“Lord, Send Us Rattlesnakes”

Posted on January 28, 2022 by russellmckinney

Once upon a time there was a family of backslidden church members. The family consisted of a father and three sons. They had all once been very active in church but lately had fallen away completely.

Many people visited the family and asked them to come back to church. That list of visitors included not only the pastor but also the deacons. Unfortunately, however, all the visiting, counseling, encouraging, and rebuking produced no effect upon either the father or any of the three sons.

One day when the sons were working in the field, a big rattlesnake raised up and bit the middle son. The boy became very sick, and the doctor was called. The doctor did what he could, but the prognosis was not good. He said, “About all we can do now is pray for this young man.”

Those words sent the father into enough of a panic to call the pastor. The pastor immediately went out to the home and was informed of the desperate situation. The father said, “Please, pastor, we need you to pray.” The pastor said, “Very well” and then started his prayer.

He prayed, “Oh wise and all-knowing Father, we thank thee for Thou hast sent this rattlesnake to bite this young man in order to bring him to his senses. He has not been inside the church house for a long time now, and it is doubtful that he has in all that time felt the need for prayer. Now we trust that this will prove a valuable lesson to him and that it will lead to genuine repentance.”

As the father and the other two sons listened to the pastor’s prayer, they were surprised by the bluntness of it. What they didn’t know was that the pastor was about to get even more blunt. He continued praying, saying, “And now, Father, wilt thou send another snake to bite the older son, another to bite the younger son, and another BIG ONE to bite this father. For we have all been doing everything we know for some time now to restore them to the fellowship of the church, but it’s been to no avail. It seems, therefore, that all of our combined efforts could not do what this snake has done. We thus conclude that the only thing left that will do this family any good is rattlesnakes. So, Lord, send us bigger and better rattlesnakes! In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.”

People often ask, “Why does God allow His people to suffer?” Well, sometimes He does it as a form of chastisement. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” Likewise, Hebrews 12:8 says that if we are without chastisement, we are not true children of God.

No loving, right-thinking parent enjoys disciplining a child. We’d much rather see our kids display obedience. But the plain truth is, sometimes kids disobey, and that disobedience must bring painful consequences. If it doesn’t, what’s the incentive for obedience? God understands this better than we do, and that’s why He is in the business of disciplining His children.

Tell me, are you at a loss as to how to pray for a wayward Christian? Is there someone close to you who is legitimately saved but just as legitimately backslidden? If you have such a person in your life, do you love them enough to pray for God to send some “rattlesnake” to afflict them? Obviously, we’re talking about the final card in the deck here, a “last straw” request, tough love administered to a sizable degree. Nevertheless, such chastisement is necessary in extreme cases. You see, as unsettling as it is for us to contemplate, sometimes it takes a “rattlesnake” to get a person’s attention and bring them back to God

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Church Attendance, Discipline, Disobedience, Obedience, Parenting, Personal Holiness, Prayer Requests, Rebellion, Repentance, Sin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Through Many Tribulations

Posted on January 26, 2022 by russellmckinney

…”We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22, N.K.J.V.)

David Livingstone was born in Scotland to poor parents. The family was so poor that he went to work in a cotton factory when he was only ten years old. Despite his poverty he managed to get an education and eventually become a doctor.

At that point, Livingstone could have gone into practice in Scotland and made an easy life for himself. But that’s not what he did. He chose, instead, to go to Africa and become a preacher/doctor.

Livingstone’s work took him deep into the heart of Africa, to places where no white man had ever been. He poured his life into the people of that continent, and in so doing became a living legend among missionaries. Even though he died penniless, he was honored by being buried in London’s famous Westminster Abbey.

A missionary society in West Africa once wrote to Livingstone and asked, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If not, we want to know how to send other men to join you.” Livingstone wrote back, “I don’t know what you mean by ‘other’ men joining me when none have come as yet. If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come even if there is no road.”

Christian, the tasks that are set before us in this life aren’t always easy. As a matter of fact, some of them can be downright brutal. And the Bible makes no apologies for this. As our text verse says, we must enter the kingdom of God “through many tribulations.” Please understand, though, that it’s not the tribulations that save us or merit our entrance into the kingdom. No, our salvation and kingdom citizenship rest solely upon our belief in Christ as Savior. The point is that we Christians needn’t expect easy lives just because we are God’s people. Sure, we’ll all make it into heaven in the end, but the road that takes us there will be marked by many tribulations.

Oh, and did you notice that the word used is “many”? That means the tribulations will be numerous and will come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. For example, the famous preacher J. Wilber Chapman said that heaven was never so near to him as on the night when his firstborn child lay dead.

So, Christian, do you have some situation in your life right now that you would classify as a tribulation? Are you having to endure something that isn’t pleasant? Are you having to live with a circumstance that is very trying? Well, take heart in two things. First, your experience makes you normal. When the Bible says that we must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations, you aren’t the exception. Second, never forget that you are headed to a better place. Rather than just going around in some sadistic circle, you are on your way to heaven.

There was a Christian woman who grumbled all the time about her life. Her prayers were dominated by complaints and her thoughts were consumed by exaggerated ideas of how bad her situation was. Whenever someone asked her how she was doing, they soon regretted asking when she started whining about all her problems.

One night this woman dreamed that she went to heaven and met Jesus. But when she saw Him, she didn’t fall down before Him in praise, adoration, and worship. Instead, she said, “Jesus, I’m so glad to get this chance to talk to You face to face. I just want You to know that my cross is too big for me to bear.”

To that, Jesus asked, “Would you like to trade it for another one?” “Yes,” the woman answered excitedly, “I’d like that very much!” Jesus then took her to a special room in heaven and said, “This is the room for crosses. You look around in here until you find one you like.”

In her looking around, the woman saw tall crosses, heavy crosses, ugly crosses, and twisted crosses. In her estimation, though, all of them looked too difficult for her to carry. Finally, she found a small, easy-looking cross sitting all by itself in a corner of the room. She said, “That’s it, Jesus, I’ll take that one right there. That’s a cross I can bear.” Jesus said, “You’re right, it is; that’s the one you brought in.”

Posted in Adversity, Complaining, Contentment, Disappointment, Human Life, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Sickness, Spiritual Warfare, Suffering, Thankfulness, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Water Lines & Old Paths

Posted on January 24, 2022 by russellmckinney

You don’t have to be a nautical expert to know that boats must be as solid below the water line as they are above it. A boat that looks good above the water line but is rotten below it will eventually sink. Well, the same kind of thing holds true for Christians. Those who have a fellowship with Christ that looks good on a surface level, but who are rotting away spiritually on the inside, are in trouble. Eventually, they will sink into the murky depths of life.

So how can you, as a Christian, ensure that such a thing doesn’t happen to you? The answer is simple: You must do that which is necessary to keep your fellowship with Christ strong. And how do you accomplish this? You do it by way of such things as: daily prayer, daily Bible study, weekly church attendance, cheerful giving, frequent witnessing, and regular confession and repentance. I know, I know, these things have been promoted so much they have become virtual cliches of Christianity. But they’ve been promoted so much because they work!

In Jeremiah 6:16, the prophet Jeremiah says to the people of Judah:

Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls…” (N.K.J.V.)

By encouraging the people to ask for the old paths, God was telling them, “The things I’ve had you do before will still work and keep you in right fellowship with Me.” To those Jews, that meant keeping the moral specifics of the Mosaic law, bringing their sacrifices to the temple as acts of worship, offering up their prayers to God, confessing their sins and repenting of them, and looking to God for their guidance and protection. Sadly, though, those people would have none of it. Jeremiah 6:16 ends with the mournful words:

“…But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (N.K.J.V.)

Now, I do realize that the “old paths” for the Christian today aren’t the same as the ones the Old Testament Jews were to walk. However, the basic template is still the same: adherence to God’s word, worship, prayer, confession, repentance, and seeking God’s guidance and protection. The spiritual boat of the Christian whose life evidences these things will have no rot about it and will be very much worthy of sailing the seas of life. Even when those seas get stormy and dangerous, the Christian who is walking in God’s old paths won’t sink. How can he when he has the Lord Himself as his captain?

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Bible Study, Church Attendance, Commitment, Confession, Discipleship, Doing Good, Faithfulness, Giving, Obedience, Perseverance, Prayer, Priorities, Repentance, Righteousness, Sanctification, Scripture, Service, Sin, Stewardship, The Bible, Trusting In God, Witnessing, Worry, Worship | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t Be Afraid to Fly

Posted on January 21, 2022 by russellmckinney

The true story is told of a Midwestern farmer who found a young eaglet. The bird’s wing was injured to the point that flying was impossible. The farmer carefully picked up the eaglet and took it back to his farm. Not knowing exactly what to do with it, he put it in the pen with his chickens. It wasn’t long afterward that the farmer noticed something odd: the eaglet had begun to mimic the chickens. It pecked for food, drank from the waterer, and scratched around in the ground for worms.

Over the course of the next several weeks, the eaglet’s wing healed, but the bird made no attempt to fly out of the pen. It just continued to act like a chicken. The farmer actually began to feel sorry for it. The bird’s beautiful feathers were becoming dusty and its sharp beak was becoming discolored from all the pecking on the ground.

One day a young man happened to pay a visit to the farm. As he passed by the chicken pen, he saw the eaglet scratching around in the dirt like the chickens. When he asked the farmer about the bird, the farmer told him the story. The young man said, “It was nice of you to bring him home and take care of him, but now that his wing is healed surely you will let him go.” The farmer responded, “He can leave anytime he wants to, but I’m afraid he’s forgotten how to fly.”

Upon hearing that, the young man became determined to help the eaglet. With the farmer tagging along, he took the bird out to the area where the farmer had found it. Then he placed the eaglet on his arm and yelled, “Go, boy, go!” The eaglet, however, didn’t budge. It just sat there looking confused.

Then suddenly, from high in the sky, a mighty shriek was heard. It was the shriek of a mother eagle flying overhead. When the eaglet heard this shriek and saw the mother eagle, it gingerly tested its injured wing and then cautiously launched off from the young man’s arm. At first it circled slowly overhead as if gathering its confidence. Then it shot up into the sky to join the mother eagle. As the young man watched the eaglet soar away, he said to the farmer, “Now that’s what he was meant to do.”

Christian, I’ve got a question for you: Are you doing what you are meant to do for Christ? In Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, and Ephesians 4:7-16, the Bible teaches that God has imparted at least one spiritual gift to each Christian. Many Christians have been given more than one, but every Christian has been given at least one.

A spiritual gift is not the same thing as a natural talent. It is an ability or skill the Christian did not have before the moment of salvation. At the moment of salvation, when God the Holy Spirit came to dwell inside the Christian’s body and create the born-again experience, the Holy Spirit brought the gift or gifts to the Christian. Just as we are born physically with natural talents, Christians are born again spiritually with at least one spiritual gift. And every spiritual gift is to be used in service to Christ. It is the Christian’s unique way of doing something for the Savior.

This is where I come back to the story of the eaglet that acted like a chicken. Perhaps you, Christian, need to learn from that eaglet. Tell me, are you content to live somebody else’s life? Is it enough for you to mimic another Christian’s spiritual gift? Are you afraid to take off and fly the way that God has gifted you to fly?

Listen, sometimes you’ve just got to launch out in faith and go for it. I know it’s scary, but you need to do it. Don’t worry, if what you are doing is really of God, you won’t come crashing to the ground. Instead, you’ll spread your wings as you never have before and reach heights of service you never thought you could reach. But you’ve got to try. Remember, there is always room for another eagle in the sky of God’s service.

Posted in Courage, Faith, God's Will, God's Work, Individuality, Ministry, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Talents | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Someone Who Understands

Posted on January 19, 2022 by russellmckinney

A farmer had some puppies for sale. He painted a sign advertising them and nailed it on a post at the edge of his yard. As he was driving in the last nail, he felt a tug on his overalls. He turned around to see a little boy standing up against the fence. “Mister,” said the boy, “I want to buy one of your puppies.”

The farmer was a little embarrassed at the request because he strongly doubted that the boy had the kind of money he was asking for the pups. Trying to dissuade the little fellow, he said, “Son, these puppies come from fine parents and cost a fair amount of money.” The boy, however, didn’t give up so easily. He reached deep into his pocket, pulled out a handful of change, and said, “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to at least take a look?” The farmer couldn’t help but smile and answer, “Sure.”

He let out a whistle and called, “Here, Dolly!” Out from the doghouse and down the ramp came Dolly, followed by four little balls of fur, as the boy’s eyes danced with delight. But as Dolly and her pups made their way to the farmer, the boy saw another little ball appear at the door of the doghouse. It was noticeably smaller than the others, but it slid down the ramp with every bit as much enthusiasm. Then it began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up.

Immediately the boy pointed at the runt and said, “I want that one.” Now the farmer felt embarrassed. In his most compassionate tone, he answered, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He’ll never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.” Upon hearing that, the little boy stepped back from the fence and began rolling up one leg of his pants. That allowed the farmer to see that a steel brace ran down both sides of the leg and attached itself to a specially made shoe. Looking up at the farmer, the boy said, “You see, sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.”

We all wonder why God either allows or (let’s admit it) causes certain “bad” things to happen to people. “Why?” is surely one of the most common words ever spoken to Him. Well, I don’t pretend to have all the answers that people want, but I do know this: At least one of the reasons why God either allows or causes “bad” things to happen to people is because such things enable us to truly understand others who going through them too.

Tonya and I have two wonderful boys, but the fact is that we lost two other children, including our first, by way of miscarriage. During those incredibly difficult times I will never forget how various couples went out of their way to minister to us by sharing their stories of how they too had experienced miscarriages. I was surprised at how many there were. These people had never spoken of such things to us, but once Tonya and I had to walk down that road, they instinctively knew that we needed “someone who understands.”

And now that Tonya and I have lived through the pain of those two miscarriages, we have the understanding to minister to couples who must endure one. Do you see how the divine chain of ministry perpetuates itself? Certainly no one wants to volunteer to go through something “bad,” but at least we know that God can bring something “good” out of the experience.

So, Christian, keep all this in mind today and don’t be shy about ministering to those who are having to travel difficult ground that you’ve already traveled. Know that there is a person out there somewhere who is looking for someone who understands, and the person they are looking for is you. You just have to be willing to care and willing to share. And I’m happy to report that what you’ll find is that even as you minister to others, God will minister to you through the caring and the sharing.

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Disappointment, Doing Good, God's Love, God's Work, Influence, Mercy, Ministry, Perseverance, Problems, Trusting In God, Witnessing | Leave a comment

A Boll Weevil Experience

Posted on January 17, 2022 by russellmckinney

In his book It Is Toward Evening, Vance Havner tells the story of a group of cotton farmers in the deep South. Year after year these men grew cotton, put their profits back into it, and set all of their fields in it. Then tragedy struck in the form of the devastating boll weevil. All of the cotton was destroyed and it looked as if the farmers were headed for the poorhouse.

Being farmers, though, the men persevered. In the wake of their disaster with cotton, they shifted gears and planted peanuts. Amazingly, they ended up making more money with peanuts than they ever had with cotton. When the farmers realized that what had seemed to be a disaster had actually turned out to be a boon, they erected a large monument to the very thing they thought had ruined them: the boll weevil.

Havner concludes the story by saying:

Sometimes we settle into a humdrum routine as monotonous as growing cotton year after year. Then God sends the boll weevil; He jolts us out of our groove, and we must find new ways to live. Financial reverses, great bereavement, physical infirmity, loss of position – how many have been driven by trouble to be better husbandman and to bring forth finer fruit from their souls! The best thing that ever happened to some of us was the coming of our boll weevil.

When God either causes or allows you to go through a boll weevil experience, you might think it is the ruin of you. You might say, “I will never get over this. This is more than I can overcome. These wounds are too deep to ever heal.” But that is a wrong assessment of your situation. If you will turn things over to God and allow Him to help you, you won’t just get past the experience; you will come out the other end of it a better person who will, as Vance Havner said, “bring forth finer fruit.”

The book of Genesis gives us the record of Joseph’s boll weevil experience. He was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:12-36) and taken from his homeland of Canaan and transported south to Egypt where he became the servant of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard (Genesis 39:1-6). There, he was falsely accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:7-18) and thrown into Pharaoh’s prison where he remained for two years (Genesis 39:20-41:1). Talk about devastating times!

But God took that whole experience and used it to bring incredible fruit from Joseph. After interpreting two dreams for Pharaoh, Joseph was made second in command of all Egypt (Genesis 41:1-46), and because of Joseph’s foresight and administrative skill, Egypt prospered through a seven-year famine (Genesis 41:48-57). Ultimately, his position in Egypt allowed him to reunite with his family and bring them from famine-ravaged Canaan to Egypt, where they thrived (Genesis 42:1-47:27).

I can just hear Joseph saying when his brothers sold him into slavery, “Lord, don’t let this happen to me.” I can just hear him asking when Potiphar’s wife told her lie, “Lord, are you going to let her get away with this?” I can just hear him praying as he languished in Pharaoh’s prison for those two years, “Lord, it seems as if my life is over.” But then I can also hear him, as an old man, looking back over his life and admitting, “When I was going through that experience, I thought it was the end of me. But now I see that God used it to make me better than I was.”

Perhaps you are in a boll weevil experience right now. Something has happened that has absolutely devastated you. If that’s the case, don’t give up hope. Times may seem hard now, but God isn’t finished working the process. He’s been clearing the fields of your old crop of service so that He can make room for your new and more fruitful crop. So, don’t begrudge whatever it takes for Him to do away with your cotton because that cotton has to go to make room for your peanuts.

Is a boll weevil experience pleasant? Certainly not. Is it something you want to volunteer for? Not if you have any sense. But is it something that God can use to make you a better servant? Most definitely. He won’t expect you to follow those farmers’ example and erect a monument to your experience, but He will expect you to see the value in the experience. And there will be value in it. As a matter of fact, you will never produce a certain quality and quantity of fruit in your life until your boll weevil wipes you out and you are forced to rethink the way you live and serve.

Posted in Adversity, Change, Disappointment, Encouragement, God's Omnipotence, God's Omniscience, God's Work, Ministry, Perseverance, Service, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Patience

Posted on January 14, 2022 by russellmckinney

Chuck Swindoll’s preaching is marked by wonderful illustrations. He has compiled hundreds of these into a book entitled The Tale of the Tardy Ox Cart. That title comes from my favorite illustration in the book.

An old man and his son once farmed a little piece of land. Several times each year they would load their vegetables into an ox-drawn cart and go to the nearest city to sell their produce. The trip was usually marked by disagreement because the son was always in a hurry and the old man couldn’t be rushed.

One morning the two headed out on their trip. The son calculated that if they walked fast and pushed on through the night they’d be in the city early the next morning. In order to stay on that schedule, he kept hitting the ox with a stick, prodding the animal to move faster. Finally, after a few rounds of that, the father said, “Take it easy, son. You’ll last longer.” The boy said, “But if we get to market ahead of the others, we’ll get the best prices.” To that, the father just pulled his hat down over his eyes and fell asleep on the seat of the cart. The boy kept hitting the ox, but the ox had a pace all its own.

Four hours into the trip they came to a little house. The father roused from his sleep and said, “This is your uncle’s house. Let’s stop in and say hello.” The boy replied, “But we are already an hour behind schedule.” “Then a few more minutes won’t matter,” said the father. “My brother and I don’t get to see each other much.” And so, for the next hour, the boy sat and stewed while the brothers laughed and talked.

When the father and son finally got back onto the road, the father took his turn leading the ox. They came to a fork in the road, and he led the ox to the right. The boy piped up, “The left way is shorter.” The old man answered, “I know, but this way offers prettier scenery.” The boy bellowed, “Don’t you have any respect for time?” “Yes, I do,” said the father, “that’s why I want to use it to enjoy the beautiful scenery.”

The winding path led through picturesque meadows, wildflowers, and alongside a babbling brook. But the son missed it all because he was too busy moaning from impatience. He didn’t even notice how perfect the sunset was that afternoon. The father pulled the ox to a halt in a particularly gorgeous spot and said, “Let’s sleep here tonight.” Through his frustration, the boy raged, “I’m not going to take any more trips with you. You are more interested in watching sunsets and smelling flowers than in making money!” He meant for those words to hurt his father, but the old man just smiled and said, “Why, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” It wasn’t long before the father was snoring and the son was staring up at the stars, restless for the morning to come and the trip to begin again.

The sun wasn’t even fully up when the young man shook his father awake. They hitched up the ox and headed down the road. They had traveled about a mile when they came upon another farmer who was trying to pull his cart out of a ditch. The father said, “Let’s give him a hand.” “And lose more time?” the boy shot back. “Relax,” said the man, “you might be in a ditch yourself sometime.”

It was almost 8:00 a.m. by the time they got the other cart out of the ditch and back onto the road. Suddenly a great flash split the sky. What sounded like thunder followed and the sky grew dark beyond the hills. “Looks like a big rain in the city,” said the father. “Yes,” said the son, “and if we’d hurried we’d be almost sold out by now.” “Take it easy, you’ll last longer. And you’ll enjoy life so much more,” said the father.

It was late afternoon by the time father and son made it to the hill overlooking the city. They stood there and stared for a long, long time. Neither of them said a word. Finally, the son put his hand on his father’s shoulder and said, “Now I see what you mean.” Then they turned the oxcart around and began to slowly roll away from what had once been the city of Hiroshima.

Christian, do you think that God is dragging His heels in taking you some place? Do you think that He is needlessly delaying the answer to your prayers? Do you think that He is wasting time with your life? Trust me, He isn’t. What you think are crippling delays might just be that which is necessary to keep you out of harm’s way.

Posted in Disappointment, God's Timing, God's Omniscience, Impatience, Patience, Waiting, Worry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Vengeance Is Mine,” Says the Lord

Posted on January 13, 2022 by russellmckinney

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” (Hebrews 10:30, N.K.J.V.)

If you have any fight in you at all, it can be almost impossible not to seek revenge when you have been done wrong. Even worse, it’s not like God always metes out His vengeance in a manner that we consider timely or on par with what has been done to us. Speaking for myself, it really does seem like whatever vengeance God repays oftentimes seems to be a day late and a dollar short.

We read stories in the Old Testament about the waters of the Red Sea drowning Pharaoh’s army (Exodus 14:24-28), the ground opening up and swallowing those who were opposing Moses (Numbers 16:1-40), Samuel hacking the Amalekite king, Agag, to pieces (1 Samuel 15:32-33), David slaying the Philistine giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-58), Elijah ordering the executions of 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:17-40), the wicked queen Jezebel being thrown out of a window to her death (2 Kings 9:30-37), Haman being hung on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai (Esther 7:1-10), and those who plotted to get Daniel eaten by lions getting eaten themselves by those lions (Daniel 6:1-24). These stories appeal to our basic human longing for revenge and justice. We read them and think, “Now that’s a God who knows how to deal with those who are working to thwart His will and harm His servants.”

But then we come to the New Testament and find that those type of stories pretty much dry up altogether. Herod Antipas has John the Baptist beheaded, and God doesn’t do anything about it (Matthew 14:1-9). The Jewish Sanhedrin stone Stephen to death. and God doesn’t do anything about it (Acts 7:54-60). Herod Agrippa I has the apostle James executed, and God doesn’t do anything about it (Acts 12:1-2). The apostle Paul gets stoned almost to death by unbelieving Jews, and God doesn’t do anything about it (Acts 14:19-20). These stories leave us wondering, “Where is the God who repays in vengeance when His enemies are conquering over His servants?”

Going even deeper into the matter, not only does God not do much vengeful repaying in the New Testament, He commands His people (Christians) to do things like: love our enemies, pray for them, turn the other cheek when they strike us, give them our shirt as well when they sue us to take our coat, and go a second mile when they force us to go one (Matthew 5:38-48). Even Jesus, who was literally God in the flesh, said concerning the very people who were crucifying Him, “Father, forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Additionally, He wouldn’t let Peter fight to defend Him when He was being arrested (Matthew 26:51-54; Mark 14:46-47; Luke 22:47-51; John 18:10-11), and He rebuked James and John for wanting to call fire down upon a village that had refused to let Him enter it (Luke 9:51-56).

Christian, I’m telling you this to warn you against expecting God to go “Old Testament” on anyone who does you a bad turn. Even if the perpetrator makes a habit of regularly treating you badly over a very long period of time, I doubt the ground will ever open up and swallow that person whole. You say, “But isn’t it true that God never changes?” Yes, it is (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). However, that refers to His character and nature, not to the specific ways in which He deals with mankind during the various dispensations and eras that make up human history. As I have pointed out, there is clearly a major change in the way that God deals with His enemies in the New Testament as opposed to the Old Testament.

Or is there? Let’s keep in mind that the same Jesus who gave us The Sermon on the Mount and all those teachings about forgiving others (Matthew 18:21-35, Mark 11:25; Luke 17:3-4) had a lot to say about the horrific eternal judgment that lost unbelievers will endure (Matthew 5:29-30; 7:13-14; 8:12; 13:36-43; 13:47-50; 18:8-9; 23:33; 25:31-46; Luke 13:22-30; 16:19-31). And let’s also keep in mind that every saved believer will have to stand before The Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven to receive what he or she has coming in regards to heavenly rewards gained or lost for the bodily deeds done on earth after getting saved (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11). That is why our text verse makes a point of saying that God will judge His people.

Based upon all this, it is correct to say that whatever vengeance God repays in this life — whether that vengeance be paid upon a lost unbeliever or a Christian — He will settle all accounts fully in the afterlife. Remember this, Christian, the next time that someone does something truly awful to you and seems to get away with it. That person hasn’t gotten away with anything; it’s just that God’s timing hasn’t rolled around yet for His vengeance to be repaid.

Posted in Adversity, Coming Judgment, Disappointment, Forgiveness, God's Timing, God's Judgment, Heaven, Hell, Justice, Persecution, Perseverance, Revenge, Reward, Suffering, The Judgment Seat of Christ, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Keep the Message Simple

Posted on January 10, 2022 by russellmckinney

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5, N.K.J.V.)

A country boy was on trial for stealing a pig. Through the help of his public defender, he managed to beat the charge. To close the trial, the judge looked at the country boy and said, “You are exonerated.” To that, the country boy said, “Judge, does that mean I don’t have to give the pig back?”

The world has plenty of educated, highly intelligent people who know the definition of “exonerated” and scores of other words. In point of fact, though, the world also has people who don’t know either the definition of “exonerated” or the definitions of various other words rarely used in everyday language. This is why it is so important that we Christians use down-to-earth language, the language of the masses, when we talk about Jesus.

Jesus, being God in the flesh, was the most brilliant person who ever walked this earth, but when we read His teachings and His sermons, we find that He always used simple terminology to convey His message. He told stories (parables). He talked about nature (birds, lilies, fruit trees, etc.). He used exaggerated illustrations such as the one about the person whose eye has a plank in it. It’s no wonder the common folks flocked to hear Him.

The apostle Paul was no slouch in terms of intellect, either. He was a highly educated theologian/apologist who studied under the scholarly Jewish rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). To find evidence of Paul’s lofty brilliance, all we have to do is read his epistles (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, etc.). But what does Paul say in our text passage about his preaching? Thinking back upon his ministry in Corinth, he says that he didn’t use excellency of speech, excellency of wisdom, or persuasive words of human wisdom. That’s what you call keeping it simple. He does admit later that he preached a different type of message when he was with mature believers (1 Corinthians 2:6-8), but such messages were not his norm for the masses.

The challenge for us Christians today is to keep the gospel of Jesus simple and share it with the world. Somehow we’ve got to be not only doctrinally sound but also easily understood. We don’t have to make the gospel relevant to this culture because it is inherently relevant to every culture. But we do need to explain to people why it is relevant to THEM. As Paul said, the best way to accomplish that is to rely upon the Holy Spirit’s help. When we share the gospel in the Spirit’s way and in the Spirit’s power, allowing the Spirit to use us as His vessels for evangelism, our sharing becomes more than just a religious sales pitch. Instead, it becomes nothing less than telling spiritual corpses who are bound for hell how they can become spiritually alive and bound for heaven. Obviously, that’s a message that needs to be not only heard but also understood, and there is no message anywhere that is even remotely as important.

Posted in Communication, Evangelism, God's Work, Heaven, Hell, Ministry, Preaching, The Gospel, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Two Different Agendas

Posted on January 7, 2022 by russellmckinney

When my son Ryan was in high school and trying to get a chance to play college baseball, I took him to a Prospect Camp at a small college in Georgia. The college had a successful DII baseball program, and its coach had a good working relationship with many of the coaches from similar-sized schools. The two-day event was just a chance for Ryan to get seen by some recruiters/coaches and possibly get a nibble of an offer from one of them.

For me, the highlight of the event was a panel discussion that was held for the parents. With all of us crammed into the college’s auditorium, and with seven or eight of the college coaches sitting at a table up on the stage, the host school’s coach provided a very informative presentation regarding the ins and outs of how to get your kid recruited to play college baseball. Afterward, any parent who wanted to ask a question was given the opportunity to do so, and each coach on stage was expected to give his answer to the question. As I think back on that night now, two questions in particular and the answers they evoked are still etched in my mind.

One question had to do with academics. The mother of one of the players attending the camp was a teacher who advocated for students to take AP (Advanced Placement) classes in high school. Since she believed that taking such classes was the best way for her son to prepare for college, she figured the panel of coaches would confirm that belief by saying something like, “Yes, we especially look for players who have strong academic resumes.”

Unfortunately for her, however, she got her balloon popped when she discovered that not one coach on that panel was a fan of taking the harder classes. To a man, each coach said that all he looked for academically in a player was a bare minimum G.P.A., SAT score, or ACT score, anything that would allow the player to qualify as academically eligible to attend the coach’s school. Rather than put in the extra study time required for AP classes, the coaches suggested the player devote the extra time to making himself a better baseball player. Even when that educator mom became visibly upset and attempted to argue with those coaches, not one of them backed down from that answer. The gist of what they told her was, “Your son taking the AP classes might enable him to more easily handle college courses, and it might also help him earn more academic scholarship money, but what we are looking for is his skill as a baseball player rather than a student.”

The second standout question had to do with travel teams. One father asked, “If my son has to choose between playing for his high school team and playing for his travel team, which team should he choose?” I have to admit that I almost scoffed when I heard that question. My kneejerk reaction was, “He should play for his high school team because he’ll want to play with his friends and fellow students and represent his school.” I knew that dad’s question had struck gold, though, when every coach on that stage began to blush and sheepishly grin as if he was going to have to admit something that until then had always been kept top secret. Several of them even looked at each other and started laughing as if to say, “Do you want to answer that one first?”

You can probably guess where I’m going with this. Despite the fact that colleges are supposed to work hand in hand with high schools, not one of those coaches would say that it was more important for a kid to play for a high school team rather than a travel team. Their reasons were numerous. Generally speaking, travel teams consistently play better competition, provide better coaching, play on nicer fields, and give a player an overall experience much more on par with what college baseball is like. This is all especially true if a player attends a high school that has a baseball program that isn’t very good.

As I think back on those two memorable questions/answers, I realize that each one serves as a perfect example of opposing agendas. What is the agenda of high school teachers and educators when it comes to getting a teenager prepared for college? It centers around academics, bookwork, advanced classes, etc. That agenda is all about helping the kid become a successful college student. But what is the agenda of college sports coaches when it comes to getting a teenager prepared for college? It centers around the kid excelling in a specific sport, training year-round for that sport, honing that craft, etc. It is all about helping that kid become a successful college athlete.

Likewise, what is the agenda of high school coaches, principals, and administrators when it comes to high school athletics? It centers around high schools having the most successful teams possible in terms of victories, player participation, parental support, community enthusiasm, etc. But what is the agenda of college sports coaches? It centers around colleges having the most successful teams possible.

Now let’s apply all this to the Christian’s relationship with God. What is the Christian’s agenda when it comes to this earthly life? It centers around health, wealth, comfort, pleasure, easy living, etc. It is all about making this world as much like heaven as possible. But what is God’s agenda for the Christian when it comes to this earthly life? It centers around adversity, trials, tests, persecution, etc. It is all about enabling the Christian to grow spiritually and causing this world to look less and less appealing in contrast to heaven. That’s why God doesn’t come riding in and save the day every time the Christian has a problem.

Let’s face it, even though we all want to live in the mountaintop experiences, the truth is that we grow more spiritually and acquire more wisdom in the valley experiences. God knows this about us, and so He either causes or at least allows valley experiences to come our way. Keep this in mind, Christian, the next time you find yourself in such an experience. If you are praying for one thing but God keeps sending the exact opposite, you should acknowledge that two different agendas are in conflict. God can’t grant what you want for yourself without forgoing what He wants for you, and He is simply not willing to give up on what He wants for you. It’s not that He doesn’t love you or want good things for you; it’s just that He has a different set of good things in mind for you. Your job is to figure out what His agenda is for your situation and thank Him for the good things He is accomplishing for you by way of that agenda. You see, when you learn to do that, then you’ll begin flowing with the current of His lesson plan for your life rather than trying to swim upstream against it.

Posted in Adversity, Aging, Complaining, Contentment, Desires, Disappointment, Discernment, Discipleship, Elderly, Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Omniscience, God's Sovereignty, God's Will, Heaven, Loneliness, Persecution, Perseverance, Personal, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Problems, Prosperity, Sanctification, Sickness, Spiritual Warfare, Sports, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments