Fifty Minutes to Talk about God!

If you listen to podcasts, this is one of Lisa Murtha's from "Verbal Journal...ism". I prayed for God to give me the words to say that would glorify Him, and how He has lovingly carried me through cancer. Some of that is in here, but this is what came out...

https://verbaljournalism.substack.com/p/we-walk-by-faith-and-not-by-sight?utm_source=podcast-email%2Csubstack&publication_id=1441093&post_id=146728798&r=11yqvl&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true&fbclid=IwY2xjawEyxblleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHeq4tSz7EztJwU-GhmsUOvA6TSFZzabJavzvMfsxJvRqgdVmIiGj9cUbuA_aem_D0UYRIkbXcPilzxlqjXshg

20-some years ago, I met Tamara. I will never forget the image of her so joyfully walking into preschool with her son, Addison, riding piggyback. While other moms and dads (myself included) were dragging their kids along, distracted with daily to-do lists and the logistics of drop-off, Tamara was fully living in the moment and embracing Addison’s fleeting childhood. She knew so much more than me already. 

As the years went by, Tamara and I crossed paths many more times, sometimes at our kids’ schools, sometimes through friends and sometimes through our creative careers (Tamara is a gifted author, illustrator and visual artist). When I learned three years ago that she’d been given just months to live after a diagnosis of recurrent cancer, I was heartbroken.

My friend Peg and I rushed to meet up with her and offer support; I will again never forget the day we first saw her after that difficult diagnosis. Wearing a winter coat with a giant Jesus Loves You button pinned to her lapel, she entered the room just as beautiful and determined as ever.

Her journey since that day has been paved with highs and lows, but - three years later - she is just as vibrant and faith-filled as always after choosing to pursue both alternative (traditional Chinese) and western medicine to keep the cancer at bay. Her life during those same three years has been abundant with love, hope and faith as she has embraced daily gratitude and a powerful desire to share all she has learned about God’s grace with anyone who is willing to listen. She has also cherished watching her daughter get married and celebrating the birth of her first grandchild - two things doctors told her she'd likely never see. 

I cannot thank Tamara enough for sharing her story of faith and perseverance with us. She is a guiding light for all who are fortunate enough to cross her path -

Lisa

*The title of this piece is excerpted from the New King James Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:7-21. But Tamara’s guiding bible passage is “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” Psalms 119:71

Living with stage four cancer - with Jesus by my side!

       

Even though David’s eyes beheld the size of Goliath (six cubits and a span), his response was, “Let no man's heart fail because of him…The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” David remembered God’s faithfulness in the past and had complete faith that He would come through again for him. True stories inspire me. True Bible stories change me, and this one I needed. It’s time to put on the whole armor of God.

    I have metastatic breast cancer, as it has spread to my bones and brain. Cancer is all fun and games, until it comes back. Round one, you get to ring a bell after your chemo treatments are over; round two, the treatments are never over. Round one, there’s a chance it will never come back; round two, there’s no chance it will leave. It does, however, respond to treatments, which may slow down its progression—but they are far from perfect. One of them is a bone strengthener that could cause osteonecrosis of the jaw, i.e. my teeth could fall out. When I asked my doctor about this, she said that it wouldn’t be a problem for me, as I’d have to be on it for two years before that could become a problem. There was a moment of hush; then I spoke aloud what was silently hanging in the air—that two years is longer than my life expectancy. I have already used up one of those years, but who’s counting. Round one, Jesus helped me with the lion and the bear; round two, I have no doubt He’ll help me with this Giant!

    The very day after I first found out that I had cancer, God gave me this verse, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5-6). This I needed to hear above everything else. In the Bible, “conversation” is not just what you say but also how you live. It would be so very easy for me to be jealous of others' normal lives—and not to be content with what I have. Bitterness could easily rear its ugly head. I know that I need to look diligently toward Jesus. I dare not take my eyes off of Him. On those days that I do, and fear of the near future sneaks in, it is almost instant how my countenance lifts when His very name captivates my thoughts. The promise in the verse that comes next is awesome—not only will God never leave nor forsake me, I will be able to proclaim without a doubt that He is my helper! Like when he stood beside me in the shower when I was losing my hair, reassuring me that losing all of my flesh was going to be okay. Or when he was by my side on the operating table, right as I drifted off. And ah, when he joined me in my first MRI.

    MRI's are funny things. First the operator tells me that if I move at all, it's okay, but we would need to stop the process and do it again another day. Then he asked if I wanted music, and I did—Christian music of course, hoping he would hear it too! While I'm thinking to myself that I'm thankful I'm not claustrophobic, the clicking begins. It takes great concentration to try to hear the music. Just when you focus in on it enough to hear it ever so slightly, a new and much louder click joins the first one. It actually made me chuckle. Then I remembered I couldn't move. Once settled in, I was gobbled up by fear. I was there, after all, because cancer might have invaded my brain. My heart pounded so hard that I felt it might be moving me. This is where it gets good, real good. I knew that I knew that I knew that Jesus slipped right in there beside me. No one takes your breath away quite like Him. His very presence stills all fears and turns them into utter joy. His charity enveloped me. He didn't ask me to walk on the raging water with Him this time. Instead, in that moment, He calmed the storm. Just then the song "Your Grace Still Amazes Me" by Phillips, Craig and Dean came on, and I could hear it! I deserve no such thing as this grace of God, yet he lavishes it on me when I need Him the most. There is no hiding place on this beautiful earth that He will not find me and shower me with blessings untold. Not even an MRI. Oh, He is altogether lovely!

    On my sickest days you would find me lying on any surface slightly soft and nearby. I had no real thoughts, only the occasional impulse to vomit. I lay in silence, as noise, even a joyful noise, was bothersome. Yet there was one excitant that kept me breathing, and that was the overwhelming love I felt towards God. I just wanted to praise Him for EVERYTHING! For creating such a beautiful world, for giving me such a loving family and fulfilling life, for working miracles that I will not even see this side of heaven, and on and on. A stilled life, one very foreign to me, has been a great classroom. The closer I got to nothing, the more I saw Him as everything. The more pitiful I got, the more beautiful He became to me. Now I know that not only is it possible to thank God in every thing, it is nearly impossible not to!

    In one of my earlier rounds of chemo, as I lay sick, I realized that I had not prayed much that day at all. A whole day was lost. In fact I had no energy to pray to feel better so that I could pray. It then hit me that I had an entire army of people praying for me. I am on so many prayer lists including those of people and churches I don’t even know. I am on a Christian health share program, so I get letters from strangers writing things like, “Praying for His presence and love to consume you.” Oh, it has—your prayers have made it up to God’s ears! One of the greatest lessons my trial has taught me is that of the body of Christ. The peculiar love that my brothers and sisters in Christ have bestowed on me has been the express definition of charity…God’s love; the bond of perfectness.

    If the prayers of my friends and family weren’t enough to pull me through, I knew that I had a great High Priest offering up prayers to God my Father for me, face to face. Jesus, in all of His glory, is working on my behalf. He ministers to me, even though He is my King; His compassions did not stop at the cross. It became crystal clear to me what the apostle Paul meant when he said that when we are weak, He is strong. I have always thought that I would feel His strength in my moments of weakness, but it makes perfect sense now that I wouldn't. He is working on my behalf, because I cannot. He is my quiet Saviour, and His grace comes without revelation, until I look back in amazement.

    Here’s where it gets hard—so hard I can only stand thinking of it for a few minutes at a time. Like many people with cancer, I have children. I have parents and a husband, siblings and friends. Even now, I can barely see trough my tears to write. I want to stay so badly that I can hardly stand it. Who will text my daugther “Goodnight!”, every single night? Who will help my son navigate life’s obstacles with the compassion of a mother? I shudder to think of missing out on my children starting a family of their own. My parents already lost one child, and my husband, his son. It seems somehow I have failed them, and this feeling hurts so bad. The only thing I can possibly do to help is to point them to the one who makes it possible for me to breath, the one who comforts me in my darkest hours with the very thought of what He did for me. Jesus gave His life that I may live. For a Christian, death is not dying, but living. I will close my eyes when what we know of as ‘dying’ happens, then open them immediately to gaze upon my Saviour’s face. It’s that easy and that beautiful—just because I believed on Him, the one God sent to save us from our sins. Jesus is all I can give them, and He is all they need.

    All through time, kings had to prove to be the bravest and strongest of all their mighty men and lead them into battle. It’s your king who fights for you, and my King will never leave His rank. He is the one who is called “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS,” and the Bible tells us that this very King “shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” This may not look like I want it to, though. Like Jesus, I must pray, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36). After all, God’s greatest concern is not in keeping us from dying, but ensuring that we know how to die right, and that requires a personal relationship with His son Jesus.

    What it all comes down to is this: I have great joy when I think of God’s truth, His honesty, His justice, His purity, His loveliness, His good report, and His virtue. We are to think on those things, and the God of peace will be with us! When I do, it instantly leads me to praise Him, and praising Him never fails to pull me out of the dark, lonely place I go to when I wander from His fold. So I will set my mind on things of the Spirit, instead of things of the flesh, where I will find life and peace.

    A friend once asked me if I thought God was picking on me. It took but only a few seconds for me to respond with sincerity that, rather, I thought God was spoiling me. Like a sick child, I seem to be getting a lot of attention from my Father. James 4:8 tells us that if you draw nigh to God, he will draw nigh to you. Like every promise God has made, this is indeed true. Instead of having something terminal, I like to think of myself as having something “eternal.” “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). I know Him better now, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Knowing Him better is so much better than a better life!

    If the Lord wills it that you see me in over a year, or two, I will be the one smiling from ear to ear, whether I have teeth or not!

                                             

 

 

Tattoos: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

If you are one of the 45 million Americans with a tattoo, you may ask yourself why you should read this article written by a tattooless Christian. You may assume I'm going to fling a bunch of Bible verses at you, and you've heard it all before. The answer is — because you are most likely to get another one, and there is much more to tattoos than what meets the eye. More importantly, the one who created you in His image would like very much for you to read on whether you believe in Him or not. If you are a Muslim or a Jew, it is unlikely that you are even on this page, as tattoos are clearly against your religion. If you are a Christian, you may be searching for an answer to the question — Are we to be keeping a law intended for the Old Testament Israelites? Let’s dig in and let the flinging begin! 

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 18:1-5) Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:28)

The first thing we need to keep in mind is that the God of the Old Testament is the same God we have today! Secondly, as partakers of salvation through His son, we are his children…. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; (Romans 8:17) In other words, we have been adopted into the family of the Old Testament Jews. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also (Romans 3:29) Is it too much, then, to arrive at the thought that if God made a law for the Old Testament Jews that it would be prudent for us to follow as well? 

One may argue that the Egyptians and the Canaanites were cutting themselves for the dead, a pagan ritual we no longer perform and therefore a moot point: an outdated law. Alas — this practice is indeed still around. 

These are just some practical examples of tattoos for the dead, but aren’t most tattoos dedicated to death in general?

In ancient times, it was also customary for idol-worshippers to tattoo themselves as a sign of commitment to their deity—much like an animal that is branded by its owner. Again, this is still sometimes the case today.

People who are especially passionate about their god start to look like them.

There are, however, many people sporting tattoo designs that are seemingly harmless. There are butterflies, snakes, the sun and the moon, angels and even Jesus!  With no connection to death, pagan gods or tribal rituals, how could any of these images possibly be wrong? If you look at a list of the most popular designs, many of them appear to fall into one very interesting category…the second commandment.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, 

 or that is in the earth beneath, 
 

or that is in the water under the earth: 

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)

But we are no longer under the law!

The Apostle Paul said, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:28) There it is as plain as day — we are justified by faith in Jesus as our Saviour, and the laws no longer apply! However, he goes on to say, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (Romans 3: 28&31)

Recently, I asked a young man if he had any tattoos. His response was, “No, my mom and dad would kill me!” He went on to say that he was Jewish, and it was against his religion. What was interesting was the fact that this young man looked to be in his late twenties. He wasn’t avoiding a tattoo because he would get his car taken away, he was simply honoring his father and mother. In other words, he is no longer under his parents rules, but is keeping them all the same simply because he loves them.

 If ye love me, keep my commandments. -Jesus (John 14:15)

How is it that our parents always seem to know what is best for us? All their rules, from look both ways before you cross the street - to being home before the fun starts, were for our own good.  Could our heavenly father be thinking of our well-being with His rules? Did he know something about tattoos when He made the law against them over 3,500 years ago that might hurt us still today?

 It’s all about the Blood 

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:9&19) 

Isn’t it intriguing that Abel’s blood cried unto God from the ground. Abel was dead — was his blood still alive?  Did it speak? Nineteenth century Pastor and author Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “All blood has a voice, for God is jealous for its preservation, the blood of excellent and just men has a still more heavenly speech, but the voice of the blood of Jesus far surpasses all.” 

For a Christian, it is the very blood of Jesus that washes us from our sin. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) For children of God - there is indeed power in the blood. 

Those who serve another god agree: “Called the "river of life", blood is identified with the soul and is the vehicle that carries the vital energy of the universe through the body. In magic, blood is revered and feared for the miraculous power it possesses and confers. Blood that is let is believed to unleash power." (Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft)

‘Blood that is let’ refers to the practice of ‘blood-letting’ which literally means to allow the blood to come, or pass. It is one of the oldest and most common satanic practices. Throughout history, cutting of the flesh and blood-letting were rituals performed to unleash demonic and supernatural powers. Almost 600 years after the Israelites were warned against cutting themselves, we see it again with the prophets of Baal. (a.k.a. Satan) 

And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. (1Kings 18:26-28)

The tattooing procedure involves cutting the flesh with a sharp needle or instrument in order to carve out or make designs. The procedure lets out blood. There is no way to sugarcoat the fact that one is cutting their flesh, and practicing blood-letting. Ignorance of this truth does not exempt us from it. People who smoke cigarettes without the knowledge of increased lung cancer risk still get lung cancer. As Jesus said, “Ye worship ye know not what” (John 4:22)

Now some people are going further by scarring themselves by cutting or branding their skin—a process known as scarification.

God has always wanted to keep his people from harm’s way, including disease. Blood can transmit almost any major virus/bacteria in the world. Modern physicians warn that tattoos and body-piercing carry a risk for contracting infectious diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and HIV/AIDS (International Journal of Infectious Disease, 2001) God, the author of Biblical health laws, does not change, nor do the laws of biology. The same factors that caused or prevented disease in 1,490 BC (when He proclaimed His law against getting tattoos) still operate today. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: (Leviticus 17:11)

I want to become more Spiritual

If becoming more ‘spiritual’ is your thing, I beg you to question the type of spirits you may be inviting into your life. I would strongly urge anyone thinking of cutting themselves to read this passage from Mark chapter 5: 

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 

Interesting, isn’t it, that the unclean spirit (demon) in this man referred to Jesus as “Son of the most high God”? This not only points us to the fact that there is not a spirit out there that is higher than God, but that the spirits themselves know so. Who do you therefore want to invite into your life — Legion and his many unclean spirits, or the spirit of the most high God — The Holy Spirit?

I already have tattoos

Ah - this is where we finally get to the good part — Jesus wants you just as you are! Tatted up or not, he wants you to believe on him so so badly that he sweat drops of his saving blood in an agony for you! (Luke 22:44) Whether you have one or many tattoos and are concerned about disease or spiritual warfare, it is only through Jesus that we receive true healing and deliverance. God looks at a person’s heart. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) Where is your heart today? Is it toward the most high God? 

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. 

(Matthew 22:36-38)

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot,

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt,

Fightings and fears within, without,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;

Sight, riches, healing of the mind,

Yea, all I need in Thee to find,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because Thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown

Hath broken every barrier down;

Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love

The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,

Here for a season, then above,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

                                       -Char­lotte El­li­ott

Please remember, BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, not a Bible scholar. If something doesn't look quite right to you, dig into God's word. The one thing I promise you is that you won't get bored! 

Saved by Grace But Judged by Works

It's His Party 

And You Can Bring Gifts 

If You Want To

The invitation to the party of a lifetime reaches your door. The person to whom this party is given is the most amazing and highly respected person you know. Everyone but everyone is invited. It's free; all you need is do is accept the invitation. You get there and see that only a handful of people showed up. Many of them are lined up in great anticipation to give the esteemed guest of honor their gifts that took them their entire existence to cumulate. "Wait!", you exclaim in panic, "I didn't know you could bring gifts!" Ouch. To make matters worse, you found out there was a gift registry.

The Bible tells us that there is nothing you need to do to get into Heaven other than to accept Jesus as your Savior. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Thinking that we have to do anything in addition to believing insults our Lord by telling Him that the cross wasn't enough.

That being said, this does not mean that we cannot do good works for Him. This is great news, as there is nothing we should want to do more than to honor our Savior. Conveniently, we don't even have to guess what He might like; His wish list is scattered throughout the pages of the New Testament. For each wish granted, our King will give us a crown.

1. The Incorruptible Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
This imperishable crown is given to believers who have answered and successfully completed a call from God, and in doing so have sacrificed the money, possessions and life style they could have had otherwise. The apostle Paul compared it to running an extraordinary race, only the rewards of winning this race are everlasting.
2. The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20. & Daniel 12:3) 

This crown is for God's soul winners, who have faithfully witnessed to others His saving grace. We may doubt our ability to do such a powerful thing, or think we have no time, but our God is omnipotent. He can bend time and events in our favor to fit opportunities for us to witness and work for Him if we allow Him to.
3. The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
This crown is for those who have lived a good and righteous life for God, and longed and loved for His return. They have lived 'right' by not only talking the talk, but walking the walk even when no one was looking. Only the good…get the crown of righteousness!
4. The Crown of Life (James 1:12 & Revelation 2:10)
Also known as the martyr's crown, this crown is given to those believers who endure trials, tribulations, and severe suffering, even unto death. This is the greatest act of bravery, courage and love that we could possibly show God our Father.
5. The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Also known as the pastor's crown, this crown is for all who serve and shepherd God's people. God did not make the Bible easy to understand, but he did place among his people those who have studied and grasped His Word. These teachers will be given the crown of glory!

So, will people be walking around with crowns in Heaven? Weren't we talking about gifts we could give to Him? In Revelation 4:10 it says that when we receive our crowns we will cast them before Him, professing to Him that He should receive the glory and honor and power, that He created all things, and that for His pleasure they were made. Yes, these are the gifts that we can give to our Jesus on Judgement Day!

One of the unexpected joys of adding the Bible to my repertoire is that so many of the songs I have been singing in church all my life now have more substance. I feel sorry for the person who sits in front of me the next time we sing "Crown Him with Many Crowns!" I get all pitchy when I sing too loud.

Please remember, BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, not a Bible scholar. If something doesn't look quite right to you, do some digging. One thing you won't get is bored!

Using God's Name in Vain...is it so wrong?

"God, you are absolutely worthless…you are NOTHING!" Would you ever say that to the great I AM? I don't even think an atheist would, as they would be admitting God's existence by speaking to Him. Yet this is precisely what people are saying when they use our Savior's name in vain. Shav, the word for vain in Hebrew means emptiness, falsehood, nothingness, worthlessness, useless. Yet blasphemy surrounds us more and more. The 2012 movie American Reunion (which I wouldn't recommend for a number of reasons) has 35 religious exclamations! God's name is abused regularly on radio, TV, out in public, and even in the back seat of my own car! I don't care how many times I hear it, the piercing feeling in my heart at the misuse of my Lord's name never wanes. 

We are all familiar with the third commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain." However, most of us are not as well-informed of the rest of the verse…"for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Exodus 20:7) Now let's take a closer look at exactly who is going to hold us guilty for calling Him 'nothing'...

• "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8) 

• "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:3)

• "The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up." (1Samuel 2:6)

• "Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 23:23&24)

This is a God I want to please. I can't even imagine using His Son's name in vain!

The modern rise of disrespect to our most Holy Heavenly Father shouldn't be a surprise to us. It has been prophesied in the Bible about the people of our time… "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." (2 Timothy 3:2) This does not paint a pretty picture of us. Saved Christians have the right, the privilege, and the responsibility to use God’s name only in reverence and fear. Maybe the next time we catch ourselves saying, "God!" quickly follow it up with, "I love you!" 

Personally, I have never made a habit of taking my God's name in vain. Yet I do feel like I let Him down every time I say nothing to those around me who do. (Except for my family, of course!) From now on I'm going to do what a friend of mine does; he adds "Amen!" when he hears his Savior's name called out. 

Breaking the ten commandments will not keep us from going to heaven, but if God is keeping a record of our wrongs (and He is!) how many times will we have called our Lord and Savior 'worthless'?

I'm suggesting this two-step program to help repeat offenders... Go to this link on Amazon (Click on image) and download Travis Cottrell's song, "Sanctus". Then listen to it when you feel the urge to call God anything less than the King of Awesome Majesty. By the time he's finished singing "With reverence and with fear, with trembling lips, Lord, we draw near." you'll be a changed man or woman! 

Please remember, BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, not a Bible scholar. If something doesn't look quite right to you, dig into God's word. The one thing I promise you is that you won't get bored! Many thanks to my Bible study friends who proofread for me every week.

What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?

Over 1 million couples will file as married on this year's tax form, for the last time. That is, until they get married again, and risk an even greater rate of divorce. More people file for divorce the day after the federal tax deadline than any other day of the year, when the couple's monetary worth is revealed. What is the true measure of a couple's worth? Let's go to the Bible to find out, since after all, marriage is a covenant that we made with our spouse and God.  

The first Bible search word that came to my mind regarding marriage was 'long-suffering'. (Tee hee hee - I couldn't help myself!) Actually, in Ephesians 4 it says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love".  This is the measure of your patience, and the real test of patience is not in the waiting, but in how one acts while he or she is waiting. 

I know I can wait quite patiently when I distract myself by stewing a plan of vengeance. Obviously, this is not good idea. These verses in Romans 12 remind us that God will take care of repaying wrongs… "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." I imagine God's disappointment and punishment can far outweigh mine. 'Tis best to just forgive.

How do we measure up in the forgiveness department? In Colossians 3 it says, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." 

The next verse goes on the say, "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." Hmm…charity; the highest form of love from God, far surpassing erotic and emotional love. This is unconditional love at it's finest, and must be what they are talking about when they say you must love your spouse even when you don't like them. 

Let's say it goes way beyond not liking your spouse. Let's say we don't even want to breath the same air as they are. Let's say, as the Bible says, we want to "put them away". Can we? This is what the Pharisees asked Jesus, and our Lord's response was,  "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19) That last sentence always gets me. 

If one is really searching, there are two (and only two) reasons a divorce is tolerated by our God.  The first reason Jesus reveals in later in Matthew 19, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." Therefore, if your partner has been unfaithful, you are pardoned. And the second reason, as told by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 7, is if your spouse is not a believer in Christ as his or her Savior, and leaves you. (You cannot, however, leave them if they wish to stay.) 

As always, it is best if we follow God's own example. He 'married' us when we came to believe in His Son, as we are the Church, the bride of Christ.  There is absolutely nothing we could possibly do that would cause Him to leave us. How blessed are we?!

Divorce, as very hard as it is, is actually the easy way out. Staying married is much harder work, yet this endeavor is what God wants of us. If pleasing God is not enough motivation for us to bear through it, maybe not pleasing Satan is. One of the prince of lies' most successful plans to win souls has been the break-up of the family unit. United we stand against him. What it looks like we really need to do is to take to heart Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's quote: “The worst reconciliation is better than the best divorce”  Since our marriage reflects our relationship with God, there is nothing we should want more than for it to be overflowing with charity. 

Please remember, BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, (who happens to be divorced and remarried) not a Bible scholar. If something doesn't look quite right to you, dig into God's word. The one thing I promise you is that you won't get bored! Many thanks to my Bible study friends who proofread for me every week.

Is God Talking to Me?

After a good ten minutes into a bedtime story, my four year old pulled her two fingers out of her mouth just long enough to ask, "Are you talking to me?" I cracked up. Of course I was talking to her! I giggled myself to sleep that night.

When it comes to certain books in the Bible, interestingly enough, God is in fact not talking to us. At first I thought that this was just as absurd as my daughter not knowing that I was talking to her, as she was the only other person in the room.

So how do you know when God is talking to you, and when His intentions are for someone else? It's almost enough to make you give up reading the Bible; as if it's not confusing enough already. Luckily, we are not the first ones to read it, as it has been around for a while. There are plenty of people who have done the work and figured the Bible out for us.

First we must identify who we are. If you are reading this, you are among the "Church Age". That is everyone born between the time Jesus was ascended into Heaven, until the Rapture. The thirteen books in the Bible that are speaking to the Church Age are Romans through Philemon. They cover the writings of the Apostle Paul, who was speaking to us. This would be a good starting point for those that may want to cut to the chase, and read what was intended for them.

Don't get me wrong, I believe it to be very important to read the Bible in its entirety. Once you get into it, I'll guarantee you that you will be very happy that you are in the Church Age. We have it easier than those before us, and way better than those after.

Recommended reading on this subject: One Book Rightly Divided www.rightlydivided.com

Please remember that BIBLE BAIT is written by a novice Bible study student, not a theologian.