Three Factors in Determining God’s Will

Posted on November 15, 2023 by russellmckinney

Like a lot of preachers, I have an extensive collection of file folders where I keep illustrations. For example, in my “A” files I have folders for: “Abortion,” “Alcoholism,” “America,” “Angels,” “Animal Rights,” “Astrology,” and “Atheism.” Next, the “B” files consist of “Baptism,” “Bible,” and “Buddhism.” On and on the folders go, all the way up through the alphabet, and inside each one are illustrations that I’ve collected over the years pertaining to that folder’s subject.

One of the largest folders that I have carries the heading “God’s Will.” Consequently, if the subject is “God’s will,” I’ve got illustrations galore for it. And one that stands out in my mind more than many of the others comes from Arthur W. Pink. It’s a quote from his commentary remarks on the subject of Jacob leaving Haran and returning to Canaan (Genesis 31:1-55).

Pink sets up the quote by pointing out three things from the story. First, Jacob had developed a desire to leave Haran. Second, Jacob’s circumstances were conducive to him leaving Haran. Third, God spoke to Jacob and told him to return to Canaan (verse 3). With these three things in mind, Pink writes:

It is not always that God gives us a manifestation of these three principles, but whenever they do combine and are evident we may be sure of his will in any given circumstance. First, a definite conviction in our hearts that God desires us to take a certain course or do a certain thing. Second, the path he would have us take being indicated by outward circumstances, which make it (humanly) possible or expedient we should do it. Then, third, after definitely waiting on God for it, some special word from the Scriptures which is suited to our case and which by the Spirit bringing it manifestly to our notice (while waiting for guidance) is plainly a message from God to our individual heart.

Perhaps you are currently in the valley of decision, sincerely trying to discern God’s will for you in regards to a certain situation. If you are, I think you’d be well advised to look around for Arthur Pink’s three indicators: a desire to do a thing, circumstances conducive to doing it, and the Holy Spirit taking some word from the Scriptures and bringing it to your notice in relation to the thing.

Are these three factors an all-inclusive list for how to determine God’s will? Hardly. And does God always employ each of the three to show His will? No. But as Pink pointed out, whenever these three things do come together in a clear way in your life, you’ll know that the thing is surely God’s will for you.

Posted in Choices, Decisions, Desires, Discernment, God's Guidance, God's Will, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

J.C. Penny & Chick-fil-A

Posted on November 13, 2023 by russellmckinney

For eight-and-a-half years, I pastored a non-denominational church that I started. Some Sundays, as a part of our services, I would describe an everyday situation and ask, “What would Jesus have us do in this situation?” My original plan for the segment was to play off the old question, “What would Jesus do?” But the first time I included the segment in our service, someone wisely noted that oftentimes what Jesus would do isn’t the same as what He would have us do. For example, if Jesus attended a funeral, He might very well raise the deceased! So, I changed the whole theme to, “What would Jesus have us do?”

My questions were never easy ones, such as, “Should I rob this bank?” or “Should I beat my wife?” I always chose situations that didn’t have obvious, cookie-cutter answers. What I was after was a good discussion, one that addressed all the sometimes conflicting angles of the situation. I found it fascinating to moderate these discussions and listen as sincere Christian people bantered back and forth in their answers. By listening to a person’s answer, I could tell what his or her priorities were. You see, each Christian is unique, and each one tends to major upon different aspects of Jesus and His teachings.

One Sunday I waded into the shark-infested waters of our nation’s cultural war by talking about not only the gay and lesbian ads that J.C. Penney was doing at the time but also the counter stance that was being taken by Chick-fil-A at the time. I said, “At one end of a shopping mall, you have a J.C. Penney store. At the other end, in the food court, you have a Chick-fil-A. If Jesus was in that mall, what would He do? Would He shop at J.C. Penney? Would He boycott them? Would He eat at Chick-fil-A? And even more than that, what would He have us, as Christians, do?”

The discussion that followed was so impactful that folks wanted to revisit the topic the following Sunday. So we did. Perhaps not surprisingly, with everyone having had a week’s worth of time to think about the matter, that second discussion was even better than the previous one had been.

One woman noted that Christians condemning homosexuals and alienating ourselves from them hasn’t led one homosexual to attend church, join a Bible study, or accept Christ as Savior. Conversely, one man said that he believes that Christians have given up way too much ground already and that if we had spoken up early enough and loud enough we wouldn’t be in such a mess today. Another man said that he just couldn’t see himself continuing to shop at J.C. Penny. Another woman said that it’s easy for Christians to come down hard on homosexuals until the homosexual is a family member or close friend.

The entire discussion caused me to think a lot harder about the proper Christian response to the homosexual movement, and I’m going to use this post to share some of my thoughts. I’ll ask you to read each thought and consider it carefully, keeping in mind that what we’re after here is a maturing of our Christian faith and a heightening of our spiritual discernment. This goes for this author as well.

#1: Jesus is much more complex than many Christians want Him to be. The same Jesus who taught, “I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:39) flew into a rage against the wicked money-changers in the Jewish temple and angrily ran them out of there with a whip of cords (John 2:13-17). I wonder, which Jesus do you like? The same Jesus who showed mercy and refused to condemn a woman caught in the very act of adultery also made a point of telling her, “Go, and sin no more.” Then He started talking about the difference between walking in darkness and walking in the light (John 8:1-12). Which part of that story do you like best? Needless to say, the actions and character traits of Jesus that personally appeal to you the most will be an indicator of how you feel a Christian should conduct himself or herself in the cultural war.

#2: Christians aren’t all the same. Paul was an educated intellectual (Acts 22:1-3), but Peter and John were uneducated fishermen (Acts 4:13). Matthew was a tax collector (Matthew 9:9), but Luke was a physician (Colossians 4:14). You get the idea. Some Christians are very comfortable grabbing a picket sign and marching against a sin. Other Christians oppose the same sin but simply aren’t hardwired to be so vocal and outspoken. With this understood, how wonderful it would be if each Christian stopped criticizing fellow Christians who don’t think and act exactly like he or she does.

#3: God knows how to use each Christian effectively based upon that Christian’s individuality. Joshua was a great military man who led the Israelites in their conquering of Canaan (Joshua chapters 6-12). Daniel, on the other hand, allowed himself to wrongfully be thrown to the lions rather than fight (Daniel 6:1-23). Which man did God use mightily? Both. Therefore, Christian, I would advise you not to try to be something you’re not. If you are a Joshua, don’t be ashamed of it. Likewise, if you are a Daniel, don’t try to grab your sword and go play Joshua. Whereas Daniel was God’s voice in the highly charged political atmosphere of Babylon for decades, that’s a role that Joshua couldn’t have played nearly as well. Think of it this way: A hammer is a fine tool, but it can’t do the job of a Phillips screwdriver. God is a master worker who knows that no one kind of tool can do every job, and He knows how to use each Christian effectively in His service.

#4: Christians simply don’t have the option of ignoring the fact that the Bible plainly teaches that homosexuality is sin. The biblical truth about homosexuality isn’t complicated. God’s written word consistently classifies the act as sin and condemns it. First, homosexuality would have been sin in the days of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Matthew 19:4-5). Second, it was sin in the age before God gave His law to Israel (Genesis 19:1-29). Third, it was sin under that law that God gave to Israel (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17). Fourth, it was sin during the many centuries that Israel lived under that law (Judges 19:11-13; 1 Kings 14:21-24; 15:9-15; 22:41-46; 2 Kings 22:1-2; 23:7). Fifth, it is sin in this the New Testament “church age” (Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-10).

#5: Christians are commanded to share God’s truth with others, and that includes the truth about homosexuality. I really do sympathize with every Christian who says, “I’m just so tired of all the fighting. Can’t we talk about something besides homosexuality?” I once had a Christian say to me, “I’m Switzerland,” and I had to laugh because if anybody was Switzerland, he was. But the fact of the matter is that if you, as a Christian, know that certain people are living in sin, and you don’t tell them the truth about that sin, you aren’t truly showing them love. This is something that Jesus Himself understands, and that’s why He commands His followers to be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-16). Think about it, if every Christian stopped condemning homosexuality today, how long would it take for the sin to become a hundred times more commonplace than it is now? So, don’t we owe it to our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to try to hold back the tide of the homosexual movement as long as we can?

#6: When we Christians speak God’s truth concerning homosexuality (or any other sin), we must do it in love. In Ephesians 4:15, the Bible talks about “speaking the truth in love.” Some Christians are very good at speaking the truth, but their words aren’t always laced with love. I’ll admit that I tend to fall into this category. Other Christians excel at speaking in love, but their words are hollow because they lack the bite of the truth. The goal is a God-approved balance. Don’t get me wrong, though, even if you master the art of speaking the truth in love, many homosexuals will still label you a homophobic, hate mongering, bigoted Neanderthal. That just goes with the territory. Nevertheless, Jesus will know that you are out there trying to share the truth in an appropriate way and He will reward you for it.

#7: We Christians leave ourselves wide open to the charge of hypocrisy when we speak loudly against homosexuality and whisper against other types of sexual sin. Is homosexuality sin? Yes. But so are premarital sex, adultery, incest, pedophilia, and pornography. Christian, do you know any young folks who are “fooling around” before marriage? Do you know any couple who is living together without getting married? Do you know any husband or wife who is cheating on their spouse? Are you covering up for someone who is committing incest or pedophilia? Do you speak out against homosexuality at your workplace and then go home and look at pornography on your computer? These are all probing questions. The point is, you need to address each of these other types of sexual sin with the same fervor and voice level with which you address the sin of homosexuality. To fail to do so makes you a hypocrite, and hypocrisy causes you to lose your credibility as a messenger of God.

Now, as I begin to close all this out, I want to offer my answer to one reasonable question that some Christians ask concerning gay marriage. The question goes like this: “Since marriage in the United States is a legal contract (meaning, you have to have a license to get married) as much as it is a religious covenant, do we as Christians have a right to impose our narrow definition of it onto a country that consists of Jews, Muslims, agnostics, and atheists as well as Christians?” My answer is, yes we should. And guess what, I’ve got a Bible passage to back up that answer. It’s Mark 6:14-29. Those verses give us the story of how John the Baptist publicly rebuked the Roman ruler Herod Antipas because Antipas had committed a form of incest by marrying Herodias, who had previously been married to Herod’s brother, Philip. John told Antipas, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Now, what law was John talking about? Well, it certainly wasn’t the Roman law. Obviously, he was referring to God’s law, that body of law that God had given Israel to live by. So, you see, that was a case of a saved believer (John) holding two unsaved Romans (Herod and Herodias) to God’s standards concerning marriage. And I have to say that I, for one, find in that plenty of scriptural support for the idea that Christians shouldn’t give up the fight against same-sex unions.

Posted in Adultery, Balance, Bible Study, Church, Current Events, Discipleship, Doing Good, Evangelism, Faithfulness, God's Word, God's Work, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy, Marriage, Ministry, Personal, Preaching, Scripture, Sex, Sin, The Bible, Truth, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s Your Weakness?

Posted on November 10, 2023 by russellmckinney

Chuck Swindoll, in his study guide on Samson, makes an excellent point about the value of understanding one’s own weaknesses. He writes:

It is important to know your strengths. But it is life-or-death essential to know your weaknesses….it was Samson’s vulnerability to sexual enticement that led to his demise….Possibly, like Samson, your area of weakness is a blind spot to you. If so, you can bet the aisle seat that the people around you see your weaknesses on a big screen, in 3-D, and in Technicolor. Certainly the Philistines could see Samson’s. Why don’t you ask a few friends for a candid film review of your life? Remember that “faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:6). And be thankful that you’re surrounded by friends rather than Philistines!

Now, if you want to ask some of the people closest to you to identify your main weakness, feel free to do so. However, if you are like me, you already know what your main weakness is. (And, no, I’m not going to tell on myself!) But however you figure out what your most problematic weakness is, the key thing is to identify it.

Maybe your weakness is sexual enticement, as it was with Samson. Do you enjoy looking at and lusting over attractive, scantily clad members of the opposite sex? Maybe your weakness is the love of money. Do you spend most of your time and energy in the pursuit of the almighty dollar? Maybe your weakness is alcohol or drugs. Is your craving for either one your constant undoing? Maybe your weakness is gambling. How much money have you lost to that compulsion? Maybe your weakness is food. Did you know that the Bible categorizes gluttony as a sin right alongside drunkenness? Maybe your weakness is your temper. Has that out-of-control rage of yours gotten you into trouble more times that you’d like to admit? On and on the list goes because, let’s face it, weaknesses come in all shapes and varieties.

So, again, you need to identify your weakness. But then what should you do? Well, I’d suggest two things. First, ask the Lord to help you overcome that weakness. That’s His part. And, second, keep yourself away from those places and situations where you know your weakness will be tempted. That’s your part. You see, you can’t do God’s part, and He won’t do your part, but by working together with God, you can keep yourself from ending up like Samson.

Posted in Addiction, Alcohol, Anger, Backsliding, Choices, Depravity, Discipleship, Drugs, Gambling, Gluttony, Money, Personal Holiness, Sanctification, Sex, Sin, Temptation | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Pocket Watch Theology

Posted on November 8, 2023 by russellmckinney

Civil War veteran Colonel Robert Ingersoll was the foremost orator of his time. In the years following the war, he traveled the country and delivered long-winded lectures (sometimes more than three hours in length) to packed audiences. He spoke on a wide variety of subjects, religion being prominently featured among them. Even though his father was a Christian minister, Ingersoll openly doubted the inspiration of the Bible, ridiculed the miracles found in its pages, and called into question the existence of God. In Ingersoll’s opinion, if the God of the Bible did exist, He was a cowardly, bloodthirsty, vengeful tyrant.

Oftentimes, Ingersoll would close his lectures on religion by pulling out his pocket watch, raising his hand dramatically, looking upward, and saying something like this:

God, are you up there somewhere? I don’t believe you exist; but if you do, I here and now brand you a coward and a bully. I hate you and defy you and will do so as long as I live. So why don’t you kill me right now? If there is a God, I dare Him to kill me before this minute is up!

After one minute had passed, Ingersoll would put his watch back into his pocket and declare that he had conclusively proved in sixty seconds that God didn’t exist. This “big finish” proved so effective that dozens of Ingersoll wannabees started running around the country, giving their atheistic lectures, holding up their watches, and daring God to kill them in one minute. Not one of them was struck dead.

There was, however, one of these imitators who had the misfortune of having a Moody Bible Institute student in his audience at Chicago’s Washington Square Park (commonly known as Bughouse Square). After hearing the orator rail against God at length and then do Ingersoll’s watch bit, the student took the soapbox himself and addressed the crowd by saying the following:

Friends, just a few minutes ago as I was walking down Clark Street to come here, a little boy came out of an alley and stepped in front of me. I had never seen him before; but he doubled up his fists, looked up into my face and with hatred in his eyes and anger in his voice yelled, “If you wanna fight just start somethin’. I ain’t scared of you, ya big coward! Ya dirty bully! Go on and hit me – I dare ya to.” Then that little boy began to swear and call me vile names as he continued daring me to hit him.

Of course, I could have slapped him head over heels with one hand, but nothing was further from my mind. He was dressed in rags and was dirty from head to foot. He needed a haircut, looked like he might be hungry and was certainly miserable.

As I saw the hatred and bitterness in his face and heard the vile words pouring from his lips, I pitied him with all my heart and longed to help him, to bathe him, dress him, feed him and help him find a home; but when I spoke kindly to him, he cursed and reviled me all the more. Sadly, I stepped around him and came on down the street.

Imagine my amazement when I found the same scene being enacted here! Back there a dirty little boy stepped up on a soapbox and dared me to strike him. Here a dirty little man stepped up on a soapbox and dared God to kill him!

I did not strike the boy because I pitied him and longed to help him, clean him up, dress him and give him a home. God did not kill this man because He loves him and longs to save him, cleanse him from his sins, clothe him in a robe of righteousness, feed him the Bread of Life and give him a home in Heaven.

That was an awesome reply, wasn’t it? And if we are looking for a Bible verse to go along with it, I’d say that 2 Peter 3:9 fits the bill nicely:

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (N.K.J.V.)

Posted in Atheism, Evangelism, God's Love, God's Mercy, Ministry, Salvation, Witnessing | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

The Problem With an Unequal Yoke

Posted on November 6, 2023 by russellmckinney

A Christian girl once told Charles Spurgeon, the legendary preacher, that she was about to marry a man who didn’t attend church or make any allegiance whatsoever to Jesus. Spurgeon, true to form, quickly reminded her of the command from 2 Corinthians 6:14-15:

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (N.K.J.V.)

But the young woman had another plan. She explained that she would lift the young man up spiritually after they were married. Spurgeon listened to what she was saying and then asked her to stand on a chair. The girl was puzzled by such an odd request, but she obliged. Once she was standing on the chair, Spurgeon said to her, “Now you try to pull me up to your level.” The girl tugged hard on the portly preacher, but no matter how hard she pulled she couldn’t pull him up on the chair with her.

Now it was Spurgeon’s turn. He said, “Now I am going to pull you down, and I want you to do your best to remain where you are.” You can guess what happened. Despite the young woman’s best efforts, Spurgeon easily pulled her down from that chair. Then he said to her, “That is what will happen if you marry that man. You won’t lift him up, but he will pull you down.”

Whether the unequal yoke is a marriage, some other type of personal relationship, or a business partnership, it is never God’s will for the Christian. As for an illustration of why it isn’t, I’ve never read anything better than Spurgeon’s demonstration to that young girl. Over the course of time in the yoke, as the Christian and the lost person try to work together to pull the plow, the great differences between the two will eventually become evident. Mismatched priorities, contrasting opinions, conflicting worldviews, and incompatible standards will be the rules rather than the exception. And what will the end result of all those differences be? The inevitable will happen as the Christian will, at least to some degree, get pulled down to the level of the lost person.

Posted in Business, Choices, Discernment, Discipleship, God's Will, Influence, Marriage, Personal Holiness, Sanctification, Temptation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Medicine

Posted on November 3, 2023 by russellmckinney

Back in the days when doctors made house calls, a doctor paid a visit to John, an elderly man who had called for him. Having treated John many times, the doctor had a good idea going in what the diagnosis would be. Old John was prone to suffer from a particular ailment that was preventable if he would just take his prescribed medicine each day. Unfortunately, John was also prone to be lax in doing that. Instead, he usually waited until he was in a bad way and then called for the doctor. It was all a little game that he and the doctor played.

Well, sure enough, the doctor’s examination showed that John’s failure to take his daily medicine had again created the problem. Once the doctor got the old fellow to feeling better, he said, “John, I’m leaving now. Just be sure to take your medicine.” In typical fashion, John replied, “But when should I take it, doc?” Even though the doctor had heard that question numerous times before, this time it struck a raw nerve. That prompted him to try a new approach with the old man. The conversation went as follows:

Doctor: “Well, John, you seem to be doing all right at this moment. Take the medicine exactly one month from now.”

John (astonished): “Pardon me, Doc, but did you say take the medicine in a month?”

Doctor: “Yes. That should work.”

John: “But Doc, I could be dead in a month.”

Doctor: “Oh, I see your point. Then I guess you’d better take it a week from now.”

John (incredulous): “You’re not understanding me, doctor. I could be dead in a week, too.”

Doctor: “Well, I suppose the odds are against that, but I can’t rule it out as a possibility. So, I guess you’d better start taking the medicine tomorrow.”

John: “But Doc, isn’t it possible that I could die today?”

Doctor: “Oh, right, I guess it is possible. Well then, John, I’ll tell you what I’d do if I was in your shoes: I’d start taking the medicine right now and then I’d take it every day from here on out.”

Christian, prayer is the daily medicine that Jesus, the great Physician, has prescribed for you. What does He say in the famous Lord’s prayer? “Give us this day our daily bread.” Obviously, that implies daily prayer. So, do you pray each day? For that matter, have you prayed today? Or are you waiting until you have to call for the doctor because you’ve let yourself get in a bad way?

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Humor, Prayer, Problems, Sanctification | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Everybody Is Not Your Friend

Posted on November 1, 2023 by russellmckinney

The story that I want to use for this post is an old one that has been passed around in preachers’ circles for quite a while. I have no idea whether or not the story is true, and if it is true, I don’t know how it ended or whatever became of the characters. All I know is that the story is a funny one that teaches a great lesson.

As the tale goes, Jorge Rodriguez was a bank robber who operated along the Texas border in the late 1800s. He lived in a small village in Mexico and frequently crossed the Rio Grande into Texas to rob the banks there. He was so successful with his robberies that the Texas Rangers finally placed an extra posse along the river for the sole purpose of catching him.

Late one afternoon, one of the men in that posse saw Rodriguez slipping back across the river into Mexico. Since there was no time to collect any other members of the posse, the Ranger decided to trail Rodriguez back to Rodriguez’s village. When they arrived there, the Ranger watched Rodriguez mingle with the people in the village square and then go into the cantina.

Now the Ranger had Rodriguez cornered. So, he made his way to the cantina and barged in with pistol in hand. As he stood in front of the stunned Rodriguez, the Ranger said, “I know who you are, Jorge Rodriguez, and I have come to get back all the money you’ve stolen from the banks in Texas. Unless you give it to me now, I’m going to blow your brains out.” The Ranger thought he had Rodriguez right where he wanted him, but he didn’t realize the bandit couldn’t speak English, which put the two men at a communication impasse.

Just then a little Mexican spoke up and volunteered to serve as translator. The Ranger agreed to the offer and told the little fellow to translate the ultimatum for Rodriguez. Upon hearing it, Rodriguez grew visibly nervous and answered, “Tell the Texas Ranger that I have not spent a cent of the money. If he will go to the well in the town square, face north, and count down five stones, he will find a loose stone. When he pulls out the stone, he’ll find that all the money is behind it. Please tell him quickly.” To that, the little Mexican got a solemn look on his face, stared the Ranger squarely in the eye, and said in perfect English, “Jorge Rodriguez is a brave man. He says he is ready to die.”

What’s the lesson of the story? Everybody is not your friend. In light of this, be careful who you trust. Understand that even though you might have hundreds of acquaintances, you’ve only got a few real friends who’ll be there for you when the chips are down. And, first and foremost, realize that Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). After all, He’s the only friend you’ve got who has proven His love for you by literally dying for you:

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (John 15:13, N.K.J.V.)

Posted in Christ's Death, Communication, Deception, Discernment, Friendship, Humor, Truth, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mud

Posted on October 30, 2023 by russellmckinney

Following a summer storm, a mischievous little boy raced outside and proceeded to splash the water out of every mudhole he could find. By the time he was finished, the mudholes were all dry and he was covered in mud from head to toe. Then he went back inside the house. He had taken just a few steps inside the back door when his father intercepted him and said, “Stop right where you are, take off those dirty shoes and clothes, and go take a bath.” The boy tried to protest but the father was having none of it. All discussion was ended when the father said, “Son, you are welcome in this house but your mud isn’t.”

I’ve been a pastor for many years now, and I’ve met a lot of people who would willingly admit their sins and even express shame and regret over them. Sadly, however, the percentage of those people who would actually repent of those sins was relatively small. Like the little boy in that story, a lot of folks want to play in the mud without consequence. Like the father in that story, however, God doesn’t allow that.

You say, “But I’m a Christian and I am eternally forgiven.” Okay, I understand that. Do you understand, though, that sins for which you haven’t confessed and repented will seriously hinder your daily fellowship with God? You see, the relationship will still be there, but there is a difference between having an eternal relationship with God and being in daily fellowship with Him.

And so, Christian, I ask you, “Do you have any mud on you right now?” If your answer is “Yes,” consider this post as God’s call for you to repent. Of course, unlike that boy in our story, you can’t be made clean by a bath and a change of clothes. Instead, your forgiveness and cleansing can only be found in Jesus. As 1 John 1:8-9 says:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 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.)

I, for one, am very grateful those words are in the Bible, and I don’t mind admitting that I’ve put them to good use many times in my walk with Christ. Perhaps, Christian, that’s what you need to do as soon as you finish reading this. I’m not trying to put you on a guilt trip over things you haven’t done, but I don’t believe the Lord would have led me to write on this topic unless someone needed it. So, if that someone is you, stop what you are doing and employ 1 John 1:8-9. And remember that even though John doesn’t specifically mention the word “repent” in those verses, as the old saying goes, “Confession without repentance isn’t much more than bragging.”

Posted in Addiction, Backsliding, Change, Confession, Conscience, Conviction, Disobedience, Forgiveness, God's Holiness, Personal Holiness, Repentance, Salvation, Sin | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Go Easy on Other People’s Cargo

Posted on October 27, 2023 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. But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. (Jonah 1:3-5, N.K.J.V.)

I once heard James Merritt, the pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia, preach a sermon on Jonah entitled “The Fugitive.” I’ve heard a lot of preaching from the book of Jonah, read a lot of commentaries on the book, and preached through the book myself, but Merritt brought out a certain point that I’d never considered. He noted that the ship upon which Jonah fled to Tarshish was a cargo ship, and when God sent the windstorm to strike the ship, one of the first things the sailors did was throw all the cargo overboard in an attempt to keep the ship from sinking. It was only after losing that cargo that they figured out that Jonah was the cause of the storm and reluctantly obliged when he told them to throw him overboard to calm the sea (Jonah 1:12).

Merritt’s point was that losing an entire cargo haul hit those sailors where it hurt: right in the wallet. Those men had their livelihoods tied up in those goods they were transporting, and cargo ships don’t get paid to unload nothing at the docks. Consequently, even though the windstorm immediately subsided as soon as they threw Jonah overboard, it’s not like those men sailed on to Tarshish unscathed. No, when Jonah forsook God’s will and ran off to do something else, those sailors got hurt by his actions. They got caught in the ugly backwash of his mess.

This is how it always works when someone refuses to do God’s will. Not only does the disobedient individual get hurt, other people get hurt as well. So, Jonah, are you being tempted right now to run from God’s will and head off to some Tarshish of your own choosing? Well, just know that somebody somewhere, perhaps someone you wouldn’t even begin to consider as you are making your decision, will get hurt by your disobedience. You see, life is such that we are all intertwined enough that our actions, either good or bad, affect others either positively or negatively. And that’s just one more reason for each of us to always do God’s will in every situation.

Posted in Backsliding, Choices, Confession, Decisions, Disobedience, Doing Good, God's Will, Influence, Obedience, Rebellion, Repentance, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Plea for Courtesy

Posted on October 25, 2023 by russellmckinney

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous. (1 Peter 3:8, N.K.J.V., emphasis mine)

I want to use this post to address a problem that I believe has reached epidemic proportions in our society. That problem is the basic lack of common courtesy that seems to mark about half the things people do these days. I’m telling you, on a list of my pet peeves, this one ranks very high.

I really couldn’t begin to name all the examples where this lack of courtesy is exhibited, but let me start with three simple ones from the realm of communication. #1: If a person calls you and wants a return call, call them back. #2: If a person sends you a text that requires a reply, send a reply. #3: If a person sends you an email that needs a response, email them a response. C’mon people, this isn’t that hard.

And, please, don’t come to me with that worn out, lame excuse, “Well, I just got so busy.” Listen, we’re all busy. Stop being so arrogant as to think that you are busier than the person you are ignoring. You aren’t so busy that you can’t take a minute or two and return a phone call, a text, or an email. Trust me, if you make such returns a priority, you’ll be amazed at how you can find time to do them.

As another prime example of the problem that I’m describing, let tell you about something that happened to me one fall during high school football. My son, Ryan, was a freshman playing on our local school’s j.v. team, and one afternoon I went to pick him up at practice, which was supposed to be over at 7:00. So, I got there a few minutes before 7:00 and waited. Then I waited some more. Then I waited some more. Then I waited some more. It was now close to 7:30, and neither Ryan nor any other player had come walking out of that locker room. Keep in mind now that I was just one of a parking lot full of parents who were waiting on their kids. It was, after all, j.v. football, so it’s not like a lot of the players had their drivers licenses.

Well, at some point the door to the locker room finally flung open and the players started streaming out in droves. When Ryan got in the car, I asked him, “What took so long in there?” He then informed me that an assistant coach had taken it upon himself after practice to give one of those “manhood” speeches that football coaches live to give. I know the speeches well because I myself have given a few of them during my days of helping coach youth-league football.

By the way, in case there are any coaches reading this, please take note of the report that Ryan gave me about that speech. When I asked him if he got anything out of what the man said, he answered, “No.” When I asked him what the speech was about, he said, “I don’t know, just a bunch of stuff I’d heard a million times before.” When I asked him if the coach used any profanity, he grinned and said, “Yes, he used seven curse words. I counted.” Meet the modern-day kid. Needless to say, Vince Lombardi would have a hard time relating to him.

Even though I could say a lot about cursing in front of highly impressionable high school boys and being a good role model, I’ll let that go for now and stay on subject. Can you understand the sheer lack of common courtesy that oozes out of an assistant coach boring his players with a profanity-laced speech for some twenty minutes while a sea of parents sit in their cars in the parking lot worrying about their kids’ lack of supper and amount of homework? I assure you that if you want to teach genuine manhood to a bunch of teenage boys, teaching them to cuss and ignore their worried parents in the parking lot ain’t the way to do it.

But please don’t think that this lack of courtesy extends only as far as a high school locker room. Like I said, I couldn’t even begin to name all the relevant examples. So, let me mention just one more and then I’ll wrap this up. A few days after that j.v. football practice, Tonya and I took Ryan and our other son, Royce, to the local pool. As usual, the place was pretty busy and the spots where women could lay out in the sun were somewhat limited. That meant that some ladies ended up doing their sunning in the vicinity of the diving board.

You know where I’m going with this, right? I watched as some heavy-set dude absolutely drowned a woman with his cannonball. You say, “Well, Russell, he probably didn’t mean to do that.” Yes, he did. He actually jumped off toward that side to make sure that he nailed somebody. You say, “Well, teenage boys do stupid things.” You’re right, they do, but I’d estimate this guy to have been in his thirties. You say, “Well, that woman probably didn’t mind get splashed. She knew it was all in good fun.” Yeah, right, I guess that’s why she jumped up and fussed.

You see, nobody likes being on the bad end of a lack of courtesy. Why, then, has our society sunk so low in this department? I suspect it’s because somewhere along the line people started giving as good as they were getting. They don’t return phone calls, texts, or emails because nobody returns theirs. They don’t care to flippantly waste other peoples’ time because they’ve had their time flippantly wasted. They don’t care to splash unsuspecting sunbathers at the pool because they figure that someone would do it to them if they got the chance.

So, this post is my way of sending out a challenge for the madness to stop, and I’m asking you, the reader, to pick up that challenge. Go ahead and let that car pull out in front of you. Life as you know it won’t end if you do. Put that grocery cart in its place properly. You might just save someone a door ding by doing so. Pick up what’s left of your nachos and popcorn after the game and put it all in a trash can. That will keep someone else from having to do it. If you say you will be somewhere at a certain time, be there at that time. Don’t keep people waiting. If someone lets you borrow something, get it back to them promptly. That person shouldn’t have to hunt you down to reacquire their property. Hold the door open for an elderly person. You’ll be aged yourself one day and you’ll want someone to hold the door for you. Do you hear what I’m saying? This world is a hard enough place without you adding to the hardship, and keep in mind that if no one else is watching, God is.

Posted in Character, Children, Communication, Doing Good, Honesty, Humility, Influence, Leadership, Parenting, Personal, Personal Holiness, Priorities, Sports, Youth | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments