Author: preacherpollard

preacher,Cumberland Trace church of Christ, Bowling Green, Kentucky

The Care and Feeding of Feral Cats

Friday’s Column: Brent’s Biblical Bytes

Brent Pollard

During my father’s recuperation from quadruple bypass surgery, I’ve had a Sisyphean task: feeding and caring for feral cats. Yes, we have been killed by kindness at the Pollard home nestled in the northeast Georgia mountains. In the summer of 2016, a desperate kitty with soulful eyes showed up begging for food. We do have a soft spot for God’s critters and thought having a mouser around would be useful. Plus, cats are also good at taking care of snakes. So, we fed her, not realizing that her desperation to approach us, though feral, was fueled by her pregnancy. I think you know what is coming next. Yes, we are now a cat sanctuary, a FERAL cat sanctuary.  

I must use a broom to sweep the doorway so that no feral cats come inside. (Being feral, they would quickly tear the house apart. We know this from experience.) Once I exit, the cats start meowing at me as if starving. A few of the cats I am trying to feed will batt at the other cats, effectively bullying them, attempting to jockey for a better position at the bowls. Sometimes, I must retrieve many of their bowls since they have knocked them off the porch into the yard. One of the more annoying things they do is stick their heads over the food bowl I am trying to fill, and the kibble often bounces off their heads, scattering everywhere. When I move to a new bowl, many will abandon a bowl, I just put food into, coming to eat at the new bowl even though it is the same food! I realize that they cannot understand me, but I still tell them that I don’t feed certain ones anything “special” and do my best to give them the same amount of food in every bowl.  

Despite my equal food distribution efforts, some larger cats will gobble up more food than they should eat. There are cats with timid personalities who will hang back and eat the remnants. I will try to sneak them some more kibble, but their characters cause them to yield that extra portion to the assertive one who is willing to steal. It is very frustrating since they cannot understand. And how can we achieve understanding? God gave me dominion over them, and the difference between our kinds is too significant. One idiomatic expression keeps coming to mind, “Like trying to herd cats.” It feels like an impossible task. 

But, then, when you are about to make a phone call and turn yourself in to animal control, one of the cats rubs up against your leg rather than joining the tumult clamoring for the food bowl. Despite being feral, a few cats learn to appreciate their benefactors. These same cats allow you to pet them and may even approach you for the same. A select couple will even walk with you as you walk down to the mailbox or go on a two-mile hike. Yes, I know, that kind of behavior is more what one associates with canines.  Yet, some cats manage to worm their way into your heart.  

I want to tread with care as I make an application. First, we brought this situation on ourselves.  Second, if we had moved after the first cat had delivered her kitten, having her spayed, we would have nipped our current situation in the bud. But catching them to spay and neuter them would be another nigh-impossible task under our circumstances. 

As I think about our feline predicament, though, I wonder what it must be like to be God looking down on a creation choosing rebellion over obedience. Could it be that He feels as if He is “herding cats?” He sends His rain on the just and unjust, but there are still the unscrupulous, defrauding others, failing to be benevolent. There are people He made in His image attacking others He has likewise made in His image. How often does He hear complaints rather than thanksgiving? Why won’t these people listen to what He says? But there are also the few on the “strait and narrow.” These desire a relationship with their benefactor, despite being feral. These walk with God. Do they buoy His heart? We do know God promised Abram that He would have spared Sodom for the sake of ten righteous souls (Genesis 18.32). It is possible. It is upon this consideration of God’s vantage over His feral creation that I ask with David, “What is man that You think of him?” (Psalm 8.4) Yes, I think that feral cats’ feeding and care is a fitting metaphor to describe God’s task of dealing with fallen humanity.   

 

The Window To The Soul

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

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Carl Pollard

The eyes are the window to the soul…sounds like something straight out of a Shakespeare sonnet. While this is a phrase that was around even before the time of Christ, many believe that it is from Matthew 6:22-23.

This saying is often a misapplication of what Jesus said while preaching the Sermon on the Mount. To understand it better we need to understand the purpose of Matthew chapters 5-7. Jesus is speaking about righteousness. I’m fact, this section in chapter 6 is one of the five areas of righteousness that Jesus talks about by way of practical application. In verses 19-24, Jesus is talking about money. Using exegetical principles we can better understand Matthew 6:22-23.

Verses 19-21 say, “”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”” Now notice verse 24, “”No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” If verses 19-21 is talking about money, and vs. 24 is talking about money, what is he talking about in verses 22-23?

Money! He says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” Jesus is talking about our view of money. The eye is the lamp of the body. Basically the way we view money effects our way of living. If we have a healthy view of money, our priorities will be in line with Gods. If we have an unhealthy eye, and view money as more important, our whole body will be full of darkness because we have chosen money over God.

The problem with the saying “the eye is the window to the soul” is that it has often offered people permission to judge the state of a person’s soul. It gives permission to judge others solely because of what they perceived a person was looking at or thinking. Biblically, we can’t know the state of a person’s soul simply by looking at their eyes. Only God has the ability to see the intentions of the heart. As humans we don’t have the power to condemn someone, only God has this power.

That being said, it is our job to be attentive to people. Our duty to one another in the church is to look out for the souls of everyone. Our view of money can either corrupt our priorities, or help us grow the kingdom.

“It’s Not About Me” In 1 Peter 3

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary III

Gary Pollard

 
We’re going through I Peter in the college class at Lehman Avenue and we most recently studied part of chapter three. This chapter further discusses the theme of submission (giving up our power willingly to another) frequently appearing throughout the book. Christians are essentially told, “It’s not about me,” that we should get rid of certain behaviors, and an explanation for why we give up certain behaviors or power is given.
 
For example, we should get rid of hatred, taking advantage of others, hypocrisy, jealousy, and character assassination (2.1), because we know that God has shown us mercy (2.9, 10). That’s hard. We should listen to our government, even when we disagree with them (as long as it doesn’t violate God’s word), because God uses them to maintain some semblance of law and order (2.13-17). That’s hard. We should be good employees, even when our bosses aren’t fair, because Christ suffered, too, and God looks at us favorably when we suffer for doing the right thing (2.18ff). That’s hard.
 
In the same way – that is, keeping with the theme of surrendering our own power and doing something difficult for the sake of goodness – Peter addresses women and men specifically in chapter three.
 
This is an interesting study because it sheds light on a controversial topic: wives being submissive to their husbands. Let’s look at the text:
 
  • Γυναίκες (wives/women): Submit to ιδιοις (your own) husbands. Not all men, just husbands. Peter is not saying that women are inferior and should submit for that reason.
  • Ινα (in order that): For the purpose of cultivating godliness and influencing a fallen husband. It’s not for the purpose of manifesting inferiority, but to influence a lost husband! This involves a difficult task – as in 2.18 – which demonstrates the power of the word.
  • Δια (through/by): γυναικών αναστροφής (womanly or “wifely” conduct). Through her submission to her husband and through an emphasis on timeless inner beauty, she can save his soul. “Men and women have different ways of expressing godliness. Peter is showing how women can powerfully influence their husbands, which is by submitting to them” (Edwin Jones).
 
This sensitive topic is nonetheless a powerful one. Wives are not told to submit because it’s “just what women should do,” or because of a belief that women are somehow inferior, but are told to submit because it can save souls. Men are told to assign value to their wives and to be respectful and considerate with them if they want to be right with God (3.7), followed by a general set of commands for all Christians to act a certain way for the sake of godliness (3.8ff).
 
We submit and suffer as Christians to save souls and to remember that, “It’s not about me.”
(Gary teaching 1 Peter in the college class at Lehman Avenue)

Unmasking Pride 

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

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Dale Pollard

In the best cartoon ever made, “Scooby Doo Where Are You?” from the 60s, the episodes would predictably end when the monster is unmasked and the man beneath is revealed. The gang was always shocked! The culprit would then say that famous line, “I would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for you meddling kids and that dog.”

There is a monster in the Bible that is mentioned in almost every book of the Bible in some form or fashion and for good reason, too. The monster is “pride,” and we’re going to unmask it so that we know exactly what it does– and what it looks like.

Pride is a form of insanity— a blindness to our reality.

Judah didn’t have many great kings, but Hezekiah was one of the rare exceptions. In 2 Kings 18-20 we read about his eventful life (as well as in Isaiah, I Chronicles, Nehemiah, and Zephaniah). While he was a righteous king, he had to battle his pride. He had seen God’s great power in action in the lives of those in Jerusalem as a whole, and in his own personal life. God saved them from Sennacherib and his army and then Hezekiah was cured of a deadly illness. However, Hezekiah had a difficult time giving God the glory for those victories. He repented and turned back to the Lord (2 Chron. 32:25-26), but his children still suffered the consequences. There’s no such thing as a “self made man” and Hezekiah needed to be reminder that he was a “God-made man.” This proves that even the righteous man can struggle with the monster, pride. 

Pride is a destructive form of amnesia.

How easy it is to turn to God when we’re in dire straights. Nebuchadnezzar had seen God save three men from a blazing fire he threw them in for not feeding his own ego by worshiping a giant image of himself. After witnessing this miraculous event, he acknowledges the Lord briefly, but his life isn’t transformed. While walking on his temple rooftop he says, 

“Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30).

He seemed to have had a little more gloating to do, but while “the words were still in his mouth…” God drives him from the land and he is fed grass like an ox for seven years (4:25). You would think his son, Belshazzar, would not forget the difficult lesson that his father had to learn but he falls victim to pride as well. 

Five Symptoms Of Pride

1. FEAR – We will find ourselves in fearful situations when we become consumed with self-reliance. We refuse to see that some things are really out of our hands. 

2. ENTITLEMENT – Romans 3-6 says we deserve death on account of sin. We’re not entitled to anything but pride makes us think we’re better than we are and that we deserve more than we do. 

3. PEOPLE-PLEASING – Pride is a form of self-worship and self-perseveration. We want the approval of others over God’s approval. Gal. 1:10 – “If I’m trying to please man I’m not a servant of God.”

4. HYPOCRISY – Elevating of status, forgetting God’s mercy, “holier than thou” mentality and quick to point out faults in others. 

5. REBELLION – The one whose actions say, “I know better than God.”

Pride is a destroyer of lives. Let’s strive for humility so that God can use us in great ways. 

Daniel 4:37 “…those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”

Hezekiah’s Tunnel (Jerusalem)

Coming Together, Coming Apart

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

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Neal Pollard

Last Saturday, John Moore and I traveled a couple of hours over to Lexington, Kentucky, to see several places associated with the “Restoration Movement.” This restoration effort, coming at a time of spiritual awakening where people were rethinking their approach to the Bible as well as questioning religious teaching, led to independent movements of people who concluded it was not only possible but necessary to go back to the Bible for everything they taught and believed. Rejecting religious creeds, disciplines, and manuals, they sought to do Bible things in Bible ways, speaking where the Bible speaks and being silent where it was silent. While we should not revere or unduly exalt the people who led this effort, neither should we abandon their work. We should imitate their spirit of letting the Bible, not human tradition, be our sole rule and guide.

Two independent movements, most associated with Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell, began to conclude that they were of the same mind and judgment in desiring to get back to simple, New Testament Christianity. They met in 1832 in downtown Lexington on Hill Street. John and I stood at this very spot, now a parking lot for a major bank.

John suggested we “recreate” the moment when Raccoon John Smith and Barton Stone gave each other the right hand of fellowship at the spot where they did.

Untold numbers of people from the northern and mid-Atlantic United States to the southern and, at the time, western United States obeyed the simple New Testament message they and others preached. They established colleges, held lengthy evangelistic meetings to preach the gospel, had religious discussions and debates, began journals and periodicals, wrote books, and shared the gospel with their neighbors, family, and friends. More and more were leaving religious division to simply be New Testament Christians. 

John and I went from that place where great hope and renewal occurred just a few minutes north up to a little community called Midway. It is a quaint little town, with antique shops, trains, and a beautiful little college named for the town. We first went to a church building, built on the site of another building where in 1860 the well-meaning group of saints there, to aid what in their view was atrocious singing, accompanied their singing with a piano-like instrument known as a melodeon. The practice of adding mechanical instruments of music would spread to congregations throughout the state and ultimately out to the Lord’s church all over the country. Something lacking the authority and approval of Christ, but meeting with the tastes and preferences of men, was introduced and disrupted the unity and harmony of God’s people. It would take years to form a wedge wide enough to cause systemic division and disunity, but it happened alarmingly fast. 

The infamous melodeon, now housed in the library of Midway College

Throughout history, the precious attribute of unity (Psa. 133:1) has required great effort to achieve and has proven difficult to maintain (1 Kings 12:1ff). However, God commands it (1 Cor. 1:10; Rom. 12:16; Phil. 1:27). He is pleased when we pursue and preserve it, so how does He view when we viciously sever, undermine, and destroy it? History is a great teacher, if we allow it to be. May we have hearts desiring nothing else than God’s Word as the foundation of our teaching and lives, and pursue that with a spirit of harmony and oneness which permeated the church at its very beginning! 

J.W. McGarvey’s grave (Lexington Cemetery)
Raccoon John Smith’s grave (Lexington Cemetery)
Barton W. Stone’s house (Georgetown, KY)

Dale Pollard

www.youtube.com/watch

Failing to See the Value

 Friday’s Column: Brent’s Biblical Bytes

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Brent Pollard

In the 1970s, the people at Reece’s came up with a new candy they initially called “PBs.” They later changed their name to Reece’s Pieces. Sales were good but then dropped. As fate would have it, Universal Studios was shooting a new movie by Steven Spielberg about a stranded extra-terrestrial who wanted to go home. They were planning on using candy as the bait to lure the alien out from his hiding place. Obviously, they were going to use the popular M&M’s. However, the maker of M&M’s, Mars Incorporated, turned down the offer to have their candy featured in the film.  

Since Reece’s Pieces were the same small size as M&M’s, Spielberg and company decided to use the chocolate, candy-coated peanut butter pieces instead. The Hershey Company was a little hesitant to permit the usage of their candy until the vice-president at the time, Jack Dowd, saw a few movie stills. He agreed and went in on a million-dollar joint promotion with the film. The movie, of course, was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.  It was a huge hit. Consequently, sales of Reece’s Piece went up 65% and surpassed sales of M&M’s for the first time in its history. One wonders what the folks at Mars Incorporated thought of their blown opportunity.  

The Hebrews’ writer speaks of something much more valuable, of which others fail to see the value: The Son of God. Note Hebrews 10.29. “How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” In its context, the Hebrews’ writer is addressing apostate Christians. This lack of appreciation is not a matter of these Christians merely falling short of God’s glory (cf. Romans 3.23). The Hebrews’ writer talks about the willful disregard of the new covenant with its symptoms, such as forsaking the assemblies (Hebrews 10.25). These are people re-crucifying Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6.4-6). 

I suppose that Mars Incorporated’s lack of foresight only hurt them momentarily. I could not find a direct head-to-head sales count for the two products, but Mars Incorporated made more sales revenue than Hershey’s in 2019. However, the person failing to value the blessings found in Jesus Christ through the committing of willful sin does away with the efficacy of the sacrifice made for their sins (Hebrews 10.26). Furthermore, such apostates will not enter God’s rest (Hebrews 4.1-11). Don’t be guilty of giving what is holy to dogs and pearls to swine (Matthew 7.6). Respond to the invitation of our Lord: 

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11.28-30) 

Works Consulted 

Foster, Tom. “Why Reese’s Pieces and Not M&M’s Were Featured in the Movie ‘E.T..’” TVOvermind, TVOvermind, 12 Feb. 2018,www.tvovermind.com/reeses-pieces-not-mms-featured-movie-e-t/. 

Kelly, Debra. “The Untold Truth of Reese’s.” Mashed.com, Mashed, 29 Apr. 2020, www.mashed.com/205754/the-untold-truth-of-reeses/. 

Troy, Eric. “Reese’s Pieces Instead of M&M’s For E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial?” Culinarylore.com, Eric Troy and CulinaryLore, 5 June 2018, https://culinarylore.com/food-history:reeses-pieces-instead-of-m-and-ms-in-et/. 

“Mars.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, www.forbes.com/companies/mars/. 

“Hershey (HSY).” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, www.forbes.com/companies/hershey/. 

The Christian And Communion

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

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Carl Pollard

Did you know that eating processed meats like bologna and pepperoni have been linked to memory loss? That’s a real bummer because most of the meat that I like is processed. I love Vienna sausages, hotdogs, pepperoni, and many other types of processed meat. Which might explain why I can’t remember names to save my life. It’s not just names, I forget about birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and a bunch of other important dates. But I’m not alone in this. Mankind as a whole tends to forget important events with the passing of time.
 
Which is exactly why God in His infinite wisdom commands us to remember a certain event every first day of the week. “The Lord’s Supper,” “the Lord’s Table,” “the Cup of Blessing,” “Communion,” and “the Breaking of Bread” each are descriptions used in scripture that refer to the act of remembering the body and blood of Jesus on the first day of the week. In the early church it was also called “the Eucharist” or “the giving of thanks” (Matt. 26:27).
 
What is the Lord’s Supper? Every week Christians observe it, and most of us know what it is. It’s a time to pause and think about the sacrifice of Christ. We do it every week and for good reason since we tend to forget important events. God commands us to participate in this act every week as a church so that we can always be thankful and remember what Christ did for us.
 
What can sometimes be an issue is that if we aren’t careful, it can be easy to let it turn into a mindless habit. What should we be doing during the communion?
 
Scripture gives us many different aspects of the Lord’s Supper that should be taken into consideration when we stop to remember the sacrifice of Jesus.
 
Matthew 26:26-29 Jesus commands us to “eat” the bread, and “drink” the cup. We are commanded to eat the bread which represents His body, and drink the cup which represents His blood.
 
As we fulfill the command to “eat” and “drink,” our minds must be completely engaged in a thorough remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice (1 Cor. 11:24-25). What do we think about during this time? The sinless and perfect life Jesus lived that made Him an acceptable solution for our sin problem. His willingness to go to the cross. The crucifixion. Specifically His body that was pierced and beaten, and His blood that poured from His wounds. Blood that has the power to forgive our sins. The burial AND resurrection because none of this would’ve meant anything if Jesus stayed in the tomb.
We should remember Christ’s right hand position in heaven that now gives us access to the Father. And we are to remember the common bond we now have as a church.
 
1 Corinthians 10:16 describes the Lord’s Supper as a “participation.” Paul uses the Greek word koinonia which means “a sharing or fellowship.” As a church we have fellowship in the blood and body of Christ. Verse 17 tells us that the “many are one” because there is only one body (Christ) that brought us together. We are united by the body of Christ.
 
The next time we observe the Lord’s Supper let’s be sure to dwell on these things; Remember every aspect of Christ’s sacrifice, remember where He is now, and remember the unity we now share with each other.
 
 
 
 

Kavachi

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary III

Gary Pollard

 
Scientists with National Geographic went near the Solomon Islands to study one of the most active underwater volcanos on earth. What they found in the hot, acidic waters of the volcano, surprisingly, was life – a couple species of sharks, stingray, and fish swimming among the plumes of ash. The risk for these fish is great, as Kavachi is known erupt frequently.
 
Churches are made up of people, and people are imperfect. No church is immune to the problem of evil, though we should certainly have a greater level of immunity to evil’s influence. When non-Christians interact with us, they may be unsure of what to expect. The world does not paint a pretty picture of our beliefs.
 
So, what will they find? They will ideally find a group of people who, despite the pervasive dysfunction of the world, display unconditional love, forgiveness, excellent character, patience, forgiveness, fairness, grace, resilience, and hope.
 
Christians should strive to pleasantly surprise the world! When they expect to find an environment that could never support healthy, loving, functional relationships, we should blow their minds with positive, life-changing interactions.
 
“Always keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they might see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (I Peter 2.12).
 
 

“Change My Mind”

Tuesday Column: “Dale Mail”

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Dale Pollard

You’ve probably seen a few videos bouncing around where there’s a person sitting at a table with a controversial statement on a sign placed in front of them.  The sign may say one of the following— 

“American civilians should carry guns. Change my mind.” 

“Abortion is wrong no matter what. Change my mind.” 

“There’s no such thing as white privilege. Change my mind.” 

“Your vote doesn’t matter. Change my mind.” 

You get the idea. The irony is that most of these people who are sitting at the table and demanding that someone change their mind— are actually hoping to change your mind. From the moment they set up that sign, sat in their chair, and placed the chip on their shoulder, they’ve already decided that their own minds won’t be changed. While some of the examples used above are important topics to think about, I’d rather talk about our mindset. 

When we read God’s Word, regardless of what we may think we know, if we find something that God has said that contradicts how we think or feel we must be willing to change anyway. 

In fact, it’s the goal of every faithful Christian to have their minds changed everyday! Each day, we are to be transformed to be a little more like the mind of Jesus. 

There were several moments in the life of Christ when the Pharisees tried to get Him to change their mind, but Jesus knew their minds had been firmly made already. They would say things like,

 “You’re not son of God! Show us a sign from heaven!” 

To minds that could not be changed, Jesus replied, “you are an evil and adulterous generation.” 

Though His followers would question Him and lose faith at times, we can still find several occasions in the gospels where we read concerning His disciples, “they understood.” 

The word used for “understand” means that they came to a higher and more complete level of thought. One such instance happens in Matthew 17:13ff. Jesus has just shown them who He truly was after His transfiguration. As He, Peter, James, and John walk down the mountain they ask, “Jesus, why do the scribes say that Elijah must come before the Messiah?” Jesus tells them that Elijah had already come, and he’s just been killed. The text says, “And the disciples understood He was speaking of John the Baptist.” Even though they had grown up in a society that had immersed them in Jewish teachings and beliefs, they were still willing to change their minds for the teachings of Jesus. Many of us could take a page out of their book. At times we’re so convinced that we’re right that we refuse to change even in the face of truth. Perhaps it’s because of the way we were raised or the church we’ve always gone to. Christ demands our minds, so we should be willing to change them for His sake. Change my mind! 

KNOCKING DOWN THE WALLS OF JERICHO

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

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Neal Pollard

God had promised the land of Canaan as early as Abraham (Gen. 15:18ff). The first city of Israel’s conquest was Jericho (Josh. 6:1). The word about and reputation of God’s people preceded them, so Jericho “was tightly shut because of” them. Despite this, the LORD told Joshua that “the wall of the city will fall down flat” (Josh. 6:5). Israel followed God’s unorthodox battle plan and “the wall fell down flat” and “they took the city” (6:20). Though they’d suffer a setback because of one man’s disobedience, this was the dramatic start of what would be the accomplishment of the land promise made to Israel.

God also promised Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 22:18). This was fulfilled through Christ (Gal. 3:28). One of the ways Jesus proved that He was the Christ was “with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him” in their midst (Acts 2:22). He started His ministry in Galilee (Mat. 4:17) and ended it in Jerusalem (Mat. 16:21), but near the end He had His own Jericho triumphs. He had not one, but two that are recorded by the gospel writers. One involved Him performing one of His many miracles, gaining a victory over sickness, but the other was a triumph of a different kind gaining a victory over Satan. 

Luke indicates Jesus was approaching Jericho when He encounters a blind beggar (Luke 18:35). Matthew and Mark also seem to record the same miracle, identifying this man as Bartimaeus, and showing perhaps “that the Saviour went in and out at the same gate of the city, and that the miracle falls into two parts” (Lange 282). But Jesus’ knocks down the wall between the haves and have nots, the socially acceptable and the socially unacceptable, when He has mercy on him and gives him his sight (Luke 18:37-43). Immediately after Bartimaeus, Jesus enters Jericho and passes through (19:1). Now, he knocks down the wall between the righteous and the sinner (19:7). He went to be a guest in the house of Zaccheus, who wanted to see Jesus so badly that he climbed a tree. The end result of this encounter is “salvation” (19:9). 

Isn’t it interesting that the Hebrew name for Jesus is “Joshua”? Isn’t it also interesting that Jesus performs these miracles in proximity to the walls of Jericho? The walls that Jesus knocks down are important to us today. They tell us that the gospel is for the poor, the hurting, the needy, the seedy, the rejects, and the sinner. Wasn’t God preparing us for this when Joshua spares a harlot and her family in the destruction of Jericho (Josh. 6:22-23)? 

Jesus was certainly about knocking down the walls we can be quick to build. Who does Jesus want us to be taking the gospel to today? Certainly, He’s not against those who are financially blessed (Zaccheus was). He’s not against those who are socially well-connected (many Christian converts in Acts and the epistles were). But, here is where Jesus is revolutionary. As Paul puts it, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not” (1 Cor. 1:27-28). He chose “the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” (Jas. 2:5). 

What should His church look like today? The gospel transforms lives and lifts people morally and spiritually higher. But, He’s interested in the Rahabs, Bartimaeuses, and Zeccheuses of our day! Jesus wants to break down barrier walls (Eph. 2:14). He wants you and me using the gospel to do the job for Him today! 

Kathy in Jericho, March, 2018

KINDNESS, KINDNESS

Neal Pollard

It was a dream, but it seemed so real to me
Hiking up a steep and rocky trail
Treacherous and hard, as far as eyes could see
So difficult, it seemed I’d fall and fail

But by my side, two men I knew so well,
My mother’s dad and one of my own elders
Their presence meant more than my lips could tell
Somehow I knew I’d make it with such helpers

We came upon a woman weathered by many years
Riddled by aches and pains and total blindness
Who told us a way to conquer foes and fears
Two words she kept repeating: “Kindness, kindness.”

It breaks the boulders of other travelers’ loads
And sweeps away all that trips and grabs
You give it freely as you climb such roads
And find it softens cruelest persecutors’ jabs.

We took her by the arm as we kept going,
Higher up this highway to our goal,
We sang a hymn and smiled with headwinds blowing
This cheered each heart and strengthened every soul.

It seemed no time the rocky stretch was traversed
The winds were calm, blue skies displayed God’s fineness
How did we keep the pace? No one reversed!
I knew full well, ’twas “kindness, kindness.”

Kindness given, kindness received, I know it!
Costs nothing to give, ’tis treasure to receive.
You’ll get much back if you’ll take the time to show it.
‘Twill give men faith and help them to believe.

Suddenly, my companions disappeared from view,
Awake, I pondered over such simple wiseness.
How can I ease your way to help and bless you?
I’ll show you nothing less than kindness, kindness!

“I Will Survive” 

Friday’s Column: Brent’s Biblical Bytes

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Brent Pollard

Gloria Gaynor rose to fame in the late 1970s with her B-side recording of “I Will Survive.” Yes, that is correct. Gaynor secured her musical legacy with a song added as filler. The A-side recording was a cover of the Righteous Brothers’ song, “Substitute.” Yet, who other than an ardent fan even recalls Gaynor’s cover? Rolling Stone magazine included “I Will Survive” in their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” in 2004. In 2016, the Library of Congress added the song to its National Recording Registry to ensure its preservation. I do not mean to diminish the rest of Gaynor’s career, but it is doubtful that her name would be long remembered without her disco anthem.   

The Apostle Paul says something like “I will survive” in Philippians 4.13. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (NASB) I realize that this is an oft-abused Scripture. For example, athletes cite it after achieving a difficult win.  We likewise note aspiring Don Quixotes quoting it to rationalize their efforts to obtain their impossible dream. As with many Scriptures, however, the context clues us in on the meaning. The Apostle Paul wasn’t supplying us with a handy aphorism to pull out when needing to boost troop morale. He was letting us know how to survive any and everything. Note the preceding verses where Paul tells the Macedonians that he has learned how to get by with surplus or shortage. In the proceeding verses, Paul tells the Philippians that were a part of God’s Providence that enabled him to do “all things” since they provided financial support.   

So, is God promising us in Philippians 4.13 that we can do whatever it is that we have set our hearts to do? Of course not. But God is letting us know that He has our back. We can count on Him and His Providence. We might wear thrift store clothing and supplement our groceries with Dollar Tree items, but God will provide our needs in keeping with His promise (cf. Matthew 6.33).  Hence, we can move forward with boldness as we do the Father’s Will. We can survive, whether that be with little or much. That is a beautiful message to lean on as we face the uncertainty of this world.   

As I travel US 129 in White and Hall Counties, I note handmade signs that have popped up along the shoulders of the road, presumably in the wake of COVID-19. The placards state, “We will be OK.” I appreciate those signs. They speak to us truthfully whether we are talking about pandemics or uncertain election results. Because of God, we will survive. We might even say that we will do more than survive. We will thrive!      

Sources Cited 

“I Will Survive.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Nov. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Will_Survive. 

 

I Want To Be Happy

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

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Carl Pollard

I was 16 years old and I remember thinking, I’ll be happy when I get a new phone. I was 17 years old and I told myself, I’ll be happy when I get my own vehicle. I was 18 and I remember thinking, I’ll be happy when I get a newer phone. I was 19 and I thought, I’ll be happy when I get a newer truck.

At 16 I got a new phone and I was happy, until I dropped it in a hotel toilet a month later. I was 17 and I got my own truck and I was happy, until the transmission went out on the way to school. I was 18 and I got a newer phone, and I was happy until I left it on the roof of my dads car as we drove home from church. I was 19 and I got a truck that was nicer than anything I could ever want. I was happy, until it broke down on an Indian reservation in Arizona.

I thought I knew what would make me happy. I chased after the physical possessions that I thought would bring me joy. The problem that I failed to see was that phones break and trucks aren’t always reliable. My happiness would run out when my stuff would break.

People are constantly searching for happiness. Why? Because they don’t know what will make them truly happy. It’s a daily experiment that never gives them the result they are looking for. There are millions of books, movies, articles, and lessons geared toward helping us find true happiness.

“How to be happy” is one of the most searched phrases on Google, second only to “how to lose weight.” We ask this question because we can’t find the answer. Solomon asked this question in Ecclesiastes. “Vanity of vanities. All is vanity says the preacher.” The wisest man in the world wanted happiness and looked at every possible solution. He looked to money, drinking, and women. Every time Solomon placed his happiness in these things, he was left feeling empty. He finally found the secret to life: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecc. 12:13).

Every earthly option was tried, and none of them seemed to work. The bottom line is to fear God and keep His commandments. Why? Because God knows His creation. Do you struggle with finding happiness? Do you want nothing more than to be content? The answer isn’t found in the world. You won’t find true, lasting happiness in anything on this earth.

Happiness is found in our purpose as God’s chosen (1 Peter 2:9), in loving God (Deut. 6:5, Matt. 22:37-39), and in showing gratitude (Psa. 118:1; 136:1; 147:7).

No Matter What, We Win

WEDNESDAY’S COLUMN: THIRD’S WORDS

Gary III

Gary Pollard

 
Today is a scary day; we’ve lost sleep, we’ve experienced no small amount of anxiety, we have legitimate fears about the future of our country, we have legitimate fears about our safety, economic prosperity, fundamental rights, and national security.
 
I’m writing this article on election day, about 16 hours before it gets posted and several hours before we will know the outcome of the election (NOTE: As of this publishing, it is still not decided). I had to study and think and pray because this day really has me (and most of us) on edge.
 
My hope is not in either man (personally, I cannot vote for someone who allows the murder of unborn children). If I’m honest with myself, I haven’t put much faith in God’s plan for our country this election cycle. I’ve been more focused on who I want in the White House.
 
The saying, “Our hope isn’t in the president,” is so often repeated at every election that it’s become very annoying to read. I know Romans 13 explicitly tells me that God controls the outcome of every election. I know that my hope isn’t in a man. I know that my rights are specific only to my brief time on earth. I know there are more important things to worry about as a Christian. Intellectually, these things are burned and imprinted into my mind. They just haven’t made their way to my heart! It’s a struggle I share with many Christians.
 
Maybe God puts whoever he puts in power to show us that we put way too much stock in man. Maybe God puts him in power to eradicate our prosperity and force us to rely on Him. Priorities become more clear when we have fewer earthly distractions. Maybe God puts him in power because our sins as a nation have brought us to the point of judgment. Maybe God puts him in power to create conditions similar to what the first century church experienced; the church grew, lost souls were saved, Christians who were faithful were all-in. Maybe God puts him in power to impress on us our own mortality and lack of control. Maybe God puts him in power because our wealth and ease has made many of us milquetoast Christians.
 
So, what if the outcome is more favorable for Christians? This should be a wakeup call. Maybe we’ve bought four more years of relative peace and prosperity. Maybe we can hang onto some rights. Maybe we can hang onto some earthly comforts. If the last couple of years have shown us anything, it’s that our lives can be changed dramatically regardless of who’s in office. What we must not do is maintain the status quo.
 
Regardless of who wins, we must start taking our faith more seriously. We must stop dividing the church. We must start thinking souls. We must desire, above all else, an eternal home with God and each other. More than just intellectually knowing these things, we must start living as if they’re real and as if our eternal destination depends on it.
 
Whoever the president is by the time this is published should mean little to us. Whoever it is, we have been given a reminder that we’re absolutely not in control and that God needs us to focus on eternity. No matter what, we win. If we suffer and die as Christians, we win. If we can save some souls who realize their need for God, we win. If we strengthen and grow the church, we win. Whoever the president is when you read this, we win!

REMEMBERING THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICS

Just a reminder for today!

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Neal Pollard

  • Politics is not as important as civility.
  • Politics is not as important as a spiritual opportunity.
  • Politics is not as important as a soul.
  • Politics is not as important as the Bible.
  • Politics is not as important as righteousness.
  • Politics is not as important as family.
  • Politics is not as important as prayer.
  • Politics is not as important as Sunday morning or Wednesday night Bible class.
  • Politics is not as important as forming Christian relationships with all our spiritual family.
  • Politics is not as important as the Lord’s church.
  • Politics is not as important as unity in truth.
  • Politics is not as important as faithfulness.
  • Politics is not as important as Christianity.
  • Politics is not as important as Christ.

We should do our civic duty and vote with a conscience guided by Scripture.  Unborn babies and biblical marriage are more important than any economic platform or energy plan…

View original post 98 more words

Election & Covid & Anxiety, Oh My! 

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

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Dale Pollard

I bet you’re probably sick hearing about two big topics right now so for the sake of this little article and your sanity— I won’t even mention them by name. Believe me, I wish my blog posting day didn’t fall on this particular Tuesday. I thought about avoiding any p*******l-related angles all together. The fact is, it’s a big deal and it’s probably what’s on your mind today. 

Well we better pray about it!

 I’m sure you’ve heard that in your congregation many times. Let’s clarify what that needs to look like in my life and in every God-fearing individual’s life. 

When we bring God a petitioning prayer concerning anything, large or little, let’s first remind ourselves of the sacred ingredients that make up an effective prayer. 

  1. Evaluate your spiritual life. The prayers of “righteous” men and women make an impact. James 5:16 
  2. God can’t be seen as one option. Think of the rascally child who, after receiving a “no” from his father, approaches his mother in secret seeking a “yes.” That child should receive a stern chat— perhaps a spanking? When we approach God, we must do so with His will above our wants. Sometimes the two line up! If they don’t, accept the answer and press on. 
  3. Saturate your petitions with praise and thankfulness. Though the virus remains active or the “wrong” man takes the office— The Almighty deserves your praise and thankful heart. After all, He reigns with perfection and justice on His throne (Psalm 97:1). God has given us the cure to a horrible sickness that not even all the scientists in the world could cure (Ephesians 2:8). Nothing that happens today or any day will ever change those things. We’ve only scratched the surface here, too. God deserves every bit of your praise and thankfulness— no matter what. 
  4. Don’t miss the big picture when you pray. Our minds have a way of fooling us into thinking that current events ARE the big picture. That’s just not true. What’s more important? The growth and faith of every member of His church. I can’t help but think of congregations that have been spiritually strengthened and grown— despite an earth shaking pandemic. What’s most important is not this country or nation, it’s His kingdom and that kingdom to come. 

Are you righteous? 

Please pray for this world and pray for His church. If there’s something keeping you from the righteousness of God, that’s far more urgent than anything else. Your faith is  what deserves your full attention. 

Let’s be a happy and hopeful people— let’s be those who practice righteousness. 

 

WHY PLANNING IS POWERFUL

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

 

 

 

 

 

Neal Pollard

  • It forces us to focus. So often, churches just “do stuff.” We don’t ask who, what, where, when, or how. We don’t ask if the thing is effective, evangelistic, edifying, or empowering. Is it outmoded? Is it merely self-serving? Can it be improved? Planning clarifies. 
  • It makes us intentional. Whether we are looking at what is currently done or what should be done, planning makes us deliberate. Especially is this true when we consider whether or not the activity, program, or work is merely internally-focused (for us) or externally-focused (for lost souls). Do we plan to grow? Reach a tangible number of people each year? Increase the depth of our footprint in the community? If so, how? Specifically how? 
  • It says that leadership is thoughtful. Planning takes precious man hours from the leadership, but how it pays off! Personal analysis, congregational analysis, and biblical analysis require thought. Done well, it will build conviction that doctrine is never to be tampered with, but that methods and means in harmony with Scripture require judgment, discrimination, and scrutiny. Putting thought into the church’s works and needs is Acts 20:28 in motion.
  • It combats chaos. So often, a church’s works lack cohesion and coordination. There are no filters in place to ask if an individual work fits with the church’s vision and mission. Works may be good, but who knows what goes on with them or if they are working. Who is accountable? To whom are they accountable?
  • It expresses discontent with the status quo. It is easy to continue with works, programs, and activities that are already in place and have people managing and executing them. But, most of our methods and means of doing church work need to be evaluated regularly to ask if changes are needed. Change brings discomfort and takes work, but as our resources change–time, talent, treasure–we may find that we are more or less able to engage in the various works of the church. We should always be looking for more and better ways to serve and glorify God. 
  • It is biblical. Jesus had a tangible plan for world evangelism (Acts 1:8). Paul had a tangible plan for growing the church through the missionary journeys (Acts 15:36ff). Look at how 1 Timothy reflects and requires planning to help the Ephesus church (1 Tim. 3:15). Paul had a tangible plan for establishing elders in congregations throughout the island of Crete (Ti. 1:5ff). Something that was in God’s mind in the eternity before time (Eph. 3:9-11) deserves our best effort, using our brightest minds to find biblical ways that are most effective to grow and strengthen it! 

Goals, dreams, intentions, and ideas will not, by themselves, accomplish anything. We must work to make those things a reality. But, a crucial first step is to articulate where we want to go. That makes planning so powerful! 

Four Ways to Cope With a Day Gone Awry 

Friday’s Column: Brent’s Biblical Bytes

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Brent Pollard

Thursday, October 29, 2020, proved to be a day gone awry for me. I was supposed to have a follow-up appointment with one of the many specialists my health problems require. The day started with a bang. That banging was the screen door repeatedly smashing the side of the house, driven by the wind in Tropical Storm Zeta. The power was out, but our backup generator was on, providing electricity. No problem, correct? No, our community well does not have a backup generator.  So, though I had electricity, I had no water. What was going to make me presentable to the public? Baby wipes to the rescue.  

The thought had occurred to me that if I were having a hard time because of the weather that the doctor’s office might as well. I called. No answer. Perhaps, I should stay at home? No. One incurs a fee for missing an appointment without prior 24-hour notification of a missed visit. So, there was no turning back from this point. I checked Georgia 511 to ensure the roads I was traveling was clear. My route checked out. There were reports of debris on secondary roadways in the areas I would travel, but none affected my trip. Everything looked great. 

In Union County, the highway was passable. The Notley River overflowed its banks, flooding the surrounding lowlands, but the road was in no danger because it is above the water-engorged river. In Lumpkin County, just beyond the Appalachian Trail crossing at Neel Gap, I noticed that the leaf and pine needle debris increased. The winds must have been worse further south.  I began seeing evidence of trees that had been cleared from the roadway in the hours before I arrived. In White County, the power was out, rendering stoplights inoperable. I discovered that most of the drivers I encountered did not know that you treat a useless traffic light as a 4-way stop. In Hall County, I drove over two or three dead, downed powerlines. A flagman stopped me briefly before directing me around a large tree, still covering half of Clarks Bridge Road.  

But I arrived at the doctor’s office safely. I was even early for my appointment. I couldn’t help but notice the parking lot was empty when I arrived, however. Yes. The office was closed because of the power outage. Had anyone thought to contact those having to drive “over the mountain” from over 50 miles away? Of course, they had not. I heard a sigh slip out.  

 

There is a large Dollar Tree in Cleveland, Georgia. So, I called my parents to let them know I arrived safely but would be returning home sooner than they expected. The Dollar Tree excursion went well. I returned to Walmart in Blairsville, Georgia, since dad had some medicine I needed to pick up. Before doing so, I stopped to take a picture of the raging Trahlyta waterfall at Vogel State Park 11 miles outside of Blairsville. It was beautiful, even if it looked like the observation deck might be washed away. Once at Walmart, I found the pharmacy was closed. The “system” had “gone down.” Despite saying they hoped they would have it back up in thirty minutes, they did not. I went home, minus dad’s medicine.  I fixed a cup of coffee and sat down to write my article. I spilled some of it on my desk. Fortunately, I did not get the keyboard wet. However, my workspace now smells like coffee. (But that is a good thing.)  

Do you want to know something interesting? I wanted to throw my hands up in exasperation at several points during the day but refused to do so. I pulled out four tricks to help me cope with a day gone awry. And here they are. 

  1. RELAX. As Cain discovered, when we become agitated, sin crouches at the door desiring mastery over us (Genesis 4.7). I could be upset that my doctor’s office was discourteous to me, but that was no excuse for sinning (Ephesians 4.26). Hence, I needed to “be still” so I could acknowledge God (Psalm 46.10).

 

  1. REJOICE. That day was a day made by my Lord. So, I needed to rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118.24). I had a say over how I would feel about things. It was a beautiful day, despite its raucous start. I was happy to be alive. Despite sounding trite, I knew others that day faced actual challenges, potentially imperiling their life. The pointless trip only inconvenienced me.  

     
  2. REFOCUS. After telling us how to find indescribable peace through prayer, Paul tells us to meditate (think) about “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,” and anything excellent or worthy of praise (Philippians 4.8). Now that I calmed down, I needed to think about what I would do to salvage the rest of the day, filling it with superlatives!

     
  3. REPURPOSE. So, I was not seeing the doctor. Even so, I needed to find something productive to ensure that I could make the most of my time (Ephesians 5.16). I immediately scrapped my previous idea for my Biblical Byte to a lesson on coping with days gone awry. I meditated upon it during my trip and read through the Scriptures after returning home. And this is the result.

It may be that one needs to throw in a fifth “R” also. Repent. If you allow a bad day to make profanities escape your lips or harbor hatred in your heart, you need to make that right with God and any other parties that may be present pronto. In that way, you can turn the day around and make it something good. I trust, though, that with practice, you can better deal with your days gone awry too. Let us strive to do all to God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10.31).    

 

“Does Everything Happen For A Reason?”

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

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Carl Pollard
Have you ever been misquoted? Like when you say something and your friend takes that and runs with it, and they turn it into a phrase that you never even said to begin with. No one likes getting words put in their mouth, especially if they’re harmful or a lie. When it comes to Gods word, it’s no different. God has clearly shown us what He has said, and there’s not any need to add to it. Sadly some people have taken Romans 8:28, a beautiful verse, and have changed it to mean something entirely different.
 
“Everything Happens For a Reason.” You’ve probably heard this phrase used before. This phrase has hurt and angered a lot of people who experience a great tragedy. We often say these words to indicate that God is in charge of all things. Unfortunately, that thought has to be balanced with the knowledge that God created us in his image; therefore, we have free will and the right to choose. 
 
If you’re like me, we won’t always use that freedom correctly. As humans we make bad and harmful decisions, and much of the pain and suffering we experience is a result of a wrong choice. God is in charge of this world, but He has chosen to give us freedom to follow. Often, things happen in our lives because we, or someone else, made a wrong choice.
 
Romans 8:28 is the verse that people will point to when they use this phrase. Let’s take a moment to dig into this verse and see what is being said. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Is God behind every tragedy? Does God cause people to wreck? Does God cause all the good and bad that happens in the world? God doesn’t make everything happen for a reason because of this: He doesn’t control our every decision. We have free choice to live however we want, and those choices are often done out of greed or selfishness or a lack of care and concern for others.
 
So what does this verse mean? Paul is trying to make a very important point. God takes the good and the bad, and uses it to accomplish His will. God causes all things to work together for Good. He doesn’t cause everything to happen;  He takes what occurs and uses it for good. He can take a bad situation and use it to accomplish His will. Bad things happen and the world is filled with sin, but God can take a seemingly terrible situation and something good can come from it. Israel made many bad decisions, but God still used them to bring about the Messiah. God can take the terrible events in our lives, and use them as a way to grow His kingdom.