tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59313106950148299432024-03-04T23:17:23.987-07:00Life's ParablesArticles from a weekly newspaper column in the Fort Record, published for seventeen years...Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.comBlogger781125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-22434602397337741152018-08-08T07:00:00.000-06:002018-08-08T07:00:02.536-06:00Rose-colored glasses ............. Parables 780<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">February 2003</span><br />In the late 1980's, Randall Wise sold his profitable computer-software company to focus on producing and selling colored contact lenses for chickens. He claimed that the birds were happier, ate less, produced more eggs, and stopped fighting when they looked at the world through blood-red lenses. <br /><br />Eliminating the pecking order, particularly in the crowded conditions of egg-producing hen houses, was supposed to make life easier for chicken farmers, save consumers about 2.5 cents a dozen for eggs, and give Wise a projected 1992 income of $24 million.<br /><br />However, in 1991, Dr. Nedim C. Buyukmihci, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California offered a report: “The red plastic lenses are at the very least uncomfortable for the chickens . . . also appear to cause corneal ulcers . . . (that) can rupture and lead to blindness. Pain always is a significant component of corneal ulcers or ruptured eyes.”<br /><br />By 1996, Mary Finelli, senior researcher for the Humane Society of the United States, said, “Today’s intensive confinement systems for chickens are notorious dusty and rank with ammonia and other irritating gasses. To permanently set contact lenses in the eyes of birds who exist for 1 to 2 years under such conditions is grossly inhumane. The problem is that the birds are inhumanely housed. Under natural conditions they live peacefully together in small groups. The only true solution to the abnormal aggression which their mistreatment causes is to provide these sensitive animals with humane living conditions.”<br /><br />In this case, science beat the entrepreneur. While the stories and his lenses are still advertised on a veterinarian supply site, Wise seems to have left the building. <br /><br />What does this story have to do with us, or our spiritual lives? One is that the world seems to have its own version of a pecking order. Crowded conditions may provoke it, but it seems part of human nature to be bigger, better, taller, stronger than the person next to us — so we knock them down, just to make sure they know we are. God has a better, albeit more challenging plan: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves . . . your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. . . .”<br /><br />Furthermore, rose-colored glasses from a human vantage point are just as misleading as the avian version. They keep their wearers from recognizing that selfish competition and one-upmanship are genuine problems. Not only that, these lenses that seem to make people more mellow also produce indifference — too laid back to make a fuss about anything, even when it is important. “That’s just the way it is,” they say, without caring to change it.<br /><br />Chickens don’t have many options, but we can make choices. We can try rosy lenses — they might work for a little while. Or we can live in spiritual darkness — which may sail us without much fuss to the grave. Or with God’s help, we can really live with our eyes wide open — in this life and for eternity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is the final entry in this series. God gave me the privilege and challenge of writing for a weekly newspaper for about seventeen years. I had about ten editors and a wonderful experience. As I posted the entries, God surprised me. First I did not remembering writing most of them — and second that God deeply blessed me, sometimes to tears, as I read the words He gave me more than a decade ago. Because of that, I leave these online hoping that others will experience His blessings also.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My daily devotional thoughts are also published online — daily for several years and at this <a href="http://www.livingmyfaith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">LINK</a>. They are personal and point to the reality that faith in Jesus Christ is practical and possible to live out in the power of His Spirit. </span><a href="http://livingmyfaith.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-67313555896674495462018-08-07T07:00:00.000-06:002018-08-07T07:00:07.214-06:00Parables 777 & 778 Manuscripts not availableElsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-73116598549868612772018-08-06T07:00:00.000-06:002018-08-06T07:00:11.400-06:00Pitiful Priorities? ............. Parables 777<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">February 2003</span><br /><br />Author John Piper says that the greatest hindrance to our experience of knowing and delighting in God is “that we are willing to settle for such pitiful pleasures . . .” and when we do that, “. . . the majesty of God has dried up like a forgotten peach at the back of the refrigerator.”<br /><br />When I need something to sustain me, do I head for that dried up peach? When I need something to make me happy, do I forget God? What pitiful pleasures do I settle for instead? <br /><br />Jesus knew the secret of fulfillment. Once when He was tired and thirsty He stopped at a well and asked a woman to give Him a drink. Eventually, He revealed Himself to her as the Messiah she was hoping for. When the disciples arrived, they urged Jesus to eat something, but He told them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” <br /><br />They were confused. They did not understand that doing the will of God could give far more satisfaction than whatever they thought would do it.<br /><br />These thoughts lead me to question the place of God in my life. The first of the Ten Commandments reads, “You shall have not other gods before me.” Has God become no more than a peach pit?<br /><br />Who is my God? The second commandment forbids the making of idols or “graven images.” Is idolatry the worship of a carved idol with bulging eyes and a grotesque tongue sticking out of its open mouth? Or worse, a peach pit? What do I settle for instead of God? <br /><br />How about greatly admired or influential persons? Do I have a matinee idol, a god of the silver screen? Do I idolize a great writer, the god of the publishing business? While not called deities in the usual sense of the word, some do admire these gods to the point of awe, even worship.<br /><br />A god could be “anything I turn to for peace, strength, or help when in need.” Is my god money? Or other gods in North American culture — cars, sex, music, homes, luxury items, or anything money can buy?<br /><br />Work can be a god too. This god is the driving force in many a life, taking a central place in schedules and thoughts, leaving little or no space to be occupied with the business of the true God.<br /><br />How can I obey that first Commandment? Do I quit my work, go to church every day? Do I give away all my possessions and enter a cloistered monastery so nothing distracts me from worship? Do I put all people in a “lower than a worm” category and never admire anyone? Of course I could donate all to the poor, live in a mud hut, disdain all human interaction, go to my own little church every day, and still break the first commandment in my heart!<br /><br />So how do I delight in God? One man said, “Just because I love my wife with all my heart does not mean I hate everyone else.” Delighting in God is matter of priority. <br /><br />It is also a matter of choice. Give God first place when options and decisions arise. He is number One. Treat Him accordingly. Having no idols does not mean that I stop living, but that I live for Him. <br /><br />Piper also says God calls us to come to Him “with empty hands . . . acknowledging that He alone can satisfy the heart’s longing to be happy.” He is right. The only way to discover all God can do is by putting aside idols and pitiful pleasures. Stop relying on me. Start relying on Him. Let God be God. <br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-77547969115540883982018-08-03T07:00:00.000-06:002018-08-03T07:00:15.264-06:00God’s protection crew ............. Parables 776<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">January 2003</span><br /><br />The Kennedy Space Center boasts the “largest unpaid security staff in the world — 5000 ten to twelve-foot alligators!”<br /><br />While touring this amazing facility in January, we marveled at the changes in the last five years. Now the entrance security is tighter than any airport. Besides the usual walk-through scanners, every purse and bag is opened and examined. Any sharp objects are taken and not returned. Back packs and luggage are not allowed at all.<br /><br />Prior to our visit, we stood on the beach and saw the shuttle launch. A few days later, we stood at the launch site. We wondered how terrorists could possibly get in this place. No doubt hidden equipment and cameras scan, laser, and photograph the entire area. While we didn’t see any burly guards with guns, we did see the alligators. Even though the space center is well protected, it cannot protect everyone from everything. The very shuttle we saw launched now lies in pieces, and seven astronauts are dead.<br /><br />Christian missionaries need security and protection too. A few weeks ago I told of a friend who experienced a terrorist attack on a Christian school in Muree, Pakistan. The missionaries at that school realized that only God’s amazing care kept them and the students from being killed. They wrote a book called “Angels in the Rafters.” <br /><br />Other missionaries tell of believers who work in dangerous places. One night, a hostile crowd surrounded the home of one man and his family. They feared for their lives, but strangely, the attackers left without harming them. Some time later, one of the would-be attackers was converted to faith in Christ. When asked about that night, he told the missionary that they planned to kill him and his family but were turned back by the sight of hundreds of soldiers standing guard around the house. The missionary had not seen anyone.<br /><br />The Bible offers a similar story in 2 Kings 6. God’s prophet, Elisha, delivered several warnings to the king of Israel to let him know where the enemy would be camping. This enraged the king of Aram who was at war with Israel. He thought he had a traitor in his army, but one of his officers told him that Elisha was doing this.<br /><br />The king soon learned that Elisha was in Dothan. He sent a strong force and surrounded the city. The next morning, Elisha’s servant got up and saw the army all around them. He ran to tell his master. Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then he prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” <br /><br />The Bible says, “Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses, and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” God’s angels kept them safe.<br /><br />However, angels do not always prevent death. When Jesus was about to be taken and crucified, He confirmed that God could have stopped it. As the soldiers arrested Him, one disciple drew a sword and Jesus told him to put it back. “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”<br /><br />A Roman legion consisted of six thousand soldiers. That means Jesus could have summoned more than 72,000 warriors, an army far larger than any group the Jews or the Romans could send. But He didn’t do it, and they didn’t come. Out of love for us, He refused their protection, and allowed Himself to be taken to the cross. He said “no” to protection and security, and instead died for our sins — that we might live forever.<br /><br />Unlike Jesus, few people can control how long they live, or how they die. For our death, God offers eternal life through faith in His Son. For our life, He offers us the protection of His even more enormous than NASA’s “unpaid security staff.”<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-40522129643439974092018-08-01T07:00:00.000-06:002018-08-01T07:00:00.372-06:00What is the church? ............. Parables 775<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">January 2004</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />“Mom, why do we go to church and Patti doesn’t?” He was about four years old. I explained, “Patti is not a Christian. She is not interested in church.”<br /><br />Now, years later, I realize that some nonchristian people do go to church — and occasionally, a few Christians, who should be there, lose interest, at least for a little while.<br /><br />The church is often misunderstood and little wonder. The word can refer to several things. For some, it is the white building on the corner of Fifth and Main, a structure that people enter on Sundays and for weddings and funerals. Church is just a building.<br /><br />For others, church is an activity. We knew a couple who had “church” in their living room every week. They didn’t like “organized” religion but wanted to have something spiritual in their lives, so they did their own version of “church.”<br /><br />Still others think of church as just that — organized religion. They see innumerable denominations, structure, hierarchy, ceremony, acceptable rituals and behaviors, and a great deal of rules. This understanding is largely what “church” has become in today’s world, but it is not necessarily the church that Christ is building.<br /><br />In the New Testament, Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” What church was He talking about?<br /><br />The word “church” comes from a Greek word meaning “called out,” an apt name for a group of people Christ calls out from the world into His kingdom, from sin into holiness, from their old life into a new life. However, this is never a singular word; the church is a group of believers.<br /><br />In the Bible “church” refers to all people called by Christ to follow Him. Scripture uses terms like the “body” and the “bride” of Christ to describe it. We are part of Him, His hands and His feet in this world. We are also joined to Him; we are His beloved. The “church universal” is everyone who believes in Jesus, no matter what denomination they adhere to, or part of the world they live in. <br /><br />Scripture also refers to church as a local congregation. Believers first met in one another’s homes. A local group might be the church that “meets in Lydia’s house” or “Simon’s house.” There were no white buildings on the corner or any other special buildings, but the church was never more vibrant and effective, no matter where they assembled to pray, share, learn, and worship.<br /><br />These two meanings still remain today. When the Bible talks about Jesus’ love for the church, it is talking about the people for whom He died. When the Bible talks about “not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together,” it is talking about a local church. It does not matter if it meets in the Alliance building, the Baptist building, or the Community building. What does matter is that the building is filled with people who have given their lives to Jesus. <br /><br />Patti still has not considered Christ and still does not go to church. She is not drawn to Christians. They make her feel uncomfortable and guilty. Church to her appears to be an organization with a bunch of rules, and sadly, some “churches” are just that. The congregation does not have a common faith in Christ, only in their organization. What a turn-off. Yet if she ever decided to follow Jesus, He would lead her into an entirely different experience of church, a place yes, but also a group of people who are united by the Holy Spirit and their love of God, not by form and rules. <br /><br />Since that child’s question years ago, I’ve realized that becoming a Christian changes a person’s view of church. Until Jesus called me out of my unbelief, I never wanted to go there either.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-13601215171126581992018-07-30T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-30T07:00:08.284-06:00Understanding the Bible ............. Parables 774<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">January 2004</span><br /><br />At the beginning of this year, I was thinking about a pastor we once had who gave us a Scripture passage each January as our “Verse for the Year.” It seemed a good idea to give one to each of our children. As I prayed for our children and grandchildren, specific verses came to mind for each one. I put the verses on cards and, after explaining why, gave the cards to them. <br /><br />Our youngest granddaughter, who has not yet considered Christianity, received John 3:16. When she read it, she looked at her older sister and said, “I don’t understand it. Do you understand yours?”<br /><br />Her sister said she did. The younger one looked puzzled. “Do you understand mine?” When she got an affirmative response, she frowned again. Then her sister, who had accepted Christ some years before, said, “Just keep reading it. One day you will understand it.”<br /><br />Without realizing it, she gave an incredibly wise response. Sometimes biblical realities can be explained, but with a verse as easy to understand as John 3:16, it seemed obvious that the younger one needed time for the Holy Spirit to open her eyes.<br /><br />In 1 Corinthians 2, the Apostle Paul explains that God’s wisdom is hidden to the “natural” man. By this he means that God’s words are a mystery to those who do not have the Spirit of God living in them. He says we need to have them “revealed to us by His Spirit.” <br /><br />I can vouch for that. When I was about thirteen, I decided a “real woman” read the Bible every day, just like my mother did. So I read it, but I didn’t understand any of it. Oh, I knew the meaning of the words, but they held no significance whatsoever. Further, I read it every day for about sixteen years, and still did not understand what it meant. <br /><br />Finally, everything changed. In one day, one Scripture verse (in another book) jumped out at me. Suddenly I realized that Jesus was God, come in the flesh to die for my sins. At that moment, I believed in Him and gave my life to Him. At that moment, I also began to understand the Bible. <br /><br />Now I also understand the problem I had not understanding it. For years, I was such a vain, proud person. I did everything right and no one else knew as much as I did. My life was in control and I controlled it. Then, it fell apart. My marriage failed. I was a failure. That perch was knocked out from under me. I could see things now that I could not see before. One thing I saw was that I did not do everything right. I needed help. I also realized I did not know everything. I needed both knowledge and wisdom. I started looking for it, but the book I was reading that day was about to take me in the wrong direction. <br /><br />God, in His great wisdom and grace, decided to turn me around. He used the one verse of Scripture in that book to open my eyes. When I saw Him and realized what He had done for me, I tossed the book aside and began reading The Book with renewed enthusiasm and an understanding that had not been there before.<br /><br />I know my granddaughters will be blessed by their verses for this year. While the younger one does not understand her verse, as the older one said, she will get it. Actually, knowing the way God works, that verse will eventually take hold of her!<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-36240295400354743252018-07-27T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-27T07:00:10.292-06:00Spiritual warfare? ............. Parables 773<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">January 2004</span><br /><br />There stands Billy in front of the candy counter. The store owner’s back is turned. Billy looks at the candy. On one shoulder sits an angel telling him to keep his hands in his pocket. On the other shoulder sits a bright red figure with a pitched fork and a contrary argument. If Billy does not touch the candy, who is the real winner in this battle? <br /><br />Like 99% of the population, I decided last week to get rid of a few pounds. While I can still button up my clothes, they are tighter than they were a month ago. Too much turkey stuffing. Too many chocolates. Even with those safely out of sight, a second helping of anything was still a big temptation. However, I decided that if I say no to the extras, my tongue may lose a “taste sensation” but my body will come out a winner.<br /><br />Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, graphically described similar struggles with other kinds of temptation besides gluttony. He said, “Being a Christian is like having two dogs fighting inside me.” <br /><br />The battle between what is the good and what is forbidden rages continually. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings uses an epic fantasy to depict it. Even in fiction, this Christian author refuses to minimize the power of darkness to lure persons into wicked thinking and behavior. He also brings out the struggle inside the hearts of his characters. <br /><br />Yet not all of them struggle. The good guys battle evil, but those who are evil only fight good because it threatens their freedom to choose otherwise. As I read Tolkein’s stories and see the movies, I marvel how he depicts the inner battle of the two dogs. I also marvel that this battle would not be so evident to me had I read the books before I became a Christian. <br /><br />Becoming a Christian changed the way I think about good and evil. Even though I was not heavy into evil, I was surprised when these changes came. Before, I used “doing good” to serve my own purposes. Before, I rejected temptation only if I could see negative consequences. After giving my life to Christ, suddenly I wanted to do good — without having any reason, yet was (and still am) amazed at how fiercely temptation opposes me. <br /><br />The Bible makes it clear that when the Holy Spirit lives in a person, that person changes. We become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). It also describes a new conflict. “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other so that you do not do what you want.”<br /><br />Every Christian experiences this battle. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” He goes on to say that his sinful nature is up to no good, but his inner being, where the Holy Spirit dwells, wages war against that nature. He thanks God that Jesus Christ enables him to win this war!<br /><br />Watchman Nee would agree. Someone heard him describe his battle with sin and asked, “Which dog wins?” He responded, “The dog I feed the most.”<br /><br />My experience this past week is almost a pun on Nee’s reply, As I turn away from fancy desserts, rich sauces, and other temptations, my desire for them becomes less intense. Not only is my body beginning to lose weight, but my appetite for overeating has diminished.<br /><br />For those who fight a battle with temptation, be thankful; it’s one test that gives evidence that you are a Christian. To win the battle, ask the Lord to help you feed the good dog (in my case, it likes lots of veggies!) and starving the forbidden dog. You will see it will shrivel up — and leave you alone. <br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-29986073541766780892018-07-25T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-25T07:00:08.631-06:00Science says faith has real benefits ............. Parables 772<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">December 2003</span><br /><br />An American psychiatrist, Dr. Harold Koenig, says prayer and worship have health benefits. He even says the connection between religious faith and health is a hot topic in science. Science has always separated itself from matters of faith on the basis that science involves theory that can be proven by evidence. Scientists have said you cannot do that with matters of faith. <br /><br />However, today’s technological ability to gather and interpret large amounts of data enables scientists to make correlations between people of faith and their well-being, and compare what they find with data about people who do not practice any faith. The benefits listed in Koenig’s statement include faster recovery from heart surgery and depression, lower suicide rates, and a longer life span. It is interesting that Jesus promised to give His followers “abundant life.” Could this be part of what He meant?<br /><br />Koenig also says that attending worship services must be for the right reasons. If you do it just to improve your health, it will not work. He says “The health effect is a natural consequence of following the religious life for religious reasons.”<br /><br />This ties to another statement made by Jesus. He was explaining to Samaritan woman that the place a person worships is irrelevant. He said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”<br /><br />For Christians, this describes the nature of our worship. While it is usually expressed in externals like praise and singing, true worship originates in our innermost being, our spirit. Christian worship must also be “in truth” which can mean we are being truthful in our motivations and expression, not just going through the motions. However the Bible strongly links Jesus with “the truth” that it seems His statement is a reference more to Himself than a dogma. Jesus claims that true worship involves meeting God through Him, the one who is “full of grace and truth.” He also says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” <br /><br />By that, He emphasizes how we must approach God in worship. Over and over, Scripture says our spirits are dead because of sin, yet can be made alive when God, by His Spirit, gives us new life through faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, we cannot worship God “in spirit and in truth” unless our spirits have been regenerated (or made new) by the Spirit of Christ who comes to live in our spirit. <br /><br />Jesus promised eternal life to His followers, but also abundant life. He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (physical needs) will be given to you as well.” While abundant life does not necessarily mean the poor will become rich, it does mean a fuller life than we would have without Him. He clearly says if we put Him (and living for Him) first, then He will take care of us. This is a natural consequence of following Him for the right reasons.<br /><br />Freud once said religion was an “obsessional neurosis” and psychiatrists of his day and up to the 50's were convinced religious people needed more therapy. Because of his analysis, did some people avoid having anything to do with faith? Did they miss that abundance that only God can give? And now with Koenig’s findings, will some be drawn back to God, the Bible, and church?<br /><br />This is a great resolution idea for this coming new year. Put Jesus Christ first. Worship Him in spirit and in truth. See what happens.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-69663462221919678582018-07-23T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-23T07:00:09.441-06:00More Precious than Diamonds ............. Parables 771<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">December 23, 2002<br /><br />This holiday season at least three advertisements are telling us “diamonds are forever.” One comes from the De Beers company urging us to buy sparkling gems for our loved ones. Another is a James Bond movie title, also involving jewels made from carbon under pressure. A third, I kid you not, is a dating service, no doubt using this title to offer possibilities to their potential customers.<br /><br />The fourth is more startling — it is a new trend in the funeral business. LifeGem Memorials offer to take the cremated remains of loved ones (animal or human) and turn the ashes into artificial diamonds. One news headline said this gives the “dearly departed a chance to sparkle forever.” Already, customers are wearing these stones as rings and necklaces. <br /><br />In my mind, remembering those who died is important, but wearing compressed and recycled body parts on a chain is a bit much. Even so, I realize many will quickly sign up for these “keepsakes that can be handed down from generation to generation.” <br /><br />This latest gem-making proposal sent me to my electronic Bible to do a word search for “diamonds.” I discovered that out of all the jewels listed in the Bible, this one seemed missing. The Old Testament priest wore a breastplate with twelve stones, including a ruby, topaz, beryl, turquoise, sapphire, emerald, jacinth, agate, amethyst, chrysolite, onyx, and jasper, all mounted in gold settings. No diamonds.<br /><br />Revelation in the New Testament describes God’s heavenly city as shining “with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal” with gates of pearl and a street of gold, transparent like glass. It also says the foundations of the walls are made of “jasper” and are layered with other gems like sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst. No diamonds in that list either, but I wondered if the names hid them, like all precious gems are hidden. After checking various sources, I discovered that “jasper” is a transliteration from a Greek word that actually refers to a completely clear diamond!<br /><br />So the walls of the heavenly city will be made of diamonds. However, are those walls all that is left of the dead? Not so. The same chapter says this city “will not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb (Christ) is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it . . . . The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”<br /><br />The people are inside the walls. So the walls are diamonds, not the people, and LifeGem didn’t do their homework. While diamonds may last a long time, the only way to get into this eternal city is through the Lamb, the One born in a stable over two thousand years ago.<br /><br />So this Christmas, whether you are looking at the shine on a child’s face, or the sparkle of icicles, or the radiance of a gemstone, or the flash of reflections in crystal ornaments, think about “forever” in terms of the only One who can offer it, Jesus, the Lamb of God. Remember His promise to give us new and glorious bodies when we die, not recycled and compressed stone made from the carbon in our old bodies. <br /><br />Also remember that figuratively speaking, His children are as diamonds — very precious — just as it says in Malachi 3:17: “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” <br /><br />Remember also this old hymn that uses Malachi’s sparkling metaphor. You can find the music at http://www.sermonaudio.com/hymn_details.asp?PID=whenhecometh. Here are the words: “When He cometh, when He cometh, To make up His jewels, All His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own. Like the stars of the morning, His brightness adorning, They shall shine in their beauty, Bright gems for His crown. He will gather, He will gather the gems for His kingdom; All the pure ones, all the bright ones, His loved and His own. Little children, little children, Who love their Redeemer, Are the jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own.”<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-81385470085027728292018-07-20T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-20T07:00:04.735-06:00Understanding and being understood ............. Parables 770<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">December 18, 2002</span><br /><br />A couple years ago at a writer’s conference I met a man whose speech was difficult to understand. English was not his first language. His accent added to my difficulty. To make things worse, when I told him I could not understand him, he repeated it — but exactly the same way he said it the first time. Then he smiled and nodded as if it was clearer to him. However, he seemed unaware that I could not grasp even the gist of what he said.<br /><br />At one time, I thought “understanding and being understood” were universal needs. This man upset my convictions, yet this remains a firm need in my life. Even more important is that others understand what I am saying to them. <br /><br />A child’s curiosity is based on this desire to understand. Our grandson often takes things apart just to figure out how they work. Even though he was reprimanded for constantly fiddling with radios or other technical appliances, at eighteen his curiosity remains strong.<br /><br />Children also want to be understood. At two, our son knew “lellow” and “blana” were not quite right, so he practiced until they came out “yellow banana.” <br /><br />Conversations like the one with that man at the conference are frustrating. One side thinks their speech is clear, but the listener is not hearing them clearly. Dare we be polite and pretend we understood?<br /><br />A friend died but before she did, her daughter told the doctor her mother was a Christian and “ready to die.” The doctor understood her words, but not what she intended. He watched the mother put up a good fight to live. He didn’t believe she was ready at all to die. <br /><br />The problem was not an issue of readiness, but of understanding and being understood. Christians who are ready to die have made peace with God. They know their sin is forgiven. They also have assurance of eternal life through their faith in Christ. Death is not a fearful thing. However, being ready to die does not mean that we hate life. After all, the Bible calls death an enemy. While Jesus conquered it (and we will too), being ready is not the same as simply giving up when death comes calling. <br /><br />In thinking about the desire to understand and be understood, I’d have to say God perfectly models both. The Bible reveals how He understands us: “Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar . . . You are familiar with all my ways . . . such knowledge is too wonderful for me.” David, who wrote this psalm, worshiped God for His great understanding. He was not afraid of being known like this; it satisfied this deep desire to be understood.<br /><br />David also sought to know and understand God, but the Bible says such a desire is not natural: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.” The Bible explains this lack of desire to know God. It says each of us “turn to our own way.” We are quite happy to know our own minds, desires, and attitudes. We are content with our own understanding of things, and convinced that is enough. The Bible also says that this determination to do our own thing is what keeps us blind and deaf to the reality of God. Because we don’t want to know, we can’t understand. <br /><br />To make matters worse, in our blindness we make up our own version of God, our own version of spirituality, our own version of religion. No wonder there are so many “faiths.”<br /><br />God is willing to reveal Himself to anyone. We need to be willing to know and understand Him as He reveals Himself. Those who are content with their own understanding has no idea what they are missing!<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-83024331990086284092018-07-18T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-18T07:00:08.097-06:00How to get close to others ............. Parables 769<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">December 11, 2002</span><br /><br />Bernie was a new Christian. He was excited to serve God in the church he attended, so he approached one of the pastors. The pastor asked him a few questions and Bernie had to admit that he did not have a good relationship with his wife. The pastor told him that God’s priority was a close marriage relationship. Church work came second. <br /><br />When Bernie heard that, his eyes fell. He muttered, “How am I supposed to do that?” He’d been married nearly ten years and it seemed to him that nothing he did worked out right. A good marriage seemed impossible. He dreaded hearing another hopeless to-do list, but the pastor’s answer surprised him.<br /><br />“Bernie, does your wife work at her relationship with God?” Bernie had to admit that she did. “Then your part is easy; you simply need to also work on your relationship with God.” <br /><br />Bernie asked how that would help. The pastor made a triangle with his fingers and explained, “God invented marriage and He places Himself over it at the top corner. The man and wife are the other two corners on the bottom. What happens to them as they move up the sides of the triangle closer to God?”<br /><br />Bernie quickly saw that as the two moved closer to God, they also moved closer to each other. He was intrigued, but wondered out loud, “How can I move closer to God?”<br /><br />The pastor offered another illustration. He held up his coffee cup and said, “You are like this cup. As a believer in Christ, you are open to the ministry of God who daily pours Himself into your life, just like we pour coffee into a cup. Most of the time, you gladly receive His ministry, but what happens if you sin?”<br /><br />Bernie thought for a minute. “I fall over . . . I turn from God. And everything inside gets dumped out.”<br /><br />The pastor laughed as he tipped the empty cup. “Yes, that’s about it. The openness to God is gone too. You can’t receive from Him anymore . . . at least until you get right-side-up again. Do you know how to do that, how to get back under the blessings of God?”<br /><br />Bernie thought for a minute. He was a new Christian, but he knew that if he “confessed his sins, God was faithful and just to forgive his sins and cleanse him from all unrighteousness.” He learned that verse from 1 John in adult Sunday School. He recited the verse to the pastor.<br /><br />The pastor said, “Right on, Bernie!” and turned the cup upright again. “You also realize, Bernie, that you will go through life like this . . . “ and he tipped the cup and up righted it several times. He added, “The best you can do is shorten the down time and lengthen the upright time.”<br /><br />Bernie smiled. He was new at this but he already found out that God could give him new ideas and attitudes. He was joyful when he used to be sad, patient when he used to be agitated, loving when he used to be resentful. He could easily see how being right-side-up applied to an improved marriage.<br /><br />Today, Bernie is still working at keeping his cup upright before the Lord. In the meantime, his marriage amazes him with the depth of its intimacy and its strength. He now is quick to tell others if you want a deeper relationship with someone, first get right with God! <br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-63801621539649881312018-07-16T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-16T07:00:03.335-06:00One thing we cannot lose ............. Parables 768<span style="font-size: xx-small;">November 27, 2002</span><br /><br />The older I get, the more often my memory takes naps. Today, I thought about a lady I know who owns a quilt store in BC. I can see her face but cannot remember her name.<br /><br />Forgetting names is bad enough, but this sleepy memory also forgets how to spell. This week, inconsistencies became enconsistancies. I’m thankful for spell-checkers and dictionaries!<br /><br />But I wonder what will disappear from my head next. Will I try to phone my daughter and forget her number? Will I see my neighbors and forget where I met them? Will I drive downtown and forget how to get home?<br /><br />The prospects of dementia are doubly frightening as I think about my mother’s decline due to Alzheimer’s disease. She could not remember her own face at times, even though she always remembered mine. Her confusion was often frustrating as she tried to say something and could not remember the words to describe her thoughts.<br /><br />However, as I think of her dementia, I must also remind myself of two things. One, she was nearly always happy. And two, her relationship with God remained constant. There are some things that memory loss cannot take away.<br /><br />Edward T. Welch, in his book “Blame it on the Brain?” says that the spirit and the mind are two different things. While one does have some influence on the other, a person with any type of mental disorder or brain injury is still able to hear God speak, understand spiritual matters, be joyful, and talk to God in prayer.<br /><br />He uses Scripture to back up his theory. In 2 Corinthians 4, the Apostle Paul talks about physical decline. He says, “Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” <br /><br />That verse and others like it show me that what happens to our body does not prevent God from speaking to our spirit. His Spirit communicates with our spirit, not just our minds. <br /><br />Welch’s book illustrates with true stories. One is about a cranky man with Alzheimer’s who was bitter and impatient. He made many demands on his care giver daughter. Both were Christians. The daughter was frustrated, but decided to be patient and kind. She finally asked her dad to be less demanding. To her delight, he responded as she asked. His mind was not working but he could still repent from his ornery attitude and experience God’s cleansing power.<br /><br />In another story, Welch tells of a woman whose dementia robbed her of the ability to remember and talk about much of anything. Mostly she communicated how much she hated God. Her care giving family could not leave her home by herself, so each Sunday they took her to church with them. One day on the way home, she said, “I need forgiveness for what I have done.” Her family explained once more that Jesus died for her sins and that forgiveness was available through faith in Him. The woman believed and received Christ as her Lord and Savior. <br />From then on, she talked about Jesus all the time, telling her friends and others about his love and forgiveness. Her mind was dying, but her spirit received new life.<br /><br />Actually, my mother’s loss of memory was not so bad. She did not suffer anxiety. We all want that. She was able to laugh about it, another good thing. I’m sure she passed her days in contentment because the Lord was with her. He gave her that peace and good humor.<br /><br />Just writing this reminds me of one more thing that dementia cannot take from anyone. Because He promised, “Lo, I am with you always,” we can lose our memory but we can never lose Jesus. <br /><br />Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-38811901736936967502018-07-13T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-13T07:00:11.012-06:00Why Suffering? ............. Parables 767<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">November 13, 2002</span><br /><br />For several weeks, I’ve offered reasons why God allows suffering.<br /><br />Sometimes suffering is the consequence of our own actions. Israel’s King David chose violence. The consequences were as predictable as dropping an egg on a concrete floor. Not only did bloodshed follow him most of his life, but God also refused to allow him the great thing he wanted to do for God, built a temple. However, God is gracious — David was allowed to write the Psalms.<br /><br />Sometimes suffering is God’s punishment for sin. This may not happen for each sin a person commits in their lifetime; however, God warns of a coming judgment when unrepentant sinners will receive what is due them. The Bible says their torment will be everlasting.<br /><br />God may allow suffering because He intends to bring good from it. Old Testament patriarch Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Years later Joseph became powerful in the land where he once lived as a slave, and rescued his entire family from a famine and certain death. He said to his brothers, “You intended it for evil but God used it for good.”<br /><br />Sometimes suffering tests our faith. Job is the strongest example, but every Christian knows that tough times affirm God’s faithfulness. He sustains His people during suffering.<br /><br />Suffering also results when godly people are hated by the ungodly. Rather than preventing it, God says “those who live godly lives will be persecuted.” In this case, sufferers bear the brunt of godliness.<br /><br />Sometimes God allows suffering so He will be glorified. A man was born blind, not “because he or his parents sinned” but so that “the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Jesus healed him and glorified God. <br /><br />And sometimes suffering happens for no reason at all. We live in a sinful world where all people do bad things. Often innocent people suffer because of what others do. <br /><br />Out of all these reasons why God might allow suffering, there is only one occasion in history when every one of them applies. It happened when Jesus died on the cross. <br /><br />In one sense, Jesus suffered the consequence of His own actions. He rebuked the legalism and hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day. They retaliated by crucifying Him. <br /><br />The cross tested the faith of Jesus. The Bible says “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made not threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him (the Father) who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.”<br /><br />Jesus suffered as a punishment for sin, not His own for the Bible says He was sinless, but bore our sins. The penalty for sin is death.<br /><br />In that, God intended to bring good out of His suffering. He offered Jesus as a sacrifice for us, and promises that all who believe in Him might be forgiven and receive eternal life.<br /><br />Even though Jesus died because He was godly and hated by the ungodly, He did not deserve death, and death could not hold Him. He rose from the tomb, and His suffering and subsequent resurrection brings great glory to God.<br /><br />When the life of Christ is examined, there seems to be no reason at all that others would kill Him, but the fact that they did proves the very reason He came to earth — we live in a sinful world where all people do bad things. This innocent man suffered because of what we do. <br /><br />Yet the only way His suffering can be labeled meaningless is when people refuse to consider Jesus, and will not let His suffering affect what they believe or how they live.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-18426946336973286352018-07-11T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-11T07:00:00.981-06:00Why evil? ............. Parables 766<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">October 29, 2002</span><br /><br />Again we are asking the same big questions we asked during 9/11. Why do terrorists attack buses and night clubs, hold hostage hundreds of people? Why do people shoot people, at random, with no apparent reason? Why do people do terrible things? Why do innocents suffer? <br /><br />We hear answers. Some say “these are evil acts committed by evil people.” The perpetrators might explain that their victims “deserved it.” The thoughtful are not satisfied with either answer yet we want answers. We want to know the causes, the reasons why.<br /><br />People were not created to live meaningless lives. Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung, said when people “cut themselves off from the root of their being, from God, then life turns empty, inane, meaningless, without purpose.”<br /><br />God created us to live in a fulfilled way, but as Jung says, people who abandon God experience emptiness. Life no longer makes sense. <br /><br />As I think about the acts of terrorism around the world, I have to conclude that sin is simply not rationale. It might be logical in the mind of a terrorist to blow up, shoot, or terrorize others in order to gain some supposed end, but if viewed from the perspective of God and eternity, this is totally meaningless. There really are no answers to those why questions.<br /><br />However, we must ask them. Why does a bullet intended for an opposing gang member fly into a home and kill a sleeping child? Why does a car stall and a mother of four fail to escape before being hit by a train? Why do children starve to death while their nation is at war? Do we suppose that knowing why will fix it, or at least make us feel better?<br /><br />The illogical is making this world a place of unpredictable and random acts of violence. While God can produce good out of seemingly senseless suffering, and can use pain in ways we do not understand, He is not the cause of this suffering. It is sin, and sin makes no sense.<br /><br />Even at that, sin cannot escape the rule of cause and effect. Rebellion against God and His intention for us has consequences. Because Adam sinned, because his descendants sinned, because you sin, and because I sin, the world is set askew. As it wobbles, everyone staggers out of kilter, bumping into each other. We are on a collision course with human foolishness.<br /><br />Jesus warned His disciples. He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”<br /><br />He also said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”<br /><br />Is it possible to live in a world run by terrorists and not be afraid? Christians can say yes. Two of them, a couple from Vulcan, Alberta, were watching the latest news on the Washington snipers, happy that they lived in a small town away from all that. Suddenly a young man burst into their home, threatened them with a knife, and demanded they drive him to Calgary.<br /><br />These folks may have initially felt fear, but the news story indicated they were far more concerned about this “terrorist” than they were for themselves. The wife called the episode a “joyride” and told young man that “it’s not too late to change, the Lord can help you.”<br /><br />They are Christians (relatives of my sister-in-law) who know the reality of God’s “peace that passes understanding.” They took Jesus up on His offer of “abundant life” and found their faith tested in this most unusual way. Inner peace overruled fear.<br /><br />I suppose to some, this inner peace makes even less sense than sin, but if God actually takes care of His people as He promises, then He can put into our hearts a full assurance of His power. He is in control over even the most bizarre situations. <br /><br />With His peace, we can watch the evening news, pray for the people held in bondage both by terrorists and by their own fears, and not be pressured by any urgent need to know why these things are happening. <br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-44887097989183186402018-07-09T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-09T07:00:11.723-06:00Why God allows suffering ............. Parables 765<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">October 2, 2002</span><br /><br />For this series on why God allows suffering, I had prepared an outline for each article. The past couple of weeks have been filled with so many other responsibilities that I’d no time to write, or even think about writing.<br /><br />Then came Sunday, September 15. My mother woke that morning with her usual cheerful attitude, and asked her care givers in the nursing home to play some music on her tape deck. As they began to prepare her for the day, she bowed her head and died. <br /><br />My mother had Alzheimer's yet still recognized her family and maintained a remarkable attitude. She was happy, thankful, and as her nurses said, a joy to take care of.<br /><br />With great sorrow in our loss, I’ve fumbled through my responsibilities in preparation for her funeral. Today, I determined to finish the next article in this series. When I opened the file, my first line said, “God allows suffering because this is the way that He takes us home.”<br /><br />Death is inevitable. When someone is ill, my husband often says, “We are all terminal, but most of us don’t know when — so we need to prepare for it when we are alive.” <br /><br />Most of us do not know how death will come either. Will it be an accident? Illness? Great suffering? Even “natural causes” involve some pain as the body ages and common illnesses or organ failures join hands with death to carry us from this world. Suffering and dying usually go together.<br /><br />That said, some suffer more than others. We have two doctors living nearby. One told me a horror story of “the worst death I have ever seen” and another talked about patients who linger for months, even years, in pain. They want to die but cannot. <br /><br />Some advocate euthanasia as the means to overcome the pain of dying. Others will not go that far but will ask for morphine or some medication to ease the pain. Even though many people seem to fear pain far more than dying, the Bible calls death the final enemy.<br /><br />However, for God’s people, there are no guarantees of an easy death. Hebrews speaks of Old Testament saints who were stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. Jesus Himself died a horrible death. He suffered more than we can imagine.<br /><br />Even so, the New Testament also says that Jesus endured the Cross “for the joy set before him” and that some of God’s people “were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might face a better resurrection.” That is our hope. <br /><br />Hebrews 2 says that Jesus shared in our humanity so “by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” <br /><br />Because of Jesus, we no longer need to be afraid of suffering or dying. Those who believe in Christ know that because He lives, we also will live. <br /><br />Suffering does not always imply punishment. Suffering does not always lead to a greater good, at least in this life, but in the suffering of death, it can be the doorway to eternal life with Christ. That is the greatest good of all.<br /><br />Ultimately, God takes responsibility for our suffering. He knows all about us. As a butterfly must not be helped out of its cocoon, or a chick aided through the shell of an egg, our Maker may have an unseen purpose in the struggle of some to move from the confinements of this life to the freedom of eternal life.<br /><br />Yet for others, God has a different plan, perhaps just to show the gentleness of Jesus. My mother’s suffering was minimal. Because she knew Jesus and was not afraid of death, when her time came, she went without any resistance.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-28592918044594534382018-07-06T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-06T07:00:22.800-06:00Why does God allow suffering? ............. Parables 764<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">September 4, 2002</span><br /><br />Nancy* tearfully shared that her father was in the hospital with pancreatic cancer. The doctors said he would live only a few months at most. Nancy asked people to pray.<br /><br />In two weeks, the doctors noticed her father was not showing the same symptoms as he had earlier. They decided to do more tests; first a MRI scan, then a second one. The cancer they had seen with their eyes in surgery had disappeared. They could not explain it, and within days they sent the man home with a clean bill of health.<br /><br />Nancy and her parents suffered considerably for a few weeks. The father’s suffering was both mental and physical. For a while, he was on life support. The two women suffered emotionally as they tried to adjust to his condition. Everyone was glad the suffering came to a happy ending, but why did God allow it in the first place? <br /><br />The answer is found in another story about another man. This one suffered all his life; he had been born blind. The theology of the day said he was being punished by God because he or his parents had sinned. (In other words, life would be perfect if everyone behaved themselves?)<br /><br />When Jesus’ disciples saw this man, they reflected this current reasoning by asking Jesus who was guilty, this man or his parents. Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened that the works of God might be displayed in his life.”<br /><br />At that, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash in a certain pool. When the man obeyed, he “went home seeing.” Those who knew him were amazed. They could not explain what happened. The religious folks accused him of being an imposter, then threw him out of the temple. They were not willing to admit that Jesus healed him, or that this healing was a miracle from God. <br /><br />While this story has many implications for our faith, most important to the topic of why God allows suffering is Jesus’ answer to the disciples. This man suffered, not because of his sin, or because someone else had sinned, but that by healing him, God was going to be glorified.<br /><br />What does a person do with this story? We could ask a logical question: How would we know that God conquers sickness if there were no sicknesses for Him to conquer? Would the man have ever discovered the power of Jesus Christ unless he had been blind?<br /><br />Bring it closer to home. In the above situation, Nancy, her family, and her friends prayed knowing the story about the blind man. We also know that Jesus is “the same yesterday, today and forever.” We know He can do the impossible all over again. He once fixed what medical science was unable to fix, and He hasn’t changed. While we cannot assume to know the mind of God and presume He will heal, we do know He can do it.<br /><br />Nancy’s father was healed, not by prayer but by God. Even those who believe in God and believe that He hears and answers prayer shake their heads in awe when He does it. We must give Him glory for He is powerful and good.<br /><br />Sometimes people do suffer as a result of their own foolishness. Sometimes suffering is a punishment for sin. Sometimes suffering is the result of someone else’s sin. But sometimes God allows suffering so He can do a miracle in response to our prayers. The only way to find out is to pray, knowing He has the power to do the impossible, and see what happens.<br /><br />(* The name is changed, but the situation happened this summer!)<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-54541225075519765022018-07-04T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-04T07:00:01.964-06:00Why persecution? ............. Parables 763<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">September 18, 2002</span><br /><br />Imagine hearing shots as gunmen entered the place where you work. What would you do? What questions would you ask God after seeing your co-workers die?<br /><br />My friend, Anita, is a school administrator in Muree, Pakistan. A few weeks ago, seven people died as they stood in the way of terrorists determined to kill the “foreigners” inside the school. <br /><br />Anita’s email emphasizes that she felt amazingly calm when calm was needed, but in the days following, she tells of the aftershock. She, other workers, parents and students (children of missionaries) experienced things they will never forget. <br /><br />Why did this happen to them? Why should the families of those who died suffer because of human suspicion and hate? Why are God’s people targets simply because they obey Christ’s command to “go into all the world and preach the gospel”?<br /><br />Obviously, the Gospel and its messengers offend people. Occasionally, our walk does not match our talk, but even if it does, godliness is almost a crime or an ugly thing to those outside of faith. Christian standards are unacceptable to anyone unwilling to admit their sinfulness and yield their lives to God. <br /><br />Persecution is not new, nor limited to Christians. The Jews were persecuted during WW II, along with other races and nationalities. Early Christians were martyred by the thousands. Finding accurate statistics is a challenge, however one Web site says that at least 400 Christians die for their faith every day. Obeying God comes at a price. <br /><br />Believers are despised for our message: we claim Christ is the only way to God. The fact is, Christ was crucified for saying the same thing: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”<br /><br />The Apostle Paul’s life was under a constant threat. He knew his persecutors did not like his message, but he also said, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This affirms that sometimes suffering is not punishment from God but an affirmation that we are living the way we should.<br /><br />Suffering sometimes leads to a greater good. In this situation, time will tell if the blood of those who died will sow an effective “seed” and bring renewal and growth to the Christian faith. Meanwhile, officials decided to close Muree Christian school, at least for a year. Children should not be made targets for those who hate their parents. <br /><br />Perhaps Anita and the others are thinking about Jesus’ promise: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”<br /><br />Surely God can protect us, yet He warns that people hate godliness; He Himself suffered and died because of that hatred. Jesus said we must be willing to take up our cross also. Following Him means more than bearing a symbolic article of jewelry, or putting up with an annoyance in our life. The Cross was, and continues to be, a place of death.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-37876452628109950352018-07-02T07:00:00.000-06:002018-07-02T07:00:00.140-06:00Will faith take away any consequences of sin? ............. Parables 762<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">August 21, 2002</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann (not her real name) was eighteen when she met and married Brad. He was charming and handsome. The problem was that Ann believed in Jesus and Brad did not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Further, Brad drank too much and flirted with other women. Ann’s parents and Christian friends saw the danger signs and warned her. Deep in her heart, Ann knew they were right, but she married him anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The marriage fell apart two and a half years later. Brad’s roving eye led him away from Ann. His drinking increased and, when he drank, he was verbally abusive. After he slapped her a few times, she decided to leave him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ann still asks God, “Why did this happen? You could have made our marriage happy. Why didn’t you change Brad?” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her questions seem naive to those outside her situation, even those outside the Christian faith. Perhaps believers struggle with this issue more than those who are not. We know that Jesus paid our penalty for sin. God’s wrath was poured out on Him and we are forgiven, no longer condemned. However, sin has a consequence that seems like punishment? This makes our salvation seem not quite what we believed it to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem comes when we forget that sin’s punishment is about eternity. People who do not repent and turn to God will face eternity separated from Him. The Bible calls it the “second death” and its location is “hell.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the other hand, suffering as a consequence of a sin is different. If a Christian sins and gets into trouble like Ann did, the consequence only happens in this life. In eternity, Ann will be with Christ forever, He will “wipe away all tears,” and she will enter eternal joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So why should Christians suffer the consequences of sin, even though their sin is forgiven? Ecclesiastes offers a clue by saying, “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any person finds it harder to stop doing wrong if no pain is involved. God chastens His people through consequences so we will learn to hate sin and to stop sinning. His goal is that we are transformed people who are like Him. We cannot continue in sin and reach that goal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even when we sin, God is gracious. Consider Old Testament King David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and had a son. That illegitimately conceived child died, but the next son born to him and Bathsheba (by then his wife) was Solomon. From that line, the Messiah was born, an honor to David and a blessing to the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David also lived as a warrior. When he wanted to build a temple for God, God would not allow it because of the “blood” in his life. This was a sad and serious consequence; however, God allowed David to write the Psalms — which have endured far longer than any temple ever could.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember that suffering does not always imply punishment or lead to a hidden and greater good. Sometimes, it is simply the consequence of sin. Also remember that God takes responsibility for everything that happens. Job said, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bible says God “disciplines those He loves” and explains that consequences are for those who are “accepted” as His children. If someone is not disciplined by God, then they are not a child of God. Far better to bear that label and suffer the consequences of sin for a little while, then to reject God as Father, Lord and Savior, and then bear sin’s consequences forever!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-55802887097967125422018-06-29T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-29T07:00:09.881-06:00Faith is a gift ............. Parables 761<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">August 14, 2002</span><br /><br />Aunt Lilian once said to me, “I don’t know how you do it; you have been through so much.” I smiled, but for the life of me, I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. <br /><br />Perhaps what seemed like “so much” to her didn’t seem like much to me. Life is not easy but I didn’t feel I’d had it harder than anyone else. Yet as she said it, my heart filled with gratitude. My faith in Christ was making a difference in how I perceived my struggles. <br /><br />Faith itself is not powerful. The key is the object of faith. For example, I believe in electricity. When I flick a switch, the lights go on. Yet electricity sometimes fails, so my faith in it is not totally sure of its power. <br /><br />I also believe in people. Sometimes my faith is rewarded — like when eastern Canadian farmers offered their hay to those in western Canada. Sometimes my faith in people takes a nose dive — as when extremists shot up a school in Pakistan where my friend works. <br /><br />But these kinds of faith are not the same as trusting God. We cannot flick God on with a switch, nor are we supposed to trust Him only when things go well. This makes believing in Him difficult. How can we put our trust in Someone who may not deal life to us the way we like it?<br /><br />The Bible says we need to believe in Him no matter what, and offers plenty of evidence why we should. It also repeats countless promises He makes, inviting us to trust Him. Perhaps the most startling revelation about faith is that we cannot believe in Christ on our own. Instead, faith is “a gift from God.”<br /><br />Job had this gift. God also blessed him in material ways with wealth and a large family. Unknown to Job, that would change. His spiritual enemy, Satan, came to God with a challenge. He said that the faith Job had would fail if the man lost everything. <br /><br />Had Job’s faith been rooted in his own desire about what God should be like, it would fail. Human faith generally believes in what works for us. If it stops working, we stop believing. As long as things go well, God is a good friend, but if life becomes rocky, they abandon their faith in Him, and try to smooth the lumps on their own. <br /><br />Since Job’s faith was not his own but a gift, God knew Job could stand under a test. He allowed Satan to take away all that Job owned, his children, even his health. Job’s first response was, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”<br /><br />Soon Job’s friends challenged him by saying he must have done something wrong or this would not have happened. While Job was not sin-free, he knew in his heart that his suffering was not punishment for any sin. He held to that, despite their continual nagging at him, despite his own complaining, and despite his severe misery. <br /><br />Eventually God spoke. Although Bible readers are told about the challenge, and although God plainly takes responsibility for Job’s situation, God did not explain to Job what was happening. Nevertheless, Job passed the test. Later, God restored his possessions, blessed him with more children, and returned him to health. His gift of faith did not fail.<br /><br />This story reveals another reason why God sometimes allows suffering. Severe trials will expose true faith. When God’s people suffer, even though they may question God and falter for a while, the faith He gave them eventually comes through.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-47515945656034463492018-06-27T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-27T07:00:02.764-06:00God can use suffering for good ............. Parables 760<span style="font-size: xx-small;">August 6, 2002</span><br /><br />Joe was the runt of the litter, at least in the minds of his brothers. They hated his cocky self-assurance and that their father gave him the best of everything. <br /><br />One day while they were at work, along came Joe. He said dad had sent him to see what they were up to. Their tempers flared. They began to plot how to get rid of him and came up with a scheme. Slave traders passed by on occasion. They would sell Joe to a slave trader but tell their father he had been killed in a horrible accident.<br /><br />They got away with their scheme. Their father, Jacob suffered grief beyond imagine. The brothers felt guilty but stuck to their story.<br /><br />In a few years, a drought hit their community. Soon Jacob had to send them in search of food. They found it, but they also found something they did not expect: Joe was the kingpin over all available grain. When they finally recognized who he was, they realized they were at his mercy. What would he do to them?<br /><br />This story comes from Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Joseph wound up in Egypt. By living with integrity, he landed first in jail for something he didn’t do, and then in the Pharaoh’s court for something he did do — with the Lord’s help, he predicted a severe famine. <br /><br />The Pharaoh saw his wisdom. He put Joseph in charge of everything, and by his prudent decisions, the Egyptians had food enough for themselves and other nations.<br /><br />The brothers did not know how Joseph came to such power. All they knew was that they had wronged him, and he could now do whatever he wanted to them. They were terrified.<br /><br />But Joseph wept as he heard them talking. He realized they did not know his character. Finally he told them his story, then said, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”<br /><br />He added, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” At that, Pharaoh told Joseph to invite his family to live in Egypt where he could take care of them.<br /><br />After a time, their father died. The brothers thought Joseph would now retaliate, but they were wrong. He forgave them and said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”<br /><br />Throughout Scripture, this theme repeats itself. God’s people suffer, yet out of their suffering comes good. Job suffered yet God eventually blessed him (and us too, as we read his story). Jesus suffered, yet God raised Him from the dead to provide salvation for sinners.<br /><br />The Bible says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”<br /><br />Often, this verse is interpreted to mean that good things will happen to anyone who suffers, but the words are specific: this promise is for those who “love God” and obey His call on their lives. <br /><br />More than that, the context is also specific. The next verse says that these called ones who love Him will be “conformed to the likeness of his Son.” In other words, God teaches His people the Christlike response to suffering, and this is the “good” that comes from trials. <br /><br />Jesus, like Joseph, “did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”<br /><br />Jesus knew that the Father was just. Yes, He died on a cross for sins He did not commit, but God also raised Him from the dead to rule at His right hand and live forever.<br /><br />God can work good from our troubles. Sometimes, those troubles are the only way good can happen. We may not become world-class leaders like Joseph, but nothing happens to us haphazardly. God will reveal His purpose in His time. He promises, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” <br /><br />Suffering may be here for a little while, but His people must not give up hope. God is still in control.<br /><br />Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-57669519840746687452018-06-25T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-25T07:00:03.422-06:00Can we fix our problems? ............. Parables 759July 30, 2002<br /><br />A page from TIME with letters to the editor sits on my desk. This particular batch makes comments on the popularity of the LeHaye and Jenkins “Left Behind” series of books about the Second Coming. Some express agreement with the premise of the books; others think of them as money-making drivel.<br /><br />I’ve not read any of the “Left Behind” books but as I read these letters, I realize that the point the authors try to make is missed entirely by those who put their faith in the ability of humans beings to correct their own mistakes. <br /><br />Jesus did not share their faith. In Matthew 15, the Pharisees criticized His disciples for neglecting a ritual. Traditions said they must pour water on their hands and arms before eating. Jesus replied to the critics with a criticism of His own. He accused them of breaking the Lord’s commands for the sake of their traditions. They were doing things “in the name of God” that were purely for personal gain. <br /><br />Jesus called them hypocrites. He said they honored God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him, and they taught “rules” made up by men, but neglected God’s teachings. In a reference to food laws, He said it is not what we eat that make us unclean, but what comes out of our mouths.<br /><br />The disciples listened to Jesus but they didn’t understand what He said either. In their minds, their traditions were truth. They had trouble accepting that what they had been taught and believed in all their lives was totally irrelevant to true spirituality. Didn’t outward behavior count for anything?<br /><br />So Jesus explained again, “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’”<br /><br />Jesus turned the world upside down with statements like this, yet most of the people in it are walking on the ceiling without realizing it. We shrink from this reality of sin in our hearts and think “pretty good” is good enough. We may not have done any horrible deeds but fail to recognize our restraint does not mean we are pure and innocent.<br /><br />Like the Pharisees, we think that we are basically good at heart, and many are certain we can handle the mistakes we make. One writer to TIME said global warming, terrorism, hatred, etc. “are man’s problems, caused by man. With hard work and understanding, they can be solved by man.”<br /><br />Jesus says the opposite. He says the whole world system will deteriorate because man, contrary to that writer’s opinion, cannot solve the mess that we have created. This passage of Scripture explains why. It is not in us to be pure, innocent, or righteous. We need changed hearts.<br /><br />Last night, as we watched a movie, my husband said, “How can people kill others without any thought?” It slipped his mind that the world is filled with people who are living out exactly what is in their hearts. Christian author, Oswald Chambers says “we begin by trusting our ignorance and call it innocence, by trusting our innocence and calling it purity.” <br /><br />But no man is pure without the Holy Spirit, and even then, we need to remember that we are just as capable of the darkest sin as the next guy. <br /><br />Our restraint, to please God, must not be from cowardice, or social norms and restrictions, but from the power of the Holy Spirit. God alone can purify our hearts and deliver us from the junk that makes us unclean, but He will not do it without an invitation.<br /><br />Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-24560939327634582792018-06-22T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-22T07:00:05.528-06:00Why bad things happen ............. Parables 758<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">July 23, 2002</span><br /><br />When the popcorn bowl runs out, I like to suck the butter and salt out of those partly popped kernels in the bottom. Sometimes I gnaw on them, despite a little voice that tells me to stop it. Once I cracked a filling in a back tooth. My dentist added insult to injury by reminding me I’d made a foolish decision. <br /><br />This incident reminds me of that huge question: Why does God allow suffering? People in every corner of the world ask it. While the biblical answers may not satisfy everyone, over the next few weeks I’ll offer a few that immensely help me.<br /><br />First, three foundations. One, suffering does not always imply God’s punishment. Sometimes it does, but not every time. <br /><br />Two, while God can bring good out of anything, that is not always the reason He allows bad things to happen. Sometimes they are just bad.<br /><br />Third, God does take responsibility for everything. Job said, “Shall we accept good from God, and not evil.” The very next line reads, “In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” <br /><br />Jeremiah repeated the thought: “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” While the mind of God does not make sense to our limited perspective, yet the Bible affirms we can trust Him anyway. It also reveals a few why’s concerning evil and suffering.<br /><br />One reason we suffer is that we bring it on ourselves. We make foolish choices, and our actions have consequences. Without them, we would never regret foolishness, or change. Ecclesiastes puts it in the negative: “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.” <br /><br />Cause and effect are important to our stability. Water should satisfy our thirst. Flipping a switch should turn the lights on or off. We expect results from what we do and if they do not happen, we are perplexed, even thrown off balance.<br /><br />This applies to both good and foolish choices. When I bite a hard popcorn kernel, my less-strong fillings are apt to take a beating. When I ignore God’s moral warnings, my life will fall apart. When I behave and obey Him, I experience not only His blessing but His pleasure.<br /><br />The foolish choices of others can cause us suffering too. Children suffer in war. People die at the hands of reckless drivers. A construction worker neglects a safety check. Airline mechanics do too. Innocent people suffer consequences.<br /><br />Consequences should change our choices but what about drivers who run stop signs, make illegal turns, drive too fast, and cut in too quick, who never get a traffic ticket or ever have an accident? Or consider an elderly couple, normally careful drivers, yet one day he failed to stop at a stop sign. They were hit by a truck and both died. Does this make “cause and effect,” and God, capriciousness? <br /><br />Christians know God takes responsibility for everything. In the case of the elderly couple, He had reasons for allowing their suffering and death. They were people of faith and belonged to Him, so they were not being punished — Jesus already took their punishment for sin. <br /><br />Neither did they die so ultimate good would happen. It did not, at least for them here on earth. Their death was a tragic event, even though God could have stopped it. For the most part, it happened as a result of a wrong choice. <br /><br />But God also has reasons for not applying that rule of cause and effect to others who seem to deserve it. Maybe He is giving them a second chance. Maybe He has a greater plan for their lives. <br /><br />Sometimes people blame God when trouble strikes, but I would not want God to change the rule of cause and effect. When I do something dumb, I do not like the consequences, yet without their predictability (in general), the world would make even less sense than it does.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-63338297033698273392018-06-20T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-20T07:00:05.961-06:00Fear of Success? ............. Parables 757<span style="font-size: xx-small;">July 2, 2002</span><br /><br />My sister is embarking on a venture that could bring her great wealth. She has a sound idea, a quality product, a good business plan, and the right connections. But she worries about being unfaithful to the Lord. She has always given back to God a share of what He gives her, but fears success may change her priorities. <br /><br />When discussing things people fear, we seldom consider fear of success. Most people hesitate when they fear failure, but few remember that success also has pitfalls. <br /><br />These pitfalls vary depending on how success is measured. For some, it is power, or prominence. Others add popularity, possessions, a large bank account, happiness, and health. <br /><br />Christian values may contrast these measurements. For instance, Jesus tells us to “forsake all” and follow Him. We are not to let people or possessions interfere with our faith. He also says “My strength is perfected in weakness” and teaches us to rely on His power, not our own. As for popularity, He says those who live godly lives will suffer persecution. <br /><br />That said, Christians may have some of the success the world values, but God expects us to overcome the corresponding pitfalls. If not, we will be failures in His eyes. <br /><br />King Solomon is one example. He became a rich and powerful man. Before that happened, God warned that kings must avoid the accumulation of gold, horses, and wives. Unfortunately this king, who was exceedingly wise in other respects, failed in all three. His wealth and horses brought war to his nation, and his wives turned him away from God. <br /><br />Power corrupts, but it does not have to corrupt everyone. The Apostle Paul was a powerful man too, but his influence for good is felt throughout the world. Part of his ability to handle success was an unidentified “thorn in the flesh.” Because this made him feel weak and inadequate, he relied on God’s strength, and avoided the pitfalls of power.<br /><br />Jesus sets the example of how to pass another test of success. During the first part of His ministry, He became hugely popular and faced ever-growing pressures from a demanding public. Mark 6:31 says, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they (the disciples) did not even have a chance to eat, he (Jesus) said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” Even as they departed, the crowd followed.<br /><br />Popularity is wonderful — until it becomes invasive. Adoring fans or pushy paparazzi pressure popular people into hiding or even retaliation. But Jesus did neither. Instead, He “had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Instead of pushing them away, He “began teaching them many things.”<br /><br />Wealth is a danger too, yet notice that the Bible says the root of all evil is the love of money, not money. The entire world likely could not manage with a barter system. Money is necessary, and great good can be done with it. <br /><br />My sister knows this. Sometimes she sees how God uses her financial offerings. Yet she still fears wealth will make her a greedy person and she will forget God. That is a pitfall.<br /><br />How will she avoid this problem? Partly by doing what she has already done — telling someone about her desire and her fear. I know her concern, and I can support and encourage her to keep on doing what God wants her to do, no matter the size of her bank balance.<br /><br />Beyond these biblical benefits of power and prosperity, God’s main criteria for success is that we be like Jesus. Paul did that. He said, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” <br /><br />His secret? He avoided the pitfalls by doing everything “through Christ who gives me strength.”<br /><br />Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-5981406332806826912018-06-18T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-18T07:00:11.263-06:00A Powerful name... or offensive? ............. Parables 756<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(No date)</span><br /><br />God is okay. Jesus isn’t, at least according to network television.<br /><br />While surfing channels, I happened upon a popular woman’s show on a major network. One woman was telling a group of women how she had been on another network show and as she was describing her recent weight loss, she blurted, “Thank you, Jesus.” To her astonishment, those words were cut from the final broadcast.<br /><br />Another woman (this was not a religious program) said she often makes her faith public, and seldom receives flack for it. The others felt the first case was more typical than the second. Apparently you can mention faith in God on television, but not faith in Jesus.<br /><br />Those who think Jesus was a benevolent do-gooder and a wise teacher, will not acknowledge His deity. They might cry a “thank you” to God or pray to Him if they are in trouble, but the name of Jesus is more often a cuss word. Why? They do not believe Jesus is God. <br /><br />Jesus Himself encountered those kinds of people. When certain religious leaders challenged what He was doing and who He was, He replied, “You do not know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also. . . . If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God. . . . I and the Father are one” (from John 8 & 10). With that, they understood He claimed to be God, so they picked up stones to try and kill Him. <br /><br />For a while, Jesus’ disciples were also unsure of who He was. Philip asked, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus replied, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. . . . Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”<br /><br />In same conversation, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father also.”<br /><br />According to Jesus, God is approachable only one way. A personal relationship with the Father is impossible without going through the Son, and acknowledging Him. <br /><br />However, acknowledging Jesus Christ goes far beyond saying He was a good man and a wise teacher. Even a brief examination of His life shows He was far more; He healed the sick, cast out demons, controlled the weather, turned water to wine, did things only God can do. <br /><br />Yet few avoid Jesus because of His power. Instead, they are offended by the purpose of His death. He came to die for our sins, sins that we are reluctant to admit or abandon. If we are going to acknowledge Jesus, we must acknowledge our sin and our need for forgiveness. He came, not to help us shed extra pounds but to satisfy the wrath of God against sin and to remove the burden of our sin and the weight of our guilt.<br /><br />So if we mention Jesus, at least where this gospel message is rejected, and those who do not care to admit their sin will start throwing rocks. For them, God is okay because they assume He can be kept at arms length. <br /><br />Actually, He is not even that close. Isaiah said “God’s arm is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear, but your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”<br /><br />The woman on the talk show admitted that she didn’t realize what she was saying. It appears “popular” to pop off a “Thank you, Jesus” even without acknowledging sin or having a personal relationship with Him. Yet she discovered something; when an effort to be popular by acting religious is pitted against a determination to avoid Christ, that resistance will win — and immediately try to erase all mention of His name.<br /><br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5931310695014829943.post-13765148755239291582018-06-15T07:00:00.000-06:002018-06-15T07:00:10.148-06:00The mark of genuine Christianity ............. Parables 755<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">June 11, 2002</span><br /><br />“You mean to tell me there are people from seven different denominations in your Bible study group? That’s amazing!”<br /><br />During the late 1970's when we lived in Fort Saskatchewan, I attended a Bible study that began with two people. It grew, evolved and continued for years, and may still be going to this day. One of its more distinctive features was that ladies from several denominations came and felt right at home in this group.<br /><br />More than one person expressed amazement at our unity. A common perception is that Christians from different churches do not get along — that we argue over faith issues and other things, thus our reason for maintaining various denominations. Sadly, that is sometimes true, but it is not always the case. <br /><br />The fact of a variety of denominations demonstrates the freedom God gives Christians to express our diversity. We prefer varying worship styles. Some like older hymns; others prefer contemporary music. We practice various modes of baptism, ways of outreach, and so on.<br /><br />The New Testament church had distinctives too. The church at Corinth was filled with flamboyant Gentile converts. The church in Ephesus was a mixed group of Jews and Gentiles. Cultural differences made each congregation unique. <br /><br />Whatever the mix, each group believed in the same gospel and were instructed with the basic commandment: love one another. Jesus told His disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” <br /><br />The apostle Paul added, “You are called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” <br /><br />Paul gave Christians no excuse to fight and Jesus gave unbelieving people a criteria by which to judge the church. If believers fight among themselves, we become a news item and a nasty taste in peoples’ mouths. Even those outside the church know we ought to love each other. <br /><br />Unfortunately, when Christian churches show exceptional examples of love, the public rarely hears about it. For instance, last year when my nephew died of cancer, my brother and his wife knew his funeral would draw too many people to fit into their church. A church of another denomination lovingly offered the use of their larger building. <br /><br />A few weeks ago, an even more remarkable example surfaced. In January, a congregation in Calgary heard of another church of a different denomination that was growing rapidly and trying to raise money to build a larger building. The first group voted unanimously to give $100,000 to the second church. <br /><br />Together, these people of God demonstrated their love in an expression of tangible support. It didn’t matter to them that the other church had a different style of worship, or varied from them in their statement of faith. Nor did it matter that the other church is growing rapidly, a possible threat to their own size. They sacrificed a huge offering of financial support anyway.<br /><br />Differences could be a barrier but they do not need to be. Christ not only tells us to love each other anyway, but we can do it because He lives in us and loves us. Because of His love, we can love each other. <br /><br />As Paul said, we need to watch out for that old sinful nature. We have the freedom to be different but not the freedom to be greedy, proud, or selfish. Instead, we must find ways in our freedom, to love one another. Jesus makes it clear: if we are not living out our freedom in a genuine love for each other, then the rest of the world has every right to wonder if we belong to Him. <br /></span>Elsie Montgomeryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13739927333538419518noreply@blogger.com0