Every Idle Word

One night years ago, my husband Richard and I were rudely awakened from a sound sleep by the shrill ring of the phone. It was a business acquaintance of his, asking if it were true that Richard was stranded in Spain after his credit cards, cash and passport were stolen. How much money did he need to borrow, and how could she wire it to him?

Emerging from our dazed confusion, we finally pieced together that Richard’s email account had been hacked, and that the hacker had sent an email to each of my husband’s contacts, explaining the above made-up scenario and requesting a loan. Unlike most junk email and phishing scams, this one appeared to come from my husband’s correct email address and contained his name, increasing the chances that a good-hearted recipient would think it was a legitimate call for help rather than a blatant lie.

This incident reminded us that “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33); that we must avoid “corrupt communication” (Ephesians 4:29); and that we should let our “communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay” (Matthew 5:37).

Our family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ who know we claim His name regard us as His representative (2 Corinthians 5:20). Even for our unsaved acquaintances, what we say therefore reflects on Him, whether rightly or wrongly. Those in positions of leadership must be especially careful not only that their speech honors Him (Colossians 4:6), but also that it is doctrinally sound and pure (Titus 2:1-8).

Our time on earth to do God’s work is limited (Job 14:1), both collectively as the body of Christ (Romans 12:5) as His return draws ever nearer, and individually, for we are not promised tomorrow (James 4:14), and we don’t know when He will call us home. The fields of unsaved souls are ripe for harvest, but laborers are few (John 4:35; Matthew 9:37).

Throughout our life once we are saved, God provides us with divine appointments to witness for Him. This may be to a stranger we will never see again, or to those who are closest to us whom we see every day. For those in positions of leadership, these appointments may occur at the pulpit, in a Bible study class, or in a music or other ministry.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul explains the Gospel of grace – that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (v. 1-4), that all who have faith in Him will have eternal life. He warns against “evil communications” (v. 33) with those who would dilute or even deny this truth, which is the only means to salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We must not allow false teachers to compromise our knowledge of this truth (2 Peter 2:1) and our urgency to share it with others, as Christ commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).

Our own testimony and witness to others must not in any way corrupt the Gospel. Instead, it must build up and instruct the hearer regarding God’s grace and salvation through His Son (Ephesians 4:29). Similarly, Jesus warns us to speak the truth plainly – yes meaning yes, and no meaning no (Matthew 5:37). If we muddle these together, we distort what is right and wrong, black and white, into shades of gray.

In these End Times (Matthew 24), Satan has infiltrated governments, world systems, universities, and even seminaries and churches with his ministers, with “spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). His minions can be “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” (Matthew 7:15) perverting God’s Word just enough to be damnable heresy, but not enough to be noticed by those who are doctrinally weak. 

For the most part, these false teachers and false prophets are unsaved, and unless they become born again (John 3:3-8), they will spend eternity in hell. But what about those saved church leaders who may be doctrinally sound, but do not fully use the opportunity God has given them to share His Word? Who but God knows if the time allotted to their message is the only time an unsaved soul would have to hear the Gospel? 

I believe that church leaders will be accountable to Jesus for their ministry when they face Him at the judgment seat (1 Corinthians 3:10-13). Will they hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21) or instead have the horrible realization that they wasted precious time and opportunity by rambling with idle words (Matthew 12:36), not as led by the Spirit (Romans 8:1,4), but for indifference or lack of preparation. Or, even worse, did they use their ministry to flatter themselves, build up their own ego, further a political agenda, or even for financial gain?

It is not just church leaders who will be held accountable, for all who are born again are commanded to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). We don’t need a divinity degree or formal ministry to do this, any more than did the shepherds to whom the angels proclaimed Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8-17), or the Samaritan woman at the well who ran off to tell everyone, even her enemies, that she had found the Messiah (John 4:21-42).

As we grow as Christians and become more mature in His Word, our ability to share the Gospel should improve (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12). But lack of knowledge should not keep even the newest Christian from sharing the simple truth of how Jesus changed their life, and how they trusted in His death, burial and resurrection to know for sure they will go to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Jesus said that at the judgment, we will suffer loss over our idle words (Matthew 12:36). I believe this refers not to sins involving words, such as lying, blasphemy, hateful speech, verbal abuse, or slander. We have already been judged for all our sins, past, present, and future, at Calvary, where Christ paid in full for our sin debt (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). Rather, I believe Christ will judge us for our idle chatter that frittered away opportunities to share His Word or to edify others (Romans 14:19; 15:2) rather than tearing them down.

When God opens the door for us to testify for Him at work or in a social setting, do we walk through it, or do we nervously change the conversation to sports, shopping or politics? Do we welcome gossip, even if under the guise of a prayer request replete with salacious details that may actually be true? 

There are situations when Christian responsibility does require us to convey unpleasant facts to others. Examples might include informing a church leader that the person he was considering to be treasurer had been fired because of embezzlement, or telling a friend that her husband was spotted embracing another woman.

Yet telling others about such incidents when they have no need to know amounts to gossip and can harm the hearer and tale bearer, as well as the subject of the tale. There is an old story of a woman who confessed to her priest that she had spread a rumor about the infidelity of a parishioner. The rumor turned out not to be true but had irreparably damaged the reputation of that person.

The gossiping woman had expected her priest to ask her to recite several Hail Marys and Our Fathers as penance, and was shocked when he instead asked her to find the largest feather pillow she had, go up to her rooftop on a windy day, and shred the pillow to bits with a kitchen knife. She returned a week later and announced that she had completed the task.

“Fine,” the priest replied. “Now go pick up all the scattered feathers.”  We cannot undo the harm of gossip any more than we can retrieve the germs that escape from an uncovered sneeze or feathers scattered to the winds.

We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), not being hurtful or judgmental, or causing offense that would be a stumbling block to another’s faith (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 8:9; 1 Peter 2:8; 1 John 2:10). Yet in our eagerness to be kind, accepted or politically correct, we must not dilute or distort doctrine or gloss over truths that may be painful to hear.

Saying “He’s in a better place,” about a lost person who died may make his family feel better, but it is directly opposed to Biblical truth and may remove the urgency the family members might otherwise feel about getting right with God. It is true that only God knows the heart (Psalm 44:21; Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8; 1 John 3:20) and that deathbed conversions may occur, so we can’t know for sure what any person’s eternal destiny may be. In the above situation, it may be best to focus on that, and to thank God for offering eternal life in heaven to “whosoever” believes in His Son’s death, burial and resurrection to pay for our sins (John 3:16).

May we recognize the power of life and death that is in our tongue (Proverbs 18:21), learn to bridle it for good rather than for evil (James 3), and avoid diluting the saving power of the Gospel message with idle words!

© 2019 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives 

Triplets of Life: Live, Move, Be

 

Photo by Charles J Sharp 2014

In God we live and move and 

have our being (Acts 17: 28). I don’t believe the Scripture is being redundant here just for emphasis, but rather that each of these verbs represents a different, deeper and higher plane of existence.

LIVE means to be alive, or to exist in the physical state that distinguishes living beings from inanimate objects such as the dirt from which God created man (Genesis 2:7). That state is also different from death, or the state of a body that has ceased to live (Romans 3:23). Finally, life is distinguished from mechanical animation, because of the distinctive life force that animates it. Robots with highly developed artificial intelligence may simulate meaningful action, conversation, and even expression, but they do not live.

The life force unique to living beings allows metabolism, growth, and reaction to the internal and external environment. Pro-choice activists argue about whether an embryo or fetus is alive, but even in these early stages (Psalm 139:13-16), the baby clearly demonstrates metabolism as it receives nourishment from its mother and uses it for growth, actually at a much higher rate than occurs after birth. Transfer of energy through metabolism also allows reaction to stimuli, which doctors can monitor as changes in heart rate, sucking or other facial movements, and kicking or other limb movements. Any woman who has carried a child knows the excitement of feeling her infant kick within the womb, and those who have sonograms will appreciate her baby sucking its thumb or even seeming to wave hello! 

We live to MOVE. Through movement, we can satisfy our physical needs, express our emotions, and interact with our world. Our emotions, desires and soul constitute the force that motivates us to physical action, work, and deeds (Deuteronomy 32:21; 2 Samuel 18:33; Daniel 11:11; Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 18:27; etc.). Movement in dance, song or playing an instrument can be used to worship God.

Our action causes reaction from our environment, so that our deeds have clear consequences, not only for ourselves, but for others and even for subsequent generations (Genesis 20:9; Judges 19:30; 2 Samuel 12:14; Ezra 9:13; Esther 1:17-18; Psalm 28:4, Isaiah 59:18; Luke 23:41; Romans 2:6, etc.). 

The sum total of our thoughts, words and deeds (Acts 7:22; 2 Corinthians 10:11; 1 John 3:18) shapes our personality, status, and who we are – our very BEING. The former US Army slogan, “Be All You Can Be!” connotes being our highest, best, optimal self.

God oversees our development while our being is still incompletely formed in the womb (Psalm 139:16), and He allots our being a life span during which we are to sing praises to God (Psalm 104:33; 146:2). After physical death, our being is transformed into a child of the resurrection (Luke 20:36), if we have trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

“Live, move and have our being” may be paraphrased as “exist, work, and fulfill God’s purpose for your life.” Mere physical existence, as for example someone who is considered brain dead after severe head injury, falls so short of our expectations for life that many complete living wills to avoid being artificially maintained in that state.

Work that honors God is a noble occupation for any life (Colossians 3:23), whether it is gainful employment, unpaid works of charity, or artistic endeavors that uplift others. God Himself worked to create all that there is (Genesis 2:2-3). 

Without hard work at some point by ourselves, our forefathers, or by some of our family members, we are not able to eat (Genesis 3:17-19; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; Proverbs 31:15), be clothed (Proverbs 31:13,21-22), or find shelter (Proverbs 24:27). God honors these efforts by providing for our needs when we seek Him first (Matthew 6:28-33).

Failure to work because of laziness leads to poverty, physical want, and ruin (Proverbs 6:9-11; 24:30-34). Our work should provide needed goods, services, and/or education that benefit others physically, intellectually, and/or spiritually (Isaiah 65:22; Proverbs 31:10-31).

In the animal kingdom, God created every living creature that moves (has a specific task), and He gave them the higher purpose of reproducing abundantly, after their kind, to maintain each species (Genesis 1:21; Proverbs 6:6-8). As an illustration, let us consider the life cycle of the butterfly. When the caterpillar entombs itself in the chrysalis, it is, for all, intents and purposes, dead. Its enzymes completely digest and obliterate what once was the caterpillar.

But then God gives it new life as the digested proteins reassemble into the immature butterfly. As it moves, it begins breaking free from the chrysalis and pumping fluid into its still fragile, immature, barely pulsating wings. This movement allows it to achieve the highest level of being that God intended for it – it flies away as a butterfly that pollinates flowers (work benefiting mankind), reproduces its own species.(fulfilling God’s laws of nature) and lifts our spirits with its beauty, freedom, and grace.

God created Adam and Eve as living souls (Genesis 2:21), gave them meaningful and fulfilling work, and intended their beings for fellowship with Him (Genesis 2; 3:8). The work He gave Adam and Eve was to be fruitful in the work He appointed to them (naming the animals, dressing and keeping the garden), to multiply or reproduce, and to have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moved upon the earth (Genesis 1:28).

Without God, we are nothing, we can do nothing, and we have nothing (John 15:5.) God and man are inseparable – everything we are, do and become is a gift from Him (James 1:17). God gives to all mankind life, and breath, and all things (Acts 17: 25).

Life refers to our physical existence; breath to the movement of air to sustain us (Job 33:4; 12:10; 27:3) and His Spirit to fill (John 20:22) and inspire us (Isaiah 42:5). God created a living soul from the inanimate body He formed from the dust by breathing life into Adam’s nostrils (Genesis 2:21). His breath also made the heavens (Psalm 33:6) and revived the dry bones of the spiritually dead nation of Israel (Ezekiel 37:1-14). “All things” refers to the many blessings He bestows on us (Proverbs 10:22, etc.) because of His love, mercy and grace (2 John 1:3, etc.).

We are entirely dependent on God, for our physical life from the moment sperm fertilizes egg to create a unique human being (body; Psalm 139:13-15); for our active life to interact with the world and with others as motivated by our emotions and desires (soul), and for our spiritual life (spirit; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 4:12).

Our body (“soma” in Greek) allows us to be aware of and interact with our world; our soul (“psyche”) gives us awareness of our desires and affects our relationships with others, and our spirit (“pneuma”) is that part of us unique to mankind that God designed to interact with Him. Whether or not we yield our spirit to knowing, worshiping, and serving Him determines our eternal destiny!

Thankfully, God is near us, and He designed us in His image (Genesis 1:26) to want to know Him, to look for Him, and to find Him (Acts 17: 27). In this life, we can have no higher purpose than that!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded and reposted from the archives

The Most Important Thing

Photo by Olybrius 2008

I had a dream in which I was kidnapped and taken to a hotel room filled with boxes and boxes of what appeared to be old junk. My captor told me that in this room were the contents of his relative’s estate. He had brought me here to find the single most important thing, and to tell him what it is was when he returned. If I had the wrong answer, I would die.

Without another word, he enigmatically disappeared. My heart pounded like a caged bird as I frantically scratched through the cartons.

The gleam of an antique bracelet first caught my eye – well made, and no doubt of historic value, but what was it worth? Perhaps the deceased had herself inherited it from her mother or grandmother, to be treasured as a legacy and now passed on to my captor.

Next I spotted a paper so fragile that it nearly crumbled in my hand. The ink writing was long since faded and worn away at the folds, but it appeared to be a love letter penned by a Civil War soldier to his fiancée awaiting him at home. Did he return from battle alive, I wondered, and if so, was she still faithful? The story that letter could tell might speak volumes to my captor’s heritage.

I recoiled as my grasping hand encountered sharp, pointed teeth, rooted in a tiger’s jaw – possibly a safari trophy? I shuddered as I put this aside, knowing I would not want this reminder of man’s needless cruelty to animals. Yet, given my kidnapper’s criminal tendencies, this might be exactly what he sought.

Eureka – a map! An island, near the equator, showing coordinates and a pathway leading to an X near the center. A treasure map leading to gold doubloons, or just a hoax?

Even in my panicked state, a faint smile curled my lips as I noticed a plaster-of-paris mold of a tiny handprint, embellished with “I Love U” in a child’s scrawl. Could it be that the little hand commemorated the bond between my captor and his mother, reminding him of a gentler time, her nurturing love and the promises of youth?

Another memento of childhood – a painstakingly embroidered, now yellowing, christening dress. Perhaps the kidnapper counted on his infant sprinkling to get him to heaven?

Then a nicely framed diploma, summa cum laude Masters’ degree from Harvard. No doubt that had opened many doors for this family. Or was it the reverse – the heir spurning the advantages of an expensive college education, and instead squandering his inheritance?

Hiding in the corner of one of the last cartons was an inobtrusive plastic bottle containing heart medication. If only the deceased had taken this in time, she might still be here, and I would not be in this awful predicament!

Aha! I exclaimed aloud in my half delirious state -- surely this was it – a safe deposit box key!  Everything else here was just debris accumulating on the journey of life, with merely sentimental value or clues to the path taken. But the real reward was surely the cash, securities, title deeds, and other valuables locked away for the rightful heir.

Confident that I had found the most important thing, I suddenly realized that days had gone by, and I was ravenously hungry. There was no food in the room, but to my surprise, the door to the hallway was unlocked. I ran out, elated to be “free” but then spotted the armed guards at the hotel entrances and exits. Apparently I could roam about inside but not leave the hotel.

With an ominous thud, the door to my room locked shut behind me. If I were not inside the room, how could I save my life when my captor returned by telling him the most important thing?

But if I fainted from hunger, there was no hope at all. First find food, then somehow get back in the room. There were stores and restaurants, but I had no money, and I could tell from the faces of the staff that they were hardly sympathetic to my plight. I was thrilled to find a nearly empty box of crackers on a room service tray, with a few crumbs still inside. I snatched it up and scurried into a corridor leading to the pool room, thinking I could eat there in peace.

Instead I found a little girl in a soaking wet bathing suit, shivering and sobbing, and all alone. She threw her arms around me, crying “I’m cold! I’m hungry! I want my mommy!”

There were no towels or bathrobes anywhere, so I wrapped her in my sweater, hugged her, and gave her what was left of the crackers. I knew I had to stay with her to comfort her, even if I would be killed once apprehended. As starved, wretched and terrified as I felt, helping her gave me a strange sense of joy and peace, and I remembered Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat… I was a stranger, and ye took me in…36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.…40 Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Jesus! My Savior! How had I forgotten Him as the only One Who could rescue me? (Romans 10:9,13; Acts 2:21; 4:12 ) Only He would never leave me, nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5).

As if the sun rose in my darkened mind, I suddenly knew that the most important thing in that hotel room was not the safe deposit box key, the jewelry, the diploma, the treasure map, the medicine, the childhood souvenirs, or the historic document. It was not part of the estate at all, but tucked invisibly in the nightstand drawer would surely be a Bible, left there by the Gideons in their mission to provide God’s Word to weary travelers on their journey through this planet that is not our true home (Psalm 119:19, Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11).

I awoke feeling so thankful for God’s promises recorded in His Word (2 Samuel 7:28; Acts 2:33,39; 13:23). Without them, life would have no meaning. Why had I plunged into the futile exercise of combing through boxes full of trash without considering the treasure of Bible wisdom – the secret to abundant, eternal life (John 3:16; 10:10) for all who place their faith in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)?

How often are we distracted by piles of junk accumulating in our life, while neglecting the riches found without fail in our Bible? Why do we worry about our “stuff” instead of storing treasures in Heaven, where we can enjoy them forever? (Luke 12:16-34; Matthew 6:19-21)

I felt blessed that my husband Richard recently became a Gideon, and that we had the privilege of handing Scriptures to students. I remembered a testimony shared at a Gideons’ meeting of a maid who was cleaning a hotel room and found a handwritten note carefully placed in the Gideons’ Bible to mark Psalm 23. The writer explained that he had checked in, feeling that his life was over and that to spare his family additional grief, he planned to kill himself. Then he started thumbing through that very Bible and read the verse that brought him newly found peace and hope:

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

God alone can deliver us from all our fears and save us from all enemies, even sin, death and hell (Psalm 34:4-7; 2 Kings 17:39; Romans 8:2; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57). Truly the most important “thing” in this life is our Bible – God’s love letter to us that guides, comforts, corrects, and inspires us (Psalm 119:11,14.16, 105, etc.). But it is not a “thing” – just like Jesus, His Word is eternal and unchanging (2 Timothy 3:15-17; Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; Hebrews 13:8).

Without understanding its promise of eternal life through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who reconciled sinful man to Holy God through His shed blood (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:22), we cannot know the all-important One. Christ alone is the Way (John 14:6) to abundant, eternal life. Trust and follow Him today!

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Insurance

 

NOAA Photo of Turbulent Skies 2019

As the 2024 hurricane season in the US has officially begun, many are concerned with property insurance to cover potential damage, particularly as the season intensifies. In many states, insurers have left without covering claims or drastically hiked premiums, even as many are still reeling from wind and flood damage in recent years. I therefore thought it would be fitting to repost the article below. Praying for all our readers and their homes to stay safe, by God's protection and provision.

In 2019, we went on a cruise to Cuba to celebrate our anniversary, and praise the Lord, He blessed us with a wonderful vacation and an opportunity to grow closer to each other and to Him!

Before we left, we decided to forego the cost of travel insurance to reimburse us if we had to cancel our trip, as well as medical insurance in case we got sick in Cuba or while at sea. But we did purchase and bring with us “poor man’s insurance,” namely bracelets to prevent seasickness, anti-nausea and antidiarrheal medication, and antibiotics in case we caught the local version of Montezuma’s revenge!

As is the case with most insurance, we prayed that we would never have to use it, and God answered that prayer. Our monetary outlay was small, and in return we received some peace of mind that we were to some extent covered if we became ill, as well as items that could prove to be useful at a future time (although we hope not!)

But most insurance that many of us are required or feel obligated to purchase carries a hefty price tag – life insurance, medical insurance, homeowner’s insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, car insurance, and even umbrella policies in the event of disaster not covered by the above. These often account for a large proportion of our budget, yet unless a covered event occurs, they reap no tangible benefit other than peace of mind, or for some forms of insurance, the privilege of doing something like driving a vehicle. 

Is it wrong to insure our assets and abilities rather than relying on God (Psalm 144:2) to protect us from disaster? I don’t believe that the first negates the second, for He wants us to be good stewards over all He has entrusted to us (Matthew 25:14-30). We should use common sense to protect ourselves and our households from danger and loss (Proverbs 22:3).

When we spend money on clothing, food, shelter, transportation, education, and other needs and wants, our expectation is that we will not only use them, but enjoy them, and perhaps even pass them on to our heirs. But insurance is a recurring, costly expense that we pay for while praying we will never have to use it!

Seventeenth-century French philosopher, mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal had a vastly different view of insurance, not of the types described above, but rather of the spiritual variety. In his essay, “The Wager,” he proposed that every person, knowingly or unwittingly, makes a bet with their lives that God either exists or that He does not. This wager is not optional, for everyone must either accept God or reject Him.

My paraphrase is that those who believe in God have a form of spiritual insurance, for if their belief turns out to be true, they will live eternally in Heaven with Him and with their fellow believers. But those who reject God lack such insurance, for if God exists and condemns to eternal hell those who do not trust in Him, they have lost everything.

If we have no homeowners’ insurance and our house burns to the ground, that is a terrible tragedy, yet one from which we can ultimately recover, through God's grace, if our life was preserved. But if the Bible is true (2 Timothy 3:16), and Jesus Christ is the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven through faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), then those who die without such faith will spend eternity in hell (John 3:18; Mark 9:43-47).

Scripture tells us that the narrow path to salvation is through Jesus Christ alone (Matthew 7:13-14); that we are saved by God’s grace through our faith alone, and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9); and that life is eternal, either in heaven (John 3:16) or in hell (Luke 16:20-31). Let’s suppose for a moment that the Bible is not true, and that people who believe in other gods, or in no god at all, can go to heaven if their good deeds outweigh their bad. Or let’s imagine the even more extreme position that there is no afterlife, and that once our heart stops beating, our soul and spirit are no more.

What are the consequences for the believer in Jesus Christ if either of the above scenarios are true? In comparison to those who reject Christ, the believer in Him has lost nothing. In this life he may have given up worldly pleasures, such as illicit sex, drugs, or alcohol, yet abstaining from these has physical and mental health benefits and prolongs life. He may face earthly persecution for his beliefs, yet he has faith that he will be rewarded for these in Heaven (1 Peter 4:12-19).

Even if his belief in Christ were misplaced, he would gain peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), joy in his Lord (Nehemiah 8:10), hope that God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28), and abundant life (John 10:10). His belief would likely improve his relationships with others (Galatians 6:2) and benefit society as a whole.

So Pascal concluded that the only rational decision is to believe in God and live as though He exists. In so doing, the person “betting” on God loses essentially nothing, leads a better earthly life, and receives infinite, eternal gains in Heaven, while avoiding infinite, eternal losses in hell.

Not for a moment do I intend to imply that we are gambling by trusting in Jesus Christ, for only He can save our souls from eternal damnation! (Acts 4:12). Even the apostle Paul wrote that if Christ did not rise from the dead, then we as Christians should be most miserable, and we might as well party as if there is no tomorrow (1 Corinthians 15:12-32).

But praise God, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead  (1 Corinthians 15:4), and by trusting in Him, we are clothed in His righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), our sins are forgiven (1 John 1:9), we are God’s children and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), we are His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and fellow workers (1 Corinthians 3:9), and we will live forever with Him in glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-54) and in mansions (John 14:1-3) He has specially designed for each of us!

We spend vast sums of money to insure our physical life and belongings, while hoping that we never need that insurance. Why would each of us not take out spiritual insurance that costs us nothing? By trusting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can know through God’s Word and prayer that we can have the assurance of eternal life in Heaven with Him and our loved ones in Him, as well as untold blessings here below.

To summarize: If we trust God and He is not real, we have lost nothing. If we trust God and He is real, we have gained everything. If we reject God and He is not real, we have lost joy, peace, hope and a sense of purpose in this life. If we reject God and He is real, we have lost everything throughout all eternity.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

© 2019 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded and reposted from the archives

What Are You Running From?

 

I had a dream in which I was home at night, working in my study while my husband Richard was in the family room. Suddenly I heard him cry out, “There’s a strange man in the house – run!”

I quickly tried to get up but snapped back into my seat. I was strapped into my office chair by a seat belt-like contraption going across the right side of my neck and shoulder all the way to my left hip. Frantically I struggled with the buckle until it released me and then I ran out the front door, leaving it wide open.

Although it was dark, I immediately realized that I was not on the street where we currently live, but on the street where I grew up. While running as fast as I could, I berated myself for not having dialed 911 before I left. Then I realized that I was running the wrong direction – not toward a busier intersection where I would be more likely to flag down help, but toward another quiet, dark, residential neighborhood.

I decided to change course, but as I turned around, I spotted a dark figure lurking in the shadows. Should I call out for his help? Or was this more likely to be the intruder who had broken into our home and was now pursuing me?

So I kept running, as fast as I could, away from the stranger. When I awoke, my heart was pounding and my breathing was so fast and shallow that I thought I might pass out.

I finally calmed myself enough to lapse back into a fitful sleep, interrupted by another dream. In this dream, one of the ladies in the Bible study that I teach and I were working at an emergency medical facility. She raced into my office to tell me that one of the patients had fainted and to ask what we should do next.

As we rushed down the hall to see the patient, I asked my student many questions about the patient’s medical history, medications, recent labs, other recent symptoms, and what she was doing before she passed out. Finally I asked her, “Did you call 911?”   

When I awoke and considered the significance of the dreams, I realized that the prominent theme was running – away from danger in the first dream and toward assistance in the second dream.

In the first dream, my husband yelled for me to run away. Thankfully, our marriage is strong, centered in our faith in Jesus Christ and in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). But the dream may represent a general warning that some relationships, particularly with unsaved people (2 Corinthians 6:14), can hinder exclusive reliance on our Savior. We must run from such relationships as we would from any idols (1 John 5:21), defined as anything that gets in the way of our devotion to Christ and usurps His pre-eminence in our lives (Colossians 1:18).

Although I immediately wanted to obey my husband’s command to run away, I was delayed by being strapped into my office chair. This may represent the hold that work, as a means to power, prestige or excessive wealth, may have on some people. As Scripture confirms, all who are able need to work to meet our physical needs and those of our family (2 Thessalonians 3:10). But when excessive time at work becomes more important than God or family, workaholics are serving their job or career as an idol and should run from it.

The main reason I was running away in the dream was because there was an intruder in our house. Danger, defined as anything that separates us from God and His perfect plan for us, is seldom as obvious as a terrifying devil with horns, tail and a pitchfork; or a roaring lion seeking to devour us; or even an armed home invader.

As responsible stewards of the time, talents, treasure, ministries and relationships God has entrusted to us, we should hide ourselves from evil (Proverbs 22:3; 27:12) by screening who and what we allow into our home. We may have alarms, security systems and doorbell cameras to keep out criminals, but the dangerous home intruders we face may be more subtle.

Beginning in the 1950s, the ubiquitous television has diverted time and attention away from worship, prayer and family time to meaningless or even harmful “entertainment” promoting filthy language, sexual immorality, violence and substance abuse. Around-the-clock news channels may rob us of our peace and joy.

The Internet can be a valuable source of information on virtually any topic, but it can also promulgate misinformation and false doctrine. Social media can foster virtual friendships among like-minded individuals and can be a means to share the Gospel. But these can also expose even children to dangers including bullying, body shaming, lowering self-esteem, triggering depression or anxiety, and even fostering hookups with cultists, drug pushers or sexual predators.

Sadly, “how-to” sites can teach depressed individuals how to end their own life and can provide criminals with instruction manuals for violence, breaking and entering, procuring weapons, building bombs, murder, and even terrorism. We must therefore guard our homes and our lives from these dangerous intruders.

In the dream, once I ran away from the threat within my home, I began fleeing my past, symbolized by suddenly finding myself on the street where I grew up, running away from my childhood home. There I needed to change direction, which brought me nearly face-to-face with a shadowy figure. Was this a potential source of help, or the home invader I sought to escape?

God endowed each of us with a unique history specifically suited to the mission He has planned for us. Our past experiences, even if there were trials we had to endure, equip us with compassion and wisdom to help those going through similar trials (2 Corinthians 1:4-6). But when Satan mocks and belittles us with past mistakes, inadequacies, or sins, we must flee from the danger of believing his lies (John 8:44) and becoming trapped in our history rather than moving on to our future. We can’t outrun the devil, but if we resist Him by submitting to God, he will flee from us (James 4:7). To avoid confronting Satan in the first place, we must flee temptation (2 Timothy 2:22).

Once we elude intruders into our God-given peace and joy and resist the devil and his lies (which are ongoing struggles in the Christian life overcome only by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit), we may more fruitfully pursue God’s work. In the second dream, my supervision of a friend in Christ, in the role of a medical coworker, may represent the mentorship opportunity I have in teaching a ladies’ Bible study. Just as a medical facility is the best place to obtain physical healing, a local church and its fellowship and study groups is often the ideal setting for spiritual healing and ongoing growth in our Christian walk.

In the dream, the woman from my class ran into my office for help with another’s healing, and then we both ran to the aid of the one in distress. Strangely, I asked her whether she had called 9-1-1, which is odd, because we were in a facility delivering emergency care.

In my first Bible after being saved, I kept a list of “9-1-1” verses I had printed up from the Internet – verses to consult in times of need, whether physical danger, temptation, sadness, grief, sin, failure, or loss of fellowship with God. I believe the second dream was a reminder that without Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5), and that attempting to do His work without the direction of His Spirit and His Word is doomed to end in failure.

May we have Spirit-empowered strength to run away from physical and spiritual dangers, and to run with patience the race He has set before us (Hebrews 12:1), running toward the mark for the prize (Philippians 3:14) of victory in Christ!

© 2024 Laurie Collett