In our public prayers, we often thank God for living in a country where we can worship Him without fear of reprisal or molestation. Indeed, this kind of prayer is specifically approved in Scripture: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We should be grateful to our heavenly Father that we can assemble to worship Him in an environment where civil authorities do not threaten us. It is therefore right that we pray in this regard, so we might continue to enjoy this blessing.
While working for a major gas transmission company a few years back, I worked in an office building for two years where there were few windows. Most of those two years were spent in rooms without windows to the outside world. Indeed, a sad environment to work in. In contrast, one of the joys of our home is that of a large window overlooking our backyard. At any moment, my wife and I can glance through the window and see green grass, the cinder blocks of our perimeter fence, and the swaying branches of our one large mulberry tree. We even have occasional visitors, such as bluebirds and mockingbirds dropping by to sit on the fence and chatter. A crow circles in to see whether there is anything available to eat. A neighborhood cat strolls on top of the fence on his way to some type of mischief.
Fear imprisons — Faith liberates (Romans 6:17-18).
Fear paralyzes — Faith empowers.
(Philippians 4:13; Colossians 1:1-13).
Fear disheartens — Faith encourages (1 Thessalonians 1).
Fear sickens — Faith heals (James 5:13-15).
Fear makes us useless — Faith makes us serviceable.
(2 Timothy2:15-21).
Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life — Faith rejoices in its God (Philippians 4:4; cf. Romans 12:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; 1 Peter 4:13).
Because we place our complete trust and faith in the Lord, we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)
The story is about a soldier who waved to one of the spectators as he stood at attention during a parade drill. The drill instructor saw him waving and immediately approached the young man and scolded him by saying, “Soldier, don’t ever wave while in formation again!” As his company marched past the reviewing stand, the young soldier waved again. When the troops returned to the barracks, the drill instructor barreled in and barked at the soldier, “I told you not to wave! Aren’t you afraid of me?” “Yes sir,” the private replied, “but you don’t know my mother!”
Peter and John had upset the religious elite in Jerusalem. They were disturbed by the powerful gospel message the two men preached and the miracles they performed. They wanted them to stop (Acts 4:1-18). As a result, Peter and John were arrested and thrown in jail (Acts 4:3). They had every reason to be afraid. Yet, the next day they boldly stood up to their accusers with great courage saying, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge” (Acts 4:19).
As the drill instructor did not know the demeanor of the young man’s mother, neither did Peter and John’s accusers know what their God was capable of — thus Peter and John feared God much more than they feared their persecutors (cf. Matthew 10:28). If we are tempted to be quiet when we are given the opportunity to speak up for Christ, we must remember that we can speak and act with conviction because our Lord has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). His authority is superior to man’s authority, and He is the One we need to please.
America has become a land of “instant” everything. One can purchase instant soup, instant coffee, instant iced tea, instant mashed potatoes, and countless other instant items. The advent of the microwave oven also has increased this demand for instantaneous fulfillment. No longer must hungry consumers wait thirty minutes for a meal to be prepared; now they can have it piping hot in only thirty seconds! If Americans cannot have it in an “instant”, then they do not want it at all. Unfortunately, this attitude of having everything in an instant has not missed the realm of today’s Christians. Because Bible knowledge can never be attained instantaneously, many members of the Lord’s church neglect Bible study. This can be seen in the advertisement for a new Bible that is on the market: the “One Minute Bible”. The advertisement for this book asks, “Never seem to have enough time to regularly read the Bible?” It then goes on to describe how the book is arranged into 366 daily one-minute Bible readings that highlight “every primary Biblical topic and theme.” Just like “instant” coffee, now there is “instant” Bible knowledge available, and all it takes is one minute per day! This attitude toward Bible study contributes to the increasing departure from the faith that continues in the church today. Because brethren have not devoted the time to learning what God’s will is, they are “…tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine….” (Ephesians 4:14). And many contrary winds are blowing in the brotherhood today, whose destructive forces exceed those of any hurricane, tornado, or typhoon. Heeding The Warnings of Apostasy One of the best ways to avoid such damage to the Lord’s body is by prevention. When hurricane warnings are given, homeowners and store owners scurry to board up windows, store up provisions, and to make whatever preparation they can for the coming storm.
The same principle holds true for the Lord’s church. The warning was given long ago: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). Those in the early church who heeded the warning protected themselves from the coming departure by being aware of it and by knowing what the truth of God’s will is (1 Timothy 4:6). The same preparation must be made today. The people of God must be aware that departure is taking place and must not be ignorant of His Word. God’s Warning To Israel God’s warning to Israel ought also to be a warning to the church. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee….” (Hosea 4:6). Knowledge of God’s Word protects from sin (Psalm 119:11). Christians are commanded to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Searching the Scriptures to prove what teachings are true is a noble thing to do (Acts 17:11). But all of these things demand determined study of the Word, not an instantaneous obtaining of knowledge. Bible Knowledge Doesn’t Come Easy An old saying states that anything worthwhile does not come easy. This principle certainly is true of Bible knowledge. Men who have devoted their entire lives to studying the Bible would be the first to admit that there is no end to its depth. Only a daily feasting on the Word can bring about that kind of knowledge that the Christian needs. But he first must develop that intense desire to know God’s will. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Then, based on the intense desire, must come the diligent study. “Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 – ASV). Conclusion Brethren, as members of the Lord’s church, we need to maintain the attitude and zeal of the Psalmist regarding the study of God’s Word in Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” If we will realize the importance of Bible study and devote the necessary time in gaining a proper knowledge of God’s Word, then the false teachers in this land will have a much more difficult task in trying to lead people away from the truth (Ephesians 4:13-15; cf. 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul encourages us, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In this upcoming New Year, we as Christians should be extremely thankful for the blessings that continually flow from God’s bountiful hand (Ephesians 1:3; James 1:17; cf. John 3:27).
The following are just some of the blessings this writer is thankful for: For the teenager who is washing the dishes and watching
