Spiritual Viewpoints

by Rick Smith

Love

Getting In The Way Of Prayer

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“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (I Peter 3:7).

“It’s hard to be humble when you’re so good.” I know a few men that really think that way. They’re married to unhappy women. When a man treats his wife as though he is God’s gift to women ~ he isn’t. What kind of a lug-headed dimwit would treat the woman he loves like a slave? Do I see any hands?

Consideration is the first thing we must give our wives. Thoughtfulness, kindness, respect, tenderness, warmheartedness, compassion — all of these words illuminate consideration. Husbands need to be attentive to their wives’ needs. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Jesus died for the church — too many husbands have an “undying” love for their wives. The truth is that our wives don’t need us to die for them — they need us to live for them. When chivalry goes out the window, you know consideration went before it. When the husband never opens his wife’s car door, never vacuums the floor, never takes out the trash, never does something thoughtful that shows his love — he needn’t bother to pray because God won’t hear you.

When men wonder why their prayers aren’t being answered, it may be that they are hindering them. God says to be considerate and treat wives with respect. Do it or don’t bother praying. If there were no other reason to treat wives with consideration and respect, keeping prayers from stopping at the ceiling would be good enough. Actually, it’s not good enough. God commands men to treat their wives with holiness, in the form of consideration and respect, recognizing them as having a feminine quality deserving of such dignified treatment. He wants husbands to be aware that wives are heirs with us of God’s gracious gift of life. If husbands ignore God on this — He will ignore our prayers. There, I said it again.

Husbands, we can bring God glory by lifting our wives up to Him in prayer. We can love our wives by the considerate words we speak and by our respectful attitudes. “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22).

Trailer Trash

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Our church building was about two miles from the campus trailer court where Betty and I lived. It was our first year of marriage and my second year of college. One Sunday morning we were sitting in church which was just across the street from the college. A man dressed in shabby clothes, who lived in our trailer court, led the closing prayer. His prayer was simple: “Lord, forgive us for we are but worms. Amen”

After his “Amen”, two stylish looking older women sitting directly ahead of us turned to each other with up-turned noses and said something very uncomplimentary. In today’s vernacular it would be like saying, “Trailer trash”.

We weren’t certain whether his prayer or apparel caught their attention ~ probably both. After hearing the comments, I knew his prayer was right-on. So, I figure it was his shabby looks.

God is quite adamant on this subject. The prophet Samuel would have anointed Eliab instead of David as King because he mistakenly judged him on his looks. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him (Eliab). The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). God looks through our Armani’s or J.C. Penney’s finery directly into our hearts.

God continues looking at hearts in the New Testament, “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God” (I Timothy 2:9-10). It seems as though a damper is put on fancy apparel and modesty alone is required.

The Holy Spirit puts an exclamation mark on the heart when He inspires the following: “Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:2-4)

Trailers or shabby clothes don’t make trash out of people. Besides wanting people to dress modestly, with decency, and appropriateness, God’s interest is in our hearts. The only show He wants to see is the demonstration of a good heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

Martha

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To me the greatest joy of being a preacher is witnessing people as they open their hearts to heaven and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

December 25, 2016 was one of those Sundays that began with four teenagers being baptized at Victory Road Church of Christ. The same night around 9:30 pm we received a call that beckoned us back to the church building to witness one more baptism. Before going any further, let me tell you that my heart jumped within me full of joy. Martha Huskins, daughter of Allan and Charlene Huskins, was the one immersed into Christ. That’s why I’m writing now ~ I want my heart hitting the keyboard.

I so glad Martha knows both the “plan of salvation” and “the man of salvation”, that is, Jesus our Lord. If anything, when we are baptized into Christ, we are a trophy of His grace just like every human being that ever humbly accepted Jesus into their lives.

I stood by and watch Martha’s daddy, Allan, immerse his daughter into God’s forever family. I got to watch a daddy participate with God in bringing a new child into the world. Wow!

Martha is young, but insightful regarding spiritual things. She will start a new life in Christ and become a living letter of what young people can be when they surrender to the Lord instead of the world. Her mother, Charlene, and daddy, Allan Jr., have taught each of their three children well. Martha knows only Jesus can give her eternal life, real joy, and a constant companionship with God. The Holy Spirit will live in her heart and begin His process of growing this young lady into a godly woman. Between God, Martha’s parents, and two Christian brothers, Samuel and Allan III, she will shine for Jesus!

I sat back and enjoyed watching God working in the life of a beautiful family, and I know God has already influenced Martha through those who taught her: parents, grandma, grandpa, aunt, cousins, etc. You see, this family goes back generations with the Lord in the lead. I’ve been blessed to watch some of it happen for over 53 years: her parents, grandparents, Allan Sr. and Faye Huskins, Great Grandparents, Jack and Essie Whitehead, and Martha’s Great-Great Grandmother, Janie Whitehead.

You can begin, if you haven’t already, preparing future generations for accepting the Lord. But if you’ve not begun the journey ~ it’s time you do! The Lord is knocking on the door of your heart. Open the door and let Him come in.

Obi Wan Kenobi

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In the movie, Star Wars, a legendary Jedi Master named Obi Wan Kenobi was a noble man and gifted in the ways of the Force. His wisdom was sought by all the good guys. But I digress…obi-wan-kanobi

My brother-in-Christ, Billy Kersh, and I made a visit to the real life mirror image of Obi Wan Kenobi. First you need to know a little about Billy. Billy is 73, has an IQ of 132, and is literate in most all Bible subjects. I took Billy with me thinking he and my old friend, Howard Trimmer, would enjoy a biblical discussion. As it turned out, Billy, who is usually a chatty fellow, sat almost nose to nose with Howard, who is blind and nearly deaf, listening to him share depths of biblical wisdom neither Billy nor I had grasped before. Billy commented afterwards that he wished we had recorded what Howard said.

Howard is 93 years old, a man who knows science from black holes to the orbital measurements making possible the workings of planets and the flight of satellites. He was once part of the team working on the Hubble Telescope’s trajectory. I met him years before he was blind and relegated to a wheelchair. I can’t explain why he and I are such close friends, why he thinks he ever learned anything from me, or why he wants my company, but he does, and for that I am blessed.

That’s the back-story to this post. I dare not share all that he revealed to us as there is neither time nor ability. I will offer a tidbit ~ just enough to whet your taste buds and hopefully make you scramble for your Bible.

Howard is concerned the church is becoming so institutionalized that it will lose the Lord’s original intent. He‘s concerned we are becoming like starched shirts hanging on the clothesline instead of lively stones building up the Kingdom. He believes we have become second cousins to the Pharisees, making rules, laws, and regimentation that will stifle and eventually make the body of Christ unrecognizable. Some things he said hit us in the face like a wet skunk. After reaching into his memory (since he can no longer read), he quoted Scriptures we were familiar with, but hadn’t recognized the heart behind them.

In this post I will not relate our experience except to ask that you never quit studying the Word of God. All I will reveal is this: the principles Jesus taught in his daily life, which are recorded in the Gospels, are far superior to the deductions brilliant scholars think they’ve discovered. The Bible is a book for all, not just those knowing Hebrew or Greek. Never leave your brain on the church building doorsteps when going to worship with the saints, and never leave your heart anywhere ~ not ever!

God bless.

I Can’t Hate You

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I have no enemies! Others may consider me an enemy, but it’s not reciprocal. I don’t care what anyone has done, said, or thought about me. If they’ve taken advantage, slandered, slurred, or cursed me, I don’t hold it against them. Instead, I love them! And there’s nothing they can do about it.

hateI don’t deserve a pat on the back for loving those who would do me harm. My human tendency might be to retaliate, to hate those who hate me. But I can’t. I have no choice but to love people even when they seem unlovable.

The apostle Paul wrote, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

Practically speaking, if God can forgive the messes I’ve made in my life, what right have I to hate others for their messes?

When I hear of somebody not talking to somebody else because that person did this or that bad thing, I wonder if they realize how much the Creator loves them even when they do the same. I’ve concluded that people who don’t feel God’s forgiveness may lack forgiving hearts. That’s a real shame!

Personally, I’ll accept all the forgiveness God offers me. And in return, I’ll give that forgiveness to others, no matter what they’ve done. Then, if they’ll listen, I’ll tell them about the Great Redeemer and His forgiveness.

I sleep better at night that way.

 

 

Out Stretched Arms of Love

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There was a chill in the air. It wasn’t the preacher ~ he and his sermon were fired up. The building was warm. The enthusiasm for worship was obvious. But for a few people hurt feelings had poured water on the Spirit’s flame.

Bringing people together and making them one was Christ’s prayer, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:20-21).

When brethren differ with each other, and at the same time love the Lord, reconciliation is often a hug away. Paul tells us how to walk through hurt feelings:

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:1-3).

The perfect answer to healing hurt feelings is running towards each other with out-stretched arms of love. It’s a God thing ~ outstretched arms of love!