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Neal Pollard

In 1824 in The Christian Baptist, Alexander Campbell said,

In religion we cannot think anything of ourselves, but all our sufficiency is of God.

The word of God is the instrumental cause of thought. We cannot think of God

without an idea of him, and we cannot have an idea of him without his word.  We

are taught by, and we think and speak in, the words the Holy Spirit has taught,

when we learn, and when we think or speak the truth in religion. If we cannot

think anything true or right without the word of God in religion, when we leave

that word, or change or alter the connection in the statements, or after the terms

with their associations in it, our thoughts in religion are wrong.  God’s word is truth (Vol. 2, No. 12, 7/4/1825).

The restoration plea is simple and it is workable. Campbell was simply saying that the only way we know how to be right with God is to stay with what God revealed.  When we leave that, we part ways with the mind and will of God. What can be wrong with that way of thinking.  The late Bobby Duncan once said, “Men have never divided over what the Bible says, but rather about things it never, ever did.”  If we could get everyone who believed in Christ to simply submit to what the New Testament specifies, how could we help avoiding denominationalism?

If we can fill our hearts with humility and our spirits with submission, we can have the tenderness of heart and childlike faith to seek Christ’s will and follow that.  That means, in matters of faith, the Bible is an objective standard rather than a subjective suggestion.  The standard of right will always be the Bible.  Our position on any matter must be what God teaches!

 

Neal Pollard

It is passionate and, in his own words, full of zeal.  It is convicted.  It is, we have no reason to deny, sincere.  It is bold and very plain.

There are a great many today who are averse to negatively judging the religion of others, especially if they are passionate, sincere, and convicted.  “They have their own truth” or “they have their own interpretation,” we are told.  Such statements are too often uncritically received and accepted.  Using such “reasoning,” we are told that an individual religious group may teach any number of things about worship, salvation, church organization, eternal destiny, marriage and morality, and the like.

Some might go so far as to say that Charlie Sheen is “going off the rails on a crazy train.”  In interviews, he is rambling and what he says is enigmatic.  Morally, his lifestyle is diametrically opposed to scripture.  The sitcom of which he is the star routinely glorifies fornication.  So, are we at fault to judge the content of his life, his speech, and his beliefs as being contrary to the doctrine of Christ?

Certainly, a Hollywood actor is an extreme example but what better way to test our hermeneutic, our approach to scripture.  If we would judge that Mr. Sheen’s recent activities with a pornography star or his assault of his wife “wrong,” on what basis do we conclude such?  To what standard would we hold him or anyone else?  If the standard is scripture, which it should be, is not the best approach to scripture to “handle aright” (2 Tim. 2:15) the Bible and view it as the authoritative standard for every moral, ethical, and doctrinal question in life?  Too often, we pour the Bible into the mould of our desires, preferences, and opinions when exactly the opposite process is what must occur for us to properly reverence the Word of God (cf. Ps. 119:161; our hearts should, like David’s, stand in awe of God’s words).  May we take to heart the counsel of the apostle John: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1).

 

Neal Pollard

In college, some of us went through a brief fad of putting on the gloves and sparring out on the balcony of Burton Dorm at Faulkner University.  It was fun until your opponent and erstwhile friend landed a punch on your schnoz.  Then, finesse and skill gave way to wild flailing.  Fortunately, it was only a fad.

Boxing was one of the ancient Greek games.  According to the Perseus Project, “Ancient boxing had fewer rules than the modern sport.  Boxers fought without rounds until one man was knocked out, or admitted he had been beaten.  Unlike the modern sport, there was no rule against hitting an opponent when he was down…Instead of gloves, ancient boxers wrapped leather thongs (himantes) around their hands and wrists which left their fingers free” (www.perseus.tufts.edu).  There are ancient Greek drawings in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, showing these ancient athletes in action.  The boxers, according to a scornful Plato, are “the folk with the battered ears” (ibid.).

They were prominent enough figures that Paul referenced them by inspiration in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, alluding to these games and their competitors.  He illustrated his own self-discipline as a Christian and preacher by talking about the superior nature of Christianity to such earthly things, from the reward given to the victor to what was at stake by failing to win.  In verse 27, he says, “I box in such a way, as not beating the air.”  Maybe Paul had seen a boxer landing facial and body blows, hitting his opponent when on the ground, and delivering leather to nose or ears.  Maybe he had heard the distinct sound of flesh being pounded in such a match.  Paul in essence says, “I deliver these blows to my body, keeping it in subjection to the Lord’s will.”  I cannot let my flesh win or lose to that dangerous opponent.  In the same way, the Lord calls on us to fight this tenacious opponent called the fleshly self.  If we lose, Paul says, the penalty could not be more severe or the shame more great.

 

Neal Pollard

Four Americans were killed Tuesday, February 22, 2011, in the north Arabian Sea aboard a yacht owned by two of them, Scott and Jean Adam.  Somali pirates seized the boat last Friday despite the fact that naval task forces from the European Union and NATO have 34 war ships on those waters.  The sea is enormous, and pirate activity in the region is intensifying in numbers and in violence.  In fact, the pirates are escalating their tactics, using “mother ships to launch smaller attack boats, enabling them to strike as far as 1,500 miles from the Samali coast” (www.politicsdaily.com).

 

Somali officials want intervention to squelch this plague of piracy coming from criminals among its citizens.  Those traversing those waters, whether civilian, commercial or military vessels, must deal with threats to their safety and terror.  Public outcry, among those aware of the situation, is significant.  Yet, their number and their threat grows.

 

Why does piracy grow among these Somalians, despite the fact that many of them have been captured, sentenced, and even killed?  International opinions are decidedly against them!  Some would say that it has been physical and financial success.  The BBC reports that they took 1,181 hostages in 2010 and were paid millions of dollars in ransoms (goafrica.about.com, 1/18/11).  Some would say that the odd shape of the country, narrow but having a long coast line, or the vastness of the seas they scour, give them a sense of security.  Others say that these pirates are trying to protect the waters off their coastline from international pollution and pillaging of fish and other marine life whereby Somalia’s citizens can earn a living.  The answer may not be clear, but the problem is.  Piracy is a growing trend.

 

Have you stopped to think about the fact that sin does not stay dormant or stagnant in one’s life.  Unchecked and unremoved, it grows.  Societal sins may start subtly and sparsely, but when not renounced, they move into the mainstream and are even embraced.  Sin never ceases to be ugly, dangerous, and life-threatening.  Whether one grows bolder in it, enjoys a measure of success despite it, or seeks to justify it, God views it just the same.  So must we!  It is dangerous, devilish, and deadly.  May we ever strive to remove its effects from our individual lives and “let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Mat. 5:16).

 

Neal Pollard

I sat in the auditorium last night, a hearer rather than the speaker.  Dan Owen was preaching this fantastic lesson on worship as part of our series on the church (hear it here: http://bvccsermoncast.blogspot.com/2011/02/church-and-its-worship.html).  It was interesting and, in a very real way, enjoyable.  But it was also forceful and convicting.  The longer he preached, the more the message kept penetrating and pricking my heart.  Dan’s sermon consisted of two points, that worship is an intentional meeting with God and, when we come, we must bring an offering.  That may sound somewhat plain, but just listen.  I think it will strike you as it did me.

Do not think that my view is that it is not a good sermon if your toes have not been crunched and you have not gone on a guilt trip.  I love feel good sermons on grace and heaven, the same as the next brother or sister.  However, as I listened to Dan preach last night, I thought of so many sermons by Camp, Clark, McCord, Winkler, Nichols, and others of their ilk.  The rich overflow from a man who has studied, prepared, and honed his ability to present gospel truths reaches into the heart of a hearer.  If we open our hearts during such sermons, we will be convicted by our shortcomings but motivated by the lesson to improve, grow, and increase what is good.

As Dan spoke about the “bucket,” I thought about the fact that more times than I want to admit I have come with an empty or nearly empty bucket.  But hearing him preach about it, I felt resolve to fill it up next time I meet God in worship.  In fact, that was what struck me most about his sermon.  The more I heard, the more I wanted to please, love, and obey my Lord.  It was painful, but exhilarating!

In our dramatically consumer-centric culture, you and I must break out of such selfishness and humbly approach the Audience of worship and give our everything to please Him.  We need to come with our prayers, praise, thoughts, longings, meditation, money, and the like, urgently desiring to give and give some more to our great God!   That will do more than transform our worship.  It will change our very beings to the core!  Thanks, Dan!

Neal Pollard

United had to ground its fleet of nearly one hundred 757 airplanes.  That is a financial nightmare in an industry already struggling to keep its head above water, something hurt greatly when it cannot keep its “birds” in the sky.  The airline installed a necessary piece of computer equipment on all 757s back in 2004, but mechanics had not performed all the necessary safety checks.  They have been flying these planes, basically, without explicit permission from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA has industry standards that airlines, like them or not, must follow.  Failure to do so is costly!  There are objective standards, and the agency is blind to brand, label, or headquarters.  Everyone must equally comply (www.usatoday.com).

This unfortunate episode, which United is proactively working to resolve, reminds me of something I see far too often in religion.  Jesus, having all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:20), has told us what to teach about salvation, worship, gender roles, church organization and leadership, purpose, and the like.  His inspired Word is the means whereby we measure our compliance.  Unauthorized changes, whether additions or subtractions, constitute a change from what He wills and desires (cf. Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19; Gal. 1:6-9).  If, when we examine scripture and handle it aright (2 Tim. 2:15), we find that we are not in compliance with that for which He has called, we need to conform to His standards.  This is neither legalism nor mere liturgy.  It is obeying from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to us (Rom. 6:17).  It is humble submission, ready and eager to do the Lord’s will over our own (Phil. 2:13).  The fact that He went to the trouble to preserve His will in His Word shows us that what we do and how we do it is important!  May we, from the inside out, comply with His standards and do all religious things His way!

 

Neal Pollard

Nathan Liddell preached a great chapel lesson today from Luke 2:52.  Along the way, he talked about the preacher’s need to protect his figurative heart.  He cited the great formula for overcoming anxiety found in Philippians 4:6-9.  He is right.  Notice what Paul wrote there.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Anxiety is a common mental ailment. The 2003 U.S. Census bureau determined, based on our country’s estimated population of 176.4 million people between 18-64 years old, that anxiety disorders cost an annual $42.3 billion to treat.  13.3% of the population is said to have some type of anxiety disorder, an approximate 23.4 million people.  Anxiety disorders take in depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse.  Many people develop more than one disorder.  This is the most common mental health problem in the U.S.  (all via depressionperception.com).  Do you think that Paul’s inspired counsel could help with this?  Consider what he suggests in our text.

PRAYER (6).  It is what Paul suggests as the substitute for anxiousness.  He says not to engage in the one but to pour oneself into the other.  By having God shoulder the load, the burden is lighter.  He is able to do anything and everything.  We need to petition His help.

PRESCRIPTION (7).  Paul promises divine guidance in our lives as we give ourselves to prayer.  I am not making judgments on when medicine is or is not needed in treating stress-induced mental problems, but Paul is saying that the prescription must include staying attached to Christ and the peace we enjoy in Him.

PROPER PONDERING (8).  You are the product of your thoughts.  Shad Helmstetter wrote an entire book on this subject entitled, What to Say When You Talk to Yourself.  In it, he said, “All of us talk to ourselves all of the time.  Our self-talk may be in spoken words or unspoken thoughts.  It can take the form of feelings, impressions, or even worldess physical responses…We are thinking machines that never shut down” (36).  But, what are we thinking?  Paul tells us to employ positive, pure thoughts that exalt the Lord’s cause and lift our own lives.  You think about the things suggested here and you attack anxiety at its roots.

PRACTICE (9).  All the thinking in the world will not lead to peace.  We need to pick out good role models for apparent mental and spiritual health, then follow them.  We need to enact the Christ-life in our personal lives.  When we are busy doing what the Lord wants, we can find purpose and lose the panic.

I am not trying to oversimplify real, medical, and physiological issues.  Yet, let no one discount the divine diagnosis and directions.  Following Paul’s urging in this text will help us move from panic to peace, if we will put it to work in our lives!

 

Neal Pollard

With political upheaval all around the middle east, wars being fought on multiple fronts, and nations under the thumb of cruel dictators, you might guess one of those crises.  Yet, these words are coming from some on Capitol Hill regarding “three different pro-life” measures currently making their way through the House of Representatives.  What are these purportedly heinous acts?  One would take away tax benefits for “employers who provide health care if the plans offer abortion coverage.”  A second “would block…consumers from purchasing abortion coverage.”  Another measure “aims to block health clinics, specifically Planned Parenthood, from receiving federal funding if they perform abortions” (Bream, Shannon; politics.blogs.foxnews.com).

That’s it. That is what some legislators are calling “excessively harsh and severe” (draconian), “deserving hatred and contempt” (despicable), and “able and likely to cause harm or injury” (dangerous).  Those supporting the bill say “their intention is not to block access to abortions, but to make sure that taxpayers aren’t forced to fund them” (ibid.).  While Christians with a moral ethic shaped by Scripture would argue that nothing is being done in government that goes far enough to protect the lives of innocent, unborn children being slaughtered in large numbers every day, any rational observer should be able to step back from this rhetoric and see how extreme the reaction of opponents is.

More than that, one should pause and wonder how God views the cavalier attitude of so many toward the treatment of humanity’s most helpless and innocent ones.  God long ago pronounced as an abomination, as a thing He hates, “hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:16-17).  In the time of Isaiah, He also warned, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” (Isa. 5:20).  When those taking even baby steps to protect the unborn are vilified and the right to murder is vaunted, one has to wonder who truly is draconian, despicable, and extremely dangerous!

 

Neal Pollard

Last week, I was in the bank making a deposit when the young woman who waited on me asked, “What’s that about?”  Her eyes were about my chest level, but I was caught off guard.  I said, “What?”  She said, “Think Souls!”  I could not believe that she asked that.  I was unprepared and could only stammer, “Um, it’s something we’re doing at my church.  We’re trying to reach into our community.”  With that said, I could say no more.  The moment died.  I was left with embarrassment and regret.  I pray each day for opportunities to share the good news and have found that little button as a great “conversation starter.”  At least, it is…theoretically.

That failure on my part got me to thinking.  Do you struggle with what to say, too?  What is a good response to one’s inquiry about the “Think Souls!” button?  Obviously, I’m no expert, but here are some responses I have come up with since that heat of the moment meltdown at the bank.

10) “It reminds me that everyone has a soul, including you and me.”

9) “Did you know that there’s a part of us that will never die? It’s the soul.”

8) “It reminds me that there are many lost souls in Denver and motivates me to do

something about that.”

7) “It’s so easy to get caught up in this world and forget the spiritual. This button in my

reminder.”

6) “Would you like to attend a church service with me and learn more about it?”

5) “Jesus came to this earth and died for souls like yours and mine.”

4) “God has taught us in the Bible to care about people’s souls.  I care about yours.”

3) “There’s a part of us made in God’s image, and it’s the soul. I care about your soul.”

2) “Thank you for asking. It makes it easier for me to invite you to come with me to

church.”

1) “I’d like to study the Bible with you and explain what it means.  Would you be willing

to do that?”

You may have a more clever or smooth response than any of these.  If so, I would love to get your feedback.  These buttons are not intended to be a gimmick or trick.  They are designed to open up doors of opportunity.  The important thing is to wake up every day and go through each day thinking about souls and trying to reach them.  You don’t have to wear a button to do that, but if you do be prepared for people to ask about them.  Give some thought to what you will say!

 

Neal Pollard

As Bear Valley has an active, growing involvement in evangelizing Cambodia, I am keenly interested in the events occurring on the Thailand-Cambodia border.  There is a clash right now between these two countries over Buddhist holy sites, and ironically their shooting at one another has caused damage to Preah Vihear, an 11th century temple considered very holy to them.  Thousands of villagers on both sides of the border have been evacuated.  At least 10 people have died over the weekend.

Back in 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) listed Preah Vihear as a Cambodian World Heritage site.  This flared up what can truly be called old wounds between these nations.  Fighting over these “holy sites” has transpired, off an on, for over 1000 years.  The nations in this immediate area, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand, have been ruled and consolidated an a single empire multiple times over many centuries.  These temples, which are found in abundance in this region, are a focal point of interest both for their religious and economic values.

Paul stood in Athens, Greece, and preached, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:24-25).  Certainly, our Buddhist friends maintain and revere their temples not in homage to the God Paul preached but instead to a man long dead whose philosophies guide their lives.  Yet, even if these temples were claimed to be places of worship to that God, it would be a colossal waste of life and emotion to fight and fire at others who felt the same way about them.

God certainly wants His people, if they are blessed to have a place of meeting, to be good stewards of those buildings.  Yet, again, we can fall prey to the mistaken notion that God is confined and contained to those places.  Not only may we overestimate the importance of the building, we can find ourselves confining our God to that building.  Yet, Paul says He’s not confined. Paul goes on to say, “We ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of men” (Acts 17:29).  Our God is boundless, able to see, able to save, and able to serve at every moment of life.  He is to be obeyed and honored whether or not we are at the building.  May we never restrict our religion to the real estate, our adoration to the auditorium, or our commitment to the church building.  Our lives are to have greater purpose than that and our God deserves much more than that!

 

Neal Pollard

He was a prominent British neurologist for more than 40 years.  He made a major contribution in academic medicine for his work in “autonomic failure.”  At St. Mary’s Hospital in London, the Imperial College School of Medicine named a lecture after him. The 82-year-old doctor has served as Director of the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases as well as Chairman of the Editorial Board of the journal Clinical Autonomic Research.  He has written textbooks. All of this is remarkable for one born to working class parents, but typical of his famous drive he decided very early in life to earn a place in one of England’s elite universities where he could study medicine.  That university was Oxford.  That is quite a distinguished career for an overachiever, but this man of science knows that most people know nothing of these achievements in his life.  His name is associated with something that took less than four minutes to occur.  He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his efforts in this realm.

His name is Sir Roger Bannister.  For many, that is enough information.  However, if I said, “The First Man To Run A Mile In Less Than Four Minutes,” that would resonate with many more of you.  His efforts, while in college and at age 25, on May 6, 1954, took 3:59.4, made history and opened the door for many other sub-four minute miles.  He was an Olympic Athlete before that momentous day and he served in various official sports positions since that day, but even within athletics he is remembered for that one run.  It was not even his best time, as he ran the mile later that year in Vancouver at 3:58.8.  He won over 100 awards in his brief career as a runner.  But he is remembered for “the run.”

Each of us is building a legacy that will outlive us, if nowhere but in our immediate families or in the congregation we attend.   We may not be famous or recognized for our achievements on the job or our private enterprises.  But, we will be remembered.  Will it be some attribute?  Some cause?  Some incident?  Will it be something to cherish or embarrass?  Many a good person has offset a life of good influence with an instance of indiscretion.  Some will perform an act of kindness or an effort for Christ that bears fruit which will utterly surprise them in eternity.  But, I believe that most of us will do something that will speak for us after we have died.  The good news is that we are in control of whether that is bad or good!

 

Neal Pollard

Temperatures allegedly dipped to -17 fahrenheit overnight.  Once, yesterday morning and then again yesterday evening, our neighborhood lost electricity.  The morning outage went half an hour and the three outages last night together amounted to about ten minutes of lost power.  As this storm has gone east, many people are having to brave the cold without electricity for what may wind up being days.

We all have experienced power outages.  Those who live in other countries often find having electricity the greater novelty than losing it.  Some experience rolling or scheduled outages or brown outs (drop in voltage).  Many times, we may experience what are called transient faults, those very brief losses in power caused by a fault in the power line.  When the power goes out, there is darkness, there may be discomfort, there is often that eerie stillness and quiet, and there is uncertainty.  When the power goes out in extreme conditions, like yesterday, there is concern.  In each circumstance, there is a feeling of powerlessness.  We cannot do anything about it, and we are at the mercy of those hardworking people who can.

Spiritually, we have all experienced that feeling of powerlessness.  We may feel insignificant, forgotten, and in the dark.  So often, we feel like there is nothing we can do.  We may experience discomfort and even fear.  These are the times we have disconnected ourselves from our power source.  Life, when good or bad, may lull or throw us into an inconsistent or even non-existent prayer and study life.  We focus inwardly and forget that God, who has all-power, is still in control.  Perhaps, it is then, most of all, that we need to remember His power and the way He empowers us.  Paul wrote, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20).  To Phillipi, he said, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  As long as there is a God in heaven, there will never be a power outage in our spiritual lives–unless we disconnect ourselves from the power source!

 

Neal Pollard

 

The ongoing revolt in Cairo, Egypt, is dominating the international headlines.  Economically, it has ushered in higher oil prices.  Politically, it has raised concerns about regional stability as Egypt is a key U.S. ally in a part of the world where they are not to be found in abundance.  Socially, however, these protests seem to be the spark for monumental change in what that government will look like.  Aging dictator, Hosni Mubarak, fired his entire cabinet and, for the first time, appointed a vice president.  Some doubt he will run for a sixth term, but think he may try to hand power over to his son.  Anti-government groups emboldened by surging protests want this regime dismantled.  Over 100 protestors have died and thousands have been wounded, but the protests are spreading to other Egyptian cities.  Cameras are being seized, phone and internet outages are widespread, and a mandatory curfew, though largely ignored, imposed.  Why are these citizens not only continuing, but intensifying, their revolt?

 

From so far away, we can only accept with caution the reports being disseminated.  But, the common thread being attributed to their motives is a longing for freedom.  Various sources say there is limited or very restricted freedom of religion, speech, women’s rights, economics, and the like.  Perhaps, other Arab nations, who also have a majority population under the age of 30–a stage of life where one is more idealistic and apt to protest authority–are watching to see how this grab for freedom goes.

 

Whatever all the specific issues at play are, I understand the innate human craving for freedom.  Sadly, too many want freedom from God’s authority and commands.  But, wherever they turn, people will find themselves enslaved.  Paul wrote, “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:16-18).  No one is more oppressed and suppressed than those enslaved to sin (cf. 2 Tim. 2:26).  It is a miserable existence offering no future hope.  But, understanding us perfectly and longing to give us what we not only need but crave, Jesus gives this hopeful news that “you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32).  That truth leads to the ultimate freedom, a spiritual and eternal freedom!

 

These Egyptians seem to want temporal, earthly freedoms granted to them.  We in a land of such freedoms understand that craving.  But, as Christians, we understand that Christ offers a freedom that transcends all other freedoms.  May we spread the news of such freedom wherever we are each day!

 

Joe Wilkie

In the spring of 1981, the rock band Van Halen came to Pueblo, Colorado, to perform at the university there.  They didn’t end up doing the show, but it was for a very weird reason.  At that time, Van Halen had the biggest stage set up, consisting of nine semis full of equipment.  Amazingly, their contract wasn’t much better.  It was very long and detailed.  One of the stipulations in the contract was for a bowl of M&Ms to be placed in their dressing room.  But that was not all, they asked for all of the brown M&Ms to be removed from the bowl.  Many thought this was a ridiculous request, but they had a reason behind the madness.  What they discovered was that if any brown M&Ms remained in the bowl they had requested, the people couldn’t be trusted to set the stage up right.  They had so much equipment on the stage with them when they performed, they didn’t want to have the chance of it collapsing on them while they were playing.  When they came out to Pueblo and saw that the brown M&Ms hadn’t been removed, they cancelled the show.  As it turns out, if they hadn’t cancelled, they probably would have been seriously injured or perhaps even killed.  In the early stages of set up before they had called off the show, the stage had collapsed on the gym floor at the university they were to play at, causing $80,000 worth of damage to that gym floor.

Just like Van Halen, God has given us a contract we must follow.  In it, God asks us to do specific duties while we are here on earth. One of those duties is to repent from our sins, meaning we turn from them and don’t look back.  So I ask you, what are your brown M&Ms?  What are those sins that you are having a hard time turning from and that are stopping you from being prepared for Christ’s return?  Matthew 24:44 says, “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”  I ask you to start picking your sins out of your life, so you can be ready for this judgment day.

Picking out those brown M&Ms for Van Halen was time consuming and very meticulous, but it had to be done in order to fulfill their requests.  Getting rid of your sins can also be time consuming and meticulous, but it must be done in order to fulfill Christ’s requests.  I want you to pick one specific sin.  When you pick that sin, I want you to get out a concordance or get on BibleGateway.com and look up a scripture that pertains to it.  If it is anger, find a scripture that speaks to that.  If it is lust, find a scripture that helps you with that.  Then, I want you to memorize the scripture and every time you think about sinning the next day, recite that memory verse.  This might sound dumb to you, and it might sound like a lot, but it really does help.  This is how Christ resisted Satan in the wilderness.  If you do this and it works for you, do it until you conquer that sin and move on to the next, and to the next.  Because when Christ comes back, I sincerely hope and pray you took time to pick out your brown M&Ms.

 

Neal Pollard

From American Idol to reality shows to YouTube to Facebook, the culture has provided us so many opportunities to flaunt ourselves.  We can work to earn our “big break” or we can tell everyone in our sphere of influence about the great things we are doing.   This is a worldly tendency, but we can tend to do this with our Christian friends as quickly as we do those in the world.  But, have we stopped to consider that such self-promotion is unloving?

Paul, defining love in 1 Corinthians 13, tells us three things love either is not or does not do.  It does not brag, is not arrogant, and does not seek its own (4-5).  Whether we may be tempted or driven by insecurity or feelings of inadequacy, narcissism, or a need for the praise and recognition of others, we fail to love when we try to turn the spotlight on ourselves.  It may even be through vaunting our spouse, our children, or our parents.  But, it often sounds like, “Look at me, look at us, who we are, what we’ve done, or how good, smart, talented, and better we are.”  It may be craving credit for an idea or effort.  Yet, these can easily become exercises in self-promotion.

Love tempers success with a realization that God is the One who gives us the resources to do anything.  Love would prefer turning the spotlight on the good others do.  Love has a well-balanced view of self, knowing that we have worth through Christ but that He is the One who deserves the glory.  Love hesitates to read his or her own “press clippings.”

When we practice love as Paul defines it, this genuine humility will stand out in a world of people shouting, “Look at me!”  This perspective allows one to step behind the cross, lift up Christ, and let the world see what He has done!  It also has confidence that the Lord will reward us openly some day for serving Him without fanfare in humility (cf. 1 Tim. 5:25; Matt. 6:1ff).

Neal Pollard

A classmate of mine from Faulkner University told me they have a new preacher coming to work with them, a man who had been converted from a denomination, in part, by my dad.  The classmate told me that the man had left that denomination for the Lord’s church in 1993.  I called my dad to ask about the man and he was shocked to hear of the role he played.  He said that they attended Louisville Bible Seminary, finishing a Master’s Degree in Church History.  It was 1972 and this man was among a group of young men pursuing their Bachelor Degrees in that school.  They had religious discussions with my dad, who would show them God’s Word on subjects in which they disagreed.  My dad has always been a super soul-winner, but all he was able to do was spread some seed.  Twenty-one years later, it sprouted in this man’s heart and he became a member of the church of Christ!  Today, he is a gospel preacher.

As we go about with our “Think Soul” buttons on, this will sometimes give us “ice breakers” and conversation starters.  From what I hear, several of us are getting the chance to invite people to attend church services with us or talk about spiritual things.  Do not be discouraged if people do not accept your initial invitation(s) to come to worship or Bible class or to be involved in a Bible study.  Keep broadcasting the seed.  As the late, great Warren Wilcox often said in relationship to John 4:35 that Jesus could speak of the fields being white for harvest because seed had been planted.  Look at John three and four at the activity and outreach attempted by Jesus and His disciples.  No wonder it was harvest time!  The same is true today.  If we are busy spreading the seed, it will be harvested.  It may not be today.  It may not be by us.  But, as Isaiah assured, “God’s Word does not return to Him empty” (Isa. 55:11).  There will be results, and those results and proportionate to and commensurate with the output of our efforts.  God causes the growth (1 Cor. 3:7)!  Let us be planters!

 

 

Neal Pollard

Beside the computer in my study is an incredible picture of Kathy and beside that an artist’s rendering of me, dated January, 1999.  The artist is Gary, and at that time he was barely five.  My neck in depiction is much slenderer than the real thing, and is drawn in orange marker.  A somewhat round circle drawn in blue makes up my face.  The rest of me is drawn in red, two huge eyes with gigantic pupils (and the right eye about twice the size of the left), eyebrows (astute for a five-year-old), a big smile, no nose, and a tuft of red, squiggly hair on top.  In the upper right hand corner is what looks like a mitten, but given its color and relative shape I know it’s a heart.  In the top left corner, in blue, is the word “DADDY.”

As a dozen years have passed since he yielded a masterpiece for me that I would not trade for a Monet or Rembrandt, I feel several things whenever I dwell on that beautiful picture:  Regret, for any and every moment I could have spent with his brothers and him  that I did not, realization that time waits for no man, resolve to make the time count each day, and responsibility to give these boys the very best “daddy” I can.  People tell us when our children are tiny that these days will be fleeting, but we do not believe them.  The next day, we are handing them our car keys and registering them for college.

Are you satisfied with where you are as a parent?  What values are we instilling in them, preparing them for the day when they can no longer be our charges?  Into our care, God gave us eternal souls we helped bring into existence.  They are “of” us, “from” us, “with” us for a while, and “under” us, temporarily, as pupils in the school of priorities.  Paper tokens of affection, framed and preserved, may touch our hearts, but lives built under our roofs will move us much more deeply.  May we have the wisdom to see that, and live accordingly.

 

Neal Pollard

A Denver Post article from Sunday’s newspaper, given to me by Dave Chamberlin, reveals a remarkable motive behind a string of northern Colorado bank robberies.  The January 16, 2011, piece, via The Greeley Tribune, conveys the rationale of Amanda Maslen, one half of the heisting duo who stole $11,000 from six Weld County banks.  Though she was only involved in one of the robberies with her boyfriend, Jordan Kniffen, she was quick to defend them all.  Her defense of the crimes covered three major premises: (a) Kniffen’s actions were harmless, since he used an unloaded gun, (b) He “was only stealing from the government or the FDIC,” and (c) They deserve the money because they’d had a tough life.  Her words play out like the proverbial shell game, hoping to deflect everyone’s attention from the fact that they spent a large chunk of that change on heroin and that anarchy would follow if everyone used similar rationale in their decision-making.

But, Maslen represents the fruit of some bad philosophical thinking of our times.  Many do not like moral, ethical, and doctrinal judgments to be universal.  They are afraid of prescriptive (i.e., rule- imposing and rule-enforcing) language.  One may choose a similar line of thinking in situations that they feel to be less harmful, not violent, or even protected by the laws of the land.  Do not many people enter into an extramarital affair or divorce and remarry by saying they deserve happiness, fulfillment, a better spouse or partner, or the like?  Isn’t one who has an abortion because it interferes with her educational, financial, or social future borrowing similar logic?  What about the one whose choice of a church because it appeals to or entertains them operate from a like premise?

The only way to straighten out the kind of thinking that led to such outrageous action and even more outrageous defense of it is to recognize and submit to the sovereign will of God and His moral absolutes.  We will be judged by the words of Deity (John 12:48).  We can know and be made free by the truth (John 8:32). Truth was realized through Christ (John 1:17).  As we read Scripture, we have an objective standard that is universally applicable (cf. Acts 17:30-31).  Excuse-making is as old as the Garden of Eden.  It did not work then, and it will not work now.  It is infinitely, eternally better for us to soften our hearts and yield our lives to the guidelines of the Bible than to serve our rebellious desires.

 

Neal Pollard

To speak of “the victims of 9/11” is to bring vivid images, memories, and thoughts to mind.  It is hard to believe that this fall makes a decade since that unspeakable tragedy.  The recollections get more vivid if you say “World Trade Center,” “the Pentagon,” “Flight 11,” “Flight 175,” “Flight 77,” or “Flight 93.”  These places and planes were the sites of an unprecedented attack that led to thousands of lives lost in a concerted attack on our nation.  But, to say “Paul Acquaviva,” “Siew-Nya Ang,” “Takashi Kinoshita,” “Mary Barbara Trentini,” “Juliana McCourt,” “Teddington H. Moy,” “Mary Jane Booth,” or “Lauren Grandcolas” is to make the tragedy much more personal.  Each of the 2,996 victims had family, personality traits, and responsibilities.  Each had a unique tone and quality of voice, a distinctive laugh, a peculiar demeanor, and set of interests.  It is one thing to feel a note of sadness to think back to the big picture of the terror attacks, but it is quite another to see a picture of or to have known someone who died in them.

We sing “Seeking The Lost” or “Rescue The Perishing.”  We read, “God so loved the world” (John 3:16), “the lost” (Luke 19:10), and “many will go in the way of destruction” (Matt. 7:13).  We preach and pray about opportunities to reach the lost and dying world.  That is important, but it can become impersonal.  Too often, “the lost” and “the world” is this faceless, nebulous, indistinct group whose lostness may cause a twinge of sadness in our hearts.  Last Saturday night, during our wonderful, truly inspirational, prayer service, Bob Turner stood before close to 200 saints and prayed for the lost…by name!  Those present wrote the names of loved ones, friends, family, and neighbors who were either spiritually struggling or outside of Christ.  Bob prayed for about 150 names, one by one.  To hear those names, some first and last names, others only first names, a few identified without even the mention of the name, many unfamiliar to us, some very familiar to us, made a profound impact hard to describe to those not present and participating.  To hear, one by one, “Jim,” “Jarvis and Helen,” “Melissa,” “Stacy,” “Doug,” “Austin,” “Katie,” “Manuel,” “Bruce,” “Floyd and Steph,” “Daryl and Becky,” and so many others, shook us into a startling reality.  Yes, we want to “think souls!”  But, those souls are people. They have names!  They are real.  They are personal.  And, they are lost.  We can struggle to ignore that, but it does not make the reality or the task any less vivid.  May God grant us the focus and faith to see the lost for who they really are–the people in our lives we can influence, reach, and bring into God’s wonderful family!