Restoration Movement And The Yellow Pages

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Restoring New Testament Christianity has never been an easy thing. Sometimes we have to take an honest look at where we are, to see where we need to go….

Dad was resting in a Motel in a Metropolitan city where he was holding a meeting and was looking through the Yellow Pages for “Churches of Christ.” He was just wondering I guess, how many were there etc… He also noticed how several indicated what made them different from other “Churches of Christ.”
I guess it was interesting to him to find that there were those that indicated they were Anti-Kitchens, One Cup, Instrumental, Non-Instrumental, etc… In his lesson on UNITY I found some notes he wrote entitled “Yellow Pages.” His idea was what if we put the following in the YP for everyone to see.

1. No located preacher
2. We use buses
3. We have Bible classes
4. No kitchens here
5. We support (Christian) orphan’s homes
6. “Singles” welcome
7. “Divorced” not welcome
8. We eat in the building
9. We use ONE CUP
10. No Sunday School here
11. We send missionary support directly to missionaries
12. We do not believe in church co-operation
13. We don’t co-operate with other congregations.
14. “Whites Only”
15. We support Herald of Truth”
16. All races welcome
17. No money given to non-members
18. We are anti-bussing
19. We have a located preacher
20. We sign pledge cards
21. We are against Crossroads
22. We have a church softball team
23. We use instruments (Instrumental)
24. We don’t use instruments (Non-Instrumental)

To be honest with you, if I found a list of Churches with things like this in the Y.P., I would be pretty embarrassed, but then I am not the One we serve or seek to please. Actually, there are some congregations with a few items listed above.

WHAT IF each congregation (part of the blood bought body of Jesus Christ), listed what they are FOR or AGAINST in the yellow pages, or put them on their signs? The important question is WHAT DOES THE WORLD THINK? The critical question is WHAT DOES JESUS THINK?

JESUS prayed, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23).

I think Charles Hodge put it best, in a short letter he wrote me, where he responded to my inquiry on how to deal with “Church issues.” Of course it doesn’t take him long to say what’s on his mind… He said,

“My most often piece of advice is GROW UP!”.

His advice sounds a bit hard, but then Charles is in his 80’s and has seen a lot and counseled many brethren. Honestly, we need his advice. My thoughts are that if the body of Christ on earth (all baptized believers irregardless of the list above) is ever to find UNITY, we have a lot of “growing up in Christ” to do. Being a Christ-like-one means growing in grace… Growing in grace means we will learn how to deal with differences, let God be the Judge on many things instead of dividing over everything, and present to the world, we ARE ONE IN THE SPIRIT AND LOVE EACH OTHER DEEPLY.

Preacher: When you get up to speak before the people of God, and you are offering your opinion on something, why not just say, “This is my opinion.” “You don’t have to agree with me on this.” It may just be refreshing.
Also, when teaching a class, have the class (or congregation) repeat this phrase
“I just don’t agree with you on that.” Of course you may have to repeat this to get participation. Then you may say (if there are late-comers), that they may be tempted to go look at the sign outside, because we just don’t allow disagreements do we?

Grow in grace!

(This was first issued in “Restoration Summit 2015” a discussion now going on at Linkedin.com (Groups).

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Restoration Summit 2015 – NT Christianity “Traditions,” and “Change”

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* Some do not like the word “tradition” or “traditional” because they are wanting to just get rid of all the “old ways” of doing things. This is extreme thinking, and is not helpful to the idea of RESTORING New Testament Christianity.
* Some TOTALLY OPPOSE any and all change of anything whatsoever… whether it is Bible based or not… This is also an extreme and not helpful in restoring New Testament Christianity.

To this scribe, “traditions” are simply things done which may or may not be helpful, over a long period of time. In other words, things passed down from one generation to another. For example: Growing up, we often received “hand-me-down” clothing. Frankly I did not want to wear some of the “second hand” or “hand-me-downs, while others were not so bad. Some “hand-me-downs” we HAD A CHOICE in wearing, while others, Mom or Dad said, “Wear it!” There was NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER. Some “traditions” are optional, while others carry the weight of being commands which have been passed down. Restoring New Testament Christianity should never be a “trow out all traditions” proposition…

Scriptures on “traditions.” 1 Corinthians 11:2 “Now here he says, “I praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the TRADITIONS, even as I delivered them to you.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15 “So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the TRADITIONS which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours.” Galatians 1:14 “and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the TRADITIONS of my fathers.”

There is a big difference between TRADITIONS, COMMANDS, AND EXAMPLES… Consider 1. Lifting up holy hands in prayer, (I Timothy 2:8). 2. Calling the elders to anoint and pray for the sick, (James 5:13). 3. Washing feet, (John 13:12). 4. Greeting each other with a holy kiss, (Romans 16:16). 5. Sell everything and give to the poor, (Mark 10:21). 6. Invite friends to our ‘feasts,’ (Matthew 19:21). 7. Desire to prophesy, (I Corinthians 14:1). 8. Pray the “Lord’s prayer,” (Matthew 6:9). 9. Give to any who begs, (Luke 6:30). 10. Judge not – Condemn not, (Luke 6:37). 11. Share all good things, (Galatians 6:6). 12. Women be silent in assemblies (I Corinthians 14:34) 13. Women may not teach or have authority over men (1 Timothy 2:12). 14. Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins… (Acts 2:38-39) 15. Lord’s Supper observed when they assembled (Acts 20:7). 16. Meeting in houses and eating together (Acts 2:41-46). Yes there are many more things….
* Some traditions are just that, but they may outlive their need and can (should) be changed. (Much has changed since 1940 and 2015 in things we “do in church.”)
* Some traditions are not bad and should be kept, (maybe adjusted or updated).
* Some traditions are actually commands and are not optional.
* Some traditions are just for local cultures, and not for others.
* Some traditions are cross-cultural and applicable to all (commands). * Some traditions are gender based. On and on we could go, but it is so important to remember something…Man made traditions, should always be understood as MAN MADE and not elevated to the position of Bible. More to come… Grow in grace!

Notes from Dad:
1944 we attended the Old Bowling Green Church. It was the advent of paved roads and Autos, lighting, Sunday PM services, Sunday school classes. A partition was used for classes, and uninspired literature was used in Bible studies (Gospel Advocate), printed on a single card with a lesson, picture and prayer. We took turns with who would take the class. We built class rooms, and started Wednesday PM class (formerly dedicated to prayer).
For the communion we used two glasses. Contributions were individually brought to the communion table (without a prayer). Servers were called from the floor. Memorized prayers were offered, with little variation. Women had long hair and wore hats. Song leaders began waving their hands while leading songs, (we thought they were showing off). Most song leaders just kept beat by tapping their feet.
(It’s amazing how quickly, each modified pattern (tradition) quickly became an obligation on everyone on threat of HELL or the loss of some “stars” in our crowns.)
Our meeting house had no sign. We had an inflexible pattern of procedure. (Three songs – prayer – song – sermon – invitation – communion – collection – song – dismissal – covering of communion emblems.) The song leader never offered any comments. There were no scripture readings or communion comments made.
There was no “placing membership (letter)” We had an outdoor “outhouse.” Baptisms were in a lake. Then we moved everything indoors (for convenience, and to keep up with the times) and we also added a water fountain and a kitchen. (Kitchen’s were considered a mark of being liberal or promoting a “social gospel.”) Frequently we used chalk boards and charts. Every Fifth Sunday, we had an offering for Orphan Homes. Once a year we loaded a truck with canned goods for the Orphan’s Home.
Back in those days, we had not yet picked up on the Roman Catholic concept of “Church weddings,” and thus under the responsibility of “the church” to determine who was and who was not eligible to be married.
There were no funeral homes. The body of the deceased was prepared for burial in the home. Some sat with the body. There was singing at the graveside. All singing at the funeral was congregational.
Brethren… The reason for jeans being altered, new shoes being bought is because the physical body is a living, growing body.
EACH CHANGE WAS MET WITH CRITICISM AND DEBATE… and resulted in brethren who identified themselves as:
1.) Non-Bible School, 2.) Non-Building, 3.) One Cup, 4.) Non-women teaching, 5.) Non-kitchen, 6.) Non-Orphan Home, 7.) Non-Located preachers,

Today we find CHURCH STAFFS composed of Senior ministers, Pulpit Ministers, Educational Ministers, Counselors, Secretaries, Custodians, Full time elders, Preacher schools.
Other changes: Overhead projectors, bulletins (mailed or emailed to everyone), Literature (by men and women), Worship teams, Raising hands in praise, contemporary songs, dramas, some have instruments or use online videos, dramas, and puppets, Radio, TV, Internet being used, Applause, etc… Here are some PILLARS (Principles) Dad mentions….
* “Methods are many – Principles are few – Methods often change, but principles never do!”
1. “We have the freedom to give up our rights. We do not have the right to give up our freedom (in Christ).
2. Everyman can have his say, but everyman does not get to have his way.
3. A strong man can become weak, but it takes time for a weak man to become strong.
4. “Traditions are the living faith of the dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.”
5. Brethren can differ! Romans 14.
6. Personal convictions and opinions CAN NEVER BE ALLOWED TO BE CONGREGATIONAL LAW.
7. Stumbling blocks are not grumbling blocks
8. Respect each others convictions.
9. Understand the difference between the WEAK CHRISTIAN and the HARD HEADED CHRISTIAN.
I encourage all to come and join the RESTORATION SUMMIT 2015 – ON LINKEDIN.COM.

Grow in grace!

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Restoration Summit 2015 – On Linkedin!

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If you have an interest in the RESTORATION OF NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY, then I want to invite you to join my new discussion group I on Linkedin. Just look for “Restoration Summit.”

What’s it about? Well, it’s about taking another look at how to begin again, (that is assuming we need the “re-boot.” The “roots” of the Restoration Movement are rich. There is no need whatsoever, to “bail out” on our roots, and in fact we should cherish our historical roots. Perhaps though, there is a need to go back and rediscover the good things and emphasize these, and reconsider how some things may have been badly handled and learn from the mistakes of the past, and make some changes. Perhaps there is a way to begin again and find a way to move forward into the 21st Century (and beyond) with something grand indeed. Can this be done? I don’t know.

What will it take?

First, it will take a deep respect for the authority of the Word and for what the Word of God actually says, as well as principles found there. We have no other ‘guide-book,’ and Jesus Himself is our creed, and example of how to live.

Secondly, it will take open minds, and the understanding that not everything is a “salvation issue.”

Thirdly, it will take looking back (20/20 eye sight), and re-examining where the church (small “c”) divided, which were totally unnecessary. Things which we possibly could have avoided, and not given the world something to throw back in our faces. Besides, ours was a UNIFYING MOVEMENT. Who knows, maybe we can learn from the mistakes of the past… and grow. We could and can still show that we can love each other, and work together in spite of many differences we have.

Fourthly, it will take understanding of where we went wrong, and courage to make corrections based on God being the Judge in some cases, and by all means, the grace of God which gives time and makes room for Christians to grow and study things out.

Finally, it will take courage… The fear of being black balled by some with a printing press, has scared the willies out of us… but we had better get over that before it’s too late.

What is the goal? To open up dialogue (ie just talk and listen) with all who have repented and immersed into Christ and have received the Holy Spirit as Peter commanded and promised in Acts 2:38-39. Our salvation doesn’t depend on our agreeing on every thing, but it does depend on some very fundamental things. Outside that, well we can still love each other, and even join hands and work together on some things that are bigger than our differences.

What did Jesus pray? “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23). The question remains… will we stay in the struggle long enough and love each other deep enough, to realize this prayer, and goal which Jesus prayed.

While some wars and battles need to be fought, there are those who wish to pass down to other generations, some for which many are ‘battle weary’ and are not needed. While there is a place for boundaries and walls, there are some which are not in accord with Jesus’ prayer nor Paul’s hope.. Those who simply wish to fight and argue, well, just love and pray for them, but certainly, don’t allow their attitude to prevail or govern your thinking.

What did Paul say? “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:1-6).Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it… so what happened to us? The above is still true.

What would happen if Christians could lay aside (just for a time), all the issues on cups, buses, hats, buildings, paid preachers, musical instruments, pitch pipes, song books, VBS, projectors, orphan homes, Christian colleges, Bible classes, long hair, short hair, no hair, translations, spiritual gifts, clapping and raising hands in worship, women praying with men, cooperation and non-cooperation, etc., and just stop for a moment of meditation… and think?
1. Who are we?
2. Whose are we?
3. Why are we “who we are” and “whose we are?”
4. Whose blood made it all possible?
5. What has made us ONE body, and how can we maintain this ONE body?
6. Whose Spirit dwells in each and every believer? What does this mean in regards to HOW WE SHOULD TREAT EACH OTHER… even when we disagree?
a.) What in the world does Romans 14-15 mean for us today?
7. How important… are the things we have listed above when compared with the pain and suffering Jesus went through to make of all peoples “one new nation?”
8. Can we learn to love, and get along with each other, and work towards the goal of Christ, to bring all the lost to him?
9. In the event that we disagree on something not a salvation issue… In other words, something that in all probability will fade away in years to come just like WOMEN WEARING HATS TO CHURCH has done… Why sacrifice the precious ONENESS of the body of Christ and embarrass or shame the Lord before the world, over things like this? Can we not have a “conscience fellowship?” In other words, “I don’t agree with what they do in worship, and can’t at this time worship there… but they are still my brothers and sisters in Christ.”
10. In the event that there are disagreements over salvation issues… can’t we agree that this is where the line is drawn, because God ‘drew it’ thus allowing God to be the final Judge on all the rest?
11. What about God’s grace? How does His grace apply to those we have judged and found unfit?
12. What if God is displeased with the lines WE HAVE DRAWN, and is thinking “How dare you break up MY SON’S BODY.”

There is much to talk about… and so little time, but the need is urgent. So JOIN ME, I welcome all who sincerely wish to just think and discuss together in this RESTORATION SUMMIT.
(Grow in grace!)

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“I Have Earnestly Desired To Eat This Passover With You”

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This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Lord's Supper

The shadow of the cross had been looming over the Lord for some time now. He knew what happened to those who were crucified, everybody knew. From time to time, crosses had been erected and the victims could easily be seen. It was a warning as well as a punishment. It was a cruel way, perhaps the most cruel way to die.

To be beaten or flogged was bad enough, and often ended in death. The tool used was called a “cat of nine tails,” of leather straps with bits of metal embedded. To receive 40 lashes with this, had to be unbearable. “The Passion of the Christ,” was almost too much to watch, as they portrayed the Lord being tied to a post in the middle of a court yard, and beaten while those who administered the whipping, seemed to enjoy the whole process. I wanted to stand and shout, “Stop it!” “He has done nothing worthy of this!” “All He has done is good, so why not grab those Pharisees and beat them?”

It would not have done any good, even if I were there. Those who wanted his blood, would stop at nothing until they got what they wanted. They wanted Him dead. They wanted this ‘trouble maker,’ gone! They had been challenged, embarrassed, preached to enough, and now they cried for His death.

People cried, people jeered – people covered their heads in sorrow, while others looked on with satisfaction. He was on the way to be crucified. “I win, You lose!” Satan thought.

All of this pain, agony, disgrace, and dishonor, Jesus knew was in the “cup” which He had to drink.

But before He drank it, His one desire was to be with those who loved Him, and have a supper. Just one last time, He wanted to look into the eyes of those who cared for Him. One final time He wanted to feel the joy of unity and fellowship, that they had been experiencing for the past three years. One last time…

It was here that He begins a tradition which is above all others, because it is in the very bread they ate, and the very wine they drank, that His body and blood were to be remembered.

Jesus did not hurry though this feast… for it had been planned, and this gathering was especially for this purpose of looking back. Now as we have gathered, let us not think of how fast or efficient, or of the next part of our service, or use the time when others are partaking to write a hasty check, or some such thing… Let us think about our Lord who gave everything that we might have everything.

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The Passover

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This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Lord's Supper

Exodus 12:1-13 is the first record, or the institution of the Passover. It is a time of emotions, of fear, wonder and awe. It was to coincide with the last and most terrible of the plagues which the LORD God would bring upon the land of Egypt. It was that night that the God of the Universe would bring death on the land, and all the first born in Egypt would be put to death. Some of the plagues would be only for the unbelieving Egyptians, and others would affect the Hebrew people as well… this is one of those plagues.

The only way the Hebrews would be spared, is if they followed God’s instructions.
“Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames of the houses where they eat the lambs.
8  That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it.”
To the last detail, the Passover instructions are given. It was a matter of life or death.
Here is how they were to eat the Passover. “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover.”

We seem to have mastered the last part of this, as the Lord’s Supper is often given a few minutes to be completed.

To think back and wonder how they must have felt and to know that the only thing that kept them safe… was a sprinkling of blood on the two door posts and lintel, must have been scary as they heard what seemed to be the whole land of Egypt erupting in cries and groans over the loss of their first born children.

It was a night to be forever remembered, and celebrated, as this was the straw that ‘broke the stubborn camel’s back.’ Pharaoh could not stand it any longer. He told Moses to get the Hebrew people out!!!

Jesus told his disciples to prepare the Passover meal. It was no small task, and must have been a good meal. Feasting was not the real purpose, REMEMBERING was the reason for the season. Impressing others with the food, the way they dressed, the fancy plates and glasses was not even in the picture. The simple feast was a remembrance of a special time in their history when by God’s grace, they were spared.

Jesus had called them three years before, and since then they had witnessed his miracles, teachings, confrontations. They had been taught from His eternal mind, all that the Father wanted them to know. They had seen Jesus reach across racial barriers, traditional barriers, class barriers, male/female barriers to reach and teach the lost. He had caused them to wonder as He walked on water, raised the dead, fed thousands with only a few fish and loaves of bread. Now He has but one more thing to do… DIE.
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,” He said.

This Passover was special! More than the others. Not only was it a Jubilee, it was the Jubilee of Jubilees. Leviticus 25:8-13 states: “And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.”

This was truly a special celebration… but it was more special because it was the establishment of the Lord’s Supper. Luke recorded it for us in chapter 22 and beginning with verse 16, “For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God. After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

The bread represented His body, the juice represented His blood. Not to be rushed through, not a time to show off or think about anything else, for nothing else is as important as this: HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME!
I truly was so lost I should have died, but He did it for me! Praise God! “Worthy is the Lamb,” who is now our Passover Lamb as well.

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Hand Ball And The Colonel

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Gerald Wright tell this story of the time he took Dad to the gym on the Military Base in Ramstein, Germany, to play handball.
“I was no good, (at Hand Ball), so Jack said he would find someone to pair up with.” He looked on the bulletin board and found the Base Champion, a ‘full bird’ Colonel. He called and introduced himself as “Big Jack Exum from Dallas, Texas,” and said he was looking for someone to play a game of handball with him. That afternoon, they got together and Jack won the first game hands down, but was puzzled at how easily he had defeated this champion. He came over to me (on the bleachers), and said “This guy keeps calling me “Sir!” during the game.” I laughed and said, “The guy probably thinks you are a General or something!” He replied, “Well, I’m going to ‘lay it on him,’ that I am just a preacher and see how it goes.” He did, and the guy ‘beat his brains out!’ Well, I learned a lot that day, because when Jack would miss a shot, he would slam himself against the wall due to his competitive spirit. Jack was not a typical preacher.”
There’s nothing wrong with being competitive, and giving it everything you’ve got, and while life is not all about winning, it is important to us. We go to see our team win. We scream and holler, wear weird things and go crazy to encourage our team to win, and celebrate when we do win.
A bigger issue is how we play the game? We have all heard the saying, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game that counts.”
Life is a game of sorts, and we don’t always win. At times we look back, and see more defeats than victories, but that’s not even the important thing. What is important about life is do we learn? We learn more from our defeats, than we do our victories. Character is tested and built by experiencing and learning from life’s hard lessons. It reveals what a person is, and where corrections need to be made.
Growing in grace as a Christian, is not easy. Paul uses three comparisons to illustrate in II Timothy 2:1-7.
He begins with the “soldier.” Being a good soldier is not easy. Paul says, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Don’t get tangled up in things which distract you from serving Jesus.
He then uses the example of an “athlete.” His focus here is competing according to the rules. It’s good to win, but better to win according to the rules.
Lastly he uses the illustration of the “hard-working farmer.” It takes work to be a farmer, athlete or soldier… and all have their just rewards.
One more thing, don’t quit!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (II Timothy 4:7-8).

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Turtles And Hares Again

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Growing up, one of our favorite stories was the story of the turtle (or was it Tortoise) and the hare. Most of the pre-video game generation, remember the simple story.
This is my version, or what I remember… One day this particular rabbit was bragging about how fast he was to all his friends. The turtle heard him and said he could beat him in a race. Well, this crawled all over the rabbit, and his reputation was on the line (as well as a bucket of pride), so he accepted the challenge and added a few little statements on just how bad he would beat the turtle. Everyone prepared for the event. Finally the day came for the race, and the two racers got ready to run. “Get ready!” “Set” “Go!” With a cloud of dust, the rabbit leaves the turtle behind, and gets so far ahead of the turtle, that he decides to stop and take a nap, while the turtle slowly, but surely moves forward. After awhile, the rabbit wakes up and looks around and sees the turtle has passed him and is close to the finish line. The rabbit puts all his energy into running as fast as he can, but the turtle, even though he was tired, and never stopped… won the race.
There are some good lessons for us in this story. 1.) If you start something ─ finish it! I have found myself trying to multi-task at times, and I get bogged down. Pressure builds, and accomplishments dwindle. One by one is the way it’s done. Sit down, and make a list, and numbering the jobs in order of importance. Finish the job you hate the most first. This gives momentum for completing the other jobs. 2.) Slow isn’t always bad. Being slow can be frustrating at times, but the idea is to set a good pace and keep with it. 3.) Make the most of who you are and stop trying to be something you are not. You are special and you have certain talents and gifts… use them to the best of your ability. Weaknesses can be worked on and improved as you go and grow. 4.) Slow doesn’t always loose, and fast doesn’t always win. Fast sometimes brings carelessness and mistakes, and time again spent in correcting mistakes. Taking a ‘short-cut’ isn’t always the best thing to do. The more difficult and detailed something is, the slower you may have to work… just make sure when you’re done… it is done right. In the end you may accomplish more than the one who rushes through a job and fails at the quality hoped for. Whether building a house, putting in a water line, or writing for the newspaper, being fast isn’t always good.
When Jesus finished His work here on earth… He wasn’t running a race, but He was finishing the job given Him. Nothing could be left to chance. When He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He meant it. The work of fulfilling the law, and providing a way for lost humanity to be saved was done, and done right the first time!

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“The Lord Our God The Lord Is One”

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In Indonesia He is “Allah,” in Assyrian, “Eleah,” in Dutch “Godt,” in modern Egyptian, “Teun.” In Flemish He is “Goed,” in French, “Dieu,” in German, “Gott,” in Greek, “Theos.” In Hebrew, He is “Elohim” and “Eloha,” while in English, we call Him “God.”
Around the world people worship because it is just in man to do so. Humanity has always looked intently upon God’s creations, the sun and moon, and the stars — now, with the advanced technology of the Hubble Telescope, we peer deeply into other galaxies. Conversely, with electron microscopes, we see the beginnings of life itself. Through the smallest to the greatest of His creations, He shows us that He is truly marvelous and beyond comprehension.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4). “In the beginning,” He created, and what He created, was “good” (Genesis 1).
There is no comparing God. With what would you compare God? What picture, drawing or carving can capture Him for viewing? All attempts have failed, and fall under His condemnation, (Exodus 20:3-5). We need to learn one basic thing, He is God, and we are not.
There is no comprehending God fully. Science cannot explain Him. History cannot reach back far enough to reveal everything about Him. Mathematics cannot figure Him out. Language cannot find the words to express Him fully… He is God!
There is no debating God, and those who tried have found themselves embarrassingly unprepared and inept. Job tried, and God said to him, “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me” (Job 38:2-3). For the next three chapters God questions him, but he cannot answer. (The challenge still stands.)
There is no one like God for He is the one true God. “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). “The wise fear the Lord and shun evil…” (Proverbs 14:16).
There is no one who is Holy like God “I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 11:45). Nadab and Abihu did not respect Him, and died for it. The Lord said, “Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.”(Leviticus 10:3).
A little girl woke one night crying. Her Mom came in to console her saying, “God is watching over you.” She replied in a way that expresses many hearts. “I know, but I need a God with flesh on Him.” Phillip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus replied, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:8-9).
God in any language is awesome, powerful, incomprehensible, all knowing, and beyond comparison. Jesus shows us not only these things, but also shows us what is expressed best by the simple song, “Jesus loves me, this I know…”

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