by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” 1 Samuel 22:2 Those who were anguishing, in debt, unhappy with the status quo – these were the kinds of men that gathered around David, eventually becoming his mighty men. You become like the people with whom you associate. Giant killers train giant killers. David killed the giant Goliath. “There was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.” [150] If you wish to be godly, associate with godly people. If you have a heart for evangelism, spend time with those doing it. If you wish to think biblically, spend time with those who have the same desire. Jesus was the friend of publicans and sinners, and you should emulate the Savior. Christianity is a religion of mission. God wants you involved in the lives of those that do not know and love Him “that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [151] The sanctified life always calls attention to its source; they know that your goodness comes from being with Jesus. Because He calls you to be the friend of sinners, and because you become like the people with whom you associate, it is imperative that you counter-balance your association with sinners by a band of godly brothers and sisters that will provoke you to godliness. [150]... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 The ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ involves a spiritual battle in which the evangelist is nothing more than an ambassador. Whether a person responds negatively to the “glorious gospel of Christ,” or whether he believes and is given new life, the battle is fought on a spiritual plane outside the control of the messenger. Why do some people reject the gospel? Satan has blinded their minds so they cannot see. Why do other people accept the gospel? “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 348 For this reason “we faint not.” 349 Paul faced persistent opposition and rejection throughout his ministry. He stayed in the battle, refusing to quit, because he knew that in the final analysis the struggle did not involve him personally. You can easily misunderstand your task as a witness for Christ and take it personally when people reject your message. Conversely, you think too highly of yourself if you take pride in your ability to win others to Christ. In either case you fail to grasp that you are limited to merely sharing the good news. Beyond that point it becomes a spiritual struggle over... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23 Samuel charged King Saul with the crime of rebellion, and as a result took his kingdom from him. Saul, when given the task of annihilating the Amalekites, decided to save the best for sacrificing later. Nathan charged King David with the crime of murder and adultery without David losing either his kingdom or his life. Although the crime of David seems more serious than that of Saul, the difference lay in their attitude. When Nathan confronted David, he said, “I sinned.”1 David did not seek to excuse himself; he immediately confessed. Saul on the other hand argued with Samuel, seeking to excuse himself by blaming the people. David was disobedient. Saul was rebellious. If you liken God’s Law to a fence, when David broke the fence he freely admitted that he was wrong. When Saul broke the fence, he wanted to argue with God over the validity of the fence. “It was a bad command, an unreasonable expectation. You should have allowed me to modify it in light of my current circumstances.” God will not tolerate the attitude of Saul. Because all are sinners, you find yourself frequently having to confess your wrongs. But that is different from ignoring God’s commands or refusing to recognize their authority over your life. When you find yourself moving in the direction of rebellion, quickly repent. It is not a safe place to be. 1 II Samuel... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” II Corinthians 5:16 Viewing people correctly is one of the most important qualifications in becoming Christ’s disciple. To illustrate its importance, Paul says that there was a day when he saw Jesus as a carpenter’s son from Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary, a troublemaker who spread discontent and heresy among his followers. Now Paul sees Him as God sees Him: the eternal Son of God who became the propitiation for our sins. Just as Paul now sees Jesus as God sees Him, so also all people. Before his conversion he viewed people from a human perspective. Some were attractive and others not; some were intellectually stimulating and others dull; some were powerful, important people, and others the opposite. Jesus Christ changed all of that. Paul now sees everyone as equal in value and importance, created in the image of God and of eternal worth. This does not mean that you condone sin any more than Jesus approved of the Pharisees. But good or bad, right or wrong, all people bear God’s image and are of eternal worth. You can no longer view people “after the flesh.” All are of equal worth and significance in the economy of God, and you must view them through that lens. This does not come naturally. You must discipline yourself to treat people with the dignity and respect that is theirs by virtue of God’s imputation, the same way that God views... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:2 You do not commend the gospel message to the logic or intellect of people, but to their conscience. When God says that people are created in His image, in part that means they have a conscience – a moral gyroscope that allows them to know right from wrong. God created the conscience so that it conforms to His standard. Although people cannot reason their way to God, the conscience can assist in affirming what is right. The conscience can identify goodness, and it is this goodness that Paul commends. All people know that dishonesty is wrong. All people can identify hypocrisy. People who preach Jesus and live hypocritical lives become the subject of public ridicule and bad characters in movies. When you communicate the gospel with a life-style contrary to that of the gospel, a life-style that all can identify as wrong, you give the enemies of God an occasion to blaspheme, and you anger God. “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea.” Luke 17:2 When people observe that your life is in harmony with the message, they may not believe, but they know in their conscience that they have met... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“There He made for them a fixed rule, and there He put them to the test. He said, ‘If you will heed the LORD your God diligently, doing what is upright in His sight, giving ear to His commandments and keeping all His laws, then I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I the LORD am your healer.'” Exodus 15:25-26 Here God calls attention to the nature of conditional promises; they are tests God gives His people to see if they will be obedient. Note that God says this is both a command and a promise. When He makes a conditional promise that you consider essential, it becomes in your mind a command; you feel forced to meet the conditions affixed to what you deem essential. Conditional promises are, by their nature, tests in that they are dependent upon the performance of the person to whom the promise was given. As you know, the word “if” identifies the promise as conditional; if you fail to meet the conditions then you fail to obtain the promise. Grace is an unconditional promise, for God knows that we fail His tests. I cannot think of one test that I, or the nation of Israel, ever passed. Without God’s gracious unconditional promises I would be void of hope. God may test you with conditional promises and commands, but without His unconditional promise of grace, you would... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?'” Luke 8:25 KJV Returning to Jesus’ hometown, Mark 6:5-6 KJV records, “And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.” Jesus did not lack ability to heal. Rather, the whole of the New Testament teaches that in order for a person to receive what God offers, he must have faith. Jesus offered to His generation physical healing, evidenced by the whole of the narrative of His life. The lack was on the part of the people who evidenced an absence of faith. To our generation He offers eternal life, but in order for us to receive it, we must believe. “Jesus said unto her, 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?”John 11:25-26 KJV Of those Jesus healed in His public ministry, Scripture records only a few (like the demon possessed man in Mark 5) who wanted more of Jesus than just temporal healing. When you seek from the Savior eternal life, are you in reality seeking it in hopes of obtaining temporal gain? God, who knows your motives, will not grant eternal life as a means of acquiring temporal benefit. Faith is critically important, but it must be faith properly... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2 Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators, use to say that it takes four generations to ensure spiritual reproduction: “you, me, faithful men, others also.” First you reach your “Timothy,” and then teach him how to reach others. Then you must teach him how to teach others to reach others. When you have accomplished that, spiritual reproduction is operational. In the following verses Paul gives a trilogy of illustrations on what it means to be committed to this vision. The soldier illustrates the need not to become entangled. The athlete illustrates the need to play by the rules: the end cannot justify the means. The farmer illustrates that you reap what you sow. Spiritual reproduction means that you reproduce after your own kind, whether you want to or not. Therefore what you are becomes critically important as you invest in others. You have reception and transmission. You see the importance of reception in the words, “hearing” and “many witnesses.” You see transmission in the words “commit thou to others also.” Every follower of Christ must view himself as a link between generations. Reception is the privilege, transmission the... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“King Zedekiah sent for the prophet Jeremiah, and…said to Jeremiah, ‘I want to ask you something; don’t conceal anything from me.’ Jeremiah answered the king, ‘If I tell you, you’ll surely kill me; and if I give you advice, you won’t listen to me.’ Thereupon King Zedekiah secretly promised Jeremiah on oath: ‘As the LORD lives who has given us this life, I will not put you to death or leave you in the hands of those men who seek your life.'” Jeremiah 38:14-16 If a man knew the future, would it make any difference regarding how he lived? Zedekiah the king asks the prophet Jeremiah, “Tell me the future and I promise that I won’t get angry,” but he did not commit to doing what God said. In fact, the king ignored what Jeremiah told him. Men are fascinated with the future, seeking to ascertain what lies ahead, but with no intention of it making a difference in how they live. If a man knew that there are eternal consequences for temporal behavior, would it alter his value system? Throughout the New Testament God warns that present investments make an eternal difference. [1] Most Christians, however, view their relationship with Christ like a life insurance policy; they “buy” the policy to protect their future and then proceed to live life conforming to the values of the world instead of the values of God. Jeremiah told Zedekiah what he could expect, but Zedekiah refused to listen to God’s prophet. Are you like Zedekiah, or do you invest your life in conformity with the Word of God? [1] Cf., e.g., Matthew 6:19-20; 1Corinthians... read more
by MIMADMIN | May 7, 2015
“And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.” 2Samuel 6:6-7 King Saul, in battle with the Philistines, lost the Ark of the Covenant. After a series of events, the Ark ended in the home of Abinadab and stayed there twenty years. When David became king, he sent for the ark and en route to the Tabernacle, Uzzah, the son of Abinadab sought to save the Ark as it fell off the cart when the oxen stumbled. When Uzzah touched the Ark, God killed him. God said, “And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.” The Lord further instructed that “the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.” It may have seemed like an obscure command with no seeming significance and easily forgotten, but it was important to God. Uzzah sought to help the Lord by protecting the Ark. No doubt he had a pure motive. Still, God killed him. Many New Testament commands appear to be unimportant and the breaking of them inconsequential. You may even think you do God service by ignoring commands that offend your reason. No matter how... read more
Recent Comments