Awakened!

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 11, 2023

The words he wrote must have troubled him.  He saw a nation that was turning to lawlessness, a nation of people only concerned with their own selfish interest.  Since the War of Independence, the nation found itself in a moral decline.  The roaring waves of the First Great Awakening had now turned to nothing more than ripples.  He watched as our churches were becoming empty. Church membership in this nation had fallen to just five to ten percent, and many of our churches were facing the horror of having to permanently close their doors. The Methodist were losing members far faster than they were gaining them.  The Baptist referred to this time as their “wintry season”.  The Lutherans were looking to merge with the Episcopalians just so both could survive.  It was so bad in New York, that the Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church simply quit functioning. It had been so long since he had confirmed anyone that he decided his job was no longer needed.

As he saw the Church falling apart, he watched as the nation was following suit.  Out of the nearly five million citizens that made up this country, three hundred thousand were drunkards.  Sexual immorality was soaring, as illegitimate births and sexual diseases were becoming epidemic.  Crime had become an all to common occurrence.  Bank robberies were being seen every day, and people began to not trust the security any of the banks offered.  For the first time in our history, women were now afraid to go out at night.  Dueling had become the national pastime, and it was said that this country had become stained in blood.  

Even his friend, the President doubted our future.  A fellow friend had written to President Washington, warning of what he saw.  "Our affairs seem to lead to some crisis, some revolution; something that I can not foresee or conjecture. I am more uneasy than during the war." Washington’s reply was just as troubling, "Your sentiment... accords with mine. What will be is beyond my foresight."  All of this had so troubled John Marshall, the future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, that he found himself writing of it to his friend James Madison.  The words that came from his pen brought tears to his eyes.  “The church is too far gone ever to be redeemed.”

So what had caused the Church to fall so fast?  Most historians list a series of issues that brought the Church to this low point.  First, was the war. Many do not realize, but the war had divided the nation.  Only one-third had supported independence, while another third had sided with England, leaving a final third that sat on the sidelines uncaring.  Of the third that supported independence, many if not most had come from the churches of this country. Ministers had often been the voice that led the cause.  After the war, many churches found themselves without pastors, as these men had bravely gave their life for our freedom.  The unity of many local churches had been lost during the war.  And as the men that had fought came home, many discovered a lull in returning to everyday life.  Timothy Dwight, who would become a leading theologian of his day, spoke these words of the day.  “Seven years of war had unhinged the principles, morality, and the religion of the country more than could have been done by a peace of forty years.”

Second, was the emergence of Rationalist Deism.  They saw and taught God as distant, uninvolved in the world around us.  It also stripped the moral code as given from God, and placed it in the minds of men.  Authors, like Thomas Payne, attacked the very principles of the Bible.  He wrote, “It would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the word of God.”  Most had never even heard the Scripture questioned, and had no clue how to reply now that it was happening.

Third was an acceptance of French secularism.  During the war, America had closely aligned itself with France.  As the war ended, many of the teachings and writings of Voltaire and Rousseau became popular within our society.  These atheist teachings became an accepted part of university teachings.  An acceptance of immorality soon became commonplace in our culture. Socio-political gatherings known as ”infidel clubs”, began to arise in many major cities. The stated purpose of these clubs were to destroy Christianity, and to revolutionize government around atheist principles.  An atmosphere developed that attacked the very core of the home and the family.

Last, but far from least, was a rise in Unitarianism.  Unitarians took a universalist approach to faith, denying the deity of Christ and pushing toward humanism.  As Unitarians gained such a stronghold in one of our major denomination of the day, that the denomination not only split, but soon became extinct.  This belief also gained a strength in many of our universities.  Schools of the day that not only educated our leaders, but developed our theological ministers.  A poll taken in this day at Harvard found not one believer in the whole student body.  The same poll was taken at Princeton, a theological college at the time, and found only two believers.  At Williams College a mock communion was held.  At Dartmouth, anti-Christian plays became commonplace.  Bibles were taken by college students from churches in New Jersey, and thrown into a bonfire. Christians became so scarce on campuses that they were forced to meet in secret, keep their minutes in code so no one would know what they were doing.

So what brought America back from the depths of this immorality?  Two simple words, prayer and revival!  Revival in our churches, and the prayers of believers saved this country.  A small spark that started in the 1790’s became a raging fire that consumed the 1800’s.  A fire we all know as the Second Great Awakening!  God’s Word was again preached, heard from our pulpits and from the voices of our leaders.  Words that spoke a truth to the hearts and the minds of the people of this country.  Words that blew the Spirit across this nation, filling once again our congregations and dotting our once church less cities with steeples.  Hundreds of thousands found themselves on their knees, with their arms raised again to the Lord.  A hunger for flesh was replaced with a hunger for the Lord and a passion for His Word.  America had again found the Lord, and they soon realized the Lord had not forgot them.  America flourished like it never could have imagined.

Once again, we find our nation in similar conditions to those described by John Marshall and many of our Founding Fathers after the War of Independence. We find ourselves a nation divided by an internal war.  We watch daily as our nation attempts to redefine God.  We watch as secular principles are thrown to the forefront, and the lawlessness that comes with these decisions.  And we watch as many in the Church are willing to compromise their faith in favor of society’s acceptance.  We watch as America heads in a direction that will result in destruction, a direction our forefathers once feared this country was mired in.

So how does America avoid the cliff we are running toward?  How do we repeat the wisdom of our forefathers, and pull ourselves out of the depths we now find ourselves trapped in?  There is but one way to accomplish this goal, to miraculously bring America back from the abyss we find ourselves heading toward.  We must take a position of strength, the strongest of positions we can find ourselves in.  We must again find ourselves on our knees!  We must not only humble ourselves and admit our flaws, but turn to the mercy of the only One who can correct these flaws!

As we bend our legs and find our way to the ground, we must also realize whose knees must first touch that ground.  It must be the Church.  We cannot expect people to find their way to their knees, who do not know the purpose of being on their knees(2 Chronicles 7:14).  And we cannot expect people to turn toward God, unless the Church first knows the direction in which the Lord stands. It was once said, “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.”  These words must ring in each of our sanctuaries,  The Church must again find its’ voice, find the One who gives words to that voice, and awaken this nation.  Awaken this nation from the sleeping coma we find ourselves in.

But in order for the Church to awaken this nation, it means that the Church must first find itself awake.  As I look around this nation today, I hear the snores and the yawns that are coming from our churches.  I see the stillness of their slumber.  I see a Church that is fast asleep.  A sleep that has made the Church oblivious to the dangers that surround us.  A sleep that has filled the Church’s head with dreams of the world accepting us, of a worldly belief that might include us.  A sleep we must quickly awakened from, but a sleep where lullabies are being sung from many in our pulpits.

Recently, the Barna Group showed the results of a two year poll they had concluded of theologically conservative pastors.  This poll looked at where they stood on the moral issues that the country faces today.  When asked if the Bible spoke to the moral issues of our country and the world today, ninety percent of the pastors answered “yes”.  But when asked if they addressed these issues, spoke of them from the pulpit and taught of them in their churches, less than ten percent said they did.  When asked what these pastors were doing to make their congregations aware of what the Bible said of these issues, the resounding answer was “nothing”.  Our pastors told Barna that they know what the Bible says about the issues that we face today, but have chose to ignore what the Lord has to say about them.  Remember, these were evangelical pastors, the ones we would expect to hear the truth of these issues from.  If we included our more liberal pastors, these numbers would be beyond staggering!  The vast majority of pastors in this country today are deliberately deciding to not teach all that the Bible tells us!

So with this in mind, Barna went on to ask what they did see as the purpose of their church.  They asked how these pastors defined a successful church.  Five answers were overwhelmingly given, five answers that pastors today define as success in a church.

-Attendance

-Tithing

-Number of church programs

-Number of staff

-Size of their facilities

Success is being seen in our churches not by the lives we touch, but by the size and beauty of our buildings!  Not by the numbers that are brought to the Cross, but by the numbers we have on our staffs!  Not by the souls that we help the Spirit to reach, but by how full our collection plates are each Sunday morning! We see success spoken in terms that are material, not described by words that are spiritual.

For this nation to be awakened, we must first awaken this Church.  We must bring many of our pastors out of the dormant hibernation they now find themselves in.  We must realize that our pulpits are not leading us into this slumber out of blind ignorance, but out of willful disobedience.  We must awaken our pastors to the fact that not one of their answers for success did Christ die for. Not one of these answers did Paul describe as “success” in his ministry(2 Corinthians 11).  Not a single one of these answers has ever directed a soul to the Cross.  And not one of the answers will ring the alarm bell that will awaken this Church and this nation.

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”, Psalm 50:15.  The words of the psalmist need to now stir us, to drive us into action.  Words that must now ring through our sanctuaries, and awaken our pulpits.  Words that stirred our forefathers, and brought a past generation to its’ knees.  Men with the names of Finney, Asbury, Dwight, Beecher, Campbell, and others.  Men who not only fell to their knees, but whose words led the Spirit to cause other legs to fully bend.  Men who led a generation to not only return to the Lord, but to honor the Lord.  Men who led their generation and this nation to be used by the Lord in mighty ways.  A generation that not only sought to honor God, but brought His hope back into the heart of this nation.  

This same hope is today waiting for us, calling us back to the Lord.  A hope that yearns to fill our hearts, a hope that seeks to once again use this nation to glorify our Lord.  A hope filled with unlimited promise, a hope that knows no end to the opportunities it can bring. A hope that waits anxiously for us to awaken.

I want to tell you a little story of a man that most of you will remember from history, Thomas Edison.  Many of you know Thomas Edison as one of the greatest inventors the world has ever known.  Many of the devices we use today came at the hands of Thomas Edison.  In December of 1914, a sixty-seven year old Edison had been working at his lab and warehouse on a storage battery. Despite his efforts, he could not get it to hold its’ charge.  This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. Fire companies from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile.  Everything was destroyed. Although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought by experts to be fireproof.  With everything gone, you would have to wonder how Edison would go on!  But go on he did! The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins surrounding him and said, “There is great value in disaster.  All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”  Three week after the fire, Edison delivered what was maybe his greatest invention.  Edison delivered the first phonograph! 

Out of the fire, God created an opportunity for Edison to create a contraption that would change the world.  A device that would be used to help God spread His plan of perfection to the world!  A device that would allow many to hear God’s Word!  Out of the worst disaster, God created the greatest of opportunity.  Where most would see no hope, God saw endless potential. Where we see destruction, God sees the occasion to show His plan of perfection.  When we think we are hopeless, the Lord sees the greatest of expectations! Expectations that lead us to bring honor to His Name!

That same hope is waiting for us today. The hope that drove Edison.  The hope that lead a new nation mired in disaster to rise up, and to help the Lord spread His Word throughout this world.  The hope that stands at the door of our churches today, knocking loudly.  A hope that is without limits, that exceeds all expectations. A hope that only needs us to be awakened!

Praying each of your lives will be awakened to His hope!

Storming The Beach!

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 4,  2023

As we reflect back on D-Day, and remember the sacrifice many made for us so we might experiencing freedom, I am reminded of a long-time neighbor of ours who was there that day.  Often, I would listen closely as he would recount the events of that day. I can still see the fear in his face as he told the story. And I can still feel the tears that would form in his eyes as he spoke of the friends he lost that day.

As the small boats pulled toward the beach, he told me of the bullets you could all but feel whizzing by.  The endless explosions that hit all around him, causing waves in the ocean that reminded him of an approaching storm.  He would explain to me how these explosions so surrounded them, that their small boat could not make it all the way to the beach.  Soon, he found himself treading chest deep in the ocean, carrying countless pounds of gear, as he struggled to make his way to the sand.  With each step, he could watch as the soldier beside him would fall. And with each passing moment, the water became red, and the dead served as cover from the onslaught of fire.  He said he had no clue how he made it to the shore, or even how long it took him. And the excitement he felt as his feet came out of the water, was soon replaced by the increased fire that was now coming his way.

It felt like hours that day, as he made his way to cover, and even longer as they captured the strongholds that lined and overlooked the beach.  And as the day turned to night, he talked of how an eighteen years old boy looked back over a beach that was littered with the bodies and the faces of those he had been talking to just hours before.  Voices of those lost, he could still hear. Faces of those now dead, he could still see. And as sad as the loss of these left him, what he was a part of that day always turned his sadness to joy, every time he proudly told me the story.

A generation of young men that stormed a beach that day.  A beach that most would never see again, but a beach that many they served with would never leave.  Each of these young men knew the risk as they entered those small boats, and made their way to that beach.  Most realizing that many of the faces of those beside and across from them, would be faces they would never see again. Many also knowing it would be their face that others would again never see, as it would be their life the price of that day would cost.  But it was a price they were more than willing to pay. A cost they were willing to covering, so others, like me, might freely live. And a cost they knew if they did not pay, the evil that so many throughout this world would continue to see.  A cost that found them willing to pay all, so future generations might still be able to have all. A cost each of us could never repay to all of them as we remember this day.

As I remember my neighbor, and I think of what he did for me that day, my mind wonders forward to all I now see.  To the world I see around me today, and the blessing that surround me each day. To the opportunities I have this day, because of the courage he showed that day.  On that day so many years ago, on a beach so many miles away.

As I think of that day, I ask myself, "Do I have his courage?  Can future generations count on me, the way he has shown me I could count on him?"  And as I ask myself these questions, I ask myself an even greater question. As a Christian, can the Lord now count on me to faithfully and dutifully "storm the beach" for Him, the way those young men did for me on that day so many years ago?

We find ourselves living in a world today where evil does not just look to raise its' head, it now looks to proudly boast its' presence.  An evil, that not only looks to attack this church, but has the destruction of this Church in its' sights. An evil that sees persecution as a tool always at its' disposal, to silence the voice of all who seek to speak for Christ.  And an evil, that looks to wage a war of propaganda against this Church, seeking to convince this world that it is those it looks to silence that offers this mankind its' greatest threat.

In the face of this evil, can Christ count on me to climb into that small boat and fight my way to the beach?  Can He count on me to face all evil looks to throw at me, and still faithfully and dutifully fulfill all He is calling me to do?

His Word tells me, "for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses."(2 Corinthians 10:4).  Am I willing to face the fire that evil directs at me, and find in me the courage to come ashore, and take down those fortresses? Willing to give Him my all, so that future generations of Christians, may know the freedom to bring His all to a needing world?

It is time for my words and my actions to show Christ that I am willing to storm that beach.  Time for me to rise, put on each piece of armor He has given me(Ephesians 6:10-18), and attack evil's stronghold that stands right in front of me.  Time for me to be strong and courageous, not found trembling and afraid, as my feet touch the shore, and I approach evil's fortresses. Knowing that with each step I take forward, He will be walking right beside me, and His direction and leadership, will never fail me.

As I prepare for this battle, I am left with a few question.  Questions I now have for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  How many of you are willing to offer your all and enlist with me in Christ’s army?  How many of you have armor in hand, and are ready for the onslaught that will come as we climb into those small boats?  How many of you will I see beside me as I come ashore? How many of you are willing to give your everything, all you have to offer, as you storm that beach for Him?

"'No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,' declares the LORD." Isaiah 54:17

Can I Get A Witness!

Dr. Mike Murphy

May 6, 2023

It would be the trial of a lifetime.  Tom Daniels got the case of the century thrown into his lap.  He had tried many major cases as a top Assistant District Attorney for the city.  But this case would be like no other.  The murder of a city councilman, who was running for mayor upped the stakes.  Top that with the fact that known mob associates with connection to the sitting mayor had been arrested for the crime, turned the focus and the heat up on every word he said. This was the case he had dreamed of, but could be the case that buried him.

With the District Attorney out on medical leave, recovering from a recent heart attack, every decision for the case fell on his shoulders.  He made sure that all evidence for the case found its’ way to his desk, as it would be him answering the media hounds if even the smallest tidbit of information was overlooked.  He also made sure that by all evidence coming through him, he could keep a lid on all of it. He knew that with any leak, City Hall would be at his door faster that the reporters.

As he looked over the evidence, he felt confident in so much that he saw. The ballistics reports had come back in his favor.  Detectives had turned up a half-smoked cigarette with the DNA of the accused at the rally where the councilman had been speaking as the bullet took his life.  He had a written message in the handwriting of the accused also.  A message that had been coded, but as the code had been broken, a message that talked about the assassination of the councilman that day.  

Tom had all he needed to proceed at trial.  All that is, but one thing.  He did not have a witness!  Over seven hundred people had been at the rally that day, but not one had come forward stating they had seen the accused commit the crime.  He could not even get a single person to confirm they had seen the accused at the rally that day.  With the mob’s involvement, he knew that many were scared.  Scared for their life, and the lives of their family.  He had offered witness protection to anyone who would step forward.  A huge reward had also been offered to anyone who had evidence of the shooting.  Day and night, detectives continued to interview any and everyone who had been at or near the rally that day.  But as the detectives asked the question, echoes could be heard through the silence of the replies.

Just one witness was all he needed.  One reliable man or woman who could visually place the accused at the rally that day.  Just one person who could get him beyond the circumstantial and physical evidence, who could put a voice with the evidence for the jury to hear and see.  Each day they searched, but each day they failed.  As the day of the trial approached, all of Tom’s thoughts turned to one question.  “Can I get a witness!”

History has shown us, that with each piece of evidence there is importance in a witness. Someone who can bring the words off the page, and put a face to the facts that lie in front of us. Someone who can verify what is said, and confirm what is seen.  When we look at the word “witness”, we soon see the definition behind the word.  The dictionary tells us a witness is someone who sees something happen or occur.  The word “witness” actually comes to us from the Hebrew, and from the same root word we also get our word "testimony".  The word actually means, “to see or to observe the door or pathway”.  In ancient days, there was no more important part of the house than the door.  The door was by far the most used part of the structure. You could not go anywhere unless you first went through the door, and found yourself on the path.  Many houses in this day did not have windows, and in most that did, the windows were very small.  So if something was going on outside your house, you had to go and open your door so you could see or observe what had gotten your attention.

It is through this, that the terms witness and testimony soon found their way into the public forum, into our courts.  Under Hebrew law, a witness was held to a very high standard. The witness was so accountable for what testimony he gave, that to give false testimony could cost him dearly, could even cost him his life.  The life and the future of the one who the witness was giving testimony against or for, often came down to the truthfulness of the witness.  For him to accurately, factually, and without bias give an account of what he had observed.  It was the witness, and his testimony, that brought an accountability and proof to the case.

As the word made its’ way into the New Testament, and into the Greek language, it continued to carry with it this same meaning.  From the same root word in Greek that we get our word witness, we also get the same word "martyr". And although they have a complete separate meaning, it is by no mistake they come from the same root word.  Show me a sane man who was willing to die for something he did not believe in?  Willing to give his life for something he has no faith in?

Stephen serves as a perfect example of how the root word applies.  We read in Acts 7:1-53 of the stirring testimony of Stephen as he gives a witnessing account of how the hand of God had moved throughout the history of Israel, and how that history led all to the foot of the Cross.  As his testimony was angrily rejected by those who had no desire to hear the truth, Stephen was stoned to death(Acts 7:54-60).  Even as the stones were thrown at him, Stephen clung to his faith, and called on our Lord.

It was with this same faith that the Apostles also taught us to be witnesses, sharing our testimony of the Lord.  It was by this testimony that Peter reminded all of what the Disciples were a witness to(Acts 3:12-16).  It was also by this witnessing faith that Paul reminded us of what he was told, “For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.”(Acts 22:15).  Our faith makes us the perfect witness to the truth of Christ, and our testimony to this world tells them of the love Christ has shown each of us.  When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, He answered by saying, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”(Mark 12:30).  When we follow these words, our life bears witness to the grace, mercy and power of Christ, and our testimony serves as a solemn oath to others of His life and His death.

Why should we, as Christians, be a witness?  Because Christ commands us(Matthew 28:19-20).  Because He has conditioned us for it(Matthew 9:36-38, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Jude 23).  Because the consequences call for it(Matthew 7:13, Revelation 20:15).  Because of the promise of His coming(1 Corinthians 15:58, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).  Because the love He shows us requires it( 2 Corinthians 5:14, Romans 10:1).  Because the character of the Gospel stands on it(Acts 4:12, Romans 1:16).  And because of our commitment to His Word(1 Corinthians 9:16-23, 1 Timothy 1:11-16).  Peter and John answered the question this way, “for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”(Acts 4:20).  We are not just a witness because we are called to be, we are a witness because we desire to be!

We so easily forget, the Holy Spirit makes each of us a witness.  The Holy Spirit calls each of us to be witnesses.  And it is only through the Holy Spirit can we, as witness, give our testimony.  From the moment we are “born again”, we are a witness to all that Christ has and is doing in each of our lives, and we have a responsibility to take the stand, and let this world hear and see the overwhelming evidence of the difference that Christ has made in each of us.

My testimony is the witness for all the Lord has done in my life.  Each day the Lord reminds me of all I am a witness to.  I serve as a witness to the life He has given me.  To His mercy that has forgiven me.  And to His grace that alone has saved me.  Each moment that as I look at this world around me, I am  a witness to His beauty and His glory.  I am a witness to the power of His voice, and the truth of His Word.  And as I watch that Word being put into action every minute of the day, I am a witness to the amazement of His love.  Nowhere can I look around me, and not see that I am a witness to the Lord.  As I see all the Lord shows me, I realize the importance of all I see.  And with each sight I see, what it calls me to do.  I must take the stand, place my hand on His Word, and give a truthful testimony for all the world to hear. I must be willing to honestly answer every question this world may ask me about Him.  And I must be willing to give an accurate account of all I have seen Him do in my life, and in the lives of those around me.  I am a witness.  

As the Lord stands at that door knocking, I pray that each of you will answer, and be a witness to His mercy and His love!

Outside My Window

Dr. Mike Murphy

April 30, 2023

As I look outside my window, I see the sun begin to rise.  The colors that fill my sight as the sun peeks over the horizon, makes me pause.  It sparkles through the leaves of the trees, and it glistens off the dew, reflecting with a brilliance that captures my eyes.  As the sun continues to rise, it reveals to me the beauty of this world around me.  Each moment seizes my sight with the uniqueness of this creation, and shows its’ purpose in each passing second of this day.  As I look outside my window, I cannot help but smile, as I think of the Hand that created all this around me.  Of the purpose that each glimpse gives me.  Of His plans that allows each ray of light to unfold in front of me.  If I look closely at each glimmer and flicker of the sun as it rises, I can still see His hands at work in front of me.  And I see the beauty and love that He alone has orchestrated for me.

As I look outside my window, I see the realness of those Hands.  A daily reminder to me of the Lord above me.  Each ray of sun erases all doubts, and fills my day with a comfort and a certainty.  And as I look outside my window, I wonder how anyone could not believe. How they could see what I see, and not fall to their knees.  How can their eyes not be overwhelmed by what I see outside my window?

But each day, I am told how I am confused by what I see.  That outside my window does not lie a purpose and a plan, but coincidence and chance.  That the beauty I see is accidental, not created for my eyes to see, but an aimless incident that is random of intent.  I am told that I do not need to look to God to explain what I see outside my window, that I only need to look to my fellow man. That in man’s mind I will find the explanation, in science I will find all my answers. But as I look to what man defines as science, I see reasoning and interpretation that can never illustrate for me the why and the how.  And in the hands of science, I do not see the answers being held.  And as I look outside my window, I wonder why science cannot see the obvious that my eyes see, the beauty and purpose of God that is fulfilled with each sunrise.

The world today often teaches a conflict between science and God.  But if we look closely, is there actually a conflict there?  Is there a real conflict between what God’s Word tells us, and what science wants to show us?  Does science lead us on a path away from God, or does true science reveal to us the brilliance and purpose of God?

The dictionary defines science as “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment”.  Science is a way for mankind to better understand the nature of this world around us.  Science teaches us knowledge through observation, and science allows man to expand in both logic and imagination.  But we must remember, science has its’ limitations. Unlike God, who knows no limits.  Despite what many might tell you, God and science does not have to be contradictory in the minds of Christians.  We can have complete faith in God and still have a healthy respect for science. We just have to remember, which One is perfect and which one is flawed.

Science is based on predictability and possibilities.  Science has often led us to great advancements, but science has also led us to great mistakes.  We cannot place our faith in science because of its’ imperfections, and because how many times history has shown us that science is wrong.  Science once told us that the world was flat, that wind only blew in a straight direction, that every star in the sky was the same, and that people should be bled in order to cure sickness.  And as we look around us today, we still see the mistakes that science makes.  I will give you a perfect example of this.  I am a big sports fan, and often times, like many of you, I have watched games that had amazing endings.  I have seen teams come back that were way down, with only seconds left.  In many of these games, science has stated that what the team did in coming back was impossible.  Even after the game was over, and the outcome known, science has said that what we saw happen was impossible, against all the principles of science.  But as our eyes have shown us, science can and will be wrong.  It is for this reason we cannot place our faith in science, only in the perfection of God.

Science can only explain to you what it understands, and can only lead you where the probabilities take you.  Science is limited in what it can tell you. The things that we see with certainty around us, science often does not have an answer for.  Each day as we watch the news, we see both evil and good.  We watch events happen, and we see different people react differently to these situations.  Watch any city riot take place and you will see this.  As the anger builds and buildings are destroyed, you will watch people react in different ways. Some you will see act in the lowest manner possible. Looting, killing, and burning everything around them.  Using the circumstances of the moment to justify their actions.  Others, you will see rise to the occasion.  Protecting those around them, looking to help those in need, and placing their own life at risk to stand for what is right.  In these. you see the same circumstance bring out a completely different response.  One reaction of good, another one of complete evil.

So what would lead two different people in two opposite directions?  One led toward good, the other toward evil.  Science cannot tell you.  Science cannot explain why one of these would act with good and the other with evil.  As a matter of fact, science cannot even explain to you good and evil itself.  Science has no clue why good and evil both exist.  And when science sees both, it ignores both, and only concentrates on the situation at hand.  But how do you fully understand the situation if you take the mindset of man out of the equation?  You cannot, and it is for these reasons that science cannot answers many of the basic questions that surround us each day.

But what science can never explain, God explains perfectly.  The free will that He gives to all of us, easily fills in the gaps that science will never have an answer for.  Free will allows each of us to choose good or to choose evil.  To choose God, and to follow His ways. Or to reject God, and follow the selfish ways this world will show us.  Despite what some might tell you, science does not lead you away from God, but leads each of us directly to God.  Science shows us our need for God, as without God, nothing science teaches us can ever make complete sense.

Truth does not serve as the enemy of the Christian, but is actually our best friend. Truth shows us the failure of our own limited knowledge, and the perfection of God’s infinite wisdom.  The Word of God tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”(Psalm 19:1). Science proclaims the truth of these words. Science confirms what ours eyes shows us. Science gives authenticity to what each Word of God tells us. Science reaffirms the purpose and beauty I see outside my window.

But as I look outside my window, I understand that science can never show me the greatest proof of God’s existence.  That proof does not lie outside my window, it is found inside of me.  It is found in the difference that Christ alone has made in my life.  A proof no theory could explain, and no hypothesis could disclose.  Science could never explain to you what Christ has done in me.  No answer of science can be found in Christ taking a selfish, self-centered man, and making him into a man that God finds purpose in.  No scientist could ever explain the love that caused God to reach into the heart of this undeserving man, a love so strong it made him whole.  No science class ever taught me a word for the grace He brought to me, or to the assurance the Holy Spirit has placed in me. There was no probability or predictability in the change that Christ has brought to my life.  In Christ, I have only found certainty.  A certainty that washed me clean.  A certainty that brought words of mercy and hope to my lips.  A certainty that drives me each day to speak His name to all who  will hear.  A certainty that brings tears of joy to my eyes, each time I see the glory of God that lies outside my window.  

May God speak to your heart each time you take a glimpse outside your window.

Reading Is Fundamental!

Dr. Mike Murphy

April 22, 2023

As he looked out from the pulpit and began to speak, he prayed his message would not only be heard, but felt.  For two weeks he had been promoting this sermon, building up to the word he had been led to give.  As he looked over the congregation, it appeared the excitement had worked.  He saw faces that he rarely saw, and new faces that he had not before seen.  He could see the anticipation in the eyes of those looking back at him.  And this was an anticipation he planned to make the most of.

“Today, I want us to take a hard look at the wisdom of God.  In order to do this, I want each of you to not just hear about His wisdom as I speak, but to see His wisdom.  So to prepare for today, I have placed several extra Bibles in each pew, so that everyone here can follow the verses we are looking at firsthand.  So everyone grab your own Bible, or one of those in the pews and raise them up, so we can see when everyone has one.”

He watched as every pew scrambled to grab a Bible.  Then, one by one, he watched as every person, of every age, raised their Bible into the air.  When every hand was raised, he proceeded with his sermon.

“There is one verse that I think describes for us the wisdom of God far greater than any other.  So today I want us to take a hard look at that verse, and for each of us to read it over and over.  Everyone open your Bibles, and turn to Hezekiah chapter three, verse six.”

He paused and looked out at the congregation as they began to turn through the pages. He watched the faces intently, and watched as everyone reacted differently.  He saw many freeze, not knowing where to begin to turn in their Bibles.  He watched others, as they glanced at those beside them, hoping to see where they were turning.  He watched others still, turning through the pages from front to back.  As they got to the back cover without finding the verse, you could see them turn back to the front and begin to slowly thumb through the pages again.  And he looked into the eyes of others, the puzzled look on their faces as they wondered what was going on.  And elderly woman, who sat near the front, looked up at him and smiled.  He quickly winked at her, letting her know that everything was alright.  For minutes he watched this continue, until finally he heard a man whisper to his wife, “I know I have read this before, but I just cannot seem to find it!”

Finally the pastor asked, “Is everyone ready to begin reading the verse?” He heard the mumbles, and saw the confusion, and finally one man spoke and said he needed help to find the verse.  The pastor mercifully brought an end to his ruse, and told everyone that there was no such book of the Bible as Hezekiah.  In doing so, he watched as relief set in to many of the faces he saw. But as soon as the relief hit, the confusion again soon followed. He could see many begin to wonder, why had he done this in the first place?

“I know many may wonder why I did this, why I would ask you to turn to a verse that does not exist?  The answer is very simple, and one that helps us to recognize the wisdom of God.  Simply put, we cannot know God, the wisdom He longs to share with us, and all He desires for our lives, if we do not first spend time in and know His Word!.  With this in mind, I want us to actually turn to a few real verses, and see why it is so important that we spend time in God’s Word.”

Ask yourself, if you had been sitting in the pew that Sunday, how many of you would have spent time turning through the pages of your Bible looking for that verse in Hezekiah? How many that read this today, are familiar with God’s Word, and knows what it has to say?

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17.  The Greek word for inspired used in this verse actually means “breathed out”.  God gave life to every word we read in our Bible.  He created it with a purpose and an intent in mind.  The answers to the questions that have found their way to the tip of man’s tongue for years, can be found in each of the pages of the Bible that the Lord has so lovingly given to us.  Where did man come from?  What is evil?  What does the future hold?  Is there life after our death?  All questions that man has asked over and over, and all answers that God breathed into each word of His Scripture.  

And God’s wisdom and His Word does not stop there.  The questions and issues we face in our personal life, the Lord also passionately addresses.  How can I change my life? How can I be a good spouse and a good parent?  How can I get the most out of my life? What in this life is most important?  All question the Lord knew we would ask, and all answers He desired to give us as He breathed each word into the Bible.

With each syllable of God’s Word, we see the depth of each answer, and we see the inerrant and infallible truth in all that He has to say to us.  The Lord does not just give us His Word and say, “Trust Me”.   With each word of Scripture, God shows us why we can trust Him! The Bible is the only holy book that gives us the details and the definitions so we can go out and test the historical, the scientific, and the prophetic accuracy of every word.  Only one word has ever been able to hold up to that standard, and that is God’s Word!  God has purposefully shown us that if we can have complete trust in all He has to say in each of these areas, then we can also trust everything He tells us about the spiritual world that we cannot so often see.

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”, Matthew 4:4.  Just as we take the time each day to feed our bodies, giving it the nutrition we need to face the day, we also need to give our spirit, soul. and mind the nutrition it requires each day also.  So often we hear people make the excuse, “I just do not have time to read my Bible everyday!”.  These words were once said to the famous evangelist D.L. Moody. At hearing this, Moody calmly looked over to the man and said, “My friend, if you are too busy to read the Bible every day you are busier than Almighty God ever intended any human being should be.”  When we set aside time for the Lord each day, we often do not realize what those short few minutes can do for our own life. The Lord desires nothing more than for us to have a personal relationship with Him.  A “love affair” that grows each day, and fulfills our lives in ways we could only hope for.  Just like any relationship, the more time we spend with that person we love, the more our lives are changed by that person. We hear their thoughts, we learn their tendencies, and we become accustomed to their likes and their dislikes.  We soon become one, not knowing where their life ends and our life begins.  We begin to realize that we cannot imagine our life without them in it, and we find that each day, we look for ways to please them before we even begin to think of ourselves.  The same is with the Lord!  And each minute we spend with Him, we find ourselves deeper in a “love affair” that will never end!   

With each word we read of God’s Word, we see how our relationship with the Lord grows.  With each prayer, and with each quiet moment we find ourselves studying His Word, we realize the difference that He is making in our life.  He teaches us the commitment, the focus, the obedience, and the wisdom that enriches our lives each day, and it is reflected in us as we go into the world around us.  We show the world that God is not distant, but close at hand, alive and well in each of us.  Those around us see a God that is more than just a simple story in a popular book, more than just a fairytale that has often been told. We help bring the Lord to life, and the breathe He breathed into the Scripture is heard and felt in each of us.  With each word we read of Scripture, we are led to show the world, “With the Lord on our side, absolutely nothing is impossible!” And with each moment we spend in God’s Word, we realize just how powerful that statement is, and how much truth is found in each word of that statement!

Each day as we pick up our Bibles, and begin to read His Word, we realize we do not do this out of habit, but out of desire.  The desire to know our Lord a little better today than we knew Him yesterday.  And as we read today, we know tomorrow holds the promise that we will even know Him better.  This desire of which I speak, leads us to read the Scripture with a passion.  An eagerness to understand Him more each day, an anticipation the wisdom of His Word will bring us, and a willingness of knowing that with each word we read, we find ourselves further enclosed in the security of His arms.  

Every time we read God’s Word, we need to take that passion and bring a purpose to it.  As we sit down to read, we need to first seek the Lord in prayer. Ask the Lord for the wisdom to understand the verse or passages you are reading, so that His Word may be your word.  As you read His Word, study His Word.  So many today will tell you to read a chapter a day.  I would suggest to you something a little different!  If you read a chapter and God gives you a full understanding of that chapter, great!  But if you only read one verse, and feel the Lord leading you to better understand that verse, read no farther! Take the time to fully understand that verse before you proceed.  God may have you stop at that verse or two for a reason, there may be things in those few words that the Lord desperately needs you to see.  You need to look no farther than the story of Philip(Acts 8:26-40)  to see the perfect example of this.

Philip was preaching in Samaria with great success(Acts 8:5-8).  But when he heard the voice of the Lord call him to the desert road that led to Gaza, he found himself on the road without hesitation.  As Philip is travelling the road, he sees an Ethiopian man sitting in his chariot and reading from the Book of Isaiah.  This was no ordinary man, he was the head of the Treasury for the queen, and had come to Jerusalem to worship.  Philip approached the man, and asked him one simple question, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man told Philip he did not, and asked Philip to join him and help explain what the words in Isaiah proclaimed.

He was reading Isaiah 53:7-8.  “Like a lamb that is lead to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.  By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgressions of my people, to whom the stroke was due?”  Philip began by explaining to the man these two verses, then used other verses to bring the man to Christ.  From these two verses, these few words, God would change the world!  And look at the impact that reading and understanding these few words had on the world in our example.  A powerful Ethiopian man, who would bring the message of Christ to a part of the world that had yet to hear the Good News!  The world forever changed because one man read no further, but stopped and sought to understand the words that the Lord had placed in front of him!  

With just a few words, God’s Word can speak to us in incredible ways.  It informs us, it guides us, it motivate us. it commands us, and above all, it changes us.  With each verse, with each word that we read, God speaks to us.  He tells us of His ways, and the beauty of the path that those ways will show us.  And with each word, He also shows us our own ways, and the dangers that lie ahead if we follow those ways.  With each verse we read, we understand the Lord a little more.  And with each verse that we place in front of our eyes, we understand more the purpose and plan He has for our life.  We see the love that went into making us, and willful passion that went into Him giving His life so that He could save us. With each verse we read, the Word comes to life, and draws us to take the words off the pages of our Bible, and to share the beauty of those words with the world around us.

So many today look at the Bible, read God’s Word, and tell us it is nothing more than another story.  Just a fairytale given from above to inspire us.  Each time I open the cover of my Bible, I feel for these people, and I pray for each of them.  How they read the glory of each verse, and cannot see that the Lord has brought this”fairytale” to life, is beyond my simple comprehension.  He has reached down and pulled the words off the pages, and made each of us a part of this incredible story.  He came Himself to fill the lead role in this amazing story, and He offered each of us a supporting role on the stage beside Him.  Every minute of every day shows us how this so-called “fairytale” is being performed live around us, playing out in each of our lives just as the words He gave us said it would.  How they cannot see that the Script of this miraculous play has been written, and the cast is being set, is beyond me.  If only they would just read the Script, and not try to edit the Script with their own words, seeking their own desired ending, they would come to see the reality and beauty that this Script holds.  If only they could see the allure in willfully following the Script, opening their eyes to the delicacy, the love, and the grace that the Lord has poured into every word.  If only they could feel and hear the breath the Lord placed into each syllable of this amazing Script.  If only they would seek the wisdom of the Author of this Script, the knowing and understanding He longs for each of us to see in every word He has written.  If only they would pick up the Script anew, and read it aloud with Him, they would see the perfection in the fundamentals of the Script, and begin to understand just how this Script must be played out.  Their eyes would be open to see, reading is fundamental!

Praying the fundamentals of your life can be found in the words of the Script.

I AM.

 Dr. Mike Murphy

April 16, 2023

“I thought these eyes had seen everything.  That these ears had heard all they could ever hear.  I heard the words He spoke at the pool of Bethesda, and I watched in amazement as a man who could not walk for thirty-eight years got on his feet.  On a hillside near Capernaum, I listened as the words He spoke took away the pride and deception of so many hearts.  And as I looked in the eyes of the crowd that day, I watched in amazement as those same hearts were filled with a loving faith.  I watched as a man wrecked with leprosy fell at His feet, and I heard his words of praise as he walked away without one sore.  I watched as a Roman officer bowed to my King, and I heard a faith from that officer that was greater than that of any man.  I watched as the tears of a widow in Nain filled the ground for her only son who had just died.  And I heard the shouts of joy as that young boy sat up and talked to his mom again.  I watched as the sea began to rise and as the waves began to pound the boat we found ourselves in.  I saw the fears of those around me, and I heard the desperation in their voice.  I then watched as He calmly stood, and I listened to the storm calm as soon as He spoke.”

“I watched as He fed thousands with nothing more than a small boy would have to eat.  And I listened to the fullness of that crowd as they ate until they could eat no more.  I watched as His feet stood where no man could stand, and I heard as His voice called to me, bringing me out of the boat to join Him.  I watched as He drove out demons, and I heard their screams at the sound of His voice.  I watched as the blind were made to see, and I heard as the hardest of hearts were made to believe.  I have seen and heard it all, or so I thought.  But with just two words, He proved me wrong.  I watched Him speak those two words, and with all I heard, I knew this world would never be the same.”

As Christ taught in the temple courts that day, my mind will only allow me to begin to imagine what the disciples must of heard and seen.  The emotions that filled them and the reality that must have overwhelmed them.  It was a day unlike any other they had been a part of.  As Jesus was teaching that morning, they watched as religious leaders tried to set a trap for Him.  They brought a woman who had been caught in adultery to Jesus, looking to trick Him into saying something they could use against Him.  They brought the woman to His feet, but did not bring the man who was caught in the adultery with her.  And as they threw the woman in front of Him, they knew they had violated the Law of Moses by not bringing forward two innocent witnesses to the adultery, as the law required.  The disciples watched as the religious leaders brought forward the woman to simply gather ammunition they could use against Jesus.  If Jesus refused to condemn the woman to be stoned, they would say He was ignoring the Law.  And if He said to stone the woman, they knew He would be violating Roman law, which did not permit the Jews to carry out their own executions. But as the disciples watched, they heard Jesus turn the tables on the religious leaders, telling them that only He who was innocent of sin could judge sin.  They watched as each dropped his stone, and walked away.  They heard Jesus turn to the woman and asked her where those that condemned her now were.  And as He spoke to her, they listened as His words did not end there, telling her to go and sin no more.  They saw One with the authority to forgive sin, and listened as the only One with the power to judge her, told her to turn from her sin and from the destruction sin was bringing to her life.

They then watched as He turned to the crowd, telling everyone who would listen that He was the Light of the world.  The disciples looked into the eyes of many in that crowd, and saw those who thought Jesus was either a lunatic or a liar.  But as their eyes came back to Christ, they heard Him give the crowd a third alternative, that He was telling the truth.  They then watched that day as the hardened hearts of many melted away.

Later that day, they heard Jesus tell the crowd that those who followed Him would know the truth, and the truth would set them free.  He went on to say, those that followed Him would have everlasting life, never would death hold a price over them.  As many heard these words, they called Jesus a devil, possessed by a demon.  The disciples could hear the yells from the crowd, proclaiming that every man would die, even Abraham and the prophets had faced death.  They watched many in the crowd look at Jesus, and mockingly ask Him just who He thought He was.  Christ’ reply left no doubt.  It required no further questions, as it provided the answer to every question they could ever ask.  The disciples watched as Jesus looked to the crowd and proclaimed, “Truly, truly, before Abraham was, I AM.”(John 8:58).  The disciples watched as many in the crowd picked up the same stones they had sought to kill the adulterous woman with earlier that day.  They heard the cries for His death, and they knew that as Christ spoke those two words, their lives would never be the same. 

With just two words, Christ changed the lives of each of the disciples. With just two words, Christ would write every page of history.  With just two words, Christ would forever change this world.  With just two words, Christ demanded an answer from everyone in the crowd that day.  And with just two words, Christ would ask each of us the same question today.  Is Christ who He proclaimed He was?

“Prin Abraam genesthai ego eimi”.  These words in Greek literally say, “Before Abraham was existing, I AM”.  The power of these words could never be duplicated, and they are words that could never be mistaken.  These words do not say “I have been”, or “I was”, but carry the power that can only be found in the two words “I AM”.  By using the words “I AM”, Jesus not only stated His timeless existence prior to Abraham, but spoke to His very nature.  As Christ spoke these words, everyone that heard His voice that day knew exactly what He was saying, and they knew exactly what He was proclaiming.

To fully understand just what the crowd heard that day, we need to go back to a day that every Israelite studied and cherished.  A day at the time of the Exodus, when Moses was speaking to God. In Exodus 3:13-15, Moses asked God what name he should tell the Jewish people had sent him to speak to them, basically asking God His name. God responds by saying, “I AM that I AM”.  He told Moses to tell the people, “I AM has sent me to you”.   God then goes on to explain further about His name, by telling Moses, “The Lord,the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation”. In this God is not only proclaiming Himself as “I AM”, but also as “HE IS”.  

It is from these verses that we get the name Yahweh(YHVH), the sacred, unspoken, and eternal name of the Lord.  A name that not only proclaims His existence, but announces His presence. In Hebrew, a name carried meaning, and communicated something about the character of the one who had the name. In Yahweh, God proclaimed His infinite wisdom and sovereignty by revealing to mankind so much about Himself.  The Lord tells us in His name that He has always been there, that He is with us now, and He will be present forever.

When the Israelites asked Jesus who He was that day, they had no doubt who He was proclaiming to be.  He told them He was Yahweh, the One who was there when the world was formed, the One who stood in their presence that day, and the One who would still be here when this world would end.  They knew that the One who stood in front of them, called Himself by a name no man was allowed to use, no man could ever proclaim.  He claimed to be the Lord, standing among the crowd that day, right in their very presence.  He was not a just a prophet, nor was he simply a healer.  He was God!  And when they looked into His eyes, they looked on the face of their Creator!

This was a defining statement, one that left no middle ground.  Either Jesus was exactly who He said He was, or He had committed a sin so great, His own death would be required.  In two words, Christ either brought a man to his knees, or He brought him to reach for the ground to find the nearest stone.  As many of the Jewish leaders looked upon their Savior that day, they reached for the ground instead of falling on their knees.  They looked into the eyes of the Lord, and did not recognize the characteristics of His face.  They knew so little of Him, they no longer remembered Him.  They had so little love for Him, they treated Him as a hated stranger, an enemy that had found His way into their midst.

John tells us just two chapters later, they would look on Him as a stranger again.  John 10:30-33 says, “The Father and I are one.  The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death.  Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds  from the Father.  For which one of them are you going to stone me?  The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good deed but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.”  Both times they choose to pick up stones, after Jesus proclaimed to be our Lord.  Both times they looked in the eyes of our Lord, and did not know Him.  Both times, “I AM” stood in front of them, and they did not know Him by His name. 

With every word He spoke, Jesus defined the words “I AM”.  Several other times He would use those words, and each time He showed us a little more of the characteristics that made up His name.  I AM the bread of life(John 6:35-51).  I AM the Light of the world(John 8:12).  I AM the door of the sheep(John 10:7-10). I AM the good shepherd(John 10:11-18). I AM the resurrection and the life(John 11:25-26).  I AM the way, the truth, and the life(John 14:6).  I AM the vine(John 15:1-11).  With each “I AM”, His name became a little clearer, His voice became a little louder, and His purpose and plan became a lot more obvious.  And as “I AM” walked among us, hope could be seen in His face, and hope could be felt in this world.

I AM.  No more profound statement has ever been spoken.  No more important words have ever been heard.  With two words, Christ erased all doubts. With two words, Christ placed one question into the heart of all who heard His voice that day.  The same question that fills each of our hearts to this very day. Was Christ who He said He was?  And with this question, we have the same two options today that crowd faced so many years ago.  Do we angrily reach to the ground to find the nearest stone?  Or do we fall to our knees as we look into the eyes of our Savior?   With each “I AM” the question is answered. With each “I AM” the lines in His face are defined a little more.  With each “I AM” we realize that we are staring into the eyes of our Lord.  I AM leaves us no doubt that HE IS!

Praying this day no stone is found in your hand.