Let your heart be broken

Bible Studies For Life
August 12, 2012

Candace K. Hardin
chaplain
Baptist Health, North Little Rock

Scripture passages:
Jeremiah 8:4-13, 18-9:1

As God’s spokesman, Jeremiah exposed Israel’s lack of remorse and repentance over their lifestyle of “wickedness” (Jer. 8:6, NIV 1984). Instead of pursuing the way of the Lord, everyone chased after his or her own path to serve his or her own purpose.

But Israel didn’t see it that way. They protested, saying they were wise because they had “the law of the Lord” (Jer. 8:8).

God objected, saying in Jeremiah 8:8-9 (NIV 1984), “How can you say, ‘We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,’ when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely? The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected God’s word, what kind of wisdom do they have?”

God continued His indictment against Israel’s scribes, priests and prophets, declaring they were greedy (Jer. 8:10), deceitful (Jer. 8:10), truth-twisters (Jer. 8:8, 11) and unconcerned (Jer. 8:11). God avowed they would fall among the fallen; they would be brought down.

The Israelite nation was sick with sin, separated from God and filled with selfishness. Jeremiah’s response was unusual for a prophet. He did not blame the people or rage at them, calling down fire and brimstone. He did not lament that the nation of God was beyond hope and help. Instead, Jeremiah looked to God and pleaded for the people, saying, “O my Comforter ... my heart is faint within me. Listen to the cry of my people from a land far away” (Jer. 8:18-19a).

Jeremiah identified with the lost Hebrews as he spoke for them before God: “Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me” (Jer. 8:21).  

Since Israel was sick with sin, Jeremiah pleaded in Jeremiah 8:22, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?”

Jeremiah teaches us to respond with sacrificial love and prayer to those whose lifestyles run counter to the way of God. Followers of Jesus are called to be a balm, spiritual physicians and healing agents in dealing with the sin-festered wounds of others. Like Jeremiah, may our hearts be broken for the world around us.

Trivial pursuit

Explore the Bible
August 5, 2012

Gerald W. Nash Jr.
chaplain
Second Baptist, Conway

Scripture passages:
Judges 13:24-25; 16:4-5,
15-17, 19-20, 28-30

The book of Hebrews lists Samson as a hero of the faith (Heb. 11:32). Samson could be described as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a person who becomes a hero once he can see the root of his downfall. Samson had squandered his God-given abilities and potential for the trivial pursuits of worldliness. In the last tragic event of his life, Samson prayed for the return of his supernatural strength. God returned his strength, and Samson pulled the roof down, killing himself and more Philistines in one single blow than he had killed in his entire life (Judges 16:28-30).

The Lord blessed Samson with supernatural strength, and the Spirit of the Lord began to lead his life (Judges 13:24-25). This proved that the Lord was powerfully working in his life.

The Spirit of God was moving him into position to do what God wanted him to accomplish. As a judge of Israel, he had the potential to defeat the enemies of Israel and lead a disobedient people back to God.

Samson was physically strong but morally weak. A survey of Judges 13-16 will reveal many of his weaknesses. One of his greatest weaknesses was women. Here are a few words that describe his life: disobedient, deceitful, fraternizing, vindictive, mean and cocky. He also consorted with a harlot and flirted with evil. He gave the secret of his strength to the enemy. He also broke his Nazirite vow (Judges 14:9). He had so much potential, but he wasted it on the pursuit of pleasure. The end product of his life was a tragedy. The trivial pursuits in his life resulted in delusion, captivity, blindness, degradation, bondage and drudgery (Judges 16:20-21).  

God blesses us with many talents, abilities and gifts. We are to use these to their full potential in the work of the kingdom. We must distinguish between trivial pursuits and God-given goals. In death, Samson sacrificed himself in one final vengeful act. As Christians, the Lord is asking us to be living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him (Rom. 12:1). He wants to lead us, and He wants us to faithfully pursue the path He has determined for us.

Make no excuses

Bible Studies For Life
August 5, 2012

Candace K. Hardin
chaplain
Baptist Health, North Little Rock

Scripture passages:
Jeremiah 1:4-14, 17-19

After reading this powerful message, I want to shout, “Mercy!” This is an intense interchange between Jeremiah and God. Jeremiah offers a timid disclaimer in verse 6 that he doesn’t feel he’s up to the job of being God’s man. God vigorously replies in verses 7, 8 and 17 that Jeremiah is not to be afraid to follow his heart because God will be with him.

In Jeremiah 1:4, God begins the conversation announcing that Jeremiah is to be a prophet to God’s people, as well as to all the gentile nations, like the Egyptians, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites and Chaldeans. Jeremiah wasn’t being asked to just speak a few lines for God in the Easter play at the church. He was sent to proclaim God’s message on the world’s stage to all peoples and nations. That made Jeremiah a substantial target for a lot of people who didn’t like God’s words and ways.

It’s no surprise that Jeremiah responded to the Lord in Jeremiah 1:6 (The Message) by saying, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”

That sounds reminiscent of Moses’ response when God called him to transport approximately 2.5 million Israelites away from Pharaoh and out of Egypt. In Exodus 3 and 4, we find Moses’ many excuses like, “What if I mess up telling about You?” “What if I’m not convincing enough?” and “I’m a terrible, fumbly, bumbly public speaker!”

Jeremiah and Moses exemplify and expose our own fears when it comes to obeying God’s nudges, prods, calls and commands. It’s understandable that we feel unworthy, unfit, unacceptable and other “un” words. But as God did with Moses, Jeremiah, David, Peter and countless others throughout the ages, God does with us. He drops the “un” from His vocabulary and, through the cross of Christ, declares us worthy, fit and acceptable to follow His call. Why? Because as 2 Corinthians tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ... We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Cor. 5:17, 20, NIV 1984).   

Family feud

Explore the Bible
July 29, 2012

Charles A. Collins
chaplain
Baptist Hospital, Little Rock

Scripture passages:
Judges 9:1-9, 14-15, 56-57

Family Feud” is a popular TV program where two families compete to answer questions that will help them win prizes. They must correctly answer some questions that have been posed to them by the program host. If they can correctly answer these questions, then they are the winner of the “feud.”

Some people go away from the program happy because they have won, but others who are not so fortunate are not as content. However, they can boast to their friends that they were on television and had a good time.

The concept of family feuds in real life is quite different. Very few actually go away the winner. All are generally losers to one degree or another, and very few have bragging rights after all is over with – if it ever really is over. Family feuds have a way of going on and on.  

The first family feud was between Cain and Abel. Abel lost his life, and Cain lost his family. Abram and Lot disagreed over who would have the water rights. Sarai mistreated Hagar when Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael. It gets worse.

Abimelech was a determined man who wanted to become king. There was something in his way, namely his family. He had to take them out before the people could put him in as king. He was willing to do anything to get what he wanted, including murder. Judges 9:5 indicates that he killed 40 of his own family. Only one person was left, Jotham. According to Judges 9:15, the “bramble” (thorn bush or blackberry bush) had become king.

Things are not always what they seem, nor are they permanent. After all, what one sows is what one reaps. God was not silent over this matter. Abimelech died as he had killed others.  

Family feuds are no laughing matter. Somebody is always going to get hurt. Somebody is going to try to “get back” or “get even.” It never happens. Nothing is worth losing one’s family. It is the most precious thing you can have. We should be more concerned about getting right with God and less about getting even with someone else.

Confident

Bible Studies For Life
July 29, 2012

Tommy Miller
pastor
Union Valley Baptist, Beebe

Scripture passage:
2 Corinthians 5:1-5

John McKay once stated that the legendary football coach Bear Bryant was the most confident man he had ever met.

He said, “We were out shooting ducks, and finally, after three hours, here comes one lonely duck. The Bear fires, and that duck is still flying today. But Bear watched the duck flap away and looked at me and said, ‘John, you are witnessing a genuine miracle. There flies a dead duck!’”

In a similar way, when you watch an individual who knows Christ die, you are witnessing a genuine miracle. Though they have died physically, they are more alive than they ever were in this life.

Paul writes words in 2 Corinthians 5 that should give us all confidence when we, or a loved one, faces death. It is the one thing we have not personally faced – our own death. We gain confidence in many things from repetition, but death is the one thing we face only once. So the only confidence we can acquire has to come from God’s Word.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 of how we are given the hope of knowing that when this tent wears out, we will have a new home in heaven – but not a home built by the hands of a man that may contain defects. No, we will have a home in heaven made by God Himself that will be eternal in nature.

I recently sat at the bedside of a church member in the last days of his life. He had told his wife not long before that he was tired and ready to go. He was confident about that new home waiting for him in heaven. 2 Corinthians 5:2 became real to me as I heard him groan while getting ready to draw his last breath. I believe he, as Paul said, desired to take that last breath of this life and to take the first breath of the life to come. On the day he had given his life to Christ as his Savior, the Father gave him the down payment of the Spirit (2 Cor. 5:5) to give him the confidence he needed that his salvation was guaranteed, to know he didn’t need to fear death.