J. Clyde Strickland

When Jesus asked in James 4:14, "What is your life?’, He was not focusing attention upon a technical definition of life, but only upon its brevity and a man’s need to live his life in partnership with the Lord. So many today leave the Lord out of their plans.

One wants riches, but the Lord taught that: "A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15), and they who have wealth as their aim "fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition" (1 Tim. 6:9).

Another says, "I have to make a living." True, but the Lord commands: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:19-33).

Still another says, "Life is pleasure!" But Solomon, who had tried it all, concluded: "This also is vanity" (Eccles. 2:1,2), and the Lord taught that these can lead one away from God (Luke 8:14).

Of what does life consist? Here it is: "Fear God, and keep His commandments: For this is the whole duty of man." (Eccles. 12:13).

via "Seriously"
January, 2001

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Many people intend to turn to the Lord at the eleventh hour, but the sad thing is that they die at 10:30.

Bob Dodson

1. Remember the word of God. We are to use the word of God (the sword of the Spirit) to fight against the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:10-17). Jesus resisted three times saying, "It is written..." (Matt. 4:1-11). David said he hid God’s word in his heart that he might not sin against God (Psa. 119:11). Holding to the word of God sustains one in the midst of persecution (Psa. 119:153, 157, 176). When tempted to do wrong, just reflect on what the word says about that matter.

2. Stay clear of the temptation. Rather than seeing how close we can come to sin without going over the line, we should "flee" (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). Joseph ran from the scene of temptation (Gen. 39:12). That is part of "watching" (Matt. 26:4 1). The proverb writer warned the young man not to go near the door or house of the harlot (Prov. 5:8; 7:25).

Staying clear means that we will not put ourse1ves in situations where we will be tempted (Matt. 6:9-13; 1 Cor. 7:5).

3. Pray. Jesus taught his disciples to pray that they would not be led into temptation (Matt. 6:9-13). We should pray for strength to overcome the trials. Again, Jesus told his disciples who were sometimes weak, to pray "that ye enter not into temptation" (Matt. 26:4 1). It is interesting that in the context where Paul discusses putting on the whole armor of God to fight against the wiles of the devil, he says, ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6:18).

4. Make an honest self-examination. We must consider ourself lest we also be tempted (Gal. 6:1,4). We must constantly examine ourself to see if we are walking according to the way of God (2 Cor. 13:5). I need to ask myself if I am really fleeing temptation? Or, could I be creating tempting situations?

5. Understand how the tempter works. Any military leader can tell you that knowing how your enemy operates helps in trying to defeat him. We need to understand that Satan appeals to us through the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and the pride of life (1 Jno. 2:5-17). Furthermore he strikes at our weak points.

6. Watch your companions. Obviously, friends have a great deal of influence on us. Godly and moral companions will have good influence for they encourage us to do right. On the other hand, evil or ungodly friends have bad influence for they encourage us to do wrong. Paul warned that evil companions can corrupt our good morals (1 Cor. 15:33). None of us are so strong that association with sin will not affect us. Many young people are lost to the world simply because they got with the wrong crowd.

7. Remember the consequences of sin. It seems that Joseph was thinking about that when he resisted (Gen. 39:9). The pleasures of sin last only for a while (Heb. 11:25). The price we must pay is death (Rom. 6:23), i.e. eternal separation from God (Rev. 21:8).

8. Look for the way out. Being tempted is like being in a room that has one or more doors - there is a way out. With each temptation there is a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). Sometimes we ignore the escape and thus yield. Let’s look for the way out to do the right thing.

If we overcome an enticement or bear through a trial we are stronger and better prepared for the next temptation. Each trial or temptation can be used as a stumbling block or as a stepping stone toward maturity. Each time we yield, we get weaker. Each time we resist, we get stronger (1 Pet. 1:6-9; Jas. 1:2-4; Heb. 12:6-11).

via "Bible Talk"
Nov. 23, 1997

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Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker; neither does withholding enrich us.

Jack Critchfield

Just before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for the disciples of that day and for us. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (John 17:20-21). Our faith is based on the word of the apostles, which they gave as directed by the Lord (Rom. 10:17; 1 Thess. 2:13), so, that payer includes all of us.

Yet, in this country today there are over 400 denominations, each one claiming to follow Christ, but distinct and different from all the others. Many seem to feel that situation is fine, but please note that Jesus prayed for the exact opposite. Instead of saying, as many do today, "Each can follow the faith of his choice and join the church of his choice," Jesus prayed for unity. The whole system of denominationalism is based on division, which directly opposes the Lord’s prayer.

To be one in Christ we must submit to the same authority — that of Jesus Christ. He said, "All authority has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28:18). This is the One who said, "I will build My church" (Matt. 16:18). This is the same Lord who "added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). Now, really, if we submit to the authority of Jesus Christ, what church will we be in? He never offered a choice of ways to reach heaven. He said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life: No one comes to the Father, except through Me" (John 14:6). We cannot do it "our way" and expect to reach heaven! We must do it "His way" by submitting to Him and His will.

Still some seem to feel that being religious is enough, that it doesn’t matter in what church we worship. But Jesus addressed this very point: "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" (Matt. 7:21-23). To refuse to do the will of the Lord is to refuse salvation, for Jesus is "the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him" (Heb. 5:9). No one can be a member of any denomination by the authority of Christ, for He never authorized any denomination. With regard to "other faiths," the Lord still says, "Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Cor. 6:17).

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Steve Klein

People are often identified by the clothes they wear. In the Bible clothing identified people as being widows, harlots, kings, rich men, men, women and wedding guests. Today, just by looking at a person's attire, we can identify doctors, nurses, policemen, firemen, soldiers, football players, ballet dancers, and bums (uh, I mean street people). In 1 Timothy 2:9-10, the apostle Paul instructs women to dress in a way which "befits women making a claim to godliness" (NASB). Certainly it would not be fitting or proper for a soldier to dress in the attire of a bum or for a policeman to dress as a doctor. Likewise, it is improper for the godly to dress in clothing which characteristic of the ungodly.

When Paul instructs us to wear "modest apparel" (1 Timothy 2:9), he is in effect commanding us to dress in a way which proper for godly individuals. Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word "modest" as "observing the proprieties of dress." It defines "propriety" as "the quality or state of being proper." But what is proper for those who are godly? The inspired apostle himself gives us the answer. "Modest apparel" for the person who is godly is apparel that can be worn "with shamefacedness and sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:9).

The phrase "with shamefacedness" refers to the fact that a sense of shame is to be demonstrated by our attire. A godly man or woman will dress in a way which shows an appreciation for the fact that God considers nakedness to be shameful (cf. Revelation 3:18). Realizing that God still considered Adam and Eve to be naked even after they had partially clothed themselves with aprons made of fig leaves (Genesis 3:7-10, 21), the godly are not satisfied with being partially clothed. But rather, godly men and women dress in clothes which are designed to cover, not reveal. Now ask yourself, "Are shorts, short skirts, halter tops, sun dresses and bathing suits designed to cover or reveal?" Surely a person cannot wear such clothing in public "with shamefacedness."

What about the word "sobriety" as it occurs in 1 Timothy 2:9? Both W.E. Vine in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, and R.C. Trench in his book Synonyms of the New Testament, agree that "sobriety" refers to "that habitual inner self government with its constant rein on all the passions and desires which would hinder the temptation to these from arising." So, godly people dress in a way which hinders temptation. If you profess to be godly, ask yourself, "Are my clothes designed to incite lust or hinder it?" "Do they cause others to stumble or do they prevent such stumbling?" Often people attempt to justify their clothing by making a claim like the following: "My clothes wouldn't MAKE anyone lust!" But the question is, "Do your clothes HINDER anyone from lusting?"

Those who are interested in conforming to the will of God will be concerned about whether or not they dress in a way that is proper for godly people to dress. Do your clothes identify you as being godly? "Godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8b).

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By John Hendrix

In Genesis 22 God commanded a hard thing of His servant Abraham, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (Genesis 22:2)

We can only imagine Abraham's thoughts. This was the son that he--beyond all human hope--had conceived with his beloved wife Sarah. This was the son for whom he had waited so many years. This was the son of whom God had said, "in Isaac your seed shall be called." (Genesis 21:12) How could God now command Abraham to kill him?

Walking with Isaac to the appointed site of the sacrifice, Isaac asked what must have been a painful question, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" (Genesis 22:7)

We can only image Abraham's questions. How do you tell your son that you will kill him? How do you express your love for your son while never compromising your everlasting love, faith and trust in your Maker? How could Abraham have faith in God's promise about Isaac and obey God's command that seemed to make the promise's fulfillment impossible?

Sometimes faith and obedience seem set against each other. God says that He will care for us, but obeying Him may lead to a lost job or worse. God says that He wants all men saved, but obedience leads to preaching things--things in God's word--that harden the hearts of some men. When faith and obedience seem to conflict, Trust will keep us going.

How could Abraham believe that Isaac would be his heir and also obey God by killing him? The question seems unanswerable. Abraham left the answer for God, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." (Genesis 22:8)

And God did (Genesis 22:13). A ram caught in a bush became the substitute for the death of Isaac. And "in the fullness of time" this story became a great illustration of the tremendous love of God.

Isaac's question--"where is the sacrifice?"--troubled men of God for centuries after this story took place. Where is the sacrifice for my sin? How can I truly pay the debt? As God continued to reveal himself to man, godly men became more and more sure that their animal sacrifices to Him could not possibly atone for their sins:

With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (Micah 6:6-7)

It could not possibly be enough! What are animal sacrifices to the Creator of all things?

I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. (Psalm 50:9-12)

During Old Testament times the godly men were told to continue to obey and wait for the answer. The question and answer are just as important to us. Sin stains and we cannot wash it away. Guilt threatens to swallow us whole and we cannot ignore it. Sin haunts us and tarnishes everything we do. All the good works in the world cannot remove even one of our wrongdoings.

What *is* the answer? What can I do? Where is the sacrifice? "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering."

Only God could. We have nothing that did not come from Him. How can we give Him anything back in return?

So when the right time arrived God sacrificed his Son, His only Son, whom He loved. He did it for you and He did it for me. We had no power to save ourselves (Romans 5:6-11), God had to do it for us. "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

God hates our sin (Psalms 5:4), but He loves us (John 3:16). So He paid the ultimate price for us. He planned and oversaw the cruel death of His beloved Son, and--by this--made salvation possible for us.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10)

What is our attitude about this sacrifice? How much do we appreciate it? God is trying to teach us about sin. Yes, our sin hurts us, but do we really realize how much our sin hurts God?

I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts. . . . (Isaiah 65:2)

How will we respond? Who could possibly reject this enormous and precious gift from God? Who can deny the love of our Maker who gave His only Son to pay for our sin?

How will you respond?

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Steven F. Deaton

In life, we take on many different roles. A woman may be a wife, mother, and sister, as well as a daughter. When it comes to being a Christian, we are described as disciples and brethren (Acts 11:26; Rom. 8:12). A male Christian can be a preacher, an elder, as well as a brother (cf. 1 Pet. 5:1-2, 9). In this article we wish to focus upon three more descriptions given to Christians: saint, servant, and soldier.

When a man is living in sin, he is "joined" to the world and separate from God (cf. Isa. 59:1-2). However, when he obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ, he is called out of the world and set apart to God, sanctified (1 Pet. 1:22; in. 17:17). Thus, he becomes a saint (Rom. 1:7; Acts 9:13). Saints are not those who are already dead, but living. They are dead to the world, but alive to God (cf. Gal. 6:14). He is precious to God, being a part of the "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people" (1 Pet. 2:9).

Further, everyone is the servant of someone or something. Those who live in the world and according to its lust are servants of Satan and sin (2 Pet. 2:18-19). When one becomes a Christian, he is a slave of righteousness (Rom. 6:18). He recognizes the Lord as His Master and is obedient to His commands (Matt. 6:24). His servitude is not a burdensome one, but a liberation (1 Jn. 5:3; Jn. 8:32; Matt. 11:28-30). Instead of a cruel master, the Christian is a servant of the Lamb of God Who loved him enough to die for him (Jn. 15:13).

Finally, every Christian is to adorn himself with the armor of God and engage in the battle against the wicked one (Eph. 6:10-17). The fight is long and hard, but with the leadership of the Prince of Peace, King of kings, and Lord of lords, victory is assured and the reward immeasurable (Rev. 17:14; Phil. 4:13). The soldier will recognize his duty to cast down "arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God," while loving the enemy (2 Cor. 10:4; Matt. 5:44). Remember, one will either fight on the side of the Savior or Satan--there is no neutrality (Matt. 12:30).

via "The Gospel Teacher"
June, 10, 2001

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