Wheat field Banner

Gleanings From The Word

Category: Theology

  • You Were Designed For a Godly Purpose

    You Were Designed For a Godly Purpose

    Pilings from an old lumber mill

    These posts and a mostly demolished brick building are all that remain of a once-thriving logging industry and the community it supported. Fortunes were made here, and lives lived. People were born and died. Eventually, the posts will be gone, and all that will remain of the building is an ever-shrinking pile of rubble. It served its purpose and was gone.

    There are many such places all over the world. Some are remembered in name only. Some are not remembered at all. Entire civilizations have come and gone, leaving nothing behind but a few artifacts, if that.

    These ghost towns and sites were once the focal point of people’s lives. For some, perhaps a few years; for others, generations. Yet virtually everything is gone.

    Things don’t last forever. That’s the way it is with the material things of the world.

    It’s why Jesus said,

    “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

    We are beings created in the image of God. The physical bodies we have now wont’ last. Eventually, we die physically. Yet we live on forever, either in resurrected bodies to enjoy God forever or designed to withstand eternal punishment and separation from God.

    The Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us that the chief purpose of humanity is “to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” We were built for far greater things than earthly pleasures and treasure. 

    We take nothing of this physical world with us. We know that, but somehow, we find ourselves lusting after the things that don’t last. We store up our treasures here in this life, where eventually they will be long gone, and we’ll be long forgotten by those left behind.

    Who is remembered among all those who have gone before us? Very few, even after a generation or two. Where are the things they chased?

    They are gone and forgotten here, but not by God. He knows each of them and loves them. He accepted their choice to be with Him or to reject Him.

    After you are gone, what will remain? Where are your true treasures? Our treasure is in Him. We were created to be in relationship with Him forever. Heaven and Earth will pass away, but the word of God and its author will remain.

    Are you building something that will endure or simply a pile of rubble?

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Treasure of trash? The cross of Christ.
    Every Member Is Necessary — 1 Corinthians 12
  • Those Darn Rats

    Those Darn Rats

    a rat eating seed

    Our neighborhood is located directly below a large hill that has several acres of brush and grasslands; immediately beyond the hill used to be a farm. For many decades, it was a prime habitat for rabbits, deer, raccoons, birds, and, of course, rats and mice.

    When clearing started on the farm, we saw less wildlife; that’s to be expected. Now they are cleaning up the hillside for a future park, and the rodents have no place left to live. Our neighborhood is having a minor rat epidemic, and people are doing their bit to eliminate the problem.

    Now, I don’t have a fundamental issue with rats. They’re kind of cute, inquisitive, and smart. They can even be friendly to a degree, and I’m told they make great pets. I do, however, understand that they can cause a lot of damage and can often cause health issues, so it’s undesirable to have lots of them around. That means they must go. I found myself wishing for a mythical pied piper to lead them away (without taking the children later).  We’ll get them in time.

    The rats sneaking in remind me of the way false prophets can creep into a church. They typically come in innocuously enough, but soon the poison can spread through the entire congregation, causing incredible damage.

    It isn’t a new problem

    But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3

    Now, not everyone who comes into the church who has wrong thinking is a false prophet with a dangerous agenda. Many can be corrected with sound teaching and/or church discipline.  True false prophets need to be found out and removed from fellowship.

    The pastor, the under shepherd of God, acts as a sheepdog to help keep the bad ones at bay. 

    He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. Titus 1:9

    The pastor can’t be everywhere at once or hear every conversation, so the sheep must also learn to be vigilant.

    How do we know who a false prophet is? By knowing the truth ourselves. That comes through regular bible reading and study, listening to grounded preaching, and learning good theology ourselves.

    We must do our bit to be aware and discerning. Let us be diligent to ensure we know the truth.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Some other choices

    Read the Word – choose truth over error