ARTICLES & PAMPHLETS
To see what is inside any of the pamphlets below, please select one.
The Original GPS by Dr. T
The GPS we use today in our cars and phones are Global Positioning Systems. They help us to navigate to where we want to go by inputting our departure and arrival locations, and by following their specified directions, they help us navigate safely and timely.
The GPS most of us use has an aerial view or satellite view of the ground or a map, helping us to see where we are going as we travel. But there are other types of GPS as well. There is one for airplanes which gives pilots a forward or a cross-section view of what’s ahead. This is necessary so airplanes don’t run into mountains, towers, and other planes. Another type of GPS is one that is used on bulldozers and road graders. It is similar to the forward or cross section view in that it aids the bulldozer or road grader operator to cut dirt off of high spots and fill it into low spots while building a road. There is even a more expensive and more sophisticated system that can be used on these machines that is fully automated. What incredible advances in engineering and technology these are!
The original GPS, however, was given to us by God to navigate life well, and we call it the Holy Bible. Another name for it would be the Godly Positioning System. It is a great gift enabling us to find our way spiritually and to grow in a relationship with God. It was written by over 40 authors, from different walks of life over a 1500-year period, and yet reads as one book with one author, which is of course God the Father, with one main subject—Jesus Christ (Messiah) His Son.1
God’s GPS is Godly in two ways. First, it provides God’s guidelines or rules of the road for us to follow. Secondly, it reveals God’s example to us. Ephesians 5:18 encourages us to “be imitators of God…”
Psalm 119 is a fascinating chapter about the Bible and informs us in great detail about it. Of the 1189 chapters in the Bible, it is the longest2, is in the center of the Bible3, and is entirely about the Bible! It is written in Hebrew poetic form with 22 sections of eight verses each, with each section starting with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in alphabetical order. In fact, the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet (Old Testament) are aleph and beth (sounds like bate) and the first two letters of the Greek alphabet (New Testament) are alpha and beta. This is where our English word "alphabet" originated from, by combining these first two letters alpha + beta = alphabet.4
There are eight important words in this chapter which are descriptive of the many names and forms of God‘s word5 and they are used in all but 7 of the 176 verses. The first word is “law”. It’s the same word in Hebrew for Torah which means “direction, instruction.”
The second word is “testimony”, and it means “admonition, ordinance or statute.” This would be a testimony where one is not talking about what God or someone else has done, but rather one where the person admonishes others to whom he is speaking. The third word is “commandment”6 and it is defined as “an order given” such as is practiced in the military, like when a commanding officer shouts, "Drop and give me fifty!"
Another similar word like commandment is the word “precept.”7 It is defined as “a command intended, especially as a rule of action.” This common biblical word refers to instructions from God that are intended to be on-going in a believer's life. The fifth word, is the word “statute.” This refers to “something prescribed or owed.” Just as a doctor prescribes drugs and actions one can take to become healthy physically, God prescribes teachings in Scripture that will help us grow spiritually, emotionally, and even physically at times.
The next word is “judgment.” This relates to “justice and ordinances”. When a judge pronounces a judgment, he is directing the path of the sentenced convict. The seventh word is “word" which has to do with “speech and words.” And the final one is “promise", defined as “word" as in "I give you my word.”
4 Things You Want from a GPS
First, you want to know it works. Psalms 119:98-100 states that it will indeed succeed, “Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.”
I have experienced having “more insight than all my teachers” on more than one occasion. When I was in the eighth grade, my atheist science teacher attempted to tell our class that God did not create the world, rather scientists believed in evolutionary origins without a Creator. Just prior to this, God had called me to full time ministry, so He emboldened me to disagree with the learned teacher. After the fireworks settled, I managed to pass the class anyway. A few years later I met that teacher in church and discovered he had changed his views entirely as he had become a believer too and married into a great Christian family! Could it be that an emboldened teen had more truth than his teacher because of his interaction with the word of God and consequently became part of a complete intellectual and spiritual makeover for his instructor?
The statement “I have more understanding than the elders...” may not make sense to us today, as many people simply ask Siri or they “Google” the information they need. In ancient cultures and even in times not too far back from us, knowledge of specific categories was held only by libraries and wise people. “Elders” were such people who were older and possessed life experience. Our ancestors relied on the wisdom of those who had gone before us to live successfully. Even while “...the honor of old men is their gray hair” (Proverbs 20:29, NASB), the believer who obeys God's word will have more understanding than them!
The second benefit you want from your GPS, is you want to know how to get where you are going. Psalms 119:105 informs that God's word provides direction and protection, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” The oil lamps in use when this passage was written were small enough to hold in the palm of a hand and gave a small flame of light about an inch or two high, much like a Bic lighter today. The holder of the lamp could only see a few feet ahead, just enough to not stumble and fall, “a lamp to my feet” (protection) and just enough light to find his way, “a light for my path” (direction).
Thirdly, you want to have a safe trip. Psalms 119:101 declares, “I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.” Psalms 119:11 adds, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Sin brings with it consequences like shame, guilt, pain and suffering, but the one who obeys God's word will be safe.
Finally, you want to enjoy your journey. Psalms 119:103 reveals that you certainly will enjoy your trip if you invest in time with your Bible, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Dates grew wildly all over Israel and were used to make honey. It was the sweetest tasting food one could put in his mouth at that time and place, and the Psalmist wrote that the word of God was sweeter! Isaiah exclaimed something very similar, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3, NASB).
Vicente' was an African witch doctor who one day noticed a serious moral decline in his community. After pondering for several weeks what to do, he decided to travel to the nearest city and find a religious bookstore to see if he could purchase a holy book that might direct him to a solution. He bought one and brought it back to his village and began reading it to his friends and family. Soon, nearly everyone from the community was attending his readings, and he began to see moral changes and improvements in his tribe.
A Christian missionary who happened to be in the area heard about the well-attended meetings and investigated them. To his amazement and delight, he discovered the villagers had become believers in Jesus Christ and a church had been planted! The holy book Vicente' had purchased was a “Holy Bible”!
The original GPS helped a whole village get to where they needed to be. It can help anyone and everyone who will pick it up and use it.
GPS = Godly Positioning System
Growing Deeper...
► What is your personal navigational system?
► How is it working out for you?
► Are you ready to give God's Positioning System a go?
1 Christ is the English for Christos in Greek, which is the same as Messiah in English from the Hebrew Mashiach meaning "anointed one." NASB Concordance.
2 Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter of the Bible.
3 Psalm 118 is the actual center chapter of the Bible.
4 "The word alphabet comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha and beta. It was first used, in
its Latin form, alphabetum, by Tertullian during the 2nd–3rd century CE and by St. Jerome. The Classical Greeks
customarily used the plural of to gramma (“the letter”); the later form alphabētos was probably adopted under Latin
influence." https://www.britannica.com/question/Where-does-the-word-alphabet-come-from.
5 New American Standard Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible and Strong's Hebrew Lexicon.
6 Ibid.
7 Merriam Webster Dictionary.
The Steps of the Biblical Education TEST By Dr. T
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)
When studying 2 Timothy 3:16 a little while back, I decided to do word studies on the four key words Paul uses when he’s talking about the educational and spiritual “profit” of God's word. Not only was I intrigued by the acronym
TEST that came from the four words, but I discovered the words were actually levels to learning, like climbing steps on the biblical education staircase.
Teach the Bible,
Expose Error,
Straighten Doctrine, and
Train Disciples.
Training
Straightening
Exposing
Teaching
Teach the Bible.
The first step a student takes on their journey is learning from “teaching” or “instruction, conveying information” by speaking truth. The Greek word is didaskalos from where we get the English word “didactic”1 and means, "designed or intended to teach: intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment." In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commissioned His disciples; “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Truth is first discovered from its teaching.
Expose Error.
The second word “reproof" or “rebuke" takes us up another step in our spiritual growth journey by commanding that we deal with error in our thinking as well. A good translation of this word is “to expose.”2 So we are not to only teach truth, but but we must expose error or untruths as well. In Matthew 7:5 (NASB) Jesus challenged believers about judging and exposing error; "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Again in 1 Corinthians 11:31, Paul followed Christ's lead and encouraged the church in Corinth to evaluate themselves carefully and avoid future judgment; "For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged."
Straighten Doctrine.
The third Greek word has the root orthosis3 where we get the English transliteration “ortho” as in orthodontist or orthopedic, for “straightening” teeth and limbs. So we as Bible teachers should help guide a student's doctrine and worldview through proper exegesis4 (interpretation of the text)5 to be straightly aligned with Scripture and God's leading in our lives. In 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul uses this same word as he demands Timothy pastor his sheep (people) carefully; “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.”
Train Disciples.
The final word in this intriguing and instructive verse is “training.” It comes from the Greek word paideuo meaning “to train children, discipline, punish.”6 Those of us who have raised children know full well how much time, effort and other resources go into helping train them, whether or not we are successful at it. In 1 Timothy 4:7 church leaders are also encouraged to train themselves; “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” Note sadly, these last two steps of straightening and training are rarely part of a church's educational or discipleship ministry.
Verse 17 provides us with the wonderful results of this TEST, that the "...man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The New Testament definition of "thoroughly" is "fitted, complete, adequate"7 and the definition of "equipped" is "to complete, to equip fully" from a root word meaning "get ready, prepare." The individual that completes the Bible TEST steps will be completely equipped and prepared for every good work!8
Growing Deeper...
► Is your doctrine straight/correct?
► Do you know how to catch error in preaching and teaching?
► Is your church or small group aware of the 4 steps and practicing them?
1 Defined as "designed or intended to teach people something." https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/didactic.
NASB Concordance.
2 “Reproof” in NASB, NRSV, ESV, NKJV, and KJV is elegmos, with the root elegchô = exposing, convicting. Ibid.
3 Correcting (all translations are the same here). ἐπανόρθωσις/epanorthôsis, root ἀνορθόω/anorthoô = "to set
straight again, from orthoô = "to set straight or Straightening". Ibid.
4 Lit. to get "the meaning out of" the text, like an exit gets one out of a building. "Theological scholars have long
been preoccupied with interpreting the meanings of various passages in the Bible. In fact, because of the sacred
status of the Bible in both Judaism and Christianity, biblical interpretation has played a crucial role in both of those
religions throughout their histories. English speakers have used the word exegesis—a descendant of the Greek term
exēgeisthai, meaning "to explain" or "to interpret"—to refer to explanations of Scripture since the early 17th
century. Nowadays, however, academic writers interpret all sorts of texts, and exegesis is no longer associated
mainly with the Bible." https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exegesis.
5 See chapter 16, 4 Simple Steps to READ Your Bible Better.
6 "Instruction" in NKJV and KJV. παιδεία/paideia = lit. "the rearing of a child, training, discipline", root
παιδεύω/paideuô = "to train children, to chasten, correct, discipline, punish [e.g. military training]." NASB
Concordance.
7 ἄρτιος/artios = "fitted, complete, adequate." Root from αρτίζω/artizô = "get ready, prepare." Ibid.
8 "Every good work", ἔργον/ergon = "action, behavior, deed." Ibid.
Psalms 102:25-26 confirms the Law of Entropy; "In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded." Isaiah 51:6b adds; "the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies." In Matthew 24:35 Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away…" The Law of entropy, or the 2nd Law of thermodynamics, states that things left to themselves will wear out or decay. When the Bible was written there was no observable evidence that things were wearing out. The consensus of the scientists was that it was not decaying, but getting better, leading to modern evolutionary theory. This agreement between the Law of Entropy and the Bible gives the Bible great credibility as a scientific document, since its writers were so incredibly accurate!
Jeremiah 33:22b tells of the innumerable stars in our universe; "…as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore." Astronomers used to believe that they had a count of the total number of stars in the universe–-until the invention of the telescope. They soon found out that the bigger the telescope, the greater the number of stars there were to be found. Now we know there are at least 100 billion stars in our galaxy, and several hundred billion other galaxies! With the enhancement of the Hubble telescope, more stars are still being discovered!
Psalms 19:6 revealed centuries ago that the sun moves; "It (the sun) rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat." We now know that the sun follows a circular path within one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way at 600,000 mph! Astronomers used to think the sun was a fixed point in our galaxy, and before that, that the earth was the center of our galaxy, and that our galaxy was all that existed.
Isaiah 40:22a informs us that our planet is a sphere; "He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth." The earth is a round like a ball. Scientists used to think it was flat, while the Bible correctly taught about its spherical shape hundreds of years ago!
Job 26:7 teaches us of the earth's suspension in space; "He (God) spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing." Modern science agrees, the earth is suspended in space, which the Bible told us several millennia ago! It is interesting to note that the book of Job is believed to be at least 4000 years old.
Hebrews 11:3 acknowledged the invisible particles of matter; "the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Scientists tell us that things in the universe were apparently made from nothing; all matter is made of particles that are not visible in natural light.
Psalms 8:8 is where Matthew Maury, the "Father of Modern Oceanography" got the idea for ocean currents; "the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas." Maury showed us the predictable paths or currents in the oceans.
Job 36:27-28 describes the earth's Hydrological Cycle; "He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the stream; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind." Contemporary scientists agree this is an accurate depiction of the earth's hydrological cycle.
Ecclesiastes 1:6 explains global wind currents; "The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course." Solomon's description of the global wind currents concurs with the understanding of modern meteorologists.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 describes the earth's surface water cycle; "All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again." The answer to the dilemma of how and where surface water goes is found here and so understood today.
There are at least 100 of these amazing statements in the Bible, written at times when scientists did not have the ability to determine their validity! When the Bible speaks of natural knowledge, it has been proven true over and over again by modern experimentation and technology! Its words are not theories, but facts.
One final note. The word universe actually means "one" (uni) "word" (verse), (or "turned into"; versus), referring to God speaking or turning matter into existence as Psalms 33:9 notes, "For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command."
Scientists Who Believe(d) in Jesus Christ as the Creator (to name a few):
| Johannes Keppler | Matthew Maury |
|---|---|
| John Ambrose Flemming | Michael Faraday |
| Blaise Pascal | Louis Agassiz |
| Everett C. Koop | Wernher Von Braun |
| Isaac Newton | Louis Pasteur |
| Michael Behe | Phillip Johnson |
For more Scientists: visit rae.org, or read, "Professors Who Believe" (Vols. 1&2) - Paul M. Anderson, IVP, and "On the Seventh Day, 40 scientists" by John F. Ashton, MP.
By Dr. T (Terrence W. Smith)
| R. | Research |
|---|---|
| E. | Evaluate |
| A. | Apply |
| D. | Devote |
R.E.A.D Your Bible Better
According to pollster George Gallup, 3 out of 4 Americans believe the Bible to be the actual or inspired word of God! (footnote 1) While this is an encouraging find, less than half of these believers are reading the Bible daily or weekly, which equals one third of all Americans. (footnote 2) Reading the Bible more is great and beneficial, but how well are we reading, interpreting, and understanding?
To make our reading more effective, we need to learn to focus. When we focus on the passage in front of us and ignore all distractions around us and in our minds, we can zero in on our reading. Sometimes it takes a lot of discipline, but it is well worth the effort when we see the results and we begin to truly understand the passage we are studying, and even better—hear God speak!
There are many tools today that we can use to help us get more from the biblical text. The most commonly known one is the concordance, which is a listing of all Bible verses using a specific word, which has been arranged in alphabetical order. Most concordances also have numbers linking them to the original Hebrew and Greek words, which have definitions in the back of the book or in another companion book called a lexicon. So if you find a word in a verse that you don’t understand or you think may mean more than its face value, this will help you understand the passage better and hopefully unlock its primary meaning. Computer software does this more easily; as simply as double clicking on the word you want (e.g. Wordsearch and Logos). There are also websites like Biblehub.com and Netbible.org that offer the same tools for free.
A topical Bible is another tool that helps immensely when you are doing a topical Bible study by providing a biblical outline of the subject matter. Add to this a Bible dictionary, which as you may have guessed, is a dictionary of biblical people, places, and events. Bible encyclopedias, handbooks and atlases provide much supportive information in the areas their names suggest. Bible commentaries are listed last because it is far better for the Bible student to read them after they have some sense of the interpretation, as the commentators generally provide it, yet their conclusions often vary drastically! Ask a mature believer who you trust to offer some direction on good commentaries like Warren Wiersbe’s Bible Exposition Commentaries.
A good study Bible has some or many of these tools included (e.g. The NIV Study Bible by Zondervan, also available in other translations), although some are often abridged too much.
The next step is to Evaluate the information you’ve discovered. Bible teachers normally call this the interpretation phase. Here we want to sift through the information from our observations of the biblical passage, and funnel it all down to determine what it all meant to the original readers and hearers, and then what it means to us today, both personally and corporately (the church). When discussing personal examination in preparation for the Lord’s Supper, the apostle Paul gave us an insightful heads-up about God’s judgment of us and our opportunity to avoid it— “But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:31-32) Further, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; (17) so that the man of God may be adequate, [thoroughly] equipped for every good work.”
The “A” in the acronym reminds us of the necessity to Apply what we have learned. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (NIV) James 4:17 adds, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
One additional practice that helps immensely with research, evaluation, and application is memorization. Before the invention of the printing press, the Bible and all things written, were copied meticulously by hand or memorized and passed on orally. Psalm 119:15-16 says, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. (16) I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. (NKJV) Psalm 119:11 adds “Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (NKJV) And Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b) Here are three practical ways we can use our God-given R.A.M.:
| Repetition - | repeat a phrase often and you will remember it. |
|---|---|
| Association - | line up a new thought with something familiar. |
| Meditation - | think carefully and much about what God has said. |
And finally,
Devote yourself to regular and continual research, evaluation and application, and of course prayer! This is where the idea of “devotions” comes from, that many Christians all over the world commit to daily. James charged us with a promise to “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) A little
accountability goes a long ways too. Ask someone for help and encouragement, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13) Also, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)
READ = Research + Evaluation + Application + Devotion
Great Websites: www.biblehub.com, www.blueletterbible.com, www.netbible.org, and www.biblestudytools.com
By Dr. T (Terrence W. Smith)
Footnotes:
1 https://news.gallup.com/poll/170834/three-four-bible-word-god.aspx
2 https://www.barna.com/research/the-bible-in-america-6-year-trends/
3 https://www.dictionary.com/browse/research
4 All Bible verses are quoted in the NASB unless otherwise noted.
5 https://www.dictionary.com/browse/context
| A | Admit |
|---|---|
| B | Believe |
| C | Confess |
Sin is universal, as “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory...” (Romans 3:23). I checked the “all” in the original language this verse was written in (Greek) and it means “all, everyone.” (footnote 2) You and I and everyone else has fallen short of God’s standard, and need forgiveness and cleansing that only God can give. But there is more. Note that in the famous John 3:16 verse, Jesus gave His life so that we would not “perish” but have eternal life. The word “perish” means to be “utterly destroyed”. (footnote 3) Why will people perish? The Bible tells us it is because of sin, “The wages of sin is death...” (Romans 6:23), and it is a barrier between God and man that must be removed; “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18). That is why Jesus died on the cross, to pay the penalty of sin and make a bridge to God. He alone could span the gap between us since He was fully God and fully man! (footnote 4)
1 "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:10-12.
2 #3956, pas, New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (NASC).
3 # 622, apollumi, NASC.
4 Philippians 2:7-8; John 1:1-14.
Created in GOD’S IMAGE
When God first made mankind, He created us in His own image! Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...’” (NASB) That is pretty cool isn’t it? But what does it mean? What does it mean to be created in the “image of God?” The words “image” and “likeness” are defined similarly in Hebrew, except that the word “image” adds an extra dimension to the idea of being like God. It means that there is a respectability aspect or honor to mankind like that of God’s. It certainly is not saying that we look like God physically, especially since God is spirit (John 4:24), but certainly our spirits are like His, possessing this splendorous respectibility! God has made mankind to be much more like Him than anything else in all of creation! That should make us all feel better about who we are!
“Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (soul).” Genesis 2:7 (NASB)
Theologians talk about this honorable appearance unfolding in several different ways. They say that the image of God can be seen in men through imparted transcendence. In other words, just as God is above and greater than all of creation, so man is also above it. Of course there still is a great difference between God and man, as God does not need any of His creation. Man on the other hand, while transcending the natural world, absolutely needs it for his own physical survival. Further, man is designed to rule over creation according to Genesis 1:26-28. So the first two of the amazing gifts of God to us in this gloriously shared image, are transcendence and rulership.
In addition, man is like God in his personhood. Man is a person just as God is a person. God is not human, but he is a person and He has personality. In that same vein, God is sociable and therefore so is man. Man is made to be a socially responsible human being and therefore has the awesome opportunity to experience a relationship with God! God said “let Us make man in Our image”, which is believed to be a reference to the Holy Trinity--God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. So just as God is three persons in one, man is made up of both body and spirit (and some add “soul”), and can even have oneness with a spouse. Remember, God said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” (NIV) Or as the NLT says the two become “...united into one.” (Gen 2:24)
God also made mankind creative and procreative. Showing his creativity, Genesis 3:20 tells us Adam named his wife, and with meaning: “Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.” Also, we read in Genesis 4:21 of Jubal who was “...the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.” Music was one of the many creative traits of the image of God given to man. In reference to his procreative abilities, Genesis 4:1 states, “Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, ‘I have gotten a man child with the help of the Lord.’” Obviously none of this could happen apart from God’s power, yet in His sovereignty He gave man and woman the ability to conceive a child together as a result of their choice and action.
Another way in which God made us in His image was productivity. He designed mankind to work the garden of Eden and make it productive. According to Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” The NASB translates it, “to cultivate it and keep it.” Just as God worked, so man must work. And just as God rested after the sixth day, so man must rest after six days of work (Exodus 20:8-11).
The final manner in which we are created in God’s image, is goodness. In Genesis 1:25, after creating everything but mankind, the text says that “God saw that it was good.” After creating man, however, verse 31 notes that God then acknowledged that it was “very good.” Also, a few verses later, chapter 2 verse 17 teaches that God gave Adam and Eve (humanity’s parents and representatives) the potential to choose goodness with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were good by God’s design, but now they were afforded the opportunity to remain so, or by choice, fall from grace and possess knowledge of both good and evil. Subsequently, humanity became victims to their own flesh. Romans 5:18 states, “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass (Adam’s) was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.” (NIV)
These seven characteristics of the image of God in which man was originally created, have been distorted due to sin. But when a person acknowledges God as creator and Lord, and confesses their sin before Him, they have the opportunity to restore much of the image of God in themselves. In fact, 2 Cor 5:17 says that if we are in Christ, we are a new creation, and this verifies that we can be restored to our original image. Because of this transformation, we can be more like Christ and less like mankind. Being aware of who we are in Christ, is extremely important to our spiritual growth. This should encourage all of us who are believers to know that we are His special creation!
Romans 8:14 tells us that true Christians are the sons of God, and are led by His Spirit! Verse 16 names us the children of God and according to verse 17 we are heirs to God’s kingdom! Colossians 1:13-14 tells us that we are forgiven, Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved, and Galatians 3:13 and Psalm 107:2 says that we have been redeemed! In other words, we have been bought with a price by God because He loves us so much and we are special to him! First Corinthian's 5:7 says we've been sanctified (cleansed, made holy), Romans 5:1 says we are justified, and Colossians 1:13 says we have been delivered!
Psalm 91:11 says we are safe, Philippians 4:19 says we are blessed, and Deuteronomy 28:6 says we are blessed continually! First Peter 5:7 says we can be carefree and 1 Peter 2:24 says we are healed! First John 5:11-12 says we possess eternal life, Eph. 6:10 and Phil. 4:13 say that we are strong, and Romans 8:37 says that we are conquerors! Rev 12:11 and 1 John 4:4 say we are over comers! 1Cor. 4:17 says we’ve been made faithful, Romans 12:1-2 says we are renewed in mind and in Matthew 5:14 Jesus said we are “the light of the world.”
There is so much more the Bible says about who we are in Christ, but isn’t this a great start? We should be encouraged by these verses, and we will be wise to look at them from time to time as a reminder of His goodness and thank God for all he’s done for us!
| C. | Conviction |
|---|---|
| A. | Awareness |
| L. | Leadership |
| L. | Lasting |
| E. | Energy |
| D. | Done |
Six Keys to Unlock Your Calling
Have you ever asked yourself questions like, “Am I meant to do something more with my life? Am I bored, dissatisfied and unhappy with my job or current life status? Do I long for something else―something more fulfilling than what I am doing now?”
If you have been asking these questions, maybe you need to consider a new “calling”, or put more commonly, a new vocation. It has been wisely concluded that “if you love your job (calling) you will never work a day in your life.”
There is more than one type of calling, especially for Christians. In the Bible we are told that Believers are called to salvation, spiritual growth, suffering and service, but most of the time we struggle with the specific service God is calling us to. It is no wonder that it is so difficult for us, since we have so many options, and so many enemies―the world (rebellious mankind), human nature (rebellious selfishness) and spiritual darkness (rebellious spirits―Satan and demons).
To make this easier, we must seek God in prayer and study of the Bible, which is His “word” to us. The Bible records several characteristics of God’s calling that are helpful in understanding it.
Biblical Characteristics
God’s call is obvious. Matthew 4:18-22 recounts the first calling of the disciples by our Lord Jesus, where He approached Peter and Andrew and spoke to them clearly and authoritatively. How do we know this? We know it because of their response―they obeyed Him immediately! When God calls us it should be unmistakable.
God will call when you are giving your best effort in your present situation. Acts 9 records that this was true with the conversion of Saul, where Jesus called him to apostolic service. We find that Paul was striving to serve God to the best of his ability and power (partly by eliminating what he saw as the Christian cult). Jesus knew Paul’s real passion was to please God, so He stopped him on his way to Damascus and confronted him, calling him to preach and suffer for His sake. Paul was busy serving God when Jesus called.
God will call in His time. Certainly Paul and Ananias were surprised at God’s timing when he contacted them. Saul and his companions must have been shocked at Jesus’ appearance on the road in front of them in the middle of their trip. Saul lost his sight and they lost their voices. The timing was so completely unexpected! Ananias questioned the Lord because of Saul’s recent persecution of the saints and was probably struggling with his specific call, yet he was obedient. For us, God is full of surprises―He is far above our human condition and level of understanding, “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. 9 ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8).
God will often call through mature believers. Ananias was informed by the Lord in a vision that Saul would be His “chosen instrument” to carry His name “before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15) Ananias was God’s man to help Paul see with both his eyes and his soul. Proverbs 15:22 reminds us that a person with many counselors is wise and chapter 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Listen to the godly people around you, like Paul listened to Ananias.
God will call in worship. We find in Acts 13:2 that the Holy Spirit spoke directly to the worshiping believers about Paul and Barnabas’ calling: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” All believers are called to minister to the Lord (praise, prayer, offerings, etc.) and should be doing so faithfully, and to minister for the Lord (discipling, caring, witnessing). If we are busy serving and worshiping, God will call us there.
The Bible and Christian experience provide at least six keys to unlock your calling. When you are C.A.L.L.E.D., you will have:
Awareness of the your wiring (the way you think and act), gifts (natural and spiritual), talents (abilities and resources) and personality style (the way you interact with others).
Leadership counsel and approval: like Christ's call and approval of His disciples in Matthew 4:19-22, and of the Apostle Paul after the resurrection in Acts 9. Also Paul's exhortation to Timothy and future disciples in 2 Timothy 2:2, and church leaders in Ephesians 4:11-13. Further, the Bible uses the terms elder, shepherd and overseer interchangeably, revealing an ordained authority of pastors to teach and lead with the guidance of the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
Lasting desire and commitment to something. If God is at work in your desire to serve Him in a specific way, the passion for it will not soon leave you.
Energy and fulfillment experienced by doing a certain work. You find yourself satisfied and joyful with the tasks you have completed. You come away feeling like your work has had value for the Kingdom of God.
Done the work already. You've come to realize that you have been involved in the specific work all along, maybe as a hobby or just for the fun of it. So why not continue what you enjoy doing as an occupation? Don’t you really want to “never work another day in your life?”
One note of caution: without leadership approval and counsel, our view of our calling can be entirely self-sided! Please remember, God’s will for us is not about us! It is about Him―obedience and service is what matters most. “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:17-21)
1 Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10; 12:28-30; Eph 4:11; and Exod 31:1-5; 35:31-33.
2 Even in the Bible, visits by angels are extremely rare, as are visions and dreams. “...in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.” Heb 1:2
| F. | Fear |
|---|---|
| E. | Escape |
| A. | Apply |
| R. | Remain |
Fear and love God. Because He is Holy, "Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?" (Psalms 77:13) Revere God because He sees all, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13) Also, we should have a healthy respect for God because He is the final Judge, "...He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts..." (1 Corinthians 4:5b)
Escape from what tempts you. 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 2 Timothy 2:22 adds, "Flee (run from) the evil desires of youth, and pursue (run after) righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with (run with) those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” A great little poem to help us remember when to flee is, "Flee in three (seconds), because eight is too late."
Apply Scripture. James 1:22 challenges us; "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." In Philippians 4:8, the Apostle Paul advised, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." 2 Timothy 3:16 informs us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." Also Hebrews 5:13-14 stresses, "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
Remain Faithful to Christ. Hebrews 3:14 tells us "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." When sharing the Parable of the Talents,
Jesus said the owner commended the faithful servant and rewarded him, "'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.'" (Luke 19:17, NASB)
An important part of remaining is our prayer life, as Romans 12:12 adds, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." When teaching the disciples how to pray, Jesus said to pray about temptation also, "... And don’t let us yield to tempt-ation, but rescue us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:13, NLT) Keep praying: sharing your cares and concerns with God your Father, because He cares deeply for you! (1 Peter 5:7)
John Owen, an early American Puritan hit it dead on when he wrote about the dangerous effects of sin and how to address it, "Be killing sin, or it will be killing you." Tough words for tough times—and especially relevant for today. One final word from Dr. Seuss who wisely reminds us that we make the choices that decide our future, "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." (Oh the Places You'll Go!)
| G | Glean |
|---|---|
| I | Inquire |
| F | Feel |
| T | Think |
| S | Serve |
Inquire of others. Get the opinion of mature believers you trust to assess and confirm your gifts. Proverbs 15:22 supports this; "Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed." (NASB)
Feel it out. Experiment with your gifts. Try serving with your gifts in your church or mission and see how it goes. Observe whether or not you have found satisfaction and fulfillment while doing so, or if someone you have served has been encouraged in their faith. "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:16)
Think it through. Reflect, evaluate and pray about all of the information you have collected, earnestly asking God to reveal His gifting and calling clearly to you. Ephesians 6:18 instructs us to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." And finally;
Serve with your gifts. Offer your abilities to the Lord by serving in the area of your giftedness in your local church or mission. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." (1 Peter 4:10)
With all of these suggestions considered together, you should be a short way from finding what your spiritual gifts are. Once you know them, use them! You might be a hand, and my what the body can do with its hands! "Now the body is not made up of one part but of many... Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:14-27)
| D | Develop |
|---|---|
| E | Establish |
| P | Prioritize |
| E | Employ |
| N | Nab |
| D | Determine |
Managing time can enable us to become more productive and efficient. Not just accomplishing more, but also creating more time for rest, family, church and most of all, personal time with the Lord.
I remember years ago when my children were teenagers. It became apparent to me that they were investing an inordinate amount of time playing video games, surfing the net and watching TV and movies. One of my sons in particular, was investing far too much time on screen. So I did a little calculating and gave him another perspective on this careless stewardship1 of precious time. I observed the number of screen hours he accumulated each day to be about 4, and I multiplied them by 365 days a year to get a total of 1424 hours for the year. Then I divided this by 24 hours per day to get 59 days! The equivalent of two months were lost to his life each year to pure entertainment, mainly video games! What was even more eye opening was realizing that every 6 years, a whole year would disappear into the wasteland of electronic entertainment! My son gained a whole new perspective on his use of time and made some wise appropriate adjustments to his activities.
While we all need Sabbath rest, I fear that modern screen time doesn't count for much in that regard. Especially since it did not even exist for millennia, and has only been available to us in these seemingly unlimited ways since the recent turn of the last century (and TV for several decades before and potentially just as addictive). Of course there are good and noble ways to use technology, such as the production of this article on this website to help people grow in their relationship with God, and the reproduction of true God-honoring stories on film, Bible teaching podcasts, Bible study websites, etc.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to think more about stewarding our time in a God-honoring way. Here are a few steps to managing your time effectively by creating a plan that you can "DEPEND" on:
1. Develop daily time for prayer, study & planning. Do it when you are most aware and clear minded. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Our Lord Jesus set the example for us in this since He “...often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)
2. Establish goals and objectives. Some goals are attainable fairly soon and others must by necessity be set into the future or distant future. Objectives are the specific actions and measurable steps that you need to take to achieve your goal.2 Proverbs 21:5 promises, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit…" So be diligent at establishing your goals and objectives, and profit from them.
3. Prioritize tasks & goals. Determine what is most important in your life such as your relationship with God, family, ministry and work (if different from ministry). Don't forget to schedule time for Sabbath rest! This was not only important enough to listed among the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), but also necessary for re-charging spiritually, mentally and physically!
Keep in mind that daily and weekly rest are both important. A normal Sabbath is 1 day or 1/7th. of a week, which is a good standard for measuring rest time. Maybe we should use the 1/7th. measurement for daily rest as well. If you sleep 8 hours at night and are left with 16 hours of day time activity, you could set aside 1/7th. of that time, or 2 hours and 20 minutes3 for resting time or relaxing or play time.
Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
4. Employ a scheduler/calendar. Write things down (meetings, appointments, tasks) and determine when they should be done so you will remember later the important things you need to do, as well as other responsibilities. Realistic deadlines help you achieve your goals and result in personal growth and fulfillment. Proverbs 15:23"A man finds joy in giving an apt reply--and how good is a timely word!"
5. Nab a friend - find an accountability partner. Ask someone to correct you when you err and advise you when you are uncertain. More wisdom from Proverbs 15:22, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 27:17 adds, ”As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
6. Determine your course of action, analyze & streamline your schedule. Carefully consider whether or not you are trying to do too much or not enough, and adapt your schedule to your priorities. James 4:17 reveals just how important this is; "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
Growing Deeper...
Which of the steps above do you need to begin using or start using again? When will you start them or re-set them? Pick a time now and commit to managing your time in a way that is fruitful for the Kingdom of God and for glorifying Him and benefiting you!
A life-changing resource worth reading is a book by Christian M.D., Richard A. Swenson called Margin, Restoring Emotional, Physical, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives.4
Footnotes:
1Definitions: 1: the office, duties, and obligations of a steward, 2 : the conducting, supervising, or managing of something especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care stewardship of natural resources. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stewardship.
2“Goals are the outcomes you intend to achieve, whereas objectives are the specific actions and measurable steps that you need to take to achieve a goal. Goals and objectives work in tandem to achieve success. If you create goals without clear objectives, you run the risk of not accomplishing your goals.” - https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/difference-between-goals-and-objectives.
3This equals 2 2/7ths. Or 2.33 hours to be precise.
4 Margin, Restoring Emotional, Physical, and Time Reserves to Overloaded lives by Richard A. Swenson, (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2004). Particularly helpful are his prescriptions for restoring emotional energy and time margin.
