Monthly Archives: January 2013

Winning Over Bitterness

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This article is part 1 of 6 in the series Winning Over Bitterness

               “Acknowledging the Danger”
   Cornelia “Corrie” ten Boom, survived the holocaust of World War Two. She witnessed many atrocities against her people (Jews) as well as her own family. Her sister has been raped and killed by a German officer who was a prison guard where they were. The war ended, Corrie” began a ministry, writing and sharing her story. While speaking one Sunday, she saw the guard who had taken so much pleasure in their pain sitting in the audience. She immediately recognized him and the feelings and memories immediately came back. Denial of the problem would not help. She could not ignore him nor her feelings. He came up to meet her, and with tears and deep remorse, he began to beg for her forgiveness. As the story goes, she forgave him. He still had to live with the memories, and sounds of screams from his victims… They had both done all they could do. 
   Forgiveness does not just help the offender, IT ESPECIALLY HELPS THE VICTIM. To be able to go on with life, unchained, unburdened, and able to release the poison of the past, and begin healing. 
   Corrie understood that bitterness and hate could destroy her by giving the devil a ‘foothold’. Bitterness is the sour brackish stagnant water of ‘life gone bad’. It gradually becomes the ‘center’ of a person’s life and attitude –  the controlling factor in dealing with life. It eventually will affect all other aspects of life, and relationships. Every conversation will trail back to the hurt and pain, being constantly relived. 
   Pills or alcohol simply serve to dull the problem for a period of time. It is visible in outward actions, words, and expressions, and is always felt in the heart. 
   We will not trivialize this problem, because it is trivial. This IS a big deal! The suggestions made in this series are offered to help in the struggle of many to deal with ‘the past’.
   Paul says, “get rid of all bitterness”, this includes the ‘blood-kin’ of bitterness, “rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of (hate)”. The critical question is, how? So we begin our re-study of an old problem, ‘born’ in the heart of Satan,  
   TIME alone will not heal, it will take time PLUS something else. When we lived in Ireland, we had coal fire in the fire place for heating the room. We would build a fire and then in the evening, dad would put bits of coal and coal dust on the fire. This seemed to smother the fire, but it didn’t. During the night, this formed a ‘shell’ which held in the fire and the heat. In the morning, we would just poke it and the red hot coals would appear. All we had to do is add more coal. It saved time on a cold morning. We continue this for several days before cleaning it out and beginning again. This simply illustrates what happens when we try and ignore bitterness and even worse deny or justify our problems, which lie hidden until ‘poked’ and the ‘fires’ again flame up and we re-live it all again. Bitterness doesn’t go away on its own, you have to realize you have a problem and take definitive action. 
   Time alone won’t do it. We must accept that we have a problem, and seek a real answer to heal. Next time we will begin to look at the “door way” to healing….

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Winning Over Bitterness

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This article is part 2 of 6 in the series Winning Over Bitterness

                              “Is Not Easy”                
   We begin our study by looking at what Paul says in Ephesians 4:27-32. “and do not give the devil a foothold. 28  Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” 
   Over the years, my life and teaching on this subject have changed. Recently we were looking through dad’s papers. My wife was helping, and she found an article of dad’s which really changed my thinking. 
   As we get into this series, there are three things I need to mention:
   1.) People and life are complex, and when problems come in the form of other people, whether strangers, friends or loved ones… then the answers just are not that simple. 
   2.) There is a real danger in being too simplistic, when dealing with other people’s problems, which I have not experienced. (I used to think that I had all the answers. Well, over time, I have learned I have more questions than I do answers.) The old adage “You don’t know how I feel!” is true in many cases ‘cause I don’t, so I won’t pretend to neither ‘know it all’ nor to ‘understand all the feelings’. However, I believe when Bible solutions are applied, that people can find the healing they are seeking.  
   3.) Paul and other writers, may seem to be ‘simplistic’ in their approach to dealing with people’s problems, but they are not. In the passages above, Paul issues warnings about certain things, and the God inspired corrective actions to take. (Who knows, maybe our solutions do not really need thousands of pages to be written, for us to find an answer. Maybe “our Father (really) knows best”!
   Paul gives us the reason why certain things, along with bitterness, are dangerous. He says, “And do not give the devil a foothold”.  A ‘foothold’, gives the mountain climber something to keep from falling, while moving up the mountain. A ‘foothold’ gives the soldier a place to stand and fight and move forward. To give the devil a foothold, means he has been given a place to BEGIN his work, a place which he has captured, and can operate from in order to ‘take the rest’ of the ‘heart and life’. No Christian should want this, and all should want to do everything in their power to avoid it.
   Winning over bitterness is not easy, but it is an attitude which if left alone, will certainly “kill” the Christian. The worldly may not care about it, may enjoy holding grudges and ‘getting even’, but the one who seeks to please Christ and be a ‘Christ-like-one’ is not going to be satisfied, till the ‘fire of bitterness’ is out(!) and the heart is healed.

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That You Might Believe – “The Witness”

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  Welcome to our study of the book of John…. We will be covering John 1:6-13…
   I. THE PROPHET SPEAKS AGAIN!
      (From Malachi to John the baptizer, a period of some 400 years has passed. The silence of ‘prophetic speaking’ should not assume the absence of Divine work. God has not nor will He ever retire or take a ‘Sabbatical’. The prophecy of Daniel 2 is being fulfilled, the Romans are in power, Israel hates them, and longs for a special someone to come and free them from their rule, and restore once more, the former glory of Israel. What Israel hopes for will not happen,because God’s plan is greater. It will take the form of a witness named John, who will ‘prepare the way’ for the Savior named Jesus.  
   John 1:6-8 says, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”
   John lived, and preached in the wilderness, knowing all along, that he would be eclipsed by the Promised One. He, unlike many, had no problem with ‘playing second fiddle’, His ministry, although great, and although he immersed many, would ‘decrease’ while that of the Messiah would ‘increase’. Of course this is how it should be since John was not the Christ. Note what John says, “He (John the baptizer) did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22  Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ” (John 1:20-23).Preparing the way for the Messiah, meant he would be preparing the hearts of those who would repent and be immersed, for the coming kingdom (rule) of the Messiah. These were to the rulership of this Messiah. John’s was but a preamble for something, Someone greater. 
   Later we find remnants of John’s work in Acts 19:1-4 “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples
2  and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” )
   JOHN’S WITNESS:
   1. John was “NOT the Light”, but came to bear witness of the Light”.(John 1:8).
   2. John readily admitted that he was not the Christ, (John 1:20)
   3. John had fewer disciples than Jesus, (John 4:1).
   4. John was a prophet of God, but Jesus was the miracle worker, of which he spoke (John 10:41-42).
    OTHER WITNESSES
   1. The FATHER: John 8:18.
   2. JESUS: John 8:14, 18.
   3. JESUS’ WORKS (MIRACLES): John 6:30; John 10:25; John 14:11; John 15:24.:
   4. The (OLD TESTAMENT) SCRIPTURES: John 5:39, 46; John 1:45.
   5. The DISCIPLES John 15:27; John 19:35; John 21:24; I John 1:1-2.
   6. The HOLY SPIRIT: John 15:26; I John 5:6
   JESUS GIVES ‘LIGHT’ TO EVERY MAN (ALL MANKIND). (vs. 9)
   “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).”The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:9). Truly marvelous verses about Jesus with whom, there are NO DOUBTS, NO DISPARE, NO DARKNESS OF DEATH, and true victory OVER SIN.
    “UNRECOGNIZED” “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:10-11). Notice what Paul says in Romans 1:16-17, 21-25.
How can the world NOT SEE the greatness of God? Yet it is to be expected. They ‘hated’ Him, and they will hate all who follow Him. Let us….
    “LOOK OUTWARD” – Planets, ‘keep to their appointed course’. Tides of the oceans, ‘keep their appointed times’. Then you have seed time and harvest time. Spring, summer, fall and winter, all follow as planned. That there is a  Supreme Scientist, a Designer, is proclaimed to all mankind through Creation. Mankind may not know the True God, or His plan, or the Messiah through creation, but they know there is SOMEONE. 
   “LOOK UPWARD” – The stars are as many as the sands on the shore, and more. Astronomy shows that there is a Controller of it all. Consider Psalm 139 and Psalm 19.
   “LOOK INWARD” At the amazing make up of man and woman. Even without a ‘written law’ man still has a knowledge of what’s right and wrong, (Romans 2:14-15). Yet there is still within mankind, an emptiness, and a ‘hole’ which none can fill but a relationship with the Creator (Ephesians 2:5-11; Psalm 23).
   “CHILDREN OF GOD” – “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.14  the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:12-14).
   This is the desire, plan, goal of God… to ‘redeem’, by back, all who would come to Him through His Son, Jesus. He offers grace in Jesus Christ, to all who will come.. 
   John 6:44-45; John 5:39-40; John 3:3-7, 16; John 20:30-31; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-39. 

   Next: “THE WORD BECAME FLESH”

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The Summon Bonum

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Bangor, Northern Ireland, May 19, 1968, I preached my first sermon. Can’t say it was all that great. I was nervous, but somehow I made it through, receiving some generous accolades from the few encouraging Christians that were there.
I cannot speak for other preachers just starting out, but looking back I can say I was not ready for the ‘calling’ to preach. I had wanted to preach like dad, but time and life experience told me, I should have gone a different route, and gone to a College instead of a Preacher’s School, which I was about to leave Ireland for.
Dad suggested the topic of the “Summon Bonum” from I Corinthians 13. Well I didn’t know what that meant much less preach to others about it. It was just a small house church, with a few people attending, but still I wanted to do good. I practiced in my bedroom, going over and over the short (but eternal) lesson. As I sit here looking at the old New Testament that I used then, brings back the memories of a young man, with a life of adventure ahead, ready to preach to all who would listen.
After 27 years of preaching experience, and life experience, with all it’s joys and disappointments, successes and failures, laughter and tears, I can say, life has given me a  better understanding of this subject and how critical it is to life.
What is ‘The Summon Bonnum’ (the most important thing)? With this question I began then, and now. Of course the answer is love. No it is not the Hollywood version, nor is it the twisted and warped love of the world in general. The love Paul speaks of is from the Greek word, agape, which is the highest form of love.There are four Greek words for love. ‘Eros’ which gives us the word ‘erotic’ which stands for physical passionate love. ‘Phileo’ gives us the idea of the ‘love’ good friends have for each other. ‘Storge’ is the word which describes the ‘love’ which family has for each other. Strange how the ancient Greeks have so many words to cover our loosely and over used word, ‘love’. These words over-lap in beautiful harmony and enhance the relationship  of a man and woman who are married.
‘Agape’ is the word which describes the highest form of love. Which is not based on emotions and feelings which change with moods. Agape love is ‘stable’ and foundational… It is more than friendship, (John 21:15-18). ‘Falling in and out’ of it is not an option because it is particularly Christian, being from the Spirit (Romans 5:5). Feelings change, moods rise and fall, troubles come and go, this love “never fails”(I Corinthians 13:8). Paul describes what agape does and doesn’t do in I Corinthians 13.
This love like the ‘energizer bunny’ just keeps on going and going. It is the love of John 3:16, as well as the love of Matthew 27:35-50; I John 3:16. This love is what enables a home to withstand all the storms of life. Particularly like God, (I John 4:8), this love is far from the Hollywood version, and is truly the “Summon Bonum” the greatest thing.

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The Epitaph

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   An old story you may have heard is really true, although the epitaph seems to change a bit with the re-telling. One tombstone reads: “STOP MY FRIEND, AS YOU PASS BY. AS YOU ARE NOW, SO ONCE WAS I. AS I AM NOW, YOU SOON WILL BE, SO COME ON FRIEND AND FOLLOW ME.” Etched at the bottom is the hand written line of a thoughtful reader: “TO FOLLOW YOU I’M NOT CONTENT, UNTIL I KNOW, WHICH WAY YOU WENT.”
   There are few things in life that are certain, but one is for sure, we will all leave this world. Some will leave all too early, some all too late, but few will say, for the “next adventure I just can’t wait.” The writer of Hebrews says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27. As unpleasant as it is to talk about for most, it is something that must be planned for. This life is where plans are made. When dad was in the hospital, and had already gone through 2 heart attacks, I asked him, How he was so calm about all of this?” He just said, “I prepared for this, son.” This is why he longed to ‘move on’ to his “next adventure”. This is the way he saw life and they way he viewed death. He asked me to read his favorite chapter, Romans 8. He sang his favorite songs, “Bless Be The Tie That binds”, “At The Cross”. His life was all about Jesus, he viewed his passing, the same way. 
   Preparing to go on a trip, or make a move to another location takes time. Usually we plan for these things weeks, months ahead. Yet when it comes to leaving this world, we do precious little. Perhaps it is time to change this. The writer of Hebrews continues in the next verse and says, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” This is great news, that you and I do not have to pay the price for sin, because He already has.
   What will people say about you when you die? Well, whatever they say, it won’t make any difference will it, accept to those who are alive. The words of comfort, the talk of a loving Savior, and His great grace, and heaven… all will sound good. I the preparation was not made it won’t change “where you went”. The time is now, to get out the Bible, and read for yourself what God says. We have prepared a Bible study on this website I hope you will enjoy to learn more about preparing for the life to come. The study is entitled “Redeemed”. If you need more help to study the Bible, just send me an email.
   The epitaph on mom and dad’s grave marker is simple, “SAVED BY GRACE”. No matter the sin, Jesus paid the price for it, and God loves you tremendously, and just wants all to be saved. While you are alive, today, you will determine which way you will go when this life is over.

 
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