Everyday, countless situations occur which directly affect the individual’s life. Situations often come and go without any apparent long-term consideration or effect. A trip to the local grocery store will involve all kinds of situations, but most are met and dismissed without much effort. Although the overall effect of such things does not immediately become apparent, the effect is still there and it grows.
The pace for most people appears to be so fast that there is little time to spend on any one thing. The only things that seem to slow people down are bad health, some crisis, or advancing age. In such an environment, things are forgotten, overlooked or ignored. Yet, it IS critical to remember what is truly important.
Unfortunately, the important things of life are all too often forgotten as Christians face daily demands and situations. Bills, schedules, meetings, appointments, unexpected events begin to build up and all clamor for attention and decisions RIGHT NOW. When this happens, the peace and confidence that comes from God can be disrupted. In it’s place is the growing burden, “How can I do all this?!”
On the other extreme, there are good Christian men and women who suffer from what they see as a stifling or unfulfilled life. Some, who were once active, can no longer do the things they once did. Variety and challenge gradually give way to a sameness that threatens to ruin the remaining years of life.
Christians see national and social powers rise up in opposition to Christian principles, and it seems like they will sweep everything away in front of them. Various worldwide problems such as immorality, crime and pollution seem to have no solution. All of these things tend to tear away at the faith and peace of a Christian.
In contrast the psalmist begins the 93rd Psalm with the stirring proclamation, “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.” The great fact that all Christians must remember, is that the Lord IS KING, and is robed in majesty (This was emphasized TWICE in the same sentence). No matter what Christians face in this life, the Lord reigns, His plan WILL BE fulfilled and all the righteous in Jesus Christ WILL HAVE the promise of Eternal Life. There is no power in this universe that can defeat the will of God. When THIS is remembered, everything else very quickly falls into its proper place.
From verses 3 and 4, it seems that the stimulus for the theme of Psalm 93 must have been the sea. The rolling waves are almost hypnotic as they attack the land. Nothing seems to capture the picture of great power more than crashing waves during a storm, and nothing built by man has stood up to the strength of the sea. Everyday problems and concerns suddenly become very small for those who find themselves in the path of a hurricane or a great winter storm.
Yet, the power, strength and majesty of the Lord is greater than anything the sea can do: “Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea – the Lord on high is mighty.” If people stand in awe or fear of the power of the sea, how much more should there be fear of the Living God of all creation?
Paul wrote in Romans 8:31-35, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? “
Yes, instead of fear, God has offered love, protection and security through Jesus Christ. Through the sacrifice of the Lord, the power of God the Father is working within each Christian. That power is infinite – it will never fail; and in light of this, the press and demands of daily life should become secondary very quickly.
Isn’t it good to know that the Lord reigns, and that he is robed in majesty? Isn’t it reassuring to KNOW His power is absolute, and it is there to help each Christian? Thank you Father.

Recently a small struggling church in Texas divided because of a misunder- standing between brethren. More recently, a good church in East Texas suffered a similar fate. A young and growing church in California had nearly a third of its members to leave last year because of internal strife. Many other churches are threatened with the possibility of division. Some are, for all practical purposes, already divided but still meeting together — often times in an atmosphere scarcely conducive to worshipping the Lord. Regardless of what has caused the conflict, its consequences are always hurtful.

For instance, weak Christians are often disillusioned and discouraged to the point of giving up when they witness such controversy and the conduct usually associated with it. They are encouraged to take sides without really understanding why. Such conflicts are often characterized by hard feelings and bitterness between brethren. All still claim to love each other, but their claim is often contradicted by their words, attitudes and conduct. James says plainly, “Speak not one against another, brethren” (4:11). It’s amazing how many reasons bitter brethren can find to justify doing what James says not to do! Even when we feel that we’re in the right (and we always do!), could we justify our violating a dozen truths in order to uphold one? Spiritual truth always suffers when defended by carnal means. Conflicts have a way of impairing our vision. In B.C. days (before conflict) we saw no evil in these brethren; now we see no good. Back then, we never impugned their motives; now we find ourselves suspicious of their every activity. We see our good friends and brethren of past years transformed into some kind of enemy. It appears that Satan has blinded the minds of some believers too (2 Cor. 4:4; 11:3).

Brethren, may God help each of us to swallow our pride and to sincerely “follow after the things which make for peace” (Rom. 14:19). God’s people are to be peacemakers, not peace breakers (Matt. 5:9). That means we must aggressively seek to make things right, regardless of who made things wrong. We must have such humility as to recognize the remote possibility that we (I) may have contributed something to the misunderstanding; perhaps I may have spoken harshly or manifested a poor attitude. There is the possibility that I have not been longsuffering, kind, and considerate as a Christian should be (1 Cor. 13). Is there a chance that I have not treated my brethren as I would like to be treated? (Matt. 7:12) Have I prayed for them? And, do I really want things to be made right between us? Am I willing to cease seeking some justification for being divided and work for unity? Am I willing to even take the wrong if need be? (1 Cor. 6:7) Can I forgive? Will I?

Finally, we must ask ourselves if we have such lowliness of mind so as to count others better than self; whether we are looking to our own things or to the things of others, and whether we are truly Christ-minded? (Phil. 2:2-5) God offers the remedy for these problems. Will YOU be a doer of His word?

The word “mercy” is found hundreds of times in the Bible, being translated from various Hebrew and Greek words. The primary meaning behind the word is having pity on those who are afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.

Webster’s Dictionary defines mercy as “a refraining from harming or punishing offenders, enemies, persons in one’s power, etc.; kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness… a disposition to forgive, pity, or be kind.”

Everything we learn about mercy has originally come from God. He is the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).

God’s mercy is abundant, providing more than we will ever need. “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Ps. 86:15).

God’s mercy is reliable, faithful, and trustworthy. “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation” (Ps. 13:5).

God’s mercy endures forever. “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children” (Ps. 103:17). Read Psalm 136 and notice the refrain “For His mercy endures forever” is repeated 26 times!

Forgiveness is available from God because He is merciful towards us. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy… For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:8, 11-13).

Because of the richness of His abundant mercy, God took pity on our spiritual condition and sent His Son to die for us (Eph. 2:4-10).

God’s mercy is worthy to be praised, but it is conditional. His mercy must be received on His terms.

1. Call on the Lord. “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You” (Ps. 86:5). God will not grant His divine mercy to those who refuse to acknowledge Him.

2. Confess and Forsake Our Sin. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Is. 55:7). God has never obligated Himself to forgive us of our sins if we refuse to acknowledge and turn away from them. Repentance is essential.

3. Have a Penitent and Contrite Heart. “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:13-14). God sees our hearts, and extends His mercy only to those whose hearts are humble and acknowledge their unworthiness before His holiness.

4. Fear the Lord and Keep His Commandments. “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them” (Ps. 103:17-18). This is the summation of our duty before God (Eccl. 12:13) and is required if we are to remain in fellowship with God and continue to receive His mercy.

5. Show Mercy to Others. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7). Ingratitude is an ugly trait. Those who receive God’s mercy are, at the very least, obligated to show it to others. Our willingness to show mercy will result in God showing mercy to us on the Day of Judgment (James 2:13).

6. Love Mercy. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). We are not to dismiss or downplay the importance of mercy, nor are we to merely acknowledge mercy as a good trait. We must appreciate and value mercy as a cherished part of God’s character. God delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18). We must learn to do the same.

Mercy is an important subject. We will all need mercy from God. He is ready to show us mercy, but only if we have learned to be merciful ourselves.

The actions of the Good Samaritan are summed up as “he who showed mercy on him,” to which our Lord replied, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). Let’s learn to be merciful people.

My Dad was a great fellow.  He was rather introverted, even bordered on being timid.  But there was a kind of inner stability about him that made you know that his timidity was not a sign of anything–except the wisdom it takes to be quiet and listen.  He had a philosophical bent about him and when he did say something, you could usually put it in your pocket and use it later because it was something that made good sense.
   We moved to the Plains of West Texas when I was 5 years old.  My dad kept books at the cotton Gin for Hume Russell.  Later, when we had saved up a little money, he bought a dry cleaning shop in Morton.  In addition to cleaning clothes, Dad ordered tailor-made suits for the National Tailoring Company in Chicago.  We still have a nice quilt Mom made out of the wool suit samples he would show to prospective buyers.  He was an expert at measuring a person for clothes and “that’s the key to having satisfied customers,” he would say.  We didn’t always have much– didn’t even have a car until I was 12 or 13–but we had nice clothes, so everybody thought we were better off than we were. 
   One thing my Dad said about clothes has stayed with me all these years.  “Things wear out where they don’t fit,” he said.  In other words, if you buy things that fit you, you can wear them much longer.  Things wear out where they don’t fit.
   That’s true of humans, too, you know.  Folks soon wear out where they don’t fit. 
   If you’re in a crowd where you don’t fit, chances are you won’t stay long–mainly because you don’t think you look good there.  When you feel welcome–that is, when you fit–you’ll more likely stay longer and be more of a part of the overall picture.
Where do you fit here?  Let’s look at some things that are necessary for a good fit.
A good fit begins with a good measurement. You have to measure yourself.  Introspection may be the hardest kind of inspection.  First of all, it requires complete honesty.  You have to take a long look at your assets and liabilities and see how you can best use what you have and try and do better at what you lack.  That’s not easy, but just remember, not everybody fits into every slot, and you’re apt to wear out if you force yourself into some area where you don’t fit.  Paul said, (Gal. 6:4), “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another.”  Self-examination always begins with a good heart (Psalm 15:1-2).
   You have to want to.  You won’t fit if you don’t want to. Many times people who complain about not being a part, don’t fit in because deep down, they don’t really want to. If you want to, you can fit.  How sad to see some folks who complain bitterly–and talk loudly–because they don’t have a place when they never tried to fit in.  The one talent man (Matt. 25:25) didn’t fit into his master’s plan not because he couldn’t, but because he decided not to.
  You have to stay in your own place.  Not everybody fits everywhere and not everybody can do everything.  Sometimes you have to just be satisfied with where you fit and try to fit nicely into your own spot.  Actually, if you try and force yourself into a place where you don’t fit, you mess up the whole picture and someone who actually fits where you’re trying to is left to fit where he doesn’t fit either.  And that makes for trouble.  The various parts of the body function together to make the whole body strong, but the liver doesn’t try to be what’s it not and the feet don’t try and take the place of the ears (see I Cor. 12:14-f).
  Everybody fits.  There are no unimportant parts in this picture.  Every single part–no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may seem–has a place.  When a part is missing, it messes up the entire picture and, rather than blending in to the whole, the void causes people to see only the missing part, thus distracting terribly from the big picture.  And how wonderful just to know that you have a place, and one that no one else is fitted for.  When Paul says we are “knitted together,” he says the knitting is supplied by every joint contributing its part by “the effective working by which every part does its share” (Eph. 4:17).  Only when every part does its part can the whole body be effective.
So, let’s get together.  Let’s gather together all the parts of this church and fit them into the over-all scheme of things and get to the business of being lights in the world–a picture that will reflect to the world around us that we’re serious about the business of going to heaven and that we’re interested in taking as many people with us we can.

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim 1:7).

Power is an interesting word that can carry with it several ideas. We may think of power connected to electricity, and when we lose it we realize how dependent we have become on it. We like having power. Sometimes the statement, “We have no power,” becomes a bit of a code for “look at our plight,” when we are really saying, “This is pretty inconvenient.” In some cases, that power can mean life or death, which makes many of our complaints seem petty. Power has saved lives. Then there are the vast numbers of people in the world without such power at all, and they manage normal days without it and may not feel as though they miss it. And let’s not forget that the vast majority of people who lived before our modern era never knew such power at all. May God help us put this perspective!

Power is much more than electrical, of course. The term can also indicate one’s abilities to accomplish something. I have power to turn my power at my residence on or off provided we have power. I have power to write something (for good or ill). I have power to stand, walk, and eat. We all have different levels of ability and opportunities that allows us to act with some sense of power. To be empowered is to enabled, and we often see this is a vital part of who we are. We do not like feeling powerless.

Power also means strength, and this can be good or bad. We think of political power or the power that one individual might have over another. We think of positions of power and authority. Such power can be wielded for the good of others, but often power is corrupted and becomes abusive and oppressive. God has words for people who abuse the powerless (cf. Isa 1:17).

But here’s where I really want to go: we all have access to the very same power, and this is the power found in Jesus Christ. The power of God is seen in the cross for those who are being saved, and this is no little power (1 Cor 1:18). Our faith needs to rest not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Cor 2:5). Through Christ, then, we will be able to accomplish all that He intends by His strength (Phil 4:11-13). It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we have hope (Rom 15:13). We can go on a long time in these thoughts, but the reason we have power is that God has the ultimate power to empower us. Think of God’s power for a moment:

“When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses” (Exod 14:31). “Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power…” (Exod 15:6). “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power” (Psa 21:13).

From the New Testament perspective, God’s power is demonstrated through Christ, and because He has such power, He empowers His people. Meditate on these great thoughts in Ephesians 1:19-21:

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

The biblical theme of power is impressive and something we would do well to think about because it is rooted in God. God has all power and from Him comes power given by His grace that we may live an abundant life through Christ. This is available to all, whether they have physical power, electrical power, or any other kind of power. God’s power, strength, and authority is offered to all, and this empowers us to do what we need to as we stay true to Him: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). But we must relinquish our own sense of personal power (deny self) if we will see God’s power for what it is and what it can accomplish in our lives. God surely emboldens us with a spirit of power.
Doy Moyer

If one word can describe this psalm, that word is PROTECTION. People often ask, “Why should I become a Christian? How will it help me NOW?” One answer is that God provides protection for those who are joined to Him. Life is infinite variety. Some of what each person experiences is good and beautiful. However, there are also times of trials and hardship. When life’s problems or trials loom bigger and bigger, a person often feels alone and inadequate in dealing with such things.
Every person has experienced such feelings, but Psalm 91 is a beautiful assurance that God is able to care for His children daily. The psalmist wrote in verses 1-2, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’” For the Christian, there should be a great sense of security and steadiness, because the power of God is working within each Christian. No matter what happens in this life, the REAL life and destiny of God’s children is safe.
Satan tries to trap a person through lies and deceit. The Psalmist described the Devil as one who traps birds in verse 2, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare…” A bird can only be trapped when it is lured from the sky to the ground by some bait that “looks” inviting. In the same way, the Devil displays his bait and beckons to the naive, “Come down here. Leave your spiritual life with God for just a moment and sample my delights.” Tragically, if a person gives in to the Devil’s lies and the temptation of sin, the trap will suddenly spring shut and the person is caught.
That is the promise that God the Father offers to His children. When the cry for help is made, the Lord will provide a way of escape. Paul wrote that no Christian is tempted beyond what he can bear. James reminded Christians that trials lead to patience and maturity.
When a Christian truly submits to God’s direction, God will guide that Christian to the right decision. The Lord does not force a person to do the right thing. The power to choose still rests with each person; but if a Christian will remain receptive to the Lord’s words, the trap will remain empty. In verse 4, the Psalmist uses the idea of a bird to further describe the protection of God, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Chicks find refuge and safety under the mother hen. Regardless of the temperature or conditions, those protective wings provide dry warmth. When a child is frightened or hurt, that little one will want to crawl up into his, or her, mother’s lap. As those loving arms wrap around the child, you can see the look of comfort and security.
The message is plain – when the storms of life strike, each Christian has a place to go for help! No Christian is left alone or isolated in the face of problems, anytime, a Christian feels alone, forgotten or unprotected, those feelings are lies! They are simply Satan’s attempts to panic people so that they will flee from God. However, God’s power, and the Christian’s faith in the Lord provides a place of safety. Many Christians have said, “Times are tough, but I know that in the Lord I have an inheritance and a home. I know that God will help me now.”
The Psalmist described the same thing in this way, “You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.” One quality all Christians should always have is CONFIDENCE in God’s protection. A frightened, fearful Christian is a contradiction in terms!
In the last three verses, God Himself speaks, “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”
God gave two conditions. A person must love and acknowledge the Lord. Love obviously means an active love that includes obedience. What did Jesus say was the first and great commandment? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind!” Love and acknowledgement are demonstrated when a person becomes a Christian. Once a person is joined to the saving power of Jesus Christ, there is warmth, there is love, there is compassion – there is protection. As a Christian begins to grow and live the Christian life, the spiritual quality of that life will become deeper and richer. Then the final reward of that life will be realized in an eternal home that is so beautiful that it is beyond our ability to comprehend. That’s the promise! Thank you, Lord for the security we have in you.
Psalms 91—Jim Shelburn

Many translations include the subtitle, “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God”. If the subtitle is correct, then Psalm 90 is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, of the psalms. In many ways, the Scriptures are like a “time machine” in which a person can be instantly transported to other ages and places. At the same time, the words of the scriptures are very clear and helpful, because the message applies to people in any age or place. But the way people interact with other people remain the same; and even from a distance of 3500 years, the personal prayer and words in Psalm 90 can be read, studied and used in the “high tech” world of today.

The themes of Psalm 90 are broad and grand. Those themes include the infinite power and eternal nature of God. The Psalm opens with the words, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” If Moses was the author of Psalm 90, then those words would have held special meaning. He fled from Egypt and made a new home among shepherds. Then God called him back to Egypt to bring His people out. For long years, Moses and the nation of Israel moved though the wilderness. For Moses, the only permanent dwelling place he had was the Lord.

Today, as people live in their homes and seek to establish their lives, it can be easy to forget that the real dwelling place must be with the Lord. Homes wear out or are destroyed. Cities change and vanish. Nations grow old and die. Only the Lord God can offer a home that will always be there. He has the true power to save, protect or punish. How easily it is to forget this! How easy it is to allow urgent affairs of life to overshadow eternal issues.

Compared to God, the accomplishments of mankind are not very important. Many wonderful and amazing discoveries have been made over the last 75 years. The volume of knowledge now available is incredible. In fact, the sheer volume of information now available is a problem in itself. Yet, very few of the forces of nature are really understood. In spite of power and knowledge, earthquakes, storms, volcanoes, droughts still disrupt the work of man on a regular basis. Today’s great scientific breakthrough is tomorrow’s disproven theory.

In spite of the great claims of “experts”, the human race is not “evolving” into something better. The nature of mankind is unchanged. Sin is still the great barrier that exists between God and man, and when people ignore God’s words, they will face God’s wrath. Verses 7 and 8 state, “For we have been consumed by Your anger and by Your wrath we have been dismayed. You have placed our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.” Sin will be found out – it cannot stay hidden forever. There is always a price to pay when a person will not follow God.

Arrogance and pride can come so easily from accomplishments made in this life, but it all lasts for such a short time. What is really important? What will make a real difference? The answers always point back to God. Verse Moses wrote, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” When people genuinely accept the shortness of their time in this world, then that time becomes more precious, and there is a desire to use it wisely.

That realization and desire can be realized through Jesus Christ. When a person is joined to Jesus Christ in obedience to the Gospel teachings, then that person will find the path to Eternal Life and peace. In Him, a Christian can find real accomplishment in day-to-day living. In Christ, life has real meaning and worth. In Jesus Christ, every Christian CAN make a difference.

The last two verses of the psalm state “Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” For the Christian, that request is a certainty! The life of a Christian will bring peace and joy to that person, and improve the quality of life for those that are touched by that Christian’s life. The life of a Christian is blessed and confirmed through the intercession of Jesus Christ. In Christ, life DOES have meaning and worth! Thank you Lord.
< James Shelburn>

Paul writes, “…prove all things; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (I Thessalonians 5:21-22). Pointedly, Paul exhorts the Christian to action: “prove,” “hold fast” and “abstain.” The things to filter through the first step is broad in scope. It includes “all things.” Paul’s concise statements provide an uncluttered process to follow in all manner of holy living.

To prove or test all things demands an infallible Divine standard. God’s criterion for us is the “Godbreathed” Scriptures. It is profitable for the teaching, and spiritual training we need (2 Timothy 3:16). The light of the Gospel shining through the apostles’ doctrine exposes the difference between truth and error (I John 4:1, 6). The verbal light Jesus provides is a touchstone for us to determine the difference between evil doers and truth doers (John 3:19-21).

Through the crucible of the revealed Truth of God, we enter the application phase. We must “hold fast” and continue to grasp that which God identifies as “good.” We must also “abstain” and continue to refrain from Divinely proven “evil.” The process of keeping our walk holy is inclusive, demanding, and unambiguous, right? Not so fast…does “every form of evil” mean we are to abstain from that which “appears” to be evil? Or, does this mean I must refrain from evil when it makes its “appearance” before me. The Greek word, “form” denotes the appearance of something, but it is unambiguous when it appears. For example, at Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descended in a “bodily form as of a dove” upon Jesus (Luke 3:22).

Paul is exhorting us in Thessalonians to continue to abstain from that which God has already characterized as evil.

Starting within, we must abstain from “evil thoughts.” Jesus characterizes the evil that rises from our hearts naming “murders adulteries, fornications, and thefts…”(Matthew 15:19). Where do these selfish and harmful outward uses of the body originate? Jesus begins His list with “evil thoughts.” Wicked thinking heads the list connecting us with “evil deeds.”

Evil thoughts often arise in the stressful times of conflict. When conflicting views of religious teaching collide, we must recognize the teaching which is not manifesting the sound words of the revealed Gospel and observe the behavior of those who do not want to come to the light of Truth for examination. However, we must be careful the controversy does not generate evil thoughts. Paul reminds us that such outward disputes can lead to inward “evil suspicions” (I Timothy 6:3). We can in times of controversy “surmise” the worst in another, that they are utterly corrupt, not just mistaken. But evil proceeds further…

We must also abstain from “evil speaking.” It is noteworthy Paul in I Timothy 6:3 connects “railings” with “evil suspicions.” If we are not on top of abstaining from evil, we will not be on guard to keep our tongue from speaking evil of another. It is easier to blaspheme and ruin another’s reputation when we surmise our disputant has little or no redeeming qualities.

God’s filtering process also keeps us falling victim to “politically correct” thinking. Paul directed the church to “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves” (I Corinthians 5:13). We should not apologize for God’s wording, in the presence of “wokeness”. This fornicating man in Corinth was an evil man – filtered by God’s Word – as a fornicating sinner. But he was not unredeemable, worthy of surmising and blasphemy, for the same man would turn to God in repentance (2 Corinthians 2:5-11). To identify a person as evil is instructive in our walk with God, not impolite and extreme!

Jerry Fite
Glad Tidings

The Bible says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psa. 127:1a). Rather than being primarily concerned with the building of physical houses made of wood and brick, the teaching of God’s word focuses on the building of households, or families. A “family” is properly defined as consisting of a unit of people who are related to one another. The basic family unit is made up of a husband and wife (Matt. 19:4-6), as well as their children, should they be so blessed (Psa. 127:3).
While the world so often belittles, scorns, and seeks to discard the concept of the family, the Bible places a great deal of emphasis on its importance and significance. Why is the family so important?

1. The family is the first God-ordained institution. Long before the church was brought into existence and even before the implementation of civil government, God created the family arrangement. On the sixth day of the creation God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen. 2:18). Accordingly, God created woman and it was decreed that “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (v. 24). God made the family a priority even from the beginning.

2. The family is the first and only honorable arrangement provided by God for the procreation of mankind. With regard to the family unit consisting of a man and a woman, God said at the beginning that the married couple should “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). While children may be conceived outside of the marriage relationship, God did not intend it to be so. Concerning sexual fulfillment, the message of Scripture is clear: “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). God arranged the family to serve as a loving environment in which children are to be produced and raised.

3. The family is the first place for providing for the physical needs of its members. God designed the family to sustain itself from a physical and material standpoint. With regard to this function of the family, the apostle Paul writes, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8). Rather than placing this responsibility upon the government or the church, the family has been created by God to take care of and sustain itself (cf. 2 Thess. 3:10-12).

4. The family is the first and best arrangement for the training and education of children. The word of God makes plainly evident the fact that God designed the family as a training arrangement. The biblical charge to parents is as follows: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6) and, “Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die” (23:13). God expects the family arrangement to be one in which godly guidance is provided.
5. The family is the first place where true religion is taught and practiced. Concerning the words of the Law of Moses, Israelite families were instructed as follows: “You shall teach them
diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7). While the local church is responsible for teaching and upholding the truth (1 Tim. 3:15), the Lord has directly charged parents with the responsibility of bringing up their own children “in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). The undeniable expectation is that God and His word will be held in reverence in the family, as one generation passes His wisdom on to the next.
Conclusion: In numerous and profound ways God has made the family first. The challenge before us is to make sure that God is first in our families. As we seek to fulfill God’s expectations for our families, let us be ever aware that, “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (Prov. 3:33).

David Dann

Elijah once thought, “I am left alone,” the only one right (Rom. 11:3). But he was wrong in this judgment, even though right in his God service. The “one against the world” attitude is self-inflating, and has wrecked the work of many a would-be reformer.

When one recognizes a truth which he had not before seen — and if you have not done this you are not growing as God intended — this should be a humbling experience. Should one not think, “Until now, I have failed in this matter.” Is it not presumptuous to conclude that you alone have such marvelous insight?

What if others are yet unaware of this truth — or perhaps fail to give it the emphasis it deserves? Will we help them by adopting a superior air, and treating them as if they were stupid, or do not love truth? Quite often it is the one who has newly “seen the light” that was — well, not as bright as they now seem to think. It is often the case that others have long known this particular truth, although they may not have set it forth with the clarity it deserves. Our attitude may push good men into defensive positions. (What pushed the “reformer” into his “one against the world” attitude?) When will we learn to teach such truth as we believe we have found, with vigor, application, documented by scriptures, but with no personal “credit” line? I get the impression that some think they invented the gospel.

Besides being the Christ-like spirit, such humility will be very helpful when someone examines our “new” truth, and finds it is an old error. Those who have recently taken excursions in “imputed righteousness” need to do a bit of research on this line.

We do tend to traditionalize our preaching; to emphasize one point to the neglect of others. But if someone knows the truth more perfectly let him balance his preaching and set it before us with clarity. It is not the scriptural, whole-truth scheme of redemption that riles truth lovers. Good men constantly learn more truth, they just don’t like to be fed 16th. Century error, and be classed as legalists if they refuse to eat it.

Robert F. Turner