Risky Business

1 Samuel 24:6 “And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.”

However unworthily a pastor, evangelist or missionary is acting, they have been permitted to hold those offices by God himself, and God can just as easily remove them from those offices. God is still on the throne and nothing that men do has ever taken Him by surprise. Even David, who knew he was appointed to reign in place of Saul, and whose life Saul had sought to destroy, knew that he did not have any right to take away his life; He is my master, I am his subject. He is the Lord’s anointed, and therefore revered in the Lord’s sight.

1Peter 2:17 “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

1Timothy 5:19 “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”

Be very cautious of speaking, and receiving, evil reports against those whose business it is to preach to others. Do not even consider an elder as guilty of any alleged crime, or wrong doing, unless it is proved by two or three witnesses. This the Law of Moses required in respect to all. Those whose business it is to correct others will usually have many enemies; great caution, therefore, should be used in accusations against such persons.

As I travel the highways of this land, I am hearing an ever increasing number of accusations being brought against those who God has established as pastors, evangelists and missionaries. Worse yet, folks are casting these reproachful remarks in a public forum.

The Bible says, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Matthew 18:15

That is what we all seem to forget. Instead of accusing and attacking those who may have deviated from the Word of the God, we should first, pray for them, and second, we should go to them according to the methodology plainly given in Matthew 18:15-17.

You Just Never Know When

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Sometimes you just never know when a blessing is coming your way.

Today, I find myself sitting at a truck stop adjacent to I-85 in South Carolina.

The climate appeals to me. It is summer heat with a slight breeze.

While sitting on the rear bumper of God’s truck, I view the surrounding landscape.

The grandeur of His handy work moves my soul.

My senses treated to the lush vegetation, the colorful flowering plants and the wonderful smell of sweet nectar drifting through the evening air.

In my thoughts, I can hear the refrain, “It is well with my soul.”

It is a favorite hymn, and this day, more than ever, it strikes a resounding chord that draws me even closer to my God. My God, who created this earth.

“Lord haste the day…” Oh my, I can hardly conceive of heaven, but I have a promise. 1Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What seems so beautiful today, will not even measure when we stand in our new Jerusalem.

Quotes

A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top . -- Unknown

Aspiration/Inspiration

by R.D. Sandlin

From the story of the Pharisee and the Publican we find that spiritual progress is not in moral attainments, but in having a sense of need. The Laodicean Christian has need of nothing. What can God give the man who has everything? The Pharisee was self-satisfied, the Publican, dissatisfied.

God is looking for hungry hearts to fill. He bypasses bloated, boastful egos. An inward, overwhelming sense of need beats an outward, superficial demeanor every time. The Pharisee had gained an inch before men, but the Publican had passed him by a mile in God’s sight.

The Christian life is not validated by possessing, but by a sense of want. The measure of our want determines our poverty or communion with our Lord. The self-satisfied have no cravings, but God promises to fill the hungry soul. When aspiration dies, inspiration ceases.

A crock pot with a treasure within is better than an ornamented vase that is empty.

Credit

I have received several emails regarding Christians and debt.

There are only two passages that reference the word "lender":

Isaiah 24:2 "And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him."

If you read the context of the passage, God is explaining His judgment for sin in this life. A broad gamut of persons are so named. Persons of all ranks and conditions shall share in these calamities.

Proverbs 22:7 "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. "

This verse does explain the order of things; an order that exists in this world. From the passage, it is plain to see that borrowers will be servants to the lender. I do not have a problem with that order. God commands us to obey those who have the rule over us. If you borrow, you are subject to the rules set forth by the lender.

There are only a few verses of Scripture that reference the word "borrow." Only one has a definitive instruction:

Exodus 22:14 "And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good."

If you borrow, just "make it good"; pay your debt on time as instructed by the lender.

Churches have building funds, but I have yet to visit any church that wrote a check to cover the cost of a new building. Does the work of God stop because a church needs to borrow money for a new building; a building that will be used to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

We are simply to be diligent with all that the Lord has given to us. If your business is being blessed of God, you have prayed regarding an expansion or upgrade for your business and you have the Peace of God regarding the matter, you are not forbidden to borrow.

Proverbs 22:29 "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."

Proverbs 27:23 "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds."

Proverbs 13:3 "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

Using God-given discernment is the key.

Practical advice would be:

It should always be our endeavour to limit our amount of debt.

Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury.

Thoughts

Over the past few weeks, I have been spending a great deal of time at home; limiting myself to taking only local, or short, runs. This allows me to deliver and return home.

Why? I sold my truck and a replacement unit is now in production. With the new truck, I anticipate staying on the road for longer periods; therefore, I have been upgrading our home to make life easier for my wife and son when I am away for an extended period.

Limiting my load offers has a negative impact on my bottom line, but being around the house has given me a greater appreciation for the things I love: Jesus Christ, my family and our church family. This extra time at home has also allowed me to worship more regularly at our church. The additional trips, to and from church, allowed me to realize a very important adjunct to regular church attendance. I discovered another benefit beyond the preaching and teaching which I dearly need.

A couple of days ago I was working on a project outside. Even though focused on the task, I happened to hear the sound of a car door closing. Looking up, I noticed my neighbor across the street as she walked toward her front door. She paused, then turned, and made eye contact with me. She asked, “You go to church, don’t you?” “Yes, we do,” I replied. She continued, “Would you please pray for my brother-in-law.” I asked her for his name and told her that we would pray. She smiled and her countenance exhibited a peace; being comforted by the fact that some one would pray for her brother-in-law and her sister.

My wife and I had seen the Rescue Squad at their home earlier in the week. My neighbor told me that her brother-in-law had experienced a massive stroke and he was now at Hospice.

I mused about the encounter with this neighbor; someone that previously had only waived and said “Hi” on a few occasions. Solely based upon the fact that she saw us going to and from church, she made the connection that we are Christians. I hope that our testimony allowed her to feel confident in asking us to pray.

I once heard an evangelist say, “If a person came into your neighborhood and asked the first person they saw, ‘Could you tell me where a Christian lives around here?’…would that person direct them to your house?”

Words To Consider

People are, if anything, more touchy about being thought silly than they are about being thought unjust. -- E. B. White