Are You Watching for Jesus? - An Airport Lesson

This post is something I wrote 6 years ago when my granddaughter was 5 years old.

Matthew 24:42 "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.".

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

Recently my daughter-in-law went to Japan for a week. For the last three days she was away, I went to their house very early in the morning to babysit my 5 year old granddaughter.  It had been arranged in advance that my son would be home to look after her for the first four days, followed by myself.  I told my granddaughter that on the day that I came, it would be a very short time before her mother came home.   "two more sleeps, and mama will be home."

Needless to say, on the day before, my granddaughter got up pretty early and asked if mama would be home, so I told her one more sleep.  The next morning she was up at 6:30 am asking if it was time to go to the airport.  She was so excited,  she had a bath, washed her hair, brushed her teeth, picked out a pretty dress, and soon it was time to head for the airport.  On the way she saw a plane in the sky and remarked that we must be getting close to the airport.

As we entered the international arrival section, there was a large crowd of people gathered to meet loved ones.  Everyone arriving had to come through customs, which took at least a 1/2 hour after the plane touched down.  They had to pick up their baggage, and then they came through doors and down a narrow, enclosed passageway to the opening where finally, there were greetings with embraces, flowers, what have you.  A lot of people were looking at the monitors that had been set up so they could see their loved one entering through the doors that were quite a distance away.. 

We had arrived at the time the plane touched down, and we were first sitting in chairs, and then standing at the railing separating us from the passageway.  It seemed a very long time that we stood there, and my granddaughter was getting discouraged, asking "where is mama?" and I kept telling her that soon her mama would be there.  At first I was aware of all the people waiting, but as time passed, it was like they disappeared, and my granddaughter and I were the only ones there, so focused were we waiting for her mother.

An Introduction to the Book of Ephesians

The book of Ephesians is a most beautiful book, I know people who have memorized it in its entirety.    This post is the first of many based on notes I have made from sermons on this book by Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational (Reformed).  I hope that these posts will be a blessing.

Understanding Ephesians, Introduction

Acts 20:17-38

Ephesians 1:1-4 "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be  holy and without blame before him in love.:"

Ephesus was the most important city in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey.  In those days Ephesus had a population of over 600,000 people.  It had a harbor in which trade ships traveled.  Ephesus was the commercial center of the whole region, built on major trade routes.  Ephesus also boasted the temple of Diana, which is the Greek god Artemus, the huntress.  This was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.  The amphitheatre could seat 25,000 people with excellent acoustics.  In this city there was a Christian church, a body of believers and the first mention of Paul the apostle visiting the city is in Acts 18. They wanted him to come back again and he said that he would, God willing.

This church was founded or planted by the apostle Paul.  Acts 19:1 "And it came to pass, that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus:.."  He came and preached and lived in Ephesus for two years, Acts 19:10 "And this continued by the space of two years.." When he lived there he was their pastor and taught them sound doctrine.  That is why in the book of Ephesians you will not find Paul correcting any faulty doctrine that the Ephesians have because they were well instructed in the word of God.  They were a doctrinally sound church.  They also were saved from paganism, some of them from witchcraft.  When they were saved, they made a clean break with their worldly occultic practices in the past.  Acts 19:18-20 "And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." When they were saved they burned their magic books to a value of 50,000 pieces of silver.  They burned them because they were converted and the books were evil.  They would not sell them because they did not want to pass on that which was evil, they did not want to make financial profit.  They did not want other people to read it, they wanted other people to be saved.  What is more valuable to you, money or people's souls?  Evil and the promotion of evil must be destroyed to obey the bible.  Some modern professed Christians love money more than souls, but the Ephesians would not do that because they loved Christ so much.  They wouldn't promote anything contrary to Christ. 

Replacement Theology: Is This Term Biblical?

Offered without comment except to say that this article explains this issue better than I can..

What is Replacement Theology? It is a pejorative term used by a growing number of misinformed Christians who unwittingly misrepresent the views of fellow believers. The purpose of this web site is to encourage Christians to cease using this unkind term, for it is theologically inaccurate, divisive, incendiary to honest Christian discourse, and overtly offensive.

Summary

A typical definition of “Replacement Theology” can be paraphrased as such: “Israel has been replaced by the Christian Church, so the promises and prominent position once held by God’s chosen people are now held exclusively by the Church.” Such a view is false. The majority of Christians today and through the years see Gentile believers as grafted in to the vine of Israel. (Rom 11:17-21) There is no replacement. Hence, the term "Replacement Theology" is inaccurate and ought not to be used.

Our Aim

This informational web site aims to reduce or curtail the term “Replacement Theology” in academic and general theological discourse. For those who have newly encountered this unfortunate term, “Replacement Theology,” we aim to provide you accurate information to help you understand the underlying issues so that you may decide for yourself. Our highest aim is to address those who employ this pejorative term in web sites, broadcasts, opinion papers or in academic pursuits. We desire such Christian thinkers to re-think their use of this term. We pray they would edit and redact their material and use a more suitable terminology.

Understanding More

Definitions for "Replacement Theology" which assert the church has displaced Israel are deeply flawed. They suffer from being simplistic and inaccurate while mangling historic Christian views. “Replacement Theology” is often used to discredit Reformed or Covenant theologians by ascribing to them a view that they do not hold. When carelessly repeated, the phrase “Replacement Theology” propagates this flawed definition. Furthermore, it drives a wedge between fellow Christians. Damage to the unity of the body of Christ occurs when well-meaning, but misinformed people haphazardly employ the term. It is often done to advance their own theological theory of biblical or end-times interpretation. 

link to entire article by Brian D. Warner

http://replacementtheology.org

Luke 25:25 and the Problem with Bible Translations

I will start this post by saying that I use the King James Bible.  From my early childhood when there was daily bible reading in school, the King James has been dear to my heart.  Years ago my husband and I left a bible study because someone who preferred the New American Standard said something very derogatory about King James and the trustworthiness of the King James bible.  You might think that this was extreme, but it set us on a course of study about the origins of this bible and both of us are convinced that the King James is God's word preserved in English as he promised in Psalm 12:6-7 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

This last Sunday, there was a good example of why we use the King James, a discussion on trusting the Lord through trials.   The person speaking quoted Luke 12:25 like this:

And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his life span?

I am not sure which translation he was using, but the Revised Standard comes closest.    The King James quotes Luke 12:25 like this:

And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

After the person who was speaking had quoted Luke 12:25 he said he thought that was a strange verse to which I whispered to my husband that there was a big difference between life span and stature seeing that one cubit was a measure.

So why is this important to me? Because the person speaking was confused by what he read while the King James made perfect sense.. 

I have been in bible studies where one word made a big difference, "bearing" instead of "forbearing" in one verse  or "without a cause" being left out of another verse and changing the meanings of the verses completely.

Or having many people in a bible study and all using different translations which made verbal reading around the room impossible to follow along.

I could go on, but I think my point is made.  The King James has stood the test of time while other translations come and go, becoming not translations but very poor paraphrases. 

If you used to use the King James, please go back to it.  If you have never read one, give it a try.  You will see beauty you have never seen before.

vcg/September 2015

 

Little Orphan Deer with 1 Corinthians 1:27

 

This little sweetheart was photographed in Spring on a road in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island.  Her mother was nowhere in sight, so I believe that she was an orphan.  How she made it through the winter is a miracle because she was very thin.  She walked down the road towards our car, and then went into a yard and began eating the new Spring grass.   I chose 1 Corinthians 1:27 as the verse because it just seemed fitting.

Fly Away - A Devotion

Psalm 90:10  "The days of our years are three-score years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

Yesterday we drove to the town of Chemainus, down to the beach where there was a lovely breeze and an outgoing tide.  In the Cowichan Valley where we live it was very hot, almost 90 degrees, and so this breeze was very welcome.  We sat on a log which was shaded by a large tree, enjoying the relief from the oppressive heat back home.

Offshore there is a lighthouse on a rocky knoll and we watched as a group of people set out to walk to it.  If it was an incoming tide, this would have been a very dangerous thing to do as they had small children with them who could walk most of the way but had to be carried the rest of the way. Had the tide been incoming, they would have been trapped.  One of the men was carrying what looked like a large blow-up chair and husband and I assumed that they were going to set out blankets and spend some time on the rocks which had no shade at all.  We couldn't have been more wrong. Not long after they all reached the rocks and had gathered together, we saw a huge dragon-fly climbing up in the sky and we thought it was a kite, because one of the men appeared to be holding a large container where the string would be.  But then the dragon-fly got too far away to be a kite, and we saw that it was a helium balloon shaped like a dragon-fly.  It flew higher, over the trees and towards the town of Chemainus.  Then the container turned out to be a large red heart-shaped helium balloon which climbed into the sky and followed after the dragon-fly.  There was another balloon as well, but it was smaller and darker, I don't know what it was. 

After the balloons were released, the group of adults and children made their way back to the shore and husband and I left the beach and drove home.  I wondered what this balloon-releasing meant.  That was certainly the intention of the trip out to the rocky knoll, it seemed rather a long way to walk to entertain children, and it was the adults that released the balloons, not the children. I came to the conclusion that it was a memorial to someone who had recently passed away, or perhaps a memorial to someone who had passed away years ago. At any rate, when I got home I looked up "fly away" at Blue Letter Bible and settled on Psalm 90:10 "The days of our years are three-score years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

The Creation: Sleeping Mallard

 

The photograph above of a sleeping male Mallard duck was taken at Somenos Lake.   Mallards are common ducks, but they are endlessly interesting and entertaining to me.  Its a lesson for us that the animal world lives for the moment, takes things as they come, whether good or bad. 

For the believer its Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

John the Baptist - Part 1: His birth

John the Baptist

Part 1 -  Concerning Zacharias, the priest; his wife Elisabeth, a visit by the angel Gabriel, and the birth of the baby called John

One of the best known men in the bible, John's coming is foretold in Malachi 3:1 "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: ......." and in Isaiah 40:3 "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD...".   Where Matthew, Mark, and Luke announce John as an adult with his ministry underway, the gospel of Luke shows us that John was chosen by God before his birth, to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

We begin in Luke chapter 1, where we are told of John's parents, a priest named Zacharias, and his wife, Elisabeth, who was of the line of Aaron.  God's Word tells us that they were Luke 1:6 "both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."  But V7 "..they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years."  This is very important.  They had no idea that they were to fulfill a special purpose in the plan of God, but they followed the Lord in obedience to Him.  Are we following the Lord in obedience?  How do we know what special purpose the Lord may have for our lives which will be revealed as we daily follow the leading of the Spirit..

The fact that Elisabeth was barren and well on in years is a reminder of Abraham's wife Sarah, who bore Isaac well past the age of child bearing.  All things shall be possible with God in order to accomplish His plan and purpose.

Bible Women: Rahab - The Woman Who Hid the Spies

Joshua Chapters 2 and 6

This study of Rahab is taken from the book of Joshua, Chapters 2 and 6.  Rahab was a woman who demonstrated great faith, to the salvation of herself and her family.  In Joshua 2:1-2, we have Joshua sending two spies into the walled city of Jericho, "to spy secretly..to view the land, even Jericho" and they "came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there".

Someone must have seen the men come into the city and enter Rahab's house, and they knew they were of the "children of Israel"  and that they had come to search out all the country. V2 "and it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold there came men in  hither tonight out of the children of Israel to search out the country." We are not told whether or not the spies knew Rahab was a harlot, but it was surely the divine intervention of God that they came upon the house of a harlot, where it would not be unusual for men to go.  Nevertheless, the king of Jericho sends word to Rahab  V3 "bring forth the men that are come to thee which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country"  But V4 "Rahab took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were" and she further told them V5 "when it was dark that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them."  But V6 Rahab "had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof."  And the king's men V7 "pursued after them the way to Jordan...."

 Before the spies had laid down V8 "she came  up unto them upon the roof" and in Vs 9-11 Rahab gives the reasons for her actions. "I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.  For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon an Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.  And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath". Rahab knew and believed that the LORD had given them the land, that the inhabitants were terribly afraid, and that they had heard about the parting of the Red Sea, and what had befallen the Amorites.  Then she makes the great confession of faith;  "for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath".  Rahab, who is a Gentile, believes in God and exhibits saving faith.  As Galatians 3:28 says "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus".

Shine Before Men - Matthew 5:13-16

Shine Before Men

Matthew 5:13-16 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven."

The Lord Jesus Christ in this part of the sermon on the mount is now telling his people what they are in the world, in relation to the sinful world.  Christians by their very nature are a number of things:  they are salt, and they are light.  A purifying influence, a preserving influence and a flavor enhancer that shows what real life is.  And the salt stings on the world's sin, and the salt preserves from further deterioration on society, and the salt shows the flavor of real life.  How? says the ungodly.  The world thinks that Christians do not have real life.  The world thinks that the Christian's life is probably boring.  Here is how we have real life:

When the world looks at a true Christian family, they see a father who is respected and obeyed by his children.  They see a mother who is a keeper at home, who has time to be a mother, a wife, a helper to her husband who is loved and appreciated.  The world sees children who are submissive and protected, and are happy and at peace.  They see the whole family working in a harmony and order.  Father stays with mother and mother stays with father.  They see children that are raised by both parents like God has ordained and commands in the Bible. It is a witness, it is salt that stings, its a preserving agent and it shows real enhanced flavor of life.  Jesus Christ is the head of every Christian family, and every member of that home and family obeys his word and everyone is cared for and has their duties and their privileges.

Compare that with the poor single mom in the world, raising her children because father is gone, because he is a womanizer, and he leaves his wife.  He is selfish.  Or compare the Christian family with the career woman, of immodest dress, and she is subject to flattery and wanders away.  She has broken her family and her marriage for what?  She justifies everything she does.

The pattern of family life has changed.  Immoral family life is justified by adults that neglect their responsibilities.  Who has real enhanced flavor of life?  the world may laugh and joke about the quaint Christian family, but when they look at the wreckage of their own families, it stings.  Who has self-value?  who is really respected and cared for, and who sits alone, bitter and rejected and looking for company?

God's word lays out what marriage is, what family is, how family is run.  Anything less is sin.  All unfaithful single parents, all adulterers, it is all sin.  Sin needs to be felt, convicted of and repented of.  Christians are the salt of the earth.  Is it not sad when in some Christian families the salt has lost its savor. 

Jesus says "ye are the light of the world"  Christians are the reflected light of Christ, he is the light and we are the reflected light of Christ. The more holy we are, the more we reflect the light of Christ, the light of scripture into the darkness of the ignorance of God in this sinful world.

Psalm 17: What Satisfies You

What Satisfies You?

Psalm 17:1-15

V15 "....I shall be satisfied when I  awake with thy likeness" What satisfies you, what makes you content.  What is it that satisfies the righteous person and what satisfies the ungodly.  Different things satisfy either category, not the same things, different things.  The righteous and the ungodly, they are both looking for different things out of life, their goals and desires.  Their purpose in living is vastly different. 

What satisfies you points to what you are: righteous or ungodly.  This psalm is a prayer of David, the king of Jerusalem, the greatest historic king of Israel.  In this prayer David compares the righteous and the wicked, the godly and the ungodly.  It is good to take stock and ask what are we, it is good to measure ourselves according to the scriptures. Am I growing in grace, am I becoming more like Christ, are my prayers becoming better, do we love the Lord more, do I trust him more, do I love his word more, is he more precious to me.  Are we growing spiritually.  God's people either grow or else they fall away, they don't remain the same, not ever.  2 Peter 3:14-18. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you: as also in all his epistles speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scripture, unto their own destruction.  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savour Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever.  Amen".   The cure for falling away, falling from our steadfastness is growing in grace.  Are we growing, are we really on the narrow way. 

Let us examine ourselves in the light of this psalm.  What satisfies us?

1. The Godly -

    V1 "Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips." The Godly person does not pray with feigned (deceitful) lips.  If you have told a lie, the last thing you want to do is pray.  You will avoid prayer because you are not right with God.  Prayer is not the favorite pastime for those with deceitful lips.  The person who prays often has short accounts with God and therefore their lives will not be deceitful.  The righteous person wants justice, fairness.

    V2  "Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal"  A just person is a fair person.  A righteous person does not make excuses for evil doers nor justifies sin.  They ask for nothing but fairness.

    V3  "Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress." A righteous person is someone who is tested by God.  David was tested.  There is the dark night of the soul when God tests the righteous.

    V4-5  "Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.  Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not."  A righteous person is kept by God's word, by God himself.

    V6  "I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech." A righteous person is heard by God.  The Lord hears the prayer of the righteous, but if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

    V7 "Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them." The righteous person is saved.  The right hand means strength, he saves those who trust in him. The righteous person is someone to whom God shows kindness, marvelous loving kindness.

    V8 "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings."  The righteous person is kept as the apple of God's eye, they are protected and loved by God.  They shelter under the shadow of his wing.  Is that you? 

Ask Jesus Into Your Heart?

The terms "ask Jesus into your heart" or "accept Jesus" are very bothersome to me because they are not biblical.

Here is a portion of a very good article on this subject, link to the whole article following the portion:

 ASK JESUS INTO YOUR HEART?

     Many unclear and unscriptural terms are being used today in presenting the gospel.  God's Word says, "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech (II Corinthians 3:12)."

     I believe our effectiveness in presenting the gospel is directly related to our clarity.  If we are not clear, then how will anyone understand what we are saying?  The Scripture says, "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?  So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?  For you speak into the air (I Corinthians 14:8-9)."  There are many uncertain and unclear sounds being spoken today in the name of Jesus Christ, and the result of ten times is confusion.  We need to recognize that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (I Corinthians 14:33)."  Satan therefore is getting the victory and Satan is the author of confusion.

     One such term or expression is "Ask Jesus into your heart".  The same expression is sometimes phrased, "Ask Jesus into your life", or "Invite Jesus into your heart".  Nowhere does one find anything like this in the Bible.  The Bible says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31)."  Why don't we use Bible terms?  Why not drop the unclear ones?

     I was raised on the phrase "Ask Jesus into your heart", and yet I was never saved.  Every Sunday morning in the church that I was raised we sang a song called "Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus".  The words were as follows: "Into my heart, into my heart; Come into my heart, Lord Jesus."  We sang this song every Sunday morning and were given the opportunity to "Invite Jesus into our hearts".  Well, I sincerely invited Jesus into my heart each Sunday and yet I was not saved.

please follow this link to read the remainder of this very important article:

 http://www.biblelineministries.org/articles/basearch.php3?action=full&mainkey=ASK+JESUS+INTO+YOUR+HEART%3F

Jeremiah 6:16 - Ask for the Old Paths

In this world of Christian compromise, I am compelled to make this post.

 

The Creation: Cloud Hearts in the Sky

I love watching the clouds because there are faces and shapes for all to see if you just look up.  The account of Elijah and the cloud in 1 Kings 18:43 is a favorite of mine:  "And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand......"

The photo below was taken early one morning from the property of St. Peter's heritage church.  Can you see the hearts?  It was a blessing to see this formation which only lasted minutes.  This photo is untouched.

Broad Easy Conversion

In this day of compromise, multiple bible versions and "praise" songs in today's churches,  it is important for me to share this message

Broad Easy Conversion

Matthew 7:13-29

What has led to so many false professing Christians?  Shallow evangelism, followed by a man-made unbiblical tradition called the "altar call" is replacing biblical signs of conversion with man-made physical actions that anyone can perform.  This has led to many false conversions, and therefore many false professing Christians.  "Raise your hand, come to the front, repeat these words after me"  you can do all these things and go to hell just as quickly as the person you are sitting beside because these things do not save.  They have no saving merit at all.  They are unbiblical. 

To be truly saved, you need to be convicted of your sin by the Holy Spirit, repent of your sin, that means turn from it, and trust in Jesus as your Saviour.  Then afterwards you have a life of gospel holiness as a natural consequence of your conversion.  Philippians 3:17-20 "Brethren be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."

The false Christian's slip is always showing.  They are hostile to a holy life and governed by self-will or they are proud of their sin.  They are consumed with a worldly mind-set.  These are signs of a mere profession.

What is Christ's teaching concerning the symptoms of the false professing Christian?  Matthew 7, the sermon on the mount.  It is right here that the Lord gives very plain teaching on the subject.  This sermon is about the kingdom of heaven and the citizens of that kingdom.  It is not a moral code for everybody to follow, that is impossible, it is not that.  The sermon on the mount is a description of the citizens of God's kingdom, true Christians and what they characterize in their life.  He describes the blessedness of the citizens of the kingdom of God, what they are to be - salt and light, he describes their lifestyle, what God demands of them, the spiritual depths of the ten commandments.  Christ tells us of the drastic sanctification or holiness of the citizens of the kingdom.  The sermon tells us how they are to pray and give, their other worldliness in their character, they are not materialistic.  Christians have respect for other people.  

The Child of God Walking in Darkness

The Child of God Walking in Darkness - Psalm 55

King David wrote Psalm 55 when he was betrayed by his son Absalom

Focusing on V22 "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."  What is this psalm about?  What experiences does this psalm delineate and explain to the child of God?  "Betrayed"..  This psalm was written by King David when he was betrayed by his son Absolom.  It was written at the time of rebellion among God's covenant people in Jerusalem.  We see in this psalm an expression of the broken heart of King David.  We see the great anxiety and stress and pain which David's heavy burden thrusts upon him.  "The child of God walking in darkness."  How relevant is this, because God's people do not live every day in sunshine.  Sometimes the sun of the Christian life is hidden by the clouds of a storm.  This psalm helps those who are at the extremities of experience.  This man of God is in extreme anguish of soul.  Have you ever felt like this?

1. Condition of God's child.  V1 "Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication."  God's child wants to be listened to..not primarily talked to, but listened to by God.

2. V2 "Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise"  Mourn means overcome, restless.  Make a noise means distraught.  Moral is very low, he is overcome and driven to distraction.  Serious anxiety and depression.

3. V4-5 "My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.  Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me."  He has inward emotional pain.  Fearfulness has come upon him.  Depression has come upon him.  Deep emotional pain, overwhelming feelings have come upon him.

4. V6-8 "And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!  for then would I fly away, and be at rest.  Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness.  Selah.  I would haste my escape from the windy storm and tempest."  I wish I was a bird, I would fly away from all problems, a desire to avoid the burden of the trial.  These verses teach that the psalmist wants to flee from the problem he was faced with.  It doesn't bring peace, the problem is still there.

The Creation: Pre-Storm Clouds at Sunset

Clouds are a particularly beautiful part of God's creation. I love the variety that one can see if they only look up.  And to have a camera handy to record the moment is even better.  I have never seen circular clouds like this in our area before.  If they have a name, I don't know what it is.

Job 35:5 "Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

2 Samuel 21:12 "And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

True or False Christians

True or False Christians

Matthew 7:13-27 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves,.Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast  out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.  And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Those that say they are Christians when they are not, those who think they are Christians when they are not..  the false professing Christian is a very common condition.  Most of the Puritan works deal with this subject.  This subject and how to identify the false professing Christian is a common theme in scripture.  This is not a popular theme.  Very few people even like to define what a Christian is anymore, now it is vague and broad.  Now they say that Jesus died for our mistakes.  He did not die for our mistakes, he died for our sin.  Now it is "lets not define it too closely"..  If preachers are becoming like that no wonder there are so many false professing Christians.  "easy believism converts"  You recognize them in these areas:  they are hostile to a holy life, they are governed by self will. They are proud of their sin, they glory in their shame, they are consumed with a worldly mind-set. Philippians 3:17-20 "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The true Christian is truly converted.  Conversion is entering into new life through a narrow gate.  The true Christian life proceeds onto a narrow path where you watch your step every where you go.  False conversion is shown by Christ to be characterized by a wide gate, "my conversion is so easy" (they say)  you don't have to leave much behind, its effortless, it proceeds onto a wide path where you don't have to watch how you walk and you can live as you please.  The life of a hypocrite.  The false Christian is characterized by a conversion where sin was not left behind and an unholy life where care is not taken to follow God's will.  No repentance from sin and an unholy life of disobedience to the bible.

Daily Living: The Wonderful Gift of Rain

Job 5:8-10 "I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields."

Psalm 147:7-8 "Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains."

Isaiah 55:10 "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater
1 Kings 18: 41,44-45 "And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand.  And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain....."

I used to take rain for granted.  Living on Canada's West Coast there was always abundance of rain.  We didn't pay much attention to it, seldom used an umbrella.  It was just part of life and was never extreme.  We used to joke that people who carried umbrellas must surely be tourists, for no local would ever carry an umbrella. There were no hurricanes, tornadoes or large hail..  I loved walking in the rain, and listening to it on roofs of cars.  When I was a child my bedroom was below ground and my mother would turn on the sprinkler at bedtime so the sound of it would mimic rain and I would fall asleep.

Bible Women: Jephthah's Daughter

This bible story of Jephthah's daughter is a tragic story, but it has a valuable lesson concerning the foolishness of vows.

Jephthah's Daughter

Judges Chapter 11:1-40

It is important to remember, in the events that follow, that in the time of the judges, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25)  This book is filled with the consequences of people who did not look to the LORD in all their decisions.  Thankfully, now we have these words to live by: Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and  he shall direct thy paths."

In Judges Chapter 11, we have the tragic story of Jephthah and his beloved daughter, whose name we are not told.

Judges 11 opens with the first mention of Jephthah.  V1 "Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah". So we know that Jephthah was born with a strike against him, he was not the son of his father's  wife, and indeed in V2-3 we learn that in the passage of time, "Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.  Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob..."  But then V4-6 "And it came to pass in the process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel and it was so that.....the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob. And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain that we may fight with the children of Ammon." And remembering that these are the same ones who drove him out and now come to ask his help with the enemy, Jephthah asks for glory for himself, even knowing that a victory would come from the LORD. V9 "If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?"   So Jephthah is given a place of honor and respect, V10-11 "And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, the LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.  Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh"

And so V15-23 Jephthah sends word to the king of the Ammonites, relating the events leading up to the possession of the land by Israel: Israel coming out of the land of Egypt, walking through the wilderness and the crossing of the Red Sea, all the peoples the LORD had delivered into Israel's hand, and saying V23 "So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossess the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? 

But in Verse 24 Jephthah makes a rather strange remark "Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess?  So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess."   Jephthah seems to be saying that they believe that their god is powerful enough to give them what they now possess. It seems as if he is contrasting him with  the LORD, a very foolish thing to do.  He would have done well to remember the words of Deuteronomy 6:16 “Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God…..”