Rev. Don Campbell

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 15, 2017: POLISHING IMAGES VERSUS POLISHING SHOES – John 13:13-15

A cartoon showed a picture of a woman lying in her sick bed, obviously in misery. In the sink were stacks of dirty dishes, with a huge basket of clothes to be ironed nearby. Two dirty children were fighting in one corner, and in the other, a cat sat licking spilled milk. A smiling woman, neatly dressed stood in the doorway, saying, “Well, Florence, if there is anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Sometimes we say, “If there is anything I can do, let me know” because we are truly at a loss to know what to do, but are praying that God will lead the way. At other times we close our eyes to obvious needs and offer smiles and clichés, hoping that no one will ask us to get our hands dirty.

Death had invaded a home, and comforters came to comfort. While many sat, drinking coffee and eulogizing the departed, one woman looked through the house, found all of the shoes that needed polishing before the funeral, and set about polishing shoes. The woman in the cartoon wanted to polish her image as a caring Christian, the second met a real need.

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and said, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:13-15). The example he gave was not a religious foot-washing ceremony, but an example of service.

The next time you think to yourself, “I just don’t know what to say or do,” look around for some shoes to polish.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 18, 2017: SPEAK LORD; YOUR SERVANT HEARS – 1 Sam 3:1-10

If you have read the TFT very often, you have probably “heard” me say, “When we close our minds to anything except what we have heard and believed, we quit studying so that God may speak to us. We study that we may speak to others, cherry picking inspired proof texts and uninspired commentary, strengthening our already-arrived-at conclusions.” You can imagine my delight when I discovered the following from the pen of the better-known Campbell—Alexander:

But there is a critical reading of the Bible–a polemic reading–a sectarian reading–and a penance reading–which, however frequent and sincere, reach not within the circles of grace and spiritual enjoyment…But a devotional and sanctifying reading of that sacred Book, is essentially different from the readings of the theologian, the moralist, the sectary, and the virtuoso of every caste and school. The man of God reads the Book of God to commune with God, “to feel after him, and find him,” to feel his power and his divinity stirring within him; to have his soul fired, quickened, animated by the spirit of grace and truth.

He reads the Bible to enjoy the God of the Bible; that the majesty, purity, excellency, and glory of its Author may overshadow him, inspire him, transform him, and new-create him in the image of God. Such a reader finds what he seeks in the Bible as every other person finds in it what he searches for. The words of Jesus to such a one are spirit and life; they are light and joy; they are truth and peace. Such a one converses with God as one who speaks by signs. His readings are heavenly musings. God speaks: he listens. Occasionally, and almost unconsciously, at intervals he forgets that he reads, he speaks to God, and his reading thus often terminates in a devotional conversation with God.

Of course, some people do not read the Bible at all, and I am not speaking of the world. Read the Bible daily, even if it is but a few verses. If nothing else, a psalm a day, a proverb at day. It will transform your life if you take the advice the elderly Eli gave to the boy Samuel, who kept hearing the voice of God calling, “Samuel,” but he thought it was Eli speaking to him. Eli perceived that it was the voice of God, and told Samuel to reply when he heard is named called again, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears” (1 Sam 3:1-0). As we read, our mindset should be “Speak Lord, for your servant hears.”

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 19, 2017: FISHING IN THE SEA OF LOST HUMANITY – Matt 13:47-50

Jesus called disciples—all of them—to be fishers of men. Not all cast the gospel net, but boats must be maintained, nets mended, crews fed, and an assortment of other tasks performed if Jesus’ Parable of the Dragnet is to be a reality in our generation.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:47-50, ESV).

It is easy to overlook the lesson that we fish with a net, not with bait and hook or species-specific lures. When a sport fisherman goes out to fish, he uses the bait or lure that is best suited for the particular kind of fish he wants to catch, and if he should catch another kind of fish, he will probably throw it back into the water.

But the gospel net must be spread without discrimination. The rich, the poor, the black, the white, the reputable, the disreputable, the civilized, the uncivilized are all fish which fishers of men seek to catch.

Sometimes we devote our energies to catching a record trophy while other fish are never given a second glance. Let a distinguished, affluent, reputable individual move into the community and every church in town baits up their hooks with the most attractive lure in their tackle box. On the other hand, fish may be jumping out on the bank in the public housing area, the brush huts of Africa, or similar waters; but few are interested in these little fish.

Just as we are not to use species-specific bait or lures, we are not to sort the catch while still in the boat. In fact, we don’t sort it at all. That is the job of the angels at the end of the world.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 20, 2017: HOW A MAN TREATS HIS ANIMALS REVEALS HIS CHARACTER – Ex 23:12 – Prov 12:10 – Ex 23:4 – Lk 12:6 – Psa 50:10-11

As I travel through the countryside, I enjoy looking at the livestock grazing in the fields or feeding in their paddocks—well, sometimes I do. At other times I am disgusted. When I see horses with ribs showing standing in mud half-knee deep and trying to find some nourishment from poor-quality, moldy hay, I am disgusted. When I see gaunt cattle trying to find a blade or two of grass in an over-grazed field overrun by broomsedge, I get disgusted. I believe God does too, as shown from the following verses:

• “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast but the mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Prov 12:10).


• “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed” (Ex 23:12).


• “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him” (Ex 23:4).


• “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Lk 12:6).

These thoughts would not be complete if I did not share with you what motivated me to write. I am privileged to live across the road from a brother-in-Christ, and observe his cattle grazing in green pastures or feeding on high-quality, plentiful hay. I also had the opportunity to observe how his heart was touched this week when one of his dogs had apparently gone to sleep under the wheel of his hay bailer and he backed over her. The vet believes she will be okay, but a little shorter than before. Where the tailbone joins the hips was damaged beyond repair, and her tail had to be removed. The brother’s reaction showed great regard for his beast.

God also said, “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine” (Psa 50:10-11). We should treat all of God’s creatures humanely, even when taking their lives for our purposes. How we harvest God’s bounty says as much about us as does how we treat our animals. Some go too far, even to the point of worshipping animals. We do not worship the animals, but we worship the one who created them, and he cares for them, even the lowly sparrows.

*****THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 21, 2017: DRIFTING – Ephesians 4:14 – Heb 2:1 – James 5:17-20

In Ephesians 4:14, Paul warned of the possibility of being carried about by every wind of doctrine. In Hebrews we are warned, “We must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it” (Heb 2:1, NLT).

J.D. Tant, a Texas preacher writing nearly 100 years ago warned, “Brethren, we are drifting.” Drift is always in the direction of the prevailing winds if one is in a hot air balloon or in the direction of the current if one is in a stream. I know of no departure from the faith—ancient or modern—that took place overnight in one giant step.

There are many dangers of which we could warn, but I believe the biggest one is apathy. When asked one time if apathy and ignorance were the greatest threat to the church, the man replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” He had answered the question without even knowing it.

Whether speaking of the church or the nation, the two greatest threats are ignorance (I don’t know) and apathy (I don’t care).
What can one person do? Read James 5:17-20 for the answer. Go ahead, read it. Don’t be apathetic.

*****THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 23, 2017: WISE MEN ON TRUTH – Prov 18:17 – 2 Tim 2:15

Solomon said, “The first to speak in court sounds right—until the cross-examination begins” (Prov 18:17, NLT) – John 8:32.

The late Senator Patrick Moynihan, Said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” The senator may have “borrowed” from Bernard Baruch (1870-1965), who said, “Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.” The much admired Ronald Reagan said, “Trust, but verify.” Paul wrote, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15, ESV). All four men are warning that people often have a biased self-interest, and twist facts to support their bias.

When I was an online instructor with the University of Phoenix, I always stress to students that propaganda often masquerades as research. Most of you are not doing any academic research, but you do read and pass on information gleaned from internet sources. Your interest does not warrant a long dissertation on this topic, nor does the space available permit one. However, I have gleaned some pointers from several academic sources that can help us, whether we are evaluating something on the internet, in a book or magazine, or a sermon.

• How objective or biased is the information? I have heard some preachers say, “All reputable scholars in the church have always believed this.” They then define a reputable scholar as those who have always believed this (whatever the “this” is).

• Is there a political, social, commercial, or sectarian agenda guiding the content? We can often discern this by looking at author affiliations, website owners, and so forth. Don’t be fooled by impressive-sounding names. For example, The Independent Commission on Environmental Education is an industry-funded organization established to criticize environmental education.

• Does the information try to inform or persuade? There is a place, of course, for persuasion. However, persuasive information is often filled with factoids, which are individual facts taken out of context and which ignore other facts. Here is a factoid: “Dihydrogen Monoxide, or DHMO, is a colorless and odorless chemical that kills or maims thousands each year, primarily through accidental inhalation” (Source: National Consumer Coalition Against DHMO). Here’s the first problem: DHMO is water. It is true that thousands die each year by drowning.

The second problem is that the NCCADHMO is a spoof website set up in an attempt to education people about evaluating internet claims. Many websites are not spoofs, but they are nothing but propaganda sites. One would not expect to get unbiased information about, for example, The Affordable Care Act from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee website. On the other hand, one should not expect to get unbiased information on Obamacare from The Tea Party Patriots website. The best source for facts is from sources that do not have a dog in the fight. FactCheck.Org is one of the better sites I have found.

• What is the tone of the language? Angry, sarcastic assaults on others make good politics and point-scorers in religious debates—at least with those who already agree, but usually cause the other side to dig their heels in even more. What is even worse is that such attacks do nothing to advance the cause of truth. In most debates, whether religious or political, the constituents of each side go away saying their man won.

• Is material presented a talking point or a fact? “In an attempt to influence public opinion, the leaders of both major parties craft talking points, scripts for rank-and-file members to follow when discussing particular policy issues. Talking points, when used frequently, become the party line” (FactCheck.org). To paraphrase Moynihan, “Every party has a right to its own line, but no party has a right to its own facts.”

In arguing for freedom from licensing and censorship of newspapers in England, John Milton wrote: “Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter (Areopagitica). When one resorts to rumor, half-truths, embellishment, deliberate distortions, and similar tactics to “prove” a point, one has tacitly admitted that the point lacks fact. Because falsehood masquerades as truth, we must grapple with ideas—those with which we do not agree and those with which we do agree. A final word: “…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jesus, John 8:32).

*****THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 24, 2017: WORDS WORTH REPEATING – 2 Thess 3:9, ESV – Acts 17:11 – Prov 12:15

In keeping with yesterday’s thought, I would like to share some more thoughts from some of our best thinkers.

In responding to the question, “Why should I work if I am going to just end up emptying slop jars?” Senator Patrick Moynihan said: “That’s a complaint you hear mostly from people who don’t empty slop jars. This country has a lot of people who do exactly that for a living. And they do it well. It’s not pleasant work, but it’s a living. And it has to be done. Somebody has to go around and empty all those bed pans. And it’s perfectly honorable work. There’s nothing the matter with doing it. Indeed, there is a lot that is right about doing it, as any hospital patient will tell you.” With him the Apostle Paul would agree: “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thess 3:9, ESV).

“Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weight and consider” (Francis Bacon, 1625). Luke wrote of the Bereans: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11, ESV).

“An education isn’t how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don’t know” (Anatole Frace, Novelist 18-84-1924).

He who knows he who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool, shun him; He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child, teach him. He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep, wake him. He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise, follow him (Persian Proverb). Solomon said, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” (Prov 12:15, ESV).

***** THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 25, 2017: THE CHURCH BY ANY OTHER NAME – Matt 16:18; 18:17 – Acts 7:48 – Eph 2:18-22 – Eph 1:22-23 – Eph 2:18-20 – Eph 5:25-27 – 1 Pet 5:1-3

Undoubtedly, the most common word used today to refer to God’s people in the aggregate is the word church. However, this is not true in the biblical texts. For example, the word church is used only two times in the Gospels (Matt 16:18; 18:17). It is used a total of 76 times in the text of the King James Version, whereas kingdom is used 150 times.

Of course, any scriptural designation of God’s people may be used, and it is important to understand that no one term can fully capture the depth of the relationship which Christ has with his people. Consider these five designations of the body of Christ and the truth each teaches (there are other designations).

1. Stephen reminds us that God does not dwell in temples may with hands (Acts 7:48), but he is not without a dwelling place, for the church is the temple of God: “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph 2:18-22).


2. The church is the fullness of Christ: “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:22-23). The glorious truth is that without his body, Christ is not fulfilled. This staggers the mind—or at least it should.


3. The church is the family or household of God. “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph 2:18-20).


4. The church is the bride of Christ, loved and cherished by him (Eph 5:25-27).


5. The church is the flock of God: “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Pet 5:1-3).
The fact that the Holy Spirit used so many different terms to describe God’s people in Christ indicates that our relationship to Christ cannot be understood in all its fullness by a single word. All of them combined suggest more than a single one of them can: intimacy, dependence, interdependence, organization, and affection, to name a few.

*****THOUGHT FOR TODAY, MAY 26, 2017: WANDERING STARS – Eccl 3:11
“A new result from astronomers who have spent years peering toward the center of the Milky Way has led to a startling conclusion: there may be billions of Jupiter-sized planets wandering the space between the stars, unbound by the gravity of a parent sun” (Discover, 5/18/11).

These wandering planets are sometimes called “nomad planets,” “rogue planets,” and “wandering stars,” because they simply roam the universe. If astronomers have just recently reached this conclusion, how did Jude know about wandering stars (Jude v. 13) unless God told him?

Christians are wanderers in this world, but as pilgrims, not nomads. “Nomads are homeless wanderers, and pilgrims are homeless persons on the way to a new home.” Wandering stars are on the increase in our postmodern society. As one writer put it “Much of postmodernism suggests that meaninglessness is life’s ultimate meaning. Human beings are, in essence, homeless wanderers. And this wandering, the constant roaming for identity, fuels random busyness—often as a way to cover the sense that everything may well be meaningless” (From Nomads to Pilgrims).

Solomon wrote, “He has also set eternity in the human heart” (Eccl 3:11, NIV). He who is known as Saint Augustine (354-430 A.D.) commented: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
Some of you older old folks might remember these 1961 lines from Dion and the Belmonts:

“Oh well I roam from town to town

I go through life without a care

‘Til I’m as happy as a clown

With my two fists of iron and I’m going nowhere

“Going nowhere”—at least nowhere beyond the momentary pleasures of this life and then the grave—describes the lives of millions of people today. We can view this as an insurmountable obstacle to evangelism, or we can see it as an opportunity to show them a better way, but before we can show them, we must be anchored in that better way ourselves. When we sing these words, do they reflect our true nature as pilgrims, or are we really nomads—wandering stars?

I’m just a poor wayfaring stranger

I’m traveling through this world of woe

Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger

In that bright land to which I go

I’m going there to see my father

I’m going there no more to roam

I’m just a-going over Jordan

I’m just a-going over home

Some people “clown it up” and call it happiness. Jesus reveals what it really means to live a happy life: Have something to live for beyond ourselves, submit to God’s word and his will for us personally, share our life with Christ with others, and live for something worth dying for.