Tag: blessings

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (XXIX)

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (XXIX)

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The Blessings And Curses (28:1-68)

Neal Pollard

The end of the blessings and curses sermon is more brief on the former and more voluminous on the latter. This is not because serving God is more about threats and warnings than promises and enjoyment, but because in His love and foreknowledge God knew what was in man (Gen. 8:21). He has been seeing the heart of this people turn from Him during the 40 year wandering and He knew what lay ahead from the period of the judges all the way to the end of the northern kingdom and the 70 year captivity of the southern kingdom. 

But in both sections, the point is the same. Israel was to diligently obey and carefully do all that God commanded (1,15). To bring this point home, Moses specifies 14 blessings accompanying obedience (1-14) followed by 32 curses (16-48). Yet, the blessings were as powerful and the curses were dreadful. Moses describes the blessings as overwhelming (2), and “this vivid language portrays the blessings as living and active; for the second verb has ‘and take effect,’ and ‘and light on you.’ Perhaps something like ‘come and remain with you’ or ‘will always be yours'” (Bratcher and Hatton, UBS, 444). 

God wanted to bombard them with blessings that would stay and never leave. But note the conditional, “If you obey” (2). The blessings were not for Israel to selfishly consume in earthly pleasure, but to use as a tool in their keeping covenant with God. Every aspect of their individual and community life would be blessed (1-14). God establishes this with three “if, then” statements (2,9, 13-14). Moses punctuates the blessings portion with a reminder of how matchless God is compared to any rival (11-14).

But what if they breach their covenant with Jehovah? In minute detail, Moses speaks of the consequences of disobedience. With six conditional statements, noted in English with either “if” or “because” (15,20,45,47,58, and 62), God drives His point home. Contemporary documents, whether Hittite or early Assyrian treaties, follow the same formula of being heavily weighted toward the curses over the blessings. “The reason presumably (as here in Deuteuteronomy) was to underscore the seriousness of covenant violation by describing its consequences in long and graphic detail” (Merrill, NAC, 357). 

The last 20 verses serve as a warning, foreseeing a time in which Israel would indeed turn away and through disobedience place themselves under the weight of these curses (49-68). Notice that he actually precedes the prediction of captivity by writing, “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you” (47-48). He then proceeds to describe what that would look like. 

The enemy would eat their food and oil, drink their wine, besiege their cities, and cause severe famine reducing them to animalistic behavior (49-57). The Lord would cause plagues and diseases (58-62). They would be scattered among the nations, uncertain about their lives, corrupted in their worship, despairing of their living conditions, and desperate for survival (63-68). God could not have painted a grimmer picture, all in the hopes that Israel would take warning and never turn from Him. 

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (IX)

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (IX)

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Don’t Forget (8:1-20)

Neal Pollard

There are multiple memory tools–the rule of three, memory palaces, chunking, mnemonics, acronyms, and I am sure there are others I’m forgetting. How many of us have upset and disappointed others, especially loved ones, because of failing to remember something that was important to them? Three times in this chapter, Moses mentions forgetting (11,14,19). Twice, he says to remember (2,18). Yet, the whole chapter centers around the importance of remembering and the danger of forgetting. His most serious warning was that they would forget God and think they did all of it by themselves (12-13,17). Self-reliance would make them forget the One responsible for all their blessings. So Moses warns:

Don’t forget God’s past provision (1-5,14-16). He points them all the way back to Egypt and the exodus from slavery (14), but he repeatedly reminds them of how God had taken care of them in the wilderness these past forty years. There was the manna (3), the durability of their clothes and shoes (4), the protection from scorpions and serpents (15), and the provision of water (15). Without God’s provision, they would neither be free nor alive that very day! 

Don’t forget God’s precepts (6, 11). Attached to His gifts, God blesses them with perfect direction. He calls it “commandments” (6), “His ways” (6), “His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes” (11). It contained His covenant (18). Studying each of these synonyms gives aspects of God’s authority and right to govern, and each are conditions for His blessings. Moses has just restated the Ten Commandments for them. His Law was to govern them and aid them in daily life. They would forget it to their own peril! 

Don’t forget God’s promises (7-10). God is not simply being a domineering autocrat, who threw His weight around just because He could. Earthly rulers might inevitably act that way, but not the perfect God. God longed to lavish His blessings on them. He wants them to remember these promises He is making: a good land, many waters, valleys and hills, a land producing all sorts of sustaining food, and precious metals. All of it would be abundantly given! If they would remember Him and His Word, they would be blessed beyond anything any of them had experienced. 

Don’t forget God’s power (18-20). All of this was possible because of His power (18). If they forgot Him, the power He would use to overthrow their enemies in the conquest would be turned on them. He ends by saying, “Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the Lord your God” (20). Are you reminded of God’s impartiality? Though Israel was His special, chosen people (7:5), God is eminently fair! Thankfully, through Christ, that impartiality opens the door wide to whosoever will (Acts 10:34-35)! 

Memory is a powerful thing! Even those who suffer dementia may retain long past memories. Yet, nothing is worse than choosing to forget or allowing something else to crowd from our minds the very things that must remain firmly in place. Israel stood at the threshold of incredible hope and promise. God wants them to remember the source and respond appropriately. God wants the same of you and me today. 

The One Who Came Back

The One Who Came Back

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Carl Pollard

Luke 17:11-19, ”On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Two friends met each other on the street one day. One looked upset, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What’s wrong?” The other answered and said, “well, three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.” The friend responded and said, “That’s a lot of money.” 

“But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and he left me eighty-five thousand dollars.” The guy answered back, “Sounds to me that you’ve been very blessed.” “You don’t understand!” he interrupted. “Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million from her.” Now the man’s friend was really confused. “Then, why are you so upset!?” “Because…this week I got nothing!”

We can often come to the point where we expect to get certain blessings that God never promised us, and when they do not come, it is easy to get bitter. As Christians, our lives should be filled with gratitude. There’s so much that God has already done for us! But there are times where we expect God to do things, or give us something that isn’t promised to us. When the moment comes and we don’t get it, what is our response? If God’s answer is yes, be grateful. If God’s answer is no, be grateful. 

Gratitude is a forgotten and dying attitude. Which sadly, has long been difficult for mankind to express. A well known example of this is found in Luke 17. This account is unique to the gospel of Luke. Up to this point Jesus has been giving parable after parable, but what happens in 11-19 takes place on their journey to Jerusalem? 

A real life example that we should take to heart. Gratitude is a lost art. 

But we can learn what God expects of us from these few verses: 

  1. Gratitude Is Not Conditional (11-14) 
  2. Gratitude Must Lead To Action (15-16) 
  3. Gratitude Is Uncommon (17-18) 
  4. Gratitude Is Life Changing (19)

Ten were healed, but only one came back. And he came back because he realized that he had something to do. Jesus changed his life, and he couldn’t just leave and not show his appreciation. He HAD to turn back, because Jesus was his salvation!

I’d like to suggest that as Christian’s we ALL have a reason to turn back. 

Eph. 2:4, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.“

God has shown His love, so let’s show our gratitude. You can do that by praising Him each day, because every day He is with us and is forgiving of our faults. Show God that you are grateful for what He has done by giving your life to Him. There’s no greater joy than trying to give back to a God that has given so much to us.

Words Associated With The “Money Ministry”

Words Associated With The “Money Ministry”

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Neal Pollard

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul writes on the subject of giving of our monetary means.  In the next chapter, he builds on his confidence about Corinth’s readiness and zeal to give, encouraging them to follow through. His encouragement includes some integral components of our contribution which should encourage us to be generous and cheerful givers. Let’s look closer at 2 Corinthians 9 and see what they are.

“GOD” SHOULD MOTIVATE US IN THIS MINISTRY

With such a spiritual service as contributing from our means, you would expect a heavy dose of language pointing to God. So, Paul mentions Him seven times in chapter 9 (7-8, 11-15). God loves a cheerful giver (7). God is able to give us an abundance as we properly use it (8). God receives thanks when we are liberal givers (11-12). God is glorified when we are obedient to His command to give generously (13). God’s grace shines through our generous giving (14). God gives indescribable gifts (15). What relentless encouragement for us to reciprocate!

“GRACE” SHOULD MOTIVATE US IN THIS MINISTRY

As already noted, our contribution partners with one of the most essential, powerful qualities of God. We often restrict our thinking about God’s grace to the cross and salvation, and there is no greater example of undeserved favor. God gives grace through us in giving (8) and shows grace in us by giving (14). Isn’t it powerful to think of our free and abundant sharing supplying others with a taste of God’s grace?!

“GIVING” SHOULD MOTIVATE US IN THIS MINISTRY

Paul reminds them of their promise, warning against covetousness interrupting their giving (5). Paul exhorts, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (6). God loves a cheerful giver (7). Quoting the psalmist, Paul says that God gave to the poor and thereby proves His eternal righteousness (9) by supplying and multiplying seed for our righteous harvest (10). God is a giver (John 3:16). I want to be like God, and that is a most powerful motivator! 

“GENEROSITY” SHOULD MOTIVATE US IN THIS MINISTRY

“Generosity” (ESV) or “liberality” is touted by Paul as the reason for our giving (11), the reason for others thanking God (11), the reason others glorify God (13), the reason why others will be motivated to pray for us (14) and yearn for us (14). We don’t give for men’s praise (Mat. 6:1-4); we must discipline ourselves not to seek the honor and glory of man. But, it is often a consequence of contributions made with pure, clear motives. I don’t know about you, but the thought that God might see me as generous fuels my desire to try and be more generous. Listen to this: “For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God” (12). Don’t forget the fruit of your generosity. It can bring joy to know that you’re needed because you’re meeting needs. 

At times, we all struggle with giving as we should. A lot of obstacles crop up–fear, doubt, greed, ignorance, selfishness, apathy, and probably many others. Maybe we see the whole discussion of giving as negative and guilt-inducing. If so, perhaps we’re looking at this wrong. It is a privilege to give to the One who gave us everything material and spiritual. It is divine to act like the Great Giver. It is helpful and useful. It is enjoyable. When we approach this “ministry” as positive and joy-inducing, it will transform our effectiveness not only in worship (1 Cor. 16:1-2) but in life (1 John 3:16-17). Remember that “God loves a cheerful giver” (7). 

Conquering Self

Conquering Self

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Neal Pollard

Joshua 23 marks the beginning of Joshua’s farewell address. He is “old, advanced in years” (1). He summons all Israel, their elders, heads, judges, and officers, to challenge and admonish them (2ff).  He reviews all God had done to allow Israel to conquer Canaan (3-5). He wanted them to appreciate what God had given them. After reviewing their blessings, Joshua warns them to persevere going forward. There was another battle to fight, and that was a future apostasy. So, Joshua directs their attention to what they needed to do to fight that part of themselves that fall away from the Lord. 

They would have to conquer complacency. He tells them to be firm (6), to keep and do all the Law (6), cling to the Lord (8), and take diligent heed (11). There could be no half-hearted following! They had to stay “all in.”

They would have to conquer compromise. They could not turn to the right or the left or associate with the nations surrounding them (6-7). They could not make these people’s gods their gods (7) or their women their spouses or friends (12). Failure to conquer compromise would carry grave consequences (16)! 

They would have to conquer callousness. In the face of God’s promises and threats (14-15), they needed to keep their hearts soft to His Word. Instead, he wanted them to examine their hearts and souls and remain convicted (14)! Hardness of heart is spiritually fatal.

Perhaps the most formidable foe to my own faithfulness is me. Satan’s influence is certainly strong (1 John 5:19), but I must internalize James’ warning, too. ” Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (Js. 1:13-15).

If I don’t conquer the desire for sin, I set in motion something ultimately lethal for myself. Tragically, Israel would not conquer themselves. They would become complacent, callous compromisers. And what God warned would happen did happen.

The comfort for us is that their outcome doesn’t have to be ours. We can look back on these events and learn from them. “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:11-13)! 

Bible Land Tour (Mediterranean)(II)

Bible Land Tour (Mediterranean)(II)

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Neal Pollard

Today, we completed our land tour of Rome. I mentioned that there are 56 of us, ranging in age from teenagers to pushing 80. So, we move different speeds and are in different degrees of health. We are often having to go far and somewhat fast, requiring patience on the part of everyone. It has been pretty hot and sunny all weekend, too! Would you believe that everyone has kept such a great attitude and been so pleasant? Of course! We have been with God’s family, who you would expect to act more like Him than anyone else.

This morning, we all piled into our tour bus (packing about 90 bags into the bottom of it) and made our way to meet with the “Chiesa di Cristo” in Rome. This church of about 30, which has two elders, welcomed us with open arms. Some of their brethren led us in worship, some of our group led us in worship, and we sang, prayed, heard the word proclaimed, contributed, and observed the Lord’s Supper together. We sang in Italian, in English, and even in Xhosa (a South African language). We greeted and talked as best as we could with the language barrier and got to know some of each other’s stories. It was emotional.

I thought about what happened to Paul right before he was arrested and wound his way to Rome to appeal to Caesar. Nearing the end of his third missionary journey, he met in Miletus with the elders of the church at Ephesus (a city we’ll visit later this week)(Acts 20:17-38). Paul had worked with them for three years. At their parting, they wept, hugged, and said an emotional goodbye. The next place we know that he stopped was at Tyre (past Cyprus, which we plan to visit next week) in Acts 21:3-6. Paul and his fellow-missionaries were with these Christians just a few days. When they said goodbye, it was still an emotional, heartfelt goodbye.

That was the general feeling as we pulled away from brethren we only knew a couple of hours. Separated by language, culture, and background, we felt the bond of Christ strongly! It was hard to leave. It was wonderful to be there, to be with God’s family. How eternally wise our God was in building the church like He did. We will make some lifelong friendships as we tour so many places where Paul once walked and preached. We will have difficulty saying goodbye to some we’ve known and others we’ve met. But, that’s always the way it is when you’ve been with God’s family! They are the best!

Alone!

Alone!

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Neal Pollard

Kathy and I very recently discovered an interesting show produced by the History Channel, and the title of the series is “Alone.” It is a “reality show” (not usually a fan of those), but it involves survival experts dropped, alone, in the middle of nowhere. They get to take ten items of their choice to help them battle predators, the elements, and, most of all, isolation. Food, water, shelter, and fire top their priorities, but even having these cannot prevent the maddening monotony of being deprived of human companionship.

I love the way Solomon says it in the book of Ecclesiastes. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (4:9-12, NLT, emph. mine). At the very beginning, God made it clear that it isn’t good for man to be alone (Gen. 2:18). Alone one is in trouble, in the cold, and in danger. It is not good for us.

The survivalists on the show figure that out. So does the person, even with people all around them, who keep themselves in isolation. Think of all the ways God combats our loneliness.

  • He gives us marriage (Gen. 2:18; 1 Cor. 11:9).
  • He gives us children (Psa. 127:3-5).
  • He gives us the church (Eph. 2:19).
  • He gives us the assemblies (Heb. 10:24-25).
  • He gives us fellowship (Acts 2:42).
  • He gives us hospitality (Rom. 12:10,13).
  • He gives us counselors and mentors (Prov. 15:22; 24:6; Ti. 2:3-4).
  • He gives us the aged (Lev. 19:32; 1 Tim. 5:1).
  • He gives us shepherds (Acts 20:28).

Life is difficult for the person determined to go it alone! We are left with our thoughts, which may or may not be accurate reflections of reality or at least the whole picture (Prov. 18:17). We are deprived of the very resources God has given to help us successfully overcome life’s challenges. It is an easy habit to get into to withdraw from the company of others, but it is not healthy! We need others, and, just as much, they need us!

The guys on the reality show voluntarily go it alone for money and notoriety, but, even with that incentive, the loneliness gets unbearable. For us, the prize and reward does not require us to cloister ourselves. It requires the opposite! May we never choose to be alone, when we have so many tools supplied by God to survive the challenges of this life.

The Gospel In My Hands

The Gospel In My Hands

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Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Names are hard. You can forget names, mix up names, and mispronounce names. 

But there’s a subject in scripture that is described many different ways, and it is given multiple names. The word “gospel” appears 101 times in the Bible. Some have described this word as meaning, “a reward for good tidings.” The basic meaning of the word “gospel” is “good news.” 

It is the good news about the benefits we receive from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fundamental facts of the gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These facts are found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Notice what else we learn about the gospel from this passage, 

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 

In this text we see what the gospel can do in the hands of a faithful Christian:

  • First, Paul preached this gospel. 
  • Second, they received that message. 
  • Third, they were standing in that message. That is, they were following the gospel. 
  • Fourth, they were saved by that message. 
  • Fifth, they would continue to be saved as long as they held fast to that message. 
  • Sixth, these facts were true if they truly believed those facts. 
  • Seventh, he delivered what he had received. He didn’t make-up this message. In Galatians 1:12 he explained, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” 
  • Eighth, what he delivered was of most importance which was that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (according to what had been foretold in the Old Testament). 
  • Ninth, Christ was buried. 
  • Tenth, Christ was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures – according to the Old Testament prophecies.

That is the gospel. That is what we are commanded to proclaim. So let’s share the good news with our lost and dying world.

Carl Pollard
Keep Him King

Keep Him King

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Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

blond man with goatee smiling at camera with blazer on
Dale Pollard

“But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.”

1 Samuel 12.24 

When this passage is taken out of the events unfolding in this chapter, it seems like a great verse to remind us to be grateful for God’s blessings. While that application could certainly be made, here’s the context. 

God’s desire for His people is rejected. Unlike the surrounding ancient cultures and nations, Israel had no king. Instead, they were to have men chosen by God to serve as their judge. The temptation to establish an earthly king became so great among the Israelites that they gave in and decided to oppose the Lord’s leadership strategy. 

Samuel is in the final stretch of his life and guided by God’s direction, he allows the people to have what they wanted— but not what they needed. 

Samuel replies to the people’s cry for a king and here’s our verse in context. 

“You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.” 

Samuel wasn’t merely encouraging the people to be grateful for what they have as it might seem on the surface. He was reminding them to not reject the King of Kings after their earthly king fails them. When we make poor decisions and are forced to pay the consequences, the worst possible move would be a move away from God. Taking ownership of the trouble we bring into our lives is vital to future faithfulness. Difficult lessons are, by definition, not a joyful experience. Things could always be worse, but things could always be better. At the end of the day it comes down to which king we decide to serve. 

“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke…”

Proverbs 3.11 

Grateful Living

Grateful Living

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Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Carl Pollard

There’s a pretty well known quote that people often share on social media. It says, “Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living.” What is gratitude? Being grateful means recognizing our blessings. There are some people that I don’t mind being inconvenienced by. People that I’d happily help if they needed it, and that’s because these people are grateful. They appreciate and thank you for helping them…Then there are people that I don’t exactly enjoy helping. Why? Because they demand your help and almost seem like they feel entitled to your help. You help them and you don’t get a thank you and they aren’t grateful for your sacrifice. It’s interesting that these people never seem to be happy, and there’s a reason. They fail to be grateful for the blessings they receive. 

When we take the time to be thankful for what we have, we don’t have as much time to think about what we don’t have. If we want to find true joy, focus on being grateful for what God has given us. For example, notice what many Christians have today: 

  • We live in America 
  • We worship in a building each Sunday 
  • We don’t have to walk everywhere 
  • We have a roof over our heads 
  • We have a church family 
  • We have food and clothes 

The list goes on and on. We have plenty to be grateful for, yet sadly we focus on the few things we don’t have. 

Being grateful leads to contentment. We won’t feel cheated in life. Being grateful keeps us from having self-pity because we won’t be stuck thinking about how much more we deserve. Being grateful keeps us from having feelings of jealousy and envy. We won’t be constantly comparing ourselves to others. Notice the gratitude of the psalmist in Psalm 118:1, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Skipping down to Verse 29 he says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” The psalmist begins and ends this chapter reminding us why we are to give thanks to the Lord. It is because His love for us never ceases. Again in Psalm 136 we read the words of a man dedicated to thanking God. 

Notice the breakdown of this psalm: 

  • “Give thanks to God” mentioned three times in three verses. 
    • Why? Because He is good and His Love endures forever. 
  • 26 times the phrase “love endures forever.” 
    • The psalmist repeats this phrase and then shows us how He loved us. 
    • Defeated kings, gave us land, led his people in the wilderness, etc.

Why should we be grateful? Because God Loves us. And He shows us that He cares. Gratitude brings about happiness. Joy in recognizing how great God’s love is for us. 

Gratitude is seeing all the many ways that God had blessed us.