Category Archives: CHRISTIAN LIVING

CHRISTIAN LIVING, GOD

CAUSES AND REASONS — BOB PRICHARD

In his book, Why Good Arguments Often Fail (IVP, 2006), James W. Sire tries to help Christians make more persuasive arguments for Christ. He discusses logical fallacies that plague us, and ways to speak the truth without falling into these fallacies. He also draws a distinction between causes for what we believe, and reasons for what we believe, especially as they relate to faith in God.

He cites several answers that might be given for belief in God: “My parents are Christians,” “I grew up going to church,” etc. These, he says, are causes—that is, they are not based on rational thought, but have been formed by sociological forces. On the other hand, responses such as “My belief in God gives me hope,” “My faith provides meaning and direction for my life,” or “There is a lot of evidence that Jesus was and is the Son of God,” are reasons—based on rational consideration of the evidence.

Why does it matter? He gives two reasons: (1) “It is important for Christians because without some sense of why they are Christians, they may hold their faith with reservations (and thus weaken their Christian life) or lose their faith entirely.” (2) “The distinction is important because one of the charges against Christians is that they believe what they do primarily—or solely—because they have been raised in a Christian environment. They have been caused to believe. If they thought about it, skeptics say, they would change their minds” (Pages 48-49).

Sire makes me think that we really need to teach our young people to examine the evidence for their faith. Peter exhorts, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). We need to be ready to give the reason for our belief—not the cause. It is of great benefit to have Christian parents, a Christian environment, and Christian influence. At the same time, our faith must be examined. Can you give the reason for your faith?

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

MUST THE CHRISTIAN TITHE? — BOB PRICHARD

Tithing is the custom of giving a portion (ten per cent) of products or money to a king or priest. The first biblical mention of tithing is in Genesis 14, when Abram returned from a great military victory and gave a tithe of the plunder he had acquired to Melchizedek, who was the king of Salem, and a priest of God. Later Jacob, Abram’s grandson, promised to give God a tenth: “Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: … and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (Genesis 28:20-22). Giving a tenth was common among ancient nations, and was a part of the Old Covenant law.

Moses told Israel, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD” (Leviticus 27:30). The payment of the tithe was largely to support the Levites, who did not receive the land inheritance that the other tribes received. The priests and Levites also would sometimes give a tithe (tenth) of the tithe they received (Numbers 18:21-28). The Jews also paid a second tithe, and sometimes even a third tithe at certain times (Deuteronomy 14:22-28; 26:12). The law required all faithful Jews to tithe, regardless of income.

Christ spoke of tithing only once. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:23-24). Jesus did not condemn them for their tithing, but for their attitude in their giving. The scribes and Pharisees pretended to keep the letter of the law, but paid no attention to the spirit of the law.

This is key to understanding the Christian’s responsibility to give. The New Testament never gives any requirement for the Christian to give a tithe (10%). None of the apostles ever required the giving of a tithe, and there is no biblical example of Christians giving a tithe. The Old Covenant tithe was paid to the Levites, and no church or preacher or priest has received authority to demand a tithe of Christians. However, since the poorest of the Jews paid a tithe, surely Christians will want to give sacrificially, from the heart. Some may be able to give ten percent, some fifty per cent, some five per cent. The attitude should be to give as much as possible to the cause of Christ Who redeemed us. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). The Christian who realizes how much Christ has given will truly be a cheerful, generous  giver to the Lord’s work.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

IF WE ARE SUPPOSED TO FORGIVE AND FORGET,  HOW CAN WE REALLY FORGET WRONGS DONE TO US? — BOB PRICHARD

There is no doubt that if we are to be pleasing to God, we must forgive. As Jesus gave the model prayer to the disciples, he told them to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” He then explained, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:12, 14-15). We cannot expect God to forgive us unless we are willing to forgive others. The question is, however, do we have to forgive and forget?

We cannot find the exact phrase “forgive and forget” in scripture, but the principle of forgiving and forgetting is certainly there, because this is the way God forgives. Speaking of the coming Christian age, the prophet Jeremiah gave the Lord’s promise, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). David described God’s forgiveness of sin: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). God forgives penitent sinners completely and absolutely, and “will remember their sin no more.” But is “remember no more” the same as to “forget absolutely”? When God says he will “remember no more,” He is not saying that He cannot have any knowledge of forgiven sins, but that He has willed to no longer call to mind, or recall those sins. Where those sins are recorded in the great book of the works of men (Revelation 20:12), God has written “forgiven.” 

If we are to “forgive and forget” as God does, then we will determine that we will no longer bring to mind those wrongs that we have forgiven. The nineteenth century preacher Henry Ward Beecher said, “To say ‘I can forgive, but I can’t forget,’ is really to say, ‘I cannot forgive.’” Painful memories of what others have done to us often linger, because of the consequences of sin. When a painful memory of a forgiven wrong surfaces in one’s mind, however, if he has really “forgiven and forgotten,” he will not allow himself to bring it to mind. It is much easier to carry a grudge, or wallow in self-pity, rather than forgiving and forgetting, but we cannot do this and be pleasing to God.

Many have discovered that a good “forgettery” may be as valuable as a good memory. Forgiving as God wants us to is an act of the will. It is not easy, but time heals many injuries when we have forgiven and forgotten as God wants us to. One of the greatest tragedies of life is to see people who hold a grudge against one another, and will not forgive. Some even forget what they disagreed over, but will not forgive. Those who will not forgive will find that God cannot forgive them.

  As Jesus hung on the cross, the words “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), were continually on His lips. If he could forgive even those who crucified Him, surely His followers today can be forgiving people.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

IS IT A LACK OF FAITH TO PRAY MORE THAN ONCE FOR THE SAME THING? — BOB PRICHARD

Concerning a “thorn in the flesh,” Paul wrote, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). He asked the Lord at least three times to remove this problem. Jesus told a parable about an unjust judge who would not properly avenge a widow, until she begged  him repeatedly. He asked, “Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:7-8).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasized that God wants His children to bring their needs to Him. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-11). Asking, seeking, and knocking all suggest being persistent in giving our requests to God. If even sinful human parents know how to meet the needs of their children, how much more can God do what He has promised?

Another parable told of a man seeking help from a friend so that he could feed a late night guest by borrowing three loaves of bread. Jesus said, “Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth” (Luke 11:8). Friendship was not enough to get the bread from the man, but his importunity (persistence to the point of annoyance) got results. Prayer needs to be persistent, and through our importunity God knows we are serious about our prayer requests.

It is key that we understand that God is sovereign in prayer. He may sometimes answer our prayers with a “Yes,” sometimes with a “No,” and sometimes with a “Not now,” or “Wait awhile.” Even though Paul “besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from” him, the Lord’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul wanted his “thorn” removed, but had to learn to rely on the strength of the Lord, rather than his own strength. His response was, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). When God’s answer is not what we want, we must still trust and obey him.

Many needs in our lives, such as health, safety for our children, and our daily bread continue, and are constant needs. Surely we should be persistent in our prayers for these things. Prayers for God’s forgiveness are different, however. If we have obeyed the gospel of Christ and become Christians, then God has forgiven us of our sins. We need not continue to ask His forgiveness for those sins. When those sins come to mind, we should thank Him for his forgiveness, rather than asking again for the forgiveness that He has already granted because of the sacrifice of Christ for our sins.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

SHOULD WE KNEEL IN PRAYER? — BOB PRICHARD

Worship that is acceptable to God has always involved the inner and the outer man. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). The word translated worship means “to bow down to the earth, to do obeisance before another.” The idea is to show reverence and humility before another. It can refer to bowing before men, such as when Abraham “bowed himself to the people of the land” (Genesis 23:7), but it usually refers to bowing before deity. Mordecai refused to bow before Haman (Esther 3:2). God warned Israel, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:3-5 a). God alone deserves worship today.

The Psalmist says in Psalm 95:6, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” This is only direct mention of kneeling for worship in the King James Version, here used synonymously with “bow down” in the parallelism that marked Hebrew poetry. Ephesians 3:14 is a similar passage, where Paul says, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” asking God’s blessings on the Ephesian Christians. Certainly it would be right and proper to kneel for prayer, but it is not the only acceptable posture for prayer.

The usual posture for the Jews to offer prayers to God was to be standing, with uplifted hands. Paul told Timothy, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee and a publican (tax collector), who both went to the temple to pray. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted”  (Luke 18:9-14). Both men stood, but the posture of their hearts was different. Only the publican, who prayed in humility, pleased God.

The outward posture of prayer may reflect something of the inward devotion of the worshiper. Kneeling may help the worshiper feel his need to humbly approach God. Whether a prayer is offered kneeling, standing, or lying down, however, the important issue is the attitude of the heart. “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

CHRISTIAN LIVING, JAMES, NEW TESTAMENT

MAKING PLANS? — BOB PRICHARD

Croesus, who lived in the sixth century before Christ, was fabled for his wealth. He is the historical source for the legend of Midas, whose touch turned everything to gold. As the king of ancient Lydia, he planned a war against the Persians. When he consulted the oracle at Delphi, he was told that if he went to war, “he would destroy a great empire.” He took this as a green light to fight the Persians, and went to battle. After being decisively defeated, he sent messengers to question the oracle. The answer: “The oracle was right. You did indeed destroy a great empire—your own.”

Croesus, as a pagan, consulted an oracle, which gave him ambiguous advice. His story might have been very different had he consulted the God of heaven, Who actually knows the future.

James warns about making plans without considering God. “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:13-17).

I have always been impressed over the years when people come by to visit and say something like, “We are checking you out, because I am considering taking a new job, and I want to make sure that I will have a faithful congregation to place membership with, before I accept the new job.” Too often Christians don’t even think about what the church will be like where they are moving, or even if there is a faithful congregation.

Whatever plans for the future you are making, make sure that you are including God!

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

WHAT IS THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD — BOB PRICHARD

God is active in our world today. It is unreasonable to think that He would create a world such as ours and then take no interest in it. Paul’s statement, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28), demonstrates His interest in our world. Since this promise must be true, then the real question lies in how God will act to carry this out.

Many believe that the only way God can act in our world is through miracles (acts of direct intervention, above and beyond nature). He does not act through miracles today, however, because with the full revelation of His written word, there is no longer a need for miracles. Paul said miraculous gifts would cease when the perfect revelation of God’s will occurred (see 1 Corinthians 13:8-10; James 1:25). The age of miracles has passed, but God still intervenes through His providence. “Providence” comes from the Latin providentia, meaning foresight. God’s providence is His indirect, non-miraculous support and care of His creation, from its very beginning through eternity. His providence includes not only a general providence over all creation, but also a special providence over His children, such as is demonstrated in the power of prayer (James 5:16).

  We see the difference between miracles, God’s direct intervention, and providence, God’s indirect intervention, by comparing parallel events such as the conception of Christ and the conception of Samuel. The virgin Mary, even before she and Joseph her espoused husband came together, was found “with child of the Holy Ghost,” as Isaiah had prophesied (Matthew 1:18-25). The conception of Christ was thus unique, a miracle, God’s direct intervention in time and history to send the Messiah. On the other hand, Hannah, a righteous woman was barren (unable to have children), so she prayed to God to send her a son. She promised to dedicate the son to His service. Returning home, “Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:19-20). The conception of Samuel was not a miracle. God, through His providential care, worked through the laws of nature to bring Samuel to Hannah.

In providence, God works “behind the scenes.” We may not realize His providential care until much later. Joseph went from favor in his father’s house to slavery in Potiphar’s house, and from prison to authority in Pharaoh’s palace. Each step of the way he was in God’s providence, although neither he nor his family understood. With the exception of his interpretation of dreams, there was nothing miraculous in the whole chain of events as God providentially preserved His people. As he returned the slave Onesimus to Philemon, Paul said, “perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever” (Philemon 1:15). Paul realized that “perhaps” it was God’s providence. God continues his providential care of His children.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

WHAT IS RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE? — BOB PRICHARD

Prejudice is one of the great problems of mankind. War in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Israel and Gaza, and many other places is primarily over religious prejudice. The root idea of prejudice is to “pre-judge” someone or something, without considering all the evidence. Prejudice results when someone decides “all” are “like this” because a “few” are. Prejudice comes because someone has the attitude, “my mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts.” Race, gender, size, religion, or just about any other distinguishing characteristic may be the basis for prejudice. The basic idea is that “we” are better, and “they” are not as good.

The Jews of Christ’s time had an attitude of racial and religious prejudice toward the Samaritans. It was almost beyond the belief of  Christ’s Jewish listeners that there could possibly be a “good Samaritan.” The Samaritan woman at the well acknowledged the division, “for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9). Jesus offered her “living water” that would bring unity to the Jew, the Samaritan, and the Gentile as well. “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).  

Jesus came to unite all “true worshippers” who would “worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” By seeking true worshippers, He frequently challenged the religious authorities. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation” (Matthew 23:13-14). He called the Pharisees “hypocrites” so often that “Pharisee” and “hypocrite” are almost synonymous to us. The Pharisees were the most religious of all the sects of the Jews, but they had lost sight of God’s will. Was Jesus “prejudiced” against the Pharisees because he criticized them? No! He had not “pre-judged” them, but He knew what they were teaching and doing, so he condemned them.

In our religious world, some think that any criticism of what any religious group teaches or practices is “religious prejudice.” It seems that we have reached the point that people can do anything in the name of religion, and because of cries of “religious prejudice,” we should never compare their religious practices to what the Bible says. Criticism that is “pre-judged,” not based on a right consideration of all the evidence is wrong, but too often the “standard” is what men like or dislike, rather than what God has said through His written Word. Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). To say, “this religious group teaches or practices such and such a doctrine, but the Bible says this,” is not religious prejudice. We must be sure that our facts are right, and that we do not misapply or mishandle the Word, but we also must make sure that we abide by what it teaches. We risk our souls if we disregard God’s will.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

 HOW DO WE HATE THE SIN BUT LOVE THE SINNER? — BOB PRICHARD

Sin is the universal tragedy of mankind. Paul reminds us, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin’s consequences are severe, for “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Man would be hopeless if it were not also true that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Because the sin and the sinner become so closely tied together, and because of the seriousness of sin and its consequences, it is hard to love the sinner while hating the sin. 

The only way to properly hate the sin and love the sinner is to follow the example of Christ. His love for the sinner is unquestioned. He submitted to the Father’s plan by going to the cross, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ was willing to endure the shame and pain of the cross because of His love for sinners. As He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), He was feeling the pain of separation from the heavenly Father because of mankind’s sins. He knew though, that His mission was to seek out sinners, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman taken in the very act of adultery to Jesus, trying to tempt Him. They said, “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” As they “continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” It was not long until only the woman remained, and He asked her, “Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” When she answered, “No man, Lord,” He said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:3-11). Jesus did not make light of her sin, but called her to a higher standard. “Go, and sin no more” demonstrated His hatred of sin while loving the sinner.

Christ reserved His harshest words for those who willingly rejected His message of truth. He told them, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not” (John 8:44-45). They were unwilling to accept the truth He preached, and unwilling to repent of their sins. God’s message to those deceived by Satan is a message of reconciliation. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). That message of reconciliation is a message of love for the sinner, while hating his sinful deeds. The Great Physician has said, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Matthew 9:12). We must hate the evil deeds of sinners, but offer reconciliation to those sin sick souls that are willing to return to God in obedience.

CHRISTIAN LIVING, GOD, NEW TESTAMENT

MIND BOGGLING! — BOB PRICHARD

Remember the Rubik’s Cube? That little six colored cube presented quite a challenge to most of us. I remember feeling proud of myself for getting a couple of sides all the same color. In June 2023, Max Park bettered his own world record for solving the puzzle by solving the puzzle in 3.13 seconds. Since there are 43 quintillion unique combinations possible (we’ll take the word of the mathematicians on this), it is truly mind boggling to me that anyone could solve the puzzle in 3.13 minutes, much less 3.13 seconds.

In an age when there are not too many things which we consider awesome, this feat of solving that puzzle so quickly truly amazes me.

We too easily take things for granted. Putting a man on the moon is arguably the greatest technological achievement of the twentieth century. Those of us who were of age will all remember seeing Neil Armstrong taking those first steps for mankind on the moon in 1969. But what about the second and third trips to the moon? The astronauts had to play golf on the moon to even get TV coverage. We so easily lose our sense of awe!

There is so much of scripture that we, out of familiarity, fail to recognize with the proper sense of awe. John 3:16 has been familiar to us since our childhood, and most all of us can easily quote it. But to restore your sense of awe, read it for the personal message it truly is. “For God so loved ME, that he gave his only begotten Son, that I SHOULD believe in him AND should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “But God commendeth his love toward ME, in that, while I WAS yet A sinner, Christ died for ME” (Romans 5:8).

Isn’t it mind boggling and awesome, to consider how much He loved us!

CHRISTIAN LIVING, JESUS CHRIST

LOST YEARS — BOB PRICHARD

A study of the life of Christ reveals a stark fact. Although there is abundant information about His birth and the events associated with His earliest childhood, we know nothing about His  life between those days and the beginning of His public ministry at age thirty, with the exception of the incident in the temple when He was twelve years old. What was he doing in the intervening years?

In Jesus: A Biography from a Believer, Paul Johnson suggests that Jesus probably worked at a number of different professions, including that of a shepherd and that of a farmer, since He used so many illustrations from the world of the shepherd and the farmer. Surely Joseph  taught Jesus the trade of carpentry. Teaching in the synagogue, He astonished the people , who said, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him” (Mark 6:3). From this statement, we surmise that Joseph was no longer living, so Jesus likely waited to begin His public ministry until he had fulfilled his responsibility as the oldest son to care for His mother and younger brothers and sisters, not yet adults.

Although we have no inspired description of those “lost years,” we can see that they were not lost years but years of preparation. The incident in the temple demonstrates that from His youth Jesus was preparing for His life’s work. Mary said, “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:48–49). He knew what was needed was to serve His heavenly Father. He knew He was pursuing knowledge, preparing for His public ministry. When fulness of the time came (Galatians 4:4), He was totally prepared for His ministry. He gave us an example to follow in His suffering (1 Peter 2:21), but also in preparation for service. Are you in a period of “lost years”? Make it a time of preparation for service.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING, HEBREWS, JESUS CHRIST

QWERTY — BOB PRICHARD

This article, and virtually every printed article you have ever read in the English language  was typed on a QWERTY keyboard, so named for the first five letters on the upper left of the keyboard, designed in 1873. Why are the letters on the keyboard arranged this way? Early typewriters jammed easily, so the keyboard was designed to make it harder to type quickly. Studies have shown that a better designed ergonomic keyboard would allow the average person to type twice as fast, with 95% less effort. 

Why haven’t we changed to a better keyboard? It is because there are just too many vested interests like typists, computer manufacturers, etc. that would not want the change. If offered a better keyboard, how many would want to change? Would you? I don’t want to have to learn a new keyboard!

Unfortunately, we don’t always want better do we? We are often satisfied with good, even when better is available. We don’t want to go to the extra cost or extra effort for the better. We are satisfied where we are. This may not matter much when it comes to keyboards, but what about spiritual things?

The key word of the book of Hebrews is better. “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). Those in faith’s hall of fame in Hebrews 11 “desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hat prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:6).

We have the promise of better things because of Christ: “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (Hebrews 1:4). What are you willing to do, not for a good life, but for the better life? When Jesus said, “seek ye the first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and “whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:28), wasn’t he challenging us to the better life? Are you satisfied with a QWERTY life?

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

SHOULD CHRISTIANS SUPPORT A STATE LOTTERY? — BOB PRICHARD

Christians should not buy lottery tickets or support policies allowing them. Lotteries have a long history in the United States. The Continental Congress authorized a lottery to finance the Revolutionary War, and Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, and other universities raised money through lotteries. The lesson of history is, however, that lotteries do not raise the revenues they promise, and are breeding grounds of corruption and crime. By 1900, all the states in the United States had outlawed lotteries, and it is only in recent years as states sought more sources of revenue that they have turned to lotteries. Thomas Jefferson described the lottery as “a tax on the willing,” and as lotteries have grown, many have proved unable to avoid this tax. While anyone may play the lottery, the players are more likely to be the less educated, lower income people, least able to afford it.

One problem with state-run lotteries is that this puts the government’s stamp of approval on a very harmful activity. The state should not promote gambling, which is dangerous to both individuals and society. Multitudes gamble for the false hope of the lottery, including millions of compulsive gamblers who absolutely cannot stop. The myth of “something for nothing,” and “hitting the jackpot” entices new converts daily. Paul warned that Christians should not take their liberty (such as an ability to gamble without becoming addicted), to cause others to stumble. “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9).

The ethic taught by the Bible is that the Christian should be different from the world. In particular, the Christian works diligently and honestly. “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23). “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28). How can the illusion of “hitting the jackpot” by gambling on the lottery encourage the Christian to work honestly and effectively? The very basis of the lottery is an appeal to mankind’s innate greed, or covetousness. But God says that covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

Lotteries are supposed to raise new revenues for special needs such as education, but they do not generate any new wealth. They just shift money from the gambler to the state, without producing anything of value, while at the same time costing the state because of the increased crime associated with state-run gambling. Should the state encourage this addicting vice just to balance the budget? Would Jesus have played the lottery?

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING, MATTHEW

IS IT SINFUL TO “JUDGE” SOMEONE ELSE? — BOB PRICHARD

Most people would assume that is is sinful to judge another person. After all, Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). Because of this statement, many have assumed that it is sinful to correct anyone, because this would mean that one is “judging.” But is it even possible to go through life without ever judging, or discerning between what is right, and what is wrong?

Paul wrote, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2). How can one determine that his brother is “overtaken in a fault,” without “judging” him? To say, “You cannot condemn my actions, because that would be judging me,” is to say that nothing can ever be determined to be wrong. This idea promotes a moral indifference that nothing is really sinful, and as long as you condemn no one else’s sin, no one can condemn your sin.

Jesus qualified  his teaching about judging: “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). Jesus commanded, in very “judgmental” terms, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). When you remove the beam from your own eye, then you will be in a proper position to help your brother remove the speck from his eye.

Paul said for the spiritual to “bear one another’s burdens,” and to restore the man “overtaken in a fault.” He said that this was done “in the spirit of meekness.” Meekness, a part of the fruit of the Spirit, is the key to proper judging  of the works of another. Meekness is closely related to humility and childlikeness. Jesus said that His followers must humble themselves as little children, if they are to enter into the kingdom.  “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). If we approach the faults of others from the standpoint of meekness and humility, we can properly “judge” them. That is, when we act out of humility and weakness, we will have no thought for our own pride, but will with childlike sincerity correct one another.

In talking about how each member of the body of Christ, the church, is to work together, Paul said that we are to be “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Is it more loving to leave a person in his sin by saying nothing, or is it more loving to “judge” him, and try to help him leave his sin? If we are truly “speaking the truth in love,” correcting one another in a spirit of meekness, we will please God.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING, SALVATION

JUST ONE INGREDIENT — BOB PRICHARD

My daughter Jennifer has become somewhat of a gourmet cook, trying many new dishes through her cooking club. She still likes to make some old family favorites as well, such as “pineapple au gratin.” The whole family was anticipating a wonderful dish. It smelled so good as it cooked, and it looked just as good, but it tasted terrible. Consideration of the situation revealed that it had been made correctly, with one exception—salt had been accidentally substituted for sugar in the dish. It was just one ingredient, but it made all the difference!

A young man who had most things right in his life came to see Jesus, He questioned, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus told him, “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.” He replied, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:17-23).

The recipe for eternal life was almost complete, but he lacked one thing, and it was a big one—because he had great possessions. Jesus loved him, and appreciated his dedication, but his good deeds were not “good enough” to secure eternal life.

The general teaching of our religious world, which stresses faith, and sometimes repentance, usually lacks one thing—obedience to the gospel by being baptized for the remission of sins. Most would say that surely living a good life, keeping the ten commandments, even saying the “sinner’s prayer,” is “good enough.” But nothing substitutes for obedience to the will of God. Salt may look like sugar, but it is not sugar, and it cannot be substituted without spoiling the dish, We must follow God’s recipe for salvation: faith, repentance, confession of Christ, and baptism into Christ. Just one substitution will bring ruin.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

NO ALTERNATIVE THOUGHT — BOB PRICHARD

The May 14, 2007 issue of National Review had several memorial tributes to the late Patricia Taylor Buckley, the wife of National Review founder and retired Editor at Large William F. Buckley, Jr. In his tribute to his wife, Buckley included a portion of a letter from a friend that praised her elegant greatness. “I am a confirmed nonbeliever, but for once I would like to be mistaken, and hope that, for you, this is not goodbye, but hasta luego (“See you later”—BP).” Buckley concludes, “No alternative thought would make continuing in life, for me, tolerable.” Is not he correct? What is the alternative to knowing that there is something beyond this life, that we will see one another again?

Pity the poor nonbeliever who does not believe in the life to come. Has he considered the fact that if we believers are wrong, and there is  nothing beyond this life, then we will still have had full lives of hope and, the blessing of associating with fellow believers? And if he is wrong, then he will not only have lived a life of hopelessness, having missed the greatest blessings in this life, but he will have also forfeited the blessings God has prepared for His children. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

The resurrection of Christ was not only the heart of apostolic preaching, but it was and is the motivation for us to trust and look to the future. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

IS ANGER ALWAYS WRONG? CAN IT BE CONTROLLED? — BOB PRICHARD

Anger is a destructive emotion that has led to every kind of sin, including murder, as when Cain killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:4-8). The elder brother of the “prodigal son” refused to go to the party for his brother because “he was angry, and would not go in” (Luke 15:28). Paul wrote “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26). It is possible to be angry without sinning, but very difficult.

As Jesus saw the moneychangers cheating His people in the temple, He made a scourge of small cords, and drove them out of the temple, saying, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16). Undoubtedly Jesus was angry. He acted out of  “righteous indignation.” He was angry, but He did not sin because He was zealous for the glory of God. The child of God ought to be angry when the glory of God is challenged, and it is a great tragedy for Christians to be so tolerant that nothing makes them angry.  

James gives a simple prescription for dealing with anger: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

To be “swift to hear” means to be a ready listener. All too often we become easily angered because we do no have enough information. When a person really listens to another person, sometimes even “reading between the lines,” he may find that what would have otherwise provoked a reaction of anger may instead provoke a reaction of concern or pity. A reaction of anger is often simply a reaction out of emotion. If one listens to discern all the facts, he can deal with the problem rationally.

To be “slow to speak” means to control the tongue, which is a very difficult task. James himself said, “every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:7-8). Solomon said, “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him” (Proverbs 29:20). Hasty words spoken in anger will almost always be regretted.

To be “slow to wrath” is also difficult. The old adage of counting to ten works on this principle. If one realizes that he is becoming angry, he can slow the process. Prayer is helpful in this area, as well as the realization that each person controls his own reaction to a problem. A person can choose to be angry in dealing with a problem, or he can choose to cope with the problem without anger.

The “new man” in Christ lays aside worldly anger. “Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: … but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:8-11).

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING, GENESIS

NO RAINBOWS AT NOON — BOB PRICHARD

Rainbows are caused by the refraction (bending) of light through raindrops. The water droplets divide light into the seven basic colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, but actually many other minor colors as well. Primary rainbows appear between 40 and 42 degrees above the horizon, with the center of the ark directly opposite the sun. Because of this, you cannot see a rainbow at noon, when the sun is directly overhead (David S. Kidder and Noah D. Oppenheim, The Intellectual Devotional, 2006, p. 235).

I cannot verify that I have never observed a rainbow at noon, but I have observed that the rainbows in my life don’t come in the noonday hours of good times. God gave the rainbow as a token of His covenant after the flood, promising that he would not again destroy the earth by a flood. “And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth” (Genesis 9:12–13).

The Lord says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). The yoke he offers is to be yoked with Him. His yoke is easy because He pulls the extra weight in our lives. In the midst of the storm, this is often hard to see. But when the storm passes, new rainbows of joy and comfort come into our lives.

I can trust the future because I have experienced His loving care through the storms of life. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,” because I know the Good Shepherd is with me, and that with His rod and staff He will comfort me (Psalm 23:4). The rainbows come—but only after the storm. “Jesus loves me this I know.”

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

NOCICEPTION — BOB PRICHARD

Although we may come to hate it, it is something that we really can’t live without. Sometimes children are born without it, but they seldom live beyond the age of twenty-five. What is nociception? It is the perception of pain. Pain tells us that we need to take our hand off the hot stove, that we have experienced a significant injury, or that we have experienced painful loss.

Most of us have more pain than we would like, but pain has been effective in helping us avoid more serious injury. Those children born without nociception may bite off a finger, break a bone, or scald a hand without ever knowing until they see the injury.

Our perception of pain is a complex process, involving different parts of the brain, to tell us about the location, intensity and type of pain we are experiencing. Our brain sends out messages of distress, and we respond to the problem.

Paul warned Timothy, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2). What happens to people with “their conscience seared with a hot iron”? Because the feeling is gone, they can tell lies in hypocrisy, and their conscience never bothers them.

Does your conscience still feel pain when you do wrong, or has it become seared? I find it interesting that even those who brought the woman taken in adultery before the Lord still had a conscience. “He lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. … And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last” (John 8:7-9). Nociception is valuable—whether it be physical pain or the pain of a conscience convicted of sin.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

HEARING AIDS — BOB PRICHARD

Before I got hearing aids, I did what most people who have a hearing loss do. I tried to make the most of what I thought I heard. It can be funny, because we sometimes think others are saying things that don’t make any sense, and then because we haven’t heard, our response may be nonsense. Sometimes I said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you,” or “Sorry, I didn’t understand what you said.” But most of us get tired of saying that all the time, so we just try to make sense of what we hear, even if the other person said “bread,” and we think she said “red,” or “dread” or “Fred.”

This has a spiritual application. We wonder why people in our religious world seem not able to understand what we know are simple and easy to understand scriptures. How can they read Acts 2:38 and believe that baptism is unnecessary? How can they read the Lord’s prayer for unity in John 17 and believe God approves of denominationalism? The problem is that because of their upbringing and training (or lack thereof), they just don’t hear what the scripture says. They are trying to make sense of it as it fits with their beliefs and preconceptions. It is unfortunately  too rare that people will look at the scriptures with a truly open and receptive mind.

This is one reason that I like the account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch so much. “Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:30–31). Not “hearing” what Isaiah 53 said, he asked, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?” As Philip “preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:34-35). As we preach Jesus, we need to see ourselves as hearing aids to people who really want to understand, but just “can’t hear.” Whether they are “in denial” about their hearing loss, or whether they know of their loss, we must help them hear. The power is in the Word.