The "Christian" Sanhedrin

Dr. Mike Murphy

January 31, 2020

There was a little, old cleaning woman that went to the local church. When the invitation was given at the end of the service, she went forward wanting to become a member.  The pastor listened as she told him how she had accepted Jesus, wanting to be baptized and to become a member of the church. The pastor thought to himself, "Oh my, she is so grungy, smells a little, and her fingernails are not clean. She picks up garbage, cleans toilets, what would the members think of her?"  He told her that she needed to go home and pray about it, then she could decide.        

The following week, here she came again.  She told the pastor that she had prayed about it and still wanted to be baptized.  "I have passed this church for so long.  It is so beautiful, and I truly want to become a member."  Again the pastor told her to go home and talk to Jesus about it some more.

A few weeks later while out eating at a local restaurant, the pastor saw the little, old lady.  He did not want her to think that he was ignoring her, so he approached her and said, "I have not seen you for a while.  Is everything alright?" "Oh, yes," she said.  "I talked with Jesus like you said, and he told me not to worry about becoming a member of your church."  “He did?" said the pastor. "Oh, yes" she replied. "He said even He has not been able to get into your church yet, and He's been trying for years."

How many of our churches would we find Christ in today?  If Christ were to write a letter to each of the churches across this country, what would the message be?  Would the letter to each church sound more like the one Christ sent to Philadelphia(Revelation 3:7-13), or the one He sent to Laodicea(Revelation 3:14-22)?  Would He see the leadership in our churches today as a continuation of His disciples?  Or would He see them reflecting the leadership of the Sanhedrin in His day?

In the days of Christ, there were many groups that made up the face of Judaism. But three found themselves in the spotlight, and were the focused attention of much of the Jewish world.  The Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Herodians were the voices that spoke loudest to the Jewish people, and the religious leaders Rome expected the most out of.

The Sadducees were the aristocrats of the day.  They valued their wealth and prestige, and often saw themselves above the average man.  They would often find themselves in agreement with Rome, focusing more on politics than religion.  Because of their positions of power and influence with Rome, they made up the majority of the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious council of Judaism. Their religious beliefs carried a very mixed bag.  Although they believed in the authority of God’s Word, they denied that God was involved in everyday life. They did not believe in an afterlife , in resurrection, or in a spiritual world(Acts 23:8).  In 70 AD, when Roman destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem, the Sadducees came to an end.  No longer needing to control the Jewish people, Rome no longer needed the Sadducees.

The Pharisees were the voice of the common man.  Even though they were in the minority on the Sanhedrin, they carried an incredibly strong voice because of the influence they had within the Jewish society.  They believed that God’s Word was inspired, given directly to man by the Almighty.  But they also put as much weight in their own rules, known as oral tradition, as they did God’s Word.  They saw no difference in the laws given by God, and those created by them(Deuteronomy 4:2).  They would often use these ‘man-made’ rules to bring attention to themselves, feeding their own ego in the name of God.  They reduced man’s relationship with the Lord to one of rituals and self-created rules.

Last, but not least, were the Herodians.  They were the political power of the day, followers of Herod, the appointed leader of Judea by Rome.  They saw Herod as a ‘messiah’, thinking he could bring them favor from the Roman Empire, thus bringing ‘blessings’ to their lives.  Religion to the Herodians was nothing more than a tool or instrument, one to bring the people under control, and to institute the social and political changes they saw as needed.

Though each of these groups were bitter rivals, one thing did bring them together. Christ!  God’s true Messiah, the One who would bring true change, offer all a path to an eternal afterlife in God’s presence, and fulfill the laws and promises the Lord had given to His people.  But they saw Christ not as hope, but as a threat(Mark 3:6, John 11:48-50).  A threat to their power, lifestyle, and influence over the Jewish people.  It is no wonder that Christ often referred to them as nothing more than frauds and hypocrites(Matthew 23:1-36, Matthew 7:15).

So let us take a close look at what the religious leaders of Jesus’ day believed and what they were doing with those beliefs.  We had one group that would pick and choose the parts of God’s Word that suited them best, more than willing to ignore the rest.  We had another group that put their own teachings and beliefs on an equal level with the Lord’s.  And we had a final group that saw God’s Word as nothing more than a political tool, to achieve their own goals.  It is no wonder Christ had so little use for these religious leaders?

When we look around us at the church today, the surroundings may be different than those when Christ walked this world, but we see so many similarities in the players!  Many of the religious leaders that fill our churches today, have many of the same similarities to those men that filled the halls and courts of the Temple almost two thousand years ago.  

In many of our churches today, we see leaders that are unwilling to teach the full Word of God.  Those who ignore parts they feel may be controversial to society, often more afraid of who they might offend than who they might reach with the truth.  Other leaders have developed their own interpretation of God’s Word.  They teach their own beliefs on an equal level with the Word of God.  Although their teachings may be contrary to the words Christ taught while walking this earth, they speak them anyway.  Often with a voice so loud those who speak the truth are drowned out and completely overlooked.  We even see other leaders who are more than willing to take the necessity of God out of the Word of God. They see salvation in looking to perfect man into their view of what man should be.  To many of these leaders, God is nothing more than a means to an end.  God and His Word are but instruments to influence society towards their view of a utopia that can be built here on Earth. To them, God is nothing more than a way to reach their political and social ends.

When Christ looks at the state of the Church today, what do you think we would hear Him say? As He hears the words spoken from or pulpits, and the silence coming from our pews, what word do you think he would use to describe us?  Only one word comes to mind, Hypocrites! And those of us who know the truth and allow His church to continue to be tarnished, would not fare much better in the Lord’s eyes.  Two thousand years ago, Christ warned His followers that they would see the Temple destroyed, that not one stone would be left unturned(Mark 13:1-2).  A few years later they saw the words of Christ come to life, as the Temple was torn to the ground in front of them.  It is time that we heard those same words being spoken today. Word that drive us to get out the mortar and the trowels, and began to repair the walls of the Church. Because if we do not act on His words quickly, If we do not take to heart what He is telling us seriously, we could begin to see the walls begin to crumble, and not one stone will be left in place.

It is time to once again make Christ the cornerstone of the Church(Ephesians 2:20-22)!

The Quick Road Down

Dr. Mike Murphy
January 16, 2020

As he looked at his magazine that March morning, one must wonder if he knew what the future would hold.  The words that he saw printed, were not his own, but those of a valued friend.  Words that  rang true in his ears, and were words that needed to be read. One must also wonder if he realized how loudly these words would ring out, or how much power his endorsement of these words would hold.  “Earnest attention is requested for this paper. . . . We are going down hill at breakneck speed.”

In  March, 1887, we saw published the first of two articles titled “The Down Grade”, in the well known, monthly publication of Charles Spurgeon, The Sword and the Trowel. Although published anonymously, they were actually the writings of a close friend and fellow pastor, Robert Shindler.  Reverend Shindler had become alarmed by the rising problems he saw within their denomination, a disturbing pattern he had seen throughout the history of the Church.  He saw that with every true evangelical revival you could soon see the beginnings of drifting, turning away from sound doctrine by those within a couple of generations.  He equated this drifting away to a downhill slope, so came the title, “The Down Grade”.

Shindler declared that some ministers were “denying the proper deity of the Son of God, renouncing faith in his atoning death.… ”.   Shindler saw the coming horrors of his denomination, having seen them break from the teachings of sound doctrine.  He stated, “In looking carefully over the history of the times, and the movement of the times, of which we have written briefly, this fact is apparent: that where ministers and Christian churches have held fast to the truth that the Holy Scriptures have been given by God as an authoritative and infallible rule of faith and practice, they have never wandered very seriously out of the right way.  But when, on the other hand, reason has been exalted above revelation, and made the exponent of revelation, all kinds of errors and mischiefs have been the result.”

Spurgeon soon followed these two articles with three of his own. Spurgeon’s tone was one of further desperation and urgency.  He saw the split forming within the denomination, as many church leaders were outraged, claiming the articles were too pessimistic.  At the same time, letters began to pour in from laypeople of the churches.  Many pointed out the apostasy and the compromise of Scriptures they saw within their own churches.  With these responses in hand, Spurgeon wrote, “Our solemn conviction is that things are much worse in many churches than they seem to be, and are rapidly tending downward......How much farther could they go?  What doctrine remains to be abandoned?  What other truth to be the object of contempt? A new religion has been initiated, which is no more Christianity than chalk is cheese; and this religion, being destitute of moral honesty, palms itself off as the old faith with slight improvements, and on this plea usurps pulpits which were erected for gospel preaching.“ 

Spurgeon saw three major doctrinal problems that faced his denomination.  He saw that the accuracy and authenticity of Scripture was being abandoned.  He witnessed in the preaching of others, that atonement could be found in other ways than Christ, and that Christ was no longer needed to find salvation. As he watched these false doctrines being introduced in his denomination by many who followed Progressive Orthodoxy and the modernist movement, he warned all who read of the dangers they brought with them. “Assuredly the New Theology can do no good towards God or man; it, has no adaptation for it.  If it were preached for a thousand years by all the most earnest men of the school, it would never renew a soul, nor overcome pride in a single human heart.”

As Spurgeon concluded his articles, he asked all who read them a basic question. “Are brethren who remain orthodox prepared to endorse such sentiments by remaining in union with those who hold and teach them?” Spurgeon followed, “Believers in Christ's atonement are now in declared union with those who make light of it; believers in Holy Scripture are in confederacy with those who deny plenary inspiration; those who hold evangelical doctrine are in open alliance with those who call the fall a fable, who deny the personality of the Holy Ghost, who call justification by faith immoral, and hold that there is another probation after death....It is our solemn conviction that there should be no pretence of fellowship.  Fellowship with known and vital error is participation in sin.”

It was Spurgeon’s hope and prayer that the denomination would address these issues, and return to the values and doctrine that the Lord had set for them. As the denomination assembled that October, Spurgeon figured this would be the key issue.  But to Spurgeon’s dismay, the issue was never officially addressed. Church leadership decide the issue was just too divisive, deciding to just ignore the issue in hope that it would go away. This was the last straw for Spurgeon, as he soon withdrew from the denomination. Spurgeon wrote of his withdrawal to a friend, telling him, “It was incumbent upon me to leave the Union, as my private remonstrances to officials, and my repeated pointed appeals to the whole body, had been of no avail.  My standpoint had become one from which, as an earnest man, I could see no other course but to withdraw.”  The denomination now found itself without its’ most beloved preacher!

After the withdrawal of the denomination’s most prominent minister, the issue did anything but “go away”.  With pressure mounting, the Union(the church’s board and assembly) decided to meet once again on the issue.  The Union called on Spurgeon to “name names”, to identify those who were not following Scriptures, and to provide them with information on those who had sent him this information.  Spurgeon, of course, refused to put specific people on trail, as his intent was to address the issue that haunted the denomination.  What the public did not know, was that some of the very people that made up the Union had privately wrote Spurgeon on the issue.  But now that it was about to come public, they were quietly pleading with Spurgeon to keep their names out of the mix.  The very one’s that were privately agreeing with Spurgeon, were the very one’s who now sought to publicly put Spurgeon on trail.

The Union accused Spurgeon of breaching Jesus’ command in Matthew 18:15-20, not going first to those he had a grievance with.  Spurgeon wrote of this to his wife.  “What a farce about my seeing these brethren, privately, according to Matthew 18:15!  Why, I saw the Secretary and the president again and again; and then I printed my plaint, and only left the Union when nothing could be done.”  He also wrote to the president of the Union, saying, “I have followed out our Lord's mind as to private remonstrances by seeing Presidents and Secretary on former occasions, and I have written my remonstrances again and again without avail.  I had no course but to withdraw.  Surely, no sane person thinks that I should have made a tour to deal with the individual errorists.  I have no jurisdiction over them, and should have been regarded as offensively intrusive if I had gone to them; and justly so.  My question is with the Union, and with that alone.  I have dealt with it all along.”

Spurgeon soon realized, that by raising the Matthew 18 issue, the Union had chose not to address Spurgeon’s main concerns.  They had set a course to avoid the issue at the heart of Spurgeon’s writings.  So on January 13, 1888, the Union passed a “vote of censure” against Charles Spurgeon, betraying the beloved preacher once last time.

Although attempts were made to  reconcile, the damage had been done. The “Down Grade Controversy” troubled Spurgeon until his death four years later. He watched as many pastors and past students turned against him, siding with the ideas of the modernist. Although many within his own denomination had betrayed him, his words took notice by many the world over.  Spurgeon was the first Evangelical with worldwide influence to take on the dangers of the modernist movement, and the realistic threat of the ‘Down Grade”. Robert Shindler, the original author of “The Down Grade”, would later write of Spurgeon. “Since then time has revealed much; and following months and years will, no doubt, make more and more evident how needful was the protest which fidelity to God and to the gospel would not allow him to withhold.  The Lord graciously purge His Church of all false doctrine, all false teachers, and all who are traitors in the camp of Israel!  And may the Spirit from on high be poured out upon all flesh, that all the ends of the earth may see, and own, and rejoice in, the salvation of our God!“

Spurgeon’s denomination would never be the same.  And in the years since, the ideas of modernism have spread throughout much of Europe.  Today, the Church in England and much of Europe are but a shell of their former selves. Without the truth of the Scriptures present from the pulpits, we have watched as the people have abandoned the pews of the churches throughout Europe, even to this day. And the destruction from this has not been content to stay within the walls of the churches in Europe, as it has found its way in recent years to the shores of the churches in this nation.

As we read the words of Spurgeon and Shindler, a Bible verse quickly comes to mind. “That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done.  So there is nothing new under the sun.”, Ecclesiastes 1:9.  From this verse we have developed the familiar phrase, “history repeats itself”.  Words we all have heard, but words that we rarely take to heart.  Words that the Church in America, has sadly forgotten today.

Sadly, we daily watch as forms of modernism has found its’ way into the Church in America.  Although this false teaching has disguised itself with many mask, and often tried to change its’ name, the voice with which it speaks forever remains the same.  It shakes its’ head. rejecting the very nature of God, and humanizing the life of Jesus.  It turns up its’ nose at the thought that salvation can only be found in Christ, but proclaims that salvation can be achieved by the hand of each man.  It shouts with a loud voice that God does not know the future, that the future can only be seen in the heart of mankind.  It closes its’ eyes at the inerrancy of the Scriptures, claiming it as nothing more than the moral writings of flawed men.  And if you listen very closely as it speaks, you will still hear the hiss. The same voice that proclaimed to Eve  ‘you will be like God”.

This voice, once heard by Spurgeon, speaks again today.  It legislates from the assemblies of many of our denominations.  It frequently teaches in the classrooms of our seminaries.  And it proclaims its’ false truth from the pulpits of many of our churches.  Those who recognize the true identity behind its’ mask, are once again being drowned out.  Being silenced as the voice continues to speak louder.  And as we see the smile forming from the edges of the mask, we watch in horror as many of our denominations pledge their allegiance to the voice.

As I watch the actions of these denominations today, the words of Spurgeon once again come to mind.  And a verse that I am sure that he read many times, echoes in our thoughts.   2 Corinthians 6:17: "Come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean."  It is time that many who are in these denominations read those words, and followed its’ command.  It is time they got out of these denominations, and returned to churches that are teaching the Truth of God’s Word!

We watch today as these churches rapidly roll down the hill.  Out of control, building speed as they go.  Recklessly destroying all that come in its’ path. This hill is steep, and a fire rages at the bottom of the hill.  Now is the time for all to hear the warnings that are being yelled from atop that hill.  Letting all know, it is time to move and get out of its’ path.  Do not let it destroy you or drag you with it into the fires that lie ahead.  And as we dive off this path for cover, may the Church again hear and take to heart the words of Reverend Shindler. “The Lord graciously purge His Church of all false doctrine, all false teachers, and all who are traitors in the camp of Israel!  And may the Spirit from on high be poured out upon all flesh, that all the ends of the earth may see, and own, and rejoice in, the salvation of our God! “   

Praying each of you do not find yourself moving down this hill!

What Is Evil?

Dr. Mike Murphy
October 22,2019

A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. The two were always getting into trouble and their parents could be assured that if any mischief occurred in their town their two young sons were in some way involved.  The parents were at their wits end as to what to do about their sons' behavior.  The mother had heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children in the past, so she asked her husband if he thought they should send the boys to speak with the clergyman.  The husband said, 'We might as well.  We need to do something before I really lose my temper!'   The clergyman agreed to speak with the boys, but asked to see them individually.  The 8 year old went to meet with him first.  The clergyman sat the boy down and asked him sternly, 'Where is God?'   The boy made no response, so the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, 'Where is God?'  Again the boy made no attempt to answer.  So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face, 'WHERE IS GOD?'   At that the boy bolted from the room and ran directly home, slamming himself in the closet.  His older brother followed him into the closet and asked what had happened.  The younger brother replied, ‘We are in BIG trouble this time.  God is missing and they think we did it.’

Each time evil raises its' head, we hear the questions start to come. Asking if God is really missing. “If there is a God, why did He not stop this?”  “If God was so loving, then how could He allow such evil?”  And, “Where was God when this people needed Him to protect them?”  Recently, as I heard these questions asked, I heard a pastor respond to the questions. Replying with an answer that troubled me even more than the questions ever could.  He told the audience, “God has not given us the ability to understand evil. We are incapable of knowing what evil is, explaining where it came from or how it was created.”

With each tragedy we see today, we watch the world ask these same questions.  And with each question, we often watch as Christians today do not have the answers.  We make vain attempts to answer, leaving the world with even more questions than they had before. We then are left to watch as the world pushes God farther away.

So why can the Church not seem to answer these question when it is asked?  Why are we unable to leave the world with answers of a loving God, rather than leaving them with more questions of why God would allow this? Although sad, the answer to this question is quite simple.  We, the Church, no longer understand what evil truly is and what place it has and carries in this world today.  We can no longer answer the ‘why” and the “how”, because we no longer follow and understand the words of the “Who”.  To truly understand this, we need to take a hard look at two often asked questions.  “What is evil?”  And, “Who created evil?”

So what is evil?  The dictionary defines evil as “morally reprehensible, sinful, wicked”. Evil has become a very broad term to define the malicious and destructive acts we often see around us.  In order to truly define evil, we need to look at what it does.  Evil can only be defined if we not only look at its’ cause, but also at its’ effect.  In order to do this, let us look at a simple comparison.

Walk outside in Green Bay, Wisconsin in the heart of winter, and you will soon hear one phrase over and over.  “Wow it is cold!”  But ask any scientist and they will tell you that there is no such thing as “cold”.  Cold is nothing more than a word we have created to describe the absence of heat.   The less heat we feel, the “colder” we say it has become. The same can be said of evil.  Evil is the word we have created to describe the absence of God, and the goodness that only He can bring this world(1 Chronicles 16:34).  Therefore, the farther we find ourselves separated from God, the greater the chance of evil a situation may hold.

When we see a tragedy on the news, we need to understand that the event we are watching is not evil.  Evil is the result or the outcome of the event we see. Evil is not the action, evil is the outcome, or the effect of that action.  The action that caused the evil is sin. We often confuse sin, the act, with evil, the effect. When we watch a terrorist strap a bomb to their body, walk into a building and kill all those who were innocently there, we are witnessing sin.  The act they commit is sin, evil is the result or the effect of that act. 

Sin is the act of behaving against the law and teachings of God, and His plan for our life(Deuteronomy 9:7, 1 John 3:4)  Sin is what separates us from God, and prevents us from allowing His love and wisdom to guide our lives.  Sin is a choice, one we make each day. Do we follow the ways of God or do we follow the ways of man, allowing sin to rule our lives?  Evil is often the outcome of that sin, and the effect of our choice not to allow God’s plan to lead our lives.  We must understand, where you see evil you are witnessing a choice that has been made.  A choice by someone that has chosen sin over God.  We must also understand, evil and God can never be found together in the same sentence.  Where God is present evil cannot exist.

Often today, we hear a familiar question every time evil raises its’ head. “How could a loving God allow this to happen?”   We can find the answer within the question itself.  It is because of the love God has for us that we have the choice we just discussed!  Free will allows each of us to choose or reject God, to choose His wisdom or to follow the logic of man.  Tragedy, destruction and evil are the outcome of this choice, a choice each of us has the ability to make daily. Although God could easily stop each catastrophic event we see, in doing so He would also take away this incredible gift He has given us, the gift of free will.  We would become nothing more than robots, following a path that was chosen or predestined for us.

Way too often, we confuse what God allows with what God desires.  God wants nothing but the best for each of us, and no one hurts more when He sees heartbreak come to our lives(Jeremiah 29:11).  God has given us the wisdom of His Word, and example after example of what can come from our choices.  He has done everything short of stopping free will in order to keep evil from our lives.  God knows our future, and has over and over tried to warn us of where our choices may lead, and the devastation that could await us because of those choices.  But in the end, God knows that man will often choose sin, and evil will again show its’ face(Romans 3:23).  We must never forget, evil has and never will be the result of God’s judgment, but is the outcome of man’s choices.

Now that we have an understanding of evil, we can look at the second question, “Who created evil?”.  For years this question has been at the heart of attempts by many to disprove God.  They often say that if God is truly good, then evil could not exist.  They even go as far as to try and link God with evil.  They will often make the following argument, attempting to make God as the cause of evil. If God is the creator of all things, and evil exist, then God must be the creator of evil.

This is a logic that may be sound to the minds of man, but does not hold up when we look at it with the wisdom of God.  To accept this argument, we must accept the assertion that evil is something, that evil is a “thing”.  Evil is not a “thing”, but the lack of a “thing”.  As I stated earlier, evil is the outcome of sin, the absence of God.  Evil is not a created thing.  I have never met a person who has seen, touched, felt, smelled, or heard a physical evil.  It does not meet the definitions and principles of physics, you will not find energy, matter, or dimension associated with it.  I have never yet seen a person who went to the store and purchased a bag of evil!

Evil is without question a reality, but evil does not and cannot exist in or unto itself. Evil has no existence of its’ own, and cannot be found outside the action of sin.  Unless we first see the choice of sin, we cannot find the presence of evil.  We can look to God’s Word to prove this.  All of us know the Creation story, of how God created this world and this universe.  The Bible tells us that as He finished this creation, everything He made was good(Genesis 1:31).  In other words, the universe was without sin.  We know that sin entered this world because of rebellion against God, not because God created it.  So therefore, evil came into this world because of the action of sin, not by the hand of God.

God did not create evil, but because of free will, He allows for the possibility of evil.  And praise the Lord that He does!  Had He not allowed for the potential of evil, we would be serving and worshiping God out of requirement and necessity, not out of choice.   What a blessing and a gift that we can each choose God!

When we look at these two questions, we begin to see how our nation today defines and labels God.  We have continued to push God farther and farther away from our everyday decisions.   We define God by our own logic, confining God to our own desires.  We paint a picture of God with the broad strokes of a logical brush, not with the precision and beauty that can be found in the brush of wisdom.  Looking at this painting, we should not be surprised when we see the face of evil, because in this painting you will not find the true image of God.

The Church needs to understand what evil actually is, and the role it plays in our society and in each of our lives.  We need to be ready the next time we hear those familiar questions,  “If there is a God, why did He not stop this?”  “If God was so loving, then how could He allow such evil?”   “Where is God when evil comes?”  We have to let the world know that God is right here!  Here waiting for us to do with this gift of free will what He has always longed for us to do. Choose Him!

Praying each of you choose wisely!

Like Ripples In The Water

Dr. Mike Murphy
September 30, 2019

It was famously said, “ Only politics can lead a silent monk to sound like a seasoned sailor.”  We watch the actions of many politicians on our television screen, and we are left wondering just how cutthroat this world can be. And we see this as we hear so many in the capital of our country speak, speaking without first giving a moment to thought. But this past week, I watched as the viciousness of the political world paid a visit to my own backdoor.

Our neighborhood homeowners association is now facing elections for those who would serve in the coming years on the governing board.  A neighbor of ours, and a close friend, decided she would run for the board, seeing the difference she hoped to bring to the board. A difference that would hold the board more accountable, and would look for ways to open up the process, so information would pass more freely between the board and homeowners.  A difference that was gaining momentum in many of the homes in our neighborhood. But a difference some on the board who were running for reelection, and whose ego often feeds off the small amount of power that a neighborhood board can hold, simply could never allow to take place.

Without warning, and without going through the standard process, some on these board members looked to place their interpretation on the governing bylaws. so they could create a grievance that would not allow her to serve.  And did so at a time when she would not only have to deal with this sudden shock. But at a time when she, and her family, were also dealing with a medical crisis.

Several of us that are friends and neighbors, were outraged at the actions of some of those on the board, and we were willing to let our disgust for what had happened, begin to be heard.  We spoke out, as we watched the political rocks being hurled at her, and echoing out with each throw like ripples in the water. But as we spoke out, we saw her speak Up. Making it obvious to all of us, that not a single ripple would blur the image of Him we saw in her.  We did not see her grow angry, nor did we see her go and cower in the corner. We saw her remain consistent. Still reaching out to all, and still offer hope for the future of our neighborhood. Promising all, that even if she was not on the board, she would still try to do all she could to see the needed differences come to our community.

The Word of God tells us, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.”(Proverbs 18:10).  At a time when the attacks were quickly coming her way, she did not have to build a wall of defense. Because right beside her stood the greatest defense.  A defense that was already surrendering her. A defense that would not let a single one of their rocks come close to squarely hitting her. A defense that stood so close in guarding her, that it did not allow the ripples to grow so large that it clouded the image of the One who was standing right in front of her.

As Paul was imprisoned in Rome, He wrote to the church at Philippi.  He sent words of encouragement to them, looking to remind them, Christ will always be our life.  Christ is to always be our goal. Christ will always be found as our joy. And Christ will always serve as our strength.  And as he reminded them, he wrote these words to them, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.:(Philippians 2:3).  No matter how many rocks those in this world might throw at us, not a single one of those rocks can knock us off the path the Lord has placed before us. The right He was calling us to before those rocks were thrown, is the same right He is still calling us to after those rocks have left their hands.  A right, that no matter the distractions this world might try to cause us, is still the same right this world needs to see from us. A right, that will lead many to a growing respect for us, as they see the drive toward doing what is right that He has placed in us.

This week, my friend, and her family, reminded me of exactly what that respect looks like as I looked through the ripples to see His reflection.  We so often hear, respect is earned, or that respect is given. But this week, they showed me that respect is not just earned or given, respect is seen.  Respect is heard. Respect is witnessed. Respect serves as an example. Respect is viewed in the reflection of Him others see in us. Respect is not clouded by the ripples, but made clear as each rock is thrown.  A respect for my friend, and her family, that has grown even larger this week. A respect that not only I have for each, but one that I have witnessed grow as our neighborhood has watched each of them graciously, confidently, and purposefully, handle the events of this past week.  A respect that as each rock was thrown, has now left my neighbor and friend with a stronger voice in our neighborhood to move forward with the changes she sees needed, than the voice she would have had from a simple neighborhood election.

With someone that I have often been blessed to be able to minister to, the Lord has used this week to minister to me in the most powerful of ways.  Showing this old dog, how the Lord can still teach him the newest of tricks. A trick that shows me just how my bark should always sound. A bark that does not need the show of teeth to make its point.  And a bark that does not grow quiet in the face of trouble, running with its tail between its legs away from what it faces. But a bark that is always consistent, respected by all as it is heard. A bark, that leaves all around us unclouded by the ripples, because He is seen so clearly in us, that only His words can be heard.

Praying with each ripple that comes your way, His reflection is still clearly seen!

Getting What He Paid For!

Dr. Mike Murphy
August 19, 2019

It should never shock us to hear the wisest of words spoken at a Bible study.  So many times, even in teaching a study, I have heard the Holy Spirit speak the greatest words of wisdom.  Not through me, but coming from the lips of those in the class. Hearing the Spirit speak through them in the most amazing of ways, as their words taught far more than I could ever bring to the class that day.

In a Bible study the other day, the Holy Spirit gave me another one of these moments.  As from a man who had only attended the class a handful of times, I heard the most insightful of words I have heard spoken in the longest of time.  As we discussed what Christ had brought to mankind, he first spoke familiar words we have all so often heard. Reminding us that Christ paid for our sins in full.  He then went on to ask the question, “Is Christ getting from each of us all He paid for?”

Each day since, I have not been able to get that question out of my mind.  As so many times since, the Holy Spirit has repeated that question to me. Bringing me to ask out loud the question, “Is the Lord getting from me all He has paid for?”

The Lord hung on that Cross so He could give me all.  But does each day now find me giving Him my all? Does it even find me each day looking to give Him my best?  Did today find me doing the things He is calling me to do? Making the most of each opportunity He gave me to bring glory to His name?  Or has today found me doing just enough to put on a face, so others will see me giving Him something back? 

On the day I accepted Him as my Savior, I willfully and happily became His servant.  My title in this world is simple, because just like Paul, I am proudly and humbly a servant of Christ(Roman 1:1, 1 Timothy 4:6).  And my call each day is just as simple. I am to do exactly as my Master tells me. I am His bondservant, as I freely, purposefully, and willingly sit aside all my rights in order to serve Him.  He paid for me the highest possible price(1 Corinthians 6:20), and each day as I serve Him, my respect and love grows for Him. I do not just serve Him each day because He created me to(Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:14), I do so because there is nothing I want to do more.  And each day shows me, I am at my happiest when I about His work, not just looking to do things to selfishly please myself.

Each day as I serve my Master, I realize just how much I love to obey my Master.  How much peace is found in my life as I look to help accomplish His will, not found devoting all my attention to my own will.  Not seeking to bring about my own glory, but happy in realizing that He is the only one worthy of glory. And the greatest way I can place at His feet that glory, is found in me living my life knowing, I no longer live, because it is He who lives in me(Galatians 2:20).  My life is His. to direct as He knows is best. To do with as He needs best. As this bondservant’s true happiness is found, in me freely laying my life at His feet, to do with as He sees best. In knowing that my best can only come in me doing what He knows is best. 

My call as His servant, is to not to go about the work He is calling me to selfishly, but to go about my work humbly.  Work each day that not only finds me sharing my faith, but finds me respectfully at work defending my faith(1 Peter 3:15).  Work that not only finds me obedient to Christ, but finds me as a living example to others for Christ(2 Corinthians 10:15, 1 Peter 1:14-16).  At work lovingly looking to help my brothers and sisters in Christ, as I go about my work each day faithfully awaiting my Master's return(1 John 3, 2 Timothy 4:8).

The work my Master has called me to, is not just heard in the words I might speak, but found in me as He brings life and action to those words.  In Him not just hearing me, but seeing me, “go”, “make”, “teach”, “baptize”, each day(Matthew 28:19-20). Seeing me not only sharing with others the Word of God, but revealing to them the very heart of God.  In helping all to see, I serve a Master whose greatest desire is for, “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”(1 Timothy 2:4). A truth, that drives me each day to not only lead as many as I can to His Kingdom, but to help bring them to “citizenship” in that Kingdom.

I will never be able to repay the debt He paid for me.  A debt that I cannot imagine how it did not sear His hand as He reached into the deepest pits of Hell to pull out someone as unworthy as me.  But each day that finds me with a servant’s heart, finds me doing what I can to repay that priceless debt. And to truly thank Him, with all I have, for paying that debt for me.  A debt that on certain days may only find me repaying it with nickels. And on other days, only finds me repaying it pennies. But as those nickels and pennies mount, I pray the Master will on a future day say to me, “My faithful servant, I am so proud of you!  You have given Me all I paid for!”

Praying each of you are found “repaying” a little of that debt each day!

Code Blue!

Dr. Mike Murphy
May 28, 2019

As I made my way to the hospital the other day, I heard two words that no one coming to see a loved one in the Intensive Care Unit ever wishes to hear. Screaming over the intercom came the words, “Code Blue”! As I turned the corner to enter ICU, my first thought was with my loved one. Immediately finding myself asking the questions, “Was it them the intercom was blasting for?”  As I immediately looked in the ICU, I could see a couple being led out of a room, and the woman was in great distress. As relief came to my mind for the loved one I had in ICU, my concerns immediately turned to the couple who was now facing that call of “Code Blue”.  One of the nurses in ICU, who knew my time in the ministry, motioned me over and asked if I would comfort the family, while they worked on their loved one.

As I talked to the couple, I soon learned the woman was the daughter of the one in distress, and the man with her was her husband.  Her father had been in the hospital for surgery, and was struggling with low oxygen levels. Levels that had sunk so low, his heart had all but stopped.  As the nurses and the doctors worked on her father, I got a chance to pray with the couple. Between prayers, I asked her a little about her dad. His name. His age.  His illness. And his faith. As she answered each of my questions, she paused as she came to my last question, reluctant to answer my question about his faith. She told me she did not know her father’s faith.  That her father never wanted to talk about faith with her. That her husband and herself both believed in Christ, but what her father believed, she was just not sure. She said she had often wanted to talk to her father about Christ, but had so many times avoided it, fearing she might upset him.

As I started to pray with the couple, I could hear the sounds of concern escalating from her father’s room.  Sounds that soon led to a slow, constant electrical sound, as her father’s heart beat for the last time. A sound that left my next prayer to turn to one of comfort and peace for the family, instead of one of healing for her father.

As the day passed, my mind could not escape what had happened with that couple. And throughout the day, I found myself returning to prayer for the couple. Prayers, asking the Lord to keep His arms tightly around them.  Prayers of comfort, as more of their family heard the news of her father. And yes, prayers of sorrow for an opportunity lost. An opportunity to share Christ with her father that would never come her way again.

I also said a special thank you to the Lord in that prayer.  Thanking Him for the fact, if it had been my loved one the "Code Blue" had been heard for, I could take comfort in knowing it would have been immediately followed by a "Code White".  I know, with certainty, that she has such a close relationship with Christ, as she could tell you every freckle and wrinkle on His face. That at the moment she passes from this world, she will forever stand in His presence, clothed in a garment of white, that He will one day place on her(Revelation 3:5).

As I finished my prayer, I was left thinking of other relatives and friends I have. Other loved ones that left me wondering if their "Code Blue" would ever turn to a "Code White".  Leaving me to question if I had made the most of the opportunities the Lord had given me to reach them.  Had the chances He had given me to show them the love of Christ today, simply turned into procrastinated promises I would share the Good News with them tomorrow?

As a follower of Christ, I must not be afraid to open my mouth and share the Good News.  Not finding myself filled with excuses today as to why I cannot share that Good News. or worried I might “offend” them by sharing His truth with them.  Remembering my call is simple. I must only be heard as silent as I stand in awe of Christ, not left silent each time I have the chance to share Christ with others.

Christ spoke the words to us, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."(Matthew 9:37).  With each opportunity to share Christ with another, I must ask myself, "Am I a worker?". Can Christ count on me to share His Word with another?  Or do I just share His Word when the work is fitting to me?

God's Word tells me, "“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”(Romans 10:15).  There is no greater beauty I show the eyes of those around me, than the Good News of Christ as it fills me.  Nothing more beautiful I can bring to their life than the hope and assurance that can only be found in my Lord.  And no more beautiful gift I can give them than to introduce them to the love He has waiting for them. That hope and love serves to constantly remind me, the opportunity I deny to share Christ with another today, is the blessing I may never share with that friend or loved one tomorrow.

As I write this today, my thoughts and prayers are still with that family I prayed with in Intensive Care.  And as I pray for this family, my thoughts also turn to the next family that hear the words, “Code Blue”. I pray those two words will not leave them with sorrow as they face the loss of one they love.  I pray they will not be filled with remorse for an opportunity lost to spend an eternity in His presence with their loved one. I pray, that as their heart aches for the loss of the one they love, their soul will not also ache for the eternal opportunity they have also lost.  And I pray that those two words will drive me today, to make the most of the opportunity to share the hope I find in Him with those around me. Opportunities for Him, that does not find me in fear that each "Code Blue" will leave me filled with the greatest of regret.

Praying you make the most of each opportunity to share Him with another today!

A Prophetic Purpose

Dr. Mike Murphy

May 21, 2019

Recently, I asked several pastors if prophecy was taught in their church. The response from many surprised me.  “I am not familiar enough with the subject to preach it." “I fear the subject, many will be bored.”  “In this church we just do not teach prophecy, we know our people will get too confused by it.”  “I ignore it, besides it will all work out in the end.”    

The Bible is God’s gift to all of us.  He gave it to us so we could have a better understanding of Him, and so we could recognize and follow the plan He has for us.  In His Word we find history, law, promises, doctrine, and yes, prophecy. There are 31,124 verses that make up the Bible.  Of those verses, 8,352 contain prophecy.  Better than one in every four words that the Lord has given man incorporate and involve prophecy.

Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”. When we ignore prophecy. we are taking a black marker and blocking out a large portion of the message God has given us.  Without prophecy we cannot teach Christ.  Christ was prophecy!  There are 1,093 prophecies we find in the Bible that refer to Christ and His Church, every one of these prophecies have or will be fulfilled.  The Old Testament alone contains 48 prophecies that detail the Crucifixion.  With each being fulfilled only by Christ!  Christ fulfilled the words that the prophets gave, and it was through these prophecies that the Lord showed us an exact picture of just who Christ would be!

So why do God give us prophecy?  God gives us prophecy so that His glory, His plan, and His will might be revealed.  God tells us that He alone knows the beginning from the end(Isaiah 46:10).  God often uses prophecy to show us that only He holds all the answers, that man cannot tell you what is happening today, much less what will happen tomorrow.  When we see God’s Word fulfilled, we have one natural reaction, we uplift Him. It is through this uplifting that the Lord uses prophecy in so many ways, in each of our lives. Let us take a look at a few of these ways.

Proof of God’s Existence.  Prophecy is used to show us proof of the inerrancy, authority, and inspiration we can only find in God’s Word.  When we see prophecy fulfilled, we see the Word of God being authenticated.  And we can look to Christ as the perfect example of this.  Christ staked His entire claim as the Chosen One, The Promised Messiah, based on His ability to fulfill the prophecies that has been promised.  He staked the authenticity of His entire ministries on one of this prophecies alone, the Resurrection(Matthew 12:38-45).  We see in all four of the Gospels and in the Book of Acts, that the message of Christ is proclaimed based on His fulfillment of these prophecies(Acts 2:14-36; 3:18-26). His death, burial, and resurrection fulfilled the very words of the prophets, and it was on this authority that the early Church proclaimed Him as Messiah. God used these prophecies as a journalist or detective would investigating a case.  If the Bible is right on the where, how, when, and why, then we can, without a doubt, trust it on the who.  Prophecy shows us that Jesus is our Savior, and is the only way to the Father!

Throughout the history of this world, God’s Word has consistently predicted the rise and fall of empires, and events that would change the world. Because the Bible has done so with one hundred percent accuracy, we can have complete trust in the events that the Bible tells us are still to come.  We must never forget,  the Bible, with all of it’s fulfilled prophecies, proves to each of us the very existence of God.

Prophecy Offers Us Comfort and Hope.  We often look at the world around us, shaking our heads, and wondering just where everything is leading. Prophecy gives us the answers to those questions.  This is, without a doubt, one of the predominant themes of the Bible.  If God’s Word is proven true, and we know His promises can be believed, then we can take comfort in knowing that God is in control.  And we can have hope in the future because we know what the future holds.

When man looks to the future, he will do so in one of three ways.  He will do so with either apathy, he will do so with fear, or he will do so with hope.  On the first two of these, Satan takes great joy in seeing man take that reaction.  He can carry out his plan with ease when he finds man apathetic.  And through fear, he can manipulate man to follow his will. But when we have hope, Satan loses all control!  Because of the Grace that Christ brought to this world, we can all posses hope in the future.  We can take comfort and hope when we study the prophetic plan that God has put into place for all of us. Paul said in Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  

Prophecy shows us that God is in control, and we can take comfort and have hope in knowing the plan He has for our lives.  While fear eats at the heart of man, those who follow Christ, and understand His prophetic plan, can face the future with confidence.  We can have hope in the future, and take comfort in knowing that He will be returning for us soon!  

Sense of Urgency.  When we study prophecy, we see how God’s promises relate to the world around us.  We understand God’s timetable from the prophecies He gave us of events that are to come.  When we see these events that the Bible describes being fulfilled around us, prophecy gives us a sense of urgency.  As we see the end of the age approaching, we know that our time is short.  We have to make the most of the time we have left to reach as many as possible with the Good News of Christ.  

Peter tells us that unbelievers will scoff, rejecting the Lord’s warning of a coming judgment(2 Peter 3:3-4).  Prophecy gives us a way to reach many of these people.  We can show them how God’s Word has always been accurate in the past, and what the Bible says awaits us in the days ahead.  Prophecy opens a door to allow us to show them the urgency in accepting God’s plan for our life, and the importance in making that decision to follow Christ today, while there is still time. Prophecy shines an urgent light into an otherwise dark world(2 Peter 1:19).

I also believe that the Lord gives.us prophecy for one other very important reason.  Prophecy helps us to know the mind of God.   God created us in His image, and knows our intriguing and curious nature.  The first question we always seem to ask is, “Why?”.  God answers the why!  He uses our curiosity and nature to draw us into His Word,  establishing a stronger relationship with Him.  Like any conversation, as we hear His Word more, we understand Him better.  It is because of this, that Christ promises those of us who read and seek to understand God’s prophetic word will receive a blessing in their lives(Revelation 1:3).

Prophecy plays such an important part in our daily walk with the Lord. Through prophecy we can know God better, Christ was brought into the world and forever changed our lives, we can know and understand God’s plan for this world, and we can look to the future with a comforting hope.  In the Bible, God gave man an incredible gift.  In prophecy, God gave man His incredible vision. For those who follow and study that vision, prophecy leaves us with a hope that always has us ‘looking up’!  

Praying God’s prophetic word is always a blessing in your life!(Revelation 1:3)