Thursday, April 18, 2013

Blest Cross!

“Thus far did I come laden with my sin,
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither. What a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?
Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!”

The above excerpt is from John Bunyan's "Pilgrims Progress".

Oh how sweet it is to be forgiven our sins and placed in communion with our blessed Redeemer. May that day that we knelt in our hearts before the cross of Christ ever be fresh in our minds and spirits!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Rights or Righteousness ?

I'm very concerned about all of today's Christians stressing out over the issues of the day. Sure we are to stand against homosexuality and abortion and like things, but as Followers of Christ we must understand that as such we have no rights in America or any other parts of the world. This world is not our homes, if we truly are the people of God then we are to ...be pilgrims and strangers in this world.

I Peter 2:11-12  "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."

The children of God must stop trying to cleanse this rotten world. As Leonard Ravenhill once said "Is the world crucified to you tonight? Or does it fascinate you?" The truth is that most people want a good moral society but not a Godly, righteous one. Most professing Christians show up for church on Sunday then live by the standards of a Godless society through the work week... they send their children out day by day for a worldly education, while they themselves drink from the worlds poison and are entertained by its puppets. Are we in search of another country... is this worlds system strange to us and us to it?

Let us be careful dear reader, as followers of Christ to ever be found so bound to this world, for this is not the kingdom of Heaven but rather it is in us as His people, and one day will be an eternal reality to those who have given themselves to Christ.

John 18:36  "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."

It's not rights that the Church needs today but rather righteousness. Let us take our stand against the wickedness of this world, but let us not be so attached to this world that we feel as though we have to fight to keep it. This world is not our home... we're just passing through.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Don't Swerve

I Timothy 1:5-6 "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;"

To swerve is to change course. Some swerves are gradual, others are sharp and drastic. Swerving may be considered good when it is temporary, for avoiding danger, or when it is necessary to get back on the desired path. But in nearly every other case, swerving is dangerous.

There are many things that could cause one to swerve such as... Distractions, desires, difficulties and lets not forget the Devil! This old world offers many opportunities for the people of God to swerve and lose sight of the narrow way. We often swerve from God's Word which will ultimately leads us away from God's work and then away from His will for our lives. In order to be a faithful to our Lord we must stay the course and trust His perfect Word.

Fathers and husbands... we must not swerve if we are to be the spiritual leaders for our families, dear wives and mothers... lf there is to be any joy in your homes then you must not swerve! Preachers, teachers and all other who are redeemed by the blood of Christ; if we are to be a witness to this dark dreadful world we must not swerve! May our Father find us consistent and content as we follow Him in this life. May the prayer of our hearts as the children of God be like that of Psalm 25:4... "Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths."

God bless you all as you follow the narrow way. And just as the old seamen depended on the lighthouses for direction on the most foggy and ready nights on the sea; so let it be that we seek the one Lighthouse that we may be aware of any dangers that lay ahead in this often foggy and dreary world.