Forced into a Howling Wilderness

Writing from England, John Owen thinking of the pilgrims coming to the New World....

"I doubt not but that the great controversy God has had with this nation for so many years, and which He has pursued with so much anger and indignation, was upon this account: that, contrary to that glorious light of the gospel that shone among us, the wills and fancies of men, under the name of order, decency, and the authority of the church (a chimera that none knew what it was, nor wherein the power of it did consist, nor in whom reside), were imposed on men in the ways and worship of God. Neither was all that pretense of glory, beauty, comeliness, and conformity that then was pleaded anything more or less than what God does so describe in the church of Israel in Ezekiel 16:252 and forward. Hence was the Spirit of God in prayer derided; hence was the powerful preaching of the gospel despised; hence was the Sabbath decried; hence was holiness stigmatized and persecuted—to what end? That Jesus Christ might be deposed from the sole privilege and power of lawmaking in His church; that the true husband might be thrust aside, and adulterers of His spouse embraced; that taskmasters might be appointed in and over His house, which He never gave to His church (Eph. 4:11); that a ceremonious, pompous, outward show of worship, drawn from pagan, Judaical, and anti-Christian observations might be introduced—of all which there is not one word, tittle, or iota in the whole book of God. This, then, they who hold communion with Christ are careful of: they will admit of nothing, practice nothing, in the worship of God, private or public, but what they have His warrant for; unless it comes in His name with “Thus saith the Lord Jesus,” they will not hear an angel from heaven. They know the apostles themselves were to teach the saints only what Christ commanded them (Matt. 28:20). You know how many in this very nation, in the days not long since past, how many thousands left their native soil and went into a vast and howling wilderness in the utmost parts of the world to keep their souls undefiled and chaste to their dear Lord Jesus, as to this of His worship and institutions."

John Owen from Communion with God, in Works, 2:151.

My Thoughts Address your Throne

Monday morning brings its own unique challenges. Sometimes just getting started in the work week can be a tad discouraging. What a difference starting the day at the throne of grace makes. I've been thinking a lot about thinking lately and how easily the mind can be taken hither and yon, so to speak, worried about a great many things. But God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Him: because he trusts in God. When the mind takes hold on God and we meditate on Him and HIs persona and works, then He will give us peace. Hopefully your thoughts will address the throne, before they address the deary work week. Perhaps Issac Watts will help....

My thoughts address your throne
when morning brings the light;
I seek your blessing every noon,
and pay my vows at night,

for I, with all life's cares,
will lean upon you, Lord;
I'll cast my burdens on your arm,
and rest upon your word.

Your arm shall well sustain
all peoples with your love;
the base, on which our safety stands,
will never be removed.

Citrus Missionary Baptist Church 2015 Bible Conference Retrospective

This past weekend I had the privilege of being able to attend the annual Bible conference hosted by the Citrus Missionary Baptist Church in Inverness, FL. I always enjoy meeting with the saints of God there and had a great time. Troy Sheppard is the pastor there and during the meeting he announced to us that this year marks his 20th year as their pastor. That is a tremendous statement of God’s faithfulness, Troy’s faithfulness, and the churches faithfulness.

There was no stated theme of the meeting, but I rejoiced in how the messages fit together. On Friday night, brother John Pruitt, pastor of the Buffalo Valley Baptist Church in Clay, WV kicked things off by preaching on the “Love of God”.  In the message, we were reminded that God’s love is an everlasting love, a love that is longsuffering, a love that is sacrificial, and unconditional.

Tom Horn, pastor of the Ella Grove Baptist Church in Glennville, GA preached on the Possible Impossibility from Hebrews 10. He was the first of a few preachers who announced that they were preaching messages at the conference from the book they were currently preaching through at their home church. That was encouraging to hear. Preaching on the first 19 verses of Hebrews 10, he brought out that in verses 1-4 we see the impossibility of perfection; verses 5-14 shows us the person of perfection; verses 15-18 as the proof of perfection; and verse 19 is the pathway to perfection. How tempting it is to fall into the trappings of religion, that can not save and forsake Christ, who can. A good way to end a Friday.

The cold wintry chill Saturday morning was a stark contrast to the warmth of the hospitality and hot  breakfast prepared by the dear ladies of the church. Well rested and well fed, we entered into the building for day two, which was packed with good preaching as well as attendees. Folding chairs filled the aisles between the pews making their way all the way back into the foyer of the building. It was encouraging to see so many people who had come to hear the Word of God preached. It was difficult to estimate the number that had gathered on Saturday morning, but if we had not reached standing room only, it could not have been far off.

Brother Al Lyons who is the pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Fairmount, GA, preached to us from Genesis 32:1-2. His message brought out God’s grace in protecting and guarding his people. It is precious to hear such faith and encouraging Words from man of whom both he and his wife are facing health issues. Brother Lyons reminded us that we would be amazed if we could but see the angels of God among us and should be encouraged to remember that God cares for His own. He mentioned something as an aside, but it hit a chord with me; God will accomplish His will. No matter what happens in our life, God’s plan is being carried out, and being in Christ, we can rejoice in that truth.

Paul Sandelin traveled the furthest, making his way from Naples Idaho. He is the pastor of the Bible Believers Baptist Church. His message was on God’s Word and how it must be held up in a prominent place in the lives of the believers. Illustrating the point with the rod of God that Moses held in Exodus 17, that we too must hold the Word of the Lord in high esteem. The Word of God will bring correction, and must be used in combat, and held for comfort. He mentioned something that stuck with me, that if we have a heavy intake of media and a low intake of Bible, what will be doing the instruction and correction in our lives?

Sam Wilson, pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Gladwin, MI finished up the morning session with message from Ephesians 2:8-9 on salvation by grace. Grace is the sinner’s confidence, and the Sovereign God’s cure, and spurs the a commitment to service of our great Savior. Pastor Wilson also informed us that the Grace Baptist Church is now is over the Landmark Baptist, a quarterly paper edited by Bob Belanger. I was unaware of the church taking oversight of the paper and I believe it will be a good fit.

After another delicious meal prepared by the church, and a time of fellowship on the grounds, we entered round two for the afternoon session. Andy Wilson preached to us from John 1 on the greatness, grace, and glory of Christ. A great subject and a great message.

Justin Meier, traveling from Mount Vernon, Ohio,  finished the session off preaching on More than Conquerors in Christ, taking his text from Romans 8:37. Ultimately, we will overcome the world, because Christ has overcome the world. By faith, we must remember that Christ will set all things right in the end and we have the assurance in Christ, that we have everlasting life and nothing can separate us from the love of God found in Christ Jesus.

This was the final session of the day, and following the preaching some stayed for some 'pickin and grinnin'. A few of us gathered together playing music and singing hymns. An eclectic mix of piano, mandolin, guitars, and yours truly on the resonator made for a good mix of musical styles. We were blessed throughout the meeting with special songs by the saints of God worshiping their King. The congregational singing was outstanding, hearing the many voices uplifting God's name in praise.   

Sunday, the temperature had warmed and the nice weather of a Florida winter was enjoyed for both an outdoor breakfast and lunch. One delightful blessings at these conferences is seeing the children play out in the church yard. It is good to see so many young children in the house of God. Parents running after little ones who are enjoying the thrill of being set free from sitting still in church, friendships being forged and made; a delightful sight to behold. As a preacher’s kid myself, who attended more than my fair share of meetings as a youth, I wonder what God has in store for these young ones?

Pastor Sheppard told us that we would be having three preachers and two speakers. The third speaker was a baptismal service. Believers baptism does indeed preach a powerful message and we were privileged to witness this ordinance Sunday morning. We only have two visible pictures in the New Covenant, that of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and it is always a joy to witness a believer following their Lord in the water.

Leroy Pack opened the morning service by preaching on The Church Militant, taking his text from Nehemiah 4:1-12. The Lord’s people must be ready to serve with a mind to work. It is always good to hear Brother Pack preach.

Next was the baptismal service and the candidate was the pastors daughter. Witnessing the ancient practice of believers baptism, a saved sinner following their Lord’s example and command by going into the water, picturing His death, burial, and resurrection is always a wonderful sight. To see a soul who has been saved by God’s grace, rise up out of the water to walk in newness of life is a powerful message. Added to the glories of the truth put on display, we also were witness to a joyful moment as a father had opportunity to administer this ordinance to his very own child. It was a tender and touching moment to see Pastor Sheppard hug his daughter in the baptismal pool.

The event had me overwhelmed. I was thankful that there were several songs sang after the baptism to allow me to gain my composure, because I was the last preacher of the day. I closed the meeting out on a message from Ephesians 3:8 on The Unsearchable Riches of Christ. I mentioned a book in the course of my preaching that I had used in my preparation, but I am almost certain I butchered then name of the book. It was Life in Christ by Jeremy Walker.

We dismissed the service having been fed spiritually, we were fed once more by the hard workers of the church and departed on our separate ways. It is always good to meet up with old friends and make new ones. I hate goodbyes. Makes me long for the day when there will be no more.

Holy Hands

Tuesday with Timothy #15

1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Paul wills that men pray everywhere and when Paul wills, it isn’t his personal preference, but apostolic authority. The male members of the church are to lead the church in prayer, which ruffles the feathers of those who rebel against the created order. The men of the Lord’s church ought to be thankful to have such a wonderful task such as leading in prayer and it should be looked upon as a privilege to serve the church in such a manner. If we go back for a moment and consider the “all men” argument and that “all” means every person without exception, what does “every where” mean? If we are consistent, it means that Paul wants men to go to every square inch of planet earth and pray. But I digress, the point is that men are to be men of prayer and the worship of God is to be done in prayer.

Men are to lead in the public prayer and it needs to be holy men to lead the people in prayer. Saved men, serving the Lord in His righteousness, are to lead God’s people to the throne of grace. Don't get sidetracked into putting the emphasis on the wrong word. Lifting up holy hands isn’t the point of the passage. The point is that holy men should lead in prayer. In the Old Testament, men prayed and as  they did, they stood and lifted their hands (Isa 1:15; 2 Chronicles 6:12; 1 Kings 8:22; Ex. 9:33), which I believe is a sign of intercessory prayer.They were praying for the congregation. Remember, that chapter two began with the command for the church to pray for others.

The prayer should be in light of the gospel truths that God saves all sorts of men. We should pray that God would save our enemies, not calling down fire from Heaven in wrath. Our prayers for our leaders (1 Tim 2:2)  shouldn’t be imprecatory prayers but that God would save them. These prayers should be done without doubting that possibility. With faith we should pray everywhere, for all men, that God would save them. We should pray everywhere with a gracious heart and not doubt that God hears our prayers. We should pray everywhere with a tender heart, not doubting that God will answer our prayers.

"THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (The watchword of the Reformers.)

by Robert Murray M'Chyene

I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

I oft read with pleasure, to sooth or engage,
Isaiah's wild measure and John's simple page;
But e'en when they pictured the blood-sprinkled tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu seem'd nothing to me.

Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
I wept when the waters went over His soul;
Yet thought not that my sins had nail'd to the tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu - 'twas nothing to me.

When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
No refuge, no safety in self could I see, -
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life-giving and free, -
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

Jehovah Tsidkenu! my treasure and boast,
Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne'er can be lost;
In thee I shall conquer by flood and by field,
My cable, my anchor, my breast-plate and shield!

Even treading the valley, the shadow of death,
This "watchword" shall rally my faltering breath;
For while from life's fever my God sets me free,
Jehovah Tsidkenu, my death song shall be.


November 18, 1834.

The Wood-Pile by Robert Frost

Out walking in the frozen swamp one gray day,
I paused and said, 'I will turn back from here.
No, I will go on farther—and we shall see.'
The hard snow held me, save where now and then
One foot went through. The view was all in lines
Straight up and down of tall slim trees
Too much alike to mark or name a place by
So as to say for certain I was here
Or somewhere else: I was just far from home.
A small bird flew before me. He was careful
To put a tree between us when he lighted,
And say no word to tell me who he was
Who was so foolish as to think what he thought.
He thought that I was after him for a feather—
The white one in his tail; like one who takes
Everything said as personal to himself.
One flight out sideways would have undeceived him.
And then there was a pile of wood for which
I forgot him and let his little fear
Carry him off the way I might have gone,
Without so much as wishing him good-night.
He went behind it to make his last stand.
It was a cord of maple, cut and split
And piled—and measured, four by four by eight.
And not another like it could I see.
No runner tracks in this year's snow looped near it.
And it was older sure than this year's cutting,
Or even last year's or the year's before.
The wood was gray and the bark warping off it
And the pile somewhat sunken. Clematis
Had wound strings round and round it like a bundle.
What held it though on one side was a tree
Still growing, and on one a stake and prop,
These latter about to fall. I thought that only
Someone who lived in turning to fresh tasks
Could so forget his handiwork on which
He spent himself, the labor of his ax,
And leave it there far from a useful fireplace
To warm the frozen swamp as best it could
With the slow smokeless burning of decay.



"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." James 4:13-15

"O Christian, hast thou put thy confidence in the man Christ Jesus? Hast thou placed thy reliance solely on him? And art thou united with him? Then believe that thou art united unto the God of heaven; since to the man Christ Jesus thou art brother and holdest closest fellowship, thou art linked thereby with God the Eternal, and "the Ancient of days" is thy Father and thy friend. "He shall come forth unto me". Did you never see the depth of love there was in the heart of Jehovah, when God the Father equipped his Son for the great enterprise of mercy? There had been a sad day in Heaven once before, when Satan fell, and dragged with him a third of the stars of heaven, and when the Son of God launching from his great right hand the Omnipotent thunders, dashed the rebellious crew to the pit of perdition; but if we could conceive a grief in heaven, that must have been a sadder day, when the Son of the Most High left his Father's bosom, where he had lain from before all worlds. "Go," saith the Father, "and thy Father's blessing on thy head!" Then comes the unrobing. How do angels crowd around to see the Son of God take off his robes He laid aside his crown; he said, "My father, I am Lord over all, blessed for ever, but I will lay my crown aside, and be as mortal men are." He strips himself of his bright vest of glory; "Father," he says, "I will wear a robe of clay, just such as men wear." Then he takes off all those jewels wherewith he was glorified; he lays aside his starry mantles and robes of light, to dress himself in the simple garments of the peasant of Galilee. What a solemn disrobing that must have been! And next, can you picture the dismissal! The angels attend the Saviour through the streets, until they approach the doors: when an angel cries, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors, and let the king of glory through!" Oh! methinks the angels must have wept when they lost the company of Jesus—when the Sun of Heaven bereaved them of all its light. But they went after him. They descended with him; and when his spirit entered into flesh and he became a babe, he was attended by that mighty host of angels, who after they had been with him to Bethlehem's manger, and seen him safely, laid on his mother's breast, in their journey upwards appeared to the shepherds and told them that he was born king of the Jews. The Father sent him! Contemplate that subject. Let your soul get hold of it, and in every period of his life think that he suffered what the Father willed; that every step of his life was marked with the approval of the great I AM. Let every thought that you have of Jesus be also connected with the eternal, ever-blessed God; for "he," saith Jehovah, "shall come forth unto me."

Charles Spurgeon - The Incarnation and Birth of Christ