Truth Magazine

By Johnie Edwards 

Most effective speakers gesture. A gesture is defined by The American Heritage College Dictionary as “a motion of the limbs or body made to express thought or to empha- size speech.” Surely every gospel preacher should want to emphasize his sermon. Let’s take a look to see what the Bible teaches about such.

The Apostle Paul Gestured

As Paul was asked by the rulers of the synagogue, “. . . if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience” (Acts 13:15-16). The apostle Paul knew that gestures can help to enforce the oral expression in gospel preaching. In Jerusa- lem, “. . . Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying . . .” (Acts 21:40). Paul knew that gestures help commu- nicate ideas and help get and hold attention. It has been said that gesturing is not in keeping with humility. Paul, who gestured, said, “Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews” (Acts 20:19). Paul was a humble-gesturing preacher! When the apostle Paul made his defence before King Agrippa, he “. . . stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself” (Acts 26:1). The stretching forth of one’s hand is gesturing.

Alexander Gestured

As Alexander made a speech before the people, the Bible says that, “. . . Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people” (Acts 19:33). No one is saying that a speaker ought to go to the extreme and pace back and forth that would reveal one’s uneasiness and disturb the listener’s concentration.

Ezekiel Gestured

The Lord instructed Ezekiel to motion or gesture with his face, hands and foot. “Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel” (Ezek. 21:2). God told his prophet and watchman, Ezekiel, “Thou therefore, son of man, prophecy, and smite thine hands together” (Ezek. 21:14). Certainly actions speak loud. A lot of preachers put absolutely no enthusiasm in their preaching. God ad- monished Ezekiel to put some life in his preaching when he told him, “Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence” (Ezek. 6:11). A lot of preachers put their audience asleep due to lack of zeal and some action in their preaching; and then blame the people. People don’t normally sleep when I preach, but if they did, I would first examine myself as to my preparation and presentation of the sermon. Beckon- ing with the hands at the close of the sermon for folks to respond, stamping the foot, smiting the hand, snapping the finger, slapping the knee are certainly fitting to emphasize and get people’s attention! 

Lessons From the Titanic

Dennis Tucker

A few weeks ago my family went to the Titanic Exhibi- tion. All summer long we had been learning about the great disaster. The Titanic was built by White Star Line Company. It was a progressive company and was the first to build ships of 40,000 tons. Their aim was to take advantage of those wanting to travel from Europe to America. Remember, this was before TWA and air travel. They wanted to be the luxury liner of the times.

As we went through the Exhibition, a number of facts caught my attention.

The Titanic was the state-of- the-art boat. White Star had used some of the best and most skilled shipbuilders in Europe. This was not their first big ship. A year earlier the Olympic was put into action. Her size was the same as the Titanic, however, she was built to handle a smaller number of passengers. The Titanic weighed

46,324 tons and was powered by two enormous engines with the horsepower of 30,000. She was the best constructed boat of her time. E.J. Smith was an experienced sea- man and chosen to be in charge, partly because he never had a close call in all his years of sailing.

It was a boat of luxury. One reason for the boat’s great size, was the desire by White Star Line to build a boat for the rich and famous to travel on. She had smoking rooms for the first class and second class; lounges, a gymnasium, a grand staircase, a hospital, a library for the second class and there was even a swimming pool. Her second class passengers enjoyed luxury usually reserved for only the first class passengers. Most of the first class passengers were part of the select rich in both America and Europe.

They brought their finest clothes, drink and jewelry. It was said that a lot of women brought jewelry for each day. They paraded around living laviously.

It also struck me the number of people on board. There were 2,278 passengers and crew members. Of that number, 712 were third class. These were the poor immigrants coming to America in hope of a better future. There were whole families who could not speak a word of English, some old and some just babies.

The above facts made this really hit home. Let me mention some lessons we all should learn from this tragedy.

For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:1-17).

This was a time of arrogance. Some people thought this boat was unsinkable. This was due in part to two reasons: first, she had a double hull; second, she was made of a special metal. One quote at the Exhibition was, “God, Himself could not sink the Titanic.” This arrogance, perhaps led to the decision to cut back on the number of lifeboats. Its original design called for 64 lifeboats, later on it was cut back to 48, and eventually, she had a total of 16.

It was said this was the end of the age of innocence. Re- ally this was a reality check. Men learned the Titanic was sinkable. She was destroyed by one big piece of ice. In the late hours of Sunday, April 14, 1912, she hit an iceberg. She sank in the early hours of April 15th.

Can such arrogance be seen today? Look at the people who believe God does not exist. Some feel as if mankind must save himself Others act as if they will live forever. There will come a time we will all have a reality check and realize we are not immortal but very frail and in need of our God.

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). The words “take heed” are words of warning. They are saying, “Danger Lies Ahead.” Most of the crew and passengers on the Titanic were not taking heed. The winter of 1912 had been an un- usually warm one. Icebergs were drifting toward the south in the Atlantic Ocean. The crew of the Titanic had received not less than six warnings on her final day from other ships in the area. Captain Smith slightly changed the course of the ship to place her more toward the south. Despite these efforts, she entered into an ice field.

At 10:55 PM the ship, the Californian, sent a message warning the Titanic of danger. Jack Phillips, the radio opera- tor, sent back the message, “Shut up. We are busy.”

Even after they struck the iceberg, the passengers did not see the danger ahead. People on deck used some of the ice to have a snowball fight. One man asked for a piece of ice for his drink.

This helps to explain why the first lifeboats sent away were not fully loaded. Each boat had the capacity to hold 65 people, but most of the early boats had less than 40 on board.

They were not seeing the real danger. They were not taking heed. It was not until they could see the water coming up the grand stairway that some realized what was just ahead.

The same can be said today. A lot of people fail to see the seriousness of sin. They think it is funny. Others are busy enjoying themselves. Still others do not see how close the end is in their lives.

Let us take heed to what Jesus said, “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming; in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning; lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:33-37).

Another fact is how few were saved. Total number of passengers and crew on board was 2,228. Of that number, just 705 were saved. This was due to a couple of reasons. Most importantly, there were not enough lifeboats on the ship. Also, many of the boats were not loaded to full capacity. Some thought the earlier boats could come back and pick up additional passengers. If they had been loaded properly about 420 more people could have lived.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). Unlike the Titanic, the number which can be saved it not limited. We all have the ability to be saved. Jesus died on the cross for all of mankind. God wants us to be saved. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Tit. 2:11). Why will people be lost? Because they are in sin (Rom.3:23; 6:23). Because they never allowed the blood of Christ to cleanse them of their sins (Eph. 1:7). It is truly sad to see people lost due to either not hearing the word of God or not obeying it (2 Thess. 1:8).

A final fact on the sinking of the Titanic is the time involved. She did not go down immediately. The Titanic struck the iceberg at 12:15 AM. She sunk at 2:20 AM. For those two hours, the people on board had to make choices. Women and children were allowed to get on some of the lifeboats while other lifeboats had some men on board. Fathers and husbands said good-bye to their children and wives. Some families decided to stay together even if it meant dying together. Some spent their last hours living it up. Others were trying to make their lives right with God. Some, such as the crew, sacrificed their lives trying to help the passengers.

“The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off and we fly away” (Ps. 90:10). Our lives are but a brief moment on God’s green earth. We cannot stop the fact of death. We can determine how we will live and the conditions of our soul at the time of our death. We can help those around us (Jas. 1:27). We can be like the apostle Paul, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith: Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).

Note: Much of the historical information in these two articles was taken from, Titanic The Exhibition.

By Connie W. Adams

Mark Twain, upon hearing that news was circulating about his death, wrote a notice which said, “The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.” Every now and then someone connected with the institutional folks pronounces the death of what they call “the anti movement.” The most recent announcement of this appeared in The Spiritual Sword (October 1997) and was written by Alan E. Highers, the editor of that magazine. Since brother Highers has been the editor of that quarterly publication, it has contained a wealth of very good material on a variety of subjects. Its tone has been militantly conservative especially in relation to serious struggles now going on among the institutional churches. But every now and then, he or one of his writers, takes a swipe at the detested “antis.”

In this recent obituary, brother Highers says that Max Lucado did them all a favor by bolding stating his denominational views on sinners being saved by prayer, the non-essentiality of baptism, and the notion of joining the church of your choice. He says that has awakened many in the brotherhood to the dangers of liberalism and compromise. Then he likens that to a debate proposition which A.C. Grider signed in Meridian, Mississippi while engaged in a debate there with W.L. Totty on what were then simply called “the issues.” It was a prejudicial proposition. Brother Totty knew that and so did brother Grider. Brother Grider had been trying to get brother Totty to debate him in Indianapolis at Garfield Heights where Totty preached. Up to that point no progress had been made in that direction. During their debate in Meridian, brother Totty baited brother Grider with this proposition and said he would meet him at home in Indianapolis if he would sign it. Brother Grider did indeed shock brother Totty and a host of others by signing it. The result was that they did debate at Garfield Heights. The proposition read: “The Bible teaches that it is a sin for the church to take money from its treasury to buy food for hungry destitute children, and those who do so will go to hell.” In the actual debate, brother Grider showed that in benevolence the church is limited to providing for the needs of saints. He pointed out that should any saints have children for whom they were responsible, their needs would include whatever necessary to provide for their own responsibility.

Brother Highers said that the cause with which brother Grider was associated was already in decline but that with the signing of that proposition “his statement finished it off. The effect was not immediate; it took time for his statement to circulate; but wherever his statement became known, the influence of the movement failed. It has never been able to exert a significant presence since that time, and most members of the church today are not even aware that such a movement exists.” 

The facts need to be kept straight in this matter. Ev- erybody knew at the time that it was a loaded, prejudicial proposition. A.C. Grider did not frame it. W.L. Totty did. Did brother Grider sign it? Yes he did. Was it wise? I doubt it. Brother Grider was of the old school which thought that propositions did not matter that much in a debate as long as the basic differences were aired. I do not share that view nor do many others. Honorable men ought not to attempt to put a debate opponent in such a position. It is about like a Baptist asking a gospel preacher to affirm that all deceased Baptists have gone to hell. None of us should knowingly seek to lead someone into signing prejudicial propositions which create an unlevel ground upon which to conduct a proper debate. Neither should we give advantage by sign- ing such statements. 

Wishful Thinking

But Brother Highers is sadly mistaken if he thinks opposition to sponsoring churches, church support of be- nevolent, edification, or evangelistic organizations is dead. He and his fellow-travelers have little association any more with those they consider the real “antis.” I say that because he and others with whom he associates are now being called “antis” by the more liberal element among them. One of the great sadnesses of the divisions which occurred in the 1950s and 60s is the loss of contact among those who once stood side by side in the battle for truth.

In full-time meeting work over the last 23 years, we have gone to every part of the nation. We have worked among congregations small and large, each of which would be dubbed “anti” by brother Highers and others. Brethren who were told years ago that if they did not disassociate them- selves from the “antis,” they would wind up with no place to preach, find their meeting schedules full for the next several years. It is not unheard of for some of these men to have a full schedule for the next five to eight years.

With increasing frequency we are finding people who have fled from institutional churches for a variety of un- scriptural practices and have associated themselves with congregations which brother Highers would consider “anti.” A couple of years back we worked in a meeting in Fresno, California where there were nine families which had all recently left an institutional church in the area be- cause of unscriptural practices which they could no longer tolerate. They were euphoric over getting to hear plain Bible preaching. We have found similar situations elsewhere.

Right here in Louisville the so-called “anti” churches outnumber the institutional churches two to one. This is the city where A.C. Grider preached a number of years and where he spent his last years. In 1962 liberal elements in the city brought Guy N. Woods here to meet A.C. Grider in debate. That was supposed to shut down the “antis” once and for all. What happened? Regardless of what has been told over the years about that debate, it was a watershed event in this area. As a result of it, many people got their eyes opened to the truth and the institutional movement in this city has gradually declined. The Taylor Blvd. congregation where Harold Hazelip was the preacher at the time of the Grider Woods debate, gradually dwindled to less than 100. At one time it was the largest congregation in Kentucky. They finally sold the building and merged with the church on Bardstown Road which also has dwindled to less than 100. Today, the largest institutional church in Louisville is the Okolona church which numbers about 500. According to their bulletin there were 347 present on November 2 at their second morning worship. They have their Bible study Sunday night and no preaching service. They have in the planning stages a multi-purpose building which will include a gymnasium.

There are today 25 congregations within a 25 mile radius of downtown Louisville which brother Highers would call “anti.” There are that many or more in the Indianapolis area where that proposition was debated which was supposed to “finish off” a movement. There are more than that number in Birmingham. Go to the Houston or Dallas areas and take a good look. The congregation in Louisville where we at- tend supports 15 men in the work of gospel preaching in various parts of this nation and in two other countries. One brother in this area has made 17 trips to India to preach and train native preachers. One is right now in Brazil. Another spent several years in Kenya. Another plans to spend time each year in the Philippines. My wife and I are to spend January working with brethren in South Africa. Our regret is that we will only be able to work with a very few of the congregations in that country.

Are There Problems?

Yes, you can be sure there are. Some of us are having to contend with some of the same issues which brother Highers and other writers for The Spiritual Sword are vigorously addressing. Have some churches withered and died? Absolutely. Are the “antis” less in number than the institutional folks? Certainly. That has been true from the beginning. And by the time the dust settles from present struggles among brother Highers’ peers they are going to be less in number by far than they were. In the final analysis it does not all come down to a head count but to the question as to who is faithful to the Lord and his word.

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:7). “For we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11). “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Prov. 23:23). “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; he that abideth in the doctrine hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).

Like Abel, those committed to these Bible truths, be ing dead, yet speak! 

By Mike Willis

Modern writers are stating that we live in a post-Christian world, thus indicating that the Christian view of life has been replaced by another moral standard, generally that of humanism. Many Americans who reject atheism are nevertheless accepting the atheist’s moral standards. Perhaps, we might be profited to remember why we believe in God.

Have Scientists Proved There Is No God?

Our young people may be tempted to think that scientists have proven that God does not exist. That is not true. Scientists cannot prove God does not exist. This is true because of several things. (1) If one wanted to prove something by the scientific method, he must follow the steps of the scientific method to reach his conclusion. That involves observation and experimentation. God cannot be subjected to the observation and experimentation of scientific test tubes. Hence, whether or not God exists cannot be proven by the scientific method. (2) If one were to affirm that God does not exist, he would have to know everything, for if there was one fact that he did not know, that fact might be that God exists. Only one with the attributes of deity could know that God does not exist. (3) If one were to affirm that God does not exist, he would have to be in all places at the same time, for if there was one place that he was not at any given moment in time, God might be there. Only one with the attributes of deity could not know God does not exist. The scientist who spouts that God does not exist is an arrogant man, indeed.

Science is unqualified to speak on whether or not there is a God, creation, whether or not miracles have ever occurred, and whether or not Jesus was raised from the dead. These things cannot be subjected to the scientific method. Rather, these are historical questions that must be tested by the normal means of ascertaining whether or not an historical fact occurred.

Science and God

We can be thankful that the Christian religion does not agree with late twentieth century science. Science is an ever-growing body of knowledge that is continually being adjusted to explain newly discovered pieces of knowledge. Had the Christian religion been in harmony with first century science, how

outdated that would be today. Similarly, twentieth century science will be replaced by twenty-first century science. We can be thankful that our Bibles do not totally agree with our contemporary sciences.

Design Indicates A Designer

One of the primary reasons for believing in God is the evidence of design. Design is all around us. Modern scientists explain the obvious design in our world as the product of billions of years of unguided evolution. Nevertheless, they admit that creatures are marvelously adjusted to their respective environment. We call this design.

Here are some evidences of design in the universe:

1. The eye. The wise man of old said, “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them” (Prov 20:12). Each eye is fitted to its environment.

Consider the eye of the fish. “For instance; these laws (laws of the refraction of light passing through objects, MW) require in order to produce the same effect, that the rays of light, in passing from water into the eye, should be refracted by a more convex surface, than when it passes out of air into the eye. Accordingly we find that the eye of the fish, in that part of it called the crystalline lens, is much rounder than the eye of the terrestrial animals. What plainer manifestation of design can there be than this difference?” (The Works of William Paley 391).

“The fish has larger eyes proportionately because he is down there where light rays do not penetrate as well as through air” (Luther B1ackmon, God or Evolution).

Consider the eye of the eel. “In the eel, which has to work its head through sand and gravel, the roughest and hardest substances, there is placed before the eye, and at some distance from it, a transparent, horny, convex case or covering, which, without obstructing sight, defends the organ” (Paley 393).

Consider the eye of birds: “The eye of the eagle is one of the marvels of nature. He can see a field mouse in the grass a quarter of mile away. He also must be able to see at a very close range when he dives into the grass or water to seize his victim. The eyes of all birds must have this variation in distance of vision. They must be able to see at great distances, especially the meat eaters, as they fly over the landscape. Then they must be able to see at a few inches when they are eating. ‘Chance might produce a wart or a mole, but never an eye’” (Blackmon 15-16).

Have you considered the tear duct of the eye? “It is easily perceived that the eye must want moisture: but could the want of the eye generate the gland which produes the tear, or bore the hole by which it is discharged, — a hole through the bone?” (Paley 394).

2. The Skeletal System. “Between each two of the bones of the spine there is a soft cushion which is known as the invertebral disk. This serves like a ball bearing and a shock absorber. . . Its presence permits the bones of the spine to rotate more easily one on the other” (Illustrated Medical and Health Encyclopedia, Ed. by Morris Fishbein, M.D.,1932).

“Then, secondly, in order to afford a passage for the descent of the medullary substance, each of these bones is bored through the middle in such a manner, as that, when put together, the hole in one bone falls into line, and corresponds with the holes in the two bones continuous to it” (Paley 405).

3. The Universe: “The earth makes an annual trip around the Sun of more than 292 million miles, traveling at the speed of about 70,000 miles an hour. Did you ever look up the word ‘year’ in the dictionary? Webster says, ‘the length of time it takes the earth to make one complete revolution around the sun: 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45.51 seconds.’ Leap year takes care of the time above 365 days. That is why we have leap year. For all these thousands of years the earth has made this annual trip and is never off time one second. There was never a WATCH made to operate with such precision. Then some little ‘popgun’ sticks his claws behind his galluses and says ‘that an eternal, self-existent God designed and created all this is not to be thought of’” (Blackmon 11-12).

4. The Woodpecker: “The woodpecker has feet specially designed for holding to the upright body of a tree. His tail feathers are designed for a brace to help hold his body in proper position while he works on the tree. His bill is like a chisel, tough and sharp for digging into the tree. There is a cushion behind that tough beak to protect his head from the beating it would get from his banging his bill against the tree. Then this bird has a tongue with a barb on the end which enables him to reach into the hole he digs in the tree and get the worm or ant which he somehow knew was there before he started all this work.

“But, not only must the various organs of his body conform in this manner, but his surroundings must also conform. The bird’s barbed tongue, unique bill, strong tail feathers, cushion in the head and unusual feet would serve no purpose unless there were worms and bugs in the tree. Now if you want to be with the ‘in’ crowd you must believe that all these characteristics were developed over a period of many millions of years, while Mr. Woodpecker was adapting to his environment. This all comes easy to the twentieth century woodpecker. He has been this way all his life. But how about the woodpecker before he developed all the wonderful accessories? The old timers must have really had it tough. Many of them doubtless starved before their bills got hard enough to bore into a tree; others wound up punch drunk from banging their heads against trees before the cushion developed in their heads. I can- not help wondering also why the worms and bugs did not develop some escape mechanism while the woodpecker was developing all this. The worm does not seem to have much going for him, but he is still with us in abundance” (Blackmon 17-18).

5. Instinct is defined as “an inborn tendency to behave in a way characteristic of a species; natural, unacquired mode of response to stimuli.” One cannot explain instinct without God.

The Water Spider. “Like other spiders the water spider is an air-breathing animal. But it lives under water. . . When we examine this spider we find his body covered with hairs that keep it from becoming wet when in the water. In order to live under water and raise its young there, it must weave a waterproof cell or balloon, capable of holding enough air for breathing purposes — remember this critter breathes air — not water. To have the balloon it had to have the instinct and material to make it. It spins under water an egg-shaped balloon, open at the bottom for entrance and egress. Then it attaches the balloon to a rock or something to hold it under water. Now it has to fill this balloon with air. To accomplish this its hind legs are covered with hair and are so constructed that they can take hold of a large bubble of air and take it down under the water and into the balloon. When it has made several trips with this light cargo the balloon is full of air and the water has been forced out by the air. Here the eggs are laid in the upper part of the house and the family is in business” (Blackmon 23-24).

The Salmon fish: “The salmon fish live in a cycle of four years, no more, and always return to the waters of their nativity to die. They are hatched in rivers of the northwest, and shortly thereafter go out to sea where they stay until time for them to spawn and die. When they return to their native waters they always find the same river or creek in which they were spawned. If they start up some other stream they immediately recognize their mistake, go back and continue up the coast until they find the right stream. Here they spawn and die. How are they able to identify their birthplace after years in the sea? The word is instinct. But try defining the word without getting back to a wisdom that did not and could not evolve from a lump of dead matter” (Blackmon 24).

The Eel: “Both the American and the European eels are spawned in the waters off the coast of Bermuda. Then after a while they go to their native land. There has never been found an European eel in American waters nor an American eel in European waters. How does the eel find his way ‘home’ when he has never been home? Not only this, but the mating time for the European eel is months later than the American eel so that they will have time to get to the spawning waters, the distance being much greater to Europe” (Blackmon 25).

Where Did the Design in the Universe Originate?

Is it possible to explain these evidences of design on the basis of unguided evolution, the survival of the fittest, or mere chance? The probability of this much design coming from unguided chance is nil. If you were to put 10 pennies in your pocket numbered l-10 and then attempt to take out number 1, put it back, take out number 2, put it back, take out number 3. . . 10, the chance of this occurring is l in 10 BILLION!

Someone has compared a universe created by chance, by unguided evolution, to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary being produced by an explosion at a print shop or to the

1998 Cadillac being produced by an explosion at the junk yard! How many explosions would have to occur before either was produced? Yet the evidences of design in the dictionary and car are much less remarkable than what exists in one human body, much less in all of the animals of this creation!

There is not enough time in any evolutionist’s view of the age of the world to explain the many adaptations of nature on the basis of unguided, chance development. A universe 4.5 billion years old is much too young for what we see to have developed by undirected chance evolution. Indeed, a universe 45 billions old would still be too young!

The only other alternative is to believe in a designer. That Designer, the Christian calls God.

By Berry Kercheville

I was 15. The classroom was filled with kids from their Freshmen to Senior year. This was a meeting of all the agriculture students to see who would be interested in joining the FFA (Future Farmers of America). I sat timidly as the teacher wrote down the names of students who volunteered. Then all eyes turned to me.

“Are you joining, Kerch?”

“I’d like to join,” I stammered, “but I can’t come to the meetings be- cause I go to church on Wednesday nights.”

From the back of the room someone hollered, “You can’t join if you don’t come to the meetings!”

Then one of the Juniors looked across the aisle and shouted, “What’s the matter with you Kercheville? You want to go to heaven or something?” The room roared with laughter.

A year later, after making straight A’s in my Ag classes, the rule for Wednesday night attendance to the FFA meetings was waived and I was allowed to join. At the end of my Junior year, having never attended a meeting, some members of the club greeted me at school on Thursday morning with the news that I had been voted president of the FFA for the following year. I said, “That’s great! My first order of business is to change the meeting to Thursday nights.”

My parents never told me that I couldn’t attend the FFA meetings. Even years before, when I had Little League games that conflicted with worship, they never made the rule that I had to miss the game. But I did. When it came time for school dances, my parents never forbade me to go. But I didn’t go. It wasn’t that I was an extra good kid. I got more “whippin’s” than any of my siblings. You see, God was first around our house. Spiritual things were a daily topic of conversation. God and his Word were spoken of when we rose up, when we lay down, when we walked by the way (rode in the car), and when we sat in the house (Deut. 6:6-7). We were never specifically “told” to read our Bible. We were encouraged to because Mom and Dad were always reading and teaching us what they read. The message we got was loud and clear: nothing came before God and doing his will.

That doesn’t seem to be the standard in many families any more. In each of the six gospel meetings I have preached this past year, I have had at least one person come up to me and say something like, “These lessons have been so good I sure hate to miss tomorrow night, but we have (fill in the blank: soccer, back to school night, Girl Scouts, etc.).” One person told me he wouldn’t be back for Sunday evening worship because of a “soccer-fest.” When I replied in amazement, “You are missing worship for soccer?” He said, “Oh, I’ll get the tape!” Unfortunately, he had missed the point. However, my biggest surprise is not that many Christians are putting the world’s things before the Lord, but that they are so open about it. They act like no one in their right mind would deny a child their special activity just to go to worship. In fact, it isn’t the child that is feeling deprived, it is the parent.

Revelation 12:11 states, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” We as parents need to be practicing and teaching this kind of fierce, unwavering commitment to the Lord. Even the threat of death will not quiet the word of our testimony. Children recognize priorities in their simplest form. We cannot say, “It is only Wednesday evening worship or only Sunday evening worship.” It is what we do “instead of” something else that expresses what is important. It is whether we take time every week to tell our children about Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, and all the others, that makes a difference when they must make similar decisions. It is what we get most excited about and make sacrifices to do, that tells others, especially our children, where our heart is. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).