“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him be-times.”                                                                                                                                          (Proverbs 13)

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.                                                                                                                                         (Proverbs 22)

 

Reader,
I am a father of three (3) children.  My children range in age from middle teens to almost Twenty (20).  I have learned a lot from observing these creations of God that He entrusted me to raise up, to mentor, to teach, to love and to direct back to their Himself.
I have gained insight as to our Heavenly Father’s ways, feelings, intentions, and motivations because He made me in His Image and though I was partaker of Adam’s Fall, God has “chosen me out of the world” and made me a “new creature in Christ,”  “Where all things are new.”  He has told me, in His Holy and Most Trustworthy Word, that I am predestinated to be conformed to the Image of His Own Son, Who is also my Elder Brother, Who is Both “Lord and Saviour,”  Who is Both “Alpha and Omega,” Who is Both the “First and the Last,”  Who is Both the “Author and Finisher of my faith, ” And is Both the “Living Water” and the Ark that keeps that which I have committed unto Him….Because, I know Him, Who I have believed.

The above is my predestined end and by God’s grace, by the Father’s Example, Through His Abiding Word, and in accordance to His Will we are to bring my children to their predestinated end as well, through the nurturing and admonishing of their persons and spirits by the Word of God with consistency.
“Come here you little…”  is the antithesis or opposite of proper and profitable chastening and disciplining.  The parent that “acts up,” themselves, in that manner is punishing (Not chastening or disciplining) the child and the parent is doing so in order to relieve himself/herself of their anger and possibly some anger that has nothing to do with the child!!!
I knew a woman, in my younger and prodigal days that had two (2) young boys.  The mother had a lot going on in her life. One day I observed the mother in a fit of anger, say to her young son, “Come here X, !!! I’m going to bash your head in with a [explative] hammer if you don’t!!!…”  Reader, this was not proper or profitable chasening at all, it was mental, emotional, and physical abuse.”
FYI…she didn’t use a hammer and to my knowledge the boys have grown up. This woman’s response or reaction is an example of a person, (I say person in the stead of parent because a parent would not do what she did, her mom hat came off and she was a person beating a kid.) who is stressed, angry, and confused and all that together is released upon the child for some insignificant trifle. This is not proper or profitable chastening, disciplining, or parenting. This is not God’s intention with, “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
I have heard unchurchers say, “Spanking only teaches the child that violence is the remedy for things done wrong.” In and with the situation above, I agree with the out of Christ-ers. The mother’s punishment was reactionary and self satisfying and may very well be the channel that does, in fact, teach violence as a viable response. Methinks it depends upon the child’s make-up as well. Oh,’ and by the way, This is how a sociopath can be made. A childhood with repeated knee-jerk methods of punishment and abasements can, does, has, and will create a Frankenstein.

“Wait until your father comes home.” This method has it’s upside and it’s down side. If a mother uses this method she risks loosing any parental authority she has.  Mom’s must be able to discipline the child as well as the father…I’m not trying to be humorous but disciplining a child takes a tag team effort. Their must be a united front. The children are the enemy… Of course, they are not the enemy, but they are obviously, at the time, opposed to that which is right and good, hence the need for chastening and discipline in a proper and profitable manner. The mother as Lieutenent, must be able to apply chastening….Remember, the parent who will not chasten or discipline their child does not love them according to God and His Word. In fact, God declares the parent hates the child if there be no discipline or chastening.

In spite of writing the above, there is an upside to the, “Wait until your father gets home” method.” This method allows and affords the child to, “Wait.”  While the child is waiting, depending upon the child’s make-up, and the style of parenting that exists in the home, s/he might sit and think upon the actions, choices, decisions, intentions, and motives that brought this weight upon him or her. This self examination is good as we should all exercise our internal observation skills by examining our selves.

Prior to the stage of actual discipline, the parent must do a few things.
1. Be calm. Never REACT when disciplining. The parent responds, but does not REACT.
2. Realize that you, Mom or Dad, are a sinner (and saint at the same time) with similar inclinations to disobedience.  The parent does not always to the right, proper, or good thing and neither does the child, therefore, when disciplining the child, remember this.  Admit that you too get in trouble with your Father in Heaven and you too receive discipline from Him.  Let the child know that you both are inclined to acts of sin. As the Father chasens the parent, which is out of love and with the desire to teach or train, IE. Discipline and out of a desire to see HIs child profit from the proper manner of chastening.
3. Before the discipline the parent should discuss the why’s, the how’s, the what’s of the child’s actions. The parent should question the why of the child’s choice or action or intention, etc. The circumstances should be discussed and thought through together. The discussion should include an overview of what other options the child had as a choice. This will profit the child in the future to make the proper and profitable choice.
Once the act of discipline [spanking] is completed, the parent must….this is an absolute must….The parent must take up the child and hug him or her and show love and comfort. The incident should be forgotten and buried.  The wise parent will not dig up the incident in the future as it will stink.

Some suggestions or considerations:

1. Negotiate with the child as to how many “applications” the child should receive in the disciplining. This allows the child to be invested in their own proper and profitable chastening. We applied three (3) to seven (7) when we were responsible to God for the disciplining of our children.
2. The parent might consider, occasionally, showing mercy and grace rather than discipline. This teaches the child of God’s grace and mercy as the child views God through their own father.  Allow them to wait and think, arrive, discuss the circumstances of the child’s behaviour, discuss the other options or choices the child had, and when the time of applying discipline comes…extend grace and mercy to the child as your Heavenly Father has so, so many times extended His great grace and mercy to thee. “Pass over” the discipline, take up the child and show love, compassion, understanding, and comfort and cast their sin far away…. as far as the “east is from the west” and choose to remember their “sin no more” just as our Father does with us.

One other point, Not all children need the application of discipline.  Some children have a very sensitive spirit within them. A hard look or an ” I’m really disappointed,” may suffice for some children.  The wise parent must know their own child.

As for the passage on “training up a child…” It has been thought for a long time that that meant teaching them and disciplining them as a way to point them in the direction of uprightness and then there is the following statement, which is a general statement…not a promise, but a general statement, after training them in the way they should go they will not depart.
I heard a minister with another thought on this precept. His thought was this, Each child has a certain bent or a certain inclination to possible future prospects, in terms of careers, vocations, callings, trades, etc. The wise parent…the godly parent will observe this and train the child in that direction and when they come of age they will not depart from that training or calling or career. The child, now grown, will be prepared for what God has for him.

Godspeed.

“There was given unto me a thorn in the flesh, The messenger of (s)atan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.   For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, That it might depart from me. And [H]e said unto me, ” My grace is sufficient for thee: for [M]y strength is made perfect in weakness.”  (2 Corinthians 12)

“..(s)atan hath desired to have you, [Peter]  that he may sift you as wheat; But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not…”  (Luke 22)

 

In was listening to a radio program and the host was talking about Paul’s thorn in the flesh.  This caused me to think upon Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Many persons have pondered the specifics of Paul’s thorn. It is obvious that Paul is using a metaphor as he was not complaining about an actual thorn in his flesh. Paul was speaking of an issue that would not be dismissed or dispatched. Paul was talking about something that was troublesome to his person.  What was this issue?

Some have suggested Paul’s thorn was poor, a residual effect from his mmeting with Christ on the Damascus road.  Others thinks it was a different malady. While others suggest that it was an issue of a sin that persisted.

Paul said that he “besought the Lord thrice” or three different times. He requested that this thorn be removed.  Our Lord, as He does, responds to the need or the cry of His own. Our Lord responds with, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for [M]y strength is made perfect in weakness.’  I researched the key words in our Lord’s response. Using Young’s Analyitical Concordance I found:  Sufficient = Satisfying;  Strength = Power, Ability; Perfect = To end or Complete.

As I thought upon this and thought about the greek words I came out with this, Christ’s  grace shall satisfy Paul,  For Christ’s power or enablement shall allow Paul to complete his course and bring him to his destiny.  Reader, I am not a greek linguist, I know not greek, but after using other resources it seems that this is what Christ was telling Paul.

Note that Christ seems to be taking Paul’s attention from the thorn or issue and causing him to focus of the satisfaction that is Christ and encouraging him or confirming that, in spite of the thorn, Paul would complete his pre-ordained destiny because Christ’s power and enabling grace would allow Paul to “finish [his] course.

But what was the thorn? I, personally do not think it was eye sight.  Poor eye sight doesn’t fit the “feeling” of the text. If one considers Paul comments in Romans seven (7), where he confesses that the things he should do, he doesn’t, and the things he should not do, he does it would seem that Paul, like all of us has an issue with a persistent sin.  One can also look to Hebrews where Paul, if he be the writer, speaks of a besetting sin and deduce that Paul’s thorn was a besetting sin. He didn’t want this sin (if that is the case), as he describes in Romans seven (7).

By the way, that is one of the differences between a sinner and a saint.  Both have issues with sin but the former doesn’t consider it and maybe doesn’t even realize it as a sin but the latter…the latter recognizes it as a sin and hates it even though it brings satisfaction, pleasure, relief, release, etc. In other words, the sinner pleasures in his sin while the saint does not find pleasure in the pleasure of the sin.  If a sinner was given the opportunity to stop what s/he was doing, the majority probably would not. The saint, however, if given to opportunity to be relieved of a besetting or persistent sin would absolutely be rid of it.

Why was Paul given this thorn? We learn God’s purpose as it is to keep Paul humble. Paul had many gifts, God had given him a large measure of faith and he was endowed with a great intellect.  In addition to his gifts and intellect, Paul, it would seem, was allowed, through a vision, to see what awaits all of us in heaven and it seem this is another reason the thorn was given. Paul, after seeing what awaits him and all that love the Lord, would be “Too heavenly minded to be any earthly good” but the thorn in the flesh brought him back to the hear and now and it seems it would keep him there.

What is true of Paul is true of us as well.  We have been given much from the Lord, He has put within us His Spirit, a sound mind, many blessings and He has made us partakers of the divine nature. He bestows much grace upon us, he gifts us, and He makes us a part of His everlasting Kingdom. He calls us new creatures, He reveals His mysteries to us, He makes Himself available to us and is inclined to hear our petitions and requests.  Reader, there are many reason to think we are something special………and we are, for Christ gave Himself for us.  We are a peculiar people, meaning we are the specific people Christ has chosen to love in stead of others!!!  YES, there is reason to be high minded.  Therein lies the problem.

This is the cause for a thorn in the flesh…it is to keep us grounded and in the right frame of mind.  It seems from the Lord’s response that the thprn would remain with Paul until he finished his course and kept the faith. This must be true of us too.

That persistent thorn in your flesh, whatever it is, may be with you until the end. Instead, however, of focusing on that thorn, focus on Christ, Who has promised to see you endure and finish your course even in spite of that thorn.

When I picture in my mind’s eye the thorn, I see a thorn from a rose bush.  Then I understand that the thorn that I bear is from the Beautiful Rose of Sharon, Himself, Who is Christ, my Lord.

The above is true of many, if not all of God chosen.  Christ told Peter he would be “sifted as wheat” by (s)atan just as (s)atan was the means God used to buffet Paul. Christ prayed for Peter just as He gave Paul satisfaction by His grace. Christ also prayed for you and me in His recorded prayer in John 17.

Peters great thorn, I would imagine was the (3) three denials of His Lord and Friend.  It is my belief, however Christ dealt with those (3) three denials with the  (3) three times He asked Peter “Do you love [M]e.”  I also believe the three (3) times Peter said yes to Christ’s love questions helped him, many years later as an old disciple, glorify Christ with his own crucifixion.

David, God’s darling and the man after God’s own heart had many afflictions brought against him. (s)atan was, again, employed to this end. David responded to these afflictions by acknowledging that God allowed the afflictions out of faithfulness to him.  David also acknowledged, “It was good that I was afflicted.”

Let us not forget One Who suffered the greatest affliction. Let us consider Him Who had not a single thorn in the Flesh but a Crown made of many thorns that was pressed malicioiusly upon His Head that was then forced deeper into His brow with the reed the coward guards gave Him as a sceptre. Let us not turn our eyes from the (3) three great spikes pounded into and through His Hands and Feet…

Let us “Behold, the Man” and consider, “What manner of Man is this.”  Let us confess and acknowledge, “No man ever spake as this Man,” and let us, by the pure and free grace of God say, “This truly [is] the Son of God,” Who “Taketh away the sins of the world.”  Let us also find the “Stone rolled away” from His borrowed sepulchre. I encourage you to, along with, ” Every knee…bow and confess Him Lord of lords and King of kings” for all that “confess [Him] before men” shall [He] “confess before the angels of [His] Father.”

Godspeed.

“….What hath God wrought!”  (Numbers 23)

“…[T]he church of God, which [H]e hath purchased with [H]is [O]wn [B]lood.”  (Acts 20)

 

Recently, a member of the body of Christ slipped, fell, and was hurt. When I received the news I was stopped in my tracks. I just called the info, news and indeed, it is news. It is important to know how members of the body of Christ are doing.  I cannot say that I know this man well as I have not spend much time with him. However, I have observed him as that is what a shepherd does.

This man is always present at each and every church service and all the events associated with the school, which is a part of his church.  This man  is always present to shake the hands of those that attend the church. He also is one who invites others to services and makes all feel welcome. With all that this man does and how he serves the Lord, there is always the temptation present, to see ourselves as vital and important, as the enemy whispers in our ear. Our brother falls not for the silly machinations of the defeated enemy.

After learning of the incident there is a question I want to ponder with you.
Reader,  I said above that I do not know this man well so why should I?…Why Do I?… why did I stop in my tracks when I heard the news?

Readers, this is a work of God. I was concerned with this man’s slip and fall because Christ has joined us together into One Body… His Body, the mystical and united Body Of Christ. Our Bless-ed Benefactor gave Himself so that I would be concerned with this man’s slip and fall. Our Redeemer not only purchased us with His Blood, but He purchased the Church…which is a members only club. He purchased the church with His Blood, that is specific. He, with His Own Pure and Peculiar Blood, purchased ONLY those that would be within the Church…those chosen to be a part of the Body…and those who would be citizens of the His Kingdom.

It is a work that only God could do. God chooses sinners, vile and unclean as they are, and cleans them…washes them with His Word and with His Blood and then re-(s)-trains them to be a representative of Himself. He also puts a new heart…a new mind… a new Spirit into them.

This new heart, new mind and new Spirit compels them to care for one another…to love one another… to prefer one another.

This is the Church that our Lord has built and is building still. Persons from different backgrounds, different experiences; Persons who are diverse: in age, gender, race, tongue, tribe, nation, personality, thoughts, etc.  It is our God, Who unites us all together into one family, one body, one building, one faith and one Blessed Hope.

And that is why I was stopped in my tracks. That is why I am concerned with the man that slipped and fell. We will be encouraged when he rises up again, as did his Elder Brother some time ago.

 

 

 

“What if God, willing to shew [H]is wrath, and to make [H]is power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that [H]e might make known the riches of [H]is glory on vessels of mercy, which [H]e had afore prepared unto glory…”  (Romans 9:22-23)

(“For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of [H]im that calleth;”)…”It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For [H]e saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  “Therefore hath [H]e mercy on whom [H]e will have mercy, and whom [H]e will [H]e hardeneth.”  (Romans 9)

“For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that [H]e might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that [H]e might destroy them, as [H]e commanded Moses.”  (Joshua 11)

“But [H]e answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”  (Matthew 15)

” But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.”  (2 Peter 2)

“The LORD hath made all things for [H]imself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”  (Proverbs 16)

 

Readers,
We are writing, in this article, on a very grave and sobering doctrine from the Word of God. We have provided many more passages above than we normally do. This is because I want it to be understood that I am not making this doctrine up. I would also like it known that this doctrine is taught by others such as *Calvin, *Luther, *John Foxe, the “*Larger Westminster Catechism, *John Bunyan, *Jonathon Edwards, *Toplady, *Geo. Whitefield, *Charles Hodge, *Wycliffe, *Huss, *Thomas Goodwin, *Thomas Manton, *John Owen, and *John Gill (Predessor to Charles Spurgeon).

Let us begin with a question from one of the texts above, ” What shall we say then…?”

So, “What shall we say then” to the passages above or what do we do with them? Shall we ignore them and hope they go away? Shall we wrest them to fit a more comfortable understanding? Shall we attack those that are faithful to God and His Word and bring this doctrine to light? Shall we pretend that God isn’t serious in these passages?

To the human mind it is incomprehensible that God made persons in order that He should be glorified by their damnation or reprobation. The cause of our inability to accept such a harsh doctrine is because we view Scripture, right and wrong, good and bad through the framework of our lives and through the teachings we have been told to believe.

It seems to me that we have two (2) choices on this matter. Choice (1) one is deny the truth that is plain in Scripture or (2) two Accept the fact that God is God and He has chosen to be glorified by the condemnation of certain persons. We must understand that God is Otherly, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Christ, in fact asks the questions, “Can I not do what I will with my own?”

When Christ tells us that we must love Him and hate those in our family, He is calling us to do as He commands and not to submit to others when their agenda disagrees with the Lord’s will. We are to see these well meaning and loving friends or family members as Christ saw Peter when Christ said to Peter, “Get thee behind [M]e (s)atan.” This causes us to focus on Him and His will, His pleasures, and His purposes. This causes us to become loyal to Him as he demands preeminence and as this happens we share a union with the Master and as partakers of this unity with God, we must see things His way. This means we must be accepting of the doctrine of reprobation.

In taking us to His service, and causing us to focus on Him, He is preparing us for the deeper and harsher or severe doctrines such as the doctrine of reprobation.

An Analogy: Mary visited Elizebeth and learned from Elizebeth what she must do as she too was, “with child.” By Christ calling us to His service and union with Him, He is, again, preparing us for the severity of God’s Holiness, Righteousness, and Sovereignty.

As the doctine of election is sound, it must be logical as well. Therefore, If God elects one and passes over another, it must be seen that God has condemned the one that is passed over.

God says in Psalm 50, “…thou thoughtest that I was altogether such as one as thyself: but I will reprove thee…”

We will end our article on the doctrine of reprobation right here as we understand the severity and difficulty this doctrine poses.

Godspeed.

 

 

 

 

“What if…”  (Part of Romans 9:22)

“…[T]he renewing of your mind…  (Part of Romans 12:2)

“…[I]f God peradventure…”  (Part of 2 Timothy 2:25)

 

Readers,
If you are one that knows me or have read many of our articles you should know that i’m firm on soundness and sound theology.  In fact, it is far more important to this writer to be sound and faithful to God and His Word than to make persons happy or to get along with others.  I don’t want that to sound like…well, you have heard persons use the tired cliche, “I didn’t come here to make friends,”  which is so boring and over-used and like nails on a chalk board (that cliche never gets tired), any way I don’t want my comment about my concern with faithfulness being greater than my concern for one’s happiness or getting along to be taken as a bad attitude kind of statement….you understand.

When I said my foremost concern was faithfulness to God’s Word and the God of that Word, I was simply making a statement of fact and nothing else.  With the bent of my mind, if a minister does not have the Lord’s Glory, foremost in His thinking and intentions and motivations and a mind for truth and soundness, he is no minister of the true and Living God, Who is faithful even when others are not.

All ministers should be prepared to be like Athanasius when he was told, “Athanasius, do you not know that the whole world is against you?”  Athanasius then said, “Then I am against the whole world.”  Certainly we do not want to be against everyone, for God loves when brethren dwell together in unity and (1) one of the (7) seven things He hates is a person who sows discord between brethen.  However, God also wants the faithful to depart from any and all darkness and to have no associations with anything that appears evil. Having made my point on soundness and truth and faithfulness to both, allow me to share with you what is called the sanctified imagination.

The word or concept of the sanctified imagination, is not original with me, I heard it from Michael Stone, the former Pastor of Freedom Baptist Church, now LightHouse Church in Plainfield and pastored by Ronald Ruben. The sanctified imagination or s.i. is used when we say, “What if…”  or “Do you think?”
A sister in Christ, LeeAnn on FB recently asked, “I wonder if Jesus got the flu…”  This is something we simply do not know. Two (2) women made the arguement that He did because He was fully human and that makes sense. However, One could argue that sickness is the due to sin and since He was sinless, He might not have suffered illness.  One does not know because the Scriptures are silent. One cannot be dogmatic on such subjects and that’s where the s.i. comes in.

What does it say about a person that uses the s.i.?  Before i answer that let me ask a ?. Have you ever been introduced to something brand new or foreign to you and then asked if you had any questions?  You probably didn’t because you weren’t familar enough with the new something to ask any ?s.  So when a person uses the s.i. that person is familiar …very familiar with the Word.  This person has probably learned much of the doctrinal, the historical events, and the applications, etc. and now they are looking at the Word and asking, “What if?” or  “Could he have…” or  “Does He, in fact…”  This is the s.i. at work.

I will share with you some of my s.i. But, let me be clear… nothing I share can be proven and therefore cannot be made into doctrine or dogma.  There is no theology at stake in the s.i. and no theological stances should be made on the s.i.  Also there is no point to debate the s.i. or to be contentious over the s.i.

Things I have pondered with my sanctified imagination…
1. In the Gospel of Mark 14:51,52 We learn about a “certain young man” that followed the Lord as He was being taken to His trials.  The identity of this “certain young man” has not been revealed to us. This unidentified mystery man was discovered by the soldiers and was grabbed, the mystery man, fled away naked as he left his linen cloth, in the hands of the soldiers. “Who was that ‘[un]masked’ man?”
In Matthew 19:22, we read of a wealthy “young man” who came seeking the Lord’s answer to the question of salvation.  Our Master told him to obey all the law of God. The young man, proudly and naively, retorted that he had, in deed and in fact, kept all the law of God from his youth. Lord Jesus responded by telling him to go and sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor. We are told this young man went away sad.  HOWEVER, we read that Christ “loved” this young man.  Does this not then imply that the young man was among the secret elect of God?  Therefore, the “certain young man” that followed the Lord, as he was being led to the high priest, and was left naked without his linen cloth could be the rich young ruler who went and sold everything. Dun Dun

2. In Matthew 24:15, there is an interesting parenthetical. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains…”
The parenthetical that is in bold type are not words our Lord spoke to His disciples. He would not be telling them about the abomination of desolation and then all of a sudden say, ” whoso readeth, let him understand…” would He?  So the question is what is that parenthetical statement? Some quickly say it is Matthew writing this parenthetical statement. If that is so Matthew is the only person to add commentary to a Gospel. Another possibility… and this is wild… Ready?…Did our Lord “break the (4th) fourth wall” and speak directly to us?  What is a (4th) fourth wall you might ask.
When you watch a play or you watch a television show, the actors do not acknowledge you or see you. When/if you read a comic book the character is not “aware” that he is a comic book character. Sometimes however a character will surprise the audience and address them directly, this is the (4th) wall. Some examples are, “The Truman Show” and the comic and movie, “Deadpool” (Not recommended). Therefore, with my s.i. I wonder if my Lord did not break the (4th) wall and speak directly to you and me.

3. Daniel, at the time of the statue worship of Nebuchadnezzar, is no where to be found?  The edict or decree made by the king was death to anyone who did not bow down before the statue at the time the musical instrument sounded. Daniel’s (3) three friends didn’t bow and they were, as you know, put into a “burning fiery furnace,” where they were kept safe by the Christophany.  Where was Daniel? Scripture does not tell us. The sanctified imagination wonders however about Daniel’s whereabouts. Did Daniel bow, knowing God looks upon the heart? Did God allow him to bow so that he would remain an agent of God on the inside? God allowed Samson to be unequally yoked with Delilah so that He might have an opportunity or an occasion to kill the Philistines. [Sidenote: Would this give warrant to a man of God to receive the mark of the beast just to be an agent on the inside because God knows the heart?] Was Daniel on a political trip representing the king? Did Daniel play ill to avoid the statue worship?  David played a mad man once. Was Daniel so valuable to the king that the king allowed Daniel to skip the idolatry?

The sanctified imagination is a good and entertaining way to spend one’s thinking upon.  It’s better than the things the world, the flesh, and the devil try to inculcate us with. Again…I can’t stress it enough…the sanctified imagination is not doctrine, it is not dogma, it can’t be proven; it’s ponderings…it is simply a good way to practice God’s Presence in your life. How would you feel if you had written a book and everyone was thinking about it? Methinks God is pleased with a sanctified imagination.

On the time setters or those who predict or attempt to predict the Lord’s return. The time setters are using their minds to try and pin point our Lord’s arrival.  The Scriptures are very clear on the secrecy of Christ’s return. Christ, standing in the office of man, said He, Himself, did not know the time of His return as that is in the Hand of God the Father. The time setters are, inspite of that, attempting the impossible anyway. It is true that they can be dangerous as their followers may do things, as they are depending upon or are in the hope of the Lord’s return that will be troublesome when He returns not at the time the setter said.
In an attempt to advocate for these persons let me say this, They are doing wrong, yet we could all adopt their kind of fervent desire for the Lord’s return. The Lord’s return is on their mind and in their heart, which is a good thing…..Right?….Right.

In summary, Those who use their sanctified imagination and those that attempt to set a time for our Lord’s return are God-struck. These persons are consumed with thoughts of God and all the possibilities there are in Christ. After all, did not our Lord tell us to love Him with all our mind?

Godspeed.

 

 

 

“For there is no respect of persons with God.”  (Acts 10; Romans 2; Ephesians 6; Colossians 3; 2 Chronicles 19)

“[God] is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”                                                                                                                                                (2 Peter 3)

 

The late R.C Sproul, who left this world to go to the city made without hands, said in his fine (and probably one of the very best contemporary books) book on the doctrine of election, “Chosen,” said, once a person comes to understand and believe the doctrine of election s/he will become a flaming proclaimer of this doctrine [paraphrased]. This writer is in full agreement with Sproul.  I believe God is behind the passion that some have as flaming proclaimers of this doctrine. One reason for this, we believe, is due to the propagation of this doctrine’s opposite and opposition, the false teaching of Pelageism, free will, easy-believism, free choice, “Say this prayer,” etc. This false doctrine has effected the church for many years and in order to correct this, God raises up flaming proclaimers of Election to bring things into proper balance.

In the (1500’s) fifteen hundreds the false doctrine of man’s free choice, without the initiation of God, to salvation was deemed to be heresy.  Today, unfortunately, the opposite is true and Election is deemed heresy by many teachers.  If you are like me, you side with those that departed lond ago. In fact, when you look at writings that have existed for hundreds and even a thousand or more years, you find most…almost all accepted the doctrine of election.

Augustine, who single-handedly, humanly speaking, battled Pelageism, and men like the Reformers, the Puritans, and the great British preachers like John Gill, C.H. Spurgeon, J.C Ryle, Martyn Lloyd Jones, Arthur W. Pink, all were dedicated believers and teachers of Election and I could make a case that C.S. Lewis was too before he passed on into Glory.

The opponents of sound doctrine will provide many arguments against the great and very foundational and fundamental doctrine of God’s free choice in salvation. These opponents use the (2) two passages we quoted above. The opponents will point out that God is no respecter of persons. They interpret this to mean God does not choose who will be saved because He does not respect a man’s person. If one approaches this passage, in the spirit of prejudice, it may sound like they are correct but they are very wrong as is their spirit of prejudice and their presupposition.  The fact that God has no respect of person argues for His free will to choose whom He wills!!!

When Scripture tells us many times, in both Testaments, that God does not respect persons, He means that their is nothing in man that causes God to elect him to salvation. There exists no redeeming quality within persons that causes God to show any electing  grace.  it is all based in God’s free choice to love whom He wills.
Another meaning of God not being a respecter of persons is that men, women, children of age, the elderly, the physically handicapped, and persons from all nations, kindreds, tribes, and tongues will perish if they are not among God’s elect. These non-elect will face God’s hatred, indignation, anger, fury, and wrath when they face Him at the judgment. He will tell these persons, “I never knew you…”  “Depart from [M]e…all workers of ininquity,”  Psalm 5, Luke 13).

I am fully aware that persons among the saved have issue with the thought of children who are of age and young people suffering under God’s hatred and judgement. This is due to a few facts:
1. “Gods ways are not our ways”
2. “God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.”
3. God knows no sin and is Holy and therefore a Hater of sin in every form.
4. This may not be pleasant, but children are sinners from birth…even from conception.  An objector may argue, “How can they be sinners when they have not done good or evil?”  We will respond with, “Though they may not have committed sin, they are infected with the spiritual disease of sin.”

An analogy: A baby can be born with a chemical addiction or even HIV without ever voluntarily ingesting a drug or doing anything that would contract HIV. Their mother or father passed it to them just as some diseases can be genetically passed down.  A baby is born in sin, with a sin nature, and was conceived in sin and is therefore a sinner.  Another analogy:  I am white, my wife is (1/2) half Korean, out children then are (3/4) White and (1/4) 0ne-quater Korean. The same is true in the spiritual, both mother and father are sinners, (100%) one-hundred percent, therefore, the baby, though they look it, are not innocent but (100%) one-hundred percent sinner.  Jonathan Edward said about babies, if they were vipers, they would bite you in the face. Imagine if a baby, that is completely self centered, could act out his/her anger.

Psychologists are slow to label a child/teen a psychopath/sociopath because persons in this age group test widely as psychopathic, though they will not remain so, as their brains develop. A brain is not fully developed until (25) twenty five years old. Psychologist sometimes will suspect a young person to be a psychopath and will use the term, “Budding psychopath.” All children are self centered and are rash, not all perpetrate those acts that a “Budding Psychopath” would such as intentionally harming small animals or other persons. Other signs or traits is pyromania…budding psychopaths like to start fires and they tend to urinate in the bed when they should be well past that stage.

I believe or hope, in the passive sense, that the world is waking up to the danger that children can pose. Consider the past school shootings and those that are surely to happen in the future. Consider Jon Benet Ramsey’s brother, who many suspect to be her killer.

In China there were (2) two elementary school children that committed heinous crimes. In one instance, a young boy decapitated another young boy, as well as dismembering him. The crime was discovered when teachers arrived at his elementary school and found the decapitated head on a pike at the entrance to the school. Through out the day, investigators found the young victims dismembered body parts through out the school. The body parts were hidden as to cause the most shock…remember this was done by a young elementary school boy!  By the way, due to China law, this boy is now free as he aged out of “child prison.” You might wonder why a young boy would do this. The answer?  The boy idolized the Zodiac Killer of the (60′) Sixties.  The boy even sent letters to the police taunting them!!! That is the M.O. the police gave but the theologically minded know it was due to the sin nature and the Zodiac worship was the symptom.
Another child, this time female, slit another girls throat during recess.  The young victim asked the teacher if she might go inside to get something and the young murderer followed her in and simply slit her throat and went back outside to play.  The reason?  The victim said something the child-killer, child-killer in both senses of the word, didn’t appreciate.  She too is walking free. Her where-abouts, like the boy’s, is unknown.

Some may argue, ” Yeah, but these are just kids, they didn’t really know what they were doing.”  We would suggest that “not knowing what they were doing,” makes them more dangerous!!!  Above we mentioned something J. Edwards said about children being young vipers. Did you know that a young viper is more dangerous than an adult viper?  The young snake has not yet learned to dispense it’s toxin as an adult snake has.  My point is, if “they didn’t know what they were doing,” they are far more dangerous than an adult murderer.

In 2005 there were 2, 225 children sentenced to life in prison without parole. (16%) sixteen percent of these children committed murder between the ages of (13-15) thirteen-fifteen years old!!! Most persons see children as children. Those who understand human nature, IE. Human Depravity see a potential for great danger in anyone who breathes.  It is the young that join gangs, it is the young that go unsuspected of potential harm, it is the young that can get away with great crimes, depending on the judicial system. There are children that have killed while still young because they know they will not spend “hard time” in prison. There have been parents that have influenced their young children to kill also because of no hard time in prison.

God does, I believe, take great mercy on very young children that die and some of the mentally ill persons as neither understand anything about right or wrong in any actionable sense. Some believe that babies, lest they be among the elect, will not go to Heaven. This I cannot hold to. It is my position that, as it must have been God’s will or allowance that the unaccountable die, Christ took their sin nature upon Himself when He was made sin upon the Cross.

To the question, from one of our titles, Is God not willing that any should perish? B4 we answer that, let us consider some facts:
1. God is absolutely sovereign in all things or He is not sovereign at all,  (Psalms 115; 135).
2. God hardens the heart of certain persons so they will NOT believe or will not make a good choice, Pharoah in Exodus, The Caananites, and others (John 12:38-41).
3. Scriptures are clear, as God loves some, He hates others.

To answer the question of God’s will in the condemnation of some and the salvation of others, let me quote the whole verse from 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning [H]is promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  What word would you say is the most important in terms of arguing for election or rather sound doctrine? Hint, It’s emboldened.  “Us-ward” is the key word for our purposes.  Let’s look at that verse again and this time I’m going to insert the “us” from “us-ward” into a couple of spots for clarification.  “…but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any [of us] should perish, but that all [of us] should come to repentance.”  As to repentance, Scripture teaches us that repentance, like faith, is a gift from God. No man has the intrinsic ability or desire to repent or to “put faith in Christ” as man has no faith, his spirit being “dead in trespasses and sin.”

We understand that it is hard to accept the truth concerning this doctrine regarding God not respecting a man’s person and all that the doctrine entails.  We are familiar with the human feelings and human standards that are used when evaluating a person.  We see the sweet little old lady or the nice and respectful kid and think, “How could God send them to Hell?”

Sweetness or respect or nice or friendly are not used in God’s Standard of Judgement.  The One and Only Standard A Holy God uses is whether a person is “in Christ” or outside of Christ.  An analogy:  During the great flood or deluge, another word for flood, it mattered not if one was nice, friendly, or good by human standards; you were either in the ark or you weren’t.  The same is true today, you are either in Christ or you are not and that is God’s only standard and Who do you think places you in Christ?  Who was it that called the animals and Noah and his family into the ark? Who was it that closed the great door of the ark?  It was and is and will always and Only be God.

Some simplistic questions one might ask themselves regarding the doctrine of election and whether or not God loves every person.
1. Since God is sovereign and His will is always done wouldn’t every person then be saved… if that was His will?
2. If Christ died for everyone, taking their sins upon Himself, would not every one be saved. I am familiar with the argument against this point but it fails.
3. Would God dispatch those He loves into a place of eternal torment, eternal suffering, where there is eternal weeping and eternal gnashing of teeth from eternal human hatred for God?  Yes, even in Hell persons, young and old, will hate and curse and blame God for their torments. Man will not repent or desire to repent even then…this is how deep human depravity goes.

Godspeed.

“…[God] hatest all workers of iniquity.”  (Psalm 5)

“…[D]epart from [M]e, all ye workers of iniquity.”  (Luke 13)

 

A while ago I asked my readers to let me know if they were “sometimes readers” or “all the time readers.”  We found that the majority if not all are “sometimes readers.” This did not discourage us because we know God reads us and I’m able to recommend these articles when I can match them to person’s real time issues or ponderings.  I am fully aware that you are very busy as this world does not allow Christ-ians the time to read every thing that comes their way. Due to this I realize I need to put together an index…ugh. Also, I realize that I can speak on subjects and topics more than once because someone might read that article that missed a previous.

This is one of those articles that remind me to be thankful for the small ministry God has given me.  This article, if preached as a message in a church, would be received with less than rave reviews…more like raving mad reviewers.  This article is on the hatred of God…not man’s hatred of God but God’s hatred of some men. Whenever I bring this topic up, no matter who it is with, they disagree immediately. Christ-ians today have been inculcated (DRilled) with the false teaching of God’s love for everyman and “God is love.”  C.S. Lewis was careful to state “God is Love but love is not God.”  The love of God is not the end all and be all of the Godhead. God the Father hates some men….God the Son hates some men…and God the Holy Ghost hates some men and He is the quickest to demonstrate that hate and to make it manifest.

Reader, this is not a new teaching but an old teaching that has been taught by preachers of the past. Reformers taught it, Puritans taught it, and the preacher John Gill wrote of it in his fine book, “A Complete Body of Practical And Doctrinal Divinty…Deduced From The Sacred Scriptures.” I heartily recommend this book, especially to preachers and teachers. Gill’s successor preached it as well. Gill’s successor’s name? Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

If I were ever to minister in a church as pastor, We would introduce this doctrine slowly and then preach on it often…why? When a false doctrine is believed for years and in some cases for all of one’s life as a believer, the sound doctrine must be preached often in order to bring a doctrinal balance. Imagine a person believing one thing for (10) ten years and then learning it to be false doctrine.  It is hard to put those teachings down even when it is understood to be erroneous. Therefore the sound doctrine must be pressed and pushed and the people must be inculcated with soundness.  An analogy: A person spends years getting out of shape, he decides to get back into shape, this takes time as getting back into shape does not happen over night.

There is much that was preached by faithful ministers that is not preached today by faithful ministers. The doctrines of election, adoption, God’s absolute Sovereignty and God’s hatred are among them. I’m not saying these doctrines are not preached in some churches, they are but they are few. How do I know this? The church has lost much of her authority in this world. The teaching of the (4) four doctrines mentioned above could change that.  It is a historical fact that past revivals…I mean country wide revivals came as Calvinist men taught upon the High Sovereignty of God.

Humanly speaking, imagine the reaction of unchurched persons if they were to hear, God hates you instead of God loves you. This, my reader, would get attention. Let me explain who it is that God hates and it is who and not what.  Persons like to say, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner…”  That statement is wrong…wrong…wrong…and right.

The doctrine of election (John 6; Romans 8-11; Ephesians 1; 2 Thessalonians 2; Psalm 65) teaches us the truth that God has chosen some persons to salvation in order to demonstrate His Grace, Love, and Mercy. Logically, this means that He has chosen to leave all others to die in their sin (John 5 & 8). Those left in their sin will be used to demonstrate God’s Justice, Holiness, Anger, Fury, and Wrath.

Galatians 4:6 and John 17 both teach that we were always the children of God, we were never in danger of Hell and we were never children of the devil. On the other hand, the persons who will be made to endure the unendurable are always in danger of Hell. These persons are called: Abominable Branches, Children of (b)elial, Children of Hell, Children of disobedience, Dogs, Enemies of God, Enemies of the Cross, Enemies of Righteousness, evildoers, evil men, fools, goats, rebellious, reprobate, tares or weeds, ungodly, vessels of wrath, whited sepulchres, and wolves. These are life long sinners who care nothing for God  or God’s pleasures or His will.

Ask yourself this question, “Does God send those He loves to Hell?” The answer is in the negative, of course. Therefore God hates some men…life long workers of iniquity.

The Christ-ian is one who has been known and loved by God from b4 the founding of this world. Only the Christ-ian can say, “God is love.” God is no secret admirer, God loves us and He will have it known.

To my elect brothers and sisters, God Loves you.

“...[T]hou art with me…”  (Psalm 23)

“O’ LORD [T]hou knowest…”  (Jeremiah 15)

“…[T]hou remainest…”  (Hebrews 1)

 

My Mom has wondered in the past how a preacher can take (1) one word or just a few from Scripture and preach on that/those words for an hour. It is all part of the gifting of God and God giving the message. In this article we will use the single word, Thou.

Here are (3) three truths that can help a Christ-ian get through anything. These truths will even get us through another year of our pilgrimage on this earth as we travel to a country that is made without hands and mansions that have been prepared for us before the foundations of the world!!! Keep these truths in mind, reader,… God Remains, God Knows, and God is with you.

The God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is the God of Christ-ianity today. The patriarchs lived thousands and thousands of years ago, God is the God of these men and He remains. The God of David remains. The God of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and all the prophets of old remains. The God of Peter and Paul remain. The God of the disciple whom the Lord Jesus loved remains. If God tarries and we pass on to the next and last phase of our lives, our God will care for our children and grand children.

God has not aged, He has not grown slow, His sight and hearing has not declined, nor has His reflexes. His memory has not faded…He remembers you and me. He remembers any wrong done unto us and He will repay it, for it is written. God avenges His own I know a guy who was verbally attacked and threatened in front of his children. This man after the incident drove about a block and died.  God remains, reader.  God is the Same yesterday, today, and forever.  His character does not change, there exist no shadow of turning in our God. His allegiance to you and me shall not turn.  His promises remain, His warnings remain, His Words of hope and comfort remain.

“O’ LORD [T]hou knowest…”  For the Christ-ian these few Words are pregnant with comfort and confidence. Reader, no matter what befalls us whether it be good or thought bad, God Knows. God knows everything about it. God knows who is involved (whether they be good or bad). God knows what is to come as well as the outcome. In fact, God knew of it from b4 the beginning of the world and this, beloved, means He knew thee, too!!! This also means He loved you from Everlasting. That is, by the way, a family secret; you and I have always been God’s beloved sons and daughters.

Luke in Acts 15 tells us that “Known unto God are all [H]is works from the beginning of the world.” If God knows all His works then He must know all His workers, right?

God knows you and me inside and out, from head to toe, front to back and He still loves us!!!  As a minister, it is a general rule not to get too familiar with others and not to let others get too familiar with you. This is because I might become a stumbling block to some. But God is completely familar with everything about each of us. It is written that God will say to those that are sent away to their eternal toment, “I never knew you.”

“I never knew you.” How does this equate with God knowing everything? This is a beautiful truth, the word, “knew” does not always mean, “having knowledge of.” In many cases it means love.  Remember in the Old Testament, when a man and his wife would become intimate one with the other after being married?  The Holy Spirit chose to use the word, “knew” in place of other words or phrasing denoting sexual intimacy. The Scriptures say of the Christ-ian, they are foreknown!!! This means “loved before”…loved before the founding of the world…before Adam and Eve!!! Reader, God knows you.

“Thou art with me…”  Again, what Words of comfort and confidence.  Of all people,  Christ-ians should be the most confident. The most confident in school, in the work place, in competition, everywhere their foot treadeth.  There are many reasons for this confidence.
1. God is Present always.
2. In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence…not just confidence but strong confidence!!! or confidence that strengthens one’s resolve. This means those that has a reverence for God should be confident.
3. We belong to a very, very, very jealous God. Jealous does not = envy, jealous = protective over.
4. We are in Christ, Christ is in the Father and the Father is in Christ and the Holy Spirit is in us…There is no safer place in all the universe and safety begets confidence.

 

Summary,
We have every reason to be comforted and confident in this world…God Remains, God Knows, and God is with us.

Godspeed

 

 

“…[O]ld things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.”                                                                                                                             (2 Corinthians 5:17b)

 

Most likely preachers talked about the New Year last Sunday morning during Church services.  One question I always have on holidays like Easter, Christmas, & New Years is if it be God’s will that preachers speak on the holiday at hand.  In other words, does God want all preachers to preach upon the same topic in every church, nation wide if not world wide?

I know this article may be offensive to some but it need not be. We were told recently and a few times before that, we are “old school.” One time it was an insult and the other a great compliment from someone who reads these articles, the other times it was simply a comment in passing.

Being “old school” means that i’m completely dependent upon God for a message and the power to minister that message to His sheep. Being dependent upon God also means I will and have held up a service for over (20) minutes and I was horror struck waiting on God, thinking He may not enable me.  We have cut services short because we sensed God’s departure. We have also canceled services as well because of the absence of power.  This is unheard of today because the contemporary minister is more than happy to use other men’s books and outlines prepared by other men. I believe God does this to remind me of my absolute need of His Presence and Power. It also shows me the Reality that is God’s Presence and Power as well as proving to me that we are called.

To preach from another’s works is “preaching plagiarism” and intellectual dishonesty, and an offense to the Holy Spirit of God. It is also an offense to the Spirit of God to preach one’s own will and one’s own message. In my over (2) two decades of preaching and teaching God has never directed me to preach about a holiday on that holiday.  One year we preached about (s)atan on Easter.  At first one might think the devil has nothing to do with Easter, but one would be wrong for the devil is Christ’s defeated foe and he was defeated on Easter, if you will.

God does not allow us to preach the same message twice. We did that (20) twenty years ago.  we preached a message that stirred the emotions of God’s people.  So we thought we would preach it again at a different church…preachers like to see the people weep.  Dead, dead, dead…the message was dead AKA no life. God left me alone that time and taught me a valuable lesson.  He moves the hearts of His people and I do not.

I know the argument some preachers would use in support of their holiday sermons/lectures. That argument being, “A lot of people only come to church on Christmas and Easter, so I need to preach on what they are expecting.”  My reponse is simply this, “Since when do the C & E crowd out rank the will of God and since preachers believe this way, the C & E crowd have heard only (1) one message ever!!!

Another thing I have wondered about preachers and that is the preachers “preparations for service.” I’m not saying a preacher shouldn’t be prepared.  I also understand that many preachers use power point and other tools like that so I can understand that kind of preparation.

My preparations include being studied up at all time so that God can direct my preaching and my thoughts.  Many times in fact, God has changed the message as I stepped into the pulpit and also during the preaching of a message.  He does this, I believe, to reward me for my studies.  He does this, I believe, to let me know He’s listening!!! What encouragment. I have known men that use notes (and that is fine) but if they were to lose them they too are lost.  Some men are so dependent upon notes that God is not needed.  I have seen some men imitate other preachers which is a sad thing to behold. I have known some men to have upwards of (6) six months of notes prepared and these notes were not even their own!!! Please note I used the word men and not preacher because, they were fine men but not preachers.  As to men imitating others, I heard about a man at a “camp meeting” that was imitating a preacher…even preaching that preacher’s sermon, everyone knew he was imitating because the the preacher delivered that same message only the year before. God loves variety in His servants to imitate is to offend God.  The sin is called emulation, whereas it is called imitation today.

A man once told me that he was told by an aunt that he should be a pastor because he speaks well and is good with people…I did everything I could to keep my composure. This man said this with such pride and arrogance. Little does Aunt Silly know about the ministry.  I’ve also been told that anybody could be a preacher by a man I worked with.  I asked him what the (3rd) third book of the Bible is…he couldn’t answer the question. I then kindly suggested to him, “You must be the stupidest man on earth, you obviously could not be a preacher…you must by your own admission be the only person that doesn’t know what the (3rd) third Book in the Bible is.”  I can “be good with people,” I chose not to be so good that time.

Notes do not make a preacher, schools do not make a preacher, the ability to speak well in front of others do not make a preacher, knowledge of the Scriptures do not make a preacher, Salvation does not make a preacher.  A man’s desire does not make a preacher. God and God Alone can make a preacher. The only man that is a preacher is the man that has been called to preach. The only man that can be a preacher is the man that has been made willing by a sovereign act and gifting of the Sovereign Spirit of God Who gifts “severally as [H]e wills.”  A man may be called years before God uses him and before God makes him willing.

I think I was called at my conversion, but it would be years before God put the willingness in me. I remember negotiating with God. I asked if I could do a few things first before entering the ministry.  I would not advice this today as I was a young and foolish convert then.  However, He was and is longsuffering with His unprofitable servant and reader, He allowed me all that I asked!!! What a life He has given me…what a life.

The God made and Spirit gifted preacher trusts God with all things. This man does not rely on fancy words, emotion stirring songs, guilt, or tricks…”I see that hand” when there is no raised hand. This trick and or deception…this false witness is taught in some schools.  The God called man trusts God to work in the heart(s) of those within the preacher’s hearing. That is not to say that the preacher should not use truths that God may use to convict or cause fear but to use guilt and fear on a flesh level is not depending upon God. This method may get hands raised but little else.

I’m not a preacher that is a big fan of the alter call. I think it can be used if so led of God. I once had an alter call, God compelled it and it was open for (20) twenty minutes!!!  You see, God was in it.  Believers kept coming and coming. Some came (15) fifteen minutes into the invitation. We saw the white knuckles of some and read the body language of others…they wanted to come forward but were holding back. We were relentless. They were coming and confessing sin and God was dealing with His people that night.  I was overwhelmed and greatly humbled to say the least.

I’m not alone in my preaching philosophy.  Charles Spurgeon did not begin his preparations until Saturday evening.  Martyn Lloyd Jones would wait on the empowerment of the Spirit before he would begin preaching…he would pray (30) thirty minutes before beginning. These men understood something that few understand today, if God is not enabling the minister to speak to the people of God, If God is not in it, it is only a man giving a lecture. The people may learn something but there is nothing happening in the spirit or the soul.

Consider our Lord Jesus and His Apostles, do you think they “prepared”  By the way, before I forget, I am not comparing myself to Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones, the Apostles or my Master.  I’m not for a second claiming to be on their level but I would suggest their method is the best. Their method is to be studied in the Word and to be instant in season and out of season.  That word instant is also use in a passage that exhorts us to “be instant in prayer.” This means always be in the spirit of prayer. The preacher should always be instant in preaching. The God chosen, the God called, the God gifted, the God dependent preacher is a preacher 24/7 and not just on Sunday. The preacher never retires and would never consider a higher paying position in the world. The preacher was born in Eternity past and he will be a preacher through Eternity future. Preaching is not what he does but who he is.

 

 

 

“…Imaginations…”  ( Part of 2 Corinthians 10:5)

 

Have you ever wondered why some Christ-ians enjoy or are drawn to, what some would call, questionable interests at best and dark hobbies at worst?

For example, from one of the titles above, I have enjoyed watching the bad guys in Wrestling and in others genres. I enjoy BatMan, which is a darker fiction. I also enjoy murder mysteries, books and television programs  (My eldest daughter gave my wife and I a gift card to a Mystery murder dinner for Christmas…the Game is a FOOt!!!) In fact, there are not many things more comfortable and cozy, humanly speaking, than sitting under a thick blanket and binge watching or reading a crime or murder mystery show or book.

Another topic I study is serial murder. I read and study those that murder as a compulsion.  Why would a born again child of God want to watch, read, or study such material?  Why would many Christ-ians enjoy these things?

As I said in another (1) one of my titles above, I’m not a psychologist but I play one in my mind.  However, methinks we have an answer or at least a supposal, as Lewis would put it, or a hypothesis as a logician would put it.

We are drawn, or at least some, if not many of us are drawn to darker things because our Lord and Saviour was and Is!!!  Was not our Lord and Master drawn to the darkness and evil that is you and me? Therefore, you and i are drawn to darkness as well.  Christ was drawn to darkness and evil so that He might draw darkness and evil to the Light, that is Himself.

Another reason we, the children of Light, are drawn to the dark is because we want the darkness to be defeated and justice and righteousness to prevail.

If the Children of Light are not intrinsically drawn to the darkness, who will bring the darkness to the Light.

An analogy: We watch movies and we know the ending but while we are watching we are hoping the end might be different.

Our Great God is Lord and Master of both the Light and the dark. As children of the Light we never walk in darkness as part of that darkness but we are the light in that darkness and our shield of faith shall ever protect us.

Praise God!!!

Godspeed.