Costco Christianity?

The Princess and I were sitting at breakfast the other morning discussing some of the new church startups in the area. What’s interesting is how some churches choose to market themselves. The ones that stood out were those taking something akin to the “Costco” approach of offering a sampling of their products and services.

For example: some tout the number of youth oriented activities that are available for your children and young adults. A few others hit on the idea that seniors like to take bus trips to see the sights, so they offer a number of those. Others offer more internal “products” such as coffee bars, internet cafe’s, and exercise classes. Asking for a friend, but are these are the newest evangelism tools?

Something for everyone seems to be the goal, and the better your church is at marketing, the greater success you’ll have. Hello! Calling Madison Avenue! What is wrong with this picture? Is this “Church”? Does this consumer driven mentality really belong in the Church?

Look, I understand that this is nothing new. It’s been going on for decades here in America because we are a people who demand choices when we shop. And yes, choosing a church has morphed into a shopping experience, and the Church knows there are many “church shoppers” out there looking. Therefore, to be successful in filling the seats, a variety of church products must be made available or else those in the market for a church will simply pass you by on the way to one that offers what they are looking for.

I must also acknowledge that a family with children should pray for and find the church best suited to be able to effectively minister to the entire family. Not entertain them, but actually minister to them. I strongly caution anyone that fits this description not to neglect their children’s spiritual growth in your search for the right church. Forcing your little children to endure “big church” when they can barely comprehend a simple sentence is not wise in my opinion, especially in today’s society where so many excellent children’s resources are available.

Getting back to the discussion between The Princess and I, one has to ask the question: where does the worship of God fit into the church shopping experience? By working from a checklist of personal priorities and wants, are we actually telling the Almighty that going to church is all about US, MY needs, MY wants? It sure seems that way to me! And when did going to God’s house to worship Him become a secondary (if that) reason for going?

Whatever happened to this from the Westminster Shorter Catechism?

Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

The goal of our life as a Christian is to be conformed into the image of Christ. We are to follow the pattern set before us in the scriptures for how to accomplish this. Self denial, preferring others before ourselves, and loving our neighbors as ourselves are all vitally important characteristics of the Christian walk, yet these are not attributes the modern church shopper is looking for.

Or this?

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:23-24

When the woman at the well told Jesus that their fathers (Samaritans) worshipped at the mountain where Jacobs well was located, He was quick to point out to her what true worship was. He told her that God the Father was seeking true worshipers, and even told her what kind of worship God was looking for from His people! Notice, at no point in the discussion did the Lord ask the Samaritan woman what was on her church shopping list. No “Costco Christianity” there!

Or this?

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Psalm 100:4

Simple and to the point. When we enter the Lord’s house we are to do so with a thankful and grateful heart. Our hearts should be focused on one thing, the MAIN thing, which is to praise our God. We are told to bless HIS name. We are never told that our own interests are a priority. Neither are we told that by going to God’s house those who serve there exist solely to fulfill our personal church shopping list of preferences.

The scriptures are clear on this matter: there is to be one-and only one priority in our worship, and it’s not US. We are to praise God and bless His name because He alone is God. Not because of His benefits, which are many. Not because the church serves great coffee. Not because the music fits my personal tastes perfectly. Not because of anything on our personal “Costco Christianity” checklist.

We exist to worship God because He alone is worthy of our praise. May all of us be reminded of this great truth on this Lord’s day.

Ron

The Good Fight

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this faith journey we are on and how it’s changed me through the years. Looking back, I can hardly believe I’m the same person I was 46 years ago. Gone is the quick-tempered hot head who was ready to fight or argue over the smallest thing. Also gone is the man who lived only for the present, never giving thought to tomorrow and beyond.

It’s amazing, this transformation that has taken place in my life. Amazing in that such a thing was possible, and that through it all God has been faithful to sustain me and help me even when I had no strength of my own. Like many of you, I have enjoyed many mountain top experiences and victories where I felt as though I was on top of the world. I’ve also endured heartbreak, betrayal, and loss so great that I was brought to the point of longing for death to put an end to the agony that consumed me.

Almost miraculously, the words of Psalm 46:1 became my lifeline, and I cling to them even now: “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

While I have now reached that point in life where my memory isn’t as sharp as it once was, I still remember with great clarity the night I knelt in my kitchen and asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins. The realization that I had been cleansed and set free from the guilt I had been carrying was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and to this day it remains the single greatest event of my lifetime.

Not having been raised in the church or with any knowledge of God, I have always considered it somewhat of a miracle that God would one day draw me to Himself and that I would surrender my life to Him. In the beginning, I used to think that I was at a tremendous disadvantage with other believers because compared to them, I knew nothing. I couldn’t even recite the names of the four Gospels! Even being around “church folks” was intimidating!

In time, however, I came to realize that God draws us all “for such a time as this”, meaning that in His time and according to His plan we begin this journey. I also understood that not being raised in the church gave me a unique perspective on my new found faith that established Christians did not seem to have. Specifically, I assumed nothing and questioned everything, which seemed to be the opposite of those that said “Amen” to just about everything. For the record, I still question everything, a practice that has served me well in this age of deception.

If you’re still with me, the point of all this is simply to say that no matter what point in life we begin following the Lord, we will have to fight the good fight each and every day. Rarely will things come easily, they must be earned in the crucible of firey trials and temptations. To do battle with the adversary is as common as taking our next breath because he is relentless in his attempts to derail our faith. Our God, however, is equal to the task of upholding us in the face of every trial!

Are you tired of the struggle? Do you feel exhausted on the journey? Take heart friends, for there is coming a day of rest for the children of God. At a predetermined time Jesus himself is coming back to this earth, where He will establish His throne for a thousand years.

With Satan bound and no longer able to tempt, lie, deceive, or hurt us in any way, peace will reign on this earth. Not since the earth was formed has there been such a peace as that which Christ brings with him at the trump of God. Such a beautiful thing is worth the fight. It’s worth the struggle.

Listen to the words of the great apostle Paul as he prepares to leave this life for the next one.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2nd Timothy 4:7-8

Fight the good fight. Keep the faith. His appearing will make it all worthwhile!

Have a blessed Wednesday,

Ron

The Hands and Feet of Jesus

Readers of this blog know that I’ve been involved in Christian ministry for going on five decades, and in that time I’ve served in just about every other position there is in church. If it’s church related, I’ve probably done it. And lest someone think all of that makes me special, please don’t. I’m nothing more than a sinner who answered the call of God. Nothing more.

In my time I’ve learned a great many things about Christian ministry. I’ve seen the humble and the proud. I’ve worked with people who were tireless in the assignment God gave them, and I’ve also seen the entitled and lazy who thought they were privileged and somehow above others. No surprises here, because Christians are first and foremost humans, and humans are both wonderful and, shall we say, less than wonderful.

Something else that ministry teaches you is that true servants of God, the one’s that put others needs before their own, are rare and precious jewels. We live in an age of selfishness with special emphasis on me, me, and me, and when you find that rare individual living out Philippians 2:4, it forces you to stop and take notice.

A few days ago, I had the privilege to get to witness this type of selfless love in action. I saw with my own eyes the hands and feet of Jesus as someone who has been broken in heart and spirit was ministered to by someone who themselves had just received a diagnosis no one wants to hear.

And it stopped me in my tracks.

When you are a witness to seeing someone who has a desperate need themselves place those same needs on the back burner as they minister to someone else who is hurting, you realize that no sermon or Bible study lesson compares. This is love in action. This is the love that Jesus, Peter, Paul, and John spoke about. [1]

Agape love.

God’s love comes with hands and feet attached to it. Jesus’ hands and feet. Love that prefers others before themselves. Love that says “I will walk through this with you-you are not alone”. Love that says “I’m never too tired to listen to your heart cry”. Love that says “when you’re too discouraged to go on, lean on me”.

Who does this? Who exemplifies this kind of love? Who cares more about others when they themselves are in need?

I am humbled to say that I am married to her, and this unworthy man was somehow chosen to have a ring side seat to witness the hands and feet of Jesus in action on a daily basis.

I love you my Princess…

Have a blessed Sunday everyone,

Ron

[1] John 13:34 John 15:12 Romans 13:8 Galatians 5:13 1st Peter 1:22 1st John 3:11 1st John 4:11

“But God is Faithful”…

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1st Corinthians 10:13

In this world of ever-changing values it’s hard not to miss the fact that certain things that were once the bedrock of our society and culture have largely gone missing. Qualities such as honesty, integrity, loyalty, and faithfulness seem to have little place in a culture that seems more determined every day to live life apart from God.

Most people of my age remember when your word meant something. If you agreed to be someplace, you were there. If you agreed to do something, you did it. If you made someone a promise, you kept it. If you borrowed, you paid it back. Because most people lived by those same principals, life was good.

Unfortunately, we no longer live in those “good old days”. Things have changed. My, how things have changed! But wait! Things have changed exactly how the Bible foretold that they would!

Before he was martyred, Paul wrote a second epistle to Timothy in which he gave his young understudy his final words of encouragement. It was here that he told him to be strong and to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He also told Timothy that as the world edged closer to the return of the Lord that a change would come over mankind, a change that would in effect turn the world upside down.

He said that man would be lovers of their own selves, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, and without natural affection. He also told Timothy that men would love pleasures more than they loved God, and that they would have a form of godliness that he should turn away from.

All of these things are now on full display, both in the world and in the church, and they are negatively impacting our world at an alarming rate. The degree of lawlessness in America is nothing short of being unbelievable, were we not living it every day. It seems as if the nations are seething in anger and malice as they stray further from God’s love.

Be that as it may, the foundation of God remains sure and steady. Those who are anchored in the Lord will overcome because our God is faithful! We who have run to the Lord for refuge have laid hold upon the hope set before us.

The storms will come and the winds will howl, but God is faithful. Everything I have or ever will be is secured in the knowledge that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.

Have a blessed Wednesday,

Ron

Why So Much Conflict?

Recently, I came across an article written by a Texas divorce attorney who said that the divorce rate among Christian couples was on par with the secular divorce rate. No surprise, really, and I think most of us would say that we’ve been hearing that for some time now.

While the article did not give specific reasons for the rise in Christian couples seeking divorce, it did say that factors such as finances, substance abuse, infidelity, unresolved conflicts, and others were major contributors. Which, when you think about it, mirror the reasons non-Christians give for wanting to end their marriages.

When you minister to people on a daily basis, all of these issues will come to the forefront at some point. Likewise, as you walk alongside of people and get to know them, the sheer magnitude of the things they struggle with hits you like a ton of bricks. In those times, when I don’t know what to say to help with the situation, I often ask God, “why”?

Why does life have to be so hard? Why can’t the husband and wife put their differences aside and work things out? Why can’t forgiveness be the rule rather than the exception? Why do people spend their entire paycheck on drugs and alcohol? Why in the world would people choose to live this way?

Of course, it’s not just conflicts in the home and marriage that are so unsettling. Conflict in the church is nearly as bad. Oddly enough, the same conflicts that are tearing homes apart are doing the same thing in our churches!

Money is (allegedly) misappropriated or misused. Someone is angry over the color of the new carpet. Another person is upset because they haven’t been asked to sing in a few weeks. The list goes on and on. Trust me when I tell you that there is far more pettiness in the church than you know.

So, back to “why, God”? The easy answer is that we live in a fallen world where sin is firmly entrenched in every fabric of society. It’s inescapable. It’s also a convenient excuse in order to avoid confronting things in our lives that God’s word can help us with. Paul instructed the church in this very thing in his letter to the Galatians.

In his defense to the church at Galatia regarding Christian liberty, the apostle Paul reminded them that they were to stand fast in the liberty they had received from Christ when they were born again, and not be entangled again in any type of bondage. [1]

Paul was laying the foundation for the future of the Galatian church, and that foundation had to be built upon Christian love and liberty, not upon conflict and turmoil. He knew that for them to be faithful to God and to each other, they could not allow themselves to become entangled with petty things that serve only to tear down.

A little further on, Paul said that they were not to use their liberty to appease their fleshly desires, but use that liberty to serve one another in love. [2] Do you know how we can serve one another in love? By refusing to be drawn into conflict with those we love. By putting the needs of others before our own. By putting aside our wants in deference to the wants of others.

How many marriages could be saved if rather than always need to be right, the couple would serve one another in love? Dare I say that the rate of divorce among Christians would be miniscule if that were to happen? How many souls could be added to the kingdom if God’s children had the mindset that “it’s truly not about me, but about the lost”?

Here’s what I think. I think the primary reason for so much conflict in our homes and churches is because we are living too far from God’s word. To be sure, we may read it faithfully. We have all types of Bibles today and one is sure to suit the needs of just about everyone. But are we living it? Are we taking it home with us and living it out?

Is God’s word changing us? Are our lives being conformed to the image of His Son? [3] If they are, conflict will disappear and servant love will take its place in out lives and homes.

Have a blessed Wednesday,

Ron

[1] Galatians 5:1

[2] Galatians 5:13

[3] Romans 8:29

Listen to His Voice

Have you ever noticed how quickly people dismiss God’s word today? Whether it’s an encounter with a stranger in the grocery store, or a long-time member of the church, people today seem to have settled it in their minds that they already know all they need to know and therefore don’t need to hear it any longer, or they don’t care to know anything at all about it and just want to be left alone.

As many of you that spend a lot of time in the Bible are aware, this is not exactly a new phenomenon. It’s been like this since the beginning. Remember that couple in the garden that decided that they knew better than God what was best for them?  

I was reminded of this as I was studying in the book of Jeremiah this week, and it came as no great surprise to find yet another example of it. The prophet had just delivered a thundering rebuke to the kings of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem because they had rejected the Lord and polluted His house.

As you read the words that Jeremiah delivered to the people, it should be obvious to them that they have brought upon themselves a level of punishment they were not expecting.

“Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle”. [1]

Now, I would like to think that had I been there and heard this proclamation, I would have immediately repented and turned my heart towards the Lord. At the very least, one would think such a prophecy would strike terror in the hearts of all that heard it. You would think, right?

Unfortunately, however, when God’s people turn away from Him, their ears quickly dull of hearing His voice, which in itself is a mystery, because those same ears have no difficulty in hearing what a million other voices are saying to them. Maybe there is some truth to the whole ‘selective hearing’ thing after all?

Be that as it may, and whether we receive it or not, God’s word is never spoken in vain. There is always a purpose when the Lord speaks. Whether through the pages of His word or from a pulpit on Sunday morning, the word of God declares the very heart of God. Listen to another prophet as he likens God’s word to the snow and rain that falls in order to provide water for growth.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it”.  [2]

By this we understand that God has given us His word as a great benefit for us. The tragedy, however, is when it is rejected. When we consider it as unnecessary for our lives or judge it to be of no value to us, or if we refuse to humble our hearts and accept it because it offends us, we miss out on all its benefits.

Some might ask “well, why then did the Lord say His word would not return to him void, but would accomplish what He pleased if in fact we reject it? What has been accomplished”?

What has been accomplished is that in our rejection of His word, we have considered it, and to a nation whose ears are dull of hearing this is enough. Our decision to reject the word of God stands as a testimony against us, a testimony that will be revealed in that great day when we give account for the life we’ve lived.  

Judah refused to hear the word of the Lord and suffered terribly, ultimately enslaved by Babylon. America has refused to hear the word of the Lord and is even now suffering terribly, with far more severe judgments to come shortly. The entire world has refused to hear the word of the Lord and is teetering on the brink of WWIII. I wouldn’t wonder if many of our ears don’t tingle at the thought of the catastrophe that awaits us!

My prayer for you all is to listen to what the Lord is saying to you today. Let His word work in your heart, your home, and in your family. God’s “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.  [3]

May it guide you safely through the troubled waters of this life.

Have a blessed day, in Jesus name!

Ron

[1] Jeremiah 19:3

[2] Isaiah 55:11

[3] Psalm 119:105

Buffet Christianity

Today, we live in the age of insatiable consumerism, where the ability to create and make our own choices is considered to be a right. It’s not ‘s surprising then that this attitude has crept into the church. The result is a demand for a ‘Buffet Christianity‘ in which the believer can choose or reject what’s being offered as the notion strikes them.  

https://justjenniferpurcell.com/2020/02/17/buffet-christianity-we-can’t-only-follow-what-we-like/

This begs the question: “is this ‘build your own gospel’ really the smart thing to do? Are we somehow better off taking our Bibles and keeping what we like and tossing the rest? When it comes to matters of faith, do we really have the right to choose what we believe? And what would Jesus himself say about all of this?”

Well, Jesus actually did address this very subject. Let’s look at Matthew’s gospel, beginning in chapter four, where we find his account of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by none other than Satan himself.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Jesus is in the wilderness because the Spirit has led him to this encounter with Satan. After spending 40 days and forty nights in this place, Jesus is no doubt mentally exhausted, weak in body, and hungry. It is in this depleted physical state that Satan appears to Jesus, and right away he tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread. Satan knows Jesus is hungry. He’s been there all along, no doubt lurking in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to catch the Lord in a moment of weakness in order to gain the advantage over him.

Jesus, however, sees through the temptation and responds to it by reminding the adversary that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God“. Did Jesus say, some of the words of God? Did he say that man shall choose which words of God to live by? Did Jesus ever use the word ‘choice’ when responding to the devil? No, he didn’t!

Jesus firmly rebuked the enemy by telling him that man is to live by every word from God. If this is true, and if we are to believe the Bible is true, then man cannot reject any part of God’s word. It’s either all or nothing! The fact is, in all sixty-six books of the Bible. there are exactly ZERO verses that state or even remotely imply that it is acceptable to adhere to Buffet Christianity.

This then leaves us with a dilemma. What do we do with those parts of the Bible that we either don’t like or don’t agree with? The answer is simple: we must accept the entirety of God’s word, or we accept none of it. Either we believe Jesus Christ meant what he said about living by every word that comes from God, or we do not. It’s really that simple. We must accept the parts that are easy and the parts that are hard. The parts that are easy to go along with and the parts that make us very uncomfortable. The parts that we like and the parts that we just plain do not like. Or we forget it all.

Yes, we can have disagreements on the interpretation of a specific verse of scripture. There are reasons after all why there are so many different denominations today. That does not, however, give us the liberty to reject something just because we do not have a complete understanding of it. You see, we have to come to the place where we understand that God’s word is immutable. It has not nor will it ever change just because we have a hard time accepting parts of it. It falls upon us then to allow God’s word to work in our heart and life to the point that it changes US!

One of the biggest problems with Buffet Christianity is that it will never allow us to completely surrender our life to God. That’s because it’s impossible to fully surrender to God when we believe we are in control to the point of picking and choosing which parts of His word we live by. You see, Buffet Christianity isn’t concerned with a lifestyle that exemplifies personal holiness or godliness. Neither does it regard living a sanctified life as something we should strive for. Instead, Buffet Christianity promotes a lifestyle in which we identify as Christian, but live according to the standards of this present world we live in.

In this season of “teachers having itchy ears” and God’s word being reduced to fables in the minds of tens of millions, the words of Jesus Christ have never been more needed than they are today. The divinely inspired word of God is now, and has always been, a God glorifying, Christ affirming, divine revelation of Almighty God.

A divine revelation that we are to embrace every word of.

Have a blessed day,

Ron

A Fresh Perspective

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26

Psalm 73 has to be one of my favorites because it points to the fact that as a child of God, it is normal to question, to wonder, and yes, to doubt. The writer of this Psalm, Asaph, struggled greatly over the fact that while he was doing his best to serve God, the wicked were seemingly enjoying a continuous state of prosperity. This caused him no small amount of doubt, dismay, and confusion, as I’m sure it does with you and I today when it appears as though the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer”.

To better understand his perspective, it’s important to know a little bit about Asaph. He was was from the priestly tribe of the Levites, and was one of the three men that David had put in charge of the singing part of their worship. In today’s religious circles he would be called a worship leader or a song leader. [1]

Despite his position and his loving relationship with the Lord, it did not prevent him from feeling as though he was getting the short end of the stick. While he was doing his best for the Lord, it appeared to Asaph that the wicked were living better than he was. In other words, if the wicked were prospering while at the same time living life on their own terms, why should he continue to walk the straight and narrow if the wicked were also being rewarded?

Have you ever felt this way? Have you been the person at work who is known for always taking the high road, for example, only to see someone of questionable conduct or character get the promotion? It happens all the time, doesn’t it? It’s enough to make you question what in the world is going on here, or at least say along with Asaph ” Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain“. [2]

Just like Asaph, when we feel unfairly taken advantage of or somehow slighted, questions and doubts begin to formulate in our minds. Our flesh, being what it is, causes us to be envious of the wicked who appear to be rewarded for their deeds, leaving us to wonder about the injustice of it all. Asaph himself said that he was envious of the boastful when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. [3]

The reality is that we live in a fallen world, a world of hurt, pain, and injustice. A world where what is fair and just has been supplanted with undeserved accolades being heaped upon the enemies of those who desire to do good and to follow God. In essence, the world seems to have done a 180 when it comes to what it considers right and wrong, just and unjust. Evil, it would seem, is rewarded while Godliness is reviled in our world today.

All of this of course was spoken about in the Scriptures, so no one should be surprised that it is occurring now. The truth is, none of this is new. It’s been happening for as long as man has inhabited this earth. Even Jesus said that the rain fell upon the just and the unjust. [4]

Still, believers are no strangers to doubts and struggles. After all, we have very real emotions, emotions that can get the best of us at times. It’s important then to remember that we are not robots, programmed to act and feel according to a preset narrative. 

Who doesn’t have ups and downs in their walk with the Lord? Like many of you, I can attest to the fact that sometimes our faith is strong and sometimes it is weak. There are times when we look at the world and it has no attraction for us. Other times it seems that we can’t stop looking and admiring the things of the world. Our humanity dictates that there will be times of strength and times of weakness.

Asaph allowed the seeming prosperity of the wicked to nearly shipwreck his faith. He describes how that in trying to make sense of it all that it became too painful for him. [5] We’re like that too, aren’t we? We can become so fixated on what others have or are doing that it consumes our every thought, causing us to lose sight of the big picture. Focusing on the perceived wrongdoings of others blinds us to the reality that God is the only one qualified to make righteous judgements.

It wasn’t until Asaph went into the sanctuary that God gave him understanding in the matters that were so troubling to him.  It was then that he saw that the end of the wicked was certain destruction. Yes, the wicked certainly do prosper in this life, we see it every day, but what really matters concerning them is the same thing that matters to the righteous: where will eternity be spent?

You might say that when Asaph went to church, he received a fresh perspective on things!

Once God enlightened Asaph regarding the end of the wicked, his heart was grieved and his mind was vexed at how foolish he had been not to trust that the Lord had all of this under control. It wasn’t until after he had entered the sanctuary and enquired of God that he was able to speak the words at the top of this post.

So what’s the lesson in all of this? Well, I think there are many things we can take away from this Psalm, but I want to highlight just three of them:

1. While it is perfectly normal for us to question the injustice of wicked people prospering while the righteous suffer lack, such things are not for us to judge. God alone is righteous, therefore it is He who determines the fate of us all. This, of course, requires much faith on our part, as well as the strength to focus on our own particular calling.
2. Sometimes the simple truth is that we need to take things to God in prayer. All of our mental wrangling over things that are beyond our ability to comprehend are best given to God. We can lay awake at night, tormented by a thousand “why’s”, only to have the sun rise upon them the next morning with nothing having been resolved. As Asaph learned, God has a different and higher perspective than we are capable of, and we can save ourselves much anguish by simply letting go of things that are outside of our own lane.
3. Because it is a normal thing to question and doubt at times, we should use the lesson of Asaph to encourage other Christians when they too have struggles and doubts. This is far better than for us to haphazardly judge them, especially as we see so many struggling today.

I hope that you will take a few minutes today and read the 73rd Psalm in its entirety. In it you will find the answer to one of life’s greatest mysteries. I don’t know about you, but from time to time I need to see things from a fresh perspective.

Have a blessed day,

Ron

[1] 1st Chronicles 15: 17 [2] Psalm 73:13 [3] Psalm 73:3 [4] Matthew 5:45 [5] Psalm 73:16

This Little Light of Mine

How many have heard the old gospel song “This Little Light of Mine”?

It’s a song recognized around the world as a favorite of children. Many of you may have first learned this song in Sunday School or children’s church.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Oh this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

 

Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine,

Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine,

Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

 

Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine,

Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine,

Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Though originally written as a song of love, hope, and devotion to our Savior, This Little Light of Mine was also sung as an anthem of hope and courage during the American civil rights movement of the 1960’s. In fact, it’s still being sung today during times of civil unrest.

America could sure use a little hope right about now, wouldn’t you agree? And we certainly need to shed some light on these times of uncertainty, when it seems that this present darkness is overpowering what little light remains.

Thinking about all of this as I watch the carnage unfolding across the landscape of America, about how desperately we now need the Church to be a beacon of light and a sanctuary of love, I can’t help but be reminded of the words of Jesus when he told the Disciples to let their light shine.  

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.   

¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand , and it gives light to all who are in the house.   

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. [1]   

The Church, that is You and Me, has the answer to the cancer that is racism. We have the antidote within us to calm the fears of a nation bordering on collapse.

The love of God is that light of the world. It is shed abroad in our hearts so that men might see Christ in us. It is given to us that men might see our good works and give praise to God for them.

Now is not the time to hide our lights. It is for such a time as this that God has given you this light, that those stumbling in the darkness may see.

While the politicians and the media are consumed with finger pointing and spewing forth their poisonous venom, the Church must be the Church.

Whether your church’s doors are open or closed has no bearing on who you are in Christ. What God has placed in your heart is not regulated by politicians, but guided rather by a higher Power.

The command to “let your light so shine before men” is in essence the marching orders of every Christian. The light within you is the antidote for hatred, and it must not be hidden from society.

I encourage everyone to pray for the situation in America. Pray that men would desire peace, and that the Lord would send peace that “passes all understanding”. [2]

I know that many today hold to the opinion that prayer doesn’t work. The Bible, however, tells us that “the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. [3]

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Oh this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Don’t let anything stop your light from shining. America and the rest of the world need to see it!

Ron 

[1] Matthew 15:14-16    

[2] Philippians 4:7  

[3] James 5:16 

 

In Minneapolis the Mayor will give you a mask while you riot, but you can’t attend church

In what has to be one of the most blatant, shocking examples of just how far Satan has infiltrated the hearts and minds of governmental authority in this country, the Mayor of Minneapolis Mn. has decided that giving masks to the criminals destroying his city is safer than permitting the citizens to assemble for public worship.

Attending church, it seems, is more dangerous than the incredible violence now on display in Minneapolis.

Now, let’s try to understand this. In the state of Minnesota, any gathering of 10 or more people is strictly prohibited due to the pandemic. However, the government has NOT stopped the gathering of 10 or more looters, thieves, and other criminals who are plundering the city of Minneapolis.

The dangerous Christians though must be kept from assembling together lest they spread the COVID virus. So, we can steal, set fires, over turn police and emergency vehicles, and in the process shut down an entire city, yet we cannot attend church.

To put this scenario into even plainer words, what is happening right now in Minneapolis is that criminals are being given masks to protect them from COVID-19 while they are gathered in groups of hundreds to destroy the city, but Christians are considered too dangerous to permit them to gather in a church.

All of this is eerily similar to a certain Roman Emperor who allegedly set the city of Rome on fire and blamed it on the Christians. You might have heard of him, his name was Nero.

So while Minneapolis is burning, instead of stopping the violence and throwing the criminals in jail, do you suppose Mayor Jacob Frey is fiddling as his counterpart Nero was alleged to do?

Of course, he may be far too busy to be fiddling around, what with so many dangerous Christians wanting to attend a church service.

Here’s a thought for the good Mayor of Minneapolis. How about you do something radically different and open the churches this Sunday? As a matter of fact, how about you open the churches of Minneapolis and ask these churches to pray for peace over your fair city. I mean, it’s painfully obvious that your current plan to give the criminals masks and force the Christians to stay home on Sunday’s isn’t doing much for your citizens.

Mayor Frey, what do you have to lose by giving God a chance?

The actions of the Mayor of Minneapolis are indicative of just how far removed this nation is from the Godly principles that once guided her. The Church used to be the strength and guiding light of this nation as she worked hard to further the gospel around the world. Now, she is seen as a carrier of disease, too dangerous to be allowed to gather together.

Seems to me our nation is only too willing to follow in the footsteps of the dozens of other nations who are doing everything in their power to eradicate the name of God from their societies. That is, after all, what pagan societies do.

Let’s see if we are just as willing to endure the consequences of our actions, because it is an absolute certainty that consequences are coming.

Ron