Flight Paths

​What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Eccl 1:9

I was reading through Genesis 19 preparing for a class on Lot’s wife and daughters when suddenly the verse above sprang to mind.  Over and over I saw things I have seen all my life and the thought came unbidden, “We are living in Sodom.” 

No, I was not thinking about modern issues.  None of the things that I noticed in the text that afternoon had anything to do with that, at least not specifically.  In fact, the things I noticed had been happening through my entire life, even as far back as the 1960s when everyone thinks we were still innocent and relatively godly.  Let’s see if you see what I did.

Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly…But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge!” Gen 19:6-9

Whenever any moral issue comes up, if you express any sort of disapproval—even if all you do is refuse to participate—suddenly you are accused of “judging.”  Never mind that is exactly what is done to you by this accusation.  That does not matter.  It happened all those thousands of years ago and it happens now.  People have not changed.  If you behave differently than others, you are “judging.”  No one can tolerate being seen as less than righteous, even when righteousness is the last thing on their minds.

 Since it is such a universal, and timeless, reaction, maybe we should ask ourselves this:  Has anyone accused me of being judgmental lately?  If not, why not?  Is it just that I only associate with Christians, or with good moral friends and neighbors?  Or is it that I have not expressed any disapproval lately, nor refused to participate, whether it be in gossip, slander, drinking, pornography, foul language, immodest dress, or any other acts a Christian needs to abhor? 

 Paul said:  and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; Eph 5:11.  We do a whole lot better with the first half of that command than the last.  I think it is because we do not want even the mild persecution that comes along with it.  We want to be liked—by the world.  We don’t want to be accused of “judging.”

Even “righteous Lot” was accused of judging.  Peter says he “was greatly distressed by the conduct of the wicked” (2 Pet 2:7).  Given the rest of his life, do we really want to be viewed as less righteous than he?

Being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practice them. Rom 1:29-32

Dene Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

Last time we began a discussion about how hard it is to bear burdens when no one admits to being weighed down or to pray for sins when no one admits to weaknesses (Gal. 6:2; James 5:16).  We discussed fear as a reason for that unwillingness to admit struggles and concluded that a proper show of love was the solution to that problem.

 This time I want to consider pride as a problem.  Specifically, pride in our religious status.  Jesus dealt with this problem constantly in His encounters with the Pharisees and Chief Priests.  E.g. “They replied to him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves to anybody. So how can you say, 'You will be set free?’” (John 8:33)  Their reliance upon their status within their religious system – by that time somewhat different from what God had given them on Sinai – did not allow them to understand what Jesus said.  Also,  “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feast” (Luke 20:26).  People with this much pride in their status within their religion could never admit to a burden they couldn’t bear or sins they couldn’t overcome.  They never would ask for help.

 In fact, this pride is what led these people to killing Jesus and, later, persecuting Christians.  “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (John 11:48)  Which do you think they minded more, that the people would believe in Jesus rather than them or that the Romans might come?  Even their fear of the Romans was based upon them loosing their place!  Acts 5:17-18 says that the High Priest had the Apostles arrested because of his jealousy.  They were hardly alone in the N.T.  2 Cor. 11:13 speaks of people claiming apostle status.  1 Cor. 12-14 deals with status claims based on how cool their various spiritual gifts were.  John 12:42-43 shows how this type of pride will keep us away from Christ.  It was so bad that Paul began mocking the pride in status by bragging himself, tongue firmly planted in cheek:  2 Cor. 11:21-23  “But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that.  Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.  Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.”

 Unfortunately, we haven’t left this type of pride in the Twenty-First Century.  Whether it is pride in who our family is, pride in institutional affiliation, or pride in the type of service we perform for the church, too many of us build our egos upon our supposed status within our religion.  We can’t risk that status by admitting to weaknesses, too heavy weights, or sadness.  Allow me to illustrate by being silly in the same way Paul was, just in more modern terms:  I was not only raised in the church, I was raised in the church by parents who were also raised in the church.  All four grand-parents were members, all of whom knew their Bibles backwards and forwards.  My father has been a preacher/deacon/elder for 50 years and my mother has taught Ladies’ Bible Classes, and written their study materials, for as long.  One grandfather was in the first class at Florida College, my parents both graduated from there (Dad with his Bible certificate), my brother and I both graduated from FC, and my brother is a professor of Biblical studies there.  I myself have been a preacher for over six years, have written a Christian self-help book and have had essays published in two other anthologies. 

All this sounds pretty impressive, but what does it get me?  None of those religious status symbols will save me.  Claiming affiliation with Florida College will not help when I stand before the Lord on the last day, nor will years of preaching or the number of books published. (Matt. 7:22-23).  None of these things will protect me from temptations.  Remember when Jesus said that our righteousness must be greater than those prideful Pharisees? (Matt. 5:20)  He went on to elaborate by speaking of runaway anger and lust, lying, vengeance and hatred.  All their status did not keep them from temptation and sin. 

Prov. 11:2  “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” 

Prov. 29:23  “One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” 

Ultimately, if my pride keeps me from asking for help when I need it, then my pride is harming me and will lead to destruction. 

John 12:42-43  “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”

Lucas Ward

 “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

 The above quote, which is not by Edmund Burke by the way, is one of those that sits with you for a long time.  Something inside tells you it is Biblical even if you cannot find it in your Bible.  Finally, as I prepared for a women’s class last week, I found the concept, if not the actual quote.  It is indeed Biblical.

 They wrong the barren, childless woman, and do no good to the widow Job 24:21

And now you are shaking your head trying to figure it out, right?  Perhaps I should have told you the context, not of the verse, but of finding it.

 I have a lesson on the Widows in the Bible.  We begin with a discussion of the three different Hebrew words used in the Old Testament for widows, and all the baggage they carry that our English word for widow does not.  You and I say “widow” and all we mean is the woman whose husband has died.  The most common Hebrew word meant not just the fact that he had died, but that she was now poor and helpless.  First, there were no insurance policies, no widows’ pensions, no social security, no IRAs—nothing, and women did not hold paying jobs.  Next, all of the words used for widow come from a Hebrew root that means “mute.”  In that culture a woman alone had no one to speak for her—she had no voice.  These women were regularly taken advantage of by men who knew they were easy prey.  We spent time reading aloud verses in the Bible that show how God views those kinds of people.  We read for about 15 solid minutes, and that was less than half of the verses available.  The effect was impressive.  It also became apparent that “orphans and widows” had become a metaphor for anyone helpless and destitute.

 Now back to that verse in Job.  In chapter 24 Job is lamenting that it seems that the evil are seldom punished in this life.  In his long list of evil people—beginning in chapter 23—he finally lists those who wrong the barren women and “do no good to the widow.”  A man who does nothing to help the widow—or the poor and helpless—is just as bad as the man who abuses them.  Doing nothing wrong does not equal doing good.  Can I say that again?  Doing nothing wrong does not equal doing good.

 We were not taught that from the pulpits of my childhood.  It was all about how to worship in the building on Sunday morning and all the things we did NOT do wrong.  I thank God all the time for giving me parents who taught me that pew-sitters were not Christians.  Christians were those who served others all week long.  It is all over the pages of the New Testament but people still miss it.  If you have been, please change things now.  You do not want to be lumped in with the rest of those people Job describes in those chapters.  You would be appalled to see the company you are keeping!

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.Titus3:8

Dene Ward

We live in a rural county.  We have no garbage pickup.  Instead we have dumpsites at several places with recycling bins and a dumpster for household garbage.  We have to haul our own trash.  Ask yourself how much trash and garbage your family generates in a day.  How many garbage cans do you have outside and how many times can you empty the trash indoors before your outside can is full?  Now, how often would you like to drive several miles to dump your trash, and how many of those big trash cans will fit in your car?  You now know one reason most of the folks out here have a pickup truck!

But this also explains the burn barrel.  We keep two receptacles in the house—one for wet garbage and one for burnable trash.  The more we can burn, the less often we have to cart garbage cans down the highway.  We put everything we possibly can in that box of trash—junk mail, out-of-date documents, bills, and receipts, cardboard boxes, empty plastic containers and lids, plastic bottles and bags, old rags, irreparable clothes—everything that will burn, or melt and then burn.  Don’t talk to me about recycling.  We recycle in several other ways, and this practice saves gas.

But let me ask you this. Would you ever put anything important in a burn barrel?  Of course not.  Do you know what God thinks of this world?  He has his own burn barrel, and this world is what He plans to throw in it.

We need to remember that.  Too often we become enamored of the very things God will ultimately destroy.  Some of our favorite things in life are sitting in God’s burn barrel.  Even when we think we have our priorities straight, we often do not.

I remember telling my little boys that one day we would take a month long camping trip out west.  We would show them all those beautiful national parks they had only heard about.  They could look across the Grand Canyon, watch Old Faithful erupt, and stand in a place where the mountains rose peak after peak after peak with no signs of modern man—no power lines, no sounds of traffic, not even a tangled skein of contrail in the perfect blue sky--a place where a thousand years before some native had stood and enjoyed the same view.  It never happened.  We never had the money or the time.  They are grown now and can understand the pressures of life, making a living, paying the bills, meeting one’s responsibilities to others, but I have always felt bad about missing that trip.  We managed one or two other things while they were still at home, but never that one.

But remember this, no matter how good a plan it was, how good the values we were trying to instill with an appreciation of God as the Creator of all that majestic beauty, God Himself doesn’t think that much of it.  It’s temporary.  He plans to destroy it all.  The things God meant for me to teach those boys were things I could teach any time, any place, no matter how much money we did or didn’t have. 

The Bible is full of people who did not have the right priorities—Esau for one, who sold a birthright for one meal.  The Hebrew writer calls him “profane” (Heb 12:16).  Paul talks about having a “mind of the spirit” rather than a “mind of the flesh” (Rom 8:4).  And why?  Because Jesus’ kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36).  It is “not meat and drink” (Rom 14:17).  So many things we allow ourselves to become upset about simply do not matter.  Traffic jams?  Noisy neighbors?  Pet peeves?  Even the trials of life—precisely because it is this life we are becoming distracted with.

For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is perdition, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Phil 3:18-20.  Yes, Paul says that when I let things of this life upset me to the point of distraction that my “god is my belly.”  I am not supposed to be minding those earthly things.

So today, think about God’s burn barrel.  He has a place for the things He plans to destroy, just like I do, one that gets too full too fast.  God’s burn barrel holds things like wealth, possessions, awards, careers, opinions, irritations, Jimmy Choo shoes, stock portfolios, time shares on the beach, cabins in the mountains, camping trips out west—even this earthly tabernacle that so many try to keep looking young.  They all go in the barrel at the end of the Day.  And God will light the fire Himself.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed…Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace, 2Pet 3:10-14.

Dene Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Joanne Beckley.

During my years in Africa, I taught the ladies how to take useful notes during the sermon and then

how to make them useful during the week. This proven method took hold and brought a lot of

smiles and discussion after worship. How proudly they shared their success with each other and

with me. In our subsequent ladies’ classes, their notes became useful by referring to the date code

of the verse in their bible. They loved to surprise me with their ability to find and refer to their

previous notes on that particular verse. I loved it!

Today, when I scrolled down my list of lessons and articles I had written, I thought, why shouldn’t

you, dear reader, also benefit from this method of taking down sermon notes that can become

useful to you now and later? Do try this method (adapted) and see if you too will benefit, as will I.

1. Choose a workable notebook paper.

2. Divide each page as demonstrated below.

3. Add date and speaker at the top of your page.

4. During the sermon take notes on the right side of the page (“Sermon Notes”).

5. Write key word questions in the “Recall Column” across from your key points.

6. At home read and review your notes and scriptures as soon as possible. Choose one key

verse to memorize for the week.

7. If you did not manage to write down quick questions on the left side of the page, do this

now.

8. Write down how the lesson applies to YOU in the “Application and Key Verse” area at the bottom of the page.

9. In the margin/top/bottom of your Bible, code the key verse/scripture with the date recorded

on your sermon notes.

10. Use the Date Code to refer back to these notes whenever you study the verse again.

11. During the week review the sermon by covering the right hand side of the paper and answer

the questions you wrote on the left side.

12. From now on you can know that your time while listening to the sermon was not wasted, but

instead has become very useful to you.

From Cornell Notes and the Five Rs

We were driving a hilly section of North Georgia on a winding backroad between small Southern towns, the kind with steepled churches, brick town halls on green grass-carpeted squares, and railroad tracks running right down the middle of Main Street between diagonal parking on either side of the road.  Away from the towns farmland tufted with white cotton bolls, metals barns housing lumberyards, and firewood stands with cords stacked for sale nestled among single wide and double wide trailers, old frame farmhouses and the occasional red brick ranch style home of the younger generation.

Then we passed a deserted house. You can always tell.  The paint is peeling, the gutters are full of leaves, and the naked windows stare out at you, no light of life within them.  A house left to itself always deteriorates far more quickly than one that is lived in.

And the yard?  Weedy, strewn with wind-blown trash, gardens filled with dried up flower heads or bolted vegetables, everything withered from lack of care.  A garden left to itself always goes to seed.

So how did some primordial soup produce even one cell of life where there was none before, and how did that cell evolve into something more and more complex, and finally become an intelligent creature conscious of its own existence and that of others outside itself, able to reason, to create, and to appreciate art of all kinds, and strategize plots of great complexity? 

Until someone can show me a vacant house that keeps itself clean and void of rot, and a garden that never needs weeding or watering, I just won’t believe it.  I may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but God made me smart enough to see through that one.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:18-22.

Dene Ward

The inoffensive title of this short (79 page) book camouflages a pile of pithy comments along the lines of those Jesus made to the Pharisees. 

 "God did not give us local churches to become country clubs where membership means we have privileges and perks." 

 "For [some], membership is about receiving instead of giving, being served instead of serving, rights instead of responsibilities, and entitlements instead of sacrifices."

 "The concept of an inactive church member is an oxymoron.  Biblically, no such church member really exists."

 That should give you an idea of the kind of things you will read, and truly, if a person can change their attitude about church membership in the ways the author lists in 6 chapters, the local congregation cannot help but change for the better.  Each chapter also has study questions, making this ideal for either a personal or class study.  There are one or two things you might take issue with, but this almost sounds like it was written by someone like Paul Earnhart or Sewell Hall so there is little to beware of.

 I Am a Church Member is published by B&H Publishing Group.

Dene Ward

 Have you heard of the Spanish Armada?  The "Invincible" Armada it is sometimes called.  If you know much about history, you know that calling it that name doomed it to an ignominious defeat sooner or later.

 Spain and England had been allies for a good while.  It seemed a good deal for England who had no empire at the time while Spain was spread all over, including large holdings in the New World.  They were both leery of France and that's what drew them together in the first place.  They made several alliances through marriages, and then the religious problem rose up to bite them both.  Soon we see a Catholic Queen Mary and a Protestant Queen Elizabeth and that was the beginning of the end for the alliance.  King Philip of Spain put together a massive fleet of huge ships, 130 in number, manned by 30,000 sailors.  They headed for England to put things in order, that is, to reestablish Catholicism as the national religion in that country.

 The underdog surprised them in the English Channel where they docked at Calais.  It wasn't time for the battle to begin in their minds, but surprise can often be an excellent weapon.  The Spanish ships may have been large, but the English ships were more maneuverable.  They also used long range gunnery rather than close quarters fighting which kept the Spaniards off the English ships and many swimming in the sea.  English "fire ships"—old or otherwise repurposed ships that were loaded with combustibles, ignited, and set to drift into the Spanish fleet--scattered them and created confusion.  Then, as the Spanish tried to flee up and around the British Isles, storms and strong winds destroyed 24 of them.  Because of the turmoil, the Spanish soon began to run out of food, drinking water, and other supplies.  Before long, the "Invincible" Armada was defeated.

 For anyone who is familiar with their Bibles, this is not an unusual story.  We have heard it again and again as the children of Israel watched the Red Sea inundate Pharaoh and his army, in Joshua taking Jericho without a fight, in Jonathan's near single handed defeat of the Philistines, David's defeat of Goliath, and the angel of Jehovah destroying 185,000 Assyrians in one night.  We have seen God send a storm to defeat the chariots of King Jabin and send the army captain Sisera running to a woman who feared God.  We have seen Elijah praying for God to open the eyes of his servant so he could thousands and thousands of horses and fiery chariots ready to defend them against the enemy.  When God leads the army and they trust in Him, they are indeed invincible, and no one can beat them. 

 Christ has already won the battle for us.  He fought Satan by overcoming sin, by dying as a perfect sacrifice, and then by rising from the dead and ascending to his throne.  Storms may come but he will still them.  With his armor and the Word we can fight against anything Satan throws our way.  We will never run short of supplies because he gives us everything we can possibly need to win, in abundance.  And we have an innumerable army standing by to help us.  All we have to do is believe in him and his victory as we fight our way through life.  We are indeed invincible when he is on our side.

But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?  The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1Cor15: 54-57

Dene Ward

For something that is supposed to be the pre-eminent “Sports Channel,” ESPN leaves me remarkably cold—or actually hot. It may have begun with tractor pulls, Irish hurling, and skeet shooting, but ESPN has had remarkable growth since then, now boasting several affiliated channels and most of the college bowl games, along with the college world series, Major League Baseball games, and Monday Night Football.

So why don't I like ESPN?  I can count on CBS to replay nearly every play of any significance immediately.  Not just touchdowns either.  They will show the touchdown from several angles, then show the quarterback as he passed, or the line as they opened the holes for the runner, or any other contributing factor.  If there is a penalty, we see it happen.  If there was an excellent block, we see the block.  If a defender made an amazing move around a lineman, we see the move.

ESPN?  I doubt that even half the plays are shown again.  Instead, we get an interview with someone on the sideline who might possibly have something to do with the game, but more likely doesn’t—he just happens to be famous.  Or we get an update from a game we chose not to watch and have to watch a piece of anyway rather than a replay of our chosen game.  Most of the time, we never get the replay, even if it was a 50 yard run to set the team up with first and goal.

On ESPN the commentators talk about every game except the one we are watching.  In fact, they sometimes talk about a different sport altogether.  We hear about other players, other coaches, and other schools—anything but the game we are watching.  We are told the records of every Heisman hopeful, even if they are not playing in our game.  We know which coach played for which other coaches, even if they are not coaching our team.  And they can’t even do it with good grammar.

But sometimes we’re stuck.  It’s the only place we can see our team play—and win, we hope, despite not being able to see the instant replays in a timely fashion and at a meaningful angle.

I guess a lot of people don’t mind.  They are putting up with the same things at the church they attend.  They say they are Christians but their preachers present sermons about societal ills—the ones deemed politically correct to talk about--about love and acceptance of everything and everyone no matter how many of Christ’s commands they break, and never once mention the name of the Savior they claim to worship—Rotary Club talks, inspirational talks, anything but a sermon.  They are handed pamphlets that some board somewhere else decided they needed to study rather than the Word of God, and certainly nothing actually relevant to that particular group and its needs.  If they learn anything, it’s about another game altogether, not God’s.

Maybe these folks don’t know what to look for.  They expect entertainment rather than edification, emotion rather than instruction, famous people and rip-roaring religious fervor, along with a meal or two to keep the belly from growling.  Jesus had some choice things to say about people like that. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.  Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” John 6:26-27.  It isn’t about the feel-good physical, he told them, it’s about ME!

On Sunday mornings, I want to hear about my Lord.  I want to study the Word of God and learn more from it than I knew the day before.  On the other hand, I don’t mind a repeat of an old lesson, perhaps from a new angle, and certainly prefer that to an interview on the sideline with someone who is supposed to be “famous” in the religious world.  Big name preachers can sin the same as the rest of us. 

And you know what?  We CAN turn this channel.  We can look for something else.You can look for something else.  Give me the simple truth of the gospel and the simple worship of those people long ago.  Why don’t you come with me so we can find it together?  Nothing else can fill your soul quite the same way.

I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh  John 6:48-51.

Dene Ward

We who are church members are all supposed to function in the church.  The concept of an inactive church member is an oxymoron.  Biblically, no such church member really exists.

I Am a Church Member by Thom S. Rainer