The Fairness of the LORD

G. Thomas Sharp • October 25, 2018

While reading the Bible this week, my eyes fell on a curious, but enlightening passage, found in 1 Samuel 30:21-24 that reflects the fairness and even-handedness of the LORD:

“Now David came to the two hundred men that had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So, they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless men who were with David answered and said, ‘Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.’ But David said, ‘My brethren you shall not do so with what the LORD has given us, who preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. For who will listen to you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down into battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies {KJV says, “who tarries with the stuff?} ; they shall share alike.”

This passage reminded me of the irreproachable, even-handedness of the Lord Jesus; a principle that is taught in the parable of the laborers in Matthew 20:1-16. Simply put, the Lord rewards the eleventh-hour workers in the same manner as those that began early in the day.

An additional Biblical practice is seen in the behavior of the Apostle Paul when he uplifted the Corinthians with praise because they had remembered him “ in all things and kept the traditions that he delivered to them.” (1 Cor. 11:1)

I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the faithful service and personal support that has been lovingly given to me and my wife Diane over the seventeen or so years that Bob Dugas, the CTF Operational Manager, and Vice president of CTF.

Thanks a million, Bob! Your service has been exemplary, and your friendship a rich blessing; you are a stalwart disciple of the Lord’s vineyard, and a painstaking assistant to me and my wife (as well as all of the workers in this ministry). I pray God’s riches blessing on you, your wife Michelle, and your children, and that He reward them for your hours of two-mile service to the CTF ministry.

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lined up books
By Matt Miles June 18, 2025
Over the course of time a person can accumulate many things. Most of the stuff we collect is meaningless to most everyone else, but when a person collects books, they can be treasured for a lifetime and even beyond. In this age of digital media, physical books seem to be less important to many people. Digital books are searchable, and copy/paste functions make it easy to use those great quotes. Yet, there is still something great about a physical book, things you can’t get digitally: the turning of pages, the feel of it in your hand, and the “book” smell. For our founder Dr. Sharp, physical books could never be replaced by digital. While my collection of books is growing each year, it is dwarfed by Dr. Sharp’s collection. Over the years he collected thousands of titles for research and enjoyment. Through the course of his ministry he had to sell his book collection a couple of different times to support his family, only to start collecting again when he was able to do so. When Doc passed his office full of packed bookshelves to me and said he would clear the shelves, I laughed out loud at the prospect of having loads of empty bookshelves. So I urged him to instead leave his books for my, and anyone else’s, use. Little did I understand that the four bookcases in my office were only a fraction of his entire collection. A couple of years back when Doc moved from his house, it was decided that his book collection would be stored at the office. Our thought was to establish a library, yet none of us had time to plan, organize and catalog all 79 boxes of books. They sat piled in his office until last year when my daughter Megan joined our ministry. She has a love of books, both reading and writing. So we offered her the task of cataloging and establishing Doc’s library. Can you picture me, a bbq lover, being offered a table full of succulent smoked offerings - brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, turkey and all sides? Yep, that was Megan’s response to the library. For over four months she cataloged and organized the entire collection. The Dr. G. Thomas Sharp Library was completed earlier this year in his old office space, with overflow into my office. The entire 2700+ volume agglomeration is digitally cataloged for searching and locating. As you might expect, there is an extensive collection of creation and evolution subject matter, yet the library is full of many different categories. It very much reflects Doc’s love of gaining knowledge and research. An extensive commentary collection and multiple Biblical reference sections are invaluable to our ministry. There is even a whole bookcase housing books that are over 100 years old. Our desire was not to just house books but to also make a place of honor and inspiration. One wall exhibits Doc’s many diplomas, and throughout the library we have placed personal memorabilia of the mission trips he took over the years. Come, grab a book, relax in the sitting area and allow Doc’s handwritten notes from the margins or post-it notes bring a smile to your face. For those who may be more ambitious, Doc's office chair resides at the credenza for anyone to sit and be inspired to study. This is a place to honor Doc’s life and love for books. We at CTF have already utilized this great resource for further study, and we are so thankful to Diane and their family for donating these books for continued Kingdom growth. Blessings.
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