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Do
You Have The "Mark Of The Beast":
Is
the beast of Revelation a super computer, and its mark micro-chips
implanted in humans' bodies? The mark of the beast is something more
important than that.
Copyright 1993 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
The beast of Revelation is said to be a super-computer in Belgium.
Connected with it is a micro-chip implanted into the hand or forehead of
human beings. Each chip contains a bar code bearing the number 666.
Without the micro-chip a person will be unable to buy or sell
anything.
If you believe this I've got a couple good bridges for sale.
Don't get me wrong: there is a beast and its number is 666. But the
bible also says there is a devil, Satan, who deceives the whole world (Revelation
12:9).
Mainstream Christianity accounts for one-sixth of the world, nearly
one billion people. The bible doesn't say only five-sixths of the world is
deceived: it says the whole world.
Unfortunately Satan has deceived traditional Christianity into
believing, in many cases, the exact opposite of what the bible actually
says. The bible is right: it's man's interpretation that's wrong.
For centuries Satan has deceived the Christian world about the
beast. (Most of the world, the Buddhists, Hindus, and other non-Christian
religions, never concern themselves with 666.)
Simple arithmetic shows if one person every minute could hear the
666 story, and be convinced to have the micro-chip implanted, and have the
operation performed, it would take more than ten-thousand years to
complete the work if no one else was born and no one died.
God also has a mark, a sign, and that is his Sabbath day (Exodus
31:13). Satan's mark of the beast is a counterfeit of God's mark.
Counterfeits look like the real thing, but there's always a flaw.
Satan's counterfeit of God's mark looks like the real thing, but being a
counterfeit it is flawed.
The mark of the beast is not something forced on people: it is
something people willingly accept. It is also something they can refuse.
Nearly a billion church-goers have unwittingly, yet willingly accepted
Satan's mark.
History shows the martyrs of the middle ages were men and women who
had "gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over
his mark, and over the number of his name (Revelation
15:2)." There were no super-computers, no micro-chips in the
middle ages, but the mark of the beast existed then.
Most people change the meaning of God's word to conform it to their
belief, rather than changing their belief to conform to God's word.
The only way to find the truth is to step aside from preconceived
ideas and look at the bible from a fresh point of view. Forget what other
people say about the bible. Research it for yourself. Let the bible
interpret itself and you will discover the facts.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
AHA!:
The moment when the light
dawns. Can God condemn a person who doesn't understand the truth?
by Leslie A Turvey 1999
laturvey@becon.org
You've had an Aha! haven't you? That's one of those times when the
light suddenly dawns and you realize, "Aha! So that's it."
My most memorable Aha! came during a grade ten French class. Our
teacher thought I was diligently taking French notes, when I was furiously
solving math problems.
Even the simplest mathematics had been a mystery to me - until my
Aha! From that moment I was seldom stumped by numbers. (I failed French
miserably, however.)
An Aha! comes when you're least expecting it. A verse of scripture
becomes lucid while you're praying for something, or someone, else. Or
during a lull in the sermon.
Some of my best writing has been conceived while driving to the
grocery store, or soaking in the tub. I've learned the value of having pen
and paper within reach at all times. Ideas are fragile, and disappear as
quick as a snowflake on a kitten's nose.
Christians often worry about their favorite uncle who hasn't signed
on the dotted line: who hasn't "given his heart to the Lord."
They're continually grieved by a friend whom they can't "get
saved" before it's too late. They pray in great anguish for Fred,
with terminal cancer, to
have a death-bed repentance.
Sons and daughters generally have a resounding Aha! when they have
a child of their own. "Aha!" they exclaim. "So that's what
my parents were trying to teach me."
An Aha! always signals understanding. And maybe that's why Fred, or
your friend, or your favorite uncle hasn't the same enthusiasm for
Christianity as you. They haven't had their Aha! They don't yet
understand.
We're told God is a loving father. My dad was much like God. He'd
often say, "Some day, Son, you'll understand." Sometimes he'd
apply the board of education to help me understand.
But he didn't beat me and beat me and beat me because I didn't
understand. After a sound, but loving whopping, Dad would let me go to
think about my wrong-doing.
I guess God should take a lesson from Dad. Because if Fred dies
before he understands the Christian life - before he has his Aha! - God
will banish him to the torments of hell forever. And ministers delight in
dreaming up ideas to explain how long forever is.
Really, now. If God hasn't given Fred his spiritual Aha!, will he
surely banish the poor man to even one day in some underworld blast
furnace? I think not.
The bible tells us Christ died, and is the first resurrected of
those who have died (I
Corinthians 15:20). This implies others will be resurrected. Verse
23 says the next will be those who are Christ's - those who've had
their Aha!
But what about those, like Fred, whose life ended before he
understood? Is his fate to lay in the grave forever, never having a chance
of living in God's glorious kingdom of peace and love and health and
happiness?
John
5:28-29 tells us the time is coming when everyone who ever lived will
be resurrected. Most, perhaps Fred, will at last have his Aha! and
understand what this Christianity business is all about.
And when he does, Jesus Christ may say Aha! Now I can properly
judge Fred, and offer him the same eternal life his Christian friends have
already received.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL
STUFF:
No one can be angry and
thankful at the same time. But we can all choose which we will be when
little annoyances slip into our life.
Copyright 1994 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Life is full of little annoyances: traffic lights that stay red
forever; the neighbor's dog; ill-fitting under-wear; the neighbor's dog;
rain; the neighbor's - well you get the idea.
How we love to talk about life's little annoyances. And just like
the fish that got away, they grow bigger with the telling.
We're all guilty of it - except you, of course. You
never give these little annoyances a second thought, do you?
Well, most of us do let life's annoyances get to us, and by the
time we get home a five-minute wait at the railway crossing has somehow
stretched to half an hour.
It's plain old human nature, an attitude instilled into our minds
by the god of this world, Satan. It's an attitude that grows with the
telling, and feeds our minds until petty annoyances turn into
disappointments and frustrations and anger.
Over time the anger, if it's not checked, becomes hatred and
jealousy: our daily news is saturated with the results.
Jesus Christ had his share of life's annoyances. Satan wanted
Christ to sin just once so he could not become our Savior. But Jesus never
let the annoyances get the better of him.
Peter, more than once, came under Christ's rebuke when he, not
under-standing Christ's great purpose, put both feet in his mouth. How
many times did Christ ask Peter and the rest of the disciples, "Where
is your faith?" It must have been frustrating when they didn't
understand.
Imagine the disappointment he must have felt when John wanted to
call down lightning to destroy the Samaritans because they wouldn't
provide overnight lodging for the group. But Jesus didn't let his
disappointment turn to unhealthy anger. He lovingly rebuked John and his
brother James, and told them, "You don't understand. Your attitude is
not of God, but of
Satan. I didn't come to destroy people. I came to save them." The
narrative continues, "And they went to another village."
When the train is at the crossing can we simply go to another
village in our minds? Sure. We can relax and watch as the world's commerce
goes by, or listen a bit to the radio, or just close our eyes and be
thankful for a brief hiatus in the daily rush of life.
No one can be angry and thankful at the same time. But we can all
choose which we will be. What do you choose when little annoyances slip
into your life?
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
FOLLOW
THE LIGHT:
The hero said, "It was
a case of doing what was right. I just wasn't able to do more of what was
right." How much can you do of what is right without the light...?
Copyright 1998 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
A Toronto man dashed into a blazing house to rescue the occupants.
At first he was driven back by the dense smoke, but someone gave him a
flashlight and he went in again.
"Follow the light," he called while he aimed the beam up
the stairs. "Follow the light." With his help four people found
their way to safety.
Sea-going ventures follow the light. A flashing beacon guides them
to safe harbor, and away from dangerous shoals.
Ancient pilgrims followed the light of the north star, Polaris. Its
unwavering position in the night sky enabled them to set their course by
it to direct them to their destination.
A group of travelers followed the light of a bright angel, and were
led to the house where Mary and Joseph and their young son, Jesus, were
staying. Their story is told every December.
But what if the seamen decide not to follow the light? Their ship
may flounder on the shoals, or be broken up on a reef.
Suppose the pilgrims ignored their light, the polar star. Their
destination may have been Jerusalem, but they may have arrived in Jodhpur
instead.
`We Three Kings would never have been written if the wise men
decided to be wise guys and travel their own route, rather than following
the light shining for them.
And if the occupants of the burning house failed to follow the
light, they would have died in the fire.
The shepherd psalmist wrote, "Your word is a lamp unto my
feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm
119:105)." David knew God's laws were written for his benefit.
They helped him see the way to go, the way to live his life.
Some of the light God gave for David's path is in Leviticus
11 and Deuteronomy
14. Contrary to theories that these laws were only for the Israelites,
or that pork was forbidden because it spoiled more rapidly than beef,
these were health laws that are still valid today. They are a
light for our pathway to physical health.
More of God's light is found in the ten commandments. Some people
call them the "Thou shalt nots," but God gave them for our
benefit. What sensible person would disagree with a law that tells others
they are not to steal from us, or to murder us?
Leviticus
23 records God's holy days. Each of them sheds light on God's plan for
man-kind. God gave the Passover, atonement, the festival of tabernacles,
and the other holy days for everyone, not just for the Jews as the new
testament seems to indicate.
The Toronto hero was unfortunately unable to rescue a six-year-old
girl. Perhaps the flashlight batteries were failing, and the light could
no longer penetrate the smoke. For whatever reason, the little girl didn't
follow the light and lost out on physical salvation. And because most
people today don't follow the light of the holy days, they miss a
wonderful understanding of their future and their eternal salvation.
Jesus said, "You are the light of the world (Matthew
5:14)." But if our light is not powered by the entirety of God's
word, our batteries will be too weak for the beam to penetrate Satan's
smokescreen.
The hero said, "It was a case of doing what was right. I just
wasn't able to do more of what was right." How much can you do of
what is right without the light of the old testament as well as the
new?
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
A
FISHY TALE:
Do you innocently believed
what you've always been taught is true? Put your religious beliefs to the
test of the bible.
Copyright 1998 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
A professor asked his first-year biology students, "When a
fish is put into a bowl of water the combined weight of the bowl and water
doesn't increase. Why?"
The answers were interesting: the air in the fish's air bladder
counteracts the weight of the fish; the flow of water through the gills
has something to do with it; and so on. And the answers were all wrong!
Had the students weighed a bowl of water, then dropped in a
goldfish, they would have discovered the overall weight does increase. But
the students assumed the professor's statement was correct, and based
their answers on their assumption. Their conclusions were established on
faulty reasoning.
The professor used his question to impress on his young students
the need to investigate everything before coming to a conclusion. He
advised them to never accept, even his own, statements as fact.
Many years ago (about fifty) I developed a severe abdominal pain
just before bedtime. A doctor listened to the description of my pain and
concluded I had acute appendicitis. My appendix would have to be removed
immediately. Dad was not convinced. He told the doctor we'd wait until
morning.
After normal functioning of the bowels and a good night's sleep, I
woke free of pain. I still have my appendix at age sixty.
Suppose Dad had said, You're the doctor. You're educated. Go ahead
with the operation. Would you believe I might not have survived? The
doctor was new in town, and fresh out of college. During the next several
years many patients died from his misdiagnoses and inappropriate
surgeries.
Paul was preaching about Jesus Christ, "...explaining
and quoting passages to prove the necessity for the death of Christ and
his rising again from the dead. 'This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to
you...is God's Christ' (Acts 17:3 J B Philips translation)."
The Jews in Thessalonica, in a fury of jealousy, incited the rabble
against Paul and his companion Silas. Aided by some believers, the duo
escaped to Beroea.
The account describes the Beroean Jews as accepting Paul's message
eagerly. But were they like the young biology students? Did they assume
Paul's statements were fact? We're told they searched the scriptures daily
to see for themselves.
Suppose an immensely wealthy man, with the same surname as yours,
died intestate. Wouldn't you search to see if you might be a relative, and
thus qualify to inherit some of his fortune? You'd be crazy to assume
otherwise.
There is a vast fortune to be inherited and you are entitled to it.
I didn't know about this fortune when I was sixteen, but I asked some of
the questions that would lead me to inherit it. My three basic questions
were: Where, in the bible, does it say we go to heaven when we die?; Why
do we [protestants] keep Sunday, and the Jews keep Saturday, and some
religions keep no day at all?; and What happened to all the people who
died before Jesus Christ was born?
Have you asked these questions, or have you innocently believed
what you've always been taught was true? The fortune is yours, but you may
not inherit it if you establish your conclusions, as the biology students
did, on faulty reasoning.
Put your beliefs to the test of the bible, not on what someone
tells you the bible says. Be like the Beroens and search the scriptures
for yourself.
A good place to begin is John
3:13.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org. |
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THE
FAITH ONCE DELIVERED:
If seminary graduates went
back to the grass-roots of the bible, we'd learn something that's seldom
preached today: the faith once delivered to the saints.
Copyright 1997 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Read the newspaper editorials. They contain the finest writing
there is."
This was Helen Roberts' advice to her Steele Street School students
in 1955. Today she would be appalled.
What passes as editorials today is the equivalent of a cub
reporter's writing then.
What makes the difference? Forty years ago a cub reporter worked
his way up through the ranks, learning to polish his writing with every
story. Eventually he became an editor. Today a journalism graduate waves a
diploma and says, "I'm too good to start at the bottom."
I favor progress. But progress generally means looking back and
using the best of yesteryear as a foundation.
The attitude against starting at the grass-roots level is also
evident in the religion we call Christianity. A seminary graduate waves a
diploma, says a few words of Greek and Hebrew, and steps into a
high-paying pulpit. But what does he preach?
First are the traditions. His ascension to the pulpit generally
takes place two or three months prior to Christmas or Easter, the two
times in the year the pews are filled. A full church, the finest sermon
the congregation has heard for several years, and a beautifully decorated
sanctuary assures the members they've hired the right person.
Next is the new testament. This assures his flock they are a new
testament church, and they don't have to keep those musty old laws of the
first part of the bible. Preaching from the new testament shows he's a
progressive preacher.
Finally comes the theories the learned preachers have added through
the centuries. Although the church-goers don't comprehend many of the
ideas, they are pleased their new preacher teaches them just as those
who've occupied their pulpit before him.
What's happened to the faith once delivered to the saints? If the
new preacher went back to that faith he would soon lose his pay-cheque,
and would have a hard time finding another pulpit.
The faith once delivered to the saints does not include the
traditional holidays that have crept into today's Christianity.
The faith once delivered was an old testament faith, filled to the
fullest by the new testament writers who were taught personally by Jesus
Christ.
And the faith once delivered included none of the doctrines
conceived by preachers who lived hundreds of years after Christ.
But the new preacher has been to school. Surely he knows the truth!
Does he? Formal education in any skill is not the end, it's just
the beginning.
If journalism graduates started their careers as cub reporters, our
school students could follow Helen Roberts' advice, "Read the
newspaper editorials."
And if seminary graduates went back to the grass-roots of the
bible, they'd be more than just good speakers. They'd be teachers of the
faith once delivered to the saints.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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DRESSER
DRAWERS AND CHARACTER FLAWS:
Knots in wood can be
covered with paint. But God sees our character flaws, no matter how much
we try to hide them.
Copyright 1998 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
The dresser was exactly what Mom wanted -- almost.
The store sold unfinished furniture, and there were four dressers
of one design in stock. One had a beautiful grain pattern on the top
drawers. However, the two bottom drawers had large knots in the wood. No
problem if the dresser was to be painted for a child's room. But this was
to be stained and varnished for Mom's room. And Mom wasn't about to buy
blemished furniture.
"I'd like this unit," Mom told the sales clerk, "but
I'd like the bottom two drawers exchanged with this one and that
one," pointing to unblemished drawers in two other display units.
"Something wrong with these drawers?" the clerk asked.
When we pointed out the knots he replied, rather huffily, "Well,
that's the character of pine." What he meant was, that's the
character of cheap pine.
The discussion continued, during which the clerk (I hesitate to
call him a salesman) said that's the way they come from the factory. When
I reminded him we were the customers he unenthusiastically agreed to
exchange the drawers.
"How long will it take to have it stained," I asked the
clerk. "Six to eight weeks," came the reply. When Mom and my
wife had been in a few days before, the same clerk told them one week.
"Do you deliver?" Mom inquired. "Oh yes," came
the reply.
The sale was made, but we left the store rather displeased by the
clerk's attitude. Our displeasure was heightened when we later saw, on the
invoice, an entry of twenty dollars for shipping. It won't break Mom's
bank account, but the clerk had conveniently forgotten to tell us of the
charge when we asked about delivery.
Humans are like that dresser. We may have a pretty face, or a
handsome physique. But blemishes in our character spoil it all. The clerk
was like that: he was reasonably good looking, and was dressed suitably
for the store. But his character flaws stood out like the knots in the
dresser drawers.
With a bit of wood filler and some dark stain, the knots could be
camouflaged. With paint they might even become invisible.
Our character flaws are like that. We might cover them up, but
they're still there, visible to the discerning eye, and certainly known to
God. We're akin to the Pharisees whom Jesus said were like whitewashed
sepulchres, nice to look at, but inside they're full of rottenness (Matthew
23:27).
What can we do? Getting rid of character flaws is not as easy as
exchanging a couple dresser drawers. Indeed, we may never be totally rid
of them no matter how we try. But we can reduce them and become better
people in the process.
The first step is to admit our flaws. Only when we accept the fact
our character is blemished can we begin to make the changes.
Now we may only be able to work on one at a time, but it's
interesting, as we work on one, some of the others may vanish as well.
That's because character flaws are often related.
The next step is to ask our closest confident to help resolve the
problem. A gentle reminder, spoken in love, is better than a thousand
thrashings by someone who's simply offended by our manner. Be sure to take
God into your confidence as well.
Perfecting our character is not an impossible task. Jesus told us, "There
must be no limit to your goodness, as your heavenly Father's goodness
knows no bounds (Matthew 5:48 - The New English Bible)."
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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DOORS
TO FRIENDSHIP:
Hotel doors hold a secret
to resolving conflicts.
Copyright 1996 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Betty and I once stayed in a hotel room with a set of doors joining
our room to the next to form a suite. You know how they work: I can open
my door, but there's no way for me to open yours. Or you can open your
door, but not mine. They can both be shut or they can both be open.
Our friendships are like the two rooms. If both doors are open we
can share our love and concerns with each other.
Too often, however, friendships go sour, often over a trifling
matter. "Well, if that's the way you want to be..." And I slam
my door shut.
No matter how much you try to renew the relationship, until I open
my door it just won't happen. Or maybe it's you who gets in a huff, so you
slam your door. I can apologize 'til I turn green, but if you don't open
your door I may as well be talking to myself.
Worse yet is when both doors are shut. You stand with your back
against your door, and my back is against mine. We both fold our arms and
declare smugly, "Well, I certainly told him!"
Yep. I certainly told you, and you certainly told me. But where
does it get us? Nowhere. The doors between us are shut. The friendship is
over.
But we're both Christians. Would we do that?
We shouldn't. Yet even between Christians the doors to friendship
can be shut. Many people have left one church to attend another, because
they can't stand to sing hymns in the same sanctuary with those who have,
they believe, wronged them. And each self-righteously thinks himself
better than the other.
But the doors are closed, and each of the adversaries dares to call
himself a Christian.
Jesus says otherwise. He says, "People will know you're my
disciples because you have love one for another (John
13:35)."
If both doors are shut, where is the love? If the love is gone,
where is the Christianity?
If you're involved in a closed-door relationship it's time to get
on your knees and ask Jesus Christ to help you open your door. It will
take a lot of soul searching and humility.
Know what? When you finally open your door, you may be surprised to
see the other person already standing there, waiting with his door open.
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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GOD
ISN'T FINISHED WITH ME YET:
Creation
didn't end with God's rest on the seventh day. It had only begun. The
bible tells us there's a more wonderful future for mankind than anyone can
imagine.
Copyright 1995 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
What time of day did God create Adam? Answer: Just a little before
Eve!
Most people have some idea of the story of creation: In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
They know of light and darkness being the first day, of the
creation of the atmosphere, of dry land and seas.
They know of trees and plants, the sun, moon, stars, of fish in the
seas, animals on the earth, and birds in the air.
They know God created man and breathed life into his lungs, and
made a woman from his rib.
Now one might think this is the end of the creation account. But
it's just the beginning!
A T-shirt inscription reads, "Be patient. God isn't finished
with me yet." That statement tells the rest of the creation story.
God isn't finished with anybody yet, not even with those who have died.
We weren't created to live a life of hedonism and selfishness. We
were created to become members of God's family, to be changed from flesh
and blood to spirit composition, to be the same as God.
God could force us to develop perfect character, but would we want
him to? Would an alcoholic want God to move the bottle out of reach every
time he wanted a nip? Not likely. He'd more likely learn to hate God.
Instead God allows the alcoholic to discover his own reason to quit
drinking. He allows - and helps - the man to build character.
God gave us life to create character in us. Conquering our trials
and tribulations and temptations builds our character.
We won't be perfect in this life, but God's creation of character
within us moves us in that direction. When our general direction is toward
God's perfect way of life we can continue it in the future.
Everyone dies. Then what? Most will be resurrected to human,
flesh-and-blood composition (Revelation
20:5-6).
The few who have struggled against Satan, and have striven to keep
God's laws in this life, will be resurrected as perfect, spirit-composed
beings (I
Corinthians 15:51-55), never again able to die (Revelation
20:6).
Later, in a general resurrection, the billions of humans will be
taught to love God's ways. Human nature will be overcome, and as an
individual comes to the place where he is ready for conversion, he will be
changed to spirit composition to become a member of God's family (I
Corinthians 15:20-55).
A few will still choose not to keep God's laws. Rather than to
force righteous character on them, God will dispose of them forever, and
nobody will even remember they had existed (Malachi
4:1,3; Ecclesiastes
9:5-6).
But, for the vast majority, the gift of God will be eternal life (Romans
6:23).
Aren't you glad creation has only begun?
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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GOD,
Our Father:
A reflection on the
author's view of his father in relation to our father in heaven.
Copyright 1996 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Our father...
Until Jesus gave the basic outline for prayer the Jews had known
God by many names, but never as a father.
My father died recently, and as I reflected on his life I came to
know our father God more intimately.
My father was a gentle man, kind toward every living being. We sing
a Sabbath-school song, "God sees the little sparrow fall, it meets
his tender view." How like my father is God.
Dad taught me much of what I know, and God has given us the bible
to teach all of us what we need to know.
A bruise or bump or scrape, Dad was there to clean and bandage it.
God is our healer (Exodus
15:26; Psalm
103:1-3).
My father took me to church to learn about Jesus. It's through our
heavenly father that we are drawn to Jesus Christ (John
6:44).
Dad was more than my father, he was my friend, just as the God he
trusted was a friend (James
2:23).
Dad had a good word for everyone. I never heard him speak ill of
anyone. And God, our father, inspired Jesus to say, "Neither do I
condemn you (John
8:11)."
Dad was our family's provider. Daily labor was always a part of
him. Does God work? Read John
5:17 where Jesus said, "My father works, and I work also."
Does God provide? Ask that when you sit down to dinner this evening.
From time to time I needed a bit of chastisement so Dad did the
job. God does the same for us (Hebrews
12:5-8).
When I needed support or encouragement, my father was there to give
it. God lifts us up on eagles' wings (Exodus
19:4). He is the source of our strength (Psalm
46:1).
Dad was creative. And we read, "In the beginning God created (Genesis
1:1)."
If there was conflict, my father had a special ability to resolve
it peacefully. Throughout God's word we read of peace, and in his sermon
on the mount Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew
5:9)." He truly could have been speaking of Dad.
Dad never played favorites. As he treated one, he treated all.
Among his friends was a millionaire, a renowned ophthalmologist, and a lot
of ordinary working men and women. He was like our father in heaven whom
Peter said is no respecter of persons (Acts
10:34).
My father was handsome. Since he was made in God's image (Genesis
1:27), then God must be handsome too.
Dad loved my mother, and treated her royally. He was a perfect
example of God's admonition, through Paul, that men love their wives (Ephesians
5:25).
Graciousness was another of Dad's attributes. He often let me off
with a warning when I really deserved a whopping. He exemplified the grace
of God in his life (Hebrews
2:9).
When Jesus said "Seek and you shall find (Luke
11:9)," he wasn't speaking only about seeking God's truth. Dad
taught me the value of curiosity as we looked for the many wonders of God.
Everything from the rainbow in a fish's scale to ancient dinosaur tracks.
If it was to be
found Dad looked for it.
There's just a few days 'til Father's Day. My dad isn't with us to
celebrate it this year, but our heavenly father is. When that special day
comes let's all take time to reflect on how much God really is Our
father.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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IF
GOD FORGAVE ONLY 99 PERCENT:
The
bible tells us God is full of compassion. But what if he wasn't quite
full?
Copyright 1996 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
How much is one percent? Not worth much, is it? Or is it?
That depends on what the one percent is calculated on.
This article contains nearly 500 words. If only one percent of them
were incorrect, five would be spelled wrong. Nothing earth-shattering, but
if the wrong words were used, confusing it could become.
Our calendar has 365 days. If it was 99 percent accurate - just one
percent inaccurate - your April 9th anniversary would fall on the wrong
day. So would your mother's July 18th birthday, and whatever you celebrate
on October 26th. By the end of this century the calendar would be so
confused we might enter the year 2001 a couple hundred days early, or a
couple hundred days late.
Consider the thousands of wrong numbers there would be in the
telephone directory, and the number of improperly-filled prescriptions at
the drug store.
Ninety-nine operations would go off without a hitch. But the
surgeon might take out the hundredth patient's appendix when a triple
by-pass was needed. What if you were that patient? One percent would mean
a lot to you, wouldn't it?
You wouldn't want to be on the road if one of every hundred cars
was careering out of control.
And imagine trying to find John
3:16 if your bible references were only 99 percent correct. Bible
study would never be the same.
Your boss would be on your case at least once a week because your
clock would be out an hour and you'd be late for work. Worse yet, you
might be an hour early and not get paid for it!
David prayed, "Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion (Psalm
86:15)." He didn't say almost full. He said 100 percent full.
The apostle John wrote, "If we confess our sins he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness (I
John 1:9)." All equals 100 percent.
But what if God forgave only 99 percent of our sins? Or left us
with one percent of our unrighteousness? Would we inherit the gift of
eternal life?
Fortunately God doesn't want anyone to miss out on eternal life (II
Peter 3:9), so when we repent of our sins, and ask his forgiveness, he
forgives unconditionally: 100 percent.
What about us? Are we ready to forgive all the time, or do we hold
back now and then? Are we like Peter who thought seven times was
forgiveness enough (Matthew
18:21)?
Every week millions of people recite the words, "And forgive
us . . . as we forgive (Matthew
6:12)." The adverb as means in the same way and degree as.
If we forgive only 99 percent of the time we are asking God to do
the same. And without his total forgiveness we should not expect to
receive eternal life.
What's one percent worth? That's for you to decide.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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I
NEVER BACK UP FOR A FOOL:
Bumper-to-bumper,
or head-to-head is no way to make progress. Someone has to back off, and
it should be you.
Copyright 2000 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
"I'm right and you're wrong."
"No way. I'm right and you're wrong, and that's all there is
to it."
Ever hear an argument like this? Maybe you were involved.
The problem is, neither party is right because both insist the
other is wrong.
Two motorists met bumper-to-bumper on a one-lane bridge. One got
out of his car and ranted about his right-of-way. "I never back up
for a fool," he declared.
"I always do," replied the other motorist, as he backed
up to let the other through.
Suppose the two drivers had both insisted on their right of way.
They might still be on the bridge arguing, with neither going anywhere.
How often do such arguments take place, especially between members
of a family. Neither side is willing to back down one inch. So the feud
goes on, and on, and on, often ending only when a tragedy strikes the
family.
And what's the argument over? For the most part it's some trivial
thing: a misunderstanding or a petty slight. But as years go by, and the
story is told and retold in the grieved person's mind, it grows and grows
until the wars of the world seem like little skirmishes by comparison.
Notice I said, "the grieved person's mind," That's
singular. Often it's really a one-sided affair, but still neither side is
willing to take steps to correct things. I knew a woman who never saw her
grandchildren grow up because she was bitter over something her daughter
had supposedly done. In this case the daughter did try to patch things up,
but her mother preferred to stay angry.
Squabbles over religion are especially hurtful, since the
combatants are generally both Christians. They just see Christianity from
different points of view.
A man painted one side of his car orange, and the other side green.
"I know it's ugly," he said, "but you should hear the
witnesses argue." Same car: different points of view.
When I left the Baptist church to keep the seventh-day Sabbath and
the holy days generally associated with the old testament, I desperately
wanted my parents to see my point of view. I wasn't about the relinquish
Christianity as I now saw it, and they weren't about to give up what had
been their way of life while I was still a gleam in my father's eye.
Fortunately the loving founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ,
helped me to mellow out, and to stop insisting I was right and Mom and Dad
were wrong. It wasn't a matter of backing down -- I still see Christianity
through my eyes -- but a matter of laying down my guns. When I stopped
shooting my bullets of self-righteousness, they stopped retaliating.
Many times all that's needed to defuse the mental violence is for
one side to lay down the guns. The enemy then has no reason to shoot back
in defense. If he continues to shoot anyway, the force of the blows become
ineffective because the peacemaker wears a bullet-proof vest of
non-involvement.
When the armistice was signed ending the second world war, there
were instances of war-weary soldiers meeting the enemy and hugging each
other on the battlefield. If you're involved in one of those useless
struggles of I'm right and you're wrong, it's time to lay down the arms of
battle, and greet your opponent with arms of love.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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I
HAVE A CONFESSION: Copyright
2000 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
You have talents to be used in God's service. Step confidently through the
doors he opens to you, and be blessed.
I have a confession.
When I first started sending out Life Lines I was scared. My
mailing list consisted of a handful of people, most of whom I didn't know.
What would they think? Would they agree or disagree? I wondered whether
they would ask for more, or demand to be deleted from the mailing list.
More important, I wondered, Is this really God's work, or is it
mine?
I knew there would be questions. Did I have the knowledge to
respond? Would anyone accept my answers since I'm not an ordained
minister?
I had more than a hundred Life Lines columns in my files, so that
gave me an advantage. I chose a few I knew would pamper the people, and
not elicit a lot of negative response. When I actually received a couple
letters from people who liked what I wrote, I became encouraged.
Little-by-little I dared to send out more strongly-worded columns,
and a few people disagreed. Some said they didn't want to receive any
more.
But the encouraging letters came more frequently, and I actually
was able to answer most of the questions. Since then the Life Lines
mailing list has grown to more than thirteen hundred, with more addresses
being added weekly. God was giving his enthusiastic approval to this work.
For all this, however, I can claim no glory. The praise belongs to
our eternal heavenly father, and our brother Jesus Christ, without whom I
would not have the talent to write, nor the understanding I have of God's
word. I can also claim no credentials but the wealth of God's word he has
revealed to me through his holy spirit, for at least 45 years, much of it
during the two years of publishing Life Lines on-line.
I thank you, my readers, for the questions you have asked. They
show me you are reading Life Lines, and not just hitting the delete key.
Many of you have sent me to my bible and bible helps, and sometimes
to my knees, to find the answers. You haven't all agreed with my
responses, but I'm certain God has used me to plant a seed of truth in
your mind.
Some of you have helped spread God's word through Life Lines, by
sending them to your friends. One beautiful soul has designed a web-page
for Life Lines, and an on-line Christian magazine has published several
articles. A missionary reader has translated some into his own language,
and others have asked if they might include them in church bulletins and
newsletters
and such. The answer is always Yes.
God has also used me as an on-line counselor, something I never
anticipated. Several people have written expressing the blessings they
receive from God's help through me. But what most don't realize is I
receive the greater blessing knowing I'm able to help through counseling
and through the Life Lines columns.
God has used the talent he gave me: he can use your talents as
well. You don't need a college education to be used by God. A wood-worker
or a welder, a dentist or a dress-maker, a student or a home-maker all
have talents that can be used for God's glory.
There's an old hymn, "Praise God from whom all blessings
flow." One of the greatest of blessings is knowing you can serve him.
If you're not sure how, ask him. He'll open doors you never knew existed.
Step confidently through, and be blessed.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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HOW
GREAT I AM:
Most
people don't really listen to what you say. They just wait to interrupt
with a story of their own.
Copyright 1994 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
The six most important words in the English language are I was
wrong. Please forgive me.
The five most important words are You did a good job.
The four most important words are What is your opinion?
The three most important words are May I help?
The two most important words are Thank you.
The one most important word is You.
And the least important word is I.
Ever notice during a conversation the number of times things get
sidetracked by the word I, and its related pronouns me and my?
A person is recounting an incident, and before he's finished
someone pipes up, "I know exactly what you mean. The same thing
happened to me." The first story is never completed because the
interloper's story is more important - to him that is.
Some time ago my editor handed me a columnist's article to type
into the computer. The Search key revealed I, me, and my thirty-two times
in an article no longer than this one.
It's natural to want to talk about me. After all, I'm the most
important person there is, right? Wrong!
Seldom does anyone learn anything by talking about himself except,
perhaps, how egotistical he is.
It's through listening to others, and encouraging them to continue
their story that we learn.
A young lady was once introduced to a well-known man. She hoped to
talk with him about his travels.
But the gentleman got the jump on her. "You're a
journalist," he said. "That must be a very interesting
job."
"It is," replied the woman. But before she could change
the subject to his travels, the man asked, "What was your most
exciting story?"
He kept prodding her to tell more, and more, until late into the
evening.
Next day the journalist was asked about her new acquaintance.
"He's a wonderful conversationalist," she replied. "He
wouldn't let me stop talking about myself."
The man was famous: he might have been justified in telling his
stories. But he made the young lady more important than himself.
Jesus Christ was teaching his disciples one day. The lesson is
related in Matthew
5:1-12, commonly called The Beatitudes. One hundred and thirty eight
words, and the first person pronoun only once.
And his next statement is, "You are the salt of the
earth." What a remarkable teacher!
Here's a challenge. Spend an hour in conversation with a friend
without using I, me, or my, or even implying them. I bet you can't do it.
Oops!
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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Honesty
and Trust: The Route To A Good Life:
When people can trust your
word, they can generally trust everything about you.
Copyright 1995 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
An old man, charged with stealing a horse, was asked whether he
wanted the judge to try him, or to be tried by his peers.
"What's peers?" asked the defendant.
Replied the judge, "Peers are your equals."
"You try me, judge," exclaimed the defendant. "I
don't want to be tried by a bunch of horse thieves!"
The old man unwittingly displayed the most important characteristic
a person can bring into a relationship: honesty.
Children can be told not to lie, but they get a stronger message
when the phone rings and a parent says, "If it's for me, tell them
I'm not home." If it's O.K. for a parent to lie, then isn't it O.K.
for the child to lie too?
Call it what you want, a little white lie, a fib, or telling it
with your fingers crossed, a lie by any other name is still a lie. And
lies breed distrust.
Honesty and trust go hand in hand. If your friend lies to you
today, how can you trust him tomorrow? And how can you ever know if he's
lying or telling the truth?
In a marriage, if the wife can't trust her husband, 'til death do
us part may become 'til he lies to me once too often.
Dishonesty breeds dishonesty. When a person tells one lie, he often
finds he must concoct another to cover it up. Because no one has a good
enough memory to recall everything he says, sooner or later he gets caught
in his own web.
An old maxim says there is honor among thieves. One thief won't
generally rat on another, but he won't trust him either because they are
both thieves.
There's a phenomenon connected with all this: when you do something
wrong someone generally gets hurt. In fact, it has been calculated that
everything you do affects seventeen other people.
In marriage, doing wrong eventually hurts the children. They suffer
because dishonesty in their parents too often results in divorce. Even if
it doesn't they're hurt by fights they don't understand.
The Golden Rule, do to others exactly the same as you want them to
do to you, is a great road map for life. If you want honesty and trust
from your compatriots, you must display honesty and trust toward them.
If dishonesty breeds dishonesty, then honesty gives birth to more
honesty. It's easy to do what is right, and you don't have to lie about it
afterward. If people can trust your word, they can generally trust
everything about you.
Honesty and trust are, indeed, the route to a good life.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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