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But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.

Exodus 1:12

It’s better for me to write when I have something to say, and it’s been awhile since I have felt moved to write. I marvel and admire Job’s friends who had the fortitude to sit with him in silence for a week before speaking.

The Bible teaches that in the “last days” perilous times will come, (2 Timothy 3). The perils of 2 Timothy have to do with mankind and his sinful character. When man’s sinfulness becomes widespread and unchecked the times become harder for God’s people. I would argue that the “last days” have been upon us since Christ’s first coming and Christians have experienced “perilous times” for the past two millennia like the coming and going of ocean tides.

It appears that the tide of wickedness is rising and no one but God can slow the rise. When happens then to God’s people? They grow in depth and multiply in number. How? They continue to endure.

2 Timothy 3:14-15
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

-C.R.

For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy…

Mark 6:20

As much power as King Herod possessed, there remained in him yet the fear of John the Baptist. Why? Because he was just and holy. He spoke what was right and he lived what was right.

John was not just another preacher or teacher, he was filled with the Holy Ghost and proclaimed boldly the command of God to repent because the Lamb of God and His Kingdom was coming! His message had power because it was God’s message, and his life showed he believed that message with all of his being, so much so that he was willing to protest the personal sin of King Herod.

Let that sink in for a moment. John the Baptist called out the Roman-installed King Herod for his sin. That got him in jail, and it eventually got him beheaded, but it also earned the respect of Herod. Herod knew that God’s hand was on John’s life, so much so that he believed Christ to be the resurrected John.

Here’s what I take away (and am chewing on in this season of life) from this: holy living makes a great difference for God, even in the life of a carnal king.

-C.R.

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entereth in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Mark 4:19

When the word is sown in a thorn-filled heart, there is no fruit. I was reading Mark 4 this morning, and once again my heart was exhorted.

There are many cares in and of this world available to distract our hearts. I don’t think that the depth of any one care is as common as the abundance of them. A first century Christian led a comparatively simple life and didn’t really know what was going on in the world at large. His world was “small,” but the cares were “deeper.” His livelihood made it possible to live and without it the survival of his family was doubtful. Government had not developed welfare systems for the needy and was certainly not friendly to Christians. Life was harder.

At the same time it was simpler with none of our modern amenities. Our cares are not as deeply felt but they are innumerable. We know more people and have more relational concerns. We have more things and have more material concerns. We have more books, newspapers and blogs and have more knowledge concerns. You see how their cares were smaller but deeper, and our are larger in number but more receive shallower attention.

Whether first or twenty-first century, the cares of this world still choke out the word. Lord help us to not be distracted or distressed so that the word is unfruitful.

-C.R.