Author Archives: Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

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About Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Susan Shimkovitz is a 1992 graduate of Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo. Although her degree is in deaf ministry, she also shares her passion for God through her writing. Whether she is delivering a message of hope through the eyes of a fictional or historical character, writing plays and skits for churches, or blogging, her message is always the same: God is great and His love knows no bounds.

Perfect Heathen

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“Listen, that boy is a perfect heathen,” she said. Actually, I wasn’t really listening as much as overhearing, but I couldn’t help but marvel at the obvious paradox. A heathen is, by definition, a person that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible, let alone live by His instruction. The Bible speaks of the heathen one-hundred-fifty times, and never in a good light. In fact, God calls the ways of the Heathen filthy and abominable. He commands us time and again not to participate in the “shame of the heathen” nor learn their ways.

If someone were aspiring to be “perfect” at something, heathenism would certainly not be a good choice. True, the word heathen seems pretty benign in American culture. How about the word pagan? That word tends to evoke lots of horrible images –images of everything from polytheism to the heinous, unspeakable sins that the pagans commit– yet the words heathen and pagan are pretty much synonymous.

Conversely, striving for “perfection” is a worthwhile and desirable pursuit. King David said, “I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way (Psalms 101:1,2a). The Hebrew word for perfect is taw-meem, which means that David’s heart was undefiled, full of integrity and truth. The Bible uses the word, perfect -with all its derivatives- almost one-hundred-fifty times as well. However, that which is “perfect” is always pleasing to God.

Perhaps you believe, dear reader, that you can never be perfect. Truthfully, if you are striving for perfection according to the heathen’s definition, you probably won’t ever attain it. But if you acknowledge the God of the Bible, and have a heart like King David’s, you most assuredly can. After all, perfection and righteousness are pretty much synonymous; and the Holy Bible has given us ample instruction as to how to live righteously before the LORD.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Co 7:1).

Having said that, I pray you all have a perfectly glorious day!

Don’t Stump Your Toe in the Salt

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photo: Dempsey’s Resolultion Fitness

Last night’s dinner was good old-fashioned beans, taters and cornbread. After the first few bites I thought, these are perfect –just the right amount of crunch on the taters and just the right amount of seasoning in the beans. In fact, that’s the key to great-tasting beans, just the right amount of seasoning. Too little salt and the food will be bland and unappealing; too much salt and it is ruined.

My first pot of beans, which I made as a child, wasn’t all that great. I felt bad enough that they tasted awful, but then my step-father sarcastically asked, “Who stumped their toe in the salt?” If you guessed by context that this is a backwoods expression that means over-salted the food as to render it inedible, you would be right.

I thought of this because shortly after dinner, I shared the following Scripture with someone:

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:5,6).

There are at least two places in Scripture where our Christian witness is likened to salt (the other is Matthew 5:14). I believe the same necessity for proper seasoning during cooking applies to sharing the Gospel as well. If we present the Gospel to those who are perishing with too little salt (i.e. love and compassion), what we offer will be very distasteful.

On the other hand, we must not stump our toe in the salt either. Meaning, we should not be so over-zealous that we ‘dump’ too much information on them all at once, thereby overwhelming them so that they cannot comprehend what we are saying, or think that starting on the path of righteousness is just too daunting a task for them to begin.

Dear reader, may we always be faithful to share the Gospel. However, let us do so with careful balance so that we may be a blessing and a benefit to those who will listen, rather than being destructive in our efforts. And, may  our speech and conduct always bring glory to our Heavenly Father!

Suggested Reading: A Covenant of Salt by Susan E. Todd

A Little Pick-Me-Up

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As my son and I walked through the parking lot, he stooped to pick up a coin. “Cool; it’s a dime,” he said. “If it had been a penny I wouldn’t have bothered, but a dime – now that’s a different story.”

I guess he doesn’t know that a 1943-D bronze cent was recently sold for $1.7 million, or realize that certain other pennies have been sold for as much as $200,000 in recent years. Then again, I have no room to talk. There have been lots of times that I was too tired, lazy or busy to bother picking up a stray penny.

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t take the same attitude when he decides to pick someone up after they have fallen? If people were coins, Jesus would consider every dull old penny every bit as valuable as a shiny new gold piece. And, He would search for every lost coin. Consider the parable of the woman who lost a silver coin, then searched diligently to find it.

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:8-10 NIV).

I believe there is also rejoicing in heaven every time someone stops to help pick someone up who is lost or fallen because that is a reflection of Jesus’ heart. I pray that I never cease to recognize the value in every human life, and that I always avail myself to be the LORD’s arms extended.

After all, everyone could use a little pick-me-up now and then!

The End of the Matter

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Surely, you’ve heard the story of the young bride that always cut the end off a roast before she put it in the pan to cook? It is said that her husband asked, “Honey, why do you do that?” To which she replied, “I don’t know. My mother always did it that way, so I do it that way.”

This made the young bride curious enough to ask her mother, “Mom, why do you always cut the end of the roast off before you cook it?” Her mother answered in like manner, “I don’t know. My mother always did it that way, so I do it that way.”

By this time, her curiosity had really peaked. “Granny,” she asked the following week, “Why do you always cut the end of the roast off before you cook it?” Smiling sweetly, her grandmother answered, “Well dear, I always bought a big roast to feed a big family, but my roasting pan was too small. I had to cut the ends off the roasts so they would fit in the pan.”

Whoever first told this story was probably trying to make a point about the folly of following others blindly. Scripture speaks to that issue as well when it says if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch (Matthew 15:14). But that is not the point I wish to make.

I would like you to ponder this Scripture instead: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (I Peter 3:15).

Dear reader, if someone were to ask you why you believe as you do, are you prepared to open your Bible and answer them through Scripture? And if someone were to ask why you, as a believer, why do you do certain things, are you prepared to answer those questions also? It might not be in your best interest, or theirs, to say, “The church has always done it this way, so that’s how I do it.”

After all, there are many folks out there who are hungry for the truth and they want definitive answers. Telling them, “It has always been done this way,” is a bit like serving a roast with the end cut off – pointlessly lacking.

Two Coins in a Mountain

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Photo: Gabi Laron, Institute of Archaeology

Last night I had a few moments to relax so I spent time at the B.A.R. –Biblical Archaeology Review magazine, that is. Being a biblical archaeology enthusiast, I love this magazine for several reasons. Most importantly, B.A.R reports on the latest finds from the Middle East that validates the absolute historicity of the Holy Bible.

This month’s magazine reported on the find of two ¹bullae that date to the time of Jeremiah, the prophet. These bullae are inscribed with the names of two of Jeremiah’s worst adversaries. The names of both of these men, Jehucal and Shelemiah, are found in the Bible in the 38th chapter of Jeremiah –imagine that.

“What if tangible proof of these princes existed? It would corroborate Jeremiah’s account –and be colossal proof of the accuracy of the Bible…. Rarely do science and the Bible converge as dramatically as with the Jehucal and Gedaliah bullae.” B.A.R. Jan/Feb 2012.

Clearly, these two bullae do exist as proof of the Bible’s absolute accuracy; as do countless other artifacts. Amongst them, are two very significant coins which have recently been unearthed in the area of the temple mount in Jerusalem. One of the coins, a silver half-shekel, was minted by Israelite temple authorities in 66-67 AD. The half-shekel was required of the Israelites to be given as temple tax, as recorded in Scripture. The other coin, from the period of the First Revolt against the Romans, which preceded the destruction of the Second Temple, bears the phrase “For the Redemption of Zion. These coins are invaluable given the ownership issues which surround the temple mount –ownership which was clearly established in Scripture (That would be Israelite ownership –not Palestinian).

While there will always be those who scoff at the Bible, I am thankful for the archaeologists which labor tirelessly to prove its accuracy and validity. I guess it just goes to show, no matter how deeply the past gets buried, someone is bound to dig it up eventually!

Regarding the aforementioned artifacts (and more), B.A.R invites us all to “Come see these remarkable artifacts and discover the inspiring story of ancient Israel’s dramatic rise under King Solomon, its tragic collapse under King Zedekiah –and the faith-filled work of Jeremiah.

January 16 through October 16, 2012
Armstrong Auditorium
Emund, Oklahoma
(405) 285-1010
Armstrong Auditorium.org

¹A bulla (singular) is a hard clay seal impression used in the ancient world to record important information.

Click here to visit Biblical Archaeology Society online

Two Kinds of Christians

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I’ve heard it said that there are two types of people in the world: those who are “saved” and those who are “lost.” To be honest, I believe that is true –either you will spend eternity with the LORD or you won’t, it’s as simple as that.

Usually, those who make this statement are referring to Christians as those who are saved. Having said that, I would like to break it down further; I believe there are two kinds of “Christians.”

The first category of “Christian” is the one who starts with their world view and then purposely interprets Scripture to make it fit. (only the LORD knows if these are really saved or not.)

The second is the Christian who starts with Scripture and insures that their world view conforms to the written Word of God no matter what. I trust, if you are a devoted Christian, that you belong to the second category. If so, you are quite likely to face persecution for your faith at some point. Just remember, Jesus said:

“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock”
(Matthew 7:24, 25 NASB).

Finish the Race

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“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

Yesterday my husband tackled one of those organizing tasks that I have been putting off for longer than I care to admit. Although appreciative, I must admit that my gratitude was slightly hampered by a touch of guilt for not having done the job myself. Normally I try to keep up with such things, but life does have a way of getting away from me sometimes, so that all the “insignificant” stuff gets put-off until who knows when.

The truth is, in the long run, some things really aren’t all that important. I’m sure the Apostle Paul felt the same way quite often, as his primary focus was on the task given to him –and to all of us– to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.

Time is short; let’s all keep running the race and sharing God’s grace with new fervor. True, we might have to examine our lives and do a little organizing or re-prioritizing, but there is no better time than right now to do so. And remember, if we are going to run an endurace race, we need to be thouroghly prepared; no one can do this for us. May I encourage you, dear reader, if you don’t already do so, to begin daily Bible readings this year! Did you know that you can read through the whole Bible in one year by reading less than four chapters per day? I can’t think of a better way to start a new year!

The Prayer Tin

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There are only a few days left in this year, so I guess it’s time to make a few New Year’s resolutions. As I was thinking about all the items on my rather long list of improvements and achievements for the coming year, it occurred to me that my family and I have somehow let one of our most important “traditions” slip into oblivion.

Years ago, we kept a decorative tin on the dining room table at all times. Inside the tin were the names of just about everyone we knew – friends, family, and acquaintances new and old. Every evening, just before the dinner prayer, one of the children would draw a name out of the tin and we would include that person in our prayer. We always trusted the LORD to guide our selections so we would choose the name of someone who really needed a little extra prayer.

Looking back, I’m not sure when, or why, we stopped using the prayer tin, but I am determined that we are going to add it back into our daily routine. Dear reader, I may not know you all personally, but I am going to include a name card for those of you who subscribe to my blogs. I also plan to include a generic name card for those of you who read my blog, whose names I do not know. I already pray for you at times, but number one on my resolutions list is to intercede on behalf of others more than ever before and it is my great pleasure to include you.

From my family to yours, God’s richest blessings upon you.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers (I Thessalonians 1:2)

Feeble Weeble

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Wow! Where has the time gone? I’ve been so busy working on an exciting project that I scarcely noticed the days flying by at the speed of light.
I am so close to finishing up my project, it will be several more days before I can get back to blogging. So, I thought this would be a good time to introduce my Rays of Light blog to those of you who haven’t visited there yet –and vice versa. You can always get there quickly by clicking the link at the top right of this page. But for now, you can just click on the link below to read an archived message called:

click here  →   Feeble Weeble

The Silence of Friends

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“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”          

 – Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

For some time, I was quite reluctant to join an online social network.  Although the invites came, I continued to decline them for various reasons including, but not limited to, the fear of privacy invasion.  Then one day, much to my surprise, I felt a stirring in my heart; I felt I should sign-up  and begin to connect with the friends and family that had gradually slipped out of my life. So I joined.

Truthfully, there are at least a dozen things I dislike about  social networks, but I’m not here today to complain about those. Rather, I want to share with you what I most appreciate about them; which is the opportunity to share in the lives of others.

You see, I have discovered that most people join  social networks in order to  have a “voice.”  In today’s world, cold and impersonal, many folks are simply looking for an opportunity to share the details of their lives, and to know someone cares enough to listen.  I find too, that in the non face-to-face environment of the internet, many folks are less reluctant to share with others their triumphs and their tragedies –to freely share their feelings of  sadness, fear and frustration, as well as their joy.

What better opportunity for us to fulfill the biblical precept to Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep (Romans 12:15).

Yes, I am thankful for the opportunity to pray for those in need, or to speak a word of encouragement to those who are down, even if I have never met them in person.  I know there will certainly be times that I will fail my friends. But as often as I am able, I truly desire to let my friends know that I do care about the details of their lives. And I pray that in the end, it will not be my silence that they remember.