Category Archives: CHRISTIAN LIVING

CHRISTIAN LIVING

“FIGHTING SPREADS DEVILS’ CANCER” — BOB PRICHARD

The headline on my article came from the cover of the February 4, 2006 issue of Science News. You can bet when I saw that headline, I had to read the accompanying article. The devils discussed in the article are some fierce creatures from Tasmania, with the scientific name Sarcophilus harissii, but with the common nameTasmanian devils. Scientists at the University of Tasmania in Hobart have found that fighting Tasmanian devils have been transmitting cancer by biting one another on the neck and face. The resulting tumors usually cause the animal to die of starvation within six months of the lesions appearing.

The real Devil also kills by biting and devouring. Peter warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

We must be careful that we do not fall into the devil’s trap by acting like little devils ourselves. Paul writes, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:13-16). 

My favorite cartoon character is Taz, the Tasmanian devil. I like to see him whirling around in that tornado, because I know that some comic mayhem is going to happen. Comic mayhem is one thing, but real mayhem in the church is certainly not comic. Let us see that we do not bite and devour one another!

Blog, CHRISTIAN LIVING

ASTRONOMY IN PERSPECTIVE — BOB PRICHARD

An astronomer once remarked to Fulton J. Sheen: “To an astronomer, man is nothing but an infinitesimal dot in an infinite universe.” “An interesting point of view,” Sheen responded, “but you seem to forget that your infinitesimal dot of a man is still the astronomer.”

David reminds us of what man the astronomer sees when he looks into the skies. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4).

In view of God’s majesty, David marveled that the Creator of the universe would have so much concern for man. “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:3-6).

Isn’t it mind boggling to realize that God has not only entrusted man with a world to care for, but also sacrificed His Son for the sins of mankind? “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. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:6-11).

Blog, CHRISTIAN LIVING

HOW STRONG IS YOUR ROPE? — BOB PRICHARD

In his book, A Grief Observed, C. S. Lewis said, “You never know how much you really believe until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it?”

Consider three questions: What kind of faith do you have in God and His word? Has your faith been tested yet? Have you been in that situation where it is a matter of life and death, hanging over that precipice? If your faith has not yet been tested, you can be sure that the time is coming when it will be tested. 

James said, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:17-20). 

Is your faith dead or alive? “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:21-24). Abraham was ready. His rope held, even to the point of sacrificing Isaac. How strong is your rope? Will it hold? If not, now is the time to strengthen it!

CHRISTIAN LIVING, MATTHEW

WHO’S IN CHARGE? — BOB PRICHARD

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

The old saying warns, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” The thought is that someone (hopefully the best cook), will be in charge, without everyone trying to make the soup. The same is true of the “soup” of our life. Many voices, many masters are clamoring for control of our lives. Mammon, “material wealth” is especially loud in demanding our attention. But as the rich fool learned, what matters is being “rich toward God” (Luke 12 21).

How to be rich toward God is simple: we make Him the Master of our lives. He is the pilot of our lives, the guide for all we do. Knowing that He is our Master, so many decisions of life are simplified. We look to Jesus, because, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Is it any wonder that so many are in hot water today because of their divided loyalties?

CHRISTIAN LIVING

THE BYSTANDER EFFECT — BOB PRICHARD

“Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:128).

A bystander is someone who is present at an event but does not get involved. The bystander effect refers to a situation where the more bystanders there are, the less likely anyone will come to the aid of someone in trouble.

We admire those who take a stand, get involved, and are really for something. The psalm reminds us that the man or woman of God is not only for something, the precepts, all the precepts of God, but that as a result that same servant of God will hate every false way. There is no room for the bystander who tries to be neutral about anything that God teaches. The psalmist is for everything that God is for, and against everything God is against.

The bystander effect may keep us from saying, “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8), but not if we love God’s precepts.

CHRISTIAN LIVING, JESUS CHRIST

JESUS GAVE IT ALL— JOSH ALLEN

An old article by William McCormack, entitled “Jesus Christ Gave All” lists numerous ways Jesus gave of Himself. I have adapted and expanded this list.

Jesus gave it all.

He gave His cheek to receive the kiss of betrayal. “Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.”Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him” (Matthew 26:48-49). “But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” (Luke 22:48)

He gave His wrists to be bound. “Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.” (John 18:12)

He gave His face to be spat upon. “They spat in His face…” (Matthew 26:67)

He gave His “other cheek” (Matthew 5:39) to those who would slap Him and strike Him repeatedly. “Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands” (Matthew 26:67, Cf. John 19:3)

He gave His tongue to silence. He made no defense before His accusers. He could have brilliantly defeated their arguments (Cf. Matthew 22:46) “But Jesus kept silent…” (Matthew 26:63, Cf. Mark 15:3-4)

He gave His back to the scourge. “So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.” (John 19:1)

He gave His shoulders to wear the robe of mockery. “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.” (Matthew 27:27-28)

He gave His brow to be pierced by thorns — “When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” (Matthew 27:29)

He gave His head to be struck. “Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.” (Matthew 27:30)

He gave His eyes to be blindfolded while evil men played a wicked game. “Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, ‘Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?’ And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.” (Luke 22:63-65)

He gave His legs to bear the weight of His Cross. “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha” (John 19:17). Evidently, He struggled for “…they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross” (Matthew 27:32)

He gave His hands and feet to the nails of the cross. “Then they crucified Him” (Matthew 27:35)

He gave His clothes to His executioners. “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: ‘They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things.” (John 19:23-24)

He gave His forgiveness to those who hated Him. “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

He gave His ears to endure mocking, blasphemous cries. “And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ’ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.” (Matthew 27:39-44)

He gave His mother to His disciple. “When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:25-27).

He gave His lips to drink the bitter cup. “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!’ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’…” (John 19:28-30; Cf. Psalm 69:20-21)

He gave His spirit into the hands of the Father. “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46)

He gave His side to the spear. “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’” (John 19:31-37)

He gave His body to be brutalized. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

He gave His blood for redemption. “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Peter reminds us that we “were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19). 

Jesus gave much more than one can ever imagine. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9, Cf. Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus gave everything for everyone so that He might give everything to everyone. Jesus gave it all for you, and what does He want of you? He wants your all. 

“‘…And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.’” (Mark 12:28-30, Cf. Luke 9:23-25)

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

IF YOU COULDN’T READ — BOB PRICHARD

One of the pearls of wisdom uttered by the Beaver, the title character on the fifties TV show “Leave it to Beaver,” was his observation in defense of education that “If you couldn’t read, you couldn’t look up what’s on television.” To a child, certainly a great argument for literacy!

We have almost universal literacy today, but the Literacy Project estimates that forty-five million Americans are actually functionally illiterate, and that 44% of Americans do not read a book in a year.

But the statistics are probably worse in relation to biblical literacy. Even church-going folks often don’t know where to look up things in the Bible, and never read their Bibles.

The psalmist thought of the scriptures as a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path (Psalm 119:105). Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). How can we keep Jesus’s words of eternal life if we do not read the Bible?

If you can’t read, get some help. And if you can read, don’t neglect your Bible.

CHRISTIAN LIVING, SALVATION

WHAT’S THE SCORE? — BOB PRICHARD

I have a friend whose wife just can’t understand why so many people are so interested in sports. She says that she doesn’t understand why her husband should actually watch the games. After all, she says, all that matters is the score. Why waste time seeing how the score comes about?

While I can’t exactly agree with her point of view, and I know that other things really do matter, it is true that the winner is judged by the score. Chuck Noll, who coached the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, once commented on why he likes football. “The nice thing about football,” he said, “is that you have a scoreboard to show how you’ve done. In other things in life, you don’t. At least not one that you can see.”

Since life’s scoreboard is one that you can’t see, man has been diligent in trying to make up his own substitute scoreboard. He may think that the quantity of riches amassed is a good scoreboard, or how new his car is, or something like that. But the number of things we have is not necessarily the indicator of life’s score. Neither is how high we rise in our company, or who we know and associate with.

Sometimes in a football game, one team gets more first downs, and gains more yards, and maybe even has a better band, but those things are not what counts in the end. All that really matters in the end is the score. In the game of life, a man may have those earthly things we count so precious, and he may be a good neighbor, and may even be kind to animals, but these are not really what count in the end. 

John saw a great vision of the scoreboard of life. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. … And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-12, 15). How do you stand according to what is written in the books?

CHRISTIAN LIVING

PERSONAL ARMOR — BOB PRICHARD

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him” (Proverbs 30:5).

The shield was a very important part of the personal armor of the ancient soldier. With this personal armor, the soldier was protected against the blows of the enemy’s sword or arrows of the enemy’s archer. The effectiveness of the shield depended on the quality of the shield and the skills of the soldier.

The quality of the shield Solomon extols is unmatched. “Every word of God is pure.” But the effectiveness of this personal armor will depend on the skill of the soldier of God. The best way to hone those skills is through practice, practice, practice. The shield of faith quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16). Faith, trust in God, comes from practicing the ways of God, learned from the pure word of God. This personal armor is worn by following God.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

THE BEST DEAL IN U. S. HISTORY — BOB PRICHARD

It has been called the best business deal in U. S. History (at least before the computer era). It happened in 1903, when John and Horace Dodge, brothers who owned a machine shop in Detroit, made a deal with the Ford and Malcolmson Company. Henry Ford and Alex Malcolmson had decided to manufacture automobiles, but Ford had such a bad reputation for failure, that they could not raise all the cash they needed. Malcolmson became so worried about the possibility of failure that he decided to take his name off of the company, lest he also be associated with failure. The only way that they could raise the needed capital was to offer the Dodge brothers 10% of the company for $3,000 cash and $7,000 in auto parts.

Four weeks after the loan, the Ford Motor Company was about to fold, with $223.65 in the bank, payroll for the Ford workers due the next day, and not a single car sold. But that day, Dr. E. Pfennig, a dentist, paid $850.00 cash for a Ford Model A. From that day forward, Ford Motor Company took off. By 1914, the Dodge brothers were manufacturing their own automobiles, but still had that 10% stake in Ford Motor Company. When they were bought out in 1919, they sold their Ford stock for $25 million. With the $9.5 million they had made in dividends from 1903-1919, their total return on their initial $10,000 was $34.5 million. Not a bad return for two men who began with a bike repair shop! 

While we might be tempted to be envious of the good fortune and business savvy of the Dodge brothers, what the Lord offers to do for us is by far a better deal. A $10,000 investment in 1903 was really a sizable investment, but it paid great dividends, and was really valuable when cashed in. God asks of us that we give ourselves to Him, wholeheartedly, and without reservation. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Yes, it is costly, but consider the dividends it pays in this life. We have a spiritual family to love and support us, we have fellowship with the greatest people on earth, and we can live lives with clear consciences, knowing that we are His children, and He loves us. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

Not only are the dividends in this life great, but also the investment of our lives prepares us for an eternal reward. What could be better than spending eternity in a place where “the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4)? That’s a thousand times better than the Dodge brothers’ deal!

CHRISTIAN LIVING

“NEITHER BE DISMAYED” — BOB PRICHARD

“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

My friend Phil had the difficult task of telling his teenage daughter that he had lost his job with the city, and they would have to move. Her response surprised him: “Great! I know you will get a better job! God will take care of us!” 

Moses prepared a people coming out of hundreds of years of slavery to conquer a land they did not know. They knew God parted the Red Sea and they knew God took care of them during their wilderness wandering, but the unknown, entering the promised land frightened them. Moses reminded them to have courage, because God would be with them, and would not fail them or forsake then.

Why do we today spend so much time “dismayed,” worrying about the future? Don’t we have more reason to trust God than they did? 

And yes, Phil did get another better job, with better pay.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

“ME DO IT” — BOB PRICHARD

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Every parent of a two year old has heard the words, “me do it.” They are often the prelude to spills and messes. We want our children to learn independence, but they must also learn to be guided.

Our own spirit of independence is evident when we think of our bodies. “It’s my body. I will do with it what I want.” But once we have given our hearts to God, even our bodies belong to Him. God has invested in us, “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20), by sacrificing Christ for us and our response must be surrender of all we have and all we are.

We expect our children to grow beyond the “me do it” mentality. We too must learn the value of submission, knowing that we are not our own, but blessed with bodies that are the temple of the Holy Ghost.

BIBLE, CHRISTIAN LIVING

STUCK IN MY HEAD — BOB PRICHARD

A tune was stuck in my head. It was a jazzy clarinet tune.  I was racking my brain trying to figure out what it was, and where it came from, when I happened to see a Land Rover TV commercial playing the tune. I had picked up the tune without paying attention.

Without even trying, our minds scoop up what we see, hear, smell, and feel. God has created us in such a way that we can remember an event from twenty-five years ago like it happened yesterday.

Knowing it is possible for us to absorb so many things without even thinking about it, shouldn’t we be extra cautious about where we go, what we do, and what we expose our minds to? The more we fill our minds with good things, the more good things there will be to well up into our conscious or unconscious minds. We need David’s attitude: “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:17).

The song was “Baby Elephant Walk,” written by Henry Mancini for the 1962 movie Hatari. Listen to it, and it will probably get stuck in your head, too! Why not spend some time this week putting good things from God in your head!

CHRISTIAN LIVING

REMEMBER OTIS? — BOB PRICHARD

If you are a follower of the old “Andy Griffith Show,” you will well remember Otis, the town drunk, who periodically checks himself into jail to sleep off his hangover. Otis is a lovable character, who never hurts anybody else, although he doesn’t know how to handle the bottle.

One show had an interesting development. Otis received a letter from his brother, telling him he was coming to visit. Otis had foolishly told his brother that he was a deputy sheriff, and didn’t know what to do. Andy, who always tried to accommodate anyone, offered to let Otis become a temporary deputy, only while his brother was in town. The catch was that Otis had to stay sober. Of course, his wife wouldn’t believe it was true until he destroyed his hidden liquor at home.

Everything went according to plan when his brother came, and Otis was even strong enough to refuse to drink on duty when his brother asked him to go get a drink. Otis wanted to make sure that his brother knew that he was a success, not the failure that his brother expected him to be.

But then something completely unexpected happened. Otis kept expecting to get caught in his masquerade, but then his brother did the unimaginable. As Otis looked on in surprise, his brother came into the jail drunk, and checked himself in just like Otis did every weekend. The brother was appropriately sorry as Otis lectured him on how he had let down the whole family by his actions.

Andy’s lesson to Otis was that he shouldn’t have been so self-conscious about trying to impress others. But I believe there was another lesson. Otis had the chance to see himself as he really was. He had a chance to hear, “Thou art the man.”

You see, when King David stole Uriah’s wife, and then had Uriah killed to cover up his sin, he thought he really had covered up everything. But then Nathan told him a story about a rich man who took a poor man’s one ewe lamb to feed a traveling visitor. David was incensed about this man’s wickedness and vowed a fourfold retribution, and that the man should die. Nathan boldly concluded, “Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:7). To his credit, David responded in penitence, and accepted his punishment. But Otis never changed. He never reformed. He could see how his brother embarrassed him, but he never saw himself. How about you? Have you had a “Thou art the man” experience? How did you respond?

CHRISTIAN LIVING

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH TODAY? — BOB PRICHARD

Tram Sessions, member of the Alabama state legislature, clipped a poem from a magazine and mailed it to University of Alabama Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Bryant liked the poem so much that he always carried a copy in his wallet until his death. The poem gives us all something to think about as we begin each new day.

“This is the beginning of a new day.

God has given me this day to use as I will.

I can waste it or use it for good.

What I do today is very important because I am

Exchanging a day of my life for it.

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever,

Leaving something in its place I have traded for it.

I want it to be a gain, not loss—good, not evil!

Success, not failure in order that I

Shall not forget the price I paid.”

—W. Heartsill Wilson

There is a great emphasis in scripture on today.

Jesus promised the penitent thief, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 13:13).

 “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

Today will be soon be gone. What will you leave in its place? Why wait to serve and obey Him?

CHRISTIAN LIVING

SPEAK UP! — BOB PRICHARD

Dealing with laryngitis was a new experience for me. I had experienced sore throats before, but I had never lost my voice. It was strange to try to talk, and have little or nothing come out. It is hard enough to communicate through those speakers at the restaurant drive through under normal circumstances, but I can attest that it is impossible with laryngitis! The more I tried to speak up to let my voice be heard, the less volume I had! It was also hard to communicate to the hard of hearing, and to those who were in noisy places.

Laryngitis is bad news for a preacher, for sure. It makes it so hard to communicate the message that the world needs to hear.

Brother David Lipscomb believed that Christians had no place in the political world, not even to vote. I have read that he only voted once in his life, and was very disappointed in the man he voted for. While I agree that there are many things about politics that are contrary to the principles of Christianity, I believe that it is not only the right, but the responsibility of Christians to vote and voice our opinions on issues. When we have  “citizen laryngitis,”with little or no voice in the political or governmental realm, we allow the devil to set public policy.

An even more serious laryngitis is “spiritual laryngitis.” We must share the gospel message to those around us. The world is a noisy place, and it very easily drowns out our voice if we are not persistent in speaking out. We may even feel like we should just give up. That is the way Jeremiah felt. “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9). The burning fire of the word in the heart will cure spiritual laryngitis.

There are also those around us who are hard of hearing, spiritually speaking. Paul warned, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Even in that situation, we must continue to speak out the truth of God. “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:3-5). The cure for the religious fables of our day is the truth of the gospel of Christ.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

“DUMMER STUDENTS?” — BOB PRICHARD

“Dummer” students? There are no more Dummer students since the 2004-2005 school year. It’s not that they got smarter, it’s just that there is no more Dummer school. Over the objections of many alumni, the Governor Dummer Academy, in Newbury, MA, which opened in 1763, changed its name to The Governor’s Academy. The school, which has always carried the name of Massachusetts governor William Dummer, decided that the name was not good for public relations, and made it hard to recruit students.  It seems that too many just didn’t want to be known as Dummer students. Headmaster John Doggett said they changed the name because “rightly or wrongly, first impressions make a difference.”

Although I don’t have any relationship to the school, it  seems sad that a school that had been around for over 350 years felt like it had to change its name.

Names are important, however. “And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone” (John 1:42). That generous Levite from Cyprus, a great encourager, was renamed by the apostles from Joses to Barnabas [The son of consolation, or son of encouragement] (Acts 4:36-37).

Barnabas understood the importance of bringing Saul (later to be known as Paul) to the great missionary congregation at Antioch. “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

They wore that name of Christian with the understanding that it meant something. Peter said, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16). 

A young soldier that had been a coward was brought before Alexander the Great. When he learned the soldier’s name was “Alexander,” he said, “Either change your name, or change your actions!” Names matter!

If we wear the name Christian, we must live a life unashamed before the world. To do anything else would simply be dumber.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

LIFE IN A MADHOUSE? — BOB PRICHARD

It was a terribly hectic day at the doctor’s office. And it was made worse by the new receptionist who was trying very hard to cope with the chaos, but just could not get it all together. Answering the phone, checking in new patients, and doing so many new things was just more than the new receptionist could handle. The psychiatrist had taken all he could, but finally had to correct her phone answering technique. “When you answer the phone,” he said, “just say we’re terribly busy today.  Please don’t say it’s a madhouse around here.”

What is it like in your life? Are you so busy some of these days that you don’t know what to do next? If you are retired, do you sometimes wonder how you had time to go to work? It’s sometimes hard to tell the difference between just being very busy and living in a madhouse, isn’t it?

Jesus was also extremely busy, but He still had time to “get away from it all” to spend time communing with His Heavenly Father. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth” (Mark 1:35-38). Simon’s comment, “All men seek for thee,” demonstrates how busy He was, and how many claims were made on His time and energy. But there was still time for prayer, for time with friends like Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus, and to bless children.

Even in the midst of the busy pace of life, however, Jesus offers us peace. He said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

There is tribulation in the world, but He offers peace.

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” (Matthew 11:28-30). Maybe it is time to give some of your burdens to Him, and take up His yoke.

CHRISTIAN LIVING, SALVATION

LOST NO MORE — BOB PRICHARD

Lost finally solved its problem.  No more stolen signs. No more lost deliveries. No more confusion. Or at least we would hope so.

On average, Lost lost a road sign every year, and it had a perennial problem of lost deliveries. People loved to come to Lost to have their pictures taken, standing there with a bewildered expression, with a Lost  road sign in the background.

The problem is solved, though, because the small Scottish village of Lost changed  its name to “Lost Farm.” Local official Bruce Luffman told Reuters News Service that in addition to the lost road signs, “Deliveries get lost because they’ve got no idea where ‘Lost’ is, and it’s very confusing” (World, March 13, 2004).

The dictionary defines “lost” as “not made use of, won, or claimed; unable to find the way; no longer visible; lacking assurance or self-confidence: helpless; ruined or destroyed physically or morally: desperate; no longer possessed, no longer known; taken away or beyond reach or attainment: denied; hardened, insensible; absorbed, rapt (as in reverie).” As I read that lengthy definition, I noticed that there is not even one sense in which lost is a good thing, with the exception of the very last one, of being “lost in reverie.”

How bad is it to be lost? Have you ever been so lost that you just had no idea whatsoever where you were? Have you been so lost that you never could have found your way back without the help of someone else?

Much of the time when we are lost, we are not really lost. We may be a bit confused, but we know if we will just backtrack a little bit, or even stoop to breaking the secret men’s code [You can’t admit you are lost], and actually ask for directions, we can find our way. But when we think of being lost spiritually, we realize that the one who is lost is not just lost but dead. When the prodigal returned, the loving father said, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:24).

Since being lost is so serious, it is imperative to do all we can to reach others. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul talks about the treasure of the gospel, a treasure that must be shared with others. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (3-4). Paul says that we don’t preach ourselves, but the wonderful message of Christ, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (7). There is power in the gospel! The lost are counting on us to share the good news with them. Do it today!

CHRISTIAN LIVING

CAN I BORROW YOUR ROPE? — BOB PRICHARD

A farmer came and asked his neighbor if he could borrow his rope. The neighbor said, “No, I can’t let you borrow it.” 

“Why not,” he replied. 

“Because I’m using it to tie up my milk.”

“But you can’t tie up milk with a rope.”

“I know, but when you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.”

As a preacher, I often hear excuses from people for why they don’t want to do something, and very often they fall in the category of “tying up milk.” I had a teacher in high school who really stressed to us that there is a big difference between an excuse and a reason. If you came into his class and said, “My excuse for being late is … ,” or “My excuse for not having my homework done is … ,” he would say, “I don’t want an excuse, I want a reason!”

Have you been planning to get back in church, read your Bible more, or be baptized? Have you been planning to start coming on Sunday nights or Wednesday nights? Have you been planning to volunteer to teach a class, work with VBS or Lads to Leaders, or do something else you should do? Do you have a reason? Or is it an excuse for not doing what you should do? 

Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He puts it pretty plainly doesn’t He? There it is in black and white. You may make all the excuses you want to, but if you are not obeying the Lord, you don’t love Him. Is it time to take some action? 

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:46-49).