By Michael E. Brooks

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (Psalm 51:1-3).

Dan Stokes, of Paragould, Arkansas, was working on a campaign in Springlands, Guyana when he saw a local Hindu lady come running out of her home onto the main road carrying a snake on her broom. She threw the snake onto the road surface and a crowd (made up of more Hindus) quickly gathered. With sticks and brooms they prodded the snake, keeping it in the road. As traffic neared they would draw back to let the cars by. None of the people injured the snake, but they would not allow it to escape. The first several cars saw it, and swerved to avoid it. Finally a taxi came, driven by someone of another religion. The driver saw the situation, took aim and drove over the snake, killing it. The crowd quickly dispersed. The job was done, the snake disposed of, BUT NONE OF THEM HAD KILLED IT. Their consciences were clean; the requirements of their religion fulfilled.

Does that remind us of certain Biblical characters? Perhaps Adam who said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree ..." (Genesis 3:12). Or Cain who asked, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9). People are often very good at finding ways to excuse their actions, absolving themselves of responsibility when sin results.

David's frank acknowledgment of his sin, and his sincere repentance, stand in sharp contrast to those instances cited above. David knew what he had done, and he knew who was responsible. No excuses. No blame. David did not say, "the woman had no business bathing in plain view." He did not say, "Uriah should have kept his wife under better control." No he simply said, "I did it; I have sinned; I am guilty." Such is the nature of true repentance. That attitude prepares us for real change in our lives, and it enables God to practice true forgiveness.

One of the most important doctrines found in Christianity is the doctrine of individual responsibility before God. Every human being has God-given freedom of choice. We all are accountable to God for the choices we make.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

There will be no shifting of the blame in judgment –- no excuses! We all must answer to God for every word, deed and thought done on this earth. We all have access to the knowledge of his will. We all have opportunity for redemption in Christ. We all are responsible.

by Greg Tidwell

The death of President Reagan has been a time of reflection on many fronts. The world has changed tremendously in the quarter century since Reagan assumed office in 1980. The Communist ideology which covered half the world is now little more than a relic of history. The United States itself has greatly changed economically, politically, militarily and culturally. In all of this transition the influence of Ronald Reagan can be seen.

Our understanding of President Reagan as a person has also changed dramatically over the years. In 1980 the national perception of Reagan was that of a very likeable man with very limited capabilities. Ignoring his many achievements as Governor of California, union president, and political commentator, the popular impression was of Reagan the actor, the leading man in "Bedtime for Bonzo".

As the years have passed, a much more nuanced understanding of the President has overtaken the glib caricature. Even Ronald Reagan's harshest critics have come to concede the impressive accomplishments of his administration. On the personal side, the grace and dignity with which Reagan announced the diagnosis of his Alzheimer's disease displayed a depth of character and a sensitivity of feeling far beyond what many expected. Ronald Reagan has come to be appreciated not only as an effective politician, but as a good man.

No Excuses

Reflecting on President Reagan's life and accomplishments serves as an incentive for many of us who admire him to look into our own lives and to aspire to be better people. One aspect of Reagan's legacy was his determination to do things that needed to be done. He did not let the enormity of the tasks dissuade him from action. He engaged challenges and accomplished great things.

In discussing Reagan's accomplishments, a friend of mine reminded me that President Reagan was 69 years old before he assumed office. Even though Reagan joked about his age, his physical vigor and attractive presence had made me forget that he was not just an old President, he was the oldest to ever serve. My friend contrasted Reagan's commitment to action with members of the church who, because of age or other reasons, choose to retire from the Lord's service.

In 1980 Reagan was already a man of personal wealth and public accomplishment. Certainly no one could have blamed him for enjoying a comfortable retirement. But Ronald Reagan chose to serve because he understood the importance of the work that needed doing.

Doing What Really Matters

How important is our work for the Lord? A moment of reflection tells us that God's work is more important than any political, military, or economic accomplishment. Public policy attempts to enhance the human condition in this life, while God's work is building for eternity.

Too often, however, members of the church find excuses not to do the work set before us. We tell ourselves we would do the work if only we were younger (or older, or married, or single, or employed, or retired.) We need to remember the warning: "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17 ESV).

by Tim Hall

The apostle John received a marvelous revelation from Jesus. In the scenes he was given, a portrait of the future was painted for him, scenes of victory for the Christian. John tells us, in Revelation 1:10, that he was "in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" when the revealing began (NKJV).

The Lord's Day? What did John mean by that phrase? Scholars are nearly unanimous in their answer to that question: They believe it pointed to the first day of the week, the day we call Sunday. By the second century A.D., the phrase was in common use when speaking of Sunday.

How appropriate that Sunday be called "the Lord's Day"! It was on the first day of the week that Christ arose from the dead (Luke 24:1), and thus it is fitting that the day should belong to him. On this Lord's Day, Christians from the beginning have assembled to worship God and to partake of the communion that honors Christ's death (Acts 20:7). We gladly give this day to him Who gave us his all.

In our society, however, there is less and less emphasis placed on Sunday as the Lord's Day. I recall in my early years that stores were almost universally closed on Sundays (remember the "blue laws"?). Now, Chick-Fil-A stands out as an exception by being one of the few national corporations not open for business on Sundays.

And what about our own views of Sunday? Is it not the case that many regard Sunday as the last day of the weekend? Friday evening begins our time of leisure, and Sunday evening brings it to a close. For this reason, many don't attend worship assemblies when other plans arise. "It's my weekend!" they protest. "The Lord understands that I need to have time for myself."

Is it truly the "Lord's Day"? Or have we made it his day only when it is convenient? This is not to say that we can't enjoy leisure activities on Sunday. But we do propose that the Lord should come first, even ahead of other pursuits that attempt to call us away from his service.

Let us renew our pledge to serve the Lord 24-7-365 -- every hour of every day. Yes, we will continue to leave town now and then. But even when we are away, it is the Lord's Day. We will serve him wherever we may be. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

by Mike Benson

Question: "What is the baptism of fire? Do you think Christians should pray for it?"

Answer: Let's go to the Bible for an answer. Please study the following:

John the Baptist promised that Jesus would administer two baptisms -- Holy Spirit baptism and the baptism of fire. "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier that I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:10,11).

The apostles would receive the overwhelming measure of the Holy Spirit's power on Pentecost (Luke 24:48,49; Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:1-4); the unrepentant Pharisees and Sadducees would receive the penalty of hell at the final judgment.

The baptism of fire is "hell fire". "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12).

It is clear that John was referring to "hell fire" (i.e., eternal destruction) in this passage. H. Leo Boles observes:

"Is it credible that 'fire' should have one meaning in the first and third verses, and an entirely different meaning in the second? We must conclude that 'fire' has the same meaning in verses ten, eleven and twelve. With this conclusion, we must believe that two baptisms are mentioned here, that two classes are to receive the baptisms; that one class is to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the other class the baptism of fire. 'Fire' as used here cannot be taken as a symbol of the Holy Spirit; this would be a confusion to say Christ would 'baptize in the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit.' Where fire is used in a literal sense in the Bible, it invariably sets forth God's divine judgment upon sin; where it is used in a figurative sense it represents this process by which evil is removed, and destruction. No sound principle of interpretation admits of representing the same truth under a literal and figurative form in the same connection" (H. Leo Boles, "Holy Spirit and Fire," The Holy Spirit — His Personality, Nature and Works, pp. 304-305).

Jesus will administer the baptism of fire when He comes again. "And to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). "So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:49; cf. Revelation 20:14, 15; 21:8).

No. Christians should not pray for the baptism of fire. Rather, they should endeavor to avoid it.

For a further study of this subject, go to: www.christiancourier.com.

by Barry Newton

Had the ancient city of Ephesus ever seen a fire quite like this one? The year was probably about 52 A.D. Neither the intense heat nor the rising column of smoke would have been unusual.

What may have been a novelty was the Ephesian desire for this fire to burn at great personal loss. The calculated value of what that fire consumed exceeded what a common laborer could earn if he worked 365 days for 136 years! Why had one fellow and then another willingly carried to this great fire their personal items which had been so dear to their hearts? What could have caused such a reversal of their values?

Perhaps we will be surprised to realize that a handful of Jewish exorcists achieved in a single hour what neither years of Paul's preaching nor the extraordinary miracles God had worked through Paul had done. These exorcists had made the mistake of simply invoking the authority of Jesus' name like another lucky charm in their bag of spiritual tools. What happened next was both unexpected and revealed the greatness of Christ.

The evil spirit had acknowledged knowing Jesus and Paul but then a question of disdain emerged, "who are you?" The authority of Jesus was not a power they could subdue and wield for their own bidding; Jesus was far greater and more powerful than them or any of the tricks they had been using. The exorcists were standing before raw evil alone and unprepared for this encounter. The result was not pretty. Wounded, bleeding, and naked men had fled from that evil presence out into the streets.

Because both Jews and Gentiles clearly understood what this meant about Jesus, they became afraid. What followed next represents what happens whenever people come to fully realize the greatness of God and His Son. They confessed their evil deeds and burned what they understood to stand contrary to Christ.

When Paul later wrote the letter of Ephesians, in essence he insisted that Christians visit the bonfire. They are to cast off everything which is incompatible with serving Christ. What are some of those items which belong on the bonfire?

Using unwholesome locker room talk

Sticky fingers that shoplift

Being bitter and set against certain people

Putting down others

Sexual immorality

Being driven to simply acquire more and more

Jokes at another’s expense

Have you been to the bonfire? Are you in need of visiting it?