Why Bother Going To Church?

WHY BOTHER GOING TO CHURCH?

Why bother, indeed?  Just something parents make their children do?  Something to make one look good?  A place to find a good spouse?  No!  If the parents make their children go to church, it should be because they are aware of the commandment to raise their children to know God's word and to respect and obey Him and all His commandments and statutes as is written in Deut. 4:1-10, but to start with, Christ meant for a formation of a church, and for Christians to attend to it; "And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18)  Christ twice used the word church in the book of Matt., and this is the first place.  The second place is in Matt. 18:15 - 20, Where Christ taught about church discipline; "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.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.  Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

But let me now address one of the main reasons to go to church, the very reason we were born; to glorify God.  For our body is not our own, but God's, and so while we should really glorify God every day, we should especially glorify God in church; "What?  Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Cor. 6:19 - 20)

Church is the best place to have a continual learning process of the word of God, a place for bible study with accurate pastoral leadership.  If a church is not offering a study of the bible wherein one is taught cover to cover, one is in the wrong church!  2 Tim. 2:15 - 16 has this: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness."  Another church to run from is one where the bible doesn't even appear, let alone get read from at the pulpit!

Can one understand at this point that participating in a good church is a part of holy living?  It's a way to learn to be holy, to set one's self apart from the world and God-ward.  A place to realize who God is more and more as a result of weekly attendance: "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, 'Be ye holy; for I am holy.'  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." (1 Pet. 1:13 - 21)

Yes, regular church attendance helps one maintain a holy life, worshipping Him acceptably and giving us a place of repentance and relief from spiritual immorality and materialism that are a part of this world: "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." (Heb. 12:10 - 17)

Church is also a place to pray consistently to our God.  One would argue that they can pray just as easily at home, and that's true, but at church others can pray with you and for you. "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thess. 5:17), " Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)  It's hard to confess your faults to your brothers and sisters if you're not assembled somewhere, isn't it?  The unchurched need to be reminded of this if they used to attend, and if they never attended, this is food for thought to them.

Now many believers know of the great commission of Matt. 28:19 - 20, and church is a great place to go to learn how to witness, and also in going one demonstrates they are a witness because they believe, and there is the place to go for continued education on being a witness to those who don't believe or are agnostic:"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8), "And Saul was consenting unto his death.  And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.  And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." (Acts 8:1 - 4)  Note that one is not to expect cheers and hurrahs any time one witnesses, but rather, one may find church the only sure place to be free of persecution for believing!

The unchurched are called to start attending, and to do so faithfully, for we who do attend faithfully know full well that Jesus is coming soon!  "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Heb. 10:25)  We are to gather to edify one another and to worship our God!

As He meant for a church to be built on Peter, He also commanded us to show our love for Him by obeying Him: "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

For the generous giver at church, God will cause enough to meet His needs and to give for every good work.  "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  Now He that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)" (2 Cor. 9:8 - 10)

The idea of a church and congregation to worship in it is not new.  The Old Testament starts the idea of worshipping God in Exodus, and it started in a tent, or tabernacle, and this same book of the Old Testament is where the term "congregation" is first used, and the tabernacle was where God met His people the Israelites.  The tabernacle and congregation concept foreshadowed the perfect approach to God through the blood of Christ Jesus who dwelt among men in the New Testament.  "And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." (Exod. 25:8 - 9)  There are 50 chapters in the bible that have instructions about the tabernacle: 13 in Exodus and Numbers, 18 in Leviticus, 2 in Deuteronomy, and 4 in Hebrews.

So from all this it is understood God loves us so much, since He released the Israelites from bitter bondage He wanted to be close to us as He was to His people in the days of the tabernacle, and since He was in Christ Jesus dwelling amongst us on earth, and even now, He wants, in His fervent love for us, that we and He be close together, that those who love Him be gathered together in churches giving Him glory in a demonstration of obedience, that He might be pleased in that glory demonstrated to Him!

ELISHA - MIRACLE MAN OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

ELISHA: MIRACLE MAN Of THE OLD TESTAMENT

Some prophets of the Old Testament are well-known, and some are not. Some have much written of them, even have books named for them, but even though Elisha was involved in 14 miracles, not much is said of him, nor studied about him.  Shall we look in the book of 2 Kings and see why I think he seems underrated or overlooked among the prophets?

Elisha's first miracle was a copy of the last miracle of Elijah; the parting of the Jordan river.  "He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, 'Where is the LORD God of Elijah?'  And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. " (2 Kings 2:13 - 14)  This is the 4th and final time a body of water is parted in the bible.  First Moses in the Exodus with the Red Sea, then the priests, then Elijah, and lastly, Elisha with the Jordan.

His next miracle occurred at the spring of Jericho.  "And the men of the city said unto Elisha, 'Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.'  And he said, 'Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein.'  And they brought it to him.  And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, 'Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.'  So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake." (2 Kings 2:19 - 22)  Now as we know it is not natural for salt to make water taste good, nor is it natural for it to make ground fertile (because it is typically found in herbicides), yet it was used by Elisha to prove this was a miracle from the Lord.

His next miracle was more of a cursing than a miracle, although it was seemingly unnatural of an occurrence.  It is a good story to tell youngsters, that they might not mock or make fun of their elders!  "And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, 'Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.'  And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD.  And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them." (2 Kings 2:23 - 24)  While it doesn't say whether any survived the bear attacks, imagine the story from the survivors!

His next miracle was against the Moabites concerning ditches.  In 2 Kings 3:1 - 27, 3 kings sought Elisha's help against the Moabites, and out of respect for only one of them, he called for a minstrel, and the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha as the minstrel played, and Elisha said that the Lord said to make the valley before them full of ditches, and that the Lord said they would not see rain nor wind, yet the ditches would fill with water.  True as His word, the ditches did fill with water, but when the Moabites saw it as the sun shone on it, it appeared red like blood, and they made a fatal assumption that the Israelites fought amongst themselves, and they could go for an easy booty, but boy, were they fooled!  The Israelite army was well prepared, and when the Moabites came upon them, they beat them so soundly, the Moab king sacrificed his own son as a burnt offering, causing Israel to turn away!

The bible has a number of places speaking of favoring the widows and fatherless, and Elisha's 5th miracle was to the aid of a widow.  "Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, 'Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.'  And Elisha said unto her, 'What shall I do for thee?  Tell me, what hast thou in the house?'  And she said, 'Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.'  Then he said, 'Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.  And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.'  So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.  And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, 'Bring me yet a vessel.'  And he said unto her, 'There is not a vessel more.'  And the oil stayed.  Then she came and told the man of God.  And he said, 'Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.'" (2 Kings 4:1 - 7)  God, through Elisha, had multiplied the widow's oil so that it was plenty for selling to cover her debt!

His next miracle was the blessing of a barren couple.  Imagine not being able to have children, but wanting to.  Her kindness to Elisha and thoughtfulness on his behalf earned for her the favor of being blessed with the conception of a son!  "And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread.  And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.  And she said unto her husband, 'Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.  Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.  And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.  And he said to Gehazi his servant, 'Call this Shunammite.'  And when he had called her, she stood before him.  And he said unto him, 'Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee?  Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?'  And she answered, 'I dwell among mine own people.'  And he said, 'What then is to be done for her?'  And Gehazi answered, 'Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.'  And he said, 'Call her.'  And when he had called her, she stood in the door.  And he said, 'About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.'  And she said, 'Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.'   And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life." (2 Kings 4:8 - 17)  Despite her disbelief, yet she conceived.  Perhaps this reminds you of Sarah and Abraham, in that Sarah laughed in disbelief?

This next miracle would mark half of those he performed, and the 7th was a big one; he resurrected the same son he prophesied would be born to the Shunammite woman!  2 Kings 4:18 - 37 explains the story, which may seem odd, because there is no other resurrection of anyone performed as this one; "And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.  He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.  And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.  And he called Gehazi, and said, 'Call this Shunammite.'  So he called her.  And when she was come in unto him, he said, 'Take up thy son.'  Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out." (2 Kings 4:32 - 37)

The rest of his life is written in 2 Kings, one miracle after another.  He purified poisoned stew in 2 Kings 4:38 - 44, and healed Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, and what an interesting story this is, because while Naaman gained faith in the true God of Israel, he asked pardon for sins he knew he would commit in bowing before a god he knew to be false, and Elisha told him to go in peace, as if to say God would understand his situation.  Unfortunately for Elisha's servant, Gehazi, the next miracle was a result of Gehazi's greed.  He followed after Naaman for silver and clothing, and on returning to Elisha, he lied that he went nowhere, but Elisha told him his heart went with him, and condemned him to the leprosy that Naaman had just been cleansed of! (2 Kings 5:1 - 27).

His 11th miracle was to float an axe handle; "And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, 'Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.'  And he answered, 'Go ye.'  And one said, 'Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants.'  And he answered, 'I will go.'  So he went with them.  And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, 'Alas, master!  For it was borrowed.'  And the man of God said, 'Where fell it?'  And he shewed him the place.  And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.  Therefore said he, 'Take it up to thee.'  And he put out his hand, and took it." (2 Kings 6:1 - 7)  I challenge anyone to find a repeat of this miracle in the bible!

Elisha's next two miracles are opposites, in that for the first he gives a unique sight to Elisha's servant, "And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.  And Elisha prayed, and said, 'LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.'  And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (2 Kings 6:16 - 17), while in 2 Kings 6:8 - 23, he blinds the Syrian army, and when they can see again, they are in Samaria, but he denied the king of Israel to smite them, but rather told him to feed and give them drink, that the Syrian king might acknowledge the mighty power of the true living God of Israel!

Elisha's last miracle is the most amazing, because he caused it to come about while he was DEAD!  "And Elisha died, and they buried him.  And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.  And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet." (2 Kings 13:20 - 21)

So here we have a man of God who has 14 miracles documented during his lifetime (and even shortly thereafter!), he resurrected two people, took one man's disease away, and gave it to another shortly afterward, temporarily blinded an army, caused another army to be confused with water and ditches, made iron float, and more; yet, almost never does anyone use his section of the bible to speak about. God greatly used this man during his lifetime, yet he has gone neglected...until now.

Too Much Heaven On My Mind? NOT!

TOO MUCH HEAVEN ON MY MIND? NOT!

The Jesus Christ, Superstar album had a song in it called, "Too Much Heaven On Their Minds", and I really have to ask the question, "Can you really have too much heaven on your mind?"  I don't think so!  I think the idea is permanently exciting!  "But as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.'" (1 Cor. 2:9)  Doesn't this concept stir up inquisitiveness as to what we're going to see and hear when we get there?  It does for me!

I once was involved in a bible study in my church where the study book asked the question, "Which of the following light sources best describes your witness for Christ?"  It gave 5 different choices between a burned out lightbulb and a lighthouse beacon, and don't you know I wrote in a 6th response?  Nuclear fireball!  When you know where you're going, and you know Jesus said it is going to be unbelievably terrific up there for all eternity in His many comparisons of what heaven can be expected to be like, you have to be looking forward to the trip, save going through the moment of death to get there!

Ever hear of "earworms"?  Wikipedia describes them as "music being stuck in one's head."  I used to have all kinds of worldly music earworms in my head all the time, and some I didn't even like the songs, but they were stuck there.  I have been training my mind to reject the old worldly songs, and welcome and enjoy the songs I remember from church, that I might fulfill what Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. 4:22 - 24)  In this way I put off the mind of the old nature with songs in my head that bring no clean thoughts or thoughts that do the Lord glory or honor, and replace them with thoughts that are of glory and honor to the Lord in song, that I might be the new creation He wants me to be!

Paul told the Thessalonians how to be heavenly minded; "Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Quench not the Spirit.  Despise not prophesyings.  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 Thess. 5:17 - 21)  If you pray without ceasing, you are always heavenly minded, because you're speaking to the Creator of heaven! (ALL believers pray to the true God!)  If you do not quench the Spirit, you are living in a spiritual frame of mind toward God's ministry.  Spiritually minded is heavenly minded.

Got zeal for God?  I do!  Unfortunately, with all that heaven on my mind, I have driven some of my "old nature friends" away since the onset of being born again!  David had the same problem, too, though, so I know I'm not unique in this affliction!  "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.  For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon me." (Psa. 69:8 - 9)  But while I was saddened that these old friends no longer wanted to associate with me, nor join me in my joy of having become a new creature and child of God, I was delighted to have gained in exchange my brothers and sisters in Christ at their loss!  If God wills it, maybe He will answer my prayer that they join me in His perfect time to be other brothers and sisters in Christ!

So if you wake up every single morning, and think about Him all the day long, and pray to Him for things, about things with thanksgiving for any thing that you have, or any thing that He has done for you, you are obeying what Christ Jesus said in the gospel!  "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.'" (Matt. 22:37 - 38)  Christ was quoting Deut. 6:5 in His answer.  You can never have too much heaven on your mind, because for as much as you do have God and heaven on your mind, and as much as you do talk and pray to Him about whatever is on your heart, you are obeying Him!

He Is Our Hiding Place

HE IS OUR HIDING PLACE

Ever hear of "When the chips are down, look up"?  Facing any dangers or troubles, our courage in the face of danger should be our having faith in God.  A psalm of confidence in Him goes like this; "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.  Selah.  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.  The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His voice, the earth melted.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah.  Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations He hath made in the earth.  He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire.  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah." (Psa. 46:1 - 11)  In another Psalm it is in agreement; " I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust." (Psa. 91:2)   And David wrote, "I cried unto Thee, O LORD: I said, 'Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.'" (Psa. 142:5)

Since we know Him to be our salvation, we should trust Him always, even when things are so weird, we don't understand and feel very confused.  "In God is my salvation and my glory: the Rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us.  Selah." (Psa. 62:7 - 8)  We should pour out our hearts to Him, tell Him all our troubles.  He is there in Spirit, but He is listening!

A nation is only great whose Lord is near them; they believe in Him, and can call on Him; "For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon Him for?" (Deut. 4:7)  When any nation turns away from Him, can they expect to call on Him, though they no longer obey as when they once believed?

Consider this record of a rale by an enemy in the days of Hezekiah; "Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, 'Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.  Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.  Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.'" (Isa. 36:13 - 15)  Here the Assyrian messenger, an unbeliever, rales against trusting in God to the Jews in their own language, to add to the insult, and expected defectors.  King Hezekiah got word, and did right in God's sight, and was rewarded for it!  What did he do?  "And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD." (Isa. 37:1)  He humbled himself, and in those days, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth as a sign of humility!  And God's reward to Hezekiah was this; "Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city', saith the LORD.  'For I will defend this city to save it for Mine own sake, and for My servant David's sake.'  Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.  And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead." (Isa. 37:33 - 38)  How completely the Lord rewarded Hezekiah, and note that He took His vengeance on a king who mocked Him!  So as Hezekiah called on the Lord, so let us be the same way!  "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." (Psa. 145:18)

And why should we trust so fully in God?  Because He is almighty!  Yes, He is mightier than a flood of wicked people!  "The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea." (Psa. 93:4)  If He created the sea, is He not stronger than it?  Consider the words in Jeremiah; "'Fear ye not Me?' saith the LORD: 'Will ye not tremble at My presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?'" (Jer. 5:22)  So as God is in control of all seas and mountains, what is too hard for the Lord?  He is a perfect hiding place!

Did you know God's strength is perfected in our weaknesses?  Yes, Paul so stated to the Corinthians!  "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And He said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Cor. 12:7 - 9)  Imagine being Paul, and Christ telling you His power in you is more important than freedom from the messenger of Satan!  And what does this tell us about Christ's power and the believer?  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. 4:13)  This was said another way long before the days of Paul; "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isa. 40:29 - 31)  God gives the strength of incorruption to the believer, that they should never tire nor grow weary!

So now you want to find God, that He should be your hiding place, those who are seekers or curious unbelievers; how is that accomplished?  "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." (Jer. 29:13)  Blessed is the land with many churches, houses of the Lord, that you might find Him there as you seek Him with all your heart, as Hezekiah knew where to seek Him in the days of His trouble!

Jesus has all the power in heaven and on earth; He said so Himself, and He also said He is always with the believers in Him!  "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 'All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' Amen." (Matt. 28:18 - 20)  So when we are founded in Christ Jesus, we will not fall!  "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." (Matt. 7:25)  Our Savior is a rock and a refuge!

So let us take confidence in our hiding place, our Rock, our Anchor, who walks through our camps and delivers up our enemies!  "For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that He see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee." (Deut. 23:14)  "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word." (Psa. 119:114)  By reading His word, we can gain complete trust He will shelter us through the world's worst blasts!

Murmurers

MURMURERS

"Murmurers?", you might ask; "What are those?"  In the Old Testament, those were backbiters, complainers, those who mumbled against those in authority, and if exposed, they spoke out.  Some churches have them; businesses certainly have them.  More or less than churches, I couldn't figure where I would look to get such figures, but nonetheless, people in authority will encounter them.  If the pressure is really on, they will speak out immediately, as the chiildren of Israel did to Moses when Pharaoh's army had their backs against the Red Sea; "And they said unto Moses, 'Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?'  Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?  Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, "Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?"  For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." (Exod. 14:11 - 12)

That was only the first murmur; shortly after the resolution of the first murmur by God's destruction of Pharaoh's army, another one became immediately present; "And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" (Exod. 15:23 - 24)  They were of little faith, weren't they?  Every time they were desperate to survive, they murmured against Moses, God's representative of authority, and did they realize in murmuring against Moses, they also murmured against God?

And after their thirst was sated, of course, then they murmured about being fed.  "And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, 'Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.'" (Exod. 16:2 - 3)  Again, they valued availability of food over the 400 years of slavery they just escaped from, only to murmur against God for their freedom they just received at His hand.  Are we any different when in desperation?  Are we too of little faith, or no faith?  God was longsuffering of His people, for we know it is written that without faith, we cannot please God (Heb. 11:6).

And again they were thirsty, and even after one miraculous drink, again they murmured; "Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, 'Give us water that we may drink.'  And Moses said unto them, 'Why chide ye with me?  Wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?'  And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, 'Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?'" (Exod. 17:2 - 3)  Note that Moses pointed out to them that they were tempting the Lord with their lack of faith.  Instead of asking nicely as people having faith, these murmured as people without faith!  They were in doubt!  Do we ever murmur because we are in doubt?

Murmuring can be infectious; Num. 11:1 - 34 tells how the people murmured to Moses about the desire to eat flesh, and this being the fifth time of murmuring, now even Moses murmured to God of His affliction as His servant.  He complained of how could he provide enough flesh to feed this great people of His.  Is this the sound of doubt now from God's servant?  God actually had to remind Moses that His hand was not waxed short, and that He could provide, as He had been doing to this point, and the Lord spoke this consequence; "And say thou unto the people, 'Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, "Who shall give us flesh to eat?  For it was well with us in Egypt": therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.  Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, 'Why came we forth out of Egypt?'" (Num. 11:18 - 20)

By this point murmuring had become a sin that the Lord had to punish.  Miriam and Aaron murmured against Moses concerning his marriage to an Ethiopian woman, and as Miriam led this criticism, so she received public punishment from God in the form of a week of leprosy wherein she was shut outside the camp until her week of shame was fulfilled. (Num. 12:1 - 15)

Do you think this was sign enough from God concerning murmuring with what happened to Miriam?  Nah!  They sent spies to reconnaissance the children of Anak, and when most of the spies reported unfavorably, well...yeah, they murmured again!  "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.  And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, 'Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt!  Or would God we had died in this wilderness!  And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey?  Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?'  And they said one to another, 'Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.'  Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.  And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, 'The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.  If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.'  But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.  And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.  And the LORD said unto Moses, 'How long will this people provoke Me?  And how long will it be ere they believe Me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?  I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.'" (Num. 14:1 - 12)  If you know the rest of the story, Moses had to ask for pardon for the iniquity of the people, for here they were again, doubting God to the point of thinking to stone to death Moses and Aaron!  The people still hadn't connected the dots that murmuring was rebellion against God!

If His chosen people provoke Him to wrath, how longsuffering is He with us, when we do the same, and our trust in Him we question?  See how He feels about this; "Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice; surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it:"(Num. 14:22 - 23)  "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against Me?  I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against Me.  Say unto them, 'As truly as I live, saith the LORD, 'as ye have spoken in Mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against Me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.  But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.  But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.  And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.  After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know My breach of promise.  I the LORD have said, 'I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against Me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.'" (Num. 14:27 - 35)  I don't know about you, but this sounds like a hurt, angry God our Father to me!  As the people did not fear Him enough not to complain, so He was provoked to anger to pronounce His consequences upon them.

Our God is longsuffering, indeed, and many are ignorant of how many times they have provoked Him to wrath before He executed consequences upon them.  It is written, "And the LORD said, 'My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh:'" (Gen. 6:3)  He knows that we know not what we do, and that we are weak.  He knows our frames.  But as He tests us, He knows what to expect out of His creations.  We, too, must learn what to expect of Him, what to believe of Him, and not to doubt.  Jesus spoke of being able to do incredible things, but the key was not to doubt (Matt. 21:21).  Are we much different than these people?  Don't we get up each morning, and each day we don't know what is in store for us?  Nothing is guaranteed, no matter what position we were in yesterday.  We can have financial security one day, and the next, it is undone.  We can be free today, but will we still be tomorrow?  Each day has its own tests, and as we go through one after another, let us strive not to murmur, as the Israelites did, but train our minds to throw away doubt, and believe that the Lord's hand is never waxed so short that He cannot bring us through whatever tribulation is upon us.  "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

Pray for our church leadership.  They don't need murmurers in the congregation, they need our prayers and assistance.  If someone is complaining about them, tell them to bring it to the one they are complaining about, and to complain with a fix!  It doesn't help to complain, but not have a way to fix the reason for murmuring.  They can keep in good standing with a church leader if they know a way out for the complaint, and if they take it to them instead of murmuring as a backbiting to other people.  Explain they may keep them as a brother or sister in Christ if they bring it as constructive criticism instead of a kind of downtrodding.  Our church leaders need edification, too!  "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;"
(Phil. 2:14 - 15)

Everyone's A Critic!

EVERYONE'S A CRITIC!

"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Gal. 4:16)  If I have not told you the truth in any one thing that I have written so far, in so many things, then you have an obligation to let me know it.   After all, you are my brothers and sisters in Christ, those of you who claim Him as your Lord and Savior, for we who believe on Him are family!  "And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, 'Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.'" (Matt. 12:49 - 50)  But if I make a mistake, or if I say something concerning the bible, and perhaps you misunderstand my intent, then don't treat me like Paul felt in Galatia with this study's opening Scripture quote, nor are you obligated to shun me, yet, but first you are obligated to reason with me!  I never claimed to be Christ, and I do claim that I am as all of you, human.  Able to make a mistake, great or small, as peradventure would have it.  It is a sad thing that I see when ministers, pastors, and priests of all walks of faith make mistakes, and there only need be one that is exposed, and immediately they receive such condemnation!  How truly it was said when it was written, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." (James 3:1) (By masters, James means teachers)  What seems to be forgotten in some walks of faith is the love, particularly of one who confesses their mistake, and giving them the compassion of forgiveness of a truly repentent one of these.  There are too few preachers in this world as it is, and would we ostracize each and every preacher who makes a mistake in their preaching, and also in their walk, and not give them the compassion of forgiveness?  Consider the next passage.

"And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.  And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.  And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ." (Acts 18:24 - 28)  Now here was a starting preacher who was blessed with a gift of eloquence, and he, like me, took up his cross and taught diligently the things of the Lord just as I do, but he was off course!  He was standing around in Ephesus preaching what he thought was right, and any real Christian in this day would know that it was quite a glaring mistake to be preaching the baptism of John, because we know the baptism to only be of Jesus Christ!  Some people claiming to be Christians nowadays would be getting out the branding irons, firing them up, and branding this guy a false teacher and shunning him as an unsalvageable heretic!  But what did you see the real Christians of Apollos' day do?  They took him aside and lovingly corrected him on his mistake, just like I would you, and just like I would hope you would me, those of you who know the way of the Lord and the bible.

Now every good preacher is of this way; "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality." (Rom. 12:11 - 13)  We who preach or witness of the Lord and from the bible are fervent to serve the Lord by preaching what we believe the bible means, but like Apollos, we are always subject to misinterpretation or mistake, and this is one reason why there are denominations, and so many removed from the pulpit!  But if they make a mistake, is this a reason to cut out their tongue, and remove them from preaching ever again?  To remove their pastorship?  It is a sad thing to see a pastor removed for a mistake.  Our God is a God of mercy, and so His children should be, as well!

"And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.  But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." (Acts 19:8 - 9)  Here was Paul in a school daily teaching the way to a group of people, and some of them stubbornly hardened their hearts against the truth, and started speaking evil of Paul's teaching before the multitudes, and it is at this point that Paul left them and separated the disciples, and then continued to dispute daily in the school.  In other words, if you have any number of people who want to dispute you, speak evil of you and what you're teaching, THEN this is the time to shun such a one, giving them time to either have their eyes opened somewhere else in their lives, or live in error, but not before trying to reason with them, or correct them.  After all, the bible also says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. 3:16 - 17)  Well, here is a point of noteworthiness; if I make a mistake, and I need correction, how do I get it if I am shunned, and nobody tells me?  I believe I have had people disagree with me, and shun me, but to their fault, because they failed to reason with me.  And the same is true of me; if I hear someone make a mistake concerning the Scriptures, and I don't correct them, but shun them, then I am guilty of failing to use the Scriptures for correction!  Everyone's a critic, but with that right that people take upon themselves, comes the responsibility to speak correction, remembering to do so with compassion and loving kindness, as they who are doing the correcting would want if they were the ones who made the mistake.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." (2 Tim. 2:15 - 18)  Now if you go to 1 Tim. 1:20, you'll understand Hymenaeus and Philetus were not merely someone preaching in error, but these two were purposely and with hardness in their hearts teaching stubbornly and in error concerning the resurrection, thus ruining the faith of some who heard them preach.  Now don't think for one minute that Paul did not try to reason with them of the error of what they were preaching before dumping these two.  "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." (1 Tim. 1:18 - 20)  Here we see that Paul has given up trying to reason with Hymenaeus and Alexander, and now they are ostracized from help and fellowship with the church.  A last resort punishment, that they might later come around and realize to their shame their error - or not.

Jesus Himself taught that someone of offense in a church must be given an opportunity of reconciliation first before being treated as a heathen; "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.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." (Matt. 18:15 - 17)  Okay, how are heathens to be treated?  "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Rom. 16:17 - 18)  These would be considered modern day Pharisees, who would press, for example, that you cannot be saved unless you are circumcised, as is ensampled in Acts 15:1 - 5.

So my purpose in this study is not so much geared to seekers and unbelievers, but toward believers who have a disagreement with one another's witness or preaching.  I wish to remind us all that we are family, that we have a responsibility to try to correct one another, including pastors and priests and ministers and missionaries.  None of us who are of the way of the Lord profess to be Him, so we are human, highly susceptible to making mistakes, no matter how seasoned we are in the Scriptures.  Remember that false teachers will be unwilling to repent from false teachings, but in order to determine if they are what they are, we are obligated to reason with them, first; they may instead be a brother or sister teaching errant doctrine because they misunderstand, as was the case with Apollos.  Lastly, I want to impress forgiveness of the preacher or witness who made a mistake.  Everybody's a critic, but remember that every critic has their own critic, too!  Pray for me as I continue to try to witness for Christ, my Lord and Savior, and not only for me, but all pastors, ministers, priests, preachers, and witnesses for Christ!