19
Jan/12

Knowledge commended

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Here is some excellent teaching from Scripture and Charles Spurgeon:

‘But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And  they that understand among the people shall instruct many.’ Daniel 11:32–33

Suggested Further Reading:  Ezra 7:1–10

“Search the Scriptures. Do not merely read them—search them; look out the parallel passages; collate them; try to get the meaning of the Spirit upon any one truth by looking to all the texts which refer to it. Read the Bible  consecutively: do not merely read a verse here and there—that is not fair.  You would never know anything about John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress  if  you opened it every morning and read six lines in any part and then shut it up  again; you must read it all through if you want to know anything about it. Get  those books, say Mark or John; read Mark right through from beginning to  end; do not stop with two or three verses, or a chapter, but try to know what  Mark is aiming at. It is not fair to Paul to take his epistle to the Romans and  read one chapter: we are obliged to do it in public service; but if you want to  get at Paul’s meaning, read the whole epistle through as you would another  letter. Read the Bible in a commonsense way. Pray after you have read it as  much as you like. When you are reading it, if you come to a knotty point, do  not skip it. You all have some Christian friend who knows more than you do;  go to him and try to get the thing explained. Above all, when you have read  any passage, and do understand it, act it out, and ask the Spirit of God to  burn the meaning into your conscience till it is written on the fleshy tables of  your heart.”

For thought and action: Daily readings should supplement Bible study, not replace  it. Have you ever tried to read the Bible in a year? Try the reading schedule the Elders have chosen to help you. It may be hard work, especially the first time, but many have been so blessed that they have resolved to read the whole Bible every year.  But beware of it becoming an academic exercise. Note Ezra’s example—his  desire was to study God’s word, to do it and to teach it—in that order (Ezra 7: 10). His aim was not to practice what he preached, but to preach what he practiced!

Grace and Peace,
Elder Dale

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8
Jan/12

Unity in Christ

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A timely devotional from the pulpit of C.H. Spurgeon, edited by Terence Peter Crosby:

‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.’ John 17:20–21
Suggested Further Reading: Ephesians 4:4–16

“If you would promote the unity of Christ’s church, look after his lost sheep, seek out wandering souls. If you ask what is to be your word, the answer is in the text—it is to be concerning Christ. They are to believe in him. Every soul that believes in Christ is built into the great gospel unity in its measure, and you will never see the church as a whole while there is one soul left unsaved for whom the Saviour shed his precious blood. Go out and teach his Word! Tell out the doctrines of grace as he has given you ability. Hold up Christ before the eyes of men, and you will be the means in God’s hand of bringing them to believe in him, and so the church shall be built up and made one.  Here is work for the beginning of the year; here is work till the end of the year. Do not sit down and scheme and plot and plan how this denomination may melt into the other; you leave that alone. Your business is to go and ‘tell to sinners round what a dear Saviour you have found’, for that is God’s way of using you to complete the unity of his Church. Unless these be saved, the Church is not perfect. That is a wonderful text, ‘That they without us should not be made perfect.’ That is to say, saints in heaven cannot be perfect unless we get there. What! the blessed saints in heaven not perfect except the rest of believers come there? So the Scripture tells us, for they would be a part of  the body and not a whole body; they cannot be perfect as a flock unless the rest of the sheep come there.”

For meditation: God’s instrument for furthering and completing true unity is spiritual—the ongoing addition of souls to his kingdom through the proclamation of Christ crucified. Man’s instrument for promoting organisational unity is political and carnal. Unity, just like the new birth, is ‘not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God’ (John 1:13).

Sermon no. 668, 7 January (1866), Metropolitan Tabernacle

Grace and Peace,
Elder Dale

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7
Dec/11

Winter Bible Study for Women

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           Winter Women’s Bible Study
A 10-week DVD study on The Promised One by Nancy Guthrie
Tuesday mornings from 9:00am-10:30am beginning January 17, 2012
Cost: $15 for book
Room 204 (Bible Study Room)
Childcare provided
Please contact Amy Klingler to sign up.

 

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26
Nov/11

Dig Deeper!

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“Do not hover always on the surface of things, nor take up suddenly, with mere appearances; but penetrate into the depth of matters, as far as your time and circumstances allow, especially in those things which relate to your profession.”
-Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748, English hymn writer, theologian, and logician)

“Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

Grace and Peace,
Elder Dale

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15
Nov/11

We must give to God the glory of His patience and long-suffering towards us and His willingness to be reconciled

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This is taken from “Matthew Henry’s Method for Prayer” edited by J. Ligon Duncan:

O the riches of the patience and forbearance of God! Romans 2:4(ESV) How patient he is toward us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9(ESV)
You have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us according to our iniquities, Psalm 103:10(ESV) but you wait to be gracious to us. Isaiah 30:18(ESV)
Sentence against our evil deeds has not been executed speedily, Ecclesiastes 8:11(ESV) but you have given us time to repent and make our peace with you, Revelation 2:21(ESV) and call even faithless sons to return to you, and have promised to heal our faithlessness; and therefore, behold, we come to you, for you are the LORD our God. Jeremiah 3:22(ESV)
Surely the patience of our Lord is counted as salvation; 2 Peter 3:15(ESV) and if the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not now have shown us such things as these. Judges 13:23(ESV)
And O that this kindness of God might lead us to repentance! Romans 2:4(ESV) For though we have broken faith with our God, yet now there is hope for us in Israel in spite of this. Ezra 10:2(ESV)
You have said it and have confirmed it with an oath, that you have no pleasure in the death of sinners, but rather desire that we should turn and live. Ezekiel 33:11(ESV) Therefore will we rend our hearts, and not our garments, and return to the LORD our God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him? Joel 2:13-14(ESV)

Grace and Peace,
Elder Dale

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1
Nov/11

What are you seeking after?

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Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

“Everybody wants to be happy. That is the great motive behind every act and ambition, behind all work and all striving and effort. Everything is designed for happiness. But the great tragedy of the world is that, though it gives itself to seek for happiness, it never seems to be able to find it. The present state of the world reminds us of that very forcibly. What is the matter? I think the answer is that we have never understood this text as we should have done: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” What does it mean? Let me put it negatively like this. We are not to hunger and thirst after blessedness; we are not to hunger and thirst after happiness. But that is what most people are doing. We put happiness and blessedness as the one thing that we desire, and thus we always miss it; it always eludes us. According to the Scriptures happiness is never something that should be sought directly; it is always something that results from seeking something else.”
-D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Grace and Peace.
Elder Dale

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26
Sep/11

Five Facts Every Christian Should Know

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This is an interesting tract that I stumbled upon that highlights some of the important points from the past couple of Sunday sermons. I do not know when it was written and the author only leaves initials at the end, however the exposition is well worth consideration:

Revealed in Romans 8:29,30

FACT #1: For whom He did foreknow — Before the foundation of the world, God determined who shall be the objects of his love (1 Peter 1:2; Eph. 1:4; Rev. 21:27).

FACT #2: He also did predestinate — Before the foundation of the world, God determined how the objects of His love shall be made to know their position (1 Thess. 5:9; Eph. 1:5,11; Phil. 2:13).

FACT #3: Them He also called — Before the foundation of the world, God determined when in their lives He would quicken them to spiritual life (Gal. 1:15,16; Eph. 1:10,13,18).

FACT #4: Them He also justified — Before the foundation of the world, God determined by what means the objects of his love would be reconciled to Himself (Rom 3:24; Eph. 1:6; Eph. 2:13).

FACT #5: Them He also glorified — Before the foundation of the world, God determined where the objects of His love should spend eternity (Rev. 21:24; Eph. 2:4-7; Col. 3:4).

Consider that these five facts were established in time, before the foundation of the world and they cannot be completely fulfilled until after this present world passes away, yet, they are recorded in the Sacred Scriptures in the past tense, as though they had already been fulfilled. Such is the certainty of God”s purpose for you. We also notice, that, whereas, these facts have to do with your personal and eternal salvation, none of them depend upon you for their fulfillment, but were determined long before you ever existed and are according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph. 1:5,6).

One thing that is very evident, is, that you are not a Christian today because of some twist of fate, or because the odds happened to be in your favor, or that you are just plain lucky. You are a Christian today because of some very deliberate planning on God”s part, that began before He created this world and shall continue long after this world is dissolved.

How may you know that these things pertain to you after all? Peter admonishes us to, “give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” First of all, you will know that you have been quickened or made spiritually alive by God, if you have a spiritual appetite. Do you truly hunger after the things of God? Do you seek to know and understand the Word of God? Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in your life? Do you have love, joy and peace within your own soul, longsuffering, gentleness and goodness towards others and faith, meekness and temperance before God? Have you confessed that Jesus is Lord and do you believe that God raised Him from the dead? Do you recognize that only the blood of Jesus Christ, God”s Son, can cleanse you from all sin? If you can answer yes to these questions, this is evidence that God has wrought a miracle of grace in your heart and you have been born again. These things are certain because they depend not on you, but on God the Father, who purposed your redemption, God the Son who accomplished your redemption and God the Holy Spirit who applies your redemption. What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who shall be against us? (Romans 8:31) So, rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20). —C.R.M.

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12
Sep/11

911 “In My Seat”

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This video provides a powerful statement about one who benefits from the sacrifice of another.  Watch.  Thanks to Kris Harrison for sharing it with me.

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11
Sep/11

Reading and Searching the Scriptures

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As a follow up to Sunday’s Sermon, great instruction from the pen of  Thomas Boston (1676 – 1732):

1. Follow a regular plan in reading the Scriptures, so that you may become acquainted with the entire Bible; and make this reading a part of your private devotions. Do not always confine yourselves only to read according to your set plan, so as never to read by choice, however, having a plan leads to the most edification. Some parts of the Bible are more difficult, some may seem very dry for an ordinary reader; but if you would look on all of it as being the very Words of God, never to be disregarded, but read with faith and reverence, then without a doubt you will find great gain.

2. Be sure to mark those passages you read, the ones which you find most fitting to your situation, condition, or temptations; or those that you have found which touches your heart more than other passages. It will be most profitable for you to often review these marked passages.

3. Compare one Scripture with another, the more obscure verses with those which are more clear. This is an excellent means to find out the sense of the Scriptures; and this is the best use of the notes found in the margins of most Bibles. And always keep Christ in view, for He is revealed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament (in its genealogies, types, and sacrifices), as well as in the passages of the New Testament.

4. Read the Bible with a holy attention, always remembering the majesty of God, and the reverence that is due Him. This must be done with attention, first, to the words; second, to the sense; and, third, to the divine authority of the Scripture, and the obligation it lays on the conscience for obedience. The Apostle Paul said, “We thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

5. Let your main purpose in reading the Scriptures be for application to your life, and not just to gain knowledge, James said, “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Read the Bible that you may learn and do, without any limitation. Whatever you see that God requires, you must study to put into practice.

6. Beg God and ask Him for the help of His Holy Spirit. For it is the Holy Spirit that inspired the Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who will give us the understanding of it. Paul said, “Who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11) Therefore before you read the Bible, it is very important that you ask for a blessing on what you are about to read.

7. Beware of a worldly, fleshly mind: for fleshly sins blind the mind from the things of God. In an eclipse of the moon, the earth comes between the sun and the moon, and so keeps the light of the sun from it. In the same way, the world in the heart, comes between you and the light of the Word, keeping its divine light from you.

8. Labor to be disciplined toward godliness, and to perceive your spiritual circumstances. For a disciplined attitude greatly helps us to understand the Bible. Such a Christian will find his circumstances in the Word, and the Word will give light to his circumstances, and his circumstances will give light into the Word.

9. Whatever you learn from the Word, labor to put it into practice. For to him that has, more will be given. Those people who make no effort to put into practice, what they already know about God’s Word, will get very little insight into the Bible. But while the stream runs through a holy life, the fountain will always be more refreshing.

Grace and Peace,
Elder Dale
The Shepherd’s Crook
The Old Paths

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19
Aug/11

Growing in Grace

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Here is another great devotional from the the pen of Richard Sibbes:

“As the sun is on its course though we cannot see it move, and as plants and herbs grow though we cannot perceive them to grow, even so it does not follow that a Christian grows not because he cannot see himself grow. Nay, if believers decay in their first love, or in some other grace, yet another grace may grow and increase, such as their humility, their broken-heartedness; they sometimes seem not to grow in the branches when they may grow at the root; upon a check grace breaks out more; as we say, after a hard winter there usually follows a glorious spring.

It is not sufficient for a Christian to have habitual grace; there is no vine can bring forth fruit without the fresh influences of heaven, though it be planted and well rooted in a good soil; so we cannot bring forth fruit unless God assists us; our former strength will not serve when a new temptation comes.

As men cherish young plants at first and fence them about with hedges to keep them from hurt, but when they are grown they remove these things and leave them to the wind and weather, so God sustains His children at first with props of inward comforts, but afterwards He exposes them to storms and winds because they are better able to bear them. Therefore let no man think himself the better because he is more free from troubles than others; it is because God sees him not fit to bear greater.”

Grace and Peace,
Elder Dale
The Shepherd’s Crook
The Old Paths

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