When America’s Foundations are Destroyed

When America’s Foundations are Destroyed

The life of the man after God’s own heart had its great moments of triumph—he had killed Goliath, the nation heralded him as a young man who had slain ten times those slain by Saul. Yet at times, Saul and his army threatened his life, and then later king David’s own son drove him from the palace.

American Foundations

What do you do when the foundations are crumbling?

We do not know when David wrote Psalm eleven, but it describes a time when “the foundations are destroyed.”  David asked what can a righteous man do when this happens (verse 3). Every American is troubled by the deadly virus, financial problems, murder, rioting and looting. David shows us what we can do when foundations crumble.

Those around David thought that his future was so bleak. Their lives only were focused on the physical foundations of what was happening. They saw the wicked with their arrows ready to destroy (v. 2). They told David to flee like a bird to the mountain (v. 1). They thought the collapse of a life of normality and the destruction of life’s foundation meant it was time to just give up.  David’s response? “In the Lord I put my trust, how can you say…flee as a bird?” His words are words we need to write on our hearts when foundations are crumbling. I have put my trust in God!

Are you troubled today? Read this short psalm and meditate on it. David knew the external foundation was destroyed, but nothing really had changed. His trust was never in those external foundations, for nothing had changed.

Saul or Absalom may have ruled Israel, but God still ruled the universe! Nothing had changed. “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven” (v. 4). The Lord’s eyes saw the wicked and they had failed the heavenly test. The Lord’s eyes saw David dealing with the same tests and had David had passed the test (vs. 4-5).

Evil men had destroyed the foundation, but the Lord still had His fire and brimstone of judgment to use (v. 6). God’s certain judgment lay in their future. David had no need to be concerned.

Read this psalm again. Let your heart be like David’s. When the lives of many seemed hopeless, because of crumbling foundations, David knew that nothing had really changed. His future never depended on external foundations, but in the One who sat on His holy throne. When the innocent are murdered by ungodly men and lawless looters roam our streets, meditate on how David responded when the foundations of his life were destroyed

Read David’s final words. “For the Lord is righteous, he loves righteousness; his countenance beholds the upright” (v. 7). He alone is our foundation and that is all that matters. He is our only foundation. Anchor your faith in Him.

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Walking Daily in Peace, Comfort, and Stability

Walking Daily in Peace, Comfort, and Stability

I LOVE being a Christian! I LOVE knowing, for sure, and without a doubt, according to the Word of the living God, that because I am in Christ and walking daily in the light of His word, that my heavenly reservation is secured and protected by none other than that same almighty God Himself (Rom. 8:1; Eph. 1:1-14; 1 Ptr. 1:3-9; 1 Jn. 1:7, 5:11-13).

walking comfort

Do you comfortably walk in the truth of His Word?

I LOVE the peace, comfort, security and stability that is there for the taking for me to enjoy on a daily basis, because of His all-consuming power and consistency. As surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west – and will until the day He extinguishes it – His word and His promises are just as dependable and unchangeable (Pss. 19, 119; Hebs. 6:13-20).

And I absolutely LOVE the fact, that by abiding in His word – by seeking, studying, learning, knowing, and obeying the truth of His word – I have been set free (Jn. 8:31-32)! Free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 6:1-4, 16-18, 22-23), as well as free from the false and spiritually-fatal man-made doctrines, delusions, philosophies and perversions, that permeate today’s religious landscape (Mk. 7:5-13; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; Col. 2:6-10; 2 Ptr. 3:14-18).

For instance, there was a time before I became a Christian and began abiding in God’s word, that I thought Easter was actually a Biblically-legitimate holiday. I was completely deceived. Not only does it have nothing whatsoever to do with Christ or His resurrection in the eyes or the word of God, but it is actually the celebration of a false and pagan female fertility goddess – See https://churchofchristarticles.com/blog/administrator/the-great-easter-verse-hunt/!

Another validation of the fact that man-made ‘wisdom’ does nothing but confuse and contradict the consistent and clear-cut truth of the word of God can be seen in something as simple as this year’s calendar… Check it out: Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on what would later become designated by men as “Palm Sunday,” due to what happened when He did (Jn. 12:12). Four days later, on Thursday evening, He celebrated the Passover with His disciples before being arrested a little later on that same night and then crucified on Friday morning (or what man has come to call “Good Friday” by virtue of what God did for us all on that day). After His death some six hours later on Friday afternoon, He spent the rest of Friday, all day Saturday, and a few hours on Sunday morning before arising (on what ancient apostate Catholicism decided to try to override the celebration of the pagan fertility goddess Ishtar with, or: “Easter” Sunday).

Now take another look at your “man-made-another-mess-of-it-all” 2021 calendar. Instead of the biblical chronology of Jesus entering the city on Sunday, celebrating the Passover four days later on Thursday, and then being killed on Friday to arise on Sunday, your calendar has the Passover (which He celebrated with his disciples) happening on Saturday (March 27th) – one day prior to His even entering the city on so-called “Palm Sunday” (March 28th). And then, they have His resurrection (or what the refer to as Easter) occurring on Sunday, April fourth – some eight full days after celebrating the Passover with His disciples! How does that even work?!? Could be worse I guess. In 2016 our man-made calendars listed Passover (April 22nd) as occurring some 26 days after they had Him rising from the dead (“Easter” Sunday occurring on March 27th).

Isn’t it great not to have to try to figure that all out? Or worse yet, to have to base something as important as your eternal security on something as messed up as only human man-made wisdom can make it (1 Cor. 1:20-25)? What a blessing to know the truth which sets us free! Now, let’s all go share His truth with others so that they can be set free too! God bless!

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Religious Practice in the Bible?

Religious Practice in the Bible?

I have probably always had an inquisitive mind. I like to know how things work, why things are the way they are, and what is the evidence for it?

When I was about 15, I started asking religious questions:

Why do we have acolytes?
Why do we observe lent?
Why do we light an advent wreath?
Why do we recite the Apostles’ Creed that mentions believing in the “holy catholic church”?
Why do we say the Lord’s prayer every Sunday?
Why do we only take the Lord’s Supper once per quarter?
What exactly is a benediction?

In high school I wrote a research paper to address some of these questions, and I discovered many of the traditions were traditions “borrowed” from the Catholics. (I actually still have this paper…but given that it was written in high school, it will stay neatly “tucked away.”)

Religious evidence

Are your religious practices found in the Bible?

These initial questions led to even more questions. Oftentimes, when I asked adults why we did certain things, the answer I received was something like, “Well that’s just the way we’ve always done it” or “That’s just our tradition.” I knew these people were sincere—but I also recognized most had little or no knowledge of why they did what they did.

My journey for answers continued, because I knew “traditions” had to be based on something. Traditions don’t just arrive out of thin air. And so, I continued to dig. I wanted to know what was the origin and true meaning of these traditions. For instance, why did preachers in this denomination wear robes and stoles? What purpose did that serve? Add to this, the massive confusion I had regarding other denominations. Why so many?

Every week when I was a child we would drive past all of these various denominations, and I remember feeling this air of superiority, thinking: “Our denomination is better than theirs.” But I knew deep down I didn’t know “why.” For years, something was eating inside me—desperate for the Truth. I wanted to know why are there so many different religious groups if Jesus founded only one? (Matthew 16:18). And, if we really are all Christians, why can’t we get along?

I ended up doing another research paper in college to try and find the answer to this, only to discover most religions were founded by men who sought to change something. Where was the unity Jesus prayed for in the Bible? And why were all these different denominations doing things that are not even mentioned in the Bible?

Eventually, two things happened that forever changed my life. I discovered that God’s Word was inspired—God breathed—and therefore authoritative. I realized that “Truth” is found only in God’s Word (John 17:17). And second, I was led to a man who walked me through the book of Acts and showed me that there really is a New Testament church.

It was like having scales come off my eyes. I finally found the thing I was searching for. I had finally discovered a body of people simply observing things they read about in God’s Word. If you find yourself asking, “Why do we…,” keep asking and keep digging. Don’t accept the answer: “Well, that’s just tradition” or “That’s just the way we have always done it.” The Truth is out there, and your soul will likely not rest or feel at ease until you find it.

Oh yeah, and if I can help walk you through the book of Acts, please send me a private message. I’ll be happy to help remove your scales.

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“The Lion Shall Lay Down by the Lamb”

“The Lion Shall Lay Down by the Lamb”

In 1937, Thomas A Dorsey wrote the song, “Peace in the Valley.” It didn’t become a “hit” until 1951 when Red Foley sang it. Since that time many artists have recorded it, the most famous among which was Elvis in 1957. The song is often sung at funerals due to the comforting words offered regarding peace that allegedly waits for the deceased after death. In the song’s third stanza, there is a line about the lion laying down with the lamb, and many presume this line comes from the Bible, but it doesn’t. There is some similar imagery in the Bible, however, in Isaiah 11:6, the prophet writes, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;And a little child shall lead them.” Also, in Isaiah 65:25, he writes, “’The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,’ Says the Lord.”

lion lamb

The lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Are these verses discussing heaven? The premillennialist believes that they are discussing the time of the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. Others believe that this is discussing heaven. However, if we read the context of these passages, we will see that the verses are talking about the coming of the Messiah and His work to establish His church. In Isaiah 11:10: “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,Who shall stand as a banner to the people;For the Gentiles shall seek Him,And His resting place shall be glorious.” Where do Gentiles seek the Messiah? In the church of Christ (Romans 1:16; 16:16).

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The Nature of Worship

The Nature of Worship

It is often easy to lose sight of the very nature of worship and the result of this robs us of one of the great blessings God has for us. Before reading any more of this article stop and ask yourself, “Why do I come to worship each week?” There may be many reasons, but what is the fundamental, underlying reason you come to worship each week?

nature of worship

Where is your mind when you worship?

If you think first in terms of, “I do it because He commands me to,” perhaps you should think more about it. Did not Jesus describe those who “…draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me”? We do come to worship because He commands us, but if that is the primary reason, we are robbing ourselves of the true meaning of worship. Think about the following verses and my comments about them.

Psalm 100:2: “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.” Notice how godly men came to worship realizing that this was the place, above all others, where we are “in His presence.” We come with gladness and praise before Him. In worship we are truly in His presence.

Psalm 95:2: “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” Notice the plural pronouns in this verse. It is not a private time of praise David had in mind. It was “us” who came before Him in His presence. The next verse sheds even more reasons as to why we come to worship. “For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods.” We should stand in awe that this great God would so graciously allow sinful men to come into His presence.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2: “Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools…let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.” Every aspect of worship is important, but in most acts we are actively involved. However, God designed worship as a time when by preaching He would speak to us! We are in His presence and should come motivated to hear His words.

Psalm 100:1-4: “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name.”

Worship is not just “making a payment” on a heavenly insurance policy. We do not come just to obey Him. Worship comes from hearts which long to praise Him in His presence.

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