Category Archives: Galatians

I have family in Gaza and Israel

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In 2005, the year Israel turned Gaza over to Palestinian control, my wife Jana and I had the privilege of going into Gaza with one of our missionaries who served there. We were warmly welcomed into the homes of several Palestinian Christian families. As the wives served tea and the children played on the floor around us, I asked about their lives as believers in such a hostile environment.

They openly shared how isolated they felt – distrusted, even hated, by most Israelis because they were Palestinian. Yet, they were despised infidels and traitors to most Palestinians because they were Christians. My eyes were opened as they shared stories of atrocities they had suffered from both sides. Continue reading →

Yes, we have missionaries in Ukraine

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Prayers for UkraineAs you likely know I founded agencies that send missionaries and help national workers around the world.

Commission To Every Nation USA and
Commission To Every Nation Canada send US and Canadian missionaries.
Commission Ministers Network primarily helps national workers (people serving their own people in their own country.)

With the developments in Ukraine, I’ve been regularly asked if we have people serving there and, if so, how are they doing. Yes, we do have ministers still in Ukraine and the surrounding nations that are involved in providing relief and sharing the compassion of Jesus with people in deepest need.

Because of the level of interest, I have created a special page where I will post periodic updates from our folks there. You can check it out at: www.rickmalm.com/ukraine
Feel free to share this link with others and check back regularly for updates as we get them.
You’ll also find a giving link there if you would like to contribute to help the relief efforts.

Thanks for your concern, prayers and partnership.
Rick
___________
Galatians 6:2
Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Investing in compassion in Ukraine

Holy Pie Plate, Batman!

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Jana and I have a special pie plate that looks like a pumpkin pie. So, naturally, you can only use it to hold a pumpkin pie. As great as a cherry or apple pie might be, it just wouldn’t be right to put one in this plate.

Imagine, and we’re going to get a little gross here so stop reading aloud if there are children in the room. Imagine if I handed you this nice warm pie plate, your taste buds got all set for pumpkin pie and you opened it to find … brussels sprouts. What an abomination! Continue reading →

The Bible is filled with untrue statements.

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tattered bibleThe Bible is filled with statements that just are not true. I was reading in Romans today and it said this:
(5:3) we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

I don’t know about you but tribulation – for just a teeny example, think of a flat tire on a rainy day – does not cause me to break into my happy dance.

Or how about this one also in Romans:
(8:28) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, …

We know that? Really? If I know that then why do I freak out when things I don’t like come into my life?

Continue reading →

I need to be reminded

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Ugly as SinIn 2 Kings 23 King Josiah cleans Judah of its idolatry. I was struck by how perverted God’s people had become – prostitutes set up shop in God’s temple, the people burning their own children as sacrifices and other flagrant awful sins. Some of this had been going on for centuries.

But Josiah changes all that. The book of the Law is read. He relentlessly attacks and destroys the false gods. “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” (2 Kings 23:25) But even though the repentance was genuine they did not all live happily ever after. Continue reading →

What are you full of?

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Crying out to GodOne day a broken hearted woman went to church to pray. Unfortunately she chose a church where the priest was out of touch with God. Since fervent and intense prayer was not something he was accustomed to when he saw her passionately imploring the Lord to answer her prayers, he assumed she must be drunk and rebuked her for coming to church like that.

Jesus said what we fill our heart with is what will inevitably come out our mouth. Because this priest’s heart was cold toward God his default setting was judgment, not mercy. He immediately assumed the worst rather than defaulting to the best. But love “always looks for the best”. (1 Corinthians 13:7 MSG)

What we fill our heart with colors how we see others and how we see the world. If we think the world is against us, that no one likes us, that people are judging us we react in ways that cause that to happen. If we are always attune to the negative, always quick with criticism, always assuming the worst we make it harder for people to approach us, to love us. Continue reading →

Good news / Bad news about forgiveness

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wild oatsI found a great message of encouragement but also a sobering warning – and I need both – in 1 Kings 21:25-29

(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.) When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”

Ahab was unsurpassed in his evil yet, when he humbled himself before the Lord God spared him the full consequences of his sin. What a word to encourage the one who thinks he has wandered too far. Even Ahab was not beyond the grace of God. When he sincerely humbled himself he caught the eye and captured the mercy of God. But there is more … Continue reading →

How to reap a harvest

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power in a seedWhen we sow a seed of sin it promises pleasure and it delivers. There is immediate gratification or we would not be tempted by it. But that short-lived rush of reward is followed by a long term harvest of guilt, insecurity and often pain, not only for us but for countless others as the waves of sin’s impact spread. Once we start the wave we lose control of how big or far reaching it will be. Sometimes we can do nothing but stand back and watch in horror as it builds into a tsunami of destruction rolling over our loved ones and even innocent bystanders. Continue reading →

Mormons & Muslims on the same page

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Is that you Gabriel?Galatians 1:8
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
—
Mohammad declared an angel appeared to him and revealed the Koran. Joseph Smith proclaimed the Book of Mormon was shown to him by an angel. Others make similar claims to divine inspiration and revelation.

Today another “gospel”, not a new one, just a revived one, is slithering into the Body of Christ. The “good news” that God is only a one dimensional God of love. He has no anger, wrath or justice within Him, in spite of the Bible’s many clear declarations (Old and New Testament) to the contrary.

The vilest wretch of a human and the most precious saint will both ultimately live forever in an eternal reward. And that is how God shows Himself to be both a God of love and justice.  Obviously this is not how the lie is sold but the idea of universalism is another gospel, certainly not one taught by Jesus or Paul. Continue reading →

Is sex before marriage a sin?

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I was asked this question via a FaceBook chat.  I anticipated after my answer they would sign-off with a quick “thanks” or try to justify why my answer did not apply.  I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out they were sincerely desiring to know what God had to say about the issue and were willing to follow His instructions.  Here is what I told them.

The Bible is very clear on that issue.  In fact, it is probably one of the most clearly answered questions in all of Scripture.  Typically “fornication” is the term used to refer to sex before marriage whereas “adultery” refers to sex after marriage with anyone other than your spouse.  The Greek word the King James Version translates “fornication” actually includes many forms of sexual immorality (incest, prostitution, harlotry, etc) and so is often simply translated “sexual immorality”, so as not to limit its meaning to fornication.  The Bible is clear that sex before marriage, and all sexual immorality, is a sin and warns of harsh penalties for those involved in it.

Here are just a few Scriptures – and there are many, many more – that address the issue:
(Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9, 13, 18; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7; Revelation 21:8).

The Bible teaches self-control and complete abstinence before marriage and a one-man, one-woman relationship after marriage both physically and in the area of the thought life.