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RESEARCHERS CATCHING UP TO THE BIBLE ABOUT BOOZE

2018-04-28T07:38:00.000-05:00

It’s time to rethink how much booze may be too much

Researchers are changing how they study the risks of alcohol — and it’s making drinking look worse.

By Julia Belluz@juliaoftorontojulia.belluz@voxmedia.com Apr 24, 2018, 11:30am EDT

Drinking more than seven glasses of wine or beer was associated with a shorter life in a recent study.

Getty Images/Peter Dazeley

A couple of drinks a day aren’t bad for you and may even be good for you.

Right?

That’s been the message — from researchers, governments, and beverage companies — for decades. And as a result, many of us don’t think twice about tossing back a couple of glasses or wine or a few beers after work.

But maybe we should. Because it turns out the story about the health effects of moderate drinking is shifting pretty dramatically. New research on alcohol and mortality, and a growing awareness about the rise in alcohol-related deaths in the US, is causing a reckoning among researchers about even moderate levels of alcohol consumption.

In particular, an impressive new meta-study involving 600,000 participants, published recently in The Lancet, suggests that levels of alcohol previously thought to be relatively harmless are linked with an earlier death. What’s more, drinking small amounts of alcohol may not carry all the long-touted protective effects on the cardiovascular system.

“For years, there was a sense that there was an optimal level which was not drinking no alcohol but drinking moderately that led to the best health outcomes,” said Duke University’s Dan Blazer, an author of the paper. “I think we’re going to have to rethink that a bit.”

Alongside this study have come disturbing reports of the alcohol industry’s involvement in funding science that may have helped drinking look more favorable, as well as a growing worry that many people are naive about alcohol’s health effects. How many people know, for example, that as far back as 1988, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancerdesignated alcohol a level-one carcinogen? Some say too few.

Maybe it’s time that changes — with some caveats, as usual.

The “French paradox,” and why researchers thought a bit of alcohol was good for you

The story of light drinking as a healthy behavior started to take off in the 1990s, when many researchers believed red wine might be a magical elixir. This idea was known as the “French paradox” — the observation that the French drank lots of wine, and despite eating a diet rich in saturated fat, had lower rates of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers have since discovered it’s more than just their wine consumption that sets French people apart. But the red wine idea was replaced by a narrative suggesting drinking small amounts of any type of alcohol — no more than one drink a day for women, two for men — appeared to be linked with modest health and heart benefits.

In long-term observational studies comparing drinkers and non-drinkers, light to moderate drinkers (who imbibed about one to two units of alcohol a day) often had better health outcomes compared to non-drinkers and heavy drinkers. They had lower rates of heart disease and heart attacks and lived longer. Moderate drinkers also had lower rates of diabetes, another important risk factor for heart disease (although this result is less definitive).

But there was a problem with these studies: Many compared drinkers to non-drinkers, instead of comparing only lighter drinkers to heavier drinkers. And people who don’t drink are pretty fundamentally different from drinkers in ways that are hard to control for in a study. Their lives probably look dissimilar. But most importantly, they may be sicker at baseline (perhaps they quit drinking because of alcoholism, or because of a health issue like cancer). And something in these differences — not their avoidance of alcohol — may have caused them to look like they were in poorer health than the moderate drinkers. (This became known as the “sick quitter” problem in the world of alcohol research.)

More recently, researchers have been trying to overcome that problem by comparing lighter drinkers with heavier drinkers. And the benefits of modest amounts of alcohol wash away.

The upper safe limit for drinking may be lower than you think

The most important new study on this was just published in The Lancet. Researchers brought together data from 83 studies in 19 countries, focusing on nearly 600,000 current drinkers (again, to overcome the “sick quitter” problem). They wanted to tease out what level of drinking was associated with an increased risk of death and cardiovascular disease.

Javier Zarracina/Vox

Their findings were stark: Drinking more than 100 grams of alcohol — about seven standard glasses of wine or beer — per week was associated with an increased in risk of death for all causes. In the US, the government suggests men can drink double that amount — up to two drinks per day — but advise women who are not pregnant to drink up to one drink per day.

A person’s risk of death shot up as they drank more. The researchers used a mathematical model to estimate that people who consumed between seven and 14 drinks per week had a lower life expectancy at age 40 of about six months; people who drank between 14 and 24 drinks per week had one to two years shaved off their lives; and people who imbibed more than 24 drinks a week had a lower life expectancy of four to five years.

You can see the risk increase in this chart here:

Lancet

“We wanted to find how much alcohol people can drink before they started being at a higher risk of dying,” said the lead author on the study, Cambridge University biostatistics professor Angela Wood. “Our results suggest an upper safe limit of drinking of around 100 grams of alcohol per week for men and for women. Drinking above this limit was related to lower life expectancy.”

Again, that’s different from the US guidelines, which suggest men can drink double that. The recommended upper limits of alcohol consumption in Italy, Portugal, and Spain are about 50 percent higher than the seven-drinks-per-week threshold the paper revealed.

The researchers also estimated that men who halved their alcohol consumption — from about 14 drinks per week to about seven — might gain one to two years in life expectancy.

What’s more, because they looked at so many studies on so many people, they were able to tease out alcohol’s effects on a number of measures of cardiovascular health — heart attack, heart failure, stroke. They found moderate alcohol consumption — around seven to 14 drinks per week — was associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease according to some of the measures they looked at, including stroke, aortic aneurysm, and heart failure. These risks were generally higher for the people who drank more.

The exception was non-fatal heart attacks. The more people drank, the more their risk of heart attack went down. The researchers thought this may be driven by the fact that people who drink more tend to have high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol — or the “good cholesterol” — which could put them at a lower risk of dying from a heart attack.

But that benefit should be balanced against alcohol’s other cardiovascular risks, including stroke, aortic aneurysm, and heart failure, said Eastern Virginia Medical School researcher Andrew Plunk. “Even though there might be some benefit for heart attacks, the other risks associated with it wash that out,” he added.

Newer research is finding similar associations with moderate levels of drinking. In a forthcoming paper, posted to BioRXiv, researchers took a similar approach to tease out the risks of drinking — using moderate drinkers instead of non-drinkers as the reference point to circumvent the “sick quitter” problem once again. The paper is only in pre-print and still needs to be peer-reviewed, but for now, its authors came to similar conclusions as the Lancet study, even though they used a different set of data.

More specifically, people who had one to two drinks four times or more weekly had a greater risk of dying from all causes than those who drank one to two drinks at a time weekly or less. And again, there was no difference between male and female study participants, which contradicts US government guidelines.

“When the reference point is never-drinkers, it looks like you can drink a lot before you have an increased risk,” said Washington University School of Medicine substance dependence researcher Sarah Hartz, the lead author on the BioRXiv pre-print. “But if the reference is the lightest group of current drinkers, it looks like any amount of drinking will increase your risk.”

“What we need to keep in mind is that alcohol is dangerous”

The supplementary material in the Lancet paper suggests these and other potential confounding factors may have been pretty important in determining people’s alcohol-associated health risks.

For example, in a subgroup analysis on the effects of alcohol by alcohol type, the Lancet authors found that spirit and beer drinkers seemed to have a higher risk of death and cardiovascular disease compared to wine drinkers. But they also found that beer and spirit drinkers looked pretty different from the wine drinkers: They were more likely to be lower income, male, and smokers and to have jobs that involved manual labor, compared with the wine drinkers.

“These findings suggest that the heavy beer consumption is part of an unhealthy lifestyle that is more frequently seen among people with lower socioeconomic status,” said Cecile Janssens, a research professor of epidemiology at Emory University. “Unhealthy diet, smoking, less exercise, less access to health care, etc., might all contribute to the higher risks.”

So you’d need to take these other factors into account to truly understand the risks of alcohol consumption, and the study didn’t.

“My major concern with the study is its inability to control for many confounders,” said Aaron E. Carroll, a physician and author of the book The Bad Food Bible. “Race is a big one — although they analyzed this in the appendix. So is socio-economic status. You also can’t ignore other dietary issues, exercise, and other factors which are related to disease and mortality.” Failing to account for these confounders could have exaggerated alcohol’s effects. It’s also possible that just cutting back alcohol, in this context, wouldn’t make much of a difference in life expectancy for some people.

“I’m not going to argue alcohol is good for you,” Carroll added. “It might be in preventing some [cardiovascular] outcomes. But there’s a gray zone in there as to where the damage starts to happen. I bet it’s very individual-dependent, and confounded by many, many other factors in an individual’s life.”

Plus, Blazer said, “if you try to abide by every public health warning out there for every adverse effect, you’d have a miserable life. You wouldn’t do anything.”

Nonetheless, the new research is a reminder of something we often forget: Alcohol’s health effects are real, and they are serious. Excessive drinking can, over time, increase the risk of everything from liver disease to high blood pressure, dependency issues, and memory and mental health problems. As Vox’s German Lopez has reported, alcohol-related deaths have been going up in America — an underappreciated fact that’s been lost in the coverage of opioids.

(Here you can see deaths that are directly caused by the health consequences of alcohol, so the figures don’t include deaths from drunk driving, alcohol-related murder, et cetera. If it did, the death tally from excessive drinking use would now be closer to 90,000 per year).

“Not a lot of people know alcohol is a level-one carcinogen,” Harvard Medical School addiction researcher John F. Kelly told me. Any amount of drinking is associated with an increased breast cancer risk — something journalist Stephanie Mencimer admitted in Mother Jones she didn’t appreciate until she found out she has stage-two breast cancer.

“While doctors have frequently admonished me for putting cream in my coffee lest it clog my arteries ... not once has any doctor suggested I might face a higher cancer risk if I didn’t cut back on drinking,” she wrote. For men and women, drinking is also known to increase the risk of mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon cancer.

But when the weekend rolls around, and you want to cut loose, it’s not easy to face up to these facts. Alcohol is a huge part of our culture, and the problems it can carry aren’t always easy to swallow. But these new studies should sound a cautionary note, Blazer said.

“What we need to keep in mind is that alcohol is dangerous — and the danger of alcohol doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.”

FORGIVING YOUR PARENTS JUST MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE

2018-04-23T11:38:00.001-05:00

Forgive thy father and thy mother…

...that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 20:12

OK, I realize “Forgive thy father and thy mother” is not exactly what it says. Yet in some way, I think it is. Parents are at best imperfect sinners. They make mistakes. They fail. They do things that they later regret, but cannot go back and change. The common denominator of every parent who has ever walked on the face of this earth is that they are merely sinners.

Adult child, one day you will have your own children and they will discover that you are a sinner, that you are not perfect, and that you sometimes do things that hurt them. They will discover that you were not always a perfect parent nor a perfect Christian. When they do, one thing they could do to honor you most is to forgive you. For a child to forgive their imperfect parent IS to honor that parent, not because they perfectly repented to you. Forgive them because they are your parents and you are commanded to forgive, so who better to carry this out on than your own mom and dad.

When you think about it, It is impossible to honor your parents without forgiving them. How can you bring honor to them when you are not even being obedient to what you have been commanded to do which is to forgive. It is funny how we can forgive so many others, but when it is the person whose faults and sins affected us the most we can not bring ourselves to forgive them.

The truth is there probably is not one of us who has not at some time in our lives struggled with anger towards our parents. Something they said or did hurt us badly and had an adverse effect on us. However, we MUST realize that God has given us a responsibility to honor them and in order to honor then we must first forgive them. Once we have forgiven them then we are able to see the other side of them, the side that God sees. God sees us through the lens of his own Son, and that is how we must see our parents.

“Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.” I Chronicles 29:26-28

Why did David live a long life which was full of days? The answer is that David honored his father. However, before David could ever honor his father completely he had to first do something that many children are never able to do or choose not to do. David forgave his father.

Now you may wonder what exactly did David forgive Jesse of doing? Clearly Jesse did not show David respect nor did he assume in David the qualities that he saw in his other sons. When Samuel came to anoint the king from the house of Jesse he brought before Samuel all of his sons except for David. In his mind David was not qualified. He overlooked his own son and even argued with Samuel when he asked about David. Imagine how David must have felt when he realized that his own father did not have confidence in him.

Samuel anointed David to be king, yet Jesse still showed David no respect. Rather than beginning his preparation to be the king he sent him back into the fields as a mere shepherd. David was relegated to a very lowly position of the servant. While his brothers were fighting in the battle David was watching sheep.

To add insult to injury Samuel made David into his own personal message boy. He did not say to David go check on the battle because you will soon be the king. Instead he sent him to deliver groceries and supplies to his brothers. The anointed king of Israel was given no respect by his own father who knew that he had been chosen. It is apparent that even his brothers had the same attitude towards David as they rebuked him when he volunteered for battle against Goliath. No doubt Jesse’s attitude had rubbed off on them.

David could have easily been bitter at his father. Many children have become bitter for much less. Yet David did not dishonor his father even though his father had dishonored him. David chose to be obedient to God's command to honor his parents. As a result of that God gave David a long life, full of days. In other words God kept his word or his promise regarding what happens to someone who shows honor to his or her parents. In order to honor his father David had to first forgive.

The reason many children do not honor their parents is because they are bitter at their parents and with it comes unforgiveness. I have seen many young people who seem to think their parents owe them something because of their imperfections. Let me make several observations regarding forgiveness of parents.

1. Every child could find reason to be angry at their parents. Remember however that the reason is never an excuse to disobey God. Many children fail to understand that their parents were never supposed to be perfect. Parents make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are monumental. Sometimes those mistakes are life altering. The mistakes of parents have great effects on children. Parents are not perfect and many times they are very imperfect.

2. Sometimes we must deal with the failures of our parents. I am not suggesting that the failures of our parents did not have some lasting effects upon us. Our lives are often molded not only by the good influences of parents but by their failures as well. I am not sugarcoating the mistakes of parents. However God did not leave room in his command to dishonor parents because of the negative effects they had on their children by their own behavior.

3. We forgive our parents in the same way we forgive everyone else. Forgiveness is not easy. Yet often we seem to think that our parents are less deserving of forgiveness then even people who we barely know. Others heard us and we apply biblical principle to forgiving them yet withhold it from our own parents. We have no right to hold anything against her parents. We must forgive them in order to honor them.

4. Forgiveness is in and of itself a method of honoring your parents. When we forgive our parents we are honoring their position. God has placed them into that position therefore it is our responsibility to honor them by forgiving them. Where there is no forgiveness there is no honor.

5. Forgiveness does not exonerate your parents from the consequences of their failures. I know good young adults whose parents committed terrible sins some even leading them to be imprisoned for life. The child does not merely turn a blind eye to the failures of his parents. However he forgives within his own heart even as they suffer in the consequences of their choices. It is not easy always to forgive a parent who has done something horrific but it is necessary for us to forgive them in order to be obedient to God.

6. Forgiveness honors God therefore it honors our parents. The Bible says we forgive even as God for Christ's sake forgave us. We are honoring God when we forgive. Forgiving our parents honors God and subsequently honors our parents as well.

7. Forgiving your parents allows you to live in the freedom of enjoying your parents. This is very tough in some situations. Imagine a young man going to a visiting room in a prison to visit his criminal father. However when that young man forgave his father he gave himself the freedom to enjoy having a father. As difficult as it may be to honor that father in prison that man is obeying the command of God that allows him to honor his father and thus maintain some type of relationship with him.

8. Forgiving our parents removes the barriers between us and God. Many a child rebels against God because they are rebelling against their parents. Once you have forgiven your parents your heart can be in tune once again with your heavenly Father. Forgiveness is necessary to keep our hearts right with our heavenly father.

9. We should examine our hearts to see if there is any unforgiveness we are carrying towards our parents. Perhaps we do not even realize that there is bitterness in our hearts that has been there for many years towards our parents. Perhaps the reason you struggle to give honor to your parents is because you have not dealt with that unforgiveness in your heart. Examine your heart to be sure that you have forgiven your parents for anything that you feel hurt you. Make sure that you deal with your unforgiveness not with the failure of your parents.

10. Some children in an effort to forgive their parents decide that it is their responsibility to correct their parents. Here is where we must take great care. It is not our jobs to confront our parents with their failures. It is our job to honor our parents in their failures. However, first we must forgive them for their failures. Let God deal with their hearts. Perhaps by honoring them he can use that as a way to convict them for their failures. Do not wait for them to apologize. Do not wait for them to confess their failures. Forgive them and honor them. God can use that to convict them for their own sake not for yours.

Most certainly David could have held a grudge against Jesse his father. However David chose to forgive his father and the result was he received the promise that accompanies that commandment. If you want the promise don't wait for your parents to earn your forgiveness. Give them your forgiveness in honor to the position they have and in obedience to God. The blessings of God will come upon your life because you chose to do that which God commanded you to do.

May I ask you this? Are you honoring your parents? Perhaps you need to begin by doing what most of us at some time had to do, and which at some time we will need our children to do for us. Forgive them. When you do that, you will have begun to obey the command to honor them.

INFLUENCE OR CONTROL...

2018-04-15T15:37:00.000-05:00

Don’t Sacrifice Your Influence In Order to Have Control

There is a trend I have noticed taking place in the independent Baptist world that concerns me. I am seeing it in many pastors of independent Baptist churches. Let me preface this by saying that these are good men and sincere in their objectives. They love their people and only want what they think is best for them.

However, in their desire to help their people in some cases they try to control their people. They are not tyrants nor are they dictators. However, they have taken their desire for what is best for their people a bit too far.

I have four children. When my children were very young they needed Mrs. Gray and I to exercise control over them. However, as time went by we began to release our control a little bit at a time. Today I have no control over my children. What I hope that I have is influence.

Dr. Hyles taught a very important principle. He said, “Do not allow your desire to control your people to cause you to lose your influence over them.” Dr. Hyles believed the power of influence was the greatest power a pastor could have. Unfortunately many pastors with a sincere desire to influence their people feel that it is their duty to control them.

When someone in the church does not follow their advice, a sermon follows. Maybe no one else knows to whom that sermon is being addressed, but they know. They feel that passion/anger that is being directed towards them. Often their confidence is shaken in their pastor. When we demand people to do what we think they should do we often damage our ability to influence them in the future.

When the prodigal son demanded that his father give him the portion that was his, the father could have easily refused. When the son left to go to the far country there is no indication that the father preached a sermon to him. He let him go. Perhaps the greatest reason the son returned to his father is because the father did not sacrifice his influence by trying to take control.

Allow me to share some principles I learned from listening too and watching Dr. Jack Hyles.

1. You can't control people. Pastor, parent, teacher, hear me, you cannot control people. As much as I told our newborn babies not to cry and make messes in their diapers I learned very quickly I had no control. What you can do is control the environment.

You see a good leader understands that a controlled environment is more important than trying to control people. Dr. Hyles understood that fact. He knew that no matter how many rules they had in the schools it would never be enough to control the students.

Let me share something that burdened Dr. Hyles. Although he trusted the leaders of his schools, I heard him say on more than one occasion that it concerned him how many who worked in the schools tried to control the students by making up new rules. He had no part in some of the things for which he has been blamed. They were instituted by people who were really not leaders, but merely held a position. The only way they could handle many situations was by trying to use control.

That was not Dr. Hyles method. Study the way he handled his church staff and his Sunday school teachers and you will see the difference. He knew he could not control those people so he attempted to create an environment to inspire people

2. Creating the right environment is harder than trying to control people. Controlling people is forcing them to do what you could have done had you created the right environment to lead them. There are three elements necessary to create the right kind of environment that prevents you from needing to control people.

Instruction. Instructing people as to how to make the right decision will prevent the need of having to control them. Instruction is an important element for a good leader. When Dr. Hyles recruited a Sunday school teacher he instructed them as to what their responsibilities and expectations were. One reason he did not have to control those who worked on his church staff is because he gave good instructions to them and then gave them freedom to carry out those instructions.

Inspiration. Dr. Hyles once said, “We often force what we cannot inspire.” Do not miss that truth. Leaders who must force people to do what they should do are often too lazy to inspire them to do what they should do. How did Dr. Hyles lead hundreds of Sunday school teachers to follow the instructions given to them? He inspired them.

The root word is for inspiration is spirit. I am not talking about rah-rah spirit. I am not even speaking about an emotional rousing of people to follow your instructions. I am talking about something that every pastor, parent and Christian leader should understand. The Holy Spirit lives within you.

When you ask God to give you wisdom for your teaching, preaching and counselling, your Spirit speaks to their Spirit and inspires them from within. Emotion is a response to the working of the Spirit, not the cause for inspiration.

Being Spirit filled as a leader removes the need to be in control of people. Why do we ignore the power of the Holy Spirit in our leadership? Why do we think we have to control our people rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to control them. Perhaps it is because it is easier to force people to do what they should do than to pray for God to give us wisdom to inspire them to do what they should do.

Influence. A healthy environment will build in people a trust to allow their leader to influence them. Why did hundreds of people line up each week at Dr. Hyles’ office door to ask him a question? It is because he had earned the right to influence them. How do you earn that right? It is certainly not by using your title or position. And it is not by calling yourself “the man of God” and whipping your people with that title. It comes from seeking wisdom from God that leads people to make good decisions causing them to want to return for advice with future decisions. Trust causes influence. Trust cannot be forced. It must be earned.

3. Trust your people to make decisions and accept the fact that sometimes they will make a decision contrary to what you wish they would have made. This is so important. Do you know how you learn in life? You learn by making mistakes. Part of leadership is allowing people to make mistakes, then as a leader guiding them through the mistake. However if you try to control a person, it is more than likely they will not come back and allow you help them. You have crushed their pride. Many pastors have lost their influence with people because they were not willing to let people make decisions that are not best. Give your people room to make wrong decisions.

4. Warn your people principally, but not personally. Preacher, please hear me because I am sure we have all made this mistake. Dr. Hyles said many times, “I never have anyone in mind when I am scolding my people.” He may have had someone in mind when he was trying to comfort, but not when he was scolding. The moment you have one person in mind when you scold you are risking your influence with that person.

People need preaching that is principled. The Holy Spirit makes it personal. However when we direct a sermon at an individual, it has gone from being principled to being personal, and that often quenches the work of the Spirit.

5. You are not the Holy Spirit. Now I understand that we like to call ourselves the man of God, and well we should be. However, there is a vast difference between a man of God and the Spirit of God. Be careful that you do not become the conscience of your people. Do not try to be the Holy Spirit to them. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives, and it is more likely they will make even better decisions than you would have made for them.

6. Look ahead to the future. This is a lesson that Dr. Hyles emphasized strongly. If we send someone away feeling our disfavor over a decision they made, it is likely they will not return to us. Dr. Hyles taught to not sacrifice the possibility of helping someone in the future by beating them up over the mistakes they make today.

I am certain that is why the prodigal returned to his father. When he left he felt the acceptance and the love of his father in spite of the fact that he was making the wrong choice. Preventative teaching and preaching is far better than curative teaching and preaching.

7. Find something with which to agree when someone makes a decision you do not like. This could be revolutionary if you will apply to it. Dr. Hyles was counseling a young man about what college he should attend. He chose to attend a college that was not even on the radar of Dr. Hyles. In fact, it was a liberal college. Immediately Dr. Hyles changed directions by helping the young man find a good church in the city where he had chosen to go to college. Rather than berating the young man for choosing the wrong college, he found something with which he could agree that would help the young man.

That young man did go to that college. He attended the church that they found together. To this day, that man is still in church, serving God, and fondly remembers and loves his pastor, Brother Hyles.

Sometimes people would come to Dr. Hyles and tell them they were going to buy a house. In his heart he did not think it was the right time. However, instead of telling them they should not buy a house he set out to help them find the right house. That leads me to the next point.

8. Do not give advice unless you are asked. Teach good principles in the pulpit but do not meddle in your people’s lives. Dr. Hyles pastored thousands of people. Tens of thousands of decisions were made by those he pastored. There was no way he could have monitored all those decisions, nor did he want to.

He was there to teach his people and hope that they would make the right decisions. They did not have to have his permission. They did not have to seek his counsel. When asked he gave counsel, but it was not given as law. Of course he hoped people would make the right decisions but he did not meddle in their business.

9. Learn to accept good even when it is not the best. I think I should repeat that statement. Learn to accept good even when it is not best. If someone does not make the decision you think they should make, don't get upset if the decision they make is still good. Maybe they should wait until they graduate to get married, but if they are marrying a good Christian learn to rejoice in the good rather than being disturbed by the fact they didn't do what you thought was best.

Aren’t you glad God isn't like us? Aren't you happy that he does not turn on you because you do not always do what is best? Many times by rejoicing over a good decision I have salvaged my relationship with someone in spite of the fact that they did not make what I thought was the best decision.

10. Learn to give general warnings when you see a trend. This is what good pastors do. If they see a trend of bad decisions in certain areas they Scripturally deal with it from the pulpit. If one person made a bad decision Dr. Hyles did not preach at everyone. He watched for trends.

Just because a person makes a bad decision does not mean that everyone is about to make that same decision. However, when several people make poor decisions it may be time to deal with it from a Scriptural and principled point of view. Be careful pastor that you are not picking on individuals rather than instructing your flock.

11. Trust God. Pastor, you are going to lose people because of wrong choices. Let me give you two warnings. First, do not chase them away because you disagree with something that they have decided to do. Secondly do not forfeit your right to help them in the future by making them feel they disappointed you. If you learn those two things it you can help more people in the long run.

People often called Dr. Hyles a control freak. If what they mean is that he carefully controlled his environment than they are right. However, most people are not discerning enough to understand that. He was not a man who tried to control people. Make no mistake about it, there were those who did try to control people. That is true in any institution, whether it be Christian or secular.

There are always going to be weak leaders who feel that controlling people is the only way to get them to do what they think they should do. However, do not mistake what others did as being what he believed. Study how he led at the church and you will understand that he did not ever seek to be in control of people because he was more concerned with preserving his influence.

ELECTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HELL

2018-04-08T14:20:00.001-05:00

SCRIPTURES A CALVINIST WILL NEVER TEACH

II Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail.”

All of mankind was in a predicament because all of mankind had sinned, those sins were recorded in Heaven, and God placed a price of death in Hell on those sins. As a result three things had to happen in order for man to go to Heaven at death. One, his sins had to be removed from those records in Heaven. Two, no future sins could be recorded on those records. Three, Jesus’ righteousness had to be placed on those records in Heaven.

ELECTION is the doctrine that means something that God Himself chooses by His Sovereignty! There are some who teach that salvation has to do with ELECTION. They say that God by His Sovereignty chooses who will be saved. That is simply not true! Man chooses whether he is saved or not. He either accepts or rejects God’s payment of His only begotten Son for sin.

Some teach God knew who would be saved and so He then elected them to be saved. That is not the doctrine of ELECTION. The doctrine of ELECTION has nothing to do with salvation, but it has to do strictly with our working for God.

A man is saved by trusting Jesus Christ as payment for his sins, God wipes away all of his sins, refuses to record future sins, and places Jesus’ righteousness on the saved person’s record in Heaven. He is declared innocent, as if he had never sinned at all. God appeases Himself! God sets the saved person apart for a future life in Heaven. God gives him a new birth and a new creature to escort him to Heaven.

God gives the saved person the person of the Holy Spirit to convert him to usefulness for God. God prepares a glorified body for the saved person to give him when he arrives in Heaven. God made RECONCILIATION possible so that man could fellowship with God Himself. God preserves the saved person for Heaven. This is amazing because all of that took place the moment the saved person placed his or her faith in Jesus Christ for salvation!

Now comes the doctrine of ELECTION! God elected me to be in the ministry! God elected my sons to be pastors! When you were saved God commanded you to be baptized, join a local church, tithe and give offerings, and go soul winning; second His ELECTION is to put you into and area of ministry to others. In essence ELECTION has to do with you working for God. No one is elected for Heaven or elected for Hell. That is as much heresy as a bloodless religion is or a non-inspired Bible is!

When God saved me at age eleven at 132 E. Michigan Ave., Galesburg, Michigan, in February of 1957 He cleared my record in Heaven, declared me justified or innocent, appeased Himself, court adjourned, He gave me a new creature, He gave me the Holy Spirit, He prepared a glorified body for me in Heaven, gave me an opportunity to fellowship with Him, preserved me for Heaven, and elected me to be in the ministry.

ISRAEL WAS CALLED AN ELECT NATION

Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11 you find that Israel was not chosen for salvation but was chosen by God to do a unique work in the world. She was chosen by God to give us the Scriptures, give us the Messiah, and give us the local New Testament church. In Matthew chapter 10 all of the members of the first Baptist church of Jerusalem were all Jews. Israel was chosen by God to present the Gospel to the world.

When God elected Israel to do all of that He was saying I need a nation to give the Scriptures too, the Messiah too, the local New Testament church too, and the Gospel too! God is not saying I have chosen Israel to go to Heaven and all the other nations to go to Hell. No, God elected Israel to do a particular work for Him on earth.

A LOCAL NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IS CALLED “THE ELECT LADY”

II John 1:1, “The elder unto the elect lady…” The local New Testament church is called “…the elect lady…” Does that mean that everybody who’s a member of a local church is elected to go to Heaven? Oh, no! ELECTION is not about going to Heaven or Hell in the Scriptures! The local church has been elected to be the instrument of the propagation of the Gospel in your area of the nation.

Israel was elected for a particular work for God on earth. Every local New Testament church is elected to spread the Gospel on earth. ELECTION is when my sons were saved God said, “I’m going to elect Bob Gray II and Scott Gray Sr. to be the pastors of local New Testament churches. At salvation God elected you to do what you are doing for God.

Here is the question! Your calling is to be a soul winner! Are you doing it? Your election is to do a specific work for God on earth at this very moment! Are you doing it?

Israel was an ELECT nation. Elected to Heaven or Hell? No! Elected to give the world the Saviour, Scriptures, Gospel, and New Testament. The local New Testament church is the “elect lady.” Elected to Heaven or Hell? No! Elected to give the Gospel to every human being on earth for God! This was not given to “Youth For Christ,” “Child Evangelism,” “Gideons,” “Campus Crusade,” “Bill Bright Ministries,” “The 700 Club,” or any Para-church organization. God has elected the local New Testament church not to Heaven or Hell, but to spread the Gospel to “every creature.”

THE APOSTLES ARE CALLED HIS ELECT

Does this mean that the Apostles are the only ones going to Heaven? No, thousands were saved and baptized during their day! ELECTION cannot be referring to going to Heaven or Hell. The Apostles were the first ones chosen for a specific job on earth for God. They were chosen in a unique way to lead in spreading the Gospel to the world. ELECTION is being chosen for leadership to spread the Gospel around the globe to every nation.

PAUL THE APOSTLE

Titus 1:1, “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;” Paul calls himself a servant and an apostle with both being according to the faith of God’s elect.” He is saying God has elected him or chosen him to be a servant and an apostle. Paul was elected for Heaven? No! Paul elected to get saved and then God elected Paul to be a servant and an apostle.

II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Our God does not want any one to go to Hell! Our God does not elect people to Heaven or Hell. He elects people to do a work on earth for God

ELECT ANGELS

I Timothy 5:21, “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels…” Are angels born again? No! Thus, this cannot be dealing with Heaven or Hell. Angels cannot be saved! What are angels? Messengers! What are they elected too? To be messengers!

Paul was elected to be an apostle to the Gentiles. He took the Gospel to the Western World. The Jewish nation was an elect nation to give us the Messiah, the Scriptures, the Gospel, and the local New Testament church. The local New Testament church is the elect body to spread the Gospel to the world. The angels have been elected as special messengers to help us spread the Gospel for God.

ELECTION is a Sovereign act of God to do a specific work to spread the Gospel to the world for God. If God makes an act based based on what you do then that is not a Sovereign decision by God. God cannot elect you to do something or be something you have already chosen. I did not choose to be a preacher and neither did any one else who is in the ministry.

All are commanded and called to be soul winners, but only a few are chosen to be the pastor, youth pastor, or bus director, etc. Just before Matthew 20:16 is the parable of Jesus sending forth labourers in to the vineyard. In dealing with those labourers He said, “few are chosen.” Thus, this doctrine of has nothing to do with who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell but who works or who labors in a particular field.

John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” God does not want you to be barren spiritually but fruitful spiritually. Jesus is saying the being “chosen” relates to the work in the vineyard.

Every context of the word “elect” in the Scriptures has to do with work! God has elected you not to be a lazy hound dog! All of us are called to be a soul winner, but some are elected to be the principal, youth pastor, mission’s director, college president, or pastor, etc.

At salvation God took away our sins, decided not to record any future sins, put Jesus’ righteousness on our record, declared us justified, appeased Himself by Himself, declared the case closed with the court adjourned, set me aside for Heaven in the future, regenerated us, gave us a new creature, sent the Holy Spirit into us to convert us, reserved a new body in Heaven for him, made it possible for us to fellowship with God, preserved us by sealing us with the Holy Spirit, and then ELECTION is God giving us a specific work to do for Him!

THERE IS ONLY ONE MEDIATOR FOR MAN

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ONE MEDIATOR

I Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

There is one God and there is one mediator the man Christ Jesus or the “God Man.” How many God’s are there? One! How many mediators between God and man? One! Who is that mediator? The man Christ Jesus according to the Scriptures and if any clergyman claims he is one then there is one too many!

There is one God and there is one mediator not two, nor three and that mediator is Jesus Christ. If man places Mary the mother of Jesus as a virgin into the picture and claim that she is a mediator between God and man then we must believe the Scripture, which clearly states that Jesus is the one mediator!

The term, “…the man Christ Jesus;” is very important. The word “mediator” is a critical word. To us a mediator is one who listens to two sides of an issue presented by two adversaries. The mediator listens to one side’s case and then the other person’s case before declaring a decision.

However, that is not the word “mediator” that is used in these Scriptures. This particular word is more akin to one who is doing the mediating and is identified with both the parties at odds with each other. This mediator has to be man and He has to be God. Thus this mediator is God up in Heaven and also a man on earth.

THIS MEDIATOR HAS TO BE MAN AND HE HAS TO BE GOD

With God being in Heaven and man being on earth there is a natural separation or alienation between the two. Sin has separated man from God! The Scriptures say, “The soul that sinneth it shall die” and “The wages of sin is death” and “Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.”

When man sinned it brought forth death and man was detached from God. Man now finds himself at an impasse! We have God up in Heaven and we have man down here on earth and somebody has to cause God and man to come back together but that person cannot be just a referee or an umpire.

The person who is to be the ONE mediator must be man and He must be God. Thus, the priest, preacher, Rabbi, Pope, etc., doe not qualify for none of them are God. By the way it would be very difficult for the Virgin Mary to be the mediator for she is not a man! Thus whoever causes man to return to God must be man and He must be God!

THIS MEDIATOR HAS TO BE THE ONLY ONE THAT GOD WILL LISTEN TOO

There is no one else that can influence God except the man Christ Jesus. He is seated at the right hand of the Father. The place of power! The place of influence! The place of authority! He is interceding for the saved! Not Mary, or a priest, or a pastor, or a Pope, or a Rabbi, or a relative, or any Christian can qualify to influence God like Jesus Christ!

The liberal says that Jesus came to show man how to live. He may have come to show us how to live but unless we have a new nature we cannot begin to live like He lived. There are those who tell us that Jesus came to show us what God is like and certainly He did show us but that is not the main reason He came.

Luke 19:10, “For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

I Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

In order to seek the lost, or unsaved, He had to be God so He could satisfy the demands of a Holy God. He had to be man so He could be blameless, proven to be above sin, to know man, and to bear the sins of man.

Our concept of Jesus’ part in our relationship with God is very limited. Our thought is, “If you will not accept my Son then I won’t accept you!” That is correct and nothing wrong with that statement but it is sort of a limited opinion of what Jesus’ coming was really all about. There is far more to it than that!

God cannot completely comprehend man because Jehovah God was never man. He never was here on earth. He never felt the pain of man, the hurt, and the struggles and likewise man is not God and God was not man. Thus, there had to be someone as ONE mediator who could come as a God Man. If Jesus is not deity He is not the ONE mediator.

THIS MEDIATOR MUST BE THE PAYMENT FOR THE SINS OF MANKIND

Man can live a virtuous life and a good moral life and God will not accept that as payment for sin. I can join a church, go to a confessional booth, turn over a new leaf, quit smoking, quit cursing, and quit all manner of what we call sin and God will not accept that as payment for sin. God will not accept what we have done. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

A man can repent of what he is doing wrong or what man calls sin but until he repents of what he is trusting in to pay for his sins he will not find salvation. God will only accept what Jesus has done. He is the ONE mediator! When man comes to God and bypasses Jesus in order to present what he has done with good works, baptism, sacraments, or church membership God will not accept those as payment for sin.

The Scripture is quite plan “For the wages of sin is death” not baptism, not communion, good works, or church membership. God will accept what the ONE mediator the man Christ Jesus has done in His death, burial, and resurrection to balance the scales.

Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

Thus, I must not approach God alone with my works, church membership, baptism, or communion. I must be hid in Christ.

Colossians 3:3, “They have taken crafty counsel against the people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.”

II Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature.”

Romans 16:7, “Who also were in Christ before me.”

II Corinthians 12:2, “I knew a man in Christ…”

Galatians 1:22, “…which were in Christ…”

Acts 17:28, “For in him we live, and move and have our being.”

The most outstanding attribute about God is not His mercy, it is not His love but it is His justice, His righteousness, and His holiness. If God let one sinner go to Heaven without paying the penalty for his sin God would not be God! His justice must be satisfied!

If man comes to God with his baptism God will not accept that as payment for sins. The same is true with church membership, a good life, or any work done by man. None of them can pay for sin. Man has two choices! He either dies and spends an eternity in a devil’s Hell or he can accept what Jesus did on Calvary to pay for his sins.

This is tough in light of “religious correctness” but it is still Scripture! If man goes to this “lake of fire” mentioned in Scripture he could never leave because there is no point where he can pay for sin. Only Jesus Christ was the acceptable payment for man’s sin. Thus He could be resurrected from the dead.

God is not accepting man He is accepting Jesus Christ who accepted man and takes man with Him and in Him to the Father. The Father provided Jesus! God’s great and exceptional heart of love provided Himself as the only acceptable sacrifice for sin. It is not what you do, we do, the church does, or the Pope does! It is what the mediator did!

God will not accept my faith! God will only accept Jesus Christ’s faith! Whose faith? The faith of Jesus Christ!

Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

The very faith that I put into Christ God gave me through Christ. Romans 12:3, “…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Every man that ends of in Hell will go to Hell with the same measure of faith that everyone who ends up in Heaven has!

I was saved because the mediator accepts my faith and the Father accepted the mediator’s faith. God the Father cannot accept anything that is imperfect and my faith is imperfect. However, if I give my imperfect faith to Christ the mediator, then God will accept the mediator’s perfect faith and in so doing He accepts my faith because I am hid in Christ’s faith. WOW! SOMEBODY SAY AMEN!

THIS MEDIATOR IS PERFECT

Jesus knows no sin! Jesus’ faith is perfect faith! So, to place my faith in God the Father will not do! God cannot accept my faith, but He can accept Jesus the mediator’s faith. There has to be someone who is like me and someone who is like God the Father. There has to be someone who is man as if He were not God and God as if He were not man. Jesus Christ is the person! Jesus is the mediator between God and man!

That is why you do not trust the Father as your Saviour. You trust the Son as your Saviour. The Scriptures do not say believe on the Father and you will be saved. Why, because Jesus can accept the faith of man when God the Father cannot because God the Father can only accept the faith of Jesus!

I place my imperfect faith into Jesus Christ. He turns my imperfect faith into perfect faith because I am hid in Him. He then presents His faith to the Father. Someone says, “I believe in God so I must be going to Heaven!” If that is all a person believes in he cannot go to Heaven! Preacher, “I’ve come to God!” Wait a minute if that is all you have done you will end up in Hell because the sin penalty has not been paid!

There is no way to get to God the Father except through God the Son Who is the ONLY mediator. Only He could be virgin born and God incarnate. God is accepting Jesus the mediator in man’s place only when man accepts Jesus the mediator!

I accept Jesus, He accepts me, God accepts Jesus, and thus God accepts me because I am hid in Jesus Christ. I was in a mysterious way crucified in Christ on Calvary. I was hid in Him when He was buried in the tomb, dipped His soul into Hell, and when He was raised from the dead after three days and three nights.

“Father will you accept Bob Gray Sr.?” He replies, “No!” Jesus asks the Father, “Will you accept me?” He replies, “Yes, of course!” Jesus asks me, “Will you accept me as payment for your sins?” I reply at age eleven, “Yes!” Jesus says to me, “Ok come on into Me and become hid in Me and we will go to the Father together!” I may not have faith that God will do something for me but I do have faith that God will do it for His Son Jesus Christ.

God the Father is up in Heaven! He is perfect, Holy, and the Almighty God! I a sinner am down here on planet earth. I have two choices in that I can come to God alone or I can come to Jesus and let Him go to the Father with being hid in Him. God will not accept me because I have nothing that will please Him. Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”

The Holy Spirit placed the seed of the Word of God in the womb of Mary and a little baby boy was born. Physically He was a man while spiritually He was God. He was God clothed in that human body. Consequently as a man I cannot approach the Father but I can approach the ONE mediator who is both God and man.

THE SAVED ARE HIDDEN IN THE MEDIATOR

If any man be IN Christ that man is one with Christ if he accepts and trusts Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as payment for his sins. Man then is hidden in Christ. Do not go to the Father by yourself! That is why we close our prayers with “We ask this in Jesus’ name!”

The Scriptures say, “We are accepted IN the Beloved!” It does not say, “We are accepted OUTSIDE of the Beloved!” Accepted OUTSIDE of the Beloved? No! We are accepted IN the Beloved!

I may not have the faith to believe God will do it for me, but I do have faith that God the Father will do it for His Son Jesus Christ. So, I bring it to Jesus and Jesus takes it to the Father and that is why we pray, “For Jesus’ sake amen!” The Scriptures say that no man can see God and live, but you can in Christ go to God the Father and live-forever. If you come to God alone He will turn you back!

God the Father cannot forgive me! As man I take my sins to Jesus and as man He understands because He came as a baby and lived on planet earth for 33 homesick years. Jesus forgives me and God accepts Jesus and in so doing receives me. Jesus and me go to the Father because I am HID IN Jesus Christ the Son of God. WOW!

IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH

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A BLESSING OR A CURSE?

Deuteronomy 11:26, “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;”

When the Israelites were about to enter into the Promised Land in the book of Deuteronomy God said that He had set before them a blessing and a curse. He called it life and death in Deuteronomy 30:15. He said He had set before them a blessing and a curse or life and death. God is not saying that He was setting before them being blessed or being cursed. He was saying He was setting before you being a blessing or being a curse.

Then in Deuteronomy 30:15 he uses a synonym of life and death. According to I Timothy 5:6 one can be dead and still be breathing. What God is saying here is whenever you learn to be a blessing to someone that is life and that is living. When you live for yourself that is a curse and that is death. God is saying He has set before you being a blessing or being a curse or being life to someone or being death to someone.

Those who on Saturday night attempt to satisfy their senses are dead though they are living. The people who live for others: Sunday school bus captains, Sunday school teachers, and soul winners they have chosen to be a blessing. When one chooses to be unselfish that person is choosing life. When one chooses to die to self that person will live for others.

Paul said to young Timothy, “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” She breathes, but she is dead. She speaks, but she is dead. She walks, but she is dead. God said you are coming into the Promised Land and I am giving you a choice. You can choose to be a blessing or you can choose to be a curse.

God gives them an object lesson. He did something amazing here. Right in the center of Samaria is a valley. The famous place called Shekum it there and another famous place called Sychar is there in that valley where John chapter 4 occurred. On the north side of that valley is a mountain called Mount Ebal. To the south side of that little valley is a mountain called Mount Gerizim.

If you went there today you would see a very small narrow valley on the north side you would see Mount Ebal. Mount Ebal has no growth on it at all; no fruit trees, and is a barren king of a mountain. Just on the other side of the very small and narrow valley you can stand on Mount Ebal and speak and be heard on Mount Gerizim. Likewise you can stand on Mount Gerizim and speak and be heard on Mount Ebal.

On the north side is Mount Ebal, not a tree on it and nothing, but a cursed mountain. On the south side is Mount Gerizim: fruitful, fruit trees galore, and everything is green. Picture it, a beautiful green mountain on one side and on the other side of the valley a barren dry mountain on the other side. God uses that as a backdrop or as a visual aid.

Some of you reading this article are living on Mount Gerizim and you are living a life of unselfishness. You have lived a life for others. You could sing, “Lord, let me live from day to day in such a self forgetful way, that even when I knell to pray, my prayer shall be others. Others Lord, yes others, let this my motto be. Lord let me live for others that I may live like thee!” The truth is you are the happy children of God because you have experienced real life!

On the other hand there are those of you reading this article who are living over on Mount Ebal. You live for yourself! You did not put one bite of food in a hungry stomach last year. You did not put one coat on a cold back last year. You did not put one pair of shoes on a couple of cold feet last year. You have lived for yourself! It is me, my, and mine! The truth is friend that is living on Mount Ebal and God calls that being a curse or death. You may say, “Boy, I’m living it up!” No, you are “Dying it up.”

Let me suggest to you that you move over to Mount Gerizim and you live an unselfish fruitful life that helps other people. That old barren cursed death of a life helps no one but your self!

TWO MOUNTAIN PEAKS SIDE BY SIDE

There are two mountain peaks side by side and a vast difference between the two. Mount Ebal, which is barren and fruitless. That mount is just a few yards away from Mount Gerizim, which is fruitful and green.

The difference cannot be the climate! The climate is the same! Every time the sun shines on Mount Gerizim it shines on Mount Ebal. Every time it rains on Mount Gerizim it rains on Mount Ebal. It cannot be the climate or the weather!

Ok, it cannot be the people, because the same people live at the foot of Mount Gerizim that live at the foot of Mount Ebal. So, it cannot be the people!

When it snowed, rained, sun shining, was cold, or was hot it happened on both mountains. There are couples that sit in church side by side. Eat at the same table, parent the same children, sleep in the same bed, ride in the same car, and yet the truth is they are living on different mountains. Husbands, who are faithful, pay the bills, and are honest, yet never do anything for anyone else. You sir are living on Mount Ebal of me, my, mine, I, we, us, and ours.

Yet, who seats right beside you is a wife who lives on Mount Gerizim. She lives a fruitful life. She lives a life for others. She lives on Mount Gerizim while the husband lives on Mount Ebal. Yet, they live in the same house, parent the same children, sleep in the same bed, and eat at the same table.

Would it not be wonderful if the husbands living for themselves would resolve to start living for others? Would it not be wonderful if the wives living for them selves would resolve to start living for others?

The sad thing is there is a split in the atmosphere of a home where one lives on Mount Ebal and the other mate lives on Mount Gerizim. They share the same events in life, but one is being a curse and the other is being a blessing and it becomes a house divided against itself.

There are two brothers who grew up side by side. One is living on Mount Ebal and the other is living on Mount Gerizim. They have the same father and the same mother. They eat at the same table, ride in the same car, and go to the same church, but both are like Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Side by side and yet do not live on the same mountain. One goes soul winning, prays, gives, and lives for others while the other does not.

There are two sisters who grew up side by side. One is living on Mount Ebal and the other is living on Mount Gerizim. They have the same father and mother. They sit at the same dinner table, ride in the same car, share the same hair curlers, and go to the same paint and body shop. Yet, they live on two separate mountains. One is unselfish and the other is selfish.

May I recommend to the couples both of you should live on Mount Gerizim. May I recommend to both brothers and sisters live on Mount Gerizim. It is a matter of choice. You can choose to live on the fruitful mountain if you want!

THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD

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PREDESTINATED WILLS OF GOD

Ephesians 1:5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

Ephesians 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”

There are some things in life that God desires that He allows us to decide. You have the acceptable will and the perfect will of God in Scriptures. God tells us areas we are to choose from in every area of life. We can choose from the acceptable or the perfect will in every area of life.

Adam and Eve had many species of trees in the Garden of Eden. The majority of those they could choose from while one of them was off limits. Any time that you choose any thing from the area that God says you may choose from you are in God’s will. Now, it is not necessarily the perfect will but nevertheless it is acceptable to God.

There are some things God does not want us to choose from

II Corinthians chapter six is an example. There is a list of those that God forbids His children to fellowship with. God is telling us that there are certain people God does not want us to choose from. God is saying, “I don’t want you to fellowship with an unbeliever, unrighteous person, or an infidel.”

This leaves the acceptable and perfect will of God to choose from

Thus, this leaves the acceptable and the perfect will of God to choose from while only one is the perfect will of God.

Some married inside the will of God and maybe did not get the one, but married one that was acceptable. There are some things that God desires that He allows us to decide.

God allows us to decide whom to marry, where to go to college, where to work, what clothes to wear, what food to eat, what car to drive, or what house to live in. In other words it is the will of God that He wants you to choose. This is called the good will, the acceptable will, but not necessarily the perfect will.

However, there is an area that is the predestinated will of God. I am not speaking about going to Hell or Heaven. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. There are some things that are in the predestinated will of God and they are going to happen.

There are some things that God desires that He decides

You did not choose your parents. Your parents were chosen by God and were in the predestinated will of God for your life. You did not choose your children. You did not decide what child you wanted. Your children are apart of the predestinated will of God. You did not choose where you were born. Where you were born was included in the predestinated will of God. There are areas in your lives, which are apart of the predestinated will of God.

God has a lot of wills or wishes for every area of your life. It is a misnomer to say the will of God because in reality there are many wills or wishes God had for His children. Among those are the areas we are to choose from with one of them actually being the ONE that God had in mind. Then there are the areas that were God’s choice alone.

The perfect will of God is when we choose what or whom God has chosen

There are things we have no control over at all and God makes those choices for us. There are those areas where we are forbid to choose from. Then there are the good, acceptable, and the one perfect will which God had in mind to begin with. The perfect will of God is God’s choice and your choice. The perfect will of God is when you choose what or whom God has chosen.

The predestinated will is God’s choice, the acceptable will is your choice, while the perfect will of God is your choice and God’s choice. So, there is God’s decision, our decision not to choose from the unacceptable, and our decision to choose from God’s choice.

THE LEADERSHIP FALACY OF EXERCISING AUTHORITY

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MINISTERING

Proverbs 19:10, “Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.”

Matthew 20:25-28, “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion oer them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Every Leader is a Second Man

Every leader is in essence a second man for Jesus is the head. A pastor for example is not the number one man of the local church for Jesus is the head of the local church. The pastor is an assistant to Jesus Christ and in every area of our lives God has installed what Dr. John R. Rice calls “God’s deputies.” We are stewards of God and the responsibilities are God given.

No one has a right to lead as he or she sees fit for God gave us our opportunity and also our guidelines for each area where we are “God’s deputies.” I did not use the kind of music I liked rather I allowed in the two churches I pastored the kind of music God likes. The standards were never my standards for they were God’s standards. The organization or church polity was not what I preferred rather it was what God mandated from his word.

The same is true of the family unit. I had and have no right to lead my family into anything that is harmful to them according to the word of God. The restrictions I have are those imposed by the “boss” or “Lord.”

Whether it is a matter of finances, child rearing, or education we have to realize our position is that of a second man and allow God to run these areas of life for he certainly knows better how to run that which he created.

Leaders come from Followers

No one has ever trained any one to be a leader, for leaders come from followers. Those who have a passion and employ those passions and direct them to succeed usually rise out of the crowd and provide passionate initiative and garner the admiration of the rest of the crowd to follow. His confidence is not cockiness but confidence, for it is hard work that produces that which others desire to emulate

Followers can be trained to do what is right to do and to do it well. Passion comes from the inside and fueled by the outside. Doing things well fuels passion that is inward resulting in visible works.

Real Leaders do not Relish leading

I knew and preached with several great men of God who accomplished the greatest things in history. These were all quiet men who did not enjoy leadership such as Dr. John R. Rice, Evangelist Lester Roloff, Dr. Lee Roberson, Dr. Tom Malone, Evangelist Carl Hatch, Dr. Jack Hutson, Dr. Curtis Hudson, and Dr. Jack Hyles. These men were not seeking spotlighted roles for they were too busy doing to be seeking.

I had the honor of traveling and preaching with Dr. Jack Hyles for 22 years. Interesting that he was always home in his own pulpit every Wednesday night. I made it a policy to make sure I was home in my own pulpit every Wednesday night and there for Church-wide soul winning on Thursday night. No one can neglect their own vineyard and expect folks to follow who are working that same vineyard.

Leaders are Pushed up from the Bottom

Dr. Hyles said to me one time there are five kinds of people: followers of leaders, leaders of followers, leaders of leaders, follower of followers (church splits), and followers of leaders of leaders (TV preachers).

Real dynamic leaders who accomplished the impossible were not concerned with the spotlight for they were too busy reaching one person at a time back home in order to be flattered into a role they were not comfortable with. The truth is they were comfortable in their own skin doing what God commanded them to do and not what the crowds demanded of them.

The reason these men and others were pushed up from the bottom was because they had no desire for personal compensation for they were wrapped up in winning souls and building their ministries to win more souls. Today we have everyone running to the spotlight and neglecting personal soul winning.

Dr. Shelton Smith, Editor of THE SWORD OF THE LORD paper, said to me recently that he was sick of pastors coming up to him and asking, “What is the latest thing?” This is a day of wanting a big church rather than ministering to the individual.

Leaders lead more by Example than by Exhortation

A pastor of a great church one time said to me he almost lost everything because his church was so organized that he was preaching out more and quit going soul winning himself. Then the church began to slow down in her aggressiveness to win the lost because like begets like. Sooner or later the leader will find himself being reflected in his church member for they are nothing more than a reflection of him. God’s men and all leaders must lead much more by example than exhortation.

HOW TO BE SURPRISED AT BETRAYAL

2018-02-25T16:03:00.000-06:00

HOW DO YOU KEEP CONFIDENCE IN PEOPLE?

Psalm 35:14, “I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.”

Psalm 41:9, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”

Many years ago a young man was driving his new Ford automobile and it broke down and he was stranded. An elderly man happened to be driving by and he stopped and asked the young man if he needed help. The young man smarted off to the older man “Yea, I need help but no old man like you would be able to help. Just go on old man!” As a result Henry Ford drove away! It might do the youth in our churches of America to listen to those who have preceded them and paved the way for them.

In these 46 years of being an ordained and licensed Baptist preacher I have been asked this question over and over again, “How do you keep your confidence in people?” Please allow me to say I do have confidence in the human race! I am not disillusioned with mankind. I still have confidence in people. I pastored for 33 years literally hundreds of people whom I loved that chose to turn on me.

I have listened to people say, “I’m becoming bitter at people! I’m disappointed in people! Preacher how do you keep from being disenchanted with people? How do you pastor still trust people after being betrayed?”

LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO ATTACK YOU AS BEING BROKEN AND NOT BAD

We are so funny! We repair watches by sending them to a repair shop in order to open it up and fix the insides so it will function. No sensible man or woman will throw the watch on the floor and stomp it to pieces.

Here is a new word, for those of you reading this chapter; it is called “Christian.” What a fresh concept of not only acting like a Christian but also being a Christian with our relationship with those who attack us! How about blessing those who curse you? How about overcoming evil with good? How about doing good to those who despitefully use you? “Preacher that is just not natural!” Of course not but it is supernatural!

LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THOSE WHO ATTACK YOU

It may be that you are the only person they express hatred for. If there are 6 plus billion people on planet earth. If anyone loves us they can hate the rest of the world and they are considered to be good people by us. If anyone hates us they can love the rest of the world and they are bad people in our eyes. In essence we judge every one based on how they treat us. This is nothing but a picture of our own self-centeredness and selfishness.

Some of you reading this chapter are having a tough time having confidence in people and the truth is you have become bitter. You find yourself absolutely refusing to trust anyone again.

You are reading an article written by an author who is not disillusioned by the human race. I have not lost confidence in people and I refuse to live mistrusting people because of a few bad experiences.

OUR CRITICS WILL TELL US WHAT WE WILL NOT TELL OURSELVES

One of the difficulties as humans we possess in our human relationships is the inability to discern and dissimilate. When friendship trumps truth then we hide behind the guise of “loyalty” because of our friendships. However, we become “disloyal” to truth in order to be “loyal” to a friend, family member, or even a pastor and create wrong emotions.

Years ago there was church member who once a year would set an appointment with me. He would come to the office with a list of all the mistakes I had made the previous year. Of course there were only a few! Ha!

One day my secretary told me this church member was next for counseling. She then paused and said to me, “Everyone in this church knows he is a trouble maker and a critic. You don’t have to see him if you don’t want too!” I said, “No, I want to see him!” She just shook her head and led the man into my office.

He pulled out a piece of paper and began to go down his list. I took my pad out and began to list his concerns. The truth is the first five were ridiculous and petty. However, when he began to tell me of his sixth concern the Holy Spirit began to convict me and it was painful.

I circled number six on my pad and said to myself, “Dear Lord, if you will let me live I promise I will correct that! Thank you Holy Spirit!” Of course I did not let him know! I still have my pride! Ha! When he left I dropped to my knees and asked the Lord to forgive me and I made things right!

There is no such thing as a universal “body of Christ.” There are only local churches and thus only a local body. We are not the “bride of Christ.” You have to have a marriage before you can have a bride. We are “espoused” to Christ, but only after the rapture will there be a marriage. So, if that were true then it must be understood that every “body” has a “heel.”

When you surround yourself with nothing but “Yes” it can be dangerous for you and them! Preachers are right so much of the time that they begin to think they are right all the time!

· I believed there were people I pastored who would stand by me come Hell or high water

· I believed there were some who would leave me and yet not be my enemies

· I believed there were those whom I pastored who would turn on me

The key to all of this is found in verse 14, “…I behaved myself as though he had been my friend…” I quickly learned that it is impossible to be the pastor or preacher that I should be unless I looked at each church member as being a part of group one. I on purpose placed individual church members in-group one.

THE PRINCIPLE OF NOT ALL ARE LOYAL, BUT EACH ARE LOYAL

It is best to behave myself as though each were my friend. I can still hear my preacher, Dr. Jack Hyles say, “Not all of you are loyal, but each of you are loyal.” I determine to look at the churches I pastored as being in-group one and never number two or number three.

It is wise to look at the human race like that. I want to be surprised when it does happen so I can enjoy what I am doing for the Lord. This way I enjoy the assets of each member without their liabilities up until the very end. It is best for me if I assume each member was for me. It is best for them if I assume that they are for me.

People who spend their lives looking for enemies have nothing left to spend on their friends! My desire was to be shocked. Hold it! I am not shocked that it is GOING to happen, but just not today. I am not shocked that in the future someone will turn on me because the odds dictate it will happen. However, I want to be shocked at WHO it is that turns on me.

I refuse to spend my life speculating about people! If I have a problem I deal with it, fix it, and move on. I refuse to categorize people into group three.

I was blessed at Longview Baptist Temple of Longview, Texas, where I pastored for 29 ½ years. God gave me 33 of the finest deacons a pastor could ever ask for. I know that in almost three decades of pastoring LBT that one or two deacons turned on me.

I knew in the future one or two deacons would turn on me, but I just refused to believe it to be any one of the 33 I served with at the time. I refused to think it would be any given deacon. I wanted to be shocked! I wanted to enjoy all of their assets until the very end! I did not have confidence in all of the deacons, but I had confidence in each of the deacons.

I figured that if the past is an accurate indicator then one or two of the current deacons will in the future turn on me but I made up my mind to enjoy each of the deacons’ friendship and not spend my life speculating as to who will turn on me.

The same thought applied to the seventy voice adult choir God gave us. The same thought applied to the almost forty piece orchestra God gave us. The same thought was true to the almost hundred on our church and school staffs.

I did not have confidence in the entire adult choir, but I had confidence in each of the choir members. I did not have confidence in all forty orchestra members but I had confidence in each orchestra member. I did not have confidence in all of the hundred staff members, but I had confidence in each of the hundred staff members.

We owned forty seven individual buses and ran over thirty Sunday school bus routes. I did not have confidence in the almost 200 bus workers, but I had confidence in each of the 200 bus workers.

THE GOAL IS TO NOT BE DISILLUSIONED WITH THE HUMAN RACE

I am not disillusioned and I’m not discouraged with the human race! When I travel to preach somewhere around this great nation I never assume an adversarial position and neither do I feel that they are in an adversarial position. I an not naïve! I understand there is someone there who is not for me, but I never LOOK FOR HIM OR HER because I have determined to assume that each of them are for me! Thus, I do not distrust any single individual.

THE DESIRE TO BE LIKED AND LOVED

2018-02-19T17:49:00.001-06:00

WHY TRIMMEST THOU THY WAY TO SEEK LOVE?

Jeremiah 2:33, "Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.”?

It is an easy thing for a child of God to desire to be liked and loved. No child of God desires conflict. Yet, the truth is there is a built in conflict between the flesh of man and the Spirit of God. When you trusted Christ as your personal Saviour the Holy Spirit of God came in to dwell in your body. He is your constant companion. He not only regenerates you but he teaches, guides, comforts, and even convicts. Why, because of the battle from the flesh to quench the Holy Spirit!

Here is a pastor who feels alienated from his people. He has been faithful in the preaching and teaching of God’s word. He personally loves to be loved. He personally desires to be accepted by his members. He finds himself at odds with those he has given his life to serve. He has won them to Christ. He has nurtured them in the Lord and yet he finds himself under pressure to conform to their ways. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?

Here is a lonely college student who has surrendered to full time service and left home to attend Bible College. He finds peer pressure did not stay at home but followed him to college. He stands for and does right. Yet, he finds those around him for various reasons are playing college and playing church. He wants to be loved. He wants to be accepted. He wants to be liked. Thus the pressure to conform exists almost daily. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?

Here is a struggling parent with a rebellious child. The child threatens to leave home if the rules of the house are not changed. It is very easy for parent to trim their way to seek love.

Here is a little gal in high school and she is not in the in crowd but she is a godly young lady. The pressure begins to heighten on her. It would be very easy for her to trim her ways to seek love and acceptance.

Here is a lonely teenage boy. He does right because he wants to do right but the pressure begins to mount. The peer pressure is almost too much to bear. It would be very easy to trim his way in order to seek love.

Here is a college young lady who wants to date but she is too straight laced they say. It is tough and a very easy thing for her to trim her way to seek love.

Here is a young widow. She is lonely and she faces it day in and day out. The emotional pressure is almost too much to bear with the empty spot at the dinner table, the bed, and the sofa. It would be very easy for her to trim her way in order to seek love.

Here is a young man in college. A young lady has shown him some attention but she is always critical and self-centered as well as selfish. It is very easy for him to trim his way to seek love.

Here is a businessman who’s an honest man and a shady deal is offered to him. It is very easy for him to trim his way to seek love.

Whether it is the love of money, a girl, a boy, a church member, an employee, a son, a daughter, or a boss if you trim your way to seek love you will regret it one day.

BIBLE EXAMPLES

By the way you are in some good company! Paul did take a Jewish vow. Peter went fishing naked looking for acceptance. Peter cursed and denied his Lord, his faith, and his church looking for love. Barnabas fussed with Paul and chose his nephew over God’s will for he was looking for love. Solomon did the same thing in taking many wives when God said one wife for one lifetime in Deuteronomy 17:17 for he was seeking love. Demas did the same thing by trimming his way in order to seek the love of the world. John Mark did the same thing by turning back trimming his way in order to seek love. King David trimmed his way when he stayed home from leading his army into battle in search of love.

FULL TIME SERVANTS

Here is a struggling youth pastor taking a stand for right. A child complains to his parent. The parent becomes upset with the youth pastor. Pressure is put on the youth pastor and it would be an easy thing for the youth pastor to trim his way to seek love.

Here is a choir director giving his all to proper music and the pressure to liberalize his music standard comes against him. It would be very easy for him to trim his way to seek love.

A LOCAL CHURCH

A church takes a strong fundamental stand for soul winning, standards, bus ministry, being independent, pastoral leadership, and an inspired King James Bible. The pressure comes from family members and other churches. It would be very easy for them to trim their way to seek love.

A WARNING FROM GOD

God asks the question, “Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?” It is possible this thought was Jeremiah’s first sermon after his ordination. The scope of his sermon was to show God’s people their errors. God’s people were charged with the sin of idolatry. God’s people had broken their covenants and had degenerated from their good beginnings.

Jeremiah let them know that they were without precedent in changing loves. He let God’s people know they had willfully and obstinately changed their lifestyle, which in the end their idols would be unable to help them.

The same is true today for whomever or whatever you have traded for your God will not be able to help you in the end. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?

Here is an allusion to someone who becomes a lewd woman: a painted up face, a fancy hairdo, a mini skirt, and an attire of a harlot. Here is sinful courting and God asks why? God pleads with them and asks in verse 31, “Have I been a wilderness unto Israel?” and “Have I given you a land of darkness” and “Why do you reject me” and say, “We are lords we will come no more unto thee?”

Jeremiah 2:32, “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.”

In verse 33 God said you have encouraged the wicked by trimming your way to seek love. God says to them the blood of the innocent will be on your hands for trimming your way to seek love. God says in verse 35 to them just because you think it is ok does not make it ok!

In verse 36 God tells them they will become gadabouts. Why, because they trimmed their way to seek love. In verse 37 God continues by saying to His people you will not prosper and all because you trimmed your way to seek love.

For some strange reason we think that if we trim our way that the world will love us! Not true! They will use us and despise us in order to get out of us what they want! “Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love.”

THE FIRE IS GONE-NOW WHAT?

2018-02-11T20:31:00.000-06:00

WHERE THERE IS SMOKE THERE CAN BE FIRE

Matthew 12:20, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.”

Please take note of verse 20. It does not say, “A flickering flax shall he not quench.” It says, "smoking flax!” It does not say slightly burning flax for it says smoking flax. God is saying as long as there is smoke there is a chance for a fire.

What is God saying here? He is saying the smoking flax shall he not quench. In all of our lives we have had the fire to go out at one time or another. There have been times in your life and my life when the fire has gone out. It may be that sin; heartache, discouragement, or bereavement has caused the dowsing of the fire. What our Lord is saying here is that as long as there is smoke there is hope for more fire.

God did not say as long as there is a flicker for he said the “smoking flax shall he not quench.” If the fire appears to go out in any church it simply means there had to be fire there at first. Placed there by God Himself and the smoke that remains means that the fire can blaze again!

It also means if the fire appears to no longer be burning and the warmth of the fire is no longer in existence that as long as there is smoke God is saying he will not quench the "smoking flax!"

I am speaking to those who use to have fire in your marriage where the fire appears to have gone out! If you have taken the marriage vows and both of you are still living there is still smoke there! There may not be any fire, but there is still smoke.

That in itself means if you will give yourself to the Holy Spirit he can fan that smoke. He can stir up the fire again in your marriage no matter how feeble the flickering. No matter how dead the spark seems or however cool the flame may appear. It can burn again as long as there is life!

As long as there is life there is smoke and the Holy Spirit desires to fan it and pour oil on it to bring back the fire. Oh, it may not warm as many people at first or like it once did but it can warm someone. It may not shine as far as it once did but it can shine some! I am not saying that if you have lost the fire you will get it back like you once had it but you can get some fire back. It may not be as bright as it once was but it can still shine some.

The church may not be as large as it once was, but it can still grow. One of my favorite songs my dear late friend Dr. Paul Duckett Jr. used to sing was, “Dear Lord take up the tangled strains that we have wrought in vain. That by the skill of thy dear hand some beauty may remain.” I love it!

It may be that the fire appears to have gone out of your life. It may be that sin; heartache, illness, discouragement, or bereavement has seemingly snuffed out the fire. “Preacher I have lost the fire I once had!” Ok, but as long as there is smoke God wants to fan it. God wants to pour oil upon it to rekindle it and cause the fire to burn once again.

A man may not be able to pastor any more, but he can teach a Sunday school class. The school may not train as many as it once did but it can train some. The marriage that once burned with holy passion may not be what it once was, but it can be salvaged to become a warm and happy marriage.

There is not a marriage that cannot be salvaged! “But preacher I have lost my love.” Wait a minute are you still breathing? Hold it are you still alive? Then there is smoke there and if you will let God fan it then a flame will come again. Jesus said, “The smoking flax he will not quench.”

There are people reading this article who feel the fires seemingly have gone out, but thank God there is smoke and soon there will be fire if God is given a chance to fan the smoke. I have in these going on 46 years of ministry counseled thousands of couples having trouble with some being serious some frivolous, but all necessary counseling. Some had smoke where fires once burned and I attempted to fan the smoke and pour oil on the smoldering smoke to make the fire burn again.

I am referring to marriages that seem to have lost its fire, but there is still smoke there. How do I know there is smoke there? It’s simple you are still breathing! I am speaking to parents, pastors, preachers, students, and teens that have lost the fire you think.

There is no person whom God cannot use again. There is no marriage, ministry, pastor, preacher, college student, or parent that cannot be salvaged. Jesus is saying, “Ok if you have no fire then I’ll look for some smoke and when I find the smoke I will not quench it. I will not put it out!”

In some cases the devil gains entrance into our lives because of bad decisions. Those bad decisions begin to extinguish the fire. The fire becomes a flicker after a while when pride creeps in and we refuse to reverse by swallowing our pride and admitting we are wrong.

After a while there is nothing left but smoke. But after men have long given up hope for you to make it and long after others said you will never recover enter Jesus who says, “I see smoke. I see hope. If you will let me fan it and pour oil on it soon the fire will return!”

The fire of joy, a smile, or happiness may be gone, but praise God if there is smoke there can be a fire once again. A man addicted to porn whose life was once spiritual and who was on topside for God with no seeming fire.

Wait is the man breathing? He is still alive? Then as long as there is smoke God wants to fan it and pour oil on it to get some fire back. Oh, it may not be the same brightness but at least Jesus said he would not quench it.

Here is a life that kept people out of Hell by soul winning; a life of value, and a life of productivity, but the fire seems gone out? There are no flames of soul winning, no red-hot prayer life, and no red-hot service for God. Nothing here but a flicker of a flame or just smoke.

Hey, wait a minute Jesus has not given up on them. He will not quench the smoke. He will fan the smoke and create a fire. He will pour oil on it and cause the fire to burn. No, it will not burn as bright but it will burn!

Dope has captured you? The old life has come back to haunt you? The fires of evangelism are gone? The bold giving of tithes and offerings has vanished? The soul winning fire is nothing but smoke now. The prayer life of fire is nothing but flax now. The Amens and shouts are but smoke now. You sit here defeated with no excitement for the things of God.

Yes, you used to stand to your feet and wave your Bible over a truth being preached from the pulpit but not any more. Nothing but smoke now! Wait a minute? Jesus said, “I will not quench that smoke but I will fan that smoke!”

If the fire has gone out at least the smoke is still there and God promised that he would not quench what is left. If you will let him he will fan what is left. He will pour oil on what is left to start up a small fire once again.

Broken marriage? Deserted wife? Deserted husband? Deserted child? Teens have you blown it? College student have you messed up? The question invariably comes, “Preacher can God use me again?” Oh, yes God can use you again!

Please pay attention to this article former college zealot, former teen zealot, former preacher zealot, former bus captain zealot, former Sunday school teacher zealot, or former soul winning zealot for God will fan the flax and it will burn again!

Oh, wasted life with nothing but simmering smoke left please turn back to Jesus and allow him to fan the smoke. Please let him pour oil on it. It is not over for Jesus can use you again! It may not be to the extent that you have been accustomed to but he will use you again!

Dear mission man, divorced man, divorced lady, backslid teenager, or expelled college student God can use you again even though there is only a simmering smoke for God can cause the flames to come again.

BEWARE OF THOSE WHO BROADEN THE TENTS OF FUNDAMENTALISM

2018-01-27T17:54:00.001-06:00

MODERN DAY BALAAMS

II Peter 2:1, 14, 15 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

“Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”

Jude 10-11, “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

Cain was the one who killed Abel and the one who offered the bloodless sacrifice. Korah was the one who rebelled against Moses and the earth in judgment swallowed up Korah and thousands of others. Now in between Cain, who was a murderer, and Korah, who was a rebel, is the man named Balaam.

The verse mentions the error of Balaam. Revelation 2:14, “I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.” He is speaking to the church at Pergamos in this verse.

· The way of Balaam (II Peter 2:15)

· The error of Balaam (Jude 11)

· The Doctrine of Balaam (Revelation 2:14)

It is very obvious here that Balaam did something real bad. God said so and that must take precedence over any view we might have of Balaam.

The truth about Balaam is strange in that it is very hard to find something wrong with Balaam. He was a good man in the Bible. Balaam was actually a courageous preacher. He never trimmed his message even though he was in a foreign country and even though a king had attempted to persuade him to trim his message.

Here is a man who never left the words of God. He delivered the message he was supposed to deliver. He made this statement, “If the king himself could give me his own house full of gold and silver I still will not trim my message. I will preach the truth.”

The truth is I would rather spend time in this article exposing the sins of Korah, Judas Iscariot, Demas, or Pharaoh. You cannot help but admire Balaam. He was a decent man. He was a good man. Yet, he committed a sin that was so awful that Peter wrote of it, Jude wrote of it, and John wrote of it.

For the sake of the future of fundamental Baptists everywhere I do not mind exposing someone who does not preach the truth. Men like John McArthur and R. B. Theme who were proponents of the blood of Christ dissipating at the foot of Calvary must be exposed. These and others teach that the death of Christ and not the shedding of the blood of Christ save souls from going to Hell.

I remind all of us that when the death angel passed over the Jews that it was not the ones who killed the lambs but those who applied the blood to the door posts whose first born were spared from death.

Dr. Steward Custer of Bob Jones University and other Professors in our Bible colleges who have pointed us back to the originals for inspiration and mocked II Timothy 3:16 by literally changing the word “is” for the word “was” and placing an emphasis on the originals and not the preserved inspiration of the Holy Scriptures for all tongues and nations.

It is tough to say something about those who give a clear presentation of salvation, believes they have the words of God and preach those words of God. I do not want fundamental Baptists to waver even a little bit. My desire for independent Baptists is for them to be grounded in the Scriptures.

With that in mind please pay careful attention. There is nothing found in the Scriptures that Balaam did that we would call real wicked. There is no record of Balaam ever selling Jesus out or a brother for thirty pieces of silver. There is no record of the sin of David in the life of Balaam. There is no record in the life of Balaam of false doctrine.

Here is the kind of a man Balaam was. The truth is he is the kind you might vote in as pastor of a great church. May I tell you about him? His ministry was largely in a foreign land. He was hosted in that country by the king himself. The king attempted to cause Balaam to trim his message.

However listen to this statement by Balaam when King Balak said I want you to trim your message. Balaam said, “The word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak.” WOW! That is a great statement by Balaam.

Yet, the truth is when God spoke of the sins of the people in II Peter 2:14-15, Jude 11, and in Revelation 2:14 He mentions the error of Balaam. The king said, “Balaam I want you to trim your message.” Balaam answered, “Whatever He (God) sheweth me that will I tell thee.”

See the picture? There was not a Christian in the land. He was in a land without any Christians that would be like being in Russia and the Czar saying you preach what I tell you and you answer, “I’ll preach only what God tells me to preach!” Balaam responds, “How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed and how shall I defy whom God hath not defied.”

May I tell you what else Balaam said? “Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth.”? Wow, he would pass the test of a pulpit committee. He sounds very fundamental to me and Balaam did preach exactly what God told him to preach.

· Balaam believed in the words of God

· Balaam preached the words of God

· Balaam did not trim the words of God

Balaam said, “I have received a commandment to bless and I cannot reverse it.” He said, “I will not reverse my decision to obey the commandment of God.” What else did he say, “All that the Lord speaketh that must I do.”

Before you set in judgment too much on Balaam I want to remind you He is in a foreign country and is being entertained in the palace of the king and the king attempting to get him to trim his message. Balaam answered, “All that the Lord speaketh that must I do.”

Twice Balaam says, “If King Balak would give me his house (palace) full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord. But what the Lord sayeth that will I speak.” By the way Balaam never relented. To the very end he refused to trim his message. He spoke what God told him to speak. He refused to let the king tell him what to say.

WHAT WENT WRONG WITH BALAAM?

Obviously the question must be asked concerning Balaam what in the world went wrong with him. God never said that Balaam was a false prophet. The truth is Balaam was not a false prophet. He was a true prophet. God never said Balaam preached error for he did not preach error.

So, what was the problem with Balaam? Please pay attention! The Israelites were on a journey toward the Land of Canaan. On that journey they came to the land of the Amorites. A man named Sihon was the king of the Amorites.

The Israelites sent word ahead as they had done before and they said, “We want to pass through the land and can we pass through your land on your highway? We’ll drink our own water. We’ll not cause you any trouble. We’ll not go off of the highway. All we desire is to do is to pass through your land.”

Sihon the king sent back word that he would not allow them to pass through the land. Sihon went to war against Israel. The Bible says Israel defeated him in war and actually slew the Amorites.

Here is the picture! The nation Israel comes to the land of the Amorites and they want to pass through. God’s people have no desire to cause any trouble. The same is true about God’s people today. It is our job to be honest, pay our debts, be congenial, and be nice, and courteous as we pass through this world.

However, it is not our job to mix and mingle with the Amorites or the world or in fact the religious world. We are travelers just passing through!

God’s people had won the battle with the Amorites. The next place to pass through was the Moabites. The king of the Moabites was the man named Balak. The truth is Balak was scared. Imagine how he must have felt with his neighbors the Amorites are all dead and it was the same Israelites who are approaching his country. Balak was worried that he and his people would be killed too.

The truth is God’s people did not want to hurt any one. They just wanted permission to pass through the land. Every once in a while some idiot will say, “Well how in the world are we going to change the world if we don’t mix and mingle with the world?”

Wait a minute! Our job is not to change the world. Our job is reach every one we can with the Gospel and take as many of them out of the world that we can! The world is going to Hell! We want to take as many as possible out of the world and into Heaven!

BEWARE OF THOSE WHO BROADEN THE TENTS OF FUNDAMENTALISM

That is one reason the Moral Majority movement by Jerry Falwell failed and eventually was shut down. Be leery of those who broadened the tents of fundamentalism to include every stripe of the so-called religious world.

Fraternizing with Evangelicals and neo-fundamentalists will cause our young people to end up mingling and even marrying the wrong crowd. Some of our friends on the Left Coast are bragging they are following the Falwell doctrine of inclusiveness with every stripe of a liberal religious crowd. They emulate Rick Warren and his cohorts. The compromise of music and dress is opening the door to pleasing the kings of this world.

Balak the king of Moab said they are going to destroy us. Balak had heard of this man of God named Balaam. He was known as a great evangelist, great preacher, and a great man of God. So he sends messengers to Balaam and these messengers bring with them rewards of divination or an honorary Doctor’s Degree from Balak’s leading University.

These messengers tell Balaam that the king wants him to come and place a curse on the Israelites that are passing through. They said to Balaam we have noticed that whosoever you curse is cursed and whosoever you bless is blessed.

Balaam made a mistake and let them into his house and they spent the night. Refuse to let the Left Coast Falwell, Warren, and Emerging church gurus into your homes. Balaam goes to God to ask God what he should do. God tells him, “No! Don’t go!” Balaam’s response was, “If the king offered me his palace full of gold and silver I will not go.”

The messengers go back to King Balak without Balaam. The Bible says that Balak sent more honorable messengers the second time. In fact he told them to tell Balaam if he would come and curse the Israelites on top of his degree we will give him anything he desires.

Here come the new messengers. God has already told Balaam not to go. Again, he has them spend the night and he goes to God again! Balaam decided to go. God did not want Balaam to go but God in essence threw up His hands and said, “Ok, ok, go!” So, Balaam goes to Moab.

King Balak takes Balaam to a certain place and tells him to curse the Israelites. Balaam replies, “I have to speak what God tells me to speak.” He is stubbornly staunch in his stand!

· The word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak

· Whatsoever he sheweth me that will I tell them

· How shall I curse him whom God hath not cursed and defy him whom God hath not defied

· Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth

· I have received a commandment to bless and I cannot reverse it

· If Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord.

· But when the Lord sayeth that will I speak

King Balak says, "Ok let us go over here to another place and look at it from a different view. Now will you curse them?" Balaam said no I must preach the word of God. King Balak comes a third time and takes Balaam to another vantage point and demands Balaam curse the people of Israel and Balaam says, “God told me to bless the people of Israel and I am going to obey God.”

Please forgive me but I must wonder why in the world did Peter say Balaam was a bad man? Why did Jude speak of the error of Balaam? Why did John the Apostle say in the Revelation to the church of Pergamos, “I have some what against you because you have gone after the doctrine of Balaam.”

Balaam believed the word of God, preached the word of God, and never trimmed the word of God. So, what then did Balaam do that was wrong?

SEVEN SINS OF BALAAM

· He asked the messengers to spend the night (II John 11)

· He asked God what to do when he knew already what to do

· He talked to new messengers from the same place a second time

· He asked the second messengers from the same place to spend the night

· He went to God a second time to receive a second “No!” answer

· Running with the kings (Billy Graham, Rick Warren, and Jerry Falwell were ruined by spending too much time with Presidents and the elite)

· Sponsorship of a bad crowd to preach the truth

GOSPEL PREACHERS HAVE FIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

· To preach the truth

· To identify with those who preach the truth

· To bear fruit personally

· To organize the local church to bear fruit

· To take care of the orchard for the future of fruit bearing

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. responded to those who were critical of his criticism of Evangelist Billy Graham. Someone said Billy has a lot of fruit and Dr. Jones Sr. retorted, “Yes but he is destroying the orchard.”

It is a shame as to what happened as a result of Balaam’s actions. Go to Numbers 24:25 and 25:1-3 you will find they intermarried because Evangelist Balaam mingled with the wrong crowd. In our day it would be the independent fundamental Baptists watering down their associations while claiming they are true to the word of God.

A modern day Balaam hollers he believes the King James Bible is the word of God but leaves the door open to be able to run with the wrong crowd. It is not enough for a person just to preach the truth. Balaam preached the truth but without separating from the wrong crowd he destroyed God’s people by breaking down the barriers of association while preaching the truth.

THE HIDDEN LIFE

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MY LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD

Colossians 3:3, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

This verse does not mean what the average preacher interprets it to mean. May I note that God does not frown on a sincere man who makes a sincere mistake about a Scripture while teaching a Bible truth? I have for years taught this verse was speaking of the soul. However, it does not say so! It says that your life is hid with Christ in God.

All of the sermons I have ever heard concerning this verse would be on this wise, “Your soul is hid with Christ in God.” However, it does not say that! Also I have heard, “Your spirit is hid with Christ in God” but it does not say that either! It simply says, “…your life is hid with Christ in God.”

It means the world cannot see our life. They are on the outside and it looks dull to them. To the world the Christian life is hidden. The reason is they cannot see with whom we are hidden. The Scripture says in essence we are hidden with Christ in God. It may be a dull looking house, but if a groom is in that dull looking house with his new bride it’s a pretty good place to reside. It may not look like much on the outside, but that doesn’t mean there is no joy in there. So, if your life is hid with Christ in God you have it made!

This really all depends upon who is in there with you. The Christian life looks pretty boring unless you realize whose in there with you! WOW! Somebody say amen! Inside you are hid with Christ with God if you are born again. It looks pretty dull but it is not.

Please take note of that life that is hidden. Let us take and conduct a tour into this hidden life. May I introduce to you Mr. John Doe an unsaved man? He is on the outside looking in. When he looks at the Christian life he sees no flashing neon signs. The old King James Bible has no pictures in it! There is no fancy cover on the outside of the King James Bible. “Mr. Doe you are on the outside and you can’t see it. Now, Mr. Doe let me take you on a little tour! Let me show you inside the Christian life. You see our life is hid with Christ in God.

“May I show you a Scripture Mr. Doe? II Corinthians 6:8-9, 'By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;' You see Mr. Doe we are not very well known as the world counts being known. We are not famous on planet earth, but there are billions in Heaven who know us real well. So, we are unknown by the world and well known by the real world.

"The magistrates and the kings of this world do not know us, but we are well known by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Mr. Doe we are unknown in your world but well known while hid with Christ in God.

“II Corinthians 6:9, '…as dying and behold we live…' you see Mr. Doe from your viewpoint outside looking in it looks pretty dull. It looks like a dead kind of a life.” Mr. Doe interrupts and says, “You have to listen to those Christian songs? You have to listen to all that screaming preaching? You have to listen to those Bible studies week after week? You have to give 10 % of your income plus offerings to that church? No rock or rap music? No movie going? No liquor or alcohol?” Yes, “Mr. Doe the Scripture says it looks '…as dying and behold we live…'

“I have to tell you the truth it looks like death to me!” My reply is simple, “When you are hid with Christ in God it is not death but it is life.” II Corinthians 6:10, "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." It looks sorrowful out there but in here is a lot of rejoicing going on Mr. Doe.

"When politicians come to church most of them are so uncomfortable. We laugh and cut up and they don’t know how to act. Mr. Doe looking at the church building it looks dead but really it is not a place of death but rather of life.

"Mr. John Doe come on inside and you will see the happiest bunch of people you have ever feasted your eyes on in your life. II Corinthians 6:10 says, '…as poor yet making many rich…' Mr. Doe if you took the average Baptist congregation and held them up by their heels and shook them you wouldn’t get enough money to buy a decent car. Yet, Mr. Doe, it says, ‘…as poor yet making many rich…’

"Mr. Doe our job as a local church is to go throughout our Jerusalem and beyond making people rich with a home in Heaven, living on streets of gold, living in a mansion debt free, making them heirs, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ the Son of God. You can’t see it from your viewpoint but that doesn’t make it a fantasy just because you can’t see it.

“Inside this place called a local church Mr. Doe the book looks dull, the building looks dull, the sermons sound dull, the music seems dull, the preacher looks dull, the orchestra sounds dull, and the Sunday school looks dull but it says we as poor are yet making people rich.

“II Corinthians 6:10, ‘…having nothing, yet possessing all things…’ Mr. Doe you look at us and it appears that we have nothing, but the truth is we have every thing. Here is what you do not see from the outside. We are hid with Christ in God. Come on in Mr. Doe and let me show you and conduct a tour for you so you can see for yourself? Our joy, our peace, and our rejoicing are hidden from those on the outside. Pay careful attention Mr. Doe!

THE BOOK CALLED THE SCRIPTURES

“Let me show you Mr. Doe the book we read and believe. It is called the King James Bible. This Bible has always existed! There never was a time when those Scriptures did not exist. These are the eternal Words of God. Every Word always was in existence, before there was ever a man, a world, a mountain, a valley, a hill, a bird, a fish, or a beast of the field there was the Word!

“Please listen carefully Mr. Doe! When all the other books have been burned this old King James Bible will still exist. When every book that has ever been written has passed away these Scriptures will endure forever. This book we call the Scriptures always was and always will be! You see Mr. Doe that is why it is so good in here, but it doesn’t look good from out there!

"We are hid with Christ in God and Mr. Doe once you get in here you will see an eternal book called the Scriptures. That is one reason we are so happy Mr. Doe. This is not some dumb magazine published by some heathen. Hey, Mr. Doe, pick out your best novel and try to gather a crowd to teach that novel to for 2,000 years on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. Then gather a crowd to go into the entire world to spread the news about that novel on a Thursday night and see how long it lasts!

“Let Hollywood put their best movie in one place in one location and run the same picture for 50 years and see if they’ll have any one returning after 50 years to see the movie let alone have the crowd grow.

“Mr. Doe this old book called the Scriptures is alive and it is eternal. Heaven may pass away and earth may pass away but God’s Words abide forever.”

THE BOOK OF LIFE

“Mr. Doe, Robert Glynn Gray Sr. is written in that book. In Luke 10:20 we are told to rejoice because our name is written down in Heaven. Mr. Doe it is hard for you to understand what is happening unless you come in here with us and see it. You say the Christian life looks dead but we are not the ones committing suicide, getting drunk, on dope, at the tavern, and having nervous breakdowns.

"The world will not last but my name is in the Book of Life and it will last forever. Our life is hid with Christ in God. From the outside you cannot know the joy of knowing that you have a reservation for a home in Heaven.

THE BOOK OF SINS

“Mr. Doe please look at my record in Heaven and take time to read all the sins listed under my name? Now, Mr. Doe there is a reason we happy in here. It is because we have an eternal book of Scriptures called the King James Bible. We have our names written down in another book called the Book of Life. There are also no sins listed under our names in Heaven.

"Mr. Doe there is not a nightclub out there that can compare to having no sins recorded under your name in Heaven. There is no joy that the world has to offer to compare to knowing that you are going to miss Hell and be in Heaven forever. It may look dead in here from out there but when you get you name in the Book of Life and all the sins removed from the Book of sins. WOW! Then you can shout with us Mr. Doe!

“From out there it looks a little dingy in here doesn’t it Mr. Doe? Haven’t you ever wondered, as you would drive by our church building why all those people attend three times a week? As you drive by you see not flashing neon signs on the church building. Inside you will find no pictures of Liz Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, or Jayne Mansfield, but Mr. Doe inside of this place our life is his with Christ in God.

THE BOOK OF WORKS

“Let me show you another book in Heaven it is called the Book of works. What is listed under my name in Heaven? All of the righteousness of Jesus Christ! Was Jesus kind, good, and sincere? Mr. Doe that is why we have so much fun in here and you can’t see it from out there where you live. We have an eternal book of Scriptures, names are written down in the Book of Life, we have no sins recorded under our names, and we have Jesus’ righteousness written under our names in Heaven. You see sir our lives are hid with Christ in God!

"The reason we are so happy is because we have an inerrant, preserved, and perfect inspiration in this book of Scriptures, our names are written down in the Book of Life in Heaven, no sins are written under our names in Heaven, and we have Jesus’ righteousness written on our record in Heaven.

“Sir, you can’t compare a drink of liquor, a Hollywood star, a Hollywood movie, a rock concert, a rap concert, a tavern, or country and western music to having your sins paid for and an assurance of Heaven.

A LOCAL CHURCH

“Mr. Doe we have fellowship inside here and it is called a church. It is a called out body of baptized believers. The fun we have we remember! We have Christian schools, a Bible College, Sunday schools, preaching services, teaching services, fellowshipping, caring for each other, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and soul winning. Sir, there is not a country club in the world to compare to God’s local church.

WE ARE GOING TO HEAVEN TO LIVE FOREVER

“Sir, our lives are not only hid with Christ in God now but they will be for all eternity in Heaven. Pain, cancer, aids, swine flu, headaches, heartaches, back trouble, surgeries, pneumonia, and funerals will not exist in Heaven and you wonder why we are so happy. Mr. Doe can you see past what you think is dull and dead to see the life that is unseen by your world? Folks driving by just can’t see it can they?

DO NOT READ THIS IT COULD CHANGE YOU!

2018-01-07T12:15:00.000-06:00

CONQUER THE WORLD'S GRAVITY

Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The Scripture says “be NOT conformed”rather “be ye transformed.” The secret is the mind and in the renewing of the mind by being transformed and not conformed to this world.

The book of Romans is divided up in to two sections, chapters 1-11 and chapters 12-16. The pivotal verses are found in Romans 12:1-2. In the first eleven chapters of Romans we have doctrine. In chapters 12-16 we have practical living or application of the doctrine to a real world.

Paul is saying the redeemed ought to live this way because of the wonderful doctrines in the first eleven chapters. An example would be the doctrine of “justification.” Paul is saying, “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God” or because you are justified by faith that you “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”

Someone says, “I’m addicted to movies, pornography, or to internet pornography.” I don’t believe it for a minute! You can quit it right now and walk away from it. It’s not addictive like narcotics or liquor. You can quit that junk if you would produce enough character, decency, discipline and Christianity. The Bible says we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.

God is saying because you are justified be not CONFORMED to this world, but TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind. Why…

· Because of propitiation

· Because of justification

· Because of sanctification

· Because of predestination

· Because of election

Plus all of the other great doctrines found in Romans chapters 1-11. Then Paul goes on to tell us in the rest of the book of Romans what it means and what kind of a life we are supposed to live as God’s children.

God has given to the Christian a little world within a world with our local church, Christian schools, and Christian colleges. If you are in one of the Christian schools and are living a loose moral life you are a traitor to the cause of Christ, to the school, to the college, to the local church and to your pastor. Nobody ought to ever cause themselves to be expelled from a Christian school because of being immoral loose living, bad music, pornography, or sexual promiscuity. No member of a local church should ever be involved with immoral activity for you are in essence a traitor if you do.

Thus we have a little world within a world. This bigger world we live in is a godless world and we are forced to interact. Some have to interact with worldliness at home, or in a secular business, or a secular school, and unfortunately sometimes there are students in the Christian school who are worldly and you find yourself having to interact with them. However, I would be ashamed of myself if I were thick with the wrong crowd in a Christian school. I’d be ashamed of myself to be thick with the wrong crowd in a Christian college.

Now, we are required in some ways to interact with a godless Christ-less world. May I point your attention to whom this passage was given? The passage of, “be not conformed to his world but be ye transformed” is a passage written to the Christians in Rome. They were corrupt, pagan, skeptical, and a perverted people. The entire environment was not only un-Christian but also anti-Christian. The Bible says this book was written to the saints in Caesar’s household.

We have this admonition, “be not conformed to this world.” What does that mean? It simply means dress like a Christian and not like Paris, or Hollywood, or New York. It simply means males ought to have haircuts that look like a male and not the Beatles or Justin Bieber. God is saying to his people I would rather you have Dr. Lee Roberson as your hero than Arnold Swartznegger. I would rather you have Jack Hyles as your hero than Garth Brooks.

Then he says, “be ye transformed”or as different from this world as Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration. This my friend was written to Christians of Caesar’s household in godless anti-Christian Rome, corrupt, pagan, skeptical, and perverted Rome. Yet to the saints in this foul corrupt environment Paul writes these words, “be not conformed to this world but be ye transform.”

No Christians in Rome had a Christian school to attend. They had no Christian grade school, junior high school, high school, or college to attend. Yet, God said to these people in the middle of godless anti-Christian Rome it is possible for them to not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Paul is saying it is possible to live in the midst of a Roman moral quagmire without lowering your flag of purity. Please listen! That means that it is possible today also to do the same. It is possible today to live in a society controlled by TV, Hollywood, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and the Internet and still live for God via the renewing of the mind.

It is possible to live in this sex crazed, Hollywood infested world, HBO world, Cinemax world, Showtime world, and hip-hop music, and be not conformed to this world. If it is possible for the saints at Rome then it is possible for the saints of today!

Paul said it is possible in this horrible morally polluted atmosphere to breathe without poisoning the souls of the Christians in Rome. It was possible to walk in its septic streets without soiling the white garments of saint-hood. Paul tells them not to be creatures of circumstances or happenstance, but to take a stance for God.

Stand up at work for Jesus while others curse him. Stand up for Jesus at school while others mock him. Paul is saying to these saints in Rome do not do when in Rome as Romans do, but when in Rome do as Jesus would do. He is saying to them be not the slave, but the master of your environment. He preaches not the doctrines of conforming, but the doctrine of transformation.

Paul is saying to the saints in Rome man is not to become a creature of his circumstances or the toy of his surroundings, or a piece of clay molded by his peers, but he is saying do not be conformed be ye transformed. It bothers God when his daughters are quick to take up the hairstyles of modern day Romans. It bothers God when any of his children are quick to pick up the modern appearances and so desperately want to be accepted by the modern day Romans.

It probably occurs because God’s people spend more time reading “Glamour Magazine” than the Bible. Young Christian ladies spend more time in “Sixteen Magazine” than in their own Bibles. It bothers God when his sons are so quick to get a tattoo or pierce their ears simply because of the modern day Romans.

God is telling his children they are not to copy this pagan world. There is a difference between dressing appropriately and going gaga over the latest styles and so quick to embrace them simply because we want the Romans to love us. We are not to pattern ourselves after this modern world.

If the world lies on a beach in their underwear then God’s people ought to do the opposite. If the women of this world wear their shorts and man’s apparel then the Christian ladies ought to do the opposite. We are in the world but not of the world!

He tells the redeemed in Rome you are to be more than a product of your environment, more than a result of geography, more than a piece of merchandise molded and made by surroundings, more than a manufacturers object of weather and meteorology. You are not to be conformed to this world, but be ye transformed that ye may prove what is that good an acceptable perfect will of God.

It thrills God to see his children around town reflecting Scriptures rather than society. When he sees the boys with decent haircuts and without their pants hanging down to their ankles with their underwear showing. God loves it when he sees his young ladies dressed in modest clothing without a vampire look. I thank God I belong to a church where members dress right and people around town know they belong to an old fashioned baptist church.

It may be difficult to not be conformed to this world but difficult is not spelled “I M P O S S I B L E.” He says do not drift, but steer! He says do not float, but swim! He says do not descend, but ascend. He says do not blend but transcend. He says do not condescend but apprehend. He says do not be a slave to dust be its master. He says swim the tide.

God is saying to his children in Rome be like the lily in the mud which transforms sordidness into beauty and stagnates into fragrance. He is saying to them do not bow your knee to the god of fashion, the Bael of conformity, the deity of compromise, the altar of timidity to the prince and power of this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Christians who are conforming to this modern Roman world and not transforming it doesn’t bother you because you do not care what God wants you to do any way, but those who do care will keep on transforming and not conforming.

Conquer this world’s gravity! Be a lily in the mud, a daisy in the gutter, a flower in the wilderness, a stream in the desert, and a rose amidst needles and thorns. If you have to flee to the catacombs flee singing! If you are appetizer for the lions then die praising God. Throw your shoulders back and chest out, lift up your head, and hold your banner high to let everyone know you are a child of God!

Emerson said, “Whoso would be a man must be a non conformist to their present world!” If the Bible is true, if God be real, and you desire to be a man then do not conform to this world and see what happens? Show me a famous Christian who was a conformist to their present world? Show me one in history?

The Hall of fame list includes John Bunyan who spent twelve years in the Bedford Jail. Why, because he would not stop preaching the Gospel on the street corners! He had a blind daughter who would come to the Bedford Jail and say, “I’ve some good news daddy. They will let you out of jail if you promise to quit preaching the Gospel on the streets.” He was a non-conformist!

John Wesley was a non-conformist to his present world! Read his diary sometime and you will read, “Kicked out of church after church after church…” We garnish his tombstone and crucify the people who are like him today!

· John Bunyan a non-conformist

· John Wesley a non-conformist

· Peter a non-conformist

· Paul a non-conformist

· John the Baptist a non-conformist

· James a non-conformist

· Savonarola a non-conformist

· Martin Luther a non-conformist

· Cromwell a non-conformist

· John R. Rice a non-conformist

· Lester Roloff a non-conformist

· Tom Malone a non-conformist

· Lee Roberson a non-conformist

· Shadrach a non-conformist

· Meshach a non-conformist

· Abednego a non-conformist

· Daniel a non-conformist

· J. Frank Norris a non-conformist

· G. B. Vick a non-conformist

· Curtis Hutson a non-conformist

· Carl Hatch a non-conformist

· Jack Hyles a non-conformist

Why, because they refused to let the devil tell them how to behave and what to believe. In my 46 years of preaching, as of the writing of this article, I have stood for the King James Bible, Jesus’ blood as the only cleansing agent for sin, the local independent Baptist church, salvation by grace through faith in the blood of Christ, the new birth, sinless life of Christ, vicarious death of Christ, bodily resurrection of Christ, the pre-millennial pre-tribulation rapture of the saints, old fashioned separation from the world, old time religion, soul winning, holy living, Pastor led church, and eternal security of the believer for which I am not about to quit now because of current society!

I John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

II Corinthians 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing…”

THIS IS DEDICATED TO YOU LEFT COAST LIBERALS WHO LOVE RICK WARREN AND DESIRE TO BE JERRY FALWELL JUNIORS...

For you sweet little Christians who love Rick Warren's and Jerry Falwell's looseness and to all the independent Baptist mimickers on the left coast there is more to the Bible than just Psalm 23.

God said, “Touch not the unclean thing” and “Keep oneself unspotted from the world” and “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world” and “The saints shall someday rule the world” and “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but thou shouldest keep them from the world” and “They are not of the world even as I am not of the world” and “Be of good cheer I have overcome the world” and “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” and “They who have turned the world upside down have come here also” and “Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world even our faith” and “Ye are a holy generation a royal priesthood” and “That he might deliver us from this present world” and “I have overcome the world” and “The friendship of the world is enmity with God” and “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world” and “Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world.” WOW! I think you had better talk this over with God!

You can live in a godless home and still be transformed and not conformed. I can prove it for some of you reading this article are living in godly homes and you are being conformed and not transformed. Thus, it must not be the home as much as it is you!

Paul told the Christians in Rome that is was possible in their morally polluted atmosphere to breathe without poisoning their souls. Now, if it is possible for the Christians in Rome then it is possible for the Christians in you city to live for God.

You can work in a godless factory go to a godless school, live in a godless home, live in a godless neighborhood, and still be transformed. It is a shame that some of the bus riders from the ghettos of your area live better Christian lives than those who have moms and dads who sing in the church choir, served on the deacon board, teaches Sunday school, serve on the church staff, or are faithful church members. Be ye transformed and not conformed!

It matters not who you are and what you are; you can live for God wherever and whenever. Factory workers can live for God. If they could do it in Rome and Paul expected them to do it in Rome then so can any of us! The Holy Spirit that inspired the Bible expected them to live for God in Rome, which means we can also live for God in our Rome.

OPEN LETTER

2018-01-01T10:10:00.000-06:00

OPEN LETTER

Dear Friends,

I wanted to drop you a brief note to let you know how much I appreciate your prayers and your support in 2017. SOLVE CHURCH PROBLEMS has been in existence now for eight years. This ministry has birthed INDEPENDENT BAPTIST ONLINE COLLEGE, IBOC Bookstore, IBOC Publications, INDEPENDENTBAPTIST.COM web site for articles, and started printing THE BAPTIST MAGAZINE again.

In addition I have published my 35th book, INTRODUCING JACK HYLES TO A NEW GENERATION. All of this would not be possible if it were not for you. I have given the remaining years of my life to traveling our nation in hopes of stirring up SOUL WINNING and SUNDAY SCHOOL in our churches while writing books.

I celebrated my 72nd birthday on December 18, 2017. I am more excited than I have ever been for the future of fundamentalism as we knew it. I am determined to fight the fight to keep alive what my mentors and friends have invested in me, my family, and my ministry. No time to compromise now.

This past year we moved SOLVE CHURCH PROBLEMS ministry to IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH of Jacksonville, FL., under Pastor Greg Neal. I have given my books to BEREAN PUBLICATIONS for publishing and printing. This is a growing and thriving church with old time fundamentalism as its DNA.

I have not given up on this great nation. I have seen, tasted, and been a part of a great move of God. Lord being my helper I will continue to push the old time fundamentalism that I became a part of in my early 20’s. I have seen the hand of God on the churches I pastored and they produced a great number of souls.

I flew 190,000 miles plus in 2017 and I have, with a couple exceptions, a full schedule for 2018. Last year the Lord allowed me to win 166 precious souls to Christ with 66 of those following the Lord in baptism. My heart’s desire is to see what I not only saw, but was a part of with the great men of the past. Believe me, it was no fluke. It was the real deal.

Can God do it again? ABSOLUTELY!

Dr. Bob Gray Sr.

Ps. 84:11

SOLVE CHURCH PROBLEMS

PO Box 6216

Longview, TX 75608

I PUT MY LIFE IN MY HANDS

2017-12-26T15:39:00.001-06:00

PUTTING MY LIFE IN MY OWN HANDS

Judges 12:3, “And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?”

I Thessalonians 4:11, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;”

One of the most amazing statements made in the Bible is that statement made by Jephthah, “When I saw that ye delivered them not I put my life in my hands…” One day you will need this truth so please pay attention to this article. One of these days you are going to come to a heartache, burden, sorrow, battle, and you will need this truth.

I am not going to in this article deal with the vow of Jephthah about sacrificing the first thing that came out of the gate if God would give him the victory. I want to bring to your attention when Jephthah was fighting against the Ammonites how he was that great general conscripted by the people to fight the Ammonites. He contacted the tribe of Ephraim, one of the favored tribes in the Bible, and he told them of the battles yet the Ephramites did not come to his aid. He fought the battle for he even said; “I put my life in my hands.”

He fought the Ammonites without his own people’s help. After the victory is won, which is so often the case, the Ephramites said, “Why didn’t you come and ask us to help?” They wanted the spoils without fighting the battle. Jephthah told them that he did call for their help! “When I was at the crisis point I called for your help but you didn’t come! You didn’t show up at all!” Thus we have the statement by Jephthah; “I put my life in my own hands.”

There are two things that he did that brought the victory. He divided his problem into two areas with the first area being what he could not do about his problem or what he could not control. The second area was what he could do about his problem.

Jephthah divided his problems into two areas of what he could not control or could not fix plus what he could control or could fix. Whichever area you choose will determine your joy and success in life and victories in life. When you look at things you can’t control or you can’t fix, then you look at things you can control and you can fix, you must decide at that point where to expend your energy.

If you live in the things you can’t control or fix you will despair, complain, and have self-pity. In this area of choice you will become the victim. We have a society, which has evolved into a victim society or a victim of circumstances.

Modern psychiatrists say we need to look for the blame! Hogwash! They say you are a victim but God says let’s find a cure because you are a victor! You can live in the first area or you could choose to live in the second area?

JEPHTHAH CHOSE TO FOCUS ON WHAT HE COULD CONTROL

Jephthah chose to live in the second area. He had a problem! He faced a big problem so Jephthah divided his problem into two areas. The two areas are "What I cannot control or fix or "What I can control and fix.

Jephthah choose the second area and he focused on what he could control and what he could fix. In essence he said it will do me not one bit of good to live where I cannot control. I can blame Ephraim, I can fight Ephraim, I can write hot letters, and I could tell everyone about how Ephraim treated me but that will not accomplish one thing. Ephraim is not going fight with me and if I focus on what I cannot control I’m going to fail.

However, I can focus my energies on what I can control and put my life in my own hands! Jephthah is saying I have two good arms, two good legs, a good mind, some men who are with me, and a country that is loyal to me so I’m going to focus on what I can control!

Every problem we have can be divided into these two areas. If we choose the first we will be miserable for sure. If we choose the second area we will overcome. If I become bitter and let my enemies dominate my mind and my life I can’t control them. I can’t fix them and that will not help me.

I can’t help, encourage, and love people if I’m bitter. I can’t encourage if I am discouraged! I can’t love if I hate! I can’t focus on others if I’m focused on me! I cannot keep people from attacking me or criticizing me, but I can prove them wrong!

That is why we fight back because we are wrapped up in areas we cannot control or fix. Do not spend your life focusing on what you can’t control and fix. Spend your life focusing on what you can control and fix.

All the critics in the world cannot stop me from helping, giving, soul winning, reading my Bible, praying, giving tithes and offerings, and from supporting soul winning ministries. If I can make it after 61 years of being saved and 46 years in the ministry then you can make it too! I have made it because I do not live in area number one with things I cannot control and things I cannot fix.

Anyone can make focusing on the cure, while no one can make it focusing on what you cannot cure! Anyone can make it by focusing on what you can control or fix. No one can make it focusing on what you cannot control or fix.

Let the heathen rage! Let the critics criticize! Let the scandalizers scandalize! Let the gossips gossip! Let the attackers attack! Let the liars lie! Let the enemies hate, but you live fixing what you can control.

The truth is if you want to really get back at your enemies ignore them and do something big! Let the works speak for you! I’m going to spend my life focusing on what I can control and not on what I cannot control.

Jephthah said I’ve been betrayed by the Ephramites and I have two choices. One to spend my life becoming critical, bitter, vengeful, or I could forget about Ephraim and figure out how to win the battle and put my life in my own hands fixing that which I can control.

We also have two choices to make. You can feel sorry for yourself, get despondent, get bitter, get angry, or you could decide to expend energy in working on what you can control and ignore what you cannot control. You can cry how unfair life is or you can tackle life as it is!

Jephthah had the answer of “I put my life in my hands.”

DEGREES OF SEPARATION

2017-12-22T09:00:00.002-06:00

On December 12, I had just returned from preaching the gospel in Haiti and was standing in the security line in the Miami Airport when I received a link to Josh Teis’ recent article on The Six Degrees of Separation. I read, with interest, his observations and conclusions on Independent Fundamental Baptists and his own experiences relating to them. Josh is a pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Las Vegas, NE. He has led the church in Sin City to reach many with the gospel. For this I am grateful.

A quick online glance will reveal that Josh has a positive spirit and a spoken desire to reach many people for Christ. In the past few years, he has revealed a growing desire to influence preachers through his own Idea Day. This is a gathering of men in the ministry, both old and young, who are eager to share new ideas in current day ministry. I applaud his passion for the gospel and his passion to influence folks to be effective ministers.

However, when it comes to his ideas on separation and the view he promotes in this article, he is wrong – Biblically wrong. I do not take issue with him personally. I simply have a problem with some of his ideas. They are inaccurate, unscriptural, and worldly; and silence is no longer an option.

In this article, Josh asked, “Am I wrong?” Our answer is yes!

First, this article is factually wrong…several times over. Independent Baptists did not begin as a protest against the Southern Baptist Convention in the 1900s. They trace their history back to men like Adoniram Judson of missionary fame in the 1800s, Shubal Stearns of North Carolina in the 1700s, Roger Williams of Rhode Island, and John Bunyan of England in the 1600s. Then there is Peter Waldo of northern Italy and the Waldensians of the late 1100s through the 1500s, the Albigensians of France, the Lollards of England and the Donatists of Northern Africa. This is just to name a few! This conclusion is based upon an extremely limited understanding of our roots.

Other factual errors include his conclusion that “The Death of John R. Rice” was the beginning of division among Independent Baptists; his assumption that Independent Baptists are a Denomination; his idea that separation is punishment; and his postulation that it is a sin to refuse to unify with those who hold to aberrant and unbiblical doctrines. This list is just a portion of the plain factual errors that exist.

Second, an objective reader of the blog is left to wonder if Josh is enamored with the Southern Baptists as well as other theological compromisers and disdains Independent Baptists while trying to convey the opposite. He leaves this impression via phrases like “the rapid crumbling of the IFB” and his statement that “several vocal leaders within the SBC took exception with the idea of raising 75 million dollars” to reach the world, and his question “why is it a problem for me to have an actual Baptist Calvinist like John Piper preach in my church” and his conclusion “I relate to Criswell more than Norris,” are all indicators of a directional shift away from one position and toward another. No one is stopping him, if that is his desire, but he cannot head one way in action and claim another in word and expect folks to believe him.

Third, the straw men that emerge from this make you think you have come into a zombie scarecrow convention! Josh Teis blows them away in this virtual video game world, all the while presenting them as pictures of how things really are…when they are not. Generalizations with the first-person plural “we” leave the impression that Independent Baptists are collaborating on every decision relating to separation or any other matter. Not so. Other statements like Independent Baptists are “demanding absolute and complete agreement on every matter,” or “a man must separate himself from anyone who doesn’t completely and utterly agree with him,” or “if you happen to disagree with anyone in the family of God, about anything in the universe, you have a right and obligation to separate yourself from them as soon as possible,” or “3rd degree, 4th degree separation,” are all off base. Are there some among us who demand perfect agreement on everything?

I have been traveling for two decades preaching across the country and around the world in hundreds of Independent Baptist churches. I have found very, very, very few. Do we have strong opinions? Yes. Do we have solid Bible convictions? Yes. Do we have preferences? Of course. Yet one of our tenants as Baptists is Individual Soul Liberty (Romans 14; I Corinthians 8) and Priesthood of the Believer (Hebrews 4:16; Revelation 1:6). Both truths point to the freedom of conscience and immediate access to Heaven’s Throne so that we, individually, from the Bible, can determine what is right on questionable matters. That is the spirit of Independent Baptists I have discovered again and again.

Fourth, there is a disconnect in Josh’s thinking between doctrine and practice. He wants to appeal to the Rodney King in us all: “Why can’t we all just get along?” He mentions the importance of a theological position but undermines the importance of one’s associations. This ignores and violates Scripture. Jehu asked the good king Jehoshaphat after he allied with wicked Ahab, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD” (II Chronicles 19:2)? Associations. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20). Associations. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go” (Proverbs 22:24). Associations. Our theological position matters so much that it affects our…associations.

Doctrine also affects our practical living. My understanding that God is holy (Isaiah 57:15) helps me to practice personal holiness (I Peter 1:16). This also impacts how we ought to behave in the house of God (I Timothy 3:15). Could this possibly confront a wrong style of music and promote a right style of music for the “house of God”? Absolutely! Does this have any bearing on pulpit attire? Of course! It will influence my spirit, my attitude, my passion, my preferences, my convictions, my behavior, and more. It also has bearing on my personal desire to be less like the world and more like Jesus Christ!

When the church looks and sounds like a nightclub, when the pastor dresses more like the neighborhood teenager seeking to be the next rock star, when Hollywood movie tickets are passed out to church visitors, when preaching is diminished to a sermonette and vested of its authority by a sermon team’s approval or disapproval of it, when Independent Baptist preachers are sitting at the feet of Rick Warren, Chuck Swindoll, T4G, and the Gospel Coalition instead of the New Testament, and when all of this is done in the name of innovation and new ideas something is dreadfully wrong! (FTR, these practices are espoused and encouraged by Josh Teis). Whatever happened to I Thessalonians 5:22 and a myriad of other Scriptures?!? Teis seems either oblivious or unwilling to make the connection between doctrine and practice.

The most egregious and offensive aspect of the article was his misrepresentation of separation. He equated it with division. Not once but again and again! This reveals a glaring ignorance of the Bible. As early as Genesis 1, God separated light from darkness. He separated his people from the Gentiles. Any high point in Israel’s history was when they were separate and distinct from the world, and any low point was when they mixed in with the world and their wicked practices. The same is true with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ! I John 2:15-17, James 4:1-10, and Romans 12:1-2 are all in order here.

When Josh took issue with Ernest Pickering’s book, Biblical Separation: The Struggle for a Pure Church, he laid all the problems among Independent Baptists squarely at his feet. Huh? It seems he is pointing out a problem of politics, (following men) and division (you’re wrong if you don’t see it my way), then ignoring the real cause (the world, the flesh and the devil) and presenting a solution of…more politics (following him) and division (You’re the problem if you don’t see it my way)! This is silly at best and sinister at worst.

In the end, Josh assured us of his love for Independent Baptists and his desire to see us change and practice Biblical separation. I’m for that! The irony is that he only used two verses in the whole blog post…two…only two, and one was used to mock the biblical idea of separation! Josh, may I present to you a few others? Romans 16:17-18 instructs us to “mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” II Thessalonians 3:6-15 exhort to “withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us…note that man and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.” This is referring to a lazy busybody within the church. I Corinthians 5:9, 11 warn us not to keep company or eat with fornicating, covetous, idolatrous, railing, drunkard, thieving brothers.

New Testament separation encourages purity in church endeavors, marriage, personal matters and business. It challenges a purity from sin and worldliness wherever it is found. These Bible passages couldn’t be any clearer. Josh Teis, along with others, has sadly either ignored or misunderstood these passages. A brief study of church history shows, when these truths of separation are ignored, the outcome has never been good. Never.

One of the greatest problems I have with his article is that he makes this whole matter centered around men. Much is made of men who have led us, led us astray or not led us. Little is made about the Bible and the Captain of our Salvation Jesus Christ! If the problem is men, point us to the Bible and Christ. If this was his attempt, he failed. The Independent Baptist position is not men-led or men-driven; it is a fixed point of truth. It will always be. Are there men who rise up as leaders? Yes. Are there those who willingly or inadvertently present themselves as popes? Yes! Yet the solution is not more of the same in an opposite extreme!

The solution is not pragmatic philosophy!

The solution is not an acceptance of worldliness, ecumenism, and compromise!

The proper solution is always the same. Turn back to the Bible and its Author!

There is a new generation of Independent Baptist preachers old and young who are not rising up, that has been part of our problem. They are falling down on their face, asking God to forgive us for our humanistic and worldly practices, steering their people clear of false doctrine and those who practice it, and then stepping into their pulpits and preaching, “Thus saith the Lord!” With these, I cast my lot, not the others who have traded us, are trading us, and will trade us in for another “mess of pottage!”

Dwight Smith is a Theology Without Apology Contributor and a full-time Evangelist. Over the past 20 years, Dwight has preached all around the U.S. and in numerous foreign countries. To read his full bio click here: BIO

To offer Dwight your feedback, please comment below.

STRIFE IS A PART OF LIFE

2017-12-20T11:41:00.001-06:00

Getting Along With Others

Genesis 13:7, “And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.”

Numbers 12:1, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.”

Acts 15:36-39, ³⁶“And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. ³⁷And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. ³⁸But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. ³⁹And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.”

Galatians 2:11-14, ¹¹“But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ¹²For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. ¹³And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ¹⁴But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”

In these passages of Scripture, we learn of four different situations in which people did not get along with each other. Genesis 13 deals with the strife between the herdsman of Lot and Abraham and the eventual separation of Lot and Abraham because of the strife. In Numbers 12, we read about the strife between Aaron and Miriam, Moses’ brother and sister. In Acts, we learn there was division between Paul and Barnabas and between Paul and Peter.

Why is there so much strife between people? Husbands and wives bicker between themselves. There is strife in churches, even between the very leaders of fundamentalism. Pastors become disenchanted with their members, and the members, likewise, become disenchanted with their pastor. Why is there strife between people?

In a question and answer session, a preacher once asked Dr. Jack Hyles, “Why don’t leaders get along with each other as they once did? I am tired of the fighting between our leaders.”

Dr. Hyles replied, “You mean, like Paul and Barnabas? They had dissention between them, and they split up. After Paul and John Mark disagreed, John Mark quit and turned back. Paul and Peter quarreled when Peter refused to eat with the Gentiles and Paul rebuked him. John Wesley and George Whitefield could not get along with each other. J. Frank Norris and John R. Rice had a falling out. J. Frank Norris and G.B. Vick, literally, split the Bible Baptist Fellowship down the middle. John R. Rice wrote articles against Bob Jones, Sr., in The Sword of the Lord, and Bob Jones, Sr., retaliated by writing a book against Dr. Rice. John Calvin and Martin Luther would hardly speak to each other.”

Each of us has strengths, but those strengths are always accompanied by corresponding weaknesses. A person who has the strength of leadership usually has the accompanying weakness of stubbornness. Everything has to be done his way. However, remove the weakness of stubbornness and you will also remove the strength of leadership, and that leader will be destroyed. We tend to forget that the stubbornness of a leader keeps him from being a coward.

A person who has the strength of strong leadership will also have the accompanying weakness of clashing with other strong leaders. A dynamic leader, like Peter, will sometimes demonstrate impetuous behavior. A tender, broken-hearted Jeremiah will experience depression from time to time, and he will even consider quitting.

A person who loves Jesus, as John did, will also expect the privilege of sitting beside Him in the kingdom. Moses used his strength to demand that Pharaoh free the Israelites from bondage; then, his weakness was demonstrated with a fit of temper. On the other hand, Aaron had none of the weaknesses of leadership, nor did he have the strengths. He gave in to the children of Israel and allowed them to build a golden calf.

The Apostle Paul was probably the greatest Christian of his day, but he had his weaknesses, too. He frequently clashed with the other leaders, such as Barnabas, John Mark, or Peter. He became impatient with John Mark’s weakness.

When Weakness becomes Compromise Expect Opposition

He deeply loved the Jews and wanted them to be saved. He even wished himself accursed for the sake of his kinsmen. Yet, in his fervor for his fellow Jews, he once compromised, shaved his head, and took a Jewish vow. The line was crossed when his weakness became a compromise. The same is true in our day and time when weakness becomes the father of wrong then do not be upset with those who point it out.

You must learn to accept a person with both his strengths and weaknesses within the realm of right. You must accept the liabilities along with the assets within right. There is no place for leadership to endorse and accept compromise. Realize, you cannot have strong leadership without dominance. You cannot have provision and protection without possession. You cannot have wisdom without opinion, or zeal without impatience. To oppose the Emerging church model is to say weakness in music and weakness in separation from the world cannot and will not be condoned. Why? Because you step outside of the circumference of Scriptures.

Weakness does not encompass compromise. There is a vast difference between a weakness and a fatal flaw. When compromise becomes the norm among leaders then do not be surprised when a strong leader will oppose such. Influence is a powerful attribute and can cause irreversible damage to the followers of compromising leadership. Thus when some adapt and adopt to contrary lifestyles to Scripture do not be shocked when opposition is strong. Egyptian music and morals will destroy God's people. Thus, no one should be shocked or upset when strength is exercised.

If you want a pastor with courage and conviction, then accept his stubbornness. If you want a strong, dynamic, and powerful preacher, do not expect to be able to control him. You cannot have a bland leader—a dominant Barney Fife, a General Milk toast, an emotional stoic, or a mousy lion. He cannot preach like the Apostle Paul, and then act like Norman Vincent Peale. If he hollers about sodomy, he will also holler at your children. You cannot have a preacher who is willing to fight, and then expect to pick which battles he is allowed to fight. If he has fire, you will someday be burned. The same water that refreshes you has the potential to drown you.

Husband, if you want your wife to run the finances and the household affairs, then you must accept the fact that she will also try to run you. You cannot expect her to be submissive. If you want her to help you earn a living, you must expect her to want your help washing the dishes. If you want a loving, sentimental wife, expect her to weep when she is disappointed in you. If you want her to be opinionated in other situations, expect that she will, sometimes, disagree with you.

Wife, you must accept your husband’s stubbornness along with his leadership. You cannot have a husband who is a Moses at work and an Aaron at home. He cannot be a giant at work and a mouse at home. He cannot be Superman at work and Clark Kent at home.

The reason we strive with each other is because we want the strengths of another person without his accompanying weaknesses. How can we avoid this constant strife with other people?

Before Entering a Permanent Relationship, Decide What Strengths You Want

Young person, before you go to college, decide what strengths you want in a college, then choose your college based on those strengths. Choose your employment based on those strengths. Before you marry, decide what strengths you want in a mate, and then choose a mate based on those desired strengths. Recognize that the height of his heights corresponds to the depth of his depths. If his strengths are not strong, his weaknesses will not be as weak.

Church member; realize you need a strong leader who will not move to the left. Choose a church on the basis of a pastor’s strengths, not his personal appeal. A church needs an old-fashioned, Hell-fire, damnation Baptist preacher who will holler. He will have a temper, and he will be stubborn; but it is better to have a pastor who believes something than to have a pastor who believes nothing. The weakness that makes him stubborn will become strength when he stands firm on the King James Bible or standards.

Preacher; realize you need strong leaders in a movement in order to sustain the successes of that movement. No movement will survive without strong leadership which also has weaknesses. As long as those weaknesses do not violate Scripture you can live with it. Do not follow those who on purpose refuse to mention men of God like Dr. Jack Hyles. No need to reinvent the wheel or the patterns of our fundamental Baptist leaders of the past.

If You Are in a Permanent Relationship, Accept What You Have

If you have been in a relationship long enough—whether it is marriage, church membership, or employment—you have already discovered the other person’s weaknesses. Time always exposes our weaknesses. Learn to accept them! Do not jump from church to church, from pastor to pastor, from employer to employer. Settle down and realize the success that is already found in that relationship. Accept that the success is because of the strengths, even though you do not like the corresponding weaknesses.

Thank God for the Strengths and the Corresponding Weaknesses within the perimeters of Scripture

We always thank God for the strengths, but we should, also, thank Him for the weaknesses. We should not be content or accept the weaknesses; we should thank God for them. Thank God your pastor is fundamental, he foams at the mouth, he throws songbooks, and he preaches the devil out of sinners!

More lessons are learned from the results of weakness than the results of strength. With that in mind you need to thank God when your pastor shoots the wrong person because of the lessons learned! Thank God when he nails your hide to the door when you did not do anything wrong! Lessons are learned from every misstep. He is only human, after all, and his strength has an accompanying weakness. In every relationship—between husband and wife, parent and teacher, pastor and member, or boss and employee— accept the strengths with the accompanying weaknesses.

Again, no one is saying we should accept compromising of Scriptures. It is within the sphere of Scriptures and doing right where we find humanity exposed. Those weaknesses are a part of being a human being. But, when it is a violation of the Bible it then morphs into tragedy.

Remember There Are No Strengths Without Accompanying Weaknesses

People cannot get along with each other because they love assets, but hate the liabilities. Accept the liabilities of a strong, growing church that takes a stand. Accept the bus kids. Accept the Give-It-Alls. Accept the standards and the rules in the Christian school.

Accept your spouse’s liabilities along with his, or her, assets. Wife, accept your strong husband’s stubbornness. Husband; accept your submissive wife’s tendency to cry. If you reject someone because of his weaknesses, you will also reject his strengths.

Accept Both the Weaknesses and the Strengths

One time, in a conference in Michigan, Dr. John R. Rice and Dr. Jack Hyles were preaching together. A lady stood behind the pulpit and sang a special in a miniskirt. Afterwards, Dr. Rice stood to preach and said, “Now that the hussy is through singing, I’ll go ahead and preach the Bible.” His statement caused a furor, and many people refused to come back to the meeting or subscribe to The Sword of the Lord.

In another meeting my wife and I attended, a preacher talked about the church starting on the Day of Pentecost. After the preacher was done, Dr. Rice stood and looked at him, saying, “My dear brother, that was a wonderful sermon. Too bad it’s not in the Bible. I suggest you say as much about the church starting on the Day of Pentecost as the Bible says, and that is nothing." Then he started straight into his message.

On another occasion, Dr. Rice was preaching in near Kankakee, Illinois. A man from the local Nazarene college was playing the organ for the service. When Dr. Rice asked everyone to bow his head for prayer, the man started to play the organ. Dr. Rice asked him to stop, but the organist kept playing.

Dr. Rice asked him again to stop playing, but the organist kept playing. Finally, Dr. Rice walked over to the organ and yelled, “Shut that box off, now!” but the organist continued to play. Dr. Rice threw a fit, and the organist told him he was trying to set the mood for prayer. Dr. Rice said, “God is not moved by it, so quit it. We are going to pray.” People accepted Dr. Rice’s strengths, but they rejected his weaknesses.

Paul, the greatest missionary that ever lived, had his strengths and weaknesses. The greatest Christians in the history of mankind, Peter and Paul, fussed with each other. Many of the great leaders in history could not get along. We must realize that we, too, must learn to get along with each other and accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

In every area of life, the same strengths that are assets cause the same weaknesses that are liabilities. You must have both; you cannot have one without the other. Do not reject your relationship with a person because you cannot accept his weaknesses. Do not try to correct the weaknesses; in so doing, you will destroy the very strengths that make a person great.

ARE YOU IN A SLUMP?

2017-12-12T11:45:00.002-06:00

Advice to Those In a Slump

Psalm 55:6, “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then I would fly away, and be at rest.”

At some point in every baseball player’s life, he experiences what is known as a “hitting slump.” He swings and swings and swings, but the bat just does not connect with the ball. He practices and practices, but to no avail. This is simply a normal part of every ball player’s career.

Similarly, every Christian hits an emotional and spiritual slump. You wake up one day feeling you are in the middle of a losing streak. The charm of life is missing. You remember the days of being on the mountaintop, but you cannot seem to climb to those heights, again. You realize instead of having a joyous Christian life, you are simply going through the motions. Yet, you desperately want to feel what you once felt and what others are still feeling.

There was a time when your heart would burn as you read the blessed Scriptures; you used to weep over its pages, and you would tingle and rejoice. Now you no longer feel the same. You once enjoyed your prayer time, your audience with the King of kings and Lord of lords. You realized you were talking with the mighty Creator of the universe. You had a joy and a thrill when you went boldly before the throne of grace to present your petitions and find grace to help you in times of needs. However, something has happened, and that thrill is no longer there.

When the pastor asked you to take a Sunday school class, you were overjoyed with the privilege of teaching the eternal Word of God to the eternal souls of those pupils. Now, however, it is a drudgery to teach that class. When you brought a bus full of children to Sunday school, you were so excited that they would have the opportunity to hear the message of grace. Now you wish you could feel that way, again. What is wrong with you?

Maybe you have an overwhelming urge to leave a note on your boss’s door and just disappear. You would like to keep driving into the sunset. You would like to dispose of your spouse, your mother-in-law, and your children. This feeling is not unique to you. It is not unique to preachers or lay people, to men or women, to teenagers or adults. Everyone has similar feelings at one time or another. Some simply have learned to fake it and not let their faces show their feelings.

The great prophet Elijah found himself in a slump. He stood against 450 prophets of Baal and called down fire on his sacrifice. Afterwards, he directed the people of Israel to slay the false prophets. Then, he called down rain on a parched land.

Yet, in I Kings 19:4 we read of Elijah, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

In verse 14 he said, “…I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Moses, the great leader of Israel, also had a slump. In Numbers 11:11‑12, we find him talking to God. ¹¹“…Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? ¹²Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?”

Moses was complaining that God had given him the burden of caring for the Israelites. He was complaining that he had to babysit them and deal with the troublemakers. Why was he complaining? He was suffering a time of depression, or, if you please, a slump.

Notice this statement: “The future appalls me. I dare not think of it.” Can you imagine who would have written such a depressing statement? It was made by John Calvin, the reforming preacher. Martin Luther, the man who spearheaded the Protestant Reformation, once said, “I am sick of this life, if it can be called life at all.”

I am not talking about a period in your life when you are overtaken by sin. I am not talking about being backslidden. You are not getting drunk or running around on your spouse. I am talking about times when you are going to church and serving God. You are doing the best you can, but nothing seems to be the same.

You read your Bible and pray, but your walk with God is not exciting to you. Church attendance is drudgery. The thrill has gone out of choir practice. You feel like you are running around in circles, and you seem to be going nowhere. You are going through a slump. Here is some advice about what to do while you are in your slump that will help you through this period of time.

Do Not Change a Thing

When you are in a slump, you should not change anything. Keep the same schedule. Keep reading your Bible, praying, and going soul winning. God is testing you to see why you really serve Him. He wants to know if you serve Him out of love or feeling. Do you serve Him because you love Him, or because you want to feel that tingling feeling?

This is what separates mature Christians from immature Christians. If you serve God just because you tingle, then when the battle gets hot, you will run. If you serve God for applause, then you will quit when people want to crucify you.

You should not read the Bible for the thrill of learning something new; you should thrill because God tells you to read His Book. When the day arrives that you no longer want to teach your Sunday school class, become a mature Christian and continue to teach and build that class. Teach that class because you love God, not because you want a thrill. When your motivation for serving God is based on love for Him rather than a thrill, you are maturing.

Are you in a slump? Pray as you have always prayed. Keep having your devotions every day. Keep going to church and tithing. Keep going soul winning. Do not change a thing. God wants to know if you are real. Do you serve Him out of love and obedience, or do you serve Him just for the thrill of having 100 riders on your bus? Do you serve Him just because you have 10 baptisms on your bus route or you break your Sunday school attendance record? Do you serve Him for fun, or because you love Him?

The thrill is a by-product of serving God, but it is not the reason to serve God. Not every week can be a big day. We enjoy the thrills of the campaigns, but not every week will be a thrill. There will be weeks when it is 100 degrees, and no one on the bus has taken a bath for a week. There will be times when you do not want to pray. Nevertheless, do not change a thing; just keep doing what you have been doing.

Do Not Make Any Major Decisions

Most of our decisions are made when we are in a slump, yet that is the worst time to make decisions. When you are blue, sick, or bereaved, it is not the time to make any major decisions. When church members are in a slump, they often become upset and quit. They never stop to consider that the problem may be their lack of obedience to God in reading the Bible, praying, going to church, and going soul winning. Many lives have been destroyed because someone made a bad decision while in a slump.

Do Not Run to Anything New

When I was in high school, Dick McCullough, a left-handed player, was playing for the Detroit Tigers. He held his bat high in the air, and did everything just the opposite of the way it was supposed to be done, yet he batted .298 and .300. When he was playing for the Tigers, they were world champions.

During those years, I was playing baseball, and I was the leading hitter on the team. I hit a bit of a slump, and, deciding to try something new, I tried to hit like Dick McCullough. It did not work, and I could not hit anything. It was a mistake for me to try something new.

The world’s solution to a slump is trying something new. However, if you keep running to something new, eventually you will run out of new things to try. If you have to buy a new toy every time you are in a slump, you will quickly find yourself in trouble. There are not enough things in the world to perpetually keep you out of a slump. That is not the answer to your problems. Keep doing what you have been doing.

Do Not Blame Anything or Anyone

If you find yourself in a slump, do not blame your spouse, your parents or grandparents, your foreman, your pastor, the church, or anyone else. God is the Author of these slumps. When you point your finger at someone else, you are simply admitting you are afraid to point your finger at God. Grow up and face your slump; realize God is using it to expose the real reason you are serving Him.

Forget Yourself and Help Someone Else

When Dr. John R. Rice was six years old, he went to his father and told him he wanted to be saved. His father told him he was too young, that he could not get saved until he was ten years old. Rather than mope about the fact that he could not get saved yet, the young Dr. Rice said ok then I will look for children who were ten years of age or older. He told them about Christ and showed them how to be saved. He was able to lead about 90% of the children in his school, who were ten years or older, to the Lord before he was even saved.

You can do nothing about the slump you are in; help someone else, and make it easier on him. Take a bus route and keep people out of Hell. If you are in slump with the Bible, you can still teach your children the Bible and to be decent young people. If you are in a slump about your pastor, you can still learn from the sermons he preaches. Look for something in the sermons rather than slumbering through the sermons.

When you are wrapped up in someone else, you will forget about your own problems. Your burdens will not seem as heavy. If you are in a slump, you are thinking about yourself too much and not enough about others.

Everyone falls into a slump from time to time. Forget about yourself and help someone else. Stay in church. Enter your closet and talk to God about it; He is the only One Who can help you. Then, stand up and face your problem and keep going for God.

HOW TO FIGHT DEPRESSION

2017-12-07T12:07:00.001-06:00

The Valley Of Depression

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

One day I was counseling with a man who made this statement, “I wish I were like you and I never got depressed. After all, preachers never get depressed.” He did not realize how wrong he was. All of us have bouts of depression on the roller coaster of life. Never buy a book that tells you how to avoid depression. It is a waste of money. There is no way to avoid depression; it is simply a normal part of life.

We must all experience the highs and lows in the cycle of life. Life is not a straight ride without valleys and mountains. In fact, depression is actually good for you. You cannot enjoy the mountaintop without experiencing the valley. Only by experiencing a cloudy day will you appreciate the sunny days. Depression is only bad if it becomes a permanent way of life.

Great Leaders In the Bible Fought depression

Many great leaders in the Bible have been known for their bouts of depression. Jeremiah became so depressed that he quit preaching. He even refused to speak to anyone in God’s name. After winning a great victory over the prophets of Baal, Elijah fled from Jezebel. Later he sat under a juniper tree and desired to die. David became depressed because he thought God had cast him off and would never use him again. Jonah became depressed after the great revival in Nineveh because the people were saved and God did not kill them. The disciples became depressed after Jesus was crucified, not knowing He had been raised from the dead.

Even great leaders, in more recent times, have suffered bouts of depression. I have seen Dr. Jack Hyles when he came face to face with depressing things. I have seen Evangelist Lester Roloff, Dr. Lee Roberson, and Dr. Wendell Evans battling depressing things in life. At one point in Charles Spurgeon’s life, when his health was failing and his wife was an invalid, he went to France for a while and sent his sermons back to his church so they could be read from the pulpit.

I, also, have experienced problems that have brought on times of depression. One Monday morning I went to the airport to fly to a preaching engagement in Atlanta, Georgia. My wife had just undergone surgery to install a pump for pain control. She returned to the doctor to have the staples removed, and the doctor found that she had a staph infection. Several years earlier she had suffered a deadly staph infection that never completely left her system, making her susceptible to recurring staph infections. The doctor said he would have to remove the pump. She would, then, have to wait 3 months to have another surgery for a new pump. That was a depressing time for us.

When our grandson, R.G., was born, the doctors found he had severe physical problems. That was a valley, not just for my son Bob and his wife, Kelly; it was a valley for us, as his grandparents, too.

Yet, R.G. has been such a blessing to our family. He is so happy, and he thoroughly enjoys life. A few years after the birth of R.G., our granddaughter was stillborn to Scott and Jenny. That was another time of depression for us.

God does not tell us, in the Bible, how we can avoid depression. However, He does tell us that, when those times of depression come, we should not stay in the valley. The depression should be a visitor, not a tenant; a renter, not an owner. It can be a tourist, not a citizen; a vagrant, not a dweller; a wayfarer, not an inhabitant; a sojourner, not a host; a guest, not a family member. It should be temporary.

Depression is necessary for Joy

Psalm chapter 126, verses 5 and 6 promise, ⁵“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. ⁶He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Joy comes in the morning, after the nighttime. The valley increases the joy of the mountain peak. Clouds increase the joy of sunlight. Wintertime increases the joy of summer. There can be no peak without a valley, no sunrise without the setting of the sun, no harvest without a time of sowing. Depression will come.

Do not think depression is a sin or that you are backslidden. It is part of your emotions. We are in a war in this world, and there is no joy in the loss of soldiers’ lives when they fight for freedom. However, we must find a way to keep depression from staying in our lives. We cannot avoid its presence, but we can avoid its permanence. We need to make sure morning will come and the sun will rise.

The 7th and 8th chapters of Romans are contrasts of depression and mountains. In chapter 7, Paul is suffering from depression. In verse 24 he cries, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” He is in the midnight hour, in the middle of winter. He is discouraged.

Then, in chapter 8, Paul comes out of the depression. He climbs the mountain and awakes to the sunshine. He has victory, and it is summertime. He is now encouraged. He tells us in verse 28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

When depression comes and you are in the valley, start doing what God made you to do. Pick up your rifle and jump back into the battle. Otherwise, you will be finished, and you will be knocked down. If you sit around feeling sorry for yourself, you will never pull yourself out of the depression.

If you do not have any money, go find a job. If you are having problems with your wife, do what God made you to do and love her. If your grades are bad in school, try studying and doing your homework and if you are in trouble at work, start working harder.

DIVERSION IS NOT AN ANSWER TO DEPRESSION

When you are depressed, diversion does not work because it simply delays the inevitable. It will not help to go to the amusement park. A wife’s depression is not alleviated when she goes shopping, or when she stays in bed and neglects the housework. It does not help to watch a video, go fishing, or play ball. The only way you can escape the depression is by doing what God made you to do. Do not withdraw; attack. Do not go away for a few days; get with it for a few days. Man your post. Do your duty, and carry out your assignment for God.

When my wife was in the hospital with the staph infection, the doctor decided to discharge her at noon on a Saturday. I called one of my staff men to take over the Saturday meetings at church so I could pick her up. The hours went by, but she was not discharged until 5:00 in the afternoon. While I was waiting, I went to Subway to buy a sandwich. I approached a family who was eating there and gave them the Gospel, and several people were saved.

Highs and lows are a normal part of life. When you hit a bout of depression, learn to pull out of it and climb on topside. Do what God made you to do. Go soul winning, tithe, and attend church. You can pull out of it if you want to.

THE DANGER OF LITTLE THINGS

2017-12-01T10:52:00.003-06:00

Trivial Pursuit

Esther 3:5 “And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.”

Haman is one of the most hated individuals in the history of the Jewish people. When his name is mentioned in the Orthodox synagogues, the men will shout, “Let his name be blotted out!” Some of the more religious Orthodox Jews will even hiss. If they have canes, they will beat them on the floor at the mention of Haman’s name.

Haman was the prime minister of the mighty, affluent nation of Persia. He was the favorite of King Ahasuerus. Mordecai was a Jew who had been taken captive out of the city of Jerusalem. When Haman walked by, everyone was commanded to bow before him. Mordecai, however, refused to bow, or to show reverence to him. While thousands of people bowed before Haman, Mordecai stood alone and refused to bow.

Haman was furious at the audacity of this Jew who refused to show reverence to him. He became so infuriated that he went to King Ahasuerus and asked his permission to massacre all of the Jews. Since Haman was the king’s favorite, his request was granted. King Ahasuerus decreed that every Jew in the kingdom was to be put to death on a date specified by the king. Can you imagine such a terrible thing? Because one Jew refused to bow, every Jew was to be put to death!

Haman hated Mordecai so much that he wanted to be personally responsible for Mordecai’s death. He began the construction of the gallows to hang Mordecai.

One night the king could not sleep, so he commanded his servants to bring him the records of the kingdom. While he was reading these chronicles, it was brought to his attention that Mordecai had once saved his life by reporting two gatekeepers who had planned an assassination. According to the records, he had never been rewarded or honored for this noble act.

While the king was reading this, Haman just happened to be standing outside his chambers, waiting to see him. The king called him in and told him someone in the kingdom had done something great for the king and deserved to be honored. He asked Haman for some suggestions of ways to honor this person. Since he did not mention Mordecai’s name, Haman assumed the king was talking about him. Haman suggested a parade in this person’s honor. This person could lead the parade riding on the king’s own horse, wear the king’s own apparel, and the king could tell everyone to bow down before him.

The king told him the person he wished to honor was Mordecai and Haman was mortified! He realized that he would have to honor the man he so greatly despised. On the day of the parade, Haman gave the king’s clothing to Mordecai and helped in the ceremony held to honor Mordecai. He had to instruct everyone to bow before Mordecai. After the parade was over, he went to his house in mourning, humiliated before the man he hated.

In the end, Haman’s plot to kill the Jews was exposed, and he was hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. I am sure, when the king’s men hanged Haman; he realized Mordecai’s insubordination had not been worth his anger. He probably wished he had simply ignored Mordecai.

There are several lessons we can learn from this story. We can conclude that God protects His own, that a person’s sin will find him out, and that pride cometh before a fall. However, most people miss the main lesson in this tragic story; Haman’s fall was caused by his obsession with a little thing. He was upset by one little thing, by one Jew who, when thousands of others bowed, stood alone and refused to bow.

Haman was oblivious to the fact that thousands of other people didbow before him. He could only see the one man who refused to bow. The silence of Mordecai was louder than the cheers of the masses. Haman’s anger toward one person caused him to lose his honor, and it finally caused his death.

We conquer mountains, and then we stumble over anthills. We are not overcome by boulders, but by tiny pebbles. Most of us become more upset over trivial things than we do over important things. I have seen couples bury a child in the cemetery and then quibble over a towel left on the floor. They receive great answers to prayer, but they tremble at the need of daily bread.

The same is true of churches and nations. I have seen churches that weather satanic storms and then split over the color of the songbooks. They fight the state government, and then they divide from within.

The nation of Israel crossed the Red Sea, and then balked at the tiny Jordan River. The United States of America, the greatest nation of our generation, rose up to conquer Germany and Japan, and then it trembled over the smaller countries of Cuba and Vietnam.

Elijah prayed down fire from Heaven and severed the heads of the prophets of Baal, but then he ran from one woman who had threatened him.

Most of us are like the proverbial elephant that is not afraid of the beasts of the jungle, yet flees the tiny mouse. We must not let a trivial thing destroy us when we have so many things going for us. We must thank God for the good things in our lives.

In churches everywhere you will find people who have been destroyed by trivial matters. Someone quits the choir because of a quibble with the choir director over a trivial matter. Someone gets mad because the usher did not seat him where he thought he should be seated. A bus driver becomes angry because he did not get the bus he wanted to drive, or a bus captain becomes angry because he was not given the bus route he wanted. A Sunday school teacher becomes angry because she was not given the class she wanted to teach. People become angry over things that are not worth “a hill of beans.”

Some college student gets upset over a little rule in the handbook. He, or she, will be distraught over a scolding by the Dean of Men or the Dean of Women. If they become so upset over a trivial matter, they will never be successful in the ministry. College is just an examination to prove a person’s character for real life.

PROTECT YOUR SPIRIT

Be careful to protect your spirit, for those trivial matters, those little irritants, are everywhere. They are the everyday problems in your marriage. Sometimes, your spouse will not put the cap on the tube of toothpaste or will not put the lid back on the milk or the peanut butter. Clothes and towels will be left on the floor. The toast will be burnt. The children will leave out the bicycles and tear up the grass in the front yard. You will lose the joy of marriage and the joy of raising children over trivial matters with little meaning, so stop building the gallows that will hang you.

Trivial pursuits will destroy you. Your nerves will be shattered, your life, and the lives of those around you, will be destroyed. You will break friendships of a lifetime over a minor statement or action. A lifetime of good is destroyed because someone’s feelings are hurt over a trivial matter.

Who is the Mordecai in your life? What little thing will not bow to you or work the way it is supposed to work? What trivial matter has angered you? What trivial matter has caused your blood pressure to soar? You are angry with God for something insignificant. You are mad at the church, the bus captain, the choir director, or the youth director over some trivial matter. You have fallen in love with your church, but then you walk away from it over a minor problem or issue. It is such a trivial thing, such a little thing, but it will cause your downfall.

For some reason, we cannot associate God with taking care of trivial matters. Somehow, we have the idea that God only carries the big burdens; He only answers the big problems. We look to Him to work miracles, but we never ask Him to take care of the minor things. Because of that, we pray down millions of dollars, but we cannot pay our rent. We pray down great miracles, but we starve to death because we do not ask Him for the trivial matter of our daily bread.

The same God Who answered Elijah’s prayer and caused fire to fall on Mount Carmel is the same God Who fed Elijah, and He is the same God Who will take care of us. He is willing to take care of every problem, small and large, trivial and life-changing.

It is time to realize that life is not perfect and some things are simply trivial matters. For example, if a baseball player gets one hit out of three times at bat, he is considered Hall of Fame material. If a basketball player makes eight out of ten throws at the free-throw line, he can become All-American. Mickey Mantel did not make a hit every time he came up to bat. Wilt Chamberlain did not make all of his free-throws.

Of course, you want ten things out of ten to be perfect, but it will not happen. Accept that fact and thank God for those things that do go the way they should go! Do not let trivial pursuits take over your life. Do not let a Mordecai ruin your life.

What is the problem that will not bow? Who is the person who will not bow? Put away your hammer and nails, tear down the scaffolding and the gallows you are building. Start thanking God for those things that do go the right way, and stop playing trivial pursuit!

OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP

2017-11-19T18:09:00.003-06:00

JUSTICE, MERCY AND GRACE

Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

There are three words I would like for you to take note of: justice, mercy, and grace. We appropriate justice, mercy, and grace and become a Christian. Not only do we become a Christian, but also we become a good Christian the same way. You become a Christian when you receive mercy and grace and in the same vein you become a good Christian when you give mercy and grace.

Luke 10:20 tells us to not rejoice because the devils are subject to us, but rather rejoice because your names are written down in Heaven. Notice that is a positive thing! God does not say rejoice because your sins are removed from the book, but rejoice because your name is added to the book. It is not wicked to rejoice because your sins are removed from the books in Heaven, but real rejoicing is a positive thing that your name is written in the books of Heaven.

JUSTICE IS THAT WHICH WE DESERVE

Justice is that which I deserve! If I went to Hell and burned forever that would be justice because I am a sinner. The wages of sins in death and if I received justice I would go to hell and so would you! We all owe a debt for our sin. That is why Jesus came and lived a perfect life and did not at the end of His life owe the debt for sin. He did not deserve to go to Hell because He did not sin!

The Scriptures said He knew no sin, but He went to Calvary to pay for man’s sins. Jesus paid my penalty for sin and the punishment that all of us who have ever lived and ever will live would suffer if they went to Hell. Jesus, not owing a debt for sin, paid the debt for sin for you and for me! Thus, those who trust Jesus to do so will find their sin debt paid!

I owe a debt I had not paid and He owed a debt he did not owe! Jesus puts His payment against our account if we will accept Him as payment. That satisfies the justice of almighty God. Joining a church, being baptized, or taking communion does not satisfy the justice of an almighty God. It is He who owes no debt that He paid and I who paid no debt that were brought together by faith. Jesus transferred His account to our account and my account to His account with justice being satisfied.

The average preacher who stands behind a pulpit in America knows nothing about salvation. God’s salvation is based on God’s justice being satisfied at Calvary. This means that foundationally Christ did not die for me but for God. Christ dies so that God would take me back if I trusted Christ as the only payment for my sins. Jesus died so that God could offer me a way back because Go loved me more than I loved Him. God wants mankind back more than mankind wants to come back! Calvary satisfies the justice of God.

The fact that God’s justice was satisfied enables God to give to His children two things, mercy and grace! God’s justice being satisfied on Calvary enabled God to be able to give you and me mercy and grace. God could not have given me mercy if His justice had not been satisfied. God could not have given me grace, but when Jesus paid my debt on Calvary that meant God could now invite me back. If I accept Jesus God then can five me mercy and grace.

WHAT IS MERCY?

Mercy is with holding what I deserve! God knew that I would sin and God knew I deserved to go to Hell, but because of Calvary God withheld that which I deserve! God said no one has to go to Hell if they would accept God’s plan, which is His son.

WHAT IS GRACE?

Grace is giving me what I don’t deserve. Mercy, that is God withholding what I do deserve! Grace, that is God giving to me what I don’t deserve! It is the second one God says to rejoice about. Remember Luke 10:20 reminds us to know rejoice about the sins being removed. We are to rejoice more about the name being added to the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is ok to rejoice about not getting what you do deserve, but you really ought to have a spell because you are getting what you do not deserve.

John 3:14-15, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Having eternal life that is grace. If you believe on Christ God gives His mercy and keep you from perishing. Then, God turns around and gives you grace by giving you eternal life.

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten on that whosoever believeth in him should not perish…” that is mercy! “But have everlasting life…”that is grace! There are two things you have: first, what you won’t have to suffer and second, what you will receive. So, God by his mercy says you don’t have to perish if you will trust Christ as payment for your sins.

However, God says, “I will go beyond that and give you my grace and everlasting life” Because of Calvary anyone reading this article who is not saved if they realize Jesus paid their sin penalty, not trusting a church, a preacher, communion, baptism, priest, confession, confirmation, or good works can turn to Christ for salvation Your faith in Jesus Christ means that God appropriates His payment for your sin debt and as a result God gives you two things mercy and grace.

Mercy? You will not receive what you deserve! Grace? You will receive what you do not deserve to receive!

John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation…” and that is mercy “…but is passed from death unto life…” and that is grace.

Mercy? It means thank God I am not going to Hell! Grace? Wow, that means I am allowed to go to Heaven! Thank God I am not going to get what I deserve and thank God, I am going receive what I don’t deserve. Grace allows me to be a part of His work in proclaiming justice, mercy, and grace to others.

In the Scriptures mercy brings peace and grace brings rejoicing. The fact that I’m not going to go to Hell is a relief. The fact that I am going to go to Heaven is worth shouting about. Mercy is when the sins are removed and grace is when Jesus righteousness is added to my account.

Mercy? You deserve to go to Hell, but your not going to go there. You deserve to burn forever, but your not going burn for one second! You deserve to burn with the devil and his angels, but your not going to burn and that is mercy.

However, God has a bonus! God has grace for us also! You get to go to Heaven, you can live with Jesus forever, you can live with your loved ones forever, and with the angels forever because God’s justice was satisfied on Calvary and God can now give us mercy and grace. You will now be able to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature via God's grace.

Mercy takes the sins off of the record and that gives me peace! Grace puts the righteousness of Jesus on my record and that gives me rejoicing. Rejoicing means, “to keep on rejoicing.” Here is the difference to many of you, salvation is a “911” number and you are not going to Hell and you sit back with the peace of God, but you never rejoice. You are dwelling on what you not going to receive.

Mercy took me out of the Book of Death and that gives me peace. Grace put me in the Book of Life and that gives me rejoicing. Mercy keeps me from the punishment of the Great White Throne Judgment and brings peace, but grace gives me rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ and that brings rejoicing. Grace allows me to be in God's vineyard working with Him to reach others who are just as underserving.

You could go from having just peace to rejoicing; if you will add to your thinking what your going to receive that you do not deserve. When God’s justice was satisfied at Calvary God then gave us two wonderful things: mercy, what you deserve that you are not going to receive along with grace, what you do not deserve that your going to receive.

Mercy removes me from eternal separation from God and that is peace. Grace leads Him to be with me always and that causes rejoicing. Mercy keeps me from the devil while grace keeps me with God. Mercy saves me from uselessness while grace gives me usefulness. Actually all these things I do not have to have happen to me! AMEN! I am not going to go to Hell, face God with my sins, burn forever in fire, or be separated from God and that is mercy!

God’s mercy saved me from Hell, but there is something far better than that. God said look at bonus number two and this is what I want you to focus on! You are going receive a whole bunch of things you do not deserve to receive. This is graduate school for the Christian! The reason is because you are about to embark on a journey of reaching others because of God's grace.

That is why some of you just seat there in church and do not feel anything. That is why some of you just seat there and do not give a flip if any one trusts Christ for salvation or not! That is why you slip out during the invitation and baptismal part of the service. That is why some of you reading this article do not enjoy a shouting church. I refuse to go to Heaven by the skin of my teeth or just barely be kept out of Hell because I am going to shout and not sit in the pew like a wooden Indian. Those who take advantage of God's grace by reaching out to help others are the shouters.

Some one asked me if they were going to Hell because they smoked. I answered, “No, but you’ll smell like you’ve been in Hell.” “Will I go to Heaven if I chew?” Yes, but you’ll have to go to Hell to spit. There is a whole lot more to Christianity than you not getting what you deserve.

Immature Christians always ask, “What’s wrong with….” That is the average Christian in America! The average church in America is a bunch of dead members going to a dead church and just holding the fort. Thank God He has a bundle of things to give you that you don’t deserve!

WE ARE TO GIVE MERCY AND GRACE

That is the reason preachers do not built great works, Christians do not do great feats for God, churches do not have great bus ministries, and ministries do not have the breathe of God on them. You cannot just seat there and thank God your not receiving what you deserve. It is time to mature and give mercy and grace.

You have to grow up, get up, stand up, show up, and speak up. You ought to shout because grace allows you to have innumerable things you do not deserve and that my friend is the difference between mercy and grace. Because you have been given such you are only a good Christian if you give such.

Romans 12:1-2 says to be not conformed to this world and that is mercy. Then it says to be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God and that is grace. Thus, God gives us mercy and grace so that we can give mercy and grace to other underserving people.

Imputation where old sins are removed, that is mercy while Jesus’ righteousness being added

is grace. Justification with sins forgiven is mercy. Justification with sins forgotten is grace. Sanctification with us not going to Hell is mercy and set apart for Heaven is grace. Regeneration with old things being passed away is mercy and all things becoming new is grace. Conversion is not being used for bad, which is mercy and being used for good, which is grace. Predestination is losing the old body and that is mercy while gaining the new body like Jesus is grace.

Not only am I to receive mercy and grace, but also I am to give mercy and grace. Many of God’s children have received it but have yet to give it!

BE A SURVIVOR

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WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO STOP YOU?

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

II Timothy 4:7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

Dr. Lee Roberson said to me one time about my late pastor and friend Dr. Jack Hyles, “Jack’s a survivor.” What a great statement to be made of any person let alone a man of God. I believe Dr. Roberson was a “survivor.” That which stops many men did not stop these men of God. It appears that is the difference in those who succeed and those who fail in life.

What will it take to stop you? College student will it take a little homesickness that makes you desire to be a little child again? Will it take a disease in your body that will conquer you with pain and prevent you from being a survivor? Whoever said disease was supposed to stop any one?

How tough you are and determined you are to go on is based on what it will take to stop you! What will it take? Will it be a lack of character that causes you to financially fail? You and I are as tough as whatever it takes to stop us! Will it be a disloyalty and a critical tongue that will cause you to win the Benedict Arnold of the year award? Will it be a lack of self-discipline, which keeps you from staying and using the gifts God has given you? Will it be your disobedience to the Great Commission that causes you to fail?

Will it be the lack of discernment an inability to spot liberals like John MacArthur Jr. or C. S. Lewis or Rick Warren? Will it be the desire for popularity that will cause you to interact with the wrong religious crowd?

Will it be blind followship of a man and disloyalty to the Word of God? Will it be some wacky doctrine like hyper-Calvinism or hyper-dispensationalism or the teaching against a preserved inspiration of the King James Bible to the English speaking peoples?

What will it take to stop you? Will it be pressure to trim your sermons and teaching for the affluent or the so-called educated? Will you sell your pulpit for less than a bowl of chili? Will it be a church split that will cause you to run from a modern day Diotrephes, Korah, or Jezebel? Will it be the temptation to compromise with family members?

Tell me what is it that will stop you and I will tell you how tough you are! Will it take friends of a lifetime turning on you so you will turn on the Friend that sticketh closer than a brother? What will it take to stop you? Will it be a fallen Christian who shakes your faith in God’s servants as you look at the few and not the many?

Will it be a son or a daughter that broke your heart and caused you to give up and join them in being a fallen parent? Will it be when some denomination, that you should not have been in, blackballs you? Will it be the deacons who threaten to fire you? Will it be deacon board that threatens you? Will it be the press and TV stations that attack you and your church? Will it be lawsuits?

When an Evangelist and his wife set out to destroy you by spreading filthy lies and innuendoes about you? Will that be the thing that stops you? Will it be the Epstein Barr virus disease? Will it be a heart disease, cancer, fatigue, mono, or hepatitis? Will it be living below the poverty line in order to serve God? Will it be some discontented rule breaking classmate from whom you should separate yourself from long before now? Someone ought to give you the Doctor pantywaist degree!

Show me what it will take to stop you and you will see how tough you really are? Will it be discouragement, depression, discontentment, or disillusionment that will drive you and determine your defeat and demise?

Will it be you not getting your way and not being able to adapt to adverse situations? Will it be compromise that will cause you to win the pussy footer of the year award? Will it be being hen pecked that will cause you to fail in life?

What will it take to stop you? Will it be a lack of courage and intestinal fortitude to take tough times? Young lady will it be listening to some bum who wants to steal your purity? Will it be a female who tempts you to sell you man-hood to please a gland?

Will it be being a thief at work and stealing your paycheck without working for it? Will it be ditching church? Will it be enjoying the wrong kind of music?

Will you be like Judas who was after money? College student will you be like John Mark who goes back home and quits before earning his degree? Will you be like a Jacob who has not character? Will you be like Rehoboam who seeks advice from the young instead of the seasoned veterans? Will you be like Solomon who could not resist a pretty face? Will you be like a Balaam who sells out for a little honor?

Will you be like Korah who without a basis criticizes leadership? Will you be like a Jezebel who was a self-willed woman? Will you be like Ahab who lets her be that way? Will you be like Jonah who doesn’t want to be a preacher? Will you be like Diotrephes who wants preeminence? Will you be like Demas who went to the world? Will you be like Samson?

The state of Texas could not stop Evangelist Lester Roloff! The Tarrant County Baptist Association of Texas could not stop Dr. John R. Rice! The London Baptist Association could not stop C. H. Spurgeon! Evangelist R. L. Sumner could not stop Dr. Jack Hyles!

Is there a bill you cannot pay? Is it an enemy who is after you? Is it an illness? Is it discouragement? Is it disappointment? Show me what it takes to stop you and I will tell you how tough you are.

Slander and bad health could not stop David Livingston! TB could not stop David Brainerd. Prison could not stop John Bunyan! Blindness could not stop Fanny Crosby. The Roman Empire and the prison could not stop the Apostle Paul! The Babylonian Empire could not stop Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Cyrus and the Media Persia Empire could not stop Daniel.

What will it take to stop you? An 800 ministerial association could not stop Elijah! A giant named Goliath could not stop little David! Hamilton County Baptist Association could not stop Dr. Lee Roberson! The Dallas County Association could not stop Dr. Jack Hyles and Dr. Joe Boyd!

Exile could not stop the Apostle John! Burning at the stake could not stop the influence of John Huss! Why do you stop? What is it that is going to cause you to stop while others go on?

The Red Sea and Pharaoh could not stop Moses, a flood could not stop Noah, Pharaoh’s threats could not stop Jochabed, abandonment and imprisonment could not stop Joseph, an invalid wife could not stop C. H. Spurgeon, and constant threats on his life could not stop Billy Sunday!

Cancer could not stop Marlene Evans, the wife of Dr. Wendell Evans! An iron lung could not stop Evangelist Monty Watts! The Congregationalists could not stop D. L. Moody! Prison could not stop the Apostle Peter!

The question before us is what will it take to stop you? The death of daughter did not stop Kevin and Paula Connor! The death of baby girl did not stop our son Scott and his dear wife Jenny! The birth of a special needs son did not stop our other son Bobby and his dear wife Kelly.

The loss of wife and children and burying them in Burmese soil could not stop Adoniram Judson. The death of his wife could not stop Ezekiel! The kingdom could not stop Esther!

Hey, what will it take to stop you? Will it be a nagging wife, a sluggard husband, a pretty figure, a hard time, a difficult job, hurt feelings, heat, bad climate, not getting your way, a headache, sore throat, little sleep, criticism, or homesickness?

Show me what it will take to stop you and I will tell you how tough you really are. What will they say 50 years from today about you when your name is mentioned?

IMPEACH YOURSELF

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DENY YOURSELF

Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Leadership is multi-faced and a complex combination of personalities and passions. Followers are only as productive as the leadership with the ability to connect and not be in disconnect is a key factor. The idea is to translate Scriptural leadership principles into the followers’ life in order to produce a transformation.

Leaders have a problem of being so right so much of the time they begin to think they are right all the time. There must be a differentiation between principle and passion. Just because you have been right does not mean you are always right. When principle rules both leaders and followers can work together.

The ability to provide Scriptural precepts to build upon is critical while being able to take suggestions and even correction from follower and leader alike. The communication must remain open and comfortable to both the leader and the follower. When this grows into a “co-worker” relationship and the “command” is not a “demand,” but a healthy respect for the leader then we have accomplished what God intended.

Genesis 18:19, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep thy way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

Abraham carried himself in such a manner with his relationship to the Lord that he was able to “command” not “demand” of his children and his household. They were in awe of him and thus followed him. Abraham denied himself in order to live in obedience to his Lord.

Denial is the catalyst that creates this bond between leader and follower. Never forget this great truth for it is God that magnifies men in the sight of men! The question is what must man do in order to have this happen?

God has many thrones. He is called King of glory for example. Jesus is called the King Salem, King of kings, King of Israel, King of Judah, King eternal, King of the Jews, King of Zion, peace, righteousness, forever, King of old, King everlasting, King whose name is the Lord, King of Heaven, mighty King, my Lord the King, Lord and King, and everlasting King.

All of these are thrones on which our Saviour seats, crowns that our Saviour wears, and all of these are scepters, which our Saviour holds.

Our Scripture says, “Let him deny himself.” Deny meaning to overthrow, dethrone, or have a military coupe. Thus God is saying when a man denies himself he is stepping down from the throne of his life because he is overthrowing himself. He is impeaching himself. He is overthrowing himself. He is leading a coupe against himself.

Thus, Jesus is saying if you want to follow me and lead others you must deny yourself. If you want to come after me and follow me the first thing you have to do is to deny yourself, step down off the throne of your life, impeach yourself, lead a coupe against yourself, and overthrow yourself. That is the first thing a follower who leads must do.

YOUR LIFE IS A KINGDOM

Please take note of this? Your life and my life is a kingdom and that kingdom has a ruler. Something rules your kingdom. It may be a sport such as basketball, football, golf, bowling, volleyball, or tennis. God is saying lead a coupe against that person or thing seating on your throne so you can follow and eventually lead. God is saying overthrow, impeach, give up your throne, or any thing that is on your throne ruling your kingdom. God’s desire is for Jesus be the King on the throne of your life and allow him to rule your kingdom.

Maybe success has ruled your life and makes all of the decisions in your kingdom. Jesus is saying dethrone success, overthrow success, lead a coupe against success, impeach success and have it step down off of the throne of your kingdom and permit Jesus to seat on the throne of your kingdom.

It may be position that is on the throne of your kingdom and this position is ruling your kingdom making the decisions for your kingdom. God says have position step down, abdicate, and overthrown with you leading the coupe. God is saying put the King of kings back on the throne of your kingdom.

It may be the appetite of food, sex, sleep, or some other physical appetite, but God says force appetite off of the throne of your kingdom. God says have appetite give up the throne and overthrow appetite and put Jesus back on the throne of your kingdom.

It may be making money is the ruler of your kingdom. The king of your kingdom may be money. Maybe accumulating possessions is the king of your life and possessions make all of the decisions for your kingdom. God is saying step down money and let the King of kings back on the throne of this kingdom. God is saying possessions step down and let the King of glory back on the throne of this kingdom of yours.

It may be a business is the ruler of your kingdom and it makes all of the decisions of your life. My friend it is time for a revolt! It is time to lead a coupe! It is time to overthrow the ruler. Its time to have the business step down so that Jesus can step up to his rightful place on the throne of your kingdom.

It may be academics that rules your kingdom, or music may be the one who rules, or friends, or the world that rule, but whoever or whatever it is it is time for a revolution. God is saying to his children give up the throne, overthrow the ruler, lead a coupe against the ruler, and saying to whoever or whatever is ruling your kingdom to step down and let Jesus rule and reign.

ONE DAY EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW

Our Lord is anticipating that day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ the very Son of God. He anticipated that day when he shall be crowned as King of kings and we shall sing, “All hail the power of Jesus’ name, let angels prostrate fall” and “Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all.”

He has anticipated that day ever since they made for him a wooden throne, a walking stick for a scepter, a borrowed overcoat for a royal robe, a crown of thorns for a diadem, a mock sign over his head that said “Hail King of the Jews,” and they took the stick using it to smote him on the head acting like his subjects bowing mockingly on their knees.

Ever since that day the King of kings and Lord of lords has looked forward to that day when we shall crown him Lord of lords and King of kings and he shall reign and rule on earth for a thousand years. Jesus anticipated that day ever since he rode into Jerusalem on that donkey with multitudes spreading their garments in the way strewing branches in his path crying, “Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus knew on what they called Palm Sunday that on that day those same tongues in a few hours would cry, “Crucify him! Free Barabbas! Crucify Jesus!” He full well knew that those who would strew branches before him throwing their garments before him on the streets of Jerusalem in just a few hours those same hands would crucify him.

He anticipated that day would come when he would seat on the throne of David, but until then he wants to seat on the throne of your kingdom. Oh yes, he will seat on the throne of David one day as ruler of the entire world, but the throne he desires most is the throne of your kingdom. Until you follow you cannot lead!

Jesus anticipate that day when Russian shall attack little Israel and the way the world events are shaping up it will not be long. He full well knows that along with Russia will come Turkey, Libya, Iran, Germany, and other countries that will join in the attack on little Israel. He also knows that America will come to the rescue of Israel. He also knows the Revived Roman Empire, the Western Confederacy, and the European Common Market will join in with America to come to defend Israel.

These will fight Russia, Turkey, Germany, Iran, Libya, and others in defense of little Israel. He full well knows that America and the Western Confederacy will win that battle. Then all of a sudden here comes reinforcements from the East with the Euphrates river drying up and from the East comes China and Japan to join Russia to fight Israel for the oil. This will be the great end-time battle of the tribulation period.

Our Lord full well knows that in that time the Western Powers will conquer the North, South, and East with the Western powers ending up as rulers. The Anti-Christ will then appear on the scene to rule with the man of sin conquering the earth.

The Anti-Christ will look toward the South and say, “I’ve conquered the South!” He will look toward the East and say, “I’ve conquered the East!” He will look toward the West and say, “I’ve conquered the West!” He will look toward the North and say, “I’ve conquered the North!” but there is one place he forgot to look and that is Heavenward. Up in the Heavenlies there is coming someone riding on a white horse. He is called the King of kings, Lord of lords, and he shall come not with a little old nuclear bomb, or Atom bomb, but with his word he will conquer the Anti-Christ and the man of sin.

It is with his word that Jesus has done everything he has done. The stars that shine tonight were placed there by his word. The moon that shines tonight was placed there by his word. The sun that set this afternoon was placed there by his word. The oceans, the lakes, the rills, the rivers, and the waters of the world were place there by his word.

Jesus will come back to earth and will put down the Anti-Christ! How will he do it? He will do it with his words! He will do it for out of his mouth with his words he will defeat the man of sin! My friend, if that is what will bring the ultimate and final victory then certainly his words will work for you and I Monday through Sunday?

Let it be know to the whole world that the great churches in America and around the world were not built on personality, or humor, or gimmicks, for every great Scriptural local church has been built around and on the very words of God. Our Lord knew full well that he would be crowned as King of kings and Lord of lords.

He who came on a donkey will come on a white horse. He who came to be crucified will come to be crowned. He who was on a throne of wood will come to be on the throne of David. He who was hated shall be loved. He who was rejected shall be accepted. He who was taken from us shall return to us. He who died and ascended shall descent and defeat the forces of Satan.

Hold it, even though Jesus anticipated that day and though he looks forward to that day and though he full well knows he will seat on the throne of David there is still one throne he wants to seat on now. That throne if the throne of your kingdom!

He desires to rule your kingdom, but there is one problem. That problem is Jesus refuses to overthrow the one who seats on the throne of your kingdom. He asks us to choose to abdicate. He asks us to overthrow ourselves. He asks us to hold a coupe against ourselves. He asks us to dethrone ourselves. He is asking us to step down voluntarily ourselves.

JESUS WILL NOT OVERTHROW THE ONE ON YOUR THRONE

Don’t miss this! Jesus will NOT overthrow the one on the throne of your kingdom. Jesus will NOT challenge the one who seats on the throne of your kingdom. Jesus refuses to lead a coupe against the one sitting on the throne of your kingdom. Jesus will not call for the forces of Heaven to come and kick whoever or whatever is sitting on the throne of your kingdom.

JESUS IS ASKING US TO IMPEACH OURSELVES

Jesus simply asks us to “Deny ourselves!” He asks us to abdicate, dethrone, step down, overthrow, or have a coupe against ourselves. “If any man will come after me let him deny himself, or dethrone himself, or overthrow himself, or step down himself, or lead a coupe against himself, or revolt against himself.”

There it is! That is the secret! Let Jesus have the throne he desires more than the throne of David at this moment in time. There is no way we can lead others until we are led, not by ourselves, but by the King of kings and Lord of lords. This throne is the one we have been sitting on, ruling from, and controlling from the kingdom of our life.

Jesus anticipates the day when he will take the keys of death and unlock the grave coming out alive for evermore. Jesus anticipates his arrival back home where no longer will he walk the dusty shores of Judea, no longer will he have no place to lay his head, while foxes go to their holes and birds fly to their nests.

No longer will Jesus be a man of sorrows acquainted with grief and rejected. He looks forward to returning home. He said, “Father restore unto me the joy which I had with thee before the world was.” Wow! What a great anticipation, but more than that he anticipates you and I stepping down off of the throne of our kingdom and having the ability to be able to seat down on the throne of the kingdom of our life.

Show me anywhere in the Scriptures where it says, “Seek ye second the kingdom of God.” Show me anywhere in the Scriptures where it says, “Part to Jesus I surrender.” No sir, “All to Jesus I surrender is the theme of the Bible.” God has every right to rule in our lives and when he rules we can rule. Until then none of us are qualified to rule! However there is an obstacle and it is you and I!

Jesus anticipated the day when the prophecy of Daniel chapter 2 is fulfilled, when the dreams of that great Image of head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, feet of iron and clay with each representing a kingdom of power. However, then it says there comes a stone cut out without hands that will break the legs of Iron and clay, that stone is the Rock of Ages cleft for me. The stone cut out without hands is Jesus Christ himself.

He is the one who will break in pieces the Western Power, the Northern Power, the Eastern Power, and Jesus shall reign where ere the sun does its successive journeys run. His kingdom shall spread from shore to shore till moon shall wax and wane no more. Jesus anticipates that day. Jesus desires that day, but more than that he desires to seat on the throne of our kingdoms.

The Anti-Christ has no choice. The man of sin has no choice. The Western Powers have no choice. The Northern Powers have no choice. The Eastern Powers have no choice. Hell has no choice. Satan has no choice. The imps of Hell have no choice. Russia has no choice. Iran has no choice. Germany has no choice. Turkey has no choice. China has no choice. Japan has no choice. Libya has no choice. USA has no choice. European Common Market has no choice. Egypt has no choice. HOWEVER, YOU AND I DO!

Jesus refuses to overthrow you and I off of the throne of our kingdom. Jesus desires to rule in the lives of grade school children, junior high students, senior high students, college age, young married couples, middle age couples, old married couples, widows, widowers, divorced, bus riders, mission men, choir members, ushers, deacons, staff, teachers, staff, the pastoral staff, and the pastor. However, Jesus will not overthrow whoever or whatever is on the throne of your kingdom.

Jesus knew and anticipated the day when he would walk through the gates of pearl into the Holy City. Jesus anticipates walking through those gates of pearl upheld by the foundations of precious stones. Jesus knew full well he would walk down golden streets someday by the river of life.

He knew and anticipated that city where tears would ne outlawed sorrow expelled, pain crucified, night executed, where sin has expired, sickness will become wellness, heartache will be broken, loneliness will become lonely, sadness will become sad, bereavement will bereave, poverty will become impoverished, death will die, and he will be the main attraction.

Jesus anticipates that day, but much more than that he anticipates ruling your kingdom from your throne given to him by you and not taken by him from you!

Jesus anticipates that day of the Judgment Seat of Christ where he shall give the redeemed their crowns. They will be crowns for suffering, service, soul winning, faithfulness, and loving the appearing of Jesus. He will place those crowns upon the heads of the redeemed, but we will not keep them very long for we will in unison throw them at the feet of our Saviour. The redeemed will begin to sing, “Thou art worthy, Oh Lord to receive glory and honor and power and dominion.”

JESUS HAS A GREATER DESIRE

However, there is something he desires more and that is that he be allowed to rule from the throne of our kingdoms. There is an obstacle! The obstacle is whoever or whatever is sitting on the throne of our kingdom currently and that is why Jesus said, “deny thyself” or “dethrone thyself,” or “overthrow thyself,” or “have a coupe against thyself,” or “revolt against thyself,” or “voluntarily step down from off of your throne yourself.”

Each of us has a life, an empire, or a kingdom and Jesus desires to rule that life, empire, or kingdom. Jesus refuses to lead the coupe, the revolt, the revolution, or the dethroning. He simply waits for you and I to “deny thyself.”

When you and I say, “What’s wrong with…?” then we are still on the throne of our kingdom. When we say, “Well I just don’t see any harm in doing…!” then we are still sitting on the throne of our empire.

There are many things in our lives that are weights and not sin that hinder us. The Scripture says, “Lay aside every weight…”

In Revelation chapter 5 there is a seven-sealed book that is the deed to the earth. No man on earth, no man beneath the earth, and no man above the earth were worthy to open this seven-sealed book. Then someone said, “There stood a Lamb in the midst.”

This is the same Lamb of which John the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan River pointed to and said, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”This Lamb stands up, he opens the book of the title deed, the mortgage is paid off, and the title deed is the Lamb’s again for he is worthy!

Finally the title deed is paid off, the mortgage is burned, Jesus holds in his hands the title deed, and certainly Jesus anticipates that day. However, as wonderful as that will be, if you and I would step down voluntarily, dethrone voluntarily, and deny voluntarily removing ourselves off of the throne of our kingdoms that would be Jesus' greatest desire.

JESUS DESIRES THE THRONE OF OUR KINGDOM

Jesus wants the throne of our kingdom more than the throne of David. He wants to reign in our lives more than he wants to reign for a thousand years. In Revelation chapter 7 we have, “Amen and blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever.”

What a wonderful day that will be when the Hugh Heffner’s will have to bow and confess that Jesus is Lord, when Zondervan will have to confess the King James Bible is the only real Scripture for the English speaking people, when the new morality crowd, when the humanist, when the Kennedys, when the Clintons, when the Gores, when the Obamas, and all the rest of the liberalist will have to bow confessing that Jesus is the Christ!

JESUS WANTS TO RULE YOUR LIFE

Hold it! There is something Jesus desires more than that and that is YOU! He wants to rule your life and by the way you are the only obstacle he has between him ruling the whole world and ruling your world. He wants you! Why? He wants to rule your life! Why? So you can not only follow but also lead. You will avoid self-destruction and help others to victory while being victorious yourself..

SOUTHWIDE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP?

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WIKIPEDIA

Organization[edit]

The organizational structure of government and by-laws within the Southwide Baptist Fellowship are not available for public viewing, but the organization includes a moderator and one of its main purposes is to convene regularly for conferences.

Beliefs[edit]

Considered a conservative and "Fundamentalist" association of Baptist churches, the Southwide Baptist Fellowship is not as staunchly devoted as other Baptist Fundamentalist Fellowships to the concept of absolute autonomy (local church independence) or the essential requirement of the King James Version (KJV). Certainly, most member churches of the Southwide Baptist Fellowship are Independent Baptist and remain "KJV-only".

When it originated, the Southwide Baptist Fellowship was almost identical in teaching and outlook as the core of Independent Baptist Fundamentalism. It was heavily influenced by Lee Roberson and John R. Rice.^{[citation needed]}Its hallmark code of behaviors (short hair on men, dresses on women, no mixed bathing, no movies, no contemporary music) and its theology of Dispensationalism were standard for Baptist Fundamentalism. Many of its members were openly antagonistic towards the Southern Baptist Convention and were outposken critics of SBC policies which, two decades ago, permitted a certain degree of liberal theology.

Increasing openness[edit]

Over time, particularly since the 1990s, the Southwide Baptist Fellowship has loosened some of its more strict requirements of dress and behavior.

The Southwide Baptist Fellowship has become cautiously open with some Southern Baptist churches. Obscure Independent Fundamental Baptist David Cloud has openly criticized Southwide Baptist Fellowship for its new leniency regarding external "standards" (hair length, dress code, movie attendance, music choices, etc.) and lack of ecclesiastical separation, and he has rebuked the Southwide Baptist Fellowship for shallow theology.^[2]

Currently, it remains a loose federation of Baptist churches that stand for conservatism, both religious and political, including political action, and overall it remains Dispensational in theology. It embraces but does not require strict Independence. ^[3] others recognize that it has failed to live up to the moral necessity of policing itself, enforcing Biblical rules of demanding purity in pulpits

Splinter Organizations[edit]

Once Southwide began to open up to more Southern Baptists and Contemporary Christian influences, the more conservative, KJV Only sections began forming separate fellowships such as the Nationwide Independent Baptist Fellowship, now known as the Atlanta Super Conference,^[4] and more recently the new Southwide Independent Baptist Fellowship^[5]. Both of these groups have been influenced by leaders from independent Baptist institutions such as Crown College (Tennessee), West Coast Baptist College and Hyles-Anderson College.

Notes[edit]

Jump up ^ Baptist History Celebration.com
Jump up ^ The Changing Direction of Southwide Baptist Fellowship by David Cloud
Jump up ^ The Baptist Bible Trumpet
Jump up ^ Atlanta Super Conference
Jump up ^ Southwide Independent Baptist Fellowship

External links[edit]

Southwide Baptist Fellowship Official Site