God’s Loving Warning vs Satan the Accuser

John 17:17b:

Your word is truth.

We have just finished VBS tonight where the entire week was devoted to showing that we must look at things and develop a worldview that is based on the Bible (using Bible glasses).  We shouldn’t let worldly influences such as Dr. Knowitall dictate what we believe.

As I was helping tonight with the craft activity, the group of 5^th and 6^th graders that I was with were making dinosaur tooth necklaces.  The tooth part was actually a piece of play dough that they were shaping to look like a T-Rex tooth.  A couple of the children that had finished before everyone else began to hold their necklaces up.  I watched as a boy also began walking around holding the necklace by the strap.  At that time, the string of the necklace pulled through the still-soft play dough and the tooth fell right off and landed on the floor.  I also observed how distraught the boy was because he had to pick it back up and start all over again.

Having realized what would happen if the kids didn’t keep the necklace lying on their pad until it could dry out, I began yelling out and telling everyone to make sure that they do not pick up their necklaces, but that they need to handle them with care because they will ruin it.  Having made sure that everyone knew, I observed that some of the kids decided not to heed the warning and they also messed up their necklaces.  Some of the kids listened to the warning and left the craft room with their project still intact.  I observed as well one boy who got his tooth necklace downstairs to the “Wow Zone”; however, during the Bible study, he messed with it and his necklace also fell apart.

The Bible is God’s truth.  If we chose to ignore the warnings in the Bible, the consequences are a lot more heart breaking and upsetting than ruining a craft necklace.  If we know the truth, and we see others not living in a way that aligns with the truth, let’s be sure to proclaim warnings whether they are heeded or not.

In studying the creation account in Genesis this week and sin entering the world, I think about Genesis Chapter 3.  In vs 12, “the woman whom You gave” is Adam not confessing and taking full responsibility for his sin, but trying to pass it on to God Himself.  Eve replied in vs 13 “the serpent deceived me” as she tried to pass the blame on to the serpent.

However, both Adam and Eve knew the warning by God in chapter 2, vs. 16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

The warning had been spoken; however, they showed distrust to God and disobedience towards God when they ignored the warning.  They were without excuse.

We too are without excuse.  If God’s Word is truth, and we have a Bible, than we have the warnings.  Are we going to listen and heed?

-RB

Genesis 3:1-4: 

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.

 

VBS-Day 5–Dino

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  John 3:12

 They’re big. They’re mysterious. They’re . . . dinosaurs. Those “terrible lizards.” What’s the big deal with dinosaurs? Why spend an entire VBS day teaching children the truth about these amazing creatures?

Let’s think of it this way—our kids spend years learning that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago. Through books, movies, and TV programs, they’re saturated with the idea that dinosaurs are products of evolutionary processes. School teachers convince them that man never walked with the great beasts. These “earthly things” are all clear contradictions to the Bible’s straight-forward “earthly” teachings—that God created land animals (including dinosaurs) at the same time as man on Day Six of that first week about 6,000 years ago.

Jesus warned Nicodemus, “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3:12). When children are taught they can’t trust the Bible’s earthly teachings, it’s obvious that they’ll begin to question the Bible’s heavenly teachings about morality and salvation. And they do.

If we take seriously our job of raising the next generation in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, then we need to teach them the entire counsel of God’s Word. Just as the world uses dinosaurs to teach children a false view of history, so we need to use dinosaurs (and other “earthly” things) to teach children the correct biblical view of history. When we show them how the Bible explains dinosaurs, we teach them that the Bible provides a robust worldview, encompassing both earthly and heavenly things. And we give glory and honor to the One to whom it is due—the great Creator God, who made the behemoth (Job 40).

Today, as we share information on some of God’s most powerful creatures with our kids, let’s think about the responsibility we have to present the truth and reflect on our purpose as Christians.

Lord of all being,

There is one thing that deserves my greatest care,

that calls forth my ardent desires,

That is, that I may answer the great end for which

I am made—to glorify thee who hast given me

being, and to do all the good I can for my fellow

men.

Time is a moment, a vapour, and all its enjoyments

are empty bubbles,

Fleeting blasts of wind, from which nothing

satisfactory can be derived;

Give me grace always to keep in covenant with

thee, and to reject as delusion a great name here

or hereafter, together with all sinful pleasures and

profits.

Help me to know continually that there can be no

true happiness, no fulfilling of thy purpose for me,

apart from a life lived in and for the Son of thy love.

—Arthur Bennet, TheValleyofVision

(The Banner of Truth Trust: 2005), p. 13.

VBS-Day 4–Design

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.  Romans 8:20-22

 Ever heard the song “What a Wonderful World”? Sing along with the first verse: “I see trees of green, red roses, too; I see them bloom for me and you; And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

It’s tempting to make that our mantra, isn’t it? We read through Genesis 1 and 2, take a quick look around and think, “Wow, what a wonderful world God made!” And it’s true—God did make a wonderful, good world . . . originally.

Take another look at the lyrics above and ask yourself: what happens when I pick that lovely rose that’s bloomed for me and you? If I’m not careful, I get pricked by a thorn. Ouch. And what about when I’m out enjoying a beautiful stroll along the river and accidentally step on a water moccasin? Major ouch.

The world we live in today is not the world God originally created—it has been marred by sin and the resulting curse God placed on His beautiful handiwork. Somehow, when we’re enjoying Genesis 1 and 2, it’s easy to overlook Genesis 3 and the rest of the Bible, which deals with the effects of our sin and the curse on all of creation.

As important as it is that we teach our students to honor the Creator for His creation, we need to make sure that we’re providing the whole picture to those in our care, lest we offer them a marred view of God. Too many times, people have used this now-non-wonderful world as an excuse to reject our loving Creator, claiming, “If God is so good, why is there so much pain in the world?” Yet, it isn’t God’s fault—it’s ours. Yours and mine. We sinned against the holy Creator and are suffering the due penalty for that rebellion.

As we rejoice in God’s design of birds today, let’s remember that the incredible design features don’t tell the whole story. And let’s be sure to paint an accurate view of God and His glorious creation.

O God,

Praise waiteth for thee, and to render it is my noblest

exercise; This is thy due from all thy creatures, for all thy works

display thy attributes and fulfill thy designs;

The sea, dry land, winter cold, summer heat,

morning light, evening shade are full of thee, and

thou givest me them richly to enjoy.

—Arthur Bennet, TheValleyofVision

(The Banner of Truth Trust: 2005), p. 14.

VBS-Day 3–Gospel

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. Genesis 3:15

“Let’s start at the beginning—a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with A, B, C. When you sing, you begin with do, re, mi.” So sang Julie Andrews as Maria in The Sound of Music. Julie made a good point—the beginning is a good place to start.

When you think of presenting the gospel (or when you actually do present the gospel), where do you start? Jesus’s death? His birth? How about at the beginning? Not at the beginning of Jesus’s life on earth, but at the beginning of it all, back in Genesis.

The Apostle Paul does this in several of his epistles. In presenting the gospel, he reminds his readers why we need salvation in the first place—because Adam (and all of us as his descendants) rebelled against the Creator, disobeying His command:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.” (Romans 5:12–15)

When we begin at the beginning, we’re able to show that humans had perfect fellowship with God (Genesis 1); define what sin is (disobedience to God’s command, Genesis 2:16–17); share God’s decreed punishment for sin (Genesis 2:16–17, 3:19); and describe what sin did to that once-perfect relationship with the Creator (Genesis 3). We’re also able to show God’s mercy in sparing Adam and Eve from living forever in their sinful state by denying them access to the Tree of Life (Genesis 2:22–24), and His love in the promise He gave to one day send a Savior (Genesis 3:15). This, then, allows us to set the stage for demonstrating our need of salvation from sin and how God has mercifully and lovingly provided a way of salvation for us through His Son, who fulfilled the promise in Genesis.

Today, as we share the gospel with our children (and as we seize opportunities throughout the week), let’s be sure we’re providing them with the complete picture of salvation, beginning with the beginning. And let’s thank God continually for the glorious salvation He’s graciously provided to us.

Creator and Redeemer God,

Author of all existence, source of all blessedness,

I adore thee for making me capable of knowing thee;

I praise thee for the revelation of thyself in the

gospel, for thy heart as a dwelling place of pit, for thy

thoughts of peace towards me, for thy patience and

thy graciousness, for the vastness of thy mercy.

Thou hast moved my conscience to know how the

guilty can be pardoned, the unholy sanctified, the

poor enriched.

May I always be amongst those who not only hear

but know thee, who walk with and rejoice in thee,

who take thee at thy word and find life there.

O God, make me worthy of this calling, that the

name of Jesus may be glorified in me and I in him.

—Arthur Bennet,

TheValleyofVision

(The Banner of Truth Trust: 2005), p. 12.

VBS-Day 2–Worldview

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

Ever thought that teaching children to view the world from a biblical perspective could be summed up with the adage, “Give ‘em the old one-two”? Not in the sense of punching or hitting anyone, of course. Instead, the one two punch informally refers to an “especially forceful or effective combination of two things.” Notice how this applies to what Paul wrote to the people in Corinth:

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5).

Paul exhorts his readers to cast down false arguments and build up the true knowledge of Christ. Elsewhere he continues this one-two punch approach when he encourages the Christians in Ephesus to “put off” sinful behaviors and “put on” Christ-like behaviors (Ephesians 4:21–31).

The first “punch” comes when we show the problems with “every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” Rather than shielding our children from what the world teaches, we need to point out what’s wrong with such anti-God philosophies as evolution and long-age ideas, as we’re doing with today’s lesson.

However, being “anti-evolution” or “anti-millions-ofyears” isn’t enough. In addition to tearing down, we also need to build up.  The second “punch” comes when we build up the biblical worldview. We need to carefully explain what the Bible actually teaches, and then what we would expect to see as a result of this teaching.  This is what we worked on yesterday and will continue working on for the rest of the week.

If we were to completely shelter our children, never teaching what the “other side” believes, how will they react when they stumble upon an anti-God message when we’re not around? How have they already reacted to what they’ve heard in school, from books, in movies, or on TV?

Just as we use the Bible to teach children morality (e.g., it’s wrong to hit, but right to be kind to others), so we need to use the Bible to teach children an entire worldview by tearing down for them the wrong view of history and building up the correct (biblical) view of history.

It is inevitable that our children will be exposed to ungodly and flawed ideas, so as you read and study today’s lesson, think about the responsibility you have to train these children to respond in a God-honoring manner. As the Puritans did, may we embrace the entire counsel of God’s Word and may we always say with confidence, “The Bible says it; that settles it!”

In a world of created changeable things, Christ and

his Word alone remain unshaken.

O to forsake all creatures, to rest as a stone on him

the foundation, to abide in him, be borne up by

him!

Let me know that he is dear to me by his Word;

I am one with him by the Word on his part, and by

faith on mine;

If I oppose the Word I oppose my Lord when he is

most near;

If I receive the Word I receive my Lord wherein he is

nigh.

O thou who hast the hearts of all men in thine hand,

form my heart according to the Word, according to

the image of thy Son,

So shall Christ the Word, and his Word, be my

strength and comfort.—Arthur Bennet,

The Valley of Vision

(The Banner of Truth Trust: 2005), p. 17.

VBS-Day 1–Creation

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)

How much time have you spent planning for your VBS program? Ironing out all the details, making sure everything will run smoothly, coordinating with other people, preparing your lessons or crafts or snacks or games . . .days? weeks? months? Imagine having the power to simply speak and have it all done in an instant. No waiting on other people, no arguing about petty differences, no begging for help from others. Just a word, and it all comes together.

Now contemplate the infinite power necessary to speak an entire universe into existence.  The eternal Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit—agreed together in eternity past to create billions of stars and solar systems and . . . earth. For His glory and for our pleasure.  He had no need to gather materials, make several trips to the home improvement store, measure twice and cut once, tear everything apart and start again. He spoke, and it was done.  At His word, all things—time, light, space, earth, water, plants, trees, heavenly bodies, flying creatures, swimming creatures, land-dwelling creatures, people—came to be.

Although He could have done it all in an instant, He chose to spread His creative acts over the space of six days. Six normal-length days. What have you accomplished in the past six days? Preparing for VBS? Working at your job? Cleaning your house? Six days—the time God chose to take to create and fill the entire universe.  Then He rested on the seventh day and established the pattern for our seven-day week.

And it was very good. His creation was a reflection of Himself, of His good nature. It was full of His characteristics—life, love, peace, joy. As you read and study the true creation account given in Genesis 1, think about the words of this Puritan prayer regarding our great Creator.

King of glory, Divine majesty,

Every perfection adorns thy nature and sustains thy throne;

The heavens and earth are thine,

The world is thine and its fullness.

Thy power created the universe from nothing;

Thy wisdom has managed all its multiple concerns, presiding over nations, families, individuals.

Thy goodness is boundless;

All creatures wait on thee, are supplied by thee, are satisfied in thee.

How precious are the thoughts of thy mercy and grace!

How excellent thy loving kindness that draws men to thee!

Blessed be thy name!

—Arthur Bennet,

The Valley of Vision

(The Banner of Truth Trust: 2005), p. 216.

 

What do Baptists Believe about Children?

Proverbs 17:6

Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers.

 The Bible reveals that children are to be received as blessings and gifts from God.  Children are not to be seen as an imposition on the marriage but as blessings that promise a heritage from the Lord.  The Baptist Faith and Message states that parents are “to teach their children spiritual and moral values.”  Parents are to raise their children “in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

 Proverbs 22:6:

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

 This is a demanding task in our confusing times, but parents are to lead children through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline so that they will make choices and decisions based on biblical truth.

 Proverbs 23:13-14

Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.  You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.

 The primary responsibilities of nurturing the family and raising children are assigned to the husband and wife.  Children are also assigned responsibility to honor and obey their parents, for this is pleasing to God and is a testimony to God’s loving purpose for the family.

Pray for the children that will come to Vacation Bible School this week and pray for their families.

 Ephesians 6:1-3

 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

 

(Information taken from “The Baptist Faith and Message” 2007 by Kelley, Land and Mohler)

 

Political Signs of Deception

Matthew 13:3-4

 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

 My husband can’t wait until the elections are over!  You may be thinking…wow…he is so excited about the elections and for change to occur.  However, that is not what I am saying at all.  My husband can’t wait for the elections to be over because it is interfering with something he likes to do on Saturday mornings.  He likes to go yard sale shopping.

Do you realize how hard it is to find yard sales these days with so many little signs in everyone’s yard?  Driving down the road, it looks like everyone is having a yard sale…especially if the little signs are in front of a house that has a lot of things in their yard anyways.  You know the Jeff Foxworthy joke…you might be a redneck if!  When we pull up to Larry’s 4-Way stop, it looks like a sign graveyard.  They’re everywhere!

I thought about how hard my husband has to look for yard sale signs and how he has to try to perceive which ones are the true ones as I was preparing for Sunday School this week.  This week, we are studying some of Jesus’ parables about theKingdomofGod.  The disciples asked Jesus why he was teaching using parables.

Jesus explained that the prophesy of Isaiah was being fulfilled in them:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people’s heart has become calloused;

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’—Matthew 13:14-15

In the parable about the farmer sowing seed and some falling along the path, and the birds came and ate them, this is explained as people who hear the gospel, but do not accept it.  “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.” Matthew 13:19.

“The primary focus of the parable and the different seeds being sown is not the sower (representing Jesus and all who tell the good news of the kingdom), the seed (the word about the kingdom), the birds (representing the evil one), but on the condition of the soil (anyone who hears the word).  The soil was a key factor in determining the fruitfulness of the seed.  The soil represented the hearers and their conditions as they heard the message of the kingdom.  In first century farming practices, fields used for farming were not enclosed by fences but were set apart by public footpaths.  These footpaths were hardened from many footsteps and were not tilled and prepared to receive the planted seed.  In other words, the message received no response from those who had hardened their hearts through unbelief and rejection of the message.  Such persons refused to accept the truth of Jesus’ teaching, and thus fell victim to Satan, who snatched the word away.”

Let’s continue to pray for loved ones that are lost.  Pray that hearts will be softened so that the message of thekingdomofGodwill be understood and accepted.

If you are a born again Christian, and now understand God’s truths, then let’s be thankful that Christ has ascended to heaven and has sent us a helper, the Holy Spirit, to give us understanding.  Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you up today.  Let’s not get distracted from the many “signs” that Satan sends our way to distract us, but let’s focus on what matters and is true.

-RB

Matthew 13:16-17 

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Responsibility is not our Security

Psalm 119:15: 

I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. 

I love to hear God’s Word being preached.  It is a passion that God has given me.  However, I don’t just listen to a sermon, but I like to think about different things during the week.  The same thing is true when I read the Bible.  It would be nice if my brain would work fast enough so that I can truly grasp things right away, but for me, I must continue to think about what God is saying so that I can comprehend truths enough to make it a part of my life.  (Maybe heading soccer balls has given me a thick skull…I don’t know!)

Thinking about this past Wednesday’s OR sermon in James 2, I’ve been thinking about the different stages that people go through.  I’ve been helping to raise teenagers of different ages.  I also have granddaughters that are five years old and 6 months old.  One thing that I’ve observed is that people mature at different levels and speeds.  However, slow or fast, it can be said that people typically go through different stages in life.  Most people eventually come to a point in which they start to put away childish behaviors and begin to become responsible adults.  My oldest son just sent a really nice letter to my husband for Father’s Day about things that he’s been realizing now that he is a dad.

In thinking about how a lot of adults begin putting behind their “wild” teenage years and begin acting more responsibly, I worry that people think their new mature behavior is a reflection of their salvation.  The book of James is known for being a book that talks about works.  However, this past sermon showed me how James is still so much in line with the rest of the Bible…it is after-all inspired!  It still agrees with verses such as Ephesians 2:8–For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

James is telling us right before he talks about works that legalism is not salvation.  I am humbly reminded that our actions are not getting us to heaven; we must have an encounter with Jesus Christ who has paid our debt penalty for us.

James 2:10

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.  For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 

Do you see it?  This goes along with what Paul is saying in Galatians 5:2-3–Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.  And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

If we sin one time, we are a sinner and are subject to judgment because the Law is a unit.  Whether we are becoming mature adults and sinning less, or whether we are constantly in trouble for our sins, let’s not let that affect our view of salvation.  Our tendency is to rate sin and compare it to others…but let’s meditate on God’s precepts and His ways.  Compared to a holy God, that one sin has separated us from Him.

If we are relying on our actions to get us to heaven, then we will face judgment against the entire law.  However, thanks be to God that if we rely on the completed work of Christ, then mercy will win because we are covered by grace.

-RB

James 2:13b:

 mercy triumphs over judgment.

Good Seed

Good seed in the church will produce! Good seed will yield more good seed when it is planted, fed, and watered.  A good tree will produce good fruit.

However, in Mexico, there are good seed and tares. (Actually, there are good seed and tares in churches all over the world). The word tare is a seed that resembles a wheat seed, but the tare seed is darker, and does not produce wheat.

There are those who come to church…they seem to be on the surface, a part of the work, a part of the tree. However, they do not produce fruit. They will not go out and win souls!

One man was a creator of trouble in the church at Guadalajara.  He came to church Thursday night…Thursday night at Guadalajara is soul winning night.  He said, I’ll clean the bathrooms, and he did not want to go out and win souls and tell sinners about salvation in Jesus Christ.  He gave more and more problems to those in the church! Tares can be in the church, they will not go win souls for Christ. I have met some pastors in Mexico, Pastors who did not want to go win souls, also in the USA!   This saddens me. The devil has his employees!

Who are the Tares? Children of the wicked one!

Matthew 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

We all need to be involved in giving the gospel to sinners! Winning sinners for the Lord gives Joy to Jesus!

PRAYER: May good seeds come to the church in Guadalajara.

PRAYER: We are in the USA, pray that we will be accepted here, helped, and make a quick return to Mexico. Pray, pray and pray!

PRAYER: May God lead us to pastors who desire to love, visit, and sow into Mexico.

PRAISE: We thank God for the funds received this week for the school. May God bless you for your love and gifts! Praise His name, we are grateful for and your faith!

PRAISE: May God bless the Pastors and churches in Kentucky, who gave in wonderful ways to help us in Mexico.

We love you and thank God for your love and gifts. In the name of Jesus, be blessed.

Brad and Shirley Thomas

Guadalajara, Mexico