Wanamaker’s desire to keep the Lord’s work first in his life was a specially constructed soundproof room in his store. Every day he spent 30 minutes there praying and meditating upon God’s Word. He had his priorities straight!

Our Daily Bread

Early Prayers

Have you ever noticed that the great saints of the Bible often met with God at daybreak to seek His leading? For example,

• Abraham got up very early to stand before the Lord (Gen. 19:27).
• Jacob woke up with the first light of the morning to worship God after having seen a vision of angels in the night (Gen. 28:18).
• Moses went early to meet the Lord at Sinai (Ex. 34:4).
• Joshua got an early start when he prepared to capture Jericho (Josh. 6:12).
• Gideon made his way at dawn to examine the fleece he had placed on the ground to discern Jehovah’s will (Jud. 6:38).
• And in today’s Scripture we learn that Job left his bed at an early hour to offer sacrifices to the Lord in behalf of his children (Job 1:5).

Source unknown

Planned Neglect

A noted young concert violinist was asked the secret of her success. “Planned neglect,” she replied. Then she explained, “Years ago I discovered that there were many things demanding my time. After washing breakfast dishes, I made my bed, straightened my room, dusted the furniture, and did a host of other chores. I then turned my attention to violin practice. That system, however, failed to accomplish the desired results. So I realized I had to reverse things. I deliberately set aside everything else until my practice period ended. That program of planned neglect accounts for my success!”

Our Daily Bread

See God’s Kingdom First

Henry Drummond, a scientist at the turn of the century, speaking to a group of college students:

“Gentlemen, I beseech you to seek the kingdom of God first, or not at all. I promise you a miserable time if you seek it second.”

Source unknown

Wealth and Generosity

Among those in the court of Alexander the Great was a philosopher of outstanding ability but little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. But when the man requested an amount equal to $50,000, he was refused—the treasurer needing to verify that such a large sum was authorized. When he asked Alexander, the ruler replied, “Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a singular honor. By the largeness of his request he shows that he has understood both my wealth and generosity.”

Today in the Word, MBI, August, 1991, p. 19

Life Can be Monotenous

The road that lies before us seems to stretch mile after mile across a flat, barren desert with no oasis in sight. How then are we to handle wearisome responsibilities when there’s no foreseeable relief from our burdens'

Oliver de Vinck, severely disabled from birth, lay helplessly on his bed for all of his 32 years, unable to care for himself. Day after day and year after year his parents put every spoonful of food into his mouth, changed his diapers, and still maintained a happy home.

One day Oliver’s brother Christopher asked his father how they managed. He explained that they didn’t worry about the long succession of tomorrows that might lie before them. They lived a day at a time, asking, “Can I feed Oliver today"” And the answer always was, “Yes, today I can do it.”

Jesus taught us how we can handle life’s routine: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (6:34). In faith—and with prayer—we can break life and its often wearisome tasks into bite-size pieces, entrusting the unpredictable future to the grace of Him who promises that “as your days, so shall your strength be” (Dt. 33:25).

VCG, Our Daily Bread, Sept.-Nov. 1997, page for September 11

Worry: Fear’s Extravagance

Worry is fear’s extravagance. It extracts interest on trouble before it comes due. It constantly drains the energy God gives us to face daily problems and to fulfill our many responsibilities. It is therefore a sinful waste.

A woman who had lived long enough to have learned some important truths about life remarked, “I’ve had a lot of trouble—most of which never happened!” She had worried about many things that had never occurred, and had come to see the total futility of her anxieties.

An unknown poet has written:

“I heard a voice at evening softly say,
‘Bear not your yesterdays into tomorrow,
Nor load this week with last week’s load of sorrow.
Lift all your burdens as they come, nor try
To weigh the present with the by-and-by.
One step and then another, take your way;
Live day by day!’“

Our Daily Bread

No Record of Failure

In the book Streams in the Desert, Mrs. Lettie B. Cowman tells of a minister who was heavily burdened under a load of anxiety and care. After carrying this weight for quite some time, he one day imagined that he could place his burden on the ground and stand back a pace or two. Then he could look at it and analyze it. When he did, he discovered that it was made up almost entirely of borrowed things. A good portion of it belonged to tomorrow. An even larger amount of it belonged to the week to come. And a sizable percentage was a carryover from his yesterdays.

Mrs. Cowman indicated that this pastor was guilty of “a very stupid but a very ancient blunder.” He had made the mistake of burdening himself in the “now” with things that belonged to “yesterday and tomorrow.” “Never yield to gloomy anticipations,” she concluded. “Who told you that the night would never end in day? Who told you that the winter of your discontent should proceed from frost to frost, from snow and hail and ice to deeper snow? Do you not know that day follows night, . that spring and summer succeed winter? Place your hope and confidence in God. He has no record of failure.”

Our Daily Bread

The Mosaic

While touring Italy, a man visited a cathedral that had been completed on the outside only. Once inside, the traveler found an artist kneeling before an enormous wall upon which he had just begun to create a mosaic. On some tables nearby were thousands of pieces of colored ceramic. Curious, the visitor asked the artist how he would ever finish such a large project. The artist answered that he knew how much he could accomplish in one day. Each morning, he marked off an area to be completed that day and didn’t worry about what remained outside that space. That was the best he could do, and if he did his best, one day the mosaic would be finished.

Daily Walk, March 22, 1992

What Lies Clearly

“Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Thomas Carlyle

Source unknown

The Next Mile

Well-known commentator and author Eric Sevarid said that the best lesson he ever learned was the principle of the “next mile.” He recalled how he learned the principle:

“During World War II, I and several others had to parachute from a crippled Army transport plane into the mountainous jungle on the Burma-India border. It was several weeks before an armed relief expedition could reach us, and then we began a painful, plodding march out to civilized India. We were faced by a 140-mile trek, over mountains in August heat and monsoon rains.

“In the first hour of the march I rammed a boot nail deep into one foot; by evening I had bleeding blisters the size of 50-cent pieces on both feet. Could I hobble 140 miles? Could the others, some in worse shape than I, complete such a distance'

“We were convinced we could not. But we could hobble to that ridge, we could make the next friendly village for the night. And that, of course, was all we had to do.”

Eric Sevarid used the “next mile” principle many other times during his career, whether the task was writing a book or writing scripts for radio and television.

Bits and Pieces, February, 1990, p. 11-12

Realistic Gradualism

One day Dwight Morrow and his wife, the parents of Anne Lindbergh, were in Rugby, England. After wandering through the streets they realized that they had lost their way. At this moment an incident occurred that entered into Morrow’s philosophy and became a guiding principle in his life. He stopped a little Rugby lad of about 12 years. “Could you tell us the way to the station?” he asked. “Well,” the boy answered, “You turn to the right there by the grocer’s shop and then take the second street to the left. That will bring you to a place where four streets meet. And then, sir, you had better inquire again.” “

“This answer came to symbolize for Dwight Morrow his own method of approaching complicated problems,” writes Harold Nicolson in his excellent biography. “It implied in the first place a realistic skepticism regarding the capacity of human intelligence. It was in the second place an object lesson in the inevitability of gradualness. And in the third place, it was a parable of how, when the ultimate end is uncertain, one should endeavor to advance, if only a little way, in the correct, rather than the incorrect direction.

Bits and Pieces, Dec., 1991, p. 14

Jumping to Conclusions

For some reason, it is easier to jump to negative conclusions about people than it is to assume the best about them. When we do this, we ascribe to them bad intentions and evil purposes that may not be true. We also reveal something about ourselves, for the faults we see in others are actually a reflection of our own.

In his little book Illustrations of Bible Truth, H. A. Ironside pointed out the folly of judging others. He related an incident in the life of a man called Bishop Potter. “He was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came up to the purser’s desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person.

The purser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, ‘It’s all right, bishop, I’ll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason!’“

Our Daily Bread

Hacking Cough

A California woman became extremely irritated by the hacking cough of her pet macaw. When the distressing symptom persisted, she took the bird to a veterinarian who checked his feathered patient and found it to be in perfect health. Furthermore, the doctor discovered that instead of having some exotic disease, the bird had merely learned to imitate the raspy “barking” of its cigarette-smoking owner. When the woman was informed of this, she was greatly surprised. The insight she gained into her problem helped her kick the habit.

Our Daily Bread

Distinguished Astronomer

At the turn of the century, the world’s most distinguished astronomer was certain there were canals on Mars. Sir Percival Lowell, esteemed for his study of the solar system, had a particular fascination with the Red Planet. When he heard, in 1877, that an Italian astronomer had seen straight lines crisscrossing the Martian surface, Lowell spent the rest of his years squinting into the eyepiece of his giant telescope in Arizona, mapping the channels and canals he saw. He was convinced the canals were proof of intelligent life on Mars, possibly an older but wiser race than humanity. Lowell’s observations gained wide acceptance. So eminent was he, none dared contradict him.

Now, of course, things are different. Space probes have orbited Mars and landed on its surface. The entire planet has been mapped, and no one has seen a canal. How could Lowell have “seen” so much that wasn’t there'

Two possibilities:

(l) he so WANTED to see canals that he did, over and over again, and

(2) we know now that he suffered from a rare eye disease that made him see the blood vessels in his own eye. The Martian “canals” he saw were nothing more than the bulging veins of his eyeballs. Today the malady is known as “Lowell’s syndrome.”

When Jesus (Matt. 7:1-3) warns that “in the same way you judge others, you will be judged” and warns of seeing “the speck of sawdust” in another’s eye while missing the plank in our own, could he not be referring to the spiritual equivalent of Lowell’s syndrome? Over and over, we “see” faults in others because we don’t want to believe anything better about them. And so often we think we have a first-hand view of their shortcomings, when in fact our vision is distorted by our own disease. Glenn W. McDonald

Readers Digest

Can You Hear Me'

A man was having difficulty communicating with is wife and concluded that she was becoming hard of hearing. So he decided to conduct a test without her knowing about it.

One evening he sat in a chair on the far side of the room. Her back was to him and she could not see him. Very quietly he whispered, “Can you hear me?” There was no response.

Moving a little closer, he asked again, “Can you hear me now?” Still no reply.

Quietly he edged closer and whispered the same words, but still no answer.

Finally he moved right in behind her chair and said, “Can you hear me now?” To his surprise and chagrin she responded with irritation in her voice, “For the fourth time, yes!” What a warning to us about judging!

Our Daily Bread, June 24, 1993

Student Exercise

A teacher once asked a group of students to jot down, in thirty seconds, the initials of the people they disliked. Some of the students could think of only one person. Others listed as many as fourteen. But the interesting fact that came out of this research was that those who disliked the largest number of people were themselves the most widely disliked.

Homemade, May, 1989

Patient Forbearance

Those things that one cannot improve in himself or in others, he ought to endure patiently, until God arranges things otherwise. Nevertheless when you have such impediments, you ought to pray that God would help you, and that you may bear them kindly.

Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects of others, whatever they are; for you also have many failings which must be borne by others. If you cannot make yourself be as you would like to be, how can you expect to have another person be to your liking in every way? We desire to have others perfect, and yet we do not correct our own faults. We would allow others to be severely corrected, and will not be corrected ourselves. We will have others kept under by strict laws, but in no case do we want to be restrained. And so it appears that we seldom weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves. Thomas a’ Kempis

Source unknown

The Agnostic

An agnostic scientist once asked author Dorothy Sayers to write a letter to his scientific organization setting forth her reasons for believing in the Christian faith. The letter he received back was not at all what the scientist had expected. It read:

“Why do you want a letter from me? Why don’t you take the trouble to find out for yourselves what Christianity is? You take time to learn technical terms about electricity. Why don’t you do as much for theology? Why do you accept mildewed old heresies as the language of the church, when any handbook of church history will tell you where they came from? Why do you balk at the doctrine of the Trinity—God, the Three in One—yet meekly acquiesce when Einstein tells you that E=MC2? I admit you can practice Christianity without knowing much theology, just as you can drive a car without knowing much about internal combustion. But when something breaks down in the car, you humbly go to the man who understands the works; if something goes wrong with religion, you merely throw the works away and tell the theologian he is a liar. Why do you want a letter from me? You will never bother to check on it or find out whether I’m giving you personal opinions or Christian doctrines. Go away and do some work on your own and let me get on with mine.”

From God Still Speaks in the Space Age, quoted in Connexions, a publication of Search Ministries, Vol. 1, no. 6, June 1988, p. 19-20

Golden Rule Study

A fascinating study on the principle of the Golden Rule was conducted by Bernard Rimland, director of the Institute for Child Behavior Research. Rimland found that “The happiest people are those who help others.” Each person involved in the study was asked to list ten people he knew best and to label them as happy or not happy. Then they were to go through the list again and label each one as selfish or unselfish, using the following definition of selfishness: a stable tendency to devote one’s time and resources to one’s own interests and welfare—an unwillingness to inconvenience one’s self for others.” (Rimland, ‘The Altruism Paradox,’ Psychological Reports 51 [1982]: 521) In categorizing the results, Rimland found that all of the people labeled happy were also labeled unselfish. He wrote that those “whose activities are devoted to bringing themselves happiness are far less likely to be happy than those whose efforts are devoted to making others happy” Rimland concluded: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Ibid, p. 522).

Martin & Diedre Bobgan, How To Counsel From Scripture, Moody Press, 1985, p. 123

Mark of a False Teacher

In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus warns his disciples against the false teachers who will surely come; they will seem harmless or even attractive, but inwardly they will be like wolves—savage, wild, and destructive.

The mark of the false prophet or teacher is self-serving unfaithfulness to God and his truth. It may be that he says what he shouldn’t; but it is far more likely that he will err by failing to say what he should. He will gloss over all the tough questions and issues as did the false prophets in the Old Testament who went around saying, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace (Jer. 6:14). They wouldn’t speak the tough word calling for repentance nor suggest that Israel was out of sorts spiritually. Instead they brought groundless comfort, lulling people into a false sense of security so that their hearers were totally unprepared for the judgment which eventually came on them.

There are teachers in the church today who never speak of repentance, self-denial, the call to be relatively poor for the Lord’s sake, or any other demanding aspect of discipleship. Naturally they are popular and approved, but for all that, they are false prophets. We will know such people by their fruits. Look at the people to whom they have ministered. Do these folks really know and love the Lord? Are they prepared to take risks, even hazard their lives, for Jesus? Or are they comfortable, inactive, and complacent? If so, they are self-deceived, and those who have irresponsibly encouraged their self-deception will have to answer for it.

Anyone who is in a position of spiritual leadership who fails to teach the more demanding, less comfortable, “narrow gate” and “rough road” side of discipleship becomes a false prophet.

Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for September 19

Genealogy of Tradition

This correctly reflects Jewish, and indeed Islamic, tradition, the credibility of a saying, or a piece of teaching, depends upon the genealogy of its tradition, on the way it has been transmitted from mouth to mouth, so that it can be traced back to one to whom great authority has been generally ascribed.

Stephen Neill, The Supremacy of Jesus, p. 58

What We See Makes a Difference

It makes a difference what we see when we are confronted by people.

Matthew relates how Jesus had been “going about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (9:35 NASV).

And then Matthew makes this significant observation:

“Seeing the multitudes, (Jesus) felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest” (9:36-38).

• Jesus saw people. The disciples saw people.
• Jesus saw shepherdless sheep. The disciples saw only people.
• Jesus saw a harvest. The disciples saw merely people.

There are more Christians today than ever before in history. There are more people who have never heard of Christ in culturally perceptible terms than ever before in history. There are more people in the world than ever before in history.

World population stands at an estimated 4.5 billion people. To grasp something of the immensity of that number, Ronald Blue, writing in Bibliotheca Sacra, suggests that we think of 1 billion in terms of time:

“One billion days ago the earth may not yet have been created. One billion hours ago Genesis had not yet been written. One billion minutes ago Christ was still on earth.”

Of those 4.5 billion people inhabiting earth today, Walbert Buhlmann, in The Coming of the Third Church, estimates that one-third call themselves Christian, one-third are unresponsive to the Gospel and the remaining one-third have never heard the name of Christ.

There are millions of people who could hear if the church around the world would reach out in it geographic, linguistic, cultural community. But over one-half the world’s population will hear of Christ only as the church crosses linguistic and cultural boundaries to present Him.

Source unknown

Like the Master

If you are like the Master in conduct, you will be no more popular with the world than He was. As long as Christianity is quiet and lets the world go its own way, the world is content to let it alone or even to say polite things about it. But if Christian men and women live up to their professions, fight drunkenness, go against the lust of great cities, preach peace to a nation howling for war, or apply the golden rule to business and social relationships, you will very soon hear a different shout. The disciple who is truly a disciple must share the fate of the Master.

Alexander Maclaren

Source unknown

The Bird’s Next

A construction crew was building a new road through a rural area, knocking down trees as it progressed. A superintendent noticed that one tree had a nest of birds who couldn’t yet fly and he marked the tree so that it would not be cut down.

Several weeks later the superintendent came back to the tree. He got into a bucket truck and was lifted up so that he could peer into the nest. The fledglings were gone. They had obviously learned to fly. The superintendent ordered the tree cut down. As the tree crashed to the ground, the nest fell clear and some of the material that the birds had gathered to make the nest was scattered about. Part of it was a scrap torn from a Sunday school pamphlet. On the scrap of paper were these words: “He careth for you.”

Bits and Pieces, November, 1989, p. 23

Resource

• John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 37

Resource

• Glutton & Drunkard implying illegitimate birth, Our Savior God, J. M. Boice, p. 84

Resource

• Evidence that Demands a Verdict, p. 310

Gracious Invitations

“He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where He dwelt, and abode with Him that day: for it was about the tenth hour” (John 1:39).

This is the first of the gracious invitations of the Lord Jesus to “Come” to Him. On this occasion, right after His baptism by John, He invited two potential disciples to come with Him to His dwelling place. Very likely this was an outdoor mat somewhere, for He soon afterwards acknowledged that “the Son of Man hath no where to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). Nevertheless, one night of abiding with Jesus changed their lives.

Soon afterwards He issued another invitation to them. “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), and they never went home again. First He invites us to come to see and know Him, then to come with Him to win others.

There is also the wonderful invitation to come to Him for relief from our burdens and cares. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And note His promise to those who do accept His invitation: “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).

There were personal invitations: To Zacchaeus, the seeking sinner glimpsing Jesus from a sycamore tree, He said: “Come down: for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). To his friend Lazarus, dead and bound in a tomb, He cried: “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43), and not even the grave could prevent his accepting such a call.

There are other invitations from the Lord, with gracious promises to those who come, but note especially the final invitation of the Bible, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). - HMM

Days of Praise, April 10

A Heavy Load

John T. Faris once told the story of a man who was carrying a heavy basket. Because of the heavy load, the man’s son offered to help. The father cut a large stick and placed it through the handle of the basket so that his end was very short, while his son’s end was three or four times as long. Each took hold of the stick and the basket was carried easily—with the father bearing the bulk of the load.

Today in the Word, MBI, December, 1989, p. 21

Resource

• Christ’s Call To Discipleship, J. M. Boice, Moody, 1986, pp. 26ff

Inerrancy

“The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.”

T. T. Perowne comments, “Is it possible to understand a reference like this on the nonhistoric theory of the book of Jonah? The future Judge is speaking words of solemn warning to those who shall hereafter stand convicted at his bar. Intensely real he would make the scene in anticipation to them, as it was real, as if then present, to himself. And yet we are to suppose him to say that imaginary persons who at the imaginary preaching of an imaginary prophet repented in imagination, shall rise up in that day and condemn the actual impenitence of those his actual hearers.”

Quoted in Inerrancy, edited by N. Geisler, p. 8.

The Sower

Ye sons of earth prepare the plough,
Break up your fallow ground;
The sower is gone forth to sow,
And scatter blessings round.

The seed that finds a stony soil
Shoots forth a hasty blade;
But ill repays the sower’s toil,
Soon wither’d, scorch’d, and dead.

The thorny ground is sure to balk
All hopes of harvest there;
We find a tall and sickly stalk,
But not the fruitful ear.

The beaten path and highway side,
Receive the trust in vain;
The watchful birds the spoil divide,
And pick up all the grain.

But where the Lord of grace and power
Has bless’d the happy field,
How plentous is the golden store
The deep-wrought furrows yield!

Father of mercies, we have need
Of Thy preparing grace;
Let the same Hand that gives the seed
Provide a fruitful place!

Olney Hymns, by William Cowper, from Cowper’s Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York

Resource

• Tales of the Neverending, Mark Littleton, Moody, 1990, p. 116

Treasure Hunter

About 15 years ago an Australian treasure-hunter was using a metal detector to scout for small gold nuggets in one of that country’s old mining areas.

On a whim, he moved his search into the local school yard, where something set his machine off. Digging down, he was thrilled to discover what he thought was a nugget the size of a marble. As he tried to dig it out, however, he found it was at least the size of a man’s thumb. As he continued digging, the nugget “grew” larger and larger, until at last the man pulled a 67-pound nugget out of the hole he had made. The treasure-hunter later sold for more than $1 million the famous “Hand of Faith” gold nugget!

Today in the Word, September 7, 1995, p. 11.

The Miner

Blacksmith John Leavitt hoped to strike it rich. In 1878, he arrived in Lake Valley, New Mexico, and purchased a lease on a small mine shaft in the side of a hill.

Two days later, he broke through into one of the most fabulous silver discoveries the world has ever seen. Nicknamed “The Bridal Chamber,” Leavitt’s find was a cavern virtually lined with solid silver. Eventually, the chamber yielded 2.5 million ounces of silver, at the time bringing $1.11 an ounce!

Today in the Word, September 8, 1995, p. 13.

Pearl of Asia

A hundred years after it was buried with Manchu emperor Ch’ien Lung in 1799, the fabled “Pearl of Asia” was stolen by grave robbers. The fabulous pearl had been found by Persian divers, and purchased by the emperor Sha Jahan for his wife Mumtaz, for whom he also built the Taj Mahal and the Pear Mosque. About a century later the pearl was listed among the treasure of Ch’ien Lung.

After it was stolen from the emperor’s tomb, the pearl disappeared from sight for eighteen years before turning up in Hong Kong. There is was used as security for a large loan that later defaulted. The pearl was then sold in Paris to an unidentified buyer for an undisclosed price. Since the 1940s, the location of the “Pearl of Asia” has been unknown; and its value is unassessed in today’s dollars.

Today in the Word, September 9, 1995, p. 16.

Faitfulness

It was a stormy night in Birmingham, England, and Hudson Taylor was to speak at a meeting at the Severn Street schoolroom. His hostess assured him that nobody would attend on such a stormy night, but Taylor insisted on going. “I must go even if there is no one but the doorkeeper.” Less than a dozen people showed up, but the meeting was marked with unusual spiritual power. Half of those present either became missionaries or gave their children as missionaries; and the rest were faithful supporters of the China Inland Mission for years to come.

Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 242

Hindu Holy Man

You may remember Rao, the Hindu holy man who flirted with fame in 1966. The old mystic believed he could walk on water. He was so confident in his own spiritual power that he announced he would perform the feat before a live audience. He sold tickets at $100 apiece. Bombay’s elite turned out en masse to behold the spectacle. The event was held in a large garden with a deep pool. A crowd of more than 600 had assembled. The white-bearded yogi appeared in flowing robes and stepped confidently to the edge of the pool. He paused to pray silently. A reverent hush fell on the crowd. Rao opened his eyes, looked heavenward, and boldly stepped forward. With an awkward splash he disappeared beneath the water. Sputtering and red-faced, the holy man struggled to pull himself out of the water. Trembling with rage, he shook his finger at the silent, embarrassed crowd. “One of you,” Rao bellowed indignantly, “is an unbeliever!”

John MacArthur, in Tabletalk, April, 1990, p. 10

Sinking Times are Praying Times

Sinking times are praying times with the Lord’s servants. Peter neglected prayer at starting upon his adventurous journey. But when he began to sink, his danger made him quick to pray, and his cry—though late—was not too late. Short prayers are long enough. There were but three words in the petition that Peter gasped out, but they were sufficient for his purpose. Not the length but strength is desirable. Our most desperate times are the Lord’s opportunities. Immediately a keen sense of danger forces an anxious cry from us which the ear of Jesus hears; and with Him ear and heart go together, and the hand does not linger long. At the last moment we appeal to our Master, but His swift hand makes up for our delays by instant and effectual action. When we can do nothing, Jesus can do all things; let us enlist His powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well. Charles Spurgeon

Source unknown

What’s in Your Bucket'

If you were walking back from a well, carrying a bucket of water and someone jostled you, there could be spilled from that bucket only that which it contained. As you walk along the way of life, people are constantly bumping into you. If your heart is full of ill nature, bad temper, and ugly disposition, only those things will be spilled from it. On the other hand, if it is full of love, you will spill a smile or a pleasant remark. You can spill from your bucket only that which it contains.

Source unknown

Resource

• Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 244

Resource

• The Other Jesus, L. J. Ogilvie, Word, 1986, pp. 144ff

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 1

Resource

• Knowing Christ, Craig Glickman, pp. 61ff

Resource

• Ashamed of the Gospel, J. MacArthur, pp. 174ff

Hades had Intimations

Hades had intimations that it soon would be plundered by the crucified Son of God—that the righteous dead would soon be set free—the widow of Nain’s son, Jairus’s daughter, Lazarus.

Source unknown

Resource

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 89

The Rock

At one given moment in Peter’s life, Jesus called him a “rock” and at another, “Satan.” Jesus appellations were poles apart in meaning and significance:

(1) Peter called a “rock”: When in Caesarea, Jesus asked Peter, “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered correctly, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:15,16). Following Peter’s great statement of faith, Jesus commended Peter on the basis and called him a “rock”

(2) Peter called “Satan” not because Peter did not know who the Lord really was, but

• Because in spite of the fact that he knew who Jesus was, he wanted the Lord to act opposite to His true nature.
• Although Peter knew that the Lord came to die on the cross for our sins, he could not relinquish the hope that Jesus would, at that time, set up His earthly kingdom.
• Peter wanted Jesus to use His omnipotence to prevent death, humanity’s death.
• Perhaps for personal reasons, Peter was more interested in Jesus’ remaining alive. If He were proclaimed an earthly king, Peter would reap some material benefit.

(3) When do we act like Satan'

• When we are more interested in simply preserving our present status.
• When we view death in our own lives as a defeat instead of the prelude to the resurrection.
• When we put self and material interests above those of Christ.

In Matthew 16:23, the Lord not only called Peter “Satan” but He said to him, “You are an offence to me.” The Greek word for “offence” is skandalon. This is the piece of metal on a mousetrap to which a piece of cheese is attached. The Lord Jesus said to Peter, “You are Satan because you are trying to trap me into preserving my humanity in order to escape my divine purpose in life.”

This pursuit of selfish interest constitutes the greatest danger in the life of any believer.

Often in Scripture Satan is addressed through the creature he is influencing. For example, when Jesus foretold His crucifixion Peter began to rebuke Him. But Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matt. 16:23) In addition, when God pronounced a curse on Satan in Genesis 3:14, 15, He addressed Satan indirectly through the serpent. So too in Ezekiel 28:11-19.

A Holy Rebellion, T. Ice & R. Dean, Harvest House, 1990, p. 40

The Cross Is a Lonely Place

I asked some young people if they would give up and sacrifice themselves, if Christ were to call them, now, today. They were serious awhile, fidgeted, and answered awkwardly that they were tied to their homes; their parents wouldn’t understand; and they felt this had to wait until they were older and could make their own decisions.

I heard a young man being asked concerning his religious convictions. He looked alternately embarrassed and irritated. He answered with long details of how active his wife was in the church; and how his kids went to Sunday school nearly every Sunday. He was relieved when his questioner left him. His eyes followed him with accusation.

I heard a young woman being asked to dedicate a portion of her time to needed Christian works. The eyebrows arched sharply and the replies came quickly in staccato rhythm. In rapid succession she listed her civic duties; her responsibilities to her children; and she concluded with reference to her husband putting his foot down about her many, too many activities.

I heard an elderly person being asked to declare and dedicate his life in a special Christian manner. He snorted and snapped that it was the younger people’s job. He’d done his work in his day, and he’d earned a rest.

The cross is a lonely place. Even Christ didn’t pick it up quickly and easily. He waits for others to do it And he waits. And he waits.

Lois Cheney, God is no Fool, pp. 59-60.

Practical Implications of Consecration

Fred Craddock, in an address to ministers, caught the practical implications of consecration. “To give my life for Christ appears glorious,” he said. “To pour myself out for others. . . to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom—I’ll do it. I’m ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory.

“We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking $l,000 bill and laying it on the table—‘Here’s my life, Lord. I’m giving it all.’ “But the reality for most of us is that he sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $l,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid’s troubles instead of saying, ‘Get lost.’ Go to a committee meeting. Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home.

“Usually giving our life to Christ isn’t glorious. It’s done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it’s harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul.”

Darryl Bell

Source unknown

Obsessed With Winning

The magazine article summarized the life of a former winning NCAA basketball coach and network sports announcer. Throughout his colorful coaching career he had been obsessed with the game and with winning. But years later, stricken with cancer, he came to realize the triviality of the goods and values to which he had been passionately devoted. “You get sick and you say to yourself, ‘Sports means nothing,’ and that feels terrible.”

Because he had spent little time with his wife and children, he confessed, “I figured I’d have 20 years in the big time, who knows, maybe win three national titles, then pack it in at 53 or 54.I was going to make it all up to them, all the time I’d been away. It sounds so silly now. But it went on and on, that insatiable desire to conquer the world.”

VCG, Our Daily Bread, Sept.-Nov. 1997, page for October 17

Pursuing Our Goals

In a little country community a farmer had a dog who spent part of his time sitting by the side of the highway waiting for big trucks. When the dog saw a large truck coming around the corner, he would get ready and as it passed him, he would take out after it down the road, barking and doing his best to overtake it. One day the farmer’s neighbor said, “Sam, do you think that hound of yours is ever going to catch a truck?”

“Well, Bill,” Sam replied, “That isn’t what worries me. What worries me is what he would do if he caught one.”

Many of us in life are like that hound. We give our lives to pursuing goals that would have little value if we did succeed in reaching them.

Source unknown

Malcolm Forbes

Christopher Winans, in his book, Malcolm Forbes: The Man Who Had Everything, tells of a motorcycle tour that Forbes took through Egypt in 1984 with his Capitalist Tool motorcycle team. After viewing the staggering burial tomb of King Tut, Forbes seemed to be in a reflective mood. As they were returning to the hotel in a shuttle bus, Forbes turned to one of his associates and asked with all sincerity: “Do you think I’ll be remembered after I die?”

Forbes is remembered. He is remembered as the man who coined the phrase, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” That was the wisdom of Malcolm Forbes. In fact, that was his ambition. That’s why he collected scores of motorcycles. That’s why he would pay over a million dollars for a Faberge egg. That’s why he owned castles, hot air balloons and countless other toys that he can no longer access.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us words of superior wisdom when he said, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). It is a fatally deficient wisdom that declares “He who dies with the most toys wins.”

Family Survival in the American Jungle, Steve Farrar, 1991, Multnomah Press, pp. 47-48

Are You Happy'

Cecil Rhodes helped to carve out the politics and business of South Africa. He was wealthy, famous, and powerful. One evening, he happened to be in the company of Bramwell Booth, son of the founder of the Salvation Army. General Booth was in the next compartment of the train, and the son and Rhodes were together. Booth leaned over to Rhodes and asked, “Mr. Rhodes, are you a happy man?”

The man seemed to be surrounded by depression and gloom. Rhodes gripped the arms of the seat and said, “Happy? I, happy? No!” Booth then told the powerful world figure that there was only one place to find real happiness. “That is down at the feet of the crucified Savior, because it is only there we can be freed from our sins.”

“Yes,” Rhodes said quietly, and then he added: “I would give all I possess to believe what that old man in the next carriage believes!”

The Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 187

Resource

• Fairest of All, Herbert Lockyer, Eerdmans, 1936, pp. 25ff

A Woman of Little Faith

A woman who was known for her deep trust and calmness of soul was asked by a person who wanted to learn her secret, “Are you the woman with the great faith?” “No,” she replied, “I am the woman with the little faith in the great God!”

Most Christians admit that frequently their faith is weak. Often they try to generate its power from within their own hearts. This is a mistake. Faith can grow only as it reaches out to the Lord and His Word. A friend and I were discussing this subject one day. “Henry,” he said, “I’ve just been reading Matthew 17, where Jesus compares our faith to a grain of mustard seed. As I studied this, I discovered an interesting fact. A mustard seed has a small amount of nourishment within itself to support the germ of life. Therefore, it must be planted near the surface in rich, fertile ground if it is to flourish. As soon as a tiny shoot emerges, it must immediately obtain food and strength from another source. The moist, loamy soil around it and the sunlight from above must work their miracle if the plant is to survive.” The same is true with out faith. Because it is so weak, it must reach beyond itself for sustenance and growth. It “should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5).

Our Daily Bread, November 19, 1985, H.G.B.

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 36

The Eyegate

The eyegate opens onto a broad avenue that leads directly to the soul. Through it flow images that can kindle lust, stir up envy, and incite sinful pleasures.

In The Confessions of St. Augustine, the author told of his friend Alypius who, though not a Christian, hated the bloody entertainment of the Roman circus. One day some students forced Alypius into the amphitheater to watch the gladiators. “Though you hale my body to that place,” he said, “can you force me also to turn my mind or my eyes to these shows?” So there he sat, eyes closed, mind fixed on nobler things. Just then a frenzied cry arose as a gladiator fell victim to a sword. Alypius opened his eyes for a brief moment. “So soon as he saw the blood,” Augustine recorded, “he therewith drank down savageness; nor turned away, but fixed his eye, drinking in frenzy, unawares, and was delighted with that guilty fight, and intoxicated with the bloody pastime.”

Our Lord, in a bold figure of speech, said, “if your eye caused you to sin, pluck it out.” He didn’t mean this to be taken literally. Rather He was saying, in effect, “Take the most drastic action necessary to keep your inner life pure.”

Billy Graham once said, “You may not be able to help the first look, but you can refuse the second.” When an impure image comes to mind, whether from a book, a magazine, the TV, or real life, never “let the eyes have it.” Instead, fix the eyes of your soul on Jesus, who intercedes in heaven for us. He will keep you pure.

Our Daily Bread

The Matthew 18 Church

I worked with a congregation that called itself a “Matthew 18 church.” They said they managed conflict by following the guidelines of Jesus as laid out in Matthew 18. Those guidelines spell out a process whereby a person who has sinned is confronted first by an individual, and if the “sinner” remains unconvinced, then by individuals not involved in the dispute, and if still not convinced, then by the entire congregation.

Unfortunately, this “Matthew 18 church” simply used this method to vent anger at one another. An angry member would seek out a person who annoyed him, berate the person for his rude and thoughtless conduct, and then escape from further conversation. People didn’t seek to understand one another, let alone compromise. It was simply hit and run.

Mastering Conflict and Controversy, Edward G. Dobson, Speed B. Leas, Marshall Shelley, (Portland: Multnomah Press, 1992), p. 106

Resources

• Restoring Fellowship, Ken & Joy Gage, Moody, 1984, p. 51
• Tell It To The Church, p. 29

Miracle Healing Revival

Not long ago I received a prayer letter concerning a “Miracle Healing Revival.” A Miracle Prayer Request Sheet was enclosed with the following instructions: “Take the prayer sheet I have sent you and write your name on it, and as you do, lay hands on it. We must have your prayer requests back from you so we can touch them and pray over them for ‘if any two agree touching anything, it shall be done.” Because of their misunderstanding of the King James Version, these well-meaning Christians hit a new low in biblical interpretation and application. The word touching, which is so crucial to their viewpoint, does not even occur in the Greek text, as the NIV makes clear in its rendering of the verse: “If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Mt. 18:19).

Taking The Guesswork Out of Applying The Bible, Jack Kuhatschek, IVP, 1991, p. 7

Resources

• Swindoll, Improving Your Serve
• NIDNTT, v. 2, pp. 769-70

Resource

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 72

Resource

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 82

Two and a Half Converts

When D.L. Moody returned one night from a service where he had preached, a friend asked him, “How many converts did you have tonight?”

He replied, “Two and a half.”

The person responded, “I suppose you mean two grownups and a child?”

“No,” said Moody, “Two children and a grownup.”

“How do you make that out to be two and a half?”

“Well, you see,” replied the evangelist, “the two children have a whole life before them, but a grownup person has only a half a life before him.”

Our Daily Bread

Rich Young Ruler

The rich young ruler came to the right person, showed the right attitude, asked the right question, received the right answer, but made the wrong response!

Warren Wiersbe, His Name is Wonderful, p. 106

A Prayer

Dear Lord,

I have been re-reading the record of the Rich Young Ruler and his obviously wrong choice. But it has set me thinking. No matter how much wealth he had, he could not—ride in a car, have any surgery, turn on a light, buy penicillin, hear a pipe organ, watch TV, wash dishes in running water, type a letter, mow a lawn, fly in an airplane, sleep on an innerspring mattress, or talk on the phone. If he was rich, then what am I'

Source unknown

Resource

• So Great Salvation, Charles Ryrie, Victor Books, 1989, pp. 81ff

Material Possessions

When a person loves earthly things so much that he can’t get along without them, he opens himself to much suffering, both physical and mental. Some people, for example, have taken foolish risks to keep their riches intact. They have died rushing into burning houses or were killed because they stubbornly resisted armed robbers. Apparently they felt that without their material possessions life would not be worthwhile.

Others, when forced to part with their wealth, have been thrown into agonizing despair, even to the point of suicide. In 1975, six armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One lady, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, “Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box.” What a sad commentary on her values!

Our Daily Bread

Resource

• A.T. Robertson, The Minister and His Greek N.T., p. 55

A Parable

There once lived an average man. He had an average job and made an average salary. But he had an extraordinary friend! This friend was the president of a very large corporation and a very smart businessman. One day, the friend came to the man and said, “You and I have been friends for a long time, haven’t we?”

“Yes, we have,” said the man.

“Do you trust me?” said the friend. “Do you think I know the business world?”

“Yes, I do,” said the man.

“Well,” said the friend, “I am going to give you some very valuable information. And if you really trust me, you will follow my advice.”

At this, the man became perplexed and tense. What was his friend going to ask him to do'

“My company,” continued the friend, “will, within the next year or so, make a very large business deal. If you buy stock now, I can promise you a 10,000% return. My advice to you is to scrape together every cent you can spare and buy stock. Every month, save out only what you need to live on and invest the rest in stock. I know my company and I can guarantee you this return.”

So the man did as his friend suggested. Every month he bought more stock—forgoing the luxury of the latest car or the brand name tennis shoes. And, just as the friend promised, within the year, the company made the deal and the man became very, very wealthy.

We have only one lifetime to “buy stock” in God’s kingdom for eternity. When we give to His work, the money is not spent and gone—it is invested. And Christ promises fantastic returns in heaven! The Bible says, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

Source unknown

Resources

• The Other Jesus, L.J. Ogilvie, Word, 1986, pp. 170ff
• Tales of the Neverending, Mark Littleton, Moody, 1990, p. 118

Resource

• Kingdom Conflict, J. Stowell, Victor, 1985, p. 53.

Resource

• C. Swindoll, Questions Christians Ask, p. 1

The Cry of the Crowds

This was the shout of the throngs as Jesus entered Jerusalem for His last week of public ministry. Even though the multitudes were shouting His adoration, these were the same throngs that would be calling for His crucifixion just a few days later. Nevertheless, as they welcomed Him into Jerusalem that day, spreading palm branches and their own garments in His path, little did they know that they were fulfilling an ancient prophecy. “Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: . Blessed be He that comes in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 118:25,26), they cried.

“Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord,” is essentially the meaning of “Hosanna.” The crowds were acknowledging Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Son of David, and the “chief priests and scribes . were sore displeased” at this (Matthew 21:15). But this also had been predicted in the Psalm: “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22-23).

It was these “builders”—“the chief priests and elders” who “persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus” (Matthew 27:20). As a result of this repudiation by these leaders of His people, the Lord wept over Jerusalem, and was forced to prophesy its coming judgment, quoting once again this ancient prophecy: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39).

One day He will, indeed, be made the great “head stone of the corner,” and all His people will acknowledge Him in that day. n the meantime, the prayer of the prophecy is appropriate for each unsaved person to pray today: “Save now, O Lord,” thus acknowledging that Jesus has, indeed, come in the Lord’s name. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). - HMM

Source unknown

Resource

• Eternity in Their Hearts, Don Richardson, pp. 144-47

Both Changes Their Minds

What you do is more important that what you say. Both boys changed their minds! The Pharisees sounded righteous but didn’t act righteous. The publicans and sinners didn’t sound righteous, but often were more willing to admit sin and do God’s will.

Source unknown

Saying One Thing But Doing Another

A man named La Piere sent out letters to the managers of 256 hotels and restaurants across the southern half of the U.S. He told them that he was planning to tour the south with two Chinese companions and he wanted to know ahead of time whether they would be served. Ninety-two percent of the businesses replied that they did not serve Chinese and that La Piere could save himself considerable embarrassment by not showing up with such undesirables. He wasn’t surprised. Racial prejudice was a part of southern life in the 1930s, and this was long before a ban was placed on discrimination in interstate commerce.

La Piere ignored the managers’ advice, however. Accompanied by a Chinese man and his wife, he visited every one of the establishments that said they’d refuse service. Surprise! Ninety-nine percent of the places admitted the oriental couple, and almost all did so without a hassle. La Piere’s study points up something that’s a consistent finding in the field of persuasion—that a person may say he feels one thing, and then turn right around and do something completely different.

Em Griffin, The Mindchangers, Tyndale House, 1976, p. 179

Resource

• The Other Jesus, L.J. Ogilvie, Word, 1986, p. 158ff

Resource

• Tales of the Neverending, Mark Littleton, Moody, 1990, p. 122

Limited Human Obligation

This (denarius) had on it the head of the emperor, and therefore, though the Jews used it in ordinary commercial transactions, it could not be admitted into the temple. Such use of local custom was natural, and does not in the least qualify the universal relevance of the lesson Jesus wishes to teach—of limited obligation to the human authority, and unlimited obligation to the divine.

Stephen Neill, The Supremacy of Jesus, p. 43

Jesus Confronted by Pharisees

In this episode, Jesus was confronted by a team of Pharisees who stood for theocracy, and another of Herodians who wanted the dynasty of Herod to be re-established in the place of the Roman procuratorship. If Jesus concluded that it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, then the people would be angry; if Jesus sided with the Pharisees, then He would be charged with sedition by the Romans. It seems there was no way to win.

What a predicament! But, what an opportunity! Jesus’ answer was to render tribute based on ownership. If taxes were based on money and that system was Roman, then we should obey the constraints of citizenship and pay the tax. On the other hand, whatever is due to God because of ownership should be paid to Him. Interestingly, the marks of ownership were “image” and “superscription” of the object under question. The image of God was a special gift of God to man at the creation (Genesis 1:26).

We are warned against making graven images of God or of any creature, because there will almost inevitably develop a desire to worship that image as a “god.” The true God is invisible—not body, but spirit. Man is the unique expression of the divine image among living organisms. That image has been marred by sin, but can be renewed by Christ.

Regarding titles or ownership, we decide how we shall be labeled. If we have decided to follow Christ, we gain the superscription “Christian,” which implies a relationship to Christ in some way—behavior, commitment, love (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16). Paul put it simply when he was in the midst of the storm at sea: “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve” (Acts 27:23). Even though he was at the time imprisoned by Caesar, (v. 24) and was in no way advocating rebellion against Caesar’s authority, there is no doubt as to where his true allegiance lay. - KBC

Source unknown

Resource

• Balancing Life’s Demands, J. Grant Howard, pp. 41ff

Self Love Is Ordinary

Self-love is so ordinary that Jesus used it as a reference point: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” When I was in elementary school, the teacher sometimes solved the first problem on a sheet of homework to show us how the others were solved. Jesus used our love for ourselves in the same way. “Notice how you love yourself,” he said, “and love your neighbor in the same way.”

Knowing the Face of God, Tim Stafford, p. 203

I. What leadership isn’t (1-10)

A. Hypocrisy, “They don’t do

B. Legalism (4), oral tradition went beyond Word

C. Arrogance/pride (5-7)

1. Marks of honor (phylacteries, Dt. 6, tassels, Num. 15)

2. Places of honor, up front

3. Titles of honor, rabbi

D. Why not use titles'

1. 1 teacher (implies all are learners)

2. 1 father (implies all are brothers)

3. 1 leader (implies all are followers)

II. What it is (11) becoming a servant

III What it brings (12) rewards, exaltation

Source unknown

Booker T. Washington

A truly humble man is hard to find, yet God delights to honor such selfless people.

Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth. Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady.

The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely.

“It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.”

She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.

Our Daily Bread

A Sermon With Three Points

A man was asked to speak to a rather large church congregation. After he strode to the pulpit he said, “There are three points to my sermon.” Most people yawned at that point. They’d heard that many times before.

But he went on. “My first point is this. At this time there are approximately 2 billion people starving to death in the world.” The reaction through the congregation was about the same, since they’d heard that sort of statement many times before, too.

And then he said, “My second point.” Everybody sat up. Only ten or fifteen seconds had passed, and he was already on his second point? He paused, then said, “My second point is that most of you don’t give a damn!”

He paused again as gasps and rumblings flowed across the congregation, and then said: “And my third point is that the real tragedy among Christians today is that many of you are now more concerned that I said ‘damn’ than you are that I said that 2 billion people are starving to death.”

Then he sat down.

Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel, 1987, Word Books Publisher, p. 40

Tithable Items

Tractate Maaseroth opens with a ruling on what is liable to the tithe, “all that which is food” and then defines when that food is liable—not in its early stage but in its later stage (1:1). The determinations become more detailed in the eight mishnot that follow—”figs” (1:2); “carabs” (1:3); “greens—cucumbers, gourds, melons,.” (1:4); etc. The attention given every plant reflects the rabbinic concern to legislate on every detail of life, to leave nothing unaddressed. And this is reflected in Matthew 23:23, where the Lord condemns the scribes and Pharisees as “hypocrites” because they tithed “mint, dill, and cummin” but neglected the “more important requirements of the law.”

Maaseroth 4:5 gives instruction on dill and seed. In the Law of Moses none of these are listed for tithing, but evidently because these were herbs and seed used as seasoning in food they were considered tithable. It may be that the rabbis went beyond the intent of the law with such concern for detail, but it was not their meticulous observance of tithing that Jesus condemned but their lack of equal or greater attention to “justice and mercy and faithfulness.”

In Maaseroth 5:7 the exact rulings reach the absurd with legislation regarding ant-holes alongside a heap of corn. “The corn inside of them is also liable” to be tithed.

From Exegesis and Exposition, Vol. 3, #1 (fall, 1988), Tithes, Maaseroth, Shedalim, Demai, Maaser Sheni, by Dan Duncan.

The Olivet Discourse

The major theme in the gospel according to Matthew is the King and His Kingdom. The word “kingdom” occurs not less than 50 times, and the expression “Kingdom of heaven” occurs 31 times. The King of that kingdom is the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore, the theme of this first New Testament book is all-important.

In Matthew’s gospel we have the record of the three kingdom discourses given by the Lord Jesus. They appear in the following order:

1. The Principles of the Kingdom (Matthew 5-7). This first discourse is best known as “the Sermon on the Mount.” This is the manifesto in which our Lord presents the ethics of the kingdom.

2. The Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13). This second discourse contains seven parables in which our Lord presents the mysteries of the kingdom. The emphasis is the present existence of the kingdom.

3. The Prophecies of the Kingdom (Matthew 24, 25). In this third discourse, the King Himself predicts future events leading up to the manifestation of His kingdom on earth. It is His promise of the eschatology (fulfillment) of His kingdom.

This last discourse, known as the Olivet Discourse, is the key to our understanding of the future of the nation of Israel in particular (Matthew 24:1 through 25:30) and the Gentile nations in general (Matthew 25:31-46). All of the events recorded here, and which relate to Israel’s future, are designed to prepare that nation to accept Jesus Christ as Messiah at His second coming.

In a very real sense, Matthew is a Jewish book. Only Matthew records the visit of the wise men from the East to Jerusalem, who, when they arrived, asked, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). In Matthew 1:1-17, the genealogy of Christ is traced back to David the king. By presenting Christ’s royal genealogy, Matthew shows that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament.

It is puzzling to see that a few Bible teachers struggle to find some references to the rapture of the church in the Olivet Discourse. However, neither the church nor the rapture are mentioned in Matthew 24 and 25. The first specific mention of the rapture appears in our Lord’s upper-room discourse when He said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2,3). In contrast to this statement, the Olivet Discourse contains our Lord’s teaching on the period of time that follows the rapture and leads up to His second coming to the earth to setup His kingdom.

From The Olivet Discourse: The Key to the Future, by Dr. Lehman Strauss. Used by Permission

Resource

• C. Swindoll, Questions Christians Ask, p. 84

We Do Not Need to Be Unprepared

The May 1984 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC shows through color photos and drawings the swift and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79. The explosion of Mount Vesuvius was so sudden, the residents were killed while in their routine: men and women were at the market, the rich in their luxurious baths, slaves at toil. They died amid volcanic ash and superheated gases. Even family pets suffered the same quick and final fate. It takes little imagination to picture the panic of that terrible day. The saddest part is that these people did not have to die.

Scientists confirm what ancient Roman writers record—weeks of rumblings and shakings preceded the actual explosion. Even an ominous plume of smoke was clearly visible from the mountain days before the eruption. If only they had been able to read and respond to Vesuvius’s warning!

There are similar “rumblings” in our world: warfare, earthquakes, the nuclear threat, economic woes, breakdown of the family and moral standards. While not exactly new, these things do point to a coming Day of Judgment (Matt. 24). People need not be caught unprepared. God warns and provides an escape to those who will heed the rumblings.

Michael Bogart

Plenty of Time . . .

February 25, 1985. Mom and Dad traveled to California for a seminar on counseling. My brother Don stayed at their house by himself. The folks were not due back till Feb. 27th, so Don thought he had plenty of time to straighten the house up. But they returned today, the 25th. First they stopped at Ron and Gail’s to say “Hi,” then on to Ed and Joanne’s, then to our house. Word got to Don and he called. Carolyn answered and heard a pathetic voice on say, “Tell me it’s not true!”

John Underhill, Spokane, WA

Resource

• C. Swindoll, Questions Christians Ask, p. 76

Resource

• A. T. Robertson, The Minister ..., p. 94

Burying Someone’s Talents

As a pastor, a husband and a father, I have a dread of burying someone else’s talents, particularly those bestowed on women. Accordingly, I have tried to scrutinize my views, the place of tradition, the thrust of theology and the force of my prejudices. Repeatedly, I have come back to this fact: If the Lord has given gifts, I had better be careful about denying freedom for their exercise. More than that, I need to ensure that the women in my life have every encouragement from me to be what He called and gifted them to be. A major part of my life must be spent as a man caring for, nurturing, encouraging and developing gifted women because they aren’t the only ones who will give account for their stewardship. As a man in a male-oriented church, I may one day be asked about their gifts, too. I would like to be able to say I did considerably more than burying. A talent is a terrible thing to waste. - Stuart Briscoe

Source unknown

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon preached to thousands in London each Lord’s Day, yet he started his ministry by passing out tracts and teaching a Sunday school class as a teenager. When he began to give short addresses to the Sunday school, God blessed his ministry of the Word. He was invited to preach in obscure places in the country side, and he used every opportunity to honor the Lord. He was faithful in the small things, and God trusted him with the greater things. “I am perfectly sure,” he said, “that, if I had not been willing to preach to those small gatherings of people in obscure country places, I should never have had the privilege of preaching to thousands of men and women in large buildings all over the land.

Remember our Lord’s rule, “whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 221

Seeing Christ

Imagine if we saw Christ in all who have needs. And imagine that we ministered to those needs in Christ’s name and with His love. How good it would be to hear these words as expressed by a fine Christian woman:

When I was hungry, you gave Me to eat,
When I was thirsty, you gave Me drink,

When I was homeless, you opened your doors,
When I was naked, you gave Me your coat,

When I was weary, you helped Me find rest,
When I was anxious, you calmed all My fears,

When I was little, you taught Me to read,
When I was lonely, you gave Me your life,

When in a prison, you came to My cell,
When on a sick bed, you cared for My needs,

In a strange country, you made Me at home,
Seeking employment, you found Me a job,

Hurt in a battle, you bound up My wounds,
Searching for kindness, you held out your hand,

When I was black, or brown, yellow or white,
Mocked and insulted, you carried My cross,

When I was aged, you bothered to smile,
When I was restless, you listened and cared,

You saw Me covered with spittle and blood,
You knew My features, though grimy with sweat,

When I was laughed at, you stood by My side,
When I was happy, you shared in My joy.

Morning Glory, February 19, 1994

Mary’s Gift

There are several expressions that show that the gift made by Mary was very costly. First it is said that it came in an “alabaster box.” The Greek word so translated denotes, according to Liddell and Scott, a “globular vase without handles for holding perfumes, often made of alabaster.” Such a container was itself costly whether made of alabaster or not, and thus it was only in use for holding perfumes that were of value. Evidently it was sealed, for Mark tells us that she broke the box to pour its contents over the Master’s head. The gift was costly, but it was given without stint. The broken vase is symbolic of many things: of the wholeheartedness of the gift and its irrevocability, and of the fact that suffering even to the point of breaking is sometimes the way in which the purest fragrance is released in life.

Leon Morris, The Story of the Cross, Marshall, Morgan & Scott, p. 12

Grasping Opportunities

Jesus went on to say that the poor are always there to be attended to, which ought not to be understood as taking lightly the duty of almsgiving, as when one says, “The poor will still be there tomorrow” and puts off the duty of giving.

Jesus was plain and positive on many occasions that the duty of ministering to the poor is not something to be neglected. But here He is pointing out that we should not allow those duties which are always with us, and which can be attended to at anytime, to interfere with our grasping the opportunity for some special piece of service which will not always be possible.

On this occasion Mary could perform her beautiful action, but it would not be possible for her to do so even a little later.

Leon Morris, The Story of the Cross, Marshall, Morgan & Scott, p. 15

Thirty Pieces of Silver

Matthew alone tells us that the money was paid to Judas at this time (RV “They weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver” follows the better manuscripts), and he alone tells us that the amount was 30 pieces of silver. Plummer points out that 30 shekels of silver would be worth about 120 denarii, and that Judas would hardly have been able to steal more than that amount out of the 300 denarii that the unguent was worth (Mark 14:5).

Leon Morris, The Story of the Cross, Marshall, Morgan & Scott, p. 17

Resource

• A.T. Robertson, The Minister..., p. 76

A Parable

There is a parable told by Gene Bartlett of the Philosophical Clock. The clock was worried about the future. It thought about all that was ahead: Its job was to tick, twice every second. That would be 120 times every minute, which would be 7,200 times every hour. With twenty-four hours in the day, that’s 172,800 ticks a day. This would mean more that 63,000,000 times a year. And, thought the clock, if I stayed on the job for only ten years, that would be 630,000,000 ticks. At this the clock collapsed from nervous exhaustion. But later when it came to, it thought how foolish it had been, for it had to tick but one at a time. After this realization, it reported to be going strong after twenty-five years.

Let us be concerned with one day at a time.

Resource, Sept./Oct., 1992, p. 1

Prayer Habits of the First Century

Having taken the bread we read that He “blessed it.” The “it” however is not in the Greek, and to understand what is meant we must remind ourselves of the prayer habits of the first century. It was customary then to begin prayer with the formula “Blessed art Thou, O Lord,” and for example one of the oldest Jewish prayer forms known to us is that called the 18 Benediction. This is a series of 18 prayers each of which begins with “Blessed art Thou, O Lord.” The form of grace before bread, as set forth in the Mishnah, runs “Blessed art Thou, who bringest forth bread from the earth” (Ber. 6:1, Danby’s Translation).

When then Jesus is said to have “blessed” the idea is that He gave thanks to God in a prayer which began in the usual fashion.

Leon Morris, The Story of the Cross, Marshall, Morgan & Scott, p. 27

Sprinking of Blood

Covenant is not often referred to in the O.T., and we are driven back to the narrative of Ex. 24, the chapter which tells of how the nation solemnly entered into covenant relationship with God. There we read that “Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you” (v. 8). There are only two other places in the O.T. where men are sprinkled with blood, namely in the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Lev. 8), and in the purification of the leper who has been healed (Lev. 14). In these incidents the sprinkling with blood seems to mark two things: cleansing from previous defilements and consecration to a new state wherein God might be served more fully. We may well feel that these are the ideas associated with the “blood of the covenant” of Ex 24. The people were then being cleansed from the defilements and the sins of their previous existence, and were being set apart for a glorious destiny—they were to be the people of God.

Leon Morris, The Story of the Cross, Marshall, Morgan & Scott, p. 31

Resource

• Evangelical Preaching, Charles Simeon, p. 169

Resources

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 98
• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 139

Resource

• Fairest of All, Herbert Lockyer, Eerdmans, 1936, pp. 125ff

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 9

The Biggest Blunder

D.L. Moody called it the biggest blunder of his life. It happened n October 8, 1871, during a preaching series in Farwell Hall, Chicago. His text was “What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ.” At the conclusion of the sermon Moody said he would give the people one week to make up their minds about Jesus. He then turned to Ira Sankey for a solo, and Sankey sand “Today the Saviour Calls.” But by the third verse Sankey’s voice was drowned out by the noise outside the hall. The great Chicago fire had begun, and the flames were even then sweeping toward the Hall. The clanging of the fire bells and the noise of the engines made it impossible to continue the meeting. In the years that followed, Moody wished that he had called for an immediate decision for Christ.

The Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 198

Resource

• Issues and Answers in Jesus’ Day, C. Swindoll, p. 139

Resources

• Christ At The Crossroads, C. Swindoll, 1991, p. 143
• Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, M. Cocoris, Moody, 1984, pp. 21ff

Resources

• Our Savior God, J.M. Boice, p. 90
• Christ’s Call To Discipleship, J.M. Boice, Moody, 1986, pp. 159ff

David Livingstone

I was reminded of that scene, many years ago, in which David Livingstone, back from Africa, was given the degree of Doctor of Laws by the University of Glasgow. In response to the honor conferred upon him Livingstone, bronzed by the equatorial sun and gaunt from many a bout with fever, announced his intention to return to the Africa he loved: “I return with misgiving and with great gladness. For would you like me to tell you what supported me through all the years of exile among people whose language I could not understand, and whose attitude towards me was always uncertain and often hostile? It was this: ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world!’ On these words I staked everything, and they never failed!”

Paul Rees, Forward to Defeat of the Bird God, Zondervan, 1967

Washington’s Farewell Address

In 1983 a fifty-year-old tradition was quietly dropped by the U.S. House of Representatives. The tradition involved the annual reading of George Washington’s farewell address on the occasion of his birthday. Democratic and Republican leaders decided it was useless to continue to read the lengthy address to a mostly empty chamber. “It’s too bad,” said GOP aide, “but it’s time for this to be consigned to the dustbin.”

Stated “The Calgary Herald”: “In past years, it was almost holy writ that the address must be read. Through war and storm for half a century, a member of each chamber has been chosen to read the address.” Declared the newspaper heading, “Nobody listens to Washington’s farewell address.”

We are afraid that something parallel to this is taking place in the Christian church. Fewer and fewer believers are listening to Christ’s farewell message. To His disciples Christ gave clear instructions - to go to all nations with the Gospel and there to make disciples.

Glenn Hermann, Source unknown

Husdon Taylor

When Hudson Taylor was director of the China Inland Mission, he often interviewed candidates for the mission field. On one occasion, he met with a group of applicants to determine their motivations for service. “And why do you wish to go as a foreign missionary?” he asked one. “I want to go because Christ has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” was the reply. Another said, “I want to go because millions are perishing without Christ.”

Others gave different answers. Then Hudson Taylor said, “All of these motives, however good, will fail you in times of testings, trials, tribulations, and possible death. There is but one motive that will sustain you in trial and testing; namely, the love of Christ.”

A missionary in Africa was once asked if he really liked what he was doing. His response was shocking. “Do I like this work?” he said. “No. My wife and I do not like dirt. We have reasonable refined sensibilities. We do not like crawling into vile huts through goat refuse. But is a man to do nothing for Christ he does not like? God pity him, if not. Liking or disliking has nothing to do with it. We have orders to ‘Go,’ and we go. Love constrains us.”

Our Daily Bread

Sitting in the Toolshed

Paul W. Powell, in The Complete Disciple, described this condition: “Many churches today remind me of a laboring crew trying to gather in a harvest while they sit in the toolshed. They go to the toolshed every Sunday and they study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and then get up and go home. Then they come back that night, study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and go home again. They come back Wednesday night, and again study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and get up and go home. They do this week in and week out, year in and year out, and nobody ever goes out into the fields to gather in the harvest.

Our Daily Bread

Education

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. - Oscar Wilde

Our Savior God, J.M. Boice, p. 90

Things You Can’t Teach

A recent study showed that there are three things you can’t teach to people: lifestyle, morals, and attitudes.

Leadership, V, 1, p. 1

Deaf Student

As professor of vocal physiology at Boston University, Alexander Graham Bell had many deaf students. One of them was a young woman named Mabel Hubbard, who later became his wife. The Bells lived happily together for 45 years. In 1922, as Bell lay dying after a long illness, Mabel whispered to him, “Don’t leave me.”

Unable to speak, Bell traced with his fingers the sign for no. With this last silent message, the inventor of the telephone took his final leave of his beloved wife.

Today in the Word, April 28, 1992

Barna Research Study

Despite the efforts of evangelists, parachurch ministries and local churches, the percentage of American adults who are born again Christians is no different now than in 1982, according to a study by the Barna Research Group. The study found that 34% of all Americans can be identified as born again—that is, they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, and say they will go to heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior. Among those surveyed, 62% said they had made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their lives today. However, among those who have made a commitment to Christ, only 55 percent believe they will go to heaven because of accepting Christ as their personal savior (the basic belief in the “born again” movement). Most of those surveyed said they would go to heaven because of living a good life, or obeying the 10 commandments, or because all people will go to heaven. Others who said they had made a commitment to Christ said they were unsure about what will happen to them after they die.

Reported in Inland Northwest Christian News, March, 1990, p. 3