Vance Havner used to say, “We all need to come apart before we come apart.” What wisdom there is in those few words! Havner would then use Jesus as the ultimate example: He would withdraw Himself for periods of time to be refreshed and renewed. He set the example for His followers in doing so.

Where do you go to “come apart”? What is that special place that you retreat to for a season of renewal? Anyone who knows me at all knows that my go to place is pretty much anywhere in the mountains. I have spent time in the Great Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Appalachians, the Ozarks, the Rockies, and the Grand Tetons. I have seen the majestic peaks of Switzerland glistening in the sun above the clouds below as I flew to Germany. I have witnessed the grandeur of the mountains of Romania, Hungary, and Transylvania. There is something about the towering peaks of mountains that calms my spirit, and centers my thoughts on the One who created that unbelievable beauty.

But there is one very special place that I love to go to for times of spiritual, mental, and physical renewal. Fruitland Baptist Bible College is that most wonderful place, and I find myself drawn to it more and more as I grow older. I remember to this day the very first time I set my feet on Fruitland soil. God had graciously and gloriously saved me, and then called me into ministry. My pastor told me that I should check into attending Fruitland Baptist Bible College (Institute, as it was then), nestled in the rolling hills near Hendersonville, NC. He then took a day out of his busy schedule to drive me up to Fruitland, to spend a day visiting classes, talking to students, and speaking with professors.

As we pulled into the parking lot that day, I knew from the moment I stepped out of the car that this was where God wanted me to spend the next two years of my life. I had never been so certain of anything as I was of that. And so began the journey that has now spanned over forty years. I was so privileged to sit under the tutelage of those spiritual giants who invested their lives into the lives of those young “preacher boys” who had felt the same spiritual urging as had I.

Beyond my two years at Fruitland I furthered my education by attending Wingate University, Criswell College, and Trinity Theological Seminary. But now, after all these years, as I look back over my educational journey, I must say that what I received at Fruitland gave me the solid foundation upon which the furtherance of that journey rested. I am forever thankful for those two precious years.

I remember clearly a conversation I had with my wife as the time of my graduation from Fruitland grew close. I said to her that I hoped there would be the day that I would be able to teach on that campus, and prayerfully be a blessing to students as my professors had been to me. And now, for the past two decades, I have been privileged to teach in these same hallowed halls. Some of the classes I have taught have been on the Fruitland campus, while others have been at the satellite campus in Monroe, NC, while still others have been taught online. But to have the opportunity to put back to some degree what I received at this wonderful place is a blessing beyond words.

So, when I need to come apart before I come apart, I flee to Fruitland. I certainly don’t get to go to the campus as often as I would like, but it is my very special place. It is there, like no other place in my life, where I can go to be refreshed in God’s Spirit. It is there that I sense the presence of God like no other place I have ever been.

I just returned home from Fruitland today. My good friend, Ben Tackett, librarian and professor of computer science, invited me to speak in chapel, so Teresa and I made our way up the mountain to once again spend some precious time at my go-to place. If you have never visited this beautiful campus nestled in those majestic rolling hills, let me encourage you to do so. It will be time well spent, and you will be spiritually refreshed for having come apart, before you come apart.

One of the fastest growing trends of our contemporary setting is called cancel culture. A working definition of this term is as follows:

“The Cancel Culture is a collective attempt to harm the reputation, livelihood, and social presence of people, products, TV shows, celebrities, employees, etc., for violating a particular ideological standard.”

Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, January 5, 2021

This, of course, is only one of many attempts at defining the term, but it will be used in this blog as a beginning point for our discussion of the topic. Cancel culture is the targeted attempt to destroy the reputation of someone or some entity that disagrees with your particular view of reality.

In the opinion of this writer, we are seeing this played out in the arena of our modern American society. It can be readily seen in every avenue, but for the sake of time and space I will focus my thoughts on one particular area: social media. It has become quite obvious that anyone who makes comments on any social media platform is subject to extreme scrutiny. We have all heard of someone being place in “Facebook jail” because they posted some remarks that went against Facebook’s policy. I know quite a few individuals who were censured because of remarks made in a personal post.

This is a seemingly innocent thing, wouldn’t you agree? Well, I, for one, adamantly disagree. It seems to me that if you are of a particular political persuasion which does not align with the “policy” of whichever social media platform you use, you could be banned from that platform for propagating what they deem to be inappropriate. For example, if you are against abortion, but the social platform police deem your comments about the harmful effects of abortion are against their policy, then you could be censured. Therefore, anything that does not align with their ideology is banned.

Again quoting from the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry:

Cancelling can occur for not being on the right side of such topics as…

1. Black Lives Matter – A leftist, anti-family, pro-marxism ideology
2. Critical Race Theory – Examining society as it relates to race and power.
3. Gender Identity – A person’s sense of his or her own gender regardless of biology
4. Intersectionality – How discrimination and privilege manifest in a person’s social framework
5. LGBTQ – An acronym symbolizing many sexual deviations
6. Race/Racism – Discrimination or privilege based on a person’s skin color.
7. Sexism – Discrimination of privilege based on a person’s sexual orientation
8. Socialism – Increased governmental oversight with a decrease of personal freedom
9. Transsexuality – The surgical alteration to change a person’s birth-sex
10. White Privilege – The inherent privilege in society due to being white

Please note carefully my next statement: Cancel culture is not solely the agenda of the left. Please read that sentence again. Anyone, of any ideological mindset, can be guilty of attempting to cancel culture. Advocates of pro-life can attempt to cancel advocates of pro-abortion. Advocates of the Biblical view of marriage being between one man and one woman can strive to cancel the beliefs and practices of the LGBTQ community. Cancel culture goes both ways, and it is wrong, no matter which “side” you happen to be on.

I, you, have the right to stand up for, speak up for, use social media as a platform to present our views and beliefs without being ridiculed, harassed, and verbally assaulted for our particular beliefs. I may adamantly disagree with you on any given topic, but you have just as much right as do I to present my views in a public forum as I stand for what I believe.

Different beliefs should be open for discussion, but not for being shamed, ridiculed, and even banned from presenting those beliefs. It would be wonderful, in my opinion, if we could join in healthy dialogue on controversial topics instead of striving to cancel each other out because of those differing points of view.

My thoughts and comments are always rooted in political and theological conservatism. Yours may be rooted in extreme political and theological liberalism. We may never agree on certain social and cultural beliefs and practices. But that doesn’t mean we have to go at each other with verbal assaults, trying our best to cancel each other out. We should respectfully allow each to his own.

I can, and should, love everyone, no matter what. That doesn’t mean I have to like you or what you stand for, but it does mean that I respect you and your right to your opinion. I’m not going to bash you in any public forum, but I may discuss with you why I disagree with your particular views.

In conclusion, I have no right to involve myself in any attempt to ‘cancel’ someone or some entity simply because I disagree with them. I will respect you, and ask you do the same for others. What I will do, as a believer in Jesus Christ – striving to follow His mandate to be a light shining in a world of darkness – is to share the message of His love and grace with red, yellow, black and white, as they are ALL precious in His sight. And ALL need to hear about His amazing love story of redemption.

In my last two blogs, I have tried to take a serious look at right and wrong. Is there really any absolute source of authority from which we can learn what is right and what is wrong? Is there any such thing as absolute truth, from which we can be taught clearly what is ethically and morally right?

Last week’s blog focused on religion and religious sources of authority. There are as many different sources of authority as there are different religions. Each religion has its own sources which teach its adherents what is right and what is wrong according to its traditions. We tried to decide if any one source is absolutely true, to the exclusion of all others. It was my personal assessment that the Bible of the Christian faith is the only source of absolute truth and authority. Therefore, all other religious sources of authority must of necessity be subjugated to the teachings of Scripture.

This week I would like to turn my attention to two other sources of authority which are viewed by some as sources of absolute authority: culture, and government. First, let’s focus our attention on government. Civil authority is a reality in every form of government: democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, socialism, communism, oligarchy, aristocracy, colonialism, theocracy, and totalitarianism. Right and wrong are determined by the authority of each governing philosophy. However, right and wrong are not necessarily absolute. For example, during different periods of a nation’s history, its view of correct behavior may change based upon the beliefs of those in power. We are seeing this in the United States, as conservative politicians and liberal politicians clash over what is right and wrong on many ethical and moral issues.

So, the question is this: if the government decides to change the law pertaining to ethical or moral issues, does the new law mean that we are to obey? We have a clear lesson in Scripture that answers this question. It is found in the book of Acts. Read slowly and carefully the following passage:

“So they (the religious leaders) called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’

Acts 4:18-20

This is an example of governmental authority demanding that the apostles obey them rather than God, and the response is clear: if the law of man contradicts the law of God then we must obey God rather than man.

Now, having said that, please understand that as long as the government’s enacting of law is not contradictory to the law of God, then we are certainly to be law-abiding citizens. As a matter of fact, Christians should be the most upstanding law-abiding citizens there are. However, if man’s law contradicts God’s law then we much follow the teachings of God.

It is crucial to remember the teachings of Paul in Romans 13. It is there that we are taught to obey the governing authorities. And what was Paul’s reasoning behind this? He states it clearly in the following words:

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”

Romans 13:1-2

Governmental authority comes from God, and as long as the laws enacted by the government are in alignment with God’s Word, then we are to obey. But if and when the government enacts any law that contradicts God’s Word, then we must not follow, but rather be true to God’s authoritative Word.

Let’s turn our attention briefly now to the changing tides of culture. In every society there is what we might refer to as the ebb and flow of culture. Cultural practices differ from one people group to another. Beliefs and behaviors based on contemporary culture are different than they were a few decades ago. Cultural relativism is the concept that right and wrong, beliefs and behaviors, are relative to the culture of a society at any given time. Therefore, what was viewed as wrong two decades ago, may now be viewed as perfectly acceptable today. Does the change in cultural practices have the authority to change a behavior from being wrong to being right? If so, culture becomes the authority, and when that happens there can be no right or wrong at all: it is all subjected to the practices of any culture at any given time.

So let’s try to wrap up this discussion. If there is in existence any source of absolute truth, then there must of necessity be only one source. If there are two sources of absolute truth, but they contain contradictory teachings concerning moral and ethical belief and behavior, then that means there can be no source of absolute truth.

But if there is one source of absolute truth, then all other sources of purported truth – whether it be from religious sources, political sources, governmental sources, or cultural sources – must be subjugated to that one true source. If a law enacted by the government contradicts the truth in that one source of absolute truth, then it must be deemed false, and therefore rejected. If a religious source contains material that contradicts the source of absolute truth, then it must be rejected. If a cultural practice contradicts the truth contained in the one true source of absolute truth, then it must be rejected.

The Bible claims for itself that it is absolute truth. It does not simply contain truth: it is in and of itself truth. Those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, therefore, are called upon to obey the commands, and enjoy the promises and blessings, of this source of absolute truth.

Politics, governments, religions, philosophies, cultures, must all be subjected to the teachings of God’s Holy Word. Then, and only then, will we see a movement toward civility in a world filled with animosity toward one another.

Next week, I will give my attention to the movement referred to as ‘cancel culture’ and see how it relates the discussion of the past two weeks.

In last week’s blog, “Knowing and Doing”, I introduced the topic of knowing and doing what is right as opposed to what is wrong. I raised the question as to the authority behind the determination of right and wrong, and shared briefly that there are many different sources of authority to which one might submit. It might be a religious authority, a civil authority, a cultural authority, or one of many others.

This week I would like to investigate a few of these sources with the desire to determine if, indeed, one is correct and all others insufficient. Let’s begin by giving consideration to religious sources of authority. Please understand from the outset that it would be impossible to investigate each religion’s source of authority, so we will consider them all as a whole.

All of the world’s religions have their individual sources of written authority. The three major world religions – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – base their moral and ethical codes on their holy writings. Then, all of the other religions in the world also have their own sources of authority. Is it possible that one is right to the exclusion of any other? Well, to put it very simply, if there is such a thing as absolute truth, then there can only be ONE source of absolute authority. If something is absolutely true in one source, then it cannot be subjugated to any other source. Therefore, it would only stand to reason that there must of necessity be an absolute source upon which all truth is determined.

So, let’s summarize this brief discussion on religion’s sources of authority by stating the obvious. If the teachings of Judaism are correct, then all truth is contained in the writings of the Old Testament Scriptures. Thus, the New Testament is viewed as irrelevant, and the teachings of Jesus Christ, along with the writings of all the authors of the New Testament books, have no authority. The same can be said of the Koran of the Islamic faith. If the Koran contains the absolute source of authority, then all other sources are subjugated to it, and therefore have no basis in reality as a source of absolute truth. And finally, if Christianity is correct in its assessment that the Bible, in its entirety, is the source of absolute truth, then Islam’s Koran, and Judaism’s Old Testament, must be subjugated to the Scriptures contained in both Old and New Testaments.

Adherents of each of these three major world religions base their beliefs and behaviors on the teachings found in their respective sources of authority. So, is there any way to know with absolute certainty that the source of authority chosen by any individual is the correct source? Or, does it really make any difference at all in the eternal scheme of things? I’m sure we have all heard someone say, “It really doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe it sincerely.” But that is an absolutely ludicrous remark when we think about it. If that is true in one situation, it must of necessity be true in every situation. So, for example, if I sincerely believe that I can drink poison and not suffer any ill effects then it will be true for me, then I should be able to do it. But, we all know how ridiculous that would be.

So, when we apply that to religion’s sources of authority, it would mean, in essence, that all roads lead to heaven. As long as I believe sincerely, and practice my religious faith with total consecration, then I will have a home in heaven awaiting me when I pass from this physical life.

However, if we take the Bible literally, and base our beliefs on the teachings of Jesus Christ, then we learn quickly that believing something sincerely does not make it right. Allow me to share a couple of examples which will be sufficient to prove this point.

First, let’s give our attention the the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew’s Gospel:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”

Matthew 7:21-23

This example focuses on certain individuals who obviously believe that a home in heaven is based on a life of works. They believe sincerely that doing all these things will attain for them eternal life, but Jesus says that it will only result eternal condemnation. Religion will not save you, no matter how sincere you are in your belief and behavior.

One more example, again coming directly from Jesus:

“Jesus said to Him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”

John 14:6

If the Bible is the source of absolute truth, then these words must be true. Therefore, if the words of Jesus recorded here are indeed true, then all claims of all other religions on how to attain an eternal home in heaven must be false. Two contradictory or opposing truth claims cannot be true if there is any such thing as absolute truth.

So now let’s get to the bottom-line question: How do I know that the Bible is the one true source of absolute truth? The adherents to the belief system of the Islamic faith believe their holy writings are true. The adherents of the Jewish faith believe that their holy writings are true and complete. They believe it just as adamantly as the Christian believes the Bible to be the only true source of absolute truth.

As I concluded last week’s blog, it all comes down to a matter of faith. Now, I know that some of you are already a step ahead of me, and you are asking the question concerning faith, “Didn’t he just say that it didn’t matter how sincere your belief is as long as you sincerely believe?” Yes, I did say that. But what we need to understand is that it takes sincere faith, but that sincere faith must be grounded on the truth.

I take the words of Jesus to be literally and absolutely true. My belief in His words does not make them true, just as someone else’s unbelief in His words does not make them false. My belief is based on the authority of Scripture, and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I stake my eternal well-being on the words of Jesus. Adherents to the teachings of other belief systems may believe just as sincerely as I do, but if their belief is based on falsehood, then it is a false hope and will end in eternal destruction.

So, who, and what, do you believe? And are you now acting on your belief by living true to the teachings of Holy Scripture? If the Bible is true – and I believe that it is – then it makes all others false and void of any authority. They only serve to deceive. Make sure your faith is in the REAL truth, found only in the Bible.

In next week’s blog I will strive to look a little deeper at civil authority and cultural authority to see how they align with Scripture.

There is a vast difference between knowing and doing. Just because you know something is wrong will not keep you from doing it. And, just because you know something is right does not mean that you will choose to do it. Knowing and doing are two entirely different things: vastly different.

As a child, I was taught that there were certain things that were right and others that were wrong. I wish I could say that I always did what was right, but that would be far from the truth. Oftentimes, far too many times to recount, I knew what was right, but chose to do what was wrong. A couple of examples will suffice to illustrate the point.

When I was about 13 years old, my father told me that he hoped I would never decide to smoke a cigarette (which was a bit hypocritical since he smoked!), so I smoked my first of many cigarettes. From the age of 13 to the age of 26 I smoked, and smoked, and smoked. When I finally did quit smoking, I was averaging between two and three packs per day.

Another example had to do with drinking alcohol. When I was approximately 14 years old, my father took me aside and encouraged me to never drink an alcoholic beverage (this was not hypocritical, as my father never drank any type of alcohol), so that very day I drank my first beer.

There are so many other examples I could cite, but hopefully these two will help me make the point. I was taught that smoking and drinking were wrong, and yet I chose to involve myself in both behaviors. I became a chain smoker, and an every-day drinker. This was no one’s fault but my own. I chose to smoke, and I chose to drink.

Now, I realize someone reading this might be thinking, “Well, I don’t see anything wrong with either of those habits. I smoke, and I drink. Just because it seems wrong to you doesn’t mean it is necessarily wrong for everyone.” And that is the very specific thought I would like to pursue in this blog. What determines if something is right or wrong? And, to further delve into this matter, is there really any such thing as right and wrong?

This is where the friction begins. Let’s first consider whether there is really a standard of right and wrong behavior. If we were to ask a Christian, then the answer should be affirmative and assertive: yes, there is a standard of right and wrong. That standard is the Bible. However, if we asked a non-Christian the same question, their answer would be different. Some might answer that there is a standard of right and wrong, but others might say there is no standard at all. And even for the ones who might say there is a standard, it would be something other than the Bible.

Then, if we continued our investigation into this matter by considering the thoughts from others who adhere to religious belief systems other than Christianity, we might once again learn that they do indeed believe in right and wrong. Their beliefs and behavioral practices will also be built on the foundation of what they deem to be an inspired book, but not the Bible. And in those books, they might be taught something that is contradictory to the teachings of the Bible. Does that make the teachings of their standard right, and the teachings of the Bible wrong?

And, just for the sake of discussion, let’s add one other group into the mix: those who believe right and wrong is determined by the culture in which they live. It is obvious as one travels to countries other than their country of birth that there are vastly different practices from one culture to another. For example, we might go to a country in which pre-marital sexual activities are not viewed as morally wrong, but rather are accepted and celebrated. For those who adhere to the teachings of the Bible as their standard of behavior and belief, this would be viewed as wrong behavioral practices because of the Bible’s teachings on human sexuality. Does their culture make it right, even though the Bible says it is wrong?

I realize this topic to far too broad to develop in one brief blog, but I wanted to give us all some food for thought on this matter. The reason for that is because in our present cultural state in the United States of America we are witnessing a deterioration of our long-held beliefs in the Biblical teachings of right and wrong, and seeing a turning to behavioral practices which are diametrically opposite of those teachings.

I would simply encourage each Christian who reads this blog to make sure our beliefs and practices are based on the teachings of Scripture and not on the shifting sands of cultural relativism, or the influence of adherents to other religious belief systems which contradict the teachings of Scripture. Let’s commit ourselves to stand for the truth of God’s Word in the face of opposition from those who embrace a different set of moral and ethical guidelines. And finally, let us, in love, share the truth of God’s Word with those who have embraced the shifting sands of cultural relativism so that they may know the truth. That truth, according to Scripture, has the power to set them free in Christ.

“But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called ‘Twin’), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!'”

John 20:24-25

He is often referred to as “doubting Thomas.” It really seems only logical when we give consideration to the two verses quoted above. Notice how emphatic Thomas was as he made his assertion: “I will never believe!” (emphasis added) However, lest we come down too hard on Thomas let’s remember that all of the disciples doubted. It was not until after the personal experience of the power of the resurrection that any of them truly believed.

Doubt. It can be a fleeting thought, or it can be a captivating enslavement to questions concerning our faith. And if we, like Thomas, allow it to enslave us, then we lose the intimacy of fellowship with our Lord, and with fellow believers. Doubt, as we said about despair, can have a paralyzing affect on those who succumb to its power.

Think with me for a moment about a very common example of doubt. Have you ever been reading the Bible when you come across one of those stories of an astounding display of God’s miraculous power? We’ll use Jonah for a case study. It is a truly fantastic tale, wouldn’t you agree? Not just the story of Jonah being swallowed by a giant fish, but the entire book.

There is really no problem with the part of the story that tells us of a wandering, backslidden prophet. We can all relate to that part of the narrative. We may not even have any difficulty believing the part about the horrific storm that caused even seasoned sailors to fear for their lives. We may not have any difficulty believing the end of the story, where God causes the gourd to grow which provided shade for Jonah temporarily.

But think for a moment, not about the occurrence of those events, but the timing. Was it coincidence that the storm arose at that precise moment? Was it coincidence that when the sailors decided their only hope was to throw Jonah overboard, the giant fish was there, waiting to swallow the wayward prophet? Was it coincidence that the gourd grew at just the right time to provide Jonah shade from the blazing, burning sun? And, what about that giant fish? Did that really happen?

There – there it is: that moment of doubt. Did that really happen? It is at that moment in time that we have to decide: fact, or allegorical fiction? Did the events recorded in the book of Jonah really happen, or is it simply a fabricated tale which was created to teach valuable lessons of faith and practice.

And, of course, it is not just this fantastic tale, but there are so many others in the Bible that would cause us to ponder the question, “Did that really happen? Or is it a powerful story that has deep spiritual truths to help me grow in my relationship with God?

Did God really create everything out of nothing? Does God providentially guide in the affairs of mankind? Did the ten plagues against Egypt really happen? Did God really provide for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness forty years? Were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego really thrown into that fiery furnace? Did Elijah and Elisha really perform the miracles they are said to have performed? Did Jesus really raise the dead? Cause the blind to see? Cause the deaf to hear? Cause the lame to walk? Did Jesus really arise from the grave?

We can respond to each of these by faith, or by doubt? If we choose to doubt one, then we will end up doubting all. But if we by faith believe one, then we will have a much better chance of believing all.

This certainly doesn’t mean that we will never again experience moments, or even seasons, of doubt. But faith gives us the ability to see beyond the doubt, to embrace the veracity of the story, and to grow in our faith because we are willing to believe the unbelievable.

Perhaps something has rocked your world recently, and you are reeling in the quandary of doubt. Perhaps that doubt has caused a grievous breach in your spiritual defense system. Perhaps you are right now wondering if God’s Word can be trusted, and it is causing your trust in God Himself to dwindle.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is by faith we believe that the worlds were formed by the word of God. We don’t have empirical evidence, but we have the trustworthy Word of God. The Bible tells us that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Again, no empirical evidence, but the personal testimony of those who have experienced the victory God gives, even when we can’t explain it.

Did Thomas overcome his doubt? Yes, but only after he had seen the risen Lord. But the Lord’s response to Thomas is what we need to give special attention to:

“Jesus said, ‘Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.'”

John 20:29

Let’s, by faith, truly believe. And our belief will give us victory over whatever the world throws at us. Remember, this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Let us live by faith, seeing the invisible, and not by sight, allowing the troubles and trials of this life to cause us to doubt the wonderful promises of our Great God!

“It’s hard to be optimistic when you have a misty optic.”

Vance Havner

Despair – what an awful place to be: what an awful, emotional crisis to experience. Despair is the complete loss or absence of hope. Countless is the number of individuals who have succumbed to the overwhelming power of despair. They have found themselves lost in a state of emotional, mental, physical and spiritual darkness from which they cannot extricate themselves. It seems that despair feeds on despair, and hopelessness breeds more hopelessness.

A state of total despair causes one to think that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. They are consumed with thoughts of total and complete futility as they peer into that dark abyss. So it was with Mary as she visited the tomb in which Jesus had been buried. She arrived in a state of absolute despair. Let’s allow the Biblical narrative to speak for itself:

“But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘Because they’ve taken away my Lord,’ she told them, ‘and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.'”

John 20:11-13

What a graphic portrait of despair. Mary had arrived at the tomb early on Sunday morning. Why was she there? What had driven her to visit the place at which Jesus was buried? Was she there because she believed Jesus’ promise that He would arise from the grave? Was she there hoping to see Jesus, alive and well? Or was it just that she felt compelled to be there, to be near Jesus, to once again allow herself time to sorrow and grieve the death of the One in whom she had placed all hope.

But now, that hope was replaced with hopelessness. Her eyes are swollen from the intensity of her tears. Her heart is broken. Her spirit is broken. Her emotions are running wild. Her mind cannot answer any of the questions that keep running through her thought processes. She must have been overwhelmed with a sense of total and complete loss.

Through forty years of pastoral ministry I have witnessed many go through these same emotions. I have been in the waiting room when the doctor came with the news that their loved one had passed from this life. I have been by the bedside of one passing away, while loved ones gathered around the bed to say their final goodbyes. I have been at the church, where words of comfort and hope were shared with family members who, for at least a while, felt anything but comforted or hopeful. I have officiated funerals of individuals from eight months to eighty plus years. I have heard the wails; I have seen the tears; I have observed the anguish.

Despair. Hopelessness. Emotional overload. Spiritual battle. Can’t see beyond the darkness. Can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Mary was there. Many others have stood at the same place. Different time. Different location. Different set of circumstances. But still, the same. It is at the point of despair – hopelessness.

So, is there any hope when we find ourselves in a battle with despair? Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes. Let’s read a little further into the Biblical narrative:

“Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus. ‘Woman,’ Jesus said to her, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, ‘Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary.’

In Mary’s despair, even when she turned and saw Jesus, she still did not realize it was Him. Perhaps it was from the swollen eyes resulting from her intense crying. Or, perhaps it was simply because she did not expect to see Jesus standing there, alive. Perhaps she, along with all the others, missed the message Jesus had relayed on several occasions: He would arise on the third day.

Regardless of the reason for Mary not recognizing Jesus, the message is loud and clear, is it not? Despair and hopelessness can put us into such a state that we cannot even recognize Jesus, even though He is right there beside us. He has, after all, promised that He will never leave or forsake us. But, in those moments of deep despair, we can find ourselves in such a state that we cannot feel His presence.

But then, Jesus simply calls her name: “Mary.” Was it in the way He spoke her name? He had already conversed with her, and she had not recognized Him. Perhaps it was the personal touch of hearing her name spoken. And perhaps that is what we so desperately need when we find ourselves in the pit of despair.

The quote by Vance Havner at the beginning of this blog sums it up: “It’s hard to be optimistic when you have a misty optic.” Sometimes the circumstances and situations of life can cause our vision to be misty, out of focus. We know the promises of Jesus, but at the moment we can’t see those promises. Job is a good example to remember. In the midst of his horrific ordeal, he makes the assertion:

“If I go to the east, He is not there, and if I go to the west, I cannot perceive Him. When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him; when He turns south, I cannot find Him.”

Job 23:8-9

And so it is with us. We look everywhere, but to no avail. And yet, He is there, by our side. He holds true to His promise that He will never leave or forsake us. So, in the midst of the trouble, in the center of the storm, listen for that still, small voice that whispers your name. “Mary.” “Steve.” “Your name.” He is there. He does care. He gives hope. He IS hope. Turn to Him. You will find that He has been there all along.

First off this week, I would like to share my deepest apology to everyone who has been faithful and consistent readers of my blogs in the past. If you look back to my last blog you will see that it was written almost three months ago. I could cite several reasons for the long time between then and now – some of which seem to be pretty justifiable to me, but none of which are real reasons; only excuses! So, please forgive my transgression of procrastination, and let’s pick up where we left off.

In my last blog, I discussed the power of the crowd, and talked about how easy it is to get caught up in the frenzy of the moment just because it seems that everyone else is doing it. In this blog, we will give consideration to what might seem to be the opposite end of the spectrum: the power of fear. Instead of being moved by the excitement of the moment and rushing head-long into the center of the action, we might decide to cower away from the excitement, to escape the frenzy, to hide in the shadows.

Peter is our case study for this blog. His story is quite familiar to us, but let’s remind ourselves of the events leading up to his act of denying the Lord.

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Tonight all of you will run away because of Me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’ Peter told Him, ‘Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!’ ‘I assure you,’ Jesus said to him, ‘tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!’

Matthew 26:31-34

Peter, along with the other disciples, must have been utterly shocked by the words of Jesus. They have been with Him for over three years. They have been in some extremely trying situations over that span of time. I’m sure they had experienced the sensation of fear on many occasions as they witnessed the religious leaders strive to stop Jesus from continuing His controversial ministry. But they had stuck it out; they had refused to turn back; they had passed the test.

But now, this night was different. They heard Jesus’ words. They are about to witness Jesus’ struggle in the garden as He pours out His prayer to the Father. The tension that hung in the air was like nothing they had ever experienced. And now, they hear Jesus tell them forthrightly that they will all run away. Each of them would abandon the Lord in His hour of greatest need.

So, how does Peter respond to these revelatory words of the Lord? Let’s listen in once again as he is given opportunity to make his statement of total commitment to the Lord:

“Even if I have to die with You,’ Peter told Him, ‘I will never deny You!’ And all the disciples said the same thing.”

Matthew 26:35

What a bold statement: “Even if I have to die with You!” And, before we come down too hard on Peter let’s remember that he was the one who drew the sword to come to Jesus’ defense in the garden. He did stand true to his word. And yet, after Jesus is arrested, Peter does exactly what Jesus had told him: he denied the Lord three times.

I have titled this blog “The Power of Fear”. I’m quite sure there were other emotions involved in Peter’s action. I’m sure his mind was reeling as he tried to assess the situation. But I’m almost positive as I read these words that his actions were in large part caused by a sense of fear.

There are few other observations we need to make before we judge Peter too harshly. We are informed that he was not the only one to make a rash declaration of total commitment to the Lord. Reread the latter part of v.35 once again: “And all the disciples said the same thing.” Each of the disciples asserted that they would never deny the Lord, even if it costs them their lives. And yet each of them did the same thing: they abandoned Jesus, forsaking Him to face His ordeal alone.

It’s relatively easy for me to sit in my comfortable recliner, over two thousand years removed from the incident recorded by Matthew, and cast my judgment against these men who didn’t have what it takes to stand the test. That is, until I remember the many times I have done the same thing. I am going to risk being completely transparent, realizing that it might cause some of you to think far less of me than you have in the past. The following incident is etched indelibly in my mind. Even though it happened many years ago, I will forever be haunted by this memory.

We were on a mission trip to Rio Verde, Mexico. The purpose of the trip was to help build a mission center in the community to be a center for the evangelism of the area. I was standing at an opening in the wall where a window would eventually be installed, when I was touched on the shoulder by someone standing outside the wall. I was startled by the touch, and then I was astounded by the size of the man who had touched me. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say he stood at least 6’8″, and perhaps as much as 6’10”. No only did he stand literally head and shoulders above me, but his frame filled the window opening. To say that he was huge doesn’t tell the tale.

He immediately began to curse and swear, demanding that I tell him what the ______________ ____________ ___________ ____________ we were doing there. He was obviously at least partially intoxicated, as he smelled of alcohol. His fists were clenched tightly by his side as he continued to spew his profanities.

To say I was stricken with a spirit of fear would be a massive understatement. I was completely paralyzed by fear. I could not speak for several moments. I may have even stuttered and stammered as I tried to say something, but words would not come.

I did finally compose myself enough to tell the man that we were there from the US, and we were assisting the local church in building the mission center. He responded with another round of expletives that made clear his complete disapproval of the church, and anything they might try to offer the community.

This would have been a great time to share with this individual the love and grace of Jesus Christ. It was an open door of opportunity for sharing the gospel. But I allowed fear to control, rather than allowing grace to embolden me to share with this man what he so desperately needed to hear.

I have prayed countless times since this incident that God would send someone else to tell the man what I failed to share. I pray that I will one day see him in heaven. I realize that my failure does not shorten the arm of God, or weaken the strength of God in bringing someone else into this man’s life who will be bold enough to share. But for me – well, I failed miserably.

So yes, fear is powerful. It will cause us to fail, even though we have been boisterous in our verbal commitment.

But let’s skip ahead to the end of the story. Yes, Peter failed. Yes, he was overwhelmed with grief as he experienced conviction over his failure. And yes, he must have felt that Jesus would reject him completely. And yet, Jesus did not do as Peter might have expected. Rather, Jesus sent a very personal word to Peter.

After the resurrection, Jesus told some women to go and tell the disciples, and Peter, to meet Him at a certain location. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus singled Peter out? He was a disciple, but Jesus still gave specific instructions to tell Peter to come.

And please, take that message to heart. Those of you who are like me, who can remember specific occasions in which we failed the Lord. His message is specific, and personal. We are invited to come to Him in a spirit of repentance and confession, and allow His amazing grace of forgiveness to wash over us yet again.

And, like Peter, we can come back! Do you need to come back today? Don’t delay – accept the Lord’s invitation and return to the sweet fellowship of His grace.

“What is truth?”

John 18:38

There seems to be an inherent power, a drawing power, that can be observed in following the crowd. What is it about the crowd that causes us to change courses? What is it about the crowd that would compel us to completely switch from a previously held conviction to something diametrically opposite? How is it that we are so easily swayed from what was once a dogmatic belief to a teaching that is radically different from the belief once held?

I realize there are many answers to those probing questions, but I would like to suggest one: the power of the crowd. We might think of it as the power of the majority; the power of being swayed by the view of the many rather than holding true to the truth embraced by the minority.

As we approach the celebration of Easter, I would like to look at a few individuals in the Biblical narrative that will help us determine where we fit in with the crowd. There are those in the story of the events of Passion Week that are sometimes overlooked, or at least passed over with little attention, because of the focus on Jesus Himself. And, granted, He certainly deserves all the attention. But how does what happened to Him affect the other individuals in the story?

In this blog, we will focus on one of those individuals: Pilate. By looking at him, we will see clearly the power of the crowd. We will see how this man – a man of authority, a man of power, a man who, by his own assertion, held Jesus’ life in his hands – was swayed by the power of the crowd. And, we will learn how we, too, might be easily swayed to go in a different direction – the way of the crowd.

The story is familiar – so familiar, in fact, that we pass over it with little to no thought at all. Jesus has been betrayed by Judas Iscariot. He has been taken before Annas, who in turn had Jesus taken before Caiaphas, the high priest. He then faced the Sanhedrin, which had been illegally gathered in the darkness of night. They then sent Him to stand before Pontius Pilate, who then sent Jesus to Herod, who finally sent Him back to Pilate.

As Jesus stands before Pilate for the second time, Pilate asks the probing question posted above: “What is truth?” As the dialogue goes back and forth between Pilate and Jesus, and then between Pilate and the crowd, it is obvious that he wants nothing to do with Jesus’ death. He pleads with the crowd to release Jesus, stating that he finds no grounds for the death penalty.

It is here that the power of the crowd becomes glaringly evident. He has said to Jesus, “Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You, and the authority to crucify You?” Power! Authority! Jesus’ life was in his hands! But not really. Jesus said to Pilate, “You have no authority over Me at all.” In other words, Jesus was asserting that everything was going as planned. Pilate only thought he wielded authority, but there was One who had orchestrated this entire event.

However, Pilate really did think that he was in control. He really thought the authority was his to make the ultimate decision which would result in Jesus being set free, or being crucified. So, what was the determining factor, at least from a human perspective. We know that from the divine perspective there was a plan being carried out that had been decreed from eternity past. But in the arena of human history, in the crisis of the moment, who was in control. Well, Pilate. At least in his mind.

But in reality he wasn’t. No, he gave control over to the crowd when he turned Jesus over to be crucified. The power of the many took precedence over the truth. Remember that question Pilate posed? “What is truth?” But before Jesus could give answer, Pilate turned and walked away. He knew the truth. He knew Jesus had done nothing deserving of death. He knew Jesus deserved to walk out a free man. But he could not make himself stand for truth in the face of the crowd.

We might think it was something we would never do! We might think, “I would never turn my back on Jesus. I would never turn my back on truth. I will always stand for what it right.” But will I? We live in a time of spiritual darkness. We live in the midst of an evil which is taking over, a darkness that is putting a shadow over the truth. We are seeing long-held, traditional, Biblical values being tossed to the side for the sake of progression. We are witnessing an antagonism against Biblical truth for the sake of inclusion. We are living in a time in which it could very well become illegal to preach the truth of God’s Word.

The power of the crowd is closing in quickly. Where will we stand when it comes down to being true to God’s Word, or allowing that Word to be overturned because of the powerful influence of the many. Pilate teaches us an invaluable lesson: we may know the truth, and still be persuaded by the crowd to forsake the truth for the demand for tolerance. Let’s learn from Pilate’s decision, and not make the same mistake.

When we read through the Bible, we come across many passages that are extremely difficult for us to understand. Even more, we find it almost impossible to find an application from a passage written hundreds, even thousands of years ago, to our present, contemporary context. This is especially true when we read through the books of the Old Testament.

A graphic example of this (one of many we could cite) can be found in the book of Leviticus. I have known quite a few persons who set out at the first of a new year with the commitment to read through the Bible during the course of the coming year. They begin their journey with a spirit of excitement, and that spirit continues for a while, until they reach Leviticus. Then, all of a sudden, the excitement wanes, and the commitment falters. We get bogged down with all those laws God gave Moses to share with the people of Israel. For example, we don’t get far into Leviticus before we are faced with specific, detailed instructions on how to offer sacrifices.

Many get to this point and think to themselves, “Wait, what?” What exactly does this have to do with me? How can I possibly find any application of this to my life, to my current situation? We might even think there are better, more productive ways to spend my time than reading a book that has nothing to do with me today.

Might I dare share with you one extremely important aspect of the Bible – even the book of Leviticus – that perhaps would encourage us to read it? And not just once, but over and over again. Here it is: the Bible has a very personal application to you as an individual. You read that correctly: there are personal applications for us to glean from every book of the Bible.

Let’s think about those sacrifices detailed in Leviticus as an example. We are told about different types of sacrificial offerings: the grain offering, the fellowship offering, the burnt offering, the sin offering. As we read the detailed instructions for each of these offerings, we might think to ourselves that these were barbaric practices performed by a savage people. But not so. These were sacrifices prescribed by God Himself for very specific purposes.

And one of those purposes was to reveal the personal nature of God’s relationship with individuals. Read carefully the following excerpts from Leviticus:

“He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.”

“He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting.”

“He must bring the bull to the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the Lord.”

Leviticus 1:4; 3:2; 4:4

You might want to reread those verses, giving special attention to the extremely personal manner in which these offerings were to be given. The individual must lay his hands on the animal, then watch as that animal is sacrificed on his behalf, in his place. There may have been others watching, but the sacrifice would have not affect them. It was a very personal matter between the one offering the sacrifice, and the sacrifice itself.

So again, you may be wondering what this has to do with you, personally. It’s really quite simple, and yet extremely profound. We are to understand first and foremost that each and every one of those sacrificial offerings in Leviticus – those that were offered by individuals for personal needs and those offered by priests on behalf of the nation – pointed to the ultimate sacrificial offering detailed in the New Testament: the death of Jesus Christ.

Just as the person presenting his sacrificial offering would personally identify with his sacrificial animal by laying his hands on the animal, so it is with the believer in Jesus Christ: it must be a matter of personal commitment. There were multitudes standing around the cross as Jesus was crucified, but Jesus’ death had no effect on them unless they acknowledged that He was dying for them, personally. Like the individual laying his hands on the sacrificial animal would know that the animal’s life was given in his place, so it is with the one who personally acknowledges the fact that Jesus’ death was in his place, given for him. He then accepts the forgiveness of sin as Jesus’ blood was shed to pay the penalty for that sin, and that he now has a personal relationship with God through this sacrifice of Jesus.

The huge distinction between the sacrifices of the Old Testament and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is that those OT sacrifices had to be repeated over and over, each time the individual sinned. Those animal sacrifices could not actually pay the penalty, they could only serve as a reminder of the grave need for forgiveness. They provided atonement for sin. The word ‘atonement’ literally means to cover, to put out of sight. This is seen graphically in the Day of Atonement, the one day of the year in which the high priest would go inside the Holy of Holies and present a sin offering for the entire nation. The sins of the people would be covered over, but it had to be repeated each year because the sin had not actually been dealt with.

That is the distinction: blood sacrifices of the Old Testament atoned for sin, whereas Jesus’ sacrificial death propitiated the just wrath of God against sin. This is the reason His death was once for all, never needing to be repeated time after time, year after year.

Those animal sacrifices presented in graphic ways the devastating power of sin, and the destructive results of sin. Jesus’ death was the ultimate sacrifice that not only covered our sin, but actually met the just decree of God that sin would result in death: physical, spiritual and eternal. Jesus paid it all by His death on the cross.

And now, each of us must realize that it is a personal matter between the individual and God. For a moment, use your imagination to place yourself on Golgotha as Jesus makes His way to the place of His death. You have a choice. You might choose to stand there and identify with the multitude, as they shouted their ridicule and mockery. You might choose to see Jesus as a victim of their hostility and hatred, or as an innocent man who has been misunderstood and now being put to death for crimes He did not commit. If so, then the death of Jesus Christ will have not affect in you the desire for salvation, but it will decree your eternal damnation as one who rejected Jesus’ offer of salvation.

But, if you look at these events through the eyes of faith, believing that Jesus truly died in your place, suffering the full force of God’s just wrath against sin, then you understand how personal that decision is to you. Others may be around you who do not see what you see; who do not feel what you feel; who do not decide what you decide. You decide to, by faith, lay your hands on the head of Jesus, realizing that He is truly dying in your place.

It is a very personal matter. Next time you are reading through Leviticus, and in your mind’s eye, the eye of faith, you see that man lay his hand on the head of the animal about to be sacrificed, take a moment, close your eyes, and in a spirit of utter joy and thanksgiving praise Jesus for being your sacrifice!