Christian Conduct

To my Christian Brothers and Sisters, I know these are challenging times but; as you would expect, God has spoken to every human event in His infallible Word. On this occasion through the Apostle Peter, about how we should conduct ourselves in circumstances like the ones we face in 2021. Take a minute to read these nine short verses. It brought me peace and hope and I pray it will do the same for you.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you have been chosen by God himself—you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own—all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it.

11 Dear brothers, you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven, I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls.

12 Be careful how you behave among your unsaved neighbors; for then, even if they are suspicious of you and talk against you, they will end up praising God for your good works when Christ returns.

13 For the Lord’s sake, obey every law of your government: those of the king as head of the state, 14 and those of the king’s officers, for he has sent them to punish all who do wrong, and to honor those who do right.

15 It is God’s will that your good lives should silence those who foolishly condemn the Gospel without knowing what it can do for them, having never experienced its power. 16 You are free from the law, but that doesn’t mean you are free to do wrong. Live as those who are free to do only God’s will at all times.

17 Show respect for everyone. Love Christians everywhere. Fear God and honor the government.

Grandmother’s Bible

Recently my cousin Gary Dankworth gave me my Grandmother Ruth Brooker’s Bible that he and his wife happened upon while going through his Mother’s personal items after her passing. Gary’s Grandmother Agnes Messler had been given the Bible by my Grandfather Harry Brooker because Agnes deeply missed my Grandmother, as do I. Today I begin another journey through the Scriptures in their entirety in the Bible that once rested in the lap of Ruth Messer Brooker. Won’t you join me? Just message me for my 2021 version of “The Worker’s Bible Reading Plan”. A daily reading from the Old Testament, the Books of Poetry and the New Testament. There are no readings on weekends or holidays to give you a chance to catch up or just rest.

Does the Bible Teach Us to Hate Anything?

Hatred of any kind is a very sensitive topic in our world today. Social unrest and racial tension almost everywhere we look. The Word of God however teaches that to love God and our fellow man (Matthew 22:37-39) is the “great commandment”. Despite this instruction, the Bible does teach us that there are some things that Believers should hate! My personal favorite is Psalm 101:2-3. “I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”

So according to the inspired words of King David, we should hate the work of them that turn aside. Not those that turn aside, but the work. “Turn aside” is a reference to anything that distracts our attention from serving God. Remember Christian, we are called to hate the sin and love the sinner! Let’s focus on defeating the work that draws people away from the truth of the Gospel. Where does this campaign begin? David said in the same passage it begins right at home. “I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:” Do you want to defeat the works that hinder the cause of Christ? - Christian, it begins at home!