May 29, 2011
If you Believe, can you tell me why?
Recently I had an opportunity to attend a baptist heritage conference. Dr. Ted Alexander was speaking about our forgotten baptist heritage. What he told us about baptist history was 90% new to me! I who claimed to be a baptist, could only have hoped, at best, to give a vague explanation of why I was a baptist. Looking further into what I believed, I found that this was the case in many areas of my "faith". While on many subjects I was firmly convinced of what I believed, I could not comfortably explain this faith to an unbeliever. Sure, I could give some generic answer to a question here, and there, and then feel smug until they asked for a real, genuine and specific answer. Then I had to "hem and haw" and beg God to forgive me for my lazy study habits. If I correctly interpret I Peter 3:15, we are commanded to be ready to tell why we believe what we believe. If I do not do this, I am not simply making a choice not to do "extra study", I am in direct violation of God's word. I have been challenged and convicted to study to not only know better what I believe, but also to be able share why, with others. I would hate to someday stand before my God, and find out that I had turned men away from the gospel with my lack of care about my faith. We have a glorious Saviour, who in his love has given us his written word, that our frail minds may better know Him and how to show, in some small way, our thanks for so great a salvation. How can we be so hardened to such matchless grace, as to neglect the study of so precious a book? Let us pray for, and encourage one another to study diligently the Holy word of the Lord who loved us, and gave himself for us.
April 14, 2011
Peter's Denial
In John 13:36-38, we have Peter's avowal that he would willingly lay down his life for Christ's sake. And of course, we also have the familiar words of Christ, "the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice". From here we may go to the latter part of John 18. In verse 17 we have the first denial, Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
The second denial is found in verse 25, And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it and said, I am not. Continuing on into verses 26 and 27, we find the third predicted denial, One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman who's ear Peter cut off, saith, did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. After we read this sad account of a saint failing his Lord in the hour of trial, what application can we make to our own lives? Many times we can come down on Peter pretty hard and say, "He was wrong!" And he was. We might say, "He was weak!" And he was. We could continue on down the list saying, "He was more concerned about his physical fate than he was about his faith." "He did not love God enough", "He loved this present world", "He should have stepped up and confessed his Lord before them and counted it an honor to die with Christ". And all of this is true. However, I am reminded of the words of Christ in John chapter 8 and verse 7, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. I have thought, what would be the three main points in which we deny our Lord? You may have a different list than I, but here is the list that I came up with, and I am at least sure that these are very important areas that we tend to view more lightly than we ought.
1. We deny him in our Faith.
When trouble comes our way, we worry and fret as if this was a trial new to the world, forgetting that there is no temptation that we can experience but that which is common to man. Also overlooking the fact that we are to count it all joy, because the trying of our faith works patience.
2. We deny him in our Love.
Many times we forget that we are to, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. We want to "move under the radar" in our christian lives. Let me tell you, you won't sneak into heaven! There isn't a back door for the timid saints! We want the best of both worlds, and there isn't such a thing because there isn't another "best". The only best is God's world, as he designed it and with the guidelines that he has laid down in his word. Violate this and not only do you not have the best of both worlds, but you don't have any best because you have refused to take God's very best for your life. Stop loving the world! It is spiritual adultery! Love the Lord your God, with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
3. We deny him in our Giving.
And don't think that this means tithing. Tithing is wonderful but, if you give 10% it should only be 10% of your total giving. Everything you have has been given by God, so you should use it all for his glory. I don't mean physically placing your entire paycheck in the offering plate every month, because that wouldn't be enough! Live for God. I love the third verse of O Zion Haste, Give of thy son's to bear the message glorious! Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way. Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious, and all thou spendest Jesus will repay!
Glory to God! If you are as much of a "Peter" as I, then let us Love, Believe, and Serve our Lord, who loved us and gave himself for us! How can we who have so little be less willing to give all that we have for a loving Lord and Saviour, than one who had all and willingly gave everything for sinners?
The second denial is found in verse 25, And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it and said, I am not. Continuing on into verses 26 and 27, we find the third predicted denial, One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman who's ear Peter cut off, saith, did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. After we read this sad account of a saint failing his Lord in the hour of trial, what application can we make to our own lives? Many times we can come down on Peter pretty hard and say, "He was wrong!" And he was. We might say, "He was weak!" And he was. We could continue on down the list saying, "He was more concerned about his physical fate than he was about his faith." "He did not love God enough", "He loved this present world", "He should have stepped up and confessed his Lord before them and counted it an honor to die with Christ". And all of this is true. However, I am reminded of the words of Christ in John chapter 8 and verse 7, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. I have thought, what would be the three main points in which we deny our Lord? You may have a different list than I, but here is the list that I came up with, and I am at least sure that these are very important areas that we tend to view more lightly than we ought.
1. We deny him in our Faith.
When trouble comes our way, we worry and fret as if this was a trial new to the world, forgetting that there is no temptation that we can experience but that which is common to man. Also overlooking the fact that we are to count it all joy, because the trying of our faith works patience.
2. We deny him in our Love.
Many times we forget that we are to, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. We want to "move under the radar" in our christian lives. Let me tell you, you won't sneak into heaven! There isn't a back door for the timid saints! We want the best of both worlds, and there isn't such a thing because there isn't another "best". The only best is God's world, as he designed it and with the guidelines that he has laid down in his word. Violate this and not only do you not have the best of both worlds, but you don't have any best because you have refused to take God's very best for your life. Stop loving the world! It is spiritual adultery! Love the Lord your God, with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
3. We deny him in our Giving.
And don't think that this means tithing. Tithing is wonderful but, if you give 10% it should only be 10% of your total giving. Everything you have has been given by God, so you should use it all for his glory. I don't mean physically placing your entire paycheck in the offering plate every month, because that wouldn't be enough! Live for God. I love the third verse of O Zion Haste, Give of thy son's to bear the message glorious! Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way. Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious, and all thou spendest Jesus will repay!
Glory to God! If you are as much of a "Peter" as I, then let us Love, Believe, and Serve our Lord, who loved us and gave himself for us! How can we who have so little be less willing to give all that we have for a loving Lord and Saviour, than one who had all and willingly gave everything for sinners?
March 19, 2011
The Philippines
Our trip to the Philippines was absolutely amazing! It was used by God to change a lot of things in my life. It has really changed the way I look at, missions, evangelism, money/ giving, and "bearing one another's burdens". Missions, because I now realize that "missions" is a life style, not a job. Evangelism, because now see that it takes priority over so many things that we spend so much time on. Money, because now I see the impact that individual giving has on ministries worldwide. Bearing one another's burdens, because now I realize that supporting missionaries requires much more than writing a check every month and praying for them hopefully about as often.
I thank God for allowing me such an opportunity. It was wonderful to see how God is working in other countries.
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