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Randy Green's Blog, page 399
July 27, 2014
Of Churches and Truck Stops – Part 2
Many a needy soul is needy by choice. We were discussing this in our last study. They like not having responsibilities, so they move from place to place to meet folks who don’t know they never change. If the folks knew this, they’d stop giving them handouts, you see.
So they flitter aimlessly from wherever to wherever, bumming free handouts wherever they can get them, and in general being leaches on society. In today’s climate these shameless derelicts are the ones for whom the hard-working adults of society are expected to foot the medical bills.
What we must never do is be irresponsible, as they hope we will be. They come to the door and play on our guilt trip for having the money we worked so hard for, all the while they are poor and needy. They expect us to be overcome with guilt for having so much while they have so little, you see.
Don’t give in to the guilt trip, dear people. Turn the tables and think how we have to get up and go to work and take all the…well, you know what you have to put up with at work. But they don’t have to put up with it because they don’t bother to work or even try. Shame on them, not on us!
There are other types of bums and hobos too. Most of us are not aware of them because they appear to be so respectable. Some even belong to church and frequent the establishment regularly. Indeed, they sometimes are quite active and gain the respect and appreciation of many a church member. And they do have jobs too.
Here’s the thing. Imagine a person who goes to the job, works, and collects a paycheck. Now the person doesn’t make enough to satisfy his wants, so to him he is always “poor”. You would think he’d go back to school, maybe nights, and advance his career. Or at least apply for other positions. Do something to change his financial estate.
And there is always the path of curbing his lusts so he doesn’t want so much. I know many folks cannot advance themselves, no matter how hard they try. I don’t mean this as a blanket judgment on everyone, or for that matter on anyone in particular.
Fact is though, there are folks in the church who are in a rut. They get a job they don’t particularly want, just to pay the bills. They don’t try to better their education and/or training, so they can better their salary. They prefer to go to all the church functions and have a grand old time being a model Christian. For them, socializing at church sure beats studying to change their lot in life.
So they hang around the church building, whining about how hard life is and currying favor with the church folks. They play on guilt feelings (intentionally or unintentionally), especially since it occurs in church. After all, what kind of Christians would we be, if we didn’t help our poor brother or sister out?
What kind of Christian, indeed! We’ll get into that issue tomorrow. For now let us pause and be refreshed by the presence of the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Of Churches and Truck Stops – Part 2
NEWS FLASH!!! Acts: Volume 8 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.
But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge [1 Timothy 5:11-12].
Many a needy soul is needy by choice. We were discussing this in our last study. They like not having responsibilities, so they move from place to place to meet folks who don’t know they never change. If the folks knew this, they’d stop giving them handouts, you see.
So they flitter aimlessly from wherever to wherever, bumming free handouts wherever they can get them, and in general being leaches on society. In today’s climate these shameless derelicts are the ones for whom the hard-working adults of society are expected to foot the medical bills.
What we must never do is be irresponsible, as they hope we will be. They come to the door and play on our guilt trip for having the money we worked so hard for, all the while they are poor and needy. They expect us to be overcome with guilt for having so much while they have so little, you see.
Don’t give in to the guilt trip, dear people. Turn the tables and think how we have to get up and go to work and take all the…well, you know what you have to put up with at work. But they don’t have to put up with it because they don’t bother to work or even try. Shame on them, not on us!
There are other types of bums and hobos too. Most of us are not aware of them because they appear to be so respectable. Some even belong to church and frequent the establishment regularly. Indeed, they sometimes are quite active and gain the respect and appreciation of many a church member. And they do have jobs too.
Here’s the thing. Imagine a person who goes to the job, works, and collects a paycheck. Now the person doesn’t make enough to satisfy his wants, so to him he is always “poor”. You would think he’d go back to school, maybe nights, and advance his career. Or at least apply for other positions. Do something to change his financial estate.
And there is always the path of curbing his lusts so he doesn’t want so much. I know many folks cannot advance themselves, no matter how hard they try. I don’t mean this as a blanket judgment on everyone, or for that matter on anyone in particular.
Fact is though, there are folks in the church who are in a rut. They get a job they don’t particularly want, just to pay the bills. They don’t try to better their education and/or training, so they can better their salary. They prefer to go to all the church functions and have a grand old time being a model Christian. For them, socializing at church sure beats studying to change their lot in life.
So they hang around the church building, whining about how hard life is and currying favor with the church folks. They play on guilt feelings (intentionally or unintentionally), especially since it occurs in church. After all, what kind of Christians would we be, if we didn’t help our poor brother or sister out?
What kind of Christian, indeed! We’ll get into that issue tomorrow. For now let us pause and be refreshed by the presence of the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86
July 26, 2014
Of Churches and Truck Stops – Part 1
NEWS FLASH!!! Acts: Volume 8 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.
But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge [1 Timothy 5:11-12].
I recall one church where I pastored. It was situated near an Interstate truck stop. Most folks won’t be aware of this, so I’ll explain what happens in suchlike locales. Hitchhikers frequent them!
Now there are hitchhikers, and then there are hitchhikers. Some hitchhikers are fairly respectable, non-threatening and safe to give a ride to, but some not so much. Some have no particular scent, but others have a malodorous smell (and I’m being polite).
Many moons ago (and I do mean many) when I was a college student fresh out of high school, I hitchhiked on vacations from college to home and back. The journey required a couple of hours driving time, so I usually had to stick out the old thumb several different times on each trip.
My appearance was safe enough for motorists to stop and pick me up. And I wasn’t one of the malodorous varmints either! My apparel could have been better, but I certainly didn’t appear the tatterdemalion. I wasn’t the type of vagrant I am depicting in this study.
The type I want to note traveled without any particular destination. Such a one hitchhikes to wherever the driver drops him off, and there he seeks out freebies of whatever he can get. Most often a trucker picks him up, and he winds up at a truck stop, you see. That is why I am experienced with this situation. One church I pastored was near a truck stop.
So these poor unfortunates made it a regular practice to knock on the door of the parsonage I called home. The spiel I became familiar with went something along this line: “I haven’t eaten in four days. Can you give me $10 for some food?”
Well, you didn’t have to be a pastor of a church to feel sorry for such wretches. No one in their right mind would want to be caught up in the fate they indubitably were forced to endure, the cross they had to bear, their hapless estate.
But not so fast! Unbeknownst to most folks, these characters indeed do want to continue such an existence. The alternative for them would be to face themselves in the mirror, repent of their sins, and get a job! And I’m not joking either.
Some folks do fall on hard times and suffer beyond endurance, until they lose all hope and resign themselves to their fate. Yes, that’s true, but most of the hitchhikers we are considering don’t fit that bill. They like their scam—no responsibilities and plenty of suckers for the taking.
We must stop for today, but not to fret. We will invite the hobos back tomorrow. Enjoy time with Jesus now, and I’ll see you then.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86
July 25, 2014
Thoughts on the November Elections – Part 4
Politics is overrun with opportunism. Elected officials are mostly opportunists because that’s the only way to get elected! The electorate, you see, vote for whoever gives out the most toys. This boils down to voting for the person who promises me the most, the candidate I believe will benefit me more than the others.
But where is principle in that approach? Ah, that puts the finger on the real issue right there, doesn’t it. Am I truly a principled person? Do I do what is right because it is right, or do machinate and wangle to seize what I think I deserve? What kind of person am I?
Do I examine the candidates and determine who I’ll cast my vote for based on their positions? Do I choose positions based on my own personal agenda, or do I choose based on the Lord’s agenda? Does the Word of God rule me come election time, or do I vote to receive personal favors?
Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, not the President of the United States. I cannot vote Him out of office if He doesn’t give me my way. There are only two choices I can make in relating to Jesus:
1. submit to Him as my King
2. rebel against His Kingship
Voting doesn’t enter the picture. It’s either His way or the highway. Either He rules my life—I mean really rules all of it 24/7—or else I rule it, in which case I am rebelling against His Kingship. If Jesus rules my life 24/7, my voting will be determined by Him.
In today’s permissive and entitlement society, this concept is not often grasped. There is a lot of church going on but not much new life. We still behave as if we get to vote on who we want to rule, and we vote for whoever gives us the most toys.
If I truly submit to Jesus as my King, I don’t want the most toys. I don’t want what I think is fun and games and easy living. I want what the Lord wants. He makes His will lucid in His Word, the Bible. I do want His will in my life, so I look forward every day to spending time alone with Jesus and the Bible.
Oh, I far too often do my own will. I much too frequently disobey His Word. But I don’t think it is okay! I turn to Him and confess my sins, asking Him to forgive me (cf., 1 John 1:9). Then with hands clean and heart pure because of His grace, I press forward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
No, I wouldn’t want our government to be a monarchy over what it is at present. But I would love for it to be the absolute monarchy of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be during the Millennium. Until then I guess I have to play the Tweedledum and Tweedledee game a while longer.
Soon He will call me home and I won’t have to play it anymore. What a glorious future awaits the child of God!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
July 24, 2014
Thoughts on the November Elections – Part 3
I rue the November elections because there seems to be no real choices in the candidates. I always have to vote for the “lesser evil” so-called. Why can’t I have someone with whom I really can get on board? So we considered alternatives: anarchy, republic, monarchy.
The bottom line is that God established authority to keep order, as we learned from Romans 13. But God also established His Word to teach us what is right and what is wrong. When government rule is contrary to God’s Word, then the leaders are not ruling in accordance with the purpose for which God established government. If we must choose between God and government, we must always choose God. If we can still obey God, we must obey all authority which is over us.
Here’s the thing, dear friends. In the good ol’ USA today the prevailing mindset is “I-me-mine” and “looking out for Numero Uno”. Anyone which puts a damper on what we want, well, we declare war on him and see how many folks we can persuade to side with us. The prophet Micah observed the same thing among his people back in the day:
If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ he would be just the prophet for this people! [Micah 2:11]
I don’t mean to be harsh, really I don’t, but that is an apt depiction of my beloved country today. Even the evangelical churches are governed by affluent middle class morality, rather than by the Bible. We Christians are too busy enjoying “the good life”, that we haven’t any time left over for real life, i.e., daily time alone with Jesus.
In the Bible verses quoted at the start of this study, the Lord Jesus is revealed to be THE KING and THE LORD. He rules as an absolute monarch. He won’t come to you or me and prophesy plenty of wine and beer. He doesn’t give you or me our way, in order to curry our favor and stay elected. Those who behave that way are known as opportunists. Jesus is no opportunist!
We today cannot get a handle on this truth because we live in a permissive entitlement society. I have my rights, you see. I’ve forgotten what the word responsibilities means. If I don’t get what I think I deserve in anything whatsoever, then someone is doing me wrong!
This mentality has a direct bearing on government and the November elections, dear friends. Really it does. But we’re out of time again, so we’ll have to postpone learning what it is until our next study. Let's go worship the Lord a while and come back for the next study.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
July 23, 2014
Thoughts on the November Elections – Part 2
We saw that anarchy can never cut it, when it comes to the functioning of society. So we began considering other alternatives to our present form of government. We considered a republic.
The USA began as a republic. Technically it still is. The electoral college makes the final determination of who wins the presidential elections, not the popular vote. In actual practice, though, the popular vote has correctly picked the actual winners.
The benefit of a republic over a democracy is that demagogues cannot stir up evil in the people and win control. Can anyone say “Hitler”? Another evil would be the legal oppression of minorities because the majority rules.
A still different form of government bears the epithet “monarchy”. This was the dominant form of government for most of history. In some cases the monarch was absolute, in others not so much e.g., a constitutional monarchy). A king is the governmental leader under monarchies. He makes the laws, determines the taxes, and sometimes oppresses everyone but at other times is benevolent to everyone.
So come November, before we wring our hands in despair over the lack of meaningful choices between the various candidates, and before we throw in the towel and boycott the elections, maybe we should decide what form of government we would prefer to see replace our current format. Remember, anarchy is out so government of one form or another is in.
Now that we’ve plodded through that thick and unpleasant bog, permit me to reveal how I got on the subject of government in the first place. In Romans 13:1-2 the Apostle Paul teaches,
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
Notice that all authority—this includes but is not limited to government—but all authority comes from God. Paul’s words are often misconstrued. Folks tend to think he means that every individual governmental person was personally chosen by God for his role.
Not so! Paul didn’t say any specific individual was governing according to the Word of God. He didn’t refer to individuals at all. Notice the phrase “whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God”. God commands authority because God is not a God of disorder and confusion. He is a God of order (cf., 1 Corinthians 14:33).
Oops! Out of time again. We’ll press the Pause Button and hie off to the prayer closet to visit with Jesus now. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
July 22, 2014
Thoughts on the November Elections – Part 1
The United States presidential elections occur every four years. In fact one such election is looming on the horizon at this moment. I am speaking of the 2012 presidential election, dear friends, though the time frame doesn’t much matter. One is the same as the other.
During these elections we also select certain of our Senators and Representatives. Did you ever stop to consider what this is all about? I know for myself, I am weary of going out of my way to pull some levers, to signify which folks I want to send to Washington D.C. to run our country. Does it really matter if Frick wins instead Frack? Will anything change if Tweedledum is elected instead of Tweedledee?
Sometimes it is advantageous to step back from a situation and view it in a different light. For instance, rather than brewing and stewing over the lack of real choices between candidates—certainly the reality in American elections of late, party identifiers notwithstanding—perhaps we should ponder the alternative forms of government a bit. Let’s consider a few of them, shall we?
What if we had no elections? Maybe we could simply have no government at all. That goes by the name “anarchy”, I believe. How would your life be then? Try this. Take the flat of your hand and tap slightly hard against the side of your skull several times. Hopefully you can jar loose some of those hibernating memories of elementary school times of yesteryear.
Did it work? Can you envision all of society functioning like the school playground? I mean the playground when no teachers or other authority figures maintained order. Ouch! Those memories hurt! The school bullies had their way. The rest of us paved their way, literally. We were the blacktop beneath their feet.
So if we had no government, if the good ol’ USA was the home of anarchy, the bigger fish would seize power and force themselves on everyone else as the government. There is no such critter as “anarchy”, not in reality. It cannot work. Man must be governed. The only real question is by whom.
Okay. So anarchy is out. What about other forms of government instead of “democracy”. Well, there are several various examples of governmental forms over the millennia. One form goes by the label “republic”. In this type of government the qualified folks determine who rules. The qualifications for “qualified” can vary, but usually it means having an education and owning some property.
We will pause with that thought and continue this discussion in our next study. For now enjoy some time alone with Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
July 21, 2014
Breathe the Dust – Part 4
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them [Genesis 1:27].
Man shares the animal nature with animals. We get it from the dust of the ground, of which we both consist. But man is more than an animal, much more. Man also consists of the breath of life, and this makes man to be in the image of God. This is why man can, and should, blush. Man should wear clothes and cover himself. Man should blush when nudity is displayed. Man should stand aghast and drop his jaw, should humans be so dense as to mate in public view.
You see, the image of God means that man knows right and wrong. Man is aware of morality. The Lord is a moral Person, and He passed this on to man. It is quite true that sex, for example, is a normal part of life…of animal life! But man isn’t a mere animal and shouldn’t operate on the basis of mere animal instinct. Suchlike behavior makes man to be the dust of the ground and nothing more. This is an abomination to the Lord!
Man has the ability to know right and wrong, and to choose right. He has the ability to control his lusts and keep them in subjection to the image of God. Lust comes from the animal nature. When we give free rein to the animal nature, we are living like an animal. This insults the Lord and offends Him deeply because then we aren’t functioning like He created us to function.
The Lord God created man with an elevated status above the rest of creation. He did so in order to establish a personal relationship with us. But the Lord is pure and holy. He cannot abide with sin. The word “sin” means that moral creatures—that would be us human beings—function as if we are mere animals. We make ourselves something other than what the Lord made us to be. We pervert His creation.
So yes, it is only natural to commit adultery and fornication, to get drunk and do drugs and in general be vulgar. And if we human beings were mere animals, it would be expected. But we’re not! We are moral beings created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him. So let’s act like it!
Confession of sin and repentance is called for daily. Diligence in spiritual warfare to avoid sin is mandatory to refrain from sin. But all of this is to no avail, unless we are first born again. The person born naturally is born as a sinner, and sinners sin! The sinner first needs to die, in order for the new creation to be born. That is what it means to be born again.
Are you born again? Today is the day of salvation! Don’t be a mere animal. Come to Jesus and live while it is still today.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
July 20, 2014
Breathe the Dust – Part 3
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them [Genesis 1:27].
Man is made of the dust of the ground. Is that what makes man so unique and valuable in the Lord’s eyes? Uh, that would be a no. The animals also are made up of the dust of the ground. When they die they return to dust, even as man’s body does (cf., Psalm 90:3; Genesis 3:19).
Okay. That leaves only the “breath of life” from God to make man unique and valuable. And you know what? That’s the answer! The Lord God didn’t breathe the breath of life into the nostrils of the animals. Plant life hasn’t the breath of life either. And I can guarantee you that those sci-fi critters don’t because they aren’t even real!
Only man is composed of the breath of life from the Lord God, dear friends. This is what distinguishes mankind from all other forms of existence, whether plants or animals or inanimate objects, beasts or fowl or fish. The combination of the dust of the ground and the breath of life makes man valuable enough for the angels to attend to our welfare. Man is valuable to the Lord God!
But don’t go growing a fat head, dear friends. We are valuable because the Lord God made us to be. Our value stems from Him, not from ourselves. We have nothing of which to boast. The Lord is not in our debt and begging us to let Him visit with us. I think it’s the other way around, to tell you the truth.
Man’s unique combination of “ingredients” makes man to be in the image of God. The “image of God” is a depictive phrase to which no other created thing can lay claim. And there are some powerful conclusions to draw from this too.
Man is formed from the dust of the ground. So. Animals are too! If you visit a barnyard, you cannot miss observing the animals mating. They have no qualms about it. They go around without any clothes on and don’t blush. The males sniff after every female in search of the lost lust. In mating season the females do the pursuing.
Animals have no shame. They aren’t supposed to, you see. And do you know why this is so? It’s because they are made of the dust of the ground and the…and the…and the…well, what do you know? That’s all they’re made of. Dust of the ground is the nature of animals, and man shares it with the animals.
This is not the choicest location to press the Pause Button, but we must. Time’s up for today. Let’s spend time in prayer and meditation now and return tomorrow, same time, same station.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
July 19, 2014
Breathe the Dust – Part 2
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them [Genesis 1:27].
Man is created with a unique makeup. He is made from the dust of the ground and the breath of life. Do you know why it’s unique? Because those imaginary ET characters and Blobs and vampires and zombies and any other possible creature—not a one of them has the same two ingredients for their makeup.
Neither does old Lucifer or any of his minion demons. Nor do the angels of heaven. Why, not even the animals on earth have both of the ingredients comprising man’s makeup. I know because the Bible tells me so! I know, it’s a children’s song. But so what? It’s true!
Only man is made in the image of God, dear friends. This is repeatedly spelled out throughout the Bible. And because it’s the case, the Lord makes vital distinctions between man and animals. Let’s consider some.
If an animal kills a man, the animal is a murderer and must be killed. For that matter if a man kills another man, he is a murderer and must be killed. Contrariwise, if an animal kills another animal, it amounts to no more than c’est la vie! When a man is hungry, he kills an animal and eats and the Lord blesses him in the doing.
Clearly animal life rates far below man on the Lord’s food chain! Even the angels are ministering spirits, sent out to render service to those humans who will inherit salvation (cf., Hebrews 1:14). The Lord has established man as a high-ranking being indeed!
I wonder why. Even the Psalmist was a bit uncertain about this. He mused:
What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas [Psalm 8:4-8].
Yea, Lord. What is man that You care for him so much? Well, to begin with we know that man consists of the dust of the ground. Could that be what makes him so unique, so valuable in the eyes of the Lord?
We will go to the prayer closet now and allow the Lord Jesus to explain it to us. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
