Be Diligent…

Where to start?  Well, since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. (I Thessalonians 5:8)  We all need some form of protection in this world.  Think about that verse.  If you are a child of God, you are no longer a creature of the dark, but of the light since God is the source of light.  Just as obviously, a breastplate protects the chest…the home of the heart.  Your faith in God and your obedient love for both Him and Jesus will protect your heart from danger, and keep you aimed in the right path.  Your hope of salvation will protect your  head, keeping your thoughts from being on evil but staying on whatsoever things are good and pure.  (Philippians 4:8)

If you want the protection of God, stand firm, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet  fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17) Note that part of our protection is found on more than one place.  Here we see that truth and righteousness defend or protect our vital areas.  We must have studied the Word of God and know It well, so that It will protect us from false teachers and false doctrine.  We must always be ready to go forth and tell others what we believe and why, being ready always to give an answer to any man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is within you.  (I Peter 3:15)  The Word of God both protects us against false teaching and provides a weapon to use in defense of the Gospel.

So what are we protecting ourselves against?  Just this: Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  So, resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same suffferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  (I Peter 5:8-9)  Never doubt that the devil is real.  He will use anything or anyone he can to attempt to lure you away from God and the truth.  The devil is vicious.  He will  do all he can to capture your soul , ensnaring all he can because “misery loves company.”  Just know that God will protect the souls of His children.  Know also that you are not alone.  Your brethren have undergone the same kind of trials as you.  Even more than that, your elder Brother, Jesus, was Himself tempted by the devil, so He understands what you are going through and is ready to help any of his brethren who ask for His help to overcome the evil one.  (Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15)

So, protect yourself.  Read the Word of God, the Bible.  Study it diligently.  Know what it says.  Apply the teachings of the Bible to your own life.  If you are faithful in these things, then you may rest assured that God will hold your soul safe until the Day of Judgment.

What say ye?

Posted on May 17th, 2012 by doc
Filed under: Christian warfare, Salvation | No Comments »

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There are many who have great intelligence, but who are not wise.  On the other hand, many have very little education, and not a great deal of intelligence, but are very wise.  What is the difference?  Intelligence deals with your innate ability to know something…”book learning” and the ability to do so.  Wisdom, however, deals with how well you apply what you have learned.  For example, there are many people who have great intellect and teach in universities, and many of them can quote vast quantities of Scripture.  They are intelligent, but are they wise?  Not unless they use what they “know” and apply it as God has spoken to how they live.  Surely the devil knows Scripture better than any man, but he will not go to Heaven.  Conversely, there are many good men and women who know the Scritures, and have applied them to their daily lives so that they live godly lives…these are the wise ones.

So, how do we become wise?  Obviously, you cannot apply what you do not know.  Therefore, the first step is always to study and have a good background in God’s Word.  Then, pray.  James tells us, in James 1:5, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  That’s it!  Learn God’s Word, and then ask HIm how to apply it to your life.  When you are in need of an answer to any of the many problems in this life, when you cannot seem to find the answer to your problem, just turn to the Scriptures, For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  Then you will understand what is right and just and fair.  For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.  Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.  (Proverbs 2:6,9,10,11)

Also, once you have read and studied the Bible and use it as your eternal guide, God has  made a great promise to us:  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  (Psalm 32:8)  God made that promise.  He has said that, if you study His Word and apply His teachings to our life, He will lead you in the way you should go.  God will NEVER force you to do His will, but rather, He will be sure that, in His Word, you will have all the guidance you need to be able to find the way to Heaven.  (II Peter 1:3-5)  He has said:  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)  Again, this does NOT mean that God will speak to you in a physical way, but rather that He has given us everything we need to know concerning how to live to please Him, and, if you you have hidden His Word in your heart, that will give you the guidance you need in any situation.

So…why try to face life’sroblems alone?  You will only lose the battle that way.  Rather, remember that you have the awesome power of God waiting to lead you as He would have you go.  Therefore:  Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  (Proverbs 16:3)

Think on this:  The next time you are faced with a problem or a decision, and wonder “What Would Jesus Do?”, just pick up your Bible and read the answer in the Gospels.

What say ye?

Posted on May 10th, 2012 by doc
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Posted on May 4th, 2012 by doc
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Posted on May 3rd, 2012 by doc
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As I  have said before, some things really “bug” me.  I guess people who think they know more than the Lord are at the top of the list.   Just because the Mayan calendar runs out this year, there are scores of people getting ready for it all to end…and the Mayans were not even Christians!  But let’s see what the Scriptures say on this matter.

The reading for this article is Matthew 24:3-36.  It might be a good idea for you to read this first, before we begin to study, so that you understand what I am saying.  Recently, I have heard some use the words of Matthew 24:6-7 and apply them to today: And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be  famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  In Matthew 24:10-11, Jesus continues:  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and will deceive many. 

Now I will be the first to admit that this sounds very familiar, does it not?  I mean, we have war in Afghanistan, and the rumor of war with North Korea and others.  There have been devastating tsunamies in Japan, terrible tornadoes in our own Middle America, and Popocatapetl is threatening to erupt in Mexico, as well as threats of the possibility of some sort of catastrophic eruption in Yellowstone.  In American culture today, to offend someone by stating your opinion is a “hate crime.”  And we have many “false teachers” in the over 600 “religions” in America today.  Sure sounds like what Jesus said, doesn’t it?  As our preacher is fond of saying, there is a Greek word for that, and it is, “Baloney!”  Almost from the beginning of time, there have been wars and rumors of wars, as well as natural catastrophies.  And we are still here.  These things have always been and will continue until the end does finally come.  They, in no way, predict the end of the earth, for they are all too common.

Therefore, let us look at what the disciples really asked Jesus and what He was really answering.  In Matthew 24:3, the disciples ask Jesus: Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?  If you know Greek or have access to an inter-linear translation, grab it.  In the original Greek, there are two distinct questions being asked here.  The first is: When will these things be?  Jesus tells them the signs, but they are of the signs of the sack of Jerusalem, for Jesus tells them, in Matthew 24:34:  Assuredly, I say unto you, this generation shall by no means pass away till all these things take place.

Now, think a minute, friends.  Can Jesus tell a lie?  Of course not.  If so, He was not perfect, and our faith is in vain, for He could not have been the perfect sacrifice.  But Jesus, Himself, told the disciples that the “things” He had described would happen before that generation passed away, or died.  And they did.  In A.D. 70, Jerusalem was sacked…destroyed…and effectively ended the Jewish religion, for they no longer had the genealogy tables and so could no longer “prove” who was a Levite and who had the right to be a priest.  Because of that they could no longer have the sacrifices that were such a major part of the Jewish religion.  And many who were alive when Jesus spoke those words were still alive in A.D. 70.  And that was what the signs were to show and prepare the people for.

Now the second question they asked was:  Now what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?  Please keep in mind that this was a second question.  They were asking for information on a second matter.  And how did Jesus answer them?  Matthew 24:36 has the answer:  But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, but My Father only.  So I guess my question is this, friends:  If Jesus, Himself, did not know the day and hour of the Second Coming, how do you suppose any mere man would be smart enough to be able to predict the time?

What say ye?

Posted on May 3rd, 2012 by doc
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Posted on May 2nd, 2012 by doc
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Posted on May 1st, 2012 by doc
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From Paul.   Two studies.  Karen and myself.  One baptism.  I studied with
Joshua Maseke a young man who lives here andwith his younger brother and
sister.  His parents are in Angola. He was very ernest and very sincere.
He was baptized
and everyone rejoiced.   Margaret and Tommy were overwhelmed with the
children.  Lots and lots of children.  Tommy preached tonight to a full
house. Members from Windhoek and Tsumeb have traveled to be here and
campaign with us this week.  It's very encouraging to the church here to
know that they are not isolated and that they have brothers and
sisters close by.

Posted on April 30th, 2012 by doc
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Hello from Rundu.  It’s Sunday night about 8:30.  We just got here about an hour ago.  Twenty-one hours in a plane; nine hours in an airport in Frankfort; nine hours driving to Rundu.  Everyone is well.  We are fixing to go and eat a late supper since we’ve been on the road since noon.

We got to Windhoek about 5:30 AM and went and worshipped with the Wanaheda Church of Christ in Katatura in Windhoek, Namibia.  What a wonderful and fired-up family of saints!  Several members from Windhoek will be traveling up here to help with  the campaign.

Except for the animals, it looks a lot like Texas Hill country.

Paul

Posted on April 29th, 2012 by doc
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Recently, I heard a dear sister say,”You cannot quit.  You absolutely can never stop trying to teach someone.  You just cannot give up.  Never.”  With all due respect, I beg to differ.  I Corinthians 14:33 teaches us that God is not a God of confusion.  He does not teach us one thing in one place and something different in another place.  All of the Bible MUST agree, or we would not know what to do.  All of God’s Word is in agreement, or it is not the Word of God.  I think this is something we need to look into.

In three of the Gospels (Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11, and Luke 9:5), we find Jesus telling the Apostles they are to preach, but…whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.  This certainly is not a command to stay there and continue to try to teach those obstinate people.  Knowing all things, Jesus, of course, knew that there are some who will not listen to the truth.  There are some people, unfortunately, who refuse to listen to God’s Word.  They laugh at those who try to teach them, and repeatedly declare that they are not interested…maybe not in those words, but by their actions and response. We are warned to avoid such people (II Timothy 3:1-5).

Jesus also warned us against wasting our time when He said, Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.  God’s Word is certainly holy.  When we have tried several times to teach one, even a loved one of our own family, and they refuse to listen to God’s Word, we are not only wasting our time, but, in reality, we are wasting God’s time.  If you spend twenty hours trying to reach someone who does not want to be reached, you could have spent two hours each on teaching ten who were receptive, or even  one hour on twenty others who might have been receptive.

My point is this:  As long as a person is receptive,and interested, we need to keep trying.  However, when it becomes obvious that the person is not interested in accepting the Word of God, we need to cut our losses and go on to work in fields  fields that are white unto harvest.

What say ye?

Posted on April 26th, 2012 by doc
Filed under: Evangelism, Obedience, Stewardship | Comments Off

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