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Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The preaching of the word of God certainly does have and effect on people. Sometimes it is a happy and joyous effect, while at other times it makes one sad. There are times when a person becomes severely angry by the preaching of the word of God. Still, there are times when a person cannot move under the awesome conviction of it.
As a preacher, over the last 18 years, I have seen all of these effects take place in the lives of the hearers of God’s word. As a Christian, I have experienced them myself. Still, I, and many others, keep coming back for more. Why is that? I can understand why people keep coming back to feel good about their relationship with Christ, but to hear that they are a sinner, failing on every front, baffles me. When feeling the sharp effects of God’s word, piercing and dividing my life all the way down to my bones, I am amazed as to how much it knows about me. I have come to the point where I am convinced that it knows more about me than I do about myself. It is not fun to be pierced, cut and divided, yet people keep coming back for more and I think it is because of the wonder and amazement that they have for that one book.
Yes, there are those who cannot bear it. They are only interested in feeling good, and if the word of God cuts, pierces or divides in the slightest, they get angry and leave. To me this is the equivalent of putting one’s head in the sand and not learning something about yourself that you need to know. You see, the Bible is not only the way to God, but it is the truth and life as well. It does no good to accept the way and the life without accepting the truth. But there are many people like this. They feel the Bible is true as long as it agrees with them and where it does not, it is not the truth. The devil has been instrumental in getting people to think this. This is why there are so many “truths” in the world today. But I don’t want to talk about that in this article. I want to focus on the way people receive the word of God.
It is funny how one sermon may upset some while at the same time charging up others spiritual batteries. The same sermon may cause some to be compelled to come to the altar, while others stand rigid biting their bottom lip. It has a strange way of having different effects on different people. Now I know that all people are different, but that is not the reason for this strange phenomena. I know that God is dealing differently with different people on His own terms. This is one reason that this book is so wonderful. It knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Since we don’t even know our own hearts, it is good for us to hear about ourselves from the word of God.
The Word of God will shape you or the world will shape you. It is your choice as to what will do it. The world is constantly being forced upon you, but God politely does not. While commercials, junk mail, facebook and many other things are intruding upon your life, God sits silently on the shelf awaiting His turn to relate with you. The world is ruthlessly pushing itself into your life, brainwashing you to cater to self and its “truth.” It never lets up. It is violent and hungry to completely consume every part of your life, giving you no choice over the matter, while all the same time deceiving you into thinking you have a choice or vote. God’s Word sits silently and patiently on the side waiting for you to come to your senses and when you finally do, in order to remove the worldliness from your life, the operation it must perform sometimes requires cutting, stabbing or dividing. The only reason that hurts is because you allowed the world to take up residence there in the first place.
Still we can praise God for His glorious mercy in that His holy operation is quick and powerful. It does not take long for it to begin to have its holy effect. So, if the preaching of God’s word seems to anger you; it seems to “step on your toes,” then remember it is because some cancer of the world is being cut out of your life. Joy comes in the morning.
The Chinese Character Story is an amazing story of how God embedded the gospel and the story of Creation right inside the Chinese language. The Chinese communist do not believe in God, but the language that they use daily, holds the story of God. This booklet by Pastor Coale clearly shows how God could do such a thing as to turn Satan’s work around on himself.Have yo
u ever thought, “What other gospel addresses this same event?” The Parallel Gospels not only aligns the gospels in parallel with each other, It also organizes them in chronological order. Pastor Coale wrote this book to help him in his own study and he is sure It will be a great help to you as well. This book is a great help in studying the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and will be referred to over and over.
Gifts and Tongues: The Charismatic Catastrophe will help all seekers of truth to know the mind of God concerning speaking in “tongues” and spiritual misuse of “gifts.” It is for this purpose that Pastor Coale brings this work to us. All too often, Christians are approached by super-Charismatics who prey upon them. They seek converts among innocent Christians trying to learn about God. When new Christians are told they are not really saved until they speak in tongues, they become rightfully concerned. Since they want to please their new Lord, they naturally want to speak in tongues, but something holds them back; something tells them things are not right, but they can’t put their finger on it. This booklet is written for those Christian brothers and sisters. If they follow where this booklet leads them in God’s word, they will clearly understand God’s teaching on this subject.
In a small Texas town, (Mt.Vernon) Drummond’s Bar began construction on a new building to increase their business. Across the street, the local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up till the week before opening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.
The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means. The church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building’s demise in its reply to the court.
As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork. At the hearing he commented, ” I don’t know how I’m going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that does not.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.God gave the Law so that mankind would realize they are sinners. The Law is foundational in what we know as the Ten Commandments. No man can keep the Law unless they are perfect, but that is not their purpose. Their purpose is to convince stubborn man that he cannot attain to God’s standard.
Why would there be a great move to remove the Ten Commandments from public facilities? Because man doesn’t want to confront God’s standard. Man doesn’t want to know he is a sinner, but hiding one’s head in the sand does not change the truth.
Let’s do everything we can to keep God’s law before people. It really needs to be written on the hearts of the individual. It’s not weather it’s on a building or in a school. This important thing is that it makes its way to the heart of a person.
One thing which is true of all followers of Christ, eventually you will have your time on the spiritual battlefield. 2 Chronicles 32 covers the actions that King Hezekiah took in order to defend Jerusalem from the Assyrian army, and gives great examples of what we should do in order to win our own spiritual battles:
- Secure Godly support. In verse 3, Hezekiah first consulted with those he trusted. If you don’t have Christian friends who are growing, advancing and deepening their walk with Christ, PRAY for some. Proverbs 15:22 tells us, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
- Stop the flow of sin. Then, in verse 4, Hezekiah stopped the flow of water which would have given strength to the enemy. There are things which we sometimes allow into our lives which give strength to OUR enemy, the devil. One of the most important strategic moves in spiritual battle is to make sure that the flow of un-Godly, unrighteous, sinful “stuff” in our lives is stopped. It can come in many different forms, including television shows, movies, music, books or websites which contain material which is counter to what God’s word would have us consume.
- Repair, Restore and fortify. In verse 5, Hezekiah began making repairs to the wall around the city. The very nature of this undertaking required first examining the entire lower wall, to find the problem areas. Similarly, it is necessary that Christians examine their own lives often, to make sure there are no areas which make us easy prey for the enemy. Galatians 6:4-5 tells us, each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
- Weapons for battle. Verse 5 also mentions the weapons King Hezekiah made for his people. You and I are blessed to possess our own “armory”, prepared for us by our King. Read and study Ephesians 6:10-18 to learn more about the spiritual armor. If God’s people go into battle without these resources, we are defeated before we even begin.
The battle belongs to the Lord! Finally, verses 6 through 8 recount Hezekiah’s encouragement of the people for battle, as he reminded them that their enemies were simply fighting in the flesh, but the Israelites had the full power of God with them. He did not simply issue orders and edicts, and tell the people “We’re going to war! Get to your stations!” This king actually took the opportunity in what was a very tense time, to encourage the people, reminding them not of who THEY were, but of who their GOD was.
There are many different verses of encouragement in God’s word which remind us that God doesn’t just go into battle with us, but before us, preparing the way for victory. My wife recently reminded me of one, when she returned from a ministers’ wives retreat months ago. It was part of the short speech David gave to Goliath before he killed him in 1 Samuel 17. He said in verse 47, “the battle belongs to the LORD.”
God’s people will certainly find themselves involved in spiritual battles throughout their lives. However, as the people of God, not only do we need not fear defeat, but we can be assured of victory when we honor our Lord, and use the resources He has given us.
I was pleased and overjoyed when God’s people go out on the streets preaching His Word. I know that this really makes the Devil mad. He would like nothing better than to discourage the entire church from doing anything for the Lord, AND he knows that the best time to do that is now.It is so easy to just go to church and receive all of the blessings of God, and not really do anything to get people saved. It takes a real love for the Lord to transcend from being a “taker” being a “giver” of the blessings of God. Jesus said, “if ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). It takes a love for Jesus to do what He says and the final thing He told us to do before ascending into heaven was, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” If we are not actively engaged in trying to get people saved, then we are not following His commandment, and our love for Him should come under evaluation to see if it is appropriate.
I know that it encourages me to see others love the Lord so much so that they are really out there on the front lines doing something for Him. Likewise, I know that it discourages me to see people doing nothing for the Lord. I know one may say, “Well, I teach a Sunday school class. Isn’t that doing something for the Lord?” True, it is doing something for the Lord, but is it doing what He has commanded all Christians to do? Is it what He wrote down in His Word? Another might say, “Well, I have a family so I know that I already have a ministry; my first ministry is to my family and If I don’t take care of them, I am worse than an infidel. Isn’t that doing something for the Lord?” True, it is doing something for the Lord and He has made that clear in His Word that we are to take care of our family, but is that doing what he commanded regarding getting people saved?
I know that it is easy to get distracted with the cares and burdens of life. There is always something to do; some sickness to deal with; some appointment to keep. All of these things are necessary, but we must be careful to not get out of balance and one day find out we have replaced them for the endeavor of getting people saved. Why? Because people are watching.
Everyone is watching our lives to see how a Christian is supposed to act; what they are supposed to be doing. Our children are scrutinizing our life and learning by our actions how they are to approach living for the Lord. For example: are they learning that going to church is something you show up “just on time” for, or even show up late? Do they see you show up late for work? For appointments with the world? This is not to say that such things are not important, but what message are they getting when they compare those things of the world you are involved in with your relationship to God’s things? Do they see you staying up all night to prepare for work, but “throwing together” something to teach in the House of the Living God? What message do we think they might get? Perhaps you are more vocal and straightforward with your attack upon God’s work by gossiping; running down the church or badmouthing the preacher or other Christians with your mouth (James 1:26; 3:5, 6, 8). You are not doing anything to help God’s cause. You are intentionally hurting God’s cause and discouraging your brothers and sisters as well. Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth” (Luke 11:23). I would certainly not want to find myself in that situation. If I did, I would repent of that quickly.
It has been said that we cannot see the forest for the trees, likewise we cannot really see what message we are portraying by our actions because we are too close to the situation. But, others are seeing the situation of our “life message” from a much greater vantage point. They can “see the forest.”
Doing wrong things certainly preaches a message about how we really feel about something, but there is something more damaging: that is when we don’t do something right. Usually people think that: “if I just don’t do anything to hurt the cause, then I will be okay.” But, this is not true.
Doing something you choose to do can be even more destructive than doing nothing at all, for it may border on the line of hypocritical. That is to say, people may think that you are doing just fine, when all the time you are still not doing what the Lord commanded. You certainly don’t look like you are against the Lord, you look like you are doing what God said when all the time you are doing nothing. The message this preaches is: “How to look like you are doing what you should be doing, but not do it.” The Christian who is not doing anything to witness or get people saved, is undermining the Lord’s work because of his/her inconsistency. If they were actively witnessing (passing out tracts, holding signs, coming to visitation, etc), they would be inspiring and teaching others how a New Testament Saint is supposed to be acting. This is very important, especially in this Laodicean age in which the entire world is void of true gospel witnesses.
Maybe it has been so long since you passed out a tract that you have become frightened. Most people reason this down to one of the most popular lies of the Devil: “I don’t want to offend anyone.” How offended do you think they would feel at the Great White Throne Judgment being dragged away by the angels to be thrown into the Lake of fire as you watch on, knowing that you could have at least done something to give them a chance. I know I would wish you did something for me. In fact, I am glad that someone did do something for me.
Sometimes the Devil convinces us that we just need to wait for the right moment; the right opportunity. This is such a damaging lie that it is not even worth contemplating for the Child of God who loves His father. God said, “…now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2). Today is the day to tell someone about Jesus. Now is the time to say something to your friend.
Instead of offending somebody, we should be thinking about offending the Lord. He certainly would think highly of us if we were at least trying to get someone saved. Inversely, how do you think He feels about us when we are doing nothing? How will we really be able to stand before Him one day and give accounting for why we didn’t do what we were supposed to do? Will it not be a question of love?
I know that most people feel inside that they would like to do something for the Lord. In fact, they know that they should be witnessing, but they just don’t do it. It becomes like so many “ruts” we experience in our lives when we get to that stage. I would like to say I sympathize, but I really cannot, because I don’t want to endorse not doing what we should be doing. Like giving advice to a smoker who is trying to quit; I don’t really want to tell them “its okay” because I don’t want them to give up trying.
So, while the Devil gets mad and tries to keep us in our “rut,” the only way out is to “JUST DO IT!” The only way to change this situation is to just begin witnessing. You can write a letter to a stranger, send them a tract, give a word of testimony outside the church, or hold up a Scripture sign. There are many ways to “get onboard.” Best of all is to come to the visitation time on Saturday mornings, even if it is just for a little bit. You know there is strength in numbers, and if kids can do it, then we can too. I’ll be there, and for your own spiritual health, I pray you will be there too!
~Pastor
All too often I am amazed at the so called “Christian Community” for their lack of understanding God. In fact, it has been perplexing. When I think of what God did in my life; how He saved me from the grip of death, cleansed me and set me in a noble place with Him, I feel like I owe Him my life. I am sure that others feel the same, but their sacrifice to Him seems to be so misguided.
When it came birthday time or Christmas, a time when I would be receiving gifts, I hoped I would get something I liked. In fact, I went a little beyond hoping and dropped hints to Mom and Dad in order to give them good ideas. I always loved it when they asked me, “What do you want for your birthday?” or “What do you want for Christmas?” Sometimes I got it, and sometimes I didn’t. But, I can tell you, when I got the thing that I wanted–the thing I asked for–I was happier than when I got something I didn’t ask for. Now that I am older and can look back on that, I wonder why that is? I think the answer lies in my present relationship with God. You see, as a born again child of God, I know that He has asked me for certain things–there are certain things that He would like from me. When He gets them, He is much happier than when He gets something He didn’t ask for. God greatest request of me; The thing that is on the top of His list of things He would like, is that I love Him more than anything else and that I love others as I love myself (Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).
So, how do I accomplish this one request which contains two aspects? He told me how I could do that. He told me that I should win souls. This one activity encompasses loving God (Doing what He told me to do.) and loving others (showing them the way of life). It is by no accident that I use the phrase “showing them the way of life” because if I used the phrase “preaching the gospel” people might get confused. The phrase “preaching the gospel” has become so diluted that no one can really interpret it anymore. This is where my perplexity begins.
The gospel that we are to preach; the gospel that pleases God; the one that is at the top of His “wish list,” is the one that results in another soul being saved. If you have any merit as a Christian at all, then you know what I am speaking is true. You know it because you were once unsaved and someone told you how to accept Christ as the atonement for your sins. You know it! You might have been saved for so long that you have forgotten it; or, you might have backslid from it, but you know it. You know it because the Holy Spirit is in you and He is constantly urging you to tell someone about God’s substitute for their sins. You know it! You are either ignoring it or you are evading it, but you know it!
Some people think that “preaching the gospel” is:
- Having a nice social where they all get together and have tea and cookies and bring a guest.
- Sell Amway or other self-marketing items
- Help people with their chores (i.e. wash their car; cut their grass; do their shopping; etc….).
- Joining ecumenical “Christian” activities.
- Letting their kids go to church while they stay home.
- Singing in the choir.
- Talking with the preacher.
- Reading their Bible.
- Praying.
- Supporting para-church groups.
- Helping others in their churches.
- Being friendly to people of other churches.
- Not offending anyone.
- Living a good life.
- Supporting the Red Cross.
- Feeding the poor.
The list is practically endless. If you think about it, many of these things are really good things to do. In fact most of them are good things to do. But, the gospel is not good things–It is good news of a certain kind. It is the good news that Christ came and died and shed His blood so that you can be free from your punishment if you so choose to accept THAT THING HE DID FOR YOU!
There is another grossly misused phrase amongst the so called “Christian community”. It is the phrase “accepted Christ” or “accepted Jesus.” To be saved, a person does not need to accept Christ or Jesus as much as they need to accept what He did for them, and that He alone could do it because HE IS GOD! To be saved, you must accept what He did, and who He is. It is a little incomplete to ask someone, “Have you accepted Jesus?” You must accept who He is, what He did and how He did it.
So, we have an army of so called “Christians” who have taken salvation freely, but after that, they could care less for the rest of the world. They are saved. They are living out their Christian life, getting along with others, being good church members, helping the elderly, etc… but they are not giving to God what He asked for. At the top of His wish list is: souls to be saved. That is what He wants. But what He gets is a bunch of “good stuff”, but it is not what He asked for. Just like I would feel a little rejected by getting clothes, a new lunch pail, shoes, toothpaste, or patches for my old jeans, the Lord God gets from us–GOOD WORKS, and feels a little unloved.
Can you imagine how God would feel if you brought to Him some souls that you worked hard to get saved. Have you ever opened the gift and said, “WOW! Just what I asked for! Thank you so much!”? Wouldn’t that be great if God could say the same thing over your life? Or, do we keep giving to Him a bunch of good junk? He wants us to love Him and love others. How does Christian involvement in ecumenical groups do that? Think about it! You know! You know what He wants First! You know because He told you. If you are not on track with that, then you are either ignoring Him or you don’t care.
Motives for “getting people in.”
Ron Coale, Rev.
The modern, progressive church has failed on many fronts because they have failed to think of GOD. While they are busy changing to keep up with the times, God still remains the same. When the church changes their approach on worship they’re doing so to accommodate themselves not God. There are actually thinking about themselves. This is wrong! Since He is the creator, and man is the created, it is up to man to conform to His image, not the other way around.
God is not a god of the gimmicks. He does not need to appeal to the flesh in order to try to get some people to like Him. Man needs to satisfy the flesh, but God does not. God’s plan for the flesh is to burn it up when He burns the entire world (2 Peter 3). He loathes the flesh of unrighteousness and will give new bodies to all of His saints.
When the church continually tries new things just to “get people in,” you have to question their motives: Do they want to actually reach more people for Christ? Or do they want to build their congregations so they can be thought of as “successful” according to the world’s standards?
The only thing that God needs for people to fall in love with Him is His word: the Bible. The flesh doesn’t want to read it, and no wonder why; guess who else would not want you to read it?
Ron Coale, Rev.
Psalms 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Too often people don’t slow down enough to even consider God. They know the Creator exists, but they don’t move Him to the front of their minds for special consideration. The Psalmist did, and when he did, he came away with this wonderful thought recorded in this special verse of Scripture. Do you notice that he is not asking a question? He is not trying to find out how excellent God’s name is. He is making an exclamation. He moved the Lord to the forefront of his mind and it came to Him that the Lords name is excellent in all of the earth.
We too can see the excellence of God. We too can be overwhelmed with the excellence of God in His name. All we have to do is take a moment and move Him to the forefront of our minds.
Nahum 1:2-8 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. 3The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 5The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. 6Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. 7The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 8But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
There are people who cannot believe that God would ever do anything as terrible as cause an earthquake, flood, storm, or any natural catastrophe. They can’t believe that God would ever cause people to die in large numbers such a way. “What kind of God would do such a thing?” they demand. “How could a loving God do something like this to us?”
They have failed to see that God is a jealous God. He will not share his position with anyone else. He is appalled by man’s direction of worshipping anything except Him. It makes him angry. It makes him jealous and he calls people who do such: enemies.
“What kind of god would make me his enemy? I never did anything to him?” his critics ask. God did not make you his enemy. The thing that most people don’t see is that THEY made God THEIR enemy. In His Word, He is just acknowledging their position and responding to their treatment of Him. Isn’t it funny how those who refuse to believe in God are the ones who have such a terrible time with this? However, those who accept Him for who He is, and have read the Bible to learn about Him, have little problem with God doing whatever He wants to do.
God does send natural catastrophe’s to judge man. He dies not hide behind that fact. In doing so, He is very fair and merciful at the same time. He has given mankind warning after warning throughout the annals of history. He gave the bible showing what he will do in response to man’s denial of him and pursuit of sin. There are historical examples of his judgment on the world with a flood as well as other famous judgments like the ones on Sodom and Gomorrah. Finally, God has left his people here—Bible Believers—to proclaim His intentions. So, if anyone dies and goes to hell—It’s NOT God’s fault!
Ron Coale, Rev.
Matthew 9:13 …for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
The Lord Jesus Christ makes it very clear that He did not come to the earth to call the righteous to repent. The righteous have no need to repent; they are already “right” with God. Their problems with sin are already taken care of. However, God’s opinion is that there are none who are righteous except the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
The person, who feels they are “right” with God, will never come to the Lord. They will make excuse after excuse to avoid a confrontation with God. They justify keeping control of their life by convincing themselves that they are “right” with God.
On the other hand, the person who feels there is something that is not “right” between them and God will come to Jesus. Because the Lord is perfect and they are not, there is a repentant attitude that accompanies them. These are the people that the Lord Jesus came to the world to call.
Do you have a need for Christ? Are you righteous or a sinner? You can be right by agreeing with God and coming to Him as a sinner. Only then can your sin problem be solved and you can be “right” with God.
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” (2 Corinthians 10:4)
Someone said, “Christianity is all in your mind.” There is much truth in that statement. The mind is primarily responsible for growth in the Christian life. Let us notice what the Scriptures say about your mind:
GOD KNOWS ALL YOUR THOUGHTS
Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
God is keenly interested not only in our actions but also in our thoughts. It is estimated that you have 10,000 thoughts a day. To God, your mind is a window without curtains.
YOUR CHRISTIAN BATTLEFIELD IS YOUR MIND
The world, the flesh and the devil fight for your mind.
- Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
- Colossians 1:21, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”
- Hebrews 12:3, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
Man is a very complex creation. Have you ever seen a suicidal puppy or a depressed canary? You say, “What makes thoughts so difficult to control?” Secrecy and the absence of restraint. A parent can control a child’s actions but not his thoughts. God is very interested in our thoughts because thoughts produce actions. God destroyed the world by flood because man had unrestrained thoughts.
Genesis 6:5, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
In Romans 1:28 God speaks of the reprobate (rejected) mind in the downward progression of a civilization.
In Romans 7:25 Paul says: “…with the mind I myself serve the law of God;…”
The mind is the control room or computer of the Christian life. The control room must be guarded. Lot never guarded his mind.
2 Peter 2:8, “(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)”
SEEING AND HEARING
When the mind is right, the actions are right. YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE, BUT WHAT YOU THINK–YOU ARE! (Read that over until it sinks in.)
Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”
In order for a Christian to alter his behavior, the thinking must be changed! You must plan and guide what enters your mind. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. That is one of the things wrong with hypnosis, drugs, and liquor. They put the mind in neutral so the devil can jump into the driver’s seat. Keep a busy mind! Do you know one reason God destroyed Sodom?
Ezekiel 16:49, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.”
Idleness was a cause.
Dr. Bob Jones Sr. used to say: “Behind every human tragedy there is a slow process of evil, wicked thinking.” No one ever falls into sin. They have been falling a long time. We only saw them when they landed. Sin began in their thoughts.
Sir Francis Bacon was asked what he thought the outlook was for the next generation. He declared, “Tell me what the young people are thinking and I’ll tell you.”
THOUGHTS produce ACTIONS
ACTIONS produce HABITS
HABITS produce LIFE-STYLES
What you put into the computer comes out. Put in 48 hours of television a week and you’ll have someone who acts, talks, and thinks like television personalities. Put in 30 hours of rebellious radio music per week and you’ll have someone who has philosophies and rebellion like the groups he hears. What have you been programming into your computer?
True, you can’t help but have some evil thoughts cross your mind from time to time, but do you entertain them? Someone said if you nurse sin on the knees of thought it will grow into a giant. You will never regulate your passions until you regulate your thought life.
TRANSFORMING YOUR THOUGHTS
Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
A transformation is an inward change that produces an outward change. A biologist cannot change a caterpillar into a butterfly-it has to come from the inside. So it is in the Christian life. Worry and depression are not solved by psychiatrists, but by thinking what God wants us to.
Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
In Philippians 4:8, God gives us a list of things to occupy our thoughts: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Sad to say, the average mind is like a toilet. To keep it clean, it needs constant flushing with godly thoughts, much prayer, much Scripture, and much grace.
THE THREE MINDS
There are three types of minds mentioned in Scripture. You have one of them. There is the natural mind, the carnal mind, and the spiritual mind.
NATURAL MIND — UNSAVED
1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
This is a non-Christian. He has no spiritual appetite for the things of God. He cannot comprehend spiritual truth. He is dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1). He may be outwardly religious and morally clean but cannot comprehend the Christian life. His thoughts will be what is right in his own eyes, situation ethics, humanism. The natural mind thinks whatever comes natural to a lost person.
CARNAL MIND — WORLDLY CHRISTIAN
Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
Carnal means “of the flesh.” The carnal mind is a saved person who lives for the flesh. The church at Corinth was full of carnal Christians. Paul called them babies. He said they could only swallow the milk of the Word. They had to be taught when they should have been teaching. They were cliquish, immature, divisive, and easily offended.
The Christian with a carnal mind is not satisfied in Christ alone. He chases after things, amusements, and delights rather than in the things of God. He is quarrelsome, touchy, and often is the source of chruch problems. He has feeble digestion and cannot get his own food spiritually. Deep Scriptures do not interest him. There is very little difference, if any, between the natural man and the carnal minded man.
The lost see no difference and have no conviction when around a carnally minded Christian. The carnal mind needs to get right with God, be serious, and fill itself with scriptures! (See also 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Romans 7:14-15; James 4:4.)
SPIRITUAL MIND-SPIRITUAL CHRISTIAN
1 Corinthians 2:15, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
This is the Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit and has a mind full of Scriptures. He is mature, has understanding of spiritual things, has the ability to teach other Bible truths, and is fruitful. He has the mind of Christ.
Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
If you think the thoughts Jesus did, you will live the way Jesus did. To do that we must think Scriptures—meditate upon them. Because of that, our minds will be going forward, will not be in neutral and will not have a chance to go backward (backslide). The spiritual minded man needs to make sure he does not get satisfied. (See also Hebrews 5:12, 14; 1 Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:22-23.)
LET US NOT BECOME SATISFIED!
SOURCES: Things I’ve Learned by Bob Jones, Sr.; The Battle for the Mind, Catlay
Luke 22:31-34 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
A shipwrecked man managed to reach an uninhabited island. There, to protect himself against the elements and to safeguard the few possessions he had salvaged, he painstakingly built a little hut from which he constantly and prayerfully scanned the horizon for the approach of a ship. Returning one evening after a search for food, he was terrified to find the hut completely enveloped in flames. Yet by divine mercy this hard affliction was changed into a mighty advantage. Early the following morning he awoke to find a ship anchored off the island. When the captain stepped ashore, he explained, “We saw your smoke signal and came.” Everything the marooned man owned had to be destroyed before he could be rescued.
The trials and adversities of life are never pleasant, but in them we learn the secrets of His presence. None of us wishes for trials or adversity, but it is through them that God refines the metal of our lives and molds us into His image. Just as metal is placed in a furnace and heated to a white hot state so the dross can be removed, God allows us to enter the furnace of affliction so that He might refine and purify our lives.
In our text, Simon Peter is made to understand the fact that he is about to be tested. He is encouraged in this revelation by the fact that the Lord Himself will take an active part in his trial. I know people who are going through adversity. I know they face battles and trials that cannot be imagined. However, I also know there is hope! This passage lets us know that we do not have to fail in the attacks of life. We do not have to crawl away in defeat, never to be heard from again. Anyone can endure the trials, tests and adversities of life. Even if you have failed, you can still rise from the ashes and salvage what Satan has attempted to destroy. There is Help For Sifted Saints.
“Satan Is Determined To Destroy Your Life with trials!”
Jesus tells Peter that Satan has made a request to have “all” the disciples to test the reality of their faith. The word “desired” means “to demand, to ask for oneself.” The word “you” is plural in nature. It is a request for all the disciples. His demand is that he might “sift” them. This is an agricultural term that refers to the savage process of separating the husk of the wheat from the grain. The wheat was crushed under foot, then it was agitated, or thrown into the air. The chaff, or husk, was blown away by the wind and all that was left behind was the good grain. Satan wanted to tear at the heart of God by proving that there was no reality to the faith of the disciples. Satan believed that he could crush them, sift them and that nothing would be left but a lost heart. He had already done this with Judas! He believed that he could do it to the rest.
We battle a determined enemy. He wants nothing more than to cut the heart of God by sifting our lives. He wants to prove that we are phonies. He wants to show God and the world that there is nothing to our professions of faith. He wants to destroy everything of value in your life. The Bible tells us in 1 Pet. 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” He wants to ruin your testimony. He wants to destroy your home. He wants to wreck your influence. He wants to take away everything of value in your life and leave you with nothing but a devastated shell of what you had!
If he can get you to believe a false profession, he will. If he can get your eyes off Jesus, he will. If he can drive a wedge between you and the members of your family, he will. If he can drive a wedge between you and the members of your church, he will. He will do everything he can to cut the heart of God and ruin your life! He will use whatever tactic he deems necessary to get you to fall, just like he did to Adam and Eve in Gen. 3:1-6. He will never stop until you fall, or you die!
If the devil gets his way in your life and you succumb to his attacks, remember this: Your sin doesn’t just affect you, it affects everyone around you! It is the absolute height of selfishness to live just to please yourself, while having no regard to what your sin is doing to your family, your church and to others in your sphere of influence! Surely you will agree with the Bible where it says in Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”! David’s sin with Bathsheba, (2 Sam. 11), affected him, Bathsheba, their baby, Bathsheba’s husband, and the house of David for years to come! You never walk away clean when you choose to walk away in sin!
“The Saints Have A Powerful Ally In Their Corner during trials!”
While all the disciples were in Satan’s sights, Peter received the promise of intercession. Jesus was praying for them all, but He spoke especially to Peter, because He knew that Peter was about to take the biggest fall, v. 34. Sin isn’t a maybe in our lives, it is a given! The Bible tells us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10). All the disciples failed the Lord that night, Mark 14:50 “…they all forsook him, and fled.” But Peter went beyond simple failure into the realm of outright denial of any relationship to Jesus when he said in Luke 22:57, “…Woman, I know him not.”
The times of testing and failure will come in our lives, but in the midst of them, let us take courage in the fact that we have Someone pleading our case, taking our part, praying for us in Heaven:
- Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
- Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
- 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Satan may have his devices and his schemes to tempt us and try us, but he doesn’t have the last word! In the midst of his scheming and planning, Jesus “butts” in to stand by our side until the trial has passed! He will never leave us, regardless of the task or trial. He says, “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”, (Heb. 13:5.)
Just because a temptation is offered to you, that does not mean that you have to fall into sin. Jesus has equipped us with all the resources we will ever need to be able to withstand anything the devil throws at us:
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
- James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
“No Failure from trials Should Ever Be Considered Final!”
Jesus makes it clear that Peter will fall, “when thou art converted”, means “when you have repented, or come back to me”, but that his fall will not be the final statement of his life. He was going to be restored and he was going to be used of the Lord in a great way. His preaching at Pentecost, and the great acts of faith of his life are some of those ways.
People may come under this kind of attack someday and fall into sin. Some have fallen and have already come back. Others have fallen and are still in that fallen state. It is comforting to know that your fall does not have to define your life!
God has made provision for the cleansing and the restoration of those who fall into sin. Those provisions include Confession, Repentance and Forgiveness. When we come clean about our sins and turn from them, the Lord will forgive and restore the fallen one to a place of service and blessing. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This truth is illustrated in the life of the Prodigal Son and what happened when he returned to his father, Luke 15:11-24.
When a person walks away from the things of the Lord and goes into sin and stays there, it means that one of two things is true:
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They were never really saved. 1 John 2:19 says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would not doubt have continued with us: bur they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
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They are in open rebellion and are subject to the wrath and chastisement of the Lord. Rev. 3:19 says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Genuine faith will falter, but it will never utterly fail! Peter came back because he was saved. When he was sifted, it was proven that his profession was genuine. There was some chaff, but there was a grain of real faith too!
When a believer falls into sin, those who genuinely love them will seek to restore them, Gal. 6:1-2. They will not condone or support their sinful actions, but they will not abandon them completely either!
“Never Say Never during trials!”
When Peter hears this prediction he, in typical Peter style, boasts of his love and devotion to the Lord. He vows to go to prison or even to death to prove his allegiance to Jesus. Peter forgot a very important principle of life, “Never Say Never!” No one is above falling into the snare of the enemy. Only when you are in his sifter can you know exactly what you will do! It is a dangerous thing to rely upon yourself and your ability to withstand temptation and testing. The Bible says, “…let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:12). We’ve all seen someone act in certain ways and we have said, “I would never do that!” Be careful!
You are weakest in the area of your greatest strength! That may sound like a contradiction or a paradox, but it is true nonetheless! When you begin to think you have an area of your life absolutely conquered and that sin cannot possibly occur there, you will tend to let your guard down. When that happens you can be sure that the enemy will target you for sifting! Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 28:26 says, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” If you have the feeling that “It can’t happen to me!”, you are in danger of falling today!
The way an Eskimo kills a wolf is grizzly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin. First the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder, the wolf licks the blade in the Arctic night. So great becomes the craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his own warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more–until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!
Such is the power sin has to destroy our lives. Thankfully, it does not have to be that way. Jesus has done everything necessary to provide a plan of salvation that will work for all people. He has promised to pray for us and to see us through the times of temptation and sifting. He has promised to receive, forgive and restore us when we do fail. There is no need for anyone to allow sin to devastate their life. If you want help as you face the times of sifting in life, you will find it in Jesus, and in Him alone!
By
Paul Harvey
If I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree—THEE. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States.
I’d subvert the churches first. I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” To the young, I’d whisper that the Bible is a myth. I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would convince that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”. And the old I would teach to pray after me, “Our father which art in Washington”. And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the Devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves, until each in it’s turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.
If I were the devil, I would encourage school to refine young intellects, but to neglect to discipline emotions; just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
Within a decade, I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography. Soon I could evict God from the courthouse, and then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.
If I were the devil, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle.
If I were the Devil, I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich?
I would caution against extremes, and hard work, and patriotism, and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old fashion, and swinging is more fun; that what you see on T.V. is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.
In other words, if I were the devil, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.
Paul Harvey, Good Day.
Ron Coale, Rev.
Judgmental people can be most irritating at times, especially when they won’t let you explain your actions or position. Today’s Timeless Truth is about Matthew 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
The most judgmental people in the world are those who talk about other people being judgmental about them. You see, a person cannot help but be judgmental because everything we do begins with a judgment: (What clothes to wear, what food to eat, what activity to be involved in). Everything we do is a judgment call including telling others they should not be judgmental.
Have you ever run across someone who told you not to be judgmental because you were a Christian, and and what you were doing was not a Christian thing to do? There are plenty of people who know this verse of Scripture but don’t know a thing about the character of God. They just know Matt 7:1-2 because it helps them stifle Christians. The problem is there are plenty of Christians who believe these uninformed “teachers” of God’s Word. These “know it all’s” have taken one word and replaced the definition of it with another word and unsuspecting Christians don’t even notice. What they mean to say is, “Don’t be so ‘critical’ of me because it is not nice,” but they say, “Don’t be so judgmental” instead. The old bamboozle (sigh!).
So, because the swap in meaning of the words, people totally misinterpret the meaning of this verse of Scripture. It does not mean that you should not judge. It does not even mean to judge a person the way you would want to be judged. It means that we should have a little mercy on our brothers because we are all going to be judged some day; Be a little pitiful because someday we are going to be on the “hot seat” too! If Judgmental people would just “judge” the Bible rightly, then they, and we, would be much happier.
2 Samuel 11:3-24
Contains the story of how King David conspired to kill Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. David saw Bathsheba bathing from afar and desired to have her as one of his wives. So, he committed adultery with her while her husband was away with the other men of valor fighting Ammon at Rabbah. David, as well as Bathsheba, was very wrong in their sin. The Bible says that you can be sure your sin will find you out (Num. 32:21), and this is exactly what happened—Bathsheba became pregnant. To cover his sin, King David planned to bring Uriah home from the battle under the false pretenses of having him carry a report of the battle to the king. His plan was that; Uriah would come home and sleep with his wife. Therefore he would think that the coming baby would be Uriah’s and not someone else’s. What the king did not plan for was the utter dedication of this Hittite to the Lord and to his brothers in arms.
Uriah refused to go home to his wife. He slept on the steps of the palace instead. He reasoned to David, “The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife?” Eventually, the king had him murdered; just to cover up his sin.
[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]He was a man who put God first and his neighbors second.[/pullquote]
The Lord has dealt with me concerning the selflessness of Uriah. He was truly a righteous man. He would not do for himself what the others in his arena of influence could not do. His service to the Lord was more important to him than the orders of the King or even his own wife. He was truly a man who put God first and his neighbors second. To gain a testimony like Uriah’s takes a degree of dedication that precious few ever reach. For many years, as I read about Uriah, I thought, “didn’t he know that Bathsheba was certainly going to find out he was in town?” And, “What would she think of a husband that came back home for a leave, and didn’t even come to see her?” I was thinking wrong. I had missed the dosage of love that this sinful passage contained. Uriah loved immensely; it is just that he loved God first.
Of course he was wronged. His wife was taken from him; she cheated on him; he was conspired against; and finally he was murdered while fighting in the hottest part of the battle on the very front lines. But, during all of this, Uriah firmly loved God and his comrades even more than his own life. He died alone on the battle field. It would seem that his life was a waste, but it was not. God used the testimony of Uriah to change the King. It was a reminder to him about how to be a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:13-14). Perhaps it was Uriah who showed David how to be truly a “man after God’s own heart.” (Acts 13:22)
Oh that there would be more Uriah’s in the Lord’s work.
Date Created: 11/22/2013
Text:
(Psalm 107:1) O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
(Psalm 118:1) O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
INTRODUCTION:
1. He is Good
A) He is good when it is fashionable to be Bad
In order to impress others as being different, each generation degenerates yet a little farther, just to be different. People have such a need to be different from others that they do terribly bat things. I recently saw a photo of a person who had his lower lip pierced, inserting a large window in it so that you could see his teeth and gums.
B) He is good when the world is becoming Evil.
(Psalm 40:12) For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
C) He is good when we need something good in our life.
Nobody NEEDS bad things. They WANT to do bad, for whatever reason. When troubles and trials come, people want something good to happen for them.
ILLUSTRATION:
2. He is Merciful
A) He is Merciful when the Devil is NOT!
The Devil has no mercy at all. Even though you get saved, he still keeps working on you.
B) He is Merciful because we need MERCY!
We do wrong things and need forgiveness. When we don’t have the funds to pay our debts, it is nice to know there is a place we can go for mercy.
ILLUSTRATION:
3. He is Enduring
A) He is Enduring because He is Stable.
He refers to Himself as a rock (Psalm 18:2) and a foundation (Psalm 40:2) upon which we can build our lives. He is not a shifting sand of conformity with world opinion.
B) He is Enduring because there is an Eternity (Isaiah 57:5).
(Revelation 21:6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
C) He is Enduring because we will be forever.
(Jude 7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
(Jude 21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
ILLUSTRATION:
CONCLUSION:
INVITATION:
So many today have been successful at raising brats. Here’s some of the finest advice you’ll ever receive on how to keep from doing so:
1. Don’t pick them up every time they cry. If you run to his aid as soon as he cries, he’ll soon know how to control you, rather than you being in control. You don’t want them to expect to be pampered all of their lives.
2. Don’t let them defiantly tell you “NO!” It’s not cute. It’s rebellion verbalized. Although, he should be allowed to have a mind of his own.
3. Give them responsibilities. Don’t do everything for them. They will grow up thinking this world owes them a living, joining the crowd of grown up babies shouting, “I’ve got my rights,” rather than those who are men and women enough to fulfill their responsibilities.
4. Don’t neglect discipline. Don’t wait until there in trouble and let the penal system discipline them. Don’t go to Dr. Spock (who never raised a child in his life) and the other child psychologists for help and advice. Why not go to the old timers who raised 5 or 10 children successfully! Remember that a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame (Pro 29:15). You can truly develop a true brat if you won’t properly discipline them.
5. Don’t always take the child’s side. Understand that your child can do wrong. If they are wrong, they need to learn to accept responsibility for their actions.
6. Don’t criticize the Preacher or leaders. If you tear down authority in front of your child, they’ll live in insecurity not knowing who to trust. They will be totally prepared for a life of rebellion.
7. Don’t forget to tell them: “I LOVE YOU” They need to hear you say it even if you’ve given them everything they’ve ever wanted.
8. Don’t give them everything they want. There is no need to buy something for them every time you go into a store. You can say “no” to them. You don’t want them to grow up being used to having every appetite of theirs fulfilled immediately.
9. Don’t neglect to teach them the Bible. It makes no sense to them to have to go to school for 5 days a week, but not take them to church for 1 hour on Sunday.
10. Don’t always trust your child. He’s not a little angel. He does do things behind your back. Did you ever ask a young person whom you catch smoking, “Do you smoke at home?” Usually the answer is, “You’ve got to be kidding my parents would kill me.” Your child has the same fears.
11. Don’t scream at your children. This is not the only type of communication that reaches them. Time spent answering their questions and instructing them is not wasted time. Although it may not seem like it, they are listening. Constantly screaming at them will alienate them and the relationship will be devalued. This doesn’t mean that you can never talk loudly to them. There is a time and a place for everything.
12. Don’t let your child come and go as he pleases. It is good to set boundaries. Boundaries can be looked at as types of restriction, but if you look at them another way, they are types of security. Children need security and they are found in guidelines.
13. Don’t make your child the most popular in the crowd. They don’t always need to be “up” with their peers. They can be an oddball at times. If they follow the crowd, then the crowd will become the greatest influence in their lives.
14. Don’t let them constantly watch T.V. It is not good to keep them from reality. They don’t need to live in a fantasy world. They need to learn to entertain themselves. This exercises the brain and teaches creativity.
Children are not born brats. They gravitate that way because of their training and environment. Because we take the easy road in raising our children, they suffer. Putting these principles in place, along with love and fellowship, your child can grow to be a healthy member of society for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Coale
We are told of a time coming when people will “heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” and I believe we are in that time right now. The god of most Darwinian societies is education. People feel if they have enough education, then they will be able to accomplish anything that they want. Their paper badges’ of accomplishment litter the walls as they proudly proclaim their degrees, as if they are what determine a person’s place in society. It is a free-for-all survival of the fittest and the smart person knows how to outmaneuver and outwit their competitors. Education! That great and wonderful liberator of the righteous right; the emancipator of morality sings “glory, glory, halleluiah” all the way through the cap and gown ceremony, condemning the less fortunate to a life of being trampled under foot.
Don’t get me wrong. Education by itself is not wrong, or even evil. The problem lies in what subject people are educated in that is bad. If you are educated to remove the Bible from its position of highest authority and replace it with some other authority, then you are on shaky ground. Why? Because you are submitting yourself to the foray of Darwinian monkey men. Contrariwise, an education in the most superior of all books produces the most superior of all thinking. In it you learn humility and love for your fellow man. This is a stark contrast of that of the teachings of Darwin.
If you really wanted an education, why then would you not turn to the book that defines the morality of man; the book that talks about the beginning and explains the ending? Why would there be time for anything else? Is it because an education is not the true goal after all? Is it because you want to join the stampede to the top of the ladder of success?
The itching ears of people today (2 Tim 4:3) give credence to anything but God. These ears drive a person crazy with an unbelievable desire to scratch–ti make them feel good and content. So, when Mormons, for instance, or Muslims come along and explain their beliefs (?), people find it satisfying because they tell them what they want to hear. The Bible in turn, tells people what they need to hear.
It is amazing how many fables of old have actually become systems of belief; drawing in tens of thousands to their evil ways. look at Harry Potter for example. It doesn’t take long to learn the message is “he who has the greater magical power wins.” It is just the “good” evil vs. the “bad” evil. How can a sane person not see its destructive result?
For the Devil to be successful, there must be a breaking down of barriers so that we can all come together. I know, “If I had just gone to a real school, I would be able to see because then I too would be ‘enlightened.'” Well, I don’t know about that. You can change the terminology, break down the barriers, be enlightened all you want, but trash is still trash no matter if it is clean trash or dirty trash. I would not want to sleep in it if I had a choice.
People today are full of lust. They pant and growl like a needy starved bear, just waking from its winter hibernation. They will do anything to satisfy their selfish desires. And here is the key. the focal point of the entire issue is the promotion of self and the demotion of God. This is what modern day colleges and Universities stand for. Their main task is to bring everyone together, all in the same common heap of slop.
In order for people to turn away from the truth, the “educators” provide an alternate truth. Everyone has them. In following the false truth, unsuspecting students are actually turned away from the real truth (John 14:6). As long as they are told what they want to hear, then it is the “truth.” Have you ever heard someone say that they believe one teacher, over another? This question arises because people are in the process of choosing which “truth” they want to believe or accept.
In stunning contrast to “educators”, preachers are commanded to “Preach the word…” God knows that people must hear the Bible before it is too late. He knows if His preachers are negligent to do their jobs, then people will turn to something else. If they are not being fed in church, they will turn to the world, or the cults; anything that will satisfy that itch in their ears.
I don’t know if it is too late. I do know the reason people do not want to hear sound doctrine is because Christians have not done their jobs. Christians have stopped watching, enduring and doing the work of an evangelist (2 Tim.4:5). Because Christians have become apathetic, the world has swooped in and provided their philosophy.
Where do we go from here? What do we do in light of such a terrible situation? The answer to this is easy. We keep winning souls. We keep training and equipping the saints. We stay strong and vigilant. When other churches around us are giving up to the worldly system of pleasing the masses, we need to stay strong in the LORD and the power of His might.
It doesn’t matter to us which Bible you use, but we teach King James Bible doctrine. There is a big difference between the King James Bible teachings and the teachings of other bibles. The Psalmist says: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Ps. 119:160). In Jeremiah 23:36, the Bible says, “For ye have perverted the words of the living God.” So, God’s word will last forever, but there will be people who make perversions. This is the case that we have in the Christian world today. Someone is taking living words from the living God and perverting it.This all has to deal with the subject of final authority. This the most crucial thing going on in the world today. Why? Because the issue of final authority determines—absolute truth.
Today, people are being taught that all truth is relative. Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity digests down to this destructive premise. It subtly teaches that everyone can have their own truth. Of course this lends to chaos as everyone becomes their own authority and god. A christian however, places himself in subjection to the Bible. However, Jeremiah said somebody took those words and perverted them. Therefore, it is crucial for the Christian to find the right words of God so he can live by them, and reject the perversions.
The King James Bible is the word of God for several reasons. These reasons should be looked at and analyzed very carefully. No true lover of God would want to follow a perversion, or become his own authority for that matter. The King James Bible is the word of God because:
- It’s the only bible that doesn’t have a copyright. If you have a King James Bible in your hand, you have a Book with no copyright on it. You may see a copyright on the notes, references, maps, index, etc., but not on the word of God itself. Anybody can get a plain King James Bible and there’s no copyright in it. When King James endorsed it, he placed the Crown Copyright on it, but you don’t have to ask the Crown today for the right to print it. The Crown copyright is different from present day copyright. King James didn’t copyright it to make money off of it. he wanted the world to have it freely. The Crown copyright showed that King James endorsed it, and in Ecclesiastes 8:4 it says, “Where the word of a king is, there is power.” It was copyrighted under a king, showing a king endorsed it. This is much different than the copyright of today, which involves making money.
- It is the only Bible which is “Authorized.” The term “Authorized” is applied to the King James Bible alone. It is the only Bible which the Holy Spirit has blessed.
- It was translated under a God-Ordained King (Ecc. 8:4). AND, the king under whom the Bible was translated has a Jewish name–James.
- God promised to preserve His word. He said, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Psalm 12:6-7). No one can hide God’s true words from man. If man wants to find it, there is certainly someplace it can be found. Christ said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words” (John 14:23). How do you keep His words if you don’t have them? Christ said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). How do you get a prayer promise if you don’t keep His words? Christ said, “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47). How do you hear them, if you don’t have them? The Bible says to the preacher, “Preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). How can a preacher preach something he doesn’t have? If God can preserve us unto the day of salvation, then He can certainly preserve what He wrote.
- It gives preeminence to the Lord Jesus Christ. All other Bibles attack the deity of Jesus Christ. Some bibles are quite obvious in their attack on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, while others are more subtle. For example: the New King James Bible attacks the deity of Christ in Acts 4:27. It says that Jesus Christ was not God’s “child;” He was just God’s “servant.” Other versions have come up with more blatant and dangerous changes to the scriptures. The frontal assault is launched against such doctrines as: The Virgin Birth (Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:34; 2:33), The Blood Atonement (Col. 1:14; Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5), The Resurrection (Acts 1:3; Luke 24), His Deity (Acts 10:28; John 9:35; 1 Tim. 3:16), the Second Coming (Rev. 11:15; Titus 2:13). These are just a few of examples of the many changes that show the devil’s handiwork in perverting the word of God. Other “bibles” consistently attack the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no way they can have any merit. The King James Bible, on the other hand, never attacks the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:39). It does the exact opposite–it EXALTS the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Because the vast majority of all manuscripts validate the King James Bible. The Textus Receptus (received text) comes from Antioch, Syria, where the disciples were first called Christians. At times it is called The Majority Text. This is because there are a vast number of fragments collected from many locations that are all in agreement. There is a huge amount of these manuscripts (all in agreement) because the early church would copy the writings and distribute them to other believers, who would in turn, copy them and distribute them. Since the early church did not have the monetary resources of Rome, they were not copied onto sheets of vellum, but onto inferior paper, so they didn’t last the test of time. The other manuscripts (LXX) come from Alexandria, Egypt, where Rome had great influence. The LXX comes from only two corrupt manuscripts, known as “Vaticanus” and “Siniaticus.” These manuscripts are full of alterations to meet the demands Rome. They have been determined to be older, but again, they are only few. Rome having influence in Alexandria, Egypt at that time, these are the adopted manuscripts of the Catholic church. All new versions are direct translations from these corrupt Catholic manuscripts. The King James Bible is the only one translated from the Textus Receptus (The Majority Text) which came from Antioch where Christianity began.
- The honesty of the Translators. The translators use of italics in the Bible shows the honesty of the translators. They italicized words they put into the text that do not appear in the original language. Perverted Bible translations do not do this. The translators had the integrity to let us know what was added and what was original. God says in Revelation 22:18-19, “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Because It Exalts the Lord Jesus Christ. The translators honored God.
- It is a perfect translation. The words “translate” and “translated” only occur three times in the Bible (2 Sam. 3:10; Col. 1:13; Heb. 11:5. Note: The number 3 is God’s number of perfection.). Each time, God is the Translator. Each time, something is going from one situation to a much better situation. Since God inspired “holy men of God” (II Pet. 1:21) to write down His words in the first place, He is certainly capable of guiding the translators to keep the words which Jesus told us to keep (John 14:23). It is also apparent by the character of God, that the translation became better than originally penned.
- It’s fruit is good. The Lord Jesus said that every good tree will bring forth good fruit, and we can know them BY their fruits (Mt. 7:17-20). God had the bible translated to bring forth good fruit. The perversions produce EVIL fruit. They produce infidels who profess to know God, but in fact they do not. They spit out spiritual babies one right after the other who completely blind to basic Bible doctrine. However, the King James Bible is validated by the Holy Spirit who bears witness of the truth.
- All perverted Bibles compare themselves to the King James Bible. They don’t compare themselves with each other. They all compare themselves to the King James Bible. This proves there is something special about the King James Bible. Why does everyone oppose the King James Bible and not the others? Satan has no desire to divide his own kingdom (Mt. 12:26). His desire is to discredit the word of GOD, not himself; so he attacks only one Book, God’s Book, the KJV. Those who join the Devil in opposition to the King James Bible have no Final Authority. They become their own authority. I know they look like Christians. They act, smell, talk, and dress like Christians, but they depend on their own judgment too much, thus becoming their own authority.
Let’s not accept the idea that the Authorized King James is outdated and needs to be replaced for a new translation. Satan knows that newborn babes in Christ will not have the real milk that they need in order to grow because they’ll have a watered down version of the truth. He figures that if he can’t kill the babes, he’ll do the next best thing-stunt their growth. At the same time the world will point to “Christianity” and say, “They don’t even have the same Bible.”
Before Dee and I were married, we took her nephew to the drive in movie with us one night. Willie was quite the young boy. He liked everything that young boys like. I said I was going to go get some popcorn at the concession stand and Willie wanted to go with me. We got to the concession stand where he was eyeballing this very large Hershey’s chocolate bar. It was the kind that my dad would buy when I was a kid and it would last him for a month. Willie asked me if he could have one of those chocolate bars. I said that he could, but he would have to let his Aunt Dee portion it out to him. I thought it best for her to give it to him in pieces and regulate how much chocolate he would eat. I didn’t know that when we got back to the car, he showed her the chocolate bar and said, “Look what Ron got for me. Can I have it?” She looked at him and said, “Okay. I guess its okay.”
We continued to enjoy the movie. It wasn’t until about 15 minutes later when Willie was acting like a buzz saw. He was one big giant ball of energy. He was jittering and shaking and playing the air drums and talking a mile a minute. We looked at each other and wondered why is he acting this way. Then I asked her, “Did you give him that chocolate bar?” She said, “Well he told me that you said it was okay.” I told her I said it was okay if you gave him a piece of it. Willie had eaten a whole giant chocolate bar in about 10 minutes, and we were suffering the consequences. For the rest of the evening he was wild with energy.
Willie and played the technicality game. The technicality game is where you’re technically telling the truth but you say it in a misleading manner. Christians are the same way with God. They ask God to give them something when they know that He doesn’t want them to have it. They just play the technicality game to make Him think they are doing something good for Him.
Friends, God cannot be fooled. He knows what we think before we even think it. That is a thought that needs to be meditated upon. I’ll say it again, “God knows what we think even before we think it.” How do you deal with a God who knows what you think even before you think it? It’s no wonder that God tells us that we need to speak the truth. When Jesus speaks of himself saying that he is the way the truth and the life (John 14:6), He could in fact be giving us a warning; A warning that we should always tell the truth because God knows the truth even before we think it! He knows what we’re going to do even before we formulate the idea in our heads. So we better come clean!
There is no way you can deceive God. There is no way that you can play the technicality game with him. He knows exactly what you’re going to do even before you consider doing it. That is a sobering thought! We’re dealing with the God who knows us even better than we know ourselves. There’s no way to manipulate the truth or play the technicality game with God (Matt. 6:8). There’s nothing we can do to deceive or trick God.
We are such feeble creatures. We are so finite because we live within the constraints of time. We don’t know what the next minute will bring in our lives. But God knows. I don’t mean to say this as a consoling statement. I mean to say it as a warning. It is a statement that should make you think about always speaking truth with God. It’s a statement that should make you well aware that there’s someone who knows what you’re going to do in the next 5 minutes, and you can not deceive Him (Luke 12:27-31). You cannot play a technicality game with Him. You cannot manipulate events to make them work toward your favor. You cannot give an excuse for anything. God knows!
How is it that He knows everything about your life? He does because He is already there. God does not live within the constraints of time. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13). He lives outside the constraints of time. This is how He can live in our past and our future all at once. You and I however are linear creatures. We exist from second to second, minute to minute, hour to an hour.
Not only can this be a sobering thought, but it can be a comforting thought as well. Because God knows what we’re going to do 5 minutes from now, He can arrange events in our lives that will shield, protect, guide and love us. In this way he has the power to make things happen and give us His mercy, grace and goodness.
Many people know very little about the Bible. What they do know about the Bible, they did not learn from the Bible itself. They have learned from teachers, books, radio, or other people. But, they never actually opened the Bible and learned from it. They have made their opinion about the Bible from the opinions of other men and not from the Bible itself. Many people have an opinion about the Bible, but they have not even seen a Bible. The Bible is a big book. A person can spend all of his life enjoying it. I want to help you to make an opinion about the Bible from the Bible itself and to understand it. But, mostly, I want to help you to see that it is God’s personal message to each of us.
God gave us the Bible because He wants us to know who He is. In fact, the main subject of the Bible is God. It’s not just a book of teachings about God. It is a story about history as seen from God’s point of view, from the beginning to the end. Because man is a part of history, the Bible also teaches us many things about mankind and man’s relationship with God.
When studying the Bible, you must start in the beginning and work our way it. You should start in the book of Genesis. Genesis is the first book of the Bible; thus, it is a very important book. You cannot completely understand the truths about the Bible unless you understand some things about Genesis first. If your understanding of Genesis is good, much of the rest of the Bible will easily “come into focus.”
2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
All of the Word of God was given to us by God’s inspiration. God had the inspiration to write down a message and He used men called “prophets.” He gave them the exact message that He wanted written down. Sometimes God spoke to them out loud, sometimes in visions, and sometimes He put the message directly into their heads. Then, God caused them to write down exactly what He had said. This is where critics might just say, “Then the Bible was really written by men. So, it’s man’s ideas and not God’s.” We can know that the Bible is not man’s idea because it tells us so in 2 Peter 1:20-21 which says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” It is God’s idea and God’s Words. It is not the private idea of any man. It is the only book in the world that is written by God Himself.
God took 1,600 years to write the Bible, and He used 40 different people to write it. But, even though God used so much time and so many people to write it, the Bible has perfect unity from beginning to end. Why? It has this unity because God is the one and true author of the Bible. If many people went to a meeting, they would all see the same meeting, but would they all have the same opinion? If we asked a person what was the most important thing that they saw in the meeting, not everyone would say the same thing. They would each have a different story to tell about the same meeting. Many different people wrote the Bible. They were not all together in one place like the people in a meeting. No! The people that God used came from very different cultures. They even came from different times. Many of them never even knew each other. But, when we read the Bible, it appears to be one story, one book. It has perfect unity. How can one book have perfect unity when so many people wrote it over a 1,600-year period of time? There is only one answer – the Bible has only one author: God!
Isaiah 43:1, 10 says, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
The author of the Bible is God, that God caused men called “prophets” to write down His Word. But, how did it come to be the book that we see today? God gave us His message through the Jewish people first. In fact, all of the people that God used to write the Bible were Jewish except one. His name was Luke, and he was a Gentile. (A Gentile is anyone who is not Jewish.) God wanted the whole world to receive His message through the Jewish people. At first, God used the prophets to write down His message. These original documents wore out from use and old age. So, new copies were made. These copies were made by hand and were done very carefully. Copies were made and given to other people. They also would copy it and then give the copy to still another. Even though this was all done by hand, there are more ancient manuscripts of the Bible than any other document. These manuscripts have been found through archeology. In fact, there are many that have been found. All of these ancient manuscripts are almost exactly the same. They only differ in very small details.
The original texts of the Bible were written in one of three different languages: Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. In the time that Christ was on the earth, the scrolls (Bible) were kept in the temple. Only a few people were able to have copies of these texts. Most of the time, if the people wanted to hear them, they needed to go to the temple and listen to them being read. As time passed, God caused men to begin translating the manuscripts into other languages. Copies of these were sent from place to place for the people to read. Today, the Bible has been translated into more languages than any other book in the world.
Psalm 119:89 says, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
One study of history is called archaeology. It is when people dig into the earth to find ancient information about ancient cultures. Many discoveries have proved the accuracy of the Bible. The archaeologists have found things that agree with what the Bible says, even to the smallest detail. In fact, there are thousands of discoveries that have been found that ALL support the accuracy of the Bible. There are still new things being discovered today, and each new discovery adds to the support of the Bible. This can only prove that the Bible is not man’s book; it is God’s book. Books that man has written will often change. Even history books are rewritten. But, the Bible has never changed because God, who knows everything, wrote it.
The Bible is not just another “religious” book. Many people have written books trying to tell others about God. God wrote the Bible. In it, He tells us what He is like and who He is. He tells us about Himself and about ourselves, about our relationship with Him. It is a special book that answers the questions:
- Where did I come from?
- Why am I here on this earth?
- Where am I going from here?
It is a book that answers the question about “Absolute Authority,” and who has it. It teaches us what authority is and what our relationship is to it.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
It is important for us to read and study the Bible because it is God’s personal message to each one of us. It is like God’s voice speaking to us, teaching us about ourselves. It is the only book in which God Himself teaches us how to live in the world today. It is the only book in which God Himself tells us what He thinks, feels, and wants us to know. God wrote it to give to each one of us: young, old, boy, girl, man, and woman.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.The relationship with Christ is the most important relationship any person can enter into. It is more important than the one that you can have with your spouse or your children. It is more important than the one you can have with your parents or grand-parents (Luke 14:26). Lets face it, who can be more important than God?
There are scores upon scores of “Christians” who do not believe this. Most of these instances can be attributed to their ignorance of the person of God. Most people get saved because they want to escape hell. When confronted with the reality of their sin, and their destination, they quickly want to do something about it. When they learn that all they have to do is accept a “free gift”, they quickly scoop it up, being ignorant of everything else. As long as they get saved, that is enough. What they don’t realize, what they are not taught, is they have begun a wonderful journey in their relationship with God: they are now a “son of God” (John 1:12). But, you never see them studying their Bible, learning from some other grounded Christian or growing in the Lord. Not only does Satan like to get them side-lined, but Christians never follow up on them to wisely guide them around the many pitfalls of life that are awaiting them. And, there are many like this.
It is sad to think that there are many “sons of God” wandering around lost in their relationship with Him. If they could just get some direction, then God could do something in their life that would profit them. Some even think they are growing when they are not. The Devil might have them growing in the social activities of the community or even the church, but not in their relationship with the Lord. This is why it burdens my heart to see people so “off” and “on” about church attendance or Group Bible Study. I know that if they could just keep coming long enough, or often enough, then they will begin to see the secrets of the universe revealed within the pages of God’s Word. They will develop a curiosity for the things of God; a hunger and thirst for the WORD. This too, I have seen many times and it has not been without a perplexing of the mind.
In foreign countries (I have visited 16 of them) people seem to have more of a hunger for God’s Word. This seems to be more prevalent in communist countries. It is a pleasure to see them grow in the Lord. It doesn’t take long before the answers of life begin to reveal themself. Then they become most curious. They want to know more and more. Things begin to connect. They are able to answer their own questions from the Bible, because they have a foundation built into their life that cannot be broken up.
It doesn’t seem to be this way in the USA though. I don’t know why. Perhaps it is a familiarity with what people THINK Christianity is supposed to be all about. I am guessing that is where the answer lies. There is no way to change this except getting people into their Bibles and hoping they stay in it long enough to get hooked. If they do, they will learn what the Bible says instead of what man says.
The Bible teaches that we have a relationship with God. He is our Father and we are His children. We belong to a family of believers, and it is difficult for any family when there are prodigals in it. It tears at the heart of a family when one member turns away from God.
What can we do to prevent this? We must emphasis we are all a part of a family, even before someone gets saved, else I fear that we have just put another name in our Bibles; chalked another one up for our self; another notch in our cane. Winning souls is not a competition. It is just as important to disciple someone than it is to lead them to the Lord. God does not hand out winning lottery tickets to the one who leads the most people to Christ. We are showing people the right way of life. What good may a salvation be that does not change a persons life? We are commanded to “teach them ALL THINGS whatsoever I command you.” (Matt. 28:29). One may argue, “Well, at least they are saved.” This may not be good enough to really help a person develop for Christ.
How many families have a baby and put the baby in the crib and never check on them again? I don’t know of even one family that has done such a thing like that. It would certainly be cruel or abusive. What chance does that baby have of growing up to be a strong man or woman? How would they even survive a few days in such a predicament? NO! We take care of babies. We feed them and teach them for many years until they are able to stand on their own, and this they do gradually.
New born “sons of God” are in this same situation. They need nourishment. They need instruction. They need to develop their muscles and learn to walk on their own. I feel that we often don’t see it this way because they look like a mature human being, and this is true, but they are a new born babe in Christ.
How do we teach them? How do we nurture them if we are not confident in ourselves to teach them the things of the Lord? The answer is to bring them to church. This way they can be in an environment centered on learning about God. Encourage them to be at church; taking advantage of every opportunity to learn. It is vital to their growth.
You can’t give a baby a book and say, “Here you are. Grow up.” They need to be in an environment where they can see how to apply the things they learn out of the Book. They need to have fellowship with others in the church to stretch them and strengthen them. Just like you want your growing child to have supervised association with others for their growth’s sake, new born babes in Christ need the same thing. This is why they need to “rub elbows with” others in the church.
Another very important item is for them to be faithful in learning about the Lord, you must be as well. They will take the things they learn, then look at your life to see how to apply them to their life. SO, you must be a good example.
Yes! Souls need to be saved. But they need to be made aware of their family ties. They need to be introduced to the family so the family can take care of its own. The Lord has placed them into a wonderful part of the body of Christ. Their great adventure awaits them. We must hold them and hug them.
~Pastor
Most people are blind to Christianity, but they think they know a great deal about it. They form their opinion about Jesus based on what other people have told them. They have never even opened the Bible and given God a chance to show them about Himself. They are blind.
The blind man had been healed. The Pharisees were skeptical as usual. They would not accept that he had been blind from birth, so they called in his parents to testify. “How did he get healed?” they demanded.
“We don’t know,” said his parents. “We do know that he was born blind though. He’s a full grown man. He is of age. Ask him yourself.”
Turning to the accused blind man the Pharisees said, “How did he do this thing? He is a sinner. If you are healed, give God the glory and not this man.”
“I don’t know if he is a sinner or not. But there is one thing I know for sure; I was blind, but now I see.”
“What did he do to you?”
“I already told you. Weren’t you listening? How many times do you want me to tell you? I was blind but now I see.”
This is what happens to the Bible believing, born again child of God. It is hard to explain what it is like to be saved to the unsaved. Where they once walked in the darkness of sin, they now walk in the glorious light of the Lord God.
The unsaved think when a person gets saved, it is because they are weak and need a crutch to get by in life. Or they think you just went crazy and began looking for anything that will help you with your problems. They are just like the Pharisees in this story. They keep demanding an answer of how you got saved or they ask others without talking to you at all. This is because they simply don’t understand. And, they never will unless they try it themselves.
Now I don’t like to emphasis this too much because the cults make much ado of getting a feeling that no one can understand: The Mormons have “a burning of the bosom.” Charismatic’s have “speaking in tongues” or “the baptism of the holy spirit. Berean’s have the “knowing in their heart.” These are all perversions of what this blind man said: “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” For the cults, this can mean that they are superior because they have something that you don’t, and it is subjective so they can keep you from attaining their Pharisaical level of holiness.
Not this blind man however. His eyes were physically open. No one could deny that this wonderful thing had happened for him. This is where the so called “faith healers” fall short of the holiness of God. Every thing they “heal” is subjective and there is no way to prove it other than the person telling how he “feels.” But the physical is something much different. This is why true conversion, true salvation is accompanied by outward physical change.
When I got saved, I started reading my Bible. I wanted to read my Bible. I craved reading my Bible. When I read it, I began finding answers. As I began applying what I learned in the Bible to what I saw in the world around me, in a subjective sense, my eyes were opened. But, in the physical sense, I changed as well. I wanted to hear things about God. I began the wonderful transformation to a new life in Christ. I quit drinking; not because I thought I had a drinking problem, but because I had no craving for it anymore. I quit smoking. Not because I felt as though I needed to, but because I had no desire to smoke anymore. My whole personage changed: my attire, interests, music, appetites and demeanor. And, I was not the one who noticed it. It was my friends. They were the ones who sought me out and said, “What happened to you?”
“I got born again.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t really know, but I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and accepted His free gift of eternal life. And you can accept it too. He has a gift just for you. All you have to do is take it.”
“Are you serious?” I was at a pot party and everyone was passing around the booze and drugs, intently listening to me. I had only been saved about one week.
“Sure. God has it and it is just for you. In fact, He has one for each one of you. All you have to do is just take it. That’s what I did. What’s stopping you?”
“My family goes to church.”
“I went to church when I was a kid.”
“I was confirmed.”
I didn’t know much about religion at all. I had not even been to church by that time. I replied to them, “I don’t know much about that. All I know is that I got saved and I am born again and I see things differently.”
“What church do you go to?”
“I don’t go to church, but I’d like to.”
It was confusing to them. But it wasn’t confusing to me. The Lord had changed my life. He had changed me so much so that even my secular friends had seen it. And, when He changes your life; when you are allowed to see where once you were blind, others will see the change in your life as well. It is not just that you see things differently; others who know you and observe you will know that something has happened. They too will be able to see the wonderful work of God in you.
potpourri of past articles
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