I had the opportunity to attend an elder, deacon, and preacher seminar at East Main in Murfreesboro Saturday. The theme discussed this year was the United States and how we have departed from Christian principles in our nation. James Watkins and Tom Holland did an excellent job in presenting the lessons. Bro. Tom Holland pointed out some similarities between the children of Israel and us today. In Exodus 19:5,6 we read these words, ÒNow therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.Ó Moses writes in Deuteronomy 7:6, ÒFor thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.Ó If you have read the Old Testament you know that the children of Israel did not keep their promise to God. They did not obey his voice or keep his covenant. As a result, they did not get to continue in that relationship with the Father. When you read the prophets, you understand that the children of Israel departed from serving and pleasing God. Bro. Holland proclaimed that they went from Faith to Freedom to Folly to Fear to Fetters. Our nation has done the same thing! We have not learned from history.
Some people want to argue today that our nation was not founded upon Christian principles. The Mayflower Compact, which was signed in 1620 states, ÒIn the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of anotherÉÓ Our nation was founded on Christian principles and the belief in God and his providence. Romans chapter 1 is a pretty fair description of our nation today.
WHEN TWO ELEPHANTS FIGHT
Through the years, I have come into contact with
people from vastly different cultures than mine. One such person is a friend of
mine from Nigeria. His name is Doka Obadiah. When I met Doka, he was a student
at Freed-Hardeman University. Presently, he is preaching back in his home
country of Nigeria.
One of the interesting things I learned early on
through talking to Doka is that when speaking to a person from another culture,
there are many figures of speech we use daily, that are not readily understood.
Expressions such as ÒHeÕs out in left field,Ó ÒweÕll cross the bridge when we
come to it,Ó Òthree strikes and youÕre out,Ó and Òputting oneÕs foot in oneÕs
mouthÓ all had to be explained as I talked to Doka because he had no idea what
I meant by such phrases.
But this phenomenon works in reverse too. There are many Nigerian phrases that
sound rather unfamiliar, in fact, funny to me because I fail to understand their
culture. But thereÕs one phrase that Doka made just prior to returning to Nigeria
that conveys a concept worth consideration. We were talking about the need for
unity in the church and he said, ÒWhen two elephants fight, it is the grass
that suffers.Ó While the imagery
is uncommon to our culture, I understood his point.
Think about this truth the next time you are about to
get into a scuffle with someone. You may be Òbig enoughÓ to handle yourself
quite well in this scuffle, but what impact will this scuffle have on those
around you? What about your children?
What do they see and hear in your house as you Òhave it outÓ with a
brother or sister in Christ? What does that do to their faith? When Christians
bring church scuffles home and thrash them out in front of their unbelieving
spouse, what affect does that have on their desire to obey the gospel?
You see, sometimes when we dig in our heels and ready
ourselves for battle, we fail to think of the damage that can be done to the
lives of people we love who are all around us. When we choose to scuffle, we
may come out of the whole ordeal with only a few cuts and bruises, but in the
process, we may crush and destroy innocent by-standers. How often have you see
the church suffer and pay the price because someone was bound and determined to
get their way and demand their rights? How often have children drifted from the
Lord because of a ÒpoutingÓ parent who, because they didnÕt like something,
expressed their protest through un-involvement?
Yes, Doka was right. Although I donÕt think I would
have ever thought to express it quite like he did, Òwhen two elephants fight,
it is the grass that suffers!Ó ÒDo
all things without complaining an disputingÓ (Phil. 2:14)
--Steve Higginbotham, Karns
Kourier, August 2010
7 Wonders Of The
Word
We often hear of the ÒSeven
Wonders of the World.Ó We need to learn about the ÒSeven Wonders of the
Word.Ó
The Wonder Of Its
INSPIRATION.
Not just apart, but ÒallÓ
scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
The Wonder Of Its
FORMATION. Written by
approximately forty men from all walks of life, over a period of 1,600 years,
without consulting with othersÑyet without contradiction.
The Wonder Of Its
UNIFICATION.
A library of 66 books, yet
ONE BOOK. One message conveyed by the hand of Almighty God.
The Wonder Of Its
REVELATION.
The Bible is the complete,
final revelation (I Cor. 2:10-12) which came as holy men of God were moved by
the Spirit (2 Peter 1:20,21).
The Wonder Of Its
INFORMATION. It is the greatest
literature in the world. No additional information is needed for it
sufficiently equips man for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17).
The Wonder Of Its
PROPOGATION.
It is read by all nations,
classes and races. It is the worldÕs bestseller.
The Wonder Of Its
PRESERVATION The Bible is
tragically the most hated of all books, yet it continues. ÒThe word of the Lord
endures foreverÓ (I Peter 1:25).
--Truth in Love, Jan-Mar 2008