The Lord’s Army

The Lord’s Army

From the time of Satan’s temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden there has been an ongoing battle between the forces of evil and truth. We see the Lord’s Army continually defeating the enemy forces throughout history and Scripture. In the days of Noah, at Sodom and Gomorrah, in the possession of the Promised Land, against the persecutors of the people of God.

The army of the Lord engage in a battle not of this world for a Kingdom beyond this realm.

The army of the Lord engage in a battle not of this world for a Kingdom beyond this realm.

Today however, our warfare is a spiritual one not manifested in physical battle. Paul would write, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The good news is that, as He always has, God always wins in the end. In the end of time the forces of good and righteousness will triumph one last time over the forces of evil. Destroying them for eternity.

Every man has a choice as to which side he will be on and whether or not he will share in defeat or victory. The Lord has opened up enrollment to all men and those who will choose to come out, and not partake in the sin of the world, will not receive the judgment of the Lord upon the world. Jesus invites all men, of ever race and nation, to come and be a part of the victorious. Many will refuse and claim no allegiance, but Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” (Matthew 12:30). The all-powerful Lord reigns and the Lord’s army, the church, are those who have been “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white.”

Whose side are you on? If the final battle were to take place today on which side will you find your-self? Come to Him, obey Him, and serve Him faith-fully. He has promised you victory.

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One Sin is Serious

One Sin is Serious

One does not have to have every disease known to man to die because just one disease can kill. It is not necessary for one to have a thousand heart attacks knowing that just one can kill a man. A criminal does not need to break all the laws in order to find himself in jail, one violation can lead to punishment. Therefore, since we are able to see consequences like this in the physical world, why is it that we cannot see them in the spiritual?

Sin often starts out small but does not remain small for very long. A “little” sin can produce the same result as a “big” sin. James said that, “. . . sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). What about just one sin? Well, if sin is sin and it brings forth death, how many sins does it take? The apostle Paul tells us that, “the wages of sin is death . . . ” (Romans 6:23). Therefore, just one sin that is unrepented of and unforgiven brings separation (death). The Old Testament warns man that, “. . . the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). Therefore, HOW MANY SINS MUST ONE COMMIT IN ORDER TO BE SEPARATED FROM GOD? Can we conclude to say that, “One will be enough?”

Now, it is quite easy to recognize that sins in abundance are destructive. The world prior to the flood was filled with wickedness. The abundant sinfulness of the antediluvian world led to God’s decision to destroy man (Genesis 6:5-7). The “exceeding wickedness” of the people of Sodom brought about the destruction of the city (Genesis 3:13; 18:20). The many backslidings and iniquities of the Israelites testified against them (Jeremiah 14:7). When one reads the catalogue of Israel’s sins recorded in 1 Corinthians 10:5-11, is it any wonder that Jehovah God was not well pleased with them? We must realize that sin is just as destructive today and man ought to be alert to the danger.

In addition, the seriousness of one sin is a recurring theme of the Bible. The transgression of Adam and Eve in the Garden was not to be overlooked by God as “just one little sin.” It was given proper and appropriate punishment and its effect has been felt by man down through the centuries. The record of the man who violated the Sabbath law (Numbers 15) gives further testimony to the way God looks at failure and one failure in the life of an individual. For, punishment for the one sin was death by stoning with the sentence given by God himself with all the congregation as executioners.

Now, could we be so relaxed today that we forget about the sentencing by God because of our sin? Do we not know that Solomon said, “. . . one sinner destroyeth much good” (Ecclesiastes 9:18)? I mean, look what happened to two sinners according to Leviticus 10:1-3. The sons of Aaron had the right incense, the proper desire, they were the right men, in the right place, at the right time, with the right utensils, but there was one wrong: the strange fire which the Lord commanded them not. Is there any wonder that when they were being consumed with fire, that their own father spoke not a word about it to God?? Do we not realize that they were punished for doing one wrong and their father held his peace because he understood the seriousness of one sin?

Examples could be multiplied as proof of the truth being emphasized. Moses testifies that one sin is serious and can keep a man out of the promised land (Numbers 20:10-12). Achan acknowledges that one sin in the camp can cause victory to be withheld till it is properly punished (Joshua 7). Judas would never say that “one little sin” is not so bad. The apostle Peter had the fact impressed upon him that the one sin of denial was an awful transgression. In the early church, it is revealed that God disapproves of one sin as evidenced in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). So, why have we become so use to sin and the compromising of Truth that we do nothing about sin when it is being practiced all around us? Are we really scared of losing our friends, family or Christians because we may stand in front of them trying to help them see the error of their ways? Is pacifism really the answer or do we not know that JUST ONE SIN CAN KEEP YOU OUT OF HEAVEN? You know, it is amazing to note that when discipline was given it did not tear the church up, but apparently influenced its growth in numbers (Acts 5:11, 14).

It is true that God will forgive a multitude of sins (Isaiah 1:18). It is likewise true that a person guilty of one sin stands in need of forgiveness (James. 2:10). Paul told Timothy, “Them that sin rebuke before all” (1 Timothy 5:20). We might wonder how many sins one would have to commit before a rebuke would be in order. Non are sinless, it is true (1 John 1:8). Yet, to have forgiveness through the blood of Christ, we must confess our sins and comply with the conditions of pardon (1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22). Otherwise, that one sin may just keep us from Heaven. Are you serious enough to correct your sin?

 

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The Bible Message

An Ancient Book With a Relevant Message

The Bible message is relevant to all ages.

The Bible message is relevant to all ages.

Far too many people have the attitude that asks, “How can a book more than 1,900 years old have any relevance in my life?” It is true that parts of the Bible are more than 3,000 years old, but it is equally true that the nature of man has not changed. Our God is eternal, and the truth that His holiness is the standard for our holiness is found in both the Old and New Testaments (Lev. 11:44: 1 Pet. 1:16).

Jesus certainly did not see the message of the Old Testament as having nothing to do with the people of the first century. They could so easily have asked, “How could words spoken to men who lived 1,500 years ago have anything to do with our lives?” In Matthew chapter twenty-two, Jesus talked about the events at the burning bush. Read His words carefully.  “Have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’”

Jesus looked at these words spoken at the burning bush and said that people who lived 1,500 years later and read these words would hear God speaking to them! It is foolish to think that because the words of the Bible are thousands of years old, they have nothing to do with us. The truth is that when we read these words spoken 3,500 years ago, God is still speaking to us!

This same truth is seen in Paul’s sermon at Antioch. Paul described how the Jews had heard Jesus speak to them, but they “did not know Him.” He then added, “…nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath” (Acts 13:27). When they read the ancient words of those prophets in the synagogues, they were reading words just as relevant as the words they actually heard when Jesus spoke them. All those things written have relevance today (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11).

The writer of Hebrews shows this same truth and affirms this in an amazing way. He quotes the words of Jeremiah about the new covenant God was planning to make with the Jews. It was not to be the same ten commandment covenant He made with the Jews when they departed from Egypt (Deut. 4:13; Jer. 31:31-34). Those words from Jeremiah had been written at least 600 years prior to the writing of Hebrews. Look carefully at how God speaks of the relevancy of ancient words. “The Holy Spirit witnesses to us” (Heb. 10:15). One might think that reading Jeremiah was to hear what an ancient prophet spoke to others. Such could not be further from truth. To read the words of Jeremiah was to listen to the Holy Spirit of God speaking to us! They were written to the Jews, but they speak to us!

So, when you read the Bible, remember that God designed the book so that it speaks to all men—it speaks to us! Read it; listen to it; obey it! Eternity demands we do this.

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Are You a Wise Man?

Are You a Wise Man?

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Matthew 7:24

Are you a wise man who hears the word of God and then follows them?

Are you a wise man who hears the word of God and then follows them?

The Psalmist said something similar in Ps. 1:1-3:  “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.”

As did James in James 1:21-25:  “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  for he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

As did Paul in Romans 6:17-18:  “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”

In Luke’s account of Jesus’ telling of the parable of the wise man who built his house on the rock, he precluded it by asking, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46-49).  That’s a very good question.  We so want Jesus to be our Savior, and we have no problem calling him “Lord”…but do we allow our foolish, stubborn, selfish pride and rebelliousness to keep us from obeying him and thus receiving our salvation?  (Heb. 5:9; Matt. 7:21-27)

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Reverence in Man’s Eyes

“Barely Saved?”

Are both your body and mind working to reverence your God?

Are both your body and mind working to reverence your God?

As my wife and I were recently walking into our local Wal-Mart, we were suddenly somewhat stunned, appalled, amazed – and quite frankly, even a bit embarrassed for – the two young ladies in their mid-teens who had just hurriedly made their way around us on some vital shopping mission or another. It wasn’t the fact that they hurried by us – as we’ve gotten a bit older and slower we’ve become used to that. But it was what they were – or better yet, what they were very definitely NOT – wearing that was embarrassing. Both had on pretty much micro-mini shorty-shorts; shorts that had only slightly more material than the beach volleyball bikini bottoms worn by the women at the recent Rio Olympics; shorts that only barely therefore covered their behinds – and one with a very provocative white lace fringe that suggestively bounced with every step. It was enough to make any mature Christian man immediately turn his eyes away towards anything else in the store, and to make any mature Christian woman want to quickly grab a couple of beach towels from the house wares department, hurriedly run up to and wrap the towels around them, and then tell them point-blank to go back home and put some clothes on because they had apparently forgotten to get dressed before they came out of the house being still only in their underwear!

But what was even sadder about those two girls walking around in public, semi-clad in such scanty attire as would have made most Victoria’s Secret models feel right at home (and such as our two daughters growing up wouldn’t have even dared to try to lounge around the house during a lazy Saturday morning in), was the fact that one of them had on a T-shirt, loudly, proudly, and boldly proclaiming and advertising that she was part of a somewhat local Baptist Church’s youth group – and even gave the name! No wonder some of the denominations around us seem to attract so many more young men than we do to their ranks. And this is the second time in as many weeks that my wife and I have sadly seen the same sort of scenario played out before us. The previous time was in a different location, at a different store, and with a different message on the T-shirt, but with a somewhat similar sort of scantily-clad  but at the same time slightly older young woman (maybe in her early to mid twenties?) with her completely immodest and sexually suggestive attire and her T-shirt message that sadly but boldly read: “I love my church.”

I guess that Acts 2:38, 22:16, Romans 6, Galatians 3:26-27, Colossians 2:1-14, as well as 1 Peter 3:21 are not the only Scripture verses missing from many major denominations’ bibles. Apparently so are passages and verses like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Timothy 2:8-15, and 1 Peter 1:13-16, 2:9-12, 3:1-6, and 4:1-5.

But what about us? What verses are maybe, in much the same way, “missing” from our bibles? When we show up for the worship assembly – and especially those men who are set apart to serve God from the front – in the same sort of ordinary, everyday, casual clothes which one would wear to school, or to the store, or to work (and especially when we know we have something far less casual and leisurely and far more formal and reverent in our closets which we would and/or even have worn to any number of events of the “more important” (?!?) nature) – might not it be questioned as to whether or not Malachi One is still in our bibles?

And should one feel the need to bring coffee, candy, pop, popcorn, chips or chocolate into bible class and the worship assembly in a manner not all that much different from what one might take into a movie theater – even though we diligently disavow and defend against drama skits and instrumental music and aggressively claim (paying lip-service at least) to be against making the worship assembly over into just another entertainment event and venue – are we really all that far from irreverently treating worship like worldly entertainment when we feel the need to ingest and indulge in those sorts of things during the worship assembly in our Father’s house (1 Timothy 3:14-15)? And might it not be wondered by others if and when we do such things, where such chapters and verses as Leviticus 10:1-11, Isaiah 5:20-21, and Ezekiel 22:23-26 have gone from our bibles?

Godly-fearing holiness, reverence, and respect, both in and out of the worship assembly, is the personal and individual responsibility of each and every single saint’s soul who wants to go to heaven to be with a holy God for all eternity. Here and now, is where holiness, reverence, and respect for who God is and what God wants His children to be, begins. This is our calling (Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 4:1-24; Colossians 3:15-17; plus 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter as referenced above). This is our duty. This is our responsibility. This is our calling.

So… What exactly does your bible say in those passages?

And… How are you going to answer God’s call to holiness, reverence, and respect next Lord’s Day?

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