Archive for December, 2023

Draw Near to God

Jesus has given peace and contentment to individuals amid all types of adversities in all ages. There has never been a person who didn’t need a spiritual keel to give them balance, a rudder to guide them, and a sail to empower them. As these items are to a ship so He is to a life. The closer you are to Him you will find out how close He is to you. The closer you are to Him the more He draws you even closer and the more pure your life is by His standard.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4: 8).

Nestled in the mountains of North Carolina near the little town of Old Fort is a cradle of beauty called Catawba Falls. Let’s go there.

As you turn off the interstate highway onto a narrow asphalt road you drive only a short distance before the road turns to gravel. As it does you slow to cross a wooden bridge. You are struck by the unpleasant odor caused by the stream. The waters are brackish and obviously polluted.

Park now and let’s start our walk which soon turns into a climb. After crossing the field and entering the woods you wade a creek. The water is cold and unfortunately contaminated. Soon you see an old mill with its waste material being released into the stream. Along the trail you see where campers have discarded debris into the creek. Now the memorable climb begins. You pull your way up by roots and rocks. The climb is strenuous and requires a number of stops. Even from a distance you can hear the sound of cascading water.

Finally, you work your way beneath a rock outcropping and a canopy of rhododendrons. As you straighten up your face is sprayed with the cool mist of Catawba Falls. The air is cool and fresh. The sunlight breaks the water droplets into a mist and turns on their rainbow of colors. The pool at the base is too inviting. Off come the shoes and up go the pants legs. It’s time for a splash in the water. Enjoy!

Soon, always too soon, it’s time to go back. You retrace your route beside burnt out campfires and the old mill. In your car you once again cross that stinky little stream. Then it dawns on you. That is the same water that only a short time ago cascaded over Catawba Falls in its crystalline purity and beauty. The further it got from the falls the more polluted it became.

The same principle applies to our lives. The closer we are to our Source, the Lord Jesus Christ, the purer our lives. The further we get from Him, the more pollutants our lives pick-up. Is He so cherishable to you that you want to be close to Him?

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145: 18).

Do You Have a Thorn in the Flesh?

Do you have a thorn in the flesh? Before answering there are some things to consider.

The Apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh.” What it was is not specifically identified. It remains a mystery. But its meaning is clearly identified.

First, speculation regarding what it was ranges from a specific temptation, a chronic eye problem, malaria, migraines, epilepsy, and a speech disability. Some even say that the thorn refers to a person, such as Alexander the coppersmith, who did Paul “a great deal of harm” (II Timothy 4:14). It may not have been any of those.

To get the real meaning of its importance consider its purpose. By gaining that insight you can decide if you have a “thorn” with a like minded purpose.

Paul clues us in concerning the thorn’s purpose: “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations.” So, God’s goal in allowing the thorn in the flesh was to keep Paul humble. Anyone who had encountered Jesus and was commissioned personally by Him (Acts 9:2-8) would, in his natural state, become “puffed up.” Add to that the fact that Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to write much of the New Testament, and it is easy to see how Paul could become “haughty” (KJV) or “exalted above measure” (NKJV) or “too proud” (NCV).

Is your “thorn” serving to help you avoid false pride? Is it aiding you in avoiding robbing God of His glory?

Another purpose of Paul’s thorn was that it came from or by a “messenger of Satan.” Just as God allowed Satan to torment Job (Job 1:1-12), God allowed Satan to torment Paul for God’s own good purpose.

Is God allowing Satan to implant a “thorn” in your life that requires patience and dependence on Him? If you conclude He is, that should motivate you all the more to deal with it and so defeat Satan and give you confidence in the Lord.

No one wants to live with a “thorn” in their life. Paul surely didn’t. Three times Paul asked that it be removed (II Corinthians 12: 8). Who wouldn’t?

Paul might have offered God a litany of reasons he could do more without the thorn. Instead of removing the problem, whatever it was, God gave Paul more overwhelming grace and more compensating strength. Paul learned that God’s “power is made perfect Whether the “thorn” in your flesh today is physical, emotional, or spiritual, we can know that God has a purpose and that His grace is all-sufficient  in weakness” (verse 9).

The exact nature of Paul’s thorn in the flesh remains unknown. Its purpose is clear as is God’s grace.  “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12: 9)

How to Respond to Sin

The Old Testament character King Saul can help all of us understand our responses to our sins. The life experience of King Saul as summarized in I Samuel 15 is a classic dramatization of our responses.

Saul was commanded by the Lord to exterminate all the pagan Amalekites. From a human viewpoint that sounds unfair. The primary purpose of life is to prepare for eternity. God knew that all Amalekites had reached a permanent mind set of rejection, and continuing to live would not change their hearts. He wanted a base of evangelism in the land and knew King Agag and his people would hinder it. Therefore, based on His divine wisdom He gave Saul orders to annihilate them.

Saul disobeyed and spared King Agag and the best of the livestock. When confronted with his sin he  – – –

DENIED his sin. He lied and said: “I have performed the commandment of the Lord” (I Samuel 15: 13).

Just then could be heard the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the cattle he had spared. His sin had found him out.

Saul next RATIONALIZED his sin. He pretended he spared the best of the animals to sacrifice them to God (I Samuel 15: 15). God said, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (I Samuel 15: 22b).

Let me share with you the seriousness of disobedience. If you have a disobedient heart, a rebellious nature, a critical spirit resulting in unwillingness to submit to authority you need to read I Samuel 15: 23: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”

To help our understanding of the seriousness of rebellion against God’s word Samuel said, “Rebellion is as serious as witchcraft.”

Saul, having been caught next tried to EXCUSE his sin by blaming others. Note in verse 15 he says, “They have brought them back…” Who? “The people spared the best…”  In verse 21 again he blames the people: “The people took the plunder…” In verse 24 he once more blames the people by claiming he “feared the people and obeyed their voice.”

Saul then CONFESSED his sin. In Scripture there are two kinds of repentance. Judas repented and went out and hanged himself. Peter repented and went out and converted much of the known world. The form of repentance expressed by Judas was regret over getting caught. The type experienced by Peter was a broken heart over what he had done.

These two kinds of repentance are expressed in II Corinthians 7: 10: “For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

How are you dealing with your sin? At what stage are you? Are you still denying it? Have you mastered the art of rationalization? Are you presently excusing it? Have you come to the point of confession? If so, is it “godly sorrow” or “the sorrow of the world” which “produces death”?

Bear One Another’s Burdens

Have you ever noticed how few people are interested in what you are interested in? How many people have you shown interest in things they are interested in? Oops!

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load” (Galatians 6: 2 – 5).

A conflict seems to exist between verses 2 and 5: “Bear one another’s burdens,” and “Each one shall bear his own burden.”

In verse 2 the word translated burden is “baros” meaning “grief.” These are burdens of the heart. For example sorrows. We should help people bear their sorrows.

In verse 5 the word translated burden, “phortion,” means responsibility. These are burdens of personal responsibility, duties for which they are accountable.  Persons should do the things for which they are responsible and not expect others to do them on their behalf.

Some social parasites can’t be helped because they won’t help themselves.

Often sympathetic Christians get the two mixed and as do-gooders want to fix everything for everyone. That is not good lest a class of leeches develops. Such has developed in our society. There is a class of persons who don’t want to work, but rather want the government to work for them and provide for them that which they can provide for themselves. Compassion compels us to want to provide for persons unable to provide for themselves. There is a difference between those who can’t and those who won’t.

It is good to show interest and offer support for people dealing with issues of the heart, emotions.

How many people have you been able to show interest in their interests? In doing so be wise in differentiating between concerns (vs. 2) and conduct (vs. 5).

Between the above verses 2 and 5 is verse 4 which exhorts us to examine our own works in light of Scripture. Romans 14: 12 tells us how to do it, “So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.”

“Each one shall bear his own burden…” Each one includes all of us. That is, we each have our own responsibilities. We are to avoid being lazy or careless about our own responsibilities and not expect others to do them for us.

Reflect on the above difference in verse 2 and verse 5.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6: 2