FALSE HOPE

“They continually say to those who despise Me, the LORD has said, you shall have peace; and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, no evil shall come upon you!” (Jer. 23:17 NKJV).

Just as in Jeremiah’s day, today false ministers with false messages still offer people false hope. They gave false hope by saying people can have peace without piety, and have protection without purity.

Peace without piety – “They continually say to those who despise Me, the LORD has said, you shall have peace.” This message is still being proclaimed today. We still believe we can have lasting peace while still dishonoring God. Many politicians talk about peace and how to have peace in the world, but none will ever admit that the only way to really have peace is to honor God. Thus they are giving folks false hope by their peace proposals. There can be no peace or honor when we refuse to honor God. True peace will only come when there is piety (godliness, sanctity). When we despise God, punishment and not peace is expected from God.

Protection without purity – “And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, no evil shall come upon you.” No matter how ungodly some folks have lived their lives, at their funeral, some minister will give them glowing eulogies. It is the same as saying that even though you walk after the imagination of your heart (which is walking in an evil way), you will not experience judgment in eternity. Many false ministers have given false hope to people because they preached a false message of protection without purity. The true message about protection says we can only be saved from judgment by being purified through the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7; Heb. 9:12).

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“All ministers should remember when they preach that God is one of their hearers!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Disturbance

In Acts 19:23 we read, “About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way” (NASB).

Disturbance is the Greek word tarachos (τάραχος = tar'-akh-os). It means to stir up, agitate, cause trouble, confusion, consternation, commotion. In classical Greek as well as in the Septuagint, tarachos has essentially the same meaning of disturbance or agitation. In the New Testament, tarachos means commotion, confusion, consternation, serious disturbance. It is used only twice in the New Testament, once in Acts 12:18 and again in Acts 19:23.

In Acts 12:18, tarachos speaks of the mental agitation and acute distress of the soldiers by Peter’s disappearance from the prison. Their agitation and distress were well founded because losing a prisoner would result in their execution. In Acts 19:23 tarachos speaks more of a state of civic unrest, mental excitement or confusion. The silversmiths who made silver shrines of the goddess Artemis (Diana) were concerned about the results of Paul’s missionary activity and its effect on their business. As a result, they instigated a serious commotion/riot hoping to arouse public opinion against Paul.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – God’s Servant would justify many (Isa. 53:11)

New Testament Fulfillment – Rom. 5:8-9; 18-19

Did You Know…

In the Bible it states that Jesus offered up Himself (Heb. 7:27; 9:14).

Bible Quiz

According to 2 Timothy, when shall “the living and the dead” be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: What happened to Korah and all the men who spoke against Moses in the wilderness? The earth opened up and swallowed them alive (Num. 16:31-33).

Names of the Lord Jesus Found in the Bible

“Light of the World”

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life!” (John 8:12 NKJV).

1. Meaning – The Lord Jesus is the light.

2. Insights – The radiance of the Lord Jesus reveals God. Knowing the Lord Jesus is to know and see what God is like. Those who follow Him will not walk in darkness.

3. Related Titles – Light (John 1:4); Radiance (brightness) of God’s glory (Heb. 1:3).

Did You Know – Christian History

Responding to the needs of poor children in Philadelphia who were unable to read, a group of businessmen and lay people united to form the Sunday and Adult School Union. The Union brought together people from different denominations involved in Sunday school ministry, which had roots going back to 1790 and the First Day Society. The purpose was to reach the local community through religious education in Sunday schools. By 1818 there were 43 schools with 5,970 scholars.

The Sunday and Adult School Union began publishing books to support and extend the work of the Sunday schools. By the second year, it issued over 50,000 copies of books as well as alphabet cards, copies of the Ten Commandments, and blue and red Scripture tickets. The mission aimed to provide a comprehensive literature for the young, including history, biography, travels, conversations, narratives, poetry, hymns and songs with illustrations that were thoroughly local, drawn from the colors and the environment.

In 1821, the mission hired its first paid missionary, Rev. William C. Blair, to establish more Sunday schools, after which they were to be maintained by local people. However, many pastors were doubtful about his work. Some disliked his concern for black people. Others were afraid that the interdenominational organization would steal their converts. All feared wasting their limited resources. Yet, Blair knew how to work hard, and set out to quiet any question of the value of a paid missionary. “There ought to be eight or ten Sunday-school missionaries in every state,” he said.

Working alone most of the time, he covered about 2,500 miles, mostly on horseback, visiting six states, from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. He had founded 61 new Sunday schools, visited 35 others, and revived twenty that had gone under. In addition, he had started six societies to spread Christian tracts and had founded four adult schools. This record of Blair’s work along with reports by other Sunday school workers showed the Union what could be done and what still needed doing. The leadership committee was so impressed that they hired two more full-time missionaries.

As the nation began expanding, the mission responded - summer Bible Conferences (now called camps) were pioneered. These began as a reward for Scripture memory, but were continued as an effective way to reach children. The mission also began conducting Vacation Bible Schools in the early 1920s. In 1974, recognizing that it was no longer only a Sunday school union that had been responding to the changing local needs throughout the country, the mission changed its name to American Missionary Fellowship. The revised purpose of the mission stated: “The American Missionary Fellowship is a faith mission proclaiming God’s Word to spiritually neglected people, to evangelize, congregate, and disciple them for Jesus Christ.”

A Little Humor

A pastor was speaking of the prophets one by one. After seventy minutes, he said, “We now come to Isaiah - what should we do with him?” An impatient person said, “He can have my seat; I’m going home.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“No God, no peace; know God, know peace!”