Tag Archives: Traveler and the Chaplain

Genesis 2:19-23 — But for Adam no suitable helper was found. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man.

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Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Genesis 2:21-22

Notice that Adam didn’t settle for less than what God had in mind for him. As the animals were brought before him to name, Adam obediently named each creature but, because for Adam no suitable helper was found (Genesis 2:20) Adam didn’t take any of God’s creatures to be his help meet. Today it seems men and women try to find their future mate in the energy of their flesh — visiting bars, clubs, or subscribing to an online dating service. The results are usually dismal. Many of these who marry find themselves heartbroken later. If your single, make your requests known unto the Lord, during this single season of your life, with thanksgiving. (Phillipians 4:6-7) Don’t settle. As Matthew Henry said, “If we graciously rest in God, God will graciously work for us and work all for good.”

Men should take notice that while the man was created from the dust of the earth, the woman was created from the rib of the man. (Genesis 2:21-22) The woman is double refined and the very last of God’s creations on earth. Could it be that God saved the very best for last? While Adam is the first creature to be created in God’s image and the leader or the head, one could say that the woman is the crown that is to be worn upon the head.

Women should take notice that the man, while assigned to be the head, will never be everything you want him to be. As my pastor says, “A rib was taken from Adam and men have been missing something ever since!” The only man that will never let you down is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Give your man a break, don’t put an expectation on him to fulfill your every need because he can’t. Put your hope in Jesus. The first Adam was commanded by God to name the animals, the last Adam was named “Jesus” when Joseph was commanded by God to do so in Matthew 1:21. The Hebrew form of the name Jesus is Yeshua which is a contraction of the Hebrew name Yahwehshua which means “Yahweh is salvation.” Your husband can’t completely satisfy or save you but Jesus can. Put your hope in Him.

Jesus said

“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)




References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Matthew Henry

Jon Courson

Chuck Smith, Living Water, p. 38, Word for Today, 2007

Genesis 2:18 — It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.

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The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:18

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) Here we are in only the second chapter of the Bible and already God is declaring that it is not good to be isolated. God in His wisdom of course knows that isolation is associated with all kinds of problems. In fact, according to the Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, isolation as a predictor of mortality is comparable with cigarette smoking — your risk of dying increases by 2 – 3 times if you’re isolated vs. if you’re socially connected. Besides mortality — depression, illness, and a host of other problems accompany isolation.

Your spiritual life is also very connected to the dynamic of isolation vs. social connection. Just watch the lives of those who attempt to walk their Christian walk apart from attending church vs. those who do attend. Pick someone you know who says that their way of connecting with God is through the enjoyment of nature, or by hanging out with Christian friends, or by self study. Of course there’s nothing wrong with any of those things, but, at the same time pick another who you know attends church, say, 2 or more times a week. You’ll find the difference in the depth of relationship with God between these two to be striking. By and large, you’ll find the church goer to be happier as well. According to author and speaker Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, those who attend church regularly are 40% more likely to be happy than those who don’t. (See previous posts: Congregate and Rest)

“I will make a helper suitable for him.” God’s desire for Adam was to make a helper for him because Adam alone can’t live the blessed life that God has in mind for him without Eve. Furthermore man can’t execute his part of God’s plan for mankind here on earth without women. God gave Adam His plan and agenda, but both Adam and his wife Eve are to work together, as a team, to live out God’s plan and to advance God’s agenda. Adam, the husband, has been put in a position of leadership and Eve, the wife, has been put in a position of service. Not that Adam wouldn’t serve Eve because any great leader will serve those he leads. (Traveler and the Chaplain, p. 56), But Eve has been formally appointed, by God, to be Adam’s helper. In the world’s view this certainly has a negative connotation, but in Gods view, in Christ’s view, the helper is esteemed highly for Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Mark 9:33-35



References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

David Guzik

J. Vernon McGee

Jon Courson

Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine

Kurt Bennett, Traveler and the Chaplain, p. 56, Enoch Publishing 2009

Genesis 2:16-17 — You will surely die

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And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

Genesis 2:16-17

It’s been said that with great privilege comes great responsibility. Adam was given the privilege of living in God’s garden, having dominion over all of nature, and living in fellowship with God. He also was given the responsibility to work and care for God’s garden, as well as the responsibility to obey God’s instructions to eat from any tree but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. With great privilege comes great responsibility, for Jesus said in Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

And what a blessed life we’ll have if we found it on the acceptance of God’s right to rule over us, and if we choose to accept our obligation to obey Him. So much sin, frustration, and even rebellion stems from a refusal to live life according to God’s desires for us.

Now notice what God said regarding the tree of knowledge of good and evil, “for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) Every single one of us will die. Not one of us will live here on earth forever. Let me speak plainly. You are going to die, and, because you know this with complete certainty, the only thing that makes sense is for you to accept Christ. Blaise Pascal, the great French mathematician, examined this question thoroughly. Reason together with Pascal and I as we examine what’s known as Pascal’s Wager.

Imagine with me for a moment that the Bible is false: If the Bible is false and you accept Christ, you’ve lost nothing. The outcome is precisely the same as if you didn’t accept Christ. If the Bible is false, whether you accept Jesus or not, you experience the same eternal outcome — when you die, you cease to exist.

However, if the Bible is true and you don’t accept Christ, after you die you’re spending eternity in hell — you’ve lost everything. If the Bible is true and you do accept Christ, you’ve gained eternity in heaven with Jesus. You’ve gained everything.

Even many of Pascal’s critics have explicitly conceded that Pascal’s wager is valid. (Mackie 1982, Rescher 1985, Mougin and Sober 1994, Hacking 1972) It’s not that life is so short, but that eternity’s so long.

What a great gift God has given you. He gave His only Son, to die for you so you can spend eternity in heaven with Him. He’s said that yes, you can choose to go to hell but you’ll have to do so over My dead body, over the body of Jesus Christ.

Listen to Pascal. Bet on Jesus. Ask Him into your life right now. Join Christ’s family .



References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

J. Vernon McGee

Matthew Henry

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Jon Courson

Genesis 2:10-15 — God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work

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A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Genesis 2:10-15

The second two rivers mentioned, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, we know of today. We know their location, in fact, you can go to Bing Maps right now and find the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, just to the North of Basrah, in Iraq, which I’ve marked on the map with an orange push pin. Interestingly, the headwaters of these two rivers are not very far apart — both are found in East Central Turkey. Although we don’t know the location of the other two rivers, perhaps, the location of the Tigris and Euphrates headwaters gives us a clue as to the location, or former location of the Garden of Eden.

In Genesis 2:15 we read, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” I was reading an article recently on stress that listed the top 10 stressors in life. Guess what? Retirement made the top 10! Here in Genesis 2:15 we see that God has created this perfect environment for Adam and notice that, included in the perfect environment, is work! God has designed us to work. Over the years as I’ve watched friends deal with unemployment and retirement I’ve seen all kinds of problems as a result of leading a life without it, without work. According to the American Journal of Public Health men who are unemployed experience more somitization (similar to hypochondriasis), anxiety, and depression than those who are employed. The unemployed also take more medications, visit their doctors more, and spend more time in bed sick even when the unemployed and employed receive the same number of diagnoses.

In Mark chapter 1 Jesus saw some of the disciples working, they were fishing to be exact. As he passed by them He called to them and said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17) Perhaps God has blessed you in such a way that you’re in a position where you don’t have to work. That’s great! God is good. He’s given you time that most others don’t have. I want to encourage you to use it for His glory. I know of a number of people in this position — several use their time volunteering at a dump in Mexico, they minister to the impoverished people there, several others I know have dedicated themselves to helping in their church. Use your time to influence people for God’s kingdom. Use your time to fish for men!

If you are perhaps younger, and you have to work to provide for your family, as I do, then give thanks to God for your job if you’re employed. And if you’re not employed, I want to encourage you to work as God desires you to. A number of years ago a friend of mine worked a job in a cabinet shop for less money than what he would have made had he collected unemployment. Some said that he was a fool to take less money, just so he could continue to work, but during this time, I could see the Lord doing a work in this man. His attitude and his work ethic were growing. Conversely, I’ve watched friends take their unemployment and enter into a downward spiral of inactivity. Their initiative eroded away. If you can’t find work for pay, then work for free. Help in the children’s ministry, find a widow or someone fatherless who’s in need and help them — these are things that are pure and faultless in God’s sight. (James 1:27)

As with everything God directs us to do, we’ll be at our best, at our healthiest, and at our happiest when we’re in the flow of God’s will.

God wants you to work.



References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

American Journal of Public Health

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

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Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

When I was in high school, in Wauconda, Illinois, there was a boy named Carl Shook in my class who had some type of debilitating disease that left him crippled. It also effected his ability to speak. Being the mush for brains high schoolers that we were, we loved to tease Carl about his body, his speech, and anything else we could think of. Carl was an easy target. In October, a month before elections would be held for Student Council government, I got the brilliant idea that it would be hilarious if I talked Carl into running for Class President. What a great joke on Carl, and on the Student Council system, if a cripple who had trouble speaking, were to run. Of course he could never win, but at least he’d campaign and the thought of Carl campaigning struck me as funny.

Carl, who’s mind was not effected by his disease, and who was actually very intelligent, loved the idea of running for office. So I became his campaign manager and we filled out the proper paper work to get him on the ballot.

As I spent time with Carl I got to know him better and better. And as I got to know him, as I recruited others to help in his campaign, as I designed and created Carl’s campaign posters, something interesting began to happen. Carl’s desire, not just to run, but to win and serve as Class President, became my desire also.

God’s hand was on that election, because, amazingly, Carl won! And after he was in office he took the job seriously. Carl Shook turned out to be one of the best Class Presidents Wauconda High School ever had.

When you spend time in close fellowship with God, when you delight yourself in Him, you begin a cycle of prayer that results in Him giving you the desires of your heart.

Why? Because as you spend time with someone you become more like them, you begin to share the same feelings, the same thoughts, the same desires.

As you spend time in fellowship with God, the desires of your heart become the same as the desires of God’s heart!

You get to the point where there’s nothing you want more than the same things that God wants for you.

Do you want your prayers answered? Spend time with Jesus.

  • Go to church
  • Read God’s word
  • Pray
  • Hang out with Christians
  • Worship Him, sing praise songs and hymns to Him
  • Take communion
  • Meditate on His word
  • Serve Him
  • Invest your life in Him

Hang with Jesus and watch what happens — “He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) For where you invest yourself is where your heart will be found. Jesus tells us:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21

Invest yourself in Him.



References

Bible Gateway

Chuck Smith, Living Water, p.84-85, Word for Today, 2007

Those Who Never Saw the Light of Day

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This man, who’s mother decided not to abort against the advice of her doctors, is Andrea Bocelli, an Italian tenor who has sold more than 70,000,000 copies of his albums. He is the greatest selling classical music artist of all time. He was voted one of People magazine’s 50 most beautiful people and has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

How many great men and women has God sent into the world, who never saw the light of day, because a different decision was made? Men and women, who would have been even greater than Bocelli perhaps. Men and women who would have discovered the cure for cancer perhaps. Men and women who God sent to this world to bless us.

Choose life.

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:16

To see one of Bocelli’s most popular performances, view the video below.

References:

Wiki on Bocelli

BibleGateway.com

Congregate!

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The latest results of a study from the University of Michigan revealed that college students have a 40% lower capacity to empathize with the feelings of others, as compared to college students 20 and 30 years ago. 14,000 college students participated in the study from 1979 to 2009. (Read more at US News & World Report)

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;he breaks out against all sound judgment.

Proverbs 18:1 (ESV)

Isolation destroys us. Isolation is associated with depression, suicide, poor mental health, and addiction. Isolation from the body of Christ destroys us spiritually. Could it be that the corresponding decline in church attendance in the U.S. is the cause of the reduced capacity to empathize with others?

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us. (John 3:16) When that reality becomes a part of me, a part of you, a part of us, we rejoice at the opportunity to go to church. To fellowship with God over at His house becomes something we love to do. And spending time with Him, we become more like Him.

And He empathizes. He loves people.

He loves you.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:25

Go to church.

Goldman Sachs Ripoff — Reformation vs. Regeneration

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Goldman Sachs Protest

Perhaps you’ve been wondering what all the buzz is about concerning Goldman Sachs. I recently heard it explained this way: Goldman Sachs put together investment packages, sold them to customers as a wise and promising way to spend their money, and then, Goldman Sachs invested in a way that “bet against” the success of those very same investment packages — because they knew they would fail. (read more in the Washington Post article)

It’s human nature to think that reformation can change a person, an organization, a country, or the world. We think, if only we could reform the government, or get our man or woman into office. If only we could reform the financial system with more regulation, or by appointing the right Fed Chairman. If only we could reform ourselves, turn over a new leaf, make resolutions and stick to them. In reality, reformation never changes much, regeneration is the answer. Not that Wall Street can ever  be perfect this side of heaven, but, without Christ in the hearts of the men running Wall Street, there’s no hope for Wall Street. Regeneration through the acceptance of Christ into your life is the answer. (see John 3:1-7) Without Christ in your life reformation will bring only temporary or superficial change. Without Christ in your life you’re likely to return to a state worse than you were before reformation. (see Luke 11:24-26) Without Christ in your life there is no hope because without Jesus you can do nothing. (see John 15:5)

…he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit

Titus 3:5

Pray for regeneration. Pray for the Holy Spirit, daily. Pray for Christ to fill up your life with Himself.

For more information see John Courson’s teaching from Sunday, April 25, 2010 at JonCourson.com .

Baby Survives Abortion

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Baby born at 21 1/2 weeks

A baby boy survived an abortion.

Twenty hours after he was aborted a priest who was praying over the child noticed that he was still alive. The priest notified medical authorities who rushed the baby to a neonatal unit.

Life saving measures were not successful. The baby, who was born on Saturday, died on Monday.

The incident occurred in Rossano, Italy. The abortion occurred at 22 weeks.

Look at the photograph of a different baby born after 21 1/2 weeks, a 1/2 week younger than the baby who survived the abortion, and tell me that this is not insanity. Like the ostrich with its head in the sand, the pro abortion mind goes through the necessary mental gymnastics, and rationalizes that if the baby is not visible the baby is not a baby, but rather a fetus, and the killing is not killing, but rather it’s aborting.

God have mercy on us.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”

Proverbs 31:8

References:

Baby Boy Survives Abortion

Tornado Kills 10 in Mississippi — Acts of God

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A monster tornado that was nearly a mile wide ripped through Mississippi killing 10 and injuring more than a dozen more. Homes, businesses, trees, and churches were devastated by the storm that struck to the Northwest of the city of Jackson. (Read more about it in an AP article)

It’s interesting to me that these types of incidents are often called “acts of God.” Not that God couldn’t use a tornado for His purposes if He chose to but…

When the disciples and Jesus were making their way across the sea and a storm broke, they awoke Jesus because they were frightened. The Bible says that Jesus,  “…arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39) Why would Jesus, the Son of God, rebuke anything that was an act of God? It doesn’t make sense. (see Matthew 12:25) The word Jesus used to rebuke the storm, “be still,” is translated in the Greek to literally mean “be muzzled.” It is the same word that Jesus used to rebuke demons. The storm was initiated, not by God, but by Satan. When storms come our way it’s important to keep in mind that Satan is the prince of this world. (John 12:31)

During storms, it’s also essential to remember the words of Jesus,

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

For more information visit JonCourson.com and ApplegateFellowship.org