Providence Chapel

Unpardonable Sin Follow-Up

2011-06-15T14:38:00.000-05:00

The man who wrote me about the unpardonable sin came to church Sunday and then I had 1 1/2 hours with him Monday morning. Here is his follow-up Monday afternoon. - Mack T.

Thanks for talking to me, Mack. I really needed that. The message Sunday morning was very good. I sometimes wonder if it is some spirit that has vexed me all these years. Until recently, I always thought a man could pull himself up by his own bootstraps. I could not have been more mistaken. I did not have the opportunity to explain the depth of despair that I have found myself in. I knew than that God has to find me, not the other way around.

My soul started into a downward spiral into the depths of despair that I have never known, only to get worse when confronted with the warnings in the Book of Hebrews. I do not intend to pretend with God ever again that I am saved. I can see how all these years I have been building my own house on the sand. I pray that God will not forsake me because the most wonderful thing in existence to be sought more than the entire world is Christ.

How wonderful He is. He is the only thing that is of value to a man. Some say they put Him first, but he should be more than that--he is all. And how I wish he would let me have him as my all and everything. My whole world has been burned to the ground. Nothing has remained. All of this happenning to me was just symbolism before in my mind. Not now. This is real. My works have gone up in smoke. My secret sins have burned me. My only hope is that the Word says he is merciful; I am just a man and I have no idea how much mercy he has. I have no doubt that He will judge. That is certain. I just hope and pray that in spite of my grievious sins, he will have mercy and extend grace to me.

I have had this nagging feeling for a long time that I have been trusting in the wrong thing. It seemed as though there should have been victory a long time ago. I just kept doing the wrong thing, spiritually speaking. Making up ways of appeasing God in my own mind. Never wanting to admit that these sins have hounded me. In a sense I made up my own god, a god that could let me live in my sins and some day my prince would come and deliver me. I didn't realize I was a hypocrite and a perverse man. I can't stand to think of it. My past. I hate that guy. I am that man. I am the summer clouds that have no promise of rain. I am the spot in your love feast. It would seem that by now Jesus could walk in His garden an enjoy some fruit. By now I'm 48, and Jesus should be able to be refreshed by some fruitfulness from me. I have failed the only beautiful One. I have been a rogue and a ruffian. I wish I would have just cut out my tongue years ago.

But I guess it's all evidence that a man is just sinful and without any ability to save himself. To even have the moral strength to resist temptation or to stand and not fall is impossible without wholly trusting in Jesus. It's all so clear to me now. A man cannot live for one day or one minute without Christ or he will fall. The tough guy will fall.

He is a Wonderful Counselor that you have. I only hope that He will have me. I love that hymn that says, "Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart. Not be all else to me save that Thou art. Thou and Thou only, first in my heart; High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art." I now understand the worth of that Treasure. It is not some mysterious thing anymore. Jesus is everything and the only thing in the entire universe and beyond. HE IS EVERYTHING. I hope God will forgive me for my small thinking in the past. Mack, Jesus is the only worthy endeavor a man should ever seek. Tell the young men this. There is nothing else to seek. Nothing. I sought success in real estate and being a family man. I sought a lot of things. A man needs to seek only one thing -- Jesus and His righteousness.

I really loved your sweet church with just a piano and singing from a hymnal. I tell you, there were either angels in the front row singing or you have a church full of opera singers. The only errant voice was mine. What a way to worship, without the rythmic booming of drums and railing electric guitars blasting through one's brain. I am beside myself in awe of the beauty of it. I only hope that I didn't bring anything foul with me to your assembling. I am not worthy to be accounted with the righteous. I would like to come again, but I do not want to be a blemish. I humbly submit to the leading of the Spirit through your leadership of your flock there. Knowing my situation and my soul being so vexed, I would expect you to protect your flock. I would like to talk with you more at any rate and visit if it is possible.

I started reading from John Bunyan's testimony. His thinking is exactly like mine while he was in his despair. So I have some more hope. Thanks Mack; I'll call this week or you can call me at your leisure anytime.......... Thanks

[Doesn't sound like one who has committed the unpardonable sin, does it?]

- Mack T.

Our Posture Before the Word of God, Part 1

2011-06-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

Regarding the Bible--

1. If I find something with which I do not agree, I am wrong.

2. If I find something which I cannot understand, it is wrong of me to judge it on that account.

3. If I find something which contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture elsewhere, I cannot be right.

4. If I find something which would slander the revealed character of God, I am wrong; Caution: that which is "unworthy of God" is not decided by man.

5. If I find something in Scripture which brings up an apparent contradiction, I am wrong not to face it squarely.

- to be continued

- Tom Lyon

A Witness in Kazakhstan

2011-06-14T15:06:00.000-05:00

Please Pray for the Gerhart Family

The Thomas Gerhart family live in Kazakhstan, not as official "missionaries", though they really are. They are there because Tom works at the American Embassy there. Please pray for them. There is no Christian church where they are. Please remember them in prayer. Here is an email from Tom today.
-- Mack T.

Dear Mack,

We are not missionaries, but only do what we can as ambassadors for Christ; like any ordinary Christian motivated by the indwelling Holy Spirit. I work F/T at the American Embassy as an IT person.

We finished 3yrs in New Delhi 3/09. What a God forsaken place plagued with rampant idolatry disease & pestilence. Our 9th child was born at home in the bathtub which was actually better than the hospital. 2 of our children & Kim almost died in India from sickness. The good thing about India is there are always people everywhere. We would easily pass out 500 Gospel tracts to people who likely would never hear the Gospel any other way. As one fellow Christian said, "You can preach on a street corner & have a crowd within seconds & be beaten in 10 minutes."

Our current post, Kazakhstan, is a barren remote place. The cross of Christ is despised in Kazakhstan nonetheless the children & I pass out Gospel tracts every chance they get much to the dismay of the Police. We haven’t been able to find a Church or believers to meet with so we do Home Church. Luke 22, Laura 20, John 17, EmilyAnne 15, Matthew 14, Gloria 11, Joy 10, Grace 7, Ellie 4 & Faith 6 months (born in Kazakhstan).

We pray often that the Bibles & tracts we pass out would bear fruit and that we would use every opportunity we get, which is rarer now that the police hound us when we are out & about.

Prayerfully,

- Tom

A Testimony from Malta

2011-06-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

Dear Mack Tomlinson,

I am reading your book about the life of Leonard Ravenhill and would like to sincerely thank you for your work. I am being blessed and challenged by much of what
has been written. The book was providentially brought to my attention during this particular time in my life, and I thank our gracious God for this. Please received my
humble gratitude and appreciation for all your work and the effort which you put into it.

I know a little about this, since last February, after seven years of translatlion work, I have published the first edition of our Maltese language translation of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progess.

I hope and pray that your book is read by many and especially used to clarify and confirm those whom our blessed Lord, in spite of their limitations and weaknesses, might be called to be 'prophets' in these times we live in.

Once again, thank you.

Wishing you and your loved ones at home a most blessed day, and a closer walk with God.

Joseph Farrugia
Island of Malta
Europe

Hindrances to Prayer

2011-06-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

1. Pretense in prayer - Mark 12:40
2. Inconsistency in prayer - Acts 2:42; Romans 1:9; Luke 11:8; Romans 12:12
3. Lack of fervency(zeal) in prayer - Romans 15:30; James 5:16; Colossians 4:12; Hebrews 5:7
4. Generality (lack of specificity) in prayer - 1 Thessalonians 1:2; Ephesians 6:19; Philemon 1:4
5. Lack of devotion to prayer - 2 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 5:5; Mark 9:29; Luke 6:12; Eph 6:18
6. Lack of corporately gathering - Acts 1:14; Acts 12:5
7. Lack of self-control; lack - 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Cor 7:5
8. Failing to honor your wife -1 Peter 3:7
9. Failure to discern spiritual danger 1 Peter 4:7
10. Double-mindedness - James 1:6-8

- Bob Schembre

From D. A. Carson

2011-05-27T14:11:00.000-05:00

All of us would be wiser if we would resolve never to put people down, except on our prayer lists.

- D. A. Carson

Does The False Prophecy of Harold Camping Damage the Cause of Christ?

2011-05-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

I received this question yesterday from someone

"Does the false prophecy by Harold Camping about May 21st damage true Christianity? Of course, the liberal media took great delight in ridiculing the whole of evangelical Christianity over this, even though very few took part in it. Harold Camping's false prophecy about the end of the world gave great cause for unbelievers to mock. But will there be any long-term effects? My mom said her whole office was laughing about it. I would be interested in your comments on this."

My reply

Dear brother,

I do not agree that much harm comes to true Christianity from such false prophecies as Harold Camping has made. Such has always been the case and it has always occurred since the beginning of the Christian faith. False, counterfeit Christianity may be harmed, but never the true gospel and the true kingdom of Christ. How can needless harm come to His cause, when Jesus already told us it would happen? He said that many would come in His name with such claims, and that false prophets would arise and deceive many.

The Apostle Paul also said, in the clearest of terms, that "because men will not receive the love of the truth in order that they might be saved, that therefore God sends them strong delusion, that they might believe a lie." (2 Thess. 2:11)

True Christians always discern and see through the scam and extremes of the religious idiot or deluded ones. Nothing has changed. Jesus said it was going to come and so it simply means the kingdom is right on schedule.

Let's keep preaching the gospel, living holy lives, and looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And let us ignore the Harold Campings of this world. There have always been religious kooks who speak in the name of the Lord and speak from the Bible. Leave them alone, for they are a part of the false religious world, and not a part of the true cause of God and truth.

Yours warmly in Him

- Mack Tomlinson

What God says to the Wicked

2011-05-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

"But to the wicked God says, 'What right do you have to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?'" - Psalm 50:16

There are some things that God especially dislikes. He dislikes them so much that He directly speaks to them in certain places in Scripture. One of those things is when people who do not know him quote the Bible and claim to be Christians when they are not.

In Psalm 50:16, God says directly to any unbeliever, "What right do you have to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?"

According to this Psalm, no unbeliever has the right--

1. To quote the Bible at all - "What right have you to recite my statutes?"

The Lord here says that a wicked person (an unbeliever) does not have the right even to quote the Bible; they don't believe it or obey it, so according to God Himself, they have no right to even let Scripture come out of their mouth.

How wicked a thing it is, from God's perspective, for wicked men, women, and children to in any way use the Bible, when all the time they despise in their hearts the very truths it teaches; to use and quote the Bible, for them, is grievous sin; they stand rebuked by God Himself, directly calling them out for this in vs. 16 of Psalm 50; the unbeliever, if they have any reverence for the things of God and true Christianity, ought to be very fearful to talk about the Bible or quote it, as if doing so somehow helps them or gains them something. The only thing it gains them is judgment and divine rebuke. It is as if God is saying, "You wicked person, how dare you take my words and put them in your dirty mouth? Don't quote Me every again, for you have no right to take my precepts and statutes into your mouth and use them!"

What else does an unbeliever not have the right to do?

2. To profess to be a Christian when they are not a true Christian at all; vs. 16 continues: "To the wicked God says 'What right have you . . . . . to take my covenant on your lips?'"

To say the same thing today would be, "What right do you have to claim to be a Christian when you are not?" God Himself here is speaking to the unbeliever, who professes the name of Jesus, but does not truly know, love, and obey Christ. It is easy believism that God rebukes here. How dare you name the name of Christ when you are yet wicked and dead in your sins! It is wicked and evil to say, "I know God, I know Jesus", when your life's evidence doesn't match up to your profession.

Every unbeliever who knows they love their sin and knows they do not love Christ ought to renounce any Christian profession at all; just admit what you are-- a wicked and unbelieving person; stop taking God's covenant (true salvation) on your lips; quit claiming to be a Christian when you give no evidence of it at all.

What is true often of such people? The real proof is in their life style. The Psalm tells us:

1. They hate the discipline and correction of God (vs. 17) "For you hate discipline and cast my words behind you."

Such people do not want God's words or his correction at all; they profess to know God, but in works they deny him; if asked if they are a Christian, they will say, "Oh, yea, I did that when I was eight years old at a church camp." But if ask if why they won't put off their sin now and follow Christ, they will cry, "Oh, that's just legalistic; I don't need to obey all your religious rules; I love God in my own way; He and I have a good thing going, and I don't need all that Bible stuff." Such a person is exactly who is in view in vss. 16-17.

2. They like sin and approve of it (vs. 18) "If you see a thief, you are pleased with him and you keep company with adulterers."

This is proof that one doesn't know God at all; they love what God hates and they affirm what He rejects. You cannot love or like sin and love the Saviour at the same time. Whoever is a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

3. They use their mouth and their words continually, not for the glory of God, but as an instrument of evil. (vs. 19) "You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit; you sit and speak against your brother and slander your own mother's son."

How one talks, and how they use their tongue is proof of their true spiritual condition. Anyone who continually uses their words to criticize, slander, deceive and destroy others, is not a person who knows God at all. The fruit of the lips is proof of the root condition of the heart.

4. The final thing God says about such people-- "You thought I was one like yourself."

People claim to be Christians and yet live a wicked life because they think God is no different than them. They believe in their heart He is not much better than them; perhaps a little better, but not much different really; so they use the Bible at times and claim to know God, yet all the while continue in all the detestable things that are an offense to the God they profess to believe in, when in reality, He is not like them at all.

God says, "What right do you have to quote my Bible or claim to be a Christian?" No right at all, unless it is clearly true about you. Only those who know, love, reverence, and obey Jesus have the right to use the Bible or claim the name of Christian.

- Mack Tomlinson

Today God Can Meet with You at Church

2011-05-22T15:41:00.001-05:00

We get used to going-- "going to church" is what it is called; the reality is, we, the church, are going to each other, to meet together. We gather to join again as one body, under the headship of Christ, to worship, pray, sing, hear the truths of the Bible, and build one another up in faith and love.

We get used to going week in and week out; it becomes a routine, almost a rut--the tendency is to get used to it.

But please don't! Don't get used to it. When we get used to it, we then have no heart and mind preparation, and we bring no heart with us to the church meeting; then we go without expectancy of God meeting with us personally.

So as you go today, stop and get some expectancy in your heart. Ask the Lord Jesus to meet with you today "at church"- at the meeting of His saints; He will do so for seeking and asking souls; when He does, we are changed by Him and we then love the meeting of the church even more.

Today God can meet with you at church; ask Him to, and then bring a hungry expectant heart there with you.

"I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go unto the house of the Lord'."

- Mack Tomlinson

An Interview on Leonard Ravenhill's Life

2011-05-22T15:40:00.001-05:00

After opening the link, click on Listen just under Inside Out 87: In Light of Eternity

http://www.fln.org/media/family-life-podcasts/detail/inside-out-87-in-light-of-eternity/

the Lord bless your day

Mack T.

Preaching and the Gospel

2011-05-20T13:44:00.000-05:00

One is unlikely to assert that we are justified by our sanctification, but whether done intentionally or not, that is what happens when we allow the teaching of Christian living, ethical imperatives, and exhortations to holiness to be separated from the clear statement of the gospel.

We can preach our hearts out on texts about what we ought to be, what makes a mature church, or what the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives. But if we do not constantly in every sermon show the link between the Spirit's work in us and Christ's work for us, then we will distort the message and send people away with a theology of salvation by works.

Preaching from the epistles demands of the preacher that the message of the document be taken as a whole, even if only a selection of texts or just one verse is expounded. Every sermon should be understandable on its own as a proclamation of Christ. It is no good to say that we dealt with the justification element three weeks ago and now we are following Paul into the imperatives and injunctions for Christian living. Paul wasn't anticipating a three week gap between his exposition of the gospel and his defining of the implications of the gospel in our lives. Nor was he anticipating that some people would not be present for the reading of the whole epistle and would hear part of its message out of context.

- Graeme Goldsworthy

Remembering All the Way

2011-05-17T03:12:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 8:2 - You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has ledyou in the wilderness these forty years…

April was 40 years for me, 40 years as a Christian, 40 years ago I as a sinner came to the Lord Jesus to be saved from hell and be led through earth to heaven. Forty years! Where did it go? What have I done with it? What could I have done differently? Here’s one thing – I could have kept a journal, a journal at least of answers to prayer, special insights from the Bible, and special ways in which the Lord led me. A journal would have helped me to remember.

Wisdom and insights in the knowledge of God are better than silver and gold, Psa 119.72, Pro 3.14, 8.19, 16.16. We don’t want to waste such riches by forgetting them. A father might reprove his child for being wasteful. Well, the heavenly Father does not appreciate us being wasteful of His precious provisions for us.
Matthew 16:9 Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?

Psa 78:42 They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary.

But journal or not, countless things are remembered from the journey. What an adventure! What an experience. What blood has secured our escape from destruction, what power it was that brought us from sin’s bondage to glorious freedom as sons of God, what songs to sing, what hidden manna we have eaten, what a book has been our guide, what judgments we have seen, what giants have been routed, what powerful heavenly provisions, what companions are the saints of God, what sermons we have heard, what a blessed hope is ours, what a Leader is ours.

What a Savior! If we forgot some things, well, the Lord does not. All church history and the kindnesses of the Lord will be shown in the ages to come, Eph 2.7. A Great Documentary is coming and the Christian can rejoice greatly.

- Bob Jennings

An Influential Sermon

2011-05-05T16:09:00.001-05:00

"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance."- 2 Timothy 3:10

A holy life is a most influential sermon!

"You ought to live holy and godly lives!" 2 Peter 3:11

- James Smith

Bible Doctrine Note

2011-05-01T23:16:00.000-05:00

It is a sad day indeed when Bible doctrine is heeded about as much as a flight attendant giving instructions about flotation devices.

- Doug Sangster

The Trinity and the Error of Modalism

2011-04-26T13:40:00.001-05:00

The Bible teaches that God is one God in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This teaching is commonly known as the Trinity - meaning that God is a "tri-unity" or "three-in-one." Now let me make it clear that Christians do not believe in three Gods. Nor does the Bible teach that God is one person who appears in three different forms or modes, which is an error sometimes known as modalism or Oneness Pentecostalism. Though the concept that God is one God in three distinct persons may be difficult for us to grasp, it is what Scripture clearly teaches.

The Bible teaches that God is one:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD (Deuteronomy 6:4)

For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22)

The Bible clearly teaches that there are not three Gods, but one true God. However, Scripture also teaches that there are a plurality of persons in the Godhead.

God the Father is:
God - Phil 1:2
Creator - Gen 1:1
Eternal - Psalm 90:2

God the Son is:
God - John 1:1; Romans 9:5; Col 2:9; Tit 2:13; Heb. 1:5-13
Creator - Col 1:16
Eternal - John 8:58; (cf. Ex 3:14)

God the Holy Spirit is:
God - Acts 5:3-4
Creator - Job 33:4; Job 26:13
Eternal - Heb 9:14

This teaching that all three persons in the triune Godhead are One God but three distinct persons, is seen throughout Scripture:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2)

We are told here that Jesus Christ - the Word of God - was “with God” in the beginning. If I said, “I am with my wife,” you would not think I was saying that “I am my wife." In the same way, we can clearly see a distinction in John 1:1 between the Father and the Son. However, John also tells us that the Word “was God," so clearly He is the same God while at the same time being a distinct and separate person.

Another text illustrating this truth is Zechariah 12:10.

I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

Zechariah speaks here of a time when God will pour out His Spirit, showing that the Spirit of God is a distinct entity. Some cult groups have claimed that the Holy Spirit is not a person but “God’s active force." However, we can see from other verses that God the Holy Spirit has every aspect of a person:

The Spirit loves (Rom 15:30); He is someone you can have fellowship with (2 Cor 13:14); He speaks (Acts 8:29); He can be lied to (Acts 5:3); He can be grieved (Eph 5:30). Clearly these are not attributes of an impersonal force, but of a person.

Notice also in Zechariah 12:10 that God says, “they will look on Me whom they have pierced." God says it is He who will be pierced on the cross, and then in the next part of the verse He speaks of the one on the cross as somehow different from Him: “and they will mourn for Him.” As in John 1:1, we see here a distinction of persons within the united Godhead.

The Error of Modalism

A common error and false teaching regarding the Godhead is modalism. Also known as Oneness Pentecostalism, modalism is a heresy which wrongly teaches that God is one person that puts on three different "masks." In other words, the modalist believes that God is one single person that has manifested Himself in three different modes or roles.

Those who adhere to this false doctrine believe that in the Old Testament God appeared as the Father, then in the ministry of Jesus God appeared as the Son, and then after Jesus' ascension God now operates as the Holy Spirit. This is a denial of the Trinity because it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture that God is one God in three persons, claiming instead that God is only one person playing three different roles. However, Scripture clearly teaches that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not simply three modes; they are not three masks worn by one person, but they are clearly three distinct persons in one united God.

One helpful verse on this is Matthew 26:39.

And going a little farther [Jesus] fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

In order to hold to the false notion that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all the same person, not only do you have to say that Jesus was praying to himself here, but you have to completely ignore the last part of the verse where Jesus says, “not as I will, but as you will.” This phrase clearly teaches that the Father and the Son have two different wills. They are One God - as Jesus said, "I and the Father are One" (John 10:30) - but they are two distinct persons in the Godhead, each with His own will.

Another text refuting modalism is Matthew 3:16-17, which recounts the baptism of Jesus.

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Here we can see all three members of the Godhead acting as distinct persons. It would be ludicrous to suggest that Jesus was somehow acting as a ventriloquist here, making a voice sound from Heaven!

And the text immediately after Jesus' baptism is instructive as well:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matt. 4:1)

Are we supposed to believe, as the modalist claims, that this verse is teaching that Jesus led Himself into the wilderness? Or is the Holy Spirit another person in the Godhead who led Jesus into the wilderness?

So we can see from the above verses (and there are many more) that modalism, or Oneness Theology, is in direct opposition to what Scripture teaches. This denial of the triune Godhead not only results in the worshiping of a God who is different from the God of the Bible (i.e., idolatry), but it also leads to a works-based salvation. Within various groups the works added to salvation may be different, but some examples include: that baptism by full immersion is necessary for salvation; that baptism is invalid unless performed in the name of the Lord Jesus only; and that speaking in tongues is the only sure evidence of salvation.

In response, it should be noted that even though baptism is important and the obedient thing for a believer to do, it is not a work needed to get someone into heaven. The thief on the cross was never baptized. Secondly, the claim that baptism is invalid unless performed only in the name of the Lord Jesus contradicts the teaching of Jesus Himself in Matthew 28:19, where He commands His followers to baptize disciples "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Lastly, the claim that speaking in tongues is the only sure evidence of salvation contradicts John 3:16:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

It is not “whoever speaks in tongues” but "whoever believes" that is assured of salvation. In addition, 1John 5:13 tells us that the book of 1 John was written so that those who profess to believe in Christ can test that their faith is real, and therefore have Biblical assurance of salvation. However, there is no mention of speaking in tongues in 1 John, proving that speaking in tongues is not a Biblical evidence for salvation.

To deny the Trinity is to not worship the God of the Bible as He has revealed Himself. Though the concept that the God of the Bible is one God in three distinct persons may be difficult for us to grasp, it is nevertheless what Scripture plainly teaches. To know this God is to have eternal life (John 17:3); to deny Him is to remain dead in sin (John 8:24).

- Kevin Williams and Garrett Holthaus

Moody Stuart’s Six Exhortations

2011-04-22T13:57:00.001-05:00

1. Never neglect daily private prayer; and when you pray, remember that God is present, and that he hears your prayers. (Hebrews 11:6)

2. Never neglect daily private Bible-reading and, when you read, remember that God is speaking to you and that you are to believe and act upon what he says. I believe all backsliding begins with the neglect of these two rules. (John 5:39)

3. Never let a day pass without trying to do something for Jesus. Every night reflect on what Jesus has done for you, and then ask yourself, "What am I doing for him?" (Matthew 5:13-16)

4. If you are in doubt as to a thing being right or wrong, go to your room and kneel down and ask God’s blessing upon it. (Colossians 3:17) If you cannot do this, it is wrong. (Romans 14:23)

5. Never take your Christianity from Christians, or argue that because such and such people do so and so, that therefore you may. (2 Corinthians 10:12) You are to ask yourself, “How would Christ act in my place?” and strive to follow him. (John 10:27)

6. Never believe what you feel, if it contradicts God’s Word. Ask yourself, “Can what I feel be true if God’s Word is true?” If both cannot be true, believe God, and make your own heart the liar. (Romans 3:4; 1John 5:10-11)

- Geoff Thomas

Great Difficulties

2011-04-18T01:37:00.000-05:00

When God is about to perform any great work, He generally permits some great opposition to it. Suppose Pharaoh had acquiesced in the departure of the children of Israel, or that they had met with no difficulties in the way. They would indeed, have passed from Egypt into Canaan with ease, but they, as well as the church in all future ages, would have been great losers. The wonder-working God would not have been in those extremities, which make His arm so visible. A smooth passage here would have made but a poor story.

- John Newton

A Common Temptation

2011-04-13T11:55:00.001-05:00

It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the Scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer.

The truth is that in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.

- George Mueller

Grace is not a Thing

2011-04-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

In the Christian life we can easily find ourselves using jargon without knowing what we're really saying. What exactly is "grace"?

It is legitimate to speak of "receiving grace," and sometimes (although I am somewhat cautious about the possibility of misuing this langauge) we speak of the preaching of the Word, prayer, baptism, and the Lord's Supper as "means of grace." That is fine, so long as we remember that there isn't a thing, a substance, or a "quasi-substance" called "grace." All there is is the person of the Lord Jesus — "Christ clothed in the gospel," as John Calvin loved to put it. Grace is the grace of Jesus.

If I can highlight the thought here: there is no "thing" that Jesus takes from Himself and then, as it were, hands over to me. There is only Jesus Himself. Grasping that thought can make a signficant difference to a Christian's life. So while some poeple might think this is just splitting hairs about different ways of saying the same thing, it can make a vital difference. It is not a thing that was crucified to give us a thing called grace. It was the person of the Lord Jesus that was crucified in order that He might give Himself to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

- Sinclair Ferguson

The Authority of Christ

2011-04-05T18:50:00.001-05:00

The fundamental basis of all Christian missionary enterprise is the universal authority of Jesus Christ, “in heaven and on earth.” If the authority of Jesus were circumscribed on earth, if He were but one of many religious teachers, one of many Jewish prophets, and one of many divine incarnations, then we would have no mandate to present Him to the nations as the Lord and Savior of the world.

If the authority of Jesus were limited in heaven, if He has not decisively overthrown the principalities and powers, we might still proclaim Him to the nations, but we would never be able to “turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God” (Acts 26:18). Only because all authority on earth belongs to Christ do we dare go to all nations. And only because all authority in heaven as well is His do we have any hope of success.

- John Stott

A Minister's Regrets - Part 2

2011-04-02T18:06:00.000-05:00

Geoff Thomas

5. I am sorry that I did not learn to disciple people.

I hear people talking about it, maybe more in the USA. I would like to have been there, unobtrusive, tucked away in a corner, watching and learning, seeing how they did that, the mechanics of it, the programme, the length, the homework, the expectations and the fruit. Where do men get the time to disciple? They have more discipline and so they can disciple, I guess. Every disciple I have met who announced he was seeking my input into his life ended up showing his own agenda and wanting confirmation. At first it had been hidden and I was naive, but then it came out and there were tensions.Is there a generally recognized approach to discipling? Is there a book to advise us that everyone else knows and uses? 'I was greatly helped being discipled . . .' men say. Tell us how. It is to my loss that I know so little about discipling.

6. I am sorry to be the frequent prisoner of circumstances,

though kept sane by my assurance of the holy, wise and powerful providence of God, ruling and governing all his creatures in all their actions. The life of a minister is hazardous, dealing with events that are unpredictable and problems met for the first time and intractable. No book gives any assistance; fellow ministers shake their heads. Normally the minister feels he is not in control. He would like a five year plan, a year plan, a monthly plan and one for each week, the wheels of which are silently turning without any human involvement. You could tell the time by them. Such a minister envies the fixed routines of a monk. He would preach away a certain number of neatly spaced out Sundays, read through a dozen classic books a year, visit the members in turn and have six weeks’ annual writing time to produce a book on a topic no one else has written upon.

It is not like that, except for cult leaders; it has never been like that. There are the phone-calls that make you sit down. There are the e-mails with their questions and invitations, the books that have to be read because the congregation is reading them, the queries from people whose marriages are breaking up for the most bizarre reasons, people who are leaving the church for undisclosed reasons (they never say, do they? They just write that they are leaving). The local group of gospel churches need a reassuring elderly presence; there are also committees. Then there is the family and one’s delightful duty to nourish and cherish one’s wife and not provoke one’s kids to wrath. In theory one seems to have loads of spare time, but one never has enough. So one makes lists, and the tough neglected issues are copied onto the next list, and onto the list after that. But in all these things we are more than conquerors. Its diversity and challenge is fulfilling.

My own conviction is that people come first, not study, not preparation, not writing, not further degrees, but people. I can say that so confidently because I am not disturbed by a host of folk knocking on my door or lining up to discuss something with me after the services. What a rare delight that someone actually wants to talk to you and ask your opinion and advice. At the end of many a day I write in my journal something like, 'Nothing much happened . . . not much done . . . loads of little things.' One deals with people at the old people’s home, one sits with the students on a Sunday night, one is going across to the hospital, one is compiling the church newsletter or drawing up the agenda for the church meeting or answering one’s correspondents. One would not want it to be different, asking, 'Choose Thou for me my time, my friends, my ministry, my days, my priorities.' God save us from being locked into book-lined studies with a Do Not Disturb sign on the doorknob, protected by a secretary or two in outer offices, emerging for graciously given interviews with favoured people. Tell them often, 'The doors of this church are always open to you, and the door of the Manse.'

7. I fear I have watched too much TV.

TV is like fire, necessary for warmth and washing and cooking, but also able to burn and destroy. It is present in our own house like some fascinating knowledgeable uncle whom yet we can shut up in a moment when he gets too garrulous. He can present live rugby 6 or 7 times in a year when Wales is playing. He can show us reports of snowfalls and tsunamis and planes crashing into the Twin Towers in New York and revolutions on the streets of Iran, all unmissable spectacles. Then he comes closer to home and he shows us farming programmes about Welsh rural communities in the Welsh language which are a personal delight. He has documentaries about history and science and medical breakthroughs. He has programmes about antiques, and quizzes between various universities. I can thank God for TV; if I could not I would not tolerate it in the house. I am not interested in films and comedy programmes and soaps and cooking and political discussions and motor cars and music and most of what is on the box. It leaves me sad and cold to glance at the announcements of what is going to be shown in fifty channels. 'No thanks, Uncle. Not in this house.'

One night in 1962 we students were watching some TV programme in the lounge at Westminster Seminary, just four of us having popped in from different corridors for a break of ten minutes or so before making ourselves some chocolate and going to bed. There were always that kind of number briefly watching an extract of some trivia on a black and white screen, but usually no one at all was there. Dick Van Dyk’s programmes were popular I think. Then into the room came John Murray and he watched it for a half minute and finally said, 'Sometimes you’d like to put your fist through the screen,' and left. Quite so. I want to watch what is good-humoured and edifying, but feel that over the years I have found myself drifting into grey areas. Then shutting up uncle is not so straightforward. A pastor friend of mine decided to read Latourette’s fat volume of church history at the end of the day rather than watch the TV the news programme, and he completed the book. Good for him. I do not want to watch any of the grey area and even keep the true, just, holy and praiseworthy firmly under control, not always successfully. Let redeeming grace triumph over common grace always. That phrase in a succinct Latin quip would be memorable . . .

8. I am sorry that my love for Jesus Christ is cool and shallow.

'Weak is the effort of my heart and cold my warmest thought.' It was true for Newton and it is true for us today. Sometimes I think, 'Do I love him at all?' Where is the affection, the glow, the delight and anticipation of meeting with him? M'Cheyne wrote in his diary, 'Rose early to meet him whom my soul loves. Who would not rise early to meet such company?' I wish that that reflected my own heart’s longing for the Saviour. I wish I could give myself to him anew each Sunday, thinking, 'I am going to go where the Lord Jesus is.' When I have nothing else to think about I wish my mind naturally gravitated to him. Here is someone who laid down his life for me. This is the one who delivered me from hell. Behold my Saviour who is taking me to glory for ever. Here is my beloved and here is my friend who is working all things together for my good. This dear Lord of mine is going to do an eternal makeover on my whole life. The Lord Jesus is my personal teacher and personal trainer and personal counsellor and personal bodyguard. He can protect me from the biggest devil in hell. Christ is so fascinating a personality, wise, caring, fresh, creative, stimulating, patient and so kind to me. It is my chief complaint, that my love is weak and faint. I who encourage others to love him am amazed that I can love him so little, but what is more amazing is the fact that I love him at all.

- Geoff Thomas

A Minister's Regrets - Part 1

2011-04-01T13:09:00.000-05:00

I remember every member of the congregation who stayed for a few services, or maybe a few years, and then grew disillusioned with my life and preaching and drifted off disgruntled. But that is not of first priority in my areas of failure. None left to hear more of Jesus Christ or a better gospel than the one they heard sitting at my feet. I thank God for that. They had another agenda hidden from me and the congregation, different ecclesiastical, social and philosophical convictions, and some of them moved on to where they could find their own prejudices gently rearranged on Sundays. It happens. But my regrets are more substantial than the dynamics of the movement of people into and out of a congregation.

1. I am sorry that I have not done more personal evangelism

The times I have defended the faith with a critic have been rare. Occasions on which I have gone back to a non-Christian’s home and explained the faith, answered his objections and spelled out the nature of Christianity have been too infrequent. I could have made a rule for myself that for every occasion on which I had preached publicly I would seek to speak to one unbeliever about the Lord Jesus, and then to seek and pray for such opportunities.

The occasions on which I have spoken to sinners have been fruitful. Some of them have come to church and become Christians. Their objections were paper thin, no weighty considered arguments – not at all. They had read an article or briefly heard a sentence or two, and all their complaints about the Christian religion were hanging on that. For example, that ‘most of the wars in the history of the world have been fought over religion.’ They were the ones to be believing myths; my life was rooted in the history of the Sermon on the Mount, the cross and the empty tomb. I said a few words to them and they agreed with me instantly. When they said half smiling, 'Who made God?' I said 'He is eternal and uncreated,' and they nodded their heads satisfied. They changed and would hear more. Why haven’t I put myself in places where those sorts of exchanges could take place? I love to speak about Jesus Christ to people, more so these days than ever before. May God guide.

A mother from Swansea asked me to visit her son at the University in Aberystwyth. I was happy to do so, but he was resistant and embarrassed and did not want to hear of the claims of Christ. It seemed an unfruitful tense time, but his room mate sitting on a bed in the room was listening to all the conversation and the next week he turned up in church, became a Christian and married a girl in the congregation. I had not even been talking directly to him and yet the word was effectual.

The most fruitful evangelism in our church has been done by members of the congregation showing friendship to people to whom God has led them. I should have been more of an example in this. I should be explaining to them each week the people I was seeing, and encouraging these new arrivals to feel at home in the Sunday congregation. It has been a failure in my life; my life has been consumed in preparing two sermons for Sundays. I pray that my last years will be my most fruitful years in personal evangelism.

2. I am sorry that I did not do a Spurgeon on Sunday nights for the first five years of my ministry.

In other words I wish I had given myself to the great texts of the Bible once a Sunday for that period. Consider these famous words of Jesus in Luke chapter 9:

Then he said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9:23-26).

There are three or even four great texts there: The Cost of Discipleship, Losing your Life in order to Save it, The Folly of Gaining the World and Losing your Soul, and Who will be those Whom the Lord will be Ashamed of when He Comes Again? These sorts of texts have been honoured by God to the salvation of hearers for twenty centuries. They are plain and they focus on the heart of the Christian message. These themes are what Ryle and Spurgeon and Whitefield and Wesley preached on. Those of us who listened to Dr. Lloyd-Jones on his visits around the United Kingdom heard him preaching on such passages as those with a heavenly anointing. Today there are entire and influential preaching movements which are cold towards such mighty texts being declared on single occasions. The followers of those schools regard those four verses of Luke 9:23-26 as a sub-section within a single sermon on the whole of Luke 9. They would make a few comments on each of those texts, moving on and on restlessly to their goal of completing their studies of the entire gospel of Luke in six months. Such sermons are mere glorified Bible studies.

There are mighty texts of Scripture which are gems of truth, summaries of the gospel. They are in the Word of God to be preached; their power is to be felt by a congregation, by the young and the old. If the Christian religion is divided into three sections - its devotional emphases, its ethics and its teaching - then the usual method of expounding the devotional is to take the Lord’s prayer and go through it clause by clause. The customary way of expounding the ethical is via the ten commandments and seeing it expanded in Matthew six and Romans twelve. It is a commendable expository approach. However, how have the divines dealt with the third section, the nature of the Christian faith? They have turned away from the big texts and mightiest passages and built the exposition of the faith on the Apostles’ Creed or the Westminster Shorter Catechism or the Heidelberg Catechism, admirable helpful statements, sure, but the great passages from Genesis 1, Genesis 3, Isaiah 6, Isaiah 53, John 1 and 3, Romans 1, 5, 6 and 8, Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 2 are those which present the heart of Christianity more naturally and winsomely.

I am pleading that texts that present the essence of the faith should not be dealt with en passant in the flight to ‘finish the book,’ even made more cerebral by being dissected on a screen from a PowerPoint projection. Where is the prophetic declaration? Where is the excitement of digging a hole in a field and discovering that the spade has struck the lid of a treasure box; 'Look at this . . . and consider this diamond . . . and here is gold dust . . .' The preacher, upheld by God, brings these themes to bear on the consciences of his hearers. Do they see this beauty? Do they feel the weight of these truths? Are they almost crushed? Do they feel they are teetering on the brink of a precipice almost falling off . . . 'O the depth . . .' not hitting the buttons on the laptop built into the pulpit and bringing up the next coloured box with its three points on the screen. This is an exercise in addressing the intellects of the congregation. The atmosphere is one of the classroom rather than Pentecost. The doxology is diluted, and God himself in his power, holiness and grace beseeching men by one he has appointed and gifted is marginalized.

I wish I had learned early on how to preach the gospel from those vivid verses that sum up the plight of man and the power of God to save. Consecutive expository preaching at both services on a Sunday when you are actually beginning your ministry is an unwise self-imposed burden. You are forced to consider passages that do not readily lend themselves to popular preaching, and there is no greater need in our pulpits today. Now that I have learned my craft I preach evangelistically morning and evening, intermingling the emphases of my role-models, Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones. I love to sit under expository, consecutive evangelistic ministry.

3. I am sorry that I did not rest in a routine of personal devotions early on.

Settled into a place at a time and seeking the face of God sounds natural, like morning ablutions, but it is a living holy world you are entering and so there is bound to be dark spiritual resistance. It is the Holy One, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, whose face you are seeking. What a struggle for some of us, to impose upon the flesh a spirit of contrition, penitence and hunger for the divine, yet how essential to gain some progress there. How many pitfalls would have been avoided if only one had prayed more faithfully about issues and people. It was an issue spotted by the apostles themselves. They were the busiest of men; they had the grandest of concerns, to keep alive and joyful in God the holy widows, both Hebrew and Greek, of the persecuted congregation. They came to the conclusion that their balance of the ministry of mercy and the ministry of the word and prayer was askew to the detriment of the kingdom of God. They concluded that their priority as church leaders was this; 'We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.' There is no explanation of how they worked this out, 50% praying and 50% the word? The latter could not have been study solely; it must have been declaration, the defence of the faith, pastoral visitation and so on. How did they spend their time dedicated to praying? In praise, in corporate prayer, in praying with the dying, in private devotions? Those elements are all present in the later chapters of Acts and in the epistles. The effect of this decision is indicated a few verses later; 'the word of God spread.' There is no possibility of that without the prior commitment to prayer and the word. No spiritual growth, no conversions, no impact on a community, no revival of religion, no victory over temptation, no Christ-likeness without the word and prayer. Prayer is simply impotence stretching out to omnipotence. Did Jesus pray? Was there any man who less needed to pray, humanly speaking? He was full of the Holy Spirit, beloved by God, overcoming every temptation and sin, yet he prayed. How much more ourselves, especially before the big events that rise and advance irresistibly towards us.

When I mention prayer, I’m not thinking about rolling on the floor, but about simple earnest praying regularly, and praying all the time. A young theological student named Prichard made an appointment with the greatly loved Rev. Henry Rees of Liverpool. He recounted his interview some years later. He never forgot that time together. He was taken upstairs to the study and they sat each side of the fire. Henry Rees spoke to him; 'So your mind is bent on preaching the gospel. That is the most serious and solemn duty any man can ever engage in.' His hands were on his knees and he rocked slightly to and from as he spoke. 'Praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . .' repeating it many times, and then adding, 'We are not aware of the thousandth part of the power praying has upon preaching . . .' Then, again slightly rocking back and for he went on repeating that word, '. . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying.' Then he paused for a moment and said, 'If I were called upon suddenly to preach on any great occasion, and had only two hours of time to prepare for it, I should spend them every moment in praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying.' He wept a great deal as he spoke. Then he regained his composure and said, 'I cannot tell you what are the best books to read. I don’t know much about books, but try to read those books which will be most likely to nourish and strengthen the spirit of prayer in you. The great thing with preaching is praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying . . . praying.' Soon the interview came to an end and Prichard went away convicted thinking that these were the most awesome moments he had experienced. If you want to humble a minister, then ask him about his praying.

4. I am sorry that I did not meditate more on the Word of God.

Of course that goes with prayer. Where I do meditate is over a passage of Scripture I am to preach upon. It seems a holy word to employ for such a functional task. I am talking about looking at a section of Scripture from as different an angle as I can envisage, putting it in different settings, seeing it from the perspective of different states and conditions of man, placing it in the context of the whole of redemptive history. But I have heard, as all of us have, of men who have spent hours in prayer. Some of that must have been in meditation. It must have been. They have considered a word that they read that day and then they looked at it word by word in the presence of God and responded to him . . . God (who is he? What has he done? What is he doing now? What will it be when I come into his presence?) commands (the God who spoke and it was done, who commanded and all things stood fast, the God who brought all things into being by his fiat, the God who gave his law on Sinai, the God who will judge the world by his law . . .) all men (without any exception at all, the greatest and the least, the people with learning difficulties, the scientist, the most moral of men . . .) everywhere . . . to repent. And so on, thinking about the words individually and in their structure, each one breathed out by God. To taste the cordial of heaven in what the Lord has written for our good. Our preparation for preaching overwhelms our personal communion with the Almighty. It is serving another end rather than the drawing near to God himself.

- to be continued

- Geoff Thomas

Giving Thanks

2011-04-01T02:52:00.000-05:00

If we can’t thank God for everything, even the bad stuff, then what we’re saying is “I’m wiser than God! I could have done it better! I deserve more than this! If I’d have been in charge, I’d have done it this way!”

You know you just shudder at the thought. You put your hand over your mouth and bow and bless the Lord… …Giving thanks for hardships makes the devil mad and makes God glad.

- Bob Jennings

I Will Look Up

2011-03-30T23:30:00.003-05:00

"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before You--and I will look up!" Psalm 5:3

This was the Psalmist's determination in the morning--and it should be ours. Preserved and protected through the night, we should look up with gratitude, and praise our God for His goodness. Aware of our dependence and needs, we should look up and beg mercies of our Almighty God for the new-born day. Sensible of our foes and dangers, we should look up and pray to be kept, guided, and sanctified by our ever-present God.

If we look within--it will discourage us; if we look around--it may distract us; if we look back--it may awaken fears; if we look forward--it may arouse anxiety!

But if we look up to God, it will preserve the head from swimming, the heart from sinking, the feet from slipping, and the hands from hanging down!

Beloved, let us look up! There our loving Father is; there our interceding Savior is; there all our supplies are; there our everlasting home is!

Let others look where they will, but "I will look up!"

If we look to the Lord Jesus in faith, He will look down upon us in mercy; and looking, He will supply all our needs!

- James Smith

Ten Time Wasters

2011-03-29T12:33:00.000-05:00

"Redeeming the time." Colossians 4:5

"That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way." Colossians 1:10

1. Idleness and laziness

2. Excess of sleep

3. An inordinate adorning of the body

4. Unnecessary pomp and extravagance in household furniture and domestic entertainments

5. Idle talk

6. Vain and sinful company

7. Needless sports and games

8. Excessive worldly cares and business

9. Ungoverned and sinful thoughts

10. Worthless books, movies, and entertainment for the pleasing of a carnal mind

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do--do it all for the glory of God!" 1 Corinthians 10:31

- Edited from the writings of Richard Baxter

Our Guide- Scripture or Man's Opinion -- A Letter from John Newton

2011-03-25T13:51:00.000-05:00

It seems to me that no one person can adjust the standard and draw the line exactly for another person. There are so many particulars in every situation, of which a stranger cannot be a competent judge; and the best human advices and models are mixed with such defects, that it is not right to expect others to be absolutely guided by our rules. Nor is it safe for us to implicitly adopt the decisions or practices of others.

But the Scripture undoubtedly furnishes sufficient and infallible rules for every person, however circumstanced; and the throne of grace is appointed for us to wait upon the Lord for the best exposition of His precepts. Thus David often prays to be led in the right way.

By frequent prayer, close acquaintance with the Scripture, and a habitual attention to the frame of our hearts, there is a certain delicacy of spiritual taste and discernment to be acquired. Yet love is the clearest and most persuasive indicator, and when our love to the Lord is in lively exercise and the rule of His Word is in our eye, we seldom make great mistakes.

- John Newton

Advice for Rookie Evangelists

2011-03-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

A question put to John Blanchard, the English evangelist

"What advice would you give to young evangelists today just starting out on their path in ministry?"

JB: First and foremost, make your personal walk with God a priority, though this is not my advice; it simply applies Paul’ s word to Timothy to "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching." As to advice, I don't feel qualified to give any, but these (not in any significant order) are some things that have proved helpful to me.

Firstly, master the biblical basics. Knowing the words of the evangel is not the same as understanding their meaning. Keep meditating on the salvation doctrines.

Secondly, read as if your life depended on it--read, read, read!

Thirdly, read for sustenance and not just for sermons. A young evangelist once called me to ask: ‘John, what are you reading for the good of your soul?’ Always be ready to give a good answer to that question!

Fourthly, be disciplined; don’t spend time--invest it.

Fifthly, set goals, aim high and do everything you can to get there.

Sixthly, get out of bed early! Any active hours invested before 8.00 am are worth double. This kind of discipline is sometimes difficult when away from home and you need to consider your hosts, but at home there is no excuse for being sloppy.

Seventhly, develop a prayer support team and keep it up to date with your news.

Eighthly, never stop praying for wisdom from above, especially as your ministry develops and you have ever-increasing calls on your time and gifts.

- John Blanchard

Regeneration

2011-03-24T02:20:00.001-05:00

"You must be born again." - John 3:7

Regeneration is a subject which lies at the very basis of salvation, and we should be very diligent to take heed that we really are “born again,” for there are many who presume they are, but who are not. Be assured that the name of a Christian is not the nature of a Christian, and that being born in a Christian land, and being recognized as professing the Christian religion is of no avail whatever, unless there be something more added to it—being “born again,” is a matter so mysterious, that human words cannot describe it. “The wind bloweth where it wills, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Nevertheless, it is a change which is known and felt: known by works of holiness, and felt by a gracious experience. This great work is supernatural. It is not an operation which a man performs for himself: a new principle is infused, which works in the heart, renews the soul, and affects the entire man. It is not a change of my name, but a renewal of my nature, so that I am not the man I used to be, but a new man in Christ Jesus. To wash and dress a corpse is a far different thing from making it alive: man can do the one, God alone can do the other. If you have then, been “born again,” your acknowledgment will be, “O Lord Jesus, the everlasting Father, thou art my spiritual Parent; unless thy Spirit had breathed into me the breath of a new, holy, and spiritual life, I would be to this day ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’ My heavenly life is wholly derived from thee--to thee I ascribe it. ‘My life is hid with Christ in God. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who liveth in me.' May the Lord enable us to be well assured on this vital point, for to be unregenerate is to be unsaved, unpardoned, without God, and without hope.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Useless

2011-03-21T20:13:00.000-05:00

Today many professing Christians approach unbelievers with a self-centered gospel, telling them, "God has a great plan for your life; you are someone special and you are valuable to God; God needs you." One would think that these messengers are "head-hunters" for God's corporation.

But the biblical picture of true evangelism is more like picking up trash and waste from the side of the road, so that God might transform people into useful objects by his sovereign mercy and power. Paul writes that the unconverted are worthless, that not one of them does good, not even one (Romans 3:12). Thus, whereas Onesimus was "useless" before his conversion, he had become "useful" after he was converted (Philemon 1).

- Fred Smith

I Will Be Their God

2011-03-19T12:31:00.000-05:00

"I will be to them a God!" Hebrews 8:10

That is, to all His redeemed people. I will be the object of their adoration and trust, the subject of their meditation, and the source of all their happiness.

To be our GOD is more than being our friend, helper, or benefactor. He engages to do us good according to His all-sufficiency, to bestow upon us blessings which none else can!

He will pardon us--and pardon like only God can!

He will sanctify us--and sanctify us like only God can!

He will comfort us--and comfort us like only God can!

He will glorify us--and glorify us like only God can!

If He is our God--He is our All.

And all that He has is ours! He is our inheritance, and a glorious inheritance He is.

Consider, when in danger, in darkness, in distress, in temptation, in duty, or in affliction--God will be to you a God delivering you, enlightening you, comforting you, strengthening you, and sanctifying you.

Look to Him for all that He has promised--which is all that you need! Adore His Divine perfections, and rejoice that they are all engaged to make you eternally blessed.

Live to His glory, walk by His Word, and He will glorify Himself in your present and everlasting welfare. He rejoices to do good unto His people, He delights to bless them!

"I will be to them a God!" Hebrews 8:10

- James Smith

Advice to Preachers

2011-03-14T02:11:00.000-05:00

The year was 1768. A twenty-eight year old preacher by the name of Augustus Toplady, who wrote many hymns, including "Rock of Ages", spent the afternoon in London with a Mr. Brewer, an older, veteran Gospel preacher, whom he greatly admired and from whom he learned much. This is what Mr. Brewer said to the young Toplady, as Toplady later recorded in his diary:

I cannot conclude without reminding you, my young brother, of some things that may be of use to you in the course of your ministry:

1. Preach Christ crucified, and dwell chiefly on the blessings resulting from His righteousness, atonement, and intercession.

2. Avoid all needless controversies in the pulpit, except when your subject necessarily requires it or when the truths of God are likely to suffer by your silence.

3. When you enter the pulpit, leave your learning behind you. Endeavor to preach more to the hearts of your people than to their heads.

4. Do not be tempted toward much oratory. Seek rather to profit your hearers than to be admired by them.

Speaking of Hell

2011-03-12T19:48:00.001-06:00

Settle it firmly in your mind, that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has spoken most plainly about the reality and eternity of hell. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus contains things which should make men tremble! But it does not stand alone. No lips have used so many words to express the awfulness of hell--as the lips of Him who spoke as never any man spoke: "hell . . . hell fire . . . the damnation of hell . . . . eternal damnation . . . the resurrection of damnation . . . everlasting fire . . . the place of torment. . . . eternal destruction . . . outer darkness . . . the worm that never dies . . . the fire that is never quenched . . . the place of weeping . . . wailing and gnashing of teeth . . . everlasting punishment." These are the words which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself employs!

Away with the miserable nonsense which people talk of in this day, who tell us that the ministers of the gospel should never speak of hell! They only show their own ignorance or their dishonesty when they babble in such a manner! No person can honestly read the four Gospels, and fail to see that those who would follow the example of Christ, must speak of hell!

- J. C. Ryle

Self-Control

2011-02-28T23:12:00.000-06:00

Show me a man who is unwilling to exercise self-control and I'll show you a man who is striving towards ruin. Self-control is a matter of the will. You purpose you will or you will not. That's the distinction between self control or lack of it. Young people, the sooner you can learn this lesson, the better. It's a valuable lesson that I would have to rank it in the top five maybe of lessons of life to learn: Someones gonna be in charge, someones gonna give the orders. Is it going to be your body or is gonna be your spirit? That is the essence of self-control and if it's your body, then I say you're on the road to ruin.

The Apostle Paul he didn't sugar-coat it. Has anyone written more New Testament Scripture than the Apostle Paul? He was responsible for forming and expositing the doctrines, and yet he leaves the possibility open that if he does not discipline his body and make it his slave, he's going to be, in the end, cast away regardless of how much preaching he's done to others. That is a weighty statement.

2nd Timothy 3 describes those who are without self control, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, and in the end they perish. They might hold to a form of godliness, but there's no power in it; we're talking about self-control here. It's such an imperative that Jesus said, "If you're going to be my disciple you're going to have to daily deny yourself." The sins of the flesh kill their thousands, but self-control kills ten-thousands. Lack of self control is like a fountain head of which all other sins flow out of.

- Clint Leiter

Living by your Feelings

2011-02-26T16:10:00.001-06:00

Conrad Murrell said, "If you don't bring your though life into captivity with what you know is true, you will live a wretched miserable life." I want to submit to you that the exact same is true with regard to your feelings. If you don't bring your feelings into captivity to what you know is true, you will live a wretched, miserable defeated life. Many Christians are wretched and miserable precisely because they make their feelings the barometer of their spiritual life.

-Garrett Holthaus

Showers of Blessing

2011-02-24T13:30:00.000-06:00

"I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing." - Ezekiel 34:26

Here is sovereign mercy—“I will give them the shower in its season.” Is it not sovereign, divinemercy?—for who can say, “I will give them showers,” except God? There is only one voice which can speak to the clouds, and bid them beget the rain. Who sendeth down the rain upon the earth? Who scattereth the showers upon the green herb? Do not I, the Lord?

So grace is the gift of God, and is not to be created by man. It is also needed grace. What would the ground do without showers? You may break the clods, you may sow your seeds, but what can you do without the rain? As absolutely needful is the divine blessing. In vain you labour, until God the plenteous shower bestows, and sends salvation down.

Then, it is plenteous grace. “I will send them showers.” It does not say, “I will send them drops,” but “showers.” So it is with grace. If God gives a blessing, he usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. Plenteous grace! Ah! we want plenteous grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful, to make us holy; plenteous grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We cannot do without saturating showers of grace.

Again, it is seasonable grace. “I will cause the shower to come down in his season.” What is thy season this morning? Is it the season of drought? Then that is the season for showers. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then that is the season for showers. “As thy days so shall thy strength be.”

And here is a varied blessing. “I will give thee showers of blessing.” The word is in the plural. All kinds of blessings God will send. All God’s blessings go together, like links in a golden chain. If he gives converting grace, he will also give comforting grace. He will send “showers of blessing.” Look up today, O parched plant, and open thy leaves and flowers for a heavenly watering.

- C. H. Spurgeon

To Walk with God

2011-02-10T22:26:00.000-06:00

By faith in Christ I walk with God,
With heav'n, my journey's end, in view;
Supported by his staff and rod,
My road is safe and pleasant too.

I travel through a desert wide,
Where many round me blindly stray;
But he vouchsafes to be my guide,
And will not let me miss my way.

Though snares and dangers throng my path,
And earth and hell my course withstand;
I triumph over all by faith,
Guarded by his almighty hand.

The wilderness affords no food,
But God for my support prepares;
Provides me ev'ry needful good,
And frees my soul from wants and cares.

With him sweet converse I maintain,
Great as he is, I dare be free;
I tell him all my grief and pain,
And he reveals his love to me.

Some cordial from his word he brings
When'er my feeble spirit faints;
At once my soul revives and sings,
And yields no more to sad complaints.

I pity all that worldlings talk
Of pleasures that will quickly end;
Be this my choice, O Lord, to walk
With thee, my Guide, my Guard, my Friend!

- John Newton

What Then Should You Feel?

2011-02-06T13:40:00.001-06:00

When you awake to see a glowing red sunrise, shedding its beams and light upon a snow-covered earth, reflecting beauty which only the Creator can display, what should you feel and do?

"When morning guilds the skies, my heart awakening cries, "May Jesus Christ be praised!"

- Mack T.

Ashamed of Christ

2011-02-04T12:27:00.000-06:00

The wickedness of being ashamed of Christ is very great. It is a proof of unbelief. It shows that we care more for the praise of men whom we can see, than that of God whom we cannot see.

It is a proof of ingratitude. It shows that we fear confessing Him before man who was not ashamed to die for us upon the cross. Wretched indeed are they who give way to this sin. Here, in this world, they are always miserable. A bad conscience robs them of peace. In the world to come they can look for no comfort. In the day of judgment they must expect to be disowned by Christ to all eternity, if they will not confess Christ for a few years upon earth.

Let us resolve never to be ashamed of Christ. Of sin and worldliness we may well be ashamed. Of Christ and His cause we have no right to be ashamed at all. Boldness in Christ’s service always brings its own reward. The boldest Christian is always the happiest person.

- J. C. Ryle

What to Pray For

2011-01-27T13:32:00.000-06:00

More than once I have heard Christians say that they can't pray long until they feel like they have run out of things to pray. They don't know what else to pray about. Certainly, learning experientially to pray is a process and takes the aid and help of the Holy Spirit. One must be taught of God to really pray.

But there are great helps in the Bible about what to pray for and what to ask. Paul's prayers are a great example for us in that regard. Paul, from the very beginning of his conversion, was praying. Luke, in the book of Acts, says of Paul, "Behold, he prays."

In Colossians 1, we see an example of what he prayed specifically for the Colossian Christians. No doubt, he prayed these specific requests for himself regularly, as well as praying the same for the churches he loved and nurtured.

When you examine Paul's prayer in Colossians 1:12, you are being allowed into Paul's prayer closet, seeing what God put in his heart to pray. What did Paul pray for others? What kind of things did Paul ask for in prayer?

1. "that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" - vs. 9

2. "to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him" - vs. 10

3. "bearing fruit in every good work" - vs. 10

4. "increasing in the knowledge of God" - vs. 11

5. "may you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might" - vs. 11

6. "all endurance and patience with joy" - vs. 11

Paul's praying was not-- "Lord, bless the Corinthians; meet their needs; lead them, guide them, help them, encourage them" -- there is nothing wrong with praying that way for others, when your heart is serious and clear about what those things mean. But we get in a rut in prayer with our words, saying the same things often over and over again, without really being fresh and in tune with the Lord.

I remember the first year after my conversion, there were 2 men in our church who always led morning prayer and evening prayer in church before the offering plate was passed. They both always parroted the same prayer week after week--

"Lord, we thank You for thy blessings; we pray that You would bless the gift and the giver; forgive all our sins-- lead, guide and direct us, in Your name we pray-amen."

Now these were nice men who seemed sincere. But it became obvious that they did not have a clue about the reality of prayer and what it meant to lay hold on God and plead His promises.

When you look at that content in Paul's praying, it is amazing what he prayed for. Do we pray that way for ourselves and for others regularly?

- I want to be filled with the knowledge of your will

- I want to grow in spiritual understanding and wisdom

- I would have a worthy walk

- Strengthen me with all power

- Let me increase in truly knowing You

- Make me fruitful in every work

- Cause me to have real endurance and patience and lasting joy

Let's get meatier in our praying; increasingly pray the Word, pray the Psalms, and the prayers of the saints found in the Scriptures, and Paul's prayers found in his epistles. We ought never to read Paul's letters without praying those prayers for ourselves and the saints we walk with.

When we do, we are praying the perfect mind and will of God. We are praying for the greatest possible reality and we are growing in our understanding and capacity in relation to pray.

Lord, teach us to pray, as you did Paul.

- Mack Tomlinson

He Shall Deliver You

2011-01-22T14:03:00.000-06:00

"Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler." - Psalm 91:3

God delivers his people from the snare of the fowler in two senses. From, and out of. First, he delivers them from the snare—does not let them enter it; and secondly, if they should be caught therein, he delivers them out of it. The first promise is the most precious to some; the second is the best to others.

“He shall deliver thee from the snare.” How? Trouble is often the means whereby God delivers us. God knows that our backsliding will soon end in our destruction, and he in mercy sends the rod. We say, “Lord, why is this?” not knowing that our trouble has been the means of delivering us from far greater evil. Many have been thus saved from ruin by their sorrows and their crosses; these have frightened the birds from the net. At other times, God keeps his people from the snare of the fowler by giving them great spiritual strength, so that when they are tempted to do evil they say, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” But what a blessed thing it is that if the believer shall, in an evil hour, come into the net, yet God will bring him out of it! O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair. Wanderer though thou hast been, hear what thy Redeemer saith—“Return, O backsliding children; I will have mercy upon you.”

But you say you cannot return, for you are a captive. Then listen to the promise—“Surely he shall deliver thee out of the snare of the fowler.” Thou shalt yet be brought out of all evil into which thou hast fallen, and though thou shalt never cease to repent of thy ways, yet he that hath loved thee will not cast thee away; he will receive thee, and give thee joy and gladness, that the bones which he has broken may rejoice. No bird of paradise shall die in the fowler’s net.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Thursday Afternoon Radio Program

2011-01-18T13:34:00.001-06:00

If you are free to listen, I will be sharing about Leonard Ravenhill and the new biography this Thursday afternoon, January 20th, at 4:35 Mountain time (5:35 Central time) on KKIM Radio in Albuquerque, N.M.;

The live streaming can be heard on KKIM Radio Interview KKIM AM 1000 ABQ, FM 94.7 Santa Fe KARS AM 860 Belen, NM & WORLDWIDE at http://mykkim.com

- Mack T.

Be on Guard

2011-01-18T13:33:00.001-06:00

"And it came to pass, at the evening time, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house." - 2 Samuel 11:2

At that hour, David saw Bathsheba. We are never out of the reach of temptation. Both at home and abroad, we are liable to meet with allurements to evil; the morning opens with peril and the shades of evening find us still in jeopardy. They are well kept whom God keeps, but woe unto those who go forth into the world or even dare to walk their own house unarmed. Those who think themselves secure are more exposed to dangers than any others. The armor-bearer of sin is self-confidence.

David should have been engaged in fighting the Lord's battles; instead he tarried at Jerusalem and gave himself up to luxurious repose, for he arose from his bed at time of evening. Idleness and luxury are the devil's jackals, and find him abundant prey. In stagnant waters noxious creatures swarm and neglected soil soon yields a dense tangle of weeds and briars.

Oh, for the constraining love of Jesus to keep us active and useful! When I see the king of Israel sluggishly leaving his couch at the close of the day and falling at once into temptation, let me take warning and set holy watchfulness to guard the door.

Is it possible that the king had mounted his housetop for retirement and devotion? If so, what a caution is given us to count no place, however secret, a sanctuary from sin! While our hearts are so like dry wood and spark so plentiful, we must use all diligence in all places to prevent a blaze. Satan can climb housetops and enters closets, and even if we could shut out that foul fiend, our own corruptions are enough to work our ruin unless grace prevents it.

Let us beware of evening temptations. Be not secure. The sun is down, but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day. O blessed Spirit, keep us from all evil this night.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Our Words

2011-01-16T13:42:00.001-06:00

Many people do not take their words serious enough. Everyone who hears anything we say will be influenced and affected by our words, whether for good or bad. Often young people or foolish adults will saying cutting, hurtful things in jest, only to justify it by saying, "I was only teasing--man, can't anybody take a joke?"

Whether or not the person was joking is another issue; the thing about words is that, regardless what our motives are in speaking, the words themselves have a direct influence upon those who hear us.

How important are words? When words are spoken, they immediately do their work. It doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, if it was a joke or not, if it was well-thought out or rashly spoken without thought--none of that matters; what matters is that when words leave a person's mouth, the effect happensand the influence occurs; blessing and edification are accomplished by the words themselves if the words are right, truthful and good; likewise, damage, hurt, and sin immediately occurs if the words are harmful.

Words and their effects cannot be drawn back in like a fishing line. Once out of the mouth, they are permanent and cannot be reversed.

How important are words? Only a few reminders from Proverbs cause us to remember:

Preserving or destroying one's very life - "Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin." - Prov. 13:3

Toil or talk - "In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty." - 14:23

Anger or peace - "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - 15:1

Thoughts themselves can be sin, and words can be acts of righteousness - "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but gracious words are pure." - 15:26

Words have influence with those who are in authority - "Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right." - 16:13

Words are a real means of comfort and healing - "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." - 16:24

For those talkative ones who always have to express their views - "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion." - 18:2

Words are what get most people in trouble - "A fool's lips walk into a fight and his mouth invites a beating." - 18:6 (Advice to young people--if you don't want to get in trouble or get your teeth knocked down your throat by a mad jerk, keep your mouth shut--be quick to listen and very slow to speak.)

Words totally ruin some people's lives - "A fool's mouth is his ruin and his lips are a snare to his soul." - 18:7

Gossip is enjoyable to the gossip and the listener - "The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels." - 18:8

Premature words bring shame - "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame." - 18:13

Words always reap a harvest - "From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips." - 18:20

Words reflects outright evil and wickedness - "A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity." - 19:28

The main life preserver - "Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble." - 21:23

Telling others is wrong - "Argue your case with your neighbor himself and do not reveal another's secrets." - 25:9

Good, timely words - "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." - 25:11

Lying about others is destructive - "A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow." - 25:18

Quarreling - "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife." - 25:24

Quarreling - "For lack of wood the fire goes out and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases." - 26:20

There's a time to answer a fool and there's a time to not answer a fool - "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes." - 26:4-5

Words are often meant to directly deceive - "Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart." - 26:24-25

How many more warnings could we find, just in Proverbs? Many more.

In an age of information overload, tweeting, face-booking, emailing, texting, and all the rest, the amount of words that are used have been multiplied by the millions; and everyone one of us are storing up more and more accountability to God on judgment day, when we will give account of our words.

- Mack Tomlinson

The Second Coming, Part 2

2011-01-15T13:35:00.000-06:00

To put it another way, when will the resurrection and the ‘rapture’ occur? At the last trumpet.

* 1Cor 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
* 1Thes 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
* Mat 24:31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

To put it another way, when will the end of the world occur? At the last trumpet, the 7thand last.

* Rev 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

To put it another way, when will the resurrection occur? On the last day.

* John 6:39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
* Repeated three more times in John 6
* Also: John 11.24

To put it another way, when will the judgment day occur? On the last day.

* John 12:48 … the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

To put it another way, will the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked be simultaneous? Yes, it will be in a coming hour – the last hour.

* John 5:28, 29 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to aresurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Conclusion? It will all happen on that one day. What a day it will be! Man has had his days – birthday, graduation day, wedding day, Independence Day, Ground Hog Day, etc. The Lord will have His Day.
How can I be ready for the great day of the Lord? A person might be fouled up on the above, and still make it to heaven if he knows how to be ready. If you repent of sin, giving your life to the living God unconditionally and believe on the Lord Jesus – truly, sincerely, totally, that He died to pay your sin-debt – you will be rescued from the wrath to come.

* 1Thes 1:9, 10 … you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

Most folks will be sleeping when their house burns, many with a false confession of Christ.

* 1Thes 5:6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
* Matt 7:22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

Sin is contraband. You don’t want to be under its guilt or power.

* Rom 13:11,12 Knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

The day will come; it is fixed by God. No bomb or cataclysm can stop it.

* Acts 17:30, 31 … God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.

Rev 22:20 …Come, Lord Jesus.
- Bob Jennings

The Second Coming - Part 1

2011-01-14T23:04:00.000-06:00

No one knows when the great day will be, not the angels, not even the Son, at least in the days of His incarnation, Matthew 24.36, Acts 1.7, but we do know two things:

* what will happen, and
* how to be ready.

What will happen? There are a lot of schedules taught in Christendom about the last things. So, to simplify the matter, let’s only take the one Greek word parousia, translated “coming.”
At the parousia, Christ will be revealed – the revelation.

* 2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord
* 2Thes 1:7 … when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire

At the parousia, Christ will raise the dead – the resurrection.

* 1Thes 4:15 … we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
* 1Thes 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will risefirst.
* See also: 1Cor 15.22,23

At the parousia, Christ will “catch up” the believers who are then alive – the rapture.

* 1Thes 4:15 … we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
* 1Thes 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
* See also: 1Cor 15.52

At the parousia, Christ will gather to Himself all believers of all times.

* 2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him
* 1Thes 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

At the parousia, Christ will judge – it will be the judgment day.

* 2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
* 2Thes 1:8, 9 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power

At the parousia, Christ will destroy everything – souls and bodies of unbelievers will be thrown into hell, Matt 10.28, and it will be the end of heaven and earth.

* 2Thes 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
* 2Thes 1:8, 9 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power
* 2Peter 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat

At the parousia, Christ will end it all.

* Mat 24:3 … what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
* 1Cor 15:23, 24 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God

At the parousia, Christ will make all things new.

* 2Pet 3:12, 13 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and anew earth, in which righteousness dwells.

to be continued...

- Bob Jennings

What about Cremation?

2011-01-12T13:19:00.000-06:00

Cremation has become an increasingly popular practice today, not only in other nations, but in America as well. The general attitude is, "It doesn't matter how you are buried or if you are buried or what happens to your body." Increasingly, professing evangelical Christians are supportive of the practice of cremation, saying, "It doesn't really matter--I will be in heaven anyway."

I recently heard on the radio a leading Baptist pastor of one of the largest and most influential Baptist churches in Texas. He was speaking about the resurrection and about the hope believers have in Christ after death. In the midst of his message, he stated that it doesn't matter if we are buried or cremated, and that the Bible doesn't have any more support for one view than the other.

Is he correct? Is the Bible neutral on the subject? Is cremation a biblically sanctioned practice? For us today, we can simply ask the question--is cremation Christian? Is it something a Christian should embrace?

The Bible does show that heathen nations practiced evil types of cremation in the context of demon worship and a complete departure from the worship of the true God. The Scriptures also teach theologically that the body of the Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit and ought not to be desecrated. If the physical body of the Christian has become holy, as the very temple of God Himself, then it ought never to be willfully destroyed by a man-made practice that is not condoned in Scripture.

But perhaps the greatest answer is the example we find in Scripture of what those in Old Testament and the New Testament times did with the bodies of their dead. The simple answer is that they buried them. Burial was the practice, never cremation.

Abraham's wife, Sarah, was buried- "After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre in the land of Canaan." - Genesis 23:19

Moses was buried- "Isaac and Ismael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, east of Mamre . . . there Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife." - Genesis 25:9

Deborah, Rebekah's servant and nurse, was buried by Jacob- "And Deborah died and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he [Jacob] called its name Allon-bacuth [weeping]." - Genesis 35:8

Rachel was buried- "So Rachel died and she was buried on the way to Ephrath and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb." - Genesis 35:19 (See also Gen. 48:7)

Isaac was buried- "And Isaac breathed his last and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him."
- Genesis 35:29

Jacob requested to be buried in Canaan, not in Egypt- "Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place." - Genesis 47:29-30 (See also 49:29)

Moses was buried by God Himself - "So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and he [God] buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Bethpeor, but no one knows the place of his burial to this day." - Deut. 34:5-7

In the New Testament, Lazarus was buried (John 11) and Jesus was buried, as were all others referred to in Scripture specifically.

If the example of the godly saints in Scripture means anything (and it does), then cremation is simply not a valid or God-honoring practice that any Christian should condone or consider.

Cremation is neither biblical or exemplary for the Christian today and we ought not to let the standard down just because some are going the way of the world, adopting heathen practices.

- Mack Tomlinson

Justification

2011-01-06T13:04:00.001-06:00

Justification in its essence is a legal or forensic term, a term that belongs to the realm of the Law Court. It means "to declare just," and "to declare righteous." It is the opposite of condemnation. The Christian has moved from a state of "condemnation" to one of "justification." For this reason the Apostle starts this 8th chapter by saying, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

Paul is taking up again the argument he had left off at the end of chapter 5, where he had been working out some of the consequences of justification. His constant emphasis concerning this is that it is something which is done by God, "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified." In other words we do not justify ourselves before God. God justifies us, and He does it--and this is the argument of the first four chapters--entirely apart from us and our works. It is not the result of any merit that is in us. One verse that states this clearly and beyond any doubt is the 5th verse in the 4th chapter: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." God justifies the "ungodly"; not the "righteous," but the "ungodly."

He argues the same point in chapter 5, verses 6-8: "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It is the action of God, and exclusively the action of God. This is the central argument of this Epistle. It is the declaration made by God concerning those who believe in Christ. We are justified in Christ, but through faith and belief. The belief is the instrument.

Let us emphasize again certain other aspects of this doctrine. Justification does not merely mean forgiveness. It includes forgiveness, but it is much bigger than forgiveness. It means in addition that God declares us to be entirely guiltless; He regards us as if we had never sinned at all. He pronounces us to be just and to be righteous. In doing so He is answering any declaration that the Law may make with respect to us. It is the judge upon the bench not merely saying that the prisoner at the Bar is forgiven, but that he pronounces him to be a just and righteous person.

In justifying us God tells us that He has taken our sins and our guilt, and has "imputed" them to, "put them to the account of," the Lord Jesus Christ and punished them in Him. He announces also that, having done that, He now puts to our account, or "imputes" to us, the perfect righteousness of His own dear Son. The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed the Law perfectly; He never broke it in any respect. He gave a full and a perfect satisfaction to all its demands. That full obedience constitutes His righteousness. What God does is to put to our account, to put upon us, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. In declaring us to be justified, God proclaims that He now looks on us, not as we are, but as clothed with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. A hymn by the Moravian Count Zinzendorf, and translated by John Wesley, expresses it thus:

Jesus, Thy robe of righteousness
My beauty is, my glorious dress;
'Midst flaming worlds, in this arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.

Zinzendorf proceeds in the hymn to defy anyone and anything to bring a charge against us, because we are clothed and robed with this "righteousness" of the Lord Jesus Christ. Such, then, is the meaning of justification, and it is entirely the action of God. It is, I repeat, the forensic, legal declaration of God that we are not only forgiven but guiltless, and that as we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ we shall continue in that condition. In other words, we are given a new standing and a new status in the presence of God.

- D. M. Lloyd-Jones

Don't Preach When You Pray

2010-12-29T17:41:00.001-06:00

Beware of the evil of mistaking preaching for prayer. The friends who were reputed to be ‘gifted’ indulged themselves in public prayer with a review of their own experience, a recalling of their creed, an occasional running commentary upon a chapter or Psalm, or even a criticism upon the Pastor and his sermons. It was too often quite forgotten that the brother was addressing the divine Majesty, before whose wisdom a display of our own knowledge is impertinence, and before whose glory an attempt at swelling words and pompous periods is little short of profanity; the lecture was evidently intended for man rather than God, and on some occasions did not contain a single petition from the beginning to end.

We hope that good men are stopping this unhallowed practice, and are beginning to see that sermons and doctrinal dissertations are miserable substitutes for earnest wrestling prayers, when our place is before the mercy-seat, and our engagement is intercession with the Most High. If each person will offer the petition most pressing upon his heart by the Holy Spirit, and then make room for another, the evening will be far more profitable, and the prayers incomparably more fervent than if each brother ran round the whole circle of petition without dwelling on one point. Compare your topics of prayer to so many nails; it will be better for an intercessor to drive one nail home with repeated blows, than to deal one ineffectual tap to them one after another.

Let as many as possible take part in the prayer of the church’s desires; the change of voice will prevent weariness, and the variety of subjects will excite attention. Better to have six pleading earnestly, than two drowsily; far better for the whole meeting, that the many needs should be represented experimentally by many intercessors, than formally by two or three.

- Charles Spurgeon

Family Sickness

2010-12-27T14:07:00.000-06:00

"And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!" Matthew 10:30
Dear friend,

My dear wife has been quite ill. Sickness is a bitter pill to swallow. Yet the Lord is good; He knows what we need, and when we need it. We must and shall have it--whether it is sweet, bitter, or sour--for He will withhold no good thing from those who fear and love Him.

He upholds and enlightens the planets and stars. He weighs the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance. At the same time, He is providing for the lions and ravens, and supporting all the ants and worms that creep upon the earth!

And with equal accuracy, He adjusts all that concerns us! Worms as we are, He is attentive to everything that relates to our peace and welfare, as though we, each of us individually were the sole objects of His providential care! Yes, His eye and His heart are attentively fixed upon you and worthless me! Well may we say, "Who is a God like unto You!"

- John Newton

The Infinite Ocean of Christ's Love

2010-12-25T14:26:00.002-06:00

Turn on your speakers--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8RPEzhi3Gw

The Lord Reigns -- A Letter from John Newton

2010-12-22T11:24:00.000-06:00

"The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength!" Psalm 93:1

"The Lord reigns! Let the nations tremble!" Psalm 99:1

The Lord reigns! He who once bore our sins, and carried our sorrows is seated upon a throne of glory, and exercises all power in heaven and on earth! Thrones, principalities, and powers, bow before Him. Every being and event are under His rule. His providence pervades and manages the whole, and is as minutely attentive to every part as if there were only that single object in His view.

From the tallest archangel, to the meanest ant or fly--all depend on Him for their being, their preservation, and their powers! He directs the sparrows where to build their nests, and to find their food. He overrules the rise and fall of nations; and bends, with an invincible energy and unerring wisdom all events! So that, while many intend otherwise in the outcome, their designs all concur and coincide in the accomplishment of His holy will. He restrains with a mighty hand, the still more formidable efforts of the powers of darkness; and Satan, with all his hosts, cannot exert their malice a hair's breadth beyond the limits of His permission. Satan may rage, but he is a chained enemy!
This is He, who is the Redeemer and Husband of His believing people. How happy are those whom it is His good pleasure to bless! Howsafe are those whom He has engaged to protect! How honored and privileged are those whom He enables and warrants to claim Him as their friend and their portion! Having redeemed them by His own blood, He sets a high value upon them! He esteems them His treasure, His jewels! He guards them as the pupil of His eye. They shall not lack; they need not fear!

His eye is upon them in every situation, His ear is open to their prayers, and His everlasting arms are under them for their sure support.

On earth, He guides their steps, controls their enemies, and directs all His dispensations for their good! While, in heaven, He is pleading their cause, preparing a place for them, and communicating down to them reviving foretastes of the glory that shall shortly be theirs!

"The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 146:10

- John Newton

When Jesus Comes

2010-12-15T11:43:00.001-06:00

One sat alone, beside the highway begging,
His eyes were blind, the light he could not see;
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows,
Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee.

From home and friends the evil spirits drove him,
Among the tombs he dwelt in misery;
He cut himself as demon powers possessed him,
Then Jesus came and set the captive free.

Their hearts were sad, as in the tomb they laid him,
For death had come and taken him away;
Their night was dark and bitter tears were falling,
Then Jesus came and night was turned to day.

"Unclean, unclean!" the leper cried in torment,
The deaf, the dumb, in helplessness stood near;
The fever raged, disease had gripped its victim,
Then Jesus came and cast out every fear.

So men today have found the Savior able,
They cannot conquer passion, lust, and sin;
Their broken hearts have left them sad and lonely,
Then Jesus comes and dwells Himself within.

When Jesus comes, the tempter's power is broken,
When Jesus comes, the tears are wiped away;
He takes the gloom and fills the life with glory,
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.

- Oswald J. Smith

A Debtor to Grace

2010-12-14T23:38:00.000-06:00

"By the grace of God--I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10

It is a part of my daily habit to look back to my slavery in Africa, and to retrace the path by which the Lord has led me, for about forty-seven years, since He called me from infidelity and madness!

My astonishing, unsought deliverance from the hopeless wickedness and misery into which I had plunged myself, taken in connection with what He has done for me since, make me say, with peculiar emphasis, "Oh to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be!"

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come!
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home!

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine!

- John Newton

What Morning Always Brings

2010-12-12T00:08:00.001-06:00

1. New mercies- "His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lam. 3:23

2. Prayer is fresh- "In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch." - Psalm 5:3

3. New joy and expectation- "For His anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning." - Psalm 30:5

4. Fresh help- "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns." - Psalm 46:5

5. A foretaste of that final Great Morning and the blessed hope- "As sheep they are appointed for sheol; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall rule over them in the morning." - Psalm 49:14

6. Alone time with the Father- the Lord Jesus knew and used the early morning time as a man- "And rising a great while before day, he went out into a wilderness place, and there he prayed." - Mark 1:35

- Bob Jennings

Recognizing God's Providence in Life

2010-12-08T19:46:00.000-06:00

"You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit." - Job 10:12

What a great mercy it is from the Lord to have the right perspective about our lives. When a person doesn't have that, they cannot understand or appreciate all that has been done for them by a sovereign and gracious God. Neither can they have a thankful and gracious heart. The bigger perspective is huge and very important.

It is a humbling and heart-moving reality to step back and look at your journey until now, and then be able to say, "Lord, it is You who gave me life; You have shown me kindness, and in Your providence every moment of every day You have watched over my spirit."

How good is the God we adore--a faithful, unchangeable Friend; let us continually rehearse, as Job did, God's sovereign and intimate rule in all of life.

- Mack Tomlinson

“Ask, and it shall be given you.” - Matthew 7:7

2010-12-06T12:29:00.000-06:00

We know of a place in England still existing, where bread is served to every passerby who chooses to ask for it. Whoever the traveller may be, he has but to knock at the door of St. Cross Hospital, and there is bread for him.

Jesus Christ so loveth sinners that he has built a St. Cross Hospital, so that whenever a sinner is hungry, he has but to knock and have his needs supplied. Nay, he has done better; he has attached to this Hospital of the Cross a bath; and whenever a soul is black and filthy, it has but to go there and be washed. The fountain is always full, always cleansing. No sinner ever went into it and found that it could not wash away his stains. Sins which were scarlet and crimson have all disappeared, and the sinner has been whiter than snow.

As if this were not enough, there is attached to this Hospital of the Cross a wardrobe, and a sinner making application simply as a sinner, may be clothed from head to foot; and if he wishes to be a soldier, he may not merely have a garment for ordinary wear, but armour which shall cover him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. If he asks for a sword, he shall have that given to him, and a shield too. Nothing that is good for him shall be denied him. He shall have spending-money so long as he lives, and he shall have an eternal heritage of glorious treasure when he enters into the joy of his Lord.

If all these things are to be had by merely knocking at mercy’s door, O my soul, knock hard this morning, and ask large things of thy generous Lord. Leave not the throne of grace till all thy needs have been spread before the Lord, and until by faith thou hast a comfortable prospect that they shall be all supplied. No bashfulness need retard when Jesus invites. No unbelief should hinder when Jesus promises. No cold-heartedness should restrain when such blessings are to be obtained.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Pray without Ceasing

2010-12-02T18:41:00.000-06:00

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:1

How important is a spirit of prayer! It is the proof of regeneration, the manifestation of grace in our hearts, and the evidence our title to mansions in the skies!

Prayer is the breath of the renewed soul, the beating of the sanctified heart, and the effect of the life of God within us.

O that I had prayed more! Prayer should become a habit with us--then everything would furnish us with matter for prayer. Prayer should mingle with our pleasures and our pains, with our labor and our rest. O for more prayer!

We should never do what we cannot pray God to bless. We should never go where we cannot ask God to go with us.

If we would hold fast our profession, if we would adorn the gospel, if we would honor Jesus, if we would enjoy our mercies, if we would get good by our trials, if we would see all things working together for good, if we would conquer Satan, if we would overcome the world, if we would crucify the flesh with its affections and lust--then we must pray!

Prayer, if it is believing prayer, opens Heaven to us, unveils the glorious face of God, and brings down foretastes of the joys of paradise. Prayer makes us a match for all our foes, enables us patiently to carry every cross, and with perseverance to climb and pass over the loftiest hills we meet with on our heaven-bound pilgrimage!

Those who pray, will, by deriving strength from Heaven, by drawing down wisdom from above to withstand every storm, and shout God's praises at last.

Tempted Christian--pray, and you will overcome every temptation.

Troubled Christian--pray, and God will deliver you out of every trouble.

Perplexed Christian--pray, and God will make your way plain before your face.

Doubting Christian--pray, and God will disperse your doubts, and chase your fears away.

Trembling Christian--pray, and God will strengthen you with strength in the soul.

Sick Christian--pray, and God will make all your bed in your affliction.

Dying Christian--pray, and death will lose all its terrors, and you will gently fall asleep in Jesus.

Lost sinner--pray, for God who heard the publican and justified him, will hear you and save you.

O for the grace of prayer, that we may in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2

- James Smith

Winter in the Soul

2010-12-01T12:20:00.001-06:00

"Thou hast made summer and winter." - Psalm 74:17

My soul, begin this wintry month with your God. The cold snows and the piercing winds all remind you that He keeps His covenant with day and night, and they tend to assure you that He will also keep that glorious covenant which He has made with you in the person of Christ Jesus. He who is true to His Word in the revolutions of the seasons of this poor world will not prove unfaithful in His dealings with His own well-beloved Son.

Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season; if it is upon you just now, it will be very painful to you. But there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord Himself makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation; He scatters the hoarfrost like ashes over the meadows of our joy; He casts forth His ice like morsels, freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all; He is the great winter King, and rules in the realms of frost.

Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills are of the Lord's sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill insects and put a boundary on raging diseases; they break up the clods and sweeten the soil. Oh, that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction.

How we prize the fire just now! How pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw near to Him and in Him find joy and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of His promises and go forth to labors which fit the season, for it wrong to be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold, for he shall beg in summer and have nothing.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Good Degrees to Earn

2010-11-24T11:16:00.000-06:00

I believe in getting a good education and in having the proper degrees needed for successful ministry. Among all the degrees which can be conferred upon a person, there are the following: an associates degree, a BA, BS, a MM (Masters of Ministry), MDiv (Masters of Divinity), DD (Doctorate of Divinity), Thd (Doctorate of Theology), and Phd (Doctor of Philosophy). I am sure I have left some out, so I will not labor the point. There are others, I am sure.

But of all the degrees that can be earned, there are two that are the most important. The first is the UPS degree. Every Christian has it and every preacher, pastor, missionary and Christian worker should labor in light of it. A person is not qualified for any ministry in the kingdom of Christ without this degree. It doesn't take much on our part to earn it. In fact, every Christian has earned it. This degree has been conferred on each of us already. It is recorded in the halls of true academia already. What is it?

The UPS degree- "Un Profitable Servant". This degree is conferred based on Luke 17:10: "So likewise, when you shall have done all those things which are commanded of you, then say, 'we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do'." God himself confers this degree upon everyone enrolled in the school of Christ. All of us hold this degree. We have earned it, having finished all the work necessary to be considered a true unprofitable servant, with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities thereunto.

Let every Christian and servant of Christ realize that this degree has been conferred on us and is hanging on the wall of our lives already. It follows after every use of our name in everything we do. It marks every sermon, every good work, every labor of love, and every effort we make in life. Having done all, in the end, that degree expresses everything about our accomplishments. So see yourself as John Doe, UPS.

Then there is a second degree which we are working on-- or at least we should be. It is the highest, most desirable of all degrees. There is no accomplishment beyond the earning of this highest achievement of learning and knowledge. It is a degree program that every of one us ought to be motivated to earn. We should be working on this one day and night. It will be a great day when this degree is conferred on us. And it ought to be desired and expected with real anticipation.

The second degree is the famous and prestigious WD degree - "Well Done, thou good and faithful servant-- enter thou into the joy of your Lord." - Matthew 25:21

Are you working on your second degree, now that you already have your first one? Labor hard; the course work is extensive but nothing is more satisfying.

The thought strikes me this morning with fresh reality-- If every Christian and every preacher walked in light of the first degree they have already earned- the UPS degree, and if they then realized there is no higher degree that can be ever earned than the WD degree, we would have a much more educated and wise ministry and a much improved class of students in the kingdom of God. If every preacher only had these two degrees, it would be a wonderful thing and we would have a highly educated ministry.

Leonard Ravenhill, when asked where he went to seminary, used to reply: "Bush University." When people said, "Oh, I've never heard of that one- who else went there that I would have heard of?", Ravenhill said, "Moses."

That's the university we should all graduate from.

By the way, there is another degree mentioned for a few men, which is not for anyone else. It is for deacons in the church of Jesus Christ. Christ has a degree for them and they should realize it and rejoice in it, that it can be conferred on them: "For they that have served well as deacons purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 3:13) You deacons-- go after that good standing and great confidence for yourself as a minister of Christ to his people.

These degrees summarize everything that is important in the higher educational system of the kingdom of God. You've earned the first degree. Now work on the second one more.

Warmly yours, increasing in the knowledge of God and his ways, I remain,

- Your fellow UPS scholar with honors, and future WD candidate

Christ's Sufferings

2010-11-21T18:23:00.000-06:00

I have heard a million sermons about the nails and the thorns, and granted, the physical agony of crucifixion is a ghastly thing, but there have been thousands of people who have died on the cross and who have had more horrible painful excruciating deaths than that. But only one has received the full measure of the curse of death. I doubt that Jesus is even aware of the nails and the spear, He was so overwhelmed by the outer darkness. Dear friends, on the cross Jesus is in Hell! Right there. Totally bereft of the grace and presence of God, utterly separated from all blessedness of the Father. He becomes a curse for you, so that you someday will be able to see the face of God. So that the light of his countenance will fall on you, God turned His back on His Son. No wonder He screamed, He screamed from the depths of His soul.
- R C Sproul

His sufferings were far from consisting in mere corporal afflictions, with such impressions upon his soul and spirit as were the effects and issues only of them. It was no more nor less than the curse of the law of God which he underwent for us: for he freed us from the curse by being made a curse.
- John Owen

The whole of it evinces the truth of Christ's human nature, that he was in all things made like unto his brethren; that he had a human soul, and endured sorrows and sufferings in it, of which this of desertion was not the least: the heinousness of sin may be learnt from hence, which not only drove the angels out of heaven, and Adam out of the garden, and separates, with respect to communion, between God and his children; but even caused him to hide his face from his own Son, whilst he was bearing, and suffering for the sins of his people.
- John Gill

Had there been no deeper and more awful sufferings, it would be difficult to see why Jesus should have shrunk from these sorrows, and used such a remarkable expression. Isaiah tells us, (Isa 53:4,5) "He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, Gal 3:13, he was made a sin-offering, 2Cor 5:21 he died in our place, on our account, that he might bring us near to God. It was this, doubtless, which caused his intense sufferings. It was the manifestation of God's hatred of sin to his soul, in some way which he has not explained, that he experienced in that dread hour. It was suffering, endured by him, that was due to us; and suffering by which, and by which alone, we can be saved from eternal death.
- Albert Barnes

"Why hast thou forsaken me?" We must lay the emphasis on every word of this saddest of all utterances. "Why?" what is the great cause of such a strange fact as for
God to leave his own Son at such a time and in such a plight? There was no cause in him, why then was he deserted? Hast:" it is done, and the Saviour is feeling its dread effect as he asks the question; it is surely true, but how mysterious! It was no threatening of forsaking which made the great Surety cry aloud, he endured that forsaking in very deed. "Thou:" I can understand why traitorous Judas and timid Peter should be gone, but thou, my God, my faithful friend, how canst thou leave me? This is worst of all, yea, worse than all put together. Hell itself has for its fiercest flame the separation of the soul from God. "Forsaken: " if thou hadst chastened I might bear it, for thy face would shine; but to forsake me utterly, ah! why is this? "Me: " thine innocent, obedient, suffering Son, why leavest thou me to perish? A sight of self seen by penitence, and of Jesus on the cross seen by faith will best expound this question. Jesus is forsaken because our sins had separated between us and our God.

- Charles Spurgeon

A Grateful Spirit

2010-11-21T18:22:00.000-06:00

"You have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life."

A grateful spirit should ever be cultivated by the Christian, and especially after deliverances we should prepare a song for our God. Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censor smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving. How joyful Jeremiah seems to be while he records the Lord’s mercy. How triumphantly he lifts up the strain! He has been in the low dungeon, and is even now no other than the weeping prophet; and yet in the very book which is called “Lamentations,” clear as the song of Miriam when she dashed her fingers against the tabor, shrill as the note of Deborah when she met Barak with shouts of victory, we hear the voice of Jeremiah going up to heaven—“You have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.” O children of God, seek after a vital experience of the Lord’s lovingkindness, and when you have it, speak positively of it, sing gratefully, and shout triumphantly.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Divine Appointments

2010-11-16T16:07:00.001-06:00

[God gives divine appointments--let us not miss ours that come along regularly. This is from my friend, Jeff Gregory, in Dallas-- Mack T. ]

This evening I was doing some late night shopping at Albertsons Foods and as I was unloading my shopping cart onto the conveyor belt at the checkout , I pulled out my keys and was fumbling through them looking for my Albertsons keychain card so I could get a discounted price on a few items. The cashier lady spoke to me in a foreign accent and said, “Those cards aren’t used anymore. How long has it been since you’ve shopped at Albertsons?”

I replied, “I couldn’t remember if Albertsons still used the card or not. It hasn’t been that long since I’ve shopped at Albertsons.”

As she was checking me out, I read her nametag. It said, “Megibre.”

“Your name is Megibre.”

“Oh, you pronounced my name correctly.”

“What language do you speak?”

“I’m from Albania.”

“Oh, you speak Albanian.”

“We came here because of the war. Maybe you heard about it.”

“Does “Megibre” have a meaning in English, like “Margaret”?

She shook her head.

“How long have you been living in Dallas?”

“I’ve been here eleven years.”

“What is your religion?”

She looked a little sheepish, and said, “I’m Muslim.”

I was surprised because she didn’t look at all like a Muslim woman. She was about 55 years old – looked like a typical middle-aged American woman.

I continued the conversation: “I’m a Christian. I believe in Jesus. Do you know Jesus?“

“I don’t know anything about religions. I work all the time. I have four children.”

“Jesus is the one who died on the cross so we could have forgiveness of sins.”

She looked at me as if she didn’t know what I was talking about.

“What are you going to do with your sins?” I asked.

“We don’t eat all day from 6:00 am till 8:00 at night…”

“You’re talking about Ramadan.”

“Oh, you know Islam?”

“You know what sins are? The things we do that displease God. God doesn’t like our sins and has to punish them. But Jesus came to pay for our sins by dying on the cross. Because of our sins God will punish us in hell, but instead he punished Jesus on the cross so we won’t have to go to hell. He came to give us forgiveness and eternal life. Do you know the Bible?”

She was looking at me like she was having a hard time grasping what I was saying. She also was fidgeting a bit. There was no one else around within hearing distance so I didn’t hesitate to carry on the conversation.

“Jesus died on the cross but he rose from the dead on the third day. He resurrected. He’s alive. He’s a living Savior.”

“I became a Christian when I was 21 years old and he’s been with me ever since. Jesus came into my heart and forgave me of my sins and he’s given me peace and joy.”

“I’m sorry. I have to go.”

As I passed by her on the way out she was helping another customer but she said to me, “Come back. Thank you.”

After I unloaded my groceries into my car and was driving down Buckner Boulevard, I began to pray loudly and with emotion:

“Oh God, may this woman know she has met a servant of the living God this night. May she know that a messenger from God has come to her this night. Stir up her heart and mind. May this night be the beginning of a search for her to learn about Jesus. Speak to her, O God, in dreams. I pray she will look for a Bible.

O God, I pray I will meet her around your throne one day. Maybe she will even remember this night, this conversation. O God, may this night be a divine encounter for her!”

Will you join me in praying for Megibre’s salvation?

- Jeff Gregory

God is Planning for Thee in Love

2010-11-10T13:30:00.000-06:00

Please remember that God is planning for thee in love. God is never capricious, never moody, and never experiments with us. He plans all things always in love. If there are wounds (and who of us can escape them?), then there is still balm in Gilead. If there is rejection, then we remember that all men rejected Him. We can still fill up the sufferings of Christ. Remember Madam Guyon's words:

A little bird I am, shut off from fields of air,
Content within my bed to lie,
Since God has placed me here;
Well pleased a prisoner to be
Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.

- Leonard Ravenhill

Keep on with your Work

2010-11-06T21:27:00.000-05:00

Keep about the work that God has given you. Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil's dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil's rabbits. Do your work. Let liars lie, let councils resolve, let the devil do his worst, but see to it that nothing hinders you from fulfilling the work that God has given YOU to do!

He has not commanded you to get rich. He has never bidden you to defend your character. He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood about yourself which Satan and his servants may start to peddle. If you do these things you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourselves and not for the Lord.

Keep at your work. Let your aim be steady as a star. You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded, and rejected. (You will not be the first!) But see to it with steadfast determination and unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life until you too can say: "I have finished the work which You gave me to do".

- from The Reformer

True and False Assurance and the "Carnal" Christian

2010-11-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

The real question we must face is this: What do we do with a host of our converts that are living like the Devil after they were 'saved' by going through our system? There are not too many choices and most of them are cures that are worse than the disease. Let me mention two errors that arise when we refuse to admit that something may be wrong with our system of giving assurance of salvation.

First of all, we can adopt the old view that these people were saved and then lost. Granted there are some texts that seem to teach that this is possible, but a careful examination of those texts plus an exegesis of many other texts will always lead us to conclude that no one will ever be truly saved and then lost.

The second error is of more recent origin and has deeply penetrated the church in our generation. It was invented by people who were unwilling to either examine their system or give up their doctrine of eternal security. I am referring to the Carnal Christian doctrine. I want to remind you of several things.

(1) This doctrine was a deliberate invention to protect the converts of an easy-believism gospel that had departed from the biblical gospel. Leaders could not blame their own system nor could they accept that a Christian could be saved and lost. Believing those two things forced them to find another answer to the problem and the Carnal Christian doctrine was the result. This doctrine enabled the proponents to protect (a) their easy-believism gospel, (b) the altar call and giving assurance to all who came, (c) the doctrine of eternal security of all who had been assured, and (d) the 'sure salvation' of their converts who did not live like real converts. Everybody and everything won except the truth of the gospel. The truth of the gospel was dragged through the streets.

(2) The Carnal Christian doctrine is less than 200 years old and was preceded by, and consciously brought about by, the people who rejected the preaching of both repentance and the lordship of Christ in evangelism. This doctrine was designed and promoted purely as a means of justifying the lack of true godliness among the converts of easy-believism.

(3) No Christian is totally carnal and likewise no Christian is totally spiritual. There are not two categories. A carnal Christian, meaning a person totally controlled by carnality even though truly saved, is a contradiction in terms. All Christians have carnal aspects in their life and likewise all Christians have spiritual aspects in their life.

A Fair and Honest Question

"But Mr. Reisinger, are you saying that we should never label people? Do you mean we should never tell anyone, 'You are saved' "?
That is exactly what I am saying. If you are honest, you will have to admit that since you cannot see a person's heart you cannot give him assurance that he has truly believed. Someone may say, "But I always make sure they are sincere." And how my friend, do you do that without looking into their heart? If you reply that you "always ask them if they are truly sincere," I will not bother to answer that silly statement.

Whether we like it or not, we are not in a position to say with perfect certainty that any one individual is either saved or lost! The most we can say of any person in an absolute sense is that they either do or do not make a profession of being a Christian. There are many people that appear to be truly lost and others that appear to be truly saved, but in both cases we cannot see the heart.

In my first pastorate there was a deacon who used to say, "Time and the Devil will tell." If someone got married and I said, "Ray, I believe that will be a good marriage," he would say, "Time and the Devil will tell." When someone made a confession of faith and I said, "I believe that is genuine," I would get the same "Devil will tell" routine. And do you know what happened in every case? Time and the Devil would show that sometimes we were right in our expectations, but other times we would see how very wrong we were. Let me give you a few biblical examples of this fact.

If we would have heard Peter curse and swear by the fire when he openly denied Christ, we would have concluded he was not a truly saved man, but at that moment Peter was a true believer.
If we would have heard Thomas utter his words of unbelief, we would have been sure he had no faith, but he did have saving faith.
We would have called David an adulterous and murdering hypocrite, but at that very moment he had the grace of God in his heart. (By the way, people often say, "David's sin of adultery and murder prove the doctrine of eternal security." That is nonsense. David's awful sin only proved that he was a sinner. The sincere repentance expressed in Psalm 51 is what proved the grace of God was in his heart.)
Likewise, if someone would have suggested that Judas was a phony and had his hand in the till, we would have protested and said, "He is a godly believer. You are misjudging him."

In all of these cases we would have been as wrong as can be.
I honestly believe the average fundamental church in our generation would have labeled Judas a "carnal Christian" who was eternally secure. They would have never let that rich young ruler get away. They would have "decisioned" him and made him a deacon within six months as well as chairman of the building committee.
- John Reisinger

The Darkened Mind

2010-11-04T12:53:00.000-05:00

No man will see truth clearly at all and truly believe it unless God first opens his eyes to see it.

I sit listening to two college professors over a cup of coffee discuss their work and the intricacies of academic life. It's obvious they are smart men intellectually. But what is also obvious is that they are self-confident, arrogant men. I desire to walk to their table and after introducing myself, say to them, "Gentlemen, is it at all real to you that one day soon you will stand before Jesus Christ, the Judge of the universe, and give account to Him for everything you've ever done and every word you've ever spoken. You will give account for every word in your classroom, every motive you've ever had, and every thought of your heart. Are you now ready to meet Him?" Such men, unless they are Christians, would think I was either a dinosaur or mentally imbalanced.

As I think about it, it is clear. Men's minds are so darkened, prideful and blind, they could sooner be persuaded that they could build a ladder to the moon with spagetti noodles than be persuaded of their personal accountability to God. Their darkened minds have convinced themselves He doesn't even exist. If they believe He exists at all, in is obvious that He is not pertinent to this life and will not factor at all in their death.

Men more easily believe there is life on other planets than believe they will stand before God one day.

Men more easily believe that they came from monkeys than from their Creator.

Men more easily believe they will be re-incarnated as a bug than that their soul is to live forever.

Men more easily believe they will cease to exist after death than that they will exist consciously in an eternal state.

Men more easily believe that life originated here by the arrival of aliens than that they were created.

Men more easily delude themselves into thinking everything will somehow be all right when they die than face the truth that they will perish in their sins.

Why will people more easily believe a lie than the truth? Because the natural mind is darkened. It is at enmity with God and wants to believe a lie. They don't want God to exist; they want Him gone and out of the picture as a non-factor. If they can delude themselves into believing the lie, then they are free from any personal responsibility and accountability.

What an awesome and terrifying prospect awaits the secular, proud man upon death--to awake in eternity, only to realize too late that all you denied IS true and all you believed is a lie. Then its too late, for the eternity condition is irreversibly set.

The most terrifying thought an unbeliever can have--"Hell is real and what if I am there forever?"

The second most terrifying thought--"My personal accountability to the living God--when I die, I will stand before God in judgment."

- Mack Tomlinson

"Behold, He Prays"

2010-11-03T13:24:00.000-05:00

Acts 9:11

Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven. The moment Saul began to pray, the Lord heard him. Here is comfort for the distressed, praying soul. Often a poor broken-hearted saint bends his knee, but can only utter his wailing in the language of sighs and tears. Yet that groan has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music. That tear has been caught by God and treasured in heaven. "Thou puttest my tears into thy bottle" implies that they are caught as they flow.

The praying soul, whose fears hinder his words, will be well understood by the Most High. He may only look up with misty eye, but prayer is the falling of a tear. Tears are the diamonds of heaven and sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah's court, numbered with the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high.

Do not think that your prayers, however weak or trembling, will be unregarded. Jacob's ladder is lofty, but our prayers shall lean upon the angel of the covenant and so will climb its starry rounds. Our God not only hears prayer, but also loves to hear it. "He forgets not the cry of the humble." True. He regards not high looks and lofty words. He cares not for the pomp and pageantry of kings and regards not the triumph and pride of man.

But wherever there is a heart big with sorrow or a lip quivering with agony, or a deep groan or penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open. He marks it down in the registry of His memory. He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up:

"Faith asks no signal from the skies,
To show that prayers accepted rise;
Our Priest is in His holy place,
And answers from the throne of grace."

- C. H. Spurgeon

Jesus and Sinners

2010-11-01T01:18:00.000-05:00

All that Jesus does for lost sinners, He does freely, out of pure pity, kindness, and love.

Yet we are always looking for something in ourselves--to encourage us! On the other hand, we tend to look at some sin committed by us--which discourages us. Whereas we should look only to Jesus. I want now, for a few minutes, to fix the eye of your mind on what Jesus does for sinners--how He acts toward them today.

Jesus calls the sinner. He says, "Come unto Me. Come, just as you are. Come, this moment. Come, for all that you need. Come, for all that you desire. Come, and be saved. Come, and I will satisfy you. Come, and commit all your concerns to Me, and I will make all things that occur, work together for your good."

Jesus receives the sinner when he comes. He receives every sinner, however base, vile, or unworthy he may be! He receives the sinner graciously--pardoning every sin, forgiving and forgetting all that he has done amiss, and treating him with the utmost kindness.

Jesus cleanses the sinner. In the fountain of His precious blood, and in the laver of His holy Word--He cleanses him from guilt and pollution--fitting him for holy service on earth, and for holier service in heaven. Nor is there any getting rid of guilt--but by His blood; nor of impurity--but by His Spirit working with His Word!

Jesus clothes the sinner. Cleansed from guilt and filth--we are clothed in His garments of salvation, and are covered with His robe of righteousness. All that is necessary for our honorable appearance in heaven among the glorified--He undertakes to provide.

Jesus feeds the sinner. Those who trust in Him, are completely nourished by Him. His flesh and blood becomes our daily food. We can no more live and be healthy, without nourishing food for the body--than we can live and be happy, without sweet and frequent nourishment from Christ. There is in the renewed soul--a craving for Christ, and it is never satisfied--but as it realizes His presence, meditates on His Word, or is solaced with His love!

Jesus employs the sinner. Having called, received, cleansed, clothed, and nourished him--He sets him to WORK. He gives him a cross to carry, and aplot in his vineyard to cultivate. He sends him to speak to others of His grace, and to manifest to others His temper and disposition. He sends him to thepoor widow's cottage, to the sick man's chamber, and to the ignorant soul's home--and says, "Feed them for Me; comfort them for Me; and teach them for Me!"

Jesus comforts the sinner. Yes, when he is depressed and discouraged, when he is low and cast down. He consoles by some special providence, by some seasonable portion of His Word, by the counsel of some friend, or by the sweet whispers of His Spirit.

Jesus assures the sinner. Assures him of His love to him, of a saving interest in His finished work, and of a title to heavenly mansions! When Jesusassures us--our doubts and fears depart, our unbelief is destroyed, and our souls are filled with peace and joy.

Jesus visits the sinner. He says, "I will come unto him." And He does come, and brings with Him--pleasant light, precious fruits, and joy and peace. He says, "I will come and sup with him--and he with Me." And He draws him out into such sweet, near and dear communion with Himself--that no costly meal, no delightful company--can be compared to it.

Jesus restores the sinner. For as astonishing as it may appear, it is nevertheless true--that we are prone to wander!

We leave light--for darkness!
We leave plenty--for poverty!
We leave joy--for sorrow!
We leave a paradise--for a desert!

And having wandered, we would never find our way back--if He did not come after us! But, blessed be His holy name--He does! And then He restoresour souls, and again feeds us in green pastures, causing us to lie down beside the still waters!

Jesus reproves the sinner. However He may spare our persons--He never spares our sins! He visits our transgressions with the rod, and our iniquitieswith stripes! His reproofs are often sharp. Cutting convictions, heavy losses, severe trials, perplexing troubles, bodily sickness, and painful bereavements--are some of the RODS which He employs. But however numerous and heavy His strokes--they are lighter than our guilt, and fewer than our sins! He deals with us as with sons. He chastens us for our profit--and to make us partakers of His holiness!

Jesus glorifies the sinner. Glorifies him with Himself--and confers on him an eternal weight of glory! What it is to be glorified--we do not fully know. At the least, it is to be freed from all that is sinful, painful, and degrading--and to be invested with all that is bright, beautiful, and blessed. It is to be made as likeJesus as possible, and to be with Him where he is forever!
O wondrous grace, of a wondrous Savior!
Believer, this precious Savior is yours!

Will you not love Him then?

Will you not bear witness to the power and sweetness of His love, to the joy and happiness that are found in His ways?
Will you not observe His statutes and keep His laws?

Will you not come out of the world, which is peopled by His enemies--and be separated to Him? Can you mingle with the carnal, and frequent places of worldly amusement? Must you go to the world to be gratified and amused?

Beware how you wound your precious Savior's loving heart!

- James Smith

A Trophy in our Hand

2010-10-29T11:54:00.000-05:00

We've got a race to run but we run it with a trophy in our hand. We've got a fight to fight but we fight it from a position of victory. We've got a work to do, but we work from a position of rest because of the finished work of Christ. We're in and we're accepted!

The other day I was talking to one young man in our church meeting and I said "Are you a Christian?" He said "No I'm not but I'm working on it" and I said, "Well I know what you mean but you know, you ought to do just the opposite. Quit your working and just run up the white flag of absolute unconditional surrender and trust the finished work of Christ.

- Bob Jennings

Wasting Time- Part 2

2010-10-20T14:12:00.002-05:00

One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.
- John Piper

I learned a long time ago not to say I don't have time for something.
- Chuck Todd

Wasting Time

2010-10-18T12:13:00.001-05:00

We must live for eternity. Every minute of time you waste you will not get back. If you waste your time, you will waste your life.

- Steve Lawson

Come and Dine

2010-10-18T12:03:00.000-05:00

"Jesus said unto them, Come and dine." - John 21:12

In these words, the believer is invited to a holy nearness to Jesus. "Come and dine" implies the same table and the same meat; sometimes it means to sit side by side and lean our head upon the Saviour's bosom. It is being brought into the banqueting house, where waves the banner of redeeming love. "Come and dine" gives us a vision of union with Jesus because the only food we can feast upon when we dine with Jesus is Himself. Oh, what union is this! It is a depth which reason cannot fathom, that we thus feed upon Jesus. "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him."

It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the saints. Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite; if we cannot all feel alike, we can all still feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes round, we pledge one another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are supported by the same heavenly manna. If we were more near to Jesus, we should be more near to one another.

We likewise see in the words the source of strength for every Christian. To look at Christ is to live, but for strength to serve him you must "come and dine." We labor under much unnecessary weakness on account of neglecting this precept of the Master. None of us need to put ourselves on a low diet. On the contrary, we should fatten on the marrow and fatness of teh gospel that we may accumulate strength therein, and urge every power to its full tension in the Master's service. So if you would realize nearness to Jesus, union with Jesus, love to his people and strength from him, then "come and dine" with him by faith.

- C. H. Spurgeon

Run to your Father

2010-10-16T11:37:00.000-05:00

"This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven" - Matthew 6:9

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" - 1 John 3:1

Beloved, we have a heavenly Father. He has adopted us into His family. He not only wears a father's name, but he has a father's heart. He loves every believer with a father's love. He watches over each of His children with a father's care. Yes, we have a Father, and He is always near us. His heart is ever disposed to do us good. He will not withdraw His eye from us!

He bids us to cast every care upon Him, to expect every blessing from Him, and to carry everything that troubles us, to Him.

Does providence frown on us, perplex, and trouble us? Let us not fret, complain, or forebode--but go and tell Father! Does Satan tempt, suggest evil thoughts, or endeavor to mislead us? Let us not parley with him, be alarmed at him, or yield to him--but go at once and tell Father!

Everything, whether painful or pleasant, should lead us to our Father in heaven. He loves to listen to our broken prayers. He loves to sympathize with us. He never chides us for coming too often, or refuses to listen to us. Happy child, who has such a Father!

And wise is that child who carries everything to his Father, who tells Him all, keeping nothing from Him. When we carry our cares or our troubles to Him, He says, "Leave them with Me. I will manage them. I will settle them."

Christian, run to your Father from every foe and from every danger! Tell your Father everything that vexes, grieves, or troubles you. Trust your Father to manage all your affairs. Honor your Father by consulting Him on all matters, by confiding to Him all your secrets, and by making His written Word your daily rule on all points.

"The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." With childlike simplicity, confidence, and honest hearts--they go and tell their Father!

- James Smith

Live on Your Knees

2010-10-14T23:01:00.000-05:00

Live on your knees. Anything that can be accomplished without prayer is not worth pursuing.

- Paul Washer

Our Master our Model: Represent Him

2010-10-13T19:02:00.001-05:00

"Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way." Titus 2:10

Christ enjoined upon every one of His disciples to study Him, to learn of Him, and to imitate His example. A true Christian is the representative of Christ in this world--the only embodiment of gospel teaching and influences, that is presented in human society. How vitally important is it, then, that those of us who profess and call ourselves Christians, should make our Christianity attractive! Multitudes of people know very little and think very little about the Lord Jesus; nearly all the ideas they get of His religion--is what they see in those who profess it!

An attractive Christian is the one who hits the most nearly that golden balance between love on the one hand and firmness on the other hand. He is strict, but not censorious. He is sound and yet sweet and mellow, as one who dwells much in the sunshine of Christ's countenance. He never incurs contempt by compromising with wrong nor does he provoke others to dislike of him by doing right in a very harsh or hateful or bigoted fashion.

Our Master is our model. What marvelous example of gentleness, forbearance, and unselfish love adorned His life! What He was is what we in our imperfect measure should pray and strive after. Study Jesus, brethren. Get your souls saturated with His spirit. His grace imparted to you and His example imitated can turn your deformity into beauty, and adorn your lives with those things which are true and honest and lovely. We must make our daily religion more attractive!

"Leaving you an example--that you should follow in His steps." - 1 Peter 2:21

- Theodore Cuyler

Praying Payson of Portland

2010-10-11T16:55:00.001-05:00

Edward Payson was born in 1783 to Seth Payson, a Congregational pastor in Rindge, New Hampshire. From an early age, his unusual intelligence was evident. By age 4, he was a proficient reader and his thirst for knowledge became a ruling passion in his life.
When Edward was 17, his father enrolled him at Harvard and he graduated in 3 years. His classmates ridiculed him, saying in jest that Payson had read every book in the Harvard library.
The death of his brother in 1804 ignited his conversion. It was a decisive change for the 21 year old. He wrote his mother about his new relationship with Christ: "I am so happy that I can hardly think about or write about anything else." Convinced that God had called him into the ministry, he began rigorous personal disciplines that would produce a great spiritual harvest. He rose early for prayer and Scripture reading. He immersed himself in good books by Jonathan Edwards and others, preparing himself for the calling he keenly felt God had on his life.
He began increasingly to enter into the life of prayer that later made him famous. "He prayed without ceasing," wrote his biographer, "he studied on his knees. Much of his time was spent prostrated with the Bible open before him, pleading the promises of God."
In 1807, Payson began pastoring the Congregational Church in Portland, Maine, where he served until his death in 1827. Such grace and power attended his preaching that three Congregational churches asked him to become their pastor. One even offered to build a new church building for the large crowds that waited to hear his preaching. A typical entry in his diary during this time reads: "What was preached seemed to come with power; many were in tears and all seemed stirred up, so that, though I went [to church] crushed down under discouragement, I came back rejoicing."
In 1811, Payson married Ann Louisa Shipman. They had eight children and their family was a model for godliness and was admired throughout New England.
Payson was an effective soul-winner and pastor. Unlike many churches today, his congregation did not grow primarily by disgruntled Christians transferring from other churches. He also did not consider a person to be converted just on the basis of his testimony alone. He, like other pastors of his generation, waited until the professed convert showed signs of spiritual fruit. Only then did they consider a person converted and would admit the person to the communion table.
In September, 1809, Payson wrote his mother: "At our last communion, we admitted 11 to the church and next Sabbath we shall admit 12 more. The appetite for hearing the truth seems insatiable and our assemblies are more crowded than ever. Many have joined us lately." This was typical of his experience. During the 20 years of his ministry, his church received more than 700 converts.
The first explanation is Payson's success at prayer. At 26, he wrote in his diary, "I was enabled to agonize in prayer for myself and the people, and to make intercession with unutterable groanings." He was given the nickname "Praying Payson." It has been said and documented that the wood floor at his bedside was worn down by his knees from regular times of prayer.
The second reason for his success was his emphasis on preaching. Payson believed that the proclamation of God's Word was his primary job. To this end, he labored in prayer and the Word of God many hours each day. Church affairs and counseling did not distract him until his time with God was satisfied.
Payson preached with great passion, love, and affection. He always sought, like Charles Simeon, "to rouse and humble them rather than to comfort them, for if they can be kept humble, comfort will follow."
As his preaching reputation grew, he received numerous invitations to preach in neighboring New England churches. Offers began to come from larger churches in New York City, but Payson refused them all. Ambitious for God alone, he remained loyal to the flock God had entrusted to his care.
After his death many tried to explain the power behind his preaching. "It was the eloquence of truth spoken in love," wrote his biographer, "The words seemed to come from his mouth encompassed by that glowing atmosphere that was in his heart, to brand their very impression in every heart upon which they fell."
God did not favor Payson with a long life. In his early 40's, his health began to fail. He suffered great pain for several months. As his suffering grew, so did his joy in God. He finally lost the use of his limbs. Although confined to a bed in pain, the joy of the Holy Spirit filled him. "I can find no words to express my happiness," he wrote to a friend, "I seem to be swimming in a rive of pleasure which is carrying me on to the great fountain." Payson died in the spring of 1827 and has since been remembered as Praying Payson of Portland.

- William Farley

Personal Disciplines of Private Prayer

2010-10-10T15:42:00.000-05:00

"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place and there he prayed. - Mark 1:35

There are no short cuts in the Christian life. Jesus had to do what was necessary to maintain his walk with the Father. He felt the need to pray and had to choose to do it.

He had spent the previous night at Peter’s house after the fullest day imaginable. He had begun that Sabbath morning in the temple, teaching and healing a demonized man, then headed to Peter's house probably for some rest and fellowship with the other men, only to find Peter's mother-in-law very ill with a fever. The Lord healed her completely, so that she arose and served them.

The day was not finished yet, for as the Sabbath was concluding at sunset, a great number of people from all over town came to the door of the house for help. Both the diseased and the demonized came for healing and deliverance and all went away free and whole.

So by the time the Lord went to sleep that evening at Peter's house, he must have been drained and somewhat exhausted. If anyone should have slept in, showing up for breakfast at 9:00 a.m., it should be Jesus after such a day.

But when Peter awoke, he could not find the Lord anywhere. Jesus was already gone to begin the new day. He had an appointment he wanted to keep.

He was up before the crack of dawn and had gone to a lonely quiet place to be alone. But he was not alone. He was with his Father. He was alone in the desert, isolated area just praying, long before the day light would reveal his form.

The Lord attached great importance to private prayer by his public teaching and his personal example. We see several things here about Jesus' prayer life.

1. A Time- “And rising early”- He had a time to do it; he chose a time and used that time. The exact time is not nearly as important as that we HAVE a time, which normally should be the least distracted and most appropriate time for us personally. Do you have a time that you go to private prayer? For some it is at 5:00 am and for others, that time is different. It is not the time of day that is critical, but rather that a time in the day somewhere is used for real and undistracted prayer.

2. A Discipline- “He went out”- Jesus had to chose to go out; he wasn't carried out by angels to the place; he got up and went out; we must follow his example and discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. It is a choice we must make. If there is no going out, there will be no communion with the Father. Jesus had to choose to do this and we must as well.

Do you go out somewhere to pray? Is there a principle in your heart to go and be alone? Time with the crowd and time with others will rob us of going out to be with our Father in heaven. We must get up and get out there.

3. A Place- "to a desolate place"- Jesus got alone where he could really be alone. For him it was necessary to completely withdraw. The principle is to get really alone where no one will bother you; it may be your backyard, the nearest park, your car in the drive way, or a nearby lake or cemetery. Get to a place where you are really alone. Why did our Lord do this? It was necessary and it was desirable- "to a desolate place."

4. For Solitude- “to a desolate place” means a place of solitude. Really withdrawing to that lonely place brings with it solitude that no place of noise can provide. It means being away from all other people. If we cannot take withdrawing from other people to be alone, then we will never enjoy private communion with God. We must be weaned from men to be give to time alone with God. This is the challenge. Some people spend more time on FaceBook than they do in private prayer because earthly friendships are more real and needed than intimacy with God. If we know others more closely than we know our Saviour, something is definitely wrong. If we are unwilling to be socially weaned from men, we will remain spiritually lean. Do we know what it means to have solitude in a desolate place?

5. The Action- “and there he prayed”- he prayed; Jesus did not just read about prayer in the Old Testament. He didn't just teach about prayer. He didn't run to every weekend seminar there was about prayer or head to Barnes & Nobles to get the newest best-seller on prayer. No- He just prayed. He got up, went out to a specific place that was the best setting for Him to have private prayer and "THERE HE PRAYED".

Better to have a B in a college class and have a prayer life than an A and no prayer life.

Better to have an untidy house with prayer than a perfect house without prayer.

Better to have 5 things undone on your errand list than have an undone prayer life.

There are no short-cuts to spiritual growth and maturity. We can read the best books, go to every good conference, listen to the finest preaching, and be in the best church possible. But if we are not following our Lord's example he has given us in his prayer life, then we will never know the communion with God that could be ours- "And there He prayed."

- Mack Tomlinson

Live Like We're Dying

2010-10-09T19:34:00.000-05:00

We should live in such a condition as we would be content to die in.

- Richard Sibbes

From a Welsh Pastor

2010-10-08T15:14:00.001-05:00

I went hoping that my satellite navigation system would work for the third time that day. It took me to a 7.30 Bible Rally on the other side of the town where I have been preaching once a year for over 40 years. It starts each September, and the tradition for years was that Dr. Lloyd-Jones preached at the opening meeting to a packed gathering. There was a network of those gatherings across England and Wales, and people attending them during the 60s said to one another, “Why can’t we have biblical preaching like this every Sunday?” A number of congregations commenced directly from such rallies and then the rallies ceased, their function over. Chippenham is one of the few that still goes on having started in the forties. I suppose it is like the Pensacola Institute in Florida which encouraged free grace theology and preaching in the South and then it had served its function and died.

On Sunday we had just a few new students in church. Slim pickings so far especially among the women students. We will get a better picture of who is going to settle in the congregation over the next couple of Sabbaths. The Christian Union has been organizing freshers’ welcome meetings this past week. They planned a barbecue on the beach on Saturday night, and they catered for 1000 students. Think of it! Over 500 turned up, but it turned out to be one of those pre-evangelistic occasions with the theme, “A Christian Union exists at the University.” There was no message. I reckon that was a wasted opportunity.

Then on Monday there was the ‘Grub Crawl.’ Almost 100 students, maybe a third non-Christians, began the evening at the Salvation Army and had the first little ‘starter’ of fruit juice. My friend Ray Hobbin who leads that work prayed for them there. Then they walked to us – five minutes - and we had 8 different delicious soups to offer them as the second course. They stayed for over half an hour and then I stood on top of a chair and told them what we did in our church – preach Jesus Christ, incomparable in his birth, his life and preaching, no one died like him, and no one rose from the dead as he did. How profitable our Lord is for knowledge, for motivating us to God-honouring living and in giving life a purpose. I spoke to them for ten minutes and then they applauded. It is the only meeting in the year at which I am applauded and that is a blessing isn’t it? They do it each year. They left us for the Anglicans where they had the main course, sausages, casserole and potatoes. The new curate told them about the church and the services, but there was no gospel. On they went to little Elim for the pudding course – loadsacake. No message but all kinds of people from the small membership came to welcome them, old people, and families with children. Finally they ended up in Holy Trinity Anglicans with lots of deserts especially magnificent home-made fudge, and coffee, but some said that they were already too full to eat much. There was no message. I don’t understand preachers missing an opportunity to speak to scores of unconverted students about the Saviour.

Friday, after our 7 a.m. prayer meeting I took the 9.30 train to Scotland, preaching in Glasgow at a Bible Rally in the South Glasgow Baptist church where Jeff Wright pastors – we almost share the same name, and we do share the same birthday. I had not been preaching at one of those rallies for at least seven years, but someone could tell me the text on which I preached on that occasion. I am glad it was not the text I preached on this night. John J. Murray was there and that was an extra treat. We always enjoy sweet fellowship. So then it was home to Jeff’s and good crack until midnight. I was up at 5.30 on Saturday morning and Jeff drove me to the station for the 6.30 train that got me back to Aberystwyth at 1.30.p.m. I enjoyed reading Peter Hitchens’ The Rage Against God, and John Newton’s letters, Wise Counsels, and the autobiography of Cathie Macrae which John J. Murray gave me. But then I discovered that I had mislaid my pocket diary with all my bookings for the next 3 or 4 years. I have searched everywhere and called Glasgow but they cannot find it there. I hope a good Samaritan will return it to me and be suitably rewarded. I feel a real idiot for such a lapse; it is an enormous humbling. I can say with Whitefield, “I bless God for my stripping seasons. Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.”

The first Sunday in October, when I expected congregations to return to normal, was another minor disappointment, a day heavy with rain, there were two dozen folk still away and some students who had been with us last week were off a church hopping, displaying the woeful religious consumerism of our age. So I have another week or two to wait before the early autumn vacationers return and settle down and we grow together in knowledge over the next six months. Of course there were encouragements, blessing in the services, and at the Students’ Welcome at the close of the evening Rhodri Brady spoke about what a student’s priorities should be – growing in holiness basically. We were a dozen back at the Manse for the close of the day and I photocopied 8 pages from John Owen’s paperback on Temptation and we read aloud a paragraph each in a circle and then made comments. It is extraordinary reading, vital, racy, engaging, lucid, challenging and exhorting. There is no Christian writing like it today. What an impoverishment not to enter this world. It is so biblical and spiritual.

Monday morning four of us men went to the Owain Glyndwr square in the middle of Aberystwyth where the two banks are, and engaged in some street evangelism offering leaflets to passers by. Rhodri again is particularly gifted in this work. He can talk to the elderly and the young. He was saying to me how most people will say that they are Christians, and then he will ask them whether they are born again and so often the reply mirrors Nicodemus’ who first heard that term. One man smiling said to him, “My mother would not like that.” I had a long happy conversation with an Indian student who has just arrived in Aber. to do a Master’s degree in creative writing. She was not a Hindu, has gone to church in the past and I hope she will come to church next Sunday.

We had help from two men who are in the town involved in an evangelistic outreach given a grandiose title, something like The Walk of a 1000 Men. A number of men had walked along the 100 mile border of England and Wales a decade ago stopping each night, holding a meeting and evangelizing en route. This year they were walking the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and the Cardiganshire Coastal Path. They have been doing this for two weeks, and now a new group are in Aberystwyth for the final week, 134 of them. I thought I could enlist their services to help us this morning, and they delegated two men both called Peter who stood on the street corners with us four and gave out our church literature. I guess that means some will say I supported the event, but I took advantage of it to stir myself up. Theirs is a broad based contemporary evangelism which I cannot support, decisionistic, e.g. reading aloud a religious response from a piece of paper, “Now I receive Christ . . .” They have a conjurer and escapologist who did a trick ‘for the children’ in St Michael’s church on Sunday. They have a street artist. They end with a rally and an appeal to raise a hand or come to the front and that is in the University Great Hall on Saturday, but I have not announced it. Nothing in Scripture indicates that the church should lure people to Christ by presenting Christianity as an attractive option. The presence of these men in the locality has just been a providential catalyst to encourage our autumn outreach to the town. Six of their men came to our Men’s Prayer Breakfast at 8 on Saturday and they stayed for 45 minutes and talked about their own lives and the Lord saving them. It would be unthinkable that local naïve Christians should judge that I and our congregation are not committed to evangelism.

Last week I had a sweet anonymous gift through the post. The parcel contained 24 CDs of the conductor Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic playing many of the great classical symphonies. The accompanying letter said,

“It has now been 3 years since I 'stumbled' upon one of your sermons on the internet. Since then I have both listened and read, more often read, your sermons on a weekly basis. Sometimes I have found myself reading at least 4 or 5 in a week. They have consistently challenged, rebuked, instructed, convicted, encouraged, and comforted me. Always pointing to the Saviour Jesus. What has been most striking is how grounded in reality they are. We are brought not only to the think of the Glory of Christ and the blessings in the heavenly places, but this is wonderfully tied in with the nitty gritty of our daily lives and struggles, both within and out with the church fellowship. Perhaps this is because you have remained in a pastoral role for such a long time.

“Expository preaching has often become simply explaining the meaning of a text. I am not a well read man, nor am I theologically trained, however I have often thought preaching is more than that. It is certainly not less than explaining the meaning but when one's heart has been gripped as well as our minds then something changes. What place do the emotions have in the sermon hearer? I don't know. But I do know when my affections have been touched as well as my thinking challenged it always drives me to the Saviour in praise or repentance. Usually both. In saying this I always thank the Lord for all His servants who are faithfully labouring in the Gospel. Particularly those who receive little acclamation, if any at all, and remain unknown for the vast majority of their lives and ministry. Despite this they still love the Saviour and count every day of service a delight.”

I was very moved and hope you will not be thinking I am bragging (though I don’t know my own heart) but realize that the 700 printed sermons on our church website are touching a worldwide congregation.

Warmly from Wales

- Geoff Thomas

Ravenhill on the Canadian Revival

2010-10-07T16:51:00.001-05:00

(This is from the City Editor of the Winnipeg, Manitoba Free Press, writting in Decision Magazine in March, 1972; his article was entitled 'Quickening in Canada'. The editor goes north in zero degree weather and observes that revival has "warmed things up."

" I had long known about the revival for two weeks, having read the excellent accounts in Christianity Today, but was not sure how to handle the story in 'Decision.' I telephoned Saskatoon and learned that the evangelists, the Suteras twins, had gone to Regina, and the Ebenezer minister, the Reverend Bill L. McLeod, was in Winnipeg: but the Saskatoon meetings were continuing each night. Then I received a letter from a friend who is a world authority on revival, Leonard Ravenhill, in Nassau, Bahamas.

He wrote back: "Dear Woody, when meetings last until 2 and 3 a.m. -- when couples tear up their divorce papers before 1,800 people -- when the chief of police says there is a rash of crime-confessing -- when shopkeepers say they are staggered by the number of people confessing their shoplifting -- when lawyers and psychologists get saved -- when church members confess they have been living in sin -- when all this and more happens night after night for weeks -- then one can say there is a touch of revival. Hop a plane, my brother, and get a 'foretaste of Glory divine.'

That seemed to be the summons I was waiting for, so I flew to Winnipeg on December 15, 1971 and attended services that evening in Elim Chapel..."

The Final End of Saul and Solomon

2010-09-29T12:57:00.000-05:00

I received the following from a dear friend after he read the Daily Thoughts this week on Solomon and I sent him the following reply.

[Hey Mack,

The thoughts you put forth on Solomon commanded my attention. From the once-saved-always-saved sect I came from, this truth is real. It is emphasized that we are "Kept by the power of God", yet we must persevere; a mystery indeed, yet like sovereignty and responsibility, it is all still very true.
So Solomon's end seems similiar to King Saul; were they saved for heaven? I am asked occasionally. I tend to answer "take heed brethren lest by unbelieving heart you fall." Indeed press on in the faith.

love you much, Mack ]

My Reply

Good morning, brother;

Insightful thoughts here from you on this issue of Saul and Solomon.

We always want to know definitely, don't we, the end about some of these things and people in the Bible; I am not sure the Bible answers it always dogmatically for us. One key, I believe, is to view the person in the final light of the way the Bible pictures them; what kind of picture does it paint of one's end? In other words, how does Scripture seem to want us to view the person's state at the end of their life? Regarding men like Judas and Demas, the Bible does not leave their end as a positive thing in our minds; it (the Bible) wants us to see them in a final negative light.

Saul seems clearly to be this way; at first, he was given a new heart, not in a regenerational way that made him truly know and loved God savingly, but a heart to rule and govern Israel as a temporal leader. But his final end is abrupt and worsens as the end comes- God gives him a demon, etc, and he dies violently in a context of judgment, not mercy. He does not die the death of the righteous, but of the wicked. We are never led by Scripture to view Saul in a redemptive way.

Solomon, on the other hand, though he had this great mess-up and stumbled, it seems that Ecclesiastes was his final legacy, where he shows all the vanity he gave himself to for a period of times, and then gives evidence through his writing that he returned to God and viewed it all properly.

But a more definitive word about Saul and Solomon is a lynch-pin that, I believe, nails it for us. In 2 Samuel 7:15, the Lord directly speaks to David about both Saul and Solomon and tells us the difference between them.

Speaking of Solomon, God says to David, "But my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you." (2 Sam. 7:15)

This seems to clarify it for us with finality. God loved Solomon in a saving, redemptive, and permanent (if we can use that word) way that He clearly did not have for Saul. If words have meaning, God's own testimony is that He removed or took away His love or positive mercies toward Saul.

This does not eliminate all the mystery, but I feel it clarifies the final end of both men. And you are right in your final analysis. Whether we understand it all or not, our response must be, "Press on to know the Lord regardless of what anyone else does." This reminds me of Luke 13:23-24, when someone asked Jesus, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" Most Christians today would give a definitive reply, "Yes or no, I don't think so. " But Jesus' reply is completely different. His simple answer is, "Strive to enter through the narrow door." If someone asked us, "How many people do you think will be in heaven?" would we say to them, "Just make sure you strive to enter into that narrow door."

Hope this helps somewhat. Great is the mystery of godliness, and great still is the mystery of much of the Bible.

Love you too, brother.

Your brother and friend,

-Mack

A Lesson from Solomon's Life

2010-09-28T16:51:00.001-05:00

It is amazing that Solomon could lay out all the principles and commandments for living as he did in Proverbs and other writings. He was not only the King of Israel, but also the King of "principles" by which to live, one-liner precepts such as:

- Watch what you do in this kind of situation

- Watch out for this kind of person and avoid them

- Listen to this kind of wise person

- Do this in these circumstances

- Behave in this way

- Avoid this kind of situation

- Be careful with this and watch out for that

Good counsel? Absolutely; the way of life? Absolutely!

Solomon was the king of the one-liners, as far as counsel and principles to live by; no one ever exceeded him in earthly, relationship wisdom.

YET we see the end of this man, who knew every truth and every principle to live by.

"Now King Solomon loved many foreign women . . . . from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, 'You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn your heart after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God. . . . so Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord . . . then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammorites on the mountain east of Jerusalem. So he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrified to their gods." (1 King 11: 1-8)

Solomon had almost as many relationships with women as Bayer has aspirin. [ So much for the modern interpretation of the Song of Solomon that popular Bible teachers are touting, which teaches that the book is not about Christ and the church, but rather is a book of sacred romance between one man and one woman- Solomon, the perfect lover of one woman- are you kidding me? Its about Christ and his bride- don't ever believe anything different. ]

This reality does not remove the exceptional gifting God put in his life nor does it negate the wisdom of Proverbs and Ecclesiates. But it does tell us that even the greatest or most knowledgeable person is still susceptible to tragic destruction if they do not keep walking with a heart of obedience to God daily. Knowledge or past experience does not preserve a person in the future. The strongest man, Samson, was captured by sin; the great-heart David was captured by sin; the wisest man who ever lived--Solomon--was captured by sin. If sin brings down the best, can it not easily get the rest?

Here's this man with all the knowledge ever needed, who also had personal, direct, and audible revelations of God Himself on more than one occasion. But Solomon's wisdom in earthly matters, even all the practical principles for life and relationships, did not keep him. Why?

Because this man, who could lay out all the commandments and teach principles in a way far beyond anyone who ever lived--his heart was far from God. So much for trusting in your knowledge or theology.

What's the lesson for us from Solomon?

What we know cannot preserve us ultimately. It is God Himself, Christ Himself, that is the Preserver of our lives. Our hearts must be His daily or we too can be gradually given over to the creeping and snaring consequences of subtle sin.

What you know cannot keep you; It's Who you know. Solomon would write another book on that if he could.

- Mack Tomlinson

People-Pleasing Preachers Won't Please God

2010-09-27T01:49:00.000-05:00

In all generations, useful preachers of the gospel have been objected to by part of their community. Mere chips in the porridge may escape censure and mildly win the tolerance of indifference. But decided worth will be surrounded with warm friends and red-hot foes. He who hopes to preach, so as to please everybody must be brand new in the ministry. The one who aims at such an object would do well speedily to leave the ministry.

- C. H. Spurgeon

For the Fame of His Name

2010-09-25T23:24:00.001-05:00

I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love (vs. 7). For he said, 'Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.' And he became their Saviour (vs. 8). In all their affliction, he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old (vs. 9) . . . . . like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name (vs. 14). - Isaiah 63:7-9, 14

Some passages yield more pure gold than others when memorized and meditated upon. Isaiah 63 is one of those gold mines of Scripture. If you dig in, you will come out with some precious gems.

Here Isaiah "recounts" God acts of love, kindness and mercy. He remembers all the Lord has granted to Israel in his great goodness that comes from the sheer compassion of Jehovah. What kind of recounts does the prophet do?

1. God making and naming unworthy people as "His people"- (vs. 7)

2. He became their Saviour (vs. 8)

3. In all their affliction, he is also afflicted (vs. 9)

4. The angel of his presence saved them (vs. 9)

5. He redeemed them ( vs. 9)

6. He lifted them up (vs. 9)

7. He carried them all their days (vs. 9)

8. He gave them rest (vs14)

9. He led them (vs. 14)

A good count, when you think about it. Isaiah recounts all these acts of God specifically. The questions arises: Why would God be so good and loving to a bad people? There's none good, no not one. Israel was not. What motivates God to pour out gracious acts which have to be numbered and recounted, so as to be able even to recognize them?

We have all heard silly songs that say, "What did I ever do to deserve even one of the blessings You've shown?" "Why would God love me?" "What did He see in me?"

Those who write such songs or ask such questions simply don't get it. Here's the answer. God did not see anything in us. Nothing, nada, zip, zero, absolutely nothing. The only thing that would have been there to see was sin. He saw nothing but sin and filth and pollution.

So what's the answer? Or is there an answer? Some say, "No, there is not an answer as to why God loved us and has acted so graciously. It cannot be known."

Wrong answer-- Isaiah tells us why in vs. 14-- "to make for yourself a glorious name."

He does it all--for the fame of His name. Reason enough. That's why God does all that He does.

God did it first for his glory, for the fame of his name, and not for us. He always does. He does all things for his glory, sometimes showing mercy on the most unworthy of people and sometimes executing judgment on people that deserve judgment as much as the people who receive mercy. Those who receive mercy deserve judgment just as much as those who receive judgment. Judgment is deserved by all and mercy is deserved by none. Whether showing mercy or judgment, God is glorified.

When have you and I last recounted God's mercies? That's a good math problem to work on. We will never solve it. Numbers don't go high enough for us to be able to solve the problem. Far too many mercies.

But we can join Isaiah in saying, "I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love." That's you and me. Christ has done all He has done for us for the fame of his name. So let us recount those mercies regularly.

- Mack Tomlinson

"Accepted in the Beloved." - Ephesians 1:16

2010-09-23T15:58:00.001-05:00

What a state of privilege! It includes our justification before God. But the term "acceptance" in the Greek means more than that. It signifies that we are the objects of divine complacence, nay, even of divine delight. How marvellous that we worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of divine love! But it is only "in the beloved." Some Christians seem to be accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension. When their spirit is lively and their hopes bright, they think God accepts them, for they feel so high, so heavenly minded, so drawn above the earth! But when their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims of the fear that they are no longer accepted.

If they could but see that all their high joys do not exalt them, and all their low despondencies do not really depress them in their Father’s sight, but that they stand accepted in One who never changes, in One who is always the beloved of God, always perfect, always without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. How much happier they would be, and how much more they would honour the Saviour! Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art accepted "in the beloved.

You look within, and say, "There is nothing acceptable here!" But look at Christ, and see if there is not everything acceptable there. Thy sins trouble thee; but God has cast thy sins behind his back, and thou art accepted in the Righteous One. You fight with corruption, and wrestle with temptation, but you are already accepted in him who has overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts you; be of good cheer, he cannot destroy you, for you are accepted in him who has broken Satan’s head. Know by full assurance thy glorious standing. Even glorified souls are not more accepted than you are. They are only accepted in heaven "in the beloved", and thou art even now accepted in Christ after the same manner.

- C. H. Spurgeon

God Rejoices over his People

2010-09-21T15:54:00.000-05:00

"I will rejoice over them to do them good." - Jeremiah 32:41

How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints!

How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God’s people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us.

We do not read anywhere that God delighted in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that he delights in the habitable parts of the earth, and that his delights are with the sons of men. We do not find it written that even angels give his soul delight; nor doth he say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, “Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee”; but he does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, but saved, exalted, and glorified by his grace. In what strong language he expresses his delight in his people!

Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, “He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” As he looked upon the world he had made, he said, “It is very good”; but when he beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus’ blood, his own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvellous declaration of his love, and sing, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation?”

- C. H. Spurgeon

Serious Preaching in a Comedy Culture- Part 2

2010-09-20T01:52:00.000-05:00

The Preacher's Message

The third argument for serious preaching is the preacher’s message. There is no more serious message in the world than the face that we are sinners on the way to divine judgment and eternal damnation in hell.

Is there not good news, though? Yes, but even the divine remedy to our desperate plight demands awe and reverence. We preach Christ crucified, the power and wisdom of God. But who can stand in the shadow of that God-forsaken, cursed tree and tell a joke? Even hardened soldiers changed their tune there (Matt. 27:54).

Is there not joy in believing? Yes, but it is joy in believing, not joy in jokes. It is spiritual joy, not carnal. And even when we believe, and rejoice, it is always tempered by the new perspective we have on those who are still perishing. Richard Baxter said: 'Let the awful and important thoughts of souls being saved by my preaching, or left to perish and be condemned to hell by my negligence, I say, let this awful and tremendous thought dwell ever upon your spirit.' In the light of this, should we not join with Solomon who 'said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?' (Eccl. 2:2).

The Preacher’s Fruit

Fourth, consider the preacher’s fruit. What was the effect of New Testament sermons? The first post-resurrection sermon had this effect: 'And fear came upon every soul' (Acts 2:43). Paul describes the impact the Word of God should have on a visitor to our church services upon hearing God’s Word: '. . . he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth' (1 Cor. 14:24-25). Though we don’t see much of that today, it was certainly present in times of revival through church history

"But if I stop making people laugh, people will stop coming to church." Yes, some will stop. But what is more important, having more people in our churches, or doing more good? Here is wise Solomon’s answer:

"It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity" (Eccl. 7:2-6).
The Preacher’s World
Fifth, there is the preacher’s world. On the one hand we are living in a world full of suffering, sorrow and pain. Is comedy appropriate when there are deeply wounded and hurting souls in our congregation? On the other hand, we are living in a world full of vanity, frivolity, and superficiality. Is more comedy really what’s needed to make people think more deeply and carefully? James says the way to truly heal and help people is to aim at conviction and repentance:

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:8-10).

Paul also says that in the light of sin, inappropriate foolish talking and jesting should be replaced with giving of thanks (Eph. 5:3-4).

Conrad Murrell used to lace his sermons with comedy. However, God convicted him that in the light of the world we live in, it was completely out of place. He writes:

"Evil is upon us. We are under sentence of death. Our children are being lost to drugs, immorality, drunkenness, despair, lawlessness and suicide. Our parents grow older and are slipping into hell. Our brothers and sisters carelessly let their lives slip by oblivious to their eternal destruction. Churches decay. False prophets deceive the people. Lies prevail. Truth is trodden under foot. The saints cry for bread. Add to this all the physical suffering, torment, starvation, political and social oppression in this world. What is funny? Where is the humour in all this reality? Is there anything any more incongruous than dying humanity hee-hawing itself to hell? How much laughter do you hear in a funeral parlor where a child lies after being run down by a drunk driver? How many comedians perform on death row in a prison house? If the world may laugh while it goes to hell, certainly Christians may not. They may be blind, but we are not. Distress may drive a fool to jesting, but it drives a Christian to his knees."

John Angell James wrote a book arguing for a more 'earnest' ministry. He holds up a high standard:

"It is hard to conceive how earnestness and spirituality can be maintained by those whose tables are covered, and whose leisure time is consumed, by the bewitching inspirations of the god of laughter. There is little hope of our arresting the evil except we make it our great business to raise up a ministry who shall not themselves be carried away with the torrent; who shall be grave, without being gloomy; serious, without being melancholy; and who, on the other hand, shall be cheerful without being frivolous, and whose chastened mirthfulness shall check, or at any rate reprove, the excesses of their companions. What a demand does this state of things prefer for the most intense earnestness in our Sabbath day exercises, both our prayers and our sermons! In this modern taste we have a new obstacle to our usefulness of a most formidable kind, which can be subdued only by God's blessing upon our fidelity and zeal."

It might also help us to remember the suffering parts of the body of Christ. I spent some time with the church in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s. The Hungarian and Romanian churches were just emerging from decades of persecution. I don’t recall one joke in any of these sober gatherings. Though our part of Christ’s body presently enjoys times of unprecedented prosperity and comfort, let’s remember that other parts of the same body, North Korean parts, Chinese parts, Sudanese parts are being attacked, wounded, tortured, and even 'amputated.'

The Preacher’s Bible

My sixth argument against comedy in preaching is the preacher’s Bible. The Bible never uses 'laughter' in the sense of comedy. Yes, there is some irony, satire, ridicule, and derision. There are a few word-plays and puns. But, of the 33 times 'laugh' and 'laughter' occur in the Old Testament, they are used in a good and positive sense only four times, and then to describe joy rather than laughter. The other 29 times usually speak of scorn or unbelieving derision. They are never used to describe anything funny. In the New Testament we find 'laugh' and 'laughter' only five times, only one of which is in a positive sense (Luke 6:2). Three of these times, the laughter is in scorning Christ. The nearest we find to 'joke, fun, funny, humour or amuse' in the Bible is 'foolish talking, jesting, fool, foolishness, merry or merriment.' Only the last two of these are ever used in any good and positive sense, and that is in reference to joy and rejoicing in the blessings of the Lord.

The Preacher’s God

Seventh, and last, think about the preacher’s God. The third commandment requires that we use anything associated with God carefully and reverently. The Westminster Larger Catechism puts it like this:

"The third commandment requires that the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the Word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, and writing . . ."

And no wonder! Consider the reactions of Job, Isaiah, and Daniel when they came 'face-to-face' with God (Job 42:5-6, Isa. 6:5, Dan. 10:17). And even Christ’s most intimate friend almost died when he met the glorified Christ on Patmos (Rev. 1:17).

Perhaps none of these arguments taken apart are convincing. But taken together the cumulative effect surely persuades us to more serious preaching in our comedy culture.

- David Murray

Serious Preaching in a Comedy Culture- Part 1

2010-09-18T11:23:00.001-05:00

Since coming to North America, I’ve preached in a number of different churches. A few times I’ve been taken aback by laughter in response to something I’ve said in my sermon. The first time it happened, I froze on the spot. I could hardly go on. I was stunned. In Scotland, I never cracked a joke in the pulpit. It would not even cross my mind to try to make people laugh. That was just not done in most Reformed churches. Yet, now, the same words, said in the same way, create laughter!

A few months ago I heard a well-known preacher give an address on a very serious subject to a large conference. He started by speaking of his own sinful inadequacy. But as he confessed his sinfulness, laughter erupted. The speaker was startled. He tried again. The result was the same. He eventually said that he could not understand the reaction, abandoned his introduction, and just got started on his address.

In some ways, none of this should surprise us. We live in a comedy-saturated culture. Evening television pumps out a steady diet of comedy programming night after night. Sit-coms dominate the ratings. The big TV names are comedians like Jay Leno, David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, who take the daily news and turn it into a series of jokes.

But we don’t need to go to the 'world' to find a comedy culture. I’m afraid this culture has influenced the church. If we tune into some of the most popular preachers, even Reformed preachers, we find their sermons peppered with jokes. Many preachers now seem to think that they cannot begin to preach without 'softening up' their hearers with a little bit of stand-up comedy. So, in many ways, we cannot blame just the hearers. Preachers mix the most solemn of subjects with silly asides, so that people do not know whether to laugh or cry. I heard one famous preacher asking for prayer about a particular weakness in his life. He then said a couple of funny things about this weakness. Eventually, no one knew if he was seriously asking for prayer, or just making a joke.

A Plea for Serious Preaching

So this is a plea for serious preaching in this comedy culture. Notice that I am talking about serious preaching, not life in general. Laughter is a gift of God and is good for us. There is 'a time to laugh' (Eccl. 3:4). There are known health benefits of having a good laugh. It reduces stress and blood pressure, helps the digestive system, etc. But I am speaking here about preaching, not life in general. The appropriate subjects and degrees of laughter in everyday life is another topic.

I’m also going to exclude theological lectures and seminars from this address. These are grey areas and deserve separate treatment. I want to keep our focus on preaching: the public, authoritative declaration of God’s Word to needy sinners.

Notice also that this is a plea for serious preaching. This is not an argument for dull, boring, predictable, unimaginative or lethargic preaching. Preaching should be energetic, lively, interesting, creative and joyful. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that 'a dull preacher is a contradiction in terms; if he is dull he is not a preacher. He may stand in a pulpit and talk, but he is certainly not a preacher.'

I will support my plea for serious preaching with seven arguments. Then I will briefly consider four arguments that are often made in support of humour in preaching.

The Preacher’s Examples

My first argument for serious preaching in a comedy culture is the preacher’s examples. What words come to mind when you think of Old Testament preachers like Enoch, Noah, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, and Jeremiah? 'Funny?' 'Light-hearted?' 'Humourous?' Or, 'Sober . . . solemn . . . grave?' What about the New Testament apostles? Are there any jokes in the apostolic sermons of the Acts of the Apostles? At one point Paul was accused of being mad. His reply? 'I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness' (Acts 26:25). What was Paul’s description of his ministry? 'And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power' (1 Cor. 2:3-4).

And what about the Lord Jesus himself? Can you imagine the Sermon on the Mount producing the kind of uproarious laughter we find in some churches today? If we took our models of preaching from the Bible, we would have more sober pulpits.

The Preacher’s Office

Second, serious preaching is demanded by the preacher’s office. The preacher is an ambassador of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20), speaking to sinners in his name and in his place. Our message and manner should be such that Christ can say of us: 'He that heareth you, heareth me' (Luke 10:16). When we speak in Christ’s name we are not just saying, 'This is what Christ says,' we are saying, 'This is what Christ is like.' And let’s take our ambassadorial model from Christ’s day, not ours. Unlike today’s ambassadors, who are often men of high society, wit and repartee, the ambassador of Paul’s day was usually on a life or death mission. Upon his words hung the fate of thousands. How much more serious is our mission, upon which hangs heaven or hell. William Perkins wrote:

"Filled with a reverent sense of the majesty of God, we will speak soberly and with moderation. The minister must also be worthy of respect for his constancy, integrity, seriousness and truthfulness."

- David P. Murray

Christ of the Upward Way

2010-09-17T11:51:00.001-05:00

Christ of the upward way, my guide divine,
Where thou has set thy feet, may I place mine;
And move and march wherever thou hast trod,
Keeping face forward up the hill of God.

Give me a heart to hear thy voice and will,
That without fault or fear I may fulfill
thy purpose with a glad and holy zest,
Like one who would not bring less than his best.

Give me eyes to see each chance to serve,
Then send me strength to rise with steady nerve;
And leap at once with kind and helpful deed,
To the sure succor of a soul in need.

Give me the good stout arm to shield the right,
And wield thy sword of truth with all my might,
That in the warfare I must wage for thee,
More than a victor I may ever be.

Christ of the upward way, my guide divine,
Where Thou hast set Thy feet, may I place mine;
And when Thy last call comes, serene and clear,
Calm may my answer be, "Lord, I am here."

- Walter Mathams

What Missionaries Often Face- Part 2

2010-09-15T12:45:00.001-05:00

This is a follow up report from Sean Reece in Africa from earlier in the week.

I write this email with a certain degree of sadness. I was so confident this morning that I would be writing tonight to tell you how our God triumphed mightily over the enemy's resistance. I will still write that email someday, but not today. We have been deeply touched by the outpouring of emails reassuring us of your prayers, and the encouraging news that our needs have been posted on websites, prayer chains, and even daily devotionals. Shannon had a fitting description of the battle this morning: we may be the Marines actually assaulting the beach, but we won't go far without artillery and air support. As we drove to Mwandi this morning, we truly felt that we were not riding into battle alone. Thank you!

I'll get the unpleasant news out of the way. The enemy switched tactics again. No open attacks through our chief or the Kuta; just simple old delay tactics. We must be in Lusaka tomorrow to pick up the Glass brothers from HeartCry. Therefore, we could not come to the Kuta from the bush camp and transport our chief and headman ourselves. We had to come from Livingstone and meet the village leaders in Mwandi. Our dear friend Gavin Johnson offered his vehicle and driver to transport them. However, the driver was confused, missed picking up one of them, and had to backtrack. Thus they were 2 hours late to the Kuta, and arrived at 11 a.m., 1 hour before their 2 hour lunch break.

The next hour was wasted trying to find our missing documents (again), because everyone on the Kuta thought that someone else had them. Our documents were finally located just as the lunch bell sounded. Two hours later, we returned to a very casual session with the Kuta. At last, a messenger was sent into the "royal palace" to see if we could meet the "king" (the final step in approving our land). It was merely a formal gesture. Everyone knows that the "king" doesn't see people in the afternoon - it's too hot and he's too tired (from doing what?). Our 4th trip back in January was slowly replayed - "No, the "king" can't see you. Can you come back tomorrow?" (How many times have we heard that?) "No, we must be in Lusaka tomorrow." "Oh, sorry." We may have another shot on Monday, but if not, the whole process stops until November, after the visit from HeartCry and our trip to South Africa.

I am disappointed, and battle-weary, but at peace. We did see proof today that God is fighting on our behalf, and I feel that the battle has turned. I think that soon you will hear the victory shout in this particular battle. Here are some of the miracles we saw today in answer to your prayers:

1. Transport for our chief and headman. Gavin (and his vehicle) were supposed to be gone. At the last minute his plans changed and he was able to offer his vehicle.

2. Our regional chief was totally different from Friday. He was cheerful, friendly, and helpful. At one point today, he was given the perfect opportunity to criticize us to the Kuta. Instead, he said we were good and honest men.

3. The Kuta was also totally different from last visit. No hostility, only clarifying questions.

4. The cruel judge who sat in the chief judge's seat last visit was not in charge today. Another elderly judge, who treated us favorably back in January, was back in the chief judge's seat.

5. Usually there is a crowd waiting to see the Kuta. No one else was there today. We had the Kuta all to ouselves for the whole day, so at least they couldn't ignore us or rush to push us aside for another case.

6. They actually found our papers this time.

We know that Jesus rules over all earthly and spiritual powers for the good of His church, but He has ordained prayer as the channel for His power. Please do not grow weary in praying.

With heartfelt thanks,

- Sean

Rich Life Verses from James

2010-09-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

Testing of faith- My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2,3

The Christian's real position- "Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation . . ." - James 1:9

Enduring divine testing- "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." - James 1:12

Regeneration- "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."
- James 1:18

Receiving the Word of God- "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only . . ." - James1:21,22

Doers of truth- "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:25

True Christianity: Compassion & Holiness- "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." - James 1:26,27

Fleshly conduct- "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have." - James 4:1,2

Friendship with the world or with God- "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" - James 4:3,4

What Missionaries Often Face

2010-09-13T15:52:00.000-05:00

[The following is a brief report from Sean Reece, who along others in his team, is a missionary with Heartcry Missionary Society among the Lozi tribe in Africa. The daily reality of relating to the people and the evil among them is always a cause for prayer and the great need of God's grace. Please pray this week for this. - MT]

From Sean Reece

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. . .
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. . .
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore."
-- Psalm 121

Dear family and friends,

In my last update, I listed 8 strikes against us in our dealings with the Lozi Royal Council (Kuta). I did not know about the ninth - the moon. The moon? Yes, the moon. When we arrived for our scheduled appointment at the Kuta on Friday, we found the court empty. The guard informed us that meeting on that day was "taboo," because of the moon phase. The moon had appeared for the first time this month on Thursday night. To meet on the day after the moon first appears is to risk terrible disaster. So, our sixth trip to the Kuta was a total waste of time, effort, and money, at least from a human perspective. But God has his own mysterious plan.

In addition to the moon, I'll add a tenth element now opposing us in the land issue. Our regional chief is now being openly negative toward us. As this Kuta process drags on, and his "help" is proving to be totally useless, we are not showering him with the gifts and money that he expects. He realizes that he has nothing more to gain from us and, therefore, has little motive to continue "helping" us. If his opposition becomes stronger, it could be very damaging to us. As opposition mounts on every side, the Lord's deliverance will be that much more glorious.

In addition to the "moon thing," we received another sobering glimpse into the superstition that enslaves the Lozi people. On the way to the Kuta, we had to pick up our chief at the local witchdoctor's village. We parked near his "place of business" as we waited for the chief to cross the river. Inside a nearby hut, we could hear a sorcerer and his client chanting, summoning the spirit of a relative who recently died. That relative was then asked to reveal who was responsible for their death. Once the guilty party is revealed, the client will then purchase either protective or retaliatory witchcraft, or both. This is the never-ending, ugly cycle of fear, suspicion, and revenge in the village.

Please join us in praying that Jesus Christ, Lord of heaven and earth, will deliver the Lozi from slavery to fear - fear of witchcraft, evil spirits, and phases of the moon. And please pray for us as tomorrow we attempt our seventh visit to the Kuta.

Hoping in Christ,
Sean

Singing in Church - Just Trust and Obey, Rare Back and Sing

2010-09-11T18:40:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I never really could sing well and did not like it. I was not really musically inclined, except playing the coronet in the junior high band, which ended my musical career. Sometimes I could carry a tune, but hitting the notes on paper was always fairly impossible for me. Then I became a Christian at the age of 19 and something changed.

As soon as I was saved, I loved to sing. No one had to tell me. I began singing the hymns and praise songs. But for some reason, I liked the hymns better. I felt that the praise songs had some life, but the hymns also had depth, content, and life. I began to see there was a depth in the hymns that the "7-11" songs did not have. You know what 7-11 singing is? Someone said its 7 words repeated 11 times.

The truth is, repeating "Oh, You're so good!" thirty times to a monotonous tune won't take you deeper in the longer scheme of things. Those four words really are true, but much more than that is needed in singing for the long haul in the Christian life.

I saw early on that the hymns just were better, so much better. So I was singing from the time I was first saved and have loved the hymns now for 37 years. Since then, it has been onward and upward, singing as I go.

This past year, I was in a conference, where the pastor of the church knew I loved hymns. Without asking me, he spontaneously called me to the pulpit with him and when I walked up, he announced that he and I would sing a hymn together for the church. My heart said, "Oh, no! What has he done? How could he do that to me? What will I do? This is bad, really bad."

I had a choice to make. I could either make a scene by declining and embarrassing him or I could trust God. So I chose to trust God, even when life was hurting. He even picked the hymn. I had previously thought this brother was a wise man. Now I knew better. I was on the spot, with the choice to try to please Christ and not be a distraction. So he and I sang. We did not miss any notes (any music teacher present might disagree). We got through it and it became a blessing to my heart, even if to no one else. But I believe it was also a blessing to Christ.

In the end, it wasn't not about me. It was only about Christ. The pastor and I sang about Christ. We were not trying to perform or sound impressive (certainly an impossibility). We were not trying to entertain anyone. We were worshipping. And perhaps someone there worshipped during those 3 minutes. It was only about God, not us.

Since then, my own church has not asked me to sing any special music. They are very smart. I am not a good singer. But when it comes to the corporate time of singing together as a body, I have realized over the years that its not a personal, individual, optional thing. It's a God-thing. It is a divine command of Scripture and a corporate responsibility upon the body of believers to sing together to the Lord.

God takes very seriously every Christian's responsibility to sing or the Bible would not speak so much about it.

In my Christian journey, I have observed something very interesting. Men, more than women, are especially hesitant to sing. Hesitant may not be the right word. Some men will not sing in church. Instead, they sit or stand there and are silent. They look down and won't look up. Looks like they are either reading or are far off in a dream somewhere. They just won't sing. They come to church and seem to fellowship with others well and benefit from the messages. They love the brethren and love the preaching. But when it comes to singing, they won't do it. Why?

Its a personal carnal thing. They are afraid. Its a bondage of fear. Some of us men know we couldn't carry a tune in a bucket the size of Texas. So we are afraid, embarrassed, and bound up in ourselves. Slaves to our own inhibitions about singing. Some men are so afraid about singing out loud in public, they feel sick inside when faced with doing it. So they won't. They remain in bondage about it and self-defeated. Its a self-centered choice to put themselves before God. The unwillingness to sing in church is self-centeredness, which must be faced and overcome by God's grace and help.

A man might say, "Well, I'm not called to preach and I'm not called to sing either." Wrong. He may not be called to preach, but if he's a Christian, he is already called to sing. Every Christian is called by God to sing. The entire Bible gives that call.

I have seen people text-messaging during sermons and during singing. They ought to be brought up for church discipline, as far as I'm concerned. Turn it off and sing. If you are that self-centered rather than being God-centered, then there is much heart searching to be done.

Every Christian is called to sing. No excuses. It is wrong to sit there in church and remain silent while others are singing. It is wrong to sit there and read your Bible while the saints are singing the praises of God. There is a time for all things. When its time to pray, then pray; when its time to read the Bible, then read; when its time to hear the message, then give attention. And when its time to sing, it's not time to pray, read, or listen to something else. It's time to sing.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones was big on this subject. He preached about the Christian's responsibility and privilege to sing in worship.

In a sermon he said:

"But how can I make melody in my heart?", someone asks, "I don't feel like sining." My friend, consider Him until you do! Ask the Spirit to so reveal Him until you cannot keep silent. This is what you must do, says the apostle, "Be filled with the Spirit." And as you are led by Him, you will look at the Son and you will not be able to contain yourself. You will burst forth in praise.

"Let those refuse to sing
That never knew our God;
But children of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad."
- Isaac Watts

Do you sing or do you say, "Why are you spending time telling us these things we already know? Why don't you deal with the present international situation? The world is in a terrible state." I will tell you why. It is because we don't sing about those things! I sometimes wonder whether I should not go on just repeating this Sunday by Sunday until we are all singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.

There is not greater insult to the person of Christ than to forget him because you are so interested in the state of the world and so on. It comes near being blasphemy. Let us be not among those who, in their ignorance, refuse to sing. Rather, we want to say:

Brightness of the Father's glory,
Break, my tongue, such guilty silence,
Sing the Lord, who came to die!
- Robert Robinson

-- D. M. Lloyd-Jones (taken from his book Singing to the Lord)

God wants you to sing and make melody in your heart. You are the only one who can offer Him your own praise. It is sinful and shameful to hold back and not sing. The tragedy in not singing is that you withhold praise and glory from Him, and you withhold blessing, growth, and peace from yourself.

So here's the question pure and simple. In church, do you sing or are you silent? Your answer determines if you are pleasing God in worship or not. You and I are either singing with the saints or sinning with the singing saints by our silence. When our brethren around us are singing and we are silent, we are in sin. And the reason is self-centeredness-- just too proud and self-centered to open our mouth. It's wrong, and the main reason it is wrong is because it is grieving the Holy Spirit.

So, this Sunday, look at those songs, look at the words and open thy mouth! it doesn't matter how it sounds--just sing. Rare back, put to death your comfort zone and just sing. You are not singing for others-- its for Him and for yourself. Start singing this Sunday and never stop. Singing with the saints is not an option for the Christian who wants to grow and please Christ.

There's a hymn called "Trust and Obey"- that is exactly what those who don't like to sing need to do. Trust God for the grace to begin singing and just obey- just be a man, shake off thy guilty fears, rare back, and begin to obey God. Sing. Just sing. It won't hurt, I promise.

What a joy it becomes to sing the songs of Zion-- it's a fragrance to God in worship and a liberating sanctification to the singer. So begin to sing, then sing on, and never stop.

- Mack Tomlinson

Lights in this World

2010-09-08T12:54:00.001-05:00

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." - Philippians 2:15

We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for guidance. We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting-place.

Men sometimes read their Bibles and fail to understand them. We should be ready, like Philip, to instruct the inquirer in the meaning of God’s Word, the way of salvation, and the life of godliness. Lights are also used for warning. On our rocks and shoals a light-house is sure to be erected. Christian men should know that there are many false lights shown everywhere in the world, and therefore the right light is needed.

The wreckers of Satan are always abroad, tempting the ungodly to sin under the name of pleasure; they hoist the wrong light. It is ours to put up the true light upon every dangerous rock, to point out every sin, and tell what it leads to, that so we may be clear of the blood of all men, shining as lights in the world.

Lights also have a very cheering influence, and so have Christians. A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips and sympathy in his heart. He should carry sunshine wherever he goes and diffuse happiness around him.

- Charles Spurgeon

Free from Severe Tribulation

2010-09-07T17:54:00.000-05:00

If you are free from severe tribulation, then never ask for it; that would be a great folly. I did meet with a brother a little while ago who said that he was much perplexed because he had no troubles. I said, "Do not worry about that ; but be happy while you may."

Only a weird child would beg to be flogged. Certain sweet and shining saints are of such a gentle spirit that the Lord does not expose them to the same treatment as he metes out to others: they do not need it, and they could not bear it; why should they wish for it?

- Charles Spurgeon

The Reason for Chastisement-- Love

2010-09-06T21:22:00.000-05:00

"For whom the Lord loves --He chastens." Hebrews 12:6

What? God loves me when He is discharging His quiver upon me, when He is emptying me from vessel to vessel--when He is causing the sun of my earthly joys to set in clouds? Yes! O afflicted, tempest-tossed one, He chastens you because He loves you! This trial comes from His own tender, loving hand--from His own tender, unchanging heart!

Are you laid on a sickbed with sorrowful months and wearisome nights appointed unto you? Let this be the pillow on which your aching head reclines: It is because He loves me!

Is it bereavement which has swept your heart and desolated your dwelling? He appointed that chamber of death because He loves you! As it is the suffering child of the family which claims a mother's deepest affections and most tender solicitude, so have you at this moment embarked on your side, the most tender love and solicitude of your heavenly Father. He loved you into this sorrow and will love you through it. There is nothing capricious in His dealings. LOVE is the reason for all that He does. There is not one drop of wrath in that bitter cup you are called to drink!

Says one, "He has purchased these afflictions for us, as well as everything else. Blessed be His name, it is part of His covenant to visit us with the rod ." What does our adorable Lord Himself say? The words were spoken, not when He was on earth, a sojourner in a sorrowing world, but when enthroned amid the glories of Heaven. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." Believer! rejoice in the thought that the rod , the chastening rod, is in the hands of the living, loving Savior who died for you!

Tribulation is the King's Highway --and yet that highway is paved with love . As some flowers require crushing before shedding their fragrance, so does your God think it suitable to bruise you. As some birds are said to sing their sweetest notes when the thorn pierces their bosom, so does He appoint affliction to lacerate, that you may be driven to the wing, singing in your upward soaring, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed!"

Be it ours to say, "Lord, I will love You not only despite Your rod, but because of Your rod! I will rush into the very arms that are chastening me!"

- John MacDuff

Affliction Brings True Prosperity

2010-09-04T11:21:00.000-05:00

"Let the Lord be exalted, who delights in the prosperity of his servant." Psalm 35:27

What is prosperity? Is it threads of life weaved into a bright outcome? a full cup? ample riches? worldly applause? an unbroken circle? No! these are often a snare; received without gratitude; dimming the soul to its nobler destinies.

Often spiritually, it rather means God taking us by the hand into the lowly valleys of humiliation; leading us as He did His servant Job of old; out of his sheep, oxen, camels, health, wealth, children; in order that we may be brought before Him in the dust and say, "Blessed be His holy name!"

Yes! The very reverse of what is generally known in the world as prosperity forms the background on which the rainbow of promise is seen. God smiles on us through these rainbows and teardrops of sorrows! He loves us too well. He has too great an interest in our spiritual welfare to permit us to live on in what is misnamed "prosperity." When He sees duties languidly performed or coldly neglected, the heart deadened, and love to Himself congealed by the absorbing power of the present world, he then puts a thorn in our nest to drive us to the wing and prevent our being grovelers forever!

I may not be able now to understand the mystery of these dealings. I may be asking through the tears, "Why this unkind arrest on my earthly happiness? Why so premature a lopping of my boughs of promise? Why such a speedy withering of my most cherished gourd?" The answer is plain. It is your soul's prosperity which He has in view. Believe it--your true Ebenezers will yet be raised close by your Zarephaths (the place of furnace).

His afflictions are not arbitrary appointments. There is righteous necessity in all that He does. As He lays His chastening hand upon you and leads you by ways you know not and which you never would have chosen, He whispers the gentle accents in your ear, "Beloved I wish above all things that you would prosper, even as your soul prospers."

Rest in the quiet consciousness that all is well. Murmur at nothing which brings you nearer to His own loving Presence. Be thankful for your very cares, because you can confidently cast them all upon Him. He has both your temporal and eternal "prosperity" too much at heart to appoint one superfluous pang, one needless stroke. Commit therefore, all that concerns you to His safe keeping, and leave it there!

- John MacDuff

All my Springs are in You

2010-08-30T22:41:00.001-05:00

Psalm 87:7

Thus it is with the Christian. Christ is all in all. He is the source of everything we live on and possess. All our springs are from Him and in Him alone. He is the origination continually of all that comes to us.

Our love springs from Him because He first loved us and has poured out His love in our hearts.

Our hope in in HIm alone, our help, strength, peace, and empowering comes from Him alone. If Christ left us to ourselves for even a moment, we would collapse and be nothing. The Christian is, in reality, KEPT by the very power of God through our Saviour. All, all, all our springs are in Him.

Look not elsewhere. You won't find it. No need searching. It is non-existent outside of Christ Himself. But in Him are all the treasures, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. All our springs come forth from and through Him to each of us.

What a Saviour and what a Source. Today, all my springs for strength, wisdom, encouragement, provision, and sustenance are in Him. Come and drink. Come and dine. Come and receive what is needed. Tell Him, "Lord Jesus, all my springs are in You."

- Mack Tomlinson

Jesus Christ the Lord- Cease Not

2010-08-29T16:01:00.000-05:00

"And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."
- Acts 5:42

Jesus Christ is our message. All other truths, however glorious they are, must be subservient to this one theme- Jesus Christ. He is God, the living God. He is Jehovah, the Lord of glory, the eternal Word made flesh. He is true God who fully became man. As one said, "He who sees the Son sees the Father in the face of Christ. Christ was not God because he was virgin born. He was virgin born because He was God."

This God became a true man, a true human being; He claimed to be God. “I and the Father are one.”

C. S. Lewis- “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic, like a man who says he’s a poached egg or he would be a liar and a devil from hell. You must make your choice. Either this man is the Son of God or a madman or worse. But don’t come up with any such nonsense about his being only a great human teacher. He hasn’t left us that choice and He did not intend to.”

Who He is to us:

God Almighty Jehovah
The eternal I AM
The Son of God
The Redeemer
The Lord of Glory
The Saviour of sinners
The Saviour of the world
The Lamb that was slain
The only revelation of God to man
The One Mediator between God and man
The Door to heaven
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
The Light of the world
The Bread of life
The Living water
The Lion of the tribe of Judah
The Eternal Life
The Shepherd of our souls

What He did for us:

He lived
He preached
He taught
He obeyed the Father
He healed
He performed miraculous signs and wonders
He walked among men
He loved sinners
He revealed the Father
He never sinned
He fulfilled the law in our behalf
He obeyed the holy law of God for us

He went freely in place of us to embrace a rugged cruel method of capital punishment- the Roman cross

He bled and died there as a substitute in our place
A ransom, payment for sin
He bore and took the full holy wrath of Almighty God for us
He died taking on Himself all our wrath, bearing all our punishment, satisfying the demands of holy justice
His life and his blood were the perfect payment, successfully atoning for every sin
He was buried for three days
He rose again the third day
He’s alive
He ascended to heaven
He is exalted to the Father's right hand
He's been given all authority now in heaven and in earth
He's reigning in the universe
He’s coming again
He is saving all sinners who will come to Him, bow the knee, yield to His Lordship, repent and believe the gospel, and turn to him as Lord. He is Lord of all.

The early church ceased not to preach Jesus Christ. He’s the Christ, the Son of the living God. The whole gospel is contained in this person of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the message of the true church-- Jesus Christ

Our message is not:

Politics
Education
Social reform
Government improvement
Religion and the equality of all sincere faiths
Social justice
The preservation and improvement of the world

Our message is-- "Daily . . . from house to house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." The gospel, the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth about Jesus Christ- it's the only thing God has to say to this world.

So cease not-- Just keep telling people

There’s a God, He;s the only true and living God.
He made you; He owns you; He will call you to account; He’s the judge of all the earth.
He has ordained a Saviour and a Judge, His Son Jesus Christ.
He died to forgive your sins. He's the only Saviour. Come to Him. Believe on Him. Give yourself away to Him as your Lord.

Speaking of the preciousness of this exclusive message, some in history have said:

Christ’s blood is heaven’s key.

The doctrine of the death of Christ is the substance of the gospel.

Jesus Christ never died for our good works, which were not worth dying for. He died for our sins.

One drop of Christ’s blood is worth more than heaven and earth.

God had condemned sin before, but never so perfectly as in the death of His Son.

Death stung itself to death when it stung Christ on the cross.

At Calvary’s cross--

God put all our sins upon His Son

"He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

There God condemned sin, massacred sin, put sin to death, and conquered it forever on that tree in our Saviour who died there.

Cease not in telling it. Cease not in preaching it. Ceasing not in believing it. Cease not in take all your consolation from it. Out of the cross flows all our hope, peace, assurance, help, strength, and every drop of mercy that comes to us. Cease not staying at the cross. And cease not telling others, even if they kill you for saying it.

- Mack Tomlinson

Present Sufferings

2010-08-27T13:43:00.000-05:00

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us!" Romans 8:18

Paul compares present sufferings with future glory.

Believers are exposed to all kinds of suffering. Instead of obtaining an exemption from afflictions, they are assured that it is through much tribulation that they must enter into the kingdom of God.

Some endure inward suffering with which no one is fully acquainted but God Himself. They have such darkness, gloom, distress, agitation, trouble, and sorrow as would not be easy to describe.

Some suffer much in body from the stressed and disordered state of the nervous system, from chronic diseases, or deformities in the physical frame. They seldom move without suffering and for years have little freedom from weakness and pain. They live a life of suffering, a kind of dying life, and think much of heaven as a place where there is no more pain.

Some suffer much financially; scarcely anything seems to prosper with them; losses, crosses, and opposition meet them at every turn; and though they live honestly, and conduct their business honorably, they are thwarted, hindered, and filled with perplexity. No one can tell what they suffer from financial trials and difficulties.

Others suffer from reproach, misrepresentation, strife, and persecution in the world, or in the Church--or both! No one seems to understand them, or is prepared to sympathize with them; they are like "a sparrow alone upon the house-top." False friends and open enemies unite to trouble and distress them, so that they often sigh, and say, "O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I fly away and be at rest!"

Others in the domestic circle or from some of the relationships of life are called to suffer long and seriously.

But whether from trouble of mind, sickness of body, trials in business, family difficulties, or persecution for Christ's sake, all suffer and most believers suffer much!

But compare their present sufferings with their future glory:

Glory which will exclude all pain and suffering, all sin and sorrow.

Glory beyond the reach of all foes and the cause of all trouble. Glory which includes happiness--perfect, perpetual, never-ending happiness

Glory which includes honor--the highest, holiest, and most satisfying honor!

Glory or splendor which will fill the soul, clothe the body, and dignify the entire person forever.

Filled with light, peace, and joy; clothed with beauty, brightness, and magnificence--they will appear with Christ in glory, filling them with wonder and unutterable delight.

This glory will be possessed by us as part of our marriage portion and inalienable inheritance. But we can form no adequate idea of that glory, for "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9