PROVIDENCE

And so it happened that she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

Ruth 2:3b

Some might call it coincidence. We call it providence. After Robert Robinson was converted under the preaching of George Whitefield he felt called to preach. Trials would soon attack him and he found himself wandering from the Lord. He began traveling the world seeking for answers. On one journey he met a spiritually minded young woman. She asked him, “What do you think of this hymn I have been reading?” and then quoted “O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee; Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.” Robert immediately broke down confessing that he was the author of those words. Coincidence? I don’t think so!

Ruth found herself with nothing. The only thing she had was a love for Naomi and Naomi’s God. Armed with this conviction, she went out to work. From her perspective it was like a blind shot in the dark, but from God’s perspective, it was exactly how He had planned it.

Is that how you view the events in your life? Do you live with an awareness that God is orchestrating everything to accomplish His will? What this means is that nothing that occurs in your life is left to chance. Years later Ruth’s grandson, David, would write, “The footsteps of a man are established by Yahweh, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23).

Philip Moeller

BUILDING HOLINESS

Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and do My judgments and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will establish My word with you which I spoke to David your father. 1 Kings 6:13

King Solomon was chosen by God to build the worship center of Israel, the temple. In so doing, he was not just building a material structure but also centralizing the worship of Israel which was not simply outward. A surface reading of 1 Kings 6:13 might give you the idea that holiness comes by obedience. Many, many people think that holiness means keeping rules. That is not holiness; that is one fruit of holiness. Consequently, God says to Solomon in verse 13 that He will manifest His presence in the nation of Israel on one condition: verse 12. You keep My commandments. Keeping of God’s commandments is the demonstration that His holiness is in us. Sometimes, Israel is told to obey because they believe and sometimes, they are told to believe in order to obey (Deut. 6:1, 5; Josh. 1:5, 8; Isa. 1:18-19). What follows, then, is growth in holiness. We also call it sanctification. It is the spiritual growth into the image of Jesus. It is becoming more and more like God. The more that we grow spiritually, the more that we become like Jesus.

Holiness is a state of being, a process, and a goal. It begins with receiving the holiness of God when a person is born again; that is, they receive Jesus Christ as Savior and the Holy Spirit indwells that person permanently. That’s why Hebrews 12:14 reads, “Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” It culminates when we enter the presence of God. At that point, sin is eradicated and holiness dominates forever as 1 Thessalonians 5:23 states: the God of peace Himself will sanctify us completely, or entirely. Where are you in the building of holiness into your life? Ask your pastor how you are progressing.

Ike Graham

BABY TEETH

Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?
Hebrews 7:11

Children understand a simple truth: baby teeth are temporary. When adult teeth come in, no one tries to put the baby teeth back. They served their purpose, but something better replaced them. Scripture uses a similar idea to help us understand Christ’s priesthood.

In the Old Testament, priests from the tribe of Levi represented the people before God. Through sacrifices, they pointed worshipers toward forgiveness and reminded them of God’s justice and mercy. Yet Hebrews 7 teaches that this priesthood was never meant to be final. If it had truly made people perfect, there would have been no need for another priest. But Psalm 110 foretold that the Messiah would come as a priest in a different order — the order of Melchizedek — revealing that a greater plan was unfolding.

The Levitical system carefully regulated how people approached God. It was purposeful and important, but incomplete. Like a wooden frame used to support a stone arch during construction, it prepared the way for something lasting. Once the arch stands, the frame is removed because it is no longer needed. In the same way, Jesus fulfills what the old priesthood anticipated. Through His indestructible life, He becomes our eternal priest and the true way into God’s presence.

Jesus did not qualify as priest by ancestry or physical requirements. He came from the tribe of Judah and serves forever because of who He is — the sinless Son of God. The law could guide and instruct, but it could never make hearts perfect. Christ brings a better hope, giving believers confident access to the Father.

Because Jesus is our perfect and eternal priest, we no longer rely on temporary systems. We rest in His finished work. Today, draw near to God with confidence, thankful that through Christ we have forgiveness, hope, and a lasting relationship with the One who welcomes us into His presence.

Ethan Kallberg

TURNING BOMBSHELLS INTO BLESSINGS, PART 2

I hoped earnestly for Yahweh; and He inclined to me and heard my cry for help. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a high rock, He established my steps. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in Yahweh.

Psalm 40:1-3

​Before that dark day in October (see part 1), a saint in my current church had called me concerning meeting me to get some counselling. Little did I know that this would be my bridge to my next place of service! I met her at her place of business, and the following week our family was in her church, reeling from the blow of what had happened. That church had an interim pastor at the time, and the lady that had contacted me said, “I wish that we could afford to hire you as a full-time pastor!”

​I had begun to explore other possibilities, all of which the Lord answered “no” to, and decided that until a church came open, I would make this church our place of worship. The congregation was warm and kind to us at a time when we needed a source of spiritual strength and healing. The Lord moved mightily, and in two months I candidated for the position of pastor and received a unanimous call. I now have served here twenty-five years come December. In that time, the Lord has blessed in countless ways and has also done many things to fulfill His promise in Galatians 6:7-8 concerning those who caused the problem. Some of them even came to me and asked forgiveness. Looking back, I can see my Lord’s hand in the plan for my life, and I envy those in the Bible who were gifted with prophecy and could see God’s will as clearly in the future as I do in the past. I’ll never have that ability, but I’m much stronger in my ability to trust Him for the blessings after going through such a bombshell as this. Glory to God!

Davy L. Troxel

TURNING BOMBSHELLS INTO BLESSINGS, PART 1

For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has magnified himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my close companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet counsel together (as we) walked in the house of God in the throng.     

Psalm 55:12-14

​Some of the strangest events of my life have happened to me in October. Perhaps the strangest was the day that I met with the lead pastor of our church in 2001 and heard him say that I would be leaving because “I did not fit” anymore. There was no sin involved, no logical explanation, no vote by the church. He had called a secret meeting of the elders (which I heard later lasted until midnight) and just decided that “I did not fit”. To say that I was shocked and devastated is a great understatement. On top of it all, he asked me to lie and sign a letter saying that it was my own idea to leave!

​I could hardly walk back to the parsonage and face my wife. There were many questions that I would have liked to ask in that meeting, but it was all I could do to hold myself together, being a sensitive person (something that the other pastor belittled me about later).

​Rather than fight the issue and split the church, I felt God’s leading to just go. How could I ever minister to people who didn’t think that I “fit” anyway? And as the Lord would have it, the next week H.B. London (the “pastor’s pastor” at Focus on the Family) spoke at a nearby church. He said that one in three pastors will be removed from their church sometime in their career, and it will be because of seven people or less (there were seven on our elder board). Jesus sent great peace through prayer, church friends, and other pastors, along with my family, and, as always, the Lord had a plan to turn a bombshell into a blessing. [See part 2 of this story in tomorrow’s devotional.] But anyone who ever trusted in people and then regretted it knows how hard it is to recuperate from the pain of Judas’ kiss. Praise Jesus that His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 136).

Davy L. Troxel

TEMPORARY TRIUMPHS AND FAILURES

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and put him to death; but there was no sword in David’s hand. 

1 Samuel 17:50

One year in high school I played on the school chess team against other area schools. A team consisted of 6 boards/players ranked from 1 to 6, and in a match players ranked the same played each other. Wins and ties scored points and the team with the most points was the winner. We had a team coming up that was particularly strong, so our advisor decided our best chance of winning was to sacrifice a board by moving our sixth board (me) up to play their first board. Thus everyone else moved up and had a better chance of winning. During the match the advisors walked around evaluating the progress of the games and agreed that I would lose. However, I had a strong end game and won, and our team earned enough points to win the match! It was a sweet win for both the team and me personally. But victory can be short lived, and I finished the season back at sixth board.

  David had a life of tremendous triumphs, like his defeat of Goliath. But that was only temporary as he also had failures after that, like his adultery with Bathsheba. But that, too, was only temporary. Why? Because he did not make excuses but repented and continued to serve God. Though forgiven there were still consequences, but David loved and trusted God.

  Dear Christian—do not let your triumphs swell you with pride and turn you away from putting God first. Do not let your failures keep you from repentance, accepting God’s forgiveness, and continuing to serve Him.

Jeffrey Eno

WOKE, OR AWAKENED?

I lay down and slept; I awoke, for Yahweh sustains me. Psalm 3:5

In our day of “Wokeness,” King David was awakened by God to his adversaries (vs. 1-2), his Advocate (vs. 3-4), his advantage (vs. 5-6), and the Almighty (vs. 7-8). Being stunned by Absalom’s rebellion and running for his life did not prevent David from remembering who is really in control. As it was for David, so it is for us; namely, God is a shield around us. The word means to “cover over and shield from danger.” Like a hen shields her chicks under her wings and her body, so God covers and protects us. Psalm 91:4 reads: “He will cover you with his pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91 was probably written by Moses so David would have known this Psalm.

David was awakened to the great truths of God through his hardships over Amnon and Absalom. Absalom was, in today’s vernacular, “woke.” We see the outcome in these chapters. But what about you, friend? Are you “Woke” and buying into the nonsense being thrown all over social media and promoted even by corporations; or, are you awakened to the truth of God and you are resting in Jesus Christ for true salvation?

As David had a rude awakening to the rebellion and insurrection of his own son, you and I need to be awakened to what is going on in our country; not woke. Like David, we need to recognize the situation and pushback not by political strategies, but by prayer to start with as we see David do that very thing in this Psalm. Take time to pray right now.

Ike Graham

THE BIG “IF”!

If… My people, who are called by My name

humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn

from their evil ways, then I will listen from heaven.

 I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Many people live their lives on the basis of a big “if”.  For example: “if I can get up on Sunday morning, then I’ll go to church” or “If I find the perfect job, then I’ll be happy.”  Such people must live very “iffy” lives!  As we approach our National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 7, what would God tell us today? 

King Solomon was given the greatest blank check ever when God told him, “Ask what I should give to you?”  With great humility Solomon requested an understanding heart to wisely lead God’s people (1 Kings 3:3-15).  After building the temple and a 15 day dedication service, God again visits Solomon at night to warn of upcoming national crises.  Since God is all about redemption, He gives the national “Big If” solution in 2 Chronicles 7:14. 

Just who are God’s people?  The Old Testament clearly states that the descendants of Abraham are God’s chosen nation and people.  We all are deeply indebted to them for bringing us the Bible and the Savior.   Obviously this “Big If” promise is for Israel.  But it also presents a proven formula for spiritual revival and renewal for those who will follow it even today in the USA.   The question is will we humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face and turn, repent of our sins?  If so, God will hear us, forgive us and heal us spiritually.  It all starts with humility.  James 4:6 says “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  Will you be part of America’s solution and say yes to God’s “Big If” for revival? 

Bob Kulp

FROM PLACE TO PLACE

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Galatians. 5:9

Historical cinema-analysis serves as a barometer that gauges the evolution of American culture, tracking shifts in what the public deems to be “acceptable.” Briefly compare the public’s reaction to two glossy and popular “soap opera-ish” productions from the late 1950’s, dealing with “adult” themes: Peyton Place (1957) and A Summer Place (1959).

Peyton Place was a sanitized, toned-down version of an infamous “trash” novel that scandalized the public, dealing with such topics as adultery, incest, abortion, rape, and small-town hypocrisy. While the film version created notable controversy, it appears relatively tame by today’s standards (sometimes even moralistic in tone) and occasionally even rises to a thoughtful analysis of post-war changes to American suburbia. Further, the original novel’s more controversial aspects are deliberately and subtly understated.

Two years later, however, a MUCH more brazen and audacious film appeared: A Summer Place. Despite the gorgeous theme song, the film—featuring the open idealization and romanticization of marital infidelity and premarital sex—remains as jarring to Biblically-derived sensibilities as it did in 1959. Devoid of any serious moral and intellectual value, there is no degree of subtlety whatsoever in either the film’s dialogue, or its overall presentation of the subject matter. And yet, the film’s release—only two years after the uproar over Peyton Place—was attended by almost ZERO levels of controversy. Indeed, it proved “endearing” to the overall public!

Our Moral: If left unattended, sin GROWS and PERMEATES, like leaven. It HARDENS the heart and DE-SENSITIZES the conscience (Heb.3:13). Like a bad odor, its stench gradually loses its initial impact, achieving a miserable “normalcy.” It creates a slippery slope, lowering even an entire society’s moral expectations.

Sin requires but one response: total, immediate rejection (Matt.5:29-30)!!!

Terry L. Reese 

A RECIPIENT OF GRACE

Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, though I am a foreigner? Ruth 2:10b

In 1996 as our family was being evacuated from the Central African Republic, we found ourselves having to wait on the French military base of Bouar while flights were being arranged for our return to the USA. In order to pass time, our mom had my siblings and I run laps around the army barracks. On one lap, a French soldier called us over and gave each of us an apple. Since it had been several years since we had even seen an apple, this was a memorable gift!

That apple was an undeserved gift. We had done nothing to earn it. We had no prior rights to any claims to the apples. Another way of saying it is that it was grace – an undeserved gift.

When Ruth first meets Boaz, she begins to realize that she is a recipient of grace. From her perspective, she had no right to expect Boaz’ kindness. She was a foreigner. She didn’t own the land. She hadn’t planted the barley. She owned nothing. But still Boaz permitted her to glean in his fields and had even instructed the other reapers to not harm her and allow her to use their water jars. That’s grace.

Because of Christ, you too, are a recipient of grace. Paul wrote, “And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience… even when we were dead in our transgression, [God] made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:1-2, 5)

Philip Moeller

LEAVING A GODLY LEGACY

Better is a good name than good oil, and better is the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1

King David’s life was riddled with lies, adultery and murder. Yet, he is called “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). Does that mean his good deeds outweighed his bad deeds? No, not at all. Like all humans, David, too, was a sinner; prone to sin and struggling with that monster inside. But, as Titus 3:3-6 reads: “For we ourselves also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared, 5 He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” So it was with David. The grace of God changed his heart by the Holy Spirit and enlightened him to write: “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 51:16-17). David’s sensitive heart toward God, his repentance and reconciliation with God continued to enable him to be an instrument of God wherein God says, “he’s a man after My own heart.” Is that you? Do you have a heart in tune with God no matter what comes? That kind of life leaves a godly legacy and is a good name. 

Friend, I don’t know what you have experienced in your life. Maybe broken relationships, criminal acts, outright denial of God/Jesus like Peter, etc. I do know that Jesus saves. Jesus sanctifies. He can transform messed up lives into trophies of God’s grace and mercy.

Ike Graham

LOVE YOUR ENEMY

When your enemy falls, do not be glad, and when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice; lest Yahweh see it and it be evil in His eyes, and turn His anger away from him. Proverbs 24:17-18

In 1569, an Anabaptist named Dirk Willems was fleeing from a man who was seeking to arrest him. The authorities were after him in order to try him for the ‘crimes’ of being rebaptized, holding secret meetings in his home and overseeing baptisms of others. As Dirk was running away, he crossed a small pond that had a thin layer of ice. He was able to make it safely across, but his pursuer was not. That man fell into the ice and was crying for help. It would seem that Dirk was rescued by the thin ice; he was able to escape. But instead of continuing to run, he turned back and helped the drowning man out of the freezing water. Because of that decision he was arrested, unjustly tried, and burned to death at the stake. 

Dirk had a firm grasp on Proverbs 24:17 and Luke 6:35, “but love your enemies, and do good…” Our natural sinful response is to rejoice when our enemies fall, and be glad when they suffer defeat. But the heart that has been transformed by the Lord, doesn’t hate his enemy, even though his enemy hates him. Instead, he has compassion on his enemy, he loves his enemy; because he knows that but for the grace of God, he would be just like his enemy. I’ve wondered if the man Dirk rescued from the icy water, later repented. That detail is lost to history, but it seems very possible. May the Lord strengthen us to love our enemies, even when it doesn’t make logical sense. 

Joshua Steiner

IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT!

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom (God’s) and the man who obtains discernment (from God).  For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her produce better than fine gold. 

Proverbs 3:13-14

Many years ago, I found myself in a very unhappy and discontented state of mind.  I was not where I wanted to be and had no idea where I was going.  Have you ever been there?  In desperation and curiosity, I decided to search the Bible to find God’s conditions of happiness/blessedness.  The standard dictionary definition of “enjoying oneself, having pleasure, joy, contentment, good fortune, being merry, cheerful, in good humor, smiling” just did not cut it with me!  Here are a few of the verses dealing with blessedness or happiness that I found.

-     Psalm 1:1-2 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, BUT his delight is in the law of Yahweh, and in His law he meditates day and night.”

-     Psalm 32:1-2 “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!  How blessed is the man whose iniquity Yahweh will not take into account.” 

-     Luke 11:28 “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.”

-     John 20:29 “Blessed are those who did not see (Me, Jesus), and yet believed.”

-     1 Peter 4:14 “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed.” 

-     Revelation 19:9 “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

This study changed my entire outlook and attitude years ago and still does when I remember it!  God truly wants you to be happy but only on His terms.  It is not a hopeless pursuit!  If YOU are happy and YOU know it, say “Amen!”

Bob Kulp

WHOM DO YOU WANT TO PLEASE?

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ. 

Colossians 3:23-24

I missed graduating from college with honors by .001 grade point average. If I had gotten one letter grade higher in any class I took in my four years I would have graduated with honors. That means my first semester if I had appreciated art just a bit more and gotten a C instead of a D I would have made it. As it turned out, missing honors never made a difference over the course of my life anyway.

After discovering Colossians 3:23-24, I have reflected on that shortcoming in my freshman year a number of times. I was not trying to walk in those days on the basis of those verses, and I wonder now how many blessings I missed. Concerning Art Appreciation 101 I was certainly capable of getting a much higher grade.

But honors from man are not the point. Pleasing Jesus is. The verbs in Colossians 3:23-24 are imperative, so doing them is not optional if you love Jesus (see John 14:15). Less than my best is not an option now, no matter what I am doing. 

How about it? Are you doing your best for Jesus in all things?

(By the way, I still don’t appreciate man’s art much, but I have developed a greater toleration for some of it.)

Jeffrey Eno

STOP SAYING “KARMA!”

…it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.  Hebrews 9:27

Often we see someone on Facebook employ the term “Karma!”—usually in response to someone getting their “just desserts.” A motorist carelessly splashes a pedestrian, and soon the offender himself slips on a banana peel—triggering the verdict of “KARMA!” 

The concept has successfully penetrated our pop-culture, from the Beatles’ Abby Road album to the sitcom “My Name is Earl,” in which the protagonist engages in an episodic quest to “balance his Karma” through good deeds. 

To be sure, the Bible does speak of a Divinely superintended “cause-and-effect” principle of reciprocative justice (Hosea10:13; Gal.6:7-8), and Mosaic ("eye for an eye") jurisprudence endorses proportional retribution.

But karma is quite different, serving as a cornerstone of Hindu-Buddhist-Taoist spirituality that governs the concept of reincarnation—supposedly determining the quality/status of a person’s “next life.” Good karma results in rebirth to a higher caste, but bad karma results in future misery. A person who was cruel to animals in this life may be reincarnated as a lab rodent in the next.

In contrast, the Bible affords no post-mortem “second chances” (Heb.9:27). Jesus said the dying thief went to Paradise that very day (Luke 23:43); he was not reborn to another earthly existence.

Further, karmic law—unlike Biblical Justice—is an impersonal cause-and-effect principle. The pantheistic “god” of Hinduism is not a Person, but an impersonal “Force.” Thus, there can be neither clemency nor flexibility associated with karma, because there is no gracious Personality offering forgiveness.

Christianity affirms that sin is an attack upon a Personal God, requiring an appeasing propitiation (1John 4:10). Jesus’ blood satisfies God’s wrath, bringing forgiveness.

Christians should prayerfully labor for the salvation of billions of pantheists—and quit invoking “karma!”

Terry L. Reese

SURPRISED BY GRACE

Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Have you not heard, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my young women.’ Ruth 2:8

The relationship between Ruth and Boaz oozes with grace. Boaz is the gracious giver and Ruth the grateful recipient. Consider this…

Ruth was not entitled to any good treatment. She was an outsider, a foreigner, a former idolater, a destitute widow, and unable to contribute anything to the business of her new employer, Boaz. Despite this, he still graced her by allowing her to glean in his field. Grace offers a new and better future.

In this culture men and women were not permitted to speak to each other, and certainly speaking to a foreign woman would have been totally unacceptable. But after investigating who she was, it is Boaz who initiates the conversation with Ruth. Grace always takes the initiative by making the first move. “We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

When shown grace, Ruth’s first word is “why” (v. 10). This is the natural response from a heart that is overwhelmed with gratitude. Grace surprises us with provision and protection.

Years later, grace was once again poured out on the hills near Bethlehem when Jesus laid down His life. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Have you accepted this free gift?

Philip Moeller

BUILDING A HOME

Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it;

Unless Yahweh watches the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. 

Psalm 127:1

A lasting home is built by God (vs. 1); it is balanced (v. 2) and it is blessed (vs. 3-5). Solomon knew 2 things that you and I also need to understand. A lasting home is not made of material substances like wood or brick. God doesn’t pick up the hammer and start framing on the foundation… though we would like that! Secondly, to erect a structure and live in it without God will be an eternally fruitless endeavor. When Solomon builds the temple; or, the house of God, he says this in 1 Kings 8:27: But will God truly dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built! The only thing that sets this temple apart from all other religious structures is the God who manifests His presence in it.

The word for house in verse 1, בַ֗יִת, is a generic term. It can be translated, “household, prison house, temple” or “family” depending on the context. And, in the Hebrew text, there is no article. So, Solomon is not describing the temple or a material house; he is talking about any house, household or family. בַ֗יִת can also be translated “dwelling” or “habitation.”

In true Solomonic style, we are told straight up that to build a home or to guard a city is vain; it’s empty; it’s like a soap bubble; it’s like a balloon without its skin…UNLESS the Lord does it. The eternal living God who never changes, who is never affected by the 2nd law of thermodynamics, who builds for eternity; He must be the architect and building contractor. Is that true of your home?

Ike Graham

A FEW GOOD GODLY MEN

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11-13

Over 3000 years ago a Philistine giant named Goliath issued a threatening challenge to a fearful Israelite army shouting, “Give me a man!” (1 Samuel 17:10).  While not a challenge to fight, I believe that same cry is going out everywhere as the Lord is looking for men of godly faith, conviction and character who will stand up and stand out for Him in this sinful world.

What does such a man look like?  In Titus 2:2 Paul teaches that older men should have the stability of being temperate, dignified/reverent, sensible, sound in doctrine (teaching God’s Word – 2 Timothy 3:16-17), sound in faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and sound in love for God (1 John 4:19; John 14:15), for others (John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:16-18) and for their wives and families (Ephesians 5:25).  Intolerant, unsympathetic, hurtful, faultfinding, angry men don’t fit the bill! Finally the older men are sound in endurance, bearing up and under all hard situations, persevering and not quitting when the going gets tough (James 1:2-4, 12), looking to Jesus to find the strength to keep them running their race well (Hebrews 12:1-4).  These same qualifications apply today.

The older men are also to be good examples and exhort younger Christian men to have a sensible life-style, be positive role models, having sound doctrine showing integrity and honesty, reverence and respect for God, purity and sincerity.  Finally they are to have sound, healthy speech which is irreproachable (Titus 2:6-8).  Are you such a man?  If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God is calling you to this standard.  You can be a good, godly man! 

Bob Kulp

THE BIG “DUH”

For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.    Romans 13:3-4

​When I was a chaplain for the sheriff’s department, I used to enjoy riding with the deputies during their shift. Almost every one of them asked me, “If I ever had to use my weapon, what would God say if I killed someone?” To which I would answer with the above verses, which I feel are self-explanatory: if you don’t want to have to fear law enforcement, then just don’t do anything stupid, and they will be your friends. But, if you go around breaking the law, then you’d better watch out for that pistol that the Lord gave him permission to carry and use! Like, duh, is that too complicated?

​How much better the world would be, if people would just read and abide by the simple truths of God’s Word. But, no, men have to go around in violent protests, even attempting to kill God’s ministers of law enforcement, and then they complain to high heaven (or somewhere else) when law enforcement does what it is supposed to do, and stops the lawbreakers.

​It is no surprise that the hallmark of the last days will be lawlessness (1 John 3:4), and that the antichrist is the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10); he is well on his way to taking the world over.

Davy L. Troxel

TEMPUS FUGIT

A voice says, ‘Call out.’ Then he answered, ‘What shall I call out?’

All flesh is grass, and all its lovingkindness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of Yahweh blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:6-8

When my first grandchild was born I realized that he would never know my father since he died before my grandson was born. My father was a VIP to me. He not only loved me and cared for me, but most importantly he shared the gospel with me. But he would only be a picture and a story to my grandchildren and beyond. Likewise, if the Lord does not return, in a few generations I will only be a picture and a story. When and if future generations see my picture, what will that story be?

The reality of mortality in this life draws ever clearer. The urgency to emphasize to family the importance of being prepared for their own mortality presses harder, since not all bear witness of faith in Jesus. I want as many generations as possible to know how the Lord has blessed me. I want them to know that I have taken Him seriously and sought to walk in His ways. I want them to know that the Bible was important to me. I want them to know that I trusted Him in all circumstances. I want them to know I was a true Christian.

Will that story go with my picture? I have work to do on it.

What story will go with your picture?

Jeffrey Eno