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PASS THE BUCKETS AND PRAY

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Prayer and activity go hand in hand.

By Ken Blue

“It is recorded of D. L. Moody that, upon one of his journeys across the Atlantic there was a fire in the hold of the ship. The crew and some volunteers stood in line to pass buckets of water. A friend said to Moody, ‘Mr. Moody, let us go to the other end of the ship, and engage in prayer.’ The common-sense evangelist replied, ‘Not so, sir; we stand right here and pass buckets and pray hard all the time.’ How like Moody this was! He believed that prayer and work were the two hands of the one person: that they should never be separated.—Christian Herald (London).” There is the attitude among some that the less organized the work, the more spiritual one is.

Some time ago I wrote an article about plans and methods to reach a larger segment of one’s community. In that article I failed to mention the Holy Spirit. I receive a scathing response reprimanding me of the omission. Of course the respondent does not, and never has pastored a church, nor did he give his name. Typically, he was fresh out of Bible College; Wasp are always largest when first hatched.

I remember one of my Bible teachers telling us, “If you think yelling ‘amen’ in this class will give you a passing grade, you are in for a big surprise. I expect you to study and get a passing grade.” I discovered that he meant exactly what he said.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Activity is never an excuse to neglect prayer, nor is prayer an excuse to not work your smartest[/pullquote]

Prayer should precede everything. It is wise to pray before you answer your phone. You would think this would be understood, and I think the mature believer does. I am confident that neither writer nor reader prays enough. The Scriptures are clear on the subject of prayer. We need to pray more.

Now, I do not mean any disrespect by the following, but you can pray till you are blue in the face; and God will not mow your lawn for you. He will not sing in the choir, teach a Bible class, clean the buildings, wash the windows, preach the sermon, organize the ministry of your church, or drive a church bus. These, and many other things, are the practical side of the ministry, and must be done by men and women with understanding.

You don’t have to set down the bucket to pray while fighting a fire; pray and grab another bucket. Activity is never an excuse to neglect prayer, nor is prayer an excuse to not work your smartest; they are the two hands of the one person.

DOES GOD HATE YOU

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The Hate of God

By Ken Blue

Most Bible believers teach that God hates sin, but loves the sinner. However, recently a small group of believers have challenged that teaching, and affirm that God not only hates sin; He also hates the sinner. If God does indeed hate the sinners, does He hate you?

Let us look at a few things God says He hates and see if you are on His hate list. “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Does God hate you?[/perfectpullquote]

 Are you guilty of pride? Have you or do you tell a lie? Is there someone you hate? Do you have wicked thoughts? Are you involved in any mischief? Have you misrepresented someone? Are you guilty of sectarianism or discord among the brethren? Now, we know God hates all the above sins.  I am sure you are not guilty of these but are you sure that God hates other people who commit these sins?

Since God hates divorce, does he hate the divorcees; and if He hates them, why don’t you? “For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” Malachi 2:16.

I have no doubt that the brethren are going to adjust their theology to accommodate themselves and their friends. They will excuse themselves and exclude their sins from God’s hate list while adding the sins of others to it. So, we ask, does God hate you?

JOB; THE QUESTION OF SUFFERING

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THE BENEFIT OF SUFFERING

By Ken Blue

While a student in Omaha, I pastored a small church in Iowa. Mrs. Blue and I visited a young man who was a teacher in the college town. As I attempted to discuss spiritual things, he said to me, “the God of Job would be my devil.” Needless to say, I was taken back and found that further discussion was useless. His problem, like many, was his inability and unwillingness to accept that God wants to use our suffering to fulfill a purpose in our life and in the lives of others.

Recently I received the following question. I will attempt to answer it as I understand the subject. However, the final answer to all our questions will be answered at the Judgment Seat.

“Hi Pastor. I have a question that keeps bugging me, and I thought I would see what your thoughts are. It’s about God’s actions that seem somewhat contradictory to his character (or at least by my perception)- in regard to Job. It seems contradictory to me that God could truly love Job and yet allow such tragedy to be placed upon him for what seems like no reason but to “prove” Satan wrong…. maybe I have it all wrong. It just seems like if Job was as good of a servant to God as the Bible says, that it would be totally wrong to inflict such pain on him. It wasn’t like God was disciplining him, or rebuking him, or correcting him- it was “just because” and I just don’t understand how that can possibly show God’s love in any way.”

The book of Job is the oldest book in existence. It is a literary masterpiece, and many colleges use it in their study of literature. It was written between 1800 and 1700 B.C. before the Exodus, or the nation of Israel existed. It was written to answer man’s question; why do the righteous suffer?

Suffering is in the world because of sin. That does not mean you are suffering because of your personal sins. We suffer because of the wickedness of others also. We may suffer for other reasons. If God protected every person from suffering, there would be no such thing as a free will, and without a free will, the word love, and choice have no meaning.

Suffering should be a warning to us not to sin. Suffering is intended to purge us from our sins, and we learn obedience by the things we suffer. David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” Psalms 119:67.

The following verse should be meditated on. “ Though he (Jesus) were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Hebrews 5:8-9. No one was as perfect as the Lord Jesus, yet God saw value in allowing Him to suffer. There were things Jesus did not know until He suffered. It is in the midst of suffering we prove and demonstrate our faith in God’s love, wisdom, and goodness. Every reader should pause here and read Hebrews 11:24-40.

Suffering is to bring us to the end of our self-sufficiency and show what helpless sinners we are. This is the end to which God was bringing Job. Although Job is said to be perfect and upright, he still had a sinful nature, and it manifested itself in his self-righteousness. His ordeal and personal confrontation with God brought him to the end of self-sufficiency and self-righteousness. Listen to his confession, after God had finished His test. “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5-6. This may not sound appealing, but this is the end God has for every believer.  

God does not choose every person to suffer as Job. He knew Job’s character, and that he would justify God in the end. Many would not, thus they never learn the lessons Job learned or experience the knowledge of God he did. God restored to Job double what he had.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Was God fair in his dealings with Job?[/perfectpullquote]

We often hear the word fair associated with suffering. Was God fair in his dealings with Job? Our problem is understanding what the word means. When used in this context it means “just.” Was God just in His treatment of Job, and the Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is yes and no. If God had been fair with Job, you, and me, we would be in hell. That would be just and fair; but His mercy prevailed. Then, was God fair by allowing Jesus to die and suffer in your place? The answer is yes.

If we are to be what God intended, we too must suffer. “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:4-13.

Job was a perfect man in chapter one; but he was a more perfect and much wiser man after chapter 42. You too will be better and wiser if you submit to the hand of God.  

HEAD AND SHOULDERS

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IS YOUR CHRISTIANITY TO YOUR HEAD?

By Ken Blue

“And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people”1 Samuel 9:2.

After working with men and women for years, I have discovered that what you see isn’t always what you get. Beauty may attract us, but it will not keep us attached. The pretty people live in Hollywood, but it seems that none of them can remain faithful. No wonder God say, “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. “Proverbs 31:30. 

Saul was every woman’s dream and every man’s envy. From all outward appearances, he had it all. But the little man inside him had never grown up. It does not require an x-ray to reveal this little fellow. All one must do is open his mouth and the little brat will take over. The evidence is obvious to all who see.

Today, all attention is on outward appearance, personality, and talent. There seems to be the idea, if we can get the attention of others, we will be validated. Thus, the attention is on the outward man while the inward man is ignored.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Today, all attention is on outward appearance …[/perfectpullquote]

What is missing in these pretty people? Why can’t commitments last? What is missing? The problem is that the inward man is neglected and ignored. What needs to be seen from the inward man is patience, obedience to Scripture, humility, transparency, and genuine love for others, personal knowledge of God, spiritual wisdom, understanding, and a moral compass. The behavior of people tells you more about them than the shoes they are wearing.

There are many like Saul, who are head and shoulders above others but are still little inside. Their Christianity has never gotten to the head or the heart. Every thought and action are self-serving; two people live in one body. Circumstances will determine which voice speaks. If every professing Christian really believed the following verse, it would make a great difference in the world. “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.

Just because you have the chief seat, doesn’t make you chief. Just because others recognize you, doesn’t mean God recognizes you; and just because you are head and shoulders above others, doesn’t mean a little man isn’t living inside. God looks on the heart, so should we.  

THE SHADOW

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ABIDING UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY

By Ken Blue

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalms 91:1.

Last week an unusual event took place in the Seattle area; the sun came out and we had about 80° weather! In the late afternoon, I went to the east side of our house to soak in some of the precious rays. The shadows were long, so I had to go down the driveway a few feet to get in the sunshine.

I tilted my wheelchair to a recline position, with my back to the sun. My chair and image cast about a three foot shadow to the East in front of me. My dog, Chester followed me, circled the chair a couple of times, and then lay down in my shadow. Although there was much lawn grass and a cool cement slab nearby, he chose to lie in the gravel, about six inches from my foot pads.

As I looked down on Chester, I could not help but think of the above verse. What could I learn from what I saw? First, I learned that he wanted to be near me. Then, I realized that he chose the rough driveway instead of the cool slab, or comfortable lawn. Next, he found comfort from the heat of the day by placing himself where I was between him and the sun. Finally, a few times he raised his head and looked at me, and wagged his tail. Now, I don’t pretend to know what was on his mind, but I think I understood the signal I received.

Perhaps nothing was intended from that little event, but let me share what it meant to me. First, we should get as close to our Master as possible. Then, we should choose the rough ground to be close if necessary. Since God asks us to cast all our care on Him, let’s keep Him between the heat of the day and ourselves. Finally, we should lift our heads and say, “I love You; everything’s OK when You are near; and thank You for all You do for me.”

I looked at Chester and thought to myself, “You are one lucky dog.” Maybe that’s why they call it a dog’s life. But then, we too, have it made, don’t we?