How To Live In The Shortness Of LIfe

Go to now, ye that say, Today or

tomorrow we will go into such a

city, and continue there a year, and 

buy and sell, and get gain: whereas

ye know not what shall be on the 

morrow. For what is your life? It is

eve a vapour, that appeareth for a 

little time, and then vanisheth away.

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord

will, we shall live, and do this or that.

But now ye rejoice in your boastings:

all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore 

to him that knoweth to do good, and

doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:13-17

     Yesterday I had pressing business that took me away from home and the computer but reminds me that we do not always have knowledge of what is to come and what we will do. There is one thing, and those of age will acknowledge, life is short. You are here for a moment then you are gone and in time you will not even be remembered unless you have done something so spectacular that it makes history. How do I know? Ask yourself: what is the name of your great great grandfather, you might know if you have done a genealogical research, but probably you cannot name him or know anything about him, or her. We all live from B to D (birth to death). It is how we live now, in our time, that matters and for an Authentic Christian we live, not in this time, but in eternity for eternity has begun for everyone only for an Authentic Christian eternity is life, for others it is eternal death.

     The world culture is all about a person living for themselves as though it really matters in time. Self-realization the call to people to have is centered on self and self is inherently bad and will do that which is wrong if not guided by the moral law of God. How do I know and can say that people are inherently bad? Just look at a baby and see that without training or instruction they will do bad things: i.e., take away a toy from another, or cry, not in pain, but to get something for themselves. Babies hit each other in anger, etc., but all this is fact that cannot be denied so that we have facts that man is inherently bad. 

     So, man/woman/child, wants to be autonomous and make decisions based on their perceptions and presuppositions. These are not all bad for often those perceptions and presuppositions have a basis in the moral law of God whether a person knows this or not. Man makes plans, and should if those plans are bases upon the will of God. Life is fickle as it has all sorts of surprises (I know this to be a fact as I have had surgery for melonomia cancer, and with those surgeries other problems have come upon me that is leading to a possibility for more surgery) all a surprise, you might know what I am talking about. We make plans and life makes changes necessary to those plans. 

     So, should we just sit by and do nothing? NO! We make plans knowing the fickleness of life, that there are things that might stumble us, might cause us to lose in our endeavors, but we make plans. Those plans are diligently thought out, researched, and brought before the Lord, in prayer and in study of His word that give advice to us when we are making plans to do anything. It is by the will of God that anything is allowed to occur, and in the case of making plans we look to find the will of God for our plans, not just by our own thinking and desire. We live for God, we are th witness for God, we allow our actions, our exercise of our faith in God to be seen in all we do, our plans must if they are to be blessed by God to be based on Him. 

     To rejoice over our plans outside of God is evil: PERIOD! We are his child and if this is true of you and you say that you are an Authentic Christian then your rejoicing is not over what you have done alone but what God has done through you. God did leave us here after accepting Him to live for ourselves: NO! We are to be His arms, legs, mouthpieces to spread the Gospel so that the word of God goes forth so people can hear it and by God's word they receive the free gift of faith to believe upon Jesus Christ as Savior. They come to know that they are inherently bad and that only by Jesus Christ can they overcome this deficiency. 

      We are not here on earth to become rich, or famous, or anything other than to be a witness for Jesus Christ. If by our vocations we do exceptional things that make us money, that make us famous, they must have come by way of us living in the will of God. If this does not occur then this is sin, you are living in sin. 

     Praise God! He is merciful and if we repent then God is willing and able to forgive you. Now with God's forgiveness turn your life and will over to Him and see what God will do with your life. You may see it happen or you will not, but it will happen and when you come before God, at His throne, you will Him say: "Well done, My faithful servant."

Except the LORD build the house,

     they labor in vain that build it:

except the LORD keep the city, the

     watchman waketh but in vain.

                        Psalm 127: 1

Make your plans with God the director

Richard L. Crumb

Is Judging Wrong? Or is it a requirement?

Speak not evil one of another, brethren.

He that speaketh evil of his brother,

and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil

of the law, and judgeth the law, but

if thou judge the law, thou art not a

doer of the law, but a judge. there is 

one lawgiver, who is able to save and 

to destroy: who art thou that judgest

another?

James 4:11-12

     How often and you may have heard: "We are not to judge anyone." If these Scriptures proved that we are not to judge a brother or sister then there is a contradiction in Scripture for we are told to examine people and to remove people who are brothers and sisters in Christ for sin: "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (1Corinthians 5:11-13). This command requires judging another so what is meant by the words of James? Remember it is context, context, context to be used to understand what a writer is writing about and how to apply what he has written. James if very clear that we are to watch our tongue, our words and our actions to ensure that we do not say that which is condemning our faith and our God. We have been told to submit to God, but, we also have a responsibility to ourselves and the congregation we attend and the body of Christians as a whole. 

     The sinful world has been judged by God and declared to warrant death. We have a responsibility to take the Gospel to the world in hopes that the Holy Spirit will draw men and women to Him as they hear the word of God. We do not judge them to warrant death that is God's prerogative but we do not apathetically approve and accept this world's sinful culture. So in this sense we do judge them to be worthy to be called an Authentic Christian or not and to allow them to either be condemned to the point where they are not given a role in the Church. This is to keep the Church pure. 

      As to our brothers and sisters in Christ: We do not speak evil of them as though we are the law. We can see outward expression of Authentic Christianity and determine from that as to their being a person exercising true Authentic Christian Faith and deal with it as necessary. If it is our duty to approach this one we feel doing evil we must have the authority to deal with that person, if not having the duty then you are to bring this up to the pastor, elders, and then they will research this and determine from Scripture what is the best course to take. It can be seen that far to often in a Church there is gossip, backbiting, worthless debates, etc., and if we participate then we are not following God's law that requires us to be lovingly kind and if we do speak we do so with truth and justice in meekness and respect. 

     Some in the Church just love to point out the flaws in others even going so far as to divulge things that are secret. They spread evil reports (gossip). God warned about such things: "Thou shat not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:16). 

     What is the role of a believer? it is ensure that the moral law is kept by others and we have the sufficiency of the law to keep us from determining right from wrong by our own presuppositions. God's law is the rule! We must be careful not to judge by our own opinions as though they are the rule, for if we do this, then we are liable to be judged by God. We must be careful, but we are to keep ourselves and our congregations pure but in love and in a manner that is pleasing to our Lord and God. 

If thou be wise, thou shalt

    be wise for thyself: but 

if thou scornest, thou alone

     shalt bear it.

                   Proverbs 9:12

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD

Richard L. Crumb 

What Is Meant By Being Under Subjection To God?

Do ye think that the Scripture saith 

in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us 

lusteth to envy? But He giveth more

grace. Wherefore He saith, God 

resisteth the proud, but giveth 

grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves

therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he

 will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and

He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your

hands, ye sinners; and purify your

hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, 

and mourn, and weep: let your laughter

be turned to mourning, and your joy to

heaviness. Humble yourselves to the sight

of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.

James 4:5-10

     Whose responsibility is it for us to be able to draw near to God? Is it the pastor? Is it the Sunday School teacher? Is it a theologian? Or, is it yours? Yes all those mentioned above have a responsibility to teach the truth of Scripture. Yet, the major responsibility for anyone to draw near to God is an individual. No one can act for you! Each person must be intentional, must be deliberate in the action to draw near to God. The message a person hears ought to lead a person to act, but if a person is refusing, as if they were in paralysis never leads a person to change. It is foolishness to see others who have drawn near to God and are living the life as outlined in Scripture and a person does nothing or little to find their way, to be drawn into the life of Christ. 

     Here is the coup de grace the action or event that finally ends or destroys something that has been getting weaker or worse, a final or decisive stroke. James writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Subject yourselves therefore to God" (James 4:7a). To allow oneself to subject themselves to anything, as the world culture would admit, is to in someway lose yourself. So, as the world does, they fight anything that would lead them to subject themselves to anything and especially to God. The Greek word used in James 4:7a is an aorist, imperative, passive, plural in the second person. What does this mean? It means that this should be an act that has occurred and that it is not a suggestion but a command to start doing what you have not been doing, and it is passive so it is not speaking into the air, it is speaking to you. True living, true life, is when you live and act with your whole will to live as God commanded and be under His subjection. 

     Have you heard the word, the truth of God? Is so, then, allow that truth of God to become and invade your life and then act upon that truth. This action is not something necessarily physical, rather it is in your will. When a person acts according to God's will, to be under His subjection that person becomes emancipated and all the power of the Almighty God works in your behalf. If you humble yourself before God, before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ you will be lifted up so that you can put your hand to the yoke with Christ and together be a force for the Gospel. 

     God is calling! Are you listening for His voice? Jesus spoke these words: "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). This is putting oneself under subjection to Jesus Christ who died to save you. Do you need warrant to place yourself under Jesus Christ? Are you afraid of what this will mean to you and to others, to your life? Why? Do you believe that Jesus is God? If so then read this: "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" "It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that had heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me" (John 6:35, 45). 

     Well! There it is in a nutshell: you have all that God has promised: His presence in your life to help you, and all you have to do is heed the call and come to Him. God will not grab your hand and pull you to Him, but He will call you and your responsibility is to heed the call, subject yourself to Him by coming to Him. You will become linked to God and all His redemptive power. What are you waiting for?

Return, ye backsliding children,

     and I will heal your backslidings.

Behold, we come unto thee; for 

    thou art the LORD our God.

                  Jeremiah 3:22

Humble yourself and be lifted up

Richard L. Crumb