Category Archives: CHRISTIAN LIVING

CHRISTIAN LIVING, JESUS CHRIST

COGITO, ERGO SUM — BOB PRICHARD

“Cogito, ergo sum”—“I think, therefore I am” is perhaps the most famous philosophical statement ever made. Scientist and philosopher René Descates wrote these words in his Discourse on Method (1637). He reasoned logically that since he was able to think, he knew he existed. He continued to reason from this point that God exists.

Louis XIV had a different philosophy: “l’etat, c’est moi”—“I am the state.” It is not surprising that he would come to this conclusion in view of the fact that he reigned as king over France for seventy-two years. His absolute monarchy set a pattern followed in several other European countries. No doubt his style of tyrannical behavior contributed to the bloody French revolution of 1789.

Anna B. Warner penned a philosophy for all of us, however, with her words, “Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so.” In her 1860 hymn we find words of comfort and strength! This hymn is a favorite with children, but all of us can benefit from the words written for her Bible class of West Point cadets.

Even if you missed every other doctrinal point in the New Testament, surely you could not miss this one. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6–8).

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30–31).

“Jesus loves me! He who died, Heaven’s gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, Let his little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me, The Bible tells me so.”

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

WRINKLE’S HEADSTONE — BOB PRICHARD

She never really cared that much for the piece of carved stone that her deceased husband had found in an old quarry, but Ruth Beeston thought it would serve well to mark the burial place of her dead cat, Wrinkle. She decided to put it up for auction, however, when a local art historian discovered that it was a thousand year old carving of the apostle Peter. Wrinkle’s former headstone brought $383,000 when it was offered at auction (World, December 25, 2004).

This sort of thing seems to happen often (at least to other people). Someone finds some old thing that everyone thinks is worthless, and then it is discovered to be a priceless antique. Just because something is old, it is not necessarily valuable. Some things are true antiques, and some are just “junque.” Some old things are incredibly valuable. 

Consider how the Bible, a truly ancient book is treated. It is old─the newest parts being over 1900 years old, and some parts even much older. Many think that because of its age, it can’t really be worth much. And yet, to those with the proper discernment, it is the most valuable book ever written.

Paul told Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God [is literally ‘God breathed’], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Not only does it give us all that we need, but it is profitable and relevant. It is just as relevant today as when it was written hundreds of years ago.

Ruth Beeston required an art historian to tell her that she unknowingly had something of real value. Surely we understand today how valuable the Bible is, that it is profitable to us for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Unfortunately, many just use that family Bible as a place to store dried flowers, recipes, and the family tree. Wrinkle’s headstone was so much more than Ruth thought. What about the Bible? Have you realized the hidden treasures within?

CHRISTIAN LIVING, CHURCH

AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH — BOB PRICHARD

Neil Postman described serious problems in modern culture in his insightful 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. His thesis was that public discourse has been reshaped to such an extent by television and entertainment that thoughtful discourse has been replace by “show business: hype, affecting advertising, politics and religion. Postman’s conclusion was that none of these changes have made for improvement. And he wrote, of course, before the internet social media revolution.

The problem with the modern entertainment orientation in religion is that the very object of worship is forgotten. God, who created and commanded worship is the “audience” for worship. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). To worship God in spirit and in truth means that worship is from the heart, not just outward acts, and that it is done in exact obedience to God’s commands. Worship must be directed to Him, not to whims and desires of the worshipers.

God’s regulations for worship as set out in the New Testament are neither boring nor out of date. They are God-centered, while modern entertainment innovations in worship are men-centered. The most often used words related to worship in the New Testament denote the concepts of bowing down or kissing toward deity, offering devotion and love. This is what our worship must include.

There is nothing wrong with the worshiper enjoying worship. God intended the blessings of worship for all His children. But when worship is merely the window dressing for an entertainment performance, it cannot be pleasing to God. The apostle warned, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God” (2 John 9). Paul condemned things that “have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship” (Colossians 2:23). “Will-worship” is worship fashioned after man’s desires, which God must reject. Worshiping God in spirit and in truth is more important than catering to man’s desire for entertainment.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

SECOND ONLY TO THE BIBLE — BOB PRICHARD

It was required reading in Jr. High School. I can still remember trying to slog through it, and not appreciating it at the time. It is the story of a fifty-year-old man setting off on a quest to do great deeds and right all wrongs. Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes was quite innovative when first published (part one in 1605, and part two in 1615). The exploits of this man of La Mancha have inspired many, whether he is a tragic hero, a non-conformist, or simply a buffoon. According to The Intellectual Devotional (2006), “of all the books published throughout history, Don Quixote is second only to the Bible in terms of total number of copies printed.”

With time, I have come to have more appreciation for Don Quixote—appreciation that I lacked when I was in Jr. High. With maturity, I have learned to appreciate many things that I saw little reason for at 13.

Consider the accolade for Don Quixote, “second only to the Bible in terms of number of copies printed.” Have you noticed how often comparisons are made to the Bible? With all of the great and not so great books published every year, the Bible is the perennial best-seller. Perhaps it does not generate the same media frenzy as a new Harry Potter book, but the Bible continues to outsell every other book.

We know why this is so. It is because there is no other book like the Bible. Although other books make similar claims, it is the only book that is truly inspired—“God breathed.” No other book can offer what it offers.

We should join with the psalmist in praising the Bible, which is second to no other book. “For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: For all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction” (Psalm 119:89–92).

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED — BOB PRICHARD

Robert Frost’s 1916 poem, “The Road Not Taken,” is one of the most often quoted poems of all time. The poet speaks of two roads, each “just as fair,” but the traveler chose one, concluding “I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Frost indicated that most have misunderstood the poem. The choice was actually random—the traveler didn’t know which was best. The difference wasn’t from a wise choice, but a random choice.

In life, we often have to choose between two roads that seem equally good or bad. We don’t know which road is better, because we cannot see the end of the road with either choice. We just have to choose. But what we must always remember is that when we choose the beginning of the road, we also choose the end of the road. That is why it is so important that we  not only choose the right road in life, but that we periodically evaluate the road we are now on, to see if we should change roads.

Saul of Tarsus was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. He entered the city as a blind man, and exited as a follower of the Christ he persecuted. The Lord told Ananias, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). As Ananias taught him, Saul counted the cost (Luke 14:28) of starting on the road of service to Jesus Christ, and immediately obeyed when Ananias commanded him to be baptized (Acts 22:16).

Jesus warned that there are two ways—the broad way of the world and the narrow way of following Him. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The narrow way is definitely “the road less traveled.” But it makes all the difference—not only in this life, but in the world to come. Are you on the right road today? Is it time for a change?

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

MUST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS EXCEED THAT OF THE PHARISEES? — BOB PRICHARD

The words of Christ in Matthew 5-7, the “Sermon on the Mount,” are often considered a summary of all Christian living. If all the best of modern psychology were gathered, it would not compare in beauty and simplicity with the Sermon on the Mount. Early in that sermon, Jesus made a strong statement: “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). To understand the impact of His statement, we must understand who the scribes and Pharisees were.

Scribes were men who devoted their lives to studying and copying the law. The Pharisees, a Jewish religious sect, devoted their lives to keeping the law in every detail. Although there were probably never more than 6,000 Pharisees, they play a large part in the New Testament story. The name “Pharisee” has almost become synonymous with “hypocrite,” but we should first think of them as men who were zealous to keep the law. Each had to swear an oath to keep every last detail of the law. No one has ever been more “religious” than the Pharisees, but at the same time no one ever has been further from the kingdom of God. They knew the law and kept the letter of the law, but ignored entirely the spirit of the law. They were righteous men, but their righteousness was entirely self-righteousness.

Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. … Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19). In obeying God, however, men could not follow the example of the Pharisees. They were so busy being “religious” that they had no time for really obeying God. Jesus condemned them, saying, “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” (Matthew 23:23). So concerned for the smaller matters of the law, even tithing small spices, they disregarded what was really important. The Lord expected them to do both the minor matters of the law, and the weightier matters.

It is always easier to be “religious” than to be righteous. The response of the Pharisees to the will of God was a response of duty only. Our response to God must be one of love. Jesus said that love for Him meant even loving our enemies, as we seek to be perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48). The story of the “Good Samaritan” illustrates that we must love others, as Christ has loved us. A righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees is derived from a life of service and obedience to God. Our reliance must be on Him, and His righteousness, and not our own self-righteousness.

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

MUST WE GIVE THANKS IF WE ARE IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES? — BOB PRICHARD

When the world seems to be closing in on us, or when we feel like we have our backs up against the wall, giving thanks may be the last thing we would ever think of. We may reason, if I am in difficult circumstances, then have no responsibility or need to be thankful. After all, we are to be thankful for blessings, not difficult circumstances. This kind of reasoning is not correct, however, because all of God’s children have the responsibility and the need to be thankful.

To be thankful in the midst of difficult times is very hard, yet Paul said, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). How is this possible? Sometimes when we think the situation cannot get any worse, it does! But we must remember, when we belong to and serve God, no situation is hopeless. God’s children can count on His providential care, and His never ending love. The problem is that in the midst of our difficulties, we sometimes have a sort of “spiritual amnesia.” We forget all that God had done for us, and the difficulties He has helped us through.

The psalmist reminded Israel of “his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (Psalm 78:4-7). 

The difficulties most of us have faced pale into insignificance compared to the pain and suffering Job faced. His response to the loss of all of his possessions, and all ten of his children, was to worship God. “Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:20-21). Job was able to do this because he was a man totally devoted to God. God described him as being “a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil” (Job 1:8). When the difficult times came, Job was ready to trust in the Lord. He did not understand why he was suffering as he was, but He knew that God is worthy to be praised, even in the midst of the most trying times.

The “attitude of gratitude,” the spirit of gratefulness, must mark those who would follow the Lord. As Paul and Silas sat in the depths of the jail at Philippi, their feet in the stocks, having been beaten for their testimony to Christ, they “prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). They would not allow the circumstances to keep them from offering praise to God. In the midst of so many things we cannot understand or do not like, we must thank Him for those things we can understand, and the blessings He so richly gives us. Looking back, we should thank Him. Looking ahead, we should trust Him. Looking around, we should serve Him. He is worthy of all the praise and thanksgiving we can give Him.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING, JOHN, THIRD, NEW TESTAMENT

TITAN ARUM — BOB PRICHARD

One of the rare events of the century happened on July 30, 1996. The Titan arum, the largest flower in the world, bloomed at London’s Kew Garden. The ten foot tall flower, that was growing at the rate of four to six inches a day just before blooming, rarely blooms. The flower in Kew Garden had previously bloomed only four times, in 1889, 1901, 1926 and 1963.  July 30, 1996 was a red letter day for the rare plant native to the forests of Sumatra, Indonesia.

The anticipated blooming was a little off schedule, however, and few were around to “enjoy” the signature scent of Titan arum as it bloomed at 8:00 p.m. that night. I say “enjoy,” because the nickname for the plant is “the corpse flower,” because of its distinct scent. Botanist Peter Boyce described its overpowering scent as “a mixture of rotting flesh and burning sugar, with ammonia over the top.” The smell, that others thought was like the odor of  fish, went away after a few hours. Naturalist David Attenborough said that the the odor was not designed to be appealing to humans, but was attractive to the sweat bee. It seems that a gas mask is the proper attire for appreciating the blooming plant (USA TODAY, August 1, 1996).

No doubt Titan arum has a particular place in God’s creation, along with snakes, spiders, scorpions, and mosquitoes. It is a shame, though, that the biggest flower in the world stinks when it blooms. It is probably a good thing that it rarely blooms.

Have you known any “Titan arums”? There are some who think of themselves as the “biggest flowers in the garden,” but when they “bloom,” they stink. Diotrephes must have been a “Titan arum.” John told the beloved Gaius, “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church” (3 John 1:9-10).

How much better it would be if we all were the fragrant flowers of the garden, giving off a sweet scent, whether we were big flowers or little flowers. Solomon thought fondly of his lover:  “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon” (Song of Solomon 4:12-15).

Paul thought of the Philippian’s care for him, saying “I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). He reminds us that the saved “are unto God a sweet savour of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15). Bloom where you are planted, but don’t make others wish you hadn’t bloomed!

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING, GOD, OLD TESTAMENT

DESIGN DEMANDS A DESIGNER! — BOB PRICHARD

Scientist John Haldane once suggested to theologian Ronald Knox, that in a universe containing millions of planets, it was inevitable that life should appear by chance on at least one of them. Knox replied, “Sir, if Scotland Yard found a body in your Saratoga trunk, would you tell them, ‘There are millions of trunks in the world—surely one of them must contain a body’? I think they still would want to know who put it there.”

With all of the knowledge that science has been able to amass, there is still no clearer or more accurate explanation for how this universe and all the life in it came to be than the words of Moses in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Life is not here by accident!

There is a current scientific movement gaining in popularity which recognizes that our universe shows many marks of Intelligent Design. The I.D. scientific movement has many proponents that are not Christians, in fact some leading scientists are really agnostic—they are not sure if the God of the Bible is the Creator. But they understand that the creation, because of its design, demands a Creator. As David asserted in the long ago, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).

In the courtrooms of Dayton, Tennessee, William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow debated whether or not teacher John T. Scopes was guilty of teaching evolution in his high school classroom. Scopes was found guilty in the 1925 trial, but public support for forbidding the teaching of a scientific theory like evolution was lost. Now there are those who want to teach the scientific theory of Intelligent Design in our schools. Those in control, however, want to forbid the teaching of I.D. It is Scopes reversed—evolution is the only theory allowed today. Why are people so afraid of considering the evidence for design? We must recognize the power of the Designer!

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT CREMATION? — BOB PRICHARD

Cremation refers to disposing of the body of the deceased by burning to ashes. In ancient times, it involved either burning the whole body, or the burning of all but the bones, which were then buried. Cremation was practiced by the Greeks and Romans, but rarely by the Hebrews and early Christians. Achan was burned because of his sin (Joshua 7:25). The bodies of King Saul and his sons were burned, apparently to prevent the Philistines from molesting the bodies. Their bones were then buried (1 Samuel 31:11-13). The Jews buried or placed the body in a sepulchre, believing in the resurrection of the body. From a practical standpoint, fuel for cremation was scarce, while caves for burial were plentiful. The worst of indignities was for the body to be exposed and not receive proper burial.

Man was formed of the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7), and as soon as he dies, his body begins to return to dust. The Egyptians embalmed the body (the Hebrews did not) in attempts to prevent the natural decay. Modern embalming, caskets, vaults, etc. also slow this decay, but do not prevent it. Cremation hastens that return to the elements which happens naturally upon burial. The human body is described as the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19), and must be treated with dignity in life and in death. Some feel that cremation is disrespectful, but it is not clear that cremation is any more disrespectful to the body than are embalming and burial. In either case, a memorial service may be held, and the remains my be interred respectfully. Cremation is frequently chosen today because of the lower expense, and the lack of burial places in some large urban areas.

Cremation raises questions relating to resurrection of the body. The “resurrection body” will be like our natural body in some ways, but in some ways different. “It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:  It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Since the natural body is a corruptible body, it really makes no difference (so far as the incorruptible resurrection body is concerned), whether the body is buried, cremated, or eaten by a wild animal. God will certainly give His children the new resurrection bodies they need.

Cremation may be used to escape the reality of death, or may be more traumatic to the family. Viewing the body and the traditional funeral service are often helpful to the family as they deal with grief. What the family believes is best should be chosen, maintaining respect for the body.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING, Proverbs

IS PROVERBS 22:6 A GUARANTEE TO FAITHFUL PARENTS? — BOB PRICHARD

Solomon said, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). These words bring comfort to many parents who understand that the difficult task of parenting will  be rewarded by faithful children, but there are many parents who are filled with guilt and anguish because their children have gone astray, despite their best efforts. Solomon’s words are simple enough, but they just don’t always seem to come true! All too often godly men and women try with all of their ability to be good parents, but still fail. But it must be understood that Proverbs 22:6 is a proverb, not a promise. A proverb is a general statement of a rule, which may have exceptions. Those “exceptions to the rule” cause heartache.  

Implied in “train up a child in the way he should go” are the concepts of providing real training, and knowing “the way he should go.” Sadly, many parents have no concept of “training up a child.” They do little or nothing to provide the necessary spiritual food their children need.  While they may demand that the church train their children spiritually, they see no need to do this themselves as parents. The word here translated as “train up” is used elsewhere in scripture to mean dedicating something or someone to God’s service, as in 1 Kings 8:63, where “the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.” Thus Solomon urges all parents to dedicate and train their children for service.

“In the way he should go” literally means “according to his way.” That is, the training or dedication of the child should be according to his natural personal inclination, abilities, age, and qualifications. The idea of “the way he should go” is not so much the way the parent wants him to go, but the way the child should go so as to maximize his talents in service to God. To actually know “the way he should go” implies that the parent will spend a great deal of time learning the needs, desires, and capabilities of the child. To fulfill the proverb requires tremendous commitment.

That investment of the time, energy, and knowledge necessary for each child is worthwhile, though, because “when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The parent who has made the proper investment of training up the child in the way he should go will know that the child has been properly prepared to live wisely before God.

But what about the child who strays. Have the parents failed? Sadly, many times parents do fail. But just as often, the child that goes astray does so because he exercises his own free will to disobey. Many godly men and women, such as the prophet Samuel, lost their children because their children chose to follow the way of the world.

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

CAN THE AVERAGE PERSON REALLY UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE? — BOB PRICHARD

Yes! Numerous passages of scripture are directly addressed to the common person. “Husbands, love your wives … Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands … Children, obey your parents in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:25, 22; 6:1). “I write unto you, little children … I write unto you, fathers … I write unto you, young men” (1 John 2:12-13). The Bible is God’s message to humanity. All will be judged according to the Bible, so a God of Justice would not require mankind to understand the un-understandable.

The Bible’s longest chapter is filled with praise for God’s written Word, indicating that He wants and expects the individual to understand. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130). The Bible is for the “simple,” not just religious authorities. “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation” (verse 99).  It is not through the precepts of men, or their interpretations, but through God’s precepts that we gain understanding:  “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. … Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (verses 100, 104).

Paul told the church at Corinth, “we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge” (2 Corinthians 1:13). The modern language NIV renders his  words, “we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand.” Although Paul had written the Corinthians about difficult subjects such as church discipline, spiritual gifts, marriage, and the resurrection, he still expected them to read and understand. In similar fashion, he wrote to the church at Ephesus, “by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:3-4). Paul’s readers could have the same insight into the (no longer hidden) mystery that had been revealed to him in Christ.

As long as people do not believe they can understand the Bible, and refuse to study it for themselves, they will not understand. The key is to put into practice what we do understand! The deepest understanding of God’s Will comes when through study we are “those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). If the average person cannot really understand the Bible without another intervening to teach, then it means that the God Who created the universe was not able to make Himself understood through the Word. If the average man cannot trust his own understanding, how can he trust another man’s understanding? 2 Peter 1:19-21, written to Christians, says that  “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  Peter did not say that  no individual can understand, but that the prophets spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, revealing God’s message, rather than their own. “Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word” (Psalm 119:169).  You can understand the Bible!

CHRISTIAN LIVING

DO YOU NEED SOME OF THIS? — BOB PRICHARD

Have you heard about the new toothpaste? It has shoe polish in it. It is made for people who are constantly putting their foot in their mouth!

Don’t all of us wish, sometimes, that we had thought a little before we said what we said? Once those words leave our lips, they are so hard to call back. It is so easy for something we never intended to say to slip out. Of course, if we didn’t think those bad things, they wouldn’t be there to slip out. 

Wisdom speaks to us and says, “Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it” (Proverbs 8:4-11). Notice, for wisdom, the opening of the lips is only for right things, for truth. Wickedness is an abomination to the lips of wisdom.

James warned about how hard, but how necessary, it is to control the tongue. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” (James 3:2-5).

Solomon reminds us, “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28). Just for today, let’s really think before we speak, and speak things that are good and right. Otherwise, you may need some of the toothpaste with shoe polish in it!

Blog, CHRISTIAN LIVING, CHURCH

BEAUTIFUL HARMONY — BOB PRICHARD

What cooperation! What unity! What harmony! I wish I was describing a congregation of God’s people, but instead, it was the Prague Symphony Orchestra. They performed in the  Knox Concert Series, and I had the chance to hear and see this great orchestra up close. The experience of hearing the orchestra reminded me anew about the importance of unity and cooperation.

The Prague Symphony Orchestra was composed of some 89 musicians, as well as a conductor, stage crew, etc. Almost a third of the musicians were violinists. It was interesting to see all of those bows moving in unison. Their skill was evident. This great skill means they used their God-given talents, and practiced endless hours. George Eliot said, “‘Tis God gives skill, But not without men’s hands: He could not make Antonio Stradivari’s violins without Antonio.” I wonder what we might accomplish in the Lord’s church if we were as diligent in honing our God-given talents and skills to be used in His service in the same way these musicians did.

All of the musicians were playing the same piece of music, and were “on the same page.” They were playing as individuals, under the direction of the conductor. As we follow Christ and scripture, we also work in unity and harmony.

From my vantage point in the concert, I could observe some of the musicians better than others. I was especially interested in the gentleman who played the tambourine during the first piece, Dvorak’s “Carnival Overture.” I never knew that anyone could be so enthusiastic playing the tambourine! It would seem this would not take as much skill as playing a violin, or a cello, or an oboe. Yet he played it with amazing energy and vigor, adding to the overall beauty of the piece, providing just the right accent needed. In the Lord’s work, there are often “parts” which seem minor─preparing the communion, counting the attendance, turning on the heat, etc., but think what a difference it makes when some of those “minor” jobs aren’t done as they should be.

As Paul reminded the Corinthians, “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). We all have something to contribute to the Lord’s work, and we need everyone!

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).

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TIME OUT! — BOB PRICHARD

My then three year-old grandson spent the weekend with his dad at a law school competition in Birmingham. He enjoyed being with his daddy on the trip, but there was quite a bit of time just sitting and waiting for the team to complete various competitions. At one point, after they had been sitting on a bench waiting for a long time, he turned to his dad and asked, “Daddy, How long do we have to stay in ‘time out’?”

Have you been in time out recently? What do we do when we are in “time out,” waiting for God to do what we need Him to do?

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).

Have you ever watched an eagle fly? As it soars in the sky, it seems that its flight is effortless. Using its strong wings, it knows how to soar as it is lifted by the wind currents.

I haven’t reached that point yet when I can soar while I wait, but I know that God has promised me that when I fully trust in Him. What seems like a child’s “time out,” may just be a time when the Lord is preparing me for greater service, or He may be offering me a test that will make me the patient Christian that I need to be. Normally I want my patience RIGHT NOW, but that is not always God’s way. His way is to trust Him RIGHT NOW, and know that He will work things in His own way, because “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).

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TAKING HOLY THINGS FOR GRANTED — BOB PRICHARD

In my recent Bible reading, the following passage was significant. “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD” (Leviticus 10:1-2). 

This tragic situation came about because these two sons of Aaron were careless in their service to God. What struck me in my reading of the passage this time is what I read in the two verses before this. “And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:23-24).

Did you notice what happened? The “glory of the Lord” appeared to the people, and the Lord sent a fire out that consumed the sacrifice, and “all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.” And then in the very next verse, Nadab and Abihu brought down more fire from the Lord by their disobedience. It makes me wonder, how could they have done this? Weren’t they paying attention? Didn’t they realize the power of God? Didn’t they know what they were doing?

I don’t know all of the reasons that Nadab and Abihu made their fateful choice, but one thing is obvious. They took holy things for granted. They were the right people, with the right implements of worship, doing the right thing, in the right place, but in the wrong way. And they paid for it with their lives.

I wonder how often we are guilty of taking holy things for granted. Have you ever partaken of the Lord’s Supper, and then realized that you didn’t even think about what Christ did for you. Most all of us are guilty of sometimes singing words we don’t mean or believe in worship. When we sing “Anywhere with Jesus,” do we mean it? When we sing, “all to Thee, I surrender,” do we mean it?

The Lord has blessed us with His mercy, in that He has not destroyed us like Nadab and Abihu. But can we continue to take holy things for granted? “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).

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ACCEPTABLE PRAYER — BOB PRICHARD

One of the most evident characteristics of the faithful Christian is an active prayer life. This has marked the church from the beginning. The church at Jerusalem “continued steadfastly … in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Prayer was especially important in times of distress, such as when Peter was imprisoned by Herod, when “prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5), or when Paul and Silas were in jail in Philippi, when “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God” (Acts 16:25). Certainly Christians should pray. Paul told the Christians of Colossae, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). However, it is often the case that a man who has had no use for Christ or His church will cry out to God for help, and then become very upset when he believes God has not answered his prayer. Under what conditions are our prayers acceptable to God? Has God promised to listen to and answer the prayers of every man, no matter how he lives or how he prays?

WE MUST BE OBEDIENT.

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22). Paul warned that the day was coming when Christ would be revealed with His mighty angels, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

WE MUST PRAY ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.

This is the example of Jesus as He faced the cross. He prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).  “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). If we are praying for our own will to be done instead of His will, we will not receive the Lord’s blessing. James warns, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3). How can we expect God to hear our prayers when we have wrong motives for prayer?

WE MUST PRAY WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDE.

In the model prayer that Jesus gave His disciples, He said, “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 6:14-15). We must trust God to keep His promises. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7).

WE MUST PRAY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST.

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). This does not mean just saying the words “in Christ’s name.” It means praying with His authority because we belong to Him. Paul writes, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). Faith in Christ will lead to obedience to Christ in baptism. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). One who believes in Christ (John 8:24), confesses that faith in Christ (Acts 8:37) and repents and is baptized (Acts 2:38) can pray in the name of Christ with assurance. He has obeyed the gospel of Christ, and followed God’s law of pardon for his sins.

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SAFE & SOUND: THE SECURITY OF THE FATHER’S HOUSE — BOB PRICHARD

I was speaking on a minister’s panel for a Hospice group, answering questions about death and care for the terminally ill. One of the Hospice volunteers asked what to say if the patient was concerned about sin in his or her life, and their relationship with God. The Lutheran minister was quick to say, “God is a God of love. Tell them that they have nothing to worry about.”

I had different advice. I said that if the patient had some spiritual concerns that they should be supportive, but also seek to make sure they dealt with whatever was of concern. I could not assume that everyone has a right relationship with God, especially if one was concerned about that relationship.

The Lutheran minister probably represented much of our religious world. I knew him all too well. He was Post-Modernist in his thinking, and basically thought anything goes in the religious world, and everybody is right with God—(except for the churches of Christ, of course).

But the security of the Christian is an issue for many of us, isn’t it. Are we really right with God? Can we know that we have the security of the Father’s house? Are we perpetually in the Father’s house one day and in the far country the next? How can we be sure where we stand with the Father? Perhaps the confidence that the Prodigal had can help us to better understand our relationship with God as Christians.

The Fatal Decision

The Prodigal was safe and sound in his father’s house as the story begins. He lost that security, however. Although in his own mind he probably thought it was the father’s fault for his restrictiveness, or perhaps his elder brother’s attitude, he ultimately had no one to blame but himself. His time in the far country was spent in riotous living, and the portion given by the Father was soon gone. He was not wise like Moses, learning the hard way that the pleasures of sin are only for a season.

“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (Heb. 11:24-26).

The Far Country

The problem of being in the far country is that the security a full wallet seems to provide does not last. He was on a slippery slope, and could do nothing but fall further and further away from safety and security. Paul warns us, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). This was another lesson the Prodigal had to learn through experience.

When Jonathan Edwards first preached his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” on July 8, 1741, at Enfield, Connecticut, the response was overwhelming. Edwards warned that “There is nothing that keeps wicked men out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.” Edwards, through ten “considerations” stressed that God may cast sinners, who certainly deserve hell, into hell at any moment. God is angry with them, and it is only because of his restraints that the wicked are not immediately given to Satan for torment. (“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”).

But the Prodigal seemed to know nothing of an angry God. In the far country, he knew only pleasure—and that pleasure was at the expense of the father who had generously given him his inheritance. He needed a wake-up call to see the seriousness of his situation.

The Fields of Swine

To those who first heard Jesus tell the story, there could hardly have been a worse living fate for the boy. “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him” (Luke 15:14-16).

Just feeding the swine was bad enough, but to be so hungry he envied the swine’s food was the ultimate ignominious situation. This was nothing like what he had experienced in the safety and security of his father’s house. This, perhaps more than anything else opened his eyes to all that he was missing by not being in the Father’s house.

The Firm Decision

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants (Luke 15:17-19).

What brought about this decision? The Prodigal “came to himself” (Luke 15:17) and wanted to go home. The plaintive cry we always hear at the nursing home: “Will someone just take me home?”

Is it any wonder that realtors stress that they are selling homes (rather than houses)? Two proverbs sum the situation: “East west, home’s best.” “Home is where the heart is.” In The Death of the Hired Man, poet Robert Frost said “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in” (Daintith, 254). 

He knew that there was safety and security in the Father’s house. And he knew that he could go home, although he thought his rebellion had caused him to forfeit his sonship.

The Father’s House

What made him think that he could go back to the Father’s house? Why did he think he would find safety and security? It was because it was the Father’s house. He knew his Father. And ultimately it is all about the Father.

The Father was His Father. 

It wasn’t that he just knew about his father. He knew his father. He had spent time with him, communed with him, talked to him, learned from him. He had sat at his father’s table, listened (perhaps reluctantly) to his father’s admonitions, and had seen how his father dealt with others.

Perhaps our difficulty of believing we have security in the Father’s house is that we just don’t know Him as well as we should. John tells us of the Word, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). Because He gave us power to become the sons of God, we must grow in our love, understanding and knowledge of Him. Our obedience shows we know him.

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 1:1-3).

The Father was Generous and Loving.

The Prodigal experienced the generosity of the Father when he demanded his portion of the inheritance and the Father gave it to him, although He was not required to do so. The Father in heaven blesses all men daily, for He “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mat. 5:45). But much more than that, we know that the Father is generous with His children. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). We now are in a better place to see the love and generosity of the Father, because we have the full biblical record. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11).

“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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). How can anyone look at the cross of Christ and doubt the love of the Father? In light of his generosity, why would His children doubt their safety and security in His house?

The Father was Trustworthy.

When the Father divided unto them his living (Luke 15:12), He gave what the sons desired but did not deserve. He fulfilled His obligations, above and beyond His actual obligation. The prodigal never had to question if his father had given all that he said he would.

Can we trust the Son when He 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” (Mat. 11:28-30)? He promises, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:37-39).

He truly offers us safety and security.

The Father was Wise.

The Father was not a dictatorial autocrat. He wisely allowed the Prodigal to make his own decisions, and make his own mistakes. The Prodigal probably did not recognize the wisdom of his Father when he was originally in the Father’s house. But as he looked back, he could see it. He could see that the Father had provided all that he needed to make the right decision.

The world seldom sees the wisdom of God for what it is. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:18-21).

We should proclaim with Paul: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:33-36).

The Father was Longsuffering.

It must have hurt the Father deeply to see the Prodigal leave the security of the Father’s house. He must have known that the boy would be back, worse for the wear. But He let him go, and longingly waited for his return. “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The longsuffering Father not only waited for the Prodigal to return, but He watched for him, and ran to meet him. Surely this is what the Father has done for us as well!

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:6-9).

We understand that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). Knowing that He cares this much for us, why don’t we trust Him to save us?

The Good Shepherd tells us: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).

The Father was Forgiving.

Of all of the qualities of the Father, the most comforting, the most assuring is His forgiveness. Although the Prodigal felt like he was no longer worthy to be accepted as a son, he knew that the Father would be willing to forgive him.

One of the first Bible studies I ever conducted after obeying the gospel was with my Missile Combat Crew Deputy and his wife. I was shocked as we came to the end of the study because the wife was inconsolable. She was crying so hard that we had to break off the end of the study and go home, because she couldn’t talk. The next day, after my Deputy and I went on alert duty, my wife went to talk to the Deputy’s wife, who was so upset the evening before. She was upset because she wanted so much to be a Christian, and knew that she had not obeyed the gospel. But she also knew that God could never forgive her of her sins, and that she couldn’t live the Christian life. When it was explained to her that God could and would forgive her, and that He would help her live faithfully, she was baptized into Christ.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). We have all gone into the far country of sin, yet the Father wants to welcome all of us back, just as He welcomed back the Prodigal.

Paul told Timothy, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Tim. 1:15-16).

If God could forgive the chief of sinners—surely we can be sure that He forgives us, and know that we have the blessed assurance He offers. John tells us that we may know we have eternal life because God has proved it through the Son. “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. … And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:9; 11-12).

The Prodigal, though ashamed of his actions, was not afraid to return to the Father’s house. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:17-18).

The gospel is good news, and our faith should show it. “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake” (1 John 1:12). Our sins truly are forgiven in Christ.

In the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was asked what he would do with the rebellious Southerners when they were finally defeated and allowed back into the union. He said, “I will treat them as if they had never been away.” Amazingly, that is how the Father forgives. “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry” (Luke 15:21-24).

The prodigal was safe and sound in the security of the Father’s house.

“The ultimate theme of this story, therefore is not the prodigal son, but the Father who finds us. The ultimate theme is not the faithlessness of men, but the faithfulness of God.

And this is also the reason why the joyful sound of festivity rings out from this story. Wherever forgiveness is proclaimed there is joy and festive garments. We must read and hear this gospel story as it was meant to be: good news! News so good that we should never have imagined it. News that would stagger us if we were able to hear it for the first time as a message that everything about God is so completely what we thought or feared. News that he has sent his Son to us and is inviting us to share in an unspeakable joy.

The ultimate secret of this story is this: There is a homecoming for us all because there is a home.” (Thielicke 29).

Works Cited

The Holy Bible. King James Version. BibleSource. The Zondervan Corporation, 1991. Disc.

Daintith, John et. al. ed. The Macmillan Dictionary of Quotations. Edison, NJ: Chartwell Books, 2000. 

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 2011.

Thielicke, Helmut. The Waiting Father. San Francisco: Harper & Row. Translated by John W. Doberstein, 1959. Print.

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WHERE WILL WE BE IN 2040? — BOB PRICHARD

(Note: Originally written in 2006)

Peter Singer is a professor of ethics at Princeton University. He is well known for supporting euthanasia and infanticide and many other controversial practices. He made a prediction about the future of public opinion in the September-October issue of Foreign Policy. He forecast that by 2040, “only a rump of hard-core, know-nothing religious fundamentalists will defend the view that every human life, from conception to death, is sacrosanct.”

Marvin Olasky, editor in chief of World magazine challenged Dr. Singer, as to whether his support for killing the very young (not just abortion, but killing unwanted young children) or the terminally ill, was not like the Nazi programs. Singer, who had three grandparents killed by the Nazis, said in Writings on an Ethical Life that the Nazi program was racially biased and designed to eliminate “social ballast” and “useless mouths,” while the euthanasia he advocates is a free choice of ill adults who want to die, or by parents who believe that their disabled children are better off dead.

Olasky points out that “The two positions are different, but they have a common denominator: It’s OK to kill socially inconvenient people. Hitler said the government should decide who’s convenient (sic) and Mr. Singer wants individuals to decide, but the slope is slippery. Already we’re seeing government hospitals ceasing to treat the elderly or ill unless someone objects loudly. When health care is government-paid, demands for ‘cost containment’ by euthanasia will grow” (World, October 29, 2005).

What about Singer’s projection? What will people think in 2040? Will we let the truth ring out? Will we be the only ones left in 2040 who will stand up for the value of all life? “Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked” (Exodus 23:7). We as Christians need to be vocal in supporting life.

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“TEN DOLLARS BILL GREEN AMERICAN” — BOB PRICHARD

Among items in a display at the National Archives is a letter to Franklin Roosevelt, dated November 6, 1940, postmarked from Santiago, Cuba. To “my good friend Roosevelt. I am twelve years old. I am boy but think very much I do not think I am writting (sic) to the President of the United States. If you like, give me a ten dollars bill green american and I would like to have one of them.” The letter was signed “Sr. Fidel Castro.” Edwards Park comments: “The future premier of Cuba got an acknowledgment, but no ten bucks. Pity. Might have changed the political profile of the Western Hemisphere” (Smithsonian, February 1989). 

Would “ten dollars bill green american” have really changed the political profile of the Western Hemisphere? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But what about “ten dollars bill green american” in the hands of a dedicated missionary carrying the gospel to Cuba? Could Christians in American have changed the course of political history by intervening with the gospel? Certainly!

Jesus had a special interest in children. When the disciples asked who was greatest in the kingdom, He said, “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. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:3-6). 

We all have responsibilities to children, to do all we can to teach and prepare, to “receive them in his name,” while also being sure that we do nothing to hinder their righteous development by “offending” one of them. What could the church do today if every member had enough interest in young people to invest a little more time, energy, and money in their development here and abroad? If each one would just give “ten dollars bill green american” extra this year, what could we accomplish? Is “ten dollars bill green american” too much to ask?