UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES

“...even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood...”

(2 Pet. 3:15-16)

Peter had read all of Paul’s letters that were in circulation at that time. In spite of the latter’s open rebuke of the spokesman of the twelve in the past, he was still “...our beloved brother Paul.” My, my, what grace he displayed, and growth! Thus qualifying him to pen 2 Peter 3:18?

We see in Simon Peter a Spirit-filled servant and leader who was a  greatly used man of God. Yet this seasoned saint tells us he had a difficult time understanding some scriptures (in this case Paul’s). His was not an isolated case; greatly beloved Daniel had the same problem (Dan. 10).

Notice please, unlike some of us, not understanding some things didn’t keep Peter from reading the other things. The opening of the scripture is completely in the Lord’s hands, Lk. 24:32,45. Paul knew this truth. He prayed for the Colossians that they might have spiritual understanding, Col. 1:9.

It should be remembered that we must be ready to receive certain truths. Jesus told his disciples, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now,”  John 16:12. A.W. Tozer said that he would struggle with certain scriptures a week, month, and longer, before they opened up.

The question is not what we do not understand, but what are we doing with that which we do comprehend? Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “It is not what I don’t understand in the Bible that bothers me, but what I do understand.” James tells us it is the doers of the Word who are blessed.

With a problem text, always take the principle it teaches until the Holy Spirit opens it up to you. For example, prophecy— we do not understand many of the texts making reference to this subject, but we do know they all teach He is coming again! That’s the principle. Doing this will take you a long way in your Christian life.

A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

“For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

(Heb. 7:12)

My pastor brought a message some time back that gave me some food for thought. His reference was to Peter’s original call to be a “fisher of men.” He then brought out the fact that, toward the end of Christ’s ministry, He seemed to re-commission Peter. Now, the emphasis is not on a “fisher of men,” but rather, being a “feeder of sheep.”

I wonder how many of we preachers would be willing to take a different direction in our ministries if the Lord so ordered? I shudder when I hear an older preacher say something like, “I’m preaching the same things I preached forty years ago.” If he means by this, the basic cardinal doctrines, I can accept that; but if he means in every particular, I believe the man is found wanting.

After over sixty years of preaching, the Lord has shut me in, putting the focus on writing these daily articles. Looking back, I bless His name for this. I have always tried to be willing to change as He directs. Some might consider this a weakness (the changeableness), but I think of the untold blessings I would have missed had I not followed His leadership.

The writer of Hebrews said the priesthood had been changed, and because of this, there was, of necessity, a change in their ministry. May God help me, along with my preacher brethren who peek into the Journal each day, to be willing to change at the Lord’s bidding, knowing there will come greater opportunity and blessing.

OVER-THE-HILL SAINTS

“...mine age is as nothing before thee.”

(Psa. 39:5)

Generally speaking, whenever someone says about an old person, “They are over-the-hill,” they're rudely saying they’re old and no longer fit, attractive, or capable of doing useful work. Saints such as: Abraham, ninety and nine; Paul the aged; Barzillai, fourscore years old; Anna, in her nineties; Zacharias and Elisabeth, well stricken in years; and a great host of other senior saints recorded in the Holy Writ, obviously wouldn’t agree with the term. Someone forgot to tell them they were too old!

David knew that the “Ancient of Days,” has no problem with old saints, referred to by a number of today's disrespectful Christian youth as “ancient.” Our brief time on earth is nothing to our Eternal God in Heaven. When Bernard Baruch was asked, “When is old?” he replied, “Old age is fifteen years older than I am.” Caleb, at eighty-five, must have believed this; he was still climbing mountains as a octogenarian. I love what Caleb said to Joshua when he was dividing inheritances, “Give me this mountain.”

Someone has said, “It is magnificent to grow old, if one keeps young.” Well, I admit my flesh is old, but I still have a young man living within me, and his spirit doesn’t age. As Victor Hugo said, “Winter is on my head, but spring is in my heart.” A large number of Bible saints achieved their greatest victories in their advanced years. Their last years were their best years! These stalwart saints didn’t spend their last days in a rocking chair, but going forward with God! You know, “Onward Christian Soldiers.” 

“I can no longer soar like an eagle, as I did in my youth; nor can I run without growing weary, as I could in mid-life; but I can walk with my God in my old age, and not faint.”

THE PERFECT PORTRAIT

“And they shall see his face.”

(Rev. 22:4)

The last book of Bible, the last chapter, gives us one of God’s last promises to His servants: we will see His face. Some of us have been waiting a long time for this blessed event; others may have had a lesser amount of time, but with no less a kindred excited spirit of expectation.

His face is what every artist and photographer seeks for their entire life. In His face alone can one see complete perfection. No earthling could ever capture it on canvas or film. To gaze on that face is to see humanity and deity, time and eternity, etched together in His every feature.

When He graced this earth with His presence His face was slapped, spit upon, and buffeted (punched). His face was so marred one could not recognize Him. Those who were the culprits had unbelieving hearts, like us before conversion, thereby making us just as guilty, after the fact.

But now, after He hath sought us and saved us,“HE IS ALTOGETHER LOVELY!” To be able to look upon that loving, compassionate, forgiving, kind, tender, and understanding face for all eternity, is inexpressible. Oh, for just one glimpse of that dear face will make it worth all life's trials!

“It  would be heaven to me just to look through a hole of heaven’s door to see Christ’s countenance.”

(Samuel Rutherford)

THEY'RE INSEPARABLE

 "...but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 

(1Cor. 10:13)

God doesn't take away the temptation, but rather provides a way to bear up under it. He doesn't take away the one when supplying the other. Joseph's temptress  remained after his escape. And the three Hebrew children were still in the fire although it did not have any effect upon them.

And so it is with such things as peace; turmoil still remains. Just as affliction continues once grace has entered into the picture. And the blahs linger on, even when joy has replaced them. And what warrior has not known the enemy to still fight long after you have won the victory? 

And why does God permit this? Simply because we would never know the one was legitimate if the other were absent. Generally it takes the negative to prove the positive. In such cases you do not deny the reality of the former, but its right to rule. 

Enjoying the blessings of the Christian life is found in one word, "appropriation" (the act of taking for one's own). And it's accomplished by faith! 

(rds)

IT ALL STARTED WITH WORDS

“In the beginning...God said…”

“In the beginning was the Word...”

(Gen. 1:1,3;Jn. 1:1)

As I started through my Bible again in my devotional time, it struck me that God created Adam with a built-in vocabulary. Adam knew all the different terms, those God used in their conversations. Although he had not seen or experienced many of them, evidently he was still familiar with their meanings, for example; eating and death. Up till that moment he had not partaken of the one or seen the other.

Most of us never stop to think how important and powerful words are. Job says, “How forcible are right words,” and Jesus tells us we will be justified or condemned by them, and must give account of them at judgment. The Good Book records death and life proceed from the tongue. The wise man in Proverbs covers the subject of our words in great detail. Thus, we should often read and heed his writings.

God only knows the countless wounds I have inflicted by my words in the lives of others. One of the great agonies of my soul is the realization that the unkind words I have spoken can never  be taken back. Most cutting (unscriptural) words only leave the recipient bleeding, without any ointment of encouragement being poured in, or lovingly bound up. We leave them wounded by the wayside to suffer alone!

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

(Prov. 16:24)

WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF US

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

(MI. 6:8)

“What do you expect from me?” is not a question foreign to most of us, nor is it with a host of God’s elect, especially among the novice and the untaught, when it comes to what God wants and expects of us. Studying the background of our opening text we find it was not abundant sacrifices, but something far above and beyond that God desired, as Samuel told Saul (1Sam. 15:22). Sacrifice can never replace obedience!

Micah tells God’s people the Lord had already shown them the things He looked for in their lives. The Old Testament was, and is, replete with them. To treat every person and situation justly (without partiality); to love mercy, displaying it cheerfully; and to walk with God humbly, with a bowed heart are what satisfies God's desire— not abundant sacrifices. To show Him seems to be the top priority! Not attempting to buy Him off.

Among Francis A. Schaeffer’s writings is one article entitled, “How Then Shall We Live.” Well, our main text tells us. Let’s put on hold for now “The Deeper Life,” “The Overcoming Life,” “The Victorious Life,”; along with their formulas, steps, and secrets, and instead focus in on our text. Without putting it into practice in everyday shoe leather, we are only “Showroom Mannequins."

"You can't be a good person without doing that which God calls good."

Mi. 6:8

(rds)

Where Faithfulness Begins

"Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram...And foundest his heart faithful before thee." 

(Neh. 9:7-8)

Faithfulness does not begin with an outward action, but an inward attitude of the heart. This is where all the issues of life begin. I have noticed in the last few years there has been more and more emphasis, both in sermon and song, on the faithfulness of God. And this is how it should be, but not to the exclusion of the saint's faithfulness. It is possible to call attention to the faithfulness of a good wife while allowing the unfaithful husband to get off scot free. One can come across as spiritual in testifying to God's faithfulness, while at the same time not emulating this Divine attribute.

The wise man tells us there has always been a problem in finding a faithful man. David showed his great concern in his day when he addressed the Lord by saying," Help Lord...for the faithful fail from among the sons of men." It is a shame, and most embarrassing for me to say this, but I know dogs more faithful to their masters than some professing Christians I know are to their Master!

When I pastored, I was frequently asked by some of my members why others in the assembly were blessed above themselves. Well, there are many reasons for this, but one of the greatest is found in the book of wisdom, "A faithful man shall abound with blessings." Paul tells us it is the first requirement for anyone who hopes to be a servant of the Lord. And Jesus says it's also the last requirement, it is to be so unto death. That is, faithful till you take your last breath. It is to this flock He will say at the last, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." 

Let us close with an encouraging word from the Lord to each of you who are found to be faithful, "Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me."

In Christ

The words “In Christ” are distinctively Pauline. The term is used just one other time apart from his writings, and that is in Peter’s first epistle, proving again the old adage, “The exception only proves the rule.” Remember Peter read Paul's writings (2 Peter 3:15-16).

The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian Christian’s that when they believed, the Holy Spirit baptized them into the mystical body of Christ. That is, they were immersed in Him, as in a burial. They were completely covered.

Stop for a moment and think of all the treasures you found when you were put into Christ. Eternal life, joy, peace, contentment, are not even a fraction of the things we discovered, when we were placed “In Christ.” But the surprise of all surprises was in finding one blessing that dwarfed all others, no matter how rich and wonderful they may be.

Not only do we find in scripture that we are “In Christ,” but that “God was in Christ.” Imagine, walking through the door of a plain looking Tabernacle made of skins, and finding the Shekinah Glory of God! O, just think of it; we walked through “The Door” and found God Almighty waiting to fellowship with the likes of us. Hallelujah!

Great News

Dear Readers,

My little book, "Spilt Milk" is now on Kindle. The link is: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N3WF62N. The cost is $3.00. It was my first book and is on encouragement; it is for those among us who paint ourselves into a corner, from time to time. As my wife used to say, "No one can get themselves into a mess like people can." It is a book you will want to refer to on many of life's difficult occasions as well as using its contents to help struggling friends.

Very soon my second book, "Breakfast With the King,” will follow in the same format. It is 365  brief devotional thoughts for the entire year. My wife Salle's two books will also be available as e-books soon. I'll keep you informed on these three.

I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to my oldest son, Andrew, an old-fashioned godly preacher, writer, and scholar. He is responsible for all of this coming about. He is very busy, yet takes time to help his father. He is founder and president of Center for Cultural Leadership(C.C.L.). His ministry is dedicated to the attempt of turning our culture around— that is, by getting God's elect to acknowledge and submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and then entering every legitimate walk of life influencing it to submit to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! His blog site is 

https://docsandlin.com

 if you are interested. 

An Old Disciple,

Brother Sandlin

OUTSIDE IN

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

(Rev. 3:20)

We all have heard or used the term “Inside out” at one time or the other. But from our text we might coin a new idiom: “Outside In.” The context of the above scripture is about Jesus standing outside a church of lukewarm saints seeking entrance. It has also been applied practically, and rightly I think, to His standing at one’s heart's door, desiring entry.

One thing we can all agree on in principle about our story is that our blessed Lord longs and waits to be invited into tepid lives. He is the only One who can ignite our hearts that it might once again burn within us. Ask the two disciples who traveled the Emmaus road. All other means we may use to accomplish this are only imitation fireplaces: “Strange Fire.”

Did you ever notice in the classic picture of Christ standing at the door, there is no door latch (knob). He cannot enter unless the door is opened from within! Jesus wants us to respond in allowing Him to enter into our lives. We have power to open to Him, says He; if not, we’d not be responsible! He would have no joy in breaking down the door. OH, DON'T DENY HIM ENTRANCE!

“[I]t is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled.”

(Sng. 5:2)

THE AFTERWARDS OF PRAYER

“Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

(Mk. 4:15)

Our text is from Jesus’ classic story of the “Seed and the Sower." It is found in three of the Gospels. Matthew and Luke’s account says, “Then cometh the wicked one”; “Then cometh the devil.” That is, after the Word is sown “then” (“immediately"), Satan removes the divine seed from their hearts, after it was received. There is an afterward in Satan’s ministry, and there should be in ours. His is to prevent, ours is to pray!

Many years ago after delivering God’s truth to an assembly, it came to my mind concerning the Word that I prayed before the fact, during the fact, but little or not at all after the fact, that is, concerning the seed sown. It was then I began praying for that which I had previously sown. I now pray regularly for any and all I have ministered the Word to, these sixty-plus years —whether it be preaching, witnessing, counseling, writings, etc.

One of the rewards of this type of praying is the testimonies that come one's way from time to time. For example, I had a saint tell me some time back, “I heard you preach over fifty-years ago; to this day I remember the message. I got right with the Lord and have endeavored to live for Him since.” I am sure those who add the above truth to their prayers will find in Heaven many awaiting them to give thanks, not only for ministering the seed to them, but watering it regularly through the years with their prayers.

TO EACH HIS OWN

“For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work.”

(Mk. 13:34)

The title of this article doesn’t refer to the popular cliche, but rather to the Holy Scripture cited; paraphrased we’d say, “To each his own work.” Not only is it important to be content with who you are, where you are, but also what you’re doing. Have we forgotten, “All ground is holy ground, when God is in it?” There are a good number of God’s servants dissatisfied with the vocation their Lord has called them to. Displeasure with what He has called one to do is questioning God’s wisdom.

I have found that if some had their way, they’d like to exchange their work for another’s, a work they covet. I like a statement I read recently by John Newton: “If two angels came down from heaven to execute a divine command, and one was appointed to conduct an empire, and the other to sweep a street in it, they would feel no inclination to exchange employments.” He went on to say, “If God called you to be a shoe-cleaner, you should be the best in the parish.”

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord.”

(Col. 3:23)

NOT LATER-NOW!

“And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go... assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us....”

(Acts 16:10)

Paul is only one case of a great host of men and women, along with many youth, that immediately put shoe leather to God’s commands. Once this stalwart saint was confident something was God’s will, he was on the move. The old warrior practiced what he preached; he walked in the steps of his spiritual father Abraham who, “By faith...when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Heb. 11:8). “Seeing is believing” is not true. Blind faith is always rewarded by clear sight.

My two great failings in my walk with God these many years have been: either I get ahead of Him; or else, I lag behind. When we’re confident something is His desire, we need to respond immediately, not procrastinate. Generally speaking, I find if one waits, he won’t respond! But beware of impulsive feelings that are the enemy of immediate obedience. The former has no sure support, the latter a firm foundation. Searching the scriptures, providential events, good council, thinking and praying it through, will bring a peace of mind and heart.  

The Lord usually tests our prompt obedience in small matters. If we have proven ourselves to be faithful in these, then we move up the latter, so to speak. The subject we are discussing is of no small matter. Adam and Eve didn’t take it seriously. They, like many of God’s elect today, didn’t put a high priority on obedience. The Holy Writ tells us explicitly, “TO OBEY IS BETTER!” As the saying goes, “It doesn’t get better than this.” Obedience is even better than sacrifice. You can do the latter without the former, but if you perform the former, the latter follows.

“Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

(Jer. 7:23)

UNDERDOGS CAN BE OVERCOMERS

“Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.”

(Gen.49:19)

Gad was a warlike tribe, 1 Chron. 12:8; Moses likens them to lions, Deut. 33:20; they were reckoned among the valiant men in scripture, 1 Chron. 5:18. But because of their geographical location on the east side of Jordan, they were the first to be subjected to the enemy’s assaults, which almost always came from that direction. You might say, “They were in the front lines.”

Jacob warns them of many skirmishes that they would face but not to be discouraged, for at the last they would be victorious. They would ultimately spoil their spoilers! No conquest of the elect, says he, would be final in the life of God’s people. It may seem futile at times and not worth the fight, but losing a battle doesn’t mean the war is lost; it's only a setback.

The Bible is filled with underdogs who became overcomers. Examples include: Job, Joseph, Peter, the two witnesses in Revelation, and especially our own dear Lord. Because Christ overcame (Jn. 16:33), He bequeathed to His followers the same spirit, (1Jn. 5:5). Thus we can say with Micah, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise.” (7:8)

“It can truly be said of every sold-out servant of God, ‘You can’t keep a good man down.’”

(rds)

OVERWEANED

“And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her...and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.”

(1 Sam. 1:24)

The word “overweaned”struck me as I was recently reading Oswald Chambers devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest.” Immediately my mind went to the story of Hannah weaning Samuel. Years ago I heard a female Bible teacher friend, Beka Horton, say in jest,  “Samuel was the longest weaned child in the Bible.” (He was most likely around five years old).

I think the above statement could be made of many of God’s children, without joke. Isaiah puts it better than I could, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” (Isa. 28:9) As one pastor put it, “I have to dumb down most of what I teach my people.”

Paul shamed the Hebrew Christians who were still on milk and not the meat of the Word, (Heb. 5:12-14). The apostle did the same with the childish Corinthian saints, (1 Cor. 3:1-2). Pablum (a brand of soft, bland cereal for infants) is fine for babes in Christ, but mature Christians want and need a good steak. You can tell a lot about a person by his or her appetite.

SAVED, SANCTIFIED, AND SATISFIED

“My soul shall be satisfied...and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.”

(Psa. 63:5)

The above cliche is used frequently among some saints, especially those of the camp-meeting movement. I have no doubt as to the first two words being credible in most of their lives, but I question the factuality of the third. It is apparent to a Spirit-filled believer, after only a brief conversation with such folks, that a satisfied soul is noticeably absent.

During the recent holidays I had, for a brief time, an old-fashioned pity party. Alone and on my knees in prayer I found myself saying, “Lord, you’re all I have.” Then, as the tears fell freely, I seemed to hear “a still small voice” saying, “I know, but am I all you want?” As the poem says, “Am I not enough mine own, enough mine own for thee?”

Paul wrote those discontented, ever-seeking Corinthian believers, Christ Jesus...is made unto us_______________”  I think it both scriptural and appropriate for us to fill in the blank. For all the legitimate needs in life that arise,  He can fill them!

F.B. Meyer writes about an incident that illustrates and confirms our point. While teaching an unruly class of Sunday School children, just when he thought he had come to the end of himself he said, “Be my patience, Lord.” At that instance, says he, an indescribable peace and calm came over him. Thereafter he records, whenever difficult situations arose he would quietly whisper: “Be my strength Lord”; or, “Be my purity Lord”; or, “Be my encouragement Lord”; etc.

Hudson Taylor referred to this as the, “Exchanged Life.” I like that, don’t you?

AWE-INSPIRING WORDS

“If any man...consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ...which is according to godliness...He is proud, knowing nothing…”

(1 Tim. 6:3-4)

As I have written on previous occasions, at times the commands and admonitions of the Bible become overwhelming to me, especially the words of our Lord. To consent to these wholesome words is one thing; to perform them is quite another. One can consent that they should and desire to conform their life to a particular truth, but because of some circumstance are unable to fulfill it to the letter.

Paul, who penned our main text, is a good example. When he had a heated discussion with his good friend Barnabas, there was no going the second mile; and when struck across the face there was no turning the cheek, but a little sarcasm, I think, in his answerable tone. Also, this giant man of faith admitted that he did not have the faith Jesus spoke of in removing mountains. He came up short on all the above.

Some, because of the above fact, feel like throwing in the towel saying, “What’s the use?” But I remind such that just because you don’t hit the bulls-eye is no reason to cease from shooting at your target. You will certainly get closer than if you didn’t shoot at all. As the old country preacher said, “He that shoots at nothing always hits what he’s shooting at.” But that’s an achievement no one ever sees!

“Confessing to God and asking others’ forgiveness when we fail to live up to our Christian responsibilities, is a good way to find inner peace.”
(rds)