When It Rains It Pours

I like to use quips both in conversation and my writings, especially when they have a scriptural principle. Concerning the title of our article, don’t you think this axiom could have originated with Noah? Sayings such as, “It rained buckets full,” and the idea of a, “rain barrel” may well be traced back to his day.

As severe as this trial was upon the old man, there was a silver lining, a multi-colored one, if you please. And like Israel’s cloud, although this test had its dark side, it had its bright side also.  God promised it was a one-time thing. Once it passed, it would not happen again. As we’re so often told in the Bible, “And it came to pass.”

In spite of the prolonged darkness and being tossed to and fro for what Noah must have felt an eternity, he saw the sun shine again through the upper window. After being shut-in for so long a time, he was once again able to place his feet on solid ground. The storm had passed and everything was now new. There was freshness in the air; it was a new beginning.

“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

The Christian's History

“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

When a Christian sins and confesses it, in God’s sight, it is like he never sinned at all. The Blood of Christ both forgives and cleanses away all sin. To continue to ask God’s forgiveness for the same sins over and over again, I am sure grieves Him. Like Joseph, when his already forgiven brothers asked him to forgive them a second time, “Joseph wept.”

But, praise His name, it goes even deeper than that. Once you acknowledge and repent of your sin, it is just as though you were newly formed. Like Adam, when created a new, he had no previous history. And a renewed Christian has no past history of sins. So when you pray repeatedly, asking for forgiveness for the same sins, like the gospel songs says, God asks, “What sins are you talking about?

Arise, my soul, arise
Shake off your guilty fears
The bleeding sacrifice
On my behalf appears
Before the throne my surety stands
Before the throne my surety stands
My name is written on His hands

Why Anemic Christians?

“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine of office.”

Jesus’ ministry was distinctively Jewish, as were the apostles; the exception being Peter’s initial opening the door to the Gentiles. All church truths are to be found in the Pauline epistles. As I often say, “All the Bible is for us, but not all the Bible is to or about us.” In the Gentile’s classroom, our professor and teacher is Paul, “Whereunto I am appointed ...a teacher of the Gentiles.”

Lift Paul’s fourteen letters (I include Hebrews) from their setting, and you’re left with utter confusion. He is the one person ordained by our Lord to reveal to the Gentiles all the truths Jesus Himself was not able to communicate to His followers while here on earth. The Gospels tells of the earthly historic Christ, but Paul’s epistles reveal the eternal heavenly Christ.

Without Paul’s writings we would know nothing of great doctrines like justification, sanctification, adoption, regeneration, etc. We’d be totally ignorant of such things as the Holy Spirit’s ministry, and our in-depth relationship to the risen Christ. Such as being “in Him” and “raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus.” It is Paul alone who explains all these intricacies, along with a host of other blessings that belong to Gentile believers in the Body of Christ.

O, my friends, I am aware I have written on this theme on several occasions, but know this; I will continue to do so till taken Home. After seeing the Lord, I want to meet this “little Jew” who saved me from so great heartache and anguish on my pilgrim journey. Francis A. Schaeffer has a book entitled, “How Then Shall We Live?" If you want to know the answer to this, begin now to read Paul’s letters. And then, continue to do so!

Where the Ice Cream Fits In

Years ago, I remember a popular song entitled, “Three Little Words.” Today, I would like to discuss three words from scripture and their practical meaning. The first of these is justice, which means, “getting what you deserve.” The second is mercy. This is “getting less than one deserves.” And lastly, grace, which is getting more than a person deserves.

Let me illustrate how this trio fits together. A father made plain to his son that if he disobeyed again the boy would receive ten swats. And, of course, the inevitable happened. In the child’s bedroom, the father proceeded with the punishment, but stopped at nine swats. After they had prayed together and hugged, the father took his son to a nearby ice cream parlor. While sitting at the table enjoying their ice cream, the father looked at his boy and said, “Son, the ten swats I promised was justice, but withholding one was mercy, and the ice cream you are enjoying so much—is GRACE!

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

The Stars and the Flowers

“He made the stars...Consider the lilies of the field”

We Christians are in great danger of forgetting that He who supernaturally made the stars of heaven also supernaturally made the flowers of the earth. The One who bade us to look at the stars, told us to look at the flowers also.

There are those who like to constantly remind us of this sin-cursed earth, and the “whole world lieth in wickedness.” Thus, they teach, we are to have nothing to do with it, nor enjoy it. But I would remind those who only look at the stars, as though that is more spiritual, to read the scripture that declares, “Behold...the heavens are not clean in His sight.”

The Bible consistently connects heaven and earth. The One who call the stars by name, calls His sheep by name. Throughout the Word, God teaches His children they are to enjoy both the heavenly and earthly. When God made promise to Abraham concerning his seed to come, He not only said, “Look now toward heaven...” but also said, “Lift up now thine eyes and look...” (referring to the dust of the earth).

Yes the earth is cursed, and the heavens are not clean. But for now, it’s like having a lovely child hideously scarred in a car accident; the scars do not take away all the child’s lovely characteristics. Someday there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. God will perform an eternal plastic surgery and reconstruction on all those things that have been cursed by the fall. But never forget, until then we can enjoy both.

David enjoyed the stars. And a greater than David said we could take delight in the lilies of the field as well.

Sarah or Salle...It Still Means "Princess"

Why God gave me a “princess” for a wife, I’ll never understand, but I will be forever thankful. What heavenly royalty she displays in all situations. She is the epitome of womanhood and femininity. She is full of grace, both within and without. She writes articles on great women of the Bible, never realizing she is one of the great, godly women of history. Knowing her as I do, she would blush at my writing this. Nevertheless, all who know her are aware of this truth, even if she is not. Like Moses of old when it says, “He wist not…” so it is with her.

As a little princess, at the age of nine, she began a relationship with her Lord that has now lasted well over half a century. It is this intimacy with her God that gives her the qualities we all adore and admire in her. I know a Sovereign Creator made her all she is, and I praise Him for it; but, although I do not understand it, her will entered into this equation somehow, and for that, I thank her. Paul said, “…if I do this thing willingly…” And she has.

No one in the Christian realm has taught me more about what being a Christian means than she. When we married, in our youth, I was a wounded, insecure young man, full of hurts and bitterness from my childhood. She patiently kept pouring in the oil of kindness, until I was able to get on my feet. If I am anything today, humanly speaking, she is to get all the credit. Apart from God, hers is the only love I have ever been 100 per cent sure of.

I know, through the years, that my acceptance by others, in many cases, has been because of her. As a common thorn, God privileged me to be attached to the stem of this beautiful rose. I trust the Lord will take me first. Heaven can wait for her a little bit longer. This world needs her smile and heavenly fragrance. It needs to see the beauty of Christianity personified.

Only God will be able to tell her how much I loved her. Though our relationship as husband and wife will end in Heaven, I am so glad I will eternally be able to be with her.

On this Mother’s Day I do not have an extravagant gift to present you Salle, but I do give you all the gratitude that is possible for one man to have in his being. Thank you so much!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY DARLING!

A Song Says It

This world, as we know it, is anything but original, they’re plagiarists. Most if not all their movie plots, quips, story books, songs, etc., that have any substance, can be traced directly to the Bible. For example, the song, “People Who Need People.” Scriptures teach this truth throughout. Even the man Christ Jesus, in His humanity, needed others.

In spite romanticizing loners and depicting them as different from all the rest of the flock, they’re a very lonely people. And I might add, always in danger. Used rightly, the saying, “There is safety in numbers,” is true. “Woe to him [that is] alone when he falleth; for [he hath] not another to help him up.

In the Old Testament, the people of Laish illustrate this fact. They lived independent of all others, and within themselves. They were isolationists! When trouble came, they had no one to come to their assistance. Read the following excerpts from Judges, chapter eighteen.

“[They] came to Laish, and saw the people that [were] therein, how they...had no business with [any] man...And [there was] no deliverer, because ...they had no business with [any] man.”

Sooner or later, everybody needs somebody. It’s good to have neighbors help put out the flames when your house is on fire. You’ll not be able to do it alone.