No Coincidences

Remember those combination pad locks on your high school locker?  I can still remember my first one.  Woo, thought I was big stuff when I had a locked locker J  (10-20-31, I think that was my first combination.  Right 2 times, then left past the 2^nd #, then on left to the 2^nd #, then right to the last one… or something like that).  The combination was preset and absolute.  When I did it right, the lock opened… every time.  I wonder what the likelihood was of someone accidentally entering the right combination?  Something like 1 in 125,000 I think.  I’m no statistician.   

When it comes to the Bible, there are certain combinations that just don’t work and some that fit like hand in glove; that open up great mysteries to the believer.

I guess the oldest bad combination in the book is Matthew 27:5, “He… went and hanged himself” and Luke 10:37, “Go, and do thou likewise.”  That makes for a mildly good anecdote I guess, yet there are other combinations of verses that are legitimately full of truth and power. 

Consider Hebrews 1:5-13: the writer quotes phrases from Psalms 2, 45, 89, 97, 102, 104 & 110 to emphasize the superlative position of Christ.  Such a pattern of combining passages from many places to make a doctrinal point is common in Scripture.  Elsewhere in Hebrews, Acts, the gospels and Paul’s letters, it is a common practice.  If being led by the Spirit, great blessings can be had by following suit.

Here are a few that come to my mind and bless my heart:

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). 

“If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).   

"Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17).

Wow!  Putting those passages together makes the evangelist’s gospel very broad and encompassing indeed.  Hallelujah!

How about these confirming the divinity of Christ clearly?

"I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior" (Isaiah 43:11).  "There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me" (Isaiah 45:21).   "I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt, and you shall know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me" (Hosea 13:4).

“Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).  [See also Acts 5:31; 13:23 & II Peter 1:1].

Oh Emmanuel!  God, with us!  God, manifest in the flesh!  Philip said, “Show us the Father.”  Jesus responded, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”  Amazing!

Perhaps the most familiar and useful of all is this combination:

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

"But God commends [demonstrates, shows, presents, exhibits] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

As believers we should be practicing this hermeneutic constantly.  Of course we should study in context and consider the overall picture of what God is attempting to communicate to us in His revelation, but each testament, author, book, chapter, verse, phrase, word, root, prefix, suffix and number have significance.  We should always be asking God to connect the dots for us.  He is the only one who has a complete knowledge of how the infinite truths of the Scripture all fit together in a doctrinal network.  Let’s always consider the transcendent author of this great book from which our faith grows.  We can be sure that we will never discover any proper combination of verses that wasn’t originally intended to be viewed together by the Spirit who inspired them.

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

The working combinations are endless… and they are never coincidental.

Psalm 119:140, “Your word is very pure: therefore your servant loves it.”

Amen!

“Who needs it?”

DUI, DWI… whatever.  It’s deadly, right?  We all know that.  We see it in commercials; the news; various places. 

I saw a Crown Royal commercial recently that had the standard “Drink Responsibly” disclaimer at the bottom of the screen.  I had to chuckle.  In my neck of the woods, drinking “responsibly” equals not drinking at all.  Amen!  (Thanks, Daddy and Momma…. seriously).

The word “sober” means various things to various people.  To the alcoholic, maybe it means he’s not as drunk now as he will be later.  To the traffic cop, well I suppose he is guided by a specific blood alcohol limit standard set by men superior to him in jurisdiction and authority.  To the wife or child of an abusive drunk, perhaps it just it means temporary peace and hollow apologies.

But, for the student of the Bible, what is the point of God’s injunction in favor of sobriety?

Paul said, "We be sober… for your cause" (2 Corinthians 5:13).  OK?  So, what did he mean?  In fact, what did he mean there and elsewhere?  Was he saying that he was on the same side as MADD or the prohibitionist crowd; “VOTE DRY” as the slogan was in our county when I was growing up?  As much as I’m opposed to drunkenness, Paul used this word “sober” several times in his writings, but I don’t think he was talking about liquor consumption per se:

"Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:6).

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach….  Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things" (1 Timothy 3:2 & 11).

"You speak the things which become sound doctrine: that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience…  Teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children… Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded" (Titus 2:1, 2, 4 & 6).

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ….  The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer" (1 Peter 1:13 & 4:7).

And, the most familiar passage…

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour…" (1 Peter 5:8).

Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  Be sober!  OK already!  I hear you!  But… what do you mean?  Let’s list some apparent qualities about this sobriety:

1.       It’s the opposite of spiritual lethargy; apathy; complacency.

2.       Being spiritually sober includes preparing for spiritual warfare by exercising faith, hope and love.

3.       A preacher is required specifically to be known for practicing this sobriety – whatever it is.

4.       Deacons’ wives also particularly need it.

5.       Men and women both old and young must strive to live in it.

6.       The fact that the end is near demands sobriety.

7.       Being sober will help us avoid being destroyed by Satan.

Well, indeed those points are helpful.  But, I, for one, still have questions.  Let’s have some definitions, please:

One of the words translated as “sober” in our KJV is the word “sōphroneō;” meaning: “to be of sound mind, to be in one's right mind, to exercise self control, to put a moderate estimate upon one's self, think of one's self soberly & to curb one's passions.”

Another word, a different word is also translated “sober” in some of these passages, “nēphō;” meaning: “to be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.” [www.blueletterbible.org]

Both carry enough of the same meaning to make the picture clear in my head now.  As believers, we must think clearly, accurately, rightly, realistically, logically & carefully.  Additionally, we have to act in a subdued, controlled, careful, right & humble manner. 

Read those two statements again…

As believers, we MUST think clearly, accurately, rightly, realistically, logically & carefully. 

As believers, we MUST behave in a subdued, controlled, careful, right & humble manner. 

Sober, inside and out!  Thinking with a clear head and acting in a precise and intentional way for the glory of God.  The battle which we are in is far too important; the precarious ditches are way too close; the cost of defeat is just too great for us to proceed with clouded minds or uncertain steps.

The Christian life is no joke.  We only have one life and it will soon be past.  We must redeem the time!  Do we really have time for the frivolous, risky, destructive ways of the flesh?  No!  No!  1,000 times No!

We must take ourselves our God and our neighbor very seriously.  We live in the daylight.  We see the approaching of the end of this age!  It’s no time for piddling spiritual tiddlywinks.

Does this mean there can be no joy in our life?  Of course not!  Weddings (for example) are grand and joyous occasions, but they are also sober events; not to be entered into lightly or unadvisedly, but seriously.  There are an abundance of trivial behaviors that are simply inappropriate during a wedding, due, of course, to the grave and unique nature of the occasion.  This doesn’t mean that all fun is outlawed.  We have some rather light-hearted traditions that are associated with weddings in America, yet there is still a tremendous seriousness that is appropriate and rightfully demanded in respect for the couple being wed.  Even so, the Christian life deserves tremendous attention to celebration, worship, joy, fellowship and praise… but don’t ever forget the infinite and significance of how we live our lives; whether for God’s pleasure or for our own.

No wonder the great Apostle said these words:

“Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:14-21).

A drunk thinks and acts without inhibition; on base whims and passions; insanely, foolishly, and destructively.  As God’s children, we must guard against those traits.  We must be monitored and controlled, yes even dominated by the Spirit of the Living God Who is in us.  We must submit to the benevolent and wise rule of the Master.  The destiny of the eternal souls of the people around us is bound to be affected by our influence.  We can’t afford to get it wrong.  Therefore we absolutely can not ever live casually.  Every day demands renewed spiritual vigor.  If that seems to be too much to ask… well, consider the alternatives.  I see plainly that every option short of Spirit filled sobriety is totally unacceptable…

As God’s firemen on the scene of THE worst fire in existence, we have no business goofing off in a stupor of spiritual flippancy while that fire is consuming lives around us ever moment that we lay idle.

If God Almighty were to give you and me a spiritual sobriety test every day, would we pass?  Or, would our breath betray how intoxicated with sin and self we really and truly are?

Be sober!  Be vigilant! 

…from this moment on; until we draw our last breath.

“A Discipline, a Desire, a Dispensation (privilege)”

I received the following e-mail today (which got me to thinking about the mysteries of prayer):

Pastor, I wanted to share this with you.  It is a 'simple thing' but yet, to me it is huge!

I have believed in the power of prayer since I was a very small child.  I was raised believing that God was able to do anything.  I truly don't remember ever doubting what God could do. 

But then I grew up…

It wasn't that I stopped believing, but I did 'limit' Him.  I prayed for others, believed for others, trusted that their needs would be met; their sickness would be cured; they would be healed...

…and hoped for the best in everything.

Last year when I was attacked by the pit bull, I prayed!  I knew what fear was, and I cried out to Jesus asking Him to lift me up.

Yet, for three years I have had a cyst on my finger.  I have watched it grow and get a little more ugly each day.  But did I pray for it?  Nope.

About a month ago sitting in church the minister was speaking about the walls of Jericho...

Meanwhile, one night, as I waited to fall asleep, a memory came to mind.  I was about 6 years old, and I had a very sore, nasty ingrown toenail. I had a father that would 'cut that thing out' if he knew I had it!  Afraid?  You betcha!  In my child's mind, if my Dad found out that that toe was so bad, he would get his trusty pen knife out and take care of the toenail right away!  (We didn't run to the doctor for much back then!)

So, in my child's mind, I had no alternative but to pray.  I would kneel by my bed each night and talk to Jesus.  I would ask Him to please heal my toe, and, “Please... Jesus, before my Daddy finds out that it is so bad!” 

Each night I would pray, and I believed.  I had faith...I KNEW He would heal it!

Days went by (I don't remember now how long it took), but each day I prayed, and each day I feared my Dad discovering my toe...BEFORE Jesus would heal it!

But one morning I woke up, and, as I threw back those covers and looked down at my toe (as I had every single morning), I saw that it was healed!!!!  It wasn't green anymore! 

As that memory came back to me the other night I was gently reminded to pray not just for the big things that happen in my life, but also the very small... even a cyst. 

I began to pray, and, 4 times so far it has drained on its own.  (I am reminded of the sermon of Jericho...marching 7 times).  Instead of growing larger, the cyst is becoming smaller! 

I don't know when it will go away...but because Jesus reminded me of my 'child like' faith from so many years ago....in His timing...His way....I believe that my finger will be clear of this cyst totally!

God is a powerful, mighty God!  There is nothing too large...and surely there is nothing too small for Him. 

I had forgotten my childhood faith....as children we go to Jesus for everything....nothing is put on a shelf...it 'all' matters. 

In this world we are living in now....we who believe need to remember that as children we had great [simple] faith in God.  We didn't doubt.  We didn't fear.  We just simply believed. 

I just felt lead to share this ...not sure why! 

Isn't He wonderful!!!!

Well, truthfully, when I read this e-mail message this morning, I took notice.  Why?  Well, I struggle with the matter of prayer as much as with anything else in the spiritual realm. 

When I hear (or read, in this case) of a modern situation like this, I immediately try to find an event in Scripture to compare it to.  While there are several stories in the Bible that this lady’s story could be compared to, the one that sticks out the most in my mind is the one about the three Hebrew children and the burning fiery furnace.  Read on…

Daniel 3:16-18

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter.  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.’”

Their faith was steady, sure, confident, steadfast, bold, courageous, accurate and exact.  Yet, notice the “but if not” at the beginning of verse 18.  Their faith in God allowed for the prerogative of God to dominate, even if they were indeed still certain in their own mind of what God was going to do.  They made purposeful provision for God’s sovereign will, knowing that God is not a slave to our human understandings.

My friend wrote, “I believe that my finger will be clear of this cyst totally!”  I love that!  Confidence!  We need more of that in our prayers.  Faith, not just that God can, but that He will!  That’s the natural way that children approach matters too, eh?  So sure that they will get what they are asking for.  This is why Jesus said we must become as a little child if we hope to come to Him.  But consider this now, what if the cyst on this lady’s finger is not ever healed?  Is her faith insufficient then?  Possibly!  Or does it mean that God doesn’t answer prayers after all?  An unbeliever might conclude that, but for us believers, that’s no option! 

How about this?  Maybe God has other plans.  Let’s never forget just such a possibility when we pray.  Even Jesus prayed, “Nevertheless Father, don’t give me what I want, but what You want for me.”  Paul prayed in sincere faith (3 times) that God would remove his “thorn in the flesh” – but God said, “No, my grace is all you need.  My strength is made perfect in your weakness.”

Unless God has already instructed us otherwise (i.e., we don’t have to pray and ask God if He wants us to go to church or not; where maybe; but not if), we should take every matter in our lives to God, every day.  But we need to remember that despite our most sincere and humble supplications; God has the right and rightfully reserves the right to do things His own way.  Yet, consider these great passages about prayer:

John 14:13-14               

Jesus said, “Whatsoever you shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.”

 

First John 5:14b-16a

“…believe on the name of the Son of God.  And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, he hears us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death.”

 

James 4:2b-3 

“…you have not, because you ask not.  You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.”

 

Ephesians 6:16-18       

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…”

 

First Thessalonians 5:17            

“Pray without ceasing.”

 

First Timothy 2:8          

“I will therefore that men pray every where…”

 

Hebrews 4:15-16

“We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

 

Romans 8:26-27

“Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

 

James 5:16     

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

 

I’m sure the list of Scriptures could continue for many pages.  God’s commands, promises, invitations, instructions and illustrations on this matter of communication with Him are manifold.  I think these are sufficient for now though…  The point is made. 

 

We should pray.  We must pray.  It is our privilege to pray.  Prayer is necessary, productive, essential, rewarding, spiritual, basic, practical… 

 

We can and should trust Him with the mammoth, gargantuan, humongous, insurmountable difficulties of life… and also with the minute, infinitesimally tiny, little matters which we might be embarrassed to even share with one another as needs.   It’s not so much the size of the need that is significant, nor even the size of the prayer itself; it is the size of the one and only true God to whom we pray – that’s what matters most.

 

One more verse:

 

First Peter 5:6-7

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you.”

 

Prayer is a discipline – it is required labor for the Christian.

Prayer is a natural desire – our heart cries out to our heavenly Father because the Spirit within us is drawn in that direction.

Prayer is a dispensation (privilege) – God wouldn’t have to listen to us, yet He does.  Let’s not neglect such an honor…

Thankfully, I don’t have to fully understand everything about prayer for it to work. 

 

Need I say more?

 

Let’s pray…

 

Fruit from the Bus, Revival and Camp…

 

Here is a slightly edited version of our current Youth Pastor’s testimony.  Be blessed…

 

“I can clearly remember the time, when I was a child (at the age of 6 or maybe 7 years old), a couple of young ladies stopped in at our house.   My father had been stationed at F.E. Warren A.F.B. in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and it was to our house on that base that the young ladies came.  They asked my parents if we could join them in going to church on Sunday mornings.  My mother was all about it; wanting us to go.  Looking back at it now, I think it was a time for her to let her hair down once a week; to have peace and quite in the house.  Anyway, I just remember getting on a bus early the next morning and picking up a lot of other kids that were going to the same church. When we arrived at the church, I remember that there were many other buses that had many other kids on them.  During the services, we had great times learning about God in all the Bible stories.  Not knowing any better, I had just gone to get a chance at all the games and prizes that I knew would come with the events.  In other words, I went for the candy and the toys.

 

Well, Dad received orders to leave Wyoming.  But, we were on hold to leave for Holland… or was it England?  It was one of those two places.  While we were waiting to leave, we moved to Maine.  There my mother and father began attending Shiloh Baptist Church in East Millinocket.  The first summer we were there, we were invited to a tent revival that the church was putting on.  It was a week long event with great preaching, singing, testimonies… and great food.  The night of the tent revivals that stuck out to me was the very last night.  After the preacher preached a sermon (I do not even remember the topic; let alone the title), I knew (at the age of 8) beyond a shadow of doubt that when the invitation was given I needed to go forward and to invite Jesus into my heart.  It was strange to me.  As I left my seat, my two younger twin sisters followed right behind me to invite Jesus into their hearts.  All I remember is that after asking Jesus to save me, there was such a burden of guilt and sin lifted off of my heart.  I know, since I was at the age of 8, you might ask, “How much sin could a young boy possibly have in his life?”  But to me it felt so real.  Another thing that I vividly remember was that I was just bawling like a baby the whole time afterward.  Our family began attending church faithfully after that revival and continued for years afterward.  

 

Later on we learned that dad was not going to receive orders to move to Europe, so my family moved about a half hour or so south to Lincoln, Maine.  In Lincoln my siblings and I entered into a Christian school and learned much more about godly morals.  We began attending a church that preached strong godly principals.  It was at that church, Enfield Baptist Church, that, at the age of 12 or 13, I attended River of Life Bible Camp for a week of summer fun and Biblical lessons.  The lessons were from a great man of God, Pastor Vondel Allen. God used this man in my life that week to show me that being a Christian could be full of excitement and adventure for a teenage boy.  Prior to coming to camp, I had been struggling with a choice between two possible directions in my life.  I wanted to be in the crowd of cool kids, but I also wanted to stay on the right path being faithful to God.  As the week progressed we obviously came closer and closer to having to go home on Saturday morning.  But, before that, the camp had a special service around a campfire on Friday night.  We sang camp songs and gave testimonies of how God had blessed us during that week.  As all the campers that were the labeled "Jesus Freaks" gave their testimonies around the campfire, all the “cool” kids just sat there on their logs, stumps and on the ground picking at the grass.  I sat there and observed all the different types of people in my little world at the camp that week.  I sat there knowing that in my heart I wanted to be one of the cool kids… AND I wanted to be a Jesus freak!  Battling over which direction to choose for my life was like God showing me two roads that took sharp turns just ahead.  I couldn't see what was around the bends, yet I had to make a decision.  At that time Pastor Allen stood up to give a devotional.  It felt like it took a total of about 30 seconds to for him to deliver it.  At the end of his devotional he gave a challenge to all the teens; to the "Jesus Freaks" and the "Joe Cools" who were there.  He challenged all of us with the decision that I was already contemplating: to follow God or to follow the crowds.  He pointed out that we as teens did not really know where either road would end up, but the decision had to be ours anyway.  There is one thing that I remember that took place at that moment that I will certainly never forget.  As I sat there on my log by the campfire and beside the peaceful sounding river which was there also, it was as if nobody was around.  It was just God and me.  It seemed to me like he asked me face to face, “What will it be?  Me, or the Crowd?”  Even though I could not see what was around the bend, at that moment, I chose to follow God; to surrender my life over to Him; to let Him take me and use me in His work (whatever that was going to be).

 

The year after that, my cousins, siblings, and I took a trip to Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  There was a youth conference there for teens who wanted to serve God with any part of their being.  At that time I so wanted to do the right thing.  Whenever there was a revival, conference, or Bible study around anywhere… I wanted to be there.  While we were at the youth conference the youth pastor preached a message about giving our bodies as a living sacrifice to God.  I thought to myself that I had already done this with my life.  He then asked a question.  He asked if we would take one step further to let God show us what He wanted for our lives.  At the time I had no idea what God might want for me.  Then, on the ride home from Pennsylvania to Maine God began tugging on my heart to become a youth pastor; to touch the lives of our youth in America today.  In my version of the burden, I realized that not only do adults need to hear about the gospel and why we believe it, but the youth of our country need to hear it as well.  

 

When I got home I knew that I had to get started on my calling to be a youth pastor.  I asked our pastor at the time if I could preach for some services.  Well, sure enough, he let me.  I was so excited to do so.  Also, I was in contact with an old pastor who was a friend to me who told me to try working at a camp for the summer.  So, I took his advice.  Ironically the camp that I worked at was the same camp that I had attended myself; the one where I had made an agreement with God to serve in whatever ministry He would have for me.  I got a counselor position at River of Life Bible Camp!  

 

In the years from then till now I have helped out in youth groups at different churches, preached in many adult services, directed a camp ministry, got married to a beautiful young lady, became a father, and now, finally, I serve God in the role of a youth pastor in a ministry that is growing and that loves the Lord… here, at Grace Baptist Church.

I get really excited about how God has used me… “Looking Unto Jesus THE AUTHOR and FINISHER of our FAITH!!!!!!!" (Hebrews 12:2)

 

Pastor Derrick Grant

Aftershock Youth

GBC, Hurlock

 

To contact Pastor Grant, send your correspondence to: pastorbigd@gmail.com

 

And, once again… send your own testimony my way: pastorbigred@aol.com