Infallible Proofs

“…He showed Himself to be alive by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God…” (Acts 1:3)

For forty days after His crucifixion Jesus walked among His disciples. He talked with them and had conversations with them. He ate with them. He showed them His hands and feet and invited to examine His wounds. He told them where to cast their nets to catch fish. He invited them to come and eat with Him a meal He had prepared. He gave personal instruction to Simon Peter. He commissioned them to be witnesses to go into the entire world with the gospel.

He is raised from the dead. We do not know all that He did during those forty days, but those things certainly were not the activities of a dead man.

He is Risen

“He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay.”
(Matthew 28:6)

I have been told that the bodies of some of the founders of the world’s religions can be seen in the places of their entombment. It is a bragging point for their devotees.

We can go to the burial tomb where the Lord lay and we will not see Jesus’ body. “He is not here. He is risen.” If we must have a bragging point the empty tomb is ours.

All we can see there is where the Lord lay. He is the crucified, living Son of the living God. His miraculous birth, His cruel death on the cross, His burial and resurrection are foundation stones of Christianity.

I recommend Him to you for salvation. Receive Him as a free gift from God.

A Stone of Hindrance

“And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.” 
(Matthew 28:2)

The women had asked among themselves as they were on their way to Jesus’ tomb, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?” Mark 16:3)  They had not understood Jesus’ teaching about the resurrection. They thought that they were to get someone to help them roll the stone away. 

We have questions concerning other things impossible for our feeble hands to do. “How can we cross the Red Sea?” “How shall we cross the Jordan River?” “How will we defeat the city of Jericho?” “My income is small and how shall I possibly tithe and give anything to the Lord through the church?”

The Bible says an angel came and rolled back the stone. The stone was removed to let the women in, not to let Jesus out. In His resurrection body it did not matter whether or not the stone was removed. On our resurrection morning no one will be called on to remove the soil from over our graves. We will be called out by the power of God without disturbing a single blade of grass.

A Mystery Revealed

“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
I Corinthians 15:51-52

Paul is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as though he were standing, alive, in a large cemetery when the Lord returns.  The trumpet will sound as though calling the dead in Christ from their graves. Some of those laid to rest died of heart problems, cancer, automobile accidents, fires and bodies crippled and in terrible pain from some crippling disease. They were so sick they felt like “prisoners in a house of clay.” It will be resurrection. They will be raised with new bodies, incorruptible. They will be raised first.

Then, almost immediately, those alive when He comes will be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, caught up to meet God without experiencing death. We call that the rapture of the saints.

In this order, Jesus was resurrected as the first fruits. We are anxiously waiting His return. The Christians will be raised from their graves to receive new, incorruptible bodies. The believers living when Jesus returns will be “caught up” to meet the Lord.

It is no wonder that Christians love to sing the song, “Amazing Grace.”

The Firstfruits

“But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the Firstfruits of them that slept.”
(I Corinthians 15: 20) 

The Feast of Firstfruits was fifty days after the Jewish Passover and was so named because Israel was to bring the first sheaf of grain to the High Priest as an indication that the entire harvest belonged to God and there was more to follow. We know it as “Pentecost,” observed fifty days following the Passover.

Christ is the “Firstfruits” of the resurrection, indicating that not only was His the first resurrection ever, but the rest would follow at that great resurrection when all the dead in Christ would be resurrected and called from their graves, followed by the rapture of the Christians living at that time.

The most important thing a person can do is to be saved now and be ready when that time comes.

If Christ be not Risen

“Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.”
 (I Corinthians 15:15)

In this verse and the next few verses in I Corinthians 15 we find some results of Christ not being raised from the dead, if indeed He were still in the grave.

If Christ be not risen:

• We are found to be false witnesses. (15:15)
• Our faith is vain, worthless. (15:17)
• Folks who believe in His resurrection are still in their sins. (15:17)
• Our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (15:18)
• Our baptisms are done in the name of a dead man. (15:29)
• Those who suffered difficulties from service and ministry for the Lord in His name have done so for nothing. 

An old song says, “I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today, I know that He is living, whatever men may say...”

Vain Preaching

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.” (I Corinthians 15:14)

So much of our preaching is dependent on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, that if Christ is not risen then all our preaching is in vain. It is useless, just words, if He is not risen. Our sermons become at best lectures on morals and Jesus is preached as a good example for men to follow.

I heard it said of one preacher that he could tell folks how to get from Jerusalem to Jericho but could not tell them how to get from earth to heaven. That’s vain, useless preaching.

Preach the resurrected, living, Son of God. The resurrection of Christ is foundational to all we preach. If a man does not believe the Biblical account of the Lord’s resurrection he should stay out of the pulpit.

No Resurrection?

“But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen.”
 (I Corinthians 15:13)

I have in my possession a copy of “The Jefferson Bible.” It is a mixture of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The unique thing of this “Bible” is that it leaves out all the miracles of Jesus. This is how Jefferson’s “Bible” ends: “Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man laid. There laid they Jesus, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.”

How sad that such a revered man as Jefferson would disbelieve the greatest event that ever happened in the history of mankind.

Let us shout it from the house-tops: “He is alive! He is alive! He is alive!”

A Little Leaven

“Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (I Corinthians 15:12)

Paul preached in Corinth the gospel of Jesus Christ which emphasized the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. That should be at the heart of sermons from today’s preaching. Now that he is away from Corinth, word had gotten to him that some in the church denied the resurrection.

The heart break of a pastor is to know you are preaching the Bible, but then you discover that there are those who express opposition to your message behind your back. As the Bible says, “A little leaven leavens the entire lump.” That leaven can be a little leaven of false doctrine, hypocrisy or a little leaven of immorality. Left alone, the leaven of these will permeate the entire local church. So, the apostle Paul addresses the issue in this great chapter to the Corinthians. 

We preachers must address issues the church, or else the problem will grow beyond our ability and knowledge to fix it.

Eye Witnesses

“And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this day…”  
(I Corinthians 15: 5-6)

In a court of law there is no better witness than an eye witness. Besides the eye witnesses recorded in these two verses there were James, the apostles and Paul himself. Not mentioned here are the women. In the Acts we read that, “He showed Himself to be alive by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days before He ascended to heaven.” (Acts 1:3)

How could any today or at anytime between today and the day His resurrection happened, deny the fact that our Savior was resurrected? 

He is the living Son of God with all the facts and eye witnesses to prove it. All that is lacking for you to be saved is faith. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

According to the Scriptures

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures…” (I Corinthians 15:3-4)

Chiefest among the old Testament scriptures that tell of our Savior’s death by crucifixion is Isaiah, chapter 53. Very close to that reference is Psalm 22. Both of these passages seem to have been written in the shadow of the cross. His crucifixion was no after-thought in God’s plan. Christ died a horrible death to pay our sin debt.

To substantiate His resurrection it was necessary for there to be a burial. Jesus was buried in Joseph’s tomb awaiting His resurrection.

We sing joyfully, “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph over His foes…He arose, He arose, hallelujah Christ arose.” It was according to the scriptures, Jesus referring to Jonah being three days and nights in the belly of the whale and Job 19:25-27 the old patriarch cried out, “I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though by reins be consumed within me.” 

That is the gospel which Paul preached. It isn’t preaching without those three points.

A Gentle Reminder

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved…”   
(I Corinthians 15:1-2)

The Apostle Paul went to Corinth on his second missionary journey and continued there eighteen months. At Corinth he preached the gospel of Christ and established a church there. In this letter he is writing to remind them of his stay there and of what his preaching consisted.

The word “gospel,” means “good news.” There is more to preaching than “hell fire and brimstone.” After warning people with the bad news of hell we must give them the good news that Jesus saves. Paul included the good news to the Corinthians.

The gospel is not only what Paul delivered, it is what they received. It is the foundation of our faith. It is the gospel which saves us when we receive it.

There will be more about this tomorrow.

Three Men on Three Crosses

“And Jesus said unto him, “verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43)

This is the second of the seven last sayings of Christ from the cross. There were three men on three crosses. Each of the four gospels is careful to let us know about them. Isaiah had prophesied that Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors. Jesus was crucified between two thieves.

Both of the malefactors, as the Bible calls them, railed on Jesus at first. One of them said, “if you are the Christ save yourself and us.” The other one rebuked the first one and said, “Do you not fear God… this man has done nothing wrong. You and I are getting what’s coming to us.” (Luke 23:39-41) Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42) There was no opportunity for him to do any good deeds by which to earn his way. He could not perform some religious ritual, no joining of a church, no giving of money, no opportunity for baptism. There was only the recognition of Jesus as Lord and faith to call on Him.

The plea of the thief was followed by the precious words from the mouth of our Savior. “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”  Jesus directed His words to one man, the repentant, believing sinner. So, there on three crosses were three men: One died in his sins, one died to his sins and the third died for the sins of mankind. Will you trust the One who died for your sins?

Jesus Is the Way

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

It was Thomas who had asked the question of Jesus, “How can we know the way?” So Jesus directed His answer to Thomas. Jesus saith unto “him…” not the others, although they were probably hearing the dialogue between Thomas and Jesus. Our Lord has time for each of us individually. We cannot ask Him a question too difficult for Him to answer. In His answer Jesus said, “I am the way.” He is not one of many ways. He is the only way to God.

A missionary in a distant land needed to go to a remote tribe deep in a jungle. Vegetation had grown over any sign of a trail. There was no path to be seen. There were no posted arrows showing the right direction. “Will someone please show me the way,” begged the missionary. A man who had been sent from the remote tribe came to him and said, “I cannot show you the way.” With that he turned his back to the missionary and said, “Get on my back. There is no trail. I am the way. I am here to take you to your destination.”

Jesus does not show us the way. He IS the way. He will take us to our heavenly home, our destination. There is no other Way. Trust your soul, your life and eternity to Him.

The Tragedy of Wrong Choices

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 16:25)

I was going north on Interstate Sixty-five planning to exit. As I started down the exit ramp I met two old men in an old car coming up the exit ramp headed south. I blew my horn, flashed my lights and waved my arm out the window. They waved back, and headed on south in the north bound lanes of I-65. They thought they were right but could easily have been killed, maybe even taking the lives of others. We have all seen similar cases on the TV news that resulted in tragedy. I never knew how their wrong choice ended.

Multitudes of people make the wrong choice about how to get to heaven. They go merrily along, thinking that even though they are being warned, they reject the Son of God and feel good about themselves. The road was clearly marked for those two old men but they ignored the signs and warnings from others.

Many people totally ignore the Bible, God’s love letter to mankind. Are you ignoring the directions to heaven?

What Manner of Man is This?

“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him? (Mark 4:41)

This is the eighth in a series of Biblical questions. There was a storm on the Sea of Galilee.  The wind was howling, waves were very high and the sailors were afraid their little ship was going to sink.  Their Special Passenger, the Lord Jesus Christ, was on board the ship and was asleep in the back part of the boat. They awakened Him and He rebuked the wind and sea and said, “Peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39)

So, now, they wanted to know, what manner of man is this. Many men, much smarter than I, have been preaching and teaching about this man and attempting to answer this question for centuries.  He is the Son of God, the image of the invisible God, the creator of the universe, the sustainer who holds it all together, the head of the church, the Savior of all mankind who place their faith in Him and He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother and He cares about you and all your problems.

Stand Still and Let God Work

“And Moses said unto the people, ‘Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.’” (Exodus 14:13)

Fear, murmuring, complaining and blaming Moses for being caught between the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army behind them, the Israelites were ready to surrender and go back to Egypt.

I see this same readiness to throw in the towel and give up because it’s tough being a Christian today. We are already defeated in the Christian life when we attempt to live it in the energy of the flesh.

Standing still is difficult when so many Christians and so many churches around us are worked up in a “dither” doing something.  It was when the Israelites stood still that God performed His miracle of parting the waters of the Red Sea, allowing them to walk across on dry land. What impossibility are you facing?

Where are your Riches?

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. (Proverbs 13:7)

A preacher was making evangelism visits on his church field in Texas. In his rounds he came upon a very wealthy farmer who loved to brag about his wealth and that he did not need God. The farmer pointed to the west and said, “Preacher, I own all those oil wells you see in the distance.” Then he pointed to the north and said, “Preacher, all those cattle are mine. I own the best herd of cattle in the state of Texas.” The wealthy farmer then pointed toward the vast fields of grain toward the south. He said, “These fields are producing more grain than they ever have.” Then he pointed to the multitude of grain bins, barns, farm equipment and his own spacious house and said, “That’s all mine.”

As he waited for the preacher to respond with some glowing remarks, the preacher pointed toward the sky and asked the wealthy farmer, “How much do you own in that direction?”

Jesus asked, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

But God

“But God, who is rich in mercy…” (Ephesians 2:4)

It was the despised tax collector who cried out, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13) Unlike the Pharisee standing and praying nearby, he had nothing of which he could boast. He knew his sins and shortcomings. “…But God, who is rich in mercy.”

I am thankful for the “…but Gods,” in the Bible. Mankind was destined for hell, “…but God.”

God is rich in mercy, not just a little mercy but an abundance of mercy. He has enough mercy to forgive all our sins. When we cried out to God in confession of our sins, His mercy cancelled the debt of sins of which we had nothing to pay.

When people come by my casket some day there will be someone that will be able to refute any good things the preacher might say about me. When he does I will hold up my hand, point toward heaven and say, “But God is rich in mercy.”

Search the Scriptures Daily

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

Paul’s success at Thessalonica was meager compared to his results in other cities and villages. He and Silas moved on to Berea declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ. It takes Godly wisdom and the leadership of the Holy Spirit to know when to move on or to stay. God moved Philip from a successful ministry in Samaria to lead one man to faith in Jesus Christ. (Acts 8:26-40)

The Bereans searched the scriptures daily. I liken their searching the Bible as “fertile soil’ in which to sow the gospel seed. Not much, if any, growth takes place where the Bible is not searched, studied and believed.

You never outgrow your need to search the scripture. We should “desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow.” (I Peter 2:2) I had rather be known as a Berean believer than to be known as a Thessalonian unbeliever.

Little is Much When God is in It

“There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9)

A little boy showed up in the crowd of five-thousand men plus women and children. The disciples had suggested that Jesus send the multitude away. A little boy with five barley loaves and two small fish was discovered in the crowd.

Why was the lad there? Perhaps he was there alone just out of curiosity and wanted to see what was going on. Had Jesus, unknown to the little boy or to anyone else, arranged for him to be there? Were these five barley loaves and two small fish prepared by his mother for the boy’s lunch? He never expected to be called on to share it.

We may never be able to answer these questions. We do know that enough people to fill a large stadium were sent away filled. Neither did the little boy go away hungry. Jesus provided their needs.

What meager possessions do you have in your hand? Placed in the hands of our Lord there is more than enough for Him to bless and use in a miraculous way. When we come before the Lord we must open our hands and let Him take what He needs. We will discover that He has placed in our hands more than we need.

Weeping Over Our Sins

“And Peter went out and wept bitterly.”(Luke 22:62)

If you are serious about your walk with the Lord and you want always to please Him in all things, there has probably been a time when you wept bitterly over some sin.

Peter loved Jesus. He had been one of the three with Jesus when the Savior restored life to Jairus’ daughter. He was with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration.  He was the one that suggested that they build three tabernacles: one for Jesus, one for Elijah and another for Moses. Peter was in the Garden of Gethsemane when they came to arrest Jesus. In his attempt to defend Jesus, Peter cut off the right ear of Malchus, intending to cut off his head. He had boldly said, “Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee.” (Matthew26:35) When his denial happened he was heart broken. He couldn’t believe it. These were not fake tears of the Hollywood kind. He wept bitterly. One can only imagine what Peter was thinking.

In an unguarded moment we are capable of doing the same or worse. God has let us know that forgiveness is available. God used Peter later on. He was not cast aside as worthless. Following the resurrection of our Lord, Peter was told by Jesus, “Feed my sheep.”(John 21:16, 17)  He wrote two outstanding epistles that bear his name through which millions of the Lord’s sheep have been fed. Legend has it that he died by crucifixion because of his devotion to Christ and His teachings.

When you and I sin we must remember sin is ultimately against the Lord. Peter did not cast his sin off lightly, nor should we.  Our sin nailed Jesus to the cross. Confess, repent and take up your cross and serve Him.

Sailing by Faith

“Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” (Acts 27:25)

Paul and 275 others were on a small ship sailing for Rome when a storm arose. God sent an angel, a messenger of God, to tell him everyone would make it to shore. Paul’s response was one of faith. We glean some truths from Paul’s statement of faith.

• Faith needs to be shared with our fellow man who is riding out the same storm as ours in the same boat with us.
• Faith begets joy and cheer to others. 
• Faith has a foundation. The foundation of faith is the word of God. Without that foundation all we have is wishful thinking.
• Faith has a finality about it. Paul did not question the message from God’s messenger.  We can step out on faith with trust in the word of God. It is not necessary to be looking for assurances from other sources.
• Faith has a follow-up. None of the 276 abandoned ship in the midst of the storm. They sailed on with all the odds against them. In your storm, stand on the solid foundation of the Bible. It is always too soon to “throw in the towel” and quit.

Attempting to Hide Sin

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)

The Israelite tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh made a request to Moses that instead of going to the west side of the Jordan to claim their portion of the Promised Land they be allowed to take their portion on the east side of the river. They insisted that they would help the other tribes in claiming their portions on the west side. Moses agreed. Then he said, “But if you do not help them, you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out.”

It is easy to boast great things we plan to do for the Lord. It is quite another to do them. Attempting to hide sin is like trying to hide a skunk under your coat especially a skunk that has been dead a few days. There is one thing of which we can be sure, the person who sins and does not repent will find his sins exposed before God one day.

In place of attempting to hide our sins we should confess them before God and repent.

Let there be Light

“And God said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

God spoke light into existence on the first day of creation. But, the sun, moon and stars were not spoken into existence until the fourth day. So, what was the source of light on the first, second and third days without the sun, moon and stars?

The answer is in Revelation 21:23-25. The Bible tells us that when we get to the new Jerusalem that “…the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb (Jesus) is the light thereof…and the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” In the next chapter of Revelation we read, “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light…” (Revelation 22:5)

In heaven we will live in the brilliance and glory of the Lord Jesus, just as His brilliance and glory lighted the entire universe before there were sun, moon and stars. You can walk in His light today by simply repenting of your sins and receiving the Lord Jesus by faith.

Under His Wings

“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will make my refuge, until these calamities be over-past.” (Psalm 57:1)

I needed time alone with God. It was on Thursday following one of those infamous Baptist business meetings the night before. People left the business meeting with hard feelings toward each other. I hardly knew where to turn. I found a quiet place in the edge of our little woods and poured out my heart to the Lord. God seemed to turn the pages of my Bible to today’s text.

David was in a cave seeking shelter from King Saul when he penned this psalm. He was seeking God’s mercy and protection. He confessed his trust in God. How long would these calamities last? He did not know, but he would seek protection and shelter under God’s wings until the calamities were past. He was much like the baby chicks fleeing danger and looking for shelter under the mother hen’s wings.

Just as the baby chicks are vulnerable to danger away from the sheltering wings of the mother hen, so are we vulnerable to Satan’s attacks when we ignore God’s protection. Read the words of Jesus as He speaks to Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matthew 23:37-38)

Morning Prayers

“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)

Prayer is always appropriate, whether morning, noon or night. A prayer in the morning helps me get started and ready for the day. One of my favorite poems is this one entitled, “The Secret.” It has been an encouragement to me. I pray that it will be a blessing to you.

                                          The Secret

I met God in the morning, when my day was at its best,
            And His presence came like sunrise, like a glory in my breast.

All day long His presence lingered, all day long He stayed with me, 
            And I sailed with perfect calmness, o’er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered, other ships were sore distressed,
            But the winds that seemed to drive them, brought to me a perfect rest.

Then I thought of other mornings with a keen remorse of mind,
            When I, too, had loosed the moorings, with His presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret, learned from many a troubled way,
            You must seek Him in the morning, if you want Him through the day.

Poems for Sunshine and Shadow, Back to the Bible Publishers, compiled by Ord L. Morrow and John I. Patton; copyright 1962, “The Secret” page 68

The Life Cycle

“Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” (Job14:1)

When Job’s three friends came to visit him as he was struggling with all his pain and losses, the best thing they did was to sit and be quiet for a week. When they did start speaking they accused Job of sinful activity and that God was punishing the patriarch for his sins.

Our text is a portion of his response to them. Life is brief and that brevity is filled with all sorts of problems. No one is exempt from troubles, trials and tribulations.

We have jonquils in our yard. Even during the coldest part our winter they had little yellow blooms that seemed to be saying, “Spring is coming.” So it is with man. A baby is born, destined to live and bring forth blooms and then after a few brief years, leave this earth, making room for the next generation. We bloom just for a season then our beauty fades away and we are gone. Job is saying that troubles and trials are just part of the life cycle of mankind.

Landmarks

“Remove not the ancient land marks, which thy fathers have set.” (Proverbs 22:28)

Years ago the removal of the old landmarks identifying property lines and roads was a serious crime. Their removal or just moving them could cause travelers to lose their way and be lost. It could be the cause of unnecessary disputes.

There are landmarks of the Christian faith, the removal of which may cause a traveler on life’s journey on life’s journey to be lost. The landmarks of the Christian faith include these:

• The Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God. God is its author. It is truth without any mixture of error.
• All the miracles recorded in the Bible, including the virgin birth of Christ and His resurrection, are accurate as written.
• The blood atonement of Christ is both necessary and sufficient for man’s salvation.
• The literal, visible return of Christ at a time unknown to man including the bodily resurrection of the saved, who have died before His return, and the rapture of the Christians who are still alive on earth immediately after the resurrection of the dead in Christ.
• A literal hell for those who have rejected Christ and a literal heaven for those received Him in this life.
• Salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us accept, believe, guard and respect the landmarks of the Christian faith.

Strength and Courage

“Be strong and of a good courage…” (Joshua 1:6)

Joshua would be filling some big shoes. Moses, the long time leader of Israel had passed off the scene and Joshua was assigned to take his place.

Joshua would need two things: strength and courage. He would be leading the Israelites across the Jordan River at Gilgal. He would lead them in the conquests of Jericho and Ai and then on to possess the Promised Land.

When God calls us into His service, be it pastoral ministry, personal evangelism, or teaching a Sunday school class, it requires strength and courage. The Bible tells us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10) Our strength to do His work must come from God. Psalm 27:14 tells us to, “…wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart…” 

It is as though God has chosen us to be on the team and He is our divine cheerleader, encouraging us to keep running the race set before us.