The Scene

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride

 

                                                                                        Isaac Watts

 

I had read the bible and was fully assured in my heart that I believed its every word. I had avidly testified that I was following its instruction, but when I was called upon by the Holy Spirit to step out on it alone and prove my claims by laying aside any works or deeds that I had done, trusting only in the grace of God for any hope of salvation, I was terrified. I found that I didn’t believe it as much as I professed.

 

With my hands emptied of my labors and having been stripped of my cloak of self-righteousness, I was suddenly standing before God naked, realizing that I had absolutely nothing on which to claim any good in my life. I searched and poured into the depths of my soul, but to no avail. I could find only darkness and the ugly scars of a sinful life.

 

Frantically I began to seek and search for something, anything whereby to stake my claim. It was then that I caught a glimpse of what looked like a tiny silhouette on the distant horizon. There was something about this sight that I could not ignore. It was almost as if I was being drawn to it. I nervously began to move in the direction of the scene. Everything within me told me to turn around; to go back to the place from whence I had come, but there seemed to be a force that continued to draw me ever closer to that horizon. After traveling for some time, I finally began to come near to my destination. I could see that a crowd had gathered around the base of what looked like a small knoll. From my vantage point, I could not yet make out what was taking place. As I drew even closer, I could hear and see that some within the crowd were weeping, but most were shouting obscenities.

 

I had yet to see the object of their emotional outbursts. There were just too many in front of me, so I began to push my way though the throng. When I finally stepped through an opening, I found myself looking upon a scene that will forever be seared into my memory. There before me was a man writhing in the throes of death. His body quivered with uncontrollable spasms. He shook from head to toe as one might react from being chilled on a cold wintry day. I could see that his feet did not touch the ground; that his body was suspended above the earth. It was then I saw in horror that he was impaled upon a tree with what looked to be large iron spikes. Each wrist had one of these spikes driven through it. Another spike was driven through both feet, which were placed one on top of the other. The foot that was visible was blackened from the bruises caused by the hammer as it missed it mark and crushed the flesh below it.

 

There were two other men that hung on either side of him but my attention was drawn to only this one man.

 

He was bloody from his head to his feet. The crimson fluid dripped from his elbows and from his toes; carried there by gravity from the many, terrible wounds that covered his body. Some of the droplets had coagulated, which, when caught up by the wind, were spun into what looked like tiny wisps of scarlet threads stringing out in the breeze.

 

His face was marred beyond recognition; swollen and disfigured from what seemed to be many beatings. His hair was matted looking as if molasses had oozed from his scalp. Around the perimeter of his head was a band of intertwined thorny vines. Due to the blood, I could not see where the tiny spears entered his scalp, but many of the longer thorns were visible through the exit wounds on his forehead. He had on no clothes, which went unnoticed at first, since his skin, which looked much like a torn and tattered garment, was hanging in shreds from sinew and bone.

 

When I looked into his face I saw that he was looking down at me through barely opened eyes. Swelling had all but closed them leaving only tiny slits through which he gazed. 

 

I had never met this man or at least I had no memory of him, but there was a strange feeling of guilt within me; that I had something to do with the cause of his misery, but stranger still was the sensation that he knew me. As he looked intently at me, I saw on his bloody face what seemed to be a look of pity; yet it was not for himself but for me. Why would he look at me in such a manner? Should it not be the other way around? Should I not be the one pitying him?

 

I stared in stunned silence, wondering within myself with what type of heinous crime he was accused of for him to be treated in such a manner. Why was no mercy shown this man? I could not explain it, but somehow I knew that this was an unjust sentence delivered to an innocent man, but I needed to hear it from his lips!

 

It was then that I cried out, “Why is it that you hang there?” “Why are you in the condition?” “What is it that you are accused of that would deserve such torture?”

 

I heard a faint sound, which at first I thought to be the wing of a bird in flight. Then I noticed that his lips, contorted from the impact of the many fists that pummeled them, were moving, but only barely. I could not make out what he was saying. I began to cry louder, above the din of the crowd. “What is it you are saying”, “Tell me”, “Why is it that you suffer so?” “Why have you been placed in this position of such agony?” “I must have an answer!” “WHY?” “WHY?” I found myself no longer worrying about the crowd or that anyone might notice me.

 

It was then I heard his voice, which was barely audible, yet it echoed through my heart, piercing my soul asunder. He said only seven words. Seven words that shall ring in my heart for eternity!

 

He said,

“For…you…!” “I…do …this…for…you!”

 

My heart gave way, as a cave may implode upon itself.  I realized fully now that he was indeed innocent. It was I who was the guilty party. Somehow I understood that he was dying FOR ME; that he had somehow taken my place; that He somehow had become me.

 

I wept bitterly as I came to realize that my sins were so great as to require such torment and suffering, and that another would take this suffering upon himself rather that watch me bear it. I was reduced to nothingness.

 

With what little strength he had left within him, he slowly lifted his head, then cried loudly,

 “IT IS FINISHED”!

 

His head quickly dropped, and then with the last breath he had taken, he quietly whispered,

“Father into thy hands I commend my spirit”.

 

A moment later a soldier walked up with spear in hand. He prodded him and cursed him for a moment just to see if there may be any movement. After finding no response, the soldier placed the spear on the skin between two ribs and with both hands “shoved” upward with all his might. There was no reaction. The only movement of his body was caused from the force of the soldier’s spear. As the soldier jerked the blade from its mark, there came forth from the wound, water with a little blood mingled in. I realized that by the time, the soldier used his weapon, there was very little blood left in the body of this man. The only fluid left was a clear plasma that had gathered in his chest cavity.

 

I heard, to the left of me, a man cry out “Surely this was the Son Of God”.

 

When I looked to see who it was that had said these words, I saw another soldier, on his knees, face wet with tears begging for forgiveness that he had helped carry out such an unjust act.

 

When I looked back to the tree I saw that this man’s eyes were again fixed on me, only now it was a blank stare. As I thought on what had just taken place, I began to sob uncontrollably, but at the same time, I felt that the world had been lifted from my shoulders. Somehow I knew that all the sins I had committed and the guilt I carried were gone as he breathed his last breath of humanity.

 

I still have not yet come to understand love of this magnitude or how that one can love another when there is nothing lovable! I do not how this transaction was done, nor can I understand why it was carried out!

 

When I now have doubts as to the power of God’s love, or when I find myself doubting His love toward me, I return to this scene where I find that I was allowed to live, for the simple reason that another took upon him the punishment I deserved.

 

I am still full of errors and my many mistakes cause me to stumble often, but I know that my sin debt has been paid. My life has been forever changed by what happened on that terrible, precious day.

 

I can never repay my Lord for what did FOR ME. I can only try to live by the philosophy that since he died for me, it should be only reasonable that I live for him??

 

Sam Everett

 

 

 

The Modern “Church”: The Great Anarchy of Today

Anarchy:

Want of government; a state of society, when there is no law or supreme power, or when the laws are not efficient, and individuals do what they please with impunity.

Reading the definition above is somewhat disconcerting, especially since it describes the chaos that has crept into our religious society. It seems there are no longer any governing laws or any semblance of order or decorum within many of the “churches” or “worship centers” that have popped up across our country today. Ideologies, such as, “Believe in yourself”, “follow your own heart” and “whatever feels right” have taken their place. God’s biblical laws and standards have now become passé and have been dismissed as the rule of faith and practice by the new “religionists”. Morality, even in the church, has taken a back seat to pleasure and self gratification. Truth has become relative in this new day and is now interpreted by each individual to justify his or her respective need or belief.

 

These affairs have not just been set in motion. Beelzebub has been planning his strategies and attacking the minds of men since his expulsion from heaven. He knows if he can plant a small seed of doubt into the mind of an individual, he then needs only to water this with a hint of scientific theory, a pinch of human logic and a dash of secular knowledge to grow it into a great delusion. Over the centuries he has used this strategy, and to great success, to move the hearts and minds of humanity from the ways of God to their own “self” righteousness. Man has become so shameless over the last few decades that Satan has been able to step in totally unopposed and openly manifest his strategies under the guise of the modern church. We must never misunderstand that these things have not occurred by coincidence but are part of a master plan conceived by the prince of sin himself. He has concealed most of his deceptions under the pretense of the so called new age “spiritual movement”. It is for this reason we must take careful measures to apply the scripture, “Try the spirits, whether they be of God, for many false prophets are gone out into the world”.

 

With his complete and total comprehension of humanity, he knows the best stage for his battles is within the church itself. If he can cause confusion and destroy fellowship, it will bring division, and division is his best weapon. With unity dissolved, he can now cast doubt, not only on the deity of Christ, but the validity of God’s Word. He knows that once this has been accomplished, the bulwarks of the “church” will begin to crumble.

 

 Many of those who have no true scriptural foundation may simply throw up their hands in defeat and walk away. But there are those others who are caught up in the spirit of delusion and being intoxicated with “self” will find this as a perfect opportunity to begin the construction of “their” church using “their” own methods and belief systems. Since they were never established in the old texts and scriptures in the first place, they will begin to rebuild using their own standards, and it is sure they will not integrate any of what they consider antiquated doctrines into their new way of thinking. So, they start anew, using their own “untempered mortar”. This time they establish “their” church upon “their” own interpretation of the truth, which may have just a smattering of scripture, but only enough to make it seem as if their religious views have been drawn from God’s word. They will wave the Bible high, but instead of taking it at face value, they interpret it to meet their own pernicious ways. We must never underestimate Satan and the fact that he is master when it comes to destruction in any form.  if anyone thinks he can outwit him, this is proof positive that that person is in the grasp of his deceit already. 

 

Let us look closely at the definition of anarchy once more. Then take into consideration the neo- modernistic church system in our world today. We will find that it is hard to separate the two.

Was Jesus a Legalist?

            Things have changed over the years. My, how things have changed, and many of these changes have come within my lifetime. It seems that very few today who name the name of Christ find any need to live a consecrated life for Christ. What most “Christians” do not understand is that the way we conduct ourselves does one of two things. It either brings honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ or it disgraces Him. The use of vulgar language; living a licentious life; dressing indecently; sex outside of marriage; homosexuality,  are only a few of those things that are considered to be sin by biblical standards, and these things cannot be excused within the realm of the professed Christian’s life.

In almost any church, if a man aspires to be sanctified; to live a consecrated life for Christ; to dare stand and preach against sin or a sinful life, he most likely will be labeled as a legalist or as an extremist. Any man who would dare define sin as recorded in the Bible will not be tolerated for long. However, contending to keep oneself unspotted from the world while teaching others in the church to do the same is not legalism, it is the duty of the Christian.

The bare bones and the truth of the matter is that Jesus called sin, sin and did not flinch in doing so. Not once did He ever pull one from the mire and filth of a sinful life and direct or even insinuate that it was acceptable for that person to return to the sty. His directive was “go and sin no more”. It is sad that we some should question today what He actually meant by this saying.

We can be assured that even though salvation is by Grace alone, we are not excused of those duties we are expected to perform as Christians. God’s promise of forgiveness does not give us license to do and live as we please. We are biblically summoned to live our lives in a manner as to honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Anyone who thinks they can do this while walking in rebellion against God’s laws is way off the mark and has received their teaching from something other than the Bible.

We are commanded to “Go and sin no more” We are commanded to “Come ye out from among them and be ye separate”. We are commanded to: “be not conformed to this world”. We are commanded to “depart from iniquity”; to “abstain from all appearance of evil”. and the list goes on and on. And yes, these charges remain as current today as the day in which they were given.  

Sin, whether defined in the day of Moses or in the day of Christ, still remains sin today. Anyone who reads the Bible should understand what sin is, and what it can and will do to the individual who knowingly commits it. Yet there are those who read the Bible and attend church each Sunday, who are inching away from the Godly life. Common logic tells us the more we inch away the wider the gap becomes.

To answer the question in the title of the paper; no, Jesus Christ was not legalistic in the sense that we use the term today, but it is a biblical fact that He required strict obedience from those who would call themselves his disciples, and by the way, He still does today.

Attendance

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.      Hebrews 10: 24-25

Today, there seems to be an air of apathy in our church society when it comes to attending the worship service. In fact, too many “Christians” have no reservations in choosing a worldly venue over going to church. Hosts of others simply stay at home, using one excuse or another.

We have heard it said that attending the worship service is a privilege; that it is a simple choice for the professed child of God. It is as if we are relaying the message to those around us as well as ourselves to, “Gather to worship or stay home, it does not matter”.

But, we must understand that the text in the scripture mentioned in the heading of this writing calls us to DUTY. It is the duty of the children of God to come together in worship. Yes, it is a privilege, but we must never lose sight of the fact that we are urged to assemble.

Many parents today worry if their teenagers will become “swallowed up” by the world. It seems these youngsters have no zeal for the Lord and his church. How many times have you heard it said, “I just can’t seem to get my children to go to church anymore”?

We must ask ourselves, “What did we teach them as they were growing up in our homes? Usually, we try to justify ourselves with the answer; “I told them of the Lord and his goodness; I told them everything I knew about him; I told them of his loving kindness and of his grace”. But, let us ask again, “What did we teach them, not tell them”?

The fact is; our children are taught by our example much more than by our words. Did our actions speak loudly that attending worship services held no meaning for us; did we complain in the presence of our children about “having” to go to church; was it something we did only when it was convenient for us? If we answered yes to any of these questions, then what do we expect from our children?

We find many parents today that not only allow, but also actually urge, their children to choose the world’s venues over the church. Most “modern day” parents feel that many of the secular activities offered today, are more important for our children’s welfare and well being;  that the hour or two of worship per week carries no weight in a child’s life. The consensus is; if any of these activities are being held at the same time as the church service, then worship is secondary! Never think for a moment that our children are not watching and learning.

Yes, we are teaching our children each and every day. So when they make the move to go into the world to seek its pleasure or when they seek peace outside of Jesus Christ.

Remember, we taught them well!

As they begin to grow older and we hear them say “We just don’t have the time for church. We’ve got just too much on our plates; too many things that we must do”.

When we hear these things emitting from the mouths of our children;

Remember!  We taught them well!

           

50 Years Ago

50 years ago I was a freshman in High School:

There were computers, no PCs or laptops. According to the dictionary of that day, a computer was: “someone who calculates numbers or amounts”.

There was no GPS or map quest. Directions were received from a fold up map, an atlas or from a gas station attendant

There were no “walkmans” no DVDs no CDs no VCRs, no iPods, iPhones, or Imax and no digital cameras. The only pictures that were “instant” were made with a “Polaroid” camera, which took at least one minute to develop.

“Electronics” consisted of phonographs, AM radios, and black and white TVs.

There were no cell phones, no wireless phones, no touch-tone phones (spin dial only), no fax machines and no answering machines. There was no text messaging. Messages were written down with pen on paper.  Phone companies still had real people for “operators”, and there were these structures called phone “booths”, where one could make a call for a dime. There was no hotmail, gmail, voicemail or email. Correspondence was either in person, by telephone or by posted mail. All letters were either hand written or typed on a device called a typewriter.

“Internet” was not even a word, much less a thing.  A “web” was something spun by a spider. A “world wide web” was incomprehensible.

The only time we ever saw doors open automatically was on some Sci-fi show we watched on one of the three or four available TV stations.

Neighbors knew each other’s names, because they were usually all born and raised in the same town. We knew our friend’s parent’s first names but never dared speak them aloud.  It was always Mr. or Mrs.

“Yes Ma’am” or “No Ma’am”, and “Yes Sir” or “No Sir” was required when answering any adult.

Mommas and Daddys were the parents of their children and not their best friends.

There were no R-rated movies. There was no need for ratings, because movies were made for entertainment, not for sexual pleasure or to satisfy a thirst for blood.

None of our vehicles had air conditioning. Very few of the homes did. A heater in a car was listed as an option. Car windows were rolled down, not let down. A clutch was that third pedal on the floorboard. The “dash” was where most paperwork was kept and the “boot” was where the spare tire was stored.

We first began to hear of a little country called Viet Nam! No one had any idea where it was on the map!

Everyone lived on streets, avenues or roads. There were no Lanes, Courts, Circles or Ways.

Most schoolteachers were religious, some even spiritual. No one ever heard the word “secular”, much less knew what it meant. Teaching was more of a calling, than a career.

Teachers never conducted themselves improperly, whether in class or in public. Students respected the teachers and vice versa. Teachers cared more for the well being of their students than the size of their paycheck.

Girls were not allowed to wear slacks or pants to school. Skirts and blouses or dresses were the proper attire.

Boys were required to wear their shirttails “in”. The waists of their pants were actually worn around their waists and not their knees.

Girls did not pierce their bodies anywhere. Earrings were of the clip on style. Tattoos could only be found on the arms of some the old WWII Navy veterans.

And it NEVER entered into the mind of a red blooded American boy to wear an earring or any other kind of woman’s jewelry. This was not seen…ever!

Boys asked girls out and not the other way around. Boys actually treated girls with respect. A “descent” boy did not curse in front of girls. A “descent” girl would never be caught using profanity at any time. Her reputation was on the line.

Any boy who could not afford slacks, and had only jeans to wear (which then were cheaper) was considered as being poor. Any jeans, when they began to fade or have holes, and could hold no more patches, were thrown away or cut off and used for dipping in the swimming hole.

In town, stores closed at six each day, on Wednesday afternoon after twelve, and all day every Sunday. Any needed items were bought before six p.m. on Saturday.

There were no malls, or superstores. Groceries were bought at one of the grocery stores. Clothing was bought at one of the clothing stores. And hardware…Yep…that’s right! It was bought at the hardware store. Local people actually owned most of these stores, so “plastic” money was not needed. If someone hit on hard times the storeowners would usually let them have what was needed “on credit”. Going from store to store to shop was not so terrible; one could usually meet a friend or two and catch up on the current events of the town.

There were no convenience stores; only gas or service stations, and hardly anyone pumped their own gas; most didn’t know how to work the pump. 

There were no “fast food chains” in town except for the Dairy Queen, which really wasn’t all that fast.

There was no “drive thru” anything. One either had to go to the window or go into the restaurant to order and receive food.

There was no bulimia, anorexia, or any of the other designer diseases. Girls were considered for their beauty and not their size.

There was no hurry or sense of urgency to always be somewhere else. Most were contented where they were.

  “What then did we have?” one may ask!

We had the promise of God’s hand of protection over us: a sense of calm around us, and a deep peace within us.

We had care for our friends and friends that cared. We had parents that would be quick to correct us, but would never harm or forsake us.

We had neighbors and not just the “people next door”.  We all had parents that didn’t mind correcting everyone else’s children in the neighborhood.

No one went hungry as long as at least one home in the neighborhood had food.

Children could play outside or walk down to a friend’s house without the worry of being abducted, raped or murdered.

Children were made to stay in the house for punishment.

Even though we wore hand-me-downs, and had beans and bread most nights for “supper”, we had wealth and riches that most, even those with huge bank accounts, cannot find today.

Not to sound like an old cliché, but we had love. Not only love among family, but also love among neighbors, love among friends and even love for strangers. Oh! And children were taught to treat strangers with utmost respect and not as potential enemies as must be done today.

We had contentment and appreciation for those things with which we were blessed. We really didn’t want for much and our needs were very simple, because most of the things that people “need” or just “can’t live without” today, had yet to be invented. 

50 years ago…Life was simple and so were we. Naivety was the norm among almost all children and most adults.

50 years ago…I was there and am thankful for the blessed memories. My heart goes out to those who will never be able to truly know the simplicity of life and the blessings of God that we were privileged to experience. 

Sam Everett

How Much Time?

One hundred years ago, the Titanic, the ship considered by many in that day to be unsinkable, slipped beneath the surface of the North Atlantic; coming to rest in the murky abyss, two miles below.

In the 1997 movie “Titanic”, not long after the ship had ran afoul with the fateful iceberg, there is a short dialog between Thomas Andrews, the ships architect and designer, Bruce Ismay, chairman and managing director of the White Star Line, and the ship’s captain, Edward James Smith. It goes something like this:

Andrews: “The pumps buy you time, but minutes only. From this moment, no matter what we do, Titanic will founder”.

Ismay:  “But this ship can't sink”!

Andrews:  “She's made of iron, sir! I assure you, she can... and she will. It is a mathematical certainty”.

 Captain Smith:  “How much time”?

(Emphasis mine in each case)

This same dialog could be used to describe the state of our country today. The question is not if our nation will go under. The question now is when she will be swallowed up by the overwhelming waves of immorality and lasciviousness. The question is “How much time do we have?”

Much like those who believed the Titanic to be unsinkable, most today believe that it is impossible for our nation to “founder”. It seems we are living under the delusion that God will always bless this country simply for what we once were; for what our forefathers believed and established.  We have the errant assumption that since we use His name on occasion and stamp His name on our currency, He will acknowledge us, grant our every desire and show mercy for every abominable act of sin we perform.

On September 11, 2001, tragedy struck our nation on a scale that was never before witnessed on our shores. America began collectively to call upon God for His help. It seemed as if our country was again acknowledging our creator; that she was coming back to her foundational Christian roots. We heard prayer being offered via TV and radio, but sadly during all this, we never heard one utterance of repentance on our part; no sorrow for our sins; not even an indication that we may have erred in our lifestyles. Furthermore, in all the media covered prayers that were offered, God’s Son, Jesus Christ was never mentioned in any capacity.  Prayer was not offered in the Son’s name, which is the only prayer that will be recognized by God the Father. If we do not acknowledge His Son, we can never expect the Father to acknowledge us. But then again, for our country to acknowledge Jesus Christ would not be politically correct, since there are many religions in this great melting pot we call America.  Somehow, it had been forgotten that our nation was founded on Christianity and that the Bible was used for the pattern in establishing most of its original laws.  We need only look to our history books and to the professions of our founding fathers to understand this.

This is grievous that we should even consider thinking on such a level, but we need only to look at where our nation stands today (or should I say does not stand) on moral and biblical issues. She has turned her back on the Judeo-Christian teaching of our precious Bible and has gone her own way, following after the desires of her own heart.

And now the “leader” of our country has told us in so many words that he believes that there is no longer any sanctity in marriage.  He has taken the position that the Bible must have been in error all along; that man with man and woman with woman is now the way our country should go and that we all should be tolerant and make allowances for this to happen. This same “leader” at one time claimed Christianity, yet his views are as far from biblical teaching as the east is from the west. Since the sole purpose for his being is his own political gain, there is no room for any religion, much less a Christian agenda.

The Bible teaches us to pray for those in leadership positions and to obey our magistrates, yet there is a line that must be drawn. There are cases in which we must make a choice. Yes, we indeed need to pray fervently that our leaders will turn from their inverted belief systems.  However, if our government with its new interpretation of our Constitution is deliberately trying to overturn the law of scripture, we are commanded by God Himself that His word should always takes precedence. 

What is at stake here is not merely morality versus immorality, or those things which we might consider as right from wrong. What is truly on trial is the deity of God; whether his word is truth or merely conjecture or in all reality; whether we even believe in the existence of a sovereign God.

Indeed, we are living in a dark day, but in reality, we can hold no claim that it is any darker than other times in history. Sadly our nation does not learn from the past.  Other nations, at other times have also rejected the warnings of God, going after their own hearts and all with the same outcome. There is a reason that we are continually finding and digging out the ruins of what were at one time great empires. In each of these ruins are found artifacts that show proof of idol worship and sexual perversion, which, in each case, led their followers to licentiousness, Godlessness and ultimately utter destruction and complete collapse.

For those who think that the Bible upholds any such actions, as are now entertained by our leadership, let us consider this; in each and every case where marriage,  adultery or divorcement is mentioned in the New Testament, it is speaking of a man and a woman. Nowhere does any scripture relate to infidelity between two men or two women.

Even Jesus speaks of the two different genders while speaking of marriage or divorce; “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery (Matthew 5: 31-32).

God will not tolerate rejection of His word. To do so is to totally reject Him. He will never allow the spurning of His law; or our trying to change it to fit our own hedonistic desires. But then again, one must believe the Bible to be true and in the existence of God, in order for there to be any fear or reverence of Him.

Now our so called leader (I use that word very loosely) of our country is thumbing his nose at the directives given in God’s word by speaking out against its biblical commandments, which can only be considered as blasphemy, pure and simple.

God , has and will turn men (and women), who have omitted the law of scripture, over to reprobate minds;  a state in which the persons or group of persons no longer have the ability to reason right from wrong. When this happens, we find that the world becomes topsy-turvy. Those things which were once considered as perverted acts of sin are now accepted as perfectly normal behavior, while those who understand that these acts are indeed sinful behavior are no longer tolerated and are labeled as uncompassionate and berated as being biased or prejudiced.  

Should we even wonder why God would have Isaiah pen this warning; “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5: 20)

Welcome to the state of our country.

Who knows, after some eons of time, some team of archaeologists or scientists may be digging out the ruins of what was once the greatest empire on earth, and run across millions of pieces of evidence that would conclude that America was nothing more than just another nation who gave herself over to total idolatry and every sinful perversion imaginable. But then maybe…just maybe from the dust of those ruins they might pull out an old tattered and worn book that warned of the consequences for those who would turn their back on the laws written in that old tome. Yes, we are being told by those in authority that we are to be tolerant and to make allowances for blatant acts of sin, and we may indeed be told by our courts that we are expected to follow these precepts, but one thing is for sure, God is not required to follow these mandates of man, and He will not be tolerant and He will not make any allowances for what He has named as abominations and sin.

The great unsinkable America is sinking and she is sinking fast. She is taking on the waters of the world in which she floats. Once sin has completely overflowed her bulkheads and has filled her compartments, she will indeed go down, never to come up again.  The only question that remains is:

 “How much time does she have?”

Change

Very few of us readily accept change. It’s just not in our nature. Once we become comfortable with what we have and with who we are, we have no desire to give this up, even if it is for the better. Ask any man that has a recliner that he has wallowed to his perfection, if he would like a new chair. Ask anyone if they would like to change sides of the bed they have slept on for years. How about our place at the dinner table, or the pew we sit on at church?  We are definitely creatures of habit, and habits are not readily broken. If someone attempts to show us a better way, we will usually reject it. That which we have done religiously for years has become our only way.

We find that this is also very prevalent in the religious world. We have a comfort zone in our order of service and understanding of scripture and dare not venture beyond what we have been taught in years gone by.

 In some circles, for a gospel minister to admit to “change” could very well mean religious suicide. In the eyes of many, he is never to be trusted again. If he “changed” once, he will more than likely do it again. He is considered unstable and unreliable. It matters not if the move was toward better scriptural understanding; he left his traditional background and upbringing. In essence he has become a traitor to his teaching, which is totally unacceptable in the minds of most “churched” people today. Apostle Peter wouldn’t be around very long in many of the churches of today, after acting on his “rooftop experience”

I have actually heard ministers say from the pulpit (in a boasting manner) that the greatest compliment that could be paid them after their death, would be for someone to say on their behalf that, “This good brother never “changed”. “Nope! He never changed one bit”. “He never grew one iota in the knowledge of our Lord”. “He remained till the day he died, just as he was fifty years ago when he first joined the church”. If this is to be considered as the most important accomplishment in a man’s life, his funeral should indeed be considered a sad occasion.

Many are quick to say that they have no sympathy for anyone who has changed, but consider this; What if our children never changed? We have all seen the sad example of this: a child that has never matured in mind “locked” in an adult’s body. He still thinks and acts as a child with no ability to function in the world. Yet in a spiritual light, we imply that this is what we want for ourselves as well as for those we love. Simply put, we do not want to “grow” spiritually in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As Apostle Paul so aptly put it, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. The Apostle was not speaking of the natural, but rather of the spiritual man; using this language as an allegory, implying that as we “grow” spiritually, we need to put away those things, which have no true biblical foundation, in favor of those that are founded upon God’s word.

Having the desire and ability to change, with intent to conform to God’s word, is nothing of which to be ashamed, but rather should be cherished as a true gift from God. Let us therefore willingly accept changes in our life, as well as others lives, as long the purpose is for honoring our Lord and for growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Tongue

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8

Let’s look at this passage for a moment; “but the tongue can no man tame”. In the previous verse James tells us “for every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea things is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind.” Simply put, man can and has been able to tame almost anything that walks, crawls, slithers and swims; he has man has this great ability to take a wild creature and break its will, bringing it under his control to the point that it obeys his every command. Yet, this same man has no ability in preventing his own tongue from running wild.

James also pens in verses 3-6: Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. We find no other scriptural dissertation in which so vivid a description of unmanageable evil and corruption is given to a specific part of our anatomy.

In the verse mentioned in the heading of this writing, he calls the tongue an unruly evil. The adjective “unruly” as used in this case means uncontrollable or unmanageable. Imagine this; the tongue is compared to “evil out of control”. And he doesn’t stop there. He then says it is full of deadly poison; not just dangerous, but “deadly”. In all seriousness, it doesn’t get much worse than that!

When we think about it, is it not the tongue that brings about most conflicts between two or more individuals or even two or more groups of individuals? I think it would be safe to say that just about all conflicts, including wars among nations, start with a loose tongue.

No one would ever think that we could actually kill, just by using words alone, but this is exactly what can and does happen regularly. The tongue that constantly spews bitterness can very well destroy any influence or love that one may have had for another. The old adage about “sticks and stones” is simply not true. Words can and do hurt, and just as badly, and in many cases worse, than any inflicted physical pain.

Sometimes it may seem as if the tongue has a mind of its own; especially when it begins its poisonous spray before we have time to hardly even think. But, what is actually happening is that the tongue is manifesting, or bringing to light, that which already dwells in the dark recesses of the heart. When someone says, “Oh, I really didn’t mean to say that”, you can pretty well know that they meant to say each and every word. The Bible teaches us, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh”. Again, the tongue is a revealer of what actually lies in the heart of the individual.

No, the tongue can no man tame, but our Lord does have the ability to bridle the tongue. He and He alone, can change persons’ conversations from destructive dialog to a soothing balm. He can take one who has the tendency to spew “deadly poison” and cause him to uplift and exhort his fellow man.

Let us seek the Lord’s help in controlling the tongue, for He alone can tame it. This is one petition with which I truly believe He will hear and give us aid, if we only ask in faith believing, desiring it the depths of our heart

Whatever Happened To Sunday

I am sure there are many of us in the “senior citizen” category who can remember when Sunday was a day of rest, both for saint and sinner. The “saint” used it for a day of worship reflection, and fellowship, both church and family. The “sinner” had no choice but to settle in until the day had passed. Oh, he could still be about some of his mischief, however virtually every business closed its doors on the first day of the week. There were no malls, department stores or convenience stores, so shopping was not an option. Even if these had been in existence in those days, there would still be none open for business.

Shooting fireworks, firing a gun, and fishing on this day was for only the worst of sinners, and in many cases these actions were actually on some of the early law books as being illegal.

With our family, Sunday usually started with an early breakfast. Momma cooked most of the noon meal early in the morning. After breakfast, we readied ourselves for church services. We put on the best clothes we had. Even though they may have had a patch here and there, they were always clean and crisp. Our shoes may have been old and worn but were always polished. We usually left for church each Sunday at around 9:30 AM and returned at around 1:00 PM.

After arriving home from church, Momma would finish up with dinner, after which she would call us to the table. We all sat down, each at his or her place. Our repasts were not eaten in a hurried manner, but were slow and leisurely. “Normal” conversation was welcomed, but laughing or loud talking was never allowed. Many times we would spend an hour or more around the dinner table.

After dinner (in this part of the country it was breakfast, dinner and supper) either my sister or myself would help Momma with the dishes. Any food not eaten at dinner was left on the table, covered by a linen (her best) tablecloth, to be eaten later, usually after we arrived home from the night service at our church.

Sunday afternoons were always leisurely. No one was ever in a hurry or a rush. There was really nowhere we had to be on this day. I can remember that Sundays were usually quiet, except for the occasional car running up or down the road, which would break the silence.

What has happened in the last fifty years? Today most Churchgoers can’t wait until service is over so they can get about their normal daily routine. I know of some who attend the larger churches, who have expressed to me that they would rather go to the early service, so they could “get it over with” and “have the entire day to themselves”. Sunday, or as it was known in years past as “The Lord’s Day” has become just another day to be spent for our pleasure, and of course our pleasure is all that matters today.

Over the years this wonderful day has lost the respect, reverence and importance it once carried. This didn’t happen quickly. Satan doesn’t work that way. He works on the hearts of men very subtlety. A entire society’s (especially a church society) way of thinking cannot be changed overnight. It usually takes one to two generations to move from a staunch biblical standard to a liberal religious belief.

Just for one example: I can remember in the county in which I live, when little league baseball was first introduced to our county parks system. There was concern by many of the church going citizens that if their children joined the teams, they would be required to play on Sundays; taking them away from church. The promise was given by the sponsors and the county itself that this would not happen. And it didn’t…at least not until there were a few rainouts. Then, it seemed, that the only day to make up those games would be on Sunday afternoon. At least no one would be missing church… or at least not until the games outnumbered the fields that were needed to play on. Then there was no other choice but to schedule a couple of games on Sunday morning. The next year it was a little easier to accept this. After all, a game or two didn't disrupt lives all that much, and the children needed a well rounded life and the physical activity was beneficial. With each passing year it became a little easier until today, church services are no longer factored in when scheduling games, especially playoffs, for these kids.

Whatever happened to Sunday? It has now become just another day, except, of course, for the hour or so out of our busy lives that we give to the Lord. But this does not come without expectations on our part. In return we expect His manifold blessings for sacrificing our precious time.

Whatever happened to Sunday? We willfully gave it away, and in return we received nothing but one more day of the week in which to run our legs off. Whether anyone will accept the fact or not God knows what we need more than we do. He knows that we as humans need a day to rest our minds as well as our bodies, but we decided that we do not have the “time“ to do that.

Whatever happened to Sunday? It has been consumed by our own selfishness, and now our children and grandchildren will never experience the peace and quietness that comes through having a day that has been laid aside for rest, and reflection on our Lord from whom all good things are received.

Contentment

It is no secret that there is indeed an absence of contentment for those who confide in the world and look to it for happiness. We need look no farther than the daily headlines to see the misery of many of the world’s most famous and wealthy personalities. Even though most of these people have all they could dream of within an arm’s length, many are heavily into drugs and or alcohol; continually trying to null their senses. Can we begin to number those whose lives were cut short while trying to ease their psychological pain? The terrible misfortunes of these individuals should come as no surprise, for contentment cannot be found outside Jesus Christ. What is surprising, however, is that this wonderfully accessible provision for the child of God has become very rare in the hearts of God’s people today. According to many polls, there are more people in our nation attending churches in this generation than any other time in history, yet very few have true peace and contentment in their lives.

How many of us of the baby boomer generation remember the resolve of our parents. I cannot recall on any occasion when either my Mom or Dad ever stated that they wanted more than they had, in their words, “been blessed with”. Now, these were two people who lived and raised two children in a dilapidated rental house with no amenities. There was no hot water except that which was heated on the old stove. There only heat for the house was from either a coal or wood heater (later they would be able to buy a tank and change to a propane heater). I can’t recall my mother having over thirty dollars in her purse at any given time during her life. Dad labored long and hard hours in a chicken feed mill, for little pay; never more than minimum wage. Yet, I never heard any complaining from either as to why they couldn’t have what everyone else had. Not even a hint of negativity!

Even though they didn’t have the “good life”, as some might call it, they continued to love God and their church. Though many times it was struggle to have food on the table, they gave thanks to God for the food they had.

What is the difference between them and us today? I present to you that it was Contentment! They were contented “with such things as they had” Hebrews 13:5. “Having food and raiment they were therewith content” I Timothy 6:8. They never pined over what they didn’t have, but rather felt blessed to have what had been given them of our Lord. They understood that this life was only for a fleeting space of time and even if it was uncomfortable, it would be but for a few days. After which, they would move to their true home. Their citizenship was not of this world. Having a hope in Christ they understood that their inheritance was in Heaven itself, which is the true country for the child of God.

If we look closely we will find that the “needs” of any person are very simple. Food, drink, raiment and shelter are the only physical necessities that anyone truly requires. However, if not careful, our “wants” can quickly take precedence over our needs and possibly become the greatest hindrance in our lives as professed Christians.

When we look to the language of the scriptures, we find that contentment does not come automatically as a consequence of regeneration. Apostle Paul stated that he had “learned” that whatsoever state that he was in to be therewith content Philippians 4:11. So, as he states, contentment is a learning process, which lies within the grasp of the child of God. If we never learn what is and is not important in life, we will never have true contentment.

Many, even God’s people, believe that the more material wealth one can acquire, the more contented one will be. This has been tried over the ages and it has been proven time and again that “things” cannot or will not make anyone happy or content. In closing, I quote C. S Lewis, “God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing”

In all humility

Sam Everett

Pragmatism and the Church

Pragmatism: Solving problems in a realistic way, which suits the present conditions rather than obeying fixed theories, ideas or rules.

The pragmatist is convinced that there should be no fixed laws or standards; no black or white; only gray areas in which each individual situation determines the legitimacy of the act performed. He believes that any established rules or criteria may be ignored in order to bring about his desired end. He can find no error in any actions on his part as long as, in his mind, the end product is better than its beginning. To him, evil deeds can now be translated into noble causes; wrong can now be viewed as right, since the means used are justified by the end results.

Sadly, we find that this same philosophy has crept into most churches of the day. The clergy as well as the laity zealously contend that they are justified to use any and all necessary means at their disposal to bring souls, regrettably even the non-penitent, into the confines the church.

Along with this reasoning comes the consent for the use of many of the diverse programs that have been introduced over the years and are today still being welcomed into the church. “Whatever it takes” seems to be the formula for populating most of today’s churches. It seems that scriptural teaching, adherence to biblical standards, and even the gospel of Christ, are no longer necessary when it comes to the growth of the church.

The main goal of most modern day churches is to offer something that would make people desire to come in. The reason for their attendance doesn’t matter, as long as the pews are being filled. Whatever the case, simplicity of worship is seldom advertised as a part of the church’s proposition to bring people through its doors.

The lengths to which many will go are astounding. Program after program may be added to entice those of the world into the church. It seems that nothing is considered as inappropriate as long as it is used to bring about the desired end. However, we find that none of the tactics used by today’s churches are found in the scriptures, nor can they be found in the history of the ante or post apostolic period of the church of Christ. If we look closely we will find that most of these “techniques” have arisen within the last two centuries.

Not surprisingly, even a number of those who were at one time considered the more conservative churches are now welcoming some of the seemingly “benign” activities into their midst. As long as it can be said that it is all done in the name of the Lord, then all is well. The subtlety by which many of these “little foxes” are creeping in is amazing and shows just how crafty Satan really is.

Let us look to scripture as a warning “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” Isaiah 5:20

In no way are we to ever advocate that we may be justified to use any errant or non biblical deed in the growth our churches, no matter the outcome. “Things” that have been added to the church without scriptural foundation cannot be condoned. Wrong can never be made right, no matter if it is endorsed by what is called a church or by an individual. If a scripture plainly teaches a certain point, no one is authorized to change the interpretation of that scripture simply because it is decided that it might not bring about the desired end. When the scriptures remain silent, it would behoove us to do the same. This does not, as some suppose, provide an open door for the interjection of our own beliefs and ideologies.

Yes, pragmatism is alive and well and has found a safe haven in the modern church, where it grows and flourishes uninhibited by any biblical fundamentals or truths.

Sam Everett