Be Sharp

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend" (Proverbs 27:17).

Fellowship with friends is a real blessing from Yahweh. I had just such an experience with my friend Steve Taylor. It was comparable to the Southwest Pastors meeting. We talked about many and various topics, encouraged each other, share a lough or two, and attended a spring training baseball game (front row seats on the first base side) for recreation.

We took time to talk about book publication and how beneficial writing classes can be. Steve is working on a book he hopes will be accepted by a national publishing house. Along with this, Wisdom & Power was discussed. Comments were made about how to improve it with pictures of authors and other illustrations, as well as increasing the readership. W&P is filling a need within the Church of God. We want it to be a real blessing to those who read it.

On a theological note we discussed Ezekiel 13 and how it applies to our day. The words spoken against the false prophets, who spoke from their own imagination, are true today for any teacher who doesn't teach God's wisdom and counsel. There are many sources of counsel, but only Yahweh's will stand in the time of storm. That storm is coming.

There was time for some technology in worship information to be shared. Steve show cased a home made rear projection screen he had put together using waxed paper. I admit I was skeptical when I first heard about it, but seeing it in use changed my mind! It functions as well as a "store bought" screen at a fraction of the cost. We should encourage Steve to share the plans and procedures with everyone.

Steve and I talked about he use of electronic devotions. Steve sends out a devotional nearly every day. Kara Taylor, Steve's daughter-in-law, helps him from time to time by creating devotions. Posting these devotions on blogs is a great way to get the message out to a wider community.

We discussed video conferencing, that is virtually free of cost, through Skype. This is the system that the University of Arizona uses for its video conferencing. Skype (a free downloadable program) allows people around the globe to see each other and talk in real time. You need a web-cam and a microphone is all. This is a great way to have Bible studies that people everywhere could be part of with a high speed internet connection.

Along this same line of discussion was CogCast. This internet radio program, organized by Wally Winner, reaches around the world. They broadcast Church of God sermons and songs. It is a great outreach we should support and promote. Many new readers for W&P have signed up through this medium. The tools we have available now give us great reach in this world for kingdom advancement.

Our final time together was "theology over breakfast". Jim Muldoon joined us and the range of topics we discussed was far ranging. The time went too quickly. The idea of sharing in Bible conferences between Lake Shore Bible Church and Church of the Open Bible came up. Perhaps we could do a spring conference at one church and a fall conference at the other. It's been a long time since we've shared in fellowship like that.

True to the proverb, Steve sharpens me, he helps me be sharp for the battle to advance the kingdom of God. Those couple of days were time well spent. I'm looking forward to the next Southwest Pastors meeting.

Blessing be on you
Chuck Jones

 

 

 

Parables

The Form of Parables

We were investigating the parable of the sower on Wednesday evening, from Luke 8. There were a couple of definitions of what a parable is: "An earthly story with a heavenly meaning", "A common story with spiritual insight", and "a fictitious story with a moral." All of these help explain what parables are. Beyond the definitions is the reason Jesus used them while he taught. His explanation comes from Isaiah 6:9, which Jesus quotes, "Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand" (Luke 8:10). Let's consider this for a moment.

Have you ever had the experience of witnessing something and failed to grasp the impact of it? Perhaps, like me, you've heard a joke and just didn't get it. Even though all the necessary information was presented, there just didn't seem to be any point to the joke. That's the way many of Jesus' parables were received. Many people just didn't get them.

Look again at the sower parable. What Jesus said, as part of his teaching, could have been received as a report on a regular activity. A man went out to plant some seeds; he lost some on the path, some landed on stones, some among thorns, and some actually made it to the field and produced a hundredfold crop. That sort of thing happened everyday.

A question that I posed at the Bible study was, "If that's all you heard, would you gain any spiritual lesson from that by itself?" It may be difficult to consider this since we know the interpretation Jesus gave, but be honest in your meditation. I, for one, am glad Jesus explained it because I'm sure I wouldn't have come up with the same application. This is where it becomes serious (for me at least), because Jesus said "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Luke 8:8). Do I have, I wonder, ears to hear? I don't dwell on that too much because the disciples didn't get it either. They asked Jesus to explain it. I'm thankful he did! His explanation tells me that there are spiritual "lessons" happening all the time. Can you see them? That's what I think are "eyes to see and ears to hear".

Part of our discussion at the Bible study revolved around parables from our daily life. You may have experienced something that seems commonplace but can have an application to the gospel of the kingdom of God. These aren't the lightening bolts from the sky sort of things that jolt us to a new spiritual understanding (although they could), but activities like weeding a garden, getting some exercise, cooking a meal or going to work can be sources of parables.

What it may require is to "put your mind on things above rather than on things of the earth" (Colossians 3:2), so that you begin to have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Now for the commercial break. When this activity takes root in your life, write down what you are thinking about. I have a selfish motive for this: I'd like to put it in the Wisdom & Power magazine. This would be a way for you to serve by writing. Your experiences, and application, could bless people across the world.

Parables are a great way to teach spiritual truths. Take up the habit. Keep your eyes and ears open to common experiences that have a greater, deeper application.

Blessing be on you
Chuck Jones

 

Are you listening to www.Cogcast.org ?

 

 

Don't Envy Them

There was a cartoon in the paper recently. The panel showed a number of boys jumping off a cliff. One boy was speaking into his cell phone. He was saying, "Mom? Hi, ah, what was that you said about 'if everyone else was jumping off a cliff'? If you get this message in the next few minutes, call me."

There was a glitch in the classic argument about not doing something just because everyone else is. Following the crowd to disaster isn't always as obvious as jumping off a cliff or bridge. There are more subtle ways of doing that very thing, that can have just as disastrous consequences.

Let me highlight five justifications – excuses – that have been used and are still in use today. Maybe one of them is yours.

Here's the situation. Traffic is slow and the car-pool lane is empty. You, however, are not at the right spot to get in. The car ahead of you goes over the yellow lines. Even though this is breaking the law, the thought comes, "If they can do it, so can I". Or, "If they aren't going to follow the rules, than neither am I". Do you suppose the state trooper would accept either of these excuses?

Here is another one of those justification used to retaliate in like manner, "Everyone is getting even, besides he did it to me first!" Elementary teachers hear this all the time. The thought is that if we've been offended then we have a right to make them pay. Be mindful of whom you are learning from.

These last tactics are similar to each other in that they try to deflect or minimize the guilt. For instance, someone is guilty of fornication. When spoken to about it, their response is, "Well at least I don't drink!" This says, in effect, that one sin is worse than all others and I'm not guilty of that.

This is similar to the next justification that says; "As bad as you think my behavior is, I'm not as bad as so and so." By making a comparison between ourselves and others we come up woefully short. The behavior of others is a poor standard to guide our own. We have one example, that is Jesus.

One last example is attacking the messenger. No doubt you've had this one used on you, to deflect the guilt. When talking to someone about an offense, they shoot back, "well you're not so perfect yourself". They want to change the subject from their behavior to yours. Slick side step.

All of these excuses are used to make us feel better about our sin. We choose to live like those in the broad way of destruction. Think about the crowd you're following.

The wisdom from Proverbs tells us, "Do not let your heart envy sinners [whatever they may be doing or getting] but be zealous for the fear of Yahweh all the day. For surely there is a hereafter and your hope [in Yahweh] will not be cut off' (23:17-18). A related passage tells us, "Don't fret because of evil doers. Nor be envious of the wicked. Because there will be no prospect [anything to look forward to] for the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be put out" (24:19-20)

When people are confronted because of bad behavior, there really is only one good reaction. That would be repentance. There is more to life than momentary gratification. We understand that there are eternal consequences involved. When you feel wronged or left out, remember the hope we have from Yahweh through Jesus.

Blessing be on you
Chuck Jones

 

Are you listening to www.Cogcast.org ?

 

 

A Promise Made

A promise made to a child shouldn't be broken. Actually no promise should be, but a child will believe you and not keeping it is what brings skepticism into a life. No doubt we have all had the experience of broken promises in our young lives that is some way affects us now, you learn not to believe. It happens, and it is a sad state of affairs when we apply it to what God has promised. We may not always keep promises, our parents may have let us down, but God will not.

If you were the victim of a broken promise, try to remember the way in which you received, believed, and looked forward to the fulfillment of that promise. That's what Jesus was indicating, I believe, when he said we should receive the kingdom as a child. Not that we should act as children, but we should believe the promises that Yahweh has made, because He will not let us down. It is a matter of integrity for Him to keep His word. Trust that what He has said will come to pass, no matter how bad things look, or how impossible His truth may be. Here are some thoughts from Pastor Steve Taylor about "childlike" faith that I found refreshing. I hope you do as well.

Never underestimate the power of simple faith. A childless old man is asked to believe in descendants too numerous to count.

"And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:5-6)

In a way that only God could, He took Abram outside at night and used the limitless night sky to emphasis His point and promise. Literally, a starry-eyed Abram simply "believed in YAHWEH", and his simple faith was credited to him as pleasing to the Lord. Child-like, simple faith was the prized quality that appropriated the promise.

This passage is vivid in my mind. I picture Abraham standing beside God, like a young child standing next to his parent, looking up at the night sky in wonderment. In child-like innocence he simply accepts the outrageous promise that God makes because of His absolute trust In his Father.

Innocent, child-like faith is more difficult the older we get. The experiences of life can easily fill us with skepticism, pessimism, and callousness. Age and experience have a way of removing child-like innocence and simplicity.

Perhaps Abram's faith was so highly prized because it is so rare in adults. The complexities and realities of adult life had not tainted his innocent inner child, as so characteristically happens to most people.

The loss of innocent, child-like faith is to our own peril: "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all" (Luke 18:17). Accepting that we will be privileged to rule the world together with Jesus at His return is about as outrageous as a childless old man believing that his descendants would be as numerous as the night stars. And yet we, like Abram, are asked to accept this outrageous promise in simple, child-like faith. In a way different than is commonly meant today, listen to your inner child.

Me again. Put away that skepticism, pessimism, and callousness by replacing it with trust. Don't listen to the "adult" arguments, but as Steve wrote, listen to that believing child. It's wonderful, peaceful, and easy to accept.

Blessing be on you
Chuck Jones

 

Are you listening to www.Cogcast.org ?

 

 

Are We Sure?

There was a tragic story in the Los Angeles Times this past week about a man who unknowingly killed himself. The real tragedy is, I suppose, the fact that he didn't think he was doing anything harmful. The newspaper article revealed that an eighty-two year old man, who had for many years picked and used wild mushrooms. His last trip out turned into tragedy when he mistakenly picked a variety (amanita ocreata) that has deadly toxins. He was confident that these were safe to eat and "really ate a lot of them," his wife had said.

According to the article, the toxins from these deadly fungi worked their way through the man's system and making him very sick, eventually causing a coma, liver failure, and his death.

His family told reporters, "You couldn't tell him anything because he had been lucky for eighty-two years". He had been convinced that these fungi he picked were safe because he had compared them with pictures in a reference book. However, no amount of confidence changed the nature of the toxin filled mushrooms.

My grandparents and my mother would go out and hunt for mushrooms. They limited themselves to the "Morrell" mushroom, which has a distinctive appearance. They didn't trust any other variety.

Back to the article. It made me think of how sad it was that this man cooked up a "heaping plate" of these deadly mushrooms while he was expecting no ill effects. How sad it is, too, that people today are living is such a way that can bring death to them, while not knowing it. I'm not speaking of the death we all must face, I'm thinking of the wages of sin.

People with out the salvation purchased by Jesus are "cooking" up their own demise, and they don't have to. They may be looking for all the pleasure that can get now, with no thought for Yahweh. Idols are just as toxic to the soul as poisonous mushrooms are to the body. Idols promise something good, but in the end bring spiritual destruction. Many people don't see the danger in worshiping things this world has, instead of our Great God, Yahweh.

It is as true today as it was when Jesus uttered the words, "What advantage is there is a person gains the whole world and loses his soul?"

What if this mushroom hunter had been more careful and suspicious in identifying what he picked? The story would have never been told. We also are warned to be on guard, to watch, be sober, and pay attention. What seems harmless, can be deadly, no matter how certain we are to the contrary.

It is easy to speak up when someone is about to unwittingly ingest poison. We'd want to save their life. But, I think, what is more important is saving their soul. It's a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the Living God, without the protection Jesus offers.

Consider the people you work with, live next to, or your family. How many of them are certain things are okay in their lives, but haven't confessed Jesus as Lord? We all are appointed to die once, but it's the judgment that follows which is more important. If you are secure in Christ, help others to find that same security. Don't let them be willingly ignorant of what they are doing and where it will lead.

Blessing be on you
Chuck Jones

 

Are you listening to www.Cogcast.org ?