Category Archives: Frank Becker

Our “Post-Truth” Culture

Week Thirty-Six, 2018

Our “Post-Truth” Culture

By John Grant

…proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance,” Acts 28:31.

Oxford Dictionaries selected “post-truth” as its international word of the year in 2016. The decision seems appropriate in our relativistic culture. How should we as Christians respond?

There are many Christian denominations that have wandered from spiritual authority and split over social stands. Many have adopted stands that are contrary to Biblical principles.

Are there days when you would prefer to ignore the culture wars, name-calling, and “fake news” in the news? I feel the same way, but Christians have a higher calling.

But, when should we avoid contentious issues? When should we respond to them with biblical truth?

As we look at the current relativistic social and other issues of our time, I can’t think of one that is not directly or indirectly mentioned in the Bible. The Bible is not only a book about religion. It is a book about life and living, dealing with almost every aspect of life.

When I was in public office, I sponsored and the Senate passed a law that provided that marriage was between a man and a woman. Unfortunately, it was later voided by the courts. I did it not because it was popular, though it was. I didn’t do it because I personally felt it was right. I did it because the Bible says it is so.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to speak out on issues of the day and proclaim Biblical truth. We can do so at the voting booth, in our associations with others and whenever we have a chance to speak out.

When we do,

First, be humble. We are all broken people. The person on the other side of the issue is someone God loves as much as He loves us.

Second, be prayerful. Ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) and for the words to speak when called to speak (Luke 12:12).

Third, be courageous. Say with the psalmist, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).

We are all called to not just worship our faith, but to practice and proclaim it.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

WORRY:

Does something about tomorrow worry you today? Are you facing a decision or dilemma? Begin by surrendering every dimension of this day to your Father (Romans 12:1–2a). He can give his best only to those who leave the choice with him (Romans 12:2b). Jim Denison

— o —

TOO OFTEN……

▪ Religious People Are Obsessed with Recognition

▪ Religious People Elevate Secondary Traditions above a Love for God

▪ Religious People Substitute a Ritual For a Love for God or People

▪ Religious People Are More Aware of the Sins of Others than Their Own Sin

—Ken Whitten

— o —

A SAD STATISTIC:

A recent Gallup poll revealed that the number of US citizens who consider themselves “extremely proud to be an American” has sunk to an 18 year low. In fact, for the first time, the number fell below 50%.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Knowing God’s calling in your life is not enough if you don’t bother to obey and follow it. —Dwight Short

When you see problems in your world, don’t anxiously wring your hands, but rather bend your knees.

If we want to serve our Lord in a skeptical culture, our lives must match our message. —Jim Denison

Your present circumstances don’t determine where you will go, they only determine where you will start. —Nido Qubein, High Point University

Money is only a tool. It can take you many places. But don’t let it replace you as the driver and God as the navigator. —Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

“Why Do I sin?”

“Why Do I Sin?”

Anonymous

(Contents of a recent email to Frank Becker)

Someone recently sent me this incredibly honest and sensitive appraisal of the sin problem that all Christians face. You may pick at the writer’s theology, but few people I’ve known have grown so much in their faith that they could express the truth with such humility. I’m honored to offer these thoughts for your edification. —Frank Becker

I was just thinking last night… why do I sin? Why do I always give in to sin? Pride, anger, screaming… why?! If Christ saved me, why do I sin?

Then I realized:

1) He gave me absolute freedom to do whatever I like. This is what true love is; you have freedom to sin.

2) He died for me 2,000 years ago. He bled for me 2,000 years ago. He forgave me 2000 YEARS AGO!! I have only this grace. I am NOT ‘twisting the spear and watching the blood and water flow” as Jars of Clay so elegantly describes it when I sin; He already forgave me. I have only to hold my head high and ‘Go forth and sin no more.’ but that’s not really possible.. is it..

3) Then I was given an epiphany last night, which is ironic because it’s something I’ve been taught from childhood. I am fighting an actual war but I don’t even act like I’m at war. I’m not fighting back when these feelings of rage or inadequacy or whatever come over me. I’m not putting on the breastplate of righteousness and carrying the shield of truth, and having my feet shod my with the gospel of peace. Most importantly, I’m not even in the right frame of mind that I’m actually doing battle!

FOR WE BATTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AND POWERS, AND THE RULES OF DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, AND SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES.

Of course, we memorized that… and we memorized Ephesians 6… and I opened that up this morning and was somewhat surprised to learn that that verse is in the armor chapter.

But I never really associated it with actually preparing for battle. I always thought of it as a particularly colorful metaphor, but we are actually at battle. I am actually going to war EVERY DAY and it’s against the dark one and his fiery darts… and myself. My old man.

I was at war all the time and I never even really thought about it.

I know, I know… this is something that pastors’ like you have been saying for generations. But it never really sunk in: that I enter the battlefield whenever I’m about to sin. I may not be doing battle all the time, but that is my actual battlefield. That is where I win, lose, or die.

And I have EVERY tool and weapon that I need to win. I just need to start acting like I’m at war. I need to have a battle stance. I need to be prepared.

Fighting sin is not a matter of modern psychology or ‘techniques’ or even reading your Bible every day. For a long time, I couldn’t understand why I was still sometimes sinning even after reading my Bible every morning, or how I’d get angry and short-tempered, and I think it’s just because I wasn’t ALSO donning the other gear. I was only carrying a sword, but no shield, and definitely my feet were uncovered with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

The Blessed Man

THINK

On These

Things

                               The Blessed Man

Philippians 4:8

By Brother Al Salay

The Word of God has many promises of blessings. Some are conditional. God has said, “If . . .” If you do such and such I will bless. I call these blessings “conditional blessings.” A man obeys and God responds with a blessing.

There is another kind of blessing announced in the Word. These other blessings are built into this World that God created. They are the un-avoidable result of the action described. I call them “result blessings.” They are described in the scriptures for our understanding. They are not God’s special rewards or punishments. They simply tell us how the created world works. Psalms and Proverbs have a good number of result statements. They reflect the eternal nature and character of God, inherent in His creation. One example is found in Proverbs 19:17:

He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”

That is the way the economy of God works!

We will do well to consider that while some blessings are God’s RESPONSE to our actions,

Other blessings are the pre-ordained “Natural” RESULT of our actions.

It is pointless to pray to God for RESULT blessings. He has already placed them in our own control. I believe that the “Blessed” in Psalm 1, verse 1 is one of these result blessings.

Psalm 1 (KJV)

V1 Blessed is the man

That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,

nor standeth in the way of sinners,

nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

V2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD;

and in his law doth he meditate

day and night.

V3 And he shall be like a tree

planted by the rivers of water,

that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;

his leaf also shall not wither;

and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

V4 The ungodly are not so:

but are like the chaff

which the wind driveth away.

V5 Therefore

the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

V6 For the LORD

knoweth the way of the righteous:

but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Blessed!

What does that mean?

Happiness, good fortune, physical well-being are some things often considered to be blessings. The psalmist himself answers the question in verse 3. To him being blessed means to have fruit in due season and to have every thing one does prosper, to succeed, to be profitable.

Usually, we think of blessings as coming from God. After all, what other source is there? James 1:17 tells us,

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.”

These blessings do indeed come from God, but He built them into the very nature of the Earth experience at creation.

Commentators and students often focus on the details of what it means to

“Walk in the counsel of the ungodly,”

“Stand in the way of sinners,”

“Sit in the seat of the scornful.”

Well, we certainly should understand these options most thoroughly so that we can be sure to avoid them in our lives. Avoiding them is part of achieving the result we want.

BUT – verse 2 begins with the word “but.” When the Word of God says “but” it is time to sit up and listen intently, because something very important is about to be said. That is true here.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord:

and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”

The negatives of verse 1 are over and done with. Here are the powerful positives of verse 2: delight and meditate.

We might summarize the insights presented by these two verses by saying something like,

Block out the lies of the world,

Immerse yourself in the truth of the Word.”

Then you too –

“Shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,

that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;

What a blessing to be such a tree!

Please note these facts about trees:

  • The fruit of a tree is NOT for the tree.

  • The fruit of a tree is for OTHERS.

  • Natural trees have leaves that wither after they bear the fruit, for their task is finished until the next season.

  • Spiritual trees are not so, as they continue to bear fruit, there being no end to their season.

It is wisely said that the greatest blessing one can enjoy is to be a blessing to others. Jesus rejoiced to be so blessed.

Be Blessed

Bear Fruit

Bless Others

08/18

Presented by Bro. Al Salay, Blessed Man Ministries Inc.

www.BlessedMan.net [email protected]

“FEAR”

Week Thirty-Five, 2018

“FEAR”

By John Grant

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Most every day I talk to someone who is afraid or anxious. Maybe you fear what people think of you… Not having enough money… Public speaking, flying, being far from home, or spiders… Failure or rejection… Losing a loved one… Disease or pain… Death… We all long for more of God’s peace in the midst of the stresses of our lives.

“Fear not!” is the most repeated command in the Bible. There are 365 “fear nots” in the Bible — one “Fear not” for every day of the year. God doesn’t want us to go a single day without hearing his word of comfort: “Fear not”. It is the most repeated command in the Bible.

In his book, What are You Afraid Of, Dr. David Jeremiah talks about fear with a Bible verse to illustrate each of the fears he writes about. He identifies fear of calamity, fear of serious illness, fear of financial collapse, fear of failure, fear of being alone, fear of rejection, fear of sudden trouble, the fear of mental breakdown, the fear of dying and many more.’

Like me, surely you have some personal fears that apply only to you. Some of us are simply afraid of fear. It was Franklin Roosevelt who said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Billions a year are spent on the secular dealing with fear, but Dr. Jeremiah puts a different spin on it. He turns to the Bible and proclaims that the opposite of fear is faith. We are in a fallen world and evil has a foothold on every corner of it. There are only two ways to face the future: with fear or with faith.

Only faith in Christ will truly combat the evils of the world. Through His Son, God gave us the amazing gift of our being able to be forgiven for our sins and live with Him forever throughout eternity. The joy of that revelation far exceeds fear on this earth.

If you live with fear in your life, overcoming that fear is as easy as replacing your fear of life with faith in a new life through Christ our Lord.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

New dog… St. Pit… a cross between a Pit Bull and a St. Bernard. It will bite your hand off and then go for help

— o —

Never:

Thomas Edison once expected alchemy to be perfected, so that “it will be an easy matter to convert a truckload of iron bars into virgin gold.”

The New York Times announced in 1920, “a rocket will never be able to leave the Earth’s atmosphere.” In 1949, Popular Mechanics predicted that, “computers in the future may have only 1000 vacuum tubes and perhaps weigh only 1.5 tons.”

And in 1977, Digital Equipment Corporation founder Ken Olsen claimed, “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” (To be fair, his computers were larger than many people’s homes at the time.)

“Behind every “no” from God is a greater ‘yes.’” —Dave Ferguson

There are over three thousand promises in the Bible.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Proverbs 28 – He who trusts his own heart is a fool.

Do you worship the leaves on the tree or do you worship the roots?

“My greatest strength is that I am an ordinary average guy.” —Ron Upton

The first President of our country’s greatest asset was that Washington knew he was dispensable. Put your hand in a bucket of water, pull it out, and note what happens…the hole that remains is a measure of how much you’ll be missed.

“Life is not about success, but rather about significance.” —Danny Wuerffel

“We are the Bibles the world is reading; we are the creeds the world is needing; we are the sermons the world is heeding.” —Billy Graham

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

“WHERE DOES THE FAMILY OF GOD COME FROM?”

WHERE DOES THE FAMILY OF GOD COME FROM?”

(Psalm 20)

Shiloh Family Retreat Center, August 24, 2018 7 PM

By Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: DEEP RAVINE

One lovely morning, Ben and Thomas were out golfing. Ben slices his ball deep into a wooded ravine. He grabs his 8-iron and proceeds down the embankment into the ravine in search of his ball.

Ben searches diligently through the thick underbrush and suddenly he spots something shiny. As he gets closer, he realizes that the shiny object is in fact an 8-iron in the hands of a skeleton lying near an old golf ball.

Ben excitedly calls out to his golfing partner: “Hey Thomas, come here, I got big trouble down here.”

Thomas comes running over to the edge of the ravine and calls out, “What’s the matter Ben?”

Ben shouts back in a nervous voice, “Throw me my 7-iron! Looks like you can’t get out of here with an 8-iron.”

INTRODUCTION

“We are family.” We carry much baggage with us when we first come into the world. And all of us have different baggage. Let me explain: IF you were raised, as I was, in a family which has a mom and dad (first marriage for both) and two older brothers, what would you think? You would think this is the NORM. Everybody has parents. Everybody has brothers that are older. Many of you can relate to being the youngest. As momma said, “Jeremy, you always will be my baby”. But it is not too long before you find that not everyone’s parents are in their first marriage; some may not even have mom or dad living at home; some may not even know who their dad or mom is; some may not live in a nice house; some may not live in a nice home (there is a difference); some, like some of you, may never have lived in a home with mom and dad and brothers and/or sisters – you bounced from relative to relative or from foster home to foster home until either you were old enough to get out on your own, OR you were adopted.

INTO THAT SCENARIO comes the day when we asked Jesus to be our Savior. The new birth. We didn’t know all that God had done for us already, “before the foundation of the world” (list items). We didn’t know theology. We didn’t know practical Christian living. But we DID know one thing: I belong to Jesus. WOO-HOO! (oh, “praise the Lord!”).

INTO THAT SCENARIO comes Psalm 20, David’s ode to family. Let’s look at this psalm carefully this evening, and in so doing, let’s discover what the all-wise God has for us this weekend. PRAYER

# 1. THE INVITATION: “YOU,” vs. 1-4 (CIRCLE “YOU!”)

The person who has never come to Jesus is not a part of God’s Family yet. Perhaps that is where some of you are tonight. In fact, that is how David addresses those who are being invited to consider Christ: “you”. These verses are wonderful words of invitation that we all could use to invite others to the Family of God.

What does the Lord – and His Church Family – offer to everyone who hungers and thirsts for Him?

A. The promise of a personal God (v. 1).

Can you believe there is a God Who knows you personally? “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble”. He hungers to hear from you! He wants your fellowship! He wants your intimacy. He wants you! And not only in the good times, but also in the “day of trouble”. Think of all those wonderful promises that have become a vital part of our walk with the Lord: “casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” “Come unto Me all Who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Sometimes we think of these verses as intimacy for the Christian. But they also could be challenges to those who are outside the Family!

God is so personal that He will defend you. How so? He calls Himself the “God of Jacob”. Why is that important? Because He is a God of promise. As He made promises to Jacob/Israel, so He is intimate with us. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Now that’s intimate.

B. The promise of help and strength (v.2)

“May He send you help”. In v. 1, it is an offer of prayer. In v. 2, it is an invitation to know a God Who is personal, Who knows your need before you ask Him!

* Matt. 6:8: “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” The Savior here is showing that the Family of God is much different from the Family of the World (or of Satan).

“May He strengthen you out of Zion.” God specializes in assisting those who are weak!

  • Isa. 40:29: “He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.”
  • Phil. 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
  • 2 Cor. 12:9: “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Everyone of us can testify that the times we were helped the most were the times that we were weakest! Emotionally. Physically. Financially. When we had no strength, the Lord offers to be our strength. He promises that for you. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

C. HE remembers (v. 3)

In a few minutes we will find that God expects us to remember. But He offers to each of you who are searching the fact that He remembers. You don’t have to advertise your righteousness! You don’t have to advertise your good deeds. You don’t have to advertise those things you do when you think no one notices or is watching.

Now ladies, about these “burnt sacrifices”. David is not talking about your suppers, er, those occasional suppers where, well, you know the ones. The ones which answer the question of the teacher to your child, “when does your smoke detector go off?” And your child answers, “when we know supper is done?”.

No, this is actually an huge breath of fresh air. Your burnt sacrifices is, well, all of you dedicated to God. He remembers. He sees. No other family offers such a wonderful relationship with God.

D. The Father grants and fulfills (v. 4)

Wow! This should be the only invitation the lost person needs! He grants you according to your heart’s desires!

  • Psalm 10:3 “For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.”
  • But look down at 21:2: “You have given him his heart’s desire, And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah”.

What happened here? Apparently the heart’s desire of those who don’t know the Lord will be different from those who find Him. And He hears!

AND He fulfills all your purposes. Jesus said to His Father as He looked forward to the cross, “But for this purpose I came to this hour.” If you come to the cross, God will fulfill your purposes that He wisely has planned for you!

#2. THE RECEPTION: “WE” We will rejoice in your salvation! v. 5, (CIRCLE “WE!”)

“WE” is a wonderful word! It means that you are no longer under the umbrella of the invitation. YOU have received Jesus as Savior! YOU are no longer YOU alone! YOU have a whole bunches of other “YOU”’s around YOU. “YOU” have become “WE”!!!!

Do you remember the parables in Luke 15. Repeatedly, the Lord reminds His hearers, “there is JOY in heaven over one sinner who repents.” The family of God tells the one – even you – who comes to the cross, “thank you for listening to the invitation!”

We will set up OUR banners!

ILLUSTRATION: Perhaps your church does this: outside the nursery, you put pictures of each of the members of the Nursery Roll. In particular, you post baby pictures of each of the newborn, rejoicing with the excited parents. And that is what we should be doing. We should be setting up our banners for you when you come to the cross!

And immediately you will learn that the Lord hungers to fill your petitions, your hungers, your praises, your cares – all under the umbrella of your new Family: the Family of God. WE are Family!

This would be a good time to ask: have you trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? This weekend is all about “We are Family”. And God and His Family have sent out an host of invitations and reasons to trust Jesus. But if you haven’t responded to all these reasons to trust, then you are not in His Family. We are not family with you, the one who has been invited. Oh please come to Jesus tonight!

# 3 THE FOUNDATION: “I” KNOW, v. 6 (CIRCLE “I”)

This is an amazing transition! Not only have I gone from “you” and the subject of an invitation but to “we” and the member of a family! I have also gone from “invitation” to “PROMISES”! I have gone from “invitation” to “assurances”.

Let’s look at just the first part of verse 6. The psalmist, in his rejoicing that the invited one has joined the family of God, encourages the newborn believer in the promises, the foundation of the faith. For some of us this is an HUGE transition! For before we became a part of the Family of God, all our lives were “hope so”’s. I hope someone loves me. I hope I’m going to the dance. I hope I’m going to get married some day. I hope I’m going to heaven.

And now, “I know!” 116 times in the Scriptures! And 2 classics:

  • Job 19:25-26: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God.”
  • 2 Tim. 1:12: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”

The “you” becomes “we” with the foundation of “I know”.

But wait, there is still more!

#4 THE FAMILY: “We,” vs. 7-8 (circle “WE!”)

These are good verses of contrast: BC (before Christ) and AD (after death, or the cross)

Before Christ, we trusted in chariots and horses: THINGS, stuff!

ILLUSTRATION: Lord willing, sometime in January we are moving to our new home. To prepare for that, this weekend we are having Moving Sale #2. Why? To sell some of our STUFF. Stuff that we remember – or don’t remember – buying, but we really don’t need. But someone else will! Stuff!

After Christ, we “remember”. We can’t remember where we got all that stuff. But Jesus said, “this do in remembrance of Me.” And throughout Scripture, He tells us that through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He will remind us of what He has said. We remember.

AND we have risen! We are resurrected beings. The world bows down and falls. But we are risen beings in Christ.

And as Jesus has risen, we too shall rise: “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” AMEN?

CONCLUSION (v. 9)

Let’s see if we’ve got this all down straight.

Before we can sing, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God,” before I can say, “We are Family”, we were just a “you”. You with an invitation.

And when “you” responded to the invitation, “you” became a “we” – a part of something bigger than yourself alone. And we became aware of others that were also “we”. Why and those others even rejoiced in my salvation! Why I was now a part of the “we”, a new family in Christ!

And then, as part of that family, I developed a new foundation, grounded no longer on sinking sand but on the solid Rock, Christ Jesus and encouraged with the promises that “these things I know”.

And then, I learned that as new resurrected beings, I have a fresh rememberance of the things of Jesus. My whole world is now centered, no longer on STUFF and ME but on the Lord Jesus and His glory!

One last thought: look at verse 9. One last “we”. As a member of the Family of God, we have a new identity: we are a people of intimacy with the King of kings! We are a family of prayer! We are a people of compassion – we see others as Jesus sees them!

We have an impossible task: to see the world as Jesus does. To love the unlovely as Jesus does. To be Jesus where He puts us. This is an impossible task.

The psalmist gives one last encouragement: the King will answer us when we call! Even to do the impossible tasks for His glory!

We are Family!

Close in prayer

This message was delivered on Friday evening, August 23, 2018, at Shilo Christian Family Campground, in West Eaton, New York, by the Reverend Jeremy Stopford, pastor, First Baptist Church, Earlville, New York.

“WHEN GOD CHANGES DIRECTIONS”

Please look below for a note from your blog host, Frank Becker.

WHEN GOD CHANGES DIRECTIONS” (Nehemiah 1-2)

FOUNDATION FUND INTRODUCTION

First Baptist Church, Earlville, New York, Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “The Sin”

Two elderly, excited Southern women were sitting together in the front pew of a church listening to a fiery preacher.

When this preacher condemned the sin of stealing, these two ladies cried out at the tops of their lungs, “AMEN, BROTHER!”

When the preacher condemned the sin of lust, they yelled again, “PREACH IT, REVEREND!”

And when the preacher condemned the sin of lying, they jumped to their feet and screamed, “RIGHT ON, BROTHER! TELL IT LIKE IT IS… AMEN!”

But when the preacher condemned the sin of gossip, the two got very quiet.

One turned to the other and said, “He’s quit preaching and now he’s meddlin’.”

CONCLUSION

We are going to start with the “conclusion” of the message first! Look at Nehemiah 2:18. Note the mantra, the shout, the united voice of the people: “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

Let” – a purposeful statement, more than just asking permission. The people of Jerusalem were saying that they understood their purpose, their mission, the goal of the work, even though they had no idea what was to happen (as seen in the next 11 or so chapters!).

Us” – a united statement. They were NOT professionals. They were the people of Jerusalem who had a desire to be secure in their homes. The wall that had been destroyed by the enemies of their faith needed to be rebuilt. And the people determined that they each would do what each could do.

Start” – note they didn’t say “finish”, or “let’s get it done.” You cannot have a faith project without a beginning. This project had a start: and the start was their faith statement. Let’s start!

Rebuilding” – they may not have understood what all was involved in this work. They certainly knew that the wall that surrounded the city of Jerusalem was in ruins. Thus the protection for their city was gone. Even though the temple had been rebuilt under the ministry of Ezra, there was no God-ordained protection. They needed to rebuild.

Finally, “they began this good work.” The work had a beginning. They did not all do construction. Some prayed. Some gave supplies. But all came under the heading “they began”. And note that the work is called a “good” work. Perhaps not a great work. But it was indeed a necessary work. Years later, perhaps no one will remember the names of those who “began a good work”. They won’t know who did the construction. They may not know who gave. They may not know who prayed. But they certainly will see the evidence. The wall is rebuilt. The city is still secure.

The Foundation of the church is laid again. And the people of Earlville are worshiping without fear that the building is going to collapse. So NOW let’s find out how they got to this conclusion!

Prayer

# 1 IT TAKES A SURRENDERED HEART (Nehemiah 1)

Look at the last statement of Nehemiah 1:11: “I was the king’s cupbearer.” In a nutshell, we have just learned all about Nehemiah’s life. The land of Judah was in captivity in Babylon. Why? Because they refused to recognize in their daily and political lives that God alone was worthy of their trust and praise. They literally set themselves first. The Lord told Jeremiah that the people would be in captivity for 70 years. They were. The 70 years are over. Some have gone back to Jerusalem. Many liked their lives in Babylon, which represents the world system. They liked it. They were secure, even though it was impossible in the world system to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.

Nehemiah worked for King Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, the nation which now ruled Babylon. (We can read Daniel 5 to get the full picture of the Persians takeover of Babylon!).

But his work is identified: he was the king’s cupbearer. Note that it did not say, “he was the king’s right hand man.” It did not say, as with Joseph, “the king entrusted everything to Nehemiah”. No, but the king did entrust his life to Nehemiah. The king’s “cupbearer” was more than just the butler. He was not the one who set up the supper table every time the king wanted to eat. No, no!

You see, the king had many enemies. Some were real. Many were in his mind – his fears that, like those before him, someone would come along and takeover the Persian rule of the world! (by the way, they would!). So he hired – in this case, commanded one of the Jewish exiles – to be his “cupbearer”. What did the cupbearer do? He tasted the king’s food. He drank the king’s wine. He sipped the king’s water? Why? To make sure it wasn’t tainted with poison from an enemy of the king! If when he tasted, he remained alive, the king knew he, too, could partake of a full meal. If, however, he died, well, then, HELLO!, the king would not partake of the meal.

Nehemiah’s job was a life or death position.

But he was surrendered to a higher King. He was doing as Paul would say in the New Testament, “obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Serve whole-heartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not men.” (Eph. 6:5,7). Nehemiah had a surrendered heart.

The point is this: As a reading of the book of Nehemiah will show, Nehemiah wasn’t a great man in himself. He wasn’t a politician. But he was a servant of the Lord who was willing to do his job as unto the Lord Jesus. He was where God wanted him to be – even in the king’s work. Artaxerxes thought Nehemiah was serving him, but in reality he was serving the King of kings, the Lord Himself.

Before we even see a people who say, “let us start rebuilding”, the work needs people who say, “I am surrendered by both my heart and my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Am I? Are you? Are we?

# 2 IT TAKES A PRAYERFUL HEART (Nehemiah 2)

But the book of Nehemiah is more than just a “feel good” story about one man, surrendered to the Lord, who did great things. It is a book about his heart.

Last week we did a “wabbit”, er, “rabbit trail” on what lessons the Savior taught at the lake. Today, let’s do a quick rabbit trail on what made Nehemiah a giant of the faith:

1:4-5a. Nehemiah hears from his brothers what the conditions of life are like in Jerusalem.

He mourns with them. He weeps with them. He is one with their hurt. And then, and then? Note the words which will separate Nehemiah from just another leader: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, Who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands, et Your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.” (vs. 5b-6a). He did what? He prayed! This project wasn’t his alone. It was prompted by the Lord Himself. Nehemiah became a great servant of the Lord in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem because FIRST of all, He was a humble servant in prayer. Remember, we’re on a rabbit trail.

2:1-4a. Nehemiah prayed, for 4 months. And he still did his job faithfully. But by the fourth month, the king knew by Nehemiah’s demeanor that something was wrong. He shares with the king the tremendous burden and need in Jerusalem.

And then the king asked, “what is it you want?”. Nehemiah could have begun a huge list of what he needed in order to get the job done. Sound familiar? We need MONEY! We need SUPPLIES! We need WILLING WORKERS! This project is bigger than WE ARE!

But he didn’t. “Then I prayed to the God of heaven…” That’s it. The verse doesn’t say WHAT he prayed. It simply says he DID pray, perhaps committing everything to the Lord that was about to happen. He prayed!

4:1-3. Whenever there is a good work, there is opposition to the work. Sometimes the opposition comes from outside the camp. Sometimes, as Nehemiah will find out, it comes from within – discouragement, “we can’t do this anymore; let’s go back to Babylon where we enjoyed the pleasures of that kingdom” (yet without the true King on display).

What did Nehemiah do? V. 4, “Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads”! Wow! What faith! There is little pause between the time of their insults and the time of his prayer. He didn’t go back to his room to pray. He didn’t sulk. He prayed instantly. And as a result, he encourages us to do the same.

There are many more instances in Nehemiah where he prayed, but let’s look at the last: chapter 13. You would think by this time he would have settled down! The walls are built. The people are secure. Worship with joy has been restored. But the opposition continues, both without and within. So what does Nehemiah do? “That’s it, I’ve had it. I’ve done all I can!”. No, he did what? He prayed. V. 14, “Remember me for this, O my God.” V. 22: “Remember me for this also, O my God.” V. 29: “Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office.” And the last verse of the book, v. 31: “Remember me with favor, O my God.”

It takes the prayerful hearts of the people of God for a project to be a success. So, how are you doing in prayer? Have you established a prayerful heart? Have we established as a church prayerful hearts? A long-time missionary friend of mine wrote many years ago, “nothing of eternal value can ever be accomplished without prayer.”

Oh we can give. We can work. We can give our inputs. But have we shown a pattern of prayer before the King of kings Himself?

INTRODUCTION

This is not the message I’ve been preparing all week. I’ve been working on continuing our series in Mark, and for today Chapter 7. I encourage you to read Mark 7 for the 2nd Sunday in September.

For a number of people this was a most interesting week here at First Baptist. I am willing to wager – although I’m not a betting man – that each one of them could honestly say that what they ended up doing this week was not what they had planned at the beginning of the week, much less at the beginning of each day. Yet one by one their plans changed: mopping up water downstairs, coming off vacation early to assist in the clean-up work, chainsawing up an huge tree limb which fell no doubt due to the weight of the rain; meeting in emergency sessions. One by one their plans did change!

But isn’t God allowed to change our directions in order to accomplish His purposes?

In the Bible there is such a man who was led by God to change directions, not only for himself, but for the entire nation. That man was Nehemiah.

The work does not begin with the first stone laid, the first concrete poured, the first use of downstairs once again.

The work begins with us – those who profess to know the Lord Jesus and who love First Baptist Church of Earlville. The work begins with us.

And now you know the rest of the story. Is your name “Nehemiah”? Do you have a surrendered heart? Do you have a prayerful heart? For without either, it will be very difficult to say, “let us start rebuilding. Let us begin a good work.”

Close in prayer

A note from your blog host, Frank Becker:

When I read Pastor Stopford’s sermon, the Lord touched my heart with the need of the brethren in Earlville, New York. The basement of this beautiful old church is flooding, the foundation is failing. It must be rebuilt!

I immediately thought of the checkbook balance at Cross Trainers Ministries, and I was forced to consider the great sacrifices that our donors make to support our work, because first they pay their tithes and make their offerings to their local churches.

After careful consideration, I decided to recommend to our board that we send along a hundred dollars as seed money to encourage the people of Earlville. I say, “people of Earlville” because, even if they don’t attend this church, its very existence is important to every citizen. This church and its pastor, including its dedicated workers and its members, are a bulwark against sin, and a reason why God continues to bless the people of Earlville. (Our check is already scheduled via electronic bank payment, and should arrive in seven days.)

God bless you Pastor Stopford and the people of First Baptist Church!

What greater cause, what greater legacy can any of you have than to be a part of rebuilding the walls?

—Frank Becker

“HAND”

Week Thirty-Four, 2018

THE HAND

By Senator John Grant, of Florida (Retired)

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:4)

In 1891, Juan Vucetich, an Argentine Police Official, began the first fingerprint files based on Galton pattern types. At first, Vucetich included the Bertillon System with the files. (see Bertillon below) In 1892, Juan Vucetich made the first criminal fingerprint identification.

For more than a hundred years fingerprinting has been used to identify people and solve crimes. But now there is something better. Recently, I checked into a hospital and was told to place my hand on glass. I was amazed with the image that popped up on the screen. I was told it was a palm vein biometric identification platform.Palm vein authentication works by comparing the pattern of veins in the palm (which appear as blue lines) of a person being authenticated with a pattern stored in a database. Vascular patterns are unique to each individual, according to Fujitsu research — even identical twins have different patterns. And since the vascular patterns exist inside the body, they cannot be stolen by means of photography, voice recording or fingerprints, thereby making this method of biometric authentication more secure than others.

It is newly discovered technology, but it has been around for many years. Isaiah spoke of it when he wrote: See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49:16)

This is certainly an allusion to some practice, common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands or arms by punctures on the skin, with some sort of sign or representation of the city or temple, to show their affection and zeal for it. They had a method of making such punctures indelible by fire, or by staining. Perhaps it refers to God signifying that his people were always in his sight, his eyes were ever upon them, and never withdrawn from them.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Each of us is unique, unlike any other person. As the prophet said, He is ever before us. God made and knows us all.

***

Sometimes True Stories

Every few weeks we read in the headlines of another revolution somewhere in the world; an old regime has been overthrown and a new regime has taken over. Conversion is a revolution in the life of an individual. The old forces of sin, self-centeredness and evil are overthrown from their place of supreme power. Jesus Christ is put on the throne. —Billy Graham

–o–

Post Christian:

While the United States remains shaped by Christianity, the faith’s influence—particularly as a force in American politics and culture—is slowly waning. An increasing number of religiously unaffiliated, a steady drop in church attendance, the recent Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage, and the growing tension over religious freedoms all point to a larger secularizing trend sweeping across the nation. But how do the numbers stack up? Is America, home to the largest Christian population in the world, actually becoming a “post-Christian” nation?

Where Are We as a Nation? Whether one believes this decline of “Christian America” calls for a time of lament, or presents great opportunity (or both) for the church, one cannot help but accept the changing landscape. In just two years, the percentage of Americans who qualify as “post-Christian” rose by 7 percentage points, from 37% in 2013 to 44% in 2015. Across the United States, cities in every state are becoming more post-Christian—some at a faster rate than others.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

“America is the first culture in jeopardy of amusing itself to death.” —John Piper

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10).

C.S. Lewis wrote: “Humble is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” Focus on those you serve and witness new found value.

But whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life. —John Piper

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

“WE’RE GOIN’ ON A WABBIT TRAIL!”

WE’RE GOIN’ ON A WABBIT TRAIL!” (Mark 6:1-6)

August 12, 2018

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “Helping a Friend”

Morty and Saul, are out one afternoon on a lake when their boat starts sinking.

Saul, the banker, says to Morty, “So listen, Morty, you know I don’t swim so well.”

Morty remembered how to carry another swimmer from his lifeguard class when he was just a kid. He begins tugging Saul toward shore. After twenty minutes, Morty begins to get tired.

Finally about 50 feet from shore, Morty asks Saul, “So Saul, do you suppose you could float alone?”

Saul replies, “Morty, this is a lousy time to be asking for money!”

INTRODUCTION

In the moments we have together today, we are going to look briefly at two specific themes in the 6th chapter of Mark. First, we are going to go home with Jesus – home to Nazareth where He was raised by Joseph and Mary. What will we learn about His home life that we otherwise did not know? And then we are going to go on what I call a “wabbit trail”. We are going to look at a theme which Mark portrays and see where it leads! Here we go!

PRAYER

1—WHEN THE SERVANT OF SERVANTS WAS NOT WELCOME HOME (vs. 1-6)

Once again, let’s look at our theme verse, Mark 10:45. The first 8 chapters of Mark show the Servant of servants’ training of His first disciples.

Have you ever gone back to your hometown? For some of you, that would be no further than Earlville itself. For me, it is Rye, NY, just outside New York City. My neighbor Bruce and I spent many nights camping on the islands in the pond behind our homes. I spent 8 of my first 13 years of life in Rye – more years than in any other place until Thuvia and I moved back to Norwich after college. I took Thuvia and our daughter Tonya to Rye many years later. It just wasn’t the same. I didn’t even recognize downtown – yet in reality I was looking at it through adult eyes and not through the eyes of a 13 year old.

Part of the Savior’s training included His showing them around His hometown, Nazareth. What would His disciples – and we – learn from that journey back home? At least two things:

FIRST, Questions can reveal many things!

(1) Some have said, “if I were living when Jesus was alive, I would have trusted Him.” His Nazareth neighbors spent the better part of 30 years with Him, yet all they had were questions, not trust. “How does He do what He does?” “How does He know what He knows?”

(2) They knew His family – but they didn’t know Him! Mark gives us at least two insights about His family. First, perhaps by this time Joseph has died. “Isn’t this Mary’s son?”. And the second: Mark lists His step-brothers by name: James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. AND he mentions that the Savior had sisters. Why is this important? Some false religions don’t believe that Mary had any children other than the Lord Jesus – insinuating a kind of purity that must have resulted in her having only the Savior for a Son. However, Mark is challenging us: do we believe what religions say? Or do we believe the Scriptures?

(3) “They took offense at Him” (v. 3). Pastor Harold Duff, now with the Lord, while speaking at the old Camp Lookout meetings shared his evaluation of this statement. He said it means, “they were offended at the way He did things.” They took offense at Him! They didn’t like the way He preached. They didn’t like the way He taught. They didn’t like that His closest followers were the scum of society – mainly fishermen and tax collectors and who knows what other riff-raff! They just didn’t like Him!

The Apostle Paul would later tell us in 1 Corinthians 1:25, when explaining the rejection of the gospel by both the Jewish and Gentile hearers: “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” There are many modern day hearers of God’s word who take offense at Jesus. Are any of us some of them?

SECOND, Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith.” This was an huge lesson for the early disciples, a lesson which would be often repeated and often referring to their own lack of faith. Hebrews would tell us, 11:1,6a, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…For without faith it is impossible to please Him…”. A vibrant, successful servant of the Servant of servants will have a faith which is not looking at the circumstances but at the Lord Himself. Does that describe us?

2—WE’RE GOING ON A WABBIT TRAIL!

These first 8 chapters of the Gospel of Mark are preparation material for the last 8 chapters. As in Mark 10:45, the last 8 chapters are where the Son of man gives His life a ransom for many. The first 8 chapters of Mark are where He, the Servant of servants, trains His disciples – and us – on how to serve.

In my study these past 2 weeks, I noticed how often in Mark that training centers around the lake. People today pay BIG BUCKS to spend a week, or even only a weekend, on lakefront property – perhaps even on a boat. How about you? Is that your ideal vacation?

So I went on a wabbit, er, RABBIT trail – you know, the kind where we look for one word and wonder where else it is.

Let’s go on this trail together! Write next to the passage what lesson the Servant of servants taught His disciples – and is trying to teach us. We’ll do some of these in the morning sermon. The rest are up to you! Here goes:

A. Mark 1:16: “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee…”

They didn’t know Jesus. They were seasoned fishermen, and this was their place of life. Little did they know that Jesus knew more about the water than they did! And He said 3 words of invitation to them: “Come, follow Me.” He took them from a place of familiarity – the sea and their livelihood with fish – and changed everything about their priorities and the way they looked at life. For the rest of their 3 years with Him, He would build them upon this simple foundation, “come, follow Me.” Do you love Jesus as your Savior? Is every day an opportunity to follow Him and an adventure in following Him?

B. Mark 2:13: “Once again Jesus went out beside the lake…”

The disciples did not get ALL they had to learn from Him in one lesson. Once again, He takes them back to their school – the lakeside. And once again, He teaches them. And once again, He makes a simple invitation, this time to Levi the scandalous tax collector, “Come, follow Me.” In both A & B, the simple lesson is this: following Jesus is obeying Him. And that brought great pleasure to Him.

C. Mark 3:7: “Withdrew to the lake…”

From what did Jesus and His disciples withdraw? Look at 3:6: the Pharisees and the Herodians were showing their initial plots to try to kill Jesus. He was showing His early servants that even the Servant of servants knew to withdraw from the challenges and hardships of life. Those hardships would still be there – in fact, they would follow Him to the cross. But He taught His disciples that to “withdraw” meant to retreat to the Father, to be refreshed in the fellowship of the Servant of servants, to be re-charged to face the next mission with a renewed strength and vigor.

Jesus says, “come unto Me all Who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you…REST!”. Have you withdrawn lately?

D. Mark 4:1: “Again Jesus began to teach by the lake…”

What is the key word in this sentence? The word “again”. The early disciples did not get it all in the first lesson! By the second lesson, they forgot some of what they learned the first lesson! Why, they might even need a third lesson! Romans 5:3b-4 say, “we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation produces patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.” Experience comes from life’s lessons, and those lessons produce hope. These servants had lessons to be learned. Are we willing and available to learn life’s lessons?

E. Mark 4:35: “Let’s go over to the other side…”

The Savior did what? He took His servants in training away from the security of the shore. If you’ve ever been out to sea for any length of time, what one thing do you look forward to: putting your feet once again on solid ground! But the Savior knew that His lessons could not be learned this day at the shore. They would have to be learned in the middle of the sea, where the storms of life would be, and where, much to their young experience, He, too, would be. His rebuke? “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? The lessons of faith can only be learned by the experience of the storm.

F. Mark 5:1: “They went across the lake…”

What is the Savior teaching here? That there are lessons to be learned on the other side of the lake! What if they said, “this is a nice spot to stay. Let’s anchor our lives in the security of this side of the lake. Why, there is plenty of wood for nice campfires! There is a little cove in which to rest or sleep.” What would happen? They would never learn the Servant of servants’ lessons from the other side of the lake!

G. Mark 5:21: “When Jesus had again crossed over by boat…”

There’s that word “again” again! The Savior’s lessons are non-stop! Just when we think we’ve “got it all together”, He takes us out of our comfort zone and takes us across the lake again! Jesus invites us to rest in Him. But He never says that that rest won’t involve a little travel!

H. Mark 6:47-49 “the boat was in the middle of the lake…”

Note how this story unfolds. This is one of Mark’s last mentions of a lake lesson. The Savior stays on the shore while HE makes His learning servants to get in the boat and cross the lake. They wouldn’t learn the lessons of life at the shore. They wouldn’t learn the lessons of life on the other shore. They would learn these new lessons of life in the middle of the lake. Is there security there? Nope! It may be hundreds of feet to the bottom of the lake! It may be thousands of yards to the shore! There is absolutely no human security in the middle of the lake! But when the Savior came out to them walking on the water and ultimately getting into the boat with them, what did He say?

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

There will be many times that we don’t have any of life’s answers. But in the middle of the lake of the most recent of life’s lessons, Jesus says even to us, “Take courage! It is I! Don’t be afraid!”.

That’s quite a wabbit, er, rabbit trail. But this trail is one of the major roads to the disciples turning from raw men to dynamic servants of the Servant of servants!

CONCLUSION

What a great chapter, Mark Chapter 6! The Savior was not welcome home! But in His homegoing, His fellow disciples learned that while the world has no true faith, the foundation of their servanthood would be a faith rooted in the Servant of servants Himself. They were not to be offended in the way He does things!

And the lake – their most favorite and frequent setting in all of their lives before meeting the Savior – would be the scene of innumerable previously unknown lessons in their becoming His servants.

They would ask us today: are we teachable? Begin at the beginning: follow Jesus. Withdraw to Him daily. And trust! He alone is worthy!

Close in prayer

Rev. Jeremy Stopford, with wife Thuvia

Pastor, the First Baptist Church, Earlville, New York.

THE TRAP

Week Thirty-Three, 2018

THE TRAP

By John Grant

Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:5

Recently we acquired a new puppy. She is cute as a button and full of energy. Puppies are fun, but come untrained, so these past few months we have been training her. She has her own dog crate, where she goes for the night and whenever we are gone or she needs to stay out of trouble.

The problem has been getting her into the cage. When she knows it is time she is hard to catch. Sometimes I wish I had an old-fashioned dog catchers net. But then we figured a better way by putting a treat in the crate so she would go in. We could then shut the door behind her. Now she knows a treat will be there and even when she is far away and we say “kennel up” she will run to it.

Satan is much like that. He baits the trap with goodies for us to follow and sooner or later the door shuts behind us. He uses all types of things…. People, money, power, etc. It is like baiting the mousetrap with cheese.

At some point, we have all fallen into the snares of evil. Oh, the bait looks so good. Surely the world won’t label the traps from Satan, but the Bible will. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:9, “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

Satan’s three greatest temptations are flesh, tempting God and discontentment. Jesus said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”

Discontentment is a clear pathway for Satan to capture and place you under his command. We live in a world where billions are spent on advertising each year and the main goal is to make you unsatisfied with what you have. Easy credit, keeping up with your next door neighbor and the like are all used by the devil to lead you into destruction and once you get there, he slams the door behind you.

If you are not content, you want to own the whole world, all what is in the world, you are on your way to falling into Satan worship. Whenever you are tempted by good things or bad, ask what Jesus would do.

Temptation is mentioned thirty four times in the Bible and similar words many more. Whenever you are tempted, turn first to the Bible for guidance. It will save you many a heartache.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

There’s an old story about the preacher asked to teach a young boys’ Bible Class in the absence of the regular teacher. So He decided to find out how much they knew about the bible.

After asking a few simple questions like, “Who made the earth, sun and stars?” he asked them, “Who knocked down the walls of Jericho?”

All the boys acknowledged their ignorance. None of them could tell him who knocked down the walls of Jericho.

At the church’s next business meeting, the preacher expressed his dismay at the young boys’ lack of Bible knowledge, “Not one of them knows who knocked down the walls of Jericho.”

The group was oddly silent until finally, one man spoke up. “Preacher, this appears to be bothering you quite a lot. But, I’ve known these boys since they were all born and they’re all good boys. If they said they don’t know, then I believe them. Let’s just take some money out of the repair fund, fix the walls, and forget about it.”

–o–

PERSECUTION

Christians today are persecuted in 139 nations around the world. It is estimated that four to five acts of religious discrimination worldwide are directed against Christians. Countries that were previously relatively moderate or avowedly secular have stepped up their hostility against Christians.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

In The Words Lincoln Lived By, Gene Griessman tells of a time during the Civil War when a group of clergymen met with President Lincoln. One of them commented, “I hope the Lord is on our side.” Lincoln replied, “I am not at all concerned about that, for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side”

Serenity is not the rule of the Kingdom. Servanthood is. Ken Whitten

I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

God didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive. Ravi Zachariah

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

The Holy Spirit

By Brother Al Salay

The Holy Spirit is the dynamic voice of God

Speaking on planet Earth.

He is alive, powerful, penetrating.

In some rare instances God might speak to us verbally, out loud, in the realm of human hearing, These are special and unforgettable visits. Mostly, God speaks to us quietly, by His Holy Spirit. He speaks to our understanding, to our soul, to our heart. The very printed Word of God, the Holy Bible, was recorded by men, but it was written as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

  • Holy Spirit is the author.

  • Holy Spirit is the source of every understanding that is found in the book.

  • Holy Spirit reveals the Father and the Son.

  • Holy Spirit convicts each mortal of their sinful nature.

  • Holy Spirit invites them to the redemption that is in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

  • Holy Spirit anoints the reading of the Word.

  • Holy Spirit is our constant companion and counsellor, seeking to be heard and heeded.

  • Holy Spirit is active in the world today.

Be a person saved or unsaved,

Committed to Christ or committed to self,

The Holy Spirit of God speaks to all.

He cannot be avoided.

From that day long ago when God created Adam out of the dust of the Earth, from that moment when He breathed on him and he became a living being, the Holy Spirit has been available to every man and woman that came forth from Adam.

Those who despise obedience seek to deny Him. To deny Him does not erase His labors or terminate His presence. He is patient and consistent. He labors on while life tarries!

However, He has told us that He shall not always be patient (Gen. 6:3). There will come a time when He will no longer labor with rebellious men. That time may not be far away.

So then, since the Holy Spirit is active amongst men in this day, speaking to their understanding, why do so many ignore Him and His holy voice?

Clearly, one reason is that some men and women are in rebellion against God. They reject God’s grace. They have no willingness to enter into the Kingdom of Righteousness. This is, of course, sad. They are the captives of the enemy of their souls. Believers must seek God to wrestle with that vile enemy that keeps them in the bondage of blindness. We must seek to see the scales of spiritual blindness taken from them.

Another group has recognized their own sinful nature. Therefore they have accepted the atoning grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so, they live in peace, hope and joy. Yet, they plod with difficulty through much of their Christian life.

Why the travail?

Because they are regularly ignoring that constant guiding presence that is the Holy Spirit. Their spiritual ears are shut.

  • He is that still, small voice, guiding into paths of righteousness those who are willing to hear.

  • He is the breath of God, set in the dust of the Earth.

  • He is as present in our being as is any part of our physical body. He must be heard.

And There IS MORE!

During those few short years that Jesus occupied a body of flesh here on this Earth, He taught truth and ministered in love. Wherever He went, the people He met learned and believed and many were healed. Alas, in those days, Jesus being a person in the flesh, could only be in one place at a time. He could minister wonderfully where He was, but all the rest of the world could only wait.

When Jesus was about to complete His ministry on Earth, He told His disciples that they would be receiving a gift. He would ask the Father and the Father would send them a new measure of the same Holy Spirit. (John 14:16-18) This new presence would add power and wisdom. This would be the fulfillment of the ancient promise in the book of Joel. (Acts 2:16-18)

The Great Multiplication

  • When Jesus was gone from this earth and the fullness of the Holy Spirit was given to His Disciples at Pentecost, His presence was multiplied!

  • Each of His followers now became a special vessel, inhabited by the power of His Holy Spirit.

  • Now, His followers could spread out through the whole world to carry His message and His compassionate grace.

Ministering In The Power

Today believers are invited to minister in the under-used power and presence of the Holy Spirit. He is ready, willing and able to move through them. There are some conditions though. To walk in the power and presence of Holy Spirit, we must –

  • Dwell with Him, continually.

  • Expect to hear Him and be attuned to His voice.

  • Be quick to respond when He speaks.

Then we will see

His power and presence

Flow through us.

07/18

Presented by Bro. Al Salay, Blessed Man Ministries Inc.

Webpage: www.BlessedMan.net

Email: [email protected]