Encouragement

I was a day early with this regular column last week so this week’s edition is a little late. Huh, what!? Clockwork? Never heard of that term!

Anyhow…

# Here’s a well-researched and well-written Biblical look at the teaching of a Pre-Trib rapture by Lavrai. Like her, I don’t subscribe to a Pre-Trib rapture either.

# I’m not looking to start another Calvinism versus Arminianism debate, but the folks at Tominthebox had me laughing out loud with this piece claiming that the recently-concluded John 3:16 Conference has declared that Calvinism is finished.

# On a serious note, here’s Steve Camp responding to the commentary of David Allen during the above-mentioned conference.

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A sister-in-Christ, Jean, wrote of a beautiful moment in her four-year-old daughter’s life when (Jean believes) the Holy Spirit began a work of regeneration in that precious girl’s life. Alas, such a beautiful account has received more than a ton of flak from many calling it “child abuse”.

If you have the time, drop by Jean’s blog and send her an encouraging note amidst all the hate from the “tolerant” and “open-minded” folks.

Though I doubt if brother Paul himself would call it a prophecy, this episode reminds me of the warning he sent out during the Q&A session at the recently-concluded Revival Conference. Sadly, many of us are still asleep; it’s time to wake up!

My thanks to Lane Chaplin for bringing this to my attention at Facebook.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, writes:

“This psalm has in it as much of warmth and lively devotion as any of David’s psalms in so little a compass. As the sweetest of Paul’s epistles were those that bore date out of a prison, so some of the sweetest of David’s psalms were those that were penned, as this was, in a wilderness.

That which grieved him most in his banishment was the want of public ordinances; these he here longs to be restored to the enjoyment of; and the present want did but whet his appetite. Yet it is not the ordinances, but the God of the ordinances, that his heart is upon. And here we have,

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I’m reading Thomas Watson’s The Godly Man’s Picture, and am sharing this passage (abridged), in particular points (f) and (h), because it very much spoke to and inspired me.

A godly man shows his love to the Word written:

(a) By diligently reading it. The noble Bereans “searched the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:12). The Word is our Magna Carta for heaven; we should be daily reading over this charter. The Word shows what is truth and what is error. It is the field where the pearl of price is hidden. How we should dig for this pearl! A godly man’s heart is the library to hold the Word of God; it dwells richly in him (Col. 3:16). It is reported of Melanchthon that when he was young, he always carried the Bible with him and read it greedily. The Word has a double work: to teach us and to judge us. Those who will not be taught by the Word shall be judged by the Word. Oh, let us make ourselves familiar with the Scripture! What if it should be as in the times of Diocletian, who commanded by proclamation that the Bible be burned? Or as in Queen Mary’s days, when it spelled death to have a Bible in English? By diligent conversing with Scripture, we may carry a Bible in our heads.

(b) By frequently meditating on it: “It is my meditation all the day” (Psa. 119:97). A pious soul meditates on the truth and holiness of the Word. He not only has a few transient thoughts, but leaves his mind steeping in the Scripture. By meditation, he sucks from this sweet flower and ruminates on holy truths in his mind.

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Pastor Voddie Baucham teaches how we ought to ask the age-old question on why bad things happen.

On a separate note — looking back, I thank God I didn’t get into the course I wanted at University because I did want to major in Philosophy!

I am currently listening to some of Pastor Voddie’s sermons, after having just ‘discovered’ him and his church, Grace Family Baptist Church, thanks to a great list of his sermons on MP3 compiled by Reforming My Mind.

HT: The Contemporary Calvinist [via].

It might have been a decade since, but memories of a painful period of time in our marriage have recently been brought to the fore because a dear brother and sister are going through almost the same thing as we did.

While recalling that period of time does not hurt as much now, for the trespasses have been forgiven and largely forgotten, I have always wondered what the purpose of that trial was and why it had to happen the way it did.

In light of what I have learned in the past couple of days, and having communicated via email with the brother (for whom I hope I have been of some comfort to), I think I now finally understand God’s plan and provision.

It has been 10 years since but, having gone through what we had and having the revelations in the past couple of days, it leaves no doubt in our minds and reinforces our belief that all that happens in our lives has God’s handwriting all over them.

Even though we did see the obvious reasons why later on, it’s surprising to learn this “hidden” purpose — how the Lord has blessed us with fellowship with our brother and sister so that both of us might, through sharing our experiences with them, be of some comfort and encouragement.

Soli deo Gloria!

The shortest verse in the Bible — John 11:35 — has always intrigued me. To me, it is this verse that fully captures and reflects His humanity (for Christ was fully man too during His ministry on earth), more than what the temptations in the desert, the hunger our Lord experienced (Matthew 4:2, Matthew 21:18, Mark 11:12), and the thirst and weariness (John 4:6-7) did.

It also speaks volumes of the compassionate nature of the Lord our God whom we serve.

With regards to understanding this particular verse in the context of the account of Lazarus’ death and subsequent raising by our Lord as recorded in John 11:1-44, I love what Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary [Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible (mhcc.xxxv.xi)]:

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“Man,” said a thoughtless, ungodly English traveller, to a North American Indian convert, “Man, what is the reason that you make so much of Christ, and talk so much about Him? What has this Christ done for you that you should make so much ado about Him?”

The converted Indian did not answer him in words. He gathered together some dry leaves and moss and made a ring with them on the ground. He picked up a live worm and put it in the middle of the ring. He struck a light and set the moss and leaves on fire. The flame soon rose, and the heat scorched the worm. It writhed in agony, and after trying in vain to escape on every side, curled itself up in the middle, as if about to die in despair. At that moment the Indian reached forth his hand, took up the worm gently and placed it on his bosom. “Stranger,” he said to the Englishman, “do you see that worm? I was that perishing creature. I was dying in my sins, hopeless, helpless and on the brink of eternal fire. It was Jesus Christ who put forth the arm of His power. It was Jesus Christ who delivered me with the hand of His grace, and plucked me from everlasting burnings. It was Jesus Christ who placed me, a poor sinful worm, near the heart of His love. Stranger, that is the reason why I talk of Jesus Christ, and make much of Him. I am not ashamed of it, because I love Him.”

If we know anything of love to Christ, may we have the mind of this North American Indian! May we never think that we can love Christ too well, live to Him too thoroughly, confess Him too boldly, lay ourselves out for Him too heartily! Of all the things that will surprise us in the resurrection morning, this I believe will surprise us most, that we did not love Christ more before we died.

Ryle, J.C. Holiness. Evangelical P, 1979. 245.

HT: Tony Miano.

I never set out to blog to gain popularity (by becoming a star blogger), garner accolades or even earn money, but when I started this blog more than a year ago (first at sicarii.net then subsequently moving here recently), I’ve been blessed by the love and encouragement of many brothers- and sisters-in-Christ and this to me is more precious than silver and gold!

At this point, please allow me to go off on a tangent:

Yes, I know that my blog can sometimes be a little controversial and even start debates among brethren, but it has never been my intention to sow division among those who truly love the Lord. In case some of you are unaware, it does disturb me sometimes and many times I wonder, on hindsight, if I should have expressed such views on my blog. On the other hand, I don’t think I should restrain myself — these are issues that come to mind as I study God’s Word and I believe in sharing what I’ve learned (well, perhaps, a little too much at times).

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James White with a timely and sobering message to all Christians who live in this day and age when many truths are built on nothing but shifting sands except that which is established upon the Rock — the Lord Jesus Christ.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8

Has the Church forgotten about doing good in the name of the Lord that He might be glorified? Reading Matthew 25, it occurred to me that we have become self-serving, cocooned in our own Christian bubbles and forgetting about the need to feed the poor and care for widows.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:34-40

The following story reminded me that there is much more we can do as Christians, aye, even for our own brethren. No, I am not preaching the social gospel, but it seems to me that we have lost much of our saltiness if we have faith but are without works.

Works will not save us, but works demonstrate our faith in Christ (James 2:14-26).

A Beautiful Flower In A Broken Pot

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.

One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. “Why, he’s hardly taller than my eight-year-old,” I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw.

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Perhaps you are facing some problems at work, in your personal life, or even at home, and I pray that this be of some encouragement to you as it had been to me.

People were overwhelmed with amazement.
“He has done all things well!” they said.

Mark 7:37

The truth to which they gave utterance, is full of deep and unspeakable comfort; and ought to be daily remembered by all true Christians.

Let us remember it, as we look BACK over the past days of our lives, from the hour of our conversion. “Our Lord has done all things well!” In the first bringing us out of darkness into His marvelous light; in humbling us and teaching us our weakness, guilt, and folly; in stripping us of our idols; in choosing all our portions; in placing us where we are, and giving us what we have — how well everything has been done! How great the mercy — that we have not had our own way!

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If you have ever tried evangelizing to atheists/evolutionists, one particular argument that always comes up is “show me God then I’ll believe in Him”. When you tell them that the evidence of God is in His design of every mountain, tree, and living thing they see in nature they scoff at that, but when you point out that the building you are next to must have an architect who designed it they never disagree.

So, then, while these folks are ready to admit that a building that’s less complicated than living creatures has a designer, they believe that all living creatures which have millions of cells and are so very complicated in the ways each part works came by chance?!

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For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:15-17

Hallelu YaH!

Once in a while, an inspirational story comes along and really tears you up inside and starts your tears rolling because reading it leaves you awed, inspired, touched, and in great joy all at the same time.

I got this story from a great sister-in-Christ of mine — Channel of Healing — and just had to pass it on. I will also recommend that you should visit her blog often. She is such a great encourager!

May it touch you as it did me.

God Works In Mysterious Ways

It was an unusually cold day for the month of May. Spring had arrived and everything was alive with color.

But a cold front from the North had brought winter’s chill back to Indiana. I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town square. The food and the company were both especially good that day.

As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying a well-worn sign that read, “I will work for food.”

My heart sank. I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief. We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways.

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Here are some of my favorite quotes from two of the most faithful and true teachers of God’s Word — John Piper and Paul Washer. I hope that they, too, encourage you and spur you on to examine your Christian walk.

John Piper

“Many people are willing to be God-centered as long as they feel that God is man-centered”

“One of the reasons we are not as Christ-centered and cross-saturated as we should be is that we have not realized that everything — everything good, and everything bad that God turns for the good of his redeemed children — was purchased by the death of Christ for us. We simply take life and breath and health and friends and everything for granted. We think it is ours by right. But the fact is that it is not ours by right. We are doubly undeserving of it.”

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I came across this video quite by accident, and it is simply amazing because it is just so inspirational.

I would strongly urge you to watch all 20 minutes of it, and see for yourself how a whole tribe believed unto salvation! It truly is awe-inspiring the belief and faith that God had put into the hearts of these people whom we will by our industrialized and “enlightened” societies call primitive and uneducated.

Watching it really reminds me of 1 Corinthians 1:19-25.

These people asked no sign from God, and saw none, but by hearing they believed. For months, twice a day, Mondays to Fridays, these people latched onto every word that the missionaries told of the Old Testament and the Gospel, yearning and thirsting for more!

How many people in our “enlightened” world today do you think will be as receptive? If this is not in any way inspirational, I know not what else might be.

Hallelujah, praise be to Yahweh! AMEN!

Shalom Aleichem.

Just this Sunday I found out that Nick Vijucic spoke at City Harvest Church the previous weekend, and decided to check if there was a video of the service.

Now, I don’t bother with checking out City Harvest Church normally, since I don’t buy into their mega-church prosperity gospel, or their rock concert-grade performances, or seeing pastors with dyed hair, but I just had to give a listen to what Nick Vijucic had to say.

In case you know not who Nick is, he is an Australian who was born without limbs — no arms nor legs — save for a foot that he calls his “chicken drumstick”. Instead of giving up on life, he surmounted all of life’s difficulties with faith in Yahweh and is today sharing the Good News and being an immense inspiration to millions around the world.

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Here’s another tune to carry the week, and this one is most touching.

When the heart cries
only God hears
The pain rises out of the soul
A man falls down before he sinks down
With a little prayer (he) cuts the silence

Sh’ma (Hear) Israel my God,
you’re the omnipotent
You gave me my life,
you gave me everything
In my eyes a tear,
the heart cries quietly
And when the heart is quiet,
the soul screams

Sh’ma (Hear) Israel my God,
now I am alone
Make me strong my God;
make it that I won’t be afraid
The pain is big,
and there’s no where to run away
End it because I can’t take it anymore
(make the end of it because I have no more energy left within me)

When the heart cries,
Time stands still
All of a sudden, the man sees his entire life
He doesn’t want to go to the unknown
He cries to his God right before a big fall

Hebrew Lyric and source of translated lyric above at hebrewsongs.com.

Listen to the song here: