Spiritual Viewpoints

by Rick Smith

Rick Smith

Becoming

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We must become something different, to do something different, in order to have something different. Jesus exampled this when he did the seemingly impossible. God became flesh and gave up heaven, made himself nothing, took the form of a servant, humbled himself, and obediently died on a cross. As a result, the Father  exalted him and gave Him the name that is above every name. (Phil. 2:6-11)

For us to have the attitude or mind of Christ, we, too, must become something different and do something different in order to have something different.

To become something different is a work in progress. It begins the minute I choose to change my bad habits into Christ-like habits. Anyone involved with a Twelve Step Program knows this happens one day at a time. You overcome addictions by putting one day at time together until there is a string of them. That’s also how you overcome selfishness, rage, impatience, and anything else that is ungodly or unworthy of a disciple.

Becoming something different, that is, becoming more like the Lord, is one of those goals we should tack onto our mirror or refrigerator. You might want to write out a verse and place it where you have to see it daily. Imagine facing yourself in the mirror each morning along with “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). It would remind you of what you have become — one of God’s chosen; what you should do — put on clothes of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; and what you have — a Father that picked you.

 

A Holy Hunger?

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VIEWPOINTS
Thoughts To Encourage Godly Living
April 26, 2002

A HOLY HUNGER?

The way some “saved” people live, it’s no wonder there are so many skeptics. Who can blame an honest seeker for coming up empty when the finders have nothing to show? The truth is, people don’t want to see our dusty truths as much as they want to see our God.

Jesus was asked “Where is your father?” and he replied “You do not know me or my Father,…If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:19). Jesus’ answer is what we should be searching for. If we haven’t found Jesus, and therefore, God, in our lives, we need to lead the search party!

I’m afraid we aren’t offering the bread of life because too many of us are starving for it ourselves. Comfortable church assemblies and Cocoa Puff sermons haven’t answered man’s deepest longing — the need for a Savior. The best song leader, the finest Praise Team, or the most convincing preacher cannot take the place of the crucified Christ. What lost person cares if we can eloquently articulate the principles of interpretation? Seekers want to see the Holy Spirit living in us.

Are we looking for religion or spirituality? Many have plodded through decades of religion with its rules and regulations. We tell people the Old Testament law was fulfilled, and attempt to satisfy them with a New Testament law. That isn’t what they want or need. They want God. They want a Savior. They need Jesus and we give them a book. The Bible is inspired and important, but the emphasis should not be put on memorizing the genealogy, but rather on where the genealogy leads us. The preacher, Phillip, didn’t own a New Testament and was still able to begin in Isaiah and tell the Ethiopian about Jesus (Acts 8). Too many of us start in Acts, walk right past Jesus, and head straight for the water. We have to ask ourselves, “Are we trying to convert sinners to a plan or a man?” That begs the question, “To which have we been converted?”

Our church patter seems patented. We’ve got the “plan of salvation”, the “five steps”, the “five acts of worship” — where is Jesus? We sound more like parrots and mockingbirds than Spirit-led men and women. We’ve got the “spin”. We’re just missing Him.

Ask yourself, “What is the Lord doing in my life?” Am I really one beggar telling other beggars where to find bread, or am I one of the starving who has never known Jesus? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). We need a holy hunger before we’ll ever be satisfied. And then we’ll share the Savior!

The Chair and a Book

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VIEWPOINTS

Thoughts To Encourage Godly Living

March 26, 2002

 

THE CHAIR & A BOOK

I watched him work on the chair.  It’s an old brown one with a leather seat. This chair is special because John Henderson made it. John’s hobby was carpentry. John, and his wife Weezy (Elouise), were two of the best people I’ve ever known. They both have gone home, and I look forward to seeing them again in heaven.

This old chair sits in my house in the reading room. It was a gift from John. Upon this chair sits a black NIV Study Bible. Every morning around 5:30, another wonderful person picks the Bible up from this chair and reads. That would be Betty, my wife.

I have great memories of John and Weezy. John was a man who lived for God, and for his wife. He lived during Weezy’s sustained illness, helping her every step of the way. She died, and within days, John died from the cancer of which he never complained. He was too busy caring for Weezy to talk about his pain.

Everyday my wife picks up her Bible from this old brown chair. I’m so thankful for her. I know some of what John must have felt for Weezy. It’s wonderful being married to a Christian. How many husbands have their wives share what they learned from God’s word each day? I want to be a better man because I’m married to a better woman.

Proverbs says, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:10-12).

The chair and book remind me of something sacred – a friendship with a man who taught me how to love the woman who owns the Bible.

Godly friends and a Christian wife have given me a glimpse of heaven

Because of Calvary,

Rick

 

Changes

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VIEWPOINTS

Thoughts To Encourage Godly Living

August 13, 2002

 

CHANGES

Today is my birthday. Actually, it’s the 19th anniversary of my 39th birthday. The mirror that has always reflected my image isn’t nearly as complimentary as before. My hair is parting like the Red Sea. My face has lost some elasticity — okay — it looks like a road map to Cut & Shoot, Texas. Wrinkles aren’t so bad — but I miss my mind. I can only wonder how my memory’s doing.

Changes in my looks don’t bother me much. Even though my nose and ears are larger — so are my wife and children’s love. Now I even have love from grandchildren. I don’t play football or soccer anymore, but now I read books and drink lattes at Barnes & Noble.

Changes aren’t always good. My relatives and friends are getting older too. Some are sick — some have passed on. I miss being with people I’ve been close to in the past. I wish we could all go home and have a family reunion. I pointed to a man yesterday that reminded me of a departed friend. As I pointed, I said to Betty, “Look! Doesn’t that look like Brother B.?” Brother Rogers Bartley fell asleep in Jesus just about a year ago so it couldn’t have been him. But I wanted it to be. I miss my friends!

I guess 58 isn’t that old. Another friend, Louis Pennisi, is 105 years old and still loving the Lord. Age, for me, consists in things before and after. I’d like to keep the blessings of my past and add more to the future. I’d also like to forget the sins of my past and not add any more. I love the apostle Paul’s statement, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13ff-14).

One thing I won’t change is my desire for heaven, or my hope to take others with me. Won’t that be the grandest reunion ever? And to think, it will be an eternal reunion. No more tears, no more sorrows, and no more birthdays. Yeah!

Love you,

Rick Smith
Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Must I Be Baptized To Be Saved?

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I’m convinced a person serious about salvation and once understanding baptism would not ask if they had to be baptized to be saved. Instead, they would ask, “When can I be baptized?”

If I was questioning baptism, I would begin with Jesus, what he said and did. “Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”Then John consented” (Matthew 3:13-15). Jesus was sinless, had no sins to confess, none to be forgiven, but his desire to fulfill all righteousness was paramount.

I must ask, “What would Jesus want me to do?” I am a sinner, no doubt about that. So do I need to be baptized? Jesus met with his disciples and gave them the following instructions. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Mathew 28:18-20). The answer is yes, but before baptism takes place something else is required, and it makes sense ~ “…go make disciples.”

What is a disciple? When that question is understood and complied with, baptism falls into place. “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. (Love Jesus more than anybody else) 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”  (This is an unceasing death, recognizing our lives are now spent in Christ’s service and not for ourselves).

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:25-33). (Turn everything you have over to God, and he gives it right back to you as its steward ~ to be used for his glory).

Okay, that’s deep, but I get it. Jesus wants a total commitment of my life in order for me to be a disciple or follower of him. Even though we are at different levels of understanding, we can agree that we need to have accepted Jesus as Lord, and with it have a deep longing to follow him. Next, we find the apostles telling folks what to do in order to demonstrate their discipleship, prove their allegiance to Christ, to turn their back on the world and live for Christ. “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves  from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:36-42). The apostle Peter pointed them towards Jesus, told them how their sinfulness crucified him, and how they could be forgiven. They must become disciples or followers of Jesus, repent and confess their sinfulness, be baptized or immersed in water for forgiveness and then receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. At that point God would add them to his family, the church, the community of God.

Without knowing everything about being baptized into Christ, you can at least realize the question: “Do I have to be baptized to be saved?” should rather be, “When can I be baptized?” I want to go to heaven! You can learn more about Baptism by responding to this Blog with questions. I’m praying you, if you never have, will make a decision to live for Christ and be baptized into him.

 

The Only Saved People In Town

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Mark Twain was known to say that he put a dog and cat in a cage together as an experiment to see if they could get along. They did, so he put in a bird, pig, and goat. They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments. Then he put in a Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic — soon there was not a living thing left.

Mr. Twain’s humorous predicament has been many people’s tragedy. It seems that more is made about what we belong to rather than to whom we belong. It’s actually worse than that. Yesterday I was asked what church I attended. Next, I was asked which movement this church represented. Finally, I was asked which belief system did I use regarding certain doctrines. In frustration, I told the person, “I’m just a Christian”. Well, that wasn’t good enough for them! I felt like a chicken in the meat department with its wing lifted while someone sniffs it for freshness. There was no way I could pass that test.

I go numb when I hear people bragging about the church they “grew up in”. I want to hear someone say they grew up in Christ.

I’m happy with the church I attend, but I am more thankful for Jesus who shed His blood to purchase his church. I’m grateful for every saved person on the planet — and they don’t all attend church with me.

It feels good to get this off my chest. But if one more person asks me what church I go to, I’m going to tell them I go to the “Church Of The Only Saved People In Town”! Of course, then they’ll probably think I’m a member of their church.