Urgently Doing Something Weird

Dale Pollard

“Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” He commanded his chariot to stop and was baptized immediately (Acts 8:36-39). 

“…the same hour of the night…” (Acts 16:33).

If you’re ready— don’t wait. 

You know you’re ready when you feel an urgency that’s based on your understanding of God’s expectation. Once you know what it means to follow Jesus, and you know what it means to be lost, you know you have sins that need to be addressed, and you know that we’re not promised tomorrow. It’s fear driven, it’s love driven, and it’s clarity driven. While there’s nothing sinful about scheduling your baptism, it could be an indicator that you’re not exactly sure why you’re doing it. If you know you have sin that needs washed away, why would anybody wait? 

So, Baptism Is Weird 

This is my opinion based on conversations I’ve had with Christians who struggle with either the reason they were baptized or some other hold up they face before getting into the water. It’s just a strange thing to do. 

What About Feelings? 

You might feel relief. You might feel awkward or slightly uncomfortable. You might not feel anything at all. But don’t base your own baptism off of how you feel but rather what you know to be occurring. The baptism garments can be leaky and the water might be a little cold or dirty. The act itself might seem so foreign or unnatural that the whole event is tense or fills you with anxiety. 

All of that doesn’t matter. 

Is it a little weird? It can be. I’ve baptized people and even dropped a guy and had to start all over! We laughed, he was immersed, we hugged, and we quietly got out of the baptistery. His family didn’t know whether or not they should clap or sing or— really what to do afterwards!

All of that doesn’t matter. 

It has nothing to do with the people who are around; this is strictly a you and God thing. God’s doing every bit of the cleansing and adding. You need a belief that convicts you enough to act on an unnatural faith. You need two arms and a strong back to get the job done. You’ll need a body of water deep enough to cover you. That’s it! You don’t need family and friends around or a minister to give his certificate of approval. Everything is between you and God. Don’t overthink the Truth. God’s trying to save you, and it’s really that simple. 

————————————————

Here’s all the examples of salvation through baptism in the book of Acts: 

 (Acts 2:38,41; 8:12; 8:36-39; 9:18; 22:16; 10:48; 16:15; 16:33; 18:8; 19:5).

Excellent Sermon on Romans 8

Starts at 29:34

Ezra: Israel’s Restoration Movement (IV)

Dealing With The Enemies Of Restoration (4:1-24)

Neal Pollard

Those seeking to restore God’s will and return to God’s way can usually count on this variable, that there are people who will stand against them. For one thing, the devil doesn’t want such work to succeed (cf. 1 Chron. 21:1; 1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Cor. 2:11). For another, those who resist the commanded efforts of God’s obedient children become his willing allies and accomplices. That’s what occurs in Ezra four, “when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the Lord God of Israel” (1).  They utilize several tactics to try and halt a work they disapproved of. Some methods are pretty timeless, like those discovered here.

First, they tried to interfere with the work of God’s people (2-3).They tried to insert themselves and interfere with the plans and efforts which God put in place through His leaders. While it may seem that the leaders were ungrateful and rude, they understood who these people really were. As the inspired writer says, these were “enemies” (1). Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the households of Israel knew fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness would mean severing fellowship with God (cf. Eph. 5:11; 2 John 9-11).

Then, they discouraged them (4). Details of how they did so aren’t given, but the effect is mentioned. There are a million ways to discourage good work–hypercriticism, second-guessing, gossip, false accusations, questioning motives, lying, etc. In fact, we’ll see some of the specific ways they were discouraged in the following verses. Barnabas was so synonymous with encouragement that it was part of his nickname (Acts 4:36), but these people were synonymous with discouragement. And God immortalizes them in perpetual infamy as discouragers of God’s people. That’s a position none of us ever want to occupy!

They intimidated them (4). Whereas discouragement might often appear more passive, intimidation is aggressive. It’s bullying, using leverage to try to negatively influence and stop people. It involves threats. Ezra describes it this way, that “they frightened them from building” (4). They will magnify their intimidation with the actions that follow, but this was premeditated. Their goal was clear. They used their influence and means to make God’s people afraid to do what God’s Word commanded. 

They sought to frustrate their purpose and delay them (5). Everything between verse 5 and verse 24 describes how they delayed the work of God for what would amount to 16 years! They needled and pestered them, gave unsolicited advice, and persisted throughout the rest of Artaxerxes’ reign. They were not simply neutral or uninvolved; they actively tried to subvert righteous efforts. 

They falsely accused them (6-16). Sadly, this tactic was highly effective and its impact lasted over a decade. After identifying themselves as loyal subjects of their foreign overlord (11), they begin their smear campaign. They warn Artaxerxes that if and when they rebuild the temple and the walls around Jerusalem, Judah will “will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings” (13), “is a rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces” (15), and “if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River” (16). They drew heavily on their prejudiced view of Judah’s past to accomplish their present goal. Distortion and outright dishonesty was fair game to them because it suited their agenda. 

They use their influence against them (17-24). The Persian Empire at this time was suffering from potential Civil War, unrest, power struggles, and instability, with regime changes, espionage, and treachery popping up like wildfire across the vast empire. The Samaritans, trying to stop Judah’s rebuilding project, used this to their advantage. This letter sent to Artaxerxes had its intended effect. Trying to cool off this hot spot in his empire, the Persian king took the position that halting the Jews’ rebuilding project would help maintain order in this part of the Empire. So these “enemies” (Samaritans) used their influence with the Persian king to disrupt the progress the Jews had enjoyed up to that point. Incidentally, this helps explain some of the animosity the Jews retained even up to the time of Christ.

A powerful passage quoting Jesus says, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Mat. 12:30). It is always important to examine ourselves to find out where we are in relation to God’s will and word (2 Cor. 13:5). Our task must unequivocally be to aid and support the restoration of the work and will of God. We must look within and determine where we are in that. The last thing we would want is to find ourselves on the wrong side of the divine purpose. 

Weekly Gold From My FAVORITE Writer:

#32- It Will Stand Forever

The Worship Was Delayed And Nobody Cared!

Neal Pollard

I have never been a part of a service like last night. C.J. and Walter Moore met to study the Bible an hour before evening worship. At the end of the study, they knew they needed to obey the gospel. They did not want to wait. Their mom, Shannon Anthony, had also been studying and was ready to be baptized. This sweet family was ready, together, to be united with Christ. So, we asked each to make the confession of their faith, and then each was baptized. It is our custom to have a welcome circle afterward, and we did just that. Hiram shared beautiful, encouraging thoughts, then David Pahman, on behalf of our shepherds, prayed for these precious souls! Finally, around 6:40, we had our announcements. The actual worship service was much abbreviated, punctuated by Harry Potter’s beautiful, heartfelt prayer. But, I believe everyone left the assemblies last night with greater faith, hope, and determination to live the Christian life.

The church faces challenges. Her leaders have to do (and lead us to do) hard things. We live in a world that seems to steadily move further away from God. Our own lives are filled with difficulties. But, moments like last night are spiritual vitamins and nutrients that more than keep us going. They motivate us to do more for His cause! I doubt that anyone present last night will soon forget the time the worship was delayed while the church family enjoyed three additions! In fact, we’d love to see it happen every week!

Here it is, for anyone who’d like to watch

Ezra: Israel’s Restoration Movement (III)

At Work On Restoration (3:1-13)

Neal Pollard

With the permission, the principles, and the people secured, the leadership and the people join together to get to work on the areas God wanted restored. This was not the end, but only the first steps. Restoration is an ongoing necessity, and it can be very hard work. What did they do in Ezra’s day that can help us pursue with success our challenge of restoring New Testament Christianity?

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES UNITY (1). “The people gathered together as one man.” As David wrote in that Psalm of Ascent, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (133:1). Restoration necessitates coming together as one.  

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES DIVINE GUIDANCE (2). Proper worship, under the Old Law, necessitated an altar. So the priests, schooled on worship matters, built it “as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.”  The work is not restoration if it is not His work done according to His pattern. Nothing else will do! 

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES COURAGE (3). They were terrified of the peoples of the land, whom we will observe later in Ezra as a perpetual thorn in their sides. Judah was a hodgepodge ragtag bunch of recent returnees and may have felt like an easy prey to the enemies all around them. But, we notice that their terror didn’t keep them (at this point) from the work of restoration (2 Tim. 1:7). 

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES OBEDIENCE (4). They were moved by an “as it is written” and an “according to the ordinance” “as each day required.” The very definition of spiritual restoration is doing and making happen the things God has specifically called for. “His house, His rules” (1 Tim. 3:15). 

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE (5-7). That sacrifice was measured in animals (5), human effort (5-6), money (7), food, drink, and oil (7), and lumber (7). The attitude of sacrifice involved “freewill offering” (5). All of it centered around Jehovah. Though these things were given to people on earth, the sacrifice was being made to God. 

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES INVOLVEMENT (8-10). Ezra seems to always begin at the top when mentioning work being done. Zerubbabel and Jeshua, along with the worship leaders (the priests and Levites) led the way. They began the work with “all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem” (8). The Levites age 20 and older were involved (8). Jeshua and his family were involved (9). So were Kadmiel’s family (9). So were the “workmen” (9). The builders, priests, and Levites, the sons of Asaph, all had different responsibilities, and all of them were involved in fulfilling them (10). In the Lord’s church, He has work for elders, preachers, deacons, teachers, and the rest of the members to do. It’s not all the same exact task. We have a vision statement emphasizing seven distinct areas where work and help is needed. To be the New Testament church, we must all find an area or areas to roll up our sleeves and either lead or assist. 

THE WORK OF RESTORATION REQUIRES THE HEART (11-13). It strikes me that their restoration was hardly a matter of just external changes (altars, sacrifices, and temples). Those were significant, but another element was essential. They worshipped, singing, praising, and giving thanks (11). They shouted with a great shout at seeing the beginning of the reconstruction of the temple (11). The old people who could remember Solomon’s Temple wailed and lamented at the relative modesty of these rebuilt foundations (12). The shouts and weeping were so loud it was heard from far away (13). But in both cases, nobody was disengaged. Their hearts were fully involved. They were convicted, invested, and committed. 

You and I are to be involved in restoration today. Our task is not to jealously guard our own traditions, to reflect the culture’s view and desires, to do what we want or prefer, or to blend in with the larger religious world (even within Christendom). Restoration is about God’s pattern, expectations, and purpose, glorified through His obedient church (Eph. 3:20-21). If we will please Him, we have no choice. We must be restorers. Thank God for Ezra 3, full as it is with principles regarding how to accomplish that vital work! 

Ezra: Israel’s Restoration Movement (II)

The Restorers (2:1-70)

Neal Pollard

You can credit (or blame) a 16th-Century French scholar, printer, and typographer named Robert Etienne for our modern division of the Bible into individual verses. He’s sometimes known by his Latin name, Robert Stephanus. Overall, he did an incredibly commendable job. Sometimes his divisions are head-scratching, like in Ezra 2. This chapter has 70 verses, as he gives each family of the returning exiles their own verse. I’m not sure there is a better way to divide it, though. So, who are these people, that whole assembly of returnees numbering 42,360 plus 7,337 servants and 200 singers? 


They were people willing to endure difficulty. The journey itself would have been over 1000 miles. They leave the comfort and prosperity of Babylon to resettle their native homeland. They will have to rebuild or at least remodel houses and whole villages, not to mention rebuild the temple and the walls around the city of Jerusalem. These were not lazy people!


They were led people (2). Ezra tells us who the leaders were by name. The first three named are among the most prominent leaders in the post-exilic period. Zerubbabel (cf. Zech. 4; Neh. 7,12) not only helps lead the exiles back to the land, he leads the temple reconstruction project (5:2). He insures that the work is done by the Jewish people, and not by their enemies (4:1-3). He is identified as governor of Judah (Hag. 1-2). Jeshua is usually found alongside Zerubbabel (4:3). He is identified in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah as the High Priest. Nehemiah, for whom the Old Testament book is named, will also serve as governor of Judah, was likely a prophet, and previously served as a high official in Persian court (Neh. 1). Eleven men in all are listed as the leaders who shepherd the exiles back to the land. They appear to be highly qualified men, perseverant in their own right. 


They were purposed people (3-67). Ezra divides his list into categories. Many are generally listed as men at the heads of certain families (“sons of…,” 3-35), priests (36-39), Levites (40), singers (41), gatekeepers (42), temple servants (43-54), “Solomon’s servants” (55-57, probably descendants of those selected by Solomon to work on the temple), and several whose genealogical record was unverified (58-63). Who was more important? That is entirely the wrong question! Each group had a purpose, and God and His leaders were depending on them to fulfill it! Verse 70 lists all these groups, who dwelled in their cities and squared up to their tasks.


They were generous people (68-69). Well, not all of them, but certainly “Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they arrived at the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to restore it on its foundation” (68). They gave according to their ability (69). Through them, God continues to provide for the future of His people.
As we consider the great, ongoing work of restoration, God is seeking the same things from us: perseverance, submission, purpose, and generosity. He will do great things, even in the midst of shambles and dysfunction, when there are people possessed of qualities like these. We will see that longterm projects will have hiccups and stalls, but a huge step occurs when people are willing to step out by faith. 

A Word Of Hope To The Lonely

Neal Pollard

She sits alone in an empty house, the TV her only companion,
Her children grown, her husband gone, she feels deserted, abandoned.
A visitor who brings a cheery smile and sits, to spend some time together.
Breaks up the clouds of isolation, and brings her sunny weather.

A family is seeking for community, they step inside our door,
Their faith unshaped, their search intense, they know there must be more. 
The experience is new, they feel uncertain, how will they be received?
Warmth and connection will influence if the gospel is believed.

A teenager who lives in a virtual world, unsure and insecure,
A room full of peers can’t undo their feeling lonely and unsure.
Purpose and identity are still being shaped and formed,
Fear and insecurity can be expelled if those peers are kind and warm.

It is not good for man to be alone, God said from the beginning,
Before He made us He had a thought both wise and also winning.
“The church,” He said, “will be a place where my wisdom will be known,”
He paid for it with His dear Son, made a people of His own.

Within that church a fellowship, where lives are shared completely,
Where hearts are touched and lives are filled so fully and so sweetly.
The world’s a cold and lonely place, and life brings pain and sorrow,
We need each other yesterday, today, and still tomorrow.

Ezra: Israel’s Restoration Movement (I)

The Long Road Back (1:1-11)

Neal Pollard

The book of Ezra begins by referring to God’s Word by Jeremiah’s mouth. That fulfillment was so important to the Jewish people. The Jews clung to the hope offered by Jeremiah, who foretold, “When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile'” (Jer. 29:10-14). God planned to bring them back, and the fellowship and relationship would be restored. Daniel confidently rested his hope in this promise near the end of his long, fruitful career as a prophet, reading in Jeremiah’s writings the hope and promises once the 70 years was accomplished (Dan. 9:2).

Ezra’s writings chronicle the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s promise, and the start of the Restoration Movement that commenced near the end of the 6th-Century B.C. The Persian emperor, Cyrus, comes to power in 539 B.C. and, acknowledging Jehovah’s power and authority, issues a proclamation to the Jews allowing all who were willing to return Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the temple (1:2). The door to return was now open! What did it take for the people to begin this massive rebuilding project?

Favorable Government (1-4, 7-11). Babylonian rulers were not going to allow this to happen. But Daniel (Dan. 5) chronicles the overthrow of Babylon by the Persians (also read the book of Nahum for the prophecy of this). Cyrus the Great forms the first Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire, in 550 B.C. An extremely significant archaeological find, “The Cyrus Cylinder,” is a clay document issued by Cyrus The Great confirming the truth of the biblical account we read here in Ezra chapter one. He permits the return and the rebuilding of the temple, and he encourages Jews everywhere who are not returning to financially support this exodus and the cost of rebuilding. No doubt, the Jews could appreciate this unprecedented granting of human rights by that world empire. They had not had such freedom for decades. 

Willing Builders (5). We will read more about the pioneering pilgrims of the Post-Exilic project in chapter two, but the text here says that heads of households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose. They were passionate about rebuilding, as God desired, and they were willing to leave Persia and go back home. Many of the Jews deported to Babylon and living in exile had established roots in their new nation, having children and grandchildren, homes and businesses they did not wish to leave. But others had been longing and praying for the opportunity to return.

Support From Brethren (6). The Jews who did not return sponsored and facilitated those who wanted to go back. They “encouraged” them with silver and gold, goods, cattle, and valuables in addition to their freewill offerings. That, with Cyrus’ release of the temple furnishings (8-11), equipped the returnees with the financial ability to do the work of rebuilding.  

Divine Providence. Something Cyrus acknowledges (3) reinforces that God was always in control, working through time and events to accomplish His overarching purpose. This post-exilic movement was part of His grander plan. Daniel writes about it in Daniel 2. God was working toward establishing that “kingdom which shall never be destroyed” (2:44) in the context of human history. The Persian Empire was a link in that omnipotent chain. It required the Jews to go back home and rebuild the temple and resettle in the land until ultimately the Messiah would be born. 

While these events happened in history over 2,500 years ago, there is so much application for us today. We still live in a time and place where government has given us the religious freedom to build for God. We’re not primarily interested in literal edifices and buildings. We’re charged with growing that spiritual kingdom Daniel foresaw, the church. That requires children of God who will roll up their sleeves, hungry to do the work of restoration. It requires children of God lending financial support of that work. It also requires us to be alert to God’s providence, to “work together for good” (Rom. 8:28) in accomplishing His will through our building efforts. How long will that window of freedom be open? It may become much harder to fulfill the Great Commission if and when those freedoms are ever revoked. Perhaps we should appreciate anew Jesus’ admonition, “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest” (John 4:35)! 

Stop Complaining!

Carl Pollard

 Very rarely do people seek out complainers to be their friend. It can be a challenge to spend any length of time around that person who is constantly grumbling and complaining about everything. At the same time, becoming a chronic complainer isn’t all that hard. Our society is filled with discontent people. Everyone has complaints. It seems that the more we are blessed the more we complain. Why are we so quick to complain? It’s human nature, but society still labels this as a negative trait. 

I read a story about a cowboy that was driving down a dirt road, his dog riding in back of the pickup truck, his horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident. Sometime later, a highway patrol officer came on the scene.

The officer saw the horse first. Seeing how badly hurt it was, he drew his revolver and put the animal out of his misery. He walked around the accident and found the dog, also hurt critically. He hated to see it in so much pain, so he ended the dog’s suffering as well.

Finally he located the cowboy –who suffered multiple fractures–off in the weeds. “Hey, are you okay?” the cop asked. 

The cowboy took one look at the smoking revolver in the trooper’s hand and quickly replied, “Never felt better!”

Sometimes it’s in our best interest to keep our complaints to ourselves. Mark twain once said, “Don’t complain and talk about all your problems–80 percent of people don’t care; the other 20 percent will think you deserve them.” Problem is, it can be difficult to refrain from complaining. We want sympathy, we desire compassion, often we don’t even realize when we complain. 

I used to think I wasn’t a chronic complainer, which is true to an extent. I made a mental note of how many times I said something negative in a day…and well here’s an article that hopefully will help you as well as me. 

Maybe you struggle with being negative; honestly I believe we all complain to a certain extent. In Philippians 2:14-16 Paul writes this letter as a call for unity in the church at Philippi. Right off the bat he starts talking about how blessed he is…to be in prison. He acknowledges his dire circumstances, but even after being wrongly imprisoned for 4 years, all he talks about is the gift he has been given to suffer for the cause of Christ. 

If anyone had the right to complain, Paul had every right in our eyes. Why does Paul say all of this? 

In chapter 2 he tells us to imitate the mind of Christ. Followed immediately by 14-16, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” 

According to Paul, it is impossible for us to focus on the will of God if all we do is grumble and complain. How can we keep our eye on the example of Christ if all we do is talk about everything that is wrong. 

I know our country is a mess, the church as a whole is divided, and people are more self-centered than ever. But, and I say this kindly, “who cares?” God has given us His Son, the gift of eternal life, and a family. I know there is a lot to complain about, but ultimately God cannot use us if thats all we do. There are a couple of key words mentioned in the text that we need to define. “Grumbling” the Greek word literally means, “utterances made in a low tone of voice.” Context defines whether these are satisfied or dissatisfied grumbles. The way Paul uses it is in a negative light. Also known as “murmuring.” “Complaining” (disputing) is a word that is best translated as arguing or disputing. 

So, Paul tells us to do all things without complaining and arguing. God expects us to be a joyful people. And we have no excuse! Let’s stop complaining.

Numbers: Preparing A People To Conquer (XXXV)

One Last Illustration On The Importance Of Inheritance (36:1-13)

Neal Pollard

We come to the end of the book of Numbers, with one last test case we read about earlier (see Numbers 27). Resolving one problem, if and how daughters could inherit, created another potential problem: what if they married men who stood to inherit themselves. God through Moses gives the solution. Such women could marry who they wished, as long as he was from the same tribe. Israel was set up by tribal territory. Thus, the daughters of Zelophehad married their uncles’ sons and both sons and daughters retained their inheritance. 

In this seeming footnote or bookkeeping matter, there are some valuable lessons to be gleaned.

(1) Be concerned about your inheritance.

(2) The inheritance could be lost.

(3) God is a God of boundaries.

(4) Inheritance is a personal matter. 

(5) If there is a question about an important matter, seek God’s wisdom. 

There is historical value to the book of Numbers, highlighting an important, if brief, slice of Israelite history when they wandered in the wilderness because of their unbelief. This was the original generation God desired to conquer Canaan, but they self-selected to decline that blessing. It cost them dearly. But their children were nurtured and prepared to do what they refused to do. In preparation, they all had to receive guidance about God’s will for how to conquer. 

There is theological value to the book of Numbers, showing us how these crucial years fit into God’s promise to Abraham to make a great nation and to bless all nations through this nation (as the Savior would eventually come through them).

There is spiritual value to the book of Numbers. We sing, “We’re marching to Zion,” “Camping toward Canaan’s land,” “Beulah land,” “To Canaan’s land I’m on my way,” and so many other songs that allegorize our heavenly home with the elements of the Israelite conquering. New Testament writers compare Israel’s inheritance of their land with the heavenly home we, as Christians, are pressing toward. How beneficial it is to refresh our memory about this generation and to draw the necessary lessons which serve as both warning and encouragement to us. 

It Ain’t Me

Gary Pollard

One of the most difficult things (at least for me) to accept about grace is this: There’s nothing we can do to deserve it, or be “worthy” of it. When I sin, it just makes me feel even more unworthy. This can quickly devolve into apathy — why even try? Every sin seems to compound, every prayer for strength seems ignored. If prayers for strength are ignored, surely prayers for forgiveness are, too! 

This mentality is not a healthy one. But how does one go from an intellectual understanding of grace’s power to accepting the reality of human imperfection? How do we prevent defeat in the aftermath of mistakes? If there’s a fix-all answer to this, I haven’t found it. 

Perhaps the answer is a lack of faith. At its core, faith is really confidence — that God exists, that he rewards people who try hard to have a relationship with him, that his grace is enough for us because his power is most effectively displayed through weakness. 

Maybe it’s disbelief. Does Jesus really forgive us when we sin? Yeah, Paul says “I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do the good I want to do, and I do the evil I hate. … But I am not really the one doing the evil. It is sin living in me that does it” (Rom 7.15, 17, 20). But later he says, “You are not ruled by your sinful selves. You are ruled by spirit, if God’s spirit really lives in you” (8.9). What does he mean by “ruled”? If I can’t seem to avoid sin, am I not ruled by it? What about Rom 6.2? “So do you think we should continue sinning so that God will give us more and more grace? Of course not! Our old sinful life ended. It’s dead. So how can we continue living in sin?” Which is it? Are we ok because we sin even when we don’t want to? Or are we in trouble because we’re not immune to sin? Maybe this would be better classed under confidence, but it’s so hard to believe that God still wants a relationship with people who claim to love him while vulnerable to sin’s influence. 

Scripture seems to clear this up, if we can only accept its significance: “We know that the law is spiritual, but I am not. I am so human. Sin rules me as if I were its slave. I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do the good I want to do, I do the evil I hate. And if I don’t want to do what I do, that means I agree that the law is good” (Rom 7.14-16). 

The question each person seems to have to answer is, “Do I really hate sin’s influence in my life?” God knows the true answer to that question. Romans 6.12 says, “Don’t let sin control your life here. You must not be ruled by the things your sinful self makes you want to do.” A few verses later, “In the past you were slaves to sin and you did not even think about doing right.” Verse 23, in the context of these chapters, says that all people are going to die physically because every human has sinned. But all who despise sin (while still vulnerable to its influence) and follow God will be “no longer under death’s power” because Jesus defeated sin’s ultimate punishment. 

We can’t avoid death, just like we can’t avoid sin. Where our heart really is makes the difference. “So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me. In my mind I am happy with God’s law. But I see another law working in my body. That law makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and that law makes me its prisoner.” 

God knows we’re human. God knows we’re weak and constantly fighting sin’s influence. We’re not God, we’re not impervious to its control. Even Paul said, “What a miserable person I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death?” The answer is Jesus, the one who will rescue us from our current bodies if our “minds serve God’s law, even as our bodies serve the law of sin” (7.25). 

Finally, “Now there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is because the law of the spirit of life that comes from Christ Jesus has freed us from the law of sin and death. … God used a human life to destroy sin.” What does this mean? This means if we live to do what God wants us to do, he will give our bodies life on the last day (8.11). We’re never going to be free of sin’s influence in our lives, but we choose our masters. Will we pursue sin with our hearts and actions, or will we serve God with our hearts while the weakness of sin only makes us anticipate freedom (8.18ff) even more? We aren’t doing this alone — we have Jesus defending us (I Jn 2.1-2) and we have God searching our intent (Rom 8.26-27). 

“We know that everything God made has been waiting in pain like a woman ready to give birth to a child. Not just the created world, either — we’ve also been waiting with pain inside us. We have the spirit as the first part of God’s promise. So we are waiting for God to finish making us his children. I mean we are waiting for our bodies to be made free.” 

Numbers: Preparing A People To Conquer (XXXIV)

A Dwelling For Priests And Those In Need Of Protection (35:1-34)

Neal Pollard

We remind ourselves that the Levites did not have a tribal territory in which to live, like the other tribes. They were the priestly tribe, and they were to live among all the children of Israel throughout the land. Moses gives some specific instructions here for the places they would inhabit in the conquest. 

They were allotted cities and pastures (1-5,7-8). Just because their duties and expectations were different did not mean they were excluded from having homes and herds like their brethren. God also set it up so that the individual tribes would give in proportion to their size and the size of their inheritance–the bigger they were, the more they were to give. 

They were appointed cities of refuge to oversee (6, 9-34). The bulk of the chapter is devoted to describing and defining what a city of refuge is and how it functions. These cities (read Joshua 20 for the fulfillment) are said to be theirs, though the elders of the city were to judge the case of a “manslayer” who would flee there for refuge. It is not clear what direct part the Levites had to play in these cities (for more information, read Deuteronomy 19:1-13 and 1 Chronicles 6). But here are the “rules” for those cities. They were for the purpose of sheltering a person who unintentionally killed another person and sought refuge from that person’s avenger (Exo. 21:12-14). These cities would be spread throughout the land, so as to be accessible to those in every tribe. In the city of refuge, the manslayer would stand trial (12). Moses gives several specific examples to distinguish between murder (16-21) and unintentional killing (22-23). Which it was would be determined by the assessment of the people who judged between the manslayer and the avenger (24-25) based upon evidence from multiple witnesses (30).  Even if he was innocent, the manslayer had to remain in the city of refuge until his own death or the death of the high priest or the avenger could kill him without reprisal (25-28).  The whole system depended upon justice, fairness, and integrity in the people (31-34). 

The concept of fleeing for refuge was, of course, used in a spiritual sense in the matter of sin or the need of protection throughout the Old Testament. God is the shelter and hiding place for those who see their need of Him (Ps. 118:8; Prov. 30:5; Isa. 14:32; Joel 3:16; Nah. 1:7; Zeph. 3:12). “Refuge” is used once in the New Testament, in Hebrews 6:18, to speak of how “we who have taken refuge (in God) would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” 

The Tower Of Borsippa

Dale Pollard

Once the Bir Cylinders were translated, its claims raised the eyebrow of many Biblical skeptics. The set of clay cylinders (600 b.c.) would serve as further proof that what some consider to be one of the most bizarre and barely believable accounts— actually happened. They were discovered by Sir Henry Rawlinson during the mid-19th century at the Babylonian site of Borsippa. The cylinders, covered in parallel inscriptions, were found inside the walls of a gigantic, heavily damaged tower at the site. This tower—a type of the Mesopotamian ziggurat —had been repaired extensively during the reign of the infamous King Nebuchadnezzar. Bricks were unearthed that were stamped with the name of the king but the cylinders inside those ancient walls were what stole the spotlight. Rawlinson (known as the father of Assyriology) translated the inscriptions as follows:

“I am Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon … my great lord has established me in strength, and has urged me to repair his buildings … the Tower of Babylon, I have made and finished … the Tower of Borsippa had been built by a former king. He had completed 42 [cubits?], but he did not finish its head; from the lapse of time it had become ruined … the rain and wet had penetrated into the brickwork; the casing of burnt brick had bulged out … Merodach, my great lord, inclined my heart to repair the building. I did not change its site, nor did I destroy its foundation platform; but, in a fortunate month, and upon an auspicious day, I undertook the rebuilding … I set my hand to build it up, and to finish its summit. As it had been in ancient times, so I built up its structure..”

There’s another translation of this text that’s even more direct. This one was done by Rawlinson’s contemporary Assyriologist, Julius Oppert. He would translate a few of lines with a slight, but illuminating variation: 

“… the most ancient monument of Babylon; I built and finished it … A former king built it—they reckon 42 ages [ago]—but he did not complete its head. For a long time, people had abandoned it without order expressing their words ….”

But Wait, There’s More 

The Tower of Babel Stele is an inky black colored ceremonial stone and it’s only about 20 inches tall. It was discovered over a century ago among the ruins of the city of Babylon. Since then, it has been kept as part of a private Norwegian Collection. 

The tablet, belonging to King Nebuchadnezzar, dates to around 600 b.c. and it includes an illustration of the king standing next to a diagram of a large, seven-storied tower; above it, a separate floor plan of the massive “temple” that crowned the top. The lower part of the tablet contains an inscription, describing Nebuchadnezzar’s tower-building strategy. What could be translated from the partial text is as follows:

“Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon am I: In order to complete [the towers] Etemenanki and Eurmeiminanki, I mobilized all countries everywhere … the base I filled in to make a high terrace. I built their structures with bitumen and baked brick throughout. I completed it raising its top to the heaven ….” 

The Etemenanki ziggurat (the Borsippa tower) as described by fifth-century b.c. historian Herodotus: 

“In the middle of [Babylon’s] precinct there was a tower of solid masonry … upon which was raised a second tower, and on that a third, and so on up to eight. The ascent to the top is on the outside, by a path which winds round all the towers. … On the topmost tower there is a spacious temple … There is no statue of any kind set up in the place, nor is the chamber occupied of nights by any one but a single native woman, who, as the Chaldeans, the priests of this god, affirm, is chosen for himself by the deity out of all the women of the land.”

IMG_2130.jpeg

The ‘Tower of Babel Stele’ 

Reason #31 To Love The Church…

#31-Wonderful Words of Life

Numbers: Preparing A People To Conquer (XXXII)

Setting Boundaries (34:1-29)

Neal Pollard

God through Moses lays out the boundary lines for their Promised Land. The Lord was not trying to give them a vast, expansive empire. This was not about world domination. It was about fulfilling His word to Abraham and furthering His overarching plan to bring a Savior through His seed.

The boundaries were precise and specific (southern, 3-5; western, 6; northern, 7-9; eastern, 10-12). The men who were to coordinate the allotments by tribe were hand picked by God and called by name (13-29) to receive their land by Eleazar and Joshua.

They had not lifted a finger against a single city or fought over an inch of ground but they were being led to plan and possess. God had already given it to them. Now, they simply had to work the plan.

Isn’t that just the way it is under Christ? Our reward is promised, specific and laid out for us. He’s told us who He wants to lead us, who the enemy is, and what His plan calls for. He simply tells us to take possession!

Voices From The Grave

Neal Pollard

Recently, Kathy and I were walking through the beautiful Fairview Cemetery, with its over 1,000 graves. There are well-known people buried there, like Duncan Hines, confederate general William Perry, members of the powerful Underwood family, and congressman William Natcher (for whom the Kentucky parkway is named). According to our friend and renowned church historian, Scott Harp, such restoration movement figures as James Harding, M.L. Moore, and Benjamin Franklin Rogers are also buried there, as well as those later well-known to our brotherhood like Raymond Hazelip and J. Pettey Ezell.

But, I was struck by some things I saw on the headstones of seemingly ordinary “residents” we encountered along our walk. They suggest a view that there is more to the person than what lies beneath that patch of ground. They also echo true ideas from Scripture.

“We will meet again.” Those who have gone are not gone forever. We may not see them physically on this earth again, but Scripture speaks of the occasion where we all will be gathered before the throne of judgment (Mat. 25:31-34). Fellowship with one another is implied in various activities in which we will engage and glimpses we get of those who have gone beyond the grave (Rev. 21:3; 22:3). Certainly, our songs express an anticipation that we will see each other again.

“His work lives on.” Think of how that is certainly true, even in the secular realm. Scholarships and endowments are set up in the name of and to honor those who have died. Many wealthy donors have their names on buildings in cities, universities, and businesses long after they have died (Rockefeller Plaza, J.P. Morgan; George Washington has 127 places named after him and Abraham Lincoln has 70). The Bible tells us that though Abel is dead, he still speaks through his obedient faith (Heb. 11:4). John hears the blessed assurance from heaven that those who die in the Lord may rest from their labors, “but their works follow them” (Rev. 14:13). All of us are leaving a posthumous legacy.

“Beloved father, son, and friend.” Variations of this can be found in this and other cemeteries. It is a reminder that we are making and building relationships. How will they be remembered? In what way are we impacting and influencing those who will follow after us? God makes us stewards over various areas of life, and we touch others’ lives. Paul writes, “For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself” (Rom. 14:7).

We are audibly speaking now, But even from the grave, we will continue to speak. What are we writing with our lives? They will be read when we have died!

Numbers: Preparing A People To Conquer (XXXI)

The Highlight Reel Of Forty Years (33:1-56)

Neal Pollard

Israel has come to the point that the wandering is nearly completed. Aaron has died and Moses will soon follow. So, the inspired Moses looks back at the “stages” (NAS, “journeys”) of this arduous journey. It began so “triumphantly” with their departure from Egypt (1-4). As they were exiting that land, they were heading toward the land of promise. 

In Numbers 33:5-50, we get the entire scope of the forty year journey. This is more than a long list of camp sites, identified by villages and places. It marked the site of the highlights (and lowlights) of this period which saw the demise of a faithless generation (14:27-31). The miracle at the Red Sea is only implied (8). Marah is the place, three days beyond the Red Sea, where Israel murmured for water (8-9; Ex. 15:25-27). Rephidim is mentioned (14), where Moses struck the rock for water as God commanded him (Ex. 17:1ff). Sinai is mentioned (15-16), where Moses receives the Law and the area where the Golden Calf was made (Ex. 19:1ff). Kibroth-hattaavah (16) is the place God struck down the greedy who wanted meat to eat (11:30-35). He marks the death of his brother, Aaron (38-39). Finally, he lists Abel-Shittim (49), where Balaam successfully enticed Israel into immorality with the Moabite women (25:1ff).

So much is condensed into the travelogue that we read for roughly 40 verses. Afterward, the Lord speaks with Moses at the strategic point of the Jordan where they looked across and saw Jericho. God repeats instructions about what will come for the next generation. What this generation had rejected, Moses was to challenge the next one to do. Notice how the actions stack one on the other, instructions to follow: pass over Jordan (51), drive out the inhabitants (52), destroy their places of idolatrous worship (52), take possession of the land (53), possess the land by lot (54), or suffer the consequences of disobedience (55-56). This is a pretty good outline of the book of Joshua!

I am thankful that God communicates clearly and perfectly with us today. As we mark our journey through the wilderness of this world, there will be a succession of highlights and lowlights. Yet, He holds out for us a “promised land” to inherit and gives us clear instructions about how to succeed! 

Numbers: Preparing A People To Conquer (XXX)

“He Spoke” (A Special Request) (32:1-42)

Neal Pollard

You sense Israel’s nearness to the conquest as the book of Numbers draws toward its close. Here, two tribes, Gad and Reuben (later, half the tribe of Manasseh would join them, 33-42) approach Moses, Eleazar, and the leaders of the nation with a request. The lands of Jazer and Gilead are prime pasturelands and the people of these tribes wished to conquer and occupy it for their livestock (2-5). They do not want to go with the rest of the nation westward across the Jordan River.

Moses is upset and gives multiple reasons why. He says that the request revealed dereliction of duty (6), discouragement of brethren (7-9), a duplication of their fathers’ disobedience (9-13), and the risk of the displeasure of God (13-15). However, it appears that Moses’ assessment is hasty.

The leaders of these tribes draw near and justify their request. They will build holding pens for their animals and houses for their wives and children (16-17) while they go to war with the rest of the nation (18-19). Moses says that if they keep their word, this is an acceptable plan (20-22). However, if they renege on this promise, Moses warns, “behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out” (23). Numbers 32:24-33 summarizes the plan and arrangements Moses sets between these requesting tribes and the rest of the nation. The remainder of the chapter records the building of the various cities in that territory by Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh (34-42). 

By way of application, a few things stand out. First, we should avoid presumptions in dealing with our brethren. It is understandable why Moses would be sensitive to actions tantamount to repeating the fatal past they were still enduring, but it appears this great leader jumped the gun. It is always preferable to give our brethren the benefit of the doubt, to have faith in them. That’s even true if their track record is less than perfect! Among other things, love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things…” (1 Cor. 13:7). 

Second, “you may be sure your sin will find you out” (23, NLT). It may happen in this life, but even if it does not it will certainly happen in eternity (1 Tim. 5:24). If we opt for hypocrisy in our Christian lives, we may think we are getting away with it. Scripture makes clear that this will not be the case (Rom. 14:12). 

Finally, God’s work succeeds when brethren help each other out. The plans of the tribes who want to possess the land east of the Jordan include going to war with their brethren to help them conquer their territory. Their brethren had helped to subdue and conquer those who were in the land they planned to inherit. How pleased God is when His children work together in unity. As David put it, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity” (Psa. 133:1). 

Loving Difficult People

Nick Dubree

If I asked for a show of hands if you had at least one person in your life that you found difficult to love, some of us, if not all of us would have both hands and both feet in the air. There is no doubt that all of us have people in our lives that are “difficult to love.” This is a natural part of our lives and even more so as followers of Christ because we have different standard of “loving people” than what you find in the world.

I want to dive a little deeper than what usually talk about when this topic comes up. Usually, when he hear this topic, our minds selfishly start pointing blame at others. We may have thoughts like, “Well if they would just have the same opinion as me, everything would be better”, or “man I wish they would get their life together, they’d be a lot easier to be  around.” 

However, when we observe Matthew and Mark’s account of what Jesus says to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:36-40 and Mark 12:29-31, we find that when Jesus is asked “Which is the greatest commandment?” He says “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”.

There is a greater context here, but I find it very interesting that when Jesus is asked this question, even though it’s coming from a Lawyer trying to test Him, of all the commandments, Jesus answers with these two. Obviously Jesus find these to be greatly important. First and foremost, you have to Love God. Second, you have to love your neighbor as yourself.

And if we do a little reverse psychology with the second commandment Jesus mentions here, you gotta love your neighbor. To love your neighbor right, you gotta love your neighbor as yourself. To love your neighbor as yourself, you gotta love yourself.

Webster defines the word difficult as -hard to do, make, or carry out; hard to deal with, hard to manage, overcome, or understand. Loving difficult people is……difficult, but loving yourself is a constant challenge. It’s a lifelong battle. If we were honest with ourselves, our disappointment and or disapproval of others originate with that of ourselves. The first step to loving difficult people. In fact, loving yourself is the first step to loving people in general.

Jesus gave us a reason to love ourselves, not in a selfish, prideful way, but in light of our salvation. Our salvation and hope should shine through in love for others. I believe if we study ourselves on a regular basis, cultivating that love that Jesus has shown us, it will bring forth a spirit of natural love for people, no matter how difficult they may be.