“The Hard Man”

“Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man”

(Matt. 25:24)

If you’ll read the context of our text it is apparent, like so many professing Christians today, that this man knew nothing of his Lord, although he thought he did. Hardhearted saints believe their Saviour to be so. This false notion of Christ comes, we are told, from “...wicked servants.”

The pseudo, spiritually soft syrupy saints of our age, would never admit to calling  Christ hard. But they give themselves away in referring to His followers who emulate Him, as such. Sin-hating, sin-condemning saints are not considered compassionate or loving. They’re thought of as, “Hard.”

What would they say of me if I were to tell a new convert awful things await them if they return to their previous ways? Would they not say, “You’re discouraging them, even before they get started.” Would they say the same thing of Christ? I trow (think) not!

Consider the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda, in John chapter five. Immediately after getting the man on his feet we’re told in verse fourteen, “Afterward Jesus findeth him...and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”

“A one-sided Christ produces a two-faced saint.”

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Don't Forget the "So Great..."

The writer of Hebrews, refers to that greatest of all events in a Christian’s life as, “So great salvation.” All else in the Christian life is like tinsel on a tree. Everything hangs on that one thing. Once you have forgotten, “the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged,” and those blessed punctured hands which dug us out of the filth and mire of the dunghill, we are left void of any real spiritual substance.

When the devil has been permitted to strip God’s child of everything, there is one thing that stays eternally intact: his salvation. I love the way hurting Habakkuk puts it, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones wisely advises, when all around us, things get hazy and we’re uncertain, to come back to our one sure foundation. “Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation.” When the waters threaten to overflow us it is wonderful to feel that ROCK under you.

“I sink in deep waters,” cried a dying man. “All His waves and His billows go over me.” Then said the other, “Be of good cheer, my brother. I feel the bottom, and it is good.”

In front of my mobile home I have placed a large onyx stone with letters written in white, “Christ Is My Rock!”

The Speaking Word

“As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

(Lk. 1:55)

A.W. Tozer has a book entitled, “God Still Speaks.” And He does, even in our day. Maybe not audibly, but most certainly factually. I am not speaking in the sense of the fanatical or mystical way, but the scriptural. God speaks to those who have their ears turned and tuned His way. “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear”  (Mk. 7:16).

The song writer had it right, “And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am his own.” Many believe the first part, that He walks with us, but shy away from the latter part, that He talks with us. Think! How can you be sure of Him walking with you if He does not assure you by talking to you?

In John’s gospel chapter ten, Jesus tells us His sheep know His voice. And in chapter twenty, of the same book, it’s illustrated. Mary weeping at His tomb thought the man speaking with her was the gardener, that is, until He spake. He said only one word, “Mary,” and she recognized her Lord’s voice.

Holy Ann, an old Irish scrub woman, could miraculously read the Bible, but nothing else. Her employer teasingly showed her a newspaper in which the word "Lord," referring to a politician, was found. When shown, she recognized the word, but said, "This 'tis not speakin' of me Lord, for me heart does not burn within me when me reads it."

Growth or Change

To me, growth carries the thought of developing, while basically remaining the same in substance. But change seems to imply putting something in place of another, a replacing with something different. I’m afraid many older Christians, as well as ministers, are mistakenly accused of changing, when actually it is simply maturing. But you’ll never convince the dogged dogmatists of this.

As one advances as a child of God, he or she sees that in reality there are only a few things worth fighting for in the Christian faith. Or at least that’s the way some of we antiquated saints feel. Like my old friend, the late Dr. Tom Malone Sr. used to say, “A bulldog can whip a skunk, but it isn’t worth the fight!” Some people create more stink than anything else.

I have watched through the years those who slander good men who have mellowed in the Lord. They brand them as going soft and compromising. But invariably, you will find these revilers become harder and harder, while those they attack grow sweeter and sweeter. I think it wise to remind ourselves form time to time of Augustine’s words, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

Principle or preference: The latter is not worth defending!

(rds)

The Greatest of all Fears

I have found in my dealings with God’s people throughout these long years, untold numbers live in constant fear that He will hurt them when they sin. But this only exposes the fact they do not have an intimate relationship with Christ, nor have they meditatively entered into His sufferings.

Our greatest fear should not be that God would hurt us for our sins, but rather that we will hurt Him by our sins. Our first consideration should never be what sin will do to us or others, but what it has done, and does, to the Lover of our Souls. Sin is most hurtful, first and foremost to Jesus Christ. I need only to take you to the Place of the Skull to prove my point.

Darling David, after his sin with Bathsheba, and being responsible for her husband’s death, along with many other innocent men, prayed to God, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." And Joseph’s words when tempted to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” To these godly men, a sin against God was immeasurably more serious than a crime against man.

“Our greatest security against sin is to be shocked by it.”

(Dr. E.M. Blaiklock)

A Three Word Vocabulary

“His name...Jesus”

(Matt.1:21 )

If, for some reason, my vocabulary should need be limited to three brief words, and I could select them, I without question, or hesitation, would choose, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” I pray that God will grant the last words to fall from my lips, before taking my last breath on this earth, will be that blessed two syllable word, JESUS!”

I wish I had the words to express my deep love, adoration, and praise I have for this Man, “The Man Christ Jesus,” as Paul refers to Him. He is the talk of Heaven; He is on everyone's lips there. All thoughts, fellowship, worship, and singing is centered on Him. The Lamb of God, no longer on the Altar of Suffering, but the Lamb on the Throne of Glory!

“JESUS IS THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL MY DELIGHTS!”

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Time Will Tell

“What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”

(Jn. 13:7)

Time always vindicated Jesus’ sayings and actions. The little idiom, “Time will tell” was certainly true in His life and ministry. This unusual and unique trait is found in few of us, His followers. Wait and see is not one of our better characteristics, is it? Some of us spend a lifetime explaining the reason behind our actions. The reason is twofold: either we are not sure of ourselves, or we fear our peers will misunderstand us.

Jesus never took pains justifying His conduct. For example: His delay in answering Lazarus’ sisters urgent request to come to the aid of their brother, who was deathly ill. It could have been construed He was indifferent to His friends’ dire situation. It would have been difficult, I think, in restraining ourselves from explaining our actions. But He was willing to allow the passage of time to vindicate Him and His Father's will.

Many years ago someone very close to me, but very critical of the way I did some things, called me and said “I’m sorry, you were right.” That was thirty years in coming, but it was worth the wait!

“ And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”

(Matt. 27:12-14)

The Completed book

“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ...written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

(2 Cor. 3:3)

Writers and speakers sometimes say in emphasizing Jesus’ influence on the world, “He never traveled more than two hundred miles from His hometown, nor did He ever write a book.” The later of these two statements is not exactly correct. Unnumbered volumes of His writings have been around for over two thousand years, and have been read by multitudes.

John speaks of writing with  ink, pen, and paper (3 Jn. 1:13;2 Jn. 1:12). But Jesus’ writings are found on the hearts of His elect. These writings have been “...read and known of all men.” You have heard the saying, “Your life is an open book.” This is especially true in lives of the saints of God. We are the only book most will ever read about Christ in their life. I wonder: is our life small print or large print?

He is still writing on many of our hearts, and He will not cease till the manuscript is finished (Phil. 1:6). He does not have any unfinished manuscript lying around: “Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). You need not worry; He does not disregard a book and start over. He makes many corrections but never forsakes it. He stays at it till He writes, “The End.” And that, my friend, will be our beginning!

The Three "R's"

When Sir William Curtis introduced the “Three R's’” it was from then on assumed that reading, writing, and arithmetic would be the basis of education. I’m sure he’d gasp in unbelief in the fact that a good number in and coming out of our educational system lack sadly in all three of these areas. Many have no reading skills at all, legible writing is no more than childish scribbling, and not only can they not do simple math, but can’t even figure out how to come in out of the rain, as my blessed mother would say.

But I am much more concerned about three other “R’s.” They fall under the headings of: RETURN, REVIVAL, or RUIN. If our Lord does not return soon, it is imperative we have revival, if one of these does not happen soon, then we’re doomed to ruin. Or as A.W. Tozer so apply put it, “ROT.” The early church was looking daily for their Lord’s return, and thus expectancy brought about a personal revival in each heart. I think if the truth were known most Christians no longer pray the last prayer of the Bible, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

In my daily prayers, I almost always say, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus.” When I do, my pulse immediately begins to accelerate. It seems those words are the match that lights the fire in this old disciple’s heart.

Well Meaning Intentions

The old preachers of my time used to say, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." This is true, but just as true is the fact that heaven is populated with such people, and not just a few. It all comes down to motive as it relates to God's acceptance of such intentions. The issue is whether one's intent is to glorify the God of Glory. Good intentions are good if for God's glory!

We see this principle played out in David's life in the building of the Temple. "And the LORD said unto David. ... Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house." God’s choosing David to be a man of war prevented him from his life-long desire. We, like David, would’ve if we could’ve.

Many of us had wonderful plans for our lives, how we could glorify our precious Lord, but He had another design for us. Yet, at the judgment seat of Christ, to the surprise of many, these folks will be rewarded as if they had actually carried out their dreams and good intentions for their God, although, like Solomon in David's case, someone else might fulfill them in our place.

"Our Sovereign King will both recognize and accept what we would have done if we could have done it for His great name."

(rds)  

The Christian's History

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.

Problems and Principles

There is no question that problem texts are to be found in the Word of God. Some are put there to get us to think, pray, study and search. Others are among God’s secret things, and to be taken by faith and left alone (Deut. 29:29). I have found the best way to handle perplexing texts that the Spirit has not opened up to me, as of yet, is to go by the principle that lies within the text.

Let me cite just two such scriptures. The first is found in John chapter thirteen, and concerns foot washing. Some believe it is a church ordinance to be practiced today, while others hold baptism and the Lord’s supper are the only two to be observed and practiced. I hold to the latter. But both sides, if taking the principle it teaches, will agree we’re to lovingly and humbly minister to our brethren, no matter the area of life it involves. The Bible teacher H.A. Ironside came out of a group that practiced foot washing. He said he found some would have liked to wash their brother’s feet in scalding water.

The second text that has created a great problem in many lives is the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 12:31). But no matter what position one takes, again by taking the principle it teaches, each will agree it certainly shows the Holy Spirit seems to be the most sensitive person in the Godhead. Just an additive, if you want the answer, allow the Holy Spirit to compare scripture with scripture (see Mk. 3:29-30).

You will find there are those in the Bible who say, “What meaneth this?”  Paul on various occasions asks, “What saith the scripture?”  I believe we would be wise to concern ourselves first with what the text says, than what it means. Generally, it means what it says!

Beyond Description

“Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that (like Peter, took eyes off the Lord)…[He] came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die.”

(1 Kgs. 19:2-4)

Powerless, lifeless, emptiness—do you feel any of these adjectives portrays your church, family, or ministry? And even worse, are they descriptive of your personal life, spiritually? If so, I know one thing for sure, the thrill of the spiritual is gone out of your life. What I mean by this is that you have lost the excitement of the eternal. And if this be the case, there really are no meaningful words in any dictionary to describe your wretched condition. As the little saying goes, “It’s beyond description.”

We can come up with all types of quack remedies for our ailment, but in the end we’ll find no healing virtue in any of them. What got us in the rut is what will get us out of it. In other words, the cure is to be found in the cause. And so, what is at the root of it? It’s actually very simple; somewhere along the way we lost the Wonder of it all. We allowed things to bring about a spiritual eclipse of HIM. Our attention moved from the Giver to the gifts. “He who hath builded the house [no longer] hath more honour than the house.”

May each of us crawl to Christ, begging His forgiveness, for allowing our virtues to become our vices, thereby distorting our vision of Him.

Possibly-You Only

“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”

(Lk. 22:32)

I personally doubt anyone else in this world was praying for Peter at this particular time, other than “The Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). It came to me after meditating upon this text that I should pray for others as if no one else were. What an awesome responsibility this brings to our prayer life. Everything concerning another’s well being is dependent on us.

Think of it, without another’s prayer for this fainting and faltering saint, he would have been completely abandoned to a merciless devil. Such people with no intercessor can truly say with darling David, “No man cared for my soul.” I recently did an article entitled, “The Golden Rule of Prayer.” Would you want others to pray for you as you do for them?

“Have the clouds round you gathered in the midst of the storm?

Is your ship tossed and battered are you weary and worn

Don’t lose hope: someone’s praying for you this very day

And peace be still is already on the way.

Someone is praying for you, someone is praying for you.

So when it seems you're all alone, and your heart will break in two.

Remember someone is praying for you.”

ARE YOU?

Keep Your Helmet On

"And take the helmet of salvation." 

In the garden of Eden, speaking prophetically, God said Satan would bruise Christ's heal (temporary wound), and that Christ would bruise Satan's head (permanent wound). Because of this latter truth it is imperative as Christian soldiers we put on the helmet the Lord has provided us. A first century Roman soldier when suddenly attacked, after reaching for his sword and shield would lay hold on his helmet.

Satan's main battle is for our minds. That is our intellect, understanding, thinking, our brain if you please. Paul feared Satan would corrupt the minds of the Christians of his day, as he did Eve in the garden. The old communist manifesto said something akin to, "Wars are not won by weapons, but by ideals. Therefore get a man to think your way and you have defeated him."

The helmet the Lord has furnished us with speaks of a mind controlled by God. What a tragedy that so many Christians today have the idea the intellect is not important, when in reality it has so much to do with our growth, service, and victory. Remember, everything that is in your heart came by way of the door of your mind.

In the classic story of David and Goliath found in 1 Sam. 17, we find a great practical truth. When the giant approached the shepherd boy he had a helmet of brass upon his head (v.5). But he had evidently sat down along the way. It says in verse 48, "When the Philistine arose."  Seeing such a small figure he must have become overconfident and left his helmet lying where he had been sitting, thinking it was not needed. But that was the ruin of him.

And so will it be with each of God's elect that do not take seriously the Divine protection of their minds.

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.

The Key to Our National Problems

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Contrary to many preachers, as well as laymen, the solution to our national problems is not Political, but Spiritual! The former never fixed anything permanently; it’s the same-old, same-old; promises, promises, all we get is promises. I speak from experience; I have lived through thirteen presidencies.

If you read the story of Balaam and his donkey, it is apparent that God locked him in so that he had only one way out of his predicament. This is true also with the Lord’s people today; He puts us in a position where there is no escape except the one of His choosing. We often say in dire times of testing, “All we can do now is pray.” The truth is, that’s all we could ever do. Maybe if we prayed before the crisis like we do after the crisis, we would not have as many crises.

The little plaque says, “Prayer changes things.” But the way many Christians handle national emergencies, they wasted their time putting it up on their wall. Their philosophy seems to be, when all else fails, try prayer. They go from a standing position to a kneeling one; Daniel went from a kneeling one, to that of standing. And believe me; this praying prophet knew what a national crisis was like.

Whether it is the nation Israel or any other nation in history, God blesses them for the sake of His people. Whenever He causes it to rain on the just and their crops, the unjust get in on it. You see, the latter are simply beneficiaries. Therefore, the Spiritual state of the Church is the key of His blessings upon our nation. I would remind each reader of this article of the old, old, gospel song, “It’s not my brother, nor my sister, but me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”

Everyday should be a National Day of Prayer.

(rds)

A Beatitude

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

(Matt. 5:5)

Someone has said, “The Beatitudes are the attitude-to-be-at as a Christian.” The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations; it is the life we live once we yield to the indwelling Christ. At our conversion Jesus imparts to us His disposition. The workday world of this generation needs desperately to see His Beatitudes manifested once again in the life of His people.

One such Beatitude is meekness. If you take a concordance and search this word in your Bible, you’ll find God puts a high priority on this godly characteristic. Every man and woman who names the name of Christ should show forth this inward trait, outwardly. I say inward because of two main scriptures. [Jesus said’]“ I  am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matt. 11:29); and to the godly woman it says, “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. 3:4).

Most today mistake meekness in the life of the godly. It is not weakness, timidity, fearfulness, or cowardness. It is inward moral strength held in check. Like a broken horse, it is energy or power under control. I like to say, “Meekness is strength with a bridle.” Moses was a man’s man, yet we are told, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” (Num. 12:3) Christians today would not consider him so.

Paul said, “Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in  love, and in the spirit of meekness?” One can possess both!

“Meekness is a quiet strength.”

(rds)