Making Perception Align with Reality

Posted on July 3, 2023 by russellmckinney

The owner of a candy store noticed that one of his salesgirls would have customers lined up waiting for her even as his other salesgirls stood by doing nothing. Perplexed by this, he went to the girl and asked for her secret. She answered, “The other girls scoop up more than the requested amount of candy and then start taking away. I scoop up less and then add to it.”

It’s all about perception, isn’t it? Those customers were perceiving themselves to be getting more candy from that salesgirl, even though they really weren’t. They were forming an opinion about her and altering their behavior toward her accordingly.

We Christians must admit that the perception lost people have of us oftentimes isn’t all that glowing. They perceive us to be hypocritical, judgmental, bigoted, closed-minded, ignorant, irrational, and angry. Unfortunately, of course, some Christians can legitimately be classified under each of those adjectives. Ah, but there are other Christians who must be classified differently, and these are the ones who can’t be so easily explained away by lost people.

A world traveler visited the land of what had once been a savage race of cannibals. Actually, the only reason the man could even visit the land was because Christian missionaries had previously blazed the trail, learned the language, and won many of those cannibals to Christ. As the traveler struck up a conversation with one of the natives, he couldn’t resist sharing his views on Christianity with the native. The traveler said, “I myself have no use for the religion. I don’t believe the Bible to be anything other than a man-made book, I don’t believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, and I don’t believe that I will somehow be changed if I believe in Him as my Savior.” To that, the native answered, “My friend, if Jesus does not change lives, you would be in a pot by now.”

Is that story real? I doubt it. But could it be? Absolutely! As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. (N.K.J.V.)

The test that we Christians must pass daily is that of making the reality of the change Jesus has worked inside each of us align with the world’s perception of us. Putting it another way, we’ve got to act “new.” If we continue to commit our same old sins and hold to our same old wrong attitudes, that will create a false perception of us. Lost people will look at us and think, “I guess that ‘Jesus thing’ didn’t work out so well.” On the other hand, if we exhibit a genuine change from cannibalistic to cordial (to go back to my illustration), from hypocritical to holy, from angry to affable, from judgmental to just, etc., then they won’t be able to dismiss us so quickly. That, you see, is why it is so important that we walk the walk in addition to talking the talk.

Posted in Attitude, Backsliding, Change, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dress and Appearance, Faithfulness, God's Work, Honesty, Hypocrisy, Influence, Missions, Personal Holiness, Righteousness, Salvation, Service, Sin | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Now That’s a Good Question

Posted on June 30, 2023 by russellmckinney

A great debate was held between a devout Christian and a staunch atheist. The Christian was allowed to speak first, but without saying a word he simply pulled an orange from his pocket and began to peel it. Then, with thousands of eyes watching him in curiosity, he separated the orange into slices and ate each slice.

The Christian then looked over to the atheist and asked, “How did the orange taste?” The atheist, with a smirk, answered, “I don’t know because I didn’t taste it.” To that, the Christian responded, “Then why do you talk against Christianity and salvation? You haven’t tasted or experienced the blessings of salvation and the joy Jesus gives to those who serve Him. So, how can you intelligently debate something of which you know nothing?”

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. (Psalm 34:8)

Posted in God's Provision, Salvation, God's Love, Trusting In God, Atheism | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Young Man & His Reason

Posted on June 28, 2023 by russellmckinney

A Christian once asked a young man if he wanted to believe in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. The young man answered, “No.” When the Christian asked him to give a reason for his refusal, the young man said:

Several years ago, I was in a man’s kitchen. When he found me there he swore at me and kicked me out. That man was a professing Christian, and from that time I decided never to have anything to do with religion. And I never have to this day.

After hearing that, the Christian asked the young man to write the reason down, word for word, and sign it. The young man played along and did so. Then the Christian handed the signed document back to him and said, “Take this, and when you are asked for your excuse on the day of judgment, hand this up.”

We should learn two lessons from this illustration. First, we Christians should mind our behavior because we do untold damage to the cause of Christ when we our lives slip into sin and compromise. Second, there is no valid excuse for refusing to believe in Christ as Savior. If you think you have one, write it down, sign it, and carry it with you always. You can try using it in the afterlife, but don’t expect it to work.

Posted in Belief, Coming Judgment, Death, Evangelism, God's Wrath, God's Judgment, Hell, Salvation, Witnessing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Keeper of the Spring

Posted on June 26, 2023 by russellmckinney

In a little hamlet, the town council held a meeting to discuss how to cut expenses. They studied the budget more seriously than ever before and noticed an item that had previously escaped their attention. It was a small fee that was paid each month to someone called “The Keeper of the Spring.”

As the council members tried to figure out who “The Keeper of the Spring” was and why he was paid a fee each month, only one member could even offer a clue. He said, “I think there is an old man who lives near the top of the mountain, and he cleans out all the springs and creeks that flow down to the river that fills the reservoir that provides the town’s drinking water.”

The other council members didn’t dispute the answer, but they certainly didn’t see the need to keep paying the fee. One said, “We’ve never even seen this man.” Another said, “That’s right, so how can we be sure that he’s actually doing his job?” A third added, “If he was an old man, he could be dead by now.” So, the council voted unanimously to stop paying “The Keeper of the Spring” and sent a letter of dismissal to the mountaintop address to which the fee had always been sent.

A few months later the town’s citizens began to notice that their drinking water wasn’t as clear and sparkling as it had once been. No fuss was raised, though, because it wasn’t that big a deal. More months passed and they noticed that the water’s color was now different. Still, there didn’t seem to be any cause for alarm. Then more months passed and some of the citizens started getting sick. Finally, a full-fledged epidemic broke out and some of the citizens lost their lives.

Panic now ruled the streets, and the town council voted unanimously to have a team do a thorough investigation to discover the cause of the epidemic. You can guess how the report came back: a polluted, unsafe water supply. Obviously, the town council had failed to realize just how important “The Keeper of the Spring” was. Even though they hadn’t known it, he was the true secret to the town’s livelihood and happiness.

Christian, let me encourage you to realize that Jesus Christ is “The Keeper of the Spring” for you. As long as your fellowship with Him is right, there will be a purity and vitality to your life and you will know the joy, comfort, and inner peace that are only found through Him. But if you foolishly choose to ignore Him and try to operate without Him, at some point you will have to deal with the costly fallout from your choice. Therefore, the smart move is to build your life around Jesus and let Him be “The Keeper of the Spring” for you. If you do that, you can rest assured that He will keep the issues of your life flowing clear and pure.

Posted in Backsliding, Comfort, Commitment, Discipleship, Encouragement, Faithfulness, God's Provision, Inner Peace, Joy, Needs, Personal Holiness, Priorities, Sanctification, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Burning Your Ships

Posted on June 23, 2023 by russellmckinney

Hernando (Hernan) Cortez was a Spanish Conquistador who launched ships from Spanish-held Cuba to conquer Mexico in 1519. That brought about the demise of the great Aztec empire. According to legend, when Cortez first landed on the shores of Mexico, he commanded his men to burn the ships. The burning made retreat impossible and has thus become the classic historical example of going “all in” for an endeavor.

Truth be told, many historians doubt the validity of the legend. Some of them contend that Cortez did purposely render his ships unsuitable for sailing but didn’t burn them. According to the theory, he did this because he didn’t want his men to mutiny and return to the safe haven of Cuba. Others say that the idea of Cortez burning the ships stems from a poor translation of the Latin in which the story was written. But, hey, let’s not let the facts get in the way of a great story!

If you like the idea of going full bore into something by “burning your ships,” there’s a Bible story that fits that bill. It’s the one about God parting the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites to facilitate their escape from Pharaoh’s army. You’ll find that story in Exodus chapter 14.

Exodus 14:21 says that God divided the waters and turned the sea into dry land by means of a strong east wind that blew all night. In Exodus 15:8, Moses describes this wind as the blast of God’s nostrils. Isn’t that great? And so, the people of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry land. Then what happened? The Egyptian army pursued them into that same dry land only to be drowned in the depths when the waters came crashing back into place once the Israelites were safely on the opposite shore.

Okay, now here’s where I’m going with this. When those waters thundered back down and closed the pathway through that sea, that was God slamming the door shut on the Israelites possibly returning to Egypt. You see, it wasn’t just His way of slaying Egypt’s army, it was also His way of forcing the Israelites to forge onward into a new day. Going back to Cortez legend, it was God burning Israel’s ships.

As you read this, perhaps God has pushed you out into a new adventure but you are considering returning back to more comfortable ground. All I’ll say is that if you genuinely believe the adventure is of the Lord, don’t try to return to Egypt. For one thing, there’s nothing for you back there. For another, it doesn’t take much faith to live in Egypt. That life just is what it is, what it’s always been for you. But it takes a high degree of faith to let God lead you step by step into a new, uncharted land. Therefore, a good prayer for you to pray right now might go something like this, “Lord, if you want me to continue on with this adventure, close up the waters behind me so that I’ll have to stay here in this new land. And then help me make it here.”

Posted in Adversity, Change, Choices, Courage, Decisions, Disappointment, Faith, Fear, God's Provision, God's Will, Perseverance, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Problems, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Remembering Your Homeland & Culture

Posted on June 21, 2023 by russellmckinney

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2, N.K.J.V.)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17, N.K.J.V.)

An Englishman went to visit his longtime friend, a British military officer who was stationed in an African jungle. When he finally arrived at the officer’s hut and entered it, he was startled to find his friend dressed in formal clothing and seated at a table beautifully set with polished silverware and fine china. Such a scene simply didn’t seem in keeping with a jungle location.

When the Englishman asked the officer why he was all dressed up and seated at such a table in the middle of a jungle, the officer answered: “Once a week I follow this routine to remind myself of who I am – a British citizen. I want to maintain the customs of my real home and live according to the codes of British conduct, no matter how those around me live. I want to avoid substituting a foreign culture for that of my homeland.”

The parallel to living the Christian life is obvious. Even though we Christians are currently stationed in a foreign land, we are still citizens of the kingdom of heaven. As the Bible says, we are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13) but “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). These facts are not in question. What is in question is whether or not we are substituting the foreign culture of this world for that of our homeland.

Posted in Backsliding, Character, Commitment, Desires, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dress and Appearance, Eternity, Faithfulness, Heaven, Personal Holiness, Priorities, Worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When a Strength Becomes a Weakness

Posted on June 19, 2023 by russellmckinney

It is paradoxical, as well as sad, that God’s servant will often fail in the very area in which he or she is normally strong. The Bible offers us several case studies of this strange fact. Let me share three of those examples with you.

I’ll start with Abraham. He was a man who exhibited enough faith to pack up his belongings, leave his hometown of Ur, and begin an epic journey to an unknown land God promised to show him (Genesis 12:1-5). But what happened when Abraham arrived in that promised land of Canaan? He was greeted there by a famine. So what did he do? He lost faith that God would provide for him during that famine and went down to Egypt. There in Egypt, he showed his lack of faith in God’s protection by instructing his beautiful wife, Sarai, to lie by saying that she was his sister (Genesis 12:10-20). And would you believe that he even repeated this exact same sin many years later when he was in Gerar and dealing with Abimelech, the king of Gerar (Genesis 20:1-18)? What happened to your great faith, Abraham?

Next, I’ll mention Moses. He was a very mild-mannered man who certainly didn’t have a problem with ego or bravado. As a matter of fact, we can read Exodus chapters 3 and 4 and see that it was all that God could do to get him to return to Egypt and lead Israel. Moses was quick to say, “Lord, who am I to be such a leader? I am not an eloquent man. Please, send whomever else you will.” Numbers 12:3 even says that Moses was more humble (meek, gentle, kind) than all men who were on the face of the earth. That’s an amazing statement! But how did Moses ultimately get himself into trouble and miss out on entering into the promised land of Canaan himself? In a fit of anger and rage, he rebuked the people and struck the rock twice when God had commanded him to merely speak to it. He also spoke as if he and Aaron, rather than God, caused the water to gush from the rock (Numbers 20:1-13). What happened to your great humility, Moses?

Lastly, I’ll mention Elijah. He showed astounding courage in going to Ahab, the king of Israel, and proclaiming, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). He showed just as much courage, if not more, in taking on and defeating Ahab’s prophets of Baal in a great showdown atop Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:20-40). But what did he do right on the heels of that landmark victory? He heard that Ahab’s queen, Jezebel, had put a death sentence on his head and he fled. Then, when he reached a certain place out there in the wilderness, he prayed and asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:1-4). What happened to your great courage, Elijah?

If it sounds like I’m picking on Abraham, Moses, and Elijah, I’m not. The fact is, these are just three of a lengthy list of Bible characters who failed in the very areas in which they were normally strong. This should teach us that we ourselves aren’t immune to this particular problem. So, do you have an area in which you are especially strong in your walk with the Lord? If you do, be sure to keep yourself vigilant in that area. Don’t let yourself become overconfident to the point where you drop your guard. Remember, if it happened to the likes of Abraham, Moses, and Elijah, it can happen to you.

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Courage, Faith, Fear, Humility, Individuality, Personal Holiness, Pride, Sin | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Clinched Fist of Joseph Stalin

Posted on June 16, 2023 by russellmckinney

Malcolm Muggeridge, the legendary English journalist, author, and media personality, spent some time with Svetlana Stalin, the daughter of Joseph Stalin, while they were working together on a BBC production on the life of her father. Joseph Stalin was, of course, the communist leader who once ruled Russia with a sadistic mentality and an incomprehensible coldness. During his reign untold millions of people were put to death by his command. The numbers are so high that experts can only give broad estimates as to the actual total.

According to the story that Svetlana told Muggeridge, Stalin was plagued by terrifying hallucinations as he lay dying on his bed. Then suddenly he sat halfway up in bed, clenched his fist toward the heavens, fell back upon his pillow, and was dead. It was as if his last gesture in life was literally a clenched fist toward God.

It would be easy to assume that Stalin lived his entire life in steadfast opposition to the concept of God, but that would be a wrong assumption. The fact is that when he was sixteen he received a scholarship to a Georgian Orthodox seminary. He even did well in his classes there until he missed his final exams and was expelled. Not long afterward he began reading the writings of Vladimir Lenin and became a Marxist revolutionary.

Looking back over Stalin’s life it isn’t hard to deduce that he had an excellent opportunity not only to receive Christ as Savior but also to spend his life in service to Him. That is, after all, what seminary students usually do. But somewhere along the way Stalin came to a spiritual crossroad and chose to reject Jesus. Then, like Pharaoh in the Old Testament story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, once the hardening of his heart began there was no stopping it.

We should all take Stalin’s example and learn from it. For one thing, it is a dangerous thing to reject Jesus when He comes to you offering salvation. For another, even if you are a Christian, it is a dangerous thing to reject Him when He comes to you offering guidance, direction, and commands for your life. To reject light is to embrace darkness. To rebel against a word from the Lord is to choose to walk in your own foolishness. To shun blessing is to invite judgment.

So, has the Lord been telling you to do something? Maybe He has been convicting you of your need of the salvation found only in Jesus. Or, if you have experienced that salvation, maybe He has been giving you some specific command or word of wisdom concerning a situation. Well, all I can say is that whatever He has been sharing with you, you need to grab hold of it and incorporate it fully into your life. I’m not saying that you will end up like Joseph Stalin if you reject it, but I am saying that there is always a great danger in clenching your fist toward the Lord and saying, “No.” With that in mind, I’ll leave you with the words of Proverbs 29:1:

He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (N.K.J.V.)

Posted in Attitude, Backsliding, Choices, Conviction, Decisions, Disobedience, Dying To Self, God's Will, Obedience, Rebellion, Repentance, Salvation, Submission | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Shipwrecked Christian

Posted on June 14, 2023 by russellmckinney

Maybe you’ve heard the old line, “The world has become so churchy and the church has become so worldly that you can’t tell the difference between the two.” Well, unfortunately, that line rings far too close to the truth. Backslidden Christians really do create a major hindrance to what God wants to accomplish in the world. Even more than that, they do untold harm to their own lives.

One of the best descriptions I’ve ever read concerning the worldly, carnal, backslidden Christian comes from Charles Spurgeon in the October 14 evening devotion from his book Morning & Evening. Here are a few excerpts from that devotion:

Do you wish to leave this world in the darkness of a bed of affliction and enter heaven as a shipwrecked mariner climbs the rocks of his native country? Then be worldly; be mixed up with the kingdom of darkness…”

Does your soul long to obtain the full assurance of faith? You cannot gain it while you commune with sinners.

It is dangerous for an heir of heaven to be a great friend with the heirs of hell. Even small inconsistencies are dangerous. Little thorns make great blisters, little moths destroy fine garments, and a little frivolity and mischief will rob faith of a thousand joys. O believer, you do not realize what you lose by your conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength and makes you crawl where you ought to run.

I especially like the way Spurgeon compared the backslidden Christian’s entrance into heaven to a shipwrecked sailor having to climb up the steep rocks of his homeland just to get home. Spurgeon’s point was that, for the backslidden Christian, there is no peaceful sail into the safe harbor of heaven. There is no confident expectation of praise for a job well done. There is no triumphant entrance. Instead, there is only the exhausted, worn out, frazzled Christian scratching and clawing his way to a place of safety.

My guess is that Spurgeon had 1 Timothy 1:18-20 in mind when he used that illustration. In those verses, the apostle Paul explains to the young preacher Timothy that some Christians have rejected faith and a good conscience and “concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.” Paul then gives the specific names (Hymenaeus and Alexander) of two such Christians and says that he delivered them to Satan so they would learn not to blaspheme. According to 1 Corinthians 5:1-7, the term “delivered them to Satan” means what we call “church discipline” (excommunication, “churching” someone). This should show us just how serious backsliding is.

I once heard a preacher say, “Some Christians don’t do enough for the Lord to attract a used demon!” Tell me, Christian, does that describe you? Are you, as not only Spurgeon but also Paul described, living a shipwrecked walk with Christ? If you are, my prayer is that you will do the necessary confessing and repenting today. Remember that 1 John 1:9 is still in the Bible and it still works:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (N.K.J.V.)

Posted in Backsliding, Change, Church Discipline, Confession, Demons, Heaven, Personal Holiness, Repentance, Salvation, Sin | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ministering to Difficult People

Posted on June 12, 2023 by russellmckinney

New Yorker Stephen Merritt was an interesting guy. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, he served Christ as both a minister and an undertaker. (He was the undertaker for the funeral of Ulysses S. Grant.) In addition to these two roles, he also worked tirelessly with overseas missions as well as ministering to New York’s impoverished destitute. His ministry to the destitute was especially notable because he himself was a wealthy man who lived in a fashionable section of the city.

Merritt once extended an open invitation for all the homeless and outcast to attend a supper in his mission. Afterward, when he went to leave the supper, he found that some of the invitees had cruelly filled his hat with bacon rinds and other unsavory items. The act infuriated him, and he climbed atop a chair and passionately scolded the crowd for their ingratitude. He even threatened to call the police.

However, as Merritt was in the midst of his rebuke, the Holy Spirit brought the words of 1 Corinthians chapter 13 to his mind:

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, K.J.V.)

Convicted by the Spirit in this way, Merritt quickly stopped his tirade and right then and there apologized to the crowd, admitting that He had grieved His Lord. Then he invited the same crowd to attend another dinner the following night. When he was finished, the practical jokers confessed their prank. And that next night forty men accepted Christ as Savior.

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Character, Complaining, Confession, Conscience, Conviction, Discipleship, Doing Good, Extending Forgiveness, God's Work, Influence, Ministry, Missions, Persecution, Revenge, Service, Suffering, Trials | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments