Whom Have I In Heaven?

 By: Bill McFarland

             This thought-provoking question is raised in our daily Bible reading this week. It has a relevance which comes up frequently in everyday life.

            It’s because loneliness and doubt so often run together. Remember when Elijah, weary and afraid, came to the cave at Horeb thinking his zeal for the Lord had not made much difference. He felt that he was all alone (1 Kings 19:9, 10).

            John the Baptist found himself in danger and alone in Herod’s prison – not exactly the reward for courageous service which might have been expected. He wondered, “Is Jesus the one, or should I be looking for someone else?” (cf. Mt. 11:3).

            And the singer of the seventy-third Psalm looked around at how well the wicked seemed to be doing, comparing their ease with his own struggles. He began to doubt whether his efforts to keep a pure heart and clean hands were worth it. (v. 13:14). A sense of extreme loneliness must have begun to settle over him.

            But there has always been an answer to this slippery slope of doubt. It is realizing that someone is for you, working with you. Think of it. God gave Elijah a co-worker to go with him. Jesus sent John the reassurance that he was at work. And the issue was resolved for our singer when he thought, “Whom have I in heaven but you?” (Psalm 73:25). His doubt was overcome by a deepened conviction that nothing on earth compares with having the God of heaven as one’s strength and portion (v. 26). His loneliness was relieved by the nearness of God (v. 28).

            We also have someone in heaven! He appears before the face of God for us (Heb. 9:24). He is our advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). He intercedes for us at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34).

            In the face of any circumstance we may say with the singer: “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right and. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:23, 24).

"Sweethearts For Life"

By: Larry Yarber

 "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Gen. 2: 18).

Marriage is as old as time itself. From the beginning God intended for man to have a spouse, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). The wise man penned, "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord" (Prov. 18:22). And, Paul would later say, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" (Heb. 13:4).

Furthermore, God intended for this special relationship to span a lifetime. God speaking through the apostle Paul said, "For the woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; ... So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: ..." (Rom. 7:2-3). An exception to this law was given to an innocent party if their spouse committed fornication, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Matt. 19:9). Thus, our Lord warned, "... What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder" (Matt. 19:6).

God proceeded to make a special creature for the man. The beasts were not suitable companions, "And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:20). Bestiality is sinful and wrong (Lev. 18:23). Nor did God create another man for Adam. Homosexuality is sinful and wrong, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind" (1 Cor. 6:9 also see Lev. 18:22). Rather, God created a special companion for the man, "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he sleep: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man" (Gen. 2:21-23).

While the man is to be head over the woman (1st Cor. 11:3) and the woman is to be in subjection to the man (1st Pet. 3:1), the man is to dwell with the woman according to knowledge and to give honor unto her, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered" (1st Pet. 3:7). Paul said, "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them" (Col. 3:19). And, the wise man penned, "... rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love" (Prov. 5:18-19). It is much easier to be submissive and faithful to an appreciative spouse than to an abusive tyrant! And, it is much easier to be content and satisfied with a meek and quiet spirit (1st Pet. 3:4) than with a contentious tongue (Prov. 21:9 and 19).

Perhaps there would be more "sweethearts for life" if all spouses would remember and practice God's teachings on marriage?

Is It So?

By: James Cudd

            The people of Berea were commended for their practice of “searching the Scriptures daily” after hearing a religious message. They determined to see if what they heard was right. They wanted to know, “is the message we just heard in harmony with the Word of God?” or “Is it true?” They were trying to determine “whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

            These noble inquirers were seeking the truth. They recognized the importance of truth. But “What is truth?” Pilate asked after Jesus claimed that he came to “bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37-38). Earlier in John 17:17 Jesus prayed to the Father, “Thy word is truth.”

            God’s word is truth and that is why it is important to examine the religious teaching we hear and read. We should examine such teaching in light of the Scriptures as the Bereans did.

            If we would accept every religious teaching we hear and read we would be confused. Much of the religious teaching today does not harmonize with the Word of God. It may sound good, it may seem plausible, and it might even make sense to the uninformed mind. For example, some teach that babies are born with sin, inherited from their parents. But if a modern day “Berean” examined such teaching in light of the Scriptures, they would conclude, “It’s not so.” It’s good to ask the question “Is this true?” Remember this: truth does not fear examination. Note the importance and power of truth:

~        Truth can be known (John 8:32; 1 Timothy 2:4).

~        Truth is to be handled rightly (2 Timothy 2:15).

~        Truth is to be obeyed (1 Peter 1:22; Galatians 5:7).

~        Truth is to be practiced (1 John 1:6).

~        Truth is to be in us (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

~        Truth obeyed purifies the soul (1 Peter 1:22).

~        Truth sanctifies (John 8:32).

            “Buy the truth, and sell it not…” (Proverbs 23:23)