Is Work a Dirty word to You?

 

1 Timothy 6:1-2

Is work a dirty word to you?   Do you wish you could just do what you wanted, and never have to get your hands on a mop, wash dishes, or go to your daily job in order to put bread on the table for your family?  Have you ever daydreamed about finding millions of dollars of gold in your backyard, or inheriting millions of dollars, and you no longer need to work?  Would that be a good thing?  Fantasies like these come into our minds more often when the task at hand is not going well, or we are feeling unappreciated, but the question that needs to be asked is, what is the source of these desires?

If you have a mind-set of “I hate work,” or I’m unappreciated by my family, wife/husband, and the people I work for and with, and how good a life it would be if I was wealthy and did not have to do anything but enjoy life?  If you are having these thoughts, you would do well to read about a very wise man that did what he wanted, and he called it meaningless.  King Solomon said; “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.  And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?  Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This also is meaningless.”  (Ecclesiastes 2: 18-19)  Solomon not only was the wisest of men, he had wealth like few have known, and he understood that hope and peace were not found in great wisdom, or great wealth.  In a few more verses he has this to say; “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.  This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?  To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up to hand it over to the one who pleases God.”  (Ecclesiastes 2: 24-26a)

Why does much of our culture seem to work at not working?  Could it be that the enemy of our soul has got us to tune into the wrong channel, the channel that always implies “Did God really say?”  The answer is found at the book of beginnings, in Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”  Now this was a good gig that God had given man, but Adam chose to sin and that brought with it labor, and yet God never said labor was anything but good for man.  Proverbs 6:6 tells us to model the ant in our work and Proverbs 6: 9-11 gives us an understanding of the person who has tuned into channel 1, and that channel is controlled by the enemy of our soul.  Channel 2 is telling us to gather our crops in summer and be a wise son, but channel 1 says, sleep late, do little, look to others for your income, and Channel 2 says, that is a disgraceful son.  My thoughts, but very close to Proverbs 10:5 and Proverbs 12:11, He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.”  And one that I personally applied along with enjoying work was Proverbs 13:11, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” 

So what does all of that stuff have to do with being a Christian employee?  This is the bottom line, anyone Christian or not who hate what they are doing, or who feels they deserve better, has opened themselves up to Channel 1, and Channel 1, will never consider their employer worthy of respect, and God is requiring more than just respect from a follower of Christ, and if your employer or boss is a believer in Christ, then you are to serve them even better; so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will not be slandered. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

They were Stumbling blocks to me

 

1 Timothy 5: 19-25

“Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.”

Growing up in small Baptist churches, 1Timothy 5:19 was omitted from the teaching, or if not omitted, it was ignored.  Now that was not the case in our home, my dad was a deacon who understood the Biblical role of a deacon, and it is my observation from a child vantage point that dad was a servant and friend to most pastors.  I do recall a group of men coming to our home more than once, and always at night, most were much younger than dad, and yet dad was only in his early forty’s, they also were deacons and they were there to let dad know that his support for the pastor was going to get him in hot water.  

When things like this happened, we were told to go to our rooms, adults were going to discuss things that children did not need to hear, mother also would go to her room after making coffee and offering dessert, and I must confess that being sent to your room and not getting to listen to the “Shadow knows,” or the Lone Ranger” was awful, but to think that those men were going to jump my dad, and mother was going to let them eat our dessert was more that this child could handle, it was appalling.  Now when the house you live in is 900 square feet and voice are raised, some in anger, and others just trying to be heard above the others, we hear it all, and it was men like these that made me wonder if what was taught at church was ever applied. 

My dad would tell us, if one of us was foolish enough to bring it up, that these men needed our prayers, that our pastor was doing the best he could with the resources he had been given.  In many of these small churches the pastor served at the pleasure of the deacon body, he was a fifth wheel, so to say, the deacon ran thing and they expected the pastor to do all the work of ministry, and the definition of ministry was decided by that small group of men and their wives.  I would hope to report that this is a thing of the past, but it is not, it happens anytime a deacon body has a wrong concept of it’s Biblical responsibility.

Paul in his third time to go to the church at Corinth has this warning; “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” (2 Corinthians 13:1)  He is making reference to the following taking place in the church, quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.  This was a sad witness to the world, and it seems in this case that the root cause was past sins and no repentance, sins like sexual immorality and sensuality, that had been their practice.  Paul is not implying that these are elders being accused.  Each of us before bringing a charge against an elder, Pastor-Teacher, would be wise to listen to Jesus, and take the log out of our own eye before bringing a charge against anyone.

What those deacons should have done back when I was a child, and any that have that mindset today, is see what the Bible instructs about bringing a charge against an elder.   And in the case of elders, all of us should require two or three witnesses before even citing them.  And a note to the elders: go back often and read the qualifications God has set for your task of leading His church in 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A very appalling Message

 

1 Timothy 5:17

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.”

In the United States many in the church have developed some outlandish practices of referring to the local church as, that’s Pastor Hagee’s church, or Max Lucado’s church, or Ed Young’s church. This lists just a few people that seem to receive reverence that has no place in the kingdom of God.  I do not know any of these men, and only use their names because I’ve heard others refer to them in this way.  I do believe that each of these, an many others who are referred to in this manner, would be quick to state that, I am only the senior pastor, it is not my church, it is the Lord’s church.  It would be nice to say that this false concept has come from the media, but that is not correct, it comes from Christians.  So let me be clear that it is a very appalling message, to all who witness, first to the unbelievers because these have put a mere man in the place of Jesus Christ, and they can only wonder who is being worshipped.  It is also to the angels and the host of heavenly witnesses who watch us to see what we will do with this freedom of our will.  I also believe and know that God has stated that He is a jealous God when it comes to someone, anyone taking His place of being worshiped.  He has stated in Exodus 34:14, that His name is Jealous, and in 1 Corinthians 10:14, the apostle asked this question; “Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?  Are we stronger than he?”  You and I as followers of Christ, should never become followers of a preacher or teacher, and our pastors would be wise to tell all who listen what Paul told the church at Corinth, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)

OK, it is not the elder’s church, but how should we treat an elder who rules well?  I am a strong believer that the Bible is the greatest of all commentaries, so shall we look in it for our answer.  Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.  Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”  The Bible is very clear that those who rule well deserve our respect; “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.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13,) 

If we the church want to show honor to our pastors, we will practice living at peace with others in our local church.  Often, those who are controlled by the flesh take up large blocks of our pastor’s time.  The answer is honor is to be given to all who deserve honor, and especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.  And they should be paid in such a way that they do not have to be concerned about taking care of their family.  It is a wise church that meets the financial needs of its pastor/teacher, but I also believe it can bring harm when a large and rich congregation pays its pastor above the average member of that local church.  Pride is always waiting at the next corner!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Why do we no longer do This?

 

1 Timothy 5:1-16

“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father.  Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.”

If you were born in the forties or fifties, this Scripture above seems like a no brainier, that is what your mother and dad had taught you from a child, but since that time it sure seems like it has not been taught at home or at school.  Paul is talking about the church, but most of us were taught it applied to all walks of life.  Our society is often discourteous to older people, the apostle Paul in his letter to the churches at Colossae gave this insight; “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders making the best use of the time.  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4: 5,6,)

But as Christians, we should be reminded that both “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” (Proverbs 22:2)  That also applies to older men and women, and younger men and younger women, in the area of being kind and courteous.  When it comes to widows, Paul used a lot of ink, and it is ink that needs to be read and then applied in the Church today.

We would be very wise to read and then read it again, because God is very serious about His church taking care of what Paul calls a real widow.  Paul gave Timothy some guidelines on defining a widow, and we would be wise to follow them, and even go beyond these guidelines.  First, we as a church are to show honor to widows, but if they have children or grandchildren that can provide for them; they should do so, and not look to the church for material support.  The apostle Paul tells us, “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (Verse 8)

Paul gives this command to the church; a widow has to be of a certain age, the wife of one husband, and have a reputation for good works, and if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, and has been a servant to others, she has done well.  Paul tells us not to enroll younger widows because they will desire to remarry, and some of them become idlers, going from house to house and some even become gossips and busybodies.  Paul tells these young widows to remarry and have children and manage their households, and by doing so they will not give the adversary a foothold in their life.

In summation let me give these thoughts, no where is Paul telling the church not to minister, or support anyone of any age, and especially young mothers with children who find themselves without the support of their husband.  Anyone who would use this Scripture to do so has missed the mark.  James 2:15, is very clear, that as a church we are to help those who have needs in the local church.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice’

We often Skip Over

 

“Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.  Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Do you and I need to practice and devote ourselves to being followers of Christ Jesus, and His instruction in the Bible?  The simple answer is yes; the logical answer is yes, and the Biblical is yes, if you want to be light in this present darkness.   It seems simple, all we need is a set of rules to live life by and then we will be good Christians, it is that simple, or is it?  The only problem with that is we have been given a book on how to live life on planet earth, and it seems like many of us do not practice, do not devote ourselves to the most basic teaching.  Teaching like, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

How do you practice loving God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your mind?  Anyone that is able to do that commandment will have little or no problem loving his neighbor.  Could our problem be that we have moved on to the more complex practices before learning to practice and devotion to loving God with all our hearts and with all our soul and with all our minds? 

How in this crazy fallen world could we hope to love our enemies as Christ Jesus has commanded in Matthew 5:44, if we have not first learned to love Christ Jesus and the Father?  So why do we skip over what Jesus calls the greatest commandments, is it that we do not know how to love in the way Jesus has told us?  We may be getting close to solving the problem, in that Jesus told His disciples the following; “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)  So it comes down to this; we either do not understand how to love as commanded, or we are living in rebellion. 

Could it be that we do not understand the relationship that is ours in Christ; “The one who has my commands and keeps them, is the one who loves Me.  And the one who loves Me will be loved by my Father.  I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” (John 14:21)  And if your answer is yes, I truly understand that relationship, and yet after searching your heart it becomes clear that others like your husband or wife, children or friends, or even yourself are more intimate than your fellowship with the Lord, then have you not misunderstood John 14:21?

As a seeker, it seems often you and I want to advance, that is the nature of our culture, and it is rare to not look ahead for the next promotion, the next project, the next relationship.  Listen to what Jesus ask the Father before leaving earth; “I do not ask for these only, (referring to his disciples) but also (add your name) for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as weare one, 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 loved me.” (John 17:20-23)  Could the answer be that our flesh has a desire to advance, to skip over the important and try to do some act for God?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Is hope the same thing as “I Wish”?

 

1 Timothy 4:10-16

Is hope the same thing as “I Wish”?  When we look at hope from a Christian view, it is more than a wish it is a feeling of trust.  It is looking forward to what is hoped for, it is expectation, and yet our hope is not based on a feeling but on the living God.  Many do not have hope, some who call themselves Christian, base eternity with the Lord on how well they perform, or on some rules laid out by man, and their hope is not centered in the promises of God, but in self.  The apostle is telling us do not put your hope in anything but the faithfulness of God the Father and Jesus Christ His only Son.

The hope that Paul is telling Timothy about is established in confidence that God is a promise keeper.  Living the Christian life comes with many challenges; it is a life that runs opposite of the culture, and often the apostle Paul was an example of how it brings pain and suffering into our life.  2 Timothy 1:12, is a great example, “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 for that day.”  The prophet Isaiah had this to say about hope centered in the faith that God is a promise keeper; “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2) 

If you watch the news, it matters not if it’s “fair and balanced” or not, it is not uplifting, its message is about fear of what is coming, its message is often an example of foolish people who have placed hope in a political party, a movement, or even a person.  And when examined by someone without an agenda, but based on facts, we find that often those with all the answers, those we believed in were not telling the truth, they just wanted to buy power or influence.

To have unity in a marriage, family, community, church, or nation, requires love, and not the love of self.  What does a person look like that is full of self; they are not kind, not patient, they envy, they boast, they are rude, self-seekers, angry, and they use these as tools to divide all of the groups listed above.  To have division it works best to destroy trust in the marriage, family, community, church, or nation, and today we are seeing the fruits of that lived out in our Nation, and many others all over the world.  But as Christians we should not lose hope but rejoice, because Jesus foretold that in the last days this would take place.  Listen to David in Psalm 56:1-4, “Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.  When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me?”

It comes down to, where do you put your hope?  If it is in a political party, some person, our military, or your 401K, or anything but God, you are in for some real bad times.  A prayer of hope, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.  Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Correctly using what is Available

 

1 Timothy 4:6-10

Be a good servant of Christ Jesus, by letting the Holy Spirit teach and train you in the Scriptures, about how to apply, to live out these teachings.  That’s a Bob summary of verse six, and if we choose that, then we will put into action these doctrines and not be drawn into silly myths, such as seeing Jesus in a taco, or repeating, as if it were the gospel, the storey about some little three year old boy that died and went to heaven and now it’s on the best seller list.  This is Paul’s counsel; “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.  Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

So how does one train for anything?  Jan and I have a gym membership and this is what I have observed, that it is easy to fool yourself into believing that going to the gym equates to training, and it can, but often it does not.  To make the gym into a vehicle of training requires information on how to use what is in the gym, and then a plan on accomplishing your goals.  Having a realistic plan, setting time lines, and charting to record your successes is a must.  If the goal is weight loss, be realistic, a gym cannot remove weight without a change in your consumption, your intake of calories in sugar, and in the total amount consumed.  In fact, for many it requires a trainer, and yet a trainer cannot change a person who has not made a commitment to follow the plan laid out for them.

When it comes to training yourself for godliness, it requires many of the tools or methods that gave you success in the gym.  Many fool themselves into believing that church membership and regular attendance equates to godliness, much like the gym membership, it only gets you into a place where you are exposed to some of the tools that can be used for training.  Often, way too often, Christians believe that being part of a Bible study equates to godliness, and it can help, but it’s similar to the person wanting to loose weight, but still consumes large amounts of food, and goes to the gym four times a week, the results will be failure to meet the desired goal.

So it is going to require more than being a faithful church attendee, more than being part of a Bible study, it is like the gym, begin at the beginning with a humble spirit before your Father, and let Him show you the equipment that is needed to achieve godliness.  It is important to understand that your goal is to have fellowship with the Father.  Many require information without understanding, and knowledge without application, but knowledge without application will bring about pride, not godliness.  Like the trainer at the gym, a life coach, or mentor can be used to encourage and enhance, but it still comes back to seeking fellowship with Jesus Christ, the Father, and listening and obeying the Holy Spirit.

These are some Scriptures that have become tools used in my pursuit of godliness: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)  The bottom line, my knowledge began when I chose to submit to God’s authority.  I also had to get over being stupid, “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid.” (Proverbs 12:1)  One of the pitfalls I often encountered was desire without knowledge, “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.”  (Proverbs 19:2)

As one who desires godliness, you must remember the Spirit is always battling your flesh, and flesh is defined as, the ways you have learned to suck your needs out of others, it’s like being over weight and going to the gym everyday with the same results, unless you deal with the issue of eating too much.  The life of godliness is choosing to submit to the Spirit and reject the desires of the flesh.  It is a choice and it is in not easy, but it will bring about peace in your heart in the middle of this present darkness.

Form the Back Porch,

Bob Rice