By Pastor Ken Foreman
Text: Psalm 34:8 - "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."
David, the author of this psalm, had humble beginnings as a keeper of sheep. God had plans for his life and David prepared himself by developing a praise and worship habit in the back of beyond. He opens this psalm with an invitation to join him in praise to the Lord.
The world is an uncertain place. Blessed assurance is not going to be found there - there is only one place of safety, one refuge; it is Jesus!
David had purposed in his heart that the praise he was offering was going to be based on his personal experiences. He was convinced that if you could just understand how good his experiences were, you would want to try God for yourself. "O taste and see that the LORD is good!" Try it! You'll like it!
God's plans for His people are good - He has good things in his mind. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD..." (Jeremiah 29:11-14a) It's His desire that all would come.
Once we comprehend what He is, then we can understand who He is. He said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Paul said, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." ( II Corinthians 5:19)
Trying Jesus opens whole new vistas, a whole new level of understanding, new realms of possibility... "O taste and see that the LORD is good!"
Some once tried and tasted, but they've forgotten how good He is. They wander off, and, like the prodigal, settle for corn husks and swine's slop. But when they hit bottom and find the grace to come to themselves, they see the need to arise and go home, where the Father is waiting with open arms. In the Father's house, a wondrous meal is prepared, the flavors of "home cooking" are beyond compare. Celebration and rejoicing ring the rafters as he, who was prodigal, but is no more, sings, "O taste and see that the LORD is good!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
I Have Kept the Faith!
By Charles R. Grisham
Text: II Timothy 4:3-7
Key Verse: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (II Timothy 4:7)
“Faith,” in this reference, is the truth, testimony, (body of truth). “Kept” means, attended to all these things very carefully. Think of what had been given to Paul – he had served his generation and faithfully passed it on to the next.
Part of “keeping the faith,” is maintaining a Biblical view of salvation. We need to maintain a clear understanding of what's right. We can outsmart the devil by not doing things that will bring us to defeat. Don't shoot yourself in the foot! The human heart is desperately wicked. Because of this, we need to oft reiterate what His grace and blood did for us.
We “follow on to know the Lord.” (Hosea 6:3) Because we are “in Christ,” and are “a new creature,” ...”all things become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17) We take up our cross daily; but, in order to do this, our flesh needs to be kept under subjection. Paul said, “None of these things move me...” (Acts 20:24) and, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)
To do this, we must maintain the soundness of doctrine. The early church went through severe tests, largely from false teachers and false teaching. When the enemy comes sniffing around your children, you can pray a hedge around those you have consecrated to God. To maintain your equilibrium, you must...
Pressure is also on the church. Remember! The church is in the world, but it is not of the world!
What you feed on will eventually come bubbling out, one way or another. We are most careful about the things we treasure; they reveal where our heart is.
Shifting your mentality toward worldliness is never a wise thing. If you don't maintain your walk and your integrity, you will suffer. It's like going fishing and getting caught! The enemy is always trying to cloud the issue... to keep us moving in a fog.
Jesus wills it that you will finish the race in victory! “I have kept the faith!”
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (II Timothy 6:8)
Text: II Timothy 4:3-7
Key Verse: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (II Timothy 4:7)
“Faith,” in this reference, is the truth, testimony, (body of truth). “Kept” means, attended to all these things very carefully. Think of what had been given to Paul – he had served his generation and faithfully passed it on to the next.
Part of “keeping the faith,” is maintaining a Biblical view of salvation. We need to maintain a clear understanding of what's right. We can outsmart the devil by not doing things that will bring us to defeat. Don't shoot yourself in the foot! The human heart is desperately wicked. Because of this, we need to oft reiterate what His grace and blood did for us.
We “follow on to know the Lord.” (Hosea 6:3) Because we are “in Christ,” and are “a new creature,” ...”all things become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17) We take up our cross daily; but, in order to do this, our flesh needs to be kept under subjection. Paul said, “None of these things move me...” (Acts 20:24) and, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)
To do this, we must maintain the soundness of doctrine. The early church went through severe tests, largely from false teachers and false teaching. When the enemy comes sniffing around your children, you can pray a hedge around those you have consecrated to God. To maintain your equilibrium, you must...
- Know the truth
- Keep it faithfully
- Key in on righteousness
- Keep a consistent, daily walk
- Keep fighting!
- Keep the faith!
Pressure is also on the church. Remember! The church is in the world, but it is not of the world!
What you feed on will eventually come bubbling out, one way or another. We are most careful about the things we treasure; they reveal where our heart is.
Shifting your mentality toward worldliness is never a wise thing. If you don't maintain your walk and your integrity, you will suffer. It's like going fishing and getting caught! The enemy is always trying to cloud the issue... to keep us moving in a fog.
Jesus wills it that you will finish the race in victory! “I have kept the faith!”
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (II Timothy 6:8)
The Law of Integrity
By Scott A. Phillips
There are absolutes when you use the word, "law." However "Integrity" is as much a spirit as it is an absolute. Some operate within the boundaries of integrity as a lawyer would; but one must truly desire to do what is right and not just the appearance of right. Integrity is judged by God when it may be misunderstood by men. Others can misinterpret the things you do, but integrity is a heart issue.
The first time we find the word integrity in the KJV is interesting. “Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.” (Genesis 20:5) Abimilech was wronged by the lie of Abraham and God warned him. The integrity of his heart is demonstrated in that he did not violate God's warning.
There are times when we will make a decision, but the Holy Ghost will prompt you... It may appear right.. but it's not. No doubt there are many who have a high opinion of themselves, but others have been touched and violated by their lack of integrity. Often a person is found mistreating those who can never hurt them, (they think,) but over compensating everyone they perceive to be above them, or that can help them in some way. This unjust balance is a sad reality.
The Man whom the Lord said was a perfect man said this, “Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.” (Job 31:6)
Another man who was honored by God for his heart was David. He prayed some pretty heavy words. “The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." (Psalm 7:8)
Here are a couple of quotes from some friends. I think they're worth sharing...
“A life of integrity can be attacked, but can never be defeated. What can the Devil do to a person who won't move? who stands fast? Integrity is not immune to hardships, but it will save you in the end.”
- Jeffery Sanders
“Integrity. It's got a little “grit” in the middle. It takes a little grit to do what's right sometimes.”
- Terry W. Long. Sr.
Let me ask you some hard questions...
If
you are a little shaky when answering these, the Lord is willing to
help you if you're willing to pay the high price required of a person
of integrity. Integrity is not something God gives you, Integrity is
who you decide to be for the principle of its virtue.
Integrity pays long dividends.
The wise man, Solomon, said it this way... “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)
Editorial Note: Bro. Scott Phillips is pastor of New Birth Church, in Clinton, Mississippi. He and his wife, Becky, have three sons. In addition to his pastorate, he maintains a writing ministry (both books and a blogsite).
Integrity
is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
There is a correlation between the Law of Integrity and the Law of
Gravity. If you ignore them, they will hurt you. If you work with them, you
can fly.There are absolutes when you use the word, "law." However "Integrity" is as much a spirit as it is an absolute. Some operate within the boundaries of integrity as a lawyer would; but one must truly desire to do what is right and not just the appearance of right. Integrity is judged by God when it may be misunderstood by men. Others can misinterpret the things you do, but integrity is a heart issue.
The first time we find the word integrity in the KJV is interesting. “Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.” (Genesis 20:5) Abimilech was wronged by the lie of Abraham and God warned him. The integrity of his heart is demonstrated in that he did not violate God's warning.
There are times when we will make a decision, but the Holy Ghost will prompt you... It may appear right.. but it's not. No doubt there are many who have a high opinion of themselves, but others have been touched and violated by their lack of integrity. Often a person is found mistreating those who can never hurt them, (they think,) but over compensating everyone they perceive to be above them, or that can help them in some way. This unjust balance is a sad reality.
The Man whom the Lord said was a perfect man said this, “Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.” (Job 31:6)
Another man who was honored by God for his heart was David. He prayed some pretty heavy words. “The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me." (Psalm 7:8)
Here are a couple of quotes from some friends. I think they're worth sharing...
“A life of integrity can be attacked, but can never be defeated. What can the Devil do to a person who won't move? who stands fast? Integrity is not immune to hardships, but it will save you in the end.”
- Jeffery Sanders
“Integrity. It's got a little “grit” in the middle. It takes a little grit to do what's right sometimes.”
- Terry W. Long. Sr.
Let me ask you some hard questions...
Are
you a person of integrity?
Are
you dependable?
Are
you steadfast?
Can
people trust what you say?
Can
they cash your check?
(Not
just your monetary check, but also commitments you have made?)
Integrity pays long dividends.
The wise man, Solomon, said it this way... “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)
Editorial Note: Bro. Scott Phillips is pastor of New Birth Church, in Clinton, Mississippi. He and his wife, Becky, have three sons. In addition to his pastorate, he maintains a writing ministry (both books and a blogsite).
Shut Up and March!
By Mary Elizabeth Wholters
The Children of Israel were tired. They had walked and marched in the sun for six dusty days around a city that was evil and wicked. The people in the city were mocking them, throwing garbage on their heads, shouting curses for the last four days.
The first few days, the people of Jericho had looked over the walls in fear as they watched the Israelites march. They had heard of the God of the Israelites. They knew what God had done to their neighbors. But after so many dizzying days of watching them march around and around their city, they had begun to think nothing was going to happen. It was boring to them – and – to the children of God.
I can see the massive column of people plodding along, hearing the taunts of the enemy from the walls far above them. The kids were cranky. The expectant mothers and the elderly were sore and tired. They tried to ignore the taunts, but their attitudes showed the strain. They began to do only what they were told to do and no more. The dust was choking everything. The trumpets, once gleaming in the bright sun, were now dull and caked with dust. Oh, there were a few who were behind Joshua 100%. But most couldn't see the forest for the trees. You see, they didn't have the vision. They were not in direct contact with the one true God. Why were they marching? Because God said so? Because Joshua said so? Because everyone else was? I am sure that some were marching for one or more of these reasons, but most were doing it because somewhere down the line, someone began to push...
There were gripes and complaints about why Joshua was chosen to be their leader when “they” could have done a much better job. Why was he so special? He hadn't done anything great. All he had done wast to say they could have taken a land with giants in it. GIANTS mind you! How were they supposed to fight giants? We sure would have looked silly taking on those giants. We would have lost miserably.
The God who had taken them safely out of Egypt was the same God who would deliver the giants into their hands. So, why, forty years later, was this attitude still prevalent? Maybe it's because none of the parents in that generation had dragged their kids before the elders of the camp, and said, “Tell them you are sorry” and. “We will have no more of that around here!” Instead, the parents went home, and said, “Yes, baby, you were right in saying what you did. That Moses shouldn't have gotten so angry with my little boy/girl.” (Pat, pat, pat on the head.) Their attitude should have been, “Now look,I will not tolerate any back-talking to or about Moses. He is our leader. Right or wrong, God put Him there for a purpose. We will serve the Lord, and in so doing, we will also be a servant to Moses.” And when the time came for Joshua to lead, children who had grown up with this kind of teaching would, in turn, tell their children the same thing. (See Deuteronomy 5:29.)
Do you not know that God could have blasted every enemy out of the land before they even stepped foot over the border? But time and again He tested them to see what they would do, and, sadly, they never quite seemed to get it.
This time, they had been told to march once around the city walls each day for six days; silently, saying nothing. On the seventh day, they were to march seven times around the walls, still silently, and then, when the priests blew the trumpets, they were to shout and make as much noise as they could – and watch what would happen. God delivered the land into their hands before they even got there, but He required of them an act of obedience to get the result.
Do we think we will get off any different? We are charged by God to obey, yet we seem to be willing to apply the rule to someone else and not ourselves. Verse after verse in the Bible takes on this matter of obedience; it's the “Obey them that have the rule over you” issue. It has a promise attached. Still, we continue to pawn it off on our kids and others, as if it's their job, not ours. The Word of God commands our children to obey – yes. But we, their parents, are supposed to demonstrate a life of willing, cheerful obedience. That, coupled with vocal support of our leadership, is a very important lesson.
Two of the reasons for showing unwavering support for our leaders are, 1.) so our kids will know what is right, and, 2.) so they will see the value of obedience. This is no time to be griping and complaining – in word, in thought, or in body language. We need to keep our attitude in line. The time has come. The time is now. It's time to... Shut up and march!
The Children of Israel were tired. They had walked and marched in the sun for six dusty days around a city that was evil and wicked. The people in the city were mocking them, throwing garbage on their heads, shouting curses for the last four days.
The first few days, the people of Jericho had looked over the walls in fear as they watched the Israelites march. They had heard of the God of the Israelites. They knew what God had done to their neighbors. But after so many dizzying days of watching them march around and around their city, they had begun to think nothing was going to happen. It was boring to them – and – to the children of God.
I can see the massive column of people plodding along, hearing the taunts of the enemy from the walls far above them. The kids were cranky. The expectant mothers and the elderly were sore and tired. They tried to ignore the taunts, but their attitudes showed the strain. They began to do only what they were told to do and no more. The dust was choking everything. The trumpets, once gleaming in the bright sun, were now dull and caked with dust. Oh, there were a few who were behind Joshua 100%. But most couldn't see the forest for the trees. You see, they didn't have the vision. They were not in direct contact with the one true God. Why were they marching? Because God said so? Because Joshua said so? Because everyone else was? I am sure that some were marching for one or more of these reasons, but most were doing it because somewhere down the line, someone began to push...
- “Move it will ya? Move it or I'll mow you down.”
- “I know you're tired, sweetie, but just a few more times and God is going to do something wonderful!”
- “Babe, could you rub my back for a minute? I'll keep walking, but my back is killing me!”
- “Sure, hon, I can do that. Are you and the babe all right?”
- “Yes, yes, we'll be fine.”
- “I wonder how God is going to do this. This seems really crazy – I hope it works!”
- “Did you see that guy on the wall? He was leering at me, Walk faster, I don't want him to see me again.”
- “How many times was that?”
- “Shhhhh! Will you just shut up and march?”
There were gripes and complaints about why Joshua was chosen to be their leader when “they” could have done a much better job. Why was he so special? He hadn't done anything great. All he had done wast to say they could have taken a land with giants in it. GIANTS mind you! How were they supposed to fight giants? We sure would have looked silly taking on those giants. We would have lost miserably.
The God who had taken them safely out of Egypt was the same God who would deliver the giants into their hands. So, why, forty years later, was this attitude still prevalent? Maybe it's because none of the parents in that generation had dragged their kids before the elders of the camp, and said, “Tell them you are sorry” and. “We will have no more of that around here!” Instead, the parents went home, and said, “Yes, baby, you were right in saying what you did. That Moses shouldn't have gotten so angry with my little boy/girl.” (Pat, pat, pat on the head.) Their attitude should have been, “Now look,I will not tolerate any back-talking to or about Moses. He is our leader. Right or wrong, God put Him there for a purpose. We will serve the Lord, and in so doing, we will also be a servant to Moses.” And when the time came for Joshua to lead, children who had grown up with this kind of teaching would, in turn, tell their children the same thing. (See Deuteronomy 5:29.)
Do you not know that God could have blasted every enemy out of the land before they even stepped foot over the border? But time and again He tested them to see what they would do, and, sadly, they never quite seemed to get it.
This time, they had been told to march once around the city walls each day for six days; silently, saying nothing. On the seventh day, they were to march seven times around the walls, still silently, and then, when the priests blew the trumpets, they were to shout and make as much noise as they could – and watch what would happen. God delivered the land into their hands before they even got there, but He required of them an act of obedience to get the result.
Do we think we will get off any different? We are charged by God to obey, yet we seem to be willing to apply the rule to someone else and not ourselves. Verse after verse in the Bible takes on this matter of obedience; it's the “Obey them that have the rule over you” issue. It has a promise attached. Still, we continue to pawn it off on our kids and others, as if it's their job, not ours. The Word of God commands our children to obey – yes. But we, their parents, are supposed to demonstrate a life of willing, cheerful obedience. That, coupled with vocal support of our leadership, is a very important lesson.
Two of the reasons for showing unwavering support for our leaders are, 1.) so our kids will know what is right, and, 2.) so they will see the value of obedience. This is no time to be griping and complaining – in word, in thought, or in body language. We need to keep our attitude in line. The time has come. The time is now. It's time to... Shut up and march!
God's Name Manifested
By Charles C. Kirby
Text: John 17:1-7
Key Verse: “I have manifested Thy Name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest Me them, and they have kept Thy Word.” (John 17:7)
If man is to know the one and only true God in a real, practical, and experiential sense, and then be able to utilize that knowledge for his own benefit, it is absolutely necessary that he have a revelation of His Name. This is so because it is through His Name that God has elected to make Himself known to mankind. The history of the worship of the one true God discloses the fact that this worship was ever essential and inseparable from His Name. Hence God said to Moses when He revealed His Name, “By this Name was I not known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Exodus 6:3) Again, when God declared to Moses that the purpose of taking the Israelites out of Egypt was that they might worship Him on the mount, Moses asked, “When they shall say to me, What is His Name? What shall I say unto them?” (Exodus 3:13)
Indeed, the early Christian worshipers of the one God were scions of the first worshipers we know anything about. It is written in the book of Genesis, “...then began men to call on the Name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:26) After Pentecost, the disciples invariably worshiped in the Name of the Lord. They met together to call on the Name of the Lord “with all that call on Thy Name.” ...“to bind all that call on Thy Name.” (Genesis 26:26; Acts 9:14) Jesus taught the disciples to pray in and through the Name of the Lord. “Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My Name. Ask and ye shall receive that your joy might be full.” (John 16:24) The first words of the model prayer show what a place the Name occupied in true worship, “...Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.” (Luke 11:2) This Name was retained in the Name of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and constituted the one Name of God throughout time and eternity (so far as man can know from a study of the Scriptures because God put His finger on the “I Am” declaration and said, “...this is My Name and this is My memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:15)) This is the only Name used in Baptism and the work of the ministry by the Apostles. It is the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, (the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Jesus,) and it is written, “...that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Philippians 2:10) He is “...Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14) Thus we are inspired by the Apostolic example.
All the academic discussions about and highbrow analysis of the Name of God will not and cannot avail the church for the present and awful crisis. Jude tells us to “...earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3) Faith based on a true system of doctrine can only be manifested in power, on the basis of an individual faith. The Apostles demonstrated as well as proclaimed that faith. In fact, many of them had to demonstrate the power of Jesus' Name in order to get an audience to listen to the message of the Gospel. Peter got the ear of the religious leaders who perhaps were not present on the Day of Pentecost, by performing an astounding miracle in the Name of Jesus.
A church policy based as it is today on a system of theology afflicted with the customs and methods of worldly societies, judges, and clubs would not tolerate the customs and methods of the first Christian church. The early church got the ear of the common people by the demonstration of the power in Jesus' Name. The modern church collects an audience by adopting, in an alarming degree, the customs and practices of the world, and in their theological discourses. It is fundamentalism versus Modernism. The “fundamental” of the first Christian church, as every honest Bible student knows, was the Name of Jesus. They emphasized that Name. They had no ornamental to emphasize. The modern church is all ornamental; in fact, it is hard to discover from their principles and practices what they consider as fundamental. Architectural display, ornamented windows, ornamented women, and ornamented congregations with “the bed too short and the blanket too narrow,” (Isaiah 28:20) Massive and complicated instruments, highly paid choirs and orchestras with a so-called Doctor of Divinity displaying oratorical fire instead of old fashioned, Apostolic Pentecostal Holy Ghost Fire that will, and does melt hearts of stone bringing sinners to repentance and filling their hearts with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, with a new hope in life. Yes, with the revelation of the Name of the Great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The fundamental of true religion is the power to demonstrate it's message to the world by miracles of mercy to mankind. Let that fundamental be non-existent or cease to operate, and you only have a dead system covered under the ornamental. The fundamental of an automobile is its motor. Let the motor cease to operate out on the highway, though it be covered by the most expensive and attractive body that could be built, what have you then? Only a palace by the roadside: for it is there you stop and the scenery gets monotonous because it never changes. Even so, let the vision and the Holy Ghost power of the early church possess the mind and heart of modern church ministry everywhere and there would be a cracking of the old, musty methods and the breaking of dead, theological forms. The Living Waters would begin to flow. Yes sir, and the desert will begin to take on life, the wilderness will blossom as the rose.
In spite of our blind systems which have stifled the power, love, and grace of God; thank God Jesus Christ lives today and His Name is as powerful as ever it was. Our God is and His Name is dynamic. Our old creed method is to try an absorb the seed. You might as well talk of the moist earth in the springtime absorbing the seed. The seed absorbs the earth, in it (the seed) is the life. Jesus is our life, and I have Him in my soul to believe that through His Name He will ultimately absorb all our lifeless methods of worship and service for we who trust, love, and serve Him. He will subdue all our enemies and swallow up death in victory. He is looking for a people who have an ear so trained that above the babble rising from the crossroads of our religious life, they will hear a voice announcing that a new day has dawned and the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Even as Phillip, the Evangelist, went down to the city of Samaria, (Acts 8,) and preached Christ unto them, and when they believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.“Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 8:14-16) Friends, if God's ambassadors required of their converts in their day to know and acknowledge God's Name before a wicked and perverse generation by taking on that Name in baptism in water, then to be filled with His Holy Spirit, why should it be thought a thing incredible with you today for those who love Him to do likewise? Hence, you too must repent and be baptized in His Name for the remission of your sins and receive the Holy Ghost with the Bible evidence of “speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.” (Acts 2:4) This is the “Pentecostal Fire” we sing about.
Editorial Note: Rev. C.C. Kirby was pastor of Christ Church Apostolic in Royal Oak, Michigan. (My parents, J. Raymond and Marjorie (Smith) Broyles, raised their family there. For many years, the church presented a weekly radio program each Sunday, from 3:30 to 4:00 on radio station WEXL. These programs featured the church choir and a short radio sermon. The theme song, sung at the beginning and end of each broadcast, was "Pentecostal Fire." This message was aired Sunday, September 2, 1945.
Text: John 17:1-7
Key Verse: “I have manifested Thy Name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest Me them, and they have kept Thy Word.” (John 17:7)
If man is to know the one and only true God in a real, practical, and experiential sense, and then be able to utilize that knowledge for his own benefit, it is absolutely necessary that he have a revelation of His Name. This is so because it is through His Name that God has elected to make Himself known to mankind. The history of the worship of the one true God discloses the fact that this worship was ever essential and inseparable from His Name. Hence God said to Moses when He revealed His Name, “By this Name was I not known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Exodus 6:3) Again, when God declared to Moses that the purpose of taking the Israelites out of Egypt was that they might worship Him on the mount, Moses asked, “When they shall say to me, What is His Name? What shall I say unto them?” (Exodus 3:13)
Indeed, the early Christian worshipers of the one God were scions of the first worshipers we know anything about. It is written in the book of Genesis, “...then began men to call on the Name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:26) After Pentecost, the disciples invariably worshiped in the Name of the Lord. They met together to call on the Name of the Lord “with all that call on Thy Name.” ...“to bind all that call on Thy Name.” (Genesis 26:26; Acts 9:14) Jesus taught the disciples to pray in and through the Name of the Lord. “Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My Name. Ask and ye shall receive that your joy might be full.” (John 16:24) The first words of the model prayer show what a place the Name occupied in true worship, “...Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.” (Luke 11:2) This Name was retained in the Name of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and constituted the one Name of God throughout time and eternity (so far as man can know from a study of the Scriptures because God put His finger on the “I Am” declaration and said, “...this is My Name and this is My memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:15)) This is the only Name used in Baptism and the work of the ministry by the Apostles. It is the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, (the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Jesus,) and it is written, “...that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Philippians 2:10) He is “...Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14) Thus we are inspired by the Apostolic example.
All the academic discussions about and highbrow analysis of the Name of God will not and cannot avail the church for the present and awful crisis. Jude tells us to “...earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3) Faith based on a true system of doctrine can only be manifested in power, on the basis of an individual faith. The Apostles demonstrated as well as proclaimed that faith. In fact, many of them had to demonstrate the power of Jesus' Name in order to get an audience to listen to the message of the Gospel. Peter got the ear of the religious leaders who perhaps were not present on the Day of Pentecost, by performing an astounding miracle in the Name of Jesus.
A church policy based as it is today on a system of theology afflicted with the customs and methods of worldly societies, judges, and clubs would not tolerate the customs and methods of the first Christian church. The early church got the ear of the common people by the demonstration of the power in Jesus' Name. The modern church collects an audience by adopting, in an alarming degree, the customs and practices of the world, and in their theological discourses. It is fundamentalism versus Modernism. The “fundamental” of the first Christian church, as every honest Bible student knows, was the Name of Jesus. They emphasized that Name. They had no ornamental to emphasize. The modern church is all ornamental; in fact, it is hard to discover from their principles and practices what they consider as fundamental. Architectural display, ornamented windows, ornamented women, and ornamented congregations with “the bed too short and the blanket too narrow,” (Isaiah 28:20) Massive and complicated instruments, highly paid choirs and orchestras with a so-called Doctor of Divinity displaying oratorical fire instead of old fashioned, Apostolic Pentecostal Holy Ghost Fire that will, and does melt hearts of stone bringing sinners to repentance and filling their hearts with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, with a new hope in life. Yes, with the revelation of the Name of the Great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The fundamental of true religion is the power to demonstrate it's message to the world by miracles of mercy to mankind. Let that fundamental be non-existent or cease to operate, and you only have a dead system covered under the ornamental. The fundamental of an automobile is its motor. Let the motor cease to operate out on the highway, though it be covered by the most expensive and attractive body that could be built, what have you then? Only a palace by the roadside: for it is there you stop and the scenery gets monotonous because it never changes. Even so, let the vision and the Holy Ghost power of the early church possess the mind and heart of modern church ministry everywhere and there would be a cracking of the old, musty methods and the breaking of dead, theological forms. The Living Waters would begin to flow. Yes sir, and the desert will begin to take on life, the wilderness will blossom as the rose.
In spite of our blind systems which have stifled the power, love, and grace of God; thank God Jesus Christ lives today and His Name is as powerful as ever it was. Our God is and His Name is dynamic. Our old creed method is to try an absorb the seed. You might as well talk of the moist earth in the springtime absorbing the seed. The seed absorbs the earth, in it (the seed) is the life. Jesus is our life, and I have Him in my soul to believe that through His Name He will ultimately absorb all our lifeless methods of worship and service for we who trust, love, and serve Him. He will subdue all our enemies and swallow up death in victory. He is looking for a people who have an ear so trained that above the babble rising from the crossroads of our religious life, they will hear a voice announcing that a new day has dawned and the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Even as Phillip, the Evangelist, went down to the city of Samaria, (Acts 8,) and preached Christ unto them, and when they believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.“Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 8:14-16) Friends, if God's ambassadors required of their converts in their day to know and acknowledge God's Name before a wicked and perverse generation by taking on that Name in baptism in water, then to be filled with His Holy Spirit, why should it be thought a thing incredible with you today for those who love Him to do likewise? Hence, you too must repent and be baptized in His Name for the remission of your sins and receive the Holy Ghost with the Bible evidence of “speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.” (Acts 2:4) This is the “Pentecostal Fire” we sing about.
Editorial Note: Rev. C.C. Kirby was pastor of Christ Church Apostolic in Royal Oak, Michigan. (My parents, J. Raymond and Marjorie (Smith) Broyles, raised their family there. For many years, the church presented a weekly radio program each Sunday, from 3:30 to 4:00 on radio station WEXL. These programs featured the church choir and a short radio sermon. The theme song, sung at the beginning and end of each broadcast, was "Pentecostal Fire." This message was aired Sunday, September 2, 1945.
Listen and Hear!
By Pauline Foreman
There was a Man named Jesus, you see,
He was born to save you and me;
Born of a virgin, begotten of the Spirit,
Everyone who has an ear should want to hear it.
We were made in His image,
But through sin we were blemished;
Nevertheless, He had a plan,
To redeem sinful man.
He went about healing the blind, halt, and lame,
His love and compassion soon gained great fame;
They came from the north, south, east, and west,
He delivered them all from all their tests.
He that has an ear – listen and hear.
Opposing forces came against this Man,
But for the love of people He took a stand;
He defeated the devil on every hand,
And took the punishment of sinful man.
For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross,
So that mankind would not have to be lost;
When life to you seems dark and grim,
Take up your cross and follow Him.
Wherever He leads, be willing to follow,
And your life will never be hollow;
Your void He will fill,
Give new life, He will.
He that has an ear – listen and hear.
Repentance of sin is where you begin,
Baptism in His Name is the next step to claim;
He promised to give you the Holy Ghost,
You will be filled to the uttermost.
In another tongue, you will speak,
When it is Him wholeheartedly you seek.
He that has an ear – listen and
hear.
To give your life to Him is very smart,
Righteousness to you He will impart;
A broken and contrite heart He will in no wise cast aside,
But is faithful to complete the work He began inside.
No longer a slave to sin,
You will have peace within;
Every time you kneel,
He will begin to heal.
All the hurts of the past,
Will be gone at last.
Read your Bible and you will find,
How to be like Him – so good, so kind;
He is high and holy, yet so meek and lowly,
To be like Him is a process – slowly.
Continue to run this race,
He will guide you at His pace;
For the race is not given to the swift or strong,
But to the ones that endure the whole course long.
He that has an ear – listen and hear!
On the Furnace...
By Marjorie Kinnee
Editorial
Text: Daniel 3:1-30
In Daniel, chapter three, we find the story of the three Hebrew children and their adventure with a fiery furnace. You probably first heard it when you were a small child. It's been told and retold by pastors, preachers, parents, and teachers ever since. It's about three young men in a trying situation and an angry king whose will was crossed. Holding on was going to cost each of them something. There, at the intersection of unbending faith and an unbendable will, friction built; resulting in a fiery furnace which melted and purged the unbendable - and - purified and sanctified the unbending.
"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10) The Bible has much to say about furnaces, fiery trials, rods of correction, refining, purging, purifying, and the holy purpose behind such measures. Here are some things we can observe about the work of furnaces...
Editorial
Text: Daniel 3:1-30
In Daniel, chapter three, we find the story of the three Hebrew children and their adventure with a fiery furnace. You probably first heard it when you were a small child. It's been told and retold by pastors, preachers, parents, and teachers ever since. It's about three young men in a trying situation and an angry king whose will was crossed. Holding on was going to cost each of them something. There, at the intersection of unbending faith and an unbendable will, friction built; resulting in a fiery furnace which melted and purged the unbendable - and - purified and sanctified the unbending.
"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10) The Bible has much to say about furnaces, fiery trials, rods of correction, refining, purging, purifying, and the holy purpose behind such measures. Here are some things we can observe about the work of furnaces...
- Furnaces may be stoked to incredible temperatures by fury and vengeance. (Daniel 3:19)
- Furnaces may be lethal for their stokers and feeders. (Daniel 3:22)
- Furnaces are instruments of change and correction. (Job 5:17; Psalm 66:10; Hebrews 12:6)
- By design, furnaces can only destroy things of earth. (Job 28:1-2; Luke 3:17; I Corinthians 3:13-15)
- Furnaces purge things which are not good. (Psalm 79:9; Isaiah 1:25; II Timothy 2:19-21)
- Furnaces purify things which are good. (Proverbs 25:4; Malachi 3:2-3)
- Furnaces create an atmosphere of extreme discomfort, and thereby, the desire for change. (Psalm 17:3; 119:119-120; Jonah 2:7)
- Furnaces make what's being changed cry out during the process. (Jonah 2:1; Zechariah 13:9)
- Furnaces are not hell - though they may feel like it. (Jonah 2:2; Hebrews 12:25-29)
- Furnaces are a temporary measure, used at a specific time and season, for a specific purpose; but the fire doesn't go out until its work is complete. (II Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:11)
- Total submission to the will of God, (whether it be through the furnace of affliction, fiery trials, or chastening,) brings the confidence to speak faith and helps us conquer our human tendency toward struggle and fear. (Daniel 3:16-18; I Peter 4:19)
- A furnace offers the opportunity for a visible visit by God. (Daniel 3:25)
- When the work of the furnace is complete, the result is far more valuable than it was to begin with! (Job 23:10; James 1:17; I Peter 1:7; 4:12-14)
Monday, December 2, 2013
The Birth of Jesus Christ...
By Pastor Ken Foreman
Text: Matthew 1:18-21 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins."
Let's consider four important facts about the birth of Jesus Christ. Note: A fact is something that can be proved or verified...
Fact 1: He was born. He actually lived on earth. He walked and talked with men, proving that God keeps His promises. Messiah, Shiloh, Jehovah Shuah. See Daniel 9:25 and Luke 2:1-3. He fulfills prophecy - Genesis 3:15. His birthplace was in Bethlehem - Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4.
Fact 2: He was born of a virgin. See Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-21, Luke 1:27-37. Why? 1.) To fulfill prophecy, 2.) So His Father would be God (not man). Note that Jesus' blood came from His Father. 3.) Only a free man can purchase a slave. (Galatians 4:23, 31)
Fact 3: He was God's perfect plan. Imagine Joseph's shock at Mary's pregnancy! he needed to be convinced. He needed to be stripped of pride, doubt, and fear. See Proverbs 29:25, II Timothy 1:7, I John 4:18, Hebrews 13:6.
Fact 4: It was His mission. "To save His people from their sins." and, "To seek and to save that which was lost." See Luke 19:10, Acts 5:31, Hebrews 7:25.
Text: Matthew 1:18-21 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins."
Let's consider four important facts about the birth of Jesus Christ. Note: A fact is something that can be proved or verified...
Fact 1: He was born. He actually lived on earth. He walked and talked with men, proving that God keeps His promises. Messiah, Shiloh, Jehovah Shuah. See Daniel 9:25 and Luke 2:1-3. He fulfills prophecy - Genesis 3:15. His birthplace was in Bethlehem - Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4.
Fact 2: He was born of a virgin. See Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-21, Luke 1:27-37. Why? 1.) To fulfill prophecy, 2.) So His Father would be God (not man). Note that Jesus' blood came from His Father. 3.) Only a free man can purchase a slave. (Galatians 4:23, 31)
Fact 3: He was God's perfect plan. Imagine Joseph's shock at Mary's pregnancy! he needed to be convinced. He needed to be stripped of pride, doubt, and fear. See Proverbs 29:25, II Timothy 1:7, I John 4:18, Hebrews 13:6.
Fact 4: It was His mission. "To save His people from their sins." and, "To seek and to save that which was lost." See Luke 19:10, Acts 5:31, Hebrews 7:25.
Heard from the Pulpit...
By Carol Warfield
I got to thinking about all the wonderful men of God I've sat under during forty plus years of serving God. We need the Word of God, the Holy Ghost, and a true man of God to lead us. I am so thankful for these six faithful ministers who have guided my life and my walk with God. Many of the sayings they've used while preaching have stuck with me. I'd like to share several of them with you...
I got to thinking about all the wonderful men of God I've sat under during forty plus years of serving God. We need the Word of God, the Holy Ghost, and a true man of God to lead us. I am so thankful for these six faithful ministers who have guided my life and my walk with God. Many of the sayings they've used while preaching have stuck with me. I'd like to share several of them with you...
- The first thing a saint will do when they become weak is begin to beautify themselves.
- God is more concerned about our attitude than our troubles and situations, because trials will make you better or bitter.
- To question why will not change your difficulty.
- It's not that I can't - but I won't!
- Because sin is not executed speedily man's heart is set on doing evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:11)
- Prayer is never the easy way out, never for God to do it for us. Prayer is the hard way, it provides you the power to go through, it enables us to handle the problem.
- In this life, nothing is forever.
- Everything that's in the Word of God is for you, it's designed for you.
- Sons are born, but disciples are made.
- God doesn't take - He gives!
- The eyes of faith see the result before it ever happens. The eyes of faith look up, while the eyes of man look down.
- Faith brings perfect peace to our souls.
- Creation itself is the proof of God.
- The church must not be like everybody else. If the world does it, don't do it! (Leviticus 18:1-3)
- If you keep the faith, the faith will keep you.
- The thing that is the hardest for you to give up, that's the thing that will pull you back into the world - if you don't guard against it.
- Flesh will never say no.
- If you don't kill pride - it will kill you. (Proverbs 16:18)
- Almost right is wrong.
- Faith with love said, We can do anything. But compassion says, We must...!
- Only dead things need paint; the barn, the house, the car, etc.
- God will not accept anything less than our best; in prayer, in worship, in praise.
- We cannot love people to heaven - they must obey the Scriptures.
- Our conscience is a watch-dog for our soul.
- Research proves all issues of holiness, both inward and outward, are essential for salvation.
- If the Bible does not directly deal with an issue, we must trace it to it's original uses and purpose to discover whether or not it is of God.
- Love gives, lust takes. Love is patient, kind, and understanding, lust is rude, crude, and very demanding.
- If you are not winning them, they are winning you.
- My friends, my God is fantastic. There are no words that describe Him. That's why I just take off shouting. It helps me to express how wonderful He is, and how crazy I am about my Lord. I'm not ashamed because He made my emotions and I'll use them as long as there is breath in my body and strength to do so - to glorify my God
- Brains - Use them!
- They don't know "come here" from "sic 'em!"
On Waiting...
Compiled by Charlotte Wholters
Isaiah 30:18 - "...blessed are all they that wait for Him."
Job 14:14 - "...all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come."
Psalm 25:21 - "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee."
Psalm 25:3 - "Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed..."
Psalm 37:7 - "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..."
Psalm 37:9 - "...those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth."
Psalm 37:34 -" Wait on the LORD, and keep His way..."
Psalm 40:1-4 - "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry."
Psalm 52:9 - "...I will wait on Thy Name; for it is good before Thy saints."
Psalm 69:6 - "Let not them that wait on Thee, O LORD God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake..."
Psalm 130:5-7 - I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the LORD more than they that watch for the morning..."
Psalm 145:15-19 - "The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season..."
Proverbs 20:22 - "...wait on the LORD, and He shall save thee."
Proverbs 27:18 - "...he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured."
Isaiah 8:17 - "And I will wait upon the LORD..."
Isaiah 25:9 - "...Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
Isaiah 30:18 - "And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, ...blessed are all they that wait for Him."
Isaiah 33:2 - "O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee..."
Isaiah 40:31 - "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength..."
Isaiah 49:23 - "...they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me."
Isaiah 64:4 - "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him."
Jeremiah 14:22 - "...therefore we will wait upon Thee: for Thou hast made all these things."
Lamentations 3:25-36 - "The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord..."
Daniel 12:12 - "Blessed is he that waiteth..."
Hosea 12:6 - "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."
Micah 7:7-8 - "...I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me..."
Habakkuk 2:3-4 - ...though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come..."
Luke 12:36-40 - "And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately..."
Acts 1:4 - "...wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me."
Romans 8:19-25 - For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God... even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption... if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
James 5:7 - "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain, be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
Editor's Note: Charlotte and James Wholters are living in Reston, Virginia, after his retirement from the U.S. Air Force. The Wholters Family currently attends The Original Pentecostals Church (Pastor Raymond E. Woodward,) in Leesburg, Virginia.
Isaiah 30:18 - "...blessed are all they that wait for Him."
Job 14:14 - "...all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come."
Psalm 25:21 - "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee."
Psalm 25:3 - "Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed..."
Psalm 37:7 - "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..."
Psalm 37:9 - "...those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth."
Psalm 37:34 -" Wait on the LORD, and keep His way..."
Psalm 40:1-4 - "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry."
Psalm 52:9 - "...I will wait on Thy Name; for it is good before Thy saints."
Psalm 69:6 - "Let not them that wait on Thee, O LORD God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake..."
Psalm 130:5-7 - I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the LORD more than they that watch for the morning..."
Psalm 145:15-19 - "The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season..."
Proverbs 20:22 - "...wait on the LORD, and He shall save thee."
Proverbs 27:18 - "...he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured."
Isaiah 8:17 - "And I will wait upon the LORD..."
Isaiah 25:9 - "...Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
Isaiah 30:18 - "And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, ...blessed are all they that wait for Him."
Isaiah 33:2 - "O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee..."
Isaiah 40:31 - "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength..."
Isaiah 49:23 - "...they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me."
Isaiah 64:4 - "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him."
Jeremiah 14:22 - "...therefore we will wait upon Thee: for Thou hast made all these things."
Lamentations 3:25-36 - "The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord..."
Daniel 12:12 - "Blessed is he that waiteth..."
Hosea 12:6 - "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."
Micah 7:7-8 - "...I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me..."
Habakkuk 2:3-4 - ...though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come..."
Luke 12:36-40 - "And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately..."
Acts 1:4 - "...wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me."
Romans 8:19-25 - For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God... even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption... if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
James 5:7 - "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain, be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
Editor's Note: Charlotte and James Wholters are living in Reston, Virginia, after his retirement from the U.S. Air Force. The Wholters Family currently attends The Original Pentecostals Church (Pastor Raymond E. Woodward,) in Leesburg, Virginia.
The Lonely Heart...
A Poem by Marjorie Kinnee
Searching...
Not sure what for,
But knowing there's a lack,
A very deep need,
That cuts no slack.
Seeking...
Parched and thirsty,
Barren and dry,
Looking everywhere
For a love to satisfy.
Wondering...
Hoping and wishing;
Maybe if I pray,
The fear and the doubt
Might go away.
Hungering...
Feeling like a starving child,
I'm longing to be fed,
Nutrition's what I really need,
More than daily bread.
Fearing...
The life I've lived,
The scars I bear,
Make me cautious,
Afraid to dare.
Longing...
Do you see me here?
I'm right at your door,
Will you love me to Jesus
And joy for evermore?
Coming...
My time is now,
Intercessors I need,
Please, lead me to Jesus,
I earnestly plead.
A Costco Jesus
By Rachel Coltharp
Through
the years I have had several inexpensive nativity sets, (oft
destroyed by my kids,) and for the past few years we have used a "Fisher
Price" kid-friendly
set. But in my heart, I’ve longed for a "Big Girl" nativity set.
Imagine
my delight when I ventured upon an heirloom set at Costco; hand
painted, with intricate details. It was really,
truly lovely.
But it wasn’t really truly
real. The
middle-eastern Jewish family had been replaced by a pale
skinned, fair eyed, silky haired European family. I'm
guessing that the pale skinned Jesus is an easier sell to pale
skinned buyers. And at Costco, it's all about the sell. So
though it was beautiful, I just couldn’t buy it. I don’t want to
buy a Jesus who's been altered to look like me.
How
many times do we find this has happened? Biblical has been altered,
for a better "sell."
Songs
that sound beautiful, with notes that strike an emotional chord in
our hearts, but words are not at all like those of Jesus...
Songs easy on the ear, and just as easy on our sin.
Or
doctrines that come along that are easier on the ear than the sounds
of bleating lambs slaughtered for sin, or of nails being hammered
into flesh. Doctrines that do not call us to give
up our
sins, or take
up our
cross.
How
many times, in the market place of ideas, have we chosen and
purchased an altered idea of Jesus, one who thinks, acts and reacts,
remarkably like us? The modern version of Jesus is often one who
isn’t too concerned about heaven or hell. It's one who is more concerned
with social issues than sin issues. The modern idea of Jesus is less
controversial than the real one. And
he looks a lot like our American culture, but he doesn’t look a lot
like the Biblical one.
A
Jesus who looks and acts like like me won't call me to change to be
like him. And the “me” version of Jesus, won’t save me... from
sin, or from myself.
So,
as much as I love the LOOK of the Costco set, I put it back on the
shelf. I’ll wait for something that represents Him - the real Him.
The little brown skinned baby, with His brown skinned mother, and His
brown skinned step-father.
And
I'll pass on the modern Jesus. The one calls me to no sacrifice. I
want the authentic Savior. One that will save me in, and
from, my sins. I don’t want a Jesus who looks like me...
I'm not
going to buy into a Costco Jesus.
Editor's Note: Rachel is the wife of Brent Coltharp, District Superintendent for the state of Illinois, and pastor of First Apostolic Church in Aurora.
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