A Shield About Me: A Study on Christian Joy - Amy Lawrence

Suffering is a frequently introduced topic by those that argue God does not exist. It is presented as an infallible proof that no loving God would allow His creation to suffer. Although there is ample evidence that God does truly exist, I will not be using this article to present said evidence. (There are many literary works that do present the evidence of God’s existence, the main being of course scripture.) I want this article to present the reasons why we as Christians follow Christ, even through suffering.

I would first like to set a foundation. Any structure needs a strong foundation or it will not stand. The concrete we will be working with is the mind. The human mind is a frequent subject in scripture. It is the birthplace of decision that leads to action and is presented in scripture as a battlefield between good and evil, Rom. 7:23. It is the seat of emotions and the internal place where everything external is perceived. The health of the mind determines how that external is processed and what kind of person it produces. According to scripture, a healthy mind is capable of seeing things for what they are or aren’t, discerning properly between what is good and what is evil according to scripture, and matching their person to the pattern of good, Ecc. 2:26, Heb. 5:14. Here and only here is where joy can begin.

So…what is joy? ‘Joy’ is a noun, a thing. The verb of joy is ‘rejoice’ - the action that is produced from the thing. But how can joy be a thing? It has no mass, no structure, no weight. It is not constrained by time, space, or matter…but we’ve all seen it and felt it. I could define it using a massive Oxford English Dictionary, but that is the definition by the world’s standards. How does the Bible describe joy? For the Christian, joy is a fruit. One of nine, to be exact, Gal. 5:22. I call it the Spirit’s Fruit Basket. Anyone who eats these spiritual fruits on a daily basis can enjoy the nutritional value they offer; freedom from sin, Gal. 5:1. Here’s the thing, though…you can’t have just joy. There are eight other fruits. If you want joy, you must also have love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. These are all things that start in the brain and manifest themselves in behavior, giving us the tools to defeat the Devil. Not all are interested in defeating Satan, though. This same chapter also gives the alternate, or as I like to call it, the recipe for Satan’s Selfish Soup, Gal. 5:19-21. Warning: each spoonful decreases any chance of getting into the Kingdom of God, the place where joy is found, vs. 21.

Joy has many superpowers, but one in particular makes it incredibly appealing to every Christian. Read James 1:2-3 and Matt. 5:11-12. Yes, you read it correctly: joy IN suffering. No, we are not happy to be suffering, but joy is not the same as happiness. Biblical joy is a contentment that can endure anything - ANYTHING - because we know what’s on the other side, Ps. 30:5, Jn. 16:21-22. So many confuse Christian joy with happiness, but let me tell you the difference; happiness is not nearly as strong as joy, because joy is tempered. It is a steel that is made only by fire. It cannot be bent, it cannot be broken, because it is forged in persecution and rests on the promises of God and our fellowship with each other, Phil. 1:1-7. Joy is also not something that comes and goes. If you have it, true joy holds its position. It is often accompanied by other emotions, but such emotions are either driven away by joy or are amplified by joy. Why wouldn’t anyone want that?

A great number of people seek this joy. Unfortunately, only few find it…because the majority is either looking for it in all the wrong places or cannot bring themselves to do the things required in order to have this joy. They seek happiness in worldly selfish ambitions, but they find over time that everything gained in this world can and will be taken away, Ecc. 5:9-16. Christians find the joy that cannot be taken away, Jn. 16:22, by walking the difficult path and living a life pleasing to God. Now, the question is, why? Why did I call joy a shield? Why do Christians deny ourselves in this life the things that the world calls good but God calls evil? Why does the world see us as wasting this life by disallowing ourselves to indulge in things that they are sure will bring anyone pleasure? Why do we choose suffering now? Christians follow God. If God says it is good for us or bad for us, we believe Him. We have been educated by God. In this, we know there are two paths and know what is at the end of both paths. One leads to an eternal life of nothing but good things, the other leads to an eternity of nothing but suffering. One is constructed by God, the other by Satan, Mt. 7:13-14. We choose suffering now because we know that we are on the right path and it leads to a place where suffering ends, Heb. 11:24-26. It’s a “no-brainer”, but I have had countless conversations with various people, even some of my own family and friends, about WHY. They hold on so tightly to this life that they can’t see the importance of preparing for the next life, Mt. 25:1-13. I’ve tried both paths. I have found the joy of which I speak, and it is a joy that I’ve never found in anything this world has to offer. I will not give it up. FOR ANYTHING. Have you ever had a joy this strong? I can say with certainty that if everything I love were taken from me right now, this very moment, I would have temporary sorrow but still eternal joy - a shield that protects everyone who stands behind it and knows its strength. It’s the joy worth sharing. I can’t share it with you if you don’t want it. It will not be forced upon you. Your mind has to make a decision, 1 Kings 18:21.

Does this mean I can’t invest in anything in this life? No! I invest in people! I want as many souls as I can reach to enjoy what I myself have found! I want them to start looking in the right places if they haven’t already. “How do you know what the right place is, Amy?” I’m standing in it, the place where I found it, along with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is the church, the ark of salvation, Acts 2:47. Invest in the church. It is the only investment that yields a joy that cannot be taken from you.

"A Study on Character Based Appearance" - Amy Lawrence

Modesty

A Study on Character-Based Appearance

There are so many methods that we use to communicate. Did you know that only 7% of human conversation uses words? 37% is in our tone of voice, but 55% of our communication is in our body language. That’s more than half ! How we sit or stand, how we use our hands or the expressions upon our faces - these all communicate to others, right down to even the clothes we wear. What many do not know is that there are outward behaviors that indicate inward ideals - and they show, whether we want them to or not.

Why is it important to understand how we communicate ourselves to others? Imagine with me a woman getting ready for an interview for a job. The interview is at 8:00am. She will be trying out for the position of sous chef at the finest restaurant in New Orleans. At 8:03am, into the restaurant walks a woman dressed in rags; filthy jeans with holes in the knees, a shirt 2 times too big with dirt stains in the shape of hands on the front, shoes that are caked in mud, and grime under every fingernail. Her hair is matted, covered in flecks of mud and debris, and she is nonchalantly chewing on the end of a straw. Everyone in the restaurant takes their turn staring at her as she saunters toward the kitchen. She passes the kitchen staff as she moves toward the head chef ’s office, sending a sideways grin and wink to every face she sees. She stops when she reaches the head chef, plucks the straw from her teeth, and announces that she is here to apply for the job of sous chef. The head chef waits for an explanation for what he sees. When he doesn’t receive one, he requests one. The woman gives him a nonplussed expression and shrugs her shoulders.

The head chef then turns somber, demanding in a heavy French accent that she leave immediately. She goes, but not before she bellows how much they are ignoring her talents simply because of her appearance and they are going to regret not hiring her. Now…why would this

scenario invoke such a reaction from each individual? And what does this have to do with modesty? It all begins and ends with respect.

When you study the Bible, you’ll see that there is a thread that stretches from Genesis to Revelation: respect God. (It is frequently worded as “fear of the LORD”. Ps. 34:11-16 instructs us in how to learn this respect.) One cannot be a successful child of God without respect for the sovereignty and authority that belongs only to God, Is. 40:21-31. Job uses “fear of the LORD” and “wisdom” synonymously in Job 28:12-28. One that has a healthy relationship of love and respect for God will obey His commandments, Jn. 14:21, and this falls within the definition of wisdom, Ps. 111:10. One of these commandments is that we love one another, Jn. 15:12. This love has to be the same love that Jesus gave us, vs. 13. It is a sacrificial love, Rom. 15:1-3, Phil. 2:3-4. In our love and respect toward one another, there will be times that sacrifice will be asked of us in order to maintain that love and respect. This is where our Christ-like behavior comes into play. Even though He was equal to God, Christ subjected Himself to God for the purpose of saving us to the point of being the sacrifice for us, Phil. 2:5-8. When we learn to have respect for God, this in turn teaches us to have respect for each other as His children.

Respect for fellow humans is incredibly important in any societal structure. The more a generation migrates toward a disregard for respecting one another, the more that society begins to degrade and destroy itself. I gave the scenario earlier to show two perspectives of the same situation. One side respected the other, one side did not. Can you figure out which was which? The head chef was on time to the interview, dressed in the proper attire and ready to begin work. In his respect for both those he works with and anyone interviewing for the position, he made it clear with his clothing and punctuality that he respected both them and the responsibility he’d been given to find a suitable sous chef. He portrayed this message in his appearance and his behavior, as did every other worker in the kitchen. We as Christians are commanded to be in subject to one another, 1 Pet. 5:5. We should have the checks and balances necessary in our relationships with fellow Christians to keep us on the straight and narrow path…but this only works when we respect one another. This means we put forth the effort to see and meet the needs of one another - things that we should both give and get - in love, Eph. 4:11-15. This is how we grow, vs. 13. Now, let’s tie this into modesty.

Modesty is defined as 1.) behavior, manner, or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency, 2.) the quality or state of being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one’s abilities, and 3.) moderate, limited, or small in amount, rate, or level.

There are unspoken rules that are understood by those within any community that determine whether something is proper or improper, decent or indecent. To illustrate, it would be improper for an employee of Sea World to show up for work carrying a fishing pole. It would be indecent for a man or woman to walk into Walmart without their pants. It is proper for anyone to clean up a mess they’ve made, it is decent to respect anyone’s personal space. Humility is also defined as an aspect of modesty, and so it goes without saying that a person that is immodest is also a person that lacks humility (either simply in that moment or as a regular habit). Let’s apply this to our scenario. The woman showed her disrespect for everyone in the restaurant by not being properly prepared for the interview and not offering an explanation as to why she wasn’t. It is sensible to assume that no one would want this woman to serve food that she had cooked, risking ingesting whatever was under her fingernails. Upon seeing her, is it likely the patrons felt that not only would they not be returning, but they would advise others not to visit the restaurant. Based on this woman’s appearance, the quality of the head chef ’s work would fall into question by the patrons if he had hired her. These are all basic proprieties that should be considered by everyone in a community. Our appearance and behavior do not just affect us alone. They affect everyone around us. Humility is required for anyone that is part of a community to understand that they are a part of the whole. The head chef and kitchen staff work as a team, and in seeking a sous chef, they were looking for someone who was both able and willing to commit to teamwork. Any good chef knows that it doesn’t matter how great he is if he has no kitchen staff to help him. The kitchen staff knows that without the head chef, there is no one to lead them and teach them. Both sides must humble themselves in order to work well together. The head chef could see the outward expression of the woman’s disdain for order, cleanliness, punctuality, and humility - all of which are required to function within a community. She was, by definition, immodest.

Now, let’s apply this to the church, a community of Christians. First, we must realize that a standard has already been established; God is the One that decides what is morally proper/ decent and what is not, because the church belongs to Him, Acts 20:28. He makes the rules, 1 Cor. 14:37. It is also important to understand that the church does not stop being the church

outside of the church building. We are the church every day, every where. We must also remember why we are the church. We’re ambassadors for Christ! (2 Cor. 5:20) Don’t forget what we signed up for when we became Christians: to be like Christ, to teach others of Christ, and to bring as many souls to Christ as we can. To do this, we have to wear the same virtues Christ wore

- humility, unselfishness, and holiness - in order to fulfill the task given to us, 1 Pet. 1:16-17. How we appear, approach, and associate with others will tell others who and what we are. When that standard remains at the forefront of every decision we make, our appearance and behavior match accordingly. A life focused on God shines with the image of Christ. We shouldn’t want the attention to be on us, but on Him.

Desire for the attention that belongs to Christ is a characteristic of Satan, Mt. 4:1-11.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen some Christians wearing an image that looks nothing like Christ. When we take our eyes off of Christ and the church, a desire to look more like the world grows stronger. Then the fight for rights instead of righteousness begins. I feel I should be specific in this area concerning the goal of Christians. We should want the attention to be on God. Those that argue that they should be allowed to wear, say, do whatever they want have forgotten what they signed up for when they were baptized. They want the same attention Satan wants, 1 Jn. 2:16. We as Christians must be careful lest pride causes us to fall into the same condemnation as that old serpent, 1 Tim. 3:16.

Let’s go through some things that fall under the description of “immodest”.

1. Clothing. This is the most commonly addressed immodesty; clothing one chooses to wear that prevents others from seeing God in the person wearing them. Although this isn’t limited to women, more frequently are women the source of such immodesty. Anything from inappropriate bathing suits to short skirts and low-cut neck lines, women like to show off skin - skin that only a husband should see. Many a tale has been told of men conducting the worship service struggling to focus because one or more females are immodestly dressed. Do these females realize what they’re doing? Worshipping God, following God every day, requires focus. They’re taking attention that belongs to God and making it their own. This doesn’t just happen during a worship service, either. Taking another Christian’s focus away from God, no matter where you are and no matter your intent, is immodest. It is not limited to just worship service. Some even have the audacity to suggest that it’s the man’s responsibility to keep himself in check. There is

   nothing more selfish than having no compassion for the struggles of others. Such disrespect for another’s spiritual health is in itself sinful, 1 Cor. 8:12. By fighting for rights instead of righteousness, the seed of disunity is sown…and Satan is always thrilled to see discord among brethren.

   Men can wear clothing that distracts from God as well. Once I remember a man serving at the Lord’s table wearing jeans with holes, a t-shirt, and flip-flops. Knowing that he owned better clothes (because I’d seen him wear better), there were multiple distractions. It was a struggle to keep my mind where it needed to be - an unnecessary struggle. The man had been inconsiderate of his fellow Christians. Yes, it could have been a situation of extenuating circumstances, but he still had the option of seeking out a properly dressed man to take his place. It wasn't done maliciously. He didn’t get dressed that morning thinking to himself, “I’m going to throw off as many trains of thought as I possibly can today.” Sins can be committed in ignorance, Heb. 9:7. Once we learn it is a sin, acknowledging it as such and trying our best to do better in the future is a mark of repentance, Lk. 15:7, 2 Cor. 7:9. We must try our best to keep others focused on God.

2. Character. First, let me make one thing clear: none of us are sinless, Rom. 3:10. We are all works in progress. Some simply refuse to progress in the pathways of God. Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Lk. 6:45) Our clothes are not our only method of communicating who we are. If you pay attention long enough, a person will tell you who they are with their words and their behavior.

   Habits are difficult if not impossible to hide. Does this mean we have to be perfect? None of us can be. We all have bad habits we wish we could shed. The difference between a modest and an immodest human is the effort one puts into shedding bad habits and into having and maintaining a character that denotes a respect for God and fellow humans. A person that has a strong respect for God is also one that has respect for others. When disrespect for others is shown, it’s a good chance they also have little to no respect for God. We are all deserving of death, and the only thing keeping us from that death is a life in Christ, Rom. 6:23. With this knowledge, it is therefore the natural desire to do what is pleasing to God. This desire is at the forefront of a reasonable mind and manifests itself in action. God alone has the answers to all the questions we would ask in seeking to be in Christ. To learn, we must submit, James 4:7-10. Submission requires humility. Love and obedience are the natural children of humility, Phil. 2:8. Righteousness, not perfection,

   is God’s expectation, and Matthew had something to say about this: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Mt. 5:6).

   Don’t be one that makes the mistake of thinking you can never change. An immodest person can become modest just as a modest person can become immodest. Both depend on the choices we make, Ezek. 33:10-16.

3. Company. “Do not be deceived. Evil company corrupts good morals.” 1 Cor. 15:33. I mentioned before about the opinion the head chef might garner had he hired the woman. Some might argue that ‘Jesus ate with publicans and sinners and so it shouldn’t matter what kind of people we let in to our circle. We shouldn’t be judged by that.’ Yes, He ate with them. He didn’t sin with them. He didn’t allow “fitting in” to direct His choices. He also had 12 apostles with Him. Thirteen are much more difficult to sway than one. When you have thirteen friends using modest behavior and wearing modest clothing, it’s a lot easier to make the decision to be modest in an immodest world. Our human nature craves to fit in, even when our more sensible spiritual mind tells us that fitting into a sinful crowd is contrary to the will of God. Anyone reading this article has experienced temptation and the pull that it has on our carnal desires. The head chef would also have been concerned with his kitchen staff. If the woman began to persuade any of his staff to stop caring about punctuality or cleanliness, the order they depended upon to continue to run a restaurant would have been compromised. In pursuing modesty, we should take care who we let into our circle.

One of the benefits of the church that is often overlooked is having brothers and sisters that love us telling us when we are getting too close to the fire, Jude 23. Every one of us needs eyes other than our own to see us so that we have the ability to see ourselves from a perspective other than just our own. It’s hard to see the big picture when you’re not the one behind the camera. We as Christians need to be open to receiving constructive criticism. The Hebrew writer describes elders as those that “watch out for your souls”, Heb. 13:17, as should every Christian toward one another, Heb. 13:1. To do this, we must be subject to one another, trust each other, and allow ourselves to be molded into Christ with one another, Gal. 6:1-10.

We will never influence the world by trying to be just like it. Be like Christ - in all things.

Praying - Amy Lawrence

Praying

A Study on Communication

Amy Lawrence

As I write this, I am thinking how unqualified I am to be discussing something I struggle with myself. Don’t get me wrong, the desire to pray is not the trouble. God’s command to pray is for our benefit, not His, Phil. 4:6-7. The struggle is remembering to talk to God without making it nothing but a check in a box. Communication - real, deep communication - is one of my shortcomings. There is only so much of myself that I let be seen. I have my reasons, but I tend to be reserved in any relationship. Rare is the person that can get me to feel comfortable enough to fully open up. I’ve built that habit in my communication with God as well. When I remember (but not as frequently as I should) that my shortcomings shouldn’t keep me from talking to God, I pray. He knows me better than anybody already. There is nothing that is hidden from Him - not even our insecurities - and He still loves us all. That knowledge makes me speak from my heart to the only One that can see the picture in my head before I utter a single word.

As we study together, my desire is that we have a better understanding of prayer that will make us see it for what God intended it to be in our lives and put that into practice. As part of the introduction to this study, let me ask some questions. Does it matter who prays? What should be the quality of our prayers? Where should we pray? How often should we pray? Is there a right or wrong way to pray? The word of God can answer.

Let’s begin with defining the idea of prayer. Before we can define what prayer is, we must first establish what prayer isn’t. It is a common belief that God is this magical force that exists only to grant our wishes. Too many don’t believe or stop believing in God because they pray and think they don’t get an answer, ignoring or dismissing the possibility that God’s answer was “no”. David prayed. God’s answer was no, 2 Sam. 12. He continued to be a servant of God. Jesus prayed. God’s answer was no, Mt. 26. He continued to the cross. Paul prayed. God’s answer was

no, 2 Cor. 12:7-10. He continued in a life of poverty, pain, and peril, 2 Cor. 11:22-29, knowing that it would in the end lead to rest, 2 Tim. 4:6-8. God is not an ATM that fulfills our selfish desires. He is our Creator and knows better than we do what we want and need. Praying is our form of communication with God. It is the avenue created by the Almighty to make our requests known to Him, Phil. 4:6. (Does this mean God doesn’t already know? Absolutely not, Mt. 6:8. He still requires we ASK, Mt. 7:7-8.) It is the method we have of thanking God for giving us what we need - and many times what we want, Col. 3:17, Phil. 4:6, and it is the place our hearts go when we are overwhelmed, Ps. 61:2, Rom. 8:26.

Does it matter who prays? Paul wrote to Timothy that only men are to pray aloud in a worship assembly, 1 Tim. 2:8. Does this mean women cannot pray at all in the assembly? We can pray in worship services - just not out loud, 1 Cor. 14:34. James wrote that the “fervent prayer of the righteous” is the most beneficial, James 5:16…but what about the unrighteous? Recorded in Proverbs 15:29, God’s ear is “far from the wicked”. Isaiah wrote that God “will not hear” the unrighteous, Is. 59:1-2. God told Jeremiah not to pray for Judah, Jeremiah 14:11-12. Why? The answer is found in verse 10. They had no desire to follow God and His commandments, therefore God refused to hear them. It matters who prays. Let’s be clear here, though. We should pray for all; including the unrighteous, that they find their way to God, 1 Tim. 2:1. What God disallowed Jeremiah to pray for (and disallows us today, 1 Jn. 5:16) was for God to forgive the sins of the unrepentant. A person that is made aware of sin and still refuses to make their life right in the sight of God is one who has made the choice to remain beyond reach, Is. 59:1-2, 1 Pet. 3:12.

What should be the quality of our prayers? The quality is as important as the quantity. In my personal experience, my prayers vary. Sometimes it is a brief prayer, Jn. 11:41-42, sometimes it is an intense hour of talking with God, Mt. 14:23-25. I talk differently in private versus leading a prayer in the ladies’ Bible class, i.e. personal details and mannerisms compared with general topics concerning the church as a whole to a public audience. It would not be appropriate for me to make a personal, individual prayer when leading others in prayer, nor should my prayers be routine and practiced to the point of robotic habit, Mt. 6:7. There are many factors to be considered in prayer. First and foremost, the condition of the heart determines if a prayer is received, Ps. 51:15-17. One that has the right kind of heart will keep God’s commandments, 1 Jn. 3:22. Respect and honor are also due the One to whom we speak, Jude 24-25. He has earned it. Emotions also play a large part in the quality of prayers, Phil. 1:3-4, Rom. 15:30, Mk.

14:32-34. My most frequent emotions are joy and thankfulness, Phil. 4:4, Col. 3:15, but there have been times when confusion, frustration, anger, and overwhelming sadness were a part of my prayers. Paul was confused, Acts 9:4-6. Moses was frustrated, Ex. 15:23-26, and angry, Num.

16:12-15. Job was overwhelmed with sadness, Job 3, as was Jesus, Lk. 22:44. What these all have in common is that they talked to God about it. We must remember that we can always talk with God…but sometimes we need help. This is a job for the Helper, Jn. 14:16. Who is this? The Holy Spirit! As Christ intercedes for us through sacrifice, Heb. 7:25-28, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us through prayer, Rom. 8:26-27, Eph. 6:18. Our prayers can be spoken with the assurance that the One listening has all the answers, Rom. 8:28.

Where should we pray? There is no wifi on the planet like prayer. We can pray from anywhere, and there is no interference or disconnection. Solomon prayed from a scaffold, 2 Chr. 6:13. Elijah sat beneath a juniper tree as he talked with God, 1 Kings 19:4. Paul and Silas lifted up prayer while in prison, Acts 16:25. Nowhere is beyond God’s ability to hear, not even our own minds, 1 Sam. 1:9-15. It is no wonder; God is everywhere, 2 Chr. 16:9, Ps. 34:15. (It is up to our good sense to know if where we are is a good place to pray out loud or not.)

How often should we pray? I will first admit that my prayers are not as frequent as they should be. On days when I am on point, I pray intermittently from the time I wake until the time I lay back down to sleep, 1 Thess. 5:17. There is no wrong time to pray and no such thing as praying too much. We must, however, be careful if we are not praying enough.

Is there a right or wrong way to pray?1 Jn. 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, he hears us…” Anything we ask of God must be in congruence with both the will of God and the laws that He has established by which we must live. One cannot pray according to God’s will if one does not know God’s will. Once there exists in Christians a knowledge of the commands and nature of God, this allows us to pray as we ought - fervently, unselfishly, and in accordance with God’s purpose, Lk. 11:1-4.

When we bare our souls to God through prayer regularly, this allows the peace Christ offers to settle in and take up residence in our hearts, Phil. 4:6-7. No such peace is found anywhere else. I hope this study has brought as much enlightenment to your prayer life as it has to mine.

Silence is Loud - Amy Lawrence

I had a friend (…and when I say friend, I mean my wonderful, loving mother…) request that I write an article on the silence of scripture. It is important to discuss such matters, and anyone who is striving to be pleasing to God knows the necessity of studying and understanding these principles. There are still many today, some closer than others, that do not have an understanding of scripture - where it speaks, and where it doesn’t speak. This doesn’t have to be permanent. A study of scripture under the right circumstances can garner a stronger knowledge of what God’s will truly is.

Some, however, lack an understanding even after studying. They cannot see what is there and have a tendency of inventing things that are not there. Paul the apostle describes those that would “twist” the scripture, “to their own destruction”, 2 Pet. 3:16, “…always learning but never to able to come to the Truth”, 2 Tim. 3:1-7. Some of these also try to teach their twisted versions of scripture, 2 Tim. 4:3-4. One of these twisted teachings is presented in the idea that when God is “silent”, He has given us an open door. Please allow me to illustrate the idea; my daughter and I frequent Walmart. Sometimes I wait in the car and send her in to get one or two items. Let’s say I hand her a $20 bill and say, “Please, get me a 2-liter of Pepsi and a single-serving bag of Planter’s peanuts.” My daughter understands the Law of Silence. She knows that she has been asked to get those two items and nothing more. Even though she has another $16.83 in her possession, she knows. Those that argue against this scriptural principle hold to the idea that if my daughter came back to the car with my two items in one arm and more items of her choosing in the other arm, giving me only $0.32 back, she has done nothing wrong because I didn’t say, “Don’t get chapstick, a Snickers bar, nail polish, new shoestrings, a beach towel, or sunscreen.” They feel they should be allowed to go beyond the silence. However, their argument is often dropped when the silence works in their favor. I may ask my daughter to empty the dishwasher. Because I didn’t ask her to also fold a load of laundry and clean the bathroom, they are quick to defend the Law of Silence.

There are many factors to be considered when gaining an understanding of principles such as this and how/when/where it applies. It requires logical reason, study, subsequent knowledge, and hopefully as an end result, wisdom. In this article, I hope to discuss the matter so that we have a stronger knowledge of God’s Word and our part in His will.

The first thing that must be addressed in any such subject of behavior is the heart and its current condition. Understanding of topics such as the Law of Silence will primarily depend on the level of a person’s selfishness. I use the term “level” because we are all human. We all have some degree of selfishness in us. If we didn’t, we would never sin, James 1:14. It is a part of us that we must defeat on a daily basis, Rom. 7:18. The goal of every Christian should be that they strive to be pleasing to God. As unfortunate as it is, not every Christian has that goal. Selfishness often wins. What determines the battle is the soil on which it is fought. Not all hearts have the right soil. Only in an honest heart that has good soil can the Word of God grow and produce fruit, Lk. 8:1-15. There are 2 types of Bible readers: the ones that read to change God’s word and the ones that read so that God’s word can change them. The only one that can be righteous in God’s sight is the one that sacrifices themselves to the change only God’s word can bring about, Rom. 1:16-17;10:1-3;12:1-2.

Secondly, there are indeed many subjects in scripture that are difficult to understand. There is a prerequisite in any gaining of knowledge. One must begin by learning the basics. The writer of Hebrews addressed an issue the Hebrews had; they had not only neglected to grow in knowledge but had done so for so long that they actually had to be retaught the basics, Heb. 5:11-15. The writer reprimanded them because they had so much time and opportunity to grow in knowledge that they should have been able to not only understand the tough concepts, vs. 11, but should have been able to teach them, vs. 12. There are fundamental truths that one must learn before one can move on to heavier matters.

The best place to start is in the beginning. One of the basics of the Law of Silence came about in the very first giving of the very first law. Adam and Eve were told that they could eat of every tree in the garden…except one, Gen. 2:16-17;3:2-3. Satan used the silence of God to convince Eve to sin. God never gave Eve an explanation of the law, and He didn’t have to. He’s God. He doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. He gave but one rule, Gen. 3:3. He expected it to be followed. Satan used this opportunity to tempt Eve by “filling in the blanks” and creating a scenario; one that depicted God as an uninformative, stingy power hog and knowing the difference between good and evil as a thing to be coveted, Gen. 3:5. The Devil’s finger was pointing at God’s silence and planted the seed of distrust into Eve. The first rule of the Law of Silence is trust. To follow God means to trust Him, to know that even though God doesn’t give us details about where we’re going, He is holding our hand and leading us to where He has already been, Heb. 13:5. This is a trust Abram had. When Abram met God, he was asked to leave his country, his people, his family and go to a place that God didn’t even name, Gen. 12:1. A covenant was struck between God and now Abraham, the father of many nations, Gen. 17:1-5. Later, without any explanation, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice the son He promised to Abraham, Gen. 17:19; 22:1-19. He obeyed. Even though he made mistakes as all humans do, his eyes were on God - Who later calls Abraham His friend, James 2:23…because he believed God with limited information and without question.

Another tenet of the Law of Silence is authority. God set boundaries to His Word. In the books of Deuteronomy, Proverbs, and Revelation, warnings are recorded for anyone who dares go beyond the boundaries God has set, Deut. 18:18-22, Prov. 30:6. John details the punishment, Rev. 22:18-19. Paul, when addressing the Corinthians, discusses the responsibilities of a steward in the house of God in 1 Cor. 4. Notice what he uses as the standard in verse 6: scripture. Paul examples himself and Apollos as physical illustrations of the humility that is required to keep from going “beyond what is written”. It is a natural inclination for humans in lofty positions to let it go to their head. God’s word keeps us in check - if used properly. Adding to or taking away denotes: 1.) A lack of trust that God gave us everything we need to know, and 2.) An arrogance that defies the fact that no human is qualified to add to or take away from scripture.

God’s will is only available to us today in its written form, 2 Tim. 3:16-17. Reading comprehension is also a must as a building block for understanding scriptural principles. Philip’s question to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 is a good example of the importance of this skill. He asked the eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?”, vs. 30. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that there were many that still didn’t understand that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies because their “veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament”, 2 Cor. 3:14. They didn’t understand what they were reading! When contending with the lawyer in Luke 10, Jesus didn’t just give him the answers he sought. Instead, He placed the burden of proof upon the lawyer, asking him the questions, “What is written? What is your reading of it?” in verse 26. The word for “reading” is the Greek word ἀναγινώσκω which is defined as: “to gather exact knowledge of, recognize, discern; especially, to read” (Mounce Greek Dictionary). Reading and comprehending. This lawyer answered the question in verse 27, but Jesus confirmed that the lawyer was correct, vs. 28. That little detail is important. Because Jesus said he had answered correctly, this introduced by default that the lawyer was also capable of answering incorrectly. Who determines whether or not a person’s understanding of scripture is the right interpretation or the wrong interpretation? That responsibility falls to the One Who wrote it, 2 Pet. 1:19-21.

Now, let’s tie all of this into the Law of Silence. We must establish a certainty first; the Almighty Creator needs nothing from us, Acts 17:25. It is we that need Him. David, during his reign as king of Judah, saw that he enjoyed the comforts of his own home but felt ashamed that he hadn’t built a house for God. He began making plans to do so, 2 Sam. 7:1-2. He told this to Nathan the prophet. Nathan returned to David with a message from God. In a nutshell, God told David, “I didn’t ask you to build Me a house.”, vss. 5-7. This makes it clear to readers that when God wants something, He’ll ask for it. If He doesn’t ask for it, He doesn’t want it. This concept is applicable in several passages. The writer of Hebrews used the phrase “spoke nothing” in Heb. 7:14, further standardizing God’s silence as an absence of permission and not an open door. When the children of Israel sacrificed their children to the Ammonite god Molech, Jeremiah recorded God’s words: “…I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind.”, Jer. 19:5. Nadab and Abihu offered a type of fire before God which He “commanded them not.”, Lev. 10:1. One can see the seriousness of God’s silence in these passages.

There are several New Testament commands that are followed with silence. When Christ established the Lord’s Supper during the Passover Feast, He used fruit of the vine and unleavened bread, Mt. 26:26-30. As far as I have observed, no church I’ve visited has used pizza as the bread and cantelope juice as the fruit of the vine. This is one silence that has never been contested…but there is one that has been deeply contested: “sing.” Both the Ephesian letter and the Colossian letter make singing a part of worship, Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16. No other form of music is mentioned in the New Testament in reference to worship. God’s silence on the matter makes singing and only singing the form of music God requested in worship to Him.

There is another “twist” to the false teaching concerning the silence of God. Some contend that if scripture doesn’t record the punishment for a particular person’s action, then that action is not sin and therefore permissible. Scripture was “silent” when Rahab told her lie, Josh. 2:3-6. Because scripture does not record whether or not she was reprimanded/punished for her lie, there are those that argue lying is allowed under particular circumstances. Before I counter that notion, let me point out two very important aspects of God. 1.) God is no respecter of persons. He is not partial, Rom. 2:11, and He commands that we neither be partial, 1 Tim. 5:21. Lying is a sin that comes with a punishment, Rev. 21:8. Rahab will suffer the consequences of lying just as anyone else will. 2.) God cannot lie, Titus 1:2. This is one of many things that make God the Almighty and what marks the difference between God and Satan. Lies are a tool in Satan’s arsenal, Jn. 8:44, and to suggest that God would allow us to use Satan’s resources and still call us righteous is ludicrous. One must also look at scripture as one continuous document. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, the journey of the children of God through this world is recorded. In this journey, the Lawmaker is God. He is the only One that has the power to establish and take away, to make any changes to His law. If anywhere in this journey a law is established that lying is sin, unless it is changed or taken away by God, it remains law everywhere in scripture. Lying is called sin throughout both the Old Testament and New, Prov. 6:16-19, Col. 3:9, Rev. 21:8. This law cannot be dismissed using this context any more than the sin of Rahab’s harlotry can be dismissed simply because the reprimand/punishment is not included in the account.

Are there exceptions? Before this can be discussed, we first have to define a couple of things: closed commands and open commands. I’m going to use my daughter as an example (she just loves when I do this). If I tell her to “go” to “the store” and do not specify how and where, it is an open command. She can choose whether to go by foot, by bicycle, by hang-glider, her choice. She can prefer Kroger over Walmart. If I tell her to take my car and go to Walmart, I’ve given her a closed command. Her mode of transportation is limited to my car. I’ve also limited her destination. Jesus gave His disciples an open command in how they may “go” when He committed to them the task of spreading the gospel, Mt. 28:19-20. He gave a closed command in what could be used to represent His flesh and His blood as a remembrance every week, 1 Cor. 11:23-25. To say there are exceptions usually involves Christian everyday living. Nowhere in scripture is it recorded whether or not I am allowed to brush my teeth twice a day or what toothpaste I can or cannot use. If to do this I would be required to steal toothpaste or toothbrush, then it would fall under the purview of scripture. I don’t have to steal my toothpaste or toothbrush. Therefore, brushing my teeth is a choice God has given completely to me. Some bring this into a worship setting, such as what color the carpet should be inside a building erected specifically for worship service. Nowhere in scripture will you find precedence for the color of carpet. Neither will you find precedence for a church building at all. The first century church met in homes, upper rooms, at riversides, a variation of settings that housed a congregation of the Lord’s church. Open command. The requirement of meeting every Sunday - closed command, Acts 2:1;20:7, 1 Cor. 11:20;16:1-2. “Exceptions” within scripture are usually either undefined or created by those that have a selfish desire to have what they shouldn’t even want.

It’s easy to obey when we love the One we obey. We as humans are naturally selfish creatures, Rom. 7:4-5. John categorizes sin under three different categories; lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or pride of life, 1 Jn. 11:15-17. All three are rooted in pleasing ourselves. But when we trust our heart to God, we spend our efforts doing what is pleasing to Him. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s difficult. Always it’s His will - not ours. When we follow our own will, it takes us on dangerous paths that are away from God. This is where the silence comes in handy. It’s simple to understand, really. The Christian road is flanked by darkness. God’s road signs are our guide to keeping us in the light, 1 Jn. 1:7. Putting signs where God has not will get us lost. “Beware of false knowledge. It is more dangerous than ignorance.” -George Bernard Shaw

The Company You Keep - Amy Lawrence

The Company You Keep

A Study on Fellowship of the Saints

In psychology, it is known as the Chameleon Effect; the human tendency to mimic those around us spontaneously. I wanted to be part of the group, the “cool” kids’ circle. To be regarded as worth knowing like they were was, to me, worth sacrificing the pieces of myself that were keeping me out of that social circle. Margaret Mitchell once wrote, “It’s hard to salvage jettisoned cargo and, if it is retrieved, it’s usually irreparably damaged. And I fear that when you can afford to fish up the honor and virtue and kindness you’ve thrown overboard, you’ll find they have suffered a sea change and not, I fear, into something rich and strange. ” There are some pieces of ourselves that should be discarded, but I have found that when trying to fit in, I am usually discarding the pieces I need to hang on to in order to be successfully good in the future and hanging on to the pieces that keep me from that future. I turned into this person that fits in, but at what price?

We are social creatures. God created us as such. We seek connection, no matter who we are. I’d like to say there are set rules to how we seek out others, but as it goes, both sameness and opposite attracts. We change in accordance with our social circle because once we find our circle, we make every attempt to become and remain a part of it. Not all change is bad. Changes that we make to our personality and behavior that are in a progressive direction to being a better person are good. Some circles promote this good. Consider the church. One of the vital attributes of the church is the good it cultivates in us, the love that we have for the attitude and behavior that is taught in God’s word - a connection we have together as God’s people. We all conform to the same source of righteousness, the only source that is righteousness: the Word of God, Rom. 1:16-17. That’s unity. Anyone wishing to be a part of the church of Christ will do the things that bring them into the family of Christ. Nothing can be more worth time and effort than this because we will not find a better group of people to which we can belong. This power of unity between God’s people is shown throughout scripture. Solomon wrote, “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecc. 4:12) Paul wrote, “Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (Phil. 2:2) The church is a united group of people that build each other up, support one another, bear one another’s burdens, keep each other on the straight and narrow. We do this by conforming ourselves to God’s word, Rom. 12:1-2.

Not all changes we make to fit in are good, though. We know the old adage “Be careful of the company you keep.” When I was in high school, I spent a great deal of quality time with other teenagers that encouraged bad behavior. Instead of being the example of good behavior among them, I became as they were - to my deep regret. There were many things I refused to do, but there were also many things I participated in that made me just as guilty. James wrote, “Whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10) We have this habit of thinking we aren’t as bad as others because we don’t do all the bad things they do. We forget that we are all sinners, Rom. 3:23. The problem, though, isn’t just in the actions themselves. An action starts as a thought, Gen. 6:5. I came to realize their way of thinking became my way of thinking and I was undoubtedly one of them. I had allowed myself to become a person Satan was proud to see. When we allow Satan to win our mind, we become a tool in his hands, Lk. 22:31-32; 54-62 (Peter), Lk. 22:1-6, Jn. 13:2 (Judas), 2 Tim. 2:22-26 (Christians). It’s much easier to convince ourselves to choose the Devil when everyone around us is choosing him. Yes, Jesus sat with sinners. He didn’t sin with sinners. And the thing is, we’re not Jesus, Heb. 4:14-15. Does that mean we cannot spend time with anyone outside of the church? No, but we’ve got to be smart about it. If you’ll notice, Jesus and His apostles sat with the tax collectors and sinners, Mt. 9:10, Mk. 2:15. A group of good Christians fighting the Devil is less susceptible than a lone Christian. We are still required to try and reach the lost, Mk. 2:17, Mt. 28:19-20, and we cannot do that unless we go to the lost.

There will be situations, however, when we will find ourselves a lonely sheep among wolves. We will feel pressure to fit in, just for the sake of not being the only one in the crowd not following the crowd. God promises He will never leave us nor forsake us, Heb. 13:5, and so we are never really alone. Consider the position David was in when he faced Goliath. David was a boy having to lift his chin to look into the eyes of this giant he was about to kill, by himself. But was David by himself ? Remember the words of David when you face the Devil, 1 Sam. 17:45-47.

Grouping together as Christians is the better option, for many reasons. The Hebrew writer tells us that fellowship with the saints stirs up love and good works, Heb. 10:24-25. There is also strength in numbers, Ecc. 4:9-12. We’re less likely to be devoured as a group, 1 Pet. 5:8. But what if a congregation of God’s people is just as corrupt as the fellowship the world offers? Jesus addressed this problem with the Pharisees, Jn.

12:42-43, and Paul with the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11:17-19. Five of the seven churches of Asia received rebuke and warning from Christ, Rev. 2-3. All of the above had to be told where the problem was; each problem was rooted in a stepping away from God’s word. Some made the necessary changes. Some did not. Doing things our way instead of God’s way breeds all sorts of issues, and it certainly doesn’t stir up love and good works. Instead, it stirs up strife, envy, hatred, dishonesty, covetousness, and such like, Gal. 5:13-26. Just as poison is to the human body, so is selfishness to the body of Christ. The antidote? “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Read Philippians 2. We must think selflessly, just as Christ did. If you’re going to be part of a group of people, let it be those that build one another up - not tear one another down. Congregations that look to the Word of God can return to being a congregation of brethren and not one of enemies. There is a love that should exist between fellow Christians that begins and ends with God, Phil. 2:1-4. When we have a love for one another that is God-approved, a selfless love, the church can work as God intended.

Those of us that are Christians sometimes forget that the outside world doesn’t know what we know about the church. The church is home. (Many times in scripture, the church actually met in someone’s house, Acts 16:40, Rom. 16:3-5.) It is a place we can go to be with like- minded people that say and do things that do not make us feel we have to always be on our guard against sin. We, as a family, meet several times a week, primarily on the first day of the week, Acts 20:7. Our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ are like no other. We all have the same love for God, His law, and each other, Jn. 13:35. This is one of many reasons why we share the good news about the church. It’s because you will not find a circle like this anywhere else. We take care of each other, Phil. 2:4, Gal. 6:9-10. We keep each other in check, Gal. 6:1, James

5:19-20. We understand that there is an order to things, and when it’s God’s order, there is none better, Rom. 11:33-36, 1 Cor. 1:25;14:33,40. It is a sad state of affairs when one of our own forsakes the assembly. We want as many as possible to become a part of the church, 1

Tim. 2:1-4, but it is both dismaying and discouraging to see someone who is already a part of the church choose the cares and desires of this life over gathering with the saints. Well, Amy, you can’t judge a person’s heart on whether or not they are at services, you might say. You are correct. Only God and you can know your heart, 1 Sam 16:7. But what about actions? Can we judge those? Paul wrote that Christians will “judge the world”, 1 Cor. 6:2. When Christ taught in the temple, He said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement.” (Jn. 7:24) There is a right way to judge and a wrong way to judge. Jesus, in His sermon on the mount, told His audience that “by their fruits” you can know a person, Mt. 7:16-20.

So let’s talk about some of those fruits…

Yes, there will be times and circumstances that will disallow some to be at every service. From illness to car trouble, life is unpredictable. There have been moments I have seen certain actions and mistook those actions for intentional forsaking of fellowship only to find I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if I had just asked, Mt. 18:15. Caring for a loved one at home. Lack of transportation. The necessity of a job on Sunday mornings to put food on the table. So many honest reasons can impede one’s ability to meet with the saints every service. (This is one reason why most congregations I have worshipped with have more than one service on Sundays.) I have learned to ask, Mt. 7:7. We are also commanded to bear with one another, Rom. 15:1, and be gentle with one another, Phil. 4:5. Jumping to the conclusion that anyone who misses services is doing so for sinful purposes denotes a lack of trust in one another. Our approach should be “innocent until proven guilty”. Once the truth of the matter is found, what is to be done if they are actually forsaking the assembly for reasons that are not honest reasons? Some stay home for worship services because they fear getting sick - but are seen at stores, restaurants, and such like where they are just as (if not more) likely to get sick. Staying out of church because you’re sick but showing up to work the next day begs the question, why too sick for God but not too sick for work? Some consider that a vacation from work includes a vacation from God. What if God took a vacation from us? That is frightful just in imagination. Some stay up late on Saturday night playing video games or in some other fun activity and decide they’d rather sleep in than go to morning services. It’s “too early” for their liking and they only attend evening services. They prioritize fun over God. Yes, many of us have to get up very early in the mornings, but is skipping the last fifteen minutes of service on Sunday or Wednesday night really making a difference in how your Monday or Thursday goes? Trading a chance to spend quality time with Christians for convenience, bad planning, or personal frivolities is not a fair trade. If you prefer these over fellowship, then you won’t like Heaven. We can talk all day long about those that can’t be at worship but want to be so badly and those that can find every excuse not to gather with the saints. Do you know what it does to Christian morale when those that call themselves one of us would rather be elsewhere than with us? I’ve seen first-hand people that are so tired from working two jobs to provide for their family that they can barely hold their song book to read the lyrics - and still show up every time the church building doors are open, because they love seeing their brethren and worshipping God. I’ve also seen people that would rather travel hours and sit in the cold to be at a football game than be at services in a climate-controlled building five minutes down the road. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Mt. 6:21) It’s all about what we rate as important. Too many put God at the bottom of their list. His name is what gets discarded when their list runs out of room. For Christians, God isn’t just at the top of our list. He’s the paper upon which our list is written. Let’s also remember what the Bible has to say about it. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all

your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mk. 12:30) Those that have a heart that wants to please God because that heart loves God will make every effort to do the things that God commands. He commands fellowship, Heb. 10:19-25. He does that for US. We are bombarded by Satan so much throughout the week, we should look forward to each time we can meet with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to be reminded that this life is not the permanent one and that these are the people with whom we will share Heaven. Don’t forget Who will decide whether or not Heaven is our home, Mt. 10:32-33. He will know who decided to be at the assembly and who decided to be at the Super Bowl. We as brothers and sisters in Christ are responsible for keeping one another in mind of how important it is for us to stick together. We must also do so according to scripture, Mt. 18:15-17. The way we handle things is just as important as the why we handle things. We are commanded to “speak with grace, seasoned with salt” when we talk with each other, Col. 4:6. Remember Abraham’s words to his nephew, Lot: “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.” (Gen. 13:8) We as Christians represent Christ; we are ambassadors of the Kingdom known as the church, 2 Cor. 5:20. To be a faithful ambassador, Prov. 13:17, we must give an accurate representation of Christ. When we handle tough situations between brethren as Christ would, delicately and in love, then we are being faithful ambassadors, 1 Jn. 2:10. Our words can plant gardens or burn down forests. Only one of those options will benefit the church. “Be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” (James 1:19).

It matters those whom you let in as your circle. We feed off of each other; some symbiotically, others carnivorously. In many, many circles, selfish ambition is what matters. People that are willing to use others as stepping stones seek out such groups. They put their own success above all else. There are also circles that seek out the success of the circle itself at any cost. Cliques will include only those that fit. In this, they give up the ability to benefit from diversity. Without diversity, they cannot accomplish anything outside their limited spectrum of talents. Then you have a collection of individuals that are morally united and dedicated to helping each other. Now look at the church: millions of people with different backgrounds, experiences, and talents, selflessly dedicating themselves to helping one another reach Heaven and spreading the gospel of Christ to the world as a successful, peaceful assembly of humans. When you have this unity, there is peace - but this peace isn’t just the absence of conflict. It is also the presence of justice. We are the children of the mighty, loving, just, ubiquitous God, 1 Jn. 3:1, Nahum 1:3. He has set the standard, Mt. 7:21. As long as we follow that standard, we are and will remain the faithful church Christ established, 2 Tim. 2:24-26. Stepping away from that standard, however, comes with dire consequences, 2 Thess. 1:5-6.

There are congregations of the Lord’s church that have all the types of circles. When an outsider becomes interested in knowing more about the church, do we present the church for which Christ died, or do we show them a man-made cluster of divided people? If the latter, we will answer for scaring away prospective Christians, or worse, leading the lost down an even more lost path. “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mt. 18:6)

This world is full of souls - some found, but most lost. We as the church are to be a beacon, Mt. 5:14-16, guiding the lost. The more sparks we add to the light, the brighter the beam. If you are looking for a place to belong, I can tell you of the kingdom that surpasses the abilities of mankind to fulfill the need to a part of something magnificent. It is so precious, it was bought with blood, Acts 20:28. Its King is unbeatable, 1 Tim. 1:17. The bond between the members of this kingdom is forged in love, Jn. 13:35. You won’t find Easy Street in this kingdom - at least not while it’s here on Earth, 1 Cor. 15:58, 2 Cor. 5:9, 2 Tim. 3:12, but many hands make light work, Ecc. 4:9, and the reward is beyond words, 2 Cor. 12:1-4, Mt. 11:28-30. I invite you to come and be a part of the fellowship with the saints at any faithful congregation of the church of Christ. I will leave you with the words of Christ: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

An Unhealthy Home - Amy Lawrence

An Unhealthy Home

In order to come to an understanding of what constitutes an unhealthy home, we must first define a healthy one. God describes the tools needed to establish a healthy home in Ephesians chapters 5-6; how husband and wife should behave toward one another, how children should behave toward parents, and how parents should behave toward children. In Jeremiah chapter 35, Jeremiah tells us of a family known as the Rechabites. God contrasts the disobedience of Judah to the obedience of the sons of Jonadab. Jonadab had taught his sons how to respect authority and be obedient, whether it be toward him or God. God commends Jonadab and his sons, concluding that his household will always have a man that will stand before God. Abraham was given the same commendation (Gen. 18:19). We see in this a healthy home. 

An unhealthy home is created when those in the home do not follow the instructions given to us by God Almighty - whether knowingly or out of ignorance. This creates conflict in the home and an atmosphere for negative influence to become an issue.  Let’s look at some Biblical examples of this:

-Eli’s family in the book of 1 Samuel shows how a lack of restraint can do harm (1 Sam. 3:13). Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were corrupt. As priests, they had the responsibility God placed upon the descendants of Aaron to uphold the statutes of the sacrifices (Ex. 27-31). Eli was supposed to teach his sons to fear the Lord, but according to 1 Sam. 2:12, they “knew not the Lord”. Hophni and Phinehas, never having been taught to be in submission to their father, had no respect toward Eli. All of Israel suffered because of Eli’s failure to stand up to his sons and rebuke them for their sin. 

-The family of Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25-27) reveals the kind of turmoil that is found in a family where there is favoritism (Gen. 25:28). Jacob used his brother’s lack of self-control to gain the inheritance that was due his brother (Gen. 25:29-34). The favoritism carried over into Jacob’s family as well. Jacob favored Joseph over his other sons (Gen. 37:3). This created enmity between him and his brethren, and they later sold him into slavery.

-Solomon was warned of what would happen if he chose to marry foreign women (1 Kings 11:1-3). Like so many, Solomon allowed the influence of someone he loved to turn his heart in a direction that took him away from God. 

Our spiritual education begins at home, Deut. 6:4-9. It is a place where we should feel the most comfortable, and where the most important stages of our growth happen. But is the soil of your home healthy…or unhealthy? If you answered unhealthy, then look to scripture in how to make it healthy.

-Is there love in your home? 1 Cor. 13

-Is there daily Bible study in your home? 2 Tim. 3:14-15

-Is there order in your home? Eph. 6:1-4

It’s a place to start. When God rules the home, then and only then will you find a healthy home.

"What is Forgiveness?" - Amy Lawrence

We as the fallible humans that have been made in the image of God often have conflicting ideas concerning forgiveness. Our sinful nature would have us to hold grudges and forgive but never forget. Scripture teaches, however, that we can control that sinful nature and bring it under subjection to the law of Christ (Romans 7-8). The words of forgiveness Jesus spoke while in agony on the cross are the words that ring in the life of a faithful Christian that would forgive the way God forgives. What does scripture say about how God forgives? Let’s see.

The Prodigal Son

Each stage of forgiveness can be seen in Luke’s account of the Prodigal Son. He tells us of the son who left home to dive headfirst into prodigal living (Lk. 15:11-32). Following are the four stages of forgiveness:

Sin = riotous living. The prodigal son engaged in prodigal living as soon as he had acquired the inheritance from his father. By asking for his inheritance before his father had passed, as was the cultural practice then and now, the son in essence was telling his father that he was dead to him, vss. 11-13.

Repentance = “came to himself”/ went to his father. God told the Israelites that if they “come to themselves AND repent”, that He would hear and forgive (1 Kings 8:46-50). The prodigal son “came to himself”, vs. 17, and reasoned. He knew how his father treated even his servants, caring for all in his household. He humbled himself, debasing himself to the position of a servant with the intention of returning to his father and asking for a servant’s share. But it didn’t end there with just good intentions. He returned, vs. 20.

Prayer = the request the son made as a servant and not as his son. This denoted humility. God places value on a humble heart. David wrote, in his psalm concerning his adultery with Bathsheba, that the Lord will not despise the sacrifices of a broken spirit and a contrite heart (Ps. 51:17). 

2Chr. 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Our prayer must be made with the knowledge that we tried our way, and it didn’t work. It’s time to do things God’s way. 

Forgiveness = the prodigal son was lost and is now found. 

Matt. 18:12 “ “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

Matt. 18:13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.” “

Sin

To understand forgiveness, we first have to understand sin.

The Bible is incredibly descriptive of sin, but there are four different terms scripture uses, and each one has a slightly different meaning: sin, trespass, transgression, iniquity. Three are found in Ex. 34:7. Ex. 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

All communicate the same idea of what sin is - a departure from the will of God. 

Sin - “to miss the mark”. This can be done against God or against a person (Ex. 10:16) and include sins of commission (1 Jn. 3:4) or omission (James 4:17, Mt. 23:23). Sacrifices under the Law of Moses included sins committed in ignorance (Num. 15:27). Sin is used generally as anything that falls short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). It is also used to describe the fleshly nature of mankind (Gen. 3:6-7, Rom. 5:12). Unchecked, it leads to a “reprobate mind” (Rom. 1:24). Our innate sinful nature tends to gravitate toward selfishness, envy, and pride. even when our intentions are to do good. Paul wrote of this in Rom. 7:18. 

Trespass - going beyond a line drawn, whether with spontaneous intent or unintentionally. It can also mean falling away after being close by. Peter trespassed in denying Jesus (Luke 22:34, 56-62). It is most common in the habitual sins, i.e. thought, word, or attitude, and is used in Mt. 6:14-15.

Transgression - choose intentionally to go beyond, disobey. Samson intentionally touched a dead lion and later allowed Delilah to cut his hair (Num. 6:1-5, Judges 14:8-9; 16:17), willfully breaking his Nazarite vow. The Pharisees intentionally transgressed God’s word in order to hold to their traditions (Mt. 15:3).

Iniquity - a more deeply rooted form of sin. It is a premeditated sin that is continued without repentance. David, in his attempt to hide his original adultery with Bathsheba, premeditated the murder of Uriah the Hittite (2 Sam. 11:3-4, 2 Sam. 12:9). David acknowledged it as such (Ps. 51:2-3) Micah the prophet wrote, “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.” (Micah 2:1)

Repentance

Now that we have an understanding of sin, let’s get into repentance.

God has the ability and willingness to forgive any type of sin. But something must take place on our end first: repentance.

2Chr. 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Ezek. 18:30 “ “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.

Ezek. 18:31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?

Ezek. 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!” “

2Pet. 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Acts 8:20 “But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

Acts 8:21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” “

Acts 2:37  “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

All paint the same picture - repentance is a change of the mind that results in a change of action.

If my wedding ring is stolen and I know the thief and confront them, and then the thief comes and asks me for forgiveness, am I obligated to grant forgiveness? Yes. Jesus said to His disciples, “seventy times seven”, using an exaggerated number to denote that we are to grant forgiveness as many times as it is asked. Am I obligated in that granting of forgiveness to also include they keep the ring? No. Forgiveness does not dissolve the consequences of sin (2 Sam. 12:13-14). If I demand that they return the ring and they refuse, is that repentance? 

Are they sorry because they want to do right, or are they sorry because they got caught? 

2Cor. 7:9 “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.

2Cor. 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

John 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Luke uses the phrase “fruits worthy of repentance” in his gospel (Lk. 3:8). What does this mean, exactly? In the context of Luke 3, John is preaching the baptism of repentance in the wilderness of Judea. There were some that had come to be baptized, but John made clear that there was a prerequisite: works of repentance. When they asked, “What shall we do?” John responded with the answers (vss. 11-14). Paul used a similar phrase in Acts 26:20, “works meet for repentance”. A person that is truly repentant is a person that shows such in their choices and actions.

Prayer

Our requests are made known to God through prayer (Phil. 4:6, 1 Jn. 5:14-15). The Christian has this access through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27), and through prayer forgiveness is received (James 5:15).

But there are some prayers that God refuses to hear.

Prov. 28:9 “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.”

Is. 59:1 “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.

Is. 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. “

1Pet. 3:12 “For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

So the question is, if we ask for forgiveness without the repentance, without the intention of stepping away from the sin, will we receive forgiveness? 

Forgiveness

There are two perspectives to forgiveness: 

-lateral - forgiveness between two persons

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

-verticle - forgiveness of God to man

Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

When Jesus gave His disciples the model prayer in Mt. 6:9-13, part of that prayer was forgiveness - both lateral and vertical: “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”.

But is forgiveness conditional?

In chapter 18 of Matthew, Jesus gives the parable of the unforgiving servant (vss. 21-35). God tells us that if we don’t forgive others, He won’t forgive us (Mt. 6:14-15). In that same chapter, Jesus gives parameters as to how we should deal with offenses (vss. 15-17):

-The offense has to be addressed between the offended and the offender alone. 

-If the first step does not solve the problem, then one or two witnesses are required. 

-If the problem continues to be unsolved, it is put before the church and addressed.

-If the offender will not be persuaded by the church, then church discipline is required. 

The best course of action is God’s course of action, not our own. We are human and have emotions that would persuade us in another direction that God would not have us follow. Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things...” (Jer. 17:9) There are times when our current emotional state cannot be trusted. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Be angry, and do not sin...neither give place to the devil.” (Eph. 4:26-27) Anger is a natural emotion, one of the easiest to feel and hardest to control.  Everyone has a story of a bad decision made in anger. It is also an emotion that has a 0% success rate in the forgiveness department. Before forgiveness can occur, the anger has to be replaced with another emotion - compassion. Often, communication is the barrier that prevents such an exchange. God commands that the offense must first be addressed between the offender and the offended through communication. I cannot count how many times the offense between myself and another was simply a miscommunication. So many offenses I’ve had in relationships were solved with just step one. Most people are willing to talk. Some let fear keep them from doing so. 

When all steps are followed and the offender does not ask forgiveness, are we still obligated to forgive? The Bible gives an example of such a scenario. Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth tells us of a man who was involved in sexual sins that were known to the congregation, chapter 5. He admonished the church there for not addressing the sin and putting it out of their midst, verses 1-5. Church discipline was practiced. The man was disfellowshipped. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, the same man is mentioned - but as one showing repentance and seeking forgiveness (2 Cor. 2:6-8). Paul assures them that the discipline inflicted had the results desired; it brought back the brother lost. He goes on to mention the emotion found in forgiveness: “love toward him.” When such a repentant one seeks forgiveness,  they should be welcomed back with open arms, “ for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Lk. 15:24) All in heaven rejoice, and so should we! (Lk. 15:7,10)

If one literally considers forgiveness, only God has the power to forgive (Mk. 2:7, Lk. 5:21). He knows, however, the connection forgiveness creates and/or keeps in human relationships. Our hearts were not built to hold anger, and that is one reason why forgiveness is a benefit for the forgiver as much as the forgiven. Sometimes forgiveness is not asked and we have to forgive anyway so that our hearts do not become damaged. Stephen forgave, even when it wasn’t requested (Acts 7:60). In forgiveness, we should remember the passage found in Luke 7:41-48:

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” 

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

We are all debtors to Christ - and we are all in need of forgiveness. To assume that we do not owe another forgiveness is to forget the price that was paid for ours. 

Conclusion

As I studied for this article, I gained a deeper understanding of forgiveness. There are many factors to being a good forgiver; love, humility, gratitude, thankfulness, patience, understanding, and above all an ability to admit faults and grow from them...and to accept that others may also be growing. A heart that holds all of these is a heart that can forgive like God forgives. 

*Contributed by Amy Lawrence - McMinnville, TN

Against the Wind - Celine Sparks

The following is an article written by Celine Sparks.

I hadn’t seen a sign of life for miles. It was a desolate road trip home; the kind that makes you wonder if you screamed for your life, would there be anyone near enough to hear you?  Then I saw it -- a light in the distance. As I got nearer, it was a fueling station with, I hoped, a bathroom.

There was also a sign on the door, written with a fat-tip marker, that said, “Best cup of coffee in town.”  I missed the town part. I guess these people made coffee a whole lot better than the nearby raccoons and coyotes.

Jesus preached in this kind of desolate place a time or two -- minus the acclaimed coffee. In Mark chapter 6, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late” (verse 35).

What followed was a miracle no food truck could have rivaled. Jesus satisfied the hunger of 5,000-plus people, in a desolate place far from any restaurants, so much that there were leftovers. John’s account said they had “as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). And he did it all from his starting amount of five loaves of bread and two fish. There’s more than that in a kid’s meal. Oh wait -- this was a kid’s meal (John 6:9).

But what is most intriguing to me is not that there was more food left after the meal than there was to start with --I feel like that happens here every Thanksgiving. It’s not the sheer volume of people -- I’ve been to Walmart when there were threats of snow flurries in Alabama. And even though the fact that they managed to get a crowd like that to sit down in groups -- we have never been able to do that at Vacation Bible School with a crowd about 4900 people smaller -- this is not what I want to highlight either.

What’s even more incredible than all of this is what happens next. Jesus had his disciples board a boat and head to the other side while he dismissed the crowd. He then took this opportunity, being alone, to spend time in prayer. 

Now let’s take up the narrative at Mark 6:47-52: “And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

There are three words in here that jump off the page, and impress themselves deep in my soul:  Making headway painfully (verse 48). Every one of us have been there at some point in our lives if we’ve lived long enough. Circumstances become harder than we could foresee, the outlook is bleak and growing bleaker, and yet we are rowing. We are trying with all our might to forge choppy waters. It may be that we are making headway, but it is in sweat, blood, and tears. We’re making it painfully.

A dear friend of mine, one of the Godliest I know, recently amidst other difficult trials, found herself being handcuffed and escorted into prison. I had never been more sure of a person’s innocence. When she was released the next day, she was barred from being with her children until the details could be sorted out. We knew, when the research was done and the facts were gathered, it would be obvious just how preposterous a circus was being created here. I’m not knocking law enforcement or the entire justice system -- I have great esteem for public servants -- but sometimes just one person dragging their feet can tumble the whole dance line. It was weeks before the charges were dropped and the shenanigans were dismissed.

Deep into week three, I said, “Do you feel like you’re making headway painfully?”  She said, “I feel exactly like that.”

I remember talking with another dear friend some time before that, a beautiful mom of six. They were at rope’s end with one child, had dealt with some external threats to their family, and she was just weary. She said, “I can’t find the joy anymore in the day-to-day. I want to bring back the joy.” She was still in the fight, but she was making headway painfully.

Plop! A pile of books fell beside me at a table where I was working. I looked up at a familiar face attached to arms that had just released the books. Arms that were part of a body that was usually working circles around me. There was constantly laughter wherever she was. But this time, she said, “Help me!”  She had screamed at her children the night before -- children she adored, counted as blessings, and thanked God nightly for. But she had so many pressures mounting that the laughter that accompanied her soul was now hanging by a thread. “Help me,” she said. Screaming at her kids again was not an option. She was bent on restoring calm to their disrupted world, but she was making headway painfully.

I’ll say it again. All of us have been there. We’ve grabbed up the paddles, and rowed hard to keep our marriages from plummeting, our tempers from exploding, our children from being sucked up by the world, those dear to us from spiraling into depression. But the waters are choppy, and we make headway painfully. 

And Jesus sees it (verse 48). He sees the struggles of his followers. It’s just a comforting thought that He knows.

So here was Jesus walking toward the boat, and the text tells me something incredibly interesting, if not troubling. He meant to pass by them (verse 48).

What?  In the midst of a storm where his disciples are struggling in pain, He meant to pass by them?  I don’t know entirely what to think of it. I can’t read the mind of God other than what He gives me to read, but I can decipher this. When they cried out to Him, it changed His course.

You could argue that they didn’t cry out to him, because the text tells us they thought it was a ghost. One thing we can agree on is, they did cry out (verse 49). I find in the most tragic of emergencies, when people cry out, they cry out to God. I mean, people that are not even Christians pray like they are when fear grabs them by the pants. I just have a feeling these men, who were followers of Christ, were praying when they cried out, even though they didn’t know that they were looking at the very one they were crying out to.

If we are making headway painfully, we must cry out to the Lord. The one who was walking on water here, was the one who had just spent time alone and apart with His Father God on the mountain. The ones who had run ahead of that step were now struggling.

They thought he was a ghost (verse 49). Let it be a lesson to us that when we’re in the middle of a storm, we don’t see so clearly. Yes, there were rough waters; yes, the wind was against them; and yes, it was in the darkest of night. But there was not a ghost!  Sometimes, we think our circumstances are so bad that we make them worse. In the middle of the darkest of storms, let’s intentionally look for the positive, because it is certainly there, instead of imagining things that have not even occurred. That’s called worry, and it never helped us get a decent night’s sleep.

The most meaningful thing to me is that he heard that cry, and responded. He always will. Psalm 34:17 says, “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Praise God.

His words to them were, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (verse 50). They were words we find often in the scriptures. God the Son and God the Father want us to know They are with us. “Do not be afraid” is among the most disregarded scriptural guidance. We sometimes act as though there is honor in fear.

We will say that the world we live in is “scary.”  We mean that it is evil, but we cannot be afraid of evil because, if we are Christians, God is there with us. “It is I. Do not be afraid.”  What we find over and over in scriptures is that those who are opposed to God, who seem to be a threat to all that is good, are inwardly filled with fear. It’s not who we are.

Turn a few pages over, still in the book of Mark. The chief priests and scribes are looking for a way to destroy Jesus (11:18). Why? “For they feared him.” In the Old Testament saga of David and Saul, the more Saul turned away from God and became militantly set on destroying David, the more we read about his fear, even though he was in the top position of earthly power.

These are only two examples among hundreds in the scriptures. Is it any wonder that it was most likely David himself who penned, “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around” (Psalm 3:6)?  If we’re fearful, we’ve sat down on the wrong side of the gym!

God’s action to back up his words, “It is I. Do not be afraid,” is almost too amazing to comprehend. But let’s look. The very next words are, “And He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased” (verse 51).

When we are crying out for help, when we are making headway painfully, Jesus says, “Scoot over. I’m getting in there with you.”  They were utterly astounded (verse 51). So am I.

One more thing. They were astounded now. “For they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (verse 52). Isn’t that the way we are?  Still. After a couple of thousand years, we’re still the same humans.

As long as God’s providing for us incredibly, as long as we have a fish sandwich with leftovers, we shrug and move on to the next level of Candy Crush or Bejeweled or Best Fiends or whatever’s on our important agenda. How is it that we forget to be impressed when we are eating from every food group and sleeping under insulated roofing? Our hearts are hardened.

But oh, when the wind comes; when we are making headway painfully; when we just about see ghosts and cry out for help, we begin to get it. We begin to focus on the one who whispers, “It is I; do not be afraid.” We scoot over and make room in the boat.

And knowing Who is sitting next to us, how can we help but be astounded?

Celine Sparks