So read the billboard beside the busy freeway. The sign expressed in catchy phrases the main goal of the American public education system— success!

Soon a new school year will begin for millions of young people across the land. One wonders what thoughts might be racing through their minds as they set foot in the classroom.

Perhaps they wonder, “What am I here for? What will the future hold? Will all this study really bring me success? Will I get a job making plenty of money after high school or college?”

Studies made by psychologists and pollsters indicate that what many people want most in life is a money-making job, a home, a little “nest egg” for retirement—in short, financial success and security.

But is financial success really the most important thing in life? Should it be tops on the list of life’s priorities? Does it really give life meaning?

Some seem to think so. They assume that education can solve almost all of the world’s problems. Modern philosophy says we must educate people—then, somehow, war, poverty, hatred, and greed will melt away!

When I was in high school, many years ago, you just weren’t “with it” unless you were out to get all the education you could. High school students were expected to go on to college. Today, we have a superabundance of highly educated people, many with a long string of degrees behind their names. But, are our problems well on the way to being solved? Obviously not! War, crime, government corruption, drug addiction, and immorality are all on the increase. The world seems headed toward chaos, not some bright, man-contrived utopia. The Bible speaks of a time when people will say, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11).

Somebody’s priorities aren’t straight. Somebody has missed the real values in life. Education hasn’t been the cure-all for our social ills.

A successful businessman lay dying of cancer. His wife stood beside him, tenderly wiping the sweat from his fever-wracked forehead. His face was contorted in pain. His cries of pain and despair echoed down the long hospital corridors.

You see, he had given all his life to pursue education and a successful career. He neglected his children and was unfaithful to his wife for years. His god was the “almighty dollar.”

Now his “success” no longer mattered. Death stared him in the face. Life had nothing more to offer. He had missed the mark. He discovered, too late, that something other than his success-drive should have had top priority in his life.

He had sought happiness in the wrong things— things that could bring him no peace of mind. He searched for real meaning in life, but did not find the real key to attaining it.

The Bible says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [the necessities of life and happiness too!] shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

God must be the object of our search for true happiness and true wisdom. Success only comes through seeking to serve Him above all personal ambitions.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).

Your whole life, education included, must be turned over to Christ to be used for His glory. If God’s service and glory is not the center and first purpose of your life, then you’re missing the mark.

All your learning must be centered on the Source of all true knowledge. Take time to study the Bible to find God’s way of success through submission to His Son Jesus Christ. As you surrender to Christ, consider ways of using your education to better prepare yourself to work for Him and for His kingdom. As helpful as some education can be, all will be lost if you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life.

Make “first things first” your motto. Give Christ top priority in your future. You will never be sorry.

Roger Berry

Each business displayed an impressive facade. The neat masonry, fresh paint, and sparkling glass windows all added to the neat appearance of the quiet village. As I ambled down the street enjoying the peaceful summer evening, I chose an alley to explore. Stepping from the bright summer sun into the obscurity, I paused momentarily, letting my eyes adjust to the penetrating gloom.

The dim light revealed decayed timbers, exposed sewer lines, and trash scattered helterskelter. At my approach, rats scurried into their holes.

Beyond the alley lay huge piles of trash and garbage. Beyond them, run-down shacks portrayed the dismal plight of the community poor.

Temporarily I forgot the immaculate sunlit street “back there.” But quickly I jolted back to reality. “What a contrast,” I mused, “so clean on the side visitors see, but so wretched behind that false front!”

This two-sided village made me ponder. Don’t we humans resemble this town?

Each of us has two sides. There’s the “you” that others see—the person who tries so hard to make a good impression, to do everything just right. Then there’s the “you” when you’re alone—the “you” no one else sees.

But suppose someone would see the real you behind the scenes? What would he learn about you? What kind of impression would you make?

Would you be confident of your presentability? Or would you be ashamed to be “exposed” for what you really are?

When a person buys a piece of furniture, he investigates it carefully. He opens the drawers, tests its sturdiness, examining the way it’s put together. He’s looking for quality. He can’t judge it by the shiny veneer. Looks are deceiving, you know.

What you are “underneath” reveals your true qualities—your real worth. People may never see the private “you,” yet there is One who sees it all. “For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Someday God will judge all people for what they really are. All false fronts will be stripped away. “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known” (Luke 8:17).

In that day, all the images and good impressions that we may have tried to build up will mean nothing. What we really are “underneath” is all that will matter.

How can you get that inner quality of life that will really count?

You must begin by asking Jesus Christ to take control of your life and clean it up. In Him, you will have a new, changed life. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Allow Christ to sweep away the corruption and debris of the old life. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). There’ll be a new you! Inside and out!

Yield both the seen and the unseen “you” to Christ. Reject the futile efforts of the majority to cover up sin.

Let Christ be the LORD of your whole life. Exchange your false front for a true character. What you do with Jesus Christ will determine the quality of your life now and in the next life.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10).

Roger Berry

The fellow no doubt intended to be funny. He came across with a pathetic philosophy that has permeated our world. “Have no fun” is the pleasure-centered, ego-centered notion of millions when they consider the Christian life and its high moral standards.

The crowd typically mocks the Christian as a sour-faced do-gooder who spoils all the “fun.” Some of their mockery comes from misunderstanding the Christian life and some comes from the way worldlings have seen some Christians live.

Common misconceptions about the Christian life include the following: Christians are burdened down by a list of dos and don’ts; Christians are unhappy and do not enjoy life; Christians are superstitious; Christians don’t have much to live for.

It is true the Bible says little about merrymaking, joking, feasting, and drinking except when describing the actions of the wicked. But then these are not the only ways to enjoy life. The Bible paints an entirely different picture of the joyful Christian life.

Joy is the word most often used in the Bible to describe the delight the godly can experience in daily living. Christian joy is more than mere happiness or having fun which must always depend on favorable or happy circumstances. Joy can exist even in times of sorrow. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Fun is short-lived. Joy endures. Our Lord cares for our needs “in shine and shade.”

“Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice . . . because thou defendest them” (Psalm 5:11).

The New Testament also repeats the theme of joy in spite of suffering. “Your sorrow shall be turned into joy . . . and your joy no man taketh from you . . . . Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace” (John 16:20b, 22b, 24, 33).

This Biblical view of life is totally realistic. The world around us offers pleasures aplenty, but these things do not give joy and peace in times of trouble, sickness, and death. God offers joyful living in the face of life’s realities. It is our job, by word and action, to help the world realize this abiding joy.

“Fun” will not last very long. It runs out with the loss of money, popularity, or health. Christian joy will outlast life itself. “The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment” (Job 20:5). “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Why doesn’t the world believe the joy found in Christian living? Part of the reason is spiritual blindness and willing ignorance. The Bible says: “In the last days scoffers . . . willingly are ignorant . . . that by the word of God the heavens were of old.” They will not believe the Bible.

Perhaps we cannot do too much about this willing ignorance, but those of us who profess to be Christians can do something about another reason for disbelief. Many do not believe because of professing Christians. Perhaps an unbeliever met a “Christian” who cursed or lied or told dirty jokes. Perhaps he knew a “Christian” who looked miserable or who complained about a “strict” church or old-fashioned parents. He logically concludes that if Christians are unhappy or if Christianity does not change a person’s life, then it is of little value.

Think about how your life must look to others. Can they see a joyful experience? Do you know the joy of the Lord as your strength? Do others see that the Gospel really works? Will your life point others to Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life?

If you cannot honestly answer “yes” to these questions, you are not right with God. Confess your sin, turn to the God of peace, claim the power of the Holy Spirit to live a vibrant Christian life. Ask God for the “want to” to live a consistent, transformed Christian life. The Spirit will lead you into God’s way of trut.

-Roger Berry

Repeatedly, people’s hopes for peace and security have been dashed. When communism fell in Russia and Eastern Europe, aspirations for peace and security soared. Certainly the world would be a safer place with the diminishing threat of communism. After the first Persian Gulf War, people again hoped for some measure of peace in the Middle East, but it was not to be. The self-proclaimed prophetess Jean Dixon prophesied that the year 2000 would usher in an era of peace. She failed to foresee the rise of terrorism that would shake the world. Her prophesy failed as did many other of her predictions. She died in 1997 before seeing the failure of her hopes for world peace.

By the time this article (being written in January) gets to your house in April, more nations could be at war, or other unforeseen security issues may arise. We feel almost helpless to do anything to avert disasters.

Many people have taken personal steps to try to protect themselves from disasters. They have stored food and fuel somewhere on their properties so they can survive (at least for a while) in case of major disruptions of supplies. Others have stored weapons to defend themselves from those who might try to steal these things. This leaves them with some feeling of “security.” However, all these things are no guarantee of protection or survival in case of disaster.

Obviously, physical security is uncertain at best even in the countries that have the most sophisticated “homeland security” departments. So, where can we turn in our search of security?

Recently I passed a place of business selling “security” systems for homes and businesses. A huge sign (bigger than the business name) on the front of the store proclaimed, “In God We Trust.” Had I had time, I would have stopped to ask them about the intent of their sign. Were they saying that they were trusting God for business? Or that God is more trustworthy than their customers (who might not pay them)? Or were they saying that people need to trust their security devices along with trust in God? Hopefully it is not like U.S. currency which proclaims, “In God We Trust.” Obviously, far more people trust the money than trust God. Money can lose its value. Banks can fail. Governments and their programs can go bankrupt. Only God can be trusted completely. In spite of the irony of the business sign, at least it points us to the place where true security lies. It is found in trusting God, not only with our material things, but also with our lives. Material things deteriorate or pass away, but if we have our security in God, then we will have reason not to fear. The threat of terrorism may make our lives uncertain, but if our trust is in God we can have a degree of security that goes beyond this life. “We may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:6).

When we come to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and submission, we find a degree of security that can never be found elsewhere in our fragile world. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

Certainly God would want us to take reasonable precautions, not leaving our homes and businesses wide open to thieves. He would want us to avoid things that would endanger our own lives or the lives of others. But He also wants us to depend on Him in the situations we cannot control. Most of all, He wants us to depend on Him for eternal life that can never be taken from us by the security breaches around us. With God’s help, we can face the security issues of our day.

Can we say with Paul, the Biblical writer, “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39).

–Roger Berry

Some ridiculed this act, claiming the music really isn’t the problem. But at least these young people realized the evil associations of rock music. Today’s music scene is more wild and suggestive than ever.

The music revolution of today is reminiscent of a musical “event” described in God’s Word. Three young Jews were determined to obey God, no matter what. The pagan ruler of their land built a golden image to be worshiped. A grand musical concert signaled the time to bow down and worship. The Jews refused. The king was infuriated. He staged a repeat performance. (You can read about this in the Bible in Daniel 3.)

“Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”

Today, as in those days, some twenty-five hundred years ago, music is being used to influence people. This time the golden image is not a statue of a king. With their music, many are bowing down to the gods of our society. The sounds of rock, country music, and of some church music symbolize conformity to the standards of society or its dissidents rather than conformity to God’s Word. The popular music of our day is associated with much that is evil including political protest. The revolution in music has been part of the youth revolt against society and its standards. Admittedly, much of society is rotten and its standards and values are warped. Instead of turning to serve Christ and to promote Christian values, people are protesting and trying to force change apart from personal transformation in Jesus Christ. Today’s liberation movements stress freedom of expression and of social protest. The Christian’s motive for being “different” from the world is to glorify Christ. The lyrics of some rock songs advocate experimentation with drugs. Sometimes rock singers openly advocate drug abuse. The music may not be what makes them take drugs, but the association is too close for the Christian to risk involvement.

Immorality. The music-burning young people mentioned earlier recognized a connection between the music of our age and immorality. Whether or not the musical beat “makes them do it,” the evil associations are clear—the animalistic movements, the oft suggestive words, the beat, the people who perform it, are all questionable.

Along with “liberated” music has come “liberated” dress. Young people (and some older ones too) were quick to copy the immodest clothing of rock music groups. At least part of the reason for tight (or even very loose) jeans, open shirts, long hair (or shaved heads), miniskirts, and short-shorts has been protest against authority. Immodesty is a key contributor to the immorality often associated with the music of today.

Now that I have pointed out dangers in rock music, you are no doubt wondering what kind of music I would say we should have. The first criterion involves the message of the lyrics. Music we sing and listen to should contain character-building, God-centered lyrics. This would eliminate rock and country music immediately. A second criterion is the beat. Certainly the beat should not overshadow the message. A good question to ask of the tempo and beat of music we use is: “Will this tempo and beat glorify God, encouraging people to do what is right?”

Careful consideration and prayer are essential in choosing music today with all its varieties. If, after prayer, you are still not sure about the lyrics or the beat, the safest route is to abstain and replace it with good, solid hymn music that praises God. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

The pressures are great to give in to the music of the age and to bow down to the standards of an ungodly world. May we not fall down when we “hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music.”

-Roger Berry