BROKEN TO BE BLESSED

"Jacob then named the place Peniel, 'For I have seen God face to face,' [he said,] 'and I have been delivered.' The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel--limping because of his hip." (Genesis 32:30, 31 HCSB)

Jacob was broken to be blessed; crippled to be crowned.

God is the Potter and we are the clay. He will shape us according to His design for us. When He puts us on the wheel, He begins to apply the pressure of circumstances--sometimes gently caressing the clay and often more firmly. The Potter may even have to break us and start over.

This lesson was learned in art class. I recall some measure of joy as I began to mold the wet clay, spinning on the wheel, the clay beginning to yield to my hands--a vessel taking shape. Then, to my dismay, it started to come apart! Some grit had gotten mixed in with the clay and to continue meant the impurity had to be removed, the clay broken down, and starting the process again.

That was what God had to do to Jacob. The man had such stubbornness in him; the schemer always had a plan percolating in his cranium. No matter whether it was God's will or even if it was God's will, but done in the wrong way--Jacob had an agenda and he was going to achieve it. He wanted God's blessing and like so many of us was able to rationalize that what Jacob desired was according to God's plan. This folly was not just a lapse, it was a lifestyle--stubborn grit embedded in the human clay. To be the vessel God would use to bless the world, the Potter would have to break him.

It happened one dark night. Jacob's mood was darker still. He sat alone, bowed under a burden of doubt, his mind muddled with fear. What to do? How could he find a way out of this corner he had painted himself into? Esau was on the road to meet him--the brother whom he had cheated--this sibling he had fled Canaan to escape from--with his violent, vengeful hands longing to be put around Jacob's throat. The reports were that a small army was with him. With Jacob, there were mostly women and a lot of children. The odds were stacked against him.

Those thoughts were suddenly interrupted when strong hands did grab him! Jacob reacted instinctively to the threat. He did what he always did--he fought back. Surely, it was Esau come to get even.

No--not Esau, neither one of Esau's men--it was God Himself--taking the form He sometimes did in the Old Testament era, as the Angel of the Lord. The wrestling bout was a microcosm of the patriarch's life--wrestling with the will of God, clay resisting the Potter's hand. It was time to break Jacob.

Why did God not quickly impose His will on the man? Surely, He had the power to overcome Jacob! Yet, God condescends to wrestle with Jacob. It had been that way for decades, but now it was coming to the final round. God wants to do more than overpower Jacob and have him cry, "Uncle! Uncle!" God wants his heart, his love, his worship and for him instead to cry, "Father|"

The decisive moment comes as God puts Jacob's hip out of joint. The wrestling match essentially over--the grappler became a clinger, the fighter became a beggar. Jacob is a defeated, desperate man--right where God wanted him!

"What's your name?" That was the Lord's question. He wasn't seeking information; God was soliciting confession. So the answer comes: I am a cheat, a scoundrel, the twister, supplanter, heel-grabber--Jacob. That was his name--that was his nature. But, that night everything changed! God changed his name to Israel--the Prince of power with God--and, more importantly, that signified his change of nature. God still had some shaping to do--more pressure to apply--but, now He has good clay.

A new day dawns! Jacob--Israel--walks on the rest of life's journey with a limp. Every step was a painful reminder of the transformation in his life. Each step was to be a step of faith and not self-reliance. He was broken to be blessed; crippled to be crowned.

That painful circumstance in your life, the frustrated plans, the family strife, the financial struggle, the physical sickness--it could be a host of things--pressures you have prayed and asked God to remove. The prayer is unanswered and the blessing has been withdrawn. Maybe. It might be that your prayer is being answered in a better way and the blessing you desire is coming disguised as a burden. The darkest night in your life may yield to the dawn of your brightest day! It did for Jacob.

YOU'VE MADE YOUR BED, NOW LIE IN IT

"Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place." (Genesis 28:10, 11 HCSB)

It was a hard bed--a mattress of sod, a rock for a pillow and covered with a blanket of dew. Jacob had made his bed--now he would have to lie in it.

There are consequences for our actions. In Biblical vernacular, we reap what we sow. For most of his life, Jacob would work diligently to scheme his way around this principle. It came naturally for him. God would eventually break him--but it would be a long and painful process.

Perhaps you have been the recipient of a special gift called "the strong-willed child." Days were marked with discipline. It was a battle over everything! If you are currently trying to raise such a child, he or she is likely climbing over you as you wrestle with him or her in exasperation, vainly trying to read these words--a Tasmanian devil on your lap!

That was Jacob. He entered the world by grabbing his twin brother's heel. Esau might be the first-born, but Jacob would fight him over it. Conniving, plotting, cheating--whatever it took--he wanted the birthright and the blessing, which came to the eldest son. He got it. God had foreordained it. But, rather than rely on the Lord to fulfill His will in His way, Jacob would "take the bull by the horns." He could have adopted the Frank Sinatra lyrics as his theme song, "I did it my way!"

He made his bed, now he would have to lie in it.

Conspiring with his mother, concealing his identity from his father, cheating his brother--that made for a hard bed. Jacob left home, leaving behind a disappointed father, a broken-hearted mother and a brother seething with fury. Jacob was a "mama's boy" but he would never see his mother again. It would be many years before Jacob would finally make it back home. His dear mother would be long dead.

He made his bed, now he would have to lie in it.

Jacob finds his way to kinfolk in Haran. There things seem to work according to plan--at first. He chooses a bride--a beauty named Rachel. But, Rachel has a father--Laban--every bit the scoundrel that Jacob was. Rachel also has a sister--Leah--as plain as her sister was pretty and to no one's surprise still unmarried. Laban would fix that. The wedding is over, the "bride" is waiting in a dark tent to consummate the marriage. Jacob waits up the next morning--surprise! It was Leah! The cheater has been cheated; the deceiver deceived. You reap what you sow.

Make your choices today carefully--prayerfully. Submit to God's will rather than strive for your will. When you make your bed, you will have to lie in it.

THE STANDARD FOR SERVANTS

"Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who managed all he owned, 'Place your hand under my thigh, and I will have you swear by the Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live, but will go to my land and my family to take a wife for my son Isaac.' " (Genesis 24:2-4 HCSB)

Eliezer was Abraham's servant--and it would be difficult to find one more faithful. He provides a model for all who would serve the Lord.

His qualities are on display in Genesis 24. There he is sent by Abraham on a mission to seek a bride for his son. God is doing that--sending us out to find a bride for His Son. Paul explained his assignment in a similar way when he said, "For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband-to present a pure virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:2 HCSB)

Eliezer sets the standard for servants in his PREPARATION. His faithfulness in little things had prepared him for the larger task. He had consistently served his master in the mundane activities of the daily grind. This is why he had risen to be the senior steward of all Abraham's many servants. You will not be ready for the big assignment until you have proven reliable in the smaller ones.

We see his standard in his PASSION. There is no hesitation in his response. Abraham calls and Eliezer enthusiastically embraces the mission. He doesn't pause to question, or to seek excuses. His life was about service. He ate, drank and breathed devotion to his master. What I have seen often in Christian service is people who know in their head what they should be doing, but often lack in their heart the passion for serving. It requires both knowledge and zeal. Knowledge without zeal means you don't show up. Zeal without knowledge means you will blow up. Zeal with knowledge means you will grow up. Do you have a passion to perform for the Master?

There is the standard set in his PRAYER. He seeks God's direction. Over and again we find Eliezer calling upon the Lord. Humble reliance upon God marked him. When Christ commissioned His disciples to go into the world and seek His bride, He commanded them first to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. So, they prayed and the power came. It was a church birthed, bathed and built in prayer--and the world was turned upside down! We don't need better methods today, we need better men--men and women of prayer!

Then we see Eliezer's PERCEPTION. Arriving at a strategic spot, he waits--and watches. He is looking to see where God is moving and then he will move. He spots Rebekah, casts out the bait, she bites and he reels her in! What a catch! Think about the people Jesus saw: some fishermen tending their nets, a tax-collector doing his work, a thirsty woman drawing water, a crippled man begging for help, a short fellow perched in a tree--and so many more. That perception led to transformation! Christ's followers did likewise. Peter and John see a cripple begging outside the temple, Philip sees a man reading the Scripture while riding in a chariot, Barnabas sees the gracious activity of God among Gentiles and Paul sees pagans worshipping at the altar of an unknown God they need to know. Jesus said, "Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest." (John 4:35b HCSB)

We hear Eliezer set the standard in his PROCLAMATION. He has some good news to share! Isaac--a most eligible bachelor--is presenting a marriage proposal to a potential bride through his servant. Thus, we go with a message of love to the world, calling people into a relationship with Christ. Like Eliezer, we cannot limit our audience to our neighborhood, but be willing to journey far and wide. God has sent us into the highways and by-ways of life to invite people to the great marriage supper.

Abraham's superlative servant shows his PERSISTENCE. From start to finish, his journey was arduous without assurance of success. But, we find him pressing on. Even after finding Rebekah, her brother Laban tries to slow things down, but Eliezer feels such an urgency about completing his assignment that he persists and insists on a decision. Seeking souls to bring to Jesus will not be an easy job. There will be plenty of opportunities to give up. One of the subtle temptations is procrastination. "I know I need to share the Gospel with my Dad." "I'm going to talk to my neighbor about Christ--soon." But delayed obedience is disobedience. Your persistence will not guarantee a favorable response--no more than Eliezer could have been certain of it--but, failure is assured if we don't make the effort!

Mark the model of Eliezer's PRESENTATION. He presents gracious gifts--riches and robes. "Then he brought out objects of silver and gold, and garments, and gave [them] to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother." (Genesis 24:53 HCSB) As we share the Gospel we are calling people to new life in which they will be rewarded with the riches of God's grace and robed in the righteousness of God's justification. Best of all, he presents a beauty to the bridegroom. It was love at first sight! What joy the old servant must have felt in a job well done!

That is the temporal joy of the servant of God and the eternal bliss he or she will know when we have been faithful. Let us go and do likewise!

PILGRIM PATHS

"And Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines for many days." (Genesis 21:34 HCSB)

"But it's not Thanksgiving!" you might be thinking. When we hear the word "pilgrim" you may tend to think of people who wore stove top hats with belt buckles on them, who took their blunderbuss and shot a turkey, then invited the Indians to join them for a Thanksgiving feast. Those were pilgrims, but not for those reasons. These had come to the New World fleeing religious persecution, traveling so many weary miles with a longing to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. They had the sense they were being directed by God and moved out in faith and obedience. That's what pilgrims do. That's what Abraham did.

"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:8-10 HCSB)

The lives of the patriarchs--Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--are marked by their movement from place to place--strangers in a strange land, tumbleweeds blown by the winds of God's will. Always on the ready to pull up the tent pegs, pack up and head out--ever with the longing for their real home in heaven--these are pilgrim paths.

Those paths take Abraham and his family into several places and differing challenges in Genesis 20-23. The pilgrim paths lead them into peril, promise, provision and pain, each with its unique crossroad between crisis and opportunity--an occasion for the pilgrim's progress or regress.

Genesis 20 is about LIES. We've heard this song before. "It's deja vu, all over again," as Yogi Berra said. "From there Abraham traveled to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived in Gerar, Abraham said about his wife Sarah, 'She is my sister.' So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him." (Genesis 20:1, 2 HCSB)

It was the same devilish dead-end Abraham had taken before (see 12:10-19) and he winds up in the same ditch! Thankfully, God pulled him out again. We may react in shock. The liberal and skeptic scornfully says this is just another version of the same story. The reality is that we are slow to learn. Our head can be so hard and our heart so unbelieving. Sin is a stubborn thing. Once certain patterns develop in us, it is easy to slip into that rut again. Like an old logging road, where heavy trucks travel repeatedly, the driver doesn't have to try to get the wheels in the ruts. It's easy. As pilgrims we will face repeated detours and dead-ends. We had best heed the warning of the children's song, "Be careful little feet, where you go!"

Genesis 21 is about LAUGHS. "Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, 'God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.' She also said, 'Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.' " (Genesis 21:5-7 HCSB)

What did they name the boy? Laughter! That is what the name Isaac means. When God promised Abraham that he would have a son in his old age, Sarah was eavesdropping, and laughed scornfully at the possibility (18:10-15). Now, a year later, the old couple is giggling with delight as they look into the face of "Laughter." God gets the last laugh! There is more laughter in the chapter--not of those being merry, but one bringing mockery. Ishmael scorns his younger half-brother. There is strife in the home. Hagar is driven out. The conflict continues to this day between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael--the Jews and Arabs. That struggle hasn't brought any smiles, but a lot of sorrows across the years--many tears! But, again, God will get the last laugh. Peace will come to the Middle East (and the world) when the Prince of Peace, Jesus of Abraham's seed returns and reconciles His brethren to God and to each other in the Millennium. The church has a role in this today as we share the Gospel with Jews and Arabs and the laughter resounds, "there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:7a).

Genesis 22 is about LOVES. "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he answered. 'Take your son,' He said, 'your only [son] Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.' " (Genesis 22:1, 2 HCSB)

How Abraham loved Isaac! The test: did he love God more? God demands that there be no higher love. Jesus said that to love God with all our being was the Great Commandment. We must love Him so exclusively and extravagantly that even love for family would seem as hate in comparison (Luke 14:26). God isn't really asking us to love family less, just to love Him most. The greatest gift we can give our children is a life sold out to God. This opens up the avenue of God's provision. Abraham passed the test and God revealed Himself as Jehovah Jireh--the LORD our Provider (22:14). It is an incredible picture of substitutionary atonement--of God providing a sacrifice in Isaac's place--a preview of the Father's love for us in giving His only Son to save us--all on another mountain--not Moriah, but Golgotha! Give Him your love--your life! "Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1 HCSB)

Genesis 23 is about LOSSES. "Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her." (Genesis 23:2 HCSB)

It was the loss of a darling wife for Abraham and of a dear mother for Isaac. The pilgrim path sooner or later takes us into the cemetery. Being people of faith doesn't shield us from the sorrows of our frail mortality. God will wipe away the tears, but that is because there are tears needing to be dried. We are grateful for the grace that sustains us in the graveyard and for the glory that awaits in the heavens--but we are not home yet. We are pilgrims, looking for a city--the New Jerusalem whose Builder is God. We look for a city, but often through eyes dimmed by tears. Press on pilgrim! God walks with you!

"While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But, when trav'ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!" (Eliza Hewitt)

THE TIPPING POINT

"Then out of the sky the Lord rained burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord." (Genesis 19:24 HCSB)

Malcom Gladwell wrote a best-selling book called, "The Tipping Point." He draws the theme from the realm of physics and sociology where the word is used, as he frames it, "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point." In terms of societal change, Gladwell wrote, "ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do."

In the nineteenth chapter of Genesis, we see that Sodom had exceeded the tipping point. Evil had become an epidemic--a virus of vileness that cried out to the heavens for judgment. The disease, untreated, was terminal.

When a culture surrenders all pretense of decency and embraces deviancy as normalcy --even giving it celebrity--that society has reached the tipping point. Without timely and thorough repentance--a tipping point in turning to God from sin--judgment is inevitable. That was Sodom, where homosexuality had become synonymous with the city. This is the tipping point. Paul wrote,
For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.
This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. The males in the same way also left natural relations with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.
And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Although they know full well God's just sentence-that those who practice such things deserve to die-they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32 HCSB)
Can we read this and deny that America is at the tipping point? We are marching toward the abyss. We are perhaps teetering on the brink.

That's the bad news--but, there is one golden shaft of sunlight that breaks though the clouds. Abraham interceded for Sodom. He prayed for God to spare the city for the sake of Lot and his family who dwelt there. God said that if in the perverse populace only ten righteous people might be present, He would withhold His wrath! This is the hope--the difference God's people can make--as they function as light in a dark world. It doesn't take many to make a difference. They must begin to lead the nation to the tipping point of spiritual awakening.

The problem in Sodom wasn't really the corrupt culture, so much as a carnal "Christian." Lot had miserably failed to lead even his own family to faith, much less influence the city for God. Will such nauseating lukewarmness be the mark of our generation of church members? Lukewarm is comfortable. We become like our environment--not disturbed about the conduct of the world and the world not disquieted about the claims of the church. Old Vance Havner said it this way, "Baptists are many, but not much."

We are at the tipping point.

TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK

"After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.' ...Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:1, 6 HCSB)

Change is a part of life. We may like the change, resist the change, ignore the change, but we cannot avoid it. Change happens. The only decision we have is how we will respond to it. That will determine whether the change takes us forward or backward.

This is what we are seeing in the life of Abraham and Sarah. God uprooted them from home, planted them in Canaan and gave them the promise of fruitfulness. All seemed well until famine came and from there they fled to Egypt--driven by fear rather than being directed by faith. Returning back to the Promised Land, they settle into the daily round and blessing starts to flow. But, the prosperity brings potential strife between Abraham and his nephew Lot over the shortage of pasture. The next thing you know, the kinsmen part company. Nothing ever stays the same. Today will bring changes for you and for me. Whether they move us forward in faith or our steps falter in fear depends on our choice in those inevitable changes.

For Abraham it seems he takes two steps forward and one step back. He trusts God--mostly. He fails God--occasionally. Overall he makes progress--gaining ground in his journey toward the Celestial City, but sometimes taking a detour and even a dead end. Then it's time to turn around and get back on the right road. Thankfully, he had GPS (God's Providential Steering) to put him back on course. That is so descriptive of our own experience!

In chapters fourteen through sixteen of Genesis, we see this pattern in Abraham's progress. He takes two steps forward and one step back.

He steps forward with a courageous response of faith in chapter fourteen. Abraham received the report that his nephew Lot was taken in battle. Lot had moved near Sodom for financial advantage, but didn't stop with being in proximity to the wicked city. He and his family took up occupancy. Lot is gradually being pulled into the world--assimilated. Though a backslider, he was a believer and his crisis was meant by God for correction--discipline by a loving Father to his wayward child. Abraham acts with courageous faith, raising his own militia and marching out to rescue his kin. There are many of God's people who are held captive by the enemy. We ought to respond as Abraham did. "Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won't be tempted." (Galatians 6:1 HCSB)

He steps forward in a covenant relationship of faith in chapter fifteen. Abraham refuses the corrupting offer of reward from Sodom's vile rulers. God is pleased! God assures him that He is the reward! Abraham receives the promise by faith and enters a covenant of grace. "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6 HCSB) Nothing is more important than to be in a right standing before God. The New Testament uses this verse to underscore that this is the only way--a personal relationship with God through faith.

But, he steps back in a consequential rejection of faith in chapter sixteen. Pressured by his wife, Abraham decides to help God out. God has promised a baby to this old couple--and still no infant son has arrived. According to the custom of that culture, a servant could become surrogate parent and the child become the heir. "You've got to put feet to your prayer!" Perhaps that was the thinking. While there can at times be an element of truth to that--in this case it was an absolute disaster! It seemed at first as though God had blessed this scheme. Hagar has Ishmael. Abraham has a son. Things degenerated from that point, and the world still suffers the sad consequences of this rash action. Later, when Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah, the half-brothers get into conflict--and their descendants have been fighting ever since: Ishmael's descendants, the Arabs and Isaac's line, the Jews! Choices have consequences and what may seem at the time to be a small thing can have enormous implications!

We would do well to follow the counsel of the old hymn:

"Have faith in God when your pray'rs are unanswered,

Your earnest plea He will never forget;

Wait on the Lord, trust His Word and be patient,

Have faith in God, He'll answer yet." (B.B. McKinney)

DEALING WITH DIFFICULTIES

 

"There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe." (Genesis 12:10 HCSB)

"and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land." (Genesis 13:7 HCSB)

Faith untested is faith unproven. It is rather easy to profess faith when one walks through a lush meadow--a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers and the lyrics of larks to us--beneath an unclouded sky. The challenge is to possess faith when we must climb a steep, rocky path--a howling storm assailing us! While we thank God for the times of tranquility, we had better be prepared for the days of difficulty. The latter will come to those who purpose to walk by faith.

And so, the test arrives. God will permit it. In His sovereign wisdom, He allows the difficulties to develop us. Faith is hammered out on the anvil of adversity and forged in the fires of difficulty. Faith is such a precious thing that God will do what it takes--painful as it may be--to form such a faith. The devil is also keenly aware of the potential of the man or woman who taps into the power and provision of God by faith. Thus, the flip side of the test is the intent of Satan in the difficulty--not to develop faith, but destroy it! When we walk by faith, the rocks on the road will either become stepping stones or stumbling blocks--depending on our response.

In Genesis twelve, we find Abraham and Sarah beginning a journey of faith. God has called them to a new land--a new life, really--and off they go, trusting in His Word. They arrive safely and appear to abide serenely. Wherever they pitch their tent, Abraham builds an altar. Communion with God is a consistent experience. How blessed--and how brief! We discover the Sunday pinnacle of praise is followed by the Monday valley of problems. Faith is always tested.

The blessedness of Canaan is supplanted by the barrenness of famine! Abraham soon encounters a difficult problem, as documented in the last half of chapter twelve. Difficult problems call for endurance--for not rushing into hasty decisions, but abiding in faith. But, Abraham did not. He foolishly chose to walk by sight instead of faith--and the results were costly--nearly catastrophic!

He goes down to Egypt. It is always "down" when you follow your own path rather than God's. Abraham drags his wife into danger with him. The effects of our choices are never limited to us, and when we stray from faith, it is those closest to us who suffer most for it. His disbelief leads to deception and the discrediting of his testimony. How could a pagan king believe anything a hypocrite like Abraham would claim about God? In fact, without the intervention of God, the blessing God intended to bring upon the world through Abraham is in jeopardy as his wife has become part of a heathen harem! Of course, God proved faithful even when His servant proved faithless. God is true when every man is a liar. His will, ultimately, cannot be thwarted. But that doesn't mean we may not suffer consequences from our folly.

Abraham was a saved man, but not a sinless man. None of us are. Yet, even though there was not perfection in his faith, there was progression in his faith. Back in Canaan, we find him facing more difficulty. This time, not so much a difficult problem as a difficult person. The need wasn't endurance by not rushing into a hasty decision to the problem, as in Genesis twelve, but the need of forbearance by not responding with a hateful action to the person in chapter thirteen.

It is a record of strife and stress--again played out on the public stage where the heathen are watching. This time, Abraham chooses to walk by faith and not by sight. He refuses to assert his rights, but accepts his responsibilities. The end result is the reward of God! Faith rests in the Lord's promises.

Lot, on the other hand, walks by sight--leaning on human reason rather than seeking heavenly revelation. Abraham's nephew never bothers to pray, nor defer back to his uncle. Why look a gift horse in the mouth? But, there is this matter of Sodom. The pasture was just what Lot needed for material prosperity--so, what if some of the neighbors had a bad reputation? We know how that worked out.

So, here we are, assured that difficult problems and difficult people will arise suddenly like a thunderstorm bursting on your summer picnic. You have no choice about whether your faith will be tested--it always will. You do have a choice in whether you will pass or fail the test. It is smart to learn from your mistakes, but smarter to learn from the mistakes of others. What have you learned from Abraham and Lot's decisions? Bear this in mind, "so that the genuineness of your faith-more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire-may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:7 HCSB)

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING

"Cush fathered Nimrod, who was the first powerful man on earth. He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord. That is why it is said, 'Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord.' His kingdom started with Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar." (Genesis 10:8-10 HCSB)

The first sin was not committed on earth, but in heaven. A beautiful, brilliant being named Lucifer decided he deserved to have a throne and be as God. With that wicked thought entertained and embraced, Satan was spawned. We find the old Serpent, the Devil, then seducing Eve, with the same appeal: "Eat the fruit. You will become as God." She took the bait, took a bite and shared it with her husband. The catastrophic consequences were immense and immediate, with their implications known on a global scale still felt today. The ripples of ruin have reached our shores.

Of all the effects of this evil choice, the pattern of thinking that persists and permeates human life is that of the demand for autonomy. In our arrogance, we think we can be God. We can direct our own lives, chart our own course, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and storm heaven's gates--really, we believe that we can pull heaven down to earth and build utopia here. All we need is to think globally, find the right government leader, bond together under a common religion of tolerance, promote uniformity and as one we can have heaven on earth! "ALL ONE" "COEXIST"--the bumper sticker mantra.

It is not a new concept. In the early chapters of Genesis, we meet the man who would be king. Nimrod was his name. Babylon was his capital. Empire was his passion. We see he was a natural leader--charismatic, powerful--a man who knew what he wanted and how to get it. The tower of Babel became the great symbol of his global vision. Who needs God? Why wait for heaven? Narcissism reached the apex of arrogance in Nimrod. That spirit is woven into the warp and woof of fallen humanity. It is the attitude expressed in William Henley's poem, "Invictus."

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbow'd.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

That is the spirit of Nimrod. It persists. The founders of our nation recognized the danger and established a government with separation of powers--providing checks and balances against the tyranny of one man seizing too much power--the man who would be king. The erosion of that foundation brings grave peril. In every generation, Satan has his hand-picked man--the man who would be king.

Scripture is clear that a new Nimrod is on the way. He is called the Antichrist in 1 John, the Man of Lawlessness and Son of Destruction in 2 Thessalonians, and the Beast in Revelation. Jesus warned, "I have come in My Father's name, yet you don't accept Me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him." (John 5:43 HCSB).

What will bring the new Nimrod to power? A nuclear exchange, war in the Middle East, a global pandemic, a worldwide financial meltdown, widespread natural disasters--or a combination of these? The world will clamor for a messiah waiting in the wings--a man of charming personality and commanding oratory who says, "I have the answer," and the world swoons and submits.

And what does God think of it? The same as ever--He tolerates no rival! The building of Babel ends in judgment!

"After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. He cried in a mighty voice:

It has fallen,

Babylon the Great has fallen!

She has become a dwelling for demons,

a haunt for every unclean spirit,

a haunt for every unclean bird,

and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast.

For all the nations have drunk

the wine of her sexual immorality,

which brings wrath.

The kings of the earth

have committed sexual immorality with her,

and the merchants of the earth

have grown wealthy from her excessive luxury.

Then I heard another voice from heaven:

Come out of her, My people,

so that you will not share in her sins

or receive any of her plagues.

For her sins are piled up to heaven,

and God has remembered her crimes.

Pay her back the way she also paid,

and double it according to her works.

In the cup in which she mixed,

mix a double portion for her.

As much as she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,

give her that much torment and grief,

for she says in her heart,

'I sit as a queen;

I am not a widow,

and I will never see grief.'

For this reason her plagues will come in one day-

death and grief and famine.

She will be burned up with fire,

because the Lord God who judges her is mighty." (Revelation 18:1-8 HCSB)

TRACING THE RAINBOW THROUGH THE RAIN

"I have placed My bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth." (Genesis 9:13 HCSB)

The rainbow requires the rain.

Rainbows are naturally occurring phenomena, as sun shines through drops of water in the atmosphere, which function as a prism, breaking down the light spectrum into the beautiful, multi-colored hues. It would seem that Noah and his family saw the first rainbow, since it was likely it had never rained before! God designed a "sprinkler system" that made earth a lush paradise when He fashioned the world. "No shrub of the field had yet [grown] on the land, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not made it rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground. But water would come out of the ground and water the entire surface of the land." (Genesis 2:5, 6 HCSB) God broke up this gardening marvel, unleashing the vast reservoirs of subterranean water, which was as much responsible for the flood as the deluge that poured down from the sky, "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the sources of the watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened" (Genesis 7:11 HCSB).

When Noah emerged from the ark, God revealed the rainbow as a symbol of His faithful love--His covenant of grace--the promise to never send a global flood again. But, the rainbow required the rain.

So, are you in a storm in your life today? Maybe the winds are strong and the waves are surging. Adversity, affliction, antagonism--other difficult circumstances--are surrounding you. We wish the storm would have never come. Why did God allow it?

God didn't prevent Noah from experiencing the storm, but preserved him through the storm! A person of faith--and Noah was a great and godly man--isn't granted immunity from storms. The difference is that the same circumstances that drowned the sinners, delivered the saints. The wicked went under the same flood that lifted up the ark!

If God brought you to it, He will bring you through it. Rainbows require rain--but they also demand something else--sunshine on the other side! God is faithful to His promise. In the dark days, wait on Him, secure in His love. You may be shut into a tempestuous time, but you are shut up in Christ--our ark of safety. He has a purpose. The storm which rose so suddenly will one day be over. The peals of thunder will be replaced by the singing of birds! May God give us eyes of faith to trace the rainbow through the rain.

AGAINST THE TIDE

"These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God. ...Then the Lord said to Noah, 'Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you [alone] are righteous before Me in this generation.'" (Genesis 6:9, 7:1 HCSB)

You think you have it rough!

What about Noah? How hard was it for him to stand for God? He had to stand alone! He had no church where he could meet with other believers for encouragement. There was no Christian radio to listen to, no internet where he might read a daily devotional--none of the resources we have at our disposal to buttress our faith. Yet, he stood against the tide. Before the flood came in judgment, and God scoured the earth clean of its spiritual and moral filth, a tide of utter depravity had already swept across the planet. Every waking moment of every day, Noah had to stand against the tide.

It wasn't easy. It never has been. If you purpose to live holy in this ungodly age, you are going to face great pressure--increasingly so. Jesus warned that one sign which would mark the nearness of His return and the judgment to follow would be conditions as those Noah endured. Isn't that what our world is looking like, more and more? A tsunami of evil is surging around us. But, we can stand against the tide. We must. Noah did!

All Noah had was God--but, He is enough! As the Apostle John declared, "You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4 HCSB). There was an inner strength that flowed from the grace of God within Noah, unleashed by faith, built by a daily walk with God. If you walk with God, you are going against the tide.

It was a difficult path, but it brought him into the ark--and Noah brought his family with him--all of them! You think it tough to raise godly kids today? Imagine the challenges Mr. and Mrs. Noah faced! But they did it--and God will help us. He will stand by us, if we stand with him. When the screams of those outside the ark were only silenced by the rushing water and rumbling thunder, Noah looked around at his family huddled near him--warm, dry, secure--and was thankful to God that by His grace he had stood against the tide.

NOT JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

"He drove man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life." (Genesis 3:24 HCSB)

It began like any other day--a perfect day--with sun shining through the cool morning mist, making the drops of dew that dotted every blade of grass sparkle like diamonds. The birds that filled the trees, burst into a chorus of praise to announce the arrival of this wondrous day--and they all were. The fragrance of every variety of flower imaginable--all in brilliant bloom--pervaded the garden with their perfume. The bees drew out their sweet nectar--but they never felt the need to sting anyone. There were no thorns on the roses--no weeds intertwining the delicate stems of nature's bouquet choking them. The king of beasts shook his majestic mane, yawned, blinked at the sun beaming through the lush limbs of the branches above, sought more shade, rolled over and drifted back to sleep while two lambs frolicked nearby. One of them, drew close and playfully nudged the lion with his cold, wet nose. There was no fear--there never was--in this garden of absolute harmony. Eden! It was just another day in paradise.

Adam opened his eyes. He stretched, sat up and looked around. Smiling, he reached over and gently stroked the face of a stunning beauty--her whose face had not a blemish nor wrinkle. It was the dawn of another glorious day--each one remarkable--and now time to rise because they had an appointment. In the coolness of the morning, the Creator would come to walk with them in the garden. That was the joy of joys as they listened, learned and laughed with the Lord God strolling along. It was just another day in paradise!

That is what Adam and Eve expected. But, not this day. There was another creature--a serpent with skin brightly painted, his voice melodious, walking near the tree of forbidden fruit. Yes--walking--because that's what serpents did in paradise. But this serpent was dangerous--filled with a malignant spirit; its body housing the hater of God--the rebel, Satan. It was time for him to strike. He coiled with anticipation, mind whirling, plot forming. It was not just another day in paradise.

You know how it turned out. Adam and Eve were turned out. They turned from God and to their own way. Everything changed that day. The foulness of evil brought consequences immediately and the effects like an evil epidemic have now ravaged the planet--paradise lost. Now, each day brings sweat, suffering, strife and sorrow. Death reigns; judgment looms. Guilt, shame, the blame game--paradise lost.

But, where sin abounds, grace does much more abound! Paradise taken; promise given. The Seed of woman would crush the serpent's head one day. The tree of life removed would be restored and the terror of death overcome by His death--and resurrection!

So, this Seed of woman--Mary's virgin born Son, the Son of God, would walk into another garden, bow in submission, take upon His shoulders all the sins of all the sons of men across the sweep of time, carry them to the pinnacle of a skull-shaped hill where there would be another tree. On that tree Jesus would hang, pay the price for our sin and in His pain take away the sting of death.

A blood-drenched cross, an empty tomb--and through faith in Christ, once more everything changes! There is coming another golden daybreak--all shadows forever banished, tears forever gone--where into that eternal day, the children of God will be welcomed back to walk with our Maker in unbridled joy, unbroken peace and unfathomable love! The lion lies down with the lamb. It's always that way. Just another day in paradise
.

Just another day in paradise? What a day that will be--and it never ends--a truly perfect day!

HISTORY: HIS STORY, GOD'S GLORY

"May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works." (Psalm 104:31)

History is His story--the story of God. George Guthrie in "Reader's Guide to the Bible" suggests that "God is the hero of the story." The Bible is a Book about God. While it is true that we can see the hand of God in all the events of human history--it is when we view them through the lens of Scripture that we see the story behind the story. We can, as it were, "read between the lines." But, when we come to the sacred history of the Word of God, all we need to do is read the lines! There is no cryptic code to break--God is clearly seen!

God is a God of revelation. He desires to communicate with us and has designed us with the capacity to commune with Him. All of His creatures were fashioned with the intent of bringing Him glory, but of all His artistry, men and women are His masterpiece! We are for His glory and more--we can share His glory! How awesome is that!

Such a thrill stirred the heart of the psalmist to burst into praise in the lyrics of Psalm 104. He gazes back through the corridor of time, to the time when time began and the golden dawn of earth's history, as God spoke all things into existence--and it is not the existence of the marvels of creation that captivates him, but the Creator who is the object of his attention and affection. So it should be for us.

Do not look at creation and miss the Creator. Do not look at history and fail to see it as His story. Do not read the Bible routinely, but expect to meet God in its pages. To God be the glory!

A NEW YEAR: A NEW YOU

As we encounter God in the opening chapters of the Bible, we see Him moving systematically, purposefully and creatively. Each day of that first incredible week builds one on top of the other, until it is capped off with the pinnacle of His creation--humanity. Each day commences with God saying, "Let there be" and the power of His Word is unleashed to do a new thing--a glorious thing! Each day concludes with God's assessment, "God saw that it was good." There is one notable exception--a superlative is added with the fashioning of the man and woman and the completion of God's creative activity: "it was very good."

All was intended to get to that point--to prepare air for man to breathe, water to drink, material to build with, food to consume, a mate to share it all with as they would fill the earth with their kind, to the glory of God!

So, God has a purpose for your life--a master plan He has prepared. His Word, spoken into your life can powerfully bring it about. Every resource needed to be all God wants you to be is yours in Christ--the One engaged in that beginning, beginning a fresh work in you--and it will be a good work--a very good work indeed! As you daily come in humble submission to His Word, the same Spirit which hovered over creation will teach you and form you into God's image. This will be a new year and bring a new you! How exciting!

Here is the promise: "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

THE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE

“Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud and one the stars.”
(Frank Langbridge)

So, what makes the difference? Certainly not their position—for both men are locked up in a prison. They peer beyond the bars—and see something totally different. The difference isn’t in position, but perspective.

Solomon described life viewed without the eternal reference point: “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:3). Now, he wasn’t a man in a prison, but a palace. The king knew pleasure, power and possessions which would mark him as the richest man in the world. But his soul was completely bankrupt and when he viewed all the “stuff” from a carnal perspective concluded it to all be “vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). It is the recurring discordant note of despair sung in this dirge of Solomon.

Surely it was a similar point of view which washed over Hamlet like a tsunami of disillusionment when he moaned, “To be or not to be: that is the question” (Shakespeare). Essentially he looks out of his prison bars of problems and sees mud. He concludes that life is misery and death is mystery. Life is relentless in its difficulties as waves constantly rolling in—and death might even be worse—particularly if one ends his own life and might face eternal condemnation. Who knows? He is torn between two options and neither one good.

Compare that with the perspective of another man who writes—quite literally—from a prison. He states with incredible confidence—even celebration,

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account…for your progress and joy in the faith.” (Philippians 1:21-25, ESV).

The Apostle Paul concludes that life is ministry and death is majesty. Life is relentless to be sure, but when viewed from an eternal perspective, those same tides that sweep over one and drown him, are seen to also roll out and bear the other man on a voyage of great adventure—ultimately to the most exotic destination! He is torn between two options and both are glorious!

What makes the difference? Perspective—oh yes—but that only leads us to question why the two viewpoints are so radically opposed. The old general of the faith, Paul, joyfully puts his finger on it. (That finger, by the way, is attached to a hand, and the hand to a wrist, and the wrist to a manacle and the manacle to a chain and the chain to a stone wall, yet he is irrepressibly free in his spirit to see the stars and soar to them!) What makes the difference? He tells us in one word—one name—and it is: “Christ.” Because he can state that Jesus is the source, substance and sum of his life, then he can add that death is great gain: “far better.”

Centuries later, C.S. Lewis stated it this way, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” That is the difference that makes the difference—all these words to get to the living Word: CHRIST. He is our fixed point of reference by which we can sail safely across turbulent tides and arrive home. Knowing Him as Lord and Savior is the difference that makes all the difference.

(With thanks to Stuart Briscoe who in his memoir, “Flowing Streams” discusses a sermon by Paul Rees on pages 88-89 that was a magnificent message on a Monday morning!)

WHAT THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING NEEDS

There is a Scandinavian fable about a young spider that made his way into a barn one day. From a slender thread he descended from a rafter high aloft. He began to spin his intricate web and as time went on he grew fat and prospered. It was a very productive corner of the barn with an ample supply of juicy flies—as you might imagine. One day, he looked admiringly around his wondrous web, and yet was taken aback when he saw a stray thread—one that reached up into the darkness high above him—disappearing into nothingness. “What use is that?” he thought, and reached out and snipped the thread—and when he did, his entire world collapsed!

That is what happened to Solomon! He was a wise young king who became a foolish old ruler. In his early days, the slender thread that bound him to heaven reached into the sky and the blessings of God flowed down, as Solomon’s worship flowed up. He prospered more than any before him—or since. His wealth was staggering, his power immense, his fame renowned—he had it all! Until the day he forgot about God, severed the connection to heaven and his world caved in.

The bitter, depressing record of that era is found in Ecclesiastes. The tone is set immediately:

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? (1:1-3 ESV)

The phrases, “Vanity of vanities” and “under the sun” are sprinkled throughout the book. Life is vain—futile—empty and devoid of meaning when it is viewed merely from a natural perspective. If anyone might have found satisfaction from the things of the world, it should have been Solomon. He had it all! Wine—the best and much of it, women—a harem of a thousand beauties, and song—not a CD, but live performers! He had magnificent estates and much education—lands and libraries. He sought fulfillment in his work and wealth.

But, it was all vanity!

It would not be a stretch to say that he actually considered suicide—what did he have to live for?

What is it that the man that has everything needs? God!

There is a hole in our soul that only God can fill. Nothing else fits—only Jesus satisfies.

But, the old backslider found the way back as he sifted through the rubble of his ruinous rebellion. Among the ashes, he finds the treasure of truth. At the end of Ecclesiastes the light of wisdom breaks through:

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. (12:13-14 NKJV)

Dear reader—do you have Jesus? If not, you need Him—desperately. Don’t wait too late! If you have received Him, then keep the cord of communion intact lest you fall like Solomon! If one who had such encounters with God, had a superb upbringing by a great champion of faith named David, and was blessed with such wisdom could fall, then any of us can! Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God—trust in His grace.

This is what the man who has everything needs!

THE BITTER COLD

This morning I went and stood for an hour on the sidewalk outside the abortion clinic--to keep a vigil on behalf of those tiny ones whose little eyes will never see the light of day. I was there to give voice to the voiceless--whose silent screams will be unheard as the cruel instruments of death invade the sanctuary of their mother's womb. Of course, God hears--and that should put a chill down the spine of us all.

It was a bitterly cold day, in the lower 20's--and matched the icy hearts of those who would butcher a baby for a few bucks. My fingers and toes got so cold, that they began to sting with pain--a pain that persisted for fifteen minutes after departing in the warmth of my car. But, as I rubbed my hands together and patted my feet on the pavement, it led me to think how this pain was nothing compared to the suffering which the unborn go through before their brief sojourn on earth is terminated. The pain in my extremities is nothing compared to the extreme pain in the hearts of mothers as they weigh the harsh reality of their choice in days to come--haunted by the grim specter of doing that which is so contrary to every maternal impulse. Of course, no pain will be like that of eternal torment for unrepentant butchers who brutalize these innocents. Maybe they are desensitized to it. All I know is that the murderer who faces God with blood on their hands and without the blood of Christ on their hearts will have an awakening of the senses beyond anything they have ever known--and wish for endless ages it were not so.

For all involved we offer our pity and our prayers.

We pray for a nation and wonder how much longer God can resist roaring from heaven to answer the cry for vengeance that pleads with Him from a blood-soaked soil. May God have mercy on us all!

If we had more hot tears, more fervent pleas, might it melt the cold hearts that conspire in this tragedy of cosmic proportions?

THE DISQUIETING MESSAGE FROM BETHLEHEM'S STABLE

The world tolerates the Baby in the manger--to some degree. Oh, they would do away with Him altogether, if they could--maybe gradually phasing Him out by placing a creche in the middle of a holiday display from various religions and secular traditions--but being rid of Him entirely, eventually, or altered so much as to be unrecognizable. Yet, if the world must recognize Him at all, they will consign Him to a cradle of straw as a cherubic infant. That is not particularly threatening, nor intimidating.

The problem rises when they consider what the Baby grew up to be! The life that He lived, the words that He spoke, the death that He died, the resurrection He experienced, the authority He claims, and the judgment He will decree--that is the disquieting message from Bethlehem's stable. The world would ignore or be slightly amused if only He only came as the Babe of Bethlehem, but they are not very happy with One who is coming again as King of kings and Lord of lords!

When Jesus came the first time, the world shoved Him off into a stable and shoved His crucified corpse into a sepulchre sealed with a stone. But, He wouldn't stay dead, so that when He comes the second time, He will do the shoving--into the Lake of Fire--the judgment of all who reject Him. That's what the world hates about Him. They just want to be left alone, and He will not permit it. If they could just stow Him away as an Infant in a manger scene, along with all the other decorations hidden in a box in the attic, only to drag out on special occasions!

That cannot be done. It isn't an option. One day every eye shall see Him, every knee will bow to Him and every tongue confess He is Lord. He has conquered. He will reign. That is the disquieting message from Bethlehem's stable.

HARVEST TIME

It’s that wonderful time of year when the harvest is gathered. Summer has come to an end and fall has begun. The last of the crops must be claimed or they will be lost when the first blast of cold air comes to the mountains. There is no time to delay—it’s harvest time!

That is true in the spiritual realm also. Listen to these sad words:
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” (Jeremiah 8:20)

How tragic—the horror of missed opportunity! Jesus intimated that one soul is more valuable than the entire world--and some of those lost souls are our family, friends, fellow workers and classmates.

It’s harvest time!

This verse from the prophet Jeremiah, reminds us of:

• THE PRIORITY OF THE HARVEST “The harvest is past…” It’s all about the harvest! There are many things we do on earth that are important—singing God’s praises; communicating with Him; being with His people; serving Him, and the like. While not minimizing any of those activities, we will be able to do those in heaven. Something we won’t be able to do is to lead a lost soul to faith in Christ. Shouldn’t we make this a priority while we have opportunity?
• THE PRESERVATION OF THE HARVEST “the summer is ended…” There is a deadline and if the harvest of souls is not completed, they are lost—forever. We must gather them while we can. Is there someone you know who needs Christ? What are you doing to reach them?
• THE PERIL TO THE HARVEST “we are not saved!” Not saved! Not saved! Not saved! Too late! There is no second chance beyond this world. When we are called out to meet God—and that call can come without warning—we must be ready to meet Him. Heaven or hell—eternal joy or everlasting judgment—await that decision.

Sunday, November 7, is “Harvest Time” at Pole Creek! It is the Sunday the time changes and we roll the clock back an hour, for an extra hour of sleep. Statistics show that other than Easter it is the Sunday of the year with the highest attendance. It is a great Sunday for you to invite lost souls you know to come, pray for them, cultivate them, and bring them in to hear the Gospel. Jesus is still mighty to save! Now is the time to get to work in the field!

It’s HARVEST TIME!

STARVING THE FLESH
SHAPE UP!

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s demand to get in shape, “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy” (Romans 10:13). There are things that will be detrimental to your physical health, and the things listed here will be deleterious to your spiritual health.

Revelry is a word for a wild party. Sadly, some folks don’t make it to the celebration of worship with the saints on Sunday morning because of the carousing in wantonness with the sinful on Saturday night! It’s hard to focus on God Sunday morning if your eyes are bloodshot from the night before.

Drunkenness is another danger Paul warns about. Alcohol will make you see double and think half! It is easy for liquor to become your lord. It mastered me at one time, but I don’t need it; I’ve found Jesus to give boundless joy—and you don’t have a hangover the next day!

Then there is lewdness and lust—nakedness and nastiness. The first term has to do with sexual acts and the latter with sensual attitudes. Sex within marriage is a wonderful gift of God, but outside it become defiling and destructive. Hollywood doesn’t set the standard for the child of God—heaven does! We are called to holiness!

Then there is strife and envy. Some of us who may not consume alcohol and commit adultery may excuse our failure to control anger! We may not be a drunk, or debauched, but if we are divisive that is defiling too! And what about envy? What about wanting what others have—jealousy and covetousness—vile vices of the heart!

I hope for the sake of your physical health that you are in good condition. It is beneficial. But, above all, listen to this, “exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having a promise of the life that now is and that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:7b-8).

Shape up!

STARVING THE FLESH
DRESS UP!

Once you get up, you don’t go out until you dress up. It’s time to get out of your pajamas and put on your uniform. Paul says in Romans 13:12b, “cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” You’re going to war! You’re headed into hostile territory and you need to be clothed for combat.

What is this armor of light? It is being clothed with Christ, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” (v.14a).

Clothes adorn us—they are visible. Everywhere we go, we have them on. So, others should see Christ on display as we move through the world. When people look at you and me, do they see Jesus?

Dress up!