Untrained Children

Fighting Atheism’s Influence in the Home

God does exist. All of the best-sellers in the world that espouse otherwise will not change that fact. But if we really expect our children to believe and follow the One True Living God, we must start thinking outside the box! Sadly, the atheists of this country are doing their job better than we Christian parents are. It’s time someone states the obvious: What we’ve done in the past hasn’t worked.

Are you Children Studying?

Are your Children Studying?

If you do not believe this, just walk into a church building and inquire if anyone there has children who have abandoned the Faith. But be prepared—the line that forms before you may be much longer than you ever expected. Far too many young people are leaving the Church only to turn around and embrace secular humanism, or even worse, atheism.

Now think: How many of those children who have left the Church could list most of the state capitals? How many of those children know the value for pi, or how to solve for x in an algebra problem? How many of those children can name bones of the body or could describe the water cycle? How many of those children know every word to their favorite songs or could tell you, verbatim, lines from their favorite movie? How many of those children have studied for hours to take tests over meaningless material?

As you sit there considering how much time these young people have spent cramming for standardized tests, ask yourself this one simple question: How much time have they spent actually studying Christian evidences or logical arguments to prove God’s existence? If we are going to reverse this trend, we must start thinking outside the box as to what is “normal”. It’s time we expect more from ourselves and more from our children.

“Are you actually suggesting that we test or quiz our children over Christian evidences or make them study biblical material outside of Bible class?”

I guess my response would be: “Yes, whatever it takes.” After all, which “test” is ultimately more important? I’m not downplaying the importance of a good education—I’m just trying to remind parents that their children spend an enormous amount of time learning “things,” but too often they only spend a small fraction learning about God and His Word. It is no secret that during their educational years students spend a great deal of time studying evolution, humanism, other religious beliefs, and even the tenets of atheism. Why not counter this with a solid Christian foundation?

As I mentioned before, what we’ve done in the past hasn’t worked. It’s time we get serious and combat the atheists’ propaganda with knowledge! Ask yourself this question: Can my children and grandchildren truly prove that God exists? Our children are told that if you can not measure something using the scientific method (using your five senses), then it is an illusion. Where does that place God— a Spirit (John 4:24)? Anyone who has spent any time at all studying philosophy or logic understands that while a Supreme Being may not be proven in a laboratory using the scientific method, the laboratory’s very existence is proof for His existence.

Consider this simple logic: It is a self-evident truth that something cannot come from nothing. (If someone wants to argue this fact, I would love to sell them some “nothing.”) Since something now exists, this indicates that something has existed forever. That means something is eternal—meaning it has always been here. This is simple logic—something exists today, thus something has always existed. The question is what or who has eternal properties?

Atheists and evolutionists would have students believe that the Universe is eternal; however that does not fit the scientific data. We know today that the Universe is expanding, which is a clear indication it had a beginning. As evolutionist Robert Jastrow admitted: “The lingering decline predicted by astronomers for the end of the world differs from the explosive conditions they have calculated for its birth, but the impact is the same: modern science denies an eternal existence to the Universe, either in the past or the future” (1977, p. 30).

The only logical conclusion is that God is eternal and He was responsible for the creation of the Universe. With a little time and a little study we can teach these Truths to our children and grandchildren. I’ve heard it said many times that it takes more “blind” faith to be an atheist. Given the amount of evidence we have for God I would agree.

Brad Stine once mused: “Who is more irrational? A man who believes in a God he doesn’t see, or a man who’s offended by a God he doesn’t believe in?” I would take that even one step further: “Who is more irrational? A Christian who believes in a God but doesn’t teach his child about Him, or an atheist who doesn’t believe in Him but takes the time to teach the child his beliefs?

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Saved and Lost?

Can the Saved be Lost?

Many believe and teach that once an individual is saved he cannot be lost.  However, the Scriptures clearly teach that a child of God can forfeit his salvation and be eternally lost.  Many passages speak of the conditional nature of our future salvation.  The apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth of the gospel by which they were saved “if ” they held fast to the word which was preached to them (1Cor. 15:2).  The word “if” places a condition on salvation for the child of God.  To the children of God in Galatia Paul wrote, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Gal. 6:9).  The word “if” here implies if we as children of God do lose heart we will not reap the reward.  The writer of Hebrews declared we are of Christ’s household “if we hold fast our confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Heb. 3:6).  Why do the Scriptures make these conditional statements about salvation if once we are saved we cannot be lost?

The Scriptures point out the conditional nature of our future salvation by giving solemn warnings against apostasy (falling away as to be lost).  The apostle Paul in warning the Corinthians against apostasy realized he too could fall away and be lost.  He said “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1Cor. 9:27).  Certainly, if there was a possibility for the apostle Paul to be rejected, then we too could be.  Right after that statement he used the example of the Israelites who fell from God’s favor by their disobedience and were not permitted to enter the promised land.  Paul’s conclusion was, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1Cor. 10:12).  The Hebrew writer declared, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of if” (Heb. 4:1).  These are solemn warnings against falling away and being lost.  Therefore, why give the warnings if once one is saved he is always saved?

The Scriptures also speak of examples of those who did fall away.  Among some who became Christians at the preaching of Philip was a man by the name of Simon.  When he later became covetous of the apostles’ power, Peter told him, “Thy money perish with thee…for thy heart is not right in the sight of God…I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:12-24).   Paul wrote to some who had at one time been faithful, but now had turned back to Judaism.   He said “Christ is become of no effect unto you . . . ye are fallen from grace.” (Gal. 5:4)

These are but a few of the many passages where the Scriptures plainly teach that salvation is conditional based upon our faithful obedience.  Only if we are faithful unto death will we receive a crown of life (Rev. 2:10).

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Remembering a Dream!

Remembering a Dream

I had a dream.  Most nights I have dreams.  The dreams do not always stick in my morning recollection, they seem to vanish with the dawn.  However, this dream or set of dreams I do remember.  They were memories and desires of my youth.

When you dream, do you remember your dreams?

When you dream, do you remember your dreams?

In one portion of the dream, I was playing catch with my father.  We had a nice long stretch of grass to play catch on.  The dream was more or less a memory.  It was late in the day, we were throwing the ball.  My age was probably about 10/11, his about my current age now, mid-thirties.  Funny just saying that is a revealing statement, but that is for another write up.  I remember my father wearing a dark Green T-shirt.  Even the mustache he used to wear sticks out in my mind.  The stretch of grass we played on did have a drawback.  About 15 feet behind each of us was a downhill slope.  If it turned out that one of us made a bad throw or missed the ball, chances were we would have a bit of a run to regain the ball.  Heh… there were some frustrating times I am certain for my father as my young arm would toss the ball wildly at times.

In another portion of the dream, I was playing in a little league baseball game.  The dream was very clear, but this time it was more a memory of feelings and desires rather than actual occurrences.  The satisfaction of getting to go up to bat.  The joy of not swinging at a pitch that was called a ball.  I could smell the dust of the field and see it splattered on home plate in front of me.  Admittedly, the memory of the cockiness that I knew I was going to get a hit was in my mind.  Then came the pitch.  I hit it, it went back, back, and Wow! a homerun!  Back in those days, I hit lots of “run homes”.  This was a term we used when you hit the ball and due to the errors of the other team you were able to run all the bases and score.  However, history serves me well in noting I never did hit a home run.  The only thing close would be backyard whiffle ball with a fence 15 feet away.  Still, the joy and accomplishment even upon waking up and remembering the dream of the home run rests with me at this moment.  Something I was always reaching to obtain, but never quite grasped.

Sometimes, it is hard to differentiate between memories and fantastical dreams.  An instance may have seemed so real, but yet, it never occured except in that sleep world.  How our fears, excitement, stresses, achievements, and longings mingle in our head.  Even in the daytime, when we think back upon our childhood, we only grasp slight glimpses here and there and ponder, “was that they way that situation happened?”.

How our head can rush with memories of our lifetime, both in the day and night, awake and asleep.  Memories for some that may have occurred 80-90 years ago.  Still, try as we may, despite millions of memories, we do not recall each one.  We don’t even recall the majority of the happenings of the days of our lives.

Jesus states the following in Matt. 12:36:

And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Paul gives us these words in Romans 14:11:

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.  So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

The apostle John in Revelation writes in Rev 20:12:

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Our minds may not remember all the behaviors, emotions, and activities which we were involved in 80 years ago, 20 years ago, last week, or yesterday; however, God does.

Psa 139:1-4 … O Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.

God knows what was  a dream and what was a reality.  There will come a day in which he clears our mind so that we can see the sum total and individual parts of our being.  Are we ready for that day?  What will we remember when we stand before His throne?  No doubt, we will be humbled.  All will be humbled to be before such purity and holiness.   Therefore, these thoughts come to mind, while the mind still functions here:

Pro 27:1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Mat 6:33-34 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.   Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Psa 26:2 Examine me, O Jehovah, and prove me; Try my heart and my mind.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

I note all those to say this: According to the great power of the Word of God we shall be judged according to His knowledge of all that we have done.  We ought not worry about tomorrow or be concerned about yesterday.  Rather, each day, while we have consciousness of our actions, we should take a clear look at ourselves and do what is right in the sight of the Lord.  If we falter, we have an advocate in heaven (I Jn. 2:1), but this is based upon the His authority and our obedience to His commands.

Act 3:19-21 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

May God bless you in your dreams and in your waking hours.

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Understanding the Kingdom

Understanding the Kingdom

Our world is so blinded by the teaching of many about the kingdom of God. It has always been this way. When Jesus was on this earth, many expected Him to establish a kingdom like those kingdoms they had known in the past and like those physical kingdoms in the first century world.

What is Jesus' Kingdom?  Where is it?

What is Jesus’ Kingdom? Where is it?

Herod the Great did not understand the kingdom. His slaughter of the infants was because he was fearful that someone outside his household would be the next earthly king of the Jews. Another Roman official, Pilate, was equally ignorant and perplexed about Jesus and asked about His kingdom. Jesus simply told this Roman governor that His kingdom was not an earthly kingdom where its citizens were armed to force men to surrender to the king (John 18:36).

Just after Jesus had fed a multitude of 5,000 men (not counting women and children), they did not understand His kingdom. They tried to take Jesus and force Him to become their earthly king (John 6:10, 15).

Even the apostles, on the day of His ascension, showed their ignorance of the kingdom. Their earthly view of the establishment of a physical kingdom was shown in the question they asked Him that day. “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Now, the first century world did understand that the message was being proclaimed as a kingdom which would soon be established. Deep Bible students could have figured out Daniel foretold the kingdom was to be established in the fourth world kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. They would have known that this fourth kingdom was Rome. However, even the most simple-minded person would have understood the preaching which began in the days of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist called on the Jews to repent because “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). They could understand this and also the word of Jesus who said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). He preached this in “every city and village” (Luke 8:1). The twelve apostles and the seventy disciples were sent by Jesus to tell others the kingdom was about to be established (Matt. 10:7; Luke 10:9).

How could anyone misunderstand the clarity of the message that the kingdom was about to be established? In fact, Jesus said it would definitely come in the lifetime of many who heard Him preach (Mark 9:1). The Jews knew the kingdom was about to come, they just did not understand the nature of the kingdom. Tragically, many today do not understand its nature, and some even deny that it has come.

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The Lord, My Shepherd

The Lord is My Shepherd

Very few passages of scripture offer more words of comfort and has touched more lives than this little psalm referred to as the “Nightingale Psalm,” Psalm 23. It has gone into more homes, hospital rooms, churches, funeral parlors, nursing homes and counseling centers than any other single passage. It is the first words of the Bible many memorize and the last words many recite as they expire. It is astonishing to consider the many ways this text has accomplished so much for so many.

The Lord is my shepherd...

The Lord is my shepherd…

Many passages are easy for us to ignore and overlook because they become so familiar to us. Nevertheless, I want us to delve into this rich psalm in this issue and glean some truths to help us through our difficult lives. Thus, we need not to commit this psalm simply to memory, but we need to commit this psalm to life!

Psalm 23 appears in a trio of Messianic psalms—Psalms 22, 23 and 24.

  • Psalm 22 discusses the Savior, who suffered on the cross of Calvary. This is our Lord of the past, pictured with a cross.
  • Psalm 23 discusses the Shepherd, who because of such is able to meet the needs of His beloved. This is our Lord of the present, pictured with a crook.
  • Psalm 24 discusses the Sovereign, who returns triumphantly and victoriously over sin and death. This is our Lord of the future, pictured with a crown.

As we continue, notice the first line and see the presence of our shepherd: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Undoubtedly, we have studied the unique role and relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. We know the impact this has due to the involvement of David as a shepherd boy of his youth trying to provide for his flock, protect and guide his flock and lead his flock. Of all the animals in the world, none is more dependent upon others than helpless sheep. They are extremely helpful, but they are also extremely helpless.

Therefore, as David ponders these things, he thinks about the relationship that he has with his God. To breathe is to think about God. To live from day to day is to think about the goodness, greatness and graciousness of God.

As we consider the presence of our shepherd, notice the personal connotation. He is not simply “a shepherd,” or even “the shepherd,” but David wrote that He was “my shepherd.” In fact, this small psalm of just six verses contains no less than seventeen personal references. Yet, not everyone can make this acclamation. Nevertheless, based upon our own relationship with the Lord through faith, repentance, confession and baptism into the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can understand this personal relationship (cf. John 10:11-15). Therefore, He possesses me, and I possess Him. How wonderful it is to awaken each day, to live each day, to look forward to each day, to enjoy each day and to close each day with these words on our lips and in our hearts! This makes all the difference in the world! Thus, this statement is a statement of hope and trust (cf. 2 Tim. 1:11-12).

Once the relationship of the sheep and the shepherd is established, then the basis of that relationship opens the door to the significance of the psalm: “I shall not want.” In essence, this forms the leading thought of the rest of the psalm. In detail, David discusses the fact that he shall not want for provisions, protection and promises. May this issue that is dedicated entirely to this beloved psalm bring you closer to the Shepherd!

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