The Turning Heart

“…Whose Heart Turneth Away…”

The book of Deuteronomy is a series of discourses from Moses shortly before his death to the second generation of Israel (remember that the first generation died in the wilderness) before they enter the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. The overriding principles contained in this majestic book are that which could prevent them from making the same mistakes as their parents in turning their hearts away from God, and they provide rich principles of application in preserving our faithfulness as New Testament Christians. For example, we can find the principle for guarding our hearts from apostasy in Deuteronomy 29:18-19:

heart

Turn Your Heart to God.

Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst.

Backsliding and apostasy always starts in the heart. Whenever we let other things (worldliness, pleasure and such like) to begin to take over the affections of our heart away from God and become more important in our hearts above our service to God and our spiritual needs and values, we are walking down the road toward backsliding and apostasy.

Consider one who starts to slide a bit. He starts to miss worship services. He misses Sunday night and Wednesday night. Then, first thing we know, he starts to miss a Sunday here and there. Now, if we can see what is taking place in his heart, it is already starting to turn away—something else is having first place in his heart initially. It continued to grow until at last, that became most important, and the outcome was, he ended up as a backslider and an apostate. Now if we go and locate the members of Southwest today who are no longer committed or loyal in serving the Lord, they ensued this same way. This is why Solomon says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). Subsequently, we need to fill our minds and hearts with spiritual things, because we cannot supply our minds with other things all the time without it affecting and influencing us.

God said it involves “man, or woman, or family, or tribe…” (Deut. 29:18). It can affect men today—we can become so engaged with our occupations until this expends all of our time. Whenever that occurs, we are stepping on perilous ground. The same thing is true with women, families and congregations. We can engage ourselves with things that do not have to do with spiritual development and growth until we lose sight of what our mission is, and we wind up in apostasy.

The Hebrew writer referred to Deuteronomy 29:18 by stating,

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears [Heb. 12:14-17].

He illustrates the matter in reference to Esau, who was a “profane person”—one who lacks respect and gratitude of spiritual values. Esau thought more of bread and red pottage of lentils than he did anything else (cf. Gen. 25:29-34). Whenever we get to the place where material things devour our thinking, we are walking down the road of Esau.

Note what one will pursue—one will “…bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination [“stubbornness” – marginal rendering] of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst” (Deut. 29:19). Far too many times, when we find people turning away and we start to speak with them about the risk of letting material things devour their minds, they respond, “I am alright. I am doing fine. I have peace—I am just as good as anybody else.” However, one cannot walk in the stubbornness of his heart and at the same time be pleasing to the Lord. Therefore, it is important for us to guard our hearts from turning away from God!

Posted in Sam Willcut | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Turning Heart

Obedience and Jesus

Jesus, Traditions and Obedience

I find it remarkable that some have thought that Jesus’ rebuke of the devotion of the Jewish leaders to their traditions minimizes the importance of obedience. It is true that He had little regard for the traditions and rules these leaders had created. It is equally true that He believed that our relationship with God depends on our obedience.

Obedience is love

Obedience is Love.

He was so different from other teachers of His day. In the Sermon on the Mount, He contrasted His teachings with the teachings of the first century rabbis. In Matthew chapter five, there is a marked contrast between “You have heard that it has been said” and what “I say to you.” What they had “heard that has been said” was often where the Jewish leaders read a passage from the Old Testament and then gave their interpretation about what it meant. Sometimes they even added a “passage” to the Bible like, “you shall hate your enemies,” to fortify their traditions.

Man’s traditions can never negate God’s commandments. For example, the Old Testament never indicated that when the Ten Commandments said that you shall not kill, such would give license to hate a brother, call him a fool and treat him with contempt. This might have been what the rabbis said, but Jesus showed this attitude would negate any sacrifice they brought to God (Matt. 5:21-23). However, His rebuke of their “rules of righteous behavior” could never make void obedience to God. He was simply emphasizing obedience to all the teachings of the Bible.

Think also about how the rabbis taught that all that was involved in divorce was simply giving a writing of divorcement. Nowhere in the Old Testament was divorce permitted for every cause. Moses had given one reason (Deut. 24:1), yet the rabbis added their traditions to God’s words, forbidding adultery and allowing people to divorce for every cause. The rabbis’ teaching resulted in adultery, the very thing Moses had forbidden.

What did Jesus teach about obedience? He taught that any persons who ignored God’s commands and taught others that these commands were not important were the least in the kingdom. Those who taught others to keep His commands were the great ones in the kingdom (Matt. 5:19).

Do not be led astray. Jesus’ rebuke of the “rules of righteousness,” often based on a misinterpretation of what God said, never gives license for us to ignore what the Bible says. The only one who will enter the kingdom is the one who does the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21). Traditions, theirs or ours, must never give us permission to do wrong!

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Obedience and Jesus

Pain by Husband

Can a Husband Injure His Wife Without Knowing It?

Cuts her out of the discussion – When you act as if she isn’t even there or wouldn’t understand what you’re talking about, she feels a part of herself that is detached. Husbands cannot forget that wives see the marriage as a partnership…in every part of life…even the parts she may never fully understand. She wants to be involved.

Pain by husband.

Husband. Don’t make her cry!

Fails to notice the difference she makes – A woman doesn’t want to be appreciated for only what she does. She wants you to appreciate who she is, but more importantly, she wants you to admit that she does a lot. Whether it’s decorating the house or making sure the clothes are clean…or that you have your favorite soap…a woman wants to know what she does is valued by you.

Underestimates the small stuff – You only said “this” but it was “THIS” to her. Sometimes what we think are no big deal is a big deal to her and when we do not pay attention to it, it hurts her. You may even think it’s funny that she gets so worked up over the little things. And, She may even laugh out loud about it. But, oftentimes, she is laughing instead of screaming or crying because she is building a wall of protection around her heart each time your not serious about what matters to her. So, the key here is that you can’t talk to her like you might talk to another guy. She hears and feels deeper than you do and our words and actions can and do hurt.

Speaks with curtness – When you talk down to her, as if she’s somehow less than you, you bruise her spirit. Deeply. And, you know that she is not below you, she is your equal. God created Eve from the side of man. So, when you talk to her, remember husbands that sometimes she cannot tell by your tone and the way you talk to her, if you are serious or joking. What you may think is a normal way to speak, can tear her up inside.

Corrects her as she’s talking – This could be finishing her sentences or speaking for her in the company of others. Your wife has a mind all her own and when we do such things, your wife feels demeaned and devalued when you present her to others as if she can’t compete with you in original thought…which you know isn’t true (My wife is much smarter than me). So, stop trying to read her mind and let her express what she wants to say.

Acts suspicious – Don’t misunderstand or misapply this one. When you hide information, even when you think you’re protecting her, you cause her to question your motive. When you protect your calendar…or act like you are upset at the question “What did you do today?” or “What did you talk about?” or “Who was that?” when someone calls, it gives her an eerie feeling something is wrong. And, that hurts. Try being more open instead of mysterious. She is always interested in the other half of herself.

Admires other women over her – She sees you looking. She may even understand your highly visual make-up. But still, it hurts her when a glance becomes a stare…especially when it happens everywhere you go…all the time. Husbands, control your eyes. Remember, you are married and therefore, you prefer your spouse to all the other women of the world. You cleave to her, not to a strange woman. You know, a wife’s heart, no matter how independent or strong she is, is tender in places. Lots of places. And, she can bruise easily in some areas of her life…especially the places that involve the people she loves the most…like you, her husband. A husband who understands this is more careful in how he speaks and responds to her. And, most husbands I know would never injure their wife knowingly. They want to be her protector. But husbands, when we don’t realize the damage we are doing to our wives emotions, we invalidate every desire we have to be her defender. And consider this: What other ways, besides these seven, do husbands injure their wives, without even knowing it?

Posted in Robert Notgrass | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Pain by Husband

Hearing the Gospel

Three Men Hear the Gospel

In 1 Corinthians 2 and 3 the apostle Paul mentions three types of people to whom the gospel is preached:

gospel

The gospel can cure all!

1. The Natural Man (2:14): this one is exposed to the gospel of Christ – but rejects it.

2. The Carnal Man (3:1-4): in this sense, this  one initially receives the gospel but will not allow his conduct of life to be transformed by it.

3. The Spiritual Man (3:1): this one both receives the gospel and allows his conduct of life to be transformed by it..

Three heart patients went to the doctor.  The doctor warned each of them concerning their problem and gave them strict instructions to follow.  The first man thought it foolish, continued in his bad health and died (cf. 1:18).  The second man heeded the doctor’s advice, but made no changes to correct it, and he died (cf. Lk. 8:12).  The third man heeded the advice and made the necessary changes – and he lived on. Which man best describes you?

Posted in Aaron Veyon | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hearing the Gospel

David, Instruments, and Singing

Seriously? You Hear The Strangest Things About The Church Of Christ (#2)

“What a beautiful Saturday morning,” Joe thought as he pulled into Fedoya Park for his daughter’s soccer game. (The coaches had requested the girls all be there a bit earlier than usual for warm-ups.) As he parked and his wife and daughter piled out of the car with soccer equipment in tow, he noticed that his co-worker, Chuck, and his family were already there. Chuck was the “church of Christ guy” from work whom Joe always enjoyed talking to about the Bible because Chuck seemed to know it so well.

After Joe collected the two lawn chairs from the rear of his truck, he waved his wife over and then approached where Chuck was sitting. He had been particularly perturbed lately and at a loss to understand something he had heard about the churches of Christ. Hoping for an answer, he went over and set up his and his wife’s chairs beside where Chuck and his family were sitting.

Eventually, after the introductions and obligatory weather comments had concluded, Joe said, “Hey Chuck; I got a question for you… I’ve heard it said recently that churches of Christ don’t have music… is that true?”

Chuck smiled and responded jovially, “No, that’s not true at all – not even remotely. We enjoy some of the sweetest worship music ever sung. Every Christian there – young and old alike – seeks to pour out their musical praises to God with all their heart, mind, and soul just the way God commanded His faithful New Testament church to do so long ago.”

“That’s not quite what I meant,” Joe responded wryly. “I meant, is it true that you guys don’t use instruments? All the other churches do. Are you saying they’re wrong?”

praiseband

Worshipping with the Band?

Without missing a beat, Chuck said, “What I’m saying is this… Let’s suppose your wife, whom you love deeply, has made it abundantly clear that she wants one particular pearl necklace from you for her special day. She has placed a picture of it beside your alarm clock so it’s the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning. She has pasted a picture of it on your medicine cabinet mirror so when you go in to shave you can’t miss it. Coming down the stairs for breakfast, you see she has slid a picture of it halfway under your breakfast plate – as well as one under your coffee cup. Leaving for work and getting into your car, you see she has slipped a picture of it in front of your speedometer. And finally, picking up your cell phone to text her that you got the message already, you see that she has posted a picture of it on there as your wallpaper! That’s six, different, unmistakable messages, indicating exactly what she wants on her special day. And so the question: Do you love her enough to give her what she asked for? Or, do you suppose it would be “just fine” with her if you got her a necktie instead? After all, they both go around the neck.”

“Not if he knows what’s good for him,” Joe’s wife instantly interjected from the seat beside him. “He might have something else wrapped around his neck at that point – and I’m not talking about his loving wife’s arms either!” she continued rather quickly and quite convincingly.

“Exactly,” Chuck continued. So; how many times do those who truly love and want to please and submit to the Lord alone, have to be told by Him precisely what type of worship music He wants before they decide to honor His wishes instead of their own? He has told us all very clearly, not once, not twice, not three, not even six, but a total of eight different times in the New Testament, exactly the type of worship music He wants: singing – and singing only. What makes us think, as feeble human beings, that we therefore have the authority to give Him something else – something we might prefer or even see as better – over what He has so thoroughly indicated?

Completely caught off guard by the absolute simplicity of such sound and logical biblical reasoning, all Joe could stammer was, “But… what about David? He used instruments!”

“He also danced uncovered before the Lord and offered up animal sacrifices too,” Chuck said, chuckling, “but that doesn’t mean that those Old Testament practices are a part of New Testament church worship. It’s like this… Let’s go back to the pearls example. Suppose your first wife loved puzzles. She had a huge puzzle collection. Every holiday you sought to purchase her a new and unique puzzle. She eventually passes away and you remarry. Your new wife makes it extremely clear that she loves pearls – not puzzles. What would you get her when you want to celebrate her special day? Puzzles… or pearls?”

“If I’m the second wife, it better not be puzzles!” Joe’s wife chillingly chimed in once again from her nearby lawn chair.

“Well, it’s the same way with God. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant with the Israelites, sure, they used instruments. It was a very ‘physically-oriented’ system. However, under the New Covenant of Christ, which is a much more ‘spiritually-oriented’ system, we see that God insists, not on some talented few playing their instruments in worship to Him while the rest look on, but on every single and grateful saint in the congregation singing His praises and putting their whole mind and spirit into it; teaching, admonishing, and encouraging one another while singing and making melody to the Lord with thankful hearts and cheerful lips! This is what the eight, exclusive New Testament messages or passages from God on the type of music He desires tell us. Our preacher posted quite an in-depth bible study on this to our website. If you really want to learn more about worshipping as God wants, then maybe you ought to check it out. It’s at http://www.clevelandcoc.com/?page_id=161.

And as far as who’s right or wrong Joe… we in the churches of Christ absolutely believe that the only way to be sure that a person is going to heaven, is to be as close to being right with God as they possibly can. And that the only way they can do that, is simply to study everything out, “book, chapter, and verse,” and then do everything exactly the way God said, period. …Don’t you Joe? Well…don’t you?”

 

Posted in Doug Dingley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on David, Instruments, and Singing