by Gayle Jackson | Jan 25, 2016 | Articles, Mentors Corner
I have been thinking a lot recently on where we are going as a people and what lies ahead. With a family of 15, I concern myself with things like this. I am not pessimist by nature but I am clearly concerned for what lies ahead. Some of my key concerns are because of: Socially and academically, as a people we embrace a low opinion of the Bible. Both inside & outside the institutional church, biblical standards are frequently violated and these violations are accepted. Our loss of recognition that Israel is at the epicenter of history past and future and our waning support of Israel. After much reflection, I decided the greatest gift I can give my family for their future is a commitment and knowledge of the Bible. Not money but the bible. This should be my legacy. The application of the word in their culture is their only hope. It is the only inheritance that will not betray them in the coming time. It is the only truth document on our relationship to God and others that has lasted 2000 years. Historically when people gather in community for any reason and for a period of time, corruption and debauchery set in. As a people we have gathered and can’t stay away from corruption and a culture that is debauched. Just review Babel. This influence has always taken us down wrong paths and away from the Word’s teaching. My observation historically is that once a social line of standards are drawn we immediately begin to drift downward morally and religiously. All people, professing, Christians included, tend to...
by Walt Henrichsen | Jan 4, 2016 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14 When Israel reached the Red Sea, the Egyptian army approached their rear to recapture them and return them to a life of slavery. To quiet their hearts, Moses gave this instruction; they were to remain passive and God would deliver them without their needing to fight. Years later, after King Solomon replaced his father as king of Israel, he did four things to “secure the kingdom in Solomon’s hands:”1 First, he had Adonijah killed, who had endeavored to establish himself as king prior to Solomon. Second, he had Joab, the commander of the Lord’s army killed. Third, he removed Abiathar as high priest, replacing him with Zadok, Solomon’s personal choice. Fourth, he ensured that Shimei died, who had belittled King David. Throughout Solomon’s reign it appears that he looked more to his own interests, rather than passively following the advice of Moses on the Exodus. In both the illustration of the Exodus and Solomon, it appears that their strategies worked, and Scripture does not comment on which of the two He favored. During the time when Joshua led Israel, God rebuked the people because “…the men…asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.”2 I can find no evidence that Solomon ever “sought counsel of the Lord.” Assuming that you “seek counsel of the Lord,” you still have to decide when God wants you to passively wait on Him and when He expects you to actively do what seems best to you. It may be that God is intentionally ambiguous to keep you perpetually dependent...
by Gayle Jackson | Dec 28, 2015 | Articles, Mentors Corner
What will we be held accountable for in Heaven? Some today say “nothing” but this thinking is not found in the bible. I think our first response would be our adherence to His teaching in the Bible. But I must say the largest percentage of the men I know live “somewhat” of a form of a moral life but not necessarily obedient to the Scripture. Their view of God as a nice, sugar daddy, understanding figure is in question. They basically have accepted Christ but live on the fringe of the Christian Word. They somewhat buy in to this proposition of no accountability with God. In obeying the Word, a tricky part of adhering to the Word is your handling of the positive commands of God. Notice 2 things about the positive commands 1. There are no metrics to these commands. Only God can keep score. 2. We get to define how these commands are to be applied in our environment/culture. Good news: you get to decide what the application of these commands looks like. Bad news: you get to explain your decision on application to God. But what I have observed as the greatest short fall in today’s man is his lack of vision or development of his Giftedness for his place and work in the kingdom of God on earth. God has given us our giftedness to live a life for Him in our times. Our giftedness may help us in business and society and school but it appears to me that God gave the gifts to us mainly to be used in the kingdom of God....
by Skip Tschantz | Nov 30, 2015 | Articles, Mentors Corner
Responding to Society Titus 3:1-8 Part 1 – Identifying the Issue This short study on responding to our society may leave us with some challenging questions about our personal application. Certainly it begs the questions: “what about all the garbage that is going on in our society?” Aren’t we to take a stand against the moral decline, the political direction that we may not like and a whole host of other issues? Aren’t we to try our best to change society to reflect Biblical standards? What does a Biblical response look like? What kind of an obligation do we have to our children and grandchildren? These are serious if not daunting questions for the follower of Christ. No one can tell you what your application should look like in the area of stewardship or even the positive commands. The challenge is left up to each one of us to determine how God would have us respond. However, we can gain some valuable insight from Scripture to help us navigate this critical issue. To do this we will look at the epistle of Titus. Titus was ministering on the island of Crete where there were a number of pockets of believers scattered around the various cities of this island. This was an area that was as pagan and godless at we could possibly imagine and the purpose of Paul’s letter to Titus was to give him instruction on how to instruct the various churches in the area of Godly behavior. The epistle basically breaks down into three sections. Godliness in the church – Chapter 1 Godliness in the home –...
by Gayle Jackson | Nov 15, 2015 | Articles, Mentors Corner
My brother once said to me when I ask if he was satisfied where he was in his life, he said, “I am satisfied with my dissatisfaction”. We are a driven people out of our unrest and drive for more. Contentment is considered a weakness and an anti-virtue of an American. Yet the bible teaches us that contentment is a requirement to live an effective life for Christ. Can we live with the call for contentment? Especially in business and on the job. Does this mind set work in your life? 2 Peter 3:11-14 ” Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat. But according to His promise we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless”, From this we can say that an aim of man is his preparation for the return of Christ and to be ready to enjoy Him for eternity. Philippians 4:10-13 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. (Ref 1 Tim...
by Walt Henrichsen | Nov 2, 2015 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34-35 Let us once again review the three most common Greek words for love: Agape – This word is the least used of the three in Greek literature and the most used in Biblical literature. It is as though the New Testament writers took an obscure Greek word and gave it a biblical definition. Agape seeks the best interest of others rather than self. On occasion, but not always, it requires self-sacrifice. It is an attribute that God uses to define Himself: “God is love.”1 God requires that the believer agape all people, including his enemies. Eros – This word is the most used of the three in Greek literature and is absent in Biblical literature. It seeks to use others for the benefit of self. It is a consuming, almost irrational passion that satisfies human appetites. It is antithetical to everything the Bible teaches. Phileo – This word is common in both Greek and Biblical literature and has the idea of treating others as your own family, brotherly love. Thus the city of Philadelphia. Agape seeks what is best for others and requires exercising the will. I may not feel like seeking another’s best, but I exercise my will in the direction of doing it. Eros seeks what is best for self and requires surrendering the will to passion. Agape is...
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