You are here: Home / Archives for Insights

BIRDS AND BARNS

by

BIRDS DON’T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW

BIRDS

By Ken Blue

“ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:25-26.

The omniscient, compassionate God cares for His creatures. The book, How Many Birds Are There? Says, there are between 200-400 billion birds for the entire world. Can you imagine how much food it takes per day to feed that number?

The Lord is telling His disciples not to worry or be anxious about tomorrow. He assures them that tomorrow will have enough problems to fill the day. They need not carry any over from today.

Man labors by the sweat of his brow. He prepares the soil, plants the seed, reaps the harvest, and gathers it into barns. However, birds have no such demands on them. They do not plant or reap to store in barns, yet God cares for and feeds each of them every day.

God cares for His creation and takes note of each one. Man is made in God’s image and is His most valued work. Although the whole creation will be delivered from the curse, man is the only one who has a Savior provided for him. (Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Romans 8:21).

God’s plan for man’s survival is that he labor, save, and be a good steward of all His gifts. However, we are not to worry and fix our mind on tomorrow’s provisions. God’s love and care for us should rule the day and protect us from being anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of you!

CHECK OUT AUDIO SERMONS AND SONGS

 

STRIVING ABOUT WORDS

by

STRIVING INSTEAD OF GETTING OUT THE GOSPEL

By Ken Blue

 

“Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 2 Timothy 2:14.

 One way to discredit an individual is to give a word an alternate meaning from its intended context. There are several such words; and the brethren who use them have been segregated into a class of their own. I am reminded of the man who said, “Thou art stubborn; he is obstinate, and I am persistent.” Each word has much in common, but who wants to be thought of as stubborn or obstinate? “Persistent” always sounds more acceptable.

One word that has fallen into ill repute among the brethren is the word fundamentalist. The reason is its connotation and use. Fundamentalist have been associated with terrorist, fanatics and Kooks. This is unfair and unfortunate, but it is the way it is. Thus, many Bible believers, who embrace the fundamentals of the faith, are reluctant to be associated with some who call themselves fundamentalist. The fundamentals must be embraced, some fundamentalist need the boot.

Another word is the word share. One argument is that it isn’t a Bible word. Are we going to confine our vocabulary to words found only in Scripture? I don’t think so. We know the words rapture and trinity are not found in the Bible, yet we use them constantly because we know those truths are taught. The same principle is found in the word share. This truth and example is found from Genesis to Revelation. Perhaps a dictionary definition will help some. “share: A part or portion belonging to, distributed to, contributed by, or owed by a person or group. To accord a share in (something) to another or others: shared her chocolate bar with a friend. To have a share or part: shared in the profits.” This attack is another nail in the coffin of unity between believers.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Be careful when preaching to the Pharisees! To stay out of trouble, you must be political![/pullquote]

A young college student criticized his pastor because he used the word Philosophy. The pastor had pastored for about 15 years; the student had been out of college about six months. Below is a list of synonyms from the American Heritage Dictionary on the word, philosophy: “A system of belief, principles, or opinions:  • creed • dogma • faith • religion • doctrine • credo • canons • gospel.” All these words are used by pastors and no one complains. But if you say the word philosophy, you are related to the Antichrist. This is nonsense. It is the world’s philosophy one must reject, not the word!

The word Liberal is anathema among Bible believers. However, the word does not always have a negative connotation.  “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Proverbs 11:25. “Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;” 2 Corinthians 9:13. Wouldn’t you like to have these liberals in your church? Our objection should be against those who take liberty with the Word of God and deny its teachings and Truth. Again, the word liberal is not a negative word, like all words, it depends on how it is used.

 Do you know what a fag is? Let me give you a dictionary definition. “1.a. A student at a British public school who is required to perform menial tasks for a student in a higher class. b. A drudge. 2. Chiefly British. Fatiguing or tedious work; drudgery. 1. To work to exhaustion; toil. 2. To function as the servant of another student in a British public school. –tr. To exhaust; weary: Four hours on the tennis court fagged me out.” American Heritage Dictionary.  Sodomy is the sickest sin on earth. So call it what it is, and stop trying to be “cute.”

The word Contemporary is another word that we must abhor. How contemporary are you? Some time ago I visited an Amish village in Illinois. All tools were of wood, carts were pulled by horses, and electricity was rejected. Are the Amish more in line with Scripture than you, since you are more contemporary? There was a time when all musical instruments were rejected by the church, and most of the music in your hymnal was rejected because it was contemporary at the time.  This is not a suggestion that you throw all caution to the wind. However, we need to stop acting like a donkey when it comes to words and methods.

The final word under fire is the word Entertainment. When used in relation to the church, it means that you must not have certain musical interments, Power Point, quartets, solos, songs under 100 years old, and more than one special.

Pastor, if you don’t entertain your congregation, you will lose it. All speakers and singers are trying to entertain and edify their listeners. That is why they use the style, words, and methods when presenting their message. I am aware that prayer, the power of God, the Word of God, the love of God, and the grace of God must be present. But, let’s stop hiding behind these, while pretending that the human element is not important. Many pastors need never worry about entertaining church members. Even the Devil would sleep through their service; everyone else is.

I have also discovered that you may quote certain leaders and get a course of “amen’s.” Just don’t mention the names of the men you quote. You may use their words, but you must know your crowd, or they will treat you like the Jews at Jerusalem treated Paul when he mentioned the word Gentile. So, be careful when preaching to the Pharisees! To stay out of trouble, you must be political!

THE ABANDONED HOUSE

by

DON’T LEAVE YOUR HOUSE UNATTENDED

HOUSEBY Ken Blue

Joyce and I had traveled the same route to Lynnwood every day for about ten years. We knew every house and mailbox along the way. A couple of winters ago, I notice that one of the houses appeared to be empty. There were no curtains on the windows, the porch light was on in the mid-afternoon, and old news papers were accumulating at the door. In the spring the lawn went unattended.

One day I noticed that a window was broken. Days later, I noticed others were being broken also. No doubt children in the neighborhood took advantage of the empty house and hurled stones through the glass.

Little by little you could see the vandalism and abuse. Much of the time the front door stood open a few inches. Someone had evidently pried it open and broken the latch. Occasionally, I noticed old cars parked outside and some kind of activity going on inside.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Each sign of destruction only invites others to inflict more damage.[/perfectpullquote]

Had the owner rented the house, hired a care taker or came by to check on it, the house could have been salvaged. But, it went unattended and was an invitation for abuse and destruction.

On Saturday afternoon, I decided I would investigate and see what was going on. I went to the door; it was closed, but unlocked. I knocked, but no one answered. So, I let myself in. The stench was enough to gag a garbage man. Human feces was in one corner. Graffiti was on all the walls, and the furniture looked like it was brought in from the garbage dump.

The vandals had taken possession of the unkempt and abandoned house. Each sign of destruction only invited others to take additional possession and inflict more damage. The house was beyond repair. As it was, it only invited more intruders and more destruction.

Your life is like that house, so don’t leave it unattended. I left instructed and wiser.

LOOKING THROUGH COLORED GLASSES

by

GLASSES OF LIMITED VISION

GLASSES

By Ken Blue

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.

I saw a sign on a nursery door in some church which read, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…” A father was seen picking up toys from his front yard. He said, “Now I know what Paul meant when he said, ‘when I became a man I put away childish things.’”

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The older we get and the more we study God’s Word, the more aware we become of just how little we know.[/perfectpullquote]

The supernatural gifts of the early church have ceased, and we are left with incomplete knowledge of this life and the life to follow. God has revealed to us all we need to know to trust Him. But, what has been revealed is childlike compared to what we are to know and experience in the next life.

The older we get and the more we study God’s Word, the more aware we become of just how little we know. Paul says our understanding at present is like that of a small child.

We are so limited on what heaven is like. What will we do throughout eternity? Where will the church be located and what will be its function? What will be our age in heaven and will we retain our features? Will we know each other as we knew them in this life? As we seek to see the answers to these and other questions, we find ourselves looking through a dark glass.

The glasses are dark, but we have enough light to know that faith, hope and charity abide, and we can trust Him who is saving the good wine for a future day. We know that to depart and be with Christ is far better than this present life. One day soon, we will be translated from this childlike understanding to the full knowledge of adulthood. What a great day that will be!

HEAD AND SHOULDERS

by

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.