Category: Reflections Articles

The fourth and fifth chapters of the book of Judges give a riveting account of a battle between the Israelites and Canaanites during a time when Jabin the king of Canaan had subjugated the Israelites. This was allowed because “the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (4:1).

A central character in the narrative was Sisera, who commanded Jabin’s army. The army was strong, with 900 chariots of iron. The Israelites had suffered under the rule of Jabin for 20 years.

After a period of chastisement, God would heed the cries of the people, and raise up judges to end the oppression. He brought peace and prosperity back to the people of Israel. On this occasion that judge was a woman, Deborah, who also was a prophetess of God.

God gave the command, and Deborah called upon a man named Barak to lead the army of the Lord. Her words to Barak, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you 10,000 men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand?’” (4:6-7). Continue reading “Most Blessed Among Women” →

The inspiration for this short article comes from my son’s fine sermon (6/14/21) titled Spiritual Sobriety. Early in the lesson he spoke of the reasons why people today drink alcohol. One of the main reasons is that alcohol lowers inhibitions. Alcohol is a depressant to the body. It slows you down (your reflexes and brain). It also clouds judgment and lowers self-control. It slows down the pre-frontal cortex which acts as the command center for executive function, impulse control, and long-term consequence planning. It also alters neurotransmitters further relaxing the brain and reducing restraint, making rational decision-making much more difficult.

Sounds bad, doesn’t it. And yet people love to drink! Why? These effects feel good! People fell less stressed, often have more (though misplaced) confidence, and because they feel “loose” laugh and interact more easily. Later on, they may regret what they say or how they interact, but in the moment they feel good. Continue reading “Heightened Inhibitions” →

I came across a phrase with which I was not familiar the other day, “hedonic adaptation.” Looking up the meaning of the phrase I read, “Hedonic adaptation is the psychological tendency to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness after major positive or negative life events. Also known as the ‘hedonic treadmill,’ it explains why the initial thrill of a new purchase or a major life milestone eventually fades, bringing our emotions back to a baseline set point.” Simply put, it is getting used to pleasure!

The conversation which used this phrase used it in the context of social commentary on our culture. The man quoted from Warren Buffett, a philanthropist who as of this year is the ninth wealthiest man in the world (146 Billion dollars). Buffett was talking about an earlier rich man, John D. Rockefeller who lived from 1839- 1937. Rockefeller was the richest man in the United States, and the world at that time. Adjusted for inflation, his net worth is estimated to have been between 400 and 600 Billion dollars. Continue reading “Hedonic Adaptation” →

Have you read the description of the Cretans in Paul’s letter to Titus? “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work” (Titus 1:16). His assessment agrees with a Cretan prophet who said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (1:12). Paul had also described these people as being idle talkers, deceivers, subverters of whole households, teaching things they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain (1:10-11)

Paul had left Titus in Crete (1:5) to appoint elders in every city, to help deal with these people. They were to be men of faithfulness regarding doctrine, that were “able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (1:9).

Titus himself had a responsibility in the midst of this conflict with evil men. Paul wrote to him, “Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth” (Titus 1:13-14). Continue reading “Cretans Are Always Liars” →

The title of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, is a greek word meaning “origin” or “beginning.” Similarly, the Hebrew title is taken from the first phrase, “In the beginning.”

The book of Genesis gives us a glimpse of the origin of humanity. It has fallen into disrepute in the last couple of centuries as men have developed other ideas regarding our beginning. Science has adopted the theory of evolution to describe how we came about. Due to the scientific method of inquiry, the theory has limitations. Though it has been accepted as correct by a large part of the world’s population.
In contrast, faith in an Omnipotent Creator as an explanation for our existence has lost adherents over the years.

Here are a few things I would like for you to consider:

• The scientific method relies upon the validation of hypotheses through repeated experimentation leading to consistent data. This is why the concept of evolution between kinds (a Biblical concept) has not been validated. It can’t be observed scientifically, as what is posited is to have taken place over millions of years.
• The data that exists regarding both stellar evolution and the evolution of life can be described in light of a supernatural omnipotent being. The fact that this is not demonstrable by the scientific method, or that its origin is ancient, does not mean its not true. For the Christian, the belief that “God made it that way” is unacceptable to much of modern society. There is a bias regarding our own time. Progress in technology and scientific discoveries have made men arrogant, thinking we are brighter than those who have gone on before.
• Scientific views of where, when and how life originated can’t be scientific. They are speculations based upon the theory of evolution itself. Science is limited in this way.

The Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1); and, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26-27).

There is a reason why this explanation has staying power, though some have rejected it. It is truth, and all you have to do is look at the universe to see the beautiful proof of design and that Designer! “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Psalms 19:1). Many choose science as their religion. We look at the evidence and know our God and Father to be from where we came!

Just a few years before the exile of Judah into Babylonian captivity, the prophet Jeremiah warned the Jews of their judgment and the years of desolation that would follow. He wrote, “And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. ‘Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the LORD; and I will make it a perpetual desolation” (Jeremiah 25:11-12).

It is this prophecy of Jeremiah to which Daniel referred in Daniel chapter 9. As a young man, he was taken by Nebuchadnezzar in the first wave of captives (cf. Daniel 1:7). Chronologically, this chapter takes place in the first year of Darius the Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans. In effect, the prophecy of Jeremiah was coming true. Continue reading “Understanding by the Books” →

There is a wonderful passage of scripture in 2 Samuel 22 where David thanks and praises God for his deliverance. David had been through so many trials in his time after being anointed by Samuel to be king. He had to hide from the murderous intent of Saul. He had suffered the great indignity of his son Absalom committing treason, very nearly taking his kingdom away from him. He had battled enemies of Israel throughout his reign. In verse one we are told, “Then David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.” Continue reading “I Will Call Upon the Lord” →

The wise man who wrote the book of Proverbs said, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on” (Proverbs 4:14).

Thousands of years after the creation of man, many think themselves very capable of identifying what is truly evil. Yet with this supposed knowledge of right and wrong, it is obvious that evil persists and even flourishes in our day.

I submit that people are less knowledgeable than they think. For every condemnation of murder there is a rationalization of the act in any particular circumstance. Too often men designate what they do not like as evil, and pronounce what they desire as good. In effect, the concept of right and wrong varies depending on who you talk to. Few will accept the contention that right and wrong can be objectively attained, or know how it can be done! Continue reading “Knowing Right Before God” →

There are several New Testament texts that detail the responsibilities to be found in a family as God would have it. One of these is Colossians 3:18-21, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

In this short text, Paul concisely describes the primary responsibility of each party. He does the same in Ephesians 6:1-ff. Put simply, The husband is to love. The wife is to submit. The children are to obey. The father is to discipline and instruct in a righteous and loving way. If we add to this Paul’s instruction that the older women teach the young women to “love their children” and be “homemakers,” we get a pretty clear role of everyone in a typical family (Titus 2:4). Continue reading “A God Fearing Home” →

Between the fall of Adam and Eve and the time of Noah, mankind had become very corrupt. The text reveals, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). Because of the evil conduct of mankind, God determined to destroy the world by flood. This included man and beast, creeping things and the birds of the air. Verse 7 of the text says, “for I am sorry that I have made them.” The conclusion in verse 8, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Continue reading “The Rainbow in the Cloud” →

(This article is an adaptation of what Moses told the people of Israel as he established the covenant between the nation and God before they were to enter the promised land. While I have adapted Moses’ words to us in our time, I have quoted verbatim God’s words at the end).

Surely we are aware of what God has done for us in our lives. During trials we are amazed at the comfort and help offered us by God. Why then do we not recognize and appreciate His help more than we do? God had given us limitations and requirements to show us we are called out of the world and are His special people. Therefore it is important for us to keep the commandments and teachings of our Lord, and in so doing we will prosper spiritually.

All of us stand today before the Lord God Almighty. This from the leaders of any congregation to the babes in Christ in the pew. Man and woman, young and old, from all races and cultures, we have been called out of the world. We should dedicate ourselves fully today to the covenant that God has made with us. In doing this He truly will be our God and we will be His people. He has promised this, and God delivers on His promises.
Continue reading “The Inclination of Our Behavior” →

As a preacher, I have interacted with many individuals about their desire (or lack thereof) to receive help in time of need. Whether it be financial, regarding health, or mundane things like a ride to the airport. I have seen many different attitudes over the years. The extremes range from an unwillingness to accept any help to a willingness to impose upon others for things one could do for themselves. I must say that while there is obviously a spectrum which we all are on, the extremes bother me. I think they are both sinful.

First, note the entitled. We actually have fostered this attitude in our modern society. Half of the annual Federal budget is made up of what are termed “Entitlement Programs.” While such a safety net is a sign of a government that cares for its citizens, there is no doubt that many in the past and present have abused these programs. What was intended as a help to the needy has become a way for some to get by without any personal effort. The Bible certainly does not approve of such an attitude. Paul wrote, “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10). Continue reading “I Don’t Want to be a Bother” →

Paul uses an interesting phrase in his first letter to the Thessalonians (3:1-3). “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”

Timothy was a common companion of Paul in his travels. He was Paul’s “son in the faith” and was both a comfort and help to him in his work. One of the practices of Paul was to send Timothy to places when Paul himself was unable to come. This is what he did for the brethren in Thessalonica. Continue reading ““We Could No Longer Endure It”” →

Acts 20 records a conversation that the apostle Paul had with the elders of the Ephesian church. He had sailed past Ephesus in a hurry to get to Jerusalem, and instead landed at Miletus. There he called for the elders to come to him.

Paul had a wonderful relationship with the elders. He had spent a significant amount of time in Ephesus, and no doubt had developed close relationships with these men. This was basically a farewell visit with them. At the end of their meeting after they had prayed together, we are told, “Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship” (37-38).

So, they departed from one another on good terms. These men no doubt were grateful for the work he had done among them, and appreciated his words on this occasion. They were important words. As elders, they were called to diligence in overseeing the church in Ephesus. This diligence would be greatly needed. Paul told them, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (29-30). Continue reading “Perverse Things” →

The apostle Paul warned Timothy, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). The phrase “last days” properly references our own time, which began on Pentecost in Acts 2, and will continue until Jesus comes again. In history there was a Patriarchal age, A Mosaical age, and then with the ascension of Christ to His throne, our own Christian age. The Bible clearly establishes the Christian age will continue until all is destroyed (cf. 2 Peter 3:1-13).

What we know from history is that perilous times have been present since Pentecost. At some points in history it has been less chaotic, and sometimes much more, but peril is always present, especially for the child of God. Thus the reason for Paul’s warning. The apostle goes further to explain the why of such dangers. He writes, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…” (2-5a). Continue reading “Perilous Times” →