Daily Devotional; formerly Chaplains Corner

[ampaterry]

And speaking of TV and the problems with it, that goes along with my thought for today:

I prefer to get my news unbiased. To some, that might mean I use CNN. Others might say that would be MSNBC. Others, FOX. Someone else might think that means CBS, ABC, or the Drudge Report on the internet. All of these would be wrong. In the mass-media age, journalism is more than the transmission of neutral information: It traffics in the kind of information and spectacle calculated to embarrass Western leaders.

But the media don't confine themselves to embarrassing politicians: They also work to create shame about Western history, traditions, and institutions. Have you ever wondered how many important news stories were left on the cutting room floor when everyone decided to air the spectacle of Arnold Schwarzenegger's affair?'

Not only our vices but our virtues and values are eligible for assault. Old sexual mores come under fire as much as segregation laws. Christianity is represented as dogmatic, obtuse, repressive: The Pope too is convicted of "gaffes." Bizarre phenomena like lesbian nuns are treated not as screwballs but as legitimate protesters against harsh restrictions. Every malcontent, no matter how wrong, is represented to us as a victim.

Isaiah 59:14-15 (KJV); "And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment."

I solve the news issue this way: I get my news from every source I can possibly find, then I discard that which is sensationalist in nature. I determine this by checking up on some of the “facts” presented, and thus can eliminate such stories as the claim made by ALL media of a rash of black church burnings a few years ago. In checking the statistics, I found that there was no difference, per capita, between the number of black church fires and white church fires. I also discovered that the rate had NOT increased at the time of the sensationalist reporting.

what little bit remains after such discarding is, in all likelihood, legitimate news.

God bless each of you!!

[permafrost]

Originally Posted by ampaterry

Permafrost, I agree with Country101 right down the line on his thoughts. The passage he mentions is:
Hebrews 10:25 (KJV); Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We draw strength from each other. Sitting home watching TV is an isolated experience. If you agree or disagree with something said, there is no one to discuss it with.
I agree that there is a need for a ministry that can reach shut ins. For some folks, if it were not for TV ministry they would never hear the word at all.
But it comes at a cost to the local church. I mean, here I am in the boondox of Tennessee preaching a church that is not large enough to support a pastor. I have always, until retirement, worked full time to support my family and the church also. My family and I do the repairs, do all the maintenance, etc. Then someone comes in on Sunday morning and informs me that they just watched a TV preacher who does not use notes during his sermon as I do. I am tempted to inform them that he, just like our president, reads everything from a telepromptor. But I don't; I just smile and say that is really great for him.
But these guys have a budget of millions, the latest hi-tech video and audio equipment, and the ministry is ALL THEY DO. Can a small neighborhood church compete with that?

Yes, we can, and we do. Because when your wife is hospitalized, I will be there with you, not the TV preacher. When your daughter accepts Jesus, I will rejoice with you and offer to baptize her, not the TV preacher. When a loved one dies, I will cry with you, and conduct the funeral ceremony. When you stumble and fall, I will be there to offer a hand back up again. And on Sunday morning, I will give you a teaching without audio-visual equipment, without world class choir accompaniement, and will I look down at the podium now and then at my notes because there is no teleprompter. But the teaching will be what God has prompted me to give. It is truth, and it is from my heart.
And when it is over, you will talk to your neighbors at the door of the church. You will share how you enjoyed the message and why, or you will complain about it and why. But you will interact with other believers, and grow stronger as a group - as a church family.

It boils down to this:
TV ministry is needed by some, but is detrimental to those that do not actually need it.

A very thoughtful response. Thank you, Sir
I have become somewhat jaded towards churches in general, so your words carry inspiration.

[ampaterry]

There was a point in my Christian life where I became jaded with churches in general as well. Good ones ARE hard to find - but they are out there, so don't give up the search!

[jack404]

yes they are out there , ask

[ampaterry]

There is an image in my mind from my youth that will never depart, although the details of it have become sketchy with time. In the house of one of our relatives, there sat in the middle of the dining room table a bowl of the most delicious looking fruit! Apples, oranges, grapes and bananas. The image is very clear in my mind, and I know it was VERY long ago, because the surface of the dining room table was eye level with me when I stood on tip-toe and grasped the edge of it.
On several of our visits, I asked if I could have one of those delicious pieces of fruit, but was always refused. There was always some explanation of why, but it never became part of my understanding. Finally, after my request was repeated for the umpteenth time, I was asked which one I would like. I pointed to one of the perfect yellow bananas, and it was taken from the bowl and handed to me. I worked for some time trying to remove the peeling, and failing this I just bit into the end of it. It was hard, and the taste told me this was no banana, so I spit it out - I can remember several adults laughing as I spit out the end of the wax banana.
I came to the very correct conclusion that, no matter what these items looked like, they were NOT fruit. Even if the fakes had later been exchanged for real fruit, I would have declined to eat them. In my mind this bowl contained foul tasting items, no matter what they looked like.
Over the years, I have frequently thought of this story. We find people of this sort even in our own churches, looking extremely like what they should be, yet having no real substance to them. If, even accidentally, one happens to taste of their nature, the falsity of the images will be revealed.
The Word of God speaks of people like this, and how we should avoid being taken in by their appearance:
2 Timothy 3:5-7 (KJV); "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
You cannot judge the fruit by the appearance, the book by it’s cover, nor the person by what they seem to be.

I will talk to you again tomorrow - and may God RICHLY bless you.

[permafrost]

Originally Posted by ampaterry

There is an image in my mind from my youth that will never depart, although the details of it have become sketchy with time. In the house of one of our relatives, there sat in the middle of the dining room table a bowl of the most delicious looking fruit! Apples, oranges, grapes and bananas. The image is very clear in my mind, and I know it was VERY long ago, because the surface of the dining room table was eye level with me when I stood on tip-toe and grasped the edge of it.
On several of our visits, I asked if I could have one of those delicious pieces of fruit, but was always refused. There was always some explanation of why, but it never became part of my understanding. Finally, after my request was repeated for the umpteenth time, I was asked which one I would like. I pointed to one of the perfect yellow bananas, and it was taken from the bowl and handed to me. I worked for some time trying to remove the peeling, and failing this I just bit into the end of it. It was hard, and the taste told me this was no banana, so I spit it out - I can remember several adults laughing as I spit out the end of the wax banana.
I came to the very correct conclusion that, no matter what these items looked like, they were NOT fruit. Even if the fakes had later been exchanged for real fruit, I would have declined to eat them. In my mind this bowl contained foul tasting items, no matter what they looked like.
Over the years, I have frequently thought of this story. We find people of this sort even in our own churches, looking extremely like what they should be, yet having no real substance to them. If, even accidentally, one happens to taste of their nature, the falsity of the images will be revealed.
The Word of God speaks of people like this, and how we should avoid being taken in by their appearance:
2 Timothy 3:5-7 (KJV); "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
You cannot judge the fruit by the appearance, the book by it’s cover, nor the person by what they seem to be.

I will talk to you again tomorrow - and may God RICHLY bless you.

This is pretty much what soured me on church. Not on God. People using the contacts for personal gain and doing whatever they pleased during the week and then praying about it, asking for forgiveness and then feeling like their actions were now absolved come Sunday. When a contractor or business person give me a business card with the fish symbol on it , I generally run backwards!

[jjmitchell60]

With gas as it is, we do not attend church as much as we like to (plus my wife is a chef at a resort state park near by and HAS to work Sunday mournings). The one church I know is not hypocritical is about 25 miles away plus my FIL is a deacon in it. I was raised in the Methodist Church but was also raised that as long as you keep the Lord in your heart, your mind, and in the way you live; then going to a building is not an absolute neccessity. I only wished we had a good church in our area, all around us are full of hypocrits who take their mistresses out on Saturday night and take the wife/family to Church on Sunday. Now my cup of tea! Now that my kids are getting out on their own, they are ensuring that they and my grandkids are going to church as we used to do as they were growing up.

[ampaterry]

What can I say, guys?
It is NOT an absolute necessity for a Christian to go to church regularly.
And I preach that as well; you SHOULD, you will be stronger if you DO, but it is not a NECESSITY.
It is like Tithing.
We are SUPPOSED to, and if you want to be as obedient as possible, you WILL, but it is not a salvation issue either.
Of course, neither of these facts are very popular with most preachers.
But then, most preachers are supported by the church, so high attendance and large donations insure their income, therefore they tend to overemphasize both.
Sure glad I am not faced with that temptation!

What is more important than attending and supporting a church?

I once read a story which was told by a pastor in Haiti, which I thought made an excellent point:
A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. (Property values on these islands are LOW!!) Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn't afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.
After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the original owner went out and found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.
The moral of this story? If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ's habitation.
We come to Jesus “just as I am”, for we cannot cleanse ourselves and make ourselves worthy of his love.
But once we HAVE come to him, once we HAVE accepted him, we must set to work at once ferreting out every trace of worldly sin that is in us, lest we leave a nail for Satan to base his claim for our souls on.
The Word of God addresses this in several places:

2 Chronicles 20:33 (KJV);
"Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers."
2 Corinthians 6:14 (GWT);
"Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness?"
2 Kings 10:31(NCV);
"But Jehu was not careful to follow the teachings of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not stop doing the same sins Jeroboam had done, by which he had led Israel to sin."

We can be a bit soft and lax on church attendance and probably retain our salvation.
We can be a bit short on our tithe and probably retain our salvation.
But if we are soft on sin in our lives, we are going to lose it.

God bless you, guys -

[Airdale]

Thanks Terry.

I try to start evry day with a visit to the Chaplain's Corner.

[ampaterry]

I appreciate that, Airdale!

[permafrost]

I do appreciate your posts, Terry. I really do. You are providing a needed service here . Jesus wasn't preaching to the saints, either.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, permafrost -

Thought for today:

Following Basic Training in TX, I was sent to Denver CO to attend electronics school. I was young, and unprepared for the numerous panhandlers I encountered on the streets of Denver. I will never forget the first one I encountered; it was my first Saturday off base, and this middle aged bearded man accosted me. His story was that he had located a job, but had no means to clean himself up for his interview the following Monday. He said he was five dollars short of the price of a hotel room where he could get presentable, and from then on he would be OK. He even went into detail about the written and telephone interviews he had gone through, how he had answered the various questions, and what the job involved. Oddly, it was in Electronics, the exact field which my ID badge showed I was in. I believed him, and handed him a five dollar bill.
The next Saturday, I was again downtown in Denver, and on the same street corner, I encountered the same man. He immediately came over to me and told me the IDENTICAL same story again, right down to the amount he was short for his room. I pointed out that he had handed me that same line a week previously, and he looked scared and quickly walked away down the street. He, like most of those who hold up those signs claiming they "will work for food", was attempting to present himself as something he was not.
Such tricks may work for a while, but God will judge those that play on the sympathy of others for their own gain in the end.
The Word of God tells us in
Luke 18:10-14 (KJV);
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
God bless each of you, guys -

[jack404]

gotta back up permafrost on that , Cheers to you Terry

[Woodnut]

AMEN !!! Thanks Terry, Just not catching up on your post. I reall appreaciate you and the time you spend on the forum, teaching the word of God.

[Python]

Originally Posted by permafrost

Jesus wasn't preaching to the saints, either.

Where is it that Jesus wasn't preaching to the saints?

[Country101]

I could be wrong, but I think this is what he is referancing.

Matthew 9

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”



There aint nothin but a bunch of sinners here, anyway. If you go look at the church on Sundays it'll be packed full of them as well.

[Python]

My question was in reference to Luke 18:10-14, because Jesus was clearly telling this Parable to His disciples (saints).

[permafrost]

Originally Posted by Country101

I could be wrong, but I think this is what he is referancing.

Matthew 9

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”



There aint nothin but a bunch of sinners here, anyway. If you go look at the church on Sundays it'll be packed full of them as well.

Yeah, This what I meant. I'm not versed on scripture, so can't quote anything. Just saying Jesus was more interested in saving the sinners. I'm definitely one. Thanks for clarifying for me , Country

[Country101]

No problem, permafrost. I'm no wizard with scripture, either. I cheat. I could remember some of the verse, so I googled it.

[ampaterry]

I think it depends on your definition of "preaching".
To my way of thinking, preaching is the appeal to the lost to get saved, while teaching is the bringing of the saved into an even closer relationship with God.
Using that definition, the saints don't get preached to, but get teaching instead.

But this is more an opinion than hard fact; the only thing we know for sure is that preaching and teaching are two different things in scripture. Preaching is more proclaiming while teaching is - well - teaching.

Excellent thoughts, though, guys -
Any disagreement that causes folks to delve into the Word of God is a GOOD disagreement!!

[ampaterry]

We all know the story of Moses climbing up on Mt. Sinai to receive the Law from God:
Exodus 24:12 (KJV);
And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
We all KNOW that story, but we do little to remember the time or the place of it. The Jewish people, on the other hand, commemorate the date of this occurrence every year as the second of the their three major festivals of both historic and agricultural significance; Shavuot. The other two such festivals are Passover and Sukkot. The date of Shavuot moves around on our calendar, but it is fixed on the Hebrew calendar to the 6th of Sivan, which is today. As with all Jewish days, today actually began at sundown yesterday, and ends at sunset today.
Shavuot is not only the day which celebrates the historic event of the giving of the Torah, but it also commemorates the time when the first fruits are harvested and brought to the temple.
In celebration of this day, no work is performed. The Jewish people stayed awake all night last night reading the Torah, and they had prayers as early as possible this morning.
In contrast to this, many Christians can hardly stand an hour of church a week, would not loose sleep over anything religious without a personal appearance of Jesus Christ demanding it of them, have not read the Bible in months – if ever, and pray only when they need something.
The Jews are radical.
They love God, and aren't ashamed to say it and live it.
Too bad we don't have more Christians that do that.

Have a blessed Shavuot, my Jewish brothers. I pray that God will bless you for your many remembrances of Him and His word.

And may God bless the rest of us as well, and cause us to seek a closer relationship with Him.

[graehaven]

"Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words."

We Christians need to LIVE the gospel, even more than just tell it.

Keep up the great work, Terry!

[Woodnut]

AMEN ! Terry.
Great teachings. I am ashamed to say it, but I did not know this. Thanks for sharing.

[ampaterry]

Sometimes on this forum we have differences of opinion.
Sometimes (not often!) they get a bit heated -

We would all find more serenity in life if we could simply do away with comparisons and envy. God made us diverse, and, in God's eyes at least, our diversity lacks hierarchy. As it says in the song "Some Children," God makes of us a blend of differences: different people thinking in harmony. Each one is vital, but only if they follow their calling and aren't fighting against the others for control. We should treasure our diversity rather than stifle it.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 (GWT); "For example, the body is one unit and yet has many parts. As all the parts form one body, so it is with Christ. By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether we are Jewish or Greek, slave or free, God gave all of us one Spirit to drink.

“As you know, the human body is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. Suppose a foot says, "I'm not a hand, so I'm not part of the body!" Would that mean it's no longer part of the body? Or suppose an ear says, "I'm not an eye, so I'm not a part of the body!" Would that mean it's no longer part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it. How could it be a body if it only had one part? So there are many parts but one body.

“An eye can't say to a hand, "I don't need you!" Or again, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!" The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. However, our presentable parts don't need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn't have it. God's purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.”

Everyone is VITAL! You may think your little toe is un-important – but if you drop a brick on it, you will find out exactly how much a part of your body it is, and how much it’s well-being means to the rest of you! And that is the way it is here. Everyone - from Sam to Glocknut - is a vital part of this forum. When we lose a part for any reason whatsoever, we are diminished by that.

God bless each one of you -

[Woodnut]

AMEN !
As usual, another good teaching Terry.