We’ve all heard it said, “I’m doing alright under the circumstances.”  But why should you live under the circumstances, especially if you are a Christian?  Living above the circumstances is possible; it’s all about attitude and perspective.

  James Calvert (1813-1892), missionary to the cannibals on the Fiji Islands, was approached by the captain of his ship.  The captain said, “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages.”   Calvert answered, “We died before we came.” (attitude)

  A young shoe salesmen in Africa wrote to inform his family, “Coming home, nobody wears shoes here.”  At the same time, another, in the next village, wrote, “This is great, everybody needs shoes here.”  (perspective)

  In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul reveals his attitude and perspective of others.  He wrote, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. (Romans 1:14).”  Paul viewed himself as a debtor to everyone because he had the gospel and they did not.  He had a moral obligation to share it with all.

  Secondly, the great apostle’s attitude and perspective of himself is stated in the next verse, “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. (v.15)  The Greek word translated ready means, willing.  Paul was willing to be used of the Lord for the work of the ministry.

  Finally, we see that Paul had the right attitude and perspective of the Gospel.  He said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (v.16).”

  Would you like to live above the circumstances of life?  It is as simple as adjusting your attitude and perspective.  For starters, you will need to consider how you feel about others, yourself, and the gospel.

  This is a mid-term election year and as we have heard, this country is in dire straits because of what “they” have done.  “They,” of course, is the other party, the one to which you do not belong.  Their officers and candidates are certainly to blame for the state of the union –– at least this is the opinion of those who sit behind microphones or journalist’s keyboards.

  Interestingly, God has also defined the problems here in America, and how they can be solved.  You’ll notice that He didn’t read the newspaper or listen to the talk show hosts, because His opinion of things stands in stark contrast to theirs.

  The problem with America is a problem with her people.  The prophet Isaiah wrote, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6).”   The apostle Paul enumerates: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like… (Galatians 5:19-21a).”  America is in a mess because her people are in a mess, …a sinful mess.

  It’s a fact, no one will be able to govern a godless people.  So the answer is not in the political dogma of any party, but in the person of Jesus Christ, who alone can save us from our sinful selves.  “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).”  “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).” 

  No, America will not be delivered in an election, but one precious soul at a time.  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).”

  Some time ago I heard of a lady picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store. When she could not find one large enough for her family’s meal, she asked a stock boy, “Do these turkeys get any bigger?” The stock boy replied, “No ma’am, they’re dead.”

  This young clerk was obviously not on the same wave length as the shopper. Whose fault was this silly misunderstanding? An analytical glance reveals that the lady’s question was poorly worded, and that the young man’s answer was a proper response to what she had asked. This story is obviously intended only to make us smile, but there is a profoundly simple truth communicated in this young man’s answer that is worthy of our attention. Dead things don’t grow.

  Obviously, one must be alive to know God, and must grow up to enjoy His fellowship and experience His blessing. But the Bible tells us that we were all spiritually still born (born dead in our sins) as children of our sinful father, Adam (Romans 5:12; 1Corinthians 15:22). Because of sin, we are as dead men in our relationship with God.

  But there’s hope! The Bible also records Jesus as saying, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25).” And later, Jesus said, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10b).”

  Through faith in Jesus Christ, you can be “born again” spiritually and begin to grow up as a child of God. The Life, Fellowship and Blessings of God are available to those who trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sin. I would be thrilled to introduce you properly to the wonderful Savior. Would you give me that opportunity by calling Corinth Baptist Church to set up a time to hear about God’s love for you? Don’t put it off, because –– Dead things don’t grow!

  Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Muslims, Methodists, Hindus, Mormons… Everybody claims to have a monopoly on TRUTH, so how does one know that he has actually discovered THE truth?  

  First, a couple of ways that obviously don’t work:  You cannot simply ask a friend or scholar, because every one has an opinion, and truth, by definition, is exclusive – all cannot be right. One man’s opinion is just not sufficient.

  Church is not the answer either; it is becoming hard to find two churches that believe alike, and many have changed their beliefs over the years because they are made up of fickle men.  The proverbial band wagon could be going the wrong direction.

  We could ask our public officials (politicians) …O never mind.

  Let’s face it, what we need is “built in” proof – truth that is self evident.  Fortunately, there is such a source of pure, unadulterated, undeniable truth.  The Bible is the revelation of truth, inspired by God.

  The proof?  For starters, how about fulfilled prophecy?  There are hundreds of predictions that are recorded in the Bible, sometimes a few thousand years before the event actually took place.  History acknowledges that they were fulfilled just as the Bible predicted.  Only God could know the future!

  And then there is the preservation of the Word – a modern day miracle.  The Bible has been both the most loved and most hated book of all times.  Powerful men have spent themselves to destroy it, but the Bible stands and they are dead.  Only God could preserve His Word against such hatred.

  Perhaps one of the greatest evidences that the Bible is undeniable truth, is how it changes lives.  But the only way you will ever know for sure is to experience its life changing power for yourself.  You might begin reading in the Gospel of John.  Jesus said, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32).

  In Acts 26, Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and was being held by Festus, the procurator of Judea, in Caesarea of Israel.  He was awaiting transport across the sea to Rome, because he had appealed to Caesar when the Jewish leaders sought his life.  In the meanwhile, Festus entertained a guest who was much acquainted with the ways of the Jews and he was anxious to have him meet Paul and hear his story.

  Paul gave a testimony concerning his experience on the road to Damascus, where the risen Christ had appeared to him, and where Paul came to know Him as Savior and Lord.  His story was so convincing that when Festus’ guest, King Agrippa, heard it, he said, “Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28).”  There is diversity of opinion as to what Agrippa meant by these words, whether he was answering Paul in jest to side step the conviction in his heart, or whether he was admitting to being near a decision for Christ himself.  Either way, Paul responded with, “I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. (Acts 26:29).”

  I meet people quite often who have heard the story of God’s love: how He gave Christ to die and purchase their redemption, how He rose from the grave to be the Captain of their souls today and forever.  Many of these individuals have been so close to placing their trust in Christ for forgiveness, but at the last moment have pulled back, desiring to live in their sins rather than be saved from them.

  Imagine for a moment that individual standing before our holy God trying to explain what happened.  Imagine for a moment that scene where the eternal Judge says to them, “I tell you, I know you not… depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:27).”  Imagine being without God or His influence forever.