Call

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. (Genesis 4:26 KJV)

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3 KJV)

Do you sound different to certain people over the phone? I did. I had a ‘business voice’ for answering business phone calls. Very professional, unemotional, uncommitted.

With caller ID, my voice changes depending on the display. For my grandchildren there’s a bit of surprise because I know they have something to share. For my children there’s a since of pleasure and a touch of mischievousness because I know we’ll laugh together. Similar with friends seeking out a hand to touch, a shoulder to cry on. I won’t go into the voice used just before hanging up on junk calls.

When I’m calling out the voice response is similar. I do a good monotone when moving through voice activated menus, keeping the dislike completely hidden. I do miss people interaction.

The calls sound the same whether I’m reaching Springtown, Fort Worth, Bangalore or Montevideo.

When I speak to my Lord, I use different voices, too. At times I’m chatting with a dear friend sharing feelings, concerns and questions. At other times I’m crying for help from authority. From the author of the universe. I’m not concerned about how I sound to him, for He knows my heart.

Throughout the Bible we’re told to call upon our Lord:

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. (1 Chronicles 16:8 KJV)

David had this in mind when he sang to the Lord: O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. (Psalms 105:1 KJV)

And, of the greatest importance to us, is this promise about the calling:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13 KJV)

Do that, and we’re His forever more.

Have We Said?

Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? (Malachi 2:17)

Have we said: Don't punish youthful pranks. It could ruin their lives.

Have we said: That's not really a baby, it's just a bunch of cells.

Have we said: That's not really a sin, it's a social issue.

Have we said: What difference does a license make. They’re in love.

Have we said: Marriage doesn’t matter. They’ll just live together anyway.

Have we said: Maybe their next marriages will work out. This one just didn't.

Have we said: There are many ways to reach God, this is just one of them.

Have we said: Their cause is just, it's just different from our own.

Have we said: It must be OK or God would openly punished them

And, there are pages and pages of other ways for us to say that evil is good. We have many ways of saying that God has blessed someone just because they have (wealth / success / beauty / friends -- select one or more). And, of course, there are thousands of ways of saying that if “it” were wrong, God would have stepped in with punishment. Since He has not, “it” can’t be wrong.

God must be tired of hearing that. It's been done from the beginning. Wasn't it the serpent who told Eve that God really didn't mean what He said?

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV)

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (Genesis 3:4 KJV)

Yep. Satan continues to use the old bait and switch. “Is this what God told you?” Then he turns around and says “Well, God was wrong.”

And, we fall for it. In fact, we’re looking for it. For the way to do as we please, then remove ourselves from the results of our actions. For example, Eve didn’t jump right in and follow the serpent’s advice. Instead, she analyzed the situation:

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6 KJV)

Wow, it was good, pleasant and desirable. Then comes the rests of the analysis: “If I want to do (This) and God says (This) is wrong, then God must be wrong” Sounds logical, doesn’t it? And, why not ask my best friend to join me. There is safety in numbers. Eve could actually say “Everybody’s doing it” and be right!

That line won’t work today. There are plenty of people around living within God’s commandments. Not all the time, not every second of their lives – but they have Someone:

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:25-26 KJV)

That is the greatest story ever told, the greatest gift ever given, the greatest opportunity open to mankind. And, the base of my repeating Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)

Time

Stewardship is preached within our churches on a regular basis. Pastors quote often:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10 KJV)

Included in these sermons are comments regarding our time. Not just on Sunday morning for worship service, but for ministries during the week. That, too, is good stewardship.

And right here I’d like to put in a good word for personal organizational skills. Unless you are already an organized individual, there is time to be gained by organizing your life.

What? Right in the middle of a Bible quoting, religious discussion of stewardship? Yep. And, for good reason.

Today a kind, passionate, helpful, dedicated Christian man could not perform portions of his job in a timely manner -- because he could not find things in his office. And, while searching for that which was not to be found, a bit of money was lost in the shuffle. It wasn’t much. Less than a dollar, but it wasn’t good stewardship.

The real problem? Time. The time it would have taken to organize properly and have at hand the item needed. Versus the time it took to look, not find, and lose something else, too.

The reason that we need to be good stewards of time is that it belongs to God. We all get the same allotment each day. We act as though there aren’t enough hours in the day to complete our lists. We refer to rush hours, time constraints, hours stolen away from us. God provided to each and every one of us an equal amount of time to complete His will.

Yet we toss some time aside, needlessly.

We really don’t need to have chores or busyness added to our already hectic schedules. But organizing our lives saves time. Budgeting our time as we do our finances saves time. Scheduling our time saves time. And having a place for things, with things in their place, saves time, too.

What to do with that saved time? Return it to our Lord in service to His glory. Isn’t that the perfect way to spend time when we become good stewards? Or do we ignore that stewardship and take a bit of pride in our lack of organization? Make jokes about it?

Want more time? prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10 KJV)

Go ahead – prove it and get those blessings! We’ll only need time here. Later, we’ll have timeless eternity.

Precious

but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. (1 Samuel 9:27b KJV)

Samuel spoke those words to Saul, but let’s use them to focus for a moment on some of my favorite verses that speak of the word of our Lord God.

Samuel wrote of how precious is the word of the Lord, for it was not frequently heard:

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. (1 Samuel 3:1 KJV)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people felt the word of the Lord was precious? I know that this verse meant it was precious because it was not frequently heard, and I know that today we can pick up any Bible laying around and read the word of God. But to me it remains precious because I always want to hear more of it, read more of it, speak of it to others, share the gifts it offers. That makes it very precious to me.

The Bible tells us important things about God’s word:

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

We know that it was shared by the disciples:

But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12:24 KJV)

We know that it builds faith:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

We know that it is effectively working in the lives of believers:

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV)

We also know that it brings us God Himself:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV)

We must never confuse the Bible with the Son of God – the Bible was written that we might know God, the Son was given that we might be with God. Because of that wonderful gift of God, we should join with the Psalmist in declaring His truth and sharing His word:

I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. (Psalms 40:10 KJV)

Remember, always, God’s promise:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)

Philip's Two Converts

Acts chapter 8 has two great examples of how people come to Christ – both speak of Philip. Philip is only spoken of once in the Bible after this great chapter.
First, we find Philip in Samaria. And one of the new converts is Simon. We’re simply told: Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. (Acts 8:13 KJV)
Wouldn’t you have enjoyed seeing that, too? Hearing one who walked with Christ give his witness, then watching miracles and signs that were ever so convincing. What a blessing.
Until Peter and John showed up. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon the Samaritan converts. Peter and John prayed with them, laid hands upon them and were there when they received the Holy Spirit. Now that impressed Simon more than anything else.
And that’s where we learn that although Simon believed, he was not yet saved. He did not understand God’s gift, for he attempted to purchase the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:18-19 KJV)
Nope. That’s not how it works. Peter’s response was to the point: Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. (Acts 8:21-22 KJV)
Repent and pray. Two simple things, but Simon either could not or would not, requesting that Peter do so for him. To me, that means Simon still did not understand. Peter could not repent for him anymore than I can repent for one of my own children.
Beginning with verse 26, we see the Holy Spirit at work. Philip is sent by the Holy Spirit to Gaza. Would that there were a Philip today to be sent there!! A foreigner, an Ethiopian traveler, is reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip is directed by the Holy Spirit to approach him.
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. (Acts 8:29-31 KJV)
Here is where he was reading: He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7 KJV)
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. (Acts 8:35 KJV)
Today people come to Him in the same way. Some to achieve a personal desire for themselves, others seeking through God’s word to know the truth. God knows, and we’ve been told how:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10 KJV)
It would appear that both men made the oral confession – Simon neglected the righteousness in his heart. Have we?

Church Service

I must belong to a very special church.

Last Sunday we visited a church while vacationing. Their pastor gave a good sermon, but it came from a source that appears to be abounding around the web. He spoke of church members doing service for others. A subject dear to my heart, as you know from previous posts.

He made the statement, and I’ve read it in various postings around the web, 20% of the members do 80% of the work. Google on that and you'll find: "The 80/20 rule is a hallmark of virtually every nonprofit or volunteer..." So a lot of people believe this rule.

So, I must belong to a very special church, for our figures are different.

I maintain our church database (some day I’ll post about Servant Keeper) and can tell you that from the list of our members, 43 percent of the active member families are holding positions or doing work in our church that minister to others. To list those ministries would take another paragraph. Just visit our church site and see what we have to offer.

What I did find that matches 20 percent is the number of our members who are either physically disabled or are elderly shut ins. Didn't count them if they are just elderly widows, for many of them are among the 43 percent serving.

That brings us up to about 63 percent of the church accounted for, leaving 37 percent. But, wait! I do not have the financial records (nor do I want to!!!) but I do know several within this category who complete weekly offering envelopes. We might assume they contain tithes and offerings, so many are providing services financially while simply attending.

How do you count the times those 37 percenters have brought guests? Took in a visiting missionary and provided them shelter and food? Weren’t they ones who brought food for fellowships? Is that not service?

These statistics surely do not take into consideration prayer chains – those wonderful prayer partners who kneel for us, interceding for so many needs.

So, I must belong to a very special church.

Funny thing is, I believe our church is not unique. I believe that 20%-80% figure sounds good, but probably isn’t correct. I believe that on the surface 20% of the members are high profile and achieve public accolades, but I find it difficult to believe that 80% would only come to sit in pews. If there is such a church, I cannot imagine why those 80% would be returning.

Why in the world do so many people do so much? Perhaps they really do believe what they read:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV)

All of us are able to attest to John’s writing:

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 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. We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:16-19 KJV)

Therefore, we serve Him – and belong to very special churches.

Answers

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)

Have you ever been asked “Why are you a Christian?” Or does the question usually sound more as “How can you possibly believe that drivel?”

I’ve placed myself in a position to hear similar questions. At one time my standard answer was that it was a matter of faith:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

When the questioners respond with a bit of laughter about believing in invisibility, I would revert to:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

Both of these verses are great responses as to why I am a Christian – but don’t do much for teaching someone how to become a Christian. Romans 10:17 does give encouragement to spend time with the word of God – but doesn’t come close to explaining Who the Word of God is:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV)

For several hundred years the majority of Americans have believed they lived in a Christian nation. From the time of John Winthrop’s writing of this new land as the ‘city on the hill,’ America worked to make it so. Churches sprang up in each new community as our nation grew.

Based on that belief, most evangelical churches have sent missionaries abroad. Most also provided missionaries in specific ministries in America. But seldom to their neighbors. Their neighbors attended church with them, or another nearby.

In today’s world that view should be reconsidered because our neighbors are atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or simply unchurched. The very people we are sending missionaries overseas to reach for Christ.

This may change the way you look at Christianity. You may find yourself with a need to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.

If you have that hope.

I’m certain you know learning how to do that is included in the Bible – but it’s also within yourself. How are you preparing to answer every man? You must be able to say “I don’t know, but let’s ask.”

Never hesitate to go for help in providing answers. In fact, you might start lining up your resources now, right? What verse did you choose to begin?