Last Day Living

God's word tells us that in the last days there will be perilous times and we will live amongst scoffers, or mockers; and these "funny guys" will make a continual mockery of the God's word, God’s people and God himself. No doubt they have a wit and a clever way with words; however their humor and mockery is based in hatred and is destructive to God's people. Merely because something is funny, does not mean that it is good for us. If you examine most of today's humor objectively, you find a very apathetic, mean spirited comedy, mixed with a venomous deconstructive nature.

What is the remedy for last day living amongst the scoffers? God's word. II Peter chapter three deals with the last day scoffers, and tells us to look for Christ and trust in His promises. The passage begins:

II Peter 3:1-2 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.

This passage begins with exhortations to be mindful of the word of God; to stir up their minds by recalling the precious truths of God's word.

The following verses deal with last day scoffers, and shows the foolishness of their mockery, as the Lord is coming again. Peter ends with another command for the word in verses 15 and 16.

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

This passage opens and closes with the admonition to go to the Bible. Read, study, call into your remembrance; hear the word preached, read the promises over and again, be strengthened in the word. You will find the same happens in II Timothy 3 when speaking of men in the last days, Christians are encouraged to the Word.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Go to the word. Be grounded in the bible. We have absolute truth, the very words of our Creator, the infallible, sure, Holy Scriptures. The Almighty verbally inspired every word, and that is the remedy for living in the last days, turn to God. Turn off the scoffers; do not pollute your mind with their mockery of your Lord.

Jude 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Baptism by....Baptism

Among those that profess Christianity and throughout the different denominations there have been for hundreds of years arguments over what mode of Baptism is acceptable and proper. Some baptize by immersion, some by sprinkling and some by pouring. The bible declares that there is “one faith, one Lord and one baptism”; so only one of these ways can be correct. How was Jesus baptized? How did the apostles baptize? What was the New Testament understanding of the word baptism? Answer these questions, and we know the proper mode of baptism.
The answer can be found simply by defining the word baptism. An English dictionary will only tell us what the word has come to mean. The New Testament was written in Greek, and the Greek word that was translated baptism was baptizo. What does the word baptizo mean? John Broadus, former professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote this in his commentary on the book of Matthew the following:

“The Greek word baptize, which we borrow, was of very common use, as is seen in every period of Greek literature and was applied to a great variety of matters, including the most familiar acts of everyday life. It was thus a word which every Greek speaking hearer and reader in apostolic times would at once and clearly understand. It meant what we express by ‘immerse’ and kindred terms, and no on e could then have thought of attributing to it a wholly different sense, such as ‘sprinkle’ or ‘pour’ without distinct explanation to that effect…..Luther and Calvin both explicitly declared that the primitive baptism was immersion and the former said it ought to be restored; but they allowed the existing practice to remain undisturbed. In the course of time many Protestants came to perceive that it was very awkward to rest their practice in this respect on the authority of the Church of Rome, and being accustomed and attacked to the practice they very naturally sought countenance for it in scripture. Such are the unavoidable defects of language, that strongly biased and ingenious minds can always cast some apparent doubt over the mean of the plainest words.”

In fact, the very word means to immerse, and there would have been no question in New Testament times what baptizo meant; dipping or immersing. JR Graves, in his study of the Greek word baptizo in his book John’s Baptism found that “sixty-two standard Greek Lexicons giving only to dip, to immerse, as the literal primary meaning, which is the real meaning, of the work in Greek, corroborating the declaration of Dr. Charles Anton (Episcopalian), [then] President of Columbia ‘The primary meaning of the word [baptizo] is to dip, to immerse; and its secondary meaning, if it ever had any, refers to the same leading idea. Sprinkling and pouring are entirely out of the question”. Using scripture as our sole authority, when a person is saved by God’s grace, they are to be baptized, and scripture declares that we are to be baptized by baptism, which is immersion.

Whatever

Revelation 3:14-19
I have grown weary of the apathy of our day. “Who cares? What difference does it make? Someone should do something.” Only recently have many been awakened by political debate, but even that seems to be merely venting frustration of a few on each side of the health care position. Worst of all is the apathy in God’s house.

Of all people, we should be the least indifferent. The church in Laodicea was mired in apathy. One reason for their lethargy was their riches. When people have a lot they begin to get comfortable in what they have. The problem was Christ said that they were not rich or even in a position to be sluggish because they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Talk about misreading a self-diagnosis. They had a “whatever” attitude. They were not hot, they were not cold but right in the middle. Not really on fire for God, but not cold to the point they stopped believing, just comfortable. “Sinners are going to Hell” somebody says, “oh, yeah, uh.. somebody should go preach to them”. Or “look at the worldliness in the church” and you might hear “It’s the last days, what are ya’ going to do”.

The least we should do is care, right? Christ, the Faithful and True came and suffered on the cross the wrath of God, shedding His blood that we might have forgiveness, justification and eternal life, and we should at least care, right? Jesus told the church it would have been better if they were cold or hot, but the lukewarm temperature of their church was going to cause Him to “spue thee out of my mouth”. Jesus makes it crystal clear what He thinks of apathy in His church.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent”. Why should we repent from apathy? Because He loves us we should love Him and our love should be evident. He said not to be lukewarm; but rather be zealous, be on fire for God. We should care, we should be passionate, and we should be zealous, full of passion and vigor for the truths of God, His gospel, the cause of Christ.

Jesus, The Only Way

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.

The foundational truth of Christianity is Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Jesus simply and authoritatively declares that in John 14:6. The context of this passage tells us that Jesus informs His disciples that it would be necessary for Him to die upon the cross; Jesus was going to lay down His life for His people (John 10) to suffer God’s wrath for sins in their stead. Starting in the 14th chapter, Jesus then tells the disciples not to be troubled because His death will secure them Heaven, and that Jesus would live, and return for them. Thomas asked Jesus, if you leave, how will we know how to find you, how can we get to Heaven?

Then Jesus tells Him that He is the way, the truth and the life.Jesus is the way to Heaven. Some want to make God bend to the sincerity of a man’s heart, and as long as a person believes in “a god” then they will go to Heaven. Can you go to Heaven without faith in Christ? Jesus answers the question for Thomas, and for any who ask it, Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

Jesus is the truth. In our post-modern society, everyone gets to have their own truth, and the only thing that is definitive is, nothing is definitive. Truth is absolute, God’s word is absolute truth and in it we read that God sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for sin, then He was buried for three days and three nights, and rose from the grave for our justification, and whosever believes in Him and by faith and trusts in the finished work of Christ, shall be saved. That is the only truth of the way to Heaven.

Jesus is the Life. Man has an eternal soul and one will either be present with the Lord in Heaven, or lift up their eyes in Hell to pay for their sins. Only Jesus can provide eternal life in Heaven. No man can come to God, expect through Jesus Christ. Some say that different faiths worship the same God, only in different ways. Jesus said no man cometh unto the Father, but by me; no one will be saved unless they believe in Jesus Christ. If a person tries to know God or worship God in any other way than through Jesus, according to Christ they are “thieves and robbers” (John 10:8) and will go to Hell.

This is basic Christianity, this is the gospel. There is one God who is a Holy God. He created man in His own image, man rebelled against Him and now the human race is sunk in depravity. God being Holy and Just must punish sin, which is breaking God’s laws. God also being merciful sent His Son, Jesus, to take the place of sinners on the cross. Jesus accepted the punishment for the sins of His people, He took their place that they might have eternal life. Jesus died, the just for the unjust, and shed His blood on the cross for an atonement for sin. He died, and rose victoriously from the grave; by faith, whoever believes in Christ, shall not suffer in Hell for their sins, but be born again and have everlasting life.Jesus makes it plain, there is only one way to God, and that is faith in Christ. Any other belief system is rejecting the way, the truth and the life; the consequence of rejecting Christ is an eternity in the Lake of Fire.

Case Against Public Education

http://americansfortruth.com/news/%e2%80%98gay%e2%80%99-leader-kevin-jennings-says-dream-is-to-%e2%80%98promote-homosexuality%e2%80%99-in-schools.html


Need I say more?

Why Preach Church Truth?

Things would go a lot easier for us if we would just 'get along' and agree to disagree on the church; however, we have not been called to a life of ease. Better to be despised by the world and hold to the truth than to be praised by the world and compromise the faith once delivered. When I think of my Baptist forefathers who were truly persecuted and despised and beaten and imprisoned; those preachers who were torn from their wives and children and were taken from their homes, sharing their life with a blessed family to sharing them with the rats and disease of the dungeon cell, I am embolden to carry on in this eleventh hour, when we serve in the cool of the day here in America. If the worst that happens is a couple walk out of services without shaken any one's hand because of the truth of baptism, or that some ministerial association think us bigoted and naive, then I have it easy comparatively. In light of what I face, even more disgrace to compromise.

God help His churches,
By Grace,
Douglas Newell IV

Population Control

Disturbing post by Michelle Malkin.


http://michellemalkin.com/2009/07/24/ghoulish-science-obamacare-health-hazard/

Sermons on Gilt-Edged Paper

Exerpt from a sermon delievered by BH Carroll entitled Sermons to Preachers.

Let me tell you of a case: In a city once, I went to hear a sermon. Preachers get hungry to hear others preach. I was oppressed in spirit and gravely solicitous about a great matter. I wanted my faith strengthened. Quietly taking my seat I listened. The rendition of the music, confined exclusively to the choir, was very artistic, I suppose. I held myself in reserve for the sermon. That, I took it for granted, would have body to it. The preacher rose, at last, with his sermon in his hand. I looked at it. It was a neat essay, on note paper, gilt-edged, and perfumed, I verily believe. I know it was tied with a delicatly shaded ribbon, and he gracefully read the dainty document through in just fifteen minutes; and that seemed to me too much for it. My sensations were never paralleled except once when, on a moonlight night, I stepped confidently upon what I supposed was a plank, and found it a sluice of muddy water fully knee deep. Some one asked me what I thought about the sermon. Perhaps my disappointment made me say: "Well, I've figured it out, and if there is no mistake in my calculation it would take 879,316 years for 579,314 such sermons to reach one could, and then they would make no more impression on it than a cloud of thistledown blown by human breath against the granite face of Mont Blanc. I think it mighty safely pass through Texas from Sabine Pass to El Paso, and no Baptist, if all the General Convention were out hunting for a sermon, would fire a shot at it."

My Move and Other Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts for a Saturday afternoon.

God has blessed my family, yet again, and given us a house. For the past two months, we have been working to purchase this particular home, and through many ups, downs, twists and turns, we finally closed. The current mortgage crisis has been hard for many, but it turned out to be a blessing for us finding a home that we could afford, actually paying half of what we were paying in rent.

I have had some PC problems, and had limited use of the net, so posting has been pretty much out of the question. Today I carried the second load of empty boxes to the recycling depot, and I may be corrugated free! Half of my books are on the shelf, while the other half are lying in repose, waiting for me to finish typing.

We went on visitation today, and spoke to several, and witnesses to most we came in contact with. Today, I spoke with an Iraq war veteran. I am still heartbroken over speaking with him. War has left him cold and bitter, or maybe war hardened his already stony heart. I pray that God would break it and give him a stone of flesh. He would not even allow me to engage him with the gospel once he saw my bible and understood the reason for my visit. Heartbreaking.

Sorry for the delay on the series on public education, I will try to resume on Monday.

A Case Against Government Education

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

I know that there are a great many godly school teachers that have a positive effect on the lives of thousands of young souls who are fortunate to enter into your classroom. There are good Baptist teachers, I know many, who may be the only Christian influence on a child in their whole life. I thank God for you, and pray that you use the opportunity you have for the glory of God. This article is not directed toward those Christian teachers (who are few and far between) but the government system of education itself. I also know that there are many who will read this, and will want to tune out every thing I say because they send or sent their children to a government school for education. All I ask is that you prayerfully consider my position.

Sending our children to government schools puts us in the position of putting education, money, and jobs ahead of everything else. What is our primary responsibility to our children? Certainly we desire that our children learn, and be productive members of society, and we desire the best for our children, but does this necessarily mean that the government is the only institution that can provide such education? If we stand back, and look at the course of the history of this world, do we imagine that the government now has the best educational system in the history of the world? There are certainly other options to education. So please do not think this is intended on devaluing education in the least bit, but what we are sending our children into five days a week. In my opinion, homeschooling our kids in this day in age is the safest, and best for our kids, but if that is not an option, sending our kids to good Baptist schools where the bible is taught and everything else is taught from a biblical perspective, and biblical morals are enforced with guidance of Christian educators, that is also a good choice.

I desire my children to be wise, not fact memorizing machines. The bible speaks much about wisdom, and that is what I desire for my children. We are told by some that the problem with our children and educational system is that we are not starting young enough, and that programs are being developed for a 0-5 ‘pre-school’ system for the building blocks of government education. I agree that the problem is the foundation, but the solution is not more of the same. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. It is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of knowledge. The government schools are saturated with ungodly theories about man and God’s creation, while under the guise of separation of church and state eliminate the very foundation of knowledge, the Word of God. Those who direct the socialistic and evolutionary educational programs despise wisdom and instruction, but yet are in charge of developing our children’s minds. Our duty, as Christian parents, is to instruct our children and to give them the foundation of true knowledge, not to be taught by fools. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. The Knowledge of the holy is understanding, that is what we desire for our children. Homeschooling, or Christian schools can not only provide the educational needs of our children, but do a better job at it, with the fear of the Lord being the foundation of all learning.

MARRIAGE CEREMONY

I live in a seminary town, a Southern Baptist seminary, and where there are seminary students, there are books, and where you have graduating seminary students, you have former students selling books. There is a gold mine of a store in Raleigh that buys up good, really good books, and I have found quite a few treasures contained within its musty walls. Walls upon walls, millions of books, many of which are out of print, yet shouldn't be. There are tomes of uselessness, and heresy, and in fact, I would be happy if they remain hidden on the shelves forever. But, especially in the Baptist history section, there are countless numbers of old Baptist books. One of the books I found is a book on Church order by J M Pendleton.

I found the marriage ceremony that he wrote, and post it for your perusal.


Marriage is an institution of divine appointment, given in wisdom and kindness, to increase human happiness and to support social order. In the Bible, which should be the lamp to your path in every relation, you will find the directions needed in this.

In token of your decided choice of each other as partners for life, you __________ __________ and __________ __________ will please to unite your right hands.

(Joining of hands.)

Do you solemnly promise, before Almighty God and these witnesses, to receive each other as husband and wife, agreeing to perform the duties growing out of the relation, pledging yourselves to love each other, and to make every reasonable exertion to promote each other's happiness until the union into which you are now entering is dissolved by death?

(When a ring is employed the following can be used. In confirmation of these vows, you will please give and receive this ring, as an emblem and pledge of the pure and enduring love you have promised to cherish for each others.)

In view of the promises thus made, I do now, by virtue of the authority vested in me, as a minister of the gospel, pronounce you husband and wife, henceforth in interest and destiny, as in affection, ONE. And what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

J M Pendleton

Limited Atonement

Atonement so sweet that was made for me
Reconciled, Oh blessed Lord to thee
Once and for all, God commended His love
For all my sins, Redeemed by His blood

The limited atonement, not limited in love
greater love, no man has known
The conqueror came as the Lamb of God
And redeemed each one, each one of His own

The Thrice Holy God who despises sin;
The Righteous God that punishes sin
The just wrath of God, must be satisfied
The merciful God, willing to die

Christ Blood was shed, I'm redeemed with great cost
Not in vain, nor victory lost
Predestined, called, now just and glorified
My Christ, no more, must suffer and die

Oh Victory, victory thus do we cry
No sheep, shall suffer and die
To the praise of the glory of His grace
To our charge, no sin, no sin shall be laid

Not limited in power, dare you profane?
Not limited in Love, Oh Praise His name!
Not limited in Grace, that saves to the end
Not an unfamiliar love, but love for His friends.

They Had Been With Jesus

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

After the persecution of the first church, Peter boldly declared the gospel to his persecutors. Their godly boldness and unapologetic declaration that salvation is in Christ alone, facing, perhaps, their own demise had an effect on the enemies of the cross. They knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

Some think that the recognized them traveling with Jesus, which it could have been, but I don't think these proud self righteous men would have paid much attention to the disciples, especially after calling them unlearned and ignorant men. I am of the opinion that their characteristics made it evident they had been with Jesus.

What are some of the marks of Peter and John's actions that made it evident that they had been with Jesus? What was is that they were doing that reminded the enemies of Christ, of Christ?

1. Evidence, the effectual power of their preaching.
2. Conviction.
3. Boldness.
4. Doctrinal truth, though they were 'ignorant and unlearned' their doctrine was flawless. They knew they had been with Jesus by the soundness of their doctrine.
5. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.
6. Their spiritual power.
7. Liberty. cf. Ephesians 6:18-20
8. Fear of God.
9. No fear of Man.

I am still praying about this, and working on this list (add to the list if you wish) and I pray God will help me to live a life where people can say of me "He has been with Jesus."

We Need Creek Swimming, Brier Cutting Men

BH Carroll was right on when he described the need of the Lord's men to act like men. Baptist churches need men to act like men. We need creek swimming, brier cutting men today. Men who will stand up and fulfill their roles God has called them to, namely to act like men. In I Corinthians 16:13 it says "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." God has challenged us, to BE A MAN.

"It is the creek-swimming men that shake the world—the brier-cutting men who will not allow obstacles to keep them from doing what God wants them to do.

Let a congregation get the idea of their pastor that he is pink of perfection, can beat anybody in town tying a cravat [neck tie], and wears the nicest little shoes, knows how to fasten a nose-gay in his vest, and how to enter a room and entertain company; carries an umbrella so as not to burn his delicate skin, then what will be his power to awaken and save the lost? An umbrella is all right in its place, but what I want to impress is this—that a stalwart man, a real man, will accomplish more of the great things in the work than all of these little fellows. He will not stop to consider a thousand things that absorb the mind of the trivial man, but will go right straightforward to the accomplishment of his great purpose. I have heard these dainty essayists preach. I have gone to their churches hungry and tried to -get something—and failed.


It reminds me of the story of a preacher who tells this of himself: During the civil war he went to a house to get some supper. Army rations were poor, and he was very hungry. They had just a little butter and they all wanted to make it go as far as possible, so each one tried to hurry through in order to get another chance at the butter before it disappeared. He said that he could not get rid of the butter in his plate. He even tried to sop it up with his bread, but it did not have any taste to it. At last he looked up and saw through knot-hole in the roof over his head that the moon was shining down through into his plate, and that all the time he had been sopping moonshine.”

Enough Misery

I always think there is quite enough misery in the world without my making any more.---C.H. Spurgeon

I used to work for one of the big cell phone companies, providing over the phone technical support. We were encouraged to put a quote at the end of our email, along with our signature. Mr. Spurgeon provided mine for a while. It was sort of an inside joke, because in technical support, the only customers I spoke to were the ones whose phone was NOT working, and had already been on the phone for 30 minutes talking to customer service before they got to me. There was quite enough misery in my work day without adding more to it. But that is what sin does to our lives. Sin hinders joy and creates misery. There are pleasures of sin, for a season, but ultimatly it brings more misery.

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Some people thrive in misery as they create misery, encourage unhappiness in themselves and others. Everyday there are countless tragedies, crisis, tribulations and sorrows all over the world so why should I create my own? Sin has brought pain and misery and death upon this world and sin causes men to wallow in misery. The scornful, the blasphemer, the scoffer all delight in making more misery for themselves and others. The child of God finds joy in Christ, following Christ and obeying Christ; sin doesn't bring joy, only more misery.

Writing Wisdom from the Good Doctor

It has often been said
there's so much to be read
you never can cram all those thoughts in your head.

So the writer who breeds
more words than he needs
is making a chore for the reader who reads.

That's why my belief is
the briefer the brief is
the greater the sigh of the reader's relief is.

-Dr. Suess

You Be The Judge

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.

Ronald Reagan Speaks at D-Day Anniversary Ceremony 1984 (Click HERE to view)

Ronald Reagan speaks at the D-Day Anniversary Ceremony.

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.

49 Million to Five

49 Million to Five - HUMAN EVENTS

Shared via AddThis

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.