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            When I was a child, everyone used the King James Version. The preacher quoted numerous verses in his sermons and woe to him if he skipped a word or got one wrong—there would be a line waiting to tell him about his mistake.

            I think it is wonderful that we now have and use more translations than the old KJV. They shed light on the meanings of many passages and because they are easier to read, allow one to connect thoughts more readily throughout a lengthy passage.

            Yet I respect the old-timer’s insistence on getting it exactly right. I fear we have lost that, and this is a grave danger. God communicated to men in words, “These words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart” (Deut 6:6).  Just as no man can know the thoughts of another except through his words, men cannot know God except by the words He speaks.  This is so important that Jesus himself said that, “Not one jot or tittle” would pass away until all God’s word was fulfilled (these are equivalent to the dotting of an “i” or the crossing of a “t”.)

            If the words are changed, if the translators are careless or are concerned about supporting their own beliefs, we lose the WORD that God sent to save us, the words that tell us about Jesus. Our parents were right to insist on accuracy!  God sent Peter to Cornelius to tell him “WORDS whereby [he] would be saved” (Acts 11:14). Peter writes that “Ye should remember the WORDS which were spoken” (2 Pet 3:2). We need to adopt the attitude of concern for exactness with every word of God that our parents and grandparents had, while embracing the benefits of having many translations.

            How careful should we be?? When he rebuked the Sadducees who did not believe in a resurrection, Jesus based his argument on the tense of a verb (Mt22:31--33). He quoted Ex 3:6 where God told Moses, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” These three had been dead and buried hundreds of years at the time of Moses yet God spoke of them in the present tense. Now that is being precise, and is the only proof Jesus ever gave that there is a resurrection.

            “The pen is mightier than the sword” -- words have started wars, led to freedom, to discoveries and great deeds. But all these pale in comparison to the power of God’s word.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, Rom 1:16. 

For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb 4:12.

Keith Ward

 

Today’s post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

Jehoshaphat was a good king and not just a run of the mill good king, but perhaps the best king in Judah after David, excepting only Hezekiah and Josiah. Jehoshaphat's father had started purging Judah of idolatry and other wickedness and Jehoshaphat finished the job. He didn't just re-institute the proper worship of God and call on all Judah to follow Him, Jehoshaphat also sent out missionaries with copies of the Law all through Judah and had the Law read to all the people so that everyone would know of their responsibilities towards God. 

Several times in his life he was out of his depth and cast all his hopes upon God and trusted Him to take care of things. His faith was astounding, his zeal for the Law was great, and his commitment to following God was almost unparalleled among post-Davidic Judean kings. 

Yet for some reason this paragon of righteousness decided to make peace with Ahab the king of Israel. A more wicked king than Ahab would be hard to find. (Manasseh perhaps?) In fact, 1 Kings 21:25-26 says: "But there was none like unto Ahab, who did sell himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Jehovah cast out before the children of Israel." 

As was the case with most treaties back then, the one between Jehoshaphat and Ahab involved a marriage between the royal families. Jehoshaphat married his son Joram to Ahab's daughter, Athaliah.  Joram had to have been very young, in fact not much older than 14 at the time of this marriage. The consequences of Jehoshaphat's decision to bind himself to the wicked Ahab were nothing short of disastrous, though he himself didn't live to see it. 2 Kings 8:16-11:3 and 2 Chron. 21-22 detail what happens:

1) Joram, being influenced by his wicked wife, becomes an idolater and rebuilds the idols and high places his father had torn down and led the people back away from God and into idolatry.
2) Joram murders all his brothers, who Elijah calls more righteous than he, to eliminate competition for the throne. 
3) As punishment, all but one of Joram's sons are killed by marauding Arabians and Philistines and Joram is stricken with one of the most revolting diseases described in the Bible. He dies.
4) His youngest, and only remaining son, Ahaziah becomes king and is counseled by his wicked mother. He, too, is wicked and joins with Ahab's son Joram (confused yet?) to fight the Syrians. When Joram (Ahaziah's uncle, by the way) is injured, Ahaziah goes to check on him just as Jehu begins his God-ordered cleansing of Israel. He is caught in the rebellion and is killed along with Joram. 
5) Other Judean royal kinsmen traveling to Israel to succor the injured king Joram are also caught by Jehu and executed as partisans. 
6) Finally, Athaliah kills all of Ahaziah's children (except one who was hidden from her) and usurps the throne. She murdered her own grandchildren in a power grab! 

Look what has happened to the house of David! For three consecutive generations every royal son save one was killed! Add to that 42 extra men who were royal kinsmen not of the direct line killed by Jehu and you have a serious pruning of the descendants of David. All that murder and death, all that idolatry, all that work by Jehoshaphat undone because he tried to make friends with an wicked man. 

This made me think of 2 Cor. 6:14: "Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion has light with darkness?" Paul continues like this for several verses before quoting Isaiah 52:11: "Come you out from among them and be you separate says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you." Who have I yoked myself to that might have the same type of impact on me that Ahab had on Jehoshaphat? 

We need to be careful who our friends are. We need to be careful who we "hang" with. They WILL have an impact on our spirituality. They WILL bring temptations our way. 

Now, of course, Paul also said in 1 Cor. 5 that we aren't to withdraw from the world completely. Jesus told the Pharisees that as the spiritual doctor, he needed to be among the sinners who needed his help. However, if you read the Gospels, you will notice that while Jesus ate with publicans and prostitutes, those were isolated evenings on an occasional basis. He spent far more time with his apostles and other disciples. Much of that time he was alone with them. So, while Jesus spent time with the wicked in an effort to teach and save them, the people he yoked himself to were his apostles. That is the example we need to follow as we try to save our neighbors and acquaintances in the world. Shine your light among them, but prefer spending time with your brethren. 

We need to be very, very careful who we join ourselves to, who we yoke ourselves to, or the consequences that befell Jehoshaphat's family might befall ours. 

Lucas Ward

(Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward, written to our son following his wedding)

            As I listened to Thaxter Dickey perform your wedding, thoughts came together that have been forming over years of study. Someone recently asked, “Why male and female: God could have done reproduction some other way. Is there a significance?” Maybe this is part of the answer that has been revealed.

            God said, “Let us make man in our image...and he created man [mankind, not male] in his own image...male and female created he them.”  (Gen 1:26-27). I have often used this passage to establish that from the beginning God is spoken of as the plurality we find revealed as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in the N.T. Also, it is clear that since both male and female are in his image, all that is good about the feminine nature and motherhood is as much a part of God’s character as the best of masculinity and fatherhood.

            These are old thoughts, often shared and heard. But as I considered the union being formed before us all, I connected another old truth; the word for “one” in the phrase “and they shall be one flesh” is the same as in “Jehovah thy God is one” (Gen 2:23; Deut 6:4) revealing a purpose of marriage I had previously not discerned. First, let’s digress to note that “one flesh” does not refer primarily to sexual union since we can’t go around that way all the time. A husband and wife are “one flesh” all the time, it is a state of being that exists so long as they live. For this reason, the divorce decrees of men cannot undo the union forged by God (Mt 19:9). A husband and wife are one all the time, all day, every day, just as God is one. Three are one in the Godhood; two are one in a marriage. God intended that a marriage approximate as much as possible the unity found between Father, Son and Spirit. Men comprehend the unity of the Godhood by participating in and observing the unity of a good marriage.

            Such a marriage will be filled with love, as God loved the Son, and submission, as Jesus obeyed the Father, and help and nurture, as the Spirit comforted, completed and revealed.

            Considering marriage as a window to the unity of the Godhood makes divorce the more unthinkable. Since sexual union is not merely for reproduction or physical release, but is designed to teach us unity as one loving being, sexual sins become more abominable whether they occur before or after the vows. “Know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body, for the twain, saith he, shall become one flesh” (1Cor 6:16). In other words, How can you degrade this that represents the beautiful unity of the Godhood by casually uniting with others than your spouse? How can you do this to your marriage (whether the wedding has taken place yet in time or not)?? It would be the same as though the Father, the Son, or the Spirit formed an outside relationship with an idol...UNSPEAKABLE!! And, the discords that plague all marriages are seen as the blots on the purity of “one” that they really are. How can we argue angrily, go our own way, seek the dominion, nag, play control games with sex, lay down the law, resent, etc. ad nauseum, when we understand this purpose of marriage?? Is this the way of Christ and the church (Eph 5:22-23)??

            We sing, “O To Be Like Thee” and the way we can come closest is to make our marriages all He wants them to be. God’s purpose from before the fall was that marriage lead man to an understanding of Him that the relationship between man and God could grow and mature. Even in a sin-sick world we can press toward that goal. Truly, “this mystery is great” and we will never comprehend it short of heaven. Yet, the more love and unity of heart, soul, and mind we develop in our marriages, the more we will be fitted to “see him as he is.”

Keith Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

I recently taught a Bible class that in turn taught me something very important.    
My view of the David and Bathsheba story, the class in question, is that it is a cautionary tale against hubris and that it shows that even forgiven, sins can have many earthly consequences. I always try to keep in mind that these are real people with real motivations and emotions. People who live in a different culture than mine, with a different viewpoint that sometimes makes it hard for me to understand, but people. Thinking along those lines about David, I find it hard to believe this was an isolated incident where his passions got out of control. If seeing a beautiful, naked young woman aroused him, then he had many--many!!--legitimate ways to deal with that. His wives and concubines that we know of number in the high teens. He was also cold blooded enough about the whole incident to make sure that Bathsheba was clean according to the law. It seems that if she wasn't clean, David would have waited for her. So this wasn't one moment of passion, but the culmination of years of legitimately having his way.

He was king, and as such was accorded certain privileges. He wanted security for his people, the earthly nation of God, and he went out and took it at the edge of the sword. He wanted a new capital city, and took it.  I wonder if he wasn't arrogant about being David, King of the Hebrews, scourge of the land of Canaan. Then he saw a woman he wanted, and took her, despite the fact that she was the wife of another. So, the story can be taken as a warning against hubris.

Then chapter 12 (2 Samuel) lists the consequences of David's acts, records David's repentance, and declares God's forgiveness of David's sins. Yet though forgiven, David had to face the multiple consequences the rest of his life. That teaches us that our sins, too, can have major, long lasting consequences, regardless of God's forgiveness. This gives us extra incentive to remain pure before God.  None of us want to face anything like the last 20 years of David's life. So that was my view of the point of the David and Bathsheba story.

Then a woman I respect said she agreed with most of what I thought, especially about the consequences of sin, but denied that it was the major point of the story. She sees the major point as being the wonderful grace of God and his extraordinary forgiveness. To her it is a story showing that, no matter how far one falls from God, he will accept you back if you show "a broken and contrite heart." (Psalm 51). David made some major mistakes, and was far from God at the end of chapter 11, but with the strong rebuke of Nathan he came to himself and returned to Jehovah, acknowledging his sin and repenting. God forgave him, he remained king, and spent most of the rest of his life preparing for the temple and the national worship of Jehovah. This paints the picture of God's redeeming grace. 

My father made the point in my class that you can see from David's writing in the 51st Psalm the surprising depth of his spiritual understanding. Almost every sin had a specific sacrifice that had to be performed for the forgiveness of that sin under the old Law, but adultery was punished by death. So was murder. There was no sacrifice for the forgiveness of these sins. God had forgiven David. So there had to be more to forgiveness than just animal sacrifices. This incident forced David to understand something spiritually that many of us still fail at today. There is nothing we can do to win forgiveness. It is the gift of God. What he requires is the "broken and contrite heart." I don't know that this is the major point of this incident to Dad, but it is something he saw that I didn't. Sometimes our biggest failures cause us to grow in the biggest ways.

It is interesting to me that three people looked at the same incident recorded in scripture and learned three different lessons from it. All of the lessons are valid and supported by the scriptures. We each came at the same material from different starting points of personal experience, personal Bible knowledge and different points of spiritual growth. While we may good-naturedly argue about which is the "main" point, I doubt that there would be much disagreement between us that all of these points are valid and can help others to grow. 

Wow, someone can read the same passage I did and come to a different conclusion than I did and it not be wrong? I wonder what other issues of greater import this might be true of?  Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to condemn my brethren.  Maybe I should try to view them through love instead of the narrow lens of immediate judgment.

Lucas Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward

Laast year the Florida basketball team lost to Kentucky. Kentucky did not win, we lost. I suspect that over the next days, coach Billy Donovan pointed out in detail, and possibly at volume, exactly how the players managed to lose a game in which they were vastly superior. All year, he had difficulty getting the team to play his way. In fact, he benched players to try to wake up his playmakers once pulled a starting player for most of a game. Here is a coach who has won two national championships and numerous conference championships and is on the list of all time winning coaches and they will not listen to him! Instead of running the game the way he makes them practice, the playmakers descend into “street ball.” Only 1 of our 5 losses came at the hands of a team that played better, they had one of those Cinderella nights and just won. Many of our wins came because the team was good enough to win despite ignoring the coach, but his frustration was evident on the sideline. 

Our war has already been won. The scripture is abundantly clear that Jesus defeated Satan at the cross, and cast him down (Rev 12, Lk 17). The game has been won. There is no way we can lose, Jesus is helping and the Spirit is guiding as an on-the-floor playmaker. When we sin, one can hear Jesus saying, “What part of ‘no temptation above what you are able to bear,’ did you fail to understand? Why are you playing street ball instead of my championship game?”

“If God is for us, who is against us?” The answer is that we are. We excuse ourselves by saying the situation is different in the game, by deceiving ourselves that “we are doing the best we can,” or by our hope that if we think on the Lord’s Supper real, real hard, that will fix everything. 

Jesus has to be even more frustrated than Coach Donovan. So much more is at stake. He gave so much more to make our victory certain. And again and again, we lose games because we do not listen to our heavenly coach.

Jesus played the game on our court and HE WON. He can make us champions and lead us to victory—but we must stop playing our own game.

Keith Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

The story of Jesus as a twelve year old visiting Jerusalem on the Feast Days with his parents and being left behind has been on my mind lately.  He said at that time, “Don’t you know I must be about my Father’s business?”  What was Jesus, as a 12 year old, able to do to be about his Father's business?"

Well, where did his parents find him? -- In the temple. Doing what? -- Asking questions of the scribes and priest. Probably listening to their debates and teachings. In short, he was studying the Word of God. He was building up a bank of knowledge to be used later when he would be able to do something with it. To me, that's the lesson of the story.

When our young people decide it is time to be about their Father's business, and that's what they are saying by being baptized, what should they be doing? Realistically, most 12-15 year olds can't go on missionary journeys to Africa, South America or Asia. They won't even be very effective trying to teach in their neighborhoods because most adults aren't going to listen to a teenager tell them how they should live their lives.

So, what can they do? Exactly what Jesus did: study. Learn the Word of God. They should try to get as comfortable with it as Jesus who, even though unable to carry around a Bible, quoted it liberally and was confident enough of his command of scripture to make arguments based on the tense of a verb. Our young people should be building up a bank of knowledge now so that later, when all of the various opportunities to use it begin to arise, they will be ready. If a young person isn’t busy “about his Father’s business,” then maybe he has no business trying to make a lifetime commitment to it yet.  Jesus didn't waste his youth "hanging out." He got ready for his adulthood.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15)

Lucas Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Melissa Baker.  See more at maidservantsofChrist.com.

Have you ever justified your sin by saying, "At least I don't do _____?"  Have you ever felt a secret pride in your sin because you didn't recognize it for what it truly was, a thorn trying to grow on a grape vine (Matthew 7:16)?  I'd like to say I've never done that.  It seems like such an obvious thing to avoid.  But when I was studying the Fruit of the Spirit, I had to face my own sin, and worse, I had to face the way I have treated sin in my life.


It starts with the difference between me and my husband.  You see, I have a temper, a very quick temper.  I'm like a match; I get angry quickly, but it burns out quickly too.  My husband is more like an oven.  It takes a lot to make him angry, but when he does he tends to hold on to it for awhile, silently "stewing."  I don't like "stewing."  So I justified my anger.  "Maybe I do have quick temper," I said, "but at least I don't stew."  I felt a twisted sense of pride in my short temper.

Then I started to study about patience.  I wonder if my "great idea" to cover the fruit of the Spirit in this blog may have been a bit providential.  When I looked at the word patience, the first definition in my concordance that jumped out at me was "slow to anger."  When I looked at the origin of the Greek word, I understood why.  The KJV is probably closer to the Greek when it lists "longsuffering" instead of patience.  The word in the original language is actually a compound word.  The two words?  Long and Temper.  Ouch.  

Long of temper. Slow to anger.  These phrases reminded me of multiple Old Testament descriptions of God himself.  Once again, the Fruit of the Spirit takes us back to the character of God.  I found nine references in the Old Testament where our Father is described as being slow to anger.  Why is it important to me that God is slow to anger?  The answer to that is obvious, and beautifully stated by the Psalmist:

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.  He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.  As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him (Psalm 103:8-13).

If God were not patient with us, then he would punish us according to our sins.  God has every right to be angry with my sin, especially with my justification of it.  Even before Jesus shed his blood to cover our sins, God was known as a merciful God.  He continued to lead his children even after they turned their back on him in the incident with the golden calf (Nehemiah 9:15-20).  

What about me?  If God were not patient, we would all be punished in the way we deserve.  As a Christian, I am striving to be more godly.  What happens when I am not longsuffering?  Unfortunately, my family can tell you exactly what happens.  I lash out with my tongue.  I show how angry I am by my petty actions.  An angry shout here, a slammed door there, it all adds up.  I don't abuse my children physically, but I have bruised their hearts.  Sure, I get over it quickly, but the wounds from my hurtful words to my husband are still there. I am not being godly.  God is patient and holds back the punishment that I rightly deserve.  I am impatient and punish my family with my anger.  Sadder still, I usually snap at stupid things.  They don't deserve the treatment I give them.

What I saw as "stewing" in my husband was really him being righteous.  Maybe he is angry, but he is "suffering long," withholding punishment in the form of angry words.  He is not bottling up his anger; he is modeling for me what I need to do.  Be quiet.  Calm down. Show grace.  Be patient.  I've learned that when I feel the smug feeling of superiority over someone, I probably need to look a little closer at my heart.  Self-righteousness in itself is wrong.  Don't believe me?  Read what Jesus had to say to the Pharisees.  In my case, though, the sin ran much deeper.  My self righteousness was a cover for a deeper sin that I refused to see.  Next time that ugly smugness rears its head, I'll be looking for a hidden sin.

Melissa Baker

Today’s post is by guest writer Keith Ward

Such a simple problem—if faith comes by hearing, why doesn’t everyone believe?  Paul clearly states that not all obeyed the “glad tidings,” which matches our experience (Rom 10:16-17).  In fact, few believe.

Shall we blame God?  Perhaps the problem is that most never have an opportunity to hear the word.  That seems to match the reality of billions of people and relatively few Christians of any shade, much less those preaching the whole gospel.  But, Paul declares, “Their sound went out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world” (10:18).  When we note that God manifested himself clearly in the things that are made, “his everlasting power and divinity,” the reality is that the gospel is available to any with open ears (Rom 1:18-20).  Most of us can relate stories that are ridiculously unbelievable concerning an honest seeker finding the gospel over insurmountable odds—how about the Ethiopian Eunuch?  The Philippian Jailor?  God’s word is available.

Well, then, if the word is God’s power and is available to all, why do the majority fail to have faith?  Paul is especially concerned that the majority of the chosen people, his people the Jews, had not found faith in Christ.  He points out that they had been warned that this would come to pass.  Israel would be provoked by other nations finding God and God declaring himself to them while they were left behind. (10:19-20).  This failure to believe is an open refusal to face facts, and the reason most never come to faith.  And Israel’s failure is often reflected in the churches of Christ where people will not hear the reading of scripture that does not match “the way we have always done it.”  As Daddy used to say, “It goes in one ear and out the other.”  Whether it be that the work of the preacher is not visiting the sick, or that the Lord’s Supper is to be a  fellowship/communion not oneself alone with his thoughts, or that the church was not given a name or any number of other traditions that simply are not so, THE people do not hear, but those without prior understanding—usually new converts--have open hearts.

Paul identifies the problem as the same one Jesus described in the parable of the soils.  There was no problem with the seed.  There was no problem in the manner of sowing.  The problem was the hearts into which it fell, or, “all the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and contrary people.” (10:21).  People do not hear because they do not want to be accountable to do what the gospel says and thus they turn away or never expose themselves to truth that might inconvenience their choices.  Others have that contrary attitude that seeks exceptions and excuses and problems, and never yields to the things that are heard.

So, indeed, Faith does come to ALL who hear the word.  The disappointment is that so few, in or out of the church, will hear.

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead, Luke 16:31.

Keith Ward

Today’s post is by guest writer Helene Smith.  See more at maidservantsofChrist.com.

The day my oldest daughter was born I couldn't help thinking of Mary.  Here I was in July, in an air-conditioned hospital room, hopped up on pain killers, following a C-section, and I am thinking about nativity scenes.  Weird, I know.  But I bet I am not the only Christian mom who looked at her own baby and thought of the mother of that holy baby. Mary was haunting my thoughts.

Luke records Mary's story almost as if he sat down and chatted with her.   He was inspired but he still did research (Luke 1:1-3). So I wonder about his source. Did he have her diary? Did he sit down with one of her children or an old familiar friend to record such intimate things? How did he know Mary "treasured these things in her heart?" (Luke 1-2) Regardless of his research materials, Luke lays out Mary's path, beginning with joy and confusion, passing through deep sorrow and landing soundly back in the land of joy.

After the angel delivers the astonishing news that she, a virgin, will conceive, she runs off to see Elizabeth. She declares in her song, "For the Mighty One has done great things for me" (Luke 1:49). Elizabeth names her blessed among women and Mary says that she will be counted as blessed for all generations.  The conversation between the two of them overflows with the idea that Mary has been gifted by God.  

Yet only a few months later the story seems bleaker.  Joseph, hearing that the girl he never touched is pregnant, almost ends their engagement.  After angelic interference he remains betrothed to her, but it was not the marriage she envisioned. They remain celibate until after the baby's birth.  Not every young girl's dream.  When Augustus' fiscal policy crashes through their life, things get even worse.  Swinging a heavy belly in front of her, Mary walks (my college professors thought that donkey thing was unlikely at best) all the way from Galilee to the overcrowded Bethlehem.  

Far from her home and family, far from all the things she would have carefully prepared for her baby, she gives birth to the son of God. This blessing thing doesn't seem to be working out for Mary.  An unexpected twist brings some shepherds in to see the new baby.  So instead of the parade of adoring grandparents she might have had, she has a parade of shepherds. Instead of old friends comfortably passing the news about the weight and length of her little son, she has shepherds proclaiming all through the streets that her son's birth was hailed by an angelic chorus.  
 
Mary was blessed and that very blessing caused her pain. Although the idea seems a little strange at the outset, it is the story of being a mom.  We see the double lines on the stick and we cry with joy.  Even moms who regretted a pregnancy find it impossible not to delight in those tiny little fingers and tiny little toes.  Yet no child is brought into the world without pain. The 5-year old who brings us daisies is the 15 year old who screams, "I hate you" across the house.  

If we stopped here, things don't look too bad. On the eighth day, Mary and Joseph head to Jerusalem to circumcise Jesus.  In a lesser known story they meet two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, who see the infant Savior and instantly know who he is.  Simeon breaks up what till now has been a relatively cheerful tale. He looks at Mary and says, "and a sword will pierce even your own soul."  That doesn't sound like a story with a happy ending.

When our children are born, we aren't promised happy endings.  I have a friend whose son was born with several birth defects that will prevent him from reaching adulthood.  I know a couple whose middle school aged daughter has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. I knew an elderly couple who though 10 years removed from the event, never made it back to full functioning after the death of their daughter.  I can't imagine a more accurate description of the horror of losing a child than "a sword will pierce even your own soul."

Jesus had two parents standing by the cross.  One watched from Heaven and the other from earth.  I cannot comprehend what it must have cost both of them.  But I understand Mary the better of the two.   When I think of the "fellowship of His sufferings," it's Mary that comes to mind. (2 Corinthians 1:5, Philippians 3:10, 1 Peter 2:21, 4:13).  

I can mouth the words, "suffer with Christ," but Mary stood there and watched her oldest child, the one she played patty-cake with, the one she bathed, the one she watched take his first step, die.  I've given baths and played patty cake, so I can begin to imagine how I could share in His sufferings.  I have a friend who's a missionary.  When she left home it broke her mother's heart.  Having a mom with enough faith to send her anyway healed my friend's heart.  What comfort it must have been for Jesus to look down and see Mary there suffering alongside him.  

The day my oldest girl was born my feet were set on a path of blessing and suffering, and I began to learn what it is like to be Mary. I want to suffer at the sight of my Savior's suffering.  More than that, I want to stop whining about the minuscule things I suffer for Him.  Mary's story ends in joy.  Her son went from the Suffering Servant to the resurrected glorified Messiah.  Even if we have to follow Mary's path all the way to the end, we have the hope that we too shall be reunited with our children in glory.

Helene Smith

Today’s post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

Psychologists have long argued over the topic of "Nature vs. Nurture," what makes a person who he is. Which makes a bigger impact, the inborn traits inherited from parents and ancestors (Nature) or how he was raised and the environment he was exposed to at an early age (Nurture)? One of their favorite tests is to study the personalities of identical twins who, for whatever reason, were separated at birth and raised in completely different environments. Both have the same genetic inheritance from their parents, so how did the different types of child rearing philosophies, economic strata, and/or geographical locations affect who these people became? It is an interesting debate and I have my personal theories, but what is truly intriguing is that God weighs in on the matter. 
God's attitude seems to be that the whole question is moot. Regardless of what you have inherited or what you've been through, you had better live righteously, or else.
Let's take the "Nature" side of the argument first. What if I were to say to God, "I've inherited these tendencies; it's in my DNA; I can't help myself?" What would God's reaction be?

Interestingly, someone did say something like this to God. Ezekiel 33:10 "And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel, "Thus ye speak, saying 'Our transgressions and sins are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?'" They believe they are swallowed up in their sins and can't change. "How then can we live" speaks to their mindset, as does "we pine away in them". They know they are sinning, they know the consequences, yet they feel that they just can't change. "This is just who I am!"

God’s response is “Turn from your evil ways.  O why will you die?”  His attitude toward this seems to be, "Well, I don't like how you are, so change." Apparently, he doesn't think that DNA controls our every action. Remember, he knows more about DNA than any scientist. After all, he created it. Apparently, he expects us to learn to control the tendencies that our DNA has programmed into us. (Rom 7)
"But my Daddy was a bad man and he trained me to believe in and do bad things. It's not my fault, it's just how I was raised!"

Ezekiel 18 answers this with the hypothetical story of three generations: a righteous man who has a wicked son who in turn has a righteous son. The two who are righteous aren't punished for the wicked, the wicked isn't saved by the righteous, and the son of the wicked doesn't get a free pass because he was raised in a bad environment. He is judged the same as the others, based on how he lived his life. The circumstances don't seem to matter. How we live our lives is what matters. Our Lord said, "By their fruits ye shall know them." He didn't discuss the type of tree and whether this strain generally yields as well as that strain. Neither does he discuss the type of soil the tree is planted in, nor whether it has rained recently, nor the amount of sun the tree has received. All he mentions is the fruit borne by the tree.
As Christians, we must hold OURSELVES responsible for our sins. While there may be a lot of circumstances and pressures and other reasons that led to our sin, we need to realize that, bottom line, we've sinned. God isn't happy with us. We need to change. No one is saying it will be easy. Change never is and some of us have a lot more obstacles to overcome in our efforts to change than others of us do. Still, we need to realize that our sins are OUR FAULT, not Dad's fault or circumstances’ fault, or society’s fault, or anything else's fault except ours, and "man up" (1 Cor 16:13).

If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye died and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things sake comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience; wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things: but now do ye also put them all away: wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings and have put on the new man, that being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him, Col 3:1-10.



Lucas Ward