ROCKS IN A JAR
by Alan Smith

         One day an expert on the subject of time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will likely never forget. As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
         When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."
         Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
         He smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
         "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
         One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
         "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."
         Time is precious. There never seems to be enough of it to go around to do everything we want to do, so we spend our lives making choices. It is crucial that we begin with the "big rocks", those things of greatest importance. That's what Jesus meant when he said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33).

THE CHRISTIAN AND ANGER
by Heath Rogers

         Anger is a human emotion. It is a strong feeling of displeasure that we get when we feel we have been mistreated or injured in some way. Although Christians are exhorted to rejoice in the Lord always, there are times that we don't feel like rejoicing. There are injustices and offenses in this fallen world that stir indignation in the heart of any righteous person. And there are times when our anger is caused by a personal offense. It is not a sin for a Christian to be angry. It is natural and emotionally healthy. But it is also regulated.

         Paul told the Ephesians, "Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil" (4:26-27). This passage teaches us that while it is all right to be angry, it is not all right to resolve our anger any way we choose. Kept in context, we must "put off" our old way of doing things with our "old man" of sin (vs. 22-24). Our thoughts, words and actions must be governed by "true righteousness and holiness." Consider the following admonitions in regard to our anger:

         1. WE CAN NOT SIN. Anger is a strong emotion. And when our emotions are aroused, there is a great danger of sinning. In the heat of the moment, we can fail to check our words and actions and respond in an ungodly way.
         When angered, some Christians use foul language and become violent and disrespectful. Others pout or begin to gossip. They then try to justify this behavior by saying, "That's just the way I am," or "You don't understand what they did to me." What I do understand is that being sinned against never gives us the right to sin in return.
         There are godly ways to resolve our anger. Jesus tells us that when we have been sinned against, we are to go to that person and talk to them about it (Matt. 18:15-17). If a matter can't be resolved by talking about it, we must let it go (1 Peter 5:7; Rom. 12:18).

         2. WE CAN NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON OUR ANGER. We must get rid of it before it gets the best of us. Anger that is harbored and kept alive soon degenerates into malice and bitterness - which is worse than anger. The person who's heart is bitter towards another will soon come to feel a hatred that will destroy all their inner peace and happiness. For our sake, we must resolve it.

         3. WE CAN NOT GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL. Harboring hate in our hearts provides the devil with an opportunity to work on us. In this state of mind we can easily be enticed to pride, envy and vengeance. We will find ourselves saying and doing things that we otherwise wouldn't do.
We also provide the devil with an opportunity to work through us. Our hatred will cause us to work ill-will and speak harsh words that destroy peace among brethren. By not resolving our anger in a proper way, we can actually be giving ourselves over to serve Satan, even though we were innocent in the matter to begin with.

POLYGAMIST CONVICTED OF BIGAMY
by Heath Rogers

         I want to make some comments on an article that appeared in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune. The following are a couple of excerpts from that article:

PROVO, Utah - After being convicted of bigamy, a man with five wives and 29 children lashed out Saturday at Utah officials, accusing them of forgetting their Mormon heritage. Tom Green, 52, was found guilty on four counts of bigamy and one count of failing to pay child support in the country's first major polygamy case in nearly five decades. He is to be sentenced on June 27…
         "Bigamy is against the law in Utah, and if I have a provable case, I have the duty to prosecute it" Leavitt (prosecuting attorney) said.
         Green, who says his lifestyle is a God-given choice, lives in a remote stretch of Utah desert with his children and wives, some of whom were as young as 14 when he married them.
         Polygamy arrived in Utah in the 1840's, when members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints settled in the state. Mormon leaders believed the practice was required by God because some Old Testament prophets took multiple wives. With federal pressure mounting, the church in 1890 disavowed polygamy.
         Although Utah banned plural marriage in its constitution to become a state, it has no specific anti-polygamy law on the books. So prosecutors convinced the jury that Green was married to one woman and cohabited with the others… (by Hannah Wolfson, Chicago Tribune, 5/20/01).
         First, let's consider the subject of polygamy. I find a contradiction between what Green says about polygamy and what the Mormon leaders believed about it. Green says that having multiple wives is a "God-given choice," while Mormon leaders believed it was required by God. These are not the same. When God makes something a requirement, man has no choice in the matter.
         Is polygamy a requirement of God or is it a choice? While Mormons may want to debate this question, the Bible says that it is neither. In Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus teaches us God's plan for marriage. "And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.'"          God's pattern for marriage is one man for one woman for life. In the beginning, when man needed a helpmeet, God made one woman for him - not five. The two are to be joined together in one flesh, not the three or four or however many a man can support.
         Paul wrote, "Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband" (1 Cor. 7:1-2). Each woman is to have her own husband, she is not share one husband with four other women.
         Just because some men from the Old Testament had multiple wives does not mean that God was pleased with that arrangement. And just because God allowed it then does not mean that He requires it or allows it today.
         Secondly, if having multiple wives was required by God, how could the Mormon church choose to disavow the practice? What does an action like this say about the Mormon church? When pressured by Jewish leaders to no longer preach in the name of Jesus, Peter and the apostles answered, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). However, when pressured by the federal government, the Mormon church disowned what they believed to be a command of God.
         Third, I find it interesting that the prosecutors were able to convince the jury that Green was "married to one woman and cohabited with the others." The state recognized that he was legally married to his first wife while only cohabiting with the other four women. This is exactly what happens when a person divorces their spouse for any reason other than adultery and marries another. God sees that they are still joined to their first spouse (remember, "what God has joined together, let no man separate") and are simply cohabiting with the other. This is an adulterous relationship. If we can see it in the case of polygamy, why can't we see it in the case of unscriptural marriages?
         Finally, the law caught up with Tom Green. He, like many other polygamists, believed that since he was living in a state with a strong Mormon history and heritage, that he would not be tried and convicted of this crime. Since there were so many other men practicing polygamy, there was no way that he would be singled out. But he was wrong. Many people use this same reasoning in dealing with sin in their lives. They see so many others around them engaged in sinful activities that they feel a sense of ambiguity, like there is no way that they will be singled out for what they have done. The Bible assures us that this is not so: "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 Cor. 5:10).

RESPONDING TO THE MACEDONIAN CALL
by Heath Rogers

         The sixteenth chapter of Acts finds Paul on his second missionary journey. He and Silas have come to Derbe and Lystra, where they are joined by Timothy. Then they depart through Phrygia and Galatia. Luke records that while they were passing through this area they were forbidden by the Spirit to preach the word. When they came to the region of Mysia, they wanted to turn to the northeast and take the gospel into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not allow them to go there. While in the Mysian city of Troas, in a vision at night, Paul received the Macedonian Call.
"So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them" (Acts 16:8-10).
         Determining that they had been called by God, they went. Paul was very successful on this journey. Several important and noteworthy churches were established; including churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth and Ephesus.
         All Christians have a responsibility to help spread the gospel. We may never be called upon to go into foreign lands like Paul was, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing what we can where we are. There are opportunities for evangelism around all of us. If we are looking for them, we will find them. There are some good lessons that we can learn from this passage that will help us in our efforts to spread the gospel where we are today.
         1. Where We Want To Go Isn't Always Where We Are Needed. Why wasn't Paul allowed to preach in Asia or go into Bithynia? Because he was needed in Macedonia.
         We all have our own comfort levels - areas that we are comfortable working in and people that we are comfortable working with. We don't like to get out of these areas. It is easy for us to have tunnel vision and focus only on these kinds of people. If we are going to respond to the Macedonian Call we must be open to different opportunities. Sometimes the best prospects aren't so obvious, and they aren't always found where we are used to looking. Paul made it his aim to go to those who hadn't heard (Rom. 15:20-21). Jesus talked with those that society said He wasn't supposed to talk with (John 4:7-9). We must be willing to do the same.
         2. The Lost Are In Need Of Help. Someone might say, "We can't respond to the Macedonian Call today." Not true. The Macedonian Call was a call for help.
         Sin is destroying the lives and souls of people all around us. They are burdened, bound and blinded by sin. They need the truth, they need hope, they need strength. Whether they realize it or not, whether they want it or not, they need our help.
         Consider the problems we face as a nation. Ungodliness, immorality, homosexuality, abortion, drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, murder, hate and prejudice. We wring our hands as a nation wondering how we are going to solve all these problems.
         Now, consider what Macedonia was like. We learn from Acts 16-19 that the people in this area were given over to idols. Their worship included sexual immorality and drunkenness. Humanism and human philosophy abounded in Athens. Witchcraft and sorcery was the thing in Ephesus, a practice which included calling upon demons and the use of mind altering drugs. Everywhere one went there was racial tension and prejudice.
         Paul didn't pass these people by. He preached the gospel to them. Not everyone responded to it, but some people did. And as they did, one by one their hearts, minds and lives began to change. The same thing can and must happen today.
         3. We Need To Respond Immediately. After receiving the call, they responded immediately and sought to go. If we realize what is at stake, we will respond immediately when opportunities present themselves. We will call upon those who visit our assemblies, we will follow up on leads, we will be attune to the openness of our associates, friends and neighbors. Procrastination is dangerous. A heart that is open today may be closed again tomorrow.
Those who serve God faithfully obey Him immediately (Genesis 22:3; John 9:4; James 4:17). As soldiers of Jesus Christ, part of having our armor in place is having our feet shod "with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Eph. 6:15). We must always be ready with an answer when the cry for help is heard.
         4. We Are Qualified. Sometimes Christians are hesitant to act, doubting their ability, wondering if they are qualified. When Paul and his party concluded that the Lord had called them to preach to the Macedonians, they didn't consider if they were qualified of not. They went. So must we.
         Some do not feel confident with their knowledge of the Scriptures. Might I suggest that there is more to personal work than having a knowledge of the Scriptures? Personal work is also about finding people who are looking for the truth and building relationships of trust. If someone you know is looking for the truth, you are the most qualified person to approach them. You are the person that they are going to trust because you are the person that they know. Invite them to come to services with you. Offer to set up a study with them and ask if someone else can join (the preacher, one of the elders, etc).
         Don't use a lack of confidence as an excuse to keep from doing what you know you need to do. Remember, the power to save is in the gospel (Rom. 1:16), not in the personal worker. You are qualified.
         5. The Work Is Rewarding. Consider Paul's efforts in Macedonia and Ephesus. He was beaten unlawfully in Philippi. He was run out of some cities, laughed out of others. A riot was started in Ephesus because of the effects of his preaching. It wasn't easy for him, but it was rewarding. Paul told the church in Thessalonica: "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy" (1 Thess. 2:19-20).
         Personal work may not put your name in the paper, put a plaque on your wall or put money in your checking account, but it will put joy and satisfaction in your heart. There is a great feeling that comes from knowing that you played a role in another's salvation. Watching them as they come to understand the truth, seeing them obey the gospel and grow as a new Christian - nothing compares to it!
         Conclusion. Paul did a great service to the Macedonians when he responded to their call for help. But he also does a great service for us. He teaches us about the importance of looking in different places for opportunities, helping those who are looking for the truth, being ready to respond, being confident in our abilities and how to find lasting joy as a Christian.

"TOOLS" FOR BIBLE STUDY
by Ronny E. Hinds

(1) A Bible
         Obvious enough, but often overlooked. I mean by this, not that we do not think we need a Bible, but that we are so casual about it. Yes, any printing of "the text" is God's Word. But it seems to me, if we are really interested in Bible Study, in really learning it, then we will invest ourselves in it. A Gideon Bible given to us, or a five dollar edition, with cheap paper and binding, does not seem to me to show the interest that a dedicated Christian should have.
Obviously, if that is all you can afford, wonderful, I understand. But, when we can spend several hundred dollars a year for newspapers, magazines, cable TV, etc., and cannot spend fifty dollars on a Bible, our priorities are messed up!! Our treasure reveals where our heart is (Matt. 6:21). Buy a Bible you can be pleased with and then make it your Bible - like your chair, your house, your pillow, your bed, etc.

(2) An Attitude To Learn
         Now, before you open your Bible, do you really want to learn what it teaches and cause its words to change the way you think and live? Be honest! Do you really? Just having a Bible, even a fifty dollar Bible, does no good unless you make this commitment. It is a commitment of time and effort. I know, it is not easy in our busy lives, but like anything else that is important to us, we must take and make the time. So, make this commitment to yourself. But remember, you are making it ultimately to God - a contract with Him to learn! "If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority" (John 7:17). "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17).

(3) Read It Harmoniously
A belief that the Bible is God's written revelation, is a belief that all its parts (books, chapters, verses) are in harmony with each other. To believe otherwise is to reflect negatively on God's ability to accurately express Himself.
         Just as we make a commitment to learn, so we must make a commitment to this idea. It is based on God's righteous being and character, on His concern and love for us. If God is not such, then He is not worthy of our obedience.
         This means that when we are confused by a text or a certain topic, we do not assume something is wrong with the Bible; rather, we assume something is wrong with our understanding. This means that when we have studied, asked others, sought diligently for answers, and none is forthcoming, we do not give up or abandon our commitment to God and His Word. Although we may never completely understand the issue that troubles us, our faith in God is strong, unwavering, and we will continue to serve Him to the best of our ability.

(4) Practical "Tools"
         A) Pray for wisdom and understanding. Before you ever open your Bible, pray. "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col. 1:9). Do not neglect this. It is absolutely necessary for understanding.
         B) Read it. That is right. Read it. Now read it again. What do the individual words mean? If you do not know, look them up in a dictionary. What do they mean together? How do the sentences tie together? Are there parallel thoughts in the context or elsewhere? Note carefully, what I call signal words, like "therefore, for, and, by, that, in, be, from, to," etc., to help you understand. Read it!!
         C) Keep the text in its context. That may be the verse before or after or both, or a paragraph of verses, or a chapter, or a book. And, study the same topic in other parts of the Bible.
         D) Start with what is easy to understand. Start with something you already think you understand. Search to see if your understanding is correct. For example, find, learn, remember where those texts are that teach a person how to become a Christian. Leave harder, more complex topics for future study.
         E) Make notes - in your Bible and/or a notebook. No one can remember everything. Use your Bible's margin for recording other texts or ideas you have found that are helpful to understand the text you are studying. The next time you read that text those notes will be there and will remind you.
         F) Be careful to always observe who is talking in the text you are reading. Sometimes the Devil is quoted, or sinners speak, or uninspired people. Note their words, but obey only God's words or the words of His inspired people.
         G) Always remember in which Bible time you are studying. Is it during patriarchal times, before Moses? Is it during Israel's time, before Christ? Remember we are Christians, followers of Christ, and what He authorizes, in His words or through His inspired writers, is what is acceptable for us to believe and do. Only when other portions of the Scripture agree with Him are you to believe it as acceptable faith and conduct for today.

(5) Apply It
         All you have done to this point is useless unless you are willing to apply it to your life. Does what you read change and remove from your life unacceptable attitudes and conduct? Does what you read lead to improving and strengthening good attitudes, to increasing your doing of right things? This is the final, all important test of the quantity and quality of your faith and whether you are really studying the Bible. A knowledge of facts alone will not save. Remember the Devil believes, and even trembles (James 2:19).
         Carefully study 2 Timothy 3:16-17. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Think about it. "For" what??? Let's get busy!

- Rogers Reflector, 11/26/2000

MORE TOOLS FOR BIBLE STUDY
by Heath Rogers

         Last week we ran a piece by Ronny E. Hinds titled "Tools For Bible Study." In the article, brother Hinds offers some good, practical advice for getting the most out of Bible study. Be sure to read it if you haven't done so already. This week I would like to add some of my own thoughts on the subject. What are some more tools that can help us in our study of the Bible?
1. Get A Readable and Reliable Translation of the Bible. If you think about it, this makes sense. If you can't read it, you can't study it; and if it isn't reliable, are you sure you are really studying the word of God?
         The King James Version is a favorite of many people, and anything that sounds like criticism against it is often met with fierce opposition. I accept the KJV as a reliable translation, and use it in my own study of the Bible. But to those who are not used to it, the wording of the KJV is not easy to understand. I have had people tell me they gave up on reading the Bible because they couldn't understand it. After asking a few questions, I found out that what they couldn't understand was the King James English! How tragic. The KJV is not the only reliable translation of the Bible. And Bible Study is not about mastering the King James English, it is about understanding the word of God. Find a translation that is easy for you to read.
         However, not all readable translations are reliable! By reliable, I mean how well does the version translate the meaning of the Bible text from its original languages into English? When choosing a Bible, you need to be aware of the methods that the translators used. Did they try to translate the exact meaning of the Greek and Hebrew words, or did they try to translate the thoughts intended by the writers? There is a difference. And stay away from Paraphrases (such as the Living Bible). A paraphrase is when a man has reworded an English translation. In such, you are getting his opinion of what the word of God says.
2. Set Aside Time For Bible Study. This is important. In our busy lives we know that unless we set aside the time to do something, it is often doesn't get done. Are you a morning person? Set aside time in the morning to read your Bible. This will allow you to meditate upon what you have read throughout the day. Are you an evening person? Make time at the end of the day to study the Scriptures. Any time that works best for you is good. Just block it off, designate that as Bible Study Time, and commit yourself to it. And make that undistracted time. Turn off the TV, get away to a quiet room, ask others in the house to respect this time and leave you alone.
3. Set Short Term Goals. The Bible is a large book. How should you approach it? If you have a large project to do, doesn't it help if you divide it up into smaller tasks? As you work on and finish each task, you can see that you are getting closer and feel a sense of accomplishment. I suggest the same approach to Bible Study. Instead of starting with Genesis and plowing through to Revelation, divide up your study.
         There are different ways you can study the Bible. You can study the books of the Bible individually or grouped together (Harmony of the Gospels, Minor Prophets, Prison Epistles, etc.). You can do a character study (Abraham, David, Paul, etc.) or a topical study (faith, home and family, prayer, evidences, etc.).
4. Some Books That Can Help. The Bible is the only book that you need, but there are some other books that will be helpful to you as you study. The first book I would suggest is an English dictionary. I have one and use it in my studies as much, if not more, than any other book. The Bible is a book of words, and if you don't know what those words mean you don't know what the Bible means. Next, you will want to get an Exhaustive Concordance. This book lists every word that is used in the Bible, and shows you the verses where they are found. This will help you with cross-referencing, topical studies, and finding that verse that you "can't remember where it is." As you continue in your study, you will find a Bible Atlas and a Bible Dictionary (much like an encyclopedia, offering information on people, places and things you read about in the Bible) useful.

VISITING THOSE IN DISTRESS
by Heath Rogers

         The book of James is profound, yet very practical. Great truths are taught in a way that can be easily understood and applied by everyone. Because of this, James is one of the first books of the Bible that I will recommend a new convert read.
         At the end of chapter one, James is talking to those who think they are religious people. What is the secret to being a truly religious person? James tells some to "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (v. 22). Others are warned, "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless" (v. 26). He goes on to conclude, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (v. 27). The true religion of Christ is not so much what we believe and say as it is what we do.
         The one positive activity that is specified is visiting orphans and widows in their trouble. The word "visit", as it is used here in Scripture, means more than just stopping by and saying hello. It means to look upon someone in order to help them. We must be friendly and extend hospitality to everyone (1 Peter 4:9). But the people specified in this verse are orphans and widows, those who are in need of assistance.
         Helping those in need is the purest and best expression of the religion of Christ. For one, it meets an urgent need. God has shown throughout His word that He is touched by the plight of the helpless. Also, helping others is something that everyone can do.
         The importance of helping those in distress is shown in our Lord's depiction of the judgment: "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me'" (Matt. 25:34-40). According to Jesus, our willingness to help those in need is the expression of our faith that Jesus will judge us by. Helping those in distress and being attentive to their needs seems like such a minor detail to many of us, but Jesus tells us that our eternity depends upon it.
         Instead of looking for something great to do, we must understand that greatness in the Kingdom is found in serving others (Matt. 20:26-27). The Lord has taught us that the weightier matters of the law are "justice and mercy and faith" (Matt. 23:23). It is in bearing one another's burdens that we fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2).
         What are some advantages of helping those in distress? For one, those who are in need are relieved. Secondly, in helping others we help ourselves. It gives us a proper perspective. Our own problems go away as we help another with theirs. And to be honest, it feels good to know that you have helped someone. And finally, it helps others see the beauty of Christ. Helping those in need is another way that we let our light shine before others. If those in need are not Christians, your kindness may open their heart. If they are Christians, they may have neighbors, friends and relatives who are not. When you take the time to call on their friend or relative, they will be shown that Christians really care. This may open a door of opportunity to lead them to Christ.
         There will always be a need to help others (Matt. 26:11). Sin has cursed this world we live in. Women lose their husbands, children lose their parents, the elderly grow weak and frail, strong people are injured, healthy people become sick, rich people are robbed and good people are abused. The most practical way that we have to put our faith into practice is to help those who are in need.

         Well, I did it. I'm usually careful with our computers because I don't know how to fix them. But last week I broke the cardinal rule of e-mailing. I opened an attachment sent to me from someone that I didn't know. And boy did I pay for it! The virus didn't hit until the next time we got online. A message came up and the screen froze. After trying to reboot the computer, the message on the screen said "No Operating System Found." I couldn't do anything.
         I called tech support and got some help. I explained what had happened and he walked me through some things. It turns out that this virus not only deleted all our files, it also altered the hard drive to the point that the computer couldn't recognize it. The technician said that this virus was apparently a rough one. He helped me reformat the hard drive and reinstall windows. We got our computer back, but we lost everything we had on it.
         One of the silver linings to this irritating cloud is that now our computer is just like brand new. It has no history. The records of everything that we did to it are gone forever. It is just like it was when we first got it, which I think is kind of neat.
         We don't want our hard work to get lost and forgotten, but when we mess up, sometimes we would like to be able to erase it like the files on a computer and start over again. One of the great things about our God is that He is willing to allow us to start over.
         I have always been impressed with the promise found in Hebrews 8:12, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." God has the ability to forgive and forget. Regardless of what we have done, when God forgives us, our sins are gone both from our souls and from the mind of God. As far as the Lord is concerned, we stand before Him brand new.
         God may allow us to start over, but some people can't allow themselves. There are some who just can't get over the sins of their past. The devil is able to hold them hostage with the memory of their past. We can't become the kind of people we need to be until we get over the kind of person we once were. And this is just the way the devil wants it.
         What can we do? Well, for one thing, we can take a lesson from the apostle Paul. He left all his mistakes in the past and moved on. "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:13-14). Paul turned his back on the sins and failures of his past and moved on with his life in a positive direction - towards Christ.
         And, think about this. Maybe there is a reason we are not able to forget about our past sins and failures? I believe they are meant to serve us in a positive way. Our memory of how things used to be should inspire us to do better with our lives. We must learn from the mistakes of our past and be determined to never repeat them again.
         The memory of our past sins can either help us or haunt us; the choice is ours. If God allows us to start over, we need to allow ourselves to do the same.
TOP      BACK