Follow Me

~ The Patch of the USAIC ~

The "Follow Me" patch is the emblem of the U.S. Army Infantry Center (USAIC).

Notice a few things about the emblem:

First, the familiar wording which our Lord used so often, such as in Matthew 4:19, where we read, "And He said unto them, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." This is a most basic message of the Word of God; that men ought to follow Christ.

Second, notice the sword - a two-edged sword, recalling to mind Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword ..." Just as the Word of God should have a central position in any believer's life, so too the sword occupies the center portion of this emblem.

Third, notice the colors. First we have the blue background - blue is often used to represent the heavens. White is the other color, commonly associated with purity, a tradition which clearly has its origins in Scripture.

Fourth, we notice the only thing left is the emblem's unusual shape. This shape is only possible by the use of an unusual number of sides - seven. Seven can be clearly shown to be the Scripture's number for completeness, perfection, or more accurately "spiritual perfection."

The "Follow Me" patch is the emblem of the U.S. Army infantry headquarters. The Army is clearly the most fundamental branch of any country's armed forces! The infantry is the most basic component of any army! And this emblem belongs to the headquarters of the infantry! Isn't it amazing - the same nation whose motto is "In God We Trust" possesses the "Follow Me" patch at the very heart of its military forces.

NOTE: This short article was Robert Lloyd Russell’s first published Christian content. It was originally published in the April 1982 issue of At Ease magazine – a publication for military personnel.

God’s 4 Responses to Prayer

~ All of God’s Responses are Answers! ~

~ The following four terms used to describe God’s answers to prayer are from an unknown source and have been around for decades. ~

In this view of looking at God’s answers to prayer, an examination is made of three factors: the request, the petitioner, and the timing. Based on those three factors, God replies in one of four ways.

Situation One
The request is acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is acceptable to God.
The timing is not right from God’s perspective.
“SLOW” is the answer!
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12).

Situation Two
The request is acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is not acceptable to God.
The timing is acceptable to God.
“GROW” is the answer!
“He who isn’t listening to God finds that even his prayers are an abomination to God” (Proverbs 28:9).

Situation Three
The request is not acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is acceptable to God.
The timing is acceptable to God.
“NO” is the answer!
“This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Situation Four
The request is acceptable to God.
The condition of the petitioner is acceptable to God.
The timing is acceptable to God.
“GO” is the answer!
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).

COMMENT: There is more about prayer in the book “Thy Will Be Done On Earth: Understanding God’s Will for You” written by myself.

Strings and Wind Instruments

~ Do You Know About the Father of the Harp? ~

Our youngest daughter was a very competent harpist and consequently had many opportunities to perform. Dad quickly became the harp mover and was often referred to as the “father of the harpist.” I did not mind the title—in fact I felt it an honor as I moved her harp nearly 400 times to her various performing opportunities. Then she left our nest and went on to university training and increased her excellent skills.

I was only doing what any father would do. In Genesis we read of the first father of a harpist—Lamech. Lamech was the father of Jubal the harpist, and Jubal was the father of the harp itself!

Lamech was the father of innovative offspring. His firstborn, Jabal, was the first shepherd. One of Jabal’s brothers, Jubal, was an inventor and the father of the harp and the flute. Jubal’s younger brother, Tubal, was a metal-worker and apparently an inventor.

Jubal is only mentioned once in Scripture. “Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron.” (Genesis 4:19-22, NIV, emphasis added.)

It is not hard to picture a camaraderie among these brothers. Perhaps Jabal enjoyed Jubal’s music while shepherding his sheep. Tubal may well have assisted Jubal in his making of prototype musical instruments.

These three brothers represent some firsts. We learn throughout the pages of history that instrumental music, especially from the harp and the flute, played a major role in the worship of God. Finally, the working of metal became very important in everything from weapons of war to transportation.

As I contemplate this passage, my heart is drawn to Lamech. He was from the line of Cain and in some of what we read his character comes into question. Still, I cannot help but wonder what kind of father he was. He raised three sons and a daughter to be useful members of society. I have lived long enough to know that some great parents are often disappointed in the direction their children have taken—and I am sure that many of us have children who turn out far better than we deserve. The most important role of any father is to raise his children in the knowledge of God and to lead them towards faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning work.

One way we do that is by seeking to model our heavenly Father to the greatest extent we are able. What a challenge! In the end we must leave the results to God—as we continually pray and support our children.

CONTEMPLATE: The harp is found throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

The Center of the Bible

~ Maybe Not What You Think ~

Where is the center of the Bible? In the last post I mentioned the significance of Isaiah 53 and pointed out it can be considered the heart of the Bible as it contains the core message of the Bible! There are other ways to determine the center of the Bible. What follows is one of the more common determinations of the center of the Bible.

DISCLAIMER: It is relevant to mention two things: (1) All calculations are based on the Authorized Version (widely referred to as the King James Version). (2) Chapter and verse divisions were not inserted into the Bible until 1205 and are not divinely inspired in the same manner as Scripture.

Psalm 118

Psalm 118 was Martin Luther’s favorite psalm. It begins by giving thanks to the LORD and comes full circle, ending with the same message of giving thanks to the LORD.

It is also a messianic psalm—a psalm which speaks of the coming Messiah. Verse 22 begins a reference to the coming of Christ.

Psalm 118:28 contains the greatest statement that anyone can make, “Thou art my God.”

Psalm 118 is widely reported to be the central chapter of the Bible—but is it?

Psalm 117

Psalm 117 with just two verses is the shortest chapter in the Bible and is a good summary of what the entire Bible has to say to mankind. “Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.”

There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible and there are 594 chapters before Psalm 117 and 594 chapters after it. Psalm 117 is the center chapter of the Bible.

Center Verses: Psalm 118:8-9

The central verse of the Bible is often stated as Psalm 118:8. To be more precise, there are 31,174 verses in the Bible—an even number of verses and therefore no one center verse. Rather the center verses are Psalm 118:8-9.

What is the message of these pivotal two verses? “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”

This coincides nicely with the message of 118:28 mentioned previously. If God is truly our God, then we should put all our trust in Him as these central verses state. If all Christians always kept that principle in mind, what a better place this world would be!

In summary, the central verses and the central chapter of the Bible contain central truths of the Bible! These central concepts are relevant guides to every aspect of the daily lives of all Christians everywhere.

CONTEMPLATE: This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book! (author unknown)

The Core Message of the Bible

~ Isaiah 53:5-6 ~

If one were to ask, “What is the core message of the Bible?” a number of answers might be given. For example, one of my favorite one-word descriptions of the Bible is “forgiveness.” Another good one-word description of the Bible would be “salvation.”

The Old Testament book of Isaiah is a fascinating book in many ways. The subject of Isaiah is Jesus Christ. His book has been called, “The Gospel before the Gospel.” Others have described Isaiah, who prophesied primarily to Judah, as the “Prophet of Grace”—what a New Testament ring that has! Chapter 53 provides one of the clearest prophecies of the death of Christ found in the Old Testament.

The book of Isaiah has also been called “The Bible in miniature” for several reasons. For example, it is well-known that the book of Isaiah is divided into two major parts consisting of the first 39 chapters and the last 27 chapters—the Bible has 39 chapters in the Old Testament and 27 chapters in the New Testament. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah can be summarized as “Isaiah—the Prophet of God’s holiness” which corresponds to the message of the Old Testament. The final 27 chapters we see “Prophet as the Servant of the Lord” directly relating to the message of the New Testament.

Someone has written the following concerning Isaiah 53: “Isaiah 53 is the central chapter of the central section of the central division, and the central verses of this central chapter enshrine the central truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

These two verses—Isaiah 53:5-6—should be familiar to all Christians. “But Jesus Christ was pierced for our rebellion, He was crushed for our sins, and He was beaten so we could be healed and made whole. He was whipped so we could be restored and made complete. All of us, like sheep, had strayed away—we had left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the sins of us all.”

At the core of the Bible is the message of salvation!

Poem: Seeing Above

~ In Memory of All Godly Grandparents ~

My maternal grandfather died on a Memorial Day weekend. In memory of all Godly grandparents I am sharing the following poem which he wrote.

Seeing Above

If we notice little pleasures
As we notice little pains,
If we quite forget our losses
And remember all our gains,
If we look at people’s virtues
And their faults refuse to see,
What a comfortable happy place
This woeful world might be.

~ Dr. Walter Emerson Bavis
December 10, 1872 – May 30, 1961

Dr. Bavis was kind of a renaissance man. During his life he was a one-room school teacher, mayor, justice of the peace, and a versatile “jack of all trades.” After his first wife died during childbirth he questioned why any woman should have to die that way. He went back to school and became a medical doctor. Later he married a nurse and had five more children including my mother.

EXTRA: Comment to a Comment

~ Bible Translations ~

A comment was received to my most recent blog: “The BEST Bible Version.” The comment seeks to take the reader into a deeper analysis than my blog intention. To this comment I must make two observations.

(1) My blog is not intended to be comprehensive. It is intended to be straightforward, thought-provoking, and easy to read and understand for both the Christian and the pre-Christian.

(2) The comment which was made contains value and points to a more comprehensive analysis of Bible translations—an analysis which I can for the most part agree with.

Thank you.

The BEST Bible Version

~ Which Bible is Best? ~

Some have jokingly remarked, “The King James Version was good enough for the Apostle Paul—so it is good enough for me!” In fact, the KJV was the standard Protestant Bible for hundreds of years and is an excellent translation. However, the question might be, is it the best translation for you?

A word of caution—beware of spiritual pride. Unfortunately the choice of Bible translation can become a source of pride. Consider for example what passes as comedy when people mock certain Bible versions. I have heard the RSV (Revised Standard Version) described as the “Revised Standard Perversion,” the NIV (New International Version) as a “Nearly Inspired Version,” and the NAS (New American Standard) as “Not Authentic Scripture.” I believe spiritual pride regarding which Bible version we read, including mocking legitimate Bible versions, is a form of “sowing discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:19)—something God “hates.” Spiritual pride is perhaps the worst kind of pride in God’s eyes. How that must hurt our God! Be careful about putting down God’s Word in any manner.

However, many Christians are in a legitimate quandary about which Bible version is best—a sincere desire to read the “right Bible.” This blog seeks to demystify Bible versions. First, we should be aware that some Bibles are translations and some, such as paraphrases, are not translations at all—rather the message of the Bible is put in the author’s own words.

Main Categories of Bibles

Word-for-word translations ~ These are heralded by purists. A current popular example would be the New American Standard Bible. Many would include the Authorized Version (nicknamed the King James Version), while others would move it partially toward the next category.

Thought-for-thought translations ~ These provide greater attention to the message, the idea, or the thought which the writer is trying to convey. A current example would be the Contemporary English Version (also known as The Promise). This is a particularly good translation for young people, second-language readers, and for reading aloud.

Idea-for-idea Bibles ~ This category emphasizes easy reading and getting the gist of the message across to the reader. These are typically not translations but rather the human author using his own words in a paraphrase to communicate the overall idea of the passage. Examples would be the Living Bible or more recently The Message.

Few Bible versions fit totally into one of these three categories. Most translations are somewhere between the first two categories. Current Bible versions which are both valuable and popular include the New American Standard Bible (word-for-word), the New King James Version (close to word-for-word), the New International Version (about half way between word-for-word and thought-for-thought), The Living Translation (thought-for-thought), and The Message (idea-for-idea).

Which is Best?

The word-for-word purists are often adamant that they are using the most “accurate” form of the Bible. But that claim depends on what the definition of “accurate” is. The key question which needs to answered: Is the most accurate Bible a word-for-word translation of one language to another language or is accuracy related to what the reader understands and how close the reader’s understanding is to the original intent of the writer?

One rather extreme illustration will suffice. In the Authorized Version (AV / KJV) Romans 1:13 reads as follows (emphasis added): “Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.” The New King James Version renders that verse more accurately: “Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.” Note that over time the word “let” has completely reversed in meaning, resulting in this particular word-for-word translation conveying the opposite meaning from what the writer intended.

What is the best translation? You should decide. My personal view is that your primary Bible should be a translation rather than a paraphrase, and the best Bible translation is the one which you will read and learn from the most. Having available a supplemental idea-for-idea version is often also very helpful.

A FINAL WORD: A Study Bible can also be an excellent choice—but you should be even more careful in selecting a study Bible. Study Bibles contain much additional supplemental material which is not divinely inspired in the same way the Bible is. In choosing a study Bible, in addition to the translation question it is important to know who provided the study notes. What is their theology and base of understanding? Knowing this is of critical importance when choosing a study Bible. Your pastor or other trusted spiritual leader can be of significant help.

CONCLUSION: Any of the versions specifically mentioned in this blog can be a good choice—and there are others. Over the years I have migrated from time to time but my current favorite translation is the New King James Version and my current favorite study Bible is the Nelson Study Bible (more recently marketed as the New King James Study Bible). The General Editor for this study Bible is well-known and greatly-respected conservative theologian, Dr. Earl D. Radmacher, who oversaw the effort by many qualified editors and contributors (about 62 in all). In addition to the NKJV and my study Bible, I also frequently use other versions and paraphrases (such as The Message).

7 Vessels

~ A Progression of Healthy Christians ~

There are many word pictures of Christians in the Bible. One of my favorites is the image of vessels. They can be listed in a seven-step progression in the Christian life.

Chosen Vessels ~ In the Old Testament we find Israel is God’s chosen people. In the New Testament individual Christians are chosen by God. For example we read concerning the apostle Paul, “He is a chosen vessel unto Me” (Acts 9:15).

Broken Vessels ~ All mankind is marred by the Fall of Man in the original garden. In order to come to Christ, an individual must realize his brokenness and see his sin as God sees it. Many times after becoming a Christian we go through periods of trial which breaks us even more. David wrote, “I am like a broken vessel” (Psalm 31:12).

Emptied Vessels ~ When a vessel is broken that which is inside spills out—but often not all of the contents. A dirty vessel will contaminate the material which I put into it. As Christians we need to completely empty ourselves so that the Spirit of God may fill us completely. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Molded Vessels ~ Vessels come in all sizes and shapes and are useful for many different purposes. “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the LORD. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand…’ ” (Jeremiah 18:5-6). Christians, like vessels, exhibit great variety. God Himself is molding each one of us. God shapes us with different natural abilities and spiritual gifts for His purpose in our lives.

Filled Vessels ~ God wants us to be “filled with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:18) so that we are useful to His kingdom and His purposes. There is a story of an elderly Christian who related his idea of the Christian life this way. “Inside me lives a black dog and a white dog—whichever I feed is the one that controls the other.” While simple in explanation, this is a profound explanation of the Christian life. The key question is are we feeding our natural sin nature or our new spiritual life we received at our second birth?

Dedicated Vessels ~ Non-believing vessels are headed for destruction, but when we accepted Christ as our Savior He set us apart (sanctified us or dedicated us) for Himself. “Vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called” (Romans 9:22-24).

Useful Vessels ~ God has a purpose for each of our lives. Are we fulfilling His purpose for our life? At natural birth we receive natural abilities. At the second, spiritual, birth we are given spiritual gifts. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to serve others. Once we become a Christian our purpose in life is to be a “ministering vessel” (1 Chronicles 9:28). Are we fulfilling our calling?

There are other descriptive terms in Scripture applied to the concept of individuals as vessels. The key point to remember is that God is able—and desires—to use every vessel He has!

CONTEMPLATE: At what level in this seven step-progression are you right now?

Genealogy Gospel

~ 4 Women Tell a Story ~

One of the truly interesting aspects of the genealogy of Christ presented to us in Matthew 1 is the inclusion of four women—three named and one referred to without name. Since we believe every word of the Bible in the original languages to be not only inspired but beneficial for our learning, this fact can be puzzling.

First of all, in Jesus’ time women didn’t typically receive mention in the blood lines. At marriage the husband’s line continued and the wife’s line ended. Yet Matthew includes four women. Why?

Second, these four women were Gentile women, one Moabite, one Hittite, and two Canaanites. God had said in the Law that His people were not to intermarry with the Gentile tribes. We read for example that Abraham was instructed by God, when seeking a bride for his son Isaac, to send back to his own people to find a suitable bride. Later a similar thing was done by Isaac for his son Jacob. It was God’s arrangement that monotheism should be the prevailing belief of those who were in the line that was leading down to the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in His genealogy are the names of four Gentile women! What can we learn from this? Why are these four women listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ?

We need to look at the lives of each of these women. The first is Tamar (Matthew 1:3, Genesis 38). If one were given the assignment of describing her life in one word, a very good response would be “sin.” Out of the sin of Judah and Tamar were conceived twins.

The second woman is Rahab (Matthew 1:5, Joshua 2). Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute, but what she is most remembered for is her “faith.” The Bible says, “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31).

The third woman is Ruth (Matthew 1:5, Ruth). She was a Moabite, a delightful person, and is never seen in Scripture as a sinner. She was a woman of beauty and of character, but the Mosaic Law shut her out. The Law has always condemned even the best people that ever lived. As we reflect on what the Scripture says about Ruth, a word that often comes to mind is “grace.”

The fourth woman is unnamed in Matthew’s account—but we know it was Bathsheba (Matthew 1:6, 2 Samuel 11). Bathsheba was a Hittite. As we recall David, the king, lusted after her and sinned against her and God. The Spirit of God seems to have omitted her name since the sin was primarily David’s. As a result of their interaction, David lost his joy—but not his salvation (Psalm 51:12). Looking at what we know about Bathsheba’s life, the word that comes to mind is “security.”

In looking at these four women, we see the plan of salvation woven throughout the genealogy of Jesus Christ. The first important step in salvation is to recognize that you are a sinner and must come to Christ as a sinner (Tamar). Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).

The next action is to reach out in faith (Ruth) for the salvation that was obtained at the Cross. Third, with those two steps taken, God reaches down with great grace (Ruth) and delivers you from the penalty of your sin and its grip over you. The fourth reality in the plan of salvation is the security (Bathsheba) that you have in Jesus Christ as your Savior.

SUMMARY: Creation is the foundation of the Old Testament; everything else is built upon it. The four Gospels begin the New Testament; everything else is built upon them. The genealogy of Matthew 1 is the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11) of the New Testament and is the necessary basis for the four Gospels.