The following is a quote from J.D. Tant (1861-1941) containing some of his observations about how government aid to the Indian tribes not only provided a disincentive for them to work, but also made it much more difficult to reach them with the gospel.
Continue Reading
August 29, 2012
Government Aid Hindering the Spread of the Gospel
August 22, 2012
"Cursed Be the One Who Does the Lord’s Work Negligently" (8/22)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Jeremiah 46-48.
“Cursed be the one who does the Lord’s work negligently, and cursed be the one who restrains his sword from blood” (Jeremiah 48:10).
Much of the book of Jeremiah focuses on the sins of the people of Judah and their coming judgment at the hands of the Babylonians. Yet Jeremiah indicated that God was going to use the great Babylonian army to punish more than just the inhabitants of Judah. The Babylonians would devastate other nations as well. As these prophecies indicate, this was also the work of God. The verse above can be found in the prophecy against Moab.
Those doing the Lord’s work in this context were the Babylonian soldiers. God was sending them to punish the Moabites. In executing this punishment, the soldiers were not to be negligent of their task, or else God would curse them.
Continue Reading
July 9, 2012
Preaching Politics
Michelle Obama recently said there is “no better place” than church to talk about political issues. To some extent she is right. While not all political matters are worthy of our discussion in the assembly of the saints, those “political” matters that are addressed in the Bible will be taught by faithful men who are striving to speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11), proclaiming the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Therefore, we speak where the Bible speaks, even on certain “political” topics. Some examples of such topics are listed below:
Continue Reading
June 21, 2012
Rising Number of Stay-At-Home Dads: What Does the Bible Say About This?
A recent study has shown that the number of “stay-at-home dads” has doubled in the last decade.
While we might expect the poor economy and layoffs among men to be a factor, many of these men who are staying at home to be the primary care-giver for the children are doing so as the result of a mutual decision made by both parents. The article cited above states: “But according to the results of a new study by Boston College, the rise may be due more to choices and evolving gender roles of parents” (emphasis mine).
In this arrangement, the wife is the one who leaves the home for the workplace and the husband either quits his job or chooses not to look for a job so he can stay home with the kids. As this becomes more common, it is important for Christians to be reminded about what the Bible has to say that relates to this issue.
Continue Reading
June 14, 2012
Each Wore His Sword As He Built
When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city, the workers were mocked and threatened by their enemies (Nehemiah 4:1-3, 7-8). Nehemiah and the Jews needed to address these threats without neglecting their rebuilding project. So a solution was found.
“From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall from one another. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.’
“So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. At that time I also said to the people, ‘Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.’ So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water” (Nehemiah 4:16-23).
There are several lessons for us to learn from Nehemiah’s plan. Today we are part of a spiritual kingdom (John 18:36) engaged in a spiritual war (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). But although the nature of the conflict is different from the one which Nehemiah and his countrymen faced, the following points will apply to us and our spiritual battles just as they did with the Jews and their physical battles.
Continue Reading
June 9, 2012
The Sluggard Begs During the Harvest (6/9)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 19-21.
The sluggard is mentioned several times in the book of Proverbs. In this passage, we learn something else about him.
“The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, so he begs during the harvest and has nothing” (Proverbs 20:4).
We understand that the sluggard has nothing and is forced to beg because he refuses to work. Other passages also make this point. But this verse builds upon that truth and teaches us something else.
Continue Reading
June 8, 2012
A Worker’s Appetite (6/8)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 16-18.
“A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on” (Proverbs 16:26).
Hunger is the reminder that we need to eat in order to survive. That hunger motivates us to do something that God expects us to do – work. Those who have the ability to work must do so (2 Thessalonians 3:10), from the man who labors by the sweat of his face (Genesis 3:19) to the wife who is a worker at home (Titus 2:5).
Continue Reading
