Victory is sweet, isn't it? As Wide World of Sports told us every Saturday there is "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." I doubt that any of us revel in a loss. We always want our team to be on the winning side. But, sometimes winning can be defeating.
This year in the NCAA basketball tournament the Kentucky Wildcats came into the tourney undefeated. Many prognosticators and predictors picked them as the eventual winners. Many of those filling out brackets picked them to win. I mean, how could they lose! They were undefeated. But, yesterday's victory is no guarantee of today's victory. Each game is played individually. And, each day is lived separately.
Spiritually we can become complacent in our battle against sin. We win a victory today and are tempted to believe that we will always gain victory over that sin. We implement biblical principles and find the joy in beating down the urge to go against God's will. Yet, we often find in real life that we fall just as hard later for the same sin we beat. Why is that?
David was learning many good and lasting lessons in his young life as he was being pursued by murderous King Saul. He fled from place to place to escape these murderous attempts. One day, hiding in a cave, with King Saul totally vulnerable, David chose to let him live. He wouldn't be controlled by bitterness, anger of vengeance. What a great victory was found that day in David's life. What a testimony to his men, and to us, that we too do not need to be controlled by our feelings. He found his victory in trusting God's will and timing.
However, as we move on in David's life we find that his victory in the cave didn't guarantee his victory in the plain! David will be disrespected by a man named Nabal and he will not handle it well. Nabal, whose name means "fool," lives up to his name. But, as David seeks to act out on his own foolish plan, God intervenes by bringing Nabal's wise wife into the picture. Abigail is the most wise person in this account. Without her counsel and confrontation of David, he would have done something he would have lived to regret.
Be reading 1 Samuel 25 to get your heart prepared for our study in the life of David. We will look at the ways we can respond to what life brings. Join us either live or via our live stream.
Which do you choose? Now or later? If it is punishment, I suppose we choose later. “Wait until your dad comes home.” Now, in this case, waiting might be the worst part. Or, you hope mom has forgotten by the time dad comes home. Or, how about this one, “We’ll get that later.” Yet, later never seems to come. But, the “let me have it now” attitude, seems to have been perfected in our day and age.
I did a little historical research about getting things now. I found that in 1936 instant Jell-o pudding was invented. Depending on who I read somewhere between 1900 and 1922 instant oatmeal was invented. Quaker Oats introduced an instant oatmeal in 1966, but had already been marketing a “quick oats” for over 40 years. And, then there is our staple drink; coffee. Many of us like to begin our day with a nicely brewed cup of java. I guess people in the past weren’t much better about waiting than we are because it was 1890 that the first instant coffee was introduced. It was in the 1940’s, however, that the onslaught of freeze-dried coffees hit the market. One of the first was “Taster’s Choice” by Nescafe. The ad campaigns marketed it to the fast paced society of the 50’s.
Today we are simply inundated with more and more instant gratification choices. Instead of calling someone and hear their voice we simply text. Instead of using our writing skills with pen and pear, we just type an email. Instead of printing pictures on paper, we keep them on our phones or computers. You never know when you might want to look at the picture from three years ago stuck in the middle of that pile of 50-100 gig of photos!
On Tuesday I suggested that we learn to slow down and smell the coffee. I wonder how you have done so far this week. Did you take any extra time to just sit quietly with the Lord. Were you “still” to get to know God? (Ps. 46:10) Did you take something off your schedule so you could spend time with your children, your spouse, your friends, or even your church? Have you slowed down at all?
Time has a way of racing along. Just yesterday I found some pictures that made my very sad. My high school, Springfield High School in Akron Ohio, was torn down to make room for a newer, shiner one. The pictures brought back a flood of memories. Walking the halls, going to class, being part of sports, staging a sit-in…oh, so many memories. But, after 43 years, I guess it’s ok for it to be demolished. In fact, I looked at when it was built and found that the newer section was built in 1950! It was newer when I was there. Yet, progress can be disappointing.
So, don’t let time just slip away. Don’t waste your time on trivial pursuits that will amount to nothing. Invest in things that will reap eternal rewards. Slow down to brew some real coffee, to make some real pudding and to cook some real oatmeal. And, instead of just spending minutes with the Word and the Lord, invest an hour or so. You’ll be glad you did.
Bacchus was the god of wine. He was also known as Dionysus. He was seen as the god of the grape harvest which led to the fermentation of the wine. He provided for his “worshippers” a frenzy or ecstasy that brought them back time and again. Ephesus was one of the centers of the worship of Bacchus. Historians tell us that the celebrations associated with Bacchus were so out of hand that the Roman Senate forbid these celebrations! Now, that is saying something.
This detrimental and debauched lifestyle was normal fare for the citizens of Ephesus. They were known as partiers who knew how to have a “good time.” Even associated with their worship of the goddess Diana, Bacchus would provide a better time.
And, it was out of this kind of lifestyle many who made up the Church in Ephesus were saved from. These former drunkards and abusers were now being taught a new way to live. The Apostle Paul comes to this topic in Ephesians 5:18-20. He will call the believers to be controlled by something new, or rather Someone new. He tells them to stop being controlled by the provisions of Bacchus. Rather, be controlled by the Holy Spirit Who was given to each believer.
In our day we are being told that a “teetotaler,” one who completely abstains from any use of alcoholic beverages is out of step with modern culture. More and more Christian voices are calling for a relaxation of of the old “legalistic” stance against the moderate use of alcohol. Is this a good step? Is this the path we as believers should be taking?
I believe not. Call me “old fashioned” or “stuck in the past,” but I still believe the path of total abstinence is the best way to live. Sunday we will approach this very controversial subject as we enter the passage in Ephesians. We will look at what Paul is saying to his original readers and to us today.
As you try to answer this question for yourself may I ask you one thing? If I never drink, will I ever have to worry about drunkenness or alcoholism? I think the answer is obvious, isn’t it? Come Sunday so we can study this important subject together. Let’s choose wisely.
Oh, boy, mom won’t be happy about this mess! Looks like someone hasn’t been very careful in putting things away.
Have you heard about hoarders? They have become popular enough for a television show. Hoarders are people that have no self-control when it come to getting things. Some order unnecessary things and never open them. Others just won’t throw away an old magazine or newspapers. Things simply pile up higher and higher until the person can barely get around in their own home. Simply put, it is chaos!
Yet, each one of us has that same choice every day. We might not stress over throwing away an old newspaper. And, maybe our offices don’t look like this. But, our lives are made up of one out of control decision after another.
The Apostle Paul says, “Stop being dunk with wine which leads to dissipation.” (Eph. 5:18) Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t use the word “dissipation” much! Other translations use the English word “debauchery.” The Greek word Paul uses points out a wasteful life style. It has the idea of scattering things randomly. Much like a tornado, a life out of control simply turns life into chaos.
What about us? Are we living orderly or chaotically? Sunday we will look into steps that lead to orderly lives.
Other translations use the English word “debauchery.” The Greek word Paul uses points out a wasteful life style. It has the idea of scattering things randomly. Much like a tornado, a life out of control simply turns life into chaos.