First and Then

You’ll find these two little words coupled together throughout the book of Matthew. We read about reconciliation with a brother, then worship; seeking the kingdom, then comes the additives; taking the beam from your eye, then your brother’s; binding the strong man, then spoiling his goods.

We say, “First things first,” yes, but this doesn’t negate second things. The very word prioritize necessitates other things. There are certain things we are to put at the top of the list, but then the next. We are not to neglect what follows the first. “These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” It seems today many Christian’s never seem to get around to the “then” Jesus spoke of.

For example, to cite just one such case, “Cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Here we see Jesus works from the inside out. But notice, He is interested in the outward when taken in its proper order. To use the anemic argument that God is only concerned with the inward shows a total ignorance of the scriptures.

I do not know of one person who’d be willing to drink from a cup that had lipstick smudges, grease, and old food particles caked to it on the outside, although it is sparkling clean on the inside. Do you, my friend?

Time Heals

In my writings I like to use popular clichés from time to time. But all such little quips do not necessarily have a scriptural principle connected to them. One such saying is, “Time heals all wounds.” This is not so, and I’m sure knowledgeable medical professionals would agree with me.

 I have observed in today’s society that no matter what one does, and how many are hurt by their actions, if he or she waits long enough, they can be accepted back into their previous position with welcoming arms.

I can understand an unregenerate world doing this, but not the body of Christ. I’ve noticed all types of wrong-doers are being accepted back into fellowship with their Christian brethren and families if they simply put enough space between their sins and their return.

But no matter how lengthy the interval between the wrong done and the acceptance back into fellowship, there must be a repentance proved by its fruit. If you sin privately, you repent privately. But, if you sin publically, you repent publically.

Taking people back into your life because of misguided affections, personal advantage, or because your peers will think you hard or harsh, will not cut the mustard with God! Remember, the person who has not truly repented of his or her wrong, remains the same person. And when you accept them without a complete turn-around in their lives, you condone their sin!

 “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”

The Silence of God

Between the Old and New Testaments there were four hundred silent years when God said nothing. And in our precious Lord’s case, He waited some thirty years to hear God say, “Thou art my beloved Son.” When He recorded for us, “Let thy words be few,” God practiced what He preached. The Bible (K.J.V. 1611) has 773,746 words; considering the fact God is infinite, that “ain’t” very many.

Blaise Pascal wrote a friend, “I am sorry to have wearied you with so long a letter but I did not have time to write a short one.” Well, time is something God has plenty of. God doesn’t waste words. His philosophy, it is apparent, is “Brevity is best.” You might say, He is not a big talker. He is truly a man of few words. The type person who follows His example, generally, can say a lot in few words.

It has been popular as far back as I can remember to hear the phrase, “The Lord spoke to me,” or “God told me.” And to hear this spiritually elite group talk about it, it happens frequently in lengthy conversations with the Lord. If this be true, I wonder why God spoke from heaven to his Son so infrequently, in comparison, while He was on earth. I used to be one of the above who boasted of God speaking to me on a regular basis. Now, I think it best to simply say, “I feel impressed God might want me to do such and such.”

 The true test of a prophet in the Old Testament was whether or not what God told him actually came to pass. I have found on more occasions than I’d like to admit, it didn’t in my life and ministry.

The Critics of the Godly

A professing Christian once criticized the saintly evangelist, John R. Rice. The old man did not reply to the criticism, but simply  mentioned that he’d read his Bible through countless times, prayed daily, won hundreds to Christ, raised godly girls, gave of his income, had been true to his wife, etc. Then he asked his critic, “Have you done these, or even a small part of them?” The man shamefully looked down. Dr. Rice then replied, “Well, your criticism of me doesn’t say much for you, does it?”

Criticism always comes from those who have a superior attitude. The lofty ones of Jesus day supposed themselves greater than the “lowly One.” Thus, our Lord’s warning to His followers, “If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” If they “bad-mouthed” the sinless Son of God day and night, what do you think they will do to us? The advantage of the critic over the godly is that the latter does not generally answer directly to the criticism, or attempt to defend his or her self. “But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.”

These enemies of all righteousness cannot comprehend the godly are the glue holding this world together. Take them away and everything falls apart. It is only their presence and prayers that is preserving things such as our homes, schools, cities, and even individual lives. And yes, entire nations also! These calloused critics are unconscious of the fact that God’s blessings are on His people, the ungodly simply happen to enjoy the benefits. You know, “My cup runneth over.” Thus, the less is blessed by the better. They have never come to the realization that Laban did, “And Laban said unto him [Jacob]… I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

 “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth.”

Unsung Heroes

Every real man has buried deep within his heart the hope that someday he will do something heroic, thereby proving his manhood. It is something he carries in his bosom from childhood to adulthood. But many, if not most of us, come to the end of our days saddened by the fact we never saw our dream come true. That is, we mistakenly think so!

 

My grandpa Morrison (on my mother’s side) worked forty years at the Sorg Paper Mill in Middletown, Ohio, as a night watchman. He never missed a day in all those years. He was presented a gold pocket watch at retirement. As a young man he had gone from Kentucky to Ohio alone, worked a year, sending most of his paycheck back to Granny, until they had saved enough for her and their seven children to move.

 

A hero is a man who does what has to be done, simply because it has to be done. The world is full of men who are heroes! They go to work every day of their lives, love their families, help their neighbors, and make the world a better place to live in. It makes you feel safer knowing their kind is around. You feel good inside having known such men. Oh, they may never have saved a drowning child or an elderly person from a burning house. But they’re made out of the same kind of stuff as those who do such things.

 

His Right to Servitude

Most are familiar with the story of Jesus washing the disciple feet. There is an interesting statement that came from Simon when He began to wash his. “Peter saith unto Him, thou shalt never wash my feet.” I’m sure Peter thought this to be a worthy declaration. But, as usual, like most of us, he didn’t realize what he was saying. No matter how commendable it may have sounded.

You see, he was refusing to let Jesus do something in his life, which was needful. But, Peter evidently thought it too lowly for Jesus. Will we never get it through our thick skulls that Jesus loves to serve us? He said it Himself, “I came to minister.” He is the eternal Servant! It is the likes of most of us that detest servitude. And look upon those who do with disgust.

Is there some area of your life that seems either insignificant or too lowly for you to allow Jesus to be a part of, and help you? If so, in essence, you’re saying to Him, “Thou shalt never…” If you refuse to let Him enter that part of your life, then He says to you, as He did to Peter, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

*What Do You Expect?

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”

A young pastor came to Charles Spurgeon complaining nothing ever happened at his church. Spurgeon replied, “You don’t expect something to happen all the time, do you”? His answer was, “Well, I guess not;” to which Spurgeon again replied, “Young man, that’s why nothing’s happening; you don’t expect it to.” In Acts 3, the lame man at the gate looked upon Peter and John, expecting to receive something of them. Isn’t it a shame we have greater expectations from man, than of God?

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,” from the beginning of my Christian life to this present hour, I have always had a divine expectation. If you are saved and surrendered to God, you have every right to expect Him to do things on your behalf and for His glory.  As the great missionary said, “Attempt great things for God; expect great thing from God.”

Whatever may be your particular situation today, why not mull over these two scriptures, “My expectation is from Him…and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” Friend, He will not disappoint you!