Bond-Servant: Jesus

We like to talk about all that God has done for us. We like to talk about our salvation and all that Christ has done for us. We love to explore the parables of Jesus. (For many, the parables are like mini-mysteries where the different characters and events provide clues to a hidden message.) Many of the parables feature characters with a master-slave relationship.

We are happy to discuss all the way that Jesus served. We love the verse that tells us that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

We are happy to see the humble lives of the apostles after the death of Jesus, men who gave their lives to the cause of Christ, men who referred to themselves as bond-servants of Christ.

In fact, most of us who wear the name of Christ are quite happy to serve. We are mostly happy to be a servant, but we are hesitant to go to the extent of service to be a bond-servant.

In a sense, you are a servant to your boss. We might be uncomfortable with that terminology, but it is accurate. There is a fair exchange of work for pay (presumably), but you follow the orders of your boss. He is your master at work and you are the servant. However, you stop at the end of your shift or work day. You have your private life...YOUR life.

The bond-servant gave up his will and made the master’s will his own. It is more than, “Your wish is my command.” It is, “Your desire is my own desire.” If someone were to ask the bond-servant, “What do you want in life?” or “What are your personal goals?” The answer would come without hesitation, “My desire is to do my master’s will. My life is completely devoted to my master.”

Do you understand that the issues of our day are related to the human will? All the identity confusion is people asserting their will on others to the point that they wish to govern the language and how you use it by forcing their perception of reality on others. Feminism is about the human will. The fighting among our political parties is a struggle of the human will. Crime is most often the assertion of the human will to obtain something, whether justice or possessions. Anger is the human will boldly expressing its dissatisfaction with the current circumstances. And the list goes on….

The human will is a part of the human spirit. When the soul allows the human will to assert itself and control the person, then that person becomes the center of their universe: “MY will be done!” The only possible result is conflict with others who also live by the same, “MY will be done!”

Jesus felt the struggle of the human will the night before He was crucified. He asked God to “remove this cup from Me.” In other words, His human will wished to avoid the crucifixion. Yet, He immediately followed, “yet not My will, but Yours be done.” He walked the path to the cross: Bond-servant.

“MY will be done” embraces...

     Eve, 

          Cain, 

               Sodom & Gomorrah, 

                    Korah, Dathan & Abiram, 

                         Nadab & Abihu, 

                              Deliliah, 

                                   Goliath, 

                                        Jezebel, 

                                             Judas, and so on.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. 

--Philippians 2:5-8

You say you want to be like Jesus. 

It’s all about the will….

Mark Stinnett

August 2, 2026

Man's Plans and Casting Lots

For many Bible readers, the Old Testament practice of ‘casting lots’ seems like the use of chance in making decisions. Bible dictionaries suggest that ’lots’ might have been sticks of various lengths, flat stones, or even some kind of ancient dice. Such descriptions resemble today’s ’drawing straws,’ ‘flipping coins’ and ‘rolling dice,’ all ways of deciding by chance. And yet...

The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every decision is from the Lord.

--Proverbs 16:33

What are we supposed to do with this proverb?

Here are a few Bible examples of casting lots to make decisions:

• Lots were cast to select one of two goats for sacrifice. (Leviticus 16:8)
• Lots were cast for the land inheritance of Israel’s tribes. (Joshua 18)
• The apostles cast lots for the man to replace Judas. (Acts 1:16-26)
• Sailors cast lots to discover who was responsible for a storm that endangered their lives. The lot fell to Jonah. (Jonah 1)

In the first three examples it is unclear whether God influenced the outcomes or left each outcome to chance. However, in the case of Jonah, God’s involvement is clear.

It could be argued that when no moral issues are involved and a choice is unclear, a flip of a coin might be wiser than voting or leaving a decision to a committee or other group within a congregation.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was eager for wisdom in making decisions. He consulted His advisors but over time realized that these wise men were either using personal wisdom, relating speculation, or applying chance in their use of astrology, charms, divination, etc. They might as well have been casting lots.

We might be just as eager for wisdom in making decisions, but how can we be sure that God has given us His answer or influenced the outcome? How can we be sure that our eventual course is approved by God? Consider Proverbs 18:18...

The cast lot puts an end to strife

And decides between the mighty ones.

In the numerous passages about casting lots, it appears that God used this as a means of taking the decision out of the hands of men. Whether He caused a certain outcome or allowed chance is not always clear. And yet, it ended strife between people and ended potential anxiety in individuals.

In our day people often look for signs when making decisions. And yet, God does not promise angelic messages, signs in the sky or in dreams. Nor has He instructed us to cast lots. So, when making decisions, first consult God’s written wisdom, the Bible...and follow what you discover. Second, seek wise counsel from someone older and with more experience...and listen! When indecision lingers, you can be sure of two paths that are unwise:

• Praying but doing what you secretly know you want to do. (Read Jeremiah 42 as an example.)
• Praying for guidance and doing nothing when you can do something, and at the same time expecting the Lord to make something happen. (Remember the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.)

Finally, if ever a choice must be made and the options are equivalent, perhaps wisdom reaches for the ‘lots’ simply to remove human strife.

Mark Stinnett

July 5, 2026

Is God Responsible for the Crusades?

Master of the Roman de Fauvel -
Published in William of Tyre's Historia, 1337

Is God responsible for things just because they happen?

That is the idea you get when listening to many people of our day. As an illustration...

Everybody at church was praying for healing for Gladys (made up name). However, she took a turn for the worse and passed away. Overheard at the next church gathering was a well-meaning word of comfort that ended, “I guess it was God’s will to take her.” 

Was it God’s will??

I have known people who expressed anger at God for ‘taking’ a loved one or for not coming through on a desired request. However...

• Was it really God’s will (fault) that you did not get the job you wanted?
• Was it really God’s will (fault) that the person you had your heart set on did not fall in love with you?
• Was it really God’s will (fault) that your grandmother died?

I do not wish to sound unkind with my questions. Yet, it is important to see where this kind of thinking leads.

Some people follow the idea that God has everything in life mapped out for everybody (especially them). So, whenever something happens, it happened because it was God’s will. Otherwise, it would not have happened.

You cannot come to that conclusion when thinking about the idolatry of God’s people in the Old Testament. What about the crusades of the 11th century, prison camps in Nazi Germany, or the lives lost on 9-11-2001?

Did you know that the crusades were carried out in the name of Jesus Christ?! They were not merely approved, but called for by a church council in 1095 under the authority of Pope Urban II. The first crusade was over possession of the “Holy Sepulchre,” a church building erected by Constantine the Great in the 4th century, and considered a holy site by many people of the Christian faith.

In light of the crusades, reflect on the words of Jesus as He answered the Roman governor Pilate just before His crucifixion, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews.” (John 18:36) How does a fight over a building and land, regardless of its purpose/use make sense?? Does God really want His people fighting over earthly possessions? I find nothing in the New Testament to justify such a thing, even if it is done by devoted Christians and even if they devoted their war to God.

Think back to the Garden of Eden. God had instructed Adam that he could eat of every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That was God’s will. He expected Adam and Eve to comply. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they opposed God’s instruction. No one could say, “Well, that’s too bad; it must have been God’s will.” Sin is never God’s will. Evil is not God’s will. Sin messed the world up, but it did not change God’s will.

God is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 

That is God’s will. 

God sent His Son into the world to repair the broken relationship between Himself and mankind due to sin. 

That was God’s will. 

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. 

That was God’s will.

Whenever something happens that you do not understand or you cannot explain or that disappoints you or is vastly different from your expectation...pause before you conclude that it was God’s will just because it happened. There are many things going on in this world today that are opposed to God’s will. Make sure you are not one of them.

Mark Stinnett

September 21, 2025

The White Flag of Surrender

The commanding officer evaluates the battle: soldiers, supplies, reinforcements. He evaluates his strategic position and the battlefield. He evaluates the enemy. A message is sent and his superiors agree that the battle cannot be won. With certain defeat and unnecessary loss of life on the horizon, a white flag is raised: surrender.

It might not be a white flag, but surrender is also present in other circumstances. Disheartened competitors recognize that a score that cannot be matched. A runner lets up when he realizes he cannot pass the leader before reaching the finish line. A student is frustrated by an overbearing teacher. An unreasonable boss makes negotiations impossible.

Surrender is most often associated with defeat. It is disheartening. It is the realization that continued effort (fighting or competing or reasoning or negotiating) will not help. The will is crushed and strength is lost. Whether an enemy, a boss, a teacher, a parent, or a competitor; defeat is accepted. “I give up,” is the weak cry.

Those who follow Jesus surrender to God. Yet, something tells us that God is not the same as an opponent who stands against us. He desires our surrender, yet not to defeat us and not to lower our sense of personal value.

Years ago one of my children returned home from a competition where there was no scoreboard. I asked her how the game went. “We won!” she exclaimed. My wife shook her head, “No.” (One of the parents kept a tally.) My daughter saw no defeat because there was no visible standard that arbitrarily assigned a greater value to one team or individual over another.

God removes the arbitrary standard of victory set up in the minds of man. This was seen in the life of the Apostle Paul as he struggled with his thorn in the flesh. He prayed to God to remove his thorn in the flesh on three occasions. When he did not get help, he did not give up, yet he did surrender. He surrendered his will to God, understanding that God was working through him. He recognized that God’s strength worked through his weakness. God did not expect Paul to overcome this weakness, but rather to rely on Him. God expected faith, not personal achievement. So, in his weakness Paul surrendered and received the grace of God. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.)

How can we surrender like Paul?

When confronted with difficulties, pray earnestly and frequently for God’s wisdom, God’s guidance, and God’s intervention. Then, live life, being alert to the opening and closing of doors of opportunity.

Do you have concerns over your job, an investment, college, children, retirement, your soul? Evaluate options and plan to the best of your ability. Ask God for insight and wisdom. Then, follow through with your plan. If God closes a door, give thanks for his gracious answer. (He may be protecting you.) If the door remains open, give thanks for his gracious answer.

Surrender to God first considers the advancement of His kingdom. It also involves a heart that relies on God to supply every need. Surrender is the giving up of one’s own will in submission to God’s will. Where uncertainties exist, kneel in prayer and trust that He will assist. You may be surprised to find freedom from worry when you completely surrender to God.

Raise a white flag of surrender to God’s will, and enjoy peace, security and victory in Him!

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. 

 —2 Peter 1:3

Mark Stinnett

March 30, 2025

Resolute!

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution in 2024? If so, how did you do?

Were you ‘resolute’?

Personally, I don’t get excited about New Year resolutions. However, when I was a school teacher I made resolutions prior to each school year. I guess it is not that important when a resolution is made. For some folks the end of calendar year is the end of a cycle. For others it might be some kind of cycle at work. For some, there are no regular cycles, but times of transition. These all seem to be popular and reasonable times to make resolutions.

Resolutions mark a beginning, and often an end. Looking forward to the future and anticipating better things, a resolution comes from a desire for change. It may be that you want to do something you have never done before. Or, you may have a desire to put negative habits or experiences in the past.

Resolutions come after genuine reflection. Naturally, the ending of some sort of cycle in life is a perfect time to reflect on the past and formulate future goals. In contrast, resolutions which are little more than passing whims or impulsive thoughts are the most difficult to keep.

Every year articles are written a month or two into the new year describing broken resolutions. Perhaps the broken resolutions are because many people are not resolute when making resolutions.

Are you familiar with the word resolute? According to Webster’s dictionary it means:

"Having or showing a fixed, firm purpose; determined; resolved; unwavering ."

Those are strong words. Each begs the use of ALL CAPS and an exclamation point for emphasis:

FIRM PURPOSE!

DETERMINED!

UNWAVERING!

A synonym for resolute is FAITHFUL.

Have you ever considered Christianity a resolution? Was your decision to follow Christ RESOLUTE!?

Resolution: God’s will, not mine.

He knelt down and began to pray, saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." 

--Luke 22:41-42

Resolution: Die to self, Follow Jesus.

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” 

--Luke 9:23

Resolution: Living Sacrifice, Holy Sacrifice.

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 

--Romans 12:1-2

Whether you make a New Year’s resolution or not, be RESOLUTE in your commitment to Christ.

Mark Stinnett

December 29, 2024

Removing the Blinders

Balak was a king of ancient Moab. He was terrified of the Israelite nation as they made their way to the Land of Canaan after deliverance from slavery in Egypt. So, he sent for a prophet named Balaam to curse the Israelites. With wisdom Balaam consulted God. 

(Read about it in Numbers 22-24.)

God refused to allow Balaam to curse the Israelites so Balaam sent word back to King Balak to that effect. Not satisfied with his response, King Balak offered great wealth to Balaam if he would curse the Israelites. Balaam told the king’s messengers that he had already received an answer from God, but if they would stay overnight he would consult God once again. This time God told Balaam to go to King Balak! But He told him to do only what he was instructed. Balaam joyfully left with the king’s messengers. Then, God became angry with Balaam.

It might seem odd that God would first refuse to allow Balaam to go, then give Balaam permission to go, and then become angry when Balaam went. 

This oddity is answered in the text...

As Balaam was on his way to King Balak an angel of God, with sword drawn, blocked the road. Three times Balaam’s donkey turned away, and three times Balaam became angry at the donkey’s stubbornness. Finally, God opened the mouth of the donkey and a brief conversation followed between man and beast! Only then were Balaam’s eyes opened. Only then did he see the angel and realize that he was in the wrong. The angel then repeated God’s message to Balaam: Go to King Balak, but do only what God tells you to do.

The fact that God repeated this part of His instruction suggests that Balaam’s motives were impure. It appears that Balaam was more excited about the permission to go than the instruction to do only what God told him. God appears to have been angry with Balaam for only half-listening to what He had said.

Parents have to deal with this kind of thing. Their teen asks permission to attend a party with friends. Initially the parents refuse, but later, after repeated pleading on the part of the teen, give in. As soon as permission is granted the teen bolts to the phone to tell her friends the good news. The parents then regret having given permission.

They gave permission to attend the party, but not permission to engage in questionable activities. They realize that their teen had only half-listened, hearing the permission to go but giving little thought further instruction. At that point the parents recognize the need for a serious conversation with their teen regarding her moral behavior, responsibility, respect, good character, and curfew.

Balaam undoubtedly found God’s permission very gratifying. However, the promise of wealth became a distraction. His desire to satisfy himself had blinded him to God’s own desire for His people. God had to ‘remove the blinders’ from Balaam so that he could see the will of God.

The distractions of this life and all its thrills may blind Christians to the will of God. Wealth, entertainment and success in our own little corner of the world are tantalizing offers. These things, and even Christian liberties can become blinders of selfishness, pride, and stubbornness that are sure to mask the will of God. Only when these blinders are removed will we see clearly so that we can carry out the will of God in our lives.

Present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

—Romans 12:1-2

Mark Stinnett

June 30, 2024

God's Will and Your Health

Does God want you to be healthy?

I have heard countless prayers for the sick. At times people have asked for very specific procedures or very specific outcomes. They focused their prayer based on a prognosis by a doctor.

Very often I have heard requests worded, “If it is Your will…,” do this or that. At times it sounded as if God was working for us and we were micro-managing His divine involvement. And occasionally, but not often, I have heard people add to the end of a health-related prayer request, “Your will be done.”

I am not criticizing anyone for praying to God. I am not criticizing anyone for praying for health issues. Rather, I am wondering about the will of God as it relates to your health.

Do your remember any Scripture that teaches us that God’s will revolves around our good health? I’ll answer for you, “No!” That is not to say that God doesn’t care about your health. That is not to say that God will do nothing for you. That is not to say that you should not pray. It is merely to say, God’s will is not about your health. Rather, your health is about your will.

God’s will is bigger than your health. He desires people to be saved from sin. He desires His word to be preached. He desires the advancement of the kingdom of heaven. So, we must understand that saving souls, spreading the gospel, and advancing the kingdom is not about our physical well-being. God’s will for you involves heaven, not health.

There is a compelling example that leads me to this conclusion. Do you remember Stephen?

For some who are reading this, the mention of Stephen’s name is enough. Nevertheless, it may be worth noting a few things about the first Christian martyr. Stephen was among the men selected by the church in Jerusalem to assist with an issue concerning the distribution of food. He was a man who was “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” He was “full of grace and power” and was “performing great wonders and signs among the people.” Stephen was a powerful speaker for the kingdom of God and known as an evangelist. Because of his preaching of the gospel He was brought before the Jewish council and they all “saw his face like the face of an angel.” (Acts 6:15)

By all human measures, Stephen was a valuable part of the early church. God was using him to spread the gospel, save souls, and advance the kingdom of heaven. But God allowed the members of the Jewish council to stone Stephen to death after they had rejected his testimony.

It just doesn’t seem right to say that it was God’s will for Stephen to die. Yet, if physical health is God’s will, then God did a lousy job with Stephen, not to mention all the persecuted Christians mentioned in Hebrews 11.

How do we make sense of this?

Your good health is not the focus of God’s will. It is a blessing for which you should be thankful.

“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he should pray.” 

--James 5:13 

That includes your health.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him [God], because He cares for you.” 

--1 Peter 5:7

That includes your health.

Realize that when you are praying for your health, it is ‘your will.’ You are asking God for grace, and He may help you. However, realize that God’s will is far more important than yours.

Mark Stinnett

June 16, 2024

God's Performance Record

In my previous article I used King David as an example of dealing with life’s anxiety. Even though pursued by an enemy, he was able to “lie down and sleep” because of His dependence on God. So, how do we draw from His example? How do we actually place our worries and anxieties into God’s hands? How??

A man pleaded with Jesus to heal his demon-possessed son. He said, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:22) Look at the exchange that followed.

And Jesus said to him, “’If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

You might say that the man had a degree of belief, but also a degree of unbelief. He brought his son to Jesus, but he seems to have been apprehensive, as if to think, “I’m not really sure if Jesus can do anything, but it’s worth a try. Nothing else has worked.”

Do you ever feel that way about God?

You can say, “God is able,” because the Bible says as much. But when it gets down to the grind of daily life, you wonder; you doubt. It is as if the Bible teaching is a doctrinal position, a kind of ideal, but the reality of life is different.

On one occasion my middle daughter sat outside after a school activity waiting for me to pick her up. The moms of some of her friends offered her a ride. Her coach, the last one to leave, offered her a ride. She declined each of their offers saying, “My dad is picking me up.”

I had forgotten her on that occasion! My wife called and reminded me. I was very late. I apologized to my daughter and asked her if she was concerned. “No, I knew you’d come.”

She knew I would come because I had always come before. Even though I was late that time, I had a good track record. For that reason, she was confident that I’d come.

When you read the Bible and consider God’s track record, He always shows up. He provides when we ask. He provides when we do not ask. And yet, He sometimes says, “No,” and He sometimes disciplines us. In all of this, however, God has never failed.

Consider the occasion in which God refused Paul. Having prayed three times for God to remove his thorn in the flesh, Paul was told by God, “My grace is sufficient for you.” It was God telling Paul that He was providing all that Paul needed. He did not need to remove the thorn in the flesh for Paul to be effective in accomplishing His will. (Read it in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.)

Sometimes, when the answer is not, “Yes,” we are tempted to think that God did not show up. However, that is to evaluate God according to our personal timetable, i.e., according to our personal will. When we look at God’s record in accomplishing HIS will, He has a spotless record. The difficulty that we may encounter is that we are dissatisfied with God's track record in accomplishing 'my' will.

HOW do we “lie down and sleep” when experiencing life’s turmoil? 

We pray and then we do the best with our plans and activities. 

The reason we can sleep is because God’s will is more important than our personal will. He will accomplish it. If God does not help us, it is because He knows that, like Paul, His grace is sufficient. That means that He knows that we can endure the difficulty. 

Our faith (or lack of it) is not what makes God powerful. When God identified Himself to Moses saying, “I am who I am,” it had absolutely nothing to do with you and me. So, we rest in His power and His wisdom by aligning our will with His saying, “Your will be done.”


Mark Stinnett

June 9, 2024

No Accidental Christians

When it comes to Christianity, what is your intention?

Sometimes intentions are more like wishing. We might think how good it would be to live in a nice house like the one for sale over on Maine St. Yet, there is no real intention of buying that house. We might think how nice it would be to possess the good character of a good friend; but there is no real intention to gain such character. “How good it would be to be spiritually mature like him/her.” But, what is your intention…?

Many people talk about and think about religion, salvation, and spirituality. Some just talk. They like the idea of possessing the good things seen in a spiritual life, but their interest is more of a wish not genuine intent?

Intent is a part of the human will and indicates purpose. Christianity is not a stroke of luck like winning a door prize. A person comes to genuine faith in Christ with clear thought and a determined will. Benefits are understood, but also the costs.

Jesus told two treasure parables in Matthew 13. In one parable the treasure was stumbled upon quite by accident. In the other parable a merchant was searching for the treasure and found it. In both cases, the individual sold everything in order to possess the treasure. That’s intent.

Every Christian should be able to identify with one of the two individuals in the parables.

Just before his death, Jesus asked his Father if there was another way, that is, another way to complete his mission without dying on the cross. He completed His prayer saying, “Not as I will, but as You will.” His submissive will demonstrated his deep sense of purpose. He was determined to complete his mission of seeking and saving those who were spiritually lost. With intent He deliberately walked a path straight to the cross.

Jesus did not come to earth and then chicken out. His purpose was so strong and his intent so resolute that he was already walking toward the cross before he took on human form. Even before creation He had made His decision.

Some Christians behave as if salvation is a packaged object to possess, or a collectable. They just hold it. Yet, Christianity might be better compared to a marriage. The wedding ceremony is wonderful, but only the beginning of the marriage. A strong marriage takes effort and patience preceded by a determined will and commitment on the part of both husband and wife. Similarly, the point at which a person becomes a Christian is a wonderful occasion. However, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Work through your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Each Christian must have a genuine intention of seeing things through to the end.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…. 

—Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus demonstrated by his life how to live each day for God’s purpose. He demonstrated how to bring life to its conclusion as God desired. May each of us intend to be like him. And let’s be clear…

There are no accidental Christians.

Mark Stinnett

April 7, 2024

"See You Next Week...'Lord Willing'..."

Why would someone say, “Lord willing” before or after telling their vacation plans, or meeting up with friends, or in reference to the next worship service? Are these things God’s will? Are they opposed to God’s will? Do we need to ask God’s permission before doing anything?

So, why would a person say, “Lord willing,” and when does it make sense?

Did you know that this practice is rooted in scripture?

Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”

— James 4:15

Does this passage teach that we must always attach the phrase, “If the Lord wills” to our future plans? Or does it mean that we need to acknowledge that we can really do nothing unless God ‘wills’ it? What does it teach?

First, remember how Jesus rebuked the hypocritical Pharisees for empty, external forms of religion? From that we learn that God desires a response from the heart. So, there is no benefit in saying words, “If the Lord wills” unless we do so with understanding and sincerity of heart.

Next, let’s consider the broader context of the verse quoted above.

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 

 — James 4:13-16

Is James teaching that telling one’s plans is boasting?

The key to understanding this passage is found in the preceding verse. In verse 12 James states that no one really knows what tomorrow will bring. More specifically, no one really knows whether they will live tomorrow. To make future plans without acknowledging this uncertainty is arrogant. A failure to acknowledge the uncertainty of life is a failure to acknowledge our Creator who gives us breath. James correctly calls such arrogance evil.

Telling one’s plans is not boastful. After all, God allows us to make choices in all areas of life. It is not boastful to choose to move to another city, engage in business, choose a career, choose a college, choose a mate, etc. However, we must realize that life itself is essential for carrying out one’s plans; and God is in control of life. He is the one who gives breath.

These verses are not about our future plans as much as they are about our acknowledgement of the One who gives life. So, the phrase “Lord willing” is really incomplete by itself. Stated fully and more accurately: “If the Lord wills, we shall live.” Then, if we have been given life by our Creator, it is our plan to do this or do that.

I don’t think God was making an arbitrary rule that we need to regurgitate a specific phrase. Yet, sincerely acknowledging God as Creator and Giver of life will keep us from the evil of boasting about things that are out of our control. At the same time, we will be reminding ourselves of our daily dependence on God.

Our lives are in His hands.

Mark Stinnett

March 31, 2024

Are You Ready?

The title question, “Are you ready?” is often asked in reference to time. Of course, it could also be a question about one’s preparation, and that’s what I want you to think about.

The question, “Are you ready?” is to ask, “Are you fully equipped?” Even then, ambiguity remains, “Fully equipped for what?”

We go to school (or are home schooled) and that is supposed to prepare us...for something. Some high school grads go to trade school, while others go to college. Those are also supposed to prepare us...for something. The work place, from blue collar to white collar, is filled with every kind of training opportunity.

All of that tells us that we put quite a lot of time and energy and money into training. But for what purpose?

We might think of resumes, job interviews and work references as part of the process for finding out how well equipped a person is for a job.

Parents provide training that spans areas such as language and communication, good manners, personal hygiene, moral behavior, getting along with others, how to thrive in one’s surroundings (home, neighborhood, town, world). Additional training might include personal organization and planning, finances, yard/car/house maintenance, long-term planning, gardening, animal/pet care, and the list goes on. That training partly equips us for life on earth.

Have you ever thought about God’s training?

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB95)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Scripture is beneficial in getting you ready! Specifically, it is beneficial in fully equipping you “for every good work.”

High school is inadequate; college is inadequate; trade school is inadequate. Even the best parents are inadequate. All of the training designed and carried out by people is inadequate to fully equip a person “for every good work.”

It is not that educational institutions or parents or anyone else has failed. Rather, it is God’s intention to prepare people for something different than our usual focus. Our training programs focus on what we (humans) think is important. God has focused on what He knows is important because He designed us. In fact…

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 

—Ephesians 2:10 (NASB95)

God did not create us for building cars, entertainment, forestry, accounting, selling furniture, cooking, managing a business, archaeology, or a world full of other areas of work. He created us for good works. His revealed word, Scripture, is capable of making us “adequate, equipped for every good work.”

God is not a big fan of the separation of church and state. He expects us to take our Christianity into our homes, into our places of work, into our schools, into stores and entertainment venues. His expectation is that we walk in good works every day in every place.

We often misunderstand God’s will because our focus is on ourselves, our jobs, our ideas of what is important. So, let’s realign our focus and embrace God's training. And then, let's get out there and walk in good works.

Mark Stinnett

September 10, 2023

Channels of Water

“God is in control.”

Those words can become cliché. It is not that any Christian would disagree. We accept this truth, but we have heard it over and over and over so that it can become unimpressive.

Solomon had a way of exposing this same truth, yet in a way that captivates the mind.

The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

--Proverbs 21:1

Kings of the Earth:
Kings are powerful. In fact, the king has his way. He controls the army of his land. He decides to build or not build, to go to war or not go to war, to make an alliance or not. The people of the land depend on the king for security and protection; for the ability to conduct business, grow crops, keep livestock, and make a living; for laws that benefit the people and the land, and the just enforcement of those laws. The king has the power and authority to grant life or take life. At the his word or the motion of his hand, the king's will is done.

Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes as the result of his search for meaning (though limiting his search to the physical universe). He spoke of his search, and in doing so revealed the extent of the power and authority of a king.

All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure….

—Ecclesiastes 2:10

Though prideful, King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon possessed power and glory and majesty. He was indeed sovereign. (Daniel 4:30-31)

That is what it means to be a king of the earth!

Father God:
It is not mother nature but Father God who directs the streams of water on the earth. It is by His thought and by His authority and by His power that their course is set. With ease the Creator conducts the course of rivers and streams by His hand.

How great is our God who directs the channels of water on the earth!

God is in Control:
The One who directs the channels of water also turns the hearts of kings. It is not that kings are unable to choose, but God can overrule their decisions in order to accomplish His divine will. He can direct their hearts and influence their thoughts…and he does.

This is not a description of destiny or divine puppetry. Rather, God is in control.

• God discerns.
• God decides.
• God influences.
• God turns hearts.
• God carries out His divine will.

Politics, economics, social issues, conflict and war; these are all the affairs of men: God is in control.

The twinkling of the stars, the fury of the sun, the elliptical path of the earth, the orbit of the moon; the paths of channels of water, the presence of the mountains and caverns and shorelines; the breath of life: God is in control.

To the one who believes, this is rest.
To the one who scoffs, he will one day shudder.
To the one who comprehends…he cannot help but stand in awe!

Mark Stinnett

July 9, 2023

One in 2,268,498,381

My wife and I married in 1981. According to published statistics, and assuming that the world’s population was equally divided between male and female, I passed up 2,268,498,380 other women. Granted, many were too young for me to marry, others too old, or already married. Nevertheless, I passed on millions of eligible young women. Once I made marriage vows to my wife, all other women became ineligible.

What if I had not picked the right gal?

If you look at it that way, picking the right mate for marriage is like playing the lottery, and the odds are not ever in your favor.

Did you know that the Bible says far more about your responsibility in marriage than about dating and choosing a mate?

Here’s the point. Whenever you choose someone to marry, you also choose to NOT marry millions of others. You choose ONE path to the exclusion of all other paths. You close the door on all other marriage partner options.

Some young people wring their hands wondering the identity of Mr. Right or Miss Right as if God has preselected one among the many millions for that ideal match made in heaven. Yet, God does not tease us by playing hide and seek with His will. Young people will do well to pray for wisdom and use biblical guidance with common sense when choosing a mate. After choosing, there are responsibilities given in scripture for husbands and wives. That is God’s will! His will is for you is to honor your vows and embrace your responsibilities in marriage.

To choose one educational institution after high school is to reject hundreds of others. A career path is a big choice and to choose one career is to reject dozens of others at that time. To choose to buy one house is to reject all the other houses on the market. To choose one car is to reject all the other cars that are available.

If God wants you to choose one specific career path, how does He make His will known to you? There’s nothing concrete in Scripture. Do you expect to see the answer swirling about in a faint wisp of cirrus clouds? Do you just feel it? How do you really KNOW!?

God’s will for you is not a laser-focused choice of spouse, education, career, house, car or any other material thing that you might think about. If it is, then what is God’s will for dinner?! Rather, God’s will for you is to revere Him, choose allegiance to Jesus, walk in righteousness, and genuinely care for others. Those things are written in Scripture. So, that gives you freedom (and confidence) in choosing a mate, career path, house, car, dinner, etc.

The great men and women of faith in the Bible did not have a divinely chiseled out path to walk. Rather, they walked in faith seldom knowing the future, except that God had made promises. In addition, they did not look back and question their choices, but kept their eyes focused on God’s revealed will and His promises.

Young people often concern themselves with the many potential closed doors. Listen to this…

Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these? For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”

—Ecclesiastes 7:10

That is a way of saying, “Don’t long for the good ‘ol days.” So, how much more foolish is it to long for the choices you never made?! Every choice closes some doors of opportunity. So...

Choose. Live for God. That’s His will.


Mark Stinnett

June 18, 2023

Is Doing God's Will the Same as Obeying God's Law?

The author of the book of Hebrews writes of Jesus, “I have come to do Your will” (10:9). Is that the same as obeying God’s law?

The two may seem to be equivalent, but there is a difference. The difference between the two marks the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant and largely defines how we look at Scripture.

It is true that breaking the law of God is sin (James 2:10). However, the Scripture also says that law is not for a righteous person (1 Timothy 1:9).

Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Did that mean that He simply did not break any rules? Did God send His Son so that we would stop breaking rules?

To do the will of God is more than obeying the legal aspects of God’s word. Jesus was not merely flawless according to the Law of Moses. He was more. That was actually the point that the writer of Hebrews was making when he said of Jesus: “I have come to do Your will.”

That statement about Jesus was set in contrast to the first covenant in which sacrifices were offered “continually year by year” (10:3). Jesus introduced a better covenant through a better sacrifice. He presented Himself as a sacrifice that was acceptable to God for all sin for all people for all time (10:12).

But what was the new covenant? A new set of rules?

Jesus said of Himself that He had come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-20). He went on to say that one’s righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.

In their day, the Pharisees were known as elite law-keepers. They were very strict when it came to the Law of Moses. In fact, in order to keep from breaking the Law of Moses, they created rules that were even stricter. The idea seemed to be that if they stepped over the line and broke their strict laws, they would still be a step away from breaking God’s law.

So, did Jesus mean that His disciples were supposed to be stricter than the Pharisees???

Jesus later taught that the two great commands (to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself) summed up all the Law and Prophets. Notice that these two commands are rooted in relationship. They are dependent upon one’s attitude and actions toward God and others. Obedience to these commands is far more than a strict adherence to a legal code. They are more descriptive of God’s will than the rule of law.

As long as we look at the Scriptures as a law code, we will see rules in the form of dos and don’ts. That will only produce a Pharisaical attitude toward the Scriptures. We will argue religious questions, boast in our knowledge and conclusions, and ultimately divide.

The Law of Moses gave the Israelites (and us) insight into the character of God: His holiness, His righteousness, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness and His love. Nothing in the Law was arbitrary. It all pointed to something about God.

His desire was to produce in His chosen people an attitude of love and justice and holiness. He was trying to teach His people to be holy as He is holy and to love as He loves.

The problem was that Israel could not become what God desired through strict obedience to the Law of Moses. Strict law-keeping never made anyone like God, even if the law was divinely given. God sent Jesus to fulfill the Law, that is, to bring the Law to its natural state of completion. He came to do God’s will, not just obey rules. He demonstrated the very essence of God.

The obedience of Jesus is not about legal obedience but about doing God’s will. It is about sacrificial love. It is about sacrificial holiness. Sacrifice is about me giving up myself. I give up my things to help others; I give up my rights to preserve relationships; I give up my desires to please God. I consciously fight temptation to remain holy before God.

Jesus laid down His life for us and said:

No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.

—John 10:18

Being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

—Philippians 2:8

Are you trying to do God’s will or just obey laws??

Mark Stinnett

June 6, 2021

What DID Jesus Do?

A number of years we saw what seemed to be a fad: WWJD bracelets, stickers, buttons, etc. I think it was more than a fad; it is still talked about today. Regardless, the acronym stood for a very valuable and sobering question: What Would Jesus Do?

The idea was simple. Before deciding, speaking, or acting, ask yourself the simple question: What would Jesus do?

• Would He go where you were about to go?
• Would He say what you were about to say?
• Would He do what you were about to do?

How would He think, decide, evaluate???

If you could figure out what Jesus would do, then you had your answer on where to go, what to say, what to do. If you could determine the thinking and actions of Jesus and apply it to your choices and situations, then you could have confidence in your conclusions.

But what if you were not really sure what Jesus would do?

The reason I ask stems from a curious experience I had. Accompanying a good friend on one occasion our conversation turned toward an area in which he needed to make a decision. His quick response was something like, “WWJD, I think Jesus would approve.”
His response was trite and playful. I even remember a little chuckle as he gave himself approval.

That’s what I saw; he had given himself approval of something he wanted to do. Without serious reflection on Jesus, he used Jesus as a kind of prop to approve his desire. In reality he had answered a different question: How do I think Jesus would think?

What is the point of all this?

The question “What would Jesus do” has substance ONLY IF the answer is based on what Jesus actually did and what Jesus actually taught. A person might think that Jesus would do or approve something. However, if their thinking is not tested by what Jesus actually did and taught, it is as subjective as asking: “What do I think I should do?”

True followers of Jesus must approach discipleship with a keen eye on what Jesus actually did.

“...So that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.” 
—John 14:31

“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.’” 
—John 5:19

“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.” 
—John 12:49-50

Jesus, without fail, submitted to the will of God the Father. He did not evaluate things on the basis of what He thought God wanted Him to do, He did exactly as the Father instructed.

In our Christian walk we must guard against personal subjective thinking and desires as guides masked by religious jargon. Rather, we must give careful consideration to what Jesus actually did; what Jesus actually said.

May we resolve to do exactly the Father’s will. 

That’s what Jesus did.

Mark Stinnett

What Is God's Will For Me?

“I don’t know if I should marry <name>; what if he’s not the right one?”
“We don’t know whether we should buy a house or rent.”
“We don’t know which house we should choose.”
“We don’t know if it is the right time to have a child.”
“I don’t know if I should choose job #1, job #2, or just stay where I am.”
“I just don’t know...”

“I wish I knew what God’s will was for me.”

---------------

We sometimes ask questions that cannot be answered with certainty. Let me explain.

Suppose your preacher introduced his Sunday morning sermon topic as ‘The Will of God.’ Do you think he will be discussing your marriage? Your house? The timing of having children? Your job? (I think not.)

Sometimes we twist the meaning of the ‘will of God’ into ‘what God wants for me.’ The latter idea is closely akin to ‘what I hope God wants for me, because I know what I want.’

If you have learned from the Proverbs (the focus of many previous blogs), you already have your answer to the myriad of questions concerning life’s decisions: 

• Be wise. 
• Seek wise counsel and listen, even when it is different from what you want to hear.
• Pursue righteousness in all things.
• Pursue justice and fairness for others.
• Honor God; revere God.

We sometimes set ourselves up for doubt. We believe that we want God’s assistance when we already have our hearts set on our desires. Then when difficulties arise after having made a decision, we doubt God’s help.

Reality check: There will be difficulties regardless of the decisions you make, even if God were to send you a message by way of an angel telling you what to decide. If you think that God’s assistance is the assurance of easy living, you haven’t been reading your Bible.

Now...STOP thinking about yourself!

   Commit your works to the LORD, 
   And your plans will be established.
   --Proverbs 16:3

This proverb does not mean, that you should make ‘your’ plan and then dedicate it to God. That is still ‘your’ plan.

The Hebrew word translated ‘commit’ literally means to ‘roll.’ When used in this context it gives the image of ‘rolling’ something (your works) into the presence of the Lord. It conveys the idea of surrendering your works to him. So, ultimately by surrendering your works to God, you are adopting as 'your will' that which you already know to be God's will. In other words, God's will becomes your will, instead of the other way around.

God’s will, his desire for mankind (and you specifically), is revealed in scripture. Simply stated, God desires the salvation of your soul. He wants you to be fully devoted to him so that you can obtain eternal life and fellowship with Him.

Set in that context you should see with clarity whether you should marry <name>.
Set in that context, you should see with clarity the real importance of houses and jobs and the timing of having children.

Make His will the center of your desire. 
Then your plans will revolve around the will of God. 
Then they will be set (established), as if etched in stone.