Singing to the “King”

"And they sing…the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty…thou King of saints.

Some mistakenly think of Jesus as being King at some future date, but this is not what Paul taught. The apostle plainly tells us He is King now, “Now” unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” True, Christ may presently be a King in exile, but as David of old, a King in exile is no less a king. His servants still accept and submit to Him as such; only the rebels reject His Kingship. But Paul goes on to tell us that at His appearing, “He shall shew, [who is] the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.”

I find, invariably, those who have a problem with Christ’s Lordship, also have difficulty with the doctrine of His Kingship. And naturally so, for you can’t have one without the other. They’re Siamese twins, if you please; they can’t be separated. A king reigns and rules over his subjects and those who will not have it so during His exile, will be dealt with harshly, as Shimei, when David triumphantly returned to his throne. Such people, as John wrote, will be “ashamed before him at his appearing.” Therefore, it is a wise man or woman that accepts Him as their King here and now. Notice I did not say, “Make Him King.” He is already that, whether you acknowledge it or not.

And so, on this Lord’s Day, let us lift our voices with the saints in glory unto Him that they affectionately refer to as “Thou King of saints.” Or as the Psalmist put it in his fourfold admonition, “Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises”.

Cosmetic Christianity

I think sometimes that only Christians can out-do Jezebel when it comes to cosmetics! We take the external paint of religion and apply thick coats to our lives, hoping others will not see our run down condition. But no matter how expertly you paint over dry rot, it is still there, and it only gets worse with time. This sad condition is bad enough when you see it in God’s people, but how much worse when preachers leave their calling and become professional cosmetologists.

Jesus sand-blasted superficial spirituality that was no deeper than the outward coat (Matt.23). Contrary to what many think today, when it comes to God, you can’t make it on looks alone! Form without substance is an empty vessel. And people who have nothing in their bucket are of no use to anyone. Thirsty souls care little, and are not impressed with dry buckets, no matter how the outside is decorated. W.W.J.D. bracelets, the wearing of crosses, fish decals on bumper stickers, etc.

When it comes to spiritual cosmetics, we ought to heed Paul’s words when he wrote, “For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool…but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be…” The ladies used to have what they called a “vanity table” in their bedrooms. For the most part, I believe they are outdated now. But I am fearful; many of us Christians are still using them.

The First Ways of David

“And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David.” The Chronicler seems to be admitting that the latter ways of David were less than exemplary. It can be said of many a good man and woman that their first ways were their best ways, their first love was their best love, and that their first works were their best works. It ought not to be that way, but sad to say, the lives of scores of Christians bear testimony to this frightening truth. It should be, “The best is yet to come.” But I’m sorry to say, numerous saints, referring to the rest of the time they have here on earth admit, “The best has already past.”

The wise man said, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning.” Jesus taught this principle when turning the water into wine. The ruler of the feast said of Him, “Thou hast kept the good wine (cheer) until now.” That is, He kept the best to last. In life, it’s the latter things that seem to be held in remembrance. The last scene of a movie, the end of a book, the last five minutes of a ball game, the conclusion of a sermon, and yes, the end of one’s life on earth. Demas started right but ended wrong; on the other hand, John Mark started out wrong, but ended right. It is generally accepted that outlook has a lot to do with outcome. Therefore, the way one looks at things could determine the way he or she end his or her life.

“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”

Cheering Up Your Companion

"When a man hath taken a...wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business...but he shall be free at home...and cheer up his wife...." A man's first responsibility, says the Lord, is not to his battles or business, but to his beloved.

A good wife is not as concerned with wars and Wall Street as she is with her one and only love. Children come and go, and while they bring joy to her, it's transitory, at best. For, when they fly from the nest, it will be to take their cheer to their mates. But her man will be around long after they leave.

A good cheering up from a husband keeps a wife from giving up.

The Blessings of the Impossible.

I wonder if most of us who are in impossible situations really grasp the great blessings to be found in such dire predicaments. I see two basic, wonderful truths in said quandaries. First, I no longer have to question myself as to what I should, or shouldn’t, do in such cases. For it is out of my hands altogether. And secondly, in these times of the humanly unattainable, God has opportunity to show Himself strong on our behalf, thereby receiving all the praise and Glory due Him!

For in such hopeless circumstances, when all human effort is voided, it is then we can cry out, as David, “It is time for thee, Lord, to work.” Once we move out of the realm of the humanly possible, it is then we can see what the God of the impossible can do. That is, we will then realize all the possibilities of the impossible. But, to see such things, you will need be placed in front of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh and his armies behind you, the mountains and desert on either side of you, and the impassable facing you.

If you want to live your life in the realm of possibilities, fine. But, mark you; you’ll never experience the blessings of the impossible!

Excess Baggage

“Cast out this bondwoman…And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight…And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight…because of thy bondwoman… ”

This was not an easy thing for Abraham to do. It is never easy to “cast out” those things we have become attached to, but which are not in God’s plan for our lives. No matter how affectionate we may have become toward them.

Abraham’s life was a series of “casting out” those things he loved and held dear, but which would have kept him back from God’s best. First, there was his father, then his nephew Lot. This was followed by Hagar and Ishmael. Then was that awful climax, his darling son, Isaac.

As we travel through life, we too are apt to pick-up, as it were, excess baggage. And like Abraham of old, we also have times when we “go down into Egypt.” We may think that extra luggage is a luxury, that is, till we realize we’ll have to “lug” it around everywhere we go. It is then we see it is not something helping us on to God on our pilgrim journey, but rather, is slowing us down.

I’m sure there are many beautiful and expensive pieces of luggage, on overloaded planes that crash.

The Significance of the Insignificant

You may not be able to do big things in a big way, but you can do little things in a great way. My first pastorate was a small one (114 people), but we did everything in a big way. One lady commented, “This is the biggest, littlest church, I’ve ever seen.” As a result of being faithful with a few, God gave us 1000 members in ten years.

Francis A. Schaeffer has a book entitled, No Little People. I’ve often said, “If you’re God’s, there are no little squirts, only big shots.” A little stone can fell a giant, if it is consecrated to God. And a small mustard seed faith can accomplish the unthinkable. As the song says, “Little is much when God is in it.”

Someday in eternity we will find out, to the surprise of many, just how significant the insignificant actually were. God is going to put a name to all those saints who went unrecognized and nameless in this present world. For example, the name of the “little maid” who helped Naaman on to God, all will know, and address her as such.

“And the Lord said…thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.” How precious a thought, He knows, and calls me by name.

Within Our Reach

“[H]e be not far from every one of us.” Unlike the heathen gods, our God is Omni-present. True, He’s somewhere (on His throne), but, just as true, He is everywhere (in His universe). He is not a distant Deity, but a present Help. Ask the three Hebrew children about the Fourth Man in the fire.

Unlike the Old Testament high priest within the veil, ours can be touched. The woman with the issue of blood can vouch for this. Our God is never further away than faith’s reach. Faith can bring God to us, or it can take us to Him. What difference does it make as long a He is with us?

Emmanuel—God with us. He is not standing in some elevated pulpit or sitting behind a large mahogany desk; nor is He hid away behind some door marked “Private.” But rather, “He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.”

Are you an “Emmaus” Christian, walking with the Risen Christ and yet sad?

Tired of Being Pushed Around

I’ve known a few bullies in my day. There’s one characteristic they all have: they like to push people around. Because of them, many cower in a corner, spending a lifetime being intimidated by them. Fear strikes the heart of their victims each time they see the bully coming. Oh that we would realize the bully stops pushing, once we push back. If the bully knows he’s in for a fight every time he messes with you, he’ll pass on to easier prey.

God has given us a whole set of armor that we are to battle our “bully from hell” with. There are seven pieces; six are defensive and only one is for offence. How we commend ourselves and those among us, who are beaten by the bully, Beelzebub, and who never give in. But it never crosses the mind of most of us that we are to push back. I do not have to take all the blows from this bully. We are equipped to throw some mighty blows ourselves. Our Lord did, thrice He threw a threefold punch, "It is written." Thereby knocking His opponent out of the ring!

I want to be like the little bull dog that all the big dogs walked around. They knew they could beat him, but it wasn’t worth the fight! He always left them hurting, and they never came out of it without scars of their own.

“He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day.” (2 Sam. 23:10)

Immediately

“And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him." There was no time lapse between Peter’s call to Christ for help when sinking, and Jesus saving him. And there is no interval between the time when we ask Him to forgive us for sins committed, and Him doing it.

How little we know of our dear Lord’s love, mercy, and grace. Is this not because we have envisioned Him to be, altogether such a one as ourselves? How prone we are to wallow in our self-righteous pity, sometimes for hours, even days, and with some, years. We like to think “whipping” ourselves over an extended period of time will earn us some kind of justification before God. What a slap in the face to His blessed atonement. Meritorious acts on our part after sinning, in order to win God’s favor, only voids His mercy!

Joseph’s brothers had sinned against him in a despicable way, but they had asked his forgiveness. This he instantly did, graciously granting their request. At a latter time however, they once again asked his forgiveness, in reference to the same incident. Upon hearing this we are told, “And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.” How it must grieve our precious Saviour’s heart when we emulate this type of unbelief in His Word of promise to us.

Beneath the bloody robes of self-affliction for ones sins, is a person whose tyrannical God is of their own making.

Reciting Our Creed

I believe in the sincerity of the saints. That is, we should be without pretense. Our imperfections are no excuse for not doing right, nor are they from displaying genuine sincerity toward God and others.

Joshua and Paul exhort us to have both sincerity and truth. A person can possess one without the other. But, like our legs, you need both if you are to walk straight. A saint should not be a spiritual amputee in such cases.

Unless we can say, in truth, at the end of each prayer to God, “Sincerely yours,” it goes without question we are insincere when we put it at the end of our correspondence with others.

It Won’t Go Away

“He fell on his face, and prayed…again the second time He prayed…and [He] prayed a third time, saying the same words.”
Of the eight commentaries on my bookshelf, none comment on a small portion of a line found in the context of the above quoted scriptures. The phrase is, “This cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it.” No matter how many times you pray about it, it is not going away. It will always be before you, the only thing that will remove it is you drinking it.

Unless we partake of the portion the Lord sets before us, though it is ever so distasteful, then we, as David of old, will give testimony that it is, “ever before me.” It will always be there to haunt us that we chose our will over His. This cup only appears once in a lifetime: Abraham’s crisis was the offering up of Isaac, David’s, when facing his giant and Paul’s was in his accepting his, “Thorn in the flesh.”

Therefore it is of the upmost importance that we, as our Lord told His disciples, “Drink ye all of it.” And praise be unto God, once we have raised this dreaded cup to our lips and consumed its contents, He has promised, “Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, [even] the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again.” Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Jesus will never have to taste of that cup again. And neither will we, once we have drunk of ours!

"O Happy Day!” ''Tis done: the great transaction's done! I am the Lord's and He is mine."

A Word to Pastors

“In the mouth of two… witnesses every word [shall] be established.” If a bird is to ever get off the ground and soar into the heavenlies, it must have two wings. God has chosen two witnesses to establish his word (Rev.11). This is also seen by the fact that our Lord sent His disciples out, “two by two.”

Joseph told Pharaoh the dream was shown him twice so that he would know it was of God. When God called and said, “Abraham, Abraham,” “Jacob, Jacob,” etc., it was not because they were hard-of-hearing. In any and all situations, a Christian is wise to listen for the second voice. Don’t be fooled by the first knock; Christ always knocks twice.

Because of this, it is important for pastors to have a second voice in their pulpits. I’m afraid, by “hugging” their pulpits, many a pastor is hurting both his people and himself. A second voice is needed to compliment a man’s ministry (not the pastor, but his ministry). Far too many pastors today have an “Elijah” complex, mistakenly thinking they’re the only one.

Pastor, have good men in to fill your pulpit from time to time. Not necessarily “big” names, or your staff, but men who have the anointing oil upon their foreheads. It is not only good for your people, but it’s important for you to be fed from time to time. Plus, you need the rest also. Do not fear quality men will belittle you before your people, believe me, they will love you even more for it. And don’t forget to give a generous love gift, they are worthy of their hire.

The wise man tells us, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”

Then and Now

The poet penned, “For of all sad words of tongue or pen the saddest are these: “It might have been.” We who are plagued by our past can only overcome these four woeful words, “What might have been,” by substituting, “What can be.” God, as well as people, is not as concerned with what was, as they are with what is. It’s not what you were in the past, but what you are right now that counts.

I have a little saying, “Start from where you’re at.” Begin right now, start over this very minute. But, you say, “What if I fail again?” Then start fresh the second you fall. Keep getting up; sooner or later you’ll be walking. The Chinese proverb says, “A thousand mile journey was started with one step.”

It is important not to major on what you could have been, but what you can be!

Simulated Soul Winning

The term “Soul Winning” was regularly used by old-timers such as Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and R.A. Torrey, along with contemporaries like Billy Graham. This, in spite of the fact the phrase is found only once in all the Word of God. We must be careful to not build a doctrinal system on one isolated text (example 2Tim.2:15), rather than a multiple set of proof-texts that give it credence.

Mind you, I am not against the expression, if its true meaning is adhered to. In the Old Testament, “soul” was used to denote the whole man; his body, soul and spirit. It is winning over man in his entirety, not just the spiritual part. Many so-called “soul winners” boast of the notches on their Bibles representing saved souls, but, who embarrassingly avoid telling you of all the lost lives they have left strewn behind them.

Personally, I have come to embrace the word “witness,” over that of soul winner. My reason for this is the fact that the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, uses it repeatedly. Witnessing/soul winning is not something we attempt to do one night a week for a couple of hours. It is not a program, it’s a life. Because of this, I have serious problems with “Visitation Programs.” The early Church went everywhere, everyday, to everyone. Some would sow while others reaped their efforts, but they were all one, and received the same reward. By the way, they were not out to build some kind of empire or reputation for themselves, but did it for the glory of God!

A soul-winner is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.

Thine is the Victory

"Thine O Lord is the...victory." Victory, like salvation, is not something to be earned, but something that is given. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Notice, you could interchange "eternal life" and "victory" in each verse without changing its truth or meaning. Victory, then, like salvation, is a present possession. But, just as one can be saved and not enjoy the benefits, so it is with victory.

A believer is given the victory as well as eternal life at his conversion, by receiving the mighty Victor as his Savior. But we must appropriate this given victory. We have to cash in on it, so to speak, to reap its benefits. The old timers expressed this blessed truth when they would say, "When you fall, shout the victory." There is never a time in the Christian's life that he or she does not have the victory, though they may at times not enjoy it because of not applying it by faith.

In the Olympics, one wins the victory, but his countrymen are the recipients. So it is with Christ and His elect.

Unmasking Fear

Most people are familiar with the saying, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself,” but how few, I believe, realize this statement, like many others, originated in the Bible. The wise man wrote, “Be not afraid of sudden fear.” How fearful some of us are when confronted with fear itself. Yet, the Scripture tells us we are not to fear when facing our fears.

Nothing so paralyzes as fear. It makes one stand still in his or her tracks—frozen. Or else, it drives us to such despair, we run to our closets of passivity. As a result, we never venture out of our secure places to attempt anything. The devil has a thousand false faces, and most of these are designed to frighten and alarm.

Though we shouldn’t, it is not uncommon for God’s people to fear. Sheep, as you undoubtedly know, are a fearful flock (Lk.12:32,a). It says of His disciples, “…as they followed, they were afraid.” The only remedy this side of Heaven for fear is faith. “Be not afraid,” says our Lord, “Only believe.” This is the sure cure-all for fear.

I do not want engraved on my tombstone,“through fear [was] all [his] lifetime subject to bondage.”

Books and a Bible

The following is a recent e-mail I received from a friend. It is not the only one of its kind that I have gotten over time.

Richard,

I just wanted to tell you how much I'm enjoying the book "Spiritual Depression" by Lloyd Jones. The man certainly rings my bell and keeps me engaged with his thought process as well as his insight to the complexities of this life. It seems so simple as he gives explanation to our weakness and struggles and then how to correct it.

I would appreciate very much, and possibly others as well if you would compile a suggested reading list. I truly love books that make me think and then seek God about a particular frailty or fault that I might have, and I especially love books that get me thinking deeper about my Lord.

May the Lord bless you and Salle for this incredible gift that the two of you have so willing given to others. Christians actually thinking ... and challenging others to do the same, what a novel idea in an age when sensitivity to everything has taken on such a new meaning to the younger generations.

Your friend,

The books I read are mostly practical in nature, even the doctrinal ones. They’re books that help me through my pilgrim journey, hence, others benefit from my writings and council. The intent of my articles has never been to persuade one to adhere to my views, but to get them to think for themselves; “Outside the box,” if you please. But, if one is under a totalitarian ministry or blindly follows a self-appointed Guru, I cannot be of any help.

The following is a brief list of books that blessed my life in one way or the other.

1. Spiritual Depression (Its causes and cure. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I read this on a regular basis.

2. Letters of John Newton. The heart surgeon.

3. Sin and Temptation. John Owen. The man who knows you. Packer’s intro. is worth the book.

4. Pursuit of God. A. W. Tozer. Written while on his knees.

5. Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis. My constant companion.

6. The Life of Christ and also The Life of Paul. James Stalker. Classic! Outstanding!

7. The New Sovereignty. Reginald Wallis. On Lordship.

8. Farewell Sermons. A selection of sermons given in 1662 by non-conformist Puritan pastor’s to their flocks before being put out to scorched pastures. Their number was over 2000. Heart-breaking to read.

9. The Liberty of Obedience. Elisabeth Elliot. Will make you re-think your strict personal standards.

10. Born for Battle. R. Arthur Mathews. Will revolutionize your prayer life.

11. George Mac Donald. C.S. Lewis. Short sayings, but sweet and wise thoughts.

12. Wounded Heroes. Elizabeth R. Skoglund. Brings out the human part of being a Christian. It’s great.

13. Concise Theology. J.I. Packer. Shot and simple. For lay people and any pastor who likes the “cookies on the bottom shelf.”

14. The Blessed Hope. George Eldon Ladd. The “Historic Pre-Millennial view, one people, one coming. This view was held by the early Church fathers. Not to be confused with the modern-day dispensational teaching.

15. The Pilgrim Church. Broadbent, a Brethren layman. A great Church history book. Easy to understand and grasp.

16. Set of 17 small books on N.T. By Charles R. Erdman. Also, The Disciplined Life. He is one of my all-time favorites writers.

17. No Little People and Letters of Francis A. Schaeffer. His letters are for contemporary Christianity.

18. Enjoying Your Best Years. J. Oswald Sanders. For the elderly, but youth should read to understand where you’ll be soon and how to prepare.

19. The Practice the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence. An all-time Classic.

20. Christian Hymns. Banner of Truth. Welsh songs that have real depth. Great with your morning devotions.

21. Things I Have Learned. Bob Jones Sr. Old fashion character.

22. “Allan” Bibles. The very best you can get. Expensive, but old time stitched pages, plus Highland Goatskin leather cover. Will last a life-time. Bring up site on-line.

Some of the above are out of print, but can be found on-line or in a good bookstore.

Blessings

The Meaning of "Deny Thyself"

“And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself... Peter then denied again…” Since the Bible interprets itself, we need not go to any other source. Peter did not deny the existence or presence of Christ, but having any relationship or camaraderie with Him. One can acknowledge the reality of Christ, yet deny Him any recognition or rights to his or her life.

And so it is with self-denial. When Jesus spoke of denying self, He was speaking of refusing the old Adamic nature that we were born with, any and all privileges in one’s life. His opinions, feelings, understanding, reasoning, morals, and wisdom, along with all his other ego-centric assertions, are to be denied him. HE HAS NO RIGHTS!

After these many years of living with the other “Me,” I find the best way to deal with his persuasive pleadings and logical arguments is to simply say, “NO!” then to ask God for His strength and help to keep on saying it.

Things You Didn’t Ask God For

“Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou…of the rest.” The widow was concerned only for the moment, how she could keep the creditors from taking her sons to be bondmen to pay off her indebtedness. She, no doubt, never imagined there would be an addendum to her immediate need being provided. And neither do many of us.

I don’t think most in this life will ever fully grasp the promise, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” God has a marvelous and blessed way of replacing our periods with a comma, and continuing our sentences. When David lost everything at Ziglag he asks the Lord, “Shall I pursue…shall I overtake?” Two questions. God answers him, then adds, “…for thou shalt surely…without fail recover all.” Too good to be true, David? Yes! Nevertheless, true.

If, at times, He answers before we call; He can certainly add to our requests after we call. (R.D.S.)

Life Stories

How would you like for your life to be recorded like many of the saints were in the Bible? Oh, I don’t mean the cosmetic part, but that underlying layer with all its hideous blemishes of character. That part we daily add extra make-up to lest any see us for what we really are. I, for one, am so thankful for God’s mercy in not writing of me and placing the biography in the bookstores for all to read.

Yet, it has pleased the Lord to record the lives of some of His children (Moses, David, Peter, Samson, etc.) as an example and warning, so that we might see the consequences of going our own ways. God did not intend these tell-all biographies to be punitive to these individuals, but to be informative to us. It’s the same principle found in Romans eleven. Their fall is our riches. I’m sure they were sorry for their sins, yet had joy in the fact that it kept back some others from emulating them. Thus, they were “…as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.”

Anyone can play the fool once without being a fool. But when fooled twice at the same point, it is then that we truly become fools. As the saying goes, “There’s no fool like an old fool.” I certainly do not want to be a “vintage fool.”

The Chicken or the Egg

To settle the proverbial argument of which came first, the chicken or the egg, would be of no real consequence to anyone. But settling the Divine order of God’s Love and Truth—well, that is an entirely different story. In this case, the effect upon one’s life can be disastrous and far reaching if they’re arranged improperly.

In this sensual age in which we live, where the emphasis is on emotion, even Christians have come to believe love comes first. But they say this because everything in their life is judged by feeling. Therefore, they are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. They are as changeable as the weather. This type can experience all four yearly seasons within a twenty four hour period.

When God gives order to things it does not always mean that the first is most important, and those following are of lesser value, for example the Trinity. Truth comes before love. If not, you have no authority to assess if it is truly a God-like love. I find Christians who emphasize love before truth generally are trying to justify an ungodly life-style.

Biblical love is not born from one’s feelings, but originates in the will. We are told to love our enemies, and this certainly does not stem from our emotions. Love is an act of the will that manifests itself through our affections.

We’re told love rejoices in truth, and Jesus tells us the Word of God is truth. If one does not love and live by His book, it is because they have the wrong kind of love! If you don’t think the Bible is important, you might want to give ear to darling David. “For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

You can put the cart before the ox, but you’ll go nowhere but backward. (R.D.S.)

Temptation

“[Christ] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” We’re told in another place, these “points” consist of three: “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” This trio, we are further told, is “common to all men.” They may not be the same in kind, but can be in degree. The converted immoralist does not have any more fire in his bosom to sin than the moralist with his inferno within.

C. S. Lewis writes, “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is…A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it; and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means--the only complete realist.”

When the “temptee” says, “You don’t know what it’s like,” you can bet they’re ready to yield.” (RDS)

School Days

I was a teenager in the late 40’s and early 50’s. One of the fads of that day was to wear metal taps on the heel and toe of your shoes. The object supposedly was to keep them from wear; that is, from running over. But I must admit in most cases it was pride that was running over! When walking (strutting) down the marble-like floors in the hallway of the school you would have thought Fred Astaire had arrived!

It’s possible to do something under the guise of one reason, while all the time having an ulterior motive. Personal agendas hide behind many a pseudo respectable life. It may have seemed like a modest request when James and John asked to sit on either side of Jesus in His kingdom. But who would have been the first to be seen by onlookers after gazing upon our Lord? The worst type of pride is the kind that keeps one from admitting their proud.

George MacDonald writes, “It must be remembered that a little conceit is no more to be endured than a great one, but must be swept utterly away.” It might be a wise thing for all of us to go to our broom closets right now?

God Knows How To Get Our Attention

“Therefore Absalom sent for Joab... but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field… go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom…and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither.”

The text is self-explanatory, but I’m fearful that many pass over its practical application. That being, if we will not come willingly to God’s twice invite, He knows how to get our attention, so that we will come the third time, although the invitation card may be a little charred around the edges.

You can come willingly or unwillingly, but you will come, if that’s His pleasure. True, you may go away the way you came, but you will show up, sooner or later; even if He must drag you all the way. Paul put it like this, “If I do this thing willingly…but if against my will.” Notice, one way or the other, it would be done by him.

The important question for us to ask ourselves is, “Can I smell smoke? Is my field on fire? If so, as my Kentucky Granny used to say, “You’d better get a leg on.” If you don’t move soon, there will be nothing but ashes left. Salvage what you can now, before all goes up in smoke.

The King’s Key

“He that hath the key...he openeth...” How frustrating to be locked in a room; and how exciting to hear a key turn and the door open! Jesus has the master key; in fact, He is the Master Key. He can open any and all situations that have locked us in, and that keep us from being or doing what He has planned for us. We are told that He can open hearts (Lydia); understanding (the Ephesians); eyes (Bartimaeus); the Scriptures (the Emmaus believers); and Heaven itself (John the Beloved). There is absolutely nothing closed to Him that He cannot open.

He has keys on His side (availability); He can open at random. He carries a key on His shoulders (strength); it’s His burden to see things open up, not ours. The Philadelphian believers were not strong, but they were faithful.

Some of us feel chained to something, and that iron bars are keeping us in an undesirable situation. Take heart, imprisoned saint; after prayer was made, it says of Peter in prison, “...his chains fell off...” and “...the iron gate opened to them of his own accord.” “It is no secret what God can do; what He’s done for others, He’ll do for you.”

When God opened the prison doors for Peter, Peter was resting,not restless. (RDS)

The Blame Game

It all started with man’s Fall in the Garden of Eden. Adam blamed God for giving him the woman who had given him the fruit; and Eve passed the blame on to the devil for beguiling her. But no soul has ever been freed from the pig pen of self-justification until he or she, in sincerity, cries out from his or her heart, “It’s not my brother or my sister, but me, O Lord…” Passing the buck, so to speak, will always leave one a pauper in character. The scriptural term, I believe, is “weighed and found wanting.”

Many spend their lives trying to convince themselves and those around them that it is someone else’s fault they are the way they are. But intelligent people are not taken in by such shamitry. For they see clearly standing before them an individual who is desperately trying to vindicate his or her life-style of miserable existence. For they know for them to point the finger at themselves would mean swimming up-stream, against the current. And with this sort of creature, the effort is not worth it.

Breaking or throwing out all the mirrors in our lives doesn’t solve anything. Only by taking a good, long, and honest look at ourselves in the mirror of God’s Word will we be truly changed for the better (11Cor.3:18).

There is no fortune in blaming others for our miss-fortune.

When Time Stood Still

I both like and use little quips. But you must be careful you do not equate them with the scriptures. Many have Bible principles, but many of them do not. One proverbial saying we use falls into this latter category: “Time stands still for no one.” You would have had a difficult time convincing Joshua of this.

“Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day… Sun, stand thou still…and the sun stood still… So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man.”

Someone may ask, “How do you explain such a thing?” My answer is, “You can’t explain a miracle, else it would not be a miracle.” It is not important to know the “how” of the miraculous, but to believe in the “fact” of it. The God who will one day say, “Time shall be no more,” has no difficulty in stopping the clock for one of His elect.

The practical teaching of this story is that God will give the necessary time to his child to finish the job He has entrusted him or her with, even if it takes a miracle to accomplish it. When things get to moving too fast for you, He will bring things to a stand still. No sooner did Joshua ask, than it was done. And so it is with those fulfilling His Will.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones was stricken with cancer toward the end of his ministry. He called his family together and asked them to pray God would stay His hand till he was finished with a couple of manuscripts for books. God did just that. Then the dear man of God requested his loved ones to cease their intercession on his behalf.

God says through Isaiah, “Concerning the work of My Hands command ye me.” And Joshua did just that.

A Child with a New Toy

As a young Christian, some fifty-two years ago, I had the wonderful privilege of listening to that golden voiced tenor, Jack Holcomb. I sat spell-bound each night of that two week revival. I heard him sing such heart-warming old hymns as,” Tell Mother I’ll be there” and “Its Real.” But the one that captured my heart, and has held me a willing hostage these many years since, was a song entitled, “I Found the Answer; I Learned to Pray.”

When a saint truly discovers prayer, as a delight and not just a duty it will be the dawn of a new day in his or her life. He or she will be like a little child with a new toy, all excited, and taken up with their newfound happiness. A little tyke does not concern himself trying to figure out the creator’s part in the manufacturing of the toy he enjoys, but simply takes advantage of the benefit that has been so graciously afforded him.

And so it is with this marvelous thing called prayer, it is better experienced than explained. Or as the old camp meeting preacher said concerning attempting to describe salvation, “It’s better felt than telt.” In the Holy Scriptures we find God has a part, and He has given to man a part. We are only responsible for ours. God is more than qualified to fulfill His part. As my dear Mother used to say, “Don’t you worry your pretty little head over it.” Mark it down, prayer will never be a blessing in your life until you cease from your own wisdom and understanding of it. O, child of God, just pray, and leave all the rest to Him!

“The Lord Jesus is still praying,” wrote S.D. Gordon. “Thirty years of living,; thirty years of serving; one tremendous act of dying; two thousand years of prayer. What an emphasis on prayer.”

The Unappreciated Gift

God gave Aaron and the priesthood to Israel as a gift from Himself. But then we are told He gave the Levites to the priesthood for a gift to them. The latter was given so they might help in menial tasks those that were ministering to the Lord. Though the Levites may be seen by some as having a lesser important job, nevertheless they were held in high esteem in God’s sight.

God has given to each of us someone who keeps us going, who keeps us on the firing line, so to speak. Someone who may be in the shadows, and who is little or never noticed, for the important tasks they perform for us. Moses had Joshua; Paul had Timothy; Aquila had Priscilla; Esther had Mordecai; etc. Have you thanked God for that person, or persons, that God brought into your life that has been such a help and blessing to you? Remember, they are a gift from the Lord to you, “And I, behold, I have taken your brethren… from among… you… [they are] given [as] a gift for the LORD, to do the service… (Num.18:6).

The Youthful Yoke

“It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” The aged patriarch had experienced tough times in his younger years, and knew the benefits it could bring in later life. If one would only submit to the suffering of their times, and silently endure, the fruit would be patience and great calm in latter years.

It says of our Lord, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” Is it any wonder the people of His day thought He may have been Jeremiah? Both men knew suffering and deep deprivation in their young lives. Taking the easy way, and the one of least resistance, makes for soft sons.

Parents need to learn not to overly protect their children during troubled times. For it is not easy to bend a neck stiffened with age or a heart hardened by custom. Such people are like “…a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke.” Truly great people have the marks of the yoke upon their necks that they bore in their youth.

You can make life easy for your children; but it will be harder for them when they’re old. (RDS)

The Mountain-Mover

Job, referring to God, says, “Which removeth the mountains.” God is “Mountain-mover.” In fact, when He finishes He does not just make the mountain into a molehill, He leaves no hill at all. When God removes our mountains, He levels everything before us, leaving not even the smallest obstacle in our path.

Listen to the Lord as He speaks to the mountain standing in the way of His surrendered servant: “Who art thou O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.” What a Divine Excavator!

Many of us, who are facing a mountain of difficulty today, need to put our infallible God between us and our unscalable mountain. God tells Ezekiel, “At my presence...the mountain shall be thrown down…”

For the mountains shall depart…but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

When the World is Falling to Pieces

“…and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity…Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.”

The above scripture, found in Luke chapter twenty one, is generally considered to be part of our Lord’s Olivet Discourse. Matthew and Mark’s accounts have a more Jewish flavor. Luke seems to be addressing Gentiles, thus omitting the strong Jewish element. Some believe Luke’s description is the fulfillment of the siege of Jerusalem in A.D.70 by the Romans. There are elements that could be applied, but the context overwhelmingly lends itself to the future coming of our Lord back to earth.

Most of the the crisis events listed in this prophetic chapter, (political, social, and religious) have always been characteristic, (geographically) in every age to some extent, but not world-wide in their scope. Their increase and intensity will be greater than ever seen, as His coming draws near. For example, there have always been earthquakes, but not in “divers places,” (simultaneous) as our Lord predicted. I recently found on-line three- hundred and fifty-nine in the past seven days world-wide.

Some day will be the last days of this old world. Jesus said we’ll know them by a universal distress among the Nations. Earth’s population will tremble, their hearts terrified with fear, with the coming events that will cast their shadow upon all of mankind. These calamities will be more than humanity can handle or endure. When this world begins to unravel at the seams, humanity will be, as Matthew Henry puts it, “dispirited and unsouled.”

Many believe Christians will be delivered from all these atrocities, others that we will go through them. The question for both sides is, “Are you ready? As to the former, are you ready to suffer for His Name sake? To the latter I would inquire, “Are you ready to stand before God and give account of your life? “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best” The latter can easily be fit in to our schedule. It’s the wise person that prepares for the former. Just in case.

*Our Almighty God

Just before his hundredth birthday God reveals Himself to Abraham as “Almighty God”. This is the first time in scripture the Lord makes Himself known by this name. An old puritan said, “One Almighty is more than all mighties.”

It is important for those who are in impossible situations, as the old patriarch was, to know God by this name. The name refers to potency, and this potency is combined with promise; thus, it becomes the ground of faith.

So we see it was because of this Divine title that the old man believed the Omnipotent One was able to perform all He had promised. He found that at the end of self was the beginning of God. When we come to this point in our lives, we also will see the Almighty performing mighty things on our behalf!

God demands the impossible of us all. But as Samuel Chadwick said, “With God, all that a man ought to be, he can be; all that he ought to do, he can do.” I like the way Augustine put it, “Give what Thou commandest, the command what Thou wilt.”

Don’t Mistake the Apostate

An apostate is one who has “known the truth, embraced the truth, and, afterward, rejects the truth.” I believe this is what the book of Hebrews is all about with its multiple warnings. If you believe, as I do, that the above definition is correct, then you can see how the word is attached to many individuals, churches, and groups unfairly.
For example, contrary to various Bible scholars, teachers, and reference materials, etc, the Laodicean church was not apostate. A random reading of the text by an uninfluenced novice of the Word proves this out. These were Christians who were loved and chastened by the Lord, but not forsaken.

There is a teaching that is growing in popularity among many, that God is through with the Church—that the Church Age has ended. No, God is not through with His Church; but He is outside of it. In Revelation three we find He has been locked out of His own house. For we’re told the door He’s pleading to enter has to be opened from the inside.

By observing the deadness in many Fundamental and Evangelical churches today, I can understand how one could be persuaded that God is through with the Church. Jesus tells us, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Though He has not left dead, lifeless churches, still He is noticeably absent. Nothing ever remained dead when Jesus was present.

If you want to see a resurrection, you must first roll away the stone.

Bloated Convictions

A simple definition of the word conviction, in its non-legal setting, would be, “a fixed or firmly held belief.” As I have advanced in age and grown in the Lord, I find I have fewer convictions. That is, things I would die for. For if you’re not willing to give the ultimate for what you say you believe in, I doubt seriously it is a conviction. I think it might be listed under preference. To die for the precious Blood of Christ is one thing, to give my life for my preferences on personal separation, is another.
It is not difficult to proudly spout off an unending list of one’s convictions in the cool of the day. But when you stand before the open door of the furnace, the heat seven times hotter than it is “wont to be,” then it’s another story. I’m sure, at that time, the perspiration falling from our brow on to our cherished list, will cause the number of items to fade significantly.

Make sure your convictions do not keep you from obeying God. I’m sure Isaiah’s convictions did not agree with him walking around for three years without his clothes on. And what of Hosea being told to marry a harlot? Don’t you think he might have had some firm beliefs against such a thing? So, too, with Abraham, would he not flinch when asked to offer up his only son, like the heathen around him, who practiced such rites?

Most certainly, these were exceptions to the rule. But it surely shows that God may call upon us to lay aside our personal convictions temporarily, to fulfill His plan. When Samson was set on marrying a woman from among the Philistines, his parents, orthodox Jews, had strong convictions against it. Yet we are told in Jud.14:4, “But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines.”

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? A legalist could never have done this!

*A Christian in Name Only

Charles Spurgeon said, “To wash and dress a corpse is a far different thing from making it alive: man can do the one, God alone can do the other.”

The old Negro spiritual says, “Everybody talkin’ ‘bout heaven ain’t goin there.” I remember my kind and gracious pastor, whose ministry I was converted under, who lived up unto his nineties, making a startling statement, over fifty years ago, from the pulpit. He said he believed, judging his people from the scriptures alone that half the church was lost. I wonder what he’d think today?

Jesus taught His followers that at the judgement day, many who professed to believe in His Lordship, and did many wonderful things in His name, will be told, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” Again, quoting that great Prince of Preachers, “Bearing the name Christian is not the same as possessing the nature of a Christian.

Going to church doesn’t any more make one a Christian than going into a garage makes you a car.

Honey or Oil

The sad result of neglecting the Bible in one’s daily life is ending up with an anemic Christianity. John tells us in his first Epistle that the Word of God makes us strong. This, no doubt, was the reason why the early Christians gave themselves continually to the Word. It could truly be said of them that they were devoted to their devotions. The definition of which is: 1) zealous in loyalty or affection, and 2) earnest attachment to a cause or person.

In speaking to a young mother recently about the importance of the Bible in her life, she replied, “But I don’t like to read,” To which I responded, “What if your young husband wrote you a love letter?” With a smile, she answered, “Oh, I’d read that!” The truth is we all read what interests us. It’s just that many are embarrassed to admit they have no interest in the Bible.

In the 119th Psalm, which is all about the Word of God, God’s darling David mentions on eight different occasions how he loved God’s written Word. Is it any wonder then that he was able to wiggle himself into the heart of God?

The Bible likens itself to the manna of the Old Testament. It is interesting to note that when Israel was right with God, its taste was like honey; but it seems when they were out of sorts with Him, its flavor was like oil. Which is it with us?

*Where Did You Get Hung-Up?

“…and salute no man by the way.” Jesus is going to make a tour of various cities, and so He sends out the seventy, two by two. They’re His advanced evangelistic team, to prepare for His arrival in each town. It is in this setting that He admonishes them to not get side-tracked from their main goal. Even to the simplest thing, like a greeting to others (2Kgs.4:29). Jewish greetings were not like ours, but rather long and drawn out. Involved in this was asking a whole list of questions related to the individual and his or her family’s condition. It was time consuming.

The Christian’s one main objective in life is “to know Christ.” Everything and everyone else is to stand by the roadside as we travel the main thoroughfare. Not family, friends, or even Spiritual ministries are to distract from our relationship with Him, no matter how virtuous. Not preaching, not singing, not prophecy, not politics, not missions, not the Church, not Bible study, not soul-winning, not ministering to others, as good and worthy as these may seem. NOTHING COMES BEFORE HIM! “He is before all things.” As the writer of Hebrews tells us, “For this [man] was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

*Satisfaction in Sanctification

One should never be satisfied with his or her Christian life. We sometimes hear professing Christians say, “I’m satisfied with my life the way it is.” Whenever you hear such a statement, mark it down, you are listening to a spiritual pigmy. Most certainly, we should always be satisfied with Christ, but never ourselves.

There is both positional and practical sanctification. As to the former, in Gods eyes, it’s a done deal. But the latter is an on-going, day to day process. David mentioned the time when he would have complete satisfaction with his personal sanctification. He penned in the Psalms, “I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

A.W. Tozer wrote, “If we feel that we are what we ought to be, then we will remain what we are. We will not look for any change or improvement in our lives. This will quite naturally lead us to judge everyone by what we are.”

Such small minded, miniature saints, invariably end up thinking God is altogether such a one as themselves (Psl.50:21). It is this sort that makes a mental god after their own likeness; that is, with the exception of the strings. For theirs is a puppet god!

Strange Bedfellows

Life seems to go in a full circle. That is, we end where we started. For example, we came into this world from a fetal position, and we leave it the same way.

We are told, in its infancy, “there was a great persecution against the church.” I personally believe there will be a repeat of this before our Lord’s Second Coming. We have refused milder remedies to unite us as a people, who are to affectionately care for one another.

God may just compel us by hardship and persecution to keep His commandment. Affection is not basically built on agreement, but relationship. I can disagree with a person, but still love him or her.

When the world points all of its artillery at us and begins shooting, we are going to be surprised who is in the fox-hole with us. I heard an old preacher once say, “You can know your friends if you both have the same enemies.” Or as C.S. Lewis so aptly puts it, “Those who suffer the same things from the same people for the same Person can scarcely not love each other.”

Rightness

It is never too late to make things right…to do right…to be right. Never look at your clock and imagine it’s too late for you. Look at God’s timepiece. It has no hands on it.

Nothing can keep a person from righting things, if they have a mind to. The only thing that can prevent them is themselves. Advanced years cannot stop one; look at the old patriarch, Abraham. Depraved sins committed can’t keep you back; read the story of the wickedest man in the Bible, Manasseh. Broken, ruined relationships can be restored; remember Jacob and Esau. And even when at the brink of eternity, things can be turned around; don’t forget the thief on the cross.

If you want to make things right…do right…and be right, be assured God will do right toward you. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” It’s never later than you think when it has to do with rightness in your life.

Know Thyself

The ancient Greek aphorism "Know thyself,” is inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi– It has been attributed to several ancient Greek sages, such as Socrates, etc. Nevertheless, it’s a wise man or woman who knows his or her limitations.

David, it would seem, knew his. “LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul [is] even as a weaned child”.

It takes maturity to both know and accept oneself. As one writer put it, “David was as a weaned child, sitting upon his mother’s lap, no longer fretting over milk.” David was comfortable in his own skin. But, at the same time, he was not in love with his own shadow.

The shepherd boy was not “educated beyond his intelligence.” He was content within his own intellectual sphere. He did not attempt to flex academic muscle he didn’t have. That is always embarrassing, for invariably, sooner or later, someone will put you to the test.

David knew certain things were too great and lofty for his mind; therefore, he did not intrude into those areas, especially those “secret things that belong [only] to the Lord.” He realized some things were too high, beyond his reach. He preferred the Biblical world with its limitations, rather than pseudo-mystical probing.

Intellectual contentment comes when one is able to say, I don’t know.”

Had It Not Been For “HIM”

“If it had not been the LORD… now may Israel say…If it had not been the LORD…” This double statement David made in reference to God’s Elect, who were in danger of their soul being “swallowed up,” and “overwhelmed.” He tells them they had every right to preface their testimony with, “If it had not been the Lord.” And so do all of God’s children, no matter the age in which they live, or their geographical sphere.

It might be advantageous for some of us to fill in the blank, “If it had not been [for] the Lord________” O, child of God, think of it, meditate long upon it, “Had it not been [for] HIM.” It was He who took us from the hole of the pit, and set us in heavenly places. What a mess our lives would be, had it not been for Him.

In the movie, The King’s Speech, there is a wonderful scene that illustrates my point. The King, who had an incurable stutter, of which his nation was aware, was making his first speech by radio to his people. The only one in the sound room with him was his speech therapist, who had helped him marvelously. After nervously, but successfully, finishing his talk, he looked at his friend and said, “If it hadn’t been for you, they would have known it was me.”

*The First Lady Letter-Carrier

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”
Most commentators believe Phebe was the bearer of this letter (Epistle) to the Romans. Few, if any, would dispute it as being the “masterpiece” of all Paul’s writings, and as far as that goes, any other Christian writing throughout Church history. Justification by faith is its theme. It set the Reformer, Martin Luther, free, and has done so for multitudes since.

All Christians, of all ages, owe this woman a debt of gratitude. Never did a messenger carry a more important letter. Bless the memory of her name! As my wife, Salle, says, “I’m sure glad Paul didn’t ask me to carry it in my purse.” What a great responsibility was laid upon this “weaker vessel.” But at the same time, what a tremendous honor was afforded her.

Her name means, “bright/radiant.” She was a business woman, possibly, one of means. She is the first in a list of some twenty-eight saints (two unnamed) whom Paul greets. There are no less than eight women mentioned, and he details the work of six of them. Phebe, as well as the other women mentioned, disprove the theory that Paul disapproved of women ministering in the churches. Paul’s depiction of Phebe is brief, “Sister, Servant, Succourer.” When speaking of great women, few words are needed; their works speak volumes.

Those Nonconformist Nuisances

It’s bad enough constantly fighting the world intimidating us to be just like them (Romans 12:2); but when professing Christians attempt to bully othersto fall in line and march to their drum-beat, well, that is when I say, “Halt!” A nonconformist is called everything from a rebel, an antagonist, to a controversialist.

Emerson wrote, “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.” John Ruskin, the English art critic, said, “I fear uniformity. You cannot manufacture great men any more than you can manufacture gold.” A German philosopher commented, “We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.” And the old Methodist, Francis Asbury, prayed at an ordination service, “O Lord, grant that these brethren may never want to be like other men.”

In 1662, on St. Bartholomew’s Day, over 2000 of England’s finest preachers were ejected from their pulpits for refusing to conform to the mandates and dictates of the Act of Uniformity. On August 24, 1662, these stalwart ministers preached their “farewell sermons” to their congregations. The price these nonconformists paid? Two thousand, five-hundred preachers were silenced. There were three-thousand deaths, and sixty-thousand families were ruined.

Every man, woman, and young person found in the Bible, who were mightily used of God were nonconformists. God elected and encouraged them to be so. Their nonconformity was Divinely deliberate.

The Bible teaches the only thing we, as Christians, are to conform to is the Image of Jesus Christ.

Impossible or Improbable

“Whosoever is born of God…cannot sin.” A casual reading of 1 John shows Christians can, and do, sin. Is this then a contradiction? No, for the Bible does not contradict itself. For the answer to this seemingly problematic text (as in all such cases), we must allow the Scriptures to interpret themselves. “Cannot” does not essentially mean impossible, though it can (cp. Titus 1:2 & Heb.6:18).

It seems it’s general meaning is “improbable” (unlikely). There are many Scriptures that prove this to be so. But to save space, I’ll cite just two. In Luke 11, the friend says, “I cannot rise and give thee.” But he does. Likewise, Matthew 7 says “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.” That is, it would be contrary to its nature to do so. But sometimes it does. So, when a Christian sins, he does something wholly contrary to his new nature. All of the first Adam’s descendents sin. It’s characteristic. But those related to the last Adam, are not likely to dabble in it. A sheep can fall into a mud hole, but he doesn’t wallow in it, like the hog.

We are not sinless, but each of us ought to long to sin less. Darling David tells us the secret of how to accomplish this. “Stand in awe and sin not.” Evidently, his fall came as a result of his no longer being awestruck by God.

*The Product of God’s Mercy

“Out of the mercy seat made [He] the cherubims.” Just as the cherubims were the product of the mercy seat, so we are the direct outgrowth of the Mercy of God. Thus, we are called, “Vessels of mercy.” From start to finish, there will never be a time in the life of God’s Elect that God’s Mercy is not needed. From a towering King David, to the lowly publican, all are in need of God’s Mercy. Whether acknowledged or not.

God’s Mercy is described as great, rich, manifold, plenteous, abundant, sure, everlasting, tender, new every morning, high as heaven, filling the earth, and His delight. Is it any wonder then, that darling David said, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.”
And he knew better than most the need of God’s Mercy. Listen to him crying out to his God for mercy, after that dark, dark, night of his soul, when he sinned against a Holy God. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”
O, child of God, are you in sins clutches? Then flee to the Mercy Seat. The Blood has been applied. And HE promises to meet you there.

‘Take heed of abusing the mercy of God…To sin because mercy abounds, is the devil’s logic…he that sins because of God’s mercy, shall have judgement without mercy.”(Thomas Watson)

To Have or Have Not

“…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” One of Paul’s main reasons for writing his friends at Philippi was to express his thanks for their support. But he left this until the end of the letter, for there was something that took precedent over his physical comfort, and that was their spiritual well-being. But, having addressed this, in closing, he now expresses his gratitude for their gift.

But this created a two-fold problem. How does he accomplish this and still let them know his dependence is on God and not their gift, without, at the same time, seeming to be ungrateful. And secondly, how does he thank them without sounding as though he is requesting another gift? As one has said, his answer came “in blending delicacy with dignity and pleasantry.”

The solution to his dilemma was to be found in one word: contentment. He wanted his friends to know that whether it is rags or riches, penury or prosperity, he was content, under all circumstances. Therefore, he did not take the one as a curse and the other as a blessing. They were both alike to him. For, whichever, he knew it came from the hand of the Lord. Paul’s contentment was Christ Himself.

This is a difficult lesson for us to learn. It’s a hard subject to grasp. It takes long tutelage in the school of life. But, once we do comprehend it, to have or have not is no longer a concern. For we will have found the all-sufficiency of Christ.

Only in Christ will you find a calm confidence in all circumstances.

Apologetic Apologist

One meaning the dictionary gives for the word apologetics is: The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines. And for the word apologize: to express regret, ask forgiveness, make an apology, beg pardon, say you are sorry. A.W. Tozer said of one popular preacher of his day, “He is an apologist who needs to apologize.” All Christians, to some extent, are apologists, especially preachers.

My dear friend, Dr. John R. Rice, used to say, “Some preachers ask before preaching, “Who’s out there? then shoot.” He went on to say, he believed a man ought to shoot first, and then ask, “Who’d I hit?” Far too many preachers today “tip-toe through the tulips,” as they say. They come to the pulpit as Agag of old, “delicately.” At a time such as this in our beloved country, we don’t need psychologists in the pulpit, but heart surgeons.

It seems many who are called to defend the faith, preface their defense with an apology to the people before doing so. Preachers need to stand up and play the man! If deacon “fuddy-duddy” tells you, “You’re rubbing the cat the wrong way,” tell him to turn the cat around. Preach every sermon like it’s your last, and preach it as though Jesus was in the audience. Please the Master, not men. Why would you want the respect of a world that hated Him? Be a man “Approved of God.”

Barrel-straight preachers are thought by some to be of a different temperament than their peers. NO! They have a different heart. Don’t try to pass off your cowardness for compassion. The most compassionate men I ever met were men with strong convictions. Truth is always before love, else how would you know what true love is. Yet men trim their message in the pretence of love (Jer.2:33,a). True, some do the right thing, but in the wrong way. But better that than the reverse. But I would add, in contending for the faith, one need not be contentious.

“Why should clay fear clay?” (James M. Grey)