Today I am going to continue with the subject that I preached about last Sunday. It was the topic of ghosts: What are they? Why do they interact with the living? Are they really the spirits of the dead? We looked in the Bible to see what truths God has given us, and then we used our own logic to try to understand what is really happening when people say they have seen or talked to ghosts or spirits of the dead.
We discussed the fact that the Bible supports the idea that ghosts are indeed the spirits of persons whom have died. But when it came to the world’s idea of what a ghost is, namely the spirit of a dead person who haunts the living, I showed you that the Bible does not agree with this assessment.
Isaiah 26:14 tells us that, “They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise….” The Bible tells us that the ghosts or spirits of people who have died are located in one of two places. They are either in hell awaiting their final Day of Judgment at the Great White Throne. Or, they are in the presence of their Savior, Jesus Christ, in heaven.
Scripture does not support the idea that the dead can easily or readily return to interact with the living of their own will. They just don’t decide that they have a message to bring to the living or that they will hang around because they have unfinished business. Once a person dies, there is no unfinished business. You can’t change your eternal status after you die. That must be taken care of before you die.
And then in Luke 16:19-31, we saw a little more about the distinction between the spirits of the righteous dead and the spirits of the wicked dead in the story Jesus told about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Both men died -- Lazarus was escorted to Paradise and the rich man to hell. From this story, we saw that the ghosts of the wicked dead could not return to haunt or speak or interact with the living, even if they wanted to. And we also saw that though it appears that the righteous dead can return and interact with the living, they are not necessarily allowed to.
Finally, from there we went on to see that since the apparitions and spirits that people claim to see and talk to (or are haunted by), are not actually the spirits of those who have died, then they have to be either angels or evil spirits. And we came to the conclusion that they were evil familiar spirits. Now that’s just a brief overview of what we talked about last Sunday morning.
Today, we are going to take a look at one instance in the Bible where the living and the dead did interact. We’re going to see if there are any plausible reasons why God would allow the spirits of the dead to speak to the living. And finally, we’ll look at some suggestions to help you judge whether a spirit is a ghost or an evil spirit.
1. Saul and the Witch of Endor
The Bible teaches that Moses, who had died, appeared with Jesus (along with Elijah, who had been raptured) at the Transfiguration. So, God has allowed someone who has died to come back and communicate with the living.
Let’s look at an instance that takes place in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel 28. You may be somewhat familiar with this passage, as it deals with King Saul and his attempts to contact the dead through a witch or medium from Endor. Let’s read together 1 Samuel 28:5-20.
This event takes place at the end of King Saul’s reign and his life. Because of his disobedience to God, the Lord is allowing the Philistines to defeat and kill him in battle. He is removing the kingdom from Saul’s lineage and giving it into the hands of David.
In 1 Samuel 16, God told Saul He would do this because of his disobedience. But when Saul sees the mighty Philistines advancing against him, he tries to inquire of the Lord what to do, but receives no answer. The reason God doesn’t respond is because He has already told Saul what was happening and why. Saul, however, was afraid and not satisfied with God’s silence, so he did something that was strictly forbidden by God – he consulted a medium or psychic. He wanted to contact the dead prophet Samuel to find the answer he wanted.
Now, notice the Bible tells us that the ghost of Samuel did indeed rise from the dead and speak to the living. So, this begs the question, doesn’t this prove that the ghosts of the dead can and do interact with the living? Well, I’ll give you a "clear" answer – Yes and No.
A. The Ghost of a Righteous Man
First, let’s look at some of the facts surrounding this story. Remember, this morning I said that the spirits of the wicked dead could NOT speak with the living because they are confined in hell. But the spirits of the righteous dead are not confined. Therefore, it appears that they ARE able to interact with the living. This Old Testament event confirms that fact--the ghosts of only the righteous dead are able to speak to the living. Notice that it is the ghost of Samuel, a righteous prophet of God, who makes an appearance here.
B. Mediums Don’t Speak to Real Ghosts
Second, we said that when a medium or psychic says that they are speaking with the dead, they are actually in contact with evil spirits called familiar or seducing spirits. That is why trying to contact the dead is strictly forbidden and punishable by death in the Old Testament (Leviticus 20). This story confirms that fact as well.
The medium or witch, who was used to speaking with one or more familiar spirits, was totally surprised when the real ghost of Samuel actually appeared before her. She wasn’t expecting to actually see him. She was terrified and cried out to Saul that he had tricked her. This tells us that Samuel’s appearance had absolutely nothing to do with her supposed psychic powers or ability to speak with spirits.
C. Confirmation of God’s Will
And finally, we notice that since the medium had nothing to do with Samuel’s appearance, his presence must have been with God’s permission and for a specific purpose. Samuel appeared to confirm God’s will upon Saul’s life. He did not bring any new prophetic information. He did not bring a secret piece of information to guide Saul in defeating the enemy. He did not try to comfort or console Saul. He simply stated what Saul already knew, but was unwilling to believe – that God had turned His back on Him and was taking the kingdom of Israel away because of his disobedience.
So, in this one instance, I would have to say that the ghost of a righteous man was allowed to speak with the living, for the specific purpose of confirming God’s will upon his life. However, this does NOT mean that the spirits of the righteous dead can return and interact with the living at any time and for any reason whatsoever. It simply gives one instance in which it was allowed.
2. Why Would They Speak To Us?
Now, while studying this topic in preparation for this sermon, I realized that maybe more importantly than answering the question, “Can the ghosts of the dead speak to the living?” would be answering the question, “Why would they speak to us?”
We know that most, if not all, of the spirits that people call ghosts are actually evil familiar spirits who impersonate the dead when speaking to the living. But we also know that it is possible for the spirits of the righteous dead to contact the living, though they are usually not allowed to do so. Samuel, after all was allowed to speak to Saul. But as we’ve noted, he did so with a specific purpose.
So, if God were to allow the righteous dead to speak to us, I’d think that it would also have to be with a specific purpose in mind. The Bible doesn’t support the idea that the dead are just out there contacting the living whenever they feel like it. So if the righteous dead are speaking to the living on occasion, that begs the question, why would they? For what purpose would God allow them to do so?
Trying to recall what I’ve heard, or read, or observed about people who say they have spoken with the dead, I came up with a short list of possible reasons why the dead would be allowed to speak to us, and then I compared it to Scripture to see if these reasons are plausible. (This is by no means an exhaustive list.)
A. Comfort and Guidance
Some people claim that when they speak to the ghosts of the dead, they receive comfort and guidance. The spirit encourages them or comforts them during a difficult time in their lives. They don’t feel so alone or insignificant. They receive assurances of God’s love for them. Or maybe they even receive instructions or guidance about a problem they are facing, or an answer to a question.
This seems like a good reason for the dead to interact with the living. Comfort and guidance are positive needs that we all have. It sounds reasonable that a loving God may allow the spirit of a righteous person to speak with the living, in order to bring them comfort and guidance, right? Well, let’s see what the Bible says.
2 Corinthians 2:3-4 (AMP), “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement). [4] Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction)…”
John 15:26 (AMP), “But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.”
These two passages tell us clearly Who it is that has the job of being our Comforter, Counselor, and Guide. God the Father and Holy Spirit are the ones whom we should look to for comfort and guidance, not the spirits of the dead.
When we think that the purpose of the dead speaking to us is to offer us these things, then we are attributing the work of God to His creation. We are looking for something from a ghost that only God Himself can provide for us.
This fact leads me to conclude that those who speak to the dead for these reasons are fooling themselves or are being deceived by evil spirits, because God would not send someone or something else to do His job for Him. He would have no need to.
Furthermore, if we seek to fulfill these needs by communing with the dead, we are practicing idolatry and prostituting ourselves by fulfilling our needs with something else other than God. So, I do NOT believe God would send the spirits of the righteous dead to the living in order to bring us comfort or guidance.
B. Prophecy
Let’s look at another possibility for God sending the dead to speak to the living - and that is prophecy. Some people say that the spirits bring them news of the future. They warn them of upcoming calamities or positive outcomes. The Bible is filled with prophecies that God gave to men. Could this be a reason for God allowing spirits to speak with the living? Could He be revealing the future to His children for their benefit?
It certainly sounds plausible. But reason with me a moment here. The Bible is God’s revelation of His plan to mankind from beginning to end. I don’t know the exact amount, but if I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that at least half, if not more of its content, are prophecies that tell us what is going to happen in the future.
I guess that when I look at all the information that God has provided for us, I have to ask the question, would God have left anything out? Would there be a reason for Him to add to what He has already said by sending a ghost to the living to reveal it? I couldn’t think of one. And in fact Revelation 22:18-19 (NIV), “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. [19] And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
Again, I don’t believe that God would send the spirits of the righteous dead to speak to the living to reveal prophecy or foretell the future, for the simple reason that He has already revealed it to us in His Word. We have no need of further revelations. Beware-- the evil one who would like nothing more than to have us believe that there is some new information that God is revealing to us so that he can gain a foothold into our lives and thoughts.
C. Justice
Another reason people believe that God may allow the spirits of the righteous dead to speak to the living would be for the purpose of seeing justice fulfilled. When someone’s life is tragically taken from them, sometimes we think that their spirit and soul cannot find rest until justice has been found, the perpetrator caught, or the facts of the situation brought to light. It’s the idea that these souls have “unfinished business,” so they are communicating with the living in order to find peace.
Could this be a reason for God allowing communication between the living and the dead? Wanting to see justice done seems like a pretty good reason. After all, the Bible talks about judgment, our sins being brought to light, and punishment being meted out on the unrepentant. Would He see to it that those who are guilty of a crime be caught by sending the spirits of the righteous dead back to speak to the living?
Again, I think the answer is a pretty clear NO. Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Isaiah 34:8, “For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution…” Jeremiah 51:56, “For the Lord is a God of retribution; he will repay in full.”
We live in a fallen world where evil is allowed to work and affect the lives of the righteous as well as the unrighteous. This means that there will be occasions when bad things happen. But God never promises that justice will be met this side of heaven. He never says that He will right all the wrongs on earth. He says that He will repay in full on judgment day.
Isaiah calls it a day of vengeance. It is not our job to seek revenge or justice for a wrong; it’s God’s. And we can rest in the assurance that He will see to it. We don’t need to talk to the dead in order to see justice done.
Now you may be able to think of some other reasons that sound plausible for why God might allow communication between the righteous dead and the living. And if you do and would like to talk about them or explore them with me, I’d be happy to do so. I thought of a few others myself, but in each case, just like with the three we mentioned, I found that the Bible does not support them as valid reasons for God allowing the dead to speak to the living.
So, while it is possible for the righteous dead to interact with us, there doesn’t appear to be a valid reason for why they would be allowed to do so. We have the very Spirit of God living and working within each and every believer that imparts the will and mind of God to us, who helps us interpret the prophecies written in the Scriptures, who comforts and guides us in all things.
1 Corinthians 2:12, “We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” In John 16:15, Jesus tells the disciples that, “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”
We have no need of the dead or their messages or comfort or whatever. So be very wary if you have an encounter with a spirit or someone else who has. As it says in 1 John 4:1, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” And in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”
3. Testing the Spirits
And finally, I want to real quickly go over some suggestions I have for you about how to test the spirits to see whether or not they are from God. Each experience or situation must be judged on an individual basis.
You must have spiritual discernment, Biblical knowledge of the Truth, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in order to understand things of a spiritual nature. But having said that, I want to give you some questions to ask and some things to do and keep in mind should you ever need to test the spirits.
A. Questions to Ask
Like with anything you are trying to learn or understand, you need facts or information in order to rightly judge a situation or experience. In order to gain the information you need, you will probably have to ask questions. Here are some important ones:
1. What do you know about the person who had the experience? If you weren’t the one who saw or spoke to or heard from a spirit, what do you know about the one who did? Are they a born again Christian? Do they dabble in other religions or the occult? How serious are they in their relationship with Christ? How often do they claim to have these experiences? Could something else have triggered this experience, like drugs or hypnosis? Is the person lying to you about the experience to get attention or boost their ego?
2. What do you know about the dead person being impersonated? If someone tells you that they have heard from the ghost of a dead person, find out what you can about what that person was like when they were alive. Were they Christian? What kind of Christian were they? Did they dabble in other religions or the occult? Etc.
3. What was the result of this experience in both the physical and spiritual lives of those involved? Even if those who spoke to the dead had a positive experience, find out what other results these experiences may have had on not only the person who spoke to the dead, but the lives of others involved. Maybe a criminal was brought to justice because a medium spoke to the supposed spirit of the victim and was able to garner information that helped police catch them. But what about the life of the medium? What kind of effect do these readings have on their beliefs, their salvation? Do they profess Christ as the Son of God? Do their experiences lead them into a closer relationship with God? Do they lead other people away from putting their trust in God?
All of these are valid questions to ask. The answers to them will help you determine whether a person is speaking to the actual ghost of a righteous person, (which is highly unlikely), or if they are being deceived by evil familiar spirits.
B. Ask God for Discernment
Another thing to do if you are faced with having to test the spirits is to ask God for the spiritual discernment you need to make a right judgment. God knows the truth of every matter. Why not go to the source of truth in order to determine the truth? He will not keep it hidden from you if you truly and honestly seek the Truth. He has already given you His Spirit, and His Word, and His anointing, and His secret wisdom, and even His mind so that you can know the Truth.
1 Corinthians 2:16, “But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 John 2:20, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.” 1 Corinthians 2:6-7, “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not of the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. [7] No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.”
C. Study To Show Thyself Approved
And finally, Paul exhorts us in 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV), “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. If you really want to know the truth of a situation, then you need to know what the Bible says about it. And you can’t know what the Bible says about any given situation if you don’t study it. You’ve got the answers to all of life’s questions right at your fingertips. You can test the spirits and know the truth by opening His Word and reading His answers.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV), “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from who you learned it, [15] and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Don’t be deceived because you haven’t done your homework.
I hope you have enjoyed this short teaching on ghosts. If you have questions that I didn’t answer please feel free to talk to me about them. I’ll do my best to find an answer for you.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
What The Bible Says About Ghosts, Part 1
“I see dead people” is not a phrase you ever thought you’d hear from a pulpit. It is a popular line from a psychological/horror movie called The Sixth Sense. In this 1999 movie a young boy, named Cole, is a clairvoyant who is able to communicate with people who have died. What’s really scary is that while Cole is a fictional character in a fictional story, there are many people who claim not only to have seen real ghosts, apparitions, and spirits; but claim they can communicate and interact with them as well.
It’s becoming increasingly popular and acceptable to have some form of spirituality or interaction with the spirit realm. This is nothing new. Most of us have been exposed to this since childhood as we watched the Casper the Ghost cartoons. Then we laughed at the very funny GhostBuster movies in the 1980’s
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From the books to the big screen—the media is barraging us with tales of the supernatural. Even the television media is bombarding with shows like Lost, Medium, The Ghost Whisperer, Supernatural, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Hauntings Live, and several others.
We as Christians understand that God is a Spirit, and His Spirit resides in His children; that mankind are made up of a body, a soul, and a spirit. But when it comes to the spiritual realm, because it is not readily seen with our physical eyes, there is a lot that we don’t know or understand about it. And unfortunately, because the supernatural is not discussed very often in churches today, the only source of information for many people is what they see or hear on television, in the movies, on the Internet, or in books.
Since there are all kinds of different beliefs and ideas about what ghosts are and where they come from and what their purpose is, I thought that it would be appropriate to see what the Bible has to say about ghosts. After all, the Bible is the only true and accurate source we have about this world and the spiritual world and how they interact.
1. What Are Ghosts?
So, let’s just jump right in and tackle the question, “What are ghosts?” A dictionary definition of the word ghost says that it is “the spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to haunt living persons.” This is usually the idea we get in our minds when someone says the word, "ghost". We think of haunted houses and restless spirits, scary movies, graveyards, floating apparitions and seances. But are those really ghosts? And if they aren’t, then what are they?
After studying this topic and searching Scripture, I’ve come to the conclusion that the dictionary definition is only half correct. The Bible seems to support the idea that a ghost is the spirit of a person who has died. Depending on which Bible translation you read, you may or may not come across the word “ghost”, usually the word “spirit” is used. So, I believe that the Bible supports the idea that a ghost is the spirit of a person who has died.
But it doesn’t support the second half of the definition, which says, “especially one believed to haunt living persons.” Let me explain. For a spirit of a dead person to haunt the living, that means that they must somehow make an appearance in the physical world, or “the land of the living” if you will. And the Bible makes it quite clear that once a person dies, they either cannot or are not allowed to return and interact with the living.
Isaiah 26:14 says, “The dead will not live, the departed spirits will not rise…” The NIV reads, “They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise….” The same passage in The Message reads, “The dead don’t talk, ghosts don’t walk….” That seems pretty clear to me. But there is also another more in depth passage that supports this teaching.
Turn with me to Luke 16:19-31.
19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23 “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’
27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house—
28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’
31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
This passage is filled with information about the afterlife. But this morning we’re going to concentrate specifically on what it shows us about the spirits of the dead and their interaction or lack of interaction with the living.
A. The Wicked Dead Can’t Return
The first thing we need to recognize is that it appears that the wicked dead in hell cannot return to interact with the living, even if they wanted to. Notice that the rich man died and went to hell. He is in torment and asks for relief. And then he asks for Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them of what awaits them in hell. Never once does he ask if he can return to warn them himself. This fact leads me to believe that it’s more than likely that he can’t return.
Why not? Why can’t someone whose ghost is in hell return to the living to warn them of the torment of the afterlife if they reject Christ?
-- We All Have the Same Opportunity to Choose Salvation
Abraham gives us the first reason. He says that those that are alive have Moses and the prophets that warn them of hell. He says the living have the very Word of God, the warnings of the prophets that God has sent among them, and the teachings of the righteous. Everyone has the opportunity to make the decision for Christ and salvation, and if they don’t listen to the warnings that they already have, chances are they won’t listen to a ghost either. Some people refuse to listen to the truth no matter what form it comes in.
--Hell has Gates
The main reason I believe those in hell cannot return to earth and interact with the living is because they are confined there until the Day of Judgment. The Bible talks about hell as having gates. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, “…upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
Gates have a purpose of either keeping something or someone inside of them or outside of them. They act as a barrier. In this case I believe the gates of hell confine the spirits of the wicked dead from escaping their punishment. Thus the wicked dead, those who have never accepted Christ as their Savior, cannot return to haunt or speak to the living.
B. The Righteous Dead are Not Allowed to Return
The next thing we should recognize from this passage is that it appears that the righteous dead, who are not confined, can return to speak to the living but are not allowed to. Notice that the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus, who was in Paradise. It makes me think that Lazarus was able to speak to the living, even if the rich man was not.
But as we’ve said before, even if Lazarus or any of the righteous dead can speak to the living after they’ve died, the Bible tells us that they are not allowed to. Abraham did not send Lazarus back. Furthermore, the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So, when the believer dies, he is immediately in the presence of His Savior in heaven. Why then would they want to return to earth even if they could?
So, if the spirits of the dead, which are called ghosts, are not allowed or cannot return to haunt or speak to the living, then what are those apparitions that do haunt the living? Who or what are people talking to or interacting with?
2. If the dead can’t interact with the living, who or what do people see and talk to?
Scriptures show us that in the spirit world there are two types of spirits. The righteous and good are usually referred to as angels of light or messengers of God. The evil ones referred to as evil spirits, demons, or fallen angels. Now each category of spirits has a hierarchy and the different levels go by different names. Angles of light can be called archangels, seraphim, cherubim, or just angels. Evil spirits can be called principalities, powers, seducing spirits, demons, fallen angels, etc.
So, let’s use what the Bible does tell us about the spirit world and some of our own logic, and see if we can figure out just who or what the apparitions that people call ghosts really are.
1 John 4:1 warns us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Well, let’s take this logic one step at a time. First, we know that what people call ghosts aren’t really the spirits of dead people because they are not allowed to interact with the living. Second, then they must be some other kind of spirit. Third, that means they are either angels from God or angels of the Devil. They are either angels of light or angels of darkness. So how do we figure out which ones they are? How do we test the spirits?
A. Could they be angels from God?
Well, let’s just assume that they could be angels from God. After all, in the Bible several times we see that angels took on the form of man to bring messages to God’s people. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in Luke 1 to tell of the birth of John the Baptist, and he again appeared to Mary to tell her of her upcoming pregnancy and birth of Christ in Luke 2. In Luke 23, we see the women who went to Jesus’ tomb to prepare His body encountering two men dressed in gleaming clothes that were angels.
People who say that they have seen ghosts say that sometimes they look like men or women that were once alive. They look like dead relatives, or famous people, etc. which is why many believe that they are the spirits of those relatives or people. But, as we’ve said, they are not, since those spirits cannot communicate with us. But, since angels have taken on the form of man to speak to the physical world before, could the spirits that people call ghosts actually be angels?
To answer this question let’s continue our logical thinking. What do we know of the encounters that people say they have with ghosts? What do we know about hauntings or séances or the work of psychics?
Have you ever noticed that the sites of hauntings are usually connected in some way to some sort of violence, horror, pain, or evil? (A battlefield, a prison, a place where someone was murdered or died an unnatural death, a place where someone was mentally or emotionally tormented or physically tortured.) Likewise, séances have a darkness associated with them. Even the psychics that supposedly talk to the dead are speaking to those who have had some sort of violence or evil befall them, such as victims of a crime.
When you compare these facts with the appearances of angels in Scripture, you should notice that there is no similarity! Angels of God are messengers that bring news of the will of God to humans. Hauntings are frightening experiences that usually trouble, confuse, or terrify people.
People who have seen apparitions or ghosts say that they look like people who once lived. But although the Bible says that angels have taken on the form of man to speak to humans, it never says that the people they are speaking to recognize them as some dead relative or person who once lived. They don’t recognize them as the spirit of a person. In fact, some of them weren’t even recognized as spirits.
Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Now, if an angel appeared looking like a dead loved one or famous person, we wouldn’t consider them a stranger or be unaware of their spiritual origin, would we?
So, although Scripture does not come right out and tell us directly that ghosts are not angels from God, I think that what we can observe of the instances where people encounter these spirits and what we do know about angels clearly shows us that ghosts, hauntings, and the supposed spirits of dead people that are talking to humans are definitely NOT angels from God.
B. Are they demons from Satan?
Through the process of elimination that leaves only one possibility. They must be evil spirits. Remember, the places that claim to be haunted have some sort of violence or death or torment associated with them. To me that fact alone is clear evidence of the presence of Satan and/or his demons.
This is my explanation for haunted sites and supposed messages from the dead. For some reason, when they were alive, the people who are being portrayed as ghosts were in the presence of evil spirits. Maybe, through the way they lived their lives, they invited the evil spirits there. Maybe there was an accident or an evil perpetrated upon them by someone else that allowed for the presence of Satan’s henchmen--for instance, a war or a murder. Then after the death of the human, when their spirit was ushered either to heaven or hell, those evil spirits remained.
The King James Version of the Bible actually has a specific name for those evil spirits. They are called familiar spirits. The reason being is that they are “familiar” with the lives and habits of the person who died in their presence, thus they can impersonate them to the living.
When people say they see or can talk to people who have died, they are not talking to or seeing the actual ghost of that person. They are in truth talking to an evil spirit that was familiar enough with that person when they were alive to pretend to be them.
Spirits, whether angels of God or Satan, observe and watch humanity all the time. They are curious about us and the working out of our salvation. In 1 Peter 1:12, Peter talks about what Christ did for the human race and how the angels desire to look into these things. The spirit world knows more about us than we’d be comfortable with if we were to know the half of it.
So the next time you see a psychic talking to a dead person, or receiving a message from a dead person, realize that they are not talking to the dead. The Bible says that we can’t do that. They are talking to an evil familiar spirit. The next time you see a program about ghosts or haunted places, know that those apparitions are evil spirits impersonating the dead, and you don’t want to have anything to do with it no matter how good or positive the messages or experiences may be.
3. Why do evil spirits haunt the living?
So, that leads us to another question. Why? Why do these evil spirits haunt and frighten people? Why do they impersonate the dead? Why do they help psychics solve crimes or fortune-tellers and mediums foretell the future?
Remember the enemy is out to keep as many of God’s children from choosing salvation and forgiveness as he can. Satan will use any weapon he can to mask the truth and keep people from choosing heaven and eternal life. And if that means scaring people, confusing people, misdirecting them, deceiving them, or whatever else he can think of to do, then he’ll do it.
Wouldn’t you be confused, if not scared, to see the supposed ghost of a loved one telling you to do something that is clearly unbiblical? What if something good happens because of a message you receive from the other side? Would you be more inclined to believe that spirit or message even if down the road you find that you are being lead away from the paths God has laid out for you? Confusion and deception are the main reasons why familiar spirits interact with humans.
4. A Warning About Contacting Evil Spirits
Now, the Bible gives us some very clear warnings about consulting with the supposed dead or having anything to do with those who do. Isaiah 8:19 (NIV) says, “When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” We have no need of consulting with the dead or other spirits. We serve the One who created all of them. The living God who loves and cares for us is more powerful and wise than any of His creation.
The practices of speaking with familiar spirits, divination, sorcery etc. are totally abhorrent to God, and He gives us stiff warnings against them. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NIV), “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in a fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, [11] or casts spells, or who is a medium, or spiritist or who consults the dead. [12] Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord…”
There were even severe punishments not only for those who practiced these arts, but also for those who associated with those who did. In Leviticus 20:6 (NIV) God says, “I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.” And in Leviticus 20:27 (NIV), “A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.”
I think those verses tell us pretty clearly what God’s feelings are about anyone who consults with evil spirits.
Now let me give you Christians a warning. As a Christian, you know that you are protected by the Holy Spirit that lives within you. You can never be possessed or taken over by an evil spirit after you have given your life to Christ. However, that does not mean you can not be attacked by, confused by, tempted by, or physically defeated by the enemy. It would be plain foolishness for anyone, even a Christian to purposely seek out evil spirits, or to take part in séances or psychic readings or whatever.
Just because the enemy can’t possess you doesn’t mean they won’t attack you. You are their enemy and you are stepping into their territory. That’s asking for trouble. Not only that, it’s also tempting God. It’s putting God to a foolish test and as Jesus clearly said to Satan in Matthew 4:7 (NIV) when he tried that trick on Him, “It is written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Stay away from anything that has to do with ghosts or spirits or witches or whatever. Don’t mess with it, Christian! It will be like setting one foot on the path to destruction. You’re opening a doorway that should remain closed and locked.
It’s becoming increasingly popular and acceptable to have some form of spirituality or interaction with the spirit realm. This is nothing new. Most of us have been exposed to this since childhood as we watched the Casper the Ghost cartoons. Then we laughed at the very funny GhostBuster movies in the 1980’s
.
From the books to the big screen—the media is barraging us with tales of the supernatural. Even the television media is bombarding with shows like Lost, Medium, The Ghost Whisperer, Supernatural, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Hauntings Live, and several others.
We as Christians understand that God is a Spirit, and His Spirit resides in His children; that mankind are made up of a body, a soul, and a spirit. But when it comes to the spiritual realm, because it is not readily seen with our physical eyes, there is a lot that we don’t know or understand about it. And unfortunately, because the supernatural is not discussed very often in churches today, the only source of information for many people is what they see or hear on television, in the movies, on the Internet, or in books.
Since there are all kinds of different beliefs and ideas about what ghosts are and where they come from and what their purpose is, I thought that it would be appropriate to see what the Bible has to say about ghosts. After all, the Bible is the only true and accurate source we have about this world and the spiritual world and how they interact.
1. What Are Ghosts?
So, let’s just jump right in and tackle the question, “What are ghosts?” A dictionary definition of the word ghost says that it is “the spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to haunt living persons.” This is usually the idea we get in our minds when someone says the word, "ghost". We think of haunted houses and restless spirits, scary movies, graveyards, floating apparitions and seances. But are those really ghosts? And if they aren’t, then what are they?
After studying this topic and searching Scripture, I’ve come to the conclusion that the dictionary definition is only half correct. The Bible seems to support the idea that a ghost is the spirit of a person who has died. Depending on which Bible translation you read, you may or may not come across the word “ghost”, usually the word “spirit” is used. So, I believe that the Bible supports the idea that a ghost is the spirit of a person who has died.
But it doesn’t support the second half of the definition, which says, “especially one believed to haunt living persons.” Let me explain. For a spirit of a dead person to haunt the living, that means that they must somehow make an appearance in the physical world, or “the land of the living” if you will. And the Bible makes it quite clear that once a person dies, they either cannot or are not allowed to return and interact with the living.
Isaiah 26:14 says, “The dead will not live, the departed spirits will not rise…” The NIV reads, “They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise….” The same passage in The Message reads, “The dead don’t talk, ghosts don’t walk….” That seems pretty clear to me. But there is also another more in depth passage that supports this teaching.
Turn with me to Luke 16:19-31.
19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23 “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’
27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house—
28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’
31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
This passage is filled with information about the afterlife. But this morning we’re going to concentrate specifically on what it shows us about the spirits of the dead and their interaction or lack of interaction with the living.
A. The Wicked Dead Can’t Return
The first thing we need to recognize is that it appears that the wicked dead in hell cannot return to interact with the living, even if they wanted to. Notice that the rich man died and went to hell. He is in torment and asks for relief. And then he asks for Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them of what awaits them in hell. Never once does he ask if he can return to warn them himself. This fact leads me to believe that it’s more than likely that he can’t return.
Why not? Why can’t someone whose ghost is in hell return to the living to warn them of the torment of the afterlife if they reject Christ?
-- We All Have the Same Opportunity to Choose Salvation
Abraham gives us the first reason. He says that those that are alive have Moses and the prophets that warn them of hell. He says the living have the very Word of God, the warnings of the prophets that God has sent among them, and the teachings of the righteous. Everyone has the opportunity to make the decision for Christ and salvation, and if they don’t listen to the warnings that they already have, chances are they won’t listen to a ghost either. Some people refuse to listen to the truth no matter what form it comes in.
--Hell has Gates
The main reason I believe those in hell cannot return to earth and interact with the living is because they are confined there until the Day of Judgment. The Bible talks about hell as having gates. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, “…upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
Gates have a purpose of either keeping something or someone inside of them or outside of them. They act as a barrier. In this case I believe the gates of hell confine the spirits of the wicked dead from escaping their punishment. Thus the wicked dead, those who have never accepted Christ as their Savior, cannot return to haunt or speak to the living.
B. The Righteous Dead are Not Allowed to Return
The next thing we should recognize from this passage is that it appears that the righteous dead, who are not confined, can return to speak to the living but are not allowed to. Notice that the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus, who was in Paradise. It makes me think that Lazarus was able to speak to the living, even if the rich man was not.
But as we’ve said before, even if Lazarus or any of the righteous dead can speak to the living after they’ve died, the Bible tells us that they are not allowed to. Abraham did not send Lazarus back. Furthermore, the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So, when the believer dies, he is immediately in the presence of His Savior in heaven. Why then would they want to return to earth even if they could?
So, if the spirits of the dead, which are called ghosts, are not allowed or cannot return to haunt or speak to the living, then what are those apparitions that do haunt the living? Who or what are people talking to or interacting with?
2. If the dead can’t interact with the living, who or what do people see and talk to?
Scriptures show us that in the spirit world there are two types of spirits. The righteous and good are usually referred to as angels of light or messengers of God. The evil ones referred to as evil spirits, demons, or fallen angels. Now each category of spirits has a hierarchy and the different levels go by different names. Angles of light can be called archangels, seraphim, cherubim, or just angels. Evil spirits can be called principalities, powers, seducing spirits, demons, fallen angels, etc.
So, let’s use what the Bible does tell us about the spirit world and some of our own logic, and see if we can figure out just who or what the apparitions that people call ghosts really are.
1 John 4:1 warns us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Well, let’s take this logic one step at a time. First, we know that what people call ghosts aren’t really the spirits of dead people because they are not allowed to interact with the living. Second, then they must be some other kind of spirit. Third, that means they are either angels from God or angels of the Devil. They are either angels of light or angels of darkness. So how do we figure out which ones they are? How do we test the spirits?
A. Could they be angels from God?
Well, let’s just assume that they could be angels from God. After all, in the Bible several times we see that angels took on the form of man to bring messages to God’s people. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in Luke 1 to tell of the birth of John the Baptist, and he again appeared to Mary to tell her of her upcoming pregnancy and birth of Christ in Luke 2. In Luke 23, we see the women who went to Jesus’ tomb to prepare His body encountering two men dressed in gleaming clothes that were angels.
People who say that they have seen ghosts say that sometimes they look like men or women that were once alive. They look like dead relatives, or famous people, etc. which is why many believe that they are the spirits of those relatives or people. But, as we’ve said, they are not, since those spirits cannot communicate with us. But, since angels have taken on the form of man to speak to the physical world before, could the spirits that people call ghosts actually be angels?
To answer this question let’s continue our logical thinking. What do we know of the encounters that people say they have with ghosts? What do we know about hauntings or séances or the work of psychics?
Have you ever noticed that the sites of hauntings are usually connected in some way to some sort of violence, horror, pain, or evil? (A battlefield, a prison, a place where someone was murdered or died an unnatural death, a place where someone was mentally or emotionally tormented or physically tortured.) Likewise, séances have a darkness associated with them. Even the psychics that supposedly talk to the dead are speaking to those who have had some sort of violence or evil befall them, such as victims of a crime.
When you compare these facts with the appearances of angels in Scripture, you should notice that there is no similarity! Angels of God are messengers that bring news of the will of God to humans. Hauntings are frightening experiences that usually trouble, confuse, or terrify people.
People who have seen apparitions or ghosts say that they look like people who once lived. But although the Bible says that angels have taken on the form of man to speak to humans, it never says that the people they are speaking to recognize them as some dead relative or person who once lived. They don’t recognize them as the spirit of a person. In fact, some of them weren’t even recognized as spirits.
Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Now, if an angel appeared looking like a dead loved one or famous person, we wouldn’t consider them a stranger or be unaware of their spiritual origin, would we?
So, although Scripture does not come right out and tell us directly that ghosts are not angels from God, I think that what we can observe of the instances where people encounter these spirits and what we do know about angels clearly shows us that ghosts, hauntings, and the supposed spirits of dead people that are talking to humans are definitely NOT angels from God.
B. Are they demons from Satan?
Through the process of elimination that leaves only one possibility. They must be evil spirits. Remember, the places that claim to be haunted have some sort of violence or death or torment associated with them. To me that fact alone is clear evidence of the presence of Satan and/or his demons.
This is my explanation for haunted sites and supposed messages from the dead. For some reason, when they were alive, the people who are being portrayed as ghosts were in the presence of evil spirits. Maybe, through the way they lived their lives, they invited the evil spirits there. Maybe there was an accident or an evil perpetrated upon them by someone else that allowed for the presence of Satan’s henchmen--for instance, a war or a murder. Then after the death of the human, when their spirit was ushered either to heaven or hell, those evil spirits remained.
The King James Version of the Bible actually has a specific name for those evil spirits. They are called familiar spirits. The reason being is that they are “familiar” with the lives and habits of the person who died in their presence, thus they can impersonate them to the living.
When people say they see or can talk to people who have died, they are not talking to or seeing the actual ghost of that person. They are in truth talking to an evil spirit that was familiar enough with that person when they were alive to pretend to be them.
Spirits, whether angels of God or Satan, observe and watch humanity all the time. They are curious about us and the working out of our salvation. In 1 Peter 1:12, Peter talks about what Christ did for the human race and how the angels desire to look into these things. The spirit world knows more about us than we’d be comfortable with if we were to know the half of it.
So the next time you see a psychic talking to a dead person, or receiving a message from a dead person, realize that they are not talking to the dead. The Bible says that we can’t do that. They are talking to an evil familiar spirit. The next time you see a program about ghosts or haunted places, know that those apparitions are evil spirits impersonating the dead, and you don’t want to have anything to do with it no matter how good or positive the messages or experiences may be.
3. Why do evil spirits haunt the living?
So, that leads us to another question. Why? Why do these evil spirits haunt and frighten people? Why do they impersonate the dead? Why do they help psychics solve crimes or fortune-tellers and mediums foretell the future?
Remember the enemy is out to keep as many of God’s children from choosing salvation and forgiveness as he can. Satan will use any weapon he can to mask the truth and keep people from choosing heaven and eternal life. And if that means scaring people, confusing people, misdirecting them, deceiving them, or whatever else he can think of to do, then he’ll do it.
Wouldn’t you be confused, if not scared, to see the supposed ghost of a loved one telling you to do something that is clearly unbiblical? What if something good happens because of a message you receive from the other side? Would you be more inclined to believe that spirit or message even if down the road you find that you are being lead away from the paths God has laid out for you? Confusion and deception are the main reasons why familiar spirits interact with humans.
4. A Warning About Contacting Evil Spirits
Now, the Bible gives us some very clear warnings about consulting with the supposed dead or having anything to do with those who do. Isaiah 8:19 (NIV) says, “When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” We have no need of consulting with the dead or other spirits. We serve the One who created all of them. The living God who loves and cares for us is more powerful and wise than any of His creation.
The practices of speaking with familiar spirits, divination, sorcery etc. are totally abhorrent to God, and He gives us stiff warnings against them. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NIV), “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in a fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, [11] or casts spells, or who is a medium, or spiritist or who consults the dead. [12] Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord…”
There were even severe punishments not only for those who practiced these arts, but also for those who associated with those who did. In Leviticus 20:6 (NIV) God says, “I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.” And in Leviticus 20:27 (NIV), “A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.”
I think those verses tell us pretty clearly what God’s feelings are about anyone who consults with evil spirits.
Now let me give you Christians a warning. As a Christian, you know that you are protected by the Holy Spirit that lives within you. You can never be possessed or taken over by an evil spirit after you have given your life to Christ. However, that does not mean you can not be attacked by, confused by, tempted by, or physically defeated by the enemy. It would be plain foolishness for anyone, even a Christian to purposely seek out evil spirits, or to take part in séances or psychic readings or whatever.
Just because the enemy can’t possess you doesn’t mean they won’t attack you. You are their enemy and you are stepping into their territory. That’s asking for trouble. Not only that, it’s also tempting God. It’s putting God to a foolish test and as Jesus clearly said to Satan in Matthew 4:7 (NIV) when he tried that trick on Him, “It is written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Stay away from anything that has to do with ghosts or spirits or witches or whatever. Don’t mess with it, Christian! It will be like setting one foot on the path to destruction. You’re opening a doorway that should remain closed and locked.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Harvest Moon
“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10 NASB95
Upon arriving in Wisconsin, my mind instantly began to prepare my body for the cold that I know will soon come galloping upon the north wind. My family already finds itself gathering warmer shoes, gloves, and “thermonuclear coats” (as my wife calls them). We are also learning how to prepare our home and our cars for the season to come.
While I’m still trying to convince myself that winter should be embraced, there have also been some pleasant surprises along the way. For instance, my family has enjoyed the many fresh vegetables that are readily available along the roadsides in the fall. As I looked at the harvest moon the other night, I finally understood why it is given that name. The term, “harvest moon” just never made much sense in the south.
In Texas, the vegetable harvest is finished in June. By July, the garden has waved the white flag of surrender to the 110-degree heat. The only sweet corn, tomatoes, squash and such are either in the grocery store freezer; or they’re wilting in the produce department after hitchhiking with a truck driver across the country.
One of our church members asked me this past Sunday, “Pastor, where is the harvest?” I reminded this person that Jesus didn’t ask us to pray for the harvest. Instead, He told us to pray for laborers in the field (Matthew 9:37-38). The Bible says that the harvest is God’s responsibility. Our responsibility is righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Righteousness is more than just sitting around being right—self-righteousness is unrighteousness wearing the clothes of religious pride. True righteousness is doing right. It is thinking right. It is loving and living right. True righteousness can only come from Christ, because it cannot come from self.
With God, there is always a “harvest moon.” He promises to “increase the harvest of your righteousness.” Remember Matthew 6:33? Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Yes, we should pray for the lost. Sharing the Gospel through our words and actions is an absolute must. But remember, the harvest is brought in from the field when those without Christ see what it means to be changed by Christ.
Love,
Pastor Larry
Upon arriving in Wisconsin, my mind instantly began to prepare my body for the cold that I know will soon come galloping upon the north wind. My family already finds itself gathering warmer shoes, gloves, and “thermonuclear coats” (as my wife calls them). We are also learning how to prepare our home and our cars for the season to come.
While I’m still trying to convince myself that winter should be embraced, there have also been some pleasant surprises along the way. For instance, my family has enjoyed the many fresh vegetables that are readily available along the roadsides in the fall. As I looked at the harvest moon the other night, I finally understood why it is given that name. The term, “harvest moon” just never made much sense in the south.
In Texas, the vegetable harvest is finished in June. By July, the garden has waved the white flag of surrender to the 110-degree heat. The only sweet corn, tomatoes, squash and such are either in the grocery store freezer; or they’re wilting in the produce department after hitchhiking with a truck driver across the country.
One of our church members asked me this past Sunday, “Pastor, where is the harvest?” I reminded this person that Jesus didn’t ask us to pray for the harvest. Instead, He told us to pray for laborers in the field (Matthew 9:37-38). The Bible says that the harvest is God’s responsibility. Our responsibility is righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Righteousness is more than just sitting around being right—self-righteousness is unrighteousness wearing the clothes of religious pride. True righteousness is doing right. It is thinking right. It is loving and living right. True righteousness can only come from Christ, because it cannot come from self.
With God, there is always a “harvest moon.” He promises to “increase the harvest of your righteousness.” Remember Matthew 6:33? Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Yes, we should pray for the lost. Sharing the Gospel through our words and actions is an absolute must. But remember, the harvest is brought in from the field when those without Christ see what it means to be changed by Christ.
Love,
Pastor Larry
Monday, October 5, 2009
Coming Home (Ruth 1:19-22)
On November 16, 1811, an unusual thing happened to the Mississippi River. (The name, “Mississippi” comes from an Indian word that means “big river.” The river flows some 2,348 miles from its source in northwestern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.) What happened in 1811 was unprecedented for the river. An earthquake hit the state of Missouri and had a strange effect on the river. For a short period of time the river’s direction was interrupted and it flowed backward.
There have been many that found themselves going backward in their Christian life. We find several such in the Bible: Peter (Mk.14:71), Mark (Acts 15:38), and the classic example of Jonah (Jonah 1:2-3). Instead of a cleaving to the Lord, there is often a leaving of the Lord. Robert Robinson expressed it so well in his great hymn, “Come Thou Fount.”
"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.”
Many could describe their spiritual condition in the words of Kirkpatrick’s hymn: “I’ve wandered far away from God.” If that be the case, may I suggest you say, “Lord, I’m coming home. The paths of sin, too long I’ve trod. Lord, I’m coming home.”
The story before us finds a believer coming home. As we have seen, Naomi has been away from home and away from God. Now we find her coming home and back to God. You can almost hear Naomi saying, “I’ve wasted many precious years, Now I’m coming home. I now repent with bitter tears; Lord, I’m coming home.”
[Ruth 1:19-22]
19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”
20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
21 “I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
In Naomi, we see a disturbing example of failure. We see in her the bitter experience of being away from God. Yet, we also have in her a delightful example of forgiveness. We see in her the blessed experience of coming back to God. We read, “So Naomi returned” (vs. 22). Let’s notice her return.
First, think with me of:
1. THE TOWN TO WHICH SHE RETURNED
We read, “So they both went until they came to Bethlehem” (vs.19). Ten years have passed since we saw her leaving Bethlehem-Judah. Now we see her coming home. Naomi coming back to Bethlehem was the same as coming back to God. She illustrates for us a believer who has gotten away from God, but comes back to God.
A certain businessman was asked how he had become so successful. He replied, “Good decisions.” The questioner persisted, “But how did you learn to make good decisions?” The crusty old fellow answered, “Experience.” One more question then followed. “Well, how did you get the experience?” He answered, “Bad decisions.”
Naomi had made a bad decision when she left Bethlehem and God. But now we see her making a good decision as she comes back to God.
When we think of Bethlehem, we think of:
A. The Place of God's Praise
Bethlehem was in the land of Judah, which means “praise.” It was the place where God was glorified and honored. It was the place where He was extolled and exalted. Naomi was returning to the place where God could be and would be honored in her life.
A believer away from God does not bring glory to God. When one is away from God, instead of a life that is glorifying to God, it is grieving to God. Instead of living a life by which God is honored, He is dishonored. How sad it is to see people who once honored and glorified God with their lives, now living lives that displease and dishonor Him. I am sure that you who are hearing this can think of someone who once served God and lived for Him, but now that person is away from Him.
On the other hand, I am sure you can think of someone who came back to God. You may be thinking of yourself. Blessed be His name, we can come home and bring honor and glory to His name. To Him be praise!
Bethlehem also speaks to us as:
B. The Place of God's Presence
We read of how Naomi heard “how the LORD had visited His people” (vs.6). She was returning to the place where His presence was real. She was coming back to the place where she could be in God’s presence and experience God’s presence.
I think of when Jonah rebelled against God. His experience is described as running “from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). A believer out of fellowship with God can no longer enjoy the presence of the Lord. There is not only a dishonoring of the Lord, but there is a distance from the Lord.
When a believer comes back to God, he can once again enjoy and experience God’s presence. The Psalmist said, “In Your presence is fullness of Joy” (Psalm 16:11). Many can testify to the joy of once again being in His presence.
Bethlehem also speaks to us of:
C. The Place of God's Provision
Bethlehem means the “House of Bread.” Naomi had heard that God had visited His people in Bethlehem in giving them bread (vs.6). Bethlehem was the place where God was meeting the needs of His people. It was the place where God was at work in the lives of His people. It was the place of God’s provision.
When you are away from God, you live a life that is barren of God’s blessings. Whereas, there had been a time when God was working in your life and blessing your life; away from God, those blessings are no longer experienced.
If you have failed God, the devil tells you that you will never see God at work again in your life. But Satan has always been a liar. When you come home, you will find a forgiving God who will once again make Himself known in your life.
Bethlehem also speaks to us of:
D. The Place of God's People
Bethlehem was the place where God’s people dwelt. It was the place where God’s people were gathered. It was a place of kindred spirits and like-minded souls.
No doubt, you can think of someone who used to be in Church and assembled with God’s people. They never missed and their seat was never empty. But now, they are not only out of fellowship with God, but out of the fellowship of God.
Praise God we see Naomi coming home. We see her coming back to Bethlehem; the place of God’s praise, presence, provision, and people. When there is a return to the Lord, there will be a return to praising God; as well as God's presence, provision, and people.
Now that we have seen the town to which she returned, think with me of:
2. THE TESTIMONY WITH WHICH SHE RETURNED
When Naomi returned they were stirred (“groaned or moved”) when they saw her. They asked, “Is this Naomi” (vs.19)? Notice how she answered: “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara” (vs.20). We earlier saw that Naomi means “pleasant.” Mara means “bitter.” She was testifying to the results and consequences of leaving God.
We see that Naomi testified of:
A. How God Brought Her Back
Naomi said, “I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty” (vs.21). She had been confronted by God. God had dealt with her sin. Now God has brought her home again. The Bible says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num.32:23). One thing that is as certain as grass is green, water is wet, ice is cold, and fire is hot; God will bring the wayward believer home.
The New York Times carried an article entitled, “In Toronto, U.S. Fugitives Can Run But Can’t Hide.” The story told of Joyce Carolyn Stevens, who was wanted in Texas on charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping. She was hiding in Canada like thousands of other fugitives from the United States. She was found and arrested by the Metropolitan Toronto Police Fugitive Squad. This special squad had been organized in November, 1993. Since its creation, there have been arrested more than 200 fugitives who fled to Canada, most of them Americans. The Fugitive Squad sent out the message to all fugitives, “You can run, but you can’t hide."
Jonah found out that you can run but you cannot hide. Actually, he found out that you can’t run from God and you can’t hide from God. Naomi discovered that even when she left God, He would not leave her. Somewhere, somehow, God will confront the believer that is away from home. One can be certain, God will bring them home.
She also testified of:
B. How God Broke Her Down
Naomi said, “The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (vs.20). She said, “The Lord has witnessed against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me” (vs.21). She testified of how God had brought her back by breaking her down.
God knows how to get our attention. He knows how to bring us back. A preacher back home used to have a humorous way of putting it, but he got the point across. He would say, “If you live for God down here, He will take you to heaven and crown you. But if you don’t live for God, He will crown you down here and then take you to heaven.”
David said, “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3). David had in mind stubborn and rebellious sheep. A shepherd was known at times to take his rod and break the front legs of a stubborn and straying sheep. It taught the sheep a lesson and they never wandered off again.
There may be some of you who can testify of how God brought you home. You are home, but you were brought home. You can say “Amen,” to Naomi’s words, “the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. . .the Almighty has afflicted me” (vv. 20-21).
Having seen the town to which she returned and the testimony with which she returned, thirdly, think with me of:
3. THE TIME IN WHICH SHE RETURNED
We read, So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest (vs. 22). Here are some of the most blessed words in all the Bible; “So Naomi returned.” Praise God, one can come back home.
It is very interesting that she returned “at the beginning of the barley harvest” (vs. 22). This is a statement that is so full. I think it is so wonderful that the Holy Spirit included this statement describing the time she returned. It was the time the first grain was harvested. It was observed during the month of Nisan, sometimes also called Abib, which means “green ears.” It was a time when certain feasts were observed.
This was a time when there was:
A. The Application of the Blood
Leviticus 23 tells us that the beginning of the barley harvest took place at Passover time. This was the time each year that the Priest would take the blood of the sacrifice and carry it into the Holy Place to make atonement for sin. It was as if the Holy Spirit were saying that when you come home, you will find that the blood of God’s dear Son will cleanse you from all sin. Praise God there is forgiveness for the returning saint.
A group of 6 college students was traveling from New York to Florida. As their bus passed through New Jersey, a man dressed in a plain, ill-fitting suit got on and sat down in from of them. He never moved, never spoke, only sitting there chewing his lip, staring out the window. The students eventually introduced themselves; and as they talked, they learned of his story.
He had been in a New York prison for the past 4 years and was now on his way home. For the past 4 years he had had no contact with his wife and children. When he first went into prison, he had written his wife and only told her that he was going away for a long time; and if she couldn’t stand it, she could forget him and marry someone else. As far as he knew, she had done that.
He told the students how the week before, when he was sure his parole was coming up, he had written her and asked for forgiveness. He told her the whole story and expressed his desire to come home. There was a big oak tree on their place near the highway. He had asked her, that if she would take him back, to hang a white handkerchief on the tree. If she did, he would get off the bus. If there was not one there, he would know that she did not want him, and he would go on his way.
By this time, the bus was about 20 miles from his home. The students found themselves caught up in the man's anticipation. They were all looking out the window of the bus, waiting for a view of that oak tree. The closer they got, the quieter they got. As the bus drew near his home, suddenly the students were up out of their seats screaming, shouting, crying, and dancing in the aisles. There was not just one handkerchief, but the tree was covered in hundreds of handkerchiefs blowing in the wind like a banner saying, “Come on home.”
Yes, you can come home! God is waiting and will forgive of all sin. His blood will cleanse from all unrighteousness!
This was also a time in which there was:
B. The Anticipation of the Blessings
It was also a time when the Feast of Firstfruits was observed. The fields had been sown and the first of the crops had come up and had been harvested. A sheaf of barley would be waved before the Lord as an offering of thanksgiving for that which was to come. It was an act whereby praise and thanks were given to God for the blessings to come.
It was as if the Holy Spirit were saying, not only can forgiveness be found, but God will begin blessing the life again. Maybe you have failed God. You may be thinking, “God will never bless me again. I’ve blown it.” Oh, no, my dear friend. When a believer comes home, it will always be barley time.
Earlier I said that the beginning of the barley harvest was in the month of Nisan, or Abib, which would be our April. That’s springtime; a time when new life is blooming. It can be springtime for you. You can come home and start over with a new life.
There have been many that found themselves going backward in their Christian life. We find several such in the Bible: Peter (Mk.14:71), Mark (Acts 15:38), and the classic example of Jonah (Jonah 1:2-3). Instead of a cleaving to the Lord, there is often a leaving of the Lord. Robert Robinson expressed it so well in his great hymn, “Come Thou Fount.”
"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.”
Many could describe their spiritual condition in the words of Kirkpatrick’s hymn: “I’ve wandered far away from God.” If that be the case, may I suggest you say, “Lord, I’m coming home. The paths of sin, too long I’ve trod. Lord, I’m coming home.”
The story before us finds a believer coming home. As we have seen, Naomi has been away from home and away from God. Now we find her coming home and back to God. You can almost hear Naomi saying, “I’ve wasted many precious years, Now I’m coming home. I now repent with bitter tears; Lord, I’m coming home.”
[Ruth 1:19-22]
19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”
20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
21 “I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
In Naomi, we see a disturbing example of failure. We see in her the bitter experience of being away from God. Yet, we also have in her a delightful example of forgiveness. We see in her the blessed experience of coming back to God. We read, “So Naomi returned” (vs. 22). Let’s notice her return.
First, think with me of:
1. THE TOWN TO WHICH SHE RETURNED
We read, “So they both went until they came to Bethlehem” (vs.19). Ten years have passed since we saw her leaving Bethlehem-Judah. Now we see her coming home. Naomi coming back to Bethlehem was the same as coming back to God. She illustrates for us a believer who has gotten away from God, but comes back to God.
A certain businessman was asked how he had become so successful. He replied, “Good decisions.” The questioner persisted, “But how did you learn to make good decisions?” The crusty old fellow answered, “Experience.” One more question then followed. “Well, how did you get the experience?” He answered, “Bad decisions.”
Naomi had made a bad decision when she left Bethlehem and God. But now we see her making a good decision as she comes back to God.
When we think of Bethlehem, we think of:
A. The Place of God's Praise
Bethlehem was in the land of Judah, which means “praise.” It was the place where God was glorified and honored. It was the place where He was extolled and exalted. Naomi was returning to the place where God could be and would be honored in her life.
A believer away from God does not bring glory to God. When one is away from God, instead of a life that is glorifying to God, it is grieving to God. Instead of living a life by which God is honored, He is dishonored. How sad it is to see people who once honored and glorified God with their lives, now living lives that displease and dishonor Him. I am sure that you who are hearing this can think of someone who once served God and lived for Him, but now that person is away from Him.
On the other hand, I am sure you can think of someone who came back to God. You may be thinking of yourself. Blessed be His name, we can come home and bring honor and glory to His name. To Him be praise!
Bethlehem also speaks to us as:
B. The Place of God's Presence
We read of how Naomi heard “how the LORD had visited His people” (vs.6). She was returning to the place where His presence was real. She was coming back to the place where she could be in God’s presence and experience God’s presence.
I think of when Jonah rebelled against God. His experience is described as running “from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). A believer out of fellowship with God can no longer enjoy the presence of the Lord. There is not only a dishonoring of the Lord, but there is a distance from the Lord.
When a believer comes back to God, he can once again enjoy and experience God’s presence. The Psalmist said, “In Your presence is fullness of Joy” (Psalm 16:11). Many can testify to the joy of once again being in His presence.
Bethlehem also speaks to us of:
C. The Place of God's Provision
Bethlehem means the “House of Bread.” Naomi had heard that God had visited His people in Bethlehem in giving them bread (vs.6). Bethlehem was the place where God was meeting the needs of His people. It was the place where God was at work in the lives of His people. It was the place of God’s provision.
When you are away from God, you live a life that is barren of God’s blessings. Whereas, there had been a time when God was working in your life and blessing your life; away from God, those blessings are no longer experienced.
If you have failed God, the devil tells you that you will never see God at work again in your life. But Satan has always been a liar. When you come home, you will find a forgiving God who will once again make Himself known in your life.
Bethlehem also speaks to us of:
D. The Place of God's People
Bethlehem was the place where God’s people dwelt. It was the place where God’s people were gathered. It was a place of kindred spirits and like-minded souls.
No doubt, you can think of someone who used to be in Church and assembled with God’s people. They never missed and their seat was never empty. But now, they are not only out of fellowship with God, but out of the fellowship of God.
Praise God we see Naomi coming home. We see her coming back to Bethlehem; the place of God’s praise, presence, provision, and people. When there is a return to the Lord, there will be a return to praising God; as well as God's presence, provision, and people.
Now that we have seen the town to which she returned, think with me of:
2. THE TESTIMONY WITH WHICH SHE RETURNED
When Naomi returned they were stirred (“groaned or moved”) when they saw her. They asked, “Is this Naomi” (vs.19)? Notice how she answered: “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara” (vs.20). We earlier saw that Naomi means “pleasant.” Mara means “bitter.” She was testifying to the results and consequences of leaving God.
We see that Naomi testified of:
A. How God Brought Her Back
Naomi said, “I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty” (vs.21). She had been confronted by God. God had dealt with her sin. Now God has brought her home again. The Bible says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num.32:23). One thing that is as certain as grass is green, water is wet, ice is cold, and fire is hot; God will bring the wayward believer home.
The New York Times carried an article entitled, “In Toronto, U.S. Fugitives Can Run But Can’t Hide.” The story told of Joyce Carolyn Stevens, who was wanted in Texas on charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping. She was hiding in Canada like thousands of other fugitives from the United States. She was found and arrested by the Metropolitan Toronto Police Fugitive Squad. This special squad had been organized in November, 1993. Since its creation, there have been arrested more than 200 fugitives who fled to Canada, most of them Americans. The Fugitive Squad sent out the message to all fugitives, “You can run, but you can’t hide."
Jonah found out that you can run but you cannot hide. Actually, he found out that you can’t run from God and you can’t hide from God. Naomi discovered that even when she left God, He would not leave her. Somewhere, somehow, God will confront the believer that is away from home. One can be certain, God will bring them home.
She also testified of:
B. How God Broke Her Down
Naomi said, “The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (vs.20). She said, “The Lord has witnessed against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me” (vs.21). She testified of how God had brought her back by breaking her down.
God knows how to get our attention. He knows how to bring us back. A preacher back home used to have a humorous way of putting it, but he got the point across. He would say, “If you live for God down here, He will take you to heaven and crown you. But if you don’t live for God, He will crown you down here and then take you to heaven.”
David said, “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3). David had in mind stubborn and rebellious sheep. A shepherd was known at times to take his rod and break the front legs of a stubborn and straying sheep. It taught the sheep a lesson and they never wandered off again.
There may be some of you who can testify of how God brought you home. You are home, but you were brought home. You can say “Amen,” to Naomi’s words, “the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. . .the Almighty has afflicted me” (vv. 20-21).
Having seen the town to which she returned and the testimony with which she returned, thirdly, think with me of:
3. THE TIME IN WHICH SHE RETURNED
We read, So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest (vs. 22). Here are some of the most blessed words in all the Bible; “So Naomi returned.” Praise God, one can come back home.
It is very interesting that she returned “at the beginning of the barley harvest” (vs. 22). This is a statement that is so full. I think it is so wonderful that the Holy Spirit included this statement describing the time she returned. It was the time the first grain was harvested. It was observed during the month of Nisan, sometimes also called Abib, which means “green ears.” It was a time when certain feasts were observed.
This was a time when there was:
A. The Application of the Blood
Leviticus 23 tells us that the beginning of the barley harvest took place at Passover time. This was the time each year that the Priest would take the blood of the sacrifice and carry it into the Holy Place to make atonement for sin. It was as if the Holy Spirit were saying that when you come home, you will find that the blood of God’s dear Son will cleanse you from all sin. Praise God there is forgiveness for the returning saint.
A group of 6 college students was traveling from New York to Florida. As their bus passed through New Jersey, a man dressed in a plain, ill-fitting suit got on and sat down in from of them. He never moved, never spoke, only sitting there chewing his lip, staring out the window. The students eventually introduced themselves; and as they talked, they learned of his story.
He had been in a New York prison for the past 4 years and was now on his way home. For the past 4 years he had had no contact with his wife and children. When he first went into prison, he had written his wife and only told her that he was going away for a long time; and if she couldn’t stand it, she could forget him and marry someone else. As far as he knew, she had done that.
He told the students how the week before, when he was sure his parole was coming up, he had written her and asked for forgiveness. He told her the whole story and expressed his desire to come home. There was a big oak tree on their place near the highway. He had asked her, that if she would take him back, to hang a white handkerchief on the tree. If she did, he would get off the bus. If there was not one there, he would know that she did not want him, and he would go on his way.
By this time, the bus was about 20 miles from his home. The students found themselves caught up in the man's anticipation. They were all looking out the window of the bus, waiting for a view of that oak tree. The closer they got, the quieter they got. As the bus drew near his home, suddenly the students were up out of their seats screaming, shouting, crying, and dancing in the aisles. There was not just one handkerchief, but the tree was covered in hundreds of handkerchiefs blowing in the wind like a banner saying, “Come on home.”
Yes, you can come home! God is waiting and will forgive of all sin. His blood will cleanse from all unrighteousness!
This was also a time in which there was:
B. The Anticipation of the Blessings
It was also a time when the Feast of Firstfruits was observed. The fields had been sown and the first of the crops had come up and had been harvested. A sheaf of barley would be waved before the Lord as an offering of thanksgiving for that which was to come. It was an act whereby praise and thanks were given to God for the blessings to come.
It was as if the Holy Spirit were saying, not only can forgiveness be found, but God will begin blessing the life again. Maybe you have failed God. You may be thinking, “God will never bless me again. I’ve blown it.” Oh, no, my dear friend. When a believer comes home, it will always be barley time.
Earlier I said that the beginning of the barley harvest was in the month of Nisan, or Abib, which would be our April. That’s springtime; a time when new life is blooming. It can be springtime for you. You can come home and start over with a new life.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Looking Back & Looking Forward
“In that day man will have regard for his Maker and his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 17:7 NASB95
The old gravel road in front of our house on Gunsmith Street had just been paved. The small university town of College Station, Texas was ever-expanding southward, as Texas A&M’s enrollment boomed. The new black top looked as beautiful as the super speedways at Daytona and Indianapolis. As my nine-year-old legs pumped the pedals of my bicycle, I was racing A.J. Foyt for the checkered flag on the final lap…
My boyhood day dream was interrupted by the sound of an approaching automobile from behind. I glanced over my left shoulder to see which of our neighbors was coming down the country road. As I looked backwards, my bicycle dodged to the right. The sudden jolt shooting through the handlebar was a clear message that my front tire had taken an unexpected exit from the pavement, and I wasn’t going down pit road either. My head whipped forward just in time to see my entire field of vision filled with the “0” of the “1508” number on our mailbox. The collision instantly peeled me from my banana seat, as my lips kissed the property of the U.S. Postal Service. I had been “clothes-lined,” and the back of my head was the first part of my body that found the ground. A painful lesson was learned. It is important to look back, but be sure to pay attention to what lies ahead as well.
I greatly enjoyed the 50th anniversary celebration weekend at our beloved Brown Deer Baptist Church, and I thank all of you who worked so hard to make it such a great success. I was blessed by learning more of the rich heritage of our church, and by gaining a perspective on decisions made five decades ago which impact us today. It is of great value to remember the roads we have traveled. Now, let’s also begin to look farther down the road at new roads yet to be explored. The best way to look forward is to keep our eyes on the Lord (Isaiah 17:7). The direction of our journey will affect the church’s future for many years to come. We want those who celebrate our church’s 100th anniversary to look back with the same fondness on the decisions and paths we take in the present day.
I am continuing to pray and seek God’s vision for our church’s future. Some of that vision is coming into focus. I will be meeting with church leaders in the next few weeks to share this vision as we begin our journey together on newly-paved paths.
Love,
Pastor Larry
The old gravel road in front of our house on Gunsmith Street had just been paved. The small university town of College Station, Texas was ever-expanding southward, as Texas A&M’s enrollment boomed. The new black top looked as beautiful as the super speedways at Daytona and Indianapolis. As my nine-year-old legs pumped the pedals of my bicycle, I was racing A.J. Foyt for the checkered flag on the final lap…
My boyhood day dream was interrupted by the sound of an approaching automobile from behind. I glanced over my left shoulder to see which of our neighbors was coming down the country road. As I looked backwards, my bicycle dodged to the right. The sudden jolt shooting through the handlebar was a clear message that my front tire had taken an unexpected exit from the pavement, and I wasn’t going down pit road either. My head whipped forward just in time to see my entire field of vision filled with the “0” of the “1508” number on our mailbox. The collision instantly peeled me from my banana seat, as my lips kissed the property of the U.S. Postal Service. I had been “clothes-lined,” and the back of my head was the first part of my body that found the ground. A painful lesson was learned. It is important to look back, but be sure to pay attention to what lies ahead as well.
I greatly enjoyed the 50th anniversary celebration weekend at our beloved Brown Deer Baptist Church, and I thank all of you who worked so hard to make it such a great success. I was blessed by learning more of the rich heritage of our church, and by gaining a perspective on decisions made five decades ago which impact us today. It is of great value to remember the roads we have traveled. Now, let’s also begin to look farther down the road at new roads yet to be explored. The best way to look forward is to keep our eyes on the Lord (Isaiah 17:7). The direction of our journey will affect the church’s future for many years to come. We want those who celebrate our church’s 100th anniversary to look back with the same fondness on the decisions and paths we take in the present day.
I am continuing to pray and seek God’s vision for our church’s future. Some of that vision is coming into focus. I will be meeting with church leaders in the next few weeks to share this vision as we begin our journey together on newly-paved paths.
Love,
Pastor Larry
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