EXPERIENCED EDUCATION – Pt 1

II Corinthians 12:9 "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."

Philippians 4:10-14 "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction."

There are people who have the opportunity, or make the opportunity, and have earned degrees from schools of education. There are others who have not had the opportunity to further their education but have learned much through experience. Dr. Lee Roberson, who is one of my heroes, tells the story of Ralph Pariette who traveled the country for many years telling people about the University of Hard Knocks and its two colleges. There was the college of Needless Knocks which does a person little good and are a result of our foolishness. Then there's the college of Needful Knocks which make us what we ought to be.

I’m a musician, voice major, and enjoy many different types of music. I’ve heard some very good, trained musicians. I’ve also heard some great musicians who have been self taught. I’m fascinated with a person who is a classical guitarist. A guitar is able to produce good music when touched by the fingers of an expert. But it only able after it’s been knocked and beaten into its present shape. A guitar must be cut, formed, strung and tuned before it is able to perform the intent of the musician.

Individuals grow by going through the school of hard knocks. God has to take us through hard times to fit us for a proper ministry. We may not like the hard knocks, but they are needful in our life. Only after the trials and tests in our life are we able to be all that God intends us to be.

For the next three weeks in CHALLENGING CONCEPTS I want us to explore the EXPERIENCED EDUCATION that is needed in our lives.

1. THERE ARE THE EXPERIENCES OF LIFE

God uses different experiences in the lives of His children. They are all designed by Him to develop character and give them a platform from which they can minister in the lives of others. Let me expound on some of the experiences:

A. There is the EXPERIENCE OF FAILURE. No doubt we all have experienced failure in our lives. We may have felt it in differing degrees, but we usually have experienced failure. Some may have failed in part, while others of us have failed completely. The experience of failure can either lead to making a man, or it may lead to breaking that man. It is determined by reaction or response to that failure.

One of my favorite preachers and authors, Dr. Warren Wiersbe wrote in his commentary on Joshua Be Strong: “Discouragement over the past and fear of the future are the two reactions that often accompany failure. We look back and remember the mistakes that we made, and then we look ahead and wonder whether there’s any future for people who fail so foolishly.”

People sometimes allow failure to cripple them. But there’s another way to face failure. One of my former Youth Pastors, Jason Stephens, wrote in an e-devotions to his church members: “Setbacks present us with opportunities to be a more mature believer and build a better future.”

There is a purpose in failure, and it’s not to keep us from succeeding. Again I quote from Be Strong by Dr. Warren Wiersbe: “If we turn our mistakes into mirrors, we’ll see only ourselves; and this will make us miserable. But if by faith we turn our mistakes into windows, we’ll see the Lord and get the strength we need to try again.”

Don’t let the Experience of Failure keep us from God’s will for our life.

B. There is the EXPERIENCE OF BAD HEALTH. Many of us have health issues. I’m not going to go into my health problems, which are many. But I know people who are far worse off than I am. But health issues are a necessary part of our learning experience. How can we know how others feel if we don’t experience it ourselves? How can we sympathize with those who are hurting unless we hurt also.

When a person is going through times of bad health they are learning valuable lessons:

They are learning PATIENCE – We need patience. Bert E. McCormick said: “Once a man would spend a week patiently waiting if he missed a stagecoach. Now he rages if he misses the first section of a revolving door.” How true that is! God knows we need to learn patience so He allows some to have health problems to teach them.

Going through health issues will also teach a person SYMPATHY – If we haven’t gone through sickness we don’t know how a sick person feels. T.J. Bach said: “My burden is that I have so little burden.” That is so true!

Bad health also can teach a person LOVE – All of us need to learn I Corinthians 13 kind of love so when we are going through health issues, don’t feel sorry for us. God is at work.

Bad health can also teach a person FAITH - Lying flat on your back causes you to look upward. It causes you to look to God. You may face situations beyond your physical reserve but you will never face situations beyond God's supernatural resources.

Going through health issues will also teach a person COURAGE - Someone has said that "Courage is not the absence of fear but the conquest of fear." Billy Graham said: "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.”

I’ve seen some people facing very difficult times with their health, and I’ve seen them demonstrate courage which had to be with divine power. God wants us to depend upon Him and He will give us courage beyond the natural ability.

C. There is the the EXPERIENCE OF PERSECUTION. Some reading this issue of CHALLENGING CONCEPTS have experienced this. God’s school of hard knocks hands out some every once in a while.

There are times that each of us go through persecution, but Jesus said we would and mentioned them in Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

Persecution is a part of the consecrated Christian life. It's a part of God's training program. We read in II Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

There are many lessons to be learned as we grow in grace. Dr. Warren Wiersbe wrote in Be Strong “Someone has said that experience is a tough teacher because it always gives the exam first and teaches the lesson afterward.” What lessons are we learning from the experiences we are facing at this present time?

Next week we will look deeper into this subject in CHALLENGING CONCEPTS.

That’s my view; how about you?

FROM THE CRADLE TO THE CROSS – Pt 2

Luke 2:10-11 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

As I reflect upon Christmases past, I think of my childhood anticipation of what Santa Claus would leave under the tree. We didn’t have a lot of money but my parents would sacrifice to make sure I had certain things. As a small child there was the little red RADIO FLYER wagon. Later there was the WESTERN FLYER bicycle. When I got old enough, it was the RED RIDER BB GUN. You can see very easily that Christmas for me as a child was all about getting presents. That was not my parents’ fault because they tried to instill in me that God gave His Son so that He would die for our sins on the cross of Calvary. I knew that, but the fleshly nature turned inwardly and it was all about ME.

As young parents my wife and I loved to give presents to our small children. When we began to understand our responsibility as parents, we gave to our children but began to teach them the real meaning of Christmas. For years the tradition of the Buford family was that we always read the account of the birth of Christ from Luke 2 before we ever opened any presents. There are many ways to keep the right perspective before your family.

So why did Jesus come? He was born in Bethlehem’s manger to start a journey that would lead to the cruel cross of Calvary. In last week’s “Challenging Concepts” we noticed THE MIND OF SOVEREIGNTY as God had a plan of redemption in place long before man needed a Savior. Then we noticed THE MANGER OF SUBMISSION as Jesus was willing to submit His will to that of the Father. Today we’re going to follow Jesus further in this journey to the cross.

3. Thirdly I want you to notice THE MINISTRY OF THE SAVIOR

When you observe the life of the Lord Jesus Christ you realize that everything He did pointed to Who He was and the mission He had come to fulfill. In the book of John Jesus performed one miracle after another to prove that He was the Master.

A. When Jesus turned the water into wine it proved that He was the Master over CIRCUMSTANCES.

B. When Jesus healed the son of the Nobleman it proved that He was the Master over DISTANCE.

C. When Jesus healed the lame man it proved that He was the Master over DISEASE.

D. When Jesus feed the 5,000 it proved that He was Master over the MASSES.

E. When Jesus stilled the raging sea it proved that He was Master over NATURE.

F. When Jesus healed the blind man it proved that He was Master over SIGHT.

G. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead it proved that He was Master over LIFE AND DEATH.

Through all of His life here on this earth the Lord Jesus Christ proved Who He was. And Who was He? He was none other than God Himself. He was God in the flesh; God incarnate. Notice what Jesus said Himself in John 10:38 “But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”

4. Fourthly notice THE MAJESTIC SACRIFICE

The average person likes to think of Christmas as a little-bitty sweet looking baby in a neatly built manger. But we need to remember that baby was born to make a journey which would take 33 ½ years and would end up outside the city of Jerusalem. There Jesus would be falsely accused, sentenced to be nailed to a cruel cross in between two guilty thieves. He would have already been stripped naked, beaten and His beard plucked out, Blood would be running down His side from a spear that had been thrust in His side. Blood also would be flowing down His brow from a crown of thorns that had been jarred upon His head. You could see torn flesh from His hands and feet as a result of the cross dropping into a prepared hole in the earth.

This is an ugly picture but it’s all part of the plan of God. Someone had to die for our sins. Somebody had to shed their blood that we might have redemption. And Jesus was willing to be that One. That babe of Bethlehem was willing to journey from the cradle to the cross that we might have eternal life.

Notice how it is written in I Peter 1:18-19, “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; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Jesus shed His blood that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Praise God for the magnificent sacrifice that Jesus made for us. We read in Hebrews 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

5. Fifthly notice THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION

This was the message of the angels. Look again at our text, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

He came to bring salvation to the World. In fact, there is no other way for people to get saved. Jesus Himself said in John 14:6 “. . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

We also read in John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

The world thinks there are many roads that lead to heaven. We may be traveling different roads but they all lead to the same place. I’m sorry for their misconception but there is only one way to heaven and that’s through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what Christmas is all about. Jesus was born in a manger over 2,000 years ago and started His journey to the cross. The mission was to die for the sins of the world. On this Christmas let’s make sure our families understand that what happened in Bethlehem was that Jesus started a journey FROM THE CRADLE TO THE CROSS.

Have a very merry Christmas!

That’s my view; how about you?

FROM THE CRADLE TO THE CROSS – Pt 1

Luke 2:10-11 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

This Christmas seems to be no different than most every other Christmas except I am not a pastor anymore. In the past I have been very involved in most of the church activities at this time of the year. And frankly, I was always worn out after the Christmas program, parties, luncheons and musicals. As a retired pastor (I didn’t say over the hill) I am able to enjoy these different functions without the work which have and will be done before this Christmas season is over.

Every year I have tried to keep my focus on the most important thing about Christmas and that is the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. I trust each of you will do the same thing this year.

As I think about the birth of the Christ child, I think about why He came to this earth. The reality of His purpose was that He came to start a journey. For the next three weeks I would like for us to follow that journey and remember again why He came to this earth.

1. Notice first of all THE MIND OF SOVEREIGNTY

The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ was no afterthought with God. From the beginning it was part of God’s plan. Even before God created the universe, His plan included the birth of the Christ child. In fact, even before man’s spiritual fall in the Garden of Eden, this birth was planned so that fallen man might be redeemed.

God knew that mankind would need a Savior and planned from the very beginning that the sinless Lamb of God would one day come to this earth, be born in a manger and make the journey to the cross of Calvary. Man’s redemption depended on it.

In writing about the Messiah who had come, Peter penned in I Peter 1:20 “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, . . .”

As I emphasized earlier, the birth of Christ was part of God’s plan from the beginning. Paul wrote it this way in Romans 3:25 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

After Eve had fallen prey to the temptation of the serpent and Adam made a choice to disobey God’s command, God made a promise that one day One would come that would make a way for us to be reconciled to Him. That prophecy was first made in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

I’m glad that God had a plan! Aren’t you glad that the plan of God included our salvation? This plan did not come about when man sinned. It was already in place from eternity past. Notice what Paul wrote in II Timothy 1:9-10 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, . . .”

God had a plan!

2. Notice secondly THE MANGER OF SUBMISSION

The plan of our redemption was that someone would come to this earth and make a journey to the cross of Calvary. Someone had to die for the sin of mankind. Jesus was that One. We read in Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

You might think that God’s Son would be born in a palace or at least a fancy house or hotel in the city of Jerusalem, the city of kings. But Jesus was not born in royalty but in a lowly manger in the city of Bethlehem. That was God’s plan and Jesus was submitted to that plan. Whatever the plan of God contained, Jesus was surrendered to it. We read in Jesus’ own words in John 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

Jesus was willing to surrender His will to the will of the Father so that plan could be carried out. I wonder how many of us have surrendered our will to the will of the Father. What part of God’s will for our life have we had a hard time accepting? Are we willing to do whatever God has for us?

I remember when I was in Bible College and was confronted with whether or not God wanted me to be a missionary. I was willing to go as long as it didn’t include Africa. I didn’t want to even hear of the possibility of Africa. They have snakes; big snakes; scarey snakes. I was a music major and surely God wouldn’t want me to waste my training in the jungles of Africa, where they have snakes. . .

I did come to the place in my life where I was willing to do anything God wanted me to do and He ended up sending me to Florida where they have alligators.

Bethlehem was part of God’s salvation plan. The lowly manger was to be the place where Jesus’ earthly journey would start. But it would not end in that little manger in Bethlehem. There would be disappointments, hardships, rejections and even betrayal. That was the mission of Jesus. That’s why He came. He came to do the will of the Father, and it started in Bethlehem.

This is the Christmas season. We celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Let us who know Christ personally in salvation not forget why He came to this earth. Let’s make this a Christ-centered celebration.

In next week’s “Challenging Concepts” I will give some more thoughts about the journey of Jesus FROM THE CRADLE TO THE CROSS.

That’s my view; how about you!

THE CHRISTIAN WALK – Pt 3

Philippians 1 :21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

This has been a very good study for me. I want so much to walk in the way that Christ wants me to walk. I want to be led by the Spirit, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The Christian walk is one of Love. We read in Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

But one thing that’s hard about Paul’s statement here in Philippians 1:21 is the last part of the verse – “to die is gain.” We like the word “live” but the word “die” is not all that alluring. I have always said, “I don’t mind the word death, but the process of dying I’m not too excited about.”

Paul speaks about the Christian walk:

IT'S A PROFOUND WALK. Notice the phrase "to die is gain" – For those who are not believers, this is unthinkable. How can dying be gain? Or, many of them have the mistaken belief that everybody goes to heaven. I really am concerned that so many people think that just because someone excels in some profession they go to heaven. You hear that “they are in the heavenly grandstand watching the game below,” or “they are an angel protecting us.”

Because of these false conceptions of how you enter heaven, it leaves true believers with a responsibility to share the gospel with them. We read in I Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

To the believer, the statement of Paul is very deep or weighty. This makes you stop and reflect upon the life and walk of the believer. We must live each day for the glory of God realizing that one day, either by death or the rapture, we gain our spiritual inheritance.

1. This is a CONSIDERATION – Notice the word “gain.” Paul looked at dying as “gain.” He wrote in II Corinthians 5:6-8 “Therefore we are always confident knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

In verse 8 notice the phrase “We are confident” and the word “willing.” This shows a lot of courage and boldness when it comes to death. Why? Because of the prospect that lies ahead for the believer. In fact, I’m not so sure the word “willing” is understood correctly. It doesn’t mean “I guess maybe I’d rather be in heaven with the Lord.” I think the word means “very pleased” to be in the presence of the Lord rather than continue here with all the sin and iniquity around and even in our still imperfect body.

This is why Paul looked at “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord” as gain. I agree with Paul. That will be a wonderful experience. I pray that each of you reading this “Challenging Concepts” are saved and ready to meet the Lord.

2. This is a COMMENDATION – The “gain” part includes a time when the faithful servant will hear “well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Paul looked forward to and served faithfully for that day. Looking back at his life since that Damascus Road experience and his life since, he wrote In II Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

This is what the Christian walk is all about. It’s serving the Lord and bringing glory to His name by our service to and for Him. How are we doing? Can we also say “we have fought a good fight?” Will we hear the Lord say, “well done?” This is something to really consider.

3. This is a CHANGE – Notice what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 17:15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

I love what the Psalmist is saying here. He says that his noblest ambition will not be experienced with any of the pleasures of this life. He may sleep the sleep of death, but when the trumpet sounds he’s going to wake in the likeness of God Himself. What a thought! What a change!

This is the climax of the Christian walk. This makes it worth it all. We may sleep the sleep of death, or we might be alive when the trumpet sounds. I believe it will be the latter, but either way, as the song says “What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, And I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace; When He takes me by the hand And leads me through the Promised Land, What a day, glorious day that will be.”

The Christian walk is the most glorious walk of all. Do you know for sure you are a child of God? Has there been a time when you have put your faith in what Christ did on the cross of Calvary? Have you made Him Lord of your life? How is your walk going?

I pray you are saved and are growing in your walk day by day. I trust you are spending time in His Word and making application of that Word in your life.

That’s my view; how about you!

THE CHRISTIAN WALK – Pt 2

Philippians 1 :21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

I started my walk with the Lord in 1948 as a 8 year old lad. God had been using many people in my life to bring me to the place where I knew I was lost and without hope of spending eternity with Christ. The Holy Spirit worked in my life and after a Wednesday evening prayer service I placed my faith in the work of Christ on Calvary and was gloriously saved. The Christian walk has taken many turns in my life, but it has been an exciting journey. God has led me in some ways that I would never have gone by my own wisdom, but I have found that His way is always the best. In his book entitled Be Strong Dr. Warren Wiersbe wrote “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him. When we run ahead of the Lord, we usually rob ourselves and hurt others.”

As I have been re-reading the book of Joshua, I again was reminded that Achan was an example of that thought. If he had obeyed God, he would have saved his life, the lives of his family, and would have been able to enjoy what he thought he had to have at that moment. Achan could have enjoyed the spoils of Ai with the rest of the nation of Israel.

We need to learn to walk in step with the Lord. Last week we noticed that the walk of the believer is PERSONAL. In this weeks “Challenging Concepts” we notice another thought about the walk of the believer:

THE WALK OF THE BELIEVER IS PRACTICAL – Notice the phrase “For me to live.”

There is no doubt that the Apostle Paul lived for the Lord. That was his purpose and goal in life. All he did revolved around living and preaching the gospel. He even moved from place to place looking for new places to spread the “good news” to all he could. But, not everyone is called to “preach,” even though we all are called to “proclaim” the same “good news”, Paul preached. So, how does “For me to live” apply to everyone?

1. There must be DEPENDENCE on Christ – Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

When does this dependence starts? It starts with ACCEPTANCE. You must accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour – John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Salvation is not the end, it’s the beginning. This is where a person’s walk as a believer starts. Are you sure you have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ?

The next thing that happens is ALTERATION – II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away behold all things are become new.” When a person is born again there is a change in a person’s life. If there was ever anyone whose life was changed it was Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul. He went from a PERSECUTOR of the gospel to a PREACHER of the gospel.

That same change should have been made in our lives. I’m not always what I should be, but I’m not what I was before I was saved. There has been a definite change in my life. What about you? The change is not of our doings but is by the grace of God. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Thank God for His grace that changes our lives.

2. There must be DEMONSTRATION of Christ-likeness - Philippians 4:12-13 “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Paul knew that the walk of the believer was not always a “bed of roses.” He had made his choice and whatever God had for him was fine and dandy. He was open to anything God wanted for his life. I like what Dr. Warren Wiersbe wrote in his book Be Strong “The will of God comes from the heart of God (Psa 33:11), and He delights to make it known to His children when He knows they are humble and willing to obey.”

The question comes now, “Are we willing to demonstrate that we are a believer and we are walking the walk and not just talking the talk.

How does a person walk the walk? Is it possible? Do we have to be really disciplined in order to do so? Those are good questions, but again it’s not because a person is disciplined and yes it is possible.

Paul wrote in Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

The word “both” means that God is working in the life of the believer to do two things. First, the two words “to will” means that God gives the individual the desire or will to do what He wants, and in this case it’s to walk the walk of the believer.

Secondly, the two words “to do” means that God gives the individual the power or ability to walk the walk of the believer.

When you put both these thoughts together you realize that the walk of the believer is possible because Christ is the One who lives through us as we yield our lives to Him. What a comfort it is to know that the walk of the believer does not depend upon us. It depends on Christ as we allow Him to control our life.

The practicality of the believer’s walk does not stop with dependence and demonstration. There is one last thought I would like to make:

3. There must be DECLARATION of Christ – I Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

No one ever got saved by watching a believer’s walk. There comes a time when you have to share the gospel with them. Your walk demonstrates there is something different about your life, but you must explain what made and continues to make a difference in you.

If we follow the life of the Apostle Paul in the Word of God you see that he was ready to witness at the “drop of the hat.” He told what happened to him on the road to Damascus time and time again.

Paul declared the gospel in I Corinthians 15:3-4 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

What kind of witness are we? What do we really declare. John White said: “A good witness isn't like a salesman, emphasis is on a person rather than a product. A good witness is like a signpost. It doesn't matter whether it is old, young, pretty, ugly; it has to point the right direction and be able to be understood. We are witnesses to Christ, we point to him.”

Are we ready to give an answer to the hope within us? Are we taking advantage of the opportunities we have to witness for the Lord? This is all part of the practicality of the believer’s walk.

The walk of the believer is a very practical issue. I trust we are growing in our walk as a believer.

I will give more thoughts of the believer's walk in the "Challenging Concepts" next week.

That’s my view; how about you:)

THE CHRISTIAN WALK – Pt 1

Philippians 1 :21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

This is one of the most challenging verses in the entire Bible. For the unbeliever to see the statement “to die is gain” blows their mind. How do you gain by dying? The lost world does not understand it nor do many believers embrace it. But Paul had come to that conclusion in the circumstance he was facing.

Paul had gone through some very terrible times, or we might call them “dark valleys” as I did in the last four “Challenging Concepts.” Yet, in all these trials he made a tremendous declaration about his goals and purposes in life.

The wording of verse 21 gives us a peek into what Paul thought about the Christian life. Paul was not some super action figure and the Christian life is no fairy tale. The walk of the believer is PERSONAL, PRACTICAL, POSSIBLE and PROFOUND. And as we will see in the next few blogs, they apply to us in the same way they applied to the Apostle Paul. Stay with me for the next three weeks as we look at the walk of the believer.

THE WALK OF THE BELIEVER IS PERSONAL – We understand this from the two words “for me.” In these two words we understand that verse 21 is a PERSONAL message to a PERSONAL individual.

1. The Christian walk involves CONVERSION – You can’t walk the Christian walk without first being a Christian. You have to be saved. And that is something that each individual has to face for themselves. The Christian walk is not something that somebody else can do for you. Paul says “for me.”

Notice what Paul also wrote in Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

The biblical “heart” is made up of the MIND, EMOTIONS and WILL. With your mind you have to know you are a sinner (Rom 3:10, 23) and deserve hell (Rom 6:23), but that Jesus went to the cross and paid sin’s debt for you individually (Rom 5:8). You must also know that He rose from the grave on the third day and is today seated at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. You must know that the Holy Spirit now works to convict of your need of salvation. This work of the Holy Spirit draws (Jn 6:44) and you must make a choice. To be saved you must exercise your will and make the choice to receive Christ as your personal Savior.

Unless you are converted you can’t walk as a Christian.

2. The Christian walk involves CONVICTION – Again, Paul says “for me.” Paul is implying that he has made a choice. Others may do what they choose but he has chosen to live for the Lord.

Paul had always acted in a way he thought was pleasing to God. He was very religious. Notice what we read in Acts 23:6 “. . . he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.”

Paul did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah and did everything in his power to resist the followers of this man. You can see the zeal with which he acted in Acts 9:1-2 “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”

As Paul’s journey got close to Damascus he came face to face with an experience that changed his life forever. Notice what we read in Acts 9:3-6 “. . . suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said Who art thou Lord? And the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said/ Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?. . .”

Paul came face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. He realized the One he was persecuting was truly the Messiah they had been looking for. He called Him “Lord.” There on that road he was converted. And notice the very next thing that happened was he said “what wilt thou have me to do?” He submitted to His Lordship. There was a conviction about what his life was going to be. He was going to walk with Jesus.

Paul begged others to make Christ the Lord of their life as he had done. Notice how he put it in Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Paul’s desire was that we walk the same walk as he had done.

3. The Christian walk involves CONTINUATION – Paul said “and to die.” This is an indication that Paul had no idea of quitting. He was in the Christian walk for the long haul. If you follow the life of the Apostle you find no quitting, slowing down or shrinking his duty. He was called by God and his feeling about that calling is documented in Romans 11:29 “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” The commitment Paul had made took him on three missionary journeys, through persecutions, shipwreck, jail and finally to his death. There was never any thought of turning back on God’s call for his life.

It would be fantastic if believers today had that same commitment to the end. I have seen so many people who said they had a certain calling but failed to finish the ministry God had for them.

I remember talking with a missionary who said he had been called to preach the gospel to the precious people of Germany. He had been going through some hardships and he had decided to leave the field and go back to America. I tried to remind him that God was sovereign and the trials he was facing was a part of God’s plan for his life (Rom 8:28). My counsel was not heeded. He did leave the country of Germany and took a secular job in the U.S.

I remember discussing this with my wife and she said “Where is God in his life?” She was right. He could not see God in his hardships at all. Paul faced more hardships than anybody I know, but he continued in ministry through them all of his hardships. We should do the same.

In next week’s “Challenging Concepts” we will examine THE WALK OF THE BELIEVER IS PRACTICAL.

That’s my view; how about you?

CONQUERING LIFE=S VALLEYS – Pt 4

Psalm 143:1-12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust, cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.”

As we come to the last blog from Psalm 143 I trust this has been a blessing to many. It’s amazing how few comments I receive from my writings, but I hear from some who have been blessed. For that I’m very thankful. I realize my time here at the computer is not all wasted.

We have walked with David in the dark valley of his life. We have notice that THE VALLEY MAY BE FILLED WITH PAIN. You can tell my his words that he is grieved over the action of his son. He is depressed, discouraged and even in despair. But we have noticed also that THE VALLEY WILL BE FILLED WITH PEARLS. I had a note this week from a lady talking about the pearls in her life.

This week we are going to notice that THE VALLEY WILL HAVE A PATH to victory. David will show us what he did to overcome that discouragement, depression and despair. How do you get out of the valley? Let’s notice what David has to say.

1. We have victory THROUGH PRAYER – notice verse 1 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness." Notice verse 6 "I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah." In this dry, parched and dark time in his life, David cried out to God.


Notice verse 8, 11-12, "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; . . . Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies . . . Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant."

Think about David’s circumstances. He was in a holding pattern. He was waiting and there was nothing he could do to alleviate his pain and hurt. So he cries out to God. The Bible doesn’t tell us how long he prayed. It might have been a long, long time. If it was, I’m sure he wanted to quit praying, but he didn’t.

Have you ever been there? If you’re like me you probably have. Waiting on God is not easy, but we’re commanded to continue to pray. We read in I Thessalonians 5;17 APray without ceasing.@ Notice also what is written in Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;"


Notice the words “continuing instant.” These two words mean to be “earnest toward” and to “persevere diligently and continually” in prayer as you wait on the Lord for the answer.

Remember, God has promised to answer our prayers. We read in Isaiah 65:24 "And it shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear." It may not appear that the answer is already on the way, but God has promised. We read also in John 16:23, ". . . Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." Notice also Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."

It is our duty to pray. We must pray when God says “yes”; pray when God says “no” and even pray when God says “wait.” We should keep on praying. God is still on the throne. It is our duty to pray but it’s more than just a duty; it’s the path out of the valleys in our life.

2. We have victory THROUGH PRAISE (worship) – Notice verse 10 "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; . . ."

This is a sad Psalm. You can see the sadness of the circumstance he is in, but David still praises. God is good.

When you and I are in a valley, we need to remember this. In fact, we need to adopt this attitude of praise and worship.

When I think of a dark valley in a person’s life, I think of Job. He was in a terrible valley. Job lost his business, personnel, children, health and the support of his wife. You can’t think of much else that could happen to a person. But notice what we read in Job 1:20-22 "Then Job arose and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. And said Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave and the LORD hath taken away blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." He praised and worshipped the Lord. What a spiritual giant!

Someone has said “If we can't praise in valley; we have no right to praise on the mountaintop – God is sovereign in both places.”

When I’m going through a rough time; when the valley seems the darkest, what can I praise Him for? Notice Luke 10:20, "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." The valleys can’t take away your salvation. That’s something to praise the Lord about.

I’ll not expound on them but let me give you a couple of thoughts about praise:

He Is Worthy (Rev 4:11)
It Will Help You (Neh 8:10; Prov 17:22)


3. We have victory THROUGH PRACTICE - Notice verses 8-10 "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust, cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."

David had gone through some hard times. He may have struggled a little bit in his faith and trust, but down deep David had always wanted to do the will of God. That had been his desire.

That should be our goal also. Even when we go through dark valley experiences, know that God is in control and what we are facing had to cross His desk for approval. Every experience is designed to make us stronger people. One of my facebook friends, Tomas Edward Bowen wrote “It is not God’s will for us to live weakly and die feebly, so, He allows afflictions to come and strengthen and mature us.”

David shows us the path out of a dark valley: Prayer, Praise, and Practice. There is no situation in our life but that God will lead us through and out. Dr. Warren Wiersbe says “. . . we have the Word of God before us and the Spirit of God within us; and God will direct us if we wait patiently before Him.”

When we fail to walk in God’s path: (1) It’s DISHONORING to Him; (2) It’s DISCOURAGING to our heart. You can’t beat the circumstances! Don’t let it beat you!

That’s my view; how about you?

CONQUERING LIFE=S VALLEYS – Pt 3

Psalm 143:1-12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.”

In our last two “Challenging Concepts” we have looked at a time in the life of David when he was in the midst of a dark valley. He was running from his own son who hd turned his back on his father, and had set out to take his throne from him. David was discouraged, depressed and had come to a place where he did not even want to go on in his life. David was really hurting.

As I have mentioned before, there are many people today who are facing times of hurting in their life. They may not have faced something like this in their life, now they are going through the valley of unknown. One of my wife’s and my favorite preacher, Dr. Charles Stanley, said “As you walk through the valley of the unknown, you will find the footprints of Jesus both in front of you and beside you.” Oh, what a wonderful thought. Just to realize that Jesus is with us and going before us, brings comfort to our hearts.

In Psalm 143 we have noticed that THE VALLEY MAY BE FILLED WITH PAIN. Now we want to see that the THE VALLEY WILL BE FILLED WITH PEARLS.

We may not see them at the beginning, and we may not even see them during the valley experience, but there are benefits of going through valleys. We will gain PEARLS of great price. What are they? Let me list a few:

1. There is a time of REPENTANCE – Notice verse 2 "And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."

When a person is going through a valley experience in his life, he usually begins to wonder if he has committed some kind of sin that is causing this valley. He begins to reflect upon his attitudes and actions. There is a time of cleansing as he asks the Lord to reveal things in his life that are wrong. This is good. There may be some sin in a person’s life, that sin may not be the reason for the valley.

If there was anyone who knew what sin could do in a person’s life, it was David. Notice what we read in Psalm 32:1-4, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence (about my sin and did not confess it) my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah."

What a terrible picture of what sin can bring upon a person. David is affected physically. He has become weak bodily. Conviction is upon him in a mighty way. He knows it. He knows what he is going through is from the crushing hand of God, but he does not confess. He may be silent when it comes to confession but he is moaning like a wounded animal because of his sorrow. Because of his sin, he is under a tremendous amount of conviction but has gone a whole year without confession.

Notice what David wrote about this in Psalm 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" The word “regard” means that after seeing your actions as God sees it, you continue to cherish that sin. When a person realizes sin in his life, he must confess it. We read in I John 1:9 AIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.@

As I stated earlier, sin may not be the cause of the valley but when we reflect upon our attitudes and actions, God will usually point out some sin. And when it is pointed out by the work of the Spirit of God and we confess it, that is a benefit to our valley, and a beautiful pearl.

2. There is a time of REMEMBRANCE – notice verse 5, "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands."

David had much to remember. God had done so much in the life of this individual. Even as a young man God had given him the strength and ability to kill the lion and a bear. He was also with David when odds were aginst him on the battlefield against the Philistines. God used David to kill that giant and gain the victory for the army of Israel. David had so much to remember in his own personal life. And, God had done so much for the nation of Israel.

Even when going through this dark valley, David reviewed his life and he saw how God had worked in his life. Then he turned to the Word of God and it refreshed his heart.

I’ve talked to many people who were going through a dark valley and testify that at that time Satan attacked them. That’s how he works. He did that with Eve in the garden and he still uses that tactic today. He will tell you that the reason for this valley is that there is sin in your life. He will tell you that God has forsaken you. That is a lie. God has said in Hebrews 11:5 “. . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

It’s when you are going through a valley (trial) you must look back and remember the goodness of God, a beautiful pearl.

3. There must be a time of RELIANCE – Notice what we read in verse 6 “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.”


David is giving a picture of a dry, parched and cracked ground which is longing for some refreshing rain from above. The earth is thirsty and opens it’s mouth crying out for God’s help. This is the way the Psalmist feels as he is in the midst of this dark valley. His soul is longing for refreshment from the showers of blessings which only God can provide.

David says that he stretches forth his hands unto God. The idea here is that of a prisoner who is bound. He feels as if he’s a bound prisoner in this circumstance that he’s going through and knows that only God can help him at this time. But you can see that David is not only stretching forth his hands but he’s stretching forth his heart also. You can sense David’s heart as he writes.

David understood that he couldn’t do anything himself to produce the answer to his need. The only place for David to turn was to God. He had to rely on Him and he did.

When you are in a dark valley you feel as if you are at the end of yourself. You are in a BIG VALLEY so you need a BIG GOD. This is where the wise counsel of Proverbs 3:5-6 comes in: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

In a valley you need direction. You need guidance. This is a time when you can make mistakes. In a dark valley you are very emotional and your emotions can drive you to acting in haste. You can react to the circumstance instead of responding. (Remember: reaction is a work of the flesh while responding is a fruit of the Spirit.)

The valley in your life is not an accident. God has a purpose in allowing you to experience this valley or trial. Remember what Paul wrote in
Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." As I usually say, “the valley experiences are for our good” and my wife always adds, “and for God’s glory.” Another beautiful pearl.

We must see the valley for what it really is. It’s a time of repentance, remembrance and reliance. We usually think that no one has experienced what we are going through, but in light of eternity, our suffering is nothing compared to what our Savior went through. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4:17, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"

Dark valleys are terrible. They are full of pain and suffering. But on the other side of the coin, valleys are valuable. These are times when we learn eternal truths about God. They are also times when our faith is energized and strengthened.

Motivational speaker Denis Witley writes “When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.” Just as pearls are made by an oyster caused by a hurtful grain of sand, we also can turn hurts into beautiful lives if we respond to God in the valleys. We will grow and God will be glorified. Remember these pearls of wisdom and beauty.

What is the goal of the believer? The goal is to glorify God in and with your life. Can you do that in a dark valley? You bet you can. Next week we’ll look at the PATH out of the valley. There is a way out. God has it and David shows us in this passage.

That’s my view; how about you?

CONQUERING LIFE'S VALLEYS – Pt 2

Psalm 143:1-7 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.”

Last week we began to examine a time in David’s life when he was going through a dark time. It was a time that his son Absalom had turned his back on him and David was fleeing for his life. I can see David as he is holed up in one of the many caves in the region, looking out at the stars of the night feeling sorry for himself. He is probably at one of the lowest times in his entire life.

Former President Richard M. Nixon, who knew what a dark valley was like, once said: “Only if you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.”

Let’s focus in on David’s feelings at this time.

THE VALLEY CAN BE FILLED WITH PAIN

The valley in the life of the child of God can have a variety of pains. Some of those may be deep and dark while others may be light. But no matter what kind of valley you find yourself in, it will bring with it hurts. Notice verse 3 of our text "For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead." Notice the phrase “he hath made me to dwell in darkness.”

David faced the valley of DARKNESS. David couldn’t seem to realize there was any help in this valley. His son had rebelled against him. His beloved Absalom had turned his back on him. Even Ahithophel, a very wise counselor also joined Absalom in this revolt. We read in Psalm 41:9 "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

When you look at what’s going on here there seems to be no end to the pain. As someone has said “The only light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train running full throttle.”The sad thing is that there are many people at this place in their life.

David faced the valley of DEPRESSION. Notice verse 4, "Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; (notice this last part.) my heart within me is desolate." David had a desolate heart. The word “desolate” means “stunned.” He can’t believe what’s happening to him. He is totally astonished with his circumstance and doesn’t even have the heart to go on. David is not usually a quitter, but at this point he doesn’t want to go through what he’s facing.

The word “overwhelmed” means “shrouded.” David no longer has heart. He is covered in depression. As with most people who are depressed, he probably was like a walking Zombie. He probably had no desire to do the smallest tasks.

I believe there are many today who walk in this same condition. They are stumbling along in this dark valley of depression and have just about lost the desire to go on in their circumstance. Is that you? Do you know someone in this situation?

I remember a time in my ministry that there was a lady who was depressed. After counseling with her, my wife got her involved in ministry with others and to others and before long she was doing much better. This ministry got her focus off herself and on others. That’s not the total cure, but it is part of the solution.

David faced the valley of DESPAIR. Notice verse 7 "Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit." David not only has about lost heart but now he sees NO HOPE.

The word “faileth” means “at the end.” He has about reached the end of his rope. He feels as if God doesn’t lift this veil of darkness that he’s in, he’s no better off than those who perish in hell. You talk about a person in despair, we have it here in the life of this special servant of Jehovah. It’s hard to believe where David is at this time in his life.

There are those today who find themselves in this same valley. They find themselves in a “pit” also. You may think that life is unbearable, but there is reason to rejoice because there is hope. You may not see or feel it, but there’s always hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you know of someone who is in this type of circumstance, tell them there is hope. We read in Matthew 19:26 “. . . With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

Why is the valley necessary? It’s in the valley that God teaches us certain lessons. My wife and I have seen some dark valleys in our lives. Oh, they may not have been as severe as the one David is facing, but they were dark just the same. We would not want to experience those valleys again, but we have to say that it was in the valleys that God taught us certain lessons and brought us out better people and Christians.

Notice what we read in Psalm 66:10-12 “For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.”

We may not like the dark valley, but we sure do like the “wealthy place.” The “wealthy place” is always at the end of the valley. In next week’s “Challenging Concepts” I will share some of those truths that a person learns going through those valleys.

G. K. Chesterton wrote “One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peaks.”

We want to live on the mountain tops, but valleys are the teacher for our growth. In fact, remember that there would be no mountain peaks without the valleys.

That’s my view; how about you?

CONQUERING LIFE'S VALLEYS – Pt 1

Psalm 143:1-4 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.”

A pastor was going through some really deep water and was walking down the street just having some time alone with the Lord when he noticed a construction worker carving a triangle out of stone. He asked the gentleman what he was making. The man pointed to the steeple of the new church building where there was a small opening. “I’m carving this stone down here so it will fit up there,” the man answered.

The ugly reality is we really wouldn’t fit “up there” in our natural condition. God prepares us through redemption and life experiences so that we long to be “up there” and are fitted to be there. I love the truth of this verse “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6)

Isn’t that a tremendous thought? God is working and will continue to do so until you and I are fitted for eternity. The Apostle Paul spoke of this work in Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified.”

You and I may not look like much; remember we’re only sinner saved by grace. But God sees us in the righteousness of Christ which has been imputed to us. (Romans 3:21-22) He also sees the finished product after He has made us fitted for “up there.”

Some of the process of God’s carving in our life involves valleys. In my years of working with people I have found many going through valleys. It may be in the death of a loved one. It may have been a baby, a young child or the sudden death of a teen who seemed to just be blossoming into his or her own personality. It may be a dreaded disease which threatens to shorten a person’s own life span. It could be the loss of a job which puts a financial burden on the entire family and puts life long plans on the back burner.

I think one of the hardest valleys a person can face is that of rejection. I’ve hurt and prayed with both men and women whose mates have walked out on them. The loss of finances, security and material possessions is nothing compared to the loss of love. Everybody wants to be loved and rejection is such devastation.

The valley of rejection may come by way of never feeling accepted by a parent. I’ve hurt and prayed with those who have said that they never felt they could do anything to please their dad. The valley of rejection may even come through a parent being held at arm’s length because the son or daughter was disappointed by actions of the parent.

Whatever the valley is in the life of the individual, the sovereign, almighty God has allowed that valley for a purpose. It’s not by accident. Those valleys have distinct characteristics and they bring feelings of depression, discouragement, despair and defeat.

Many people through history have been plagued with dark valleys. As a young lad I sat in the pew of Trinity Baptist Church in Oxford, Alabama and listened as a distinguished gray haired man sat at the piano and sang a classic spiritual song which came out of an trial God had allowed him to go through. His wife had rejected his lifestyle and their marriage. The rejection he felt that day gave way to the work of the Spirit of God in his heart. The void that was left when his wife walked out was filled by the work of the Spirit of God. And that day Dr. Charles Weigle penned the words and music to one of the greatest songs ever written, “No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus.” Not only did that song bless Dr. Weigle’s heart but it has comforted and blessed millions of people down through the years.

One of the saddest things I notice in churches today is that songs like this are omitted in the worship. I have sung that song many, many times and it never gets old. I always remember how God walked through the valley with this godly preacher and brought him out on the other side. It’s an encouragement to me that when I’m in a valley, God is fitting me according to His plan.

When I read many of the Psalms I realize that the godly man who is known as “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) faced valleys also. Psalm 143 was written at a time of depression in his life. Adam Clark’s Commentary states “The Hebrew and all the Versions attribute this Psalm to David; and the Vulgate, Septuagint, AEthiopic and Arabic state that it was composed on the rebellion of his son Absalom: nor is there any thing in the Psalm that positively disagrees with this inscription.”

As I stated earlier I know of no more rejection than that of a child. Absalom not only rejected his father but set out to take his throne from him. I don’t think any of us can totally place ourselves in the sandals of David. All we can do is try to follow the thoughts of this Psalm and try to see David as he conquers, as God brings him out of this dark valley.

Are you in a valley today? Are you overwhelmed with discouragement, depression or defeat? Can I pray with you over the valley you’re in? Send me a message on fb and I’ll hold you up to the Lord at this time. Please submit to God work in your life. Remember, He’s fitting you for “up there.”

In the next few weeks I’ll deal with how David responds to the work of God. We can truly learn from this Psalm.

That’s my view; how about you?

STARTING RIGHT AND ENDING RIGHT

Proverbs 4:25-27 “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

Uzziah was a biblical character who started right but ended wrong. Uzziah was one of Amaziah’s sons, who the people made king of Judah after his father had been sain. This man reigned about fifty-two years and it was thought to be the most prosperous reign since the time of Solomon, except that of Jehosaphat. In the earlier part of the reign of this kind, under the influence of Zechariah, he was faithful to God, and the Word of God said that he “did that which was right in the sight of Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.” (II Kings 15:3)

It would have been great if this had lasted but toward the close of his long life, the Bible records that "his heart was lifted up to his destruction," and he invaded the priest's office. (II Chronicles 26:16) He defiantly entered the sanctuary and proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar. Azariah the high priest saw the error of such a daring act on the part of the king, and with a band of eighty priests he withstood the king to his face. (II Chronicles 26:17) The king was told that he had no right to do what only the priests could do. Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy while in the act of offering incense. (II Chronicles 26:19-21) Uzziah was driven from the temple and compelled to reside in "a several house" (house by himself) to the day of his death. (II Kings 15:5, 27; II Chronicles 26:3) He was buried in a separate grave "in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings." (II Kings 15:7; II Chronicles 26:23)

For generations to come that lonely grave would be a testimony that even the king must bow before the will of God that is found in the law of God. It would also testify that any interference with God plan and will would not be tolerated.

What I want to point out is that Uzziah started out right but he did not finish right. That’s important. The life of any individual should not only start right but end right. It can be done. Daniel started right and ended right, even though he faced many tests and trials in his life. He was raised in a foreign land with an ungodly environment. This man took a stand when told to violate his convictions. How did he do this? He had determined beforehand “that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank:” (Daniel 1:8)

Daniel was later elevated to a very high government position. He was faithful to his personal time with God. He prayed 3 times a day and that got him the opportunity to spend a night with the lions. But it’s great to see how God vindicated him and the king made a decree that there was no god like Daniel’s God. Daniel started right and also ended right.

Another great example of starting right and ending right is Joseph. I’m not going to go into as much example of his life as I did Daniel but Joseph also faced hardships and stayed true to the plan of God for his life. He was sold by his brothers into slavery, falsely accused by his master’s wife, thrown into prison and deceived by fellow-prisoners. But God did vindicate this godly man and elevated him to second position in the nation and used him to put together a plan that eventually saved his family and the entire nation. Daniel started right and ended right.

Let’s bring this down to today. How does a person start out right and be able to end up right?

1. Get Saved – This is where it starts. In fact, if you do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, you are not even on the road to finish right. We read in John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This is where it begins.

2. Make Right Decisions – I learned this principle many years ago. “You are PRESENTLY the sum total of the PAST decisions you have made.” This is where many people have failed. They have made bad decisions. Maybe they have started and quit. They may have gotten involved in sin and drifted away from God. You can have forgiveness for those sins and failures. We read in I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“You ARE BECOMING the sum total of the PRESENT decisions you are making.” This makes every decision you make important to you. If I want to finish right then I must look at every decision I have to make in light of the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 we read “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” We also read in Psalm 37:31 “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” Pray about every decision you are called on to make.

3. Have a DAILY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD – I’m talking about Bible study and Prayer. Notice what we read in II Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Reread the vese I used earlier. (Psalm 119:11)

Look at our text verses again: Proverbs 4:25-27 “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

1. Start Right = “Let thine eyes look right on” Straightforward integrity lies at the foundation of all true excellence and permanent success. Start right with the Lord. Integrity will also take you a long way. (That will probably another “Challenging Concept” one day.)

2. Make Right Choices = “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” I’ve talked about the importance of making right choices.

3. Be Consistent – “Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil” Some people are hot and cold! You can’t depend on them. They have good intentions, but . . . This word “but” is tragic in so many lives.

What Are You Going To Do? How Are You Going To Start? How Are You Going To Finish? I pray you have started right and will be faithful until the end!

That’s my view; how about you?

DELIVERANCE FROM DOUBTS – Pt 3

Matthew 11:1-6 “And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

In the first two “Challenging Concepts” from John the Baptist’s time in prison, we have looked at the question he wanted Jesus to answer. I really do believe that because of the circumstance he’s in and the wrong idea of what the Messiah was to do, John was having some major questions and maybe even doubts. But remember, doubt is not unbelief it’s only a need for more info or reassurance.

Now we pick up the narrative and see how Jesus responds to the question posed to Him from His faithful servant. We have seen his DOUBTS. Now let’s see:

HIS DISCOVERY

Notice verses 4-5, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Jesus responds, not react. That’s the difference between the Spirit and the flesh. What did John discover?

1. Jesus Is GENTLE – If you and I had gotten this question we might have given John a harsh rebuke, but that’s not the gentle Lord. Jesus could have said “John, don’t you remember the Spirit descending on me when I was baptized? Haven’t you preached about me coming and haven’t you heard about what has been happening? Who are you to question who I am?” But that’s not the response of the Lord. He is so gentle. He is so patient and full of grace.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus deals with us with patience and longsuffering?

Jesus tells the disciples of John to go back and remind him of the miracles that He had performed. Jesus said, “Remember John that these are fulfillments of prophecy.” We read in Isaiah 35:5-6, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." Jesus is so gentle.

2. Jesus Is GOOD - Notice what we read in verses 8-15 “But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

I do not have time in this blog to deal with everything that Jesus says about John in this passage of Scripture. What Jesus does, though, is lift up this godly man before his followers. Jesus says that they had not gone out to follow an effeminate man. This man John was more than just a prophet, even though he was a prophet. John the Baptist was a prophet and a forerunner and way-preparer. And even though his circumstances had brought some questions and even doubts in his life, he was still a useful servant of God.

Aren’t you glad that God uses us even with our weaknesses? This should be a real eye-opener for us. We sometimes think if someone has a problem in their life, we can’t use them. Remember, we are all imperfect believers with room to grow in our lives, but God still wants to use us. I’m thankful for that.

Notice verse 11 “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: . . .” What a statement Jesus uses to build up John in the front of those who had been sent to Jesus with the question. What an example of kindness and gentleness.

We have noticed John’s DOUBT and his DISCOVERY. Now let’s notice one last thing:

HIS DIRECTIVE

Notice what we read in verse 6 “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” The word “offended” means “to stumble.” Jesus is saying blessed is the individual who does not “stumble” at what comes into their life. There is nothing that happens in the life of the believer that is an accident. Everything that comes into our life has to cross God’s desk and get his stamp of approval. And because of that, we should not “stumble” in our walk with the Lord.

Think about the circumstance that John is in here. He is in prison for taking a stand against sin. He is discouraged, disillusioned, down in the dumps and away from family and friends. He has learned that “absence does not make the heart grow fonder.” He no longer can see Jesus perform miracles and change lives. He is at a dangerous point in his life and Jesus says, “John, don’t “stumble” at what is going on in your life.

There is a warning for us here. When we go through trials and we have some questions about why it is happening like it is, stop and remind yourself that God is still on the throne and He’s in control of the circumstances. We should not “stumble” in our walk with Christ. When we have questions, we should do what John the Baptist did and take those questions to the Lord. He’s the only one who can solve our problems and answer our questions.

There are some tremendous benefits to living without doubts. Knowing that even trials are part of God’s will for your life. This makes the circumstances so much better and easier to handle.

1. There Is DELIGHT in certainty – Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Notice also Psalm 37:11 “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” The child of God must come to the place of absolute trust in God’s dealings with us. This is the only place of peace, contentment and real joy. We must get in the Word of God and walk daily with the Lord no matter what circumstances come our way.

2. There Is DISTRESS in uncertainty – Questions and doubts make a person miserable. Too many people, who profess to be believers, live miserable lives. This is not God’s plan for a Christian’s life.

Let me close by saying that some very good people sometimes have problems. Think about Elijah who had stood alone on Mount Carmel and faced down a king, a false god and had prayed down fire from heaven. But then he went out under a juniper tree and asked God to let him die. God had to work with him and continue to strengthen his faith time and time again. If you have problems and questions, you’re in pretty good company.

Secondly, God knows how to gently deal with a person with questions and doubts. God can deal with rebellion very strongly, but if a person needs reassurance and faith, God knows exactly how to work with gentleness and kindness. Don’t be afraid to admit your weakness. Go to the Word of God with honest openness and God will meet you there.

That’s my view; how about you?

DELIVERANCE FROM DOUBTS – Pt 2

Matthew 11:1-6 "And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

In last week’s “Challenging Concepts” we explored the questions and doubts of the forerunner prophet John the Baptist, especially the CAUSES of this issue. If you didn’t read that blog, please refer to it at the left of this page. This week we’re going to explore the CONDUCT of dout.

Doubt is not UNBELIEF. If you want to evaluate the life of one who was a doubter, you could find none any more suited than the disciple Thomas. He was a doubter of the first order, even being referred to as Douting Thomas for generations. The question js not whether or not he was a doubter. The question is whether or not his life was one of unbelief. Let us look at the facts:

1. Thomas was willing to DIE FOR CHRIST - In John 11 Jesus goes to Judea. It was here that there was an attempt to take the life of the Messiah by stoning Him. This was a very dangerous place for Jesus to go. The disciples remind Him of the previous attempt on His life and warn Him, but realize that the death of Lazarus had given Him an opportunity to minister so He was determined. Who steps up to the plate? Notice John 11:16, "Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go that we may die with Him.” Thomas was saying, “If we die; we die.” He was not a man of unbelief. He was willing to die with and for His Master.

2. Thomas was willing to ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS - Doubt is a need for more evidence to confirm your belief. In the fourteenth chapter of John Jesus is trying to prepare His disciples for His departure. He tells them of the mansions He’s preparing for them. He reassures them that He’s going but He will return to get them. He then tells them they know the way, at which time it is Thomas who steps forward and ask the question which was probably in all their minds. We read in John 14:5 "Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way?" Thomas is not a man of unbelief. He just needs more information so he’s willing to ask the tough question.

3. Thomas is willing to ACT ON EVIDENCE – When Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, Thomas was not present. Why? The rest of the disciples were behind closed door for fear of the Jews. Was Thomas more brave? I don’t know where he was and why he was not with the rest. The Bible does not tell us. But when he heard that the other disciples claimed to have seen the Lord, Thomas needed more proof that it was truly Jesus. We read in John 20:25 “. . . Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” He needed more evidence. Eight days later all the disciples, including Thomas, are again together and Jesus appears to them again. Jesus told Thomas to put his fingers into the scars in this hand and place his hand into His side. In other words, examine the evidence. And how does Thomas respond? Notice John 20:28 “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” He had received the evidence needed and he acted upon it.

Thomas had not refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to the others, he just needed reassurance by seeing for himself.

Ian Johnson: "Doubt is the sincere question; unbelief is the unwillingness to hear the answer."

Just because John the Baptist had some questions and doubts does not mean that he had forsaken his beliefs. When you put yourself into John’s shoes and understand his limited knowledge about the purpose that Jesus had come, then you realize that this great man of God is only seeking more information and reassurance that his ministry has been on target. John is visiting the place of doubt, but he’s not enjoying it so he sends his disciples to get answers.

I’m sure that each of us have been at this place in our own lives. And, doubt may be a place where we visit every once in a while in the future. I think that would be natural for most people. There are circumstances we face that cause us to reconnect with former questions we have had. So let’s not beat ourselves up if we visit doubts about why God allows us to face these circumstances.

We may visit the place of doubts, but let’s not live there.

In next week’s “Challenging Concepts” we’ll examine how Jesus deals with the questions of His cousin and servant.

That’s my view; how about you?

DELIVERANCE FROM DOUBTS - Pt. 1

Matthew 11:1-6 “And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

There are many, many people who struggle with questions and doubts. Even many of God’s best servants like Abraham, the father of faith, and David, who went through discouragements and was used by God to write Psalms of encouragement. In the last three “Challenging Concepts” we looked at the life of Elijah, who could face the large number of false prophets, but then ran from Jezebel. We could point out more of God’s servants who had questions and doubts but that gives a good reminder that God’s best servants had times of questions and doubts.

The man John the Baptist was no exception. I love this passage of Scripture in Matthew 11 because it shows just how human was this great man of God. Remember, John was of priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest and his mother Elizabeth was of the daughters of Aaron. John was also chosen by God as the forerunner of Jesus. His ministry, one of repentance, attracted a large following.

But it seems as if John, sitting in prison, has a time of questions and maybe even doubt. Why? Why did these questions come? He preached that the Messiah was coming but now seems to want to make sure that Jesus was the One Who was to come.

As our narrative starts here in verse 1 we read "And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities."

Jesus had been giving some private instructions to the chosen twelve. He then completes this and takes His teaching and preaching ministry beyond that chosen circle. I’m glad this part is included because if He had not extended the gospel beyond the inner circle you and I would not have had the opportunity to be saved. Peter writes in his second Epistle 3:9 A. . . not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.@

Verse two reveals that John is in prison, but is not in isolation because he can send and receive messages and does so. Let’s notice some thoughts:

1. HIS DOUBTS

Notice verses 2-3 "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?"

What were the CAUSES of his questions and doubt? You would think that this man who had come out of the wilderness preaching fire and brimstone was so bold and confident that nothing could shake his belief system. He had separated himself from society and to preaching the kingdom of God was at hand. He had brazenly preached against the external emphasis of the Sadducees and Pharisees and had called them “a generation of vipers.” Even though this last of the Old Testament prophets didn’t feel worthy to do so, he even baptized Jesus at the start of His ministry. Why now the questions?

In a book entitled If I Really Believe, Why Do I Have These Doubts? Author Lynn Anderson lists some different types of doubters:
(1) Congenital Doubters (born that way)
(2) Rebel Doubters (nobody tells what to think)
(3) Disappointed Doubters (if God loved, why?)
(4) Wounded Doubters (from family, friends, etc)

But what about John? Why is he going through such questions that he resorts to sending some of his followers to ask Jesus if He really was Who He said He was? Let me give you a few of my own ideas:

(1) He could have been DISCOURAGED – Here he sits in a confined location. He’s used to the wide-open spaces. He had come from the wilderness and now finds himself closed in. He has gone from liberty to bondage, in a circumstance that he cannot change. You could understand the questions which might flood his mind.

(2) He could have been DISAPPOINTED – John did not have the privilege of the entire Word of God as we do. He had imagined the kingdom being ushered in at that time. If Jesus was the Messiah and possessed the scepter of David then why hadn’t He set him free? Wasn’t that the teaching of Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound."

(3) He could have been DISILLUSIONED – Notice verse 2 "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, . ." While sitting in that prison, John hears about all that was happening in the ministry of Jesus. He heard about the healing of the sick, lame and blind. He also heard about Him raising the dead, but where is the attack on Rome? Where is the freeing of the Jews from the persecution of Rome? Isn’t this what all the Jews are waiting for?

Have you ever been here? I’m not talking about in prison, but having questions and maybe even doubts. Have you ever been in circumstances which you can’t change or in problems which you cannot solve?

I’m going to be totally transparent. In fact, I have been accused of being too transparent at times. I have had questions in my life. I have even wondered why God would do something for so-in-so and not for me.

One of the reasons we have doubts and questions is that we listen to our fears. Our fears come from the heart and we learn from Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" We read also in Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man bringeth a snare: . . .” The Apostle Peter is a great illustration of this when he was accused by this little servant girl by the fire. He lied about knowing the Lord.

A person gets into trouble when he thinks as a natural man. God’s ways are not our ways. The wisdom of the Word of God tells us in Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

What had happened in John’s life that would have brought this fear? He had gotten into trouble with the authority. He had boldly stood against King Herod and his action of taking his brother’s wife. And because of that he had been thrown into jail. In fact, he had been in jail for quite a long time. You can imagine how easy it would have been for him to be disillusioned. He begins to think. What else was there to do? He thinks of his circumstance, his future and what he knew about the coming Messiah. John thought the Messiah would overthrow the authority but Herod is still on the throne and he’s in prison. He began to question his life, his ministry and whether or not what he had preached was right or not.

Have we not questioned things that have happened in our lives? Have we wondered why things were going right in other’s lives and we were having difficulties?

If John is having some doubts, is that unbelief? How does Jesus deal with the questions of John? Next week we’ll answer those questions.

That’s my view; how about you?