Oct 21

What Type of Tent Did Paul Make?

Suppose you had come to Corinth, Greece for the famous Isthmian Games of 51 AD and needed a tent. You stubble upon a leather working man who makes, repairs, and sells tents. His name is Paul (Acts 18:3). You hear reports that he is a relatively well-known religious teacher. He is a trained Jewish Rabbi who has converted to a new religion called “The Way” with followers known as Christians (Acts 9:2; 11:26; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22). He is an Apostle of this new faith going throughout the Gentile world telling others about Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, who died on a Roman cross for the sins of humanity.

But your concern is simply purchasing a tent. What type of tent would you expect to get from Paul? Would you expect him to be honest in what he told you about the tent? Would you expect him to sell it to you at a fair price for both himself and you? Would you expect him to stand behind his work? Would you expect him to value hard-work and dedication? I think the answer to all of these questions would be a resounding–YES!

I believe Paul made the best tents he could make. I believe he would be honest, trustworthy, and fair in his business dealings. He understood his example and reputation as a Christian was tied to his work efforts and product. Paul viewed his work as a way of ministering to others and providing for his own financial needs, so as not to burden the church (Acts 20:34-35; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8)

If you would expect these qualities from Paul, shouldn’t people of the world expect such qualities from Christians today? Christians ought to be the best workers! We ought to be the best craftsmen and business people. We ought to be honest, fair, and trustworthy. Paul saw his work as giving an example for others to imitate (2 Thess. 3:9). We ought to do so as well. Remember, it was the tentmaker Paul who said, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward” (Col. 3:23-24).

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/what-type-of-tent-did-paul-make/

Oct 13

Finding Faithfulness on a Hike

The family at Abrams Falls – October 2020
The four kids in front of the Falls – October 2020

In February of 2018, Amanda and I hiked Abrams Falls trail in the Cade’s Cove region of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is a beautiful five mile round trip hike which is highlighted by Abrams Falls; a 20 foot waterfall with high water volume. The hike involves going up and over three ridges or hills of the mountain to get to the falls. It is a popular hike with tourists. In February it wasn’t too busy and some park rangers were doing maintenance on the hike replacing wood bridges. We stopped and visited with them for a few minutes as they were eating their lunch. One of the men asked me for a quarter, which he promised to insert in the hand rail of the bridge they were building.

Amanda with the rangers building the bridge in Feb. 2018.

We returned to Abrams Falls trail this past week; this time with our four children. I told them the story of the coin and we were interested to see if we could find the coin. Our kids love hiking and are at good ages to be able to navigate a trail like this safely and quickly. Sure enough, we got to the bridge and it was there! We found the coin which was exactly where he said he would put it! The coin is tucked under the handrail on the center post of the second bridge on the trail. You need to find it too when you hike it! It appeared, that while not real obvious, many had noticed it through the years as it was worn from being rubbed.

I am pointing out the location of the quarter.
Amanda and the kids on the bridge with the quarter.

This was a cool experience for our family. But it also made me consider faithfulness and its impact. The ranger was faithful to his word. This simple act continues to be present each day. Only a few people know the story behind the quarter, but the act is still embedded there everyday. Similarly our daily acts of faithfulness and being people of integrity and honesty are generally not known or seen by large numbers. But faithfulness isn’t about a show for many to see, it is about showing up when no one is looking over and over again!

The quarter on the bridge between the second and third hills of the hike.

Our Lord said it well, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones, But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (Luke 16:10). Let’s be people who are faithful in word and deed. You never know who will be seeing your faithfulness, though they don’t know the whole story behind it!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/finding-faithfulness-on-a-hike/

Sep 30

A Quiet Life

Noise! We are used to it every day; our world is chaotic and busy. In the midst of this chaos, Paul gives us an unusual command, “aspire to live quietly” (1 Thes. 4:11). Does Paul want us to quit talking so much? While that is a part of the idea, it seems the concept is more of serenity, rest, peace, and contentment.

Isn’t that the life you want to live? Paul will tell the church at Thessalonica that the quiet life involves three aspects. I would call these tried and true principles your grandparents taught you.

First, a quiet life means loving one another (1 Thess. 4:9-10). Christians have been taught by God how to love. We emulate his love. People of the world don’t truly understand about love, making it all about romance or emotional feelings, but God through his actions teaches us true love. A quiet life is focused on loving others like God has loved us (1 John 4:11).

Second, a quiet life means minding our own affairs (1 Thess. 4:11). The church there had become idle waiting on the return of Christ. This idleness led to the sin of gossip. They were likely meddling in the affairs of their church leaders, rather than submitting to them (1 Thes. 5:12-13). Living the quiet life means you focus on keeping your own house in order, rather than trying to discover the dirt in other people’s homes.

Third, a quiet life means working with our own hands (1 Thess. 4:11-12). Paul was esteeming manual labor and hard work. He is elevating the need to be independent and self-sustaining when you are capable of such. Once again their idleness was getting them into trouble and they needed to be encouraged to find productive tasks to put their minds and hands to work.

We have to aspire to live this quiet life, because it takes focus to keep out all the noise and worldly pursuits. These are things that if we did them our peace and happiness would be greater. Our world would look so different if all of us lived this quiet life. These are not radical principles, these are the traits our country was built upon and we need them now. Will you live the quiet life?

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/a-quiet-life/

Sep 23

A Lesson from RBG’s Death

Official Portrait 2016 – U.S. Supreme Court

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on September 18, 2020. Her death, while met with memorials and sadness by many, primarily has created a firestorm over who will replace her. Given the election year timing of her death, political sides quickly divided on when and who should appoint the next Supreme Court justice. While I am praying and hoping for a conservative justice who will help defend the Constitution and enable the protection of life within our nation, there is an important lesson we should all observe for our own lives from this controversy.

While some have been offended that we so easily move to fighting over the replacement before even pausing to properly eulogize and sympathize, this is the nature of life! We are all replaceable at work! Someone will be doing your job after you leave it.

We are only truly irreplaceable in our role with our families. No one can replace my role as husband and father. I am the only husband to Amanda and the only father to my four kids. Those roles are irreplaceable. Someone might object and say even those can be replaceable with a new husband or a step-father, but they can’t replace the role God intended for me and me only to play (Eph. 5:22-6:4).

Yet, consider where we put most of our energy and efforts. We can take our identity and self-worth from our replaceable roles. While we should work hard in our employment (Col. 3:23-24), we should always prioritize our role with our family. Don’t cheat your spouse and kids of the time, care, honor, and love they deserve for a position where they will replace you soon after you are gone! Your spouse and kids may be the priority in your mind, but do they feel like they are your priority in their hearts?

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/a-lesson-from-rbgs-death/

Sep 16

The Dangers of Idle Mind

It was a delightful spring afternoon, King David was lounging around the palace with nothing to do. Typically, he would have been with his army, because this was the time of the year when kings go out to battle, but David stayed home. His kingdom was blossoming. Everything was going so well, he could take some time to relax and rest. In fact, he chose to do nothing productive this afternoon. After deciding to get off the couch, he took a little stroll along the roof of his palace, likely the highest building in all of Jerusalem. It was at this moment that he saw something that could occupy his time–a very beautiful woman bathing on a rooftop a few houses over!

David’s life was about to change drastically. The entire rest of his life would be lived in the shadow of this one lazy afternoon. David found out who this lovely woman was and sent messengers to bring her to the palace. It didn’t matter that she was the wife of Uriah, a trusted mighty man of David who was off fighting in his army. David yielded to his fleshly desires. The consequences of this choice and the subsequent cover-up would involve death, family discord, public shame, and guilt before God (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51).

Why? While we could speak to several of David’s failures that lead to his sin of adultery and murder, the first failure that started the snowball down the mountain was an idle mind. David wasn’t being productive and focused with his life. He allowed an idle mind to become a devil’s workshop.

An idle mind has been a huge problem for many in 2020. The quarantine has meant for many extra time on their hands sitting around the house. An idle mind has lead to increased online pornography traffic. An idle mind has caused online affairs to increase through apps or social media platforms. An idle mind has caused a rapid surge in child predators attacking children because they have time and are online more. An idle mind has lead to increase in depression, drug and alcohol usage, and domestic violence. An idle mind causes us to check our phones constantly. The average American pulls out his phone 150 times each day, often because we have nothing else to do. The problem isn’t the pulling out of the phone, it is the content and use we are doing with it during our idle periods. Just like David, our sins often get started because of our idleness.

Paul commanded us to “make the best use of our time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). Be careful when you have time vacuums in your life, because Satan will fill it with evil. If not careful, just like David, we will learn the consequences of an idle mind–grief, pain, and guilt!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/the-danger-of-idle-minds/

Sep 09

Responsibilities of Harvest

Harvest is here. Farmers are in the fields harvesting crops and will be gathering them for the next several months. One of my favorite books of the Old Testament, Ruth, is set in the context of the barley harvest. Ruth and her mother-in-law have returned back to Bethlehem, which is an agricultural area with fertile soil. In fact, the term Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” These two widowed ladies are broken, poverty-stricken, and bitter of soul (Ruth 1-2). When they return in the midst of harvest, we see two clear principles in the book for the responsibilities of harvest.

First, there is personal responsibility to gather your harvest. Ruth was destitute. She needed grain. She went out to the fields to collect the fallen grain after the reapers had gone through the fields. She collected the left-overs! Our farmers have to gather their grain. While the methods have changed to using large equipment, the result is still the same. The grain has to be gathered! It takes work and effort. This principle of personal responsibility needs to be applied to all people. You shouldn’t just expect to get paid, have blessings, and receive your food on your plate, without putting in the work for it. You have a part to play. Ruth didn’t sit back and play the role of the victim. She got out and gathered the leftovers so her and Naomi could survive.

Second, there is a sharing responsibility when gathering your harvest. Boaz, the farmer in the story, was gathering his barley harvest. God gave instructions in the old law for providing for the poor. He was willingly to share the grain that fell. In fact, he will even give her some of the grain and let her glean amongst the sheaves; intentionally pulling some out from the bundles for her (Ruth 2:14-16; 3:15). God always expects us to share our harvest with others–be it the grain from the fields or the paycheck from the company (Prov. 22:9; 1 Tim. 6:18)!

It’s harvest time in Kentucky. This ancient tradition should remind us of our responsibilities. Our responsibility to gather our own harvest and our duty to share what we gather. Basic principles we teach our kids, but ones that would change our world if applied by adults!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/responsibilities-of-harvest/

Sep 03

A Chicken Living with Pigs

Our chickens have had it rough on the farm. We slowly lost our flock of birds to predators throughout the spring and summer. We got down to one rooster. He was all alone, wandering alone during the day and spending nights in the coop by himself. This rooster looked around and couldn’t find all of his buddies; maybe he noticed what had happened to them. So he struck out to find some friends.

The friends he found were gruff and can tend to stink, but they provided companionship. In fact, the rooster realized there were benefits to this community. The predators stay away. They are very messy eaters so they provide a good amount of food to pick through after they leave the trough. The chicken has found new friends in the pigs. While some would suggest the chicken should be careful, because the pigs may decide they would like some chicken with their corn, the relationship seems to be mutual. The pigs aren’t aggressive toward the chicken, and they all have plenty of space to enjoy life together.

Homesteaders have long ran chickens and pigs together in the same area for their symbiotic relationship. Farm animals have herd instincts. They want to have friends! They need one another.

2020 has surely shown us the same thing! We are not meant for isolation. We need friends. We need a community. We offer mutual benefits to one another. We need different people with diverse skill sets and backgrounds. Depression, suicide, drug and alcohol dependency, and loneliness come when we aren’t around our friends. God made us this way. From the beginning He said it was “not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Social media and Zoom calls aren’t enough! We need face-to-face time with people. This is one of the big purposes of the local church! God created the church so we would have mutual love, encouragement, edification, and strength. The church provides a family for those who are lonely!

Are you a lonely chicken looking around and realizing things just aren’t right in your world? Turn off the screens; re-engage with family and friends! Go to church to be with others! They may look or even act like pigs sometimes (haha), they certainly aren’t perfect, but you will discover they offer you many blessings.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/a-chicken-living-with-pigs/

Aug 26

A Prayer for Our Schools

copyrighted Photo – purchased from istock

As our schools begin their new year, I invite you to join me in this petition to our Heavenly Father. I know there are many concerns, so let us not be “anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let [our] requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).

Father we bring our anxiety and worries before Your throne and cast them into Your loving hands to carry our burdens. We have many fears and burdens as we begin our schools. This year has looked like none other, but we know our children need education, recreation, athletic competition, and friendship. We love our children and we know You love children as they have a special place in Your Divine heart. We ask You to protect them physically. Give them an appreciation for the value and importance of school. Father, we pray for all of the changes and adjustments they will have to deal with this year. Give them patience, kindness, respect, and cooperation. We pray for their growth in knowledge, faith, wisdom, and stature. We pray for all our students; including traditional, virtual, special needs, and preschool.

Father we pray for our teachers. Grant them courage and strength. Help them to feel the support of their community. May they willingly fulfill their irreplaceable role during a challenging and trying time that requires adaptation, patience, and extra kindness. We pray for their protection. Grant them the ability to meet each child’s unique needs for love, education, and value despite the diverse ways of teaching and never-before-seen circumstances of their teaching.

Father we pray for the administrators. Thank you for the wisdom and courage they have demonstrated. Help them to lead with compassion, understanding, insight, and vision. Bless their decisions. Be with the superintendents, principals, and school board members as they play their essential roles, help them to look to You for strength and direction.

Father, last we pray for the parents and grandparents. Grant them your peace and security. Give them wisdom in words and actions to know best how to guide their children through these times.

Father, we thank You for listening. Help us to walk in faith, not fear. Help us to love, not hate. Help us to give, more than we take. Help us to give grace, not judgment. Help us to live righteously, not wickedly. In Christ’s name we pray, AMEN.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/a-prayer-for-our-schools/

Aug 19

Chocolate Snow Flakes

2020 has been a rough year, but residents of Olten, Switzerland woke to a pleasant surprise recently–chocolate particles falling from the sky and covering the landscape. While this may sound like a scene out of the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, this really happened. The Lindt chocolate factory had a cooling ventilation defect which sent fine particles of chocolate beans into the air. The strong winds of the morning spread the particles throughout the mountain town. Of course, this went viral across social media in Switzerland with many feeling their fortunes for 2020 were changing. One remarked, “My dream come true.” I love Lindt chocolate myself and could go for a good chocolate snow!

2020 has been a rough year, which means all of us should look up more to see what blessings are falling from the sky! While, it isn’t likely we will find chocolate snow flakes falling, we can find other blessings. James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lam. 3:23). God is raining down blessings on us in the midst of the pandemic. Despite our challenges, we need to count our blessings and be thankful.

Chocolate snow flakes were quite a surprise for Olten, Switzerland. What surprises has God sent down into your life? Have you paused to recognize them and say thanks?

—————

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/world/chocolate-snow-dusts-swiss-town-after-factory-malfunction

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/chocolate-snow-flakes/

Aug 12

Reaping the Whirlwind

The prophet Hosea wrote that Israel was sowing the wind and would reap the whirlwind (Hos. 8:7). The powerful and evocative image convicts Israel of having sown what was worthless and profitless, and thus reaping the same with interest. The harvest to follow would be one of violence and destruction!

When I see the current events going on throughout America involving violence, rioting, looting, autonomous zones, shootings, defunding police campaigns, and the attacking of historical figures I feel we are reaping the whirlwind. The events of today are happening because of the seeds that were sown over the last three decades. The philosophy called “Postmodernism” became the spirit of the age throughout the 90s and beyond. This philosophy became a part of our national thought process and method of formulating our values and beliefs. Postmodernism, while not without a few worthy contributions, pushed such tenets as anti-authoritarianism, anti-institutional, anti-traditional, and placed the highest value on tolerance and inclusivity. It is pluralistic, which means numerous ideas must be considered equal in value and correctness. It is relativistic, which means that absolute truth or objective truth does not exist, but truth is relative to the individual, the circumstance, or the society. Postmodernism is highly relational and values emotions and experiences over reason and logic.

Contrary to what is often believed, philosophy impacts the average person and the culture as a whole. It just takes years for it to trickle down from the ivory tower to the streets, though this time has been accelerated with modern media. Over the last three decades truth has been under attack. Authority and traditional institutions have been maligned and disrespected. Those below the age of 40 have not known any other prevailing thought of culture than postmodernism. What preachers have been warning about and teaching about regarding the dangers of this philosophy and the problems that come from shoving truth to the curb over the last 30 years has now produced a harvest.

What you are seeing isn’t by accident! It is because we have planted the seeds over the last three decades. It is harvest time! What you sow you will reap (Gal. 6:7). We have sowed the wind and are reaping the whirlwind.

The prophet Hosea also said, “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up” (Hos. 6:1).

Permanent link to this article: https://www.joshketchum.com/reaping-the-whirlwind/