Play Pretense

September 21, 2016

Jeremiah 3:6-10

Has God had a talk with you of late, have you shared it with anyone, now be very careful that your not sharing your thoughts and not the words of God.  The prophet Jeremiah tells the nations of Israel and Judah in the days of King Josiah about a conversation God had with him.  “Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there played the whore? And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. Yet for all this, her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.”

In Psalm 111:10, it tells us; “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”  But I see no fear of God, not in the Church or the U.S. A. or the Western nations.  One must wonder do we have wisdom; do we not have any understanding of our God?  We first hear in 1 Kings 13:1-2, about a man of God coming to Judah and telling King Jeroboam that a son will be born in the house of David, named Josiah, and he will sacrifice on that altar the priest of the high places who is burning incense on it.  The altar was desecrated by human remains, and yet it would be centuries later before this came to be.  If you go to 2 Kings 21:23, you will see how Josiah becomes the king.  It is important to note that a young boy king could break the line of evil kings, his father was Amon, and he did evil just like his father Manasseh had done.  This eight-year-old king reigned 31 years in Jerusalem, and we find in 2 Kings 22:2, “He did what was right in the Lord’s sight . . .”

My dad often would say that history repeats because mankind does not learn from history.  Now that seem like what was happening to Judah, in spite of what had taken place in 722 B.C. to the ten tribes of northern Israel when the Capital City, Samaria fell to the Assyrians.  Do you recall 9-11, where over 3,000 American Citizen died from an attack by Muslim from Saudi, and our Nation played pretense, yes people who went by the name Christian fill the church building for almost a month.  But they like Judah were pretending to return to the Lord, but not with their hearts but out of fear.

It takes a foolish person to believe they can fool a holy, all-knowing God!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Chasing the Wind

Jeremiah 3:1-5

I bet you have read God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts, for His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and I mean like your ladder goes only 48’ and God’s goes into eternity.  So when we look at our culture, both in and out of the church, it seems like our ways and our thoughts, and that is a big problem.  It seems we do not like to address divorce in our churches for the numbers is off the charts of people who have experienced divorce. 

My friend Johnny carried guilt for his divorce for years and one day while confessing to the Lord for what seemed like a recurring prayer, he realized that twenty minutes of pleasure lead to a child, marriage, and ten years of hell in his life.  He carries scars, but he also has the full assurance that the Lord Jesus forgave him.  One wonders how many sit in the pews not grasping that if they confess sin, God is faithful to forgive, and forget.  The one who does not forget is the evil one, Satan and his demons, and they enjoy watching a follower of Christ going back asking for something that God covered by the blood of Jesus.

So from heaven’s view, shall we look at Deuteronomy 24:1-4, “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”  Now that does not fit our culture, does it?  And God is asking in Jeremiah 3:1, this question based on the verses above, can Judah return to me after defiling the land by your infidelities and false gods?  God is looking at Judah as his bride, and if you are in Christ, He also looks at you as the bride of Christ.  So when Judah or you and I are looking to the world and its little gods for our desires, God calls that infidelity.  Shall we ponder verse 1, “If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her?  Would not that land be greatly polluted?  You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? Declares the Lord.”

Could it be time for the Church to take serious the ways of God, how much more judgment do we want to bring on our families and nation?  Verse two goes on with this comparing Judah to a nomad who is waiting in ambush to rob travelers, and God is clear this act will defile the land.

As you explore verse three, it is helpful to understand that Baal who Judah worshiped was thought to be the god of rain, thunder, and fertility.  So God withheld the rain, thunder, and babies, and it did not take long for Judah to understand for a short time they had been chasing the wind.

So what does Judah do when she gets caught being the whore, about the same as the church, do you recall 9-11?   That next Sunday the building that houses the church was full.  And how appropriate are the words we find in Jeremiah 3:4-5, “Have you not just now called to me, ‘My father, you are the friend of my youth—will he be angry forever, will he be indignant to the end?’  Behold, you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could.”  Often our repentance is an outward act to fool men, but God is not fooled, for He sees the attitude of the heart.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

To ignore Him is reckless

Jeremiah 2:29-37

Verse twenty-nine sets the stage for God’s case against Judah, “Why do you contend with me?  You have all transgressed against me, declares the Lord.”  Often I wonder, am I foolish to believe I can win a debate with my Creator?  To resist Him is not smart, to ignore Him is reckless, and yet I often do, and the results never favor me.  If you have these tendencies, wisdom will reveal where that led Judah, and that God has not changed, nor will He.

He tells Judah, “In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your sword devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.”  One would hope that one’s child would be of great value and they would no longer contend with the Lord, but walk in submission to all that He has made clear to them.  But Judah and Israel were in total rebellion.  It seemed as if they, like us in the West have given God a divorce degree, and think about this as you read verses 31-32, “And you, O generation, behold the word of the Lord.  Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of thick darkness?  Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’?  Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire?”  When it comes to God’s favor, it seems we have a short memory, had God not been the light that led Israel out of Egypt.  Was he not the God who parted the Red Sea, and the one who provided for all their needs, and the God who not only promised a different land was flowing with milk and honey, but He made sure they had a house to live in that they had not worked for or built?  That is the God they are contending with.

Now you and I would never be that foolish, would we?  It seems by observing our culture we like them are playing the whore, chasing after everything but God.

The Lord is clear that Israel and Judah have forgotten the covenants they have entered into and have become disgraceful in chasing after the desire of a heart that only wants the things of the flesh.  But they also have ignored the poor, and the poor are very dear to the heart of the Father, but when confronted by God’s spokesman they claimed to be innocent.  Often it seems the Church is doing the same and has turned over the responsibility to the State, could this be why the Church seems to have no authority?  You and I would be very wise to read and reread verse thirty-five, “you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’  Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’  Are we the church under judgment?  For the Scripture states in 1 Peter 4:7, “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

Judah looked to Egypt for help against Assyria when they believed Assyria weakened by revolution, but it backfired on them, in that they looked to man and not to God.  What a lesson!  Come, Lord Jesus, rescue us from the foolishness of our desires that are based on what we can do.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A broken Yoke

Jeremiah 2:20-28

Often God uses the image of a broken yoke to describe what is happening with his people, and first and foremost they broke the Covenant God made with them.  One must wonder if there are ramifications for such actions; maybe a look back into the story of Israel coming out of Egypt will be of help?  Anyone who has read the Bible will come to one conclusion God is a Covenant God, and humans are Covenant-breakers, and there is a very high price that has been paid to buy us out of sin.  One should read Deuteronomy the 29th chapter to understand the value God has placed on the Covenants made with humanity.

In verse 20-21, God is telling us how little regard Israel had for the Covenant made with the God who rescued them and brought them into the promised land.  That He had established them as a choice vine, but by evil choices, they had turned into a wild vine.  Now the fruit has little value, but once it was the prize of the nations, Israel has polluted itself.  But that’s not all they have tried to wash their sins clean by outward actions but not with a change of heart.

Israel and Judah were in denial much like America is today.  The Lord who knows our thoughts said these were their thoughts; “How can you say, “I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done—a restless young camel running here and there, a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust?  None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.  Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst.  But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them, I will go.’

God uses the images of a young camel that cannot be controlled and a wild donkey in heat looking for a male.  That is a picture of Judah lusting after foreign gods.  And in verses 26-28, “As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, who say to a tree, ‘You are my father, and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to me, and not their face.  But in the time of their trouble, they say, ‘Arise and save us!’  But where are your gods that you made for yourself?  Let them arise if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah.”

When Judah, Israel, you or I break the Covenants made with God, and will not repent, we can expect God to mock our foolishness, as He is doing in these verses.  In that they had adopted the Canaanite gods, God told them to talk to a tree and see how that works and to call a stone your father.

From the Back Porch,

 Bob Rice

Six Questions

Jeremiah 2:14-19

Have you ever had a conversation with God, not where you were doing the talking but where God was asking the questions?  Now what is so troubling about those conversations is God is not looking for information, He is aware when a sparrow falls to the ground, and He knows the number of hairs on your head.  He has named all the stars, and that seems appropriate because He created them.   God has six questions for His people; 1) “Is Israel, a slave?”  That’s a very thought-provoking question, what if God ask that of you?  I bet the majority would say are you crazy, we are citizens of the “Land of the free, and the home of the brave.”  But you did not answer the question, are you a slave?  The Scriptures tell us that according to Proverbs 22:7 (NIV), “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” “In 2015, the average debt-ridden U.S. household carried $156,584 in mortgage debt, and $33,090 in student–loan debt.  Americans collectively owe $11.86 trillion in debt, with $901 billion alone tied up in credit card debt.  The numbers are staggering, and they depict a nation enslaved.” (Make Agreements Cautiously page 75)

The second question God ask, “Was Israel-born into slavery?”  It’s a much shorter answer, no, but like the borrower, their choices and the desire for stuff, not willing to wait, has enslaved them.  They also began to look at the neighbors and leave the God of their Father’s for gods made of stone, and metal, gods they could see but not gods that could see or do anything.

The third question; “Why then has he become prey?”  When sheep leave the safety of the shepherd the wolves, lions, and others find them easy pickings.  When Israel left the Lord to seek other little gods, Israel’s enemies found easy pickings.  Has America and the Western world left the protection of the Lord?

The Assyrians were the young lions the Scripture is referring to, and Egypt has become allies with the Assyrians in the destruction of Judah.  And God ask the fourth question: “Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way?”  Much like you and I they did not enjoy this line of questions, for them, like us in the United States left the God who had blessed and provided for them to seek little gods that could not hear nor could they see.  Worthless gods!

The fifth and six questions are much the same: “And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile?”  “Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates.”  Jeremiah is pleading with Judah to turn back to God, but they kept on rebelling, and they would leave the promise land by being captive of the Assyrians.

America, can a nation change its gods and not fall into the hands of an angry God?  How long before we are destroyed, but if we who are followers of Christ confess and repent, will our Father show mercy?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

“How is the water, Christian?”

Jeremiah 2:1-13

When a man such as Jeremiah stands and proclaims “Thus says the Lord.”

One would think a person would stop and give thought to what is being said.  My reason for including the text in full is to give you and me one more opportunity to do just that.  To the best of my understanding, this letter was written to Judah and Israel, and they did not listen.  But the Word of God is living, and the message has to mean any nation that is chasing after other gods; and yes, God makes it clear there are not any, He alone is Sovereign. 

My heart cries out, Father we are such people, we have chased the little gods of this world, like sex, materials, you know stuff like the precious things many have in storage, and sports, careers, and so much more.  We who claim to be Your followers have not listened to the Scriptures such as in 1 John 2:17, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”  Yes, Father, all that stuff, good stuff, stuff we do not have room for, but it’s too good to give to someone who has need of it.  It seems we have no understanding that you have said it is all going to rust, rot, or burn up and yet a wise person will invest in people and your word, for they will last forever.

David Foster Wallace was not a believer, but in his book “This is Water” He asked, and I believe he is searching for an answer.  One question is; “How do we remove ourselves from the foreground of our thoughts and achieve compassion?”  The book begins with this: “There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys.  How’s the water?”  And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”  I believe that was the people Jeremiah was trying to understand, they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”  Yes, without water the fish would not live, and yet they had no understanding of its value.  I’m fearful that is the story of many who go by the title of Christian, they do not grasp that Jesus said to the women at the well; “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again--ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life." (John 4:14)  So let me copy Wallace’s statement with one or two changes; “How is the water, Christian?”

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.  Israel was holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest.  All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the Lord.”

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’
And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things.  But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.

“Therefore I still contend with you, declares the Lord, and with your children's children, I will contend.  For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing.  Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods?  But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.  Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What do you see?

Jeremiah 1:11-19

Has God ever ask you what are you looking at, he did the man chosen as His spokesman.   “Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, “I see an almond branch.”  Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”  Now the almond tree is one of the first trees to blossom in the spring and just in the same way God is telling His young prophet that like the almond tree blossoms he also would blossom early and be a fruitful season with a word from the Lord.

Picking up the account in verse 13, The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?”  And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.”  Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be loose upon all the inhabitants of the land.  For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah.  And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

What a contrast to many of us today, God said, and we disregard the message as if He was not addressing us.  I once was told by a wise Bible teacher that I would be better to stop reading the Bible if I had no desire to do as it was directing me, in that God would hold me accountable for every word I read.  We have this account in Luke 12:48, where Jesus is talking about a wise manager and the unfaithful servant.  Jesus’ words, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him, much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”  Do you study with the hope of conforming to the will of God?  That is a question each of us should pray for and Jeremiah was such a man.

In Judah’s case, the armies were coming from Babylon, but the threat came collectively from all the northern kingdoms.  It was judgment time for the sins of having other gods they burned incense to and believed in their leaders and military, in what they could do.

This young prophet was to be fearless of men and yet to be fearful of God.  He had three commands, first, to stand up with no fear of what man could do; next, he was to proclaim God’s message and last to not be intimidated by being a youth standing against the leaders of Judah, not the priest or the king.  He had a tough job, and his ministry would be to preach and see no results, but to hold truth to what God was saying at all cost.  And God promised Jeremiah, this; And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”  Do you know what God has promised you?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A youth Calling

Jeremiah 1:1-10

What a timely study and I believe we must first look at John’s gospel the first four verses.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4) Jesus is that Word, and it was Jesus who is speaking to Jeremiah in the verses that follow.

“The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  That same Jesus they refused to bow a knee to is the same Jesus the U.S.A. and the western world is trying to ignore.  Our leaders would be wise to read the book of Jeremiah and see how that worked out.  But I would be wise to trust the words of Solomon in Proverbs 9:7, “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.” 

If you are a dad or mother whose child has been mistreated you know how quick you are to make the ones who have harmed your child come to judgment, and yet some of you believe a woman has the right to take the life of her child, you are very foolish.   The United States killed more than 56 million American babies since Roe V. Wade was put into law in 1973.  What was God’s plans for these children, we will never know in this life, but this I know there has never been an unwanted child by God, but we do have many illegitimate parents?  God knew that you would be part of killing this child, and let me be quick to say that your sin is no greater than mine, so forgiveness is yours to ask for.  One child would be one too many, 56 million babies kill; America I fear for your coming judgment!

 Now, this very young man speaks to the LORD: “Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”  A very wise man once said these words, the Church needs to apply Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

Introduction to Jeremiah

September 9, 2016

Introduction to Jeremiah

The author of the book of Jeremiah is the Holy Spirit, and He used the hand and pen of Jeremiah to put it on paper.  It's time line was 625 – 586 B.C. and Jeremiah is the second of the Major Prophets.  When God called him, he was around 14 years of age, and his calling was to prophesy during the last years of the nation of Judah.  Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

When the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, it was Jeremiah who gave God’s message to the exiles as they departed and to the remnant that was left, and it was not a popular message.  This was the message, submit to the judgment and later will come blessing.  Before the fall of Jerusalem Jeremiah had been telling the people that it was judgment time and that God would no longer defend Jerusalem that was a very unpopular message.  The Babylonians are coming, and you will be exiled so submit and settle in your new home for you will be there a long time.  You can imagine how this came across and he was thought of as a traitor and threatened by both the religious and political leaders.  There was another prophet that God had given the same message, and he was killed for proclaiming the words of God, but Jeremiah was faithful to stay on message.

Jeremiah was referred to as the weeping prophet, in that he had a deep love for people who God told him would not listen and would be judged for their rebellion.  Both Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied concerning four-time lines of history: First the imminent, second the return of the exiles in 70 years, third the new covenant in the Messiah, and fourth the end of the age, where both Israel and Judah would be brought into fellowship with God in the land of Israel.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Why are we instructed to Rejoice?

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

In Paul’s closing statement to the churches at Corinth, he instructs them to rejoice.  It may help us to understand the culture of that time before going forward. These new believers lived in a culture much like our culture Corinth was a place of wealth.  Because of its location between the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea, Corinth became an important transit point for trade between Europe and Asia.  Its culture said that the wise men should rule, for they knew what was best for others, sounds like Washington D.C. in our day.  The sexual license was the norm in fact, the Greeks view of sexual intercourse was as natural and necessary as eating and drinking, much like the culture of today.  And divorce was as much a problem at the time of Paul as it is today.  The Corinthians had established law, which gave the wife the right to divorce her husband and marry whomever she chose.  And like the church of today, the Church of Corinth had brought this culture into the new church.

So why should they rejoice, or better what should they rejoice in, with all the evil inside and outside of the church?  Why do I rejoice in an upside down world where good is called evil, and the law is different for the very wealthy and the powerful?  Where the media tells me, they know what I want and if I do not agree I’m a racist, a homophobe, and a religious right-winger. 

I have so much to be rejoicing in, for I have something better than a total do-over.  I was lost, and I mean full of self, full of greed, desiring to be the leader of the pack, the king of my life, and I was a religious person, but my religion was to get my needs met at all cost.  And God who I believe in and hope would forgive me when I was old and used up, you know sometime later.  Yes, forgive me, because that is what I hoped He would do, but not while I was young, later much later.  That God had a Barber named Bob who had cut my hair since I was thirteen, ask me to go to a Bible study, and I went because I could not understand why my cool Barber would want to attend a Bible Study.  I rejoice in those five men who loved me, rejoice in the people who placed a Gideon Bible in a hotel room so that I would read Romans 10:8-10.  But most of all I rejoice in a Father who sent His Son, His only Son to become human and live a perfect life depending on His Father.  I rejoice that in Jesus Christ I did not get a do over, but I became a new creation in Christ who is living in me, and I in Him.

I rejoice in this; that I often blow it, and I mean do not perform well, and my Father loves me; in fact, He is very fond of me.  I rejoice that in the Scriptures I find how to be more than a conqueror, by acknowledging my weakness and finding strength in Jesus Christ.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:11-22, I rejoice that my Father put these thoughts on how to live as a follower of His Son in a book we refer to as a Bible.  I know of no other place we are taught to do so, and I’ve found it impossible to do without letting Jesus do it all for me.  “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Perception is

2 Corinthians 13:6-10

One of the hardest lessons in sales is that perception is how it is to your customer.  That is not saying the client's knowledge of the product will be based on facts or even close to correct.   Awareness to this can make the difference between making a sale or not, and in the apostle Paul’s encounter with the churches at Corinth; he understands that many have believed the false apostle and did not believe he has any authority over them.

In verse five they and we have been told to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves . . .” But in verses 6-7, we see Paul is letting them know that they may have a different perception of him as an apostle of Jesus Christ.  “I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.”

Paul is doing what any dad has done, and some more than others, that goes up those stairs into your child’s room and humble yourself with I’m so sorry I over reacted, will you forgive me?  My memory of those days is that all the way up those stairs Channel One the deceptive channel was telling me your daughter will lose all respect for you, this is weakness and not a good thing.  But Channel Two is what I refer to as the Channel of Truth, the Holy Spirit who is telling me,    you are weak I will show my self strong in your life.

As we read verses 8-9, give thought to what the apostle Paul is telling them and you and I.  “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak, and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.”  It matters not whether you’re in sales, a pastor, the apostle Paul, or a dad; you should desire the best for the end user.

As I read verse ten, my mind went back to my youth and my father saying Bob a word to the wise is sufficient.  When I come home, I expect to see that project complete, and you will not enjoy the results if I find it any other way.  Verse ten, “For this reason, I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

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The Test

2 Corinthians 13:5

Verse five is about taking a test, and that brings back many memories of school, and I must confess I was not a good test taker.  I have an older brother who in the fifth grade had one big complaint; he had read all the books in Oak Park Elementary library, I do not recall knowing it had a library.  My sister also was very smart and also enjoyed school, and being the youngest, I foolishly looked forward to going to school.  That ended on my first day at school!  It was a prison, it had rules like sit still, listen to the teacher, and do not move, and if you did well you would get, I’m not sure about what you were to get, I must not have gotten any.  But I do recall the test, and I had a real disdain for them.  One must know the material to take the test, and the tests were on things I had no interest in, like what is 6+6, and I only had five fingers on each hand, yes, test taking was not fun.

I looked forward to getting out of school and being free from test taking, but as I recall Burt my manager at H.E.B. required all his checkers to take a test on the produce prices.   When I went into the army they had tests, and it seemed like no matter what the job was someone was giving you a test.  And now I read that God also has a test, and it is not one you want to fail.

Have you taken the test in verse five? “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  Did I say this is a severe test, and it’s a subject you should be an authority on, it is about your relationship with Jesus Christ?  Not what denomination you are a part of, not how much you give to support your local church, and is not based on how well you perform, it has only one question; does Jesus Christ live in you?

When I look into the mirror and take that test, Channel One the deceptive channel brings up my past performance, my judgmental thoughts, and selfishness and tells me you failed, there is no way God can love a rascal like you.

But then Channel Two kicks in, and it reminded of a hotel room in Victoria, Texas where I bowed my knee to a Holy God.  I recall the Scripture I read that night, and the actions I took, and these were those words: “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.”

That night I did something I had never done before,  confessed that I was a sinner, that I had nothing God needed, but that I had a great need for His forgiveness and Love, I needed Jesus to come into my life, and He did.  You see I read and reread verse 13, and I recalled that my dad often told us God always keeps His promises.  Verse 13, “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Did I tell you that on that night I came into that room a Baptist, and I left that room a new creation in Christ?  Being a Baptist did not change my life and whatever you are putting your hope in other than Jesus Christ, will not change yours.  So please take the test, and if you realize you failed Jesus will let you retest.  Please do not believe you can say a prayer and all is good, it must come from a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, and that means you cannot con God, so you better be serious!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Apostolic authority

2 Corinthians 13:1-4

“This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you, we will live with him by the power of God.” 

It is clear that Paul is returning to his Jewish teaching as he refers to Deuteronomy 19:15, “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.”  One must also listen to Jesus’ instruction about creating genuine unity in the body of Christ, the Church.  Jesus is very clear, and Paul may also be referring to Jesus’ words; “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

So it seems very clear that not only would Paul use his apostolic authority and would see that the congregation removed sinners who would not repent from the fellowship.  It is very obvious that Paul’s authority came from Christ, and Paul’s identity was in Christ and His crucifixion, and though it may have looked weak, His resurrection showed the power of God, which Paul shared.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice    

Integrity in God's sight

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

I am sure you have heard this saying, “No one cares how much you know till they know how much you care.”  You want to win the hearts of people, remember their names, and if you recall their children’s names you have hit a home run.  Can you imagine the challenge that is for your pastor, and yet many amaze me with their ability to remember so many faces and put names with them?  I believe the apostle Paul was such a minister and he had a deep concern for the Corinthian Church.

In verses 11-13, we get a small picture of him sharing his frustration with them about how easy they believed the false apostles who came in after he had left.  “I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!”    Unlike the false apostles Paul did not come asking for anything but that they follow the teaching of Christ, and that he did not want to be a burden to them, and maybe he should have allowed them to support the ministry but his remarks seemed to be sarcastic.  When he refers to super-apostles he is not talking about Peter or John but these false teachers who came in with a message of Jesus plus keeping the Law of Moses.  It is very clear that Jesus set aside men who had been with him to receive power from Him to do mighty wonders and miracles, Paul was the only exception we find in the Scriptures.  Look at Mark 6:7.  Paul, an apostle, called out of season 1 Corinthians 15:7-9, “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”

In verses 14-19, “Here for the third time, I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?”

The first visit he established the church at Corinth, but the second visit was a very short and painful experience, and his third visit was to pick-up support for those who were of the faith in Jerusalem.  Paul was never after what they had; his desire was to love them, and he was not expecting this love to return in the same way.

It is not clear what Paul is saying, (I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.)  But it would seem that is what the false teachers were saying about Paul, that he had worked up a scheme to get their money.  But it is clear Paul never took money from them for his support.  It is also clear that Paul sent Titus to arrange for the collection for Jerusalem and he had full confidence in Titus and the way he handled money.  Paul’s integrity in God’s sight was more important than his reputation with anyone.  Integrity is a goal for each of us who are followers of Christ.  We can only wonder if many in the Corinthian Church had not given up the immorality of sexual sin, for verse 21 seems to be saying that many were not willing to leave that lifestyle.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice