Author: preacherpollard

THE LORD WHO LOOKS FROM HEAVEN.

Neal Pollard

The writer of Psalm 33 is unknown to us, but his words are powerful and poignant.  Particularly comforting is the heart of the psalm, verses six through seventeen.  From these verses, we are reminded about God’s position in the affairs of mankind on earth.

The Lord who looks from heaven created everything (Ps. 33:6).  He is neither caught off guard by nor unprepared for the things that happen over all the earth, in a single nation, or a single person’s life.  He preceded us under the sun He created, and, unless Christ comes again in our life, He will succeed us as we head to the grave.

The Lord who looks from heaven sustains everything (Ps. 33:7).  He even controls the weather, the water cycle, and every other facet of nature.  He has a firm grasp over all the things, nor’easters, tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards, and other storms, that threaten to overwhelm and eclipse us.

The Lord who looks from heaven controls everything (Ps. 33:8-12).  He controls the world and nature (8-9).  He controls what happens in nations (10).  His plans cannot be thwarted by men (11).  He blesses nations that serve and acknowledge Him (12).  That is never in doubt for even a single moment.

The Lord who looks from heaven sees everyone (Ps. 33:13-15).  He sees more than politicians and voters.  He understands complex matters like quantum physics and electoral colleges. His understanding goes infinitely deeper.  He knows all hearts and understands all works, at the most intimate level.

The Lord who looks from heaven saves everyone who follows Him (Ps. 33:16-17). It is not kings, mighty armies, warriors, great strength, horses, or anything else.  The rest of the Psalm reveals the comfort for any who look to the Lord for salvation.

He delivers the souls from death who fear Him and hope for His lovingkindness (18). He helps those who wait for Him (20).  Those who trust in Him rejoice in Him (21).  May we pray with the psalmist, “Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You” (22).

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.  But, inasmuch as Paul, Peter, Christ, and others were neither Republican, Democrat, or any other party affiliate (they declared no Roman political party, so far as scripture reveals), let us keep things in proper, spiritual perspective.  Outcomes of elections for president, house and senate may impact our national freedoms and direction, but what is most important is for Christians to be Christians all day every day, trying to win people to Christ and getting people to heaven.  Our greatest energy and emotion need to be for Christ and the church.  May we remember that, today and every day!

Neal Pollard

Love is one of the most misunderstood and abused words in the English language. Some of the more unloving things are done in its name. It is confused with lust, neglect, abuse, ignornace, and encouragement of evil. Even in religion, love is the banner of everything from hatred and terrorism to gross immorality and perversion. It is helpful to remind ourselves what constitutes love.
LOVE DOES NOT ENABLE WEAKNESS. Pretending that a loved one does not have a sin problem or character flaw is not loving. Protecting someone in a compulsive, addictive behavior from the consequences of their sin is extremely unloving. This is nurturing negative behavior.
LOVE DOES NOT EXCUSE SIN. Giving someone an out for sinful lifestyles may seem like the warm and fuzzy way to go, but God strongly condemns such validating (Rom. 1:32). We can go to incredible lengths to legitimize what transgresses God’s law.
LOVE DOES NOT ENCOURAGE PERVERSION. Jesus condemns sexual relationships that fall outside the original marriage grid (Matt. 19:4-5). Whether we are speaking of “shacking up,” “open marriages,” “gay marriages,” “alternative lifestyles,” or the like, we are referencing things which condemn the soul. That some would even push and promote such things in the name of love certainly disgusts our God (Hab. 1:13).
LOVE DOES NOT ENDORSE A LIE. Lies are of Satan (John 8:44). God is love (1 John 4:8). Therefore, lying and love are incongruous. They are from opposite sources. Telling someone who is not right with God that they are is a lie rather than an act of love. Leaving the impression that moral decadence is acceptable is disingenuous and thus unloving.
LOVE DOES NOT EXPECT PERFECTION. In fact, Paul says that love “does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1 Cor. 13:5). It “covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8). In other words, love is not something we offer only on stringent conditions and unrealistic expectations. That is manipulation and not love. Thankfully, our loving God does not expect perfection from us. He knows we are incapable of it. If we, imperfect beings, cannot give a perfect God perfection, how could imperfect human beings give us, imperfect human beings, perfection? Think about it!
LOVE DOES NOT END RESPONSIBILITY. Love is not a substitute for performance. The abuser hopes that profuse profession of love will make his wife forget that he has beaten her. The liar hopes that verbal affirmation of love is enough to negate the hurt and anger of the one harmed by his or her dishonesty. The person who has yet to obey the gospel will freely confess, “I love the Lord.” That may well be, but it is an inadequate love that does not respond to God’s great love in humble obedience.
The world will never get love “right.” It is up to us to demonstrate it to them. We do this by loving one another (John 13:34-35). We do this by loving God enough to do His will (John 14:15). We do this by loving the world enough to show them the Light (Matt. 5:46; 28:19).

Neal Pollard

The modern definition of “pedagogue,” a strict teacher who gives meticulous, laborious assignments to the student, is a transliteration of the Greek word from which it comes.  The New Testament uses the word in multiple places.  In the first-century world, a pedagogue was a service whose job it was to take the children to school.  According to AMG’s annotated Strong’s Dictionary, it was “usually a slave or freedman to whose care the boys of a family were committed, who trained them up, instructed them at home, and accompanied them to the public schools” (2240).  He had general charge over a boy during the stage of life spanning about age 6 to 16 (Reinecker 510), a stage known in the Greek as “epheboi” (or, youth).  Once a Greek and Roman male reached adulthood, he no longer needed his pedagogue.  He was full-grown and mature.

Interestingly, Paul calls the Law of Moses our pedagogue.  In Galatians 3:23-24, he writes, “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.”  That word “tutor” (NAS; “schoolmaster” in the KJV) is from the aforementioned Greek word, literally meaning “child-conductor.”

• The “pedagogue” served for a particular religious stage of life for mankind.  That stage is recorded for us in Old Testament history and spanned from the giving of the law at Sinai (Exo. 20) until it was taken out of the way at the cross (Col. 2).  It was in force throughout that time, though it was never God’s permanent solution to lead and instruct mankind.
• The “pedagogue’s” work existed until a later date when it was replaced by something else.  When Jesus took this pedagogue out of the way, He put a new, better law into effect.  We are led by His will (Col. 3:17).
• The “pedagogue” could not justify us to God.  Paul says as much, stating that it led us to Christ who justifies us by faith.  The writer of Hebrews speaks of a new and better covenant (Heb. 8:7ff).

Our pedagogue served its purpose.  The Old Testament pointed ahead to Christ.  The New Testament shows that Christ was known, foretold, and prophesied in the Old Testament.  All history centered around Christ, and that pedagogue sees to it that we learn that essential truth!

Neal Pollard

A historic storm is bearing down on the east coast.  Many forecasters are claiming that the impending weather phenomenon poised to hit the Mid-Atlantic and northeast, called a nor’easter, is the largest in history.  Coupled with that is the surging, strong category one hurricane, Sandy.  The two will clash together in a super storm being called “Frankenstorm”–due to its proximity in time to October 31st.  It will bring hurricane-force winds, storm surges, blizzards, tornadoes, possible tidal waves, and more.  The dramatic nature of this event was expressed this way by Stu Ostro, meteorologist for the Weather Channel: “”History is being written as an extreme weather event continues to unfold, one which will occupy a place in the annals of weather history as one of the most extraordinary to have affected the United States” (Doyle Rice, USA Today online, 10-29-12).

Events like this give perspective to who we are in contrast to the living God!  We are small, dependent, and relatively fragile, as events like this prove.  Arrogance and defiance are exchanged for humility and dependency.

The Christian’s confidence is in Christ, who proved Himself the Master of winds and waves (Mat. 8:26-27).  As the One who created everything that was made, including the elements of nature (Col. 1:16), His power exceeds anything that it can demonstrate.  As tens of millions face power outages, as property damages will be in the multi-billions of dollars, and as lives will be endangered by the unprecedented storm, this fact becomes more incredible and reassuring.  When the storms of life rage, He is our shelter.  If the physical storms threaten, we can rest in His eternal protection.  When that great event comes that ends it all (2 Pet. 3:10), we can be safe from eternal harm!  The Master of the winds and the waves mastered a problem even bigger than Sandy.  He mastered the sin problem.  If we make Him our Master, we need fear nothing this life may throw at us.

Please pray for the millions of people threatened by this storm, including a great many of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  –NP

Neal Pollard
I believe Hugh Stowell, many years ago, penned one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The song, “From Every Stormy Wind That Blows,” reads…

From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
‘Tis found beneath the mercy seat.
There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all besides more sweet;
It is the blood-bought mercy seat.
There is a scene where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend;
Though sundered far, by faith they meet
Around one common mercy seat.
There, there on eagle’s wings we soar,
And sin and sense seem all no more,
And heaven comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy seat.

To fully appreciate this song, one must understand what the mercy seat is. We are introduced to the mercy seat in Exodus 25, after the Lord had made the covenant with Moses and Israel upon Mt. Sinai. The people were voluntarily to give of their means for the building of the tabernacle and its furniture (Ex 25:9). The pattern for the ark was given first (:10-16), followed by instructions for the mercy seat (:17-22).
The mercy seat covered the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies (cf., Ex 26:34). God told Moses, “There I will meet with you…” (Ex 26:22). It was a place of holiness, fellowship, righteousness, and instruction. Not even Aaron, the High Priest, could come before the mercy seat without offering a sin sacrifice for himself (Leviticus 16:2ff). God was there, appearing in a cloud over the mercy seat. The ritual Aaron had to follow to approach the holiness of God there was extensive (read Leviticus 16:3-14). Included in that was the placing of blood upon the mercy seat to make “atonement” for himself and his household. The same thing was done to the mercy seat to make atonement for the people (Leviticus 16:15). Later on, when the temple was built, a place was reserved for the mercy seat (1 Chronicles 28:11).
When the New Testament speaks of the mercy seat, the primary audience is the Jews. The mercy seat is figuratively used to represent the importance and significance of what Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross does in taking care of our sin problem. We depend on the mercy of God to save us from the guilt of our sins, and the symbol of the mercy seat is designed to help us see both the ugliness of our sin and the complete holiness of God. He absolutely will not receive us and forgive us without an “atonement” for our sins.
Therefore, when you come to New Testament verses speaking of “propitiation,” “atonement,” and “reconciliation,” take into consideration their Old Testament background. These words describe God’s justice and wrath being satisfied in some way. The “some way” is Jesus’ blood sacrifice on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:19 explains this by saying, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them…” Jesus, our High Priest (Heb 9:11-12), offered up His own blood, not for His sins but for our sins. By that sacrifice, we are made alive and right with God (Rom 5:11-21). But we must go to the designated place to receive the benefits of Jesus’ shed blood. The Bible says both that the blood (Revelation 1:5) and baptism (Acts 22:16) wash away our sins. So, Jesus’ blood washes away our sins at the point of baptism, submitted to by a repenting believer who is being baptized in order to have his or her sins forgiven (Acts 2:38).
It was certainly a relief to God’s Old Testament people to have their sins atoned for by the High Priest. But, each sacrifice each year was a reminder that the debt had not been fully satisfied (Heb 10:3-4). Thank God that what those sacrifices could NOT do, Jesus’ sacrifice did once for all time (Heb 7:27). When we do what God says to be saved, the debt against us is canceled and fully satisfied. If we continue to live faithful to God, that blood continues to save us (1 John 1:7). Because of this, no matter the hurts and heartaches we face in this life, we can have the peace and fellowship of God to hold us up “beneath the mercy seat.” What comfort!

Neal Pollard

A “straw man,” by definition, is “a sham argument set up to be defeated.”  If the term needs further defined, some examples should help.  Consider a few common, recognizable “strew men.”

• “…Even in the case of rape and incest.”  This is a straw man used by proponents of abortion on demand, a practice that will incur the wrath of God in keeping with His timeless, sovereign nature and character (Prov. 6:16-17; Ezek. 16:21).  Beyond that, consider the hard facts.  It is impossible to find any credible reporting agency that would assert a number higher than one percent of all abortions being for these reasons (between 1987-2004, the Alan Guttmacher Institute never found a statistic above one percent).  On the other hand, Dr. David C. Reardon writes that “in the only major study of pregnant rape victims ever done, Dr. Sandra Mahkorn found that 75 to 85 percent chose against abortion” (“Pregnancy and Sexual Assault,” 55-69, as quoted on abortionfacts.com).  A sinful practice, most often exercised for socio-economic and birth-control reasons, is shielded behind a straw man.
• “…But there are hypocrites in that church.”  This is a straw man used by some who have abandoned the assemblies.  They muster up examples of shallow or hollow Christianity to justify their own forsaking.  Their argument is that they are no worse off staying away than some who faithfully attend, but whose examples nullify any good in their attending.  Hypocrisy is an ancient evil (Mat. 23:28; 1 Pet. 2:1).  Preachers, elders, and deacons can even be guilty.  Yet, to cite such to justify rebelling against God’s will (Heb. 10:25), to defend that which jeopardizes our own soul, and to practice something that will have eternal consequences for ourselves and those we influence is incredibly weak and flimsy.  There are hypocrites among co-workers, fellow parents on our kids’ teams and activities, civic organizations, and anywhere else there is group dynamics.  Yet, we stick with those. One’s own disobedience cannot be hidden behind this straw man.
• “…Serving God is about love, not law.”  This is a straw man usually pulled out when obedience to God’s commands is stressed, even in uncomfortable, trying circumstances.  It is trotted out to oppose lessons with doctrinal “teeth,” that take a stand and come to an absolute conclusion.  With it, the idea is espoused that commands that might offend, disturb, and challenge (like church discipline, God’s law for marriage, divorce, and remarriage, the essentiality of baptism, or the singular nature of the church) should be avoided, that love and grace should be promoted instead.  Such a fallacy fails to see the biblical connection between love and obedience (John 14:15,21; Rom. 13:10).

May we reason well the foundation of our faith.  May we stand upon the rock solid foundation of Scripture.  It is unstable to lean upon a straw man.

Neal Pollard

Scott Balbin is doing a great job teaching Ezekiel and Daniel on Sunday mornings.  Yesterday, he briefly touched on what the class had seen in Daniel two the prior week.  It was my pleasure to sit next to our resident sage and my dear friend, Johnson Kell.  At the end of the class, he asked me the question, “How are we doing in the fifth kingdom?”  I knew exactly what he was asking.  Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and visions about the “last days” concerned a great image, which represented four great kingdoms.  Historically, these were the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires.  Daniel says that during the days of the Roman “kings,” another kingdom would be set up that would never be destroyed (Dan. 2:44).  That kingdom is clearly shown in Hebrews 12:23-29 to be the church of the firstborn.  This is the church Jesus promised to build (Mat. 16:18-19), a kingdom the establishment of which was imminent (Mat. 16:28).  A kingdom that came with power on the Day of Pentecost, at which time we see first reference made to that church being in existence (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 47).  That “fifth kingdom,” the church, will never be destroyed and nothing will bring about its utter and complete demise.

Yet, Johnson’s question is valid.  How are we doing in this “fifth kingdom”?  Some individual congregations are thriving, while others are languishing.  Some are growing and some are dying.  Some are being faithful to the New Testament pattern and are boldly proclaiming the whole counsel, but others have abandoned such an approach.

Beyond that, how is each congregation doing to educate, evangelize, edify, equip, entrust, and endow?  As we look at individual components of our congregation, how are we doing in church leadership, organization, involvement, outreach, benevolence, spirituality, morality, discipline, and the like?

We should never be satisfied that we are doing enough.  We can always grow and improve.  But, oh the wisdom in asking the question.  If we stop self-analysis and self-examination, we are in a dangerous place!  This starts with me asking, “How am I doing in the fifth kingdom?”  That is the area over which I have the most control!

Neal Pollard
Undoubtedly, one could find more contrasts than comparisons between Christ’s birth and death. Yet, a study of both reveals some interesting parallels. Both changed the world and have altered the impact of eternity. Consider the following:

1) At both, He was rejected of men (Luke 2:7; Mark 15:15).

2) At both, He was cast “outside” (Luke 2:7; Hebrews 13:12).

3) At both, Mary was there (Luke 2:7; John 19:26).

4) At both, myrrh was present for use upon Him (Matthew 2:11; John 19:39).

5) At both, there was darkness (Matthew 2:10,14; Matthew 27:45).

6) At both, His body was wrapped in clothing (Luke 2:7,12; Mark 15:46).

7) At both, a Herod becomes curiously involved (Matthew 2:7ff; Luke 23:7ff).

8) At both, there was worship-though the first was genuine and the second
mocking (Matthew 2:11 and Luke 2:13-14; Mark 15:19).

9) At both, wise men recognized His deity (Matthew 2:1ff; Mark 15:39 and
Luke 23:41)

10) At both, Jew and Gentile were there.

11) At both, He was hailed as King-though one was in earnest and the other
in jest (Matthew 2:2; Mark 15:26,32).

12) At both, an “honorable” man named Joseph was present (Matthew 1:19 +
Luke 2:16; Mark 15:43).

13) At both we find the chief priests and scribes involved (Matthew 2:4-6; Matthew 27:1ff).

Neal Pollard

Desdery Massawe, the preacher at Meru church of Christ, Charles Heberth, who works with the Andrew Connelly School, Michael Hite and I arrived at Mula Chini this morning to meet with a 22-year-old young woman we studied with on Monday.  We taught her about the one church and her need to obey Christ in order to have God add Him to it.  She had put off the decision to be baptized on Monday because she had to prepare food.  Today, when we asked her, she said she was not ready.  She told us she wanted to wait until Sunday!  We discussed this for a couple of hours.  She would seem very close to the right decision, but then she would say, “Sunday.”  We asked why Sunday was better than today.  We asked her what would be different on Sunday.  We asked what would happen if she did not make it to Sunday.  She never had an answer.  She would only flash her sweet smile. Two and a half hours later, when we discovered that she was slightly afraid of the water and very afraid of the disapproval of an older lady, she decided that she should resist the devil so that he would flee.  She said she was ready today!

We told her the first step would be the hardest, but that she would feel great joy and peace once she obeyed God’s plan of salvation.  After a long, bumpy ride from Mula Chini to the Arusha church building and drawing several huge tubs of water out of the well to pour into their baptistery, Glory received God’s grace through her obedient faith.  It was exciting to see her overcome her fear and excuses.  She knew what she needed to do.  She wanted what she saw scripture promise.  She just felt more comfortable waiting.

How many are like Glory, except they have not conquered their excuses, fear, or hardness of heart?  They wait–for a more convenient time, for a more agreeable feeling, for a change of circumstances–gambling that later will come.  They gamble with stakes too high.  Our soul is eternal, and it will be somewhere forever!  Don’t wait until Sunday.  Don’t wait another minute!

Neal Pollard
Someone shared this “anonymous” snippet with me a while back.  It is entitled, “Five tips for a woman.”

• It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.

• It is important that a man makes you laugh.

• It is important to find a man you can count on and who doesn’t lie to you.

• It is important that a man loves you and spoils you.

• It is important that these four men don’t know each other.

What is so funny about that, ladies?
I suppose that the punch-line of that is that no one such man exists.  That may be true.  However, despite the weak attempt at humor, there are some important nuggets contained in it.
There are some basic fundamental needs every man and woman have that marriage can supply.  While each marital partner should focus on how to give these to his or her spouse, every one needs these.

• Dependability–Someone who will help out and “pull their weight.”

• Humor–Someone who can dispense this heart medicine regularly.

• Honesty–Someone whose words and deeds can be trusted implicitly and without doubt.

• Affection–Someone who will genuinely desire them, body and soul.

• Spiritual Assistance–Someone who will help them grow closer to God and get to heaven.

It is interesting that most people value these even more than money, material things, a great social life and popularity.  Friends come and go.  Family passes into and out of one’s life.  Co-workers change constantly throughout our career.  The one constant for a married person, through all the stages of life, is one’s mate.  Only with one’s spouse can one have a friend, a lover, and a spiritual sibling.  If you are married, talk to your mate today.  Ask him or her what they think is truly important.  Then, get to work

Neal Pollard

I was last in Tanzania in March, 2007.  Kathy, Dale, and I came, and taught seminars and did evangelistic work.  Tanzania is not the first place I did short-term foreign missions, but it is the place to which I have come most often and no place is more dear to me.  Many years ago, Kathy and I gave very serious consideration to moving our family over here to work with the TZ 2000 mission team.  They are some of God’s wonderful people!

I have been looking forward to the sights and sounds of this country, an enchantingly beautiful land.  However, my greatest anticipation has been to see the people!  Michael Hite and I have been here for less than a day, and the first half of that was in a jet lagged stupor.  Yet, already I have seen Charles Heberth and Asher Mbasha.  My first trip was 2003, and I have known each of them since then.  I saw a man, Peter from Uganda, who is in the Master’s program.  I met him at Monduli in 2006. I will see Charles Ogutu, David Bayi, Christopher Mwackabunge, Josephat Massawe, and many others I have not seen for years.  These names and places probably mean little to most of you, but they are special to me because I have worked, worshipped, and spent time with them in the past.  Their sacrifice and service to God has made their impression on me and many others.  The work was still small and struggling when I first started coming, but now over 80 congregations have been established and a new school of preaching in Kenya is beginning from graduates at the Andrew Connelly school here. The Staffords, Gees, and Hochdorfs (from whose house I am typing this) are a great team, growing this work through the schools, congregations, and native preachers and members.  It is so wonderful to see them again!

Heaven will be inexpressibly wonderful for many reasons.  The reward, the rest, the glory and presence of God, the unmitigated joy, and the saints!  What a glorious, endless day we will experience there!  To visit with brothers and sisters throughout eternity, to share the thrill of fellowship that never gets interrupted by goodbyes–that will be glory!  Trips like this serve as an additional reminder of the profound pleasure so much a part of living the Christian life and serving God in ministry.

Neal Pollard

A little child with eyes so bright,
Looks to a big day coming.
Dreams big dreams with star-filled sight,
Can you hear the joyous humming?
Too often, the big event falls flat
Of all the child dared to hope
Or it quickly flies by with an eyelash’s bat
And with letdowns the li’l one must cope.

The grown-up marks the calendar
And scrimps and saves and researches
Counts down the days in wistful surrender,
As the dream vacation lurches.
But however fun and memorable,
It cannot last forever!
The memories may be quite durable,
But it’s soon back to mundane endeavors.

The worker plans for the big day,
When is punched the last time card
When leisure, travel, and general play
Can follow a career worked so hard.
But creeping age and health declines
Rubs some glitter off that gold
The end of life, however fine,
Reminds us that our tents we will fold.

The Christian’s hope from moment one,
That lives within the breast…
Does not disappoint with setting of sun,
It grows with each trial and test.
Let hurt or heartache or death impose,
Let age and sorrow disjoint,
We will go to the field of the fadeless rose,
Where hope does not disappoint!

Neal Pollard
Jesus said, “Unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).  Paul preached that there is no spiritual healing unless one is converted (Acts 28:27).  To be converted means literally to twist, turn around, and reverse.  In spiritual application, the word means to leave one thing for another.  In evangelism, the attempt is to turn one from the world to Christ.  However, people have been known to turn from the world to something other than Jesus and His doctrine.  This is unfortunate, but true.  Consider a few deadly alternative to conversion to the Lord.
Some are converted to emotions.  Without question, emotion lies at the heart of a person’s makeup.  Emotion must play a prominent role in both becoming a Christian and living as a Christian.  The people present on Pentecost were pierced to the heart and cried out, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).  Tears are commonplace among godly Christians, contemplating the Lord’s Supper, pleading with the lost, and saying goodbye to another saint who is leaving the area or life.  Christians are joyful people, quick to smile and laugh.  There should be righteous anger at the display of unrighteousness.  Emotions are essential to Christianity, but some are overly enamored with emotion.  They are big on “feeling” something. The paramount gauge of a sermon’s success is if it made them laugh or cry, not if it was true or false.  “Touchy-feely” is preeminent, whether or not it rings true doctrinally.  One converted to emotion in such a way is converted to the wrong thing.
Some are converted to personalities.  The church is composed of people, and some folks are more likable than others.  Each Christian should so live as to be attractive, just as Christ was (cf. Matt. 4:25; 8:1; 12:15; etc.).  Yet, some are converted to people.  Their loyalty is to the preacher, an elder, or some family in the congregation.  When that preacher leaves, they cease coming.  Whatever that family believes or advocates, they blindly follow and mimic.  It is so easy to become blinded to human loyalties that it overshadows a concern for what is right and biblical.  Multitudes are loyal to false teachers, despite clear, multiplied errors in their teaching.  Paul said to follow him as he followed Jesus (1 Cor. 11:1), but he never wanted anyone to follow him instead of Jesus.  One converted to personality is converted to the wrong thing.
Some are converted to social programs.  Churches need to both edify and reach out.  Fellowship is vital, and socializing together can make us all stronger.  The first-century church did this (Acts 2:46).  Yet, some make a decision with eternal implications based on what that church has “going on.”  Becoming a member of Christ’s church is not the same as choosing a social club, civic organization, or health club.  Doctrine matters.  A church–even the Lord’s church–may scratch a million social itches and not accurately dispense the balm of Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.  One converted to social programs is converted to the wrong thing.
The church must not be or become emotionless.  It should be filled with people whose personalities draw all men to Christ, and are as such magnetic (cf. John 12:32).  Fellowship together, time spent in recreation and socializing together, should characterize us.  Yet, all of these are tools.  When they become the end rather than a means to an end, they have usurped their place.  With Paul, we must faithfully determine “to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).  He is the integral, not the incidental. He is pivotal and not peripheral.  He is essential rather than esoteric.  We must keep the first thing the first thing!  Be converted to the Lord!

Neal Pollard

Emmanuel P. Chaaca collected several Swahili proverbs from the peoples of northern Tanzania and southwestern Kenya.  One of them that struck me was, “Nyani alimcheka nyani mwenzake.”  Roughly translated, it means, “Chimpanzees laugh at each other’s tail.”  The idea is that it is easy to look for and criticize the mistakes of others while forgetting or ignoring our own mistakes.  This is yet another example of how we may have different ways to express a truth to accommodate our culture, but human behavior is the same everywhere.  Of course, the chimpanzee cannot see his own tail, but that of his neighbor is in plain sight.

Human beings, more enlightened, sophisticated and intelligent than the animals and made in the image of God, still fall prey to the same sort of thing.  We can see what terrible parental choices our friends make.  We cringe at the wastefulness or poor judgment of those around us.  We shake our heads at the weaknesses or sin problems we perceive in others.  These things are so plain and simple to see, from our perspective.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:1-5).  Jesus is saying that we should spend far more time examining the areas of our own lives than taking the magnifying glass to others’.  I have never seen a chimpanzee without a tail or a person without problems and flaws.  May this encourage us not to monkey around about these things!

Neal Pollard

The article caught me off guard.  The title was, “No pay, no pray…” and the little tag line was “Fare Way To Heaven.”  It was about the German practice of placing a “surcharge” for being an “official” member of a religious institution, whether Catholic or Protestant.  Many people are telling the government that they are no longer members in order to avoid the tax.  A large percentage of members say they have not lost their “faith,” they just want to “save money” (Juergen Baetz, Denver Post, 9/29/12, 21A).

While the government gives the religious taxes straight to the churches, it still provoked this thought in me.  What if the government taxed me for declaring myself a New Testament Christian?  What if I had to pay for my faith?  Maybe some see the giving of their means as the equivalent of that, despite clear, repeated New Testament teaching that giving is a spiritual exercise that shows faith in God’s provision, the proof of our love, and a greater trust in Him and His work than in “riches” (cf. Mt. 6:19-21; 2 Cor. 8-9; 1 Tim. 6). But, what if the government levied a surcharge for your membership in the Lord’s church?  Would you remain?

This is a great reminder to me that I need to regularly “count the cost” of my faith.  Am I willing to pay the price of time, effort, energy, finance, and whatever else is required for me to live for Jesus?  Maybe I am avoiding the cost of commitment.  If I am, I want to repent of that and be willing to serve my Savior no matter the “expense.”  Paul, Peter, John, and others paid the price (2 Cor. 11:16-32; 1 Pet. 4:13; 5:9; Rev. 1:9) .  The New Testament records the cost for James and Stephen.  May I not get so comfortable in and with this world that I lose my sense of values!

Neal Pollard

P-articipate.  Don’t just sit there, sing!  Omitting a command is as wrong as adding to one.  Remember that being able to bring praise to the throne of God is a high honor and deserves our full participation.

O-pen your mind.  Think about what you are saying in song.  Avoid “remote control” singing.  May we never, in this “exercise,” be using our lips with hearts far from God.

W-orship.  Realize that the deliberate exercise of worship in song is as much an activity of worship as prayer, preaching, or observing the Lord’s Supper.  The Hebrews’ writer draws on the imagery of Old Testament worship, offering sacrifices, to show how singing is worship.  He exhorts, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise ot God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15).

E-xpect results.  Worshipping God in song softens our spirits, sobers our mind, and fills our heart.  Singing teaches, reminds, admonishes, challenges, and comforts us.  It can produce peace, joy, hope, love, introspection, warning, and brotherly affection.  If we will invest, we will be rewarded.

R-aise your voice.  This is a lesson we often try to stress with our boys.  Mumbling, “lipping,” or whispering the words to songs will not teach or admonish or fulfill the command to “speak to one another” (cf. Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).  Don’t think you have a pretty voice?  I say this in love, but “so what?”  Fortunately for many of us, that’s not what’s commanded.  Don’t scream, but let your voice be heard.

F-eel what you sing.  It seems that singing, by design, strikes a chord in the human spirit (see “expect results”).  That requires deliberate investment in the activity.  If we are audibilizing “Sing And Be Happy,” “There’s Sunshine In My Soul Today,” or “I’m Happy Today,” make sure to wipe off the scowl for at least those few verses.  If the song is an admonition, be taught.  If it is praise to God, pour out your heart to Him.  If it is about appreciating God’s love or the cross, let there be a commensurate emotional response.

U-nite.  While songs of praise are directed vertically, so many of our songs also have the added, horizontal dimension to them.  Singing is a God-given way we unite in fellowship during worship.  It is perhaps the most demonstrable way and certainly the most audible.

L-ove to sing.  Surely, some must love it better than others.  Not everyone has a burning desire to go over to friends’ homes to sing or to come early to services for “singing practice.”  Some even stay home on nights when the congregation plans a “worship in song” service.  May it be suggested that loving to worship in song may well be an insulation against apostasy and a safeguard against sin.  David was the sweet singer of Israel.  Look at Deborah.  Consider Paul and Silas at midnight over at the jail.  Moses had his song.  The more you put your heart and mind into it, overcoming any self-consciousness or insecurity, the more you will love it, too.

Yes, how P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L is worshipping God in song.  He asks for it.  He pays attention to it.  He is honored and praised by it.  He blesses us through it.  So, then, as the song leaders say, “Let us sing.”