Twelve Gates/One Way

We are told the celestial city to which God's children are traveling is foursquare, having three gates on each side. No matter which of the twelve gates one enters, all end up in the presence of the King and before His Throne. While it is not true all roads lead to that heavenly city and most by-pass it, still, these twelve entrances are legitimate. 

Notice two of these gates some would have closed if they had their way. 

1. That way by which little children come to Christ. They argue that you must be certain of the place, day, and hour, and little ones don't remember this, they say. Dr. Bob Jones said, "You don't have to know the day and hour, just make sure there was one." Paul could tell you the exact time and place of this great event in his life, but not so with godly Timothy. We're told he was taught the way of salvation from childhood by his granny and mother. People such as this have a difficult time with exactness as to their salvation; nevertheless, their lives prove there was a time and a place. Many who can give you the particulars of their conversion have not lived for God a day since. My dear friend, Evangelist John Rice, who was saved as a child, said, "I was there when I was born, but I don't remember anything about it. But I know it happened, for I have life." I say, children are as soundly converted as any reprobate who was ever saved!

2. The quiet conversion. I know of some, even preachers, who would board-up this gate. They believe you must have credentials of  an earthshaking experience, like that of the Philippian jailer, to prove you are one of God's elect. But Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, had no such dramatic testimony. It will do us well to remember we are not to seek others' experiences recorded in the Bible, but the Bibles teachings! The "still small voice" wins out over the sensational earthquake every time. I have found, and sadly experienced in my own life, those saved under spectacular preaching are in danger of thinking their daily Christian life will be that way. Whereas common conversions do not seem to have the problems that arrive with the mundane things of life. They make for good pluggers-along, as I like to refer to them.

Whatever gate we entered by let us not forget the other gates are just as bona fide. And never, never, forget, "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God."

Wherin Lies Addiction?

“…they have addicted themselves.” Some of the descriptive words the dictionary associates with addiction are these: abuse, habit, attachment, abandoned, wedded, devoted, obsessed, fixation. Addiction can be either in a bad or good sense. In the text sighted, it is the latter. This present generation has come to think of the word as relating primarily to drugs and drink. But it can cover a wide variety of things. It can include everything from food to sports, and all in between. But in this article, I want to speak about the negative aspect of addiction.

The popular teaching of today is that addiction has to do with the genes. As everything else in this sin-sick age, the fault is always traced back to someone or something else; it couldn’t be a personal responsibility! But if you’ll notice in our scripture quotation above, addiction has to do with the individual themselves. On either side of the word “addicted” are the personal pronouns, “they” and “themselves.” Addiction then lies at the door of the addict himself or herself. One need not go to your family home, or to friends, in order to find who’s at fault.

The Bible teaching is that “Self” is at the root of all evil addiction. And until this entity is dealt with, one will always be “hooked.” Jesus said we are to “deny self.” That is, any rights or claims upon our lives. As long as you are the center of your existence and everything revolves around you, there can be no deliverance. When the focus is upon Jesus, He "immediately "lifts up the sinking soul. Ask Simon Peter.

Old-fashioned “Repentance” will do more for a person in a day, than all the rehabs can in a year!

The Tribulation Period

The following is a correspondence where I answered a brother's question on the Tribulation Period. 

My Dear Beloved Brother,

Good to hear from you.I trust His grace is being shed upon you abundantly, and that you have the faith to appropriate it. I think of you often and pray for you and the family regularly. As to the family, I trust the "Birthday Girl" had a good one.

As to your question concerning the Tribulation, I am not the prophetic student I once was. I mean by this, I no longer study the event as much as look for it. In fact on my daily walk this morning I looked up to His heavens and prayed, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus!"

I am sending along with this note three articles I have done on the subject over a period of time. They pretty much explain my position. 

As to Noah and Lot's day I've come to see Our Lord was not speaking mainly of every particular of their day, but of His unexpected coming by many. 

As to "The Last Days," I believe they started in the day of Christ (Heb.1:2). The Dispensationalists make two Last Days like they make two Comings. I believe in one of each.As well as one people, that is one elect, not two. 

The "signs" Jesus and Paul spoke of, many, not all, have always been in Church history. Granted, not as concentrated and universal as they are in our age.

There is a possibility we could be in the beginning of the Tribulation period now, if not, maybe standing before the door. But I am cautious, for in my lengthy lifetime, even before my conversion, such things were discussed and speculated upon. 

To be truthful I really do not know! But as I say in the following articles, I trust I am ready. That is, as ready as I personally know how to be.

Hope this helps answer your inquiry my friend.

An Old Disciple,

rds        

The Blessedness of the Blessed Hope

It is always dangerous to major on minor truths, especially when it concerns the Bible. That is not to say attention should not be given to the latter, but to realize they are sub-heads to the main point. This is particularly true concerning the second coming of Christ. It is not focusing on signs, Anti-Christs, a tribulation period, or Rapture. It is welding our attention on the person of Jesus Christ. The main purpose of the coming of Christ has to do with our union with Him, "So shall we ever be with the Lord." Losing sight of this is to lose the blessing of the Blessed Hope. 

May God keep us from dogmatism when it comes to this future, great historical event; lest we end up in the doghouse at His return. Many have made a novelty of His coming, and the world laughs at both them and Him as a result. Others sacrifice solid scriptural substance for speculation, removing an emphatic period, and replacing it with a question mark. When it comes to the Second Advent, it is fact, not fancy, we are to build this doctrine on. Much of the obscurity surrounding His coming will be made plain with hindsight. Jesus told His disciples, "I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe..." Oswald Sanders writes, "The implication is, we will understand the full significance of prophecy only after it has been fulfilled."

The early Christians greeted one another on the street and in the market place with,"Maranatha," (The Lord Cometh). No more, no less, simply. "THE LORD COMETH! That's good enough for me. How about you?

Suppose It Is All True

Years ago, when I was a pastor, one of our young ladies, a beautiful eighteen year old, newly married, was in a head-on auto collision. It left her paralyzed from the waist down. Loved ones and friends were all praying for her healing, and naturally so. But I felt impressed to prepare her for life in a wheel-chair; “plan for the worse, hope for the best,” so to speak. As I told her, if God allows you walk again, well, we can easily fit that into your daily schedule. But confinement in a chair for the rest of one’s life will not be as simple!

Among Evangelical and Fundamental Christians, there is a popular teaching that the carnal Church of our day will not have to go through any coming sufferings. But what if we find out that “we are no better than our fathers,” that we, too, must experience our “Dark Ages” and “Treblinkas,” what then? As the old adage says, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” Years ago I saw a picture that illustrates my point. It was an ox standing between a yoke and an altar. Under the picture was the caption, “Ready for either.” Are you?

 The Question of the Tribulation

No matter what one’s prophetic position, I find most, if not all, hold to the belief that toward the end time, there will be unprecedented dark days, many believe the duration of which will be seven years. I personally have some reservations on this teaching (Matt.24:21-22).

There are basically three popular positions concerning this seven (?) year tribulation period. The first is known as pre-tribulationist; the second group holds to a mid-tribulation; and the last are post-tribulationist.). The pre-trib. teaches all the elect will be taken out of this world just prior to this time of trouble; a secret rapture, if you please. The mid-trib. group say Christians will go through the first half of the trib. and then be caught up. The post-trib. holds that the Church will go through all the Tribulation Period. (We will not discuss the partial-rapture crowd).

The most important question is not which of these three or any other is the right position; the crucial question is: are you and I ready for either? No matter which teaching proves to be the right one? There are people in each of these camps fighting for their particular pet doctrine who are not prepared, even if their position is the valid one. Holding the right position does not guarantee the person holding it is right.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed!

"Our" Almighty God

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God..."

Abraham was the first person God ever appeared to (Adam heard His voice). It occurred, as A.W. Pink writes, "in his old age, when nature's force was spent and death was written on the flesh." It is at this time in his life El Shaddai, the all-sufficient God, makes a promise to this aged saint. A promise that was impossible to fulfill apart from God's mighty power. As someone has so aptly said, "When God is getting ready to preform the impossible, He takes an impossible man or woman and crushes them." Both Abraham and Sarah could vouchsafe this truth.

It is when "all hope is taken away," God does His best work. During such times, we are to "hope against hope"; for "He is our hope." This was not only true in Abraham's case, but in other lives also, Job being one. The old patriarch, in his boxed-in predicament, refers to God no less than thirty-one times as, "The Almighty."  It's said of the former, we are to "follow in his steps," and of the latter, to take as an, "example." Therefore, their "Almighty God" is ours also. As Jesus said, "I ascend unto...to my God, and your God."

To believe He is "Almighty God," brings a deep, settling peace and assurance to one's soul. To see this All-mightiness accomplished in the lives of others is nothing short of awesome amazement. But to personally experience Almighty God working on my behalf, well, that is joy unspeakable and full of glory! O, blessed be our God, who, as Oswald Chambers says, "Has power to create new things in an old world."

"Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

I Don't See It That Way

"Except a man be born again, he cannot see..." I do no injustice by not finishing our text, for its truth runs from Genesis to Revelation. Every man born of a woman is born spiritually blind. It is not that he will not see; he cannot see. He was born with his spiritual eyes wide shut, so to speak. Jesus taught, man has two sets of eyes, physical and spiritual, "The seeing, see not," He tell us. They see but they don't see.

We hear much today about having a spiritual relationship with God, while little or nothing is said about the new birth. It seems the latter has been dropped from the Christian's vocabulary. But it is impossible to have the first of these without experiencing the second. Nothing is more pathetic or pitiful than watching professing Christians grope their way along at noonday as blind men and women, while all along thinking they see clearly and are part of the Kingdom of God.

The infamous statement by these counterfeit professors, "I don't see it that way," is proof positive they've never experienced the touch of Christ, along with His glorious words, "Receive thy sight." Strange, is it not? those saintly primitive Christians could see it; the Spirit-filled  Church Fathers could see it; our godly grandparents and parents could see it; but these carnal, worldly, pseudo-Christians just don't see it the way the rest of us do. A second birth would give them second sight. Then they would  see clearly!

Jesus said, " What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight."

Women Warriors

Nothing so impresses me as to see a woman who, as Louis L’Amour, the Western writer says, “you can ride the river with.” That is, one who will stay the course, who has sinew of soul. Or as old Dr.Bob Jones Sr. used to say of such, “They have intestinal fortitude.” 

The Bible writes of “Women Warriors,” not whiney women. It records for us the mighty feats of such heroines as: Jael, her only weapon being a hammer and nail against the enemy; Deborah, the prophetess and judge of Israel, who was at the forefront of their army because a man refused to go-it-alone; and who does not highly regard  those courageous women Saul hauled off to prison; also, let us not forget Priscilla, along with her husband Aquila, who was willing to lay down her neck for Paul.

These women all had a “meek and quiet spirit,” as their blessed Lord, who was “meek and lowly in heart.” Notice, it was an inner quality, it did not change the women’s outward temperament and personality. How beautiful they are, these women warriors adorned in the whole armour of their Captain, the Lover of their souls. Look at some of them with me: Madam Guyon, as she lies in a filthy prison for her testimony; Elisabeth Elliot, who stayed on ministering to the Auca Indians after they killed her beloved husband; Amy Carmichael, fighting her battles from a sickbed, with just her mighty pen in hand; and my most blessed friend, Tina Green, who is a true warrior in a wheelchair!

“Let her sleep for when she wakes she will move mountains.”

(Napoleon)

Canes, Crutches, and Other Things

All of us stumble and fall from time to time, no matter how careful we may be. Most of these times we simply dust ourselves off and continue on. But if it is a bad sprained ankle, or even worse, a broken leg, then we must use certain means to maneuver. These helps manifest themselves either in things or people.

And so it is in the Christian life. The best of us can, and do, fall. David tells us a good man following the Lord can fall. And his son, Solomon, says, a just man can fall numerous times. As in the physical realm, some spiritual falls are more severe than others. At such times it is necessary to use the means God provides, so that we can still get around till we are mended. These canes, crutches, and other things come in different forms, shapes, and sizes, but all are meant to sustain us until we’re back on our feet.

There is always a twofold danger during these crisis times. The first is not to accept any help at all, thinking we can still make it on our own, in spite of the handicap we have incurred. This is spiritual pride. The second pitfall is depending on that thing or person indefinitely. This is spiritual presumption. Gods order is, to use your “walkin’ stick” till your strengthened, then to discard it with respect and thanksgiving. After that, you’re to walk on your own. And don’t forget, up the road the Lord may use you as a temporary crutch to help some limping pilgrim along life’s way.

Feeling Our Way Along

“...like the blind...we grope (feel) as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night...” We speak of “blind faith,” but faith has good eyesight; in fact, it’s 20/20. It’s when one goes by their feelings that it indicates darkness in their life.

Isaac made a terrible decision in his life when he went by feeling, because of the dimness of his eyes. And what of sightless Samson? What a sorry spectacle, as he feels (gropes) for the pillars before a laughing world.

God has given each believer spiritual eyesight. We need never to grope through our spiritual life as though we had no eyes of faith to see with. Feelings are fine as they fall in with the third rank, following the first two ranks of fact and faith.

Faith is your spiritual optic. Puritan

A Prerequisite to Martyrdom

"And he [Matthew] left all, rose up, and followed him [Christ]." Matthew was one of Jesus' original twelve disciples. He was a publican, a despised tax collector. Tradition tells us he died by the sword, by decapitation, a missionary martyr in Ethiopia. Such stalwart saints are not swept up in an emotional moment of time in some revival or missions conference. No, this type sits down first and counts the cost.

I call your attention to our text. Notice,the two acts of rising up and following the Master were physical; but the decision to forsake all was an intellectual one. Before any action there was first a mental choice. I personally believe the one great reason so many professing Christians do not follow through is because they never thought it through! This is proven out by the words, "But I never thought it would be like this."

It might be a good thing if some of us would sit down and re-think spiritual decisions we're about to make, those which we have put little or no real thought into. A call to preach, the school you'll attend, the mate you're about to marry, the job you're ready to accept, the place you're moving to. These and other important choices need to be thought and prayed through. It is the wise man or woman who, if need be, stops before they start. For some things you'll never be able recover from once you've started down that road. 

Christianity is a serious business, therefore it calls for serious thinking!    

Divine Drudgeries

“...common things.” As you read your Bible, you become aware that our Lord has an affinity for common things, though many of us must confess to having a dislike for them. We read in the New Testament of a common people, a common faith, a common salvation, and a common temptation. To be sure, God is the Creator of the common.

Ordinary water poured into common water pots is turned mysteriously into that which makes glad the heart. Unlearned and ignorant men become ambassadors. From uncultured lips, mighty arguments are presented, and a common meal is changed into a Sacrament by the God who can transform the common into the uncommon.

And, since He is the same today as He was then, this glorious ministry of transformation continues on. He can, and does, still turn the humdrum things of life into burning bushes. The only condition necessary to make the common to shine is to put the Light of the World into them.

Life’s drudgeries become delights, when Deity is put into them.

Paul's Developing Faith

Paul did not start off with a great faith, as some might believe, but rather it developed through the years. He never achieved the mountain moving faith we all desire. We see this from his statement, “[If] I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,” But he never attained unto that stage. Nor did anyone else in scripture that I can find. It will be true of our Lord at His Second Coming, but was not so during His earthly ministry.

The truth is, no saint begins his or her Christian life with the faith that he or she ends it with; that is, if they are normal Christians. Our faith grows as we grow in the Lord. As we become more acquainted with the object of our faith (Christ) our confidence in His Word grows. The order seems to be, at one time we had “no faith,” then we moved on to a “little faith,” hopefully, we will advance to, “great faith,” and who does not want to end their life with it being said of them, they possessed “so great a faith.”

The Bible principle in any and all things seems to be, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” We need to use the little faith we have to remove the mole-hills that lie before us, then we can move on to greater accomplishments down the road.

“Christ’s naked Word unsupported by external evidence is sufficient warrant for our unwavering trust.”

John 4:46-53

(J. Oswald Sanders)

The Worth of Waiting

“My soul, wait thou only upon God”; “On thee do I wait all the day”; “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage”; “Wait patiently for him”; “Wait on the Lord, and keep his way”; “I will wait upon the Lord”; “We have waited for him”; “Blessed are all they that wait for him”; “They shall not be ashamed that wait upon thee”; “The Lord is good unto them that wait for him”; “It is good that a man should...quietly wait…for the Lord”; “Wait on God continually.”

In spite of inspired texts such as the above, I must confess, it is still difficult for me to wait. Yet this is one of the great secrets of the overcoming life. When we wait for God, we show Him our helplessness. Saul lost a kingdom because he could not wait. It seems that our spiritual watches are always five minutes fast. I think it would be wise in most of our cases, to set them back.

Christians in the Bible, who were used and blessed of the Lord, knew what it was to wait for God. Here are a few who found waiting worthwhile: David waited for his kingdom; Joseph, to be set free; Moses, to be used; Zacharias and Elizabeth, for a child; John the Baptist, for the call of God, and our precious Lord Jesus, for the OK from Heaven to begin His earthly ministry. In each case, it was worth the wait.

Two Scriptures, both found in the Book of Hebrews, have proven to be a great comfort and help to me through the years. One is found in chapter six, verse fifteen, speaking of Abraham. The second is in chapter ten and verse thirty-six, speaking to the Christians of Paul’s day (and ours). “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise…” “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

"To lengthen my patience is the best way to shorten my troubles." (Old Puritan)

The Needs of the Needy

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Paul had been a great blessing to the saints at Philippi in that he ministered to their spiritual needs; therefore they believed it their obligation to care for his material ones. It seems for a brief time they, for some providential reason, were unable to fulfill their desire and responsibility to him; something they felt was their duty. But now they were once again able to resume their care of him. 

As an old disciple of Jesus Christ my advice to God's people is, you take care of God's man and God will take care of you. And to God's men I say, You feed God's people and they will feed you. God promises to give to givers, no matter the amount or type the gift. He does not stipulate. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Whenever we give to others, according to what we have, God pledges He will give us according to what He has! When we supply others' needs from our meager cupboards, God supplies ours from His treasure chest. God recompenses us according to our treatment of others in need. Giving does not deplete our coffers, it enhances
them. God seems to tell us there is no need in the lives of those who supply the needs of the needy.

"For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."

Robots or Robust

“I can do all things through Christ…” Not as we hear from some circles, that Christ works through us, but rather, just the opposite. One will be hard pressed to find God doing anything through a believer. We are told we have “…peace with God through our Lord Jesus,” and that we are to mortify the flesh “…through the Spirit."
Also that “…we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” The list goes on and on. Look it up for yourself.
When Israel “…passed through the sea,” it should be plain to all that the word “through” meant, not that the sea went through them but they went by way of it. The major difference between the Christian and non-Christian is that the former goes by the way of God when facing the problems of life, whereby the latter faces them head on in his own strength.

To teach Christians to be passive, and to let God do it through them, produces a robotical being, rather than a responsible one. It is we who put on the armor; it is we who do the wrestling; it is we who wield the sword; it is we who stand our ground. And as we do these things, all the time, we are looking to God to help us. Therefore, let us rise up and be doing!

"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." The sword was God's, but Gideon wielded it!

Making Straight the Crooked

One of the crowning days in a Christian’s life is when he or she ceases attempting to straighten out the world and its inhabitants. It can be most tedious and frustrating, trying to straighten out a bent iron bar with weak hands. When will we learn, it is the Lord who accomplishes the straightening out process. “I will make…crooked things straight,” says the Lord.

The woman who was bowed together for eighteen years, and could not lift herself up, was not helped by friends, loved ones, or the local pastor, no matter how well-meaning they may have been. It was when Jesus took charge that it says, “…immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” Even if you were Atlas, you couldn't have accomplished this amazing feat

God is the great “straightner-outer.”

Fashionable Saints

When I use the word fashion in this essay I'm not referring to a form or shape, but rather as a fad or craze. Something popular with widespread acceptance. Today we'd say , "It's in vogue."       

Personally, I've always made a difference between fashion and style. The former is temporary, and in time becomes obsolete and passes away. As C.S. Lewis says," The more up-to-date the fashion, the sooner it is out-of date." But this is not so with style. The worldling tells us style is, "out of Fashion," but I say, on the contrary, style will outlive a thousand and one fashions.

Fashion rules the hour and draws all such as are uncomfortable in their own skin. If it's the fashion, it must be done, say these conformists. It is the law of the chameleon; their number is legion. Oswald Chambers commenting on fashion says, "It is the common consent of fools." 

All fashion finds its roots in someone who dared to be different. These bold souls do not follow the fashions, they create them! Those with style can be described as particular, individualistic, distinctive, creative. Which all can be summed up in two words: tailor made. 

Being fashionable, physically or spiritually, only shows we are not content with what God made us. We give up the original copy for a smudgy carbon. 

God Can Top Our Faith

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Think for a moment about the the greatest, most difficult, absolutely impossible thing you could ever ask God to do for you; now read the five underlined words in our text. If this scripture teaches anything, it teaches God can always top our faith!

Our prayers are generally within the realm of possibilities. Our problem stems from the fact we think God is altogether such an one as ourselves. The word "altogether" includes, like human limitations. But Jehovah's abilities are far beyond what we are able to comprehend. That is, He can surpass our wildest dreams. It has not entered our hearts what God is able to do on our behalf. 

We are still crying out with the brokenhearted father, "If thou canst do any thing...help us." And Jesus' answer is still the same, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." The rhetorical question, "Is there anything too hard for thee? will always come back with the same answer, "There is nothing too hard for me?"  

"Jesus answered and said unto him...thou shalt see greater things than these."

Hurting By Helping

“Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” Peter was a self-appointed protector. He would shield his Loved One from suffering. Oswald Chambers called such people “amateur providences.” Many of us seem to know the will of God for others better than we do for our own lives. Life is bitter-sweet, and we must all drink of that cup on our pilgrim journey from time to time.

It is possible to think we are helping loved ones by keeping them from suffering; when, in reality, we are hindering the perfect will of God. Instead of allowing God’s purifying fire to burn away the dross, we pluck them from the flame prematurely and diminish their worth. When our Lord is doing business with another believer, we need to remember Jesus’ words, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?”

Where is the safest place for your loved ones...in your hands, or God’s?

A Room Full of Doors

Our Heavenly Father would have His children live by faith. There is no other way to please Him. It is the greatest compliment we can bestow upon Him. To stand before our God and say, “I believe You, no matter what”—is the highest respect and honor we can pay Him.

But this is not an isolated incident that happens only once in our life. It begins at our conversion and ends with its consummation. It’s “from faith to faith.” “The just shall live by faith.” It is a daily, moment by moment trust in the Almighty for both life and breath, and all that comes in between. We are so prone to live by, and trust in, circumstances, feelings, temperaments, and an unending list of other broken reeds. But God’s desire for us is a life of faith.

The way in which the Lord teaches us this vital lesson is to “shut [us] up unto the faith.” He puts us in impossible situations and shuts every door but one. After we are weary and worn from trying all the locked doors, in desperation we finally try the door of faith. When we do, we find that all the time it was the way out, just waiting for us to enter through it.

At the end of the natural is the supernatural, and, at the end of self is God.

Here or There?

“What doest thou here..?” “And [God] blessed him there.” An old preacher used to say of our text, “Whatcha doin here, if ya oughta be there?” God will not bless you here, if He wants you there. Never be fearful of there, for if He put you there then He will bless you there!

On the other hand, if God is blessing you here, there is no need to go there. To do so is to go out full and end up empty. There is a time to get out of the boat (Matt.14:29); and there is also a time to stay in it (Acts 27:31).

How then does one decide between here and there? I found in my own life and ministry that a sure sign to leave here for there is when the brook dries up.

The Wholeheartedness of God

"Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good...with my whole heart and with my whole soul."  These nine words jumped out at me, so to speak, in a recent devotional time. Again, I was puzzled that not one of seven commentaries I have gave any space to this heartwarming statement. To think that the Eternal God, creator of heaven and earth, puts His whole heart and soul into joying and caring for the likes of us, His weak, sinning, faltering children. It's more than one can take in, is it not?

Is it any  wonder everything God's darling David did for his precious Lord was with his whole heart and soul, from dancing before the Ark of his God to building His Temple? Should we think it a strange thing his life was filled and overflowing with God? And what was the key to Paul's perennial blessings? Most certainly, his wholehearted love and loyalty to God, his dearest friend. Don't you agree? It is not to be thought odd then, that such a man was filled with all the fullness of God! God delights in like-minded men and women! 

We see then that "wholeheartedness" is a two-way street. "We love Him, because He first loved us." He is always, first and last, the great initiator. God says, in essence, because I put my whole heart and soul into your life, I would expect you to want to do the same for me in return. Jesus put it this way, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." That is: the emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical. THERE AIN'T NO MORE!  

The Old-Timey Way

“…ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” Have you noticed most of our contemporary conferences on how to live the Christian life leave us no better and, many times, confused and worse off. Like the woman who had the issue, we have “…spent all…and [are] nothing bettered.”

What was it that gave our poor, ignorant, unenlightened Christian grandparents such inward peace and contentment, which is sadly lacking in us their grandchildren today? To begin with, I believe it was the fact that they didn't get involved in other people’s business. They felt their own problems were enough, and they didn't need to add to them.

Secondly, as unspiritual as it sounds, they were not basically concerned as much with the interpretation and meaning of the Scriptures, as they were in obeying and enjoying them.

The third thing was that they were happy in their own skin. They accepted who and what they were. They changed what they could and didn't worry about what they couldn't. They didn't spend all their time in a lab, dissecting themselves.

And the "ROCK" Cried Out!

"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." This is when the "ROCK" cried out! It is upon this "ROCK" (Cornerstone), God began to build His Church, as Jesus told Peter. If there be any doubt to whom the "ROCK" refers, Paul explicitly tells us, "And that 'ROCK' was Christ." 

Our Catholic friends tell us the "ROCK" was Peter. But I say with Moses, "For their rock is not our 'ROCK,'" (Deut. 32:31). Notice, it has to do with a capital letter.

Those who has build their home, church, school, business, and yes, their entire life on any thing other than Jesus Christ alone, face ultimate doom. As someone has said, "Sand is good for a lot of things, but you don't want to build on it." Only on the solid "ROCK" can one find sure footing.

David told us when his heart was overwhelmed that he cried unto his "ROCK" that was higher than him. And in another place he said, "He only is my "ROCK" and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved."  Thank God, I can say, "David's "ROCK" is my "ROCK!"

Saints Galore

All, I think, would agree as to  what is meant by the word, “galore” (plentiful), but not so with the term, “saint.” There are two major definitions of this word. This possibly is do to the influence the Church of Rome has had on society world-wide. The main difference between the Catholic and Protestant Church is one of interpretation. All other distinctions between the two stem from this singular doctrine. Rome holds that the Church is the soul interpreter of the Bible; whereas Protestants believe in the priesthood of all believers. That is, each child of God is to read the Holy Scriptures through their own specks, so to speak.

Rome’s traditional interpretation of a saint, for the sake of simplicity, is a special person. To enter sainthood is a long process that involves meeting certain standards, such as miracles associated with the recipient, etc. But the making of a saint is all God’s work! It doesn't happen when the Church canonizes a soul, but when Christ converts a sinner.

In Paul’s Epistles, he refers to each Christian in that particular assembly he addresses as, “saints.” Even those in the carnal church at Corinth. To the church at Rome he admonishes them to receive Phebe “...as becometh saints.” And to the Ephesians, such sins as fornication, all uncleanness, and covetousness, is unbecoming to a saint! The Apostle’s words could not be any clearer. In essence, he tells all of us, “If you're a saint, then live like one.” The question is, are we?

A little boy was sitting in a church where the sunlight was shining brightly through stained glass windows. The boy asked his mother who the figures in the glass represented, “They are saints,” she replied. After a moment the child said, “O, so a saint is someone who lets the light shine through them.”  

Those Blessed Blessers

"God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you." I don’t think it necessary to relate to my readers the almost indescribable sufferings of Christ, both  physical and spiritual. Most, if not all of you, are well aware of the agony He went through, both in body and soul, especially the latter. It is unfathomable to understand, to say the least.

He paid a high cost personally to be a blessing to us individually. And so it will be with all who would follow in their Master’s steps. There will be a dear price to be paid if we’re to hear those most coveted words, “You've been such a blessing to my life.” Such valued souls have only become such by passing through God’s refining fires, thus burning away the dross, making them of great worth to others.

Therefore, from henceforth, whenever we see or think of one who has been a huge blessing to our lives, let us remember, to be so, they had to spend a long time in the firey furnace, alone. Their experienced anguish may be an external affliction, that all can see; but it can also be an internal agony, that only God sees. One way or the other, to be sure, these blessed “blessers” have paid the uttermost farthing for our benefit!

Slavery

"Paul, a servant (slave) of Jesus Christ." This is the only place in Paul's writings he uses this exact term. Interestingly it is to the church at Rome. They certainly would understand what he meant by the term. Historians tell us one-half of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves at this time in history.  

Paul told the Roman centurion he was, "free born." that is, he was not born into slavery to Rome, but had all the rights of a Roman citizen. But the Apostle knew this was not so in the spiritual sense. He, as all mankind, was born a slave to sin. And the only way to be free was to accept the Great Emancipator's offer to receive HIM as one's Master. Who, in turn, gave each his or her own freedom.

But Paul, as the slave in Exodus Chapter twenty-one, who had been given his freedom by his master, chose to say along with him, "I love my master... I will not go out free...and he shall serve him for ever." Since that momentous day, millions have followed in Paul's train. Thereby making Jesus Christ the greatest slave owner the world has ever seen. 

And more important, each one of this unnumbered host of slaves became so voluntarily. They take great personal pride, as Mary, in calling Him, "Rabboni; which is to say, MASTER!" 
   

God Leads His Dear Children Along

In John chapter six we are told of the disciples rowing across the sea of Galilee at evening when it was dark. Jesus had stayed behind on land that He might have some time alone in prayer. Soon, those in the boat, found themselves in a storm, "a great wind blew." At that very hour Jesus came to them walking on the water saying, "It is I; be not afraid." It was then we are told, "immediately the ship was at the land." 

There are times when the storms in our lives seem to end as quickly as they started. But this is not always the case. In Acts chapter twenty-seven Paul, along with two-hundred and seventy-six other souls, was in a storm, and there was a, "tempestuous wind." And they were, "exceeding tossed with tempest." All hope of them being saved was gone. At this point, Paul shows up on deck and says in the midst of this violent gale for all to be of good cheer and not to be afraid. Everything would be alright.

Interestingly, unlike the storm in the gospel account, this one did not immediately end, but continued on. After Paul's assuring words the ship was still "driven up and down," and violent waves broke the hinder part of the ship, so that all had to swim or float to shore on broken pieces of the ship. But notice in both cases, the gospel account and Acts, they all came through the storm. Like the song, "God Leads His Dear Children Along," some one way, others another. One thing we can be sure of, we'll all stand together safe on His eternal shore!  

A Job Well Done

 In Genesis chapter one, after various tasks performed in  creation,  on four different occasions, it's written "and God  saw that it was  good." Then at creations completion we're  told, "And God  saw  every thing He had made, and, 
 behold, it was very good."

Today I did some rather long and strenuous yard work, the first since my heart attack and five by-passes seven months ago. After showering and resting a bit, I told my wife, kiddingly, "I think I'll go out and admire a job well done." At that moment it struck me for the first time what God's Sabbath Rest was all about. Most certainly, as we are all aware, He did not rest from exhaustion. There are several good doctrinal views on the meaning of God's rest on the Seventh Day. But I now believe one practical aspect was that He might look back on "a job well done." We might say of God what they said of Jesus in His day, "He hath done all things well." The old-timers used to say, If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well." Each of us needs to take a breather, so to speak, and look back on our work. Can we say it is our very best? If not, we are certainly not emulating our God, which He explicitly tell us to do (Eph. 5:1). No job is too small or menial. He made the sun, moon and stars; but He made the small twig of a tree also! I may not be able to do big things in a big way, but I can do little things in a big way.

God's Plan and Duct Tape

A young unmarried girl constantly pestered her pastor concerning finding a husband. On one trying occasion he said in exasperation, "God's plan is one man for one woman and one woman for one man; that's His plan and you can't improve on it." To which she replied, "Preacher, I don't want to improve on it, I just want to get in on it!"

I used to have a book entitled, God's Plan For the Ages. This is true, but just as true is the fact He has a plan for each individual Christian life. And everyone of us who name the name of Christ ought to want to "get in on it!" Think of it, the great Architect of the universe fit such as we into His vast eternal plan. What an honor, what a privilege, and yes, what a responsibility.

But let us not make the mistake of thinking He places us into His great scheme of things according to our natural talents and gifts. This is true many times, but not always. Like duct tape, the experts have found it is good for a thousand practical things, but not for sealing heating ducts, the very task it was designed for. Often, some of us preform much better at things we were not intended for than tasks in which we should logically excel.

Whatever God's plan for our lives, we can be assured, He has or will qualify us for where to fit in.

Abraham the Adventure

“He went out, not knowing whither he went.” From start to finish, Abraham’s spiritual life was one of adventure. Some of the dictionary’s definitions of the word are: “exciting, unusual experience; uncertain and risky; taking a chance; bold, daring; new undertaking; soldier of fortune; courageous.” What has happened to the spiritual adventurers like those found in Hebrews eleven?

For God’s children, life should be an adventure. Some live and die and never get out of the boat. I’d rather try and fail than to have never tried at all. We like to read Pilgrim’s Progress, but shun being a pilgrim. We love to hear of the early pioneers and their experiences, but we shutter to think of being a pioneer, of venturing into untrodden and untried areas.

It says of the mariners in Acts 27, “[W]hen they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea.” Some of us, no doubt, need to take up our anchors of false security and commit ourselves to God, of whom it is said that He is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.”

To the spiritual adventurer, no mountain is too high, no valley too low, no enemy too strong, and no problem too difficult.

You Can Depend On Him!

"Now Jesus was not yet come..." Searching eight commentaries, I found not one commented on our text. Personally, I cannot understand this; I feel this little nugget is full of worth. 

The background of our story is about Lazarus' sickness and death. His sisters, Mary and Martha, sent a message to Jesus telling Him of His beloved friend's condition. After hearing of it, our Lord remained two more days where He was. Then He told his disciples Lazarus had died and that He was glad. For, said He, it was for the glory of God, and that they might believe. Jesus waited a full four days, Lazarus being in the tomb, before appearing on the scene.

You can always depend on Jesus to show up whenever and wherever He is needed, but according to His timetable. Our watches are always five minutes fast. Special events in our lives are in accord with His calendar, not ours! It's His prerogative in choosing the time and date. He works from the impossible aspect of life. When things become hopeless and helpless, look around you, He will be there, possibly in the shadows, but there, nonetheless.   

                              At the end of self is God!

The Sovereignty of God

“Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he…” The word “sovereignty” has come to be associated with a man’s teachings in the 1500’s. In some circles of Christianity, the word causes uneasiness when articulated. But this word defines a great Bible doctrine that runs throughout the Scriptures.

Some of its meanings are: “supreme rank, power, or authority; preeminent; independent and above all others; undisputed prerogative.” In other words, God has unqualified, unrestrained freedom to do as He pleases. No creature has that ability or right. Those who are overly concerned with the free will of man do not seem to be bothered by the fact that they are forfeiting God’s.

The sovereignty of God is a great ground of confidence for the people of God, especially to those who suffer. When once we realize Deity dispenses all of life’s events, then will we be heirs to indescribable peace within. There is nothing that can enter the protective hedge of God except by the permission of the Divine Doorkeeper. May each of us echo David’s words when he said, “[H]ere am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.”

It says of Jesus, “It pleased the Lord to bruise him”; and that pleased Jesus!

Reason and Feeling Won't Work

[When] "...all hope...was then taken away..." [it was then Paul said] "be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me... " Whenever experienced seafaring mariners say, as they undoubtedly did to Luke, that any hope of getting out of that particular storm was useless, one is prone to believe the experts. But God has a way of defying the professionals.

The great danger in a saint's life, when the sun ceases to shine and there is a prolonged darkness, is to use human reasoning and go by one's natural feelings. But during such times, it is of utmost importance we remember, it is faith and faith alone that changes our dire situation from gloom to glory. If in the midst of trials we are to have joy and peace we must exercise faith. The scripture tells us, "...all joy and peace [comes] in believing."

A childlike faith, God will never betray. Such guileless trust treats the future as the present and the invisible as the seen. As Oswald Sanders writes, "It [faith] is at home in the realm of the impossible as well as the realm of the possible, for it relies on a God who knows no limitations." The God who spoke to Paul in the midst of this tumult still speaks to us today. God, through Isaiah, promises, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee." And Ezekiel adds his testimony, "[God] brought me through the waters." HE goes in and comes out of every storm, with us.

"A step of faith always involves the acceptance of a calculated risk." (Oswald Sanders)