GOD’S PEOPLE IN GOD’S PLACES

Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king in order to send him off over the Jordan. Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.  2 Samuel 19:31-32

An old man and a 20-year-old are paired together at a golf tournament. They’re playing a long par 5 that dog legs around some tall trees. As the 20-year-old sets up his tee shot to hit onto the fairway the old man notes “when I was your age we used to hit over the trees - not around to the side.” So, the 20-year-old readjusts and tries to hit over the trees - but can’t clear them and loses his ball. He tries again and loses that one too. Then the old man says “of course, when I was your age, the trees were only 6 feet tall.”

I love old people; especially since I’m one of them now! And that’s one reason that I love Barzillai the Gileadite. He sustained King David during Absalom’s rebellion even at 80 years of age. It doesn’t matter how old you are. God has work for you until He takes you home. Aging doesn’t erase your spiritual gift given to edify the church. When King David asks Barzillai to go with him back to Jerusalem, Barzillai sends Chimham instead. He used his resources wisely to promote and advance the kingdom of God.

All during Absalom’s rebellion, God had His people where He wanted them to accomplish His will. There is Hushai in 2 Samuel 17:14; a maidservant in 17:17; a man in Bahurim in 17:18; a woman in 17:19-20; and Shobi and Machir in 17:27-29. God always has His people where He wants them, and it is His will for them to bloom where He has planted them. He had Daniel in Babylon, Jeremiah in Judah, Ezekiel with the people by the Chebar river, Esther in Persia and Luke with Paul. Where does He have you? Are you blooming where He has planted you? Are you employing your spiritual gift to serve others (1 Peter 4:10)?

Ike Graham

ALL HUMAN LIVES MATTER

And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has in us.  1 John 4:16a

 As we approach the infamous 53rd anniversary of Roe versus Wade’s Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion, here are some things to think about from God’s Word.

All of us were created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26).  We did not evolve from apes or any other creature.  The first man Adam was formed by God (Genesis 2:7) on the very same day He created living creatures (1:24-26).  After finishing His creative work in six 24-hour days, God rated His creation as “very good” (1:31).  God does not make junk or anything inferior including you and me!

We are individually custom made by God (Psalm 139:13-18).  We are His masterpieces being fearfully and wonderfully made (vs. 14).  At the moment of conception, we are not just “sacs of tissue” or “potential” human beings but rather distinct persons as evidenced by David’s use of the personal pronouns “I, me and my” referring to his unborn self.  This is why pro-life folks do what they do to rescue precious babies and adoption is to be chosen above taking an innocent baby’s life. Unborn lives really do matter and thankfully 12 states now have totally banned abortion and 29 have limited abortion! 

Finally, all our lives do count in God’s eyes because Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God and Creator, came to earth in human flesh and blood to die on Calvary’s cross for each of us.  1 Timothy 2:4 says that God desires all to be saved and redeemed.  However, He leaves the choice to each of us.  It has been said that if you were the only sinner, Jesus still would have died for you.  Never forget how special you are in God’s eyes! 

Bob Kulp

IS YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS GOOD ENOUGH?

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Philippians 3:7

In Matthew 5:20 Jesus said, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Wow!  Who were these guys?  The Scribes meticulously copied the Old Testament making sure it was absolutely correct.  This was a noble task, but they also added 100’s of their own rules and regulations to God’s law which became in their minds equal to God’s original revelation.  The Pharisees were rightly committed to strict adherence to God’s law but eventually majored on the oral traditions of the Scribes.  As the religious “police force” of Israel, their mission was to make sure everyone else was doing the same. 

In a scathing sermon in Matthew 23, Christ pronounced 8 woes upon these leaders, calling them “hypocrites” 8 times as well as “blind guides” (vs. 16), “whitewashed tombs” (vs. 27) and “serpents” (vs. 33).  Jesus had no time whatsoever for their brand of self-righteousness which He said kept people out of heaven rather than helping them get there (vs. 13).  So how can our righteousness exceed theirs when according to God breaking just one of His laws means we have broken them all (James 2:10)? 

The Apostle Paul gave his testimony in Philippians 3:4-9.  In essence he said that he was the most blameless, righteous Pharisee around and if anyone was good enough for heaven, he was!  However, he was humbled by God and came to the point of counting all his goodness as one big loss, literally a pile of rubbish, exchanging it for the excellence of Christ.  He now had the true righteousness which was through faith in Jesus.  Even though we have no inherent righteousness whatsoever (Romans 3:10-12), God is willing to impute (put on our moral account) Christ’s perfect righteousness.  God now sees us as He sees His Son!

Bob Kulp 

WHEN WILL MY TRIAL END?

Now David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 2 Samuel 5:4

If David was 17 when he fought Goliath, then the duration of time when he was running and hiding from Saul could have been as many as 13 years. In Job’s case, his physical suffering lasted months if we understand Job 7:3 literally. As you may know, suffering physically can be a relatively short time, but it seems like a long time when you are in pain. Job 23:10 helps us answer the initial question. Job says, “But He knows the way I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” The “when” or “after” tells us that God has a purpose in our trials. He is refining us (“tested”) and molding us (“come forth as gold”) into the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29).

In his book, Where is God When It Hurts, Philip Yancey writes this: “A pastor in the Midwest was reading Psalm 145 on a Sunday morning. He tried to concentrate, but his voice choked, and he stopped reading. He couldn’t continue reading about God’s goodness and justice. Then, he told the congregation that his week-old grandson had just died. He, and the whole family, were in grief. Somehow, he finished the message that day and as people were leaving, they said to him:

·        Thank you for sharing your pain with us.

·        I grieve with you.

He related how these words were very helpful to him because he didn’t feel alone.” Because they embraced his grief, he did not feel abandoned. Romans 12:15 reads: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” More important than when a trial ends is how a person navigates the rough waters while it is going on. If the wind that threatens to overturn the ship of our lives seems more real to us than the word of God, then we need to look up to Him who is able to control and end the storm.

Ike Graham

PRAIRIE FIRE

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

​When I first started in the ministry, I heard one of the greatest illustrations ever concerning how we are eternally delivered from God’s judgment on our sins. When wagon trains first began to cross the great plain states on the trails headed west, one of the worst disasters that they could face was a prairie fire. These could be started by lightning, a campfire, or a cowboy’s tossed away cigar. But, once they began, they could stretch for miles and could race across a wide prairie before a wagon train could get out of the way.

​It sounds contradictory, but the best way to not get burned up in a prairie fire was to start one behind you. Once it had burned away, the wagons would be pulled into the area where the fire had already burned. Once the approaching fire reached where the fire had burned, there was no fuel left for it to burn, and it would go out.

​Similarly, the best way for us to avoid God’s judgment on our sin is to find a spot where that sin has already been judged; that place is in the cross. Our sin cannot be judged by hell’s flames because it was already put on Jesus Who “became sin for us” (II Corinthians 5:21). He already suffered that fire that we might go free. We just have to stand where the fire has burned: in the safety of the cross of Christ.

Davy L. Troxel

BE QUIET!

Even an ignorant fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise… Proverbs 17:28 

Recently on the Glenn Beck Program, Glenn and his sidekick Stu were briefly discussing the remarkable rise in George W. Bush’s popularity. In fact, among a mixed sample of Republicans, Democrats, and independents, Bush now polls with some of the highest favorability ratings among living ex-Presidents. This is indeed fascinating, considering that GWB left the White House in 2009 with dismal support—excoriated by Democrats, and even rejected by many Republicans for his ideological globalism and various policy failures. I didn’t hear Glenn articulate a theory behind the current phenomenon, so I’ll hazard one of my own.

Note that Bush is by far the most reticent of ex-Presidents. Aside from some sporadic negative comments about Trump’s “America-First” agenda, he seems to say very little about anything. In marked contrast, Clinton and Obama continue to engage in high-profile provocative addresses at major venues. Remarkably, even a struggling Biden occasionally comes out of mothballs to rage against Trump. But not Bush! Like the inscrutable Sphinx along the Nile, he chooses to remain taciturn and aloof—and therefore, mysterious. If the goal is to enhance his elder statesman status, polls would indicate that the “strategery” is working!

Spiritual application. First, don’t get me wrong—we MUST speak out boldly, definitively, firmly, plainly, constantly, and controversially for Jesus! Yet “there is an appointed time for everything” (Eccl.3:1). There are times for LISTENING and LEARNING—and for taking great care in measuring our words. As Solomon observes in today’s passage, even the fool appears reflective—a “man of understanding”—when his big yap is shut! Discerning when to remain silent guards us from expressions of error, rashness, and needless offence. Everyone isn’t breathlessly pining to hear every opinion!

Terry L. Reese 

TAKE AIM!

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.  Proverbs 4:25

I had never driven a car until the day I began my driver education course. But I had fired a gun, thanks to the careful oversight of my grandfather. “Look right down the barrel,” he said, “and put the front sight on what you are shooting at.”

Well, transferring that instruction to trying to drive, I got into my driver training Ford LTD and picked up driving along the highway where the last student driver had left off. “Why do you keep veering off the road?”, my instructor asked. I answered that I was trying to keep the steering wheel straight, and that I was aiming the car by looking at the hood ornament! The instructor did not hesitate to tell me that, when you drive, you have to look farther ahead than the hood. You keep your eyes 500 feet ahead so that you are aware of the whole situation that’s coming. That way, you aren’t surprised by things going on around you.

We must walk the same way in life, letting God’s light show us what is coming and what is around us. Lighting the path is as important as putting our feet down. God makes our feet stable on the Rock. But it is our job to make sure that the path is the one that He has chosen for us.

Davy L. Troxel

A SONG ABOUT THE SAVIOR

And David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, “Yahweh is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.  2 Samuel 22:1-2

In verses 1-20 of 2 Samuel 22, David praises God for being his security.

In verses 21-28, he praises God because He is the standard of truth. In verses 29-46, David praises God because He is our strength. Then, in verses 47-51, he praises God because He is sovereign.

John Lennon of the song group, “The Beatles,” wrote a song entitled “God” which was released in 1970. Some of the lyrics go like this: “God is a concept by which we measure our pain…I don’t believe in magic, I don’t believe in I-Ching, I don’t believe in Bible…I don’t believe in Jesus…I just believe in me….” When John Lennon was shot and killed on Dec. 8, 1980, two of his fans committed suicide. Hundreds of thousands gathered to mourn for him because he was a god to them.

Aren’t you glad that our God cannot die…and stay dead? David was and so am I. How about you? One of my favorite songs, maybe my favorite, is “Buddha was a man.” Have you heard it? Maybe it’s my favorite because of my time in Japan. The lyrics go like this:

“Buddha was a man and I’m sure that he meant well, but I pray for his disciples lest they should go to hell. Mohammed was a man and he thought he knew the way, but it won’t be Hare Krishna we meet on the judgment day. No it won’t be old Buddha a sittin’ on the throne, and it won’t be old Mohammed callin’ us home; and it won’t be Hare Krishna that sounds that trumpet tune, for we’re going to see the Son, not Reverend Moon! Now, you can be a Baptist and not be born again, Presbyterian or a Methodist and still die in your sin. You can even be charismatic…sing and dance and jump a pew, but it you hate your brother, you’re not one of the chosen few.” The song ends with: “Let’s all live for Jesus, because He’s comin’ back real soon!” Are you ready? It could be today.

Ike Graham

CONSEQUENCES

Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was without her two children and her husband.  Ruth 1:5

 The consequences of Elimelech’s compromise were devastating. He left for Moab with the hope of survival. Instead we learn that both he and his two sons died. He left with the hope that his family line would continue. Initially this seems to have begun to work (both of his sons marry) but no children result from this arrangement. Instead, because of the death of the three men, we are left with three helpless, vulnerable widows.

In light of these consequences, let me offer some thoughts. Doing things your own way is a fountain head of grief. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Famine in the will of God is better than feasting outside of the will of God. “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would choose to stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents wickedness.” (Psalm 84:10)

God has a way of redeeming wasted years. Despite all the negativity of these first verses of Ruth, I find hope in this thought. All was not lost. It was because Elimelech moved to Moab that a young Moabitess is introduced to the reader – and she plays no insignificant role in this book and in the history of Israel. While in no way justifying Elimelech’s actions, I think it does show that God can still redeem any situation and use it to showcase His glory to the world.

 Philip Moeller

HOW “ANGELIC” ARE YOU?

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid;

for behold I bring you good news of great joy

which will be for all the people.”

 Luke 2:10

We humans are not angels nor will we ever become angels.  We can, however, learn much from the examples of God’s faithful angels.

Angels are GOOD NEWS MESSENGERS.  In both Hebrew (O.T.) and Greek (N.T.) “angel” means “messenger”.  Four times in the biblical Christmas story we observe angels bringing good news: 1) to elderly Zacharias (Luke 1:5-25), 2) to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38), 3) to the disappointed Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25) and 4) to the lowly shepherds (Luke 2:8-12, 15-18).

Angels also teach us to be JOYFUL WORSHIPPERS.  In Luke 2:13-14 things really get exciting for the shepherds as a multitude (plethora, innumerable) company of God’s heavenly host (army) praise the Almighty saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  The English word “praise” is derived from “prize” and means to “exalt, lift up, give worth, value and recognition to, magnify, applaud and appreciate as you humble yourself.”

One final thing that angels teach us is to be WILLING SERVANTS of God.  Hebrews 1 emphasizes the fact that Jesus Christ is FAR greater and above any angel, being both God and their Creator.  In vs. 14 He puts angels in their proper place saying they are “all ministering (serving) spirits sent (from God) to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation (us believers).”  In the Bible we see angels serving God (Psalm 103:21) as well as Jesus here on earth (Matthew 4:11).  They also minister to us here incognito and unawares to us (Hebrews 13:1).

We can learn a lot from God’s faithful angelic host.  Are you God’s good news messenger, His joyful worshipper and His willing servant?  How “angelic” are you today?   

Bob Kulp

HIDING FROM MY PROBLEM

Then David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. 1 Samuel 21:10

Instead of staying with Samuel (1 Samuel 19:18-24), where God protected him, and, no doubt, would have continued to protect him, David became afraid and hid from the problem. But what a foolish choice! He fled into the hands of the enemy; out of the frying pan into the fire! This constantly happens to God’s people when they panic and see things horizontally instead of vertically. When Christians get into trouble or have a problem, they hide from the church somehow thinking that they are still in a right relationship with God. It’s like knowing you are sick, but not going to urgent care even though you know it will help you.

How did this happen to David? He was worn down through the constant pressure of Saul. In the process, his faith was weakened and fear began to replace faith. Can you relate? How did he get out of this situation and instead of hiding from his problem, face it head on? Look at Psalm 34 and notice the superscription. Now, notice verse 4, “I inquired of Yahweh, and He answered me, and delivered me from all that I dread.” The NASB translates “inquired” by the English word “sought.” That’s where the reversal begins. If you sense that you are far from God, you know that He hasn’t moved. Repent, i.e., turn around. Seek Him. Call out to Him. He will do for you what He did for David. You can see that in the second half of verse 4, “and delivered me from all that I dread.” David tells us of his experience and the blessing of his seeking God in verse 8: “O taste and see that Yahweh is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Is that your experience today? Can you truthfully say that God is good? Can you truthfully say that you are blessed?

Ike Graham

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT

A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown…

Matthew 13:57

Returning to His old hometown of Nazareth, Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, was welcomed with apathy, skepticism, and disdain. He was, after all, a “hometown boy,” associated with the commonplace and the familiar, emerging from a humble family that they rubbed shoulders with on a daily basis. “How could he be so great?”

By faith, we know that Jesus was Incarnate Deity—but of this fact, the Nazarenes were ignorant. With His self-emptying (Phil.2:7), Jesus’ was Deity incognito; it was not His general custom to physically “glow in the dark” (the Transfiguration excepted). While it was also true that He was the perfect man who could boast with singular accuracy of a faultless existence (John 8:46), even this peculiarity didn’t faze the locals. And while there was a conceded astonishment at His level of teaching (Matt.13:54), the people even proved impervious to that unique Voice of authority (Matt.7:28-29; John 7:46). In fact, they took deep offense at Him (Matt.13:57). “His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). 

Rodney Dangerfield had a signature line: "I don't get no respect!" It’s unsurprising that God’s people are unrecognized as such by the world; Christians have not yet openly assumed the full possession of their inheritance (Rom.8:19). What’s sad is that saints often encounter a similar culture of disrespect within our churches. Quiet, humble brethren who are great champions in God’s sight are frequently disdained and unappreciated by fellow Christians. Studious, hard-working shepherds (1Tim.5:17) are minimized and led to discouragement by their flocks (Heb.13:17).

We find the experience of Jesus at Nazareth strangely encouraging. If the infinite merits of the God-Man were undervalued and unrecognized, what should we expect? Let our labors aim towards the Master’s recognition (Matt.25:21)!

Terry L. Reese

IT’S NEVER WRONG TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT

He swears to his own hurt and does not change.  Psalm 15:4b

In the 1950s and 1960s mothers sought to make their children the best mannered, best clothed, and best educated children in the world.  Now children are viewed as an obstacle to a woman's freedom and her career.  One mother recently said, "My kids hang around my ankles and try to take all my time, but I kick them off.  'You're not going to wreck my life!' I say to them."

The killing of children has been increasing year by year.  From 1957-1970, was a 51% increase.  Now we have 2-4 million cases of battered children per year.  They are beaten, burned and drowned.  One mother cut out her children's eyes with razor blades; 90% of this happened in the children's own homes.  Most in single parent homes.

The midwives of Exodus 1 “feared God.” They risked their own lives to save children who were not their own. As a result, God blessed these women and gave them households. In a similar way, King David wrote in Psalm 15, “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” This is followed by a description of a person of godly character and ends with, “He who does these things shall never be moved.” I doubt that the midwives of Exodus 1 would have obeyed Pharoah’s command even if threatened with death. So, dear friend, let me ask you, “What will it take to move you from obedience to God?” Jesus says, “Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Ike Graham

GOOD LUCK CHARM

Her heads pronounce judgment for a bribe,

And her priests instruct for a price,

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on Yahweh saying,

‘Is not Yahweh in our midst?

Evil will not come upon us.’  

Micah 3:11

 Good luck charms are everywhere. People will hang something from their rearview mirror or place an object on their dashboard. My neighbor has a statute of a “saint” in his front yard. When I was in grade school the fad was to carry around a dyed rabbit’s foot. Many barns have a horseshoe hanging above a door.

For many in Judah, their good luck charm was Yahweh. In doing so it revealed a level of selfishness that is repulsive. Judges willingly ignored justice for a little more money. The religious leaders were unwilling to serve unless they were handsomely rewarded. With their new gods of power and money, the only reason they tolerated Yahweh was because they thought He would bring them good luck. But what was Yahweh’s attitude toward such folly? Verse 12 reveals that in response to Judah’s sin, Jerusalem would be destroyed.

This wasn’t just a problem in Micah’s day. Today when we say something like “It’s okay to sin because I know that God will forgive” we are exposing the same kind of wrong thinking. God is not to be treated like a good luck charm that will get us out of any trouble we are in. His desire is for you to forsake your sin and to allow Him to rule your heart. Will you do that today?

Philip Moeller

EXERCISE AS A STEWARD

For bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 

God has given you and I a body as a gift. It has a purpose and a calling from God. God says in Romans 12:1 that we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice. In that passage the word body is a reference to our entire being, our physical body and our spirit/soul. We are to present our entire being to the Lord, out of gratitude and wonder at the incredible gift of salvation He has provided for us. How do we do that?

Paul instructs Titus, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work” (Titus 3:1). While every good deed begins in the heart, those deeds are usually carried out in the body. Thus, to the very best of our ability, God wants us to use our physical bodies to serve Him and others. But in order to do that, we must do what we can to make sure our physical body is in shape; able to physically serve God and others. It is at that point that we understand why bodily training is of some profit. We must exercise for the purpose of making sure our body is able to do all that God calls us to do. Everyone is at a different physical level/ability; but God calls each of us to steward well the body God has given to us. As we are faithful stewards, we will be truly loving God with our entire being, and our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

Joshua Steiner

THREE GREAT IMPUTATIONS

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf… 2 Corinthians 5:21

Imputation is an idea frequently expressed within Scripture that indicates that something is credited, reckoned, or accounted unto a person—who is then dealt with in accordance with their ascribed status. Here, we are dealing with the question of how we are legally regarded in the sight of God, as we examine a vital concept that was at the very heart of the Reformation.

I. The sin of Adam has been imputed (i.e., reckoned) unto his offspring (Rom.5:12; 1Cor.15:22). The sin of theHead of the Human Race, our common father Adam, has been attributed to every human being (the Virgin-born Christ alone excepted)—even unto unborn children and those without Biblical revelation (Rom.5:14). From God’s perspective, we were in Adam and are thus guilty in Adam (as well as for our inherited sinful disposition and consequent personal transgressions). Men are legally GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY!!!

BUT God has a great remedy: a Double Imputation (called the “Great Exchange” by Luther)—beautifully illustrated in Philemon 1:17-18!

II. At Calvary, the believer’s sins were imputed or reckoned unto Christ, our Suffering Substitute (Isa. 53:5-6; 1Pet. 2:24, 3:18; 2Cor. 5:21)! Though Christ was sinless, He was reckoned guilty for our transgressions. He became the God-forsaken One for us; He answered the penalty for our sins and satisfied the Father’s holy demands for justice (propitiation: 1 John 2:2, 4, 10).

III. Further, Christ’s perfect, infinite righteousness is legally reckoned or imputed unto the believer (Rom.4; 5:17-19; 2Cor. 5:21). Genuine righteousness is required to enter God’s Presence—but our native righteousness is filthy(Isa. 64:6), falling short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). Believers, however, are beautifully clothed (like redeemed Israel: Isa. 61:10) in the unchanging, immutable Righteousness of Christ! To God alone be the glory!

Terry L. Reese

THE DAY I WAS GLAD I SAID SOMETHING

 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  Proverbs 25:11

​Everyone has had foot-in-mouth disease at one time or another. But I actually remember a time when I said the right thing at the right time. I had just moved to my second church and had started a Bible study in a nursing home. After several meetings, a man in a wheelchair began attending. He always rolled into the back of the chapel and never said much, until one day when he stayed until after all the others left. He asked about being in heaven, and I had the joy of leading him to Christ.

​Two months later, I noticed that my new brother-in-Christ was not there. After the study, I asked the secretary about him. “Oh, I’m sorry you didn’t know,” she said. “He passed away last week. In fact, they are having his funeral service at the cemetery right now.”

​I hurried to the cemetery and saw the large group around the casket. The service was done except for a time of personal expressions from the family. “Does anyone else want to say something?” the pastor asked. The Lord nudged me to speak up, though I knew nobody there. “I’m Pastor Troxel,” I said, “and had the privilege of praying with __________ to receive Christ as his Savior just two months ago. It was a real blessing to hear him receive the Lord!”

​Just then a young lady turned her head away and began to cry. The pastor dismissed the group with a prayer, and I felt I should crawl into the hole with the casket. But before I could get back to my car, that young lady came up to me and said, “Pastor, I can’t thank you enough for that testimony. He was a dear uncle of mine and I loved him. I had no idea that he had ever had anything to do with the Lord!” I had never felt so glad to have said something and just in time.

​With all that James warns about concerning the tongue, it’s comforting to know that occasionally it behaves well. Never be afraid to speak up for the Lord.

Davy L. Troxel

WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM

 For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.  Matthew 2:2

 Someone estimated that we each spend at least one year of our lives searching for lost things.  We also search for peace, happiness and satisfaction.   In both cases, we frequently come up empty.  What’s the remedy for our search?  The wise men of Matthew 2:1-12 give us the answer.

Wise men still seek Jesus.  Motivated by Old Testament prophecy and the Jewish people’s watch for the Messiah, these astrologers traveled some 800 miles from what is now Iran/Iraq to Jerusalem seeking the infant King and guided by an unusual star.  Their search was rewarded.  The same is true today.  Wise people still seek Jesus (John 14:6)!  Wise men still rejoice in Jesus.  When the wise men left Jerusalem, the star appeared again.  They “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” similar to the joyous exuberance we sometimes see on Christmas morning.  We have that same kind of joy when we place our faith and trust in Christ.  True joy is found only in the Savior!  Wise men still worship Jesus.  The wise men’s search led them to a house where they found the young Child, Jesus with His mother.  Their immediate response was worship meaning “to give honor, reverence, glory, worth, to fall prostrate before.”  The Bible repeatedly tells us that God alone deserves our worship (Philippians 2:11-13).  Wise men still give to Jesus.  The wise men gave Jesus priceless gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh – gifts fit only for a king!  We already know that God’s gift to us – the gift of Jesus Christ, His Son – is the best gift of all.  Once received, we would be wise to give our lives to His service each and every day (Romans 12:1-2).

Wise people still seek, rejoice in, worship and give to Jesus.  Do not let Him get lost or misplaced in your life.  Seek Him today before it is too late.  Wise men still seek Him!

Bob Kulp

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

Then the men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good in your eyes.’” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.  

1 Samuel 24:4

Really? Is that what the Lord said? Sometimes, we hear what we want to hear. David’s men heard what they wanted to hear when Jonathan came to David in 1 Samuel 23:16-17. God did not say this. In Deuteronomy 32:35, God had said that He is the One who takes vengeance. You and I face the same kind of temptation. Your coworker says, “You know that the boss promised you that position, and now he has given it to someone else!” Actually, the boss said, “Bill, we’re also considering you for that position.” We must be wise and sort through situations and things that are said. 

How did David handle this situation? How did he end up making the right choice? First Samuel 24:5 says that the Holy Spirit pricked David’s conscience. Submission to the Holy Spirit on the basis of the word of God was step one. Then, notice verse 7 of 1 Samuel 24. David “tore his men to pieces with these words.” David spoke the truth. Truth can hurt (Prov. 27:6). But often pain comes before healing as in the medical profession. In the third place, David demonstrated that he really believed what he had said. Read 1 Samuel 24:8-22. David was a tremendous example to his men because more is caught than taught. 

When you are faced with a decision, what process do you go through in order to come to a conclusion? Do you submit yourself to God’s Spirit and His word and take the word of God as the final authority on the matter? Do you boldly proclaim what God says in love? Then, do you live it out? This is a pattern that we see in the man who followed the heart of God.

Ike Graham 

MY DELIGHT

But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, And in His law he meditates day and night.Psalm 1:2 

Growing up I had a list of chores that I was expected to complete. There were some that I enjoyed - like mowing or doing the dishes. There were others that I did not enjoy – like cleaning sinks. I learned rather quickly that something odd happened every time I began working on my chore list. The chores that I enjoyed seemed to get done quickly and the ones I didn’t enjoy seemed to never get completed. One sink that needed scrubbed seemed to somehow become five sinks! Was the problem with the chore list? No, the problem was me. I had a “delight” problem.

It is significant that the first psalm tells us that a blessed man is someone who delights in the law of Yahweh. In other words, if studying the law were on his chore list, it would have been the first thing he did! But that seems strange to us, doesn’t it? Many would hardly consider studying the book of Leviticus a delight. So why did King David think of it that way? He did so because he felt the weight of responsibility for ruling over Israel. He realized that the only way to be a just king was to follow the law of the just God. In fact, David further realized that such instruction had to be his meditation “day and night”. No matter what the situation was or when it happened, he knew that the only place with the answer was God’s law. Shouldn’t that be our attitude, too? Today, delight yourself in understanding God’s law.

Philip Moeller