The Chain Gang isn’t Glamorous

The Chain Gang isn’t Glamorous

The world tries to make sin a glamorous thing. Many years ago, there was a song about the men working on the chain gain. The lyrics of that song said: “That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang.” The song sympathizes with their plight talking about how they work so hard and just want to go home to their family. Maybe this is true, but the song doesn’t talk about why they are on the chain gang to begin with. Maybe they took the life of someone else’s family member. Maybe they robbed a small business and destroyed someone’s livelihood. There is a reason the men working on the chain gang are working there, but the song doesn’t mention that. Why? Because there’s nothing attractive about robbery, murder, and its just punishment.Chain Gang

Why sing about those men working on the chain gang then? Such songs create sympathy for those who are being justly punished for the crimes. They also lessen in the public mind the seriousness of the crime that they commit. Years of sympathizing with sin has so cheapened sin that no one thinks anything about it when it is reported. This leads tolittle retribution, and much licentiousness.

Sin is a horribly ugly thing, but Satan wants us to think it’s no big deal. He uses every means available to try to convince us of that. How do we know sin is horrible? Look at the price paid for it—the death of the Son of God. If you don’t think that was horrible, just read about the process of crucifixion sometime.Remember, “In due time, Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6) Don’t cheapen Christ’s sacrifice by glamorizing its cause.

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Jonah Chapter 2

Jonah Chapter 2

Jonah chapter 2 is a chapter that resonates with many people who have felt like the have hit bottom.  Perhaps it is an endless line of failure in relationships, jobs, or some earthly goal.  Maybe the issue is an addiction that got way beyond control.  The reality is that the people going through such things feel hopeless.  They feel as if they have reached the end.  This is the situation for Jonah.

Jonah Chapter 2 takes place in the belly of a great fish.  Jonah ended up in this predicament because of his disobedience to God.  His life appears to be about to end.  Thoughts certainly flying through his mind.  Jonah would be preserved in the belly of the fish for 3 days and nights – a type of Christ in the tomb.  What would you do if you were at the end?  Judas came to what he thought was the end and took his life.  Peter in denying Christ three times certainly could have felt the same.

In this peek at Jonah’s response to God’s discipline, we are introduced to humility.  When the bottom is hit, people need to be honest about how they got there.  They need to be honest about who provides real deliverance from an evil world.  When man humbles himself and seeks out the one who can truly help, there will always be hope.

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Dead Rock or a Living Stone

Dead Rock or a Living Stone

There is a story, the truthfulness of it cannot be confirmed, that illustrates a truth of God taught in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The story tells of that time when Solomon was building the temple. The Bible says that there were 80,000 laborers in the mountains who quarried the stones for the temple (1 Kings 5:15), and these were then moved to Jerusalem. The stones are described as being large (one foundation stone has been discovered that was 38’ 9” long and weighed 100 tons), costly and hewn to perfection (1 Kings 5:17).

The most remarkable aspect of the building of this magnificent building was what happened when stones arrived to be put in place. “And the temple…was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (1 Kings 6:7).

It is at this point where the unconfirmed story enters. It is said that one stone arrived in Jerusalem, and they laid it aside not knowing where it was to be placed. In that type of building, the most important stone was the one which brought the walls and the roof together—called the cornerstone. The story tells of how later they could not find it, but eventually found the cornerstone they had rejected and laid aside.

Whether that part of the story is true or not has little to do with the application made about the place of Jesus in the building of God’s new temple, the church. Peter describes Jesus in this way: “A living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious” (1 Pet. 2:9). The Old Testament background of this is then quoted by Peter. Isaiah prophesied, “Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame…the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (1 Pet. 2:5; Isa. 28:16). The apostle then added to this the words of David, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (Psa. 118:22).

What does all of this have to do with us in our day. Look again at the words of Peter. He calls Jesus the living stone, rejected by men. The Jews saw Him as dead, but such was far from the truth. Jesus is alive and the chief cornerstone of the church.

But there is more, for Peter describes us. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). Every time the world looks down on you, remember how God honored the rejected Chief Cornerstone. We may be rejected by men, but God sees us as the stones who make up His holy temple.

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Fret Not Thyself

Fret Not Thyself

“Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.” (Proverbs 24:19-20 KJV)

The English word “fret” means literally, “to wear away.” Figuratively it describes how undue worry and unnecessary care wear away at one’s emotions. Solomon says don’t do this to yourself because of evil men. He also says not to be envious of the wicked. They may have wealth, riches and fame and embody everything that the world considers great. When the righteous struggle and the wicked prosper, remember that there is no heavenly reward for those who prosper in their evil deeds. It is better to be rich in faith, yet poor in this world than to be a rich man who became so by wickedness. Remember also, that the candle of the wicked eventually goes out. The wicked will not have eternal life, their candle may burn bright for a time, but eternal darkness awaits them, so don’t be afraid of them and don’t be envious of their fleeting material wealth and prosperity. Honestly, we need to pity those deluded fools who have traded their immortal soul for a material reward.

Read Psalms 38:1-28

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Jonah Chapter 1

Jonah Chapter 1

Jonah chapter 1 is a book that I have used many times to describe salvation.  It starts out with a proclaimed follower of God, the prophet Jonah.  He is disobedient to God.  How many people in this world claim God but do not obey?  Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call me Lord and not do the things I say?”  This book starts in the same manner.  A denial of Christ by behavior.Jonah fish

As Jonah chapter 1 progresses God provides earthly consequences for Jonah’s sinful actions of running from what was commanded.  Jonah was supposed to be headed to Nineveh, but was headed purposefully in the wrong direction.  God would raise the winds and sea in preventing Jonah’s will from being successful and in the process ensuring His own Will would be accomplished.

Upon the ship Jonah traveled, there would be preaching, hearing, calling upon the Lord, obedience, sacrifice, and salvation.  Jonah is a type of Christ and this chapter is just the beginning.  God ends up sending a great fish to swallow Jonah as the writing ends.  However, there are three more chapters of this book to cover and the next few lessons of Locusts and Wild Honey will cover exactly that.

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