When a human reaches a point in life in which he finds himself with no one left but God to turn to, then he realizes that God is all he needs. What an advantage!
This is a discovery that far surpasses any human understanding that can be acquired by man: An ultimate realization; enthroning God and dethroning self. John the Baptist stated it this way: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) It is when man is alone with God that he, like Moses, is exhorted to take off his shoes because of the holy presence of God. Or he covers his mouth as Isaiah and cries, "Unclean, Unclean!" Being alone in His presence condemns the sinful nature of the flesh. Being alone with God influences one to be more holy and less Adamic. As one preacher declared, "Follow the cloud and not the crowd!"
Many a person has found Him standing by his side when all others forsook him. Alone with God is the greatest comfort humans can experience. Friends will let you down; Jesus won't! Family will forsake you; Jesus won't! You can deceive yourself; Jesus won't! Being alone in His presence produces a likeness to God that no crowd can give.
--J.M. Skinner
Friday, December 24, 2010
Satan Said "Is that True"
But Eve yielded when the enemy of our souls, through the snake, through the serpent, the Bible says, tempted Eve. Satan lied to Eve. Satan said, "Is it true that God said that?" (Genesis 3:1-6)
Satan, that enemy of our souls is still telling us, "Is that true?" Perhaps Satan will say, "Is that true that your church says this? Is it true that the Word of God says this? Are you sure you understand that? You need to study that Word. Let's get into the dictionary and let's dissect this Word. Let's try to understand it with a philosophical mind." And he goes on and on and on.
Instead of trusting the Holy Spirit and simply accepting when the Scripture tells us, for example, to repent. We can try to define it in a lot of details. But we have to be very, very careful not to try to twist the Word of God and not to allow the enemy, who deceived the first couple, deceive ourselves. We understand the simplicity of the definition of repentance. It is an inward change that is produced by the convicting Spirit of God as we listen to the Word of God, as we listen to the sermons, as we are exposed to God's truth.
God then helps us that it comes from the heart. It is manifested in every aspect of our life. It is manifested through our joy, through the peace that we have and the obedience to the Word of God. It gives us spiritual confidence. Not confidence in what I know. Not confidence in the flesh. It gives us spiritual confidence. That spiritual confidence helps us, encourages, undergirds our faith. That faith really encourages us to be obedient to the Word of God. God gives us that understanding as we trust Him and as we plead with God day and night, as the Scripture tells us.
--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. P.P.
Satan, that enemy of our souls is still telling us, "Is that true?" Perhaps Satan will say, "Is that true that your church says this? Is it true that the Word of God says this? Are you sure you understand that? You need to study that Word. Let's get into the dictionary and let's dissect this Word. Let's try to understand it with a philosophical mind." And he goes on and on and on.
Instead of trusting the Holy Spirit and simply accepting when the Scripture tells us, for example, to repent. We can try to define it in a lot of details. But we have to be very, very careful not to try to twist the Word of God and not to allow the enemy, who deceived the first couple, deceive ourselves. We understand the simplicity of the definition of repentance. It is an inward change that is produced by the convicting Spirit of God as we listen to the Word of God, as we listen to the sermons, as we are exposed to God's truth.
God then helps us that it comes from the heart. It is manifested in every aspect of our life. It is manifested through our joy, through the peace that we have and the obedience to the Word of God. It gives us spiritual confidence. Not confidence in what I know. Not confidence in the flesh. It gives us spiritual confidence. That spiritual confidence helps us, encourages, undergirds our faith. That faith really encourages us to be obedient to the Word of God. God gives us that understanding as we trust Him and as we plead with God day and night, as the Scripture tells us.
--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. P.P.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
God Brings Truth in Simple Ways
Sometimes in the most simple ways God can reveal what we need to do.
I am reminded about an account I heard one time of a young couple that was married, I think it was in our faith. They were unconverted and newly married. They had their first child. That child died, was taken away from them. It was hard on them, very difficult, as we would all know, anyone that has lost a child. I have never gone through that myself, but I can believe it is a very difficult thing. It was difficult for them. The young wife, the young mother became bitter against the Lord. Bitter against the Lord that He had taken away their child. She could not understand it.
Beloved ones, isn't it true, that in our life, many times things come our way, we don't understand it. They are difficult things. It wounds our heart, grieves our heart, brings sorrow. We do not understand it. But may we take a lesson that we do not become bitter. That we believe it is from the hand of the Lord and for some good reason. For some purpose, God has allowed it to take place.
Anyway, this young wife was bitter. For fifteen years, she was bitter against the Lord that He had taken away their child. One time they were on a vacation out west. They came upon a shepherd and his flock of sheep. They were watching that shepherd, how he handled those sheep. He was trying to bring those sheep across a little ravine, a chasm. The sheep would not go. They were afraid to jump. He could not make them go across. Finally, that shepherd took a little lamb in his arms. With that little lamb, he jumped across that ravine, that chasm. After that, the mother of that lamb saw that little lamb taken across there. She also jumped across and, before long, the whole flock had come across.
Sometimes, beloved ones, God brings us truths in simple ways. That mother, at that point, began to understand why the Lord had taken their child away. It was to give her impulse and motivation to follow where that child had gone. We believe a child that is taken from life is in a better place. That mother took courage. She also took that step to go across that chasm. She began to repent. She became converted. She became a child of God. We believe she was faithful unto life's end.
Many times God speaks to us, through the Bible, through the preaching of the Word, speaks to us through a child, through the Spirit. Beloved ones, when the Lord speaks, however He does, let us take it to heart and let's do the things the Lord has taught us and instructed us.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. K.D.
I am reminded about an account I heard one time of a young couple that was married, I think it was in our faith. They were unconverted and newly married. They had their first child. That child died, was taken away from them. It was hard on them, very difficult, as we would all know, anyone that has lost a child. I have never gone through that myself, but I can believe it is a very difficult thing. It was difficult for them. The young wife, the young mother became bitter against the Lord. Bitter against the Lord that He had taken away their child. She could not understand it.
Beloved ones, isn't it true, that in our life, many times things come our way, we don't understand it. They are difficult things. It wounds our heart, grieves our heart, brings sorrow. We do not understand it. But may we take a lesson that we do not become bitter. That we believe it is from the hand of the Lord and for some good reason. For some purpose, God has allowed it to take place.
Anyway, this young wife was bitter. For fifteen years, she was bitter against the Lord that He had taken away their child. One time they were on a vacation out west. They came upon a shepherd and his flock of sheep. They were watching that shepherd, how he handled those sheep. He was trying to bring those sheep across a little ravine, a chasm. The sheep would not go. They were afraid to jump. He could not make them go across. Finally, that shepherd took a little lamb in his arms. With that little lamb, he jumped across that ravine, that chasm. After that, the mother of that lamb saw that little lamb taken across there. She also jumped across and, before long, the whole flock had come across.
Sometimes, beloved ones, God brings us truths in simple ways. That mother, at that point, began to understand why the Lord had taken their child away. It was to give her impulse and motivation to follow where that child had gone. We believe a child that is taken from life is in a better place. That mother took courage. She also took that step to go across that chasm. She began to repent. She became converted. She became a child of God. We believe she was faithful unto life's end.
Many times God speaks to us, through the Bible, through the preaching of the Word, speaks to us through a child, through the Spirit. Beloved ones, when the Lord speaks, however He does, let us take it to heart and let's do the things the Lord has taught us and instructed us.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. K.D.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
We Ought to Be Glad for Persecution
We’ve read the entire chapter together, a chapter that tells us that some of the difficulties which the Apostle Paul endured as he sought to be faithful to his God. And the Bible tells us that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. The Apostle Paul suffered persecution and our flesh does not desire persecution, but it is something which the Bible teaches us is very important. If the Bible teaches us that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, then we shouldn’t be surprised if we suffer some persecution and we really ought to be glad for it because of what the Bible teaches us about it. And the Apostle Paul is a wonderful example of how God’s children ought to respond to persecution.
Now Paul had done nothing wrong. He had been directly commissioned by Jesus himself to spread the Gospel, and Paul sought to do that. He had himself been a Pharisee. He had had a high rank in the Jewish religion, but he gave all of that up that he might be able to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. And at the time of his conversion, God revealed to another believer that he would reveal to Paul what great things he must suffer for his Name’s sake. And persecution, the flesh does not like, and suffering the flesh does not like. Yet the Bible instructs us that all of life as believers, is a life of conflict and struggle of the flesh against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. And the one side that wins that battle makes all the difference in the world. It makes the difference in the eternal destiny of our soul.
And so we should take good courage from the experiences of the Apostle Paul even as in his case, since his time had not yet come, God did not permit him to be delivered to his accusers, to those who wanted to kill him.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. W.D.
Now Paul had done nothing wrong. He had been directly commissioned by Jesus himself to spread the Gospel, and Paul sought to do that. He had himself been a Pharisee. He had had a high rank in the Jewish religion, but he gave all of that up that he might be able to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. And at the time of his conversion, God revealed to another believer that he would reveal to Paul what great things he must suffer for his Name’s sake. And persecution, the flesh does not like, and suffering the flesh does not like. Yet the Bible instructs us that all of life as believers, is a life of conflict and struggle of the flesh against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. And the one side that wins that battle makes all the difference in the world. It makes the difference in the eternal destiny of our soul.
And so we should take good courage from the experiences of the Apostle Paul even as in his case, since his time had not yet come, God did not permit him to be delivered to his accusers, to those who wanted to kill him.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. W.D.
What to Put Off and What to Put On
Put off:
-anger
-wrath
-malice
-blasphemy
-filthy communication out of your mouth
-lying one to another
-the old man with his deeds
Put on:
-the new man (which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him)
-bowels of mercies
-kindness
-humbleness of mind
-meekness
-longsuffering
-forbearance to one another
-forgiveness to one another (even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye)
-above all, charity (which is the bond of perfectness)
--Colossians 3:8-14
-anger
-wrath
-malice
-blasphemy
-filthy communication out of your mouth
-lying one to another
-the old man with his deeds
Put on:
-the new man (which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him)
-bowels of mercies
-kindness
-humbleness of mind
-meekness
-longsuffering
-forbearance to one another
-forgiveness to one another (even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye)
-above all, charity (which is the bond of perfectness)
--Colossians 3:8-14
Sunday, November 21, 2010
My Jesus, As Thou Wilt
My Jesus, as Thou wilt;
Oh, may Thy will be mine;
Into Thy hand of love
I would my all resign:
Thro' sorrow or thro' joy,
Conduct me as Thine own,
And help me still to say,
My Lord, Thy will be done.
My Jesus, as Thou wilt;
Tho' seen thro' many a tear,
Let not my star of hope
Grow dim or disappear;
Since Thou on earth hast wept,
And sorrowed oft alone,
If I must weep with Thee,
My Lord, Thy will be done.
My Jesus, as Thou wilt;
All shall be well for me;
Each changing future scene
I gladly trust with Thee;
Straight to my home above
I travel calmly on,
And sing, in life or death, --
My Lord, Thy will be done.
--Gospel Hymns #372
Oh, may Thy will be mine;
Into Thy hand of love
I would my all resign:
Thro' sorrow or thro' joy,
Conduct me as Thine own,
And help me still to say,
My Lord, Thy will be done.
My Jesus, as Thou wilt;
Tho' seen thro' many a tear,
Let not my star of hope
Grow dim or disappear;
Since Thou on earth hast wept,
And sorrowed oft alone,
If I must weep with Thee,
My Lord, Thy will be done.
My Jesus, as Thou wilt;
All shall be well for me;
Each changing future scene
I gladly trust with Thee;
Straight to my home above
I travel calmly on,
And sing, in life or death, --
My Lord, Thy will be done.
--Gospel Hymns #372
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Bitterness: The Worst of Criminals
"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled." --Hebrews 12:15
Bitterness follows hard on the heels of rejection. But any who give it lodging are harboring the worst of criminals. In the dark night of depression and discouragement, bitterness will stealthily bind the spirit, rob the inner life of joy and peace and love, slosh its wicked fuel over the whole life -- over memories, problems, personalities, situations past and present -- and light the whole scene with the fire of hell.
It takes faith to thwart bitterness effectively. "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:16) Faith chooses to acknowledge a sovereign God. Faith responds with an obedient yes to the direction of God. Faith receives heaven's responses to human needs. Faith changes the focus from the offender to the mighty DEFENDER. Thus, faith learns to rejoice in God and refuses to grovel in self-pity, blame and resentment. Faith is the key to overcoming bitterness and rejection.
--John Coblentz
Bitterness follows hard on the heels of rejection. But any who give it lodging are harboring the worst of criminals. In the dark night of depression and discouragement, bitterness will stealthily bind the spirit, rob the inner life of joy and peace and love, slosh its wicked fuel over the whole life -- over memories, problems, personalities, situations past and present -- and light the whole scene with the fire of hell.
It takes faith to thwart bitterness effectively. "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:16) Faith chooses to acknowledge a sovereign God. Faith responds with an obedient yes to the direction of God. Faith receives heaven's responses to human needs. Faith changes the focus from the offender to the mighty DEFENDER. Thus, faith learns to rejoice in God and refuses to grovel in self-pity, blame and resentment. Faith is the key to overcoming bitterness and rejection.
--John Coblentz
Monday, October 4, 2010
His Way May Seem Too Hard
His way at first may seem too hard,
Too steep, and full of sorrow;
Yet peace e'en now is its reward,
And bliss in God's tomorrow.
Who through the narrow gate doth press,
An inner peace will he possess,
And very joy in living.
The broader way at first may seem
As through a pleasant pasture,
But in its path great dangers teem;
It ends in dark disaster.
In righteous anger God will cast
Into great agony at last
The unrepentant sinner.
--Zion's Harp #106 vs. 8-9
Too steep, and full of sorrow;
Yet peace e'en now is its reward,
And bliss in God's tomorrow.
Who through the narrow gate doth press,
An inner peace will he possess,
And very joy in living.
The broader way at first may seem
As through a pleasant pasture,
But in its path great dangers teem;
It ends in dark disaster.
In righteous anger God will cast
Into great agony at last
The unrepentant sinner.
--Zion's Harp #106 vs. 8-9
Monday, September 20, 2010
Signs of His Coming
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying,
Tell us,
when shall these things be?
and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations;
and then shall the end come.
--Matthew 24 vs. 1-14
Tell us,
when shall these things be?
and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations;
and then shall the end come.
--Matthew 24 vs. 1-14
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Give Me Mercy
Give me, Lord, sympathy and mercy
With my poor brethren in distress,
My bitt'rest foe to love and pity.
Thy love in death Thou didst confess.
Thy blood for sinners does implore:
Compassion! grace, forevermore.
--Zion's Harp #220 vs. 6
With my poor brethren in distress,
My bitt'rest foe to love and pity.
Thy love in death Thou didst confess.
Thy blood for sinners does implore:
Compassion! grace, forevermore.
--Zion's Harp #220 vs. 6
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