Faith Of Our Brothers

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17

Hardly anything carries as much weight as an action of Christian friendship, under the government of charity, unto effecting Christian results. As we sing the song(s) “Faith Of Our Fathers (Mothers)” reflecting in gratitude what their faith conveyed to us, consider also that hardly anything measures up to the impact of the “faith of our brothers and sisters” in Christ.

What to do, is conceived in the heart where charity never faileth. How to do it, is fostered through selfless submission to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Choosing the nature of what we say or do is all important: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Proverbs 25:11 Our approach must be positive to effect a positive response.

For the most part, people think wrongly because they are not thinking right. Obviously, the best remedy is to minister right thinking in an offering made in an acceptable way unto them. Just a word fitly spoken, in a non-offensive, caring presentation, may very well become key to bring the overall picture into focus. Most of the time, people know what their problems and difficulties are, but they may be one piece short on a positive input. A fitting word can turn a person’s thinking around completely!

The prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) knew all about his problems. But it wasn’t until he began to think constructively about what he could do to make things right (Luke 15:17-19) that he arose and returned home. Inflaming guilt won’t mend a broken life, but inspiring faith will start the healing.

Christ majored in looking beyond the fault to see the need. He could have pinned any one to the wall with His discerning omniscience. “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” Psalm 130:3 “But He came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17 It is bitter to have someone down on you, but it is refreshing to the spirit to have the ways of righteousness recommended with the highest regard. It is difficult to help someone up by pushing them down. The best way is to provide that by which they can use to pull themselves up.

Who is sufficient for these things? In this day of super-sensitivity and abounding offense, the call is urgent for those who will lead the way by exampleship. Those who willingly choose to shoulder responsibility, are influential ones for the cause of Christ.

“Who is willing to consecrate his service, this day, unto the Lord?” 1 Chronicles 29:5b

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Resigned To God’s Care & Keeping

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34

We will reference Jacob’s experience to illustrate Christ’s teaching, regarding living by faith, one day at a time.

Genesis 25:29-34 records the event of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a mess of pottage. Hebrews 12:16-17 says this was due to Esau being a profane person, that he lacked respect for the spiritual privileges and opportunities that this birthright conveyed. As Genesis 25:34 states: “thus Esau despised his birthright.”

So, Jacob became the rightful heir of the birthright blessing. But when it came time for Isaac to bestow the birthright blessing, Esau was going to step in and claim it. Genesis 27 records how their mother, Rebekah, stepped in and made sure that Jacob received the birthright blessing instead of Esau. Though the means she devised to do this was marred by human imperfection, nevertheless it secured the birthright unto Jacob, the rightful heir, just as God had foretold, as stated in Romans 9. Esau’s response to all of this was: “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay Jacob.” Genesis 27:41

Those words were told to Rebekah, who then intreated Isaac to send Jacob away to her brother, Laban’s place, to find Jacob a wife, as well as to abide there until Esau’s anger was abated. So, Jacob set out for Padan-aram.

But the time came when God commanded Jacob to return to his father’s house, in the land of Canaan, Genesis 31:3. And as far as Jacob knew, Esau still intended to kill him.

In Genesis 32, we find Jacob fearing the worst, making contingency plans for the worst case scenario, and praying to God for deliverance. God made Jacob a cripple, rather than a giant, thus unable to stand up to Esau, and this left Jacob with no other recourse but to be totally dependent upon God to preserve him.

As Jacob realized his situation was now out of his hands, and he fully resigned himself to being in God’s hands, he found the needed peace, strength, and assurance: “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Genesis 32:30

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Rightly Dividing The Scripture

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

“Rightly dividing” means to cut straight or right. It means to properly identify and set forth every part. It has to do with the proper appropriation of all scripture, without undue emphasis on some part, while neglecting or depreciating other parts.

“Rightly dividing” is not about the elimination of any scripture, but is about the understanding of it all. It is not about dividing up something of different or diverse teachings; but “rightly dividing the word of truth”: the = singular. Thus, it is about studying “all scripture” to see how it all comes together as one truth = “One Lord, one faith,” etc.

“Rightly dividing” is studying unto the discovery of the harmony, the infinite, unchangeable, infallible, eternal dimensions of “all scripture.” It is seeing how it all has the same principles and demonstrates the same things. It is discerning how the Old Testament was the foreshadowing of the New Testament, and how the N.T. is the fulfilling of the O.T. and in no way the destruction of it. It is about seeing the eternal dimensions of God’s Word, that it’s principles have not, nor will not ever pass away. It is about knowing that the truth of yesterday is still the truth of today, and the eternal standard of judgment for all.

“Rightly dividing” is about accepting God’s laws on the inspired Bible: that “all scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable (proper) for doctrine” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and that “no scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:19-21

Man’s position towards the inspired scriptures is that people cannot properly understand the Bible without first subjecting it to man’s own rules of interpretation. Man’s rules of interpretation are not about “rightly dividing” the scripture, but always about elimination of obligation to accept “all scripture.”

When “all scripture” is studied unto “rightly dividing the word of truth,” you have a complete set of checks and balances to prove all things, unto understanding what the will of the Lord is. When or where all scripture is studied to rightly divide the word of truth, you will not find doctrinal error on salvation, baptism, the New Testament Church, separation, etc. But where “all scripture” is not studied to rightly divide the word of truth, you can have and do have a departure from every doctrine of the scriptures, beginning with the plan of salvation. For example, those who teach salvation through baptism, have first eliminated the baptism of John as being New Testament baptism. When man eliminates scriptures, he can justify anything– even women preachers and homosexuals. Think about it.

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The Rage Of The Heathen

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” Psalm 2:1

The leader of Iran continues to deny the holocaust, and also to call for the destruction of Israel (and the United States.)

Ezekiel 38 refers to Iran (known as Persia in the scriptures) as being one of many nations with evil intent against Israel in the latter days. Iran, Libya, and their other allies will fight against Israel, but to their own ruin.

The leadership of Iran is devoted to religious Jihad. They, like the Taliban, Al-qaeda, Hamas, and other radical Islam sects, believe in violence and bloodshed to accomplish their objectives. They only use negotiations to gain concessions from those they seek to destroy.

What makes radical Islam so determined to have their way at all costs, is not just a fight for territory, wealth, or sovereignty, but to them this is a matter of securing their eternal soul salvation. They are driven to fight to the death for their ideological beliefs. Unless they are converted from these beliefs, there is no changing or stopping them apart from death. That is why negotiations will not work with their mindset as it is. They have nothing that they will compromise.

According to those who have researched it, the belief of the leadership of Iran is that their god (their messiah) is to return to Earth to establish a one world Islamic kingdom. But before he returns, there is to be universal war and bloodshed. So, the leadership of Iran believes it is their mission to bring about this violent outbreak of war and bloodshed against those who are not a part of Islam, so as to prepare the way and hasten the return of their messiah. So, in their minds, terrorism, violence, and mass killings are acts of holiness, the will of their god, in order to effect his return to rule and reign on Earth.

In light of their beliefs, it is easy to understand their defiant ramblings, while rejecting reason and efforts put forth for conciliation.

Yes, the rage of the heathen is driving our world into violence and war. These are just the beginning of sorrows as spoken of in Matthew 24. Are you ready for Jesus to come?

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In Patience

“In your patience possess ye your souls.” Luke 21:18
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” James 5:7,8,10

Consider the patience of Job, while waiting for answers and deliverance from his inexplicable circumstances.

Joseph was betrayed and sold into slavery by his own brothers. For 13 long years, he waited for deliverance from bondage and imprisonment, but it came in glorious fashion.

David suffered for approximately 7 years, while Saul hunted him, seeking to kill him, even though David had been Saul’s most valuable servant. But by patient waiting, David traded his cross for a crown.

Jeremiah, who saw nothing but the decline and captivity of his nation, had to commit his keeping patiently into the hands of the Lord.

Elijah had to patiently endure the famine, as he faced the continual impenitence of unreasonable and wicked men.

In every generation, God’s children have had to wait upon the Lord, as they have been beset with incorrigible people and circumstances. Noah persevered in building the ark in the midst of the moral corruption and spiritual reprobation of his world.

Satan has, and will continue to fly up in the face of God’s children, doing everything he can to provoke us. IN PATIENCE – REMEMBER: the reason things bother us is because we care, and caring is a wonderful virtue. It is when evil no longer bothers us, that we have lost our savor.

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:1,2,4

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