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PRAY
TO GOD AND DO NOTHING:
God will provide. But will
God provide when we refuse to do our part? Why should he?
Copyright 1996 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
Older readers will recall the saying, "God willin' and the
creek don't rise."
Well, the mountain creek did rise and soon flooded the entire
valley.
One old timer -- a religious type -- began to pray.
As the water lapped around his doorsill a car pulled up, and the
driver asked if he wanted a ride.
"No thanks," replied the old fellow. "My faith will
save me."
The water rose higher and he climbed the stairs to the second
story. Again he prayed.
A couple in a motor boat stopped at his bedroom window, and the
lady offered him a ride.
"No thanks," replied the old fellow. "My faith will
save me."
Soon he was on the roof, perched on the chimney. The chop-chop-chop
of a helicopter came near, and a rope was lowered to the man.
"No thanks, said the old man as he waved the pilot away.
"My faith will save me."
Soon he was swept away by the flood, and in the resurrection he
asked God, "What happened?"
"That's what we'd like to know," replied the Almighty.
"We sent you a car and a boat and a helicopter. What happened?"
The old timer was from the religious school that quotes, "By
faith are you saved through faith...not of works... (Ephesians
2:8-9)."
All you need for salvation, these people say, is faith. Just give
your heart to the Lord, being careful to pronounce it Loarrrd.
With faith, they say, you don't need works. God's grace is
sufficient.
But the old man's faith didn't save him. He had faith. He prayed
for God's deliverance. But his faith without works was dead (James
2:26), and it left him that way too. `All he had to do was get into
the car, but he didn't.
God gave him a second chance, and a third, but he refused to do the
simple works that would have saved him. What did he expect God to do?
A man told me his father would give the fields a quick plowing in
the spring. Then he'd throw some seed on the ground.
He made no effort to properly prepare the earth, or to control the
weeds. He didn't fertilize. And when the crops -- what few there were --
were harvested, he never prepared his fields for winter.
"God will provide," the lazy farmer muttered when his
wife got on his case.
But will God provide when we refuse to do our part? Why should he?
This physical life prepares us for eternity. If we don't show our
faith through our physical works, how can we expect God to show his grace,
and give us eternal salvation?
The Russians have a saying, "Pray to God, but keep rowing to
shore." Good advice. When you follow it you show your faith by your
works.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
There,
But for the GRACE OF GOD, Go I:
I've got it good: a warm
home, plenty to eat, a loving family, and lots of friends. The man pushing
the bike doesn't fare so well. And he could be me, except...
Copyright 1995 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
Perhaps you've seen this man. He pushes a bicycle loaded with all
his worldly goods, and adorned with signs. One says, with the last word
misspelled, "God is the lier."
His hair is long and disheveled: his beard even worse. His clothes
are tattered, and he likely hasn't had a decent bed or bath for weeks.
"Where did you come from?" the journalist in me asked.
"Where are you going? Why do you believe God is a liar?"
His answers made no sense. He's from the kingdom of light, and is
returning there. Man's domain is evil because God made it that way. And
the name God means darkness.
I left this unfortunate shred of humanity, callously dubbing him a
nut case. He went on his way to who knows where.
As he disappeared around a corner I was left with my thoughts. Why
had I judged him so? He didn't make sense to me, but what I believe
doesn't make sense to a lot of people either.
Often when I'm alone with my thoughts a scripture verse comes to
mind. That day's was, "By the grace of God I am what I am (I
Corinthians 15:10)."
That could have been me pushing the bike, and living on handouts
from whomever had a bit of compassion for me. It could have been me
without family or friend, sleeping in an alley with only a cast-off
blanket to protect me from the cold.
But by God's grace I have a warm home, a caring wife and family,
and a lot of good friends. My bed is comfortable, and my meals beat a bag
of day-old bread scrounged from the local bakery.
My mind is sound, and my beliefs are based on God's word. But what
I am or have is not the result of my own doing: God's grace has made me
what I am today.
This world has a god. He has no grace toward mankind. His name
means destroyer.
Man's domain is indeed evil, as the man from the kingdom of light
said. But it's evil because Satan has deceived the whole world into
believing his lies rather than God's truth (Revelation
12:9).
Satan, the prince of darkness, has convinced the nameless wanderer
that the eternal God, creator of heaven and earth, the God of truth and
light, is darkness.
Thank God the day is coming when Satan and his angels will be cast
into their own dark realm (Revelation
20:10 / Jude
12), and never again be allowed to pervert man's mind.
At that time, the man I dubbed a nut case will be healed of
whatever mental distortions he may have, and will be taught a wonderful
and joyous way of life based on the truth and enlightenment of the one he
called "the lier."
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
AN
UNEASY TRUCE:
A truce gives both sides a
chance to take a breather, and consider the terms of the adversary. But
there's a difference between a truce and a stand-off.
Copyright 1998 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
It was an uneasy truce.
My friend's daughter had taken up with a rather undesirable
partner, causing a rift in the mother-daughter relationship.
After a time of estrangement the daughter ventured a visit home.
Generally on such first visits the atmosphere is tense. Words are guarded.
Tempers often flare. However, in the end, a lot of hostilities are aired,
and things settle down.
After the visit my friend told me, "I will accept my daughter,
but I will never accept her partner." She admitted the truce was not
an easy one.
Rare, indeed, is the parent who never faces a situation with a son
or daughter, in which a truce has to be offered. It would be wonderful if
all children were so obedient and respectful of their parents that such
occasions never arose. It may be like that in la-la land, but not in the
real world.
Former United States President, Lyndon Baines Johnson said,
"No experience is a bad one unless we fail to learn from it."
And truces, no matter how uneasy, can be a learning experience for those
on both sides.
To begin with, a truce is a two-sided affair. It's just a stand-off
if one party refuses to agree with the other.
But a truce provides an opportunity for both sides to take a
breather, and consider the terms of the adversary. No doubt my friend and
her daughter will think deeply about the terms of their truce.
As it is, however, the truce is rather one-sided. "I will
accept my daughter, but I will never accept her partner."
"Never" is an awfully strong
word. It's a grave: six feet deep with no way out.
And, as my aunt used to say, "Never, is a long, long time."
I asked my friend to consider an alternative. "Not yet"
has many times kept me out of trouble with my employers, my friends, and
my wife.
"Not yet" is an open-ended situation which, in my
friend's relationship with her daughter says, "I can't accept your
partner right now, but give me time and that may change." No definite
commitment, but hope for the future.
To say I accept you but not your partner, will generally be turned
into the argument, "If you won't accept him, then you don't accept me
either." And the grave gets deeper.
So, when you're faced with a No decision, try Not yet. It says,
"Someday the two of us may see eye-to-eye."
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
WHERE
AIN'T GOD?
A
young boy finds God in everything from a caterpillar to a milkweed pod.
Copyright 1999 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
There's a wonderful poem which tells of a young lad returning home
from Sabbath School. On his way he found a caterpillar, a milk-weed pod, a
bird's nest, and a snail.
What wonderful treasures for a little boy on a sunshiny day.
Chances are he found many more treasures that summer - treasures we adults
generally overlook.
We need to slow down our rush through life, and take time to find
those wonderful treasures we sought as children.
"Look, Daddy. Gold!" Indeed, the tiny sparkles in a
smooth stone looked like gold. And to a happy child on the beach, it was
gold.
Tom Sawyer had a treasure: an apple core. But he had eaten the real
treasure hidden inside. If Tom had cut the apple across the core, he would
have found a wonderful star protecting five perfect little seeds, the
beginning of life for more apple trees.
Ah, yes. Stars. When a little girl searches the sky and whispers,
"Star light. Star bright. First star I see tonight," she's found
one of a trillion treasures God has hung in space for our enjoyment, and
maybe his.
What school boy hasn't chased the girls across the school yard with
a little garter snake? Or dropped one into the teacher's desk drawer
before she entered the room? There's a treasure to be found in the
garter snake's beautiful markings: long thin lines the length of the body
if it's
an eastern snake; white diamonds on the western.
What a treasure is the song of a meadowlark, or the flash of an
oriole in the fruit trees. The hum of a ruby-throat, the skree, skree,
skree of an eagle circling high in the sky, are treasures God has shared
with us. Forgive us, father, for being too busy to listen.
The song says, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." When
a young lady announces she's engaged, everyone wants to see the wonderful
treasure she's wearing on her finger. She's naturally pleased to show it
off.
At her wedding she may wear another treasure: her grandmother's
necklace. What a treasure God gave us when he created the lowly oyster to
turn tiny specks of sand into a string of pearls.
To a fisherman the fight of a powerful bass is a treasure. To the
hunter, it's the rack on a ten-point buck.
We all have treasures. And every one was given us by a loving God
who wants us to have all the treasures he can give. Like the boy on the
beach who reaches out to pick up a gold-specked stone, we need to reach
out for God's treasures.
One of the greatest treasures he's given us is that book gathering
dust on the shelf. It tells who God is, why we were born, how to live
happily with our neighbors, and what the future brings to those who love
the God of the universe.
There is no God, you say? Let's let the boy in the poem tell it his
way. A neighbour offers the boy a dime if he can tell him where God is.
Quick as a flash the answer came, Nor were his accents faint; "I'll
give you a dollar, mister, If you'll tell me where God ain't."
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
WHEN
WORDS ARE TO MUCH:
A hug, a touch, or even
tears, may help a person bear his grief more than anything we may say.
Copyright 1997 / Leslie A Turvey laturvey@becon.org
Words are interesting things. They communicate. They inspire. They
comfort. They hurt.
There are times when words are needful. There are times when no
words should be spoken. Any time words are used they must be chosen with
care.
I recently visited an elderly woman during the last few hours of
her life. She was alert, and recognized those who visited. She even
reached out to give a comforting hug to those especially dear to her.
But did her friends comfort her? They kept telling her,
"You'll be in heaven soon." "Jesus is waiting for
you." And so on. I had to wonder whether they were trying to convince
the woman or themselves.
At the funeral home a teenage girl sobbed uncontrollably by the
coffin. Two women, one on each side of her, told her continually,
"She's in heaven now. "She has no more pain." And on and on
and on. It was obvious their words were doing nothing to ease the girl's
grief. This was
a time when nothing anyone could say would ease the loss the young girl
was experiencing.
My first wife died at age twenty-four. As I stood by the coffin a
friend came and slipped her hand in mine. She said nothing: just stood
with me and shared my grief. Of the hundreds of people who came to pay
Jeannette their last respects, Dorie is the one I remember most because of
her simple, silent gesture.
Most people mean well when they speak. They mean no harm. They want
to help. And at the end of a person's life one often wonders what to say.
When words do come they're often awkward, and seem to come out all wrong.
Fortunately those who are left to mourn their loss generally understand.
But they also understand if no words come. A comforting touch
speaks words no lips could possibly utter.
When you wonder what to say, remember this story about a young girl
whose mother had died. She said many people came to speak words of
comfort, and to try to stop her tears. "But," she said,
"the one who helped me most was a neighborhood girl who sat down and
cried with me."
As well-intentioned as your words may be, a touch or a hug or tears
say, "I know what you're feeling. I want to share your
grief."
You may
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WHAT'S
KEEPING YOU HERE?:
Jesus said the law has not
been abolished. But Christians today know better, don't they? Or do they?
Copyright 1995 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
"The law is done away with," claim my born-again friends.
"It was nailed to the cross."
"Which one?" I question, knowing they mean the laws of
God.
"All of them," they return. "God doesn't want us
living under his laws, but under his grace."
"That so? But you're still standing here. You should have shot
off into space long ago," I reply, thoroughly puzzling them.
It appears my friends only choose to nail certain of God's laws to
the cross.
If God had done away with his laws there would be no electricity to
power our homes. There would be no aerodynamics to keep planes in the air,
or friction to keep our cars on the road. But none of this would really
matter since there'd be no gravity to keep us on the ground. There's more
to God's laws than what's written in the bible.
If God did away with some of his laws, why should we be cursed by
the rest of them? (My friends say to live under God's law is a curse.)
Flinging open their bibles they point to John
1:17, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by
Jesus Christ."
"If the law wasn't a curse," they ask, "why did God
need to give us his grace?"
At this point I may refer them to Deuteronomy
27, where there's a list of curses regarding treating one's parents
with contempt, wrongfully moving a neighbor's landmark, causing a blind
person to wander off the road, incestuous relationships, and more. But
does God's grace now remove the curse for doing such things? I think not.
Not to be daunted, however, they flip to Acts
10 and refer to Peter's vision.
You know the story don't you? A huge sheet containing every sort of
critter was let down from heaven. There were pigs n' possums, gators 'n
groundhogs. Don't forget the cats and rats and elephants, and a few
baboons and lizards and lice.
Then a voice commanded Peter to kill whatever he wanted, and to eat
it.
"Great," said Peter. "I just can't wait to dig into
a mess of alligator stew."
Whoops. I'm in the wrong chapter! Peter's actual response was,
"No way, Lord. I've never eaten anything that's common or
unclean."
Peter, a Jew, knew God's dietary law was given for our welfare,
that some things are not good for us to eat.
When the voice spoke again it didn't say the character of pig's
flesh -- or skunk's or possum's or shark's -- had been altered to make it
safe to eat.
To the Jews of Peter's day, gentiles were common and unclean, and
no self-respecting Jew would share a meal with them. But through the
vision Peter came to understand it was all right with God for him to eat
with gentiles.
So Peter went to Corneilius' home, and for the first time the
gentiles heard the message of God's kingdom.
No, nothing in the scriptures shows God's law has been eliminated.
Indeed, Christ filled it to the fullest when he said, "You know the
letter of the law makes it a sin to commit adultery. Well, it's just as
adulterous and sinful to look upon a woman and lust after her."
There's no curse in God's law. Not obeying it brings its own
penalty, and that is the curse.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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WHAT
VALUE: LOVE?:
Jesus' love for us is
expressed through more than just his exquisite suffering and death on the
cross.
Copyright 1999 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
The prayer request stated, "Please pray for my daughter's
wedding. The groom's family is giving him trouble, and we pray they won't
come and cause problems. They want their son to marry someone with money
and prestige."
This poignant plea makes it obvious which god the groom's family
serves.
A movie a few years ago had a similar theme. You know the story:
boy meets girl; love at first sight; they live happily ever after.
As generally happens, however, there were some bumps on the way to
their happily-ever-after. The girl hid a secret from her boyfriend.
When her swain finally proposed, and she knew he truly loved her,
she felt comfortable in revealing her secret: she was the daughter of an
immensely wealthy family.
Daddy Gotbucks would have nothing to do with his daughter marrying
a common labourer. He had neither prestige nor money. After a heated
discussion, the father wrote a cheque for half a million dollars, and
handed it to the groom-to-be.
He studied the cheque for a few seconds, then tore it to shreds.
"Is that all your daughter is worth to you?" he asked.
What is love worth? Can you put a dollar value on it? Many couples
have said their love grew stronger as their finances decreased. Money was
no longer their security.
King Nebudchadnezzar put his love in the god of mammon. His story
is told in Daniel
4: The king said, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built
for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor
of my majesty?"
While he was still speaking a voice from heaven told him of his
immediate future. The kingdom would be wrenched from him, and he would
become insane.
After seven years of eating grass, of his body hair growing long
and coarse, and his nails becoming like the claws of birds, God returned
his sanity to him. Nebuchadnezzar tells his own story, ending with the
wonderful testimony of verse
37: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King
of heaven, whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that
walk in pride he is able to abase."
It took seven years of living like a beast before Nebudchadnezzar
realized his riches were not in earthly things, but in the God of
eternity.
A man named Judas thought Jesus Christ was worth only thirty pieces
of silver -- a paltry sum. But where did his love of money get him? He
hung himself in shame, and is remembered only with contempt.
Many verses in the bible speak of love, not of riches, but of
heart-to-heart.
Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou
lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God (Ruth
1:16)."
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, "I will serve you seven years
for Rachel your younger daughter (Genesis
29:18)."
And...the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul (1
Samuel 18:1).
Christianity is built on the love of Jesus Christ for all humanity;
for you and for me. Yet most Christians recognize his love only through
his exquisite suffering and death on the cross.
But Jesus' love was expressed the moment he agreed to leave the
wonders of heaven and sinlessness and immortality, to take on the life of
a mortal human.
Had he failed in his love for us, he would have died unknown, and
would never be able to return to heaven to save us from the penalty we
deserve for our sins: death for all eternity. His love was so great that
he risked all so we might have all.
What value: Jesus Christ's love?
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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WE'VE
GOT SO MUCH IN COMMON:
Weddings are only for a
day. Marriage is for a lifetime. But marriages cannot be built on liking
the same toppings on pizza, or the same rock groups.
Copyright 1994 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Why do nearly half of all weddings end in divorce?
Years ago it wasn't so. In fact, in the '40s and '50s divorce was
as repulsive a word as adultery or fornication.
A couple recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, and someone
remarked it was a miracle. But the real miracle is that a couple today
remains together long enough to celebrate their fifth.
I've been looking through my 1956 high school year book, and have
pointed out to my wife the many girls I dated.
I wasn't a hunk, as the expression is today. I wasn't the football
hero. I was just an average teenager who enjoyed the company of many
people, and the security of family.
During my high school years most of the fellows dated a lot of
different girls. Eventually it became known that Sally and Bob were going
steady, but only after Sally had been to dances and movies with Jerry and
Ken and Darrin, and several other guys. And Bob had taken several young
ladies on hikes, to a church picnic, or whatever.
Today it's different. School hardly begins in September when teens
are pairing off. We've got so much in common, they say. We like the same
rock groups, and the same toppings on pizza. Even in elementary school
there seems to be a need for "going out."
The criteria for building a relationship is no longer based on
getting to know one another by spending time with many people. Instead
it's a feeling of security that comes with having someone. Too often that
feeling is expressed by something reserved, in years gone by, for
marriage.
Security in the '50s came from Mom and Dad and Sis, and maybe a
special friend outside the family.
Today Satan is destroying the concept of family. Weddings are based
on lust, or the filling of a void in the participants' family lives. When
the glitter wears off, and someone else looks better, the divorce lawyers
begin to earn their living.
Weddings are only for a day. Marriage is for a lifetime. It's an
agreement to share each other's lives 'til death do us part. It's an
agreement to bring, not just a sense of security, but true security to one
another.
The time is coming when God will no longer allow Satan to influence
people in the ways that lead to insecurity, jealousy, lust, and divorce.
Rather, the family of God will teach young people the enjoyment that comes
from properly dating many of the opposite sex before choosing a
mate for life.
Jesus taught us our prayers should include a request for God's
kingdom to come. It can't come too soon.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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WE,
THE ECCLESIA:
Be careful what you call
yourself. God has a way of humbling those who give themselves exalted
names.
Copyright 1999 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
"We are the ecclesia," proclaims the Christian community.
"We are the called out ones."
That's scary.
Of course they have considerable background for their claim. From
Matthew to Revelation the Greek word for church is "ekklesia,"
one meaning of which is "a calling out." By this, modern
Christians mean almighty God has called them out of their old sinful way
of living, into his way of eternal life.
But there's danger in giving oneself exalted names. God has a way
of humbling those who do.
Jesus spoke of the scribes and Pharisees saying they love
"greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi' (Matthew
23:7)." In this way they saw themselves as being the called out
ones, not from the sinful ways of the world, but called out from among the
riff-raff of the streets.
Their love of exalted names may have started candidly enough. Join
me in my time machine, and we'll travel back to a day long before Jesus
was born. We hear a man asking a question of a Pharisee. Not knowing just
how to refer to him he says, "How do I refer to you? Rabbi,
perhaps?"
Later we see the Pharisee on his way home. He's smiling, and we
hear him say to himself, "Rabbi. I like that. Has a nice ring to
it." Soon, of course, the word was spread that we, the Pharisees, are
rabbis, masters.
There was a gentleman for whom I still have much respect, for
through him I came to a deep understanding of God's way of life. A few
years ago, however, someone innocently suggested he was doing the same
work the apostles did two thousand years earlier.
Now you're ahead of me. You can see where that went. It wasn't long
until he was being referred to as God's apostle in the 20th century. From
there, of course, he began to call himself God's chosen apostle.
The bible tells us, "...the disciples were called Christians
first in Antioch (Acts
11:26)." Over many years it became adopted as meaning followers
of Christ, but it's important to realize the disciples did not give
themselves the name: it was a term of scurrility or abuse given by
non-believers. And when Agrippa told Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me
to be a Christian (Acts
26:28)," it seems to have been used in scorn.
Even when Peter said, "...if any man suffer as a Christian,
let him not be ashamed (1
Peter 4:16), he referred to the expression as the soubriquet used by
those outside the fellowship.
Now, about the ecclesia, the called out ones. Someone with a
knowledge of the Greek language no doubt saw the noun as referring to the
church, the people who compose the body of Christ. It had a nice ring to
it, and it soon caught hold.
Recall, however, Jesus' words in Luke
14:11, "...whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased..."
God has a way of doing that, and perhaps those who proudly refer to
themselves as the ecclesia, the called out ones, should consider the same
word is used in Acts
19:24-35, to describe an unruly mob of people who called out for two
hours, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Great is Diana of the
Ephesians."
Diana: the Greek goddess of fertility and childbearing. Still want
to call yourself the ecclesia?
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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WHY
ME, LORD?:
When
trials come into our lives we're tempted to ask, "Why me?"
Perhaps we should ask, "Why not?"
Copyright 1998 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Why? Why? WHY? The anguished cry is raised with scalding tears:
"Why? Why me, Lord? What have I done?"
A child is killed, and the mother cries out, "Why?"
It's easy to imagine the young mother pounding her fists on Jesus'
chest, trying to relieve her frustration and anger. Through her tears she
sobs, "Why did you do this to me?"
Then, wrapping his arms lovingly around her, Jesus gently replies,
"My dear child, Carla was sent to bring love and joy into your home,
and she's done that for these past six years. You've been a good mother to
Carla, but now your life must move on. I've got greater things in mind for
you."
When calamity strikes, it's easy, even for Christians, to cry out
to God, "Why?" We just don't understand God's reason for
allowing terrible things to happen.
Job must have wondered, "Why?"
We're told God permitted Satan to test Job. Job was a great man. He
had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, a thousand oxen, and five
hundred female donkeys. He had a great number of servants, and ten
children.
One day the Sabeans killed Job's herdsmen and took away his oxen
and donkeys. The same day a great lightning storm destroyed the sheep and
their shepherds. As if that weren't enough, the Chaldeans slaughtered the
camel drovers and stole their animals.
His animals were gone. His servants were gone. Job must have
wondered what else could possibly happen? He soon found out.
A great wind blew down the house where his sons and daughters were
partying, and all his children were killed.
Did Job ask, "Why?" Perhaps. It certainly would be
natural. Yet Job
1:20-21 tells us, "Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved
his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped and said, 'the
Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.'
"
Everything turned out well for Job in the end. God gave him twice
as much livestock as he lost, and seven sons, and three daughters who
became the fairest women in the land.
James admonishes God's people, "Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James
1:2)." (A lady once jokingly told me, "I must be full of joy
with the car I've got.")
But do we consider it joy when we're laid low with the flu? Or when
a child is the victim of a hit-and-run driver?
God understands our sorrow. Our trials challenge our faith. But,
through James, God tells us if we endure the trials, and are unwavering in
our faith, and develop patience we will become perfect, as Jesus
commanded, "Become perfected, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect (James
1:2-4 / Matthew
5:48)
OK, so God understands, and Jesus wants us to become perfect. But
why?
James tells us, "Blessed is the man who endures trials, for
when he has stood the test, he shall receive the crown of eternal life (James
1:12)."
We can't begin to imagine how wonderful eternal life will be. As
Paul wrote, "No one has seen or heard, nor has it even entered into
anyone's mind what God has prepared for those who love him (I
Corinthians 2:9)." But it will be awesome. We are given a glimpse
of it in the last two chapters of the bible.
So, when disaster comes into our lives, it's natural to ask,
"Why me, Lord?" But when we consider the marvelous end of it
all, perhaps we should ask, "Why not?"
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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A
SECOND-CHANCE RELIGION? NO WAY!:
Solomon wrote, "He who
responds before hearing the facts, brings shame upon himself." But
some people believe that doesn't apply to them.
Copyright 2000 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Writing is a risky business. No matter how well the scribe prepares
his text, someone is certain to misinterpret it.
I took a lot of heat when I published "Do Non-Christians Get A
Second Chance?" Even though the ending stated, "Their
resurrection will be so they can be taught God's way of life for the first
time," my mailbox was stuffed with letters saying I teach a
second-chance religion.
In "The Good News Christians" I wrote, "...those who
have not had the opportunity, or the understanding, to become Christians
will eventually be resurrected to human life, and as humans will be able
to die again. This is the second resurrection." Because I taught what
the bible teaches I got a flurry of second-chance-religion mail.
In none of my writings do I imply, that anyone will be given a
second chance. If that were the case we could all whoop it up, live a
spectacularly licentious life, then repent in the second resurrection.
There are people in this world, however, who have never heard the
name of Jesus Christ. In "A Miracle In Progress," my co-author,
Jagu, stated, "I didn't even know there were other religious beliefs
in the world." There are eight million Hindus who have been shielded
from the truth. Should they be consigned to the lake of fire because they
never had a first chance? Some of my readers think so.
There's a group of people in Christian-dominated countries who
likely celebrate Christmas, and may go to church at Easter time. But the
holy spirit has not opened their minds to what Christianity is really
about. They know something about the little Lord Jesus, and may wear a
cross around their neck as a talisman. But they don't understand the
depths of God's love for them. I think you'd agree a loving God should
give them a first opportunity.
For them, and for the billions of people worldwide, who have never
known of Jesus Christ, their first opportunity will come, not in this
life, but in the second resurrection.
Of course, there will be some who have known Christ intimately, but
who have gone away from him. Paul says it is impossible for them to return
to the truth (Hebrews
6:4-6).
And there will be some in the second resurrection who, despite
experiencing the wonders of God's kingdom, will refuse to accept his rule.
For both groups, God will have prepared a lake of fire in which they will
be destroyed forever.
Why do some people condemn me to eternal torment for what I write?
It seems they read the first few sentences of Life Lines, then become
incensed at something that runs counter to their cherished tradition.
Instead of reading the rest of the article with a clear mind, they let
their anger control them, and whip off a letter telling me how wrong I am.
This is why Life Lines is sometimes confusing. Most readers view it
through the traditions of man, rather than through the truth of the bible.
If I could teach the Christian world one thing, it would be to lay
aside everything they've ever been taught about the bible, and read it as
though it were a newly discovered book. I did that more than thirty years
ago, and it's made a marvelous difference.
That's why I write Life Lines. The truth has made me free from
man's theories and traditions, and I want to share the truth with everyone
I can.
Life Lines is not intended to explain every detail of a subject. It
is not a text book or a bible study. Its intent is to send people to their
bibles, and get them thinking about Why they believe What they believe.
Most people never consider what they're taught: the minister says it's so,
so it's OK with them. And that could cost them their
salvation.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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THE
WONDERFUL, WHACKY WORLD WE LIVE IN:
Psychiatrists
attribute your problems to your body shape, your seasonal color, your
zodiac sign, and whatever other bunkum they can dream up. But God has a
better way to resolve your problems.
Copyright 1995 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Are you in an A, H, S, or M relationship?
Is you personality red, blue, orange, or green?
What's your body shape: apple, pear, celery, kumquat?
Maybe you eat mushrooms for a longer life. Or drink cactus juice to
improve your sex drive, even into your 80s.
A fellow journalist buys out-of-season clothing to drive her friend
bonkers. The friend is one of those people who decide your color is
spring, summer, autumn, or winter, and you're not properly dressed unless
your make-up and clothing match your season.
Where do all these nutty notions come from? They're on television
so often it's no wonder they call it the boob tube!
The medical profession says, "Publish or perish." If a
doctor makes a discovery he publishes it in a medical journal. He's soon
famous, and his discovery will carry his name.
It's even better if he can get on television - which isn't hard to
do when you've got off-the-wall ideas - and tell the world of his
discovery.
Maybe he realized Kentucky moon-shiners seldom get warts, so
prescribed white lightnin' to thirty-seven of his patients, none of whom
got warts. (Nine became alcoholics, but he doesn't tell that part of the
story.)
Remember the '60s when people went to California to find
themselves. Or joined a pot-smoking cult to heighten their creative-think.
All because someone got a hare-brained idea and a bunch of sheep followed
his lead.
What happened to the days when you were you and I was me, and it
didn't matter whether we were color-coordinated or meaningfully bonded.
Those were the days when you became best friends, and married without
worrying whether your zodiacal signs were compatible.
You stayed married too, because you loved each other. There was no
such thing as improving your marriage through adultery. You improved your
marriage by treating each other with respect, by helping each other
cheerfully, and by admitting you were wrong on those occasions when things
didn't work out quite right.
The bible never refers to A, H, S, or M relationships, nor
discusses compatibility in marriage. It does say we're to love our wives
in the same way, and as much as we love ourselves, and that our wives are
to respect their husbands (Ephesians
5:33).
Nothing about personality types, body shapes, or seasonal colors.
(Ever wonder how one determines colors for people in Antarctica where
there's only one season? Or on Bora Bora where it's summer all year
round?)
And we don't find God, the author of mankind's textbook,
prescribing an elixir to accentuate our libido.
What we do find is God's law given to direct our lives in a way
modern psychiatry cannot begin to do.
Let's see now. Am I a Chevy, a Ford, or a Cadillac?
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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WOULD
YOU HOLD ME?!:
A Christian man risks his
job, and everything he owns to answer the plea of a dying five-year-old.
Copyright 1999 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
During Ronald McDonald's monthly visit to a California hospital,
five-year-old Billy asked if Ronald would hold him.
Such a simple request. Yet it caused terrible turmoil within Jeff
McMullen, the man behind the Ronald McDonald grease paint. One of the
rules was No Touching. The hospital didn't want germs transferred from
patient to patient.
But Billy was the last patient of the day. He was hooked up to more
equipment than Jeff had ever seen. It seemed evident Billy would not be
going home.
"Would you hold me?"
Jeff's heart was torn. If he touched Billy he would lose his job,
and that could mean losing his car, his house. But how could he refuse a
tiny, frightened boy's last request to his hero?
At last Jeff sent everyone from the room, and "picked up this
little wonder of a human being. He was so frail and so scared. We laughed
and cried, and talked about the things that worried him.
"Billy was afraid his little brother might get lost coming
home from kindergarten next year, without Billy to show him the way. He
worried that his dog wouldn't get another bone because Billy had hidden
the bones in the house before going back to the hospital."
As Jeff left the room he gave Billy's parents his phone number. Two
days later Billy's mom phoned to say Billy had died, and his family wanted
to thank him for making a difference in their little boy's life.
Jeff understood the hospital's no-touching rule, but he didn't like
it. He said, "I believe that touching is the most honest form of
communication we will ever know. Printed and spoken words can lie; it is
impossible to lie with a warm hug."
But Jeff had been in turmoil. His heart said Yes; the rules said
No. He'd been emotionally torn apart by a little boy's simple request.
Eventually Jeff realized losing his job wouldn't be the worst thing
in his life. He could pick up and start over again. He also realized his
car, his house, and the other things he held dear, would have no value at
the end of his life. He realized the only things that had steadfast value
were experiences. Jeff, as Ronald McDonald, was at the hospital to bring a
little happiness to an unhappy environment.
He said, "Sometimes we must do what is right for the moment,
regardless of the perceived risk."
Most Christians don't put their possessions on the line for their
faith. Most won't lose their jobs. But if -- or when -- that day comes,
will our faith be strong enough that we'll do what is right, or will we
play by the world's rules?
One thing Jeff McMullen didn't have to consider was putting his
life on the line for Billy. When the time comes, will we put our temporal
life on the line for Jesus Christ? Remember, he put everything on the line
so you and I could have eternal life.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jeffrey B. McMullen is an internationally recognized speaker, author and
entertainer. For more information regarding Mr. McMullen, you may contact
him at:
Jeffrey B. McMullen, CSP / The McMullen Group
PO Box 2411 / Appleton, WI. 54912 USA
Telephone - 920.954.9300
Website: www.Jeffmcmullen.com
E-mail at JBMcMullen@aol.com
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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THE
WORLD WILL END IN THE YEAR 2000!:
If
the tabloid junkies would read the bible with the same faith they read
their favorite papers, they'd discover this world will be around for a
long, long time.
Copyright 1999 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
A speaker told his audience the world would end in fifteen billion
years.
A rather hard-of-hearing lady asked, "When did you say,
sonny?"
"Fifteen billion years," replied the speaker.
"Oh, thank goodness," declared the lady. "I thought
you said fifteen million."
Next time you're at the supermarket, check the tabloids. You'll
find at least one claiming this or that prophet says the world will come
to an end in the year 2000.
But don't you believe it. It won't happen until 2027, or even more
likely 2044. I write on the authority of a science spokesman who says in
one of those two years a huge asteroid will blast into the earth.
Scientists have tracked this asteroid, said to be half a mile in
diameter, for several years, to make their determination. "But,"
said the spokesman on television, "there are variables."
One of those variables has saved the earth from an even earlier
demise. The same scientists had been tracking another asteroid which was
to trash the earth in the year 2008. But rather than admit they made an
error, science blames their mistaken prediction on "variables."
What the variables are, the spokesman didn't say.
When the tabloids grab hold of the latest scientific predictions,
you can be certain they'll tie it to Revelation
8:10, "...and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it
were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the
fountains of waters."
But is this the great asteroid that will smash the world to
smithereens? Not according to my bible, and not likely according to yours.
The tabloid writers will conveniently ignore verse
11 which says, "And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and
the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the
waters, because they were made bitter." They will also ignore the
rest of the book of Revelation, which shows many other events taking place
on earth after the star has poisoned
the water.
Science claims infallibility, except for variables of course. At
least the tabloids are honest: they publish a statement in tiny print,
that nearly no one reads, stating their stories are only for the enjoyment
of the readers. They do not claim their stories to be true. But tabloid
junkies believe they're gospel, and that's what the publishers want them
to think. It keeps the readers coming back for more.
There's a book that year-after-year is the world's number one best
seller. Unfortunately it's not the world's most widely read book. If the
tabloid junkies would read the bible with the same faith they read their
favorite papers, they'd discover the earth will not end with the crash of
an asteroid, which movie makers say is the size of Texas.
And if the scientists would spend more time studying the bible,
than trying to make a name for themselves with predictions that can be
changed through variables, they'd discover a verse that states,
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down
from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning (James
1:17)."
There's one book we can trust from cover to cover: the bible. Its
author is the consummate scientist who leaves nothing to
variables.
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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WOULDN'T
IT BE GREAT!:
People today fear wild
animals, and wild animals fear each other. Wouldn't it be great if those
fears didn't exist? One day they won't.
Copyright 1998 / Leslie A Turvey
laturvey@becon.org
Wouldn't it be great if we could be right there and see them, I
thought, while Betty and I watched a television nature program. Huge
flocks of Canada geese, swans, white pelicans, snow geese, and other
migrating birds were shown returning to their summer haunts, the northern
tundra.
You may have watched similar programs showing the great cats -
lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs - the massive pachyderms, the snakes and
lizards.
A few people have walked on the moon, and space-roving machines
have visited other planets. Again the question is, Wouldn't it be great to
be there with them.
But we can't all be there to walk among the animals of the wild
kingdom, so we watch them on television.
Many years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to hear the
nighttime howling of a pack of wolves. It was the most magnificent sound
I've ever heard. But I was thankful they were on the other side of the
lake.
When we left city life for several years in the country, a huge
black snake appeared on our property while Betty hung out the laundry.
Betty stamped her feet and the snake slithered away. This worked several
times, but one day she came running into the house. Instead of leaving,
the snake came toward her. Betty was terrified.
Year after year warnings are published about rabies. One year it's
the foxes. Another year it's raccoons. Veterinarians do a thriving
business with people bringing in their pets for immunization.
Most people have a fear of wild animals. But many fear domesticated
animals as well. This is especially evident when someone approaches with
their dog. Even a friendly schnauzer arouses anxiety in some people.
Dobermans and pit bulls have had so much bad press in recent years that
almost nobody trusts them.
But it's not only humans who have fear of animals. Animals fear
other animals, and wild animals fear humans.
But it wasn't always that way.
Genesis
1:25 tells us God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and
cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps on the earth after
his kind, and God saw that it was good. In verse 30 we're told that every
beast of the earth, and every fowl of the air, and every thing that creeps
on the earth, was given green herbs for food.
What happened? Hawks eat animals. Ospreys eat fish. Lions eat
animals, some of which are bigger than themselves.
In the third chapter of Genesis we're told Satan perverted man's
mind, and although we're not told, it seems he perverted the animals as
well.
But it won't always be so. The day is coming when you and I will
walk fearlessly amid the great and wonderful beasts of God's creation, and
I won't have to be thankful the wolves are on the other side of the lake.
Isaiah
11:6-9 says, The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie
down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a
little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down
together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young
child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor
destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the
knowledge of the Lord.
And we won't have to consider how great it would be to be right
there to see them!
You may
contact the Life Lines author at laturvey@becon.org.
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