Devotions From the Pen of Dr. W. A. Dillard by W.A. Dillard - HTML preview

I Kings 12

What must it be like to be the son of the wisest man who ever lived, and the grandson of the incomparable King David? This is the position and relationship of Rehoboam who inherited the throne of Israel upon the death of Solomon. The nation had reached its zenith of prosperity, power and popularity under the forty year reign of Solomon and now it was Rehoboam's turn to rule the nation of God's covenant people. What would he do? To whom would he turn?

Rehoboam immediately sought counsel from two sets of advisors. One set was the older, wiser generation who had served well under Solomon. The other was a younger, personally ambitious set anxious to flex their bureaucratic power and authority. Their advice was to further burden the people with great increases of taxation, and to build yet a greater kingdom than Solomon had built. This seems to resonate with present day circumstances. Accordingly, advice from the latter was set in place, and it led to not only a revolt, but to an actual split of the nation into two kingdoms. The southern kingdom was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and constituted the nation of Judah over which Rehoboam continued to reign. The other was the northern kingdom of Israel, made up of the remaining ten tribes over which Jeroboam reigned in Samaria.

So what did Rehoboam do that was so wrong? As a new king, he was lifted up with pride and looked for advice in the wrong places. Unlike his grandfather, he was not a man after God's heart who sought His will and way in the affairs of government. Unlike his father, he did not seek the advice and wisdom that only God could give to enable one to fulfill such an overwhelming task of governing the nation.

So, what Rehoboam did that was so wrong was to seek the advice of sinful men, rather than God, about how to rule. Consequently, he suffered great loss, and the people also suffered much loss and hurt. It remains true: all who forget the sin of Rehoboam will blindly repeat it.

God's ways are not man's ways. There is only one source from which we can know the will and ways of God. It is not from man or his reasoning however logical it may appear. Rather, it is from the Holy Spirit empowered, infallible, Word of God: the Bible. There is only one place where the Spirit of the Living God dwells in special capacity among His people of covenant: the house of God, the pillar and ground of the truth: His New Testament church. May we be quick to always seek His advice, and submit to His ways in all matters of life. To do otherwise is so wrong!

FOR THOUGHT: Just because some people may be older and more experienced, does that guarantee their advice will be correct? Just because some people may be younger and more inexperienced, does that mean their advice will be incorrect? What should be the most trusted source of advice?

WHAT DID SHAMMAH DO THAT WAS SO RIGHT?

Out of the annals of ancient Israel comes an interesting, but little noted individual and event. In II Samuel 23:11-12 a man named Shammah is noted. He is one of the mighty men of King David whose name and major event is listed for which he was known. The scripture reference is a sort of “Hal of Fame” for David’s generals.

One of the continuous enemies of ancient Israel was the Philistines. When they were strong, they would attack Israel in some of their weaker places and take whatever they wanted including people. It appears the Philistines wanted a field of lentils, and were willing to go to war to take it. The Israelites including presumably the ones who owned the field fled from before the Philistine warriors. Not so Shammah. He stood his ground, and God wrought a great victory that day by the hand of Shammah. Interestingly, it was a bean patch he protected, and more interestingly his name Shammah, means “there.” Shammah was not flighty, he was solid—he was there. He could be counted on in any time of crisis. The bean patch is not so important as the principle of not giving in to those who would plunder and steal. What did he do that was so right? He trusted in God to help him and give him victory. Notice that the Bible does not say that Shammah won the victory. Rather it says that God wrought the victory.

Do you run away in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds or do you trust in God to help you and give you the victory? If your trust is in God, and you are depending upon His promises, that is so right! It is following a Bible example of many precedents of which Shammah is one.

FOR THOUGHT: Times of adversity and trial come to every Christian. What do you do when they come your way? Do you meet them in perceived power of yourself? Do you run away? Do you ask God for help and wisdom to meet the challenge? Think of a specific time when God helped you meet a challenge.

WHAT DID SOLOMON DO THAT WAS SO RIGHT?

Ranking at the top of intellectually stimulating reading in the Bible are the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. These books were written by Solomon, Son of David, King of Israel. He remains the wisest sinner who ever lived. His forty-year reign was the most glorious Israel ever had, and in it the nation rose to the zenith of its history. The construction of the temple and other great works were done in a time of unparalleled peace. So, one may wonder in view of these things just what did Solomon do that was so right?

There are always a number of things in the lives of people that others may point to and say they are the underlying cause. However, it is always the more simple things that are the most profound. Such is certainly true in the case of Solomon.

When Solomon was anointed King of Israel succeeding his father, David, he understood that the magnitude of the task was overwhelming. He did not see his unique position as a springboard to fulfilling fleshly desires and wallowing in luxury. These are common failures of so many. Instead, he took the responsibility of his position quite seriously and felt unequal to the task. In that frame of mind, Solomon earnestly prayed to the God of heaven for wisdom to lead the people of God. He did not pray for health, wealth, fame or any of the other common things men covet.

Accordingly, God both heard and answered his prayer. Moreover, God gave Solomon much more than he asked. God gave him wisdom such as no man before him had possessed, and that no man after him would possess. He said In words later penned, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Solomon looked to God, he trusted God, and sought the help of God to fulfill the task that life had brought to him. What Solomon did was so right!

What about you? Do you look to His word for instructions about decisions you must make?

If you do, then you are following the example of Solomon and it is so right!

FOR THOUGHT: Do you operate in the power and wisdom of yourself? Do you trust primarily in the advice of others? So many live their lives this way and it is wrong. Do you look to God in prayer for wisdom to live life as it pleases Him?

WHAT DID THE APOSTLE PETER DOTHAT WAS SO RIGHT?

Most every Bible student is well familiar with the great sin of the Apostle Peter. Peter was quick to speak, and a little slow to think. It seems that he had to say something on every occasion, and often what he said was wrong. In that regard, many of us today can identify with him.

Of course, what is remembered most is his boast to stay with the Lord and support Him no matter the circumstances. Jesus told him that before the rooster crowed, he would deny Him three times. That is exactly what happened. What must it have been like to know that you not only denied, but cursed to emphasize that denial of Jesus in the crucial hour of his trial and subsequent crucifixion?

So, what did Peter do that was so right? In tears he repented of his deed as he realized the weakness of the flesh, and what can happen when real danger knocks at one’s door. His repentance was genuine, and the grace of God was sufficient to forgive him and restore him to prominent service in His ministry. Although Peter would never be the same, his bitterly disappointing sin was totally forgiven, and he was so much wiser for the experience.

God’s Word teaches us that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Peter sinned greatly, but he genuinely repented, received the forgiveness of God and went on to serve Him in a great and wonderful way. That is so right!

We should never let past sins and disappointing deeds keep us from a close relationship with the Lord. God is in the convicting business. He is in the forgiving business when one repents of sin. He is in the restoration business of broken lives to meaningful purpose in His great cause. Therefore, no one should miss out on the fulfillment of his spiritual potential, and the reward that will bring.

We are all sinners. We all disappoint others from time to time. We also disappoint ourselves, especially when we think we are strong, and we discount the weaknesses of the flesh. It is not amazing that we should fail, but it is so important that we repent, and go on in serving our wonderful Lord and Savior Who loves us. That is so right!

FOR THOUGHT: Are you disappointed in yourself? Are you disappointed in others? Why?

Do you tend to hold others and yourself to the impossible high standard of sinlessness? How do you feel when you know you have done wrong, then repent of it?

WHAT DID THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER DO THAT WAS SO RIGHT?

Acts Chapter Sixteen records one of the most intriguing stories of the Bible. It contains the direct question about personal salvation and the apostolic answer to that question.

Paul and Silas were in the city of Philippi, a Roman colony. They had done nothing wrong, but because they had cast a demon out of a woman who was constantly annoying them, they were beaten and cast into prison.

At midnight, they sang hymns and praised the Lord. It was then that a great earthquake occurred which shook the foundations of the prison and caused every man’s bands to be loosed and the doors open. The jailor who had been fast asleep awoke and seeing the doors open drew out his sword to fall upon it, supposing the prisoners to be fled. It would be more honorable to him to do this than to know the shame of failure and certain execution anyway. It was then that Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do thyself no harm, we are all here.” That the prisoners had not fled was unthinkable. Couple that with the fact that Paul and Silas were most unusual men who did not bitterly complain of their treatment, but praised the Lord in all things, and you have the unmistakable testimony of men who know God.

Realizing that this event was an act of God, and knowing his own undone condition before the righteous, creator God of the universe, the jailor called for a light and came into the cell of Paul and fell down crying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Whereupon Paul replied,

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” That is exactly what the jailor did. Afterward he brought God’s men into his own home and cared for them. There was joy as never before experienced in the jailor’s heart and in his house. Salvation had come through their repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is so right!

The centuries, yea, millenniums have come and gone, but the actions of the Philippian jailor are as right today as they were back then. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. God will then use your salvation to influence your house to be saved. This is so right!

FOR THOUGHT: Why do you think Paul and Silas could sing praise songs after having been beaten and imprisoned? Do you think many would have such grace today? Do you agree with the advice they gave the Philippian jailor about how to be saved? Have you come to such terms with Christ?

WHAT DID THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN DO THAT WAS SO RIGHT?

II Kings 4:8-37

Out of the pages of millenniums past comes one of the most arresting stories of the Old Testament. It is the story of a woman who prodded her husband to prepare a place for a man of God to rest from his weary travels; a woman who had no children, and who was blessed with a son as the result of a promise made by the man of God.

That man of God was Elisha. The woman is simply known as a Shunammite woman. One day while her son was still just a boy, he suffered severe pain in the head and died. The Shunammite woman ordered that he should lie in the prophet’s bed in her house, and she directed a servant to take her to Elisha, many miles away. While yet some distance off, Elisha recognized her and sent his servant to inquire if all was well. The Shunammite woman replied all was well with her house including her son.

When she approached Elisha, she reminded him of his promise, and entreated him to come to her house to restore that promise. Elisha did so and the child was restored to life and given back to his mother. This is one of the most awesome stories of faith in the Old Testament. So, what did the Shunammite woman do that was so right?

She exercised great faith in God! It is evident from the beginning of the story that she was a woman of faith. She recognized God’s prophet. She set in motion the actions that would befriend and bless him. She received the promise of a son as it was indeed a promise from God. She recognized that God could restore her son through the prophet whom He used to initially promise him to her. She did not doubt, but fully believed based on a specific promise.

She acted on that faith, and received the fullness of it.

Let it be known that this woman was a sinner just as are all of mankind. There was no innate goodness in her. She had no special possessions to attract the favor of God. But, she was His child. She lived in faith and sought to advance His kingdom. She believed God and that is the best sinful men can do. That is so right!

God still looks for men and women who are humble enough, bold enough, and simple enough to learn of His promises and BELIEVE HIM!

FOR THOUGHT: Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Are you learning of His promises?

Do you really believe everything He says? How could the Shunammite woman say all was well with her and her son, knowing he was dead? How often do you fail to really exercise faith in the promises of God?

WHAT IS THE TOTAL HEREDITARY DEPRAVITY OF MAN?

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:10.

The total hereditary depravity of man is an arbitrary way of stating the condition of mankind in his natural state. Grammatically, both total and hereditary are adjectives modifying depravity.

Something is amiss here. Certainly man is depraved hereditarily, but the depravity is not total, rather it is the total man who is depraved hereditarily. So, more properly stated the statement should be, “The hereditary depravity of the total man.” This is what is really meant by the initial statement.

In layman’s terms this simply states that every human being is in a state of sinful depravity from God’s salvation in his entire being: mind, body, and spirit. By nature, he is as lost as lost can be. The Bible abounds with scripture references that this is so. One of the better known verses of scripture is Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” All must receive the wages of their work. “The wages of sin is death . . .” Romans 6:23 goes on to say.

Being made in the image of God, man is supposed to use his spirit to commune with God, his mind to think of God’s things, and his body to do God’s work. Instead, sin leads man to bow down to idols of wood and stone, and to worship the creature more than the creator. Sin leads man to think of evil things, selfish things, and to practice iniquity. Sin leads man to use his body to offend, abuse, and abase himself before his Creator.

Accordingly, sin is bringing every human being to death. To this, every hospital and cemetery testifies. Death is manifest in the mind that thinks wrong things, and becomes practically non-functional in the process of time. Death is seen in the body that ages, weakens, needs glasses, hearing aids, metal joints, and all sorts of help to keep going as long as possible. Sin is manifest in the spirit of man that cries out to worship but is directed in the wrong channels so that it becomes sacrilege rather than sacred.

“But I know lost people who really are good at heart” one may say. Wrong! A sinful heart is the problem with everyone. Jeremiah 17:9 forthrightly states that the heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things.

Why is this? It is because of SIN. Just think. Simply disobeying God to eat from the wrong tree brought all this. A little sin you say? There is no such thing. A chain is broken whether it be by a petite lady with white gloves and a simple lock cutter or a burly blacksmith with a hot cutting torch. When it is broken, it is broken, and so is God’s law of righteousness. Because it is a hereditary part of every man, there are none who come into this world without depravity in their total being; hence, all are lost and in need of God’s salvation.

But Jesus brought heaven’s grace and forgiveness to all who will accept Him!

FOR THOUGHT: Considering practical life experience, have you ever been around anyone who does not manifest the sin nature at times? Do you think anyone needs to be convinced of sin, due to its universal existence in people? Do you see the only possibility of salvation from sin is that wrought by Jesus, and He may be had by faith?

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17.

A most interesting and intriguing question is reverberating from the lips of the Roman magistrate Pontius Pilate who said to our Lord, “What is truth?” That question ever remains the point of division among men. Pseudoscientists reject elements of faith in search of a truth they will not find. Philosophers offer variant, opposing viewpoints of what they think is the truth.

Religious leaders propagate diametrically opposing views all in the name of truth. Worse than all the others, they purport that the truth they espouse comes from God. Surely, the fierceness of judgment is ever increasing. But back to the question, “What is the truth?”

Some say there is mathematical truth; medical truth, moral truth, religious truth, historical truth, etc. Why do these divisions exist? They are man-made, and exist mainly due to man’s desire to achieve an ecumenical mastery of life on the false premise that he is on an evolving scale of existence. All without acknowledging his Creator. In that rejection, he is allowed to proceed to the ultimate global disaster by the very grace of the Creator he insists does not exist.

Let it be underscored that truth is truth no matter what discipline of life it primarily affects, and that all truth comes from God.

Jesus asked our Heavenly Father to “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

John 17:17. It is God Who created and set in order every aspect of creation, thus it is His Word that is the ultimate and prevailing truth. Thus did Jesus say to His disciples of then and now,

“And ye shal know the truth, and the truth shal make you free.” John 8:32

So, where does all the variant lines of so-called knowledge purporting to be truth originate? Jesus plainly identifies them as coming from Satan, saying, “. . .He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. . .” John 8:44.

On the other hand, we are told of the Holy Spirit that is given to God’s people, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shal abide in him.” I John 2:27.

Accordingly, the Spirit of God is altogether true, and teaches His people in all things that are true! It is the Word of God that is true; hence, the Spirit of God impresses upon searching hearts the unity, symmetry, and harmony of magnificent truth presented in His Holy Word. All who live in this manner walk in truth, not in total separation from the flesh, but in spite of it.

FOR THOUGHT: Why do you think certain truths are constrained to particular disciplines?

If God is the author of truth, does not all truth (including 2 X 2 =4) come from Him? Is it possible for contradictory terms to represent truth? Why do you think this? If not, why not?

WHAT IS THIS SOUND I HEAR?

Sounds are extremely important! The apostle Paul said, I Cor. 14:7. Could one imagine singing without the distinction of musical notations of range, or an instrument being played with no such observance? It would be sheer madness and total confusion. Of course, some of us may be accused of engaging in that sort of practice as others hear us, but it is mostly in jest.

Paul went on to say, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? I Cor. 14:8. So, in conveying information, sounding an alarm, engaging in music, detecting mechanical malfunctions or so many other things, the distinct sound is important.

Distinct sounds have played monumental roles in history. God caused the enemy armies of Israel to hear the sounds of non-existent, approaching armies before whom they fled.

Samuel heard the sounds of lowing cattle and bleating sheep by which he knew Saul had utterly disobeyed the commandments of the Lord to destroy all that drew the breath of life among the Amalekites. The list goes on.

In matters of safety, security, well-being, and especially eternal well-being, it is important that the sounds be distinct and clear. However, it is the delight of Satan to inspire confusing sounds in these matters from so many sources. The common denominators in those sounds are that time is unimportant, and whatever sounds one receives and conveys is just fine. This effectively, but falsely puts man in the driver’s seat of eternal things rather than the Creator.

Biblically, it is called iniquity, and it reaps an eternal reward no one wants.

Therefore, let the sound of God’s people be a clarion call! Heaven and hell are real and will serve as the eternal home of all men according to their preparation or lack thereof. Let the eternal truth of God’s Word be sounded with clarity and force for God will approve no other. Pity the Christian who is embarrassed or ashamed to emit such clarion calls for the benefit of men for whom Christ died and rose again. Judgment is coming, time is short, eternity is long, and what is this sound I hear?

FOR THOUGHT: In modern church life, has the sound of urgency regarding faith been left behind or substituted with words of a social gospel? Do you believe that no small number of people find their names on church rolls without the “Born from above, repentance” experience?

What is wrong with the thinking that “Words do not matter so much since we are all going to the same place anyway?”

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

“Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” I Corinthians 14:19.

What is in a name? A rose by any other name would smell the same, but words are meant to discriminate in precise idea identification. Often, terms become polluted.

The United Kingdom has been around many times longer than the U.S. Consequently the extended time produced verbal corruptions and contractions that appear strange to most Americans. Let’s look at a few.

Most states in the U. S. are made up of parcels of land called a county, with the exception of Louisiana which has parishes. In England the term is “shire” and it appears as a suffix to many words denoting a particular region. Of keen interest is the way those names came about. There is “Norfolk” and “Suffolk” both contractions of the original “North Folk” and

“South Folk.” It goes on. A river is an “Avon,” a biscuit is a cookie, and a napkin, a serviette.

The hood of a car is a bonnet, and the trunk is a boot.. One must drive on the left side of the road, and to pass a car is to overtake it. One may walk, but not on a sidewalk. It is called a footpath. It goes on!

So, when visiting Cambridge University, curiosity arose as to how the institution of learning derived its name. It seems that a couple of hundred years ago their college of engineering undertook to build a small bridge over an Avon that ran through the campus (most southerners would call it a creek). Using their ingenuity, they built a beautiful wooden bridge out of hundreds of cam-shaped pieces. all without a single fastener. So the university took the name Cambridge as a result. Later their same engineering students were determined to learn how it was done all without fasteners. They took it apart, but were never able to put it together again without using fasteners. The bridge still stands, but not in its original state.

Unlike that are the ways and Words of God: past finding out by natural men, but true, never changing, they hold fast. They are as powerful and plain now as they were thousands of years ago. Moreover, it is the joyous privilege of those who trust in the God of those words to view them from many angles, but they are always in the perfect unity, harmony, and symmetry that graced them when first breathed by the Holy Spirit!

FOR THOUGHT: Do you think language continues to suffer in various cultures because people want to express more with less verbalizing? How does this tendency affect faith? How has it affected paraphrases of the Bible? Do you thing first century Christians would be comfortable with a lot of 21st century terms?