Stories

November 18, 2021 By LMW

The Believer and Civil Government

Our new series-- What the Bible Says about Civil Authority, begins with this clear text from Romans 13.

What is the relationship between the believer and the state? The question has been debated down through the centuries. Simply stated, God expects the genuine believer to have a testimony of doing what is right while a citizen of this earth. We will begin with two points:
1. Government is to be submitted to (v.1).
2. Government is established by God (vv.1-2).

Believers are to be subject to civil authorities. It does not matter how the civil authorities were appointed or by whom. It may have been by a senate, an army, or the people. The authority, whether just or unjust, whether legitimate or illegitimate, is to be obeyed.

However, the sphere of authority is to be noted. The government has authority only within the civil realm. For example, when Paul commands wives to obey their husbands, they are required to obey them as husbands, not as masters or as kings. Children are to obey their parents as parents, not as sovereigns. So it is in the case of government leaders.

When the laws of civil government conflict with the explicit commandments of God, then Christians must say, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

When a ruler claims divine rights, Christian believers must answer "no," for the ruler is going beyond the civil authority delegated to him by God. But the Christian believer is to say "yes" to all civil matters not conflicting with the commandments of God. Because, government is ordained by God; that is, the existence, the authority, the position, the offices of government are ordained by God. It is God's will that government exists and that persons have the authority to rule within the state. There are three institutions ordained by God: the family, the church, and the government.

The institutions and their authority are ordained by God, and humans are responsible for how they carry out their functions. Each of the three institutions has leaders who are faithful and do an excellent job, and each has leaders who are totally disobedient to God and do a terrible job. The fact to remember is that government is ordained by God, and rulers are answerable to Him.

Next week we will continue looking at Romans 13.

https://lmw.org/4796-2/

Stay Close to the Lord and Those Who Serve Him

November 4, 2021 By LMW

“I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back-not to mention that you owe me your very self.I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings.And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
 Philemon 1:20-25 NIV

We continue the theme from the last lesson: the six people mentioned at the end of Philemon.

Aristarchus, was a faithful companion, one who was always there when needed. He is always seen with Paul and other believers, joining them in their great trials and sufferings. Here are five things we know about Aristarchus:

He was a member of the Thessalonian church
He was one of the believers attacked by the violent mob in Ephesus.
He went with Paul to minister in Asia
He is seen traveling with Paul to Rome after Paul had been arrested and was being transferred to Rome as a prisoner.
He is seen as a fellow prisoner with Paul in Rome while Paul was awaiting trial on the charge of treason. Apparently, he too was being charged with the same crime.

The point is that he was a real companion, a companion who stood by the side of his fellow believers through thick and thin. He would never think of deserting his dear friends or the Lord, no matter how difficult the task or terrible the trial. He would face imprisonment and suffer death before he would be a turncoat. He was a good man to have around when facing trials, for he would stand by the side of his friend even if it meant imprisonment and death.

Demas is a sad story. He turned away from Christ back to the world. His life is written in tragedy- a life that serves as a warning to other believers- a life that shows the utter necessity of walking in Christ daily. At first, he is seen as a fellow laborer. Later he is just a name, with no comment at all-perhaps suggesting the detection of some loss of spirit and energy in the work for the Lord. Finally, in second Timothy, he is Demas who “loved this present world” and forsook the Lord’s work.

Luke gave all to follow Christ-all that the world had to offer. He was the physician who was beloved by Paul and the church. Apparently, his medical treatment of believers was diligent, compassionate, warm, and personal. He had an effective ministry for Christ among the believers.

We close this series on Philemon with an encouragement to read it and know God’s Word for yourself. Our next series will be What the Bible Says about Civil Authority.

October 28, 2021 By LMW

Refreshing the Hearts of God’s People

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker- also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier- and to the church that meets in your home: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Philemon 1:1-7 NIV

We pick up our Weekly Scripture Study, with a short Pauline epistle. Nestled between Titus and Hebrews comes a small letter: Philemon. A church met in this man’s home. Paul wrote him to ask that he receive a former slave, Onesimus, back into his fellowship as if it were Paul coming.

Paul usually opened his letters by establishing his apostleship, but in this letter, Paul reminded Philemon that he was in prison for preaching the gospel. Paul then addresses Philemon.

Philemon was so committed to Christ that he was counted “beloved” by Paul himself. Philemon was working so faithfully for Christ that Paul could acknowledge his labor and count him as a fellow-laborer, as working as diligently as Paul himself in the cause of Christ.

Philemon demonstrated his commitment by opening his home. Remember that the early church did not have church sanctuaries to meet in; they met in homes of faithful and committed believers. Philemon loved Christ so much that he was willing to open his home night after night and week after week for believers to worship and study God’s Word together. What would it look like for you to open your home, (or yard) to regularly invite people over?
What would it take to overcome the tiredness and the housecleaning (or leaf raking) required? Philemon’s kind hospitality was such that it refreshed the hearts of God’s people. We have the privilege of doing likewise.

Are there ways you could be practicing hospitality of your time or space?

https://lmw.org/4773-2/

Bethea Retires from Board Chairmanship

October 20, 2021 By LMW

LMW Thanks Bethea for his leadership

At the Fall Board Meeting, the board and staff had the opportunity to thank Richard Bethea for his dedication to LMW. A long-time board member, Mr. Bethea chaired the board for six years before his retirement this year. Chuck Zeiser presented a commemorative clock and thanked Richard for his leadership and service. Mr. Zeiser fondly recalled the Bethea’s frequent and warm hospitality and especially praised Mildred’s cooking. Mr. Bethea led the board through several pivotal moments including the completion of the KJV and NIV Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® and the creation of the LMW App which allows hundreds of users to access the Bible, outlines, and commentary wherever they are.

(Pictured left to right: Joanne & Zeiser with Mildred & Richard Bethea)

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

April 29, 2021 By LMW

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:13-18 NIV

Psalm 8, another Davidic Psalm, tells us that God created humans to have a unique place in the created order. Unlike animals or angels, we are made in the image of God. We are made for a special relationship with God, a relationship no other living being enjoys, and we are made to experience that relationship eternally. Beyond the common purpose of glorifying God; humans are made individually, with individual stories and ways of giving glory to God.

Consider how unique every individual is! Even in conception, God's hand directs the forming and development of our individual parts. All of us have things about ourselves that we would like to change. Nearly every person wants to change some physical feature. For example, some would like to be taller, while others wish they were shorter. Some would like smaller ears or a smaller nose. Some wish their eyes were a different color. Others wish they could change their natural abilities; they would like to be better at any number of things. The corruption brought about by the fall that began to rot our world means that we sometimes feel uncomfortable in our own bodies. Our outward flesh is wasting away and groans to be renewed. When you add our post-fall tendency to covet and be envious of what others have, it is easy to be discontent. Or, even if we are not discontent on our own account, we may wonder why some are born with severe genetic disorders or suffer life-threatening illnesses at a tender age, such as cancer.

And yet, as we consider things beyond our control, we need to remember that God carefully crafts us and makes us according to His plan for us. He makes each of us special in some way. This means that the very physical feature you despise actually endears you as an individual to God’s heart. The very ability you desire but cannot develop has not been given to you by God because it is not a part of His plan for your life.

As David says, we are fearfully and wonderfully made—each one of us. We should praise God unceasingly for the fact that He loves us so much, that He has designed us so intricately, intimately, and individually. When we truly grasp how much God loves us, we will love ourselves more. We will learn to delight in the things about ourselves that we formerly despised. In addition, when we truly believe that God has a wonderful plan for our lives, pursuing that plan will be our first priority. We will then seek God's will diligently, submitting ourselves fully to Him so that He might bring it to pass.

Bible Training for Women in Nigeria

March 17, 2021 By LMW

B2A35698-AF3E-4518-B4ED-563F95C67CFC_1_201_a

We recently heard from our partners Timothy and Hannah Olonade. The Olonades minister in Jos, Nigeria.

Mrs. Hannah Olonade led a leaders’ program. This is part of the Community Life Enrichment Program where over 1000 women, vulnerable children, and needy women are reached in the various communities on a monthly basis.