The BIBLE VIEW #963 — Obedience

In This Issue:
I Should’ve Done It Right the First Time
A Better Work
Standing on the Inside
Obey God
A Child’s Song

Volume: 963      June 24, 2024
Theme: Obedience


I Should’ve Done It Right the First Time
Bill Brinkworth

The strong winds of a rainstorm pushed over a large 10’ by 10’ entranceway to my garden.  On it hung the foliage of two seedless grape plants.  The growth was massive, totaling at least 300 pounds.  There the plant support lay after the storm, a tangled mess of plant and split oak posts.

When I built it, I knew I was using the wrong materials.  I figured termites would appear out of nowhere and gobble the structure, but I did not want to spend the money at the time to buy the right timber and build it right.  The future of the plants was not important to me at the time.  However, the little creatures did find a meal, and it took a wind to emphasize the damage they had done.

Looking at the jumbled mess, I thought, “I should have done it right the first time.  I ended up spending the money anyway.”

People go through life making similar discoveries.  They learn the biblical way to live when they are younger.  They heard testimony after testimony of how people learned about life the hard by making bad decisions that made their life not come out the way they wanted. 

When hearing the testimonies, the young listeners vowed not to mess up their lives the same way.  They purposed to be a good Christian, follow God’s commandments as closely as possible, and stay far from sin. 

Often, when going through their teenage years, they fell for similar distractions and soon found their lives also in a tangled mess.  With multiple marriages in their past, a habit of smoking, broken relations with families, legal problems, wrong decisions after wrong decisions, or other damage done by involvement in sin, they one day realized that they should have done their lives right the first time.  They should have lived as God commanded in His Word because any other way does not work!

After purchasing pressure-treated lumber and rebuilding the arbor correctly, my next task was sorting out the mangled vines to salvage as much developing fruit as possible.  Patiently, I went through each vine and, to my surprise, learned something else. 

I realized that the plants were mostly vines and little fruit.  I cut away much of the unproductive vines, disturbing one little toad, and one by one, cut away what did not have any fruit and put what was left on its new support.  What now remained was at least one-third of what originally had been growing.

One may learn a similar lesson after getting to a point where one wants to start all over again and live the way God says to in His Word.  It may be realized that a previous life-style was unproductive and even a waste of time before living God’s way.  

Activities and things dumped for unscriptural living are often later seen as unimportant and hardly worth the priority given to them.  That new car we had to have and the second job we needed to pay for it was not worth the time we missed seeing our children grow up and raising them properly.  A fine house was a “must,” but it forced both parents to work, forcing the children to be raised by someone else with standards that were not the mother’s and father’s. 

Church services that could have helped were missed because sports games were placed at a higher value.  Now, we cannot even remember who played who or where the games were.  All those things and other vain activities are now seen as a waste of our time and, in the long run, did not satisfy or help us.

Learn the lesson I learned from my collapsed grape arbor.  We only have one life, and it needs to be lived the right way. 

The world has no clue what the right way is.  They try to fill their spiritual emptiness with activity and things.  Those things are a temporary cover-up of real needs. 

We are created to serve God, and His leadership is the only way we will ever have joy and fulfillment.  Live your life according to the way His Word guides.  God has raised billions of children, and when they do it His way, they will do it the right way the first time.

“Don’t pray to give God instructions — just report for duty!”
 — Author Unknown

A Better Work
C. H. Spurgeon

“The ship is on fire!” was shouted.  The bales of cotton were pouring black, horrible smoke.  Safety was in question. 

Passengers and crew were in extreme danger, but a capable captain was in command.  He told those around him, “If you behave yourselves, I think I can get all to safety.  All will be spared if you follow my instructions!”

If they trusted the captain, they would do as he ordered.  No sailor or engineer would refuse to work the pumps or prepare the boats, neither would any passenger disobey any rule.  

Because of confidence in their leader, they obeyed him at once.  They believed his orders were wise, so they kept them.  Neither their fear nor rashness would lead them to rush to and fro contrary to his bidding.  When the boats were lowered and brought one by one to the ship’s side, those who were to fill them waited their turn in firm reliance upon the captain’s impartiality and prudence.

They got into the boats or waited on board, for they considered his orders were dictated by better judgment.  Each man and woman firmly believed in the superior officer.  Discipline was maintained.

Obedience to God’s commandments also proves genuine faith and trust in the Lord.  There is no trust where there is no obedience. 

Some say they trust Christ but do what they like.  The faith which saves and is genuine is a faith that obeys.

“The acid test and proof of faith is obedience.” — Author Unknown

Standing on the Inside
Walter Knight

 A mother repeatedly told her little boy to sit down.  The boy continued to stand, disobeying his mother. 

Finally, the mother went to him and plopped him down in a chair.  Fuming, the boy said, “I may be sitting on the outside, but I am standing on the inside!” 

How displeasing to God is our only outward obedience to His commandments, when inside we are very rebellious to Him.

“Obeying God may not be the easiest way, but it is the wisest.”
— Author Unknown

 Obey God
Author Unknown

Implicit obedience is our first duty to God and one for which nothing else will compensate. 

If a child at school is told to solve a math problem and copies an answer instead, the effort of cheating will not increase his mathematical ability.  Likewise, we should obey God and do what he requires of us.  Shortcuts cheat us from doing or learning what we should.  God’s way is always the best.

A guide through an unknown country must be followed without question, or his followers will be lost.  A captain commanding the direction of a vessel up a river must be obeyed by the pilot, or the ship will run aground.  A soldier in battle must fight when and where he is ordered.  When the conflict is over, he may see how following his commander’s orders got their side a victory.  The farmer must also obey God’s natural laws of the seasons to have a bountiful harvest. 

We must all obey God’s spiritual laws to reap happiness here and hereafter.

“Following God’s directions are the only way to get safely Home.”

A Child’s Song
Author Unknown

A child’s Sunday school song teaches an important truth:

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily.
Action is the key — do it immediately, joy you will receive.
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
We want to live pure; we want to live clean.
We want to do our best.
Sweetly submitting to authority, leaving to God the rest.
Walking in the light, keep our attitudes right,
On the narrow way.
For if you believe the Word you receive, You always will obey!

The BIBLE VIEW #962 — Jesus

In This Issue:
Out of the Scary Dark
Don’t Just Display the Sword; Take It and Use It!
What Christ Is to the World
Christ’s Last Will and Testament
Seeking Jesus 
Jesus, the Protector
Jesus Sees Our Sins
The Verdict

Volume: 962      June 17, 2024
Theme: Jesus

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Out of the Scary Dark
Author Unknown

While crossing a glacier, an Alpine traveler and his guide were forced into a crevasse where no human power could rescue them. At last, a small river was found that pierced the mountain of ice, which they followed into a dark, cold, and ever-narrowing passage.  It finally ended in the roaring gulf of a larger sub-glacial river. To plunge into its gloom and whirl seemed to be a leap into the jaws of death, but there was no other alternative.

The guide made the plunge, crying, “Follow me.” They were tossed about the icy waters and deafened by its roar, but they were swept out into Chaumont’s summer air and green vale in a few moments.

Jesus has passed through the sullen stream of death. Because of what He did for us, we need fear no evil but shall find ourselves safely conducted to the summer-land beyond.

“Turn your face toward the Son, and the shadows will all fall behind you.”



Don’t Just Display the Sword; Take It Out and Use It!
C. H. Spurgeon

When a man gets a sword, you cannot be sure how he will use it.  If a gentleman has purchased a very expensive sword with a golden hilt and an elaborate scabbard, he may hang it on his wall and exhibit it to his friends. Occasionally, he may draw it from the sheath and say, “Feel how keen the edge is!”

The precious blood of Jesus is not meant for us merely to admire and exhibit. We must not be content to talk about, extol, and do nothing with it.  We are to use it in the great crusade against unholiness and unrighteousness. The precious blood is to be used for overcoming our obstacles and holy warfare. We dishonor it if we do not use it to that end.

What Christ Is to the World
Author Unknown

  1. The world’s Creator: John 1:1-3.
  2. The world’s Example: Mat. 16:24.
  3. The world’s Teacher: Mat. 7:28-29.
  4. The world’s Master: John 13:13.
  5. The world’s Saviour: Luke 19:10.
  6. The world’s Lord: Rom. 10:12.
  7. The world’s King: Rev. 11:15.
  8. The world’s Light: John 8:12.
  9. The world’s Life: John 14:6.
  10. The world’s Love: John 3:16.

Leonardo da Vinci took a friend to examine his masterpiece, “The Last Supper.” The friend remarked, “The most striking thing in the picture is the cup!”

The artist quickly took his brush and wiped out the cup as he said, “Nothing in my painting shall attract more attention than the Master!”

Christ’s Last Will and Testament
Author Unknown

  1. He left His purse to Judas;
  2. His body to Joseph of Arimathea;
  3. His mother to John;
  4. His clothes to the soldiers;
  5. His peace to His disciples;
  6. His supper to His followers;
  7. Himself as an example and as a servant;
  8. His Gospel to the world;
  9. His presence is always with God’s children.



Seeking Jesus
Mossell

I sought Thee when my heart was low,
I found Thee, and my hopes revived,
And all the world from me shall know
What comfort I from Thee derived;
All that I needed, all and more,
Thy presence did to me restore.

I laid my burden at Thy feet,
My head upon Thy tender breast,
Thy name of Love I did repeat,
And Thou didst understand the rest;
All that I needed, all and more,
Thy presence did to me restore.

I wept the sorrow of my heart,
And Thou mine eyes didst gently dry;
I sighed through fear that we must part,
But Thou didst whisper, “Ever nigh!”
It was enough, I asked no more,
Thy voice did all my life restore.

And now that life to Thee I’ll give,
With calmer trust and brighter joy;
In Thee, and for Thee, I will live,
To do Thy will my sole employ;
Thus, most secure to part no more
With that sweet joy Thou didst restore.

“Jesus used a borrowed tomb because He did not need it for long!”


Jesus, the Protector
John Bate

I doubt not many of the Israelites, when they found that Moses or Aaron were the means of staying the plague among them, rushed to hide themselves under Moses’ or Aaron’s protective care.  They rushed to God.

You that know Jesus to be such an effectual Intercessor with God, should you not run to save yourselves from the punishment of sin by throwing yourselves beneath His gracious mercy and protection?

Jesus Sees Our Sins
Caird

Jesus sees sin not only in our outward acts but in the hidden source of evil, the hearts of man.  No soft veil can disguise sin from Jesus’ penetrating eye.  He has no illusions from our words as He is the Incarnate Truth and knows our hypocrisy and vice.  Wherever we think we have hidden our sin, Jesus still sees it.  Our sin was to Him as if a mask were torn off, and a skeleton face was revealed in all its hideousness. Knowing and seeing all He has, Jesus still suffered for all sinners. Oh, what wondrous love He has for the sinner!

The Verdict
Edited from an article by C. H. Spurgeon

I have seen a famous painting entitled “Waiting for the Verdict.”  Such interest is displayed on every face in the courtroom! What fear and trembling are upon the prisoner’s countenance, in the face of his wife and the friends around him. What anxiety is seen!

If the jury and judge had given a favorable verdict, the picture would have been painted much differently.  What joy would have been seen around the courtroom if the prisoner was acquitted.

It is impossible to bring a verdict of “Not Guilty” for you and me. We are undoubtedly guilty of sin and deserve the worst punishment handed down from the most honorable, righteous Judge. Because of the substitution of Jesus’ death for our sins and God’s divine grace, the Judge will give those who are saved the verdict, “There is now no condemnation.”  What joy will be in the countenance of all that hear that from the declaration from God.

“It is a terrible mistake to understand Jesus as having been crucified by some especially bad people in the first century.  Jesus was crucified by the highest reach of human religiosity, morality, and political justice.”
 — Albert T. Mollegen

The BIBLE VIEW #961 — Getting Far from God

In This Issue:
Who Is Your Leader?
Degrees of Backsliding
Hymn Writer Loses Joy of Salvation
Don’t Go Back

Volume: 961     June 10, 2024
Theme: Getting Far from God

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Who Is Your Leader?
Bill Brinkworth

Much of the opposition early Christians faced was from “religious” but unrighteous people.  However, in Acts the early church started facing conflict from those who opposed biblical teachings of any kind. 

One such enemy was Barjesus.  The name meant “son of Jesus” or “son of Joshua”.  However, he used the name Elymas, which meant “wizard”.  Being that this sorcerer was a Jew (vs. 6), Barjesus probably had some biblical training in his past.  If he did, he knew that sorcery was sinful (I Sam. 15:23, II Chron. 33:6), yet the man pursued that wickedness even though he knew God hated it.  To make matters worse, this male witch tried diligently to keep someone from being saved (Acts 13:6-7). 

Many have been exposed to what God says is right or wrong.  They have learned His ways from good preaching, Christian education, Bible reading, or a godly upbringing.  Yet, somewhere in their lives, they ignored everything they heard and lived the way they wanted.  They chose to live contrary to God’s commandments, as did Barjesus.

I have repeatedly asked myself, “How can these people, who have learned God’s way, live the way they are living now?”  In this account, the sorcerer was not a child of God, as he was called “… thou child of the devil, thou enemy of righteousness…” (Acts 13:10).  For some that live ungodly lives, that may be the explanation, they were not saved to begin with.

For others, they may be saved, but sin has a powerful hold on them.  Sin’s control can completely change how a person thinks and behaves.  Romans Chapter 1 describes people like this.  The people described in that chapter “knew God” (Romans 1:21), but they “… became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”  The rest of the chapter details a sad list of sins they had gotten involved with.

Why do people act ungodly?  Some live a lifestyle contrary to God’s commandments because they may not know His commands or even consider obeying anything other than their desires.  For others who should know better, it may be because they have purposely ignored what they have learned and lived their way.  Rebellion of this type is usually rooted in a controlling sin.  

For whatever reason, one’s lifestyle usually revolves around one’s decisions.  The decision God desires for each of us should be similar to the choice Joshua made, “… as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” Joshua 24:15.  Whom have you chosen to obey?

“You cannot run away from a weakness.  You must fight it out or perish, and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand.” — Robert Louis Stevenson

Degrees of Backsliding
Dr. Haven

A Christian never falls suddenly from advanced Christian life to barrenness or open sin.  The stages in the descent are slow and often almost imperceptible. 

Little negligences of duty bring darkness to the soul and eat out its spiritual joy.  Little temptations betray it to the power of the enemy.  By gradual departures from God and little indulgences in sin, one at length falls into total backsliding and apostasy. 

The following may serve as an admonitory list of the steps taken in the downward path:

  • Neglect of secret prayer: Job 15:4.
  • Disregard for the Bible: Jeremiah 6:19, Hosea 4:6.
  • Worldly-mindedness: II Timothy 4:10.
  • A quarrelsome spirit: Isaiah 29:20-21, I Cor. 3:3.
  • Dwelling on the faults of others: Mat.  7:3-5.
  • Readiness to take offense: Prov. 14:17-19.
  • A murmuring spirit: I Cor. 10:10.
  • A critical hearing of the Word: I Cor. 3:1-4.
  • Covetousness: Luke 12:15, Col. 3:5.
  • Light thoughts of sin: Matt.  22:5.
  • Indulgence in secret sin: Num.  32:23, Eccl. 12:14.
  • Falling into outward sin: Hosea 4:16-17, Eph.  5:3-8.
  • Persecuting the righteous:  Acts 7:52-53.

“Better shun the bait than struggle in the snare.”  — John Dryden

Hymn Writer Loses Joy of Salvation
H. Bosch

Robert Robinson, author of the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” lost the happy communion with the Saviour he had once enjoyed, and in his declining years, he wandered into the byways of sin.  As a result, he became deeply troubled in his spirit.  Hoping to relieve his mind, he decided to travel.

In the course of his journeys, he became acquainted with a young woman on spiritual matters, and so she asked him what he thought of a hymn she had just been reading.  To his astonishment, he found it to be none other than his composition.  He tried to evade her questions, but she pressed him for a response.

Suddenly, he began to weep.   With tears streaming down his cheeks, he said, “I am the man who wrote that hymn many years ago.  I’d give anything to experience again the joy I knew then.” 

Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed.  Mr. Robinson was deeply touched.  Turning his “wandering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship.

Come, Thou Fount
Hymn writer — Robert Robinson

(1) Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.  Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above; Praise the mount — I’m fixed upon it — Mount of Thy redeeming love.

(3) O to grace how great a debtor, Daily I’m constrained to be!  Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above.

“Temptation provokes me to look upward to God.” — John Bunyan



Don’t Go Back!
Bill Brinkworth

For a Christian, there is no way out of a backslidden condition without first working to reconstruct what is broken in one’s life.  After the sin is stopped and avoided, and all attempts are made to do what one used to do, the battle is not over.  Certain steps must be taken so one does not go back to the condition in which one previously found oneself.

We can learn some preventative measures for not returning to a backslidden condition by following what Nehemiah had his people do after they rebuilt the city (Jerusalem) from the condition it used to be in.  Those measures included:

  • He returned proper worship.  His situation was different than ours is today, as during his time, the Jews were still under the law.  The leader ensured all who served in the temple were qualified by their lineage to be in the priesthood.  Nehemiah made sure the right spiritual leaders were in service.

To return from a backslidden condition, one must ensure worship is in a good, Bible-following church.  So many get far from God, and when they want to return or get closer to Him, they pick the same worship (or lack thereof) that may have helped them get in a far-from-God position in the first place. 

  • One has to make changes.  Nehemiah’s charges to the people had them stop their sin and get back to obedience to God.
  • One of Nehemiah’s most important steps to protect his people from returning to where they spiritually were was to include Scripture in their lives.  Today, reading the Word of God is one of the most important measures to prevent spiritual decline.  How can one know the will of God if one does not read and obey His Word?
  • Most importantly, after the Israelites had read the Word of God, they obeyed it.  There is no way to return to God today unless one obeys, by faith, what God speaks to one’s heart about and shows them in His Word. 
  • Nehemiah also rehearsed some of the spiritual errors Israel had made in the past.  He made it clear what they had done to get in the condition they found themselves in so they would not do the same things in the future.

Anyone can drift away from where they should be.  Some find themselves where they never wanted to be when they were close to God.  They recognized the errors of their ways. 

When errors are seen, and conviction causes one to reminisce about their past “better” spiritual condition, that is the time to make changes so one cannot go spiritually backwards.  There may not be another chance!

“If thou wouldst conquer thy weakness, thou must not gratify it.”  
— William Penn

The BIBLE VIEW #960 — Working for the Lord

In This Issue:
Working with the Boss   A Better Work
You Did a Great Work for the Lord
Where Is God?    Keep On Keeping On
The Deer Hunter    The Faithful Teacher

Volume: 960     June 3, 2024
Theme: Working for the Lord

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Working with the Boss
Bill Brinkworth

During Pastor Renshaw’s preaching, my heart was stirred by the preacher’s charge, “What do you want from Jesus?”  Some would quickly request that their marriage be fixed, that they get a better job, that they get the right mate, and countless other desires. 

The more spiritual would choose to be closer to God, as they realize that having a closer relationship with God would provide both spiritual and physical needs.  I thought about the preacher’s question, applied it to myself, and believed God gave me my answer to the preacher’s question in my life. 

I love working in a ministry.  One of the reasons I like to do things around the church and in the ministry is because I get to work alongside good Christians and fellowship with them.  Most of the time, we have too many things to do to afford time to have one-to-one fellowship, but working in a ministry allows us to have fellowship together and do something for the Lord at the same time.  Sometimes, as an added bonus when working in a ministry, I even have more fellowship with the preacher.  I get to work more directly with the “boss,” who is usually way too busy to be able to spend time with all the church members.

My thoughts about what I want from Jesus continued.  While I am most comfortable being around God’s people and enjoy working with them, the real reason for my enjoyment is that I get to see God working more closely while active in a ministry.  While at “work” in a ministry, I get to have a closer relationship with the Lord, see how He is currently working in lives, how He answers people’s prayers and needs, and how He does the “impossible.”  God’s workings are probably more real to me than one who only comes to church on Sunday because I see Him work more often.

Yes, I could be fishing on Saturday instead of inviting children to come to church on Sunday, but then I would miss being at their home at the right time to talk with a person who was waiting for someone to stop by so they could find out more about being saved.  I could have watched a Saturday TV movie rather than study for my Sunday school lesson for several hours, but then I would have missed how the “worst” child in class got saved and was transformed to be the most interested and changed Bible student in the whole class.  It would have been more relaxing and less stressful if I had not gone out visiting folks on Thursday night, but then I would have missed the hundreds that have gotten saved and gotten things right with God over all those years.

The greatest experience I have ever had in my life has been to do something for the Lord.  I know I am not the smartest, best worker, or best teacher, but I get to work with the “Boss.”  There are tremendous advantages and blessings when you work closely with God.

Imagine that the God who created the universe, put the stars in place, and breathed life into every person on Earth would let me work with Him.  What an honor; what a privilege to see all the mighty things I have seen God perform while working alongside Him.  There is nothing more exciting and fulfilling.

Saved person, is your life without a purpose and excitement?  Do you have the deep down feeling that your life is missing something and that there is emptiness in your life?  If so, I encourage you to work for the “Boss.”  

You are robbing yourself of an exciting life when you only live for yourself and do not do anything for Him.  When you serve God, you will see, hear, and experience wonderful things you would otherwise miss.  There is no greater joy than to have a close working relationship with the Father!  Get involved in a ministry for the Lord today. 

Pray about what Godwould have you do, and even shock your pastor by asking him how you can get involved in a ministry today!

“When God needs something done near where you live, are you the first servant He thinks of using?” — Brinkworth
 


A Better Work
D. L. Moody

One day, I saw a steel engraving that I liked very much.  I thought it was the finest thing I had ever seen at the time, and I bought it.  It was a picture of a woman coming out of the water and clinging with both arms to the cross.  She came out of the drowning waves with both arms around the cross perfectly safe.

Later, I saw another picture that was far more meaningful.  It was a picture of a person coming out of dark waters, with one arm clinging to the cross and with the other, she was lifting someone else out of the waves.  That is what I like.  Keep a firm hold upon the Cross, but always try to rescue another from an eternal “drowning.”

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” — Holmer  

You Did a Great Work for the Lord
Author Unknown

One time, Ian MacLaren went to a house and saw an old Scotch woman standing in her kitchen, weeping.  She wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron.  When the pastor asked her what was the matter, she confessed, “I have done so little.”  She continued, “I am so miserable and unhappy.”

“Why?”

“Because I have done so little for Jesus.  When I was just a wee girl, the Lord spoke to my heart, and I wanted to live for Him.”

“Well, haven’t you?” asked the minister.

“Yes, I have lived for Him, but I have done so little.  I want to be of some use in His  service.”

”What have you done?”

“I will tell you.  I have washed dishes, cooked three meals daily, cared for the children, mopped the floor, and mended the clothes.  That is all I have done all my life, and I wanted to do something for Jesus,”

Sitting back in the armchair, the preacher looked at her and smiled.  “Where are you boys?” he inquired.

She had four sons and had named them after Bible characters.  “Oh, my boys?  You know where Mark is.  You ordained him yourself before he went to China.  Why are you asking?  He is preaching for the Lord.”

“Where is Luke?” questioned the minister.

“Luke?  He went out from your church.  Didn’t you send him out?  I had a letter from him the other day.”  She continued, “A revival has broken out on the mission station, and he said they were having a wonderful time in the service of the Lord!”

“Where is Matthew?”

“He is with his brother in China.  And isn’t it fine that the two boys can be working together?  I am so happy about that.  John came to me the other night; he is my baby, only nineteen, but he is a great boy.  He said, ‘Mother, I have been praying, and tonight in my room, the Lord spoke to my heart, and what do you suppose He told me?  I have to go to my brother in Africa!  But don’t you cry, Mother.  The Lord told me I was to stay here and look after you until you go Home to Glory.’”

The pastor looked at her, “And you say your life has been wasted in mopping floors, darning socks, washing dishes, and doing trivial tasks.  I’d like to have your mansion in Glory when we are called Home!  It will be near the throne because of your great workings for the Master!”

“It is high time that the ideal of service should replace the ideal of success.” 
— Einstein

 Where Is God?
Author Unknown

“Our daily duties and trials”, someone said, “are the veils under which God hides Himself” as He draws near to us.  The secret of satisfaction then, as well as the pledge of success, is doing whatever we do to the honor of God.  In every humble or distasteful employment, see Him work.  In every burden borne for another’s good, remember God’s Word, “… Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Mat. 25:40)

 Keep On Keeping On
Author Unknown

A terrific storm occurred in 1666, at a time when the end of the world was expected.  Sir Matthew Hale sat on the law bench at the time.  The lightning dazzled the eye, and thunders crashed with appalling power.  The assembly was panic-stricken and cried out that the Day of Judgment had begun.  Some men betook themselves to prayers, and all were filled with horror.

The judge was quiet and unmoved.  He calmly ordered the court business to proceed as usual.  Even if the end of all things were at hand, of which there was no evidence, he wished to be found diligently attending his daily business.

If the thunders and lightings of trial and testing loudly proclaim havoc around you, keep doing what the Master requires of you!

 The Deer Hunter
Spurgeon

The deer hunter gets out of bed long before the sun is up and climbs the mountains.  He watches from the first gray light for the creature, which is the object of his pursuit.  Ask him how it is when he returns late in the evening that he has had nothing to eat all day.  He will answer, “I never thought of it.  I saw a chamois on a distant crag and hastened after it.  I leaped the ravines.  I climbed the steep faces of the rocks.  I was almost on my prey, but it was gone.  

“I crept up to another range again, holding my breath lest the scent of me should alarm the watchful buck.  I thought of nothing but my sport, and I never thought of hunger until my bullet found its mark in the heart of my prey, and I drew out my hunting knife.  It was not until I began to lift the game to my shoulder that I remembered that I had neither eaten nor drunk that day.”

If only there were more workers for the Lord with less thought for themselves and more thought on the prey for the glory of God!

The Faithful Teacher
D. L. Moody

A 75-year-old woman had a Sunday school class two miles away in the mountains.  One Sunday, there was a terrible rainstorm, and she considered not going that day, but she thought, “What if someone should go and not find me there?”  She then put on her waterproof coat, umbrella, overshoes and went to her ministry.

She found only one young man when she got there and taught him the best she knew how.  She never saw him again but perhaps thought her class had been a failure that day.

That week, the young man enlisted in the Army.  A year or two later, the teacher got a letter from the soldier thanking her for going through the storm that Sunday.  The young man thought that stormy day he would go and see if the teacher was in earnest, and if she cared enough about souls to go through the rain.  

He found she came and taught him as carefully as if teaching a large class and won the young man to Christ.  When he lay dying in a field hospital, he sent the message to the teacher that he would meet her in Heaven.  

Was it not a glorious thing that she did not get discouraged because she had but one Sunday school student?  Be willing to work with one.  You will never know this side of eternity what God will do with your efforts.

“When generous acts bloom from unselfish thought, the Lord may be with us though we know it not.” — Larcom

The BIBLE VIEW #959 — Conviction

In This Issue:
Obstacles God Puts Forth
Out of the Cave
Troubled Thoughts

Volume: 959     May 27, 2024
Theme: Conviction

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Obstacles God Puts Forth
Bill Brinkworth

Many natural things are prickly. The thorns are the natural defense for many roses, orange trees, and weeds. Grabbing hold of a prickly stem results in one letting it go and coming up with another plan. The “pricks” are the plant’s protection.

God uses the “pricks” of uncomfortable circumstances to change our direction. He did this in Paul’s early life, as the unsaved but religious man traveled on the Damascus road.

“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”  Acts 9:5

Paul had spent much of his life trying to serve God his way. Unfortunately, he did not detect nor heed the “pricks” God sent in His life to turn him in the right direction that God desired.

“Pricks” that Saul ignored:
“Pricked” ears – When Paul heard the preachers of the Gospel, he did all he could to stifle their preaching. Instead of pricking his conscience so he could change his wrong path, it angered him and encouraged him to do more to silence Christians.

He even held the coats of those who stoned the deacon, Stephen. While standing there, he probably heard the Word of God, as he did when he was around Christians. Still, he held to his religion, even when the people of God preached and warned against his false beliefs.

“Pricked eyes” – Undoubtedly, he saw Christianity in action. He saw families split, people die, and heartaches inflicted. Yet, the Christians would not waiver in their obedience to God’s commandments. In all the trouble he instigated against Christians, he saw that they had a peace that he surely did not understand. He was like King Saul, who persecuted righteous David.

“Pricks” that others ignore:
Pricked by circumstances: Hard times, sickness, failures, tests, aggravating situations, disasters, etc., are often meant to draw us closer to God and to cause us to trust him more. Instead, folks many times grow farther from the source of strength they need during those hard times. They do not examine themselves and what they are doing in God’s eyes nor get the message that God is trying to send them through their trials.

Pricked ears: Perhaps God sent a godly parent, grandmother, neighbor, friend, or Sunday school teacher to us or let us hear a preacher on TV, but still, His invitation was ignored. People often do not “hear” what God is trying to tell them.

Pricked eyes: Many have seen bits of the Word of God in tracts and good Christian testimonies, yet His words and the godly examples allowed to cross our path are ignored. Too often, we do not heed God’s “pricks” to our hearts.

When examining your life, do you see any obstacles God may have put in the way to change your direction?  Is it possible you are fighting or ignoring the barriers God has allowed to be placed in your life to get you to turn in the direction He desires?

Are the “pricks” allowed in your life not changing your direction to where God wants you? If so, what will you do next?

“’Conscience’ is a faults alarm!” — Author Unknown

Out of the Cave
Spencer

Suppose a traveler, on a stormy night, should take up his lodging in a cave with serpents and venomous creatures.  Because he sleeps, he sees them not.  He sleeps as soundly as if at home in his bed. 

When the morning comes, he sees what companions are about him.  He uses all means possible and haste to escape that cave.

In the same way is every sinner.  Beset with many “serpents” of his sins, he cannot see them and therefore fears them not.  He goes through life without their bothering his conscience or lifestyle.  He is “asleep” as soundly as if in Solomon’s bed.  (He certainly is not ‘woke” as many factiously claim to be today).

However, when he is “awakened” to see the sins that beset his life and see them as God sees them, he sees the dangers around him that his sins have exposed him to. Hopefully, after God opens his eyes, he will run away from his old, sinful life as fast as possible.

“Be quiet enough to hear God’s whispers.”



Troubled Thoughts
Dr. Robert G. Lee

One morning, when I was a boy, a preacher preached a sermon I believe must have been on “The Gates of Heaven.”  In the sermon, he asked, “If the gates of Heaven were opened, would you enter in?”

The question startled me.  I knew that if the gates of Heaven were opened that day, I could not enter because I could not claim to be a Christian.

That night, the preacher’s text was, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?”  He said very simply that to accept Christ as Saviour meant Heaven and that to reject Him as Saviour meant Hell.

I went home that night with the most wretched feeling.  I could not sleep.   I got up in the night, slipped out of the window that opened on the back porch, and went down to the moonlit watermelon patch.  It was a beautiful, clear night, and I thought of Heaven beyond the stars and Hell somewhere in some vast region below.

At the next morning’s breakfast table, my mother said, “Son, you look like you didn’t sleep much last night.”

“No, ma’am,” I said, “I didn’t.”

“What was the matter?”

“I feel awfully sinful,” I admitted.

I had to plow that day.  My misery grew until I finally drove out to the end of a long row and dropped the plow by the side of my old white mule.  I got down in the fence corner and told God how bad and sinful I felt, and I wanted to be saved.

“If one must accept Jesus to be saved,” I prayed, “then I accept Him.” There, in a fence corner, the Lord saved me.

I do not remember the text of the preacher’s sermon that night.  I walked down the church aisle and let it be known that the Lord had saved me.  I do remember the hymn they sang.
“Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night;
Jesus, I come!  Jesus, I come!
Into thy freedom, gladness, and light;
Jesus, I come to Thee.”

The peace that came to me in the fence corner is in my heart to this day.

“Failing morally is bad.  Failing to repent is worse.”

The BIBLE VIEW #958 — Christian Fruit

In This Issue:
Producing Any Fruit?
Godly Fruit
Fruits of the Flesh
He Thought He Lost His Arrow
What One Tract Did
What Can You Lend?

Volume: 958     May 20, 2024
Theme: Christian Fruit

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Producing Any Fruit?
Bill Brinkworth

Jesus likens our relationship to God and Him as to grape vines.  The vines are planted byand watered by the Father (John 15:1, I Cor. 3:9).  

The vines represent Jesus and are cared for by Him (John 15:1).  If we are saved and spiritually born into God’s family, we are the branches on the vine.

God’s watchful eye sees what, and if, we produce anything that He considers is good “fruit”.  That “fruit” is what is done to bring honor and glory to God and what helps others come to know and serve Him better.

John 15 tells more about what Jesus said about “fruit”:

  • It is impossible to have any spiritual fruit unless one is saved and in the “body of Christ” (vs. 2, 4).
  • God removes branches that do not produce any “fruit” (vs. 2), although one does not lose their salvation.  Many are professors of Christ but not yielders of what God requires of them. 

    Their power and help are taken away because they refuse to do what they are commanded.  This is why so many who have been saved but do nothing for God have no answered prayer, changes in their lives, and or leadership from God.
  • God prunes (“purgeth”, vs. 2) those that are producing some Christian “fruits.”  As a husbandman trims the branches of his fruit trees to get them to make more branches and more fruit, so does God allow testing and tribulation to produce more godly “fruits” in our lives.
  • If a Christian does what the Scriptures commands, he will have answered prayer (vs.  7).
  • God is honored and gets the glory when we produce “fruit”.  Many look at a person and know what he was before he was saved, see how the Lord has changed his life, and know that it could only have been done by God.

Many claim to be Christians and even try to produce godly fruit.  They do not fool the Father, and their hypocrisy and lack of genuine Christianity do not even fool the ungodly (vs. 6).  They are like wild grapes that have little fruit.  What they produce is very small, sour, and can be distinguished from a good, cultivated crop.

Examine your fruit.  The Husbandman is also a fruit inspector.  What does Jesus think about your “produce”?

“Sow little; produce little.  Sow much; produce much for the glory of God.”
— Author Unknown

Godly Fruit

With godly guidance and spiritually correct decisions, one’s life can produce good, spiritual consequences, as defined in Galatians:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:22-26

“If you’re waiting for something to turn up to do for the Lord, try your sleeves.”— Author Unknown

Fruits of the Flesh

What we do is often viewed as our “fruit”.  Here ares some “fruit” which the Bible says is produced from behavior that God’s leadership is not involved in:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21

“The train of failure often runs on the track of laziness.”



He Thought He Lost His Arrow
W. Smith

A young boy once shot an arrow in the air.  Its flight was so high that he soon lost sight of it and failed to find where it had landed.  He spent a long time looking for the arrow in the meadow, but in vain.

Thirty years passed by.  The boy was now a man and he visited the haunts of his boyhood.  Walking around the meadow, he gazed at an oak that frequently sheltered him from the sun rays in his younger days.  He paused under the old tree and found a curious feather protruding from a hollow in the tree.  As he drew out the “feather,” he realized it was the arrow he thought was lost many years ago.

Is not this often true of the efforts of God’s children?  They speak in the ears of sinners; they give a tract; they utter an exhortation, or tell someone about the things of God.  They often do not see where their efforts’ “arrow” landed.  It is impossible for them to track it as it enters the mysterious regions of one’s mind, and they too often deem it lost.

Often, it is not lost.  It has done its work.  Either in future years or in eternity, that effort, like the long-lost arrow, shall come back to its owner, bringing a blessing and even the reward of a duty faithfully performed.

What One Tract Did
W. Smith

While journeying in America, Dr. Coke attempted to ford a river.  His horse lost its foothold, and he was carried down the stream. 

The doctor narrowly escaped drowning by clinging to a branch that overhung the riverside.  A neighboring lady helped him, sent someone to retrieve his horse, and other kindnesses.  Just before he left her house, he gave her a tract about salvation.

For five years the doctor toiled on in the cause of Christ in England and America.  Whether his tract had been destroyed or had pierced a human heart, he did not know.  One day, a young man approached him at a mission conference and requested a couple minutes of the doctor’s time.

“Do you remember, sir, being nearly drowned in the river some five years ago?”

“I remember it quite well,” replied the doctor.

“Do you remember the widow lady at whose house you stayed after escaping from the river?”

“I do and shall never forget the kindness she showed me.”

“And do you remember giving her a tract when you bade her farewell?”

“I do not, but it is possible I did.”

“Yes, sir, you did leave a tract.  That lady read it and was converted.  She lent it to her neighbors, and many of them were saved also.  Several of her children were also saved.  A Bible society was formed, and still flourishes today.”

The statement moved the doctor to tears.  The young many continued, “I have not quite told you all.  I am her son.  That tract led me to Christ.  Now, sir, I am on my way to the mission field to reach others.”

We never know what fruits we can produce when we do the Master’s work.

“Better to wear out than to rust out.” — Cumberland

 

What Can You Lend?
Author Unknown

Peter lent a boat,
To save Jesus from the press;
Martha lent her home
With genuine kindliness.

One man lent a colt,
Another lent a room;
Some threw down their clothes,
And Joseph lent a tomb.

Simon lent his strength,
The cruel cross to bear;
Mary spice brought,
His body to prepare.

What have I to lend?
No boat!  No house!  No lands!
Yet, Lord, I gladly lend
The work of heart and hands.

“When a man turns to God desiring to serve Him, God directs  the man’s attention to the world and its need.” — Brunner

The BIBLE VIEW #957- Soul Winning

In This Issue:
Tell Them about Jesus!
Soul Winning
Talking Business  Suppose

Volume: 957     May 13, 2024
Theme: Soul Winning

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 Tell Them about Jesus!
Bill Brinkworth

One of the blessings of reading the Bible is learning how biblical characters solved problems, got through hardships, and lived godly lives.  Peter is one of those personalities that can be a good Christian example to pattern ourselves after.

After Jesus left to return to His heavenly home, Peter, although sad and grieving, pushed forward to live for God.  After his humbling experience of denying Jesus three times (John 18), it seems Peter learned an important lesson from that trial.  From that time forward, the Bible shows that Peter had a single-minded purpose.  That purpose was to take any opportunity to tell others about Jesus.

In Acts 4, after being used to heal a lame man, the religious people were angered at what Peter had done.  Soon, they were questioning and grilling Peter.  Instead of getting down to their level and having a debate that accomplished little, he preached a subject he knew could have a positive influence.  He preached about Jesus and how He was the only way to Heaven.

Acts 3 found Peter among a crowd who wanted to get closer to him after God had used him to heal a lame man.  Instead of taking any credit for the miracle, Peter took the opportunity to tell the crowd about Jesus.

Earlier in Acts 2, after having been used by the Holy Ghost to heal a man, some had accused Peter and the others of having been drunk.  Instead of entering into a big discussion to defend himself, he again told the onlookers about Jesus.

In many circumstances Peter found himself, he told others about Jesus.  We, too, should model his heart to speak to others about the Saviour and how Jesus can change lives.  The great commission (Mark 16:15) God gave to every believer is to go and tell.

Every day, each one of us comes into contact with people.  If we would use those opportunities to point them to the One who has all of life’s answers, this world would certainly be a different place.

Our opinions are not always wanted and rarely change anything.  Many of the world’s solutions also do not always work.  However, when one gets saved, they will have been born into the family of God.  Their heavenly Father can then help them with any problems they face if they go to Him.

Be like Peter, take every opportunity you can to point as many as you can to Jesus.  He is the solution to every problem or trial anyone faces.

“Jesus saves.  Tell someone today!”


Soul Winning
Bill Brinkworth

When a person is saved, all his sins are forgiven.  Although God will not remind us of our iniquities at our time of judgment, the believer will be rewarded for what he did for Christ after he was saved.  Every Christian is expected to tell others the biblical way to Heaven.  Although it is the commandment most neglected by Christians, it is the one most important!  

Here is some of what the Bible says about our personally winning a soul to Heaven:

  • It is the primary way a lost person will hear about God’s way to Heaven.  “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? … Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” Acts 8:30 -35  How will the spiritually lost be saved unless a child of God tells them how?  Most of us who are saved were led to the Lord by someone else telling us either by their mouth or written word.
  • It will rescue a soul from spending an eternity in Hell.
    “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5:20
  • It should be done in every house, as did the early church.  Door-to-door witnessing is still the way we are expected to witness.  It is how the early church grew, and it is how today’s church will grow.
    “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts     5:42   Also: Acts 2:46-47.
  • It should be done by EVERYONE, not just the disciples, missionaries, pastors, and deacons!
    “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28:19  Also: John 20:21, Luke 24:47
  • It is some of the Christian “fruit” a born-again believer should produce.
    “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” John 4:36  Also: John 15:16, 20:21.
  • The lost need to be “compelled”, as were the visitors in the parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:16-24).  “Compelling” is done one-on-one!
    “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23
  • God commands it!
    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20
  • It is the wise thing to do.
    “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”  Proverbs 11:30 
  • Many commentators teach that believers will receive a crown of rejoicing for witnessing and winning a lost soul to Christ.
    “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3
    “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” I Thessalonians 2:19

God chose us to win as many to Heaven as we can.  What a shame it would be for a Christian to live a full life on Earth and never, or rarely, have won a soul to Heaven.

“Well, I just can’t do it,” or “I am too shy to talk to anyone” are not excuses that biblically excuse anyone from their God-commanded duty to witness.  I never met a person who thought that it was easy to witness to strangers in the beginning.  However, God always helped them when they showed they were willing to obey His commandments.

I am sure it was hard for the early church members to win souls to Christ, but because they obeyed God, their church grew.  After they witnessed to others, God blessed their church.

There are too many bound for Hell (Mark 7:13).  Do not be a selfish Christian and not share the way to eternity with the Lord with anyone.  Someone probably shared it with you.  If they did not, you would most likely not be Heaven-bound. 

Soul winning is the biblical way to get the message of salvation to others.  It still works today!  Have you witnessed to anyone this week?

“It has been estimated that probably 95% of all church members have never
led anyone to Christ!”


Talking Business
Author Unknown

A pastor was passing a big department store and followed a sudden impulse to go in and talk to the proprietor about his salvation.  Finding the owner, the preacher asked, “Mr. T., I’ve talked beds, carpets, and bookcases with you but never talked my business to you.  Would you give me a few minutes to do so?”

Being led to a private office, the pastor took out his New Testament and showed the man passage after passage about his duty to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.  Finally, the tears began to roll down the man’s cheeks, and he said to the preacher, “I’m 70 years of age.  I was born in this city, and more than a hundred ministers and more than 500 hundred church officers have known me as you have in doing business with me.  You are the only one who ever spoke to me about my soul in all these years.”

What a sad commentary to the many who talked with that businessman.  Yet, many who have crossed our paths have never heard the Gospel from anyone, including us.

“Many Christians complain of the condition of the world today.  If they believed what they confessed, they would lead the lost to Christ, and then the world would be different!”

Suppose
“Suppose”, A tract from the Great Commission Prayer League

Suppose someone were to offer me a thousand dollars for every soul I might earnestly try to lead to Christ.  Would I endeavor to lead more souls to Him than I am endeavoring to do now for the money?  Is my love of money stronger than my love of God or souls…?

“I cared not where or how I lived or what hardships I went through so that I could gain souls to Christ.  While I was asleep, I dreamed of these things, and when I awoke, the first thing I thought of was this great work.  All my desire was for the conversion of the heathen, and all my hope was in God.” — David Brainerd, Missionary to Native Americans (Early 1700s)

The BIBLE VIEW #956 —Creation

In This Issue:
He Made It All
Three Heavens
Back to Step One

Volume: 956     May 6, 2024
Theme: Creation

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He Made It All
Bill Brinkworth

Genesis, the book of beginnings, started with an answer to a question most have.  The popular queries are, “How did life start?  How did all the first plants and animals get here?  Where did we come from?”

Many try to explain the Earth and its origins with their logic.  The explanations go from “a star blew up, and that is how it all started.”  Others offer, “Chemicals got together and over millenniums changed the form accidentally to a more complicated lifeform, then over billions of years developed into the plants, animals, and people we have today.

In 1806, Professor Lyell claimed that 80 geological theories were “hostile” to the Scripture account at the time.  There are far more today.

All the opinions have no proof to explain the theories.  Scrutinizing those explanations soon reveals no credibility for any of those suppositions.  A lot of speculation and assumptions fill the gaps where proof is non-existent.

God knew we would wonder about our origin and ensured that mankind would have accurate answers to our questions.  All that is on the Earth was not here by millions of accidents.  Simple life forms did not evolve into more complex beings.  God created it all!

The Bible documents the beginning of Earth and all that resides on it.  One can read how God created all that we are and see.  He did it all in six days, not billions of years that current “science” claims.  Genesis One explains it all:

Day One: In the beginning, the Earth was dark and without shape.  By God’s words, the dark and shapeless mass was lit up.  Although He created day and night at this point, there was no sun or moon to give that light.  (Genesis 1:2-5)

Day Two: The Earth was surrounded by water.  On that day, God separated the Earth from the waters.  He called the dividing space a firmament (the heaven where birds, clouds… are found).   (Gen.  1:6-8)

Day Three: On that day, God separated the waters under the sky further.  That division revealed dry land whereplant life He created thrived.  (Gen.  1:9-13)

Day Four: In the heavens, God created the sun to give light in the day and the moon to provide light at night.  It was on this day He also made the stars.  (Gen.  1:14:-19)

Day Five: On the fifth day, God created life in the waters, including the whales and all birds.(Gen.  1:20-23)

Day Six: Now, Earth was able to support animal and humanlife by the sixth day.  There was water, breathable air, and food to support the animals and man He created.  (Gen.  1:24-31)

Although there are numerous theories about how Earth and all on it came into existence, all the ideas boil down to two ideas.  J. Vernon McGee defined them as speculation and creation.

”Speculation” encompasses all the theories, none of which have solid proof.  How can people know how it all began?  They were not there.  Besides, the theories change from day to day, person to person, and few agree with each other.

Even inventions that supposedly measure vast amounts of time can not be trusted, as no one knows for sure how accurate they are.  How old would man’s machine declare a rock on the first day it was made?  It takes faith in mankind to believe what is claimed to have occurred, which is not very reassuring and reliable.

Creation also takes faith to believe.  However, that trust is in what God had Moses pen.  Our Creator was there at the beginning and He knows better than man’s speculations. 

A whole world of understanding becomes clear and makes sense with simple faith in what God says happened.  God said it, so believe it!

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.  3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Heb 11:1-3



Three Heavens
J. Vernon McGee

God called the firmament Heaven.  This is not heaven as you and I think of it.  Actually, three heavens are mentioned in Scripture.

The Lord Jesus spoke of the birds of heaven, which I think is the heaven mentioned in Genesis 1:8.  Then, there are the stars of heaven, meaning the second heaven.  The third heaven is where God dwells.  So, the first layer up there is the deck where the clouds are and where the birds fly.

Back to Step One
Bill Brinkworth

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis.  1:1

STEP ONE: “Let me understand, you believe that all living things on Earth started when two chemicals somehow got together and changed into something more advanced?  That life changed or evolved into something more complex and developed?”

“Yes, basically, that is what happened over millions of years?”

“Hmm.  So, these chemicals got together after many accidents and failures and finally became an advanced combination of some more developed type?  Then how did it duplicate itself?”

“Well, it had to start all over again.”

STEP TWO: “So after, say 100,000 years of ‘accidents’ and returning to STEP ONE, these chemicals finally produced, by chance, a more advanced compound that duplicated itself.  Then the next step would be for this ‘duplicating chemical’ to create another advancement like the ability to sense something that may be a danger to itself, like direct sunlight that could dry it out, or heat that could kill it.”

“Something like that.  It makes sense.”

“So, let’s think this out logically.  After failing to develop a system in this chemical to protect itself, it had to keep returning to STEP TWO for 100’s of thousands of years before this ‘chemical’ finally got it right by accident.  Finally, there was a chemical that could duplicate itself and protect itself from something before something in its environment killed it.  Perhaps this developing chemical had to start all over and return to STEP ONE.

“So now to develop into something more advanced, say a motion like rolling or swimming, it would take a whole bunch of 100’s of thousands of years for this duplicating, self-protecting compound, after returning to STEP THREE, to be able to move.”

“Well, those 100’s of thousands of years may have been millions of years, they say.”

“Oh, I see, so it was probably much longer to get to STEP THREE.  I just used 100’s of thousands to make the number smaller so I could somehow grasp your theory.  By the way, is there any proof of these improvements or transitions?”

“No, I don’t believe there are any.  There are just intelligent people’s suppositions and theories.”

“Hmm.  This basic starting block had to have more developments, like feeding itself, recognition, and senses.  So conservatively, that is three more important functions, chemical changes, and a lot of returning to STEP FOUR, FIVE, SIX, and maybe even back to STEP ONE.  So, using conservative numbering, we’re up to about one million years.  Then this ‘accidental’ chemical would eventually progress into a living organism with 100’s of thousands of cells, bodily, and chemical functions added to it.  That would put us conservatively at 11,000,000 years, again using my 100,000 years as a base.

“Then if this creature, by chance and a whole lot of ‘visits’ to STEPs ONE through 100,000 were to develop into a more advanced creature, it would have more bodily functions such as cell reproduction, nerves, white cells to fight infection, chemical transportation of hundreds of chemicals, more senses, maybe some organs and glands, reproduction of tissues and all chemicals/hormones involved, brain development with its millions of cells and functions, memorization, blood and all its functions, ability to break down and disperse food to the body, and an ability to reproduce this organism that is actually like itself.   This creature would conservatively have 100’s of thousands more functions.  So after 100,000 ‘trips’ back to at least STEP 1000, plus all the original returns to previous STEPS, that would perhaps put it at 11,012,000,000 (11 billion+) years to develop.

“Then this species would supposedly change into other forms.  I don’t think anybody knows how many intermediary steps there would have to be with at least 100,000 improvements.  Say it were only five steps until it developed into a man.  That would put man’s evolving to around 50 billion)years.

“Now the human body has easily 100’s of thousands of other functions including hair growth, thousands of enzymes that control chemical and other functions, cell growth and reproduction, advanced organs, memory, sight, hearing, taste, muscles, billions of cells, millions of nerves, food consumption, fighting off more diseases, glands, layers of skins, healing abilities for most parts of the body, ability to reproduce with a male or female, …..  So that human ‘step’ would easily be another 10 billion years.  That would put us at 60 billion years — roughly.

“Oh, my word.  And if something went wrong, a disease, or accidental death, or inability to handle something in the environments development of man would have to go back to STEP ONE again and start all over for another 60 billion years.”

“Well, there’s no real proof of all these steps you said, but it makes sense.”

“And there is no proof for evolutionists’ assumptions or theories?  Hmm.  But officially, they claim man is between 2.4 and 7 million years old, of which there is no actual proof of any chemical, tissue, bodily developments of the human body and other transitionary phases (except for a few fragments of bone and certainly not even a complete skull or skeleton).  Let’s not forget that mutations of an organism, which is what they are saying have happened to the different parts of the body, have never been known to reproduce themselves. 

Also, trusting that all this happened to develop into man denies many scientific laws, such as the First and Second Law of Thermodynamics.  The Theory of Evolution is man’s idea, and not too many of these ‘scientists’ can agree with each other’s theories of how we got here without God’s intervention.  In addition, there is no proof of all these ideas.

“Man alive.  Sooo, if anyone believes any of this, they have to have a lot of faith in men’s notions.  One that believes this ‘Theory of Evolution’ laughs in the face of real science and must have more faith to believe this fairy tale than anyone I have ever met!”

My “scientific,” evolution-believing acquaintance got very quiet and had a very glazed look.

“Believing God’s explanation of His creation makes more sense, answers thousands of man’s questions, and is more scientific than man’s “science.”

The BIBLE VIEW #955 — Assorted

In This Issue:
Listening for the Trumpet
“Hold the Fort for I am Coming!”
Fault Finding
The Christian’s Ruby Ring

Volume: 955     April 29, 2024
Theme: Assorted

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Listening for the Trumpet
Bill Brinkworth

“… 14 For if we believe Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord….” I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Hundreds of biblical prophecies have been fulfilled.  In I Thessalonians 4, there is one mentioned that will be the next to be fulfilled.  In the last two thousand years, millions have awaited that event (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).  It is the great catching up of the dead in Christ and the living Christians (I Thessalonians 4:16- 17).

The Greek word for “caught up” (I Thessalonians 4:17) is “harpazō,” and it means “to catch away, to seize, pluck, pull, and take by force” (Noah Webster, 1828).  It is very similar to the English word “rapture,” which means “transport, seizing away.” Although “rapture” is not used in the preserved King James text, this futuristic happening is often referred to by that name.

When the Lord shouts, the archangel’s voice is sounded, God’s trumpet will be blown, and the rapture will occur (I Thessalonians 4:16).  The first to ascend will be the dead in Christ.  Those that have trusted Christ as Saviour and died will be called up.  Their souls are already joined with him (II Corinthians. 5:8, Ecclesiastes. 12:7) as a soul never dies, but the body sleeps (I Thessalonians 4:14), awaiting its wake-up call by the rapture’s heavenly summoning.

The second group to meet the Lord in the air will be living Christians.  Before the tribulation’s terrible events occur, somewhere after Revelation 4:1, many Christians will be called up without dying.  No one knows when this catching away will occur (Matthew. 24:36).  It could be today.  It could be tomorrow or twenty years from now, but it will happen; God promised!

If the heavenly trumpet were blown to call the living saved from this world, are you sure you would be called home to Heaven?  It will be a terrible time when many well-intentioned, good-deeders and many religious-but-lost discover the heavenly call did not summon them.  It will be too late for those that have already heard God’s message and have rejected it.  What a frightful time it will be when the prophesied wrath of God is finally poured out on Earth to give those that have never heard the Gospel message a chance to turn to Christ for salvation.

If you are not sure you will go up during the catching away, make sure of your transport “ticket” today.  Admit your sinnership, and trust Christ’s death on the cross as the only payment for your sins.  If you do, then you may be one of many that will hear the heavenly trumpet sound its victory call to Christians one day soon.

“Hold the Fort, for I am Coming!”
D. L. Moody

I am told that when General Sherman went through Atlanta towards the sea, he left a few men in the fort at the Kennesaw Mountains to guard some rations that he brought there.  General Hood got into the outer rear and attacked the fort, driving the men in from the outer works into the inner works.  For a long time, the battle raged fearfully.

Half of the men were either killed or wounded.  The general, who was in command, was wounded seven different times.  When they were about ready to run up the white flag and surrender the fort, Sherman got within fifteen miles.  Through the signal corps on the mountain, he sent the message, “Hold the fort; I am coming.  W. T. Sherman.”   That message fired up their hearts, and they held the fort until reinforcements came, and the fort did not go into the hands of their enemies.

Mr. Bliss wrote a hymn entitled “Hold the Fort for I am coming.”  We must hold our “fort” and not give up serving the Lord.  Our Saviour is in command, and He is coming.

Ho!  My comrades, see the signal
Waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing.
Victory is nigh!
Chorus: “Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”

See the mighty hosts advancing,
Satan leading on;
Mighty men around us falling.
Courage almost gone.
Chorus: “Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”

See the glorious banner waving.
Hear the bugle blow.
In our Leader’s name we’ll triumph
Over every foe.
Chours: “Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”

Fierce and long the battle rages,
But our Help is near;
Onward comes our Great Commander,
Cheer, my comrades, cheer!
Chours: “Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”

“Don’t shoot the rescuers if you are on a sinking ship!”  — Author Unknown


Fault Finding
J. West

Napoleon said that the man who never makes a mistake makes war.  Those who content themselves with standing aloof from revival and temperance work and devote their energies to pointing out the errors and blunders of those in the struggle are making themselves the greatest blunders.  Nothing is easier than fault-finding.  No talent, self-denial, brains, or character are required to set up in that grumbling business.

“In judging and criticizing our brethren, we meddle with that which does not belong to us.  We have enough work to do at home, and if we must judge, let us exercise our faculty upon our own hearts and ways.  —  Henry


The Christian’s Ruby Ring
Spurgeon

A king once gave a ring to his favorite subject.  He said to him, “I know that tomorrow, a charge of heresy will be brought against you.  Answer them if you will when you come in, but you need be in no fear.  If you are in trouble, simply show them the ring, and they will go no further.  The accusation will be dropped.”

It is even so with us.  The Lord has given us the precious blood of Christ to be like a ruby ring upon our finger.  When accusations bother our conscience or guilt is laid on us by Satan, we have only to remember that Christ’s sacrifice covers all our sins.  Our accusations should then be behind us.
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18

“Trust Christ, and you shall live.  The bloody sacrifice of Calvary is the only hope of sinners.”  — C. H. Spurgeon

The BIBLE VIEW #954 — The Bible

In This Issue:
Why Read It?
If the Bible Is Removed
The Bible
It’s of God
What They Said about the Bible

Volume: 954     April 22, 2024
Theme: The Bible

All need to read the Bible every day.  Do you have difficulty doing so?  Sign up to
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Why Read It?
Bill Brinkworth

Much of man’s history has pivoted around the Bible.  Many have spent their lives preserving it for all to read.  Thousands upon thousands have been persecuted and even killed for reading, believing, and living by its teachings.  

Wars have been waged to stop people from violating commands the Book prohibited, and wars have also been started to halt people from living the way the Bible says to live.  People have even printed devious perversions of the Holy Bible and have eliminated teachings they disagree with.

Why all the history involving the Bible?  Because it is not just a book!  The King James Bible is a perfect copy of the Word of God for English-speaking people (Its root texts are also the basis for Bibles in other major languages)!  It comes from a preserved line of copies and translations that have not altered any of its meanings or words since God had first put His words in the hearts and minds of those who penned what He inspired them to write.

People have been changed by living the principles of God’s Word.  Lives have been altered from the inside out as they practiced and trusted God’s preserved words.  Many have been convicted of its truths and done all they can to forget the haunting reminders of God’s Word.

This precious Book is both loved and hated because it:

  • Commands real government.  Although the Bible has much to say about people ruling people, the real government encouraged in God’s Word is mostly concerned with who will govern whom.  Will man govern himself his way, or will he humble himself and let God direct His life?
  • Commands housekeeping.  The housekeeping the Bible is concerned with most is cleaning up one’s personal life.  Its convicting words put God’s spotlight on the sinful filth one is committing.  Once sin is exposed, it is up to the individual to rid oneself of what God warns will ruin one if iniquity is not dealt with and eliminated.  Not removing sin when God’s Word exposes it will also make the hearer of the Word responsible for not letting God govern their life.
  • Gives godly guidance.  The Bible’s advice guides all who obey it through a successful life.  God has raised billions of “children.”  Our heavenly Father’s advice is always best.  It will tell one with whom to befriend, whom to marry, how to work, how to make the right decision, how to raise children, how to live, how to die, how to prepare for eternity, and how to make decisions one will have to make during their lifetime.
  • Gives godly protection.  God’s advice will protect one from making the same mistakes that have ruined many lives.  It warns of dangers that have entrapped so many.  God’s advice offers a life of safety, if heeded.

The Bible was and always will be the most important Book to man.  It is essential because its principles, when followed, will make a difference to one who is obedient to God’s commands. 

Do you read the Bible regularly?  Are you obeying its pages’ truths you have already been shown? 

The Word of God has been preserved so you and others will know God’s will and way.  Is it an important influence in your personal history?                               

“It is impossible to enslave a Bible-reading people.” — Horace Greeley 
This principle is may be why governments are trying hard to ridicule or eliminate God’s Word’s influences in lives!


If the Bible Is Removed
Dr. Payson, Before 1871

Destroy or change the Bible as the enemies of human happiness have vainly endeavored to do, and you render us profoundly ignorant of our Creator.  We will not know of the formation of the world we inhabit, of the origin and progenitors of our race, of our present-day and future destination, and consign us through life to the dominion of desire, doubt, and conjecture.

Destroy this volume, and you deprive us of true religion with its consolations, hopes, and prospects which it gives.  With its removal, nothing will be left of us but a miserable alternative between the cheerless gloom of infidelity and the monstrous shadows of paganism.

Destroy this volume, and you unpeople Heaven.  It will also bar from its entrance descendants of Adam’s race, gives Satan more freedom to cause wreck and havoc, bury hope in the same grave which receives our bodies, and allow us to expect nothing at death but a miserable fate in Hell.  

“If more people would read and obey their Bible, liberal preachers would be out of a job, and dead churches would come alive and make a difference in this dark, sinful world.”                                                                          


The Bible
R. Pollock

The Bible!  Hast thou ever heard
Of such a book?  The author, God himself;
The subject, God and man, salvation, life
And death — eternal life — eternal death —
Dread words!  Whose meaning has no end, no bounds!
Most wondrous book!  Bright candle from the Lord!
This book — this Holy Book, on every line
Marked with the seal of high divinity,
On every leaf bedewed with drops of love
Divine; and with the eternal heraldry
And signature of God Almighty stamped
From first to last; this ray of sacred light,
This lamp, from off the everlasting throne,
Mercy took down and in the night of time
Stood, casting on the dark her gracious bow;
And evermore beseeching men, with tears
And earnest sighs to read, believe, and live.

“The Bible is God’s personal letter to you!”  — Author Unknown


It’s of God!
D. Simpson

The Bible must be the invention either of good men or angels, evil men or devils, or of God.

It could not be the invention of good men or angels, for they neither would nor could make such a perfect prophetic, scientific, and historical book.  They would also be lying if they did, as all through the Bible it is written, “Thus saith the Lord.”

It could not be the invention of bad men or devils, for they could not and would not make a book that commands all duty, forbids all sin, and condemns their souls to an eternal Hell.

We, therefore, draw this conclusion: the Bible must be given by Divine inspiration!

What They Said about the Bible

“That book accounts for the supremacy of England.” — Queen Victoria

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” — George Washington

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to men.  All the good from the Saviour of the world is communicated to us through this Book.” — Abraham Lincoln

“That Book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.” — Andrew Jackson
That may be why government leaders are trying so hard to muzzle the Bible’s “voice” and influence.

“The Bible is the sheet-anchor (rope on a powerful sail) of our liberties.” — U. S. Grant

“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.” — Robert E. Lee

“I have made it a practice to read the Bible through every year.  The earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will be my hope that they will prove to be useful citizens to their country and be respectable members of society.” — John Quincy Adams

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”  Isaiah 40:8