The Blessed Life #12: Redemption of Time

While proudly showing off his new apartment to friends, a college student led the way into the den. “What is the big brass gong and hammer for?” one of his friends asked. “That is the talking clock,” the man replied. “How’s it work?” the friend asked.

“Watch,” the man said, then proceeded to give the gong an ear shattering pound with the hammer. Suddenly, someone screamed from the other side of the wall “Knock it off you idiot; it’s 2 o’clock in the morning! :) (Streiker, Nelson’s Big Book of Laughter , p. 425)

Time is something which affects every one of us. It marches on regardless of what is happening. Ever since we were conceived, our moments have paraded by; Seconds turn to minutes, hours, weeks, years, and before we know it, years turn into a lifetime. While it may seem like we have a long time to live, (especially to our younger readers) the reality is, our time is short. And once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

Thus, I encourage you this new year to consider how you live. Many follow the ideology “Eat, drink and live for tomorrow we die.” However, it is not in our best interest to simply bury our heads in the sand to ignore the reality.

We have one life to live. I challenge you, live with no regrets—speak to those you’ve refused to for months or years. Live without fear. And be mindful of each action you take, word you say, and thought you think. What you do, you can never take back. Abraham Lincoln said, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

Yet, at the same time, we need to bear in mind our time on earth will end, and there is another life for us to live on the other side of the rainbow, so to speak. Therefore, the Apostle Paul admonishes us to “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:15-16). 

Furthermore, Jesus instructed us to lay up treasures to precede us into the next life (Matt. 6:20). We attain these priceless treasures through serving and loving others, putting their needs in front of ours as Alan mentions. 

But in order for us to receive these treasures, we must first of all, have a personal, saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Prior to receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, our lives were not quite what they needed to be. We were damaged goods as a result of our sins (Rom. 6:23). We were worse than the Christmas presents that some of us are returning. :) 

God did something about our damaged condition, though His Son, Jesus. He redeemed us from that lifestyle. Likewise, He redeems our eternity (Eph. 1:13-14).  

In His service,

            Matt

Elder’s Corner: I Need to Fix That!

I've got a defective burner on my gas range.  It won't light most of the time with the electronic ignition. I lit it with a match several times until...I discovered that if I turn on the burner next to it, the flame from it will ignite the one I want lit.  (Now I know some of you are saying why doesn't he just get the part and fix it?)  Well, there is a lesson in here.

Maybe that's why God put you here—to light someone's spiritual fire next to you (a friend, a neighbor, a family member).  I can't do it because I'm the burner too far away but God put people in your life that only you can reach.  I can reach the ones that cross my path and you the ones that cross yours.

So in this new year make yourself care more about people and less about things.  We are indeed here to help others.  Paul says in Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also the interests of others.”  I'm going to remember the ones who have helped me and make it my goal to help others this new year.  How about you?

          —Alan

The Spiritual Reality #6: Angels in the Infield

“Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14 NLT).

Scripture plainly teaches that God wants us to have an understanding of angels’ existence and their activities. But what relationship do angels have in our daily lives? There are several roles that angels fulfill in relation to mankind.

First, they are spirits who are sent to care for the spiritual needs of believers (Heb. 1:14). Some times this could include our daily bread (1 Kings 19:4-8). Other times this could include calming our fears in times of distress (Acts 27:23-24). Still other times they can help to heal our emotional and spiritual suffering (Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43).

Sometimes they meet our needs by allowing us to show hospitality to them (Heb. 13:2). One writer said, “This should make us eager to minister to the needs of others whom we do not know, all the while wondering if someday we will reach heaven and meet the angel whom we helped when he appeared temporarily as a human being in distress here on earth” (Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 406).

Second, angels can grant guidance (Matt. 1:20-21; Acts 8:26), and reveal information to believers (Acts 7:52-53). While this is the case, one should very carefully consider any claims of this today! Scripture warns that even if an angel preaches a message other than the true gospel: worshiping the Trinitarian God alone (Matt. 4:10), salvation by faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9), and the 66 inspired books of the Bible alone as our ruling authority (Rev. 22:18), they will be eternally condemned (Gal. 1:8)!

Thus, 1 John 4:1 states that we must test things to see if they are from God or not. However, this can be especially challenging since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Therefore, it is imperative that we allow the truth of God’s Word to discern what is from God and what is from Satan.

Having said these things, there is no compelling reason to rule out the possibility of angels guiding or providing information to believers today.  If they are from God, their words would not add to, nor alter what the Bible already teaches. Rather, their words would be to either encourage the downhearted or to warn those in danger.

Third, angels are meant to protect people (2 Kings 6:13-17). Does this mean that every person has their own guardian angel? The answer to this question comes from Matthew 18:10 which talks about little ones who’s angels are in heaven. Yes, little ones can refer to children. However, in context it better fits the idea of believers, God’s children. Additionally, no where in the Bible do we see the idea of non-believers having angels assigned to them. Yet for us, as believers, we can find assurance knowing that God will use His angels to protect us when necessary.

Wayne Grudem explained this by saying, “When we are suddenly delivered from a danger or distress, we suspect that angels have been sent by God to help us, and we should be thankful. An angel shut the mouths of the lions so they would not hurt Daniel (Dan. 6:22), delivered the apostles from prison (Acts 5:19-20), later delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12:7-11), and ministered to Jesus in the wilderness at a time of great weakness, immediately after His temptations had ended (Matt. 4:11).  “When a car suddenly swerves from hitting us, when we suddenly find footing to keep from being swept along in a raging river, when we walk unscathed in a dangerous neighborhood, should we not suspect that God has sent His angels to protect us?” (Systematic Theology, p. 406).

Remember what Psalm 91:11-12 promises, “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

More importantly than understanding these details about angels is Who they point to and what He thinks about us as believers. Matthew 18:10 suggests that the angels are in heaven observing God, who, in turn, is observing His children. Theologian John MacArthur said, “The fact that Almighty God is so concerned about the care of His beloved children that He has hosts of angels in His presence ready to be dispatched to their aid demonstrates clearly how valuable believers are and how unthinkably wicked it is to look with disdain on someone whom God so highly prizes” (The MacArthur NT Commentary: Matthew 16-23, p. 119).

Therefore, angels are in the infield, working in our lives not point to their greatness but to the greatness of our loving God that we serve. He knows and cares about every detail of our lives. He would not send His angels to minister to us as believers if He did not.

Because of God’s love,

     Matt