Help for Today: Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

By: Charles Steiner

Matthew 23:1-5a (ESV) “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.”

Sometimes when I’m reading the Bible an application from a passage smacks me right in the face, even though I’ve read over that particular scripture a thousand times. Reading the above passage last week for me was one of those moments. No one likes to listen to someone preach about something they themselves do not do. We don’t want a morbidly obese personal trainer. We don’t want our children’s teachers at school to hate learning. We don’t want to learn to play golf from someone who couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with a Callaway Big Bertha. And we certainly do not want to listen to someone beat us over the head with the Bible when they themselves do not live out what they are preaching.

It’s human nature to want to follow what other people are doing. Every picture I’ve taken with a girl recently it seems like they all are posing with one hand on their hip and one hand resting to the side. Why? I don’t know, but it’s “the new thing”. Spiritually we are the same way. We want to hold people whom we admire up and put them on a pedestal. We look to them as our examples. They are our walking and talking Bible. But there is a danger with that. People are people. They can let you down. We all make mistakes. Jesus Christ is the only person who has ever lived that never made a mistake, or never did the right thing for the wrong reason.

I’m a minister, but it still bothers me to this day that one of my spiritual leaders when I was younger now claims to be an atheist. It bothers me, when I think of all the friends I’ve had who have abandoned Christianity. It not only bothers me because I care about these people’s souls. It also bothers me because no one wants to feel like they are alone. We want to know there are people out there just like us, who are striving for the same spiritual goals as we are. That’s human nature, but I challenge you to make an effort to do a little less looking to the right and the left and do a little more looking up. Look to Jesus as your example. He is the only one who will never let you down. I challenge you to spend less time looking for an example, and spend more time being the example. The honest truth is, our actions never just affect us. We are all leaders to one degree or another. Who are you leading? And where are you leading them?

Help for Today: In the Shadows

I came across this “Help for Today” from May, 2012, and thought of my friend, Flo Cunningham.

A great orchestra leader was asked to identify the most difficult instrument to play. His response: second fiddle. That is not surprising. We seem to be drawn to the front. If we are not careful, even in church work, we tend to value having our names in the “hats off” section of the bulletin. If you counted them one finger at a time, you would be really challenged to find more than a handful of “moments”, “words” where a fisherman named Andrew comes to the front. He resided, quite comfortably by the way, in the shadows. He seemed to understand the “work” was not about the front man or who was getting “credit.” He was driven by the cause. While his brother and coworkers formed a group of “3” that rose to the top in the ministry, this Andrew, who found Him first, drifted back into the lump of men that we call, “the shadows.” And he was fine. He was fine in the background. He was fine not getting the “earthly credit.” He served and he was fine. He first found his brother and brought him to Jesus. He spoke of a young man with limited bread and fish that Jesus used to provide food for thousands. There was just something about the cause. By the way, do not mistake earthly shadows and secrets from God. God knows. And He rewards those who serve Him…even in the shadows. Hold Andrew, and those like him High. There is a lot for you to do today…in the shadows.

All the best and I hope this gives you “Help for Today”.

Clark Sims

Help for Today: Glorified and Magnified  

Text: Matthew 17

          While Peter was weary, the carpenter’s Son, who went to the mountain to pray, began showing the form of deity. This is God’s Son! His face was altered and His robe became white and glistening. It was a spiritual presence where men of renown from yesterday joined him. Moses and Elijah joined him. The…Moses and Elijah. Peter, you do not want to miss this. Your Teacher is very special. When he fully woke up, he saw Jesus in all His glory. He saw the men with Him. He recognized who they were. He had an idea. On the surface, it appeared to be a good idea. However, his idea revealed he still did not really grasp who the Teacher was. The voice of God, coming from a cloud, is about to make abundantly clear whom this glorified teacher really is. He really is the King of King and Lord of Lords. 

“This is My beloved Son, Hear Him!” The words were very similar to the words of the Father as He sent His Son on His way to begin His earthly ministry. But, this time there was an addition. This time the Father added words Peter needed to hear. Actually, he added words I need to hear. “Hear Him.” Listen to Him. Pay attention to Him. There is no one like Him. I can see the challenge it must have been to someone like Peter. After all, he had been raised on the words of Moses, the lawgiver. The Father makes clear that His Son brings new words, new law with His complete approval. The one who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger in a barn because there was no room in the inn is being magnified and identified by the Creator of the universe. Peter, you do not need to sleep through these kinds of moments. Hear Him today.

All the best and I hope this gives you "Help for Today”.

~ Clark Sims

Help for Today: A More Important Pursuit        

Text: 1 Kings 18

While in the south lives seem to beat and flow with the signing of a scholarship by an 18 year old football player, today we will be speaking of a much more important pursuit. The “ultimate recruiting” started somewhere around Genesis 3 and it continues even now. A “recruitment” for the soul of man takes place from the point of accountability until a person breathes their last breath. The Father does not want “any to perish” and the Son speaks of mansions being built. The enemy promotes an “enjoyment of the pleasures of sin.” And the battle rages…The Son established basic ground rules when He said you, “cannot serve God and mammon (worldliness, materialism).” There is no room in the middle. There is no fence to straddle. You’ve got to choose. Elijah speaks to the Israelites in 1 Kings 18, who were trying to have a relationship with God and Baal at the same time. He told them to “make up their mind.” If you are going to serve God, serve Him. If you choose the other side…well, you are doing no good on the fence. Make up your mind. Both sides really want you. Frankly, they want you for different reasons. I hope today you are ready to live with the choice you have made. And if you’ve made the wrong choice up till now, aren’t you thankful it is not too late. (By the way, there will come a day when it will be too late!) God bless you today!

All the best and I hope this gives you "Help for Today”.

~ Clark Sims

Help for Today: The Pursuit

Text: 1 Kings 18

Today is a fascinating day in the world of college football. This is the day that young men will be able to put their names on a scholarship to “seal the deal” for their choice of a college to attend and play football. I can only imagine the world wind these young men, and their families, have been through. Coaches, fans, students have tried to “encourage” these young men toward their schools. The schools might use different methods but the inquiry is the same. We want you! There is no school for you like this school. Decisions, Decisions! But, sometime today, these young men will put their name on that scholarship and everything will change. In the amount of time it takes to write their name everything will change. They have “accepted” the offer and now they “live” to the standard of the one who offers. That friendly face so encouraging of you to “come to their school” now influences food, sleep and manor of life. It is the life you have chosen. Consider this “pursuit” today, look at 1 Kings 18 and read with me tomorrow of a very real “spiritual application” to this fascinating “pursuit.” God bless you today.

All the best and I hope this gives you "Help for Today”.

~ Clark Sims

Help for Today: How Do We Get There From Here: We certainly do not “deserve” it!

Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tax collector. Publican. Sinner. You pick the term, but they are all descriptive of a man standing in the shadows as a Pharisee gave a quite glowing report of himself to God. You can read the list yourself of all the good that was being done by this Pharisee. If you had a question about the good he was doing, you could just ask him. He seemed very ready to talk about it. In fact, one of his statements was a word of thanks that he was not like this tax collector…publican…sinner. The Pharisee seemed to think a great deal about himself. The tax collector was a different story. He would not lift up his face. He beat his chest. He prayed to God. Be merciful to me, a sinner. By the way, I especially appreciate the New American Standard translation of this text. Be merciful to me, “THE” sinner. This man got it. He understood. He knew the story of his life. He knew what he had done. He pointed fingers at no other man. His view was internal. God…I need mercy. Hold high today a man whose heart was humbled in the presence of the Lord. Ours should be, too. Today.

All the best and I hope this gives you "Help for Today”.

Clark Sims

Help for Today: How Do We Get There from Here?

Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day…” Those were awesome words coming from a man who, at one time, was “wreaking havoc” on the church. He even identified himself as the, “chief of sinners.” How did he face his earthly end with such confidence? How did he KNOW where he was going? Be careful finding the answers to those questions. The Apostle Paul, who spoke those powerful words in 2 Timothy 4, is a mirror of us, hopefully. Like that Apostle Paul, we all have yesterdays that were not what we wish they had been. Like that Apostle Paul, our hope and assurance is through the blood of Christ and life in His Body, the church. May God bless us in the journey.

All the best and I hope this gives you "Help for Today”

~ Clark Sims