THE POUND
PROCLAIMER
Volume III
October 2008
Number 12
Sing
to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day
to day. Psalms 96:2
A LESSON FROM A
BUTTERFLY
I once read about a science class in
which the students were studying metamorphosis. They obtained a caterpillar
cocoon to observe and study. The caterpillar had been in its cocoon for months.
Then one day, with the aid of a stethoscope, the students heard the thumping of
the butterfly struggling for its freedom.
The students, with excitement and
meticulous care, cut open the end of the cocoon, allowing the caterpillar to
crawl out. Sluggishly, it began to unfold misshapen wings that could not
flutter as butterfly wings should. Oh, it attempted to move them many times, but
they just wouldn’t function properly. After some time, the poor butterfly died
the death of a pathetic and paralyzed creature without the strength to survive.
What the students didn’t realize was that
in their effort to help, they caused irreparable harm. When they freed the
butterfly painlessly from its cocoon, they deprived it of the necessary
struggle that would give force and cadence to its wings. They took away the
very thing which would have developed its respiratory and circulatory systems
and kindle its will to live. Their aid had caused the creature’s demise.
James tells us, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing” James 1:2-4.
The mature Christian is one who is formed
in the crucible of trials. When there is no opposition to our faith, we become
as misshapen and weak spiritually as the butterfly in our illustration was
physically. How can we know that our faith will save us, unless it has been put
to the test?
Peter warns us, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or
as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but
let him glorify God in that name” 1
Peter 4:15-16. The whining heard today is because of suffering in our lives
caused by our own sins. Peter says this ought not to be. And
that when legitimate suffering comes, because we are living the Christian life,
we should hold our heads up and grow stronger from the experience.
I sometimes wonder what the outcome would
be if Christians today had to suffer the physical persecution which Christians
suffered in the first century. As I view the circumstances that surround us
today, it is not hard to believe that a similar test is lurking around the next
bend for true Christians. If that be the case, what will be the out come? I
fear there will be many rotten apples lying under the tree after such a violent
storm.
The butterfly in our illustration could
not survive because it had not developed the strength necessary. Those
Christians, who have compromised the truth in an effort to avoid resistance and
conflict with family and friends; those who have not prepared themselves with
regular Bible study or regular and consistent attendance to services; those who
have put money, possessions and entertainment ahead of the Lord, will not be
strong enough spiritually to survive the judgment of God.
Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared
people. Are you preparing?
The Editor’s
Page
Have you heard? We are going to be
electing a new President of the
Amen, haven’t we all? However, it is
happening and the outcome will affect us all. What is a Christian to do? I
would like to offer some thoughts about the Christian’s attitude and actions
toward participation in the political process of our government.
If we believe the political rhetoric of
the candidates, we will have an unrealistic expectation of what they will be
able to accomplish toward changing the course of our society. No one person or
group of people can do what God has reserved for Himself. The Psalmist writes
in the second psalm that it is God who is in power. He will do as He pleases
with the kings [presidents] of the earth. A candidate who promises Utopia for
those who vote them into office is not being honest.
Regardless of who comes to power, as
Christians we are to “... be subject to
the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those
that exist have been instituted by God” Romans 13:1. Peter says it this way, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it
be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those
who do evil and to praise those who do good” 1 Peter 2:13-14.
In view of these verses, should the Christian
vote? That is an individual decision the Christian must make. A Christian is
not under command from God to vote. However, neither is the Christian under
command from God not to vote.
The Christian who decides to vote should
take it very seriously as it will reflect upon his spiritual condition. By
this, I mean, a vote that will encourage abortion of babies or further the
homosexual agenda is one that the Christian should never make. How can the
Christian present himself to the world as a light that is reflective of God’s
holy light if he condones such ungodliness with his vote.
Another area where Christians are
concerned is in the loss of religious freedom. Personally, the moral issues are
of greater concern to me. Brethren have always suffered at the hands of ungodly
governments and yet, Christianity survives. I do not relish the thought of
being put in jail for preaching the true gospel, but so be it if the time ever
comes.
The future is always uncertain. It does
seem that the future of our great country is rather precarious at present. We
Christians are not powerless in this matter. I do not necessarily speak of our
vote but speak of our ability to petition our Heavenly Father in prayer about
the future of our country.
We need to pray for whoever is in
leadership positions that they will govern in a way conducive with our living a
faithful Christian life. (Jeremiah 29:7)
If Christians will humble themselves and pray turning from their sins, “then I (God, jgy) will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14. The turning of
our country from ungodliness to righteousness is found in the prayers of
faithful Christians more so than in a secret ballot.
Dear Christian, if you want to bring
about a revival of godly morals then vote your conscience. Do not stop at
voting. Pray for our leaders that God’s will regarding the salvation of all men
through the gospel (1 Timiothy 2:3-4)
will not be hindered by their decisions.
THE LAST WORD
ACTION
By Gary
Henry
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who
points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doers of deeds could have
done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who
errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error
and shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy
cause, who at best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at
worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with
those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt
There is
something very admirable about people who have made action a component of their
character, people who have the will power to do what they know they should.
Those who have trained themselves not just to think but to act at the impulse
of their conscience are to be commended. They may make some mistakes along the
way, but even in failure they are more to be commended than those who simply do
nothing.
Two extremes
are possible, of course. On the one hand, there are those who act too quickly
and with too little forethought. But given the powerful pull of inertia
("the tendency of a body to resist acceleration"), there are probably
more of us with the opposite problem: we spend too much time in forethought and
too little in action.
Memories of
times when we took no action can be among the saddest of life's regrets. "The bitterest tears shed over graves
are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone" (Harriet Beecher Stowe).
But is it fair
to talk of people who have made action a component of their character? Yes, it
is. There is a vital link between our character and our action. At the deepest
level, our action (or the lack of it) indicates what our character really and
truly is. If we say, for example, that we think democracy is important but we
rarely get out and vote, then the truth is this: we don't really think
democracy is important. So we need to take a hard look at our usual, customary
level of action. Good people may occasionally fail to act as they should, but
if self-examination shows that inaction has become a chronic problem with us,
there's no use telling ourselves that we have a good character.
We know what a person thinks not when he tells
us what he thinks, but by his actions.
Isaac Bashevis Singer
####################
WHAT MUST
I DO
Hear: Rom 10:17
Believe: Heb 11:6
Repent: Lk 13:5; Ac
17:30
Confess: Matt 10:32; Ac
8:36
Be Baptized: Ac 2:38;
22:16
TO BE
SAVED?
###################
FAMILY
MATTERS
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Editor: Glen Young
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