Mountaintop Experiences

Mountaintop Experiences

Life is not always going to be a mountaintop experience.

Life is not always going to be a mountaintop experience.

Spiritual lives are not always characterized by “ mountaintop experiences. ” It was wonderful for Moses to be in the presence of God on Mount Sinai, but eventually he had to leave the mountain and return to the reality of dealing with the Jewish rebellion in worshiping the golden calf.

In the same way, Peter, James and John were at the Mount of Transfiguration and saw Moses, Elijah and the transformation of Jesus, but they eventually had to leave that mountain and confront their failure to cast out the demon in the child.

Elijah experienced this same problem in the contest he had with 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. The fire from heaven totally consumed the prophet’s sacrifice and shortly afterwards there was the slaughter of all the false prophets. Yet, when Elijah descended from that mount, he was so overwhelmed with the sinfulness of Israel, he asked God to take him, for he thought he was the only person in Israel who faithfully served Jehovah.

“Mountaintop experiences” are so wonderful. There are those times when we see great spiritual victories and figuratively are on top of the world. You may remember in great detail that day when you obeyed the Gospel and how exhilarated you were. It may have been that day when some loved one of yours became a Christian. It may have been one of the unexpected times when you were worshiping, and you were so enthralled that you forgot about all those distractions from daily life. Thank God for “mountaintop experiences.”

However, the reality is that life always has deep “valleys” when we must leave the mountaintop. Life probably has more valleys than it has mountaintops. Situations develop and doubts and fears seem to threaten our faith. Do not despair. Look at those heroes who were in that same situation. Abraham (Gen. 15:1; 20:10-11), Isaac (Gen. 26:24), Moses (Num. 21:34), Joshua (Josh. 1:9; 8:1), David (1 Sam. 23:17), Elijah (2 Kgs. 1:15), Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:15) and Daniel (Dan. 10:12) are just a few of those individuals who were fearful when in the valleys of life.

There is a great principle of life to be learned when we look deeply into the lives of our Biblical heroes. Godly people have always had clouds of adversity around them. Their response was often like ours, but this does not mean they were not approved by God. All mankind has valleys, but Christians have something others do not have. When we are walking in valley of death may our hearts proclaim, “I will fear not evil for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Thank God for those “mountaintop experiences,” but let us thank God for the blessings of His help in the valleys!

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The First Day of the Week

The First Day of the Week

Christians worship God on the First Day of the Week.

Christians worship God on the First Day of the Week.

When I was a small boy, I remember going to worship services upon the first day of the week.  As we got dressed, ate cereal and got in the car, I noticed that there was hardly anyone in sight.  There were very few neighbors out, or at least I did not think they were out and there was not many people on the roads.  Now, we had to drive about 14 miles or so to the church building and even on the highways there was hardly anybody there.  Most of the businesses were closed except gas stations and it was because business owner knew the importance of the first day of the week.  Today, it seems that every business is open and the earlier the better.

A couple of months ago, during the week, we stopped into a fast food restaurant and I noticed how beautifully decorated it was.  There were fresh flowers on the tables, nice pictures on the wall and it sem like some kind of mural all across one wall.  As I went in for a closer observation, I noticed that it was about the history of their business.  But, there was something that else.  There was an old fashion looking door and next to it, it said, “People always ask us, “Why you are closed on Sunday?”  We respect the hard work of our employees.  As a result, we believe in giving them the day off to worship, if they choose, or spend time with family and friends.”  Now, under that old fashion door, it says, “NEVER ON SUNDAYS” and it reminded me of the days of my youth.  But, what has happened that most people no longer see the first day of the week as nothing important?

People forget that this is the Lord’s day.  It is called the Lord’s day because the Lord was raised upon the first day (Matthew 28:31).  The Church of the Lord was established upon the first day (Acts 2).  Christians in the first century as well as today meet to worship God and to remember the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection in a memorial supper upon the first day (Acts 20:7).  We give of ourselves out of that which God has prospered us, upon the first day (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

It is pleasant to see signs that say NEVER ON SUNDAYS, who reminds not only the worldly people, but godly as well, that there are more important things to do on Sunday, than make money or rest.  Sunday is a time off.  It is a time to focus on our Lord.  It is a time to focus on the Church.  It is a time to focus on God and our worship to Him.  It is a time to focus on the great sacrifice of our Lord’s body.  It is a time to focus on giving richly as God has richly given us.  But, we cannot do this if we do not have in our minds and in our hearts that the Lord’s day is called the Lord’s day for a reason.  It belongs to Him.  May we remember this when we choose to not see its importance.  May we remember that if someone in the world can say, NEVER ON SUNDAY, how much more should a Christian say these words?  May we always remember, upon the first day.

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Parents and Children

Children: Parents Blessings, not Burdens

Children are drops of innocence to blessed parents!

Children are drops of innocence to blessed parents!

The difference is palpable—and tragic. Watch a visiting family with two young children enter a church building and the response you witness is overwhelming. People go out of their way (literally) to meet these new visitors and share with them what their congregation has to offer children.

But consider for a moment the response to a family who has more than five children. The response is not as overwhelming. In fact, they are is often viewed as odd, irresponsible, not financially wise, lower class, or socially ignorant. More often than not, Christians steer very clear of extremely large families. After all, society has successfully convinced us that “two” is the magic number for children.

Even from the pulpit we hear a preacher joking about “narrow escape” of he and his wife thinking they might be pregnant. The fact of the matter is, this is not a joking subject. How sad is it to hear a preacher teach a powerful lesson on children and the home only to realize that his actions are teaching a totally different lesson? I have listened firsthand to a preacher give counsel about the “wisdom” of only having one or two children—and that anything more than that is “foolish.” This same preacher would then mount the pulpit and preach a tear-jerking lesson on Psalm 127 and children. While his voice spoke one message, his life and his actions spoke an entirely different message.

There are some Christians who need to really re-evaluate their view of children in the light of God’s Word.

Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about the blessings of children.

Not a morning passes by in our house when your mom and I are not thankful for the sounds of little feet and tender young voices. We feel incredibly blessed by God to have children, and we pray that you will be able to experience the same joys of parenthood.

I’m not exactly sure of the precise date of when children went from being considered a blessing to being considered baggage, but unfortunately I have witnessed it countless times. Parents oftentimes view the existence of their children as competition for their own personal desires and wishes. At some point along the way, parents began to value prosperity more than posterity.  I hope that you will boldly reject society’s view  of children. Never look upon children as a burden or an expense. Sure, we need to be financially responsible—but children are not a tally mark we put under the “expense” column.

Sadly, some parents today do not even like their children. The responsibility for rearing these children is given to anyone and everyone—except their own parents (see Deuteronomy 6:4-9—a passage directed toward parents). In some homes, children are treated as just another piece of property, a commodity, or a showpiece to be trotted out when guests visit. Parents have forgotten that they are responsible to return the souls of their children to God, and that every soul is precious (Matthew 16:24-26).

Every time you see a child’s face, I hope that the first thought that enters your mind will be “a blessing from God.” The inspired psalmist observed, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3). It then continues by saying, “Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.” When you see a family enter a church building with many children, I hope you will remind yourself and that mother how blessed she truly is. Solomon wrote, “Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father” (Proverbs 17:6). I’m looking forward to that crown!

While I don’t know God’s plan for each one of you, I do pray you enjoy parenthood— whether it be you physically having children or adopting little ones into your family. I wish for you a full quiver so that you too can experience the love, joys, and happiness that you have brought your mother and me.

Love,

Dad

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Moses, Marriage & Divorce

Did Moses give the rules for divorce without God’s authority or did God give this authority?

Easy divorce enables weak commitment in marriage.

Easy divorce enables weak commitment in marriage.

We read in Deuteronomy 24:1, “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.” The simple answer to this question is that when God gave Moses the rules for divorce under the Law of Moses, it was authorized by God at that time and for those people. The question, no doubt, arose in the questioner’s mind as a result of studying Matthew 19:7, 8 . In this passage the Pharisees were questioning Jesus regarding marriage and divorce. After Jesus clearly taught that man has no right to sever what God has joined together (Matthew 19:6), the Pharisees ask, “Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?” Jesus replied, “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.” The questioner asked whether what Moses wrote was authorized by God, and it was. However, what was authorized under the Old Law was not always necessarily that which pleased God.

Under the Old Covenant and prior to the Law of Christ, there is a fine distinction to be made between that which God authorizes and that which is satisfying or pleasing to God. For example, under the Old Law, God authorized animal sacrifices. However, from the New Testament we read, “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure” (Hebrews 10:6). While animal sacrifices were authorized by God, these sacrifices did not please God in respect to sin. They could not take away the sin of man. What was the sacrifice that was made with which God was satisfied in this respect? It was the sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:12-14). So while God authorized animal sacrifices for a time, they were not the final authority in dealing with sin. The sacrifice of Jesus is the final authority in dealing with sin. So, under the Old Law, God authorized some things that were not pleasing to Him. But why did He do that? Why would God authorize something that was not pleasing to Him?

We read in Acts 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” We also read in Acts 14:16 “Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.” Why would God allow the people of the past to be ignorant? Why would he allow them to “walk in their own ways?” Well, I am not sure that I understand everything that is involved in this, but part of the answer is that God had not completely revealed His will to man. The Old Law that was revealed was a shadow of that which was to come; it was, therefore, incomplete in that it could not make the worshipper perfect (Hebrews 10:1). In Romans 16:25, Paul said that the full revelation of God’s will was kept secret since the world began until the time of the gospel. In 1 Peter 1:10-12 we read that even the Old Testament prophets and the angels didn’t understand what the plan of God was in the past. However, it has now been revealed to us. So due to the incompleteness of the revelation of God’s will to man, God tolerated some practices, and even authorized some, with which He was not completely and fully satisfied. Among such practices was the writing of divorcement under the Old Law. Another such practice was the marrying of multiple wives which even pre-dates the Old Law. Another such practice would be the siring of children by your dead brother’s wife (Deut.25:5). Such things God tolerated, and even authorized, but we must not mistake this for something that is necessarily pleasing to God. They were allowances made by God due to the ignorance and hard heartedness in which man was in prior to the gospel.

Today, we have the gospel and all men are under the authority of Christ. John 17:2 says that God has given Christ authority over all flesh. Matthew 28:18 says that Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. We can be assured that today the authority under which we act is pleasing to God because it was purchased by the perfect sacrifice of Christ and made perfect by His blood. God no longer tolerates these practices as He once did under the Old Law and prior to the Old Law. Acts 17:30 says that all men are now commanded to repent. We must then submit ourselves to the authority of Christ by which we will be judged (John 12:48). Today, Christ’s law regarding marriage and divorce is simple. This law goes back to the foundations of marriage as God originally intended it to be as exemplified by Adam and Eve in Genesis 2. This pattern is, one man, one woman, for life and the only exception given is when one spouse commits fornication and then the innocent party may remarry. This is exactly what Jesus states in Matthew 19:9 and it is what we, as Christians–followers of Christ, must respect as well.

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Temptation, Modesty, & the Church

Modesty? When the Church Building Becomes a Place of Temptation

He pulled into the church parking lot with a big smile on his face, looking forward to worshipping with his Christian family. Minutes after his alarm clock went off he began singing familiar hymns and was still singing as he pulled into the church parking lot. But as he placed his car in “park” his smile took a downward turn. Instantly, he realized today would not be the joyful worship he had been anticipating.

It was just a curve. But, oh that curve…

She had no way of knowing the parking place she selected would force her to walk right beside his car on her way into the church building. She also did not realize that her selection of tight jeans earlier that morning would spawn an internal battle in the mind of a Christian man who longed to be faithful. As he placed his car in park, he looked up just in time to have his entire field of vision filled with a sensual sight of this young lady’s thighs. Oh, her legs were covered with fabric, but the fabric was so tight that it might as well have been non-existent. He couldn’t take his eyes away from those form-fitting curves.

She had no idea of the war that was raging in this man—in fact, she didn’t even notice him sitting in his car as she walked by. As she strolled past his window the battle in his mind escalated and he found himself glancing up in his rearview mirror to catch a glance of her backside. Again, those tight fitting jeans hid nothing. He watched her walk all the way into the building while his mind raged—the hymns he sang only minutes earlier had long been forgotten. Now his mind could only concentrate on those curves.

The young lady had no idea that on this particular day she would cause a similar internal battle in over 25 males, aged 11-87, all of whom had gathered to worship and honor God. She never realized that some of the men in the congregation had purposefully selected a pew or angled themselves with a clear line of sight to her backside. Or did she? She didn’t realize that 2-3 of the men sitting behind her would later go home and feed their porn addiction while substituting mental images of her for the actress on the screen. Did she have any inkling that she was being devoured in the minds of men who were supposed to be worshipping God? Did she care? Or did she realize that other men were forced to stare awkwardly at the floor as they waged war on the temptation.   

Had this young lady known the thoughts that were going through the minds of some of the men in the auditorium, surely she would have never put those jeans on. But tight/skinny jeans are in style, and her friends have reassured her she looks really good in them. After all, it is not like she’s showing off a bunch of skin right? How could jeans be immodest?!

I realize the above scenario is horrifying and maybe even repulsive to some who are reading this, but Christians it is way past time we address the reality of the situation.  We have a problem in the church! This year alone I have had several men share similar “battles” they have experienced in their church buildings. (The example above, while fictitious, was based on conversations I have had with Christian men.) Week after week we have men, who instead of worshiping God, find themselves internally wrestling lust and temptation. It’s time we address specifics without fear—motivated by love, honest concern for souls, and the desire to help others move toward being more Christ-like. Our congregations should be places where women are dressed not to impress or to look sensual, but rather to glorify God.

This is a call to fathers to lead their daughters, and a call for mothers to set a proper example. Fathers you are essential in cultivating an atmosphere of modesty both in your home, but also in the church building. It is way past time for fathers to take responsibility for their daughter’s clothing. After all, you are the spiritual leader. Fathers, don’t you care enough to protect your daughter from the lustful eyes of all the men who are devouring her in their minds on a daily basis? But the responsibility does not just rest on the parents.

Isn’t it time we raise our daughters to joyfully submit to their father and mother and choose to dress modestly for the glory of God? Daughters, what is more important to you, catching the eye of some young man or catching the eye of God? The reality is many of our children fear wearing the wrong label on their backside more than they fear the Lord. This is an indictment on the home and the church today.

I share this information not to shame or “judge” anyone. Instead, this information is shared so that fathers will step up and protect their daughters. I share this information so that hearts will be convicted and turned back to God. I share this information so that congregations will take healthy steps to address modesty. I share this information so that preachers and elders will discuss it with their congregations. I share this information so that humble women who have witnessed immodest dress in other Christian sisters will have the courage to actually reach out with love and compassion for their souls. (Stop avoiding it and stop excusing yourself—be a true Christian sister! Modesty should be the responsibility of the entire church family.) Paul wrote, “likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control (1 Timothy 2:9, ESV). And finally, I share this information so that our Christian light will not be diminished and the Gospel will not be tainted.

There are many areas of immodesty that need to be addressed in the church. I have purposefully decided to focus on just one subject—tight jeans/leggings—in hopes that maybe these words will cause someone to truly consider the battle that is raging in the minds of men, and prayerfully reconsider their jeans. They go by many names—skinny jeans, stovepipes, pencil pants, gas pipes, etc. And while the fashion statement of tight jeans is most often made by younger ladies, its not uncommon to see these extremely tight pants/leggings on mothers (and grandmothers). Does anyone honestly believe tight jeans are glorifying to God?

The problem with skinny jeans does not begin at the mall, but rather it begins in the heart. Many will argue that they can’t find loose fitting jeans or that stores no longer sell that style. Again, before we address that point we should examine the heart. Is this a submissive heart that honestly wants to please the Lord? Modesty starts with attitude and then moves on to appearance. Once we have the proper attitude then finding proper clothing becomes much easier. If you search for clothing either online or in a mall with the attitude that you will not give up until you find something pleasing to God then chances are very high that you will find modest pants.

For those who currently wear tight jeans, here are a couple of questions to consider: First, ask yourself why you wear tight jeans—and be honest. (And please don’t say comfort, because I’ve never known anyone who puts on tight jeans to lounge around the house when they are by themselves.) Also, do you think it is Christ-like to wear sensual clothing to worship (or anywhere else for that matter)? Do you honestly think clothes that look “painted on” are modest? Are you aware that your selection of tight jeans/leggings causes men (young and old alike) to lust? Are you aware that your clothing may cause men to have trouble worshipping Almighty God?

If your jeans are accentuating the curves of your body then you need to reconsider what you are wearing. If boys can tell what type of cell phone is in your back pocket because your jeans are so tight, then you might need to reconsider what you are wearing. If you find yourself hopping around like a madman on one foot while trying to get your jeans pulled down over your knees when you change clothes, then it might be time to reconsider.

I realize many females will read this article and have someone else in mind. I plead with you to also go into your closet and honestly evaluate your wardrobe. Others will get angry or upset with me focusing this article on a piece of their wardrobe they wear on a regular basis. They will call me judgmental or instead look down on me as perverted. To these individuals I pray God will soften your hearts. All I’m asking is that you honestly consider your Christian brothers (and God) when you go into your closet to select your clothing.

Young ladies (and older ladies too!), I could spend hours detailing what tight jeans do to the neurochemistry of males—and how the battle in the mind mentioned above is a very real battle. Or we could talk about the “mental pictures” that many men take while staring at an immodestly dressed woman—images that will later be called up in lustful fantasies. But at the end of the day it comes down to whom do we love more—Christ or the world? What I pray you will see is that modesty is not about your clothes. It’s about drawing closer to Christ. It’s about reflecting Him through our actions, speech, and dress so that others will be drawn to Him—not ourselves. It’s about loving God more than loving the latest New York fashion trends. Because once you get the right attitude, your appearance will soon follow.

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