by J. Randal Matheny

After lunch at one of the three shopping centers in our city, I wandered over to the Bavarian nut cart for a different choice in desserts. As I walked up, the salesgirl said to a friend at her side, "... and nobody goes straight to Heaven."

"I'm going straight to Heaven," I interjected, without thinking twice.

In Brazil, you can jump right into a conversation, without even introducing yourself.

And I didn't even know the context of the conversation, but I knew I wanted in this one.

They didn't back up to explain much, but just included me in the flow of the discussion.

I never did find out whether the delay or detour to Heaven meant Purgatory or Hades or some off-brand of reincarnation.

After ten minutes of chatting and buying my cone of nuts, I handed them my business card, "Want something more out of life?" and headed toward the car and my next commitment.

But my answer to the unknown issue kept bouncing in my mind.

I'm going straight to Heaven.

Oh, sure, I believe that at death one goes to the world of the dead -- in the Paradise department, I hope -- to await the judgment. (See the story in Luke 16:19-31 as an example.) But my thought wasn't on that doctrinal question.

My thought was how much of a beeline I'm making for an eternal seat at the greatest Place beyond the universe. And how much I want everyone I know and see to go there with me.

The real detours are the ones we make down here on earth. They can be deadly. They can keep us from ever coming back to the Main Road.

But I'm going straight to Heaven. And nothing will get in my way.

What about you?

"My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better" (Phil. 1:23b, ESV).

by Emmett Smith

This week's news headlines have been rife with indications of the state of our world.

• Among them are the attempt of Norma McCorvey (AKA Jane Roe of Roe v Wade) to have a federal court in Texas begin the process of overturning that infamous 1973 Supreme Court decision.
• Another dealt with paganism and witchcraft on the rise in the UK, anticipating a massive pagan gathering at Stonehenge to celebrate the solstice.
• Yet another chronicled an attempt to build a taxpayer-funded memorial in Los Angeles to AIDS victims, in the form of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, whose worship involved human sacrifices.
• And then there was the Australian article in which so-called "pro-choice" (read pro-abortion) advocates denigrated an anti-abortion group's successful tactic of paying $1000 to women contemplating abortion to "choose life" rather than going ahead with their abortion plans.

Judging by the tone of these pro-abortionists, the enticement of money to prevent abortions was a terrible evil. It’s hard to imagine anything more topsy-turvy! How could anyone view encouraging someone not to kill her unborn child as evil? The level of commitment demonstrated by these advocates of evil is mind-boggling! And that raises the question of our commitment to the Lord's service, doesn't it?

A New York Times editorial reprinted in last Sunday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette discussed the decline of the work ethic in the UK, and concluded that a corresponding decline in the Protestant ethic of self-denial was to blame. A case can certainly be made that much of what drives the pro-abortion and pro-homosexual debates is an antipathy to the concept of self-denial.

A requirement of the so-called sexual revolution was that there be no negative consequences for immoral behavior. So if a woman became pregnant because of her sexual "freedom," she must have the "right" to terminate that pregnancy. What once was disgraceful proof of immorality became merely an inconvenience, easily dealt with by a trip to the nearby abortionist. And they insist behavior once generally regarded as sexual perversion must now be accepted as normal.

However, in spite of the insistence of these "enlightened" ones to the contrary, the inevitable consequences of these behaviors remain -- both physical and spiritual. There's no denying that HIV/AIDS is primarily spread (in the US, at least) by uniquely homosexual behavior patterns. And there's no denying that the over 40 million abortions in the US since Roe v Wade have had an enormous impact on our nation.

A memorial in the form of Quetzalcoatl is actually quite appropriate in view of the many human lives that have been sacrificed on the altar of "choice" over the last several decades. Yet choice is a necessary consequence of free will, isn't it? And making wrong choices is certainly nothing new. As Christians, we must do what we can to encourage right choices.

In Matthew 13:33, Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." This may be the only passage in Scripture in which leaven is used to represent influence for good.

The world desperately needs this leaven. Let's resolve to use every opportunity to be influential for our Lord!

by Michael E Brooks

We were in the second week of campaigning in a little town. I had established a series of home Bible studies in a particular neighborhood and was traveling there each day. One morning as I went to an appointment a lady came to the edge of the road, on the other side, and called out, "People on this side of the street want to hear the Gospel too."

What a wonderful experience and what a great lesson! We can become so focused on one person, group, or area that we fail to see needs and opportunities elsewhere. This is true not only in evangelism, but in life generally. A Christian mother is busy with house and children; does she see all the needs of her husband? A father is preoccupied with work, providing a material living. What about his children’s needs for his time and attention? What about his own spiritual values?

But the primary lesson remains evangelistic. Jesus describes the process as "A sower went out to sow" (Matt. 13:3). Careful placing of seed in a prepared site is not the method He suggests. Rather, broadcasting -- throwing seed abundantly and letting it fall where it will -- is His method. We can be too concerned with efficiency and fertile fields. Lost souls are everywhere. Human needs abound. And sometimes the greatest need and the most open heart may be in an unusual, unexpected place. We must keep our eyes open, ready to see where such need exists.

Is there a "wrong side" of the street? Most towns and cities have certain districts of bad reputation. Perhaps the people there are poorer than in other areas. Maybe immorality or crime is more common. Sometimes it is a matter of different races or ethnicities being in the majority.

It is not uncommon for the "better" people of the city to avoid such districts. Unfortunately this can be true of Christians as they seek to minister to their neighborhoods. We just "don’t go there." Maybe it is out of fear. Perhaps it is because we don’t feel it would be effectual. Or maybe it is because we don’t really want to deal with "those kinds of people."

James says about such prejudices, “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality ... have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" (Jas. 2:1, 4).

People on that side of the street want, and need, to hear the Gospel too.

by Tim Hall

Standing in that room that night, I felt very much like a foreigner. I was a foreigner. I was in this country for a few days, and things were so different from my home. The most frustrating fact was that I did not speak the language of the land. Only through the few who could speak English was I able to communicate.

The room we were in served as a meeting place for a new congregation of Christians. It was a small room; probably a maximum of thirty would fit here. But that was more than sufficient, for there were only four Christians in this large city. Occasionally others would visit. Those few Christians probably sometimes feel like foreigners, too.

The words the preacher had written on the marker board didn't mean much to me, since I couldn't read Spanish. I could, however, make out the last line: "the church = the family". The message was simple but clear. "How appropriate," I thought, "that the preacher is stressing this theme."

American Christians worshipping in America often lose sight of the significance of this clear message. We are in our comfort zones. Everything around us is familiar: the customs, the writing on the marker boards, the language spoken. "Going to church" is a social event, and we chat happily with one another. Then we go home.

Christ declared the church be a family. "Family" can be a very important concept at times. When tragedy strikes, we turn to our families. Illness and death make us long for the strength found only in our families. "Family" is made up of those who are closest to us, the ones who share our values, our dreams, our blood. When life looks dark and unfamiliar, we yearn for family.

Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica, noting that they had been thrown into a period of affliction and suffering. What might happen to Christians in such a situation? ". . . that no one should be shaken by these afflictions . . ." (1 Thessalonians 3:3, New King James Version). The suffering is not what we expected. When our faith is the cause of our suffering, we are tempted to throw in the towel. We are shaken.

So what can be done to help keep Christians from being shaken? Paul wrote about how he had "sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith" (1 Thessalonians 3:2). That's family in action! Timothy, one who cared deeply about his spiritual brethren in Thessalonica, went to them to strengthen and encourage them. His objective was to keep them from being shaken.

Who will come to us if we're not part of a family?

Not all churches seek to be the families Christ meant for them to be. Some think that teaching correct doctrine is the extent of their charge. Teaching correct doctrine is extremely important; we do not seek to minimize that goal. But a church that stops short of building family ties among its members is not rising to the standard Christ set for His church. (Read and contemplate Philippians 2:1-8 if that message is not yet clear in your mind. Or perhaps John 13:35.)

From my brief meeting with the preacher of this small church in a distant land, I suspect he has not had very much formal education. But when I saw the message at the bottom of the marker board -- "the church = the family" -- I knew he had been educated by the Lord!

by Barry Newton

Huddled in the darkness of a cave all alone, Elijah continued to beat his drum of depression. How had God's prophet ended up here after the powerful victory over the false prophets on Mt. Carmel? The fire of the Lord had fallen upon his soggy sacrifice and altar to send up even the rocks in a pillar of smoke. Israel had shouted, "Yahweh He is God." So why was Elijah feeling so beaten down?

Like most depression, the initial impetus for his all-pervading gloom was a particular situation. The fury of an evil, powerful woman had been focused upon him. Jezebel had vowed upon her own life that Elijah would be slaughtered within the next 24 hours.

A shroud of fear had covered Elijah's heart driving him to run for his life. Undoubtedly, an endless tape had played over and over again in his head with each step as he ran. Those thoughts initially spilled forth in a summary fashion under a broom tree south of Beersheba. "I have had enough, LORD. Take my life." 1 Kings 19:4 Later, in the darkness of a cave Elijah poured out before the Lord the details that had hounded his mind. In essence he said, "Look at everything I have done. But it was all in vain. What's the use?"

Is this not a mirror for how depression even today fuels those feelings of defeat which can shut down the activity of God's servants?

• Look at all that I've done to win my spouse to serve the Lord. Nothing has changed. What's the use?

• I have tried to love my spouse, but my spouse is so unresponsive. There's no hope for our marriage to improve. There is no reason for me to keep trying.

• I have sent out resumes, but it's been to no avail. I might as well give up. It does not make any difference.

• Look at how hard I've tried to reach others with the gospel, but no one is responding. What is the use in trying anymore?

• I have sacrificed and worked hard at church, but what difference has it made in the attitudes and lives of people? What reason is there to keep trying?

Before describing a path out of the woods, several observations are in order. First, depression tends to focus on self rather than the goal. Second, as someone begins to dwell upon negative thoughts that pattern of thinking will trigger brain-based chemical reactions causing a person to feel depressed and hopeless. The natural response to feeling depressed is to try to find more evidence to justify feeling so bad. Thus the vicious cycle of the pity party and feeling defeated is unleashed! You can read Elijah's wallowing in 1 Kings 19:10, 14. Similarly, all evidence which points toward a positive conclusion is either ignored or reinterpreted negatively.

What did the Lord do for Elijah? Three things. First, he gave him concrete actions to perform. 1 Kings 19:15-16 Second, he gave him hope. Elijah's actions would produce results. 1 Kings. 19:17 Third, God provided information that contradicted Elijah's negative beliefs. 1 Kings 19:18

God does the same for us today. God calls us to focus upon deliberately taking action to fulfill our purposes. Those purposes range from conducting ourselves in a manner which will cause God to be glorified, in spite of our situation, to spreading the gospel. Furthermore, regardless of how others might respond to what we are doing, there is reward for those disciples who use their time and resources in faithful stewardship. How I live now does make a difference!

Not only this, but we are not bound by hopeless situations. Scripture assures us that prayer is powerful. Sure, there are forces of evil, but God and Christ are more powerful!

As a child of the King, living faithfully does make a difference! But the path out of the gloom requires making the decision to leave the dark cave behind in order to take those first steps.