A Word for All Occasions by Feed the Hunger

A WORD FOR ALL

Occasions From the Teachings of

Dr. J.L. Williams

Copyright ÂŠ 2018 by Feed the Hunger. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in mechanical or electronic form without the express permission of the copyright holder. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International VersionÂŽ Printed in the USA

Table of Contents 5

New Year’s Day: God’s New Year January 1

Epiphany: Your Epiphany January 6

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: A Sin Problem, not a Skin Problem Third Monday in January

Valentine’s Day: In Love or Infatuated? February 14

Presidents’ Day: The Government and the Church Third Monday in February

Palm Sunday: The Triumphal Entry Sunday before Easter

Easter: Easter Is Never Over Easter Sunday (between March 22 and April 25, inclusive)

Tax Day: Biblical Principles for Finances April 15

Earth Day: Earth Day April 22

Arbor Day: The Trees of God Last Friday in April (states may vary)

National Day of Prayer: A National Call to Prayer First Thursday in May

Mother’s Day: A Mother’s Day Meditation Second Sunday in May

Memorial/Armed Forces/Veterans/ Patriot Day: Onward Christian Soldiers Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)

Father’s Day: The High Calling of Fatherhood Third Sunday in June

Thanksgiving Day: Thanks-living and Thanks-giving Fourth Thursday in November

Independence Day: The Civil War Continues July 4

Christmas Day: The Divine Invasion December 25

Labor Day: Hands That Bring Reward First Monday in September

Milestone Birthday: A Special Birthday

Wedding Day: The Call of Marriage

Becoming a Believer: Dear New Christian

Baptism: Getting Baptized

Wedding Anniversary: The Miraculous Marriage

Retirement: Don’t Retire from Relationships

Death of a Loved One: Confronting Death

Changing of Seasons: The Seasons of Life

Grandparents’ Day: Lessons from a Grandparent First Sunday after Labor Day

Halloween: Unmasking Halloween October 31

Election Day: Submit to Governing Authorities First Tuesday after First Monday in November

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church: Unite with the Persecuted First Sunday in November

God’s New Year New Year’s Day—January 1 This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16 As we stand at the doorstep of a new year, we need to realize that other peoples of the world use different calendars than we do. It has been my privilege to experience a number of different New Year’s celebrations in other countries of the world like India, Israel, Nepal, and Ethiopia. But the problem is the same the world over. Regardless of the time of year that various countries and cultures celebrate their New Year, the same old people enter the new year. As a result, nothing changes but the dates on the calendar. That’s why New Year’s resolutions are such folly. All over the world people make them with good intentions, but a calendar or chronological change without a character change results in no lasting change at all! The only hope for a new year is when we celebrate God’s New Year. It is recorded in Exodus 12:1–13. God’s New Year begins with a new life made possible through the blood: “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household . . . all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes

of the houses where they eat the lambs . . . it is the Lord’s Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” You and I not only stand at a chronological crossroads today, we also stand at a cultural crossroads. It’s the very same crossroads the children of Israel faced in Egypt. Would they remain slaves to Pharaoh, or would they become free through the blood of the Passover lamb? For them it was literally a life-and-death issue—just as it is for us today! The spiritual and moral decisions we make at this juncture can largely determine the moral and spiritual destinies of generations to come, just as they did for the Israelites. The decision they made that defining night in Egypt sealed the fate of their children and their children’s children—even to this very day! As we stand at the start of a new year, will we turn back to the “ancient paths,” to the “good way” that leads to “rest for [our] souls?” Or, will we take a dangerous detour from God’s ancient paths that have provided safe travel for generations from the patriarchs to the present? Will we go further and further into Egypt and allow Egypt to go deeper and deeper into us? Will we continue to chase every new fad of Egypt? Or will we make a clean break for the Promised Land? How will you live in the new year? Are you seeking for the world’s happiness or for God’s holiness? Remember that happiness is always a by-product of holiness. Without holiness, there cannot be any lasting happiness. It is also important to remember that God’s New Year does not just last 12 months, 20 centuries, or two millennia. It lasts for eternity!

Your Epiphany Epiphany—January 6 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Matthew 2:10–11a Patt and I wish each of you a happy and holy new year in this first week of the year. We pray that you have entered this new year in the confidence of the lordship of Jesus Christ. He is still firmly seated on the throne of the universe—in spite of how circumstances around us often look. As Gabriel told Joseph and Mary about Jesus, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David . . . his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33). His sovereign dominion over the world is a 24-7 reality whether or not we believe it, recognize it, or submit to it. The first century was just as hungry for authentic kingship and leadership as the twenty-first century is. Both their world and ours are starving for lack of real political leaders who are true public servants rather than self-serving tyrants, despots, and paranoid power-mongers! That’s why the Magi from the East came looking for this King of the Jews whose star had lit up the eastern sky over their homeland, which was probably Persia. As a result of this hopeful heavenly sign, they set out on a journey seeking an epiphany, which only comes when you find and worship Him, just as they did. Ever since the first century, many parts of the Christian world celebrate Epiphany almost as much as they celebrate Christmas. This is especially true in the Greek Orthodox world of the Middle East. It always falls on January 6th and is considered a second blessing of the Christmas season. It commemorates the visit of the Magi and their discovery, worship, and

gift-giving to the Christ Child (Matthew 2:1–12). The word epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning a manifestation—to make known, to show, or to reveal. In the Christian world, an epiphany is understood to be of supernatural origin because it was God’s star that specifically guided the Magi to the house where Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus were. It was through their worship of Him that they had their epiphany, their personal revelation of who He was. Psychologists also speak of epiphanies that people have in life that are not necessarily seen as supernatural, but natural in origin. It is when a person has a sudden revelation, realization, moment of enlightenment, or an “ah-ha!” moment. This epiphany is often pictured as a light bulb that suddenly turns on in their brain in a flash of instant illumination. These natural epiphanies often result in great scientific breakthroughs, paradigm changes, and entrepreneurial enterprises that revolutionize some area of society, usually for the blessing and benefit of others. So on this Epiphany, January 6th, Patt and I pray that you will have a fresh revelation through the Word and an illumination through the Spirit of Christ in your life and sphere of influence this year. And just like God never intended for Christmas to be a one-day-a-year event, He wants Epiphany to be an ongoing reality in and through your life to others around you and around the world!

A Sin Problem, not a Skin Problem Martin Luther King, Jr. Day— Third Monday in January There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 It was in the year 1968 that President Johnson signed into law the historic Civil Rights Act, also known as the Fair Housing Act. That watershed law prohibited any form of discrimination with housing because of “race, color, religion, or national origin.” It was also in 1968, on April 4th, that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His death in many ways led to a fragmentation and dissolution of the Civil Rights Movement. Since his death, there has not been another single leader with his unifying ability. Patt and I also look back to 1968 as the official founding of our ministry, The New Directions. As an interdenominational, interracial, contemporary ministry group, we were using music to take to the streets as a positive demonstration of racial reconciliation in Christ. For the next 20 years, we made loving invasions into every bastion of segregation, prejudice, and racism in the South and North. We called our events an “Action Experience in Christian Love.” Since those defining years of desegregation, a new generation of Americans has grown up with little or no personal experience of the Civil Rights Era. For many of them, it is abstract ancient history. But the

new generation is painfully learning what earlier generations learned: while you can and should pass legislation against discrimination, you cannot legislate a change of heart. All of us are prejudiced to one degree or another. By virtue of the original sin that we all inherited through our common human father, Adam, we have prejudice against other humans because of our innate sin and selfishness. We also all have residual racism by culture, conditioning, and choice. None of us is totally color-blind. We all have overt or covert prejudice against others racially, sexually, and socially. And we often use economics to reinforce those prejudices and keep people in their place. So our message today is the same as it was back in 1968: racism is not a skin problem, but a sin problem! Until God’s laws of love are written on our hearts, no lasting change can take place in our homes or in our streets. Only spiritual transformation can lead to authentic social transformation. It was that kind of radical spiritual transformation that happened to Saul on the Damascus Road when he met the risen Christ. Before that encounter, Saul was a caustic and bigoted person motivated by spiritual, racial, and cultural pride and arrogance (Philippians 3:3–6). But God temporarily blinded him in order to make him see. It was only when Saul had a correct view of Christ that he could have a correct view of other people. Paul’s conversion reminds us that it is impossible to have a right view of man when we have a wrong view of Christ! You do not gradually drift out of racism into reconciliation. It only happens with positive, proactive intentionality—beginning with a radical change of heart. When our heart changes, we can resolve to change. Then and only then will we have the desire and will to be a part of the “ministry of reconciliation” that God called us to as His disciples. Both inside and outside God’s embassy called the Church, we are to be “Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:18–20). Saints, it is time for us to step into these gaps of alienation with the kind of words and deeds of reconciliation that will result in renewed racial and social change for God’s glory and the good of others. Politics cannot bridge these gaps, but the cross can! Love is still the only lasting antidote to hate.

In Love or Infatuated? Valentine’s Day—February 14 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 “How can I know if I am really in love?” This is one of the most frequently asked questions by young people in particular. In emotional matters, it is almost impossible to be objective. That’s why we need both objective standards by which to judge our feelings and objective friends to help us evaluate our relationships. Let me outline some touchstones with which to evaluate your relationship. 1. The first and most important test is whether both of you are maturing Christians, not just babes in Christ or carnal. Seek someone to love who loves God first. 2. The essence of sin is self-centeredness. One of the greatest signs of love is that you are more concerned with the happiness and well-being of the other person than with your own. Love is another-oriented. 3. There is the test of maturity: age and emotions. Some aspects of maturity only come with years, so a little aging always helps things. Also, look for someone who has a temperament compatible with yours and has their moods and emotions under control. 4. Is this person basically a responsible or irresponsible person? To marry an irresponsible person is to sign up for a lifetime of heartache and frustration.

5. Let me suggest several attributes to look for: someone who knows both their Master and mission in life, understands authority and is living under it, has learned to accept themselves, is living at peace with family and friends, and has demonstrated financial responsibility. 6. Do you enjoy the same things? The more you have in common, the better off you are if you are contemplating marriage. The closer your interests parallel, the closer your lives will parallel. 7. Are you really physically attracted to this person? Do they genuinely turn you on in the proper and fullest sense of the word? Do they hold spiritual, emotional, and physical attraction for you? 8. Lastly, there is the test of time and circumstances. People don’t “fall in love,” they grow in love. Those of us who have been married for years continue to marvel at how we are still learning more about our mates. Also, you need to see any potential mate under every conceivable circumstance and how they relate to others. Love, sex, and marriage were God’s ideas. That means God is for love and sex, but only within the framework of marriage, which He created for it so that it would be secure and totally fulfilling for all involved. A successful marriage is the result of careful planning and a lot of hard work. Both marriage and singleness are gifts of God. Whether we are married or single, our goal is to learn the sufficiency of Christ. You must trust God with complete control of your love life. Proverbs 3:6 has always been one of my favorite verses: “In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Psalm 84:11 says, “No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” If you trust Him, nothing will be withheld from you that is truly necessary for your fulfillment in life. Another of my favorite verses is Psalm 37:4: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” If you desire a marriage that will be totally fulfilling, then trust Him. The more you truly delight yourself in Him, the more your will becomes one with His will and your desires one with His desires!

The Government and the Church Presidents’ Day—Third Monday in February Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1 When you think of the word government, what is your reaction—positive or negative? Do you see government as friend or enemy? The defender of freedom or the tyrant of slavery? The instrument of God or the tool of the devil? Your response is crucial because it reveals whether you see government through the light of Scripture or as unrelated to God’s activity in the world. Man was originally created to live under the direct government of God in a relationship of loving, trusting submission. This is known as a theocracy, or a “rule by God,” and is the only perfect form of government. It was through such willing submission to God that man would be fully free and enabled to achieve his highest potential. Because man chose not to live directly under Him, God ordained secular governments to rule over mankind (Romans 13:1–3). The Bible teaches that God created government for several important purposes in a rebellious, sinful world: to do good and maintain order and to uphold justice and punish wrongdoing. Generally speaking, there have been three reactions by governments toward the Church through the ages. There has been hostility and persecution. The State has embraced and sometimes married the Church. But the most tragic time for the Church is when she is largely ignored. She is no longer seen as a force to be reckoned with, but as a powerless

entity to be ignored. As the Church has faced many forms of government with their various attitudes, responses, and persecutions, there have been many opinions, theologies, and philosophies set forth about how the Church should react. They have varied widely from complete non-involvement to active participation to revolutionary zeal. What does the Bible say? Generally speaking, God ordained the Church to rule in the spiritual realm and He ordained government to rule in the secular realm. As a result, the Christian lives in two kingdoms at the same time. Jesus taught that good and evil would prosper side by side until He comes to establish His earthly Kingdom (Matthew 13:30). Until then, we need to be politically involved as Christians, while not expecting our political activity to bring in the lasting reign of peace and righteousness that only Christ will bring. There certainly are dangers from political involvement for Christians, but I believe that there are greater dangers from political passivity. The key here for the Church is balance. We must avoid the opposite extremes of either a political religion or a private religion. Ours is to be a prophetic religion! Our highest calling is preaching the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:16; 2 Timothy 4:2). The greatest thing we can do as Christians to positively influence our government is to be true to this high calling. We must be more concerned with what we owe the government than what the government owes us. We are to do those things that the Bible clearly commands us to do: show respect and submission, pay our taxes, preach and live prophetically, and pray for all in authority. There are, however, clear limits to our obedience. Ours can never be a blind, absolute, unquestioning submission. We must do what is morally right even if it is legally wrong. When the Church is existing in either a secular or totalitarian State, it must never legitimize tyranny and injustice. There are at least six commitments that I believe God is calling His Church to recommit Herself to: reconciliation, community, servanthood, family, stewardship, and integrity. When we as Christians incarnate these principles before a watching world, I believe that the impact will shake governments and nations.

The Triumphal Entry Palm Sunday—Sunday before Easter Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 It was Passover time: the highest and most holy week of the Jewish year. Jerusalem was crowded with a huge influx of Jewish pilgrims. There was great joy, excitement, anticipation, celebration, and religious expectation. Jesus could not have picked a more dramatic moment to enter Jerusalem. It was the great desire of every Jew to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover at least once in their lifetime. The Passover reminded them of the lamb that was slain and the blood that was put on the doorpost that caused the angel of judgment and death to “pass over” the Hebrew people when the Lord slew the firstborn of the Egyptians. It is significant to see the very specific claim Jesus was making in riding a donkey into the city! It was not just some capricious act of the moment, an interesting little demonstration, or a religious act on a whim. No, it was a specific, calculated act to demonstrate unmistakably who He was—the promised Messiah! This was a direct fulfillment of the verse above from Zechariah 9:9. Isn’t it amazing how the Lord Jesus always chose simple things? He chose a borrowed stable to be born in, a borrowed boat to ride in and teach from, a borrowed tomb to be buried in, and, in this case, a borrowed donkey to ride on! When a king came riding into a city on a donkey, it was a symbol that

he was coming in peace, not in war. The horse was the mount of war. So when Jesus rode a donkey in on Palm Sunday, He was in effect saying, “I am coming to you, Jerusalem, City of Peace, not in war, but in peace. I am coming to you as your true King of Peace. I am coming in love and not in hate. I am coming to you in humility, lowliness, and meekness.” However, when He comes again, He will not be riding on a donkey, but on a white horse as John saw in Revelation 19:11. The crowd received the donkey-riding Jesus like a king! They met Him and spread their cloaks in front of Him. They greeted Jesus with the words of Psalm 118:26: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” They shouted “Hosanna!” which means “save now!” Luke also records that “as [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes’” (Luke 19:41–42). Then Jesus gave a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in AD 70. This was going to happen, said Jesus, “because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (verse 44). There is nothing sadder or more heartbreaking than to see people reject the Lord and rush headlong toward certain destruction. I see it every day as people refuse to receive Him as their Savior. And in the face of that, Jesus weeps! Have you responded to His claims? Have you received Him as God’s Messiah? Do you need His courage for some situation you are facing at home, at school, or at work? Do you need more of His compassion in your life? Do the things that break God’s heart break yours? Do you have the confidence of Christ in your life, knowing that you are guided by Scripture? Christ’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday can be your own triumphal entry into a new life and a new way of living. “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord!”

Easter Is Never Over Easter—Easter Sunday

(between March 22 and April 25, inclusive) “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18 Whether it is a literal, physical resurrection from the dead, or a spiritual resurrection from being “dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), the Christian faith is about one supreme thing: resurrection! Easter is the historic and spiritual watershed event that separates Christianity from all other religions. Ours is a living faith because we follow a risen and reigning Christ. All other religions are dead religions. Either the myriad gods and goddesses of other religions are totally mythological with no historic basis in fact—only fanciful fiction—or the founders of these religions have died and rotted in the grave eons ago. Followers of non-Christian religions never expected their founders to rise from the dead. And all those religious leaders lived up to those dead expectations: 2000 BC: Abraham (Judaism) DEAD 1500 BC: Hindu gods and goddesses (Hinduism)

MYTH

531 BC: Lao-Tzu (Taoism)

DEAD

500 BC: Japanese Spiritism (Shintoism)

MYTH

483 BC: Gautama Buddha (Buddhism)

DEAD

479 BC: Confucius (Confucianism)

DEAD

AD 30: JESUS CHRIST (Christianity)

ALIVE!

AD 632: Muhammad (Islam)

DEAD

AD 1539: Guru Nanak (Sikhism)

DEAD

AD 1892: Baha’u’llah (Baha’ism)

DEAD

I could expand this list a great deal by including the many other religions that have arisen across the centuries. And since Satan is the originator of all religions but the Judeo-Christian faith, new ones are birthed by his demons every year. But like their religious predecessors, they too, in time, will die and rot in their graves! In fulfillment of biblical prophecy, God promised that He would not abandon His Son to the grave or “let [his] holy one see decay” (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27–28). If God did not raise Jesus bodily from the grave, He is a liar and His Word is the greatest written deception of history (1 Corinthians 15). However, to any rational-thinking person who is willing to take a hard look at the evidence, the resurrection is the greatest fact of history! Easter is never over. Every day, all over the world, Jesus continues to manifest His resurrection presence, power, prosperity, and peace. The reality of the resurrection takes place every time a sinner puts their faith in Jesus Christ, which is only possible because He is alive! Do you believe? Jesus’ words to Peter after appearing to him are the same for you: “Follow me!” (John 21:19). Just as certainly as God raised Jesus from the dead, He too can raise you to new life in Him. His resurrection love is relentless. He will pursue you to the very gates of hell to woo and win you to the Father’s love. And through the Holy Spirit, He will lovingly lead you where you always wanted to go, but just didn’t know how to get there! He will fulfill the deepest longings of your heart through His unconditional love. He will fill you with unspeakable joy through His unqualified forgiveness. He will release you to the purposes for which He created you through His unlimited power. Easter is never over! It never has been and never will be. Throughout time and eternity we will commemorate and celebrate the moment-by-moment realities of the risen Christ! And it doesn’t get any better than that—live or die! To Him be the glory in and through our lives!

Biblical Principles for Finances Tax Day—April 15 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 Your money, more than any other single factor, reveals the true treasure of your heart. Giving is a tangible physical indicator of your true spiritual condition, and your checkbook reveals your true priorities. How you spend your time and your money will impact your eternity more than anything else. God’s Word talks about money and materialism more than almost any other subject: 2,300 references! There are more Bible verses on money and finances than on sex and immorality. While there are 500 references to prayer, there are 700 to money. Jesus spoke more about money than about heaven and hell combined, and 16 out of His 38 parables deal with money. So if the Bible talks about money and materialism that much, God must have known that we were going to have a pretty big problem with it. It is easy to see that material things are all people think and worry about. The fact that Jesus addressed this with His disciples shows that they too must have struggled in this area. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. . . . But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:25–33). Yet, because we really do not trust God for our needs and feel that we know more about money and finances than He does, we especially take

charge in this area of our lives. Rather than living by faith and waiting on the Lord to meet our needs in His time and in His way, we do it the world’s way. If we want it, we go out and get it. It matters not if we need it, can afford it, or pay for it. It is the battle between covetousness and contentment. One or the other will rule your life. Remember that contentment is not having what you want. It is wanting what you have. Paul said, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12). Contentment is not something you are born with. It is a learned behavior. It is only by an act of your will that you choose to be content. Have the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choked out the vitality of your spiritual life? Have you been deceived by the world into believing that just a little more will finally make you happy? Do you find yourself so preoccupied with worldly worries that you have little time or energy to be concerned about the needs of a lost and dying world? Some of the most familiar—yet most rejected—investment advice from Christ is this: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). One day the world and all of its desires will pass away. And we will pass away with it if our heart is tied to materialism. So, I will leave you with Peter’s pertinent question and answer: “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11–12).

Earth Day Earth Day—April 22 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. Psalm 24:1a Is God “green”? A lot of people seem to think so! April 22nd, Earth Day, is their environmental Sabbath. This movement was started by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin on April 22, 1970. It marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Since that early fledgling beginning, which started as a “teach-in,” Earth Day has grown into a worldwide movement that is observed in virtually every country on our planet. For millions of passionate environmentalists around the world, Earth Day is not just another day. It is a day to recommit themselves to being better stewards of the environment. While environmental stewardship is a timely and worthy involvement, for many people in America and around the world, Earth Day has virtually become a religion. They have moved from a valid concern for the environment to a worship of the environment with “Mother Earth” being the supreme deity. This is what Paul predicted when he said that man has turned from the worship of the Creator to the worship of the creation (Romans 1:25). As a result, many people have emerged and become activists on behalf of the environment all across the globe. Without a doubt, green will be the dominant color and issue of the twenty-first century. In the past we often divided the workforce between white-collar workers and blue-collar workers. Now we have to add the green-collar workers! They are becoming a growing army of environmental activists who are policing everyone’s carbon footprint. Whatever is not green friendly has to go or be severely taxed. And as we all know,

money is also spoken of as a green god. The green of money has often been in direct conflict with the green environment, resulting in a growing warfare between economy and ecology. We need to remind ourselves that we as Christians should lead the way in a balanced stewardship of our environment. After all, it is our Creator God who brought our planet and cosmos into existence and splashed it with every color imaginable—especially green! So while God is not green, He certainly does have a creative green thumb! It is evident all around us, especially during spring when green is bursting out all over. We also need to remind ourselves that God’s first home for man was not in an urban environment with all of its skyscrapers, concrete, steel, and pollution. No, it was a lush green garden called the Garden of Eden. The root word in the Hebrew means “delight, pleasure.” So the Garden of Eden was literally a spiritual and environmental house of pleasure for Adam and Eve. Sadly, it was soon polluted by the deadliest toxins of all—sin and self ! Pleasure was exchanged for pain and delight turned into decay. Soon, death invaded every area of man’s existence: his relationship with God, his relationship with his spouse, and his relationship with his environment. Man was expelled from his garden paradise and we have all lived “east of Eden” ever since. And also since that time, man has continued to pursue the fruit of that same tree. He continues to believe and worship knowledge as the source of life. To quote again the Apostle Paul, “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:22–23). Once again, please don’t misunderstand me. I am vitally concerned about the environment! But we Christians need to be leading the way and setting the example of a biblically balanced approach to the stewardship of our environment.

The Trees of God Arbor Day—Last Friday in April (states may vary)

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:9 When we start to talk about trees, usually some particular tree comes to our mind’s eye. It may be a special one from our childhood: some tree we loved to climb in, a tree we hung a swing from, a special one we built a treehouse in, one in whose bark we carved our initials and those of a sweetheart’s, or one that we fell out of and broke an arm like I did! The study of trees is one of the most exciting and insightful Bible studies you will ever undertake. Unfortunately, though, it is one of the many subjects that we seldom take the time to seriously delve into—or, dare I say, climb into! However, once the veil has been lifted from our eyes concerning trees in God’s Word, we are overwhelmed with their prominence and significance throughout the whole of the Bible. There are some 350 references to trees in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Literally from the first page to the last page of the Bible—Genesis 1 to Revelation 22—trees are used to communicate great spiritual truths to us. They are some of God’s most beautiful and graphic living parables of biblical principles! In Genesis, we read of God’s original garden called Eden. It was filled with “trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.” In the midst of that garden there were two special trees: the “tree of life” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). The primal temptation

was associated with that second tree. In spite of God’s prohibition not to eat of it, the woman succumbed to Satan’s temptation. Through a tree in the Garden of Eden, there was paradise lost. From that time until now, spiritual death and a loss of paradise have continued to be the results of eating from the wrong tree. What the first Adam lost through eating of this tree, the last Adam, Jesus Christ, paid the penalty for on another tree—the cross! God would indeed provide for man the one way back to the “tree of life.” Through a tree in the Garden of Calvary, there was paradise gained! However, not only did God provide for redemption, He also provided for restoration. The resurrected Jesus announced in Revelation 2:7, “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” And when we come to the concluding chapter of this final book of the Bible, we find redeemed man once again enjoying the “tree of life.” In his beatific vision of heaven, John not only saw “the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,” he also saw “the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1–2). There are other trees used to symbolize many very important truths in Scripture. It is not an overstatement to say that trees are literally a parable of the Gospel story! Therefore, it is my sincere prayer that God’s spiritual sap will flow afresh through your mind and spirit as you study the trees in God’s Word!

A National Call to Prayer National Day of Prayer—First Thursday in May Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. Psalm 33:12 We should always give thanks for the Judeo-Christian foundation on which our nation was clearly and firmly established. Sadly, those foundational principles are being assaulted from without and eroded from within. The negative momentum against anything and everything overtly Christian has gained unimagined strength from the classroom to the courtroom. Our spiritual and political foundations are being dynamited and bulldozed up by an educational and political ideology based on secularism, materialism, relativism, universalism, and so on. Centuries ago when King David was facing similar political assaults against Israel, he cried out, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Millions of Americans are asking that same question today. As Americans, the Declaration of Independence assures us that we have certain rights that are self-evident: “All men are created equal, . . . they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Our forefathers clearly understood that there must be a clear and humble recognition that all our rights come from a benevolent God. And when they were speaking about our Creator, they were not referring to Allah, Buddha, Krishna, or any other pagan deity. They were clearly referring to the Jehovah God of the Bible as revealed and incarnated through Jesus Christ. However, from the White House to the courthouse,

anything and everything Christian is often being vilified, penalized, and marginalized. So, when the “foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Certainly we should continue to vote, speak out, protest, and use every legal and peaceful means possible to make our voices heard. But, above and beyond everything else, we must pray. Unless there is authentic national repentance and revival, America’s continued decline is inevitable. We have been blessed like no other nation in history, but we are increasingly under the judgment of God because of our blatant and flagrant rebellion and rejection of His Word. As a widow who lived to be 98, my aunt Alice Crouse spent most of her days in prayer. She had over 200 people on her prayer list that she would go through daily—one name at a time. I am so thankful that our family was included in this list! She is a great reminder that regardless of age or circumstances in life, you can be like Aunt Alice or the Anna of old who, at the age of 84, “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” As a result, she had the incredible joy of seeing the Christ Child and of praying for the “redemption of Jerusalem” just as we now pray for the redemption of America (Luke 2:37–38). Across America, scores of Christian leaders call for Christians to annually hit their knees for our country on the National Day of Prayer. We are the only ones who have the potential power to turn America around before she plunges over the precipice she is headed for at breakneck speed! Together, we can turn the tide away from all the “-isms” I mentioned above that are eating away those self-evident rights given by our Creator. I want to believe that America’s greatest days are still ahead, not in the past! But only sovereign grace can deliver us from our current spiritual and national disgrace and put us back on the path of righteousness that God will honor. And He can use our prayers as the catalyst!

A Mother’s Day Meditation Mother’s Day—Second Sunday in May Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 1 Peter 3:1–2 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31:27–28 The word “Mother” evokes a clear picture in our minds of a specific woman who fills, or has filled, that role for us. She is a woman who solidly anchors the home in partnership with her husband, and identifies this as a primary place for her fulfillment and ministry. It is unfortunate that today’s women are cajoled and intimidated into thinking that being a wife and mother is somehow less worthwhile than a job outside the home. Millions have traded the highest, holiest, and hardest calling on earth for one with far less spiritual, familial, fulfilling, or societal impact. I am not saying that all wives and mothers should stay at home during their entire lifetime. Proverbs 31 supports extensive opportunities for the “wife of noble character” (verse 10). She creates merchandise with her hands, arranges food for the family and staff, buys and manages property, opens her arms to the poor, sees to the needs of her family, and more! She is a multitasking woman of excellence inside and outside the home—all with the blessing of God, her husband, and her children. Glorifying God in marriage and motherhood is the foundation for all she does. A woman’s position as mother is indeed a high and holy calling. Her

children will have no trouble understanding Ephesians 5:24 because they can see it played out in the behavior of their mom: “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” Does this mean she will do it perfectly? Of course not—no more than Dad will perfectly love Mom and sacrifice for her (verses 25–30). It’s not that this position will be accomplished with no missteps or even outright sin. It’s that the children will see their parents model forgiveness, repentance, and restoration, uniting to obey the command to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (verse 21). In our society today, even among Christians, the topic of submission is blown off as archaic and irrelevant. It’s important to understand that just because the word submission has been abused does not justify eliminating the word from the Bible. Nor do we have the freedom to adjust our theology of marriage by replacing the principle with a position that freely interchanges the roles of masculinity and femininity. It was God, not Adam and Eve, who determined what the roles should be. God said the man was to be the leader, the woman the follower. The man was to protect and take care of her and the family. She would be his helper and bear the children. Submission by both of them to Christ, and then to each other, and finally the woman to the man—this was God’s idea. In particular, the woman’s submission to her husband does not mean she is inferior or a slave with no rights. After expressing her insight on a particular issue, she agrees with God to let her husband decide when there is a tie vote. She looks to the Lord for her joy and fulfillment whether or not her husband makes perfect decisions. Our homes and churches—and the world—need to see more women of God. Our daughters need to see mothers intentionally submitting to the leadership of Christ. Let me encourage you ladies to become women of God as a lasting Mother’s Day gift to your husband and children. Then your family will join together and proclaim this to be true: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:29–31

Onward Christian Soldiers Memorial Day—Last Monday in May

(also for Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day, and Patriot Day) Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:3–4 Ever since the events of 9/11, we have been fighting the “war on terrorism.” This has been a new kind of war for us as Americans. It is a sinister war without borders. The enemy has successfully infiltrated us from within. He doesn’t wear a uniform, so we can’t recognize him. There are no safe zones where we can securely hide. Thousands of American lives have been lost. In addition to this war on terrorism, we have rogue regimes to deal with. Not only do we have to contend with weapons of mass destruction, we also have to face the more insidious weapons of chemical and biological warfare. The Bible is soberingly clear that human history will always be filled with war, right to the very end of civilization as we know it. Daniel prophesied that “war will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed” (9:26). And Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6–7). Ultimately, history will end with a series of escalating wars that will be consummated by the final great world war of history, initiated by the Lord Jesus from heaven, as recorded in Revelation.

How are we to respond to war as Christians? Are we to be pacifists or activists, peaceniks or warmongers, expansionists or isolationists? Regardless of how we answer these questions, all of us Christians must awaken to the reality that we are all at war. As we remember the millions of American soldiers who have died, served, or are currently deployed all over the world, we Christians must also realize that we have been similarly deployed by our Commander-in-Chief, the Lord Jesus! Tragically, the majority of American Christians act as though there is no war going on. We act as if the Christian life is welfare, not warfare! Many of our troops are AWOL—absent without leave. We have retreated from the battlefront. We come to church, sit around the barracks, and polish our boots and brass. Why? We are a post-war generation like the generations following Joshua’s death. Both in society and in the Church, we have a generation who need to be “taught warfare” because they have little or no “previous battle experience.” As a result, we too have compromised with the people among whom we live, and have “served their gods” (Judges 3:1–6). It is time for us to prepare for war. We have a far greater enemy than any dictator or terrorist: Satan. He is the archenemy of our souls. And the only way we will turn the tide and win the battle is for us to regain the mentality of a soldier. We need to have a warfare mentality in how we view at least five areas: the world, our fellow man, our Savior, our Church, and our mission. We need to have warfare thinking, praying, giving, and going. We are living in the greatest and most challenging days of human history. It is time for those in the slumbering ecclesiastical giant called the Church to heed the call: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:14). It is time to “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12).

The High Calling of Fatherhood Father’s Day—Third Sunday in June For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:11–12 Father’s Day is when we honor our fathers, the men who provided for us, loved us, and protected us. I was very fortunate to have a father who loved the Lord and lived his whole adult life in dedicated service to Him as a local pastor. He did remarkably well in that role even though he struggled with some masculine deficiencies. His natural father died when he was a young boy, and his stepfather was an abusive alcoholic. Dad and I shared a lot of common interests like a love for animals, exploring the great outdoors, travel, camping, and hunting. We were both collectors and fixers who never threw anything away that we thought we could save, repair, and use later! Thankfully, my dad had a Christian worldview even before the term was popular. Because of a yearlong trip around the world with my mother after their marriage, he kept foreign missions a top priority in our family values. He and mother reared us as Great Commission Christians rather than as parochial ones. My father died suddenly while I was a senior in college. It was the night of my very first date with Patt. I was deeply saddened to no longer have him as a role model, mentor, and friend—just before I was to graduate

from college and enter seminary to prepare to go into full-time Christian work. While I know God is sovereign and good, I will always have a wishful longing that Dad could have lived long enough to be a part of my life and ministry, to meet Patt, our children, and our grandchildren. That will have to wait until heaven. I want to encourage you dads to intentionally devote yourselves to living as godly fathers. I am not suggesting that you will attain perfection, but I want to urge you to at least struggle in that direction. I have done a brief study of six fatherly attributes for you to think about and pray over, things that I hope will empower you to be a great dad to your children: Maturity: A father should manifest spiritual and sexual maturity (wisdom) through his masculinity. Twice, the Apostle John summarizes fatherhood with these words: “I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning” (1 John 2:13, 14). Marriage: The father’s role is to prepare his children for marriage by demonstrating what a healthy marriage looks like. The long-range goal of marriage is the biblical reason given for a son’s leaving home (Genesis 2:24). Messenger: Fathers are to be in lifelong communication with their Heavenly Father, spouse, and children as the God-ordained authority in the home (Proverbs 4). Modeling: Fathers are to set a positive example of spiritual headship and servant-leadership in the home for children to follow, imitate, and emulate. The Apostle Paul was a good spiritual father who urged young Christians to follow his example (1 Corinthians 4:14–16). Mercy: The authority of authentic fathers is never hard, harsh, autocratic, or dictatorial. His fatherly leadership is that of a servant to his wife and children (Psalm 103:13). Ministry: God calls every father to be a full-time minister—not just the preachers, pastors, evangelists, and missionaries. Just as Jesus was always doing His Father’s work, so should we (John 5:17). These, then, are some of the major characteristics of a father as revealed in the Bible. The restoration of authentic fatherhood is the greatest need in our world today. There can be no more high, holy, or humbling calling!

The Civil War Continues Independence Day—July 4 “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” Matthew 12:25 Patriotic Fourth of July greetings in the dual love of God and country! As we celebrate, let us remember that the Bible is very clear: Christians are to be the best citizens possible of the country in which God has sovereignly placed them. We have the dual roles of submitting to and praying for those in spiritual and political authority over us (Romans 13:1–7; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13–14). But as many of our brethren in non-democratic countries know, it is not always easy to submit to pagan and prejudiced governmental authorities who are unjust, incompetent, corrupt, and self-serving. The Founding Fathers of America had a different political vision for their young country. It would be a republic that was based on the revolutionary principle of “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” The government would be voted in by free elections where every citizen had the privilege of the ballot box. America could be a place where the lowliest citizen could rise to the highest positions of political power. Wisely, the Founding Fathers clearly understood that this new political dream could only succeed if it were based upon morality, equality, freedom, individual rights, private ownership of property, and the fair and equal rule of law. Both the spiritual laws and legislated laws must be based on the principles of the Judeo-Christian faith. America’s greatness would be determined by her goodness and godliness. If she ceased to be

good, she would cease to be great. The first big test for this fledgling new democracy was the Revolutionary War for independence from Great Britain. After much bloodshed that tested the resolve of the colonists, freedom and independence were declared on July 4, 1776. A new page in human history was written with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The next great test of ideas, beliefs, and wills would be the Civil War, when brother turned against brother. The catalytic issue was that of slavery. Would there indeed be “liberty and justice for all,” or just for the whites? The Union would ultimately prevail, but it would take generations for the nation to fully heal. Racial, cultural, and political wounds still exist to this very day. America is divided as strongly as ever. Marriage, abortion, sexuality, health care, and taxation are some primary battlefronts in this ongoing war. Sadly, believers have also become more conformed to the world than transformed by the Word (Romans 12:1–2). Far too many American churches and Christians have either given up the fight in the cultural wars or surrendered to the enemy. Many are AWOL altogether from the battle. It is only through authentic revival that America will rise to moral and political greatness again. Without it, America will continue her precipitous moral decline. And like all great nations in history, her internal decay will predict and predicate her external decline. As Jesus said, “A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” A nation that thumbs her nose at morality and turns her back on God cannot long survive. But by contrast, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). On this July Fourth, my exhortation is what Paul wrote to young Timothy: “Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). He also urged Timothy to personally flee from the “love of money” that had caused many Christians in his day to “wander from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs.” The only antidote was the higher pursuit of “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:10–11). May God give us an authentic revival that can again lead to political virtue rather than vice. Only then can America—or any nation—rise to true moral greatness in the world!

Hands That Bring Reward Labor Day—First Monday in September Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10a What skills are in your hands? Do you have the hands of a father, mother, farmer, carpenter, mason, plumber, doctor, teacher, artist, etc.? We were created to work because God is a working God. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work” (Genesis 2:2). In Acts 28:1–10, we see Paul’s servant leadership through the storm and the serpent—both attacks of Satan. On the island of Malta, Paul helped build the fire to warm the shipwrecked crew, and a serpent came out and bit his hand. As an evangelist and entrepreneur, Paul’s hands were vital for his work and worship. Remember that Satan always attacks you at your point of strength to weaken or destroy your work and worship. Because of the serpent’s bite, Paul’s hands were hurt hands, which all of us have. Before God could use Paul’s hands to heal the father of the chief official on the island, He had to first heal the hurt hand. Paul’s hands then became hands of blessing. We too must shake off the serpents of Satan. We must have the cleansing blood of Christ heal the poison of the serpent in our lives. Only when our hurt hands have become healed hands and holy hands can they be healing hands. So on this Labor Day, let’s briefly look at three primary roles of hands in Scripture: Working Hands: After Jesus healed a paralyzed man on the Sabbath,

He told the Jewish leaders, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). If God is mightily at work, we must be also! “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). Follow Paul’s example: “We worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (2 Thessalonians 3:8b). Warring Hands: The Christian life is one of spiritual warfare, not spiritual welfare. We are not called to a spiritual vacation, but to a military vocation—soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3)! We are not called to a church picnic, but to a lifelong spiritual battle. “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11), and “fight the battle well” (1 Timothy 1:18), so that you can be like the Apostle Paul at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Worshiping Hands: We were created to worship God: “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:4). However, our heart and our hands need to be in the right place before we worship. “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3–4a). Once again, we look to Paul: “I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8). Remember again that only sanctified hands can become servant’s hands for God’s glory and for the good of others. So pray to the Lord and dedicate your hands to Him so that He can use them as working, warring, and worshiping hands. Remember that Jesus has eternal nail scars in His hands as proof of His love for you. His hands were pierced with nails so that your hands could be cleansed, anointed, and free. He wants your hands to be His hands, used exclusively for His honor and glory!

Lessons from a Grandparent Grandparents’ Day—First Sunday after Labor Day “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4–5 “The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.” Psalm 102:28 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5 You may have heard the saying, “If I would have known how wonderful grandchildren were going to be, I would have had them first!” For most of us, that’s true. Patt and I have found this grand relationship much less stressful than parenting, although it carries its own kind of spiritual burden. We try to see ourselves as the supporting cast for the primary actors, the parents, and have always prayed that our help would be of value, like cheerleaders cheering their team on the playing field. On that note, here are some of the principles that apply to those of us in the grandparenting role as we consider the Scriptures above. Sovereignty: God is fully in control of all areas of life. This assurance gives us a measure of livable peace, especially when we see our children making child-rearing decisions that we would have made differently.

Truth: God’s truth will prevail and triumph, whether or not we live to see it, and whether or not we correctly model the victorious Christian life at this phase in our lives. Honor: Children are to honor their father and mother. As strongly as we are able, we are to reinforce and promote the fifth commandment. We want the only commandment with a promise to be true for our grandchildren. Relationships: Our God is the only relational God in the world, so relationships are of supreme importance to Him. The greatest route to happiness and holiness is to love God and others—beginning with family members. Reconciliation: There is not a family alive that has not, or will not, face some degree of conflict or alienation. If there are struggles at the parental or sibling levels, grandparents can thoughtfully “offer” to be a bridge toward forgiveness and reconciliation between the warring parties. If the conflict is because of us, we need to repent and ask forgiveness. Transparency: The Lord honors truthfulness in our relationships. However, a wise grandparent prays much before offering his perspective on the truth, covering all comments with love and humility. We should withhold opinions until God gives the go-ahead. Thinking: Even grandparents have an infinite capacity for rationalization and self-justification. We must intentionally take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Once our thinking is under Christ’s control, our speech will be pleasant, seasoned as it were with salt—and some sugar! Prayer: Grandchildren are greatly encouraged knowing that their grandfather and grandmother regularly pray for them, whether they are with them or away from them. It’s a gift that bears much fruit and can be a sort of spiritual safety net in young minds when they hear those prayers at bedtime, mealtime, and during sickness or stress. Faithfulness: God is faithful and will neither leave us nor forsake us. His unconditional love never fails. His mercies are still new every morning. We can trust the Lord to provide us grandparents with wisdom, patience, and joy. What wondrous love is this!

Unmasking Halloween Halloween—October 31 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 It is that day of the year when our children go through their annual metamorphosis from little cherubs to ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires. They will excitedly attend school Halloween carnivals and prowl through a haunted house amidst shrieks and screams of fearful delight. Later, they will go trick-or-treating in their neighborhood, to be greeted by scowling jack-o’-lanterns, scary skeletons, and flying witches. Their wish is to be met by generous hosts who will fill their bags with candy, gum, and other goodies that will make their next visit to the dentist a real nightmare! Due to the historical roots of Halloween, I cannot see it as innocent fun for children. I think it is a subtle step in anesthetizing them spiritually to the disguises and deceit of the devil. After all, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). That means that he makes evil look good, perversion look pure, and a lie look like the truth! Halloween dates back to a practice of the ancient Celtic civilization. Their New Year began on November 1st, and the night before was to reverence Samhain, the Lord of the Dead. It was also when the souls of the dead returned to their former homes. If a proper “treat” were not awaiting to appease them, then they would respond with an appropriate “trick.” In order to fool and evade the spirits, some would dress up and masquerade as evil spirits, witches, ghosts, and ghouls. The perverted climax of this dark night was animal and human sacrifice to placate Sam-

hain. The remains were then burned in “bone fires,” from which we get the popular “bonfire.” Much of our modern Halloween paraphernalia comes from pagan practices such as witchcraft. The most important celebration for witchcraft practitioners was known as the “Black Sabbath,” which occurred on October 31st. It was that feast that gave us witches on broomsticks, black cats, skulls, and pumpkins. Early in the life of the Church, there was a movement to honor the lives of certain church leaders and martyrs of the faith. Over time, they came to be called “saints.” Eventually, there were more saints than there were individual days to honor them. The solution seemed to be to consolidate the remembrance of all of them into one special day called “All Saints’ Day” on November 1st. This was an apparent attempt to coincide with the ancient festival of Samhain. A day that started out as simply a remembrance of the saints progressed to a reverence for the saints and finally ended in a worship of the saints. The night before evolved into “All Hallows’ Eve” and eventually to “Halloween.” So, what is a concerned Christian parent to do in the face of this history and such strong cultural pressures from friends to observe Halloween today? This requires an annual call for godly creativity to come up with positive alternatives for children. Here are some suggestions. First, do some Bible study with your children on what God says about dabbling in any occult practices. Next, try a fall festival with games, costumes, refreshments, and a good movie. If your children still like to dress up, substitute costumes that honor the demonic realm for ones with no negative connotations. Decorate your home with colorful, seasonal fall decorations. If you carve a pumpkin, give it a smile or a happy face. Tape a positive Gospel tract to the candy you give out. As Christians, let’s be done with ghosts, witches, vampires, and monsters! Let’s leave that to the prince of darkness. And as Christians, we must focus on Jesus Christ, “the light of the world” (John 8:12).

Submit to Governing Authorities Election Day—First Tuesday after First Monday in November Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority. 1 Peter 2:13a In light of any election I think it is timely for us to reread the above biblical admonitions by the Apostles Paul and Peter. Obviously, they are just as relevant in the twenty-first century as they were in the first century. When Paul wrote his exhortation to Christians to be “subject to the governing authorities,” Nero was on the throne in Rome. He was the fifth Roman emperor and reigned over the Empire from AD 54 to 68. The captured Paul appealed to Caesar—who was Nero at the time—as a Roman citizen (Acts 25:1–12). Many Bible scholars also believe that Peter wrote his admonition around the time that Nero began his persecution of the Church in AD 64. While the first years of Nero’s reign were promising, the latter parts were a disaster. He became increasingly erratic, paranoid, and psychotic. As a result, the Roman Senate ultimately decreed his death and replacement as the last in the line of Julius Caesar. And while historians still debate the true facts about the burning of Rome, Nero definitely made the

Christians his political scapegoats for this inferno to deflect the attention and suspicion away from him. In all probability, both Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom under the reign of Nero. How ironic, then, that they penned these words of political submission and respect when this madman of Rome was on the throne, the one who fiddled while Rome burned, and the very one who would have them executed! While I am not in any way drawing a parallel between Nero and any American president, I am reminding us as Christians what our responsibility is before God and man. These passages in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 that were inspired and written through Paul and Peter could not be clearer. These truths from God stand eternally fixed in the heavens, whether or not the person on the political throne over us is of our party or the other, is conservative or liberal, or is for us or against us. It is still true that “the authorities that exist have been established by God.” But God reigns! He is still on the throne and “sovereign over all kingdoms on earth” (Daniel 4:17). We do not live in a perfect theocracy today, but in a faulty democracy. Only Jesus Christ was the perfect incarnation and consistent demonstration of the principles He taught. All other leaders are flawed by sin, tarnished by the flesh, and manipulated by the devil. Make sure you vote. Don’t throw your vote away when untold thousands have died on the battlefield to give you this freedom and responsibility. There are millions the world over who would give anything to be able to live in a democratic country where they could have a meaningful vote for the government officials who rule over them. Before you go into the voting booth, go into your prayer closet. Don’t let your focus be on the person, but on the principles, policies, and political platform that best represent the heartbeat of God as revealed in His Word. Also, give thanks this Election Day for our country and the freedoms and peace we enjoy. And let us be faithful to pray for the president and his family. Pray for their safety, for godly wisdom, and for joy. God Bless America!

Unite with the Persecuted International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church— First Sunday in November Remember my chains. Colossians 4:18 With these three compelling words above, Paul closed his letter to the Colossian church, a church he had never personally visited. It had been planted by his partner and co-worker, Epaphras (1:7). Paul was now writing to them from Rome where he was under house arrest (Acts 28:30). During this same time he wrote what are commonly called his Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians. Through them the Holy Spirit gives His deepest revelations on the nature of Christ and His Church. In these letters, Paul also appropriately addressed the matters of persecution and suffering in the Christian life from his own personal experience. To the church at Ephesus Paul wrote: “I am an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20). He reminded the Philippian Christians: “I am in chains for Christ” (Philippians 1:13). But Paul knew his imprisonment was by God’s design. “What has happened to me,” he wrote, “has actually served to advance the Gospel” (Philippians 1:12). A few years later and shortly after Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he was executed by the Romans. Tradition tells us that he was beheaded. But like righteous Abel and all others who have lived and died by faith, Paul “still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4). As a child I used to spend hours reading the Christian classic Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and looking at the often gruesome pictures of past saints who were “faithful, even to the point of death” (Revelation 2:10). It had

a profound impact upon my young life. As I looked at the pictures, I often asked myself if I had the kind of courage to die for my faith. All around the world today, Christians are still being abused, beaten, arrested, imprisoned, and executed. Just like Paul wrote to exhort Christians whom he had never met to remember his chains, persecuted saints in other countries are asking us to do the same for them. That’s why we have the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. It is set aside for Christians in the West to remember and identify with the persecutions and sufferings of our brethren around the world. After all, there were more Christians martyred for their faith in the twentieth century than in all the previous nineteen centuries combined! Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians of our spiritual unity in Christ: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Likewise, the writer of Hebrews exhorted his Jewish Christian readers to “remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (Hebrews 13:3). We cannot fully understand God’s sovereignty in allowing some of His children to suffer poverty and persecution, while others experience peace and prosperity. However, we do clearly know that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). If your local church is not already involved in this special prayer focus for our persecuted brethren, take the initiative and be an advocate for our brethren in the suffering Church around the world. Say of them what Paul said of the suffering saints at Thessalonica: “Among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring” (2 Thessalonians 1:4). So, please unite your love and prayers with all of our brethren around the world who are experiencing the “participation in his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10).

Thanks-Living and Thanks-Giving Thanksgiving Dayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Fourth Thursday in November Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thanksgiving, one of our favorite American holidays. For millions of us it will be a family-oriented day filled with lots of delicious food like turkey, ham, dressing, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, cranberry sauce, green beans, and pumpkin pie. Certainly every citizen should be giving thanks for the peace and prosperity that we continue to experience and enjoy as a nation. America is still the land of opportunity like no other country on earth. I also firmly believe that it is the Judeo-Christian foundation that our nation was established upon that makes America great. And a spirit of thanksgiving is one of the most important foundational virtues of our American society. It is true that the attitude of gratitude is one of the distinguishing marks of every true American citizenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and certainly of every authentic Christian. However, in our increasingly consumer-oriented society, I fear that many of the simple virtues that helped make America great are being eroded away. Millions of us are feverishly rushing to and fro in the pursuit of things. We increasingly consume more and more for ourselves in the elusive search for that permanent satisfaction that we never can find through money and materialism.

We often live with the fantasy and illusion that rationalizes, “If I made more, I would give more.” In reality, the more we earn, the more our standard of living goes up—often further leveraged by debt. The single greatest enemy of our standard of giving is our standard of living! That’s why the two greatest enemies of the cause of Christ locally and globally are affluence and apathy. This means that we are indulgent in our own greeds while we are indifferent to others’ needs. Early Christians who were living in the peace and prosperity of Corinth struggled with the same misplaced priorities. In the verse above, the Apostle Paul had to exhort them to a life of greater thanks-living and thanks-giving. This is the Law of Sowing and Reaping, and it is equally true in the spiritual realm as in the physical realm. You always reap in direct proportion to your sowing. It is absolutely impossible to do otherwise. Paul exhorted these Christians to sow generously so that they could reap generously, because in their thanksgiving they had only been sowing sparingly. He wanted them to be able to one day reap generously in the spiritual harvest that God’s Spirit made possible. Paul shared this same principle with another group of Christians in Galatia, but his emphasis was on the type of seed that was being sown. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7–8). As you reflect this Thanksgiving, what does your sowing record look like? Did you mostly sow in the flesh or in the Spirit? Was it sparing or was it generous? I lovingly encourage you to heed another exhortation from Paul: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9–10).

The Divine Invasion Christmas Day—December 25 When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4–5 As the popular song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” From Thanksgiving until December 24th, preparations intensify and expectations increase—especially among children and all those who are still young at heart. The Jewish people also had expectations and prayed for the advent of God’s promised Messiah for over a thousand years. That’s a long time to wait for Christmas! But finally, “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman.” From man’s perspective, the time for this divine invasion did not seem right. God’s calendar seemed to be out of sync with the realities of the world at that time. To most Jews, it seemed like the worst possible time for God to send His Messiah, especially as a helpless little baby. Nor did they want a Messiah who would “save his people from their sins,” as Gabriel had announced to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus (Matthew 1:21). It was not liberation from sin or holiness of life they were seeking. The only Messiah they wanted was a military Messiah who would ride in with divine fury and force Rome out of Palestine. God’s sovereign manipulation and redemptive intervention into history always catches man off guard. That’s because God almost always does the unexpected, the unthinkable, and the unimaginable. Christmas is the greatest proof ! No one could ever have thought it up in advance. The Christmas event is not how we would have had God intervene in history. From our perspective, that’s not how a true Messiah would come

into the world. But Christmas annually reminds us that God is always right on time— at least from His perspective. According to His celestial watch, it was in the exact fullness of time for Him to send forth His Son to redeem the world. All of history had been building toward this redemptive rendezvous since before time began (Revelation 13:8). And this divine invasion would forever split time. It would divide human history in two, between BC and AD. Christmas would give all of life a new direction! From the very first moment of creation, Christmas was an absolute certainty. Man’s primal sin and fall from a state of spiritual innocence made Christmas a redemptive necessity. From God’s perspective, human history had been moving in a straight line: from the Garden of Eden to the manger of Bethlehem, from Adam and Eve to Joseph and Mary, and from the transcendent Creator to “Immanuel . . . God with us” (Matthew 1:23). It is impossible to separate the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes from the Son of Man who was crucified, wrapped in a burial shroud, and laid in a tomb. And just as Jesus the Baby did not remain in the manger of Bethlehem, Jesus the Christ did not remain in the tomb outside Jerusalem. Redemption was secured by the resurrection. The resurrection was the next to last chapter in the Christmas narrative that will finally be consummated with the events of the Second Advent of Christ. Then His redemption will be followed by the restoration of Creation when God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5). The great message of Christmas is that the sovereign eternal God not only created time, He entered into it in order to redeem it by the birth, life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. And He is redemptively working from within time for our blessing and benefit. That’s what Christmas is really all about!

A Special Birthday “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.” Joshua 13:1 Each year of life is an incredible gift of grace. But one year was especially sobering for me, partly because I turned the big 6-0. That was a significant chronological milestone for me since my own father died at 59, which was at the time of my senior year in college. As a result of his relatively early death, as preachers we never had the opportunity of ministering together as adults. He obviously never lived to see this ministry. Also, he never lived to meet Patt, which was a great disappointment to both of us. Ironically, Dad died in Canton, NC, on the night of Patt’s and my first date in Kentucky, where we were in our last year of college. So Dad obviously never knew my children or grandchildren. But by God’s grace I have lived to see each of my children grow up, accept Christ, be baptized, complete high school and college, travel and minister overseas with me, have their hearts for the poor and needy grow, and become Great Commission Christians with a passion for missions. I have also had the joy of marrying each of them to their spouses and seeing them start their own families. To celebrate this milestone birthday, Patt and I, along with a small group of ministry friends, went to Tanzania in East Africa for what we called our “Caleb Climb.” We attempted to climb the famous Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world at 19,335 feet. Many people thought I had lost my mind to attempt this mountain climb at 60. But Caleb in the Old Testament was my inspiration. He was 80 years old when he asked God, “Now give me this hill country” (Joshua 14:12). If he could ask God for a mountain at 80, I could boldly ask God for Mount Kilimanjaro at 60!

Another good biblical example is Joshua. “When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, ‘You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over’” (Joshua 13:1). This verse reminds us that whether or not we are old, it does not mean that we can retire, relax, or recreate. Even though Joshua had lived a long, faithful, and fruitful life, the Lord still reminded him of the unconquered and unoccupied territories of the Promised Land that still had to be taken over. Likewise, we need to cease wandering around in the wilderness and constantly falling back toward Egypt, and instead take the higher ground in His Promised Land for us. Why do you think the Lord has kept you alive for the time that you have lived? He has not given you life and kept you alive just so you could do your own thing, live for yourself, and build your own little kingdom. He has kept you and me alive so that we could live by His promises and fulfill His purposes for our lives. Each year is a gift of grace that the Lord has allowed us to see. So regardless of what birthday you are celebrating, let’s take new territory for His glory and for the good of others. It is only when we are committed to a lifestyle of constantly taking higher ground that we will glorify God by fulfilling His highest purposes for our lives!

The Calling of Marriage The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. . . .” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:23a, 24 Marriage is a calling before it is a choosing: it is God’s call for man and woman. It is His call to go from parents to a mate, individualism to identity, and isolation into intimacy. There are 10 calls of marriage as you ponder your upcoming marriage ceremony: commitment, church, commission (reach the world), crucifixion (dying to self), character, communication, compassion, contentment, creativity, and communion (oneness). As you prayerfully prepare to exchange your marital vows, I remind you that nothing is easier than speaking words and making verbal commitments. However, you are not committing yourself to a human contract, but to a holy covenant. It will only be through a daily reliance on His indwelling Holy Spirit that you will be able to live out these vows. So, I pray that God “may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you [be] rooted and established in love” (Ephesians 3:16–17). Then you will be able to live out the vows you are about take. You will vow to each other: “I take you as my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith.” And as you prepare to put wedding rings on each other’s fingers, remember that the wedding ring is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. It signifies to all present the uniting of man and

woman in holy marriage, through the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord. You will vow to each other: “As a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!” Husband-to-be, are you prepared to take your fiancé to be your wedded wife; to live together in the holy estate of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, and keep her? As the Bible says, Will you live with her according to knowledge and understanding, so that your prayers not be hindered? Will you always strive to love her as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her? Will you love her at all times and under all conditions? Will you cleave to her emotionally, mentally, and physically as your only lover? Will you always seek to live with her in such a way that she will be nurtured as a godly woman? And will you constantly strive by the power of His Holy Spirit to do all this until Christ requires your presence with Him? Wife-to-be, are you prepared to take your fiancé to be your wedded husband; to live together in the holy estate of marriage? Will you also love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him? As the Bible says, Will you respect him and acknowledge him as your spiritual head, and therefore be submissive to him as unto the Lord, just as the Church is submissive to Christ? Will you love him at all times and under all conditions? Will you always cleave to him emotionally, mentally, and physically as your only lover? Will you seek to love and support him as God’s man and minister? And will you constantly strive by the power of His Holy Spirit to do all this until Christ requires your presence with Him? Through your upcoming marriage commitment, give yourselves to each other unreservedly. Everything you have and everything you are belongs to each other. From this coming moment on, the two become one!

Dear New Christian For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8–9 Congratulations on your decision to give your life to Jesus Christ! You are now a part of the family of God. This decision is the single most important one of your life. It will radically impact your living for time and eternity. That’s because only Jesus can give you new life, abundant life, and eternal life—and all three levels of life became yours when you put your faith in Him. Prior to salvation, we all lived in what the Bible calls spiritual death. This is the same spiritual state that every human is born into and lives in until they accept Jesus Christ as Savior (Ephesians 2:1–3). We were physically alive, but spiritually dead. Each of us was under the control of our sinful nature and dominated by evil desires, thoughts, and actions. When we were helpless and hopeless, God sovereignly saved us through His great love, mercy, and grace! At that moment of spiritual transformation, we moved from death to life (John 5:24). Paul wrote letters to encourage new Christians who had questions. Some were struggling with guilt over how they had lived and what they had done before they accepted Jesus. They feared that God would never forgive them for the evil things they had done. So, Paul reminded them, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Everything changed because of Jesus. Believers were now “sanctified” and “justified” through their faith in Him. These words are biblical descriptions of what has happened to you spiritually. They mean that you have been spiritually changed and transformed. You have become a

Christian by being “saved” (Ephesians 2:8) or “born again” (John 3:3). Remember that you instantaneously received both new life and eternal life when you accepted Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Both of these are present and future realities. Eternal life is not something that you have to die to experience. You start experiencing it the moment you receive new life in Christ and it extends throughout eternity. Nothing or no one can ever take this spiritual life away from you! That’s because your spiritual life has its source and security in God (John 10:28–30). While God has been the Initiator of your salvation, you must be the initiator of your sanctification. Salvation is about birth. Sanctification is about growth. Salvation makes you a child of God. Sanctification makes you a mature man or woman of God. Salvation takes place in a moment. Sanctification takes place over a lifetime. You must do some studying and growing to enjoy and manifest the abundant life God wants you to experience and enjoy now on earth on your way to heaven. We Christians experience and enjoy many of the blessings and benefits of the “kingdom of God” or the “kingdom of heaven” here on earth in the meantime. Living out the priorities and principles of God is an exciting and fulfilling kingdom adventure from start to finish! So, my new Christian friend, go for it! Live out the adventure He designed for you from before He created the world (Ephesians 2:10). You will never regret it! It will not always be easy or simple, but it is the only way you will experience authentic purpose, lasting happiness, and total fulfillment in life.

Getting Baptized “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 When a newborn infant comes into this world, it is covered with blood and the amniotic fluid from the mother’s womb. As a result, the baby needs to be immediately washed, bathed, and cleansed. God said He metaphorically did the same thing for Israel when she was a helpless newborn infant (Ezekiel 16:4–7). In the same way, you and I were washed by the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. This is symbolized by our water baptism. Oftentimes Satan tries to make the unregenerate person feel that they must first clean up their lives before they can come to Christ. They wrongly believe that they must first wash themselves clean from their bad thoughts, behavior, and habits and then come to Christ. But that is impossible! We can’t wash ourselves spiritually and make ourselves morally clean any more than an infant can wash itself. That is a cleansing work that only Christ can do through His Holy Spirit. So, we must first of all be born of the Spirit through faith in Christ, and then we can be washed by the Spirit. Being born of the Spirit is the work of regeneration and being washed by the Spirit is the ongoing work of sanctification. Regeneration results in our spiritual justification before God (1 Corinthians 6:11). The process of sanctification results in our moral maturation before man (1 Thessalonians 5:23). It is this baptism of the Holy Spirit that produces the new birth that then places us into the Body of Christ. As Paul said, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body . . . and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This Spirit baptism places

us into the “one body,” which is the Church. It is then symbolized by water baptism. After his conversion on the Damascus Road, Saul (Paul) heard these words from God: “Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). Much later Paul himself wrote, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5–6). When we demonstrate our faith and obedience in water baptism (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38), we are affirming a two-fold identification. First, we testify to our identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1–11; Galatians 3:27). Secondly, we are identifying with some local expression of His one body, the Church. Even though Paul was personally converted by Christ on the Damascus Road, he still needed to be involved in a local body of believers, so Barnabas “brought him to Antioch” and he became involved with the church there (Acts 11:22–26). Tragically, rather than emphasizing the true meaning of water baptism, we Christians through the ages have largely been divided over baptism. There is indeed only one baptism, and if the act of baptism is not symbolizing one’s faith in Christ Jesus as Lord—regardless of the mode—it is little more than empty tradition, meaningless liturgy, or pagan superstition. So, as the writer to the Hebrews said, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).

The Miraculous Marriage “You have saved the best till now.” John 2:10 Our 50th wedding anniversary was a marital event that both Patt and I were amazed and awed to have lived to experience. This was especially the case for me since my father died when he was 59 (and my mother at 70). They did not have too many anniversaries after their silver anniversary. Patt’s parents did live long enough to celebrate their golden anniversary, and did so with us in India where we built and dedicated a church in their honor. Patt and I are overwhelmed with God’s goodness in giving us this many years of life, love, learning, and leadership. And He continues to bless us with good spiritual, marital, and physical health and joy in the journey. We have found the words of Nehemiah true in our marriage and ministry: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Our testimony is indeed summed up by the above words of Scripture. As we continue to seek to live humbly and obediently before Him and each other, we are finding the principle true from the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee: “You have saved the best till now.” Through active faith and obedience, the servants had to first “fill the jars with water” (John 2:7). And that does not mean that we fill our marriage with the worldly water of materialism, ungodly counsel, or pop psychology. We must constantly fill it with the water of the Word. Only then will the Lord Jesus do the miraculous in our marriage and turn the water into wine. Patt and I have learned through these five decades of marriage that if there is no water, there is no wine! As we have lived out our golden years with all of their growing aches and pains, we remind ourselves and urge you to keep coming to His table

with us. Drink deeply of His new wine of the Spirit, enjoying everything Jesus died, rose again, and sent His Holy Spirit into our lives for. Then, our lives and marriage will continue to be a miraculous marital sign to others of His saving, sanctifying, and sustaining love, so that He will reveal His glory to the degree that others will also put their faith in Him (John 2:11). On that note, here are renewal vows to help strengthen your marriage: Husband: I love you, (Name), and am honored to have you as my wife. I call on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and everyone present here to witness the promises that I now make to you. I promise to: • Leave my father and mother, cherish you as my wife, and be totally united with you. • Love you and lead you, and give my life for you as Jesus loved the Church and gave His life for her. • Take responsibility for you, protect you from all harm, and care for you as much as I care for my own body. • Be faithful to you and never leave you as long as we both live. Wife: I love you, (Name), and am honored to have you as my husband. I call on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and everyone present here to witness the promises that I now make to you. I promise to: • Leave my father and mother’s house, treasure you as my husband, and be totally united with you in spirit, soul, and body. • Love you and submit to you in all things as the Church submits to Jesus as her head. • Give myself to you, respect you, and believe in you. • Be faithful to you and never leave you as long as we both live. Together: I have taken you as my marriage partner, and I renew my covenant to you: To have and to hold; to love and to cherish For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer In sickness and in health, until we are separated by death. And to this I give my promise: Where you stay, I will stay Your people will be my people And your God will be my God.

Don’t Retire from Relationships “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 One of the privileges and securities of age is the benefit of experience and perspective. You have lived long enough to see and experience God’s great faithfulness through many seasons of life. Therefore, long-term friendships and relationships are one of the greatest blessings of life. Of course, our foundational friendship is with God through Jesus Christ. While we do not deserve to even be His slaves, He has called us “friends” and “brothers and sisters” (John 15:15; Hebrews 2:11). So whether in marriage, ministry, or missions, the more mature the relationship, the greater the love, trust, fruitfulness, and joy! One of the basic principles of life is this: the root determines the fruit. God said that a remnant of His people would “take root below and bear fruit above” (2 Kings 19:30; Isaiah 37:31). So, the deeper the root, the richer the fruit. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that the Bible exhorts us to be “rooted and established in love” (Ephesians 3:17). And if we are rooted in love, then the dominant fruit of our lives will be agape love because “God is love” and “the fruit of the Spirit is love” (1 John 4:8; Galatians 5:22). The Christian life is about loving people with the love of Christ. As a result, we are to build loving, covenant relationships and not just functional relationships. Because God is a relational God, He calls and commissions us to make relationships our priority. That’s because relationships are the only things that outlast everything else.

Even though we are at retirement age, Patt and I are experiencing and enjoying the truth of that principle in both marriage and ministry. While this seventh decade is not the easiest season of our lives in some ways, it is definitely the most fruitful and fulfilling. Every day we thank God for our relational richness with each other, with our children, grandchildren, friends, and ministry partners! None of our relationships is perfect. In a fallen, sinful, and selfish world, there are no perfect relationships. But they are still our highest calling, our top priority, and our greatest joy in life! Through the Spirit and Word, we have sought to be deeply rooted in the love of the Lord Jesus. We have also sought to be deeply rooted through love in our relationships. Short-term, casual, and superficial relationships are never fulfilling or fruitful. So we have sought to go for depth before breadth in our relationships. God has graciously honored this beyond our wildest dreams! As a result of investing our lives in these wonderful people God has sovereignly connected us with, we are seeing both depth and breadth of impact for the Kingdom of God “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). It is because of these wonderful Kingdom-building relationships that retirement is not in my vocabulary and not on my radar screen! The words relationship and retirement are mutually exclusive concepts. We do not retire from relationships in marriage or ministry—at least, we were never supposed to. God doesn’t retire from His relationship with us. Neither can we retire from our relationships with others. I could not imagine retiring from my marriage with Patt or my relationships with my children, grandchildren, friends, or ministry partners. At this stage in life, even if we may retire from a “nine-to-five” job, we need to refire and redeploy! And through the good, bad, and ugly, we are to hang in there and keep trying to deepen and enrich relationships as long as God gives us life.

Confronting Death Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many. Hebrews 9:27–28a One of man’s oldest and most desperate questions is that asked by Job: “If someone dies, will they live again?” (Job 14:14). It is interesting to see in this age-old question our own reticence to speak of death. We also fear thinking about death or talking about it, either in general or about our own death in particular. Perhaps our reasoning is, if we think or talk about it, we will invite it prematurely upon ourselves. So, it’s best to not go there. Man fears death for many reasons. It is the great unknown, the “far country” from which no traveler has yet returned (discounting, of course, the resurrection of Christ). We fear that it will permanently destroy cherished human relationships. Man was created by God for relationships, and the quality of those relationships determines the quality of one’s life. Therefore, man fears that death will forever bring an end to those precious relationships. We also fear death because we believe that it might forever bring an end to meaningful activity. Man was created for activity, productivity, and to achieve meaningful goals in life. As Solomon observed, “I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work” (Ecclesiastes 3:22). So we fear that death will bring an end to meaningful labor and we’ll be reduced to a state of non-existence or inactivity. The greatest certainty of life is death. Death is the ultimate statistic of life. Unless we live until the rapture, none of us get out of this life alive. That’s why the Bible, history, contemporary events, and personal experiences regularly remind us of the absolute certainty of our mortality.

One of the most important things that parents should do is prepare their children how to handle death. When a grandparent dies, for example, we unconsciously sense that our parents serve as buffers between death and us. However, when a parent dies, there is no way to escape the reality that our generation is next in line. So every day, people are preparing for death either carefully or casually, either hopefully or haphazardly. The Spirit said to John in his Revelation, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” (Revelation 14:13). Note that crucial phrase “in the Lord.” That reminds us that every human being either dies in the Lord or outside the Lord. Physical death seals our spiritual state for all eternity. Or as the writer of Hebrews summarized, “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). No reincarnation. No second chances. No reruns. It is death and then judgment. For every believer, death is not the end of the story, but the eternal beginning. Death is only an exodus from all the bondages of this life, a sleep from which to be awakened, and a departure to our eternal home! Because of the resurrection of Christ, death results in gain, not loss (Luke 19:17), joy rather than sorrow (Matthew 25:21), pleasure instead of pain (Psalm 16:11), heaven and not hell, and eternal blessings rather than eternal banishment (Matthew 8:12; 13:50; Luke 13:28). In view of all this, there is an important question for you to answer. Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life? It is not a future experience, but a present reality! (John 5:24). Only confessing your sin to God and accepting Him into your life can guarantee that you will have eternal life. Decide now!

The Seasons of Life There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1 As the Creator of time, God has sovereignly divided time into seasons, and it is the heavenly bodies that largely determine these seasons (Genesis 1:14). The seasons of life are also always changing; they never remain static. One season soon gives way to the next. In seeking to understand the Old Testament, we must remember that it was written primarily to a people who were agriculturalists and pastoralists. Therefore, much of the language is filled with practical down-toearth pictures, parables, and examples that farmers and herders could easily understand and relate to. It is also crucial to understand that God divided the year for the Jewish people around their natural agricultural seasons. All seven of the festivals of Judaism are agricultural and each had a spiritual dimension. Jesus perfectly fulfilled the three festivals in spring through His First Coming, the summer festival through the sending of the Holy Spirit and giving birth to the Church, and will perfectly fulfill the remaining three in the fall at His Second Advent. It is easy to know from the calendar which natural season we are in. But only Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spirit, speaking through His Word, can show us which spiritual season of life we are in. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at the natural and spiritual seasons of life and seek their application to our lives. During some of the slower times of winter, like a farmer we need to pause, take stock, ask ourselves some hard questions, and do some reprioritizing of our lives. Will the next season be any different than the last ones? Will I basically be in the same old rut next season that I am in this

season? After you have prayed and pondered, it is time to make some decisive preparations for the coming seasons (Proverbs 16:3). Spring is a time of new life, new birth, new beginning, and new direction—both in the agricultural and spiritual realms. When it comes time for planting, we must be very careful in our seed selection. And we must sow generously in all of the areas we want to reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6). After we have done our part in sowing seeds, it is God who will make them grow (1 Corinthians 3:6). Many people in the West tend to think of the summer season as a time of vacation. However, summer is generally not a time of vacation for farmers. It is one of their busiest and most productive times. They know that if they are slack in the summer, they will starve in the fall (Proverbs 10:5). God meant it to be a major time of oversight and anticipation! When a farmer has faithfully done his job during these other seasons, then fall will become a truly rewarding time. It will be the time when he really begins to reap the harvest of all his hard work. Fall is a time of great pleasure rather than pain when we have lived by God’s principles. If we apply these spiritual farming principles to our lives, then we will be able to go through each of the seasons of life guided and guarded by God’s wisdom. God really does want us to enjoy life. He is not some celestial Scrooge who wants our lives to be miserable, unhappy, and unfulfilled. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10b). One of the verses that should be a prayer for each of us is Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Where we have failed in one of our seasons of life, we must repent and ask God to begin the work of restoration (Joel 2:25). Then we move forward into the next season of life with His grace and peace.