What does the Bible say?

To begin with, God made woman (Eve), because He knew that the man (Adam) He had created, needed help (and that hasn‘t changed!), Genesis 2:18-24.  Up until Adam, God had simply spoken everything into existence.  Adam, however, was uniquely formed from the dust of the earth and infused with life by the breath of God.  Eve was neither spoken into existence, nor was she fashioned from dirt as the man.  Rather, she was even more uniquelierly (my word) formed from a rib which God took from the man.

Eve was God’s very last creative work.  As such she was the completion of the creation itself as well as being the counterpart to, and completion of,  Adam.  Also, Eve was created just as Adam was, in the image of God, Genesis 1:27.  Because she was bone of man’s bone and flesh of his flesh, it was immediately established that man would from that point on be willing to leave his own family and cleave to her.  Doesn’t sound very subservient to me… how about you?

The creation of Adam and Eve was not about who was going to be the boss.  Competition was never the point and neither was equality, which may surprise some.  God’s intention for them was unity.  His plan was for these two very different beings each created in the image of His perfection, to compliment and complete each other as they lived together in harmony, in “oneness” if you will.  As Solomon later put it, man’s divinely ordered destiny is to “Fear God and keep His commandments”, Ecclesiastes 12:13.  The woman‘s role is to help the man do just that.

Sin tainted this relationship when Eve was deceived by Satan and took the lead in eating the forbidden fruit, Genesis 3:1-19.  Satan was of course cursed, but men and women yet suffer difficult repercussions as well.  God specifically told Eve:

             I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth

             children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule

             over you.                                                         Genesis 3:16

The die was cast.  Sin precipitated a brand of male dominance that God never intended.  Jesus helps us to see that though God’s original order of male leadership remains the rule (see 1^st Corinthians 11:1-3 on this) it is not to be used as an opportunity to take advantage, but rather to serve.

Male leadership is not at all the same as male dominance.  Consider for example Ephesians 5:21-25:

… and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.  Wives, be subject to

your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife,

as Christ also is the head of the church He Himself being the Savior of the

body.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.   Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her…(emphasis mine)

Now, you have to ask yourself after an honest appraisal of the above. Is it a pretext for abusive male dominance, or is it God’s admonition to sacrificial leadership and service. Article to be continued in a future publication.

(more next week, Lord willing)

Marty Kessler

As noted in last week’s article, Jesus made it clear that the miracles, wonders, and signs that He did were for the purpose of affirming His identity as the Son of God (Matthew 11:4-5 & John 10:25).

It should not surprise us then, that on Pentecost, Luke tells us that the first thing that the apostle Peter said as he began preaching about Jesus was this:

Men of Israel, listen to these words” Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know…Acts 2:22

How was it that Peter said God Himself attested to Jesus’ identity as His Son?  The attestation, he says, was through the miracles, wonders and signs that God was doing through Him.

Perhaps we would do well to make the point here that none of the healings, cures, restorations, and resurrections Jesus “performed” were performances.  Jesus never called attention to the miracles that He did while He was doing them, and in fact in some cases He even had others to leave as He did these things (Matthew 9:23-26).

Not only were Jesus’ miracles not performances, they were not even for the sake of the good brought by them alone, as in the case with the man who was blind from birth:

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”           John 9:2-3

It is interesting to me that this man’s parents, when asked about the miracle Jesus did for their son, refused to answer because they knew that it had been agreed that if anyone confessed Jesus to be the Christ they would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore, they would not confess that Jesus had done this miracle for their son because they knew that that confession was tantamount to proclaiming Him the Christ.

God not only did these things for His Son, but also for His Son’s apostles and others as well in order to confirm Jesus’ gospel.  Luke writes of the work of Paul and Barnabas:

Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon

the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs

and wonders be done by their hands.            Acts 14:3

Again, the miracles were not the point.  The word of truth was the point.  This is exactly what the apostle John said as he closed his gospel:

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of

the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been

written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God

and that believing you may have life in His name.           John 20:30-31

Marty Kessler

Fellowship is the condition of being together or sharing similar interests or experiences as do member of a profession, religion, or nationality; companionship.

1. Our fellowship must be with God and Christ (1 John 1:3). As children of God, we have fellowship with those in His family including the Father and His only begotten Son.

2. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not tell the truth: but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:3

3. If we live in “darkness” (the domain of Satan), we cannot have fellowship with the Father and Son. But while we walk in the light, we have fellowship with the Father and the Son, and the blood of Christ constantly cleanses us from sin. The paramount truth in this passage is simple: true spiritual fellowship is possible only while we walk in the light.

4. In order to have fellowship with God, we must be studying God’s word, the Bible, we need to do this daily with the idea of preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 4:13-16.

5. Fellowship is for every member of God’s church, not just a few. Acts 2:47, Hebrews 13: 1-2, Eph. 5:8, 10 & 21; 1 Corinthians 1:9-10.

6. Christians have fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 17:21-26, Philippians 2:1, 1 John 1:3) as well as with other believers (Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3 & 7). Conversely, believers should have nothing to do with unbelievers, but that they should not share in the sinner’s lifestyle (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18.) Christians should have a solid partnership with fellow Christians in doing the will of God and serving the cause for which Jesus died. That is what fellowship is all about.

It is my conviction that if we apply these six ideas to our lives, we can have a greater fellowship with God, His Son, the Holy Spirit, and one another. Get Involved. Call the shut-ins! Call someone who is missing from Bible class week after week! Let others know you care for them! Visit those in the hospital! Get together in one another's home for a meal and Bible study. Let us do all we can to glorify God! AMEN!

Billy VanCuren

Somewhere around 900BC, the prophet Elijah raised a poor widow’s son from the dead.  When she saw what he had done, she said:

             “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”                                                     

1^st Kings 17:24

With this simple statement, this woman, whose name we do not even know, defined God’s purpose for the miraculous.  She seemed to understand that the miracle done through Elijah was not the real focus, but rather the divine authenticity of the word that came forth from Elijah.  One need only spend a little time examining other passages that say the same thing about miracles to know that the Lord seems to have specifically documented this point for us very well.

Take for example Jesus’ response to the messengers John the Baptist sent to ask Him if He was indeed the Christ.  Jesus said:

“Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”    Matthew 11:4-5

Jesus, of course, could have just said, “Tell John that I said, ‘Yes’”, and answered his question.  But Jesus instead indicated that the miraculous works that He was doing were the obvious and reliable evidence of His identity. 

You may also notice that though Jesus’ answer began with the miraculous things He was doing, it ended with the preaching of the word.

The same question, though with very different intent, was asked by some Jews during the Feast of the Dedication as recorded in John 10:22ff.  They demanded that He tell them plainly whether or not He was the Christ.  Jesus responded:

             “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s

name,  these testify of Me.  But you do not believe because you are not

My sheep.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”

John 10:25-27

Jesus had told them that He was the Christ.  Though that word was truth, Jesus provided them with the additional testimony that it was a legitimate claim through the miracles that He did.  Again, the miracles were not the point, His identity as the Messiah (Christ) was the point.  They did not believe the word in spite of the miracles.  But His sheep hear His voice and listen to Him, aside from the miracles.

Lord willing, I will write more on this subject next week.  Until then, please consider such passages as John 2:11 & 23, 3:1-2, 10:40-42, 20:30-31, Acts 2:22, 14:3 and Hebrews 2:3-4.

Marty Kessler

One of the hardest things for me to do is to let God take care of my life.  When things are going good, I thank Him sincerely.  When things are going bad, I beg Him to fix it…sincerely.  When things are just running along smoothly I sometimes forget to say anything.  Upon reflection, it seems I get sincere in seeking His guidance during “feast” or “famine”, and that I credit myself with being able to “handle” my life as long as everything is ok.  It’s kind of like, “Ok God, I don’t need to bother you…I’ll handle this part. I’ll come to you for help, when I can’t make it on my own”.

But is that the way God wants us to be?  Does He want us to “run” our life or does He ask us to let Him be in control?  Matt. 6: 24 says,  “a man cannot serve two masters...”

It reminds me of a (true) story you may also have heard. It happened on January 3, 1944 in Leon, Spain.  There was a passenger train that was long enough to justify a rear engine to help in emergencies.  Each engine had a separate engineer to run their engine. During the journey the train entered into the El Toro Tunnel, and for some unknown reason, the front engine stalled.  The rear engineer, realizing a problem started his engine and began to try to “back” the train out of the tunnel.  At the same moment, the forward engineer restarted his engine and began to try and move the train forward to get out of the tunnel. Since there was no way for the engineers to communicate with each other, they just continued to try and add more power. This continued for several minutes.  They were not moving either way and neither engineer seemed to understand why.  The problem was that with both engines running under power, the tunnel quickly filled up with diesel fumes.  Over 500 people aboard that train died of carbon monoxide poisoning. In this case there were just too many people in charge of “running” the train and people perished. 

As often as I remember, I try to ask God to help me turn “all” of my life over to Him. Not just the parts which I want to pick and choose, not half my life, but give up MY control and turn it completely over to Him.  There should only be one engineer on my train of life in which my trust lies; one engineer to guide me to the home terminal.  How about you?

Rom 15:13… May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bob Chilton

I recently had an opportunity to do a little fishing.  I began with my fly rod.  Of course every fisherman knows the sensation of being filled with anticipation at the first cast.  But this time, nothing happened.  I changed my aim and dropped my fly in another spot.  Still nothing.

This continued for a while until I was convinced that I needed to switch to spinner baits; you know, the shiny little metal lures you cast way out and then quickly retrieve.  Again with the first few casts I was alive with hope, awaiting that electrifying tug on the end of the line that meant a fish was biting.  To no avail.  Again, nothing.

Later in the day, my wife wanted to do a little fishing too.  She was not as enamored as was I with the casting and retrieving methods of angling, so I rigged her up a hook on a leader about two feet below a bright little bobber.  After baiting the hook, I showed her again how to cast (it had been awhile since we had fished together) and she expertly tossed her set-up just where it needed to be… and caught a fish.

Wooooohooo!  I couldn’t get that spinner off of my line fast enough.  In no time we were both doing what had proven to be successful, and sure enough, it wasn’t long before I also got a bite and we had grilled fish that evening.

The moral to the story?  Keep fishing.  And if what you’re doing isn’t working, try something else.

I remember growing up in the sixties and going to gospel meetings in our home congregation at Rock Creek, West Virginia, and other area congregations that were sometimes two weeks long, but people would come!

Other such meetings were held in the big civic center in Charleston, the capitol, and literally thousands of people would attend, and there were plenty of baptisms.  Sadly, those kinds of things aren’t happening any more.

There doesn’t seem to be the widespread respect for and interest in the study of the Bible that there once was.  But don’t be fooled.  The fact that things are not just like they were in the past doesn’t mean that no one at all is interested.  Keep fishing.  If flies and spinners aren’t getting the desired result, do something else.

Use your telephone.  Invite a friend to church.  Send a card to tell someone you’re praying for them.  Use your e-mail account or face book or my space.  Last week I marked a New Testament with page numbers and comments and mailed it to a young lady.  Who knows what will happen.

Hey, just in this congregation, we’ve got seven baptisms on record for this year.

Never give up.  Keep a line wet.  Every fisherman knows that the fish will bite again.

Marty Kessler

Not sensationalism! Not gimmicks! Nor more committees, or more programs, or a “fun & games” emphasis! These things may be “right-on” for civic  clubs, social clubs, and country clubs, but not for the Lord’s church!

     What does it take to build a strong church? I believe the following things are essential!

1. Strong Bible preaching and teaching!  God’s word, when it is disseminated plainly, forcefully, uncompromisingly, and yet kindly, will BUILD UP! Paul said, I commend you unto God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up…” Acts 20:32.

2. Exemplary leadership! Men who make themselves “examples to the flock,” and who are careful in tending it. I Peter 5:2-3. To grow, the church must have quality leadership-men who know how to lead and will do so!

3. Christian living on the part of every member! Unimpeachable conduct clearly evidenced in the lives of Christians will illuminate the way for many in the realm of darkness. Read Matthew 5:16 and Philippians 2:15.

4. Congregational warmth and love! The fellowship of the Lord’s church should be so sweet and precious that the whole community takes notice, and observes. “See how they love each other!” Without this a congregation will never be what God would have it to be!

5. Compassionate hearts! The church of Christ needs to be know as the most tender-hearted bunch of people in all the world...ready and willing to help all, and especially those of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10.

6. Evangelistic fervor! The emphasis of the early church was soul-winning! The church will grow when we cease not to “teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ” every day, whenever we have the opportunity! Read Acts 5:42

7. An “I want to serve” attitude permeating the congregation! People serving the Lord because they love Him, and they want to serve, and not out of a spirit of drudgery!

8. An atmosphere of happiness, friendliness, cordiality, and hospitality! No stranger should ever come into the midst of the Lord’s church without being graciously greeted and welcomed by a happy, friendly membership! We must reach out to others, and not just “visit” with friends only.

     It is my conviction that these eight ingredients will build a strong church! I pray fervently that all eight will become a reality in every congregation, more than ever before.

Maxie B. Boren

(Borrowed from the Cherokee Hills Church of Christ bulletin)

We live in a complicated world, where even when you make the best decisions possible politically, financially, socially, physically, emotionally and morally, the bottom can still drop out without notice and you can find your life totally out of control.  The illusion is that we have any control over anything or anyone in the first place.  All we can ever hope to control is ourselves, and in this regard we are only talking about the decisions we make.

We live under the false idea that if we were just smart enough, we would always “succeed”, always have money, always be healthy, always have close and endearing family relationships and always be “happy”.  But come on.  Don’t you know some really smart people who have trouble in their lives?

What is my point?  Well, this complicated, unsure, and I might add unfair world will not last.  God will eventually bring all of it to an end, and even at that, your part and mine in it will likely end well before it does.  So, maybe getting everything right to have it good in this life is not the point.  Maybe we should be putting our life’s emphasis on inheriting what is to come in the next life.  After all, the next life will be eternal and without “end”.

Here, no matter how smart I become, no matter how rich or powerful I become and no matter how many resources I may gather to myself and how much I am free to enjoy in this life, I will eventually get old and die.  And the getting old part is optional.

And what then? 

That is where the simplicity of the gospel comes into play.  If someone tells me about Jesus, and based on my faith in their account of Him I repent of my sin and allow someone to immerse me in water for the forgiveness of those sins, I become a child of God, and as a child of God I inherit eternal life in an existence, a state of being that far exceeds the best of what we enjoy here on earth in every possible way.

This seems to good to be true.  But it is true.  Jesus said:

I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in

and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.        John 10:9-10

The message and plan of the gospel is specifically designed, if you will, so that it can be passed easily from person to person.  Are we passing it along, you and me, like we should?  Can you think of someone you care about that needs this message?

A complicated, frustrating, short-term world like ours needs some good news spread around, doesn’t it?  Go ahead.  Tell someone.  I intend to.  It is really simple.

Marty Kessler

In a recent Christian Chronicle article titled “Why are kids leaving the church? The answer lies in Parents” the statement was made that “Children will look as much like Jesus as their parents and fellow church members do.” With that thought in mind, we decided at a recent family outing to ask our children what it was that influenced them to become Christians and what motivated them to actively keep their faith in God. Some of  the comments were:

-The children knew that their parents knew they were on the right path by living as Christians     

-The children knew that their parents expected as much from them

-The family never missed any worship or Bible class

-Mom and dad were trusted by the children for leadership and stability

-Family morning or evening Bible studies at home were very important

-Parents encouraged the children to become Christians

-Dad was a good role model of a Christian

-Mom was determined to be faithful and her children also

-Living the Christian life works to everyone’s benefit in the family

-The kids actively participated in all the church youth activities

It is worth while to note that 8 of the 10 comments involved was what took place within the family. We believe there is absolutely no substitute for what can be done within the family to build Christian faith in our children.

One additional thought: when children leave home to be on their own, they are extremely vulnerable to be influenced to become like most others who have little or no faith in God. I strongly believe that they should further their education at one of the Christian universities.

This is so helpful to be with people, most of whom, are of like faith. I have heard some parents say-”We can’t afford to send our children to one of the Christian universities.” Well maybe so, but my feeling is that if you want your children to have the best opportunity to grow and mature as a Christian, you cannot afford for them not to go to such a school. Of course, they can and should work to help pay for their education.

With Love, Harold Weaver

“My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you.”                             Proverbs 3: 1-2

I remember how his B-17 was shot down over Austria in February of 1945 and how he had to bail out with some shrapnel in his leg.  There were 10 men in the crew and they were scattered about.  Dad fell into some gypsies who immediately wanted to hang him, but he then was “rescued” by some Austrian police as I recall and spent the rest of the war as a POW.  We still have a couple of wooden eating utensils he fashioned for use while in captivity.  This was no movie script.  It was real.

It is all still very hard for me to imagine, flying over hostile territory in a big, slow moving, unpressurized bomber, being hit by flak, the cannon rounds that explode throwing pieces of hot steel all around, and being shot up by fighter planes firing machine guns and automatic cannon.  It is hard to fathom what it must have been like to bail out of the aircraft you had counted on to get you home, but is now going down and coming apart as it falls.  You pull yourself to an opening and jump out into open air. The war is still going on all around you, but you are now trusting your life to whoever packed your chute and wondering what awaits you on the ground, knowing that those below you have been bombed by you and your compatriots for the last few years..…wow.

He was more than “just a veteran” though.  He was my dad, the man who years later taught me how to shoot, and hit what I’m aiming at, but more importantly, how to be safe and responsible with firearms.  He taught me how to catch hellgrammites (the larvae of the Dobsonfly), and how to bait a hook with them so you could catch your limit on smallmouth bass.  Dad taught me the value of honesty and honor, respect for flag and country, and how to open my eyes to see all the simple yet profoundly important things for which I can be grateful, like three square meals a day and a roof over my head.  What sticks with me most, however, are the deeper values for which he stood, and that some things really are worth offering your life up to have them. 

I’d say my dad was a hero, but every dad can be one.  You just stand up for, and uphold, what is right and oppose what is wrong.  There is still a war going on, because the devil is still going about like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Had we lost World War II, we may still have survived German or Japanese oppression.  No one, however, survives being overtaken by Satan.  Thank God for dads who are still in the fight.  Their kids need them to soldier on now more than ever.

Marty Kessler

Sunday, June 14^th 1777, was the day that the Second Continental Congress of the United States of America officially adopted the basic design of our nation’s flag.

The original resolution called for a flag with thirteen alternating red and white stripes with a union of thirteen white stars on a field of blue.  Nearly every aspect of our flag communicates sentiments of our forefathers as they struggled to establish a new nation.

The contrasting colors and number of the thirteen horizontal stripes represent the unity of the original colonies against oppression.  Each of the stars also represented one of the colonies, which in view of our independence from our mother country, came to be referred to later as states.  As states were added to the union, stars were added to the flag.  Interestingly enough, at least part of the original idea of the separate field of blue was to signify the desire for eventual reconciliation with Britain.

The colors have meaning as well.  In the words of the congress which chose this flag, the blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.  White signifies purity and innocence.  Red was chosen for hardiness and valor.  Though it is not officially designated so, one cannot help but consider that the red of those stripes must also stand for the blood shed to buy and maintain our independence and freedom as we see that banner waving over the cemeteries, final resting places of our honored war dead, and draped over the caskets of those who served their nation as they are laid to rest.

With these things in mind, our flag becomes more than a symbol of our nation.  It is an object lesson, reminding us of the great debt we owe those who have gone before us and encouraging us to carry on in their stead.

So it is with the cross.  When I consider it, I am reminded of what has been done for me as the apostle Paul wrote, “The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (1^st Corinthians 1:18).

Though God has not officially designated the cross as a symbol for His Son’s church, its reality and concept is of course an inextricable part of our heritage as Christians.  What has been designated by Jesus Himself, is an intimate time of communion with Him and with one another.  As we share each Lord’s day in eating the unleavened bread of the His supper and drinking the juice of the grape, we envision His body and blood and what they mean to us, and what He has done for us.  We remember our Lord as He despised the shame of the cross and looked beyond it to the joy that He was buying with His life which was our salvation, Hebrews 12:1-2.

These are two great object lessons.  For one we proudly stand and salute, for the other we humbly, yet joyfully bow our heads in gratitude.

Marty Kessler

In an age when some affirm there are no absolutes, seeking to justify loose moral and spiritual practices under the umbrella of toleration, it seems wise to note some biblical facts about people who miserably faltered and failed because they were almost obedient! After King Agrippa heard Paul’s testimony about Christ, he responded, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28 NKJ). There is no record that he ever did!

     Almost hot is lukewarm, which made the sinless Savior sick! He labeled such a soul as “the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Rev. 3:15-17). Almost becoming a Christian is like Micah, who thought himself all right before God (even with a graven image and household idols), after he hired a Levitical priest to come into his house (Judg. 17:8-13;18:18). Being almost a Christian is like the Ephraimities, who thought they were all right until they were called on to properly pronounce Shibboleth (resulting in 42,000 being killed—Judg. 12:4-7). When such a massive disaster resulted from inability to properly pronounce one word, what about people who try to justify a failure to properly do or declare some specific doctrine or decree (such as baptism for remission of sins-Acts 2:38;10:47f; Mk. 16:15,16; or to willfully sin by forsaking to assemble as the custom of some is-Heb. 10:24-31)? Being almost a Christian is like Ananias and Sappphira (both being struck dead by God), who got into Christ, gave a little and kept back a little, resulting in their being labeled as liars (Acts 5:1-11; Rev. 21-8). Being almost a Christian is like Eli’s sons, who, though they served as priests, polluted their service with the sacrifices they offered (I Sam. 1:3; 2:12-34;3:12-14;4:11). They died in shame! Being almost a Christian is like the five virgins, who carried lamps as they went to meet the bridegroom, but without any oil. They failed to prepare though they knew: 1. How to prepare; 2. Where to get the oil; 3. What they needed to be ready; 4. What was going to happen. They had a responsibility to do something, but they went to sleep, doing nothing! Thereafter, their pleading cry, “Lord, Open to us!” was greeted with the eternally sobering statement, “I know you not!” Matt. 25:1-13). Being almost a Christian is like the unwilling (to obey) son, who said he would work in the vineyard, but did not do what he promised. Jesus sternly said to such a soul, “Verily, I say unto you that the publicans and harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you” (Matt. 21:28-32).

     Good intentions are the Devil’s invention to stop short of spiritual service. An Almost Assumption can be deceptive and dangerous when dealing with the Almighty’s Absolutes (such as, He is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him [Heb. 5:8f], or Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” [Rev. 2:10]). No one will enjoy defending pretending when he or she stands before the Savior!  What a terrifying cost for those the Devil caught with Almost!

The above phrase is taken from the second letter the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, where he explained his “thorn in the flesh”, 12:7.

A great deal of study and speculation has centered around the question of just exactly what Paul’s thorn was.  Some believe it was an eye problem, and there appears to be some evidence for that.  The apostle at least sometimes used an amanuensis, one who took dictation, rather than do the writing himself, Romans 16:22, and other passages seem to indicate that writing with his own hand may have been unusual, such as 1^st Corinthians 16:21 & 2^nd Thessalonians 3:17.  He also used large letters at least one time when he wrote and specifically mentioned this, which letters may have been oversized to accommodate weak sight, Galatians 6:11.

But then again, what if Paul’s thorn was more deeply rooted in some spiritual struggle?  He contrasted the flesh with the Spirit in Galatians 5:16-21 naming a long list of the sinful works of the flesh.  Was his thorn possibly some plaguing desire with which he had to cope on a regular basis?  Who knows?  Only Paul and the Good Lord know.

At any rate, if we focus on the question of what the thorn was, we miss the point.

What was and remains the point is that God was dealing with Paul as with a son.  The letter to the Hebrews (perhaps written by Paul) quotes Proverbs:

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.

Hebrews 12:5-6

Why did God deal lovingly, yet painfully, with Paul?  The apostle himself says that it was to prevent him from being lifted up with pride.  Pride, apparently Satan’s motivation to rebellion, was noted by Paul as he dictated the qualifications of overseers:

             …not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into

             the condemnation incurred by the devil.                       1^st Timothy 3:6

John names only three categories of sin, the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life, 1^st John 2:15-17.  All three categories were involved when Satan tempted Eve, and also when he tempted our Lord Jesus, Genesis 3:1-7 & Matthew 4:1-11 respectively.  Think about it.  For how much temptation and sin does our pride account?

How did Paul respond to his pride-preventing thorn?  He accepted, and rather learned to prefer, the power God gave him to cope with his thorn rather than to be delivered from it (see 2^nd Corinthians 12:8-10) .  That is truly a servant’s heart.  It is of interest to me that the true character of Almighty God cannot be revealed in a heart of pride, but rather in one of humility.

Marty Kessler

For the Christian, true worship should constitute the highest of privileges and most exalted of experiences. It draws us closer to God and heightens our commitment to His blessed will. While worship may be personal or public, real worship will always be preceded by an intense desire to ascribe praise, honor, glory, and reverence to the God upon whom we are completely dependent. Public worship should not be entered into haphazardly. In order to better prepare ourselves for public worship that truly exalts and magnifies God, carefully consider the following questions:

· Am I coming before God to worship Him with a sincere heart? (John 4:24).

· Am I allowing my relationship with others to serve as a stumbling block in keeping me from the proper worship of God? (Matt 5:23-24; 1 John 4:20).

· Am I drawing near to God in purity and holiness, or am I allowing sin to be a barrier between God and me? (1 John 1:6-10).

· Am I fixing my vision on the Lord of glory to such an extent that my hungering desire is to draw near to Him? (Matthew 5:6; James 4:8).

· Am I singing enthusiastically, praying fervently, giving cheerfully, and lovingly remembering Jesus during the Lord’s Supper? (1 Corinthians 14:15,11:23-28;

      2 Corinthians 9:7).

· Am I coming to God in worship with the full knowledge that the only reason I have such precious access to God is because of what Jesus did for me at Calvary? (Matthew 27:51; Acts 4:12).

· Am I worshipping solely to “see what I can get out of it”, or is my heart’s desire to offer praise, thanksgiving, and glory to my Lord and King? (Rev. 4:8-11).

· Am I willing to let God break me, and make me a vessel of honor for His service as a result of having been in His presence for worship? (2 Tim. 2:21)

Borrowed from Mike Vestal, The Eastside Edifier, Muskogee

If I were an atheist, I would not try to convert anyone to my way of thinking.  What would be the purpose?  Logically, if there is no God, nothing matters.  There is no purpose.  There is no purpose in life or in anything.  There is no such thing as morality; no right or wrong to be done.  To argue against the existence of someone, or something that doesn‘t exist would be to waste my time, and without God, time is all I‘ve got. 

If I were an atheist, the last thing I would want to do would be to convert those who claim to be Christians to my way of thinking.  They are the ones who build the hospitals and orphanages and work to relieve a great deal of the desperation in this world making it a safer place for me to live.  So much of crime, political unrest, economic woes, even war and more come from human desperation.  If these deluded Christians want to help the desperate and thereby offset some of these negatives that would otherwise tend to make my existence less pleasant, all the better.

If I were an atheist, I would not discourage Christians, since they are the ones who initially established the institutions of higher learning.  That’s right, look it up if you are unfamiliar with this fact.  Pick any Ivy League school in the United States of America and research how they began.  Their purpose was to educate the masses in all things, but especially in what they believed to be the word of God, that is the Bible.  Today, these colleges and universities are veritable bastions of atheism.  How ironic, and how good for my side!  Perhaps that one they call the apostle of Jesus was right when he said, “knowledge makes arrogant” (1^st Corinthians 8:1).  In this case, arrogance against God.

If I were an atheist, I grant (not being one) that I might be a little confused by all of the religious, especially “Christian”, division and contradiction that is in the world.  Depending on how I was raised, I may know very little about any religion except what I see on television.  There sure enough are some “crazies” out there who take things to extremes, and that can give one a skewed view for sure.

In spite of the above, if I were an atheist, I would be without excuse for my atheism.  Why?  I would be without excuse because the entire creation is itself an irrefutable evidence of His existence (see Romans 1:18-20).  How could the beauty of this universe exist in such order without a purposeful designer who had the power and resources necessary to pull it off?  Even more important, how could a purely material, unguided, purposeless universe be responsible for “creating” the immaterial quality I, and every other human being possesses of being able to appreciate all of this beauty?  The simplest sense of aesthetics transcends all things material!  Yes, though confusion may exist in my mind regarding religion, there can be no confusion over the existence of someone greater than me who is responsible for all I see.

If I were an atheist and I thought about it….. well, then I would not be an atheist.

Marty Kessler

If you were to ask an honest saint how their prayer life is going, most will likely tell you that their prayer life is poor. If prayer is so highly praised and so encouraged in the Bible, how come we don’t pray as often or as fervently as we should? Here are a few thoughts.

Prayer life is adversely affected at various times and to various degrees by:

1. The sneaking feeling that prayer doesn’t really work

2. Personal guilt which makes us feel unworthy to pray

3. A schedule too full to make room for habitual prayer

4. Ignorance about how to pray which leads to boredom during prayer periods

5. Ignorance concerning the specific will of God which renders me unable to intelligently ask for many things

6. The knowledge that God already knows (and has heard again and again) what I’m going to say

There are others. But there are many things which aid a Christian’s quest for a vibrant prayer life. Here are a few of them:

1. The word “Father”. We have a unique special relationship with God Almighty

2. The example of Jesus

3. Prayers that have been clearly answered

4. Good study habits

5. An honest attempt to live a life pleasing to God

6. Being around praying people

7. Writing my prayers and keeping my Bible open during prayer periods which enables me to have a mind full of fresh things to speak to God about

Perhaps our prayer life is a true reflection of what’s really in our heart. Or perhaps we know that we need to and want to do better in expressing the feelings of our heart to God. I believe we can do a lot better when we focus our attention on prayer and from putting our time and effort into prayer. The promised benefits are enormous.

Love, Harold

Adapted from “The Book of Romans” by Jim McGuiggan, page 57.

Just what is a primitive life form?  Are we talking small?  Because if we are talking about the smallest, tiniest microorganism, then we are talking about a “nano-bio-technology” that modern day technicians are trying very hard to emulate and can‘t even come close.  Nothing man-made can begin to approach the complexity and efficiency of even the simplest microorganism.  And we should note at this point that what the world’s most talented and capable scientists, technicians and researchers have accomplished in reducing the size of technology, has been done with epic amounts of intelligence being applied.

Just what is a primitive life form?  Are we talking simple?  Though some organisms appear simpler than others, there is not a single living organism, micro or otherwise, that can accurately be described as “simple“.  After all, any life form that could be classified as simple, ought to be fairly simple to figure out.  I mean shouldn’t a reasonable amount of research reveal what it is that makes a “simple” microorganism alive in the first place?  Yet, with all of the honest research that’s been done, and all of the intelligence that has been applied, there is still no answer to the question, “What is life?”  And how can this be so when the intelligence being applied to understand them supposedly arose from them in the first place?  But then how did consciousness arise from mere matter?  It is indeed quite an exercise in faith to believe that all of this has come about by itself.

What do qualified researchers say about so-called primitive life forms?  In 2003, Peter Kennelly, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry at Virginia Tech, was given a $400,000 grant to continue his ongoing investigations into the process of protein phosphorylation in primitive microorganisms.  Dr. Kennelly is therefore well qualified to describe the activities of some of the simplest known microorganisms as follows:

                 Survival in a dynamic external environment demands the ability to monitor and respond to a wide range of internal and external variables, or signals. The binding of a signal to its receptor initiates a sequence or “cascade” of  molecular events inside the cell that modulate relevant metabolic, nuclear, motile, or other processes. The transmission of an often extra cellular receptor binding event into the interior of the cell and its translation into a catalytic or other response is called signal transduction. To be consistently successful in nature’s continual competition for scarce resources, such responses must be rapid and efficient.  Efficiency demands that the response be comprehensive in scope to ensure against wastage of either materials or energy.  This task is rendered challengingly complex by the cacophony of competing and contradictory signals that may bombard the cell at any single instant. 

Nature creates sophisticated microprocessors from the simple organic components that reside within cells in essentially the same way as man builds computers with organic materials. (quoted from Virginia Tech’s biochemistry website)

Nature creates?  Doesn’t that require intelligence?  Doesn’t that require forethought?  Wouldn’t that be true especially in light of the fact that what has been created far exceeds what we can do, or even figure out, with intelligence?

And how does something so “simple” do all of that sophisticated micro processing so well?  How did the very first life form learn to do all of that and then replicate itself so that the process could continue?  What did the first life form eat, if it was the first life form?  If it were not perfectly equipped to do all of that and more, how did it survive to become us?  Questions, questions…..maybe it is simpler than we think (read Genesis chapter #1).

Let’s put things into perspective:  What would you think if a group of liars decided that the rest of us needed to be forced into accepting that there is nothing wrong with lying?  What if these liars sought to amend local, state and even national laws to provide special protection for liars, and even demanded that school curriculums be amended to teach all of our children that lying is an acceptable way of life?  Would you be opposed to these liars, or would you quietly stand aside and let them have their way?

What if a group of adulterers petitioned Washington and marched in the streets to force the rest of us to accept adultery as a bona fide and respectable way to live?  What if Hollywood joined them, producing television shows and movies that were specially scripted to brainwash us away from “old fashioned”, “foolish”, and “out-dated” ideas about marital fidelity and into the more enlightened and civilized approach of the freedom of the floozy? (Actually, they have been working at this for years now.)

What if thieves banded together claiming that kleptomania was a natural condition that rendered them guiltless of any sinful behavior when they practiced their thievery?  What would you do if they collaborated with Disney World to have an annual “Thieves’ Day” at their park, and organized “Bandit Pride” parades all over the country?

What if any who spoke out against the wholesale, public vindication of lying, adultery and theft were immediately castigated as bigots and persecutors and branded as “liar-ophobes”, “adulterer-ophobes” or “thief-ophobes“?

What if supposed scientific and medical research authorities were enlisted by these groups to compel us to accept that people are born to be liars, adulterers and thieves?  What if other so-called religious authorities jumped on the bandwagon telling us that the things the Bible and especially the apostle Paul has said that we believed for centuries to be obvious condemnations of lying, adultery and theft were actually misunderstood until superior modern scholarship liberated us from such restrictive thinking?

Well, at the moment I don’t know of any actual, nationally recognized organizations of adulterers, liars or thieves that are trying to force us into accepting those behaviors as normal and natural.  Sure, plenty of people practice those behaviors, but for the most part, they don’t petition our governments for a change of laws in their favor or try to use the public school system to teach our children that such is acceptable and honorable.

But a great many gay and lesbian people are doing these things and more.  Should they be persecuted?  Absolutely not!  But since when is it persecution to speak out against sinful behavior?  When did it become unloving to speak out against immorality?

I’m just curious… What do you suppose would happen if someone were to suggest that a law should be considered that would make it mandatory that every home in the nation have a Bible?  Do you think they would catch any flak from that?

Marty Kessler

     Paul gave the title to this article in Ephesians 6:10. With so many God-given principles and Divine precepts under attack in our liberated, tolerate-anything culture, Christians need to equip themselves with Paul’s prescribed spiritual armor, developing the right disposition to deal with “the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:10-19). Charles Spurgeon gave a good example of being strong in the Lord by a woman, seeking to serve God.

     This woman “wanted the use of a school-house for a Sunday school. The man to whom she had to apply was a skeptic; and before going to him, she asked God that she might have the house. She then asked the man, and he said: ‘No! The school-house was built for secular learning, and we want none of your Bible nonsense.’

     ‘Well,’ said the woman, ‘I didn’t ask you first: I asked a higher One than you, and I believe I shall get what I want, because I mean to pray for it until I do; for, do you know that when I pray with all my heart, there is something that always gives way? Sometimes it is a man’s health, sometimes his life, but always something, and I am certain when I get the full strain of prayer on, something will snap.’

     And something did snap. The man couldn’t get the matter of this woman’s praying out of his mind, and he sent word to her that she might have the house.” 1

     This woman did several things well: 1. She prayed repeatedly to God. 2. She trusted God (James 1:2-7). 3. She manifested a kind, confident trust in God before the one opposing her. 4. She confidently affirmed that God is stronger than man (cf Rom. 3:4). 5. She intended to keep praying until what was right prevailed. There is the spirit of Hebrews 13:6: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?”

     Brethren, develop a love for all men-even enemies (Matt. 5:44), but be strong in the Lord (11 Tim. 1:7), resisting even the Devil (James 4:7), redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-18)!

1 Joseph Sanderson, ED., The Pulpit Treasury, E.B. Tread, New York, 1884, p.573.

A Brief Tribute To My Mother,

And To All Those Like Her Everywhere

If you would, please indulge me in a bit of personal reflection.  As I write this, just a few days before Mothers’ Day 2009, my own mother is a new resident in a nursing home near “the old home place” back in West Virginia.

She lived in the house she and Dad built for us back in 1963-64, until her poor health and failing mentality dictated that that arrangement would no longer be safe for her.  It is difficult to be forced into making decisions for a parent who previously was so capable of making her own.  Thankfully, she and Dad raised four children, instilling in them whatever values it takes to make it second nature for us to love one another and to honor them.  I say that to say that it was a decision we agonized over but then made together.

Dad died back in March of 1970 and the last of us kids left home in 1974, so Mom has been “on her own” for the last 35 years.  She could have remarried, and had plenty of would-be suitors, but remained unmarried.  One reason was that she said that she could never find another one like Daddy.  But her other reason was that she feared that any man she married might somehow interfere with her being with her children when and where she wanted to.  So she lived alone all these past years, in large part so she could be with her children and grandchildren any time the opportunity presented itself.

It fell to the four of us kids (I say kids, but I’m the youngest at 52) to decide what to do with her estate (that‘s what you call it, no matter how humble it is).  As we went through niches and cubbies, finding old photographs and such, we were reminded of what a strong, intelligent and vibrant woman our mother once was.  So often when you look at one who has grown older, you forget that they have not always been that way.

It was impressed on me once again, that our mother was once young and beautiful with all of her life ahead of her.  What did she do with her life?  The old photos tell the story.  She gave her life to the Lord, to Dad, and to us.  We have a million memories of special treats she would bake, feast-like meals she would prepare, good times at holidays and while traveling all over the country or receiving guests to stay with us.  Birthdays were special, as were any good grades on report cards and the masterpieces we would bring home from school.  I remember that Mom kept her house spotless, yet never seemed to expect that of others.  She kept us well dressed and groomed, but made it clear that making fun of any who weren’t would not be tolerated.  She took us with her to church whenever the doors were opened, but I never heard a self-righteous word from her concerning others who never darkened those same doors.

She never got past the 8^th grade, yet gave us an education that all the scholarship money in the world could never buy in any of the great universities.  She taught us the value of hard work and humility, of faith and generosity, of kindness and respect for others that in turn allows you to have respect for yourself.

What more can I say in such a brief space?  So much changed when Dad died.  Life without him, even after 39 years, has not been the same.  But I know that when Mom is gone, everything will change.  We will sell the old house, but that will be ok.  Without Mom there, it really isn’t home anymore anyway.

If you are one of the fortunate ones to still have your mother in mind and body, thank God, and then go show that woman who gave you life how much you love her.

Marty Kessler

The above name is given to the existence of billions of widely diversified and fully developed life forms in the lowest layers of earth’s sedimentary strata.  The fossil record should, if we assume the so-called theory of evolution to be accurate, show very gradual change from the supposed first simple life forms to the more complex ones that are thought to have evolved later, after eons and eons of change.

(I say “so-called” because any theory that contradicts known laws of science, such as the law of bio-genesis and the first two laws of thermodynamics, should not be accepted as a plausible theory in the first place, though it is not merely accepted, but dogmatically embraced by many.)

The fact that these lowest, and we would be led to conclude, earliest strata layers, contain such varied and complex creatures in such abundance, is without sufficient evolutionary explanation.  They just “explode” on the scene, if we use the layers of strata as our basis for measurement of ancient time.

I believe that the real problem is that we are improperly interpreting the existence of the strata layers themselves, much less the fossils we find in them.  When we speak of “strata”, we mean layers of water born sediments that have hardened into rock.  These layers of strata are not rarities that you find here and there in special places.  Rather, they literally cover the entire surface of the earth!  When did they do that?  When was the entire surface of the earth covered with water?

Typically, evolutionists believe that the Cambrian explosion occurred well over 500 million years ago.  That’s when the first layer(s) of earth’s strata would have been laid down according to them.  What caused them to be laid down?  Well, we are asked to assume that there were ancient seas in places where there are no seas now.  Really, I’m not trying to be difficult, but I have to ask, “Where did all that water come from in the first place?”  Didn’t earth originate from another kind of really hot explosion (the so-called “big-bang”) that would have vaporized anything even closely resembling water?  Oh well, that’s another matter for another time I suppose.  

Instead of the unexplained ancient seas, could a world-wide flood have deposited these sediments all over the surface of the planet?  The strata and the fossils they contain are witnesses to such.  After all, if there had been a flood on such a scale as that, wouldn’t you expect to find resulting layers of sediment?  Wouldn’t there be lots of dead things buried in these sediments?  In fact, wouldn’t even the first layers, that is the lowest layers that remain today, have within them dead plants and critters that were alive at the time of this flood?  Don’t we find innumerable fossilized remains of plants, animals, insects, fish, birds and even people, all over the face of the earth (not to mention huge stores of petroleum and natural gases that are also evidence of a prolific biology that was catastrophically inundated)?

Well, if it wasn’t a flood, why is it that every human culture has a flood story in its history?  I find it interesting that surprisingly few cultures (in fact, none of which I am aware) have an ancient “big-bang” theory in their history.

Marty Kessler

(1^st John 3:13)

The “Miss U.S.A.” pageant is over, and Carrie Prejean, Miss California did not win.  Miss North Carolina did win, a beautiful and talented young lady to be sure, but under the circumstances, one must wonder if Miss California was not a victim of bigotry.

It all stems from her answer to the very politically charged question she was asked as a part of the competitive pageant process.  The question, from Perez Hilton, a well-known gay activist was:

“Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit, why or why not?”

Her response was:

“In my country and in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman… no offense to anybody out there…”

For expressing her views, Mr. Hilton openly called her a dumb (expletive) and said that if she had won, he would have gone up on stage and taken her crown.  Hmmm…. Being a judge, I wonder how he scored her for answering the question honestly, rather than politically correctly? 

In an interview with Matt Lauer, one of the hosts of NBC’s Today Show, Matt essentially asked Mr. Hilton how he expected Carrie to answer the question.  He replied,

“I expected Miss California to have been prepared for that question, especially because she is Miss California, the state that recently passed Proposition #8 banning gays and lesbians from marrying”

But she was prepared to answer Mr. Hilton’s question.  As a matter of fact, she apparently answered the question the same way over 52% of the voters in California answered it in a recent election where the decision was against same sex marriage.

Matt Lauer again asked Mr. Hilton, “Are we ushering in a new era here, where these contestants are going to be subjectively judged on political and moral and religious beliefs?”  To which Hilton replied, “I hope not Matt.  I personally would have appreciated it had she left her politics and her religion out because Miss U.S.A. represents all Americans.”

Really?  You hope not, Mr. Hilton?  Then why ask a question that obviously involves both politics and religion?  And I have to wonder if Mr. Hilton would have been equally as upset had the political and religious view she expressed been the same as his?

Why is this guy a judge at a Miss U.S.A. pageant in the first place?  And why does a nation such as ours give him such a public voice?

Are you paying attention, Christian?  If you don’t think we are at war, think again.

Marty Kessler

27:26 - Jesus is scourged, a whipping so violent that its victims often died
27:27-31 - Delivered over to the Roman soldiers (who almost certainly had learned to hate
the Jews and likely see Jesus as just one more of these people who hate them and kill their comrades
in ambushes and such) they gather around Him:
Stripping Him of His own garments, they put on Him a scarlet robe
They twist thorns together to make a crown and put it on His head
They put a reed in His right hand as a scepter and kneel before Him in order to mock Him as
“King of the Jews”
They spat on Him
He was beaten on the head with the reed
They took the robe from His scourged back and put His own clothing back on Him
He was led away publicly through the crowd to be crucified
He bore His own cross at first (John 19:17), but for whatever reason the soldiers later compelled
Simon of Cyrene to carry it (no gospel records anywhere that He fell)
Immediately prior to His crucifixion, He was offered wine mixed with gall, but upon tasting it
refused to drink it
He was crucified, being nailed to the cross
He was crucified publicly, put on open display as a criminal, among criminals
The charge against Him was clearly, yet in its context, mockingly written in Hebrew, Latin
and Greek, JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS
Having crucified Him, the soldiers parted his clothing among themselves and then gambled
for possession of His tunic
Rather than leave Him to die in peace, passersby mocked Him, hurling insults along with the
chief priests, scribes and elders who even mocked His faith in His Father… as if these are
not enough, even the criminals crucified beside Him insulted Him with the same words
Thinking He has called out for Elijah, they seem to find entertainment in watching to see
whether Elijah will come for Him
Jesus yielded up His own spirit (see John 10:17-18).
Marty Kessler

*“Instant Obedience,” The Pulpit Treasury, J. Sanderson, ed., Vol. 1,E.B. Treat, New York, 1884,
p.318.

Simple things Jesus mentioned that would matter in the judgment were, feeding the
hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting prisoners, caring for the sick, showing
hospitality to strangers, clothing the naked and the like, Matthew 25:34-36. James
later defined true and undefiled religion as caring for widows and orphans and keeping
oneself unspotted by the world, James 1:27.
I find it interesting that in the judgment scene mentioned above (Matthew 25:31-
46), no one is sent into eternal punishment for the reasons we normally think of.
No one is sent away from God because they were murderers, liars, thieves, fornicators,
adulterers, kidnappers, abusers, or any of the other sinful behaviors with which
we are familiar. Rather, those who are condemned to the eternal fire are those who
simply did not do the good that they knew to do. Why did Jesus put it this way?
My guess is that we already understand the ‘really bad sins’. What we need to learn
is that neglecting to do good when and where we can is just as wrong.
When Jesus gave the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30), He said that they
were sown among the wheat by an enemy while we slept. Perhaps there is more to
this sleeping part than mere incidence.
Marty Kessler

Use Your Worship - How would your neighbors assess your value of God by your interest
in learning His word and being with His people? Be so regular in not forsaking the
assembly of the saints that they know exactly where you will be three times a week.
Would you want those who see your present commitment to the Lord be compelled by
it to look into building their own relationship with Him? Jesus said that His Father is
looking for true worshipers, John 4:23. Let that describe you!

Use Your Family life - Be an active, positive member of your family. Let the whole
world see you nurturing, promoting and encouraging godly attitudes such as love, patience,
understanding, compassion, forbearance, and forgiveness towards members of
your family. Imagine your neighbors as the proverbial flies on the wall in your home and
let them see and hear things from you there that reflect the Spirit of Christ. Be a faithful,
loving and responsible husband or wife. The book says in regard to mere financial
matters, that those who do not provide for their own have denied the faith and are worse
than unbelievers, 1st Timothy 5:8. How much more must this be true in regard to
weightier, spiritual things?

Use Even Your Home - Does the appearance of your property reflect order and decency?
The book says that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, and also that all
things should be done with decency and order, 1st Corinthians 14:33 & 40. As we see
order everywhere in the Lord’s universe, it seems that this same orderliness should be
exampled by our lives in as much as we can.