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People of The Living God |
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January 2022
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
DIVISION IN AMERICA
Alfred King
It has been recently said that the division America is facing today is the greatest since the Civil War. Whether this is true may be questionable, but it is a certain fact that the issues America is facing today are such that every freedom-loving citizen should be concerned, for they threaten our way of life. For those of us who are Christian, the trajectory that our government is taking is one that will eventually end up at our church doors. The movements and ideologies which make up what is termed “woke” has ditched all common sense and cast truth into history’s waste basket of fallen empires and nations. When nations have succumbed to the illogic and ridiculous philosophies that we see plaguing America today, and allowed those ideologies to take root and grow, their demise is certain. It is easy for all who have any decency at all to see the immorality that is being fostered upon America’s children as well as the absence of law and order that is being condoned by the foolish and ignorant “woke” crowd. It would not be so concerning if it were just the unlearned and uneducated that were promoters of “wokeness,” but it is being fostered by some of our most learned and intelligent. Its banner is being taken up by CEO’s of large corporations, such as Coca-Cola and Volkswagon, as well as big pharma and many national sports teams.
Why are Americans so divided? Let us not fail to see that there is a movement in America that is set on the destruction of this nation, and division is essential for this movement to succeed. This movement is ferocious and determined. They have fixed their eyes upon America’s Constitution with the agenda to destroy it, and all the commotions that we see in our land today is a part of the plan. The United States’ Constitution stands in the way of their program. Their agenda is socialism. The founding fathers perceived the dangers of socialism along with other governmental systems that are not conducive to freedom. These men were familiar with history, which many Americans are not, and they were well aware that “history repeats itself.” To destroy the Constitution, they must first attack it in a manner in which the citizens which are under said Constitution will begin to despise their own Constitution. They must promote the idea that it is old fashioned and out-of-date for the modern world. It must be showed to be “racist” and written by “racist white men” and is “inherently” racist. This is the premise of “Critical Race Theory,” a philosophy that is being taught in many public schools in America today. I doubt there is any greater racist presentation than that which is contained in “Critical Race Theory.”
Racism is the trump card of the “woke” crowd, the same crowd which is attacking America’s Constitution. Everything in our world today is “racist.” Even though the first amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, conservatives today are becoming more and more afraid to speak freely because expression of ideas which conflict with the “woke” and “Racist” agenda is becoming forbidden. For the “woke” movement, no opinion or ideas are welcomed which might be in opposition to their liberal program.
If the Constitution is eventually trashed, we will no longer have the freedoms we have enjoyed for almost two and a half centuries; freedoms which made America the most prosperous country in history and the envy of the world. We can say “good by” to those freedoms we have so enjoyed and the prosperity to which we have become accustomed. Consider just a few of the issues which are causing the division we are experiencing today:
Illegal immigration: Common sense tells us that you cannot just allow everyone to come into the nation. Why is it that we allow immigrants to cross our borders with no requirement to be tested for Covid while at the same time, the government demands citizens to get the “jab” (along with boosters), wear masks, and in some cases, require a vaccine card in order to fly or even enter certain federal buildings and businesses? Why is it that America’s tax payers are funding bussing and air flights to various states in order to disperse illegals into American cities? Why is it now that some cities are allowing illegals to vote in local elections? What is all this about? It is part of the plan to destroy this nation. It’s not that illegals are evil or that they don’t deserve to live in freedom as we do in America, but it is bringing illegals in who will then vote for those who want to destroy America and bring in socialism.
The justice system: The justice system is a part of America’s Constitution, a system of justice which has proven to be very successful over the past two plus centuries. Yet, it is under attack. There is no perfect justice system except God’s. Nevertheless, that which the Constitution has provided has been the best that men have been able to create. Its fundamental premise is that one is innocent until proven guilty. Hmmm! How did that work in the recent case of Kyle Rittenhouse? He was guilty in the eyes of many from the very onset of his case, even by prominent members of our leaders in Washington DC. Did they wait to see what the court determined were the facts? No! However, the real crisis here, and where our focus should be, is that after the trial, with jurors made up of the defendant’s peers; they, listening studiously to all the facts and deliberating carefully for three days, determine that Kyle Rittenhouse was not guilty. Nevertheless, BLM, Antifa, many in the left-leaning media, and even elected officials refused to lay the issue aside and get on with life. Instead, they promoted the premise that the court was wrong, even claiming that it was “racist.” So much for the confidence and credence of the American court system.
The response of many of our elected officials, who did not sit in the court taking in all the facts, was a direct assault on our court system and ultimately presents the U.S. Constitution as faulty. This gave those who hate America the excuse to destroy businesses, riot in the streets, and loot. (Now it is being promulgated that the word “looting” is racist.) Is there any end to the foolishness of the woke movement?
The Abortion Issue: Already there are groups threatening to rebel and threatening revolution if SCOTUS rescinds Roe vs Wade. The Constitution does not support abortion. Every person under its precepts has the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The exact words are, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, thatall men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” But how will liberals respond if Roe vs Wade is overturned? Will they respect the decision of the High Court? No! They have already stated what they will do. Why would they do this? Because they are determined to present the narrative to their gullible constituents that the Constitution needs to be destroyed.
Gender Neutral Bathrooms: And what about this issue of boys’ and girls’ bathrooms in public schools? Separate bathrooms have worked fine ever since public education began. Why is it now that it is no longer acceptable? We have to endanger our daughters (and truthfully, our sons also) to appease perverts and radical liberals. As of December first, all public schools in Chicago were required to have signs on the bathroom doors that state all bathrooms are available for any so that the users can feel comfortable. But what about the girls that don’t feel comfortable with boys entering their “safe space,” which is what a bathroom should be. Yet, at the same time, universities are providing “safe spaces” for a specific group who can’t face reality (this, in many cases is to keep “whites” out).
Race: The most racist group in America today is BLM. The recent explosion of Critical Race Theory has to be the most racist teaching ever to appear on the world stage. It is true that there are white racist groups also, such as White Supremists, but they are not going about destroying businesses and threatening people at restaurants while they are trying to have an enjoyable meal. Today, we have forgotten what Martin Luther King preached and fought for. He taught that people should be judged by their character rather than the color of their skin. His convictions were grasped by many, and things changed tremendously over the next 50 years. Sadly, that progress is being reversed today. Once our black brothers had to sit in the rear of the bus. They had to use separate bathroom facilities and water fountains. They had different schools and universities. Thanks to Martin Luther King and his determined fight against racism, things changed. Segregation was replaced with integration and America became a better place for it.
For those who might cancel their subscription to this paper because of the things written in this article, I would like to state that “white supremacy” has in the past and still does exist in America. This is one reason the Civil War was fought. It was so that the U.S. Constitution would apply to the black race. That Constitution was not written only for whites, it was for all who come to America to obtain a better way of life and become citizens of this great nation. When I was in school, I was taught that America was the “melting pot of the world.” That was because we are all immigrants. Our ancestors came to this country from other nations. Yet, today, we are fighting against ourselves. We are not looking at the whole picture and we will self-destruct if we do not change.
And, please, remember that as Christians, we are called to love all people of all nations. The disciples were instructed to take the Gospel to all nations (all races). That means that Jesus intended that His sacrifice to be for every man, woman, and child of whatever race they might be. Satan is working to separate God’s people and destroy them, and racism is one of the tools he is using. If things do not change, unconstitutional laws, such as draconian mandates and laws which we are seeing imposed upon us, will strip Americans of their rights and freedoms. Be sure of one thing: if Christians succumb to the unconstitutional demands of our liberal politicians, they will continue to impose laws and mandates that will, in time, cause them to set their sights on Christians and they will incriminate us. This is already happening in Canada. Political correctness today presents problems for Christians.
A Christian’s Constitution is, first and foremost, God’s word. However, the U.S. Constitution supports scripture and freedom of religion. God’s word stands above any document of men or laws of nations. Scripture exposes sin, and evil men hate God’s word. And so we understand why today it is fast becoming a crime to quote or read scripture in public, especially if those portions of scripture expose sin for what it actually is. We might hurt someone’s feelings if we tell them they are heading for hell.
For us today, I think it wise to remember the words Mordecai spoke to Esther when her life hung in the balance. If she entered the king’s presence to plead her cause without being invited she could be killed. Mordecai warned her with these words: “Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Est.4:13-14) As Christians, we must not hold our lives so precious that we will not lay them down for God and His truths. Multitudes have gone before us and have payed the ultimate price for the Gospel. Ten of the disciples died while spreading the Gospel and multitudes have since followed in their footsteps. Christians in the past have suffered persecution for their faith and in many places today persecution of Christians still exists. While that is tragic, those who have endured to the end are today in Abraham’s bosom and are comforted.
How will this all end? God’s word reveals many things that will come and it details what God will produce through His creation. Scripture declares that it will be worth it all. Jesus will see the travail of His soul and will be satisfied. So will the church also be satisfied with any and all sufferings which she has experienced when the saints stand in the presence of God and hear those wonderful and glorious words, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt.25:34). May God strengthen His church to stand fast and endure to the end.
TAKE TIME FOR GOD
Mary Woodard
There is a poem with the title, “No Time for God.” It goes like this:
“What fools we are to clutter up Our lives with common things And leave without Heart’s gate The Lord of life, and life itself.
As soon to say, no time To eat or sleep or love or die. Take time for God Or you shall dwarf your soul.
And when the angel death Comes knocking at your door, A poor misshapen thing you’ll be To step into eternity.
That day when sickness comes Or troubles find you out And you cry out for God, Will He have time for you?”
Author UnknownMy observation of the average American household to which I have been exposed is that there is little or no time for God. Time is consumed with careers, houses, yards, recreational activities, sports activities, educational activities, etc. The parents keep the children busy with swimming lessons, music lessons, extra-curricular school activities, recreational activities, and the like. Even the many and varied church activities often replace personal time spent with God.
Just as it takes time to develop personal relationships with one another, it takes time to develop a personal relationship with God. We need to spend time communicating with Him through prayer and the study of His Word, the Holy Bible. As we do, He responds by communicating with us through His Holy Spirit. He gives us insights into spiritual things and guidance and direction for our lives.
We need to recognize God’s gift of time and use it wisely. Time spent with Him will be blessed and our lives will be fulfilled. A life spent in constant communication with Him is the only life that is fulfilling. God came to earth and dwelt in human flesh in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ, in order that He might identify with us and in order that we might know Him.
Redeeming The Time
Recently, I read about the parents of a family of four who removed their television set from the house. They say their lives have become blessed from spending more time with each other and with the Lord. The wife has been inspired to write a book on prayer because of time she is able to spend with Him in prayer.
In many households, much time is spent with television, cell phones, computer games, magazines, and worldly activities. Most of the people in homes where I visit are more interested in sharing their carnal things than they are in having someone share with them about the things of God. The wrong use of time has dulled their sensitivity to the things of the Spirit until they are no longer drawn to them.
We, as a nation and as a people, have lost touch with a personal God. As a result, we have a whole generation of young people and children who are growing up without a knowledge of God and His ways. Their time is being consumed with sex, sports, rock music, education, material things, drugs, and the like, and they have come to believe that is what life is all about. Oh, for Godly parents that will teach their children by example and training and prepare them to be Godly citizens themselves.
Time For Children
Our children are easy prey for the wiles of the devil and are following after the wrong things simply because no one has taught them the right way. The moral and spiritual laws of God must be taught from generation to generation if there is to be a turn-about in our society.
Children can be easily led while they are young into the things of the world or the things of the Lord. By the time they are teen-agers, they are not so easily led. The Bible teaches us: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov.22:6). If a child is taught in the ways of God in his youth he may depart from his training for a time but, usually, he will return to his youthful training.
One is quite shocked at the crime and violence among our youth, and the experts place most of the blame on the condition of the homes. Selfishness and pride have torn our homes asunder, and the only solution is for the family to spend time first with God and then to spend time with their children, teaching them how to walk according to His precepts.
We also have to give our children loving discipline. I read a statement recently, “God is compassionate, but not permissive.” Good statement! That’s the way we should be with our children. They should be taught responsibility for their behavior and held responsible for negative behavior with proper discipline.
When Time Is Short
At the other end of the spectrum are the elderly, many who once were God-fearing, God-seeking people or who were reared in Christian homes who now spend valuable time in their sunset years seeking the various forms of entertainment. Many will soon go out unprepared to meet God, and where will they spend eternity? There are only two destinations:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt.7:13,14).
Each of us has so much time on this earth, and we do not know how much time we have. Certainly, those who have only a few years left should be seeking the Lord and preparing themselves to meet God: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (the necessary things) shall be added to you” (Matt.6:33).
Wasted Time
Many men seem to be addicted to sports and spend much time participating or watching them on television. The wives and mothers are getting their values through the so-called “soap operas.” The children pick up on the values of their elders and the lifestyles of the television personalities, which results in fornication, divorce, adultery, pregnancies outside of marriage, and every evil thing.
Wrong choices lead to wrong actions and wrong habits. It is a serious matter to resist the wooing of the Holy Spirit. One may compromise one’s convictions until one loses one’s sensitivity to right and wrong and no longer feels the pull of the Holy Spirit toward the things of God.
Using Time Wisely
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James4:7,8).
Here we have three calls:
1. Submit to God and resist the devil: This is impossible to do in one’s own strength. One must call upon the power of God’s Holy Spirit for help. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb.4:16).
2. Draw nigh to God: God is not a far-off, unapproachable “man upstairs,” or impersonal God. Jesus is our Mediator between God and men (ITim.2:5). Jesus wants to be “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov.18:24). He wants to share our joys and triumphs, but also our sorrows and our needs.
3. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts: The Bible calls upon us to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit…” (IICor.7:1). We need to exercise the free will that God has given us to rid ourselves of habits and actions that are a hindrance to our spiritual lives. Here again, we are not on our own. We can call upon the “Helper, the Holy Spirit,” who is also our Comforter, Teacher, and Guide (John14:26; 15:26; 16:7).
If you have once known the Lord and you are drifting from Him or giving your time and energy to other things instead of seeking Him, you may be going through trials you don’t understand. They are no doubt the chastening of the Lord. Like an earthly father, God is dealing with you as with a son (Heb.12:7). He is doing it to refine and purify you that you may be partaker of His holiness (verse 10). Let Him do His perfect work in you, and do not forget Him and return to your former ways once the chastening is over.
If you are the head of a household, you have a special responsibility to God and to your wife and children to guide your family into the ways of God. Sadly, there is a real lack of hearing the Word of God from our pulpits today. In their efforts to attract the crowds and keep them happy, pastors become jokesters and the services are little more than entertainment. Thereby, the Word of God is made of little or none effect; the apostle Paul puts “foolish talking and jesting” in the same category with fornication and uncleanness: “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph.5:3,4).
Oh, for Godly ministers who are determined to guard the gospel as a sacred trust committed to them, who are faithful to proclaim it, who are ready to suffer for it, and who will pass it on to faithful followers!
Of course, not all the blame can be laid at the feet of the pastor: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (IITim.4:3,4). Note the churches today that are filled to capacity, and you will note those that have excitement, entertainment, and little or no preaching about the righteousness and holiness of life that God requires of us!
Regardless of the way the nation and the world go or the way the churches go, God will always have a remnant who will put Him first in their lives and love Him above everyone and everything else. The purpose of Christ’s redemptive work was to create a special people cleansed of sin and zealous for good works (Titus2:14).
I am afraid we have taken the blessings of God for granted and have failed to take the time to give Him thanks, honor, and praise for them. As a result, we stand in danger of losing the blessings He has so generously bestowed upon us.
Our eternal destiny depends upon what we do with Jesus Christ, but our fulfillment in this life and our eternal rewards are determined by what we do with our time here on earth. Do not use your time seeking after signs and wonders, prophecies, miracles, healings, experiences, etc. Use that time in seeking after the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He knows our needs even before we ask, and He has promised to supply all of our needs as we give ourselves whole-heartedly to Him (Phil.4:19).
The conclusion of the whole matter is this: TAKE TIME FOR GOD. PUT Him first and foremost in your life.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY. GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!
THE LAST CRISIS
Curtis Dickinson
No one has been able to completely escape the tragic Covid pandemic that has spread throughout the whole world in the past two years. All of us have been affected in some way or another. People’s lives have been tremendously affected economically, educationally, religiously, emotionally, not only with the loss of loved ones but depression and loneliness have driven some to suicide. And all of us have been especially affected by Governments. Governments around the world have issued lockdowns, mask mandates, limited travel, and presently are demanding that everyone get a vaccine to stop the spread of Covid.
Many people see such tragic events as the riots in many U.S. cities, hurricanes that seem to increase, not only in number but in intensity, and tornadoes, as the most recent tornado that left over eighty people dead in Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee. Many see these events as acts of God’s judgment upon a nation which has rejected His laws by endorsing homosexuality, child pornography, abortion, and other sins which God warned would bring His wrath. An ominous fear permeates the nation, a fear that constitutional government with its bill of rights will disappear and a tyrannical police state under the rule of a New World Order will take its place.
These fears are well founded. If we know history and believe God, we understand that no nation which despises Him will prosper. There are many ways in which it may suffer, and today we are seeing some of the first pangs of national travail.
However, in our concern for the present political and social crisis and the fear of judgment upon the nation, we can lose sight of a much greater crisis and more significant judgment. This is the ultimate and final judgment in which all are called to an accounting. The judgment-seat of Christ should rise in peerless majesty above all other considerations.
When Jesus was on earth, He faced political and religious corruption, violence, and immorality of all kinds. Judea was a powder keg ready to explode in revolution against the Roman occupation, and Jesus clearly predicted that it would be destroyed under God’s judgment (Matt.24:1-35; 21:33-45). Even so, His message and His mission were focused against the background of the final judgment of the world at which all sin is to be accounted for and punished.
In the Sermon on the Mount, He warned of the judgment and the danger of being cast into the Gehenna fire (translated “hell” in the King James Bible) (Matt.5:22,29). Those who travel the broad way are to be destroyed (Matt.7:13), and those who hear His words but reject them are doomed like the house built on sand (Matt.7:24-27).
It is because of the final and universal judgment that Jesus lived, died, and lives again. He said that He came into the world for this very purpose, to give His life a ransom for many (Matt.20:28). As the hour of crucifixion drew near He said, “Now is the judgment of this world” (John12:31), clearly indicating that His death was for the purpose of giving man a way of escape from the judgment and its consequences.
This accords with the preaching of the apostles. When Paul visited Athens, he was well aware of the crisis in the Roman Empire, that its decline was gathering speed daily and that no Caesar could be trusted. Yet, the gist of his sermon was that men ought to repent, because God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world (Acts17:31).
Judgment. Nothing is plainer in all the Bible than the fact of a final judgment at which all unbelievers are to be sentenced to final and permanent death.
And that’s the rub: finality. Man cannot stomach the idea that all will come to an end, that all his glorious works will vanish forever, that even people themselves, who reject God’s salvation, will actually suffer death and be destroyed, never to see life again.
Evolutionists solve the problem by taking time at both ends and stretching it to infinity – man’s beginning was light years in the past, and his evolvement may continue indefinitely into the future. Without a Creator, he has no one to call him to judgment.
Pagan religions also deny finality of judgment. Death is not real. Instead of dying, man transcends the physical to another (unknown) level. How they learned this is a great mystery, since none of them have returned from death to reveal it.
But Jesus DID return, and He is the one Who reveals the finality of judgment.
Get His warning to the disciples: “And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body, in Gehenna” (Matt.10:28). Such destruction has the definite ring of finality.
In His parable of the wheat and tares, the tares are destroyed by fire, while the wheat is stored in the barn. “As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause offence and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Matt.13:40-42).
The apostles took seriously the finality of judgment. Paul wrote of the destiny of the condemned in at least twenty-five places. Eight times he says the wicked are destined to perish. Death is used to express their fate seven times. Nine times they are said to be destroyed, once as devoured by fire, and once as burned.
To avoid the finality of death at judgment, man has redefined the penalty for sin to be “eternal separation” from God. There are at least three things wrong with this. First, scripture does not define death this way, and the expression is never found in the Bible. Second, it fails to acknowledge that all life must be provided by God. No one could exist totally separated from God. Third, it ignores completely all scriptures which plainly state that the unredeemed are to be destroyed by fire.
The apostle Peter leaves no room for doubt concerning judgment and its finality. “But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (IIPeter3:7). Peter reveals that God intends to destroy man at judgment day. In the following verses, Peter explains that the very “elements are to be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (IIPeter3:10).
The author of Hebrews considers the final judgment of man to be so firmly established in Christian faith that he calls it “elementary” (Heb.6:1,2). He calls it “eternal” because it is final and admits of no appeal (Heb.6:2). So, Paul speaks of the destruction as eternal (IIThess.1:9) because it can never be reversed and from it there is no recovery, so judgment, punishment and destruction may all be denominated eternal. For those who deliberately continue to practice sin, the Hebrew writer says that, for them, there “remains only a fearful expectation of judgment and of a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God” (Heb.10:27). How could language better express finality?
“Few things are stated more often through the whole Bible than that the wicked will ‘die,’ ‘perish,’ ‘be destroyed,’ pass away, be no more, and be forgotten forever” (Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes, Pg. 289).
The judgment will be of such catastrophic proportions that a complete description has never been written. But history records certain previews. In Noah’s time, the earth was totally devastated and all the ungodly vanished (Gen.7:11). In Abraham’s day, Sodom and Gomorrah were totally incinerated along with all the inhabitants (Gen.19:23-28). Jude writes that this is an example of judgment (Jude7). When Jesus died under judgment for our sin, the earth trembled and the sun was darkened as an indication of God’s wrath.
In Revelation, it is said that death and hades are cast into the lake of fire (Rev.20:14). “And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev.20:15). This corresponds to Paul’s statement that “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (ICor.15:26), and the prophecy of Isaiah that “He will swallow up death” (Isa.25:7,8). All that remain after judgment are the redeemed, made glorious after the likeness of Christ (IJohn3:2), so that God may be all in all in a new heavens and earth, the perfected kingdom of God where righteousness will prevail forever (Rom.8:21; IIPeter3:13).
“This final, public act of judgment is the complete vindication of God’s justice both to those who are judged and to the moral universe” (Wm. Caven, Therefore Stand, Pg. 458).
Soon, we each must meet our Judge! Then, nothing else will matter but how we have responded to Him who gave His only begotten Son that we might believe and not perish, but have everlasting life (John3:16). Remember that “he that believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John3:36).
We can prepare for that day by taking refuge in the only Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, “who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree” (IPeter2:24) that, instead of judgment, we might receive the gift of eternal life and hear the joyous welcome from the Judge, “Come, you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt.25:34).
PENTECOST
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
“Does Pentecost mean anything to you personally? It should.” Samuel Chadwick wrote:
At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came as He had never come before. Jesus said, “It is expedient that I go away, for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you.” The inference is that the presence of the Spirit is better than the bodily presence of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is Christ without the limitations of the flesh and the material world.
To give witness to this Pentecostal presence is to tell the world that we have been overcome with a new power. Jesus told His disciples that they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8).
What is the thrust of this spiritual dynamo? It is to have power over sin’s domination, to live victoriously over the devil, to experience freedom from self-centered drives. It is the enabling by the Holy Spirit to live the holy life.
Prior to Pentecost, Peter was weak-kneed, an embarrassment to the cause of Christ. Up and down, he rode a spiritual seesaw within his spirit. After Pentecost, Peter stood strong in the Lord. He was strong enough to stand up and preach in the streets and alleyways of Jerusalem during the festival, a risky act that could have incited his death by the Temple guards.
When living in the Spirit, we have an awesome respect for God, a hatred against evil, and a hunger for daily cleansing from all that robs us of a close companionship with our Savior.
The Pentecostal presence gives us a new proclamation. Empowering Peter from cowardice to courage, he spoke forthrightly, impulsively, daringly. But this time, Peter’s lips uttered neither foolishness nor betrayal as before. Instead, he proclaimed with conviction concerning the Spirit of Jesus, who indwelt the followers fresh from a second-story flat where they had spent ten days in prayer meetings.
This fisherman-turned-evangelist proclaimed a hallowed Jesus, a Carpenter who was more than human. Peter, along with John, preached to the lame man about a healing Jesus – a Savior of body and soul. This same twosome pronounced to Jewish priests a heavenly Jesus, our ascended Mediator seated at the right hand of the Father in glory.
When we are filled with the Pentecostal presence, we proclaim not ourselves, nor our group, nor our religious idiosyncrasies, but Jesus. We lift Him up for all the world to see, something desperately needed in our climate of spiritual confusion and egocentricity.
We can survive without religious celebrities and money appeals for their large organizations. “Holy hoopla” advances the cause of self more than the Savior. But we cannot do without our High Priest, the One who offers His Spirit to indwell our hearts as the flaming fire indwelt the Temple in Old Testament days. Our proclamation remains a Person rather than a program.
The Spirit’s presence brings a new perseverance in the believer’s life. Willy-nilly Christian living is gone. Hot and cold flashes give way to a consistent fire for God. Moodiness and protection of self are anathema. Seeking out the comfort zone on the periphery of Christ’s kingdom is not tolerated. Instead, Spirit-filled Christians dash headlong into the heart of God.
Consider the examples of perseverance in the early disciples. They gave all even in death. Andrew was scourged and crucified at Patras; Philip was hung on a hook; Bartholomew was beaten in Armenia; Matthew was stabbed in Ethiopia; and Thomas was speared in India. Thaddeus was slaughtered for refusing to worship the sun and moon, James and Simon were crucified in Egypt, and Peter was stretched on a cross during the Neronian persecutions.
How can we dare complain in this age of luxury and creaturely comforts? Can we even think of desertion when there is so much going for us: books, pamphlets, research journals, worship opportunities, fellowships, retreats, and communication methods to relay the old story? Or do these resources pamper us into an apathy that could destroy us?
The benchmark of the Pentecostal presence is purity. The Holy Spirit is pure. His indwelling presence is evidenced in holiness of heart and life. No wonder believers of any age stand out from this world. The world remains fallen in sin; Christians are scaling the summits to breathe only the clean air of God’s Spirit. Society reveals the difference. Culture feels the influence of God’s people. The difference between the two worlds has its impact.
The more the difference is pronounced, the more sparks will fly. Take note of today’s fires over the abortion debate. Holy ones uphold the sanctity of life. They naturally collide with an opposing view. Collision occurs in the fight against pornography. Holy ones call a relativistic world back to biblical morality only to run head-on into combat with the forces of darkness. Holy ones seek to pronounce scriptural convictions in the marketplace only to be put down by secularists who claim that pluralism has legitimately replaced our biblical heritage in the western hemisphere.
Yet Pentecostal purity is not monastic. It does not call for isolation. Instead, it takes its pattern from Jesus, who longed to be where the masses congregated. Consequently, biblical holiness is first in the heart and then pervades society. It is indwelling in order to become outgoing. Not content with a reclusive religion, Christianity empowered by the Holy Spirit is a radiating phenomenon, piercing the world with holy light from the very throne of God.
Within the nominal church, however, compromise is tolerated if not endorsed. In many quarters, we hear that the Christian can be content with sinning. As this message is repeated from some pulpits, it begins to sound acceptable. Nevertheless, the Bible says something quite different. The Word of God calls the believer to be cleansed from all sin, to a purging of the spirit, and a dying to wrongdoing. God’s Word calls us to a new resurrection life in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The church desperately needs that Pentecostal presence, beginning with each disciple of Jesus.
A HEART FOR GOD
Alfred King
When Israel demanded a king in order to be like the heathen nations around them, God, against His better judgment, relented and permitted Saul to be Israel’s first king. In spite of the fact that God did not approve of Israel’s desire to have a king, He promised to bless them and be with them as long as they obeyed His commands. He even promised them that He would be with their king and go with them and fight against Israel’s enemies. However, He warned of the type of king they were requesting and the results which would follow.
Saul was chosen and was faithful for a time. However, he became proud and began to take the glory of Israel’s victories to himself. This flaw in his nature is seen as he became jealous of David and the people began to praise David above Saul (ISam.18:7). If Saul’s heart had been right, he would have been happy that God was fighting for Israel no matter whom God chose to use. Nevertheless, from that day forward Saul sought to kill David.
King Saul proved himself unworthy of his position when he refused to wait for Samuel to come and offer a sacrifice to God. In his impatience, Saul offered a sacrifice himself. This was a direct violation of God’s law. Because of Saul’s fear and impatience, God rejected him as Israel’s king. Samuel pronounced this sobering judgment: “… now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee” (ISam.13:14).
Later, in chapter 15 of the same book, King Saul again disobeyed a direct order given by God through Samuel. Saul once again was disobedient to God’s orders concerning Amalek. He was to destroy Amalek totally and to save no man alive. Instead of obeying the word of the Lord, King Saul saved some of the best cattle and the king of Amalek, King Agag.
Even when Saul was confronted concerning his disobedience, he first attempted to remove the blame from himself by placing it on the people and then claimed he had saved the best cattle for sacrifice to the Lord. This is how sin operates. It tries to deceive. It is very obvious that King Saul’s heart was not a heart after God, but his heart was for his own glory.
It was after this that Samuel was directed by God to go to the house of Jesse and anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king of His people. In verse 7, God told Samuel that while men look at a person’s stature and his outward appearance, God looks at man’s heart. Jesse’s youngest son was chosen and anointed by Samuel to be king of Israel. Yet the day David would actually take the throne would be years into the future. David had many trials to go through first.
It was shortly after this that the Philistines came against Israel in battle. They had a champion named Goliath, who challenged Israel. Saul, along with all his men of war, stood trembling as Goliath blasphemed Israel’s God and mocked Saul and his armies. This went on for days and no man in Israel was brave enough to meet Goliath on the battle field.
It was at this time that David was sent by his father, Jesse, to check on his brothers who were soldiers in Saul’s army. When David arrived he heard the profanities which proceeded out of the mouth of the Philistine and wondered why no one was willing to fight Goliath. David was a man whose heart longed after God. He had spent many hours while watching his father’s sheep in communion with God and even composed songs of worship and praise while he played on his harp. He had come to know how great the God of Israel was. When he heard the blasphemies being spewed forth from this ungodly Philistine, he was moved with indignation and volunteered to go out against Goliath.
There are several lessons to be learned in this account. Two major lessons are: God is not dependent upon the strength, abilities, wisdom, or size of men, for He is sufficient for any who know Him and have a heart for Him. David vividly demonstrated his love for God and was willing to die for God’s honor. The second lesson is that we too can obtain a heart for God in place of a heart that craves after the things of this life. Scripture tells us in IIChron.16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” David expressed his longing for God in Psalm42:1 with these words, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”
How many Christians have, at one time, felt this longing for God and experienced a love and fervor for Him? It was so strong and powerful that it seemed impossible to lose. And yet, so many things in our modern world seem to steal this closeness to God from us. It seems the things of the world, the obligations and duties of making a living, not evil things but necessary things cause that “first love” to seep out. From what is recorded in IISamuel11 it’s possible that David experienced this also. In the account from IISamuel11, David did not go to battle, rather he sent Joab out with Israel’s armies. It was at this point that David was tempted when he saw Bathsheba bathing, and his lust for her brought the sin of adultery. When Bathsheba ended up pregnant, David was faced with a serious problem. Because his heart had slipped from his first love he sent an order to Joab for Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, to return home from the battle in which Israel was engaged, with the hopes that Uriah would go to his wife and that would explain her pregnancy. You have to wonder, if his evil plan would have succeeded, what David would do concerning the child that would be born. But sin is never logical.
When Uriah had too much integrity to enjoy the comforts of home and the pleasure of being with his wife while Israel was engaged in battle, David sent him back into the battle with a message for Joab to place Uriah in the front of the fiercest battle. As the battle intensified, Joab was to retreat so Uriah would be killed. What happened to that heart that was once after God? Not only had David committed adultery but murder, also. He added sin to sin. What even makes this account more disturbing is that David apparently didn’t even see his evil. When the prophet Nathan came to him with the intention to expose David’s sins, he presented his case in a parable, a parable in which a rich man stole the lamb of a poor man to use in a meal for a visitor who had come to him.
It was not until Nathan said, “thou art the man,” that David seemed to realize his transgressions. Maybe David thought it was all hidden, but nothing is ever hidden from the eyes of God, whose eyes roam to and fro throughout the earth. It was at this point that David acknowledged his sin.
What had happened in David’s heart that caused that fervent love for God to fade? How could his heart have changed so drastically? How could sin have found entrance into a heart so set upon God? Sin is very subtle and man’s heart is extremely deceitful. David did not come to this place overnight. It was a process that took place over time and, in David’s case, it totally overcame him and he fell very hard.
It can never be overstated that we must always guard our hearts, for sin will take advantage of us anytime we let down our guard. Even though one is born again, we still have the sinful nature that we must battle against and that evil nature has evil propensities which will lead us away from our first love. Jesus warned the church at Ephesus that He had something against them because they had left their first love. His admonition was that they repent and return to the love they once knew. This admonition is very appropriate for Christians today, for many no longer have that fervent love for Jesus Christ that they once possessed. It must be regained. Maybe some of you reading this article have left that love relationship you enjoyed in your past. Repentance is the first step in returning.
Another lesson to be understood is that Christians can be blind to sins in their own hearts. We must pray that any and all sins may be seen so we can repent and, by the grace of God, overcome those sins. Some sins which may exist in our hearts are murmuring, complaining, criticizing others, selfishness, pride, and the list goes on. One very serious sin that many Christians do not see in their lives and which scripture very strongly warns us of is the sin of unforgiveness. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns of the danger of unforgiveness when He says, “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt6:15)
I don’t know how many Christians I have heard emphatically state that they will not forgive someone because of something that happened between them. Unforgiveness is a sin which many people excuse themselves of. They feel justified for various reasons. Some feel the person has not changed and, therefore, they do not need to forgive. Others feel the evil committed against them was so bad that they are excused from the need to forgive. And the list of excuses goes on and on. Jesus told Peter that Christians are to forgive 490 times. I believe He was stating that we are to always forgive, and there is no point to which we arrive where we no longer are required to forgive. The real question here is: How many times has Christ forgiven us? And should we not desire to be as He is?
In conclusion: David’s heart for God resided in his love for God. It is love that brings about a heart for God. It is love that drove David to go out against Goliath, for Goliath was blaspheming the One whom David loved. It was when that love subsided that he fell into sin with Bathsheba. It seems David possibly had left his first love and fallen into sin. Paul stated in Romans13:10 that “love is the fulfilling of the law.” Jesus said that all the law and commandments hang upon love for God and love for one another. (Matt.22:40)
So often we struggle to obey God’s commands. We suffer from condemnation because we fail so often. Many have fought for years and have made little progress, if any. We long for victory over certain sins or strongholds which grieve us, but we find no lasting victory. It is the opinion of this writer that it is love for God that will carry us to the victories we desire. When we, like David, face the Goliaths in our lives, the love for God will cause us to rise to the occasion and victory will be sweet. When Joseph was tempted by Potipher’s wife, he made this statement: “how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen39:9) The love Joseph had for God constrained him from sin. The same is true today. The greater our love for God, the greater victory we will have over sin.
Jesus said, “Repent and do the first works”. Return to that love for God which we once knew, and that fervent love will bring about revival in our hearts. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is a force that will give us the reason and the motivation to fight against sin. Love will give us power to resist all sin and bring us into a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
MUSIC
I would like to quote a plea signed by Peter Peters and Vasilis Ryzhuk from the former Soviet Union:
“For thirty years we have suffered intense persecution, and now freedom is bringing another great harm to our churches: American evangelists accompanied by rock bands. We are embarrassed by this image of Christianity. We need spiritual food. Please give us true bread, not false cakes. It is true that rock music attracts people to the church, but not to godly living. We urge you…Do not bring it to our country. Do not desecrate our teenagers with it. Even the unbelievers recognize it is unholy music, and they cannot understand how American Christians can be so much like the world…and are disillusioned with Christianity.”
Bro. Charles F. Woodard