“Here’s Your Sign”

    A short time ago a friend of mine asked me “Why can’t God just come down and give us a sign?”  What he really wanted was for God to personally show him that He existed.  Another way to put it was that he wanted the Lord to give him a personal experience, one that would warrant worship and praise.  In defense of this friend, at one point or another, we have all most likely had a similar thought or desire. Many of the Biblical “pillars” in Scripture longed to have communication and personal relationship with God.  This desire appears to be part of our human nature; however, despite God repeatedly giving man “signs” and instruction, we soon forget or neglect what we are told by our Creator.  One example of this forgetfulness is seen from the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel.

            King Nebuchadnezzar first came to see the great power of God when Daniel was the only one to interpret his dream (Daniel 2).  Sadly, it wasn’t long after this that he made an enormous golden image and commanded all to worship the image.  This is where we see in chapter 3 of Daniel’s writing, that three of Daniel’s friends were to be put to death in a fiery furnace for not obeying this command (Daniel 3:15-19).  After being thrown in the furnace, the three were protected by God, and suffered no bodily injury.  After witnessing these things, Nebuchadnezzar goes so far as to make a “decree” (law) that anyone who spoke against the God of Daniel and his friends was to be put to death, and their homes destroyed (3:29).  The King even goes so far as to say that He who delivered the three from harm is the “Most High God,” and continues with words of praise (4:1-3).  Despite seeing firsthand the many wonders that God had done, which included the miracle in the furnace as well as others, Nebuchadnezzar still let his pride and desire for power be the driving force behind his decision making.  As a result, King Nebuchadnezzar did not prosper as he could have, and he actually ended up becoming mentally ill.

            The lesson that we can take from Nebuchadnezzar is to not forget what God has done.  Not only what He has done through nature and His power, but also what He has done for us.  We must always remember that God has given us redemption through His Son Jesus Christ.  His life and the many miraculous things He did, along with His death, burial, and resurrection, should be all the “signs” we need. Such wonders can be known because God has given us proof of these “signs” which we can each personally see every day. Those proofs come to us through His holy and inspired Word, which the men who witnessed God’s amazing power wrote down, in order that others might know the truth about the All Mighty Creator of the universe.

Jesse LeMay

Watch What You Eat

            On any given day, the average American will be bombarded with advertisements for an endless number of restaurants and food products. Such advertisements come in the form of radio, television, newspapers/magazines, billboards, and more. Due to the overwhelming power of these ads as well as many other contributing factors, Americans and their eating habits are unhealthier now than perhaps any time in history. So in addition to the ever-expanding market for food advertisement, our daily lives are also flooded with weight loss and diet sales pitches. Needless to say, what we eat is more important to us today than perhaps it has ever been. Where does this infatuation come from, do we get it from the Bible? Although the Jews were given the many Old Testament dietary laws, with the establishment of the New Covenant, God granted man the freedom to eat from all of His creation. Despite these instructions for one’s physical eating habits, the Biblical emphasis we see has to do more with what we consume spiritually.

            A wonderful example of this spiritual consumption can be seen in the prophetic book of Ezekiel. While Ezekiel was being commissioned to go and speak God’s word to the people, he was commanded to “eat this scroll” (Ezekiel 3:1). This “scroll” contained God’s words and message for His people. Ezekiel was told to “feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll” (Ezekiel 3:3). The verb “fill” is important to note, Ezekiel was to be completely consumed with God’s word. His whole essence and purpose was to be sustained and fueled by the power of the word of God. Our Lord and Savior echoed these very words when He told Satan that “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word of God that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

           Instead of putting so much focus on what we physically eat or don’t eat, our concern should be with what we are consuming spiritually. Do we receive a daily portion of God’s word? Do we “fill” our bodies with the true life-preserving sustenance that God has given to us, or are we more focused on calories and carbohydrates? There are all sorts of gadgets and devices that keep track of and monitor our daily intake of fat, sugar, calories, etc.; however, is there anything letting us know if we are meeting our daily spiritual needs? While it is important to try and remain physically healthy, as with all things spiritual and physical, our spiritual health should always be our more pressing concern. If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, how much better prepared to face the world would we be if God’s word was on the menu every morning?

Jesse LeMay

We Walk in the Ways of Our Fathers

            There are many questions today about how kids should be raised. Many parents want to be more of a friend to their children, rather than a parental figure. They believe that this will cause their kids to like them more. There is also the belief that parenting in this manner will lead their children to be better adults.This concept stems from a non-desire to punish wrongdoing and to instill discipline. Sadly, such practice is becoming more and more prevalent as the years go by. As a result, young children who become young adults struggle in the real world of life. When confronted with real consequences for their actions, whether criminal or simply irresponsible, these young adults do not understand why they are being punished. In addition to a lack of understanding consequences, these young people have not been taught the work ethic and responsibility it takes for one to make it on their own.  Is this a problem, or should we just conform as a society?

            Personally, I don’t have kids, but in the Old Testament book of 2 Kings we read numerous examples that show a pattern of results for all those that are parents. This book is the history of the kings of the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel. We are told in this writing that most, if not all, of the kings of Israel did “evil in the sight of the Lord” (13:11).  While some of the kings of Judah were bad, some also “did right in the sight of the Lord” (12:2; 14:3). So why were some kings evil and others good?  When we read these accounts, more often than not, the writer tells us that these kings “walked in the ways of their father.” Their actions as king were a direct result of how they had been raised as children.  The behavior, beliefs, and livelihood of their parents had a major impact on them as adults.  This reality is still as true and prevalent today, as it was back then. As a society we are making a mistake if we think that the way we raise our children doesn’t impact their future lives. It is more important to teach our children how to function and survive in the world, in God’s world, than it is to be their friend.

Jesse LeMay

Are There Others?

     If you are like most people, there has likely been a time in your life when you thought you were the only one doing good.  Perhaps you have had this feeling at work, at school, or maybe even within your own family or community. Watching others live selfishly and without care for what God has said can certainly be frustrating for one who is trying to live the right kind of life. While this can be challenging, it can also lead to the one doing good to feel “righteous.” Not only could one feel righteous, but there could even develop a sense of deserving grace from God. If you believe you are the only one doing good, then why wouldn’t you deserve this?

            Elijah, one of God’s prophets, experienced this very same issue. We can read in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings 19 that while fleeing from Jezebel, Elijah struggled with doubt, loneliness, and self-exaltation. After reaching safety in “the cave” God asks Elijah (the man of God) why he has fled from Jezebel. In response, Elijah goes on to speak about all of the good things he has done in the name and service of the Lord (19:10). In this time of distress and loneliness Elijah began to feel that the things he had done made him somehow deserving of God’s help. Twice Elijah says, “I alone am left” (19:10, 14).  God’s prophet has come to the point where he feels that he is the only faithful person left.  Wisely and lovingly, God comforts Elijah and reassures him that he is not the only godly person left on earth. In fact, the prophet is told that there will be “7,000” faithful people left in Israel (19:18). Proving that he was not alone.

            So what can we take from this passage of divinely inspired Scripture? There are many benefits to be taken, but there are two specific lessons that we can apply to our own lives today. Lesson number one is that just because we do good and others don’t doesn’t mean we deserve anything extra from God. We are all sinners always in need of God’s grace, and nothing we do can or will change that. Lesson number two is that regardless of how alone we might feel in following God’s will, there are always others, it may only seem as if there aren’t.  Members of the Lord’s body are spread all across this world of His, and that is something that we as Christians can take comfort in. Despite his hard times, Elijah would go on to mentor another great man of God by the name of Elisha, and was rewarded for his service and faithfulness to God by being taken up into heaven by a “whirlwind” (2 Kings 2:11). So no matter how frustrated or isolated we may feel at times, we should keep our faith and keep serving God, and we too will reap the eternal promises of our Lord and Savior.