A Picture For Sarah

Yes, that must be the place I visited, several times. Here is a full picture of the building. I can recommened the food there. The salmon was great. And the soups! Wow. I had a chance to treat my hosts several times, and it was a pleasure to take them there.

In the day time it is a restaurant, in the evenings it is a night club, I think. Never went there at night.

Take a friend there.

Looking for the PB, and we have a ton of magnets. I'm getting together a bunch of gifts to have on hand. I remember staying with friends in Votinsk, and I had a jar of Coffee Mate with me (never know when I'd get some coffee). I brought it out, and they loved it. I left it there. I may get some more.

I was joking about the roads. Riding in a car is a thrilling experience. They are all little 5 speed Ladas, and they run like crazy all over the road and they never seem to shift out of 4th gear. Phew!. I have to steel myself for the adventure. In a two week period, I had to help change two tires, too.

I'm looking forward to being there, and working with friends for the short time I'll be there, with my daughter.

What's So Holy About You?

It’s interesting, but sad, that the concept of holiness is being re-defined. Today there are theologians who want you to believe that being holy means being “wholly dedicated to God”. The pursuit of that dedication creates holiness, they say.

That is so far off the mark, it hurts. But worse to know that there are many people who think this is correct. They are being duped. That hurts more than anything. Pray for people who are taken in by clever words that are not true. It is not our actions that make us holy; it is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.

I just read this quote from A.W. Tozer: “Only the Spirit of the Holy One can impart to the human spirit the knowledge of the holy” (Knowledge of The Holy, pp 104). The Holy Spirit opens us up to holiness. He did it for Isaiah (Isa 6:5); He will do it for us.

Today’s young miss this reality completely. It is not being preached in the places they are attracted to.

Acts: To Be Continued...

Act 28:31 preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

Notice how the Book of Acts seems to just stop there? There is no more writing after that verse. It stops, but there is a sense that it doesn't end. Was there more that Luke wrote that some how got chopped off? Did he not finish it? Did he die right after penning these words, so that the book never completed?

Or - is it that God never intended the book to be finished in printed form?

Humm...maybe the book is being finished as we speak. Maybe, we are creating the next chapters, as the Holy Spirit acts. It is His story here, after all. He is the One who is acting, not the apostles or us. But, still, He used the apostles (and He uses us) to live and write each subsequent chapter.

We are the source material for the next chapter. We are the Book of Acts. That is quite radical. Don't look at that as a quaint, cutesy thought. If I am correct, then we are much more connected to the events in chapters 1 - 28 than we hear today. There is a habit of calling Acts 2:42 the "early Church". That would become a misnomer if I am correct. If we are part of the Book of Acts, then we are the same as the Church in Acts 2:42. They are us. We are them. There is no "early Church" or "later Church", or "modern Church" or "post-modern Church". We are all the same Church. The distingushing of differences is fleshly, carnal at best, demonic at worse.

And, I ask, why not? What's wrong with removing differences? Well, it gets radical because it takes the authority away from tradition of all kinds. Our authority must return to the beginning, Acts 1 and 2. The power and authority of the Gospel resides in the main point of Peter's sermon. The Church comes out of his message about Christ:

2:23: Predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God: Death
2:24: Putting an end to the agony of death
2:32: Raised up
2:33: Exalted
2:34: Ascended
2:36: Made Lord and Christ
2:37: We, pierced to the heart
2:38: Repent
2:42: Devoted
2:44: Together

What Peter is trying to say...

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God

When someone says "What Paul is trying to say here...", or "what Peter is trying to say...", note that what follows will be the author's rewriting of God's Word. It's that simple, and that extreme.
God breathed His thought, His truth, His life, His Spirit into every word, phrase, verse, chapter and book. I realize there are many translations and interpretations of what the wording is. But, textual criticism is one thing, outright misrepresentation is another. Is it ignorance, or denial? Would a highly educated person mis-takenly mis-read a passage in order to lay a foundation for his own personal twist on scripture? Why not? If they want to prove themselves right, they then just say the original writer was struggling to make his point, and they "help" him make it (since they have gained an insight 2000 years later that the original writer did not have). What genius! What insight! What authority!

Be leery of anyone coming to you with a different revelation than what was put into scripture in the first place. James, John, Peter and Paul, all chosen apostles, spoke in person with the Lord Jesus, and got their insight directly from Him, and the Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance all that He had said. That is true revelation. Peter was remembering what the Lord drove him to conclude. Who dares touch this?

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." John 6:68

Taken in by a Theologian

I got caught trying to speak to a theologian. I forgot I was not on his level. I should have known better. In this series of posts on 1 Peter I spent 3 days wondering what in the world this man saw in Peter that I was missing. His posts had no apparent grounding in the text, although so many people drooled all over his insights. I was more mystified than anything. What was going on here?

Then on the 3rd day (no pun intended), the light dawned. I got roped into a discussion that was really an agenda driven appeal to his base, like a politician. It was the sound of an axe grinding in the background that I missed. How could I have been so...so...foolish. Here is what I posted, incase it gets deleted from his website (name withheld):

Ok, Mr. ---, I see now. I was reading your posts under a naïve assumption. I thought you might have seen something about Peter that I had missed, so I was sincerely reading to gain insight. All the while, stumped with an inner sense of frustration over something I couldn’t put my finger on. But, when I saw the words Heaven Hope capitalized, I got a stunned feeling I was being had. These are buzz-words.

Here was a theologian with an agenda (surprise, surprise!). This was no honest re-examining of Peter, but an appeal to a base, like a politician. I am disappointed. I am sorry for the trouble I spent thinking through this. I am not a fundamentalist. I am not a dispensationalist. But I felt slapped, and I didn’t know why.

I am really more upset with myself than you. This is a learning experience, and I will be more vigilant when running across “new” insights. You have served an unexpected lesson. Thank you.

I was helped in this by looking through 2 Peter, chapter 2.:

2Pe 2:3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words;

Short Term Missons with a Purpose

Everyone is going on short term missions. It seems to be the rage among American Christians. In one way it is a good thing, that so many people are reaching out beyond themselves and desiring to see the Kingdom of God expand. I am praying about and waiting for papers from Russia that will allow me to visit Russia this March. It will be my second trip there, and the first on my own. I will not be alone; my daughter is going with me.

We will visit the Republic of Udmurtia. It is 500 miles east of Moscow. Our fellowship (remember we are the Church, while where we gather is a fellowship), has been connected to an evangelistic work in the city of Izhevsk. Many of our people, old and young, have been there over the last three years. God has put us together with this work, and we are blessed beyond measure in being a part of the church-planting (excuse me, fellowship planting) that is furiously happening there.

In an effort to spell out a purpose for going, so I can keep it all straight, I have come up with these thoughts, with scriptures (heavily dependant on Acts) on why I want to go to Russia for a two week visit:

Reasons to go to Russia:

• See, learn, experience – Acts 10:19
• See things I won’t see here.
• See “First Love” – Rev 2:4
• What does it look like? We have been together so long, we have forgotten it. It is very common is Russia.
• Speak to the Bible School – 2 Tim 2:2
• They are a precious group of people.
• Give encouragement – Acts 14:22
• Visit last year’s Bible school grads where they are now. Many are working now, and I want to visit them to see how they are doing.
• Teach/Be with young – 1 John 2:12
• May daughter wants to reach the orphans and other children
• Minister substance – Acts 20:20, 2 Tim 3:15
• Not just messages. I want there to be substance in the words, words that have weight, and reason and purpose. I want the words I say to make a difference.
• See people saved (young and old) – Acts 16:30
• Not just responding to an invitation, but see a person come to the end of their self. I want to see someone say, “What must I do to be saved”?
• Divine appointments – Acts 8:25
• Right after one meeting last year, I gathered with the praise group after the service, and felt there was a need to say something they needed to hear. I knew what it was, but didn't have all the words I needed (very frustrating). Places and times to minister might be any time. And now I feel better prepared, I have a special word for a praise group. I hope to be able to share with many of the people who minister in music.
• See God’s sovereignty over evil – Mat 4:16
• There are places where evil seems to have total control over people. God has the ultimate authority over all of those places. He is in control of them. The enemy needs to be driven out, though, as in the illustration of the Promised Land. We can’t think that the giants in the land will defeat us. That would be a lack of faith.
• Report back all that God had done – Acts 15:4

Theologians - Grrrh

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Grrrh, I don't like theologians. I see no purpose for them, in general, or advantage of them, in specific. I won't point to the one that makes me say this, since I don't want to get personal. But, it seems much of what is changing or evolving in the on-line Christian world is being spurred on by theologians. It's really interesting to see the mental energy put out in some quarters. No life, just mental exercise.

What will be the result? That which is born of the flesh, will be flesh. That born of the Spirit, will be spirit. It is the division of the soul and spirit. It is the battle ground in all of us. Right now, I see many people who don't seem to want to separate the soul from the spirit. In them, the soul is the all-powerful center of activity, the beginning and the end of religion and pursuit of God. The soul will only lead to death. Not death in a physical sense, but death in a deadness sense. Death encompasses us. Fallen man is dead to the things of the Spirit. The soul, the mental power, is part of that fallen nature, and if it is not brought to the Cross of Christ, then what comes out of it is dead to the things of God.

Rom 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Rom 8:7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so;

It's not the kindling, it's the remembering that matters.

I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you

I might have missed another point in the last post. I was dwelling on the kindling the fire, stirring the spiritual gift that is in you. Well, that is an important thing to do: stir up the fire so that it doesn't go out. Stir up the spiritual presence in you, the spiritual gift, so that it continues to glow with heat and energy.

But, I need to add that the word 'remind' is important, too. Some of us older ones who have seen and heard many fine, wise words from great saints in the past have to remember, or be reminded, of what we have heard and seen. It is terrible to know what we have seen, and then forgotten. It is terrible to stumble over things in life that we should know better. It is terrible to be confused and at a loss when trials and temptations come our way. It is terrible to lose life, and walk in the soul and feel everything around us is death, and dying, and there is nothing we can do about it. All that we do is dead, or barely alive, and we have forgotten what life feels like.

We need to come back to the Lord. Where did all those good Words go to? Have we gone to sleep? Have we forgotten? Church, WAKE UP!

Remember... that is the word given to the Church at Ephesus:

Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; Rev 2:5

It is a call to a mature assembly that has been around the block, so to speak, not necessarily a young assembly. Not to young Christians. This is for the older ones. This is for the Fathers, and young men, not for the little children.

But it might be a warning for the little children to remember everything you hear. Take note of everything. Don't let go of anything. Watch, listen, pay attention, hold on to everything. Then in 20 years, someone won't need to say to you...remember...

Keep the fire going.

"I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you ..." 2 Tim. 1:6

It is cold here on the Delmarva Peninsula today. I have a fire in the wood furnace, to save oil, and to heat the house better. But, no matter how much wood I put in the firebox, in a matter of hours, I have to go put more in, and stir it around. A fire needs constant attention.

Our spiritual life is like a fire. It needs constant attention. The fire is always going down, no matter who who are. It is human nature. The best Christians I know, suffer periods of coolness, and low embers. After years of living in an assembly life, we see some who cool down and need more wood, some who lose the fire completely. It's a sad thing to see the fire go out in some.

We need to stir up the gift of God. We are trying that in our assembly starting this morning. Not that we can do anything, but this is what Paul told Timothy. Stir it up. What does that mean? God leaves many of the details out, so that we don't get dependent on programs and plans. Stir it up. The gift of God. In you.

For us, it is Christ in you, the hope of Glory. Is it more specific? Yes, it might be. But if the reality of the Life of Christ in you really hits us, we would have it.

Stir it up.

Deeply Entangled

2Ti 2:4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

Most everyone I know, even me, are deeply entangled. We are trapped. We are so busy, there is not time for rest, study, thinking, being. The world we live in today is pressing in from all sides like never before.

If we remember what it was like just a few years ago, we can remember hours allotted for the pursuit of God. We had time to read. We had time to be together. We drove out of our way to be somewhere to fellowship.

If a truely dedicated person gave up all life distractions to serve, learn, study, go into his closet to pray, we would view the guy with suspicion. He would be wierd. Maybe he would be a monk.

What is keeping us so busy today? Not what, but who. The god of this world is making life so convienent with technology, and filling our day with pressures from all sides, we can't think straight. Our thoughts are scattered and confused. We don't think complete thoughts any more.

We are under attack, and we don't have time to wonder. The levy has broken and we being flooded out of house and home.

But this is nothing new. Understand? Paul wrote 2 Timothy because 2000 years ago a young man was being inundated by the busyness of life. Timothy had the same problem. He didn't have the internet, either.

It's a warning, and admonition. Look up "admonition" in a dictionary. It's for Timothy, and for us. Take some time today, and let go of some of the busyness. Take a stand against the thief who comes in to take your day away from you.

Learn to rest. Make the Lord Jesus your sabbath.

What does it take to be good?

Man says you must begin without and work in; Scripture says you must begin within and work out. C. H. Mackintosh.

King Hezekiah was a really good king. Why? The day he became king, he sent the priests into the inner room of the temple to clean it out. Read it in 2 Kings 18. The first thing. He had to clean things up from the inside out. Not the outside - in.

He was good because of the three things mentioned right in verses 5, 6 and 7:

1. He trusted the Lord (not himself or any other man)
2. He clung to the Lord (he hung on, and didn't let go. He went where God went)
3. The Lord was with him. (What could he do without the Lord? Nothing)

There is more, deeper knowledge here than I have mentioned. I only bring these up as points to ponder.

More later...

Oops! Danger trumps fellowship.

Well, all through the night the power was on/off/on/off/on and finally, off. It was off for 2 hours, around the time we get together. So, as the roads are unplowed, the power is off, and the people scattered, it was best to call off the morning service. No need to endanger people to prove how dedicated we are.

Call off Sunday Morning?

Here in my part of the east we are about to be dumped on by either a heavy rain or 8 inches of snow. People on Delmarva hate snow (except kids), and even an inch can shut down schools and churches. The wood is loaded into the basement in front of the wood furnace, which takes over when it's too cold for the oil furnace. I'm ready.

Once, 5 or 6 years ago, we had a terrible snow storm on a saturday night that dumped 5 or 6 inches of snow. It was everywhere. We called around the prayer chain and cancelled the moring gathering. Some people actually showed up!

Well, since then, we decided that nothing would stop our gathering. If there is a snow event coming, we will say that the building will be open, and anyone desiring to be there can come. Coffee might be available even.

The last snow, 2 years ago, brought 5 people (two of which lived upstairs in the building's apartment. I was there (thanks to a Jeep). We gathered in a circle and prayed and read the Word.

Who knows what will happen tonight. But, we will be there tomorrow. Neither rain, sleet, snow, gloom of night, or Christmas on Sunday will stop us from gathering together in the name of Christ.

Training For Service (takes time)

How are we trained for service? In my fellowship (we tend to call it a 'fellowship', not 'church' because we are the 'Church') we do not have a pastor. We are not looking for a pastor. We have been in existence for 30 years. I have been present here for 25 of those years. The group began with some discontented malcontents from denominational churches in the area. They were fed up with the politics, lack of faith, lack of vision, etc. They wanted and hungered for more.

They formed a small group in a living room, and asked a local man who had been a pastor to begin teaching. He refused to be called pastor, but was just another of the 'brothers'. In time others were added, and the group grew out of the living room, through a warehouse, and into the present building (sold to us for a $1).

The original elders (7 at the beginning) did everything that a pastor would do. The one brother who they had asked did most of the teaching/preaching, but he always wanted the others to share in the burden, and to a degree they did, some better than others. In time he moved on, and the full weight of the burden fell on the others. For them, it was a period of growth, as the pressure of responsibility forced them to seek the Lord for direction.

Later, 5 other younger men (I was one) were added as trainees. We attended all elder meetings, discussed, studied, and spoke (oh, those early messages were horrible, and how the fellowship stayed together I have no idea).

In the years that followed, the older ones gradually fell away, moved on, left, stayed away, got mad and left, or in general vanished. Every one had a different reason; some for good reason, some for no reason other than they tired of it all. Only 2 brothers from the original 7 or more are still with us. It left the younger generation to carry the burden. We should now be looking for the next generation, and maybe we will.

The ministry of the Word is getting better (only slightly, I think), and we are still in business. There have been some earth-shaking situations over the years, and many have left, hurt, and some have stayed, injured, and some have come in, wounded. But we are still here. And, we are reaching out in ways the original group never did. We have friends and missionaries in countries around the globe. Many of us have been on the foreign mission field. Through the years, we are not nearly so inward-gazing. Although, a little inward is a good thing, and we need an occasional message on Romans 6, 7 and 8.

Many would not agree with the way we are structured. Some may question about authority. Who is in charge? Surely, someone has final say? In all these years, I can truthfully say, there has never been a power play between brothers. No one single person is in charge. We share, and honor each other, and listen. That does not mean we all agree. There can be some very interesting disagreements on scripture (marriage, divorce and re-marriage, for instance). But we always maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is no senior elder. There is an 'oldest' elder, but not a senior elder in the sense that one man has final say in matters of Bible interpretation or church government.

I wish more people could experience what we have.

More later....

Christ Our Life - A Prophetic Tract for Today

I carry this with me in my Bible. I have a limited supply of this little tract that I give to whomever I think is ready to hear it. I haven't been able to give many away in the 10 years I have had it. Not many are interested to hear what is said here. But, it grows more true as every day passes. It was a prophetic word, if there ever was one:

One of the main objects of the Holy Spirit is to get believers really identified with Christ as the risen and exalted Lord, and to make His risen life real in their experience. As the age moves toward its consummation --- the manifestation of Christ --- two features will become increasingly evident. On the one hand things, men, movements, institutions, organizations, etc., will predominate and draw multitudes after them, and will attach the crowds to themselves. On the other hand, with a growing disappointment and disillusionment over these, a minority will turn to the Lord Himself to find Him alone as their life...
Three elements will inhere in all this. One is the unmistakable development of the principle of Antichrist; that which will definitely supplant Christ, or intend to do so. The second is the alternative to the whole Christ in man-made Christianity, an imitation life born and carried on by its own momentum. The third, a deep and genuine quest for reality, truth and inward knowledge of the Lord Himself. In the first case it will be the naked worship of man in human power: a tremendous overflow of man. The third will be Christ altogether as the life.
If the Christian is attached to some thing, such as a teaching, a tradition, an institution, a movement, or person, the end will certainly be a limitation of life and eventually confusion and disappointment, perhaps worse. The New Testament makes it unmistakably clear and emphatic that the destiny of all is to be Christ all and in all. We must learn that a true work of the Spirit of God is to attach everything to Christ Himself. He, Christ, must be the life of our spirit, the inner man, so the we are strong in the Lord: not in things. We shall have to survive adversity by His strength within alone.
Christ will have to be the life of our mind. Perplexity will find us without the power to explain and understand, but the Spirit will teach and lead.
Christ will need to be life for our bodies. There is such a thing as Divine life for the physical body. Not always does the Lord choose to heal the body, but He does always want to be its life, even in suffering, to fulfill His purpose.
It is the Lord Himself, and for this to be so, it often has to be against a background of natural inability. The power of His resurrection is the law of union with Christ from beginning to end. Days of terrific pressure are upon the Lord's people. Their enemy is taking very little off-time. The only sufficiency is the Lord Himself as our life.
Barnabas exhorted the believers at the beginning that with purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord (Acts 11:23). There is an utterness about this that the time when Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested.

T. Austin-Sparks

First and Last Verses

First and last verses are very interesting, sometimes. For example:

Want to know what happens to every great people who follow the Lord? Just go to the first verse of Judges and you will see:

Jdg 1:1 After Joshua's death the people of Israel asked the Lord, "Which of our tribes should be the first to go and attack the Canaanites?"

The people didn't move without asking for guidance from the Lord. They depended on Him for their very lives. They waited for the Lord. They trusted Him. They asked of Him. They understood what authority was. They recognized God's full authority in everything. They knew He had conrol over everything, even their enemies.

Then, go to the last verse of Judges:

Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

By the end of the book they had forgotten to ask God. The relationship with Him was broken. They didn't recognize His authority. They didn't ask Him for guidance. They didn't need Him to help them.

When recognition of authority breaks down, people do whatever they feel is right. They become their own authority. Authority becomes relative.

The Word of God has lost much authority in the Church. People don't read it. They don't know it. They don't seek out the treasure hidden in it.

The Word of God is today's foundational sources of God's guidance and wisdom. But, we are living more in the last verse of Judges, than the first.

Praise, Psalms, and Abundant Life

1Sa 16:23 So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

How important is praise to you? In truth, when a believing Christian, righteous, filled with faith sings praises to God, evil will flee. Maybe not for long, but for a while. We can clear the air around us, and in our heart, with praise, making a statement of faith. Wonderful to learn this happens.

A lot of praise comes from the Psalms. Even in the midst of very depressing events there is praise. It is true praise when it comes in the midst of trials. If we praise when we are struggling, it is a measure of true spiritual praise. Our emotions are up and down, but the spirit should be steady.

I have grown to appreciate the Psalms. For many years I never thought about them, pushing them aside as poetry, and song lyrics. But, I have seen a lot of light in the Psalms recently. I am taken aback by the depth hidden in the 150 Psalms.

Where do I begin? I could relate Psalm 23 in a way you have never heard before, I think. It tells us a progression of the work of the Shepherd in our life. I’ll give you a hint: Psalm 23 is the Old Testament version of John 10:10. There is life, and life more abundantly in Psalm 23. Do you see it? It is there, and life and abundant life surrounds the only thing that can bring abundance to life, and that is the valley of the shadow of death, or the cross. It is the shadow of His death, and His cross.

Further hint: the first half of the Psalm is the life. The 2nd half of the Psalm is the abundant life. Look closely. It is there. Right in the middle is the thing that holds it all together: death. It might be a valley of the shadow of death, or it might be the cross, but it is what must be there for entrance into abundant life.

There is no abundant life without the cross of Christ. There is life, but no abundant life. We can have food, rest, water, wholeness, and restoration, but until the cross comes, there is no table filled with provision while your enemies watch, or oil running down your head, or cup running over. Do you see it?

He is Lord

Rev 17:14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

Make no mistake: He is Lord. However, this Lordship is under serious attack. Watch and see who calls Him Lord. There are few who choose to. Many blogs use the name of ‘Jesus’, but refuse to identify that name with any title.

Now, I understand this has been going on for a while now in liberal seminaries. Fine. If someone is a liberal theologian, then we expect them to not acknowledge the Lordship of Christ. But these libs are taking a whole generation with them down a futile path.

In a popular new interpretation of the Bible, the title ‘Master’ replaces the title ‘Lord’. People feel this is a modern way of saying ‘Lord’. Except, there is a big difference between ‘Master’ and ‘Lord’. Mary in the garden used the title ‘Master’ on the resurrection morning. She saw the Lord, and called Him ‘raboni’, which translated means ‘Master’, or ‘teacher’. She did that because for three years that is what He was to her, and many of the others. He taught them all they knew. Mary saw Him as her earthly teacher. He was her favorite teacher. She could not see Him as her Lord, just yet. She clung to Him, as her earthly teacher. She wouldn’t let go.

He had to tell her to stop clinging to Him. The time of His earthly teaching was over, and He was to ascend to His Father, and our Father.

Many today see Him only as an earthly teacher. So, it is natural to call Him Master. But, they do not see Him as Lord, yet. Maybe someday, many will come to a knowledge of His Lordship. Well, in fact, one day all will come to the knowledge of it. One day, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Why can’t they see that now?

The Lordship of Christ is insisted upon by the apostle as being the test of the Holy Spirit's manifestation. No one can say "Lord Jesus" but by the Holy Spirit; the enemy, of course, refuses to acknowledge the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the test is crucial. The Lordship of Christ is of the very highest importance; for if all Christians were truly subject to Him, there would be no difficulty in receiving the blessed truths in connection with the assembly upon earth.
From: The Christian's Friend : 1894 : The Holy Spirit in the Assembly.

Audios of great messages

Everyone does audios these days. MP3s are everywhere. Still, here is a site that is a deep well, with messages that go back into the 50's. Look for any message from T. Austin-Sparkes, Stephen Kaung, Lance Lambert, among others. It is updated often, being hosted in a small fellowship in Richmond, Va.

http://christiantapeministry.com/

Art for Art's sake, not for the spirit's sake

Well, it didn't end up too badly. The bruises will heal:

http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=749

I got some of my point across. In this day, we are seeing the Lordship of Christ, the authority of the Bible, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the universal priesthood of all believers under serious attack. There is much wandering off into bypaths and dead forests of doctrines. The elements of this world will be burned up one day, and that will include all the works of man's hands, such as 'art'. Seek the eternal. Don't put any stock in the temporal.

Art is no substitute for the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing the Lord closer to us. No substitute. A picture may tell a thousand words, but those words are dead to spiritual life. It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing.

Very hard to explain all of this. In time we will go after different aspects of it. Stay tuned...

Off today thanks to the Superbowl

Ever want to take the day off after the SuperBowl? Well, I did, thanks to the fact that I had to work yesterday at the TV station. I am an engineer, and my job was to be there is anything went wrong with the new HD transmission equipment.

Nothing went wrong, so I was there from 2 pm until 11pm for nothing more than the promise of Monday off.

So, I am entering comments in jesuscreed.org and making people mad. It's a hobby.

Today's screed is on "Christian art". My stand is that there is no such thing. It is like saying "jumbo shrimp". It's an oxymoron. The concept of "Christian" and "art" don't belong together, any more than "Christian" and "psychology" go together.

The Mark of a Healthy Christian

Problems, problems, trials and tribulations. Ah, but look at all the new books coming out that can help; best sellers, all of them. They must be good for me:

The mark of a healthy Christian is the tenacious hold he has on the original teaching. N. Anderson

His Death is the shadow over us

While searching through the treasury of the Dead Brethren Writers I came to this quote about Psalm 23, and the "shadow of death":

There is a greater death than ours to hearts that know the Lord. Surely it is the shadow of His death, the death of Psalm 22, that lies upon the whole scene of this world. The world in which our Lord was crucified is the valley of the shadow of death. Oh! for hearts to be more affected by His death. How far has the whole scene here closed for us, enwrapped in the shadow of that greatest death of all? What is there then left for us? "THOU art with me." It is the Shepherd Himself, proved more to the heart than all His precious care. He is more than all He can give. When the soul reaches this in its growth, shut up to Himself in a world closed to it by His cross, it is not merely that "I shall not want," but "my cup runneth over." He has brought us into the reality and blessedness of His own experience He Himself who once as man on earth could say, the Lord is the portion of my cup," now fills that cup to overflowing for us. John Alfred Trench

Dwell on that for a while, if death has come close to you at any time.

Dead Brethren Writers

I stumbled across the most incredible collection of Brethren writers. A few of these people I have heard of, and like, such as Darby, Kelly and Mackintosh, but there are people here I have never heard of. I expect them to be a unique source.

Warning: these bearded guys date from the 19th century and the popular writing style of the age was wordy, windy, and verbose (did I mention redundant?). They are hard to read, if not impossible, sometimes. Also, they were the original dispensationalists, so don't go there if you are not comfortable with that outlook. Still, they had a wealth of treasures of wisdom and knowledge. They had a view of the heart of the Lord. There is some very special writing there.

Well, worth using them as a resource for inspiration.

http://www.stempublishing.com/

After the Gospel

This should give away my position and allow someone to label me.

In regards to "high places". They were all over the land of the Bible. During the times of the divided kingdom, Judea and Israel (after David and Solomon), high places were very common. They were everywhere. They were for anyone. Anyone could put up a high place. They didn't even need a hill. The term "high place" spoke not just to elevation, but also to purpose. It was a place for a "higher purpose". Worship was conducted there.

In 1 Kings 18, Hezekiah destroyed all the high places he could find. He broke the bronze
serpent Moses had made to heal the people of snake bites. He was a real reformer, a real reformed-leader. I bet his decisions were very unpopular. I bet he was the President Bush of his day: a conservative leader making decisions because he felt they were right, no matter what people thought. And, I bet the people were very unhappy with him. There was no impeachment talk in Judea, though: a king was a king.

But the enemy used the reformations to try to turn the people against the king (in verse 22). But I get ahead of myself.

So, if we were to outline 2 Kings 18-19, we would have:

1. Hezekiah tears down high places (reforms the outer behavior) vs 4-6
2. Enemy attacks Israel (the north) , creates Samaritans of John 4 vs 9-12
3. Enemy attacks Judea (the south) and threatens Hezekiah and Jerusalem. vs 13
4. Hezekiah goofs and pays blackmail to enemy (flesh tries to appease, all outward) vs 14-15 (how devalued the things of the Lord were to him; nothing precious)
5. Enemy lies, cheats and tries to turn people away from Hezekiah (inner attack against what remains from reform; the heart has not been dealt with yet) vs 19-35
6. Hezekiah finally repents, and sees his weakness in the flesh. Goes to Isaiah for help, which is the same as going to the Lord for help. Vs 19:1-5
7. God deals in steps. First assures victory, but no inner dealings yet. Vs 6-7
8. Enemy brings letter that scares Hezekiah, who has little faith vs 10-16
9. God speaks through Isaiah (brings judgment against enemy) vs 20-28
10. Promises life, and abundant life (in stages) to His people vs 29-34
11. Deals with enemy (still outer dealings, work not fully done in people or in Hezekiah yet. More to follow.) vs. 35-37

Hezekiah still has a deep inner problem. It is not dealt with here. We have to move to another passage to see the real problem, and how God deals with it.

What happens when God deals with us? He begins on the outside, and progresses to the inside? Well, there always seems to a progression to the things God does. Why doesn’t He just deal completely with all of our problems all at once? In one sense, He did, on the cross. But, in another sense, He uses “processes” to do a complete work in each of us. I can prove that to you, over and over. There are step-by-step processes all through the Scriptures. The principle of process and progress is everywhere.

That is what I look for, and what I think comes After the Gospel.

Who has time?

Who has the time?

My daughter told me I should write something interesting. She said what I had was boring, so far. She is in Bible School now, in Colorado.

I will try to be interesting. Let me see, how do I do that?

Oh, yeah, favorite shows:

House, MD (AF: 8)
24 (AF: 10)
LOST (AF: 8)
Invasion (AF: 6)

Numbers (they have improved it AF: 4)

Original favorite show of all time:
I Spy (pre AF)

*AF = Addiction Factor (1 = no addiction, could miss it, 10 = highly addictive, make sure everything is done before show starts, take phone off hook, time breaks to precise second, have someone near TV to call if you are not back in room in time)

How's that?

What to call this Blog?

What to call this blog? I chose the title “After the Gospel” to highlight the work that has to be done after the Gospel is preached and people are saved. Have no doubt, whenever the Gospel is preached, people are saved. Even a little seed will find it’s way to good soil. The more power in the heart of the one preaching the Gospel, the more people will be saved. The notion today that we need to be aware of context, culture and location before preaching the Gospel is interesting (Hudson Taylor partly believed that), but when the Gospel is preached with power, people will be saved, no matter when, where, who, what, or whatever the context is.

But, what do you do after the Gospel is preached? In Acts 14:21-22, we have an answer. The apostles preached the Gospel, began churches, and left. Sounds like today’s itinerant gospel salesmen (tent revivalists and side-show barkers, and snake-oil salesmen). The difference was in verse 22. They returned after a while to see how everyone was doing. In the process they appointed elders, and taught the message the Lord had given them, “Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God”. Whoa! There’s a message you don’t hear today. Did it die 2000 years ago? No, that is the whole point of this blog.

There is a message to give “After the Gospel”.

More to follow later. I hope I am not boring.

Got it!!!

The problem of the disappearing ATOM file turns out to be trying all the posts in Word, and then copying and pasting into the editor box. We who use Office all the time know from experience that Word hides special characters in the copying process. They are invisible little creatures that only Word understands. Blogger doesen't understand them. ATOM doesn't understand them.

So, the fix is to write everything in Word, copy and paste the text into notepad to remove all the invisible junk, and then copy from notepad and paste into the editor.

Or, do what I am doing now, and write directly into the editor. The trouble with that is, I am a horrible typist. Word helps, sometimes.

Now ATOM is back!

So, we try again

There was a glitch in the ATOM file, and live bookmarks wouldn't work. So, I threw the whole thing out. My daughter said it was boring, anyway. Like I have all the time in the world to write a boring blog.

So, we try again.