It's that time of year where people have what seems to be an insatiable fondness of all things creepy. That's right, it's Halloween again. With this day comes many activities that our society enjoys, such as ghost tours, haunted houses, and other spooky things like "Fright Fest" at Six Flags. All the while, these spooky attractions are making lots of money off of appealing to the masses, and competing to see who can come up with the most horrifying haunted house, or the most terrifying attraction. 

  These are truly admirable profit margins, and certainly scary attractions, but what if I told you that these can't even hold a creepy candle to the most haunted house in the world? That might not be so surprising seeing as the Travel Channel, and the SciFi channel have done such wonderful jobs of highlighting some of the world's creepiest places in some of their shows, but what if I told you that the most haunted house in the world isn't a place at all? What if I told you that the most haunted house in the world is the person whose soul dwells in horror because it is lost? The scariest part is that they may not even be aware of the fact that they themselves are haunted by the fact that they don't know Christ as their Savior. They may not feel haunted at all by this, in fact, they may even glory in this, their shame (Philippians 3:19).

  This is where we, as Christians find the most haunted house in the world, and it is truly the most terrifying thing in the world to behold. The most horrifying thing to a Christian is someone who will be eternally lost, and tormented in Hell, away from the presence of the Lord. This is so scary that Jesus even described it as being cast into "outer darkness" in Matthew 22:13. In this passage of scripture, Jesus is teaching in the Parable of the Wedding Feast, and how one of the guests showed up to the wedding unprepared for the celebration, and he didn't belong there any long because he wasn't even prepared for the occasion. This is signified in the detail that he did not even have on his wedding garment. He didn't dress to the occasion, but rather came in like a bum, and he was cast out as a result. How did Jesus describe his being thrown out though? He described it as him being bound, hand and foot, and being cast into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the haunting existence for ALL who are unprepared for the wedding feast of Christ and His church too as the parable teaches in parallel to the Kingdom of Heaven. 

  This is why the most haunted house in the world is not any place, but rather it is the person whose soul dwells in horror because it is lost. It is lost because that person is unprepared to face judgment. Though they may not be in horror now, we can be assured that they will be later on. As Christians, we are called to constantly visit the most haunted houses worldwide. We are called to visit these haunted houses, and spend time with them so that we can help them become prepared for their meeting with Christ where they will either be condemned to a horrifying doom and be cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth simply because they were unprepared, or be claimed as a beautiful member of Christ's church which is His perfect, and lovely bride (Ephesians 5:25-27). So, on this Halloween, will you be spending your time at a literal haunted house or some other festive attraction, or will you be spending time with a person who is in desperate need of the saving power of the blood of Christ, who would be spending their eternity being haunted by the horrors of outer darkness, weeping and gnashing their teeth? 

  One can only imagine the tragedy it would be for one to live a luxurious life, and leave God in the backseat. The majority of the people in the world live a life seeking for nothing less than fame, fortune, and position. People live life as if they are promised tomorrow (James 4:13-15). Furthermore, what a devastation it would be for one to live life trying to get all the fame and fortune they can, and then later come to find out they have a deadly disease (cancer, AIDS, etc.), and the doctor tells them they have maybe six months to live. Moreover, can you imagine for that one to be on their death bed with “no hope” after their death. You see, one does not have to live a life like this. A life “without hope” after their earthly death. We can have “hope” now and after our earthly death! Let us look together at how one can have a life with “hope.”

  Paul wrote to the church of Christ in Rome,

  Notice Paul, by inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 14:37) is very specific in the above passage as for whom “all things work together for good.”First, he mentions “all things work together for good” to those who LOVE GOD. Jesus proclaimed to the Jews who were wanting to hold on to their traditions, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:29-30). One MUST love God with their entire being before they can receive any of the promises of God through Jesus Christ. One MUST deny all that he has, and even himself before he can even attempt to follow after Christ (Luke 14:25-33). Jesus told his disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). According to this passage “Loving God” involves doing ANYTHING and EVERTHING Jesus tells us to do, even if we have to change. If we love God we will not ask questions, we will not just give “eye service,” but we will do the will of God whole-heartedly (Eph. 6:6). Do you truly love God?

  Not only MUST one “Love God,” but one MUST be part of “the called” according to the passage of this study. Well, the question arises: Who are “the called?” A Bible student MUST turn to the pages of Holy Writ, and nothing else for the answers to every question they might have (2 Pet. 1:3; 1 Pet. 4:11; 1 Pet. 3:15). So, who are “the called” according to Paul? The same Apostle wrote, “To which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:14-15).Paul proclaimed by inspiration that we, are “called by the gospel.” If one is going to be called by the gospel, they MUST know what “the gospel” is(Rom.1:16-17). Furthermore, for one to know what the gospel is, they MUST hear it, or have heard it before (Rom. 10:14-17). Also, they MUST believe that which they have heard (John 3:16; John 8:24; Heb. 11:6). For one to be part of “the called” they MUST also repent of their past sins, which means they are willing to change “their will” for “God's Will” (Luke 13:3-5; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rom. 12:1-2). The Bible teaches that for one to be a part of “the called” they must also be willing to confess that Jesus Christ is the son of God (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:10; 1 Tim. 6:12; Acts 8:37). Moreover, if one wants to be part of “the called” upon their confession they MUST be baptized (immersed) into Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:36-39; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-27; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21). Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost that for one to be “added” to the Lord's church one MUST repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38;41;47). Once one is baptized the Lord adds them to His church, and they become a “Christian,” nothing more and nothing less (Acts 11:26). Also, upon one's baptism one is raised to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4), they become “a new creature” (2 Cor. 5:17), and their old life is remembered no more (1 Cor. 6:9-11). There are many teachings in the religious world on how to be saved, or on how to be “a part of the called.” My friends the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ teaches one thing and one thing only. Let us all study and read for ourselves so we can know these things (2 Tim. 2:15; Eph. 3:4). Furthermore, if we have not done these things, let us evaluate ourselves and be added to“the called” so Heaven can be our home. Let us search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11) lest we be deceived by false teachings and/or false teachers (1 John 4:1; Gal. 1:6-10; 2 Tim. 4:2-4). And finally, let us be faithful until death, and never give up, or give in to the devil (1 Pet. 5:8), until our last breath here on earth.


  So, the ultimate question one should ask is, “Do all things work together for good for me?”

  It could never happen to you.  Domestic violence is the tool of movie villains and the vice of over-adrenalized professional athletes.  Your hometown is much too peaceful and quite to hide so dark a secret.  The brothers at church are surely holy and above such evil.  Your female friends are surely strong enough to not allow it.  It is a heartbreaking fact, but you are wrong.  Domestic violence affects 1/4 of women in this country.  It is an epidemic affecting every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality, or educational background.  It is likely the case that 1/4 of the women you know are victims of domestic violence in one form or another—coworkers, soccer moms, sisters in the church, and even your close friends and family.  

  October is a month dedicated to domestic violence awareness, and recent events have brought this atrocity into the media’s eye.  It’s high time it was brought to the attention of the Lord’s church.  The Light Network has devoted this month to producing material to combat this plague upon our communities, and The Preacher’s Favorite Passage is partnered with them in this endeavor.  The church cannot remain silent on this issue.

  As already noted, 1/4 of women are affected.  This is not to say that 1/4 of men beat upon their wives/girlfriends.  This is certainly a despicable problem, but is not the only way that domestic violence presents itself.  Domestic violence is sexual assault, stalking, intimidation, name calling, putdowns, isolation from family and friends, withholding money, threatened physical harm, and real physical harm perpetrated on an individual by an intimate partner.  Abuse is about control.  In domestic violence situations, one partner attempts to make the other totally dependent upon him/her.  This power struggle is mostly seen in men abusing women, but women can be abusive too.

  Domestic violence is a growing problem.  One reason that the problem continues is its presentation as a normal behavior in the media.  Recently the media has come down hard upon offenders, but it has not always been the case.  Movie stars, musicians, athletes, and all manner of public figures have been accused (and some convicted) of domestic violence.  These issues have been quietly swept under the rug and they have continued their careers in the public eye—suffering no more than a two-game football suspension or a lawsuit that can be afforded on a week’s salary.  These atrocities have not deterred the public from purchasing concert, movie, or sporting event tickets whatsoever.  Our young men see this heinous act depicted to them as “no big deal.”  Domestic violence is also easily seen depicted on the big and small screens, and reflected in the lyrics of popular songs.  Parents allow their children to watch these movies and television shows, and to listen to these songs, further perpetuating the indoctrination of our young men to assume that this is normal and acceptable behavior.

  This problem also continues because these crimes often go unreported, and therefore unpunished.  Only about 1/4 of all physical assaults, 1/5 of all rapes, and 1/2 of all stalking perpetuated against females by intimate partners are reported to the police.  Victims’ minds are bludgeoned into believing that they somehow deserve to be abused, or that their attacker really loves them and will not do it again.  These crimes happen behind closed doors, and we neglect to address them in our day-to-day lives, so victims are scared or embarrassed to seek help.  As already stated, it is a common problem, but you would not know it by the way we ignore the issue.  Those who do not receive chastening or punishment will simply continue in the same pattern of behavior until someone, or something, stops or corrects them.  “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Eccles. 8:11).

  Domestic violence continues to be a problem also because it is passed on to the younger generations as acceptable behavior by their parents.  Children witness domestic violence in their own homes first-hand.  This is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior.  Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their partners and children as adults.  3.3 million children witness domestic violence in the U.S. each year.  Children also learn this behavior by being abused themselves.  36% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household.  Those children who are victims of abuse grow up thinking that abuse is normal.  How many times has a child grown up to be just like his parents?

  Domestic violence should not be normal behavior, but it is all too common.  It is an illness triggered by something that has gone wrong.  Causes and triggers include the following: learned behavior, low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, unresolved childhood conflicts, stress of poverty, misogyny, misandry, personality disorders, mental disorders, psychopathy, jealousy, genetic tendencies, sociocultural influences, or stress.  It is rarely the case that just one trigger has caused the problem, but is more likely the case that the individual has a number of issues that trigger abusive behavior.  If you are a victim, or abuser, seek help immediately and break the cycle of evil behavior.

  One of the most despicable problems associated with domestic violence is when an abuser attempts to justify his actions with the Bible.  The abuser often sees his abuse as “putting her in her place.”  He finds supposed justification in God’s command that the husband be the head of the household and the wife be subject unto him.  He sees this as license to assert his dominance in any way necessary.  It sickens me that God’s Word is twisted in such a way.  Evaluate these passages, commonly-used in defense of domestic violence, to find the truth.

  1 Peter 3:1-6 commands wives to “be in subjection to your own husbands (verse 1), have a “meek and quiet spirit” (verse 4), and consider the example of the “holy women” (verse 5) such as Sarah, the wife of Abraham, who “obeyed Abraham, calling him lord” (verse 6).  The abuser will read this passage to say that his wife has to do as he commands and honor him as king.  The first thing to be noted is this: if God commands the woman to be in subjection, then it is her responsibility to do so, NOT your responsibility to make her.  Second, it should be noted that verse 7  commands “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7).  While subjection is the wife’s responsibility, the husband’s responsibility is twice that of the wife—dwell with her according to knowledge, and honor her.  To dwell “according to knowledge” is to forever attempt to grow in knowledge and appreciation for her.  The husband should ever strive to learn what his wife needs, and what will make her happy.  Quite often, the abuser is focused upon his wife’s need to fulfill her responsibility to him; however, he should put more focus upon his own responsibility to her.  He should also honor his wife—something he is not doing if he is abusing (in word or deed) his wife.  How many husbands that demand the respect of their wives have respected their wives?  Respect is a two-way street.  Disrespecting your wife will NEVER make her respect you—only fear you.  Husbands are told to love their wives for three reasons: 1) they are the weaker vessel, 2) they are fellow-heirs of God’s grace, and 3) a lack of respect for your wife will hinder your prayers.  A wife should be handled with care, like a delicate and valuable treasure.  If a man possessed a priceless vase, I doubt he would push or hit it; why then would a man do so to the “weaker vessel” that is his wife?  How can a man expect to obtain God’s grace as his child when he has beaten and shamed another of God’s children?  How can a man expect God to answer his prayers when he has so vilely mistreated one of God’s most precious children?

  Ephesians 5:22-24 is also commonly used in defense of abuse.  Husbands will often focus upon the command for wives to “submit yourselves unto your own husbands” (verse 22) and the proclamation that “the husband is the head of the wife” (verse 23), but will often ignore the qualifying statement concerning how the husband is the head of his wife—“even as Christ is the head of the church” (verse 23).  Every husband should ask himself the following questions:  Would Christ beat upon a member of His church?  Would Christ insult a member of His church?  Would Christ force a member of His church to be obedient?  The answer to all such questions is a resounding NO.  Christ’s church is subject to Him by their own free will and Christ is head of the church by means of leading—not slave-driving.  The remaining verses of the chapter are also needful for consideration—Ephesians 5:25-33.  They indicate that the husband’s responsibility is to love His wife “even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (verse 25).  If a man loves his wife as much as Jesus loves His church, would he ever mistreat her in any way?  The husbands should also “love their wives as their own bodies” (verse 28).  What man would harm himself physically, mentally, or emotionally?  Yes, the wife’s responsibility is to “reverence her husband” (verse 33), but that pales in comparison to the man’s responsibility to love.

  “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them” (Col. 3:18-19).  There are far too many men who have embittered themselves against their wives, and this problem has led to the prevalence of violence in our homes.  Sadder still, some men actually believe that the abuse that they perpetrate against their wives is done “because I love her.”  It would be well for such men to evaluate 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to discover God’s definition of love.  Love “suffereth long,” but an abusive husband is short of temper.  Love “envieth not,” but abuse is often motivated by envy. Love “vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” but a man’s ego is often the source of domestic violence.  Love “doth not behave itself unseemly,” but there is no more unseemly behavior than a man abusing a woman.  Love “seeketh not her own,” but an abuser is seeking dominion for himself above his partner.  Love “is not easily provoked,” but an abuser has a short fuse.  Love “thinketh no evil,” but abuse often happens when a husband assumes the worst in his wife.  Love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth,” but most abusive husbands (and wives) would rather continue to abuse than recognize they are wrong.  Love “beareth all things,” but domestic violence occurs when one partner is unwilling to bear what they perceive as faults in the other partner.  Love “believeth all things, hopeth all things” but what abusive husband truly fulfills these commands?  Love “endureth all things,” but far too many men would rather force adherence to their will than endure any perceived-mistake by their partner to go unpunished.  God forbid that we should ever call abusive behavior an act of love!  “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts” (Pro. 21:2).

  It is a clear inclusion in the “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-23) in the words “hatred” “wrath” and “strife.”  As a result of their inclusion in the “works of the flesh,” the participant in such sin does not possess the “fruit of the Spirit,” because the two cannot exist in the same individual.  The fruit of the Spirit and the grapes of wrath cannot grow on the same vine.

  “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:31-32).  The bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, and malice associate with domestic violence need to be put away and replaced by the kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness associated with being a faithful child of God. 

  “Recompense to no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:17-21).  Even with the vilest of enemies, our command is to not do evil to them in return for the evil they have done.  It is to be our endeavor to live peaceably with all men, and how can that be accomplished if a man cannot live peaceably with his wife?  A man should not feel the need to avenge every time he is wronged or perceives that he has been, but should treat even his worst enemy with kindness.  “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). 

  According to James 3:13-18, a wise man will be meek and put away bitter envy and strife.  The man who assumes he is right to be filled with envy and strife (such as an abusive husband) is calling something wise that is “earthly, sensual, devilish.”  In application to the abuser, to be wise in God’s eyes, you will learn to be “peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated” (handle your problems calmly and kindly).  There will be times when you are angered, but that does not excuse abusive behavior.  “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Eph. 4:26).

  If you are currently being abused, seek help and remove yourself from danger.  Love seeks to do what is best for the other person, and what is best for an abusive partner is to receive professional help in dealing with the problem.  If your heart is convicted as an abuser, seek out professional help immediately.  Do not try to fight the battle against domestic violence alone.  For more information concerning a biblical approach to domestic violence go to www.thelightnetwork.tv/stopviolence.

A few summers ago, I read a book called A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Philip Keller. If you haven’t read it, you need to. 

  In the book, Mr. Keller analyzes the lives and habits of sheep, and makes dozens of connections between sheep and God’s people—a metaphor so richly described in the scriptures. 

  These are a few things I took from the book, all of which I cannot help but dwell on every time I read that famous, timeless Psalm (Most of these will also refer to John 10): 

  John 10 is one of my favorite passages because the metaphor is beautiful—it’s a picture of trust, safety, and security. It’s a picture of what we, as Christians, can feel when we’re safe in the arms of our Shepherd. 

  In verse 3, we read, “…the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name.”

  If you look at a picture of the earth taken from outer space, it’s simply a pale blue dot. That means that every single person you’ve read about in your history textbook, every celebrity that ever lived, and every monarch from every country lived on that little blue dot in the midst of billions of little dots. We’re so small. We’re so insignificant. And yet, for some reason, God, our Shepherd, loves us and wants to have a personal, intimate relationship with each one of us (Matthew 11:28, Luke 12:7). In other words, the same God who runs the Universe is listening to you and loving you when someone hurts your feelings in 3rd period Biology class or when you’re nervous about a scary History test. The same God who spoke to Abraham and Moses wants to be your best friend. Try that on for size! 

  The good shepherd keeps a close eye on his sheep during the day, and at night, he sleeps with one eye open and a rifle next to his head, ready to jump out of bed like a ninja and run to the rescue of his beloved sheep if he hears the slightest indicator of disarray outside. 

  Parasites are a big problem for sheep. There are bugs called Nasal Flies that torment sheep by laying eggs inside the noses of the sheep. If the shepherd didn’t treat the sheep regularly for parasites, the sheep would kill themselves by beating their heads against anything solid to try to get rid of the flies. They would not be able to eat or to lie down because of their agony. The only way to treat them is for the shepherd to carefully assemble a special ointment and anoint the heads of the sheep thoroughly. Please note the perfect metaphor: 

  Our Shepherd offers us peace if we allow Him to work. 

  Sometimes, shepherds will lead their sheep outside of the fence, which is very much outside the comfort zone of the sheep. They will follow the shepherd anyway, though, because they trust him implicitly. 

  We’re called outside the fences of our comfort zones, too. Mark 16:15 calls us to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” 

  The scary thing is that sharing the gospel with others usually requires saying something. What is it that makes our palms sweaty and gives us that funny feeling in our stomachs every time we think about talking to someone about the Lord or asking someone to study the Bible with us? It’s not the Lord that does that—it’s the devil! He wants you to be terrified to step outside your “fence.” 

  I’ve done a lot of overseas mission work, and I think everyone should try that at least once because there’s really no words to describe the excitement and fulfillment in touching people’s lives in 3rd world countries with the gospel and a feeling of hope for which they are desperate. All the same, I would never say that overseas mission work is the hardest kind of mission work that I do. The hardest part is right here in my own hometown. Why is that? Because here, I’m right inside my own fence. When I’m overseas on a mission trip and I lay it all on the table to someone about the Lord, about salvation, and about the promise of an eternity in hell to those who ignore the warnings, I’m not going to be so worried about that person’s reaction. If she laughs at me, talks ugly about me to other people, or stops being my friend, it’s really okay with me because I will likely never see her again after traveling home in a couple of weeks. But when I think of saying something to someone here—someone I see every day---I’m terrified because at lot more is at stake for me—I will have to deal with that person’s reaction every day. All the same, that person is not just a person, but a soul. We need to be the kind of people who see the mail man, the lunch lady, the girl who sits behind us in Chemistry class—not just as people—but as souls—souls that will spend an eternity in heaven or hell. 

  Oftentimes, stepping out of your fence can make the difference in someone’s eternity. We have to be ready to accept that challenge (I Peter 3:15).

  The best thing about having a Shepherd is that we never have to do anything alone. 

  We can never use the excuse that no one knows how we feel. Why? Because someone left heaven to come to earth so he could know exactly how we feel. Hebrews 4:16 says, 

  “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

  And we know, of course, that He really was tempted to sin (Matthew 4). As our Shepherd, He came before us and therefore, knows what it’s like to deal with human temptations and desires. He also knows just how much we’re able to handle. Check out I Corinthians 10:13: 

  He didn’t just come to earth to experience being a human. He came to earth to die an agonizing death for us. He didn’t have to do it. He did it because he loves us. 

  After this study, words can’t even express how happy I am to be a sheep. If you’re a Christian, praise God you’re part of the flock and that you have a Shepherd Who’s worth trusting.