Words

There is nothing more powerful than words. By the word of God, everything was created: dry land, plants, the sun, moon, stars, fish, and animals. The apostle John described the Lord Jesus Christ as the Word who was with God in the beginning, and who was God. All things came into being through Him exclusively.

People were created in the image of God and God said that they should rule over creation (Genesis 1:26). As God saw everything He had made, He declared that it was very good.

God gave people a free-will to make choices but He also gave Adam one restriction on what he could do. Adam could eat from any tree in the garden except one. This should have been easy to obey but Adam and Eve were tricked by the deceitful words of Satan through a snake. The power of those words to cause Adam and Eve to disobey brought a curse on all of humanity. As a result of their sin, they were forced to leave the garden to work in a world where the work would be hard just to survive.

God warned Cain about his attitude, but ignoring God’s advice, he killed his brother Abel. So we are introduced to the reality that our actions and words have their root in our heart, the inner person, the spiritual being in a body. Jesus said

But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 These are the things which defile the man… (Matthew 18-20).

The solution for some seems to be that we just don’t open our mouth to speak. Proverbs 10:19 offers this wisdom: When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

When Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes, he suggests that we limit what we say: Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

But the problem is not fixed by not speaking. The Bible teaches us to use words for good. We are to use words to teach, exhort, encourage, build up, and to warn. Such words will not come from an evil heart but from a heart that has been brought into submission to God’s will. When God becomes Lord and Master of a life, the words that proceed from that person will be very good.

Jesus said, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples (John 15: 7-8). May these words be true in your life.

I Could Have Got One More Out

The tearful exclamation of Oskar Schindler as the Nazis were finally defeated has a deep significance for followers of Jesus Christ.

Oskar Schindler: I could have got more out. I could have got more. I don’t know. If I’d just… I could have got more.

Itzhak Stern: Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you. Look at them.

Oskar Schindler: If I’d made more money… I threw away so much money. You have no idea. If I’d just…

Itzhak Stern: There will be generations because of what you did.

Oskar Schindler: I didn’t do enough!

Itzhak Stern: You did so much.

[Schindler looks at his car]

Oskar Schindler: This car. Goeth would have bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people right there. Ten people. Ten more people.

[removing Nazi pin from lapel]

Oskar Schindler: This pin. Two people. This is gold. Two more people. He would have given me two for it, at least one. One more person. A person, Stern. For this.

[sobbing]

Oskar Schindler: I could have gotten one more person… and I didn’t! And I… I didn’t!

(from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/quotes)

Although he had saved 1100 Jews from certain death in the gas chambers, he wasn’t rejoicing in the many he had saved but in the ones he might have saved if he had tried harder.

It reminds me of Christ telling the parable of the lost sheep. A certain man had a hundred sheep but one was lost. The good shepherd goes after that one lost sheep to rescue it and returns with joy for the one which was saved.

Beyond this life, I wonder how many of us will have regrets that we did not do more to rescue the lost from the flames of hell. Might we say, if I had only tried harder, I could have got one more out?

What resources do you have that could be used to rescue the lost? How will you use those resources – to spend on luxury for yourself or to help others to find eternal life? At the end of the war, there was nothing anyone could do to save the Jews who died in the gas chambers from death – it was too late. But as long as we live, we have opportunities to use the resources God has given us for good. May you choose wisely.

Instructions for Success

When all else fails, read the instructions! In most cases, that assumes that you will follow the steps to success. In my years of providing technical assistance to someone who was unable to make something work, I would ask, “Did you follow ALL the instructions?” Often I would discover that one or more steps had been skipped because the individual didn’t understand the importance of those steps.

When God gives us instructions, you can be sure that all the steps are important. This was a lesson Israel learned when they conquered Jericho. God said,

The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it.

The instruction was clear and was repeated by Joshua. Yet Achan sinned and stole some of the loot for himself. He knew what he was doing was wrong for he hid it under his tent. I’m sure he said to himself, “No one will ever miss it.” But that one act by one individual cost the lives of 36 men and defeat at Ai. I’m sure Achan never realized the potential consequences. I’m sure many of us who knowingly sin never realize the consequences until it is too late.

For Achan, the consequences were severe. As the nation of Israel watched, the Lord gave discernment to Joshua to select Achan and to ask him to confess. So he confessed and told them where the stolen goods could be found. When it was confirmed that he had the stolen goods, Israel took everything he had to the valley – his stolen goods, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him – and stoned them to death and burned them.

For those who say this was too severe, that his family should not have been killed for his sin, they may be the same people who prevent God’s blessing in their country, their city, their church and their community. When God speaks, there is no room to skip a step because we don’t understand it.

We live in an age when people believe they can do anything they want no matter how indecent. In their minds, there are no limits or morals to prevent them from following all their desires. This is not a new trend – read all about it in the Book of Judges in the Bible where everyone did what was right in their own eyes. But if the sin of Achan was such a serious matter that more than 40 people died because of it, we should pay greater attention to the God-given instructions and make sure we don’t skip any steps just because we think it doesn’t matter. It does matter to God – read and follow His instructions.

When True Predictions are False

We tend to believe someone when they predict something and it comes true. In fact, one of the signs that a prophet was sent from the Lord was that the prophecy was fulfilled, and conversely, if those things were not fulfilled as predicted, that person was identified as a false prophet. Israel was instructed to treat false prophets very harshly to “purge the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 13:5).

The problem was not just an Old Testament issue. Christ said “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). This is a serious warning because it suggests that even the followers of Christ could be misled into error.

The apostle Peter warned “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2 Peter 2:1). The fact that there are false prophets among us is not in question.  Since there are false prophets among us, how do we recognize them?

John further identifies the source of the false prophecies as coming from spirits: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). He goes on to propose this test: “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.” John tells us to identify the source of the prophecy by the confession of who Jesus is. So if the spirit declares that Jesus Christ is God in flesh, then that spirit is from God.

At this point you might think that it is easy to determine which prophecies are good. Not so fast! All we can determine so far is which prophets and prophecies are NOT from God.

If someone gives a prophecy, a sign or a wonder and it seems true but that person teaches doctrine that is contrary to Scripture, should you believe that prophet? Here is where it gets very interesting because we have among us people who teach things that are contrary to the plain reading of the Bible. Perhaps it is societal pressure or personal influence that causes someone to say “Does the Bible really mean that; did God really mean that?” The question is not unlike the serpent’s question in the first garden.

So you look at the work of this prophet and conclude that surely God is blessing that person, therefore what he teaches must be correct. But you are being deceived – and you were warned. If you question the meaning of the Scriptures and you question the character of God by asking if He really meant the things He has said, you are in the camp of those who rebel against the Lord (Deuteronomy 13:5).

A true prophet of the Lord will counsel you to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him (Deuteronomy 13:3b-4).

There are many voices in the world, and some of them declare that Jesus Christ is God in flesh, and among these are some who would lead you from the path of following Christ. How can this be? The Bible says you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 13:3).

Have you passed the test? Have you accepted ideas and teaching that the plain reading of the Scriptures do not support? Have you allowed false teachers to convince you that the Scriptures don’t always mean what they say, or that they aren’t relevant in this day and age, or that God’s Word can’t be trusted completely? If so, just as Jesus predicted, some of His own followers will be deceived and led astray.

Don’t just read what others say about the Bible – read it for yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you may have been tricked into believing a lie. When you realize you’ve been misled, confess it and renew your commitment to serve the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul.

Fatherly Advice

Father’s Day was a reminder of the value of fatherly advice. It seems that advice is seldom sought these days, but that does not diminish the value of good advice. I came across a list of encouragements today:

  • Don’t withhold good from someone who deserves it when it is within your power to do it.
  • Don’t say to someone, “Come back tomorrow for it” when you already have it in your possession.
  • Don’t do anything to harm your neighbor.
  • Don’t be contentious with someone when they have done nothing to harm you.
  • Don’t envy a violent person – and don’t be like him!
My thanks to a very wise man! (Proverbs 3:27-34)

The Right Goal

The sports world was abuzz! The player had scored on his own goal. Was it a mistake or did he forget where he was? Embarrassment and remorse filled his mind as he realized what he had done causing the team to lose the game.

The right goal is obviously very important – not only to the player but to the team. So it is in the Christian life. Some have lost sight of the goal, or never aimed at the right goal. Some think they reached their goal and are left with a “now what?” feeling. Missing the true goal hurts everyone, and as a result, the church is ineffective.

The apostle Paul said “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). He spoke of being concerned about being disqualified in the race before he reached the goal. He likely knew that at best, only about a third of the people mentioned in the Bible finished their lives well.

Some of the kings of Israel started out well, but made wrong choices, failed to ask God or listen to Him, and sinned. David started out well but in the peak of his reign, he allowed his eyes to watch something that led him to adultery with Bathsheba. Murder, the death of family members and disgrace followed. He had the humility to seek God’s forgiveness, but the consequences followed him the rest of his life.

The apostle Paul was determined to keep up the good fight to the very end. Paul mentored leaders, encouraged the church, preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and defended the Church against false teachers to the very end. Even though he knew trouble and hardship lay ahead, he did not waver from his goal. No doubt he remembered Stephen who used the Scriptures to challenge the Pharisees with rebellion against God only to be stoned to death. As Stephen was dying, Paul was watching him. Stephen “… being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God ; and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God‘” (Acts 7:55-56).

It seems that for those who finished well, their goal was heaven where they would be with Christ forever. The goal was only reached when they crossed the goal line.

I wonder about the people who set retirement as their goal. Now what? No wonder so many people die shortly after retiring – they have nothing more to live for. While Christians do retire from their secular employment, they should never retire from moving toward the heavenly goal. Failure to press on is failure.

So what is your goal? Do you have the right goal in sight and will you finish well?

Perspective of a Traveler

Preparing to take a long trip causes people to do things they likely wouldn’t pay much attention to otherwise. It usually begins with planning: a destination, a method of travel, accommodations, finances, activities, a departure date and a return date. Some check their insurance, update their wills, arrange care of their property and make sure the bills have been or will be paid. The longer the trip, the more planning is needed.

A well-planned trip is not a guarantee that everything will be perfect – there always seem to be surprises, some good and some disappointing. Just like life… there is no guarantee that everything will go as we had imagined, despite our best planning. But there are moments that make it all worthwhile.

I’ve been thinking about the story of a man who was planning a long trip. He entrusted his property to people he employed according to their special abilities. After a long time he returned, expecting a report on the state of his property.

We had the privilege of being taught by Rev. Sunder Krishnan several years ago. He talked about the ways our location and environment affects the way we understand the Scriptures. I recall reading a Psalm in a church setting and then being told to go outside to a green space under the trees away from buildings and to reread the same Psalm. I quickly realized that different things stood out to me from that Psalm. The words had not changed, I had not changed, but my location had changed – and this helped me to see and understand something more than I had seen in my first location.

The story of the man who went on a long trip is recorded in Matthew 25:14-30. It tells us what the Kingdom of heaven is like. Although our Master (Jesus) has gone away in the sense that He is no longer visible among us, He left us with His property and we are to take care of it and to multiply it to return to Him when He returns. I think that we have often thought that the talents that were left with the servants were token amounts out of the master’s wealth, and that leaving the talents was just a test of the faithfulness of the servants. However, I wonder whether the talents represented all that the master was leaving behind and that they must be properly invested to produce an increase.

It seems to me that our faithfulness as servants of the King is far more important than we ever realize. He promises to help us and give us the resources we need to multiply the talents, but He has left the talents with us – not just as servants, but as His children.

From the perspective of a traveler, I see this parable in a much different light.

Gangs? Nothing New!

Pressure to join a gang is nothing new. King Solomon wrote in great detail about the dangers of joining a gang. The lure of taking property away from people to use for yourself may be tempting, but he says, “Don’t give in.”

Gang activity and violence go hand-in-hand resulting in injury or death to the innocent – all for some ill-gotten gain. As they wait to knife someone in their greed, addiction and anger, they do not realize that they have set a trap for themselves – a trap from which they may never escape. Their lives are forever changed and nothing they do can ever turn back the clock and undo the harm. (Proverbs 1:8-19)

So we are warned to resist the temptation to do what we know is wrong. The temptation isn’t sin, but yielding to the temptation is clearly wrong. Why then would someone do it? Being part of a gang may give a sense of self-worth and a reason to return. But such a sense is fickle and will end in abandonment worse than anyone can imagine. Hell will be filled with very lonely, isolated, rebellious individuals who resisted God until their fate was sealed by death.

The truth that sets people free is found in Christ. By His power He can help us resist temptation. By His blood He has forgiven us of the sin we do, and when we accept that forgiveness, we are covered by His righteousness. Our sins are forgiven and we can live life in His power knowing that He loves us deeply and will never abandon us – never!

Those already in gangs can find freedom in Christ – if they want – but often, the longer one lives a life of rebellion against God, the harder they find it possible that God could forgive their sins. Not that He can’t, but the acts of entrenched rebellion blinds the individual from being able to grasp the truth that Christ died for them to set them free. The prayer of a believer can help the blinded person to see Christ and to replace the rebellion with obedience.

Gangs? Nothing new! Their violence and rebellious ways originate with Satan himself. But the rebellion will be brought to an end under the strong rule of the King who will put an end to Satan and his gang. Great is the King! The King lives forever!

Welcome

Al4117sm

Reflected images are modified by the material creating the reflection. The news can be better understood when we understand those things that reflect it. When the news is reflected by people who have an agenda or bias, the reflection displays a modified image. When the news is reflected by trusted authorities, one can be certain that it is an accurate reflection of the original.

Reflections allow us to see objects from a different angle. The reflected image can reveal details that could not be seen directly. A mirror is a common tool used by many professions. An accurate reflection is crucial to making right choices.

This blog will be an accurate reflection of issues I find important in life as guided by a trusted authority.

-Al Willems

When Democracy Fails

The idea of a God-led democracy has roots in Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Moses was chosen by God to speak to the pharaoh and to lead the people of Israel out of slavery. Following God’s instructions, the people successfully left Egypt through the Red Sea. Even though they grumbled, as a nation, they followed God’s instructions as given through Moses.

While at Horeb, it became obvious that Moses was unable to serve as judge for every matter that required a decision. So Moses gave the following orders as described in Deuteronomy 1:

Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ 14 You answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have said to do is good.’ 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes.
16 “Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. 17 You shall not show partiality in judgment…

Notice that it was the people who chose the heads from each tribe – a democratic idea. The purpose of the appointed leaders was to judge cases among the people. However, there is a sense that democracy gives power to the people, and it appears that this was true here for soon the people were making suggestions about God’s plan to enter the promised land. God said that they should enter the land and not be afraid, but the people approached with their own idea.

22 “Then all of you approached me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter.’ 23 The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe. 24 They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol and spied it out.

We know what happened next – 2 voted to go into the land, and 10 rebelled at God’s plan to enter the land. Rather than trusting God completely, they chose to make decisions for themselves – democracy! They chose wrong.

The moral of the story? The people are not always right. In a day and age where democracy is held up in Western countries as the ultimate right way to govern a land, many have failed to follow God’s instructions.

I fear that “democracy” has replaced God in the Church. Many churches rely on the will of the people to make the right decisions, but I have seen many of those decisions made on the basis of emotion rather than biblical, godly principles. God has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us, but very often we use democracy to guide us. This is when democracy fails!