Each and every one of us must know how to deal with the reality of our individual failures. All Christians sin, which is the example of failure. Some failures can be catastrophic, while others can be recovered from. How can catastrophic failure be avoided, and how can we recover from the failures that we encounter?
Eric Rank
Beware the Subtleties
This year, I was aware and consciously prepared for it, but the sight still provoked me to shake my head in disdain. As I shopped for some household supplies on November 1st, it was impossible to ignore that the jack-o-lanterns present in stores during the previous month had been swiftly replaced with displays of Christmas trees and ornaments. I expected this to happen, but I still hoped for a break from the parade of collateral promoting the man-made holidays so displeasing to God. There is no denying it — the stream of propaganda and celebration of uninspired days following the season of God’s true Holy Days has begun.
While we live in this world, we must be ready and prepared to defend ourselves against the carnally inspired messages, influences and temptations presented to us. The most dangerous kinds of temptations are those which are the most subtle. Participation in the wrong event, even in a marginal way, erodes our loyalty to God. With a constant stream of messages telling us that participation is harmless and that origins are irrelevant, it might be tempting to justify an action, declaring it to be innocent. Nevertheless, we must remember what God inspired 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 prudent in their own sight!”
Don’t be fooled! God can see through the most self-convincing rhetoric we may contrive. While this certainly applies to the participation in man’s holidays, it applies quite generally to God’s laws as well. Compromise occurs when we start interpreting right and wrong based on our own beliefs, rather than what the Bible clearly teaches. As starkly wrong as an exchange of good for evil is, it begins very subtly within ourselves by merely considering wrong behavior as harmless. If you don’t see the danger discerning between right and wrong based on our human beliefs rather than the teachings of the Bible, consider the calamities recorded in the book of Judges, during which time “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). The times we live in today and the way this world thinks is not so different.
While Satan may “walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), we need to remember that he also “transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), preying on the carnal man’s vulnerability to things which on the surface seem harmless, good and right. The subtle compromises are the most dangerous snares to us. Those simple actions requiring a justification of the means for the sake of the end result slowly weaken the strength of our faith.
For this reason, especially as we are barraged during the season of man’s holidays, we must maintain our strength and vigilance. In Ephesians 6:10-11, Paul says this quite succinctly: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Our defense against temptation is only as strong as our weakest vulnerability. The whole armor of God implies completeness in several aspects, not just one. However, by identifying and continuing to improve on our weaknesses, we strengthen our defense.
Strength and Weakness
Weakness, measured by the standards of this world, makes the strength of God perfect in the life of a Christian. Brains, brawn and all kinds of strengths that we may have, are all from God. God’s chosen people are described as the weak, foolish and base people of the world. Yet to God, these weaknesses are counted as strengths when one turns to Him for strength.
Are You Convinced?
Becoming convinced that God’s way is the right way is the beginning step in a Christian’s conversion. In order to attain the goal, conviction must be maintained. There are several ways one can become unconvinced, and several ways one can stay convinced of God’s truth. Understanding what kind of behavior to be on guard against and what to put into active practice is utterly important. This split sermon covers a handful of ideas to help in this endeavor.
Two Promises
A conundrum has existed in the minds of people as long as there have been people. If God is a good God, why do bad things happen? God has made promises to His people, that they will be blessed in numerous ways, in this life, but also blessed with eternal life. However, He also provides us with the guarantee that His people will be persecuted. Is this a contradiction? Since God cannot lie, this is not a contradiction. The affliction, persecution and bad things that happen to people are for the greater cause of glorifying God, building character, and blessing His people with eternal life.
Spring Cleaning
Each year before Passover, we are obliged as Christians to examine ourselves so that we can participate in the ceremony in a worthy manner. In order to examine ourselves correctly, we must seek the divine will of God, seeing ourselves through His perspective, rather than our own. Pride is the single greatest trait that stands in the way of doing this correctly. Only when we overcome pride and use the Holy Spirit of God as our guide, can we truly examine ourselves correctly.
"The Restoration Act"
Just over a month ago, the United States signed into law the American Recovery and Re-investment Act. By its own accord, it claims to be “…an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.”
How ambitious!
Even though we would like to see financial circumstances around this world improve, we know, as we have taught for decades, that our bad circumstances now are just the tip of the iceberg. Merely jumpstarting an economy will not be effective in the long term. The Bible makes it very clear that the coming circumstances will be much worse than what we experience now. When comparing the prophecies in the Bible with the news reported today around the globe, it seems certain that this will happen sooner than later.
Knowing the clear plan of God stirs up a feeling of fear and anxiety for the impending doom of this world’s future that simply cannot be ignored. The judgment to be meted out and the penalties for disobedience, mentioned in the latter part of Deuteronomy 28, which are especially applicable to these modern United States of America, set an especially trembling tone in these times, culminating in ruin. Deuteronomy 28:63 summarizes quite succinctly: “And it shall be, that just as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.”
However, even greater than fear, we need to find comfort, and even excitement, in the anticipation of the events to come. We do not look forward to seeing a disobedient world at its knees in a morbid way, but rather, we hope for the arrival of righteousness. God’s plan establishes itself more and more clearly every day, and this is cause for rejoicing — especially as the coming of God’s Kingdom draws closer (compare Luke 21:27-28, 31).
The American Recovery and Re-investment Act stakes a claim at being “unprecedented,” but it is absolutely a joke in comparison to God’s plan for true recovery.
We look forward to a future when a secure and successful society is not measured by gross domestic product, but by the obedience to God. The restoration of God’s way of life will be the goal for the true recovery of this world (compare Acts 3:19-21). We look forward to the day when all people on earth desire a clean heart, and shout out, as reported in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”
Feedback Loops
Systems provide us with a structure for making decisions and acting in order to achieve a desired outcome. Feedback loops within a system act to stabilize or destabilize a system. A negative feedback loop in a system stabilizes an environment so the desired outcome can be reached more reliably. The Bible provides us with a system by which we can live our lives. By applying the negative feedback loop of repentance in the system of living a Christian life, we can overcome sin, and reach the desired outcome of eternal life.
Deception
Sermonette by Eric Rank
God has a purpose for each one of us. Even though that purpose may not be revealed in clear detail, it is important to never allow self-doubt to discourage us from that purpose. God has chosen to use the small and quiet voices to proclaim his word. Even though there may not be an audience to hear these small voices now, there soon will be a receptive ear to hear God’s word proclaimed from these individuals, who are the experts in living according to His doctrines.