What is Driving You?

Have you thought of zeal lately? I hadn’t either, until I was reading this morning. I found a couple of quotes sited on a web page I receive every so often. Having my interest stirred, I did a Bible search and found this about zeal.

The word translated zeal is found only 6 times in the New Testament. Thayer gives the following suggestions concerning the meaning of zeal.
1) excitement of mind, ardour, fervour of spirit
1a) zeal, ardour in embracing, pursuing, defending anything
1a1) zeal in behalf of, for a person or thing
1a2) the fierceness of indignation, punitive zeal
1b) an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy

I like a couple of those suggestions; “Excitement of mind,” “fervour of spirit,” “pursuing.”
Here are a few of those 6 verses I found for zeal that demonstrate that view.

The first one is found in the context of the first cleansing of the Temple. Jesus had found the sellers of the sacrificial animals and the money changers seated in the Temple. He made a whip, if you will, and drove them out. John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. I think it appropriate to say He had a little fervor in His spirit that day.

Paul used the word. Upon repentance (godly sorrow) zeal for the Lord is restored. 2Cor. 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, [what] clearing of yourselves, yea, [what] indignation, yea, [what] fear, yea, [what] vehement desire, yea, [what] zeal , yea, [what] revenge! In all [things] ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Do you find you have little zeal for the work of God, or the Word of God, or for God Himself? Perhaps there is sin in your life from which you should repent.

Zeal can be used in a harmful way as well as in a godly fashion. Paul gives his “lineage” or “pedigree” in Philippians 3:6 to contrast not only his life before he was saved, but what drove him after he was saved. He wrote, Concerning zeal , persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Zeal drove him to seek out believers with punitive results. I think that verse is a good example of how zeal can become uncontrollable based upon the motivation behind it.

Paul wrote to the Romans concerning the motivation of zeal. Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. To have a zeal that will lead to godliness, we need a zeal that is based upon knowing God.

Zeal is a terrific force in our lives. But zeal that is void of the knowledge of God can be so very damaging. So, what drives you? Uncontrollable zeal, or a zeal that is motivated and controlled by the principles of God’s Word.

As you have your prayer time this morning ask the Lord to give you a zeal that is motivated and controlled by His Word, so that you may have a life of spiritual service for God and to man.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

“Mums to Freedom”

From Mums to Freedom? You may think, what in the world do Mums and Freedom have to do with each other?

A LOT! I opened my eyes this morning and there was an old Civil War song that was echoing in the caverns of my memory; “The Battle Cry of Freedom.” You know it, don’t you? “We will rally round the flag boys, we’ll rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of freedom!”
So where do Mums come in? Well, as I walked down the steps I noticed our outside lights were on, and there at the bottom of our porch steps I saw our beautiful Fall Mums, in various stages of bloom. Aren’t Fall Mums beautiful? The colors are so bright, especially the yellow, my favorite.

Anyway, back to the question. One thing to do with your Hardy Mums is to try to get them to winter over. I cut them back after the frost kills them, and mulch them very heavily for their long winter‘s sleep. Then in the Spring I uncover them when the ground is warming up and new growth is emerging. Now here is the connection to Freedom. On the 4th of July, or there about, cut the Mums in half.

Have you ever noticed how spindly Mums that you have wintered over become? Well, on the 4th of July cut them back, they will branch out, produce more flowers, and be compact and beautiful by this time of year.

Wow! That’s a leap! I know, I know, but that is the way this old mind works. The next thing you know I was thinking about the Freedom we have in Christ, our Lord and Savior.

There is a difference between being set Free and Liberty. When one is set free, you might say he is introduced to liberty. Being released is not the same as having the benefits of freedom. Being released is being taken out of slavery, shall we say, and being loosed to enjoy the blessings of liberty.

Now, allow me to apply this to our spiritual lives. When we were saved by God’s wonderful Grace, we were set free! He loosed the chains of our sin, which held us bound. He lifted us up out of an horrible pit, as David said. He took us out of darkness, since we were blind in our sins. That is being Freed.

Now watch how liberty comes in. He loosed the chains of our sin, -- and we walked out of it’s domain. Paul wrote to the Romans, “sin shall not have dominion over you.” He lifted us up out of an horrible pit, -- and placed my feet upon the rock, established my goings, and put a new song in my heart, even praise to our God, as David said. He took us out of darkness, since we were blind in our sins. -- Now we walk in the light of God’s Word, we walk in the light of His fellowship, acording to John. We can now see! Those are the blessings of being set free. . . liberty!

Freedom is the act. Liberty is the result.

Meditate on these verses. Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Liberty is to be GUARDED!

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Liberty is NOT LICENSE to do anything. it is PRIVILEGE to ENJOY OBEDIENCE to our Savior and Lord!

Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me [with thy] free spirit. Liberty is the JOY of our salvation.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Liberty is REST for our souls.

So when you are planting those Mums, or when you see them adorning a beautiful garden spot, or this 4th of July when you cut them back, think of this; We have been set FREE from our sin, may we use our LIBERTY to serve our Lord and MASTER Jesus Christ.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

It’s called Praise!

For the last couple of hours the words of Psalm 8 have been rolling over and over in my mind. 8:1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, [and whatsoever] passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth!

It seems that I cannot get those words out of my mind these days. Perhaps it is because of the storms that have been raging along the Gulf Coast of our country. Or maybe it is because of the struggles some folks have been having in their physical lives. Yet it might just be because it is a song.

Music is so very important. It expresses the joy of our hearts, the burdens we bear, the hopes of our lives, the anguish in which we toil. Music is such an important tool for us to use in our worship whether it be on the Lord’s Day or in our early morning seeking of His fellowship.

Music binds my heart to God’s heart and God’s to mine. It is like the chords of God’s loving grace that has reached and secured my salvation. I am not saying that we are saved because of music, I am saying music, I believe is a gift of God’s grace. In fact David says in Psalm 40: I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. The pit in this song is a noisome pit. The pit expresses to the believer his past of sin, and the new song in our hearts expresses our salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!

Music that honors God turns my focus from me to Him. That Music allows my heart to be warmed by emotion that overcomes my circumstances.

It is called praise to Him.

Ron Hamilton’s rendition of Psalm 8, "How Majestic Is Thy Name" is such an expression.

When I consider the work of Thy hands, The sun, moon and stars, above.
What is man that Thou thinkest of him Who is so unworthy of Thy love?

Heavens are telling the glory of God, Each tree points to Christ on high.Why would God, the Creator of all, Take the form of lowly flesh to die?

Jesus, Creator and Ruler of all, Left heaven to die for me. Came to earth, laid aside heaven’s throne, In exchange for death on Calvary.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name.
Mountains, valleys, all creation tells Thy fame.
Heavens declare it, all Thy wondrous works proclaim:
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

“God is so Great”

I was reading some blogs written by folks in our church last evening, and found two great statements by two young men in our church. Micah Ellis, my assistant, has a blog worth your reading (www.bensfriends.com/mestudios) and Jeff Burgess, one of our Deacons. His blog too is worth your time. You can find it at jeffnem.blogspot.com. You will also find great pictures of some of our churches other young families.

I am so very thankful for the young adults the Lord has given to our church. He has brought some great thinkers our way, but thinkers who are want their thoughts to be subject to the Word of God. It is a pleasure to pastor guys like these and their families. The Lord has blessed us with a great balance of people of all ages. I praise Him for the privilege of being the pastor.
What a choice church!

Oh don’t get me wrong, we are not without our difficulties, weakness, and failures. But I thank God for what He is doing and the desire of the hearts of His people to seek Him.

Let me share with you what Micah posted in his blog and then Jeff’s comment. This was posted

September 1, 2005:
Disregard for God

“There would simply be no nation without God. But he is disregarded by our cultural leaders in almost all they do. Disregard for God is the greatest evil in the West today. It is as though an ant on his anthill should disbelieve in the earth. “ - John Piper from “Taste & See”

The disregard for God in our age terrifies me. It better terrify you too. The one who holds our lives in the very palm of His powerful and just hand is viewed as an option in our humanistic culture. Since arriving here in Maine I have been confronted with this philosophy more than I want to mention. It churns my stomach. I long for the light of God’s glory to flood main street and for saved and unsaved to understand for the first time who they are dealing with.

Sometimes the things we fear the most are closer than we liked to admit.

Jeff’s comment is: You're right about it being closer than we like to admit. I just read Pastor's blog and he quoted the part from Job that you read last Sunday and God's words gave me chills to read them--because I forget all too easy the fragility of our existence. Sometimes I wonder how God can be so patient and can hold back His strength for so long.

When we think of the Greatness of our God we must think of it within the confines of His character. That is another way of saying our God is Great because His Attributes are Great, or we could say, our God is Great because He is GOD!

Each of His attributes must not be taken without regard for all the other attributes. For example He is Holy, He is love, etc…. Yet His holiness is expressed in His love and His love is expressed in His holiness. He can’t stop being any of the attributes or He would cease to be WHO He is, God.

We think of the Love of God and we think, our God is so great!
We think of the Mercy of God and we think, our God is so great!
We think of the Eternality of God and we think our God is so great!
And we could go on and on.

Our Great God is tremendous. He is all that His attributes declare Him to be. So when we consider Him we cannot think of His attributes competing against each other. There is a very good example of this principle in Habakkuk 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

To focus only on the love of God is to not do justice to the character of God. To only focus on the justice of God is to not do justice to the character of God. To only focus on the mercy of God is to not do justice to the character of God. Each attribute works in harmony and consistency with the character of God.

Our God is far Greater than His creation, yet men, especially in our area of the country, much prefer the creation over the Creator. Isn’t that sad? On Sunday I mentioned to our folks how very sad it was to see people bow to worship the sun (which I have seen here) when they could bow and worship the Creator of the sun!

So here is the point. It is found in the Psalms. Psalm 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man , that thou art mindful of him?

I am glad that the God of the Bible is Holy and Righteous and Just, all is consistent with His character. But as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ it is our privilege to rest in His Sovereign Grace and Mercy, which are also consistent with His character.

Folks, our God is not an “option” for you. The Bible is very clear, all must bow to Him one day; you must be born again; He is the Judge of the whole world. There is only one option for mankind today that guarantees forgiveness of sin and life eternal - “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!” Trust the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, today!

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

You Can’t Do That!

I don’t know how often I have heard, in 30 years of ministry, these “encouraging” words, “You can’t do that!” I won’t go into any kind of episodes where I have heard it, just take my word for it. Our faith can be very small at times of challenge.

It can be challenged in our personal lives, or our family struggles. It can be challenged in our ministries and service for the Lord. When it is, those words will often surface in the challenge.
I was reading in 1 Samuel 14 for my devotions this morning and found the account of Jonathan and his armor bearer came upon a garrison of Philistine soldiers. We come to verse 6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

As you continue to read the Philistines call out “Come over!” The rest is history. Jonathan and his armor bearer were victorious against the garrison of Philistines. This garrison was in a strategic area the size of an half acre of land. In this initial battle Jonathan and his armor bearer killed 20 men. As a result the entire army fled the battle field and Israel was spared.

Now if a general had been with Jonathan on that day instead of his armor bear what do you suppose he would have said? You got it, “You can’t do that!”

When Jesus was confronted with the multitude at meal time away from town and provisions to feed them, there surfaced a little boy in the crowd who had his lunch with him; 5 barley loaves and 2 small fishes. Do you remember what the disciples said to Jesus when Jesus said he would feed the 5000 men plus women and children? You got it, “You can’t do that!” Well, their actual words were “what are they among so many?”

Can you think of more examples of God using small things to magnify Himself? Gideon’s army of 300 men? How about a man named Noah and a boat called the ark? How about a man named Jonathan Edwards who was faithful in preaching? When God attempts to do something great He usually uses something small to do it. That way He gets the glory!

Don’t despise the small things, because we have a very big God! Do you ever wonder why there is so much marketing of the church today? My theory is that the “big ministries” have lost sight of the bigness of God. Perhaps they need to market for you money because they have out grown the God of little things.

Well I don’t know where you are today my brother or sister, but never fail to remember how big our God is! You may be hearing “You can’t do that” today. Take heart! Paul wrote; “Let us not be weary in well doing for in DUE TIME we shall reap if we faint not.” “But my God shall supply all your NEEDS according to His riches in Christ Jesus!”

I suppose you are wondering if I have a song at this point, I do. Let me close with it’s words by Kittie Louise Suffield. Very little is known about her except that she and her husband worked for a time with George Beverley Shea and she wrote about 5 or 6 songs including the words of this little song. But what an “encouragement” these words are!

“Little is much when God is in It”

In the harvest field now ripened
There’s a work for all to do;
Hark! the voice of God is calling
To the harvest calling you.

Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem too small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He’ll not forget His own.

Are you laid aside from service,
Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle,
In the sacred place of prayer.

When the conflict here is ended
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
“Welcome home, My child—well done!”

Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown—and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ Name.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

The Great Shepherd

I awoke with, what some would say are, the most wonderful words that David ever penned, Psalm 23. That Psalm has delighted in distress, comforted in casualty, calmed in chaos, healed the hurtful, helped the helpless! It is this Psalm that we turn to when we need assurance in time of uncertainty, or an uplift in times of grief.

All of David’s other words that are found in the Bible have the same quality of Inspiration as Psalm 23, but it seem to us that Psalm 23 tops his writings. This Psalm like no other expresses from the heart of a shepherd the work of the Great Shepherd. It guarantees both the spiritual and physical needs of the sheep are met, the protection of the sheep is assured, the relationship of the sheep and shepherd are maintained, the promised future of the sheep will be bright!

Now, while all of that is precious to the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, what makes Psalm 23 so very wonderful are not the promises but the One who is the Promise Keeper, the Shepherd of our Souls! May I again quote Matthew Henry? "'The Lord is my shepherd.' In these words, the believer is taught to express his satisfaction in the care of the great Pastor of the universe, the Redeemer and Preserver of men. With joy he reflects that he has a shepherd, and that shepherd is Jehovah."

May the Great Shepherd of the Sheep be our consolation in every detail of difficulty! And may He be our joy in every step of our "ordered walk" (Psalm 37:23) whether it takes us to green pastures, still waters, the presence of enemies to the loaded table, or through the valley of the shadow of death to our heavenly home. He will never, ever in any circumstance fail His Sheep!

Why not sing this Psalm from the old Scottish Psalter of 1690 (Belmont):

"The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want"

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want.He makes me down to lieIn pastures green; He leadeth meThe quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again;And me to walk doth makeWithin the paths of righteousness,Even for His own Name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,Yet will I fear no ill;For Thou art with me; and Thy rodAnd staff my comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnishedIn presence of my foes;My head Thou dost with oil anoint,And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my lifeShall surely follow me;And in God’s house forevermoreMy dwelling place shall be.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

In and Through Him!

Paul wrote these words to Timothy in his second letter chapter 1. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

These words cause my heart to swell with praise! Just consider what we have in "our Savior Jesus Christ. . . ." Not a spirit of fear - when fearful, check the source! A spirit of power, love, and sound mind - when victorious, check the source! He saved us and called us - when you think of salvation, check the source! HIS purpose and grace - when you think of having a purpose, check the source. We should be Christ-driven!

Paul says in verse 10 that we have all these graces; made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. . . . Because Jesus came and has graced us in salvation we receive all the blessings of eternal life!

It is in the Lord Jesus Christ that God has revealed what life, and death, and light are! I think of Hebrews 1:1 and following 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

It is in and through the Lord Jesus Christ that we are blessed with the graces that are mentioned by Paul in 2 Timothy 1, but also in Him, we find our who God is! He is the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person. In order to know God you MUST know the Lord Jesus Christ, by faith in His work on the Cross!

The blessings of our salvation are not as much all these kind of benefits, as it is KNOWING CHRIST. We have been introduced to the very Son of God by the grace of God saving us. We are permitted a very intimate relationship with the God of all creation because we know the Lord Jesus Christ!

Christ is the blessing of Salvation!So our hearts respond with the words of Joachim Neander.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation! All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near; Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth, Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth! Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee; Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee. What need or grief ever hath failed of relief? Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee; Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee. Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging, Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging, Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace, Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding, Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding, Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night, Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him! All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him. Let the Amen sound from His people again, Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

Great is the Lord!

I would like to turn your thoughts to the Great God of the Bible. The One who in Majesty rules, by Grace Saves, in Mercy Pardons, and with Compassion Loves. As you begin you day today, consider Him. And as you do, think of these words, “The Great Creator became my Savior!” Only the Great God of the Bible could be Majesty and Savior all at the same time! We tremble before Him, but with confidence in our Lord and Savior we can give Him praise! Trust in His Good, Sovereign, Matchless Grace.

The Following is called David's [Psalm] of praise. Psalm 145:1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. 2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. 3 Great [ is ] the LORD , and greatly to be praised; and his greatness [ is ] unsearchable. 4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. 5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. 6 And [men] shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. 7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. 8 The LORD [is] gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The LORD [is] good to all: and his tender mercies [are] over all his works.

Several songs come to mind. “I sing the Mighty Power of God that made the mountains rise!” “Great is the Lord and worthy of glory, Great is the Lord and worthy of Praise!”

My favorite hymn that expresses the Greatness of God is called. “Great God of Wonders.” I will just let these words of Samuel Davies speak for us this Morning.

Great God of wonders! All Thy ways
Are matchless, Godlike and divine;
But the fair glories of Thy grace
More Godlike and unrivaled shine,
More Godlike and unrivaled shine.

In wonder lost, with trembling joy,
We take the pardon of our God:
Pardon for crimes of deepest dye,
A pardon bought with Jesus’ blood,
A pardon bought with Jesus’ blood.

O may this strange, this matchless grace,
This Godlike miracle of love,
Fill the whole earth with grateful praise,
And all th’angelic choirs above,
And all th’angelic choirs above.

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
Or who has grace so rich and free?

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone!

"Never Dies"

Good Morning Everyone,

Do you like "Blue Grass?" I do. I grew up on that kind of music. My heart is blessed when I hear a hymn or Gospel Song sung in that genre. I am not speaking about the "professionals" rendition of a hymn or Gospel Song, but when it is sung from someone whose heart has been effected by the Gospel it is a blessing and brings back memories.

Blue Grass is so strangely beautiful. When my Dad hears a song he will say, "My that's mournful, but don't turn it off, let me suffer!"

Well one such song was on my heart this morning. It is entitled "Where the Soul Never Dies." I suppose that thought has been on my heart lately for a few reasons. We have been faced with some health challenges in our family lately, but praise the Lord we received very good word yesterday. We have been concerned for a young lady in our church who is fighting breast cancer. Another of our dear senior Saints has a son, my age, with terminal cancer. And lastly I have been preaching on the "I Am" statements of the Lord Jesus, they are filled with hope and life!

This past Lord's Day morning was "I Am the Resurrection and the Life!"
In John 11:21-26 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Whoever lives and believes (salvation) shall never die! That is such a comforting statement especially when we are faced with such difficulties that health and mortality bring to us.

And elderly lady, in my first church, a dear saint in her 90's, used to describe death in such beautiful terms. She was homebound and we would visit in the living room of her Victorian home. There were French Doors that separated the living room from the parlor. She often spoke of going to be with the Lord and each time she would say, "Pastor, do you know what death seems to be like for me?" "Tell me, Bertha," I would say. "It is like going from this room into the Parlor through those French Doors, only, the Lord Jesus will be there to open the door and welcome me in."

Now let me tell you something about that Parlor. I was only taken in there 2 times in the years I was her pastor, and only by invitation. Those two days were for two special purposes. One was to show me all the beautiful, and I mean beautiful furnishing and decor. It was nothing short of beautiful. The second time came shortly before we left our church for my new assignment. She said to me, "Pastor I want to show you a picture of my husband. Come with me he is in here." We went through that beautiful portal into that gorgeous place where she picked up the photo with loving hands and said, "This is my husband."

As I remember, they had been married in their early 20's back in the late 1800's or early 1900's. He was killed tragically, again, as I remember, in a work accident. They had only been married for a few short years, and had no children. But my how she loved him. She spoke of him just like newly weds speak of one another. . . .

Well, let me get to our lesson for today. That room and my visits with Bertha were great examples to me of death and heaven. When we die it is like going from this room into the next, only the Lord Jesus will open the door and welcome us in! Isn't that great. I think of Paul's words: "O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory!" It is gone because Jesus meets us in death. He is our death and grave conquering Lord and Savior!

Inside the door are the beauties that await us; the crystal river, golden streets, 12 wall of precious jewels, no night, and on and on. Inside will be a reunion. Loved ones who have gone before will be there. “O won’t it be wonderful there!”

But I thought of another old Gospel Song, “I Long to See my Savior First of All, before on any other I will call. And then through countless days, on His dear face I’ll gaze, I long to see my Savior first of all!”

Or how about this one. “When my life’s work is ended and I cross the swelling tide, When the bright and glorious morning I shall see, I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, and His smile shall be the first to welcome me.”

“Thru the gates to the city, in a robe of spotless white, He will lead me where no tears will ever fall; In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight, But I long to meet my Savior first of all.”

“I shall know Him. I shall know Him, when redeemed by His side I shall stand! I shall know Him! I shall know Him, by the print of the nails in His hands.”

But before we ever go to heaven we must deal with one thing, the question that Jesus asked Martha in our text. “Believest thou this?” On Sunday night we took up the next of Jesus’ “I Am” statements, “Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me!”

He is absolutely the ONLY way to the Father, the truth, He is truth personified, and the life, He is the source of eternal life for all who will believe.

If you have never trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior my friend He beckons to you, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

For the believer there is a great day awaiting us, where the soul never dies!

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord by Grace Alone!

“How Beautiful!”

Good Morning,

We are having another transitional day in Maine. It is Post-summer and Pre-Fall (my terminology) all in one. The wind is blowing through the trees and it sounds like the leaves of our Bibles turning during church service.

Did you have a good Lord’s Day of Worship? I did!

I was thinking this morning of the words to a beautiful “new” song called “The Body of Christ.” It describes how beautiful the elements are of the Lord’s Table, how beautiful are the ones who prepare it. How beautiful are the brethren who meet together. In other words it is expressing gratitude and grace for the Lord’s Church, the Body of Christ.

Then I thought of two other songs, “old” ones. “Blest be the tie that Binds, our hearts in Christian Love, the Fellowship of kindred minds, is like to that above.” The other one was “What a Fellowship what a joy divine leaning on the Everlasting Arms.”

The Christian expression of worship is so very encouraging and vital to the People of God. It offers grace to the worshipper, encouragement to the brotherhood, and glory to God. You can’t get much better than that.

Here are some expressions of the Body that blest my heart yesterday and I hope will be reminders to you to pray and to be an exhorter, (that biblical word is from the word for “comfort,” paraklete. It is the same word from which we get one of the titles of the Holy Spirit).

The following are all my paraphrases.
“Pastor, the chemo has caused me to be so weak”
“Pastor, my son is at peace with no more cancer treatments, He is coming to see me Lord wiling in a few weeks.”
“Pastor, Oh the burden is so great!”
“Pastor, your message blessed me today, thank you.”
“Pastor, blog means web log.” (I really needed help with that one, thanks)

Then there were the songs that we chose to sing and the testimonies of our dear people. “More Love to Thee, Oh Christ”, “Sweet Peace, the Gift of God’s Love” “I Am His, and He is Mine”, and many, many more. It was precious.

I honestly cannot understand how anyone who claims Christ as his Savior, let alone Lord, can miss the fellowship of the Saints on the Lord’s Day! I guess I never will, praise the Lord.

Here are our Lessons:

Hebrews 10:21-25 21 And [having] an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together , as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

I like the word “provoking” in verse 24, it means “to stir up.” We are to stir up one another to love and to good works. My church did that for me yesterday!

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. 5 For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all generations.

Praise the Lord if your church is true to the Word of God. I praise the Lord for my church! I wish you all could have been here!

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

When Morning Gilds The Sky

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you awoke well this morning. I looked out the window of our kitchen a few minutes ago, to see a silvery, golden expanse glistening through our woods. It was the morning gilded sky. Then a song flooded my mind.

When Morning Gilds the Skies
My heart awakening cries,
May Jesus Christ be praised,

The Bible has a lot to say about the morning. Here are a few examples.

When Israel was troubled in Egypt, the Lord answered their troubles in the Morning. In the wilderness wanderings, He sent bread to fill them, and quail to eat, in the Morning.

In the early morning Israel began to offer their daily sacrifices; in the Morning Joshua assembled Israel before entering the Land; in the early Morning victories in battle were secured; in the early Morning righteous Job began his day with God.

Micah, my faithful Assistant in the ministry of our church, read Job 38 and part of chapter 40 this past Lord’s Day, in the aftermath of “Katrina”. (Check out his blog at http://www.bensfriends.com/mestudios/. You will find a lot of good thoughts and even pictures there). Anyway, God is speaking to Job, and really glorifying Himself, which is what God does so very well. Job 38:1-12 1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2 Who [is] this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And brake up for it my decreed [place], and set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; [and] caused the dayspring to know his place. God is so very, “Godish” to the praise of His own glory!

Psalm 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct [my prayer] unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.

Psalm 92:1 [It is a] good [thing] to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. I like these verses. In the morning we awake because God is merciful, He does not have to give us another day to live. In the evening we go to rest because God has demonstrated His faithfulness once again.

And of course that brings to mind Lamentations 3:21-24 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 [It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Our Lesson for today. When you awake, and after the cobwebs are wiped away, look to the sky. The morning will remind you of the greatness of our God. If it is a stormy morning it is just creation applauding His majesty. If it is a sunny morning it is just one of His stars welcoming Him to a new day. If it has that silvery golden shimmer, it is just a wake up call to praise our Great Creator! May Jesus Christ Be Praised!

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

Fall is Time for Planting

If you go to the nursery’s around the area you will find this slogan, “Fall is time for planting.” That seemed to work better when we lived in Southeastern PA than here on the Mid-coast of Maine. I have learned this over the last 14 years, Fall comes early in Maine so if you are going to do any Fall planting do it early, like today (Labor Day) and not much later.

When I awoke a little while ago, the thought of planting Fall Mums was on my mind. Today is the day. This past week we planted several perennials in our gardens; a new breed of Viola, “King Solomon,” several varieties of Day Lilies, two varieties of Iris’, several kinds of Hosta’s, two new grasses, some Phlox, and Astilbies. Within a couple of weeks I am going to rent a lawn slicer and reseed my lawn with a great Jonathan Green product that is particularly good here in Maine, “Black Beauty.” It will send a root 3 feet deep into the earth and is a very rich dark green grass. The reason for the lawn slicer is it takes several weeks to germinate and we could have some very cold weather by then. The lawn slicer will plant the seed ¼ of an inch deep where it can be protected and germinate more easily. Having sown some “Black Beauty” in test areas of my lawn I think this will be a better approach.

You ask, what in the world does this have to do with devotions? Well, keep reading.

In James chapter one he begins his Epistle by sharing several thoughts. To me the first chapter of James reads much like the Proverbs. It contains thought upon thought. Here is an example; verse 17 and following it says this: James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word , which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word , and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Verse 21 is the verse that first came to mind this morning. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. I am beginning to enjoy reading the New Living Translation, NOT THE LIVING BIBLE, that is a paraphrase. It says this: 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.

One of the most important things about gardening is soil preparation. Without going into a lot of “stuff” about it, let me say this, what you do for your soil will determine what happens to your plants.

Look at our verse, soil preparation is there; “. . . get rid of all (superfluity/abundance) the filth and evil in your lives. . . .” If you want beautiful flower or fruits take care to prepare your soil. If you want a life that will show the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ, take care to deal with sin in you life!

Next you need to start with healthy seeds, or plants, or bulbs. That is in our verse. “The message (the Word) God has engrafted, implanted, or planted, in you heart.”

Then there is a proper depth of planting. You don’t plant any deeper than the crown on a shrub or tree, you plant your seeds to a recommended depth (“Black Beauty” via a lawn slicer = ¼ inch), Tulips 6 inches, Iris the crown must be exposed to the sun. Even this is in our verse. “receive with meekness” or “humbly accept.”

And then we must tend the garden. We need to weed, and water, and feed. Look at verses 22-25 -- 22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law – the law that sets you free – and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it

And there is the promise of a beautiful harvest if we have received the Word of God as described in verse 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.

Here is the lesson. There is only one means of salvation. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.” John 14:6. The message that saves us from our sins, is the message of he Word of God.

But once we hear the message we must obey it. To just go to church, and know all the right words is not salvation. At best it is reformation. To be saved is to have an abiding trust and obedience to the message of Christ. Trust Him to be saved, obey Him to bloom!

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.

Up and At 'em!

It is now 6:50 AM and I have been up for more than an hour pondering my thoughts with the Lord. I have also thought of my morning excursion with my “grand-dog” Copper (she is our daughter’s Chocolate Lab). That is our exercise routine. (I can’t use the word “walk” or Copper will not give me rest until we take our, well, excursion).

Paul uses an interesting word in his first letter to Timothy 4:7-8, GUMNAZO, and GUMNASIA. It is the word from which we get our word gymnasium; 1 Tim 4:7-8 7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

You see the picture of a person in a gym exercising and exercising in an effort to either run faster than before, or lift more weight than before, or do some gymnastic skill better than before. He accomplishes it by continuing to do the same routine over and over and over again.
He then says while bodily exercise is of profit, godly exercise is of greater profit. So I wondered what constitutes “godly exercise” and a flood of “stuff” entered my mind; worship, good deeds, prayer, singing to the Lord and one another, Bible reading, witnessing. . . . Finally my mind settled in on a few verses I would like you to ponder throughout the day.

FIRST - Amos 5:14-15 14 Seek good , and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, . . .

Victory over sin is often won in the mind. We need to exercise our minds to think and thus love what is good and to hate what is evil.

SECOND - Micah 6:6-8 6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul? 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Walking pleasingly to the Lord is more an act of grace than it is an act of worship. Many people can put on their Sunday best and “go to church” and accomplish absolutely nothing pleasing to God, if first their heart is not right before Him. He REQUIRES of His people the weight lifting of justice, love of mercy, and a humble walk before Him.

THIRD - Deut. 10:12-13, 20-11:1 12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?. . . 20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. 21 He [is] thy praise, and he [is] thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. 22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

Because of all the Lord had done for Israel, they were continually reminded of what kind of devotion they should have toward Him.

We take application when we think of all He has done for us and sing the old chorus; “After all He’s done for me, after all He’s done for me, how can I do less, than give Him my best, and live for Him completely, after all He’s done for me.”

We devote ourselves over, and over, and over again to Him, by loving Him, and keeping His Word, and giving Him due reverence, and serving and cleaving unto Him.

Now our lesson. When our life is all said and done, what will have been better for me, to have been a body builder (which may mean I live in better physical health a perhaps a bit longer) or, a devoted servant of my Lord (which will be rewarded by a “well done good and faithful servant”, just prior to entering into the blessings of eternity)?

Now I am not saying, physical exercise is not worth anything. I am saying, godly exercise is worth far more.

Let’s take the time to care for our bodies, but be sure to not do it at the expense of our souls.

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, By Grace Alone!

The Sound of His Voice

A line of an old hymn goes this way: "He speaks and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush there singing." That is a cool line. To hear the beautiful voice of song birds is a treat we all enjoy. But a voice far sweeter is that of our lovely Lord. Even the birds hush in silence at His sweet tones.

One's voice is so very important. A fussy baby is hushed by the voice of his mother. A basketball team is controlled by the voice of it's coach in a noice filled gymnasium. Good men respond to the voice of reason.

As a kid I remember the sound of my mother's voice. All the guys in the neighborhood would gather to play football in a neighbor's extended yard. We had some great games with some great injuries. Sometimes the injuries made for better bragging rights than who won the games, but that is another story. Anyway, as it was getting closer to night time I would hear my mother's voice calling from the front porch, "Tim, time for supper!" In all the noise of the neighborhood game, her voice would reach my ears. Sounds like we ought to break into a Southern Quartet's Gospel song, "Come home come home it's supper time, the shadows lengthen fast. . . " Oh well.

I got to thinking of the Lord's voice, this morning. The Bible speaks in many places about His voice.

Exodus 15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, [which] when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I [am] the LORD that healeth thee.

When Israel went after the other gods of the land, and did not seek the Lord wholeheartedly, God promised this: Deut. 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, [even] in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice ; 31 (For the LORD thy God [is] a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

Job 36: 26-37:6 26 Behold, God [is] great, and we know [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. 27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: 28 Which the clouds do drop [and] distil upon man abundantly. 29 Also can [any] understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the noise of his tabernacle? 30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. {bottom: Heb. roots} 31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance. 32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it [not to shine] by [the cloud] that cometh betwixt. 33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour. 37:1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice , and the sound [that] goeth out of his mouth. 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice ; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou [on] the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

Think of that last verse, He tells the snow when to fall, and the rain when to shower or flood! WOW! Remember that this winter, my northern neighbors. I know, I know, practice what you preach, you got me!

His voice is the still small voice of His convicting, convincing Spirit. 1 Kings 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for 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. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice . 13 And it was [so], when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.

But the first mention of God's voice, speaking directly to man, is in Genesis 3:8 right after the Fall. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself. Just when Adam needed the Lord the most, he hid from His voice.

Here is our lesson. His voice can convict, it can control creation itself, it can comfort. When you sin the temptation is to run and hide, just like Adam. But when we sin we should run straight to our Lord and our God! He will convict and convince and forgive. Listen to His voice as He speaks to you through the Word of God. He will direct your steps aright!

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone.