Discipleship - Dene's Blog

Patterns 1

10/11/2021 0 Comments

My mother made most of my clothes growing up, and also made things as difficult as sport coats and dress slacks for Daddy. I did my best to follow in her footsteps, but am not nearly the seamstress she is. I do, however, remember buying patterns and making maternity clothes for myself and baby clothes for the boys. Lucky for them, they received a lot of gifts so I didn’t have to do that very long! Then my sewing machine died and everyone got off easy instead of having to wear my crooked seams and gathered sleeves—which weren’t supposed to be gathered. I guess I could blame it on my vision, but really, even if I could see better, I would still have crooked seams and gathered sleeves.
            However, one thing I remember well was that if I didn’t follow the pattern, nothing turned out right. The seams didn’t match, the zippers didn’t fit in where they were supposed to, and forget about making the stripes and plaids meet—it was simply impossible.
          A lot of people follow patterns—architects, electricians, plumbers, masons. If they don’t follow the blueprints (patterns) their customers are very unhappy. So what is the big deal about needing to follow a pattern in the church? Why does every generation think it’s not only impossible but unnecessary? Maybe because we haven’t told them why we follow the pattern, maybe because we don’t know why either.
            So we get questions like these: Is it really necessary to follow the examples set in the New Testament? How do we know which examples to follow? A lot of people go haywire and forget common sense, throwing out ridiculous scenarios to try to circumvent the need to do what God has plainly shown us He wants to be done.
            So for the next few days we will examine a few things about patterns in the church, things I bet you never knew were there. But they aren’t really that difficult to see if you have the mind to see them instead of one that wants to see what it wants instead. Set aside your preconceived notions, and your ill-conceived ones too, and join me for the next three days.

Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 2Tim 1:13

Dene Ward

The Single Disciple

10/5/2021 0 Comments

I thought we had gotten past this. A few years ago I even saw an article or two on the subject, but I guess not everyone read them. So just the other day I saw someone make a comment to a godly, single woman in her late 20s that it was up to her to change her marital status and it was the only way for her to actually reach full maturity and understand responsibility in her life. I know that young woman fairly well and I know she is probably more mature than the person who made that unwise and considerably unhelpful comment, no matter how long she has been married nor how many children she has.

In the first place, how is it “up to her” to get married? That kind of thinking is the reason so many young Christian women “settle,” winding up in inappropriate marriages to ungodly men, sometimes even abusive men. Young ladies—it is far more dangerous to your soul to marry the wrong man than it is to stay unmarried. Period.

And as for maturity? I have seen so much whining on Facebook from young mothers who suddenly find they have to sacrifice for their children—give up some sleep, give up some “me time,” even give up their daily Starbucks--that I would be careful about tossing that accusation around lest it be thrown back in my face with evidence that would shame me.

The only thing the scriptures require of you is to be an obedient and faithful servant of God and you can do that regardless of your marital status. Paul, in fact, seemed to believe you might even be a better servant if you stayed unmarried. 1 Corinthians 7 gets skimmed over to the point that all anyone sees is his admonition to stay single “for this present distress.” That is not all he says about staying single. “To the unmarried and widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am,” (v8) comes several paragraphs before “the present distress” even enters the discussion.

Jesus also said that marriage was not a requirement to be his disciple. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it. Matt 19:12. No, women are not “eunuchs,” but then Jesus is speaking figuratively in that last clause—some people choose not to marry for the kingdom’s sake, including women.

The scriptures show us several women who made that decision. Anna did get married as a young woman—but she became a widow after only 7 years, which means she might have been as young as 21, according to the marriage customs of the day, and then she chose to remain single for the rest of her long life. She used that time to serve at the Temple.

You need to understand one thing before we look at these other women. Women in the Bible are often identified as “the wife of” someone, not because a woman has no identity without a husband, but for the sake of identification. There were at least 7 Marys in the New Testament. How are you going to tell them apart without last names? So we have Mary the wife of Cleophas. We have Mary the mother of Mark. We have Mary Magdalene, meaning she was from the village of Magdala.

And we have Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Never is a husband mentioned. In fact, Luke tells us that the house where they lived was “Martha’s house” (10:38). Understand this: Jewish women did not inherit their husbands’ estate—the sons did. That means Martha was wealthy enough on her own to have her own home. And she used her home to house her family and open it to the Lord and his disciples. It must have been a large, well-appointed house.
And that brings me to the Mary who allowed the church to meet in her home when Peter and James were thrown into prison (Acts 12:12), probably another widow who chose not to remarry. Then there is Nympha who allowed the church in Laodicea to meet in her home (Col 3:15). And let’s not forget the obvious—Lydia, who immediately upon her conversion insisted that Paul and Silas stay in her home, another case where no husband is in the picture. Understand this—all three of these women put themselves in danger of persecution when they did this, but their conviction and commitment to the Lord went all the way. Where is the “immaturity and lack of responsibility” in that?

We tell church members that they are responsible for what they do, that they cannot blame it on “the decision of the elders.” It is up to me to know what they are doing and speak up if I think they are doing something sinful. We tell our young people that they must develop their own faith, that they cannot get into Heaven on their parents’ coattails. Guess what? Wives must have their own faith too. So why would anyone think that a single woman, or man for that matter, cannot have his or her own faith? Why would we think that having a spouse is necessary to please God?

I know plenty of young single people—and some not so young any more—who are living full and godly lives, spending time in the Word, serving the church and their community. That is what God will judge them on.

…Each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor, 1 Cor 3:8.
[God} who will render to every man according to his works, Rom 2:6.

…And the dead were judged…according to their works, Rev 20:12.

Did you see a spouse in there anywhere? Neither did I. It is up to you what you do with your life. Not being married does not make you a second class citizen of the kingdom.

I have nothing against marriage. I have been married for 47 years. My husband has helped me become a better Christian. But don’t let anyone push you into marriage. Don’t “settle” for someone who won’t make you a better servant of the Lord.

But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he that is married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 1Cor 7:32-34

Dene Ward

Utter Devotion

10/1/2021 2 Comments

Chloe is our last dog. An Australian cattle dog, which has become our favorite breed after having two of them, is also called a Velcro dog in the industry because she will stick to her master like, well, like Velcro. We were also told that they don't bond to a second family. You cannot give them away or they pine away and die of sadness. And that accounts for the reason that she is our last dog. At our age, another Australian could well outlive us, or at least outlive the time we have here on this property where it could run and at least pretend to herd [us] to its heart's content.
            Chloe was an odd little dog. We blamed the oddness on our first Australian, Magdalene (Magdi). That older dog made sure that Chloe knew in no uncertain, and slightly bloody, terms that she was the Alpha dog, even if she was not a male. So Chloe grew up a little more subdued than the average cattle dog. She still ran and played, jumping in the air to catch mascara-tube-sized grasshoppers and chasing butterflies, one of which she actually caught one day. Evidently having a flitting butterfly in your mouth is a bit off-putting, so she promptly spat it out and it flew away unharmed while she joyfully capered on.
            She had an excellent ear and often found moles by hearing them dig underground as she passed by, which immediately sent her on a digging frenzy. A few times she really dug one up. She also learned to differentiate engine sounds. The first few times someone came to the house she would bark, but by the fourth or fifth time she realized he must be a friend and suddenly we had someone knocking on the door who had not been announced!
            She was very smart. At times you would think she actually understood English. She learned the word "treat" quickly as most dogs do, and whenever I asked if she wanted to help me "feed the birdies," she was out ahead of me, running around the house and slinking behind the azaleas to chase away any snakes under the feeder and otherwise "help." Whenever she came to greet us as we returned from an outing, she ran up to Keith's side of the car as his door opened. He patted her head and then said, "Where's the Lady?" and she ran around to my side. I was "the Lady" and Keith was "the Boss." Sometimes we thought she had ESP. On bath day we had to be careful not only to not say that word, but to not even think it, or she would run under the porch and hide. ESP was the only explanation when we had been so very careful with our words.
            Lucas was her favorite human. He still lived in the area when we got her so she bonded with him too. Whenever he came to visit, about a half hour before we expected him, we would say, "Chloe, Lucas is coming," and she would run out to sit on the edge of the carport and watch the gate until he did indeed come. After that, her Velcro strap to us ceased to exist, at least until he left for home. Then she watched him until he reached the end of the drive and went through the gate. Once again she was ours.
            You have heard stories about Chloe for over 14 years now. She has cataracts and often runs into things or falls into holes. She has arthritis in one shoulder and on the bad days has a pronounced limp. And for the past two years she has had steadily progressing canine dementia. I had no idea that ever happened to dogs but, the vet said, this breed is so hearty that its body often outlives its mind. She would sit and "zone out." We would not be able to get her attention no matter how loudly we called until we walked right up to her, and then she would jump like we had scared her to death. When we went somewhere overnight, it always took a few minutes for her to remember who we were when we came back. She would creep up like she knew she was supposed to know us, but it took some talk and pats and sniffs before she finally started wagging that tail again. And every night she circled the house, once, twice, sometimes as many as a dozen times. "Sundowning" the doctor said, just like humans sometimes do.
            A couple of weeks ago, on our usual Tuesday jaunt to Bible class, grocery store, drug store, hardware store, and all those other stops we try to do on just one day a week, when we arrived back home, she didn't come to meet us. We called and she didn't come. Keith went looking and what we had long expected had happened. She went into the field to lie in the sun and simply went to sleep. Chloe is gone.
            But here is one more lesson we can learn from her. No matter how much she hurt, no matter how tired she was, no matter how confused she was, she wanted to be with us constantly. When we went to the garden, when we went to the mailbox, when we fed the birds, when we sat by a fire, she always came with us. We were the only thing that mattered to her. Getting a pat on the head from one of us made her deliriously happy. The only thing that broke that Velcro strap to her Master or Mistress (or Lucas) was death.
            Is that how we feel about our Master, our Lord, our Father? Or do we have such a poor sense of priorities that few would even know we claim to be his children, his disciples, his servants. Is he the most important thing in our lives? Does having a relationship with him matter more than anything else? Nothing ever got in the way of Chloe's devotion to the three of us, even the things we would have considered, not excuses, but reasons. What might be getting in the way of the devotion you claim to your Father and your Savior? Remember this precious dog for just a few more days and consider that.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (2Cor 5:14-15).

Dene Ward

September 25, 1493—Self-Deception

9/24/2021 0 Comments

We are all familiar with the date October 12, 1492, the date Columbus first made landfall in the New World, mistaking it for the East Indies. The actual site is uncertain, but most believe it was San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. On October 28, he found Cuba, thinking that was Cipango, Japan, but by November 1, he had decided it was actually China (Cathay) despite the fact that he had not found any of the cities he knew were there. Further searching took him to a place the Taino natives called Ayti (Haiti) and on December 6, he renamed it El Isla Española (Hispaniola). Since he had decided that Cuba was Cathay, he seems to have thought that this was the town in Japan that he had first assumed of Cuba. Despite all of these back and forth changes of mind, Columbus held on to the belief that he had actually sailed to the Far East. Nothing and no one could tell him otherwise.

To appease his benefactors, he found and took back with him to Spain enough gold, spices, strange new foods, animals, and captives to make a name for himself, and on September 25, 1493, our date to remember today, he set sail on his second voyage, this time not with just three ships, but with 17. His passengers included a small troop of cavalry and a group of priests for converting natives. He was at the height of his popularity, regardless of his mistaken notions about where he was going and where he had landed. Neither his second, third, nor fourth voyages ended as well as the first. He did not find what his royal sponsors had sent him to find—a direct route to India and China, King Solomon's gold mines, or possibly another unknown continent on the other side of the world (antipodean). Even his own crews had begun to doubt him when he maintained against all common sense that he had found Cathay, but he never gave up that claim. He had simply deceived himself into believing it.

In his last years, Columbus lived well on the 10% commission of the gold he brought back, but he seriously damaged his relationships with boasts that became more and more ludicrous to those around him. He felt used by the Spanish government and his persecution complex made him even more miserable as he followed King Ferdinand around (Isabella, his favorite royal, had died), making his claims of unfair treatment and trying to gain redress. One wonders how different it might have been for him if he had seen what was right in front of him—not the Far East, but a brand new world.

All of that reminded me of another victim of self-deception. An elderly lady we ran into a long, long time ago told us that the Holy Spirit had spoken to her the night before and gave her a new piece of information. Unfortunately, that information directly contradicted the plain statement of scripture. How do you correct someone who believes they have a direct line to God? You cannot, because no matter what you show them, they know better, and until they receive another "revelation" correcting the first, they believe they know more than you do.

It did not take long before I found others who would not listen to the plain truth of God’s word. I even discovered that good-hearted Christians will not always see the truth as easily as I had thought. And then one day not more than ten years ago I was slapped in the face with the realization that I had read a passage for years and completely missed a vital truth in it. When someone rubbed my nose in it I was appalled at how I could ever have missed it.

What has this taught me? It has not taught me that as long as you are a good-hearted person you can believe a lie and still be perfectly fine with God. Jesus said of the Pharisees, you compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he has become so, you make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves, Matt 23:15.

God cannot lie, the scriptures tell us. He will not contradict himself. That first woman I mentioned needed to have heeded the warning of Paul in Galatians 1:8, Though we or an angel from heaven preach to you any other gospel than that which we have preached, let him be accursed. The Holy Spirit would never change the word of God. Just as Columbus wanted so badly to believe he had found China that he couldn't face the truth, we sometimes come to the Bible with our minds made up about what we believe it says and miss the obvious.

Jude tells us in verse 3 that the word was once for all delivered to the saints. Can you imagine how discouraging it would be to think that God might be changing things around night after night and no one ever told you about it?

He isn’t, and he won’t. Our job is to make certain we know it well, to check out those who teach it, and to never allow preconceived notions to keep us from seeing the obvious and deceiving ourselves.

Every word of God is tried; he is a shield unto those who take refuge in him. Add not to his words, lest he reprove you and you be found a liar, Prov 30:5,6.

Dene Ward

Essential Oils Are Not Essential

9/9/2021 0 Comments

Imagine my surprise when I went to a workshop on essential oils and the speaker opened her presentation with that statement. Quickly she went on to explain, and I have appreciated her even more as a sister in Christ since then.
            This young woman uses the oils. She enjoys them in her bath, on her skin, and diffused in the air around her. However, she does not believe that they imbue people with spiritual powers.
            “I am a Christian,” she said. “What some people claim these oils do for you is done for me through Christ and the Word. Period.” Once she began to list the claims, and once I did my own research, I have uttered a hearty amen.
            So what do they claim? The following is only a partial list, and remember, each of these things is supposed to be “spiritual,” so, for example, when it lists “strength,” it means spiritual strength, not muscular strength. Keep everything in that context.
            Fennel—perseverance
            Grapefruit—generosity
            Helichrysum—patience
            Myrtle—ability to forgive
            Palmarosa—faithfulness
            Parsley—purification
            Sandalwood—unity
            Pine—humility
            Juniper—sincerity and enlightenment
            Myrrh—spirituality
            Cedarwood—regeneration
            Agrimony—protection
            Chamomile—spiritual awareness, inner peace
            Bay laurel—confidence
            Bergamot—joy
            Cinnamon—love
            Angelica--comfort
            (www.mauldinfamily1.wordpress.com, “mama bear musings”)
This isn’t even half the list, but it contains most of the “spiritual blessings” these oils are supposed to impart.
            Some people also ascribe “magical” powers to essential oils. Magic? Yes, as in potions to protect you and grant you good health and good luck or to put a hex on one’s enemies. This is exactly how the pagans used oils in ancient times, as indicated by many of the Bible verses that condemn the practice of such “magic.”   Remember too, that most of the verses used to claim Biblical authority for using “essential oils” at all are referring to plain old olive oil, the stuff you and I cook with. Yes, other oils are mentioned by name, but with the exception of the table of incense in the tabernacle and the Temple, I could find none used in the worship of God. (Please show me if I am wrong.)
            Before we get to this matter of spiritual benefits, let’s clear up a couple of other things. Proponents of essential oils say that they were used in Biblical times and were even found in King Tut’s tomb. Let me quote: “…aromatic materials were used in Biblical times…but these materials would not have been essential oils, at least not by today’s definition of being steam distilled products.” Steam distillation was not even invented until the 11th century, over 2000 years after King Tut’s death. (www.weedemandreap.com, “10 Essential Oil Myths vs Fact” by Dr Robert Pappas)
            Others lean heavily on the fact that the wise men brought frankincense and myrrh to the house where the toddler Jesus was living in Bethlehem. Besides these gifts having more to do with the nature of the Messiah as the future king, priest, and sacrifice, it probably financed, along with the gold, the flight to Egypt that the poor, newly married couple had to make to save their child’s life. And, as quoted above, it wasn’t even the same thing as those two materials today.
            As for the “magical” properties, I seriously hope I don’t have to say much about that. Those things are condemned in both the Old and New Testaments not just as sins, but as “abominations to the LORD.” No Christian should ever believe such things or use these oils in that way.
            For those spiritual properties, let’s examine the scriptures. In no particular order:
2 Cor 5:17—God has made us new creatures in Christ (regeneration)
Rom 12:5—we have unity in Christ (and many more passages)
2 John 1:3—we have grace, mercy, and peace through God and Jesus Christ
2 Cor 2:17—sincerity shows when one speaks in Christ
Phil 2:1—encouragement and comfort are found in Christ
Eph 3:12—we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him
Eph 1:18—Paul prays for our enlightenment, in this context, in him
1 Pet 1:22—we are purified by our obedience to the truth
Gal 5:22-26—the fruit of the Spirit (love , joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) comes when we put to death the deeds of the body and are led by the Spirit, a very good definition of spirituality.
And should anyone still be doubtful, Eph 1:3—God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. “Every” should cover anything I missed in the lists above.
            If I need these oils in order to be able to forgive someone, why didn’t God make sure I knew about it in His Word? In fact, He does tell me that if I do not forgive I will not be forgiven, so this is a serious matter. If I need some sandalwood in order to have unity, why weren’t the first century Christians told to find some and use it? Their unity, Jesus said, would make the world believe. Are we consigning people to Hell because we don’t have any sandalwood in our assemblies? If I need parsley for purification, surely God would have told us that it wasn’t just the blood of Jesus that purified us. I think you can probably see my point by now.
            When the Jews started relying upon horses, chariots, political alliances and false gods, God destroyed them. I think you can add essential oils to the list if they are being touted as “necessary to purification and spirituality.” Even if we believe they just “help,” we are on dangerous ground. When God supplies something, it’s enough.
            If you enjoy using essential oils in your own home, please do so. I enjoyed passing them around and smelling them. And it certainly was an eye-opener to me about how generous those wise men were with their gifts. One ounce of frankincense (that’s 2 tablespoons) was listed at $97.00. I believe they brought Jesus far more than one ounce (and remember it was NOT exactly the same thing).
            But if you claim to be a disciple of our Lord, you need to be careful what you believe about these things. You owe it to Him to make sure that your companions do not tar you with the same brush as those who make unscriptural claims. They need to hear that while you may enjoy these oils you worship the Creator, not the creation.
Do not undermine the all-sufficiency of Christ by claiming that these oils can do for anyone what he does for those who are “in him.” It’s nothing less than blasphemous to say that “essential oils” can impart the same spiritual blessings that He can.

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Heb 13:20-21

Dene Ward

Spit-Shined Glory

8/30/2021 4 Comments

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

Although I made sergeant, I never learned to spit shine my shoes. I tried repeatedly. I had some of those who were best show me at different times and in diverse ways, tried to imitate their methods, and even got them to coach me. NO GO! Marines must look sharp and squared away at all times. So I paid one of those who could and kept the spit-shined shoes in my locker for inspections and other formal occasions. The ones that I “spit-shined” were the ones I wore to the office daily. (I was, incredibly given my current ineptness, a computer programmer 1967-1971). One morning as I arrived two minutes before the bell, as usual, my captain said, “Sgt. Ward, the Colonel wants to see you now!” There were lots of Colonels in Headquarters FMFPAC, but this one was the full bird battalion commander. My only question was, “May I go change to my dress shoes?” Two words, “No! Go!” If the Colonel noticed my less than glorious shoes, he never commented. We discussed the business which was all positive, I did my about face and left.

A man must earn the right to be called a Marine. Thereafter, he is proud and generally keeps himself in a way to show the importance he attaches to the title he wears. He inherits a glory from all those marines who went before and feels responsible to not only bring no shame to it but to add to it by his manner, dress, and devotion to duty.

We read about God’s glory and though we have sung about it and used the expression for years, few of us understand exactly what glory means. The basic meaning is "shining." God’s glory is God’s shining, his character and power shining like a billion watt bulb. Paul says the people could not look at Moses’ face when he came down from Mt Sinai “because of its glory,” which had been defined as, “his face shone” (2Cor3:7; Ex 34:29ff).

Since we call ourselves children of God, we should want to shine for him (Mt5:14-16, another passage that connects shining and glory). God called us "Christians," a title we should endeavor to wear with honor ("were called" in Acts 11:26 is also used in Mt 2:12, 22; Acts 10:22; Heb 8:5; et al.).

We tend to be absolutists. All pride is sinful; all boasting is wrong. (Some are so proud of their attitude in this that they will not even tell their children they are proud of them). But the word for glory is often translated boasting, which is glorying. Paul will boast in nothing but the cross of Christ, the Corinthians are his glory, and he has boasted of their readiness to give to the Macedonians; he commands them to glory (boast) in the Lord (Gal 6:14; 2Cor 1:14, 7:4, 9:2-4, 10:17). My shoes were not supposed to shine for their own glory, but to show mine as a Marine.

When the early church "suffered as a Christian," they caused the world that had no hope beyond this life to come to Christ to see what this was that men were willing to die for. They truly glorified the King of kings.

Christians wear a title that makes “Marine” insignificant; we wear the name of Christ and shine for him, i.e., bring him glory. Today, Christians must take pride in who they are, not to have glory, but to give glory to God. We must conduct ourselves so that others will say, “There goes a real Christian.” We should be so focused on the cross that we light the way for others. And, finally, we should shine so that God can say to Satan, “Have you considered my servant ___________________?” (Job 1:8).

Keith Ward

Living on Concrete

8/20/2021 2 Comments

I grew up in the city. We walked on concrete roads and sidewalks, pulled in on a concrete driveway, and parked on a concrete carport. When we swept and vacuumed the floors we only had to do it once or twice a week and hardly accumulated more than a tablespoon of sand (we're in Florida, remember) in the dustpan each time, and only had to change vacuum cleaner bags a couple times a year.
            But I have lived most of my married life in the country. For half that time we had no driveway or carport. Now we have a carport, but still no driveway. We do a considerable amount of living and working outdoors, taking care of a large garden and five acres. Our road is nearly a half mile long, private, and unpaved. When Keith walks that half mile to the mailbox down by the highway, he treads on dirt, sand, and limerock, not a sidewalk. Even though we have a mat by the door and a runner just inside it, we still track a considerable amount into the house. I could sweep every day but don't have the time. Even every other day will yield twice as much as a week's worth when I lived in the city. Every time I hear that passage, "Shake the dust off your feet," I wish we could do it just that easily.
            The inescapable conclusion is that living on concrete will keep more of the dirt out of your house. Too many Christians, and churches, want to keep the dirt out, to live on concrete spiritually. I am not talking about keeping sin out of our lives. I am talking about being such a clean freak that the only people we want to offer the gospel to are nice nuclear families with no marriage problems, no addictions, and no ongoing issues that might "cause problems." Many years ago I caught myself saying, "I should invite them to church. But wait, they are in second and third marriages. That's just asking for trouble." I don't remember how long it took for me to remember a certain woman at a well in Samaria whom Jesus went out of his way to speak to and offer a chance at salvation. She had one whale of a marriage issue, but Jesus didn't stay on the concrete.
            Long ago and far away a men's business meeting actually told Keith he was bringing "the wrong class of people" to church. Never mind that he was the only one bringing people from the community. What he had found out in his door knocking was that those were the people more likely to listen—the ones who had problems and didn't think they were just fine and dandy. It was in one of those nice upper middle class neighborhoods where those brothers wanted him to pass out invitations that the man outside watering his well-manicured flowerbeds turned his hose on Keith, his Bible, and all his fliers.
            Who listened to Jesus? Few of the middle class Pharisees and upper class Sadducees. Usually it was the blue collar workers and those in less than reputable occupations—fishermen, harlots, and publicans. If we want to reach people, we need to step off the concrete and walk around in the mud where they live like he did. We need to be willing to track in a little sand and then sweep it up. Yes, it's a lot more work dealing with those kinds of people, but that is what our lives are supposed to be about—sharing the good news and helping the babes grow. You offer the gospel to everyone. It is their decision whether they are devoted enough to the Lord to clean up their lives, not ours.
            Don't be satisfied with living on concrete—going about your life with your family, going to church on Sunday, and staying away from the big bad sins as we define them, while ignoring the opportunities to reach out that God sends your way. You might stay out of the dirt, but there will still be sand in your house—and it all came from you.
And it came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and publicans, said unto his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners? And when Jesus heard it, he said unto them, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:15-17).

Dene Ward

August 18, 1999 Bread and Circuses

8/18/2021 0 Comments

The people who once bestowed commands, consulships, legions, and all else, now meddle no more and longs eagerly for just two things—bread and circuses. Decimus Junius Juvenalis.
             I could not find any dates for that writing, which came from Juvenal's Satire X, nor even for Juvenal himself beyond "first century." However, the phrase he uses there has become famous in politics. Google it and you will find pages of citations. The most interesting site I found was the August 18, 1999 edition of The Onion, a satirical online publication that regularly publishes witty and biting pieces. If you want to read it, and it is still online at this point, here is a link: https://politics.theonion.com/congress-approves-4-billion-for-bread-circuses-1819565262
            As for the original writing, Juvenal used that phrase to describe how the Roman rulers kept the masses content, while gradually stealing away all their power. What had once been a Republic had become an empire ruled by selfish, immoral, greedy men, more interested in retaining power and wealth than caring for the people under their rule. And the people themselves deteriorated into a populace addicted to free distribution of food and violent gladiatorial contests. They were so distracted by mindless self-gratification that they had become unable to think, unable to recognize any greater good beyond their own desires.
            I can think of ways this might apply to America today, as I am sure you can, but it is nothing new. Jesus dealt with the same mindset. In John 6:26, he reproached the masses who followed him like this: You seek me…because you ate of the loaves and were filled. When he began to talk about the True Bread, they left.
            The Pharisees came on more than one occasion, and to test him they asked him to show a sign from Heaven, Matt 16:1. Herod on the night before he was crucified had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and was hoping to see some sign done by him, Luke 23:8. They wanted a show, a “circus,” not a sign that would produce faith. John tells us that for many of these people though he had done many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 12:27. Bread and circuses do not work in the spiritual world any more than they do in the physical. It may bring in more initially, but how many stay when they find out what is really required of a disciple?
            None of this is to say that we should not reach out to the world in as many ways as possible. After all, Jesus did feed them, and he did do signs. But sooner or later we must get past the superficial and reach the heart. If my neighbor is in need, why not help him? When I take a meal to the sick, perhaps he will be more willing to realize that his sick soul needs food too, and maybe he will come to me to feed it. If I am part of an assembly that is open and friendly, that worships whole-heartedly and obviously instead of sitting like bumps on a log, perhaps he will sooner understand that the heart is not all that matters because he will more often visit and hear the word of God spoken clearly and forcefully. But we must sooner or later do as Jesus did and force the choice upon them:
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever, John 6:54-58.
And when they refuse to exist on nothing but Christ, then we must also do as he did—let them go and not bother chasing them down. They have shown what they really wanted—bread and circuses--spirituality was not part of it. God does not want people who are so distracted by mindless self-gratification that they become unable to think, unable to recognize any greater good beyond their own lusts. He wants people who live on him and his word, even when it is uncomfortable and inconvenient, even if it costs more than they had ever imagined. He wants a people for his own possession, who will give him the glory and honor he deserves.
After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, will you also go away? Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:66-69

Dene Ward

Identity Theft

8/17/2021 0 Comments

A look back at a difficult moment in my life, hoping this will help you in yours.

A few weeks ago, Satan finished what he started three years ago and stole my identity. I have packed up the last of my teaching supplies: sheet music, collections, method books, assignment notebooks, theory books, technique books, concerti, history notebooks, listening labs, computer disk theory games, stickers, rhythm instruments, home made music bingo games, magic slates with grand staffs permanently imprinted on them, even my old textbook How to Teach Piano Successfully. I have sent them on to a young piano teacher in Ohio, who is just starting out.

            I had a weepy moment or two. This part of my life—35 years worth plus all those years learning--is definitely over now. There is no going back; I simply cannot see the music any longer. But I am happy to know that these things will be put to good use—that other little children will learn with them, and that a young preaching couple will have a bit more coming in to help out with a skimpy income. But for a moment the large empty space under my piano made me feel invisible.
            I am no longer the piano and voice teacher in Union County.
            I no longer open my doors every afternoon to excited little faces, making sure that grubby little hands are washed before touching the keys, but still picking up every ailment my students brought my way, including parvo once, for goodness sake! It must have been all the hugs.
            I am no longer playing at weddings half a dozen times a year. I am no longer meeting with my fellow teachers once or twice a month, serving as association officer or chairman of this committee or that.
            I no longer take a dozen students to various competitions, crying with them for their losses and cheering for their wins. I no longer spend hours on themed spring programs, gathering up suitable music, matching it to each student’s personality, then working out the details, including skits and grand finales.
            I no longer present high school seniors in debut recitals with formals and tuxes, long-stemmed red roses, and a glittery reception afterward.
            Satan has stolen all of that from me with this disease.
            It could have been a real problem for me. I could have sunk into a depression difficult to come out of. Then I remembered my real identity.
            Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God; and we are, 1 John 3:1.
            Listen my beloved brethren did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? James 2:4.
            But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, 1 Pet 2:9.
            He has granted unto us precious and exceeding great promises, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet 1:4.
            The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him, Rom 8:16,17.

            I still have my identity, and so do you. It’s the one that counts, the one that Satan cannot steal, the one that will last forever.

Dene Ward

Experimenting

7/9/2021 0 Comments

Our grandsons stayed with us for several days in late May. We had a wonderful time, but it was a bit different than it has been in the past. They are now old enough to take care of things we always had to do before, like bathe and dress them, feed them, help with brushing and flossing teeth, and keep an eye on them practically every minute. Now they do all the personal hygiene and care for themselves. They even remember their own medicine—which didn't keep me from checking to make sure it was taken. We still spent a lot of one on one time with them, which is the point, isn't it? Keith had a homemade slip and slide which required him running a hose continuously over a long piece of plastic on the slope between the two sheds, and I let them help me cook—cookies, waffles, and yeast rolls. We played the prophets game, as you have already heard about. And I was the official judge of the Construx car building contest. (Kind of touchy, that one.)
            Still there were times that we had things that required our attention and they needed to keep themselves busy. For one of those times I taught them solitaire. Not the one on the Kindle or the computer, but the one using real cards. They ate it up and played for literally hours one afternoon while I did the laundry and cooked dinner. Once I was free again I sat down to see how they were doing.
            "Good," one said. "We've been experimenting."
            A little careful questioning told me what kind of "experiments" they were doing. You and I would call it "cheating." When every third card left them stuck, they changed it to every second card, and finally every single card, in an attempt to keep the game going. Another time instead of putting a red five on a black six at the "bottom" of a stack, they lifted the stack and put a red queen behind the black jack at the top. They thought it worked a whole lot better that way because they won more often and got more enjoyment out of it.
            "You know you're not allowed to do that, right?"
            "You’re not?"
            "Nope. It's against the rules."
            "Oh. We didn't know that."
            After that, they cut out the "experimenting." They understood the concept of "rules" and "cheating," and that whether you liked it better or not was not the issue. The question is: are you playing solitaire or are you making up a whole new game you like better?
            I know a few people who need that lesson. They decide that they don't like the way we worship, or the way the church does its business, or the life a Christian is expected to live. So they do some "experimenting" to find something they like better. Somehow it never crosses their mind that God ought to have a say in this, that He ought to be able to decide how He wants to be worshipped, how His kingdom ought to run, and the way His servants ought to live. Some of them may not have thought about that before, that God has the authority to tell us these things and expect us to conform to His rules. In fact, I have even heard one brother denigrate the idea of authority at all, as if it were rules people made up instead of God. I worry for that one. There are too many illustrations in the Old Testament of how God reacted to people who were presumptuous enough to change His commands and do as they pleased. God has not changed because we live under the New Covenant now.
            So let's set the record straight here. God is the Supreme Authority. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Jehovah. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations (Psalm 22:27,28).
            When it comes to the kingdom, He has given that authority to His Son. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all (Eph 1:22-23).
            Jesus gave his apostles authority to tell us how to live and worship. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt 28:18-20). That you should remember…the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles (2Pet 3:2).
            You may not like the rules. You may find other ways of doing things that you like better. But authority is authority and it won't go away just because you want to "experiment." My little guys understood that and they followed the rules the rest of their stay. It actually made winning a lot more satisfying than changing the rules so they could win. And that's only for a game. Trying to change God's rules is no game. Learn them, follow them, and then enjoy the win.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, Vengeance is mine; I will repay. And again, The Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:26-31).

Dene Ward