Category Sunday Dinner

Sunday Drive Devotional: Keeping Between the Lines

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”** (Jeremiah 6:16**)

The Ancient Paths and the Modern Highway

There’s a quiet wisdom built into every well‑marked road. The lines don’t shout, they don’t argue, and they don’t demand attention. They simply guide. Jeremiah called them the “ancient paths,” the good way laid down long before we arrived, the road that leads to rest. Those ancient paths were never meant to be decorative. They were meant to be followed.

But even the best paths need maintenance. When a road is neglected, it stops feeling ancient and starts feeling hazardous. A once‑smooth drive becomes an obstacle course, a vehicular game of dodgeball or bumper cars. Instead of enjoying the journey, you spend your time bracing for impact.

Anyone who has driven a Pennsylvania backroad in early spring knows the feeling. One moment you’re admiring the scenery, and the next you’re praying your suspension survives the pothole that just tried to swallow your front tire. Potholes have a way of reminding us that even the oldest, most trusted paths require care.

Learning to Drive on the Roads That Teach Us

Many country roads don’t have lane markers at all, but that doesn’t mean the driver is free to improvise. Your driving habits were shaped on the roads that did have lines, the ones that trained your eyes, your instincts, and your sense of responsibility. The driving test wasn’t about memorizing rules; it was about forming habits that would keep you and everyone around you safe.

God’s Kingdom works the same way. His boundaries are not burdens; they are blessings. They are not restrictions; they are protections. They are not obstacles; they are guidance.

Scripture tells us that God set the planets in their courses and told the ocean how far it may come (Job 38:11, Psalm 19:6). All of creation honors the lines He drew. The stars don’t wander. The tides don’t rebel. The seasons don’t negotiate. Creation stays in its lane.

And then there is humanity, the only part of creation that looks at God’s markings and says, “I think I’ll try something different.” One person ignoring the rules of the road can cause a wreck. One believer ignoring the wisdom of God can cause spiritual damage that ripples far beyond their own life.

Returning to the Good Way

Jeremiah’s call to “ask for the ancient paths” wasn’t nostalgia. It was an invitation to return to the well‑marked road, the one God laid out for our good. The one that leads to rest, not chaos. The one that keeps us from turning life into a demolition derby of our own making.

The lines are there because God loves us. The boundaries exist because the journey matters. The ancient paths still lead to rest but only if we stay on them.

So today, as you drive, let the road preach. Let the lane markers remind you of God’s steady guidance. Let the potholes remind you that neglect creates danger. Let the whole journey point you back to the One who laid out the path long before you ever set foot on it.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the ancient paths You have laid before us. Teach us to honor the lines You have drawn, not as restrictions but as gifts of protection and peace. Keep our hearts attentive, our steps steady, and our lives aligned with Your wisdom. Strengthen us to walk in the good way, to maintain the paths entrusted to us, and to travel with humility, gratitude, and obedience. Lead us safely, guide us faithfully, and grant us rest for our souls as we follow Your road. Amen.

Hollow Rabbit Religion

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

The Hollow Rabbit Problem

Easter is the second most important candy‑eating occasion of the year for Americans, who consumed 7 billion pounds of candy in 2001, according to the National Confectioner’s Association.

  • In 2000, Americans spent nearly $1.9 billion on Easter candy, while Halloween sales were nearly $2 billion; Christmas, an estimated $1.4 billion; and Valentine’s Day, just over $1 billion.
  • Ninety million chocolate Easter bunnies are produced each year.
  • Chocolate bunnies should be eaten ears first, according to 76% of Americans. Five percent said bunnies should be eaten feet first, while 4% favored eating the tail first.
  • Adults prefer milk chocolate (65%) to dark chocolate (27%).

They are fanciful, often gold‑wrapped, usually elegantly packaged, full‑color presentations. From all appearances, those chocolate creatures are a delightful treat to eat. On the surface these beauties are elegant and proud. Inside, however, they are an empty hollow shell.

I do not know about you, but I prefer solid chocolate rabbits over the hollow ones. I much prefer to bite into a solid milk chocolate bunny. I have been fooled in the past into purchasing what looked like a solid chocolate rabbit only to get home and find out it was not. One bite is all it took to know I had been deceived. Although it had the appearance of being solid, it did not pass the bite test. Of course, I could have employed the pinch test at the store, but that would have only left a broken bunny on the shelf where once stood a proud whole rabbit.

After Easter, mark‑downs can be found on the broken chocolate rabbits even before the holiday buying season ends. The chocolate still tastes as good as it did when it was in the form of a full standing rabbit, but since it now resembles a pile of chocolate flakes, it lost some of its value. Although the chocolate did not lose any flavor, it was no longer pretty to look at.

Hollow rabbits outsell solid rabbits primarily because of the cost. You can get a gigantic 12‑inch rabbit for about half the price of a much smaller solid one. Children love the fact that they have this huge chocolate rabbit to eat, when in reality the amount of actual chocolate in that 12‑inch rabbit is less than half of the smaller sized version.

Outwardly these proud rabbits stand tall, but apply just a little amount of pressure and they will crumble. There is no real substance to them. They are of little value when faced with just the slightest bit of pressure. By contrast, their solid shelf‑mates can withstand tremendous pressure. Have you ever tried biting the head off a solid rabbit?

Solid or hollow — which do you prefer?

Solid or Hollow Worship

Our church worship could be looked at from the viewpoint of solid or hollow. Are we worshipping with our whole hearts, souls, minds, spirits, and strength, or is it more of an outward show to win favorable ratings from onlookers?

“In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. He carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made. So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king went to the Lord’s temple, the guards bore the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.” (2 Chronicles 12:9–11)

The gold was gone. It was replaced with bronze. Although it had an appearance of gold, it wasn’t. Bronze is far cheaper to produce than gold and thus less valuable. Although stripped of all the gold, the king made a show of worship anyway. If anyone came to steal these bronze shields, would they get anything of value when compared to the golden shields that had been there? Are we taking away anything of value from our worship services — any golden nuggets?

“Be careful not to let anyone rob you of this faith through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ.” (Colossians 2:8, GW)

All across our land many church houses are filled with bronze where once stood gold. What once was solid biblical preaching has been replaced with hollow messages of self‑improvement. These messengers appear to preach solid biblical counsel, yet their teachings contain no substance. Unable to offer the solid meat of God’s Word, they are left with only hollow arguments to the world’s ills. These solid‑looking brass shields, though golden in appearance, lack the value of pure gold.

It may be milk and it may be chocolate, but is it solid? What is your worship made of? Will it stand up under pressure? What is behind that golden appearance? Is it solid or simply hollow? Can you worship when times are rough? Has the enemy come in and taken all the value out of your salvation experience and left you with just a semblance of true worship?

“But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness.” (Isaiah 40:31, BBE)

Epistle to the Churches of This Age

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

To the assemblies scattered across cities and suburbs, grace to you. This extends across denominations and traditions. It reaches across sanctuaries filled with worshipers who bear the name of Christ yet often lack His life. Peace comes from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Call to Awakening

I write not to condemn you, but to awaken you. For many among you have received a form of godliness yet deny the power thereof. You have inherited the customs of your fathers. You have learned the doctrines of your teachers. You have followed the rhythms of your denominations. However, you have not discerned the one thing that marks the children of God: the indwelling Spirit.

For it is written, “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14) And again, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” (Romans 8:9) These words stand as a witness. They oppose every tradition that substitutes ritual for regeneration. Ceremony is not a replacement for union with Christ.

The Cross: The Place of Death, Not the Source of Life

You have been taught to look to the cross as the place of power. However, the cross is the place of death. It is holy, yes, for there the Lamb of God bore the sin of the world. But the cross does not indwell you. The cross does not breathe life into you. The cross does not lead you. The cross does not seal you. The cross is the altar where the old life ends, not the wellspring from which the new life flows.

The Water: A Symbol, Not the Substance

You have been taught to look to the water as the moment of new birth. Yet the water is but a sign. It testifies to burial and resurrection, but it does not impart the life it symbolizes. For the Lord Himself declared, “It is the Spirit who gives life.” (John 6:63) And again, “Unless one is born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) The water may wash the body, but only the Spirit washes the heart.

The Misplaced Celebrations of the Church

You have been taught to celebrate the seasons of Christ’s earthly life. His birth is celebrated with pageantry. His death is honored with solemnity. His resurrection is marked with lilies and trumpets. Yet you have neglected the day on which His life entered you. You have adorned your sanctuaries for Christmas but scarcely lifted your eyes for Pentecost. You have honored the manger where He lay. However, you have not honored the upper room where He came to dwell within His people.

Christ’s birth brought no forgiveness. His birth brought no indwelling. His birth brought no power. The incarnation is the miracle of God with us, but Pentecost is the miracle of God in us. And without the Spirit, you remain forgiven yet powerless, cleansed yet empty, religious yet unchanged.

The Spirit: The True Mark of Belonging

Do you not know that the Spirit is the seal of your salvation? It is the witness of your adoption. It is the life of Christ within you. Do you not know that apart from the Spirit, no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except as empty words? Do you not know that the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God?

Why then do so many of you live as though the Christian life is a matter of doctrine alone? Or is it merely morality? Or solely tradition? Why do you cling to the cross yet resist the Spirit? Why do you honor the water yet ignore the fire? Why do you celebrate the birth of Christ yet neglect the birth of the Church?

I fear for you, beloved, that you have embraced a Christianity defined by your denomination rather than by the Scriptures. Many say, “We are Baptist.” Others declare, “We are Methodist,” or “We are Reformed.” Some claim, “We are Catholic,” or “We are non‑denominational.” Yet few say, “We are led by the Spirit of God.”

And yet this alone is the mark of the children of God.

Not your creed, tradition, baptism, church membership, your moral conduct, nor your theological precision.

The Question That Will Be Asked on That Day

For on that Day, when many will say, “Lord, Lord,” He will not ask for your denominational statement. He will not inquire about your church attendance. He will not review your religious résumé. He will ask one question alone: Did My Spirit dwell in you?

For those who are led by the Spirit of God—these, and only these, are the children of God.

The Final Exhortation

Therefore, I write to you with urgency: return to the foundation laid by Christ and His apostles. Do not stop at the cross, for the cross is the place of death. Do not stop at the water, for the water is the place of symbol. Press on to Pentecost, where the life of God enters the soul of man.

Let every church, therefore, examine itself. Let every pastor search his own heart. Let every believer ask, not “Do I know Christ?” but “Does Christ know me?” For He knows His own by the Spirit, He has given them.

And now I say to you plainly. I speak without hesitation or apology:
All churches should be Pentecostal — not by denomination, but by indwelling. They should not be Pentecostal by style, but by Spirit. They should not be characterized by emotionalism, but by the life‑changing dynamism of God Himself dwelling within His people.

Benediction

May the Lord awaken His Church to the fullness of His salvation. May the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwell richly in you all.

Grace be with you in the Spirit

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In One Ear and Out the Other: When the Word Never Reaches the Heart

Allen Frederick Leave a comment


A Funny Story With a Not‑So‑Funny Truth

Three men went deer hunting, and as they crossed a field on their way to the woods, a massive buck jumped up right in front of them. All three fired at the same moment. The buck dropped instantly, and the men hurried over—only to realize they had a problem. Who actually shot the deer?

As they stood there debating, a game warden approached to check licenses. Hearing the dilemma, he knelt down, examined the buck, and said, “One of you is a preacher, right?” Sure enough, one of them was. The warden nodded and said, “Well, the preacher’s the one who got him.” The men stared at him in disbelief. “How can you know that?” The warden shrugged. “Simple. The bullet went in one ear and out the other.”

It’s a humorous story, but beneath the laughter lies a sobering truth—one James warned the church about with prophetic clarity when he wrote, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

When Hearing Becomes Self‑Deception

Hearing is not the problem. Hearing without obeying is. A message that goes in one ear and out the other never reaches the heart, and the heart is the only place where real transformation takes place. Jesus Himself said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). The mind matters. The mind is essential. But the mind is not the destination. It is the doorway. The heart is the target.

The preacher in the story fired a shot that passed through the deer’s head but never touched the heart. It produced death, not life. It left a carcass, not a conversion. And that is exactly what happens when the Word of God is received only at the level of intellect. It may pass through the mind, but if it never penetrates the heart, it cannot produce obedience, repentance, or new life. It becomes information without transformation.

A Wound That Never Heals Becomes Fatal

Here is the deeper truth: a bullet that never reaches the heart can still kill you. It can wound you. It can tear flesh, rupture arteries, and leave you bleeding out. A wound is not harmless simply because it missed the center.

And the same is true of the Word when it is only received intellectually. A sermon aimed at the mind alone may not transform you, but it can still wound you. It can leave you convicted but unchanged, aware of truth but still resisting it. You can feel the sting of conviction without ever surrendering to it. And that kind of wound, left unattended, becomes spiritually fatal.

The writer of Hebrews says, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two‑edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The Word is designed to pierce. It is meant to cut deep enough to expose motives, confront sin, and bring healing through repentance. But when the Word is only admired, analyzed, or agreed with—when it is heard but not obeyed—it becomes a cut that never closes. Over time, the soul begins to hemorrhage. Not because the Word failed, but because the heart never yielded.

When the Lips Say “Amen” but the Heart Stays Distant

Jesus described this condition when He said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). The mind can say “Amen” while the heart remains untouched. The intellect can applaud truth while the will refuses to bow to it.

James continues this warning by saying, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror… and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (James 1:23–24). The problem is not the hearing. The problem is the forgetting. The problem is the lack of response. The problem is the absence of obedience.

Truth that only grazes the mind can still leave a person spiritually dying. Truth that never reaches the heart cannot save. Truth that never produces obedience becomes a slow bleed. Eternal death does not always come from outright rebellion. Sometimes it comes from a lifetime of sermons that never penetrated deeper than the intellect.

The Word Must Be Received With Surrender, Not Just Agreement

This is why preaching must aim for the heart. This is why hearing must lead to doing. This is why the Word must be received with surrender, not merely agreement. Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). Hearing is the beginning. Doing is the evidence. Obedience is the fruit. Transformation is the result.

Do not let God’s Word pass through you without penetrating you. Do not let it skim the surface of your mind without sinking into the soil of your heart. Do not let it go in one ear and out the other. Slow down. Meditate. Respond. Obey. Let the Word reach the place where life is changed. Let it pierce, not to destroy, but to heal. Let it cut, not to wound, but to free. Let it strike the heart, for only there does the Word bring life. It isn’t about how much Bible you know or can quote but how much you actually put into practice.

Don’t let His Word go in one ear

and right out the other!