We Can’t Have the Best of Both Worlds

Posted on July 30, 2018 by russellmckinney

A Sunday School teacher told her children’s class the story of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar (Luke 16:19-31). She said, “The rich man had a lot of money and lived in luxury every day. He had a beautiful house that had a big gate in front of it. He wore expensive, bright-colored clothes that were made from the finest linen. And he ate delicious food every meal.” The children’s eyes danced with excitement at the thought of getting to live such a life.

Then she continued. “But Lazarus was very, very poor. He didn’t even have any money to buy food for himself. That’s why he laid at the gate of the rich man’s beautiful house and asked to be fed with the crumbs that happened to fall to the floor under the rich man’s table. And Lazarus was sick, too. He had sores all over his body and no money to buy medicine for them. So, he let dogs lick them to try to get them better.” The children’s faces turned to horror at the thought of having to live such a life.

“Everything changed, though,” said the teacher, “when both men died.” “The rich man went to a place where he was tormented by hot flames all the time. He was thirsty constantly but could not get even one drop of water to drink. Lazarus, on the other hand, went to a place of perfect happiness. He was healed, comforted, and all his troubles were over.”

Then the teacher asked, “Now, class, which person would you rather be? Would you rather be the rich man or Lazarus the beggar?” After a second or two of thought, one little fellow piped up and said, “I’d like to be the rich man right now and Lazarus when I die.”

That’s what we all want, isn’t it? We want an earthly life of wealth, splendor, ease, and good times to segue seamlessly into an afterlife of joy, bliss, comfort, and even better times. Unfortunately, in case you haven’t heard, being a follower of Jesus doesn’t work that way. If you think it does, you are setting yourself up for a ton of disillusionment and disappointment.

The Bible says that Christians must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). It says we must endure with Jesus before we can reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). It says that we must suffer with Him before we can be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17-18).

We are told to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), which implies that we will have them. We are told that God comforts us in all our tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), which implies that we will experience a great deal of it. We are told that God is a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1), which implies that trouble will be no stranger to us. We are promised that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes in the eternal city of New Jerusalem, which implies that we will have cried many of them on earth (Revelation 21:4).

Needless to say, none of this makes for popular preaching. It’s not the kind of information that people, even Christians, rush to share. Show me a preacher who preaches numerous sermons about Christians suffering, and I’ll show you a preacher who is preaching to a small congregation.

Nevertheless, it’s Bible truth, and it helps us make sense of this confusing and painful earthly life. You see, those Bible passages about Christians suffering are not in there because God is a sadist who enjoys watching His people hurt. Instead, those passages are simply God’s way of helping us Christians to not only acknowledge that suffering will be a part of our earthly lives but also to apply an eternal perspective to our suffering.

So, can we ideally have the best of both worlds? No, not really. But can we ideally have the best of the one that will last for all eternity? Absolutely! That’s the world that Lazarus the beggar is enjoying right now, and it’s the one that Jesus promises to anyone who truly knows Him as Savior.

Posted in Adversity, Comfort, Death, Disappointment, Eternity, Heaven, Hell, Human Life, Money, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Prosperity, Reward, Salvation, Scripture, Suffering, Sunday School, Trials, Trusting In God, Truth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fear Not

Posted on July 27, 2018 by russellmckinney

According to what I read somewhere there are over 500 Bible passages that mention the issue of fear. I’ve also read that the specific phrases “Fear not” or “Be not afraid” are used 103 times in the King James translation. Obviously, God is trying to tell us something.

What are you afraid of right now? What’s got you stressed out? What’s causing you to lose sleep? Perhaps it is a health problem. Perhaps it is a relationship problem. Perhaps it is a financial problem. Whatever it is, have you talked with God about it? Have you sought His guidance? Have you sought His will? Have you sought His courage to face it?

In 2 Timothy 1:7, we read:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (N.K.J.V.)

Specifically, this promise is for Christians. A couple of translations even capitalize the “S” in the word “Spirit” to indicate that the reference is to God the Holy Spirit, who indwells each Christian. Therefore, Christian, you of all people should never allow fear, fear of anything or anyone, to dominate your life. To do so is to cut against the grain of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside you. He’s not afraid, and so why are you?

You say, “But Russell, you just don’t know what I’m dealing with.” No, I don’t. I do know, though, that God is bigger than your problem, and I also know that once you get Him on the case, He will do one of two things. He’ll either rescue you out of the problem or He will give you the wisdom, strength, and, yes, courage to tackle it. What’s for certain is that He doesn’t want you walking around scared to death. The key is to replace your fear of the problem with your faith in Him. If you will do that you will be amazed at how He responds.

Posted in Adversity, Comfort, Courage, Doubt, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, God's Omnipotence, God's Omnipresence, God's Guidance, God's Omniscience, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, Grace, Needs, Peace, Problems, Scripture, The Bible, The Holy Spirit, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When God Tells You to Do Something

Posted on July 25, 2018 by russellmckinney

I’ve been friends with Beau Thomas for most of my life. We grew up together, attended school together, ran around together, and played a lot of ball together. When each of us became a father, we also coached our share of youth league baseball and football together.

Beau had a coaching principle that I really liked. He’d say, “I’m not going to ask a kid to do something that he can’t do.” That applied to pitching, stealing a base, playing quarterback, punting, and anything else a team might need done.

I often think of Beau’s line when God burdens me to do something. Maybe I don’t have a lot of experience in the field. Maybe the money required to pull off the feat is a bit iffy. Or maybe I just don’t want the job. It’s times like these that I can start sounding like Moses giving his list of excuses why he shouldn’t have been the man God chose to lead the Israelites out of their Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:11-4:17).

It’s also during these times that I’m reminded of the story of Jesus calming the storm (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). That story begins with Him getting into a boat with His chosen 12 apostles and saying, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake (the lake of Gennesaret, the “Sea” of Galilee).” That command was followed by the 12 grabbing their oars and Jesus grabbing a nap in the back of the boat.

But somewhere out there on the water a great storm arose, one that battered the boat with waves and threatened to sink it. The 12 woke up Jesus and said, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” And how did Jesus respond? He stood up, calmed the winds and the sea, and restored order to the situation. Then He asked the 12 the penetrating question, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

He could well have added in, “I didn’t say, ‘Let us get out into the middle of the lake and drown.’ I said, ‘Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.'” The point was that they should have had enough faith to know that He wouldn’t have told them to cross over to the other side of the lake if it was going to be physically impossible for them to do so.

By way of applying this story to your current situation, if the Lord is burdening you to do (or keep doing) something, all your excuses for not doing that something are lame. The old saying “God’s commandments are God’s enablements” still holds true. God knows your talents, strengths, and abilities as well as your weaknesses, faults, and shortcomings. And He’ll never ask you to do something that He knows you honestly aren’t capable of doing.

Posted in Adversity, Change, Choices, Christ's Miracles, Commitment, Complaining, Courage, Decisions, Disobedience, Doing Good, Doubt, Encouragement, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, God's Omniscience, God's Provision, God's Will, God's Work, Individuality, Ministry, Money, Obedience, Perseverance, Personal, Problems, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Submission, Talents, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unopened Perfume

Posted on July 23, 2018 by russellmckinney

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15, N.K.J.V.)

Donald Barnhouse was one of America’s best-known preachers. He pastored Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1927 until 1960 and was always in great demand as a speaker at Bible conferences. His mastery of the use of illustrations was legendary.

Barnhouse once told the story of a man who visited Paris and bought an expensive bottle of perfume. The man brought the bottle home to his wife and she used the perfume freely. Even after the bottle was empty, she kept it on a table. On one occasion, when she longed to wear the scent from the empty bottle one last time, she placed a handkerchief inside the bottle and closed up the bottle so the handkerchief could absorb the remaining odors. After that even the faintest odors were gone from the bottle. By way of sermon application, Barnhouse said, “Many people in our churches are like that. As far as they are concerned, their bottle is empty. They have no life and fragrance of Christ.”

After the service Barnhouse was walking down the street to his hotel and happened to get behind a group who had heard his sermon. One of the women said, “I liked the story he told about the perfume bottle because it reminded me of a very expensive perfume that Frank brought me from Paris. It is a beautiful bottle, but I have never broken the seal. It sits right there on my dresser and the light shines through it. It is a beautiful amber.”

Seizing his opportunity for a second application for his illustration, Barnhouse overtook the group and let them know that he’d been listening in on their conversation. After a good laugh by all, Barnhouse said to the woman with the unopened bottle of perfume:

Don’t you see that the perfume was given to you to use? And what an illustration that is. Too many Christians have been given so much, yet they keep it tightly sealed in themselves. No one passing near would know for a moment that they have the life of God in them, for not the tiniest particle of the essence is allowed to come forth. The wonderful thing about God’s perfume is that as fast as we waft it forth, He keeps filling the bottle; its fragrance may change and grow, but it is more glorious every time we send it forth. That is God’s way.

Christian, our text verse says that you are nothing less than the fragrance of Christ for not only your fellow believers but also unbelievers. But the question is: How much of the “perfume” that God has given you are you using? I’m talking about your talents, skills, abilities, spiritual gifts, opportunities, time, energy, zeal, and money?

Tell me, are you using all of that “perfume” to make the world a better place? Or, like that woman’s unopened bottle, have failed to even break your seal? Listen, God hasn’t given you all that He has given you just so you can sit back, take your leisure, and enjoy the good life. He’s looking for workers, people who will serve Him by serving others, especially in situations that are downright stinky and in desperate need of a fresh, sweet-smelling aroma. And so, I close this post by asking you, “How are you doing at being the fragrance of Christ?”

Posted in Character, Commitment, Doing Good, Dying To Self, God's Will, God's Work, Good Works, Individuality, Influence, Ministry, Missions, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Sanctification, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Stewardship, Submission, Talents, Witnessing, Worship | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

“Christian Verses” Podcast: Hebrews 10:5

Posted on July 21, 2018 by russellmckinney

Jesus was a great teacher. But that isn’t why He came to earth. He was a healer. But that isn’t why He came earth. He started a new religion. But that isn’t why He came to earth. In this week’s podcast Malcolm and I address the subject “Why Jesus Came.” As an added bonus we also talk a little bit about Jesus’ earthly body. Was He tall? Was He short? What color of skin did He have? How long was His hair? No one knows these answers for sure, but we offer a few of our opinions. Here’s the link:

https://soundcloud.com/user-185243867/why-jesus-camecv2018025

Posted in "Christian Verses" podcast, Christ's Birth, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Salvation | Leave a comment

John Wesley & the Robber

Posted on July 20, 2018 by russellmckinney

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9, N.K.J.V.)

John Wesley was the father of the Methodist denomination. It is estimated that over the course of his lifetime he rode horseback 250,000 miles in preaching the gospel. If you’re counting, that’s enough distance to circle the earth ten times!

One night, as Wesley rode across Hounslow Heath near London, a robber jumped in front of him, grabbed the horse’s bridle, and shouted, “Halt! Your money or your life!” Wesley, who was far from rich, politely obliged by removing the few coins he had in his pockets. He even invited the robber to examine his saddlebags, which were filled with books. Disappointed in the meager haul, the robber turned away to leave.

It was then that Wesley made a demand of his own. He said to the robber, “Stop! I have something more to give you.” Puzzled by Wesley’s invitation, the robber walked back to him. Wesley then bent down from his horse and said, “My friend, you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, I beseech you to remember this: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.'” Upon hearing those words, the robber scurried away into the night. Wesley, for his part, offered up a heartfelt prayer right then and there that God would burn the words into the robber’s conscience.

Years later, at the close of a Sunday night service wherein Wesley had preached to a large congregation, a stranger stepped forward and asked to speak with him. You can guess where this is going. It was the man who had robbed Wesley on Hounslow Heath so many years earlier. The man had long been a Christian and was now a wealthy tradesman in London.

Wesley remembered his first meeting with the man and was delighted to see him a second time. Almost reverently the man took Wesley’s hand, kissed it, and said, “To you, dear sir, I owe it all.” Wesley, recalling what he had said to the man that night so long ago, softly replied, “No, my friend, not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ which cleanses us from all sin.”

It’s no coincidence that the text verse for this post is found in the same passage that gives us the familiar verse: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7, N.K.J.V.). By putting both verses together, we learn that appropriate reaping will surely come from appropriate sowing, but the harvests won’t appear overnight. Perseverance is required on our part as we are told to not “grow weary” or “lose heart.”

Perhaps, Christian, you have become discouraged because you are seeing precious little harvesting even though you’ve been faithfully sowing good seed. I believe that God led you to this post to say to you, “Hang in there! Don’t grow weary! Don’t lose heart! Keep sowing your good seed! You will reap in due season!”

One night John Wesley sowed a seed in a robber’s heart. Many years later, on another night, Wesley reaped the harvest from that seed. And that type of thing didn’t die out with John Wesley. We simply have to be faithful to keep sowing good seed and patient enough to wait for the promised harvests.

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Character, Comfort, Commitment, Depression, Disappointment, Doing Good, Encouragement, Evangelism, Faithfulness, God's Timing, God's Work, Impatience, Influence, Ministry, Obedience, Patience, Perseverance, Reward, Service, Sowing and Reaping, Waiting, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Word About Church Services

Posted on July 18, 2018 by russellmckinney

A faithful churchgoer was asked by his fisherman friend, “How can you go to the same church every service, week after week, month after month, year after year? It’s the same place, the same people, the same hymns. You’ve even had the same preacher for several years. Hasn’t it all gotten boring to you?”

In reply, the churchgoer said to his friend, “You fish at the same hole a lot, don’t you?” But the hole is never exactly the same. The water is constantly flowing and changing as old water moves down the stream and new water replaces it. Well, church is like that. The hole is never exactly the same from one service to the next. Every time I go the Lord has something fresh for me.”

Like a fingerprint, each church service is unique. It’s a one-off collection of the specific attendees, the specific conversations, the specific fellowship, the specific songs, the specific prayer requests, the specific prayers, the specific scripture, and the specific sermon for that service. That day’s local and national news might have some bearing upon it. What’s happening within the church itself during that period of its history will definitely play a role in it. The time of year will even make a difference in how the service looks and feels. For that matter, that day’s weather will probably affect the service one way or another. But one thing is constant in church services: unending diversity. No matter if the church is big or small, city or rural, contemporary or traditional, each service will always be different than any service that has ever been held there.

Actually, even if everything about one service is an exact replica of a previous service, something will still be different: how God is dealing with you at that moment in your life. If you don’t believe me, listen to a copy of a sermon that you like. Then wait two weeks and listen to it again. What you’ll find is that God uses the sermon to speak to you in different ways from one listen to the next. You see, it’s not the sermon that changes. It’s you! Like the waters in a stream, your life is constantly flowing as old water moves down the line and is replaced by new water.

God is always up to something new not only in your outward circumstances but also in your inner spiritual life. This is why Jesus said that if you want to follow Him, you must pick up your cross each day (Luke 9:23). Whatever else we might say about God, He refuses to be predictable. If you think God is boring, that’s a tell-tale indicator that you aren’t walking with Him very closely. The apostles walked with Jesus every day, but I’ll guarantee you they would never have classified Him as predictable or boring.

And even though non-churchgoers might be loathe to agree, God does have something fresh and new for each attendee at each church service. He’s faithful in that way. The question is: Will we keep ourselves spiritually in tune enough with Him to catch what He is throwing us during each service?

So, the next time you attend church, be sure to ask God to make it crystal clear to you what He wants you to get out of the service. That’s a prayer request He’ll surely be glad to answer. Then put His answer into action and watch it make a marked difference in your life. Additionally, watch it make a marked difference in your church as God molds and shapes you into a servant who doesn’t just take  from church but also contributes to it. That, after all, is the highest ideal in regards to church services, and it’s where God ultimately wants to get you.

Posted in Church, Church Attendance, Current Events, Discipleship, God's Work, Ministry, Music, Pastors, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Preaching, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Sunday School, Talents, Worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fear in the Life of the Christian

Posted on July 16, 2018 by russellmckinney

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble, Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah. (Psalm 46:1-3, N.K.J.V.)

The August 14, 1989, edition of Time magazine reported the bizarre story of a man from East Detroit who, for all intents and purposes, had died of fear. This man had gone on a number of fur-trapping expeditions over the course of his life and had consequently been bitten by ticks many times. He’d never thought much about the bites until the day he’d first heard about Lyme disease, which is carried by deer ticks. That news had sent him into an obsessive panic.

The man had become convinced that not only had he become infected with the disease but that he’d passed it along to his wife. He’d gone to multiple doctors and been tested, but each test had come back negative. Even more than that, each doctor had explained to him that it was virtually impossible for one person to transmit the disease to another person.

Nevertheless, the doctors hadn’t been able to calm the man’s fear, and he’d ended up going completely insane and had killed both his wife and himself. When the police had arrived at the home, they’d found the man’s mailbox stuffed with all kinds of material describing Lyme’s disease. They’d also found a doctor’s slip confirming that he had recently scheduled yet another appointment to be tested again for the disease.

Fear can ruin your life if you let it. So, do you have something right now that is creating a ton of fear in you? If you do, have you talked to God about it? More importantly, have you rolled your fear over onto Him and trusted Him with the problem? Needless to say, you haven’t if the fear is still with you. You should heed the counsel of that wise person who said, “Don’t be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

Matthew 6:25-34 is the Bible’s great passage on fear and the worry fear produces. There Jesus explains that God taking care of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field proves that He’ll also take care of His people, who are of far more value to Him than the birds and the lilies. It should be understood, though, that the passage is addressed specifically to Christ’s followers. In other words, you don’t know Jesus as Savior, you reading that passage is akin to you reading someone else’s mail. For the Christian, though, Christ’s promise stands true. Therefore, Christian, claim the promise as your own, activate it in your life, and walk peacefully in the knowledge that the God of all creation is your heavenly Father, is on the case for you, and has infinite resources to help you with your problem.

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Comfort, Courage, Depression, Doubt, Faith, Fear, God's Love, God's Omnipotence, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, Needs, Peace, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Problems, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Christian Verses” Podcast: Colossians 3:23

Posted on July 14, 2018 by russellmckinney

The Christian should be the best worker in the place. And the primary motivation shouldn’t be to get a promotion, win awards, or score points with the boss. Instead, it should be because the Christian understands that he or she is, in actuality, working for the Lord. In other words, Jesus wants every corner of our lives, and that includes the corner we call “work.” Similarly, we should give full effort in everything we do, whatever it happens to be (washing the car, doing the dishes, mowing the yard, teaching Sunday School, singing in the church choir, etc., etc., etc.). In this week’s podcast, Malcolm and I start with Colossians 3:23 and explore this concept of Christians always doing their best and giving full effort in whatever we do.

https://soundcloud.com/user-185243867/a-call-to-excellencecv2018024

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The Trouble with Convenient Ships

Posted on July 13, 2018 by russellmckinney

But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. (Jonah 1:3, N.K.J.V.)

Jonah really didn’t want to go to Nineveh and preach, as God had plainly told him to do (Jonah 1:1-2). And his reason for not wanting to go there wasn’t noble. Nineveh was the capital city of the wicked Assyrian empire, and Jonah wanted God to destroy the Ninevites. However, even as Jonah heard God’s command to go there and preach, he had a feeling deep down that God wasn’t actually going to lower the boom on those people. He even told God, “If I go there and preach, you won’t condemn those people; you’ll convert them” (Jonah 3:10; 4:1-2).

But I don’t want to focus on Jonah’s vengeful attitude toward the citizens of Nineveh. Instead, I want to focus on that ship he boarded in Joppa, the one bound for Tarshish. Tarshish, in case you don’t know, was in the complete opposite direction of Nineveh. Have you ever noticed how there always seems to be a ship that will take you in the opposite direction of God’s will?

On this subject, H.G. Bosch wrote:

How prone we are to seize upon that which is convenient as being that which is correct! When we get out of the will of God, it is surprising how many excuses we can find for going our own way. Deeply impressed with our carnal desires, we quickly interpret that which may be only coincidental as a significant indication of God’s will for us…Beware of misinterpreting convenient ships! Remember that the so-called “opportunity” may actually be the Devil’s snare, the world’s allurement, or the path of self-will that will result in God’s chastening.

If Jonah operated like a lot of today’s Christians, he arrived in Joppa, found that ship bound for Tarshish, and thought to himself, “If God didn’t want me to go to Tarshish this ship wouldn’t be here for me to board.” Have you ever used that kind of logic? Isn’t it amazing how much God gets blamed for! If Jonah did think that, I’m sure God was sitting up in heaven thinking, “No, I told you to go to Nineveh, not Joppa. If you had minded Me, you’d never have even laid eyes on that ship.”

Jonah, of course, knew exactly what he was doing. He didn’t go to Joppa on a whim or end up there by chance. No, he went there purposely because he knew it was a port city that had a harbor that lead out into the Mediterranean Sea toward Tarshish. In other words, he knew he would find a ship there bound for Tarshish because such ships were commonplace there. Isn’t it interesting how we become diabolical geniuses when we are running from what God wants us to do?

Perhaps you are struggling right now with a decision, and perhaps you are “going Jonah” with it. You know what God wants you to do but you don’t want to do it, and so you have created a scenario whereby you can do what you want to do, and you are calling that scenario God’s open door. Well, all I can say about that is what H.G. Bosch said about it: Beware of misinterpreting convenient ships! 

Don’t think that God is approving your little plan just because He hasn’t personally stepped down from heaven and brought the scheme to nothing. Truth be told, He might even let you keep doing what you are doing for an extended period of time. At some point, though, He’ll start turning the operation sour, and when that happens, you can start looking for the “great fish” backlash that is surely headed your way. This, you see, is the ultimate destination of every “convenient ship,” and it’s a destination you’d be well advised to avoid.

Posted in Backsliding, Choices, Decisions, Disobedience, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, God's Judgment, God's Will, God's Work, Man's Freewill, Ministry, Missions, Obedience, Preaching, Rebellion, Sowing and Reaping, Submission | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment