Month: August 2018

Last Friday, I heard a True Believer speak. But before I tell you what she said that revealed the depth of her sincerity, I need to tell you about an occasion when I was asked the question, “Are you a true believer?”

It was the summer of 1990. I was in Moscow (Russia, not Moscow, Kansas), participating in an international exchange between leaders in various fields from the USA and the USSR. At the end of the two-week program, we were gathered at a Moscow restaurant (or pectopah, in Russian) for a farewell reception before returning home. After snagging a few appetizers, I drifted over to a group of Russians who were serving as translators for our group. They were very skillful and proficient in their knowledge of English, though their Russian accents were still noticeable.

I was surprised at their discussion, which was mostly in English, because two of the young women were talking about their plans once the Soviet Union fell (which everyone there knew was inevitable). Earlier we had met some Russian educators who tried to broker business deals with our own educators to set up student exchange programs. But the plan of these two translators was to become international prostitutes, using their language skills to emigrate to the West where their chance for material success was greater. When the group saw that I had a bottle of soda for my beverage, someone asked why I wasn’t drinking any of their wonderful vodka. When I told them it was for religious reasons, one of the women asked me, “Are you a true believer?” I said yes. Which probably discouraged the aforementioned women from offering to practice their “translation” skills on me.

She asked me, “Are you a true believer?” I said yes.

Now, to the other true believer from last week. I was listening to a radio talk show (doing serious, political and cultural research to keep me in touch with the pulse of society), when the host took a caller who wanted to rave to him about one of the products he shills for – I mean, advertises. The product: bed sheets. She talked excitedly about how, after years of sleeping on what felt like burlap sacks, she and her husband “bit the bullet” and bought the $200 sheets he had been advertising. The sheets had changed her life – and she wanted him and everyone to know how wonderful the sheets were. The host could hardly contain his happiness to hear her, and gave her some gifts from his online store, plus – another set of sheets.

I chuckled at her enthusiasm, and shook my head at how this show was able to get a product endorsement into the “call-in” portion of the program. Then I thought about it some more . . .

When it came to that particular brand of sheets, the woman was a True Believer. But what if this woman had called to rave about something more important that had changed her life? What if she had been cured of cancer? Or had discovered the cure? What if she had invented cold fusion, and with it unlimited, clean, inexpensive power to benefit the world? What if she had called to say, “I have found my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and in him forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation with God, and eternal life!” Would she have sounded just as excited and eager to tell the world that news? Would the call-screener even have let her call through? (I doubt it!)

As this idea about witnessing to something wonderful rolled around the empty spaces in my brain, it began to generate some related thoughts:

How do I respond to questions about being a true believer in Christ? Do I excitedly share how he has changed my life? Would I call a talk show and rave excitedly about my Savior? Would I give my testimony, or let the occasion pass without saying what he means to me?

I am sure that if I found a cure for some dread disease, like cancer, I would excitedly proclaim it wherever and whenever I could. I would want people to know, so they could avoid horrible suffering, death, and family-crushing expenses. And, if that cure were actually freely available, and I knew about it, could I ever be justified in not telling people about it? If that’s true, then how can I not tell people about the Greater Cure, the cure for sin and death, who has saved them from hell, and has opened the way to an eternal life free of all diseases and suffering? Especially when that Greater Cure is freely available to all? And no health insurance needed! As Jesus told his disciples, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

If that’s true, then how can I not tell people about the Greater Cure?

Or, to the contrary, might I be reluctant to admit my faith, for fear of disapproval or other social rejection? And what if there were serious consequences to admitting my faith? What if I, like so many others before me, faced severe punishment, imprisonment, or even death to identify with Jesus Christ? Could I be like Polycarp, who when facing being burned alive at the stake in AD 156, refused to deny Christ, saying instead, “Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Or like the Coptic Christians beheaded by ISIS in 2015, who all proclaimed, “Jesus is Lord!” before their deaths. Am I enough of a true believer to endure such horrors? Could I say, with Polycarp, that while the executioner’s fire lasts but a little while, the fires of judgment reserved for the ungodly cannot be quenched, and submit peacefully to my fate, knowing that Christ had saved me from the unquenchable fire?

If our news is so wonderful, why don’t we act like the true believers we are and tell everyone the Good News? Why don’t we rave even louder than the woman who found her new bed sheets to be so comfortable? If we hold back our excitement, maybe it’s for one or more of the following reasons:

1. We fear we will risk serious consequences: rejection, persecution, or even martyrdom. Some churches’ missionaries to certain other countries have had to be careful about their public ministries there, such as listing themselves as tourists for their visa applications. They have done so to protect their local Christian hosts and to preserve their ability to enter those countries to do their mission work. So far in our country, we don’t risk martyrdom for our faith, but there still can be serious social prices to pay for a forceful public declaration of our faith. We may suffer on the job, in school, or in other social groupings for being outspoken in proclaiming Christ. But when I think of what public proclamations may cost us, I remember the words of the 20th century martyr, Jim Eliot: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” What penalty could I possibly suffer on earth that would outweigh eternal rewards?
2. We underestimate the importance of our endorsement.  What difference does it make if we tell people excitedly about Jesus Christ? It may seem that people don’t react the way we want them to when we praise Christ publicly, but we can’t see what’s happening in their hearts and minds. We might be the one that plants the seed of faith, or we may be watering the seed someone else planted before (1 Corinthians 3:6-8). But whether we see immediate results or not, we still are the means God uses to reach people with the Good News. As Paul wrote in Romans 10, “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” The bed-sheet woman wasn’t afraid to make her trivial endorsement; why should we be for a more important testimony? If someone buys sheets because we promote them, it’s no big big deal; but if someone hears our Christian testimony and believes, that leads to eternal joy! 
3. We fear we don’t know enough about the Bible to proclaim Christ. First off, let me say that no one knows enough about the Bible. We can study it every day of our lives and still be surprised with new information and insights every time we read, even when we reread familiar passages. On the other hand, we do know enough about what the Bible teaches to know who Christ is and what he did for us. We have been told all we need to know. That doesn’t mean we stop reading or learning – being in God’s Word can only benefit us and grow our faith and understanding. As 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” But we don’t have to wait until we’ve been to Bible college or seminary to be able to share the faith effectively and powerfully. And consider this: the bed sheet lady didn’t know how the sheets were made, the names of the workers who made them, or how much the sheets cost to make. She just praised what she knew about them, and did so enough to make me consider (for a moment) that they might be nice to get.
4. We think that sharing the Gospel is best left up to the professionals. While we hope that our paid preachers, teachers, and missionaries are solidly grounded and skillful in their work, the testimony of a lay believer is often more impactful on people. For one thing, the public expects a paid preacher to promote the faith. Such professionals are viewed like paid celebrities or salespeople who tout their products: you expect that the stars who rave about a product were paid to say what they did. But a friend who tells you they found a good detergent or restaurant or babysitter will probably carry more weight when you need the product or service. In the case of the bed sheets, the host touts them almost every day – and his endorsements go in one ear and out the other, because I know he’s making money on it and would tout that company’s competitors if they had paid him more. But along comes a caller to praise the same product, and people will listen. That’s why the host got so excited at what she said! The other reason a lay person may be more effective in witnessing about Christ is that they have a wider range of people and places to do their sharing. When I was pastoring, almost everyone I came into contact with was a believer and even a member of the church. My impact was limited to those who already knew Christ, or who visited the church on a Sunday. However, those members had many more opportunities to reach out to non-believers in their schools, workplaces, teams, and neighborhoods. Sharing the Gospel is not limited to the professionals, nor should it be!
5. We have been turned off by other people’s evangelizing. Maybe we’ve seen people on TV, in movies (which always stereotype believers as fanatics or charlatans), or in person, who have proclaimed Christ in hateful ways or acted hypocritically against what they preached. Even if what they say is theologically correct (it usually isn’t), the vessel containing the message is so flawed we reject what they say or at least don’t want others to identify us as one of those people. I understand and feel that at times myself. But it’s helpful to realize:
   • We don’t have to act like them to get God’s Word out to people. We’ll be far more effective if we don’t. Our message is one of reconciliation and love (2 Corinthians 5:18), and hatred has no place in it.
   • We don’t have to be loud and boisterous to get the message across to others. Often a quiet ministry of listening, serving, and compassion can open doors to a soft-spoken testimony about our faith.
   • We don’t carry the burden ourselves: the power of conversion is the Holy Spirit working through God’s Word. We are the imperfect means of bringing that Word to others, but God gives the faith and does the saving. Will we make mistakes in our witnessing? Sure, but Paul addresses this perfectly in 2 Corinthian 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” When our witness impacts others and brings results, God gets the glory and praise for it.

Are you a True Believer? If so, thank God for that blessing, and realize that you believe because others before you for 2000 years have witnessed to the faith, scorning all the risks involved to pass the Good News on to you. As the great hymn proclaims, “Faith of our fathers, living still, in spite of dungeon, fire and sword. . .” Our fathers (and mothers) in the faith endured those hardships and much more to cling to the faith and proclaim Christ to all around them. Hebrews 11 recounts some of the ordeals faced by the faithful through the ages: “Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Hebrews 11:36-38)

Are you a True Believer?

As a True Believer, are you ready and willing to proclaim what you believe to the part of the world in which God has placed you? Are you willing to risk temporary discomfort to know the peace and joy that comes from sharing the faith with those who are lost and are in desperate need of Jesus Christ? If so, praise God that he has moved you to speak for him, and keep your eyes open for the people and opportunities he will bring your way!

And now, may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Hebrews 11, Romans 10

 

Every now and then I put out a blog article titled “Odds & Ends” to serve as a catch-all for announcements, updates, and thoughts that might not require as long an article as usual. This is one of those times, so sit back, relax, and get comfortable as some new “odds and ends” come your way . . .

1. As you’ve probably noticed by now, my blog has a slightly different look. For those who have followed this blog from the beginning, it shouldn’t look too unusual, because it’s very similar to what I first had. The main reason I changed back was due to a report I get on my administrative page that shows which pages visitors actually look at. What it showed was that a number of viewers don’t get past the “home” page, which only showed the first paragraph of the three most recent articles. That meant that some people weren’t getting to read the entire article, because they had to click on the title of each article to go to that article’s page. So, just in case that second step was keeping readers away from the articles, I made the new home page consist of the entire new article. All the previous information is still available on my “Greeting” page, which link is in the overhead menu. I hope the revised format makes your reading smoother.
2. I added a few new pieces of information, too. On the “Martin Luther Live” link, I added a report about last October, when I portrayed Dr. Luther at the AALC’s 500th Anniversary of the Reformation celebration. I presented the Reformer at each of the two lunchtimes, on the 31st and November 1st. One of the attendees drew an amazing sketch of me making the presentation, and our national newsletter’s editor, Lisa Cooper, wrote a a very kind article about the presentations. With their permission, I added the sketch and the article to this page of my website.
3. I also just finished revising my new book, Raising Ebenezers: Recognizing God’s Miracles in Your Life, and am now seeking final editing and publication. I included a description of the book (with a mock-up cover picture) on my website under the “Books” menu link. Hopefully, before long I’ll be able to include publishing and availability information as well!
4. Many, if not most websites include paid advertising that pops up alongside or beneath the writers’ articles. This is very common, and is one way for the “blogist” (Is there such a word? If not, there should be – “blogger” sounds so mundane. . . ) to pay for his or her site, or even to make money, based on the number of views they get. I have decided not to use paid ads, for three reasons. First, because I’m not doing this site to make money, and I can afford the low cost the web hosting company charges. Second, I can write what I believe without looking over my shoulder at sponsors, being afraid to run afoul of their editorial policies. I already have one very special Editor looking over my shoulder regarding my writing – and He is the only one I am accountable to. Third, in most cases the bloggist, er, blogger, does not get to choose which ads appear on the site. I have seen Christian blogs with some very questionable ads, and my immediate reaction has been to ask why the bloggers chose those ads – and then I remember they didn’t have a choice. So, to avoid those mixed messages, I chose not to take ads.
5. For those of you following the ongoing drama (or is it a comedy – or better yet, what they call in TV a “dramady”) regarding my foot, here’s the news: I finally have a surgery date of October 4 this year to have my foot attended to. I’ll spare you the details, but the main point is that this procedure should correct an ongoing problem I have had with recurring ulcers on my left foot. This means I’ll probably be cruising around in my wheelchair until the end of the year – so I need to warn you to watch out when you see me coming, since I don’t have a back-up beeper!
6. Wheelchairs can be difficult at times, though I’m very glad to have one to use. The worst time I ever had was several years ago (during one of those ulcer episodes) when I decided to go see a movie. I dropped Karen off to shop elsewhere in the shopping center before driving to the theater. I went right to the handicapped parking area, but found it was full. So I drove up and down the nearby lanes looking for a parking space, but they too were all filled. So I drove further out, still having no luck, until I was a block away from the theater entrance. There was a free spot! With the start time of the movie fast approaching, I took the space, and unloaded the wheelchair from the back of the car, using crutches to get from the driver’s seat to the tailgate. Then came the arduous roll down (actually, up) the length of the block. By the time I got to the box office, my arms and legs were aching from the exertion. I caught my breath, bought the ticket, and went in. Only to discover the actual theater showing that movie in the multiplex was the furthest one in the place from the entrance, back in the direction I had just come. So, I rubbed my arms took a breath, and started rolling. If you’ve ever had to use a wheelchair, you know that rolling on a smooth surface is one thing, but rolling on carpet is another. The carpet seems to fight you the whole way and makes the roll twice as tiring. Of course, the place was carpeted. So, by the time I got to the theater’s door, I was exhausted. Then, when I rounded the corner into the theater proper, I had to laugh (or did I cry?) because this “Handicapped accessible” theater was uphill. That’s right, after all I had exerted already, I was now facing a steep incline to get to where I could even see the screen. I struggled like never before. I cried, I sweated, I bled (okay, that was an exaggeration), and finally pushed up backward until I made it! Finally I was in the theater! And there before me, were several empty wheelchair spots. With what was left of my strength, I rolled the last few feet, swung around to face the screen, and settled back to relax. That was when another wheel chair came in, pushed by someone else. They decided to take an open spot just past me. Which they did – but not before ramming their chair into my bandaged foot. And the movie wasn’t all that good.
7. You may have noticed I used the word “handicapped” when the preferred term these days is “disabled” or more euphemistically, “variously-abled.” As someone who has a parking placard granted to me as an authentic “disabled person,” I have to say that I prefer the term “handicapped.” Supposedly, the term comes from a time when beggars went around England holding cap-in-hand, asking for money, so the modern use of the term is seen to be insulting to people with disabilities, calling them beggars. On the other hand, I think saying people are dis-abled means they can’t do what other people can, and is more limiting to them. Handicapped persons are still able, but if they’re disabled, then what? I look at it this way: golfers have handicaps, race horses have handicaps, the tortoise had a handicap compared to the hare, but they are all still able to win. So don’t feel bad to call me handicapped – because I’m still very able to do a lot.
8. When you read the Bible, you find that people’s physical limitations, whether you call them disabilities or handicaps, are stated plainly and without any circumlocution. People are said to be blind (also a spiritual condition), deaf, and lame. There’s no attempt to soften their conditions with nice words. The Bible says what is, and what is not. Imagine Isaiah’s prophecy of the works of the coming Messiah being written today:”The unsighted will see, the hearing-impaired will hear, the differently-abled person will leap for joy.” Even the prophecies of the resurrection would have to change: “The passed-on ones will rise again.” Of course, Paul did use one euphemism – for the dead in Christ. He said they had fallen asleep, but that was because he knew their death was temporary, and they will rise from the dead as sleepers arise to the new day. Jesus said the same about Lazarus, until his dense (or is it, “intellectually-challenged”?) disciples misunderstood him -so then he said, “Lazarus has died.” (John 11:11-15). There are times to be kind and gentle in speech so as not to cause shame or affront, but there are times to speak plainly, with no malice intended, to address reality and perhaps to improve upon it.

Well, that’s about it for now. Until next time: May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: John 11, and Judges 3:12-30 for brutal honesty in biblical speech

As I write this blog, California is burning.

There are nineteen substantial wildfires raging across the state. The largest is called the Mendocino Complex, which is comprised of two adjacent fires – the Ranch Fire which has burned 157,000 acres and is 27% contained, and the River Fire at 45,000 acres and 50% containment. Slightly smaller but more destructive is the Carr Fire near Redding, which has burned 142,000 acres, caused six deaths, and destroyed 1,500 homes; it stands at only 41% containment and is being called “apocalyptic” by the press.

The demand and strain on firefighters has been incredible. They are working minimum 16 to 24 hour shifts. Four have died, and one man fighting the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite learned that his own home was destroyed in the Carr fire. The state’s resources are stretched so thin that firefighters are coming to help from as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Tens of thousands of people have had to be evacuated, including people already in evacuation centers and hospitals.

These are big picture statistics and situations, but besides video images of burning trees, mushroom clouds of dark smoke, and swirling “fire-nadoes,”we have seen images of the individual tragedies being repeated so many times in areas hit by the fires. We have watched as men and women stood in front of the smouldering embers of what used to be their homes, wiping away tears as they report the loss of everything they owned. One woman said that this is the second time she has lost a home to fire, so there wasn’t much left to burn this time – but now even that is gone.

As I watched one of the survivors talk about her losses, and how she and her family had just enough time to grab their pets and escape the rapidly advancing flames, I remembered the passage from 1 Corinthians where the Apostle Paul used the powerful image of fire to address an important spiritual matter.

Paul was chastising the Corinthians for their petty squabbles and divisiveness, for their spiritual immaturity, and for their jealousies. He wanted them to understand that their conflicts were contrary to the faith he had proclaimed to them, and that they would be ineffective in accomplishing anything for the kingdom of Christ. He derided their failure to build on the foundation which Christ had laid for them through Paul’s teaching, saying:

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 – emphasis mine)

Elsewhere, Scripture uses fire to describe judgment and condemnation. Wicked Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone (sulfur) from heaven (Genesis 19). Exodus 19:23-24 tells us the the Lord sent hail and fire down upon Egypt as one of the plagues. When the Israelites grumbled in the desert, God sent poisonous, fiery serpents to kill many of them (Numbers 21). John the Baptist spoke of the Messiah baptizing people with the Spirit and with fire, explaining that fire was the fate of those who were chaff (Luke 3:15). And of course, the Book of Revelation describes the final judgment against the devil, his demons, and those whose names are not written in the book of life: they will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10,15).

Paul’s use of fire is along those lines, but directed not at the believers – who will be saved by their faith in Christ – but rather at their worthless works. Because of their squabbles, they are accomplishing nothing of permanence that will build the kingdom. Paul reminds them that the permanent foundation was built by Christ, the works which his people build upon that foundation, as a house is built on a foundation, will last. But all our works which we do apart from Christ, no matter how impressive they are to us, will perish, as our goods do in a fire. He doesn’t spell out what specific works will perish, and what specific ones will endure, but we are left with the understanding that some of what we do in this life will bear eternal fruit, while much will end when we die. The difference is what is done through Christ.

So how does this idea of fire, judgment, and works which burn up relate to what is happening in California this summer?

1. First, I want to be clear that the loss which people have sustained of houses, possessions, animals, and even loved ones, is not God’s judgment against those individuals for some sin they have done. Those who lost homes were not more sinful than the people whose homes were spared. This principle is laid out in Scripture in several places. In Matthew 5:45, Jesus says of the Father, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Jesus also answered people’s questions about suffering when he referred to two contemporary incidents in which individuals were killed: “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5). We also know that Job suffered the loss of just about everything in his life, including possessions and family, though God considered him the most righteous man on earth in his day (Job 1:8). So we should never look upon anyone’s suffering and think they must have done something to deserve it; we all deserve God’s judgment, so we should look with compassion and remind ourselves that but for the grace of God, we could be in the same situation.
2. The possessions which people lost were valuable to them. Many of the destroyed items had sentimental value, such as photo albums and heirlooms. Other items had monetary value, including expensive furniture and equipment. The houses themselves represented significant financial investments made from lifetimes of work and sacrifice. And yet, all were gone within minutes. This should make us think carefully about what we invest in: what is important to us? Stuff? Things that are considered valuable to the world? Showy things that impress others or build our egos?  Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20); he could have added fire to his examples of earthly dangers. We should remember that it is not the value we put on something that makes it truly valuable, but what God says of it.
3. Which brings us to the final point: the phrase, “You can’t take it with you” is true. No matter how important our stuff is to us here in this lifetime, when we die, it all stays behind. It will all be consumed in the final fire if not before.

The story is told about a very wealthy man who on his deathbed made his wife promise to bury his money with him when he died, so he would have it in the afterlife. She protested, but he insisted, so finally she promised to do what he asked. On the day of his funeral, the grieving widow sat watching them lower the casket into the ground. Her best friend sat beside her to console her, but knowing about the strange demand of the deceased, she asked the widow, “You didn’t do what he asked, did you?” The widow turned to her friend with a smile and said, “Yes I did. I put it right in the casket with him. I wrote him a check.”

So are all our efforts and work and striving in this life wasted? King Solomon seemed to think so, even as he considered all his vast wealth. It was probably he who wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:18, “I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me.” But while most of what we have and do here will perish, the Bible also speaks of works which will endure. What are those works? Paul says they are the works we build on Christ’s foundation. But what do such works look like?

What will last through the fire and into eternity are spiritual works, those things which glorify God and bring the Gospel to people. These include preaching and teaching people about Jesus Christ, baptizing in his name, showing compassion to hurting people, sacrificing one’s time and resources to help others, caring for the sick and dying (including family members), helping people reconcile and resolve conflicts (being a peacemaker), and suffering persecution and even martyrdom for Christ’s sake (“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10).

Jesus told us not to worry about what we have to put on, because our lives are more important that our clothing. All who lost clothing (and so much else) in the California fires are more valuable to God than what they owned. Their lives matter, so let us pray for them and for their safety and recovery, as well as for the safety of those who fight to control these raging infernos and protect others from such devastating losses.

Let us also thank God for the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ’, whose death and resurrection has won for us eternal life. Knowing that our lives will endure through all eternity, let us seek to do those works which will also endure the fire, that will glorify God, and be the instruments which God uses to save others.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Job 1, 1 Corinthians 3, Luke 13:1-5