Jeremiah 23:23-24

As a home schooling Dad, I sometimes get the great privilege of working with my daughter on her school work. Currently I am working with her and some of her friends on the Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. The main character, Henry Fleming, struggles with the concept of his bravery in battle. Will he stay and fight or will he run?

The first battle comes and Henry and his companions stop the assault of the Southern troops. With much elation, Henry thinks he has answered his question. Everyone will view him as brave and not a coward. But then the unthinkable happens. The Rebels counter-attack causing Henry's nerve to break and he flees in the ensuing confusion.

Henry now debates with himself if he is truly a coward, having run in the face of the enemy. He is injured by another soldier during his flight and when he returns to his company, they believe he was wounded in the battle. No one says anything about his running in fear. His secret is safe!
Using Henry's logic, no one saw it happen so it never happened, I had the kids do some exploring about what the Bible has to say about such things. Boy did I get some great responses.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 "Am I only a God nearby," declares the Lord, 'and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord.

In 2 Samuel 12:1-15, we read of David and Bathsheba. David commits this sin in private but God send the prophet, Nathan, to confront David.

The students decided that trying to justify our private sinfulness as Henry did, is a futile practice. We are better off confessing that sin to God and seeking His forgiveness.

Wise suggestions from our youth!

Blessings

Mark

Psalm 8

It was a beautiful, crisp fall morning. I was on my way to attend the Highland Games (yes, I actually enjoy bagpipes) about an hour from my house. As I came up over a hill, the sun shown across a field, highlighting dew covered spider webs. There must have been tens of thousands of these webs, all perfectly outlined in a combination of light and water. My first thought was that low flying insects in this area don't stand a chance today!

But then the words of Psalm 8 came to mind. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Listen to some of these key phrases: You have set your glory above the heavens; the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place.

God planned for us to enjoy his creation. It gives us great pleasure and brings Him great Glory. God just didn't randomly place that field of webs on top of that hill. He knew I would be driving by and see an example of his Glorious presence and influence in the world. Furthermore, He knew that I would write to you with a reminder to take some time and smell the roses, enjoying the beauty of creation.

Psalm 8 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Blessings

Mark

Revelation 3:16

It is quite a scene, a spectacle, actually. The congregation is in rapt attention as the holy relic moves back and forth across the worship area. The priests, dressed in the most colorful of vestments, labor greatly, in a tightly packed ceremony, to fulfill their responsibilities during this Sunday routine in front of the huge, passionate crowd that has gathered. Suddenly one of the priests breaks free from the others, the holy relic clutched tightly in his arms! He scampers some great number of cubits, crossing the holy threshold and spikes the most revered relic into the ground! The congregation goes wild, waving brightly colored worship aids in the air, screaming in pure delight.

As you have guessed by now, I am not describing what most mainline religions would call a worship service. But for many, they approach football with a passion far greater than they have for real worship. And, of course, it is not just football. It can be our job, a hobby, a relationship, or even apathy.

Revelation 3:16 "So, because you are luke-warm - neither hot not cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Our primary passion should be for God and his things, not the things of this world. I know a fellow, an officer of his church, who does not attend worship from Memorial Day to Labor Day because Sunday is his golf day. He justifies this with the fact that he can spend time with his family Sunday afternoon. I would argue that if you are not right with God, you can't be right with others, even your family. Worship is an incredibly important part of a believer's life, a place to encourage and be encouraged. When you miss that, there is a hole in your spiritual life. The balance to all of this is your quiet, personal time which is equally important.

God wants us to be passionate about him. It is OK to enjoy some of the things of this world (I personally hope the Steelers knock the Ravens into the Chesapeake Bay this Sunday afternoon). It is all about priorities. Where are your priorities?

Blessings

Mark

2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Dwight Moody wrote the following of this verse: "This Scripture is not given for our information but for our transformation."

Why do we need to be transformed? Paul tells us just a few verses later when in verse 3 of chapter 4 he tells us, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

I love the characterization that we will have "itching" ears that hear only what we want to hear. How true that is. My wife and I are caring for our church's library at the present and with that comes the great joy of selecting what goes into the collection. So we spend time reviewing many books and I can tell you there is a lot of "scratching" of itchy ears going on.

When I go into one of the big book stores and browse through their "religious" section, I expect to find many non-Christian materials mixed in amongst the good stuff. But when you visit one of the "Christian" sellers of books, you can find the same stuff, cleverly disguised to trap unsuspecting marginal Christians. They are easily fooled because they have not taken Paul's charge in 2 Timothy 3:16 to heart. Indeed, they do not know the truth. I have often wondered what would happen if my pastor taught something that was false on a Sunday morning. Would the congregation call him to account or would they walk out saying, " Nice sermon today, Reverend."

Perhaps a better question could be: Would you notice?

Blessings

Mark

Psalm 139:15-16

In preparing to teach about the War Between the States to my home schooled daughter, I came across this very interesting story of God's providence.

Arthur MacArthur was a young captain in the Union Army serving with Ulysses S. Grant. In the Battle of Missionary Ridge, overlooking Chattanooga, Arthur leads a group of soldiers from the 24th Wisconsin in a feint attack, hoping to draw defenders from another part of the battle line where the main attack would take place.

Without direct orders, Arthur ends up leading over 60 units to the top of the ridge, far beyond the intended purpose of their attack. The fighting is vicious, often hand to hand. Three times, Arthur's flag bearer is decapitated during the attack. Arthur personally takes the 24th Wisconsin's standard and stands bravely at the crest of the ridge, at great personal peril, to encourage Union troops. The ridge is carried in a great Union victory that day. But in the course of the battle, Arthur is shot in the chest, surely a fatal wound.

Providentially, not coincidentally, the bullet strikes a wad of papers tucked in Arthur's pocket leaving him only bruised. Why is this so important? Arthur was certainly a brave soldier, but only serious historians remember him for his actions in the war. God, on the other hand, had great plans for Arthur.

You see, Arthur marries after the war and is father is a son, Douglas … General Douglas MacArthur, a crucial leader in the American Army during World War II.

Psalm 139:15-16 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God knew the role that Douglas MacArthur would play in combating evil in southeast Asia in the 1940s and 1950s, all made possible because of the placement of a wad of papers in a soldier's pocket one November afternoon in 1863.

Mark