Sun, Jul 29th - 5:15AM

Evaluation of Our Motives

The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings.  Jer. 17:9,10

...and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.  Rev. 2:23

Why do we do the things that we do, both the good things as well as the bad?  I suppose the natural conclusion to this question is that we do the good that we do out of a good and pure motive and, correspondingly we do the bad out of a less than pure motive.  Those who are true disciples of Jesus Christ and who go on to know Him in a progressively more intimate way know that this is only partially correct.  They, sooner or later find that the motives deep within their hearts are nearly always tainted with some impurity, and that it is indeed possible to do some very good act out of an entirely wrong, self-serving and evil motive.  For the disciple first discovering this fact about his own nature, a great consternation can arise in his mind.  Not only is he in agreement with the statement in Romans chapter seven:

For that which I do, I know not. For what I desire, that I do not do; but what I hate, that I do.  Rom. 7:15 (MKJV),

but he finds, further that even when he does the good that he knows he ought to do, his motives for doing it are quite often, if not always questionable. 

What a frustrating dilemma for the Christian who sincerely (to one degree or another) seeks to follow Christ!  Many, I believe push aside, or suppress such convictions, in an attempt to deny them.  But, the Spirit of God working in conjunction with the word of God is not easily deterred from His mission in the lives of His people.  (See Heb. 4:12)   It does appear that in the lives of many in the churches conviction of sin and error, in whatever degree it might be present has little if any effect.  Often, in our own lives we may persist for very long periods in a particular area of sin with no apparent rebuke from the Lord.  But Scripture assures us that God is always working in the lives of His children to bring them into conformity with the righteous character of His Son.  (See Rom. 8:29 and surrounding verses.)  Quite often a boost is required to that faint inner voice calling us to repentance and a deeper level of faith and obedience.  This boost comes usually in the form of what is called chastening. 

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  Heb. 12:6

The entire 12^th chapter of the book of Hebrews is an attempt to encourage the believer by showing him the purpose of this chastening, that it is for his good that he might become a partaker of God’s holiness.  (V. 10) 

          A very significant part of that holiness in the life of the Christian believer is an understanding of the depraved tendencies of his own flesh and the quality of the grace that God has extended to him in the salvation-sanctification  process.  We are told in John’s first epistle that:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  1Jn. 1:8

This is fairly well the condition of all mankind, that is a blindness to their own sin and sinfulness.  But the genuine follower of Christ knows differently about the true nature of his inner being.  When the revelation of this fact of the utter sinfulness of one’s heart comes with its full force by the power of the Holy Spirit it can be quite overwhelming, and would truly destroy us, if it were not accompanied by a graciously imparted understanding of God’s love and acceptance, despite this deep, abiding flaw in us.

          This point of true conviction of the real character within is the beginning point of sanctification in the life of the believer in Christ, which ultimate end is the perfection and glorification of that soul.  Many in the churches argue against a full, practical holiness and the possibility of its attainment in the Christians life.  They, I believe are in gross error and are doing a great disservice to their brethren.  We are commanded to be holy (1Pet. 1:15 and other passages), and this holiness of life must be rooted in a holiness of heart, which can only be had as we see the utter un-holiness within us apart from the cleansing work of the Spirit on a continual basis.  May the Lord of the Church restore this truth to a generation with a very superficial view of the Christian life and cause us to honestly look into the deep motives within our hearts and turn wholly and desperately to God for His help!

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Ps. 139: 23,24

Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  Matt. 5:8

Sun, Jul 15th - 7:03PM

Grief and Divorce-Recovery Workshops

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.  Matt. 23:13

            “Why can’t Michael say something nice, some positive things to encourage the church, instead of always criticizing us?”  This is perhaps the question in some of your minds, and truly in the minds of many who read my writings once or twice and never again.  The following account is a partial answer to this question.  Until those who profess to know God by Jesus Christ will take the blinders of the false, worldly gospel they dispense to the needy sheep around them, I must continue to express my great, indignant concern for the disservice they are doing to those sinning and perishing in our communities across the nation and the world today.

            Surely the true Gospel is a message of hope, of comfort in the salvation offered to all in the death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection.  What is, often today being offered through the ministries of the organized Evangelical churches is really a false hope and a comfortless comfort based upon human understanding and ability.  The woman who has been cutting my hair for the past several months has furnished me with a very real example of this shallow, hopeless hope that these churches are offering.  Her name is Cindy, a very lovely and sensitive person who recently moved here from Florida with her husband.  The time before my most recent haircut with Cindy, I learned about the great void in her life.  We had developed a rapport very quickly and my faith in God had become very visible to her.  Shortly before departing from Florida, she lost her 13 year old daughter to a motor scooter accident.  Somehow, the Lord granted me to feel the pain of this loss, and perhaps in a small, indirect way to understand it and share her burden in it.  I, myself have a girl who is nearly 23, and about to be married.  Though I was absent during my imprisonment for nearly six years during a very formative time in her life, God has been slowly healing Emily and answering my prayers for her.  The thought of losing her entirely, and especially losing her soul to perdition is unbearable to me.

            Poor Cindy has no daughter, no comfort that is real and lasting, and has no hope in Christ!  Why did the Lord send me to Cindy?  It’s very obvious to those who know the Lord and the ways in which He works on behalf of the lost.  How can I tell Cindy what she needs to hear about her loss, and the great and mysterious purposes the Sovereign God has for His called out children?  How can I help Cindy to see the suffering of a Saviour, and the redemptive purposes God has for allowing His people to suffer so terribly in this present world?

Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.  And whether we be afflicted, [it is] for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, [it is] for your consolation and salvation.  And our hope of you [is] stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so [shall ye be] also of the consolation.  2Cor. 1:3-7

            Somehow, Cindy knows that Michael, this painter who comes to her because he likes the way she cuts his hair, is a messenger from the God she doesn’t know, and whose ways are too difficult for her to understand.  As you can imagine, she is angry toward this God, and quite perplexed, staggering and fainting in depression, doubts and confusion.  But God is working on this woman, this lost little lamb that has been bruised by the deathly forces that rule the present world.  And who is competent for such a ministry?  Certainly not I, a scarcely saved sinner, often insensitive of speech and lacking in true compassion for those in pain.  But, God is able.  He is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think on behalf of those in need of His wonderful grace.

            My last encounter with Cindy, just days ago, was blessed, though very difficult.  I stopped in spontaneously on my return from Home Depot to our job site, thinking I might catch her there, and without an appointment with another client.  I was beginning to look shaggier than I prefer to look, but haven’t been able, of late to find the time to schedule a haircut.  The timing was perfectly of the Lord.  The place was empty and she was available.  In our few encounters we had become like old friends, a little dangerous being of the opposite sex, but safe, nevertheless in God’s purposes.  As we commenced my shearing, she opened up more to me about her pain, and told me of a grief seminar, or workshop she had attended at a very prominent church here in the Springs.  She began relating some of the stories of the other participants, which I could hardly bear to listen to.  What were they doing in this workshop to present God’s solution to Cindy and the other desperately hurting people in attendance?  I quickly realized that the contemporary humanistic concept of catharsis was the solution.  I asked her if any mention was made in the meetings of Jesus Christ and the help that He would offer such hurting souls.  She couldn’t remember if that happened or not.  My response then, and now is anger.  What are these “Christians” doing for the sheep that the Spirit of God is bringing to them for ministry?  I know this, that anyone who truly possesses Christ and has, to any extent experienced His mercy and kindness in his life cannot restrain his bowels of mercy toward one who comes open for answers to life’s questions.  The logical question I must ask is, “Who are these people that make up these “mega-churches?”  What exactly is the root of the ministry in these edifices that bear the title “Evangelical?”  Who, or what is it that has authorized them to pick and choose what aspects of the Gospel they will emphasize in order to make it humanly appealing so they can fill their pews with tithe-paying bodies?  How sad that the Gospel has degenerated into something little more than a “feel good about yourself” message!  I know that the Lord that I have come to know intimately will not suffer these modifiers of the truth to enter into His everlasting Kingdom on the final day unless a true turning from their godlessness occurs.

            Some of you reading this have encouraged me after my last posting to pursue the ministry that the Lord has called to perform at this time.  I have a couple of men now who desire to meet regularly for Bible study and discipleship.  Pray, please that we can find a facility of some kind to begin our meetings in.  I plan to speak with a pastor in this coming week to make this request of him.  Pray the Lord will move on his heart and in his mind to help us, if that be His will.  Otherwise, that the Lord will graciously lead us to the right place.  I am determined to pursue this work because I believe it’s time.  My anger, though subdued and consecrated, is one aspect of the zeal I have to see a truly holy Gospel ministry arise in this community so profuse with “Evangelical” activity.  Please pray for me!  Pray for Cindy and for all around me here, as well as the many near you who are waiting to hear an accurate word from God about Jesus and what He can do to make a difference in their lives.  Thank you, my friends!  I’ll keep you posted.

Who will go to America,  Land of the red, white and blue?

Who will go to America?  Tell me brother, sister, why not you?

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!  Rom. 10:13-15

Sun, Jul 8th - 8:53PM

Launching Out

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.  Eccl. 11:1

     I believe the time has come for me to lauch out into the ministry of preaching.  I've waited long and travailed much in spirit in anxious anticipation of this time.  By faith, I've moved out into the deep, extending myself, trusting that God shall sustain me in the work He has called me to perform.  There could be no greater time of need in the history of the world and of our nation for the accurate presentation of the Gospel to a needy, dying generation.  Jesus said, ...for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Jn. 18:37 

        As it was for my Lord, so it is for His disciple.  I must likewise bear witness of and to the truth of the Gospel.  In the past few weeks I have come to the decision to leave my present fellowship and launch out into a new direction for fellowship and ministry.  I presently have no official church to attend nor anyone behind or with me in the evangelistic ministry I feel called to perform.  My thought is to attempt to begin a men’s discipleship group and eventually a radio preaching ministry.  I say this all purely by faith in God who has placed these desires in my mind and heart, I believe.   Are there any out there who would pray for me concerning these desires and intentions? 

Revive Thy Work

Revive Thy work, O Lord, Thy mighty arms make bare;

Speak with voice that wakes the dead,     And make Thy people hear.

Revive Thy work, O Lord, Disturb this sleep of death;

Quicken the smould’ring embers now,   By Thine almighty breath.

Revive Thy work, O Lord, Create soul-thirst for Thee;

And hung-‘ring for the bread of life,     Oh, may our spirits be!

Revive Thy work, O Lord, Exalt Thy precious name;

And by the Holy Ghost, our love     For Thee and Thine in-flame.

                                Albert Midlane

Wed, Jul 4th - 1:16PM

Holiness, the Assurance of Victory in Christ

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.  1Jn. 2:28,29

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.  1Jn. 3:19-21

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  1Jn. 5:2-5

            These verses that I have cited above from John’s first epistle speak of a righteous manner of living that is the result of the manifestation of a true faith in Jesus Christ.  That manner of living, when cultivated and developed to a consistency in the life of the Christian may be termed holiness.  We are told elsewhere in the scriptures that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”  (Heb. 12:14)  We see, therefore that holiness is not an option for the true child of God, but moreover, a vital necessity to His present relationship with God, as well as to his entry into God’s everlasting kingdom.  By the authority of the above statements from God’s word it is safe to assert that those who profess to have Christ and the salvation He offers, but who are devoid of holiness and a sincere desire for the pursuit of it are self-deceived, and don’t truly know Him. 

          There is no excuse for the lack of holiness in the life of one, who claims to have Christ as Lord.  Certainly there are reasons for inconsistencies in the lives of Christians. Those reasons are, however not justifiable in their Lord’s eyes, as He has provided all of the resources necessary for them to come to a full and complete knowledge of Him, and to bring their lives into complete conformity with His perfect will for them in every area.  Trite little phrases, such as, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven” do not justify selfish, self-oriented and sinful practices of living in the follower of Jesus.  The Bible teaches that grace is a means of overcoming the practice of sin, as much as it is relief from the consequences thereof.  Jesus’ words to the adulteress were “...go and sin no more.”  Jn. 8:11,  as He forgave her for her sin and abated its consequences.  According to contemporary Evangelical teaching and practice, He might have said something like:  “go and try not to do it again, but, I understand your weakness.  We all make mistakes.”  He knew that sin is the transgression of God’s holy law, and that His law cannot be violated without the manifestation of His judgment upon the violator.  For one who claims to be forgiven of his sins by the blood of Christ’s atonement to willfully sin is, as the scripture says,  to “do despite (insult) unto the spirit of grace.”  Heb. 10:29   Indeed, severe punishment awaits such a one!  But it goes on to say that, “we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”  (v.39)

            It is our belief (faith) which furnishes the victory over the world and sin, and enables us to live a holy life before the world and before God.  Living pure is not an option, as the majority of Evangelical churches seem to teach, at least by the example they give.  There are innumerable ways in which American Christians presently live in ways that are clearly displeasing to God and diminish their witness in the communities in which they live.  Some of this may be attributed to ignorance, faulty or false teaching or even differences of opinion about what constitutes holiness.  Whatever the reasons might be, God’s standards do not change with the times.  Sin is still sin today as it was fifty, one hundred or one thousand years ago, and it is incumbent upon us who name the name of Christ to depart from it.  Yes, there are differences of convictions that we all may variously hold about supposedly minor, non-essential matters.  But the trend today is to see how broad the commandment is, and to explore the supposed freedom we have in Christ to express our individuality and find enjoyment in life, rather than to earnestly seek God’s perfect will on a particular issue.  “How much can we be like the world, conforming to its standards, customs and values, and still be safe in God’s hold?” is the question in the minds of many church-goers today.  These are like those who walk out onto a frozen lake farther and farther to see how far they can go before the ice breaks beneath them.  What kind of concern for their true safety do such people really possess?

          “My pastor has never said anything from the pulpit about this and this subject, and he and his family seem to indulge in this and this, so it must be all right with God.  After all, the pastor is the one who gets paid to know what the Bible really says about practical Christian living.”  Such reasoning is very much like the Roman Catholic concept of the priesthood of certain individuals.  The Bible teaches the priesthood of every believer in his individual relationship to God, and his responsibility to obey the Spirit and the Word of God.  Our passages above, as well as the entire tenor of the New Testament conveys this quite plainly.  Your pastor, a supposedly elder Christian with more experience in following the Lord ought, certainly to be an example to the flock he has been charged with shepherding.  But he is not the standard.  The elders within each local assembly of believers are charged with helping to establish and affirm God’s standards of holy living, not by constraint, but by example as well as by instruction, but we as individuals are each accountable to the word of God.  The church you attend may be looser than you know it ought to be in some areas.  It may have no standards at all, and simply avoid setting them to avoid offending people and driving them away.  This, if it be the case, ought to drive you away, if you are a true disciple and want to live holily amongst others who share that same desire.

          “But what about legalism, that big boogeyman?  You will be misunderstood and scorned, and labeled legalistic and Pharisaical, and, even “weird” and “odd” because you desire to live simply and moderately and modestly and purely before the world.  Didn’t Jesus promise His disciples that they would be persecuted and rejected?  Living in a so-called “Christian” culture does not exempt His followers from this.  Yes, there are dangers and pitfalls in the pursuit of holiness.  Human perfectionism derives from self-righteousness and pride, and is the opposite of a humble quest for full obedience to God.  But the true seeker will overcome these obstacles and find God’s ways and will for his life.  The Bible exhorts us to perseverance in our quest for His will.  Why sell ourselves short because everybody else is following some broad path that appeals to the earthly inclinations so prevalent in our flesh?  Why not go on to truly know the Lord and all of the goodness and righteousness He has in store for those who search for Him with all their hearts?  Why not obtain the birthright in Christ that is rightfully ours when we surrender all to him and thereby make our calling and election sure, gaining the confidence and assurance that we truly are children of the living God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation?  May those who hear the call to holiness respond with every ounce of strength supplied them by the Spirit of God, and find the grace so abundantly available to them to live above sin in the heavenly realm!

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  For our God [is] a consuming fire.  Heb. 12:28,29

Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.

Hos. 6:3

Sun, Jul 1st - 10:26AM

Female Submission to Men 

"I think sometimes men confuse submission by meaning "total obedience to". We are all, as Christians, to submit to one another in love. And yes, when people act in accordance with God we are more apt to submit (be open to) their ideas, ways, and opinions. If we know that people are behaving in ways that are in our best interest why wouldn't someone respond favorably to that? When men are led by their own selfish desires we are less apt to be open to such things."

                I’d like to respond to the above comment to my last posting entitled, “Give Me Men.”  First of all, I’d like to thank our sister for taking the time to read my posting and make a comment.  The indifference I have felt on this website is one of the reasons why I have nearly quit posting on it.  There seem to be certain topics that, when explored, always generate controversy and misunderstanding.  The subject of male-female relations is clearly one of them, perhaps the chief one.  It seems plain to me from the account of creation and the events concerning the fall of man in the Garden, as well as the reality of human history that the relationship between the man and the woman has always had a kind of tension to it.  The sister’s comment exhibits that tension and just a taste of the misunderstanding and confusion that has cursed mankind in the thousands of years ensuing his departure from the perfect paradise he once inhabited and had dominion over as male and female.

          A very plain interpretation of the relationship between the two sexes is given in the New Testament in numerous places, at least once by the Apostle Peter (1Pet. 3:1 ff.), and more than once by Paul.    Paul limits the function of the woman in the New Testament Church assembly to a distinctly subordinate role, citing specifically the incident of the fall and her disobedience in Genesis chapter three. (1Tim. 2)  The natural tendency, especially among those who either reject Scripture altogether, or those within the churches who wish to modify it’s teachings to accommodate their views is to re-interpret or even to ignore these and other clear passages on the subject.  This is obviously the case of a large Baptist church in Georgia that has recently called a woman to the senior pastorate.  Times change, and social-religious attitudes and values evolve, but the word of God is constant and does not change.

          The rebellion first brought about by the woman’s disobedience in the Garden, and assented to by her husband has wreaked havoc in human society and in God’s church for all of the ensuing generations since that time.  The redemption brought about by the Lord Jesus in His advent and death and resurrection has certainly provided a remedy for our social dilemma, but few seem to be willing to accept that remedy and abide peacefully in it.  I must acknowledge honestly that the points that many feminists make concerning the tendency of men to dominate their wives is valid, because of the result of that first sin and the curse pronounced by the Lord upon the woman and the man at that time.  But Peter very clearly explains that her submission as a NT Christian believer is not contingent upon the man’s behaviour, but rather upon her obedience and devotion to God, with the assurance that her godly conduct can win him to Christ. (see 1Pet. 3:1)

          Getting back to my essay, I cannot help but feel that our sister did misunderstand the assertion made therein concerning female submission to godly men.  God’s principles as provided to us in the Bible do not change.  But, when we have an agenda, (I do  not say our sister has one) or when we are offended in some way at the presentation of truth (I don’t say she was offended), or even when we disagree with one another on any particular issue, it is incumbent upon us to examine our hearts and see if there be any ungodly or carnal motive in us.  I have had to do this countless times in my interactions with others, often finding error in my heart, though my argument may have been perfectly right.  I believe that this matter of manhood, true Christian manhood is of utmost importance in the time in which we now live.  I must also affirm, as I did in the essay in question that godly men are desperately needed in this hour, and that if such men would indeed come forward, for the most part the women would find their place of dignified submission to them in their homes and churches, as they have throughout the ages.  May the Lord help me to get this across to my brethren!