Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

Even Amid Apostasy, We Need Not Fear

2011-09-20T15:42:00.000-04:00

Excerpt taken from a sermon by C. H. Spurgeon (1887) titled; “Earthquake but not Heartquake”

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.” Psalm 46:1-3

I am often sadly tossed about because of the heresies and false doctrines of this present age. It grieves me to the heart to see the want of spirituality among ministers, and of holiness among professing Christians. It cuts me to the quick to see the utter rubbish and poison which is preached instead of Christianity.At times it looks as if all things were going wrong; the men to whom one looked as pillars, forsake the faith, and the staunchest give way for the sake of peace.We are apt to cry, “What will become of us?”

But if God is our refuge and strength, we need not be afraid, even amid general apostasy. While God lives, truth is in the ascendant.

I remember years ago meeting with that blessed servant of God, the late Earl of Shaftesbury. He was at Mentone with a dying daughter, and he happened that day to be very much downcast, as, indeed, I have frequently seen him, and as, I am sorry to confess, he has also frequently seen me. That day he was particularly cast down about the general state of society. He thought that the powers of darkness in this country were having it all their own way, and that, before long, the worst elements of society would gain power, and trample out all virtue.

Looking up into his face, I said to him, “And is God dead? Do you believe that while God lives the devil will conquer him?”

He smiled, and we walked along by the Mediterranean communing together in a far more hopeful tone.

The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock. All long as the Lord liveth our hope lives also. Gospel truth will yet prevail, we shall live to see the old faith to the front again. The church, like Noah’s dove, will come back to her rest again.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised) Hebrews 10:23

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 35-37

Jason Upton - One Step Away

2011-06-14T11:56:00.000-04:00

Be Thou Strong!

2011-06-14T01:07:00.002-04:00

"Only be thou strong and very courageous." Joshua 1:7

Our God's tender love for His servants makes Him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician.

Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still He would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonour his God. Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord's flock.

One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage is kept up Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you: but cowardice throws down the banner. Moreover, labour is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, "be thou strong, and very courageous."

~ Charles H. Spurgeon ~

Behold Your King

2009-11-11T23:55:00.001-05:00

You Must See A Throne

2009-10-26T01:49:00.002-04:00

Faith, in the midst of God’s silence…

2009-09-24T17:05:00.003-04:00

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. – (Habakkuk 1: 2-4)

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. – (Hebrews 10: 35-39)

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. - (Romans 1: 17)

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” – (Hebrews 13: 5b-6)

The Great White Throne Judgment

2008-10-29T10:14:00.003-04:00

He who truly believes in Christ

2008-09-15T08:29:00.002-04:00

There is a dead faith as well as a living one. There is a faith of devils as well as a faith of God's elect. There is a faith which is vain and useless, as well as a faith which justifies and saves. How shall a man know whether he has true saving faith? The thing may be found out! The Ethiopian may be known by the color of his skin; and the leopard may be known by his spots. True faith may always be known by certain marks. These marks are laid down unmistakably in Scripture. Reader, let me endeavor to set these marks plainly before you. Look at them carefully—and test your own soul by what I am going to say.

He who truly believes in Christ—has a NEW HEART. It is written, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature—old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) A believer has no longer the same nature with which he was born. He is changed, renewed, and transformed after the image of his Lord and Savior. He who minds first, the things of the flesh—has no saving faith. True faith, and spiritual regeneration, are inseparable companions. An unconverted person—is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—is a HOLY person in heart and life. It is written that God "purifies the heart by faith," and that Christians are "sanctified by faith." "Whoever has this hope in him, purifies himself." (Acts 15:9; 26:18; 1 John 3:3.). A believer loves what God loves—and hates what God hates. His heart's desire is to walk in the way of God's commandments, and to abstain from all manner of evil. His wish is to follow after the things which are just, and pure, and honest, and lovely—and to cleanse himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. He falls far short of his aim, in many things. He finds his daily life, a constant fight with indwelling corruption. But he fights on—and resolutely refuses to serve sin. Where there is no holiness, we may be sure there is no saving faith! An unholy man is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—works godly WORKS. It is written, that "faith works by love" (Gal. 5:6). True belief will never make a man idle, or allow him to sit still, contented with his own religion. It will stir him to do acts of love, kindness, and charity, according as he sees opportunity. It will constrain him to walk in the steps of his Master, who "went about doing good." In one way or another, it will make him work. The works that he does may attract no notice from the world. They may seem trifling and insignificant to many people. But they are not forgotten by Him who notices a cup of cold water given for His sake. Where there is no working love—there is no faith. A lazy, selfish professing Christian—has no right to regard himself as a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—overcomes the WORLD. It is written, that "whoever is born of God, overcomes the world—and this is the victory which overcomes the world—even our faith" (1 John 5:4). A true believer is not ruled by the world's standard of right or wrong, of truth or error. He is independent of the world's opinion. He cares little for the world's praise. He is not moved by the world's censure. He does not seek for the world's pleasures. He is not ambitious of the world's rewards. He looks at things unseen—he sees an invisible Savior, a coming judgment, and a crown of glory which never fades away. The sight of these objects, makes him think comparatively little of this present world. Where the world reigns in the heart—there is no genuine faith. A man who is habitually conformed to the world—is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—has the witness of the Holy Spirit. He has hopes, joys, fears, sorrows, consolations, expectations, of which he knew nothing before he believed. He has internal evidences which the world cannot understand. Where there are no inward pious feelings—there is no faith. A man who knows nothing of an inward, spiritual, experimental religion—is not a genuine believer!

He who truly believes in Christ—has a special regard to the person of CHRIST Himself. It is written, "Unto you who believe—Christ is precious" (1 Peter 2:7). That text deserves especial notice. It does not say "Christianity" is precious, or the "Gospel" is precious, or "salvation" is precious—but Christ Himself! A true believer's religion, does not consist in mere intellectual assent to a certain set of propositions and doctrines. It is not a mere cold belief of a certain set of truths and facts concerning Christ. It consists in union, communion, and fellowship with an actual living Person, even Jesus the Son of God.

It is a life of . . .
faith in Jesus,
confidence in Jesus,
leaning on Jesus,
drawing out of the fullness of Jesus,
speaking to Jesus,
working for Jesus,
loving Jesus,
and looking for Jesus to come again.

Such life may sound like enthusiasm to many. But where there is true faith, Christ will always be known and realized, as an actual living personal Friend! He who knows nothing of Christ as his own Priest, Physician, Redeemer, Advocate, Friend, Teacher, and Shepherd—knows nothing yet of genuine believing!

Where these marks of which I have been speaking, are utterly lacking, I dare not tell a man that he is a true believer. He may be called a Christian, and attend a Christian church. But if he knows nothing of these marks—I dare not pronounce him a believer. He is yet dead in trespasses and sins. Except he awakes to newness of life, he will perish everlastingly.

Show me a man who has these marks—and I feel a strong confidence about the state of his soul. He may be poor and needy in this world—but he is rich in the sight of God. He may be despised and sneered at by man—but he is honorable in the sight of the King of kings. He is traveling towards heaven! He has a mansion ready for him in the Father's house. He is cared for by Christ, while on earth. He will be owned by Christ before assembled worlds, in the life which is to come!

J.C.Ryle

Hard Places

2008-09-01T01:53:00.005-04:00

This was shared by a contributor at another blog I contribute to, and I wanted to share it here, in hope that it may bless you as it did me:

Genesis 28:10-12 - “Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold a ladder was set up on the earth, and it’s top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

I am slowly losing my Mom. Sick for several weeks now and hospitalized she gets further away from me daily. Some days are better than others but this situation will more than likely get no better. I watch helplessly as she loses control of her body and mind. My once strong Mom is fading away. I pray daily for God to heal her and help restore her body and mind and I have not given up hope that he can do that, but I am mentally trying to let go of her at the same time and it’s so very hard. Why God chooses to restore life to some yet call others home is a question no one can really answer, but I think there is a greater lesson, a higher calling for those of us willing to ask him.

There has been a huge focus lately on Revival.

Regardless of our opinion, one thing is for sure the the claims of signs, wonders and controversy are happening within the body of Christ and people are talking. To me the most important thing that can come out of this kind of situation is dialog, with each other and with God and that is happening. I think people are so hungry for a move of God in their lives that sometimes anything, regardless of the source is a quick fix. There has been a lot of talk of late about anointing which to me basically means the fullness and blessing of God. People are so desperate to bring or see this anointing manifested they will take planes, and drive thousands of miles for the latest “outpouring” but God’s anointing is already here and available to us.

In John 1:51 Jesus is the divine fulfillment of Jacob’s dream. A few verses earlier Jesus tells of Nathaniel, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”. I don’t think the Lord was just dishing out complements but saying that because Nathaniel had a true, pure heart he “Got it”. Nathaniel had no falsehood, he was real, transparent and open of heart and therefore he could see the vision of Jacob as it really was, that Jesus was God’s provision in the flesh and made available to all who walk with God, bless God, and through that relationship or “dialog” bless others.

Life has sometimes been very hard for me. It’s often been lonely, frustrating and dark but God has been there every step, every stumble with me. Oddly enough when I have been frustrated to the point of giving up, that is where I find him. I think sometimes in our push to just get through life and not ever ‘feel bad” we miss God the most. At one very difficult point in my life my family were not very supportive. I had been laid off from my job and was working two very hard but not too impressive jobs. I was exhausted and when I was laid off I paid all of my bills but food was scarce to say the least. It was sweltering hot and I came home from work to find the air conditioning was not working. I went to my basement only to discover that my breaker box had caught on fire. I tried to call my landlord but found out they were on vacation and had left no contact information. I had no electricity in half of my house for a week. I only had air conditioning in my living room, so I slept on the floor there. The only food I had was a jar of peanut butter and come stale crackers, but I was so grateful to have that.

I remember coming home from work, worn out, hungry and just emotionally spent. I had no family or friends to turn to but I had Jesus and I just sat on the floor crying, eating my crackers and praying.

It’s sort of funny now but at the time it was just the worst feeling. Alone, no one cared. I had many friends but I had recently been saved so they no longer wanted anything to do with me. I was so tired from working two jobs that on top of everything I caught a cold, and that was just the last straw. I remember vividly laying down just bawling like a baby asking God why were things so bad. I guess I just wore myself out feeling sorry for myself and fell asleep but I awoke a few hours later. I distinctly heard a voice in my ear as I was waking say to me “This is a blessing”. I was startled and sat right up but I was so groggy I remember saying “What is a blessing?”. I knew in my heart that God was telling me something, I did not know the answer then but he brought this to my memory this morning while writing this.

My blessing was the intimate time spent with him, developing my relationship with him, in his word, without any distractions.

Every time I have wrestled with God trying to get beyond some pain, some ache, he is always there. I know that voice was an angel, you could never tell me otherwise I just know! There has been so much deception lately concerning Angels but many in the body of Christ have this all wrong. Angels are real and biblical, but they are not in existence solely for our provision. When we try to find cheap imitations of God that is exactly what we will find. Satan is a counterfeit we all know that, but what of us? Do we really need nourishment but grab a bag of Frito’s instead as a quick fix? I read this quote once “God has a greater purpose our eyes cannot see but our hearts can understand”. I always had trouble with the Apostle Paul saying “He was poured out like a drink offering”. To me that sounded painful, just awful. How on earth could a mouse like me ever be that strong? How can people actually live that way, dying for Jesus.

Suffering unimaginable things. I have since learned the provision of God came to Jesus in the Garden, when the suffering started the Angels were there. They gave him strength for his journey, they did not take the journey away. Satan would have liked nothing better than to have stopped it.

There is authentic revival, and I for one want that.

I am tired of the fairy dust, the gold teeth, barking and writhing on the floor. To cheapen the Holy Spirit with such goofery is appalling to me. You will never convince me that Christ hung on a cross in agony, took my sin and the sins of the world into his body for this carnival atmosphere.

I believe in miracles, healing and the gifts of the spirit, but those things bring repentance and authentic transformation based on Christ and Christ only. There is a place for manifestations but I want to be part of something more, the higher calling.

My problems, with his provision have given me purpose and a testimony. I only hope that I can get out of the way so God can use that testimony to help other hurting people. I know that my only purpose is to make much of Jesus, not me and in that serve his sheep. If I had never known fear, hunger, frailty, how could I ever give of myself to anyone? The selfish Christian is never a threat to Satan, he loves it! They have no witness, no testimony and no fruit. Authentic servant-hood comes from authentic relationship with Christ and the study of the word of God, nothing else. The Martyr’s, the Apostles did all things through Christ who strengthened them. It is possible! Authentic compassion, wisdom and power come in the delight of being in the will of God. There is an authentic anointing, the presence and power of God and that will always be Christ centered and Christ focused. Anything less is a cheap imitation.

Have you ever really thought about the fact that in order to come into his Temple in the old Testament, his dwelling place you needed to make a sacrifice?

God can heal, God can perform any miracle that suits him but maybe, just maybe your blessing is in something hard, difficult even. Maybe if we stopped looking for a way out we could finally get into the holy of holies, really see his face and his desire for us.

Oswald Chambers said “Our Lord’s teaching is always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of man, His purpose is to make a man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure.”

If we believe in Jesus and for just one minute slow down and stop asking what he can do for us, it will not be about what we gain, but what he pours out through us that counts. I am sure we will be blessed beyond measure in the end.

Oh and Jacob? See what God can do with your hard places?

Verse 13-22 “And behold, the Lord stood over and beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Issac; I will give to you and to your descendants the land on which you lie, I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south;and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in the place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven!”

It Is God Who Worketh All in All

2008-07-25T16:17:00.002-04:00

"One day I was talking with a missionary," writes Andrew Murray, "and he said to me, ‘Brother, remember that when God puts a desire into your heart, He will fulfill it.’ That helped me; I thought of it a hundred times. I want to say the same to you who are plunging about and struggling in the quagmire of helplessness and doubt. The desire that God puts into your heart He will fulfill.

"If any are saying that God has not a place for them, let them trust God, and wait, and He will help you and show you what is your place. I have learnt to place myself before God every day, as a vessel to be filled with His Holy Spirit. He has filled me with the blessed assurance that He, as the everlasting God, has guaranteed His work in me. If there is one lesson that I am learning day by day, it is this; that it is God who worketh all in all.

Oh, that I could help any brother or sister to realize this!"

Andrew Murray ~ 1828-1917

God Cares

2008-05-16T15:22:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it seems that no one cares about your pain.

David said: “no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life” (Psalm 142:4 NIV). Do you sometimes feel like that? Do you sometimes cry out with Solomon that even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel? (Proverbs 12:10). Does it seem that no one is listening and that people, who should be concerned, hurt you more, rather than minister to your need?

Sometimes these are just our perceptions but often, they are a reflection of the hard-heartedness and self-absorption of those around us. Yes, even of Christians! But there is One who truly cares – God cares for you.

Sometimes we wonder if God even knows about our existence. I knew a man who was in the same (small) church as me and with whom I spoke every week and who, after many years, still did not know my name. He always called me by a name which is not mine. People often act around as though we don’t even exist. But God not only knows that you exist, He knows your name.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1). “I know you by name” (Exodus 33:17). We are not just numbers in God’s big database, but he knows our names and not only our names, but everything about us. We often find it hard to understand how God can know us by our names when people around us don’t. That’s just the problem. We tend to feel that because people don’t care, God also does not care. But God does care even more than we can imagine.

He keeps track of every bird that dies and of every hair upon our heads (Matthew 10:29-30). If He is concerned about such unimportant details, don’t you think that He is even more concerned and informed about those major issues you are wrestling with? Of course He is. There is no problem in your life that is too big or too small for God to know about and to care about. I have never come across anyone who counts the hairs on their head, yet God does. So if he is concerned about the least of our worries, is He not even more concerned with those major problems, traumas, upsets, fears and frustrations that you face?

Often people say they care yet you know that they remain unaffected by your pain. But God not only knows about your heartache, He feels with you and for you. Have your friends forsaken you, do people misunderstand you, do they turn your kind words into something you did not mean, do they slander you, do they actually try to hurt you (physically and emotionally), do they act as though you do not exist? They did the same to Jesus, and much more, and so He is touched by our struggles. He feels with us, and feels for us when we go through tough times. There is not a single hurt that you feel, that he does not feel as acutely as you do.

Not only does God know about your problems and not only does He feel your pain – He cares for and about you. He has compassion on us. People often respond to our problems by saying that we have brought it on ourselves, and often that is true. But God is not in the blaming business, He loves, cares, is concerned and is merciful on all who are in need.

Sometimes we cannot bear to look upon other’s hurt as it is too much for us to bear. But He never turns His face away, no matter what happens. When those rocks were crushing Stephen’s bones, and his ears were filled with blasphemy, insults and accusations, and his friends fled, Jesus stood at the right hand of the Throne and took every blow together with Stephen. It was just as though Jesus was right next to Stephen on that landfill as they buried him under the rocks and the insults.

People’s insensitivity and hardness to our needs often hurt more than the problems. But God is sensitive, merciful, tender, compassionate, kind and gentle with those who are struggling. The problem is that we are sometimes so concerned with reaching out to people for help that we forget to see that the Almighty God is actually reaching out to touch us in our moment of weakness.

Peter, writing to suffering Christians says: “…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1Peter 5:7). Yes, He indeed cares for you but you and I need to cast our cares on Him. So often we try to bear them ourselves and often we bemoan the fact that no one else cares to lift a finger to help us with our load when the Lord Jesus is just waiting for us to unload it all on Him. Won’t you come to Him now and place your burdens at His feet. Yes, the problems may not go away, but knowing that He is sharing the load makes it so much lighter and easier to bear.

I cannot put it any better than that great hymn of Joseph Scriven. You probably know it by memory, but look at these words once afresh. Listen here

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer

Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Christ The Only Way

2008-04-19T01:37:00.000-04:00

What Will You Do?

2008-02-19T14:04:00.002-05:00

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall-
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all.
Listen! Here comes the urgent call,
What will you do with Jesus?

Will you evade him as Pilate tried?
Or will you choose him, whate’er betide?
Vainly you struggle from him to hide.
What will you do with Jesus?

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Someday your heart will be asking,
What will he do with me?

WHAT DOES JESUS SAY TO YOU?

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

The Spirit Of Truth

2008-01-20T00:57:00.000-05:00

By Joseph R. Chambers, Paw Creek Ministries

It's breathtaking to know that the Holy Bible is intimately connected to the Holy Ghost. The Bible is not man's words or man's ideas, nor is it human wisdom or knowledge. The Bible is God-breathed and perfect in the same way that God Himself is perfect. The same Spirit that gave us the Holy Scripture is still part of that Scripture and holds the Word in His hands. The Bible is the Sword of the Spirit and is the only weapon to defeat our enemies. When the Son of God appears in the sky to defeat the Antichrist at the Valley of Megiddo, the authority of the Bible is His weapon.

The vision that Apostle John describes of the triumphant Christ is awesome, "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God"(Revelation 19:12-15).

He comes as the glorified Christ with all the trappings of His eternal office and His one weapon is a "sharp sword" with which He defeats every enemy.

Holy Scripture will not be any more powerful then than it is right now. Satan cannot cross the line drawn by truth and sealed by Divine blood. The entire prophetic future is already designed and revealed in Scripture. When men devise strange and undocumented schemes for the days ahead, they are guilty of blaspheming the Spirit of Truth. Our Father left us an absolute command not to tamper with His words.

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Revelation 22: 18-19).

The Lord even spoke audibly to John as he finished the plain command above. He said, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

One of the surest ways to blaspheme the Holy Ghost is to change or alter the Word of God. The positive aspect of this truth is that we can live in and by these words of truth everyday.

David, the sweet songwriter and King of Israel, said, "The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide" (Psalm 37:31). He also declared His unashamed faith in Holy Scripture, "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever" (Psalm 12:6-7). The promise of God was to keep them forever.

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). The Son of God spoke these words. The great revivals of the past were the result of men that dared to believe that truth was infallible. They treated the Bible like a paper pope, but were often condemned as idol worshippers because they believed and obeyed Scripture. One modern blasphemer called the Bible, "a dusty old book." I believe he has already blasphemed the Holy Ghost.

This incredible Divine book is yours to trust and see the supernatural effect of believing faith. Everything of your life is predestined to be complete in believing.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified" (Romans 8:28-30).

If you will dare to believe and trust in none other, He will move swiftly to defend and fulfill His Word. His Words are His absolute will in all things. There is no true Christian outside of the Holy Bible. There is no failure inside the Holy Bible.

Updated photos of my children

2008-01-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

God is good to me, looking forward to Christ's soon return.

The Story of Christ's Birth

2007-12-05T00:16:00.000-05:00

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

(Taken from Luke 2:1-21)

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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MOSES

2007-11-11T01:13:00.000-05:00

Taken from; Shadows of Good Things Or the Gospel in Type

By Russell R. Byrum, 1922

CHAPTER I - THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MOSES

The gladdest message ever proclaimed to a world of sinners, was the angel’s announcement on Bethlehem’s plains that a Savior is born. But the angel’s proclamation on that wonderful night was not the first time the glad tidings of salvation had been preached. Centuries before God’s holy seers with prophetic eye had foreseen in the dim future, beyond the miseries of many generations, the coming of Christ and his great salvation. Not the least of these was Moses.

We often speak of the gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, and sometimes we call Isaiah the “evangelical prophet,” but too often we pass by the “gospel according to Moses.” Yet according to the true meaning of the term “gospel,” Moses wrote it as truly as did any of the four evangelists of our New Testament. The gospel is the proclamation of a way of salvation for sinners, the announcement of grace to the guilty, of Christ’s love for the lost. Matthew wrote the gospel by relating the life story of Jesus. But Moses wrote it at greater length, more systematically and in greater detail in types and shadows. Moses’ writings are as much about Jesus and his salvation as are those of the four New Testament evangelists.

Moses sets forth the same great fundamental facts of true religion as are given in the New Testament.

He continually holds before us under various symbols—by veils that bar the sinner from God’s holy presence, by the sprinklings of blood for cleansing, and by different representations of ceremonial uncleanness—the awful fact of man’s [7] sinfulness and depravity. He also vividly sets forth the glorious truth of salvation by God’s free favor through the vicarious death of Christ, under the type of the sprinkling of the blood of animals on God’s altars.

Mosaic Rites Were Typical

Those who see nothing more in the elaborate ceremonies at the tabernacle of ancient Israel than an expression of natural religion or meaningless forms with no significance for us today, will doubtless find but little interest in reading that portion of Scripture which so minutely describes them. Alone it will be dull and uninteresting. But when it is read in the light of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in the New Testament, it sparkles throughout with dazzling gems of truth.

Our authority for believing in the typical element of the Pentateuch is no less than Jesus and Paul, the Son of God and his apostle. Jesus himself said: “Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me” (John 5:46); “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17).

And to the two sorrowful disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, . . . Expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). And shortly after, when he appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem, Jesus said, “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44).

Jesus was able to preach the gospel from the writings of Moses. He positively stated that he is the center of all the Scriptures, including those of Moses. He is their alpha and omega— their beginning and end. Paul also commonly taught the gospel according to Moses. When he arrived at Rome and the Jews came to him, he “expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening” (Acts 28 :23). [8]

We may get a good idea of what these great exponents of Christianity taught from the law of Moses in the interpretation placed upon it by the inspired writer to the Hebrews, and in other more specific statements of Paul. The great apostle says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Col. 2:16, 17).

This important statement is very definite and clear, and is conclusive proof that the Mosaic rites, those outward forms of religion, were typical. They were a shadow, or, as the original word, skia, implies, an adumbration, a faint sketch, a dim transitory outline of a real substance to come, which is said to be Christ.

Fully as definite and in much greater measure are the many positive statements in the Hebrew letter. The priests of the tabernacle are said to “serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount” (Heb. 8:5).

Here the tabernacle and all connected with its worship are said to be an “example,” or, according to the American Revised reading, a “copy,” a “shadow,” and a “pattern” or type. The inspired writer is here definitely arguing to convince his Jewish brethren that all that ancient worship of theirs was typical and that Jesus is the great Priest “of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Heb. 8:2).

In the ninth verse of the ninth chapter it is said of the first tabernacle, “Which was a figure for the time then present…. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.”

The original word here, parabole, from which we translate “figure,’ is that from which we commonly get “parable.” The twenty third and twenty fourth verses are especially definite in showing that ancient worship was typical. “It was therefore necessary that the patterns [ copies. A. S. V ] [9] of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures [pattern, A. S. V.] of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

And again this same writer reiterates in the beginning of the tenth chapter, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

Doubtless the texts already cited sufficiently prove the typical element in the Mosaic institutions; but a good foundation is important, and inasmuch as our future argument is to rest largely upon these Bible statements of this fact and for the sake of cautious or skeptical persons we shall call attention to one other Biblical proof. The first given and one of the greatest of all the Mosaic institutions was the Passover.

Paul plainly shows the typical nature of this in these words, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).

If it were necessary, many other proofs of this point could be given; but these are evidence that the good things of Christ’s salvation were portrayed in the Old Testament types. These types all pointed forward to Christ and his salvation, to the Priest greater than Aaron, the Prophet like unto Moses, the true King of Israel.

Types Deserve Our Study

A considerable portion of the Bible, especially Exodus, Leviticus, and Hebrews, is devoted to the subject of types. This is just as much a part of God’s Word as is any other part of the Bible. But this, and especially the books of Leviticus, is about as little read as any part of the Bible. The grand truths taught there deserve more earnest attention than most Christians give them. God doubtless means that we should explore its deep truth that we may the better understand the way of salvation. Probably in no part of the Bible is the method of salvation so systematically and vividly set forth as here.

God has been pleased to reveal his salvation in various forms: John presents it in letters of love; while Paul sets it forth in profoundest logic. The evangelists describe it in historical form by simply relating the facts of that greatest life earth has ever known. Prophets tell it in poetry; and the Psalmist utters it in song. The Revelator takes us up into heaven and pictures mysterious visional symbols; and Moses by an extensive series of material symbols or practical hieroglyphs depicts the same great truths.

But why study types and shadows when we have the substance? Were not these things written for generations long dead, and not for us?

A New Testament writer answers, “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.”

The implication here is clear that these things were not only intended for us, but that we can understand and learn from them. Also types give a more vivid presentation of truth very much as do the parables of Jesus. Illustrations are important in God’s message to give interest and force to it. The human mind is so constituted that it gets a clearer understanding of truth if presented in a concrete rather than in an abstract form.

For this reason Bunyan’s allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, is one of the most enlightening and useful religious books that have ever been published.

Jesus is coming again

2007-10-28T04:55:00.000-04:00

Jesus is coming again, scriptures is filled with promises of His 2nd Coming. It will bring hope and rest to the true church, but it will bring judgment to the unbelievers.

James 5:8 Be also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws near.

1 Corinthians 1:7-8 So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The time when He comes will be when the church is spiritually sleeping and people are concerned about enjoyng life.

Luke 17:28-32 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he who shall be upon the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife.

There is no new age of peace coming where different religion harmonize and appreciate each other, because our basic problem is not lack of tolerance, our basic problem is our tolerance for sins. This world's greatest problem is not global warming but global rebellion again God.

The bible is clear that all of us have sinned:

Romans 3:10-14 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

The remedy for our sin is to cry out to Jesus for our salvation, he saved us from the curse and control of sins when he died at the cross, shedding His innocent blood for you and me. We are saved to live a holy life, a life that glorify God, we are not saved to have a self fulfilling time on earth.

Today Jesus is calling you, will you come to Jesus?

Jesus is calling you

2007-10-20T01:12:00.000-04:00

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

Luke 5:31-32 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 18:2-4 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Bitterness

2007-10-14T20:12:00.000-04:00

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

James 3:14-15 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Bitterness is an ugly sin, and it grow out of resentment and unforgiveness on our part. Often the root cause of it is due to being hurt in the past. I know of a friend who is bitter because of being ill-treated while serving in the army, then he become bitter to the university because of his failures in the school examination. Now he continues to be bitter and is evident in his conversation everytime he mention about God or the army or the university.

I struggle with bitterness because another group in my church is doing better in their ministry than the ministry I am involved in. Why do I feel bitter? I think it is because their better performance make me feel inferior, and I think I dislike a church elder and another deacon who feel they are superior to me and critique me because their ministry is growing, I was hurt by it. The ministry I was involved in is struggling and we need support and encourgement, not someone to critique and find fault with my ministry.

So I think God knows bitterness will come that is why God inspired the two verses above. Bitterness defiles us, it make us unpleasant people and cause us to focus on ourselve rather than on God, prolonged bitterness lead to anger.

What is the remedy for bitterness?

The same verse says we should look diligently that we may not fail from God's grace. Meaning we should be very careful, very vigilant to guard ourselves from loosing focus on God's grace, being diligent means we nip it in the bud and don't allow our mind to dwell on bitterness.

Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

We are saved by God's grace, and this grace continues to abound in us, helping us to forgive others and surrender our hurt and bitterness to God. We grieve the Holy Spirit and reject grace each time we give in to bitterness. When we resist grace and continue in bitterness, we are like someone kicking against the pricks:

Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

What is the meaning "kick against the pricks" ? read Barnes commentary on this:

The word translated "pricks" here--kentra--means, properly, any sharp point which will pierce or perforate, as the sting of a bee, etc. But it commonly means an ox-goad, a sharp piece of iron stuck into the end of a stick, with which the ox is urged on. These goads, among the Hebrews, were made very large. Thus Shamgar slew six hundred men with one of them, Jg 3:31: Comp. 1Sa 13:21. The expression, "to kick against the prick," or the goad, is derived from the action of a stubborn and unyielding ox, kicking against the goad. And as the ox would injure no one by it but himself--as he would gain nothing--it comes to denote an obstinate and refractory disposition and course of conduct, opposing motives to good conduct; resisting the authority of Him who has a right to command; and opposing the leadings of Providence, to the injury of him who makes the resistance.

So when we are bitter, we are like a stubborn ox kicking against a piece of sharp iron, it only hurt ourselves.

Resolve in our heart to pursue peace and grace and holiness, seek reconciliation with those who have hurt us, even if they don't reconcile with us, we should pray for blessing on those who have hurt us.

We can overcome bitterness because Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

When we overcome bitterness, the reward is the joy of fellowship with our Lord Jesus.

THE DIMENSIONS OF GOD’S LOVE

2007-10-01T10:31:00.000-04:00

Ephesians 3:17-19 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

THE DIMENSIONS of the Love of Christ! It is broad as humanity, “for God so loved the world”; the length—God’s love had no date of origin, and shall have none of conclusion. God is Love, it continueth ever, indissoluble, unchangeable, a perpetual present tense. Its height—as the Flood out-topped the highest mountains, so that Love covers our highest sins. It is as high as the heaven above the earth. Its depth—Christ our Lord descended into the lowest before He rose to the highest. He has touched the bottomless pit of our sin and misery, sorrow and need. However low your fall, or lowly your lot, the everlasting arms of His love are always underneath.

The Apostle talks by hyperbole, when he prays that we may attain to a knowledge of the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ. We cannot gauge Christ’s love, but we can enjoy it. Probably the only way to know the love of Christ is to begin to show it. The emotionalist, who is easily affected by appeals to the senses, does not know it; the theorist or rhapsodist does not know it, but the soul that endeavours to show the love of Christ, knows it. As Christ’s love through you broadens, lengthens, deepens, heightens, you will know the love of Christ, not intellectually, but experimentally (1 John 4:11, 12; 20, 21).

But you say, “there are people in my life whom I cannot love.” Granted, but you must distinguish between love and the emotion or feeling of love. You may not be able to feel love at the outset, but you can be willing to be the channel of Christ’s love. I cannot love, but Christ is in me, and He can. Is it too much to ask that all this should be realized in ourselves and in others? No, because God is already at work within us by His Holy Spirit, and He is able to do infinitely beyond all our highest requests or thoughts. Ask your furthest, think your highest, and the Divine Love is always infinitely in advance.

PRAYER—We thank Thee, O God, for the infinite love which Thou hast given us in Jesus Christ. We have no measure for its heights and depths, its breadths and lengths. Teach us with all saints to know more because we love more. AMEN.

By F.B. Meyer

Parable of the sower

2007-09-18T09:35:00.000-04:00

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Matthew 13:18-23

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Matthew 13:9-13

I will shake the heaven, earth and sea

2007-09-08T02:41:00.000-04:00

Haggai 2:6-7 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

Hebrews 12:26-28 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

The last time God’s voice shook the earth was in Exodus 19. That happened in Mount Sinai when God spoke to Moses, the mountain quaked, the Israelites were terrified and they trembled. The bible says yet once more, God will shook the earth again, this time He will shake not just mount Sinai but the nations, and the sea and the heaven. The thought of God shaking the sea brings to my mind the tsunamis that happened in the Indian Ocean near Indonesia on Dec 26th,2004, according to recent data compiled by the United Nations , a total of 229,866 people were lost, including 186,983 dead and 42,883 missing.
What could shake all the earth and all nations? Could it be a great global earthquake? And we have yet to witness the shaking of the heaven. I believe the effect of this global shaking is sudden, unexpected destruction, like many who were caught by surprise in the tsunamis. Haggai 2:6-7 further says this shaking of the earth, heaven and the sea will be followed by the desire of all nations coming, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Hebrew 12;26-28 the Word says this shaking will remove things that are shaken, that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. All the world’s systems and institutions that is against God will one day be shaken and destroyed. As of things that are made, they are temporary, perishable and have an expiry date. Some spend time investing in stocks, for some it is entertainment, for some it is their car, these things itself may not be sinful, but you see all these things are not lasting. The bible says in Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where and what we spend our time and effort reveals where our heart is, how do we spend our free time is a gauge of where our heart is. In life it is not how fast and beautiful you build your house, it is whether your house is built on the right foundation?

The Word is teaching us to invest in things that cannot be shaken, doing the will of God have lasting values and is a sure foundation.

Matthew 7:24-27 "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn't do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

Hebrew 12:28 exhorts us: Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear

Knowing God

2007-09-02T11:12:00.000-04:00

Our Lord, in defining eternal life, summed up the supreme goal of human existence: That they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. And Paul revealed the one overpowering interest of his life when he wrote That I may know him. The business of the Church is God. She is purest when most engaged with God and she is astray just so far as she follows other interests, no matter how religious or humanitarian they may be. There are a thousand useful, even noble, pursuits in which the Church may engage and which may bring her the plaudits of the world but which are nevertheless unworthy of her utter devotion. Such are social activities for their own sake, philosophical pursuits divorced from Him in whom all wisdom and knowledge is hidden away, art, music, education, travel, to name a mere few. As these things come to the Christian in his pursuit of God they may have a proper and useful place in his life; but when they are chosen as ends to be followed they are and can only be cheap substitutes for the glory that excelleth.

By A.W Tozer

Blessed hope

2007-08-25T04:27:00.000-04:00

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I just love this 4 verses. The grace of God that bring salvation has appeared to all men, this is consistent with the whole theme of the bible, Heb 1:1-2 says “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” The main theme of the bible is Jesus Christ, and the grace of God is manifested through Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh. Everything Jesus done, his ministry, his death, his resurrection and his 2nd coming, speaks of God’s grace to an undeserving people.

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, we don’t belong to this present world, verse 14 says we are to be peculiar people, we don’t think and reason like most people because we have to cultivate a heavenly mindset, which is contrary to an earthly mindset. So we should feel out of place, a misfit, in this world.
What is the earthly mindset? If you live long enough in this present world, you will know it is to enjoy and be merry, live life to the fullest, develop your fullest potential, fulfill your dreams, be enriched with wealth and health in this world, and for those who are perhaps more altruistic: lets unite everyone and bring heaven down to earth.

But the heavenly mindset is different, the bible says in 1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. The world, and its lusts, will soon pass way. There is another world coming, the heavenly mindset is to prepare ourselves for the coming new world, that is why we must be sober, righteous, and godly. A church elder once said “ heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people” We Christians are to prepare ourselves for the next world. Therefore take every trial and temptation you face, with the help of prayer, as an opportunity to train yourself for the new world.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
The glorious 2nd coming of Jesus Christ will usher in the coming new world. It is a blessed hope, for this hope will keep us going, this hope will give us the strength to endure and be patient. This is the hope that we know all the wrong in this world will be made right and we will see Jesus face to face. This is the purifying hope that cause us to say no to the attractiveness of the world. This is the comforting hope that know God will one day wipe away all our tears (Rev 7:17).

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. He is our Savior, we love Him because He first love us. Love is about giving, and the greatest act of love is when God gave us His only begotten Son, and Christ Jesus willingly offered His life for us. So if Jesus gave Himself to us, lets remember as Christians when we interact with others, it is about showing the love of Jesus by our giving. Yes we should convict others by telling them what God says about sins, but we should not condemn others. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16

The necessity of good works

2007-08-22T07:07:00.000-04:00

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Titus 1:16 says that there are those who profess to know God, who profess to be Christians, however in their works they deny God. So our good works should keep up with our profession. Churches who proclaim the Good News that our salvation is by faith in Christ, should not just end the message here. They need to preach the message that true saving faith will produce sanctification and good works in the believers’ life.

Recently while reading Paul’s epistle to Titus, I discover many exhortation to good works:

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Titus 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Is our salvation then dependent on our good works? Paul gave us the answer on the same epistle:

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Salvation is not by any of our works of righteousness, but by His mercy and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. However our good works is the only observable evidence of whether we are following Him or denying Him. That is why Paul wrote in Titus 1:16:“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him”

If good works are important, what are the good works that we should be doing?

Firstly we should get our motive right before doing any good works. Our motive is to love God and love people, and another important motive is we want to humbly obey God.
Having love and obedience as our motive, we will seek to do things that will build up other believers in the faith, by our actions, by our words, by our teaching. By doing so we are doing our good works to extend God’s kingdom. And to unbelievers, we will seek to lead them to know Christ.

Our good works can be very broad and cover a range of activities: it could be teaching in a Sunday school, volunteering to help in your church ministries, it could be offering financial help to others, offering words of encouragement, praying for others, proclaiming to unbelievers the Gospel, being a godly example for others, counseling others who are hurt, lovingly correcting the sins of others…if we have the desire to do good works for God, the Holy Spirit will lead us to the right ministry.

Be motivated by love and obedience, desire to be fruitful to God, and our good works will surely follow.

Godliness

2007-08-18T10:48:00.000-04:00

1 Timothy 6:3-4 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Doctrine is according to godliness. The Amplified bible translated "teaching that is in agreement with godliness". The NET bible translates as "knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness"
Yes, a correct doctrine is important, and we need to guard ourselves from false teaching. But we also need to be reminded that the knowledge of the right doctrine is to produce godliness in us. Doctrine is not to satisfy our intellectual pursuit.

Some definition of godliness I found from http://preceptaustin.org

Godliness is a practical awareness of God in every aspect of life.

Godliness is not talking godly but living godly.

Godliness reflects an attitude centered on living out one's life in God's presence with a desire motivated by love for Him and empowered by His grace to be pleasing to Him in all things.

Godliness refers to the true reverence toward God which comes from knowledge. It is a right attitude toward God and His holiness, majesty, and love

Godliness is that inner attitude of reverence which seeks to please God in every thought, word or deed.

Godliness desires to be rightly related to both God and men, and brings the sanctifying presence of God into every relationship of one's life.

You know, Lucifer has knowledge of the right doctrine, but he is proud and will not submit to God. He choose to rebel and he became Satan. So knowledge of the right doctrine alone cannot save us, we need to have the right attitude, the attitude of godliness.

Lessons I learned from 2 Timothy

2007-08-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

2 Timothy 1:9 Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

God has saved us not according to our works, we are elected not based on our good works or our good background, it is solely by the grace of God and according to His purose that we are saved. And we are elected even before the world began, God already intended to have us saved in Christ Jesus before the world began. I find this an amazing truth.

2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

God has given Christian spiritual gifts. Don't hide our gifts, use it for God's glory.

2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Shame on us Christians who never preach the Gospel to anyone, never concern about the lost. I quote from Tozer:

"To me, it has always been difficult to understand those evangelical Christians who insist upon living in the crisis as if no crisis existed. They say they serve the Lord, but they divide their days so as to leave plenty of time to play and loaf and enjoy the pleasures of the world as well. They are at ease while the world burns....I wonder whether such Christians actually believe in the Fall of man! "

We should be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel, so often we don't want to suffer for fear of offence toothers, we are ashamed of the Gospel. The reason why we are still left on earth is to be a witness for Christ for God's glory. So may we pray for courage and the Spirit's help to proclaim the Gospel.

2 Timothy 2:14-16 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Very often we quote verse 15 to show the importance of rightly dividing the word of truth, however verse 14 and verse 16 are important, it says we are to rightly study God's words so that we will not strive about words with no profit. We don't study the Word to engage in carnal debate which will lead to strife and ungodliness.

WHAT IS RELIGION?

2007-08-08T08:10:00.000-04:00

Matthew 15:16 “And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?”

IN this chapter our Lord teaches that true Religion is certainly not a matter of eating and drinking or outward ceremony. It is the intention of the soul, the continual drawing from Christ the life-power needed for our work and ministry to others. It may be illustrated by the experience of the diver, who explores the ocean-bed, but draws upon the breeze that sweeps the ocean-surface.Our Lord did not underestimate the outward observance of the forms of religion; He set us a definite example by His attendance at the Synagogue and the Temple services, by nights spent in prayer, by constant reference to Holy Scripture—but these were only the outward and natural expression of His unbroken fellowship with His Father.

Human love does not consist merely in outward expression, but in the hidden purpose of the heart, and yet, if there be no outward expression the spring will dry up!Perhaps the two greatest definitions of pure religion are these—the first from the Old Testament: “Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy God.” (Micah 6:8) And the second from the New Testament: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) But to fulfil each of these we need the aid of the Holy Spirit.

To be truly religious is within the reach and scope of us all; but we must avail ourselves of what Jesus Christ has done to bring us to God. In Him there is absolute forgiveness for all the past, and infinite help and grace for the future. He is willing to be our Surety, Friend, and Helper. Through Him we may become partakers of the Divine Nature, and escape the corruption which is in the world through lust.

PRAYER—Give unto me, gracious Lord, the pilgrim spirit that I may be in the world and not of it. Give me Thy grace to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. May I ever walk worthy of the heavenly calling. AMEN.

By F.B. Meyer

Growth in Grace

2007-08-02T11:51:00.000-04:00

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18

The word grace is one of the key terms of Holy Scripture frequently occurring, and by the knowledge of which much of the import of the whole volume is unfolded. It signifies favor, free and unmerited. "By grace (favor) are you saved," Eph. 2:8. This is the primitive, prevailing, generic sense of the word, and is its meaning in such passages also as the following, and many others– Rom. 11:5, 6; Eph. 1:2, 6, 7; 2:7; Titus 2:11; 3:7. But as in the ordinary use of language we sometimes call the effect by the name of the cause, the word grace is often applied in Scripture to several things which are the consequences and operations of Divine favor; thus the aids of the Holy Spirit are called grace, as in that passage, "My grace is sufficient for you," 2 Cor. 12:9; also 1 Cor. 15:9, 10.
In the passage under consideration, it has a meaning somewhat different from either of these, yet related to them, and signifies holiness, as the fruit and effect of God's grace—and the exhortation to grow in grace is a beautiful, comprehensive, and instructive way of saying, grow in holiness; advance in piety. True, there is a sense in which a believer may grow in the favor of God itself, as well as in its effects. It is said of Christ in his youth, that "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man," Luke 2:52.
God, in his love, delights in his people on a twofold account; first, because of the work of his Son, which is upon them for justification—and secondly, because of their spiritual graces, inasmuch as these are the work of his Holy Spirit; and therefore the more he sees of this work in them, the more he must love them. On account of their relation as children, he loves them all equally; but as regards their spiritual condition, he loves them in proportion to their degrees of conformity to himself. Hence they may grow in his favor continually, that is, one person may have more in him, than another, that God loves, and that same person may have more in himself, at one time than another, that God approves. But since this supposes, as its ground, a growth in holiness, which is the object of Divine delight, it brings us to that view of growth in grace, which is the meaning of the passage, and the design of this address—I mean, advance in piety.

The explanation of the text is very instructive with regard to several general principles.

1. True religion in the soul is the work of God—it is the operation of God himself as the efficient agent, whoever and whatever may be the instrumentality. It is the grace of God in us.

2. All God's dealings with men, in regard to salvation and its benefits, are the result of pure favor. Man, as a sinner, merits nothing, and can merit nothing—it is grace that reigns throughout his whole salvation.

3. In sanctification, God's favor shines as brightly as in justification. God's grace is as rich and free in delivering us from the power of sin—as from its punishment. God as effectually blesses us, and as truly loves us in the work of his Spirit, as in the work of his Son.

4. Sanctification is a progressive work. Growth necessarily implies progress. We cannot be more justified at one time than another, for justification admits of no degrees; but we can be more sanctified at one time than another, for sanctification admits of all degrees.

5. Inasmuch as every operation of God's grace is designed to bless us, sanctification is as much a Christian's happiness as justification, since it is no less an effect of Divine grace. Consequently, to grow in holiness is to grow in happiness.

I now come to the exhortation, and admonish you to grow in grace. This implies, of course, that you have grace, for without this you cannot grow. Regeneration is incipient sanctification, sanctification is the progress of regeneration. The former is the birth of the child of God, the latter is his growth. Without life there can be no growth. Stones do not grow, for they have no vitality; and the heart of man before regeneration is compared to a stone. Are you convinced you are born again of the Spirit? That the heart of stone is changed into warm, vital flesh? It is to be feared that the reason why so many professors never grow, is because they have no principle of vitality. If you do not grow, you may question if you are born again, whether you are anything more than the picture or statue of a child.

Perhaps some will ask what are the signs of growth. Here I would remark that growth may be considered either as general, in reference to the whole work of grace in the soul, or to some particular part of it. If we consider the former, I reply, that it is evinced by a general improvement of the whole religious character; an increasing, obvious, and conscious development of the principle and power of spiritual vitality in all its appropriate functions and operations; an increase in the vigor and purity of religious affections, so that the heart is really more intensely engaged in piety; the inward life is more concentrated, sprightly, and energetic—so that the Christian has more of youthful vivaciousness in the service of God, and is actuated by a more intense and practical ardor.

In this state of GENERAL growth in grace, FAITH becomes more simple, unhesitating, and confiding; less staggered by difficulties, less beclouded by doubts and fears, and more able to disentangle itself on its way to the cross—from self-righteousness, and dependence on frames and feelings.
LOVE to God, though it may contain less of glowing emotion, has more of fixed principle; and is more prompt, resolute, and self-denying in obedience.
JOY in believing, if it has not so much occasional rapture, has more of habitual, calm, and tranquil repose.

RESIGNATION to the will of God is more absolute, and we can bear with less perturbation, agitation, and chafing of mind—the crossing of our will, and the disappointment of our hopes.

PATIENCE and meekness towards our fellow creatures and fellow Christians become more conspicuous and controlled. At first, the believer can scarcely ford a shallow of troubles—but now he can swim in a sea of them; formerly he was oppressed by the lightest injury—now he can bear a heavy load; once he could scarcely endure the unintentional offences of his friends—now he can forgive and pray for his enemies.

An increase of HUMILITY is a sure and necessary sign of spiritual growth. At first we were ready to think many worse than ourselves—now we are as ready to think all better than ourselves. Then we saw some of our defects, and they appeared small—now we see many, and they are affectingly magnified. Then we knew little but the sins of the 'conduct'—but now the corruptions of the 'heart' are continually abasing us. He who is growing in humility is growing indeed; for the growth of grace is as much downward at the root, as upwards in the spreading and towering branches. "Other virtues aspire upwards—but humility looks downwards. We say of the others, the higher they grow the better—but humility is best at the lowest. Faith and hope have a holy ambition, they look not lower than heaven, nothing can content them but an immortal crown; but humility pleases herself with abasement, and you shall find her with Job in the dust, in that school of morality. Yet even there she grows, and that in the favor of God—the deeper she roots, the higher she sprouts."

ZEAL increases with everything else, and he who grows in grace, advances in love to God's service, being more constant in attendance upon God's house, advancing from pleasure on sabbath-day ordinances—to delight in weekday ones; and from regular private prayer—to habitual ejaculatory prayer.
The beauty and purity of external HOLINESS advance in proportion to internal spirituality and heavenly-mindedness; and the profession becomes more and more free from the spots of even God's children.

CONSCIENCE, instead of becoming more dim in its vision, acquires greater power of perception to discern the criminality of even little sins—and a greater delicacy of taste to loathe them.
LIBERALITY becomes more diffusive, and covetousness is mortified by a longer acquaintance with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

LOVE, that heavenly virtue, without which the greatest gifts are but as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, bears not only a richer crop of blossoms—but of good ripe fruits. From loving a few, and those of our own party, we go on to the spirit of the apostle, and say, "Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." Those who are outgrowing the prejudices of party and of ignorance, and are rising higher and higher in the strength and stature of love, give, perhaps, the fullest proof of all, of growth in grace.
This is general growth in grace; for grace in one word comprehends all others—it is the genus of which all Christian virtues are the species. Faith is grace; penitence is grace; love is grace and so are patience, humility, and zeal—so that when we are called to grow in grace, we are not restricted to any particular disposition—but enjoined to practice them all.

by John Angell James

http://www.gracegems.org/22/growth_in_grace.htm

Sin Of Prayerlessness by Andrew Murray

2007-07-28T01:46:00.000-04:00

What think you? Do you not begin to see that the sin of prayerlessness has had a more terrible effect than you at first supposed? It is because of this hasty and superficial converse with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have power to help you to hate and flee from sin as you ought.

Nothing, nothing except the hidden, humble, constant fellowship with God can teach you, as a child of God, to hate sin as God wants you to hate it. Nothing, nothing but the constant nearness and unceasing power of the living Christ can make it possible for you rightly to understand what sin is and to detest it. And without this deeper understanding of sin, there will be no thought of appropriating the victory which is made possible for you in Christ Jesus, and will be wrought in you by the Spirit.

O' my God, cause me to know my sin and teaching me to tarry before thee and to wait on thee till thy Spirit causes something of thy holiness to rest upon me! 0 my God, cause me to know my sin, and let this drive me to listen to the promise: 'He that abideth in him sinneth not,' and to expect the fulfillment from Thee!

for we are fearfully and wonderfully made Ps 139:14

2007-07-21T03:40:00.001-04:00

Thank God for giving me and my wife another daughter! she is a month old.

The LORD my Deliverer

2007-07-13T09:17:00.000-04:00

"The Lord is my portion, says my soul."
"Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us." 2 Cor. 1:10

It was a needful and precious petition the Lord Jesus taught His disciples--and which we require daily to offer--"DELIVER us from evil." We are in constant need of deliverance, exposed, as we are, to continued, varied, and potent evils, visible and invisible, temporal and spiritual, to evade and overcome which we have no native power, and can therefore hope for no self-deliverance.
But who is our true Deliverer? It is He who is our Portion, who taught us thus to pray, and who is Himself our Great Deliverer. Let us take the THREE TENSES employed by the apostle in the words at the head of this meditation, as illustrating the Lord's great deliverance of His people.
And first, there is the Lord's PAST deliverance. "Who deliverED us from so great a death." Jesus stooped from the throne of Deity to the cross of a condemned felon, to deliver us from 'so great a death,' and from the bitter pains and pangs of the 'second death,' the death that is eternal. A sin-offering for our sins, accursed with our curse, condemned by our condemnation, and dying our death, the precious blood streaming from His torn side and bursting heart made a full atonement for our vast and countless offences, effacing every syllable of the indictment that was against us, and blotting out every stain of sin that was upon us--thus having delivered us from so great a death. My soul! avail yourself of this wondrous deliverance, this perfect redemption, this free pardon; and by the application of the atoning blood to your conscience, walk in the happy enjoyment of all the blessings of a charter of salvation and celestial citizenship which Christ's deliverance makes yours.
Second, there is a PRESENT deliverance. "And He DOES deliver." In addition to the canceling of all past offences, Christ's deliverance involves our present emancipation from an unrenewed nature. To pardon our guilt and to leave us the servants of sin and the slaves of Satan would be a species of refined cruelty with which God could never be charged. Our present deliverance, then, is freedom from spiritual death, by which we become living souls, and thus we are now delivered from so great a death, and can join the apostle in "giving thanks unto the Father who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Yes! Jesus delivers now.
Are you in any present difficulty or sorrow, need or temptation? Christ can deliver you, and deliver you now. Cry mightily to Him. He has power to deliver, fullness to supply, and a loving, sympathizing heart to comfort. Your perplexity cannot baffle His wisdom, your needs cannot exhaust His resources, your sorrow cannot distance His sympathy. He who has delivered you out of six troubles will not forsake you in the seventh. O my soul! live upon a present Savior, rejoice in a present salvation, and do not forget that God in Christ is a very present help in every time of need.
Third, He who has delivered, who does deliver, will yet deliver us in all the FUTURE of our history. Faith acquires strength for the present by a remembrance of the past deliverances of God; and from the experience of the present, it looks forward with confidence to the future--"In whom we trust that He will yet deliver us." Then, O my soul, be not over-anxious about your future. God is faithful, Jesus is unchangeable, and all that the Lord your Portion has been He is now, and He will be in all future trouble, sickness, and death--an all-sufficient, all-loving, all-faithful deliverer, never leaving nor forsaking you, until He has "delivered you out of the miseries of this sinful world, having your perfect consummation and bliss in body and soul in His eternal and everlasting kingdom." "Call upon Me in the day of trouble--I will DELIVER you, and you shall glorify Me."

By Octavius Winslow, 1870

2007-07-07T03:20:00.000-04:00

GOD'S UNCHANGING LOVE

"The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy on you."--Isaiah 54:10

There is nothing true but heaven--none unchangeable but God. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed"--the lofty and the beautiful, the strong and the attractive of created good shall decay and vanish--the earthquake of time's revolution and of human instability shaking them to the center; but God's covenant of love, and God's love of the covenant, abides forever--for God has spoken it, and it is impossible for Him to lie. Sit down, my soul, and meditate awhile upon this heart-cheering, soul-satisfying truth--the unchangeable love of your covenant God and Father. "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy on you."

"My kindness." Oh what touching and impressive words are these! Human kindness is sweet and grateful--the kindness and love of the creature; what, then, must be divine kindness--the kindness and love of God? Oh how kind is Jesus! There is kindness in all He does and in all He says--kindness in His promises, kindness in His rebukes, kindness in what He gives, kindness in what He withholds, and kindness in what He recalls; kindness in every stroke of His rod, and kindness in every smile of His love. O! my Savior, how great Your kindness in bearing my sins, in calling me by Your effectual grace, in keeping me from falling by Your power, and in giving me a name and a place among Your saints.

"Shall not depart from you." My soul, consider the love of God for you, as everlasting love. It never did, it never will, depart. Notwithstanding your fall in Adam--your depraved nature--your constant sins and departures, the love of God continues. He may veil for a little moment the light of His countenance, may chastise and afflict you for your revoltings and backslidings; still, having loved you once, He loves you to the end. Whatever else departs, His love never will. Wealth may leave you, health may fail you, friends may forsake you, and life itself expire; but God's paternal love, and Christ's fraternal sympathy, will never, never change.

"Neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed." The covenant of peace made with Christ, on your behalf, O my soul, sealed with His blood, even the "blood of the everlasting covenant," which procured peace, speaks peace, and bequeaths peace, even "the peace of God which passes all understanding," shall never be removed. The mountains of human strength, lofty and sun-gilded--the hills of creature good, clad with verdure, and smiling with fruit--shall be removed--the strongest, the loveliest, and the dearest the first to die--but, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Amid the vicissitudes and changes of the present--the dying friends and revolving landscapes of life--cling, O my soul, to Him whose covenant never alters, whose kindness never changes; who, having loved you before all time, and loved you in all time, will love you to the end of all time--yes, when time shall be no longer. The Lord that has mercy upon you has said it.

Unconverted soul! the day will come when, if found out of Christ, you will cry to the mountains and to the rocks to cover you--but will cry in vain! Before His face of glory the heavens and the earth will flee away, and your soul will stand without a shelter or a hiding place. Escape for your life! There is one mountain, and one only, where you can find shelter from the wrath that is to come--it is Mount Calvary. Hidden there, the "Avenger of Blood" cannot reach you. No refuge but the cross--no fountain but the blood--no righteousness but Christ's--no Savior but Jesus--will meet your case. "Him that comes unto Me I will in no way cast out.''

"Just as I am! without one plea,
But that the Savior died for me,
And that You bid me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!"

by Octavius Winslow, 1872

Congratulations Lee...

2007-06-28T00:58:00.000-04:00

On the birth of the newest little addition to your family.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14

May God bless you, your wife and daughters Lee!

THE BACKSLIDER'S RETURN

2007-06-17T01:36:00.000-04:00

"Yet return again to Me, says the Lord."--Jer. 3:1

Could there be a more touching "Thus says the Lord" than this? The voice of Jesus, as it echoed over the mountains and along the valleys of our unregenerate distance from God, seeking and finding and bringing us home, was inexpressibly sweet and irresistibly gracious. But, to hear that same voice, after our many wanderings, our repeated relapses, our sad backslidings, still seeking, still inviting, still imploring us to return, though we had "played the harlot with many lovers," oh, there is music in that voice such as the heavenly minstrelsy must bend their ear to catch.

My soul, you are "bent upon backsliding, even as a backsliding heifer." Your heart is as a broken bow, treacherous to the arrow fixed upon the string, and ready for its flight. Your purposes of good formed, but thwarted; resolutions of amendment made, but broken; plans of usefulness laid, but frustrated; prayers for grace offered, but forgotten; desires and aspirations after God sent up, but, through a deceitful and wicked heart, dissolving into air. Oh! how many and aggravated have your backslidings from God been--backslidings in heart, backslidings in deed--secret wanderings, open wanderings. You have "left your first love," have "forgotten your resting-place;" and, straying from the cross, have gone back to walk no more with Jesus. Truly, your "heart is like a deceitful bow."

But, has the Lord, by some gentle movement of His grace, or by some solemn event of His providence, aroused, overtaken, arrested you? Has He set a hedge around your path, that you could not find your lovers, bringing you to reflection, to penitence, to prayer? Then, listen, O my soul, to the gracious words of your "first husband;" "Yet return again to Me, says the Lord."

Spiritual restoration implies a spiritual re-conversion. In this sense we are to interpret our Lord's words to His fallen apostle Peter--"When you are converted, strengthen your brethren,"--that is, when you are restored, recovered, turned back again, employ your restored grace, the experience you have derived, and the lessons you have learned by your fall and recovery, in strengthening your weak brethren--in warning and exhorting, in restoring and comforting those who have been alike tempted, and have alike fallen.

There is something very expressive, tender, and touching in the word--"Again." "Yet return again." It sounds like the "forgiveness of seventy times seven." Lord! I have wandered from You times without number--"Yet return again." Lord! I have so often sinned and repented--"Yet return again." Lord! You have received and forgiven me more than seventy times seven--"Yet return again." Lord! I come confessing the same sins, deploring the same backslidings, acknowledging the same self-will and base ingratitude--"Yet return again to me, says the Lord." Then, Lord! I come with weeping, and mourning, and confession, since Your tenderness, grace, and changeless love, and outstretched hand bid me.

"Return to Me."

My soul, rest not until you rest in Jesus. Let nothing come between your returning heart and your advancing, loving, forgiving Father. There is no true return of a backsliding believer but that which takes him past his repentance, past his tears, past his confessions, past his amendments, past his minister, and brings him at once close to Christ. There is no healing of the hurt, no binding up of the wound, no cleansing, no peace, no comfort, no joy, but as the soul comes to the blood, and nestles once more within the very heart of Jesus.

"Return unto ME."

Spiritual vomit

2007-06-10T05:35:00.000-04:00

"He who covers his sins shall not prosper; but whoever
confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy." Prov. 28:13

True penitential confession is joined with reformation. That
confession of sin which carries forgiveness of sin with it, is
attended with serious desires, and earnest endeavors of
reformation. Confession of sin must be joined with forsaking
of sin—or all is lost. God will never cross the book, He will
never draw the red lines of Christ's blood over the black lines
of our transgressions—unless confessing and forsaking of sin,
goes hand in hand. He who does not forsake his sin, as well
as confess it, forsakes the benefit of his confession.

Indeed, there is no real confession of sin, where there is no
real forsaking of sin. It is not enough for us to confess the
sins we have committed—but we must peremptorily resolve
against the committing again the sins we have confessed.
We must desire as freely to forego our sins, as we do desire
God to forgive us our sins.

Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit. Now you know, a man
who is sick in his stomach, is heartily willing to be rid of that
load on his stomach; and so a man who is real in his confession
of sin, is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin, that lies as a
load upon his conscience, as any sick man can be heartily
willing to be rid of that load that lies upon his stomach.

The penitential confessor does as heartily desire to be delivered
from the power of his sins—as he does desire to be delivered
from the sting and punishment of his sins.

Excerpt from Cabinet of Choice Jewels
By Thomas Brooks, 1669

The difference between the godly & the ungodly

2007-05-24T18:33:00.000-04:00

There is a wide difference--in both principle and
practice--between the the godly and the ungodly.

The affections of the godly are refined--and their
desires exalted. The inclinations of the ungodly
are corrupt--and their desires groveling.

Sin has but a tottering standing, and a momentary
abode--in the godly. But sin has fixed its throne,
and taken up its eternal residence--in the ungodly.

In the godly, grace and sin struggle for sovereignty.
In the ungodly, sin domineers and there is no struggle.

The godly is deeply concerned about world to come.
The ungodly has no concern about eternal realities.

The speech of the godly is seasoned with grace.
The discourse of the ungodly is insipid and vain.

The godly has his hope fixed on God.
The ungodly has no fear of God before his eyes.

The godly use the world without abusing it.
The ungodly, in using the world, abuse both themselves and it.

The godly confesses God in his daily life, and rejoices
with his whole heart in Him. The ungodly says in his
practice--"there is no God" and wishes in his heart,
that there were no God.

The godly adores the Creator above all else.
The ungodly worships the 'creature' more than the Creator.

The godly uses God's name with profoundest reverence,
and departs from iniquity. The ungodly profanes God's
name with impudence, and adds iniquity to sin.

The godly redeems his time.
The ungodly trifles away his time.

The godly studies his duty in obedience to all God's precepts.
The ungodly shakes himself loose from every command of God.

The godly forgives his foes.
The ungodly lays a snare for his foes.

The godly commits it to God to avenge his wrong.
The ungodly, fiery and tumultuous--seeks revenge.

The godly loves chastity in all things.
The ungodly wallows in uncleanness.

The godly is content with his condition.
The ungodly covets all the day long.

The godly is pure in heart. The heart of the
ungodly is like a cage full of unclean birds.

The godly walks at liberty in the ways of God.
The ungodly is the servant and slave of sin.

The Holy Spirit rules in the heart of the godly.
Satan rules in the heart of the ungodly.

The godly has his conversation in heaven.
The ungodly has his conversation in hell.

As there is such a wide difference in their principles
and practices--so also, in their eternal destinies.
God is faithful--He has promised felicity to the pious,
and threatened vengeance to the wicked. "The wicked
is thrust out in his wickedness; but the righteous has
hope in his death." Proverbs 14:32

The godly are under the blessing of God's love.
The ungodly are under the curse of God's law.

The godly with joy, draw water out of the wells of salvation.
The ungodly shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

To the godly pertain all the exceeding great and precious promises.
To the ungodly pertain all the threatenings of God.

Heaven shall be the palace of the godly!
Hell shall be the prison of the ungodly!

While the godly shall dwell through eternity with God, the
ungodly shall be driven away into everlasting darkness!

Thus, the righteous and wicked are separated in their
life, and divided in their death. They are divided . . .
in their principles,
in their practices,
in their choices,
in their joys,
in their thoughts,
in their company,
in their speech,
in their fears,
in their expectations,
in their death,
and through eternity itself!

(James Meikle, "The Traveler" June 14, 1758)

The transforming power of the Spirit!

2007-05-07T09:49:00.000-04:00

"To all those in Rome who are loved by God
and called to be saints." Romans 1:7

Believers are separated from the world by the
effectual working of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit
calls them out from the world, and separates
them as effectually as if a wall were built
between them and it. He puts in them . . .
new hearts,
new minds,
new tastes,
new desires,
new sorrows,
new joys,
new wishes,
new pleasures,
new longings.

He gives them . . .
new eyes,
new ears,
new affections,
new opinions.

He makes them new creatures. They are born
again--and with a new birth they begin a new
existence. Mighty indeed is the transforming
power of the Spirit!

(J. C. Ryle, "The Lord's Garden")

Blessed are The Poor in Spirit

2007-04-25T15:36:00.000-04:00

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--the broken and humble in heart, who has no high thoughts or conceits of himself--but is lowly in his own eyes, like a young child.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--he who has no lofty or puffed up spirit. The poor in spirit are those who are lowly, being truly conscious of their own unworthiness. None are poor in spirit--but the humble.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--blessed are those whose spirits are brought into such a humble gracious frame, as willingly, quietly, and contentedly to lie down in a poor low condition--when it is the pleasure of the Lord to bring them into such a condition.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--blessed are those who are truly and sincerely sensible of their spiritual needs, poverty, and misery. They see an utter inability and insufficiency in themselves, and in all other creatures to deliver them out of their sinful and miserable estate.

They see nothing in themselves upon which they dare
venture their everlasting estates, and therefore fly to the free, rich, sovereign, and glorious grace of God in Christ, as to their sure and only sanctuary!

They see their need of God's free grace to pardon them.

They see their need of Christ's righteousness to clothe them.

They see their need of the Spirit of Christ to purge, change, and sanctify them.

They see their need of more heavenly wisdom to counsel them.

They see their need of more . . .

-of the power of God--to support them,
-of the goodness of God--to supply them,
-of the mercy of God--to comfort them,
-of the presence of God--to refresh them,
-of the patience of God--to bear with them, etc.

They see their need of greater measures of faith
--to conquer their fears.

They see their need of greater measures of wisdom--
to walk holy, harmlessly, blamelessly, and exemplary
in the midst of temptations, snares, and dangers.

They see their need of greater measures of patience
--to bear their burdens without fretting or fainting.

They see their need of greater measures of zeal
and courage--to bear up bravely against all sorts
of opposition, both from within and from without.

They see their need of greater measures of love
--to cleave to the Lamb, and to follow the Lamb
wherever He goes.

They see their need of living in a continual dependence upon God and Christ--for fresh influences, incomes, and supplies of grace, of comfort, of strength--by which they may be enabled . .

-to live for God,
-to walk with God,
-to glorify God,
-to bring forth fruit to God,
-to withstand all temptations which
-tend to lead the heart away from God.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669

Blessed are those who mourn

2007-04-16T11:21:00.000-04:00

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Matthew 5:4

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—such as who mourn for sin with an exceeding great mourning.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sin with a funeral sorrow, as the word signifies.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sin as a man mourns for the loss of his only son, Zech. 12:10, or as Jacob mourned for Joseph, or as David mourned for Absalom, or as the people mourned for the loss of good Josiah, 2 Chron. 35:24-25.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for secret sins as well as open sins.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sins against grace as well as for sins against the law.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sin as the greatest evil in the world.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for his own sins, Ezek. 7:16; as David did, Psalm 51; or as Ephraim did, Jer. 31:18-19; or as Peter did, Mat. 26:75; or as Mary Magdalene did, Luke 7:38

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for the sins of others as well as for his own, as David did, Psalm 119:136, 158; or as Jeremiah did, Jer. 13:17; or as Lot did, 2 Peter 2:7-8; or as they did in that Ezek. 9:4.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn under the sense of their spiritual needs.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourns under the sense of their spiritual losses—such as loss of communion with God, loss of the favor of God, loss of the presence of God, loss of the exercise of grace, loss of the joys of the Spirit, loss of inward peace, etc.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn not only for their own afflictions and miseries—but also for the afflictions and miseries of other believers, as Nehemiah did, Neb. 1:2-4; or as Jeremiah did, Jer. 9:1-2; or as Christ did when he wept over Jerusalem, Luke 19:41-42.

"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn because they cannot mourn for these things; or who mourn because they can mourn no more; or who mourn because God has so little honor in their hearts, or in their house, or in their life, or in the world, or in the churches.

Excerpt from Thomas Brooks, 1669

A Physician's View of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

2007-04-07T16:36:00.000-04:00

By Dr. C. Truman Davis

About a decade ago, reading Jim Bishop’s The Day Christ Died, I realized that I had for years taken the Crucifixion more or less for granted — that I had grown callous to its horror by a too easy familiarity with the grim details and a too distant friendship with our Lord. It finally occurred to me that, though a physician, I didn’t even know the actual immediate cause of death. The Gospel writers don’t help us much on this point, because crucifixion and scourging were so common during their lifetime that they apparently considered a detailed description unnecessary.

So we have only the concise words of the Evangelists: “Pilate, having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to them to be crucified — and they crucified Him.” I have no competence to discuss the infinite psychic and spiritual suffering of the Incarnate God atoning for the sins of fallen man. But it seemed to me that as a physician I might pursue the physiological and anatomical aspects of our Lord’s passion in some detail.

What did the body of Jesus of Nazareth actually endure during those hours of torture?

This led me first to a study of the practice of crucifixion itself; that is, torture and execution by fixation to a cross. I am indebted to many who have studied this subject in the past, and especially to a contemporary colleague, Dr. Pierre Barbet, a French surgeon who has done exhaustive historical and experimental research and has written extensively on the subject.

Apparently, the first known practice of crucifixion was by the Persians. Alexander and his generals brought it back to the Mediterranean world — to Egypt and to Carthage. The Romans apparently learned the practice from the Carthaginians and (as with almost everything the Romans did) rapidly developed a very high degree of efficiency and skill at it. A number of Roman authors (Livy, Cicer, Tacitus) comment on crucifixion, and several innovations, modifications, and variations are described in the ancient literature. For instance, the upright portion of the cross (or stipes) could have the cross-arm (or patibulum) attached two or three feet below its top in what we commonly think of as the Latin cross. The most common form used in our Lord’s day, however, was the Tau cross, shaped like our T.

In this cross, the patibulum was placed in a notch at the top of the stipes. There is archeological evidence that it was on this type of cross that Jesus was crucified. Without any historical or biblical proof, Medieval and Renaissance painters have given us our picture of Christ carrying the entire cross. But the upright post, or stipes, was generally fixed permanently in the ground at the site of execution and the condemned man was forced to carry the patibulum, weighing about 110 pounds, from the prison to the place of execution.

Many of the painters and most of the sculptors of crucifixion, also show the nails through the palms. Historical Roman accounts and experimental work have established that the nails were driven between the small bones of the wrists (radial and ulna) and not through the palms. Nails driven through the palms will strip out between the fingers when made to support the weight of the human body. The misconception may have come about through a misunderstanding of Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Observe my hands.” Anatomists, both modern and ancient, have always considered the wrist as part of the hand.

A titulus, or small sign, stating the victim’s crime was usually placed on a staff, carried at the front of the procession from the prison, and later nailed to the cross so that it extended above the head. This sign with its staff nailed to the top of the cross would have given it somewhat the characteristic form of the Latin cross.

But, of course, the physical passion of the Christ began in Gethsemane. Of the many aspects of this initial suffering, the one of greatest physiological interest is the bloody sweat. It is interesting that St. Luke, the physician, is the only one to mention this. He says, “And being in agony, He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.” Every ruse (trick) imaginable has been used by modern scholars to explain away this description, apparently under the mistaken impression that this just doesn’t happen. A great deal of effort could have been saved had the doubters consulted the medical literature. Though very rare, the phenomenon of Hematidrosis, or bloody sweat, is well documented. Under great emotional stress of the kind our Lord suffered, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. This process might well have produced marked weakness and possible shock.

After the arrest in the middle of the night, Jesus was next brought before the Sanhedrin and Caiphus, the High Priest; it is here that the first physical trauma was inflicted.

A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiphus. The palace guards then blind-folded Him and mockingly taunted Him to identify them as they each passed by, spat upon Him, and struck Him in the face.

In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and exhausted from a sleepless night, Jesus is taken across the Praetorium of the Fortress Antonia, the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. You are, of course, familiar with Pilate’s action in attempting to pass responsibility to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Judea. Jesus apparently suffered no physical mistreatment at the hands of Herod and was returned to Pilate.

It was then, in response to the cries of the mob, that Pilate ordered Bar-Abbas released and condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion. There is much disagreement among authorities about the unusual scourging as a prelude to crucifixion. Most Roman writers from this period do not associate the two. Many scholars believe that Pilate originally ordered Jesus scourged as his full punishment and that the death sentence by crucifixion came only in response to the taunt by the mob that the Procurator was not properly defending Caesar against this pretender who allegedly claimed to be the King of the Jews. Preparations for the scourging were carried out when the Prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. It is doubtful the Romans would have made any attempt to follow the Jewish law in this matter, but the Jews had an ancient law prohibiting more than forty lashes. The Roman legionnaire steps forward with the flagrum (or flagellum) in his hand. This is a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs.

At first the thongs cut through the skin only.

Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles. The small balls of lead first produce large, deep bruises which are broken open by subsequent blows. Finally the skin of the back is hanging in long ribbons and the entire area is an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it is determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner is near death, the beating is finally stopped. The half-fainting Jesus is then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with His own blood.

The Roman soldiers see a great joke in this provincial Jew claiming to be king. They throw a robe across His shoulders and place a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still need a crown to make their travesty complete. Flexible branches covered with long thorns (commonly used in bundles for firewood) are plaited into the shape of a crown and this is pressed into His scalp. Again there is copious bleeding, the scalp being one of the most vascular areas of the body.

After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the soldiers take the stick from His hand and strike Him across the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp.

Finally, they tire of their sadistic sport and the robe is torn from His back. Already having adhered to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, its removal causes excruciating pain just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, and almost as though He were again being whipped the wounds once more begin to bleed. In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans return His garments. The heavy patibulum of the cross is tied across His shoulders, and the procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves, and the execution detail of Roman soldiers headed by a centurion begins its slow journey along the Via Dolorosa.

In spite of His efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious blood loss, is too much. He stumbles and falls. The rough wood of the beam gouges into the lacerated skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tries to rise, but human muscles have been pushed beyond their endurance. The centurion, anxious to get on with the crucifixion, selects a stalwart North African onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Jesus follows, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock, until the 650 yard journey from the fortress Antonia to Golgotha is finally completed. Jesus is offered wine mixed with myrrh, a mild analgesic mixture. He refuses to drink. Simon is ordered to place the patibulum on the ground and Jesus quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms to tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum is then lifted in place at the top of the stipes and the titulus reading, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” is nailed in place.

The left foot is now pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The Victim is now crucified. As He slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain — the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves.

As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet. At this point, as the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by his arms, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and the intercostal muscles are unable to act. Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen.

It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences recorded:

The first, looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice for His seamless garment, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

The second, to the penitent thief, “Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”

The third, looking down at the terrified, grief-stricken adolescent John — the beloved Apostle — he said, “Behold thy mother.” Then, looking to His mother Mary, “Woman behold thy son.”

The fourth cry is from the beginning of the 22nd Psalm, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?”

Jesus experienced hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain where tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins -- a terrible crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. One remembers again the 22nd Psalm, the 14th verse: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.”

It is now almost over.

The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level; the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissue; the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. The markedly dehydrated tissues send their flood of stimuli to the brain. Jesus gasps His fifth cry, “I thirst.”

One remembers another verse from the prophetic 22nd Psalm: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou has brought me into the dust of death.” A sponge soaked in posca, the cheap, sour wine which is the staple drink of the Roman legionaries, is lifted to His lips. He apparently doesn’t take any of the liquid.

The body of Jesus is now in extremes, and He can feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues.

This realization brings out His sixth words, possibly little more than a tortured whisper, “It is finished.” His mission of atonement has completed. Finally He can allow his body to die.

With one last surge of strength, he once again presses His torn feet against the nail, straightens His legs, takes a deeper breath, and utters His seventh and last cry, “Father! Into thy hands I commit my spirit.”

The rest you know.

In order that the Sabbath not be profaned, the Jews asked that the condemned men be dispatched and removed from the crosses. The common method of ending a crucifixion was by crurifracture, the breaking of the bones of the legs. This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; thus the tension could not be relieved from the muscles of the chest and rapid suffocation occurred. The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers came to Jesus they saw that this was unnecessary.

Apparently, to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance through the fifth interspace between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart. The 34th verse of the 19th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John reports: “And immediately there came out blood and water.” That is, there was an escape of water fluid from the sac surrounding the heart, giving postmortem evidence that Our Lord died not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure (a broken heart) due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.

Thus we have had our glimpse — including the medical evidence — of that epitome of evil which man has exhibited toward Man and toward God. It has been a terrible sight, and more than enough to leave us despondent and depressed. How grateful we can be that we have the great sequel in the infinite mercy of God toward man — at once the miracle of the atonement (at one ment) and the expectation of the triumphant Easter morning.

Are you moved by what Jesus did for you on the cross? Do you want to receive the salvation Jesus purchased for you at Calvary with His own blood? Pray this prayer with me:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the grave to give me life. I know You are the only way to God so now I want to quit disobeying You and start living for You. Please forgive me, change my life and show me how to know You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Resurrection? Prove It to Me

2007-03-30T01:08:00.000-04:00

"Raised from the dead? Sure. Right. And I have a bridge I'd like to sell you."

That's how Thomas might have responded if he had lived in our day.

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." John 20:25

He'd seen dead people before. And Jesus was dead. He sounds like sophisticated rationalists of the Twenty-first Century. "It isn't plausible," they would contend. "It didn't happen."

But what if it did happen?

Thomas was convinced when Jesus appeared to him, reached out his hands to Thomas, and said, "Put your finger here."

Thomas dropped to his knees. "My Lord and my God!" John. 20: 27-28

It was self-hypnosis, you counter. The disciples wanted to believe that their Lord was not dead, so they just invented it out of whole cloth.

Really? Let's look at some of the evidence.

Jesus' body was missing. If the Jews could have found it, they could have stilled the preaching of Jesus' resurrection that filled Jerusalem. But they could not.
The body wasn't stolen. The Romans had no motive. The Jews had no motive. Ah-ha, you say, the disciples stole it. There is the matter of the Roman guards, and the disciples' initial disbelief when the women brought them the news early that Easter morning. This brings me to my third point.
If the disciples had stolen the body, you wouldn't expect them to risk their lives. People don't die for what they know is not true. But the disciples put their lives on the line, and nearly all were eventually martyred for their faith. They certainly believed it.
The church mushroomed size in Jerusalem, the very place he was crucified. Followers of Jesus in the city of Jerusalem grew from a few dozen to thousands upon thousands soon after Jesus' resurrection. They believed it was true.
Contemporary documents refer to the event. Thallus the Samaritan, Suetonius, Tacitus, Pliny contain references to Jesus. Jewish historian Josephus writes about Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. They knew something had happened.

Jesus' resurrection from the dead is actually more plausible than any other explanation. That's why we Christians make such a big deal about Easter. That's why we celebrate.

Jesus' resurrection means that death is not the end. That though my body may lie mouldering in the ground, Jesus, whom the Father raised from the dead, gives me eternal life. Ultimately, we Christians believe, our bodies, too, will be raised from the dead.

And since Jesus is not dead, people can encounter him today.

You can know him through a personal relationship. I could point to lots of people who can testify what Jesus has done in their lives to bring them from the brink of disaster to peace and meaning and joy. He changes people for good and forever.

If you're not sure, or can't really say you've met this risen Jesus, then this Passover or Easter Season why don't you slip down upon your knees, right where you're at, and seek him.

And in the midst of our celebration, you'll find him for yourself.

He's alive, you know. That's what Easter is all about

THE DAYS OF NOAH

2007-03-20T11:38:00.000-04:00

Hebrews 11:7 :By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.:

WE do well to give heed to the description given of the "days of Noah" for our Lord said, that as it was in those days, so shall it be in the days that close the present age (Mat 24:37-39). The world of that time had made great progress in the arts and civilization of life. But, as it has happened repeatedly all through human history, great luxury produced infamous immorality, cruelty, and widespread indifference to the claims of God. Things took place in those olden times which have their counterpart in the great cities of our time. In its feverish atmosphere sin of every kind abounded, and in mercy to the race, there was no alternative than to bring that wicked generation to an end. "They ate, they drank; they married, and were given in marriage, and knew not, till the flood came and carried them all away."Amidst all this, Noah lived an unblemished and righteous life. He walked in daily converse with God (Gen 6:8-9). His Almighty Friend was able to reveal to him His intentions. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant."Keep near to God, that you may hear the accents of His still small voice. Our happiest experience is when we walk with Him in unbroken fellowship, and He takes us into covenant with Himself. Through any one individual, whose heart is perfect toward Him, God will save others. We too shall cross the Flood of Death and enter the new life of Resurrection, but we must be quick to detect His voice, and our hands deft to fulfil the
revelations of our Divine Teacher and Friend.

PRAYER--Lead me, O Lord, in a straight way unto Thyself, and keep me in Thy grace unto the end. AMEN.

Devotion by F.B. Meyer

A parable...

2007-03-15T13:09:00.000-04:00

From Spurgeon's, "WHY ARE MEN SAVED?"

Once on a time, Mercy sat upon her snow-white throne,
surrounded by the troops of love. A sinner was brought before
her, whom Mercy designed to save. The herald blew the
trumpet, and after three blasts thereof; with a loud voice,
he said, "O heaven, and earth, and hell, I summon you this day
to come before the throne of Mercy, to tell why this sinner
should not be saved."

There stood the sinner trembling with fear; he knew that there
were multitudes of opponents, who would press into the hall of
Mercy, and with eyes full of wrath, would say, "He must not,
and he shall not escape; he must be lost!"

The trumpet was blown, and Mercy sat placidly on her throne,
until there stepped in one with a fiery countenance, his head was
covered with light, he spoke with a voice like thunder and out of
his eyes flashed lightning.

"Who are you?" said Mercy. He replied, "I am Law; the law of
God." "And what have you to say?" "I have this to say," and he
lifted up a stony tablet, written on both sides- "this wretch has
broken these ten commands. My demand is blood; for it is
written, 'The soul that sins, it shall die.' Die he, or justice must."

The wretch trembles, his knees knock together, the marrow of
his bones melts within him, as if they were dissolved by fire, and
he shakes with fright. Already he thought he saw the thunderbolt
launched at him, he saw the lightning penetrate into his soul, hell
yawned before him in imagination, and he thought himself cast
away forever.

But Mercy smiled, and said, "Law, I will answer you. This
wretch deserves to die; justice demands that he should perish -
I award you your claim." And oh! how the sinner trembles.
"But there is one yonder who has come with me today- my king,
my Lord, his name is Jesus, he will tell you how the debt can be
paid, and the sinner can go free."

Then Jesus spoke, and said, "O Mercy, I will do your bidding.
Take me Lord, put me in a garden, make me sweat drops of
blood, then nail me to a tree, scourge my back before you put
me to death; hang me on the cross; let blood run from my hands
and feet. Let me descend into the grave; let me pay all that the
sinner owes. I will die in his stead."

And the Law went out and scourged the Savior, nailed him
to the cross, and coming back with his face all bright with
satisfaction, stood again at the throne of Mercy, and Mercy said,
"Law, what have you now to say?" "Nothing," said he, "fair
angel, nothing." "What! not one of these commands against
him?" "No, not one. Jesus, his substitute, has kept them all- has
paid the penalty for his disobedience, and now, instead of his
condemnation, I demand as a debt of justice that he be
acquitted."

"Stand here," said Mercy, "sit on my throne; I and you together
will now send forth another summons."

The trumpet rang again. "Come hither, all you who have anything
to say against this sinner, why he should not be acquitted," and
up comes another - one who often troubled the sinner, one
who had a voice not so loud as that of the Law, but still piercing-
a voice whose whispers were like the cuttings of a dagger.
"Who are you?" says Mercy.

"I am Conscience, this sinner must be punished; he has done so
much against the law of God that he must be punished; I demand
it; and I will give him no rest till he is punished, nor even then, for
I will follow him even to the grave and persecute him after death
with pangs unutterable,"

"No," said Mercy, "Hear me" and while he paused for a
moment she took a bunch of hyssop and sprinkled Conscience
with the blood, saying "Hear me, Conscience- 'The blood of
Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin', Now have
you anything to say?"
"No," said Conscience, "nothing."
"Covered is his unrighteousness
From condemnation he is free."
"Henceforth I will not grieve him; I will be a good conscience
unto him, through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The trumpet rang a third time, and growling from the innermost
vaults, up came a grim black fiend, with hate in his eyes, and
hellish majesty on his brows.

He is asked, "Have you anything against that sinner?" "Yes,"
said he, "I have- he has made a league with hell, and a covenant
with the grave, and here it is signed with his own hand. He asked
God to destroy his soul in a drunken fit, and vowed he would
never turn to God; see, here is his covenant with hell!"

"Let us look at it," said Mercy; and it was handed up, while the
grim fiend looked at the sinner, and pierced him through with his
black looks.

"Ah! but," said Mercy, "this man had no right to sign the deed;
a man must not sign away another's property. This man was
bought and paid for, long beforehand; he is not his own; the
covenant with death is disannuled, and the league with hell is
rent in pieces. Go your way Satan,"

"Nay," said he, howling again, "I have something else to say-
that man was always my friend, he always listened to my
insinuations; he scoffed at the gospel, he scorned the majesty of
heaven; is he to be pardoned, while I repair to my hellish den,
forever to bear the penalty of guilt?"

Said Mercy, "Avaunt, you fiend; these things he did in the days
of his unregeneracy and they are blotted out. Go to your hell;
take this for another lash upon yourself - the sinner shall be
pardoned, but you - never, treacherous fiend!"

And then Mercy, smilingly turning to the sinner, said, "Sinner,
the trumpet must be blown for the last time!" Again it was
blown, and no one answered. Then stood the sinner up, and
Mercy said, "Sinner ask yourself the question - ask of heaven,
of earth, of hell - whether any can condemn you?"

And the sinner stood up, and with a bold loud voice said,
"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?"

And he looked into hell, and Satan lay there, biting his iron
chains; and he looked on earth, and earth was silent; and in the
majesty of faith the sinner did even climb to heaven itself, and he
said, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?

"God?"
And the answer came, "No; he justifies."

"Christ?"
Sweetly it was whispered, "No; he died."

Then turning round, the sinner joyfully exclaimed, "Who shall
separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord." And the once condemned sinner came back to Mercy;
prostrate at her feet he lay, and vowed henceforth to be hers for
ever, if she would keep him to the end, and make him what she
would desire him to be.

Then no longer did the trumpet ring, but
angels rejoiced, and heaven was glad, for the sinner was saved.

Whom God Uses

2007-03-11T16:42:00.000-04:00

God is not looking for brilliant men; is not depending upon eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending His Gospel out in the world.

God is looking for the broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the Cross of Christ.

When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God.

By H. A. Ironside

THE HOLINESS OF GOD

2007-03-04T05:53:00.000-05:00

You only are holy." Rev. 15:4

What a sublime perfection is this! It would seem to form the loftiest theme for the adorations of saints and angels. They cease not day nor night to cry, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" It evokes from the Church on earth her loudest strains- "Let them praise His great and terrible name, for it is Holy!"Holy, Holy, Holy Three!One Jehovah evermore!Father! Son! and Spirit! we,Dust and ashes, would adore Lightly by the world esteemed, From that world by You redeemed, Sing we here with glad accord. Holy! Holy! Holy Lord!"Reader, seek, in some feeble measure, to apprehend the nature of God's unswerving hatred at sin! It is the deep, deliberate, innate opposition of His nature to moral evil, which requires Him to hate it, and visit it with impartial punishment. It is not so much a matter of will as of necessity.

But what pleasure can there be in meditating on so awful a theme? The contemplation of a God "of purer eyes than to behold iniquity"- in whose sight "the heavens are not clean!" Jesus! Your glorious atonement is the mirror in which we can gaze unappalled on this august attribute. Your cross is, to the wide universe, a perpetual monument and memorial of the Holiness of God. It proclaims, as nothing else could, "You love righteousness and hate wickedness!"

Through that cross the Holiest of all Beings becomes the most gracious of all. "Now, we can love Him," says a saint who has entered on his rest, "not only although He is holy, but because He is holy."Gaze, and gaze again on that monumental column, until it teaches the lesson, how vain elsewhere to look for pardon; how delusive that dream; on which multitudes peril their eternal safety, that God will be at last too merciful to punish! Surely, if any less awful vindication could have sufficed- or had it been compatible with the rectitude of the Divine nature, and the requirements of the Divine law, to dispense pardon in any other way, Gethsemane and Calvary, with all their awful exponents of agony, would have been spared.

The Almighty victim would not have voluntarily submitted to a life of ignominy and a death of woe, if, by any simpler method, He could have "cleared the guilty." But this was impossible. If He was to "save others," Himself he could not save! Believer, seek that some faint and feeble emanations from this Divine attribute of Holiness may be yours. Let "Holiness to the Lord" be the superscription on your heart and life. Abounding grace can give no sanction or encouragement to abound in sin. 'His mercy,' says Reynolds, 'is a holy mercy which knows how to pardon sin, not to protect it; it is a sanctuary for the penitent, not for the presumptuous.'Or, are you tempted to murmur under the dealings of your God? What are the sorest of your trials in comparison with what they might have been, had this Holy God left you to know, in all the sternness of its meaning, how "Glorious He is in Holiness?" Rather marvel, considering your sins, that your trial has been so small- your cross so light.

Blessed Jesus! into this sanctuary of "holy mercy" which you have opened for me, I will flee. I can now "give thanks at the remembrance of God's holiness." Deriving, even from this august attribute, one of the 'songs in the night'– "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

http://www.gracegems.org/books3/jm06.htm

THE TENDERNESS OF GOD

2007-02-25T09:58:00.000-05:00

"He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." Isaiah 40:11

How soothing, in the hour of sorrow, or bereavement, or death, to have the countenance and sympathy of a tender earthly friend. Reader, these words tell you of One nearer, dearer, tenderer still; the Friend that never fails; a tender God! By how many endearing epithets does Jesus exhibit the tenderness of His relation to His people. Does a shepherd watch tenderly over his flock? "The Lord is my Shepherd." Does a father exercise fondest solicitude towards his children? "I will be a Father unto you." Does a mother's love exceed all other earthly types of affection. "As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you." Is the 'apple of the eye' (the pupil) the most sensitive part of the most delicate bodily organ? He guards His people "as the apple of His eye!" "He will not break the bruised reed."

When the Shepherd and Guardian of Souls finds the sinner, like a lost sheep, stumbling on the dark mountains, how tenderly He deals with Him! There is no look of wrath; no word of upbraiding; in silent love "He lays him on His shoulders rejoicing!" When Peter falls, He does not unnecessarily wound him. He might have repeated often and again the piercing look which brought the flood of penitential sorrow. But He gave that look only once; and if He reminds him again of his threefold denial, it is by thrice repeating the gentlest of questions, "Do you love me?" Reader, are you mourning over the weakness of your faith; the coldness of your love; your manifold spiritual declensions?

Fear not. He knows your frame! He will give 'feeble faith' tender dealing. He will "carry" in His arms those that are unable to walk, and will conduct the burdened ones through a path less rough and rugged than others. When "the lion" or "the bear" comes, you may trust the true David, the tenderest of Shepherds! Are you suffering from outward trial? Confide in the tenderness of your God's dealings with you. The strokes of His rod are gentle strokes; the needed discipline of a father yearning over his children the very moment He is chastising them. The gentlest earthly parent may speak a harsh word at times; it may be, needlessly harsh. But not so God. He may seem, like Joseph to his brethren, to speak roughly; but all the while there is love in His heart.The 'pruning knife' will not be used unnecessarily. It will never cut too deeply. The 'furnace' will not burn more fiercely than is absolutely required. A tender God is seated by it, tempering the fury of its flames.

And what, believer, is the secret of all this tenderness? "There is a Man upon the Throne!" Jesus, the God Man Mediator; combining with the might of Godhead, the tenderness of spotless humanity. Is your heart crushed with sorrow? so was His! Are your eyes dimmed with tears? so were His? "Jesus wept!" Bethany's Chief Mourner still wears the Brother's heart in glory. Others may be unable to enter into the depths of your trial; He can; He does!With such a "tender God" caring for me, providing for me, watching my path by day, and guarding my couch by night– "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

http://www.gracegems.org/books3/jm10.htm

God's Jewels

2007-02-22T01:15:00.000-05:00

"And they shall be Mine, says the Lord Almighty, in that day when I make up My jewels." Malachi 3:17

It almost surprises one to learn that the great and self-sufficient God has 'jewels,' but our surprise increases to astonishment when we learn that these 'jewels' are living creatures.

And astonishment gives place to overwhelming amazement when we discover that these living creatures are fallen and depraved sinners redeemed from among men!

Truly, nothing but Divine grace would ever liken such wretched worms of the dust, unto precious jewels! Yet that is the very thing which we find God doing in our text. It is not the unfallen angels, nor the holy seraphim and exalted cherubim who are spoken of as Jehovah's valued treasure--but lost and ruined sinners saved by amazing grace!

The Lord has likened His people to 'jewels' because of their inestimable value in His sight.

This is an exceedingly hard thing for the Christian to really grasp, for he feels such a wretched and worthless creature in himself. That the Lord of Glory should deem him of great worth, is difficult to conceive. Yet so it is!

From the earliest times, men have thought much of precious gems, and fabulous prices have been paid for them. With great ardor and toil, do men hunt after gold; but with even greater eagerness and labor will they seek the diamond. Hundreds of men will labor for a whole year in one of the diamond mines of Africa, and the entire result of their efforts may be held in the palm of your hand. Princes have been known to barter their estates in order to obtain some gem of peculiar brilliance and rare excellence.

Yet more desirable still, are His saints in the esteem of the Lord Jesus. The value of a thing in the eyes of its possessor, may be gauged by the price he was willing to pay for it. So valuable was the Church unto Christ that He gave Himself for it, and shed His precious blood to purchase it for Himself. Thus, the saints are likened unto 'jewels' because of the great value which the Lord places upon them.

"You will be a glorious crown in the Lord’s hand, and a royal diadem in the palm of your God." (Isaiah 62:3)

What marvelous words are these for faith and hope to lay hold of! Our feeble intellects cannot grasp them!

Wondrous is it to think of rough stones, which first look like small pebbles, being found in the mud and mire of earth; then cut and polished until they scintillate with a brilliancy surpassing any earthly object, and being given an honored place in the diadem of a monarch. But infinitely more wonderful is it, that poor lost sinners, saved by sovereign grace, should be among the crown-jewels of the Son of God!

A.W. Pink

What Are You Focused Upon?

2007-02-19T01:27:00.000-05:00

This is a testimony from one who saw a few of the dangers of 'wrong focus'. It was sent to me by a close friend a few years ago--I held on to it for the simple reason, its 'loaded' with truth.

I don't want to add much to the wise words of Sandy Warner except to say this;

Any of us can become 'wrongly focused' and deceived if not careful.

Satan is no fool. He is not going to present us with obviously sinful things to take our focus away from Jesus...No, No No! He is too sly to try this against those who are desiring and seeking a closer walk with Jesus, but instead he will place things in front of us which may EVEN APPEAR to be about or connected to the kingdom of God. And in some cases may actually be!
Yes, he loves to twist up our callings from the Lord too.

Even a ministry, a work for the Lord, or studying exclusively one doctrine to the point of obsession [*note- Did you know obsession is only ONE STEP above possession? believe me, it is] can be a clever trick of our enemy.

Ever come across a believer who is so obsessed with the wrongs going on within the body of Christ today, that they talk about it constantly? Completely ignoring the fact that God is still on the throne, and the Holy Spirit is still dawing men, women, and children to the cross of Calvary, to receive salvation every day!

Or other believers who are so concerned about what's happening in the world or politics that they appear to have forgotten that we as followers of Christ, are 'only passing through' this world.

They'll 'bend your ear' for hours on end about the woes of the world or
governments, etc..

Until later looking back on the conversation, you realize 'Hey! we spent all
that time talking, and not once was the name of Jesus mentioned.

That's wrong focus....and not having balance in our outlook.

We can in fact, find ourselves so wrongly focused that we can unknowingly become an 'enemy of the cross'. I've seen it in others, and found myself on the brink of this dangerous pinnacle concerning apostasy some years ago. I call that season now looking back, my 'year of anger'
Why? Because its all I focused on! No wonder I was one angry Christian.

The question asked in this title, is a part of examining ourselves daily, to be sure we're continuing to abide in the faith. We need to ask ourselves often;

WHAT ARE WE FOCUSING UPON?

Whatever it is, if its not Christ, do we find our minds and hearts 'there' more then in the presence of God, in His word; or even in our every day 'speech' are we speaking more of this 'whatever' then the Lord who saved and keeps us daily?

For if its not Christ we are focused upon folks, then we are indeed being swayed by 'someone' or some 'thing' to take our eyes, hearts, and minds off of the one who Died for us, and called us unto Himself.

Matthew

Recognizing the Stumbling Blocks of Distraction

The Lord has revealed to me a climaxing enemy plan called "distraction."

These last few months have been almost like watching a drama as one attempt after another has been coming against the body. As soon as one distraction is overcome, another fills its place.

The Lord has given me a very clear warning that these distractions are now climaxing to being a stumbling block. Their purpose is to wear out the saints so they will stop doing the will of the Lord.

Consider the following scripture with my little paraphrases added in parenthesis:

Matt 6: 22-24a NKJV-
The lamp of the body is the eye (or our focus). If therefore your eye (focus) is good, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye (focus) is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.

The following are the some of the schemes I have witnessed. I share them to help fine-tune our alignments. These distractions have existed for a long time and are now climaxing. We need to understand their source and keep our focus.

WORSHIP

The Lord inhabits our praise. That means that whenever we praise Him, He dwells in our midst. Our worship is simply expressing and pouring out our love for Him through whatever means He gives us.

At church people usually worship Him through music. The enemy attempts to derail our focus through the sound equipment, by way of hot mikes and screaming amplifiers, disharmony, and broken strings When our focus is on musicians and their equipment rather than pouring our love out to the Lord, then the enemy has succeeded in stealing our ability to enter into the Lord’s Presence.

"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Psalm 22:3

PEOPLE

Song 2:14 NKJV -
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

Our eyes have the ability to focus on one thing at a time.

I remember hearing a sermon years ago about the dove.
Other birds have binary vision which means they can see out of the peripheral part of their eyes. But doves only see straight ahead and they (like us) must turn their heads to focus.

When we turn our heads and become focused upon the sins and compromises of people and/or leadership, it sends us on a downward spiral of becoming negative, critical, judgmental, unforgiving, angry, resentful and finally bitter.

When we keep our eyes straight ahead, towards the Lord, we see Jesus, & His loving ways.

SUPER STARS

Another stumbling block the enemy uses to derail our attention is to get us to focus on the anointing upon men, and their perceived wisdom, rather than the Lord. It is so easy to exalt the gifts He gives men and place them upon pedestals. This becomes idolatry as our focus subtly changes from the Lord to mere men.

I remember hearing about a prophet who was sent to a meeting but when it came his time to speak, he sat in his chair unable to say a word. The Lord sealed his lips because the people had come to see the prophet, instead of looking to the Lord as their Source. We need to forsake our focus upon men and their gifts, and look to the Lord.

Jer 9:24 NKJV -
But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.

DISCERNING DEMONS

The gift of discernment becomes a stumbling block to those who have the gift, but do not recognize the gift or do not know what to do with what they recognize.

Often people find themselves wrestling in their hearts with the behavior and personalities of people. They lack the understanding that they are actually wrestling with demons who are manifesting as personalities.

We become weary after months and years of working with a person, giving them feedback, counsel, correction when we see no change, and the same continuous cycles.

As we begin to recognize that this is actually a battle with a demonic personality, and not the person, then we are able to respond appropriately. We can respond in prayer, taking
authority and deliverance if the Lord says it is time.

Matt 16:23 NKJV -
But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

I often wondered why the Lord told satan to get behind him. Then it occurred to me He was telling the enemy he was a distraction to Him and the Lord was turning His back on him.

Recently I became so distracted during worship that I finally found myself going to the back of the church and facing the wall to worship.

When we turn our backs upon the distractions we are not able to see them.

It is as simple as that!

WARFARE

I remember years ago reading Smith Wigglesworth testimony when he saw satan appear at the foot of his bed. Smith said, "Oh it’s only you," and he turned over and went back to sleep.

That astonished me.

I had seen and been exposed to many terrifying principalities and the concept of being in such a deep rest in the Lord was absolutely astounding to me.

After years and years of warfare, the Lord finally brought me off the front lines and into a wonderful season of rest. I learned a lot on the front lines and I have learned even more
in my rest. One of those lessons is that warfare can be a strong distraction.

If the enemy has his way, war becomes a career. We must learn when to fight and when not to. The enemy LOVES war. War is what the enemy does best which distracts us from our intimacy with the Lord.

NAVEL GAZING

When we focus upon ourselves and our feelings or troubles, this also keeps us from the Lord.

2 Cor 4:7-10 NKJV -
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed -- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Matt 6:22-24a NKJV -
The lamp of the body is the eye (or our focus). If therefore your eye (focus) is good, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye (focus) is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other...

Sandy Warner

All To Jesus

2007-02-12T01:42:00.000-05:00

* Video - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1986132047849780440&hl=en

Powerful video!

A few snippets taken from the text-

The Lord Jesus Christ is first and for Him I surrender everything; to Him I give all.
To Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior-
He can command me.
He is ahead of my wife;
He is ahead of my children;
He is ahead of my ambitions;
He is first and everything else is last.
Anything else is not New Testament Christianity, brother and sister.
Anything else is a compromise and it leaves people half-saved, confused, frustrated, bewildered, and in the dark.

Jesus Christ is your exclusive Savior and all other relationships are determined and conditioned by this one overwhelming almighty relationship.

A W Tozer

Any man, anywhere, at anytime, if he be in Christ he is a new creation.
He isn’t patched up, he’s made a new creation.
He gets a new heart, a new spirit, new desires, new hopes, new longings…that cannot be satisfied by the broken systems of the world.

Christianity has not been weighed in the balances and found wanting –
Christianity has been tried found difficult and rejected!
Christianity is not only too difficult for the world; it’s too difficult for the church!
God’s problem in the world is not communism, Romanism, moonyism, or any other ism.
God’s problem in America is dead fundamentalism.
We know all the clichés.
We know all the words…

Leonard Ravenhill

And my dear friend, the only thing which can turn the course of world history and shatter the colossus of communistic power and bring every false god upon its face…the only thing that can resist the tremendous powers of evil abroad in the world today is the Holy Spirit released through Spirit-filled men.
A force of evil can only be overcome by a force of righteousness.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
The church today is helpless without the Holy Spirit.

Alan Redpath

Only The Cross....

2007-02-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

To view God's mercy in its real character, we must go to Calvary.

We must go by faith, under the secret teachings and leadings of the Holy Spirit, to see Immanuel, God with us, in Gethsemane's Garden.

We must view Him . . .

-naked upon the cross,

-groaning,

-bleeding,

-agonizing,

-dying!

We must view that wondrous spectacle of love and suffering--and feel our eyes flowing down in streams of sorrow, humility, and contrition at the sight--in order to enter a little into the depths of the tender mercy of God.

Nothing but this can really break the sinner's heart!

Law terrors, death and judgment, infinite purity, and eternal vengeance will not soften or break a sinner's heart.

But if he is led to view a suffering Immanuel, and a sweet testimony is raised up in his conscience that those sufferings were for him--this, and this alone will break his heart all to pieces!

My Needs ~ His Fullness!

2007-01-30T01:27:00.000-05:00

All plenitude is in Christ, to answer all the needs of His people. In Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, that out of His fullness I may receive all spiritual blessings!

Have I destroyed myself by sin? I have deliverance from Him who is mighty to save from sin and wrath!

Is my foolish mind darkened? Am I a guilty, polluted, and ruined wretch? Jesus is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption!

Is my life fleeting--and passing away like a shadow?
Jesus is the Ancient of days, and endures for evermore!

Are my days short-lived and full of trouble? Jesus is my life, the length of my days, and the joy of my heart!

Am I exposed to contempt? Jesus shall be my crown of glory, and diadem of beauty!

Am I traveling through the wilderness?
Jesus is my staff, and on Him I lean all the way!

Am I on my last journey to my long home?
Jesus is my leader, and my rewarder!

Am I a sheep? Jesus is my pasture, and my green pasture too!

Am I hungry and thirsty? Jesus is my heavenly manna, and gives me to drink of the water of life!

Am I weary? Jesus is my rest and refreshing!

Am I weak? Jesus is my strength!

Am I oppressed and wronged?
Jesus is my judge, and my avenger!

Am I reproached? The reproach of
His people, Jesus will wipe away!

Am I a soldier? Jesus is my Captain and shield!

Must I fight in the field of battle?
Jesus is my armor in the day of war!

Do I sit in darkness? Jesus is my light!

Do I have doubts? Jesus is my counselor!

Am I ignorant? Jesus is my wisdom!

Am I guilty? Jesus is my justification!

Am I filthy? Jesus is my sanctification!

Am I dead in sin? Jesus is my life, and quickens those who are dead in trespasses and sins!

Am I poor? Jesus is the pearl of great price, and has immeasurable riches!

Am I blind? Jesus, and none but He can open the eyes of one born blind!

Am I naked? Jesus has white clothing to cover the shame of my nakedness!

Am I in the very utmost necessity?
Jesus is a very present help in time of trouble!

Am I exposed to the hurricanes of adversity?

Jesus is . . .

- a refuge from the storm;
- a shelter from the blast;
- rivers of water in a desert;
- the shadow of a great rock in a weary land!

Am I afraid of being left alone? Jesus will never leave me, nor forsake me!

Do friends and brethren prove false? Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother!

Am I in danger from diseases and death; or from sin and Satan? My life is hidden with Christ in God! When He shall appear, I shall appear with Him--immortal in my body, and
glorious in my soul!

Is my case considered in the court of heaven? There Jesus is my Advocate!

Do I offend the Father? Jesus is my Intercessor!

Do I suffer in my body, and am I grieved in my mind?
Jesus bore my infirmities, and carried my griefs!

Is my mind disquieted, and my soul debarred from peace? Jesus is my sympathetic High Priest! He was tempted in all points, and knows how to support those who are tempted!

Am I poor in my circumstances? Jesus, the heir of all things! Though He was rich, yet for my sake He became poor, that I through His poverty might be made rich!

Do I suffer in my character? Jesus was numbered with transgressors, called a Samaritan, a glutton, a drunkard, and a devil!

Am I bereaved or alone? Well, Jesus in the fatal night was left alone; all the disciples forsook Him and fled! Jesus, my only friend, can never die!

Must I undergo death and be laid in the grave? Jesus has taken away the sting of death, and robbed the grave of its victory!

Must I rot in the grave? Jesus shall be my resurrection, and raise me to immortality and bliss!

Would I go to God and to glory? Jesus is my way, and must admit me into the palace of the great King, where I shall abide forever!

In summary, Jesus is . . .

- my brother,
- my physician,
- my prophet,
- my priest,
- my king,
- my father,
- my head,
- my husband!

In eternity, when I shall dwell in the land of bliss, in the city of God--Jesus will be the light thereof! And since I am to worship there forever, He will be the temple of all the redeemed!

My needs are many, but His fullness is infinitely more!

The morning dews and fructifying showers water the fields, and refresh the parched furrows. But what are they, compared to the exhaust-less ocean of Jesus?

What is all that I enjoy here below, compared to the exuberant fullness of the heavenly bliss?

O'! then, how shall my soul be replenished--when possessed of this infinite All, through eternity itself!

James Meikle, May 24, 1757

Presumption

2007-01-14T15:04:00.000-05:00

You saw only yesterday a strong man in your neighborhood brought to the grave by sudden death; it is only a month ago that you heard the bell toll for one whom once you knew and loved, who procrastinated and procrastinated until he perished in procrastination. You have had strange things happen in your very street, and the voice of God has been spoken loudly through the lip of Death to you. Yes, and you have had warnings too in your own body, you have been sick with fever, you have been brought to the jaws of the grave, and have looked down into the bottomless vault of destruction.

It is not long ago since you were given up—all said they might prepare a coffin for you, for your breath could not long be in your body. Then you turned your face to the wall and prayed; you vowed that if God would spare you, you would live a godly life, that you would repent of your sins; but to your own confusion you are just what you were.

Ah! let me tell you, your guilt is more grievous than that of any other man, for you have sinned presumptuously, in the very highest sense in which you could have done so. You have sinned against reproofs, but what is worse still, you have sinned against your own solemn oaths and covenants, and against the promises that you made to God.

He who plays with fire must be condemned as careless; but he who has been burned out once, and afterwards plays with the destroying element, is worse than careless; and he who has himself been scorched in the flame, and has had his locks all hot and crisp with the burning, if he again should rush headlong into fire, I say he is worse than careless, he is worse than presumptuous, he is mad. But I have some such here.

They have had warnings so terrible that they might have known better; they have gone into lusts which have brought their bodies into sickness, and perhaps this day they have crept up to this house, and they dare not tell to their neighbor who stands by their side what is the loathsomeness that even now breeds upon their body.

And yet they will go back to the same lusts; the fool will go again to the stocks, the sheep will lick the knife that is to slay him.

You will go in your lust and in your sins, despite warnings, despite advice, until you perish in your guilt. How worse than children are grownup men!

The child who goes for a merry slide upon a pond, if he be told that the ice will not bear him, turns back in fear, or if he daringly creeps upon it, how soon he leaves it, if he hears but a crack upon the slender covering of the water!

But you men have conscience, which tells you that your sins are vile, and that they will be your ruin, you hear the crack of sin, as its thin sheet of pleasure gives way beneath your feet; yes, and some of you have seen your comrades sink in the flood, and lost; and yet you go sliding on, worse than childish, worse than mad are you, thus presumptuously to play with your own everlasting state.

O my God, how terrible is the presumption of some!

How fearful is presumption of any!

Oh ! that we might be enabled to cry, "Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins."

By Charles H. Spurgeon

CHRIST OUR LIGHT

2007-01-02T00:57:00.000-05:00

John 8:12 "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

IT was the Feast of Tabernacles when our Lord uttered the words of our text, and it is supposed they were lighting the two great candelabra, which commemorated the fire-cloud that led the desert march. It was in direct allusion to the fiery pillar that our Lord used this metaphor. What that was to Israel, He is to His Church.

The wilderness was a trackless waste to Israel. The people absolutely depended on the cloud to show their path, and to find a resting-place at night. When it gathered itself up from the Tabernacle on which it brooded, the people must strike their tents and follow. However desirable the site of their camp, they must leave it; however difficult the desert paths, they must traverse them; however uninviting the spot where it stopped, they must halt there, and remain as long as it tarried. To linger was to run the risk of wandering aimlessly in the desert till death supervened. Only where the cloud rested did the manna fall, the water flow, or divine protection avail.

There are resting-times in our lives. God graciously arranges green pastures and quiet waters, and makes us to lie down. His voice sounds amid the turmoil of our existence, and bids us come aside and rest awhile. But often we fret against enforced rest, we persist in hurrying to and fro, and give way to bitter repining. When the cloud stays, remain where you are. When you do not know what to do, stop until some indication points your path.

There are times for action. The trumpet is heard with its summons, to which we must give immediate attention. When the sleeper refuses to arise instantly at the sound of the alarum, he soon becomes so accustomed to it that it does not disturb him. So we shall gain a keen sense of hearing when we accustom ourselves to instant obedience. The peace and usefulness of our earthly life will be in direct proportion to our appropriation of the Lord Jesus for all the demands of our pilgrim condition. Nay, more, for as in the train, the electric light comes on before the dark tunnel is entered, and lingers after it is passed, so the presence of Christ will precede and follow times of special need. “I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight” (Isa 42:16).

PRAYER-O send out Thy light and Thy truth, and let them lead me and bring me at last to my Father's house in peace. AMEN

By F.B. Meyer

It's a Wonderful Life ....a classic film

2006-12-17T02:13:00.000-05:00

This story, which I got to watch for probably the 100th time, was once again on TV tonight.

Most people know the story starring Jimmy Stewart, as George Bailey, who after having his world cave in on him, contemplates suicide but ends up meeting an Angel, by the name of Clarence, who allows George to see what his world would be like if he had never been born...of how lives he has touched, would be so very different.

Usually as I watch this film I always find myself pondering on my own life and wondering if I had made a difference in anyone's life for the better: I think that comes with age.

My thoughts were taken this time though to the Life of Jesus, pondering on his birth we celebrate at this Christmas season, his life as a baby, and his controversial years in ministry, when he was hated by so many he walked among, ....

And instead of wondering what it would be like if I hadn't been born, like our friend George Bailey, I wondered what it would be like if Jesus had never taken on flesh and come down from on high to be born as a helpless baby 2000 years ago, all to save mankind, to take our place on that cross, and bleed and die for us, offering the one and only perfect sacrifice, himself, for sinful men, and women;...that's you and me, by the way.

I can't imagine, and don't want to think about what my life would be like today without Jesus.

I also pondered tonight while watching that film, what Mary's life was like...what she thought during those months while carrying the Son of God. And what she must have pondered on during the next 33 years, watching him stumble and fall as a young child, grow into a teen, work along side Joseph in the carpentry shop, enter into His ministry, be loved by a few and hated by others...and ultimately die on that cross.

Wonder if she questioned things in her heart or knew why?

Just sharing my thoughts ...

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will calm the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God.
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am

*to listen- http://www.wrensworld.com/marydiduknow.htm

Are you still searching?

2006-12-03T04:44:00.000-05:00

Life is like a journey, it is my opinion that from young to old, we are ever in the process of searching. Searching for what you may ask? For most people, we are searching for satisfaction and happiness.
Many spend their energy and time on gaining material wealth, thinking that financial security is the answer to satisfaction in life. Others seek satisfaction in friendship, in relationships. And a great number seek satisfaction in pleasure, in the form of food and drinks and sex, and even drugs.
It is my observation that such satisfaction will not last. When we die, all our material wealth will depart from us, even a good relationship will not last, because people may change, and even our loved ones will depart from us when we or they die.
And the pleasure we seek are temporary and may lead us to addiction, bondage, pain and sickness.
Some seek satisfaction in fame and achievement, in intellectual pursuit. But even this will not last forever, when we die one day, all our achievement and glory means nothing, it will fade away.
So I like to suggest that we seek satisfaction in the right thing, things that will last forever. These are the spiritual things.

There is one person in history that promises this satisfaction, He is Jesus Christ and He says He has come to give us an abundant life:

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The irony is, to get this abundant life, you must surrender your life to Jesus. For Jesus also says:

Matthew 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

It takes faith to do that, but Jesus will keep his promise to you. What do we mean to lose our life in order to find life? We have to give the control of our life to Jesus, making Jesus the Lord over us. We have to give up things in our life that displeases God. This invitation to an abundant life is open to all, are you tired of seeking so many things in life only to find that it is emptiness? Do you labour with no peace and you have a heavy burden? Jesus says to you:

Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

You can find rest and satisfaction in Jesus. Click on the link “Do you know for sure?” on the left to find out more how you can begin this abundant life, don’t wait any longer.

Reasons for Our Thanksgiving; His Name

2006-11-20T15:25:00.000-05:00

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:15-17 nasbu

My family name made its way to the United States from Europe on August 30, 1904. On that date, a nineteen-year-old Louis Lampel walked down the gangway of the Bremen at Ellis Island in the New York harbor. His voyage across the Atlantic had started ten days earlier in Bremen, Germany, but his journey toward a new life in the United States began from his home in Czartkin, Austria.

My grandfather was a Jew:

The ship's manifest, filled out prior to departure in Germany, lists his ethnicity as "Hebrew." It is safe to assume that Louis probably was not a "practicing" Jew, but one by blood, since my father, born thirteen years later in Wellsburg, Iowa, never mentioned this heritage. Indeed, he may never have been sure of it himself. And from before 1945, my family has been Protestant Christian.

Nevertheless, the name "Lampel" is closely associated with German Jewry. A sampling of other Lampels in the Ellis Island records reveals first names such as Abram, Baruch, Franz, Hersch, Ignatz, Isaac, Isaak, Isidor, Izsak, Jacob, Jakob, Josef, Jsaak, Michel, Moritz, Moses, Oscar, Salomon, Simon, Wasil, Yosef, and Ziskind. Most came from the same area: Austria, Germany, or Hungary.

The List

This history recently became all the more poignant to me when I heard our family name uttered in the movie Schindler's List.

Though I had watched the film several times before, this was the first time I heard the name. During the last third of the film, Schindler has paid off the Commandant and "his people" are being transferred to his factory—instead of being shipped off to the death camps. As the family groups approach a small table before boarding a train, they declare their names to the officer, who then checks them against the list. At the table one man declares his family name of "Lampel" to the officer. Hearing this, I was stunned. But, not trusting either my ears or the Spielberg movie script, I located a database of the names on Schindler's list at a web site. There I discovered three Lampels listed: a mother and daughter, and an older man probably of a separate family unit.

The places, names and dates of these associations suggest no immediate connection between my family in the United States and these three European Jews saved by Oskar Schindler. Still, the realization caused a visceral reaction in me. Whether far distant or close, here was evidence that people of my blood had passed through the hideous persecution of the Nazis, but ultimately had survived through the mercies of a Gentile stranger.

Born Again

"I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are." John 17:9-11 nasbu

No matter their temporal ethnicity, all believers share a family name. They are "of Christ," they are "in Christ," they are "Christ-ians"—meaning, "followers of Christ." More than just adherents to a philosophy or creed, Christians are actual members of His family.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 nasbu

This is what it means to be "born again."

Believers have been reborn into the family of God through Christ. Because of this, they obtain full rights as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. They have set aside as ancient history their original birth of the flesh, and have been birthed anew of the Spirit. Christians, because of this rebirth, become brothers and sisters of Christ Jesus. Not just adherents, not just disciples or followers; believers are kin.

We share the name of Christ.

Everything He Is

Shortly after Pentecost, the apostle Peter came upon a man congenitally lame who was begging outside the temple gate. The man put out his hand, asking for alms. But Peter told the beggar that he possessed something better.

"I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!" Acts 3:6 nasbu

Immediately the man's legs were strengthened and he began dancing around, giddy with the joy of being able to walk for the first time in his life. The people around them were amazed at the miracle, so Peter took the opportunity to preach a sermonette, making it clear from whence the miracle had come—that the one responsible for the healing was none other than the Jesus they had just had crucified. More specifically, it was the powerful name of Jesus that did it.

"And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all." Acts 3:16 nasbu

Today, in the Western world, a person's name is little more than a convenient label. It is assigned as a way to mark one person out from another—to denote one family from another, and one person from another within each family. It can be used as a term of endearment, but more often it is alphabetized in a phone book, printed on invoices and bills, used as the means to receive one's appropriate mail. It is not meant to say anything about the character or personality of the individual. It is just a label.

But in Jesus' time a person's name represented who that person was. And in God's economy, the name of "Jesus" represents everything of His personality, His goodness and strength, His purity and grace—His deity. Placing one's faith and trust in the name of Jesus is the same as placing that faith and trust in the person of Jesus.

But the relationship does not end there. Those who believe in the name of Jesus actually acquire that name. It becomes their family name from that point on, as they are now in Christ.

And what a name it is—a name before which every knee will bow.

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 nasbu

And for the privilege and honor of sharing this most holy, powerful name, we give humble thanks.

From Strength For The Journey - By Joseph Stowell

Judgment is coming

2006-11-01T08:13:00.000-05:00

Revelation 9:20-21 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Judgment is coming to the world

The above verses are taken from the book of Revelation, the last book of the bible.
It reveals the sins of mankind, they were holding to these sins even after they saw some of God’s judgment in the end times.

Worship of devils-many of us are not into Satanism. But if the “god” we worship allow us to practice evil, then it is devilish. For example if a religion allows you to murder innocent lives, to kidnap people or hold people as hostages, then your “god” is like the devil.

Worship of idols- any graven image is considered an idol, that will include many gods of eastern religions, the graven image of Mary is an idol.

Murders- if we hate someone in our heart, entertain thoughts of bringing harm to people, we are committing murder in our hearts. We may not even have hateful thought when we abort a child, but it is murder because life begins at conception.

Sorceries-the use of magic or evil spirits to get what we want, like witchcraft or wicca. But note that anyone who made use of a higher supernatural power (God, goddess, Satan, spirits, spirit of dead people, angels, Cosmic energy etc) to get what they want is behaving like a sorcerer.

Fornication-Fornication is sex outside of marriage and also adultery. However the Greek word is porneia, which we have the word pornography, this will include all sexual perversions like lesbianism, sodomy, pedophilia, incest, cross dressing etc. If we lusted after someone in our mind, or have unclean thoughts, we have sinned.

Theft- Any acts of deception for material gain is theft, but those who commit any dishonest acts are just like thieves, these will include hiding or exaggerating truths for personal gain. Theft is greed and dishonesty.

Judgment is coming to the church

But there is a greater sin in Christian churches, many who profess to be Christian are living a life of sin. They have no desire to pursue holiness and forsake their sins. Many trust that they are going to heaven because they are members of a church or they have “accepted Christ” in the past, but they have make no commitment to forsake sins and follow Jesus, instead they are following the world, even the church is like the world.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Hebrews 10:26-29

The bible contains many warnings of coming judgment, and judgment may come sooner than you think. If you have never know Jesus personally, now is the time to cry out to Jesus for mercy.

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalms 34:18

If you have a repentant heart, and see yourself as utterly sinful and hopeless, there is hope for you. Jesus is able to forgive you and heal you. Ask Jesus to come into your life and make a commitment to follow Him. Following Jesus means a willingness to obey and trust Him.

Click on link on the left “Do you know for sure” to understand the Gospel fully.

The Mystery of Faith

2006-10-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

"Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." 1 Timothy 3:10

Open your Bible to the very first book and read the very first verse, it reads;

"In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth."

Now to the carnal man this is ludicrous. How can a man grasp the improbability of such an impossible task as to create the heaven and earth, and do it all out of nothing? Herein lies the mystery of Faith.

The simple truth is, man could never grasp the grand concept of creation by an eternal God. It is beyond our ability to understand. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33)

There is however a force greater than our understanding... Faith!

We may never understand how God created all things, but we can know Him, and through our faith, we can believe that God created all things. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." (Hebrews 11:3)

The Biblical definition;

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

This takes in the whole of the Christian walk with God. Every aspect of our walk in the Spirit is through faith.

"For without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is..." Hebrews 11:6

Faith is a gift of the Spirit;

"To another faith by the same Spirit..." (1 Corinthians 12:9)

The Spirit of God gives us this wonderful gift of faith, however, we must receive it, we must embrace it, we must walk in it.

Faith is the fruit of the Spirit;

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith..." (Galatians 5:22-23)

Fruit insinuates a process of growth and maturing. As the mustard seed, it starts small, but grows with time and care.

Faith is a process of growth;

"...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

We have a responsibility to nurture our faith through much prayer and study of the Word of God.

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;" (Hebrews 2:3)

Ultimately though, faith is a gift from God. He awakens us to it, He stirs it in us, and with our cooperation, He causes it to grow and mature for us.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This is the great mystery of Faith.

Acting on our Faith;

Hebrews 11:13 says that, By faith, they saw the promises afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed them.

Faith takes on action and action always brings about results.

Hebrews 11:33-38

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy...

Faith must be motivated by Love,

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27)

Without the proper motivation of love, faith has no effect.

Because God is love, and our faith is a gift from God, love and faith are inseparable, in-fact, one cannot work without the other.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all

knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:

— Randy Munter -

www.theoldtimegospel.org

The Gift of Hope

2006-10-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

There is a gift God has given his people in all ages that has enabled them not just to hold on, but to experience fulfillment even in times of great difficulty. This gift is hope.

Biblical hope is rooted in the fact that this life and its troubles are brief experiences relative to eternity. Paul said, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
The hope of the people of God is not merely a desire or wish. It is a confidence rooted in God's promise and God's faithfulness. It is a trust that is rooted in Christ's trustworthiness and the certainty of His wonderful plan for us:

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house there are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I'm going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3).

Jesus gives us no false hope. He guarantees that a day will come when He will reign and all things will be new:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them to be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away' (Revelation 21:3-4).
(You've just read the end of the book. So now you know how the movie's going to turn out!)

The day is coming when all that is wrong will be made right. All that now hurts will be healed. All that causes stress, outside and inside us, will vanish.

Hope is the light at the end of life's tunnel. It not only makes the tunnel endurable, it fills the heart with anticipation of the world into which we will one day emerge. Not just a better world, but a new and perfect world. A world alive, fresh, beautiful, devoid of pain and suffering and war, a world without disease, without accident, without tragedy. A world without dictators and madmen. A world ruled by the only one worthy of ruling. (See my book In Light of Eternity: Perspectives on Heaven.)

The Difference Hope Makes

A study was done in which one group of Israeli soldiers was told they would go on a march, but were not told if or when the march would eventually stop. Another group was told the length of the march. They knew there was an end.

Both groups were tested for their stress response. Although they marched not one foot further than those in the other group, those who did not know whether or when the march would end registered a much higher level of stress. Why? Because they had no hope, no tangible assurance that the forced march would end. They felt helpless, hopeless, wondering if they would ever be allowed to rest.

We do not know exactly how long we will be here, but we do know there will be an end. We will not march forever. We will rest. That is cause for certain hope. Even in times of greatest grief Christ leaves us with his hopeful assurance:

You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy...Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy...I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:20,22,33).

by Randy Alcorn

From www.epm.org/articles/hope.html

Tears Of Repentance

2006-10-13T13:21:00.000-04:00

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." — Revelation 3:20

There is no rowing to paradise except upon the stream of repenting tears. Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet. Why are the wells of repentance stopped? Do not the sinners of the land know that they should repent? Have they no warning? Have not God's faithful messengers lifted up their voice as a trumpet and cried to them to repent? But many of these tools in the ministry have been spent and worn out upon rocky hearts. Do we think that God will always put up with our affronts?

Some bless themselves that they have a stock of knowledge, but what is knowledge good for without repentance? Learning and a bad heart is like a fair face with a cancer in the breast. Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light the way to hell. Repentant tears may be compared to myrrh, which though it is bitter in taste, has a sweet smell and refreshes the spirit. So repentance, though it is bitter in itself, yet it is sweet in the effects. It brings inward peace.

We are to find as much bitterness in weeping for sin as ever we found sweetness in committing it. Surely David found more bitterness in repentance than ever he found comfort in Bathsheba.

Tears have four qualities: they are moist, salt, hot, and bitter. It is true of repenting tears, they are hot to warm a frozen conscience; moist, to soften a hard heart; salt, to season a soul decaying in sin; bitter, to wean us from the love of the world. And I will add a fifth, they are sweet, in that they make the heart inwardly rejoice.

David, who was the great weeper in Israel, was the sweet singer of Israel. The sorrows of the repentant are like the sorrows of a travailing woman:

"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world" (John 16:21).

Be as speedy in your repentance as you would have God be speedy in His mercies. Many are now in hell that purposed to repent. Satan does what he can to keep men from repentance. When he sees that one begins to take up serious thoughts of reformation, he bids them wait a little longer. It is dangerous to procrastinate repentance. The longer any go on sinning, the harder they will find the work of repentance. Delay strengthens sin and hardens the heart and gives the devil fuller possession.

A plant at first may be easily plucked up, but when it has spread its roots deep in the earth, a whole team cannot remove it. It is hard to remove sin when it comes to be rooted. The longer the ice freezes the harder it is to be broken. The longer a man freezes in security, the harder it will be to have his heart broken.

Presuming upon God's mercy can be eternally fatal. Many suck poison from this sweet flower. Oh, one says, "Christ has died; He has done all for me; therefore I may sit still and do nothing." Thus they suck death from the tree of life and perish by a savior. So I may say of God's mercy, it accidentally causes the ruin of many. Because of mercy, some men presume and think they may go on sinning. But should a king's clemency make his subjects rebel? The psalmist says;

"there is mercy with God, that he may be feared," (Psalms 130:4) but not that we may sin.

Can men expect mercy by provoking justice? God will hardly show those mercy who sin because mercy abounds. Many would rather go sleeping to hell than weeping to heaven.

— By Thomas Watson

Though your sins be as scarlet

2006-10-08T09:51:00.000-04:00

“Though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they be red like crimson,
They shall be as wool!”
“Though your sins be as scarlet,
Though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow,
They shall be as white as snow.”

Hear the voice that entreats you,
O return ye unto God!
Hear the voice that entreats you,
O return ye unto God!
He is of great compassion,
And of wondrous love;
Hear the voice that entreats you,
Hear the voice that entreats you,
O return ye unto God!
O return ye unto God!

He’ll forgive your transgressions,
And remember them no more;
He’ll forgive your transgressions,
And remember them no more;
“Look unto Me, ye people,”
Saith the Lord your God!
He’ll forgive your transgressions,
He’ll forgive your transgressions,
And remember them no more,
And remember them no more.

Words:
Fanny Crosby, 1887.
Music:
W. Howard Doane

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/h/thoyours.htm

Chariots of Fire: Eric Liddell

2006-10-05T23:53:00.000-04:00

Eric Liddell ~ 1902-1945

On April 6, 1923, in a small town hall in Armadale, Scotland, Eric Liddell spoke for the first time of his faith in Christ. Eighty people came to hear Scotland's famous runner give his testimony.
"Shyly, he stepped forward and for a few seconds surveyed his waiting audience, then he began," writes Catherine Swift in her biography, Eric Liddell.

"There was no lecturing, no fist thumping on the table, no wagging or pointing a finger to stress a point, no raised voice to impress on them what he thought they should be doing. In fact, it wasn't a speech at all. It was more of a quiet chat, and in his slow clear words, Eric for the first time in his life told the world what God meant to him.

"He spoke of the strength he felt within himself from the sure knowledge of God's love and support. Of how he never questioned anything that happened either to himself or to others.
He didn't need explanations from God. He simply believed in Him and accepted whatever came."

News of Liddell's talk was reported in every newspaper in Scotland the next morning. God was preparing Liddell to honor Him, and his testimony still reverberates today.

"The Lord Guides Me"

Liddell was an unorthodox sprinter. Coming out of trowel-dug starting holes, Liddell ran with abandon, head tilted toward the skies, knees thrust upward to his chin, feet rising high from the ground. Before each race, Liddell shook hands with each competitor, offering his trowel to fellow runners who struggled to dig their starting holes in cinder tracks with their cleats.
When asked how he knew where the finish line was located, he replied in his deliberate Scottish brogue, "The Lord guides me."

As word of his faith in Christ spread through England, many wondered if he would display the same zeal on the track. Liddell silenced any skeptics in the AAA Championships in London in July 1923, by winning the 220-yard dash and the 100-yard dash. His time in the 100 stood as England's best for thirty-five years.

He won the Harvey Cup for the best performance of the meet and readied himself for the Paris Olympics in the summer of 1924.

"I'm Not Running"

Liddell waited excitedly for the posting of the Olympic heats for the 100 meters and the 4X100 and 4X400 relays, his best events. He was stunned upon learning the preliminary dashes were on Sunday. "I'm not running," he said flatly and then turned his attention to train for the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes.

He considered Sunday to be sacred, a day set apart for the Lord; and he would honor his convictions at the expense of fame.

On Sunday, July 6, Liddell preached in a Paris church as the guns sounded for the 100-meter heats. Three days later, he finished third in the 200-meter sprint, taking an unexpected bronze medal. He quietly made his way through the heats of the 400 meters but was not expected to win. Shaking hands with the other finalists, he readied for the race of his life.

Arms thrashing, head bobbing and tilted, legs dancing, Liddell ran to victory, five meters ahead of the silver medalist. "The Flying Scotsman" had a gold metal and a world record, 47.6 seconds. Most of all, Eric Liddell had kept his commitment to his convictions of faith.

"It's Complete Surrender"

The next year, Liddell returned to China, where he had been born to missionary parents, as a teacher and missionary. In 1932, he was ordained as a minister and married in 1933.
He ministered pleasantly and plainly, often traveling on bicycle, braving constant fighting between Chinese warlords and Japanese in their growing conquest of China.
His decision to share Christ in isolated communities, forcing him to leave his wife and children behind, was the result of insistent prayer. "Complete surrender" was his description of this attitude.

In March of 1943, Liddell, along with other Americans and Brits, entered a Japanese internment camp. He was appointed math teacher and supervised a sports program. He arose each morning to study his Bible and was the cheer of the camp.

But his health deteriorated rapidly. A brain tumor ravaged his body with severe headaches. Shortly after his forty-third birthday in January 1945, Liddell collapsed. His last words, spoken to a camp nurse, were, "It's complete surrender."

Upon learning of Liddell's death, all of Scotland mourned. Heaven rejoiced.

Run The Race

Eric Liddell ran, spoke, and lived with great faithfulness and solid commitment to Christ. The movie, Chariots of Fire, chronicled his faith, influencing yet another generation for Jesus Christ.
You do not have to be famous or skilled to make a difference for Christ. God asks only that you serve Him faithfully and wholeheartedly in whatever you do.

God has "appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16)

Honor God in all you do, and He will honor your obedience with a life that counts for eternity.

"Complete surrender" to Christ is total victory.

Example or Substitute?

2006-10-01T01:17:00.000-04:00

After speaking to a group of collage students about the Lord Jesus, one student told the speaker “I don’t like your preaching. I do not care for the cross. I think that instead of preaching the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example.”

“Would you be willing to follow Him if I preach Christ, the Example?” replied the preacher;

“I would, I will follow in His steps.” “Then,” said the preacher, “Let us take the first step. ‘Christ . . . who did no sin.’ Can you take this step?”

The student looked confused. “No,” he said; “I do sin, and I acknowledge it.”

“Well then,” said the speaker, “your first need of Christ is not as an Example, but as a Savior.” And this is every man’s need.

For in the cross we see the only One who was capable of taking the sinner’s place. Being without sin Himself, He bore the sinner’s sins, suffered for them, died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day and ascended to the highest heaven. Every one that believes on him as Lord and Savior will not be condemned by God but will receive the forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life.

You cannot do without Him; there is no other way, no claim, and no hope by which you ever can be saved.

The Bible, God’s Word declares:

“…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23

“…for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord “ Romans 6:23

“…but God commendeth his love toward us in that ,while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8

“…and said what must I do to be saved? And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” Acts 16:30, 31

Prayer

2006-09-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

LUKE 5:6 “And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.”

CHRIST is able to help us in our business affairs as well as in our spiritual matters. The disciples had been fishing. They had toiled all night, and their nets were empty in the morning. Jesus told them that if they would push out farther and drop their nets in a certain place, they would find plenty of fish. They did as He asked them to do, and were rewarded.Some people seem never to learn that they can have God’s guidance in their secular affairs. A young woman was trying to find something to do. A friend, after advising her, asked her if she had taken the matter to God. “Why, you would not pray about a matter of this kind, would you?”That is precisely what we should do. God is interested in everything in our lives, in our smallest daily affairs, as well as in our largest spiritual interests. Jesus tells us that the very hairs of our heads are all numbered. This means that nothing in our lives is too small for God’s notice.

“ORDER my steps” is a prayer which should ever be on our lips. We should get our orders from God, not once in our life only, when we first give ourselves to Him; not at the opening of each day only, as we go forth to the day’s task; not merely at the beginning of each new piece of work or of each fresh task—but every moment, for each step. That is what walking with God means. We may make this so real that we shall look up into God’s face continually, asking, “What next, dear Lord? What shall I do now? Which course shall I take today? How shall I do this duty?” If we can but have God’s guidance and help for the little short steps, we need not fear for the long miles, the great stretches of road. If each step is of His ordering, the long miles will be paths of His choosing.

From Devotional Readings for Every Day of the Year-By J.R. Miller, D.D.

When I See The Blood....

2006-09-26T02:13:00.000-04:00

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident.

As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son.

The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this:

"My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the Blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?"

The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble.

"What can wash away my sins,
nothing but the blood of Jesus..."

— Author Unknown

He Gathers The Lambs

2006-09-24T00:19:00.000-04:00

“He shall gather the lambs with His arm.” -Isaiah 40:11

Our good Shepherd has in His flock a variety of experiences, some are strong in the Lord, and others are weak in faith, but He is impartial in His care for all His sheep, and the weakest lamb is as dear to Him as the most advanced of the flock.

Lambs are wont to lag behind, prone to wander, and apt to grow weary, but from all the danger of these infirmities the Shepherd protects them with His arm of power. He finds newborn souls, like young lambs, ready to perish - He nourishes them till life becomes vigorous; He finds weak minds ready to faint and die - He consoles them and renews their strength.

All the little ones He gathers, for it is not the will of our heavenly Father that one of them should perish. What a quick eye He must have to see them all! What a tender heart to care for them all! What a far reaching and potent arm, to gather them all!

In His lifetime on earth He was a great gatherer of the weaker sort, and now that He dwells in heaven, His loving heart yearns towards the meek and contrite, the timid and feeble, the fearful and fainting here below. How gently did He gather me to Himself, to His truth, to His blood, to His love, to His church!

With what effectual grace did He compel me to come to Himself! Since my first conversion, how frequently has He restored me from my wanderings, and once again folded me within the circle of His everlasting arm!

The best of all is, that He does it all Himself personally, not delegating the task of love, but condescending Himself to rescue and preserve His most unworthy servant. How shall I love Him enough or serve Him worthily?

I would love to make His name great unto the ends of the earth, but what can my feebleness do for Him?

Great Shepherd, add to Your mercies this one other, a heart to love you more as I should.

- C.H. Spurgeon

The Angel in the Cell

2006-09-19T02:57:00.000-04:00

Love this true story and wanted to post it as an encouragement.

"...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me"-Hebrews 13

My brother Dave Howard does a lot of traveling and comes back with wonderful stories. One summer when the six of us Howards with our spouses got together for a reunion, Dave told us this one, heard from the son of the man in the story.

A man whom we'll call Ivan, prisoner in an unnamed country, was taken from his cell, interrogated, tortured, and beaten nearly to a pulp. The one comfort in his life was a blanket. As he staggered back to his cell, ready to collapse into that meager comfort, he saw to his dismay that someone was wrapped up in it--an informer, he supposed. He fell on the filthy floor, crying out, "I can't take any more! whereupon a voice came from the blanket: "Ivan, what do you mean, you can't take any more?" Thinking the man was trying to get information to be used against him, Ivan didn't explain. He merely repeated what he had said.

"Ivan," came the voice, "Have you forgotten that Jesus is with you?"

Then the figure in the blanket was gone.

Ivan, unable to walk a minute before, now leaped to his feet and danced round the cell praising the Lord. In the morning the guard who had starved and beaten him asked who had given him food. No one, said Ivan.

"But why do you look so different?"

"Because my Lord was with me last night."

"Oh, is that so? And where is your Lord now?"

Ivan opened his shirt, pointed to his heart--"Here."

"OK. I'm going to shoot you and your Lord right now," said the guard, pointing a pistol at Ivan's chest.

"Shoot me if you wish. I'll go to be with my Lord."

The guard returned his pistol to its holster, shaking his head in bewilderment.

Later Ivan learned that his wife and children had been praying for him on that same night as they read Isaiah 51:14: "The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread" (NIV)

Ivan was released shortly thereafter and continued faithfully to preach the gospel until he died in his eighties.

By Elisabeth Elliot Taken from: Keep a Quiet Heart

Admitting our mistakes

2006-09-15T09:07:00.000-04:00

In my working life, I have seen my colleagues and myself making mistakes. I am sure you will agree that it is impossible for a person not to make any mistake in his or her life.
There are five possible reactions when people make mistakes.

Deny it

Blame on someone else

Cover it up

twist the facts

Admit our mistake

It goes against our self-pride to admit our mistakes. Even among Christians, we struggle with that. We may have know of a Christian who is very dogmatic in his/her view, but when shown that his/her view is inconsistent, often he or she will not acknowledge his mistakes. A Christian that has not learned to admit mistakes has not learned self-denial.
Recently I too struggled with covering up a mistake in my work, but the Holy Spirit tells me to admit it and swallow my pride.

Maybe you are not a Christian, a few questions for you to ponder:

Do you deny you are a sinner?

Do you cover up your sins?

Do you blame your sins on someone else?

Do you twist the facts so that sin is no longer called sin?

Sins are worse than mistakes. While mistakes can be due to an oversight sin involves a moral choice with eternal consequence. If we made a mistake, we may lose our job, but if we sin, we lose our soul.

My friend, the willingness to admit our sins is the first pre-condition for eternal life, we need to mourn for our sins. If you don’t acknowledge that you are a sinner, you are denying reality and deceiving yourself. Check what the bible says about the conditions of our heart:

Mark 7:15-23 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Ponder on these verses, it is beneficial to your soul. Then read the other articles on this blog to find out how you can have eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Self Imposed Famine

2006-09-13T15:34:00.000-04:00

Was reading an article in the recent Time Magazine, titled 'Does God Want Me Rich?' when the words of Amos 8 came to me. I know it refers to Israel, but the Holy Spirit brought it to my mind for a reason, so I pondered on it.

Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

The bolded verses were what actually what came to me.....

Thought about those verses where God shows Amos the basket of summer fruit, asking him 'what do you see'..

All types of fruit grow in the summer only...early, mid, etc. but there is a season in late summer when the fruit, if not picked rots on the vine. Late summer. I think this was the season God was showing Amos--that this 'late summer fruit' was 'spoiled'...

Are we experiencing a famine of hearing the Word of God today, like is spoken of above?

I think we are.

God is giving no new words because He's already spoken but people have refused to hear.

I had a preacher tell me long ago when I was seeking advice on what to do in a matter, telling him I couldn't seem to get any direction from God in prayer, that I needed to go back to the last time God DID speak to me and reflect on if I had obeyed. For when God does speak, if we don't obey, we'll hear 'no new word' until we do.

Makes sense, doesn't it.

Today we get 'words'...in fact anyone with a computer can sign up on any number of 'prophetic' web sites and receive one in their mail box every day. But are they truly a 'Word from God'? I seriously doubt it. For one thing, what Prophet [real, truly called of God] can produce a 'word' on command, daily at that! None that I've ever read about in the bible.

So what are we hearing? Fluff. Chaff.

Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. Hosea 13

Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble:.. Is.33

......clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Jude 12

Can't survive on chaff...

Chaff- The seed casings and other parts inedible to humans of plant matter harvested with cereal grains such as wheat. The chaff must be separated from the grain before use, by such techniques as threshing and wind winnowing. The word "Chaff" is also used to refer to something worthless, such as in the ex-pression "separating the wheat from the chaff" meaning to find things of value and separate them from things of no value.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked perish. Psalm 1

Is the famine we're in today self imposed? I kinda think it is.

Today we have the Word of God available like no other time in history...almost any Christian has access to a bible. Just a few years ago, this wasn't true in all Nations. Granted there are still areas/pockets of the world in which a group of believers may gather with only 1-2 per group...but for the most part all believers today do have access to reading/hearing the Word.

But like the scripture in Amos says, the famine is in the 'hearing', not in the giving forth.

Anyway was just thinking outloud. God has been speaking, but I just wonder if any of us really have heard. And that because we haven't taken to heart what we HAVE heard about 'repent, prepare, I'm coming soon, Be watching,' that we may not get anything more until we heed and obey what we have been given. Not the 'chaff messages' but the words of the true Prophets.

The words of that article title really hit me today; 'does God want me rich'...

Does God want us rich, sure He does. Rich is all mercy, grace, and love, through Christ.
We are truly living in the Laodicean age when we've forgotten that truth, and the world, thru a secular magazine has to remind us.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3

Thanks for bearing with my ponderings...

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

2006-09-10T02:54:00.000-04:00

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
'Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father's ears no other name but Thine.

cyber hymnal- http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/f/tfountfb.htm

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it,
and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is
shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Matthew 26

Born Again

2006-09-04T17:04:00.000-04:00

"When a man is converted to God, it is done in a moment.

Regeneration is an instantaneous work.

Conversion to God, the fruit of regeneration, occupies all our life, but regeneration itself is effected in an instant.

A man hates God-- the Holy Spirit causes him to love God.

A man is opposed to Christ, he hates his gospel, does not understand it and will not receive it: the Holy Spirit comes, puts light into his darkened understanding, takes the chain from his bondaged will, gives liberty to his conscience, gives life to his dead soul, so that the voice of conscience is heard, and the man becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.

And all this is done, mark you, by the instantaneous supernatural influence of God the Holy Spirit working as he wills among the sons of men."

- C.H. Spurgeon's, "THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT"

The Holy of Holies & The Rent Veil

2006-09-02T15:08:00.000-04:00

Happy Saturday to you!

While browsing through my old bookmake page folders last evening
I came upon this wonderful interactive link and wanted to share it.

It had been awhile since doing any bookmark cleaning, so I'd forgotten
about having it.

Was glad I rediscovered it! What a blessing it was to come across it again.

Its an Interactive Journey through the old Temple in Jerusalem.

http://messiah.heartofisrael.org/

If you have problems getting into it, go here instead and click on the
banner at the bottom.

http://radio.heartofisrael.org/

After entering into the Outer Court be sure to stop long enough to
enjoy the anointed worship music at the bottom by Marty Goetz,
among others.

I can guarentee, you will be blessed!

Just a little background on the Holy of Holies

THE HOLY OF HOLIES

The Holy of Holies, a small room 10 cubits x 10 cubits (15' x 15') separated from the Holy Place by the veil. It housed one piece of redemptive furniture, the ark of the Covenant, with its mercy seat. There was no created light like the sun and no artificial light but Gods own "Shekinah" glory that lit up the Holiest Place.

There was no seat for man but here Jehovah sat alone on the throne of glory and righteousness. As the high priest entered once a year, he entered with bowed head, unsandalled feet, and bells. No human voice was heard, only the voice of God.

The Veil

Exod 26:31-34 "You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim."

- The veil could never be touched except by the high priest, and then only once a year to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat on the day of atonement:

Lev 16:2 and the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat."

What Was the Significance of the Temple Veil being Torn in Two when Jesus Died?

During the lifetime time of Jesus, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life. Here was the place that animal sacrifices were carried out, and worship according to the Law of Moses was commanded, and followed faithfully.

Hebrews 9:1-9 tells us that in the Temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies where God dwelt from the rest of the Temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Only the High Priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7), enter into God's presence for all of Israel, and make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16).

Solomon's Temple was 30 cubits high (1 Kings 6:2) but Herod had increased the height to 40 cubits according to the writings of Josephus, a first century Jewish historian. There is uncertainty as to exactly what a cubit equaled in our feet and inches but it is safe to assume that this veil was somewhere near 60 feet high. Josephus also tells us that the veil was four inches thick, and that horses tied to each side could not pull the veil apart. And the account in the Book of Exodus teaches that this thick veil was fashioned from blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

The size and thickness of the veil makes so much more momentous the events described as occurring at the exact moment of Jesus' death upon a cross nearly 2000 years ago.

"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom..." (Matthew 27:50-51a)

So what do we make of this? What significance does this rent-torn veil have for us today? Above all, the tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus' death dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins forever. It now signified that the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and gentile.

When Jesus died, the veil was torn, and God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a Temple made with hands (Acts 17:24). God was through with that Temple and its religious system and worship forever, and the Temple and Jerusalem was left "desolate" (destroyed by the Romans) in 70 A.D. just as Jesus prophesied it would in Luke 13:35.

As long as the Temple stood, it signified the continuation of the Old Covenant. Hebrews 9:8-9 indicates that the way to the sanctuary was not yet open "as long as the outer tent" still stood, being symbolic of "the present age." The "present age" refers to the age that was passing away even as the New Covenant was being established (Hebrews 8:13).

In a sense, the veil was symbolic of Christ, Himself.

Christ is the only way to the Father. (John 14:6) This is symbolized in the fact that the High Priest had to enter the Holy of Holies through the veil. Now Christ is our more superior High Priest, and as believers in the finished work of Jesus we partake of His better priesthood. We can now enter the Holy of Holies by Him. Hebrews 10:19-20 says that the faithful enter into the sanctuary by the "blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the veil, that is, through his flesh."

The veil being rent from top to bottom is a fact of history. The profound significance of this event is explained in glorious detail in the Letter to the Hebrews. These things were shadows of things to come, and they all ultimately point us to Jesus Christ. He was the veil to the Holy of Holies, and through His death, the faithful now have free access to God.

The veil in the Temple was a constant reminder that sin renders humanity unfit for the presence of God. The fact that the sin offering was offered annually and countless other sacrifices repeated daily was meant to show graphically that sin could not truly and permanently be atoned for or erased by mere animal sacrifices. Jesus Christ, through His death, has removed the barriers between God and man, and now we may approach Him with confidence and boldness.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.(Hebrews 4:14-16)

Pray the link provided brings to you a portion of the awe it has to me.

God Bless...

Matthew

Fatherhood

2006-08-30T11:34:00.000-04:00

I became a father last year 10th of June when my daughter Glenda was born. Since then my life has changed, I no longer have as much time for myself as I like, I need to bathe her and change her diaper, and just spending time playing with her. Though it can be tiring, but it is also a joy to me.
As Christian parents, it is a God given responsibility to bring up a child. Children have impressionable minds and parents are given good opportunity to teach them the right values. I have read some Christian writings about bringing up a child, and below are some important points that I am learning.

Set a good example to your child, your child can observe you.
Spend time with your child, play with them, develop the bond with them.
Teach your child the bible at an early age, tell them bible stories, tell them about Jesus (Deut 11:19)
Have family worship and show your child how to pray (Deut 11:19)
Discipline and correct your child when he or she is naughty, cane the child if necessary (Proverbs 13:24)
Don’t exasperate your child, don’t make them bitter against you (Ephesians 6:4)
Finally father and mother need to love one another, don’t give your child a broken family. When children see that parents love one another, they have the security.

It is not easy to be good parents, that is why prayer helps, pray to God for grace and strength, pray for your child, may God help us parents to preserve godly seeds in these evil days.

A Man of One Book.

2006-08-29T23:07:00.000-04:00

"I have thought I am a creature of day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God: just hovering over the great gulf till, a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing... the way to Heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore?

God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end He came from Heaven. He hath written it down in a Book. O give me that Book! I have it; here is Knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri (a man of one book).

Here then am I, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone; Only God is here. In His presence I open, I read His book; for this end, to find the way to Heaven. Is there a doubt concerning the meaning of what I read? Does anything appear Dark or Intricate? I lift up heart to the Father of Lights; 'Lord, is it not Thy Word, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God?' 'Thou givest liberally, and upbraidest not'. Thou hast said: 'if any be willing to do Thy will he shall know'. I am willing to do, let me know, Thy will.

I then search after and consider parallel passages of Scripture, 'comparing spiritual things with spiritual'. I meditate thereon with all the attention and earnestness of which my mind is capable. If any doubt still remains, I consult those who are experienced in the things of God; and then the writings whereby, being dead, they yet speak. And what I thus learn I teach.

Yet, how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth itself without Love! We may die without the Knowledge of many truths and yet be carried into Abraham's bossom. But, if we die without Love, what will Knowledge avail? Just as much as it avails the devil and his angels.

The God of Love forbid we should ever make the trial! May He prepare us for the Knowledge of all truth, by filling our hearts with all His love and with all Joy and Peace in Believing!"

John Wesley; within his sermons.

No Looking Back

2006-08-29T15:04:00.001-04:00

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3

There is an art of forgetting, and every Christian should become skilled in it. Forgetting the things which are behind is a positive necessity if we are to become more than mere babes in Christ. If we cannot trust God to have dealt effectually with our past we may as well throw in the sponge now and have it over with.

Fifty years of grieving over our sins cannot blot out their guilt. But if God has indeed pardoned and cleansed us, then we should count it done and waste no more time in sterile lamentations. And thank God this sudden obliteration of our familiar past does not leave us with a vacuum.

Far from it.

Into the empty world vacated by our sins and failures rushes the blessed Spirit of God, bringing with Him everything new. New life, new hope, new enjoyments, new interests, new purposeful toil, and best of all a new and satisfying object toward which to direct our soul's enraptured gaze.

God now fills the recovered garden, and we may without fear walk and commune with Him in the cool of the day.

Right here is where the weakness of much current Christianity lies. We have not learned where to lay our emphasis. Particularly we have not understood that we are saved to know God, to enter His wonder-filled Presence through the new and living way and remain in that Presence forever. We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.

The Triune God with all of His mystery and majesty is ours and we are His, and eternity will not be long enough to experience all that He is of goodness, holiness and truth. In heaven they rest not day or night in their ecstatic worship of the Godhead. We profess to be headed for that place; shall we not begin now to worship on earth as we shall do in heaven?

— A. W. Tozer

Unbelief; Father Forgive them for they Know not.

2006-08-28T12:11:00.000-04:00

Tho silent before men, He {Jesus} was not silent before God;

pain of past or of present let us go to God in prayer.

charles Spurgeon.

Unbelief; Father forgive them for they know not

was it fear of death that caused them to cry "can He not prepare a table for us in the wilderness? " {unbelief}

was it fear of death that caused them to say " shall He take us out of Egypt only to have us die in the wilderness?" {unbelief}

Were His wonderous works before them not enough for them to believe,

That He should be thoughtful enough to know their needs?

The overflow of what they had asked came. He knew their desires. Many had fallen, yet God said: they are of flesh. He remembered.

and it was through His rememberance that He saved those few for His Name's Sake; His personal Glory.

As the waves, winds and rains come, in the heat of burning despair know He is mindful of us. Know He knows your need. Know He is your defense.

in past, in present, through suffering and hard times; through the fears of the facing elements, Trust God.

The people the Lord spoke of in the Holy Scriptures were those He set apart for Himself. In the Bible they are called Israelites. Under the oppression and abuse of a Worldly Government God had heard their cries and sent one called Moses. Moses believed God and led a chosen people into the wilderness that they might Worship Him.

Today we have One called Jesus. He too came to set apart a chosen people from a Worldly Government. The Worldly Government of Pride. The difference between Moses and Jesus is that while Moses was a mere man used as an Instrument of God, Jesus was not just a mere man. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending".

We have been given " Life Eternal" through following Jesus; believing on Him.
He is leading us into a Wilderness so that we Might Worship Him. Moses told his people that God would give to them a Promise Land filled with Milk and Honey. This promise was to those who believed God. Again we can peacefully know and believe God will take us through the wilderness of this life as long as we Believe Jesus in His everlasting Promise: " I am the way, the truth and the Life", ye will see His promise Land.

Jesus knew His defense

The Songbird And The Flower

2006-08-27T01:58:00.000-04:00

I love this story and its author. Chip's writings have blessed me, AND taught me many things through out the years.
As usual, and in his own unique style, he brings home a greatly neglected point about true ministries. He is right, many times in our persuit of 'ministry' we can forget who we're really called to minister too first ...amen?

In a land not too far away lived a songbird. According to outward appearances this songbird was no different than the rest. She had blue feathers, a white breast, and a yellow bill. But she also had a very special gift!

Her gift was discovered one day quite by accident. She enjoyed singing to the Lord and worshipped Him at every opportunity. It was her custom to wake up early to see the sunrise and spend time worshipping the Lord. She had done this every morning since she was a little bird.

Her song carried unusually far one morning. Her neighbor, the squirrel, was sitting in his little recliner with a cup of tea, reading the morning newspaper, when suddenly this magnificent song came wafting through the open window! "I have to find out where that's coming from!" he exclaimed. Jumping up out of his chair, he ran through the door and into the field, looking for the source of the beautiful music.

Also, at that exact moment, a deer was walking through the woods and heard the same sweet melody. "What singing!" she cried. "I wonder who it could be?" And she, too, went off to find out where the music was coming from.

The songbird, of course, was oblivious to the excitement she had generated. She was lost in her worship when suddenly the squirrel arrived on the scene, followed by the deer - and about a dozen other animals!

"Where did you learn to sing like that?" they all asked with great admiration.

The songbird shrugged her shoulders. "I always sing like this whenever I want to give praise to the Lord. I hope I didn't disturb you."

"Disturb us?" answered the deer. "We think it is wonderful! How uplifting to hear such beautiful singing early in the morning. You really have a gift!"

"I do?" asked the songbird.

"Absolutely!" said the squirrel. "God blessed you to bless others, and you shouldn't let that gift go to waste. You have a special calling!" And all the other animals agreed.

"I don't want to waste my gift," answered the bird. "What should I do?"

"Come with us to the church service this morning," said the deer. "I'll speak to the pastor about you and he'll let you sing for the congregation!"

The songbird wasn't sure what to do about all this attention, but she didn't want to waste her gift, and she certainly wanted to bless others with what she had been blessed with. So she agreed to go.

* * *

Of course, the congregation of animals were blessed by the singing songbird, and she was such a blessing that they invited her to sing every Sunday morning. The little group began to grow as a result of the songbird's beautiful voice. In no time the songbird became the worship leader. Not only was she responsible for selecting the music and leading the worship service, but she was supposed to conduct the choir practice twice a week and teach voice to the pastor's daughter (the crow) so she could one day sing as well as the songbird.

One Sunday morning a group of eagles arrived, listened to the songbird, and watched her very carefully. After the service, the eagles gathered around the songbird and began to prophesy! "The Lord says that you have a special anointing, and He will give you an international ministry!"

Of course, the songbird was very thrilled about this, because she wanted to use her gift and she wanted to be a blessing. Another member of the church, the fox, offered to record her music and put it on CD. "That way," he explained, "You can reach more animals and be a blessing to God's creatures all over the world. This is what the Lord meant when He said He was giving you an international ministry!"

Before long the CD's were produced, and the fox had promoted them all over the world. The orders began to come in, and everyone said they were blessed by the songbird's music. Then came the invitations! "Is the songbird available to come to our church?" Everyone wanted their own live performance, and the fox took care of everything.

"Congratulations!" he told the songbird. "You're booked up for ministry every week for the next two years, and your CD's are in record stores all over the world. Now you can be in the full-time ministry! The Lord has really blessed you!"

So the songbird took her itinerary from the fox and began flying all over the world to meet the demands of her full-time ministry schedule. The fox even made her a special backpack so she could take all her CD's and ministry resources with her and raise money for her ministry.

The songbird sang in church services, and in retreats, and in conventions, and in concerts. She truly enjoyed meeting all the other animals, and she still enjoyed singing. She was getting a little tired of flapping her wings all the time to get from one ministry event to the other, and her voice seemed to be losing some of its former strength and purity from being used all the time, but she accepted that as part of fulfilling the call on her life. Besides, no one seemed to notice. Everyone loved her, and wanted to hear her.

* * *

Time went by, and the songbird was becoming more and more popular. She had a ministry headquarters, a ministry staff, and ministry partners all over the world. Her next CD was coming out soon, and everyone was looking forward to it with great anticipation. She was a busy little songbird, flying all over the place to keep up with her hectic ministry schedule, but having to carry around all those CD's and ministry resources on her back was a constant strain, and she tired easily.

One day she was traveling to her next singing engagement and found herself flying over a canyon out in the middle of nowhere. Exhausted from her flight, she decided this would be a good place to stop and rest her wings for awhile. Far below her she saw a gorgeous flower of indescribable beauty! So she circled around the flower and landed right next to it.

What a lovely little flower it was! It had round petals of many colors - yellow, blue, pink, and white - and golden leaves. She had never seen anything like it in all her travels around the world. And the fragrance! It was unlike anything she had ever smelled, and far better than any perfume she had ever tried. Yet here it was, growing out of a crack in the bottom of a rocky canyon floor, out in the middle of nowhere!

"Hello little flower!" the songbird said. "I was just flying overhead and admiring your beauty, so I thought I would visit with you for a moment. You are certainly the most beautiful flower I have ever seen, and I don't think there is another flower in the world quite like you."

"The Lord has been very gracious to me," answered the flower pleasantly. "Who are you, and where are you going?"

"I am Rev. Songbird and I'm on my way to minister at a retreat on the other side of this canyon. Maybe you've listened to one of my CD's, or seen me on television?"

"No, I don't believe I have," the flower said. "I'm quite alone out here in the canyon, and I don't have a lot of contact with the rest of the world. As you can see, I don't have wings to carry me anywhere."

"That's a shame," said the songbird. "Because you are such a beautiful flower, and you give off such a lovely aroma. The Lord has blessed you to be a blessing, yet your gifts are not being used as they should! Why don't you come along with me to church, so the other animals can see your beauty and enjoy your fragrance?"

"Oh no, that would never do," the flower said, "Because that would only distract me from my own ministry."

"So you are in the ministry? What denomination are you with?" asked the songbird.

The flower laughed. "I'm not with a denomination."

"Where do you go to church?"

"Oh, I'm not involved with a church, either."

"Do you have some books or tapes out?"

"Heaven's no!" the flower laughed.

"So what kind of ministry do you have, then? Are you in the ministry full-time, like me?" the songbird asked.

"Oh yes, it is a full-time ministry," answered the flower.

"But you are out here in the wilderness, all alone. There are no churches, no one to fellowship with. How can you be in the full-time ministry? It seems like such a waste."

"Oh, but that is where you are wrong," explained the flower. "You see your ministry as being to the other animals, but my ministry is to the Lord Himself! He has planted me out here in the wilderness, hidden from the rest of the world. You believe that is a waste, since no one can see me or smell me. But He can see me! And He can smell me! And the measure of my fruitfulness is not what I am to other people, but what I am to Him."

The songbird was silent for a long time. Finally, she said, "Creatures all over the world are being blessed and encouraged by my music. Perhaps you are called to minister to the Lord, but I am called to minister to the other animals!"

"Who told you that you are called to minister to the other animals?" asked the flower.

"The Lord!"

"Really?" asked the flower.

The songbird thought about what the squirrel had said, and what the deer had said, and what the eagles had said, and what the fox had said, and what all the other animals said. "Well... just about everyone who has heard me sing has told me that the Lord has given me a special gift, a special calling, and a special ministry."

"Yes," agreed the flower. "But all of God's creatures have a special gift, a special calling, and a special ministry. Who told you that your gift, calling, and ministry is to the other animals?"

"I guess the other animals said so."

"Naturally," continued the flower. "But wait! What is that huge pack on your back?"

"Oh, that is my bag of music CD's and ministry resources. I carry these with me wherever I go, because this is how my full-time ministry is supported."

"It looks mighty heavy," observed the flower.

"It is, believe me!" said the songbird. But it's part of being in the ministry."

"For your ministry, perhaps," said the flower. "It's not part of my ministry! Ministering to the Lord is not a burden at all."

(Secretly, the songbird envied the flower, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it.)

"It does sound good," said the songbird. "But I'm not sure I even know how to minister to the Lord."

"Do you remember when you used to sing praises to the Lord in secret every morning, and just worshipped Him for Who He is, with no agenda or vision or plan or crowd of onlookers to minister to? Do you remember when you just sang the songs He gave you, and they were just between you and Him?" the flower asked.

"Yes."

"You were ministering to the Lord! And what was your reward, when no one could hear you sing, and you were just singing to Him?"

The songbird thought. "I didn't get any rewards, or recognition, or applause. So I guess the only reward I had was... Him?"

"That's right," the flower smiled. "When we minister to the Lord then the Lord becomes our reward. So then the question becomes: is Jesus enough for you? Or is the work of the Lord more important to you than the Lord of the work?"

And the songbird had to admit that she never had time to just sing to the Lord the way she used to. With all her traveling and performing she seldom took time to just minister to the Lord, the way she did before anyone knew how gifted she was. Now the ministry had become so big that the Lord Himself had been neglected.

"I see it now," the songbird finally admitted. "I went into the ministry, but I missed my calling."

"That's what usually happens," said the flower.

The songbird and the flower sat together in silence for a long time.

"So what do I do now?" the songbird whispered.

"Just go back to the beginning," the flower said. "The Lord is waiting to meet with you there."

The songbird and the flower embraced, and the songbird flew back to her nest, leaving the burden of her ministry behind on the canyon floor. So from that day forward the songbird devoted herself to ministering to the Lord, just like she used to do.

And the Lord gave her some beautiful new songs to sing - just for Him.

by Chip Brogden

http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/songbird.html

The Prodigal Son

2006-08-24T15:28:00.000-04:00

Beautiful picture isn't it? The Prodigal Son being welcomed home by the loving Father he left behind. I've always loved this picture, for it shows plainly the love and compassion upon the Father's face as he clings tightly to his long lost son, who has returned home.

This post today is more a personal plea to anyone who may have a divine appointment to come upon this, and has wandered away from the fold: Because I know what its like personally. You see, I left the safety of my Father's house one time too--staying away for years, and like the son in this picture and the one Jesus tells us about in Lukes Gospel (chapter 15) found myself in the worlds pig pen before 'coming to myself' and returning to my Fathers house.

And you know what? My Father welcomed me home just like the Father in this picture is welcoming his son...with open arms of love, forgiveness, and compassion. He'll do the same for you. I can guarentee it!

Read it for yourself-

And he said, A certain man had two sons:
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

It still causes me to weep when reading this story, for its a reminder of just how great God's love, mercy, and forgiveness is, and how eagerly He wants to bestow it upon us.
All it took was the son beginning the journey back home. For even as he was 'afar off'...the Father ran to meet him. Isn't that a wonderful word picture of true love and forgiveness?

I have only two more things to say.

If you're a prodigal, come home. The Father awaits you, watching daily for your first steps in His direction. Take the first step my friend, and He will run to meet you.

Also, if you know a prodigal, don't condemn them my friend, but just remind them that the Father is looking for them to return with open arms.

As one who stayed away out of a fear that I wouldn't be welcomed back, I can tell you, those away from the fold need to hear and be reminded of God's love and forgveness--for in most cases they don't 'see or hear it' from within the Church. That is sad, but true.

If not one ourselves, we know someone who can fit the picture of the wandering son: perhaps even our own son or daughter. Don't give up on them, continue to pray and lift them up before God. Stand in the gap for them.

My prayer is today , may the Holy Spirit bring all 'prodigals home' soon.

Matthew

Who is Jesus?

2006-08-22T09:14:00.000-04:00

Many people have different understanding of who is Jesus. Most will agree Jesus lived in the biblical land of Palestine about 2000 years ago. The best way to find out who is Jesus is to read about him from the Bible. I like to share four important truths about Him.

He is the Son of God

Some people may misunderstand this, if Jesus is the Son of God, surely He must be less powerful than God? and God must have existed before him? This is not true, the bible says Jesus co-exist with God right from the beginning.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

God consists of three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All Three are equal, yet there is only one God.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 1 John 5:7

Jesus, being the Son, submit himself to God, He fulfills His role as a Son. To understand the concept of God consisting three Persons, consider the three-dimension space, it consist of length, width and height, all three have to co-exist together, you cannot remove any of them, and each have their role to fulfill. This is just an example to help us understand the Trinity, our finite mind will never fully comprehend it.

Jesus, being the Son of God, is therefore fully God and all powerful. No problem is too great for Him.

He is the Son of Man

Jesus is one of us! He became a human about 2000 years ago, born into this world through Mary. Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus, the conception is a supernatural event.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

Jesus is flesh and blood like us, he understands what we go through. The bible records that He wept, he was hungry and thirsty, he faced temptation, he was rejected by people, suffered loneliness, was betrayed and persecuted, and eventually he died on the cross. There is only one difference, unlike us He lived a sinless life.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…”
1 Timothy 3:16

God was manifested in the flesh when Jesus became a human, like one of us. Since Jesus is fully man, He can empathies with you.

He is our Good Shepherd

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:10-11

He is called the Good Shepherd.The bible says those who belong to Him are the sheep. Why does the bible compare us to a sheep? a sheep is often lost, if you think of all the problems in this world, you have to agree that mankind is lost, you just have to read the daily newspaper.
He is the Good Shepherd because He can turn us away from danger and harm, and He will lead us to green pasture, to restore and refresh our soul.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalms 23:2-3

He is Good Shepherd because He cares for the sheep, to the extent that He gave His life for the sheep. You need a Shepherd for your life.

He is the Christ

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Matt 16:16-17

The Christ, is also known as the Messiah, the Anointed One. The bible says that Jesus is the only Christ, anyone else who claimed to be the Christ is an antichrist. Jesus is the Christ or Messiah because he came to save us from sin and death. His mission is to save the lost.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10

Though he lived a sinless life, he was crucified on the cross. God had intended that He became the Sacrificial Lamb for all our sins. The blood he shed on the cross is for the remission of our sins. Forgiveness is now possible because of His death on the cross. And eternal life is now possible because of His resurrection from death. What must we do to receive this gift of forgiveness and eternal life?

First, we must acknowledge our sins before Jesus, our attitude should be one of brokenness
and contrition. Next we need to tell Jesus we want to give up our sins, no more following the attraction of the world, namely the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

Ask Jesus to come into your heart, by acknowledging Him as your Savior and Lord of your life. If you cling tight to Jesus, He will not reject you, He wants to heal you and give you a meaningful life, a life that is in accordance to God’s will, a life that abides in the presence of Jesus, a life that is pure and not contaminated by the world. We all have only one life to live on this earth, make the right decision, acknowledge your sin and unworthiness and cry out to Jesus.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

The Lord Is Coming Soon...Hold Fast!

2006-08-21T16:33:00.000-04:00

It is not great strength or great wealth that Christ calls for in His Church on the eve of His coming. It is great faithfulness to Him and great obedience to His will and to the opportunities He gives us.

In writing to the church in Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13), Christ had nothing except commendation and the announcement of preservation from the period of calamity and trial which is coming to the whole earth. Let us look at why this church merited Christ�s commendation and reward.

Philadelphia was a church like the other churches of the time, existing in the midst of the corruption of paganism, and surrounded by forces which perpetually threatened to overwhelm these assemblies gathered around the risen One. To it, however, the Lord comes, announcing Himself in all the kingly majesty of actual administration:

"These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name" (Rev. 3:7-8).

It is as though the Lord had said, "I set before you a door opened, which none could shut, and I know your works; you had a little power, and didst keep My word, and didst not deny My name." He opened the door in front of them, and they passed through it and filled the opportunity. He opened the door, and they, though having but little power, were yet true to His word, and loyal to His name. It is evident then that the commendation must be considered wholly in the light of the statement concerning the open door.

What this open door was locally, it is impossible to state. We cannot go back and examine in detail the opportunity which the Lord gave the church. In all probability, however, it was some special opening for missionary enterprise. There is almost certainly a connection between the announcement of the kingly character of Christ and His opening of the door. It is "He that hath the key of David," which is the insignia of kingship, who has opened the door, and the suggestion is that of a passport given to His dominions for the transaction of His business.

The key opens the territory of the king.

He who held the key had set before the church a door opened. He had given them entrance to some other of His dominions for the transaction of His business. The opening of the door is the king�s governmental preparation of the pathway along which His messengers are to run to do His biddings, to herald His Gospel, to win His dominion for Himself. The opening of the door is the exercise of His executive right.

Turn for a moment from the immediate and local application of these words. Let us think of them as the statement of a great principle. How wondrously in every successive century has the King opened the doors before His Church.

In spite of human opposition, and human hatred, He has unlocked and flung wide open the doors of opportunity before His faithful people.

What the particular opening for the church at Philadelphia was, we have no means of knowing. The fact of value revealed is that there came to a church which was neither great nor strong, an opportunity which the church recognized and filled.

But who are these that enter through the open door?

Mark well His description. Jesus did not say to this church at Philadelphia, "Thou art strong," but, "Thou hast a little power."

But they were faithful to the opportunity in that they kept His word and did not deny His name. That is the true principle of success in Christian service.

The greatest rewards that will ever come to churches or to men will be bestowed, not according to the greatness of the strength they had, or the greatness of the opportunity as it appeared to men � but according to fidelity to opportunity, and full use of the measure of strength possessed.

The measure of strength was small, but entering the open door the church made use of all in loyalty to His word, and in maintaining the honor of His name. In this twofold statement there is a revelation of the secret of success in all service � the keeping of the word and loyalty to the name.

It is infinitely better to have a little power, and use it within the doors He opens in loyalty to His teaching and Himself � than to have much power and use it as aiding the work of those who, robbing Him of His dignity, hinder His coming into His kingdom.

To the church at Philadelphia He says, "Because thou didst keep the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (3:10).

"I Come Quickly"

In these words the Lord does for the church at Philadelphia what He has done for the Church again and again. He directs their attention to His second coming as the goal and crisis of victory. Through all the years of service the Church should ever wait for Him, hearing constantly the sound of His voice � "I come quickly!" (3:11).

"Hold Fast"

In view of that promise, consider the Master�s declaration of the present responsibility of the Church. "Hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown" (3:11). To the church at Sardis He said the same thing (3:3), and yet how different the value and application of the announcement. To Sardis it was a warning. To these at Philadelphia, it is a promise.

To the church that was dead (Sardis), it was a proclamation, calculated to startle them into obedience. To the church exercising its little strength in fulfillment of His gracious will, it was a declaration calculated to comfort them in obedience.

It is evident that the doctrine of the advent of Jesus affects persons according to the condition of their life. One church is threatened; another is comforted by the announcement of His coming.

In a little while that lies between the present moment and His coming, He marks their responsibility in the words, "Hold fast that which thou hast." What had they? A little power, His word, His name, His promise of return. These they were to hold fast, and the reason � "that no one take thy crown."

The crown referred to was that of reward for service. He had opened the door. They in little power had entered in and had fulfilled His will. He knew their works, that they had kept His word and did not deny His name. He had no complaint to make of them. He Himself was coming, and at His coming they would have their crowning. Not the crowning but the conflict is for today, but so surely as the conflict is maintained, and the things now possessed held fast, the crowning must come!

To Him Who Overcomes

Then lastly notice His promise to the overcomer. "He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God, and Mine own new name" (3:12).

The overcoming referred to in this case is not that of some evil in the church, but of the forces which are outside, and these will be finally overcome at His advent. As He has been speaking of that coming as the crisis at which all the rewards He promises will be bestowed upon the church, His promise to the overcomer is here that of those conditions of life to which they shall pass beyond that advent.

First He promises them position: "I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God." That is finality. The Bible does not speak of men as being pillars in His temple while on earth. Yonder they will have a position conspicuous and abiding, based upon the fact of their resemblance to the character of God.

Then secondly: "I will write upon him the name of My God," this indicating the fact of likeness, and the reason of the position of prominence.

And yet again, a definite and specific reward: "I will write upon him�the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God."

Those who have the right within that city, of permanent dwelling upon the basis of character, are not to be there as foreigners or aliens, but as those who have the city�s freedom, that freedom being the recognition of their overcoming.

And yet once more: "I will write upon him�Mine own new name."

What strange and mystical statement is this?

In the nineteenth chapter of this book of Revelation there is another reference to it. "He hath a name written, which no one knoweth but He Himself" (v. 12). There are yet honors for Jesus unrevealed, and these are signified in that new name.

This then is the name that He will write upon the overcomer. He will share with him all His honors and rewards. There is to be the most perfect oneness between the overcomer and the King. To suffer with Him will be to reign with Him over all the territory. To enter the door He opens today is to walk with Him in all the spacious realms over which He yet must reign.

Christ Reigns Even Now

Our crowning may depend on our fidelity, but God�s ultimate victory depends upon the King whom He has set on His holy hill. Let there be no moment in which we imagine that He has either lost ground, or abandoned any part of the territory committed to Him. He cannot fail nor be discouraged till He has accomplished the uttermost purpose of His God, and though at times our eyes may fail to trace the method of His administration, let our hearts be ever comforted by remembering "He� openeth, and none shall shut, and He shutteth and none openeth."

If we are not able to see how He opens or how He shuts, it matters little. The fact is full of infinite and inexpressible comfort. God�s anointed King, though for a time hidden from the eyes of men, is carrying on His government. As of old, David the anointed king of Israel was for a time exiled from his kingdom, and took refuge in the cave of Adullam, so for today Christ is earth�s rejected King, but He is still God�s anointed King.

The story of Adullam is full of significance. David, refused by his people, went up to the stronghold in the mountains, and there three classes of people gathered round him � men in debt, men in distress, and men that were discontented (1 Sam. 22:1-2). They were not of much account in the eyes of the nation. In all probability it was looked upon as a happy exodus when they left for the cave.

And yet how wonderful the story of their relation to David, and its results. Contact with him turned them into mighty men. The story of David and his mighty men is indeed a romance. The raw material was surely as poor as ever gathered to a man, but the finished product there has seldom been anything finer.

In process of time the glad day dawned when David left Adullam, and came to his crowning. Concerning that crowning a statement full of significance is made: "All these men�came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king" (1 Chron. 12:38).

"Our Lord is now rejected,
And by the world disowned,
By the many still neglected,
And by the few enthroned."

But He is gathering to Himself a company of people in debt, in distress, and discontented, and those who have thus gathered to Him in the days of His rejection are by that contact and comradeship being transformed into His mighty men. Soon the morning will break when we shall gather with one heart to make Jesus King!

Oh, take heart!

Let there be fewer dirges sung in the sanctuary, and more paeans of praise. Let us be done with the lamentations of hope deferred � and putting on our garments of beauty, rise from the dust, and believe in our King. He at this moment holds the reins, and swaying the scepter, administers the affairs of the Kingdom of God!

Such is the comfort to be gathered from this epistle.

Then there follows a solemn word, marking our responsibility: "Hold fast that which thou hast."

Opposition is not over; Satan still has a synagogue. Open doors � and never had the Church such open doors as she has at this moment � open doors do not make strenuous fidelity unnecessary, but more than ever necessary. The Master is unlocking the doors all around, but the Church is not entering them as she should. Blindness to the fact is most utter folly.

The Church should stand ready before every door, so that the moment it is open, she may occupy the territory for Christ. When will those who conduct the commerce of heaven, manifest the same wisdom as that of the merchant princes of the earth?

If the Church is thus to be ready and responsive to the call of the King she must hold fast His word, and not deny His name.

Alas, that we have too often allowed things essential to be neglected, while we have been dealing with things of minor or of no importance.

Back to the Word of God!

Back to the Name of Jesus!

Then will the Church be what God intends she should be �

"fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners" (Song 6:10).

The test of the Church�s loyalty to Christ is not the measure of her manifestation before men, but her fidelity to the opportunity her Lord creates.

Infinitely better to have a little power only � all used for Christ � than much strength bestowed in other ways.

If He has opened the door, then let us go through in all the strength we possess, remembering that our all, with the all of all the rest � shall make His all, that is, "the nations for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession" (Psa. 2:8)

Condensed from A First-Century Message To Twentieth-Century Christians by G. Campbell Morgan. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) authored many books and commentaries and ministered in Britain, Canada and U.S.A. as a pastor and itinerant evangelist.

A Sunday Morning Word & Hello

2006-08-20T02:00:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to say how thankful I am today for God's Grace in my life.

The world, and the majority of the folks in it seem to be going through a great time of confusion and tribulation....how thankful those of us can be, who know regardless of what is happening or what is behind the gathering storm clouds on the horizen, that we know for a surety we are safe in God's hand's. And come what may, His Grace and Mercy will carry us through unil the end.

In 26 years of knowing Him He's not let me down yet, and I'm counting on the promise that He never will.

May the Lord's love, grace and mercy, keep you today and through-out the coming week.

Matthew 5:8

Grace

Click to hear "Amazing Grace" being played in four parts on the Great Highland Bagpipe- http://www.bakedbean.co.nz/EPAMG.htm

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

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace that fear relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

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

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds
And drives away his fear.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free
No, there's a cross for everyone
And there's a cross for me.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun

'TIS A CHARMING SOUND

By Paul Hume

"Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance" declared the inspired Psalmist of Israel. Psalm 89:15

This "joyful sound" related to the blowing of the silver trumpet for various holy day assemblies (Num. 10:10). However, there, is a sweet spiritual application for us here. Could not "the joyful sound" be what Phillip Doddridge and Augustus Toplady wrote of in their hymn "Grace! 'Tis A Charming Sound?"

"Grace! 'Tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to the ear;
Heav'n with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.
'Twas grace that wrote my name
In life's eternal book;
'Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took."

What a gem of truth lies in Acts 18:27, often never observed.

".. .who, when he, (that is, Apollos) was come, helped them much which had believed through grace" Dr. Bullinger states concerning the little preposition "through" (dia in the Greek) that "it includes the idea of proceeding from and passing out."

This would mean, then, that the grace which came out from God in Christ and had passed out to their hearing the Word of God, had caused them to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we, like they, "believe through grace."

Blessed grace of God!

You probably have run in to someone who confessed "I just can't believe the Bible"

That person is partially right.

Of himself, he cannot generate the right kind of faith by which alone God saves people. It is all of the grace, the unmerited favor of God. And everyone who is honest at heart CAN become a recipient of this enabling grace to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

Ye Must Be Born Again

2006-08-19T14:49:00.000-04:00

YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN

Words: William T. Sleeper, 1877

*cyberhymnal

A ruler once came to Jesus by night
To ask Him the way of salvation and light;
The Master made answer in words true and plain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

“Ye must be born again,
Ye must be born again,
I verily, verily, say unto thee,
Ye must be born again.”

Ye children of men, attend to the Word,
So solemnly uttered by Jesus the Lord;
And let not this message to you be in vain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

O ye who would enter that glorious rest,
And sing with the ransomed the song of the blest,
The life everlasting if ye would obtain,
“Ye must be born again.”

Refrain

A dear one in Heaven thy heart yearns to see,
At the beautiful gate may be watching for thee,
Then list to the note of this solemn refrain,
“Ye must be born again.”

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/y/e/yemustbe.htm

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:1-8

THE TWO BIRTHS:

A true child of God has two births; one of the flesh, the other of the Spirit, giving man a flesh nature and a Spirit nature. The flesh nature is neither good nor righteous. This results in warfare between the Spirit andthe flesh, which continues until physical death, or the return of the Lord.

The flesh nature of the man does not change in any way with the new birth, but can be controlled and kept under submission by the new man through prayerful submission to God. John 3:3-7; Romans 7:15-25; Romans 8:8; Gal. 5:17; I John 3:9; I Peter 1:23; IJohn 5:18, I John 1:8

It is by the calling of the Holy Spirit, and our response to this call, that we are born again into the Kingdom of God. It is He [the Holy Spirit] alone who calls us, who convicts of sin which leads to true sorrowful repentance, and who 'keeps us unto that day'.

Man is saved by undeserved mercy through faith and nothing of man enters into his salvation; it is a free gift.

Man's efforts, regardless of how good or well intended, before or after salvation, have nothing to do with it.

Salvation is by the finished work of Christ and nothing can be added to it.

Anything added to the 'Good News' message of salvation by grace through faith alone, is an accursed message and becomes 'another Gospel'

AN ACCURSED MESSAGE

1. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:7.

2. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ, and therefore the teller of this message is telling a lie. Proverbs 30:4-6.

3. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and is a subtle way of calling God a liar. l John 5:10.

4. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ by adding man's righteousness as a condition of salvation. Isaiah 64:6.

5. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and is in reality the preaching of a false Gospel which will not save anyone. ICorinthians 1:17.

6. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and is a message that causes the lost to be blinded to the truth. II Corinthians 4:4.

7. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and causes saved persons to become confused. Galatians 2:13; I Corinthians 1:10; I Corinthians 15:11.

8. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and keeps the true Christian from a clear witness. Galatians 2:16.

9. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and brings persecution to the preacher of the true message. Galatians 5:11.

10. An accursed message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and is in reality the preaching of a religion that will not save anyone. lCorinthians 1:17.

Most Christians are not aware of how serious it is to add to what Jesus Christ said was finished.

-It is the difference between whether or not a person is truly saved.

-It is the difference between heaven and hell.

"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8,9

Acts 15:11 says, "But we believe that through the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved."

Eternal life is not received by, attained by, or kept by a person's works.

We are saved by grace through faith alone.

Grace by definition excludes all works.

"And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no more work. Romans 11:6

One work added to grace would render it no more grace. If you were to add one drop of poison to a glass of pure water, it would render it no more a glass of pure water: but a glass of poisoned water. The gospel of the grace becomes poisoned when just one human work is added to the plan ofsalvation.

THE GRACE TEST

What is the grace test? This is an easy way of testing whether or not you have the true message of the gospel as it is given in the Bible.

You simply ask, "Did Jesus pay for all my sins on the cross?" or; "Do I have to do something more then believe by faith to gain my salvation?"

If you belive you have to do anything at all to be saved, then you have not heard the true Gospel message, and have failed the grace test.

You will stand before God on the basis of your works (Your righteousness] which are as filthy rags in the sight of God. Isaiah 64:6

You don't want to do that my friend.

Remember, don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you anything less or more then the truth; which is Salvation is the gift of God. Romans 6:23