by Richard Mansel

We cringe when we hear, "Sit down. I have some bad news for you." We steel our nerves for what is coming. All of us have suffered through hard times, some more cataclysmic than others. It is the most painful aspect of life. We must be able to deal with it in a healthy fashion. John 14:1-6 provides an avenue of comfort.

Jesus knew his death was imminent and sought to prepare his apostles. Jesus would be betrayed by one of their own, he would soon be crucified and all of them would be scattered. These men were in the midst of a storm and Jesus seeks to console them, as only he could. By studying Jesus' answer we can learn how to endure our suffering. If we are not a Christian, this lesson will hopefully illustrate what Christians have in Christ. It is a treasure worth pursuing.

First, Jesus is our peace. Jesus begins, "Let not your heart be troubled" (John 14:1, NKJV). Literally, it is "stop letting your heart be troubled." Hugo McCord translates it, "stop letting your heart be disturbed." We have power to decide whether we will be crushed by the storms of life or endure them. While storms batter us, we have more control than we imagine when they come our way. The Apostle Paul said that nothing can "separate us from the love of Christ" (Romans 8:39). The Psalmist wrote, "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).

Second, Jesus is our security. Why should they not be troubled? Jesus says, "trust in God, trust also in me" (John 14:1, NIV). Westcott translates it, "Believe in God, and yet more than this, let your faith find in Me one on whom it can rest." Jesus knew they needed someone to be there for them to be a constant in the midst of confusion. The Lord is a "refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble" (Psalm 9:9).

Third, Jesus is our hope. Their fear needed reassurance that they would survive these storms. Hope is defined as the "expectation of future good."

Jesus then goes on to say, "In My Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2). Even after his death, their best interest would reside strongly in his heart. He would provide a permanent residence for them. The meaning is not that there will be literal mansions in heaven but that there will be plenty of room for all of us. No one will have to be turned away because there is no room at the inn.

Jesus wanted them to believe him, wholeheartedly. Seeking to assure them, he says, "if it were not so, I would have told you" (John 14:2). He had never lied to them so his word should be a guarantee (Titus 1:2).

Fourth, Jesus is completeness. After he tells the apostles that he will prepare a home for them he says that they know the way to their new home. Thomas speaks for the others and asks how they can know the way? Jesus adds, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Jesus would not show them the way, he would come and get them and take them to his home. Isaiah 35:8 calls salvation the "Highway of Holiness." Scripture is the road map to heaven.

In Christ we can say, "O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (2 Corinthians 15:55).

Steve Preston

Since the time of the creation of man, God has given us choices about almost everything. Our Creator even let Adam choose the names of all the animals that had been created (Genesis 2:19). There are, however, a few things that have only two choices.

1. There are only two paths to take in life -- the broad way and the narrow way. "Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it" (Matthew 7:13,14).

2. There are only two ways to "build" your faith -- on the rock or on the sand (hear and obey or hear and disobey). "Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock" (Matthew 7:24,25).

3. There are only two walks (manner of life) to take -- light or darkness. "And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7).

4. There are only two authorities in religion -- Heaven or men. "The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet" (Matthew 21:25,26). "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:13).

Each day of our lives we are presented with choices, such as what clothes to wear, what to eat, etc. But when it comes to matters of faith, there are some things that only have two choices. The most important of these choices concerns service to our Creator. We can choose to serve Him or not. There is no middle ground. One cannot choose to serve God only part time. Let each of us make up our mind and make the only choice that matters, and that is serving our God with our whole being!

by Kevin Cauley

One of the earliest introductions to the Greek language for most Bible students comes through a study of the word "love." As most Greek students are quick to point out, there are different words in the Bible for different flavors of the word "love." We all understand that "I love ice cream" doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as "I love my wife" or even, "I love God." In each of those sentences, the word "love" is being used with a different connotation. The Greek language didn't just have one word for "love;" it had several words. In this article, I want to call attention to each of those words, briefly define them, and place them in their Bible context.

Perhaps most familiar to us is the Greek word "agape." "Agape" is the noun form of the word, the verb form being, "agapao." The verb form is found 117 times in the New Testament and the noun form, 109 times, according to The New Englishman's Greek Concordance and Lexicon. It is the most used word for "love" in the New Testament and may be used in regard to God's love for man (John 3:16, Romans 5:8), man's love for God (Matthew 22:37, 1 John 2:5), and man's love for his fellow man (Matthew 22:39, Romans 13:10). In the New Testament, it is used primarily regarding these relationships, though, the word is sparsely used to describe strong personal desires for some things (Luke 11:42, John 3:19, 12:43). I believe that it is fair to conclude that this word indicates the kind of love we have for someone or something upon which we are willing to base our principles for determining right and wrong; it includes the intention to act upon those principles regardless of what the consequences may be. This kind of love is the deep and abiding respect that we have for another. It is the kind of love that commands our intentions and directs our daily decisions.

The second most used word in the New Testament for "love" is the word "phileo." The verb form is found 24 times in the New Testament. The adjective "philos" is as close as we get to a "noun" form in the New Testament. It is used 28 times in the New Testament substantively as a noun simply meaning, "friend" (Matthew 11:19, John 11:11, John 15:13). The verb form is used to describe man's love for other men (Matthew 10:37, Titus 3:15), God's love for the Son (John 5:20), God's love for the disciples (John 16:27), and Jesus' love for those who need rebuking (Revelation 3:19). Interestingly, the word is used in Matthew 26:48 and Mark 14:44 for "the kiss" that Judas gave to Jesus. The word also may be used to describe man's love for other things (Matthew 6:5, Revelation 22:15). I believe that we can conclude that this word describes intimate and personal affection toward others or things that we may have. The word seems to reflect strong personal preference for something, similar to our word "like" in English. The word is never used to describe God's love for mankind, although it is used to describe God's love for Christ and the apostles (John 5:20, John 16:27). This is the kind of love upon which we base our personal preferences which may or may not be consequential to our decisions.

A related word to "phileo" which deserves some attention is "Philadelphia." This word is used six times in the New Testament with the meaning "brotherly love." It exclusively refers to the kind of love that one Christian should have for another. It is a compound word composed of the base from "phileo" (love) and the word for "brother," "adelphos." Hence it's meaning, "brotherly love." It is found in Romans 12:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, Hebrews 13:1, 1 Peter 1:22 and 1 Peter 1:7 (twice).

Finally, there are two additional words that may be translated "love" from the Greek. These words, however, are not found in the New Testament. These are the words "stergo" and "eros." The word "stergo," while not found in the New Testament, is found in other literature during the time of the New Testament. The word indicates natural affection that one might have toward another, such as a husband toward a wife. The negative of the noun form of this word is "astorgos" and is found in the New Testament in Romans 1:31 and 2 Timothy 3:3. One could correctly infer from these passages that God expects us to have "stergo" (natural affection) for our families.

The word "eros" on the other hand, is a word that simply refers to passionate, carnal, type love. It is not used in the New Testament at all, nor any other form of it, as far as I know. It is, however, used in the Septuagint in Proverbs 7:18 and 30:16. (The translation in the Hebrew is different in 30:16, so you will need to look at a translation of the Septuagint in that passage to get the meaning.) Both passages indicate carnal/fleshly appetites.

We tend to confuse the word "love" with emotionalism today, but that's not really the way the word is used a majority of the time in the New Testament. When we think of "love" in the New Testament, we should think of a deep, abiding, personal commitment to principles, as opposed to the fickle emotion that we so commonly consider in our society. In this regard, the Greek language really helps us to parse out the various flavors of words and enlightens us to consider definitions which we may not consider simply studying English.

by Michael E. Brooks

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 4:15,16).

Last week I once again crossed the International Date Line, traveling from Osaka, Japan to Los Angeles, California. As always (I have now done this a few dozen times) it was a strange sensation to suddenly "gain" (or, traveling the other way, "lose") twenty-four hours, merely by crossing an imaginary line somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The line may be imaginary, but the effect on one's body is certainly not. Jet lag is real. We left Osaka late one afternoon, traveled all night, then arrived in Los Angeles early in the morning of the same day that we left! Believe me when I say that is a hard concept to get accustomed to.

We often think of time as a rigid reality that is always the same. It is sometimes referred to as the "fourth dimension" and this suggests that it is as invariable and fixed as height, width, and length. That it is always the same. Einstein apparently refuted this supposition with his theory of relativity almost one hundred years ago. Under certain conditions time varies. I don't pretend to understand all of the implications or mechanics of that fact, but I have grown to accept it.

The Bible has a lot to say about time as well, and just like modern science, the Bible emphasizes different aspects and realities of this subject. We all know that God is not bound by time as we are here on earth. "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). Being eternal, God existed before time began (Titus 1:2). He has intervened often in earthly affairs to bring about his purposes "in due time" (Romans 5:6, Galatians 4:4). Other important Biblical emphases on time include the following:

We are saved from our sins at a particular time. "For he says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). Paul stresses that we must not receive God's grace in vain, but that we must render faithful obedience to his will in all things. Salvation does not come to us gradually, or in some unknown, unperceived fashion, but is granted at the time of our obedience to the Gospel (Romans 6:17).

We will die at a specific time. "... As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). Yet the exact time of our deaths is rarely known much in advance. James warns us, "... What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Since we do not know the time of our death, it follows that we do not know the length of our lives. James advises us to make no plans for the future relying on ourselves alone, but to always submit to God's sovereign will. Death is certain, life is short. Therefore, we must live as to always be prepared to die and face judgment. Christ will return to this life at a determined time. "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36). "... Keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which he will manifest in his own time, he who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:14,15). Jesus, who left this earth forty days after his death, burial, and resurrection, will come again (Acts 1:11). Just as we know that we will die, so we know that Jesus will come again, bringing reward to the faithful and justice to the unrighteous (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). And, just as we do not know exactly when we will die, so we do not know the time of Christ's return. But we must be prepared for either occurrence. Jesus urges us, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."

Time is not as rigid and predictable as we sometimes think. Only God controls the clock and the calendar. It benefits us greatly to adjust our lives to his schedule and yield to his will.

by Tim Hall

David's prayer for forgiveness in Psalm 51 is powerful. The sins he had committed were serious and totally out of character for a man after God's own heart. Following his rebuke by the prophet Nathan, David acknowledged his sins and cried out to God for mercy.

One statement in David's psalm is curious: "Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice" (Psalm 51:8, NKJV). Is that right? Did God really break David's bones? Or was David complaining that his punishment was more than he deserved?

Most will quickly recognize David's statement as figurative. There is no indication that he actually suffered broken bones as a result of his transgression with Bathsheba. Yet such a strong figure of speech indicates that David felt great pain and limitations, wounds that he attributed to God. Why would David make such a claim?

Hosea used a similar idea in condemning the sins of Israel and Judah. Speaking on behalf of God he said, "Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth ...." (Hosea 6:5). In this case, God (through Hosea) took responsibility for the wounds suffered by his people. "Hewn" and "slain" are graphic words that bear no trace of mildness. Israel would have understood David's imagery of broken bones.

What kind of God would do such a thing to his people? Would a loving father inflict such suffering on his children? Yes, in fact, he would.

Consider the larger picture presented in Hosea: "Come, and let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, but he will heal us; he has stricken, but he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live in his sight" (Hosea 6:1,2). Viewed in the larger context, the actions of God are merciful. He tore and struck his people, but was ready to heal and bind up. He did it all "that we may live in his sight."

Good parents understand the principle. Pain, though unpleasant, is useful in turning a stubborn child from his destructive behavior. The pain is meted out from a loving heart that wants nothing but the best for that child. Viewed only in the immediate situation, the parent's love is questionable. Considered from the larger perspective, compassionate love becomes obvious.

Here's another statement of the same principle: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6). Another translation opens our understanding further: "Wounds made by a friend are intended to help ..." (God's Word Translation) At the moment, we don't understand why our friend hurt us. Later, their love is seen clearly; they risked our friendship for our good.

Will God break my bones? I don't want it to happen, for I know it will be a painful ordeal. But if that's what it will take to keep me from departing from his side, then may he strike me while there is still hope!