Author: preacherpollard

Neal Pollard

It was ESPN’s number one among its Top Ten plays for over the weekend.  I saw it yesterday morning and was frankly moved to tears.  Jack Hoffman, a 7-year-old battling brain cancer, was given the handoff in Saturday’s Nebraska Spring football game.  He ran 60 yards for a touchdown (see it here).  Everyone, the offense, the defense, and those on the bench ran behind him and congregated in the end zone in celebration of the boy’s accomplishment.  60,000 fans at Memorial Stadium stood up and cheered.

Jack is on a break from 60 weeks of chemotherapy, and he has undergone two surgeries since doctors discovered the cancer two years ago.  While the tumor has shrunk, time will tell how this ends for this courageous little boy.  Meanwhile, he and his family have a memory for a lifetime.  To me, the most touching part was how the entire Cornhusker team rallied around this sick little boy (details from washingtonpost.com).

The church of our Lord is the most important institution on earth.  To be a part of it is to be in the place where all spiritual blessings flow (Eph. 1:3), to be in Christ (Gal. 3:27), and to be part of God’s household (1 Tim. 3:15).  Of the myriad of blessings, Christians are part of a family.  When one of our family members is sick, hurting, suffering, spiritually struggling, has fallen from Christ but returned to Him, or in any other way finds himself or herself in a battle bigger than themselves, God designed the church to rally around that one and support them.  Paul urged supporting the weak (Acts 20:35). The writer of Hebrews urges us to “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (Heb. 12:12).  Long ago, the prophet said, “Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble” (Isa. 35:3).

Nothing is more moving to see than the church family rallying around a fellow-Christian in need of help.  I know I am not alone in feeling this way!  May we always feel comfortable enough to invite others into our lives to help us as we struggle to overcome and make heaven our home!

Only A Step.

Neal Pollard

I did not see it live, but was told about it the next day.  In fact, I was shown a YouTube video of it and I could barely stomach it.  It was the jump seen around the world.  Players were swooning. His coach, Rick Pitino, “looked like he had seen a ghost.”  Kevin Ware, in going out to contest a three-point shot, leaped and landed awkwardly.  No, he landed catastrophically!  As he landed, his leg went one way and his shoe went another and the bone split.  The awkward impact was enough to cause the tibia to break through the skin.  It was bad enough that it was the lead story on the national news. It was bad enough that Kevin got a personal phone call from Joe Theismann!

It only took a second or two, one decision, one act to change this young man’s life.  Frankly, he was not the “main attraction” on a Louisville team that appears to be the best in the country, at least not before the injury.  While the prognosis for his ability to recover and play again is optimistic, Ware will never forget the impact of that one step.

Repeatedly, the Bible refers to one’s life as a “walk.”  That walk is made step by step.  Those figurative steps we take impact the remainder of our journey on earth.  Some steps are mundane and routine.  Others are life-changing.

When trying to avoid the jealous wrath of King Saul, David tells Jonathan that there is only a step between himself and death (1 Sam. 20:3).  We sing a church hymn entitled “Only A Step,” which is meant to exhort the non-Christian to see that all it takes is a step–out of the pew and down to the front–to go from lost to saved.  Thereafter, we must carefully consider the steps we take.  We effect our own destiny and that of others, too (cf. Job 34:21; Ps. 119:133; 1 Pet. 2:21).

May we each consider the steps we take and the impact they have.  Our steps may not become a “viral video,” but they are seen by God and by others.  Walk so as to have a happy landing!

Turbulence.

Neal Pollard

Air, fluid, and similar turbulence are characterized by unpredictability and uncontrolled change. Air turbulence disrupts the flow of the wind. The Mississippi River, when it contacts a tributary like the Ohio River, comes together and the hydraulic propulsion creates violent turbulence at the point where it converges. The water smoothes out and becomes less turbulent as it gets farther from the point where it united. While there are circumstances like flying and boat riding where we come to expect that turbulence is quite possible, it can still catch us off guard and be unpleasant.

For those who are married, think back to your wedding day. The bride was beautiful in her white gown, made-up hair, and that general sparkle and shine that made her seem almost angelic. The groom seemed handsome, strong, and full of vitality. This was the culmination of true love. Life and your outlook on it were bright and sunny. This was the beginning of something wonderful. But, as these two mighty forces converged, turbulence was inevitable. Coming together and being united is not done smoothly and without waves. Two people from different backgrounds, viewpoints, and histories do not automatically make things work out without adjusting to the turbulence.

God did not make us weak people. You cannot collapse and fold when things get rough and choppy. You cannot get off the plane during the turbulence. It is not smart to get out of the boat when the waves and the turbulence are stirred. Your best hope is to stay put and ride out the bumps and bounces. But, oh the reward and blessing of enduring whatever unrest and uproar you encounter in marriage. Think of how pleasant the ride of marriage is, and help make it so! Just do not be a wimp and give up at the first sign of marital turbulence. The unpredictability can be so much a part of the excitement!

Neal Pollard

• Lot’s wife gave up her life for a single glance back at Sodom
• Korah gave up his life for a run at power
• Achan gave up his life for a few items of clothes and a little wealth
• Samson gave up his life for relief from the nagging of a wicked woman
• Absalom gave up his life for a seat on a throne
• Ahab gave up his life for a vineyard of grapes
• Haman gave up his life for a bow from Mordecai
• Judas gave up his life for approximately $30
• Ananias and Sapphira gave up their lives for an infinitesimal percentage of the world’s riches.
• Christians must give up their lives: to the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5) for His sake (Luke 17:33) on the altar of service (Rom. 12:1-2).

The Most (And Least) Religious Cities In America.

Neal Pollard

Adrian Garcia, in a Denver Post blog article, reported “Boulder one of the least religious cities in the U.S.” as determined by a new Gallup poll (http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_22907780/new-gallup-poll-boulder-one-least-religious-cities).  It barely finished second to Burlington, Vermont.  The most religious cities, according to the poll, were Provo-Orem, Utah, Montgomery, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi.  While the findings are not surprising and seem to reflect the social cultures and philosophies of their locales (as Gallup put it, “America is a remarkably religiously diverse nation, and much of this diversity is geographically based. Residents in some areas and cities — namely, those in the South and in Utah — are two or three times as likely to be very religious as those living in cities in the Northeast, the Northwest, and other Western locations”), I was very interested at how Gallup framed the poll.

See, the poll found that 40 percent of Americans are “very religious,” determined by their saying that religious forms an important part of their lives and that they attend religious services every or nearly every week.  So, we are not talking about people who attend church services every day or who live in cloisters or religious communes.  We are talking about people who see fit to attend an hour a week.  The claim of religion being important to one’s daily life, of course, is subject to “cross-examination” by those who encounter the professed religious each day.  One can say religion is important, but their actions may disprove the claim (cf. Luke 6:46).

Consider this contemplation and challenge.  How important would God say religion is to you and me?  How often does He hear from us in prayer or meet us in the reading of His Word? What does He see from us as we interact with the people in our daily lives–a reflection or rejection of Christ? Who knows that religion plays an important part of our lives? Does that conviction drive us to take every opportunity to worship and study–not just once a week, but each time the “doors are opened”?  Paul wrote, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Phil. 2:14-16).

May we build such a relationship with God that all those who encounter us will know how important our service and devotion to Him truly is!

Just For The Taste Of It!.

Neal Pollard

An old soft-drink slogan used the words in the above caption.  The idea was that, despite it being a diet drink, people drank it for the taste.  Whether or not consumers in those days liked the taste of this drink, the slogan was catchy and memorable.

Regarding sin, many have sacrificed their marriages, their parental influence, and their influence just for the taste of it.  It was unfulfilling and brought unanticipated misery, but “in the moment” it seemed worthwhile.  “Forbidden fruit” may taste good going down, but it leaves a bitter after taste.

Some search long and hard for “living water” just for the taste of it.  They have found the road of sin unsatisfying and they are searching.  They long for purpose, peace, and purity.  Thank God for those who, in searching, have found the way.  Many are dying to know Him, and many are dying without having known Him.  Often, those who come to Christ, rather than being raised in the church, seem to find that “water” tastes sweeter.  They knew the feeling of spiritual thirst and the satisfaction of having it slaked.

Some study God’s word just for the taste of it.  David said, “How sweet are Your words to my taste!” (Ps. 119:103).  Can some of His Word be “hard to swallow”?  Absolutely!  But, His word does us good (Micah 2:7).

Some trust in God’s goodness just for the taste of it.  Again, in the Psalms, we read, “O taste and see that the Lord is good” (34:8).  How many of us have repeatedly experienced God’s deliverance, even when such seemed unlikely?  His providential care is something tangible, its evidence strewn before our pathway if we will look carefully.

For what do you have a taste?  Is it for something wholesome and healthy, or is it for that which is harmful to you?  Make all your pursuits and actions tasteful!

Swallowed By A Sinkhole.

Neal Pollard

I sat in unbelief as Fox News reported about the death of Jeff Bush, a 36-year-old who was asleep in his Seffner, Florida, house on March 1st when a sinkhole opened up and swallowed him.  The instability of the site was so dangerous that the sinkhole became his tomb, as workers could not retrieve him.  Family was distraught and in disbelief.

What a tragic, unexpected circumstance!  You lie down not knowing that you will not arise in the morning.  You are taken in such dramatic fashion.  Along with my feelings of sympathy for a grief-stricken family, my mind went to a couple of biblical accounts.  I thought of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their households, swallowed up by the earth in Numbers 16.  The difference in that instance is that, incredibly, the earth closed over them.  But, whether miraculously or naturally, such events clearly demonstrate the unmatched power of God. Then, I thought of Jesus’ words about the Galileans killed by Pilate and the eighteen people killed by the tower of Siloam in Luke 13.  That passage would implicitly say that, even in Mr. Bush was a depraved, wicked sinner, he was in no worse a condition than anyone who needs to repent (3,5).

But, I suppose the thing that dominated my thoughts most of all was how fragile life can be and how unexpectedly death can come.  Some day, Judgment will come.  Scripture describes that instantaneous moment as coming in the blink of an eye, as a thief in the night (cf. 1 Th. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; 1 Cor. 15:52).  Whether in our lifetime or not, one day many on earth will be awakened from sleep by the second coming.  In that moment, it will have to be an utter and final realization for the lost that it is too late.  For the impenitent and unbaptized or for the unfaithful Christian, they may call out but to no avail.  They will have made their decision (cf. 2 Th. 1:7-9).

I cannot imagine too many things on earth more unexpected than waking up to one’s end like Mr. Bush.  However, I can think of at least one thing which has yet to occur.  Let us make sure we are ready for it!

SINGING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING: “WE HAVE HEARD THE JOYFUL SOUND”.

Neal Pollard

The King James Version has long been a beloved, trusted translation of scripture.  Its influence is also still seen and heard in our teaching, preaching, prayers, and songs, with the melodic, Elizabethan English.  The song “We Have Heard The Joyful Sound” is but one example of the influence of this grand old version upon songs we still sing today.  Priscilla Owens wrote this song at the tail end of the “Great Awakening,” a time when the industrial age and inventions for efficiency were being created, and a time when our nation, from Manifest Destiny to various reforms and emerging from the ravages of the Civil War, was greatly optimistic.  Churches not only felt that jubilation, but felt that such privileges meant heightened responsibility.  Though times seem bleaker overall today, Christians still enjoy unmatched privileges and are faced with as great a responsibility. Consider the lyrics.

The first verse proclaims the fact of salvation, urging the worshipper to tell others. “Spread the tidings all around” is an exhortation to share the gospel, the glad tidings of good things.  “Bear the news” means to take it, and we are urged to take it up the mountains and across the ocean–wherever we can.  Why? The Lord has commanded it.

The second verse begins with a word we seldom use: “Waft.” Again, “Praise For The Lord” helps us with a glossary entry at the bottom, showing us it means “propel.”  Again, the call is to take the gospel to not only our neighborhoods, but to foreign lands. The impact of evangelism is shown in hyperbole and personification, that even islands and caves will reverberate their joy of the taught word. The Jubilee (Lev. 25) was the year of a new beginning.  It seems the songwriter is referring to the new life brought by the gospel, and those who obey it enjoy the greatest new beginning of all.

The third verse speaks of the circumstances in which the gospel must go.  It must be shared in time of war, when times are sad, and when we struggle with personal problems.  No matter the adversity, the cause for rejoicing remains: “Jesus saves!”

Finally, the fourth verse may well be an allusion to Psalm 68, or at least a call to do as God did in the long ago in showing His might and power (see Psalm 68:33 in the KJV).  This last stanza is the most urgent call to fulfill the Great Commission. Speak the word which will cause mankind to rejoice. Tell it everywhere.  Let everyone know the reason for the hope that is in us: “Jesus saves!”

The entire song makes me think of Psalm 107:2: “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary.”

STUBBORN AS AN AMAZIAH.

Neal Pollard

So far as I know, it is not a proverb or even a saying.  But, it could be.  No mule has anything of this king of Judah.  When he is introduced to us, the Holy Spirit through the penman has these positive words: “He did right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chron. 25:2a).  There are not a great many kings of Judah (and none in Israel) of whom this could be said.  Yet, Scripture continues, “…yet not with a whole heart.”  He honored the law of Moses (25:4), but he showed from the earliest days of his reign a fighting spirit. He assembled Judah, appointed them for battle, took a census, and even hired 100,000 men of the northern kingdom to combat the Edomites.

For a man who gets relatively little notice in Scripture, he was repeatedly given warnings.  After hiring the Israelites as mercenaries, Amaziah receives a visit from a man sent by God.  The prophet tells him not to let the army of Israel go with them to battle, then tells him, “God has the power to help and to bring down (8).  Ultimately, Amaziah would ignore this message.

After routing Edom, Amaziah brought their gods back, “set them up as his gods, bowed down to them and burned incense to them” (14). This provoked God’s anger, so He sends a prophet to rebuke the Judean king (15). Amaziah promptly threatens the prophet if he does not be quiet.  The prophet replies, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel” (16). Nowhere does Scripture indicate Amaziah even pausing to contemplate the warning.

Instead, his next move is to challenge Israel’s king, Joash, to fight (17). Joash, though far from righteous, tells him a brief parable with a clear message: “Now stay at home” (19).  Of course, Amaziah did not listen and was humiliated in battle and plundered by Israel (21-24).  That is all we know about Amaziah until he slinks off the stage of life ignominiously fifteen years later by conspirators who assassinated him (27).

King Amaziah is one of the best biblical examples of the high cost of stubbornness. What about us? Are we those capable of distinguishing and following wise counsel? Do we listen or do we have to learn the hard way? Beware! Stubbornness can be costly.  Various people are actually called “stubborn” in Scripture, and it is never a good thing (see Pharaoh, Israel in Moses’ generation, Israel in the period of the Judges, etc.). No one should be gullible, but neither should one be incapable of receiving counsel.  Don’t be as stubborn as an Amaziah!

What Causes Road Rage?.

Neal Pollard
Yesterday’s local news included the report of two vehicles, a minivan and mid-size pickup truck, whose drivers became embroiled in an alleged road rage incident.  Before it was over, the truck flipped over and three children had to be hospitalized.  Such incidents produce mixed reactions in most of us–anger and indignation at such recklessness, but also perhaps a modicum of guilt and shame.  Have you ever had your temperature rise over another motorist texting or otherwise distracted with a phone while driving, going under the speed limit in the fast lane, seemingly camping out under a green light, cutting you off in traffic, or otherwise violating the road rules of courtesy? Too many of these incidents have famously ended in death because the rage grew so severe.

What produces a more dramatic, heightened response, typified by “road ragers”?
Certainly, it can be stress.  Speed, stop and go, and just commuting is certainly anxiety-producing. It might also be the tendency to dehumanize or objectify the other drivers from within the safety of our metal (plastic?) boxes.  But, so often, it begins because of one’s inability to properly handle their own anger.  In other words, it is so often simply a shortage of self-control.

Perhaps we all need reminded of God’s thoughts on the matter.  “A fool’s anger is known at once” (Prov. 12:16a). “He who is quick-tempered exalts folly” (Prov. 14:29b). “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife” (Prov. 15:18a). “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city” (Prov. 16:32). “A man of great anger will bear the penalty, for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again” (Prov. 19:19). “Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood” (Prov. 27:4a). “Anger resides in the bosom of a fool” (Ecc. 7:9). Outbursts of anger are a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20). “The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:20).  Much more is said, but we get the point.

The principle applies to more than operating a motor vehicle.  God feels the same about all sinful anger.  It does not matter what provokes us or is bothering us.  He expects us to master self with its potential evil deeds.  In a word, we cause our own rage.  Let’s kill such danger by rooting it from our hearts.

A HEART FOR MISSIONS.

Neal Pollard

I just sat through one of the most enjoyable half-hours of my life, listening to Tony Johnson talk about his first year of work as a missionary in Tamale (TOM Uh Lee), Ghana.  While I listen as one who considers Tony a dear friend whom I had the blessing of teaching “Preacher And His Work” while he was in school, the thrill came from who Tony is and what he is doing.  He has a superior understanding of what it takes to do missions, a rare intellect and knack for analysis, and a heart for soul-winning.  He would excel in a pulpit anywhere in America, but he has chosen to help evangelize, edify, and extend benevolence to the almost entirely Muslim areas of northern Ghana, western Togo, and southern Burkina Faso.  He joins other excellent workers in that region like Steven Ashcraft, men of ability, intellect, and integrity who are faithful to the Word.

As I sat there, this thought occurred to me.  Wherever you and I find ourselves, whether in lesser or greater fertile fields, we need to have a passion and fervent heart for our Lord’s mission.  While listening to Tony made me want to make plans to go to a third-world nation, I was made aware of how diligently God wants me working in the field where I have been planted.  Wherever we find ourselves on this earth, our heart must beat for the purpose for which God has us on this earth.  It meant so much to Jesus that He left these as parting words to the disciples before His face and those who would thereafter read them:  “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Doesn’t that stir your heart to missions? To His mission?