The Lion of Judah (Volume VIII, Issue 6)
August – September 2003
From "Short Papers" by C. H. Mackintosh
©1995 by Believer's Bookshelf
It is a wonderfully blessed thing to be able to say, "I have found an object which perfectly satisfies my heart – I have found Christ." It is this which gives true elevation above the world.
We speak, of course, of the true Christian, of one who is not merely a Christian in name, but in reality. Alas! Alas! Many profess to be Christians, and take very high ground in their profession, who are, nevertheless, to be found mixed up in all the vain and frivolous pursuits of the men of this world. They may be seen at the communion table on the Lord's day, and at a theatre or a concert on Monday, they may be found essaying to take part in some one or other of the many branches of Christian work on Sunday, and during the week you may see them in the ballroom, or some such scenes of vanity.
It is very evident that such persons know nothing of Christ as an object for the heart. Indeed, it is very questionable how anyone with a single spark of divine life in the soul can find pleasure in the pursuits of a godless world. The true and earnest Christian turns away from such things not merely because of the positive wrong and evil of them – though most surely he feels them to be wrong and evil – but because he has no taste for them, and because he has found something infinitely superior, something which perfectly satisfies all the desires of the new nature.
A Christian is a Heavenly Man.
He is a partaker of the divine nature. He is dead to the world, dead to sin, alive to God. He has not a single link with the world; he belongs to Heaven. He is no more of the world than Christ, his Lord. Could Christ take part in the amusements, gaieties and follies of the world? The very idea were blasphemy. Well, then, what of the Christian? Is he to be found where his Lord could not be? Can he consistently take part in the things which he knows in his heart are contrary to Christ?
It may seem to some that we are taking too high ground. We would ask such: What ground are we to take? Surely, Christian ground, if we are Christians. Well, then, if we are to take Christian ground, how are we to know what that ground really is? Assuredly, from the New Testament. And what does it teach? Does it afford any warrant for the Christian to mix with the amusements and vain pursuits of this present evil world? Let us hearken to the weighty words of our blessed Lord in John 17. Let us hear from his lips the truth as to our portion, our position, and our path in this world. He says, addressing the Father, "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (vv. 14-18).
Is it possible to conceive a closer measure of identification than that set before us in these words? Twice over, in this brief passage, our Lord declares that we are not of the world, even as He is not. What has our blessed Lord to do with the world? Nothing. The world has utterly rejected Him and cast Him out. There is not so much as a single moral link between Christ and the world.
How solemn is this! What a serious consideration for Christians! We are passing through a world that despises and rejects our Lord and Master, and He declares that we are not of the world, even as He is not of it. Hence it follows that in so far as we have any fellowship with the world, we are false to Christ.
It will perhaps be said, " What are we to do? Are we to go out of the world?" By no means. Our Lord expressly says, "I pray not thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." In it, but not of it is:
The True Principle for the Christian.
To use a figure, the Christian in the world is like a diver. He is in the midst of an element which would destroy him, were he not protected from its action, and sustained by unbroken communion with the scene above.
And what is the Christian to do in the world? What is his mission? Here it is: "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world." And again, in John 20:21: "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."
To manifest Christ and witness for Him, such is the Christian's mission. He is not to shut himself within the walls of a monastery or convent. We are called to move up and down in the varied relations of life and to act in our divinely appointed spheres, to the glory of God. It is not a question of what we are doing, but of how we do it. All depends upon the object which governs our hearts. If Christ be the commanding and absorbing object of the heart, all will be right; if He be not, nothing is right. Two persons may sit down at the same table to eat; the one eats to gratify his appetite, the other eats to the glory of God – eats simply to keep his body in proper order as God's vessel, the temple of the Holy Ghost, the instrument for Christ's service.
So in everything. It is our privilege to set the Lord always before us.
He is Our Model
He was sent into the world, so are we. What did He come to do? To glorify God. How did He live? By the Father. "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me" (John 6:57).
This makes it all so simple. Christ is the standard and touchstone for everything. It is no longer a question of mere right and wrong according to human rules; it is simply a question of what is worthy of Christ. Would he do this or that? Would He go here or there? "He left us example, that we should follow His steps,;" and most assuredly, we should not go where we not trace His blessed footsteps. If we go hither and thither to please ourselves, we are not treading in His steps, and we cannot expect to enjoy His blessed presence.
The grand question is this: Is Christ my one object? What am I living for? Has His love for me drawn forth my soul in love to Him? Can I say, "The life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me?" Nothing less than this is worthy of a Christian.
This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in Philadelphia. Most would be outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory statement... One would think that anti-hate groups from all across the country would be marching on this business... And that the National Guard might have to be called to keep the angry crowds back... But, perhaps in these stressful times one might be tempted to let the proprietors simply make their statement... We are a society who holds Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty... And after all, it is just a sign... You might be asking what business would dare post such a sign? GOLDBERG'S FUNERAL HOME.
[www.westernplainsbaptist.com]
By Victoria Thacker
Purrrr fect for Women
Have you ever heard the old saying: a man's home is his castle? With this topic in mind, I have written a little tale for mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers-in-law, grandmothers, and all other ladies who may be reading this article today. I wrote this tale to present at a Mother-Daughter banquet.
My tale is called: "The Queen of Hearts."
More than a thousand years before you were born, there was a beautiful queen who lived and reigned in a lovely castle. One day, during a gorgeous summer morning, her highness, the queen, awoke from her night's sleep. On that particular summer morning, the birds were cheerfully singing sweet tunes, bright yellow butterflies were flying around the castle windows, and heavenly fragrances from the kingdom's flower garden were permeating the entire castle.
Nonetheless (despite ALL these favorable facts), when the queen awoke from her night's sleep that spectacular morning, SHE WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. That morning the queen felt rather sleepy with her eyelids almost closed. She hadn't slept well, so she got up on the wrong side of the bed. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!!! In other words, she was cross and in a miserable mood! The queen's mind was dwelling upon all the responsibilities of her empire, all the cares of this life, and all the work that needed to be accomplished in her domain that day.
As the rest of the kingdom began to awaken, she could hear sounds of giggling, laughing, joking, whistling, and happy songs being sung (Jesus loves me this I know). But, instead of allowing these wonderful sounds of laughter and happiness to modify her attitude, instead of recognizing that this was a day that the Lord had made and she was supposed to rejoice in it, all the queen did was get crankier and crankier. (Theoretically speaking, the queen put on her CRAB HAT while gulping down GROUCHY pills for the chronic crab. Her pills were prescribed by Dr. I. M. Cranky from Foulmood, Minnesota.)
When her majesty's subjects filed into the kitchen for their morning breakfast, the queen began to reflect upon all her feelings of neglect.
| "No one in this kingdom appreciates me This is as plain as the nose on your face to see. A castle is not always a fun place to reside. It's constantly filled with dirty dishware, Dirty nappies, and dirty chamber rooms," she testified. I'm trying very hard not to become angry or impatient, How can I be expected to be in a merry mood How am I supposed to be cheerful The subjects of my kingdom The children of the kingdom And if there are checks in the checkbook, Don't ask of me to have a sense of humor I'm not up to being lovable Queens rarely receive a pat on the back, Don't those who benefit from my love realize |
Soon the queen's sad, sour attitude caused the spirits of her entire kingdom to sink very low. This impacted everybody with whom she came in contact. She ruined the merry mood of her domain. The loving, happy sounds were quickly replaced with sounds of doom, gloominess, rejection, and disappointment. The queen was unable to see any of the blessings of QUEENDOM. Instead of being pleased or delighted with the wonderful domain in which she reigned, the queen preoccupied herself with the problems, heartaches and imperfections of others that she saw in her kingdom.
In place of the happiest kingdom on earth, there stood a castle, which was the saddest place ever seen. The queen's unhappy; dissatisfied and disgruntled behavior was parroted (repeated back) by the subjects of her kingdom. (Monkey see, monkey do.) Her sphere of influence went past herself, and it spread into the rest of her domain. The queen's outlook and manner was affecting the joy of the whole castle!!!
| "Off with your head" is a common expression a queen uses, One I'm afraid I may hear if my advice she refuses. I want this story to have a "happily ever after" And end with sounds of joyfulness and family laughter. I want to send all our queens home from this banquet I want the queen's children to rise up calling her blessed, |
The Moral of the Tale
"The mouth of a righteous man (woman) is a well of life …" (Proverbs 10:11). "…but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." (Proverbs 10:14) "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." (Proverbs 14:1)
The Queen of Hearts is a light tale concerning a serious problem, The behavior we saw displayed in this story is a common trap we have all fallen into from time to time, However, when this becomes normal practice in our homes it can jeopardize our relationships with our family.
The queen's actions were framed in irritation, discontent and unhappiness. These actions were not promoting family welfare. If we want godly character to be present in our homes, we will have to display godly character (delighting in the Lord, joyful heart, thankfulness). We all have trouble parenting our children from time to time and trouble being the wives we should be to our husbands. The responsibilities of being a wife and homemaker are awesome and not to be taken lightly. We need the Lord in our lives in order to supply the wisdom, sensitivity and insight it takes to build our homes. The queen's actions in this story show that she expected more from life than what she was receiving. Because of this, she was filled with resentment and let her emotions show how dissatisfied she in actuality was. Her mindset was one of anxiety and dissatisfaction, which is destructive and so very harmful. We must learn to deal with the trials and adversities of life and still enjoy life.
Mother, when you brood over your troubles, you will hatch despair. Beware! This despair and anxiety can be passed on to your entire household. Every family bequeaths both positive and negative attitudes and behaviors to its members. Who's in charge of our mind, mouth, mood and attitude? Is it our flesh, Satan, or the Lord Jesus Christ?
Children are not trained by words or spoken principles; they are trained by example and principles lived out in our daily lives. Godly character traits are not learned during family devotions, but, rather, they are communicated by watching us be honest, thoughtful, diligent, compassionate, responsible, etc. First we learn the quality, then help our children to achieve it. Children learn contentment when they DON'T hear their mother complaining of being discontent or dissatisfied with how everybody in the world is treating her. Children learn patience when we fight irritability and are willing to wait upon the Lord. Strength, love, kindness, compassion, devotion, and tenderness are needed in each of our homes. (By the way, it is hard to produce any of these attributes if Christ is not the King of your life.)
How is it possible to be there for our families while still meeting all those many challenges we face on a daily basis? First, nothing we face will be too big when we seek God's counsel. Seek God for the challenge of becoming a godly woman. I have found that if, before I face the challenges of my day, I face the day with God, it goes so much smoother. No matter what comes my way, I feel more prepared. Look for the face of God in the winter of discontent as well as in the summer of joy. He is the God of all seasons. He helps us meet every challenge we will ever encounter.
Titus instructs that aged women should be teachers of good things. As I pondered why aged women were directed to do this specific task, it wasn't long before I was given a real-life example. While helping my son and daughter-in-law paint their home I was instructing a young man, Bobby (who now lives with my son's family) how to mask off a room. We were preparing the kitchen to be sprayed with primer. While showing Bobby what needed to be done, I would say, "Honey, do the job this way or that way." When my son heard me instructing Bobby, he piped up and said, "Mother, when I was growing up, you never said, ‘Honey this or honey that,' when you were telling me how you wanted a job done. You just shouted out orders like a drill sergeant." He was right! Guilty as charged!!! I think my response to his remark was, "I've mellowed some with age." Now instead of strictly focusing on getting the job done, I've become more aware that it is important that maintain a relationship with the person that I'm doing the job with. Perhaps this is one of the reasons Titus instructs aged women to be teachers of good things. (The cliche, "What a difference a day makes" fits pur-r-r-fect right here).
Living life is a true learning experience. Over the years, I have started praising God in my battles of life. Circumstances don't affect me the way they once did. The castles we live in are little more than piles of stone. If we don't want the hearts that dwell in our castles to become like piles of stone, we must work to create better relationships. We can't allow hurt feelings to fester and to mirror disregard. We must be attuned to how our discontentment make others in our household feel. We must have a more loving attitude and not give way to miserable moods, barking orders at everyone in the family.
How we handle conflict, deal with disappointments, or sort out moral dilemmas makes an indelible impression on those observing us. We need to be the queen of HEARTS, not the queen of CLUBS. We need to learn to command instead of demand. Big difference! We need to cultivate nurturing skills.
A lot of moms have the discipline thing down, the being respectful to them thing down, definitely the yelling thing down, but how about the nurturing thing?
We all know that the largest room in each of our domains is the room for improvement.
Make your house a home, a haven of rest, a source of moments spent in loving care!!!
Chronically Cranky Person
This morning, you snapped at your spouse. Chastised your child. And now you're ready to berate your boss. What's going on here? You're cranky, that's what!!!
A chronically cranky person often becomes an angry person. "An angry man stirreth up strife…" Proverbs 29:22. They hate their job and feel trapped. They quit talking to their spouse, choosing rather to stew about matters that are disturbing them. Often they leave for work/appointment late and when traffic holds them up they get mad. Stress is one of the culprits of being cranky. We eat, watch TV, go through the mail and read the newspaper all at the same time. (And our children don't think we know what multi-tasking is all about). Could this be why Malox, Alka-Seltzer and other companies selling upset stomach medicine are getting rich! We're taking care of kids and parents, trying to keep a house/job and feel like we need to have time for recreation too. (But where is the money supposed to come from to have some fun).
What happens when we have to deal with all this stress? We go into react mode, which is why customers go off on sales clerks, we have a lot of road rage, we become mean-spirited. You need to take control of the situation before it takes control of you!!!
Self-Examination for High Risk Crankiness
Indicators:
•Are you feeling continually rushed and pressed for time?
•Are you feeling dissatisfied or discontent with the past year of your life?
•Are you working more and enjoying it less?
•Are you plagued with the nagging sensation that something is missing in your life?
•Are you desiring to strike out when people do something you dislike?
•Are you chronically distracted, with an inability to stay focused on one thing at a time?
•Is there a relationship in your life that needs attention?
•Is there a pending change in your life you've been resisting or avoiding?v
"I will be with him in trouble" Psalms 91:15
When great trouble strikes, one of the first temptation-inspired questions that we say or think is, "Why does God let me suffer this way?"
To some sufferers, this question takes hold and results in depression, increased suffering, eventual unbelief and then ruin. To others, it comes quickly, is recognized as from Satan, and is banished before it can do harm.
Sometimes when we are in distress or great danger, and are rescued after being permitted to experience discomfort and fear for a time, the question comes, "Why didn't God help me sooner?"
If we look in the Bible, we will find the answer. In the first place, it is not God's order of things. He must first adjust the trouble and cause us to learn our lesson from it. His promise is not to keep us always out of trouble. It is rather, "I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him."
Notice the place at which God is with us ... "in trouble." He must be with us there first, then He will take us out of it in His own good way and time. But can He be with us in our trouble? Will we allow Him the opportunity to be with us there? That is up to us. Sometimes we fail, because we fret too much and are too restless and worried. When we become calm and quiet, and look to Him, then rescue will come.
We read in the Bible that "the Lord was with Joseph," when Joseph was unjustly imprisoned (Genesis 39:21). The Lord was with Daniel, "in the lion's den," (Daniel 6). He was with Paul on the stormy sea when death seemed so near (Acts 27:23-24). He was with these servants of His in prison, in storm, in the lion's den... in their time of trouble. Why? Because He could be with them; because they permitted it; because their mode of life was such that He also was with them when they were not in trouble (Genesis 39:2).
God used trouble as a sort of textbook or school to teach His children lessons which they will learn in no other manner. Troubles are often intended for our good, for our education. No trouble or punishment for the moment seems pleasant, or desirable. And if we know we have brought it upon ourselves and it is merely the result of a cause, our punishment is increased. But when trouble comes without our making, when it seems unjust, when we stumble beneath its burdens, then is the time to look up and trust in God, seek to learn the lessons He wants us to learn, and ask Him to be with us in our trouble. Claim His precious promise ... "I will be with him in trouble." He will be with us there!
Your Good Neighbor (November 1957)
Reprinted August 2003
P O Box 99, Newport TN 37822
Supreme Court -- Some recent decisions by the U. S. Supreme Court have continued a trend of the last 40 years or so for the Court to act like a super-legislature. Throughout most of our history, the Court seemed to follow more traditional concepts of federalism and give great deference to state laws and actions by state legislatures. The 10th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution says: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." The Founding Fathers certainly did not envision a dictatorial Court that involved itself in almost every dispute, exercising very little judicial restraint. The Court recently issued very confusing, muddled decisions in regard to affirmative action. A University of Tennessee professor wrote in the News Sentinel that the decisions "may also have created at least as many problems as they have solved. Almost everyone supports affirmative action on the basis of need such as scholarships for lower-income students. Such a system would probably benefit African-Americans more than any other group. However, affirmative action based solely on race has created resentment and difficulty. It also goes very much against Dr. Martin Luther King's famous statement that his dream was that someday people "will be judged not by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character."
Privacy -- A few years ago, CBS Radio News reported that computer hackers had broken into the top secret files at the Pentagon thousands of times. This came to mind recently during a hearing of the Government Reform Committee when a panel of experts testified that privacy really is a thing of the past. A computer expert can find out anything he wants to about any individual. This is very unfortunate. One of the panel members testified that identity theft is now the fastest-growing crime in America. We are now completely dependent on and controlled by computers. The Washington Times reported a few weeks ago that computer chips the size of grains of sand have become the latest trend among manufacturers and that this "new technology can fix the exact location of virtually any consumer product and the humans who wear and carry the items." This is going too far. The author Alston Chase wrote of one of his classmates at Harvard who became a great success as a computer expert but then became disillusioned and wrote: "Sure, computers allow us to run a business more efficiently than without them ... the unfortunate part is that many things that are possible today may turn out to be more harmful than useful. This obviously includes the capability to create civilization-ending weapons and to probe into individuals' lives on a scale that would make the Soviets proud." Mr. Chase also wrote about Harvard researcher Kenneth Keniston who said that science and technology that moves too fast will cut people off from their past, shatter communities and families, and create gulfs between children and parents. Keniston said: "What our society lacks, then, is a vision of itself that transcends technology. It exacts a heavy human toll not because technology exists, but because we allow technology to reign."
Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr., [R-TN]