Was this country founded on Christian principles?
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world with out God and the bilble." George Washington
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one dissoluble bond the principles of civil government with principles of Christianity." John Adams
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionist, but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ." Patrick Henry
It seemed those involved thought so. Patrick Henry, John Adams, and George Washington would be 'extremist' in 2009.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Ronald Reagan Speaks at D-Day Anniversary Ceremony 1984 (Click HERE to view)
Ronald Reagan speaks at the D-Day Anniversary Ceremony.
Friday, June 5, 2009
My Not So New Bible
First, read about my My New Bible at the address bellow.
http://doug4.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-new-bible.html
I have had my interleaved bible for six months now, and I have to say that I do like it, a lot. Though it took some getting used to, I feel that I have finally got the hang of turning pages in the pulpit. It is so nice to be able to write full notes beside the passage, especially after doing a word study, and having that information at hand, and not having to dig up old notes. The only downside is the size. I had a very thin bible to begin with, and now it is twice the size, but I am happy with the trade.
Not long after I had got my bible, my two year old found his way into my study and found my open bible, with all those clean, blank pages. He saw his daddy write in this book, so he gave it a try as well.
Yes, after looking for months for someone who could rebind my bible, then shelling out the cash to get it fixed, followed by six weeks of anticipation, I had my bible for two days before, well, you can see. Biblical graffiti and the hands of my young son.
I was upset, but relieved once I realized it was only three pages. As I thought about it, the real blessing was that it was the blank pages that were marred, and not the scriptures. Yes, I have room for notes, references, outlines and the like, but that is all they are. It is not the blank pages that makes this book valuable, it is the Words that God has spoken that make it of eternal value. I thank God that His word is eternal, and that nothing or no one can change or destroy them. What a priceless treasure, the Word of God. So every time I pass through the OT, I see those pages, even when I quickly thumb through to find a verse, these three pages seem to jump out at me, and though my two year old learned a lesson on pens and the Bible, I suppose I did too.
http://doug4.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-new-bible.html
I have had my interleaved bible for six months now, and I have to say that I do like it, a lot. Though it took some getting used to, I feel that I have finally got the hang of turning pages in the pulpit. It is so nice to be able to write full notes beside the passage, especially after doing a word study, and having that information at hand, and not having to dig up old notes. The only downside is the size. I had a very thin bible to begin with, and now it is twice the size, but I am happy with the trade.
Not long after I had got my bible, my two year old found his way into my study and found my open bible, with all those clean, blank pages. He saw his daddy write in this book, so he gave it a try as well.
Yes, after looking for months for someone who could rebind my bible, then shelling out the cash to get it fixed, followed by six weeks of anticipation, I had my bible for two days before, well, you can see. Biblical graffiti and the hands of my young son.
I was upset, but relieved once I realized it was only three pages. As I thought about it, the real blessing was that it was the blank pages that were marred, and not the scriptures. Yes, I have room for notes, references, outlines and the like, but that is all they are. It is not the blank pages that makes this book valuable, it is the Words that God has spoken that make it of eternal value. I thank God that His word is eternal, and that nothing or no one can change or destroy them. What a priceless treasure, the Word of God. So every time I pass through the OT, I see those pages, even when I quickly thumb through to find a verse, these three pages seem to jump out at me, and though my two year old learned a lesson on pens and the Bible, I suppose I did too.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
THEFT By Medford Caudill
THEFT
By Medford Caudill
Goshen, Indiana
Exodus 20:15; “Thou shalt not steal.”
We have said many times that the Ten Commandments apply to all men for all time. It has never been right in any nation, in any culture, at any time to steal. Because sometimes we can understand the sin, a man that is hungry stealing bread for instance, that does not mean we condone the sin.
John Gill defines stealing, before giving a list of various kinds of theft as; “To take away another man's property by force or fraud, without the knowledge and against the will of the owner thereof.”
In our day sometimes theft comes violently at the point of a gun. Sometimes without our knowledge, as in the case of identity fraud. Sometimes the government steals from its citizens, either by out and out taking their land or property or by unjust taxes. Sometimes companies steal from their employees. Some of the Jewish Rabbis taught that this commandment applied only or mainly to the stealing of men for slavery. Some companies treat their employees as slaves, stealing from them their time, their dignity, and their proper pay. Yes, I know, many employees steal from their employer wanting to get paid for shoddy work or no work at all. That street runs two ways. Many different groups and people are guilty of stealing.
Let's look at some things that as Christians we ought to consider as stealing.
I. THE STEALING OF AFFECTION.
Adultery, which is considered in verse 14 just before this commandment is always a theft. Not only does the adulterer steal a husband from his wife or a wife from her husband but they are also stealing a father or a mother from their children. Surely adultery is a terrible sin and ought to classified as a crime.
The stealing of a child's love from their parents is theft. Teachers will do this many times. Remember when you send your children away to school you are putting them under the authority and care of that teacher for that day. Most people are very strict in choosing a baby sitter but very lax in choosing a teacher who will be with their child every day.
Sometimes, in our cities, a gang will steal a child's love from his parents. Sometimes a cult will steal that love. In reality, a cult is just a religious gang.
Stealing the affection due to God is also theft. False religion can do that. There are people who are more loyal to their denomination, their old home church, or even a building than they are to God.
I moved about a hundred miles away from where I lived to pastor a church one time. In preaching for the church a couple of times before they called me as pastor I noticed a nice elderly couple in the congregation. After I moved there they attended every service. I assumed that they were members but then I found out that they were in actuality members of the Assembly of God. It seems the church that I was pastoring had purchased the building they were meeting in from the Assembly of God a couple of years previously when the Assembly of God had built a new building for their services. This couple was in love with the old building so they continued to attend services there even after it was sold to the Baptists.
Idolatry is stealing the love due to God. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:4,5). Notice how the jealousy of God is connected to idolatry in these verses.
II. THE STEALING OF TIME
You can steal time in many ways.
You can steal time from your employer. You are paid a certain wage to do a certain job. If you don't spend your time on the job you are stealing. Some use any and every excuse to steal time. Years ago I worked in a furniture factory. I ran a saw that required a feeder, a middle man and a catcher where the boards came out. One day after getting everything set up I had to go looking for my catcher. I found him at a sink in the bathroom with a bar of lava soap washing his false teeth. He said; “You got to clean them sometime!” That might have been true but he didn't have to clean his teeth on company time.
You can also steal time from your family. ”But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (I Timothy 5:8). It is not enough to provide food and shelter, the Christian should provide his time also.
I had a friend who was excited to meet a man who was some 80 years old whose father had been a famous preacher in the late 1800’s. When he asked this man about his father he simply said; “I don't really remember much about my father. He was always off preaching somewhere.” That is a sad commentary is it not? Many Baptist preachers have lost their children to the world because they were always, “off preaching somewhere”.
You can also steal time from God. Every time you miss a church service you are stealing God's time. Every day you forget to pray, you are stealing God's time. Every day you neglect reading the Bible because you don't have the time is a day stolen from God. To desecrate the Sabbath Day is to steal time from God.
III. STEALING FROM GOD.
We have mentioned how it is possible to steal the affection due to God and give it to someone or something else. We have also mentioned how you can steal God's time. You can also steal God's money.
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (Malachi 3:8,9). If you don't tithe you are robbing God.
To tithe is to give 10% of your income to the Lord. No more or no less. I had a church member one time who told me he wished that he could tithe more. I explained to him that that was an impossibility. The tithe is ten percent. To give less than ten percent is not tithing. To give more than ten percent is to give a tithe and an offering. The tithe in and of itself is ten percent.
God gives you everything that you have. Is it too much for Him to ask you to return to Him one tenth of your income and one seventh of your time?
In thinking on these things we would simply leave you with the admonition of the apostle Paul; “Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28).
Note: Brother Caudill is a dear friend of mine, and one of my favorite preachers. He has been a great influence on me in the ministry, namely in getting good books into my hands.
By Medford Caudill
Goshen, Indiana
Exodus 20:15; “Thou shalt not steal.”
We have said many times that the Ten Commandments apply to all men for all time. It has never been right in any nation, in any culture, at any time to steal. Because sometimes we can understand the sin, a man that is hungry stealing bread for instance, that does not mean we condone the sin.
John Gill defines stealing, before giving a list of various kinds of theft as; “To take away another man's property by force or fraud, without the knowledge and against the will of the owner thereof.”
In our day sometimes theft comes violently at the point of a gun. Sometimes without our knowledge, as in the case of identity fraud. Sometimes the government steals from its citizens, either by out and out taking their land or property or by unjust taxes. Sometimes companies steal from their employees. Some of the Jewish Rabbis taught that this commandment applied only or mainly to the stealing of men for slavery. Some companies treat their employees as slaves, stealing from them their time, their dignity, and their proper pay. Yes, I know, many employees steal from their employer wanting to get paid for shoddy work or no work at all. That street runs two ways. Many different groups and people are guilty of stealing.
Let's look at some things that as Christians we ought to consider as stealing.
I. THE STEALING OF AFFECTION.
Adultery, which is considered in verse 14 just before this commandment is always a theft. Not only does the adulterer steal a husband from his wife or a wife from her husband but they are also stealing a father or a mother from their children. Surely adultery is a terrible sin and ought to classified as a crime.
The stealing of a child's love from their parents is theft. Teachers will do this many times. Remember when you send your children away to school you are putting them under the authority and care of that teacher for that day. Most people are very strict in choosing a baby sitter but very lax in choosing a teacher who will be with their child every day.
Sometimes, in our cities, a gang will steal a child's love from his parents. Sometimes a cult will steal that love. In reality, a cult is just a religious gang.
Stealing the affection due to God is also theft. False religion can do that. There are people who are more loyal to their denomination, their old home church, or even a building than they are to God.
I moved about a hundred miles away from where I lived to pastor a church one time. In preaching for the church a couple of times before they called me as pastor I noticed a nice elderly couple in the congregation. After I moved there they attended every service. I assumed that they were members but then I found out that they were in actuality members of the Assembly of God. It seems the church that I was pastoring had purchased the building they were meeting in from the Assembly of God a couple of years previously when the Assembly of God had built a new building for their services. This couple was in love with the old building so they continued to attend services there even after it was sold to the Baptists.
Idolatry is stealing the love due to God. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:4,5). Notice how the jealousy of God is connected to idolatry in these verses.
II. THE STEALING OF TIME
You can steal time in many ways.
You can steal time from your employer. You are paid a certain wage to do a certain job. If you don't spend your time on the job you are stealing. Some use any and every excuse to steal time. Years ago I worked in a furniture factory. I ran a saw that required a feeder, a middle man and a catcher where the boards came out. One day after getting everything set up I had to go looking for my catcher. I found him at a sink in the bathroom with a bar of lava soap washing his false teeth. He said; “You got to clean them sometime!” That might have been true but he didn't have to clean his teeth on company time.
You can also steal time from your family. ”But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (I Timothy 5:8). It is not enough to provide food and shelter, the Christian should provide his time also.
I had a friend who was excited to meet a man who was some 80 years old whose father had been a famous preacher in the late 1800’s. When he asked this man about his father he simply said; “I don't really remember much about my father. He was always off preaching somewhere.” That is a sad commentary is it not? Many Baptist preachers have lost their children to the world because they were always, “off preaching somewhere”.
You can also steal time from God. Every time you miss a church service you are stealing God's time. Every day you forget to pray, you are stealing God's time. Every day you neglect reading the Bible because you don't have the time is a day stolen from God. To desecrate the Sabbath Day is to steal time from God.
III. STEALING FROM GOD.
We have mentioned how it is possible to steal the affection due to God and give it to someone or something else. We have also mentioned how you can steal God's time. You can also steal God's money.
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (Malachi 3:8,9). If you don't tithe you are robbing God.
To tithe is to give 10% of your income to the Lord. No more or no less. I had a church member one time who told me he wished that he could tithe more. I explained to him that that was an impossibility. The tithe is ten percent. To give less than ten percent is not tithing. To give more than ten percent is to give a tithe and an offering. The tithe in and of itself is ten percent.
God gives you everything that you have. Is it too much for Him to ask you to return to Him one tenth of your income and one seventh of your time?
In thinking on these things we would simply leave you with the admonition of the apostle Paul; “Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28).
Note: Brother Caudill is a dear friend of mine, and one of my favorite preachers. He has been a great influence on me in the ministry, namely in getting good books into my hands.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Ancient Landmarks Bible Conference
What a blessing! I spent the weekend in Lyons,GA at the Landmark Baptist Church with their pastor Paul Jackson. The theme of the conference was "Our duty to our Lord and His church". What a challenging weekend. How wonderfully the Spirit of God teaches and blesses us that I could hear a weekend of my failures and shortcomings, time of repentance, and be so blessed by the preaching. The preaching was powerful, the fellowship was sweet. I pray that what I heard, I will apply.
Monday, May 18, 2009
A. W. Pink on the God's erring saints.
It is not only from acting according to His own imperial right that God withdraws from His people the vitalizing and comforting influences of His Spirit. He does so also that He may give them a better knowledge of themselves and teach them more fully their entire dependency upon Himself. By so acting God gives His children to discover for themselves the strength of their corruptions and the weakness of their grace. Though saved from the love, guilt, and dominion of sin, they have not yet been delivered from its power or presence. Though a holy and spiritual nature has been communicated to them, yet that nature is hut a creature—weak and dependent—and can only be sustained by its Author. That new nature has no inherent strength or power of its own: it only acts as it is acted upon by the Holy Spirit. "In the Lord have I righteousness and strength" (Isa. 45:21): every believer is convinced of the former, but usually it is only after many a humiliating experience that he learns his strength is not in himself but in the Lord
It is rather in a way of chastisement that, in the great majority of instances, God withholds from His people the gracious operations of the Spirit; and that brings us to the human side of things, wherein our responsibility is involved. Ii the saint becomes lax in his use of the appointed means of grace—which are so many channels through which the influences of the Spirit customarily flow—then he will necessarily be the loser and the fault is entirely his own. Or if the Christian trifles with temptations and experiences a sad fall, then the Spirit is grieved and His comforting operations are withheld as a solemn rebuke. Though God still loves his person; He will let him know that He hates his sins, and though He will not deal with him as an incensed Judge, yet He will discipline him as an offended Father; and it may be long before he is again restored to the freedom and familiarity that he formerly enjoyed with Him. (See Isa. 59:2; Jer. 5:25; Hag. 1:9, 10.)
Though God draws not His sword against His erring saints, yet He uses the rod upon them. "If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips" (Ps. 89:30-34). Then it is our wisdom to "hear the rod" (Micah 6:9), to humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6) and forsake our folly (Ps. 85:8). If we do not duly repent and amend our ways, still heavier chastisements will be our portion; but "if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). When the Spirit’s influences are withheld from the Christian, it is always the safest course for him to conclude he has displeased the Lord and to cry "Show me wherefore thou contendest with me" (Job 10:2).
It is rather in a way of chastisement that, in the great majority of instances, God withholds from His people the gracious operations of the Spirit; and that brings us to the human side of things, wherein our responsibility is involved. Ii the saint becomes lax in his use of the appointed means of grace—which are so many channels through which the influences of the Spirit customarily flow—then he will necessarily be the loser and the fault is entirely his own. Or if the Christian trifles with temptations and experiences a sad fall, then the Spirit is grieved and His comforting operations are withheld as a solemn rebuke. Though God still loves his person; He will let him know that He hates his sins, and though He will not deal with him as an incensed Judge, yet He will discipline him as an offended Father; and it may be long before he is again restored to the freedom and familiarity that he formerly enjoyed with Him. (See Isa. 59:2; Jer. 5:25; Hag. 1:9, 10.)
Though God draws not His sword against His erring saints, yet He uses the rod upon them. "If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips" (Ps. 89:30-34). Then it is our wisdom to "hear the rod" (Micah 6:9), to humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6) and forsake our folly (Ps. 85:8). If we do not duly repent and amend our ways, still heavier chastisements will be our portion; but "if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). When the Spirit’s influences are withheld from the Christian, it is always the safest course for him to conclude he has displeased the Lord and to cry "Show me wherefore thou contendest with me" (Job 10:2).
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Honorable Marriage: The Exciting Conclusion!
God will not allow homosexuals to inherit the kingdom of God, but proponents of gay marriage will have us believe God will sanction their marriage? I Cor 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. God can and has saved sinners from this life, it is not, after all, the unpardonable sin as verse 11 makes abundantly clear And such were [past tense] some of you [members of the church in Corinth]: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. God delivered some from this sinful activity; He did not wink at it nor condone, nor allow marriage. Marriage could not be between two persons of the same sex because marriage is honorable, and homosexuality is an abomination.
Need we even bring up the question of taxes and hospitalization? This logical fallacy is used to appeal to pity rather than the facts and merits of the case. In a land where people can leave millions of dollars to their pet, I know it is not a problem to create a living will for the case of hospitalization if that is a great concern. As for taxes, the United States government recognizes the benefits and blessings of the family, and gives tax benefits to the building blocks of a decent and well functioning citizenry, the family. Again, any benefits that come with marriage are applicable for all who will desire to unite in matrimony, the union of a man and woman for life, but is that any reason to get married, a tax break?
Homosexual marriage will not destroy marriage because it is still God's institution. No matter how man may try to pervert it, marriage will not be destroyed by homosexual advocates. My marriage will not be changed one way or the other by what others do, or what the government may say. It does, however change what people think about marriage, and how matrimony and the family will be viewed by future generations. The continual praise of ungodly and satanic policies by our leaders and from the media will and has begun to change the hearts and minds of the American people. With pulpit profiteers in so-called churches, ignoring or condoning the practice of gay marriage as not to upset the apple cart of book sales, we have, even in professing Christianity some who do not see anything wrong with gay marriage. God help us to stand strong and may God forgive the United States of America.
Need we even bring up the question of taxes and hospitalization? This logical fallacy is used to appeal to pity rather than the facts and merits of the case. In a land where people can leave millions of dollars to their pet, I know it is not a problem to create a living will for the case of hospitalization if that is a great concern. As for taxes, the United States government recognizes the benefits and blessings of the family, and gives tax benefits to the building blocks of a decent and well functioning citizenry, the family. Again, any benefits that come with marriage are applicable for all who will desire to unite in matrimony, the union of a man and woman for life, but is that any reason to get married, a tax break?
Homosexual marriage will not destroy marriage because it is still God's institution. No matter how man may try to pervert it, marriage will not be destroyed by homosexual advocates. My marriage will not be changed one way or the other by what others do, or what the government may say. It does, however change what people think about marriage, and how matrimony and the family will be viewed by future generations. The continual praise of ungodly and satanic policies by our leaders and from the media will and has begun to change the hearts and minds of the American people. With pulpit profiteers in so-called churches, ignoring or condoning the practice of gay marriage as not to upset the apple cart of book sales, we have, even in professing Christianity some who do not see anything wrong with gay marriage. God help us to stand strong and may God forgive the United States of America.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Honorable Marriage (PART 5)
Usually following suite is the excuse that they were born that way, and they can't help it, and simply desire to have what everyone else has. Does that logic prove that homosexuality is acceptable behavior? We are all born sinners, and all have a natural yearning and desire to sin against God. Our minds are enmity against God, yet we are still responsible to God for our actions. A natural proclivity to covetousness doesn't excuse coveting. That sin, like all other sin, must be fled, not fed. Giving in to sin will never make it right. That is only blaming God for their sins and proves the need of a Saviour. All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men says the Lord Jesus, and this sin is no different. What is needed is repentance, turning form sin and trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, believing in the Lamb of God, who taketh away sin, rather than excusing and diving deeper into lusts on the broad way that leads to destruction.
The ever popular “you’re a Christian, you’re not supposed to judge me” line attempts to disqualify you from even discussing the issue, that we are somehow supposed to remain silent and put our stamp of approval on all activity in the name of Christian charity. In some cases, liberal pundits will attempt to say that Jesus would have approved gay marriage. We found in our text a condition but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. The fornicator and adulterers or those that commit sexual sin, God will judge. Yes, we as Christians can and should judge and discern what is right and wrong according to God’s word. The idea that truth is relative to the situation or the individual is not a biblical worldview. Given that God instituted marriage and since marriage is good, and has been clearly defined by the founder Himself, any and all sexual activity apart from the marriage bed is sinful and immoral. God said that homosexuality sinful, thus we can rightly and boldly declare that it is sinful behavior. Indeed, it is, for some, a behavior that they feel is natural, but only because the sinfulness of their hearts. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Romans 1:21-27) Homosexuality is not a natural or normal, but a curse and plague for idolatry. God doesn’t not condone, nor bless, and certainly does not bless the union of unnatural lusts and vile affections. God gave the people in Romans one over to the lusts of their own heart, and this feeling they had, this love or lust they shared was to the dishonor of their own bodies. Notice in I Timothy 1:10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. Homosexuals are contrary to sound doctrine. God says that marriage is honorable, and that homosexuals defile themselves. Marriage is a picture of Christ’s love for His church, and homosexuality is classified with murders of mom’s and dad’s. It is a sinful, unholy and profane activity, and in no wise sanctioned in marriage. Jesus did not, does not, nor will not condone or make way for gay marriage because it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Some liberal ‘theologians’ will say that is OT, and no longer applies to us today, but we live in grace and mercy. An abomination is something that God hates and whether Old Testament or New, He will always hate it, always. Study the Old Testaments use of the word abomination. I’ll give two examples of the usage, first in Leviticus 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you. Next Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Some things God said were an abomination to Him, others were to be an abomination to Israel, thus Peter’s reaction to eating unclean animals, it was an abomination unto him, not God, so that how we can live now without the restrictive dietary laws of the Old Testament, had they been an abomination to God, He would still not allow that diet. What is an abomination to God today, was an abomination 5,000 years ago. God is clear, in His word, concerning sexual activity, and the bounds of marriage. The seventh commandment condemns gay marriage. I believe that GD Boardman well said “It is the divine Lawgiver’s ordinance, guarding the chastity of marriage, the sanctity of home, the blessedness of the household, the preservation of society, the up building of mankind.”
The ever popular “you’re a Christian, you’re not supposed to judge me” line attempts to disqualify you from even discussing the issue, that we are somehow supposed to remain silent and put our stamp of approval on all activity in the name of Christian charity. In some cases, liberal pundits will attempt to say that Jesus would have approved gay marriage. We found in our text a condition but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. The fornicator and adulterers or those that commit sexual sin, God will judge. Yes, we as Christians can and should judge and discern what is right and wrong according to God’s word. The idea that truth is relative to the situation or the individual is not a biblical worldview. Given that God instituted marriage and since marriage is good, and has been clearly defined by the founder Himself, any and all sexual activity apart from the marriage bed is sinful and immoral. God said that homosexuality sinful, thus we can rightly and boldly declare that it is sinful behavior. Indeed, it is, for some, a behavior that they feel is natural, but only because the sinfulness of their hearts. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Romans 1:21-27) Homosexuality is not a natural or normal, but a curse and plague for idolatry. God doesn’t not condone, nor bless, and certainly does not bless the union of unnatural lusts and vile affections. God gave the people in Romans one over to the lusts of their own heart, and this feeling they had, this love or lust they shared was to the dishonor of their own bodies. Notice in I Timothy 1:10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. Homosexuals are contrary to sound doctrine. God says that marriage is honorable, and that homosexuals defile themselves. Marriage is a picture of Christ’s love for His church, and homosexuality is classified with murders of mom’s and dad’s. It is a sinful, unholy and profane activity, and in no wise sanctioned in marriage. Jesus did not, does not, nor will not condone or make way for gay marriage because it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Some liberal ‘theologians’ will say that is OT, and no longer applies to us today, but we live in grace and mercy. An abomination is something that God hates and whether Old Testament or New, He will always hate it, always. Study the Old Testaments use of the word abomination. I’ll give two examples of the usage, first in Leviticus 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you. Next Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Some things God said were an abomination to Him, others were to be an abomination to Israel, thus Peter’s reaction to eating unclean animals, it was an abomination unto him, not God, so that how we can live now without the restrictive dietary laws of the Old Testament, had they been an abomination to God, He would still not allow that diet. What is an abomination to God today, was an abomination 5,000 years ago. God is clear, in His word, concerning sexual activity, and the bounds of marriage. The seventh commandment condemns gay marriage. I believe that GD Boardman well said “It is the divine Lawgiver’s ordinance, guarding the chastity of marriage, the sanctity of home, the blessedness of the household, the preservation of society, the up building of mankind.”
Monday, May 4, 2009
Honorable Marriage (PART 4)
An argument that is often brought up by the liberals who push for gay marriage is that it is a civil rights issue, but marriage is a moral issue, not a civil issue. Indeed, marriage is recognized by the government, and sanctioned by the government, but not created and maintained by the government. Marriage predated the US constitution, and the bounds of matrimony are not decided by mortal lawmakers, but the Supreme Lawgiver. Since God is the founder of marriage, and God commanded that marriage not be put asunder, and God clearly defined marriage for all of humanity, no group of people have the authority to change what God has put together. Man has no more ability or right to change the definition of marriage than he has to change the definition of church, or change God's word. You may say "that is discrimination!", and you would be correct. That is discrimination, but what is wrong with discernment? To discriminate means to make a difference, to distinguish, to treat differently, and again, what is wrong with that when it comes to gay marriage? We must distinguish between right and wrong, we should treat two men, who falsely claim to unite in marriage, differently than a man and a woman. It is wrong to treat someone poorly because of the way they look, or the way they speak, but we must discriminate between right and wrong. God clearly discriminates between who can and can't be married. I do not discriminate against people getting married, every person in the world can get married, as God defined marriage. The suggestion that gay marriage can be related to racism and civil rights issue is absurd. The homosexual can get married, if they repent of their sins and find a spouse of the opposite sex. How can speaking out and taking a stand against immorality be immoral? How can standing against immoral behavior be a moral crime? They say that this issue is, for our time, what slavery was over a century ago, and that just because marriage always has been, in the past, between a man and a woman, doesn’t make it right. They use the example of the centuries of slavery, and simply because there always was slavery, did not make it right. But time never changes the truth. What was true 1,000 years ago is true today. Slavery that existed 200 years ago, when a man was taken from his home by menstealers and forced to labor against his will was morally wrong, as the slave had no choice in the matter, he was stolen. Homosexual marriage is a conscience choice to sin against the God of creation, and gay marriage is an attempt to and change an existing institutions boundaries that they have no right nor authority to change, which is also morally wrong.
Another argument is given by homosexual marriage proponents is love. "Here are two people who love each other, and want to become married, what is wrong with that, they aren't hurting anyone, and they love each other", or they say "two people in a committed relationship, desire to make a lifelong commitment, why won't you allow that?” or something along those lines. “Two people who love each other, and want nothing but to express their love just like you did, what is wrong with that?” Well, what is our answer? What do we say to people who say they love someone and want to get married? Does the love for a particular sin ever make it right? A love for a particular evil never excuses the practice. Our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and thus not a very good gauge for right and wrong. Morality based solely on feelings springs from a desperately wicked, every fickle source. Some people love to be drunk, does that excuse that behavior? Not only do they love to be drunk, but if it were possible, they would live drunk, and forever shun sobriety. They love to talk about strong drink, love the taste, love how it makes them feel. Every fiber of their being enjoys the sin of drunkenness, but does that make it right? Science tells us that some people inherited the propensity of alcoholism, and within their DNA resides a natural longing for drunkenness, but does that excuse the behavior? Some people love to murder, some love to steal. Some love to commit adultery, does their love for those crimes excuse them? Of course it doesn't, and neither will love for any other sin excuse the execution of that sin.
Another argument is given by homosexual marriage proponents is love. "Here are two people who love each other, and want to become married, what is wrong with that, they aren't hurting anyone, and they love each other", or they say "two people in a committed relationship, desire to make a lifelong commitment, why won't you allow that?” or something along those lines. “Two people who love each other, and want nothing but to express their love just like you did, what is wrong with that?” Well, what is our answer? What do we say to people who say they love someone and want to get married? Does the love for a particular sin ever make it right? A love for a particular evil never excuses the practice. Our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and thus not a very good gauge for right and wrong. Morality based solely on feelings springs from a desperately wicked, every fickle source. Some people love to be drunk, does that excuse that behavior? Not only do they love to be drunk, but if it were possible, they would live drunk, and forever shun sobriety. They love to talk about strong drink, love the taste, love how it makes them feel. Every fiber of their being enjoys the sin of drunkenness, but does that make it right? Science tells us that some people inherited the propensity of alcoholism, and within their DNA resides a natural longing for drunkenness, but does that excuse the behavior? Some people love to murder, some love to steal. Some love to commit adultery, does their love for those crimes excuse them? Of course it doesn't, and neither will love for any other sin excuse the execution of that sin.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Honorable Marriage (PART 3) The Misnomer
First of all, "gay" marriage is a misnomer. Two men can't marry each other, it is impossible. They could go to the court house, say vows, and with all the power vested in every jot and title of the constitution of any state of Union, combined with all the power vested in the United States constitution, pooled with all the power of every elected politician, and every unelected judge behind the bench, all of this power and authority cannot make two men be married. Two women can send out invitations, rent a hall, and hire musicians to play Paschel’s “Cannon in D” as they walk the isle, there could be vows and smiles, rings and tears, nevertheless, at their receptions, they would not be married, because they CANNOT be married. God's purpose for His institution was from the beginning, and always will be, the union of man and woman. That is marriage, and man and woman are the only two parties that can be married. From the beginning God made them male and female, for the purpose of marriage. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Mark 10:6-9) Nothing can be so clear. Whatever union they believe to have, they are not married because they do not meet the qualifications of two persons desiring matrimony (Matrimony - Marriage; wedlock; the union of man and woman for life; the nuptial state. Webster’s). We must never let ourselves be framed in their debate, but remain strong in our biblical worldview. Once we give way, just an inch, to the possibility that homosexuals could be married, we have already started down the wrong path. Plain and simple, no two men ever have, nor ever will marry.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Honorable Marriage (PART 2)
Perhaps if marriage was looked upon as God intended, the issue of homosexual marriage would never have arisen, for I believe people would not stand for such an attack on the home if we truly viewed marriage as honorable. Sadly, even in some Christian homes marriage is not treated honorably, but with contempt and disdain. Can we be surprised that the secular humanist have no respect for marriage if Christians do not? I believe that perhaps we have only seen the beginning of this push for gay marriage, and this very loud minority will not stop until they get their way, despite the will of the people. I have seen and heard many well intentioned people debate this issue, and they are almost embarrassed to give an answer to why gay marriage is wrong. I do not believe that we need to be apologetic in our apologetics and for having a biblical point of view. Praying that we as a Christian people will stand firm in our biblical view of the honorable institution of marriage, we must answer the calculated questions that arise from proponents of gay marriage. Make no mistake, these carefully crafted and oft repeated questions and mantras come by no accident, but are all part of a propaganda campaign to change the minds of the American people. These catchy phrases, and tricky questions come from the Father of lies himself, and are used to cause the weak to question their moral beliefs. He tried the same with our Lord, as the Pharisees oft asked questioned designed to be pitfalls, but we must follow our Lord’s example and not let Satan get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (II Cor. 2:11). We must be ready to see these questions for what they are, and pray God give us the strength and vigor to answer them biblically.
First of all, "gay" marriage is a misnomer. Two men can't marry each other, it is impossible. They could go to the court house, say vows, and with all the power vested in every jot and title of the constitution of any state of Union, combined with all the power vested in the United States constitution, pooled with all the power of every elected politician, and every unelected judge behind the bench, all of this power and authority cannot make two men be married. Two women can send out invitations, rent a hall, and hire musicians to play Paschel’s “Cannon in D” as they walk the isle, there could be vows and smiles, rings and tears, nevertheless, at their receptions, they would not be married, because they CANNOT be married. God's purpose for His institution was from the beginning, and always will be, the union of man and woman. That is marriage, and man and woman are the only two parties that can be married. From the beginning God made them male and female, for the purpose of marriage. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Mark 10:6-9) Nothing can be so clear. Whatever union they believe to have, they are not married because they do not meet the qualifications of two persons desiring matrimony (Matrimony - Marriage; wedlock; the union of man and woman for life; the nuptial state. Webster’s). We must never let ourselves be framed in their debate, but remain strong in our biblical worldview. Once we give way, just an inch, to the possibility that homosexuals could be married, we have already started down the wrong path. Plain and simple, no two men ever have, nor ever will marry.
First of all, "gay" marriage is a misnomer. Two men can't marry each other, it is impossible. They could go to the court house, say vows, and with all the power vested in every jot and title of the constitution of any state of Union, combined with all the power vested in the United States constitution, pooled with all the power of every elected politician, and every unelected judge behind the bench, all of this power and authority cannot make two men be married. Two women can send out invitations, rent a hall, and hire musicians to play Paschel’s “Cannon in D” as they walk the isle, there could be vows and smiles, rings and tears, nevertheless, at their receptions, they would not be married, because they CANNOT be married. God's purpose for His institution was from the beginning, and always will be, the union of man and woman. That is marriage, and man and woman are the only two parties that can be married. From the beginning God made them male and female, for the purpose of marriage. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Mark 10:6-9) Nothing can be so clear. Whatever union they believe to have, they are not married because they do not meet the qualifications of two persons desiring matrimony (Matrimony - Marriage; wedlock; the union of man and woman for life; the nuptial state. Webster’s). We must never let ourselves be framed in their debate, but remain strong in our biblical worldview. Once we give way, just an inch, to the possibility that homosexuals could be married, we have already started down the wrong path. Plain and simple, no two men ever have, nor ever will marry.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Honorable Marriage (PART 1)
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Marriage is honorable in all, and in every way it is a praiseworthy institution. Meditate about that for a moment. In all, marriage is honorable, respectable, and admirable and it would behoove us all to contemplate the fact God is telling us in His word that marriage is worthy of esteem, and respect. One primary reason that marriage is honorable is because it is a divine institution. God is good, and everything that God does is good, and since marriage is God's institution, marriage is good. One of the great blessings of God to mankind is marriage. It was not good that man should be alone, and by God’s mercy, out of man He made woman and began one of the greatest blessings that mankind has known. Marriage is one of the blessings that remained from the Garden of Eden. Though we lost much through the fall, God lovingly and mercifully allowed us to retain the blessed union of husband and wife. There are problems with marriage in our nation; namely that it is, for some, reputed as nothing. Rather than seeing it as a divine gift to mankind, it is often looked upon as a scourge; a source of all problems and unhappiness. I overheard a couple men discussing the supposed horrors of marriage to a man who was thinking about getting married, and they wrongly advised him to stay away from the divine institution. They praised the single life, and lamented over the vows they themselves had taken. Part of the dilemma with the 50% (if not more) divorce rate in our country is how little we, as a people, think of it. Whatever one thinks of gay marriage, it is evident our nation as a whole, does not view marriage as honorable in all. When you think lightly of something, you will not value it, as much. When I hear some teenager doing burnouts in their car, squealing their tires at a red light or when I see the black marks on the road, the evidence they have “peeled out”, I always think, “there is someone who doesn’t buy their own tires”. Someone who has to work to buy their own tires, value them more than to foolishly abuse and waste them. A marriage that is considered honorable isn’t put down, mocked, or taken lightly. The bonds of matrimony are more often than not, joked about and put down, rather than defended and spoken as the honorable institution it is. I am certain you could turn the television on any day of the week and you would come across some show making a mockery of marriage. Husband and wife being made to look like mortal enemies instead of one flesh, and instead of showing God made man and woman for each other, they portray that we were made to pick at each other. The husband is an imbecile and the wife an overbearing grouch. The typical television show about family and marriage portrays a battle of wills, instead of a family and home. The secular view of the effeminate man and the feminist woman have replaced the biblical example of marriage found in Ephesians chapter five. On the other hand, the promiscuous single life is shown to be “cool” and full of happiness and satisfaction. How long does it take for this flood of media to change the hearts and minds of a people? How much propaganda can the average American withstand, when it comes to the family?
Marriage is honorable in all, and in every way it is a praiseworthy institution. Meditate about that for a moment. In all, marriage is honorable, respectable, and admirable and it would behoove us all to contemplate the fact God is telling us in His word that marriage is worthy of esteem, and respect. One primary reason that marriage is honorable is because it is a divine institution. God is good, and everything that God does is good, and since marriage is God's institution, marriage is good. One of the great blessings of God to mankind is marriage. It was not good that man should be alone, and by God’s mercy, out of man He made woman and began one of the greatest blessings that mankind has known. Marriage is one of the blessings that remained from the Garden of Eden. Though we lost much through the fall, God lovingly and mercifully allowed us to retain the blessed union of husband and wife. There are problems with marriage in our nation; namely that it is, for some, reputed as nothing. Rather than seeing it as a divine gift to mankind, it is often looked upon as a scourge; a source of all problems and unhappiness. I overheard a couple men discussing the supposed horrors of marriage to a man who was thinking about getting married, and they wrongly advised him to stay away from the divine institution. They praised the single life, and lamented over the vows they themselves had taken. Part of the dilemma with the 50% (if not more) divorce rate in our country is how little we, as a people, think of it. Whatever one thinks of gay marriage, it is evident our nation as a whole, does not view marriage as honorable in all. When you think lightly of something, you will not value it, as much. When I hear some teenager doing burnouts in their car, squealing their tires at a red light or when I see the black marks on the road, the evidence they have “peeled out”, I always think, “there is someone who doesn’t buy their own tires”. Someone who has to work to buy their own tires, value them more than to foolishly abuse and waste them. A marriage that is considered honorable isn’t put down, mocked, or taken lightly. The bonds of matrimony are more often than not, joked about and put down, rather than defended and spoken as the honorable institution it is. I am certain you could turn the television on any day of the week and you would come across some show making a mockery of marriage. Husband and wife being made to look like mortal enemies instead of one flesh, and instead of showing God made man and woman for each other, they portray that we were made to pick at each other. The husband is an imbecile and the wife an overbearing grouch. The typical television show about family and marriage portrays a battle of wills, instead of a family and home. The secular view of the effeminate man and the feminist woman have replaced the biblical example of marriage found in Ephesians chapter five. On the other hand, the promiscuous single life is shown to be “cool” and full of happiness and satisfaction. How long does it take for this flood of media to change the hearts and minds of a people? How much propaganda can the average American withstand, when it comes to the family?
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Churches That Leave Their First Love
Revelation 2:1-7
It is striking to me to consider the fall of Ephesus in light of all they were doing right. This church had a lot going for it, they were doing a great many good works in the name of our Lord Jesus. From the outside, they looked like the model church, but Jesus, the Great Physician, diagnosed a problem. They had left their first love. I believe that churches today are in danger of this very same sin. I don’t believe the “age” of Ephesus is past, because there are churches today that have left their first love. Every true church in existence could leave it’s first love and fall into this terrible sin. Many hold to different opinions as to what is meant by first love, but by looking at Ephesus, we can determine what it is, exactly to leave your first love. By eliminating what is NOT meant, we can more clearly see what is meant by leaving your first love and how to correct this sinful behavior. It is hard to repent from something you don’t know that you are doing, and the message from our Lord was clear to Ephesus, and it should be clear to us as well. From this passage, God shows us what they were doing good, so from that we see what is not meant by leaving their first love. Next we will look at what remains, and it will show us how they left their first love, and then God tells us what they had to do to be restored.
Without question, Ephesus had left her first love. Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Jesus Christ, who walked in the midst of His assemblies, who held those seven stars in His hands had a message for this church. The Lord looked upon this church, of which He is the only Head, and saw some things they were doing right, but rightly and justly diagnosed Ephesus with a terrible, and potentially fatal problem, leaving their first love. How did Jesus communicate this message to the church? Through the preaching of His word, by the pastor of the church. The message was sent to the messenger, not the deacon, not Sister So and So, but unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write. When the man of God preaches the truth of God’s word, the people of God should heed the message.
The message was to be preached, and they were to be rebuked for leaving their first love. God was not unclear on what was going on here, and by reading the text we see what it is to leave your first love.
The church did not leave it’s first love by going away doctrinally. They were a strong church. Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The bible does not tell us what the deeds of the Nicolaitians are for sure. There are many different ideas as to what it could be. EG Cook says “nikao which means to conquer and Laos which means the people. The deeds of the Nicolaitans simply means to me that some of the big shot preachers began to lord it over the little ones.” Others say it was a teaching of antinomianism, others say it was a sect started by one of the original deacons at Jerusalem. The Lord didn’t give us specifics to this group, and knowing that it is false doctrine is enough. What we need to glean, is the attitude of the false doctrine. Some falsehood was coming into or attacking the church. The deeds of this sect was odious to our Lord, and Ephesus hated it as well. This is a far cry from men today who cry “unity” at all cost.
The church was an intolerant church, but they didn’t leave their first love by being intolerant, but, in fact, were commended for their intolerance. Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil. This church took a strong stand against sin. They couldn’t stand them which are evil. They were a separated people unto God, not putting up with wickedness and wicked behavior. The church did not slide into evil, or tolerate evil among them. Leaving one’s first love is not a church that deals with sin, or one that disciplines sin. The first love is not a love for everyone and everything. Men cry for love and compassion toward evil, and claim that anyone who takes a stand against sinful behavior has no love in their heart. Many think that way, Jesus is not one of them. Jesus commended Ephesus for not bearing them which are evil. The bible is clear on church disciple, and in fact, those who oppose discipline harbor more hatred for the offender. If you saw a very young child walking out into a busy street, would you stop them? Would you be compassionate by ignoring the danger, or would you do all you could for them? If you knew that the church building had severe structural damage, and at any moment could fall, would you do all you could to protect the members from going inside the building? Our Lord gave us a particular pattern for protecting HIS church, and the members of it, viz. church discipline. Ephesus did not leave it’s first love by not bearing with evil.
Ephesus did not leave it’s first love by allowing false preachers a foothold in the church. Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. False doctrine tried to get a hold in the church, but being the intolerant church they were, they actually examined what was trying to be presented to them. Oh that we would be so today. How many of our brothers and sisters are being led astray from truth by slick-tongued charlatan wolves. The men at Ephesus would have none of it, and would to God that we would not have any of it either. Churches today are under attack, and sadly, some falling away because they did not try them that preached to them. Self-constitution, priesthood, hardshellism, preterism, antinomianism all trying to gain hold of the Lord’s churches from within. The church examined the teaching of these men, the church compared it to the scriptures, the church judged it, then churched ruled on it’s findings. What was the verdict? These men who said they were apostles, said they were the men of God, said they were Baptist, said they were just like Paul, Peter, James, John, said they held to these Landmarks, were in fact liars. Some think that we must accept everyone and everything that comes our way, but the Lord’s church doesn’t operate like Little League, letting everyone bat and play the field. They either didn’t let these liars in the church or they excluded some among them, teaching heresy. Leaving your first love is not examining lies, and calling those who promote it liars. God didn’t rebuke them for truth, and didn’t rebuke them for standing for the truth. They were NOT rebuked for separating themselves from the evil in the world, and not bearing with evil in the church. They were not rebuked as not being loving for allowing liars to preach in their church. Rather commended them for those very actions. We can follow the example of Ephesus here.
Ephesus did not leave her first love by a lack of works, as they were a working church. Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience… Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Christ Knows the church, and her works. Christ knows every work done in His name. He knows the works that are unknown to everyone else. Take comfort that Jesus knows you who labor for Him. They had patience, godly endurance and perseverance in trials and temptations. They worked hard in the church, they were toiling, the idea of heavy work, manual labor. They didn’t faint in the work of Christ, in His name. No matter the cost, the kept on in the work and did as they were commanded by their Lord. We today could learn from their example, to labor with out fainting for the cause of Christ. Their first love was not left by a lack of work. Ephesus did not leave her first love by not standing up for what was right. They were a bold, earnestly contending church. They labored without fainting. They were a strong church, and didn’t give up in the face of problems. They quit themselves like men, and took a stand and hung in the fight. In hopeful endurance and steadfast constancy, Ephesus did not lay down when the going got tough in the service of our great God and Glorious Saviour Jesus Christ. There was something that was going on with them, they were facing some trial it seems, that was not a ‘here and it’s gone’ type of trial, but since they were currently bearing something, and currently having patience, it was there before, and is still there. They were commended for their continual stand.
What a great church! Who would not like to be a part of this? They were a doctrinally strong church, they were an intolerant church where it came to falsehood, they were a working church, they were a sanctified church, and they were a bold, and earnestly contending church. But as Jesus said nevertheless I have somewhat against thee. Doing all these things right, Christ had some what against them. Falling from any of these things could be the RESULT of leaving your first love, but Ephesus did all these things RIGHT, and yet still had left their first love.
What is the first love? Who did you love first after salvation? Who is (should be) your primary love since? The answer is Christ. Mat 22:36-39 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Our love for God is our primary love, and it should be above everything else. How did they leave it? They were a true church of true Christians, a doctrinally sound group, but their love had waxed cold. A love of truth without a love for “the Truth” is not pleasing unto God. A love for the church without a fiery love for the HEAD of the church. They held to doctrine, but it had become simply a teaching to them If they loved the truth, stood against error, hated those things that were against truth, how did they leave their love? A man meets a girl and falls head of heels in love with this girl. He can’t sleep, he thinks about her all day long, can’t stand to be away from her. Buys here gifts he can’t afford, go places that he wouldn’t normally go, because she likes it, says things he wouldn’t have thought he would ever say, because he loves her. They get married, and his love for the woman grows stronger and stronger. After years of marriage, the man wants to get her a big house because he loved her so much. He gets a job, then another, working 60 hrs a week to pay for the house he bought her. Now, he doesn’t have time to think about her, doesn’t have time to talk to her, and now doesn’t really want to go places with her and when he does, he just ‘goes through the motions’, his heart really isn’t in it. Ask him why he is working so hard?, ‘I love my wife’, but in his heart, he has left his first love. Now providing for her has superceded his wife, the work was the most important thing, not the wife. He was doing what he should have been doing, providing, but the providing became his first love. His work, which started because of his love, had become his love. His love for his wife had gone cold. He was faithful to her, didn’t cheat on her, protected her, but his zeal was no longer for the person of his wife, but in working for her. There was nothing wrong with WHAT they were doing or HOW, but WHY. Jesus is their first and primary love, and if He is not, you have fallen. If Jesus is not the primary love in the church, the church has left it’s first love. If you are serving God, don’t stop, but consider your motives and don’t leave the other undone. Some say that it was the preaching of strong doctrine that led the church here, but I don't believe that preaching the doctrines of grace makes churches cold, and unfaithful, otherwise, it would have been condemned. They left Him in their heart. Not in works, nor doctrine, nor truth or sin. They had a potentially fatal heart problem. Election should lift your heart to praising Christ, not John Calvin. Landmarkism should be held to because of Christ, not JR Graves. They problem with those who have left us, they hold fast to men, rather than the word of God. We should love the Church because Christ loves it, and not for any other reason. We can’t love the work more than the one we are working for. Witness to the lost because you love Christ, not because you have to do it. Don’t stand for the truth because I’m right, but it is the very word of our loving Saviour and King. Don’t bear them that are evil because you are thinking about what others say, but because we LOVE CHRIST, and since we love HIM, we keep HIS commandments. Don’t stand in persecution as a feat of strength, but because you love Jesus Christ.
The way to repent gives us a clue as to where they fell, and what state they were in. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen. A very Serious charge! Jesus said they were FALLEN, not about to fall. Where did they fall from? That first love. Ephesus was known for their love unto the saints, and their faith in Jesus Christ. Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, and they truly loved Jesus our Lord, Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Reading the book of Ephesus, the topic of love comes up again and again. Husbands were to love their wives as Christ loved the church, they were exhorted that the body would grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ and also of the edifying of itself in love. The Holy Spirit inspired prayer of Paul included the exhortation that the church would be rooted and grounded in love, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. This was the state of the church, this is the place where they had fallen. Many times we are, as it were, on a mountain top serving God, and nothing can defeat us, we are close to the Lord, we see His blessings in our lives, and we are full of love for our God, but other times, our love may wax cold. It may be from un-repented sin, but with Ephesus, it wasn’t the case. They had forgotten WHY they were serving the Lord. What was the remedy? To repent, turn from your sin, stop on the path you are going, and go back to where you were. Jesus said that they needed to amend their ways, hate their current way and go back from whence they fell. To be followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Not just followers of doctrine, or men, but Christ. We can’t just do the right thing, but do the right thing, for the right Person, and right reason. We are to do the first works. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first work. Ephesus had to go back to the primary work, for their first love. Mat 22:36-39 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Love Christ, love His church, serve Him in it, that is the first work. Do the work, the primary work, the first work, do it with love.
Jesus mercifully gave this message to the pastor, and told them the problem, and gave them the remedy. He also told of the punishment if did not repent (Rev 2:5) or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Jesus told them, he would come unto thee quickly. He was not speaking of His pre-tribluational coming in the clouds, but He would come unto this church, and come in judgment. Dear reader, consider yourself in your church service, and read the first chapter of the book of Revelation, meditate on the description of Jesus Christ, and recall the great price He paid for it, the shedding of His own precious blood, and the promise for continuing on in sin, is a quick coming. He told them they did not have lot of time to change, here is the problem, here is how to fix it, now do it, do it or else. We can remember as children, or saying to your own children, “or else”. What followed “or else” usually wasn’t very pleasant. “Or else” is the consequences for not obeying the warning given. Change, repent, go back to your first works, quickly or else I will Remove thy candlestick. The severity of the punishment should show us the seriousness of the crime. We must guard ourselves against leaving our first love. You can backslide by falling, or diving into sin, and going were you thought you would never go, and be stuck in a place you never wanted to be, you can be beaten, tattered, broken, blind, not being able to see afar off, forgetting even the fact you were purged from your old sins, oh the awful condition of the backslider! But, you can also backslide sitting in the pew every Sunday, teaching a class, from behind the pulpit, if the heart is not toward loving Jesus Christ. The consequence of failure to turn is they will no longer be a church. The designation of church is not based upon the sign in the yard, it is the Lord’s church. This is not a game we can play, this is serious. Think for a moment, unfaithfulness in our solemn duty to God results in Him removing the candlestick. It removes protection, guidance by the Holy Spirit, true worship, we would become a religious society instead of a called assembly, and ultimately no different than another protestant group, if Christ removes the candlestick. God will not forever be longsuffering with churches who will not follow or obey.
I don’t know what happened to Ephesus, but they are not in existence today. Perhaps they repented, perhaps not. I urge you, to consider your ways. Some of the other churches in Asia had some big problems. Pergamos held to the doctrine of Balaam, and in idolatry, some held to the doctrines that Ephesus rejected. The members at Thyatira came to church and was led by a Jezebel, a prophetess. The Laodiceans were lukewarm, so they had their problems too, and those problems could be seen by all. Here is the deceitfulness of sin. The church at Ephesus, from the outside, and the inside looked like the model church. Search your heart, and consider why you do, what you do, in the service of our Lord. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
It is striking to me to consider the fall of Ephesus in light of all they were doing right. This church had a lot going for it, they were doing a great many good works in the name of our Lord Jesus. From the outside, they looked like the model church, but Jesus, the Great Physician, diagnosed a problem. They had left their first love. I believe that churches today are in danger of this very same sin. I don’t believe the “age” of Ephesus is past, because there are churches today that have left their first love. Every true church in existence could leave it’s first love and fall into this terrible sin. Many hold to different opinions as to what is meant by first love, but by looking at Ephesus, we can determine what it is, exactly to leave your first love. By eliminating what is NOT meant, we can more clearly see what is meant by leaving your first love and how to correct this sinful behavior. It is hard to repent from something you don’t know that you are doing, and the message from our Lord was clear to Ephesus, and it should be clear to us as well. From this passage, God shows us what they were doing good, so from that we see what is not meant by leaving their first love. Next we will look at what remains, and it will show us how they left their first love, and then God tells us what they had to do to be restored.
Without question, Ephesus had left her first love. Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Jesus Christ, who walked in the midst of His assemblies, who held those seven stars in His hands had a message for this church. The Lord looked upon this church, of which He is the only Head, and saw some things they were doing right, but rightly and justly diagnosed Ephesus with a terrible, and potentially fatal problem, leaving their first love. How did Jesus communicate this message to the church? Through the preaching of His word, by the pastor of the church. The message was sent to the messenger, not the deacon, not Sister So and So, but unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write. When the man of God preaches the truth of God’s word, the people of God should heed the message.
The message was to be preached, and they were to be rebuked for leaving their first love. God was not unclear on what was going on here, and by reading the text we see what it is to leave your first love.
The church did not leave it’s first love by going away doctrinally. They were a strong church. Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The bible does not tell us what the deeds of the Nicolaitians are for sure. There are many different ideas as to what it could be. EG Cook says “nikao which means to conquer and Laos which means the people. The deeds of the Nicolaitans simply means to me that some of the big shot preachers began to lord it over the little ones.” Others say it was a teaching of antinomianism, others say it was a sect started by one of the original deacons at Jerusalem. The Lord didn’t give us specifics to this group, and knowing that it is false doctrine is enough. What we need to glean, is the attitude of the false doctrine. Some falsehood was coming into or attacking the church. The deeds of this sect was odious to our Lord, and Ephesus hated it as well. This is a far cry from men today who cry “unity” at all cost.
The church was an intolerant church, but they didn’t leave their first love by being intolerant, but, in fact, were commended for their intolerance. Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil. This church took a strong stand against sin. They couldn’t stand them which are evil. They were a separated people unto God, not putting up with wickedness and wicked behavior. The church did not slide into evil, or tolerate evil among them. Leaving one’s first love is not a church that deals with sin, or one that disciplines sin. The first love is not a love for everyone and everything. Men cry for love and compassion toward evil, and claim that anyone who takes a stand against sinful behavior has no love in their heart. Many think that way, Jesus is not one of them. Jesus commended Ephesus for not bearing them which are evil. The bible is clear on church disciple, and in fact, those who oppose discipline harbor more hatred for the offender. If you saw a very young child walking out into a busy street, would you stop them? Would you be compassionate by ignoring the danger, or would you do all you could for them? If you knew that the church building had severe structural damage, and at any moment could fall, would you do all you could to protect the members from going inside the building? Our Lord gave us a particular pattern for protecting HIS church, and the members of it, viz. church discipline. Ephesus did not leave it’s first love by not bearing with evil.
Ephesus did not leave it’s first love by allowing false preachers a foothold in the church. Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. False doctrine tried to get a hold in the church, but being the intolerant church they were, they actually examined what was trying to be presented to them. Oh that we would be so today. How many of our brothers and sisters are being led astray from truth by slick-tongued charlatan wolves. The men at Ephesus would have none of it, and would to God that we would not have any of it either. Churches today are under attack, and sadly, some falling away because they did not try them that preached to them. Self-constitution, priesthood, hardshellism, preterism, antinomianism all trying to gain hold of the Lord’s churches from within. The church examined the teaching of these men, the church compared it to the scriptures, the church judged it, then churched ruled on it’s findings. What was the verdict? These men who said they were apostles, said they were the men of God, said they were Baptist, said they were just like Paul, Peter, James, John, said they held to these Landmarks, were in fact liars. Some think that we must accept everyone and everything that comes our way, but the Lord’s church doesn’t operate like Little League, letting everyone bat and play the field. They either didn’t let these liars in the church or they excluded some among them, teaching heresy. Leaving your first love is not examining lies, and calling those who promote it liars. God didn’t rebuke them for truth, and didn’t rebuke them for standing for the truth. They were NOT rebuked for separating themselves from the evil in the world, and not bearing with evil in the church. They were not rebuked as not being loving for allowing liars to preach in their church. Rather commended them for those very actions. We can follow the example of Ephesus here.
Ephesus did not leave her first love by a lack of works, as they were a working church. Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience… Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Christ Knows the church, and her works. Christ knows every work done in His name. He knows the works that are unknown to everyone else. Take comfort that Jesus knows you who labor for Him. They had patience, godly endurance and perseverance in trials and temptations. They worked hard in the church, they were toiling, the idea of heavy work, manual labor. They didn’t faint in the work of Christ, in His name. No matter the cost, the kept on in the work and did as they were commanded by their Lord. We today could learn from their example, to labor with out fainting for the cause of Christ. Their first love was not left by a lack of work. Ephesus did not leave her first love by not standing up for what was right. They were a bold, earnestly contending church. They labored without fainting. They were a strong church, and didn’t give up in the face of problems. They quit themselves like men, and took a stand and hung in the fight. In hopeful endurance and steadfast constancy, Ephesus did not lay down when the going got tough in the service of our great God and Glorious Saviour Jesus Christ. There was something that was going on with them, they were facing some trial it seems, that was not a ‘here and it’s gone’ type of trial, but since they were currently bearing something, and currently having patience, it was there before, and is still there. They were commended for their continual stand.
What a great church! Who would not like to be a part of this? They were a doctrinally strong church, they were an intolerant church where it came to falsehood, they were a working church, they were a sanctified church, and they were a bold, and earnestly contending church. But as Jesus said nevertheless I have somewhat against thee. Doing all these things right, Christ had some what against them. Falling from any of these things could be the RESULT of leaving your first love, but Ephesus did all these things RIGHT, and yet still had left their first love.
What is the first love? Who did you love first after salvation? Who is (should be) your primary love since? The answer is Christ. Mat 22:36-39 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Our love for God is our primary love, and it should be above everything else. How did they leave it? They were a true church of true Christians, a doctrinally sound group, but their love had waxed cold. A love of truth without a love for “the Truth” is not pleasing unto God. A love for the church without a fiery love for the HEAD of the church. They held to doctrine, but it had become simply a teaching to them If they loved the truth, stood against error, hated those things that were against truth, how did they leave their love? A man meets a girl and falls head of heels in love with this girl. He can’t sleep, he thinks about her all day long, can’t stand to be away from her. Buys here gifts he can’t afford, go places that he wouldn’t normally go, because she likes it, says things he wouldn’t have thought he would ever say, because he loves her. They get married, and his love for the woman grows stronger and stronger. After years of marriage, the man wants to get her a big house because he loved her so much. He gets a job, then another, working 60 hrs a week to pay for the house he bought her. Now, he doesn’t have time to think about her, doesn’t have time to talk to her, and now doesn’t really want to go places with her and when he does, he just ‘goes through the motions’, his heart really isn’t in it. Ask him why he is working so hard?, ‘I love my wife’, but in his heart, he has left his first love. Now providing for her has superceded his wife, the work was the most important thing, not the wife. He was doing what he should have been doing, providing, but the providing became his first love. His work, which started because of his love, had become his love. His love for his wife had gone cold. He was faithful to her, didn’t cheat on her, protected her, but his zeal was no longer for the person of his wife, but in working for her. There was nothing wrong with WHAT they were doing or HOW, but WHY. Jesus is their first and primary love, and if He is not, you have fallen. If Jesus is not the primary love in the church, the church has left it’s first love. If you are serving God, don’t stop, but consider your motives and don’t leave the other undone. Some say that it was the preaching of strong doctrine that led the church here, but I don't believe that preaching the doctrines of grace makes churches cold, and unfaithful, otherwise, it would have been condemned. They left Him in their heart. Not in works, nor doctrine, nor truth or sin. They had a potentially fatal heart problem. Election should lift your heart to praising Christ, not John Calvin. Landmarkism should be held to because of Christ, not JR Graves. They problem with those who have left us, they hold fast to men, rather than the word of God. We should love the Church because Christ loves it, and not for any other reason. We can’t love the work more than the one we are working for. Witness to the lost because you love Christ, not because you have to do it. Don’t stand for the truth because I’m right, but it is the very word of our loving Saviour and King. Don’t bear them that are evil because you are thinking about what others say, but because we LOVE CHRIST, and since we love HIM, we keep HIS commandments. Don’t stand in persecution as a feat of strength, but because you love Jesus Christ.
The way to repent gives us a clue as to where they fell, and what state they were in. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen. A very Serious charge! Jesus said they were FALLEN, not about to fall. Where did they fall from? That first love. Ephesus was known for their love unto the saints, and their faith in Jesus Christ. Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, and they truly loved Jesus our Lord, Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Reading the book of Ephesus, the topic of love comes up again and again. Husbands were to love their wives as Christ loved the church, they were exhorted that the body would grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ and also of the edifying of itself in love. The Holy Spirit inspired prayer of Paul included the exhortation that the church would be rooted and grounded in love, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. This was the state of the church, this is the place where they had fallen. Many times we are, as it were, on a mountain top serving God, and nothing can defeat us, we are close to the Lord, we see His blessings in our lives, and we are full of love for our God, but other times, our love may wax cold. It may be from un-repented sin, but with Ephesus, it wasn’t the case. They had forgotten WHY they were serving the Lord. What was the remedy? To repent, turn from your sin, stop on the path you are going, and go back to where you were. Jesus said that they needed to amend their ways, hate their current way and go back from whence they fell. To be followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Not just followers of doctrine, or men, but Christ. We can’t just do the right thing, but do the right thing, for the right Person, and right reason. We are to do the first works. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first work. Ephesus had to go back to the primary work, for their first love. Mat 22:36-39 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Love Christ, love His church, serve Him in it, that is the first work. Do the work, the primary work, the first work, do it with love.
Jesus mercifully gave this message to the pastor, and told them the problem, and gave them the remedy. He also told of the punishment if did not repent (Rev 2:5) or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Jesus told them, he would come unto thee quickly. He was not speaking of His pre-tribluational coming in the clouds, but He would come unto this church, and come in judgment. Dear reader, consider yourself in your church service, and read the first chapter of the book of Revelation, meditate on the description of Jesus Christ, and recall the great price He paid for it, the shedding of His own precious blood, and the promise for continuing on in sin, is a quick coming. He told them they did not have lot of time to change, here is the problem, here is how to fix it, now do it, do it or else. We can remember as children, or saying to your own children, “or else”. What followed “or else” usually wasn’t very pleasant. “Or else” is the consequences for not obeying the warning given. Change, repent, go back to your first works, quickly or else I will Remove thy candlestick. The severity of the punishment should show us the seriousness of the crime. We must guard ourselves against leaving our first love. You can backslide by falling, or diving into sin, and going were you thought you would never go, and be stuck in a place you never wanted to be, you can be beaten, tattered, broken, blind, not being able to see afar off, forgetting even the fact you were purged from your old sins, oh the awful condition of the backslider! But, you can also backslide sitting in the pew every Sunday, teaching a class, from behind the pulpit, if the heart is not toward loving Jesus Christ. The consequence of failure to turn is they will no longer be a church. The designation of church is not based upon the sign in the yard, it is the Lord’s church. This is not a game we can play, this is serious. Think for a moment, unfaithfulness in our solemn duty to God results in Him removing the candlestick. It removes protection, guidance by the Holy Spirit, true worship, we would become a religious society instead of a called assembly, and ultimately no different than another protestant group, if Christ removes the candlestick. God will not forever be longsuffering with churches who will not follow or obey.
I don’t know what happened to Ephesus, but they are not in existence today. Perhaps they repented, perhaps not. I urge you, to consider your ways. Some of the other churches in Asia had some big problems. Pergamos held to the doctrine of Balaam, and in idolatry, some held to the doctrines that Ephesus rejected. The members at Thyatira came to church and was led by a Jezebel, a prophetess. The Laodiceans were lukewarm, so they had their problems too, and those problems could be seen by all. Here is the deceitfulness of sin. The church at Ephesus, from the outside, and the inside looked like the model church. Search your heart, and consider why you do, what you do, in the service of our Lord. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A Minister’s Preaching
A devotion from the book "The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions".
MY MASTER GOD,
I am desired to preach today,
But go weak and needy to my task;
Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth,
That an honest testimony might be borne for thee;
Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,
With heart uplifted for graced and unction.
Present to my view things pertinent to my subject,
With fullness of matter and clarity of thought,
Proper expressions, fluency, fervency,
A felling sense of the things I preach,
And grace to apply them to men’s consciences.
Keep me conscious all the while of my defects,
And let me not gloat in pride over my performance.
Help me to offer a testimony for thyself,
And to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy
Give me freedom to open the sorrows of thy people,
And to set before them comforting considerations.
Attend with power the truth preached,
And awaken the attention of my slothful audience.
May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted,
And help me to use the strongest arguments
Drawn form Christ’ incarnation and sufferings,
That men might be made holy.
I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness,
That I might be a pure channel of thy grace,
And be able to do something for thee;
Five me then refreshment among thy people,
And help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way,
Or bear a broken testimony to so worthy a redeemer,
Or be harsh in treating of Christ’s death, its design and end,
From lack of warmth and fervency.
And keep me in tune with thee as I do this work.
MY MASTER GOD,
I am desired to preach today,
But go weak and needy to my task;
Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth,
That an honest testimony might be borne for thee;
Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,
With heart uplifted for graced and unction.
Present to my view things pertinent to my subject,
With fullness of matter and clarity of thought,
Proper expressions, fluency, fervency,
A felling sense of the things I preach,
And grace to apply them to men’s consciences.
Keep me conscious all the while of my defects,
And let me not gloat in pride over my performance.
Help me to offer a testimony for thyself,
And to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy
Give me freedom to open the sorrows of thy people,
And to set before them comforting considerations.
Attend with power the truth preached,
And awaken the attention of my slothful audience.
May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted,
And help me to use the strongest arguments
Drawn form Christ’ incarnation and sufferings,
That men might be made holy.
I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness,
That I might be a pure channel of thy grace,
And be able to do something for thee;
Five me then refreshment among thy people,
And help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way,
Or bear a broken testimony to so worthy a redeemer,
Or be harsh in treating of Christ’s death, its design and end,
From lack of warmth and fervency.
And keep me in tune with thee as I do this work.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Question #32 "What is your position on the security of the believer?"
Some time ago, I was given a set of questions by a church who wanted me to come and preach for them, to see if we believed the same truths. I kept a copy of the questions and my answers. Here is question #32.
Question: What is your position on the security of the believer?
The born again child of God is eternally secure. God predestined, called, justified, and glorified his people. Romans 8:28-39 beautifully shows the security of the believer. Our salvation is based upon the finished work of Christ, and as he has finished that work, and we are justified by him and his blood, then there is nothing that can separate us from his love. He is our surety. We live and die in Christ. Since he rose again, then we will rise, since he is with the Father, there we will be also.
Question: What is your position on the security of the believer?
The born again child of God is eternally secure. God predestined, called, justified, and glorified his people. Romans 8:28-39 beautifully shows the security of the believer. Our salvation is based upon the finished work of Christ, and as he has finished that work, and we are justified by him and his blood, then there is nothing that can separate us from his love. He is our surety. We live and die in Christ. Since he rose again, then we will rise, since he is with the Father, there we will be also.
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
E.M Bounds on "Prayerless Praying"
EM Bounds from the chapter Hindrances to Prayer from the book The Complete Works of EM Bounds on Prayer
"We once heard an eminent and saintly preacher, now in heaven, come abruptly and sharply on a congregation that had just risen from prayer, with the question and statement, 'What did you pray for? If God should take hold of you and shake you, and demand what you prayed for, you could not tell him to save your life what the prayer was that has just died from your lips.' So it always is, prayerless praying has neither memory nor heart. A mere form, a heterogeneous mass, and insipid compound, a mixture thrown together for sound and to fill up, but with neither heart nor aim, is prayerless praying. A dry routine, a dreary drudge, a dull and heavy task is the is prayerless praying.
Prayerless praying is much worse than either task or drudge, it divorces praying from living; it utters its words against the world, but with heart and life runs into the world; it prays for humility, but nurtures pride; prays for self-denial, while indulging the flesh."
"We once heard an eminent and saintly preacher, now in heaven, come abruptly and sharply on a congregation that had just risen from prayer, with the question and statement, 'What did you pray for? If God should take hold of you and shake you, and demand what you prayed for, you could not tell him to save your life what the prayer was that has just died from your lips.' So it always is, prayerless praying has neither memory nor heart. A mere form, a heterogeneous mass, and insipid compound, a mixture thrown together for sound and to fill up, but with neither heart nor aim, is prayerless praying. A dry routine, a dreary drudge, a dull and heavy task is the is prayerless praying.
Prayerless praying is much worse than either task or drudge, it divorces praying from living; it utters its words against the world, but with heart and life runs into the world; it prays for humility, but nurtures pride; prays for self-denial, while indulging the flesh."
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Jacob Josiah
Psalm 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Introducing Jacob Josiah Newell. Born 3-4-09.
The Newell Family is rejoicing in the continual blessing of our Sovereign King, Lord and Saviour with the addition of Jacob Josiah. According to God's providence, Jacob was born early due to Crystal's health; early with the doctors, but at the set time according to His choosing. The birth left Jacob in a little respiratory distress, but thankfully, Crystal is doing extremely well, and Jacob's stay in intensive care was uncharacteristically short according to the doctors, and is to full strength at this time out of ICN.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
I am white as snow!
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Thoroughly stained, thoroughly cleansed. We are made white, by Red; Christ's righteousness replaced our filthy rags of self righteousness by the shedding of His precious blood, death, and resurrection. Oh for a thousand tongues to sing!!!
Thoroughly stained, thoroughly cleansed. We are made white, by Red; Christ's righteousness replaced our filthy rags of self righteousness by the shedding of His precious blood, death, and resurrection. Oh for a thousand tongues to sing!!!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Hebrew children or Hebrew men?
I am sure you have heard Shadrach, Meshach and Obendego referred to as Athe three Hebrew children@ as I have. I may have said it myself, it is a popular phrase. But I am not going to say it anymore.
First of all, scripture refers to them as men. In Dan. 3:12 and again in verse 16 they were called men. We need to rely on scripture, and that alone. So many people are led and deceived by stories and tales they hear some preacher say. I have heard, as you may have too, someone telling you something that is in the bible, that is not there. They have heard someone they trust tell them about the bible, but haven=t checked for themselves like the noble Bereans. Sunday School classes, may sing beloved Sunday school songs, but are they scriptural? I have 3 young children, and there are many biblical books for children, with cute cartoons and pictures, but some, not all, misrepresent the biblical record of truth on some of the more widely know biblical, historical tales. You may think that it is unimportant, or taking this too far, but is it really? How many wise men were at the manger to see Jesus when he was born? Answer: Zero. The wise men did not go to the manger, but the home, not to see the infant babe, but the young child. Well how many wise men were there? We don=t know, it does not say. There were three gifts, but the bible does not tell us how many men there were. Not going by biblical record, and just repeating the stories and saying we have heard, are doing harm to the hearers of the word. Is it a rank heresy if someone says Hebrew children, no of course not, but I use this example to illustrate a broader issue, that is the accuracy and final authority of scripture, and how subtly the Devil works in putting doubt and misunderstanding in the hearts and minds of hearers of the word of God. Note Eve, Did God really say?.. Our job is not to criticize the bible, but to base our beliefs on scripture, not on what we have heard. Our era, more than any other, has no excuse for not knowing what the bible teaches on a subject. In the country in which we live, there is not trouble getting and reading the bible. From the internet, to numerous stores, we have so much access to scripture, and helps, there is no excuse for us. I am not trying to say that simply using the phrase Hebrew children indicates one lacking in knowledge, study or ability to teach, so I ask that you not take it in that light, but after catching myself say it, and considering why I said it, some thoughts that came from my own meditation on phrasing and why I am not going to say it anymore.
The second reason I don=t say Hebrew children is, even if they were children or young men, they sure did not act like it. Shadrach, Meshach and Obendego acted like men. I Cor 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. This may not be politically correct, but it is biblically correct, they acted like men. Is it a reflection on our society, that in some places, it may be required for one to explain what it means to act like a man? In our time, that is insulting to say act like a man. We live in a culture that tries to feminize men, especially younger boys. That boys are taught that their God given instincts to protect and lead are wrong and are taught they are no different that the girls. Public schools will take a boy, full of the natural masculine tendencies given to him by God, and will be put on medication and forced to get in touch with his feminine side. There is a difference in overlooking sin by saying boys will be boys, and actually allow boys to be boys. How many times do you think that David used his sling before he met Goliath? He certainly was not home playing with dolls during his youth. But acting like a man, is not meant here by pastimes, but by taking charge of the situation, and standing up for what is right and what you believe in. Despite the challenges that were presented, and despite what they faced, they acted like the spiritual leaders men should act like.
They did not compromise when others did. Ephesians 4:13-15 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Every pastor of the Lord=s churches would love to have men like Shadrach, Meshach and Obendego. When the music started playing and everyone bowed down, but them. They did not succumb to peer pressure, they did not bow to keep from starting trouble, they did not bow because the were not tossed to and fro by this wicked idolatry. In Ephesians four, we read of the Lord's church, that in the preaching of the word, the members of the church, as the body of Christ, should grow in the truth unto a full grown man, that not acting like children, being tossed about by everything they hear and see. The devil attacks the churches of our Lord in such a way, seeking to devour. When trouble comes, and it will, there needs to be men, who will stand and speak the truth, who will not bow the knee to false doctrine, false teachings, and head to fables by those who subvert the truth. No, we are to have a child like faith in the word, in humility, but we are not to act like children in the work of the Lord. Could you imagine, being held captive in this foreign land, all the things these people had done to their families and homes, the decree that had already been issued, facing death. What about their job? They were ones whom had been put in a position that set over the affairs of the province. Did they waiver? Did they compromise, why after all, what good would they be if they were dead, there is no need to start a fight, or cause trouble, right? No, when the others bowed the knee, God had men who acted like me, and stood and fought the good fight of faith.
I do not call them children, because they were men in the faith. Timothy, apparently, had some issue with his age, as Paul instructed that others should not despise his youth. Timothy, though young in age, was mature in truth. There are some people, who the Lord saw fit to save at a young age, have been Christians and Baptist for many, many years. And there are those, who are elders in the flesh, who the Lord was pleased to save in the later years of life, who are babes in Christ. I won't call these men the Hebrew children because they acted like men in the faith. Hebrews 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. They may have been younger men in years, but they were men of faith. Others, who may have fell, and may have been deceived in the idol worship, these men were strong. You may say, well God has not given me such wisdom, I am a babe in Christ because I haven=t been blessed with knowledge. Did you ask? Have you prayed for wisdom? You have not because you ask not. God promises wisdom to those who ask and seek it. I once heard a song on the radio praising this kind of attitude. It went "I am not skilled to understand, what God has willed, what God has planned." In an attitude that it was either not important or only for some people to know what God has willed. If you want to know, read it. He told us in His word! Why was the songwriter not skilled? Because they have not grown. You may question that not all will know as much, God blesses some with incredible knowledge of scripture. That is true. What is also true is strong meat belongeth TO THEM THAT ARE FULL AGE even those WHO BY REASON OF USE have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. I also know that the giants of the faith did not learn and know the truth through osmosis, those who have a great knowledge, spend great time in study and prayer, and God blesses them in it. I am not inclined to believe that these Hebrew men just woke up and knew what they knew out of no where. As David was prepared in the field with the lion and the bear for Goliath, and Elijah was prepared for Carmel at the brook of Cherith, so are God's people prepared for their struggles in this life, by preparation. Study to show thyself approved.
They stood up like men, in the face of evil, and spoke the truth. Dan. 3:17-18 if it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Like men, they submitted to their true King, the Lord Jesus. Little children, when mom and dad tell them things, like to ask why? They have problems listening and accepting authority. We do that as well, when we murmur and complain about things that happen in our lives. When is it said, "why does this happen to me?", who are we asking? We are questioning God. But the men of our story said thy will be done. What a reply! How we can learn from these men. God is able to deliver us from the furnace, if it is His will. And if it is not his will, and we die in the furnace, either way, O king, He is going to deliver us out of your hand. So either way, we are delivered, and either way we are not going to worship your false god.
Now that I have told you why they were men, and not children, I will tell you why they are children. They were men among men, they were men of faith, but they were the children of God. Indeed, so much courage shown in the face of so much to loose, so many to go against, but because they were children of God, they were never alone. They had a child like faith in God.
They were the adopted children, by faith, trusting in God.
They were the children of God because they loved him, not through their works, but by faith.
The bible, time and again, is full of accounts of ordinary people, whom the world thought little of, never would have noticed, or in positions of hardship, doing the extraordinary in the service of God for His glory. It is our God who hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. It is our Lord who enables men to stand like men, and may God help us all to stand for the truth.
First of all, scripture refers to them as men. In Dan. 3:12 and again in verse 16 they were called men. We need to rely on scripture, and that alone. So many people are led and deceived by stories and tales they hear some preacher say. I have heard, as you may have too, someone telling you something that is in the bible, that is not there. They have heard someone they trust tell them about the bible, but haven=t checked for themselves like the noble Bereans. Sunday School classes, may sing beloved Sunday school songs, but are they scriptural? I have 3 young children, and there are many biblical books for children, with cute cartoons and pictures, but some, not all, misrepresent the biblical record of truth on some of the more widely know biblical, historical tales. You may think that it is unimportant, or taking this too far, but is it really? How many wise men were at the manger to see Jesus when he was born? Answer: Zero. The wise men did not go to the manger, but the home, not to see the infant babe, but the young child. Well how many wise men were there? We don=t know, it does not say. There were three gifts, but the bible does not tell us how many men there were. Not going by biblical record, and just repeating the stories and saying we have heard, are doing harm to the hearers of the word. Is it a rank heresy if someone says Hebrew children, no of course not, but I use this example to illustrate a broader issue, that is the accuracy and final authority of scripture, and how subtly the Devil works in putting doubt and misunderstanding in the hearts and minds of hearers of the word of God. Note Eve, Did God really say?.. Our job is not to criticize the bible, but to base our beliefs on scripture, not on what we have heard. Our era, more than any other, has no excuse for not knowing what the bible teaches on a subject. In the country in which we live, there is not trouble getting and reading the bible. From the internet, to numerous stores, we have so much access to scripture, and helps, there is no excuse for us. I am not trying to say that simply using the phrase Hebrew children indicates one lacking in knowledge, study or ability to teach, so I ask that you not take it in that light, but after catching myself say it, and considering why I said it, some thoughts that came from my own meditation on phrasing and why I am not going to say it anymore.
The second reason I don=t say Hebrew children is, even if they were children or young men, they sure did not act like it. Shadrach, Meshach and Obendego acted like men. I Cor 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. This may not be politically correct, but it is biblically correct, they acted like men. Is it a reflection on our society, that in some places, it may be required for one to explain what it means to act like a man? In our time, that is insulting to say act like a man. We live in a culture that tries to feminize men, especially younger boys. That boys are taught that their God given instincts to protect and lead are wrong and are taught they are no different that the girls. Public schools will take a boy, full of the natural masculine tendencies given to him by God, and will be put on medication and forced to get in touch with his feminine side. There is a difference in overlooking sin by saying boys will be boys, and actually allow boys to be boys. How many times do you think that David used his sling before he met Goliath? He certainly was not home playing with dolls during his youth. But acting like a man, is not meant here by pastimes, but by taking charge of the situation, and standing up for what is right and what you believe in. Despite the challenges that were presented, and despite what they faced, they acted like the spiritual leaders men should act like.
They did not compromise when others did. Ephesians 4:13-15 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Every pastor of the Lord=s churches would love to have men like Shadrach, Meshach and Obendego. When the music started playing and everyone bowed down, but them. They did not succumb to peer pressure, they did not bow to keep from starting trouble, they did not bow because the were not tossed to and fro by this wicked idolatry. In Ephesians four, we read of the Lord's church, that in the preaching of the word, the members of the church, as the body of Christ, should grow in the truth unto a full grown man, that not acting like children, being tossed about by everything they hear and see. The devil attacks the churches of our Lord in such a way, seeking to devour. When trouble comes, and it will, there needs to be men, who will stand and speak the truth, who will not bow the knee to false doctrine, false teachings, and head to fables by those who subvert the truth. No, we are to have a child like faith in the word, in humility, but we are not to act like children in the work of the Lord. Could you imagine, being held captive in this foreign land, all the things these people had done to their families and homes, the decree that had already been issued, facing death. What about their job? They were ones whom had been put in a position that set over the affairs of the province. Did they waiver? Did they compromise, why after all, what good would they be if they were dead, there is no need to start a fight, or cause trouble, right? No, when the others bowed the knee, God had men who acted like me, and stood and fought the good fight of faith.
I do not call them children, because they were men in the faith. Timothy, apparently, had some issue with his age, as Paul instructed that others should not despise his youth. Timothy, though young in age, was mature in truth. There are some people, who the Lord saw fit to save at a young age, have been Christians and Baptist for many, many years. And there are those, who are elders in the flesh, who the Lord was pleased to save in the later years of life, who are babes in Christ. I won't call these men the Hebrew children because they acted like men in the faith. Hebrews 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. They may have been younger men in years, but they were men of faith. Others, who may have fell, and may have been deceived in the idol worship, these men were strong. You may say, well God has not given me such wisdom, I am a babe in Christ because I haven=t been blessed with knowledge. Did you ask? Have you prayed for wisdom? You have not because you ask not. God promises wisdom to those who ask and seek it. I once heard a song on the radio praising this kind of attitude. It went "I am not skilled to understand, what God has willed, what God has planned." In an attitude that it was either not important or only for some people to know what God has willed. If you want to know, read it. He told us in His word! Why was the songwriter not skilled? Because they have not grown. You may question that not all will know as much, God blesses some with incredible knowledge of scripture. That is true. What is also true is strong meat belongeth TO THEM THAT ARE FULL AGE even those WHO BY REASON OF USE have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. I also know that the giants of the faith did not learn and know the truth through osmosis, those who have a great knowledge, spend great time in study and prayer, and God blesses them in it. I am not inclined to believe that these Hebrew men just woke up and knew what they knew out of no where. As David was prepared in the field with the lion and the bear for Goliath, and Elijah was prepared for Carmel at the brook of Cherith, so are God's people prepared for their struggles in this life, by preparation. Study to show thyself approved.
They stood up like men, in the face of evil, and spoke the truth. Dan. 3:17-18 if it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Like men, they submitted to their true King, the Lord Jesus. Little children, when mom and dad tell them things, like to ask why? They have problems listening and accepting authority. We do that as well, when we murmur and complain about things that happen in our lives. When is it said, "why does this happen to me?", who are we asking? We are questioning God. But the men of our story said thy will be done. What a reply! How we can learn from these men. God is able to deliver us from the furnace, if it is His will. And if it is not his will, and we die in the furnace, either way, O king, He is going to deliver us out of your hand. So either way, we are delivered, and either way we are not going to worship your false god.
Now that I have told you why they were men, and not children, I will tell you why they are children. They were men among men, they were men of faith, but they were the children of God. Indeed, so much courage shown in the face of so much to loose, so many to go against, but because they were children of God, they were never alone. They had a child like faith in God.
They were the adopted children, by faith, trusting in God.
They were the children of God because they loved him, not through their works, but by faith.
The bible, time and again, is full of accounts of ordinary people, whom the world thought little of, never would have noticed, or in positions of hardship, doing the extraordinary in the service of God for His glory. It is our God who hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. It is our Lord who enables men to stand like men, and may God help us all to stand for the truth.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
When Christians Cry
So many Christians, when they cry, do so unto the world. There is no true comfort here, not for one who has been enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Once we have tasted of that sweet fellowship with the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Spirit, one could travel every inch of this world, and not find the peace and comfort of soul that is found in Christ. Oh, the vanity of life when we are downcast! We don't need to despair, for where ever we are found, from the ends of the earth, we are never too far from the Masters ear. We are never too far from the love of God. Whether under the depths of the sea, to the farthest reaches of the plains, God will hear our cry. We may be far from friends and family, we may be alone and afraid, but we are never truly alone if we have Christ. He who bore our sins will never leave nor forsake us. David said "when my heart is overwhelmed". Browns Driver Briggs defines the Hebrew word here ataph translated overwhelmed as 'to cover, to envelop ones self, or to be feeble, faint, growing weak.' The idea is that the heart is weak, feeble, overcome by sorrows. As if shipwrecked at sea, with the waves of grief shrouding the soul. How many times have the children of God been overwhelmed? Our hearts are feeble. Even the most hardened soul, at some point has been overwhelmed. How much more so for the children of the most high? We see our families away from God, our neighbors leaving this world with out Christ, we suffer persecutions and are attacked by our enemy, the Devil, looking about this world which waxes worse and worse each day. Sometimes the saints of God, we once had sweet fellowship with, now forsaking the assembly of our great God. The grief, the pain, the sorrow is overwhelming. That doesn't even take into consideration the sorrow of our hearts over our own souls for our own sin. How we fail our Lord! Oh how oft we sin against our Saviour! Are not our hearts grieved and overwhelmed at our failures, the sin in our lives? Are we not overwhelmed at times from the great work we have been commissioned to do, and yet it seems we spin our wheels, and toil and labor, with seemingly no results? I cry unto God when my heart is feeble. When I am filled with doubts and fears. When I don't understand, and strive to serve my God. I cry unto my God when I am alone, when my faith is weak and I'm sorely tried. The children of God have and truly know what it is like to where the cloak of despair, and to languish in the depths of grief, and to have the heart overwhelmed, beyond the ability to express the emotion of our fainting fits of despondency. We will have a heart that is overwhelmed.
But if that was the end of our walk with Christ, we would be of all men most miserable. All the son's of Adam experience such woe, but the joy of the Christian is we do not remain. The world will seek comfort in self, pleasures and other futile attempts of merriment, but we have such a blessed treasure, for when we are weak, He is made strong. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Jesus is the Rock that is higher than I.
When our hearts are overwhelmed, it is Christ in which we find safety and refuge. When we are overcome we are as is we were lost at sea, shipwrecked with no hope of recovery, no hope of making it to shore, with drowning in despair our only conceivable hope. Jesus Christ is the Rock that is higher than I. He is the safety when our hearts are overwhelmed, He is the mighty Rock of refuge, and of our salvation. He is higher than I, higher than our troubles, higher than we could ever get ourselves. Psalm 18:2 says The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. When we are overcome by grief and sorrow, Christ is where we must flee. Jesus is the solid, secure, and safe refuge. Through the blood of Christ, we have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Lead me to the Rock, for I can't go on my own. I am too distraught to find my own way, to weak to see, lead me, Holy Spirit, in my distress, to the Rock. Let me never look for refuge in any other. Lead me, take me, help me! I cry out when I can=t help myself, but not to my own devices, not to my own works, but to the Rock, the solid rock, that is higher, loftier, mightier than I, that has hope and life for all who cling to Him.
But if that was the end of our walk with Christ, we would be of all men most miserable. All the son's of Adam experience such woe, but the joy of the Christian is we do not remain. The world will seek comfort in self, pleasures and other futile attempts of merriment, but we have such a blessed treasure, for when we are weak, He is made strong. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Jesus is the Rock that is higher than I.
When our hearts are overwhelmed, it is Christ in which we find safety and refuge. When we are overcome we are as is we were lost at sea, shipwrecked with no hope of recovery, no hope of making it to shore, with drowning in despair our only conceivable hope. Jesus Christ is the Rock that is higher than I. He is the safety when our hearts are overwhelmed, He is the mighty Rock of refuge, and of our salvation. He is higher than I, higher than our troubles, higher than we could ever get ourselves. Psalm 18:2 says The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. When we are overcome by grief and sorrow, Christ is where we must flee. Jesus is the solid, secure, and safe refuge. Through the blood of Christ, we have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Lead me to the Rock, for I can't go on my own. I am too distraught to find my own way, to weak to see, lead me, Holy Spirit, in my distress, to the Rock. Let me never look for refuge in any other. Lead me, take me, help me! I cry out when I can=t help myself, but not to my own devices, not to my own works, but to the Rock, the solid rock, that is higher, loftier, mightier than I, that has hope and life for all who cling to Him.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Update
Aplogies for the rather incomplete post on my books last week. I mentioned that I was expecting some more books, but didn't mention the titles, only that I was expecting them. Well, I received the last of them today. "How to Read a book" and "Preachers and Preaching by Jones." came first, and I have started “How to read a book”, and I think that I am going to get a lot out of it, and I pray that it will help me to get more out of the books that I read.
Today, I received Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God by Voddie Baucham Jr. I look forward to reading this book, as I feel the burden of my responsibility to my children, day by day.
The next two books are “Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church” by Michael Horton and “Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate” by Jerry Bridges.
I welcome all comments about these books, if you have read them, and as I finish, I'll let you know what I think, both here and at Shelfari.
Today, I received Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God by Voddie Baucham Jr. I look forward to reading this book, as I feel the burden of my responsibility to my children, day by day.
The next two books are “Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church” by Michael Horton and “Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate” by Jerry Bridges.
I welcome all comments about these books, if you have read them, and as I finish, I'll let you know what I think, both here and at Shelfari.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Psalms 119:33-34
Psalms 119:33-34 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
At first glance, it may appear that the psalmist has said the same thing in two verses. Teach me the way of thy statutes, give me understanding, I shall keep it unto the end, I shall keep thy law. Though subtle, there is a difference. In verse 33, the prayer is that God would teach the way of the statutes. God is our teacher in spiritual matters, and when we learn, or are taught the word, it is God that teaches us. Being taught also intimates the babe in Christ, one who didn't have previous knowledge. All spiritual knowledge and learning is of Christ. Though a man may preach, or one may read and study, it is God that reveals these truths to us. This is not the same as understanding. In my personal life, I was taught about the trinity. Prior to being taught, I didn't know anything about the Godhead, but after being taught, God gave me knowledge I previously did not have, but I didn't (and still don't) have full understanding of the Trinity. It is God who gave me the little understanding I have now. In secular terms, I have been taught some about auto mechanics. I can troubleshoot basic problems. I know that fuel is needed, a spark to ignite the fuel, a battery and starter etc. but I don't have a good understanding of why these components are needed. The spiritual babe in Christ is taught, but needs understanding to grow into maturity. We need to know the law to keep it, and need understanding to observe it with our whole heart.
At first glance, it may appear that the psalmist has said the same thing in two verses. Teach me the way of thy statutes, give me understanding, I shall keep it unto the end, I shall keep thy law. Though subtle, there is a difference. In verse 33, the prayer is that God would teach the way of the statutes. God is our teacher in spiritual matters, and when we learn, or are taught the word, it is God that teaches us. Being taught also intimates the babe in Christ, one who didn't have previous knowledge. All spiritual knowledge and learning is of Christ. Though a man may preach, or one may read and study, it is God that reveals these truths to us. This is not the same as understanding. In my personal life, I was taught about the trinity. Prior to being taught, I didn't know anything about the Godhead, but after being taught, God gave me knowledge I previously did not have, but I didn't (and still don't) have full understanding of the Trinity. It is God who gave me the little understanding I have now. In secular terms, I have been taught some about auto mechanics. I can troubleshoot basic problems. I know that fuel is needed, a spark to ignite the fuel, a battery and starter etc. but I don't have a good understanding of why these components are needed. The spiritual babe in Christ is taught, but needs understanding to grow into maturity. We need to know the law to keep it, and need understanding to observe it with our whole heart.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Reading
There is a common thread you seem to find in the men God uses, and it is they are readers. They were well read and read well. Considering the men of the bible, they were well read, and they knew the Word of God. Paul had a high regard for the written word as well, "when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments." It was one of the things he charged Timothy to do, in the book of First Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
AW Pink said “In my early years, I assiduously followed this threefold course: First, I read through the entire Bible three times a year (eight chapters in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament daily). I steadily preserved in this for 10 years, in order to familiarize myself with its contents, which can only be done by consecutive reading. Second, I studied a portion of the Bible each week, concentrating for ten minutes (or More) each day of the same passage, pondering the order of it, the connection between each statement, seeking a definition of the important terms in it, look up all the marginal references being on the look out for its typical significance, Third, I meditated on one verse every day; memorizing it.” That is a schedule that would put most to shame indeed, but that was simply his Bible reading, Pink spent much time reading other works as well. “In born to write”, by R.P. Belcher, it is said that A.W. Pink had read more than one million pages of religious literature. “If one averages that one million pages over 27 years, it comes to over 37,000 pages a year. Therefore, Pink was not only a student of the Bible, but also a student of theological literature as well.”
I recall B.H. Carroll said that he read around 300 pages a day, besides the bible, and men like Gill, and Spurgeon are also famous for their reading prowess. Biography after biography of Christian men who preached with great power, you will find them to be voracious readers. These men didn’t sit back and wish they could be great preachers, nor did they say that God hadn’t given them the gifts to be great preachers, but they worked at it, and worked hard. Yes, men like Spurgeon could stand and give eloquent extemporaneous sermons, and had a mind that could recall great amounts of information, and present it in an impromptu, yet powerful way, but remember that the information had to be first obtained! Pink’s books and sermons overflow with scripture, and he had great power in pulling the themes of the bible together, but where did that familiarity come from? Reading. Without the power of computer aided study, these men worked, and worked hard for their knowledge, and God blessed their effort.
Certainly they were blessed of God, and were given great gifts of natural ability, skill, and mental prowess, but it is also not to say they didn't hone and sharpen the gifts God gave them. Spurgeon would not have been Spurgeon had he not read. Pink would not have been Pink, if he had not given all he had in the service of God.
AW Pink said “In my early years, I assiduously followed this threefold course: First, I read through the entire Bible three times a year (eight chapters in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament daily). I steadily preserved in this for 10 years, in order to familiarize myself with its contents, which can only be done by consecutive reading. Second, I studied a portion of the Bible each week, concentrating for ten minutes (or More) each day of the same passage, pondering the order of it, the connection between each statement, seeking a definition of the important terms in it, look up all the marginal references being on the look out for its typical significance, Third, I meditated on one verse every day; memorizing it.” That is a schedule that would put most to shame indeed, but that was simply his Bible reading, Pink spent much time reading other works as well. “In born to write”, by R.P. Belcher, it is said that A.W. Pink had read more than one million pages of religious literature. “If one averages that one million pages over 27 years, it comes to over 37,000 pages a year. Therefore, Pink was not only a student of the Bible, but also a student of theological literature as well.”
I recall B.H. Carroll said that he read around 300 pages a day, besides the bible, and men like Gill, and Spurgeon are also famous for their reading prowess. Biography after biography of Christian men who preached with great power, you will find them to be voracious readers. These men didn’t sit back and wish they could be great preachers, nor did they say that God hadn’t given them the gifts to be great preachers, but they worked at it, and worked hard. Yes, men like Spurgeon could stand and give eloquent extemporaneous sermons, and had a mind that could recall great amounts of information, and present it in an impromptu, yet powerful way, but remember that the information had to be first obtained! Pink’s books and sermons overflow with scripture, and he had great power in pulling the themes of the bible together, but where did that familiarity come from? Reading. Without the power of computer aided study, these men worked, and worked hard for their knowledge, and God blessed their effort.
Certainly they were blessed of God, and were given great gifts of natural ability, skill, and mental prowess, but it is also not to say they didn't hone and sharpen the gifts God gave them. Spurgeon would not have been Spurgeon had he not read. Pink would not have been Pink, if he had not given all he had in the service of God.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Happy Birthday
Today is my dear wife’s birthday. She is an amazing woman. Not only is she a model wife, but the magnificent mother of three (soon to be four) boys, whom she skillfully home-schools. Since I was called to preach even before we met, she knew what she was getting into by marrying a preacher, and not only has she been supportive to me in my preaching, she has be a great help, support and encouragement to me. Never complaining, never questioning preaching engagements, always open to the next door that God would open. She is a wonderful woman, and though no one reads my blog, I still offer to her this tribute. Happy birthday.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
New Books
I have started the new year off with several book purchases. I received the first today "The Mercies of a Covenant God" which came highly recommended. Though the book is in fairly good condition, the seller on Abebooks.com advised that it was in "new" condition and being a paperback, I suppose I expected it to be in better condition than it arrived in. But, to his credit, I received the book VERY quickly. I ordered a couple books from Amazon the day before, and still yet to receive them. The book is here now, and soon to be digested, if the Lord be willing.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Psalm 119:9
Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
The world offers untold ways of counseling to help the young in their way. Sports, clubs, counseling, rehabilitation programs, boot camp, hard work, etc. etc. The problem the young face, as well as the old, if we are shaped in iniquity. We have inherited a natural disposition to sin and evil. It is not good kids gone bad, but bad kids manifesting their natural desires. How then shall the young man cleanse his way? Is there no hope? Won't our government implement some way for the young to feel good about himself, and make up for the fact of not having a father, or growing up in poverty? Isn't that the socialist way, through tax dollars at problems, create more programs, so government can "solve" all our problems?
There is a way, by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Friends, It is the word that needs to be taught. For our young lambs, it is not programs or holidays that will cleanse the way, but it is the word of God. For our lost young, even more important is the instilling of God's word in them, and pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Word, the blessed Holy Bible, the book of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel message that I preach, only faith and repentance in the Word, Jesus Christ, will cleanse the way of anyone. Only the word in the life of a child of God will bring one closer to God. Read the word, believe the word, live the word, love the word.
The world offers untold ways of counseling to help the young in their way. Sports, clubs, counseling, rehabilitation programs, boot camp, hard work, etc. etc. The problem the young face, as well as the old, if we are shaped in iniquity. We have inherited a natural disposition to sin and evil. It is not good kids gone bad, but bad kids manifesting their natural desires. How then shall the young man cleanse his way? Is there no hope? Won't our government implement some way for the young to feel good about himself, and make up for the fact of not having a father, or growing up in poverty? Isn't that the socialist way, through tax dollars at problems, create more programs, so government can "solve" all our problems?
There is a way, by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Friends, It is the word that needs to be taught. For our young lambs, it is not programs or holidays that will cleanse the way, but it is the word of God. For our lost young, even more important is the instilling of God's word in them, and pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Word, the blessed Holy Bible, the book of our Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel message that I preach, only faith and repentance in the Word, Jesus Christ, will cleanse the way of anyone. Only the word in the life of a child of God will bring one closer to God. Read the word, believe the word, live the word, love the word.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
New Year's Resolution
OK, I need to loose weight. Now that we are past that, is it biblicaly a good idea to have New Year's resolutions? I believe that anytime you take an assessment of your life, and find areas where improvement is necessary, that it's a good thing. Here is a list of resolutions that I am going to pray that God would enable me to do this year, and every year after.
1. To know them which labour among me, and And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.
2. warn them that are unruly
3. comfort the feebleminded
4. support the weak
5. be patient toward all men
6. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
7. Rejoice evermore.
8. Pray without ceasing.
9. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
10. Quench not the Spirit.
11. Despise not prophesying.
12. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
13. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
(1 Thessalonians 5:12-24)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
1. To know them which labour among me, and And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.
2. warn them that are unruly
3. comfort the feebleminded
4. support the weak
5. be patient toward all men
6. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
7. Rejoice evermore.
8. Pray without ceasing.
9. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
10. Quench not the Spirit.
11. Despise not prophesying.
12. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
13. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
(1 Thessalonians 5:12-24)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Wise Men
Anyone know where I can find the passage where the wise men were with Jesus when He was born? Also, anyone know the passage that says there were THREE wise men?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Talking to Myself
I heard a comedian once say "Writing a blog that no one reads is like talking to yourself in the car." I agree.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
My New Bible
I have my new bible today, and I love it. After almost a year of diligent searching, I finally found a company that was able to convert my bible into an interleaved bible (a blank page between every page of scripture). I could have purchased an interleaved, but I am so familiar to my current bible, that often when I can't remember the chapter or verse, I know what side of the page it's on, and I didn't want to start that process over with an new bible.
Now, I am looking forward to filling it up with study notes. I think that it will be a profitable tool, especially for someone with a poor memory such as myself. I know many times I regretted not having the ability to put more detailed notes in the small margins, but that problem has been solved.
Now, I am looking forward to filling it up with study notes. I think that it will be a profitable tool, especially for someone with a poor memory such as myself. I know many times I regretted not having the ability to put more detailed notes in the small margins, but that problem has been solved.
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