toencourage November 30, 2013 Vol 1 Issue 40

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalm 100:4

With all that we have to be thankful for in this life, I would be amiss not to focus upon the need to give thanks for the blessings of God Almighty, especially during our celebration of Thanksgiving this week. Thanksgiving, celebrated since 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November to be a national holiday, represents the tremendous gratitude the Pilgrims felt toward the Lord for providing an opportunity to worship Him  in a manner His precepts required from their new homes in a free land.  From the Pilgrims who sailed across the sea in search of religious freedom to our founding fathers who fought and died to preserve that freedom, we in America should be thankful that we have been a part of such a rich and wonderful history.  Moreover, as Christians, born again by the blood of Christ, we have the liberty to share the Gospel so that people all over the world may be assured of an eternal future with God in Heaven to be even more thankful for.

In 1789, President George Washington stated, “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favors…Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country… and for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.”

Beloved, the founding fathers of America openly recognized God, despite what the revisionists have proclaimed in their vile attempts to rewrite and pervert our nation’s history in order to deceive and deny future generations of Americans the truth of our founding.  These men were keenly aware of our desperate need for God if America was to survive as a nation.  President Washington said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”

It is sad to say that times have changed and we must recognize that we may be the only country that openly acknowledges God in our constitution, currency and calendar while simultaneously refusing to allow God to be recognized in our schools and public institutions.

Families fail today because they feel as if they can function and exist without God and the Bible.  Strong, long-term marriages seem to be but a memory because men and women refuse to come under the ONLY authority that created this union, that being God and the Bible.  People have become perverse and immoral because they have rebelled against God and the Bible.  Beloved, I have no idea why we were chosen to be born and raised in the greatest and freest nation on earth, but for that reason alone, let us give thanks to God!  It is without doubt or despair that when we give our thanks, we glorify Him.  It is from a thankful soul that God receives glory and praise.

Our thanksgiving is expressed toward God in our Consideration.  The Apostle Paul penned by inspiration these words to the Philippian church: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6).  Consideration is not simply coming to God during a crisis when we need Him, but rather recognizing that that we need Him in every moment of our lives.  At any time, God could take away our breath and our lives would end.  He could take away our thought and our minds would end, or He could deprive us of our strength and our work would end.

David said, “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” (Psalms 95:2).

In our thanksgiving, we express our Consideration toward God as well as our Condition.  Another admonition by Paul through the Holy Spirit is, “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.  For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;” (II Corinthians 9:10-12).  We are to live with thanksgiving in our hearts and minds as we work for the Lord.  The psalmist said, “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 26:7).

Finally, a grateful and thankful heart, mind, soul and attitude brings to fruition Consecration.  “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:  For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1Timothy 4:4-5).  It is Christ that has sanctified us through the shedding of His precious blood. It is said in Psalm 116:17 that “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.”

Like no other nation in the world, we as a people, especially those who know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, should offer our thanksgiving toward heaven as it is the very least we can do.

Many of us have been seated at tables this past week feasting on abundant plates of food which we must accept as a generous blessing!  But let us also remember the men and women who suffered and died so that we could celebrate this holiday and enjoy our Thanksgiving meals together.  Let us remember the families that lost mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters so that the precious Gospel could be carried around the world, enabling Christ’s richness too flourish.  As we lift our glasses to quench our thirst, let us remember the multitudes of people who sacrificed all so we might drink our water freely.  Beloved, as we awake each morning, let us come to Christ to remember the One who removed His robe of royalty to don the rags of the flesh.  As we kneel to plead with Christ for His mercy and grace, let us be ever thankful to the One who shed His blood on the cross of Calvary so that we may pass from death to everlasting life. 

Today, let us recall those words spoken by our nation’s first president: “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection, aid and favors…”

We are fortunate to have been blessed with the gift of freedom and the gift of salvation which work together to permit the faithful to freely share the goodness and love of God and their relationship with Him with everyone.

“…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48)

To Encourage November 23, 2013 Vol 1, Issue 39

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 5:41

 

The Sermon on the Mount is a doctrinal statement for a Jewish Kingdom at the Second Advent of Christ.  This is without argument contained within the Word of God found by rightly dividing the Holy Scriptures.

Yet, inspirationally, a Christian should live a charitable life extending kindness to others.  “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain” (Matthew 5:41) is what our Lord Jesus Christ said in His encouragement to give more than what we are asked.

Mark 12:41-44 depicts the account of the poor widow who threw in (tithed) two mites, which was a relatively small amount of money, even though it was “all that she had, even all her living”.  All that she possessed she gave!  Beloved, the lesson to learn here is that our Lord’s first concern is not what we give, but how we give it.  While so often giving is equated with some monetary value,  the Lord is also concerned how we give of our Time, our Talent and our Treasure.  It has never been about the element of quantity, but rather that of quality.  Friend, Christ is interested in our motive for giving.  With that thought in mind, let’s look at the verse through the lens of examining our motives to share and sacrifice for others:  “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”  Jesus Christ is interested in our motive to walk the mile and whether or not that commitment represents a dedicated sacrificial spirit on our part.

The widow in Mark 12, impoverished and poorly dressed, was out of place among the more affluent of the congregation, but walked passed the wealthy and humbly placed her mere two mites into a collection plate.  A farthing, which is worth about a quarter of a cent in today’s money, is what she gave, yet Jesus Christ described her giving: “And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mark 12:43-44).

Have we considered the great joy of giving in our lives?  Let’s ask ourselves in what ways can we give like this when we are compelled to walk a mile.

Romans 12:1 is my life verse, one that has become so near and dear to my heart that I ponder upon its precepts regularly.  Christians have never been commanded to sacrifice their lives by killing themselves (or others during the act of termination).  The truth is, however, that one day we may have to die and give our lives for the name of Christ, but as a rule, the Lord has required only that we give our lives over to Him as a living sacrifice, thus compelling us to go the extra mile.  Is this difficult to do in today’s world?  Absolutely.  Is it possible?  Yes, for if it was not, the Lord would not have required it.  How can we go the extra mile? 

We can go the extra mile by Overlooking Other’s Faults.

Romans 12:9-10 reads, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”  How many times do we find ourselves sliding into fault finding missions against others?  Sometimes we should just accept others and out of kindness, respect and love, simply overlook their faults.  Sometimes it is best just to watch and wait on the Lord.  Going the extra mile means we exercise some effort in trying to understand where others are in their Christian lives or in their life in general.  The reality is that we are not walking in their shoes and we have yet to walk in the footsteps of their faults, whether they be from their background, their past or prior experiences. If we read Matthew 7:1-5, we learn that we have the obligation to judge fairly and righteously, remembering that the beam in our own eye must be removed before we demand that the mote, or splinter, be removed from the eye of a friend.  Going the extra mile for other Christians is exercising what we are taught in Galatians 6:1: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted”.  This is really an important verse in helping and encouraging fallen brothers and sisters in Christ which is too often forgotten. 

Secondly, we can go the extra mile in Overcoming our own Faults.

Romans 12:11-12 reads, “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer,”.  We all have faults, faults which if not overcome, can become sin.  As  Christians, we have been given the power to overcome our faults which is the promise found in John 4:4:  “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

The Apostle Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote in Romans 5:19-21, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Here we find the source of overcoming our own faults.  Many times faults become heavy, cumbersome weights that develop into sin.  Paul also encouraged the Hebrew believers by writing, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1).  The truth of the matter is that to finish this race we have to go the extra mile and out of necessity, we must lay aside all unneeded weight.  We lay aside these burdensome weights by putting on Christ.  “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14).

Going the extra mile involves Offering Help to Friends, Family and Foes.

We are instructed in Romans 12:13-15, “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”  When given the opportunity, we should selflessly support, encourage and help others however we can, remembering that the Lord is interested in how we give rather than in what we give.  He is interested in our motives in giving to others that we may best exercise the gifts of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  In doing so, no matter how dark the work may become, the light of the Lord will shine in our acts of kindness, walking in the steps of someone who may simply need a kind word of encouragement so that they know of God’s love and care for them.  This my friend, is going the extra mile. 

…go with him twain.

toencourage November 16, 2013 Vol 1 Issue 38

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

II Timothy 1:7

 The bill for our car insurance arrived in the mail last month and with the number of miles we are traveling across the country to attend preaching meetings and missions conferences, this is one bill we want to be sure will be paid on time.  Whether you’re in good hands with AllState or you’re saving 15% by switching to GEICO, there is a certain comfort in knowing that you have insurance on your car.  Should an accident occur which results in injury or damage to the vehicle, it is a relief to know that most of the expenses related to the accident are covered by an insurance policy which provides for repairs and medical costs.

Having this security does not give us license to to become reckless in our driving or to be ignorant of the law, but it does gives us a comfort in knowing that if an accident does occur, we’ll be covered.

This is an analogy which we can also apply in our Christian lives.  Instead of an insurance policy, we have an “assurance promise”.  As our Lord began to reveal to His disciples that He would have to die and leave them after He was resurrected from the grave, He promised that He would send a Comforter.  

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).  

This Comforter is not some warm and fuzzy influence or the product of positive thinking, nor anything that man could produce.  The Comforter is the Holy Spirit: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name…” (John 14:26).  This Comforter, the Holy Ghost, is the third entity of the Holy Trinity that makes up the eternal Godhead, equally God as the Father and the Son.  This is Who our Lord sent back to earth for those that are His.  He did so in order for the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and teach us: “…he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26).  The Holy Spirit was sent to comfort us while we wait and work and live for the Lord.  In many ways not unlike the comfort of having insurance on our vehicles, the assurance of the Holy Spirit of God gives us the comfort we need to move forward doing what is right in the eyes of our Lord, even when the task or challenge is difficult.  No matter what events or incidents may occur in this life, the Comforter gives us the assurance and peace of mind to live without fear of what lies ahead.  

It is this Comforter that enables us to live and work in Control.  As mentioned in our introduction, automobile insurance does not give anyone the right to drive carelessly or in ignorance of the law, nor does it grant one the freedom to drive with reckless abandon.  The Comforter extends to us the control and discipline needed to live Godly lives and to drive safely with purpose and direction.  The Holy Spirit gives us an avenue to experience the joy of knowing God who is present in every day of our lives.

The Lord provided mankind salvation through His death, burial and resurrection and sent the Comforter so that we would be able to Continue.  Is this not the very basis of our reason for existing in this world?  Just as having automobile insurance allows a driver to legally operate their vehicle on the road, the Holy Spirit allows the body of Christ to continue its travels on the highway of life toward its heavenly destination.

 As we review the events of the day and glance at the headlines, we are stunned at the increase in school shootings, typhoons, earthquakes, tornados, terrorist attacks, morality failures, suicides, parental abuse, hypocrisies in the pulpit, etc. which, sadly, are more prevalent than ever.  Imagine living in the world as we do today besieged with such news of sadness and tragedy without any comfort, with NO HOPE.  How tragic it would be to live in this world overwhelmed by sorrow, despair and fear without a Comforter and feeling hopelessly out of control.  Our desire to continue under these grave circumstances would be diminished.

 God hath not given us the spirit of fear but He has given us a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Who directs our level of control enabling us to continue on.  Knowing that should some incident or event suddenly occur, such as Christ’s imminent return, all will be well.  That is living a life in the assurance of salvation.  That, my friend, is comforting and as an added bonus, I do not receive a bill!  It was paid in full on the cross of Calvary.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

II Timothy 1:7

toencourage November 9, 2013 Vol 1 Issue 37

Last week, our points of focus were the two words in Ecclesiastes 5:2, “in heaven”.  We discussed that Heaven is a Place, a Promise and is intimately Personal.  This week I would like to conclude these thoughts using the same verses and topic of “in heaven”.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

We also find in heaven Particulars.  Our minds truly cannot fathom what really rests beyond the other side of the river, but Scripture has revealed some particulars of what we will one day find.  Friend, in Heaven we find God’s Abode: “Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)” (II Chronicles 6:30).

Also, Heaven is where Christ Abides.  “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (I Peter 3:21-22).  

In Heaven, Children Await.  “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.   And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:14-16). 

Beloved, as if all of that which has been mentioned is not enough,  we must also make mention of Heaven’s Angels.  “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;” (Revelation 5:11).  Can you imagine the sound of over one hundred million angels in Heaven harmoniously singing praises to the Lord Jesus Christ?   Amazing!

Truly all that is in Heaven would take years to preach upon.  In addition to the splendor that awaits us when we arrive in Heaven, we will have the Personality of Christ.  In 2 Peter, chapter 1, verse 4, we are revealed to be partakers of the divine nature of Christ that, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Because we are the partakers of Christ’s divine nature in Heaven, we will have the ability to lead encouraging, Godly lives while here on earth, fulfilled by His blessings and grace, as detailed in continual reading of the chapter within verses 5 through 8.

We will have the personality of Christ, much like as when iron is forged in a hot, blazing fire; it will begin to glow brightly and turn red like the fire, yet it continues to have the properties of iron.  In this, Christians will glow brightly with the nature of Jesus Christ, pure and holy and perfect, but will still retain the iron of their own personalities in Christ.  

In our heavenly home, we will be able to rekindle:

Relationships with loved ones:  even though it is on a Heavenly scale, it is to be expected that believers will know one another in that capacity.  Just as David grieved when his child from Bathsheba died, he wept, “And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?  But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (II Samuel 12:22-23).

In Heaven there is also Recognition.  Our recognition of one another will be somewhat different than in this world, however.  “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:21).  Yes, we will recognize one another, but not in the same manner as we do today. (Read also I Corinthians 15:42-44).

Finally, in Heaven there is a Relationship with God.  We will have a Heavenly relationship that will supersede and far surpass any relationships we have ever had with anyone while here on earth (Luke 20:27-38).  Our only relationship will be as children to our Heavenly Father and to one another as brothers and sisters in His family! 

 Over the door of a blacksmith’s shop located along a cobblestone street in Thatcham, England, were the words, “Residence above”.  Like this blacksmith, we, too, should strive to work below while at ground level, but to live above. 

For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 

Hebrews 13:14

…for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

toencourage November 2, 2013 Vol 1 Issue 36

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

Our text this week may seem out of place for the topic, but there are two words within the verses above that will bring this into focus: “in heaven”.  I wonder how many days pass that we fail to give thought to the place of our eternal destiny and to God, who loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place?

Many of you know that I have an appreciation for numbers.  Review with me the chances of dying by:

1) A fireworks discharge is 1 in 1,884,832

2) Being struck by lightning is 1 in 81,949

3) Overexertion is 1 in 96,658 (I am sure this number is tripled among us Baptists! ;o))

4) Drowning in a swimming pool is 1 in 6,031

While these are some interesting 

numbers to know, the greatest number concerning death is that the chance of us all dying will ultimately be 1 in 1.  The odds are by far against us when it comes to death with the probability at 100%.

Recent studies have revealed that 76% of Americans believe there is a Heaven with 64% of Americans believing they will go there when they die.  Nearly one half of the 43% of those who believe they will go to Heaven, state they will do so because they have “confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour”, while 15% believed that obeying the Ten Commandments or being a basically good person will allow them to gain entrance.  Six percent believed they will go to Heaven “because God loves every one”.

Numbers and statistics are fun, beloved, especially when they work in our favor!  We know that upon what the Bible teaches a person will only get to Heaven by fully trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and through repentance to Him and, by faith, believing on Christ to be saved. 

Heaven is mentioned in the Bible over 550 times which is important because even though 76% of Americans claim to believe in Heaven, we need a trustworthy source of information concerning that which pertains to the Word of God.

There is nothing better or more reliable than the BOOK which has been translated in over 1,200 languages, sells over 70 million copies per year and is still the best selling book in all history. It is the Bible, THE BOOK!

There are three distinct heavens in the cosmic expanse above us:

1st heaven – speaks of the beautiful blue skies we see during the day comprised of the clouds and the atmosphere in which they are suspended.  “And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.“ (James 5:18)

2nd heaven – speaks of outer space filled with constellations and galaxies where the stars and other planets exist.  “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.” (Mark 13:24-25).

3rd Heaven – this is God’s abode which is found on the other side of the sea of glass beyond outer space which was spoken of by the Apostle John in Revelation 4.  Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:10 that, “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things”.

What about Heaven?  First we must understand that Heaven is a Place, a real, literal and physical place.  Jesus Christ said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1-2).  Heaven is a physical place, a location, and not just some other ethereal dimension of spiritual existence.  It is the place where Jesus Christ is and that we, as believers, will be one day soon.

Heaven is a place, my friend, that has a Promise.  Jesus continued on by saying: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3).  Beloved, if Christ has told us that He is going to prepare a place FOR us, then He will come again to TAKE us there!  That is a truth and a promise that must be accepted and believed by faith!

Thirdly, we find that it is intimately Personal in Heaven.  “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20).  Jesus Christ states that your name is written in Heaven, recorded in the Book of Life.  Have you ever received a catalog in the mail or online that offers personalized jerseys, stickers, books or other items that can be printed with your very own name on them?  The advertisements always read, “your name” displayed colorfully in a picture.  On the day we were saved, that is what Christ did for each of us in Heaven!  With His own blood, He wrote your name in the Book of Life, inscribed forever throughout all eternity.  That is a reason to rejoice ever more, to know that your name has been written in Heaven, recorded as redeemed…FOREVER!!!

In Heaven, God’s eternal abode is a Place that is Promised to be Personal for each and every one of us that knows Jesus Christ as their Saviour.  Friend, if that doesn’t encourage you to think on Heaven more and to look forward to being there, then I don’t know what will.  

…for God is in heaven…