IN MEMORY AND HONOR OF YOLANDA KYLES STRICKLAND

February 9, 1970 – September 13, 2012

As I write this blog I remember all the good times we shared with Yolanda. I haven’t written a blog in a while because Yolanda strongly encouraged me to write them. (Actually she made me write them!) She remained focused on the task at hand, and she never let me forget my responsibility in the equation. My friends that concept is called accountability. It seems very simple, but I’ll tell you it’s very difficult. It’s difficult because we can’t do it alone. That’s why God sent His son to this world. God knew we couldn’t do it alone. He knew we needed a partner to aid us in our accountability to Him. I’m glad that God used Yolanda to hold me accountable in so many ways. Through her life, legacy and testimony, she still holds me accountable today. She holds me accountable to be the best father, friend and pastor of United Baptist Church, the church she loved so dear. Many times we feel the Lord is going to pull out the megaphone and just tell us what to do, tell us how to be better, or tell us where we need to serve. However, there are times when God speaks to us through a quiet still voice like Yolanda’s telling us, “Pastor, I need a blog by Sunday of next week!” And guess what. She got that blog from me every week. Sometimes she got several in a week. That’s accountability at its best.

Even though Yolanda is deeply missed, we hold the precious memories of her in our hearts as we anxiously and optimistically await that glorious day when we will see her again. Do you think she will ask me for a blog? Knowing Yolanda, probably so.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made [Gen. 2:1–3].

Do not miss the importance of the Sabbath day. What does it mean when it says that God rested from His work? Does it mean that God got tired, sat down to rest on the seventh day, and said that He had had a big week—that He had worked more than forty hours, and that He wanted to rest? If you look at it like that, it is perfect nonsense. God rested from His work. When God finished His six days of work, He looked upon it and it was very good, and there was nothing else to do. Every time I leave my office for the day, I still have work all over my desk. I have never been able to sit down and say, “I’m through. I’ve finished it.” But God did. At the end of six days, He rested the seventh day because His work was complete. This is one of the greatest spiritual truths there is. The book of Hebrews tells us that as believers we enter into “rest”—that is, we enter into His sabbath; we enter into His perfect redemption. He died on the cross over two thousand years ago for you and me, and He offers us a redemption that we can enter into. Thus Paul can write: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). I don’t even have to lift my little finger in order to be saved—Jesus did it all.

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

—Mrs. H. M. Hall

Aren’t you glad Jesus paid it all?

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.  Ezra 10:7–8
 
In this passage a real line of separation was being made. They are under the Mosaic Law. In the church today I don’t believe you could force the issue as they are doing here. They are removing all of the chaff that they possibly can from the good wheat. It would take about “three days” to come from any section in that land, and this proclamation was directed to all those who had come out of the Babylonian captivity, who had returned to rebuild the city, the walls, and the temple. They were to come together for a time of spiritual refreshing, but repentance must precede it. Those who would not come because they felt that things were not being done the way they wanted them done, or had some other objection, were to be cast out of the congregation.
The church needs housecleaning today. I don’t mean taking from the church roll the names of the members who can’t be located either. What the average church needs to do is get rid of some of the members they can locate—those who need to repent but will not repent.
Bitterness today is like quinine in a barrel of water. It doesn’t take much to make the water bitter. I remember when I was a boy my mother would always tell me when I cut up a chicken, “Be careful and don’t break the gall bladder. You’ll ruin the whole chicken if you do.” She was right. You could spoil the entire fowl if you broke the gall bladder. God wants to get rid of that gall bladder of bitterness in His church. For instance, Hebrews 12:15 says, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Just a few complainers and critics in the church can absolutely stifle any spiritual movement. Oh, how many lives have been wrecked by bitterness!

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Philippians 2:3

Paul said that there were some people, who were preaching Christ out of envy and strife. Now he says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory.” I would say most of the difficulties in the church today are not due to doctrinal differences. They are due to strife and envy. Some people just naturally cause trouble. If we could follow this command, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,” I think it would solve 90 percent or maybe even 100 percent of the problems in churches today.

If you are doing something through strife in the church, you had better not do it at all. The same is true if you do things because you expect to be recognized. One of the reasons I don’t like to go to organizational meetings is that I get tired of people having to thank Mrs. So-and-so because she brought a bouquet of flowers or Mr. So-and-so because he brought in an extra chair—and you don’t dare leave out anyone because if you do, you will be in trouble. Do Christians need to be recognized and complimented and commended for things they do? “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory”—trying to make a name for yourself.  “But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

If this verse were obeyed, I believe it would solve the problems in most of the music departments in our churches. It would eliminate this attitude: “Why don’t they call on me to sing? I have a much better voice than So-and-so.” The same could be said for problems on boards and on committees. It would also eliminate the “power struggle” that goes on in some churches among the church officers.  Let’s humble ourselves so that we are able to effectively work together to build man and advance God’s kingdom.  After all, it’s not about us, it’s all about Jesus!

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? Isaiah 2:22

This tells us we should not put our confidence in man.  You and I exhale, but we don’t know whether we are going to inhale the next breath. That is the weakness of man—if man misses one breath he is out of the picture.  Many people this day are going about their daily business and will have fatal heart attacks, strokes, aneurysms, (This list goes on and on…) and will disappear from the earth’s scene.  So, don’t put your confidence in man. The best plan is to put your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ today.  He will never let you down!

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. Proverbs 11:9

Hypocrite comes from the two Greek words meaning “to answer back.” The hypocrite is one who answers back, and the word was used for actors in Greek plays. When one actor would give the cue to the other actor, he knew it was time for him to say his little piece. It was play-acting. To say a man is a hypocrite in religious matters means that he is a phony. He is the man who will say “Hallelujah, praise the Lord” insincerely. He is just playing a part; he is not praising the Lord in his heart.

“An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour.” He will pretend to be your friend, but he will knife you when your back is turned in an attempt to cover up the sin in his own life. Whom do you think of in the Bible in this connection? Wouldn’t it be Potiphar’s wife and the way she maligned Joseph? She brought false charges against Joseph to cover up her own sin. She was the guilty party, but she covered it over by accusing Joseph. Who would believe the story of a slave against the story of the wife of an official of Pharaoh? There was no need for Joseph to even open his mouth, because he didn’t have a chance to defend himself.

Unfortunately, sometimes in the church we find a hypocrite who will say terrible things in order to protect himself. I have always been afraid of the man who is nice to his preacher to his face but who criticizes him behind his back. I have always felt that I needed to watch out for that kind of man. He is covering up something in his own life. Time has demonstrated to me that this was often a correct estimation of the situation. This proverb is referring to this kind of hypocrisy.

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.  Proverbs 10:18

What a terrible thing it is to have someone pretend to be your friend and later you discover that he is really your enemy. That person is actually a fool. You catch on to him after a while. Anyone who slanders is also a fool.

God had given a specific commandment regarding this. “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people …” (Lev. 19:16). It goes on. “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him” (Lev. 19:17). Don’t flatter a man when you actually hate him, but neither are you to slander the man.

Those who slander the names of other individuals are clearly not where they need to be in their walk with Christ.  If by chance you are guilty of slander, know that the Word of God is true.  Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  Since the Word of God is true, if you are guilty of this, I hope you are able to bear it when your time comes.  Amen.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Hebrews 12:11
 
This is like the boy whose father said to him before he whipped him, “Son, this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” The boy said, “Yes, Dad, but not in the same place.” God chastens His children. He does not get any particular joy out of it, but He does it because you and I need it. Not only does chastening not seem to be joyous, it isn’t joyous, but grievous—that is our experience.
Although no chastening at the time is fun, “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” God does not discipline you without purpose.
I’m reminded of the story of the man who lived in a home for the mentally ill. There was a visitor one day who saw the man beating himself on the head with a baseball bat. The visitor went up to him and said, “Why in the world are you hitting yourself on the head with the baseball bat?” The man replied, “It feels so good when I quit!” God does not discipline you just to make you feel good when it’s over. He doesn’t give you poor health just so you will appreciate good health when it returns. There is always a purpose in the discipline of God for you.
Now what is your reaction when God disciplines you?
 

The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.  Psalm 16:5–6
 
How wonderful—“the Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.” The Lord came to earth and took His place, walking in a world of sin and sorrow. He was a perfect stranger down here. He rejoiced in Jehovah. There was peace and joy in His life.
He said, “My portion and my cup.” What is the difference between a “portion” and a “cup”? My portion is what belongs to me—whether or not I enjoy it—it’s mine. My cup is what I actually appropriate and make my own. For example, what is put on my son’s plate at the dinner table is his portion. But frankly, he scatters it around and doesn’t eat all of it; he only appropriates so much. He has a “portion” given to him, but his “cup” is what he actually eats.
Many people in the world who have been blessed by God with all spiritual blessings don’t enjoy them. Their cups don’t run over. They don’t have much in their cups. God wants us to enjoy life. Jesus said, “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He also said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11). Some of us have a little fun sometimes but not all the time. We need to be full of life and joy all of the time.  Do you enjoy your blessings from the Lord?
 

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.  Matthew 4:10
 
Here Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20.  We see that our Lord answered each time with Scripture. Certainly, that ought to have a message for all of us.
Why is it that many of us are having trouble living the Christian life?  May I say this very kindly: It is ignorance of the Word of God.  Notice that our Lord always answered by giving the Word of God.  I believe that the Word of God has an answer for your particular problem.  That doesn’t mean that I know the answer for your problem.  It doesn’t mean that your psychologist or psychiatrist knows the answer for your problem.  But God has an answer for your problem, and it is in His Word.  That is the reason we should know the Book better than we do.
Let me repeat, the Lord Jesus answered Satan every time out of the Word.  He did not say, “Well, I think this” or “I believe there is a better way of doing it.”  He said very definitely that the Word of God says thus and so.  He used the Word of God for His answer.  And for the child of God, that is enough. Do you use the Word of God to fight your battles?