Christian Beacon - Fall 1999

Table of Contents

Redeeming The Time In Marriage

Editor's Corner

Spiritual Gardening

Become a More Productive Christian

I Can See Clearly Now

What's The Use? - A Refrain of Youth

True Justice, True Salvation, True Worship

Redeeming the Time

Forgiveness

Parables Offer More Than Just Gifts

Hebrews Bible Series Tape Three

Redeeming The Time In Marriage

The most vital relationship within the human social order is marriage. Why? Because everything we represent as a society is based upon the morals and values we learned from the marriage relationship of our parents. What do I mean by that? Simply, the way our parents relate to each other has the greatest impact on the way we form our concepts on relating to others and believing the way things ought to be.

Society has always been the primary force that dictates the way ensuing generations believe and conduct themselves. For this reason, marriage in America today has no absolute guidelines. We refuse to go to the source of truth in marriage, i.e., the Bible. We base our conclusions on what we have seen in our parents' marital relationship s-parents who based their conclusions on what they have seen and how they felt about things. What God states in His instructions to man seems to have little, if any, impact on the way many function in their marriages. Hence, divorce and/or abuse are rampant. Many alternative lifestyles are present within our society. Very few really make a perpetual, permanent vow to God that their marriage is for life.

You might think that this is true only among those who have rejected the idea of a God; however, this is not the case. Many who claim to use the Bible as the guide to life have decided that the principles shown in Scripture are antiquated and not germane to today's modem technological society. Fortunately, there are some exceptions to this approach. Maybe there are some who simply have not thought of it in this way.

Even within Christian marriages, in which everything is said to be based on God's instructions, there have been gross misunderstandings and misapplications of His demands. For example, because men have misunderstood what is meant by the biblical statement "the husband is the head of the wife," they have essentially made slaves of their wives and children. They believe that the Bible advocates that the man and his needs are more important than those of his family.

In recent years, strides have been made to change this focus. Now many want the focus to be on the wife or the children of the family. So, instead of husband-centered marriages, what many want today is a wife-centered or child centered marriage. In reality, we should have Christ-centered marriages. When any relationship is Christ-centered, then our position in those relationships can be better understood.

Promise Keepers have a motto for their members, which I believe is certainly applicable in marriage. That motto is "servant leadership." This concept is fantastic when you think about it. When God says that the man is the head of a woman, He means that man is to be a servant/leader-not a dictator.

The theme of this issue of the Christian Beacon is based upon Ephesians 5:16 "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." As human beings, with a limited amount of time, there is no way we can buy back the time that we have already spent. Redeeming the time means to utilize the time that you have now instead of continuing to waste it the way you may have done in the past.

"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17; KJV).

Most of us who are married have not utilized our time properly within our marriages. Therefore, we should be diligent to "redeem the time" by understanding and living by the principles that God gives in His word relative to marriage.

The purpose of this article is to understand "what the will of the Lord is" and to discuss some of God's guidelines on fulfilling His will in our marriages.

Let us begin by proving from the Bible what God, the Creator of marriage, has to say about the subject.

"Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

"So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place.

"And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. And the man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man." For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh" (Gen 2:18,21-24; NAS).

These words express God's will about the most intimate relationship between man and woman, i.e., husband/wife relations. Because mankind, beginning with Adam and Eve, has changed and perverted God's instructions, we must not look at their examples to learn the principles of marriage relationships. This example includes that of many servants of God whose lives did not reflect Godly principles. We should look to God's will only to find the night instructions regarding husband/wife relations.

I want to emphasize a few specific points from this passage which should dispel any doubts about how we, as individual families, should conduct ourselves within our marriages according to the One who created marriage for mankind's benefit.

God made one woman for Adam, thus showing that marriage is between one man and one woman. This is true for all times. There are no alternative lifestyles within God's instructions, or will. Same-sex marriages, bigamy, polygamy, adultery, fornication and any relationships other than one-man/one woman marriages are not acceptable according to the Bible. They are, therefore sinful.

God used a very tedious and careful process to produce a wife for Adam (verses 21). Each of us should be no less careful and tedious in the selection of a mate for life. There are many books, booklets, and articles written on how to date wisely and select a mate. I recommend that you read, study, compare them to biblical teaching and seek wise counseling before making the final decision about your lifelong mate.

We must understand the intimacy of the marriage relationship (verse 23). This is as close as two human beings can get. Isn't it fascinating how dependent we are on each other? Man is born through a woman, flesh from flesh, totally dependent on his mother for survival. Then he marries a woman who, based on this verse, is dependent on him and they become "one flesh." Should he not take this responsibility very seriously and make certain that he carries out that responsibility with the same diligence required of a mother to fulfill her responsibility to her child? Don't misunderstand. The husband should not treat his wife as a child, but should be that diligent toward his wife.

When a man marries he changes his entire life. His primary relationship in the human realm is no longer with his parents but with his wife (verse 24).

1) Leave. Leaving a position one has held for an entire lifetime is a challenge which too many fall, but it is necessary for the marriage to be a success. Leave encompasses both physically to a new household as well as emotionally. It does not mean to quit loving, visiting or caring for one's parents, but it means you have established another family for which you are now responsible and that is where your primary efforts must be spent.

2) Cleave. In our modem society it seems that cleave takes on its secondary meaning, i.e., to separate or cut apart. The primary meaning is to hold onto, cling to with extreme effort, etc. This is what God demands of us. Cling to your mate with all your might and for life.

3) Conceive. The primary meaning for becoming one flesh is for the intimate sexual expression of love between husband (singular) and wife (singular). I use this term as a means of helping you remember these instructions from God. We also know this is the means of producing children as well.

What is the will of God relative to marriage? Again, we find the answer in His Word.

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; [For husbands and wives]... Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God" (Eph. 5:20-33).

As we study this Scripture, let us emphasize the responsibility each of us has toward others in the love of God. All of us, especially husbands and wives, should submit ourselves to each other's needs.

For wives: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (verse 22). Submit to the needs of your husbands. This does not mean after the best two out of three falls. This should be done by your own will and volition. Why?

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing" (verses 23-24).

This is still the right relationship today. Notice, this does not say: Husbands, force your wife to submit; she does so herself.

For husbands: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (verses 25-26).

Note: Christ does not beat or nag His Church into submission. He loves it so much that He sacrificed Himself (not her) for it. Why?

"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself' (verses 27-28).

Remember the intimacy between the husband and wife that is according to God's own design in Genesis 2:23 (see above).

Ladies, remember these are instructions to your husband. They are not for you to enforce.

"For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church" (verse 29).

For husbands and wives: "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

"Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband" (verses 20-33; KJV).

Human relations have been called "the fellowship of Joy and pain." This is especially true in the fellowship of marriage. Parents experience the joy and elation of a newborn child as a new life suddenly appears. As a couple watches their child grow and develop, it seems no thrill could be so deep.

Yet, those same people experience the pain, fear and even terror, when that same child awakens them in the middle of the night with chills and fever and almost sure death unless God intervenes with healing. So the same two people pray together in unison and cry out to God for mercy. This is part of the fellowship of joy and pain that a marriage must endure. All of us-not only in God's Church or even in America, but in all the earth-are joined together in this fellowship of joy and pain.

In closing, I would like to share with you a practical, yet very emotionally moving example of the applied love and respect that husbands and wives should have for each other in this life of elation and disappointment or joy and pain. Maybe it will help you open your heart and mind long enough to see your fellow travelers on this trip through our common human experiences of joy and pain, and help you to become unselfish enough to love and understand your mate a little better.

Nicolai Pestretsov is an example of this type of commitment. I've never met him, so I don't know him personally. I don't know where lie is now, but let me tell you what I read about him.

He was a sergeant major in the Russian Army, 36 years old and stationed in Angola, a long way from home. His wife had come out to visit him. On August 24, 1985, South African military units entered Angola in an offensive against the Black Nationalist Guerillas who were taking sanctuary there.

At the village of N-Giva, they encountered a group of Russian soldiers. Four were killed, and the rest of the Russians fled, except for Sgt. Maj. Pestretsov. He was captured. We know this because the South African communique said: "Sgt. Maj'. Pestretsov refused to leave the body of his slain wife, who was killed in an assault on the village."

It was as if the South Africans could not believe it, for the communiqué repeated the information. He went to the body of his dead wife and would not leave it, although she was dead.

That's strange! Isn't it? Why didn't he run and save his own hide? What made him go back? Is it possible that he loved her? Is it possible that he wanted to hold her in his arms one last time? Is it possible that he needed to cry and grieve? Is it possible that lie wanted to make sure that she was treated and buried with dignity because he loved and respected her so? Is it possible that he felt the pain of loss in spite of the fact that he was not only a man, but a Russian and not only a Russian man, but a Russian military man?

Is it possible that he cared so much for her and for them as a couple, that he did not care what became of himself, now? It's possible. We don't know, or at least, we don't know for certain. But we can guess. His actions answer.

And so he sits alone in a South African prison. Not a Russian or Communist or soldier or enemy or any of those categories. He is just a man who cared for just a woman, for just a time, more than anything else.

Here's to you, Nicolai Pestretsov, wherever you may be for giving such powerful meaning to the promises that are the same everywhere; for dignifying the covenant, that is the same in any language: "For better or for worse, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, to love, honor and cherish unto death, so help me God."

And may God bless you readers as you seek to "redeem the time" in your marriage by His grace and truth.

The mission of The Christian Beacon is to provide a source of biblical education and inspiration, to promote unity, cooperation and spiritual growth among God's people while illustrating the shared ministry of the Royal Priesthood, the Spiritual Church of God.

The Christian Beacon, a publication of United Christian Ministries, a ministry of grace and truth, is published quarterly, with the cooperation of many non-aligned Church Congregations and Fellowship Groups around the world.

The Christian Beacon welcomes submissions from its readers. Please see page 24 for submission guidelines.

George Crow, Katy TX
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Edward A. Martell, Longboat Key, FL
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Ray Wooten, Hoover, AL

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Carol Boyer, Perry, AV
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Bernard Kirchner, Summerset Center, MI
Martha Martell, Longboat Key, FL
Michael Martell, Longboat Key, FL
Patrick Martell, Longboat Key, FL
Robin Wansley, Laurel, MS
Wes White, Carrollton, TX

Editor's Corner

This issue of The Christian Beacon focuses on redeeming the time-using every hour of our lives to serve God in the ways that He finds pleasing.

As the world's year 2000 approaches (based on the erroneous assumption that Christ was born in 0), many people have become anxious and worried about the future. Yet we know that the Lord is not tardy or neglectful in His promises. He is giving us ample time to get our lives in order and to be saved from the day of wrath that is surely coming (I Peter 3:3-9). When it comes, He wants us to be prepared. Ray Wooten begins this issue by helping us to understand how to redeem the time in our marriages, surely our most important relationship as human beings.

As Robin Wansley mentions briefly in his article, just before 1,000 A.D. thousands of Europeans reportedly flocked to the churches in abject fear that the end of the world was nigh. But as 999 A.D. came to a close, these people quickly realized that Christ was not returning and returned to their normal activities. Thousands of paganized Europeans did not even know that the significance of the conclusion of that millennium, and many others were using conflicting calendars and did not find the actual end of the tenth century occurring on the same day.

It was a time of mass confusion of ideas and beliefs. It was also a time of leaders who deceived the many and dishonored themselves in the process. Yet God said that He would always have an ekklesia, and in Europe (church historians differ widely as to whom and where) surely there were either isolated pockets of individuals or small groups still clinging tenaciously to the truth once delivered to the saints of the New Testament.

The parallels between that time and now are quite sobering. Fear, uncertainty, and poor leadership are rampant in our society. And if no type of predicted doom actually takes place next year, most professing Christians will likely settle comfortably back into their old routine of nominal worship of God.

During this time of the year, the Churches of God assemble for the Feast of Tabernacles, which focuses on the end of man's millennia and the beginning of the true spiritual millennium. Instead of the confusion and despondency we see today, the earth will literally be filled with the knowledge of God. For the first time in man's history, everyone will understand and follow His way of life. For the Church of God movement, we will no longer be tested and hurt by organizational and denominational strife and opposition.

As Michael Martell points out, the in-between generation of the Church of God has been severely impacted by the failure of leadership. Now is the time for that group, as well as all the rest of us, to show our true Leader, Jesus Christ, that we will follow Him despite any adverse circumstances. We can redeem the time that is remaining and make full use of our talents and abilities in service to God and our fellow man.

Spiritual Gardening

God, the Master Gardener, has likened us to His special plants. He puts us in His garden, each of us just where Fie wants us to show the beauty He has created. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor" (Isaiah 60:21 NIV).

God allows His splendor to be shown through us! He places us as it pleases Him, just where He wants us. Not all plants please God. Those that grow where they have not been placed are unwanted. They are gathered, uprooted, and cast out. "Every plant that my heavenly father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots" (Matthew 15:13)

I love to work in the soil. While gardening, thoughts often turn to the Creator. I find that outdoors in His creation, analogies of life experiences often come to mind. Recently, when I was gardening, I be transplant some ornamental grass, without giving thought to the process at first. As I worked, however, the physical aspect of gardening turned my mind to the spiritual application and these thoughts came into my mind.

A few years ago I bought some miniature monkey grass. It is a compact and slow- growing ground cover. A single plant takes years to grow thick enough to be noticed but it is popular because it tends to grow in clusters and does not spread out and take over in other parts of the garden. I planted it along the walk to the back door. Another ground cover, vinca major, grew close by. After a while it began to grow over, around, and through the monkey grass. Soon the monkey grass was almost completely hidden under the taller vinca. Vinca also has a beautiful blue flower in the spring. It is much more striking than the miniature monkey grass, and I was pleased with it.

I recently went to Nashville's beautiful Cheekwood Gardens. There were several gardens with rows of single plants of miniature monkey grass bordering statues, walks, or whole gardens. Remembering my old plantings, I wondered if there was now enough to use the way they were used at Cheekwood. I came home to find they had multiplied beautifully, so I set about to dig them up. I plunged my hand trowel through the dirt, close to the root system, and tried not to damage any of the plants. I found each plant cluster had a closely compact, overlapping, and tangled mass of roots. Every plant had roots that connected, not just one or two other plants; instead, the roots that were tightly wound and woven to many brother and sister plants. The roots were twisted and knotted to the roots of vinca and even to the roots of all manner of weeds. Whether it was ornamental plant or weed, the roots clung ferociously to each other and to the only source of nourishment they had ever known, the soil.

As I uprooted them from their home, I imagined the little plants looking up at me and crying out in distress: "Master, you planted us here with your own hands!! You wanted us to grow and multiply... Look!! We have done just what you wanted of us!! Didn't we grow?? Haven't we multiplied?? Why? oh why, are you taking us away from each other, and away from the soil which has been our faithful source of nourishment? Have we displeased you?"

Far from being displeased, I was thinking of how happy I was with their appearance and growth and how striking they would look as a border. I took effort to be as gentle as possible so I would not damage the plants. Then I carefully untangled the roots and tenderly shook loose the dirt. The roots were so tightly wound together, it would seem that a weed could not possibly have wedged its way into the tightly packed knot of roots. I found I had to gingerly pull out the roots of many weeds; even the vinca roots had worked their way into the monkey grass. I then tore off any dead or damaged leaves, and last, I divided each individual plant from its sibling plants by cutting the section of root that joined one plant to another.

Though I was as gentle as possible, I knew they would suffer a shock from being transplanted; indeed, some would even die from the move.

If I could have, I would have told them that I was separating them to grow again in another plot of dirt, to be a part of a beautiful border in a garden. Each plant would play a central part of the beauty of the garden instead of being totally hidden under the shelter of the vinca plants. I would have assured them that soon they would put their roots into new soil and begin once again to grow and multiply.

Time would pass and they would get over the shock of being transplanted. They would again have many brother and sister plants standing with them. For a time they would seem to stand alone, but they would actually be in a row with other plants of their own kind. They were just being set in another place to be used in a different function. Now, rather than just growing and multiplying where they were sheltered and could not be seen, they would act to lead the human eye in delight to a special area of the garden.

The little plants I dug up reminded me of my own experience of being in a church organization. Like the monkey grass, for years I was cozily hidden in the organization. I had friends. We learned together and were bonded with each other. Although we were nourished, we did not reach our full potential there. We grew, but we grew together and did not spread out. We put down complex, compact roots that held us tightly to the organization and to each other. Our roots wrapped firmly around the nourishment of the truths we held in common, holding us close to friends and family in our little cluster groups.

But the Master Gardener came looking for us and was pleased with our growth and our appearance. We had done what He wanted. Although we had grown and were healthy, He had other plans for us. He wanted to set us out from the cover of the organization.

We had sat there for a long time, feeling comfortable and safely hidden in the organization. Our roots were firmly entrenched, intermingling with the roots or doctrines of those who seemed to be like us. We felt that our roots were so tightly woven together that a weed or a tare could not possibly wedge its way into our tightly packed knot of doctrines. Besides, we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. Were we not growing and multiplying, albeit slowly? We had a solid foundation and firmly rooted doctrine.

Then, suddenly, our foundation was shaken as our roots were dug up, and we were forcibly pulled from the organization. Our knotted and twisted set of beliefs was painfully untangled and critically examined. Then we felt the source of nourishment being stripped from our roots. We examined ourselves. But even then we were not left in peace. We were painfully cut asunder from other brethren, and there were weeds and tares among us!

Then some of our doctrinal beliefs were found to be flawed. They were stripped from us. It seemed so sudden and cruel. We did not see the big picture and we did not know that God was being very gentle and careful with us. To our small minds, it seemed like the end, but it was actually a new start.

Little did we know that we were to be set out in the world on our own-taken away from our familiar friends and planted elsewhere. God dug us out, though we were firmly entrenched. He untangled our roots, separated us from flawed doctrines. He pulled off any dead or damaged parts that those flaws had caused. He gently placed us in other soil where we stood alone. Yet, we found there were others of like mind.

Did we not cry out, "Master, you planted us here with your own hands!! You wanted us to grow and multiply... Look!! We have done just what you wanted of us!! Didn't we grow?? Haven't we multiplied?? Why? Oh, why, are you taking us away from each other, and away from that, which has been our faithful source of nourishment'? Have we displeased you?" Yes, we cried out time and again.

But soon the shock of transplant wore off. Some who were not firmly rooted died. But the rest of us began to take in the nourishment that the Word still provided. At first, we thought we were alone. The big cluster of plants that used to surround us had been all we had ever known. We felt we were stripped of church, family, and friends. But in the loving environment where the Master had placed us, we began to thrive. Like soil and water to a plant, we had the Word and God's Spirit to nourish us. We started to enjoy the space the transplant afforded us. We found our roots were not entangled.

It was a shock to be dug up, to have our roots examined, to lose common ground with friends and family, and to feel we stood alone, but we can take comfort in knowing we have a nurturing place in the Garden. I relish the growth that has taken place since my own transplant. Like a plant, I hope to blossom and bear fragrance and fruit. I know we are still a part of His plan. The Master Gardener chose to move us. He had another purpose in mind for us. Perhaps, like monkey grass leads the eye to a beautiful spot in the garden, we can lead others to Christ by the fragrance of our lives. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing" (2 Corinthians 2:15).

Become a More Productive Christian

Which group do you fit into? Hopefully, it is the first instead of the other two.

Just about everyone who accepts the Christian way of life begins with an eagerness to make good things happen in his life. He wants to fill every hour performing good works, studying the Bible, praying, and doing all the things God's Word tells him to do. The new Christian's zeal impels him to be a participant-not an observer. But somewhere along the way-and it happens to all of us the Christian gets bogged down in the routine of daily living.

It is not as though he or she has made a conscious decision to slow down spiritual progress. The Christian typically just drifts into a state of lethargy or inactivity. He either falls into a pattern of doing what is most demanding of his attention at the time or he lets things pile up to the point where he is overwhelmed. And let's face it. God is not at our elbows demanding that we put Him first. He allows us to make choices about what we do with our time. So all too often, the Christian lets the most important spiritual things slide, while the less important physical things demanded by those around him occupy his time.

The Christian life is one of challenge and response. The challenge comes from the entanglements and temptations of the world. The response God requires is good works despite these pulls on our human nature. If we are not productive-if we do not bear fruit-we will not be able to share in the world to come!

Does this sound too strong? If so, then note that Christ described how He was the vine, producing fruit accepting to God in His personal life and in that of every one of His followers (John 15:2). This verse is both a warning and an incentive for us to be productive!

But merely understanding that there is a need for spiritual progress is not enough. Like any other act involving faith, it requires action. Living a life which epitomizes taking the route of least resistance is not pleasing to God. He expects His people to bear fruit daily. Here are several basic principles that will help you become a more productive Christian who can make things happen.

Pick up any kind of magazine, whether it's Reader's Digest or a professional journal, and chances are that you will find an article about how to get more done. Many best-selling books describe how to make room in (III- lives for the things that we would like to accomplish.

Many people don't seem to know how to make productive use of their days. Their most common Complaint is: "I just don't have the time." They feel harried and frustrated. They want to devote more time to worthwhile projects, but they're swamped with other tasks that need their attention.

We have all experienced this seeming lack of control over our lives, where the demands of our job and other activities seem to take precedence over everything else.

But let's take it one step further and look at it from the perspective of Christian living. How often have we been so absorbed in mundane tasks that we haven't studied the Bible every day'? How often do we find ourselves unprepared for the Sabbath'? How often are we so involved in tile affairs and cares of this life-working towards a promotion, hauling the kid to soccer or dance class - that we have no time left over to do good works, such as visiting tile widows in the church or helping, someone with a problem'?

As the Creator of time, God is also its Master. Although to Him a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day, God is very concerned about how we manage the time allotted to us. He set aside one day as holy and said that we could use the remaining six for our own pursuits. In addition, God claims our time for the annual holy days. Right away, then, we have a framework for managing our time.

Apart from those sanctified days, we have free use of' all the other days of the year. It is this large block of unstructured time that Christians have the most trouble controlling. Part of the problem stems from the common rationalization that no one ever has enough time. The reality is that even with the limitations of job and family, we can always make a place in our lives for the things we truly want or need to do. Yes, our days are numbered, our supply of time is inelastic-but we do have the ability to exercise control over each 24-hour interval.

The apostle Paul recognized that first-century Christians were living in a perilous time. In his epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, he urged them to walk circumspectly and to "redeem" the time-to buy up the opportunities that it represented in their lives. The Modem Language Version puts it more clearly: "See to it, therefore, that you conduct yourselves carefully, not as foolish but as wise people, who make the best possible use of their time, because these are evil days" (Eph.. 5:15).

How much more do we, who live in these "last days," need to make sure that each day is profitably spent'? Time is running out on us, perhaps more so than in any other generation of mankind. Time we misuse or waste cannot be replaced. Each passing day, in fact, brings the end of this age that much closer for us. If we don't use our available time in service and dedication to God and His people, we may one day find that it is too late to reap much of a reward in the Kingdom.

Paul explains this concept more fully in I Corinthians 3:13-15. The Christian life is compared to a building, which has been laid on the foundation of Christ, but built up with the equivalents of precious metals, or other materials. The day of reckoning will test the durability of these substances: "Of whatever quality, the fire will test it ... In case one's work is burned down, he will be the loser, though he himself will be saved, yet only as passing through the fire" (Modern Language Version).

It boils down to a very simple premise: Time cannot be managed wisely if we don't set priorities for ourselves. We have to determine which tasks are most important to us. By default, we often decide that mundane tasks take on more importance than spiritual ones.

The account of Martha and Mary gives a clear guideline on how to establish priorities. Like any good homemaker, Martha was scurrying about tending to her guests. Mary, in the meantime, had slipped away to listen to Christ. When the overburdened Martha pointed out to Christ that Mary should have been helping her, He gently let her know that she should have followed Mary's example (Luke 10:38-42). Spiritual tasks come first; physical tasks come in second-even when they involve serving someone as special as Christ and His disciples. It is better to leave the dishes unwashed for a while than to choose washing dishes over studying the Bible.

Love itself, the ultimate expression of Christianity, has its priorities. First, we must love God, and then love our fellow man. This does not mean that we cease loving our neighbor while we love God. It is simply a question of having right priorities.

Let's look at a common example found in the church. In a family, tile husband cannot expect the wife to do all the chores while he hides in the bedroom reading the latest church literature. He cannot expect her to make breakfast and get the children and herself ready for services so he can have a relaxing, undisturbed morning to pray and study. He would be putting her in the role of a Martha without giving her an opportunity to set some priorities for herself.

Once we set our priorities, then we can start fulfilling the goals and tasks that we know are most important. There are only two things that stop people at this stage.

One of them is either a lack of planning or planning that does not take God into account. We need to consider what steps we must take in accordance with God's will. "A man's mind plans his road, but the Lord directs his steps (Prov. 16:9; Modem Language Version). God grants us the freedom to plan as a prod to action. "Roll your work onto the Lord and your plans will be achieved" (verse 2 of the same chapter). It's hard to get from point A to point B without some type of plan.

Another reason that goals never get translated into reality is personal disorganization. We have all seen people who can't get their act together. They arrive late at church. They are unprepared for the group Bible study. They show up at a work party without the proper tools.

Personal disorganization causes time delays and frustrations. It not only affects the individual who is disorganized, it imposes hardships on those who rely on him to help accomplish a task.

Personal disorganization is frequently the result of a lack of purpose or a lackadaisical attitude. Yet the Bible teaches us to do things heartily, as if we were doing them unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). Would you show up unprepared for a meeting with Christ? Would you cause Him to wait around while you looked for your Bible? Surely, no one would want to waste our Lord's valuable time! Personal organization brings immediate benefits to everyone. It gives us an edge in this world of chaos and confusion and makes life a little easier for all we try to serve.

Is God organized? Does He plan in advance? Absolutely! God is not the author of disorder or confusion (I Cor. 14:33). Purposeless activity and senseless commotion are the antithesis of His divine nature.

Sometimes people have no problem in establishing the right priorities and making plans on what they need to accomplish. But they fall into another common trap: postponing good works. It is natural to want to take the easy route and to decide that an important goal can wait. Yet Christianity cannot be put on hold. It has to be exercised or the Spirit can be quenched. The old adage of never putting off until tomorrow what you can do today is an enduring piece of folk wisdom applicable to any aspect of human living.

The apostle Paul warned the Hebrews not to become spiritually sluggish or dull, but to have a sense of urgency (Heb. 6:12). He wanted them to be diligent in their approach to life, to be spurred on by the example of other Christians. He saw Christians as people whose zeal did not flag and whose interest did not slacken (Rom. 12:11) and who did not put off good works until another day.

As a Being who never slumbers and never sleeps, God is capable of sustained activity. His throne is a hub of purposeful activity; in fact, we cannot fathom the degree of planning, decision-making, and actions that are being carried out in His celestial throne. And while Christians cannot operate on God's level, we can develop a bias for action. This means engineering highly productive days, both physically and spiritually.

Merely listening to or acknowledging the Word of God in Sabbath services is not enough. We have to be diligent doers of the law every day. When we don't do as much as we could, then we feel guilty. We know we are not being zealous for the Lord.

Christianity requires an investment in our time, thoughts, talents, and behavior. By investing each one wisely and productively, we can become more pleasing to our Creator as we build up for ourselves a better reward in the world to come.

I Can See Clearly Now

As I look out over the Florida horizon, I see the sun setting, dipping its last burst of light into the Gulf of Mexico. The Sabbath has begun and there is a sense of relief for me-a pausing, a moment of reflection. The sky has been teasing the landscape for the last few hours, threatening rain. The dark clouds have done their dance but only a few drops of moisture have escaped. As this scene plays out before my eyes, I hear the humming of a song and the words come to me: "I can see clearly now; the rain is gone. I can see all of the obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It's going to be a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day."

Even though the sun has set, when I think about the greatness of God, the thought imbues me with the warmth and brightness of a sunshiny day. As my reflection continues, I think about a special generation, which to me is also a unique generation.

Why is this generation unique? It is, I think, because it is still relatively undefined. It is not the Baby Boomers and it is not generation X. I would say, if any label were to be attached to this group, it would be Thirty-Something's. In reality, I have observed many young adults-from those in high school to those many years past age 30-who in some ways reflect the thoughts of this Something generation. The generational mindset is found among those who may have grown up in one of the Churches of God, as well as in society in general.

This generation has seen the example of fallen and fallible leadership. This generation has questioned, for very good reason, the leadership and asked why? The leadership has and continues to let this generation down. This generation has seen person after person claim to lead in liberty and/or faith and predictably their leadership has failed.

So what does this generation do now? The problem is rather simply defined, with the solution transcending generations. Whether you are a Boomer or X'er or a Something, there is one solution. It's imperative for those who understand this solution to live it and to teach it. Making this solution a part of every fiber of their being must become the goal.

The young adults and Thirty-Something's have an opportunity to apply the solution. Now is the time.

But wait. Where have the Something's gone? As I look around in the various ekklesias, I don't see them. For many good reasons they are not fellowshipping with the body of Christ. I do have confidence that in many cases they believe and understand the Word of God. I personally remember a large number who are no longer in contact with a body of believers. As a group, they clearly saw and defined a problem. They took a course of action.

Yet when problem and solution are defined prayerfully, the path will lead them to a proper conclusion. This group now has a tremendous responsibility on its shoulders. They are now the fathers and mothers of yet another generation. In their minds they feel the heat. They know they are to properly raise their children in a Christ-centered home. They, as a whole, want to fellowship with an ekklesia. But they can't-or at least, they won't right now.

Why not? For years the leadership taught them to focus on the source. The source was defined as the church, which had established the government of God on this earth. This group of Something's, as youth, observed this government and saw the fallacies and fallibility of this source. These Something's, as a whole, to use a common phrase, just said "No." What was being taught at church did not square with the Scriptures and simply didn't feel right to them.

But there is good news in all of this. After all, if it is the Gospel we are trying to understand, it has to be good news. It cannot be bad by definition. All that is good comes from God and Jesus Christ. The Gospel is from and about them and the soon-coming establishment of God's Kingdom on this earth and therefore it must be good.

This generation has a larger responsibility than preceding generations. Along with following God's way, it must explain and teach the next generation never to let what happened to them occur again.

The solution is our foundation and source. If we build our foundation on sand, the building will collapse-indeed, it already has. There are many who continue to try to sandbag the collapsed building, but it won't work!

If this generation builds its foundation on the Rock, the building will never collapse. Simply put, if an individual builds his belief system on the one true Rock, Jesus Christ, his temple will never collapse. Jesus Christ will never leave us nor forsake us. That is a promise.

So how do we as Something's accomplish this in our daily lives'? First, if one puts Jesus Christ and God the Father as the source, all other issues become strictly support issues. It has been said that water cannot rise above the level of its source. If the source is an individual or an organization, the Christian will only rise to that source and fall with that source. If the source is Jesus Christ, the Christian's potential is unlimited, held back only by an unwillingness to submit to Him in all areas.

Salvation is ours. It is a free gift and the fruits of this gift are good works. Without those good works, we show that we have not accepted Christ's gift of salvation.

Now that we have seen the past and defined the problem, the solution is a one-on-one personal and direct relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. What do we Something's do as we try to rear children within a Christian community (an ekklesia)? We should fellowship with like believers, whose source is God the Father through Jesus Christ.

Yet this quest for fellowship can be hindered because man inherently wants to rule other men. Man wants to incorrectly point to Scriptures that say, "Obey those who rule over you." When we honestly read that Scripture, we will understand that it says to be persuaded by those who are lovingly leading you. All of the Scriptures square with each other. There is only one whom we must obey and that is God the Father through Jesus Christ.

That must be the foundation of any ministry. If it is not, the ministry will crumble and the Something's will experience, again, the heartbreak and the tragedy of a wrong source. We have experienced it once. Now let's learn, as a generation, from history, and not repeat our mistake. Let's also consider, as new ekklesias and Christian communities are established, the proper relationship that we should have with teachers.

We at United Christian Ministries, a ministry of grace and truth, are united through the Spirit of God. The name shows our dedication to uniting Christian ministries. Then, what is a Christian ministry? Since ministry means service, every individual has his or her own personal ministry. We, as individuals, are to serve. It could be as a mother, father, brother or sister. It can be in prayer or in song. It is both physical and spiritual. It is the expression of the Gift of God's Holy Spirit within us.

One area of service is teaching. We used to call teachers, incorrectly, the ministry. They are correctly only a part of ministry. Ministry also includes the widow's prayer, the widow's mite, or the offering to a friend, a cold cup of water on a hot dusty summer day (all important, all a part of service, all a ministry). As Christ clearly asked, Where have you served me or ministered to me? (Matt. 25: 34-40)

We have focused, in the past, on these teachers, who are indeed an important part of any ekklesia. Rightfully, they should be a focus for instruction and understanding, but they are not the source. God the Father and Jesus Christ are the source. If we establish that premise in our understanding, everyone and everything will have its proper place.

The gifts of teaching, as well as other gifts, are tools to be used in our Christian walk and we should keep all of them in their proper perspective. The generation of Something's should understand this better than anyone. If our source is God the Father through Jesus Christ and those who are sharing the gifts of the spirit are tools in helping us in our Christian walk, we won't fail. A tool or two might break; a teacher or two might fail; but we will not fall! Our source will not fall us. We can and will replace the tools, as they get older or simply break.

As our true Shepherd, Jesus Christ will always be there for us. Those who are ministers are like sheep dogs. They help the flock go in the right direction only as they follow the shepherd.

How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity-Uniting Christian Ministries. If we keep Jesus Christ as our source, the worship and beliefs of others are issues between them and God. God is undeniably capable of correcting our or their misunderstanding. God is Love. Every fiber of His being is love. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for us.

Contemplate that! In God's loving kindness, He will be merciful to us. In His loving kindness He will assist us in understanding. Those who have God's Holy Spirit will be unified. They will be ministering. Will we all be worshipping in the same physical building? Probably we will not. There are many methods of worship. God knows which ones are good and proper and that's His business; that's His judgment. Our responsibility is one of service, one of ministering.

It's time for the generation of Something's to learn from the past and correctly apply the solution into our Christian ekklesia. We should never allow our focus to ever leave the one true source God the Father through Jesus Christ. The baton is being passed to the Something generation, of which I am a part.

I pray that the group of Something's-a group of special young people-will stand for what they have been given by our Great God (an understanding that only experience can give). I know, personally, a group of such young people. To me they were special because I grew up with them. I have a feeling they may be representative of every group of now the Something's generation that exists throughout this world. They were special to me as they experienced with me, some of the most important times in my life. Some are now married with children. I pray that they can appreciate the Gospel, the good news that our experiences have helped us to understand. I pray that they not throw it all away..

Now the sun has totally dipped into the horizon. I sit here with the words still running through my mind: "I Can See Clearly Now." I reflect on Revelation 21:23, where the Bible teaches us about the New Jerusalem. "And the city has no need of sunshine or of the moon to shine in it for the Glory of God illuminated it and the lamb is its light."

What's The Use? - A Refrain of Youth

Many years ago when I was in college, I was fascinated with end-time prophecy. Back then the world seemed like it was on the verge of the tribulation. The more I studied world history, economics, and politics, the more I was convinced that within a year or two, the world would end-just in time for me to graduate.

As I recall, one of the hardest things for me to do back then was to study for a test. I had a hard enough time motivating myself to study without that lazy goof-off little voice inside my head whispering, "What's the use?" "Go get a beer!" it would then scream. My attitude was quite a contrast with the attitude toward life exhibited by Nelson Mandela, who as a young man reportedly studied for his bar exam the night before he was to be hanged.

Of course, logic would counter as to how foolish I would look if I were wrong. Not only would I look stupid, I would actually be stupid if I let the would-be bum inside me compel me to be a dropout. "Fat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we shall all be dead," it repeated, as I weighed the hedonistic pleasures of the moment (beer and TV) against the scenarios of either premature death or sleeping on a sewage grate, if I lived. The first Polish pope, time cycles, market crash of '87, German reunification were all points in history that made me wonder about the possibility of enjoying a decent future or meaningful life.

While the typical young American these days may be carefree or irresponsible, the typical young person in the Church is usually more mature and serious. The Church did not mean to indoctrinate these young minds with a depressing outlook on life. But after years of weekly Sabbath services and Feast sermons, a negative outlook was a natural consequence. With one out of every four or five sermons dealing with world events, adults did not seem to realize that young minds were listening and drinking it all in. They only saw children lying on the floor scribbling with paper and crayons.

I remember actually being jealous of people older than I. I would think, "Lucky you, you have lived your life. Even if you die at 40, you've had more of a life than I have had, if things blow up."

But in spite of all these things, I studied, graduated with good grades, avoided the sewer grate, and moderated my intake of beer. I eschewed hedonism and got on with life. Now here it is nearly 20 years later and I am glad I chose life over defeatism. The Kingdom is not for people with defeatist attitudes.

The odds are good that young people in the Church will make it just fine in life.

The thing to remember is that virtually every generation has thought that theirs may be the last-sometimes with good reason. How would you have liked to have been a young person when 500,000 men died between 1861 and 1865, or when a powerful Germany headed by one who MUST HAVE been the anti-Christ, got within a hair of world domination in 1939 to 1943? Or when the plague virtually wiped out the population of medieval Europe? Plagues are Biblical you know.

Some of the greatest examples of mass hysteria in world history supposedly occurred as Europe approached the year 1000. Prophets of doom were everywhere.

In his book, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness Of Crowds, Charles Mace recounts several other historical periods of mass hysteria. This book, originally published in 1841, is a classic among students of the financial markets. One of the most amazing examples it details is the tulip-mania phenomenon of 1624. During this "madness of crowds," the value of tulip bulbs in Holland was greater than that of gold.

The lesson for today is simple. We should not get caught up in the mass hysteria that is very likely to get worse as we approach the new millennium.

But if you do feel immobilized by apprehension, Christian fatalism is one approach to life you can try to cultivate. The biblical term for this approach to life is having faith or trusting God. Though easier said than done, it is actually what Jesus was teaching the people in the Sermon on the Mount (Mathew 6:25-34).

It would be helpful to you if you would read these verses at least once a day-preferably in the morning. Better yet, you can write these verses out on a 3x5 card and carry the card in your purse or wallet.

The key here is faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10: 17). In other words: read the 3x5 card often.

A number of years ago there was a popular song called Don't Worry, Be Happy. Now there is a book titled Don't Worry, Make Money. Rather than allowing yourself to be tempted by apathy on the one hand or greed on the other, how about this mental refrain: Don't worry, be happy, trust God?

The bottom line is that the events foretold in the Bible are going to happen when they are supposed to happen (when God wants them to), and your worrying isn't going to have an iota of influence on them. Pray if you want, but don't worry or fret. And don't let your praying work you up into a pessimistic lather. Read the card.

Remember, God knows your needs before you even ask Him (Mathew 6:8) and He has your best interests at heart. If you ask for bread, He is not going to give you a stone (Matthew 7:9). A good father always does what's best for his children. It is only natural that He will do the same for us. God is like any human father except infinitely better since He is perfect.

If it so happens that this is the last generation, then God Himself has decided that it is time to put an end to this sin-sick age. So stop fretting about the future (as if you could). He says He will make a way of escape for you, if you are unable to bear it.

The Bible is full of admonitions against people not doing their best because they think Christ has delayed His return. Would not those same warnings apply to those who do not do their best because they think He is coming "too soon'? You don't have to be one of those who flee to the underground bunkers with dried food to be considered one who has been flaked out of life. You may just be one who doesn't prepare to live life in any way.

But you cannot only prepare to live life; you can prepare to live your life for God. He not only wants you to have life but to have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He wants to give that blessing to you!

Young people, don't be paralyzed with fear or defeatism. Step up to the challenge! LIVE!

I heard former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holts read this poem at a conference I attended. It was written by one of his ballplayers while the team visited an old cemetery in Ireland.

I have seen death stare at me with its own eyes the way
many cannot know.
I have seen death take a lot of other people and left me
here below.
I've heard many a mother's cries but death refused to
hear-and in my life
I've seen a lot of faces filled with many tears.
After death has come and gone, a tombstone sits for many
to see-but it's no
more than a symbol of a person's memory.
Under the person's name there is the date of birth-dash-and the
day the person passed.
The more I think about the tombstone, the only important
thing is the dash.
Yes, I see the name of the person-but that I might forget.
I read the date of birth and death-but even that might not
stick.
But thinking about the person , I can't help but to think
about the dash.
'Cause that represents a person's life and that memory will
always last.
So when you begin the journey of life-make sure you're
on a positive path.
'Cause people may forget your birth and death-but
they'll never forget your dash.

True Justice, True Salvation, True Worship

The Great and loving God has a masterful plan that has already been accomplished to save mankind from certain eternal death. The entirety of the Holy Scriptures addresses, in some form or another, the plan of salvation. God used many individuals in the Bible to address the plan of salvation, one of whom is the well-known apostle named Paul. Paul was converted through extraordinary means. He was struck blind, so that through his temporary human blindness lie could see his spiritual blindness.

The loving hand of God was directly intervening in the life of Paul to reveal spiritual truth which has now been shared with generations of Christians through Scripture-the Word of God. Prior to his conversion, Paul was spiritually blind and persecuted God's people. Immediately after conversion, he preached the true and living Christ and salvation through righteousness by faith in Christ.

Later Paul wrote a very important letter to the Romans expounding all the wonderful truths of the gospel. In Romans 1: 11, Paul indicated that he desired to impart to them a spiritual gift so that they might be established in Christ. Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for that Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.

The way Paul approached the Roman mentality is quite interesting. The Romans viewed themselves as first-class citizens in a powerful empire. They were almost never crucified because crucifixion brought shame to their Country and to their nation. In their pride, the Romans looked at Jews as second-class citizens, while Christians, who worshipped a crucified Savior, were seen as third-class citizens.

In light of this mentality, Paul said, "I am not ashamed of this Gospel because it is the power of God. Rome, with all her pride and all her success, had failed to conquer sin." Paul said there is only one power that can conquer sin and that is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Man must accept that salvation and believe. There is only one solution for man's sinfulness and that is Jesus Christ.

Paul preached and taught this Gospel message without shame. In Romans 1: 17, he shows that righteousness is a righteousness planned by God, prepared by God, and made available by God.

The world had been desperately waiting for this message. Instead of a promise of a new age by a Roman emperor, the Gospel was the unconditional good news of salvation, which God prepared for all mankind in His Son Jesus Christ, who came to redeem humanity.

Now, many centuries later, everything we need to understand about the plan of salvation is found in Paul's epistle to the Romans. A wonderful study into this letter has been provided by United Christian Ministries through the taped Bible Study entitled The Romans Series, available by request.

In many ways, we are like those ancient Romans. We need to be made powerfully aware of some important spiritual truths.

No matter how spiritual we consider ourselves, we cannot produce works of righteousness on our own; those works can only be done by Christ living in us. Thus salvation is not dependent upon our righteousness; instead, salvation is dependent upon our accepting Christ and our being in Him. This truth will always prevail above others: namely, that Jesus Christ is our righteousness.

God has already redeemed, not just the elect, as some have taught, but all of mankind who accepts His free gift of justification. Legally, all of mankind stands justified in Christ.

Today we live in a world where the concept of a just and honorable ruler is hard to conceive. Yet the fact that humanity has failed in this respect should not dim the proper view of a holy, righteous and just God who is also the Ruler over His creation.

God has a law and a penal for breaking that law. Simply sweeping the law of God under the rug and saying it does not apply is not a proper understanding of the tremendously just God whom we worship. His plan of salvation includes properly dealing with mankind for breaking His holy, pure and beautiful law.

Many churches today misunderstand that God did not do away with the law or the penalty of the law to bring mankind to salvation; that would not be justice. The great and loving God required the death of a pure and unblemished lamb to bring about justice. The pure and beautiful Lamb was His own Son-Jesus Christ.

True Christians then take part in that great sacrifice by dying in Christ, which allows true and honorable justice to be fulfilled. The true Christian experiences a complete and total sacrifice of all his past. He is washed and cleansed in Christ and rises to a total newness of life. The Christian then becomes part of the unconditional good news of the Gospel. The believer who accepts Christ is clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ, a process which is known as imputed righteousness. This is the basis of true peace and the true worship of a loving and wonderful God.

This justification by faith permits us to be partakers of the divine nature of God. We must escape the corruption that is in the world. The corruption in the world is in us because our nature is corrupt. We will remain corrupt until the Second Coming of Christ, when this corruption puts on incorruption. The Holy Spirit helps us to overcome corruption so that we can live righteous lives. We can live lives that are pleasing to God because of the Holy Spirit. That is the power of justification by faith.

If we have received this justification by faith, we have actually accepted Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God is in us; therefore, we will bear fruit (Matthew 5). We are many but we comprise that one light, who is Jesus Christ. His body, the ekklesia, and the called ones are here to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:16).

Only through justification by faith can we be redeemed. Justification by faith is able to produce a company of believers, a called people knit together in love with one heart and one mind. The gospel of Christ can do that. When this happens, this earth will shine with His glory.

True Christians are so blessed to have a God who provides confidence and assurance. We live in a troublesome time when honesty, justice and righteousness are scarce; however, we must stay focused on what is truly honest, pure, and just.

Mankind has been offered a real and true salvation through our Savior - Jesus Christ. Let us all be grateful that every day we may enter before our honest, pure and just God to thank, worship and glorify Him for such a great salvation.

Redeeming the Time

God spoke to a Christian and said, "I want you to change the world." The Christian was overwhelmed with this command. It was simply too much to handle.

"How can I change the world?" the Christian asked. "I don't have the education. I do not have the power. I do not have the experience. I wouldn't even know where or how to start."

Over the years, I have heard many sermons about redeeming the time. Without fail, they have always centered on spending more time in prayer and Bible study. Not that prayer and Bible study are bad, but in the past few years, I have grown to understand that there is more to Christianity. Prayer and Bible study are religious activities. They may or may not be Christian, depending on other factors. Consider Mark 7:6-8: "He said to them, Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."

Add verses 21-23 for a clearer understanding: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'

It is quite obvious that one can partake of religious activities and yet not be pleasing to God. If there is more to Christianity than religious activity such as worshipping, prophesying, casting out demons, and doing deeds of power, then there also has to be more to redeeming our time than those activities. Is it possible that there are things that we have been neglecting? I think so. I firmly believe that the imaginary conversation used to start this article carries more truth than fiction. I believe that as Christians we do indeed have a responsibility to change the world-and if not the whole world, at least that little comer that we occupy.

What are we doing to change ourselves? In Matthew 7:5 we are told to take the log out of our eye so we can see to take the speck out of our neighbor’s eye. We must change first. If what we have changed into is desirable, others will follow our example and we will be changing the world.

It is not entirely our own fault that we are not changing ourselves. In the congregations that I attended, only one college was accepted as having any real value. Secular education was frequently referred to evil and "of the world." Although I graduated with honors from one of the finest universities in the Midwest, it was considered of no value. I never heard a sermon encouraging the congregation to get more education or training to improve themselves. If it did not come from the Bible, we did not need it. Books on self-improvement were condemned as putting too much emphasis on self and ignoring the fact that we cannot do anything on our own. Having dreams or friends outside the church was wrong. Everything centered around the church.

I can no longer accept these premises. I believe we should get the best education we can. I believe we should be interacting with others. I believe we should dream, as long as it is not just idle daydreaming. In fact, I believe that God intends for man to dream and then to work to make those dreams come true, as long as they are consistent with Christian values. Is not eternal life with God the Father, and Christ our brother the most fantastic dream one could ever have? Yet, to many, that dream lacks vitality. Is it possible that so many dreams have been stolen through discouragement and ridicule that we have trouble imagining anything other than the life we have settled for and have accepted as "the will of God for us"?

Properly redeeming our time must include improving ourselves. The proper kind of dream is part of that process. If we can't dream, visualize, and believe, nothing will happen. Becoming better Bible scholars without becoming better people is simply not enough.

Man was intended to dream. It is the ability to dream that has taken us to the moon, given us computers, automobiles, microwave ovens, CD players, and a million other things. It is not intended that Christians give up their dreams, rather that we follow a few rules of our own. Our primary dream is to be in the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33). Since the purpose of a Christian is to serve others and to be a light to the world, our dreams should in some way enhance our ability to achieve that purpose. Dreams must be pursued following Christian principles. Becoming better providers, better leaders, better parents, better spouses, better listeners, better communicators etc. would certainly be proper for Christians.

As Christians, we represent God to the rest of the world. Daniel represented God, yet was trained in the educational system of his day. In Matthew 25, the parable of the talents shows Christ rewarding those who bettered themselves and condemning that man who only held onto what he had. The same thing occurred in the parable of the pounds in Luke 6, where rulership over cities was the reward. Those who improved were rewarded with rulership. He who only held onto and tried to protect what he had ultimately lost everything.

What about the pursuit of money? Many people appear to have money as their goal. Many of us may talk in terms of earning six figure incomes, becoming millionaires, etc., but in most cases, it is not the money itself that we want, but what we can do with it. It is not a sin to have money or to increase one's earning power. Money in the hands of good people is the power to do good. Money in the hands of evil people is the power to do evil. It is not wrong to want to provide a better home for your family, to have money to educate your children, or to be able to help a worthwhile ministry, etc. It is wrong to want money to be able to manipulate people, to have power, or to rely on it instead of relying on God.

To illustrate this point, let's take a look at the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. This was used by Christ to demonstrate an example of true Christianity. Look closely at what the Good Samaritan did. He not only bound the wound and took the man to safety; he also used part of his wealth to provide for the care of the man until he got better. Could he have had money to provide for the care of the victim if he was barely able to provide for his own family? Obviously, the man was successful. Who sets the better example for Christianity-the successful person with sufficient income to help others, or the person who lives from one paycheck to the next? Who sets the better example-the person with the education and training to deal with people, or the person who has trouble communicating with others? Who sets the better example-the person who has learned how to help and encourage others, or the person who must constantly be reminded of the right way to treat others? I could go on, but hopefully you get the point.

We do need to redeem our time. We need to take a good look at how we are using our time and make sure we are putting it to good use. There is nothing wrong with a little TV, but has a little turned into hours per day? There is nothing wrong with a nice game of golf, but does your caddie see more of you than your spouse and children? Redeeming our time means putting it back into balance. Proper time is time with God (prayer and Bible study), time with our families, time serving others (and NOT just those in your own fellowship), proper time in recreation, and time improving ourselves. The latter can best be done while pursuing our dreams, because our effort will be more focused toward the goals we have.

Just remember one last tidbit of wisdom picked up from a couple of the most effective motivators in our country today: The most important thing is not achieving the goal; it is what we become in pursuit of the goal. Pursuit of a worthwhile goal, following Christian principles and exercising proper balance, is a very effective way to reflect the glory of God. It is also an excellent way to redeem our time.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is at the cornerstone of God's love for us. When we say that God loves us unconditionally, we also must accept the fact that He forgives us in the same way unconditionally. This means that no matter who you are or where life has taken you, God loves you and He is willing to forgive all of your sins.

Do you need to know that you are forgiven and loved by the Lord? He tells us in His Word that when we seek Him, we will find Him (I Chronicles 28:9). Think of some the people who came to the Lord: Nicodemus came to Jesus at night in search of truth and hope. The woman at the well came seeking water that would quench her thirst, and she was never thirsty again after meeting the Savior.

The blind beggar and the lame man both sought the Lord. They longed to know that their lives could be healed. Through Jesus Christ, they received much more than physical healing. They received an eternal healing and cleansing that washed away every transgression they had committed against God and man.

There are countless stories in the Bible of people whose lives were eternally changed through an encounter with the Son of God. Psychologists tell us that one of the great maladies of our time is guilt. Real or imagined, guilt can discolor the way we view life and the way we see God. Many who struggle with feelings of guilt cannot imagine how God could love them. These people hide emotionally and physically, fearing others will discover what they have done or where their lives have been.

If this reminds you of yourself, there is no need for you to hide any longer. You have a Savior who loves you with an unconditional love. This does not mean that He ignores sin. What it does mean is that God loves you in spite of your sin, and when you come to Him, He receives you unconditionally. He accepts you just the way you are, but He does not leave you this way-lost in a dark and sinful state. He takes your life and begins to mold something beautiful out of it.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God says, "For I know the plans that I have for you ... plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."

The first step toward forgiveness is to ask God to forgive your sins. I John 1:9 tells us that when you ask Him to forgive you, He does. The second step in forgiveness is to accept the fact that God loves you. God's love is not based on anything that you do or do not do. It is unconditional. This means that the only way to enjoy the love of God is to accept it as His gift of grace toward you. Working to be good or better before you come to God is a waste of time.

Parables Offer More Than Just Gifts

When the subject of the parable of the talents or parable of the pounds is mentioned, what is one of the first things that comes to your mind? If you arc like most, the answer is that the speaker is going to talk about the gifts that God gives and then expects us to use. While this idea or interpretation is valid, could there be additional meanings to these parables? Could there be more to these two parables than we have understood in the past?

Some commentaries say the parables of the talents and the pounds represent gifts that we have been given. Others say these parables refer to money and our handling of money. Yet there is another meaning that can also be ascertained from these parables from the scriptures.

Looking at Matt. 25:14, the parable of the talents, and Luke 19:12 the parable of the pounds, we see a striking resemblance. These two parables are not the same, but are similar in structure:

1) A man goes away to a distant country, committing something to all of his servants to use while he is gone.

2) Two of the servants increased what was given them, and one failed to even try to use what had been given him,

3) The two who increased what had initially been given them were given positions of authority (rulership) at the master's return

4) The ones who did not use what was initially given them had what was given taken away and, therefore received a just reward for their noncompliance.

Asking these three questions will hopefully stimulate our thoughts as we examine these parables.

* Could using (or not using) gifts be the end result, and not the focal point of the parables?

Could it be that they already understood what Christ was telling the crowds? If so, when and where did Christ explain the meaning of these parables? As a starting point, we need to look at another parable that was told to the disciples. Let's examine the parable of the sower.

The disciples asked Christ two questions in Matthew 13:10, Mark 4:10 and Luke 8:9, (harmonized account): (1) Why He spoke to the crowd in parables, and (2) the meaning of the parable of the sower which they had just heard. Christ immediately tells them, "Unto you it is given to KNOW the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not UNDERSTAND." Christ in Mark 4:13 asks His disciples two questions of His own: "Know you not this parable'? And how then will you know all parables?"

These are important keys in analyzing this parable! This is where the disciples were shown the meaning of what was given and increased, as well as what was taken away in the parable that they had heard. The disciples were to be given more information concerning this parable than others who had also heard what Christ had said. This extra information allowed the disciples to go beyond knowing (hearing and seeing) the parable and toward further understanding or comprehending the parable.

For example, you may know that an aircraft can fly, Yet You may not understand the principle by which it flies. People may know that the commandments are the Word of God and should be kept, yet not understand how to keep His commandments. To understand a subject, we must gather more information about it than what is required to just know about it.

The eunuch in Acts 8:27-31 had this problem. He could read Isaiah (knowing what it said) but could not understand it without more help or input from another source, which in this case was Philip.

The same is true in these parables. The Greek word for "know" in the parable of the sower is ginosko (#1097 Strong's throughout) and can mean to perceive, be sure, understand, have knowledge, etc. The Greek for "understand" is suniemi (# 4920), which means to put together as in comprehending, to consider, understand, or be wise.

By now, you probably figured out that I am not talking about gifts, but being given and using understanding. Understanding involves more than just knowledge. It is the sum of knowledge added to comprehension.

Turning to Mark 4, we find Christ expounding the parable of the Sower and later explaining it to His disciples when they were alone (verse 10). We see in verse 2 that Christ taught the crowd and disciples many things by parable at this setting. However, notice in verse 13 that this parable is the key to understanding other parables (as mentioned earlier).

If we examine the parable of the sower, we see that the seed fell on four different areas of ground-the wayside, stony ground, among thorns, and on good ground.

In verses 11 and 12 we see Christ saying to His disciples: "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things arc done in parables:

"That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand test at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them,"

This passage plainly shows that knowing the parable or about the parable is not enough without guidance.

All four groups listed hear the word, but only two receive it (verses 16-20). The Greek meaning in these two verses for the word "receive" is different, although it has been translated as the same word. The word "receive" in verse 16 (stony ground) is lambano (#2983), which means to take beginning, to prove anything, to make trial of, or to experience.

An analogy might be trying a new car to see if you like it. The color is right. The name is right, but the ride just was not good enough. On the other hand, maybe you bought a new car and you are really happy with it. As time goes on, it becomes just another old car and the newness is gone. This seems to be the case with the stony ground. To some people, God's ways look good at first, but then the newness or intrigue wears off since a commitment is required.

The word "receive" in verse 20 (good ground) is a different Greek word with a different meaning. It is stronger in resolution and direction. It is paradechomai (#3858) and means to admit, i.e., not to reject, to accept, or to receive. Receive relays the feeling of conviction and steadfastness like an anchored ship. A commitment is required; therefore, it is something that will not easily succumb to pressures.

It is interesting to note that of the two groups that not only hear the word but receive it as well, only one remains faithful and increases. In other words, about half, the exact same amount as found in the parable of the 10 virgins.

Remember the five "wise virgins" of Matthew 25? What do you think caused them to be wise?

Both groups hear or understand (Strong's #191) the word. Both receive the word, but those in the "good ground" exercised and strengthened their understanding and allowed it to take root. If Christ is indeed talking about having and using understanding in these parables, then verses 21 and 22 tell us that we are to use it for revelation. Verse 23 tells us if we have ears to hear with, let us hear or understand.

Verses 24 and 25 bring us to why the disciples did not have to ask Christ to explain the parable of the pounds or talents.

"Take heed what you hear: [or understand] with what measure ye mete, [or the amount you use] it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear [understand] shall more be given.

"For he that bath, to him shall more be given: and he that bath not, from him shall be taken even that which lie bath" (Compare with Matt. 25:29, parable of the talents, and Luke 19:26, parable of the pounds).

In all three parables, the profitable servants increased what had originally been given to them, and more was given to them at the master's return. Was understanding taken from those who would not use it and given to those who did? You decide.

Christ told his disciples in Matthew 13:17, "For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

Daniel 12 shows that knowledge shall be increased in the end time. This increase can apply to the people of God just as surely as it can to the world at large. Daniel had been given knowledge of end-time events, yet verse 8 shows that "I (Daniel) understood not." it was not time for that understanding to be revealed to him.

As we speed toward the fulfillment of prophecies in Daniel, I have one last question to ask. Will God's people have an increasing amount of understanding to go along with their knowledge, as described in the parables?

Proverbs 3:13-14: "Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that draws out understanding. For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold."

Just knowing is not enough. Understanding the Scriptures more fully is essential to us.

Hebrews Bible Series Tape Three

THROUGH CHRIST, MAN IS EXALTED

Through Christ, man has been exalted above the angels. In order for Christ to exalt us, He had to become one of' us. When lie stepped down to be one of us, He elevated us to where He is. We can have real comprehension concerning what God has prepared for us, I Corinthians 2:9-10. God has given us His Spirit to reveal to us, and to help us search the things of God. The Holy Spirit will lead us to the full and correct understanding concerning what God has done for the human race though His Son, Jesus Christ.

* In Hebrews 2:5-8 Paul begins the comparison between man and angels. Man was created a little lower than the angels however, by redemption man is above the angels.

* God never intended the angels to be elevated to a level higher than that for which they were created God has a very different plan for mankind; He will one day give man the authority to rule over His universe.

* Our hope in this redemption and this great plan of God is in and through Jesus Christ. Paul explains in Romans 8:22- that we now groan for the redemption of our body.

• We have hope and we eagerly wait with patience for that redemption. The intent of God is to exalt us above all of His creation.

* Jesus became one of [is for the suffering of death, Hebrews 2:9. Through the death of Christ we were redeemed from Satan and from eternal death.

* We are totally hopeless without Jesus Christ. He suffered the horrible second death being totally cut off from the Father If God had not resurrected Him, there would not have been hope for Him or the rest of the world.

* We must properly understand what actually occur-red between the Father and the Son, and the supreme sacrifice that was offered for each one of us. It was through that death that we were actually purchased from Satan and redeemed from death itself.

* The world is now legally Christ's. One day Christ will restore the world; the sacrifice has been made to restore the world.

* We need to properly understand and to think about what Paul is saying in Hebrews 2: 10-11. Christ became one of us, and that allows us to become one with Him.

* Through Christ we become the sons of God. We are called the sons of God in I John 3:1. Prior to Christ we were the sons of man.

• Christ became the son of man so that we may become sons of God. We are sons by creation; however, spiritually speaking we were dead. We did not have the hope without Christ; He became poor that we might become rich.

* Our life came from Adam, a life with sin and as a result that life has to die. The specific soul that sins must die.

• We all must die the death that is eternal- a death that cuts us off from God forever. When Jesus came to this world, He did not come to change the death sentence or the law, He came to fulfill.

* The Law of God demands obedience and justice. To disobey the law a penalty must be paid; that penalty is death.

* On the cross the human life of the Adamic race died forever. We are not to resurrect the sinful life when we die in Christ. The life we receive through Christ is His own life, a life that He gives to us in measure through His Holy Spirit.

• We read in I John 5:11, that God has given us eternal life in His Son. God gave His Son to us forever; this is His gift to mankind, John 3:16.

• We were given lie life of His Son, because the life we have from Adam is a life that dies. To live we must have life in Christ. God did not create us to die; He created us to live. He has given us the option to choose that life, or to choose death.

• Many want God to do everything, to the point that they simply do not even have to choose to truly believe in Christ. Once we accept Christ, there must be fruits of that acceptance in our lives.

* Others do not want to be beholding to anyone. They want to earn their salvation, not wanting to accept the free gift. Those individuals make a clumsy attempt to obey the Law, with a nature that is not capable of obeying the Law.

* We need to accept the free gift of God, and to express our love for Him by the fruit of that salvation and our true surrender to Him.

* Prior to the death of Jesus Christ, He was called the only begotten of the Father. He was special to the Father. After the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, He was no longer called the only begotten; He is called the first begotten, Revelation 1:5.

* Christ gave His life so that the Father no longer has one Son but many sons, of whom Christ is the first.

* Christ is our elder brother and He is not ashamed to call us His brothers, Hebrews 2:11. Christ has given us much more than what we had prior to the fall of man. Christ leads us to where He is.

* We will sit with Him and reign with Him. He is the King of kings (the kings being those saved by His grace). Romans 8:16-17 clearly shows that we are the children of God.

* The spirit, that God has placed in man, gives man the ability to reason and to choose. The challenge, with the ability to choose, is that often man chooses incorrectly.

• The spirit in man is from God. It is not the Holy Spirit; however, it is still from God. As a result of the spirit in man we are able to receive the Holy Spirit.

* The Holy Spirit bears witness with the spirit in man to reveal that we are the children of God. When God adopts us, He does not make us like His sons. He makes us His children because He places in us, through the Holy Spirit, the Spiritual DNA that makes us children of God. We become joint heirs with Christ.

* We do not yet have what Christ has; He is already there. One day He will come to take us to where He is. We still see through the glass darkly, because we have not experienced everything the Spirit is offering to us. When that glorious day occurs, we will see Him as He is. We will become members of the very family of God. Jesus was killed for making that claim. The children of God may face the same challenges of this special aspect of belief in Christ.

* In Galatians 4:4-5, we read that when the fullness of time came, Christ was born "under the law" (under the curse or penalty of the law - means to be cut off from God).

God did not remove the Law. The Law of God demands obedience, and if you disobey the law it demands justice, which requires death. Everyone is under the law and yet each person may become one of God's children. Christ paid the price by dying for us, but not in our place. Christ died for us, which opens the opportunity for us to die in Him. We then have the opportunity to live in Him.

Jesus has a proper right to the throne, of which we are joint heirs. God preserved the genealogies of the human parents of Christ so that we may properly understand Jesus' right to the throne. By Joseph's adoption of Christ, He had the legal right of the throne. By His mother Mary, Jesus had the bloodline to the throne.

God tells us in Revelation 20:6 about a resurrection to come, of which His children will be a part. The individuals, who are in Christ, totally giving themselves over to Him, will be a part of that resurrection and will reign with Him!

The children of God will reign for 1000 years. After that, the throne of God will move from heaven to earth. In Revelation 22:5, we read that we will reign with God forever. At that point, we will live in a very relevant state of the Sabbath with God forever.

We are given the 7th day Sabbath today to come to understand, to see, and to experience the state, in which God has always lived, and will always live. We still suffer and get discouraged; however, we need to hold onto God and remain in Christ.

We sit in a heavenly place in Christ and we should remain there, in Him. We should not be discouraged; we need to fully realize who we are. We must continually remind ourselves who we are. God does not want anyone outside; there is room for every human being in the New Jerusalem. God gave His Son for the world. God desires that no one perish. We have a job to do while we are waiting. We are to tell the world of the Good News, that in Christ we have been exalted to the throne of God. We need to let all know that they can be exalted.

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