Spiritual Highs

Peter had a glorious mountain-top experience and like many of us, wanted to "park there," so to speak. It's understandable; who wants to leave such to go down into the valley of a demon possessed world that lieth entirely in wickedness? But every saint needs to learn, God is just not the God of the mountains, but of the valleys also. For every mountain, there is a valley.

Many saints of our day are addicted to "spiritual highs" to keep them going. They are constantly attending revivals, camp meetings, deeper-life conferences, etc. They're always searching for some new book that will be a "quick fix" in their hour of spiritual depression. To them, Christianity is fun and games. They love, says Matthew, to play in the market place.

Descriptive words that come to my mind if asked to characterize the Christian life: routine, daily duties, same old same old. Those stalwart saints of the past were pluggers-along; they needed no frills, chills, and thrills to keep them going. They had an artisian well within them, better known as the Holy Spirit!

Unforgettable Spiritual experiences are prayed down, not worked up. Paul and Silas incarcerated at the dark hour of midnight, with feet in stocks, and their backs beaten bloody, prayed and praised God. It was then God began to shake things up, if you please. And that is when it will happen for us also!    

Unlikely Possibilities

Jesus said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” There is a little saying when something difficult or beyond our human reasoning is presented us; we respond by saying, “It’s not likely.” When this happens, we have lost the possibilities of the unlikely.

It was not likely that a lad with five loaves and two fishes could feed five thousand. It was not likely a shepherd boy could kill a giant with one stone from his sling. It was not likely that an unlearned and ignorant fisherman could write two books of the New Testament, without any literary flaws whatsoever. But they did. Why? Because God can take the unlikely and make it a reality. Our Lord goes into the waste places and does the unlikely. “In the wilderness shall waters break out.”

He can see a saint in an unlikely, disregarded publican. He can see a diamond in the soot. He can see radiant glory in a rough, unpolished gem. God help us to have spiritual discernment to see the possibilities of the unlikely. May He help us to see a person’s possibilities in the blackness of their present shame—to see the future best in the present’s worst. Amen!

Take Your Medicine

“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thy often infirmities.” Some pertinent truths are missed in this text simply because of two factions trying to prove their position on wine.

First, Good and godly people, as Timothy, have sicknesses.

Second, we see that some infirmities are on-going.

Third, God uses means to temporarily relieve our discomforts.

Fourth, whatever the medication, it is to be used in moderation.

Fifth, he does not tell young Timothy to pray, be anointed, or to claim healing by faith, (all of which are legitimate), if God so leads. In this case he is simply to take his medicine. Doesn’t sound very spiritual, does it? But it seemed to have worked.

Sixth, we see progression of certain truths. Early in Paul’s Epistles he looked for the Lord’s return in his day. But later on his position seemed to have changed from an immediate coming, to an imminent one. So it was with healing. In his latter ministry, rather than using his apostolic gift, he left one brother sick at Miletum, and another, in prison with him, had been sick unto death. And, of course there was Timothy.

Seventh, for any super-saints reading this, who are tempted to look down on those who visit a physician in their sickness, it might be well to remember, Paul’s constant companion was Doctor Luke, the beloved physician. Also, the Great Physician Himself told us that sick people need a physician.

An addendum- I question seriously if the reference to wine was grape juice, if so, I doubt he would have cautioned him to use it moderately, “a little...often."

Someone Has To Do It

"But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab." When a young man, I asked my dear mother, who was soaked in character, why she cleaned toilets and scrubbed floors for others. This wise woman, with that eternal twinkle in her hazel-green eyes said, "Someone has to do it, Son." Malchiah was such a one, his job like my Mom's, was a humbling one, but it was his lot in life. Who of us would not like to be standing at the "east gate" when He returns? But we who are hid away need not fear. He knows where we are, and we can be sure He'll look us up. He knows where all his precious jewels are hid! They sparkle even from seclusion.

These ten gates of Jerusalem are an interesting study in themselves, for example. When you left the "old gate" on the west side, and continued downward (south), you came to the "valley gate." Then at the very bottom, before starting upward, was the "dung gate." The spiritual lesson is obvious to the enlightened mind, after you put the old behind you, you pass by the valley. Then comes the "dung gate," where all the filth, trash and refuse is carried out and burned. It is then, on your journey, you start upward, and the next gate you come to, after leaving all the garbage behind, is the "fountain gate," where one is refreshed and cleansed. Everything is downward until we leave the, shall I say, "dumpster gate."

Man's Chief End (part two)

"Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever," so it is written in the Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1647. In a previous article we wrote on the glorifying of God in our lives; in todays writing I want to deal with the latter remark, enjoying God forever. There is no possibility of one experiencing this second blessing, of enjoying God, who has not fulfilled the previous act of glorifying God in their everyday life. It seems to me that many today have as their chief end, not the enjoyment of God, but rather their own lusts.

"Enjoying spiritual communion with God is a riddle and mystery to most people. Everyone who hangs about the court, does not speak with the king," so pens Thomas Watson. The enjoying of the pleasures of this world, without the enjoyment of God, is like drinking from a golden chalice with no wine ("that cheereth both the heart of man and God") within it. They have full coffers but empty lives. When the earlier and latter rains come from heaven, they are but dust (Deut. 28:24). 

How anyone can think or say he or she will enjoy God in heaven for eternity who do not enjoy Him in their daily lives now, is way above, as they say, my pay-grade in understanding. It is a great day indeed when we prodigals, who have spent our all on this world, return to our Father to enjoy Him, and Him alone. 

Man's Chief End (part one)

The Westminster Shorter Catechism was completed in 1647. The first question is, "What is man's chief end?" The answer: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever." It is these two most important aspects of life I will be commenting on in this article and the one that follows. I say boldly, it is better to have never lived than to have lived and not to have fulfilled and experienced these two Divine requirements and privileges. 

We are told in scripture to give God the glory due His name. I like the comment of one of our old Puritan brothers, "It's the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven." Many, I'm afraid, go through life rent-free! Is it not a shame that everything God created naturally gives Him the glory, except mankind? The heavens, the beasts of the field, all creation glorifies their Maker, but the worm known as Man. This one creature wants all the glory for himself. 

God has given us, His saints, many things, but says, "My glory will I not give to another." Like king Pharaoh, after giving Joseph his ring and golden chain, and putting all things in his kingdom under him said, "Only in the throne will I be greater than thou." God has entrusted to us, His people, His Glory. We can go through life either gratifying our flesh or glorifying our God. Peter is a good example. He started out doing the former but finally and joyfully submitted to the latter, "To him be glory both now and for ever," were his last words.

Let each of us, from this day forward, be God-admirers! Let's make God look good. May we be so taken up with God, so awe struck by Him, the world will take notice. And let our testimony be that of Paul, "They glorified God in me." This should be a life-long commitment, even to death. This was true of both Peter and our Lord. Jesus told Peter before his death how he would glorify God in it. So the old faltering disciple glorified his God right up to the grave. And just before His death, Christ prayed to His Father, "I have glorified thee on earth."

God Makes the Difference

C.H. Spurgeon said, "The possession of a God, or the non-possession of a God, makes the greatest possible difference between man and man. Esau is a princely being, but he is “a profane person.” Jacob is a weak, fallible, frail creature, but he has a God. Have you not heard of “the mighty God of Jacob?" 

I have an old sermon entitled, "When God Gets in It." Whenever and wherever He enters the scene, things begin to change. Water turns to wine, a common scrub bush is set on fire, a timid farm boy is transformed into a mighty man of valour. God always makes the difference!

If you have the Lord God Jehovah as your God, then as one old sage said, our whole history is covered; past, present, and future. God, from eternity past, anticipated every possible situation and circumstance we would find ourselves in while we sojourn on earth. And He prepared for every emergency.

We need never fear the storms of life, no matter how great the tempest, even when it seems we're sinking, if Jesus is in the ship with us! 

U-Turns

One of the common denominators in the ministries of Jesus, the Twelve, Peter and Paul was that each emphasized the necessity of repentance. They taught repentance leads to restoration of God’s favor, and impenitence to ruin. Thinking that we need not do a complete u-turn from vices in our lives, to practicing Godly virtues, is a destructive delusion.

Repentance is acknowledging and admitting we are rebels at heart, who must lay down our arms. True repentance is the right view of sin, self, and the Saviour. Real repentance is more than eating crow, it’s agreeing with Gods estimate of your sin. It is taking God’s side against the person you hold dearest: You!

It is shameful how many of us are so shameless today. In Ezra’s prayer he said, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee…” I’m afraid we are more like the people of Jeremiah’s day, of whom it is said, “…they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush.” We need repenting that doesn’t need repenting of. There is far too much heartless repenting in each of us.

The old preachers used to preach there are three steps to Biblical repentance: First you get mad; then you get sad; but then you get glad.

God's Pathway To Citizenship

Our Lord often presented truths that had twofold meanings, both an earthly and heavenly. The following is my feeble attempt to emulate our Master . 

Although God's love is unconditional, His requirement for entering His Heavenly domain has stipulations. There are stringent rules prior to becoming a citizen of God's country.
Jesus said, "...that [whoever] entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." That is, those climbing over the wall and not entering the legitimate way, are law-breakers.

In the book of Ephesians chapter two, Paul gives a vivid picture of we Gentiles, who he refers to as, "aliens and strangers," having absolutely no hope of ever becoming citizens of Heaven, and there was a great enmity between those who were citizens and those who were not. But God made a gracious pathway to citizenship for us foreigners, if we would submit to His one and only way. 

And for all those who do adhere to God's rule, the Apostle tells us the glorious result: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." We become one people, one nation under God. And what divided us, is removed. Thus, doing things the lawful way, brings peace and tranquility for all concerned!  

Having the Spirit of Anti-Christ

"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ [as] coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

The term “antichrist” is used exclusively by John, and is found in his first and second epistles. He uses the term both in the singular (a person), and in the plural (persons). There are to be many prototypes; they existed even in John’s day. But all of these will be concentrated into one original in the latter times. Just as there are "many false Christs," imitating the one true Christ, so there are many "antichrists" emulating the one to come.  

The prefix “anti” has a dual meaning. It can mean “against” or “instead of”. Taken together, it’s a counterfeit in opposition to the real thing, “The Lord’s Christ.” The spirit of antichrist then carries Christ’s label (Christian), while denying Christ’s ingredients (Deity). The spirit of antichrist is behind every false doctrine and every religion substituting itself for the reality of Christ.

The question to ask before, “Is the antichrist a real person?” is, “Do I have the spirit of antichrist?” That is, are you hostile toward Him, do you deny His claims of Lordship? If so, you may carry the name Christian, but in reality you’re antichrist. Anyone denying the true nature and character of Christ is antichrist! 

And please believe me, God is intolerant when it comes to slighting His Son. You’re either for or against Him, there is no middle ground. As someone has said, "If He is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all."

A Family Rule

"Two are better than one....For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” 

As an excerpt from a famous poem goes, “No man is an Island.” Elijah thought he was, not realizing God had reserved seven-thousand to Himself, like Elijah. As a result "the loner" experienced a time of deep depression. Those who think they can go it alone, are in for a rude awakening. We all need a helping hand from time to time, as well as being one ourselves. 

Jesus sent His disciples out, "two by two." You'll remember Peter and John, though completely different temperaments, were constant companions; "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple." 

And what of Paul? He seemed to always have a "sidekick" with him": Paul and Timothy, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Titus, Paul and Sosthenes." Maybe there should be an "and" after our names too. 

From the very beginning, God tells us, "It is not good that the man should be alone." It's a rule of the family, our Father would have us to take our brother or sister with us before we go out into the dark night of this world.

New Age, New Methods, Old Truth

"Then said H​e unto them​...​the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."

The "New-Agers" greatest mistake is thinking because a new age brings new methods, it necessitates a new message. But the Bible teaches that although the age may change, and along with it the methods, the message stays forever the same. You'll notice when believers entered the New Testament era, with undoubtedly many changes taking place in all areas of life, the old, old gospel stayed the same. 

We have been sold the lie, by the progressives that if something is classified as "old," it is to be considered out-dated, antique, and has outlived its usefulness. But those of us who have experienced the life-giving, life-changing, power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, know better. It is as fresh and new to us who are believers as the day we first heard it, though that day may have been many, many years ago! Our theme song being-

"​I love to tell the story, 

for those who know it best 

seem hungering and thirsting 

to hear it like the rest. 

And when, in scenes of glory, 

I sing the new, new song, 

'twill be the old, old story 

that I have loved so long."

This blessed old gospel can be traced all the way back to Adam's substitutionary lamb in the garden; and also Abraham's day, when the gospel story was first preached to him on the mount, hundreds of years ago. Hence, each generation of God's elect will continue to sing, "It was good for our fathers, and it's good enough for me." I like that "Old-Time Religion!" Don't you? 

"That which is new in theology is not true; the gospel was​ of full stature at its very birth; no man can add to it or take away from it." (C.H. Spurgeon)

The One Cure-All

Anyone who has watched old-time westerns is familiar with the medicine man who came to town selling his (as he referred to it) "cure-all liniment." It was a guaranteed remedy, said he, for everything from baldness, to sciatica, to bunions, and all in between. And many a duped soul bought this cure-less solution only to be sadly let down and disappointed in the end.

There is a host today, many well-meaning I'm sure, who have a "quick fix" for all the world's many ills. Whether in the political, social, or religious realm, they claim they have the one antidote for whatever the ailment. This type of salesmanship can be very profitable for the seller, but unprofitable for the buyer. Putting band-aids on skin cancer only hides the problem temporarily; it doesn't treat the problem.

Throughout the New Testament, both writers and preachers, along with the common everyday saint, believed there was only one permanent scriptural curative for all earth's complexities, THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST back to this earth. Anything else they might have taught and preached was only a transitory restraint until THAT GREAT DAY OF THE LORD.

The Bible ends with an old disciple praying, "EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS." Is this our one main concern?