We Fallible Fathers

Every godly father longs for and desires a happy household. But, for one reason or another, this is not always the case. Sometimes the reason is apparent; at other times, it’s a mystery. How could God’s first two children disgrace their heavenly Father? And years after, God says of Israel, “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” You certainly couldn’t blame the Father in these cases.

In 2 Samuel, chapter twenty-three, we have, “...the last words of David.” We are told how God anointed and raised him up on high, and that he was the “...sweet Psalmist.” David was a good and godly man; yet he had his share, along with many other greats, of family trouble. For example, his wife, Michal, became a snare to him, and one of his sons, Absalom, caused him humiliating embarrassment. Certainly, all of this must have been heart-breaking to this melancholy man of God.

Yet, in spite of his family troubles, he looks past the veil of tears and remembers God’s eternal promise. In verse five he says, “Although my house be not so with God; yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant.” Its been said, "When we suffer in time, we can find solace in eternity."

The blessings of God the Father are upon godly fathers!

The Plurality of God's Mercy

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

(Rom. 12:1)

Paul uses God’s multiplied mercies in pleading with the Lord’s people to give Him that one thing in life most precious to them: their bodies. Just the common everyday mercies of God, not to mention those special times when we are in dire need of it, should be incentive enough to present to Him our most cherished possession. I can imagine the old “bond slave” saying to us yet, “I beg you, for mercy’s sake.”

We read of God’s mercies being great, rich, manifold, plenteous, abundant, sure, everlasting, tender, high as the heaven, filling the earth, and new every morning. Bunyan said, “All the flowers in God’s garden are double.” And so it is with His mercy, there is not a single mercy. They are found in clusters. Is it any wonder then that David tells us, “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever.”

O, dear trembling child of God, fear not to approach His throne of mercy. As the Mercy Seat of old, it is still sprinkled with blood; but now, that of His own blessed Son, thereby giving us boldness to enter in. There is nothing little about our God or His mercy. It’s as big as He is. It can’t be measured! Let us learn then to no longer linger there, BUT TO LIVE THERE. Let we, who are “vessels of mercy,” pitch our tents at the foot of His mercy seat.

WHERE IS IT?

“The words of the LORD are pure words...Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them... for ever”.

(Psa. 12:6-7)

The Journal was never intended to create controversy but rather, as the subhead on our blog reads, “Brief, Biblical Essays for Thinking People.” Its purpose is to get God’s people to think for themselves. Ravi Zacharias, I understand, has a radio program named, “Let My People Think!”

I realize, as the saying goes, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” An oldtimer commenting on this idiom said, “True, but you can make him thirsty.” Believing strongly in the priesthood of every believer, I stand with Paul when he wrote, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." (Rom. 14:5)

God promised to preserve His Word’s,’ not just His Word in general. Not something abstract but absolute; not generic but specific. He preserved Noah, He preserved Israel, He preserves us, and He preserved His Son.

A young preacher asked his Greek and Hebrew professor where God’s preserved Word was. The scholar turned to a shelf on his bookcase, waved his hand over some twenty-five translations and said, “They are in all of these translations.

He went on to say all translations were imperfect and it was up to each to “dig out the truth.” The problem with this reasoning is you may accept one part as authentic and I a different one. But one of us may choose a text that is not the true Word, thus putting our faith in error. There can be serious repercussions to such a belief.

To argue learned men are to search it out doesn’t change the above fact. Also if you trust another to what is and isn’t, you need to join the Catholic Church. They believe only the Church can interpret the Word. If there is not ONE BOOK then there is no absolute authority! When this happens, “...every man did that which [is] right in his own eyes.”

In closing let me say I will not be carrying on any controversial correspondence. After 60 years, believe me, I am more than familiar with all the arguments. I just wanted some of the younger generation to hear the other side. If you don’t agree, that is fine. Your position doesn’t bother me, as I hope mine doesn’t you.

In Christian Love,

An Old Disciple

Moving Molehills

“Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

Paul is not discouraging the moving of mountains; that would contradict his Lord’s teaching. But he does emphasize the importance of taking care of the internal part of our lives before the external. What good does it serve us if we’re triumphant in removing mountains publicly, yet are personally defeated by molehills privately?  

The little quip I quote so often, “The most important part of our lives is that part that only God sees,” is true. Samson, like many saints today, never grasped this fact. He displayed great power outwardly in removing mountainous obstacles, but was defeated by the “little hill” inwardly.

After years of Bible study, as well as observing people, I am convinced the greatest faith today is personal faith. What I mean by this is that inward faith that gets the victory behind closed doors. Like David killing the lion and bear in secret before taking on the giant publically.

For the most part, Elijah’s ministry was public, and Elisha’s private, behind closed doors. Interestingly, the latter did twice as many miracles. Is there not a lesson for us in this? I believe so.

The Divine Chauffeur

“And immediately the Spirit driveth him [Jesus] into the wilderness.” (Mk. 1:12)

“[The maniac of Gadara] was driven of the devil into the wilderness.” (Lk. 8:29)

Who, may I ask, is sitting in the driver's seat in your journey of this life? Is it God’s heavenly Spirit or a hellish devil? The results of the first is always constructive, the latter destructive. The former will drive you to victory, the latter to defeat. It’s your choice whom you designate to transport you through life. You can change drivers.

Wilderness experiences are not the same; it all depends on the one behind the wheel. God leads His dear children into and out of wilderness situations. The devil leads into but never out of; he leads one to stay there indefinitely. Israel had their time in the wilderness but God led them out to the land of milk and honey!

Darling David tells us, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake,”  (Psa. 23:3). This is how you know who is in the driver’s seat.

LETTER MONTH

Beloved in the Lord,

I cut my spiritual eye teeth, so to speak, on radio preachers such as M.R. DeHaan and Charles E. Fuller. Each of these men had what they called “Letter Month,” once each year. I thought it would be nice for us to have the likes.

The rest of this month of June I have thus designated. Please let me hear from you, it would be a real encouragement. Since brevity is best, just a brief note on how the JOURNAL has played a part in  your life. I would really appreciate it.

“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Prov. 25:25)

Looking to hear from you.

An Old Disciple

P.S. Post your comments on this site or write to me: diclvsal61@gmail.com

Helping in Life's Battles

“And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.”

(Judges 1:3)

Among the Twelve Tribes of Israel, you might say, Judah was the greater and Simeon the lesser. Nevertheless Judah appeals to his brother and neighbor to join him in his battle. With the understanding he would do likewise for his comrade in arms.

Here we find the greater can be blessed by the lesser, (Gen. 47:10;Heb. 7:7). This principle is found throughout the scriptures, (see 2 Sam. 10:11 as another example). “The strongest should not despise but desire the assistance even of those that are weaker.” (Matthew Henry.)

Paul tells us we are helpers together, (1 Cor. 1:11;Rom. 163). No man is an island, no man stands alone! We all need to read often 1 Cor. 12, concerning our need for one another; and then heed its teaching. You can’t make it on your own, EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY!

The Canaanites were the common enemy of them both, they were not one anothers. Someone has said, “If we have the same enemy, we’re friends.” We need to walk shoulder to shoulder against Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Even though we belong to different camps!

Snobbery

    One dictionary’s definition of a snob is, “one who disdains supposed inferiors.” Sounds like the Pharisees of the Bible to me. They always looked down on less fortunate people (Lk.18:9), and those who didn’t adhere to their man-made standards (Ro.14:3). Shameful as it is to say, both of these are generally found inside the House of God, not without.

You can always spot these highbrow elitists; they are completely exclusive in nature. Their conceit extends to Heaven itself, they actually believe they will have a special place at God’s heavenly table, and others in the body of Christ will be excluded. Such stuffed shirt braggarts, with their egotistical spirits, are in for a big surprise. Our Carpenter went ahead so He could make chairs for all His children at the supper table.

Paul was “…all things to all men.” And our blessed Lord was a friend to all. There was not an exclusive bone in eithers body. Both would condescend to men of low estate. The best and truest preacher friend I ever had, who is now with his Lord, left a lasting imprint upon my life in this respect. No man was beneath him!  Thank you Marv for your godly example. God help me to follow it!            

  

Rotting Within

Though I am not familiar with the name, there is a disease that rots every bone in a person’s body. There is also a spiritual disease that does the same. “Envy [is] the rottenness of the bones.” This was the cause of Saul’s demise. He couldn’t stand to see, or hear, of someone doing something better than he.

How we need to emulate “the man Moses [who] was very meek, above all the men which were upon the earth.” When Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp, Joshua asked Moses to forbid them. And what was the great prophet’s reply? “Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”

‘Tis very hard to behold our own gifts without pride, and the gifts of others without envy.

A Change For the Good

“For I am the LORD, I change not.” That is, His character never changes. His internal attributes remain the same, eternally. But God’s external actions change throughout the Bible. They are too numerous to list, but one should suffice. The book of Hebrews is all about change for the better. God’s elect resisted this, and, as a result, remained spiritual pygmies. They wanted to hold to their rules, regulations, and restrictions. They did not want to be free from their religious bondage.

The unchangeable can change. It is a paradoxical statement; nevertheless, these two are compatible and consistent with one another. Changing my direction, clothes, viewpoint, habits, etc. does not change who I basically am. Change for the good is always good.

I, for one, am thankful the little caterpillar is not among the rigid ritualist who boasts that they never change. What a beautiful specimen to behold because of its change. But some would rather be a wooly-worm all their lives, while others get only as far as the cocoon, and, liking the security, never show their colors.

If you don’t like change, it’s doubtful you will like the resurrection.

(rds)

THEY LIVED ON OUR STREET

“Barnabas and Paul [said] Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you...Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are.”

(Acts 14:14-15;James 5:17)

Taking it in a spiritual setting, I’d like to ask a question. Do you know who lives down the street from you, maybe only a few houses away, even next door? They’re saints who lived in Bible times, from the greatest to the least. There is no “Knob Hill” in Scripture. They were people just like you and me. They were people who speak to our own need. They were not lofty saints but lowly redeemed sinners. This is why it is so important to read the Scripture: you can meet yourself there.

The Bible is careful to portray its characters the way they really were, warts and all; no cosmetics or touch up. They would never allow others to think more highly of them than they actually were. Paul told the man worshiping Corinthians the facts about himself, lest, as he put it, “... any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be.” He said of himself and Apollos that they were nothing. If you add up 0+0 the answer is 0. Only Christ counts!

I had a man come up to me after a Sunday morning service years ago and say, “You know, you’re not as tall as I thought you were, out of the pulpit.” He knew more than I did, at the time. As I have so often said, “It is important for most of us to be important.”

“Many of us who profess to live in ‘glass houses’ have white washed them.”

(rds)

Unworthy Comparison

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Rom. 8:18

During my wife’s battle with cancer this past year, my precious daughter Leah traveled from Kentucky to be with her at the beginning, staying a month; my son Andrew who lives over an hour away tried to visit weekly as he was able (he travels as a speaker). His wife Sharon came with him as circumstances permitted; during the last few days she stayed by her and my side around the clock. In past years she herself was a Hospice nurse. Hospice came usually once a week, sometimes twice. But generally speaking, I was her main caregiver 24/7. I saw and heard things others did not. It was a difficult time; she knew that and would put those frail arms around me and comfort me with a hug.

Salle had just one chemo treatment, and that sent her to the hospital for a week. I stood by her bedside watching her groan as she vomited incessantly, almost the entire seven-day period. Then, when coming home,  ten long months observing her hurt and listening to the painful moaning throughout the night hours. We prayed, but still little relief. I tried my best, but that was not good enough; it was out of my hands. As Mary of old when watching her dear Son suffer, I also stood helpless as, “a sword pierced my soul.” There were a few screams, a lot of groans and moans, but never a complaint! Her only question was, “Why doesn’t the Lord take me?”

I have said all the above to say this, “I am not as spiritual as some think. Nor am I as spiritual as I’d like to think.” I am a human being in whom God has been pleased to make His abode. Praise His Name! But in spite of my Divine tenant who is always willing, I remain weak. I have experienced questions, doubts, and fears. There have been long intervals of “leaning on my own understanding.” But to His praise I can testify, “out of them all, the Lord delivered me.” One of the great truths the blessed Spirit of God revealed to me during this time of turmoil was our main text, quoted above. To compare our sufferings now with the glory that awaits us, is an “unworthy” exercise of heart and mind. While this world is weighed down by sin, God’s people are going to be “weighed down by glory!” I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO CARRY SUCH A BURDEN!  I know Salle is enjoying bearing hers.

“One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase.”

A Story to Tell

Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

(Psa. 71:18)

If you’re the least bit familiar with the Old Testament, you are aware of God’s constant admonition to His people to speak often of the great works He had accomplished in their lives, to tell them to their children as well as all else who had not heard of them. This was David’s desire, even into old age.

I am sitting here on the front porch of my mobile home on a beautiful California spring day, reminiscing on the great and mighty deeds God has performed in and through my life and ministry these many years. I’ve made a concerted effort to pass them along to my children and to those willing to hear about these marvelous things.

As one old divine put it,  “Each generation owes to its generation a testimony of the present reality of God in their personal life.” Sad indeed that some have no such blessed experiences to convey, but many do. And those who do give a testimony akin to that of God’s people of old: “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”

My dear friend, Mark Andrews, who was the main means in my Mother’s, as well as my own, conversion to Christ, wrote a small pamphlet. The title is, “TELL IT TO THEM GOOD!” O, beloved  readers, let us tell it to them good.

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

“The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision [Jews], the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.”

(Gal. 2:7-8)

The expression (“Robbing Peter to pay Paul”) refers to times before the Reformation when Church taxes had to be paid from St. Paul's church in London and to St. Peter's church in Rome; originally it referred to neglecting the Peter tax in order to have money to pay the Paul tax. Simply put it means, taking from one merely to give to another; to discharge one debt by incurring another.

There are those (I use to be one) who would have us believe Paul and Peter’s gospels were different. But they were not! It only has to do with emphasis, not content. As my dear friend, Dr. John R. Rice, use to say when explaining the two, “When you preach at a youth camp you emphasize life as it relates to the gospel; at an old folks home its relation to death. Same gospel, different emphasis.

The New Testament doesn’t differentiate between the gospel of the Old Testament and that of the New. “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham,” (Gal. 3:8). “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it,” (Heb. 4:2).

Most certainly we New Testament saints have more light than those of the Old, but in both cases the light came from the same flashlight-not two separate sources. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day,” (Prov. 4:18) One God, One Son, One Spirit, One Book, One People, and ONE GOSPEL!

People Like Us

Bible biographies are an interesting and rewarding study. Unlike our contemporary biographies, the scriptures do not use cosmetics on their characters — they show warts and all. How thankful we should be to God for this. For the most part, the saints’ lives who are written about today are so high and lofty only an angel could achieve such a life. One can come away discouraged, realizing he can never reach such moral heights. But in Bible biography, there is an encouraged spirit, finding Bible believers were men and women of like passions as we are.

One such Bible character we all, for the most part, can relate to is scheming, manipulating Jacob. It would be difficult to find one who could top him in this area, unless it be his father-in-law, Laban. He would come in a close second. Jacob, like ourselves, found sooner or later you meet your own kind face to face. It is then we find out what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that kind of deplorable person. Much of Jacob’s life was spent in manipulating loved ones and friends, but even worse, God Himself! Are we not all familiar with trying to bring about God’s will by our carnal means?

But there is good news for each of us who are of Jacob’s seed. There are twenty-five exact references to, “The God of Jacob,” as well as many more, although not exact, but close. Such as, “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” God wasn’t ashamed to be called, “Jacob’s God.” And just why was this? Could it be that most of Jacob’s sins, faults, and failures had to do with spiritual matters? This unloveable character loved God with all his being, in spite of all the weaknesses of his flesh. God knew something about Jacob’s heart that none around him knew! And so we read, “JACOB HAVE I LOVED!”

“Leave Jacobs to their God. He is able to make a Prince out of such.”

(rds)

A Coveted Compliment

Oswald Chambers, describing his dear and respected friend, Duncan MacGregor, used just three words: “Character, character, character.” This is just about as high a compliment one can be paid, other than their love for God.

Contrary to what some low people in high places may say, character counts. We hear a lot today in religious circles about a person’s faith, as if it were the pinnacle, not realizing it’s foundational. Peter tells us, “Add to your faith...” We are to be cultivating character as we grow in the Lord. It’s a continuous process that culminates in Heaven.

Until Christians once again begin to honor their commitments, pay their debts, show appreciation, clock in on time, along with a list of other Godly character traits, we will never convince this world that we are made out from a different fiber. They’ll be content with their own garments.

The best collateral is character.

The High Calling of a Servant

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle.”

(Rom. 1:1)

God calls both men and women from low positions to high ones. He calls the humble, not the haughty. Paul went from a servant to an apostle. You’ll find this throughout the Holy Scriptures. For example, Elisha went from serving as a plowman to a prophet. One of several reasons for this, I imagine, is the fact it is the servant that heeds his or her master’s call. Thus, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Here we find He gives even the “high minded” a chance for advancement, but they show their character by their unresponsiveness.

Jesus Christ came to this earth as a humble servant; therefore we are told, “God hath highly exalted Him.” Our Lord loved being a servant, so much so that He chooses of His own will as “THE MAN CHRIST JESUS” to be an eternal servant to God in glory. Paul informs us of this in 1 Corinthians 15:24–28. There we find after Jesus has put all things under Him, He will deliver up the Kingdom to His Father and become, what I like to refer to Him as, “THE ETERNAL SERVANT!” Think of it, the KING OF KINGS with a servants heart.

“No matter what exalted position you may promote a servant to, a true servant never loses his servant heart.”

(rds)