The Food Won’t Come to You

Posted on March 21, 2022 by russellmckinney

My oldest son Ryan, who was eleven years old at the time, got off a classic line one evening. He was lying on his bed watching television, and his mother had just finished her nightly chore of preparing his supper. But when she told him that supper was ready, he didn’t respond. Finally, after a few minutes, she ratcheted up the tone to a vintage motherly level and said, “Ryan, get in there and get your food!” In startled response, and with genuine surprise, he said, “Oh, I thought it was going to come to me.”

As a pastor, I can’t help but relate that line to church attendance. Christian, the spiritual food doesn’t come to you; you have to actually go to church and get it. Sure, it’s all laid out there for you, and it has been carefully chosen and prepared to quench your spiritual hunger. That doesn’t mean, though, that it will magically make its way to where you are and jump into your mouth. No, you have to put forth some effort.

Of course, I know all about the television ministries, You Tube ministries, and Facebook Live ministries most churches now have. Those ministries allow you to sit right there wherever you are and be fed. But the fact is, there is just nothing like experiencing the complete “meal” you get by attending your local congregation. Furthermore, those ministries were never meant to take the place of you literally attending your local church. Unfortunately, during the months when most churches offered online services only during the Covid-19 pandemic, far too many Christians got far too comfortable staying at home for church rather than going to church. And churches are still dealing with the hangover effect from that even after they’ve been open again for quite a while. That’s a shame.

Some years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine special athletes lined up at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. When the starting pistol sounded, eight of them took off down the track. One boy, however, stumbled out of the blocks, rolled a couple of times, and began to cry. That’s when something truly wonderful happened. When the other eight heard the boy crying, they slowed down to see what had happened and, upon seeing him lying there on the track, all turned around and went back to help him. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down, kissed him, and said, “This will make it better.” Then, with their arms linked tightly together, all nine athletes walked down the track and crossed the finish line together. That’s a beautiful picture of what church can be like. Brothers and sisters in Christ can help each other in life’s race by encouraging and supporting one another. Try getting that from television, You Tube, or Facebook.

Now, I do realize that I’m painting a very idyllic view of churches. I’m a pastor, remember? It’s not like I haven’t seen my share of church members behaving badly toward one other. Nevertheless, when church is right, there’s no place like it on earth. It’s a place for learning. It’s a place for growing. It’s a place for fellowshipping. It’s a place for sharing. It’s a place for giving. It’s a place for worshiping. In light of all this, why wouldn’t you want to be there?

And, believe me, I’ve heard just about all the excuses for not going to church. Again, I’m a pastor, remember? But so very many of those excuses don’t hold any weight with the Lord. In his book, The Miracles of Our Lord, Charles Ryrie offers a good word about such excuses. He does it in the context of his comments concerning Christ’s attendance of synagogue. He writes:

If our Lord had wanted to use reasons, such as those often heard today, for not attending public worship He could have found many. Certainly He got very little out of the message, for after all He was the fulfillment of every Scripture read or explained in the service. Surely He knew more about God and spiritual things than anyone present, including the leaders in the synagogue. Too, He knew that the organization He was supporting would soon be replaced by the church. But still He went regularly. Christian liberty, properly understood, does not free one from regular responsibilities, including attending worship services (see Heb. 10:25).

So, Christian, I ask you, “How is your church attendance these days?” It’s been said that church-attendees are like cars in that they start missing before they quit. Well, you haven’t been sputtering, have you?  If you have, then consider this post God’s wakeup call for you to get back in tune. Alluding again to my opening illustration, you need to realize that the food won’t come to you, and you need to go get in on that fulfilling meal that is awaiting you down at your local church.

Posted in Church, Church Attendance, Personal, Worship | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Intercessory Prayer

Posted on March 18, 2022 by russellmckinney

The apostle Paul was a man who knew what it was to pray for others. In Romans 1:9, he says to the Christians of Rome, “…I remember you in my prayers at all times…” (N.I.V.) He was also a man who wanted others to pray for him. In Romans 15:30, he asks those same Christians to, “…join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (N.I.V.) Intercessory prayer is such a wonderful concept! It’s a shame that we Christians treat it so lightly.

V. Raymond Edman, of Wheaton, Illinois, was a twenty-five-year-old doctor on a medical mission trip to the aboriginal villages high in the Ecuadorian Andes. The Inca children of those villages were dying of a mysterious disease. While attempting to treat them, Edman was stricken with typhus fever. Somehow he made the long trip back down the mountain trails to his home in Riobamba. There he was found by a fellow American who convinced some of the natives to carry him to the railroad. From there he was taken to the region’s Parker Clinic.

As Edman lingered between life and death, he recalled how his mother had once told him that people who are dying oftentimes review their lives in detail. To his amazement, this began happening to him. He remembered his old homeplace in Illinois, his grade-school teachers, his high-school friends, and his days as a solider serving in a medical unit overseas. It all played out in his mind like he was watching a newsreel. When it was finished, he thought, “Now I have come to die. I’ll be in eternity in just a few moments.”

At first he felt alone and frightened by that assumption, not knowing exactly what to expect. But then he became aware of some type of “presence” (for lack of a better word) in the room. It began on the floor and rose up to the level of the bed, engulfing everything as it went. It wasn’t until the presence began to engulf his body that Edman realized what it was: the love of God in Christ. That love was so amazing and so powerful that it quickly erased every fear the young doctor had about dying. He realized that “the great beyond” was a place far better than this world, and he began to think of himself as wading out to meet the afterlife as if he was wading out into a stream.

The next thing Edman knew, two full weeks had passed and he was recovering from his near-death experience. The Ecuadorian nurses told him how they had cared for him and how Dr. Parker, the founder of the clinic, had advised Edman’s wife to prepare for a funeral. She had done so by purchasing a coffin, arranging for a burial service, and dying her wedding dress black.

Then Edman was told another story. It was one about a small group of Christians who had been meeting for a Bible conference near Attleboro, Massachusetts. One morning the conference director, Rev. E. Joseph Evans, had told the group that he was experiencing a deep concern for Dr. Edman in Ecuador and had suggested that the group pray for the doctor. So, for the next several hours the group had done just that. They had prayed through the remainder of the morning, through the lunch hour, and up into the middle of the afternoon. Finally, God had given them the assurance that their prayers had been answered. Little had they known just how close Dr. Edman had coming to leaving this world.

In one of my former pastorates, I had a deacon who would say to people, “If you don’t have anybody else to pray for, pray for me.” I always liked it when he said that. The request was so humble, so earnest, so genuine. He really wanted others to pray for him.

Abraham (in the sense of prayer being a conversation with God) prayed for Lot and Lot’s family (Genesis 18:16-33). Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah (Genesis 25:21). Paul prayed for Philemon (Philemon 1:4) and Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16-18). Peter and John prayed for the new believers of Samaria (Acts 8:14-17). You get the idea. The believer whose prayer life is what God wants it to be will be well versed in intercessory prayer.

Of course, I realize that intercessory prayer doesn’t have to be limited to a Christian praying for another Christian. It can just as easily be a Christian praying for a lost person. For the purposes of this post, though, let’s narrow the beam down to you, the Christian, praying for one particular brother or sister in Christ. I’m not talking about you praying one of those “all around the world” prayers, the one that goes, “Lord, bless all Christians everywhere.” No, I want you to hone yourself in on one believer and spend some time fervently praying to God for that person. There’s no telling what a difference you might make in that Christian’s life. And by the way, if you can’t think of anyone to pray for, pray for me. I can always use it.

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Getting Your Toes Stepped On

Posted on March 16, 2022 by russellmckinney

A preacher had just finished a very strong sermon on the subject of sin. One of the officers of his church came to him and asked for a private word in the preacher’s study. Once there, the scolding began.

The officer said, “We don’t want you to talk so openly about peoples’ guilt and corruption. If our boys and girls hear you discussing such subjects, they will more easily become sinners. Please do not speak so plainly about sin.”

To that, the preacher answered, “Consider a bottle of strychnine. On the bottle the word ‘Poison’ is written in red letters. Do you understand what you are asking me to do? You are suggesting that I change the label on the bottle. Suppose I paste on the label ‘Essence of Peppermint’? Don’t you see what might happen? Someone would use it, not knowing the danger involved, and would certainly die. So it is with the matter of sin. The milder you make your label, the more dangerous you make your poison!”

As a preacher, I must admit that such illustrations sting me a bit because they cause me to wonder if I preach too lightly against sin. My problem is that (like most preachers) I don’t want to offend anyone. I really don’t enjoy fighting or hurting peoples’ feelings. Jesus took that stuff out of me some time ago.

But if I don’t call sin what it is, I’m not much of a preacher. Sometimes I have to remind myself that God didn’t call me to be liked. Of course, I want to be liked. Every right-thinking person does. Being liked, though, can come at too steep a price. If I have to shave the edges off the truth, water down right doctrine, and wink at sin, I’ll have to get used to being disliked by some.

As for having a preacher “step on your toes,” did you know that the Bible teaches that how you respond sets the course for your life? Note carefully the following verses from the book of Proverbs (all references from the N.K.J.V.):

Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction. But he who regards a rebuke will be honored. (Proverbs 13:18)

The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul. But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. (Proverbs 15:31-32)

He who receives correction is prudent. (Proverbs 15:5)

He who hates correction will die. (Proverbs 15:10)

We don’t have to read very far into the Bible to find a man who didn’t receive rebuke and correction well. The story of Cain is recorded in Genesis 4:1-24. Cain and his younger brother, Abel, each brought offerings to the Lord. Cain’s offering consisted of the fruit of the ground, while Abel’s was a slain animal from the firstborn of his flock. God accepted Abel’s offering but not Cain’s.

Theologians have long debated why God didn’t accept Cain’s offering, but I agree with those who say the reason involved the shedding of blood. After Adam and Eve’s sin, God made them tunics of skin to wear to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21). This meant that He shed the blood of either one or two animals. This was the world’s first object lesson on the subject of forgiveness of sin, and that lesson was: God only forgives on the basis of shed blood (Hebrews 9:22). Adam and Eve then passed this divine truth down to their sons, Cain and Abel. Abel received it gladly and brought an offering in line with it, but Cain rejected it and brought a bloodless offering that appealed to him.

And how did Cain respond to God’s rejection of the offering? He got mad (Genesis 4:5)! That’s when God came to him and warned him about the ramifications of his attitude towards the rebuke. He said, “Cain, if you do well, will you not be accepted?” That was God’s way of telling Cain that He wasn’t playing favorites with Abel. But then God gave the warning: “And if you do not well, sin lies at the door” (Genesis 4:7). Clearly, Cain had a choice to make. He could heed the rebuke and gain understanding or he could disdain it and send his life down a bad road. The choice was his.

Sadly, Cain chose poorly. Rather than bring the right kind of offering to God, Cain went out and killed Abel. The man who wouldn’t shed the blood of a sacrificial animal didn’t mind shedding the blood of his brother! For that murder, God said to him, “Now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:11-12). Cain then lived out the rest of his long life away from his family and out of relationship with God.

I hope you remember Cain the next time a preacher comes down hard on your sin. Remember that Cain’s response to being rebuked pointed him in an undesirable direction in which he continued for the rest of his life. Don’t get mad at the messenger and ignore the message. Instead, embrace both as God’s way of keeping you from poison. And, by the way, if you have a preacher who doesn’t shy away from preaching against sin, be thankful for him. I can tell you from personal experience that the man doesn’t have an easy job.

Posted in Choices, Church, Conviction, Disobedience, Forgiveness, God's Chastening, God's Holiness, God's Judgment, God's Word, Man's Freewill, Obedience, Pastors, Personal, Personal Holiness, Preaching, Rebellion, Sin, Truth | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Temptation’s Cliff

Posted on March 14, 2022 by russellmckinney

Once there was a man who lived in a mountainous region. The road to his house ran along a steep cliff. When the man set about to hire a coachman, three candidates applied for the position.

The man called in the first candidate and asked him, “How near to the edge of the cliff can you drive a six-horse team?” The candidate answered, “I have a steady hand and a true eye, so I can get within a foot of the edge and not go over.” The man said, “Thank you. Please step outside.”

The second candidate was called in and asked the same question. His answer was, “Since I am an expert in handling horses, I can drive right along the very edge of the cliff and not go over.” The man said, “Thank you. Please step outside.”

When the third candidate was called in and asked the question, his answer was much different. He said, “If you want a man to drive along the edge of the cliff, you don’t want me. When I drive, I keep as far away from the edge as I can.” To that, the man said, “Thank you. You’re hired.”

When it comes to the cliffs of temptation, we would all do well to stay as far away from those edges as we can. We shouldn’t be like the little boy whose mother asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I’m in the kitchen, standing in front of the cookie jar, trying to resist temptation!”

Proverbs 4:14-15 says: Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it. Turn away from it and pass on. (N.K.J.V.) The teaching is, it’s impossible for you to end up traveling the path of the wicked or the way of evil if you avoid it and don’t even enter it. After all, you just can’t go down a path you totally shun.

Of course, the irony of Proverbs 4:14-15 is that Solomon, the man who penned those verses, didn’t heed them. 1 Kings 11:1-13 tells us that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Those women came from foreign races such as the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites, idolatrous races who worshiped false gods rather than the God of Israel. You see, this was Solomon’s cliff, one from which he tragically plunged over the edge. Rather than converting those women to the worship of his god, he allowed them to turn his heart to their gods. Almost unbelievably, he even fell so deep into idolatry that he built worship sites for the pantheon of false gods those women worshiped. That’s what you call going off a spiritual cliff.

Perhaps you have a sin to which you are particularly susceptible. If so, you would do well  to completely shun that path. For example, if you are easily tempted by lust, you shouldn’t visit certain web sites, watch certain movies, or buy certain magazines. If you are easily tempted by drunkenness, you shouldn’t keep beer in the refrigerator. If you are easily tempted by coarse language, you shouldn’t hang out with foul-mouthed people.

Learn from Solomon’s bad example. Like the rest of the people of Israel, he had a natural bent towards idolatry. Consequently, he placed himself in a very precarious spot when he willingly brought idolatry into his life by taking up with all those foreign women.

It’s been jokingly said that a good run will beat a bad stand anytime. Actually, though, that saying is more truth than joke. The apostle Paul told the Christians of Corinth to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18) and idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14), and he told the young preacher Timothy to flee youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22) and the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10-11). “Flee” is a very strong word. It means, “Get out of Dodge now!” It means, “Why are you still here?” It means, “Let them see your back rather than your front.” It’s what Joseph did when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. The Bible says that he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside (Genesis 39:12).

That’s how you handle the temptation to sin! You don’t stand in front of the cookie jar. You don’t see how close you can get to the edge of the cliff. You don’t give the temptation an opportunity to take hold in your life. To the contrary, you do whatever is necessary to turn away from the path of the wicked and the way of evil. Any dallying on your part and you just might find yourself where Solomon found himself: plummeting toward the valley floor below. That’s why you must become proactive with your temptation. Don’t sit around and wait for it to come creeping up on you. Know the woods in which it lives and stay out of those woods.

Posted in Addiction, Adultery, Alcohol, Backsliding, Choices, Idolatry, Personal Holiness, Sin, Temptation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Family Resemblance

Posted on March 11, 2022 by russellmckinney

Let me shock you: God’s chief characteristic is not love. “Then what is it it?” you ask. Answer: holiness. Psalm 47:8 doesn’t say God sits upon his “loving” throne. It says He sits upon His “holy” throne. When Moses stood before the burning bush and talked with the great I AM, he wasn’t told he was standing on “loving” ground. No, he was told he was standing on “holy” ground (Exodus 3:1-14).

How holy is God? The stars aren’t pure in His sight (Job 25:5). He cannot even look upon wickedness (Habakkuk 1:13). He speaks in holiness (Psalm 60:6), and He swears by His holiness (Psalm 89:35). Actually, His very name is “Holy” (Isaiah 57:15). It’s no wonder the seraph angels of Isaiah 6:1-3 cry out, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts!”

If God’s love trumped His holiness, everyone’s soul would go to heaven in the afterlife. But that doesn’t happen (Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 16:19-31). You see, people ending up in hell has nothing to do with God not loving them. To the contrary, He loves them enough that Jesus (God the Son) died for their sins (Romans 5:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3), and His death allows those who place saving belief in Him to be forgiven of all their sins (John 3:16-18; Colossians 1:14, 2:13; 1 John 2:12). So, why do people end up in hell? It happens because God’s holiness compels Him to judge the unforgiven sins of those who do not believe in Christ as Savior (John 3:36; John 5:40; Titus 1:15; Hebrews 2:3).

Think now about an earthly father whose chief characteristic is generosity. How best would that father’s child showcase the father-child relationship? That child would be generous, right? Whenever that child displayed generosity, people would say, “You act just like your father!”

Well, Christian, God is your heavenly father (John 1:1-5, 9-12; Galatians 4:4-7; 1 John 3:1). How then can you best show people that you are His child? You got it: be holy. This connection is made so clearly in passages such as 1 John 3:2-3, 1 Peter 1:15-16, and 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 7:1.

In light of this, it’s no wonder that the spiritually lost people of this world don’t come knocking on the doors of our churches, begging us Christians to lead them to God. After all, what’s so appealing about a father whose children engage in sexual immorality, alcohol abuse, lying, cheating, foul language, pornography, drug use, backbiting, greed, provocative dress, and unforgiveness? And, let’s admit it, the lives of far too many Christians are marked by these sins and others that we could name.

As a pastor, I’ve seen some church members conduct themselves in ways that certainly did not cast their heavenly Father in a favorable light. Furthermore, I’ve heard these peoples’ feeble attempts to explain away their unholy behavior. “I know this is wrong, but…” “I understand that God isn’t pleased with what I’m doing, but I’m still a Christian.” “Whatever sins I’m committing are covered by the blood of Christ.”

The problem with all these lines is that they lean heavily on the love of God and play down His holiness. They make God out to be a God of mush and gush whose love forces Him to accept any and all standards of conduct. But this is not the God of the Bible. This is the God of the person who doesn’t have enough healthy reverence for God’s frightful holiness to repent of his or her sins.

Christian, if you have never done so, it’s time you started taking your heavenly Father’s holiness seriously. It’s time you gave some real thought to how your ways are causing Him to appear to others. You need to realize that your sins hurt your heavenly Father’s reputation as well as your own.

Since you are the child that God has produced via the born again experience (John 3:1-8), you are His statement to the world. Through you He is saying, “Here is what I can do with the person who becomes My child.” What good is that statement, though, if your life is marked by unholiness? The unholiness mars the family resemblance.

That’s why I encourage you to build personal holiness into your life. Live the kind of life that is worthy of the holy God who has forgiven you and made you His child. Remember, other people are watching you, and a few of them are judging the validity of your heavenly Father by way of your conduct as His child.

Posted in Backsliding, Character, Disobedience, Fatherhood, God's Holiness, God's Love, Heaven, Hell, Holiness, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Rebellion, Salvation, Sanctification, Sin, Temptation, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Fleas

Posted on March 9, 2022 by russellmckinney

Corrie ten Boom was a Jewish Christian who lived in Germany during World War II. She and her older sister, Betsy, were rounded up by the Nazis and taken by train to one of the worst concentration camps in all of Germany. Upon their arrival there, the sisters were tattooed with a number and placed into a cabin barrack for women. The barrack was so overcrowded the sisters had to sleep on the floor. What made their particular barrack even more gruesome than all the others was the flea infestation. Day after day, the women had to endure flea bites.

Early on in their imprisonment, the sisters decided to study their Bibles together and invite all the other women to join them. Most of the women showed no interest, but a few did. So, every morning the sisters would lead in a time of Bible study and prayer despite their constant fear that the guards could burst in at any time, confiscate their Bibles, and punish those who took part in the group.

One morning, after the girls had been imprisoned for years, they read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (K.J.V.)

Betsy was eager to obey the passage, but Corrie just couldn’t bring herself to give thanks for the fleas. Weren’t years of imprisonment bad enough? Wasn’t having to sleep on the floor bad enough? Why did their barrack, of all the barracks, have to be infested with fleas? If God was allowing the sisters to go through this time of injustice, the least He could do was take away the fleas. In the end, though, Betsy made Corrie thank God for the fleas. Older sisters do that kind of thing.

It was about three months later that the sisters were at last released from their imprisonment. A short time afterward they found a journal that had been written by one of their German guards. In one entry the girls learned why the guards had never interrupted their morning times of Bible study and prayer. Concerning that cabin, the guard had written, “We don’t ever want to go in that cabin because it is so full of fleas.”

I don’t have a flea problem at my house. As a matter of fact, I can’t even remember the last time I was bitten by a flea. I do, however, have some other “fleas” for which I am hard pressed to be thankful. I didn’t ask for them. I didn’t see them coming. I don’t even think I deserve them. But I’ve got ’em. And the Bible says that I’m to give thanks for them. That isn’t easy.

In order for me to be obey this command, I must see my problems as somehow being a part of God’s grand plan for my life. He doesn’t make mistakes, and He knows how to use anything and everything to mold and shape me to become more like Christ. As Romans 8:28-29 says:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (N.K.J.V.)

Obviously, “all things” aren’t good in and of themselves. We know that. But God can use “all things,” even our problems, for good. As those two faithful sisters discovered, He can even use fleas.

Remember this the next time you find yourself griping and grumbling about a problem. You can’t see the big picture, but God can. He loves you, and that problem of yours might well be the chariot He uses to help you, not hurt you. Learn to pray words such as these:

“Father, I don’t enjoy this problem, but I want to thank You for it. I do this in the faith that You are going to use the problem to somehow bring about good in my life.”

Such praying will help you to understand your problem in a whole different light, a light that produces trust in God rather than bitterness toward Him. That, in turn, will help you to persevere when you feel like quitting.  Even more than that, it will help you to live victoriously in the midst of your “fleas.”

Posted in Adversity, Complaining, Contentment, Disappointment, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Omnipotence, God's Foreknowledge, God's Omniscience, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Prayer, Problems, Suffering, Thankfulness, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is the War Between Russia and Ukraine a Part of Bible Prophecy?

Posted on March 7, 2022 by russellmckinney

Some people are wondering if the current war between Russia and Ukraine is a part of Bible prophecy. The short answer to that is, no, at least not specifically. It is only a part of Bible prophecy in the sense that Jesus said, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6, N.K.J.V.).

However, I do understand that the question is a reasonable one. I say that because Russia itself will indeed be a major player in the events that will lead up to Christ’s Second Coming. The proof passage on that is Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, and by way of explaining those chapters I’ll close this post by using an extended section from my post entitled “The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.” That post is found in the series “Bible Prophecy in Chronology.” Here goes:

I need to explain Revelation chapter 5. The apostle John, who has just experienced what we might call a “Revelation rapture” (Revelation 4:1-2), watches as Jesus – symbolically depicted as “the Lamb” – takes a certain scroll from the hand of God the Father (Revelation 5:1-7). The mere transfer of this scroll from the hand of God the Father to the hand of Jesus prompts a great heavenly worship scene (Revelation 5:8-14). The ones doing the worshiping are the four living creatures (most likely cherub angels) that surround God’s throne, the 24 elders (a group that symbolically represents the entirety of the church), and many other angels. Clearly, this scroll is a big deal, and Jesus now having it is an even bigger deal.

And so what is this scroll? In the ancient world, such parchment scrolls served as the title deeds in land purchases (Jeremiah 32:6-15). Therefore, this scroll has been called the title deed to the earth. The scroll has writing not only inside it but also on its back, and it is sealed with seven seals (Revelation 5:1). In such scrolls, the writing on the back was a summary of the writing found inside the document, and the writing on the inside contained the details of the transaction. The seals all had to be broken before the entire scroll could be read.

As for the scroll that Jesus takes in hand, the way it works is simple: Whenever Jesus breaks one of the seven seals, a corresponding event takes place down on earth. These events are commonly called “the seal judgments.” At the beginning of chapter 6, Jesus starts breaking the seals, and thus begins The Revelation’s record of the tribulation period. The breaking of the first four seals produce the riders that are known as “the four horsemen of the apocalypse.” These riders will be our subject for this post.

Seal #1 (Revelation 6:1-2): The Rider on the White Horse

Christ’s breaking of the scroll’s first seal causes a rider on a white horse to ride out “conquering and to conquer.” This rider is the Antichrist. In the symbolic imagery, he carries a bow but no arrows. This shows that he will initially play the role of a man of peace. I have explained in previous posts how he will come to power by overthrowing three of the kings of an alliance of ten kings that will constitute a revived Roman empire in the end times (Daniel 7:8,24). Following that coup, the other seven kings will give their power and authority over to him (Revelation 17:12-13), which will give him complete control of the entire empire.

At some point very shortly after the Antichrist comes to power, he will sign a seven-year treaty with Israel (Daniel 9:27). These seven years will be the tribulation period, the last “week” of “The 70 Weeks Prophecy” (Daniel 9:20-27). While it can be argued that the clock on the tribulation period starts ticking at the moment of the Rapture, the better understanding is that it starts ticking the moment the Antichrist signs that treaty. What the Bible doesn’t tell us is how much time elapses between the Rapture and the signing of that treaty. Clearly, though, it can’t be long. My guess is a few days or a few weeks at the most.

Christ’s most extensive teaching on the end times is called the Olivet Discourse because He gave it while He was on the Mount of Olives. The teaching is found in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Mark 13:3-37, and Luke 21:5-38. It is noteworthy that Jesus opens the teaching by saying, “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). We can easily imagine that as He spoke to His apostles in general terms about false messiahs, He had in mind the ultimate false messiah that would one day come. It isn’t a coincidence that the Antichrist is depicted as riding a white horse. In Revelation 19:11-21, we find the account of Jesus returning to this earth for His second coming, and that account puts Jesus on a white horse as well.

Seal #2 (Revelation 6:3-4): The Rider on the Red Horse

With Christ’s breaking of the scroll’s second seal, a rider on a fiery red horse heads out to “take peace from the earth.” This rider is the symbolic embodiment of war. So, at this point in the early days of the tribulation period, peace is taken from the earth and the killing begins. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, described it this way: “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…” (Matthew 24:6-7)

A good question to ask, though, is, “Why does warfare break out at this particular time?” After all, if the Antichrist comes in as a man of peace, he won’t be the one stirring up this hostility. What then is the trigger that starts it? The Bible doesn’t give us that answer, but by reading between the lines a bit we can come up with a couple of possibilities.

First, the effect of millions of people suddenly vanishing off the face of the earth in the Rapture really can’t be overstated. Think about the confusion. Think about the chaos. Think about the news reports. Think about the fear. Think about the paranoia. Think about the attempted explanations. Think about the world’s leaders panicking. Think about the different nations accusing each other of being behind the disappearances. That is a setting ripe for countries to go to war. It’s also ripe for individuals to perpetrate violence on other individuals, which might also be a part of the words “that people should kill one another” (Revelation 6:2).

Second, remember that 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 teaches that a great “falling away” will accompany the revealing of the Antichrist. This makes perfect sense in the wake of the Rapture. You see, the Rapture will remove all the authentic Christians from the world’s churches. This will leave only fake Christians and spiritually lost church members to carry on the services of organized religion. And how long will it take for the attendees to realize the hollowness of the post-Rapture “churches”? Not very long. Rather than provide people with answers for the current state of things, these spiritually bereft “churches” will help escalate people’s tensions, anxieties, and fears. Think of it this way: If the world has known the warfare that it has known with Christians here playing the role of salt and light, what kind of a powder keg will it become when they are gone?

But does the Bible name any specific war that might break out in the earliest days of the tribulation period? It would seem so. Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 describe a war that will take place in the “latter days” (Ezekiel 38:16). For this war, the nation “Magog” will head a coalition force that comes into the land of Israel “like a cloud” (Ezekiel 38:16) and goes to war against Israel. “Magog” will be led by a prince identified as “Gog,” which literally means “ruler.” According to Ezekiel 38:5-6, the other countries in the coalition will be Persia (Iran, east of Israel), Ethiopia (south of Israel), Libya (southwest of Israel), Gomer (Germany, northwest of Israel), and Togarmah (Turkey, north of Israel). What’s most impressive about this coalition is that it’s far flung enough in scope for the locations of these nations to form a clockwise ring around Israel. The only gap in the ring is the Mediterranean Sea to Israel’s immediate west.

Since the leader “Gog” is described as coming from a place “far north” of Israel (Ezekiel 38:14-15, 39:1-2), most commentators identify him as the leader of that land we now call Russia. This goes along with the Jewish historian Josephus, who identified Magog as the land of the Scythians, which was located in what is now Russia. For that matter, “Magog” is the translation of the Hebrew word “Rosh,” and according to Wilhelm Gesenius, a famous expert in Hebrew, “Rosh” should actually be translated as “Russia.”

And how will this war go for Russia and her allies? Fatally. For starters, God will strike the land of Israel with a mighty earthquake that will throw the coalition forces into confusion (Ezekiel 38:18-20). That earthquake will then be followed by “pestilence” as well as “flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone” (Ezekiel 38:22) as God slays every last soldier of the coalition forces (Ezekiel 39:1-5). The slaughter will be so great that it will take the people of Israel seven months to bury the bodies of all the dead foreigners (Ezekiel 39:11-16). In addition to all this burying, the people of Israel will gather up the weapons from the slain armies and somehow use those weapons as fuel for their fires for seven years (Ezekiel 39:9-10).

Okay, so when will this infamous invasion of Israel take place? It will occur at a time when Israel will be dwelling in safety and peace in its own land and operating with its guard down (Ezekiel 38:10-15). I promise you that none of that applies to Israel’s current state, and so we must be dealing with a future event. And what could cause Israel to feel safe enough to uncharacteristically drop its guard this way? I would suggest that it’s that peace treaty Israel signs with the Antichrist and his revived Roman empire. If this interpretation is correct, it means that very, very shortly after the signing of that treaty, Russia’s coalition army will roll into Israel and quickly meet its doom. This would explain how the people of Israel could use that weaponry as fuel for seven years (the seven years of the tribulation period), with the number seven being only slightly rounded up and used generally. Then again, it’s also possible that Israel using those weapons as fuel for seven years might extend into the time of Christ’s 1,000 year reign upon the earth, which will begin with His Second Coming to walk the earth again at the conclusion of the tribulation period following His victory over the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all the armies of the world at the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-4).

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A Good Example of Discipleship

Posted on March 4, 2022 by russellmckinney

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” (Acts 9:10-12, N.K.J.V.)

In this passage, a man named Ananias is called “a certain disciple.” That title certainly fits him because, to me, he serves as one of the Bible’s best examples of discipleship. What marks him is his obedience to God.

Through a vision, God told Ananias to go to Saul of Tarsus and place his hands upon him. That was like asking a German Jew to go and offer his help to Adolph Hitler. Saul was a man who sought out Christians, persecuted them, arrested them, and even had them put to death. Seek him out and help him? Even the devout Ananias had to question those orders. In the end, though, he did as he was told. That is, after all, what a disciple does. He obeys, even when he doesn’t see the reasoning, logic, sense, or safety of the assignment.

I wonder if you and I would be as obedient as Ananias. For all he knew, he was walking into imprisonment or death. That’s discipleship on display. If discipleship is about learning (and it is), then no class is more important than the one on obedience.

I’m afraid that the obedience of too many Christians is similar to the obedience of the little boy who was admitted to a children’s hospital. His awful behavior quickly gained him a reputation as a terror, and the doctors and nurses all looked upon him with dread. One day a visiting lady, who had been informed of the boy’s rebellious streak, offered him a deal. If the boy behaved himself and obeyed orders for a week, she would give him a dime. (This was back in the days when a dime meant something.) The woman returned at the end of the week and said to him, “I’m not going to ask the nurses if you behaved. You have to tell me yourself. Do you deserve the dime?” The little fellow paused for a moment as he reflected back upon his week and said, “Gimme a penny.”

Tell me, is there some standing order that is right now coming between you and Christ? Has He told you to do something you simply haven’t done? Are you in danger of having to settle for a penny, if even that, rather than a dime? If this is the case, then you need to learn from the story of Ananias. Quit laying out of the class of obedience because you don’t enjoy it. Just do what the Lord has told you to do and trust in His wisdom. Either that or forfeit the title “disciple.”

Posted in Backsliding, Confession, Discipleship, Disobedience, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, Fear, God's Will, Obedience, Rebellion, Repentance, Submission, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Requirements of Discipleship

Posted on March 2, 2022 by russellmckinney

So, you say you have an interest in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ? Let’s see how much interest you really have. First, in Luke 14:26, Jesus says:

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (N.K.J.V.)

Tell me, are you willing to put Jesus Christ above every other person in your life? It’s not that He wants you to literally hate your family members. (There are scores of other Bible passages that teach us to love our families.) The point is that your love for Jesus should be so much greater than your love for your family members that, by comparison, it is almost as if you hate those family members. How are you doing on that?

Second, in Luke 14:27, Jesus says:

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (N.K.J.V.)

In those days, a cross was an instrument of death. Now we would say, “And whoever does not extend his arm for the lethal injection and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Here again, Jesus isn’t speaking of a literal physical death. How could He be when He follows it up by talking about coming after Him? The point is that you must die to self (your own desires, motivations, opinions, agendas, and goals) before you can qualify as a disciple. How are you doing on that?

Third, in Luke 14:33, Jesus says:

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (N.K.J.V.)

Again, we must not run off too far with the literalness. Jesus isn’t demanding that you quit your job, sell your house, and give away all your possessions just so you can be His disciple. The point is, just as no other person should come between you and Jesus, no other thing should either. How are you doing on that?

You see, the reason why Jesus has so few true disciples is easy to understand: The requirements are HARD!!! In point of fact, they are so hard that the average person isn’t willing to meet them. But are you? Please think carefully before you answer because business doesn’t get more serious than this. Jesus asks for nothing less than a full-scale, all-out, no-holds-barred devotion from you. He demands to be given priority over everyone and everything in your life. And if you shy away from meeting this standard, then I’m sorry, but you cannot be His disciple.

Posted in Commitment, Discipleship, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, Family, Priorities, Sacrifice, Service, Submission | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Divine Link Between Growing & Learning

Posted on February 28, 2022 by russellmckinney

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me… (Matthew 11:29, N.K.J.V.)

There was a preacher who had been in the ministry for twenty years. In a conversation he had with one of his church members, he said with pride, “I have averaged preaching three times a week for the past twenty years. That means that I have preached over 3,000 sermons over the course of my ministry.” The church member, who had endured too many of the preacher’s dull sermons, replied, “No, you have preached one sermon over 3,000 times!”

I like this illustration because it reminds me, as a preacher, of my need to grow. While I must never attempt to change the unalterable word of God, I do have a responsibility to preach what the apostle Paul called “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and not just a handful of my cherry-picked topics. It’s also not a bad idea for me to use different styles (expository, topical, verse-by-verse, an outline, no outline) in my preaching. This keeps not only the preaching but also the preacher fresh.

Now let me relate all this to being a Christian. The word “disciple” translates the Greek word for “learner,” and learning walks hand in hand with growing. Just as a child grows by learning to talk, walk, put on clothes, brush his teeth, etc., the Christian must grow by learning more of the Bible, learning to pray more effectively, learning to live a holy life, learning to give, learning to witness, and learning to spiritually discern.

Sadly, however, many Christians aren’t learners. Instead, they are like children who reached a certain stage of growth and stopped growing. Why do surveys consistently tell us that the bulk of our churches are either plateaued (at best) or in outright decline (at worst)? It’s because most of the Christians who make up these churches are either plateaued or declining. When you stop learning, you stop growing.

I suppose that many of these Christians were once disciples of Christ, but they aren’t now. They’ve dropped out of class. They’ve turned in their textbooks. They’ve left school. By this, I don’t mean that they have lost their salvation. No, the eternal security of the believer really is a Bible doctrine. But there is a vast difference between sleepwalking through the routine of a casually Christian lifestyle and getting up each day, taking your seat in Christ’s classroom, and letting the master teacher walk you through your lessons for the day.

Wouldn’t it have been absurd for Jesus to look at the chosen twelve one morning and find only a chosen eight? I can just imagine that conversation. “Where are James and John today?” “Lord, they went home to help their dad, Zebedee, with his fishing business.” “And where is Matthew?” “He decided to return to his job as a tax collector so that he could start saving for retirement.” “And what about Peter?” “He went back to his house last night because his mother-in-law wasn’t feeling well.”

You say, “Oh, come on, Russell, that’s crazy talk. The chosen twelve would never have done such things.” Well, is it any crazier than when Christians today refuse to move up from the level of “Christian” to the level of “disciple”? Is it any crazier than Christians who peaked at the spiritual state of toddler? Is it any crazier than Christians who have been saved for years, even decades, who still act downright infantile when it comes to spiritual matters? Think about it.

Posted in Backsliding, Bible Study, Church Attendance, Commitment, Discernment, Discipleship, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, Giving, Personal Holiness, Prayer, Preaching, Sanctification, Service, Witnessing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment