Friends,

I really do wish all my readers a wonderful 2012.

As for 2011, it was terrific year for Betty and me. We celebrated out 48th anniversary. Took our anniversary cruise to the Bahamas with several of our friends.

Perhaps the greatest thrill of our heart has been to watch the ministry that we parented in 1976, Christian Challenge International, continue to grow stronger and stronger under the guidance of our son Nathan.

It has been awesome to see the caliber of people the Lord has gathered to us, and to consider the strong leadership that the Lord has given to Christian Challenge.

Words could never express how so very much we are thankful for. But to give my readers a true feeling for all that we wish for your 2012, please enjoy these marvelous pictures. They can say more than I can as for our wishes for your 2012.

I do hope you have a sense of humor along with a laughing heart.

(Thanks Doug for the pictures.)

Always in Christ,

Buddy

Other

 

 

 

“…in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise; and again, ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ … 

 

 

” … And again, ‘Behold, I and the children who God has given Me.’” (Heb 2:11-13 nasb)

Readers,

Notice the bold portion of the above Scriptures where we hear Jesus say, “Behold, I and the children who God has given Me.”

This statement draws on a redemption promise that God gave through the prophet Isaiah.

“And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.” (Isa 8:17-18)

Then we have this in Isaiah:

“Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: ‘Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now turn pale; but when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will sanctify My name; indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” (Isa 29:22-23)

Fulfilled in Christ

Jesus said,

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. …

“ … This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds [looks to] the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (Joh 6:37-40)

Again pay close attention to the words in bold print – “Of all that He [the Father] has given Me I lose nothing.”

Christians who lack knowledge in how salvation works will always battle insecurity. The problem isn’t merely with the believer. In some pulpits Jesus Christ is being presented in a way that is not worthy of the gospel message.

The message they hear is often filled with fear and condemnation. It centers on a salvation through works, that is, a salvation that is based on a believer becoming good enough.

This kind of thinking is a misreading of the gospel story. The work of salvation is not our work. We are all sinners saved by grace. Salvation is God’s work from beginning to finish. He alone is the author and the finisher of our faith.

Here is an example where a Scripture is sometimes mismanaged:.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Php 2:12)

Sounds pretty plain. How then is it mismanaged? The problem is that this statement is only half of what is being said. Listen to the rest of the statement:

“ … for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Php 2:13)

Notice carefully that the working out has to do with God Himself. The believer is to place his faith in God who is at work in his life. The believer is to trust that the Lord is working His will in the believer’s life.

That isn’t the only Scripture that sets forth God at work in the believer. Listen with your heart:

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, …

“… working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)

Once again note the words in bold. God is the one who equips us to do His will. God is the one who is working in us that which is pleasing in His sight.  

The Author and Finisher

The apostle said he was convinced the good work that God began in us, He would perfect until the day of Jesus Christ. God is the author and the finisher of our faith. He is the perfecter of His work. The Lord God began the work and the Lord God finishes the work

The Lord does not want His children to live in fear of any nature. And when the Lord speaks into our lives it is His purpose is to destroy our fears. Even when He needs to correct us, it is a correction towards life.

Here is an example from my walk with Jesus -

It was 1974

I had just resigned from my former church affiliation. The following morning at my office a dark cloud settled over me. What will we do? Where do we go? Where will we find fellowship? Did I miss God?

The last words my former pastor had spoken to me when I handed him my resignation was ringing in my ears, “Brother Martin, these people will never anything else to do with you.”

I fell on my knees next to a chair, and reached for my Bible. Lord, I need to hear from You. 

My Bible actually fell open to Philippians 1:6, and my gaze riveted on these words,

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

The Son of God had spoken to my heart. Instantly the cloud vanished. No more fear! No more uncertainty. I knew everything would be alright. Our future was well cared for.

In my excitement I reached for the phone to call Betty. Little did I realize that she was facing the very same struggle at that very same moment. Before I could get the words out of my mouth, Betty said, “Honey, listen to what the Lord just shared with me.”

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10) — We were both using the KJV at the time —

The Lord had spoken to both of us at the same time. Betty knew just as I knew that our future was well cared for.

God’s Unconditional Promises

Of course I’m not telling any true believer something that you don’t know. Jesus has come to my aid myriads of times on my pilgrim journey. He does the same for all who belong to Him. What did the Lord say about His presence in our lives?

“ … for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, or will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Heb 13:5-6)

That, dear friend, is an unconditional promise.

This is where we need to understand Biblical promises.

Conditional promises are based upon some action on our part. Unconditional promises are based upon something God has promised with no aid from us. These are the, “I will” promises of God.

An example of a conditional promise is Luke 6:38, where the Lord says,

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Notice that it is by ‘our standard’ of measure that gauges the ‘pressed down’ blessings.

Unconditional promises are different. Unconditional promises are generally summed up as redemption promises. These kinds of promises are, ‘from God, through God, and to God’ promises. They cannot be broken by believers simply because we have no role to play in them. They are based entirely on the sovereignty of God.

The Bedrock of the Faith Walk

These ‘never-ever’ promises serve as the bedrock of our walk with the Lord. One of the very last things Jesus said to the disciples was,

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt28:20)

Another one is the John 10:27,28, promise where Jesus said,

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

Some believers see the strength of their walk in how strong their grip is on God. This is not what Jesus is saying. The safety for a child of God does not depend on his or her grip. It rests entirely in the hands of the Lord. Jesus said,

“No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

A few more ‘never-ever’ promises

“…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

“…everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)

Our Inheritance in Christ

The point being that these promises are based upon something God says He will do. These unconditional promises relate to God’s redemption plan in Christ, a plan that was set forth before time.

Paul gave insight into this area, when he said,

“We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to [God's] purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Eph1:11)

Notice that Paul said it is God’s will that is at work. The apostle John certainly agrees. He said that our birth from heaven was not a thing of our will. He says,

“[We] were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13)

When we were born again, it is because God opened our ears to hear, and placed in our heart to respond. We see this being worked out in a lady named Lydia. It says,

“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshipper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

The stumbling, bumbling apostle

Have you ever been a stumbling believer? Sure you have. Think about a man called Peter. Peter actually denied the Lord three times. Was that the end of the story? Certainly not. Jesus sought him out, restored him in faith, and gave him the privilege of preaching the gospel at the very place where Peter had become fearful for his life.

Have you caught the point in all this?

— Regardless of how well we think we understand the mystery of our salvation, the fact remains that God’s unconditional promises do not rest upon how well we are able to do or how much we understand. They are not performance promises. Each of these promises rest upon God Himself. When He says that He will never desert us or forsake us, that promise cannot be broken.

Yes, we all become stumblers at times.  So we ask, “Why me, Lord?” About the best any of us can do is write songs about all this.

In the Midst of the Congregation

And so, we agree with the Psalmist who said,

“…in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise; and again, ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ … 

We write:

“I don’t know why Jesus loved me. I don’t know why He cared. I don’t know why He gave His life for me. Oh, but I’m glad. So glad He did.”

And,

“Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.”

And,

‘All hail the power of Jesus name! Let angels prostrate fall…”

And,

“I am weak but Thou art strong, Jesus keep me from all wrong…”

And,

“So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, … Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.”

Oh yes, we Christians write songs without end. And we will continue to write them.

But the message from heaven never changes. While we love the Lord with a love that cannot be measured, John wants us to understand something very special when he writes,

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1Jn4:10)

Think about these things.

In the meantime listen to this song that was written and sung by Kris Kristofferson – ‘Why Me Lord.’

Your Servant in Christ,

Buddy

Other

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

 

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

 

 _______

 

“The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psa 1:1-6)

Readers,

To appreciate the depth and beauty of Psalm 1, we have to approach it from a Biblical-Hebrew mindset. To God’s ancient people, religion was seen as an individual walking the road of life. The godly person’s traveling companion was God Himself. And God’s Word was his road map.

Thus we hear David say,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Christians are the recipients of the ancient faith. Jesus is the Living Word who imprints in our souls the guidance found in God’s written Word. He speaks into our hearts the way we are to live.

The uniqueness of Psalm 1, is that it sets the tone for the entire book of Psalms. In this Psalm you have a description of the two paths than men can travel. One is the godly path. The other is the path of destruction.

It is no secret why some people live a blessed life while others live a life of muddiness and disarray.

Let’s take a closer look at Psalm 1, and other related Scriptures.

The Ancient Faith Realized

Take note of these Scriptures:

“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (Psa 16:11)

“He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.” (Pro 10:17)

“The path of life leads upward for the wise that he may keep away from Sheol below.” (Pro 15:24)

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Pro 4:18)

The Lord said,

“I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

And again,

“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (Joh 10:4-5)

The Way – The Truth – The Life

In other places where Jesus said, ”I am the way”, or made reference to, ”broad is the way,” he was drawing from a rich Hebrew heritage. These terms were familiar to the Jews of His time.

The truth is that there have always been only two ways. You have the way of the righteous, and you have the way of the wicked. You have the way of Light and you have the way of darkness.

Hear another description of the two ways:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” (Pro 4:18-19)

And so Psalm 1, and the Sermon on the Mountain are quite similar. Psalm 1:1, says,

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.”

The very first thing Jesus says on the mountain is,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

The Happiness Of

The Hebrew word for ‘blessed’ is esher. (eh-sher) It comes from the same root as Asher, who was one of Jacob’s son. Literally it means, ‘O, the happiness of.’

Godly happiness does not mean there will be no points of sorrow or difficult times in a true believer’s life. This happiness has no regard to external circumstances. It is an inner contentment of knowing rightness.

While many look for this blessedness of life in things or in relationships, the godly knows that it can only be found one place. It is found in a personal walk with the Lord.

Another mark of the walk of the godly person is that it is not influenced by evil. This is what the term ‘holy‘ speaks of. Kodesh means to be set apart, to be distinct.

This is one reason that Satan hates believers. He is unable to mold them into societies that speak of evil.

Then we have this characteristic of the righteous man and woman. The righteous person delights in truth. Psalm 1:2, says,

 ”But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”

The righteous person loves the truth. His bend, pleasure, delight is towards God’s Word.

The Bouquet of Heaven

The ancients had a custom that when a child was born they would rub his gums with honey. The purpose was to begin very early teaching the little one that God’s Word is like honey to the soul.

David said,

 ”O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)

The Psalmist adds to this in saying,

 “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

When Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” it is very likely that His Jewish audience would think about what David said.

But there is also another thought to be had. The righteous person’s walk with the Lord carries with it the very fragrance and sweet aroma of a heavenly life. The apostle said it this way:

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

“For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.

“And who is adequate for these things?” (2Co 2:14-16)

While the righteous person carries with him a heavenly aroma, the sinner lives in earthy stench. But this is where God uses His own people to draw the sinner’s attention to a life that can be had through Jesus Christ.

The Living Word

Another thing to understand is that God’s Word is a living thing for those who believe and trust in Him. God’s Word is full of wisdom and power. It works itself into our very nature and spreads its healing love throughout our being.

This is why the apostle said,

 ”Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2)

Peter was speaking of our attitude towards God’s Word. An infant instinctively seeks its mother’s breast for nourishment. We are to instinctively seek the nourishment of God’s Word. Our want is to be in the Word of the Lord.

Notice again that Psalms 1:2 says,

“In His law he meditates day and night.”

Here we need to bring out the Hebrew. The Hebrew word for meditate is ‘hagah.’ This word means to mutter, to emit a sound, to speak in undertone. A dove coos. A lion rumbles. Throughout the day the godly person pours out from his heart responses to the Lord. It is like a conversation is going on that cannot be heard by others. It is between the godly and his Lord.

The ancients were taught to process life moment by moment. Most every prayer would begin with, “Blessed are You oh Lord, our God. King of the universe.” Long prayers were not the rule.

When Paul says, “Pray without ceasing,” he is speaking in a Hebrew mind. The essence of Hebrew prayer was to bless God.

Firmly Planted by Streams of Water

It is in Psalm 1:3 that we find the description of God’s blessed child. Listen carefully:

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Psa 1:3)

The Path of the Wicked

Psalm 1 then describes the life of a sinner. Again read:

 “The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” (Psa 1:4-5)

Three words describe the ungodly man – Wicked. Sinner. Scoffer.

The word ‘wicked’ comes from a word which means to be agitated; confused; in motion; restless. This is a character trait. The wicked are ethically lose & unstable.

Note Isaiah:

“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” (Isa 57:20-21)

The term ‘sinner’ is from an archery term. It means to miss the mark.

The scoffer is a mocker. He makes light of all that is holy, both in his words and in his life style. His heart is filled with darkness.

God’s guidance tells us not to spend time with these people. They are without God and are on the path of a terrible doom. Eternal darkness is in their future.

Where the Wicked Cannot Stand

There are two places the wicked are unable to stand. They cannot stand in the judgment nor are they to be found in the assembly of the righteous. They live their lives under a cloud of judgment.

This is the reason a sinner does not wish to be in a church gathering. Their own heart condemns them. Where the godly person shares the joy of walking with God, the sinner is agitated and confused.

Psalm 1 completes itself in saying,

“For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psa 1:6)

The Hebrew for ‘knows’ is a very strong word. Yada carries the thought of, ‘to watch over, to be deeply involved with.’

The godly person walks in true happiness because he knows the Lord God is watching over his life. And even if the righteous falls, God’s love will pick him up.

The sinner has no one but himself.

Jesus summed it this way:

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ”For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mat 7:13-14)

And so, it is no secret why some people live a blessed life while others live a life of muddiness and disarray.

Take time for this song. Perhaps the Lord has something He would like to say to you –

In Christ Jesus always,

Buddy

Other

Readers,

Many are not aware that the song, ‘Welcome to My World’ was co-written by John Hathcock and Ray Winkler in 1961, but it was first made popular by Hathcock and Winkler’s good friend, Jim Reeves (Gentleman Jim).

Reeves was one of the most well-loved country artists of his time. He became internationally famous and the song, ‘Welcome to My World’ went international. Seems the world is still waiting for the next Jim Reeves.

The list is endless of other artists who took it up. It includes such notables as Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Rikki Hendersen, Faron Young, Eddy Arnold,  Charlie Pride, and the Anita Kerr Singers.

However, there is a secret to this song that not everyone picks up on. Welcome to My World  is a Christian based song. For you who know your Bible, you will quickly pick up on direct quotes from the Bible and/or allusions to the love of God that is found in Jesus Christ.

So, using that song as a prelude to this study let me share something about God’s world.

Let’s begin with…

God’s Secret World

In Psalm 31, David expresses sorrow over the strife and struggles of life. Have you been there? Sure you have.

“In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; in Your righteousness deliver me. Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; be to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me.” (Psa 31:1-2)

What is the answer? The answer is when David breaks out into praise that speaks of God’s love for His people.

Listen to the man after God’s heart:

“How great is Your goodness, which You have stored for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence, from the conspiracies of man; You keep them in the shelter from the strife of tongues.” (Psalm 31:19,20 nasb.)

Where David says, ‘the secret place of Your presence’, the literal is equally translated, “the secret of Your face.” The idea is that God hides His people from the view of their enemies by bringing them to the very place that He Himself dwells.

There has always been a secret hiding place for God’s people.

Our Hiddenness Through the Ages

The secret place of God would take in all His people from ancient time on. The Old Testament saints somehow knew in their hearts that the Lord Himself was their ever-present security in life.

Moses said,

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Ps90:1 ,2 )

Moses uses the same word that David used with regard to the ‘secret place’ of the tabernacle.

Listen again to David:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, `My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Ps91:1,2)

This truth of our hiddenness finds it fulfillment at the cross. Paul said when a person calls upon Jesus as Lord, the Father takes the total of that person’s life and places it in Christ.

The Secret Love of God

Here is where we come to the great mystery of God’s love for His people. The Psalmist Asaph speaks of God’s people as His ‘treasured ones.’ He writes,

“They make shrewd plans against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones.” (Ps83:3)

The Hebrew for ‘treasured ones’ speaks of that which is covered by God, that which is hidden, or that which is kept secret. But it especially speaks of the secret of one’s heart. God has a secret. God’s treasured ones are the secret love of His heart.

The Psalmist puts things together when he writes,

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

 

“For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock [the Rock is Christ]. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” (Psalm 27:4-6)

The Concealment of God

The Hebrew for ‘conceal’ is the same word the Psalmist uses for God’s ‘treasured ones’. God’s people are His treasures in the earth and for all eternity. This allows us to have a better understanding of a kingdom parable of the hidden treasure.

Jesus said,

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field [world], which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matt13:44)

The treasure has to do with the hidden kingdom of heaven. The story is the story of the cross. Jesus Christ gave His life for the hidden treasure. Jesus came to seek that which was lost. Now the treasure is hidden again, but this time it is hidden in Christ.

Paul said,

“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col3:3,4)

All that David said about the secret place of God have their fulfillment in the finished work of the cross. Being hidden in Christ means that every believer is eternally secured from the power of darkness. We can never be separated from God’s love. Our life is placed in the Light of God’s very being. Peter said that our calling was into, “His marvelous light.”

Raised Up and Seated

While this truth of our hiddenness may seem difficult to grasp, one fact remains – Our faith should always rest upon God’s truth of our redemption in Christ Jesus. Our place in Christ is secured.

The truth is that every believer in Jesus Christ has already been raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly. This is our place in Christ. And while we yet walk this earth in our natural state, the Father takes of heavenly life, places it in our hearts as a foretaste of eternity. Heavenly life is God’s presence and His oversight of our lives.

The Father never takes His eyes off believers. Listen to this conversation between David and the Lord:

[David] “You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.”

[Lord] “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”(Ps27:7,8)

The Joy of the Cross

The reason Jesus endured the cross was because of the joy that was set before Him. The joy set before the Lord Jesus was all those whom the Father would give Him from eternity.

Jesus said,

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. … This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

 

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37,39,40)

The Only Question You can Answer for Yourself

There is one question that needs to be answered – Are you now trusting in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? A heart-faith and trust in Jesus is proof positive that you belong to Him. And if you belong to Him, then you are most certainly one of His treasured ones.

This is what the great apostle said:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph2:8-10)

 

Think about these things.

The Invitation Stands – Whosoever will may enter into God’s World

The Lord God offers every person on the planet the key to His world and His kingdom. The key is found in Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son. Call on Jesus. He will answer. In fact, He is standing at your door now. Won’t you invite Him in?

I want to share songs that will minister to your heart. The first one is ‘Welcome to My World,’ by Elvis Presley (1973)

The following worship songs are for your spiritual strengthening. Listen to them. The Lord will speak to your heart.

You Are My Hiding Place/As the Deer

In Christ always,

Buddy

Other

“Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” (Psa 145:2-4)

Journal,

I realize that not everyone is that interested in my renderings on the Martin family but there really is a point in all this. For those who have an interest, please bear with me as I continue with somewhat of my family and the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ

As I have shared before, the first Martin of our line to come to Louisiana with his Indian wife, in 1803 thereabouts. He was a Revolutionary soldier. 

Billy Martin and his Elizabeth, are buried at Mitchell Cemetery in Anacoco, Louisiana. There is early documentation on the Mitchell Cemetery, entitled, “Pioneer Minister Tells of First Cemetery”, by Rev. Thomas Franklin.

Here are quotes in part:

“I have been acquainted with people of this country ever since the year 1835 … In my early days there were no churches, no schoolhouses, preachers, nor anyone who could offer prayer in public … At this time the Martin, West, Miers, and Franklin families made the principal part of the citizens …

“I well remember the old preacher preaching the funeral of Thomas Martin. He was the first man I ever saw kneel and offer prayer to God in this graveyard …

“Now as we have been following the history of servants of the Lord since 1835, we now turn more directly to the history of the graveyard for here lies the body of the old and the young resting.

“Here is the body of William Martin, an old Revolutionary soldier, with his wife, also many children and grandchildren. …”

In the cemetery there is a large double headstone with genealogical information on the reverse side. It reads:

Martin, Elizabeth – ca 1790/ca 1849

Martin, William (Billy) – 1766/ca 1840, American Revolutionary Soldier

Came to LA in 1803 from VA-KY area, [married] 1805 – Their children

1. John (Jack) [married] 1831 Rachel Miers;

2. Thomas [married] 1833 Elizabeth;

3. David [married] 1833 Catherine;

4. Wm. (Billy) Jr. [married] 1834 Mary Ann Miers;

5. Charles [married] 1842 Sarah Ann Miers;

6. Isaac [married] 1854 Mary Bass;

7. Benjamin [married] 1845 Evelina Miers

8. Elizabeth

9. Levi (1830) [married] 1850 Jane Wingate

I descend from both William (Billy) Jr., and Charles Seth. My grandfather and grandmother were from the two lines and were cousins.

To take it a step further I have to bring you Campbell Creek

Buried at Campbell Creek Cemetery in Sharp, Louisiana are some of my forbearers all the way back to Charles Seth Martin, the son of the Revolutionary soldier.

In a line from the front left, are the graves of my father, Lawrence Bert, our son, David Lynn, my grandparents, John Allen and Frances Ella, my great-uncle, Jessie, my great grand-parents, James Erwin and Mary, and my great, great-grandfather, Charles Seth Martin, the son of the Revolutionary soldier.

Also in this cemetery is a message from my grandfather.

When my great-grandfather, James Erwin Martin, died in 1905, my grandfather prepared a homemade headstone for him. On the front of the head stone he encased behind glass a paper which reads,

“Remember friend, as you pass by,
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, you soon shall be.
Prepare my friend to follow me.”

Due to a broken edge of the glass and the weathering over the years, the paper is now barely readable. I’m one of the few people who knows what it says.

Very often when I do a funeral, I’ll call attention to those words. And more often than not, someone will want me to show them my great grandfather’s grave. Of course I’m always happy to do that. It gives me a chance to share the gospel from his headstone.

And so the story continues. In the Bible record of the righteous, we often simply read, “And he died.”

“So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.”

“So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.”

“So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.”

Yes, one generation continues to replace another. It has always been that way. We can only live in the generation of our birth.

But there is an issue that we need to pay special heed to.

Is the true Gospel Message being distorted today?

There is an insidious danger many are not aware of with this generation. The danger is the snare of false gospels. The preaching of prosperity has replaced the message of repentance. The message of ‘we are gods’ has replaced humility and the fear of the Lord. The merging of false religions with the Christian faith is becoming the accepted norm. Out of all this is coming,  ‘a form of religion that denies the power of the cross.’

The true gospel message is the preaching of the cross, of repentance, of the Lord’s second coming, of turning from the world and turning to the Lord with a true heart of faith. Does any of this preclude God’s blessings upon the righteous? Not at all. An adherence to the true gospel will bring heaven’s blessings into the believer’s life.

But should we be surprised? Listen to Paul –

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.” (1Ti 4:1-2)

Now the apostle Peter:

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

“Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2Pe 2:1-3)

 A hallmark of the righteous

Did you know that one of the major hallmarks of a person who has truly been born of heaven, is in their looking and longing for the second coming of Jesus Christ?

Peter wrote,

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2Pe 3:11-13)

And we have this from the apostle Paul,

“ … in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2Ti 4:8)

This brings me to …

What it means, ‘To die in faith’

When the Bible speaks of God’s Old Testament righteous people, it says,

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Heb11:13)

God’s people have always known that greater things await them in the future. It is this hope that undergirds our faith walk.

The apostolic writer went on to include this statement;

“Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Vs16)

What is this about a heavenly and a holy city?

One of the promises God gave the righteous in ages gone by, was the promise of a heavenly and holy city. Part of Abraham’s travels included looking for that city.

What else had God promised the righteous in generations gone by? He promised them a Redeemer. He promised them that one day the righteous would inherit a transformed earth.

It is these promises that have rested in the hearts of God’s holy people from ancient time. We new covenant believers share in those ancient promises. We anxiously await the wonders that are reserved in heaven for us.

This is why God’s people look at death through a different set of glasses. When the Spirit of Jesus enters the heart of a believing one, the atmosphere of heaven makes its home in the deepest part of our spiritual make-up. Jesus said that was how it would be.

Paul said that we long to be clothed with our dwelling on high.

For the truly born again people, there is the …

Removing of all fear

When a person is born again, the Spirit of Jesus immediately begins the process of removing all our fears. Not just some fear, but all fear.

How much does God love us? We are unable to measure or fathom such a love. But He loved us enough to give His own Son as a sacrifice for our sins. As the writer said,

“One sacrifice for all sins for all time.” (Heb10:12)

The apostolic writer also said,

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to died once and after this comes judgment….”

Isn’t it interesting how often folk quote that verse and leave out the rest of the sentence. The rest of the sentence says,

“…so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Heb9:27,28)

Notice it says “without reference to sin.” The sin problem has been settled for eternity for all who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. It is those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who will be judged so.

Once God’s perfect love has completed its work in our hearts, the only fear that remains is that wondrous thing called ‘the fear of the Lord.’ This fear is filled with love, respect, and reverence for our heavenly Father.

And so, back to the title of this entry…

Tell your children and your children’s children

Jesus said,

“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Mat 24:27)

God doesn’t want his children to be afraid. I think this is what my grandfather wanted to say when he wrote the inscription for my great grandfather’s head stone.

I don’t remember that much about my grandfather Martin. I do remember him playing his guitar and singing in the old country church that we attended. Wish I had more memories of him but I’ll just have to cherish the very few.

But he shared his faith with his children. That is how it is to be.

Yes, it is time to tell your children, and your children’s children.

Moses wrote,

“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Deu 6:7 NASB)

In the meantime we walk in our testimony to the Lord. We are His living proof of the reality of Jesus Christ.

There is a song that has rested on my heart. Thought I would share it with you. It is a song of years gone by. Yes, I know it is country but perhaps the Lord has something to speak to your heart.

Please take time to listen to the words of the song.

Here it is by Porter Wagoner …

Think about it,

Much love in Jesus,

Buddy

Other

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; …

“ … for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb 11:8-10)

Journal,

As a child of the 1940s, my heart is linked to the music of that era. It was the era of the big bands. Songs like ‘Sentimental Journey’, ‘Buttons and Bows’, ‘Cruising Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon’, were songs with simple but clean themes.

One song that I especially loved became the signature song for Judy Garland. It was entitled ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ Miss Garland sang it when she was but a teenager.

Guess the reason I liked it so much was because my childish heart carried in it a heavenly theme. My mom had instilled a love for heaven in me with my, ‘Now I lay be down to sleep,’ prayer. It is like a piece of heaven was instilled in my heart from the beginning.

And even when I wandered about in the world, there was always something deep in my heart bidding me back to my childhood experience of the Lord.

I have no other way to explain it that to speak of, ‘the ancient and heavenly call of the ages.’ 

This may be what Paul was talking about when he wrote,

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:13-14)

Then we have this from the Psalmist -

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?” (Psa 42:2)

I believe this heavenly call has been the hallmark of God’s people from ancient time.

Now let’s come back to …

Coming Home – The Walk of a Little Child

Jesus said,

“Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt18:3)

At another time the Lord instructed His disciples to leave the children alone.

“Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Mt19:14)

Did you notice who the kingdom of heaven belongs to? It belongs to those who have a childlike trust in the Lord.

I’ve often found it interesting that when talking to older believers, it is not uncommon to hear them say that it seemed they knew the Lord from early childhood. And even if they made their confession of faith later in life, it was as if they had come home.

That is what happened to me.

But why is this? The Lord explained it to Jeremiah. Listen…

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jer 1:5)

The Hebrew word for ‘knew’ is very interesting. Yada (yah-dah’) speaks of observation, experiencing, understanding, that is, to know someone intimately and personally. The Lord knew Jeremiah personally before Jeremiah was conceived in the womb. It is hard to wrap our minds around this, but it goes to show just how awesome the Biblical doctrine of eternal security is in its presentation. Every believer was saved in eternity.

God knowing and experiencing Jeremiah can be said equally of every person who comes to realize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This person was in the heart of God from the beginning of time and even before.

Could this be why we had a sense of knowing the Lord from childhood. (Just something to think about.)

Thus we read,

“ … just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” (Eph 1:4-5)

Tell your children about heaven

I was blessed in that my mama taught me the little childhood prayer. She placed in my young heart tender feelings for heaven. And when our children were little ones, I tried my best to put in them this same heavenly love.

On one occasion I am in my office studying for a service. A small knock comes to my door. There stands Shana; “Daddy, I don’t have anyone to hold me.”

I swept her up in my arms and sit down with her in my lap in front of our french doors. That’s when I began to share with her about our heavenly Father, about the birds and other creatures He had created, and about His love for us.

At another time all three of my children and me are raking pine straw in the back yard, when we sit down under a tree for a break. Our dog Peppy lay there with us. Again I hear this small voice say, “Daddy, everybody needs a hug, even God, huh?” “Yes, darling, even God needs a hug.” And again I began to share with our children the Father’s love.

Then there was the time when my youngest son, Andre was quite small. The night was so dark. He stood on the front porch as I walked up. Andre could barely see me. But when I said, “Jump Andre, daddy will catch you,” he soared off the porch into daddy’s arms. He knew that daddy would catch him.

Each of our children hold a special place in both Betty and my heart.

Does this not speak of our heavenly Father. The Bible says that nothing will ever be able to separate us from His love.

The sad story of materialism

Yes, there is a point in all this. I remain deeply disturbed as I hear all these earthly, materialistic teachings today. The gospel being preached in many places is earthly minded and man-centered. It is a gospel of greed.

But my mind goes back to all the Bible warnings concerning these last days. Peter spoke of false teachers who would arise among God’s people. He said,

“Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2Pe2:2,3)

What should the pulpits be instilling in the hearts of God’s people today? Should be not be a consciousness of heaven? I am speaking of the atmosphere of heaven that we are called to live in. (The Spirit-filled life is nothing less than the atmosphere of heaven filling out of being.)

Seeking first the Kingdom

Jesus said that if we would seek the kingdom of God first, then everything else in life would be added to us. The kingdom of God speaks of the rule of God over our hearts. We are not to lord over our own lives. We are to look to Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

This is why the apostle Paul said,

“Set your mind [affections] on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col3:2-4)

The Ancient Call

From ancient time there has been in the hearts of all God’s saints, this feeling for heaven. It is a call upon our lives.

God’s people have always seen themselves as pilgrims in this life. In the new covenant this takes on a new dimension. When a person receives Jesus Christ as their own Lord, there is a heavenly reality that enters their heart. In this sense we become heavenly creatures in earthly bodies.

Yet the principle of living for the Lord never changes. We are to live as children.

Have you been misled by some of the earthly, materialistic teachings? Do you need to come back to your first love? Do you need to return to your simple childhood faith in Jesus?

Think about it. And while you are thinking about it, take time for Judy Garland, as she sings, ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’

Blessings,

In Christ Jesus always,

Buddy

Other

“… the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” (Col 1:26-28)

Journal,

Here are snippets from an article put out by the Associated Press, Sept 3, 2011, titled,

Study: Religious faith waning in US

According to Mark Chaves in, “American Religion: Contemporary Trends.”

 

“…over the last generation or so, religious belief in the U.S. has experienced a ‘Softening’ that affects everything from whether people go to worship services regularly to whom they marry. Far more people are willing to say they don’t belong to any religious tradition …

 

“Today, as many as 20 percent of all Americans say they don’t belong to any religious group. …. [Yet] about 92 percent of Americans still profess belief in God, they just don’t use religion as part of their identity…

 

According to Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

 

“Anderson thinks the change is better described as a shift than a decline, as people become more willing to leave the denominations or faiths in which they were raised and look elsewhere for spiritual nourishment.”

 

“Chaves agrees, saying churches are likelier today to consist largely of a ‘hard core’ of believers, and to have fewer casual or lukewarm members that use to swell the ranks.”

 

I have something else to offer about what is happening in Christendom. It isn’t about waning. It is about a rediscovery.

Christians are Rediscovering Their Identity in Christ Jesus

Regardless of what people may think, true Christianity has never been an issue of religion.

How easy it is to become distracted by the peripherals, non-essentials, with over-reaching doctrines of various groups, and with the denominational biases that have served to separate believers from one another. The religious world is not always very pretty.

This doesn’t negate that there are truly born again people in all Christian groups. But to look at any denomination as being the cause of a person’s salvation is to have a faulty view of salvation. Salvation will always be personal. Our walk with the Lord will always be personal and not because of our denomination.

A business person shared with me how unique his ‘Church of Christ’ denomination was. He said a Church of Christ member had car trouble while traveling, and that someone from the local Church of Christ took care of him. My response was simple. The one helping could have been a good Baptist, a good Pentecostal, a good Methodist, or a good Catholic. He helped because he was a Christian. The conversation ended on that note.

However, there is an issue that defines God’s people through all the Scriptures. This issue speaks to the faith of the Old Testament saint, to the spiritual freedom of the new covenant believer, to a love that fills the heart of all who have been joined to Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with which religious group the believer belongs.

The apostle said it in simple terms -

“But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1Cor 6:17).

The major indicator that a person is born again is always an intense love for Jesus.

Concerning Christ, Peter says,

“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” (1 Pet 1:8)

Now let’s take a look at…

A Kingdom Not of This World

Pilates hears this in his conversation with Jesus –

“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be turned over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (Cf. John 18:33-38)

Pilate responds,

“So You are a king!”

Next –

“You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”

Pilate is bewildered;

“What is truth?”

So there you have it. The rest of the story is played out at the cross. In a short time Jesus will hang on a cross with a sign above His head, saying,

“Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews”

But of course the story doesn’t end here on the cross. On the day of Pentecost we hear the apostle declare quite plainly,

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)

What then is the significance of the Man hanging on a cross? If that is where he is left, there is little significance to be had. He would simply be another prophet of Israel, after the trail of the many prophets before Him. This was their lot.

But of course Jesus was far from being a prophet. He was God manifest in the flesh. The significance of His ascension and glorification is that the kingdom of God has entered into its completed redemptive stage. All of eternity will rest its case on the finished work of Calvary.

This brings us to …

What makes a Christian a Christian  

When a person is truly born again, which, by the way, literally means ‘to be born from above,’ this person becomes a new creature. This new creature is not only a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem, but much of what relates to Jesus can be said of this new child born from heaven.

The point is that once a person is born again their spiritual center shifts. One moment they were earthy creatures, the next moment they have entered into the kingdom of the beloved Son. And this kingdom is, “not of this world.” And its center will not be found in this world.

It is this very thing that is a rediscovering by many of the nominal church today. And it is this very thing that is breaking down denominational barriers that have been in the minds of so many. And it is this very truth that is allowing believers to realize their true freedom in Christ.

When Jesus said, “I am not of this world,” he later said the very same thing about all God’s children. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus reached across time. He speaks of all who will come to Him. Jesus said,

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14)

Let that statement sink in. If we were to take Scripture by Scripture about our being from above, it would simply thrill our hearts. And this is the idea.

Our hearts need to thrill over what it means to belong to Christ. The greatest need for Christians today is that of learning their true identity as heavenly citizens. We are now heavenly citizens living in earthly bodies. We have to learn what this means to us spiritually. And this is where the ‘transformations’ of the mind come into play.

It Has Never Been About Religion

Each time a believer receives a fresh revelation of his or her relationship to Jesus and to heaven, it is often like being born again, again. The effect is a spiritual ‘upward‘ renewing. What is happening is that the child of God is simply learning to think with a heavenly centering. If there was ever a key to a true Biblical faith walk in the new covenant, this is it.

The point is that the child of God has a spiritual support base that is out of this world. The problem is that we have been trained from our youth to think like the world, reason like the world, and to depend on the world’s resources, and to think religiously. Becoming heavenly minded often means going through some shake up periods.

However, when I say it is never about religion, I am not speaking of the public gatherings of God’s people. God has ordained that His people gather into flocks of His choosing. The choosing is in His hands. God places us where He wants us to be.

Passing Through Life Gates 

The walk of every child of God will always be personal and under the direction of the Lord. With this in view I want to share something by way of my walk.

I pastored my first church at age 29. (I’m 71 now.) Though I was born again, my mind had been conditioned to thinking in a certain religious pattern.

Dissatisfied with pastoring, I jumped the ship. Next I find myself evangelizing full-time. But something was still amiss. I could not put my finger on it.

Leaving the evangelistic field I settled my family down for the next three years. (1971-1974) During those years my spiritual life underwent a complete renovation. I had my business, still ministered out a bit, but the Lord was using various means to precondition me to thinking ‘heavenly.’

I had to be weaned from the worldly and religious way of thinking.

The Lord brought me to a place of total surrender. My surrender went somewhat like this: 

“Lord, I want to be what You want me to be. I will go where You want me to go. The rest of my life is not mine. The only thing I ask is that You tell me what You want me to do, and not send someone else to tell me.” — I had one other request. I must have my wife. 

That is when it happened —- Shortly after my contact with heaven, the Lord opened a door for me that I have often called, ‘the gate to miracle land.’ The Lord was teaching me to center my whole life on thinking ‘upwardly.’

He was inviting me to enter this new sphere of service.

My wife and I began discovering an awesome world. Even with the struggles, battles, disappointments, and mess ups, this new way of living was like heaven to me. 

I like to describe this new venture as a life gate. These life gates will be many in the believer’s life. Through each gate there is a transition from where we are to where God wants to take us.

Perhaps this is what Paul is alluding to in part when he says,

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

 

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2Co 3:17-18)

Becoming Kingdom Seekers

Rediscovering Christianity means to become a kingdom seeker.

Is this not what Jesus was teaching us when He said,

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt6:33)

What did Jesus say would happen if we learn to seek the direct rule of God in our lives? The Lord said if we would learn to do that, then everything else in life, that is, all our needs, whatever they may be, spiritual and otherwise would simply be added to us.

Well, enough for now. Was the article put out by the Associated Press right? Is Christianity waning, or is Christianity rediscovering itself. I think rediscovering is the answer.

What about you? What do you think? Have you experienced any life gates. I’d like to hear about them.

How about this song from my special group titled, ‘Walk On.’ (By The Isaacs)

In Christ always,

Buddy

Other

“For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” (Heb 7:25-27)

Journal,

The point of no return can be applied to various situations, and especially in the work of redemption it has a place. I decided to draw on this term from my experience as a radioman in the Navy.

I was stationed in the Philippine Islands during the early years of the Vietnam War. (1960-62) As a radioman on a Navy Marlin-Martin P5M (Seaplane), it was our job to check on Chinese and Vietnamese shipping in the South China Sea. We flew low while taking pictures of the shipping. Was never shot at to my knowledge.

When we reached a certain point between our home base in Sangley Point and a forward safety area, I would send a secret morse code message stating, “We have reached the point of no return.” That code meant that if we were in trouble, we could not look back at our home port for help.

There was no turning back. In the event of a problem, we had to go forward to the closest safety port.

Points of No Return

There are noted ‘points of no return’ in the Scriptures. One such point of no return involves a last judgement.

Forget reincarnation or transmigration of the soul or any other such nonsense. There are no second chances after death.

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Heb 9:27-28) 

Take note that the judgment is for those who have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. True believers do not have to be judged. Their judgment took place at the cross.

 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (Joh 3:18)

The apostle adds to this ‘no damning judgement’ for a believer when he says,

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” (Rom 8:1-2)

The Biblical term for condemnation is the word ‘katakrima’ (kat-ak’ree-mah). It speaks of a judicial damnatory sentence. The reason there can never be a damming sentence against the believer is because his life has been placed in Christ. To condemn a believer, Christ would have to be condemned.

The tenses in the Greek speak in this way: ‘There is not now nor can there ever be a damnatory sentence against anyone who is in Christ Jesus.’

All of this wraps around God’s plan of redemption from the beginning. It involves the mystery of the cross in how the Father would place each believer in His Son. It is in this way that no believer could ever be separated from God’s redemption love.

Paul said it this way:

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:37-39)

It all has to do with the cross.

The Cross is God’s Covenant of No Return

The defining point of redemption history is found in the message of the cross. The new covenant is a covenant of creation. It is not the covenant of Moses made better. The new covenant addresses a new humanity. This new humanity is made up of ‘in Christ’ believers.

The Lord said to this Jewish leader,

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (Joh 3:6-7)

The Greek term for ‘born again’ is, ‘gennao anothen.’ ‘Anothen’ means, ‘from above.’ ’Anothen‘ is a Greek modifier. It includes the idea of ‘from the beginning.’

Thus the lost man must have a heavenly rebirth that gives him a new beginning. But it is a birth that has its origin from the beginning. This is where the idea of ‘heavenly‘ comes in. The birth from above is divine in origin. It is from above.

The apostle alludes to this, when he says,

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” (Eph 1:4,5)

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah in setting forth a new humanity made up of sons and daughters -

“Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: ‘Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons, and you shall commit to Me the work of My hands.’” (Isa 45:11)

Paul is drawing on this in describing God’s new creation in Christ.

“The first man [Adam] is from the earth, earthy; the second man [Christ] is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1Co 15:47-49)

The Centerpiece of the New Covenant

A key issue of the new covenant is that God’s new creation people are not only hidden in Christ, but they are also given the spiritual nature of Christ. Peter makes reference to our new nature -

“For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2 Peter 1:4)

One day we will fully enjoy the total of our spiritual inheritance, but for now we are the heavenly children of God in earthly bodies.

It is important to understand this. The apostles never discounted the fact of our being in earthly bodies. Believers are still subject to issues in this present life. We struggle with temptations and with our own fleshly weaknesses at times. Yet within every believer is the source of life that helps us to overcome those things that we are confronted with.

Jesus describes this divine source of life in terms of an overflowing heart. In speaking with the woman at the well, He said,

“… but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (Joh 4:14)

One of the most powerful lessons that a believer can ever learn is the lesson of learning to draw from the deep of their own inward spiritual fountain.

The prophet of old tells us how this works. Listen carefully with your heart. This is something every believer should make part of their victory language. -

“’Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.’ Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.” (Isa 12:2-3)

And it all has to do with…

The Children of the Covenant 

John said,

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

 

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1Jn 3:1-2)

We belong to a kingdom that is not of this world. It is a kingdom of sons and daughters. It is a kingdom of freedom. It is a kingdom where each child is treated as part of the royal family. And even when the Father brings discipline into our lives, it is always the discipline of a loving Father designed to help the child learn how to live in righteousness.

Jesus said,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

So, once again we hear that Jesus did not come to give us a new religion. Nor did He come to give us a visible structure by which we can find ourselves. We must learn to find ourselves with the Jerusalem from above. The kingdom we serve is invisible to the eye. No one can say, “Lo, Christ is here.” Or, “Lo, Christ is there.”

Does this mean that we should not flock ourselves together as believer. Not at all. Actually it is just the opposite. The Lord places each child in the body as it pleases Him. There will always be a proper flock for each believer to associate himself with.

Let’s look at one more issue. It has to do with …

Unique Traits of God’s ‘No Return’ People

There is identifiable traits of God’s new Adam race in Christ. Every person who is born from above has direct access to God Himself. It is this fact alone that does away a need for an intermediary ministry in the new covenant.

No single believer has more access to the divine counsels of God than does another believer. Lots of folk don’t like to hear this, but it is Biblical.

One noted weakness that can be found with many believers today is in their attempt to live the new covenant, on an old covenant level. This is why they continue to look for a prophet who can give them a word from the Lord. Any attempt to live on that level is an open door for disaster.

Listen very carefully to how Jesus describes His new covenant people;

“I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one Shepherd.” (John 10:16)

Note the Lord’s emphasis on His ‘Voice.’

In the former covenant, the prophets served as the voice of God. In God’s new humanity, each person born from above, has the Voice of the Shepherd speaking into his or her life.

This is not to say that new covenant believers have no need of mature counsel. Quite the contrary. Mature guidance is especially crucial for the immature believer. But the guidance given must be only from what God has given us to say in the Scriptures.

Then we have another unique trait found in God’s new humanity. Inside each and every believer is found the ‘authorship‘ of heaven. This means that the believer carries a seal over his or her heart. And in this seal is the very presence of heaven. That is what the Spirit of Jesus is all about.

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:13-14)

It is this presence of heaven in our hearts that creates our homesickness. Every true believer knows intuitively that they are only pilgrims and strangers in this life. We know that our true home is glorious beyond words. We also know that we will have a new heavenly body and that there is nothing in this world to compare to the life that awaits us.

Listen to these Scriptures. See where they fit in your life –

“But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.” (Gal 4:26)

 

 

“For he [Abraham] was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb 11:10)

 

 

“But as it is, they [Old Testament believers] desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:16)

 

 

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Php 3:20-21)

 

 

“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven…” (2Co 5:1-2)

Here is a song for your meditation. If you have not surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus, now is the time. Let this song be your prayer.

In Christ always,

Buddy

Other

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’

“And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” (Mat 18:1-4)

Journal,

Have you ever thought about your spiritual maturity factor? Follow this study and perhaps you’ll see some indicators that can help gauge where you are in your walk with the Lord.

There are several places in the new covenant writings that speak to issues of maturing in a believer’s life. Paul said of the Corinthian Church,

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.” (1Co3:1)

It appears that many of the Corinthian believers were very immature in their walk with the Lord. Paul compares them to those who live a fleshly life.

The word for infant here is ‘nepios‘ [nay’-pee-os]. Nepios is an infant child not able to speak well. Metaphorically it has to do with one who is unlearned and unenlightened.

Paul later again draws on this term with the Corinthians:

“When I was a child (nepios), I use to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man (aner), I did away with childish (nepios) things.” (1Co13:11 – ‘Aner‘ is an adult male at the age of marriage.)

The Four Levels of John

There are a number of Greek terms that express levels of maturity in Christ. Whereas John does not draw on all the terms, he does provide a basic outline on Christian maturity.

Let’s gain some insight from John’s writings…

“I am writing to you, little children [teknoin], because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.

 ”I am writing to you, fathers [pater], because you know Him who has been from the beginning.

 ”I am writing to you, young men [neaniskos], because you have overcome the evil one.

 ”I have written to you, children [paidion], because you know the Father.

 ”I have written to you, fathers [pater], because you know Him who has been from the beginning.

 ”I have written to you, young men [neaniskos], because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1Jn 2:12-14)

Nature’s Character Traits for Each Level

John does not list these levels of maturity in the order they are normally found. However, he does give character traits of each level.

Here are the Greek words that imply the natural progression in spiritual maturity.

(1) “Little children.” – The term is ‘teknoin.’ In the New Testament teknoin is always used affectionately. It is a nursery term for very small children. Teknoin is usually with regard to newer converts.

(2) “Children.” – The term is ‘paidion.’ This term often depicts a boy or girl at pre-adolescence, or partly grown, but not yet at a manly or womanly stage. The ‘paidion’ is under the management and learning stage where discipline and correction are very important. Jesus used it as a tender term for His disciples:

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Children [paidion], you do not have any fish, do you?’ They answered Him, ‘No.’ And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.’ So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.” (Joh 21:5-6)

At no stage in the believer’s maturity are we to discard the attitude of a ‘paidion’. It is the proper attitude every believer must have in order to enjoy a healthy walk of faith.  This is the term that Jesus uses in the beginning our study, where He said,

 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children [paidion], you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” [To enter in this sense relates to entering into and living in the dynamics of the kingdom of heaven.]

(3) “Young men.” – The term is “neaniskos.” This is a young man beyond the age of puberty, generally up to the age of 40, and often unmarried. This is the age where the person has learned to respect the Father’s discipline and has become manly (womanly) in their walk with the Lord.

(4) “Fathers.” – The term is ‘pater.’ This is a term for a male parent. Pater has to do with respect and often is used with regard to a teacher or one in authority. It the LXX it is used of prophets. The term associates itself with wisdom.

Have you found yourself yet?

Let’s continue. It is at this point where we see how John relates these natural traits for the age of our spiritual maturity. Understand this and you will have insight into spiritual grown patterns.

(Caps are for emphasis only.)

1^st The LITTLE CHILDREN stage is the beginning of our journey. Little children need unconditional acceptance and affection. Their world revolves around parentage. What did John say about the little children?

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.” (Vs1 and vs12.)

For a new believer there is no greater need. This is the age where the pastor and those who helped birth him or her into the kingdom must be very cautious to seeing to their care. (They are easily offended. They live strongly by their emotions. Their security is the parent. They often identify their salvation with the Church they attend.)

2^nd The CHILDREN stage is the next natural progression where the believer begins to learn the authority of the father. Here love is coupled with discipline. It is at this stage that the believer learns that he can no longer get by with things he use to get by with.

The level of discipline that is required depends greatly on the child himself. What the child is now learning is that the world doesn’t revolve around him. Every little whimper doesn’t bring, “That’s alright honey.”

The child has to learn that there are consequences to bad behavior. This is often the age where believers experience the greatest difficulty in transition. (Feelings get hurt. Think they know more than they actually know, etc.)

What did John say about this age?

“I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.”

But what is the purpose behind this changing time in a believer’s life? Listen carefully:

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Heb 12:11)

The training produces the proper way of living the Christian life. It is where we are learning how to live as a mature disciple.

3^rd The YOUNG MAN stage is where the believer lives as an overcomer. He has learned that the true walk of faith consist of taking a stand on the Word of Truth, and not on his emotions.

The character trait of this level is ‘overcoming!’ John said,

“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (Vs14)

4^th Finally we have the FATHERS. This is the ‘deepening‘ of God. The fathers don’t just know that their sins have been forgiven. They are deeply acquainted with ‘Him who has been from the beginning.” (Vs14)

This may sound like a peculiar statement, but it has to do with the person of Jesus Himself. Whenever John uses the term ‘from the beginning,’ he has the mystery of the Messiah and of God’s Eternal Word in view.

This mature factor has to do with knowing and understanding.

The fully mature believer perceives things as they are. This is the highest level of our spiritual life. This knowing is the crown of a believer’s life.

The importance of each spiritual level

First of all, all believers know the Lord on the spiritual level where they are. For this reason most of us tend to think we know God better than we really do. We just haven’t advanced in our ‘knowing’ experience yet. This is why we get so adamant in doctrinal debates. But knowing God is not a doctrine. It is an experience of the heart.

Can we get to know God better? 

Yes indeed, we can get to know the heart of God better and better all the time. This is what spiritual growth is all about. And this is what Paul has in mind when he encourages the Corinthians to grow up in their spiritual life.

Paul said,

“Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.” (1Co2:6,7)

Paul is speaking of the new covenant experience, where the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and then presents them to us. A little reading of the context will show this to be true.

However, it is important to remember that each stage of growth is perfect at its own stage. This does not mean that everyone will grow at the same pace. God’s discipline in our growing up always depends to a large degree on the child’s attitude. At the same time the Lord always disciplines us with love.

Take time to think on these things. I purposely avoided many of the technical aspects of the Greek terms used. Nor did I use some certain other terms that also speak of spiritual maturity. It is simply my want to help my readers have something to consider their own maturity level.

Here is a song for your meditation. ‘Lord, I Give You My Heart.’

In Christ always,

Buddy

Other

Readers,

I’ve provided 154 journal entries on my blog with 73,580 page views. Occasionally I share a list of those entries that have rendered the most readership. Here are the top ten percent beginning with the most read and on down. Check the titles for an entry(s) that you would like to preview.

(1)    Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/11/mercy-triumphs-over-judgment/

(2)    Passing Through the Valley of Baca: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/01/passing-through-the-valley-of-baca/

(3)    Tongues: http://buddymartin.net/blog/speaking-in-other-languages/

(4)    Which Bible Translation is the Best: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/01/which-bible-translation-is-the-best/

(5)    Testimony: http://buddymartin.net/blog/testimony/

(6)    Salvation: http://buddymartin.net/blog/salvation/

(7)    How Secure Are You in Christ: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/03/how-secure-are-you-in-christ/

(8)    How Do You Know That You Are Saved: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/02/how-do-you-know-that-you-are-saved/

(9)    Honoring God With First Fruits: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/12/honoring-god-with-first-fruits/

(10)  The Secret Place of God: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/11/the-secret-place-of-god/

(11)  CCI [Christian Challenge International]: http://buddymartin.net/blog/about/

(12)  Questions: http://buddymartin.net/blog/ask-the-pastor/

(13)  Jesus the Wonder and Mystery of the Bible: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/11/jesus-the-wonder-and-mystery-of-the-bible/

(14)  The Call of the Eagle’s Heart: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/02/the-call-of-the-eagles-heart/

(15)  Acts: http://buddymartin.net/blog/acts-studies/

Here is a song for your heart. Take time to listen. God really wants to speak to you.

“I Could Sing of Your Love Forever.”

In Christ always,

Buddy

Other