Everything’s wrong,
Days are too long,
Sunshine’s too hot,
Wind is too strong.
Clouds are too fluffy,
Grass is too green,
Ground is too dusty,
Sheets are too clean.
Stars are too twinkly,
Moon is too high,
Water’s too drippy,
Sand is too dry.
Rocks are too heavy,
Feathers too light,
Kids are too noisy,
Shoes are too tight.
Folks are too happy
Singin’ their songs.
Why can’t they see it?
Everything’s wrong!

– Mr. Grumpledump’s Song by Shel Silverstein

Have you ever had one of those days when “everything’s wrong”? (Honestly, who hasn’t?) I’m sure we all can relate to this poem. There are some days when it seems we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and meet the day with a gloomy attitude like Mr. Grumpledump. On these days, no matter what good is in front of us, we wouldn’t see it if it hit us right upside the head! There’s a name for this condition: THANKLESSNESS. We can sugar-coat it all we want by blaming our attitude on outside factors, but it’s time we face the music: a thankless attitude is our own choice!

Here we are heading towards another Thanksgiving – one day out of 365 we Americans have set apart in which to be extra thankful…stuff our faces like there’s no tomorrow. Sadly, I can’t help thinking that on this day (as well as others) we’re not so thankful as we are…full. Most of us have everything we need and more, yet are not all that thankful for what we have. Instead, we whine and complain about the things that we don’t have, or how the things we do have aren’t just how we want them. This is not befitting for a child of God!

God’s word calls us not only to be genuinely thankful on Thanksgiving Day, but to be a thankful people every single day of the year. Maybe to some who are reading this, becoming thankful seems as unattainable as climbing Mount Everest. Perhaps you grew up in a home where complaining and dissatisfaction reigned, and rarely a word of thanksgiving was uttered. Maybe you’ve been a pessimist for years! If this is true for you, don’t fret. Thankfulness – like any true christian virtue – is a choice rather than a feeling. Every one of us can purpose today to be more aware of our blessings…and thanking the mighty God who has given us so much more than we deserve.

Today we are going to consider the five S’s that every Christian has to be thankful for. Even if it seems like everything’s wrong… even if it seems like your life is in absolute shambles…there are five blessings that no one can ever take away from you. Let’s take a few moments to recognize and honor them…

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1. Our Salvation

Woah, woah, woah. Hold the phone. If I stopped here on point one I would have already mentioned far more than we deserve! You’re probably thinking “okay, Captain Obvious…everybody knows that we’re supposed to be thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice…” Yet this gift of salvation is sadly taken for granted by all of us at times. The sad thing is that we often don’t even think we do take it for granted.

Are we thankful for our salvation? I don’t mean the thankful facade that says apathetically: “I acknowledge that this is a nice thing that I have”. No, I mean actually thankful. Here is the test: Is it evident in our lives that this is the best gift we could have ever received? Do we show God every day just how thankful we are for having been sanctified? If not, today is the day to start!

How can we show thankfulness for our salvation?

– We can show thankfulness for our salvation by talking about it to our children. We must express to them how much better life in Christ is than life out in the wilderness. Then, we must model it with a cheerful disposition! No frumpy, dumpy, grouchy mom is going to convince her kids that becoming a christian is desirable. Thanklessness and thankfulness are both catching…let’s ask ourselves which we want our sons and daughters to grow into, and be that ourselves! Raising our children for Christ is a great way to show salvation appreciation.

– We can show thankfulness for our salvation by being content with less in this life. For every bad thing that happens to us, we can choose to let it destroy us – OR – we can let it serve as a humble reminder of the dead, cursed state of a world without God. Trouble serves to point us back to the cross and realize our great need for it, IF we let it have this effect. Had we not known pain in this world, how could we truly long for the joy of Heaven? Our attitudes towards our struggles can paint a great testimony to others of victory in Jesus.

– We can show thankfulness for our salvation by living it…daily! Thanking God with a cheerful disposition is good; avoiding complaining in the midst of affliction is also good. Yet neither one mean a whole lot if we are living the life of a sinner. The best way to say thank you to God for our salvation is by completely submitting ourself to His ways…the ways that are laid out in His holy book. Imagine a child saying to his parents “thanks for the food, Dad and Mom” as he proceeds to pick at it disgustedly and then dump it in the trash. It wouldn’t seem like he was all that thankful for it, would it? God isn’t fooled by our shoddy “gratitude”, either. Thankfulness isn’t merely a feeling, but a behavior to be expressed. “Thank You” isn’t just a nice thing to say, but something to show that we really mean!

Genuine thankfulness is an act of the heart’s affections, not an act of the lips’ muscles. – John Piper

Girls, 2 Corinthians 9:15 calls salvation an “unspeakable gift”. Do we believe this to be true? We must know this not only in our heads, but also in our hearts. Salvation is out of the park AMAZING – better than any other blessing we have. If we aren’t soberly thanking God for it every single day, how can we really be thankful for anything else?

Let it never be said of us that:

…when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. – Romans 1:21

Let us thank God daily for our Salvation.

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2. Our Security

Security is to salvation as icing is to a cake. It just makes the christian life that much sweeter. We do not have a God who leaves us to our own demise as He looks carelessly on. We have a God who directs us and protects us!

Are we thankful for our security? We are so blessed to know that no matter what danger comes our way, we have security in Christ. Once we have been saved, nothing but our own choice will ever separate us from Heaven. We may in this life endure ridicule, cruelty, or even death…but we will never be ripped from our Lord.

How can we show thankfulness for our security?

– We can show thankfulness for our security by thinking courageously. There are many alarming things in life that can weigh on our minds, and give cause for fear. A fear of change…a fear of rejection…a fear of illness or death…a fear of failure…these are all very real concerns that can plague us all. Yet a thankful heart will not choose to dwell on fears such as these. When we worry, we’re sending the message that our hope in the next life is not enough to carry us through this one! When we have times of extreme worry and doubt, these are the times when we need to devote ourselves more earnestly to prayer. God will give us the peace of mind we need if we will simply let go of what’s weighing us down!

– We can show thankfulness for our security by speaking courageously. Many christians in this generation have lost their courage! We have turned into a wimpy people afraid of speaking out for fear of offending anyone. While it is true that we should not seek to be offensive, we also must be bold in sharing God’s truth. We can’t be paralyzed by fear of making someone dislike us! If we want others to join us in Heaven, we’re going to have to talk about God and speak out against sin. We might lose a few friends along the way, but it is a small price to pay when there are others who may be converted because of our courageous speech!

– We can show thankfulness for our security by living courageously. A person who is thankful for their security will not only be unafraid to think and speak courageously, but will also live in a courageous way. This means we will always do the right thing even if it makes us look and feel out of place. Let us not be afraid of the repercussions of Christ-like behavior. After all, this world is not our home!

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. – John 10:27-29

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. – Hebrews 13:5

Let us thank God daily for our Security.

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3. Our Sorority

Not only has our great God so graciously given us salvation and security, but He has also given us a sorority to belong to – His church!

Are we truly thankful for the church? It’s no small gift that God has given us a place of respite from our worldly cares – a place where the common bond of Christ unites!

How can we show thankfulness for our sorority?

– We can show thankfulness for our sorority by never forsaking the assembly! How can we say we love Christ’s church if we don’t faithfully link ourselves with it? It is as absurd as saying “I love my husband. I’m thankful for him, but I don’t share his bed, make love to him, cook his meals, or do activities with him. I prefer to keep to myself.” Ummm….no, that’s not how it works. You must choose to be either in the fold or out! (Hint: choose to be in)

– We can show thankfulness for our sorority by uplifting it with our words! We must never gossip about our brothers and sisters in Christ, or put them down in any way to others. Rather, if we must rebuke someone, we should do it privately and in a spirit of love. When we are speaking of the church to the outside world? Let’s always put it in its best light for all to see! This is Christ’s bride we’re talking about. Jesus will not stand for us tearing her down!

– We can show thankfulness for our sorority by doing good to the brotherhood. We must do good to all men, but especially to those that are of the household of faith. We ought to be quick to say an encouraging word. Go out of our way to ease a fellow Christian’s workload. Invite them to spend time with us at our homes. I’m sure we can think of something to brighten a day!

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; knowing brethren beloved, your election of God. – 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth. – 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Let us thank God daily for our Sorority.

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4. Our Sanity

As christians, we have been blessed with sanity…a soundness of mind that is not present within the world. Our eyes have been opened to the truth!

Are we thankful for our sanity? Without it, we would be fumbling around in the dark. It is because of sanity that we made the conscious choice to become a follower of Christ. It is because of sanity that we continue to grow into a deeper relationship with the Father.

How can we show thankfulness for our sanity?

– We can show thankfulness for our sanity by studying God’s word daily. We must not let our bibles gather dust! A sane person must continually exercise their spiritual mind to keep it in sharp working order. Now we ought to be actively studying it, not solely reading it. Pleasure reading is not exactly what helps us to grow. Rather, we should desire to grow more and more in wisdom as we pore over scripture, striving to know truth to the fullest!

– We can show thankfulness for our sanity by helping others to see the light. If we truly value our sanity, will we not want others to experience this same enlightenment? Whether you are speaking to a seasoned christian or someone outside the faith, there is always a truth that can revealed that will help that individual to understand God on a more intimate level. If you have something important to teach, then teach it!

– We can show thankfulness for our sanity by avoiding the “wisdom” of the world. There will always be some high society bloke who will run at the mouth against God and make it sound logical. However, what a shame to listen to such folly! It doesn’t matter what anyone says…for the world’s wisdom is foolishness to God. Get away from those who would seek to destroy your sanity. If we listen to people who are anti-God then we just may find ourselves becoming a little more like them as time goes on. We must surround ourselves with godly influence lest we be deceived by the enemy!

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. – Romans 8:6

Let us thank God daily for our Sanity.

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5. Our Skills

Last but certainly not least, every christian has skills – spiritual gifts that they have been given by God!

Are we thankful for our skills? The skills that we have enable us to work for the Lord in our own unique capacity. They give us a way to bring glory to our Lord while doing something we enjoy – something we were literally made for!

How can we show thankfulness for our skills?

– We can show thankfulness for our skills by recognizing them. So many people have yet to discover their Heaven-sent abilities. This is sad! If we don’t recognize our skills, then we can’t possibly understand or use them! Find out what you are good at. Is there anything you have a particular passion for that you can hone in on and use to further God’s kingdom?

– We can show thankfulness for our skills by understanding them. Once we have revealed what our unique spiritual gifts are, we must begin doing our homework on them! It’s a good idea to ask ourselves what the particular strengths and weaknesses are with our skills…when to use our skills and when to hold back…and how Satan might attempt to twist a skill we have to serve his purposes.

– We can show thankfulness for our skills by using them. A skill that sits on a dusty shelf doesn’t have much value; but a skill that is practiced towards perfection? A priceless asset! Don’t think that just because you are one person that it won’t matter what you do with your gifts. The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Our Captain needs all hands on deck!

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 15:58

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. – Hebrews 6:10

Let us thank God daily for our Skills.

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I hope that whenever you are having a Mr. Grumpledump sort of day, you will stop and remember the five S’s of thankfulness. We all need to remember that no matter what outside forces are working against us, we will always have (at the very least) these things to be thankful for. Not even death can separate us from our God-given salvation, security, sorority, sanity, or skills! Let us hide this in our hearts, and be glad. He is good!

I think that is a better thing than thanksgiving: thanks-living. How is this to be done? By a general cheerfulness of manner, by an obedience to the command of Him by whose mercy we live, by a perpetual, constant delighting of ourselves in the Lord, and by a submission of our desires to His will. – Charles Spurgeon

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of thanksgiving. – W.T. Purkiser

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

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Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Yes, I invented “trick or treat”
So you could fill your mouth with sweets –
Candy bars and lemon drops,
Marshmallows and Tootsie Pops,
Butterscotch and bubble gum.
Hold out your hand – they’ll give you some
Chocolate kisses, Jujubes,
Sourballs and jelly beans.
Have a cake – some cookies too.
Take a couple – grab a few
Peppermint sticks and Mary Janes,
Licorice whips and candy canes.
Slurp some soda, munch a pie,
Don’t let those M&M’s go by,
Chew that toffee, munch those treats,
Get that caramel in your teeth.
Then come see me, I’ll be here –
I’m your friendly dentist, dear.

– The One Who Invented Trick or Treat by Shel Silverstien

Swindled. Hoodwinked. Bamboozled. Deceived.

I can’t help but wonder if the duped child in the poem would feel that his Halloween indulgence was worth it? As he leans back in the dental seat getting his rotten teeth pulled out, I wonder if maybe, just maybe…he might wish he wouldn’t have listened to that trickster! While a humorous poem, it also has a sobering truth attached to it – sometimes what seems like a treat is really a nasty trick!

The deceptive dentist in this story reminds me of the original deceiver – Satan himself. He sees our desire for a treat and he sneakily puts a well-disguised trick in front of us instead.

On October 31, children all over will be walking door to door asking this age old question: “trick or treat?!” Now it certainly doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know what each child yearns for – a treat. In fact, they might as well shorten the phrase TO “treat” as it would save the children valuable time and get them on their merry little way to the next person’s door! Granted, most of the people who answer their door to trick-or-treaters are civilized and want nothing more than to make some little one smile. Yet there is always a risk of those who would ruin innocent fun with ill-intent…

Every parent approaches trick or treating with caution, especially in an unfamiliar neighborhood. There are too many crazies out there to just trust anyone to have upright motives towards our children. Any person that opens their door could be a potential predator, and we must exercise great care to keep our kids from danger! If it isn’t enough to think that someone could possibly harm the child on their doorstep by brute force, another concern that we might have is the tainting of the candy itself!

There is an unsettling irony here. While an innocent child might ask a stranger, “trick or treat?”, the stranger might in fact give them a trick under the guise of a treat…a devilish scheme akin to that of the original trickster himself.

Just like children do on Halloween night, we adults go through life with an extended spiritual basket, asking, “trick or treat?”. Just like a child, I daresay that most of would rather be treated than tricked. Children must practice safety precautions in the physical sense on Halloween, but all of us need to be on the lookout for spiritual dangers every day. We have an enemy who is both ruthless and cunning, and we need to know what dangers to watch out for!

So, friends…

– What do you seek out of your “spiritual basket”?

– Are you looking for a trick, or a treat?

– Is it possible that you have been given a trick FOR a treat?

– How can you be sure?

There are three red flags to look for. Shall we discover them? Let’s each one of us take a few moments to empty out our baskets and sort out the good candy from the bad…

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1. Throw Away Any “Treat” That Is Un-sealed…

There are articles galore warning parents to look out for Halloween candy that is given un-sealed! If candy is un-sealed, there’s a chance that the giver may have poisoned it, laced it with drugs, or at the least made it unsanitary in some fashion. The general consensus is: if it’s un-sealed, it goes straight to the garbage bin.

Take a look in your spiritual basket. Has someone tried to give YOU an un-sealed trick for a treat?

John 3 and 2 Corinthians 1 speak of being “sealed” by God. With that in mind, let us think of each one of us as a piece of candy. The picture is this: like a wrapper on a candy, Jesus is a covering for us. In return, we wear his brand. One must be sealed by God in order to be saved. We can not enter into heaven unless we have been covered by Jesus’ blood, and we can not enter into heaven wearing any other brand but that of Christ.

There will be those who will try to deceive and tell you that it is just fine and dandy to be un-sealed. These individuals believe, and will do everything in their power to convince YOU that God is nothing more than an imaginary friend for weak-minded children. They claim that you don’t need a God to have a fulfilling life, but that you should “live the life you please”. This is no new “enlightenment”, but a folly as old as the hills…

…evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. – 2 Timothy 3:13

The unbeliever is deceived. Would you be like unto him? I can think of no unhappier life than that of a non-christian. Sure, they might appear to be having a good time on the surface…but where is their true joy? At the end of the day, life that has been lived with no higher purpose than that of the animal kingdom (eat, drink, and be merry) is meaningless and void of all merit.

I believe that the true reason that many do not admit to a higher power is the personal responsibility that it requires. If there is a God (I speak from the unbeliever’s perspective, not my own) then it would mean that one would have to subdue himself to that higher power! Let’s be honest…it is so much easier to shut our eyes and ears to the truth than it is to change our ways.

Pure truth, like pure gold, has been found unfit for circulation, because men have discovered that it is far more convenient to adulterate the truth than to refine themselves. – Charles Caleb Colton

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. – Psalm 14:1a

If your basket contains an un-sealed treat, throw it out!
Mankind – as well as Halloween candy – must be sealed.

He that hath received his testimony hath set to his SEAL that God is true. – John 3:33

Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also SEALED us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

If being un-sealed means to be without Christ, then here are some tips to safeguard against un-sealed “treats”…

1. Surround yourself with those of strong faith, and limit time with those who whisper doubts into your mind.

Be not deceived: evil communication corrupts good manners. – 1 Corinthians 15:33

2. Pray earnestly that God would help you to overcome your doubts.

…Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief. – Mark 9:24b

3. Read the personal accounts of those who have turned from unbelief/atheism to christianity (whether biblical accounts or more recent).

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. – Titus 3:3

4. Use your God-given talents to serve the Lord rather than being a passive observer in the assembly.

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise. – Hebrews 6:11-12

5. Open your eyes to the intelligent design all around you, and allow yourself to be captivated with God’s creation once again.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

– Romans 1:19-20

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2. Throw Away Any “Treat” That Is Self-Sealed…

The same articles that encourage parents to throw away un-sealed candy, warn us to be careful giving our children any self-sealed candy. There are some houses that give away homemade treats. Now some of these instances might be harmless enough, but it’s worth considering that a homemade treat has a higher possibility of having been tainted…any step of the candy-making process might have lent a predator opportunity for contamination.

Take a look in your spiritual basket. Has someone tried to give you a self-sealed trick for a treat?

Similar to the un-believer or atheist, those people in the world who are self-sealed do not wear Christ’s brand. However, atheism is an uncomfortable extreme for some, so there are those middle-grounders who would like to consider themselves “spiritual”, while dismissing the validity of the bible. These individuals may not proclaim “anything goes” as loudly as the atheist, but live by what they often refer to as their “moral code”. In other words, they have some morals…but self chosen ones, and often very loose ones at that.

There is a grave danger in living the self-sealed lifestyle. A moral code chosen by one’s own self is subjective, easily modified, and often hypocritical. For example, if one is not tempted towards stealing, they might easily take a firm stance against it. Yet that same person might have a sinful bend towards lying and see no harm in it. Of course these are both sins, but with no God to define them as such, who gets to call the shots on what is and isn’t right to do?

Man has always sacrificed truth to his vanity, comfort and advantage. He lives not by truth but by make-believe – W. Somerset Maugham

If we say that we have no sin, we DECEIVE ourselves, and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:8

Be not DECEIVED: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. – Galatians 6:7

Spirituality isn’t Build-A-Bear-Workshop. There is a divine blueprint that tells us how to live – God’s word. If you want to be a ballerina, you go to ballet class. If you want to learn how to build bridges, you consult with an engineer. If you want to be spiritual, you go to the living, breathing, spirit of God which speaks to us through the Holy Bible.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. – 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

If your basket contains a self-sealed treat, throw it out!
Mankind must be Spirit-sealed.

If being self-sealed means to have a religion of one’s own making, then here are some tips to safeguard against self-sealed “treats”…

1. Focus much more daily time and thought on spiritual things than on secular.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. – Romans 8:5

2. Continually remind yourself that you are God’s handmaiden, and remember that you were created FOR Him.

…all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. – Colossians 1:16b-17

3. Compare the consequences of a self-led life as opposed to one that is flourishing in Christ.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:2

4. Avoid conversations with foolish people who try to tell you that YOU are the master of your own destiny, YOU should follow your heart, YOU deserve to make your own way…

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. – Proverbs 28:26

5. Identify the areas in which you are self-willed. Replace those habits with new ones!

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not DECEIVED: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

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3. Throw Away Any “Treat” That Is Re-Sealed…

We have thrown away the un-sealed candies, and the self-sealed candies. Now we come to the most hazardous and least noticeable danger of all: the re-sealed candies. There are those predators who would be so bold as to remove a perfectly safe piece of candy from its original wrapping, replace it with a harmful look-alike, and re-seal the candy to look as good as new.

Take a look in your spiritual basket. A good, long, hard look…because this time you’ll have to inspect much closer than you had to before. Has someone tried to give you a re-sealed trick for a treat?

There are those who claim Christ, but are not true to his brand. They might go to church, pray, and live a seemingly admirable lifestyle, but still have not fully submitted themselves to God’s plan. These might be fellow church-members, deacons, elders, ministers, friends, relatives….it might even be you. It’s extremely difficult to tell a re-sealed candy from an original without a thorough inspection.

Satan is crafty, and one of his favorite techniques in deception goes by the “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” philosophy. He has infiltrated churches everywhere and deceived the minds of many would-be followers of Christ.

One way many have been deceived is in the area of salvation. It might sound hard to believe, but think about it – what could delight Satan more than in tricking people to believe they are saved when they really aren’t? It’s the ultimate scheme!

Life is the art of being well deceived; and in order that the deception may succeed it must be habitual and uninterrupted – William Hazlitt

For sin, taking occasion BY THE COMMANDMENT, DECEIVED me, and by it slew me. – Romans 7:11

There are many denominations all over the world who are being led astray by false teachers. The way I see it, there are two different kinds of false teachers – the malicious ones, and the ignorant ones. Some are leading the congregation in a wrong direction for personal gain, tickling their ears and giving watered down sermons that bring in the multitudes. On the other hand, there are some well-meaning leaders who have unknowingly misled others, perhaps because they have not studied deep enough to find out the real truth of what they are teaching. Whether maliciously or unknowingly, false teachers are a stumbling block to many.

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? – Galatians 3:1

HOWEVER – each member is responsible for his or her own salvation. One can not neglect their own personal bible study and blame their lack of knowledge upon someone else. It is our duty to search the scriptures and apply our hearts to wisdom.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to DECEIVE. – Ephesians 4:14

If your basket contains a re-sealed “treat”, throw it out!
Mankind must be reason-sealed.

If being re-sealed means to have a false sense of Christianity, then here are some tips to safeguard against re-sealed “treats”…

1. Examine yourself to see if you have truly been saved according to God’s plan of salvation. If you are – GREAT – no harm done in checking, right? If you are not, then why wait another second longer? Today is the day to be saved!

Questions to ask yourself:

Do I believe wholeheartedly in the God of the bible? (Hebrews 11:6)
Have I confessed with my mouth, and do I continue to confess with my attitude that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 4:15)
Have I repented of my sins and do I live each day trying my hardest to abstain from them? (Acts 3:19)
Have I been baptized (immersed in water as a believing adult) for the purpose of removing my sins, as God has designated as the symbol for the death, burial, and resurrection of my old carnal nature? (Acts 22:16)

2. Study your bible daily. Don’t just read it – pore over it. Seek God’s will in every area of your life (body, soul, spirit).

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

3. Weigh what the bible says against that which others say – even your preacher. Never merely take someone’s word on a matter without first comparing it to God’s Word.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. – Acts 17:11

4. If the church you assemble with teaches error, (and refuses to be moved by the word of God even after admonishment), locate a faithful assembly to link yourself with. One that teaches the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches DECEIVE the hearts of the simple. – Romans 16:17-18

5. Stay true to God’s truth that has been revealed to you. No matter what is popular, no matter if those you love won’t follow suit, no matter if it gets hard some days. Be faithful unto death!

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. – Joshua 24:14

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In conclusion:

Be watchful always. Once we have cleaned out our baskets, there is always the chance that “The One Who Invented Trick Or Treat” will try to sneak more and more of his “treats” back in.

-Only this time, we will know what to look for, won’t we?

I give you bitter pills in sugar coating. The pills are harmless; the poison is in the sugar – Jacek Galazka

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

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Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Welkin…? What is it? What does it mean? This is a bit of an archaic word that we’re not used to hearing in today’s lingo…let me define it for you. Welkin can be described as:

• a: the vault of the sky,
• b: the celestial abode of God, or
• c: the upper atmosphere.

In times past, the word welkin was used much in the same way that we use the word heaven today.

Now that we’ve got that figured out, do we understand what wisdom is? Most of us are familiar with King Solomon, whose wisdom was second to none. Allow me to tell you a little-known story of his wisdom as displayed before some very disgruntled females:

Two women came before wise King Solomon, dragging between them a young man.

“This young man agreed to marry my daughter,” said one.

“No! He agreed to marry MY daughter.” said the other.

And so they began arguing until the king called for silence.

“Bring me the biggest sword,” said Solomon, “and I shall cut the young man in half. Each of your daughters shall receive a half.”

“Sounds good to me,” said the first lady.

But the other woman said, “Oh Sire, do not spill innocent blood. Let the other woman’s daughter marry him.”

The wise king did not hesitate a moment. “The man must marry the first woman’s daughter,” he proclaimed.

“But she was willing to have him cut in two!” exclaimed the king’s court.

“Indeed,” said wise King Solomon. “That shows she is the TRUE mother-in-law.”

– Unknown

Okay, okay…don’t think you’ll find that one in your bibles, but I had to throw it out there for my own loving mother-in-law (who has never tried to have me killed, at least that I’m aware of…) Now let’s get serious.

What is wisdom?

The book of James speaks of two different kinds of “wisdom”. One is the “wisdom” of the world, which consists of bitterness, envy, strife, confusion, and every evil work. (James 3:14-16) The other wisdom James mentions, and the only authentic one…the wisdom from above. The wisdom from above can truly be called The Wisdom of Welkin, for where does wisdom descend except from the very presence of God?

-Do you want to leave the world’s wisdom behind?

-Do you want to have authentic, godly wisdom?

See, the world tells us to “live in the now”.

Our God calls us to live in The WOW!

Every Christian must memorize and put in practice The Wisdom of Welkin…let’s get started!

The WOW is the blending of eight virtues which are listed in James 3:17:

“…the wisdom that is from above is first:

pure,

then peaceable,

gentle,

and easy to be intreated,

full of mercy

and good fruits,

without partiality,

and without hypocrisy.”

Proverbs 4:7 says that: Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Whew. If wisdom is so important that we are called to “get it with all our getting“, then I daresay we better start searching for it!

Are you and I Wise Women of Welkin? Let’s put ourselves to the test…

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1. The Wise Woman of Welkin is Washed.

The wisdom that is from above is first…pure.

Purity is defined as being “free of any contamination; not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material”. Synonyms for “pure” include clean, unpolluted, untainted, wholesome, and flawless.

Ask yourself…would you consider yourself a pure woman in light of this definition? Can you say that you have never sinned, never had a wrong thought in your mind, nor an ugly word escape from your lips? Neither can I. The truth is, while every one of us came into this world pure…over time we have become tainted and twisted by the perversity that is all around us.

One might say it is impossible for a mere human to be free of contamination…to be flawless, yet here in our text we are called to be just that! It is a truth that we are incapable of being pure completely by our own merit. One only has to look at the world outside to see the level of “purity” that man lives in without God…alcoholism, drug addiction, fornication, lying, cheating, stealing, and the list goes on! On our own, we are filthy and contaminated.

Of course, God knew this would be so. That’s why he gave his only son to die, that through His sacrifice we might become pure. When we submit ourselves to Jesus’ sacrifice (by being immersed in water for the forgiveness of our sins), we take on Christ’s very nature and leave the impurity of our old life behind. I won’t spend long on this particular area, but if you have any questions on how to be saved, please refer to my article “Buy Four, Get One Free“.

Notice that our text says that the wisdom from above is first pure. You want to be wise? If you haven’t been purified than you have yet to begin The WOW process. It’s time to get purified…simple as that!

Yet…there is another side of the coin. What if we have been purified, but have since fallen away from God? What if we have allowed ourselves to become re-contaminated by the world?

James 4:8-10 says this:

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

If we have again become impure…what would God have us to do? Cleanse our hands, and purify our hearts. When he tells us to wash up, He’s not calling us to be baptized again. He’s calling us to change our actions (as symbolized by our hands) and change our desires (as symbolized by our hearts)! He wants to see true humility, a godly sorrow over our sin. Then He wants us to press on!

Psalm 119:9-11 says: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart have I sought You; Do not let me wander from your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

If we want to keep ourselves pure, it’s going to take efforts on our part! We each must identify exactly what our sin struggles are, and look for ways to replace that sin with an alternative behavior that is righteous. Are you a woman who struggles with gossip? Start looking for encouraging things to say about people, and say them – unabashedly! Maybe you battle with complaining. Search for silver linings in each and every situation! It’s not enough to say “I’m going to stop doing such-and-such starting today”…if you don’t find something positive to do with your leanings, you’re going to fall right back into temptation.

Romans 12:21 says: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

It doesn’t say overcome evil by willing yourself to! It says overcome evil with good. We must be pro-active and determine how we are going to react to tempting situations before they arise. Then when the situation comes, we will be prepared, which ultimately means we will be much more apt to win out against our sin.

Surround yourself with those who will help you to abstain from evil. Pray, and ask God to help you to truly want a pure lifestyle. Lastly (and I can not stress this enough) – READ YOUR BIBLE. It contains the vital nutrients we need so that we can have the strength to persevere.

When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee. – Proverbs 2:10-11

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, then be washed.

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2. The Wise Woman of Welkin is Withdrawn.

The wisdom that is from above is then…peaceable.

Usually when we think of the word withdrawn we think of it as a description for a reclusive person…someone who keeps to themselves. However, the “withdrawn” that I am referring to is the past tense of the base word “withdraw” (to remove or take away something from a particular place or position).

If we wish to be wise, we must know when to withdraw ourselves from a particular place or position. Many times in life we might find ourselves in a predicament where someone is angry with us, or we are angry with them. There is such a thing as a justified, righteous anger, but let’s face it – most of the time we’re just plain mad because we didn’t get our way, or someone else’s wants clashed with our own. This leads us to all kinds of foolish behavior.

James 1:20 warns us that…The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

If you are a woman given to anger – watch out! Situations that will try the hostile temper are around every corner. Now who do we ladies tend to take our anger out on most often? That’s right – our husband…our kids…those of our home. Yet this is not how it should be! If we are wise, we will make our homes the place where we practice peace on a daily basis.

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. – Proverbs 11:29

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. – Proverbs 14:1

The crucial first step to having peace within the home is to cultivate a spirit of patience. If we truly love others, we will be slow to be angry with them. We will give the benefit of the doubt when we don’t know all the facts. Lastly (and this is a big one, ladies) – we will close our mouths if our mouths are being ungodly.

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischevious madness. – Ecclesiastes 10:12-13

The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the *froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh *frowardness. – Proverbs 10:31-32 (*froward = difficult to deal with, contrary)

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, then withdraw yourself.

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3. The Wise Woman of Welkin is Winsome.

The wisdom that is from above is…gentle.

When I first started looking into our James 3:17 passage, I had a bit of a hard time differentiating between “peaceable” and “gentle”. They seem at face value to be nearly identical, but they are in fact virtues all their own.

While being peaceable is described as being “inclined to avoid argument or violent conflict”, gentleness goes the extra mile. Gentleness doesn’t only avoid negativity, but also seeks positivity. A gentle woman will be a winsome one…(cheerful…pleasant…appealing.)

One must know peace before they can know gentleness. First, we learn how to subdue our attitudes by self-control. Then when we have practiced this, we will begin to move on to even greater things. Remember earlier when we talked about overcoming evil with good? Withdrawal is the removal of evil in our hearts, while winsomeness is the replacement of that evil!

When a wise woman is inclined to dishonor her husband, she quickly finds a way to honor him instead. When a wise woman is inclined to belittle her son or daughter for a shortcoming, she quickly finds a way to praise a strength of theirs instead. When a wise woman is inclined to give someone a piece of her mind, she gives them a piece of her heart instead!

Gayle D. Erwin, author of “Spirit Style” says this on the virtue of gentleness:

Gentleness is not apathy, but is an agressive expression of how we view people. We see people as so valuable that we deal with them in gentleness, fearing the slightest damage to one for whom Christ died. To be apathetic is to turn people over to mean and destructive elements, to truly love people causes for us to be agressively gentle.

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. – Proverbs 12:18

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. – Proverbs 16:24

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, be winsome.

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4. The Wise Woman of Welkin is Won Over.

The wisdom that is from above is…easy to be intreated.

What is your response to constructive criticism, and/or rebuke? A wise woman knows that she doesn’t have the corner on perfection. She wants to be told when she is out of line! If we are wise, we will be “easy to be intreated”. In other words, we won’t have to be begged to listen to sound judgment, but will be easily won over.

Charles Caleb Colton is quoted to have said:

There is this difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest, is generally the greatest fool.

How true that is! God’s word urges those who would be wise to listen to the wisdom of other christians.

My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding. – Proverbs 5:1

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. – Proverbs 22:17

To “bow the ear” indicates that we are to humble ourselves in the face of wisdom. Only a foolish woman gets angry and defensive when reprimanded. Consider this contrast between the worldly and the wise:

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. – Proverbs 23:9

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. – Proverbs 1:5

It’s nothing to be ashamed of to realize that we don’t know it all! In fact, the more we are willing to learn, the wiser we will be.

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. – Proverbs 9:8-9

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, be won over.

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5. The Wise Woman of Welkin is a Waiver.

The wisdom that is from above is…full of mercy.

Are you a merciful woman? The act of showing mercy has been defined this way: “it is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm”.

That hits the nail on the head, doesn’t it? Mercy (or waiving) is an act that says “I could really lay it on you, but I’m going to rise above”.

We girls are strange creatures…we can be the most merciful people you’d ever meet, but we could also stab someone in the back without much prompting. Why is this? I believe it is because we view mercy as a feeling instead of a choice. (I’m in a good mood today, you know what? I’m going to let you slide this time…but don’t mess with me if I’m in crazy mode)

What if God showed us mercy the same way we show to others? (I’ll let you in on a little secret: He will)

The first portion of James 2:13 warns: He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy…

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. – Proverbs 11:17

The fact of the matter is that we are to forgive in the same way as the Lord forgives…and when He forgives, it is completely.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. – Hebrews 8:12

This goes against our worldly nature to hold grudges and get even. We are called to give grace and this involves letting things go!

Now there is a balance to this. We are not to show mercy in the sense that we make ourselves a waiver of unrepented sin. God Himself does not turn a blind eye to those who would wish to be forgiven while still in the wrong. There must be a proper application of mercy and truth. Give mercy, yes. Forgive, and let dead dogs lie. Yet make it clear that grace requires change. Godly forgiveness says “your sin is in the past, it’s forgotten. Now go thy way, and sin no more“…

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. – Proverbs 16:6

Mercy and truth are met together, righteouesness and peace have kissed each other. – Psalms 85:10

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, be a waiver.

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6. The Wise Woman of Welkin is a Worker.

The wisdom that is from above is…full of good fruits.

If we wish to be wise, we will be diligent in working for the Lord. The wise woman is no couch potato. While there is a time for a healthy recharge, I think most of us tend to lean towards the unhealthy extreme of spending too much time relaxing. I don’t mean by sitting in front of the tube all day scarfing down bon bons…(because really, who does that?!) I mean that maybe we’re not using our time in ways that build our faith or the faith of others. If we have five minutes to ourselves, do we…

A. Catch up on some Bible reading?

B. Pen some encouraging words to a friend who’s having a hard time?

or C. Mindlessly surf Facebook?

We all would like to say A or B, but what is the reality in our days? I’m not saying these things to condemn. In fact, Facebook and other social media can be productive tools for interacting with others and sharing the Lord with people. Let’s just consider our motives. I know it’s not fun to hear, but life is not all about having fun. We must keep our priorities in the right order: God first, others second, self last.

We all know Proverbs 6:6: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise.

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. – Proverbs 18:9

Being slothful in our christian walk is a great waste. A waste of our time and a waste of our talents. God has given us each gifts that are to be used to further His kingdom! We only have so much time in which to put them to use. Let’s not spend our time on things that amount to little value.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. – Psalms 90:12

Consider the implications of the word “apply”. One definition is to give full attention to, or work hard towards an intended goal. To apply can also mean to “put on”, as in applying a band-aid to a wound. (In other words, we are to be sticking our hearts on wisdom.)

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. – Matthew 24:45-47

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, be a worker.

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7.The Wise Woman of Welkin is (not) Withheld

The wisdom that is from above is…without partiality.

Are you allowing human bias to hinder your voice of wisdom? Don’t. God’s wisdom knows no partiality. The wise woman will not be withheld! I have heard time and time again people scoffing at wisdom because they are prejudiced against the source. Some people will try to squash your light because of your race, your financial status, your age, or something else that they regard as inferior. This has literally been going on since the dawn of creation. (Think Cain and Abel. Cain regarded his younger brother as inferior when in reality he should have been listening to him!)

Need I mention The Good Samaritan, who regardless of his race was wise? (Think about it: he was peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy, full of good fruits, etc!) There would be those in his day that would scoff at him and say a Samaritan could not be wise. Yet his actions speak for themselves.

How about financial status? There are those that think poor equals foolish and ignorant. Is this true? Not in God’s eyes!

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. – Ecclesiastes 4:13

Ecclesiastes 9:14-16 records this touching story: There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great *bulwarks against it (a *bulwark is a defensive wall): Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

How sad it is that some can not recognize wisdom when they see it.

I have also often heard people talk about how age and experience alone bring wisdom. It is commonly believed that the younger you are, the more foolish you must be. Is this true? Not in God’s eyes!

Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion. – Job 32:6-10

Wisdom comes from God’s word. I have known in my own lifetime people who were old and foolish, and I have met young people that showed remarkable wisdom. Don’t let your age define you. Rather let God’s word live through you no matter how old you are!

…God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to counfound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. – 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, don’t be withheld.

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8. The Wise Woman of Welkin is (not) Wishy-Washy.

The wisdom that is from above is…without hypocrisy.

Now we come to our last virtue, which is in a way the summation of all other virtues. If we have passed every single test, yet fail in this one respect…well, we’ve got a problem.

Hypocrisy is “a pretense of having a virtuous character, religious beliefs, morals, principles, etc. that one does not really possess.” It’s essentially being two-faced. It’s acting one way in public while another behind closed doors. I’m pretty sure we’re all guilty of this one…

Here’s the heart of the matter. What is the purpose for the righteousness that we’re working towards? Is it so we can “feel good about ourselves”? Is it to impress other people? Or is it for the glory of God? If it is truly for God that we are trying to attain a better life, then we will be consistent in our behavior.

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. – Jeremiah 9:23-24

What glory is it to God if I am peaceable to the cashier at Wal-Mart, but a bitter nag towards my husband?

What glory is it to God if I am gentle with the children in Sunday School, but always yelling at my own?

Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. – Psalms 27:3

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. – Proverbs 14:8

It’s very easy to fool others and even ourselves into believing that we’re living for God…but are we? The proof will be in how we act when we think no one is watching. (Yet God is)

Remember Ephesians 6:6: Not with eyeservice as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Let us be like David, who says this in Psalms 101:2: I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

If you want to “W.O.W.” the Lord, don’t be wishy-washy.

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In conclusion: today is the day to start living in The WOW.

Be washed.

Be withdrawn.

Be winsome.

Be won over.

Be a waiver.

Be a worker.

(Don’t) be withheld.

(Don’t) be wishy-washy.

Let us seek wisdom with all our being, so that we might reflect The Lord’s character as noted in Proverbs 8:14:

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

God bless, and take a chill pill!
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

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Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.