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Articles from this month's issue of the Berean News |
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Viewpoints The book of Genesis tells us that even though Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden, they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:25) But notice what happened shortly after they ate of the forbidden fruit. "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?' He answered, 'I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.' And he said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?' The man said, 'The woman you put here with me&emdash;she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it' Then the Lord God said to the woman, 'What is this you have done?' The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'" (Genesis 3:8-13) The first couple felt an emotion that they had never felt before: Shame. But it seems that the concept of shame has lost its popularity lately. According to a Newsweek poll only 62% of Americans would feel shame if it were known they'd had an extramarital affair. Only 73% would feel shame if it were known they'd been convicted of drunk driving. To most Americans, shame is something they have over in Japan. Our country's about shamelessness. Here, people actually volunteer to exhibit their extramarital affairs and other degrading behavior on national T.V. shows like Jerry Springer. O.J. Simpson's attorneys brazenly bend the rules to make their client's case. Marion Barry, a former crackhead, runs for mayor of Washington D.C. And wins! And the world yawns. There is not much that people feel ashamed about any more. And yet, shame is an integral part of God's plan to restore men and women back to Him. The definition of shame is "a painful emotion aroused by the recognition that one has failed to act, behave, or think in accordance with the standards which one accepts as good." John, speaking about the kingdom of heaven, says "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful " (Revelation 21:27). Just as pain is a warning to our bodies that we may be sick physically, so guilt is a warning to our spirit that we are sick spiritually. A sense of shame is needed before one can take the first step toward salvation which is a realization of guilt. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). If we don't realize that we are sinners and are guilty before God, we will never reach the next step which is repentance. "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10). Finally, repentance leads to the forgiveness of our sins. Summing it up, Shame leads to Guilt, which leads to Repentance, which leads to Forgiveness. There are at least six erroneous beliefs that prevent us from feeling shame: (1) My sins are not my fault. Society is responsible, not me. In earlier times, ministers used to regularly exhort their congregations to humbly confess their sins. But the aging baby boomers (and the rest of us as well) don't want to hear sermons that might rattle their self-esteem. And so most of the messages in churches today condemn societal evils such as racism, sexism, and social injustices. Only rarely do they hit on subjects close to home like divorce, pride, greed, and overconcern about personal wealth. Yes, we still do hear a condemnation of abortion, pornography and other excesses of our anything-goes society, but they are usually fists shaken at the world outside, not fingers pointed at those in the pews. (2) My sins are due to an improper upbringing by my parents. Doesn't this sound familiar? "The woman you put here with me&emdash;she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Most people aren't willing to take responsibility for the wrongs they do. But God doesn't look at it that way. We can't point fingers at our parents or our spouses or our children. We are, each of us, accountable for our sins and for our sins only. (3) The devil made me do it. This sounds familiar also, doesn't it? "The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'" Yes, Satan can enter into our lives and influence us. He can plant thoughts in our minds which will lead to sin. But he can't make us do anything. When we were born again into Christ, we became new creatures. We became sons and daughters of God. And as His children we are no longer under the rulership of Satan. We are living in God's kingdom, not Satan's. (4) It's wrong only if we knowingly sin. Wrong again. Just as under our civil law, ignorance of the law is no excuse; so under God's law, we are counted guilty whether we realize we are sinning or not. (5) All we have to do in order to be forgiven is feel sorry for our sins. Nope, sorry, that isn't good enough. This isn't the TV program, "Touched by an Angel," you know. Not only do we have to repent in our heart, but we must show that it is sincere by our actions. Paul says, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds" (Acts 26:20). (6) When we are "in Christ" we can sin as much as we please and be forgiven. This is not true either. Some of the misguided early Christians thought this way too, but Paul straightened them out in Romans 6:1-2. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Yes, the emotion of shame has pretty much disappeared from our world. It's a shame, isn't it? --Dennis Thorfeldt |
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Perspective Wouldn't it be nice if our lives were like VCRs? We could just fast forward through all the crummy times and all the struggles. But we can't. Each of us must go through the struggles in our lives. Sometimes these struggles are emotional, sometimes physical, sometimes psychological, sometimes spiritual. And sometimes our struggles are an almost overwhelming combination of problems that make us feel like life has us in a cement mixer. We get tumbled and tossed and wonder if we will ever get out. Let me share with you a story that I recently read. It's by George MacDonald and is called "The Moth and the Cocoon." "A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force its body through that little hole. "Then, it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. The man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth. So he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But, it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. "The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would then contract. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly." The man had been both kind and hasty. He did not understand that the restricting cocoon, and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening, were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. For the moth, freedom and flight could come only after the struggle. By depriving the moth of its struggle, the man unwittingly deprived the moth of its full development and health. Maybe the struggles we go through are what we need in our lives in order to develop our full potential spiritually, to be all that God wants us to be. If God granted us a life without struggles and obstacles, it might cripple us. Trials in our lives are not enemies of faith. They are rather opportunities to reveal God's faithfulness to us. Like the emperor moth, we are being prepared to be beautiful and to fly. Life is a refining process. It is how we determine our ultimate fate. The inner qualities of the spirit that God has given us must be brought to light and allowed to mature. Our job in all this is to view our struggles as opportunities, not negatives. Our eyes should glisten even through wet tears. We must love God and live our lives in a happy and productive and healthy relationship with Him. Instead of wondering "Why me?" we need to respond "Whatever, Lord. Whatever it takes." "... so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked an depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe" (Philippians 2:15). May you and I keep our struggles in a proper perspective. And may our struggles help make us shine. -Larry Urbaniak |
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A Daughter's Heart Family is a great blessing. All mankind longs for a sense of belonging, being part of a family that loves them unconditionally. Many long for that perfect family, only to be disappointed in the one they find themselves in. I am blessed. My earthly family is very precious to me. My husband and children are my greatest assets. I thank God for them every day. Yet there has always been a longing for what I do not have. For 23 years, I have lived 1400 miles away from my parents. I love to be with them whenever the opportunity arises. I miss them a lot. Phone bills used to be a problem, thank goodness for technology and e-mail. It helps us keep in touch on a daily basis. While that has been a blessing, there have been times when I desperately needed my mom or dad to give me a hand, impossibility considering the miles that separate us. Over the years I have come to really depend on my spiritual family in these times of need. There is one instance that really stands out in my mind. It took place almost 18 years ago. I had pulled a muscle in my lower back attempting to grab Joel while at McDonaldland. Now I found myself flat in bed, with a wild 2-year-old attempting to "kill" himself in my presence! I was totally helpless to prevent any disaster that might occur. I was in total despair and the fact that I had no mother or sister to call for help made me feel even more helpless. As a lay in bed crying, the phone rang and it was a sister in Christ, who knew nothing of my dilemma but was just calling to see how I was feeling (I was 8 months pregnant with Tarah at the time). She rushed right over to help and then arranged for someone to be with me everyday until I was better. The Lord taught me a lesson that day: I do have family right here in Illinois and more importantly I have a Father who is always looking out for me. Surely, we as Christians have been blessed beyond measure. Family is something we experience on many levels as Christians. In our congregations we are surrounded by brothers and sisters who love us. We have been blessed with spiritual mothers and fathers who we can turn to for guidance and help along life's path. We have brothers and sisters who stand with us in prayer and who fill the voids in our lives. For years I prayed for an adult role model for my son Joel. I really felt the need for a godly man besides his dad who could help him during those crucial teen years. When we started attending the Cicero church, my prayers were answered in David Elliott (and Tracie was a bonus I hadn't even asked for). They were the youth leaders at the time. Joel hit it off with them on many levels, but for me they were an answer to prayer. They were filling a need that I could not. I also have a daughter, Tarah, who has a lot of emotional problems. One Sunday, I shared my concerns for her with the small group I was with at a prayer meeting. Whenever I see sister Helen Thorfeldt she lets me know that she has not stopped praying for Tarah. While we wait to see our prayers answered on her behalf, sister Helen's prayers are precious to me because they are an expression of true caring. I know I am loved! What a blessing to have a spiritual family that loves and cares for us so. As if that were not enough, we have God who has made us his sons and daughters. II Corinthians 6:16 and 18 tells us that "God said, 'I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me.'" Think about that for a moment. The God of this Universe, the Ruler of the heavens, the Creator of all things wanted US, chose US to be his sons and daughters. There is nothing greater than that! It was not because of whom we were, or what we could do, or what we possessed, that He made us sons and daughters. No, it was just because He desired for us to be His children. He loves us with an everlasting love and He will never let us go. We have been chosen to be part of the marvelous family of God. God is our Father and what a Father he is! He dwells with us. He is always there for us whenever we need Him. In fact, sometimes before we even call upon Him he gives us what we desire. He walks with us and talks with us. He showers us with His love and grace. He is the ultimate Father and we are His precious children. He even gives a nudge to one of his daughters to make a phone call when He knows I am in need of help! What a Dad! --Donna Mathewson |
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Roy's Reflections Summer is over here in the Midwest and my favorite season is upon us: Fall! I love the explosions of color in the leaves, the nip in the cool morning air, even seeing the fur on the animals thicken as nature winds down yet another passing season of life. Like in nature, human life comes in cycles and seasons, and what is fit for one season can be a hindrance in another. Paul expressed this beautifully in I Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways." God wants us to grow, but growth usually means change and uncertainty. God designed this life we live to go through seasons. Seasons of fruitfulness and of barrenness are all part of His Grand Plan. My grandson Patrick and I were talking the other day about why trees lose their leaves in the fall. He asked me if trees died in winter. I explained hibernation to him, how God puts the land and animals to rest during different seasons so they can come back renewed and vigorous for the next. There are seasons of work and of rest for all of Creation. Watching trees lose their leaves reveals something of the purpose and plan of God for our lives. Leaves are wonderful in the spring, summer, and fall. But if trees tried to carry their leaves into the winter, the ice that forms on their branches would snap them under their weight and kill the tree. The tree has to yield and give up its leaves and undergo a little death, a bit of loss, to avoid prematurely dying. It has to let go to live. People go through changes as their seasons come and go. When it's time to let go of a loved one, release the kids to go off to school, or accept the death of close friend. We want to hang on to the beautiful and familiar things and people that God has graced us with, and we groan and resist vainly trying to stop the inevitable changes that must come. The problem is that, just like a leafed tree in winter, we become burdened down with cares too heavy to carry and we begin to strain until we finally snap under the load. Just like a tree has to lose its leaves before winter, so we have to learn there are times to let go of the things and people we love if we are to successfully make the transition from one season of life to another according to God's plan. Jesus warned that those who did not take root in the Kingdom of God would wither away. Spring is a time for leaves to burst forth so that fruit can follow. Fall is a time for leaves to die so that the nutrients that produced leaves and fruit will now cause the root system to grow stronger and deeper. The deeper the roots go, the more stable and sturdy the tree becomes and ultimately it will become even more fruitful because of this cycle. When the seasons of your life change, God can give you the grace to yield and let go even as trees let their beautiful leaves fall to the ground and die. In these often-painful times, be confident that He is allowing these things to touch you in order to grow your roots even deeper into Him. He is most glorified when you bear much fruit and deep roots are needed to produce quality fruit. While leaves are a blessing in the spring and summer, in the winter they can become a curse unless you let them go. Cast your heavy burdens and cares upon Jesus. Take these seasons of your life as a time to put on His yoke and lean on Him. Fall and winter are only passing seasons. In the proper time set by God's own wisdom, spring comes to again renew the earth with abundant life. Seasons come and go, but the wise Brother or Sister will be found deeply rooted and grounded, assured and unmovable in Christ. --Roy R. Boswell |
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Q:What do you find it hardest to be thankful for? |
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Amber OK, I know it sounds really corny but I find it hardest to be thankful for my parents. So many times I forget how much an "I love you" could mean. I take the fact that I have wonderful, loving, parents for granted. |
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Cynthia Marvin and I saw a play called "The Promise" in Branson, MO. It was about the life of Christ. When I saw Jesus being crucified - it made me want to cry. Seeing that makes it hardest for me to accept and be thankful for what he did for us. I realize I've taken it for granted. |
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Gregg The hardest thing for me to be thankful for is my job. When I began my working career twenty-five years ago, I selected my employer partly because I felt they were genuinely concerned about nurturing their employees. They were. But for the past several years, reorganizations, interim managers, and incentive goals have promoted the spirit of "get whatever you can, however you can." Not being treated as a person makes it difficult to be thankful for the opportunity of being employed. |
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Steve I find it most difficult to be thankful for the trials we go through. We know the Lord allows these for the strengthening of our faith, but it's still hard to be thankful for something difficult. |
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