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Today marks 38 years of marriage for Debbie and me. 38 years, 6 houses, 4 kids, 6 grandkids and counting. It means a lot of memories. We have an album of our grandkids that scrolls on our TV, and we fully enjoy the chronicling of their lives from birth to the present. As Babs would say, “Memories light the corners of my mind.” Remembering is an enjoyable thing, and can be instructive as well.

The Passover feast for the Jew was established as a remembrance. “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations” (Exodus 12:14). In the same way, Jesus instituted His supper for us to remember His death on the cross. “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me'” (Luke 22:19). By remembering His death for us, we are thankful, and strengthened in our faith.

Continue reading “COVID-19 (11) Remembering” →

The COVID-19 virus is highly contagious. How contagious is yet to be determined. The worst case scenario posted by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) posits between 160 and 214 million people could be infected this year, with deaths between 200,000 and 1.7 million. Those are big numbers, and especially with the death estimates, widely ranging. We should pray that our tactics to combat the spread of the virus are successful, and that the numbers are much smaller.

A big part of the problem is that the virus is new. You have heard the word “novel” being used to describe it. Before the latter part of 2019, no one had ever seen it. No one knew how it was transmitted, how easily it could be spread, how contagious it was. And, no one knew how to treat it.

Continue reading “COVID-19 (10) The Most Contagious and Fatal of Diseases” →

James referred to a specific arrogance present among his readers. “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'” (4:13). Doesn’t that perfectly describe our culture, pre-COVID-19? The world was speeding along, unconcerned, living life to the fullest. Few were worried about the possibility of a pandemic that would cripple the world’s economy, and would inspire talk of a “new normal” that would include social distancing and foundational changes.

We have been given a wake up call. James answered those mentioned in the above verse with these words, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (2:14). All of us today are a bit more aware of our own mortality. Though the virus is not deadly to all, the daily count that we see on every news program is sobering. Carefree days are over. People are scared, and are beginning to realize the frailty of life. We are not quite as in control as we thought we were.

Continue reading “COVID-19 (9) For What Is Your Life?” →

My wife and I were talking this morning about the Virginia governor’s shelter in place order that extends to June 10th. It seems that as the weather changed, hundreds in Virginia were heading to Virginia’s beaches, ignoring the government’s suggested limitations. So, the suggestion was made into an order, and for the next 10-11 weeks, all will stay home except for necessary outings.

This, of course, is to keep people from getting sick, and to save lives. But, I told her, think of all those who are in domestic situations that include abuse. Wives, and children, cooped up with abusive husbands and fathers, who may be losing jobs, depressed, (and the “necessary” liquor stores are still open)!

Continue reading “COVID-19 (8) Show Kindness and Mercy to One Another” →

The tendency of our time is to minimize religion. For many, a self designed “spirituality” has taken the place of religion. In this view, the concept of belief in God (or something out there) is divorced from any concept of religious duty or involvement.

I am convinced a reason for this is the self-sufficiency of our nation. The first world countries that enjoy a measure of material prosperity and reasonable health care are almost always secular and dismissive of any dependence upon deity. In fact, it is common to look down upon the religious as fanatical, superstitious and backwards.

Continue reading “COVID-19 (7) It’s Time to Practice Our Religion” →

Paul requested prayers from his brethren in Colosse, writing to them, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (4:2-4).

It is interesting that during times of physical distress, prayers are encouraged. It is right for us to do this. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them prayer over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14).

Continue reading “COVID-19 (6) Continue Earnestly in Prayer” →

Psalm 27 has the caption (in my Bible) “An Exuberant Declaration of Faith.” The description is accurate, as the psalmist declares his complete faith and trust in the Almighty.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?” (1)

Continue reading “COVID-19 (5) Wait on the Lord” →

Daniel 4 records a dream that the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had during his reign. His dream had frightened him, and again he sent for the Jew, Daniel to give him an interpretation.

Daniel told him that the dream was about the king himself, and it was from God. God had decreed that Nebuchadnezzar would be driven from men because of his unrighteousness and arrogance, and he would be insensible “your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen” (25).

Continue reading “COVID-19 (4) My Understanding Returned to Me” →

People are bound to be going stir crazy with the shelter in place orders here and around the nation. There have been quite a few jokes about sitting on the couch binging favorite Netflix shows. I’m showing my age. I have never associated binging with watching TV. In my day binging had to do with a half gallon of Bluebell icecream!

Continue reading “COVID-19 (3) I Have an Idea” →

Are you familiar with the term brooding? How about the etymology of the word? It is of Germanic origin, and originally referred to breeding. The term is a figurative use of the idea of a hen sitting on her eggs, or sitting with her chicks under her wings.

In fact, country folk are familiar with a broody hen:

“A broody hen is a chicken that has decided to sit on and hatch a clutch of eggs. The eggs may be fertilized or unfertilized. The broody hen will sit on the eggs day and night, leaving only once daily to eat, drink, and poop. If you try to remove her from her eggs, she may hiss at you and peck you.” (thespruce.com)

Today, the word brooding refers to “showing deep unhappiness of thought.”

Continue reading “COVID-19 (2) The Trouble with Brooding” →

In Hebrews 10 a hypothetical circumstance is expressed by the writer concerning willful sin. For the Christian who sins willfully there is great consequence. A willful disregard for truth (26-28), for the Son of God, (29) and the Holy Spirit (29) leads to condemnation.

God supplied only the gospel of Jesus Christ as the power to salvation (cf. Romans 1:16). He supplied only Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for sin. He supplied only His Spirit as the agent of inspiration. A rejection of these leaves one with only a “fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries” (27).

It is hard to imagine any Christian who would turn away from what God has offered, and he has tasted. However, some do. Peter described such as like a dog returning to his own vomit, and “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22).

Some Christians to whom Hebrews was written were like this. They were not progressing (cf. 5:12-6:6). Some were not attending worship, and were in need of edification (10:25-26). But, the writer expresses confidence in 10:39, “But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”

Perdition means utter destruction. Read the verse again. What kind of Christian are you? One who draws back to perdition? Or one whose faith persists to the reward?

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We live in cynical times. The dishonesty and fickleness of the world makes it difficult for us to trust our fellow man. We see everywhere politicians breaking campaign promises, marital infidelities and corrupt businesses acting in unethical ways. Each of us from time to time may have experienced betrayal even from family and friends. Perhaps we even have been guilty of failing others in this regard.

However, there are many faithful Christians that we can trust. They love God, and love us, and we can be confident that they are always looking out for what is best for us. It is a wonderful thing to find a faithful brother or sister, especially if we take advantage of their goodness by letting ourselves trust them.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to died together and to live together” (2 Corinthians 7:2-3).

There is no doubt that Paul was true to his word. He was a wonderful man, who even while admonishing the Corinthian Christians, only wanted what was best for them. If they opened their hearts to Paul, they could be sure he would do anything to help them, even to die for them.

You know Christians like that! Open your hearts to them! And look at your own heart, are you such a person?

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There is an interesting correlation between idleness and sin. Most are familiar with the saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” Though the origin of the saying is unknown, it’s use dates back to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and probably had it’s inspiration from principles that are found in scripture.

Proverbs 16:27 says, “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire.” The Living Bible paraphrase rather inaccurately rendered this scripture, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” But, that is not really what the passage is saying.

Paul did have something to say about idleness, however. In his second letter to the Thessalonians he wrote, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (3:10-12).

Work serves two purposes. It allows for self-sufficiency. It shows a lack of character when you can support your and yours, and you allow others to do it instead. And, it keeps you busy, so that you do not concern yourself with inappropriate things. Truly, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop!”

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Every single one of us are influenced by others. It doesn’t matter how strong our character, our faith, our commitment, we can be led in a bad direction by those we care about. This is why it is so important to be careful of the relationships we cultivate.

Solomon, a paragon of wisdom, was influenced by his wives. “But King Solomon loved may foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh; women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—from the nations of whom the Lord said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love.” (1 Kings 11:1-2). In verse 4 of the text, “For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.”

There are a multitude of examples of such evil influences that can be seen throughout the Old and New Testaments. The pattern is repeated again and again in our own lives. Paul knew this truth, and warned, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’ Awake to righteousness and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33-34).

Seek out the companionship of other Christian friends, family and spouses. Avoid evil companions. Our souls may very well depend on it!

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“Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you” (Romans 16:16).

At the end of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he gives instructions for the Romans to greet a number of individuals, and then ends with this blanket exhortation.

The holy kiss in this case is not a ritual or specific religious action. Rather, the kiss was a standard greeting among Jews in this time. Peter wrote something similar, “Greet one another with a kiss of love” (1 Peter 5:14). Paul’s descriptor, “holy”, would have reference, as Strong defines the term, to a kiss that was physically pure, morally blameless. As Christians, we are to be affectionate to one another. We are to greet each other, and do so in ways that are physically pure, lacking any inappropriate familiarity.

Paul also stated that the “churches of Christ” greet you. In this, he was telling the Romans that Christians in other congregations wanted them to know of their concern, interest and affection. The plural “churches” indicates various congregations. The preposition “of Christ” indicates their allegiance and submission to their Lord.

Thus, each of us are to both greet, and accept greetings from our brethren in Christ. We are family, and the chaste expression of love (charity) is a function of that relationship. Do you have affection for your brethren? You must!

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