And I am sure of this!

Philippians 1:6

Verse six begins in this way, “And I am sure of this,” and my mind kicked in gear and this question came to the forefront of my mind; what am I sure of?  I’m not even sure of finishing this thought; much less what will happen tomorrow, next week, or on November 2nd.  I’m not sure the people of this nation will choose freedom over handouts, I’m not sure I will not be put into prison for believing that Jesus Christ tells the truth, when He said “I am the only way to the Father.”  In fact I’m not sure that we will survive the evil government of this administration, I am not sure that our currency will have any value or that we will not have anarchy.  It could be stated correctly, that being uncertain is a fact of life of the normal man.

I find some comfort in reading the uncertainty of the congregation as they listen to the report of the spies that were sent to spy out the land of Canaan.  The report began in a positive way, “it is a land flowing with milk and honey,” and they showed them the kind of fruit the land produced, but yes, we are like grasshoppers to them because they are   giants.  When uncertainty kicks end to high gear, the congregation is controlled by fear, and fear leads them to returning to the known, and it matters not if that place of being comfortable was being a slave in Egypt.  That is the first thing the congregation wanted was the norm, listen, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”  (Numbers 14:4)  Not one person said, “Are you nuts” what is the best we can hope for in Egypt, being a slave.  Two of the spies spoke up, Joshua and Caleb said, “If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.” (Numbers 14:8)  These two wise spies also saw giants, but they had watched God part the red sea, bring water from a rock, fight the many enemies in the land, they were sure of this; God is worthy of our trust.

There is so much that I am not sure of, but I am sure of this, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ God’s only Son came to set the captive free, and He found me bound in sin, and it was His grace, His faith that He extended to me, that I was able to trust in and believe in His action on the cross; the shedding of His blood that paid for my sin.  The apostle Paul had this to say near the end life on planet earth, “That is why I am suffering as I am.  Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him at the last day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

When I live out the promises of God, I live free, I live a full life, it matters not the circumstances I find myself in, for I am sure of this, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  Man has no prisons that can hold the Christian who knows that truth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Partnership

 

Philippians 1:3-5

Growing up in Corpus Christ, Texas, in the fifties has some great memories.  I was only two, when we arrived at 3738 Liberty Drive and it was sometime before I grasp the realization that it was a long street, with houses on large lots and most of them were 900 to 1100 square feet of living space.  Our house had a circle or cul-de-sac, we did not use words like cul-de-sac, it was the small circle, and that meant we had a much larger one, down the street past Dover.  Now Dover only had three houses on each size of the street and dead-ended into the farmer’s field.  As you got near the big circle, we later called a park, Victory Drive intersects with Liberty Drive and both streets ended as they came to Up River Road.  Our park did have a swing and later a metal merry-go-round, it also had my friend, Richard Burke, living across from it. 

As I think back on those days, mother did not have to worry that I was at the big park, she had Mrs. Burke and Mrs. Smith and every other mother living on that street to correct me, and to fix my broken heart because the older boys would not let me play ball or to put Monkey blood on my cuts when I fell out of the swings.  And if I needed more than just talked to, they all had permission to take a switch to me.  I lived in that house till I was married, it has great memories but that is not what Paul is referring to in his letter to the church at Philippi.

I attended Roy Miller High School, and most of the people who were there came to learn. I was way too smart to let anyone teach me how to read or write, no way, it was for me a place where I met my friends to discuss what we might do after the last bell would ring.  Many of those who knew the value of learning went on to be doctors, lawyers, run large companies, and after so many years, we still keep in touch.  Those memories and those people are very dear to me, but that is not what Paul is referring to in verse three.

Paul tells the church at Philippi, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”   The church at Philippi was in partnership in the gospel with Paul, and this is what he writes to them, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.  And You Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.”  (Philippians 4:13-15)

Jan and I have, and I’m sure you also have had the joy of being in partnership with someone in the gospel of Christ.  It is always great to receive the letters or phone calls to get a report on how the kingdom of God is being enlarged by your partnership with them.  I’ve come to this understanding that those partnerships will not terminate on my reported death on planet earth, but they will have eternal value.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

War what War?

 

Ephesians 6:13-18

It was often said of my boss’s boss, that if you ever became evil in his mind, you were evil no matter what you did.  I watched the talking heads on TV, the national press, and the local press, during George Walker Bush’s time as the 43rd president of the United States, and they were to him as my boss’s boss was to many.  They, the press, deemed George W. Bush to be evil, and no matter what he did he was evil.  One example, I recall was, they reported that he had sent our troops into battle without the body armor they needed.  Each time one of them got injured or killed it was George W. Bush’s fault, and it made the news.  How different it is today, we still have soldiers being injured and killed, but it is not national news, it’s not news.

No one, including George W. Bush, wants to send a soldier into battle without the armor that is needed, and God would never send His army into war without the spiritual armor we need.  Verse 13, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand the evil days, and having done all, to stand firm.”  Have you ever wondered why this Christian army seems to retreat and lose ground to its enemies?  I would be willing to guess that a large number of Christian soldiers in the southern part of this United States have guns to protect their families, but do not see the value of “the whole armor of God.”  I’ve wondered if it is because they believe a gun is greater protection than God’s armor?  I’ve wondered if they do not believe they are in a war?  Now both of those things may be of some truth, but I’ve come to this understanding, a gun is seen, you can touch it and if you know how to use it correctly it can stop an adversary that you can see.  Where as the armor of God is not seen, and the enemy of your soul tells you it is foolish to put on something that is unseen.  It is of the utmost importance that you understand this truth, the devil sounds just like you, as he speaks these lies into your mind, if his voice were different, you would be on guard.

We are told to put on a belt of truth; only Jesus claimed to be truth.  So put on Jesus, if you are in the Christian army, He lives in you; it is imperative to hold that truth close.  Next, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness, once more it is essential that you understand this truth, it is Christ’s righteousness, the only righteousness you or I have is Jesus Christ.  As you go, go in the righteousness of Christ and the gage of hell will fall before you.  We are told to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace, without that peace this evil world will eat your lunch.  Jesus has been very upfront on the subject; in the world you will have tribulation, but in Christ you will find peace.  The shield of faith gives us soldiers the ability to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, remember it is a cosmic power you are going against.   The only way any soldier of Christ is going to overcome the world is by asking Christ to give us the faith we need for that moment; faith is the victory (1John 5:4).  The helmet of salvation is a reminder of who redeemed us, who is able to keep us, and the sword of the Spirit is God’s word, the Bible.  It has great value to the soldier that has knowledge of and obeys it’s teaching, the Christian soldier must understand the truth in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” 

That’s the armor we are to put on, and it is crucial that you understand that this armor that is unseen to you is very visible to the demons, to the devil, and to the cosmic powers over this present darkness.  Now that you are dressed for battle, this is what you are to do, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Understand the enemy

 

Ephesians 6:11-14

When we entered World War 11, one of the goals of the leaders of our military was to understand the enemy.  We had two major adversaries, Germany and Japan, both of them wanted to conquer us, both had been preparing for this war for years, and Japan had hurt us with a sneak attack on our fleet at Pearl Harbor.  Both, our military leaders, and our intelligence group were scrambling for any and all information on our enemies; it was imperative that we understood both their strength and weaknesses.

I’ve agreed for many years with my dear friend Ken Ryan that as Christian soldiers we are either ignorant of God’s word or we just do not believe what He has said.  In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world. (Or, do we?) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  How many Christians outside of the four walls of the building we call a church, never engage this thought; today the enemy of my soul, my heart, and mind has a plan to steal from me, to kill me or my family if he can and to destroy all that I love. 

Or do we wage war as the world?  I must confess it is easy to forget who’s we are and believe the battle is with the democrat’s or the republicans, with your neighbor or with your wife, but that is not what God’s word says.  Beginning in Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” 

Have we got so apathetic, so ignorant that we believe the battle is going to be won by our might?  A day does not pass that I’m not bombarded with emails that tell me I need to engage the enemy, and who is the enemy, our congress, our president, the President handlers, but is that in keeping with who God calls our enemy?  I am in no way saying these people are not under the enemy’s control.

Many of my dearest brothers, and sisters, in Christ, and I are guilt of waging war as those who have no hope that should break our hearts, it has mine.  The Holy Spirit has convicted me of hiding my light, of acting and looking like the world.  What if we took every thought captive as our Father in heaven has ordered, would we send out emails that slander those who God has placed over us?  So I’m not totally misunderstood, I am not saying that we should not be engaged in the political battle, I am saying before you act on any email, talk to Jesus and see if it would bring glory to His kingdom. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Our enemy is the devil, and the apostle James shares this insight; “Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)  The apostle Peter has this to say on that subject, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

Have you wondered what life would look like from heavens view, I live in the USA and often believe that it is my home, but once more that is not in keeping with the Word of God, the Bible states that we are strangers and aliens on planet earth, we are just passing through, our citizenship is in heaven.  If only we would believe who’s we are, and that He is mighty to save.  I also keep wondering has God’s judgment come on the United States, we told Him to stay out of our schools, our government, and many who go by the name Christian live as if God was dead.  Are we reaping what we have sown?

From the Back Porch

Bob Rice

Power in Weakness

 

Ephesians 6:10

Each morning of late, my day begins in this way; I read devotions from Oswald Chamber’s “My Utmost For His Highest” and I am amazed at the insights and depth of this man.  Then I read something like the verse listed above, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”  Wow, now I can take on the day with a new authority and boldness, Oops, that’s not what happens; most of the time I read past that verse looking for something in the verses to come that will make me strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

I of all men must be the simplest, and I ask myself this question, how can an Oswald Chambers find such great treasures and I read past them looking for something that will make me ready for the battles of that day?  It is important to confess this truth, I am simple in this regard, I’m uncomplicated, what you see is what you get, and I will never be thought of by anyone as a deep thinker.  However, Oswald and I have a lot in common, we both have the Spirit of Christ living in us, we are members of the same family, and both of us were adopted into the family of God.

Therefore, what is my problem?  I believe the Spirit of our Lord spoke this truth to me,  “take every thought captive, Bob.”  For months, I have been studying the heart, and have come to this understanding, that a war is raging for control of my mind and my heart.  Jesus said; “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)   With that as a backdrop, I turned to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world. (Or, do we?) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

My strength in the Lord, has much to do with resting in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 Timothy 2:1, and grace always shows itself strong in love, 1 Corinthians 16:13.  Many Christians are taken captive in both mind and heart because they refuse to be strong in the strength of His might, and that is found in weakness.  It is a wise man that finds agreement with God, who submits to His authority and control, the apostle Paul was a man like that, you and I can be men like that, but it will require weakness, not our strength.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 gives this insight; “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice my blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

God's role for the Employer

 

July 11, 2010

Ephesians 6:9

Looking back on 68 years of living life on planet earth, I’ve had five employers that I’ve worked for.  My first employer was H.E.B. and I was twelve years old.  After high school, I worked for Cameron Mfg. Company, and my job was to do whatever was needed, including drive the delivery truck.  At the age of twenty my next employer was the United States Army, and it was at this point that I came closer to understanding the relationship of slave to master.  My next employer was Corn Products were I worked cleaning furnaces and came out after an eight hour shift with burnt white flour covering me inside and our.  This was the job that paid for two years of college, and then I married Jan and went to work for Camco, a company that made down-hole valves for the oil field.  One again, I came close to understanding the role of slave to master, of all the jobs that I had to that point, it was the pits.   My final employer was 3M Company, where I spent forty years of my life; I worked for two divisions, and twelve bosses.

We have visited the role of the employee but does the Bible speak to the employer as well as the employee?  The answer can be found in Ephesians 6:9, “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.”  You may have the title of owner or boss, but God is clear you’re not the big dog, you will answer to your Master in heaven.   Remember that you will reap what you sow, and your title or role is an appointment from your Master in heaven.   If you have any doubt as to what is written, let’s look at Colossians 4:1, “Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you have a Master in heaven.”

My observation is that an employer wanted one thing from his employee and that is a return on their investment in them.  All of my employers were in business to make a profit and my goal was to participate in that at the level of my assignment.  Most of my employers were just and fair, and most of the men I worked for were also just and fair, a few will find out they had a Master in heaven.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A workplace believer

Ephesians 6: 5-8

Most of you that are reading this Scripture will feel the need to change the word slave for the word employee.  I do agree that sometimes in my employment and yours we may have felt like slaves, but this Scripture addresses workers.   If you are in Christ, you have been adopted into the family of God and as a family member you are responsible for the family name.  Often work place believers give no thought to the fact that they are ambassadors of Christ in the work place.  Often the family member of Christ acts like all the others in the work place and it comes as a surprise to those outside the family, when it is reported that they are members of the family of God.

God knows us and He understands that we are easily taken captive by a world system and our lust to live independent of authority, so He has said, child when you are in the work place do these things.  Why, so that the family name will be a name of the highest respect, by those not yet in the family.  Ephesians 6:5-8, reads in this way but as you read change the word slave to your name.  Slaves, (Bob) obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.  Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves (employees) of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”

My pastor often preaches sermons on holy living, and from a child, long before I was part of Christ, my parents taught this truth,  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24)  I believe in the workplace we who are members of Christ, have done more harm to our family name than any other area of life.  Often we are men-pleasers and the apostle John said this; “for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” (John 12:43) about such men.  I often chased the praises of men, and it is impossible to do that and honor your family name.  Often we workplace believers begin with a desire to obey Deuteronomy 6:5, and before we get our second cup of coffee, we are leaning on our own understanding.  The good news is we can always turn to our Father and agree with Him that we moved from being dependent to independence. 

Often we workplace members of Christ forget to be reverent to our Father and would be wise to recall the words of our Lord’s mother in Luke 1:50, “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”  The Psalmist tells us, “Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?  He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.” (Psalm 25:12)  Is it not true, that our Father, who keeps all His promises, has told the members of the family this; “Worship the Lord you’re God, and his blessing will be on your food and water.  I will take away sickness from among you,” (Exodus 23:25) We as workplace members of the family, either want more than God has promised us, or we do not believe He will keep His promises.

As members of this awesome family, we should set our hearts on living for God, and the apostle Paul gives this insight in 2 Corinthians 5:15, “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”  Our Father has promised us both rewards and an inheritance, as His children, and because we have been taken captive by the culture we look for instant gratification.  Moses gave us the right example: “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasure of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”  (Hebrews 11:26)  

As a member of the Family of Christ in the workplace, keep this as your goal; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)

We are members of the first family, and as a part of this awesome family, should follow the example of Moses, you and I may have drop the ball, just like Moses did, but you are redeemable just like Moses, you can be the one to lead others in your workplace out of darkness into light.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A few pointers From God

 

Ephesians 6:4

Dads have you wondered, has God given me any clear instruction on raising my children?  Next to marriage, it is one of the most difficult tasks of being a man.  We have many examples in the Bible of great men of God who dropped the ball in the area of investing in their children.  One that comes to mind is Samuel and he totally dropped the ball with his sons, and he is only one example of many in the Scriptures.  I do not believe any of these men in the Bible set as a goal, the failure of passing on greatness to their sons, in fact, it seems they often just went passive when it came to their sons.

Often, I’ve heard and been guilty of quoting Proverbs 22:6, as if it was a promise from God.  The Proverbs are not promises; they are recommendations, precepts, and very wise council, and a dad would be wise to follow the leadership that comes from Proverbs.  In Colossians 3:21 we are given this wise council, “Fathers, do not embitter your Children, or they will become discouraged.”  From the child’s eyes, the dad is very special, a person they can run to, a protector, an example, and sometimes their hero.  I do not believe dads try to destroy the way they are seen by their child, it happens when we as dads forget to keep our promises to them, or we are harsh with them.  Often we forget to listen and learn from them, and often we feel guilt about not being there when we promised and we may over compensate with gifts; when it was you they wanted.  One of the worst things we do as dads is move the boundaries, and this will always lead to frustration and they will become discouraged.

I often stand in amazement at the lack of training I see in children, it seems the inmates are running the asylum, and that happens every time Ephesians 6:4 is not applied in the heart of the dad.  “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  My dad would not go down in history as one of the greatest dads, but he was a keeper of his word.  When it came to discipline, he was consistent, always one warning and after that came the belt.  I always knew he would keep his word and if I did not obey after one warning, I knew what was going to happen.  I never believed it would hurt him more than it did me, that is, until I became a dad.  Proverbs has much to say on using the belt to discipline your children, Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 22:15, and 22:13, but many of us have chosen to listen to modern experts, and ignore the word of the wise king Solomon.  It should never be used in anger, and it should be used sparingly.

The best of dads will leave some scars on his children, and I’m not talking about with a belt, but dads, we have a great example of how to love them from our Father in heaven, and we have many great helps that come from sources like Focus on the Family and great books like bringing up boys and girls from Dr. Dobson.  A book that has helped me understand many things is “Wild at Heart.”  Dads, we cannot pass this assignment off, no one else can fill our spot, but the investment is worth all the time and money, I know because I’ve seen the end results in my daughter.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice my blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

How God Sees Us

Ephesians 6:1-3

Children obey your parents and that is always good council, but God did not stop at that point.  This is how verse one reads in my English Standard Version of the Bible; “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”   As a parent and now a grandparent, it is refreshing to see children that are obedient to their parents, and it is very disturbing seeing so many who have no regards for their parents authority.  I believe obedience is best defined; Doing what your are told, the first time you are told, in the manner in which you were instructed to do it, with a good heart attitude; anything less than that is not obedience. 

I’ve lived 68 years on planet earth and it has been a long time since I viewed myself in the role of a child, but that does not change how God my Father views me.  How am I doing in the area of “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”   I understand it’s talking to children, but has God not called us His sons and daughters, has He not referred to us as His children?  Can we learn anything from the way Jesus acted in regards to His Father, that we could put into our minds and hearts?

It is year 33 on planet earth and our Lord is getting ready for the Feast of the Passover with his disciples, and Jesus knows it is time for Him to depart out of this world and go back home to His Father.  He is having supper with the twelve and He is sharing a lot of information with them, like one of them will betray Him.  He is also giving a new commandment that we love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  He goes on to tell them this “I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”   He then informs them about the Holy Spirit that will come and live in them, and He ended the after dinner talk in this way: “But I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.  Rise let us go from here.”  (John 14:31)

My prayer is that you and I will allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and open our hearts to show the next generation that we love the Father and do as He has commanded us.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Is your Marriage a picture of Christ and the church?

Ephesians 5:31-32

I am not a deep thinker and yet on some mornings the Spirit who lives in me gives me a lot to ponder, and today is one of those days.  Are we as husbands being called to be like Christ to our wife?  Our headship over the wife is to be in the same way as Christ is head of the Church, and in the same way as the church (you and I who are in Christ) submit to Christ, the wife should submit to her husband.  We are to love our wives as Christ loved the Church, and that means we are to give ourselves totally to her, as a protector, leader, provider, teacher, and lover, always placing her needs before our wants.  It is clear we are becoming one, and we should love her and care for her as we do for our own body. 

When we Christian men grasp this truth, the divorce rate in the local church will no longer be 40%, and it leads us to verse 31, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  Your marriage is a picture of Christ and the church; when we came into Christ, we became one body with many members, all having different measures of faith, different gifts and different functions, as seen in Romans 12:4-5. 

Marriage is not easy and it sure helps when a couple is dependant on Christ living His life in them and they living in Christ, and living independent of both sets of parents.  In no way am I saying do not honor your parents, that would be sinful, but it is important to leave your parent’s authority.  It is a must to establish a home away from the interference of both parents and all others.  It may be very modest, it may be way below the standards of your parents, but only when you get free of dependence on parents, and begin to look to your Father in Heaven, to meet your needs, it begins to come together.  He knows you, and desires your dependence, and with that dependence on the Father, you are at a starting point of becoming one. 

It is so important that the roles in marriage are not confused by the culture we live in, that we respect the gifts and the different functions of our wife, that we understand she is our completer, not competitor.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

An Excuses God will not Listen to

Ephesians 5:25-33

My parents had two sons and a daughter, and I remember a few times that they compared us to one another.  Both my brother and sister excelled in academia, I hated it and the only class I did well in was recess.  But when you and I entered into Christ, the Father said, husbands love your wife in the same way as my only Son loves the Church. 

Now I’m not sure of many things but this I’ve observed, men are good at making excuses, I do not know who a single man blames things on!   And when God tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, is that not an impossible goal to attain, and being compared to Christ is surely one we can opt out of, or can we?  Excuses that might come to light are; Jesus is God, Jesus is love, and I was only made in His likeness, surely the Father does not have unreasonable expectations of man?  So the first thing we as men must come to grip with is, has God the Father ask us to do the impossible?  It is important to address this point; God is not talking to non-believers, this command is spoken to sons, men who by faith have been born of the Spirit, God calls that man a new creation.

I often ask myself this question; is God good?  Because I have experienced His mercy and His goodness and because His Bible is all about His goodness, I know He is good.  But that Bible tells men to be holy, and that means to be morally and spiritually perfect, as He is, I’ve come to this understanding of that truth; I cannot perform at that level.  It is important for us Christian men to understand God has no misgiving of what we can do, in fact He never expected us to meet that requirement in our ability.

Some of you are saying go man go at this point, if God has no expectation for me in this area of my life what a relief, because I am not close to reaching that attainment.  I hate to break your bubble, but remember this truth, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2Corinthians 5:17)  Your no longer that old sinner who loves to sin; I am not saying you do not sin; I am saying that when you sin, it brings conviction and sadness into your life, not that you got caught, but that you brought pain to the heart of God.  Many Christian husbands have gone to a study on how to perform better in marriage, but find that after a few days at best they are still falling short of the mark God has set to love your wife as Christ loved the Church.  I know because I’ve been there and done that! 

The only answer is in agreement with God, that in my flesh I can do not one thing that will please God, that my flesh is at war with my Spirit, and I need to let Christ do it all for me.  Ephesians 4:22-24 gives this insight;” to put off your old self, (it is dead, it was crucified with Christ) which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”  To love your wife as Christ love the Church you must do what Christ did.  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but make himself nothing taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5-7)  Jesus Christ the only Son of God, put on flesh, so that you and I could understand the love the Father has for us, and not once did He depend on being God but when to His Father for everything.  Husbands, if we allow Christ who is our life to live out His life in us we will love our wives as Christ loved the Church.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Submit are you kidding?

Ephesians 5:22-33

Early in my work life I worked with Joe Williams; Joe was not a Christian but was a friend and a person who knew how to get his needs met.  One of his favorite quotes was “apathy and ignorance are two things you have no ability to change.”  I must say that in my forty years in sales that quote from Joe seemed to hold true; a person who is apathetic takes little interest in anything, and if they are both ignorant, lacking knowledge and apathetic, you are wise to put your efforts somewhere else.  What if one of those two hold true in marriage, what if the wife or the husband is ignorant of the meaning of the word “submit”?

How does the dictionary define the word submit; “to give in to somebody’s authority, control, or demands, to agree to undergo something.”   Has God said anything on the subject other than instructing wives to submit to their own husbands?  If He has spoken, are you apathetic and ignorant to what God has said?  In James 4:7, we are instructed to “Submit yourselves, then to God.”  It is clear to anyone who studies the Scriptures that Jesus was in submission to his Father, even to the point of death on a cross.

We see submission in all aspects of life; the talking heads on TV that may or may not believe what they are instructed to say.   The ambassador of any nation does and says what his leaders have told him to say and do.  If you desire to have employment you do or say what your owner or boss wants said or done.  So why does the hair on the neck of so many women seem to stand up at the Lord’s command found in Ephesians 5:22?  It could be lack of knowledge, that’s ignorance!  It could be that they are apathetic to study the Scriptures to find the truth, and it could be that they have seen men who were ignorant of the Scriptures and thought it was in someway making them the boss over his wife, he should read 1Peter 3:7.

If you read clearly, it is asking the wife to honor her husband so that the lost world will have a picture of the relationship of Christ and His church.  Husbands, the Lord gives you clear instructions, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,” (Ephesians 5:25, 26,) Early in my marriage I totally missed what God was saying and treated my wife as if she was my property, not out of ignorance or apathy, but because I was a very insecure man, who knew that if she put two + two together she would leave.  It took years for me to grasp my role was to love Jan, but God who is patient sent me godly men like Johnny Anderson, and Carroll Ray Jr. to guide me to the truth in Scripture, that love will push out fear and insecurity.  Love leaves no room for fear or insecurity! The more I understood God’s love for me, the greater I was able to trust Him, to let Him love Jan in and through me.

This is what I learned, Jan was very tender and could easily be hurt, and my actions were not based on love for her, and was making a gulf between us.  I also saw in Jan, a person who believed God told the truth and she submitted to His authority and though I was not due respect, she gave respect.  She did this because her Father and her Lord Jesus Christ told her to, she trusted God to awake her ignorant husband to be her head, and not her boss.

It has been my experience that the number of years spent living together adds very little to marriage unless the marriage is build on the husband loving his wife and learning not to be harsh with her, and the wife showing him respect that God knows he needs.  Colossians 3:18,19 are very clear on this subject.  For years I was looking for the loophole, some examples are, “do I have to love Jan if she gets fat, do I have to love Jan if she is in a car wreck and can no longer fulfill her role as my wife.” The only answer God gives is; “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”  It is my experience that marriage is hard work, and I am a slow learner, but God is still at work in our marriage.  I often look at the sign on my back porch, I got it from a dear friend, Jack Archer, one of my first mentors, and it reads; “Smile you rascal, God knows all about you and loves you anyway.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A life of self-absorption = Debauchery

 

Ephesians 5:18-21

Growing up Baptist in the fifties, we did not talk much about the word debauchery: it is defined as; “excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures, a life of self-absorption.”  But I did often hear this quote; “And do not get drunk on wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, . . .” This is what I understood, wine was bad, and mother took it to a new level, even ginger ale was evil, in that she had seen on bill boards that it was used with alcohol.  It was the forbidden fruit and I could not wait until I could try it.  It happened at my friends Jimmy’s house, I was ten years old and his parents were not Baptist, but Catholic and they had a cabinet full of the forbidden fruit.  We tried the peach brandy, it was the nastiest stuff I had ever tasted, but we said it was good.

I do not recall any sermons being preached on 1Timothy 5:23, in those small Baptist churches.  Chapter five of the letter that the apostle Paul is writing to Timothy is on Instruction for the church, and it covers many important areas, such as not rebuking an older man and honoring widows.  Verse 23, “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.”  Now I know Baptists that do not know how to quote John 3:16, that have this one down chapter and verse.  In fact most of them have not had an ailment in years.  How often we look back and say what if; what if those preachers had understood and preached that almost anything that draws us to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures would lead us from the heart of God, it may be wine, food, sex, power or money. 

I have yet to see a two year old that is not self-absorbed, but it is a passing thing and we cannot have a community of self-absorbed people, who only look for their own interest and indulge in sensual pleasures, with no regards for God or man.  Yet is that not the world we find ourselves living in?  And what about the Church, what about the leaders of the Church, and what about you and me; are we living a life of self-absorption?

Has your heart been taken captive?  The Scripture tells us to sing and make melody to the Lord with our heart.  Verses 20-21, tell us the following; “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  The battle is going to be between the flesh and the Spirit; am I giving thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, or am I self-absorbed, acting like a two year old?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The forgot Commandments

Ephesians 5:15-17

Have you watched the local news of late, if so, have you noticed any kind of trend?  What grade would you give your local community, are they becoming more loving, is crime and violence on the decline?  Without fail the San Antonio news brings us reports of crime, violence and murder each and every night.  That takes care of the local news, but the nation as a whole, what kind of grade does it get?  It matters not what you watch, NBC, ABC, CNN, Fox, they all tell the same story; we are living in a time of evil, a time with little regard for the laws of God:

• “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
• “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Exodus 20:4).
• “You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
• “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
• “Honor thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12).
• “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).
• “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).
• “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15).
• “You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16).
• “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17).

Not only do we not teach them to our children, many who we have sent to the Congress of the United States are doing everything they can to make sure they are not taught, that they are not seen or expressed by anyone.  They believe these Ten Commandments are from God and God should be kept out of Government.  I must agree with them, they are from God.   Jesus had this to say about many who hold high office in our government and the ones who voted for them; “And this is judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)  Have we not become a nation of law breakers, have we, who call ourselves Christian,  not made choices about which of the Ten we will live by?

Remember what the apostle Paul said to us; “Awake, O sleeper” but he did not stop with just a wake-up call: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)  Each day I’m reminded by the Scripture that as a follower of Christ, I have entered into a collision of two kingdoms, and I can walk in fear and in the flesh or I can believe God and walk in victory. 

A great football coach, Vince Lombardi, said this: 'Gentlemen, we're going back to the basics. This is a football.'  The basics for the Christian are obeying the Commandments of God!  We cannot read each other’s hearts, and so we should not judge each other, but the Holy Spirit will guide you to truth, just ask Him how you are doing in the area of walking in this world.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Awake, O sleeper

Ephesians 5:11-13

Awake, O sleeper, what is the meaning of that statement?  To awake is to be fully conscious and not asleep, to be alert and vigilant about what is going on all around you.  History is clear on what happens to nations when they are not fully conscious and alert to what is going on around them.  We have an example of Neville Chamberlain the Prime Minister of Great Britain totally asleep, while many were yelling for him to be alert.

Once more, we have many who are calling for the Congress of the United States to awake, awake to the dangers of enemies from inside of our own house, enemies that hate freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom to own property, freedom to own weapons to protect your family and home, and the right of a child to be protected even in their mother’s womb.  To be asleep while your nation, your state, your county, your neighborhood, and your family are under attack is inexcusable, but what about the real you?  Jesus tells us we have a clash of two kingdoms, good totally opposed to evil, in John 10:10. 

Looking back, most would agree that while we were sleeping, our culture was taken captive; our culture calls good evil, and evil good.  We have moved from the authority of Scripture, to each of us turning our ears to what will give us the desires of our heart.   It is not a new occurrence, Isaiah the prophet spoke of this in Isaiah 5:20-21, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight.”

I am not writing to the non-Christian; this is to the body of Christ, this is to His church.  “Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:14-17)  We are told in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  “The heart is the creative powerhouse within you.  It is the connecting point between you and others – between you and God.” John Eldredge (Waking the Dead)

The enemy of our soul, our mind, our heart, has done a great job of removing our understanding that we are at war.  Few see the world we live in as a combat zone between good and evil, many have been taken captive by the enemy and his schemes.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

Are you a Prude?

Ephesians 5:3-12

Are Christians called to the life of a prude?  Before you answer, it may be wise to examine or define the meaning of the word prude: “somebody who is easily shocked by sex or nudity and who pays a great deal of attention to proper social behavior.”  My wife has been called a prude and thanked the person for the complement.  It matters not my opinion of the question above, but has God said anything on the subject?  If He has, and it does not agree with the way you think, talk, or act, you have a serious problem of disobedience.  Verses 3,4, give us this insight about our Lord’s requirements, and they are not a suggestion; “But sexual immorality and all impurity orf covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”  I will not attempt to answer the question for you, but it does seem clear that many of us in the church will not be called prudes.

This verse has dominated my thought life as of late; “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)  In one statement Jesus said this, and we the church have missed the meaning; life on this earth is going to be a war, two opposing forces, one evil and the other good, and there is no middle ground.  Many of us and I used the word us, have tried to not offend those who are non-Christians, and by doing so have lost our salt, and have no light to shine, we are deemed religious and the non-Christians see nothing appealing in our lives.

The apostle Peter calls us who are in Christ a holy people in 1 Peter 2:4-5, “As you come to him, a living stone (Jesus) rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  Peter did not stop he also told us that we were engaging a war against our soul in verse 11.  The battle is love God or to be in love with the world, and to our shame we have believed a lie, that we could do both.  The apostle John states in 1John 2:15-17, mans inability to do that.  Verse 16, “For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world.”  James calls us adulterous people, that we would believe that we could have friendship with the world, and goes on to say we are an enemy of God.  If you are loved by the world, if the religious and the non-Christian speak well of you, it is time to take serious inventory.  Jesus said in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” 

You and I were called to standout in our neighborhoods, to let God renew our minds and not to conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, to live before God and men as a holy people.

From the Back Porch,

Bob

Who are you imitating

Ephesians 5:1-2

Is being an imitator of another something a person should do?  To imitate: “to use somebody or something as a model, attempting to copy an existing method, style, or approach.”  It happens everyday a young boy models his dad or an athlete, and that may be a good thing.  It happens in all phases of society, singers imitating other known singers, preachers doing the same thing, and even writers trying to copy the style of someone who has been very successful in that endeavor.  It is often said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but does that make it the best way to live life?

Ephesians 5:1,2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  I’ve had many models over my life; men who I looked up to and some who I copied some of their actions, but the very best of these models were men with clay feet.  What if I had made my goal to be an imitator of God?  Is that possible, and if it is not then God is not good, in fact, God is very cruel. 

My hearts desire and my goal is that someday my two grandsons, John Mark and Zachary David will read my thoughts and will understand that Jesus tells the truth, that as the Scripture states, all men are at best liars, (Psalm 116:11) so model the only man who was not a liar; Jesus Christ.  If only I would believe what the Scriptures so clearly state, and not be deceived, knowledge is not belief, belief is acting on that knowledge.  So I turned to Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi and in chapter 2:4-7, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Jesus was an imitator of God His Father, and not one time did he perform any act that was not dependent on His Father.  Jesus seemed to always get on the wrong side of the religious guys, a great example is found in John 5:16-30.  It came about in this way, Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, and that upset the religious guys because he broke one of their rules.  Jesus reply to them was; “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” (John 5:17)  Now they want to kill him because he was calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.  Jesus was the perfect imitator of God, look at what He said; “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”  You boys will wonder at times is anyone praying for me, and the answer is always, John 17:20-26, is clear that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of His Father, and His prayer for you is; “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23)  If you are an imitator of God you will be a light to the world.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Aversion to Instructions

Ephesians 4:32

How much do you remember, do you recall the many lessons that your mother and dad attempted to teach you, do you recall the times you took a shortcut on their instructions and it seemed to not change the outcome?  Looking back on my life, it seems to be a life centered on forgetting instructions or trying to cut corners, and as I reflect on the lessons I remembered, most came at a price because of my aversion to instructions.  I was about six when I first saw an older boy riding his bike and he was not using his hands.  Now that was the coolest thing I had ever seen, and I began to try it with no big crashes, and that led to bigger and more enterprising attempts as no hands and no feet, but my sister could do that, so was that really cool?  I remember telling mother that I was going to stand on the bike seat and remove my hands from the handlebars, and she said, “Do not do that, you will kill yourself.”  But I did it, and I almost killed myself, it was one of those “monkey blood” moments, I was bleeding from head to toe, but for seconds I was almost standing on that seat.

How often do you recall the great price it cost the Father to redeem you out of the control of sin?  As I read this verse, these thoughts came into my mind, why are we not kind to everyone we meet, could it be that we Christians have forgotten the kindness of our Father.  This verse instructs us to be tenderhearted; that means that we should be quick to show compassion and sympathy to other people.  It also teaches us to forgive one another, as God in Christ has forgiven us, but is it true that even in the church many who go by the name of Christ do not do these things?

It seems to me that we forget our hopeless, deprived, empty way of life before we came into a relationship with Christ and were adopted by the Father.  If that is true, what is the danger of that actions; being full of self, being to busy to see the needs of others, and then comes pride and arrogant, and that leads to a life that has little value to heaven or earth. 

This is not a new problem, the apostle Paul addressed this with the church in Corinth, “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to same the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1Corinthians 1:26-29)  What a great big God, who is kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving, I was without hope, and He gave me life in all its fullness.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The deal is sealed

Ephesians 4:30

The deal is sealed, was music to the ears of a salesperson, its meaning was clear the bid had been awarded to your company, and your due diligence has paid off.  The meaning of the word seal: “a device or substance that is used to join two things together so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent anything from passing between them.”  Verse 30 gives a clear statement on what the Holy Spirit of God has done for all who are in Christ.  “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  (Ephesians 4:30)

The Holy Spirit is the substance used to join you and I together in one body, that is Christ.  It is Jesus Christ who holds all things together, in the book of Colossians 1:17, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”  It is Jesus who said; “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63)  It is clear that the body of Christ, the Church, has often lost sight of these words from our Master and Savior Jesus Christ.  Do our actions not show that we put our emphasis on the flesh, take for example, we often fix the human needs in our community and that is a good thing, but is it the best.  Many who we love, many who are family members, neighbors, business associates are separated from God.  Each of them need a new heart, each of them need someone to tell them that eternal life is found only in Jesus Christ.  If Jesus tells the truth, the Christian will escape this physical body to live eternally in the presence of our Redeemer, because by faith they entered into Christ, they enter His time line, but your loved one, your neighbor or business associate, will be cast into a fire that has no end.  If you believe Jesus tells the truth, He talked more about hell than he did about heaven.  Jesus made it clear that hell was not designed for men, but it was designed for the devil and his demons, but man chooses to go there.

In 2010 we are all about labels and warnings, but from the beginning God has sent prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers, to show us the truth.  And then He sent His only Son, Jesus the Christ, and Jesus who tells the truth, came with this message to whosoever: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:17, 18)

We who are one in Christ have these words from our Lord, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  Your know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16,17)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Church Flesh looks good

 

Ephesians 4:25-29

How many of us would join a church with liar’s, and dishonest folks, who are fabricators, and deceitful, and many are angry and make it their goal to get even with the ones who make them angry?  Do members of your church steal and many live off of others because they do not want to work, and do many of those in your church use language that is immoral or depraved?  If so your church needs to read Paul’s letter to the churches at Ephesus, because Paul was not talking to people outside of the body of Christ, his letter was addressed to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.

These thoughts entered my mind, are the people that Paul is addressing in these verses Christians, and if so how can a Christian live such a life, and are there blind spots in my life in regards to the things listed above?  If we look back a few verses, Paul does question if they know Christ, not if they are members of that Church, not if they know about Christ, but have they entered into a relationship with Christ.  In verses 22-24, we are told; “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

It was true for the churches in Ephesus and it is just as true for the church you attend, many who are in Christ have never dealt with their version of the flesh; often the old man, and the flesh or given the same mean, but that is error.   The New International Bible calls the flesh our sinful nature, but that is a very wrong interpretation.  That would mean you have a new nature and a sinful nature living inside of you, that would be a civil war; a war that you could never hope to win, and that does not agree with the teaching of Scripture. 

Now the flesh, at best, is still flesh and this is what the Scriptures have to say about it, in Romans 8:5-8, the flesh cannot please God.  We find in 1Peter 2:11, that the flesh wars against the Spirit of our soul and the flesh has no ability to fight spiritual battles in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  Until we give up on the flesh, we will never live in victory!  The flesh is not trainable, Romans 13:14, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  It is true to state that the flesh and the Spirit are not going to live in harmony; one is going to be in control of your life.  It is your choice, and God tells us to make the flesh your slave, Paul uses the analogy of training for the race of your life in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.  In Romans 6:12-13, we are instructed to live in victory and not to obey the passions of the flesh, but to present ourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.  The untrained mind will always follow the emotions or flesh, so we must renew our mind in God’s Word and follow His Spirit’s leading.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Boot Camp is mandatory

Ephesians 4:22-24

Often our Lord told stories to make a point or to illustrate a deep truth that is my intention to give insights into these verses.   “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) 

I was out of high school and my friends had moved on with their lives, some had gone to college and a few had gone into the military, I was working as a delivery boy for Cameron Mfg.   I had an abundance of windshield time going to Kingsville and Alice, Texas, and reality began to set into my mind, I was not prepared for life.  I was not a mama’s boy by any definition, but I also had never been on my own, and I depended on mother and dad for much more than I understood at that time.  I was twenty, I had no plans and few goals so I did what made sense to me at that time, and I joined the army.

When I enlisted in the United States Army, I went to boot camp, my civvies were taken from me, and I was issued a new set of clothes.  I was introduced to a man we called Sergeant Major and he told me the old Bobby was dead. The old Bobby could wear what he wanted, eat what he wanted, and go and do what he wanted; all of that was history. They even changed my name, NG25853898, and a few others I will not repeat.   I would look to the United State Army and its rules and commands and I no longer needed my opinions; all I needed was to obey orders.  You might say, I was taking off the old life, the only life I had ever known, and putting on the life of a soldier in training.

First, let me share what I experienced in the United States Army.  We were given an order that many of us had not understood.  It was not a request-it was a command.  For a short moment, I acted like the old Bobby (the civilian), only to experience this important truth, the old Bobby was not welcome, he had been replaced.  You may ask, “How did the Sergeant Major convey the message so that I understood that I had to obey commands?”  Simple, we were told to go back into our barracks and pickup our M-1 rifle and our 30-pound packs.  The Sergeant Major referred to that as full gear.  Then we were told to return to the parade area.   Sergeant Major knew something, which we Christians must learn.  If we are going to be Warriors, it requires obedience. 

The Sergeant asked us to put on our gear, pick up our weapon (M-1 rifle) and join him in a six-mile run with our weapon held at arms length above our head.  You did not make it six miles.  In fact, you learned a spiritual truth; you learned to ask for mercy and forgiveness, and that was a big problem, Sergeant was not into mercy.  When that happened day after day, you finally began to see the benefits of taking off the old way of life and putting on your new identity; you are a soldier in Uncle Sam’s Army.

It is the same thing for each of us who enter into Christ we must take off the life of independence and move to a life of total dependence.  Paul tells us, “to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”  

Many of us in the army of Christ have not renewed our minds, but we can or God would have never told us to do so.  Have you let God’s Holy Spirit take you to boot camp, if not, then you are still trying to wear your civvies, and you are missing out on the fullness of the life of Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

How did you learn Christ?

Ephesians 4:20

I enjoy asking questions, in fact as a professional in the field of selling, you learn the need of questions to uncover problems or to get information, so that you may solve the customer’s problems or needs.  In verse twenty Paul is not asking a question but making a statement: “But that is not the way you learned Christ!”  Often a customer’s statement would cause me to ask more questions and that is what is happening to me as I read this statement.

Paul is not saying; how did you learn about Christ, no, he is saying the way you learned Christ, and they are miles apart.  How did I learn about Christ is quite easy to share with you.  From a child my mother and dad taught us about Jesus Christ, Sunday school teachers taught me about Him as a child, and on Sunday night we had what was called “Training Union” and once more we were trained to read the Bible and learn about Christ.  I was part of the Royal Ambassadors and we were instructed in the ways of Christ.  After I was a man, and had by faith through the grace of God entered into a relationship with Christ; I had mentors who also taught me some deeper truths about Christ, and I must say I knew a lot about the person of Christ, but that is not how I learned Christ.

I began to learn Christ in the weeks that followed, asking Jesus Christ into my heart, when my wife said, I’m not sure what has happened to you, but you have changed.  I remember being taught, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)  What I learned that day was Christ tells the truth, I could not see any change, but my wife saw a new creation.  In 1970, we had an unwelcome guest, a lady name Celia came into our lives with 175 miles an hour winds and destroyed our home and all our material possessions.  I learned Christ that day and the days that followed the loss of our home and material possessions; I learned, that I could cast all my anxiety on Christ, that I was His and He cared for me (1 Peter 5:7).  I learned Christ, as my protector and my provider and Philippians 4:19 came alive for me.

I could continue with examples of how I learned Christ, most of the examples come from dark troubling times in my life, and many of them were self inflicted.  Yes, I’ve learned that He loves a rascal like me, who often tries to live independent of Him, and that He is patience and kind, and His handbook, the “Bible” has the road map to life on this earth, and that His Holy Spirit will teach me all truth.  I have learned that Christ cares too much to let me live independent of Him, and He is a faithful friend, a Mighty Warrior, and He loves me unconditionally!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice